The F1 mid-season slumber awakens in Belgium this weekend, but today we bring you an early preview of the new Circuit of the Americas track in Austin, Texas. It’s a computer-generated onboard lap with commentary from James Allen and Stephen Hood from Codemasters.
The 5.47km circuit makes its race debut on 18 November. It’ll be interesting to see if the latest Hermann Tilke track is as heavily criticised as some of his others.
[Source: James Allen | Thanks to Wes for the tip]
The story of the Porsche 911 (991) has taken its next step with the release of information for the Carrera 4 and 4S. Of course, the major difference here, compared to the regular 911s, is the addition of an all-wheel drive system, or Porsche Traction Management (PTM) to use the official titile. Hence the 4 in the model designation.
Porsche trainspotters will also know the C4 models have wider hips and in the 991 the extra width is 22mm. The rear tyres are 10mm wider, as well.
They will have also noticed the small dome beneath the front number plate meaning this is the first 911 to offer the option of Adaptive Cruise Control, which will now be available across the full 911 range.
Weight saving measures have enabled Porsche to lose as much as 65kg from the 991 C4S when compared to the old 997 model.
The 3.4 litre and 3.8 litre flat six engines carry over unchanged from the rear-wheel drive models. So that means the Carrera 4 has 257kW on tap, while the Carrera 4S has 294kW.
Extra grip off the line allows the C4S to overcome its extra weight and equal the 4.1 seconds required to reach 100km/h in the rear-wheel drive Carrera S. While the Carrera 4 requires 4.5 seconds, a tenth quicker than its two-wheel drive counterpart.
Porsche has also released details for the Cabriolet version of the C4. If you’re opting for a roofless 911 you could probably care less about its 0–100 times, but we’ll share them with you anyway. The C4 Cabrio takes 4.7 seconds and the C4S Cabrio 4.3 seconds.
Impressively, for car’s of this nature, Porsche claims the combined fuel consumption for the Carrera 4 and 4S sits around 9.0l/100km, give or take.
The official public debut for the Carrera 4 and 4S will take place at the Paris Motor Show and European sales are scheduled for late this year. So you should be seeing these in Australia by early 2013.
It’s been far too long since we’ve read any speculation on the 21st century Audi Quattro, which debuted at the Paris Motor Show in 2010. Previously there’s been strong suggestions the car will go into full production and last we heard was in February last year when a Quattro prototype under an A5 skin had been tested.
Now we’re hearing the Quattro, codenamed Q35, will be released in 2015 with as many 10,000 models built per year. A worthy launch date for the Q35 could be March 2015, the 35th anniversary of the Ur Quattro.
Word is the Quattro will be position the four-seat coupé between the TT and R8 (although we’ve heard different before, albeit with a smaller production run). As far as competitors go Audi is expected to set its sights on the BMW M3/M4 and Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupé.
Let’s hope the 300kW five-pot from the show car makes the step to final production. And we’d also like to hang on the almost impossible hope that the car will feature a traditonal manual gearbox, instead of a less involving S tronic twin-clutch jobbie.
With the emergence of the M Performance Automobile model lines it’s no surprise to see BMW will increase its M profile. Current models already released under the M-lite portfolio are the diesel powered X5 M50d and X60d duo, along with the M135i (due in Australia next month).
However, in future, models such as the Z4 sDrive35is will likely carry much simpler model designations; possibly Z4 M35i.
Although any such changes to model nomenclature would not take place until facelifted or new-generation models are launched.
“We won’t make the change right now as it would confuse customers, but with the next model generation change, the successors of these models will be M Performance vehicles,†a BMW source confirmed with Car and Driver.
[Source: Car & Driver]
The next-gen Audi A4, codenamed B9 and due in 2014, will be the first model from Ingolstadt to adapt Audi’s Le Mans winning e-tron quattro hybrid technology for the road, Car magazine reports.
So, rather than tricky diffs and fancy coupling devices, the new A4 will drive the front wheels through a conventional internal combustion engine (petrol or diesel), while powering the rear wheels with a pair of electric motors.
The B9 will ride on a new architecture too. Like the smaller MQB platform, the MLB matrix is expected to help the A4 shed around 100kg from finished production models compared to the current B8 range. That means entry-level A4s should tip the scales at around 1330kg.
[Source: Car | Rendering: Christian Schulte]
BMW is suing one of Saab’s remnant subsidiaries, Saab Automobile Parts AB, to the tune of €2.6m for unpaid deliveries. Back in September 2010 BMW signed a deal with Saab to supply engines and spare parts for the 9-3.
Obviously the minor obstacle of bankruptcy got in the way and Saab has been unable to fulfill their commitment to BMW.
It’s not the first time Saab Automobile Parts has heard from BMW regarding this matter and Lennart Stahl, Chief Executive of Saab Automobile Parts AB, confirms they’re ready to go through it all again. “Our lawyers will now go through the lawsuit carefully and see if anything new has been added before we decide what to do,” he said.
Key to the case is the claim from BMW that a number of engines and parts were actually ordered but never paid for. BMW say they sent polite reminders to Saab giving them time to honour their debts.
Unsurprisingly, Lennart Stahl holds a contradictory view to that of BMW. “Saab Automobile Parts AB have not ordered or received any spare parts or components from BMW,” he said. “Why would a spare part company order components for a car model that’s not yet in production?”
[Source: Fox Business]
A quick shout out to Australia’s Chris Atkinson and his Belgian co-driver Stephane Prévot who have finished fifth at the 2012 Rally Deutschland. It’s their first event with the WRC Team MINI Portugal and it’s also Atkinson’s best result on the German tarmac.
