Audi Urban Concept - Auto Shows

Audi is to be commended for avoiding the use of the word “mobility” in describing the Frankfurt-bound Urban concept. That oft-employed term has a way of reducing motoring to a means of getting from place to place, something with which the final portion of this publication’s title conflicts. Audi’s latest future-car vision promises to continue to involve the driver in the process, but do it in a smaller, lighter, more maneuverable way. And it’s electric, of course.Audi bills the Urban concept as “a completely new kind of concept car,” but it brings to mind other hyper-efficient VW pods from the recent past, namely the Up!, as well as the L1 and XL1 “1-Liter” cars. Those and the Messerschmitt KR200.
In this Audi, two passengers sit in a fighter-jet-looking cockpit, complete with a rollback canopy in place of doors. The chassis is made of carbon fiber, into which the seat buckets are molded; the steering wheel and pedals adjust to the driver. The seats are staggered, as in the XL1, to afford a little more shoulder room in the narrow vehicle. Twenty-one inch wheels stick out from the body and are covered by cycle fenders with built-in LEDs.

Unlike the turbo-diesel 1-Liter concepts, the Urban deals in Audi’s not-yet-realized electric promise. The vehicle itself isn’t billed as an e-tron (it doesn’t quite have the stun factor of the early e-tron concepts), but it does employ two electric motors that carry that branding. A lithium-ion battery pack serves as the power supply.

While we like what we hear so far, we haven’t been told too much about this concept. Audi will wait until the Frankfurt show in September to fully unveil the car and share more details. Here’s hoping the “M-word” doesn’t come up at the press conference. Source : Caranddriver.com

BMW 3.0 CSL at Monterey auction

GALERY :
Source : topgear.com



BMW 3.0 CSL at Monterey auction

2013 Bentley Continental GT - Cars Road Test

By the time Bentley had finished proliferating its initial Continental line, first offered as a coupe for 2004, no fewer than eight models were on the docket, including convertible and sedan body styles with 552-hp 12-cylinder engines, 600-hp “Speed” versions of all three, and for coupe and ragtop models, lighter Supersports versions with 621 hp. Now, with the second-generation Continental GT coupe on sale around the world, the rollout of variants is set to commence, and the two-door Speed, caught here by our wily spy photographers, looks like it’s in the hole. (We have it on good authority that the regular-grade GTC will appear next, at this fall’s Frankfurt show.)

Stealth Speed

Only two places on the exterior—the pinched tailpipes and the deeper, three-section lower front fascia—give away this car’s identity as the next speedy Conti. We expect this to be true of the production model, too, as the first-gen Speeds were similarly indistinguishable from the base models. The previous Speeds also featured upsized, thin-spoke wheels (which owners often swapped out for aftermarket pieces), so don’t expect to see these five-spoke 20-inchers, which are the base wheel on the standard Continental GT, to be the production footwear. Also worth noting is that the air suspension of this prototype seems to be jacked up to its Moab setting; the last-gen Speeds rode roughly half an inch lower in their standard setting than their non-Speed counterparts, and we expect this trait to carry over.
More Speed
And so it seems that beneath the sheetmetal is where the big differences will be found. While Bentley won’t tell us much about the next Speed’s powertrain, the previous model added about nine percent more power and 15 percent more torque over the base trim’s twin-turbocharged W-12. If similar math is applied to the 2012 Continental GT’s higher-output W-12, with its 567 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque, the Speed will pack around 621 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque, which coincidentally is the same output as the 2010–2011 Continental Supersports (a car that’s still in production). Go figure. Also worth noting is that the base Continental GT shed some 143 pounds for 2012, and we expect the Speed to maintain that weight loss, if not shed even more. As in every Continental model, power will be routed through an all-wheel-drive system.
How might all of this translate into real-world performance? Well, since we were able to hit 60 mph in four seconds flat in the previous Continental GT Speed coupe, we will probably be able to lop off a tenth or two next time around. Terminal velocity could jump by a few ticks above the 202-mph top end of the last one, too.
Also expect about a 10-percent increase in price over the 2012 Continental GT’s $192,495 sticker when the Speed goes on sale sometime next year as a 2013 model. By then, we hope to see Speed-spec prototypes of the upcoming Continental GTC convertible and the yet-unseen, next-gen Continental Flying Spur sedan.

