sportback Archives

Geneva 2011: 2012 Audi RS3 Sportback; R S is begging for seat time

Filed under: Wagon, Geneva Motor Show, Hatchback, Audi

2012 Audi RS3 Sportback

2012 Audi RS3 Sportback – Click above for high-res image gallery

In the land of Four Rings, anything with an ‘A’ at the start of its model name means it’s a fairly standard model. Should you see an ‘S,’ get excited, because that means the fun factor has been ratcheted up a notch. However, if the alpahnumeric starts with ‘RS,’ then it’s time to put on your best steel-eyed gaze, because that particular Audi means business. The RS moniker has been used throughout the German automaker’s family, and now it is landing on the A3’s hatch lid, transforming the mild-mannered five-door into the 2012 Audi RS3 Sportback.

Audi has taken its 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five engine and forced it to work a little harder. Adding more boost (now running over 17 psi, in fact), the mill in the RS3 pumps out 340 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque. That power is routed through a seven-speed S-Tronic dual-clutch transmission and out to all four wheels, which helps pull the 2012 Audi RS3 from 0-62 miles per hour in 4.6 seconds. If you feel like 60 mph is too slow for your liking, then hold down the gas and you’ll eventually bump against 155 mph.

There’s no word yet on whether this juiced-up hot hatch will make its way Stateside, but we won’t be holding our breath, as the bog-standard A3 is already plenty expensive for U.S. tastes. Either way, the RS3 goes on sale in Europe sometime during the first half of 2011.

Gallery: 2012 Audi RS3 Sportback: Geneva 2011

2012 Audi RS3 Sportback: Geneva 2011

Gallery: 2011 Audi RS 3 Sportback

Continue reading Geneva 2011: 2012 Audi RS3 Sportback; R S is begging for seat time

Geneva 2011: 2012 Audi RS3 Sportback; R S is begging for seat time originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2010 Suzuki SX4 SportBack by RoadRace Motorsports

Filed under: Aftermarket, Budget, Performance, Hatchback, Suzuki, Reviews

The aftermarket put some more heat in Suzuki’s hot hatch

2010 Suzuki SX4 SportBack by RoadRace Motorsports

2010 Suzuki SX4 SportBack by RoadRace Motorsports – Click above for high-res image gallery

When we think of production vehicles that can double as daily drivers and weekend racers, the Lotus Exige, Mazda MX-5 Miata and Porsche Boxster come to mind. They’ve got to be light, nimble and handle the rigors of the road along with the demands of the track. That’s why we had a little chuckle when a 2010 Suzuki SX4 with “Road Race modifications” came up on our schedule for vehicles to review. When we drove the 2008 SX4 Sport, we found it to have a “sporty feel and rather quick reflexes,” but the chassis had fairly low limits and we couldn’t imagine the squat hatch being that much fun on track.

Still, we were curious how a hopped-up SX4 would perform, particularly in 2010 MY guise, which adds seven additional horsepower (143 to 150 hp) and a six-speed manual transmission. Suzuki has billed its new five-door as a worthy competitor to the world’s best hot hatches, but can it really deliver a world-class combination of practicality and sportiness? With several days of Southern California’s back roads marked down on our schedule, we aimed to find out.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Suzuki SX4 SportBack by RoadRace Motorsports

Continue reading Review: 2010 Suzuki SX4 SportBack by RoadRace Motorsports

Review: 2010 Suzuki SX4 SportBack by RoadRace Motorsports originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Pro wakeboarders jump floating Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart Sportback

Filed under: Videos, Crossover, Mitsubishi

Click above to watch the video after the jump

When we think of the best possible ways to market a vehicle, somehow placing it on a floating platform and letting wakeboarders jump over it just doesn’t crack the top 10. That didn’t stop Mitsubishi from offering up an all-new Lancer Ralliart Sportback for All-ActionSports.com’s mid-week wake up. Wakeboarders from all over the U.S. lined up to hit a ramp at full speed, jump over ten feet in the air while flipping and flopping over the Mitsubishi wagon.