Rounding out a weekend of bests, fifth place is the best ever WRC finish for Team MINI Portugal as well. Not a bad way for the Atkinson/Prévot combination to start with their new employers and let’s hope there’s more to come in the remaining four races of the year.
Via Facebook ‘Atko’ shares the following message:
Yeah boiiiii! 5th overall for Rally Germany after four years since my last asphalt rally! Absolutely stoked! Thanks everyone for the support this week!!
Oh, of course, the seemingly unstoppable Sebastien Loeb won the rally. We’ll have more for you on that tomorrow.
[Pic: wrc.com]
For his weekly Drive video Chris Harris shares with us his latest car purchase, a Ferrari 599. Awesome! We do think it’s an extreme measure to take so that he can, once again, get behind the wheel of a Ferrari. And we’re sad to report the Fezza came at a cost. We’ll let Harris explain with this comment from YouTube:
The finance payments were too much, someone offered me good money for it, so I sold the Porsche. 599 values have hit the skids in the UK, Ferrari won’t let me drive its cars any more, and I miss driving them so I bought, a 599. It’s fast.
Toyota has just launched a brand new Auris hatchback, we’ll know it down under as the eleventh-generation Corolla. To help promote the new Auris, Toyota is running this ad in Japan (available below) that’s sure to generate some attention.
Put it this way, we’d not be running a Corolla story on AUSmotive if Toyota weren’t so willing to deceive.
Still, at least it’s a change from the equally questionable clutter of cats!
Amidst all the talk of the new Volkswagen Golf VII debut and the GTI speculation the range topping Golf R has been spotted out on test duties. Actually, we can probably learn a thing or two about the regular Golf range here too.
If you look closely enough at the image above you can just make out a U-shaped detail in the headlight cluster. Our guess is that’s the new LED daytime running light treatment for the Mk7. Also, beneath the number plate you can see a small dome, which we reckon tells us some new Golf models will feature radar-guided cruise control.
Anyway, back to the R; we can tell (or guess) that this prototype is an R by the quad-tipped exhaust tips. Although, it’s worth noting that would mean an end to the R’s usual centre-exit tips.
If we’ve learnt anything from the Mk7 GTI speculation it’s that the way to predict the power of the new model is to just take a wild stab. With that in mind the first bid for the new Golf R is 280hp (approx 210kW).
[Source: WCF | Pics: Automedia]
You can’t have a Volkswagen is interested in F1 story without an official denial soon after the rumour emerges. You’ll recall the latest gossip suggested Volkswagen and Sauber were in discussions with a view to forming a partnership in 2014 or 2015.
We’re surprised it’s taken so long for the “we know nothing” party line to come out of VW HQ. This time it’s Stefan Moser, marketing and communication boss, who has been told to spoil the fun.
Speaking to Germany’s motorsport-magazin.com Moser has been quoted as saying: “Nothing has changed since our last statement. We are continuing to focus on the WRC. Entering formula one is not an issue for us right now.”
Killjoy.
[Source: yallaf1 | Pic: Sauber Motorsport AG]
As is the case with Renault in Australia fans have been made to wait for the manufacturer’s latest and greatest hot hatch. But now, a year after its European debut, the Megane RS 265 is available down under.
Obviously the 265 refers to the peak horsepower figure within the car’s 2.0 litre turbo four; if you deal in kilowatts the magic number is 195. Coupled with a very handy 360Nm of torque and a good old fashioned 6-speed manual box, the front-wheel drive master can reach 100km/h in six seconds flat.
The Megane RS 250 was launched in Australia in late 2010 and to find the extra 15 horsepower for the RS 265 Renault has turned up the boost on the turbo by 0.2 bar, to a new peak of 2.5 bar. They also upgraded the air intake and tweaked the ECU to suit.
With a steady right foot Renault reckon you’ll use fuel at the rate of 8.2l/100km, but, really, why buy a hot Megane to drive it like a nanna?
Renault has made the RS 265 available in four different specifications. The range starts with the Cup model, which has a manufacturer’s list price of $42,640. There are three Trophy specifications: the regular Trophy is priced from $47,140, the Trophy+ from $51,640 and the limited edition Trophy 8:08 (pictured above) is $49,990.
The Trophy 8:08 is a reference to the car’s Nürburgring lap time, which stands as the current front-wheel drive record for a production vehicle around the famed 20.832km Nordschleife. Only 100 will be heading to Australia and you can have any colour you like so long as it’s liquid yellow or pearl white.
We reckon the RS 265 range is pretty good value for money and in the entry-level Cup model you get things like 18″ alloy wheels, Brembo brakes, LED daytime running lights, rear parking sensors, limited slip diff, dual zone climate control, Bluetooth audio and more as standard equipment. You can read the full list in the detailed Australian press kit, available below.
Over and above the equipment found in the Cup the Trophy adds Recaro seats, 19″ Steev alloy wheels, hands free entry and tyre pressure monitoring. In addition to those features the Trophy+ includes Renault Sport heated leather seats with electric adjustment, integrated sat nav with a 7″ screen, reversing camera, bi-xenon headlights, a fixed glass roof and front/rear parking sensors.
The Trophy 8:08 drops the sat nav and reversing camera from the Trophy+ along with the fixed glass roof, but picks up model specific decals.
A comprehensive range of 50 wallpaper-friendly photos and detailed press information awaits after the break. Once you’ve read all that, don’t be surprised if you find yourself making contact with your local Renault dealer. Actually, it may surprise you to learn that Australia is the world’s third largest market for the Megane RS models.