Source: Caranddriver.com

2012 BMW 528i / 528i xDrive Sedan - Car News

A four-cylinder 5er, with optional power to all four wheels.

Just in time for the Fourth of July holiday here in the land of freedom, BMW is announcing a 5-series with four cylinders. (That is the tie-in, right?) For 2012, the 528i will trade its naturally aspirated 3.0-liter inline-six for the company’s new N20 turbo four. Including the recently announced M5, this makes the 5-series engine lineup all-turbo.
The 2.0-liter will produce 240 hp at 5000 rpm and 260 lb-ft of torque from 1250 rpm. That matches the horsepower figure for the old six and surpasses it in the torque department with 30 additional lb-ft, peaking 1350 rpm earlier. The engine is direct injected and uses BMW’s Valvetronic variable-valve-lift system. A ZF-supplied eight-speed automatic will be the only transmission available, although the 2012 528i will see the addition of xDrive all-wheel drive as an option. BMW estimates a 0-to-60-mph run of 6.2 seconds, or 0.4 second better than it quoted for the 2011 car. We netted a 6.4-second run with the inline-six, and expect the turbo four to drop that time to around 6.0.

The engine will be equipped with a stop/start system, something BMW usually leaves out of U.S. products because of its limited effect in EPA fuel-economy testing. The EPA hasn’t yet tested this new engine, but BMW expects a 15-percent increase in mileage over the 2011 528i—figure on something like a 2-mpg increase over that model’s 22/32 city/highway ratings.
We know this engine will show up in the Z4 sDrive28i, and you can expect it to show up in the rest of BMW’s 28i offerings, including the next 3-series. You also can expect us to go enjoy the Fourth with a big American V-8.

2012 BMW 528i 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine

Source: Caranddriver.com

2013 Porsche Cayman Spy Photos - Future Cars

No surprise here: The next Cayman looks a lot like the current one, and we’re okay with that.

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Update: We now have much closer shots of the next Cayman, and they reveal a more 911-like silhouette and front end. The roof appears flatter than the current car’s, and we can see just how much the stretched wheelbase affects things like the size of the rear window. Less exciting: This prototype appears to have a sensor in the front fascia’s center opening, suggesting some kind of laser- or radar-based system like active cruise control will be offered.

We’ve already spotted the 2012 Boxster in the wild—our editor-in-chief, Eddie Alterman, even snagged a few shots himself—but now we have the first spy photos of the next-gen Boxster’s hardtop sibling, the 2013 Cayman. Since the two cars share a platform, most of what we know about the Boxster will apply to the Cayman as well. This means carry-over flat-sixes, with a new flat-four as the base engine. The current Cayman engine lineup starts with a 265-hp, 2.9-liter flat-six, moving to a 320-hp, 3.4-liter flat-six in the Cayman S. We don’t know much about the new four-cylinder, but it most likely will be a shortened version of the six, rather than an all-new engine. Transmissions are not likely to change much, and the new Cayman should make do with the existing six-speed manual and seven-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic.
The upcoming Boxster will ride on a slightly longer wheelbase, and the Cayman will inherit the same extension. The longer wheelbase shows itself here in the Cayman’s longer rear-quarter windows and the longer roofline. Aside from an expected boost in interior space, perhaps the biggest benefit of the stretch is that the lengthened hatch affords a larger rear window.
Moving down from the roofline, the appearance of the next Cayman will change little from today’s car. The fenders are just as curved and pumped-out as the current Cayman’s, and the vertical intakes ahead of the rear wheels remain—how else are you going to feed a mid-mounted engine? While our shooter failed to snap any pictures of the front of the car, we got a clear look at the Boxster’s schnozz, and we can confidently say that not much will change up front for the coupe, either. (This is sort of a habit at Porsche; note how similar the next 911 will be to the current car—and the one before that, and the one before that, and so on.)

