Giving credit where credit is due, however, the special edition Vauxhall VXR edges out its Opel OPC counterpart with an extra 14 horses unbridled by a Remus sport exhaust. Aside from the grille and the tailpipes, however, the package is just about the same. Lightweight 18″ alloys – shod with Dunlop rubber, mounted on a widened track and barely hiding 321mm front and 278mm rear ventilated discs with signature blue VXR calipers – come in white, complimenting the white paint job. That’s the only color this special VXR offers, and is accented by checkered-flag graphics (like those seen on special-edition Renaultsport hatchbacks from across the Channel) and faux-fiber accents on the B-pillars and wing mirror housings. Step inside and the special touches continue, including leather-trimmed Recaro racing seats embossed with the Nürburgring track layout, carbon fiber door trim and an individually-numbered plaque. The price of exclusivity for British customers comes in at £21,295, a £1,575 premium over the standard VXR.

Source: Vauxhall

PRESS RELEASE:

The car for when even an Astra VXR isn’t VXR enough…

* Astra VXR Nürburgring Edition, on sale now
* Remus Sports exhaust provided as standard
* Exclusive white paint, embossed leather seats and graphics
* Priced at £21,295 on-the-road

There are plenty of hot hatches on the market, but it’s the Astra VXR that’s the undisputed Ring leader…

And to prove it, Vauxhall has pulled the wraps off the Nürburgring edition, named after the car’s spiritual home, where much of its pre-production development was carried out.

Based on the standard Astra VXR and priced at £21,295, each individually numbered Nürburgring edition will come with an exclusive all-white paint finish and lightweight white 18-inch alloy wheels, equipped with bespoke Dunlop tyres, are also specified. Other exterior features include dark tinted windows, carbon fibre effect mirrors and B-Pillars and distinctive chequered flag body graphics, to further emphasise the car’s incredible performance.

Mechanically similar to the standard VXR, the Nürburgring Edition produces 240PS in factory tune, giving it the ability to accelerate from 0-60mph in 6.2 seconds and on to an electronically-limited top speed of 155mph. Each UK-specification car will also come provided with a Remus Sports Exhaust, developed with Vauxhall’s BTCC race team, Triple-Eight Race Engineering, which provides a power increase of up to 15PS.

Like the standard car, the Nürburgring Edition benefits from a six-speed manual gearbox and lowered, uprated VXR suspension with ESP as standard. But its dynamics are enhanced still further with the wider front and rear tracks and lower un-sprung weight offered by the new alloy wheels. Ventilated 321mm diameter disc brakes at the front and 278mm diameter discs at the back help slow things down, while blue-painted callipers remain a VXR trademark.

The Nürburgring Edition theme continues inside, with carbon fibre detailing on the door trims and fascia, bespoke leather seats with the Nürburgring circuit graphic embossed into the Recaro front seat backrests and an individually numbered plaque showing each car’s build number.

Optional extras include electronic climate control (£275), cruise control (£200), electric foldable door mirrors (£125) and adaptive forward lighting (£750).

In fact, the only thing it doesn’t come with is one of those Nürburgring bootlid stickers you can buy when you do a lap of the circuit. Such a shame, as it means you’ll have to drive it there and buy one yourself.

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Source: Autoblog via Porsche

PRESS RELEASE

Porsche reveals the new Cayenne Turbo S for the first time

Stuttgart/Beijing. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, has extended its third model line by the addition of the top of the range Cayenne Turbo S. The Turbo S, the most powerful Cayenne of them all, is driven by a 4.8 liter V8 engine with twin turbo forced induction, delivering 550 hp (404 kW).

The Turbo S is Porsche’s response to the wishes of its customers. There is huge demand, especially in the new emerging markets of Eastern Europe and Asia, for exclusive sports-style SUVs with top quality physical handling dynamics. Despite the fact that Porsche has managed to give the new Turbo S even better drive performance than the regular Turbo model (500 hp / 368 kW), the fuel efficiency figures for the Turbo S are exactly the same as those for the Cayenne Turbo (as per the calculation methods stipulated under the New European Operating Cycle – NEFZ).

