Autoblog

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Volkswagen Routan

The Volkswagen Routan's "German Engineering" ad campaign has provided plenty of irony-laced comedic fodder for the Autoblog water-cooler, and VW's own press release doesn't help, heralding the Routan as "a stylish alternative to the minivan." An alternative to what?

In a perfect world, VW would have revolutionized the moribund minivan segment with a production version of the 2001 Microbus concept, thereby capitalizing on V-Dub's cheeky heritage in the same way the new Beetle did in the late '90s, and perpetuated by other vehicles like the MINI Cooper and Fiat 500 today.

Thankfully, all is not lost. According to VW's Product Planning Manager, Bret Scott, "We would never say 'no' to the possibility of a Microbus revival." But in the meantime, we have to make due with this: the 2009 Volkswagen Routan, a reworked Chrysler Town & Country that VW execs call (with a straight face) "The Beetle of minivans."


Photos Copyright ©2008 Damon Lavrinc / Weblogs, Inc.

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Lotus Evora, with six new images.

After the Evora was officially revealed in London, Lotus CEO Michael Kimberley has made it clear that more variants of the 2+2 were on the way. Six different versions are planned, including a convertible – originally confirmed the day the Evora debuted – that will keep the coupe fresh over its eight-year lifespan.

While a drop-top is nice, power is what the people crave. So within two years expect another naturally aspirated variant that boosts the 3.5-liter V6's engine from 280 to 320 hp. After that, it's all about forced induction. The mid-mounted V6 has been positioned in the engine bay to accept a supercharger, which will bring output up and over 400 hp, dropping the 0-60 time to under four seconds and making the Evora "S" a serious contender to the Porsche 911 Turbo.


[Source: Autocar]

The Porsche Cayman is due for a makeover, and to coincide with the automaker's 60th anniversary, Porsche will be offering a Sport version of its mid-engine coupe as a fitting send off before the next generation arrives in 2009.

CarTribe is reporting that the Cayman S Sport will be equipped with some of the same kit featured on the Boxster S Sport, including a chronos package, upgraded brakes and suspension, along with a two-tone paint scheme that could ape the Porsche 911 GT3. Power upgrades will be nominal and pricing is expected to be around £47,000 in the UK. Porsche might roll out the Cayman S Sport at the London Motor Show this week, but it's more likely to be soft launched later this year.


[Source: CarTribe via WCF]

Lotus just keeps churning out more variants of the Elise and Exige, but the major difference between those other limited-edition models and the Exige Sport Cup 260, is this is the automaker's ultimate track-day version to date.

Powered by the 257 hp, Toyota-sourced 1.8-liter mill and a Roots-type Eaton M62 supercharger, the 2,046-pound coupe rockets to sixty in four seconds, passes 100 mph in 9.9 seconds an on to a top speed of 147 mph. A heavy-duty clutch sends power to the standard six-speed manual and on down to an LSD, with a plate-type limited slip available as an option. A new instrument pack with a revised graphic design keeps tabs on the blown four, while new aerodynamic bits (producing 40 kgs of downforce at 100 mph) and variable traction and launch control keep things planted at speed.

Standard equipment includes cast 16-inch wheels wrapped in Yokohama A048R tires, four-piston AP Racing calipers up front clamping 282 mm cross-drilled rotors, an adjustable anti-roll bar and dampers, along with FIA-approved Recaro seats, six-point roll-cage and a 70-liter fuel cell.

The price of the Exige Sport Cup 260 is set at £56,034 and it's available now in Europe.

[Source: Lotus]

If you'd suspected that Mercedes' F700 show car was a preview of cues we'd soon see on production cars, there's a Schulte Design rendering to bolster your theory. The current S-Class debuted in 2005, so we won't see its replacement for a couple of years, but there's already lots of development underway. The new sheetmetal will be a full redesign, not a freshening, and the rendering depicts a car that takes inspiration from the F700, but tones the cues down a bit. The shape of the front end is very similar, with the headlights and grille echoing what Mercedes showed us in Frankfurt. Along the flanks, the arcing line at the base of the windows has been toned down. Of course, while it's a good rendering, it's still an unofficial composite image, so we should just wait and see.

Solid word on powertrains has come down from on high, though. Mercedes is looking at a hybrid version of the S-Class to compete with the Lexus LS600hL. Our current S-Class will get a mild hybrid for 2009, and there's a Bluetec Hybrid under development packing 224 horsepower/560Nm and returning 44mpg. The engines we know and love in the current S-Class will largely carry over, though we'd expect that attention to efficiency and the hybrid powertrains will be more important because of the new CAFE standards.

