Autoblog

Report: Audi A1-based e-tron concept headed to Geneva

Sam Abuelsamid — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 14:07:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Geneva Motor Show, Hatchback, Audi, Electric

2011 Audi A1 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Audi will finally show off its new A1 minicar this week in Geneva. As usual, it'll be available in Europe with an array of gas and diesel engines, but a French website reports that the A1 will also form the basis for a third e-tron concept. If Audi sticks with the pattern it started last month in Detroit, this one will be dubbed the e-tron Geneva Concept. The idea isn't without merit; reports that Audi plans to build a roadgoing electric version of the A1 have circulated for some time.

While Audi plans to build a limited run of the R8-based e-tron that it unveiled in Frankfurt, an electric car based on the new A1 is most likely to be the brand's first volume plug-in vehicle. Small, limited-range, urban commuters like the A1 will likely dominate the electric car arena for the foreseeable future until battery costs come down. A tip of the hat to Adam!

Gallery: 2011 Audi A1

[Source: Le Buzz Auto]

Report: Audi A1-based e-tron concept headed to Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 27 Feb 2010 14:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche 911 Turbo S unveiled with 530 HP of goodness

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:27:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Porsche

2011 Porsche 911 Turbo S - Click above for high-res image gallery

The wunderkinds in Wiessach have wrought a new head of the family in the form of the 2011 911 Turbo S, the first 911 S model in five years and the first for the 997. In Porsche parlance, the S suffix generally means more power and better handling, and this car appears ready to live up to the badge.

As we surmised last August, the twin-turbo flat-six is boosted to 530 horsepower, though it sips fuel at the same rate as the "base" Turbo's with its 500-horsepower engine. All that power and 516 pound-feet of torque are transferred to all four wheels - now 19 inches in diameter with center locking nuts - through Porsche's seven-speed PDK dual clutch gearbox, and a torque vectoring system helps point the car directly where the driver wants it. 0-62 miles per hour should arrive in 3.3 seconds and top speed is pegged at 196 mph. For comparison's sake, the almighty 911 GT2 makes the same amount of horsepower (530), is slower to 62 mph at 3.7 seconds, but beats the new 911 S at the top end with a 204-mph terminal velocity.

Both fixed and folding roof versions of the Turbo S will officially debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month and go on sale in Europe in May. The coupe will cost €173,241 including 19 percent VAT (the actual base price is €145,400), while the Cabriolet goes €184,546, also including the 19 percent VAT (base price €154,900). U.S. market models should follow soon after.

Gallery: 2011 Porsche 911 Turbo S

[Source: Porsche]

Continue reading Porsche 911 Turbo S unveiled with 530 HP of goodness

Porsche 911 Turbo S unveiled with 530 HP of goodness originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva Preview: Autocar samples the new Porsche Cayenne Hybrid

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 17:32:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, SUV, Geneva Motor Show, Porsche, Volkswagen

The second-generation Porsche Cayenne is set to debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March along with its cousin, the Volkswagen Touareg. Both SUVs will mark the debut of a new hybrid drive system co-developed by the two brands, and both the revised Cayenne and Touareg will enter production some time this spring.

The SUVs will reportedly be using a version of the supercharged 3.0-liter TFSI V6 found in the Audi S4, with 325 horsepower and 324 pound-feet of torque. The crew at Autocar had a chance to ride along in a near-production Cayenne S hybrid recently and determined that the new machine could be a serious challenger to the new Mercedes-Benz ML450 hybrid as well as the class-leading Lexus RX450h. According to the Brit pub, the Porsche hybrid felt nearly as quick as the V8-powered Cayenne S, although the vehicle wasn't instrumented. The Porsche was a later stage prototype than a Touareg Hybrid that VW has been showing for some time and it appears the engineers have refined the engine's on-off transition, making the hybrid experience almost seamless. Expect all the details in two month's time.

[Source: Autocar]

Geneva Preview: Autocar samples the new Porsche Cayenne Hybrid originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Officially Official: All the details on the 2010 Porsche 911 GT3

Sam Abuelsamid — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 09:25:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Geneva Motor Show, Supercars, Porsche

Click above high-res image gallery of the 2010 Porsche 911 GT3

We'll be getting our first in-person look at Porsche's newest hard-core 911 version when we arrive at the Geneva Motor Show in just over four weeks time. However, we've now got more photos and details on the 911 GT3 to share with you thanks to the staff in Stuttgart. Back when the original 911 Turbo debuted 35 years ago, its 256 horsepower was considered staggering. The new GT3 again leaves old 911s in the dust with an un-boosted 435 hp from its 3.8-liter flat-six. Although Porsche hasn't yet quoted a specific number, the GT3's mid-range torque response is claimed to be significantly fattened up, too.

The sprint to 60 miles-per-hour now takes a claimed 4.1 seconds with 100 mph coming in double that time. Handling dynamics are also claimed to be improved and the driver now has more control over the stability management system. The electronic stability control and traction control systems can now be individually deactivated, and high-speed behavior is also aided by improved downforce at both ends of the car.