Hit the jump to watch the skiing daredevils take on water, gravity and the Sportback at the same time.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Pro wakeboarders jump floating Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart Sportback

Video: Pro wakeboarders jump floating Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart Sportback originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Sep 2010 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Audi A7 Sportback footage hits the information superhighway

Filed under: Europe, Videos, Hatchback, Audi, Luxury

Audi A7 Sportback

Audi A7 Sportback – Click above to watch video after the jump

When it comes to the new wave of weird sedan-hatchbacks popping up from various manufacturers, the Audi A7 Sportback is hands-down the most attractive, at least to our eyes. Whereas the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo has a bit of a problem with proportions, the A7 Sportback manages to maintain the grace that’s become a trademark of Audi exterior design. At least that’s what we’ve seen from the press photos. Fortunately, Audi has just churned out a bevy of videos that take the time to pour over every last inch of the car so that the forum of the interwebs can make a more informed decision.

The verdict? We’re still of the mind that the A7 Sportback is as attractive as this segment gets. Watching the mega sedan prowl the country paths and beaches around the Italian island of Sardina only solidified our opinion on that front. We don’t expect you to take our point of view for gospel, though. Hit the jump to check out the four videos for yourself. Thanks for the tip, Catchmyshadow!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Audi A7 Sportback footage hits the information superhighway

Video: Audi A7 Sportback footage hits the information superhighway originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Sep 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi A5 Sportback could come to the States, A8 diesel due next year

Filed under: Sedan, Audi, Diesel

Audi A5 Sportback – Click above for high-res image gallery

The arrival of the Audi A7 in the U.S. is almost a given, designed to slot in – predictably – between the A6 and all-new A8, while finally providing Audi with a Mercedes-Benz CLS competitor. But what of the A5 Sportback?

According to our sources, the success of the A7 will play a key role in Audi’s decision to import the A5 Sportback into the States. If the A7 is well received, the Sportback could be slotted in as a smaller alternative to the larger A7 and its closest competitor, the CLS. We haven’t been given a timeline on when the A7 could arrive, but with the European launch happening early next year, a Stateside debut in 2011 isn’t out of the question.

Audi’s product expansion isn’t just limited to new models, but includes the continued proliferation of available drivetrains. To that end, a diesel-powered A8 should arrive in the U.S. sometime next year.

When the A8 goes on sale this November, both the standard and long-wheelbase versions will launch simultaneously, each packing Audi’s 372 horsepower 4.2-liter FSI V8. The 500-hp W12, however, won’t be an option on the A8L until the first quarter of 2011. If Audi decides to equip the A8 with a diesel, expect the same 3.0-liter V6 TDI fitted to the refreshed Q7, outputting around 225 hp and 406 pound-feet of torque.

Gallery: 2010 Audi A5 Sportback

Audi A5 Sportback could come to the States, A8 diesel due next year originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Ralliart takes aim at the competition

Filed under: Performance, Hatchback, Mitsubishi, Reviews

2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Ralliart – Click above for high-res image gallery

There has always been a glaringly obvious gap in Mitsubishi’s current Lancer lineup. On the bottom is the… Lancer, a biggish-for-its-class economy car that no one particularly likes – at least that’s what the sales charts would indicate. It’s slow, filled with cheap plastics and dull. It hasn’t even proven to be all that reliable by Japanese small-car standards, but at least it looks good. At the top of the heap and on a wholly different plane sits the Lancer Evolution. It’s the giant-slayer, David, the little car that humbles supercars. It’s also the hottest of the rally-inspired all-wheel-drive turbocharged pocket rockets. The Evo’s only real competition is the Subaru WRX STI and, let’s be honest, the Evo has been the better car for years now (Subaru has just updated its warrior for 2011, so a new comparison is in order). Its handling is more precise, yet at the same time more insane. The Mitsu is rawer, rougher, tougher and most importantly faster, even though it’s down half a liter on the WRX STI in terms of displacement. Don’t read this wrong, the STI is a fine backroad killer. But the EVO is more homicidal.

It looks like a toned down Evo, which is exactly what Mitsubishi wants you to think.

Back to that gap. In the middle of its arch rival’s portfolio has long lived the WRX, Subaru’s Goldie Loxian sportster, which is very fast, very nimble, but very well priced (it still starts at under $25,000). The WRX has long threaded the needle between excellent all-around performance and the customer not being able to afford a higher monthly payment. Subaru, therefore, has sold a ton of them, for not only does the WRX offer all that power and rally-bred oomph at a low price, it can be had as a wagon. Mitsubishi had nothing until this year, when the Japanese industrial powerhouse brought over two new flavors of its hopped-up Lancer, the Ralliart and the Ralliart Sportback.

