Audi: TT Clubsport Quattro Concept Set To Make It To Production

Last year we were presented with the Audi TT Clubsport Quattro Design Study which debuted at the Essen Motor Show, the low windscreen made a production version of this vehicle unlikely however there were some Audi executives that suggested a low volume model could make it to our streets. Now to confirm it could well be a reality, the folks over at Auto Motor und Sport have spotted a very production looking version of the Clubsport Quattro concept.

Instantly we see the front fascia of the pictured prototype is far more in line with the styling seen on the Audi production models, sporting some huge vents which suggest an even more powerful engine could well be hiding under the hood beyond the 300hp TFSI that was in the concept. The other notable features are the larger side view mirrors, high rollbars on the back of the seats, the addition of a brake light and the slightly taller windscreen. Although the lack of a front bow(the bar that goes across the top of the windscreen) does make one wonder if it will pass the rigid European safety tests.

Source: www.worldcarfans.com

Audi: The A3 TDI Clubsport Quattro

Audi, the inventor of TDI, blazes a trail in the field of engine manufacture. At the 27th annual Lake Wörther Tour being held at the end of May in the Austrian province of Carinthia, the brand behind the four rings is showcasing this technology's potential with a sensational study.

The two-liter TDI unit under the bonnet of the Audi A3 TDI clubsport quattro delivers 165 kW (224 hp) and musters up 450 Nm (331.90 lb-ft) of torque – the sort of pulling power normally associated with a sports car. The show car races from 0 to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in just 6.6 seconds and attains a top speed of 240 km/h (149.13 mph).

The Audi A3 TDI clubsport quattro projects its power with supreme confidence – both acoustically courtesy of its sonorous exhaust and visually with a series of exclusive parts mounted on the body and in the interior. Exterior components such as the large DTM-look rear spoiler and the bolt-on wheel arch extensions give the car a dynamic air, while the racing bucket seats and open gear lever gate in aluminum form the highlights of the interior.

The show car is a true high-tech sports car. The drive power is directed to the 20-inch wheels via a six-speed transmission and the quattro all-wheel-drive system. At the front wheels, stopping power is provided by six-piston brake calipers and ceramic discs. The Audi drive select driving dynamics system allows the driver to vary at will the throttle response characteristic, the exhaust sound, the level of power assistance for the steering, the cut-in thresholds for the ESP stabilization system, as well as the operating mode of the dampers. The dampers deploy Audi magnetic ride technology, enabling them to react to changes in the driving situation with lightning speed.

Audi is the trailblazer of engine manufacture. Since their debut back in 1989, the TDI engines have long since established themselves helped by their powerful, refined and efficient character. The triumphant advance that the diesel-powered Audi R10 TDI racing car has been enjoying for two years now in the Le Mans 24 Hours and in the American Le Mans Series is clear testimony to this technology's tremendous potential.

The engine in the R8 TDI Le Mans study is closely related to the diesel race engine technically speaking – the high-performance sports car is equipped with a six-liter V12 power unit whose output of 368 kW (500 hp) and torque of 1,000 Nm (737.56 lb-ft) are good for a top speed comfortably in excess of 300 km/h (186.41 mph). The R8 TDI can also be seen at the Lake Wörther Tour, as the major annual gathering of horsepower-happy Audi and VW enthusiasts is known. Audi has already transferred the superior power of the TDI engines into its road-going cars: the TT and TT Roadster both feature a mighty two-liter unit generating 125 kW (170 hp) and 350 Nm (258.15 lb-ft) of peak torque, coupled to the quattro all-wheel-drive system. As is plain to see, Audi continues to build on its lead in the technology stakes.

Source: www.audi.com

Audi: RS 6 Avant Plus Set to Return

The Audi RS 6 Avant may be at the forefront of the horsepower race with BMW and Mercedes, but so far none have been delivered yet. Market launch is expected to take place this summer and already rumors have popped up talking of a new RS 6 Avant Plus model.

The previous generation Audi RS 6 Avant also had a Plus version at the end of its production (April – October 2004) which provided customers with an additional 30 hp (480 hp instead of 450 hp) through a remapped ECU and additional radiators, 19 inch wheels instead of 18 inch and a sports suspensions lowering the car by another 10 mm. Only 999 units found their way to dealerships.

Dutch AutoTelegraaf now claims that, according to insiders, the current RS 6 Avant will also come in a Plus guise but not until the end of its life cycle, probably sometime in 2011. The current A6 model is about to receive a facelift and will not be replaced by an all new model until at least 2011, if not later. The new RS 6 Avant Plus would be able to boast 613 hp from its V10 engine (580 hp in the regular RS 6 Avant).

