Tag: Paris

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Motor Shows Volkswagen

Paris 2014: Volkswagen XL Sport

Volkswagen XL Sport concept

This is the Volkswagen XL Sport concept and if there’s a cooler car on show in Paris, we can’t wait to see it. So what makes this new concept so appealing?

Firstly, it’s based on the quirky carbon-fibre XL1 city car, which we like a lot. But sealing the deal is the Ducati 1199 Superleggera V2 engine stuffed inside that funky body. The “world’s most powerful two-cylinder” is good for 147kW and screams its nuts off all the way to 11,000rpm.

The XL Sport weighs just 890kg and if you can’t put that in the same sentence as 147kW and come up with a massive smile then you’re just no fun at all.

Surprisingly, though, those numbers, along with a 7-speed DSG, only yield a 0–100km/h time of 5.7 seconds. Although, with that low slung body it would likely feel a lot faster. So too the 270km/h top speed.

What a cool thing this is. Bravo Volkswagen, bravo!

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BMW Motor Shows

What to expect from BMW in 2014

BMW M3 and M4 on display in Detroit

As well as the launch of the highly anticipated M3 and M4 in Detroit this week, BMW has much more in store during 2014. Make sure you follow the source link from BimmerFile for more detail:

2014 North American International Auto Show (January)

  • M3 (F80) and M4 (F82)
  • M235i (F22)
  • 228i (F22)

2014 Geneva Motor Show (March)

  • 4 Series Gran Coupe (F36)
  • FWD Active Tourer (F45)
  • MINI Four-door concept (F55)

2014 New York Auto Show (April)

  • X4 (F26)
  • X3 LCI

2014 Moscow Motor Show (August)

  • X6 (F16)

2014 Paris Motor Show (September)

  • X5 M (F85) and X6 M (F86)
  • 2 Series Convertible (F23)
  • MINI Four-door (F55)

[Source: BimmerFile | Pic: Bimmerpost]

Categories
Audi

Audi willing to make quattro concept a reality

Audi quattro concept

One of the undoubted stars of the 2010 Paris Motor Show is the spectacular Audi quattro concept. Word on the street is saying Audi is willing to turn the concept into a production reality. Oh yes!

Speaking to Autocar, Stefan Reil, head of development at Quattro GmbH said, “We are rethinking standard processes to make it possible. We know how to engineer it already.”

Reil went further, hinting the car would mostly likely be produced in limited numbers. Not being shy he also speculated at a possible price point for the quattro concept, “We need feedback to see if it is possible. Audi has no heritage in building 200–500 cars that are really exotic. But it won’t be over €100,000 [approx AU$141,500].”

The show car’s 1300kg weight would be achieved through extensive use of carbon fibre. While power from the TT RS sourced 2.5 litre inline five cylinder engine should be at least 350bhp (260kW) with thanks to a larger turbo.

[Source: Autocar]

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Maserati

Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale ready for Paris

Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale

Maserati will be showing off a new model at the Paris Motor Show—the GranTurismo MC Stradale. Details are pretty light on, but Maserati have stated the car will have 336kW (450bhp). That will make it the most powerful car in their current line up. Unsurprisingly, the GranTurismo will be the fastest new Maserati money can buy, and the lightest, as well.

The GranTurismo goes on sale in Europe in early 2011 and will launch in Australia towards the end of next year.

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BMW

BMW Concept 6 Series Coupé

BMW Concept 6 Series Coupé

Earlier today BMW sent out a press release titled “BMW at the 2010 Paris Motor Show”. The sneaky devils thought they could sneak in these pics of their new Concept 6 Series Coupé without anyone noticing. Which is odd, really, because unlike the old 6 Series, which was truly an affront to good taste, this one is actually quite attractive.

Gone is that horrid rear end, replaced by a new, stylish and coherent design solution that no longer has you screaming about the huge manatee. The styling clearly references the F10 5 Series, which is no bad thing.