[Source: eGMCarTech, Rendering: Schulte Design]

Audi's given the A4 an S-Line package for European consumption, and they're pledging that the US won't get stiffed when the fifth-generation A4 lands in America in late 2008. The German word for sport is, uh, sport, and the S-line bits can appease S4 aspirants without the heavy outlay for the über-performing version of the A4. Inside Line has been assured by Audi USA's Christian Bokich that they "won't hold back on the cool stuff from Germany," meaning you won't have to hunt down esoteric Euro part numbers for the bits you really want; nor will you have to go at your Audi with hand tools to get something a little special.

For about $3,000, European buyers will get a lowered suspension by Quattro GmbH, 18-inch cast aluminum wheels, sport seats, special perforated Alcantara and leather, and different accents for the leather wrapped sport steering wheel. While the interior execution will be Audi sumptuous, it certainly won't make the car any sportier or faster. The bolsters on the sport seats are likely to be more snug-fitting, but what it sounds like, the main value is in the Quattro GmbH suspension which would probably be hard to duplicate for a mere $3K aftermarket. The extra finery is de rigeur in this segment, lest you forget you're driving an uprated car.

[Source: Inside Line]

The rumors, the announcement, the official photos...none of it was enough to believe a once sensible company like Daimler-Benz could have created something so outrageously, ridiculously impractical as a six-figure, all-white, high-performance, partial-convertible, super-luxury limousine. Seeing it on video doesn't quite make it believable either. (It's kinda like the Moon Landing to conspiracy theorists that way). But short of seeing it up close and in person - which we hope won't be necessary - this is just about as close as we'd want to get. Okay, we believe, we believe. Just make it stop.

[Source: YouTube]

We were as taken-aback as the blokes over at Autocar when they discovered that the new, Performance Pack-equipped, Lotus Exige S came with an optional cup-holder. "It can't be true!" we screamed to the God of Oversteer, but it is, and although it's as minimal as it can get, it still seems like a dilution of a car (and a brand) that's made a name for itself producing focused, lightweight weapons for the track. Mr. Chapman is doing donuts in his grave and we're left shaking our heads.

[Source: Autocar]

In a perfect world, everyone who wanted a car like the Porsche 911 Turbo S would get one. In the real world, sadly, not everyone can afford the six-figure price of admission. Fortunately there's virtual reality in between, where enthusiasts can toy with cars like the Turbo S in video games. To bridge that ever-narrowing gap for game-playing Porschephiles, Stuttgart has licensed this super-realistic force-feedback gaming wheel package.

The Porsche 911 Turbo S Wheel from Fanatec is a proper replica of the wheel found in the actual car, complete with hand-stitched leather, authentic metal badge on the hub...the works. But while a real Porsche has one engine, this wheel has three belt-driven force feedback motors to perfect the feeling. The wheel is accompanied by a three-pedal set, gas, brake and clutch likewise calibrated for an ultra-realistic feel. Fanatec even provides two interchangeable gearsticks – six-speed manual H-gate and Tiptronic sequential. Two versions are available, for Playstation 3 or PC, the former with lap braces and the former with table clamps. It even comes with a special 1GB USB drive in the shape of a Porsche key.

In addition to the manufacturer's online shop, the wheel package is available through Porsche dealerships and will set you back $350, who can hook you up with the only thing more realistic for about 200 times that.

[Source: Fanatec via Motorpasion]

Click the image above for a couple of wallpaper-worthy shots of the Club Racer Exige S.

The term "Club Racer" is usually appended to some of the most hard-core track-day weapons on the market. In the case of the Lotus Exige S Club Racer, it boils down to an exclusive paint scheme and some added interior bits.

The sky blue and "Phantom Black" exterior ties in nicely with the sports pack black wheels, and harkens back to the heyday of Mr. Chapman's racing endeavors in the '60s. Inside, the Club Racer gets a combination of black leather and carbon fiber "effect" coverings, along with an overhead shot of the Hethel circuit embroidered into the headrests.

Only 25 limited editor "Racers" will be sold, with no word on how many will make it Stateside. With a price of £39,950 for what's essentially a Sport, Touring and Super Touring package equipped Exige S with a Sports Exhaust and air-con, we could think of better ways of building up our own dream Exige.

Lotus' press release in full is posted after the jump.