The Audi R4 will be built off an all-new platform and will be a strict two-seater and will haveit’s larger sibling the R8, will have a mid-ship mounted engine. The R4 will be powered by a series of engines, but the top of them will be a V6 engine delivering arround 280-300hp.
The same mid-mounted engine powers the Porsche Cayman and Boxster models, but they are not beeing considered competitors for the new R4. Maximum output for the 2.7-litre Boxster’s engine is 240 hp, makes the 0 to 60 mph sprint in 6.2 seconds and has a top speed of 159 mph. The Cayman is powered by a 2.7 liters engine developing an output of 245 bhp. It has a top speed of 160 mph and makes the 0 to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds.
The problem with the new R4 is that being placed between TT and R8, will cut into R8’s segment. The R4 will be more powerful than the TT (powered by a V6 engine with an output of 250 hp), but will be under the R8 that is powered by a V8 engine with an output of 412 hp. So, for the ones that can’t afford buying a R8 (more than $100.000), the new R4 ($50.000 est.) is a very good option.
The R4 will make the 0 to 60 mph sprint in less than 5.5 seconds and will have a top speed of 155 mph (electronically limited).
On the same platform as the R4 will be build a new coupe from Seat, that will probably be one of the most expensive Seat ever ($39000). The model will be limited to 6.000 units.
The new R4 will be launched in 2010, in both coupe and roadster options.
----
1980-1991 Audi Quattro
The Audi Quattro is a famous and historically significant road and rally car produced by the German automaker Audi from 1980 to 1991. The car was presented for the first time in 1980 at Geneva show. It marked the beginning of an era of turbocharged, four-wheel drive road cars and changed the face of rallying overnight.
The Quattro was powered by a turbocharged version of Piech’s favourite five-cylinder engine, already under development for the 200 5T saloon and producing 170bhp. But for the quattro it gained an intercooler and an electronic ignition system with an intake air temperature sensor, together with higher boost and a bigger exhaust system, but the alloy head still had only two valves per cylinder. Output was boosted to 200bhp at 5500rpm.
Total road car production is 11,452 vehicles over the period 1980-1991 and through this 11 year production span, nothing MAJOR actually changed in the visual design of the vehicle. The intereor stayed the same from the outset until 1985 when the interior was quite massively redesigned featuring a whole new dash layout, new steering wheel design and new centre console design, the switches around the instrument panel were also redesigned at this time. However the instrument panel itself was changed for the 1983 year from an analogue instrument cluster to a green digital LCD display.
Audi TT
Audi TT was first introduced as a concept car in 1995 at 1995 Frankfurt Motor Show and the production car followed in 1998.
First generation TT
The first generation TT was launched in 1998 as a coupe version and a roadster version fallowed in 1999. The car was called an icon of automotive design, and freshening its essential styling themes was a formidable task.
The first generation of the TT has become a milestone in automotive design, an icon. The design adhered to pure geometric lines, embodying a functional purity and austerity harking back to the Bauhaus style of the 1920s. The core motifs were the circle and the curves of the roof line, and front and rear overhangs. This timeless architecture guaranteed that the Audi TT was an eminently recognisable presence out on the roads, and simultaneously gave the development of the entire brand decisive momentum.
For the first two years of production, both front wheel drive and quattro models featured a 180 hp version of this engine. In 2001, a more powerful Quattro model was released which was equipped with a 225 hp engine which shares the same basic design but features a larger turbocharger, an additional intercooler on the driver’s side, forged connecting rods, a dual exhaust, and a few other internals designed to accommodate the increase in turbo boost from roughly 10 psi peak to 15.
Second generation
In 2005, at Tokyo Motor Show, Audi presented the Audi Shooting Brake Concept that announced the second-generation TT.
On April 6, 2006, at New York Auto Show the second generation TT have been unveiled. The new TT Coupe is even more dynamic than its predecessor- in terms of its design, its drivetrain, and its running gear.
The new Audi TT is powered by two transversely installed engines – a four-cylinder turbo and a V6. Both units provide it with high levels of power and performance. Their performance enables the TT Coupe to perform impressively on the road.
