tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-114036962008-11-20T07:53:33.826+09:00Delivering news and opinion about the Audi and Volkswagen brand group and Porsche since March 13, 2005Christiannoreply@blogger.comBlogger8018125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11403696.post-68241913946979324572008-11-20T07:51:00.002+09:002008-11-20T07:53:33.843+09:00

Interesting outlook here provided by Wolfgang Hatz, head of Powertrain Development for the Volkswagen Group, that Audi could use 90% dual-clutch transmission in future. Citing reasons of fuel efficiency and performance, head of Powertrain Development for the Volkswagen Group Wolfgang Hatz estimates that the vast majority of future production will feature dual-clutch transmissions. "In the

Christiannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11403696.post-66670102871657107472008-11-20T07:46:00.002+09:002008-11-20T07:50:44.467+09:00

The Audi Q7 and the Audi A5 have been awarded with the Best Resale Award by Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com. The Audi Q7 quattro and the Audi A5 coupe won Kelley Blue Book's prestigious 2009 Best Resale Value Awards for the luxury SUV and the luxury car categories respectively. The Kelley Blue Book Best Resale Value Awards recognize models that are expected to keep the greatest proportion of their

Christiannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11403696.post-103359384664290832008-11-20T07:39:00.003+09:002008-11-20T07:45:28.080+09:00

Nice review here of the Audi S5 which is tackling the BMW 335i. Wait for the new Audi S4 which is superior to the BMW 335i in almost any terms. We'll get further into the performance bit a little further on, because there is an undeniable style aspect to this one that simply cannot be ignored. And we'll tell you up front that the Audi wins that one. Hands down. Took a deep breath and strapped

Christiannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11403696.post-17821617365612006922008-11-20T07:36:00.002+09:002008-11-20T07:38:50.118+09:00

Here's a first driving report with the new VW Touareg 3.0 TDI. But now VW is adding a nice, socially conscious version to the Touareg lineup. The 3.0-liter V-6 clean diesel launched at the L.A. auto show gets 25 mpg on the highway and 18 mpg in the city, and VW claims that it is one of the cleanest engines available on the market. It is 50-state-legal, partially through the use of a costly

Christiannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11403696.post-52001007104081622152008-11-20T07:32:00.002+09:002008-11-20T07:35:20.240+09:00

We have the first pictures of the VW Baja Race Touareg TDI, a V12 diesel monster for you. Enjoy! Related news: GermanCarBlog, P4MR, VW Baja Race Touareg TDI Source: Autobild

Christiannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11403696.post-4288384122578148962008-11-20T07:28:00.002+09:002008-11-20T07:31:50.119+09:00

The facelifted Porsche Boxster and Porsche Cayman have celebrated their premiere at the LA Auto Show. The highlight of the new generation is of course the new flat-six boxer engines developed with new technical features from the ground up, providing not only more power, but also significantly greater fuel efficiency than their predecessors. A further improvement of both fuel economy and

Christiannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11403696.post-55686164635010963742008-11-20T07:19:00.003+09:002008-11-20T07:24:43.654+09:00

Lamborghini has taken off the wraps of the awesome-looking Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder. Make sure to check! Like the coupe, the LP560-4 Spyder loses 44 lb and gets 200 cc added to its V-10 engine -- a new, 5.2L aluminum unit with 552 hp, 398 lb-ft on tap. Mated to the updated engine is Lambo's reprogrammed e.gear six-speed transmission that Lamborghini claims shifts 40% faster in the

Christiannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11403696.post-63043156158315804722008-11-20T07:15:00.001+09:002008-11-20T07:27:58.682+09:00

The gracious Bentley Azure T has arrived at the LA Motor Show and here are some live pictures. Stylish and powerful, the new Bentley Azure T is the world's most elegant convertible and destined to become a future classic. With unique Bentley 'T' styling cues reinforcing its sporting stance, the 500bhp Azure T delivers driver-focused performance with the ability to transport four adults in

Christiannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11403696.post-66545609712645167962008-11-19T07:38:00.002+09:002008-11-19T07:43:19.958+09:00

Awesome spy shots here of the Audi R8 GT3 racecar caught testing on Nurburgring. However, homologation rules require a small number of road going versions to be made available. Codenamed the R16, and due on sale in 2009, the model will be powered by a 550bhp-plus V10 petrol engine, rather than the standard V8. Audi is testing this car at the moment the Nürburgring circuit in Germany. The driver

Christiannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11403696.post-53280232337672555472008-11-19T07:35:00.003+09:002008-11-19T07:52:05.977+09:00

Thanks to everybody who participated in the first round of "help wanted!" where we were asking our readers to help us define the future of The German Car Blog. Your feedback is very important for us as we will start building a bigger, better version of The German Car Blog very soon. Please take a few seconds to participate in round 2 and let us know if you want to leave/read comments here in

Christiannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11403696.post-76442509749590933422008-11-19T07:31:00.003+09:002008-11-19T07:36:25.990+09:00

In a piece of very investigative journalism (pun intended) Inside Line found out what Audi fans knew since long time and which is no surprise at all. The next-generation will also feature a V6 engine, read: 3.0 TFSI from Audi S4, instead of the current V8. In what will become a sweeping change for Audi's top-trim cars, the next S5 will have a V6 instead of a V8 engine when it comes out in 2009.

Christiannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11403696.post-13041998221256246512008-11-19T07:27:00.002+09:002008-11-19T07:30:52.462+09:00

Here's a "green" review of the Audi Q7 3.0 TDI quattro. During our three full days behind the wheel of a 2009 Audi Q7 fitted with the 3.0-liter turbo-diesel, we were easy on the throttle, coasted a lot, and worked to maximize fuel economy, not speed. The results were impressive, as we achieved almost 31 mpg during one jaunt from Mammoth Lake to Monterey, California. Furthermore, when we drove

Christiannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11403696.post-87229189959334932762008-11-19T07:22:00.002+09:002008-11-19T07:23:53.244+09:00

The VW Touareg V6 TDI will be available in the US for $42,800. A gent named Chris at VW of Langhorne, Pennsylvania, just received the order guide for the Touareg V6 TDI, and the numbers reveal that it will arrive on our shores in January with a base price of $42,800, or $43,490 with the destination charge. That base price is $3,500 more than the Touareg V6 FSI, money that will get you slightly

Christiannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11403696.post-66601024425528694672008-11-19T07:19:00.001+09:002008-11-19T07:21:22.056+09:00

Here's a very cool timelapse video of the VW Polo BlueMotion doing London-Geneva on just one tank. Who needs a Prius? Related news: GermanCarBlog, P4MR, VW Polo BlueMotion Source: The German Car TV

Christiannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11403696.post-78858219702709085272008-11-19T07:15:00.002+09:002008-11-19T07:18:03.437+09:00

We found an illustration on how the rumored 4-cylinder sportscar from Porsche, a successor to the Porsche 914, might look like. With Porsche moving forward on plans for a four-cylinder engine, Volkswagen and Audi going ahead with plans for a small mid-engined coupe/roadster, and Porsche definitely taking a controlling position in VW; it’s hard to ignore the possibility of Porsche making a 914

Christiannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11403696.post-80630665083983046182008-11-19T07:11:00.002+09:002008-11-19T07:13:51.839+09:00

Here's a nice review of the Porsche Cayenne GTS which is changing the balance between sport and utility. Yes, its basic layout is largely the same as that of the S. Both models have four-wheel drive, V-8 power, and a 7700-pound towing capacity. But Porsche went to great pains to address some criticisms of the other models, a major one being that a Porsche--any Porsche--should have fantastic

Christiannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11403696.post-24189108347124629262008-11-18T07:36:00.001+09:002008-11-18T07:38:30.692+09:00

