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Audi Green Machines

Audi A2 Concept images released

Audi A2 Concept

Audi has further previewed its all-electric A2 Concept with a release of new images overnight. The A2 is a car that will compete with the BMW i3 and although it is less radically styled, it still looks quite sharp.

The dramatic line through the shoulder line appears to have LED lighting within that can change colour. Very cool. Inside, the A2 Concept is futuristic minimalism resulting in a feeling of spaciousness.

It’s understood the A2 Concept will feature an 85kW/270Nm electric engine driving the front wheels only. It can reach 100km/h in around nine seconds and has a top speed of 150km/h.

The use of aluminium and carbon-fibre reinforced plastic will help keep weight to a reasonable 1150kg. Interestingly, that’s significantly less than the i3; around 90kg.

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Renault

Is this a preview of the 2012 Renault Clio IV?

Renault Clio leaked image

Renault will be launching a new Clio Concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show next week. It seems they may have jumped the gun by posting this image to Facebook, before it was quickly removed.

It would seem the Clio is the red coloured concept model on the far left of the image. Next to that is the Captur, then the R-Space and the Frendzy ZE on the far right.

It’s hard to tell with this image, but let’s hope Renault finally nails a consistent and attractive design for the Clio IV. The next-gen Clio is due for release in 2012. We shall find out for sure in a few days.

[Source: Autoblog.nl via CarBuzz]

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BMW

BMW brings TwinPower Turbo tech to Z4 range

BMW Z4 sDrive35is

BMW Australia has announced it will introduce TwinPower Turbo technology to its entire Z4 range, with the rollout due in November. Out go the old normally aspirated inline six cylinder engines from the 150kW sDrive23i and 190kW sDrive30i. In comes the new world order of 2.0 litre four cylinder turbo power in the form of a 135kW sDrive 20i and a 180kW sDrive28i.

These changes have been made in the chase for cleaner and greener engines. Fuel consumption figures for the two entry models have fallen to 6.7l/100km, a reduction of 1.7l/100km against the old six cylinder units. This means the sDrive20i and sDrive28i will be exempt from the luxury car tax. And that means they will be cheaper to buy. Compared to the replaced models pricing has dropped $9300. Quite a tidy saving really.

While it is a shame to lose BMW’s classic inline six from the Z4, performance won’t be greatly affected. Indeed, the sDrive28i can reach 100km/h in 5.7 seconds (0.1 second faster than the sDrive30i).

The existing six cylinder 225kW sDrive35i and 250kW sDrive35is will remain, albeit with reduced pricing. Gotta be happy with that.

More from BMW Australia after the break.

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Porsche

VIDEO: Porsche’s magnificent seven

2012 Porsche 911 with 7 speed manual

Double-clutch transmissions are fast becoming the norm, even in high-end sportscars. Think Ferrari 458, McLaren MP4-12C and Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG to name a few. We’re unlikely to see a manual box in a Lamborghini ever again.

On that count, then, Porsche is to be applauded for sticking with tradition and offering a manual transmission  in its new 911. Moreover, it’s a 7-speed as well.

After the break you can watch a short promo talking us through the basics of the new box. Looks like the seventh gear is for overdrive duties only and has probably been added as much for marketing and fuel consumption reduction as anything. But it’s a manual and therefore we like it. Just stop paying attention when the voiceover man starts talking about the PDK.

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Holden Hyundai Kia Mazda Renault Toyota VFACTS reports

New vehicle sales report – August 2011

FCAI banner

Things are looking up as far as new vehicle sales in Australia are concerned. At total of 88,082 sales were recorded in August. That’s up 7091 compared to the previous month and 5960 more than August 2010.

Steve Payne, FCAI acting Chief Executive, explains the market is trending upwards after a slow start to 2011, “We’re continuing to see a recovery in supply from earthquake and tsunami-damaged Japan, along with stronger sales in Queensland as the state recovers from severe weather events earlier in the year.”

The real news is that the Mazda3 knocked the Holden Commodore of its perch as the country’s highest selling car. While Toyota comfortably held its position as the highest selling marque, ahead of Holden and Mazda.

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Categories
Porsche

VIDEO: True history of the 911 gang

To help promote the new 991 911, Porsche has released this short clip reminding us of the previous generations that have entered the history books since 1963.

Categories
Koenigsegg

Koenigsegg Agera R claims six world records

Koenigsegg Agera R

The Koenigsegg Agera R hardly needs to prove to anyone that it’s a bloody fast car. A quick glance over its key stats will confirm that. It has an 830kW 5.0 litre V8 twin-turbo and weighs a relatively modest 1418kg. Surely, if you put 830kW into 1418kg you will get supersonic!

