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Audi R8 LMS Defends Title at Bathurst (Watch Video)

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 07:04:44 GMT

The Audi R8 LMS remains "King of the Mountain" at Bathurst. On Australia’s most challenging race track the successful GT3 sports car from Audi Sport customer racing defended its title at the 12-hour race. Christer Jöns (D), Christopher Mies (D) and Darryl O’Young (HK) won the endurance classic at Mount Panorama in extremely difficult conditions. Rain, fog, several lead changes and numerous safety car periods repeatedly interrupted the young trio’s race rhythm. But in the end they won with a 1m 13s advantage.

Audi remains unbeaten at Bathurst: For the second time in succession, the R8 LMS prevailed in the most important GT endurance race on the fifth continent. Conditions were far more difficult than they had been a year ago. Varying intensities of rain and dense fog at times caused a number of spins, excursions and yellow periods.

The first four hours of the race alone saw the three different vehicles take turns in leading the race. From the fourth hour onward, Phoenix Racing prevailed at the front. Both R8 LMS cars of the squad from Meuspath (Germany) fought a thrilling battle for the top position. Even a spin and an excursion into the gravel trap that temporarily relegated the black number "1" R8 LMS to third place could not prevent Jöns/Mies/O’Young from taking victory.

On Saturday, the trio had already been the measure of all things by setting the fastest time in qualifying and capturing position one on the grid. Victory on Sunday completed a perfect weekend. The triumph at Bathurst marked as much as the 119th win in the three-year career of Audi’s successful customer race car.

The second Audi R8 LMS from Phoenix Racing was less fortunate. The Australian trio Warren Luff/Craig Lowndes/Mark Eddy had initially shown a strong performance, advancing to the front of the field after having started from fifth place. In the fourth and fifth hour of the race the number "2" R8 LMS was even the leading car. A five-minute time penalty for a severed refueling hose though caused the white Audi to lose four laps at about the race’s mid-point. Afterward, on lap 157, Mark Eddy lost control of his car in dense fog and heavy rain. He crashed into a concrete wall with the left side of the car on "The Dipper" track section. He was forced to retire with front and rear suspension damage. As early as on lap 60 the Audi R8 LMS of Team United Autosports had become victim to the treacherous conditions as well. Frank Yu from Hong Kong spun and damaged the frame of the vehicle on hitting a wall. Neither of the two drivers sustained any injuries.

Audi has now won four major endurance races within twelve months, having recorded two successes at the Bathurst 12 Hours and one victory each at the 24-hour races on the Belgian circuits at Spa and Zolder, plus GT3 class victory at the Nürburgring 24 Hours. This year, the 24-hour classics in the Eifel and the Ardennes are again on the R8 LMS’ agenda. The coming weekend will also see the start of the first of numerous GT3 championships in the 2012 season in which Audi customer sport teams are represented. At Adelaide, Australia, Mark Eddy will be competing as the title defender on the first weekend in March. Together with his team-mate Warren Luff he is aiming to make up in the R8 LMS for what he unfortunately was unable to achieve at Bathurst - the leap onto the podium.

Quotes after the race

Romolo Liebchen (Head of Customer Sport quattro GmbH):
"After this weekend we can be more than happy because we experienced a pretty rough day. We were fighting for twelve hours straight, from the beginning through to the end, and we did so in difficult overall conditions. We won but on the other hand two of the Audi cars did not finish due to accidents - including our strong Australian car. In the end, one R8 LMS made it, and our youngsters prevailed with a really cool showing. A tremendous performance! The cars were running without any problem from the first meter on. They’d been perfectly prepared at home and were perfectly fielded by Phoenix Racing. And it’s nice for us to be able to beat our core competitors and to finish ahead of Mercedes and Ferrari. That does fill us with a bit of pride. The two 24-hour races at the Nürburgring and at Spa are the next big aims for the R8 LMS. In parallel, we’ll soon be starting into about 20 championships worldwide where the R8 LMS will be fielded."