We love Audi's S-tronic and are glad to see that it made it's way into the new Audi S3 and Audi S3 Sportback. * Efficient and fast dual-clutch transmission for the S3 * Quicker acceleration paired with even higher fuel efficiency * Particularly sporty combination in the compact class * Available now A milestone in transmission technology is now available in the Audi S3 and S3 Sportback sporty

Christiannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11403696.post-50888567989585011772008-11-18T07:33:00.002+09:002008-11-18T07:36:01.404+09:00

Audi is treating one of their most important markets with a brand new Audi A4L, a long-wheelbase A4 exclusively for China. The Audi A4L gains 60mm compared to the European or US version of the Audi A4. * First long-wheelbase version in China's premium B segment * Marketing and Sales Board Member Schwarzenbauer: "We will export the success of the new Audi A4 to China" * Market launch in

Christiannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11403696.post-14179174401074681072008-11-18T07:30:00.001+09:002008-11-18T07:32:19.364+09:00

The world premiere for the Audi R8 GT3 is planned for the Essen Motor Show in Germany. The GT3 race version of the Audi R8 celebrates its world premiere at the Essen Motor Show (28 November to 7 December). The new GT sportscar is on display on the AUDI AG stand in hall 3. On Friday, 28 November Head of Audi Motorsport Dr Wolfgang Ullrich will present Audi's plans for the 2009 motorsport season.

Christiannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11403696.post-47838393001828796352008-11-18T07:23:00.003+09:002008-11-18T07:28:04.803+09:00

A source who joined the VW of America dealer meeting last week in Las Vegas told us that the VW Scirocco has been confirmed for the US, which has been rumored already, and will be introduced alongside with the VW Rabbit TDI. Cool news! Stay tuned for more, most probably from the LA Auto Show! Related news: GermanCarBlog, P4MR, VW Scirocco Source: picture by VW

Christiannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11403696.post-9865888266980976682008-11-18T07:20:00.002+09:002008-11-18T07:22:29.969+09:00

VW is hoping for a Beetlemania revival with the 2011 VW Beetle. It's being developed on the sixth-generation Golf platform and may appear as a 2011 model. And Volkswagen's strategy for the iconic retromobile may extend even to adapting the Beetle's distinctive style to a North American version of the Up! minicar. The new New Beetle will come off that platform, in the 2010, or more likely, the

Christiannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11403696.post-13522017704929109822008-11-18T07:16:00.003+09:002008-11-18T07:19:35.032+09:00

Here are some of the first spy shots of the next-generation Porsche Boxster Speedster which was announced for the LA Auto Show. Related news: GermanCarBlog, P4MR, Porsche Boxster Speedster Source: Autobild

Christiannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11403696.post-9035705910619490002008-11-18T07:09:00.002+09:002008-11-18T07:15:40.517+09:00

Porsche will show their next-generation mid-engine sportscar at the LA Motor Show. Porsche will take the wraps off its next generation mid-engine sports cars at this year's Los Angeles Auto Show. These new cars will come with Porsche's new engine and transmission technology as well as many other significant technical and exterior refinements. Also, for the first time ever at an auto show in the

Christiannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11403696.post-38607295376583961692008-11-17T11:13:00.002+09:002008-11-17T11:15:25.361+09:00

We found another praising review of the Audi TTS. It's getting awfully difficult to criticize Audis these days. Take the TTS I'm driving this week. It's pretty on the outside, just as comely inside and, lo and behold, it's as sporty as its countenance suggests. Looking for warts in each successive Audi model rejuvenation is getting truly difficult. As well, the front seat travel is incredible.

Christiannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11403696.post-82093394521639322972008-11-17T11:10:00.003+09:002008-11-17T11:12:10.614+09:00

Project Kahn has modded the Audi R8. Nice! The Project Khan modifications to the Audi R8 include a lowered suspension that brings the car even closer to the ground, and according to the Project Khan team the handling has been "considerably improved". The car also gets 20in F1-X carbon-fiber lightweight wheels, which help to reduce weight and thus improves acceleration and cornering. Project

Christiannoreply@blogger.com