Lexus IS 250 Updated

Two years after the facelifted variant was introduced the Lexus IS 250 sedan has received another update for 2011 and as before there are two variants available the IS 250 Luxury and IS 250. no more changes to the powertrain of the rear-wheel drive vehicle which continues to the same 2.5 litre V6 with D4 insertion offering 205 hp at 6400 rpm and 252 Nm of torque at 4800 rpm or the 6-speed auto tranny.

As before the exterior and interior tweaks are delicate – changes include a front grille that has been reworked to create more visual depth while the front bumper and lower grille area now take on a bolder and more 3-dimensional feel. Additionally each side of the lower grille area has an intake shape that is visually affiliated to the brake cooling ducts.

For the Lexus IS 250 Luxury two different interior colours with wood spare are available coordinated with the six exterior colours one of which is new for 2011 – this is a unique finish known as Starlight Black which has photoluminescent glass flakes to as Lexus puts it “give sparkles like a star-filled night sky.”
Unlike previously where the HID headlamps were only specified with the IS 250 Luxury (the IS 250 came with halogens) both variants now feature HID as standard  fitment with a dark smoke coating around each headlamp giving a bolder look. New to the car is an arrowhead LED interval lamp with Daytime Running Lights.

At the rear there is stronger contrast between light and blue in the character of the bumper. The rear combination lamps immediately have a more unified colour tone with clear pink-smoked lenses on the indicators and reverse lamps. Also new is the tip of the dual exit tailpipes which is now circular and has thicker walls as well as new 10-spoke design 17-inch alloy wheels with staggered size rubbers (245/45 rears and 225/45 fronts).

Inside the IS 250 now features a dark metallic high-gloss coating on a number of trim panels while the IS 250 Luxury continues to have genuine Bird’s Eye maple wood trim. Metallic ornamentation has been added to areas like the steering rack bezel meter rings and glove box door and the steering rack bezel gets a new silver surface coating which is also to be found on the paddle shifters. Elsewhere the speedometer and tachometer nowadays wear new metallic rings.

Some revisions to the sound systems on offer – things have been scaled down somewhat; the IS 250′s common audio system is a Lexus Premium system with a 6-CD in-dash changer and eight speakers (the 2009 facelift featured a 13-speaker system) with USB and AUX connection points.

Meanwhile the IS 250 Luxury gets the aforementioned 13-speaker Lexus Premium sound system. If you’re wondering where the Mark Levinson 14-speaker Premium smother Sound system has gone well it’s now an option for the IS 250 Luxury and if you opt for this you’ll also have to install the optional Lexus Navigation package – with reverse camera and Bluetooth capability – as the 7-inch display screen is integrated.

VW introduces LED combination headlamps for the Golf

Bang-up news for MkVI Golf owners – following on the LED tail lamps introduced by Volkswagen for the car a year ago the company has now debuted bi-Xenon with LED combination headlamps as an option for the vehicle.
The LEDs are integrated into the main headlights with 15 diodes each helping to produce a three-dimensional optical light bracket. Besides the advantages of improved visibility from the daytime running lights there’s no doubting that many a Golf GTI owner will find the bling a unconcealed improvement.
Going from 1310 euros for the Golf the LED combination bi-Xenon headlamps are also available as an option for the likes of the Polo Touran and Touareg.

Looks like buyers of the Golf TSI and the Golf GTI here have some aesthetical upgrades to remember about – these LED lamps and the LED tail lamps as well!

Brabus introduces the Widestar SLS AMG

German tuning house Brabus has introduced a tuning software for the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG called the Widestar and the Brabus Widestar SLS made its official debut at the Essen Motor Show which began over the weekend.

The Brabus rendition of the Gullwing throws in a number of items headed by a fresh titanium exhaust system with a sound-management system that’s driver controllable – via a pneumatic flap the system has a sport mode that offers more growl than the stock SLS but if it’s quiet you want a ‘coming home’ setting gets the dB lower than that of the standard exhaust. It also adds a neat ten hp to the 6.2 litre V8′s end product.
German tuning house Brabus has introduced a tuning package for the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG called the Widestar and the Brabus Widestar SLS made its official introduction at the Essen Motor Show which began over the weekend.

The Brabus rendering of the Gullwing throws in a number of items headed by a new titanium exhaust system with a sound-management system that’s driver controllable – via a pneumatic flap the system has a sport mode that offers more growl than the stock SLS but if it’s quiet you want a ‘coming home’ setting gets the dB lower than that of the standard exhaust. It also adds a bang-up 10 hp to the 6.2 liter V8′s output.

