Labels: Audi

Driving the TT proved to be a joy.

The turbocharged four-cylinder engine has more than enough oomph to get the car moving quickly, though we recommend using the S-tronic’s manual facility during enthusiast driving. Normal drive mode does not hold onto the gears long enough, but the sport setting has a relatively harsh transition from first to second gear. This engine makes a great noise as the tachometer needle goes higher and higher, and the exhaust is pleasingly vocal, especially with the top down.

Sure, many enthusiasts will go for the 3.2-liter TT, and we’re sure that it’s a great car, but our 2.0T tester provided plenty of driving fun without a jaw-dropping sticker price looming over our heads. While we’d like to see Audi bring a manual transmission into the base model, we were not turned off with our test car. In fact, we’d drive it again and again.

Labels: Audi

You can keep your Porsche, sister. When I grow up I want to own an Audi TT. In fact, it’s one of the few cars that have stirred in me unspeakable envy for those owning them.

I went through serious angst parting with the one I had on loan for a few days and my nine-year-old daughter asking why we couldn’t buy one only compounded matters.

So what’s so special about the TT? Everything, actually.

Labels: Audi

- The Q7 has a 400+ mile range. L.A. to Lake Las Vegas is 291 miles. We arrived with plenty of gas left in our tank.

- The Q7's range is remarkable considering I averaged 15.6 mpg over the two weeks and my best tank was just 15.9 mpg.

- Audi's MMI is 4,000,000 time easier to use than BMW's iDrive or Benz's COMAND.

- With the third row folded flat, the Q7's cargo area is large enough for my daughter's new tricycle and our 65 lb. doggy.

- The Audi Q7 is very easy to live with.

Labels: Audi

Labels: VW

Fresh from directing Volkswagen's series of Safe Happens commercials, the king of one-take stunts Dan Bradley is spending his St. Patrick's Day under the Brooklyn Bridge, setting up the climax of the upcoming The Bourne Ultimatum's final car chase. Three new, second-generation Touaregs were supplied by Volkswagen for this scene, and two were destroyed filming head-on collisions the previous day. The other will meet its end shortly. On cue, the third Touareg punts Matt Damon's stolen NYPD Impala onto a concrete median, pushing it seventy feet before crashing into a utility truck, at which point a pneumatic ram launches the Touareg and Impala ass-over-teakettle, depositing them in buckled, twisted heaps on the ground.

The Bourne Ultimatum's New York chase marks the most prominent placement of Volkswagen's Touareg in recent memory and, if sales figures are any indication, its flirting with stardom can't come soon enough. The three vehicles wrecked in Bourne equaled a fifth of one April day's North American Touareg sales, and hoists in stature from an action films are fleeting. Something, obviously, had to be done.

Labels: VW

A distinctive new version of the Golf Plus is set to join the Volkswagen range later in the summer with the arrival of the Golf Plus Dune.

Based on the versatile Golf Plus platform, the new Dune model's styling is based on that of its 'little brother', the Polo Dune. As such it features a raised ride height, revised exterior styling and additional standard equipment.

The Golf Plus Dune costs £18,495 (RRP on the road) and is available to order from Volkswagen UK retailers now. Production is limited to 400 vehicles.

Labels: VW

The tuning specialists over at 9ff took an "ordinary" 911 turbo cabrio and kicked up the power into the 910 HP stratosphere. Since the standard 911 turbo can hit 60 MPH in under four seconds, we can't imagine what would happen if you doubled the grunt on a car that weighs only 3,200 lbs. Since 60 will come and go well before you kick it into second gear, perhaps top speed is most relevant here, and achieving speeds that pass 240 MPH has already been done by 9ff while using only 850 HP.

Labels: Porsche

Labels: Porsche

Labels: Audi

The A7 will be launched in 2009. It will be a 4.90 meters long, four-door Coupe model. It will be based on the future Audi A6 and will be a direct competitor for the Mercedes CLS, Porsche Panamera and BMW’s next CS model.

As Auto Motor Und Sport reported, if the US market will show interest for the model, the Convertible version will also go into production sometime in 2011. The A7 Convertible comes as a direct response to the Mercedes Ocean Drive Concept.

