Audi A6 review

Audi A6 review

The all-new Audi A6 is packed with technology, but it's the executive car's refinement and build quality that really impress. 

When it snows here in the UK we're told to pack sleeping bags, shovels and flasks full of tea. Audi man, faced with crossing powdered white mountains needs nothing more than his crisply pressed suit and designer stubble.

His journey is long but immensely enjoyable. We know this because it warrants a montage in Audi's promotional video for the all-new A6, the seventh generation of the German firm's executive saloon that started life in 1968 as the 100. Exactly where the Colin Farrell look-alike is going is anyone's guess but it involves travelling up a lot of hills and through weather that has deteriorated from sun to rain and now lots of snow.

There's trouble ahead for our hero though as just up ahead a recently fallen tree is blocking the road. Outside in the bitter cold people struggle to clear the obstacle, battling with their bare hands to lift, push, pull or roll the huge object - anything so that the road can be reopened. Exhausted and cold they must be relieved to see Audi man arrive, looking young, strong and dressed in completely inappropriate clothes for the conditions. He's clearly a hardy chap; if anyone can help, he can. They wave at Audi man, waiting in hope for their sharp-suited hero to emerge from his remarkably still very clean new car.

He, however, is engrossed in switching on his seat massage function to relieve the boredom of waiting for these peasants to clear the road before giving up and asking his Google Earth enabled satnav to find an alternative route. In a flash Audi man spins his A6 around and, safely cocooned in his bubble of technology, gets on with his clearly very important journey.

 

Aston Martin One-77 First Customer Deliveries

Aston Martin One-77

A great day for Aston Martin fans! Aston Martin’s new supercar flagship the Aston Martin One-77 is being delivered to the first lucky customers around the world. The Aston Martin One-77 is the fastest, most powerful and most expensive Aston Martin ever build. It is limited to strictly 77 pieces with an initial price tag of € 1,340,000.
In November Aston Martin announced a price increase of an incredible £ 150,000 for the remaining 17 unsold One-77’s. With the first cars being delivered now, the last one is scheduled to leave the factory at the end of this year.
The 7.3 liter V12 squeezes out a wonderful 760 horsepower, making it the most powerful naturally aspirated engine in a production car. The One-77 delivers a maximum torque of 750Nm. 0-100km/h is reached within 3.5 seconds and the top speed is 220mph.

Aston Martin V8 Vantage S

The overall design for the V8 Vantage is already almost 6 years old, but it is arguably still one of the most beautiful cars out there. So, in order to keep their supermodel looking fresh and relevant, Aston Martin have given the old girl a makeover.

The new, sportier V8 Vantage S was revealed just a few days ago, so the scars from all that cosmetic surgery might still be fresh, but complete photo galleries for both the coupe and the cabrio have been released by the British sportscar maker.

Aston Martin V8 Vantage S

Aston Martin V8 Vantage S

Aston Martin V8 Vantage S

Scuderia Vittoria Bring Two Car Entry To British GT

The grid for the 2011 British GT Championship will include a new team, with Scuderia Vittoria aiming for a two car entry – an Ascari KZR1 and a brand new Ferrari 458 GT3.
The team has been formed by experienced team manager Piers Masarati joining forces with drivers Tom Ferrier and Danny Buxton. The squad plan campaigns in both the British and European GT3 series, where the team will share the entry held by Chad Racing, the team led by Masarati in 2010.
The trio bring considerable experience, both in management and in racing various serious, Ferrier having driven in the BTCC as well as GT Championship whilst Buxton has won titles in Ford Fiestas and Renault Clios.
This broad range of experiences is something Scuderia Vittoria will look to add to the Essex based team also aiming for campaigns in the Renault Clio Cup – Danny Buxton running the team in that series – and Ginettas according to Piers Masarati.

An artist's impression of Scuderia Vittoria's 458 GT3

For their GT assault the team are now waiting on the delivery of their cars before they begin pre-season testing.
“The Ascari is currently in build at Ascari in Spain,” said Masarati. “And will be ready for testing in two weeks; we will be out at the Ascari circuit in Spain in mid-February and will be using this chassis to prepare all our drivers. The 458 will arrive from Ferrari in the first batch being sent to the UK, in March.”

Alfa Romeo Spider Delivers a Final Sting in the Tail

Alfa Romeo is about to close the latest chapter in the history of one of the most iconic names in the car industry, with the latest Alfa Romeo Spider coming to the end of its production life, but this Spider has one final sting in its tail – a limited production run with the all-new 1750 TBi engine that produces the best ever combination of performance, emissions and economy ever offered in an Alfa Spider during its legendary history.

But while the new Alfa Romeo Spider 1750 TBi is offering a new drivetrain with plenty of sting, the Alfa Romeo is ensuring that the final Spider in this incarnation does not deliver a sting in the wallet. At a recommended retail price, not including statutory charges and dealer costs, of $69,990 the new Spider 1750 TBi, despite its performance, fuel economy and emissions benefits, costs the same as the car it replaces. Additionally, the new 1750 TBi has Frau Pieno Fiore leather upholstered electric seats as standard, along with new 19 inch alloy wheels. The savings also extend to the range-topping Spider 3.2 JTS Q4 which, with a new price of $84,990 not including statutory charges and dealer costs, represents an $11,000 saving for the 2011 model cars.

