Archive for Rumours

A report by UK’s Autocar magazine says Audi’s A5 will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show this year. Despite talk that the A5 will be a 4-door coupe competitor to the Mercedes Benz CLS, spy shots have suggested the Audi A5 will most likely a classic 2-door coupe, very sleek, very nice, very similiar to the previously exhibited Audi Nuvolari Concept pictured above. The Audi Nuvolari quattro Concept made it’s debut at the 2003 Geneva Motor Show, so you can say 4 years later it will be reincarnated as the Audi A5!

Debuting for the first time is the usage of Audi’s new MLP platform, which stands for Modular Platform for longtitudinally mounted engines. Current Audis like the Audi A4 I tested last year has it’s engine positioned longtitudinally ahead of the front axle, hence the long front overhang and a very nose-heavy weight balance. Audi’s new MLP chassis has the engine mounted longtitudinally behind the axle, allowing for better weight balance. Combined with quattro, Audi has the ability to tune cars using the new MLP chassis to either understeer or oversteer or have neutral handling.

More photos of the Audi Nuvolari Concept after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Audi A5 to be shown at Geneva 2007, to feature new flexible MLP platform

DaimlerChrysler filed for the CLC-class trademark in the USA back in May 2006 and recently this month it has been published for opposition. The CLC-class trademark was registered for both class 012 - Automobiles and their structural parts and class 028 - Toy model vehicles. It’s not really known what the CLC-class will be, but some have said it might be a convertible version of the Mercedes Benz CL-class shown above. Check the links below for more details on the Mercedes Benz CL-class.

Related Posts:
2007 Mercedes Benz CL-class, CL500 and CL600
2007 Mercedes Benz CL-class AMG, CL55 and CL65

Source: Trademark Electronic Search System

Mercedes Benz is expected to show us a new 4-door convertible concept prototype based on the current Mercedes Benz S-class at the Detroit Motor Show early next year. The model might go into production with choices of engines that include a performance V12 in 2009, just 2 years from now.

But then again, is Mercedes Benz answering a question that no one asked? Is there actually a demand for a 4-door convertible, and what will having 4 doors do to the car’s structural rigidity?

A report from AP says that Volkswagen AG may conduct a due diligence audit on Proton as discussions on a possible tie-up including stake transfer progresses further. Recent newspaper reports have suggested that Volkswagen is the forerunner in the bid to partner with Proton. Volkswagen’s possible 51% purchase into Proton’s manufacturing unit is said to be worth RM 2 billion ringgit, which will result in Proton gaining knowledge through tech transfers as well as a capital injection. Initially, Volkswagen might use Tanjung Malim to assemble the Volkswagen Passat model for the Japan market, taking advantage of Malaysia’s free trade agreement with Japan.

This will result in Volkswagen holding Proton’s manufacturing unit shares, but what is to happen to the government’s 43% stake in the main company Proton Holdings Bhd? This might be where the local partner comes in, a company like DRB-HICOM or Naza could purchase part or all of this stake from the government. Volkswagen is said to have the edge over PSA Peugeot-Citroen because PSA Peugeot-Citroen is interested in a partnership that could involve sales and joint model development collaboration but it did not want to involve a stake transfer.

Sources: IHT, Bernama

Related Posts:
JMEPA: The reason Volkswagen wants Proton?
Proton stake purchase updates
PSA Peugeot Citroen and Proton to meet next week
DRB-HICOM wants to help Proton
DRB-HICOM confirms Proton share purchase talk
Government gives green light to foreign control in Proton

In order to compete with Mercedes’ AMG and BMW’s M divisions, Lexus has decided to develop a performance branding badge for it’s top of the line sports-oriented cars, and it’s decided to tag them with an “F” badge. Trademarks have been filed for the model name IS-F, as well as the F logo shown above.

Looks like some kind of shoe manufacturer logo to me, but anyway, while previously it was rumoured that the BMW M3-competitor Lexus IS-F (IS500) would be powered by a new 2UR-FSE 5.0 liter V8 based on the 1UR-FSE, it is also possible that there will be no new engine and the 4.6 liter V8 1UR-FSE would be used instead. The 1UR-FSE, a 4.6 liter DOHC V8 with Dual VVT-i and direct injection with a high 11.8:1 compression ratio makes 380hp at 6,400rpm and 498Nm of torque at 4,100rpm. The 1UR-FSE also comes with an 8-speed automatic transmission, that’s right - EIGHT ratios!

