Porsche AG, Stuttgart has started production of the new Cayenne Diesel at its Leipzig works. The sports utility vehicle is equipped with a three liter V6 turbo diesel engine with 240 HP (176 kW) supplied by Audi AG.
The engine in the new Cayenne distinguishes itself through its spontaneous vehicle response. In addition, its brawny torque of maximum 550 Newton meters offers spor-ty handling and masterful road sovereignty, thereby delivering that pure driving pleasure typical of Porsche. Nonetheless, the Cayenne Diesel consumes an average of only 9.3 liters per 100 kilometers, its CO2 emissions are 244 grams per kilometer. This new addition to the Cayenne family now makes for a product line of seven models.
The Cayenne Diesel will be available for sale from February 2009 onwards. Fitted with the tried-and-tested Tiptronic S automatic transmission as standard, the basic Euro price will be about € 47,250.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Step 10 - enjoy (until 1st service*)
Inspecting and taking possession of your new car.
Most dealerships detail the car and provide a full tank of gas. You will have one more chance to inspect the car before you take possession of it. Make sure you walk around the car and look for scratches in the paint and wheels or dents and dings on the body. If you are paying for floor mats make sure they are included. If anything is missing, or if any work needs to be done, ask for a "Due Bill" that puts it in writing. You will then be able to come back and get the work done later.
As you drive away inhaling that new-car smell, there is only one more thing to be done: enjoy your new car.
Source: Philip Reed, Senior Consumer Advice Editor, edmunds.com
Most dealerships detail the car and provide a full tank of gas. You will have one more chance to inspect the car before you take possession of it. Make sure you walk around the car and look for scratches in the paint and wheels or dents and dings on the body. If you are paying for floor mats make sure they are included. If anything is missing, or if any work needs to be done, ask for a "Due Bill" that puts it in writing. You will then be able to come back and get the work done later.
As you drive away inhaling that new-car smell, there is only one more thing to be done: enjoy your new car.
Source: Philip Reed, Senior Consumer Advice Editor, edmunds.com
New Car Step 9
Reviewing and signing the paperwork.
At the dealership, you will be presented with the contract for your new car and a dizzying array of forms to sign. This might be done by the Internet salesperson you have been dealing with, or it could be done in a separate office by the finance and insurance (F&I) manager. If this happens, the F&I manager might try to sell you additional items such as extended service contracts, fabric protection, alarms or a LoJack vehicle locator. In most cases, we recommend turning down these extras — with the possible exception of the extended warranty, which provides peace of mind to some buyers. Additionally, it is worth noting that some states allow up to 60 days after purchase to cancel an extended warranty, but you should check local laws to confirm your options in your area.
To prepare yourself for the kinds of products that might be pushed on you, or inserted into the price without your knowledge, read High-Priced Dealer Add-ons.
If you have already seen a worksheet for the deal you've made, the contract should be a formality. Make sure the numbers match the worksheet and no additional charges or fees have been inserted. You will also be asked to sign various forms that register your new car and transfer ownership of your trade-in. Understand what you are signing and what it means. Ask questions if you don't understand, and don't ever feel like you have to hurry. Buying a car is a serious commitment and it's the F&I manager's job to ensure you are comfortable with every document involved. Remember, once you have signed there is no going back.
At the dealership, you will be presented with the contract for your new car and a dizzying array of forms to sign. This might be done by the Internet salesperson you have been dealing with, or it could be done in a separate office by the finance and insurance (F&I) manager. If this happens, the F&I manager might try to sell you additional items such as extended service contracts, fabric protection, alarms or a LoJack vehicle locator. In most cases, we recommend turning down these extras — with the possible exception of the extended warranty, which provides peace of mind to some buyers. Additionally, it is worth noting that some states allow up to 60 days after purchase to cancel an extended warranty, but you should check local laws to confirm your options in your area.
To prepare yourself for the kinds of products that might be pushed on you, or inserted into the price without your knowledge, read High-Priced Dealer Add-ons.
If you have already seen a worksheet for the deal you've made, the contract should be a formality. Make sure the numbers match the worksheet and no additional charges or fees have been inserted. You will also be asked to sign various forms that register your new car and transfer ownership of your trade-in. Understand what you are signing and what it means. Ask questions if you don't understand, and don't ever feel like you have to hurry. Buying a car is a serious commitment and it's the F&I manager's job to ensure you are comfortable with every document involved. Remember, once you have signed there is no going back.
New Car Step 8
Closing the deal.
If you feel good about the price you have been quoted, it's time to take a look at the big picture. Many buyers focus on the cost of the car and ignore the related expenses. Besides the cost, you will have to pay sales tax and various fees which vary from state to state. These expenses can be estimated and totaled with the Edmunds.com calculators.
The simplest way to estimate total cost is to ask the salesperson to fax you a worksheet and invoice before you go to the dealership. This way, you'll be able to review the figures in a relaxed environment. Compare the numbers from the dealership to those you have calculated and the TMV prices on Edmunds.com.
In some areas of the country, dealers have costs that don't show up on Edmunds.com invoice prices. This means the Edmunds.com invoice price of the car you are researching might not exactly match the dealer's invoice. Don't panic — and don't begin making accusations. Edmunds.com can't track all regional fees, such as advertising costs. So, as a rule of thumb, consider the charges on the dealer's invoice to be nonnegotiable. However, if extra fees are written into the contract (such as "D&H" or "Administrative Costs") which seem bogus or redundant, ask to have them removed, or say you will take your business to another dealership.
If you feel good about the price you have been quoted, it's time to take a look at the big picture. Many buyers focus on the cost of the car and ignore the related expenses. Besides the cost, you will have to pay sales tax and various fees which vary from state to state. These expenses can be estimated and totaled with the Edmunds.com calculators.
The simplest way to estimate total cost is to ask the salesperson to fax you a worksheet and invoice before you go to the dealership. This way, you'll be able to review the figures in a relaxed environment. Compare the numbers from the dealership to those you have calculated and the TMV prices on Edmunds.com.
In some areas of the country, dealers have costs that don't show up on Edmunds.com invoice prices. This means the Edmunds.com invoice price of the car you are researching might not exactly match the dealer's invoice. Don't panic — and don't begin making accusations. Edmunds.com can't track all regional fees, such as advertising costs. So, as a rule of thumb, consider the charges on the dealer's invoice to be nonnegotiable. However, if extra fees are written into the contract (such as "D&H" or "Administrative Costs") which seem bogus or redundant, ask to have them removed, or say you will take your business to another dealership.
New Car Step 7
Negotiating for your lowest price.
By Philip Reed, Senior Consumer Advice Editor
Email
Many buyers like to handle the question of price before they even go to the dealer. Internet salespeople are willing to discuss price over the phone — even by e-mail. This wasn't the case a few years ago when the salesperson wanted you in his office before he would get down to brass tacks and talk price.
It's quite possible that, in your calls to various Internet departments, the selling price of the car has already come up. Often Internet salespeople will volunteer the selling price of their car since they know this is the make-or-break factor in most buyers' decision making process. If the price they've quoted is at or below Edmunds.com's TMV, then you are already in the right range to buy the car. If you want to try to improve the deal, you have a few options.
Everyone has their own idea of what makes a good deal, but most people just want to know they got a fair price. Here, TMV will be your best guide. If you want to try for a rock-bottom price, start by getting bids from three local dealers. Follow this up by taking the lowest price, calling the two other dealerships and saying, "I've been offered this car at this price. If you beat it I'll buy it from you." They almost certainly will. However, keep in mind that you can't play this game forever. Eventually, they will give you a take-it-or-leave-it price. For more on getting the best price, read Negotiating 101.
Also, be warned that if you ask the dealer to cut his profit, he might try to take it back somewhere else. Remember, a good deal isn't just the lowest selling price. It's the lowest total out-the-door cost on a car that meets your needs. This means that to ensure you get a fair deal you have to be vigilant throughout the entire purchase process, even after you and the salesman agree on a price.
By Philip Reed, Senior Consumer Advice Editor
Many buyers like to handle the question of price before they even go to the dealer. Internet salespeople are willing to discuss price over the phone — even by e-mail. This wasn't the case a few years ago when the salesperson wanted you in his office before he would get down to brass tacks and talk price.
It's quite possible that, in your calls to various Internet departments, the selling price of the car has already come up. Often Internet salespeople will volunteer the selling price of their car since they know this is the make-or-break factor in most buyers' decision making process. If the price they've quoted is at or below Edmunds.com's TMV, then you are already in the right range to buy the car. If you want to try to improve the deal, you have a few options.
Everyone has their own idea of what makes a good deal, but most people just want to know they got a fair price. Here, TMV will be your best guide. If you want to try for a rock-bottom price, start by getting bids from three local dealers. Follow this up by taking the lowest price, calling the two other dealerships and saying, "I've been offered this car at this price. If you beat it I'll buy it from you." They almost certainly will. However, keep in mind that you can't play this game forever. Eventually, they will give you a take-it-or-leave-it price. For more on getting the best price, read Negotiating 101.
Also, be warned that if you ask the dealer to cut his profit, he might try to take it back somewhere else. Remember, a good deal isn't just the lowest selling price. It's the lowest total out-the-door cost on a car that meets your needs. This means that to ensure you get a fair deal you have to be vigilant throughout the entire purchase process, even after you and the salesman agree on a price.
