Articles by Viknesh Vijayenthiran

Given the proliferation of announcements for eight, nine, and even ten-speed automatic gearboxes of late, it would appear the world’s major automakers were giving up on dual-clutch technology, which are yet to exceed seven forward gears. Nothing could be further from the truth, however, as Volkswagen has confirmed it has a ten-speed DSG dual-clutch gearbox in the works.The confirmation was made by the automaker’s CEO, Martin Winterkorn, at last week’s 2013 Vienna Motor Symposium in Austria, though no other details on the advanced DSG were provided.Diesel and plug-in hybridsDuring his presentation, Winterkorn did however reveal that his company was focused on another technology that has appeared on the wane lately: diesel engines.Volkswagen is developing diesel engines capable of delivering 134 horsepower per litre of displacement, using variable valve timing, high-pressure injection systems running at more than 43,000 psi, and electric superchargers known as e-boosters.But Volkswagen is also a strong believer in alternative drive systems and just announced its first plug-in hybrid, the 2014 Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid. Due to the automaker’s modular vehicle system design, this plug-in hybrid technology will eventually spread to other models from Volkswagen including another Porsche, the Cayenne SUV, as well as the A3 and A6 from Audi, and the Golf and Passat from Volkswagen.“Over the coming years we will electrify all vehicle classes in this way and help electrically powered motoring to make the breakthrough,” Winterkorn said during his presentation.Natural gas systemsFinally, Volkswagen also sees great potential for natural gas drive systems. The automaker will be systematically rolling out natural gas technology on more models, starting with the Golf and Audi A3 lines. A natural gas version of the Up! is already available in some markets, offering a C02 emission level of just 79 g/km, and a new A3 g-tron model has just been announced.In addition, Volkswagen’s Audi brand has gone so far as to develop its own synthetic natural gas, using a process called methanation along with energy generated originally from wind farms. This means that when Audi’s synthetic gas is finally burned in a natural gas vehicle, the whole system is virtually CO2 neutral. “The gas engine is environmentally friendly, economical and suitable for everyday use,” Winterkorn said.Winterkorn went on to explain that over the medium and long-term, different technologies would exist side by side, which is why Volkswagen is investing heavily in electrified and natural gas drive systems in addition to improving existing gasoline and diesel systems.The end goal is a corporate average C02 emission level of just 95 grams of C02 per kilometer by the year 2020. That’s about how much Volkswagen’s smallest vehicle, the Up! city car, currently puts out when fitted with a 1.0-litre diesel engine.Factors that would make this possible, according to Winterkorn, include enhancement of the combustion process, intelligent lightweight design, innovative operating strategies and optimisation of friction levels and thermal management.www.motorauthority.com

Prior to its confirmation of a return to top-level racing at Le Mans, made in 2011, there was some speculation that Porsche might represent the Volkswagen Group in the world of Formula One. Porsche, whose reputation is built on the performance of its cars, knew at the time it needed to be in some form of top-level motorsport. While ultimately it chose Le Mans, there was support for an F1 campaign within the ranks. So what made the company end up choosing Le Mans? According to its R&D chief, Wolfgang Hatz, the disconnect between the cars in F1 and those in Porsche’s showrooms was too great.  “The final decision was the only logical one,” Hatz said during an interview with Autocar. “F1 was an alternative, but the road relevance is not there.” Hatz went on to explain that there was also too much politics in F1 and too much focus on the tires rather than the engines and chassis. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard of Porsche’s disinterest in F1. Porsche CEO Matthias Mueller has previously described F1 as "not interesting" and "simply too expensive." Of course, entering Le Mans isn’t so straight forward. Porsche will have to be careful to balance its effort against corporate cousin Audi, though the competition could make for some very interesting racing come 2014. Porsche's LMP1 race car is still in development but will be unveiled later this year. http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1083747_porsche-considered-f1-before-picking-le-mans