2011 Alfa Romeo Brera 1750 TBi on sale in Australia

The Alfa Romeo Brera has joined the Spider and 159 in offering the Italian marque’s impressive 1750 TBi engine, as the sexy coupe enters the final stages of its life.

2011 Alfa Romeo Brera

Just like its convertible sister car – the Alfa Romeo Spider – the six-speed manual Brera 1750 TBi replaces the auto/manual 2.2 JTS models in a simplified, two-model line-up.
The revised pricing structure mirrors that of the Spider, with the 2011 Brera maintaining its entry-level price of $64,990, and enjoying an $11,000 price reduction for the range-topping 3.2-litre JTS V6 six-speed automatic, which now comes in at $79,990.
Like the Spider, new standard features across the 2011 Brera range include 19-inch alloy wheels, Pieno Fiore leather seats with power adjustment, and automatic folding side mirrors.

2011 Alfa Romeo Brera

Also standard is dual-zone air-conditioning, seven airbags, six-speaker audio system with 10-disc CD stacker, Blue and Me Bluetooth connection with iPod/USB connectivity, fog lights, rear parking sensors, cruise control, stability control with hill holder, 60/40 split-fold rear seats and a full length glass sunroof.
In addition, the 3.2 JTS V6 adds a Bose sound system, Xenon headlights and headlight washers, as well as Q4 all-wheel drive and the Q tronic automatic transmission.
The 1.75-litre direct-injection turbocharged four-cylinder engine produces 147kW of power and 320Nm of torque (up from the 2.2 JTS’s 136kW/230Nm). Acceleration from 0-100km/h is down by more than a second, while combined cycle fuel consumption and emissions are also around 12 percent lower, at 8.1 litres/100km and 189g/km respectively.

2011 Alfa Romeo Brera Engine

The 3.2-litre JTS V6 continues to offer 191kW and 322Nm of torque, with a sprint time seven-tenths quicker than the 1750 TBi, but fuel consumption considerably higher at 12.2 litres/100km.

Mercedes will build the GLK in China

Mercedes exports the GLK to China from Germany. Local production is planned soon.

Mercedes-Benz plans to build its GLK SUV in China, part of the German automaker's effort to gain share in one of China's fastest-growing product segments.

"Within a reasonable period of time, the GLK compact SUV will also be built in China for Chinese customers," said Mercedes sales chief Joachim Schmidt in an interview with Automobilwoche, a sister publication of Automotive News Europe.

So far, Mercedes has manufactured the C- and E-class model lines in a joint venture with the Chinese firm Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co.

An engine factory is also planned as part of Daimler's 3 billion euro (about $4.1 billion) investment in China.

Delay U.S. launch of BMW's X1

BMW's X1

BMW won't launch the X1 small crossover in the United States before late 2011, and the vehicle may not arrive this year at all because of hot demand in Europe.

"We are supply constrained," said Jim O'Donnell, CEO of BMW of North America. "As long as they keep selling them, I do not know when we are going to get it."

The decision to delay U.S. sales was made late last year. The X1 went on sale in Europe in November 2009, and demand has outpaced supply. 

2012 Bentley Continental GT

2012 Bentley Continental GT

Bentley will add a 4.0-liter V8 model to the Continental GT range after it retools its coupe for the 2011 model year. The sportier-looking GT will offer a W12 engine. The V8 hits the market as a '12 model in about 18 months. "The V8 is our hedge against fuel-price spikes, carbon-dioxide-related legislation and uncertainty in the global supercar market," says Uli Eichhorn, Bentley's technical director. Eichhorn says the 4.0-liter V8 is an all-new engine co-developed with Audi and is yet to appear in a production model. Bentley promises that the new V8 will be built in Britain, like the W12.

2012 Bentley Continental GT

2012 Bentley Continental GT

2012 Bentley Continental GT

2012 Bentley Continental GT

Peugeot 508 Car information and pictures

The Peugeot 508 will replace two slow-selling Peugeot cars -- the 407 mid-sized car and the 607 large sedan. Peugeot has big ambitions for the 508, which the company believes will be able to compete against premium cars such as the Audi A4, BMW 3 series and Mercedes-Benz C class. To lure premium buyers, Peugeot is counting on an exterior design it calls "French chic," a mixture of elegance and timeless lines which could be equally at home in Paris or London, the company said. Inside, the 508 is fitted with high-quality materials and details, as well as what Peugeot says is an exceptionally large interior room and a very generous trunk space. The 508 will be offered in two body styles: a four-door sedan and a station wagon. Both models will go on sale at the beginning of 2011. Underpinned by the PSA's platform 3, the 508 will be produced in Rennes, France, for the European market and in China for the Chinese market.