New Car Step 6
If you are trading in your old car...
By Philip Reed, Senior Consumer Advice Editor
Email
If you are trading in your old car to a dealer, you will probably not get as much money toward the price of a new car as you would have if you'd sold it yourself to a private party. However, trading in offers some advantages. You can solve all of your car-buying problems in one visit to the dealer. You can unload a hard-to-sell car with no newspaper ads, DMV lines or tire-kicking buyers involved. In some states, you will even pay less sales tax on a deal that involves a trade-in.
Begin the process by looking up your car's trade-in value on Edmunds.com. The Edmunds.com True Market Value® (TMV®) Used Vehicle Appraiser will also give you trade-in values. After you plug in all of the vehicle's information (mileage, options, condition and colors) you will get a specific trade-in price. This will often be slightly different from the offers you get once you are on the car lot. At a dealership the value assigned to your trade-in varies based on the time of the month, the dealer's specific inventory and the used car manager's mood, but at least TMV will give you a rough idea of what your trade-in is worth.
If it's important to you to get the maximum value for your trade-in, you should visit several dealerships and solicit bids. Tell the salesperson that the sale of a new car will be contingent on the amount he or she will give you for your trade-in. Also, tell them you are visiting several dealerships. With a little legwork, you may be able to boost the price you get for your old car by several hundred dollars or more. Remember, the extra effort you spend in getting competitive bids is far less than what it would take to advertise, show and sell the car yourself.
By Philip Reed, Senior Consumer Advice Editor
If you are trading in your old car to a dealer, you will probably not get as much money toward the price of a new car as you would have if you'd sold it yourself to a private party. However, trading in offers some advantages. You can solve all of your car-buying problems in one visit to the dealer. You can unload a hard-to-sell car with no newspaper ads, DMV lines or tire-kicking buyers involved. In some states, you will even pay less sales tax on a deal that involves a trade-in.
Begin the process by looking up your car's trade-in value on Edmunds.com. The Edmunds.com True Market Value® (TMV®) Used Vehicle Appraiser will also give you trade-in values. After you plug in all of the vehicle's information (mileage, options, condition and colors) you will get a specific trade-in price. This will often be slightly different from the offers you get once you are on the car lot. At a dealership the value assigned to your trade-in varies based on the time of the month, the dealer's specific inventory and the used car manager's mood, but at least TMV will give you a rough idea of what your trade-in is worth.
If it's important to you to get the maximum value for your trade-in, you should visit several dealerships and solicit bids. Tell the salesperson that the sale of a new car will be contingent on the amount he or she will give you for your trade-in. Also, tell them you are visiting several dealerships. With a little legwork, you may be able to boost the price you get for your old car by several hundred dollars or more. Remember, the extra effort you spend in getting competitive bids is far less than what it would take to advertise, show and sell the car yourself.
10 Steps to a new car - step 5
As you call dealerships to locate the exact car you want to buy, you can also test drive the car salesman. In other words, you can determine if this is a person you want to do business with. It's a good idea to consider this issue ahead of time, before you get to the deal-making phase of the process.
The first way to evaluate a good salesperson is to ask yourself if you feel comfortable dealing with them. Are they impatient and pushy? Or are they relaxed and open? If you asked them about a specific car's availability, did they respond to your needs? Or did they try to steer you toward another car simply because they have too many of that model in stock? Do they return your phone calls? Do they answer your questions in a straightforward manner? Or are they evasive and confusing?
By considering these issues you should have a sense of whether or not you want to buy from this salesperson. If you feel comfortable with the individual when researching by phone, and if the dealership does indeed have the car you're interested in, set up a time to test drive the car, preferably when the dealership will not be very busy, such as a weekday morning. Before heading to the car lot, review all your notes and make sure you bring your car-buying folder. This might include your checkbook, registration and proof of insurance. Keep in mind that you're bringing these items so you'll be ready to buy a car if you get a fair deal. Don't feel obligated to purchase a car simply because you have all the necessary paperwork with you or because you test drove the car.
The first way to evaluate a good salesperson is to ask yourself if you feel comfortable dealing with them. Are they impatient and pushy? Or are they relaxed and open? If you asked them about a specific car's availability, did they respond to your needs? Or did they try to steer you toward another car simply because they have too many of that model in stock? Do they return your phone calls? Do they answer your questions in a straightforward manner? Or are they evasive and confusing?
By considering these issues you should have a sense of whether or not you want to buy from this salesperson. If you feel comfortable with the individual when researching by phone, and if the dealership does indeed have the car you're interested in, set up a time to test drive the car, preferably when the dealership will not be very busy, such as a weekday morning. Before heading to the car lot, review all your notes and make sure you bring your car-buying folder. This might include your checkbook, registration and proof of insurance. Keep in mind that you're bringing these items so you'll be ready to buy a car if you get a fair deal. Don't feel obligated to purchase a car simply because you have all the necessary paperwork with you or because you test drove the car.
10 Steps to a new car - Step 4
Finding the exact car you want to buy.
You should now have a very specific idea of the car you want to buy. This means you know the make, model, trim level, options and color. The more flexible you can be about these specifics, the wider the range of the cars you'll find available for sale. Ultimately, the ability to consider several versions of the same model can give you additional bargaining power. For example, a shopper might be very firm about the make, model and trim level, but could accept a variety of options and colors. If you're a shopper who definitely wants hard-to-find options and a specific color, it will be more difficult to make a great deal. Why? You have no leverage as a negotiator. You have to pay the dealer's price or try to locate another identical vehicle. Obviously, if you do find the exact car you're looking for, there's no need to volunteer this information to the dealership.
In any case, locate the exact car you want by sending e-mails to the Internet managers of dealers in your area. On Edmunds.com, you can simultaneously solicit quotes from multiple dealers. In many cases, you will have to follow up with a phone call. Say something like: "I'm looking for a 2003 Matsura Accell. I'm not too fussy about the color but I don't want black or white. I want ABS and side airbags. What do you have on your lot?" Often the salesperson will have to check his inventory and call you back. After a few phone calls you will have a good idea of how widely available the car is. If there are several dealerships offering the same car, you will be in a better position to make a good deal.
As you make phone calls and exchange e-mails, take careful notes. You should record information about each car you locate, including the color, options, and the dealership name. This will save time as you continue through the shopping process
You should now have a very specific idea of the car you want to buy. This means you know the make, model, trim level, options and color. The more flexible you can be about these specifics, the wider the range of the cars you'll find available for sale. Ultimately, the ability to consider several versions of the same model can give you additional bargaining power. For example, a shopper might be very firm about the make, model and trim level, but could accept a variety of options and colors. If you're a shopper who definitely wants hard-to-find options and a specific color, it will be more difficult to make a great deal. Why? You have no leverage as a negotiator. You have to pay the dealer's price or try to locate another identical vehicle. Obviously, if you do find the exact car you're looking for, there's no need to volunteer this information to the dealership.
In any case, locate the exact car you want by sending e-mails to the Internet managers of dealers in your area. On Edmunds.com, you can simultaneously solicit quotes from multiple dealers. In many cases, you will have to follow up with a phone call. Say something like: "I'm looking for a 2003 Matsura Accell. I'm not too fussy about the color but I don't want black or white. I want ABS and side airbags. What do you have on your lot?" Often the salesperson will have to check his inventory and call you back. After a few phone calls you will have a good idea of how widely available the car is. If there are several dealerships offering the same car, you will be in a better position to make a good deal.
As you make phone calls and exchange e-mails, take careful notes. You should record information about each car you locate, including the color, options, and the dealership name. This will save time as you continue through the shopping process
10 Steps to a new car - Step 4
Finding the exact car you want to buy.
You should now have a very specific idea of the car you want to buy. This means you know the make, model, trim level, options and color. The more flexible you can be about these specifics, the wider the range of the cars you'll find available for sale. Ultimately, the ability to consider several versions of the same model can give you additional bargaining power. For example, a shopper might be very firm about the make, model and trim level, but could accept a variety of options and colors. If you're a shopper who definitely wants hard-to-find options and a specific color, it will be more difficult to make a great deal. Why? You have no leverage as a negotiator. You have to pay the dealer's price or try to locate another identical vehicle. Obviously, if you do find the exact car you're looking for, there's no need to volunteer this information to the dealership.
In any case, locate the exact car you want by sending e-mails to the Internet managers of dealers in your area. On Edmunds.com, you can simultaneously solicit quotes from multiple dealers. In many cases, you will have to follow up with a phone call. Say something like: "I'm looking for a 2003 Matsura Accell. I'm not too fussy about the color but I don't want black or white. I want ABS and side airbags. What do you have on your lot?" Often the salesperson will have to check his inventory and call you back. After a few phone calls you will have a good idea of how widely available the car is. If there are several dealerships offering the same car, you will be in a better position to make a good deal.
As you make phone calls and exchange e-mails, take careful notes. You should record information about each car you locate, including the color, options, and the dealership name. This will save time as you continue through the shopping process
You should now have a very specific idea of the car you want to buy. This means you know the make, model, trim level, options and color. The more flexible you can be about these specifics, the wider the range of the cars you'll find available for sale. Ultimately, the ability to consider several versions of the same model can give you additional bargaining power. For example, a shopper might be very firm about the make, model and trim level, but could accept a variety of options and colors. If you're a shopper who definitely wants hard-to-find options and a specific color, it will be more difficult to make a great deal. Why? You have no leverage as a negotiator. You have to pay the dealer's price or try to locate another identical vehicle. Obviously, if you do find the exact car you're looking for, there's no need to volunteer this information to the dealership.
