Volkswagen Touareg shoppers now have one more box to tick on the options list as the German automaker has released the third and final R-Line package for the luxury SUV model, aptly called 'Exterior'. As its name suggests, the new package gives the Touareg a more aggressive appearance on the outside. It includes a bodykit with a front apron, chunky side skirts, a bespoke roof spoiler and a rear apron that incorporates a diffuser in a matte black finish with openings for the chrome tail pipes.
The exterior styling kit can be combined with the two other available packages, and in particular the standard R-Line, which includes 20-inch alloy wheels, a sports suspension, stainless steel door sill plates, a sports steering wheel with decorative inserts in piano black, stainless steel pedals and aluminum trim on the dashboard, and the R-Line Plus that adds sports seats in a two-tone leather finish.
The R-Line Exterior package is available on all models except the Hybrid, and in true VW-fashion, pricing depends on the engine option with the kit costing (in Germany) €1,840 when ordered on the V8 TDI and €2,200 on the V6 model.
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Monday, January 31, 2011
Getting an early start for the Le Mans 24 Hours, the Audi R18 and R15 were on the track testing. All nine Audi factory drives had a chance to get behind the wheel and learn the car a bit more.
Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich said “We’re very pleased with the performance of the Audi R18 at our first outing at Sebring,”
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Here is the latest rendering of the 2-door SUV from Porsche.
With the official green-light given to the the entry-level crossover in November, the Cajun is designed to attract new and younger customers. The Cajun will be an "efficient and sporty model" with "typical Porsche features such as light weight, ease of handling and agility." Furthermore, the crossover will be based on the Audi Q5 and feature styling influenced by VW design boss Walter de' Silva.
The Cajun is expected to be launched in 2014 and will compete with the Mercedes GLK, BMW X3, and Land Rover Evoque.
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Sunday, January 30, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
AWE Tuning has released their exhaust system for the Panamera S and 4S. They tuned the system to deliver an exotic sound at full throttle, yet be quiet and civil during part throttle around town driving. Through countless research and development efforts they have produced one of the finest Panamera exhaust on the market with max gains of +12hp at the crank.
Each exhaust is hand made, and in true AWE fashion they command respect without calling unwanted attention to themselves. Sophisticated, refined, and powerful, all at once. Further, each system is personalized with the original owner's name on the serial badge.
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Friday, January 28, 2011
This year Top Gear magazine picked Volkswagen Golf R as their Hot Hatch of the Year. Last time Top Gear awarded a Golf was the GTI in 2009.
The Golf R really deserves this title since it’s one of the most complete hot hatches you can buy today. And that is exactly the point of hot hatches, they must be able to do everything you throw at them. Top Gar describes the Golf R as ‘extraordinarily good at so many things’.
An with a a 2.0-liter TSI engine developing 270 PS and 350 Nm (258 lbs ft) of torque, a sophisticated 4MOTION system and a six-speed DSG gearbox as well as the practicality of a normal Golf, the R is ready for every occasion. To match the extra power, the Golf R features a series of upgrades to its springs, dampers, gearbox software, braking system and styling to ensure that it both looks and feels sharper than the standard car.
Of course it’s not the cheapest hot hatch out there, but it certainly delivers great value for money.
On hand to collect the Award was Dr. Hendrik Muth, Head of Marketing and Communications at Volkswagen R – the special projects wing of Volkswagen tasked with designing and developing R products.
Dr. Muth commented: "This is the third generation of Golf R and the fastest and most focussed yet; we designed it to appeal to keen drivers exactly like the judges at TopGear. On behalf of Volkswagen and Volkswagen R it’s a real honour for the Golf to be recognised with such an award."
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Rumors have been floating around that Audi Sport was headed to Florida for some early testing ahead of the ILMC season opener at Sebring. They were on hand today at Sebring doing their first (semi) public shakedowns of both last year's R15, plus two R18's marked #1 and #2.
Audi had already confirmed that it would race a modified version of last year's R15 at the 12 Hours of Sebring and then finish the season with its new R18 so it is perhaps not that surprising that both cars were in Sebring. That said, the R15 will need to be modified in order to run at Sebring and, at least when it comes to bodywork changes like the so-called "tailfin", the #7 R15 plus running today appeared to be running 2010-spec bodywork.
