Please Audi, Don't Tease Us Any Longer: The Quattro Concept

Motor Trend recently did a test drive of the Audi Quattro concept. The car was designed for the original Quattro’s 30^th birthday, and they have been touring it around auto shows. It’s estimated to be worth 5.2 million. The car has created quite a buzz lately and for good reason.

Audi has yet to deny or confirm that it will be a production vehicle.

The car is about as awesome looking as they come. The big haunches and wide grill set it apart from anything that Audi has or any other car manufacturer for that matter. All round the car is spectacular, and then you get to the interior. It looks like a race car driver’s daily car, simple and clean yet functional. When I say clean I mean like hypoallergenic clean. The lines and combination of carbon fiber are perfect.

The car sports a five cylinder engine (from the TT RS), four wheel drive, and a flurry of other technologies, including a carbon fiber body. It’s blistering fast and light, weighing in at 2866 pounds. The original Quattro weighed 2838. Everything on this car is an homage to the original.

So why don’t they make it? The hard truth is Audi doesn’t really have a spot for it. It would fit in near the A5 (it shares the same frame) and with the other two door being the TT, there’s no point. I have a suggestion though.

The Audi halo car is the R8 for its amazing looks and performance. I’ve been in love with the car ever since it came out. What Audi could do is have a second halo car, but not for the streets. It needs to be where Audi and the original Quattro flourished, the dirt.

The original was a stripped out and barely street legal race car where technologies like four wheel drive in regular cars was proven. Many race cars owe their technologies now to this rally monster.

As the X Games and other rally competitions grow more popular every year, manufactures are getting great publicity coverage. Recently the sports have been dominated here in the states by Subaru and Mitsubishi. Ford though has gone into the circuit with the new Fiesta, trying to get a piece of that cake. Audi could create the car and use it for dirt racing and trickle the technologies from their down into their everyday cars like the Quattro of old did. The plan right now is to have the technologies in the concept showcased, but I think proving them would be more effective.

Or just make that the new A5, just saying.

Sourced from Motor Trend

Audi's Prototype R18 Le Mans LMP1

Audi has unveiled their new prototype for the 2011 24 Hours of Le Mans. It’s called the R18 and it will have some serious catching up to do with the Audi legacy.

Domination is the word that most people use to describe the run of victories at Le Mans that Audi has presented. The only wrinkle to that name is the lost to Peugeot in 2009. The past race in 2010 though was spectacular, as Audi swept taking one, two, and three, atop the podium in the R15.

The R18 is different than other Audi race cars that have come before it in the decade. For starters, it has a closed top, a first in their recent legacy and since 1999. It’s no coincidence to me that when the lost to Peugeot in 2009 to their new supercar, Audi decided to follow design and begin crafting the car in mid 2009 as well. They stated in the press release: “A closed car has clear advantages in this respect. Our computer simulations have been confirmed in the wind tunnel and during initial track tests."

The engine is a 3.7 liter TDI V-6 engine and Audi has not specified number for it yet but you can be sure they wont be to far off the mark of the previous car and probably even better. They have a legacy to keep and doing so has proven harder and harder every year so they will max out their new car. Audi is using the engine to pioneer smaller, more efficient, and more powerful engines they stated in the press release. A new six speed automatic transmission is also going to be in place.

Along with the technicalities is the body, a single forged carbon fiber piece which is said to improve stiffness and save weight. The lights are a first, all LED. Le Mans is about proving the technologies of the cars, and Audi certainly is filling in that respect. As their slogan goes, Truth In Engineering.

Audi will have three R18’s on the track at Le Mans in 2010 all running for the title. Will they be able to do it? Probably.

Audi’s intensity for the gold has tied Ferraris record of nine wins. With The drivers, the experience, the passion, and the engineering, Audi could keep this spree going for a long time to come.

Sourced from Autoblog

Hamann debuts their Porsche Cayenne 958

Ah, those German aftermarket tuner, whenever a new German-made car with any performance potential is launched, one or several of these tuners manages to get their hands on one.And now, Hamann has unveiled their latest creation, a Porsche Cayenne 958. Although Porsche unveiled the second generation Cayenne at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, Hamann was lightening quick to add their own touch.

