german cars
Porsche To Hire 100 Engineers, Likely For Hybrid R&D
Porsche is going on a hiring blitz, looking to recruit 100 engineers for its Weissach research center, ostensibly to help shore up ranks for the expected hybrid car blitz that was alluded to at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Porsche’s official press release (posted below the jump) directly mentions that engineers will be able to…
2012 BMW 650i Convertible Debuts; Absent from LA Auto Show
While BMW displayed its new 6 Series Concept on the floor of the LA Auto Show, out in cyberspace the German automaker one-upped itself by releasing full details and images on the 2012 BMC 650i Convertible. Powered by a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 and making 400-hp and 450 ft-lbs of torque, the 650i will be available…
LA 2010: Porsche Cayman R World Premiere; Priced from $66,300 [Video]
Enthusiasts love the Porsche Cayman and so in response to demand the German sports car maker has rolled out a new higher-performance version of its incredibly well-balanced mid-engined coupe at the LA Auto Show today. Named the Cayman R, it gets an additional 10-hp from the 3.4-liter flat-six engine for a total of 330-hp, while…
Porsche Cayman R Breaks Cover Ahead of LA Auto Show Debut [Video]
Porsche has revealed its new “mid-engined sports car” ahead of its debut today at the LA Auto Show, with the new Cayman R now the highest performance version of the sports car available. Early reports of a Cayman that would get the Boxster Spyder treatment proved true, with the Cayman R gaining 10-hp, while cutting…
BMW 7 Series Composition Revealed
The BMW 7 Series Composition really tickles our ivories. Developed in partnership with Steinway pianos and BMW Individual (BMW’s bespoke service), the 7 Series Composition comes in a (*groan*) ebony or ivory paint scheme, with a contrasting merino leather interior. A gold pinstripe, 20″ wheels unique to the composition and lambswool carpeting help give some…
New BMW On Demand Car-Sharing Service
Feel like driving a BMW today? If you live in Munich, you’ll be able to rent one whenever the mood strikes you with BMW on Demand. Just like the Zipcar service, BMW is taking it up a notch by offering premium vehicles that can be rented by the hour. The BMW on Demand service allows…
Volkswagen Eyeing Stake In Ferrari
Automotive News is reporting that Volkswagen is hoping to buy a stake in Ferrari, with the Italian sports car builder being of particular interest to Volkswagen chairman Ferdinand Piech. While Volkswagen already has Lamborghini, Bugatti and Porsche in its stable, Piech is apparently eyeing a chance to buy a stake in the Italian supercar maker….
Audi, Lamborghini and Bentley to All Get Panamera-Based Sedans
The Panamera is an incredible performance machine and the execs running the show over at Volkswagen intend to exploit all that the 4-door Porsche has to offer. According to a new report by Autozeitung, VW is planning three new models based on the Panamera: one for each of its high-end brands. In other words, look…
Audi Skipping S1 in Favor of RS1
With continued reports about the Audi S1 coming to market, new rumors suggest the folks at Ingolstadt may pass on the S1 badge altogether in favor of the hard-core RS1 variant. Arguably Audi already offers a pretty beefed-up version of the A1 using the 1.4-liter twincharger engine from the Polo GTI, making around 180-hp. It…
Anderson Germany Unleashes Audi R8 V10 Race Edition
While North Americans (and perhaps international automotive enthusiasts) were enjoying SEMA, Anderson Germany unleashed their own showstopper, the Race Edition Audi R8 V10. Not only does Anderson Germany’s Audi R8 V10 truly look like a race-inspired beast, but the collection of carbon fiber goods found on it are astonishing and perfectly fitting for Audi’s supercar….
