Category: Motor Shows

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Lamborghini Motor Shows

Frankfurt 2013: Gallardo LP 570-4 Squadra Corse

Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Squadra Corse

There’s a major motor show on right now, so that means it’s the launch of yet another Lamborghini Gallardo. This one is called the LP 570-4 Squadra Corse.

It’s based on the Super Trofeo Stradale which was the last Gallardo ever. That was released two years ago and we’ve had not one, but two new Gallardos since then. And now we have three.

The Squadra Corse has been named after the recently created department of Lamborghini which handles the company’s motorsport activities. The newest Gallardo is powered by a 570hp V10 taken straight from the Super Trofeo racecar. Even the massive rear wing comes straight from the track.

The use of aluminium and carbon fibre construction helps keep the dry weight down to 1340kg, giving the car a power to weight ratio of 2.35hp/kg. The Squadra Corse does the 100km/h dash in 3.4 seconds and the 200km/h sprint in 10.4 seconds, before topping out at 320km/h.

Only a limited number will be built and if you’ve got a spare €191,000 plus some change for taxes you can have one all to yourself.

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Mercedes-Benz Motor Shows

Frankfurt 2013: Mercedes Concept S Class Coupé

Mercedes-Benz Concept S Class Coupe

Mercedes-Benz has brought its vision for the next S Class Coupé to Frankfurt and for the most part we think it looks pretty good.

Typically the S Class Coupé is a big car and this concept model is no different. It’s over five metres long, almost two metres wide and 1.4 metres tall. Power comes from a 4.6 litre V8 biturbo producing 455bhp/700Nm.

Based on the new S Class saloon, some of the technology in the Concept S Class Coupé sounds pretty cool. We like the sound of Magic body control, well, who wouldn’t! A pair of cameras scans the road ahead to anticipate bumps and undulations and then alters the suspension setup to provide the best ride possible.

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Ferrari Motor Shows

Frankfurt 2013: Ferrari 458 Speciale

Ferrari 458 Speciale

If you can only afford to buy one Ferrari 458, this Speciale version is the one you should get. We got a preview of the car last month, so we already know it’s powered by Ferrari’s most powerful V8 ever. But this latest addition to the 458 range has more tricks than a simple power upgrade.

Mostly, those tricks centre around the Speciale’s aerodynamics package. Ferrari’s boffins have had a field day with this car adorning it with active front and rear flaps, little fins and creases all adding up to provide excellent downforce.

Back to the engine and its performance for a moment. The 4.5 litre V8 now has 445kW, up 20kW on the 458 Italia. It has a dry weight of 1290kg and when it’s all fired up and angry the Speciale will spit out 100km/h in 3.0 seconds and 200km/h in 9.1 seconds. It will knock-off the standing quarter mile in 10.7 seconds and in 19.4 seconds a full kilomtere will have whizzed by.

But it’s not just all party time going forwards, the 458 Speciale has carbon ceramic brakes as standard equipment. From 100km/h the brakes will pull you up to a complete standstill in only 31 metres.

When you put all that together the 458 Speciale can lap Ferrari’s Fiorano test track in 1:23.5. That’s faster than a 599 GTO and just half a second off the pace of an F12 berlinetta. It’s fair to say we’d like one very much!

After the break you can learn so much more about the 458 Speciale thanks to a series of videos and a couple of press releases for those who prefer the written word.

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BMW Motor Shows

Frankfurt 2013: BMW i8

BMW i8

The BMW i8 is another car we’ve spent a long time with on the journey from original concept to the production model you see here today. Last month BMW shared with us much of the technical specification, now we just get to see the car without the crazy camouflage.

Having seen the Vision EfficientDynamics with our own eyes at the Australian International Motor Show in 2011 we were amazed at the level of finish and fine details. Predictably, perhaps, some of that finesse appears to have been lost.