Ernst Moser (Team Director Phoenix Racing):
"The balanced performance of the victorious driver trio was the secret of success. They were all very good because conditions at Bathurst were really difficult. The competition was lying in wait up to the final lap. A big ‘well done’ to the drivers and to my squad. In terms of strategy we didn’t have an advantage throughout, as some rivals repeatedly managed to make up ground in yellow periods. But we were always able to recover. We all love endurance races. After the victories at the Nürburgring and at Spa, our team’s track record now shows a success at Bathurst as well. Our second car was in contention for victory too. Craig and Warren consistently remained without mistakes. Unfortunately, Mark reached the limit in rain. Heavily touching the wall after a small mistake is a really tough experience. Otherwise, the car would also have been at the very front in the end. They were leading the race some of the time. They are three tremendous guys. I’d really love to see them travel to Germany and drive an endurance race at the Nürburgring with us some day."

Christer Jöns (Audi Top Service R8 LMS #1)
"I can hardly believe it! I truly enjoyed watching the scenes at the end of the race on TV once more. This is my first victory in the Audi R8 LMS, and on my Bathurst debut of all times. Darryl (O’Young) safely drove the car to the finish line in the end. That was really a rough, challenging race with a lot of unknown quantities. The weather was unpredictable and the track conditions kept changing. And it was a true battle all the way up to the end."

Christopher Mies (Audi Top Service R8 LMS #1)
"This victory is fantastic because my race wasn’t exactly easy. A Ferrari overtook us early on. Christer (Jöns) took over the car later and then I was driving in rain again. We were running far in front when my rear wheels locked when I was braking into the last turn. So I slipped into the gravel trap. We truly experienced some highs and lows. In the end, we won with a lead of a little over a minute. In rain we were five seconds faster some of the time than our sister car and the Mercedes that ultimately finished as the runner-up. We also made the quickest pit stops. At the end, I had tears in my eyes because this victory was the result of an ultra-tough battle in incredibly bad weather against strong rivals."

Darryl O’Young (Audi Top Service R8 LMS #1)
"The team was tremendous. The cooperation between quattro GmbH and Phoenix Racing was fantastic. As well as for Phoenix, Australia was new territory for Christer Jöns, who did a first-class job of driving. For me, it’s been one of my toughest races due to the constantly changing conditions. There was a lot of hydroplaning and at times we had to drive on slicks in the rain. A fantastic showing by all. Many thanks from me to the whole squad."

Mark Eddy (Audi Finance R8 LMS #2) "Working with Phoenix Racing was great fun. We were competitive throughout the weekend and the team did a really good job. In the race both Audi cars were running at the front some of the time but as the race progressed conditions became more difficult due to rain and fog. Unfortunately, I then had the accident on the mountain and we retired. I let a warning message on the cockpit display briefly distract me. Now I’m hoping for better luck next weekend when the Australian GT Championship opens at which I’m competing with my own R8 LMS."

Craig Lowndes (Audi Finance R8 LMS #2)
"It was great having contested a race again in the Audi R8 LMS. Phoenix Racing is top-notch and gave us a very warm welcome. And the R8 LMS is simply a sensational car that is very pleasant to drive and that you don’t mind trusting. Up to the accident we had an outstanding weekend. The conditions were pretty difficult and it’s not easy anyway to be quick at Mount Panorama. Mark Eddy was simply struck by misfortune in the fog. I enjoyed driving again for Audi Sport customer racing. I hope this wasn’t the last run."

Warren Luff (Audi Finance R8 LMS #2)
"Even though the weekend didn’t end the way we’d been hoping it would it was great driving with Phoenix Racing. Our speed during the first half of the race was good and we were already faster than at our lap record last year. The car was very quick and consistent. When the weather changed Mark (Eddy) unfortunately had an accident on the mountain. But that’s part of racing too. Mark and I are now looking forward to the next weekend. That’s when his title defense in the Australian GT Championship starts and I’ll be running together with him. Hopefully, we’ll be at the very front then in the Audi R8 LMS."