Examining high-resolution photos from today's tests, we can at least confirm a few drivers' presence. We can tell by the helmets that both Marcel Fassler and Benoit Treluyer were testing the open-top R15 plus though in the case of the two R18s this is harder to discern. One shot appears to be Dindo Capello at the wheel of the #1, but beyond that we cannot confirm further drivers.
Though details are limited, the real story for the fans is that these mark the first photos of the new R18 out in the wild and on a track.
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Thursday, January 27, 2011
According to Automobilwoche, Volkswagen will build 100 XL1s as a small batch of regular production machines... meaning they'll actually be offered for sale to the general public. No word on what will power the production models, but the concept features a two-cylinder TDI engine, electric motor, lithium-ion battery pack and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. All that fuel-sipping goodness is enough to achieve an astonishing 0.9L/100 km – just over 261 mpg.
Germany will reportedly get first crack at the XL1, followed by the United States and China. It is shocking that VW actually plans to produce a nearly 300-mpg machine, going to the trouble of putting it through safety and emissions tests and all that goes along with making it legal, for such a small batch of vehicles. Surprised, but pleased, while also a bit skeptical it will ultimately happen. Projects like these are usually the first to get cut when the global economy forces belts to be tightened.
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The 2012 Beetle was spotted out in the open with it's chopped roofline and redesigned rear. Unlike the shots our spies snagged late last year, this newest batch shows a near production-ready Beetle, complete with a reworked fascia, more deeply drawn headlamps and some attractive contouring around the greenhouse. The new chiseled sides, thickened C-pillar and higher hatch do their best to modernize an aging design, as will the underpinnings: all the good bits from the Golf VI platform combined with VW's 2.5-liter inline-five in the base models and something turbocharged further up the food chain. Expect more details to surface over the next few months, with a possible debut at the Geneva Motor Show.
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Here is the latest rendering of the next generation VW Golf. Styling has been taken from the new Passat. No exterior details have surfaced about the Mk7 Golf, and this is merely speculation.
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Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Besides the impressive street-legal Race Touareg 3, Volkswagen revealed another concept car at Qatar Motor Show which frankly appeals to the Arabs most of all! It is a normal Touareg SUV garnished in certain areas with 24-carat gold.
The bits on the outside that get wrapped up in pure 24-carat gold include the custom designed 22-inch wheels, roof rails, protective guard strips and window frames, mirror caps and parts of the air intake frame, “Touareg V8? signature and boot sill trim. Like the Race Touareg 3 Qatar, this SUV is also painted in “Magic Morning” body color.
As for the interior, besides the various gold coated accents and switches, it features “Luna” trim color with Alcantara roofliner shows this color as does the Nappa leather of the seats, which is decorated with ornamental stitch detailing. Also the dashboard is trimmed in a natural brown leather; contrasting seams in “Magnolia” color perfect the color scheme. Natural brown with leather inserts in “Luna” adorn the floor mats. But the absolute highlight of the car remains Walnut Burr accents with genuine gold marquetry – also crafted into an ornamental pattern.
This car is literally priceless, but there are plenty of people in that region who are more than glad to write a six figure check for this one of a kind Touareg.
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The second world exclusive model presented by VW at the Qatar Motor Show today is the Race Touareg 3 Qatar, which is a street legal version of the Dakar Rally racer.
Just like the Dakar wining model, the Volkswagen Race Touareg 3 Qatar packs 310 PS (228 kW) and is able to accelerate from 0 to 100 Km/h in less than 6.0 seconds with AWD. The street legal version comes with a modified body, and exterior paint in "Magic Morning," a white that has a slight gold shimmer to it, golden 18 inch BBS alloys instead of 16 inch, and side logos also featuring a golden color.
The interior has been completely redesigned, retaining the roll cage from the race model, but with the rest of controls being more ergonomic and easier to use. The cabin also makes use of black and grey Nubuk leather for the seat side supports and door trims, while the center seat panels are made from perforated black Nappa leather.
This is a genuine Rally motorsport vehicle, and could very well be the world’s most talented street-legal SUV. No further details regarding if the Volkswagen Race Touareg 3 Qatar concept will be available for sale.
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Tuesday, January 25, 2011
It may be a tough sell to automotive executives to roll out a special edition to cater specifically to one market. Unless of course that one market has copious amounts of money to spend, and little in the way of demands in return for it beyond an added dose of exclusivity.