Today we’re taking a look at the supposedly more practical of those two additions, the five-door Sportback. When the pictures of the Lancer Sportback Ralliart started spilling onto this here internet, Yours Truly was especially excited. The main reason being that for the past eight years, I’ve owned a WRX wagon in one form or another. Biased? You could say that, but at that same time, I’ve been driving Evos against STIs and have remained aware (perhaps painfully aware) that the Evo is the sharper blade. Perhaps, then, the Sportback Ralliart could be my next fast and furious wagon, or at least go wheel-to-wheel with its competition from Fuji Heavy Industries? Hop the jump to find out.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Ralliart

Continue reading Review: 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Ralliart takes aim at the competition

Review: 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Ralliart takes aim at the competition originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Audi A7 Sportback shows its shapely rump in Munich

Filed under: Sedan, Hatchback, Audi, Design/Style, Luxury

2011 Audi A7 Sportback – Click above for high-res image gallery

There’s a new automotive segment being born as we speak. Previewed by the Porsche Panamera, Aston Martin Rapide and BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo, modern four-door sportback sedans combine the functionality of a hatchback with seating for four or five, all wrapped in a shapely, sleek package. Audi previewed its own offering at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show by way of the Sportback concept, and now the production model has officially been unveiled in Munich.

From a design standpoint, it’s obvious that the A7 Sportback was penned alongside the all-new flagship A8 sedan. Audi’s signature LED running lamps are intact up front, in a more angular shape than what you’d see on the A4 or R8, and the chopped rear deck is not only a throwback to fastback sedans from many decades ago, but its design mimics that of the larger A8, as well. The most striking view, however, is the side profile, which looks to be one part shooting brake and one part coupe, though if we’re honest, we wish the A7’s front overhang were reduced just a bit. Interestingly, at one point, Audi refers to the A7 has having a boattail, which initially made us cringe, but staring at it a bit more, this notion makes a degree of sense.

Powertrain details are slim as of this writing, but Audi says that the A7 Sportback will debut with four different V6 offerings, two petrol and two diesel. Expect the 3.0-liter supercharged V6 from the S4, S5 and A6 to be on hand, as well as the 3.0-liter TDI V6 found in the Q7 SUV. Audi will offer the A7 in both front- and all-wheel-drive configurations, with the Multitronic CVT and seven-speed S-tronic transmissions being used, respectively. Interestingly, unlike the A8, the A7 will make use of electric power steering, so we hope Audi’s boffins have done their homework on dialing in feel and linearity.

Inside, we expect the standard raft of Audi amenities, including the automaker’s new MMI Touch infotainment interface. From there, the latest in Audi technology will be on hand, including wireless internet connectivity. The interior is very much akin to that in the new A8, and we fully expect that it will offer premium creature comforts while still being driver-focused.

No official confirmation for North American consumers just yet, but we expect an all-wheel drive model to make it to these shores – presumably with a gasoline and S-tronic gearbox only configuration.

Hit the jump to read the full details in Audi’s press release, and click through the attached gallery for high-res shots. We fully anticipate that Audi will open the floodgates on further information and images in the near future, so stay tuned.

Gallery: 2011 Audi A7 Sportback

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading 2011 Audi A7 Sportback shows its shapely rump in Munich

2011 Audi A7 Sportback shows its shapely rump in Munich originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi A7 Sportback images leaked ahead of Monday reveal

Filed under: Sedan, Hatchback, Audi, Luxury

2011 Audi A7 Sportback – Click above for image gallery

Tomorrow afternoon, Audi will formally unveil the new A7 Sportback at a museum in Munich. While that fanfare will go on as scheduled, as is so often the case nowadays, the big reveal has been undercut somewhat as leaked official images have made their way onto the web a day early. Carscoop.com has posted four shots of the A7 Sportback, giving us the first solid looks at the production car’s bodywork and interior. As you can see, the five-door A7 remains true to the concept car that made its debut at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show.

Carscoop further reports that the Audi A7 Sportback is a four-seater only, and will be offered with a selection of gas and diesel V6 engines (in European guise, we assume). We’ll have full details and more images tomorrow once the car gets unveiled at 2:30 PM Eastern. In the meantime, have a gander at the leaked shots below to whet your appetite. Top tip, Rally!

Gallery: Audi A7 Sportback leaked photos

Gallery: Detroit 2009: Audi Sportback Concept

[Source: Carscoop]

Audi A7 Sportback images leaked ahead of Monday reveal originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 25 Jul 2010 09:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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