All The Car

Audi R8 - Car from the Future Goes on Sale

Get out your check book, you can buy a car from the future in the first half of 2006. The Audi R8 got introduced at the the Paris Auto show (2006 Paris Mondial De L'Automobile) that opens to the public tomorrow.

The Audi R8 is the commercial version of the Le Mans concept car audi showed back in 2003. Some of the R8 look is also from the Audi RSQ, that Will Smith drove in the Scifi movie I, Robot.

Besides the ultra cool design the Audi R8 packs 420hp from a V8 engine. The R8 takes you from 0-62mph in 4.6s.
The chassis is made from a special aluminum and magnesium metal and the motor is placed in the middle of this all-wheel-drive (quattro) sports car.

Audi put all kinds of new and innovative features into the R8. For instance magnetic ride is a new damper system that uses special fluid whose viscosity is controlled by electromagnetic fields - uuh!
Very obvious are the unique shaped LED based light system on the front and rear of the Audi R8, enhancing its futuristic look.

Audi's new cars for 2007 have all a great new design making other brands like BMW or Mercedes look really old and outdated. With the R8 Audi takes on Porsche. If you can afford a Porsche Carrera, you need to also consider the R8.

The Audi R8 comes on the market in Europe first half of 2007 and in the new Porsche killer will be available in the United States in fall of 2007. The price in Europe is supposed to be 104,000 Euro (~$132,000).

Saturday, September 30, 2006 11:55 PM | Comments

Paris Motor Show: Renault Koleos Concept

Renault has chosen to unveil Koleos Concept at the 2006 Paris Motor Show. This show car foreshadows a 4WD vehicle that Renault is due to market in the first half of 2008. The Koleos Concept car asserts its claim to the rugged and sporty world of 4WDs while featuring the roominess and comfort of a crossover. It boasts a wide range of practical functions for both everyday use and leisure.

To ensure maximum off- and on-road comfort, Koleos Concept is built on a new fourwheel drive chassis and is powered by a 2.0 dCi engine, both of which have been developed within the framework of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. This 4WD is totally in its element in any conditions and is sure to deliver genuine pleasure to its occupants whatever the road surface.

A 4WD with dynamic lines
Unveiled at the Paris Motor Show, the Koleos Concept show car foreshadows the shape of
Renault’s future 4WD. Penned by Renault designers working in collaboration with the Renault Samsung Motors Design Centre in Korea. The grey-blue body colour emphasizes the high-tech feel of its volumes. The front end features LED headlamps, with additional lights and indicators housed in the exterior mirrors.

Koleos Concept features dynamic proportions. The strip between the body sides and the roof reinforces the stance of the car. The glazed roof panel is topped by profiled aluminium roof bars, while the chunky wheel arches house 19-inch aluminium alloy wheels fitted with "concept pattern" tyres. The 200mm ground clearance and front and rear aluminium protective skidplates confirm that this is a car built for adventure. The steeply raked rear window further emphasizes Koleos Concept’s dynamic feel. The design of the vehicle’s rear asserts its identity in a long sweep that runs from the base of the rear screen and through to the centre of the hatch. This smoothly curved, glossy black section houses the Renault badge. Hinting at the vehicle’s dynamic powertrain, a twin exhaust tailpipe is incorporated into the rear bumper.

Koleos Concept also boasts a wide range of driver aids. Some are designed for day to day motoring, like ABS, Emergency Brake Assist and ESP, while others are valuable all-terrain functions such as Hill Down Control (HDC) and Hill Start Assist (HSA). Koleos Concept is powered by an engine which is just at home on city streets, highways and motorways as it is over rough tracks where grip is at a premium. Its 2.0 dCi engine employs state-of-the-art diesel engine technology including piezoelectric injectors, 1,600-bar common rail injection and a variable geometry turbocharger. To minimize polluting emissions, the 2.0 dCi is equipped with a periodic regeneration particulate filter, which operates without additives. It drives through a six-speed manual gearbox that gives Koleos Concept touring car level driving pleasure.

11:50 PM | Comments

Volkswagen is celebrating the world premiere of the new CrossGolf at the Paris Motor Show. It merges the can-do qualities of a compact SUV with the versatility of a small MPV into a new crossover model.

SUV means “Sports Utility Vehicle”, denoting a more “civilian” take on the “tough” cross-country vehicle. In terms of body the CrossGolf shares the same can-do spirit with this vehicle. Approx. 480,000 compact SUVs were sold in Europe in 2005. MPV means “Multi Purpose Vehicle”, referring to a van. With its versatile and spacious interior the CrossGolf also bridges this segment. Just under 1.4 m compact SUVs were sold in Europe in 2005. SUV and MPV – the new CrossGolf is positioned between these poles.

The front-wheel drive only Volkswagen CrossGolf is based on the Golf Plus. And that’s why the CrossGolf
also features practical details such as a folding back Seat that can be moved lengthwise, folding tables on the backs of the front seats and pigeonholes below, an elevated seating position and the basic four doors and large hatchback. The new kid on the block features parallels to the SUV world on the outside. Characterizing the CrossGolf here are special side coverings, independent bumpers and 20 mm higher ground clearance, including 17” wheels and much more.

For the European market launch in November the Volkswagen featuring an air-conditioning system as standard equipment will be available with two gasoline-powered engines (1.6 + 1.4 TSI) and two turbodiesel engines (1.9 TDI + 2.0 TDI) with output ranging from 75 kW / 102 PS to 103 kW / 140 PS. Like all Golfs, the new model will have the ESP stabilization system including counter-steering feature and trailer stabilization, ABS along with brake assistant and six airbags as standard equipment.

9:58 PM | Comments

The new Volvo C30: Young, dynamic people with intense lives get 'a Volvo of their own'

With the new C30, Volvo makes its debut in the segment for two-door premium cars.
The sporty design, with two doors, four individual seats, and a glass tailgate, aims to give a young and dynamic group of customers “a Volvo of their own.”

“The new C30 aims for a group of young singles, or couples, with a intense urban lifestyle. These people prioritise
excitment in design and driving characteristics, and this car is designed to suit their taste and lifestyle,” says Lex Kerssemakers, Senior Vice President, Brand, Business and Product Strategy at Volvo Cars.

During the development phase of the C30 project, Volvo Car Corporation has organised customer clinics in a number of European countries. People living in urban areas with accelerating careers and an intensive lifestyle were invited to judge the car’s design and technical content.

Volvo has focused primarily on singles, or couples without children who see the car as an entertaining tool for keeping up with their intense lives. When they buy clothing, home furnishings, or electronic devices, design and brand are very important factors – and they choose cars in the same way.
“These are customers who move between their homes, the office, meetings, the gym, and to their favourite spots around town at a fast pace. This group prioritises exciting design and exhilarating driving characteristics, and for the most part there are not more than two people in the car,” explains Håkan Abrahamsson, Project Director for the C30 project. He adds:
“It is important to point out that this is a question of lifestyle rather than age. When the children grow up and move out, you also have time and money for an active and fast-moving life. Therefore, we believe that next to the great part of younger customers, a considerable share of the C30’s volume will be bought by so-called ‘empty-nesters’. Another appealing possibility, of course, is that the C30 will be the second car for families with children.”

2:42 PM | Comments