The Renault Twizy is an electric city car that retails for less than $10k and has a power output starting as low as 4 kilowatts (5 horsepower) and topping out at about 13 kilowatts (17 horsepower).It’s not exactly the type of vehicle you’d use to highlight the link between the world of Formula One and that of production cars, but that hasn’t stopped Renault, an enginesupplier to top F1 teams including Red Bull Racing, from rolling out a new F1-inspired Twizy concept.  The concept was built by Renault together with its motorsport division, Renault Sport, and its F1 division, Renault Sport F1.It features a number of technologies lifted directly from an F1 race car, including its F1-spec wheels and tires; new front splitter, side-pods, diffuser and wing made of F1-grade carbon fiber; and even a power-boosting Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS). Last but not least, the concept is equipped with an F1-type steering wheel from the Renault Sport catalogue.The KERS is identical to that used in F1 and boosts power output six-fold to reach almost 73kW and is capable of catapulting the car from standstill to 100 km/h as quickly as Renault’s highest-performing road car, Megane Renaultsport 265. It is contained within a clear box situated behind the seats.At this point, you may be wondering why Renault would choose its diminutive Twizy to display its F1 expertise. According to the automaker, even a vehicle as far removed from the world of F1 as the Twizy can benefit from technology developed in motorsport’s highest echelon.Note, this isn’t the first time that Renault has used one of its less sporty models to display its F1 expertise. At the 1994 Paris Auto Show, the automaker presented its Espace F1, an MPV concept whose body was built entirely out of carbon fiber.www.motorauthority.com 

With the 2014 Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG now offering as much as 430kW in ‘S-Model’ trim, the 412kW of the BMW M5 is starting to look a little feeble, at least in terms of bragging rights (we doubt most owners would be able to tell the difference). To rectify the issue, BMW is planning an upgrade for the M5, which Car and Driver is reporting will boost output to 423kW. The upgrade will likely arrive as a Competition Package and is said to be developed for both the M5 and M6. Being part of a Competition Package, expect a host of other upgrades including new wheels, brakes and tires. Revised suspension and a number of minor aero tweaks are also likely. Cars fitted with the Competition Package are expected to deliver 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) times around 0.1 of a second quicker than those with the current 412kW rating. This could mean 0-100km/h in 4.2 seconds for local models. For those at home counting, that’s still 0.6s behind the new all-wheel-drive E 63 AMG S-Model available in left-hand drive markets. Look for the M5 and M6 Competition Package to be offered overseas by the mid-year, while the option is yet to be confirmed for Australian models. "We would absolutely be interested if such a package proves suitable for our market, but cannot confirm any M5 or M6 performance boosts at this stage", BMW Australia's Corporate Communications boss Lenore Fletcher said. "Australia has the highest per-capita takeup rate of BMW performance variants in the world." Ms Fletcher suggested the package could join the range when the M5 and M6 range is refreshed locally in the fourth quarter of this year.  Note, the power wars aren’t likely to end there. Audi’s RS 6/RS 7 duo is tipped to receive their own ‘Plus’ upgrades that could see output reach as much as  447kW. However, no official word of their release has been mentioned.  

Alfa Romeo has long been rumoured to be planning a new range-topping sedan serving as the replacement for its previous 166 and sharing a rear-wheel-drive platform with sister brand Maserati.  However, reports broke late last year claiming that the future Alfa flagship, referred to internally as the 169, would share the platform of the new 2014 Maserati Ghibli plus all that came with it, namely, a Ferrari-built V6 engine.  Things really heated up shortly after when the semi-official Alfa Romeo Gloria concept, penned by students at Italy’s Istituto Europeo di Design, made its debut at the recent 2013 Geneva Motor Show.  Here was a large, rear-wheel-drive concept billed as a “sports sedan with decisive lines” and said to be capable of packing V6 or V8 power. Crucially, the Gloria was also said to have been designed with direct input from Alfa Romeo. Fast forward to today, and Car and Driver is reporting that the new Alfa flagship, to be called the 6C, is now a top priority at the Fiat Chrysler Group. The 6C isn’t likely to be just a sedan, however, as a coupe is also mentioned.  The sedan would be the volume model and is reported to be arriving in showrooms by as early as 2015, most likely making it a 2016 model. Ambitious sales of 40,000 units per year have been touted. While the Ghibli hasn’t turned out to be the M5-rival we were all hoping for (the most powerful model develops just 297 kilowatts), the 6C should be. It’s said to receive a widened track, a dual clutch transmission and possibly even the rear-biased all-wheel-drive setup in the Ferrari FF. Of course, there will also be more mundane versions, including a diesel. www.motorauthority.com  