The Widestar Shining Path also gets the wheel treatment naturally in this case a ultra-light Monoblock F Platinum Edition forged wheels available in 20- and 21-inch sizes and they come wearing either 275/30 ZR20 and 295/25 ZR21 Yokohama rubbers. Inside the cabin customs options abound from premium upholstery in leather and Alcantara to carbon-fibre inlays in any desired colour.

In the hot place now for sure – BMW workers detained for suspected place theft

 Well at that place should be plenty of new OEM BMW seats out on the virtual grey market at the moment though some of the people responsible for that are currently in the slammer. According to a Bloomberg report German police said a actor at BMW AG and another at a car-parts supplier were arrested last week on suspicion of stealing seats and fittings off factory lines in Munich.

The two as well as another BMW employee are definitely in the hot buttocks – they are suspected of faking production orders and siphoning off the parts which amount to around 3 million euros and selling them over the internet. Investigations are ongoing in Bavaria as to whether up to 15 more people are involved in the matter and if the sum that has been stolen is higher.

Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder Motor Show 2010

Lambo revealed its third new poser this year at an exclusive event rather than to the sweaty heathen masses across town on the LA motor show floor; a poser which partners the Superleggera coupe unveiled earlier this year.
Lambo shaved 65kg from the standard Gallardo Spyder by using aluminium panels along with C fibre covers rear spoiler underbody panelling diffuser and sills to get a 1485kg kerb weight. It's Superleggera car bro weighs in at 1340kg.

Thankfully you don't acquire a slim-fast engine. The Performante comes with the five70bhp five. 0-62mph is just incomplete  a second shy of the coupe - 3.9s - and 1mph slower top-flight out at 201mph.
Apparently Lambo reckons every spin in the Spyder is a journey 'into the eye of the assault.

New BMW X3

Not that you should ever believe everything you read but you'll struggle to find any journalist who liked the last BMW X3. Like the current X1 it actually was a blooper from BMW. This new BMW X3 needs to be a lot best.

Fortunately it largely is. This all-new permanent four-wheel-drive SUV is far more sorted immediately - two of the biggest criticisms of the last car were the interior quality and the ride. Now the interior doesn't awareness like it was made out of recycled crisp packets and the suspension actually absorbs bumps rather than transmitting them directly to your spine.
For the time being merely the 2.0-litre diesel will be available in the UK - an X3 30d and X3 35d will arrive next year - and with 181bhp and 280lb foot it's got just about enough power for most situations.
Overtaking can be tricky though - the X3 runs out of puff above 75mph so make sure those gaps are large enough. Equally it's still no real property Rover Freelander on the rough stuff. It'll cope with the pavement outside the school and comes with Hill Descent power as standard but Jeremy would probably get equally as stuck in this one as he did in the last.

Prices beginning from £39040 which is bang on rivals like the Audi Q5. When the last X3 appeared this tract was pretty new and rivals were rare. Now every manufacturer has an contribution. The last-gen auto would never have stood up to any sort of comparison. It very was that bad. fortuitously this one does. It's not a great BMW because it drives too much like every other soft-roader but it's good adequate

Hyundai HND-3 Veloster Concept

While Kia have been making some amazing progress with their vehicle design thanks to it’s unexampled European-based design team not much can be said about big brother Hyundai’s unexampled designs. This Hyundai HND-3 Veloster Concept seems to be inspired from design cues with many of the cars already out thither on the market with the most obvious being Honda’s REMIX Concept.

F12 BMW 6-Series Convertible

The BMW 6-Series Convertible is now officially in its third generation with the revealing  of the production 6-Series Convertible at the 2010 Los Angeles auto show. 

The Convertible’s hard-top sibling was also there on display as a “concept car" that’s as faithful to production as a concept can get.

Two engine variants were unveiled at launch – a BMW 650i and a 640i running an 8-cylinder engine and a 6-cylinder engine respectively both turbocharged and immediate injected. Nothing new in this department – 407hp and 600Nm for the V8 which goes from 0 to 100km/h in 5 seconds and 320hp and 450Nm for the single-turbo inline-6 which takes the cable car up to 100km/h in 5.seven seconds. Both are mated  to 8-speed Sports automatic transmissions. The 6-potter also has an additional auto start-stop relation.

The steering is an EPS system which seems to be making its way into all the unexampled BMWs now. Drive mechanics Control allows NORMAL SPORT and SPORT+ suspension settings and if you specify the Adaptive Drive option you also get an extra COMFORT setting.
Wheelbase is now 2855mm and the elevator car itself has a length of 4894mm a width of 1894mm and a height of 1365mm. The vehicle is a 2+2 seater – four people in a nice search in the cold air up to a highland resort is entirely possible but the front two will be the most comfortable of course. Like the 5-Series the new 6-Series is able to use rear wheel steerage of up to 2.5 degrees to improve cornering as well as unrefined speed maneuvers by improving turning radius.