In any case, locate the exact car you want by sending e-mails to the Internet managers of dealers in your area. On Edmunds.com, you can simultaneously solicit quotes from multiple dealers. In many cases, you will have to follow up with a phone call. Say something like: "I'm looking for a 2003 Matsura Accell. I'm not too fussy about the color but I don't want black or white. I want ABS and side airbags. What do you have on your lot?" Often the salesperson will have to check his inventory and call you back. After a few phone calls you will have a good idea of how widely available the car is. If there are several dealerships offering the same car, you will be in a better position to make a good deal.
As you make phone calls and exchange e-mails, take careful notes. You should record information about each car you locate, including the color, options, and the dealership name. This will save time as you continue through the shopping process
10 Steps to a new car Step 3
Pricing the car.
Car salesmen will usually point to a car's "sticker price" as the amount you have to pay. However, the price the dealership is willing to sell a car for is often well below the sticker price. How do you know what to pay? Edmunds.com has created a valuable tool for car buyers called True Market Value (TMV®) pricing. Based on actual sales figures, TMV is the average price buyers are paying (also known as the "transaction price") for a certain type of car in your area. The TMV figures, found on Edmunds.com, are adjusted for many factors including options, geographic region and color.
To calculate TMV, begin by looking up the car you want to buy on Edmunds.com. Follow the prompts to arrive at a final TMV price with options for the exact car you are buying. Keep in mind that this price includes the destination charge, which is levied by all manufacturers. (However, the invoice price might vary in certain regions where advertising costs and other fees are included. Edmunds recommends paying the fees listed on the invoice, but questioning any advertising fees that appear on the purchase contract.)
Now it's time to factor in the incentives and rebates you researched and printed in the previous step. Take the final TMV price and deduct the amount of the cash rebate. In other words, you create your best deal based on TMV, and then lower it by whatever the rebate is. If you are going to use low-interest financing, calculate your final buying price, then use our payment calculator to find your monthly payment.
Print these figures — the TMV, the incentives and the monthly payment — and carry them with you for reference as you continue the car-buying process
Car salesmen will usually point to a car's "sticker price" as the amount you have to pay. However, the price the dealership is willing to sell a car for is often well below the sticker price. How do you know what to pay? Edmunds.com has created a valuable tool for car buyers called True Market Value (TMV®) pricing. Based on actual sales figures, TMV is the average price buyers are paying (also known as the "transaction price") for a certain type of car in your area. The TMV figures, found on Edmunds.com, are adjusted for many factors including options, geographic region and color.
To calculate TMV, begin by looking up the car you want to buy on Edmunds.com. Follow the prompts to arrive at a final TMV price with options for the exact car you are buying. Keep in mind that this price includes the destination charge, which is levied by all manufacturers. (However, the invoice price might vary in certain regions where advertising costs and other fees are included. Edmunds recommends paying the fees listed on the invoice, but questioning any advertising fees that appear on the purchase contract.)
Now it's time to factor in the incentives and rebates you researched and printed in the previous step. Take the final TMV price and deduct the amount of the cash rebate. In other words, you create your best deal based on TMV, and then lower it by whatever the rebate is. If you are going to use low-interest financing, calculate your final buying price, then use our payment calculator to find your monthly payment.
Print these figures — the TMV, the incentives and the monthly payment — and carry them with you for reference as you continue the car-buying process
10 Steps to a new car Step 2
Today's new car market is crowded and competitive. Many new cars are offered for sale with attractive incentives to make you choose a particular model. In some cases, the cars with the best incentives are those that aren't selling very well on their own.
An incentive is anything that gives you an added reason to buy a particular car. Often, however, it comes in the form of a cash rebate or low-interest financing. A car might be selling for $22,000 but the manufacturer is offering $3,000 in customer cash for a final price of $19,000. In another example, a $22,000 car financed for five years at six percent would have a monthly payment of about $550. But with zero-percent financing, the payment is roughly $480. That's a huge savings to you.
Check the Edmunds.com Web site for the latest incentives and rebates available for the car you want to buy. You can also watch for TV and newspaper promotions but, remember, the incentives don't apply to all models and are not offered in all regions of the country. Furthermore, your credit must be very good to get the low-interest financing. And finally, keep in mind that there are some hidden incentives paid directly to dealers to push certain cars. Edmunds.com tracks this so-called "dealer cash" as well, and posts the information in the incentives and rebates section of our Web site.
Research what incentives, if any, are offered for the car you want to buy. Print out this information and keep it in your car-buying folder as you move to the next step
An incentive is anything that gives you an added reason to buy a particular car. Often, however, it comes in the form of a cash rebate or low-interest financing. A car might be selling for $22,000 but the manufacturer is offering $3,000 in customer cash for a final price of $19,000. In another example, a $22,000 car financed for five years at six percent would have a monthly payment of about $550. But with zero-percent financing, the payment is roughly $480. That's a huge savings to you.
Check the Edmunds.com Web site for the latest incentives and rebates available for the car you want to buy. You can also watch for TV and newspaper promotions but, remember, the incentives don't apply to all models and are not offered in all regions of the country. Furthermore, your credit must be very good to get the low-interest financing. And finally, keep in mind that there are some hidden incentives paid directly to dealers to push certain cars. Edmunds.com tracks this so-called "dealer cash" as well, and posts the information in the incentives and rebates section of our Web site.
Research what incentives, if any, are offered for the car you want to buy. Print out this information and keep it in your car-buying folder as you move to the next step
10 Streps to Buying a new car - step 1
These steps will help you to locate the specific car you want, and at a price that is fair to both you and the dealer. By now, you should have done plenty of research to determine which is the best car to suit your needs. And, you should have a good idea of what to pay for the car you want. Now you need to narrow the research even more. You will soon be finding the exact car you want to buy — with the options you have chosen — and then you will be determining a target price to pay. If you have done your homework, this will be a fairly easy process with no unexpected surprises.
Buying a car is a big investment, but it can be exciting and rewarding, especially if you feel like you got the right car at a fair price.
Buying a car is a big investment, but it can be exciting and rewarding, especially if you feel like you got the right car at a fair price.
Audi 'Goes for 4' with new concept
Audi is getting set to premier its upcoming A7 four-door coupe in concept form at next month's Detroit Auto Show. According to The Detroit Free Press who spilled the (already open) can of beans, the highly anticipated model will join other brand debuts including the exotic R8 5.2 TFSI supercar, Q5 compact crossover, A6 sedan and sporty TTS.
Much of the details surrounding the model are still unclear, but the concept featured at Detroit is said to portray the closest visual yet as to what the final production model will look like -- even more so than the design sketches we recently showed you (above). For the base model A7, rumor has it the brand's new supercharged 3.0L V-6 (the same featured in the new A6 and S4) will be employed. Higher trimmed variants should receive some high-powered loving from Audi's quattro and RS divisions as well. The four-door coupe market segment was essentially founded by Mercedes-Benz and its CLS, though Volkswagen wasn't far behind, offering its budget-priced 2009 COTY contender, the Passat CC. We expect that Audi's upcoming A7 will slot in nicely between the two models, offering a mid-priced four-door coupe option. Meanwhile, BMW has already canceled plans for a production version of its Concept CS -- a car that many speculated would have revived the 8 Series moniker.
More info on the latest Audi debuts should arrive shortly, so stay plugged in to us here at MT
Much of the details surrounding the model are still unclear, but the concept featured at Detroit is said to portray the closest visual yet as to what the final production model will look like -- even more so than the design sketches we recently showed you (above). For the base model A7, rumor has it the brand's new supercharged 3.0L V-6 (the same featured in the new A6 and S4) will be employed. Higher trimmed variants should receive some high-powered loving from Audi's quattro and RS divisions as well. The four-door coupe market segment was essentially founded by Mercedes-Benz and its CLS, though Volkswagen wasn't far behind, offering its budget-priced 2009 COTY contender, the Passat CC. We expect that Audi's upcoming A7 will slot in nicely between the two models, offering a mid-priced four-door coupe option. Meanwhile, BMW has already canceled plans for a production version of its Concept CS -- a car that many speculated would have revived the 8 Series moniker.
More info on the latest Audi debuts should arrive shortly, so stay plugged in to us here at MT
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Porsche Opens Up
Porsche will take the wraps off its next generation mid-engine
sports cars at this year's Los Angeles Auto Show. These new cars
will come with Porsche's new engine and transmission technology
as well as many other significant technical and exterior
refinements.
Also, for the first time ever at an auto show in the U.S.,
Porsche will display the initial car to carry the Porsche name
and first mid-engine-a historic 60-year-old vehicle known simply
and affectionately as Porsche No.1.
The company is also featuring the Porsche 550 Spyder, the famous
mid-engine sports car and the first Porsche specifically
designed as a race car. This 1955 550 RS Spyder is on loan from
the special collection of Jerry Seinfeld.
sports cars at this year's Los Angeles Auto Show. These new cars
will come with Porsche's new engine and transmission technology
as well as many other significant technical and exterior
refinements.
Also, for the first time ever at an auto show in the U.S.,
Porsche will display the initial car to carry the Porsche name
and first mid-engine-a historic 60-year-old vehicle known simply
and affectionately as Porsche No.1.
