Audi A4 2009 Wallpaper

Audi A4 2009 Wallpaper

2014 Audi S5

2014 Audi S5

2014 Audi S5

2014 Audi S5

The current Audi S5 coupe is gorgeous, fast, and luxurious, but at over 3800 pounds, it's not dainty. And the upcoming 2010 S5 cabriolet will weigh about 4300 pounds--more than a lot of mid-size SUVs--so forgive us for thinking Audi product planners were being intentionally ironic when they spoke at the car's launch about their green philosophy and success in downsizing. They conveniently neglected to mention weight and focused on their powertrain strategy: a far more efficient supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 replaces the naturally aspirated 4.2-liter V-8 in the S5 cabriolet and S4 sedan for 2010, with the S5 coupe getting the new engine for 2011. These cars are claimed to achieve the same acceleration as the V-8 models while using 20 percent less fuel.

Still, any idiot knows you can only get so far with engine downsizing in a performance car that weighs more than two tons. So we sat down with Michael Dick, Audi's global head of product engineering, and asked him about how he squares the company's stated smaller-is-better credo with the reality of its hefty cars.

We expected to hear some mumbo-jumbo about how safety standards and consumer expectations for features and refinement dictate ever-growing curb weights, but Dick's response shocked us: Audi is currently testing a prototype of the next-generation S5 that weighs 880 pounds less than the current car. He outlined the ongoing increase in the use of aluminum, magnesium, and high-strength steel as a main reason behind the mass reduction. The current TT's chassis is 69 percent aluminum, and the next-generation A6 (probably due in 2011 or 2012) will have an even higher proportion, Dick says. The amount for the next A4/A5/S4/S5 will be higher still when they debut, likely as 2014 models.

Dick also said that the supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 is an "intermediate step" for Audi. The next S4 and S5 will have lighter turbocharged four-cylinder engines. We can look at the TT lineup for direction: the base TT in the U.S. has a 2.0-liter turbo four that makes 200 hp. The TT S has the same basic engine, but makes 265 hp with beefed up internals and a bigger turbo. Future S4 and S5 models will have about 20 percent less weight and up to 30 percent less engine displacement than the current S5, making combined fuel economy in the mid to high 20-mpg range likely.

Cars Valley: Audi A4 Valley

Cars Valley: Audi A4 Valley

AUDI A4

AUDI A4

Audi A4 Review Car

audi a4 review car

Audi A4 Price In India Price

Audi A4 Price In India Price

New Audi A4

New Audi A4

Audi A4 Price In India Price

Audi A4 Price In India Price

BMW ActiveE

BMW ActiveE

The original BMW ActiveE concept shown last year looked nearly production ready -- and given the specifications on the production test vehicles, it seems that it may have been. The powertrain and nearly-stock 1 Series body of the test vehicles is virtually identical to the concept, suggesting that the last year of development was spent fine-tuning the electric vehicle's sensitive electronics.
As the powertrain is also identical to the concept, the ActiveE test vehicle uses an electric motor housed in the rear axle for propulsion. It produces 127 kilowatts (170 horsepower) and 184 pound-feet of torque, which can propel the ActiveE from 0 to 60 mph in an estimated 8.5 seconds. Power is supplied by a battery pack developed by BMW, Bosch, and Samsung. BMW hasn't revealed how much energy can be stored in the pack, but says it gives the ActiveE a range of roughly 100 miles. It can be recharged in four to five hours using a 220-volt, 32-amp charging station, but BMW claims that the ActiveE will be able to go 25 miles after only one hour of charging.
While the electric drivetrain may be the highlight of the ActiveE, it certainly isn't the only talking point. BMW bestowed the car with a number of ideas from its Vision ConnectedDrive concept, which will also be at the Geneva Motor Show. ActiveE drivers will be able to use their iPhone or iPad to lock and unlock the vehicle, locate it, control battery charging, view the battery state of charge, and to pre-condition the car (i.e. turn on seat heaters, AC, etc., and even heat or cool the batteries while still plugged in).
Although the ActiveE is a test vehicle, it may be our best look yet at the powertrain slated for the upcoming MegaCity Vehicle, as the ActiveE "incorporates a pilot series version of the same drivetrain and batteries planned for the MCV." In addition to incorporating the drivetrain of the ActiveE into the MCV, BMW will also incorporate owners' feedback to further enhance its upcoming MegaCity Vehicle.
A total of 1000 vehicles will be deployed throughout the U.S. and Europe.

