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MTM R8 GT3-2: Supercharged, 560 bhp, rear-wheel drive!

April 9, 2010 at 12:42 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Audi, Cars, International News


Cold winters do strange things to German tuners. With the amount of snow they get, you’ll think that Wettstetten based tuner MTM would be grateful for the quattro AWD system on the Audi R8, but instead they have gone ahead and made a rear-wheel drive version of Audi’s supercar!

Presenting the MTM R8 GT3-2, which MTM says is the only RWD street-legal Audi around. The company “promises a complete new driving experience and pure driving pleasure” as you battle with the 560 supercharged horses from the 4.2 FSI engine. Torque is rated at 580 Nm. This is a big jump from 414 bhp and 430 Nm of the standard car and even surpasses the R8 V10′s 517 bhp/530 Nm. The GT3-2 accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds on to a 317 km/h top speed. The 0-100 time is identical to the R8 V10, but remember that this tuned car puts its power to tarmac only via the rear wheels.


MTM adds on its own suspension kit with several settings, lightweight forged wheels on Dunlop Sport Maxx GT or Michelin Cup Sport tyres. The 20-inch rims hide 380 mm punched and ventilated brake discs. Nothing much is done on the outside except for a carbon fibre front spoiler, side skirt and rear wing for better air flow. I think the red chequred design looks quite cool on a black R8.

Besides selling the GT3-2 new, MTM has an open invitation to brave (or mad?) R8 owners to transform their Audi into a rear-wheel drive car. Images after the jump
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New engine and minor visual tweaks for Audi TT

April 8, 2010 at 11:09 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Audi, Cars, International News


Audi has given its popular TT range a refresh which consists of a new engine and subtle tweaks to the looks. This comes as Peugeot starts sales of its RCZ coupe, which made the journey from concept to production unmolested. We’ll get to drive the French hottie soon, but for now let’s focus on the TT’s new goodies.

Nothing too much to alter the instantly recognisable design. Up front is a new bumper that frames larger air inlets with “three-dimensional” edges. The fog lights now have chrome rings and the lattice of the single-frame grille is in high-gloss black.

Twelve white LEDs in a straight line serve as the daytime running lights. At the back, the “floating” reflectors of the tail lights add visual depth and the larger, flat black diffuser is matched by larger pipes. These changes have added 2 cm to the TT (now 4,187 mm). Four new metallic colours have been added.


Inside, Audi has merely played around with the trim – some silver here, some high-gloss black there. The aluminium strip above the glove box door is now in brushed grey. There are three new interior colours to choose from – nougat brown, titanium gray and garnet red. Leather seat covers are treated to reduce thermal heating by as much as 20 degrees Celsius when the TT is parked in the sun, useful for us in Malaysia.

New to the lineup is the 2.0 TFSI with 211 bhp, which replaces the 200 bhp version of the same engine and the 3.2 FSI. Torque is rated at 350 Nm, which is a big 70 Nm more than the previous TFSI. These new stats also put the TT well clear of the top RCZ, which 1.6 THP engine puts out 200 bhp/255 Nm. The turbocharged and direct fuel injected engine features Audi valvelift system (AVS) which adjusts the lift of the exhaust valves in two stages depending on need. Paired to the dual clutch six-speed S tronic and quattro AWD, 0-100 km/h takes only 5.6 seconds.


The other engines are a 1.8 TFSI with 160 bhp/250 Nm and a 2.0 TDI with 170 bhp/350 Nm. Opt for the diesel and you’ll be rewarded by 18.9 km/l combined consumption. Available as an option on all variants is Audi’s magnetic ride shock absorber system together with a Sport button that allows the driver to control servo boost for the steering and the engine sound in two stages.

More pictures after the jump.
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New body, new clothes for Audi R15 TDI Le Mans car

April 6, 2010 at 11:46 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Audi, Motorsports


The Audi R15 TDI will return to Le Mans this year with new aerodynamics and new livery, but can the four rings wrest back the title from Peugeot, who won last year to break Audi’s proud run of victories at the world’s oldest endurance race. They sure hope so.

Whereas silver was the dominant colour of last year’s R15, the 2010 car has a lot more red. In addition, large areas of the Le Mans racer will be kept in a “purist black carbon-fiber look”. The new look car will make its debut at the Le Castellet 8 Hours next week in preparation for the Le Mans 24 Hours in June. Results will be of little importance. “Le Castellet will strictly be about gathering additional experience with the R15 plus. Racing conditions simply can’t be simulated in normal track tests; that’s why we’re contesting a race at such an early stage,” explained Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich, Head of Audi Motorsport.