The company is also featuring the Porsche 550 Spyder, the famous
mid-engine sports car and the first Porsche specifically
designed as a race car. This 1955 550 RS Spyder is on loan from
the special collection of Jerry Seinfeld.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
08 Audi Test Drives
Thanks to the team @, I have the final scoop on the major 08s (A3 Sportback, Q7; A6 to come);
Look out for my reviews at the weekend.
Look out for my reviews at the weekend.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
A 'fasa' Benz for Asafa
Men's 4x100 Olympic gold medallist Asafa Powell, the present face of Mercedes-Benz in Jamaica, was presented with a Mercedes-Benz CLK 63 AMG Black Series poster, superimposed with his image. This 36"x 25" picture was presented to him as a gift from Euro Star Motors, authorised Jamaican dealers in Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
Powell has always dreamed of owning this vehicle, and therefore a special order has been made by Euro Star Motors for this particular unit, with the date of delivery anticipated to be early next year. This vehicle is a high-performance, limited edition, specially hand-made and engineered vehicle with an amazing acceleration of 0-200 km/h in 13.8 seconds. A perfect tribute to an
outstanding athlete.
BBC's Top Gear magazine has a fulsome review of the new 'Black' done by Jeremy Clarkson, which I exceprt below:
In driving, it goes without saying that certain things are mutually exclusive. You can’t, for instance, have a low-slung sports car that works off road; you can’t have a high top speed and good fuel economy; and you can’t have your dignity if you also have a small Korean hatchback. Also, despite many claims to the contrary, you can’t have a car that performs well on the Nürburgring and on the ring road. Or, at least, you couldn’t until now…
You may imagine that the car you see in the pictures is some kind of DTM racer for the road, as hard as nails, as focused as a laser and impossibly uncomfortable should you ever be asked to drive across, say, Keith Richards’ face.
It isn’t. What you’re looking at here is the only car that seems to achieve the impossible. A car that could quite happily get you, and more luggage than you could imagine, actually to Beijing. But which, I suspect, could quite happily bite chunks out of a Porsche turbo’s arse on a twisting and deserted stretch of Welsh A road.
It comes from the skunk works deep inside the special projects division Mercedes calls AMG. And it’s badged simply, and in newsprint-sized letters, as the Black.
It’s a normal car. But it goes like a rocket. And thanks to carbon-ceramic brakes, it stops pretty tidily as well. A Ferrari is awesome in the right place, but it slips around everywhere else, and the leather squeaks and the headlights are no good. The Black is brilliant, everywhere, at absolutely everything. By miles and miles, it’s our new favorite car.
There is just one catch. Even though it comes with less stuff than a normal AMG CLK, it costs nearly $65,000 more. Yes, you read that correctly. It should cost about $135,825, so that buyers have a choice: A car that’s kind under your hands. Or one that does the dishes as well.
Even so, we tip our hats to anyone who buys this thing. A Ferrari or a Porsche may well say more about you to more people. But a Black targets what it says to just a select few. And what it says, very quietly, is this: “If you really know your cars, you know why the person behind the wheel bought this.”
God, I want one.
Powell has always dreamed of owning this vehicle, and therefore a special order has been made by Euro Star Motors for this particular unit, with the date of delivery anticipated to be early next year. This vehicle is a high-performance, limited edition, specially hand-made and engineered vehicle with an amazing acceleration of 0-200 km/h in 13.8 seconds. A perfect tribute to an
outstanding athlete.
BBC's Top Gear magazine has a fulsome review of the new 'Black' done by Jeremy Clarkson, which I exceprt below:
In driving, it goes without saying that certain things are mutually exclusive. You can’t, for instance, have a low-slung sports car that works off road; you can’t have a high top speed and good fuel economy; and you can’t have your dignity if you also have a small Korean hatchback. Also, despite many claims to the contrary, you can’t have a car that performs well on the Nürburgring and on the ring road. Or, at least, you couldn’t until now…
You may imagine that the car you see in the pictures is some kind of DTM racer for the road, as hard as nails, as focused as a laser and impossibly uncomfortable should you ever be asked to drive across, say, Keith Richards’ face.
It isn’t. What you’re looking at here is the only car that seems to achieve the impossible. A car that could quite happily get you, and more luggage than you could imagine, actually to Beijing. But which, I suspect, could quite happily bite chunks out of a Porsche turbo’s arse on a twisting and deserted stretch of Welsh A road.
It comes from the skunk works deep inside the special projects division Mercedes calls AMG. And it’s badged simply, and in newsprint-sized letters, as the Black.
It’s a normal car. But it goes like a rocket. And thanks to carbon-ceramic brakes, it stops pretty tidily as well. A Ferrari is awesome in the right place, but it slips around everywhere else, and the leather squeaks and the headlights are no good. The Black is brilliant, everywhere, at absolutely everything. By miles and miles, it’s our new favorite car.
There is just one catch. Even though it comes with less stuff than a normal AMG CLK, it costs nearly $65,000 more. Yes, you read that correctly. It should cost about $135,825, so that buyers have a choice: A car that’s kind under your hands. Or one that does the dishes as well.
Even so, we tip our hats to anyone who buys this thing. A Ferrari or a Porsche may well say more about you to more people. But a Black targets what it says to just a select few. And what it says, very quietly, is this: “If you really know your cars, you know why the person behind the wheel bought this.”
God, I want one.
"Porsche-matics '09": mark your dates
STUTTGART, Germany — For 2009, Porsche is offering three calendars and a planner that detail the evolution of Porsche design and modern technologies in their cars.
The official 2009 Porsche calendar is themed "Engineering and Efficiency" and features 12 close-up images of Porsche technology, including Porsche's double-clutch gearbox, Variocam Plus and direct fuel injection. The calendar also includes a collector's coin.
A historical calendar is titled "Mathematics 2009: Game of Numbers" and traces the origins of Porsche's current design language back to the 1939 Porsche Type 64. Featured photos are of the Type 64 body that was recently reconstructed for the new Porsche museum. The calendar will be available in two formats: a standard printing and an exclusive run on larger, high-quality matte paper that will be limited to just 2,009 printings, with each calendar sequentially numbered.
The third calendar, known as the style calendar, also focuses on the Type 64. Titled "Affinities/Verwandtschaften," it features 12 sketches inspired by the Type 64 body shell. Porsche Design also offers a planner that tracks the rally history of the manufacturer from 1950 to 2008. The 2009 calendars will be available for purchase at Porsche's Web site.
Audi Talks 'Travolution'
The German car-maker says it has invented a device which will allow motorists to avoid red lights.
By Charlotte Bailey
Last Updated: 1:03PM BST 20 Oct 2008
The gadget, called Travolution, tells drivers what speed to go in order to arrive at traffic lights when they are green.
The device sits inside the car and plots the position of the vehicle and the distance from the next set of traffic signals. It then displays the optimum speed on a screen.
Audi, who developed the idea, say that it will benefit the environment by cutting exhaust emissions because fewer cars will be stationary at lights, saying also that it will improve fuel economy by ending stop-start inefficiency.
The AA said that device could be vital in meeting European Union emissions standards.
The motoring organisation said: "This could be an extremely useful tool for reducing CO2 and saving motorists money."
However it said that the gadget would need to be tested thoroughly in many different types of traffic conditions to ensure that it did not cause problems for other motorists.
Kate Dixon of Audi UK said that if a minimum of ten per cent of cars in a town were fitted with the technology, all road users would notice an improvement in traffic levels.
Audi said that it was too early to say how much the device would cost if it is put into mass production.
Further tests are expected next year.
By Charlotte Bailey
Last Updated: 1:03PM BST 20 Oct 2008
The gadget, called Travolution, tells drivers what speed to go in order to arrive at traffic lights when they are green.
The device sits inside the car and plots the position of the vehicle and the distance from the next set of traffic signals. It then displays the optimum speed on a screen.
Audi, who developed the idea, say that it will benefit the environment by cutting exhaust emissions because fewer cars will be stationary at lights, saying also that it will improve fuel economy by ending stop-start inefficiency.
The AA said that device could be vital in meeting European Union emissions standards.
The motoring organisation said: "This could be an extremely useful tool for reducing CO2 and saving motorists money."
However it said that the gadget would need to be tested thoroughly in many different types of traffic conditions to ensure that it did not cause problems for other motorists.
Kate Dixon of Audi UK said that if a minimum of ten per cent of cars in a town were fitted with the technology, all road users would notice an improvement in traffic levels.
Audi said that it was too early to say how much the device would cost if it is put into mass production.
Further tests are expected next year.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Could Jmaaica Pick-Up VW's 'Robust'?
The long-awaited and much anticipated Volkswagen Robust pickup truck has been canceled for European and North American sale, but the project is still alive and kicking as indicated by the recent ‘Pickup’ concept vehicle unveiled at last month’s 62nd IAA Commercial Vehicles Show in Hanover, Germany.
The United States was expected to be the vehicle’s single biggest market but analysis of fuel prices and market demand prompted VW to change its original plans and only offer it in emerging markets such as South America, Russia and possibly China. Those markets are quickly becoming important not just in terms of making a brand presence, but also for overall sales figures.
