debut Archives | Page 4 of 9

777-horsepower MTM Audi R8 making Geneva debut

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Audi, Specialty

2011 MTM Audi R8 BiTurbo

2011 MTM Audi R8 BiTurbo – Click above for high-res image gallery

There’s a strong possibility that German tuning house MTM’s booth at the Geneva Motor Show will be visibile from space. The boys from Wettstetten are bringing their paint-free polished-aluminum Audi R8 BiTurbo to Hall 5 at Geneva. The company is mum on exactly how they removed all that paint, but they do allow that it took 700 hours of polishing to get the car where it is now.

If the gleaming bodywork isn’t enough to snag your gaze, MTM packed its latest R8 with 777 twin-turbocharged horsepower just to let everyone know they weren’t fooling around. The result is good for a claimed top speed of more than 217 mph, making this the fastest R8 on the block.

If the turbo R8 doesn’t whet your appetite, MTM is also hauling its 472-hp, 195-mph Audi TT RS to the show. Full press release after the jump.

Gallery: 2011 MTM Audi R8 BiTurbo

2011 MTM Audi R8 BiTurbo fron three quarter 2011 MTM Audi R8 BiTurbo front low 2011 MTM Audi R8 BiTurbo rear three quarter 2011 MTM Audi R8 BiTurbo, 2011 MTM Audi TTRS

[Source: MTM]

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777-horsepower MTM Audi R8 making Geneva debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 27 Feb 2011 19:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TechArt Porsche Cayenne Turbo rears its ugly head prior to Geneva debut

Filed under: Aftermarket, Performance, SUV, Geneva Motor Show, Porsche

techart magnum porsche cayenne turbo

TechArt Magnum Porsche Cayenne Turbo – Click above for high-res image gallery

TechArt continues to assault the senses, producing cars capable of violent bursts of speed and sound. But at the same time, its creations either cause your eyes to sparkle with lust or bleed from hate, and this, the TechArt Porsche Cayenne Turbo is… stomachable at best.

The only thing helping us keep our breakfast down are the power numbers. Thanks to TechArt’s TA 058/T1 Power Kit, output on the Cayenne has been raised from 500 horsepower up to 560 hp and torque climbs up from 516 pound-feet to 575 lb-ft. That might be enough oomph to outrun a BMW X5 M, but even so, you can’t outrun ugly.

The TechArt Magnum will debut at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. Follow the jump for the company’s official press blast.

Gallery: TechArt Magnum Porsche Cayenne Turbo

[Source: TechArt]

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TechArt Porsche Cayenne Turbo rears its ugly head prior to Geneva debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saab 9-3 Convertible Independence Edition officially revealed prior to Geneva debut

Filed under: Convertible, Saab

Saab 9-3 Convertible Independence Edition

Saab 9-3 Convertible Independence Edition – Click above for high-res image gallery

A couple of days after reports of a special edition Saab 9-3 surfaced in celebration of the company’s independence from General Motors, the automaker has confirmed its particulars and corrected a few details along the way.

The 9-3 Independence Edition celebrates not only Saab’s liberation out from under the GM umbrella, but also the 25th anniversary of the company’s first convertible. It’s based on the Aero trim model, but while earlier reports suggested it could get the 220-horsepower 2.0-liter turbo from the 9-5, the special edition is actually driven by a 1.9-liter diesel four with 180 horses and a six-speed automatic.

Amber Orange metallic is the dominant color, coating the exterior and highlighting the cabin with trim on the parchment leather sport seats and stitching on the steering wheel. There’s also grey piping on the floor mats and carbon-look leather on the instrument panel, levers and handles. And while those special 18-inch wheels may look like they’ve got five spokes, but actually have twenty.

Only 366 examples of the Independence Edition will be made in all – one for each day of this year and another to kick off the next. Follow the jump for the press release and check out the pair of images in the gallery below.

Gallery: Saab 9-3 Convertible Independence Edition

[Source: Saab]

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Saab 9-3 Convertible Independence Edition officially revealed prior to Geneva debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lexus gives us a closer look at the LFA Nürburgring package ahead of Geneva debut

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Lexus

Lexus LFA Nürburgring package

Lexus LFA Nürburgring package – Click above for high-res image gallery

It takes a while to get around the Nürburgring Nordschleife – around seven minutes in even the fastest of machinery with the best driver behind the wheel. But apparently it takes even longer to get around to releasing a special edition Nürburgring package that makes your go-fast supercar even more track-friendly.

We’re talking, of course, about the Lexus LFA Nürburgring package, ToMoCo’s six-figure V10 supercar fitted with extra kit for track duty. Lexus announced last May that they’d make 50 examples, and the better part of a year later, confirmed that it would finally be unveiled to the public at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. Now less than a week away from its debut, Lexus has given us some additional details and images of the car which we only saw from three angles until now.