2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK Will Have In-Car Internet
In what might be the most puzzling vehicle packaging discussion ever, the upcoming 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK will come with an in car internet system. We’re assuming that nearly 100% of SLK owners have a phone with some kind of data plan, not to mention that there’s no a lot of room in an SLK for…
Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series Spied
The Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG is already a sports sedan for people with aggression issues, and now we have evidence that an even nuttier version is in the works, ostensibly a C63 Black Series. The biggest visual clue are the tacked on fender flares, similar to the SL65 Black Series, while the front rims look similar to the…
VW CEO: Audi Quattro May Be Produced
Despite costing over $500 million dollars to get it into production, VW Group CEO Martin Winterkorn favors putting the Audi Quattro Concept into limited production, as a sort of halo vehicle for the brand. In an interview with Motor Trend, Winterkorn stated his desire to produce the Quattro, which would be based on the same…
Audi A8 Hybrid To Debut In 2012 With Four Cylinder Engine
Audi is getting ready to launch an A8 Hybrid with a four-cylinder engine that will compete with the upcoming Mercedes-Benz S250 CDI, which uses a 4-cylinder diesel motor, and the S400 Hybrid. With a front-drive only V6 version of the A8 already on sale, the 4-cylinder hybrid model is a naturally progression for that brand,…
BMW X7 Being Reconsidered for U.S. Market
While BMW is marketing itself as a sustainable automaker, pushing its “efficient dynamics” technologies, behind the scenes the accountants and execs still know that big gas guzzling SUVs are a quick way to make a fast buck. It’s for this reason that the German automaker is reportedly looking to introduce a larger X7 SUV. According…
Audi Q5 Hybrid Leaked Ahead of LA Auto Show Debut [video]
Ahead of its official debut at the LA Auto Show next week several photos, videos and specs of the new Audi Q5 Hybrid SUV have leaked online. The hybrid Audi SUV will get an all-new hybrid setup, using a smaller 4-cylinder engine rather than the V6 option used in the big-brother Cayenne Hybrid S. Reportedly,…
2012 Audi A6 Teased Ahead of Possible LA Auto Show Debut
Audi recently released details (and photos) of its production plans at its Neckarsulm facility, including news that the new 2012 A6 would be built there. No actual photos of the next-generation A6 were included, however, a teaser of a draped A6 was released sitting alongside the other vehicles being built at the same location, including…
Audi to Offer Diesel Engines in All High-Volume Models
Jetta TDI owners, your Audi has arrived. Audi is looking to significantly expand its diesel engine offerings to include all high-volume models, which is certain to include the A4. Currently Audi only offers diesel versions of its low volume A3 and the large Q7 SUV. In an interview with Automotive News, Audi of America president…
BMW Officially Confirms Vision Efficient Dynamics Concept for Production
BMW has confirmed it will build a production model based on the Vision EfficientDynamics (VED) concept, which it first revealed at the Frankfurt Auto Show last year. The news comes as little surprise, with the concept having been incredibly well received my the media and public, while winning several awards for both design and technology….
Volkswagen Jetta R to Trade 2.0T for V6
It’s almost a given that Volkswagen will introduce an R version of the new Jetta compact sedan, but new info has surfaced regarding its powertrain. According to AutoCar, the Jetta R won’t be powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder, but rather by a 3.6-liter V6. No specifics on that engine’s output have been given, but…
SEMA 2010: Platinum Motorsport SL65 AMG Black Series is Evil Incarnate
No doubt belonging to one of their celebrity clients, the team at Platinum Motorsport built a very special Mercedes SL65 AMG Black Series, displaying it at the Continental Tires booth at SEMA. Continental would like you to know that it’s wearing their new ExtremeContact DW and ExtremeContact DWS tires – which come wrapped around some…
SEMA 2010: Best In Show, Part 1
SEMA is so vast that it’s hard to truly see it all. Thanks to our eagle-eyed photographers, we’ve been able to cherry pick the best cars over the past few days, starting with the cars of the wheel and tire exhibit. Rather than the usual dubs and donks, the wheel and tire exhibit had everything…
SEMA 2010: ABT Audi R8 GT-R Boasts 620-HP and a Matte-White Carbon Body [Video]
The largest tuner of Audi and Volkswagen models in Europe, ABT Sportsline has yet to really break into the U.S. market. They do, however, seem to have a plan in place, with Florida-based GGI signed on as a distributor, helping them make a big splash at SEMA by grabbing eyeballs with their new R8 GT-R…
SEMA 2010: Widebody Audi Q5 Custom Concept Trades 2.0T for Supercharged 3.0L
Created to celebrate 30 years of Quattro, the Q5 Custom Concept also serves to bring attention to Audi‘s expanded line of Audi Genuine Accessories – which now includes everything from new wheels to illuminated floor mats. Originally unveiled at the Volkswagen GTI Wörthersee Tour in Austria, that tuner-friendly group is as close as you come…
