Year: 2011

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Green Machines Motor Shows Volkswagen

Tokyo 2011: Volkswagen Cross Coupé

Volkswagen Cross Coupe

Volkswagen brings a glimpse into its future with the Cross Coupé concept SUV. Powered by an innovative hybrid drivetrain Volkswagen say the styling you see here will influence future production models.

The all-wheel drive Cross Coupé is built on the MQB platform and features a 110kW/210Nm petrol engine complemented by a 40kW/180Nm electric engine at the front and an 85kW/270Nm electric motor at the rear; making a peak power figure of 195kW overall. Fuel consumption can be as low as 2.7l/100km, while a firm right foot can bring you to 100km/h in a respectable seven seconds.

Pay particular attention to the front of the Cross Coupé and you’ll be looking at the ‘Volkswagen visage’. This styling, created by Walter da Silver and Klaus Bischoff, represents a link between past and future styling. While the connection between LED DRL and chrome grille details is a neat fit, at the moment, we consider the look to be an acquired taste. Overall the Cross Coupé is a bit of a mix between an Audi Q5 and a Range Rover Evoque. Which is no bad thing.

Inside the cabin we get a preview of some interesting dash technology, where user programmable options are the order of the day. We’ve seen similar thinking from BMW in the past and no doubt we’ll soon be playing with such tech in production models.

More detail is available after the break, including video footage from the Volkswagen display at the Tokyo.

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Motor Shows Volkswagen

Tokyo 2011: Volkswagen Passat Alltrack

Volkswagen Passat Alltrack

You’re looking at the Passat Alltrack which has just made its public debut at the Tokyo Motor Show. Volkswagen say the Alltrack has been created for buyers who “want a versatile, sporty and very roomy passenger car that has rugged qualities.”

At 4771mm long and 1820mm wide the Alltrack matches the size of its regular Passat Estate counterpart. However, ground clearance moves up from 135mm to 165mm. For context a current model Subaru Outback has 213mm ground clearance and the Alltrack follows the familiar Outback template of adding a few cosmetic changes to an otherwise standard wagon.

The good news for Australian buyers is that the Alltrack has been pencilled in for a 2012 release. Volkswagen Australia has said pick a date anywhere between January and December. That’s to say, they haven’t confirmed a launch date, but we would expect it to be the latter half of next year.

A familiar mix of four Volkswagen engines and two drivetrains are specified in the Euro press release below, noting that the company’s 4motion all-wheel drive system is standard on the 125kW TDI (diesel) and 155kW TSI (petrol).

More detail follows after the break.

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MINI

MINI Coup̩ Cooper S РAustralian pricing

MINI Coupe JCW

MINI Australia has just announced pricing for its new Cooper S Coupé which will launch in February next year. You’ll need $42,990 to get yourself into the car, plus those unavoidable taxes, on roads etc.

Joining the 135kW Cooper S will be the 155kW John Cooper Works model (pictured). Pricing for the JCW is a closely guarded secret for now and we’ll bring you more closer to its launch, also in February 2012.

More detail from MINI after the break.

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Volkswagen

Does it look any good in pink?

Volkswagen Beetle convertible

Girls loving pink Beetle convertibles is as clichéd as girls loving Barbie Dolls. So much so you can buy a pink Volkswagen Beetle convertible for Barbie to play with. Now, Car magazine brings us an early look at the newest ragtop Beetle.

Volkswagen has been trying to make The Beetle more masculine. We can’t help but feeling this latest addition to the range will be a case of one step forward, two steps back.

It’s expected the Beetle Cabriolet will go on sale mid–late 2012. Follow the link below for more.

[Source: Car]

Categories
Ferrari

VIDEO: A closer look at the Ferrari 599XX EVO

Ferrari 599XX EVO

Respected YouTube contributor Marchettino brings us closer to the Ferrari 599XX EVO with his video shot from the floor of the Bologna Motor Show. You get a much better appreciation for the aero package on the car as well as ripping view of the side exit exhausts.

Check out the clip after the break.

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Toyota

The sound of 86

Toyota 86 engine sound

Ever since the Toyota 86 was released people have wanted to know what the 2.0 litre Toybaru boxer engine sounds like. Now, thanks to a couple of official ringtones from Toyota, we have an idea. Check out the samples below and if you want to download them yourself, head on over to the Toyota Global website.

After the break you can watch a rather overproduced promo clip for the 86. It’s titled Full throttle and it’s certainly full on.

[audio:http://www.ausmotive.com/audio/Toyota-86-ringtone01.mp3] [audio:http://www.ausmotive.com/audio/Toyota-86-ringtone02.mp3]
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Top Gear

Clarkson: “We didn’t derail the train, but…”

Top Gear Christmas special 2011

A day after the date for the 2011 Top Gear Christmas special became known we can now bring you this short preview of the 90 minute episode. Speaking on The One Show Jeremy Clarkson revealed the rationale behind the visit to India. If you’d like to discover more you can check out the video after the break, which includes a brief highlights clip from the lads in India.