So what do we need to know? For starters, that extra ten horsepower isn’t meant to give the Nürburgring package-equipped LFA a quicker acceleration time. Nor a higher top end, either. The ten-horse boost is included to counteract the drag of the giant rear wing that helps keep the track-focused supercar glued to the Karussell. Also, while we knew the ‘Ring edition LFA could be had in white, black (matte or glossy) or orange (as pictured), Lexus has also confirmed that the interior can be trimmed in all black, black and red, or black and purple (a good match for the orange exterior if you were ever formerly known as ‘Prince’), and only European customers, for some reason, will get the full carbon-fiber interior.

There are more details to soak up in the press release after the jump, plus a new crop of images in the gallery below. But we’ll leave you with one more salient detail: Lexus is offering buyers one-on-one instruction from a ‘Ring master (or mistress) and a year’s free pass to lap the Nordschleife to your heart’s content. Of course, this is included in the $70,000 premium that the Nürburgring package commands over the already lofty $375,000 purchase price of an LFA. Tack on another $20K for the matte black finish, of course.

Gallery: Lexus LFA Nurburgring package

[Source: Lexus]

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Lexus gives us a closer look at the LFA Nürburgring package ahead of Geneva debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mini Rocketman Concept takes off ahead of Geneva debut

Filed under: Concept Cars, Geneva Motor Show, Hatchback, Mini, Design/Style

Mini Rocketman concept

Mini Rocketman Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

Mini’s latest production car – the Countryman – may be the automaker’s largest offering to date, but now the brand known for its pint-sized fighters is returning to its roots with its latest concept. But this isn’t a preview of the next-generation Cooper – oh no, no, no – it’s the Rocketman (cue Elton John). At just over 11 feet long, the bug-eyed little hatch is slightly shorter than a base Cooper hardtop and uses a unique three-plus-one interior seating arrangement. It isn’t gonna be a long, long time before we see the Rocketman in person, either – the concept makes its official debut at the Geneva Motor Show next week.

In creating the Rocketman, Mini’s main focus was to keep its petite body as light as possible. A carbon spaceframe makes up the main construction, and things like weight-saving wheels with an enclosed surface structure reduce drag to improve fuel economy. Speaking of economy, Mini says that the Rocketman is powered by “a drive system which combines further enhanced sprinting ability with average fuel consumption of just three liters per 100 kilometers (94 miles per gallon Imperial)” – about 78 mpg on the U.S. cycle. We don’t have details about what exactly powers the Mini concept, but we’d bet our bottom dollar that there’s some electrification involved.

The doors themselves are another bit of notable engineering. Upon opening, the doors pivot outwards complete with their sills, making ingress and egress to both the front and rear seats a breeze. From there, passengers are greeted with a three-plus-one seating concept, meaning that instead of a connectional bench seat in the rear, there is an individual chair behind the passenger seat. Behind the driver is a smaller seat where the backrest can be folded down to act as a storage surface. The interior is full of nifty, concept-spec LED lighting, and the latest in infotainment, including the auotmaker’s Mini Connected system with three-dimensional graphics and a steering wheel-mounted joystick for easy operation.

Mini’s Rocketman concept previews the future of small, urban mobility from the brand. This mini-Mini looks capable of retaining the automaker’s core values of driver involvement with seemingly endless personalization, and we encourage you to see all of its ins and outs for yourself in our high-res gallery below. Mini’s official press blast is available after the jump, as well.

Gallery: Mini Rocketman Concept

Mini Rocketman Concept

[Source: Mini]

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Mini Rocketman Concept takes off ahead of Geneva debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid detailed ahead of Geneva debut [w/video]

Filed under: Hybrid, Wagon, Geneva Motor Show, Volvo, Diesel

Volvo V60 Plug-In Hybrid

Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid – Click above for high-res image

While hypermilers debate the various advantages and drawbacks of diesels versus hybrids, Volvo is here to ask, “Why not have both?” As promised, the Swedish automaker is rolling into Geneva with what it’s calling “the world’s first diesel plug-in hybrid”.

Packaged into the svelte V60 wagon, the diesel hybrid packs two distinct drivetrains that can operate separately or in conjunction with one another. Up front is a 2.4-liter five-cylinder turbodiesel with 215 horsepower and 324 pound-feet of torque, while a 70-horsepower electric motor with a 12-kWh lithium-ion battery pack twists the Electric Rear Axle Drive (ERAD).

At the touch of a button, the V60 hybrid can operate in Pure mode as an EV with a 32-mile range on electric power alone. In Hybrid mode, it emits less than 50 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer with a 746-mile range, and in Power mode, the powerplant acts as a boosted torque monster with a combined output at 472 lb-ft of twist for a 6.9-second sprint to 62 miles per hour. That may not seem too quick, but for a diesel wagon schlepping around that much Duracell, it’s relatively rapid.

The V60 Plug-In Hybrid is set to debut at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, but if you want to see a brief video and delve further into the specs now, feel free to check out the full press brief after the jump.

[Source: Volvo]

Continue reading Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid detailed ahead of Geneva debut [w/video]

Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid detailed ahead of Geneva debut [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi sketches 408-hp A3 sedan concept ahead of Geneva debut

Filed under: Concept Cars, Sedan, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Audi, Luxury

Audi A3 Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

Audi has released a few sketches of its Geneva-bound A3 concept, and in keeping with previous reports, the automaker is intent on bringing a sedan version of its smallest model to market.

