Car Blog News |
- Audi A3 e-tron Concept Shanghai Debut Memorable
- Jaguar XF Facelift Shown at NY
- Audi R8GT First Model Delivered
- Video Round-Up: Insane Accidents From World Motorsport This Week
| Audi A3 e-tron Concept Shanghai Debut Memorable Posted: 21 Apr 2011 06:04 AM PDT Audi's latest e-tron concept has got a gala showcase at the Shanghai Auto Show, alongside the automaker's new Q3. A modified version of the TT RS’ turbocharged 5 cylinder that produces 400 horsepower and 368 pound-feet of torque has been incorporated to the original A3 sedan in the e-tron concept. The 20kW electric motor enables the vehicle to propel 60 mph in 6.8 seconds before topping out at 143 mph. The concept is actually based on the RS3 hatchback model and the seven-speed dual-clutch S-tronic transmission has adapted from the RS3. The drivetrain has been combined with lithium-ion battery pack stored in the trunk. The hybrid drivetrain enables the vehicle to carry on up to 34 miles on electric power alone. The same suspension used in the original has been accommodated in this new concept too. It has got a front and a four-link independent rear end designed by MacPherson. The auto concept also features 20-inch wheels covered in 245/30 R20 rubber at all four corners. The body of the vehicle features new grille and bumper framed by a carbon fiber-reinforced frame, aluminum hood, trunk and doors. The internal functionality includes connectivity options like wireless internet, WLAN hotspot functionality and Google mapping and POI search. Thanks to the Audi’s next-generation MMI system complete with a UMTS module. The A3 sedan's toned version will hit the showrooms by next year. The e-tron variant is to arrive by 2013.
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| Jaguar XF Facelift Shown at NY Posted: 21 Apr 2011 06:00 AM PDT The New York Auto Show has given us a glimpse to the face lifted Jaguar sedan. Jaguar unleashed its stylish, bolder and innovative XF and will hopefully hit the market by 2012. The new XF is highly inspired from the earlier XJ. The bold exterior is stunning with its freshly sported front fascia incorporating a revised grille and bi-xenon headlights merged with LED daytime running light. The refreshed exterior is complemented by new alloy wheel choices and paint hues. There's a new hood, modified front fenders and redesigned LED taillights. Interior designs are subtle but include improved seats, revised switchgear, a digital instrument cluster, instrument panel, optional 1200W Bowers & Wilkins premium surround sound system , and a new infotainment system with a seven-inch touchscreen display. Engine options carry over with the exception of a new 2.2-liter four-cylinder diesel that produces 190 PS (140 kW / 187 hp) and 450 Nm (332 lb-ft) of torque. It is connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission which enables the car to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 8.5 seconds, hit a top speed of 225 km/h (140 mph), and average 52.3 mpg UK (5.4 L/100km / 43.5 mpg US) with CO2 emissions of 149 g/km.
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| Audi R8GT First Model Delivered Posted: 21 Apr 2011 05:56 AM PDT The Audi R8GT has been delivered to its first customer in the UK. The mean machine is a Limited Edition version in the Audi R8 series. The Phantom Black high-performance sports car was passed on to its new proud owner at the Audi Forum in Neckarsulm. A total of 333 envied units of this luxury sports model have been sold out in 23 countries within weeks of release. The sports car comes with a total weight of 1525 kg (3362 lb), a 100 units minus what the former R8 version had boasted of. This owes largely to fine tuning and carbon-fiber composites (CFC) from master engineers of Audi factory. The Audi limited edition model brings in power from 5.2 litre v10 engine, which steams an output of 560PS (412 kW / 552 bhp) directed to all four wheels via the R-tronic gearbox. The machine races from 0 to 100 km/h (62mph) with just 3.6 seconds and requires just 10.8 seconds to touch 200 km/h (124 mph). It also boasts of a maximum speed 320 km/h (199 mph). The price of the car in Germany starts at a whopping €193,000 !
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| Video Round-Up: Insane Accidents From World Motorsport This Week Posted: 21 Apr 2011 05:42 AM PDT There have been some stunning incidents this week, ranging from the hilarious video of a Formula 1 marshall rolling under Luizzi’s car in Malaysia, to this horrifying footage of a race car completely clearing the concrete barrier at Brands Hatch, UK. We’ve got a second video of that horror smash, in which both drivers walked away, as well as a few you might have missed, including Jason Plato’s high speed bender in the British Touring Car Championships.
Let’s start with that second angle from Brands Hatch. The accident occurred at an amateur one-make Toyota MR2 race at the infamous Brands Hatch circuit in the UK. The event was not televised so this spectator captured the only footage of the incident. Cars 1 and 55 come together, and the black MR2 gets squeezed over the barrier and into the parking lot, while the red MR2 does a spectacular series of end-to-end rotations against the catch fence. There’s an awesome stop-frame in this footage as well. The next video features Jason Plato, a presenter on Discovery Channel’s Fifth Gear and BTCC Champion. The track is ex-F1 circuit Donington Park, also in the UK. Plato gets a nudge from behind just after the race starts and goes off during a flat-out corner. The commentator says that cars never go off their, so its a long slippery ride to the barriers. Incredibly the team rebuild the car in just a few hours, and had it on the grid for the next race, which brought Plato to tears. He said “Forget F1, this is the best team in the world.” The big girl. Plato eventually placed 6th and earned some valuable points. In Nascar this week we saw Restrictor Plate racing at Talladega, one of the highlights of the calendar. If you’ve ever watched Nascar you might know that it involves going left and crashing. And weird sponsorship. That aside, Talladega is a rare 2.5 mile super-speedway, which means the drivers can literally drive flat-out for all 188 laps. To slow them down, a plate is welded below the accelerator (can you imagine that in F1) which holds them at about 180mph. To gain a speed advantage, rival drivers “bumpdraft” – they literally touch bumpers to cancel air resistance for the trailing car. This is incredible motor racing, but also incredibly dangerous, can you imagine somebody nudges you a little too hard at 300kmh? Well it happens, and this is the result: And finally, during Friday free practice at the Malaysian Grand Prix, an in-car camera caught a hilarious moment when track marshals were pushing Antonio Luizzi’s broken-down car off of the track. Luizzi was out of the car when the incident happened. We’re only laughing because the marshal involved got up straight away. Sorry about the lame dubbed music, I searched Youtube long and hard for original audio but no luck.
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