The four-cylinder turbo engine, with the abbreviation TFSI, develops its power from a swept volume of 1,984 cc (2.0 liters). An international jury of experts voted it "Engine of the Year" for two years in succession, in 2005 and 2006 – praise indeed for its innovative technological package. The TFSI combines the Audi-developed gasoline direct injection technology FSI, which has impressively demonstrated its superiority in the R8 racing car, with a turbocharger – a perfect combination.
The four-valve engine responds spontaneously to the throttle and is ultra-refined. It puts 207 ft.-lbs. of torque onto the crankshaft even at engine speeds as low as 1,800 rpm, and is able to keep this high level of torque constant up to 5,000 rpm. The nominal power output of 200 hp is delivered between 5,100 and 6,000 rpm. The 2.0 T accelerates the Audi TT Coupe from 0 to 62 mph in just 6.4 seconds (in the version featuring the S tronic dual-clutch gearbox).
The roadster version follow this autumn. The open-top sports car retains the distinctive lines of its tremendously successful predecessor, but instils them with even greater emotion, performance and dynamism.
Audi offers a choice of two engines for its new TT Roadster. The 3.2-litre V6 power unit generates 184 kW (250 bhp) and is coupled to the quattro drive system as standard. The 2.0 TFSI engine, which blends turbocharging with petrol direct injection technology, delivers 147 kW (200 bhp) to the front wheels. Both model variants can be ordered with the innovative S tronic dual-clutch gearbox as an alternative to the standard six-speed manual shift.
At Paris Motor Show, Audi unveiled the R8 supercar, three years after the unveiling of the Audi Le Mans quattro concept car. It is a fascinating driving machine and the sporty pinnacle of the Audi brand. The mid-mounted 420 bhp V8 FSI engine, quattro permanent four-wheel drive and Audi Space Frame aluminium body form the basis for truly outstanding driving dynamics.
----
2009 BMW Z4
In 2009, BMW will launch a succesor for the current model Z4 (probably called Z6). The new coupe will adapt the engines from the new BMW 3-Series Coupe and will again offer room for two passengers.
Engines planned include a 4.4 V8 with turbo, 3.0 twin-turbo and the M5/M6’s 5.0 V10, plus 6.0 V12. The new model will be built around an aluminium spaceframe chassis but incorporating many elements of 5/6-Series structure.
Nissan are preparing their sixth generation of the Z-line. Replacing the current 350Z after seven years of production, the next Nissan sportscar is expected to be launched in the year 2009. Carrying the 40-year tradition of the Z-cars, the new model will be lighter, more powerful and therefore a lot faster.
The new sportscar is expected to be called 400Z, as the engine displacement will probably have to grow up to 4-liters in order to keep up with the competition. All Z-models up until now had 6-cylinder engines. The first generations were straight-6es and the rest used a “V” configuration. Following the Z tradition, the 400z should feature a V6, but six cylinders are not enough for such a large displacement. Usually 4-liter engines are V8’s and Nissan is very likely to switch to that.
The coupe is most likely to be launched in 2009, and the roadster is expected to follow 2 years later. Prices are expected to range between $30,000 and $40,000.
After almost eight years of production, the highly successful Mazda RX-8 will be reinvented in a completely new model. The original 2+2 doors coupe is expected to come with an all-new skin and refreshed “Zoom-Zoom” design in 2009. The dynamics are guaranteed to be better than ever for an RX model, featuring the latest generation of Mazda’s exotic Wankel rotary engine.
The power will be supplied to the new RX-8’s rear wheels by an updated version of the 1.3-liter Wankel rotary engine expected to produce up to 300 bhp. The transmission options will be 6-gears manuals or automatic gearboxes.
Mazda has already developed a prototype of a hydrogen/gasoline fueled rotary engine. It is highly probably that this engine version will also be offered for the next generation RX-8.<
Picture Gallery
2 comments
RSS -
Webmaster free news |
Linux System Management