Then again, we can’t think of much we want to change. In an era of tremendous upheaval in the auto industry, Porsche’s mid-engine coupe is one thing we’re glad to see stay the same. Look for better, crisper pictures of the Cayman as its official debut sometime in mid-2012 draws near.
 Source: Carandriver.com

2012 BMW M3 CRT Lightweight Sedan - Official Photos and Info

BMW builds a lightweight M3 GTS with four doors—and all of its color on the inside.

We first told you about BMW’s upcoming lightweight M3 sedan when it debuted as a concept car in April, following that up with a series of spy photos in May. Well, June is nearing its end, and we’d feel just horrible if we missed a monthly installment, so today we’re on to the thrilling conclusion in this three-part series. (At least until the surprise follow-up, when we drive the thing.)
In the lead-up to the Nürburgring 24 Hours race, BMW used its “M Night” celebration to debut the production version of this supersedan, officially called the BMW M3 CRT Lightweight Sedan, CRT standing for Carbon Racing Technologies. Unless you think every sports car needs a roll cage, which appeared on the M3 GTS coupe, the CRT won’t disappoint. (BMW has released video of the car; you can watch it here.)
Our earlier reports speculated that the sedan would make use of a standard M3’s 4.0-liter V-8, making a healthy 414 horsepower, but that won’t be the case. The CRT instead shares the GTS’s 4.4-liter, delivering 450 hp at a screaming 8300 rpm and 324 lb-ft of torque peaking at 3750 revs. Its crankcase is constructed out of an aluminum-silicon alloy, it has individual throttle butterflies, and its exhaust gasses exit through a sport exhaust system with a lightweight titanium muffler.
Carbon Fiber, Now With More Rigidity
This car isn’t called the M3 CRT Big Horsepower though, so let’s get to the things that make it lighter than a standard M3 sedan. Benefitting from new manufacturing processes developed for the carbon-intensive BMW i3 and i8 models coming in 2013, the M3 CRT has a hood that consists of two carbon-fiber sheets encasing an aramid composite honeycomb for added rigidity. As a result, it has the strength of a traditional steel hood with just a quarter of the weight. Compared to a normal M3’s aluminum piece, the weight is halved. Inside the cabin, the front bucket seats use the same process and therefore benefit from the same weight savings. The result is a car that weighs just 3483 pounds despite standard equipment that includes a dual-clutch transmission, navigation, a high-end BMW Individual audio system, and parking sensors. BMW says that, while the official weight savings is 100 pounds, if all this equipment is considered, the real savings is over 150 pounds. And considered alongside the car’s added horsepower, the cuts are good for a ratio of 7.7 pounds for each pony to carry, an improvement of roughly one full pound over the regular M3 sedan.
The M3 GTS carry-overs continue behind each of the car’s 19-inch lightweight wheels (wearing 245/35 rubber up front and 265/35 at the rear), with a set of more-rigid subframes and individually-adjustable dampers. The six-piston front brakes, also from the GTS, use calipers made of a special low-weight compound construction and, in the name of consistent pedal feel, stainless steel brake lines have been fitted.
Freeze Frame
Up until now, we’ve seen the car running around the Nürburgring in dark blue paint, but for its official debut, it now wears frozen (BMW’s word for matte) silver metallic paint with brick-red accents on the grille kidneys, spoilers, and side vents. Inside, the red theme continues, thankfully toned down by numerous swatches of black leather and aluminum trim, both in a carbon-fiber-weave pattern. Each car gets a numbered plaque and the most heavily bolstered rear seats we’ve seen since the old Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16V. It almost looks as if the outboard seats were scooped out and red leather was glued in the holes.

You’ve probably been reading all of this knowing that there has to be some disappointing news somewhere. Here it is: The M3 CRT is limited to just 67 units, and not a single one will make it to the United States. According to BMW USA, items like those revolutionary front seats, which lack airbags, wouldn’t fly here. Because of the extremely low production volume, it’s simply easier to leave our market out of the mix than to give it special treatment. We’d try to be more upset, but let’s be honest: We all saw it coming.
Source : Caranddriver.com