The popular Audi and Volkswagen tuning fest, Austria's Wörthersee Tour, will see a number of interesting vehicles presented this year, the highlight of which will be a lightweight Audi TT concept. Audi is believed to be planning a lightweight version of its next-generation TT sports car and many of the lightweight design elements of that future car are likely present on this new concept, which is based on the current generation of the TT. The concept is called the TT ultra quattro, with “ultra” being the name used by Audi for its lightweight construction methodology. The vehicle has a curb weight of just 1,111kg, despite it packing a turbocharged engine and all-wheel-drive system. Peak output from the car’s turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine is 228kW and 400Nm, which in the lightweight body sees the 0-96 km/h sprint take just 4.2 seconds (1.3 seconds faster than stock). Each of the car’s kilowatts has just 4.87kg to carry. To reduce weight, engineers stripped the car of some non-essentials and replaced parts of the structure using lighter materials in line with the automaker’s evolving multi-material construction techniques. Regular steel ended up being replaced with carbon fibre, magnesium and aluminium. Engineers also stuck with a regular manual transmission but swapped the TT’s seats for lightweight units from the R8 GT. Interestingly, air conditioning, electric window controls and an electromechanical parking brake are still fitted. One key difference is present, however. The exterior mirrors have been replaced by compact cameras that transfer the images directly into the digital cockpit. More than 23kg were saved in the engine alone, by replacing parts like the crankcase, crankshaft, balancer shafts, flywheel, oil sump and several nuts and bolts with lighter units. The suspension was also replaced with a lighter setup, some parts of which are made from fibreglass-reinforced plastic. More savings come from carbon ceramic brakes, a titanium system and wheels made from carbon fibre-reinforced plastic and aluminium. Total weight savings add up to 300kg. Finally, engineers also worked to hone the handling of the TT. They have taken away weight from the ends of the car and moved it into the middle. The lithium-ion starter battery, for example, is now located in the interior under the driver’s seat. It is much smaller than a lead battery and weighs as little as 4kg The 2013 Wörthersee Tour will take place from May 8-11. Also on show will be the legendary Sport quattro S1, the latest RS line of cars and the race-winning R18 e-tron quattro. www.motorauthority.com

Russian tennis ace Maria Sharapova has signed on to be an official brand ambassador of Porsche, a role that will see her represent the sports car manufacturer all over the globe for at least the next three years.  The 26-year-old is already very familiar with the Porsche brand, having won a tennis match hosted in Stuttgart, Germany, for which she was awarded a white 911 Carrera S Cabriolet as part of her prize, but now the relationship will becoming much more intimate. Porsche hasn’t announced what exactly Sharapova will be doing in her new role as brand ambassador, though the automaker has stated that a new advertising campaign was planned.  Born in Russia and currently living in the US, Sharapova has achieved victories at all four Grand Slam tournaments in women's tennis and was ranked number 1 for a total of 21 weeks. She was picked not only because of her professional career but also for her charisma, says Porsche. The automaker is also a long-term sponsor of women’s tennis, so the connection was already there. “This is a really special day for me," Sharapova said at the announcement of her new role. “I have had the privilege to be associated with some of the best brands in the world, but now to be partners with Porsche, is such an amazing honour.“ Another famous face that represents Porsche is rally legend and official tester for the automaker Walter Röhrl.   www.motorauthority.com