While Lexus is keeping mum on the issue for the moment, the new F-line of cars is expected to be announced at the Detroit Motor Show 2007. I can just see the advertisement taglines now - “You’ve been F-ed!”

Related Posts:
Lexus IS500 Preview

Following the moves of other car manufacturers that have revived classics (e.g.: the MINI and the New Beetle), Fiat is bringing back it’s old adorable Fiat 500, the town car with a boxer two-cylinder engine that came in either 479cc, 499cc, or 594cc displacements. There were even estate and convertible versions.

Fiat’s new Fiat 500 is set to be a 2007 release model based on the Fiat Panda platform, and word is that the two-cylinder configuration is coming back, now in turbocharged form! The engine is set to be a two-pot 0.9 liter engine making between 90hp to 110hp and 120Nm of torque, which is likely to kick in pretty low in the torque band considering the usual turbocharged torque curve patterns. The photo above is a computer generated rendering of how the new Fiat 500 could potentially look like, but expect the production version to retain all the retro looks of it’s predecessor.

More powerful variants will use the new Fire 1.4 liter engine that will also be put into the new Fiat Bravo. It makes about 150hp, doesn’t look as nice on paper as the 1.4 TSI from Volkswagen but still commendable.

Will the modern interpretation of the Fiat 500 enjoy the same runaway success that BMW has had with the New MINI Cooper? In case you don’t know how the original Fiat 500 looked like, a photo of a 1973 variant is available after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of New Fiat 500 to use two-cylinder turbo engine

Apparently there will be a variant of the Lexus LF-A sold under the Toyota brand under the venerable Supra badge, but instead of using the LF-A’s 500hp V10, it will use a tuned up version of the Lexus GS450h’s 339hp 3.5 liter V6 hybrid engine paired with a 7-speed automatic transmission.

The hybrid powertrain, called the 2GR-FSE, is said to produce power equivalent to a 4.5 liter V8, hence the GS450h moniker. The S in the engine code represents the inclusion of Toyota’s D4-S twin injection system, which combines direct injection with traditional port injection. At low revs, the engine uses a combination of both direct injection and port injection, while at high load conditions only direct injection is used. This supposedly allows for better fuel efficiency.

The new Toyota Supra hybrid sportscar is expected to be unveiled end of 2007.

Related Posts:
2008 Lexus LF-A at Nurburgring
Lexus LF-H Spyshots
Lexus LF-A

Here are somemore previews of the upcoming Alfa Romeo 149, based on the Fiat Group’s Premium platform, basically a shorter wheelbase version of what’s under the Alfa 159. Previous artist’s impressions done by Italian car magazine Quattroruote were based on leaked spyshots of the car - while they didn’t officially show the actual car, the artist’s impression was based on the spyshots.

The photos above however, are supposed to be a clay mock-up of the car, partially covered by a red sheet. While the rear design has stayed true to what we’ve seen recently, this is probably the first time we’re looking at the front. I can’t say I am connecting much with the new retro round lights that the clay model has - similiar to the ones on the Alfa 8c Competizione and the Alfa Romeo Diva Concept.

The Alfa front end lights design has gone from ovalish bulgy lamps seen on the pre-facelift 147 and the current Alfa GT, to sleek and slim ones on the post-facelift Alfa 147, to the current round retro-ish ones. While the lamps can be said to look good on sports cars, I’m not too sure if it will suit a hatch like the new 149. The car might end up looking too stout. What do you think? Click here for a rear 3/4 view of the car so you can have a look at the side profile as well.

Related Posts:
2007/2008 Alfa Romeo 149 Artist’s Impression

This is What Car’s artist impression of the upcoming CLS fighter by BMW. What the car is to be called seems to be divided between the 8-series and the X6. Autobild of Germany has also done a similiar concept drawing, click here for my post back in June 2006 with the image. AutoBild’s take looks more original, while this one by What Car looks more like a 4 door adaptation of the 6-series coupe.

Related Posts:
BMW’s CLS Fighter

While the small, cheap-ish and cheerful fun roadster market is currently being dominated by the Mazda MX-5 Miata and the Pontiac Solstice, Car and Driver magazine has news of a potential Miata killer by BMW called the Z2. Scheduled to be released by 2010, the new BMW Z2 will have the current Z4’s underpinings, and is expected to cost below US$30,000.

So wait awhile, and you’ll be spoiled for choice if you’re in the market for a fun roadster - an American, a Japanese or a German!