This R15 is heavily revised over last year’s car, and is internally designated as “R15 plus”. Le Mans 2010 regulations call for smaller diameter air restrictors and reduced supercharging pressure for diesel-powered cars, and this has forced Audi to improve aerodynamics, Cd value and downforce. As a result, the entire shape of the R15 has been revised and it comes with a new face featuring a split nose. The team also says that despite the new engine rules, the R15′s 5.5-litre engine continues to deliver more than 590 bhp through “a lot of detailed work”.

The 2010-spec R15 got its first outing on Audi’s test track in Neustadt early March. The prototype was subsequently flown to the USA for aerodynamics trials before a five-day endurance test at Sebring, Florida where about 5,500 km was clocked without any technical problems worth mentioning.

More images after the jump.
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Volkswagen Group dominate World Car Awards

April 5, 2010 at 5:53 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Audi, Cars, International News, Volkswagen


The Volkswagen Group went home happiest at the recent 2010 World Car Awards. The main World Car of the Year gong went to the Volkswagen Polo, VW’s Bluemotion eco banner took home the World Green Car award and Audi’s R8 V10 was deemed the best performance car. The only award VAG didn’t win was the World Car Design of the Year, which went to the Chevrolet Camaro.

59 automotive journalists from 25 countries around the globe played jury, and they chose VW’s B-segment supermini over 29 other nominees. Announced in the New York’s Jacob Javits Center, the annual WCOTY awards recognise the year’s most outstanding vehicles based on merit, value, safety, environmental impact, significance, and emotional appeal.


Meanwhile, VW’s BlueMotion brand consisting of the Golf, Passat and Polo, got the green car nod over finalists Honda Insight and the Toyota Prius. “It is not necessary to add an electric motor and a heavy battery pack to achieve class-leading efficiency. Based on Volkswagen’s common rail diesel engines, the BlueMotion models are among the most fuel-efficient vehicles on the market. In fact, the Passat BlueMotion can travel just about 1,000 miles on one tank of fuel in the European cycle. As far as internal combustion engines go today, these models are the ultimate you can get,” the jurors explained.

For the World Performance Car title, the Ferrari California and Porsche 911 GT3 were the front runners alongside eventual winner Audi R8 V10. Previous winners were the Nissan GT-R in 2009, the Audi R8 in 2008, the Audi RS4 in 2007 and the Porsche Cayman S in 2006.

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ABT breeds a more dangerous R8 Spyder

March 16, 2010 at 2:04 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Audi, Cars, International News

The Audi R8 Spyder may be very stylish, but it’s no mere poser – the open top variant of Ironman’s machine comes only in V10 form with 525 bhp and 530Nm, good for 0-100 km/h in 4.1 seconds and a top speed of 313 km/h. That’s no small sum, but German tuners will never leave enough as enough, so here’s what ABT, the biggest name in Audi/VW tuning, did to Audi’s drop top supercar.

The 5.2 litre V10 has been massaged to deliver 600 horses, lowering the century sprint time to just 3.8 seconds, while top speed is now a round figure of 320 km/h. Suspension springs lowers the car further and is claimed to improve handling. “When you take a look at the car you can see that it is one of the fastest of the fast – and is really ready for anything,” says ABT. Hmmm…

The Kempten based tuner also says that with its exterior mods, the R8 Spyder’s “power can be seen even when it is at a standstill”. The front grill, front apron, side sills, rear apron, rear spoiler as well as the dual-colour coated ABT BR alloys have been merged into the original design, and as with ABT’s R8 coupe, all the parts are made from carbon fibre. On the options list is ABT’s CR Superlight alloys, which really suit the R8 Spyder with its claw-like spokes.

For a gallery and video of the Audi R8 Spyder, read our previous post here. More pictures of ABT’s version is after the jump.
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Audi A8 Hybrid – the limo that won’t cost the earth

March 9, 2010 at 7:41 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under 2010 Geneva Motor Show, Audi, Cars, Hybrids and Alternative Fuel

The Audi A8 is the newest limo on the block and this is the A8 hybrid which aims to be the greenest in the segment. Shown at the Geneva show for the first time, the A8 hybrid’s drivetrain consists of two propulsion units – a 2.0 TFSI internal combustion engine and an electric motor – that develop a total output of 245 bhp and 480 Nm of torque. This enables a 7.6-second 0-100 km/h time and a top speed of 235 km/h, done in Transporter style coolness.

