After taking care of the standard seventh-gen Golf and the GTI version, German tuner, ABT Sportsline, decided to do the same with the GTD version.
It’s no surprise that the updates offered for the GTD version are nearly identical to the ones offered in the standard version and include updates to the exterior and some extra horses under the hood.
Most of the work was made under the hood where the tuner installed its ABT Power kit that increases the four-cylinder’s output up to a total of 210 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque - up from the standard 184 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque.
To give the Golf the look to match the added power, ABT Sportsline also offers an aerodynamic kit and a set of aftermarket wheels. Also, for a better engine sound, the rear pipes were replaced with new ones.
Click past the jump to read more about the Volkswagen Golf GTD by ABT Sportsline.
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In the last episode of Drive’s "Chris Harris on cars," Chris Harris had the opportunity to test-drive the upcoming Porsche 918 Spyder. In the newest episode, he decided to go for something a little more timid and got behind the wheel of a Ford Fiesta ST.
Ever since the Fiesta ST was announced, there was a great dispute on which one was the better subcompact pocket rocket: the ST or the Renault Clio RS? So, Harris tries to help you find an answer to this question, as he tested the car on the road and track, and ended up being quite impressed by the petite ST. Of course, the car could use some improvements here and there, but overall, he thinks the ST performs quite well.
The Fiesta ST is powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with an output of 197 Horsepower and 214 pound-feet of torque; all rather impressive stats for a subcompact hatch that tips the scales at only 2,720 pounds and sets you back only about 21k.
It looks like this past few weeks have been pretty busy around Renault’s design center. First, that strange-looking 2013 Twizy F1 Concept was unveiled at the end of April and today, at the 71st Monaco Grand Prix, the French company unveiled the Twin’Run - a concept that pays tribute to legendary R5 Turbo and Clio V6.
The concept made its first run at the Monaco Grand Prix with Carlos Tavares, Chief Operating Officer, at the wheel. Alongside it was a Clio V6 with F1 star Charles Pic at the wheel and a Maxi 5 Turbo driven by Jean Ragnotti.
While there is no chance for the Twin’Run to enter production, Renault did confirm that it previews the styling of the company’s future city car.
The unveiling of the new Twin’Run concept will be followed by a series of other dynamic demonstrations at various auto-centric events, like July’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Updated 05/24/2013: This review has been updated with the official details, images and specs.
Click past the jump to read more about the Twin’Run Concept.
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Earlier this week, we brought you the first spy shots of a seven-seat version of the upcoming BMW 1 Series GT and today, the car was caught again, but this time it’s on public roads.
In the last images, we only caught profile shots of the seven-seat 1 Series GT, but this time our spy photographers managed to catch it from multiple angles. From these new angles, we can see - as far as the camouflage allows - that the seven-seat version will look nearly identical to the standard 1 Series GT version, except the longer rear doors, the overhang and upright rear.
The two versions will share the same BMW UKL1 platform and both will be offered with a front-wheel-drive setup. The engine lineup will include a new three-cylinder engine, a hybrid three-cylinder drivetrain and four-cylinder engine.
We expect the seven-seat 1 Series GT to arrive about a half-year after the standard version hits the market.
Click past the jump to read more about the BMW 1 Series GT with seating for seven.
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The British market received yet another special edition; this time it comes from the Italian automaker, Alfa Romeo, and it is called the Giulietta Collezione Limited Edition. The easiest way to distinguish it from the rest of the lineup is by its exclusive contrasting roof offered as a standard feature. The roof is painted matte Magnesio Grey on models donning a black body, whereas Alfa Red and Ghiaccio White models receive a black roof.
Along with the roof, Alfa Romeo offers special 17-inch titanium-finish alloy wheels, titanium-effect wing mirrors, darkened headlight surrounds and chrome door handles. For the interior, the Collezione Limited Edition adds black and red competizione cloth upholstery, and titanium-finish inserts on the doors, central console and dashboard.
The new Giulietta Collezione Edition can be ordered in four different engine configurations: 1.4 TB with 120 horsepower, 1.4 TB MultiAir with 170 horsepower, 1.6 JTDM-2 with 105 horsepower or 2.0 JTDM-2 with 140 horsepower.
On the British market, the model is priced at £18,265 (roughly $27,500 at the current exchange rates).
Click past the jump to read more about the standard Alfa Romeo Giulietta.
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Now that Volkswagen unveiled both the standard and GTI version of the seventh-generation Golf, the next model we expect is, of course, the R version. We’ve brought you plenty of spy photos of the 2014 Golf R, but this time we present to you a video showing the upcoming Golf R taking a beating on Nürburgring.