From the outside, the Turbo S can be recognized by its 21 inch SportPlus alloy wheels housed within its painted wheel arches and by a sports exhaust system with four tail pipes made from aluminum investment casting. The air intake grills and wheel arches are painted the same color as the car body. The new understated yet elegant “lava gray metallic” paint option is exclusive to the Turbo S.

All models of the Turbo S have a chassis which benefits from air suspension, not to mention suspension leveling and ride-height control, along with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), which – once again as standard – is combined with Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) and Servotronic speed-sensitive variable power steering.

With the introduction of the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) as an option, Porsche underscores its leading position as a provider of ultra durable brake disks made from carbon fiber ceramic composite. When the 2009 range is introduced, this high tech brake disk – originally developed for the motor sport sector – will become available for the first time in a sector other than the sports car sector, namely in the elite, top quality physical handling SUV sector. The front axle ceramic disks are 410 mm in diameter, whereas the rear axle disks are 370 mm in diameter. Deceleration takes place via six-piston calipers at the front and four-piston calipers at the rear. The PCCB is available as an option on other Cayenne models such as the Cayenne S, GTS and Turbo, subject to wheel sizes of at least 20 inches.

The high quality character of the new Cayenne top-of-the range Turbo S is emphasized by the standard equipment of the interior, the front sports seat with Comfort Memory Package, rear seating with individual seat contours, aluminum door panels showing the name plate together with leather upholstery in two exclusive dual-color combinations (black / Havana and black / steel gray) plus a leather steering wheel with padded center.

The latest generation of Porsche Communication Multimedia System Management (PCM) inclusive of navigation module with hard drive provides a full range of new, easily accessed functions actuated via a touch-screen. As with all other Cayenne models, the Cayenne Turbo S also comes with the option of voice actuation with full word recognition for navigation system destinations, universal audio interface (with MP3 connection), cell phone link-up via Bluetooth and a TV module for both analog and digital terrestrial signals. Offered as standard, the BOSE® Surround Sound System with 14 speakers features enhanced 410 Watt output and is now capable of reproducing music from audio and video DVDs in 5.1 Discrete Surround Format.

The Turbo S’s enhanced performance relative to that of the regular Turbo model is due to its modified exhaust system and improvements in engine control. In addition to the performance improvements, there has also been an increase in maximum torque by 50 Nm to 750 Nm within an engine speed range of 2,250 rpm to 4,500 rpm.

The Porsche Cayenne Turbo S can accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds and its top speed is 280 km/h. The Turbo S will be introduced into the market as from August 2008. The international basis price is EUR 111,400.

Technical data

Engine: V8 with two parallel exhaust turbo loaders
Fuel injection: direct fuel injection (DFI)
Displacement: 4,806 cm3 (293.3 cu in)
Bore: 96 mm (3.78 in)
Stroke: 83 mm (3.27 in)
Compression ratio: 10.5:1
Max. power output: 404 kW (550 hp) at 6,000 rpm
Max. torque: 750 Nm from 2,250 rpm to 4,500 rpm

Gearbox: Six-speed Tiptronic S converter automatic
Transmission: Permanent all-wheel drive Porsche Traction Management (PTM) with transfer gearshift
All-wheel moment distribution: 38 % : 62 %
(Basic distribution front/rear)

Chassis: Independent suspension – front: via large basis double wishbones; rear: multi-link suspension; air suspension with suspension leveling and ride-height control, including Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) and Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC)
Brakes: Front: six-piston aluminum monoblock fixed caliper brakes together with two-part internally ventilated brake disks with diameter of 380 mm; rear: four-piston aluminum monoblock brake disks together with internally ventilated brake disks with diameter of 358 mm
Wheels: 10 J x 21
Tires: 295/35 R 21
Steering: Servotronic speed-sensitive power steering
basic weight: 2,355 kg (DIN)
Permissible total weight: 3,080 kg

Acceleration: 0-100 km/h in 4.8 sec, 0-60 mph in 4.7 sec
Max. speed: 280 km/h (174.0 mph)