Race results

1 Jöns/Mies/O’Young (Audi R8 LMS), 270 laps in 12h 03m 31.375s
2 Slade/Bleekemolen/Hackett/Curtis (Mercedes) + 1m 13.284s
3 Sun/Baird/Griffin (Ferrari) - 2 laps
4 Tinkler/Johnson/Richards (Porsche) - 16 laps
5 O’Donnell/Niall/McLennon (Porsche) - 26 laps
6 Alford/Leemhuis/Beechey (Porsche) - 33 laps
7 Pye/Barbour/Pither (Holden) - 39 laps
8 Thomlinson/Dippie/Maddren (Porsche) - 42 laps
9 Thomson/Klien/Harley (Lotus) - 43 laps
10 Newman/Lillie/Atkinson (Holden) - 48 laps

Vauxhall's hot hatches: an odd pair

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 11:29:12 GMT

"Lively little thing,” said the Vauxhall man who gave me the key to the Corsa VXR Nürburgring. “Might not be the best possible conditions in which to take her to the limit.”

Vauxhall had chosen a hillside above the River Clyde outside Glasgow as the place to present its latest models. Fresh snow was banked against the hedgerows and sheet ice covered the road. In some spots, snow on ice concealed the evil potholes with which Britain’s road network is now blighted.

“Not the best possible conditions” was, therefore, a gentle way of suggesting that a high-performance, lightweight, 200bhp supermini with acceleration powers close to some supercars might be fractionally beyond my talents as a driver. I wasn’t insulted. In these conditions, Sébastien Loeb, eight times World Rally Champion, might even need to put both hands on the wheel.

I was out for 40 minutes in the Corsa Nürburgring. In that time, I doubt if I got above 3,500rpm (a little more than half the peak output of its 1.6-litre turbocharged engine) for more than 90 seconds. With all that power going through the front wheels, I was dreading a slide; and, with the lower edge of the front bumper only inches from the road, I feared that hitting a pothole might not only wreck one of the Corsa Nürburgring’s 225/35 R18 ultra-low profile tyres but also mutilate its expensive bodywork. This limited, slightly terrifying interlude could be taken as a metaphor for the Corsa Nürburgring. Who but Sébastien Loeb, on a rally circuit, with no traffic coming the other way, is ever going to enjoy and exploit the capabilities of this extraordinarily fast, expensive and uncomfortable supermini?

£22,295 is more than three times what you might pay for a thoroughly excellent Kia Picanto. You’d have to be 25 years old, with a mental age of 12, to want it. It was an immense relief, therefore, to take a seat in the Astra GTC, the three-door coupè version of the popular family hatchback.

Here was everything the Corsa Nürburgring lacked – comfort, good visibility, usable power and a reluctance to draw attention to itself. On those same treacherous surfaces, the GTC was a haven of calm.
With a big boot, plenty of room in the back for adult passengers and a high level of standard specification, the turbocharged 1.6-litre 180bhp petrol version I drove was only fractionally slower than the Corsa Nürburgring but still quicker than the nearest equivalent Volkswagen Scirocco. Even with an ultra-refined satnav and entertainment system and Bluetooth telephony, this GTC still costs less than £500 more than the Corsa Nürburgring. On top of all that, it carries Vauxhall’s 100,000-mile warranty, which is so good that it’s hard to believe.

Speaking of the tendency of modern automotive engineers to make suspension systems too hard and stiff, Alex Moulton (designer of the suspension system on the original Mini and of the Moulton bicycle) once said to me, “the Nürburgring’s got a lot to answer for” (because car companies aim to make cars that will set records on that peerless circuit in the Eifel mountains).

The Corsa VXR Nürburgring epitomises all the qualities that Moulton abhorred. The Astra GTC is the near-perfect embodiment of the opposite.

Honda Expands Touring Car Racing Program for 2012 Season

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:16:21 GMT

Honda Performance Development (HPD) provides components and support to teams ranging from amateur to professional levels. In the past the company supported teams in the Grand-Am Continental Tire Challenge Series, but will move into the Sports Car Club of America’s World Challenge and B-Spec categories as well.

