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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Mr. Polites, who is credited with leading the team that returned the Jaguar Land Rover business back to profitability and successfully steering it through its ongoing sale process to Tata Motors, had been battling serious illness for the past two years.

“Geoff’s untimely passing robs his family and friends of a man who was a real inspiration to us all,” said Alan Mulally, president and chief executive officer, Ford Motor Company. “His drive and determination, combined with his clear sense of vision for the business, played a huge role in turning round the business at Jaguar Land Rover and returning it to profitability. Geoff ensured that Jaguar Land Rover was not distracted and continued to focus on the fundamentals of the business during the recent sale process, despite at the time also fighting his own personal health battle.

“He was a trusted colleague and someone who was much respected not just by his peers but by all who had the privilege to work with him. Our sympathies are with his wife and family at this difficult time,” said Mulally.

Lewis Booth, executive vice president responsible for Ford Motor Company’s businesses in Europe, said: “For many of us at Ford and Jaguar Land Rover, we’ve lost not just a respected colleague but a great friend.

“Geoff was always someone to look up to throughout his almost 40-year career in the automotive industry. His passion for the car business was legend, but the resolve he showed since taking over as CEO of Jaguar Land Rover in 2005 was something very special.

“His leadership of the team that has put the Jaguar Land Rover business back into profitability has been exceptional. Geoff has given Jaguar Land Rover the solid foundation and established the strong management team it needs for a successful future. We will miss our friend very much.”

David Smith, Jaguar Land Rover’s chief financial officer, will take over as the acting chief executive officer at Jaguar Land Rover until a successor is appointed.

Source: Autoblog

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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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Expected to be equipped with VW’s new 7-speed DSG transmission plus entry level FSI petrol and diesel engines, the Q5 is based on Audi’s new MLP architecture which also serves as the foundation for the new A5 and A4.

The Audi Q5 is on schedule with production starting at Ingolstadt before summer. The Q5 will then see its European release towards the end of this year as a 2009 model year. However, U.S. debut is pushed back almost one year with its public debut in Detroit 2009.

Source: Worldcarfans via Automedia

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BMW plans to crack the top ten next year in World Superbike racing and is expecting podium finishes the following year. Considering the fact that the Big Four Japanese manufacturers literally have a head start measuring a few decades on BMW, it’s probably wise to set attainable goals for now. Though we’re looking forward to more details regarding the S 1000 RR superbike, at least we have some pretty pictures to gaze at until then.

Source: Autoblog

PRESS RELEASE

Hendrik von Kuenheim’s speech:

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Motorcycle Friends,

I also bid you a very warm welcome here today. This is indeed the first time I am addressing you in my new function as the President of BMW Motorrad. Some of you already know me however from my former activities – my last position was the President of BMW Spain.

I joined BMW about 20 years ago and over the years I have gained a great deal of experience in international car and motorcycle sales. Now I am happy to invest this experience in BMW Motorrad, helping to shape the future of BMW’s motorcycle business.

At BMW as well as at Husqvarna Motorcycles, we are working all-out on a whole series of fascinating projects. We are in the middle of a broad-based model initiative.
It is essential that this model initiative is turned into a success story over the next few years. It is our objective to expand the motorcycle business significantly and to achieve profitable growth.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In my presentation today I will be focusing on two highlights in particular:

First, I would like to give you some background information on our ambitious growth targets. Second, I will offer you the first status report on our Supersport project.

Allow me to start with some essential aspects of our growth strategy.

This year we again plan to deliver more motorcycles to our customers than in the previous year, continuing the many years of success BMW Motorrad is now able to report.

Considering that motorcycle markets show a rather irregular and inconsistent development, this is and remains a very demanding target.

We are of course focusing in particular on our core models in the Tourer, Sports Tourer, and Enduro markets. Indeed, these models remain indispensable within BMW’s future range of motorcycles.

This applies particularly to our Boxers: The Boxer engine is just as much part of BMW as the white-and-blue logo. For this reason alone, this unique engine concept has a long and great future with BMW Motorrad. A future which, just like the past, will again offer numerous innovations.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are continuing our powerful initiative not only with our core models. BMW Motorrad has ambitious growth targets: As part of the strategic reorientation of the BMW Group, we have announced that customer deliveries by BMW Motorrad are to increase by approximately 50 per cent by the year 2012 to 150,000 units.

To meet this objective, we are making BMW Motorrad even more sporting and dynamic. This means that we are specifically entering market segments where BMW Motorrad was not represented so far.

We have already taken the initiative in this respect with the HP2 models and the F Series. Now we are taking on the competition to an increasing extent with brand-new, innovative and sporting products, moving ahead strongly also in international motorcycle racing.

But why are we doing all this?

Because we see a great potential in the Enduro segment, for example, for further growth. In the Tourer and Sports Tourer segments, on the other hand, we are reaching the limits to growth, since in this case we have largely exhausted our market potentials in the meantime. Precisely this is why we plan to address additional new customers we have not been able to win over so far.

