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Geneva 2011: AC Schnitzer comes strong with sporty diesel BMW Z4, tuned 550i [w/videos]

Filed under: Aftermarket, Concept Cars, Convertible, Sedan, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, BMW, Specialty, Diesel

AC Schnitzer 99d

2011 AC Schnitzer 99d – Click above for high-res image gallery

AC Schnitzer has showed up at the Geneva Motor Show with not one, but two fresh-off-the-press upgrade packages for 2011.

Not wanting to look completely unfriendly to Mother Earth, AC Schnitzer has taken their expertise to the Z4 and BMW’s EfficientDynamics system, working over a 320d mill to go under the Z4’s hood. The 2011 AC Schnitzer 99d gets a 70-hp boost to 190, hits 60 in 6.9 seconds, releases a scant 99g of C02 per mile and returns a handsome 63 mpg in the European cycle. That, according to Schnitzer, is better than any BMW on the market. Unfortunately, the 99d is just a concept, and won’t be available to the public any time soon.

For the family minded executives attending the show, AC Schnitzer started with the 2011 BMW 550i, bumping the car from 407 to 540 horsepower. According to Schnitzer, the result is a 4.5-second 0-60 sprint and a whopping 198 mph top end. The engine exhales through a new set of the tuner’s own mufflers capped with chrome surrounds. The resulting executive express has been dubbed the ACS5 Sport S.

Hauling all that energy to a stop is a revised set of brakes sporting eight-piston calipers. Outside, Schnitzer went all-out to ensure that the car would be stable at its newfound velocity. The laundry list of exterior mods includes a front spoiler, carbon ducts for the brakes, new engine bay vents and, of course, your choice of 20 or 21-inch AC Schnitzer custom wheels.

Check out the official videos and press releases after the jump.

Gallery: AC Schnitzer 99d: Geneva 2011

Gallery: AC Schnitzer ACS5 Sport S: Geneva 2011

[Source: AC Schnitzer]

Continue reading Geneva 2011: AC Schnitzer comes strong with sporty diesel BMW Z4, tuned 550i [w/videos]

Geneva 2011: AC Schnitzer comes strong with sporty diesel BMW Z4, tuned 550i [w/videos] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan Esflow concept is a sporty RWD Leaf [w/video]

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Geneva Motor Show, Technology, Nissan, Design/Style, Electric

Nissan Esflow concept rendering

Nissan Esflow concept rendering- Click above to watch the video after the break

Nissan has just announced it’s bringing a new sports car concept called the Esflow to the Geneva Motor Show next month. The released images show a vehicle with classic sporty proportions, but we’re advised its potential for shrieking rubber has been tempered by the environmental credentials that electric propulsion can bring.

The Esflow uses tech developed for the mass-market Leaf EV hatchback, but uses a separate motor to turn each rear wheel and should hit 60 miles per hour from a standstill in under five seconds. The laminated lithium batteries are mounted low to help out the center of gravity and are said to be good for 150 miles (240 km) per charge. Any weight penalty of the energy storage system is offset by an rollbar-integrated aluminum chassis swathed in a composite shell.

While we doubt this particular concept will find a home in dealerships or driveways, it’s nice to see Nissan isn’t just concentrating their electric efforts on its more pedestrian platforms, and it could point the way to a sportier EV future for the brand. Hit the jump for a little video of the concept cruising the rendered road in animated action.

Gallery: Nissan Esflow concept

Nissan Esflow concept

[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading Nissan Esflow concept is a sporty RWD Leaf [w/video]

Nissan Esflow concept is a sporty RWD Leaf [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Feb 2011 11:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Porsche will develop sporty VWs, not Audi

Filed under: Audi, Porsche, Volkswagen, Design/Style

Porsche sketch

Sometimes, the children just refuse to get along, leaving it up to the parent to swoop in, clean up the messy bits and make a judgment. Such is the case at the Volkswagen Group, where corporate stepchildren Audi and Porsche were both fighting for the right to develop future sports cars and luxury sedans for the German auto conglomerate’s portfolio of brands.

In the end, Porsche won the heart of Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn. This means Porsche will develop the platforms that will underpin future high-performance machinery using front-mid and rear-mid-mounted drivetrains for itself, Audi and Lamborghini. Porsche will also be tasked with the next generation “modular standard matrix” platform for its Panamera sedan, which will also be shared with Bentley.