Perhaps, the best upgrade here is the exterior, as the car has a newly shaped front apron with integrated LED daytime running lights, side sills, a rear apron, a carbon-made bonnet with an additional air intake.

Buyers can also opt for sets of either 22 or 23-inch 3-pieced lightweight alloy wheels. Under the hood, the tuners have remapped the ECU which increases output of the stock V6 diesel to 275hp with 620 lb-ft of torque between 2,000 and 2,500 rpm.

No official pricing from Hamann has been released.

Mazda gives Japan a few more gadgets

There once was a time when the US got only a small percentage of the really great cars from Japan. Any americans who ever lusted after a Nissan Silva, an R33 Skyline or toyota badged Altezza know what I am talking about.

While things might have gotten better recently, Japanese carmakers can still sometimes withhold some stuff from us.

In Japan. the Mazda3 (or as it is known there, the Axela) is getting what is known as the Navi Edition.

This special edition allows Axela buyers to have some of the options which are usually only available on higher-end models.

This includes a navigation system with an integrated terrestrial TV tuner and rear view monitor.

Of course, a rearview monitor on a compact car with a big back window might be a bit unnecessary I think, but Mazda has added their Adaptive Front Lighting system, something that is nice to have on a car of any size.

BMW 3.0d Boosted by Superchips

Superchips is launching yet another performance specially for BMW. This time, they have done a new ECU remap of the wonderful 3.0 liter straight-six diesel, which is offered on the 3,5,7, GT, X5 and X6.

The 3.0, depending on which model, usually produces in the neighborhood of 240hp with 520 lb-ft of torque.

With the remap, power is increased to 285 hp and 610 lb-ft of torque.

Coincidently, this is basically the same power as the 35d engine. Think of it as a 3.0 liter twin turbo diesel.

This power boost makes the engine more responsive and more pleasant to drive due to all of the extra torque at low revs.

Superchips even provides a full customer service guarantee with a 12 month/30,000 mile supplementary vehicle warranty.

Perhaps the best part-in addition to the extra torque-is the price. Unlike countless other performance tuner kits and various add-ons, this one is extremely affordable at just $695, including installation and VAT.

DuPont recently came out with its annual report about what colors are the most popular in the world. This study involves 11 different regions including includes North America, China, Russia, Europe, and India.

The most popular colors globally are:

1. Silver

2. Black

3. Grey and white tie at 16% of global sales.

The most popular colors in North America are:

1. White

2. Black

3. Silver

So congratulations to the world were about as exciting overall as a black and white movie.

I personally love cars that have some color to them (my own is blue and white). But in some cases you have to go with one of the more neutral colors. For example, when purchasing an Audi A8, S-class Mercedes, and BMW 7 series, black and white are the way to go. You can get silver to and maybe a midnight blue, but those don’t take the classy elegance of the cars very seriously. A red A8 would look silly, and can you really imagine a blue S-class?

So up to a certain point I can understand why the color choices would be dull. But for the average car? I guess people are just dull. I shouldn’t be that harsh though because most cars simply look best in those colors. Take a popular car like the Honda civic. Any other color besides black and silver look to outlandish for most people, or to some simply badass. To go with a color such as blue is making a statement instead of just blending as well. I don’t have the time or degree to say why people choose what color (they might not even care) but I think the world would be a little more fun if we spruced it up a bit.

2012 Mustang Cobra Jet specs revealed

A Puerto Rican Ford dealer has released the first specs of the upcoming 2012 Mustang Cobra Jet. This reveal is well before ford has intended. Nonetheless, we are treated with a great throwback to 1960's drag racing.

The Cobra Jet has a revised 430 hp 5.4 liter supercharged aluminium engine with a 2.3 liter TVS supercharger with twin 65mm dual bore throttle body linked to a three-speed C4 auto race transmission.

Try saying all of the above in one breath.

Technically speaking, this setup includes a double keyed crankshaft snout, Manley H-beam rods, improved low-drag racing brakes upgraded rear suspension with a revised rear upper control arm, lower control arm mounts, and revised and optimized springs in both front and rear.

There are also new black anodized Cobra Jet wheels with Goodyear Cobra Jet branded tires. Color choices include Race Red, Grabber Blue and Winner White.