Labels: Audi

- 200,000 visitors and 50,000 vehicles anticipated
- brand meet for Audi and VW fans

The 26th Wörthersee Tour from 16 to 20 May 2007 celebrated two firsts this year. AUDI AG was represented for the first time as a manufacturer at the legendary meet in Reifnitz am Wörthersee. The car fans, who were expected to number more than 200,000, were also be able to enjoy a world premiere: The Audi TT clubsport quattro design study.

Labels: Audi

Both VW and General Motors had expressed an interest in acquiring a stake in Proton, but neither automaker made an offer by the government's late-March deadline.

Instead, VW now appears to be looking at establishing a regional assembly facility in nearby Indonesia, according to government officials in Jakarta. Among the company's alternatives is a tie-up with a local assembly partner in Indonesia.

Labels: Volkswagen

Volkswagen has put up an element on their German website called the "Tiguan Base," where you can see the development of their new Tiguan auto concept, from early sketches right up to the real thing.

To see the display you'll need to register, but registration's free and you can win a trip to Frankfurt for doing so.

Labels: VW

For the first time VW will be bringing a pair of diesel powered Touaregs to this year's Baja 500 with support from Red Bull. Veterans of this year's Dakar Rally, Mark Miller and Ralph Pitchford, will pair up in one truck while the other will be run by Giniel de Villiers and Dirk Von Zitzewitz.

Labels: VW

Labels: Porsche

There is a bizarre form of social awareness, too. If you speed up and down the wrong section of road, you can expect to find the Polizei waiting for a chat -- alerted by the locals.

Having done just that in 9ff's 910-hp -- yes, really -- 997 Cabriolet, I was confronted with a very gruff man in uniform. At least he gave up after speaking fruitlessly in German, relenting only to tell me in ice-cold English that they had ways of checking my speed.

Now that simply wasn't true, but it sounds right when a man with a heavy moustache and a firearm is telling you. He really wasn't happy.

Of course I had seen them coming and trundled back well below the 70 kph (43 mph) limit I had barely registered before. It felt like a walking pace, and it was on a straight road, but I still felt like I had invaded their nation the way they reacted.

It was always going to be tricky to keep this piece of 911-based firebreathing lunacy out of trouble as it was. It has enough raw power to make the tires spin on the rim at speeds of up to 150 mph.

Labels: Porsche

Labels: Audi

The sound of the V10 in full cry is no doubt a plus. I advise all Audi salesmen to stand potential S6 customers at the side of the road and let them listen to this son of Gallardo as it charges.

Labels: Audi

Labels: Audi

“Just do a turn to discover its double nature. The new Audi A6 allroad.”

Labels: Audi

German luxury car maker Audi launched its sports coupe Audi TT in India at a ex-showroom starting price of Rs 49 lakh .

The company's new model would be available on order from the first week of next month, Audi said in a statement.

Labels: Audi

This is my final thesis project at NYU.This is a spec spot for Audi which shows the formation of a car from a tire. This piece is a completly a CG production from start to finish.

Labels: Audi

Engine and interior shots were curiously absent last week when Volkswagen unveiled its holy-crap-I-want-one GTI W12 650 concept at the 2007 Wörthersee GTI Meeting in Austria. The interior photo shown after the jump appeared a day or two later, and this week, the automaker saw fit to release a pair of official pics of the engine in its glassed-off carbon fiber cocoon aft of the driver and passenger.

Labels: VW

Volkswagen has developed an evolution of its pioneering DSG gearbox. The new seven-speed system – a world first and codenamed DQ200 – uses a pair of dry clutches in preference to the six-speed version’s twin wet clutches. This increases efficiency and performance over the wet clutch six-speed system.

The six-speed DSG gearbox, which was introduced in 2003, uses a pair of clutches submerged in oil. The new seven-speed gearbox adopts a pair of dry, organic bonded friction linings that do not require cooling, making the drivetrain more efficient through the extra ratio and the fact that less power is required for the gear selection and clutch servo system.

For the first time the DSG gearbox has been mounted transversely. Measuring only 369 mm in length and weighing only 79 kg including the dual-mass flywheel the gearbox is remarkably compact. These modest proportions mean it can be applied to models from the Polo right up to the Passat and, in its current form, it is capable of coping with power outputs of up to 170 PS and 184 lbs ft of torque.