With a car of this dead body type you’d naturally not expect much storage space. The baggage compartment stores 300 liters with the roof down and this goes up to 350 liters with the roof back up. BMW claims two 46 inch golf bags and a business sector case can fit in the 300 liters.
The roof can go down in 19 seconds and follow up in 24 seconds and because its a soft top it can be operated at speeds of up to 40km/h. The cover can also be remotely opened at distances of 1.5 meters off if you specify the Comfort Access option. 

You can actually opt to keep the rear framework up while the roof is down to minimize air turbulence to the rear passenger area. You can also equip the car with an optional wind device to further increase comfort with the top down.

The iDrive screen is 7 inches standard and upgradable to 10.2 inches with a galvanized chrome skirt. BMW says the way the blind is mounted is unique to the 6-Series which supposedly gives it a flatblind look which is funny considering all iDrive blinds are flat.

With the new  BMW 6-Series Convertible is besides introducing the latest version of its heads-up display system which features 3D graphics and a full spectrum of colours. Curiously the press pack did not have any photos of this in action so perhaps we’ll have to test to catch it in real life!

Nissan to introduce diesel variant March in India

It looks like India will be acquiring something that we won’t be seeing anytime soon. Nissan is set to innovate the diesel version of its March hatchback in the country next month and the car known as the Micra in that market will be equipped with the Renault-derived 1.5 litre K9K four-pot oil color burner.

The Micra Diesel will join the 79bhp HR12DE 1.2 litre petrol adaptation in the market – which started selling in July this year – beginning December 10 in two variant forms the XV and XV Premium. The common bar direct injection eight-valve block with 63 hp at 4000 rpm and 160 Nm at 2000 rpm is mated to a five-speed manual tranny the only gearbox available for the car in the Indian market. numbers pool include a 158 kph top speed and an impressive 23.08 km per litre fuel ingestion figure.

The K13 diesel will be assembled in Nissan’s factory in Oragadam Chennai for native sales though it will also be exported to South Africa next year. - Micra Diesel

Red Bull pays out big bonus to championship winning staff

Crimson Bull Racing has done an amazing job to win both the Constructor’s championship and Driver’s title the 2010 Formula 1 season and the team’s guys and girls will be duly rewarded for a job well done. According to Bild RBR faculty will get at least a £10k bonus while the champ himself Sebastien Vettel will pocket an extra 3 million euros or £2.

The energy drinks troupe boss Dietrich Mateschitz is rewarding every single member of RBR’s 500-strong team with £10000 each and up to £42000 extra for senior staff for delivering the titles to Milton Keynes.

But Mateschitz is fair  sharing the spoils of victory as the billionaire’s team are in line to receive total prize money of £62 million for their efforts in the 2010 F1 season. That’s more than enough to covering the bonuses. And the hordes of populate now buying the (admittedly cool) Puma RBR merchandise will surely replenish the team’s coffers in no time! - Crimson Bull Racing

Aston Martin Racing introduces updated Vantage GT4

Aston Martin Racing has given its advantage GT4 racecar an update. The firm has reworked the auto by enhancing the aerodynamics and increasing the auto’s downforce. The four.7 litre V8 has also been remapped to offer increased levels of physical phenomenon and torque.

The car now features a new fore splitter which increases downforce at the fore of the car and improves channelling of cool air to the brakes and radiator. At the rear the GT4 gains the V12 Vantage’s larger shell ‘flip’. This works together with a new carbon fibre diffuser and rear underfloor which creates an sphere of low pressure under the rear of the car to increase downforce.

The redesigned underfloor also channels more air through a new rear-mounted high capability transmission oil cooler. In increase to the engine and aero upgrades competitors can now choose to include a race-developed Bosch ABS and traction control system from Bosch Motorsport to enhance performance in both wet and dry conditions.

More than 80 Vantage GT4s have been stacked and sold globally since 2009 and the car has certainly been successful plying its trade in its GT4 competition class – it won the European GT4 Cup this year as well as the GT4 class at the Dubai 24 Hours the Nürburgring 24 Hours and the Spa 24 hours.

Maserati GranCabrio

Maserati GranCabrio - the four-seater cliff top features a 4.7 litre V8 – which is also to be found on the GranTurismo S car the basis for this car – offering 440 hp and 490 Nm mated to a ZF 6-speed automatic gearbox.

The canvas top comprises a structure with a backbone consisting of basketball team steel and aluminium spokes covered with a triple-layer canvas available in six colours – there’s solid black and titanium grey as well as warm chocolate in that mix. Maserati GranCabrio system whch takes twenty-eight seconds to fold up/down weighs in at just 65 kg.
 