“With the development of the 2012 Honda Civic Si for Touring Car racing and the introduction of B-Spec for both professional and club racing, it’s been a very busy off-season for HPD,” said Lee Niffenegger, HPD senior engineer responsible for production-based racing.

“There has been a definite upsurge in interest from both the U.S. and Canada for this year, and we’re looking forward to exciting seasons in Grand-Am, World Challenge and Canadian Touring Cars,” he said.

According to Honda, the Civic Si is the car of choice this year with at least five teams taking part in the 14-race schedule in the World Challenge Touring Car class. Cars that run these races range from being almost factory stock to heavily modified based on the series. World Challenge Touring Car entrants run on the less modified end of that spectrum.

In the B-Spec segment, Honda will race their Fit cars, which represents and inexpensive, entry-level option for racers to get into the sport. Compass360, a Toronto-based racing team has long used Hondas to compete in the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and Gand Am series and claimed first place in the 2010 Canadian Touring Car Championship for Honda.

This year Compass360 will also enter the World Challenge for Honda with a multi-car effort in the SCCA Pirelli World Challenge and Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge.

Buyers paying more for Hyundai Elantra than Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 09:16:55 GMT

According to data compiled by Edmunds.com for USA Today, the Hyundai Elantra now commands a higher price than its Japanese competitor’s compact sedans. The analysis shows that buyers in 2011 paid an average of $19,711 for the Hyundai Elantra sedan, which comes in $1,500 more than the Toyota Corolla and $300 more than the Honda Civic. Sales of the redesigned Hyundai Elantra were up 40.5 percent in 2011 from 2010. Check out more news on the Hyundai Elantra.

Hyundai’s mid-size Sonata is also closing the gap with the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. In 2011, Hyundai Sonata buyers paid 33 percent more for the Sonata than they did in 2002, while the Accord commanded a 13 percent increase and the Camry a 10 percent increase.

On average, U.S. buyers paid $23,259 for a Sonata, just $860 below the Accord and $500 below the Camry. To put that in perspective, 5 years ago, the Sonata lagged behind its Japanese rivals by more than $2,000.
Later this year, the Hyundai Elantra GT hatchback and the Hyundai Elantra Coupe will also go on sale.

WEC: Audi newsletter - February 19

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 11:08:57 GMT

Ingolstadt, February 19, 2012 - The place and date for the world premiere of the new Audi hybrid race car for the Le Mans 24 Hours have been set. The forward-thinking LMP1 vehicle will be presented at the Munich Airport on February 29 before the Audi Annual Press Conference 2012.

Red carpet: The Annual Press Conference on March 1 is one of the most important events in AUDI AG’s fiscal year. And exactly on this occasion Audi Sport will be presenting its major and arguably most ambitious project for the 2012 motorsport season: the new hybrid race car for the Le Mans 24 Hours. The Le Mans prototype will be celebrating its world premiere at the Munich Airport on the eve of the Annual Press Conference. The evening to which about 300 journalists from around the world have been invited is billed as "Looking to the future - tomorrow’s automotive technology."

Six out of eight: Slightly modified Sporting Regulations are designed to add suspense to the new FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC). In the manufacturers’ classification of the top LMP1 category only the best-placed vehicle of one automobile manufacturer will score championship points. In addition, only the results of six of the eight races - including the Le Mans 24 Hours for which the points awarded are doubled - will be counted. In the 2012 WEC Audi is fighting with Toyota for the World Champion’s title.

Lady in the GT3 Audi: Cyndie Allemann is the first woman to contest a racing series in the Audi R8 LMS. The 25-year-old Swiss is competing for the Audi customer team Hitotsuyama Racing in d the GT300 class of the Japanese Super GT Championship. Mikio Hitotsuyama’s squad won the Super Taikuyu Series with the Audi R8 LMS last year and scored the 100th victory of the successful Audi customer sport race car.

