The 1980 Geneva Motor Show saw the debut of an automobile, whose name went on to become more than just a symbol for a long line of success by the manufacturer. The quattro from Audi is also the gold standard for the combination of winning motor sport qualities with the utmost in everyday practicality. Read the rest of this entry »

The Passat from Volkswagen represents one of the very great success stories in automotive history, with over 15 million cars sold since the Passat was first launched in 1973. It is now available in over 100 countries across the globe. Now, at the Mondial de l’Automobile in Paris (October 2-17), Volkswagen is presenting the world premiere of an entirely new Passat – as a saloon and an estate car simultaneously. The seventh generation of this bestseller will be available in initial European markets starting as soon as mid-November. Read the rest of this entry »

The BMW Group has received a major order from Swedish automobile manufacturer Saab to provide petrol engines. The contract for delivery of the engines as of 2012 was signed on Wednesday by Ian Robertson, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Sales and Marketing, and the CEO of Saab Automobile, Jan Åke Jonsson, in Trollhättan in Sweden. The 4-cylinder engine with latest fuel savings technologies is intended for a new Saab model series. Both companies have agreed not to disclose any financial or contract volume details. Read the rest of this entry »

Automobili Lamborghini and Blancpain are uniting their phenomenal engineering skill and honoring the huge success of the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo racing series with a very special super sports car: the new Gallardo LP 570-4 Blancpain Edition.

This extraordinary super sports car joins the competition spirit of the Super Trofeo race car with an exclusive design and one hundred percent road-going usability. The first Gallardo from the exclusive and limited Blancpain Edition production run has been presented by Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini, and Marc A. Hayek, President and CEO of Blancpain, at the final race weekend of the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo on Sunday September 26 in the “Piero Taruffi” circuit, Vallelunga. Read the rest of this entry »

With a total of four new diesel and petrol engines, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class defines the efficiency standard in its segment. The accolade of “the world’s most economical luxury saloon” goes to the new S 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY. This high-tech turbodiesel is the first four-cylinder engine in the almost 60-year success story of the S-Class. Developing an output of 150 kW (204 hp), the S 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY achieves a fuel consumption of just 5.7 litres per 100 kilometres (NEDC), corresponding to CO2 emissions of 149 grams per kilometre. The likewise new V6 diesel in the S 350 BlueTEC delivers 190 kW (258 hp) and has a combined consumption of 6.8 litres per 100 kilometres (177 g CO2/km). Thanks to AdBlue® emission control, it is one of the world’s cleanest diesel engines. With 225 kW (306 hp) in the S 350 BlueEFFICIENCY and 320 kW (435 hp) in the S 500 BlueEFFICIENCY, the new BlueDIRECT engine generation is now entering the lists in the form of V6 and V8 petrol variants. Read the rest of this entry »

Introducing the all-new S60 and V60 R-Design – designed with true sports-car feel and featuring a specially developed chassis to ensure that the driving experience matches the car’s appearance.

“The all-new S60 and V60 are our sportiest models ever. With R-Design they are even sharper. They’re the natural choice for true connoisseurs,” says Magnus Jonsson, Senior Vice President Product Development at Volvo Cars. Read the rest of this entry »

Very low-slung, very sporty, and very rare: The Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, launches a small edition of a new 911 Speedster. Paying homage to the first Porsche model that bore the name Speedster – the 356 Speedster –, the production run for the new model is limited to 356 cars. The two-seater is significantly different from the other members of the 911 family. In the best tradition, the 60 millimetre lower, more raked windscreen, the flat contour of the sporty-look manual hood, and the characteristic double-bubble hardcover for the soft top define the striking profile of the new 911 Speedster. This makes the body of this rear-wheel drive with its 44 millimetre wider rear stand out even more. The new Porsche 911 Speedster will celebrate its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show in early October. Read the rest of this entry »

Now even more dynamic, lighter, more powerful and faster: Audi is launching a limited-production version of its R8 high-performance sports car – the R8 GT. The output of its 5.2-liter V10 has been increased to 412 kW (560 hp); vehicle weight has been reduced by roughly 100 kilograms (220.46 lb). The R8 GT accelerates from zero to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 3.6 seconds and reaches a top speed of 320 km/h (198.84 mph). Read the rest of this entry »