In adopting seven-speeds, Volkswagen engineers were able to lower first gear to improve acceleration from a standstill. By contrast seventh gear has been raised to act as an overdrive function making it ideal for motorway driving with the additional effect of raising economy and comfort levels.

The volume of oil contained within the gearbox has also been reduced by 75 per cent. The oil circuits are split into two in an effort to protect the lubrication’s purity. As with a conventional manual gearbox, one of the circuits is used for cooling and lubrication of the gear teeth, the second feeds oil to the gear actuators. Since the clutch does not require cooling the quantity of oil was reduced from seven litres in the six-speed DSG gearbox to only 1.7-litres in the new seven-speed system.

Production of the gearbox is set to start at the end of the year with its first application in the UK being planned for the Golf and mated to the 1.4-litre TSI petrol and 1.9-litre TDI diesel engines.

Labels: Volkswagen

Labels: Audi

You would think the 435-horsepower Audi S6 would be enough to satisfy most Audi enthusiasts, but of course there are always a few rich guys who want more. They'll get more with the introduction of the 2008 Audi RS 6. Caught lapping the Nürburgring test track, it's Audi's latest entry into the German super-sedan war.

At first glance this prototype doesn't look much different than the standard S6, which doesn't look that much different from an A6 for that matter. There are visible differences on this test mule, however, and most of them point to an RS-spec car.

Labels: Audi

Labels: Audi

Hold on to your seatbelts, the Audi A5, a two-door sports car made for comfort and born to run, is coming this fall. But the A5 is so much more than a fast ride. It’s like expensive couture clothing. It just fits.

My trademark piece of jewelry (and my good luck charm) is a gold chain decorated with a handful of exquisitely cut diamonds spaced to fall in front of my neck. The piece is weighted so well that it never moves -- the clasp never rotates around my neck to hang in front. The chain lays just perfectly. And that was how it felt in the cockpit of the A5: perfect.

Labels: Audi

Labels: Audi

Volkswagen announced a few changes in its Golf range replacing the existing Sport and GT trim levels with a single all-new model, the Golf GT Sport. As you can see in the picture, visual changes are restricted up front, and specifically to the pitch-black grille section along with the darkened headlights insert which help forge a visual link with the sporty Golf GTI and R32 variants.

Labels: VW

For brevity's sake, we'll spare you the details of the Cayenne's pavement prowess, but suffice to say, our test Turbo's on-road ride, handling, and acceleration and braking characteristics were about what you'd expect from a 500hp, $93,000 German-engineered SUV: Himmel am Erde. Any time Porsche wants to loan us a long-termer, we're game.

Labels: Porsche

Labels: Audi

Labels: Audi

Labels: Audi

Labels: Porsche

Labels: Porsche

Porsche has produced a small production run of 26 Cayenne S Transsyberias at its Leipzig plant, two months ahead of the long-distance rally in which they’ll compete. Scheduled to start the journey on August the 2nd, the drivers were given the chance to get acquainted with the 385hp SUVs during a three-day training session.

The participants performed various driving exercises on an off-road terrain site at Porsche’s Leipzig plant. Some of the vehicle’s off-road features that were tested include Porsche’s new traction management and differential lock, latest rough-tread off-road tires and the automatic height adjustment.

Labels: Porsche

For now, the only SUV in the Volkswagen lineup continues to be the Touareg. Ambition comes in waves, and these updates to the 2008 Volkswagen Touareg constitute less of a reinvention than a refinement of a uniquely capable SUV.

Labels: VW

Labels: VW

Labels: Porsche

Ettore Bugatti once said WO Bentley built "the world's fastest lorries". The 2007 Porsche Cayenne is the modern equivalent of a Speed Six – very big, very comfortable and very, very quick.

The V6 has been enlarged from 3.2 to 3.6 litres; the company quotes 213kW at 6200rpm (up 29kW) and 385Nm at 3000rpm, up from 310Nm. According to Porsche it will accelerate from 0-100km/h in 8.1sec (previously 9.1) and on to a top speed of 227km/h compared to the 214km/h of its predecessor.

Nevertheless, this is a 2130kg, five-seater and the V6 needs to be revved hard to get the best out of it, accompanied by a pleasant but emphatic growl from the six big pots.

