TopSpeed Daily Update |  |
- Mercedes continues to work on Diesotto engine
- Suzuki Swift R Concept
- Jaguar launches two new apps
- BMW 1-Series M Coupe
- Rubens Barrichello to be The Stig in Top Gear USA?
- Is this the 2012 BMW 6-Series Convertible?
- US BMW X3 Pricing Announced
- Lotus Esprit
- Wiesmann MF5 GT replacement spied testing
- Bentley's GT To Get Audi S-Tronic Transmission?
| Mercedes continues to work on Diesotto engine Posted: 13 Oct 2010 04:00 PM PDT  Three years ago, Mercedes announced the production of a gasoline engine that carried with it some diesel genes. Set to be the gasoline engine of the future, the Diesotto engine was set up and then put up on the shelf. That’s right, there has been no discussion of the Diesotto engine since its debut at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, but a couple of weeks ago at the Paris Motor Show, Professor Herbert Kohler, vice president of future mobility at Mercedes, confirmed that the new Diesotto engine would be ready for production within five years. "Nobody believes us, but it will happen. Three of the five hurdles we identified have been overcome. The engine is on the test bench and in development cars. It is coming." The engine displayed in 2007 was a four-cylinder unit with a displacement of just 1.8 liters, which combines the strengths of the low-emission gasoline engine with the fuel economy of a diesel. An output of 238 HP and a maximum torque of 400 NM are achieved together with the hybridization a fuel consumption of less than six liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers. Mercedes continues to work on Diesotto engine originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 13 October 2010 16:00 EST.
|
| Posted: 13 Oct 2010 04:00 PM PDT Suzuki is getting a head start on the Beijing Auto Show by announcing a brand new concept car called the Swift R that is said to preview the future Swift Sport. The Beijing show is a long way off - taking place in April 2011 - but Suzuki wanted to start talks about the future sports version of their smallest model early to keep everyone’s interest piqued from now until the show. A lot is riding on this model because Suzuki wants to attain the same kind of success they experienced with the old Swift R. The style of the concept is inspired by the Suzuki supersport motorcycles, especially the GSX-R 1000. It features a front bumper with enlarged air intakes, rear spoiler, and wheel arches increased significantly in order to change the character of the Swift. No words yet on what type of engine under the hood, but we presume there will be a 1.4 liter TSI engine that will deliver either 150 hp or 180 hp. It will most likely be combined with a 7-speed DSG transmission. Stay tuned for more details! Suzuki Swift R Concept originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 13 October 2010 16:00 EST.
|
| Posted: 13 Oct 2010 03:30 PM PDT Jaguar has released two new apps for the iPhone and iPad, a source of good news for all Jaguar-loving auto nuts out there. The first app is your standard configurator that allows us to customize our very own Jaguars according to our tastebuds. With the iConfigurator, we can choose from any three Jaguar models – the XJ, XK, and XF – and select just about any noticeable feature we want, including engine, paint, wheels and even the car's interior. We can then save our creation and share them with our peeps from a number of social networks. Sounds fun, doesn't it? The second app Jaguar recently released is an online edition of Jaguar Magazine, which, in this case, is a special-edition 75th anniversary issue. The magazine app takes us back to the fascinating history and unrivaled heritage of the brand since its birth 75 years ago, including 75 items of trivia that you may not have known about the brand. You can also take a virtual trip on board a Jaguar XKR to a number of racetracks and test circuits all over the world. Both apps are available for download at the iTunes store free of charge. So if we were you, we'd head over immediately to the website and download the two apps as soon as possible. Press Release after the jump. Jaguar launches two new apps originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 13 October 2010 15:30 EST.
|
| Posted: 13 Oct 2010 03:00 PM PDT BMW has just released some new information about the long awaited 1-Series M Coupe, including engine information, release dates, and the toys it will carry. Under the hood will be the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six with 340 horsepower. That motor will be connected to six-speed manual transmission. There will no automatic option with this vehicle. That motor should be more than enough to haul around the car’s 3,307-pound weight. The M1 will feature a chassis, braking system, and rear differential similar to the M3. In total, that power and these tweaks have made the M1 faster than the E46 M3 around the Nordschleife. The 1-Series M Coupe will be unveiled in December before the auto show in Detroit. The car should be on sale in the summer of 2011 with pricing between the 135i Coupe and the M3 Coupe. Hit the jump for the full story and a gallery of spy shots for the BMW 1-Series M Coupe! BMW 1-Series M Coupe originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 13 October 2010 15:00 EST.
|
| Rubens Barrichello to be The Stig in Top Gear USA? Posted: 13 Oct 2010 03:00 PM PDT Here's an interesting rumor all you fans of Top Gear USA should know. Inside Line just posted a tweet of an "unsubstantiated rumor" linking Williams F1 driver Rubens Barrichello as the man that will portray The Stig in the US version of Top Gear. There's no telling where this rumor came from, but seeing as the Brazilian is still tied to Williams and is currently driving for them in Formula One - albeit for the last three races - we don't see how Rubens can juggle being an F1 race car driver and a super secretive Top Gear USA masked test driver at the same time. If it is true, however, the addition of Barrichello to the TG USA line-up adds some much-needed star-power to a team that, no offense to Tanner Foust, Adam Ferrara and Rutledge Wood, doesn't exactly scream of household name material. On the flip side, given BBC's uproar during the whole Ben Collins scandal, leaking Rubens Barrichello's name as The Stig on Top Gear USA violates whatever confidentiality agreement these parties are supposed to have? Then again, there's a reason why it's called a rumor. Rubens Barrichello to be The Stig in Top Gear USA? originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 13 October 2010 15:00 EST.