Audi describes the A3 concept as a “four-seater notchback sedan” and measures in at 174.84-inches long – about six inches longer than the current five-door model. The front fascia is a further evolution of Audi’s more aggressive snout, complete with full LED headlamps and new trapezoidal grille. The greenhouse is suitably squat, with an arching roofline that terminates in a thin, low-slung C-pillar to give it the de riguer “four-door coupe” shape.

More intriguingly, the powertrain is comprised of a turbocharged five-cylinder engine – likely pulled from the TT-RS – outputting 408 horsepower through Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system. We’ll have a full report from the show floor in less than two weeks, but in the meantime, get the full details in the press blast below the fold.

Gallery: Audi A3 Concept

[Source: Audi]

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Audi sketches 408-hp A3 sedan concept ahead of Geneva debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 20 Feb 2011 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rolls-Royce 102EX Phantom Experimental Electric to debut in Geneva

Filed under: Sedan, Geneva Motor Show, Rolls-Royce, Electric, Luxury

Rolls-Royce 102EX Phantom Experimental Electric

Rolls-Royce 102EX Phantom Experimental Electric – Click above for high-res image gallery

Of all the automakers in the industry, Rolls-Royce doesn’t exactly have the “greenest” image. Its vehicles are heavy and ponderous, equipped with enormous engines and swathed with more dead cows than a beef processing plant. But its parent company BMW has been pushing into the green space with its EfficientDynamics initiative, and it’s looking to bring the Goodwood division along for the electrified ride… one way or another.

Call this another, then: the Rolls-Royce 102EX. It’s an electric version of the Phantom Rolls has been testing for the better part of a year, and now it’s set tomake its debut at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. Few details were confirmed in Rolls’ announcement, but after taking its curtain call in Geneva, the Phantom Experimental Electric will go on a world tour to gauge how the public feels about the possibility of a battery-powered Roller. Follow the jump for the official release and keep an eye on electricluxury.com, which is set to launch this week as the program’s online base.

Gallery: Rolls-Royce 102EX Phantom Experimental Electric

[Source: Rolls-Royce]

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Rolls-Royce 102EX Phantom Experimental Electric to debut in Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 20 Feb 2011 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Smart ForSpeed concept revealed before Geneva debut

Filed under: Concept Cars, Convertible, Geneva Motor Show, Smart, Electric

Smart ForSpeed Concept

Smart Forspeed – Click above for high-res image gallery

Not every future Smart model is in trouble of vanishing – some will never see the light of production. To wit, Daimler’s minicar maker is bringing an all-electric, roofless version of the Smart ForTwo to the Geneva Motor Show, and the Forspeed concept looks surprisingly similar to the the Smart Speedster we got a peek at a few weeks ago.

Overall, the Forspeed echos the Smart Crossblade that was made in limited numbers in the early 2000s. Just to emphasize that the Forspeed is a pure concept, it comes equipped with some interesting taillights, no external door handles and since it’s sans-roof, there’s a toneau cover that can either coat the entire interior or just the passenger side if you get caught in the rain.

The Forspeed’s 41-hp electric motor can yawn the car all the way up to 37 miles per hour in 5.5 seconds and provide a top speed of 75 mph. That’s not excatly “speedy” as the name implys, but the boost button you see on the dash offers another seven ponies. More important is the ED part of the clumsy “ForspeED” name; it refers to the Electric Drive powertrain that we also find in the Fortwo ED. At least the concept hits 37 mph a second sooner than the standard Fortwo ED.

The range for the Forspeed is estimated to be 85 miles, with an 80-percent charge possible in 45 minutes. This is most likley under DC fast charging conditions, but we’re not sure. We’ll make sure to get more info when we’re on the ground in Geneva.

Gallery: Smart ForSpeed Concept

[Source: Autocar, Car And Driver]

Smart ForSpeed concept revealed before Geneva debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 20 Feb 2011 15:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Saab 9-3 Independence Edition sneaks out ahead of Geneva debut

Filed under: Convertible, Geneva Motor Show, Saab

Saab 9-3 Independence Edition

The Saab 9-3 Independence Edition (based on the Aero Convertible) marks the day, February 23, one year ago when Saab left the General Motors corporate org chart to once again become an independent automaker (inasmuch as it can be called that, since it’s still owned by Spyker). Expected to debut at next month’s Geneva Motor Show, the Saab 9-3 Independence Edition has leaked onto the web a little early.

Unique Independence Edition touches include a new color called Sunset Red and special 18″ wheels. Meanwhile, the interior gets parchment leather seats with an orange stripe down the middle, an orange needle on the turbo guage, a Super Sport steering wheel and an assortment of other interior bits from Saab specialist Hirsch. The best part, though, is that the 9-3 Independence Edition also gets the 220-horsepower 2.0-liter turbo four from the Saab 9-5.

Enamored? Try not to be, because with only 366 individually-numbered examples to be sold worldwide, the likelihood of getting your hands on one is pretty slim indeed. Thanks for the tip, Knape!

[Source: SaabsUnited]

Saab 9-3 Independence Edition sneaks out ahead of Geneva debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 20 Feb 2011 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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