Adaptive damping systems are pretty old hat in 2009. For the GT3, Porsche has added active engine mounts(!) that recognize hard driving. For example, during track work, the engine mounts will tighten up in an effort to eliminate driveline lash that can unsettle a car in transient maneuvers. The GT3 also gets optional ceramic brakes and center lock wheels. Europeans can pick up a GT3 starting in May. ~~No word yet on when or if the U.S. will get a shot.~~ The GT3 will land at US dealers in October starting at $112,000. The full press release is after the jump.

Gallery: 2010 Porsche 911 GT3

[Source: Porsche]

Continue reading Officially Official: All the details on the 2010 Porsche 911 GT3

Officially Official: All the details on the 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 09:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2008: Morgan LifeCar

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 08:28:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, Geneva Motor Show

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Morgan LifeCar

For a company that still makes cars out of wood, Morgan knows not only how to hang in there, but to come up with some really neat stuff. The LifeCar divides a line that reaches well into the past and well into the future. Its lines are retro modern -- or is that modern retro? -- with all the traditional early-20th-century coupe cues done in aluminum. The hydrogen powerplant is theoretically good for a 200-mile range and "sporting" British performance. Check out the press release for the full details, and be sure to look at the gallery of hi-res images below.

Gallery: Morgan LifeCar concept

Continue reading Geneva 2008: Morgan LifeCar

Geneva 2008: Morgan LifeCar originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Mar 2008 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2008: Bentley's future involves drawing straw

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 17:15:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Performance, Green, Bentley

The big news from Bentley in Geneva wasn't really about today -- but stay tuned for 2012. Bentley plans to have its wheel-to-well measure of CO2 emissions down to less than 120g/km, from 400 g/km now. How? By lightening the cars, by engineering better transmissions, and through powerplants able to take advantage of 2nd generation biofuels, meaning cellulosic ethanol from straw and waste products. The best Bentley head Dr. Josef Paefgen would say for specifics was "everything is being considered." So there. Click through the jump to get the full press release and the science, and be thankful Bentley's given you something to look forward to.

[Source: Bentley]

Continue reading Geneva 2008: Bentley's future involves drawing straw

Geneva 2008: Bentley's future involves drawing straw originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Mar 2008 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2008: Bugatti Veyron Fbg by Hermes, scepter and empire not included

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 12:02:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Supercars, Bugatti

Click above for hi-res gallery of the Bugatti Veyron Fbg par Hermes

The press release says "This car's greatest strength is its ability to make you feel like a child again (a somewhat boisterous child, admittedly)." We can't agree enough. Who among us doesn't have childhood tales of doing 200-plus in our €1.55 million toys? This blogger used to do it all the time -- no, really, all the time, 'cause I was really boisterous -- and I am sure I'm not alone. Hyperbole aside, it's a Bugatti, and that makes it exquisite. And frankly, even if you aren't a fan of Hermes, they do amazing work, which, incredibly, makes the Bug even more exquisite. The "H"-logoed wheels and the fitted bag are spot on. The Hermes engraved fuel filler door could be over the top, but one loses any sense of O.T.T. after flying by the $2 million mark. But hey, if we're all feeling like kids again, maybe I can get them to take 1.55 million mud pies instead of euros. Until then, thirty one hi-res photos await you in the gallery below. Enjoy.

Gallery: Geneva 2008: Bugatti Veryon Fbg par Hermes

Continue reading Geneva 2008: Bugatti Veyron Fbg by Hermes, scepter and empire not included

Geneva 2008: Bugatti Veyron Fbg by Hermes, scepter and empire not included originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Mar 2008 12:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2008: Peugeot 308 GT THP 175

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 10:20:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Geneva Motor Show, Hatchback, Peugeot

Click the pic above to see a hi-res gallery of the Peugeot 308 GT THP 175

If you want a MINI, but you'd rather it looked and felt like a Peugeot 308, then this is the car for you. It's got the same engine that Peugeot makes for BMW's kleine Wunder-brand, but it's got all that chunky Peugeot goodness that MINI ~~couldn't~~ wouldn't ever replicate. And not only will you get 175-HP, a Scrabble-icious combination of letters and numbers, and mirrors with a Dumbo-esque flavor, but 37.1-MPG frugality is yours for the taking. Check out the hi-res gallery below for a closer look at the swifty, thrifty Pug.

Gallery: Geneva 2008: Peugeot 308 GT THP 175

Geneva 2008: Peugeot 308 GT THP 175 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Mar 2008 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2008: BMW 1-Series accesories not carbon neutral

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 10:09:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, BMW

Click the image above for more hi-res shots of the carbon-heavy BMW 1-Series performance parts

P. T. Barnum already answered how many people you could fit in an itty bitty car. BMW is now trying to figure out how much carbon you can fit into the same. The BMW 1-Series performance parts will keep carbon weavers in business for some time (we figure they'll be quite popular). The only sizable component not made out of carbon was the silencer, and no one will see that after it's installed. If nothing else, it could be the best and most agreeable way to raise your carbon footprint. It's a shame about that hood, though... Check out the gallery of hi-res photos below.

