Author: Liam

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Aston Martin

Aston Martin gives Vantage a dirty dozen

Aston Martin V12 Vantage

Aston Martin will reveal a V12 Vantage at the Geneva Motor Show next month. By shoehorning a V12 into the Vantage shell Aston has created what they claim to be their “most exhilarating sports car” yet.

The 6.0 litre 12 cylinder produces 380kW (510bhp) and a very tidy 570Nm of torque. All that power is good for claimed performance of 0-100km/h in 4.2 seconds and a 305km/h (190mph) top speed. All achieved through the use of a trad six speed manual, there will be no flappy paddle option, either. Helping bring a halt to proceedings are the Carbon Ceramic Matrix brakes, and with a 51:49 weight ratio Aston is pretty confident of the car’s handling abilities. They reckon you can corner the V12 Vantage at 1.3g.

The V12 Vantage concept was released a little over 12 months ago, so it’s some task by the British company to have the car ready in such a short amount of time.

Dr Ulrich Bez, Aston Martin Chief Executive Officer, is a bit excited, “This is the ultimate performance interpretation of the Vantage range, combining our most agile model with our most powerful engine.

“The V12 Vantage has a unique character, unlike our other cars. This will appeal to different people with different tastes, allowing more people to enjoy the Aston Martin experience.”

I have to say, and I’m almost afraid to admit it, but I find this car a little crass. The lashings of carbon fibre and almost vulgar fluted bonnet seem a bit too much out of character for the Vantage. It’s almost like Audrey Hepburn having death metal tattoos down her arms. Sure, there’d be people that would go bonkers for that, but, it just wouldn’t be the same. Even the wheels have a hint of Tempe Tyres about them.

Of course, given an opportunity, I am sure I could learn to love the V12 Vantage.

Pricing for the V12 Vantage will be confirmed at the Geneva Motor Show and the car is expected to go on sale some time after June.

Extensive press blurb and seven more 2000px super images after the jump.

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Fifth Gear MINI Volkswagen

Fifth Gear dogfight: Volkswagen Scirocco v MINI Cooper S

The fifteenth series of Fifth Gear is currently airing in Britain and in this week’s show they pitted Volkswagen’s stunning Scirocco against the cheeky MINI Cooper S. The cars were tested at the Castle Combe racetrack and Tiff Needell and Jason Plato were at the wheel. You can be sure nothing was left in the pits.

The result was very close, but if you want the winning car you’ll have to pester Volkswagen Australia very hard to get one.

(Thanks to Lee for the tip.)

Categories
BMW News

Chris Bangle signs off at BMW

Chris Bangle

After 17 years with BMW, Chris Bangle has handed in his resignation. According to the press statement below, 52-year-old Bangle will be pursuing personal “design-related endeavours beyond the auto industry”.

The vacant Director of BMW Group Design position will be filled by 44-year-old Adrian van Hooydonk, with immediate effect. Van Hooydonk has been Bangle’s right-hand man since 2004 and has been with BMW since 1992, including a five year stint with BMW subsidiary DesignworksUSA.

Bangle’s “flame” inspired designs have polarised opinions and whipped enthusiasts into a lather who are either staunchly for or against his results. However, design should challenge convention. And good design should change convention. Chris Bangle has done both.

Of course, it is fair to say that not all results released under Bangle’s tenure as BMW’s Head of Design have been successes, the original E65 7 Series being one example. However, other examples, such as the E60 5 Series and the E85 Z4, leave behind an enduring legacy of sharp modernism that will influence the industry for some time, even if other designers may not admit as much.

Chris Bangle has helped to bring commentary on design, and therefore appreciation of design, to a broader, more mainstream audience. Despite some failures along the way, he deserves respect, acknowledgement and gratitude for doing so.

Source: BimmerFile

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Mazda

2009 Mazda3 MPS teaser video

Not much else to say other than, here is a 30 second teaser video for the new Mazda3 MPS.

Categories
Mazda

Mazda3 MPS scoops Geneva

2009 Mazda3 MPS

The all new Mazda3 MPS, and its massive WRX-inspired bonnet scoop, will make its public debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

After recently being spotted at the Nürburgring, in full auto disguise, Mazda has unwrapped the new pocket rocket to reveal the wild new look. The new car will feature the same 2.3 DISI turbo powerplant from the current 3 MPS. We just have to hope Mazda has done a better job of harnessing every one of those 190kW that are fed through the front wheels.

The regular Mazda3 looks a bit quirky and ungainly with its big open mouth smile, the addition of the extroverted scoop seems to give the Mazda3 face more purpose.

Also making its first appearance in Geneva will be the Mazda3 i-Stop, the next car to have fuel saving stop-start technology.

Brief presser and more pics after the jump.

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Motor Shows News

Australian International Motor Show – A tale of two cities

Organisers of the Sydney and Melbourne motor shows have just announced plans for a new joint venture that will see a single major annual motor show alternating between the two cities. The agreement will commence from 2010 with the first show under the new arrangement to be held in Sydney. It is expected the 2010 Sydney show will be held in mid-October.

