World Concept Cars

This is Audi's facelifted TT Coupé and Roadster, though rather than referring to the tweaks as full-blown changes (which they're not), Ingolstadt is taking a more subtle approach and merely calling the revisions '2011 Model Year' tweaks.

I really can’t tell what’s new on this ‘new’ Audi TT!

Well it’s an Audi, so all TTs now come with a set of LED daytime running lights. As for the rest of the car, come on, can’t you see the changes?

Er, no...

Oh, well Audi says the interior and exterior have been 'revised with great attention to detail'. By now you must have spotted the 'imposing new bumper design' that adds 20mm to the length, the chrome trim surround on the foglights, the revised lattice of the single-frame grille, and the new diffuser-style rear bumper? No? Clearly you’re not looking hard enough...

Other visual tweaks are predominantly limited to new colours inside (three) and out (four), and some trim changes that bring a few more lashing of aluminium to the interior. It's not stunning stuff, but it is probably enough to get your average TT customer frothing over their frothy coffee.

Anything else new on the 2010 Audi TT range?

This is more like it - there's a completely new engine. The old 2.0-litre turbo and naturally aspirated 3.2 FSI have been junked for the same 2.0 TFSI found in the Mk6 Golf GTI. Power goes up from 197bhp to 208bhp, the 0-62mph time tumbles half a second to 6.1sec, the top speed climbs three notches and the engine is more efficient (42.8mpg and 154g/km against 36.7mpg and 183g/km).

The 158bhp 1.8 TFSI and 168bhp 2.0 TDI are unchanged, but Audi promises they're up to 14% more efficient than before thanks in part to a clever decoupling alternator that recharges the battery only under braking and coasting.

The hotter TTS gets a new grille, but otherwise it and the TT RS remain unchanged, the former with a 268bhp 2.0T, and the latter with a blown 2.5 five-pot producing 335bhp and 331lb ft.

The only dynamic tweak of note is the addition of a Sport button. Available (for a little more cash) on cars fitted with magnetic shock absorbers (which are standard on the TTS, an option on lesser models) the Sport button tweaks the steering and engine noise appropriately.

The revised Audi TT range will be unveiled at the 2010 Leipzig motor show this week. It's available to order now in the UK, and first deliveries to customers commence in summer 2010.

Source: Carmagazine.co.uk

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Aston Martin has shown off the new race-spec version of its Rapide sports saloon. It's bound to make its competition debut at the 24-hour race at the Nurburgring on 15-16 May 2010.

The Rapide will be driven by Aston CEO Ulrich Bez, who has a history of competing at the Nordschleife in his part-time role as a gentleman racer. It's in virtually road-car spec, upgraded merely to strip out weight (bye bye snug rear seats), retune the suspension and meet FIA race rules with cut-out, cages and fire extinguishers. Slick tyres are fitted too to help this four-door grip like a limpet.0

Dr Bez's pet project

Bez explained the rationale behind entering a saloon into the gruelling 24-hour race in Germany. 'This race represents the ultimate final engineering durability test for any sports car – it subjects the car to the toughest possible assessment under public scrutiny,' he said.

'The Rapide has the capability to carry four people in comfort but first and foremost it is a sports car and we will subject it to the same tests we would our other sports cars. We already have a proven track record at the Nurburgring, racing our road cars with limited modification and in recent years we have enjoyed success in winning the SP8 class both in 2008 and 2009.'

Seems a strange choice of race car... why not enter a Vantage again?

Good point! Gaydon will enter a V12 Vantage at the Nurburgring event. The coupé won its SP8 class in 2009's race debut and finished 21st overall.

Is entering a Rapide merely a gimmick? Probably. But the Nordschleife race is a usefully low-cost billboard to announce the arrival of its first four-door for a generation – and will attract some useful publicity on television and among enthusiasts worldwide.

The first customer Rapides land in Aston's 125 showrooms worldwide later in April 2010.

Source: Carmagazine.co.uk

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The Astra VXR (OPC for the rest of Europe) will soon be replaced by an all-new model based on the next generation of the firm's C-segment hatch, but for now, Vauxhall is adding to the allure of the current version with the presentation of a limited production model called "Arctic Edition".

Only 500 units of the Arctic Edition are offered in the UK with prices set at £23, 595 on the road, or £720 more than the standard Astra VXR.

All are painted in Olympic White with a contrasting black painted roof, mirror covers, front V-grille and tailgate trim. Each Arctic Edition also gets £1965 worth of options including heated leather Recaro front seats, tinted glass and Black 19-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels.

In addition, for the first time on a VXR product, customers can also specify their Arctic Edition with the Panoramic Windscreen that costs £920.

There are no changes under the hood with the Astra VXR Arctic Edition featuring a 240HP 2.0-liter turbo engine that propels the hot hatch from 0-60mph (96km/h) in 6.2 seconds and on to a top speed of 152mph or 244 km/h.

Source: Carscoop

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Jaguar will use the upcoming "World Mobility Forum" exhibition in Stuttgart, Germany (April 15-18), to show off its XJ "Limo Green" hybrid study that was teased for the first time last September.

The 2011 XJ-based Limo Green makes use of a Chevy Volt-like hybrid powertrain with a range extending gasoline engine that was developed in conjunction with Lotus, MIRA and Caparo.

The vehicle uses an electric motor producing 145kW and 295 lb-ft of torque for propulsion. A lithium battery pack offers about 30 miles or close to 50 kilometers driving range with a full charge.

Once the battery is depleted, a Lotus-developed 1.2-liter three-cylinder gasoline unit kicks-in to produce enough energy to power it for another 600 miles or about 970 kilometers.

The XJ Limo Green prototype is said to return a combined fuel economy of 5.0lt/100 km (equal to 57mpg UK and 47mpg US) with CO2 emissions of juts 120 g/km.

Even though the study is billed as a one-off concept, it is believed that Jaguar will use the technology on its future production models.

Source: Carscoop

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