Fuel consumption: 14.9 l/100 km (combined, as per NEFZ), 18.1 mpg (combined)
Emissions: C02 358 g/km (combined)
Pollutant class: EURO 4

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The Q5 bears a strong family resemblance to the A4 Avant, while at same time being distinct. When Audi designers were discussing the rationale behind the styling, they began with the beltline that’s found on all the newest four-ringed offerings. In Audi’s design language, that beltline crease is referred to as the “Tornado Line”. While it is a common element to recent Audi designs, it is slightly different on each. On the A5 coupe, the line sticks out slightly from the body and has a more pronounced curvature over the wheels. On the A4 there is a slight overhang with the upper body work being further out than the metal below it and more of straight shot from front to back. The Q5 has more of the curvature of the A5, but the tornado line fades out as it crosses the door panels and then resumes ahead of the rear wheel.

The Q5 diverges again from its siblings by having a second, more subtle, accent line that starts at the cut-line of the hood and stretches along the sides just below the side glass, eventually wrapping upward around the rear quarter window in a manner similar to the Saab 9-4x, but in a less pronounced way. Compared to the A4 Avant, the shape of the side glass is similar, but the with slightly different proportions. On the crossover, the greenhouse is taller, but foreshortened. This is most noticeable in the rear quarter window which has a similar shape to the A4, but with a forward sloping trailing edge that isn’t as long. Further down the lower edge is a darker colored rocker panel to help reduce the visual impression of height. At the rear, there’s a subtle diffuser-like panel under the bumper which appears to me merely cosmetic. The taillights taper toward the center of the tailgate like the A4, and the lower edge follows the cut-line of the rear bumper cover and goes into the upper edge of the license plate cavity.

Overall, the Q5 is comparable in size to an Infiniti EX, BMW X3 or Acura RDX, with the proportions and interior volume more similar to the Acura than the other two. The Acura has a six-inch shorter wheelbase, but that mostly seems to be manifested in a longer front overhang rather than interior volume. The Infiniti EX35, on the other hand, is within a half-inch of the Q5’s wheelbase, but has virtually no rear leg room. The Audi appears to have substantially more for occupants in both rows (with the exception of the the center rear passenger). The rear seats also have an angle adjustment for the seat backs.

The roof-line has a subtle downward slope toward the rear, aiding the impression of sportiness. Fortunately, the slope is small enough that it doesn’t really impact rear head room. Even with the available panoramic sunroof, there should be ample room in back for people on the tall side. Speaking of that sunroof, the glass stretches back over both rows of seats, with the front half popping up and sliding back over the rear much like the unit in the Q7. Cargo space behind the rear seat is also plentiful, with lots of space for four and their weekend luggage.

One element of the Q5 that the Audi designers emphasized was the grille. Going forward, Audi’s allroad and Q models will have the the vertical bars on the grille that are more emphasized. The normal car models, like the A, S and RS, will emphasize the horizontal bars. On the Q5, at least the license plate bar has also moved downward within the grille area.

As usual, US buyers will get a much more limited palette of drivetrains to select from. In fact, there will be no selections. The US gets a 3.2L FSI gasoline V6 with a fast-shifting ZF six-speed automatic and quattro all-wheel drive. Like the A4/A5, the quattro has a nominal 40/60 front rear split. In the Q5, the normally aspirated V-6 will generate 265hp and 243lb-ft of torque. European buyers will have a plethora of choices including diesels. The prototype we saw in Ingolstadt had the 2.0L TDI four -cylinder. According to the Audi engineers we talked to, Audi’s new hybrid system is likely to appear first on the Q5 in the US market, but that probably won’t happen before 2010. Gas-fueled V6 Q5s should start to turn up at US Audi dealers in the first quarter of 2009 with prices that Audi says will be in line with competitors. The base will likely start somewhere in the upper $30k range and may well hit $50k with all the goodies installed.