Gallery: BMW 1-series performance parts catalog

Geneva 2008: BMW 1-Series accesories not carbon neutral originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Mar 2008 10:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2008: Peugeot 308SW says big and funky in French

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 09:57:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Wagon, Geneva Motor Show, Hatchback, Peugeot

Click the image above for hi-res shots of the Peugeot 308SW

The Peugeot 308SW (for SportWagon), on the show floor, does not look like a big car. It certainly doesn't look big enough to swallow seven full-sized people. On the rotating podium, however, the car looked almost monstrous. Get inside, and the car appears to be even larger. If you sit in the driver's seat in Geneva, the rear hatch lies somewhere around Lichtenstein. It's that capacious. As with so many French things, the pics don't do it justice, but have a look at the gallery of hi-res photos to see if you can see what we see.

Gallery: Geneva 2008: Peugeot 308 SW

Geneva 2008: Peugeot 308SW says big and funky in French originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Mar 2008 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2008: BMW Vision EfficientDynamics diesel hybrid is a camel

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 08:29:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, SUV, Geneva Motor Show, Green, BMW

Click the image above for a hi-res gallery of the BMW X5 Vision EfficientDynamics

A man might not be a camel, but BMW's X5 Vision EfficientDynamics hybrid is. The vehicle, with its twin-turbo 4-cylinder diesel engine mated to a li-ion battery pack that doesn't need to be refueled until after the Apocalypse. by then, fuel will probably be the last of your worries. Special aero rims, a solar roof panel to heat up engine fluids before you start the vehicle, an 8-speed transmission, and X5 room and ride only make it all the sweeter. Check out the hi-res gallery of shots below to get as close as we did to it.

Gallery: BMW X5 Vision EfficientDynamics Concept

Geneva 2008: BMW Vision EfficientDynamics diesel hybrid is a camel originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Mar 2008 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2008: Mercedes SL63 is white hot

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 08:05:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz

Click the image above for more hi-res shots of the SL63

Two doors, no top, red leather interior, ceramic brakes, and 538 horses is a combination you once expected to be named for an Italian city or racing personage. No more. And while the alpha-numeric SL63 might not be all that Germanic in itself, it gets no more Teutonic than the hyphenated moniker "Mercedes-Benz" that precedes it. Now that Merc is making cars as fast as those of its Latin neighbor, perhaps the SL63 -- being a tad more comfortable -- is the car you drive to go check on the progress of your bespoke Italian supercar. Check out the hi-res gallery of the Bahn-burningest droptop.

Gallery: 2009 Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG & SL65 AMG

Geneva 2008: Mercedes SL63 is white hot originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Mar 2008 08:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2008: M3 Cab takes the spotlight

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 07:32:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, BMW

Click the above photo for more shots of the M3 Convertible

BMW was highlighting its green credentials today, so it gave no more than a mention to the M3 Cabriolet -- but that doesn't mean the M3 went unloved. The impossibly blue convertible sat just around the corner from the Vision Hybrid in the spotlight, brooding, but with plenty of press-type friends taking pictures and asking questions. Have a look at the live shots in the gallery below to see why.

Gallery: Geneva 2008: BMW M3 Cabriolet

Gallery: 2009 BMW M3 Convertible

Geneva 2008: M3 Cab takes the spotlight originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Mar 2008 07:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2008: Zagato Bentley Continental GTZ

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 03:40:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Bentley

Click above for more high-res shots of the Zagato Bentley Continental GTZ

Since we're still in the midst of awards season, the trophy for least complicated reveal goes to Zagato, which made nary a fuss over its angularized and curvified Bentley Continental GTZ. Just a note, a bigger note and press photos, and now we present the live shots. It's a striking car, no doubt -- from some angles at the front we think it looks like it had a long night out with Salvador Dali and Georges Braque. Check out the hi-res photos for yourself, below.

Gallery: Geneva 2008: Bentley Continental GTZ Zagato

Geneva 2008: Zagato Bentley Continental GTZ originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Mar 2008 03:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Updated Aston Martin V8 Vantage with more power coming to Geneva

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 14:31:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Aston Martin, UK

Click above for more desktop wallpaper-perfect photos of the V8 Vantage

The Aston Martin V8 Vantage continues to build on its advantages -- exclusivity, hand-stitching, and that winged badge -- to make it a full-bodied competitor to that other marque from Stuttgart. According to Car magazine, the Vantage will get some engineering tweaks and its engine capacity will grow by almost half a liter, to 4733-cc. A year ago Aston merely fiddled with the ECU on the N400 and found 20 extra horses. We hope an even more plump double digit number comes with this kind of growth in displacement. The cabin is also expected to receive a polish, with things like the Ford key -- and perhaps the Volvo switches -- being kicked out of the old boy club. A face-lifted range of DB9s is also expected. All of these changes leads us to our one request for Aston, please be careful with what is already perfection. We've selected the most choice high-res images of the V8 Vantage from Aston Martin's media website and assembled them in a gallery below. Enjoy and don't drool on your keyboard.

Gallery: Aston Martin V8 Vantage

Gallery: Aston Martin N400 V8 Vantage

[Source: Car]

Updated Aston Martin V8 Vantage with more power coming to Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Feb 2008 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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