|
| Is this the 2012 BMW 6-Series Convertible? Posted: 13 Oct 2010 02:30 PM PDT There seems to be a growing debate on whether this photo of what looks to be the new 2012 BMW 6-Series Convertible is a spyshot of the car or just a creative rendering by someone looking to build a fire off of sheet metal. The photo, which was first published in Autobild, does resemble what looks to be the new droptop 6-Series convertible. The only question is whether this image is a spyshot or simply an ingenious use of Photoshop. Well, we did some snooping around and found out that the answer is actually both: the photo was digitally redone, but the car looks to be the real deal. So how did this happen? The photo was taken as part of a photo shoot for the car, possibly for a future catalog that the drop-top 6-Series will be included in. Now, if you look at another photo – a grainier one at that – you'll notice a man bent over at the side of the car trying to fix something. We figure that this photo is the spy shot while the cleaner – and brighter – photo looks to have been a Photoshopped version of the original to make it look a little spankier. So, there you have it. Feast your eyes on the confirmation of a 2012 BMW 6-Series Convertible. We actually kind of like the rendering done a couple of days ago better, but that’s neither here nor there. Is this the 2012 BMW 6-Series Convertible? originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 13 October 2010 14:30 EST.
|
| Posted: 13 Oct 2010 02:30 PM PDT  Not long after the debut of the all-new BMW X3 in Paris, BMW has announced the suggested retail pricing for the sporty SUV. The entry level 240-horsepower X3 xDrive28i will be priced at $37,625, and arrives in dealer showrooms by the end of this year. The turbocharged, 300-horsepower X3 xDrive35i will have an MSRP of $41,925. Both prices include $875 Destination & Handling fees and feature the standard 8-speed automatic transmission along with BMW's acclaimed xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive system. The 2011 models will also have a significant increase in all round value compared to their 2010 predecessor by sporting more standard equipment, including Bluetooth connectivity, iPod/USB interface, anti-theft alarm system, and - on the X3 xDrive35i - standard BMW Xenon Adaptive Headlights. Produced exclusively at BMW's newly upgraded Spartanburg, S.C. factory, the new X3 will be supported by a state-of-the-art ordering and manufacturing system. Customers will be able to make changes to their vehicle order up until six days prior to the start of production. US BMW X3 Pricing Announced originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 13 October 2010 14:30 EST.
|
| Posted: 30 Sep 2010 11:14 AM PDT The legend is back! Lotus has unveiled today the new Esprit sports car. Described as the "ultimate Lotus," the new Esprit will go into production at the end of 2012, with first deliveries to begin in 2013. Lotus announced an estimated price of £110,000 ($175,000 at the current rates). The 2013 Esprit will be powered by a 5.0 liter V8 engine that delivers an impressive 620 HP and 720 NM of torque. With a weight of 1450 kilos, the new Esprit will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 3,4 seconds and will hit a top speed of 205 mph. "One has to be very careful when taking on the challenge of reinventing such an iconic classic as the Esprit – everyone has an opinion. There's a fine balance between acknowledging the greatness of the past whilst at the same time rapidly leaping forward to the future and ensuring that this car not only does the name Esprit justice but also the Lotus brand. I think we've managed to find the balance and in doing so created a new icon, a car people will find hard to resist." Press release after the jump. Lotus Esprit originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 30 September 2010 11:14 EST.
|
| Wiesmann MF5 GT replacement spied testing Posted: 13 Oct 2010 02:00 PM PDT With the BMW M5 being booted, it seems Wiesmann had no choice but to start shopping around for a new engine to put into their replacement for the MF5 GT. Fortunately, they didn’t have to look far as the replacement engine - BMW’s V8 Twin Turbo - is all set and ready to plop into the German roadster. Evidence of this was already caught as the replacement MF5 GT was making its way around Nurburgring. Thank goodness for those wonderful spy photographers! While the old MF5 GT was powered by the same engine as the BMW M5, the prototype caught testing is powered by BMW’s V8 Twin Turbo, the same engine used in the X6 and the X5 M sports SUV. The result of using this engine will be a weight reduction of about 100 kilos compared to the current MF5 model allowing its top speed to reach 200mh. In regards to design, the prototype may seem like it features the same style as the model it replaces, but a closer look will reveal larger, wider wheels - 325x25x20 on the rear and 285x30x20 on the front - wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sports. We expect the final car to have a few exterior modifications as well as a more luxurious interior when it finally gets released to the public. This debut should come a little after the debut of BMW’s new M5 set to be brought out at next year’s Geneva Motor Show. Wiesmann MF5 GT replacement spied testing originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 13 October 2010 14:00 EST.
|
| Bentley's GT To Get Audi S-Tronic Transmission? Posted: 13 Oct 2010 01:00 PM PDT Bentley's footballer vehicle, the Continental GT, might be getting a few upgrades from its new sister company. The company might equip the new V8 with Audi's dual-clutch S Tronic transmission. Testing is currently underway to see how well the transmission works in the V8 GT. The biggest challenger facing engineers is the underbody of the vehicle. The six-speed ZF gearbox is a different shape than the S Tronic, meaning the underbody of the GT will need to be reworked. Still, the benefits of having such a transmission are numerous, such as a better driving experience that could help Bentley market the GT to a more sporting audience. "The V8 will find a new audience for us. There are sports car enthusiasts out there, particularly in the US, who won't buy a sports car unless it's powered by a V8," says Bentley's new sales and marketing boss Alasdair Stewart to Autocar. The price of the V8 is likely to be set below the W12 and it will go on sale in early 2012. Bentley's GT To Get Audi S-Tronic Transmission? originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 13 October 2010 13:00 EST.
|
| You are subscribed to email updates from Top Speed To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