Source: Autoblog via Audi

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• April 18, 2008 -- Official: Opel Insignia revealed (0)

The Insignia is 21 cm longer and five cm wider than the Vectra it replaces, and legroom shouldn’t be an issue since the Insignia gets an additional 35 mm tacked onto its wheelbase. Three models will be available, including the standard saloon (above), a hatchback and a wagon. Power is provided by a choice of three diesels or four gasoline-powered engines, with the former producing anywhere between 110 hp to 160 hp, and the latter putting out 115 hp from the standard four-cylinder or 260 hp from the range-topping V6. Power is channeled to either the front or all four wheels through a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic. A VXR model is likely to be revealed sometime next year.

The Opel Insignia will be available for a meet and greet at the London Motor Show this July and will hit showrooms in the UK this October.

Source: Autoblog

PRESS RELEASE

Opel Insignia: A New Design Language For A New Era

• Sculpted design with a flowing coupé silhouette
• Four-wheel drive, active chassis and seven engines available at launch
• World premiere July 2008 at the London Motor Show

Rüsselsheim. A new name, a new car, a new ambition. With its groundbreaking design and sophisticated technology, the Insignia makes a quantum leap toward rejuvenating the brand and providing the perfect opportunity to discover Opel. The styling of the new 4.83 meter five-seater clearly expresses Opel’s strategy to make advanced technology and attractive design affordable.

The Insignia boasts a flowing, powerful silhouette with a coupé-like roofline. The body’s sculpted shape is accented by a distinctive radiator grille with a newly-designed Opel emblem. Unmistakable design elements include a sweeping front and rear light “wing” signature and a “blade” side contour that begins directly behind the front wheel and glides through the entire side of the body. Both details give the Insignia’s a muscular but graceful allure.

“With Insignia we are introducing an exciting new sophisticated design vocabulary, which combines sculptural artistry with German precision,” says Mark Adams, Vice President Design, GM Europe. “Our aim was to develop a confident look which compels the world to experience for themselves the superb driving dynamics the Insignia radiates.”

Echoing the exterior, the interior shapes and surfaces, which articulate this promise for exciting mobility, are crafted with high quality materials. The dashboard wraps around from the instrument panel to the door in a very sophisticated way, embracing the occupants. This wing theme will be echoed across all Opels. Red ambient lighting, which also will be featured in future Opel models, vibrate a warm, luxurious aura. A lot of emphasis too has been put into the seating, which set the highest standards in ergonomics, comfort and safety.

Opel’s pioneering role and unique expertise in lighting technology continues in the Insignia with the latest generation AFL Adaptive Forward Lighting system: Nine different light beam settings automatically adjust themselves to cater to various driving conditions, simultaneously enhancing safety and driving excitement. Another new element on the AFL system is the LED daytime running lights, which consume considerably less energy than a conventional system featuring halogen lamps, thereby lowering CO2 emissions from 6 g/km to nearly zero.

“As each feature demonstrates, the Insignia is the result of our quest to develop a car that combines striking design, excellent driving dynamics and innovative technology” says Hans H. Demant, Managing Director, Adam Opel GmbH.

The Insignia is offered from the start with front-wheel and all-wheel drive. The “Adaptive 4X4″ system’s proactive, instantaneous torque distribution not only ensures optimal traction but also enhances driving stability and dynamic handling performance. In the all-wheel drive Insignia, the FlexRide mechatronic chassis system with its Adaptive Stability Technology helps the car adjust to prevailing driving conditions and allows the driver to select settings to match his mood. FlexRide is also available in the front-wheel version.

The Insignia will launch with an exceptionally broad range of seven engines. All meet Euro 5 emissions standards and come with either manual or automatic six-speed transmissions. The four gasoline engines range from a four-cylinder 115 hp unit to a V6 with 260 hp. The three new direct-injection diesels feature a displacement of 2.0 liter and outputs spanning from 110 to 160 hp. Subsequently the Insignia engine line-up will be expanded with an EcoFLEX version offering very low CO2 emissions in addition to other, more powerful variants.

“The Opel Insignia sets new standards in technology and innovation — this will be obvious right from the launch. But we are keeping several cards up our sleeves when it comes to environmental compatibility, excitement and safety, which we will play strategically overtime” says Alain Visser, Chief Marketing Officer, GM Europe.