The i8 is a plug-in hybrid sportscar that’s fast enough, but we don’t expect it to be scaring the likes of Porsche any time soon. The rear wheels are powered by a 170kW/320Nm 1.5 litre three cylinder petrol turbo and the front axle is powered by a 96kW/250Nm electric motor. The total combined output of the i8 is 266kW/570Nm.

Weighing in at 1490kg, BMW says the i8 can accelerate to 100km/h in 4.4 seconds and has a top speed limited to 250km/h. In full electric mode the i8 is limited to 120km/h and has a predicted range range of around 35km. Its overall range is over 500km, thanks largely to the three cylinder petrol engine sipping fuel at the rate of just 2.5l/100km on the combined cycle.

There’s more pics and a detailed press kit for you to download after the break.

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Audi Motor Shows

Frankfurt 2013: Audi nanuk quattro concept

Audi nanuk quattro concept

This crazy looking, crazy sounding concept from Audi is not a tribute to Mork and Mindy. And it’s not a polar bear, either. It’s actually the new R8 in an SUV disguise.

An R8 SUV?! Yes, well, perhaps it may as well have been a polar bear from Ork after all. In concept form Audi has fitted the nanuk with a 5.0 litre V10. See, it is an R8. But the engine’s a diesel. Oh, maybe it’s not an R8, then.

The engine produces 400kW/1000Nm and propels the nanuk to 100km/h in 3.8 seconds, on to a top speed of 305km/h. Damn, it really is the next-gen R8, isn’t it!

Riding on adaptive air suspension the driver can adjust the ride height by a factor of 70mm. Hmm, I don’t think the next R8 will be able to do that. This is confusing. Oh, it weighs 1900kg. Holy crap, that’s almost two tonnes!!! There’s no way the next R8 will be that much of a porker.

Speaking of porkers, the nanuk features “integral steering”. It’s a rear-wheel steering set up that’s pretty much been nicked from the next garage over at Porsche. Hey, you’d stuff Porsche gadgets into an R8 for sure. Don’t you think?

Clearly, we don’t know what the hell we’re talking about. But we do know this much, this really is your first proper look at the design direction the new R8 will take. Honest!

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Motor Shows Porsche

Frankfurt 2013: Porsche 918 Spyder

Porsche 918 Spyder

At last the wraps have come off the production version of the Porsche 918 Spyder. The petrol electric hybrid sportscar has had a long gestation, first gracing the floor of the Geneva Motor Show in early 2010. It then trasnformed into the 918 RSR for the Detroit Auto Show in 2011, with the order book for the 918 Spyder officially opening in March of that year.

And now, at last, the real deal is here. In all of its 652kW glory. It tips the scales at 1634kg and with a 7-speed PDK and will see off 100km/h in 2.8 seconds. The double ton is gone in 7.7 seconds and the triple in 22 flat. Its top speed is 345km/h. Oh yes, it’s mighty quick!

It rides on specially developed Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres, 265/35/20 at the front and 325/30/21 at the back. A special ‘Weissach’ package will shed 35kg from the car and can be optioned in a number of race-inspired liveries.

Built around a CFRP monocoque, power for the 918 comes from a mid-mounted 4.6 litre V8 which sends 447kW to the rear wheels. A pair of electric motors completes the deal and sends 210kW to the front axle, which is decoupled at speeds in excess of 235km/h.

It’s very fruity and very frugal as well. The rated fuel consumption is as low as 3.0l/100km and less than 80g/km of exhaust emissions escape from the high-mount exhaust pipes.

Of course, we can’t end this precis without reminding you the 918 Spyder can lap the Nürburgring in 7 minutes 14 seconds.

UPDATE: Porsche has just confirmed, or at least claimed, the 918 Spyder has become the first production-based road car to break the 7 minute barrier at the Nürburgring. The lap time claimed is 6:57 and was set last week. We’ll bring you more detail regarding this new record soon.

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BMW Motor Shows

BMW previews its Frankfurt Motor Show stand

BMW IAA preview

The i8 hybrid sportscar will be one of the stars on the BMW stand at the Frankfurt Motor Show. And at 11,000m2 it’s going to be some stand!