Rolls-Royce has done it time and time again with special editions exclusive to the Middle East. Porsche has until now resisted, opting to cash in on its name instead by expanding outside its traditional area of sportscars into the SUV and sedan markets. But the temptation has evidently proven too much as Zuffenhausen has reportedly announced a special edition Panamera at the Qatar Motor Show.
The Panamera 4S Exclusive Middle East Edition packs the same 4.8-liter V8 engine and PDK dual-clutch gearbox as the standard 4S and comes equipped with the Sport Chrono Plus package as standard. What sets it apart is the Carrera White exterior tint, red leather interior and special black alloys. That, and a little plaque on the door sill. Only 66 examples will be made exclusively for the Middle East. – you can bet they'll fetch a hefty premium, and that they'll sell out almost as soon as the order books are opened.
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Not long ago Techart showed their fourth variant of the Porsche Panamera: Grand GT.
This "exclusive" Carbon Kit is the latest. The modified parts include the front bumper with carbon splitter, insert the diffuser, and rear spoiler. The interior has been overhauled with carbon fiber components, carbon fiber details in your dash, carbon door panels, center console, carbon fiber and carbon entry guards.
Under the hood we find a 4.8-liter twin turbo engine producing 580 hp and 830 Nm of max torque. This allows the Panamera in 3.7 seconds to 100 km / h in 12.5 seconds at 200 km / h.
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RENM performance has revealed a new package for the R8 Spyder by which they try to enhance Audi’s job by reducing the car’s weight, adding more power and improve the looks to some extent. Not that the base Audi R8 is a bad car, but more is better!
They offer a hugely expensive body kit with carbon brake cooling, front bumper revision and carbon grilles, front and rear spoilers, rear apron with grilles and a diffuser and a few more details that to be honest are not noticeable at all to an uninterested eye.
So the visual modifications are not all that brilliant, but the phase two power upgrade certainly is. With the help of a modified muffler with throttle system and center tube outlet the V10 engine of the Spyder churns out 600 hp and 580 Nm of torque which has a nice effect on the performance.
Rolling on Sport Wheels with the Jofiel black and red rims wrapped in Dunlop Sport Maxx GT 9×20 inch 235/30-20 tires at front and 11×21 inch 295/25-21 tires at the back. They are complemented by Variant 3 KW HLS coilover suspension.
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The XL1 is making its debut at the Qatar Motor Show this week, and while it might look familiar to previous iterations, this latest version is more production read than its predecessors with a sensational 313mpg.
The new suburban runabout
is designed to show off the firm’s latest efficiency techniques, and as well as its headline economy, it claims 25g/km CO2 emissions.
Measuring 3.97 metres long and 1.68 metres wide, the XL1 has a similar footprint to the Polo. But its 1.18-meter height is closer to a Lamborghini Gallardo – with the low stance and teardrop body providing slippery aerodynamics.
Enhancing this are small
cameras instead of wing mirrors, plus a covered rear wheel. That cuts drag to an incredible 0.19Cd; a Toyota Prius registers 0.25Cd.
The XL1's debute follows
on from the L1 seen at 2009’s Frankfurt expo. That in turn took its name from 2002’s One Litre car, which could travel more than 100km (62 miles) on a single liter of fuel – equivalent to 282mpg.
The newcomer features a
conventional two-seater layout, instead of one seat behind the other in the L1. Its returns are even better as it uses a plug-in diesel-electric hybrid powertrain. This comprises a 47bhp 800cc TDI engine, mated to a 27bhp electric motor – so a total of 74bhp is sent to the rear wheels. Plus, a pure electric mode enables the XL1 to travel 22 miles with zero emissions.
The fact the car is
so feather-light helps efficiency. A host of cutting-edge materials restricts curbweight to 795kg, despite the
batteries’ bulk.
The monocoque chassis is made of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) – the same as used on Lamborghini’s Sesto Elemento. This means the XL1 is extremely rigid and safe, as well as light.
VW has patented a new method for producing it, so CFRP is likely to grace showroom models in the near future.
Add magnesium wheels
and ceramic brake discs, plus aluminium components for the dampers, steering and brake calipers, and only 184kg of the total weight is from steel or iron.
The engine and motor are linked in series with a seven-speed DSG box; an automatic clutch separates each unit. The XL1 sprints from 0-62mph in 11.9 seconds – that’s 2.4 seconds faster than the L1 – and hits a limited top speed of 99mph.
The prototype will be unveiled in a world debut at the Qatar Motor Show January 26.
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