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| 580 bhp for the new Audi RS6 sedan Posted: 12 Aug 2008 05:07 AM CDT  The six-speed tiptronic automatic gearbox is designed to let drivers change the gears themselves via the shift lever or the paddles fitted on the steering wheel and gets the power to Audi’s proprietary AWD Quattro system. Performance specs are pretty amazing, the car going from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.5 seconds, and up to a electronicaly limited speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). Tehnological improvements include a reworked suspension, Audi’s proprietary Dynamic Ride Control (DRC), which, combined with the sports plus suspension offers three damper settings from which you can choose, sport, dynamic and comfort. For the power it is capable of delivering, the RS6 Sedan doesn’t really show it. The only things that give away the horse power under the bonnet are the big wheel arches, under which 19-inch or optional 20-inch wheels can be put, and in the back the two big oval tail pipes. Other exterior elements which stand out are the revamped bumper fitted with the new grille, the deep side skirts and the spoiler integrated into the trunk lid. On the inside, you’ll find the optional racing bucket seats or the standard sculptured sport seats, the leather RS steering wheel and the high quality Bose sound system. The RS6 Sedan is set to be launched in mid-October, at a starting price of €105,550 and whoever wants a ridiculously powerfull mid-size sedan should start saving up. Click here to read the full press release and check out more photos after the jump.
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| Fifth Gear Season 14 Episode 1 Posted: 12 Aug 2008 04:49 AM CDT  The show kicked off with british snooker world champion and current number one, Ronnie O’Sullivan, who came to Fifth Gear looking for help about choosing his new car. Vicki Butler-Henderson arranged for him to choose between the BMW M3 coupe, the Mercedes C63 AMG and the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X. The last one was immediately dropped because of it’s import tuner look, which didn’t really go with Ronnie’s image. After going on a few test drives around the track, he was really impressed by the C63’s sound and smoke but was taken by the M3’s maneuverability and gentleness. The first mission for the new presenter was testing a couple of simple methods to improve fuel economy. They consisted on more economical tires, a couple of weight saving tips, and a new performance chip, designed to improve fuel economy. The test proved to be quite … dissappointing because the car did actually worse than before the modifications were made. So, sadly, the best way to do more miles per gallon is to drive smoothly and gently. The first dog fight between two old rivals, Tiff Needell and Jason Plato, and two much older rivals, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X and the Subaru Impreza WRX STI. The first test was a slalom between a few cones, the dual clutch gearbox fitted on the Evo X was the major drawback, having cost Tiff the victory in that event. The actual race was much more entertaining, the Evo being the clear winner, being more powerfull and manueverable than the WRX, although thanks to a dangerous overtake by Jason, it won the race. The next car being tested was Ford’s entry in the small SUV market, the Ford Kuga. Although it impressed with the exterior and interior, and it’s road handling was pretty good for a car it’s size, when it was taken on the dirt roads it dissappointed with small ground clearance and non off road tires, managing to get stuck in a pretty big mud hole. The growing price of scrap metal has attracted the attention of Jonny Smith, who set out to buy a old car for a small price and then sell it to a scrap car auction. He bought an old Vauxhall Astra for £150 and then went to an auction house where scrap dealers buy old cars for the value it’s metal has. Needless to say, the old Astra went for a price of £220, bringing Jonny quite a profit. If you live in the UK this is a method for pretty easy money. The last car on the show was the prototype submersible car Rinspeed sQuba. Essentially it is a Lotus Elise, without the normal engine, its place being taken by 5 electric motors. The designer was inspired by the James Bond film “The spy who loved me”, where actor Roger Moore drove a submersible Lotus Esprit. The car was pretty impressive, while it was cruising on Lake Zurich and even more when it went underwater for some “deep sea” exploration. When it will go in series production, it will definetly have a lot of people interested in it. All in all, it was a pretty entertaining show, good for settling our thrist of car shows.  | ||||
| Posted: 12 Aug 2008 04:42 AM CDT  Yes, the British Luxury Car Manufacturer will present a down-sized version of the famous Phantom at the Geneva Motor Show in 2009. It is said that the so called baby Rolls Royce is meant to be the volume sale from the luxury brand, while doubling the current production volume. The codenamed RR4 will share components with the brand new 7 series from BMW. As for engine range, it is rumored to be a V8 double turbo engine, with a sportier version V12 lurking ’round the corner. But that’s not all. A Diesel and a Hybrid are taken into consideration. While the hybrid could prove to be a good choice when considering that Rolls Royce cars are famous for their noiseless apearences, among other things, we cannot say the same thing about the diesel version. In conclusion, Rolls Royce is downsizing. Also, their entrance in volume market segments could proove to be very a profit-wise solution. We can hardly wait for this particular unveiling at next year’s Geneva Motor Show. Source: CarMagazine  | ||||
| Cadillac Escalade Hybrid sales starting this month Posted: 11 Aug 2008 10:46 AM CDT  Last week, GM announced that the 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid sales will begin this month. The car features GM's Two-Mode Hybrid technology, enabling EPA fuel economy ratings of 20/21 miles per gallon (city/highway), a 50 percent improvement over the current models. The hybrid system can operate the vehicle entirely on battery-electric power during idling or low-speed driving situations. Escalade Hybrid also incorporates Active Fuel Management technology that enables the Vortec V-8 engine to operate on only four cylinders in certain driving conditions to save fuel. "In a changing marketplace emphasizing fuel economy technology, Cadillac is proud to be the only luxury brand offering a hybrid in this segment," said Jim Taylor, Cadillac general manager. The 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid is offered as a total package, including nearly all available luxury and technical features as standard. The two extra-cost options are four-wheel drive and power running boards. The car will arrive at Cadillac dealerships in the United States with an MSRP of $71,685 (only $3,600 over a comparably-equipped Escalade). Source: GM  |
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