Plenty of accessories and kit in this Trident of course from a 12 speaker Bose audio system 7-inch high-resolution colour electronic device with 30GB hard disk Poltrona Frau Leather upholstery in 10 colour choices (these can be blended together for seats dashboard tonneau cover steering wheel and gear knob) to Carbalho wood from Brazil among the many fineries.

There’s also matching baggage you can specify – two different sets are available one in complete leather the other in leather and fabric with an extensive palette of colours to choose from. A set consists of two wheeled and two amour propre cases with a single bag designed to be placed on the rear seats also available. Don’t think the luggage will be there at the appearance but that’s not the reason you’d be heading to the Maserati display methinks.

Audi Quattro concept car – driven - An icon is reborn

 Even if your knowledge of cars extends no promote than they have four wheels and an engine (usually) you'll have heard of it.

The Audi Quattro was as much a feature of the 1980s as electro-pop and Joan Collins' body part pads. It also proved that four-wheel-drive was not just for farmers and soldiers; and went on to dominate – some would allege ruin – international rallying. There are now quattro – with a small q – versions of all Audi bar the A1.

The concept is reborn
Audi has often thought about doing another stand-alone quattro and at the Paris motor appearance in September it revealed a concept version of what it might be. The fact that it Marks the 30th anniversary of the original Quattro is largely coincidental – work on it began in 2008 but was temporarily shelved in the aftermath of the banking collapse. Anyway it owes more to the Sport quattro of 1983: short light (the target physical property is just 1300 kg though it currently comes in at around 1340) and powered by a 2.5-litre turbocharged causal agent.
It's based on the V8-engined RS5 coupe – similarity of. The similarities are a five-cylinder turbocharged engine and four-wheel drive through the last evolution of the quattro driveline. nevertheless it's built around an aluminium skeleton like the R8 and A8 rather than a welded steel body; its wheelbase has been shortened by 150mm which demands that it's only a two-seater; and it's 40mm lower. Carbonfibre sections including the poke bonnet rear hatch rear spoiler and some interior trim help the weight-watching process.
The direct-injection engine comes from the TT RS but it has been modified to fit along the fundamental quantity of the car rather than across the engine bay and here it develops 402bhp between 5400 and 6500rpm with 355lb ft of torque from 1600 to 5300rpm.

The gearbox is a six-speed extremity but a seven-speed twin-clutch S tronic could easily be accommodated while the new mechanical quattro system is said to be smaller lighter faster to respond and more flexible than either of those Audi currently uses

All-new Mazda 6 revealed

    * Mazda shows off lighter bodyshell
    * Helps cut fire consumption and emissions
    * CO2 of 120g/km by 2012 105g/km by 2015

Mazda has released details of how it will cut the fire consumption and emissions of its next-generation models.

Part of the efficiency programme is to shuffle replacements for current cars at least 100kg lighter.

The new bodyshell – which Mazda calls Skyactiv-Body – is part of that programme and thanks to greater usage of high-strength steel it is 8% lighter than before despite being 30% stiffer. It will be used for the next Mazda 6 family gondola.

Engines and transmissions will besides be honed for efficiency and will help slash emissions to below 120g/km by 2012 and 105/km by 2015 for both the 6 and Mazda 3.

These emissions are equivalent to a petrol Mazda six with average fuel consumption of 45mpg and a diesel that can do nearly 70mpg

Mazda 3 gets new diesel engine

    * other 1.6-litre turbodiesel from January
    * More herculean and more economical
    * Averages 64.2mpg and emits 117g/km CO2

Our  favourite version of the Mazda three will have a new engine from January. The altered 1.6-litre turbodiesel unit is both more powerful and more economic than the engine it replaces.

With 113bhp – up from the electric current 1.6-litre unit's 107bhp – the causal agent meets Euro V emissions regulations and comes with a six-speed manual transmission.

Its modal economy of 64.2mpg and CO2 emissions of 117g/km typify improvements of 1.4mpg and 2g/km compared with the previous theoretical account. The new figures don't change the car's company car tax indebtedness because it remains in the lowest tax band for diesel-engined cars (13%) and incurs zero road tax for the first year after registration.

There's no  change in price with 1.6D-engined cars costing from £16505 in TS shipshape. The TS2-trimmed car is expected to be the biggest seller and monetary value £17705. As a result monthly company car tax bills for a basic-rate payer will be £36 on the TS model and £38 on TS2 cars.

The fresh models will be available from January

McLaren MP4-12C launched

McLaren Formula One drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button – universe champions in 2008 and 2009 respectively – today unveiled the new supercar that the company's automotive division will put into production towards the end of this year.

