Automotive News & Concepts
The R8 is getting a little brother. Audi insiders have given the strongest hints yet that the much rumoured R4 is heading for showrooms. The two-seater sports car will sit between the TT and R8, and rival the new Jaguar C-X16. 鈥淚f the go-ahead was given today, it would take around three years to put into production,鈥?an Audi insider told Auto Express. Taking inspiration from the e-tron Spyder, the R4 will be designed as a convertible. 鈥?Our illustrations give a good idea of how both cars will look. Initially, the R4 will come with a conventional engine, such as Audi鈥檚 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo, producing around 400bhp, but a hybrid will also feature. 鈥淓ven in our sports car ranges, customer demand for efficiency is increasing,鈥?said the insider. While all R4s will have quattro four-wheel drive, the hybrid will take this further. As there鈥檚 no mechanical link between the mid-mounted engine driving the rear wheels and the electric motor powering the fronts, the car will get a clever torque vectoring system as seen on the e-tron Spyder. This drivetrain promises strong efficiency - the e-tron Spyder can run in front-drive electric-only mode at up to 37mph for around 30 miles. The biggest question is whether the car will sit on a new mid-engined platform or a cut-down version of the R8鈥檚 aluminium spaceframe. The new mid-engined chassis was debuted by the VW BlueSport at the 2009 Detroit Motor Show, and could also underpin a new entry-level Porsche. Whatever the platform, the R4 would be a popular junior R8. With prices from around 拢50,000, the R4 could outsell Porsche鈥檚 911, shifting as many as 10,000 a year. For more details click here.
However, the less-expensive Boxster has never been able to overcome the 911's three-decade head start in the minds of Porsche buyers. In fact, the much pricier 911 outsold its Boxster/Cayman siblings two-to-one in Canada in 2011. But that sales ratio may change with the arrival of the all-new 2013 Boxster here this June. 106,900 911 Carrera Cabriolet convertible. The Boxster also gets a redesigned interior that follows in the footsteps of other recent Porsches by adopting upscale materials befitting the car's premium price. The padded dashboard looks good, and a slimmer version of Porsche's button-centric center console separates the bucket seats. For power, the Boxster S gets the direct-injection, 3.4-litre, H-6 shared with far pricier base 911. Detuned for Boxster duty, it produces 315 horsepower, an increase of five horsepower. Porsche says the 0-100 km/h times comes in at less than 5 seconds. The Boxster and Boxster S are powered by direct-injection flat-6 engines with auto start/stop function. The Boxster gets 265 hp from 2.7 litres, up 10 from the previous generation in spite of slightly smaller displacement, with 0-100 km/h acceleration of 5.8 seconds with the standard 6-speed manual; 5.7 with Porsche's unpronounceable, optional PDK 7-speed transmission. Fuel economy is a pretty impressive 8.2L/100km with the manual, and 7.7 with the PDK.
An exclusive interior incorporating the finest leather, a forward-looking bodykit and greater power are what characterise the LUMMA CLR 558 GT. The interior showcases the high standards of LUMMA Design. Nowhere is this better exemplified than in the two-tone leather upholstery. The appearance of the stylish animal skins in both beige and black is further enhanced by the decorative seams in the contrasting colour. The diamond-shaped stitching in particular really shows off the lavish way in which leather is used in the car's interior. Then there's the fine Alcantara which covers all the interior's plastic coverings. The ergonomically shaped sports steering wheel (which includes an airbag) and the carbon-look interior ledges are also upholstered with leather. The colour-coordinated instruments and aluminium pedals with anti-slip rubber coating add further refinement to the car's interior. But it's not just the car's interior where LUMMA Design makes an impression; the exterior too proves that the CLR 558 GT is a truly exclusive vehicle. The complete bodykit consists of the front spoiler, rear bumper, side skirts, sporty looking bonnet and rear spoiler.
The sporty appearance of the fully revamped Cayenne is enhanced still further by its real carbon elements, with the car's rear lip, rear diffuser and front spoiler bottom all made from the ultra-light yet sturdy material. The car's sports exhaust is unique. Not only does it make a thunderous sound; its three tailpipes also create a thoroughly distinct look, with the middle tailpipe of a diameter of 100 millimetres flanked by the two 80 millimetre ones. The vehicle's engine power delivers what the car's appearance and sound promise. The car's electronic suspension lowering module ensures particularly agile cornering ability. LUMMA Design uses this at the standard air suspension system on both axles to lower the Cayenne by around 40 millimetres, thereby achieving significantly sportier handling on winding country roads. This allows the high-performance tyres (in sizes 295/30 at the front and 335/25 at the rear) to work especially well on the 10x22 inch and 12x22 inch LUMMA sports rims. With its latest offering, LUMMA Design has managed to transform the standard Porsche into a unique sports car. The utterly distinctive looking bodykit and the exclusive interior are the highlights in the vehicle's upgrading to a LUMMA CLR 558 GT. The individual components can be ordered from selected specialised stockists or directly from LUMMA Design's headquarters in Winterlingen, Germany.
What is the best porsche in preformance? A tuned Porsche 911 Turbo, dubbed the TR-1000, has hit a top speed of 391.7 km/h (243.4 mph) at the ATP automotive testing circuit in Papenburg, Germany. While details are limited, the 9ff TR-1000 has a flat-six engine with larger turbochargers, an improved intercooler, sport camshafts, titanium con rods, crankshaft, a sport air filter, a revised ECU, and a high performance exhaust system. Thanks to these tweaks, the engine produces a stunning 1000 hp at 7800 rpm and 1040 Nm of torque. 391.7 km/h (although 9ff thinks the car could eventually exceed 400 km/h with improved aerodynamics). As you can imagine, 9ff had to make some modifications to ensure the TR-1000 would remain stable at high speeds. Changes include a modest body kit with a front splitter, modified side skirts, a rear diffuser, and a rear wing, plus a high performance braking system, and an adjustable sports suspension with aluminum dampers.