[Source: Final Gear]

UPDATE: If you don’t mind getting a first hand account at what the 2011 Top Gear Christmas special is all about, check out Andy Wilman’s blog.

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Ferrari Motor Shows

Bologna 2011: Ferrari 599XX evolution package

Ferrari 599XX evo

We got a sneak peak at the Ferrari 599XX with evolution package a couple of weeks back. Now Ferrari has made it official with a press release published to coincide with the car’s public debut at the Bologna Motor Show (3–11 December).

So, we can confirm the Evo tips in at 35kg less than a regular 599XX. A side exit exhaust and a subsequent retune is responsible for a modest increase in power, taking the maximum to 551kW (750CV). Torque has also been given a small boost and now peaks at 700Nm.

However, Ferrari is most excited about the ‘opening gap’ featured in the new active rear wing. By factoring in key parameters the wing will adjust itself to provide the optimum opening to allow for increased cornering performance.

Throw in a few other minor aero tweaks and you end up with one of the world’s most expensive automotive toys that can lap Fiorano in just 1 minute 15 seconds. Which is pretty handy when compared against the best times around Ferrari’s test track.

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Subaru

Pure handling delight

“Pure handling delight”, that’s the claim being made by Subaru in this promo clip for the BRZ. They also say the “BRZ is a fun sports car that any driver can enjoy driving with peace of mind.”

Those chasing big horsepower will have to wait until the countless aftermarket tuners do their thing. For now, Subaru are giving you 200hp and a bit over 1200kg to play with.

Will Nick Senior and his mates be foolish enough to deny Australians the chance to join in the Toybaru fun?

Categories
Formula 1

Bernie gives USGP organisers one more week

US GP draft track layout

Associated Press brings word that Bernie Ecclestone has granted a one week extension to organisers of the USGP in Austin to allow them to meet his demands.

Which is funny, because only last week Bobby Epstein, Circuit of The Americas representative, said that they have the money Ecclestone wants and have done for some time.

Bernie isn’t having any of that, telling AP, “the deadline hasn’t been met so we are still trying to make it happen… they need to get some money and a pen.”

The World Motor Sport Council meets next week (7 December) to ratify the 2012 F1 calendar. If Bernie isn’t satisfied with USGP organisers by then they can start planning for a race in 2013.

[Source: Associated Press]

Categories
Formula 1

FIA publishes provisional 2012 F1 entry list

2011 Brazilian GP

There are 24 driving spots up for grabs every year in Formula One and so far we have 15 of them safely locked in. Overnight the FIA released a provisional entry list for the 2012 season which shows nine are seats officially vacant.

Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes are settled. No surprises there. Marussia is also confirmed. So, too Caterham, which is interesting given there has been talk Daniel Ricciardo may replace Jarno Trulli.

Lotus has just signed Kimi Raikonnen, leaving Vitaly Petrov, Bruno Senna and Romain Grosjean in the hunt for the remaining drive. Robert Kubica has confirmed he won’t be ready to race at the start of next season. It will be interesting to see what happens should he be ready to go part way through 2012. There are rumblings he could displace Felipe Massa at Ferrari.

Officially Force India are driverless, but Paul di Resta should be safe after an impressive rookie year. It’s expected Adrian Sutil will make way for Nico Hulkenberg, who, you may remember, claimed pole position in his most recent F1 race.

Toro Rosso is an interesting case. Incumbent drivers Sebastien Bumei and Jaime Algeursuari could be forgiven for expecting to comfortably retain their jobs. They’ve not done a lot wrong. However, they’ve also failed to demand the attention of the F1 paddock. With young guns like Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne ready to pounce that may prove costly.

Williams was in the hunt for Kimi Raikkonen but baulked at his wage demands. So you’d think the status quo of veteran Rubens Barichello and the cash of Pastor Maldonado will remain. We’ll have to wait and see, it appears.

Which leaves perennial back markers HRT with no drivers. However, long-term McLaren test driver Pedro de la Rosa has been signed and Tonio Liuzzi hasn’t done his chances of surviving at HRT any major damage in 2011.

[Pic: Red Bull/Getty Images]

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Mazda Motor Shows

Tokyo 2011: Mazda Takeri concept

Mazda Takeri concept

Mazda promised us back in October they’d be bringing this smooth looking Takeri concept to the Tokyo Motor Show. At the time they were a bit hush-hush on the finer details. Now that the Tokyo show is here they’ve given us a few more pics and a new video, but still not much else.

One thing they have gone into is the regenerative braking system, rather obtusely labelled ‘i-ELOOP’—that’s intelligent energy loop for those playing at home. This technology will feature on road cars next year, Mazda say.

Real world use is expected to yield a 10% reduction in fuel consumption. Here’s the neat bit for all the gadget freaks out there, instead of using a battery to store the recaptured energy Mazda has employed a capacitor to do the work. It can be fully charged in less than a minute and is better suited to the demands of rapid charging/discharging.

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