Source: www.worldcarfans.com

Skoda: Skoda gives Yeti 4x4 the green light

Skoda's junior 4x4, the Yeti, is going to make production, Autocar has learned. The Czech car-maker will develop the new small 4x4, due on sale in mid-2009, using a mix of VW group architecture and componentry, so that when it comes to market, like so many of Skoda's models, it'll be a unque prospect for UK car buyers.

Speculators have suggested that VW's Golf-based Tiguan 4x4 would make a fine basis for the small offroader, but instead Skoda will borrow some key modules like the VW’s four-wheel drive system, and mix them with other hardware sourced from elsewhere in the VAG Group.

The Skoda Yeti will therefore be a smaller 4x4 than the market is used to. Instead of a rival for the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V, it'll be aimed at softer targets as far apart as the Suzuki Jimny and new Nissan Qashqai.

“Skoda will develop its own vehicle and its own concept. We need to find niches where we don’t compete with other group products from VW and Seat,” says Martin Hrdlicka, Skoda’s head of chassis development.

The engineering process for the Yeti will follow a similar route to that of the Roomster mini-MPV, which mixes the front engine/axle and body structure of the new Fabia with the rear axle and body structure of the Octavia to make a vehicle unique in the VW Group model range.

The Yeti name is a still a possibility for the production car, although the decision has yet to be taken. “It might be Yeti or it might not be,” says Hrdlicka.

Whatever it ends-up being called, Skoda’s small 4x4 will be one of six new models from Skoda in the next three years, a process that by 2010 will see every car in the company's range renewed.

First of the replacements is the new Fabia estate, due for reveal late this year with UK sales starting in spring 2008. With the sharper styling of the new Fabia and its rising beltine, the new estate is expected to be a sportier-looking model than the stodgy outgoing model.

First of the all-new models is the Superb replacement, a vehicle based on a modified version of the current VW Passat. With sharper styling and a better quality interior than the existing Superb, the new model is expected to double UK sales to around 6000 a year, according to product marketing manager Warren Richards.

After an Octavia facelift late next year, the Yeti 4x4 will be next in summer 2009, followed a year later by a facelift of the new Fabia. Late 2010 is another key date, when the Octavia is replaced by an all-new model based on the Golf’s PQ35 platform. As with the Fabia and Yeti, Skoda will use VW Group hardware and its own parts bin and create a distinctly different Octavia. The five-door hatch will keep its fast-back styling, leaving the Golf with a more traditional hatchback look.

Skoda is still undecided about adding a new city car, in the mould of the Joyster concept, to its range; if it did, we wouldn't see it until 2011 at the earliest. “We are working on a number of concepts, with no decisions yet,” says Hrdlicka.

One of the stumbling blocks is getting the business case to work. Although the Citroen C1/Peugeot 107/Toyota Aygo are made very close to Skoda’s Mlada Boloslav factory in the Czech Republic, the models are priced close to the Fabia, leading Skoda to believe that pricing a sub-Fabia hatchback profitably would be difficult. At this stage, however, it is ruling nothing out.

Source: www.autocar.co.uk

VW: Volkswagen Debuts New Polo GT-Rocket and Black/Silver Editions

Volkswagen are launching GT-Rocket and Black/Silver special edition models for their tough little Polo, each featuring a special range of highlights and specification upgrades. The latest additions to the Polo range are specifiable across the line-up and available to order immediately from 13,800 and 16,875 euros respectively.

The GT-Rocket special edition model offers buyers a youthful, dynamic design, sporting special branding and a higher level of standard specification. Thrown into the mix are lightweight 'Aristo' alloy wheels, rear spoiler and front fog lamps, while inside the GT-Rocket is treated to unique upholstery, brightly-seamed floor mats and leather steering wheel. The sporting special edition is available on two petrol and three diesel models, kicking prices off at €16,875 for the 80 PS 1.4-litre Polo.

Offering the consumer a more elegant proposition, Volkswagen have introduced Black/Silver special editions to the line-up. Available, as the nameplate suggests, in the choice of Black, Black Magic, Reflex Silver and Silverbird colour options, the Polo Black/Silver also adds a range of stylish touches and increased specification.

Modifications are largely interior although 16-inch 'Varano' alloys are fitted as standard. 'Climatic' air conditioning and CD-Radio are added to the spec sheet, while a range of highlights including leather steering wheel, tinted rear windows, black ceiling and darkened rear screen are also thrown in. The Black/Silver editions are available with the choice of four petrol and four diesel units. Prices start at €13,800.