The MP4-12C – a mid-engined scissor-door two-seat rival for the Ferrari 458 Italia and Lamborghini Gallardo – will take advantage of the experience and techniques McLaren has acquired in 44 years of august Prix racing.
Limited production will begin in the unchanged facility used to engineer and make the team's Formula One cars. exhibition will then shift to a new purpose-built factory on the McLaren site at Woking Surrey in 2011. The order book will public in two to three months.
McLaren says the car will set 'new standards of operation efficiency comfort safety and innovation' and be sold through 'a global network of the world's best retailers offering an unsurpassed ownership experience'. A new company McLaren Automotive has been set up to locomotive engineer make and sell the car.

We were there to see the elevator car unveiled and to talk to some of the people behind it. Hera we give you an insight into the car the company and the people who are making it happen

Mercedes Benz R-Class

The poor Merc R-Class has forever suffered from a bit of an identity crisis. SUV? Estate? MPV? Crossover? Charitably Mercedes has tried to resolve the R's woes by transforming the large  six-seater into a large  seven-seater. And a large five-seater. With two-wheel driveway. And four-wheel mechanism. That'll aid then.
  Aiming to muscleman in on the sales of the Audi Q7 et al. Merc has squeezed an edition seat into the R's second row creating a regular seven-seater. Only it's not quite that simple .
The entry-level R280 CDI here sits on a slightly shorter wheelbase with just one row of three seats in the dorsum. So you get a beating great boot to stash all of your emotional baggage but rear passenger legroom is less generous than the R's still-hefty footprint would suggest.
It remains a great wallowing beast on the itinerant too; the R280's diesel engine - a detuned version of the 3.0-litre V6 in the R320 - struggles with the sheer majority of the car. It's a trouble that's compounded by the absurdly lazy seven-speed auto. Delayed kickdown? You'll need a journal to plan your overtaking manoeuvres.

Unlike the rest of the reach the R280 is rear-wheel drive only. Unless you're planning a spot of ad-lib tobogganing you'll barely notice but it doesn't help to allay the sense that the R-Class doesn't know what it wants to be. Amazingly Mercedes has managed to brand the world's most schizophrenic car yet more confusing. A lifetime of expensive therapy awaits the roentgen we fear.

Toyota to go turbocharger and direct injection downsized engine route for next generation vehicles

While European automakers have gone the engine retrenchment and forced induction route for an entire generation of cars now Asian automakers such as Toyota Honda and Mazda have not fully embraced the idea yet.

The only Asian carmaker that has announced a small displacement downsized motor that I can remember in the past year is Nissan with their MR16DDT 1.six liter and H4Jt 1.four liter inline-four turbocharged engines and i suspect even that is because of Renault influence. Honda spattered with a turbocharged 2.3 liter i-VTEC turbo 4-potter for the US market but they’ve not announced a new internal combustion engine in a precise long time which is a little disappointing for a car company who used to be known for their engines. Their last major announcement was AVTEC and then nothing!

But with the late round of Euro emission standards coming around we are starting to see this change as Toyota have just announced that it intends to increase the Toyota fleet’s fuel efficiency via turbochargers and direct fuel injection in smaller vehicles. According to Toyota executive vice president in charge of R&D Takeshi Uchiyamada turbochargers and direct injection will soon be a regular feature in the entire Toyota line-up including bread and butter models like the Corolla and the Camry.

The fresh 1.33 liter 1NR-FE featured in cars like the Euro market Auris Yaris iQ could be a prime quantity candidate to receive this technology. It’s Toyota’s newest 4 cylinder motor family and features Dual VVT-i and auto start-stop technology. The in high spirits compression ratio of 11.5:1 would have to be brought down to something like nine.5:1 to ten.5:1 of line.

From the normally aspirated 101hp and 132Nm at a lowish 3800rpm we could see it brought up to something like 130hp-150hp and 180Nm-200Nm to replace the larger engines in the Corolla

Ferrari 458 video

    * inaugural part of Ferrari 458 video feature

    * 570bhp and 0-62mph in 3.4 seconds

    * Would you spend £12k on yellow paint?

Just in time for the weekend we have the first installation in our two-part video feature on the Ferrari 458.

Prices for the high-performance car start at just under £170000 but the particular model we feature article is packed with £35000 worth of extras.

Take a look at the first  part of the video with Matt Sanger to find out more about the numbers and some of the amazing aerodynamic tricks that the car has up its sleeve

Porsche invests 150 million euros to upgrade R&D centre

Porsche will invest around 150 million euros in a long-term strategic site program for its R&D centre in Weissach. The money will go to building a high-tech air current tunnel design centre and an electronics integration centre among other facilities. The sports car maker also plans to enlistee 100 more engineers.