Opel Astra Sports Tourer

Opel Astra Sports Tourer

Opel/Vauxhall expects its Astra compact car range to get a big sales boost with the addition of a station wagon variant called the Astra Sports Tourer, that will launch in Europe in November, a month after its debut in Paris. Opel says the station wagon version traditionally accounts for about 25 percent of all Astra sales in Europe, a much higher proportion than the compact segment average of 17 percent. The new Astra wagon will share the same sleek, sculpted design as its larger counterpart, the Insignia Sports Tourer. Load volume can be adjusted between 500 and 1,550 liters, helped by a new FlexFold rear seat system, which allows remote folding of the seatbacks at the press of a button, a feature Opel said is a first for compact wagons. With the seatbacks down, the cargo load length is increased to 1835mm, 28mm more than in the current-generation Astra wagon.

Opel Astra Sports Tourer

Opel Astra Sports Tourer

Opel Astra Sports Tourer

Opel Astra Sports Tourer

2014 Cadillac ATS and ATS-V powertrain predictions

2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe

When we spoke to Ed Welburn, GM’s Vice President of Global Design, he told us that work on the Cadillac ATS is on schedule and the folks at the company are really excited about the new model entering production. In Oct. 2010, GM confirmed that it is investing $190 million in its Lansing Grand River assembly plant for the production of a new compact Cadillac model.
That’s fine and all but let’s take a look at some fun news (rumors) surrounding the new Cadillac ATS.
The folks at Cheers and Gears have put together a list of powertrain prediction for the 2014 ATS and ATS-V.

According the predictions by Cheers and Gears, the base 2014 Cadillac ATS will be powered by a 2.0L inline 4-cylinder turbocharged engine making 270-hp and 250 lb-ft of torque. Fuel-economy is estimated to come in at 22/32 mpg (city/highway). Moving up a notch, the Cadillac ATS 3.6 will be powered by a 3.6L V6 making 330-hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. The pride and joy of the lineup, the Cadillac ATS-V will get its grunt from a 6.2L V8 making 470-hp and 438 lb-ft of torque.
Of course, you should take these predictions with a grain of salt but we agree with the Cheers and Gears guys so far.

2014 Cadillac ATS-V In the Works?

Cadillac has already proved they know how to make sports saloon with the CTS-V. So the rumors of a new smaller high performance model based on the upcoming ATS is not that ludicrous. If it turns out to be true, then BMW M3 has plenty of reasons to be worried becasue the ATS-V is said to have at least 470 hp!

This is not official yet, there’s not even a leaked document to back it up, it’s just speculations of some guys close to GM and aware of what’s going on in the factories. According to them,Cadillac ATS-V will feature a more efficient version of the CTS-V’s 6.2 liter V8. But instead of 552 hp it’ll only get 470, because that’s enough to beat the competition, mainly Mercedes C63 AMG and BMW M3.

The thing is, until 2014 both Mercedes and BMW will probably come up with newer more powerful versions of those car! The normal ATSmodel will be available with a 3.6 liter V6 and a 2.0 liter Turbo four-pot.

2014 Cadillac ATS V Specs

New details regarding the 2014 Cadillac ATS-V have surfaced the web in the last few hours, and some new specs. General Motors plans to enter the same market segment that also include the Mercedes C Class, the BMW 3 Series and the Audi A4. Of course, all these models have a performance version, namely the RS4, M3 and C63 AMG. A performance version of the ATS some naturally. The performance version of the ATS will be the 2014 Cadillac ATS-V.

Recently, new 2014 Cadillac ATS-V specs surfaced the web, previewing a serous competitor for the German super sedans. Apparently, the 2014 Cadillac ATS-V will hide under its hood a 90 degree, 6162 cc engine developing 480 hp at 6,200 rpm and 590 Nm of torque at 4,200 rpm.
The 2014 Cadillac ATS-V will have direct petrol injection, and independent intake and exhaust systems.

The engine of the 2014 Cadillac ATS-V will send the power to the rear wheels via a 6-speed automatic transmission and a Helical Torque Biasing limited slip differential.

They even went as far as predicting the fuel consumption of the 2014 Cadillac ATS-V, which is rated
at 16 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.

2011 World Car of the Year Voting

2011 Chevrolet Volt Picture
Detroit, start your engines: The Cadillac CTS-V Coupe, Chevrolet Volt and Chrysler 300 are among the contenders as the first round voting for the 2011 World Car of the Year awards is now well underway.

There are four of these WCOTY "Oscars" — World Car of the Year, World Green Car, World Performance Car and World Design — up for grabs, to be voted upon by a global roster of 60-plus independent automotive writers.

Who's going to win? After an initial 2011 WCOTY "Top 10" is announced on January 31, we may get some idea. Then, a second, more detailed round of voting takes place, leading up to the WCOTY winners' envelopes being opened on stage at the 2011 New York Auto Show in April.

Volkswagen scooped top honors last year, with the Polo compact driving off with the 2010 World Car of the Year award.