Labels: Porsche

Labels: Audi

Labels: Audi

Labels: Audi

Two tonnes of lavish hooliganism! That's the short version of the Audi S8 story.

This "hooligan limo", as one of the Wheels24 staff members described it, isn't only a car that takes your breath away, but it gives you the ride of your life.

Here you have a luxury German sedan powered by an engine which is also seen in an Italian super car. Isn't it the best of two worlds? The excitement might just make your heart skip a beat.

Labels: Audi

So it seems. Lamborghini's top brass swore blind at the launch of the Gallardo that there was no stripped-out Murcielago LP640 waiting in the wings. 'The LP640 is wild enough,' Stephan Winkelmann, Lamborghini's president told us. But he's obviously changed his mind – as our exclusive pictures of this lightweight Lambo special show.

Despite the impenetrable ring of secrecy surrounding the development of this new iteration – no one at Lamborghini will officially acknowledge its existence – our sources claim the LP640 will not adopt the Superleggera name, but rather the more hallowed Superveloce badge.

Labels: Lamborghini

Labels: Lamborghini

Labels: VW

We just got a bulletin from Bay Area homegirls the Donnas announcing that they've got a cover of "The Safety Dance" up on their Myspace profile player (which is really rather awesome), and what's more, it's going to be in an upcoming VW commercial.

Labels: VW

First and foremost the new A4 will utilize Audi's up-and-coming MLP (Modular Longitudinal Platform) technology which will form the basis of not only the A4 and A5, but the also soon-to-be-revealed Q5 crossover SUV, next-generation A6, the as-yet-to-be-announced A7 and even the next A8. MLP allows Audi to place the engine and transmission further back behind the axle and helps stretch the wheelbase without lengthing the car's exterior dimensions. Less front overhang means the 2009 A4 will be less front-heavy than its predecessor, a problem which has dogged most Audis for some time.

The B8 A4 will only be about one inch longer than the current A4, although the longer wheelbase will make it appear to be a relatively bigger car. Front and rear overhang each decrease by nearly three inches. Thanks to its available next generation quattro all-wheel drive (rear-biased with a 40/60 split) and MLP architechture the new A4 will handle significantly better than any of the previous generation A4s before it.

Labels: Audi

The A8 TDI runs on Shell's Synfuel, a gas-to-liquid propellant manufactured from natural gas that's entirely free from sulphur and aromatics.

When burned, Synfuel produces 35 per cent less soot, 93 per cent less carbon monoxide, nine per cent less nitrogen oxides and five per cent less carbon dioxide than conventional diesel fuel. Unlike diesel, it produces no sulphur dioxide at all. And, according to Shell, it can be used in any diesel-engined Audi model without any retrofitting measures.

It's also been proven reliable under extreme conditions, says Audi. The company's 2006 Le Mans winning R10 TDi racer ran on a Synfuel blend.

Labels: Audi

- Not a trick: two Audi A5 models steer a stunt kite
- Unusual shoot in the Namibian desert
- Music for the 40-second ad composed by the band “Yello”

It might have needed a bit of a warm-up but then everything ran like clockwork. Two Audi A5 models steer a stunt kite in the new “Kite” advert, which will be broadcast on free TV from 25 May. “This is not a trick, all the images are real,” says Jagoda Becic, Head of Advertising at Audi. “Authenticity,” she says, “was the essential requirement. If it hadn’t been possible to navigate the kite by car in reality, then we wouldn’t have implemented the idea.” It was indeed possible – and led to spectacular images. They were filmed in the Namibian desert which showcases the Audi A5’s highly accurate driving characteristics in a striking manner. The message of the film, which will be aired in a 30- and 40-second version, is “Driving Redesigned”. The Swiss group “Yello” provided a new type of music for the A5 advert.

Speed, wind conditions, the size and material of the stunt kite, the length and thickness of the control ropes and, of course, a professional navigator: these were all aspects that had to be considered and tested.

Audi found the perfect kite pilot in 20-year-old Marcel Mehler from Velbert (North Rhine-Westphalia), multiple German champion and European vice-champion in kiting. For him and his parents Ilona and Thomas Mehler, almost everything revolves around flying stunt kites. The Mehlers not only provided valuable information on handling the sensitive piece of sports equipment but later also drove the A5 models during shooting in Namibia.