The Insignia notch- and hatchback will debut July 22, 2008 at the London Motor Show and hit showrooms starting in November. The Insignia was developed at GM Europe’s International Technical Development Center in Rüsselsheim, Germany, which also is home to its production. The Rüsselsheim facility is one of the most advanced car plants in the industry.

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The GLK will be built at Mercedes’ Bremen plant in Germany and will be available with a host of upmarket features including Sienna Pine wood trim, chrome detailing, an optional COMAND interface, a panoramic sunroof, SIRIUS satellite radio and bi-xenon headlights. Other features include standard 19in alloys, two-zone automatic climate control, an adjustable steering column, electrically adjustable front seats, Bluetooth connectivity and a 5in color display.

Source: Motor Authority

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The new Insignia is set to make its world debut on July 22 at the London Motor Show.

Source: Autoweek.nl

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The Pirelli logo is monogrammed in the headrests, the part-leather seats are embossed with tyre tracks and you get contrasting yellow stitching on the handbrake, wheel and seats. Make your own mind up on the visual changes, but the Golf GTI Pirelli also gains six airbags, climate control, and ESP.

The GTI Pirelli is available to order now in silver, black or blue, and the front splitter, side skirts and rear bumper are all body-coloured. Prices start at £22,555 for the six-speed manual (the standard car is £20,825) rising to £24,385 for the five-door DSG-equipped car.

Pirelli wheels and tyres were available on later Mk1 Golf GTI models and early Mk2 cars; they were never sold as official standalone models, but became known as Pirelli cars on account of their distinctive P-slot alloys.

VW sold out the 10,500-car production run of Mk1 Pirelli models within six months of its launch in May 1983. It was the last swansong before the Mk2 arrived at the end of that year.

Source: Carmagazin.co.uk

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• April 13, 2008 -- VW Passat CC driven (0)

Ultimately, I suspect, your views on the CC will largely depend on whether you consider the Mercedes CLS to be quite the best-looking thing on the road, or merely mutton dressed as a banana.

There seems to be more than a hint of Phaeton about the front end…

Indeed. And those of us who’ve always felt that the current giant grille treatment meted out on one unsuspecting Audi after another makes them all look like inflatable dolls wearing chrome lipstick will be delighted to see that Walter de Silva’s recent efforts to subject Volkswagens to the same fate have, in the case of the CC at least, been mercifully shunned.

In the metal, the CC is an entirely handsome car which artfully melds oven-melted Passat saloon styling cues with an aggressive new hooter and a coupe roofline. Interestingly, unlike the CLS, the CC doesn’t appear to be colour sensitive, and even looks pretty sharp coutured in the new black, white.

Happily, not. In fact, the new interior positively oozes class. Switchgear and instrumentation have been rigorously revamped to include a new instrument binnacle which, backlit in white, is a paragon of clarity. A brushed metal-finish centre console houses a tidy new air-con panel and the latest generation touch-screen multimedia system featuring a 3-D sat-nav system that zooms in on junctions life a fighter-bomber on a staffing run.

One version I drove featured a two-tone, black-and-cream trim which extended to the leather upholstery. It was so elegant that even the fillet of wood spanning the dashboard (and I never thought I’d hear myself say this) looked the part. Don’t worry, though, the wood will be replaced with either brushed aluminium or carbonfibre for the UK market.

The front seats are instantly comfortable, and my only gripe with an appropriately flexible driving position is that the steering wheel rake won’t drop quite down enough for those of us who like to sit low within a car. Though 31mm longer than a Passat saloon, none of that gain has gone into the CC’s wheelbase, so accommodation dimensions are much as you left them.

The rear bench has been deliberately sculpted into just two seats, set further inboard than usual to guarantee a surprising amount of headroom whilst effectively negating an increase in car width over the saloon of some 36mm. The boot, though not too tall, is of badminton court proportions.

Presumably the usual mix of VW powerplants are on offer?

Yes, but with one notable addition: joining 138- and 168bhp variants of a 2.0-litre turbodiesel, and 197bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged and 296bhp 3.6-litre V6 petrol derivatives on the launch pad is an Audi-sourced, 1.8-litre 158bhp 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit making its first appearance in VW here. It’s this 1.8 TSI that we’ll concentrate on here.

