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Audi May Bring More RS Models To America
Audi is exploring the possibility of bringing more RS models to the American market, after years of on-and-off importation of select vehicles like the RS4 and RS6. Both the TT-RS and RS5 are slated to be introduced for the 2012 model year, and the vehicles will be priced well above even the most expensive TT…
First Audi TT RS Sold In U.S. Marks Return Of RS-Branded Cars
The official launch of the eagerly anticipated Audi TT RS took place with the first vehicle was delivered to veteran race car driver Don Istook. Last year, Istook was one of more than 11,500 fans that signed a Facebook petition to introduce the TT RS to the U.S. Istook was also one of the first…
Kim Jong-Il Buys Mercedes-Benz S600 Pullman Guard While North Korea Starves
North Korea’s chronic food shortages are reported to be reaching levels similar to the 1994 famine that struck the isolated Asian nation, and Kim Jong-Il, the world’s best dressed hereditary communist dictator, couldn’t care less. According to a report by North Korean affairs blog One Free Korea, the North Korean dictator was spotted in China…
Porsche 911 Photos Revealed During African Testing
Photos have been released of the Porsche 911 in testing, and the photos seem to have been shot in Africa, a popular destination for many European automakers. The lead photo in the set was released with a caption stating – “Testing is an essential part in the development of any new Porsche. It is only…
BMW Puts Six-Cylinder In U.S Spec 6-Series
BMW has confirmed that the U.S 6-series 640i, will receive a six-cylinder. The 6-series in the U.S, the 650i, has traditionally received an eight cylinder. This exciting new 640i will receive a 320-hp version of BMW’s single-turbo inline-six engine. The 640i will be offered only in rear-wheel drive but the 650i will get an all-wheel…
1963 Volkswagen Bus Hammers At Record-Setting $217,800
The Barrett-Jackson auctions are famous for selling rare exotic cars for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Usually the cars that command the highest prices are limited production Ferrari’s, Lamborghini’s and Aston Martin’s. At the Orange County auction, a 1970 Dodge Hemi Challenger sold for $215,600, and a 1964 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III James Young sedan…
Porsche 911 GT2 RS Breaks Record At Pikes Peak
While Nobuhiro Tajima’s record-breaking run at Pikes Peak has been capturing all the attention after finally breaking the sub-1o minute mark for the first time ever, but another record was set at the famed Colorado mountain this weekend in something much more accessible to mere mortals. Legendary Porsche shoe Jeff Zwart took a 911 GT2…
BMW M3 CRT Gets An Introduction [Video]
Remember, it’s not a computer monitor. BMW’s hi-po M3, the CRT, gets an introductory video showcasing its array of carbon fiber and suspension enhancements. If the regular M3 is too boring, the CRT (which stands for Carbon Racing Technology) should liven things up: it gets a carbon fiber hood that’s a quarter of the regular…
J.D. Power Survey Shows Toyota, Lexus Rebounding, Ford At All-Time Low
Ford‘s meteoric rise may have hit a speedbump with the latest J.D. Power Initial Quality results showing the Blue Oval at its worst ranking in a decade, coming in at 23rd. Meanwhile, perrenial quality champion Toyota rebounded from 21st last year to 7th this year, after an annus horriblus of recalls, lawsuits and quality defects…
Next-Generation Popemobile To Go Hybrid
With the Vatican looking to expand their use of green technology, the next generation Popemobile is reportedly set to employ hybrid technology, although His Holiness would reportedly prefer a fully electric vehicle powered by solar panels. The new Popemobile will be based off the next-generation Mercedes ML-Class, and used a hybrid system with a 10kw…
2012 MINI Coupe Spied In Toronto [Autoguide Exclusive]
A sharp-eyed AutoGuide reader spotted the 2012 MINI Coupe undergoing a shakedown in Toronto, Canada. The Coupe, which is supposed to be the most sporting version of the MINI lineup, was wearing minimal camaflogue, although the photographer reported that the driver did their best to make a swift getaway. Check out the gallery below, as…
Next Generation Mercedes-Benz SL Will Go On A Diet
In terms of engines, a 302 horsepower 3.5-liter V-6 and a 429 hp twin-turbo 4.6-liter V-8 are likely on the cards, as is a 5.5-liter twin-turbo V-12, said to produce around 630 hp. The latter will incorporate cylinder shutdown and part throttle in an effort to save fuel economy.