BMW ActiveE

BMW ActiveE

BMW ActiveE

2012 Aston Martin Virage

2012 Aston Martin Virage

2012 Aston Martin Virage

You'd have to be a real Aston Martin aficionado to spot the differences between the DB9 coupe and the new Virage. Even Aston design chief Marek Reichman concedes the differences between the two cars are quite subtle.
In case you're wondering, the Virage gets crisp new front fenders, more muscular fascias front and rear, new sill extensions, and even new rear fenders -- DB9 units that are re-stamped in a secondary process to pump them out over the wider rear tires. Changes inside include new stitching on the leather seats and upgraded switchgear.
2012 Aston Martin Virage Rear Three Quarters
It's not obvious stuff. So why do it? "The Virage sits between the classic, elegant DB9 and the very overt and sporting DBS," says Reichman. "This is more edgy than the DB9, with more horsepower, but it is also more refined."
That sounds like a death sentence for the DB9, as most Aston buyers aren't the types to worry too deeply about finding more money for their new car. But maybe there's method in Aston's madness.

2012 Aston Martin Virage

2012 Aston Martin Virage

Ferrari FF

Ferrari FF

Amedeo Felisa, Ferrari's chief executive and veteran engineer, says his all-new Ferrari FF four-seater is as fast around a track as a 599. "Not the GTO," he adds hastily, "but the regular 599." For the FF to be as fast as the shattering (and shatteringly hard-to-drive) GTO would be impossible. For it to be as quick as the regular 599 is merely miraculous.
Ferrari people are suspiciously keen to stress the Ferrari-ness of their new car. Could this be because the last time they strayed from their supersports heartland with the California, they suffered a squall of criticism for going soft and selling out?
Well, if the California tore the envelope of the traditional Ferrari ideal, then the new FF straight-up shreds it. It's got four adult-sized seats, a hatchback, and all-wheel-drive.
But here are some stats that might nudge it back towards Ferrari-ness in your mind. The car retains a 53-percent rear-axle weight distribution, and that weight is just 220 pounds more than a 599. Which, incidentally, makes it some 1000 pounds less than its nearest conceptual rival, the new Bentley Continental GT.
At 8000 rpm, the FF's new 6.3-liter direct-injection V-12 generates some 651 horsepower. Did that get your attention? It means a better power-to-weight ratio than the 599 GTB Fiorano, never mind the 612 Scaglietti, which the FF replaces. The über-responsive seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox is mounted as a rear transaxle, aiding weight distribution. As a result, Ferrari can plausibly claim a 0-62 mph figure of 3.7 seconds.
Felisa says the 612 Scaglietti accounted for just 10 percent of the company's worldwide sales, and that wasn't enough. His head of product marketing, Nicola Boari, said customer requirements were important in determining the direction of the new car, which in turn impacted the concept and execution. So it can seat four 6-foot, 2-inch occupants and carry two golf bags, or offer 15.9 cubic-feet for four weekend bags, or with the rear seat folded, two sets of vacation luggage -- all of which are accessible through the FF's hatchback. A full rear-seat AV system is available. And the AWD system means it's usable in wet climates.

Ferrari FF

Ferrari FF

Ferrari FF

Ford B-Max

Ford B-Max

By removing the B-pillar on its B-Max microvan, Ford not only widened the entryway into its new people-mover, but also hopes the innovation will help Ford widen the distance between itself and the competition in the European-market microvan space. The B-Max making its world debut at the Geneva show is serving as a showcase of the versatility of Ford's B-segment platform, which underpins the new Fiesta.
The B-Max's pillarless construction, combined with the twin sliding doors a la the Mazda5, offers an opening that's nearly 5 feet wide when the traditional front doors are open and the rear doors are slid fully back. According to Ford, that's around twice the size offered by the competition, making it easier to strap in child seats, and easier for full-size adults to get to the back row without convoluted gymnastics. And the best part is, the pillarless design is production-ready - it's clear Ford intends to use it.
The B-Max is built off the same chassis as the Fiesta. It's about 4 inches longer than the Fiesta hatchback and a foot shorter than the C-Max crossover currently on its way to the U.S. Ford is aiming the B-Max at the urban dweller who finds the S-Max too large but still wants similar interior space and packaging.
"With the B-Max we set out to create a vehicle that captures the spirit of a smaller S-Max," Martin Smith, Ford of Europe's executive design director, said in a statement. "We wanted to show that a small car could be very spacious and practical inside, while still having the sleek, dynamic appearance that has made the S-Max so popular." Ford says the B-Max can swallow objects nearly 8 feet long when the front passenger seat and the 60/40 split rear row seats are folded down. Finally, with more than 4 inches of additional headroom compared with the Fiesta, drivers get a more commanding view of the road.

Ford B-Max

Ford B-Max

Ford B-Max