Surprisingly, though giving away 52lb ft of torque to the 236lb ft of the 138bhp 2.0-litre TDI - and considerably more to the four-wheel drive and DSG gearbox abetted V6 - this new 1.8-litre engine from the right side of the pumps feels better suited to the CC than the other offerings I sampled.

It’s as smooth as a freshly buttered banister, revs with first-date enthusiasm and sounds delicious. Moreover, thanks to a slick six-speed manual transmission, it also gets quite a heavy car moving with slightly more alacrity than the oiler.

Hard to say, because every variant I drove was fitted with a new, active damper, Adaptive Chassis Control (ACC) system boasting Comfort, Normal and Sport settings and complimentary adjustment to the weight of the electro-mechanical steering assistance. However, extensive button stabbing merely confirmed my view that, all too often, such systems merely obviate engineers from the responsibility of hunting down the proper compromise between ride and handling in the first place.

Differences in ride quality between the three settings don’t exactly yell out at you, though sport mode does offer perceptibly more nuggety progress on all but the very smoothest surfaces, allied to a considerable, and entirely artificial-feeling build up in steering weight. Left in normal guise, the system offers continuous, active adjustment to the damping anyway, offering an acceptable balance of ride comfort and cornering poise. So unless you wish to modify the steering feel to something akin to opening a submarine hatch, I remain gently baffled as to why one should need ACC here.

Any other toys we should know about?

Something called Lane Assist proved highly entertaining at 120mph on the autobahn. This system uses a camera mounted above the rear view mirror to identify the lane markings on the road and, should you stray, actually introduce steering input to bring you back on course. And we’re talking proper input you can feel, here; so much, in fact, that trying a little hands-free motoring became essential…

Hands off the wheel at a good lick, the car drifted gently towards the line, and neatly caught itself on the point of crossing into the next lane. I left it alone and, having slightly over-corrected, it promptly repeated the process on the other side of the car. Further over-correction mapped a sine wave of ever decreasing frequency on the road, and by the third correction, the CC had had enough, yelling audibly, and via message screen, for driver assistance in a carefully crafted tone of voice that drew a fine line between ‘Ahem…’ and ‘Wake up you dozy bastard…’

Amusingly for a German product, this system also promotes rotten motorway driving practice, only leaving the helm alone once activated if you indicate before crossing lane markings. Which leaves it in the realm of the increasingly numerous numpties who will insist on indicating as they pull back in after overtaking.

And why not? Priced at around £1500 more than the comparable Passat saloon, the CC consistently presents itself as a considerable bang for your bucks; remember, the Mercedes CLS is double the price of this humble VW. Which makes it all the more peculiar that VW is talking about total global sales figures of just 300,000 over the entire lifespan of the car.

However, and despite voluble protestations of an ‘intensive growth strategy’, I suspect the VW top brass are entirely conscious of the fact that their elegant Glass Factory in Dresden now spends most of the time building Bentleys, and do not want another niche marketing, rose-without-trace, Phaeton incident on their hands. Which makes it all the more ironic that the Passat CC should boast an almost identical radiator grille.

I don’t think VW has any real cause for such overt caution here though; the Phaeton is a fine car with the wrong badge being sold too cheaply in the prestige segment. The new Passat CC is a fine car being sold at the right price in a segment that presents no direct rivals at all.

Source: Carmagazine.co.uk

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In an effort to shave every ounce possible from the Superlight, Caterham has even fitted a carbon fiber wind deflector, which is detachable to save even more weight, and a carbon-kevlar seats, which sacrifice nothing in safety yet weigh considerably less than their more commonly-built brethren. No expense has been spared to cut the weight of the R500, and it shows in carbon, kevlar and other bespoke bits all about the vehicle.

Sticky Avon CR500 race tires and a suspension developed to be as aero as it is road-holding with ovalized wishbones and fully adjustable dampers mean corner-carving will be the R500’s raison d’etre once you get past the sheer straight-line insanity.

Those who just can’t wait to get into one don’t have to - it’s on sale now in the UK starting at £36,995 (US$72,900).

Source: Motor Authority

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