Audi won’t be left out of the engineering process, though, and will take the lead in the development of the group’s “modular longitudinal matrix,” which makes up the guts of such vehicles as the Audi A4, A5 and Q5. Finally, Volkswagen will continue work on its volume platform, the “modular transverse matrix” that is used by such models as the Volkswagen Golf and Audi A3.

The goal of all these specific engineering assignments? Financial savings, of course. By consolidating multiple platforms into a few modular structures will cut the VW Group’s procurement and production costs by 20 percent and engineering costs by 30 percent.

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]

Report: Porsche will develop sporty VWs, not Audi originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Dec 2010 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Subaru Forester S-Edition concept points towards sporty new model for 2011

Filed under: Crossover, Subaru, Misc. Auto Shows

Subaru Forester S-Edition Concept

Subaru Forester S-Edition concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

The Sydney Motor Show doesn’t grab the full attention of the global media like Paris or Geneva, though this latest bit of news from Subaru certainly piques our interest. We had heard rumblings of a more potent Subaru crossover before, and now this, the Forester S-Edition concept, previews what the automaker says is “an exciting development in our Forester range” set to debut early next year.

Subaru has boosted the Forester XT’s turbocharged 2.5-liter flat-four up to 259 horsepower and 256 pound-feet of torque, gains of 32 and 20, respectively over the normal Australian model. That power runs through a five-speed automatic gearbox with paddle shifters (a proper stick-shift would be preferred, Subaru), and a new variable torque distributing all-wheel-drive system keeps things in check on the road. Other enhancements include a revised sport suspension, 17-inch STI wheels, Alcantara seat trim and S-Edition badging throughout.

Forester STI redux? Certainly sounds like it. Our only hope is that Subaru doesn’t make this hot new Forester a JDM-only affair. (Fingers crossed!) Hit the jump to read the full details in Subaru’s press release.

Gallery: Subaru Forester S-Edition Concept

Subaru Forester S-Edition Concept

[Source: Subaru]

Continue reading Subaru Forester S-Edition concept points towards sporty new model for 2011

Subaru Forester S-Edition concept points towards sporty new model for 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Oct 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Podcast #187 – Lamborghini rumors, Explorer economy, media plants, a sporty Leaf and premium Germans

Filed under: Podcasts, Ford, GM, GMC, Jaguar, Lamborghini, Toyota, Volkswagen

Click above for the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes, RSS or listen now!

Chris Shunk, Sam Abuelsamid, Chris Paukert and Dan Roth are the crew for Episode #187 of the Autoblog Podcast. We cover Lamborghini rumors, the new Ford Explorer’s fuel economy with its rumored EcoBoost powertrain, the rumors swirling around the possibility that the Wall Street Journal printed an article that was a plant from Toyota, a sports car based on the Nissan Leaf, and the seemingly insatiable appetite for German premium cars. We hit your feedback and questions before throwing in the towel at the hour and a half mark. Thanks for listening, see you next time!

Autoblog Podcast #187 – Lamborghini rumors, Explorer economy, media plants, a sporty Leaf and premium Germans

In the Autoblog Garage:

Mitsubishi Outlander
Jaguar XJL
GMC Sierra 3500HD
Volkswagen Golf TDI

News:

Rumormill: Lamborghini developing Touareg-based SUV, V8 Gallardo [w/poll]
2011 Ford Explorer with EcoBoost 2.0-liter delivers 30% better fuel economy than V6
Followup: Toyota ‘strongly objects’ to NHTSA allegations it planted story in WSJ
Rumormill: Nissan considering Leaf-based EV sportscar
Report: German mfgs cleaning up as appetite for luxury cars is ‘bottomless’

Hosts:
Dan Roth, Sam Abuelsamid, Chris Paukert, Chris Shunk

Runtime: 86:17

Get the podcast:
[iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
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[MP3] Download the MP3 directly

Feedback:
Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com
Voicemail: 734-288-8POD (734-288-8763)

Review the show in iTunes and take our survey

Autoblog Podcast #187 – Lamborghini rumors, Explorer economy, media plants, a sporty Leaf and premium Germans originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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