BMW, though, really are a bit shy about this car. They’ve only given us a few lines of text with barely a semblance of any meaningful detail. Best look at the pretty pictures then and wait for the pages of information that will no doubt be sent out in a couple of weeks from now.

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Audi

Audi S1 faces identity crisis

Audi S1 rendering

Contradiction and confusion are the order of the day in regards to the future of the Audi S1. It seems certain that an A1-based model with a 1.4 TFSI engine producing in the order of 130kW driving the front wheels only will be made. But what badge will it wear? Will this be the first “S” badged Audi that does not include an all-wheel drive quattro system?

According to Autocar, yes it will. On Tuesday they reported, “Audi has officially confirmed this month’s Paris motor show as the location for the launch of its new S1 hot hatch. The S1 will be front-wheel drive, making it the first S-badged Audi to do without a quattro drivetrain.”

Sounds pretty definitive, right. Well, on Wednesday Australian media outlet carsales published an equally confident report stating, “Audi has tried to quietly kill off its upcoming S1 just weeks before its scheduled launch in southern France.

“Insiders have revealed that while the car will still be built, it will be stripped of its S1 badges and will be known as an A1 1.4 TFSI instead.

“The final nail in its coffin was that Volkswagen Group boss Martin Winterkorn didn’t want its front-wheel drive status diluting an ‘S’ car line up that has been, up to now, exclusively all-wheel drive.”

The no quattro, no “S” badge theory does make sense. What doesn’t make sense is the number of interwebz articles confirming the launch of an S1 at Paris and just one report stating it won’t be happening. If you see any other reports discussing the cancellation of the S1, please post a link in the comments section below.

[Source: Autocar & carsales]

Categories
Audi

Audi Project Anniversario back in flight?

Audi Project Anniversario

Earlier in the week some very grainy footage of a car being delivered to a ski jump arena was posted to YouTube. The accepted theory was that the car attached to the chopper was an Audi R4 e-tron being filmed in preparation for some promo material. However, thanks to these new photos published by Autobild it turns out the car could very well be a prototype model of the Project Anniversario, which is a new 21st century Quattro model.

We’ve not heard anything about the Anniversario for some time, so this news is most welcome. It is understood the model will be based on the RS5 Coupé and it is due for launch in 2012.

The real kick expected from the Anniversario is its anticipated 1400kg weight. This would be some 325kg lighter than the RS5. It’s uncertain what engine the Anniversario might use, but it could be the 4.2 litre V8 from the RS5 makes way for a new V6 helped along with a turbocharger or two. With any luck all will be revealed at the Paris Motor Show, which starts on 30 September.

There’s a few more pics after the break, including a couple of new renderings. It looks a bit spesh, what do you think?

[Source: The German Car Blog via Autobild]

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Categories
Porsche

Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

Porsche has made the shock discovery that 0.01% of the sportscar market has been left unattended. Fear not, they are about to release the 408hp 911 Carrera GTS. This seems like the fifty-seventh variation of the 911 offered by Porsche and they say it is designed to close the gap from the regular Carrera to the GT3.

The GTS will make its worldwide premiere in Paris very soon and you can read all about it after the break.

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Ferrari Oh the humanity

Ferrari 458 Italia lights my fire

Ferrari 458 Italia fire

The gentleman you see above got a bit of a fright when he saw the rear arch of his Ferrari 458 Italia in flames while driving through the streets of Paris. No danger of the captain going down with the ship here, though. Monsiuer Italia legged it leaving his poor 458 to a firey end.

All was not lost, however, a good samaritan saw the trouble ahead and soon stepped in with his trusty fire extinguisher to minimise the damage.

[Source: AutoGespot | Thanks to Chris for the tip]

Categories
Volkswagen

2009 Volkswagen Golf GTI at the Paris Motor Show

The Paris Motor Show was the official reveal for the MkVI Golf GTI Concept. Here’s a couple of short YouTube clips from CARandDRIVER.com (above) and Edmunds InsideLine (after the jump) filmed in Paris. There’s nothing really new in these clips, but it’s still good to get a closer look at what is shaping to be another great GTI from Volkswagen.

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