“The new system will help us to maintain Porsche’s top view in the fields of aerodynamics and design and to further extend our lead. owed design with optimal aerodynamic efficiency have always been classic Porsche strongholds” says Wolfgang Dürheimer Porsche board member for R&D.

The wind tunnel will have direct memory access from the adjacent design studio and separate entrances for the discrete completion of customer development projects according to Porsche.

The new studio will offer more space for designers who are enclosed from the earliest concept phase of the vehicle development process. Sub-areas which were previously scattered around Porsche’s Weissach web site can now be grouped in the future electronics integration centre.

“This spatial proximity is a major point. The close interaction of our suppliers’ various electrical system/electronics experts and colleagues from related specialist battlefield during development will contribute significantly to the success of our work particularly in the case of electronics which now play a role in virtually every vehicle component” Dürheimer explains

Kia begins selling new cars through eBay in the US

In the US Kia Motors has begun merchandising new vehicles through eBay making it the first major automaker to do so. Through its online store customers can search and obtain through the new Kia vehicle inventory across all participating dealers and make offers online through eBay’s “Best Offer” option.

Now from the comfort of their ain home environment consumers can have a convenient shopping experience deciding what they want from the brand’s lineup. More than 345 Kia dealers in the US have signed up to name their entire stock of new Kia vehicle inventory online.

The stats state this trend is on the upswing – J.vitamin D. powerfulness and Associates says that Internet auto shoppers are up 17% in 2010 and 79% of all auto shoppers source third-party websites such as eBay Motors before making a purchase.

Naturally the assumption is that the consumer still goes to the showroom one time he/she has decided on a model to ascertain that it’s the right choice. But one wonders if in the future there’d be anyone who’d bargain a new car without seeing or touching it in the metal first; no test drive no walkabout just select order pay and the car gets delivered to you. It’ll take a batch of bravado to do so. challenging to say the least

Audi introduces the RS 3 Sportback – 340 hp and 450 Nm!

Yet another model joins the Audi RS series lineup and this one is the big bad adaptation of the A3 called the RS 3 Sportback. There’s no dearth of pizzazz here for sure what with 340 hp and 450 Nm as well as a 0-100 kph sprint time of 4.6 secs kicking off this particular dynamic display.

Styling-wise the car which is of course developed by Audi subsidiary quattro gets the RS attire up treatment and the front features an anthracite single-frame grill with diamond-patterned styling new air intakes a front apron and front fenders made of carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP).

Throw in prominent sill panels exterior-mirror casings in matt aluminum a large roof spoiler and a high-gloss black diffusor insert at the rear along with two elliptical exhaust tailpipes and you’ve got the new clothes this one wears.

Oh and RS 3 badging both front and rear of course of action.

The exclusively black interior carries a number of RS 3 logos as well in case you ever forget what it is you’re driving. The sports seats wear fine Nappa leather with silver contrasting stitching and you get pianoforte finish black or the new Aluminum Race look for inlay finishes. Elsewhere the selector lever and instruments for the RS 3 are unusual and the vehicle’s driver information system can display the boost pressure and oil temperature as well as a lap timer.
  As the heart of the all-wheel mechanism RS 3 is a 2.5 litre TFSI five-cylinder turbocharged pot first seen on the TT RS and the 340 horses (available between 5400 and 6500 rpm) translates into a specified power output of 137.one hp per litre. As for the torque the 450 Nm is available from 1600 rpm correct  up to 5300 rpm. The turbocharger generates up to one.2 bar of boost pressure level with an intercooler downstream efficiency rate of over 80%.

The 183 kg block features a crankcase made of vermicular-graphite cast iron – Audi’s the first  car maker to use this a high-strength yet lightweight material in a gasoline engine and helping to keep the weight in check means paying off big for the RS 3 in terms of axle-load distribution and handling.

The RS 3 features a seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission system with a operational choice of two automatic modes and one manual mode – paddle shifters and a launch control system round things off. Meanwhile the quattro all-wheel thrust features an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch mounted at the end of the propeller shaft to achieve a favourable axle load distribution.

Performance-wise the 1575 kg car manages an electronically-limited 250 kph top focal ratio and it growls all the way in that signature RS manner with a sound flap in the exhaust branch intensifying the sound even further (the flap is controlled via the standard Sport button which also varies the engine response). Despite it being a scorcher it’s also very much a sipper – the claimed average ingestion figure is a neat 9.1 litres per hundred km.
  As would be the case the RS 3 Sportback gets a figure of suspension and geometry revisions to help it handle like its life depended on it. The sports abeyance on the RS 3 lowers it by 25 mm compared with the stock A3 and at the front the track has been widened with the McPherson struts featuring a separate subframe; key components are made of aluminium. At the back the four-link pause is also anchored to a subframe and features high-strength-steel control arms that allow it to handle longitudinal and lateral forces separately.