BMW has set up a dedicated blog to bring us closer to the creation of their mega display, including a number of pictures of the build. Construction of the stand began back in July and has involved over 350 people.

Wolfram Greiner, manager for BMW Group trade fair presentations, tells us more:

After the round track in 2009 and 2011, we decided to take the presentation to a new level with our the concept of “infinite driving pleasure” as a figure 8 or lemniscate. With this track form we create a direct experience of the products on the 70-meter long straight at the visitor’s platform. In doing so, two stages emerge. A large stage for emotional images and the so-called BMW i lounge in which innovations and functions of the BMW i vehicles will be presented in a moderated format. In addition, our new BMW product geniuses are a novel new way to present the vehicles in a completely new way, the focus this time being on our BMW i Series.

[Source: IAA blog]

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Motor Shows Porsche

2013 Goodwood FoS in pictures – Porsche

2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed

For Porsche at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed it was all about the iconic 911 and its 50th anniversary. Here’s another 50-odd images from the festivities showing the many cars Porsche had on show and in action.

Porsche was also the manufacturer charged with installing the annual sculpture in front of Goodwood House. It was a trio of 911 models being thrust into the air. Quite spectacular really.

See also: 2013 Goodwood FoS in pictures – gallery 1 & gallery 2

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McLaren Mercedes-Benz MINI Motor Shows Nissan Pagani Peugeot Renault Rolls-Royce Skoda Toyota Volkswagen Volvo Vuhl

2013 Goodwood FoS in pictures – gallery 2

2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed

This is your second fix of images from the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed. We start with McLaren and take you all the way to Vuhl, plus a few bonus pics at the end.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s final gallery which is a dedicated set of Porsche images.

See also: 2013 Goodwood FoS in pictures – gallery 1

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Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Caterham Ferrari Fiat Ford GM Honda Jaguar Lamborghini Lotus Motor Shows

2013 Goodwood FoS in pictures – gallery 1

2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed

It’s taken us a while to prepare, but here’s your first instalment in our 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed image gallery. We’ve got more than 260 images in all which will be spread out over three galleries.

Presented in alphabetical order, this selection of photos starts with Alfa Romeo and ends with Lotus. And doesn’t that Alfa Romeo 4C just look sensational!

Stay tuned over the next two days for the remaining galleries to be posted.

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Motor Shows Volkswagen

Wörthersee 2013: Volkswagen Golf GTI Cabrio Austria

Volkswagen Golf GTI Cabrio Austria

The Mk6 Golf GTI has been given a final swansong by thirteen of Volkswagen’s most talented apprentices. Decked out in the red and white colours of the Austrian flag the Golf GTI Cabriolet Austria has the go to match its show.

The one-off creation is powered by the 2.0 turbocharged engine you expect to see in a GTI, but it’s been tuned to produce 245kW. Inside the Cabrio has been enhanced with a custom interior as well.

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Motor Shows Volkswagen

Wörthersee 2013: Volkswagen Amarok R-Style

Volkswagen Amarok R-Style Concept

We expect Volkswagen to jazz up a Golf GTI for Wörthersee, but it’s not everyday they go to town on the Amarok pick-up. But that’s exactly what they’ve done with the Amarok R-Style Concept. It’s had the works thrown at it, including having a 200kW/600Nm 3.0 litre V6 TDI stuffed under the bonnet.

Massive 22″ rims wrapped in 295/35/22 tyres complements those aggressive guards, which have been pumped out by 60mm. The front spoiler has been finished off with a carbon fibre diffuser, which ties in with the cover for the cargo area.

The carbon fibre theme continues inside too, where you’ll also find an 8″ touchscreen and 500w subwoofer in the GTI-inspired interior.

In truth the concept illustrations available after the break look better than the real image you see above. All in all though this would make an awesome workhorse for all those odd jobs you don’t really need to do.

[Source: WCF | Thanks to Tom for the tip]

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