Honor for Le Mans: The renowned "National Geographic" magazine has ranked the Le Mans 24 Hours as the world’s greatest sporting event that anyone should have visited at least once in their life. The combination of skill, speed and endurance, it said, made Le Mans the world’s best auto race.

Honor for Audi engineer: Leena Gade, the vehicle engineer for the 2011 Le Mans winning Audi R18 TDI, was invited to the "Motor Sport Hall of Fame 2012" at the Roundhouse in London on Thursday night. The event held by "Motor Sport" magazine is regarded as one of the most important social functions of the British motorsport scene.

Double: Last weekend, Audi "factory" driver Timo Scheider attended two major sporting events. On Saturday evening, the two-time DTM Champion witnessed the World Championship victory of boxer Vitali Klitschko over Dereck Chisora in Munich’s Olympic Hall . On, Sunday Scheider visited the Ski Flying World Cup in Oberstdorf.

Following in his father’s tracks: Audi "factory" driver André Lotterer contested the historic "Legend Boucles de Spa" rally this weekend. Lotterer has close ties to Belgium. The German spent his youth there and his father Henry Lotterer worked for the Belgian RAS rally team. At the "Legend Bouclés des Spa" rally the Le Mans winner piloted a Porsche 911 SC RS, a car resembling the one his father, who died in 2009, had prepared in the nineteen-eighties.

Finale in India: The place and date for the tenth race of the FIA GT1 World Championship in which the Audi customer team WRT is putting two Audi R8 LMS ultra cars on the grid have been set. The season finale will be held at the Formula 1 circuit near New Dehlhi in India on December 2. The season will open at Nogaro (France) on April 8.

Indoor session: A photo shoot with DTM racer Mike Rockenfeller and the new Audi A1 Sportback for the Audi Sport magazine "Adrenalin" had to be moved indoors to the Audi Forum Ingolstadt at short notice on Wednesday due to a heavy snowstorm. The change in venue gave the 2010 Le Mans winner an immediate opportunity to view the re-designed new car delivery section with his expert eyes.

On the controller: The five-time Le Mans winner Frank Biela has discovered a new passion: slot car racing. With an Audi R8 LMS and a team of his own the former DTM Champion and long-standing Audi factory driver is contesting the legendary rallye racing Carrera Cup this year. The season will open in Hamburg next Wednesday.

A word from ... Mattias Ekström
In a little more than ten weeks from now the new DTM season will start, marking a completely new era for the DTM. Are you excited about that?

I’m definitely very excited because we’ve been waiting for this for a long time in the DTM. A new manufacturer is joining the series and the regulations are new. At Audi, we’ve been doing a lot of development work over the winter. That’s why I’m very eager to finally go to Hockenheim and to see how good our work has been compared with BMW and Mercedes. Tests never really give you the right answer to this; that only happens at the first qualifying session and the first race.

The new DTM vehicles will be homologated on March 1. What does that mean for the next two weeks?
Obviously, our technical staff would be much better qualified to answer this question. But principally speaking there’s only fine-tuning work left at this stage. The key decisions were made a long time ago. Every manufacturer will now try and guard their little secrets up to the last moment. After March 1 the cards will be revealed a little more - also during the track tests.

You’ve already covered many kilometers at the wheel of the new Audi A5 DTM. What’s your impression? Where does Audi stand compared with the competition? What can the fans expect of the 2012 DTM season and, most importantly, of Audi?

The car is definitely a bit different to drive than the A4. The biggest difference is made by the new Hankook tire which is a bit wider - that changes the driving style to some extent. And we’ve got the gearshift on the steering wheel now. That, too, makes a bit of a difference. There are many things you can’t fully judge at this point in time because we haven’t driven the latest racing version yet. But I’m pretty sure that the new cars will be about as fast as the A4. We’ve got a little more downforce but also slightly higher weight. I think these two aspects balance each other. Nobody can tell at the moment where we stand compared with the competition. We really have to wait until the first race at Hockenheim. In any event, the fans can expect things to get really tight. The new regulations have reduced the freedom of the engineers quite a bit. That’s why the whole field will be very close. Saturday will be the most important day for a successful weekend. You’ve simply got to be very far at the front of the grid. The fans can expect Audi to run at full throttle to repeat the champion’s titles of the past few years. But BMW and Mercedes-Benz will be driving flat out as well. The three premium manufacturers in the same championship with the same aims: That’ll be a tough number! If I were a fan I definitely wouldn’t miss that.