Russia recently outpaced Germany as Europe's biggest car market, and China isn't far behind. South America has demonstrated its growth potential over the past several years with Ford, VW and others considering more exports and market-specific vehicles, especially in Brazil.
Production is expected to take place at VW's factory in Argentina, with exports to Russia and China. As the spy photos and concept vehicle demonstrate, the new Robust will be available as a medium-sized four-door dual-cab vehicle with a short bed.
Our renderings of the vehicle show what it might like in civilian guise and free of all the camouflage, and in other form factors. The SUV variant depicted could also be a logical extension of the platform, though VW hasn't yet announced any such plans. A single-cab model should also be available in addition to the dual-cab variant, and different cargo area treatments will also be available.
The United States was expected to be the vehicle’s single biggest market but analysis of fuel prices and market demand prompted VW to change its original plans and only offer it in emerging markets such as South America, Russia and possibly China. Those markets are quickly becoming important not just in terms of making a brand presence, but also for overall sales figures.
Russia recently outpaced Germany as Europe's biggest car market, and China isn't far behind. South America has demonstrated its growth potential over the past several years with Ford, VW and others considering more exports and market-specific vehicles, especially in Brazil.
Production is expected to take place at VW's factory in Argentina, with exports to Russia and China. As the spy photos and concept vehicle demonstrate, the new Robust will be available as a medium-sized four-door dual-cab vehicle with a short bed.
Our renderings of the vehicle show what it might like in civilian guise and free of all the camouflage, and in other form factors. The SUV variant depicted could also be a logical extension of the platform, though VW hasn't yet announced any such plans. A single-cab model should also be available in addition to the dual-cab variant, and different cargo area treatments will also be available.
Audi A8 is the new 'Transporter'
Star Jason Statham previously relied on a BMW for his death-defying runs, but as the following confirms, Audi is the new Transporter
Audi A8 Is Big Star in New Transporter 3 Film's Trailer
Date posted: 10-14-2008
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — The second trailer for the film Transporter 3 not only previews Jason Statham in action as buff delivery man Frank Martin, but also gives you a taste of his hot new co-star: an Audi A8.
Some of the crazy stunts he carries out in the A8 include ramping onto a moving train, two-wheeling between semi-trucks and even nose-diving off a bridge into water.
Audi A8 Is Big Star in New Transporter 3 Film's Trailer
Date posted: 10-14-2008
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — The second trailer for the film Transporter 3 not only previews Jason Statham in action as buff delivery man Frank Martin, but also gives you a taste of his hot new co-star: an Audi A8.
Some of the crazy stunts he carries out in the A8 include ramping onto a moving train, two-wheeling between semi-trucks and even nose-diving off a bridge into water.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Motor Trend Scores the 7
2009 BMW 750Li: Stalin Would Be Proud
Posted Today 10:56 AM by Angus MacKenzie
Filed under: Editorial, The Big Picture, BMW, Sports Sedans
You remember those old Cold War stories about CIA analysts checking official photographs of Stalin and his generals reviewing the annual May Day parade in Red Square? Every so often they'd find one of the generals had disappeared. A closer look revealed he'd been carefully airbrushed out. It was as if he'd never existed.
The 2009 BMW 750Li is a bit like that: It carefully airbrushes away everything that made its predecessor, the E65, one of the most confronting BMWs ever built. The "Bangle Butt"? Psssht! The tank-like proportions? Psssht! The dash that looks like a piece of furniture; the column-mounted shifter; the odd-ball seat controls: Psssht! Psssht! Psssht! All gone. Walk around the new 7 Series, and it's as if the E65 had never existed. (Note: the new 2009 7 Series is pictured at left, the E65 7 Series is pictured below)
The irony is the E65 has been the most successful 7 Series in BMW's history. Despite continual carping from the world's automotive media over the car's uncompromising aesthetic, BMW has sold over 344,000 units worldwide. America liked the E65 a lot -- the U.S. accounted for 35.7% of total sales, more than twice the number of the second most popular market, China. Germany? BMW's home market accounted for just 13% of total sales.
BMW is clearly hoping the new 7 Series will build on that momentum -- and win over buyers put off by the E65's confrontational design and counterintuitive user interfaces.
If that's the case, first impressions suggest BMW is on target with the new 7 Series. Everywhere we went with the car during our drive in and around Dresden, Germany, the locals expressed their approval of the new design. They all knew about the old one; they all agreed this one looked better.
The final signoff of the E65's design happened amid huge turmoil at BMW in early 1999. First, chairman Bernd Pischetsrieder was forced to resign over the alarming losses at Rover Group, the ailing British automaker whose purchase he'd largely engineered. Within hours, product chief Wolfgang Reitzle, Pischetsrieder's logical successor, had blown his chance for the top job with an unbelievably ham-fisted attempt to secure the unquestioning support of the board. He, too, was shown the door. Joachim Millberg, a bureaucrat barely known outside BMW's iconic headquarters building in Munich, was made chairman.
The mercurial Reitzle, long regarded as one of the best car guys in the business, has always insisted privately he only approved the E65's design as an interim measure; that he always intended to go back and fix the 7 Series once Pischetsrieder was gone. "They have given my car sad eyes," was all he'd say on the record, referring to the E65's hooded headlight design. But most critics would argue the E65 needed a lot more than happier headlights.
Maybe Reitzle -- and the rest of the BMW board -- meant for the E65 to be deeply controversial; meant it to be a like-it-or-loathe-it design that no one could mistake for anything else. Why? Because they realized BMW had become one of the world's most successful and profitable automakers using a fairly singular design language and that they had run out of adjectives.
The turning point was the E46 3 Series. While the revisionists among my colleagues later lauded this car as one of the best-looking BMWs ever, that certainly wasn't the chatter around the dinner tables at the car's launch in Spain in 1998. Basically, the media view was the E46 was a ho-hum car to look at, just another cookie-cutter BMW and not enough of a step-change from the previous-generation model. For a company whose reliance on the 3 Series was total -- it still accounts for over half of total BMW sales -- the notion folks might be getting bored with it must have been worrying. Chris Bangle, the relatively new BMW design chief, was at the launch. He certainly heard the chatter.
You don't mess with success, however. Simply ripping up the 3 Series playbook would have been an unacceptable risk. The 7 Series was another issue, however. Here was a model that had always struggled in the shadow of Mercedes' all-conquering S-Class. Even the audacious 1987 launch of the 750i version, powered by the first German V-12 in more than 50 years, had failed to make a dent in the S-Class' blue-chip reputation and the world's best luxury sedan. Unveiling a bold, even shocking, new design language on its most expensive new model wasn't as counter-intuitive a move as it might have seemed: With the 7 Series BMW had nothing to lose.
The E65 7 Series changed the world's view of BMW and set in train the strategy to devolve BMW design away from the cookie-cutter system where each model range looked like a scaled version of the other, a strategy that would also allow BMW to move into new market segments such as SUVs. You can argue the relative merits of the various BMWs designed on Chris Bangle's watch -- some are way better than others -- but there is no doubt each is strikingly different from the other, while retaining a strong BMW design identity.
The E65 may have been a design too far, but you could argue it did precisely the job it was intended to do. The new 7 Series dials back the extremism and dials in some old-school BMW DNA, such as the long dash-to-axle ratio, stronger shoulders on the body side, lower H-point, and the center stack angled toward the driver. There's even an echo of the famed Hofmeister kink stamped into the C-pillar for emphasis. And this time, no one finds it boring.
Posted Today 10:56 AM by Angus MacKenzie
Filed under: Editorial, The Big Picture, BMW, Sports Sedans
You remember those old Cold War stories about CIA analysts checking official photographs of Stalin and his generals reviewing the annual May Day parade in Red Square? Every so often they'd find one of the generals had disappeared. A closer look revealed he'd been carefully airbrushed out. It was as if he'd never existed.
The 2009 BMW 750Li is a bit like that: It carefully airbrushes away everything that made its predecessor, the E65, one of the most confronting BMWs ever built. The "Bangle Butt"? Psssht! The tank-like proportions? Psssht! The dash that looks like a piece of furniture; the column-mounted shifter; the odd-ball seat controls: Psssht! Psssht! Psssht! All gone. Walk around the new 7 Series, and it's as if the E65 had never existed. (Note: the new 2009 7 Series is pictured at left, the E65 7 Series is pictured below)
The irony is the E65 has been the most successful 7 Series in BMW's history. Despite continual carping from the world's automotive media over the car's uncompromising aesthetic, BMW has sold over 344,000 units worldwide. America liked the E65 a lot -- the U.S. accounted for 35.7% of total sales, more than twice the number of the second most popular market, China. Germany? BMW's home market accounted for just 13% of total sales.
BMW is clearly hoping the new 7 Series will build on that momentum -- and win over buyers put off by the E65's confrontational design and counterintuitive user interfaces.
If that's the case, first impressions suggest BMW is on target with the new 7 Series. Everywhere we went with the car during our drive in and around Dresden, Germany, the locals expressed their approval of the new design. They all knew about the old one; they all agreed this one looked better.
The final signoff of the E65's design happened amid huge turmoil at BMW in early 1999. First, chairman Bernd Pischetsrieder was forced to resign over the alarming losses at Rover Group, the ailing British automaker whose purchase he'd largely engineered. Within hours, product chief Wolfgang Reitzle, Pischetsrieder's logical successor, had blown his chance for the top job with an unbelievably ham-fisted attempt to secure the unquestioning support of the board. He, too, was shown the door. Joachim Millberg, a bureaucrat barely known outside BMW's iconic headquarters building in Munich, was made chairman.