Not quite, perhaps, but the Koenigsegg website reveals a new list of production car world records waiting to be ratified by Guiness. They include standing acceleration and braking times. Here’s the full list:

  • 0-300 km/h = 14.53 sec
  • 0-200 mph = 17.68 sec
  • 300-0 km/h = 6.66 sec
  • 200-0 mph = 7.28 sec
  • 0-300-0 km/h = 21.19 sec
  • 0-200-0 mph = 24.96 sec

Impressive, don’t you think. Koenigsegg say they will be posting video of these feats to YouTube very soon.

Categories
Skoda

Skoda MissionL ‘liftback’ concept previewed

Skoda MissionL concept

Skoda has revealed two images of its MissionL concept car. It’s a ‘liftback’ design, which Skoda hopes will help the company achieve 1.5 million global sales by 2018.

Last year Skoda sold 762,000 vehicles across the globe. They’ve given themselves seven years to double that number. To aid these lofty goals Skoda is setting up new manufacturing posts in Russia and India.

Complementing the new production plans Skoda will tailor specification of the MissionL to key markets in Europe, Russia and China. While India will get its own unique compact sedan.

“Revealing the look of our new compact model, the MissionL shows exactly the direction our brand is going to take,” says Skoda Board Chairman Prof Dr Winfried Vahland. “The world premiere in Frankfurt gives a clear signal that Skoda is going full steam ahead now. We are going to present a new vehicle every six months over the next two or three years.”

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Eterniti

Get ready for the Eterniti Hemera

Eterniti Hemera

You’re looking at a teaser for “the world’s first super-SUV”, otherwise known as the Eterniti Hemera. Are you excited? Well, if you’re in the market for an SUV with a “limousine-like rear cabin”, complete with iPads, and “4×4 ruggedness” with “dynamic performance” then you should be.

At least that’s what the press guff tells us. Not much in terms of real detail is given away, but we do get an inkling that this new Eterniti outfit will be little more than a custom shop with a prestigious London address.

Perhaps that’s selling them a little short, but they say they aim to cater to buyers in “global wealth centres” who want more luxury, more personalisation and more exclusivity. They will start the process of achieving this by repackaging “the latest generation of the best large SUV platform available.”

Hemera is the Greek goddess of daytime, if you care about those sorts of things. As sure as night turns into day there will always be someone trying to part a fool and his money. The Hemera might turn out to be one of the coolest things ever made or it could be a total embarrassment for its backers. What’s your money on?

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Categories
Range Rover

Could this celebrity endorsement be any worse?

The five-door Range Rover Evoque has just been launched overseas. We reckon it and its three-door sibling will sell like hot cakes. Indeed, it will probably be the next must-have accessory in well-to-do suburbs.

So, you’d reckon using a member of the Royal Family to promote said car would be a winning strategy. But watch the video above and tell us what you think. That’s if you made it to the end.

Categories
Formula 1

Williams F1 share price plummets

2011 Hungarian Grand Prix

The share price of Williams F1 has fallen 40% since its flotation on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange back in February, according to a report in UK newspaper The Telegraph. That translates to a value of almost €100m (AU$133m).

With poor on-track performance it is probably no surprise to read this news. It paints a sorry tale for Williams, which is still the second most successful in Formula One, despite not winning a race since 2004.

Worse, is the opinion of Scott Garrett, former head of marketing at Williams, who said he does “not believe they will ever have the budget [to win again].”

“The sorry state of the WF1 equity price indicates a team that is more desperate than confident, and confidence is critical when presenting oneself to sponsors and asking them for money,” said Mr Garrett.

[Source: The Telegraph | Pic: AT&T Williams/LAT]

Categories
Green Machines Volkswagen

Say g’day to NILS, he’s from Volkswagen

Volkswagen NILS

Volkswagen is asking us to meet NILS. Apparently he is the future of commuting (we’re assuming it’s a he). While Audi has given us lots of pretty pictures of their similar urban concept, Volkswagen is coughing up a few more details. Unlike the Audi which has a 1+1 layout, NILS is only a single seater.

The NILS project has backing from the German government. Studies have shown up to 60% of commuters travel to work by car, of those 90% travel alone. When focusing on the cities of Berlin and Munich almost three quarters of all commuters travel less than 25km to get to work. So you can see why a small and efficient fella like NILS makes sense.

NILS boasts a 15kW electric engine that weighs just 19kg. Plus, if you speak nicely to NILS he will give you a mighty 25kW of power for short bursts. That doesn’t sound like a lot, but NILS is pretty trim, tipping the scales at just 460kg. He’s a only a little tacker, mind, at just 3.09m long, 1.2m tall and 1.39m wide.

With a city-commuting target market in mind NILS has a maximum range of up to 65km and can be recharged in full, using a conventional plug, in as little as two hours. He has a top speed of 130km/h and reach triple figures in under 11 seconds. NILS won’t win any sprint races with numbers like that, but he should be more than acceptable for the task in mind.

There’s a lot more to NILS as well, make sure you check out the second press release below for much more.

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