Here’s proof that Volkswagen plans to gatecrash the pick-up party! The German firm is developing its own rival to the Nissan Navaro, Mitsubishi L200 and Isuzu Rodeo.

Our spy photographers caught the flat-bed model during winter testing, and while they couldn’t get close, the picture shows a double-cab version is on the horizon. According to our sources, the all-new 4x4 will be given the Robust badge, which top brass hope will reflect its tough con­struction and practical design.

Labels: VW

Labels: VW

Surprisingly only one multi got to race the local police but talked his way out of any costs associated with such pleasure. Although investment banker Scott Bodenweber did suggest publicly that the R8 should come with "an attorney and a retainer".

What was most surprising was that after day two, three cars were standing out from the pack: the Ferrari, the Audi and the Porsche. In fact, until a countback they were inseparable.

Labels: Audi

At the Geneva show Audi revealed the S5 S-tronic, a seven-speed DSG matched to the S5's longitudinal V8 and quattro transmission and which is entirely an Audi in-house design. The principle is the same as in the transverse DSG, with a hollow input shaft running concentrically around a solid one and each shaft connecting to alternate gears, but this time there's no need to squeeze it into a short package as there's a whole transmission tunnel to play with.

So the clutches can have their own compartment, separate from the gears, which means the clutches can bathe in ATF lubricant and the gears in normal hypoid gear oil to the benefit of both. The inner input shaft, engaged by the larger clutch, is mated to first, third, seventh and fifth gears (that's the order, working rearwards), while the outer shaft, whose clutch sits within that of the inner shaft, carries fourth, sixth and second gears. The centre Torsen differential sits on the back of the output shaft, which runs below the input shaft. The first three gears plus reverse, that is the gears with the biggest gap to the next ratios and thus the biggest loads on their synchromesh, have triple-cone synchronisers.

Sport mode speeds the shifts (to 100 milliseconds from 200), livens up the kickdown and locks out seventh gear. Manual mode feels near-instant and of course there's the impression of a continuous torque delivery during the shift.

Labels: Audi

Labels: Audi

Labels: Audi

Labels: Bentley

A total of only 1960 of the new 2009 Porsche Boxster RS60 roadsters will be built, about 800 earmarked for the U.S., company officials told TheCarConnection.com. While the name commemorates Porsche’s racer, the production number matches the year the original RS60 left its mark, for the first time, on the motor sports world.

Inside, there are three individual gauge pods. Three interior colors are available, though Carrera Red is standard. There’s only one exterior shade, GT Silver Metallic.

A sport exhaust completes the package.

On the technical side, Porsche’s Active Sport Management suspension system is standard, as well, where it is optional on the Boxster S.

Look for a price tag of $64,900, compared with $55,700 for the Boxster S. Porsche officials estimate the 2009 Boxster RS60 comes with an added $10,000 in equipment, however.

Labels: Porsche

Expect to see twin speedster humps sprouting above the mid-mounted engine and a subtly truncated aluminium blade ahead of the rear wheels.

Our sources in Germany suggest that the roof of the Spider will be a removable targa affair, with detachable panels rather than a canvas hood or folding hard top. Although more flexible, the latter two would be hard to engineer with the mid-mounted engine sitting where you’d need a cubby for the lowered hood and associated mechanism. As most of these cars will be sold in warmer climes of the world’s biggest soft-top market (think Florida), targa panels shouldn’t worry typical buyers.

Labels: Audi

The Porsche Boxster rival is expected to go on sale in 2009 and will possibly be fitted with a 2.5-litre five-cylinder petrol engine.

Early reports indicate that the power will be boosted to 260 kW with the use of twin turbochargers.

All this power will be channeled through Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system mated with a six-speed manual gearbox. However, DSG will be available as an option.

Expect the TT RS Cabrio to look hot, too. Sporty styling should include bespoke alloy wheels, bulging bumpers, side sills, RS aluminium door mirrors and RS-emblazoned brakes.

Labels: Audi

• Brilliant Red anniversary car goes to a customer in Franconia, Germany
• Including the first generation, more than 1.9 million A3 models
• First premium model in compact class continues success story

Audi has already produced more than one million units of its current-generation Audi A3 since 2003. The anniversary car has now rolled off the production line at the factory in Ingolstadt. It is a Brilliant Red, 140 hp 2.0 TDI Audi A3 Sportback intended for a customer in Franconia, Germany. In fact, more than 1.9 million units of the world’s first premium model in the compact class have been manufactured and delivered to customers since the market launch of the Audi A3 in 1996.

“Its outstanding premium quality makes the Audi A3 a convincing competitor in its class, and it has played a key role in redefining the compact class,” notes Frank Dreves, Member of the Board of Management for Production of AUDI AG. 230,849 units of the Audi A3 were produced in 2007, with the Sportback accounting for 68.9 percent of this total. With its steady production growth, the A3 continues to remain in the success lane, playing a major role in achieving Audi’s twelfth record financial results in succession.

Each day, more than 800 units of the Audi A3 roll off the production line in Ingolstadt and are sold to customers throughout the world. Production of the Audi A3 began in Ingolstadt in 1996. The second generation of this compact-class model has been in production since June 2003, with the five-door A3 Sportback being added in 2004.

Labels: Audi

I enjoyed your article the other week about the sort of cars Firefox bug fixes buy. Today I got cut off by an Audi S4 with the numberplate "S4ZILLA". I stopped by the Mozilla parking lot later and what do you suppose I saw...

Labels: Audi

The last-of-the-line manual GT has 75,000 miles on the clock and comes with a fresh MoT. It’s incredibly rare, but remember, the 1.8-litre model isn’t fast by modern standards, and the annual road tax bill comes to a hefty £185.

A group 14 rating also makes insurance expensive, although the £1,295 price means you should have some cash to spend on running costs. Its rarity – plus the reappearance of the Scirocco badge on a new VW product – means its value is unlikely to drop any further. So, this is a good potential investment for the future.

Labels: VW

Labels: Audi, VW

British television viewers have also had their fair share of hit shows with vehicular co-stars. According to a survey by HPI Limited, Porsche's peerless 911 has earned the top spot as the ultimate '80s car, followed only one percentage point in the rears by the original Audi Quattro -- a car featured on current U.K. television in the show Ashes to Ashes. British TV fans also have fond memories of the Ford Capri SLE 71R driven by Terry McCann in Minder, a long-running comedy-drama in the U.K.

Labels: Porsche