The mercurial Reitzle, long regarded as one of the best car guys in the business, has always insisted privately he only approved the E65's design as an interim measure; that he always intended to go back and fix the 7 Series once Pischetsrieder was gone. "They have given my car sad eyes," was all he'd say on the record, referring to the E65's hooded headlight design. But most critics would argue the E65 needed a lot more than happier headlights.
Maybe Reitzle -- and the rest of the BMW board -- meant for the E65 to be deeply controversial; meant it to be a like-it-or-loathe-it design that no one could mistake for anything else. Why? Because they realized BMW had become one of the world's most successful and profitable automakers using a fairly singular design language and that they had run out of adjectives.
The turning point was the E46 3 Series. While the revisionists among my colleagues later lauded this car as one of the best-looking BMWs ever, that certainly wasn't the chatter around the dinner tables at the car's launch in Spain in 1998. Basically, the media view was the E46 was a ho-hum car to look at, just another cookie-cutter BMW and not enough of a step-change from the previous-generation model. For a company whose reliance on the 3 Series was total -- it still accounts for over half of total BMW sales -- the notion folks might be getting bored with it must have been worrying. Chris Bangle, the relatively new BMW design chief, was at the launch. He certainly heard the chatter.
You don't mess with success, however. Simply ripping up the 3 Series playbook would have been an unacceptable risk. The 7 Series was another issue, however. Here was a model that had always struggled in the shadow of Mercedes' all-conquering S-Class. Even the audacious 1987 launch of the 750i version, powered by the first German V-12 in more than 50 years, had failed to make a dent in the S-Class' blue-chip reputation and the world's best luxury sedan. Unveiling a bold, even shocking, new design language on its most expensive new model wasn't as counter-intuitive a move as it might have seemed: With the 7 Series BMW had nothing to lose.
The E65 7 Series changed the world's view of BMW and set in train the strategy to devolve BMW design away from the cookie-cutter system where each model range looked like a scaled version of the other, a strategy that would also allow BMW to move into new market segments such as SUVs. You can argue the relative merits of the various BMWs designed on Chris Bangle's watch -- some are way better than others -- but there is no doubt each is strikingly different from the other, while retaining a strong BMW design identity.
The E65 may have been a design too far, but you could argue it did precisely the job it was intended to do. The new 7 Series dials back the extremism and dials in some old-school BMW DNA, such as the long dash-to-axle ratio, stronger shoulders on the body side, lower H-point, and the center stack angled toward the driver. There's even an echo of the famed Hofmeister kink stamped into the C-pillar for emphasis. And this time, no one finds it boring.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
4 and More - latest issue of Porsche mag
Greetings,
Excellence #169 November, 2008 online preview is now available at:
http://www.excellence-mag.com/
Online features include:
FAB FOUR
THE 997 CARRERA 4 AND 4S- NOW WITH DFI, PTM, AND PDK
STORY BY PETE STOUT
PHOTOS BY MARKUS LESER
and
SPAK EASY
THIS SOFT-SPOKEN TURBOCHARGED 964 MIXES MODERN
PERFORMANCE WITH VINTAGE SPORT-PURPOSES FLAVORING
STORY AND PHOTOS BY ZACHARY MAYNE
Excellence #169 November, 2008 online preview is now available at:
http://www.excellence-mag.com/
Online features include:
FAB FOUR
THE 997 CARRERA 4 AND 4S- NOW WITH DFI, PTM, AND PDK
STORY BY PETE STOUT
PHOTOS BY MARKUS LESER
and
SPAK EASY
THIS SOFT-SPOKEN TURBOCHARGED 964 MIXES MODERN
PERFORMANCE WITH VINTAGE SPORT-PURPOSES FLAVORING
STORY AND PHOTOS BY ZACHARY MAYNE
Saturday, September 13, 2008
a 'Maxier' Mini?
read report (and saw pix ) of the new Mini Crossover (also dubbed the Clubman, if I recall correctly)Interesting alternative for the enthusiast, but will the Geoorge Sherwood purely sports-minded Mini driver take to it?
Hope it makes it to our shores
Hope it makes it to our shores
Wagons Ho!
The following excerpt from Bimmer mag (www.bimmer-mag.com) puts the spotlight on a somewhat forgotten corner for Bimmer-maniacs like myself: the 5-series Touring, more specifically, the M5 series Touring
When it comes to making high-performance versions of its station wagons available to enthusiasts, BMW has been inconsistent at best. Unlike Audi, which nearly always offers pumped-up versions of its wagons even to U.S. customers, BMW has offered M-series wagons only intermittently and has never sold them in North America. The company has never made an M3 wagon, and the first M5 Touring didn’t appear in Europe until 1992, when the E34 M5 sedan had already been in production for nearly four years.
And although BMW currently offers an E60 M5 wagon, at least in Europe, it didn’t even bother to create a Touring version of the third-generation E39 M5. That left wagon enthusiasts to build their own, perhaps on the basis of the 540iT. With a 290-hp M62 V8 under its hood, the 540iT offers a good starting point for the creation of an M5-alike.
That’s exactly what Jack Soliman and James Laitipaya used to create a pair of E39 wagons with M5-level performance. As much at home on a winding back road as on a run to the grocery store, these vehicles blend speed and functionality like only wagons can.In both cars, in fact, the only thing getting in the way of a truly M-like driving experience is the Steptronic automatic transmission. A manual would close the gap almost completely, though we have to acknowledge that the automatic gear change makes commuting painless.
Regardless of the transmission, driving these cars reminds us of what we miss when BMW fails to create a Touring version of every M5, and what we further miss every time it decides not to bring its highest-performance wagons to the U.S.
Too bad. There aren’t many automobiles that offer the combination of pace, practicality and style that these two BMWs provide
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
X6 Sell Off! Literally
Word from the folks at Stewart's - unofficially - is that the dealer has in fact sold their quota of the new 4x4 crossover for not only jmaaica, but als o for the Cayman Islands. This now presents a somewhat happy setback of waiting for new product to arrive. Keep checking with I-Ab for word on those replacements, as well as on the planned Driver's Expo.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Porsche closer to drivng VW
THe families controlling both companies have long been linked, and now it seems that a deal for Porsche, the self-billed 'world's most profitable automaker' to acquire majority stake in Volkswagen, Europe's largest, is all but done. With both companies pushing to introduce new models in several categories (Porsche's latest?: a 4-door hi-performance sedan named the Pannamera) it should be interesting to see what 'Porsche-Wagen' has to offer the market.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
The X6: They either love it or hate it - and so will you
The reviews from the int'l automotive press have been mixed, but certainly not minced. A review in the BBC's excellent Top Gear magazine (see their summer car issue with not one, but THREE Bugatti Veryons) said - "Someone at BMW believes they have the answer. We're still trying to figure out the question."
In a similar vein, an LA Times reviewer said the X6 "weighs ahlf a ton more than it should, seats one person less than it should and is about as useful as a laminated pizza."
All agree however, that as the latest expression of the ultimate driving machine (how I wish they would revert to that tag line) the X6 succeeds in spades.
to our friends at BMW Jamaica - when do we get a chance to test drive .... and see just how useful or meaningful this vehicle is?
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
New 7 for September
The redesigned BMW 7-Series for 08/09 makes its debut in Septmber of this year (originally the 7th month under the old Gregorian calendar. Will post drive pix soonest, or otherwise go to bmw.com
Monday, July 21, 2008
List your car 4 sale on de 'Autobahn'
Selling your German make vehicle (for upgrade or any other reasons?)
Link with i-lan Autobahn for listings that move
send e-mail to liveplug22@gmail.com for details ........ an look out for
DRIVE, our new hard copy enthusiasts magazine, every other month beginning in August.
Link with i-lan Autobahn for listings that move
send e-mail to liveplug22@gmail.com for details ........ an look out for
DRIVE, our new hard copy enthusiasts magazine, every other month beginning in August.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Audi - Pure excitement
Look ofr exciting promotions and developments from Audi thru this year into 09 - and look for more Audis on the roads.
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Sign, Then Drive gets to Ja.
Volkswagwen's 'Sign, Then Drive' Sales promotion has been replicated - with applicable conditions - here in Jmaaica thru a deal between VW dealers Motor Sales and First Caribbean intl Bank.
Qulaified Buyers can sign pro forma invoice on their choice of '08 models (Polo, Jetta, Passat & Touareg - the new Tiguan is an '09 and thus ineligible) and then present their qualifying documents (incl insurance) to the bank, and THEN drive away with thier car
Qulaified Buyers can sign pro forma invoice on their choice of '08 models (Polo, Jetta, Passat & Touareg - the new Tiguan is an '09 and thus ineligible) and then present their qualifying documents (incl insurance) to the bank, and THEN drive away with thier car
Sunday, June 01, 2008
Coming [Very] Soon
As a German- car enthusiast, I've oscillated and gravitated to several models, but this one definitely looks like a long-term commitment. Can't wait for the Jamaican launch
Monday, May 05, 2008
Look out for 1-series launch pics
Will shortly have pics from the 135i launch evnet at NCB HQ (The Atrium) last Saturday. Event went well, and kudos tothe hosts for hospitality, but there would have been greater dramatic impact if the launch car were red instead of aquamarine.