A hydraulically operated wet clutch links the TFSI with the electric motor (with 45 bhp and 211 Nm), which makes available its grunt from standstill. In the boot lies the Audi’s lithium-ion battery pack, which still leaves 400 litres of luggage space. Subsystems that operate on engine power in a regular car have been modified to run entirely on electric power in the A8 hybrid, such as the air-con compressor, electromechanical steering system and brake booster, all managed by a “pulse control inverter” system. All these will appear in the Audi Q5 hybrid, to be introduced later this year.

This A8 is capable of fully electric-powered driving up to 65 km/h and for a distance “exceeding 2 km”. Normally, both work in tandem but above 65 km/h, the combustion engine propels the car alone, while the electric motor supplies ancillaries and recharges the battery. The TFSI is disconnected from the drivetrain when the driver chooses to coast. The e-motor also functions as a generator to recoup energy from braking and replenish the battery.

Green credentials? The A8 hybrid’s average fuel consumption is 16.1 km/l while CO2 emissions is 144 grams per km. These figures compare very well with the Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid, which does 12.7 km/l and 186 g/km. Launched last year, the car from Stuttgart pairs a V6 with electric motors for a combined 299 bhp/385 Nm, and was the first production hybrid to use lithium ion batteries.

Live images from Geneva and the official gallery is after the jump.
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From Geneva with love – Audi RS5 virus of desire!

March 3, 2010 at 11:20 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under 2010 Geneva Motor Show, Audi, Cars

The Audi RS5 is one gorgeous, desirable machine, and now that I’m infected with the “RS” virus after close proximity to the red hot lady, I hope to spread the love by sharing some live images with you. Could have shot more if it wasn’t mobbed by crowds, so there you go, it’s after the jump!

As a recap, the RS5 is powered by a naturally aspirated 4.2-litre FSI V8 engine with 450 bhp at 8,250 rpm, while torque is rated at 430 Nm produced between 4,000 and 6,000 rpm. This hand made V8 is the same one as in the RS4 and R8, but with more power. Audi goes on to say that the engine is “right at home even at high revs – almost like a race engine”. The 1,725 kg RS5 manages 0-100 km/h in 4.6 seconds while top speed is capped at 250 km/h. Audi can increase that to 280 km/h if you ask nicely. With that kind of performance, 9.3 km/l is a very fair trade off.

Massive gallery after the jump!
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Little Audi A1 creates big waves at Geneva!

March 3, 2010 at 10:26 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under 2010 Geneva Motor Show, Audi, Cars

The main star of the vast Audi stand is its smallest model – the new A1. Ingolstadt has big plans for this Mini Cooper rival that’s bound to be its main seller, and is calling it the A1 “the sportiest car in the segment” – no small claim when BMW’s Mini is your classmate! Backing this up is the A1′s low weight of 1,045 kg, wide tracks, low weight resting on the front end and electrohydraulic steering that’s tuned to be “sportily direct”.

First shown to the world as the Metroproject Quattro Concept back in Tokyo 2007, the finshed product looks remarkably similar to its inspiration, down to this car’s red colour with a silver bar outlining the glasshouse. As we’d expect from a new Audi, the A1 features striking LED daytime running lights, and the brand’s single-frame grille is has two more edges at their top ends to create a trapezoidal shape. Audi’s “tornado line” joins both front and rear lamp clusters and is a main feature of the profile, along with the arching roofline. Coefficient of drag is 0.32, which is best in class.

Inside, the dash design is simple and classy; of note are the cool old-school air-con vents (supposed to look like jet turbines, says Audi) and an infotainment system that’s claimed to set new standards in the class. The A1′s MMI navigation plus system is taken from its bigger siblings and comes with 3D navigation system, 20GB of hard disk space for music and iPod and Bluetooth connectivity, all displyed on a 6.5-inch screen that emerges from the dash top. A 465-watt Bose stereo is optional.

Four engines will be available at launch – two TFSI petrols and two TDI diesels. The entry 1.2 TFSI makes 86 bhp and 160 Nm from 1500 rpm, while the 1.4 TFSI produces 122 bhp and 200 Nm at the same engine speed sustained till 4000 rpm. Paired to the seven-speed dual clutch S tronic gearbox, this range topper does 0-100 km/h in 9.1 seconds on to a top speed of 200 km/h. We reckon that real world cut and thrust performance will be more impressive than the raw figures suggest, as is the case with VW’s TSI/DSG cars. Equipped with start-stop tech and brake energy recuperation, fuel consumption for the 1.4 TFSI is 19.6 km/l.