2013 BMW X3 Gets 2.0L Turbo Engine - Web Exclusive

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 10:02:52 GMT

The new engine replaces the outgoing normally aspirated inline six-cylinder N52 engine and is scheduled for April 2012 production as a 2013 model with delivery to US dealers in May. MSRP, including $895 destination and handling, are $39395 for the X3 xDrive28i and $44,495 for the X3 xDrive35i. This represents an increase of $1400 and $900 respectively.

In addition, a new Driver Assistance Package option (ZDA) will include Lane Departure Warning; while the optional M Sport Package will add 19” wheels to the X3 xDrive28i. The X3 also has several upgraded standard equipment enhancements such as Auto Start Stop and Driving Dynamics Control with ECO PRO as well as a Power Tailgate.

The state-of-the-art, 2.0-liter engine uses BMW TwinPower Turbo technology, which combines High Precision Direct Fuel Injection, Double-Vanos variable camshaft timing and Valvetronic variable valve timing along with twin-scroll turbocharging. On the new-generation four-cylinder engine, this technology provides an efficient way to extract more power without going for larger displacement and weight.

As a result, the new BMW TwinPower Turbo four-cylinder’s 1997cc displacement delivers 240hp at 5000rpm while maximum torque of 260 lb-ft is developed at 1250rpm and remains constant up to 4800rpm. This translates to the BMW X3 xDrive28i accelerating from 0-60mph in just 6.5 seconds, on its way to an electronically governed top speed of 130 mph.

Ninth-generation Civic takes center stage

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 09:10:31 GMT

FOLLOWING the much-awaited launch of its City sedan last month, Honda Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI), sprang another surprise on the Philippine automotive market when it launched its all-new Civic yesterday at the Bonifacio Global City.

Many of those who witnessed the launch couldn’t help but feel the excitement brought about by the product’s unveiling and even more were in agreement that it was only apt that the latest Civic is serving notice to all and sundry that HCPI is truly back on track and re-establishing its presence in the industry.

Few will dare to disagree that the Civic is still Honda’s most popular model to date. Even history will show that the first Civic, which was introduced in 1973, immediately received a warm welcome from car enthusiasts all over the world. It was, thus, inevitable that succeeding models would achieve iconic status not only because of their avant-garde design but also their cutting-edge technology. Nine generations later, the all-new Civic is keeping the tradition alive.

Honda says that the latest Civic design is based on several tenets, i.e., fun-to-drive and fuel-efficient performance, clean and energetic styling, and smart technology interface.

The vehicle’s body has been made more rigid and light, its suspension has been tweaked for livelier handling and its resistance to noise, vibration and harshness has been further enhanced. The all-new Civic has also been fitted with Eco Assist technology, consisting of the Econ mode, which controls the drive-by-wire feature, transmission and air-conditioning as well as an Eco coaching ambient meter that measures throttle input and displays a blue light on the instrument panel when fuel efficiency is not optimized and a green light when the driver is operating the car efficiently—all of which help the driver extract maximum fuel economy from the already thrifty 1.8-liter i-VTEC four-cylinder gasoline engine mated to a five-speed automatic tranny that produces 141 ps of maximum power at 6,500 rpm and maximum torque of 17.7 kg-m at 4,300 rpm.

As can be expected from any Civic, the current model’s design is sleek and sporty. Aggressiveness is certainly not lacking in the vehicle thanks to projector-type halogen headlights, front fog lights and 16" alloy wheels.

For the first time, Honda has included a five-inch color LCD intelligent multi-information display or i-MID as part of the vehicle’s amenities. The monitor displays audio and fuel consumption information and provides an interface for the driver to adjust the car’s light settings.