Labels: Audi

Labels: Audi

Reader Nico Potgieter snapped these models outside the Eastwood shopping complex in Arcadia, Pretoria, noting that the interior was very similar to that of the GTI's.

Labels: VW

Experience the history of how the new Tiguan was developed: starting now on Tiguan Base. Our designers present the key development stages in films, interviews and 3D animations: from the initial inspiration and the first concept car to the latest show car "Concept Tiguan". You can even take the designer’s chair yourself: design the clay model of the Tiguan – interactively in 3D.

Labels: VW

Well, Google is never one to lie back and take it from the Redmond crew, so it's struck a deal with Stanford to license the sensing technology behind 2005 DARPA Grand Challenge winner Stanley to improve their maps.

Now that same tech will reportedly be used to scan building faces and improve the 3D portions of Google Maps and Google Earth. Details of the deal and how it will be implemented are due to be announced during the Where 2.0 conference on May 29 and 30 -- here's hoping it involves the phrase "army of robotic Google cars."

Labels: VW

Labels: Lamborghini

Word’s been flying around for months that a V-10 would eventually find its way under the glass canopy of Audi’s R8 supercar, and these spy shots seem to finally confirm it.

With larger air intakes along its flanks—the “regular” V-8–powered R8’s side blades are flat, without the sculpted rise behind the door handle—and sportier rocker panels, there’s almost no doubt that there’s a 10-cylinder mine field exploding behind the test driver’s head in these spy shots.

Labels: Audi

Labels: Audi

Here are some quick sketches I recently did speculating what an MK3 TT may look like. The illustrations propose a single TT variant with a mostly transparent convertible hardtop roof.

Labels: Audi

Ibis white, painted wheels, various carbon fibre pieces, painted seatbacks, alcantara steering wheel...

Labels: Audi

Labels: VW

Seven-speed versions of the Direct Shift Gearbox are on the way from Volkswagen Group (VAG).

The VW Golf is likely to be the first model to benefit from the seven-speed version of the DSG automatic. The extra ratio has allowed VW to space first and second closer together – for better acceleration away from a standstill – and provide a taller top gear for improved economy and lower carbon dioxide emissions.

Labels: Volkswagen

2004 Lamborghini Gallardo e-gear
- 500hp, european editon,
- 0-60 in 4,2 sec., max. speed (as tested) 320 km/h
- color: silver - now the car has a black film with the Adidas/Gumball design in gold and chrom-gold- original made before Gumball3000 this year by an english company,
- black painted wheels (made new after gumball - they are now deepblack and shiny),
- new PIRELLI P-Zero for Gumball (used for about 2500km),
- car has black and red bi-color leather seats,
- air conditon,
- sound system with CD-changer,
- alcantara roof
- Xenon

Labels: Lamborghini

Labels: Bugatti

Labels: The German Car Blog

"The Audi feels nimble and more agile than the 3-series, turning into corners with far more enthusiasm and delivering near-perfect traction out of slower corners. Not that raw pace is everything, of course, and when it comes to finesse the Audi’s case wanes."

Labels: Audi

David Beckham and fellow Real Madrid soccer players take the new Audi models out for a spin at Jarama track on Thursday in Madrid, Spain during the launch of the new Audi R8, A5 and S5.

Becks, 32, and his teammates also rode the sports driving course in in new Audi TT Coupé.

Labels: Audi

Labels: Audi

Labels: Porsche

* 17% of men in their mid-forties find Jean-Claude Van Damme 'an inspiration'.
* 33% of 48 yr old men look in the mirror in the morning and think: 'Yes.'
* 14% of men in their forties believe they could fight a wolf and win.
* Research shows Chimpanzees also suffer a midlife crisis. Common symptoms include the desire to mate with young female chimps, and the misguided belief that they can swing from very high branches.
* 37% of men in their forties would like more prominent scars.
* Last month, 15,000 men started to think a tighter trouser made them more attractive.
* The average buttons done up on a 46 yr old's shirt has decreased by 2 since 2001.
* 14,500 middle-aged men took paintball seriously last year.
* 24,000 men their fifties think: "if Douglas can pull Zeta Jones,
then so can I."
* 28% of men in their forties think more about their abs than their kids.
* Too many men in their forties listen to Steppenwolf whilst driving.
* 759 fifty-two year olds changed their name to Troy last year.
* 12% of men in their forties believe origami will 'help them with the ladies.'
* 7% of men in their forties are trying to master the nun-chucks.

