Debuts in Frankfurt
Audi has released the first renderings of the A5 DTM concept, ahead of its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Internally named “R17,” the A5 DTM will replace the four-door A4 DTM with which Audi has won the DTM title four times since 2004.
Porsche’s Cayman has never been the performance machine that enthusiasts had hoped for – largely because Porsche never wanted it to cannibalise its own 911.
When the Boxster-based compact mid-engined coupe was first launched in 2005, its 3.4-litre six-cylinder boxer engine made a mere 217kW in Cayman S form but since then it has been raised to 235kW and there’s also the race-inspired Cayman R that makes 243kW.
Has the 911 had its day? Porsche is working on a new V8-powered, mid-engine supercar designed to sit above the 911 but below the limited run and eye-wateringly expensive 918 Spyder, Auto Express has learned.
Set to become the new performance benchmark for Porsche’s regular range, the all-new model will be aimed squarely at the Ferrari 458 Italia and McLaren MP4-12C, and priced accordingly at around £170,000.
RS versions of Audi sedans and Avants have always skirted the edge of cult status. But the little A3 has been denied the RS treatment, even the previous not-for-America generation A3. Now, as an admitted afterthought, the RS 3 has arrived on European turf.
The specs are mouthwatering, and so is the price, knocking on the door of an eye watering 49,900 euros, or roughly $70,000. For a compact hatchback, it had better be pretty special.
Finnish tyre company Nokian has apparently set a new ice speed record of 206.05mph with an Audi RS6.
That nudges ahead of Bentley’s recent ice speed record of 205.48mph, set by Juha Kankkunen back in February when the four-times WRC champion piloted a Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible for the world record. That inspired Bentley’s Continental ISR Edition, detailed here.
Geneva sees the launch of the Audi A3 Concept, a saloon version of the current A3 powered by the same running gear as the recently unveiled quattro concept.
Though appearing to tread on the toes of the RS3 Sportback somewhat, a production version of the concept is likely to be aimed at more saloon-oriented markets such as the USA and China. The latter in particular is becoming a bigger priority for premium manufacturers as sales continue to increase.
Just before Christmas evo was given the chance to drive the new Quattro Concept. It has a 400bhp in-line five-cylinder turbocharged engine from the TT RS, which makes all the right evocative Quattro noises, and the chassis is a shortened version of the one underpinning the RS5.
Although you couldn’t accuse it of looking retro, there are definite nods to the original car in the strong wide C-pillar and the single vent offset on the bonnet. Inside it’s a similar story with a very clean, modern and very carbonfibre-biased look but with the MMI buttons moved to the instrument binnacle, which again reminds you of the original Quattro.
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