Friday, April 25, 2008
1-Coupe Bows in tomorrow
A few units have already been seen zipping around town, but the two-door 'pocket rocket' 1-series Coupe, of which we showed you pics from several months back, will officially debut tomorrow at around mid-day at the NCB Atrium.
Friday, March 21, 2008
The Urban Desert
Volkswagen Touareg mini-test
The first thing that struck this driver on entering the Volkswagen Touareg wasn't the neat paint job, simple yet attractive interior layout, (including the cockpit dials) or even the neat push-button Start (we'd gotten used to that from BMW.
It was the sweet - no check that, very sweet - driving position and feel. It was the kind of feel that calls to mind a Sunday afternoon (or late night) in one's favourite couch or sofa - only that this sofa generates over 230 hp.
The Touareg felt great as it was standing still, and it felt pretty darn good during our brief run down tothe end of S Camp Road and back to the VW/Audi showroom. And it moves pretty good too. The Toaureg won't win you any cred on the drag run (remember, it's an SUV, and not the Cayenne) but acceleration was smooth and handling at the higher end of the speedometer remained very driver friendly.
We'd have likedto have taken the Touareg over a greater diversity of terrain (maybe it will better jsutify its 7.6m price tag), but we think it can retian that great ride even on the city's off-roads.
Truth is, we can't wait for the Touareg's 'little sister' the Tiguan, scheduled to hit the Jamaican road sometime in June.
Stay tuned.
The first thing that struck this driver on entering the Volkswagen Touareg wasn't the neat paint job, simple yet attractive interior layout, (including the cockpit dials) or even the neat push-button Start (we'd gotten used to that from BMW.
It was the sweet - no check that, very sweet - driving position and feel. It was the kind of feel that calls to mind a Sunday afternoon (or late night) in one's favourite couch or sofa - only that this sofa generates over 230 hp.
The Touareg felt great as it was standing still, and it felt pretty darn good during our brief run down tothe end of S Camp Road and back to the VW/Audi showroom. And it moves pretty good too. The Toaureg won't win you any cred on the drag run (remember, it's an SUV, and not the Cayenne) but acceleration was smooth and handling at the higher end of the speedometer remained very driver friendly.
We'd have likedto have taken the Touareg over a greater diversity of terrain (maybe it will better jsutify its 7.6m price tag), but we think it can retian that great ride even on the city's off-roads.
Truth is, we can't wait for the Touareg's 'little sister' the Tiguan, scheduled to hit the Jamaican road sometime in June.
Stay tuned.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Touareg Test
Look out for a review following my brief - and cityconfined -test dirve of the new VW Touareg should be up tomorrow.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
My Next vehicle
Not sure I'll go with the burnt orange, but I'm definitely going to get the new VW Tiguan sometime this year (if not by June, then by October)
Golden Girl: New McLaren from Mansory
we can now turn our attention to focus on the other third-party Mercedes making their debut at the International Motor Show in Geneva, starting with the above-pictured Mansory Renovatio SLR in all its golden glory.
Based of course on the Mercedes SLR McLaren, the Renovatio is the product of the design philosophy "evolution instead of revolution." As a result, the model features a number of aerodynamic enhancements, including a carbon fiber front apron, side skirts and rear apron - all of which, while subtle, aim to add character to the already sporting lines of the standard SLR.
Under the hood, improvements are again evolutionary, with engineers focusing on replacing existing components (as opposed to altering the SLR's core). Changes here include new high performance compressors, a sports air filter and modified engine management, resulting in reduction in 0-62 mph time of two-tenths of a second and a top speed of 211 mph. In total, the Renovatio boasts 700 PS, while torque weighs in at 880 Nm.
And last but not least, there's the paint. The glorious, glorious paint. I don't care if you're not Donald Trump, Mr. T or a Pharaoh, you just have to love a matte gold car. And the carbon fiber accents? They're just the icing on the cake.
Chariot of Choice: New Audi exhibit
Where JFK Meets the Queen and Khrushchev
Source: Audi AG
Audi Tradition opens a new special exhibition “Power and Splendour – Carriages for State Occasions” in the Audi museum mobile
Eleven cars in which monarchs and heads of state once rode
Starting on March 12, 2008, the Audi museum mobile is holding a special exhibition entitled “Power and Splendour – Carriages for State Occasions”. It consists of a cavalcade of eleven vehicles such as have never before been gathered together at one place in Germany until now. Audi Tradition has not restricted its choice to products from the company’s own history. Two undoubted highlights of the display are the cars used by the main protagonists of the Cold War: the heavily armoured ZIL 111 G in which Nikita Khrushchev rode and a Lincoln Continental in which John F. Kennedy is said to have been chauffeured.
The exhibition spans a period from antiquity to the present day. Ever since the invention of the wheel, kings and princes, presidents and other potentates have used carriages, coaches and later the automobile not only as transport but also to impress the people. These vehicles were chosen to emphasise or even exaggerate the owner’s status and to inspire respect bordering on veneration. The oldest goes back as far as the Bronze Age and is a replica of the Sun Wagon of Trundholm.
Visitors will learn that clearly defined preconditions had to be satisfied when a victorious Roman general rode triumphantly in his chariot through the cheering populace on his way to the Emperor’s palace. In the baroque period princes paraded their elevated status before the public in gilded carriages to imply their divine right to rule. Earlier, in the Middle Ages, the greatest leaders rode on horseback and only the peasants went about their affairs in primitive carts.
The exhibition concentrates, however, on the motor car. Audi’s history has contributed three examples used by heads of state. Gerhard Schrцder was the first German Chancellor to choose a car bearing the four-ring emblem for his official transport: an armoured Audi A8. But before the Second World War one of the makes that preceded Audi, namely the Horch, was popular in a number of countries. Visitors can see the Horch 400 dating from 1930 in which King Haakon VII of Norway rode, and also a Horch 830 BL with a very special history. French President Charles de Gaulle, when performing his duties as an army general after the Second World War, used this German car for almost ten years, including on many official occasions
Source: Audi AG
Audi Tradition opens a new special exhibition “Power and Splendour – Carriages for State Occasions” in the Audi museum mobile
Eleven cars in which monarchs and heads of state once rode
Starting on March 12, 2008, the Audi museum mobile is holding a special exhibition entitled “Power and Splendour – Carriages for State Occasions”. It consists of a cavalcade of eleven vehicles such as have never before been gathered together at one place in Germany until now. Audi Tradition has not restricted its choice to products from the company’s own history. Two undoubted highlights of the display are the cars used by the main protagonists of the Cold War: the heavily armoured ZIL 111 G in which Nikita Khrushchev rode and a Lincoln Continental in which John F. Kennedy is said to have been chauffeured.
The exhibition spans a period from antiquity to the present day. Ever since the invention of the wheel, kings and princes, presidents and other potentates have used carriages, coaches and later the automobile not only as transport but also to impress the people. These vehicles were chosen to emphasise or even exaggerate the owner’s status and to inspire respect bordering on veneration. The oldest goes back as far as the Bronze Age and is a replica of the Sun Wagon of Trundholm.
Visitors will learn that clearly defined preconditions had to be satisfied when a victorious Roman general rode triumphantly in his chariot through the cheering populace on his way to the Emperor’s palace. In the baroque period princes paraded their elevated status before the public in gilded carriages to imply their divine right to rule. Earlier, in the Middle Ages, the greatest leaders rode on horseback and only the peasants went about their affairs in primitive carts.
The exhibition concentrates, however, on the motor car. Audi’s history has contributed three examples used by heads of state. Gerhard Schrцder was the first German Chancellor to choose a car bearing the four-ring emblem for his official transport: an armoured Audi A8. But before the Second World War one of the makes that preceded Audi, namely the Horch, was popular in a number of countries. Visitors can see the Horch 400 dating from 1930 in which King Haakon VII of Norway rode, and also a Horch 830 BL with a very special history. French President Charles de Gaulle, when performing his duties as an army general after the Second World War, used this German car for almost ten years, including on many official occasions
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
New Porsche - Best Yet?
Our first non-BMW post in the expanded format - who knew that the Porsche guys
had their own magazine too? (Excellence)
From its inception as a 993-based car, the GT2 has held court as the ultimate turbocharged version of the 911. Porsche knows theres a place for a rear-drive 911 Turbo that lifts a little DNA from the glory days of endurance-racing 934s and 935s with big power and that familiar shape. Hot on the heels of the oft-underrated 996 GT2, the 997 GT2 makes a compelling argument that it deserves to be crowned the ultimate 911. It may even convince a few, Walter Röhrl included, that its the ultimate Porsche. Skeptics may say, Come on, the exotic Carrera GT is mid-engined, with a V10a road-going Le Mans racer with more horsepower and less weight.
That may be true, but the new GT2 with two-time world rally champion and Porsche test ace Walter Röhrl behind its wheel has lapped the Nürburgrings Nordschleife loop in an astounding 7 minutes, 32 seconds. Not only is that time a few ticks faster than his time in a Carrera GT, its 14 seconds faster than the previous 996-based GT2 and some 10 seconds faster than the current GT3 RS. How can that be, you ask? Well, the 997 GT2 offers more torque than any previous or current production Porsche sports car and the rear-end grip to put it to work
had their own magazine too? (Excellence)
From its inception as a 993-based car, the GT2 has held court as the ultimate turbocharged version of the 911. Porsche knows theres a place for a rear-drive 911 Turbo that lifts a little DNA from the glory days of endurance-racing 934s and 935s with big power and that familiar shape. Hot on the heels of the oft-underrated 996 GT2, the 997 GT2 makes a compelling argument that it deserves to be crowned the ultimate 911. It may even convince a few, Walter Röhrl included, that its the ultimate Porsche. Skeptics may say, Come on, the exotic Carrera GT is mid-engined, with a V10a road-going Le Mans racer with more horsepower and less weight.