Labels: VW

ust like flesh and blood amateur racers, the GTI 53+1 needs to slowly "walk" the course, downloading GPS points to a computer in the trunk. It then takes a few moments to analyze the course route and devise the fastest line possible. Back between the cones, the car zips through the tight curves with amazing dexterity.

The video says the car was not developed to promote future autonomous VWs (Stanford's got that covered), but instead as a way to test the company's hardware without a human driver. Eliminating a driver insures every test will be performed exactly as the one before and give consistent results each time.

Labels: VW

Labels: Audi

Labels: Audi

Labels: Audi

Count your pleas for something more DINK-ish answered. The Audi RS4 should be the dream car for any Urban DINK. It’s ludicrously fast, has the smoothest shift motion I’ve yet to see and it’ll fit easily into city parking spots.

It all starts with an Audi A4 body, which in itself is a practical enough entry luxury sedan. The test car was a wildly bright yellow, sporting 19-inch wheels and a 420-hp V-8 engine that rumbled, purred or screamed depending on the position of my right foot. Sixty mph comes in 4.8 seconds, and while commuting to and from the office I was endlessly itching to test that number.

Labels: Audi

The Golf GTI Pirelli is back; a powerful, fast and very exclusive GTI. Volkswagen is continuing the history of one of the best known limited edition models in Europe. In May 1983, the “Original Pirelli” arrived on the market. It was based on the first generation, second series Golf GTI. A distinctive identifying feature: Specially designed alloy wheels with the “Pirelli P” on their outer edges. A remarkable 10,500 cars of the special model were built and sold within half a year. Then it was over – a limited edition! If there were an Automobile Hall of Fame for young-timers, the “Pirelli GTI”, as it was called by its fans, would have long held a place there.

The legendary tire tracks of the young-timer are now being extended by the new Golf GTI Pirelli. And indeed with completely new Pirelli high-performance tires too. They are wrapped around powerful 18-inch Pirelli wheels in Titanium look. The car’s interior has been upgraded with a partial-leather sports seat system that has an embedded tire tread pattern. Instead of the previous 112 PS the new car converts 230 PS into forward propulsion. If needed, a 245 km/h top speed is within the car’s capabilities. In 6.8 seconds the Turbo-FSI propels the GTI Pirelli to 100 km/h from a standstill.

Labels: VW

I Saw this beast on the way back from Kotilingeshwara to Bangalore. This was a bloody V10 TDI. I looked up the specs and it is a 5l beast generating around 310bhp. Sweet mother of god. You should have seen its pull. We were travelling at around 90-100 kmph and there was a booming honk behind us, We no sooner than moved a little to the left and this monster blasted past us like we were just standing still. Thats the power in this beast. It was really wide, at almost 90% the width of our tempo traveller. One of the best looking SUVs that I have ever seen if not 'the' best looking. The dash was a real treat with those great dials and that amazing wood finish.

Labels: VW

Here's why an off-the-shelf stereo from Best Buy wouldn't have done the trick: The Burmeister CD player alone is constructed to operate without a single skip at 250 miles per hour. Sybarites adds that the control panel is designed to be seen at such high speeds without distracting the driver. (We're thankful for this feature in particular.)

Labels: Bugatti

Labels: Audi

A8, S8, R8, A5 and Q7 – what do they have in common? As you most likely know, they are all names of Audi car models, and now they all offer superb sound from Bang & Olufsen.

Take some time to think about it. Bringing together these two iconic companies was always going to be more than merely interesting. What has come out of the partnership is no less than an unrivalled synthesis of the most advanced form of freedom of movement and sound.

In the Audi Q7, movement, sound and vision are seamlessly integrated into a car that is unmistakably Audi with that unique touch of Bang & Olufsen. The Q7 is a powerful presence on all counts and a genuine performance SUV suitable for both on-road use and off-road action. It is the perfect blend of dependable sturdiness and sporty elegance, and the Advanced Sound System complements this perfectly with its fourteen powerful loudspeaker units and elegant design.