Live pictures and official gallery with 125 images after the jump.
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VIDEO: Audi A1 in motion – Audi DTM pilot Markus Winkelhock takes it out for a spin

March 1, 2010 at 9:16 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Audi, Cars, Videos

Audi A1

Here’s a chance to check out the new Audi A1 in motion. I don’t particularly agree with the use of a black A1 in this video. Feels like a wasted opportunity to wow potential consumers. Look at the MINI, that Fiat 500 and the MiTo – when you think of one do you ever think of a black one?

No, small premium compacts like this need bright colours, and while Audi did right in releasing photos of the A1 in red for their press kit, the black in thie video looks pretty boring, especially since the A1 seems to be going in a straight line like 90% of the time, despite having Audi DTM driver Markus Winkelhock piloting it.

According to Audi, the A1′s electrohydraulic power steering has a very direct 14.8:1 ratio. The chassis uses MacPherson struts at the front and a torsion beam at the rear. Every model of the A1 will come with an ESP system that also has an electric diff lock feature, similar to what Volkswagen and BMW has in their Golf GTI and MINI Cooper S. Winkelhock said the car is very agile and the handling remains neutral even longer thanks to the electronic diff through a corner.

Look after the jump to watch the video.
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Confirmed: High revving 450 bhp 4.2L V8 and dual-clutch gearbox for Audi RS5!

February 23, 2010 at 11:21 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Audi, Cars

Turbocharging is the trend today, as car manufacturers turn to forced induction to aid their downsizing programmes for better efficiency and emissions – even BMW couldn’t resist the lure of turbos! However, nothing beats the joy that a sweet, high-revving naturally aspirated engine delivers, so when rumours that the Audi RS5 is to come with a NA V8 (we also saw the 8000-plus rpm tacho in the leaked brochure images), we at paultan.org got properly excited.

Well, it’s confirmed now. The RS5 is powered by a 4.2-litre FSI V8 engine (also found in the old RS4 and R8, but with higher output here) which produces peak power of 450 bhp at 8,250 rpm, while torque is rated at 430 Nm produced between 4,000 and 6,000 rpm. Audi promises that this hand made engine will be “right at home even at high revs – almost like a race engine”. Intensive fine-tuning of the dual-branch intake and exhaust system allows the undersquare engine to breathe freely; four adjustable camshafts and tumble flaps in the intake manifold facilitate mixture formation.

The R-tronic semi auto gearbox in the R8 haven’t received favourable reviews, so Audi has developed a twin-clutch, seven-speed ‘box for the RS5, which was specially reinforced to accommodate the high-revving V8. There’s also a launch control program for effortless traffic light drag racing.

The RS5 is no lightweight at 1,725 kg, but still manages 0-100 km/h in 4.6 seconds while top speed is capped at 250 km/h. Audi can increase that to 280 km/h upon request. Yes, please. Ingolstadt is also proud of the RS5′s comparatively frugal nature – fuel consumption is 9.3 km/l, far less than its main rivals, says Audi.

Like all RS models, the RS5 comes with quattro permanent all-wheel drive, but the self-locking crown-gear center differential is a new development. It’s compact, light and attains a high efficiency ratio. Thanks to its package of plates, the differential can widely vary the distribution of torque between the front and rear axles – up to 70% can flow to the front or as much as 85% towards the rear. The standard ratio is rear biased at 40:60. A rear axle differential that actively distributes torque between the rear wheels is optional.

This “new quattro” operates in conjunction with electronic torque vectoring, controlling all four wheels. If one of the inside wheels becomes imbalanced while the vehicle is on the limit, the system slightly decelerates the wheel to cancel wheel spin, resulting in improved traction while “generating a yaw moment which aids cornering”.

The speed-dependent servotronic steering in the RS 5 is especially taut, claims its maker. The standard Audi drive select allows the driver to switch among three modes – comfort, auto, and dynamic – to adjust steering, gearbox, differential, engine and exhaust system. If your RS5 is equipped with the MMI navigation system, you can customize your own profile. The rear spoiler automatically extends at a speed of 120 km/h and retracts at 80 km/h.

Feast you eyes on the officially released gallery after the jump!
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