The 2009 Melbourne International Motor Show will go ahead as planned and starts later this month (27 February-9 March).

The announcement of the new plans confirms that there will be no motor show in Sydney in 2009. However, there are already signs of progession for the 2010 event.

Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries Chief Executive, Andrew McKellar says, “We are already making plans for Sydney in 2010 and are confident that under the new agreement, it will be an exciting and well-supported show.

“The new model is viable and sustainable and takes into account the views of the many vehicle brands who considered the proliferation of motor shows in Australia as being too costly.”

Full press statement after the jump.

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Categories
Audi News

Audi’s 2009 Super Bowl commercial

The 2009 NFL Super Bowl has been run and one and in true American fashion the event is as much about the razzle dazzle as it is about the athletes. Part of the razzle dazzle centres around the hype created by the round of television commercials that premiere during the game.

Here is Audi’s one minute ad called The Chase promoting their supercharged A6. It features Jason Statham behind the wheel (or Handsome Rob for fans of The Italian Job remake). He takes an historic path progressing through recent decades driving other prestige marques before, you guessed it, finally getting away from the baddies in his shiny new Audi A6.

It’s probably not quite up there with Audi’s 2008 Super Bowl commercial which was a parody of the famous horse head scene from The Godfather. That ad, along with a behind the scenes promo for this year’s ad can be seen after the jump.

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Aston Martin Random wallpapers

Random wallpaper: Aston Martin DBR1

Aston Martin DBR1

Here at AUSmotive we’re pretty chuffed with the news that Aston Martin Racing is chasing outright success at this year’s Le Mans 24 hour race. Not so much because we like Astons, of course we do, but we also appreciate beautifully crafted machines. The inspiration for Aston Martin’s 2009 assault, the DBR1, certainly fits that criteria.

One of the most stunning racing cars of its era it also proved its credentials by powering Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori to victory in the 1959 Le Mans 24 hour race.

You can read more about the DBR1 at Wikipedia, while enjoying a couple of press gallery images (click each image to load 2000 x 1320px super image). Also included after the jump is a brief YouTube clip showing Stirling Moss behind the wheel of a DBR1 and discussing his memories of the car.

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Aston Martin Motorsports

Aston Martin Racing chase history at Le Mans

Aston Martin LMP1

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Aston Martin’s sole Le Mans 24 hour race victory. To honour the feats of Carroll Shelby and Roy Salvadori the British company are chasing outright success with this stunning LMP1 racer. Racing cars with iconic Gulf livery always look great, but this creation from Aston Martin takes the look to a whole new level. It’s just brilliant!

Trouble is, there’s a lot more to racing than simply looking the part. Aston is the current Le Mans holder of the GT1 class, but to show how serious they are with their outright assault they will not be running any GT1 cars in 2009. It’s all or nothing in the outright category.

The LMP1 will use the proven V12 engine from the class winning DBR9 GT1 cars. The chassis is based on the 2008 Charouz Racing System Lola.

The 2009 Le Mans 24 hour race will take place over the weekend of 13–14 June.

Full press statement after the jump.

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Audi Motor Shows

Audi Australia sets Q5 pricing

Audi Q5

The Audi Q5 will make its first Australian appearance at the Melbourne International Motor Show at the end of this month. The car will be available for sale in the second quarter of this year and to help whet people’s appetites Audi Australia has just announced pricing.

The cost of admission into a Q5 is $59,900 for both 2.0 TDI and 2.0 TFSI engines. If you would like to raise the game a little, then you’ll need $69,900 for the 3.2 V6 FSI or $71,900 for the 3.0 TDI.

The Q5’s exterior is perhaps one of the best resolved Euro SUVs available and Audi’s managing director, Joerg Hofmann, is expecting big things, “The Q5 is priced very competitively, and it is an extremely attractive package. The Q5 will undoubtedly give the Audi range a strong boost in 2009 – in image and also in sales. Our network is extremely positive about this addition to our range.”

All models are equipped standard with quattro and a newly developed 7 speed S-tronic transmission (aka DSG).

The S line body kit for the Q5 looks great and expect to pay around $3500 for the kit by itself. The full S line package, including body kit and a few goodies from the options list, will start somewhere around the $5000 range, depending on engine choice.

More pics and words below.

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Categories
Top Gear

On that bombshell

Top Gear LIVE in Sydney 5-8 February

A quick reminder that Top Gear LIVE makes it Australian premiere this Thursday. Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond will be headlining the show. Its a bit of a shame that James May can’t make it, though.

The Australian season runs from 5-8 February, with all shows taking place at Sydney’s Acer Arena. Also, another reminder that the news conference with Jeremy and Richard discussing their world tour, posted back in November is still online, click here if you’d like to watch it.

There’s a bit of banter about the show on TopGear.com as well.

I’ll be there (thanks Mum), maybe I’ll see you there too.

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Categories
MINI

More convertible tom-foolery

Following the earlier story about the European launch of the MINI Convertible comes this viral video of the roofless MINI being taken through a car wash. I’ve often wondered what it would be like to do this. I need wonder no more.

More on this can be seen at the MINI United website.

Source: MotoringFile