That may be true, but the new GT2 with two-time world rally champion and Porsche test ace Walter Röhrl behind its wheel has lapped the Nürburgrings Nordschleife loop in an astounding 7 minutes, 32 seconds. Not only is that time a few ticks faster than his time in a Carrera GT, its 14 seconds faster than the previous 996-based GT2 and some 10 seconds faster than the current GT3 RS. How can that be, you ask? Well, the 997 GT2 offers more torque than any previous or current production Porsche sports car and the rear-end grip to put it to work
Sunday, February 03, 2008
A new road
This site atarted as a BMW aficionado page, reflecting my liflelong
affinity for the BMW brand.
But events over the past year have led me to reconsider that exclusive focus and so
effective tomorrow, this blog will encompass all German autos sold in jamaica (I love
Itlaian marques too, but until there's a bona fide Maserati/Lamborghini/Ferrari dealer here, I'll make do).
Keep coming to the new I-lan Autobahn and keep your comments, critiques and photos
coming I'd love ot have owner testimonies
affinity for the BMW brand.
But events over the past year have led me to reconsider that exclusive focus and so
effective tomorrow, this blog will encompass all German autos sold in jamaica (I love
Itlaian marques too, but until there's a bona fide Maserati/Lamborghini/Ferrari dealer here, I'll make do).
Keep coming to the new I-lan Autobahn and keep your comments, critiques and photos
coming I'd love ot have owner testimonies
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
eco-friendly Bimma?
IS a change of culture afoot in Munich? Time will tell
BMW — specifically, Stefan Krause, BMW’s head of sales and marketing — is seriously considering starting up a new brand to build and sell a line of green vehicles:
The mighty Munich operation must find a way to “satisfy growing pressure for vehicles with better economy” Krause has been quoted as saying. Interestingly, BMW’s researchers have concluded that the BMW brand cannot be stretched much further from its ‘ultimate driving machine’ position. So while it has made impressive gains with its Efficient Dynamics programme, fundamental changes to the brand are out of the question.
Instead, BMW might need a range of smaller, lighter front-drive models to build up into a big-selling global business. Such a move would also help meet future binding fuel-economy targets in Europe and the U.S. (the EU looks like it will join the U.S. in setting economy targets and then fining carmakers for selling vehicles that don’t achieve them).
According to Mr. Krause, BMW won’t simply pin the green label onto Mini, which won’t expand much beyond the upcoming Clubman.
There’s no word on what technology this new green brand would focus on — hybrid, hydrogen, ethanol or diesel. Right now, BMW’s most publicized green effort is its Hydrogen 7. Based on the 7 Series luxury sedan, the Hydrogen 7 is powered by an internal combustion engine that can run on hydrogen and gasoline. But it’s only available on a short-term loan. And BMW is saving those for celebrities like Jay Leno, Brad Pitt and Will Ferrell.
More recently, BMW introduced two diesel vehicles at the Detroit auto show, the 335d sedan and the X5 xDrive35d, which it plans to offer in the United States by the fall. Like the Mercedes-Benz diesel engines, the BMW engines have yet to be approved by the Air Resources Board in California
BMW — specifically, Stefan Krause, BMW’s head of sales and marketing — is seriously considering starting up a new brand to build and sell a line of green vehicles:
The mighty Munich operation must find a way to “satisfy growing pressure for vehicles with better economy” Krause has been quoted as saying. Interestingly, BMW’s researchers have concluded that the BMW brand cannot be stretched much further from its ‘ultimate driving machine’ position. So while it has made impressive gains with its Efficient Dynamics programme, fundamental changes to the brand are out of the question.
Instead, BMW might need a range of smaller, lighter front-drive models to build up into a big-selling global business. Such a move would also help meet future binding fuel-economy targets in Europe and the U.S. (the EU looks like it will join the U.S. in setting economy targets and then fining carmakers for selling vehicles that don’t achieve them).
According to Mr. Krause, BMW won’t simply pin the green label onto Mini, which won’t expand much beyond the upcoming Clubman.
There’s no word on what technology this new green brand would focus on — hybrid, hydrogen, ethanol or diesel. Right now, BMW’s most publicized green effort is its Hydrogen 7. Based on the 7 Series luxury sedan, the Hydrogen 7 is powered by an internal combustion engine that can run on hydrogen and gasoline. But it’s only available on a short-term loan. And BMW is saving those for celebrities like Jay Leno, Brad Pitt and Will Ferrell.
More recently, BMW introduced two diesel vehicles at the Detroit auto show, the 335d sedan and the X5 xDrive35d, which it plans to offer in the United States by the fall. Like the Mercedes-Benz diesel engines, the BMW engines have yet to be approved by the Air Resources Board in California
Monday, January 07, 2008
BMWV5 spy shot
From our friends at autobahn report (autobahnreport.com), a test photo of the upcoming V5 (possible '09 launch)
The V-Spot
A V7 crossover long wagon was mooted a few years back, but now it seems
thaththe first model in the V line (looks like a competitor to the
Mercedes R line) will be based on the 5-series. The following from autobahn report:
BMW's V5 crossover has been caught winter-testing.
Although wearing a bit of a fat suit, the shape is clear — a stand-out feature being the sloped roof and rear glass.
There are two ways of looking at the V5. The first: a raised 5 Series wagon with fastback rear. The second: a lowered X6, which itself was only recently unveiled.
Of course, the V5 will have a style all its own when the production version finally breaks cover (likely several months away). BMW calls it a progressive activity sedan, blending impressive practicality with exceptional handling.
The interior is predicted to have various configurations for carrying plenty of people (up to six) and all of their stuff.
Likely engines include BMW's 300-horsepower twin-turbo inline-six and a V8. Production could happen at BMW's South Carolina plant, where capacity is being beefed up.
The V5 name has not been confirmed but, from what we gather, is the strongest option being considered
thaththe first model in the V line (looks like a competitor to the
Mercedes R line) will be based on the 5-series. The following from autobahn report:
BMW's V5 crossover has been caught winter-testing.
Although wearing a bit of a fat suit, the shape is clear — a stand-out feature being the sloped roof and rear glass.
There are two ways of looking at the V5. The first: a raised 5 Series wagon with fastback rear. The second: a lowered X6, which itself was only recently unveiled.
Of course, the V5 will have a style all its own when the production version finally breaks cover (likely several months away). BMW calls it a progressive activity sedan, blending impressive practicality with exceptional handling.
The interior is predicted to have various configurations for carrying plenty of people (up to six) and all of their stuff.
Likely engines include BMW's 300-horsepower twin-turbo inline-six and a V8. Production could happen at BMW's South Carolina plant, where capacity is being beefed up.
The V5 name has not been confirmed but, from what we gather, is the strongest option being considered
1 X1
BMW is getting ready to add a third Sports Activity Vehicle to its model line, most likely for 2010.
Recently spotted as a disguised prototype, the X1 will be a baby brother to the well-established X3 and X5.
The X1 is based on BMW's 1 Series cars and is being developed alongside Mini's first Sports Activity Vehicle.
The BMW and Mini SAVs are expected to share a platform, raised suspension and four-wheel drive — with the BMW being a bit bigger in size.
Unlike the X3 and X5, the X1 has a less upright and more sloping rear, as depicted in these photos.
Engines will likely carry over from the 1 Series, which means a range-topping 300-horse bi-turbo inline-six that will certainly distance the BMW X1 — figuratively and literally — from competition such as the Toyota RAV4.
Count on Autobahn Report for the latest news and photos
Recently spotted as a disguised prototype, the X1 will be a baby brother to the well-established X3 and X5.
The X1 is based on BMW's 1 Series cars and is being developed alongside Mini's first Sports Activity Vehicle.
The BMW and Mini SAVs are expected to share a platform, raised suspension and four-wheel drive — with the BMW being a bit bigger in size.
Unlike the X3 and X5, the X1 has a less upright and more sloping rear, as depicted in these photos.
Engines will likely carry over from the 1 Series, which means a range-topping 300-horse bi-turbo inline-six that will certainly distance the BMW X1 — figuratively and literally — from competition such as the Toyota RAV4.
Count on Autobahn Report for the latest news and photos
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Happy New Year, Bimmamaniacs
It's been a while since we've presented new developments in
the Bimmasphere, but 2008 is here and the wheels are ready to roll again, even
if the local dealership is yet to warm to us as we would have liked.
The bimma blog thanks those who have supported us to this point
and pledges to remain your access point for BMW developments in 2008
from the Ultimate Bimma blog,
happy New Year
the Bimmasphere, but 2008 is here and the wheels are ready to roll again, even
if the local dealership is yet to warm to us as we would have liked.
The bimma blog thanks those who have supported us to this point
and pledges to remain your access point for BMW developments in 2008
from the Ultimate Bimma blog,
happy New Year
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