So this is why we are expanding our product portfolio to other market segments BMW Motorrad has not served in the past. Two examples are our entry into the Sports Enduro segment and our entry into the Supersport segment.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

To make our approach in this area even clearer and more specific, we are pursuing a two-brand strategy, which is precisely why we purchased Husqvarna Motorcycles last year. Together with Husqvarna Motorcycles, we are confident that we will reach our sales target of 150,000 machines a year.

Husqvarna Motorcycles is the second-oldest motorcycle manufacturer still building motorcycles today and is one of the most famous names worldwide in the motorcycle business. Over the years, Husqvarna have won more than 70 World Championships in offroad and Supermoto racing.

With Husqvarna’s very sporting machines, we are able to expand our product range even faster to new groups of purchasers throughout the entire offroad and Supermoto segments than we could with BMW alone.

The highly competitive offroad segment is particularly large in the USA, Southern Europe and Australia. And holding a very good position in all of these markets, Husqvarna is already very strong, offering BMW Motorrad a perfect partner.

We are very happy indeed with our new brand in the motorcycle segment, which is giving the entire Company extra momentum. So we have given ourselves ambitious growth targets right from the start, as of 2008: This year we plan to boost sales by approximately 30 per cent over the previous year, and we are already proceeding all-out to this objective.

To reach this target we initiated and implemented a number of activities right from the start when taking over Husqvarna.

Production output is developing according to plan. And after re-organising our parts business, we have solved our former problems in the supply of spares.

At the same time we have launched special programmes and activities for the further improvement of product quality.
We are also very happy with Husqvarna in motorsport, with the season so far developing very positively. We are active in both Enduro and Motocross events and in Supermoto racing. Indeed, the first results of the season in these various disciplines already exceed our expectations.

And we are particularly happy that customer interest in Husqvarna has increased very significantly following the takeover by BMW, particularly in the amateur motorsport segment.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are moving ahead quickly and strongly not only with Husqvarna. Rather, our own model initiative at BMW Motorrad is also continuing at a fast pace and on a high level.

In 2008, we offer our customers the substantially upgraded R 1200 GS and GS Adventure. On 8 March we started sales of the exclusive BMW HP2 Sport, and in the second half of the year the BMW G 450 X Sports Enduro will round off BMW’s model range in a brand-new segment.

On 8 March the new BMW F 800 GS and BMW F 650 GS two-cylinders celebrated the start of sales.

Initial response from the markets makes us very optimistic. In fact, global demand even exceeds our production capacities, with demand particularly from the Southern European markets in Spain, Italy and Greece exceeding our greatest hopes. Particularly the F 800 GS is the choice of many customers who have so far ridden another make.
So much on the new models in 2008 you already know. But let me add that we will be presenting further surprises at the major motorcycle shows in Cologne and Milan, the Intermot and EICMA, which we cannot talk about yet today.
So you see that we are well-prepared for the future.

Despite all this good news, the fact remains that BMW Motorrad – like all European motorcycle manufacturers – currently faces special challenges. We see almost daily how conditions are becoming tougher, with the prices of raw materials and energy going up all the time and currency risks becoming greater.

Let me explain briefly just how much the currency issue affects our competitive situation:

In the last seven years alone, the dollar and the Japanese yen have lost about 80 per cent of their value versus the euro.

That means that our main competitors are benefiting from even the slightest weakness of the dollar and the yen, from every drop in value even behind the decimal point. They are able to offer their products at lower prices in the world market and make significant profits all the same.

Obviously, we must find answers to these challenges, since we cannot pass on these cost disadvantages directly to our customers in a one-to-one process.

To remain competitive we are therefore continuing to enhance our efficiency in Development, Production and Sales, we are intensifying our international Purchasing activities, and we are creating a very attractive, innovative product portfolio.

This, Ladies and Gentlemen, takes me on to the highlight I am sure you are all looking forward to.
I stated before that we are actively looking for new options, for profitable growth and for the planned increase in volume. Precisely that is why we have decided, among other things, to take on the competition in the Supersports segment on both the road and the race track.

We naturally realise that we are taking on a great challenge. Particularly the Japanese are some 20 years ahead of us in this class and have lots of experience. But even so, the spirit of this competition alone encourages us in our efforts. From the start we wish to be on par with our well-established competitors also in the Supersports segment.

Our development team is highly motivated to achieve our goals. And I can tell you today that the status we have achieved so far is very promising.

We are confident that we will be able to start the Superbike World Championship next year with a convincing all-round package, and that our series motorcycle will be just as convincing. In both terms of both its technology and price, our Supersports will be absolutely competitive.

Dear Motorcycle friends, what motivates us to move into this segment in particular?

First:
The very fascination of this motorcycle with its racing DNA expands and upgrades the brand image of BMW Motorrad by offering an additional, sporting and emotional element winning over new customers for the brand.
The Superbike World Championship is becoming increasingly popular among motorcycle riders, since here, unlike the MotoGP, they are able to watch and admire their motorcycles in a direct comparison with competitors.
And they can enjoy this thrill all around the world! This year the Superbike World Championship is being held on four continents and in 13 countries.