Labels: Audi

This is a glimpse of Audi's future, because the A5's dynamic lines cover a new, more athletic platform that will be the basis of a new generation of cars from Ingolstadt.

Labels: Audi

Labels: VW

By his own account, sculptor Lee Stoetzel is "very interested in the far-reaching power of nature." If you needed further evidence of this, it's currently being displayed at the Mixed Greens Gallery in New York in the form of an almost-full-scale VW Transporter built out of wood and steel (but mostly wood). The craftsmanship is very impressive, and if you've simply gotta have it, you can put it in your...well, somewhere (Flower bed? - Ed.)... for a mere $65,000 USD.

Labels: VW

Labels: Porsche

Labels: Porsche

The rally, which started in London on May 5th ends in Turkey on the 17th, and has been timed to commemorate the opening of Istanbul’s new Bentley showroom. From there, the cars will head to the brand new Calista Luxury Resort in Belek. The formal opening of the five-star resort will be on may 19th, allowing the drivers an exclusive sneak-peek.

The cars (which are each valued in the millions) consist of seven Bentley Speed Sixes and Seven Bentley 4.5-liter’s, which have been imported from around the world along with their drivers to participate in this historic rally.

Labels: Bentley

Aside from being the fastest production car the world has ever seen (what's up, Ultimate Aero TT?), the 16.4 is also the quickest. 60 mph is dispatched with in 2.64 seconds. And remember, this is an AWD car that weighs 4,300 lbs. Zero to 100 mph? Six seconds flat. 0-150 mph? Eleven seconds flat. 0-200 mph? 22 seconds flat. Just to give you some perspective, a McLaren F1 needs 28 seconds to hit the double-ton. Amazingly, only 55 seconds are needed to hit 253 mph. At which point you are eating two gallons of gas per minute. Which is simply fantastic.

Labels: Bugatti

The new two-seater takes its inspiration from the legendary Porsche 356 speedster, boasting a chopped-down windscreen and several detailed body modifications. The look is said to hint at the bold styling treatment reserved for a secret new TT-S model currently under development. The car is rumored for introduction in early 2008 as a rival to the Porsche Cayman S.

Audi has provided the dramatically styled TT Clubsport Quattro with a new 300-horsepower version of its turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder TFSI engine. This is a 40-hp increase over the most powerful iteration of the engine currently found in the rapid Audi S3.

For the first time, a six-speed double-shift gearbox (DSG) and Haldex multiplate clutch is available on the four-cylinder version of the TT.

Labels: Audi

Labels: Audi

With that in mind, I can't heap enough praise on the Q7 for being everything the Benz is not. But as these blog posts are supposed to pinpoint a single item, I'd like to refer to the Q7's rearview camera. Our R500 does not have a camera (it's doubtless available in a package), rather a series of beeps and dash lights that somehow indicate how close or far you are from something. Annoying, but not that effective.

The huge Q7 has great sight lines, but the camera's there to help. It also has this cool animated deal that, depending on how you turn the wheel, shows you the line you will be following when you back up.

Labels: Audi

Labels: Audi

Labels: Porsche

We all know that the 911 is the quintessential sports car. You've heard us say it over and over again. It's an everyday supercar. It's rewarding, capable, yadda, yadda, yadda.

Well, I've just driven the 911 GT3 on the track, and to hell with everyday cars. To hell with supercars. In fact, to hell with my own personal 911. By comparison, the GT3 makes it (and just about every other car on the planet) feel like a softly sprung Buick Roadmaster.

I've driven open-wheel cars with less communicative steering. I've driven race cars whose engine sounded only a fraction as testosterone-laden as a GT3's. But I have never, ever driven a car that likes to dance like the GT3.

Labels: Porsche

Labels: Bentley

Stored since 1962, this 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante Coupe, bodied by Gangloff of Colmar with Stelvio, is a masterpiece of craftsmanship and history. It will be offered for sale to the well-heeled public this coming June 3rd at the Greenwich Concours D'Elegance, with an expected haul of $300K-400K.

Labels: Bugatti

Labels: Audi

Labels: Audi

Labels: Audi