Source: www.worldcarfans.com

Seat: The new Ibiza will be available this month in the sales network

With its innovative design and pronounced sportiness, SEAT’s most emblematic Ibiza will be on sale this month throughout the company’s dealership network, coinciding with the upcoming Madrid Motor Show.

The new Ibiza is dashingly youthful and features outstanding dynamic qualities thanks to the new Volkswagen Group platform which has been designed for this segment. This new development heightens the allure of SEAT’s new model and combines with the new “Arrow Design” concept, featuring simpler, more powerful geometric lines that lend balanced aesthetics to the new SEAT Ibiza.

Each detail on the Ibiza 2008 has been painstakingly crafted for outstanding quality and precision, including the equipment level with its attractive standard elements such as the head-thorax airbags, ESP electronic stability and Hill Hold Control, which greatly enhance comfort and safety.

The initial engine range includes three petrol versions (70 hp 1.2; 85 hp 1.4 and 105 hp 1.6) and one Diesel engine (105 hp 1.9 TDI) equipped with the DPF particulate filter, although the range will soon expand to include the 80 hp 1.4 TDI and 90 hp 1.9 TDI versions. All of the engines are mated to a five-speed manual gearbox and feature outstandingly low CO2 emissions, of less than 160 g/km on the petrol versions and less than 120 g/km on the Diesel models.

The new Ibiza will be available with three trim levels – Reference, Stylance and Sport, with a complete list of equipment starting from the entry-level model.

By trim levels, the standard equipment list on the new SEAT Ibiza for the Spanish market includes the following:

Reference: ABS; ESP and TCS + EBA; driver airbag + passenger airbag; head-thorax airbag; Hill Hold Control; tyre pressure warning, MP3 audio equipment + Aux-in + 6 speakers, manual folding door mirrors and black door handles, 185/60 tyres on 15” steel rims and hubcap, single parabolic headlights, anti-theft roof aerial, spare wheel, steering column mounted controls, front power windows, remote controlled central locking, electric boot door mechanism, height and reach adjustable steering column, front seatbelt warning pitch, Isofix anchoring points on rear seats and Top Tether pre-installation, central console with 2 + 1 cupholders and power outlet, height adjustable driver and passenger seats, three height adjustable rear headrests and boot light, among others.

Stylance: Reference equipment plus climatiser, electric heated body colour door mirrors, body colour door handles, double parabolic headlights, foglamps with cornering function, Comino Home, cruise control, 185/60 tyres on 15” aluminium rims, trip computer, split folding rear seat, leather steering wheel and gearknob, front seat storage bags, rear power windows, vanity light and reading light.

Sport: The sportiest version adds to Reference equipment with electric heated body colour door mirrors, body colour door handles, double parabolic headlights, foglamps with cornering function, cruise control, 215/45 tyres on 16” aluminium rims, trip computer, split folding rear seat, leather steering wheel and gearknob, sports suspension, sports seats, front seat storage bags and rear power windows.

Depending on the trim level, the complete standard equipment list of the new Ibiza can further include a long list of optional elements.

These elements have been designed for increased comfort on both the interior and the exterior, and include a storage package featuring drawers beneath the front seats, a cargo net for the boot and storage pouches on the backrests of the front seats.

Geared for the exterior, the technical package includes a parking sensor, rain sensing wipers, Coming Home function and anti-dazzle rear-view mirror, and the Winter package, which features heated ejectors and headlight wipers.

The new Ibiza offers the Stylance and Sport design packages, which feature light tones on the soft-pad, front armrest, storage package, and dark glass on the Sport package.

The standard choice of rims on the three trim levels (15” steel Festival on Reference, 15” alloy Ingenia on Stylance and 16” alloy Fabula on Sport) can be optionally upgraded to the 15” alloy Caloria, 16” Sonda and 17” Saga on Reference; the 16” alloy Sonda and 17” alloy Saga on Stylance; and the 17” alloy Saga on Sport.

The list of optional elements includes the following: front and rear head airbag + side airbags, switchable passenger airbag, rear parking sensor, cruise control, foglamps with cornering function, heated electric door mirrors, air conditioning, climatiser, bi-xenon headlights with AFS and headlight wipers, navigator pre-installation, electric folding door mirrors with parking position, dark glass, front armrest, panoramic glass sunroof, heated front seats, volumetric alarm, iPodâ compatible USB port, Bluetooth connection, USB port + Bluetooth, metallic paint, emoción red paint and custom color paint.

Source: www.seat.com