Second:
For the first time we are demonstrating the innovative power of BMW Motorrad also in the segment of the most dynamic, top-performance onroad motorcycles, since our Supersports motorcycle is an all-BMW development from the ground up and will be built at our plant in Berlin.

Third:
We are expanding our product portfolio also with a view to worldwide growth.

Today sales in the 1,000-cc class amount to some 100,000 units worldwide. The vast majority of these motorcycles goes to the USA and Europe. And the four large Japanese manufacturers account for about 85 per cent of the market.
BMW Motorrad is looking at a long-term involvement in this segment. Clearly, that means we must speak the language of the segment and follow the usual market standards. And indeed – we are confident that we will set new benchmarks in this scene, winning over an appropriate market share.

This, Ladies and Gentlemen, takes me on to the motorcycle as such.

It is our objective to offer the customer a high-performance motorcycle with absolutely outstanding qualities and features on both the road and race track in terms of rideability, performance, and ergonomics.

Since we are still in the middle of the development process, it would be too soon to mention any specific technical data. But you naturally know the usual level of performance our competitors have to offer. So with this in mind, I leave it to you today to speculate on what the specifications might be.

Our Supersports is based on a highly proven fundamental concept. Before choosing this concept, we naturally analysed the market and the appropriate technologies with utmost care and precision. And we will use the technical parameters required to develop our own solutions.

In the early project phase we checked out various engine concepts. And as you know, we then decided in favour of a four-cylinder, with the straight-four offering the best qualities to meet the power, performance, weight, and package requirements to be fulfilled. In typical BMW style, the engine will of course offer a number of special features, especially on the cylinder head.

For package reasons we have decided against the BMW Duo-Lever on the suspension. Taking up more space, this kind of front-wheel geometry would have presented disadvantages with the very compact structure of BMW’s new Superbike.
But you can be sure that the innovations we are introducing are absolutely convincing. One example is the special traction control you will find on the new machine. Again, however, we cannot give you any further information today.

As you may expect of BMW Motorrad, the design of our BMW Supersports will be absolutely unique and very different. While it will of course reflect the usual design language in the segment, it will at the same time offer a strong and powerful message from the BMW brand.

Now let me briefly give you the status of our entry into the Superbike World Championship:

Today I can confirm that our preparations are proceeding according to plan in every respect: In compliance with the rules of the Series, the new motorcycle will be available to customers in 2009 and we will build 1,000 production models by the end of next year.

We are implementing our racing activities in close cooperation with our partner Alpha-Racing, a specialist very experienced in motorsport. Located near Munich, Alpha-Racing have already started work in a special production hall specifically for this purpose.

The process of building up the team is proceeding at full swing and we have already filled the key positions.
The team is a combination of specialists from BMW and members of the Alpha-Technik racing crew, as well as further specialists from professional Superbike racing.

Choosing the development and test riders for our racing machine, we are currently operating in a revolving system to gain as much experience as possible. The selection of test riders ranges from experienced riders still active today all the way to young “top guns”.

In the upcoming weeks and months we will systematically start production of the racing machine in its individual power and performance stages, testing the new model as we go along.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We naturally realise that the established teams have many years of experience. But we wish to take up this challenge in particular and have put together a highly motivated team precisely for this purpose, a team which will prove the performance of our new motorcycle in professional racing.

Naturally, we will have to go through a certain process of learning – which is precisely why we have set ourselves realistic targets for the time being: In our first year in the Superbike World Championship we seek to bring home several places in the Top 10 and to consistently close the gap to the top teams. In year 2 we plan to catch up with the top teams and to win our first places on the podium. And our medium-term objective, obviously, is to win the World Championship!

Ladies and Gentlemen,

So much on this project, the current status of the project and our preparations for entering the World Superbike Championship next year.

You have been speculating a lot on the designation of our new model. So let us put an end to this speculation today.

BMW Motorrad’s first Supersports will be the “S 1000 RR”.

In choosing the name and designation of BMW’s new Supersports, we are consistently following our nomenclature at BMW Motorrad. In this name, the “S” stands for Supersports, marking a new class of motorcycles from BMW. The “1000″ designates the size of the engine, and the “RR” naturally stands for the model itself.


Dear Motorcycle Friends,

Many motorcycle magazines have published photos of a racing prototype which we have tested on several racing tracks. Today we would like to show you this racing prototype, offering you an initial impression of the package and the technology.

But when you see the motorcycle in a minute, please note that neither the design nor the impression of quality are the same as on the production model following at a later point.

Thank you for your attention.

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We can’t blame him, considering the chilly reception a $60k+ VW garnered here in the States, partnered with Volkswagen’s new push to reestablish itself as the affordable people’s car.

Source: Autobild

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VW is also looking at making both a three- and five-door up! with the exact same wheelbase, as well a roomier MPV version and even a hybrid. VW also says that the 11 foot long up! will also feature the roomiest cabin in its class. Is it just us, or does the amazing little up! almost sound too good to be true? We’ll find out for sure next year when the production up! is released to the public.

Source: Auto Express

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