Stopping power is through a brake system ready-made up of four-pot calipers (finished in high-gloss black and bearing the RS logo) and 370 mm front and 310 mm rear ventilated discs. The car wears 19-inch cast aluminium force finished in machine-polished titanium as standard with a black with a red rim flange available as an option – the force sit on 235/35 series front and 225/35 rear rubbers

Facelifted Opel/Vauxhall Corsa is a big fan of the Mazda2!

Opel has facelifted its Corsa supermini (Vauxhall Corsa in the UK) which first came on the area in 2006. GM’s 2011 model year B-segment contender to the Polo Clio and Fiesta gets a “sportier expressive look” to covering the internal updates for 2010 cars which got new engines upgraded suspension and retuned steering.

The facelift re-proportions the upper berth and lower grilles. The chthonian one is wider and taller to visually widen the car. In addition a mesh grille design replaces the current horizontal barroom while the chrome “wings” of the Opel logo is bigger. The German marker has also added “eagle eye” headlamps along with signature wing-shaped daylight lamps that made their debut in the Insignia. Six new alloy designs and a larger Opel Blitz logo at the back are included as well.
There are also new fog lamp units with “integrated chrome blades” that really reminds me of the Mazda2; the party colour on the Corsa helps the visual link to its Japanese classmate too. What do you think? See the familiar smiley face?

All variants have been updated with new trim Oregon fabrics. The new Touch & Connect navigation system of rules has a five-inch touch screen that displays both 2D and 3D bird view maps from SD navigation cards. Features include an option to choose the most ecological route and the proposition of alternative routes when faced with traffic even when navigation is not active. It’s Bluetooth iPod and USB sympathetic too.

Porsche 911 Carrera GTS driven - Introduction

Buying a Porsche 911 is a stable gear like choosing a pizza. There are the fundamentals – pizza dishonorable tomato paste and mozzarella or in the case of the 911 a flat-six engine of some capacity or other cradled at the rear of a sports coupe or cabriolet – onto which you pile your choice of toppings.

Lately the permutations have been growth in seemingly never-ending numbers. Porsche has launched seven new variants of the 911 in the past 12 months a sure signboard that something's afoot. That something is an all-new 911 that will come along next autumn.

Meanwhile the latest and last version of the current 911 is the Carrera GTS available as either a coupe or cab and a perfect example of how Porsche can apply pizza-making principles to the business of producing some of the finest sports cars in the world.

The Carrera GTS is a sorting of mid-point between the meat-feast Carrera S and the Diavolo that is the GT3: spicy but easily digestible.

It pairs the 44mm wider torso of the 911 Carrera 4 and Turbo with the 408bhp 3.8-litre engine that's in the sportsman Classic and now the Speedster. Its lower front body section is from the Porsche Sport plan package while the enlarged side sills are like those in the extreme GT2.

Its gloss black force with single central fixing have been used elsewhere too but this is the first time they've appeared on a Carrera while the Alcantara cabin trim has been pinched from the GT3. There's nothing new here except the path the ingredients have been combined.

So it's no surprise when you start it up that it all feels reassuringly familiar.

The Cadillac Aera – giving a new meaning to polyhedral

Joining the dapper 454 WWT as the joint winner of the 2010 Los Angeles Design Challenge is General Motors Advanced Design California’s Cadillac Aera which takes Cadillac’s philosophy of Art and Science into new territory with an innovative and stylistic ultra-light weight vehicle.

The Aera which gets its repute from a merger of the words Aero and Era fits the design challenge’s theme of a 1000 lb four-seater vehicle in this case in a 2+2 touring coupe form and it can travel 1600 km before refueling.

The Aera works with a three-D lattice mono-formed frame – the polyhedral structure is similar to configurations found consistently in nature like inside the grouping of bubbles. It’s built with a alone alloy-utilising semi-solid freeform manufacturing process with all major body parts – including interior components – essentially “grown” into a single part lattice structure.

  The Aera is powered  by compressed air (like the Volvo Air Motion) via a highly efficient Pneumatic Drive System (PDS) and the 10000 psi composite air storage tank has ample capacity for a 1600 km range. Flexible pressurized air cells in the exterior surface – similar to material developed for the NASA Mars Rover airbags – enhance passive safety and interior comfort. The flexible polymer skin optimises the Aera’s aerodynamics and functions as an ultra-lightweight alternative to conventional gathering panels and glass.