The upcoming Golf R will be powered by a revised version of the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to a DSG or a six-speed transmission. The revised engine will deliver 256 horsepower in the U.S. version and 270 horsepower in the European model.
As for aesthetics, the next-gen Golf R will receive the same R treatment as the current model, but it will get the some of the design improvements seen on the other seventh-gen Golf variants, including: revised headlights and taillights; a new grille and front bumper; and a revised backside.
Stay tuned for more information and spy shots on the new Golf R as we slowly approach its debut.
The current-generation Volkswagen Polo was unveiled back in 2009 and for the 2014 model year, it looks as if VW will give it an update. The model was spotted undergoing testing on public roads and judging by the lack of camouflage, it is obvious that the updates will be minimal.
As far as we can understand from these photos, it looks like the 2014 Polo will receive a revised front bumper with a modified air intake. Of course, it is very possible that the production version will receive a few extra updates that we cannot see from these shots.
It has also been rumored that Volkswagen will also offer some smaller updates on the interior, including a revised infotainment system, new materials and updated colors.
As for the engine lineup, there is no official confirmation just yet, but we expect to see a small revision for improved performance and reduced fuel consumption.
Expect the revised Volkswagen Polo to be unveiled in September at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show.
Click past the jump to read more about the Volkswagen Polo.
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A few days after Citroen introduced a special-edition RCZ Coupe to the masses, its French sister from another mother, Renault, introduced its own.
This one, though, has been a yearly tradition for the French automaker (at least since last year) owing to its partnership with Formula One’s Red Bull Racing team.
This is the Renault Megane RS Red Bull RB8 Edition. You might recall that last year, Renault released a similar special-edition version for the 2013 Megane RS called the Red Bull RB7 Edition.
One of the most distinctive features of the new special-edition Megane is the Crépuscule Blue finish of the car, the same colors adorning the Red Bull RB8. Keeping with the theme of the model, Red Bull Racing graphics adorn the rear and the sides of the limited-edition car. Platinum Grey details on the F1 blade, door handles, door mirror housing and rear lip spoiler, as well as a monochrome laurel on the rear side windows that celebrate the team’s 2012 Constructors’ world title round out the exterior treatment of the Megane RS Red Bull RB8.
Inside, there are more of the same distinctive features, including Red Bull Racing branding on the numbered aluminum sill guards and carpet mats, as well as Renault’s R-Link and R.S. Monitor 2.0. Also inside are Recaro seats trimmed in an all-new fabric/leather combo with Red Bull Racing logos embroidered on the headrests.
As with any Megane RS, this special edition comes with a 265-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that twists out 250 pound-feet of torque. This is enough to get the hatchback up to 62 mph in 6 seconds and up to a top speed of 158 mph.
The model is expected to be sold in 26 countries at a price of €36,000, which is about $46,300 based on current exchange rates.
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Anybody that has ever been a fan of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will attest that the event holds a unique place of its own amid the races in a calendar year.
For French automaker Peugeot, 1988 and 1989 were special years, as it scored back to back triumphs with Ari Vatanen and Robby Unser. The two drivers won Pikes Peak while driving a Peugeot 405 T16 Grand Raid, a car that gained notoriety for having a wheel steering system on top of its prevalent use of carbon Kevlar variant on its body to go with a new chassis made of sheet steel and tubular steel.
In tribute of those two successful runs at Pikes Peak, Peugeot released a special tribute video directed by Jean Louis Mourney called “Climb Dance”. Well, for those that haven’t seen the video, Peugeot has digitally-remastered the film, which not only means you can watch the whole thing over again, but you’re watching a version that’s more appropriate to the high-definition times of today.
Click past the jump to check out Peugeot’s new ride for the 2013 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb
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The standard BMW 1-Series GT was caught testing many times, but this is the first time our spy photographers managed to catch the longer, seven-seat version. To be completely honest with you, the car was not really “testing;” rather, was just parked inside a BMW test facility.
This makes it pretty easy to spot the differences between the new, seven-seat version and the standard 1-Series GT. Up to the B-pillars, the two cars look the same, but this is where the changes come. The rear doors are longer and the overhang at the back is also longer on the seven-seat model. The back is also more upright, offering more room for the rear passengers.
The seven-seat version will be built on the same UKL1 platform as the standard 1-Series GT and will be offered with a front-wheel-drive setup. Under the hood, the engine lineup will again be shared with the standard version and will include the new three-cylinder, hybrid three-cylinder and four-cylinder powertrains.
The standard 1-Series GT will make its world debut at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show and the seven-seat version is expected to arrive six months later.
Updated 05/23/2013: Our spy photographers managed to caught the upcoming 1-Series GT Seven-Seater out for another testing session.
Click past the jump to read more about the seven-seat BMW 1-Series GT.
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