Swiss firm Hublot, maker of the world’s most expensive watch, the Bing Bang 5 Million, so named because of its $5 million pricetag, has announced a new watch celebrating Ferrari’s latest flagship supercar, the LaFerrari.The new watch, called the MP-05 “LaFerrari,” won’t set you back as much as some of Hublot’s other products, although getting one may be challenge since only 50 examples will be produced.Hublot’s MP-05 “LaFerrari” has been designed, developed and manufactured entirely by the Swiss firm and features a 50-day power reserve--a world record power reserve for a hand-wound tourbillon watch.The 50-day power reserve is thanks to the watch’s 11-barrel design, arranged in a line just like a spinal column and interconnected so that they do not each discharge in turn but support each other. On initial glance, the design almost resembles a miniaturized version of one of Ferrari’s engines.The hour and minute are displayed to the right of the barrels, also indicated by means of one anodized black aluminum cylinder each. On their left is the cylinder indicating the power reserve. Reinforcing bars either side, made from anodized red aluminum, also bring to mind Ferrari's signature exteriors.The face is sapphire crystal, designed to prevent scratches, and this sits within a titanium case finished in black. More titanium and even some carbon fiber add accents to the design.Hublot is the current timekeeper for both Ferrari and its racing division Scuderia Ferrari,  having inked a five-year deal back in 2011 to become the fourth watch company to have the honor. Others have included Girard Perregaux, Panerai and Cabestan.www.motorauthority.com 

We first caught wind of Dutch firm Vencer and its Sarthe supercar project in May of last year. Back then, the company had just a few renderings of its Sarthe and the promise of a production version in the not too distant future. At the 2013 Top Marques Monaco over the weekend, Vencer lived up to its promise by unveiling the Sarthe supercar in production trim. The Sarthe, presumably named after the French race track that plays host to the 24 Hours of Le Mans, has been in the works for several years and takes its inspiration from the Le Mans prototypes of the 1980s. It is an exclusive, hand-built supercar with a mid-engine layout and powerful V8 sourced from General Motors. Underpinning the car is a tubular steel structure utilising chrome-molybdenum for the crash structures and rear subframe. The suspension, meanwhile, features double wishbones with adjustable shock absorbers. Despite the lack of exotic building materials, the Vencer Sarthe tips the scales at a reasonable 1,389kg. In addition, the weight balance is a near ideal 45-55 front-rear. The V8 engine sits directly behind the car’s two seats and drives the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox and limited-slip differential. Peak output is rated at 375 kilowatts and 650 Newton metres of torque, which Vencer says should be good for 100km/h acceleration in 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 328km/h. The wheels measure up to 508mm in diameter and house steel brake discs measuring more than 381mm across. Inside, the Sarthe boasts hand-stitched leather seating, a contemporary infotainment system and luxuries such as dual-zone climate control and a GPS. No pricing details for the Vencer Sarthe have been released yet, though previous estimates have come in at roughly 265,000 euros (approximately $336298AUD). www.motorauthority.com  

We’ve heard it all before but rarely have we seen it executed successfully; mid-tier luxury brands attempting to move upmarket and compete with top tier brands.Volvo, too, toyed with the idea of moving upmarket when the company was taken over by China’s Geely, and even rolled out a couple of concepts (Universe and You) that some interpreted to be the automaker’s preview of a new high-end sedan designed to rival the likes of the BMW 7-Series and Mercedes-Benz S Class.However, Volvo’s recently recruited CEO, Hakan Samuelsson, has put such rumors to the rest, emphatically stating that a high-end sedan is not on the horizon for Volvo.Speaking with Automotive News (subscription required), Samuelsson said a large and powerful sedan doesn’t fit with Volvo’s new green image and that buyers of such models aren’t likely to even consider a Volvo in the first place.“We don't have any ambitions to go into a segment where we would compete with vehicles that have V8 or V12 engines,” he said. “We don't believe it would fit our brand image.”Instead, Volvo will continue with its current plan of replacing its aging lineup with a new range of models based on its modular SPA platform. The first of these SPA-based models will be a 2015 XC90 SUV due at the end of next year, followed by redesigned versions of the S80 and S60 sedans.All of Volvo’s future models will feature four-cylinder engines, and for additional performance the automaker will employ electric drive systems connected via hybrid configurations. Volvo also plans to expand into the compact car segment and is developing a second platform for these entries.Finally, Volvo is eyeing an expansion in the lucrative Chinese market by opening more dealerships and starting local production. Last year, Volvo sold just 42,000 cars in China but still has set an ambitious target of 200,000 sales by 2015.www.motorauthority.com