  Additional technologies include an All-In-One (AIO) wheel system combining circular actuator propulsion steering and suspension functions as well as a drive by wireless system which decreases the usage of electrical components and vehicle to vehicle communication (V2V)

Suzuki Swift named RJC 2011 Japanese Car Of The Year

The new third-generation Suzuki Swift has bagged the Automotive Researchers and Journalists Conference of Japan (RJC) 2011 Japanese elevator car Of The Year award. The car won in the domestic category with a number of 288 points ahead of Nissan’s March at 258 and Honda’s Fit Hybrid which numberd 215 points and in awarding it the title judges praised the Swift’s excellent interior quality as well as its driving stability and comfort among other things.

It’s the second RJC Japanese COTY achievement for the Swift with the previous incarnation fetching the prize in 2006. The RJC is a non-profit organization established in 1990 and made up of Japan-based automotive critics and journalists. Each time period the organisation bestows Car of The Year awards for both Japanese and import models as well as for the Technology of The Year.

Incidentally the Volkswagen Polo won the Import COTY statute title with 294 points finishing ahead of the Citroen C3 which managed 223 points and the winner for the technology award was Subaru’s EyeSight driving assistance system as found in the Legacy

VW to invest 51.6 bil euros in next five years – the aim is to be the No1 automaker in the world by 2018

Volkswagen is design to invest around 51.6 a billion euros in its automotive division over the next five years. More than half of this investment will be in Germany with underived spending to be on property plants and equipment it said in a statement.

It’s no secret that the VW is aiming at surpassing Toyota as the peak carmaker globally by 2018 and as such the Strategy 2018 programme it has set out will see the company investing around 27.7 billion euros to modernise and cover the product range of all its brands these being VW Audi Skoda Seat Bentley Porsche and Lamborghini.

The focus will of course be on new vehicles derivatives and replacing models in all product classes and the aim is to achieve a systematic model rollout with a view to tapping new markets and segments. This will be supplemented with the launching of new  generations of engines with enhanced performance fuel consumption and emission levels. In particular it will drive onward the development of hybrid and electric motors.

Additionally a thirteen.6 billion euro has been set aside for cross-product investments over the next five days. The company’s new assembly plant in the US – in Chattanooga Tennessee – will begin operating in 2011 and production capacity in Russia is also being increased. It has also announced plans to open  two more plants in China

Aston Martin Rapide Luxe – when luxury is not enough

 The £140000 Aston Martin Rapide not luxurious enough for you? Try the Luxe a new eminent trim level for Aston’s Austrian made “four-door sports car”.

The standard Rapide’s spec list is already actual  long but the Luxe adds a choice of exclusive colour options including Quantum Silver and Concours Blue bespoke six-piece luggage set that matches the cabin rear-seat DVD entertainment system with wireless headphones plus glass switchgear and key fob. Also new is the ventilation plan of action which allows for three temperature settings in the cabin.

The Rapide Luxe is priced around £157445 (depending on options) which is a £17000 premium over the common model. It is powered  by a hand-built 6.0-litre V12 with 470 horsepower and 600 Nm of torque.

Audi A8 bags this year’s Euro Car Body Award

Now did you know that all year leading body-manufacturing experts convene to discuss trends as well as scrutinise numerous body shells and series-production vehicles at the International Car-Body Benchmarking Conference? And that there’s an award called the Euro Car Body Award?

The last is where the attendees select the world’s most innovative series-built vehicle body for the year. The 12th edition of the conference organised by Automotive Circle International and held in in Bad Nauheim Germany late last month saw 520 experts and a jury of specialists evaluating 14 of the latest series-production vehicles to determine a winner.

When voting was done the winner of the world’s most distinguished award for innovations in body manufacturing better known as the Euro railcar Body Award was Audi’s A8 making it the fourth time Audi has taken the honours. In taking the gong the A8 besides set a new record by earning 41.11 out of a applicant 50 points in the voting process.

Cetainly there’s a set in the Neckarsulm-made offering to have impressed the experts. The aluminium body (featuring no more less than 13 grades of aluminium) weighs in at 231 kg 30 kg less than its predecessor but has a stiffness/weight ratio that’s increased by 20% over the previous shell. For those who enjoy such trivia building one involves 1847 punch-rivets 632 self-tapping screws 202 smudge welds 25 MIG welds six metres of laser welds and 44 metres of bonded seams.

   In addition to its impressive body properties the Euro Car Body present also recognised Audi’s pioneering concepts regarding processes production and manufacturing as well as the company’s know-how concerning materials technology and joining techniques.

The current A8 follows in the tyre tracks of an A8 predecessor which was the first Audi to gain the award in 2003. In 2006 the TT won the award and in 2008 it was the Q5′s turn to emerge winning