Audi To Abandon V12, V8 TDI Diesel Engines
Audi is set to abandon its Q7 V12 TDI due to slow sales and rapidly advancing diesel technology in their smaller displacement motors. The current V12 TDI makes 500 horsepower and 738 lb-ft, and is widely considered to be one of the most impressive SUVs on the market. But with Audi’s V6 TDI making a…
BMW X3M To Debut In 2012, Dubious Rumors Of Electric Turbos Persist
Electric turbochargers are the snake oil of automotive technology. Often times, these contraptions (seen above), which resemble something sold at a boat shop, are peddled on Ebay with dubious claims regarding horsepower and fuel economy gains. But a report out of Britain suggests that BMW‘s upcoming X3M will be powered by a new tri-turbo straight-six…
BMW 328 Hommage Villa d’Este Concorso d’Eleganza [Video]
The BMW 328 Hommage made its world debut at the Villa d’Este COncorso d’Eleganza this past weekend. This car was designed to echo the automaker’s 1930s racing car on its 75th anniversary. The 328 Hommage weighs just over 1,700 lbs thanks to extensive use of carbon fiber. While the look of the car is undoubtedly…
Kanye West Drives Mercedes-Benz SLR Stirling Moss At Cannes Film Festival
Never one for subtlety, Kanye West was spotted in Cannes, France, driving the absolutely belligerent Mercedes-Benz SLR Stirling Moss edition. With no windscreen or roof, the SLR Stirling Moss is definitely a sunny day kind of car, and luckily the weather held up for Yeezy, who is doubtlessly clad in couture that costs more than…
Audi Quattro Concept Entered In Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este
Audi has entered the Audi Quattro concept in the Concept Cars and Prototypes category at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. The event is being held at Lake Como from May 20-22,2011 and the concepts will be showcased beside historic vehicles from around the globe. The Quattro Concept features a 408-hp five cylinder turbocharged engine, a…
2012 Mercedes-Benz B-Class To Debut At Frankfurt Auto Show
The next generation Mercedes-Benz B-Class will make its debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show in September, with the car moving towards a hatchback body style rather than the current pseudo-minivan design. A full range of four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines will be available, along with a start-stop system for improved fuel economy. Mercedes’ main…
BMW To Invest $1.4 Billion In Chinese Operations
BMW will expand its Chinese joint venture with local automaker Brilliance, in an effort to build 300,000 cars per year in China. BMW’s joint venture near Beijing currently builds the 3-Series and 5-Series, and will add the X1 crossover in 2012. Plans call for new factories dedicated to vehicle assembly, stamping and a paint shop….
Vauxhall/Opel Insignia To Spawn Coupe Variant
A “leaked document” (read: dubious rumor) claims that a coupe variant of the Opel Insignia sedan, may wear the famed Calibra badge. The previous Calibra was known for its slippery styling and turbocharged engines, and the Insignia would make a worthy successor. Opel previewed an Insignia Coupe with their GTC Concept, which was powered by…
Audi Q5 RS Mule Spied
The Audi Q5 crossover seems like an unlikely candidate for the “RS” treatment, but this mule, spotted wearing some big wheels and a faux TDI badge, seems to suggest that Audi is getting serious with the idea of a rapid version of the Q5. The vehicle’s cover was blown by the quad exhaust pipes, which…
Volkswagen Builds First Customer Car At Tennessee Plant
Volkswagen‘s new Chattanooga, Tennessee plant built its first car destined for a customer Wednesday, a dark Blue Passat 2.5L equipped with an automatic transmission. The plant should reach full capacity in 2012, at which point it will produce 150,000 Passats annually. Volkswagen says that the plant will generate $12 billion in economic growth for the region,…
2012 BMW 1 Series Teased
BMW‘s 1 Series is due for replacement next year, but so far BMW has only released a vague teaser of the car and its potential body styles. So far, observers seem to think that a 3-door and 5-door hatchback are set to be launched, at least in Europe. We’d expect that North America will get…
Volkswagen To Launch Plug-In Hybrid Range In 2013
At the 32nd International Motor Symposium in Vienna, Austria, Volkswagen head honco Dr. Martin Winterkorn announced that the Volkswagen Group will launch a range of plug-in hybrids starting in 2013, calling electric vehicles the “task of the century” for the auto industry. Winterkorn didn’t specify which models would get a plug-in hybrid variant, and the move comes…