Door mirror-mounted side turn lights, rear reverse camera (displayed in the i-MID screen), integrated audio system with CD/MP3/WMA player; USB connectivity and auxiliary plug, six speakers (including tweeters), steering-wheel controls (for i-MID and audio system), cruise controls (steering wheel mounted), Bluetooth hands-free telephone function (steering wheel integrated), 60:40 split-folding rear seats, manually adjustable headlight leveling switch, leather steering wheel and beige interior fabric round out the vehicle’s list of features.

Safety-conscious owners will appreciate the G-CON (G-Force Control) collision safety technology, dual SRS airbags, ABS with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) and Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), which come standard on the all-new Civic, which is available in Carnelian Red (new color), Urban Titanium, Taffeta White, Crystal Black and at a suggested retail price of P1.074 million. Visit www.civic.com.ph for more information.

Audi RS4 Avant revealed ahead of Geneva Motor Show

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:06:23 GMT

Sure, the Cadillac CTS-V is great. We love it, in fact. But sometimes you might need to fly a little under the radar, rather than targeting it with heat-seeking missiles. If that’s the case, the 2013 Audi RS4 Avant may be just what you’re looking for--and the newest version has now been fully revealed ahead of its world debut in just a few weeks at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.

Powered by the same airpump as the 2013 RS5, namely a naturally-aspirated 4.2-liter V-8 good for 450 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque, it’s capable of 4.7-second runs to 62 mph. That’s quick, but not exactly mind-shattering--but hey, this is the sleeper uberwagon, remember? Top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph, though Audi is happy to raise this to 174 mph upon request.

The engine is matched to a seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission with launch control (no mention of a manual has been made) and drive is sent to all four wheels via the latest quattro permanent all-wheel drive system.

The heart of the quattro all-wheel drive system is a crown-gear center differential. This compact and lightweight component can vary the distribution of power between the front and rear axles immediately, smoothly and over a wide range, with up to 70 percent flowing to the front or as much as 85 percent to the rear. A default 40:60 setting provides that classic rear-driving feel.

The self-locking crown-gear center differential works together with the torque vectoring system, which acts on all four wheels. If the load on the inside wheel is reduced too much, the torque vectoring system brakes it slightly before unintended slip can occur. On top of this, Audi also offers its sport differential, which uses two superposition stages to actively distribute the power between the rear wheels.

The Audi RS4 Avant is 0.79 inches longer and 0.94 inches wider than the regular A4 Avant, but also 0.79 inches lower. Many components of its five-link front suspension and the self-tracking trapezoidal-link rear suspension are made of aluminum. The steering system is also a speed-dependent electromechanical setup.

The wheels measure 19 inches in diameter in standard trim with 265/35 tires, though a 20-inch set with 265/30 tires is available as an option. For the front axle there are 14.37-inch steel brake discs though you can opt for a set of 14.96-inch carbon ceramic units. Six-piston brake calipers are also used at the front.

To further boost performance, there is an available sport suspension plus system with dynamic ride control (DRC). Oil lines and a central valve connect diagonally opposed pairs of shock absorbers. During fast cornering, the system boosts the stabilization of the front outside wheel, for example.

Inside, the RS4 Avant is clad completely in black, with the exception of the roofliner, which is available in Moon Silver. Chrome trim accentuate switches and control elements, while carbon inlays are standard, with brushed matte aluminum, a black piano finish, or a light stainless steel mesh available as options.

The standard heated front sport seats with integrated headrests are power adjustable and covered in a combination of black leather and Alcantara. Fine Nappa leather in either Black or Moon Silver accentuated with Stone Gray piping is optionally available. Other options include bucket seats or climate-controlled deluxe seats with a ventilation function.

The thick ring of the leather multifunction sport steering wheel is flattened at the bottom like on most sporty Audis, and the shift paddles mounted on the back of it sport an aluminum-look finish. The driver information system with color display includes an RS menu with a lap timer and an oil thermometer.

First sales will start in Europe this fall, but as for an American launch, don’t hold your breath. We’re just not cool enough.

NHTSA Opens Investigation into Burning Toyota Camry/RAV4 Window Switches

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 09:18:00 GMT

Toyota’s RAV4 compact crossevr and Camry sedan are getting a little bit of heat — some literally, some figuratively — after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration received multiple complaints of smoldering or burning front power window switches.

NHTSA has received six complaints from customers driving either 2007 model year RAV4s or 2007 Camrys. All six customers reported either smoke, flames, or both coming from the driver’s door panel, where Toyota puts electric switches for all four power windows, but that all flames and smoke would end shortly after the car was shut off. Multiple complaints said that the master power switch assembly had a dime-sized hole burnt through it. Thankfully, NHTSA hasn’t heard of any injuries as a result of the fires, although at least one car was “declared destroyed” according to the report.

At the moment, NHTSA’s investigation is limited to 2007 model year Camrys and RAV4s, which means that the problem covers at least 830,000 vehicles. It’s unclear at the moment which cars from that time period used the same window switches, but considering that Toyota frequently shares parts between its models, this problem could affect more than just the RAV4 and Camry.

It’s not an excellent start to Toyota’s 2012, especially after a 2011 in which the automaker recalled about 14 million vehicles, enough to score it a second-place finish in the dubious contest of who can recall the most cars.

New BMW M6

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:12:44 GMT

Feel free to call them whatever you want mate, but the official names for the two-door M5 is M6 Coupe and Convertible. Both will make their maiden appearance simultaneously at next month's Geneva motor show where the M party will be further intensified with the M550d, M550d Touring, X5 M50d and X6 M50d _ all four using an all-new tri-turbo six-cylinder diesel engine as featured in Life late last month.

- Super! How fast is the M6?

As already indicated in the deck above, the M6 gets its power from the M5 saloon, that is, a 560hp/680Nm 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol head and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. It replaces its predecessor's tuneful, atmospheric 506hp 5.0-litre V10 albeit jerky, unresolved automated manual gearbox known as SMG in BMW speak.

According to BMW, the M6 Coupe goes from 0-100kph in 4.2sec _ 0.2sec faster than the M5 yet achieving the same 10.1kpl average fuel economy. The M6 Convertible does 4.3sec. And if you'd care about top speed, the M6's speed limiter can be upped with the M Driver's package from 250kph to 305.

- Is there an M differential?

Of course, and it's part of a series of dynamic-enhancing features to make the M6 both enjoyable and easy to drive which can be found in the M5.

In fact, the styling enhancements of the M6 reflect those on the M5 like the accentuated vents in the bumpers. However, note the M6's bespoke, less chunky steering wheel.

- It looks quite nice. What about its rivals?

Like the 6-series it is based on, the M6 is nearly in a class of its own. The only luxury coupe (in the 15 million baht price bracket) to come with spicy performance treatment is the Jaguar XKR-S, which has a 550hp 5.0-litre supercharged V8 but is 0.2sec slower than the M6 from 0-100kph at 4.4sec.

The Aston Martin DBS, Bentley Continental Supersport and Mercedes-Benz CL63 AMG compete a notch higher in the 20 million baht range.

- What about the CLS63 AMG?

The CLS is more of a four-door saloon with a coupe-style profile. But don't think that Mercedes is the only one doing something strange. BMW has already announced this year the first details of the 6-series GranCoupe _ with four doors quasi-style like the CLS.

But what BMW hasn't revealed yet for its third 6-series model is the M power package the Coupe and Convertible have received here this week. Spy shots in Europe have indicated that the M6 GranCoupe is undergoing durability tests on public roads and should go on sale within two years.

The M6 GranCoupe{aac} is likely to get that same 560hp powerplant. We'll just have to wait and see if it can match the CLS63 AMG in acceleration terms.

With a 525hp/700Nm 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8, the hot CLS does 4.4sec _ the same like the M5. With the 549hp/800Nm AMG performance pack, the time is cut by 0.1sec.