Articles by Viknesh Vijayenthiran

Audi is celebrating the manufacture of its 500,000th TT sports car by launching an exclusive special edition. The new special edition is called the 2014 Audi TTS Competition and production will be limited to just 500 units.As the name suggests, the cars are based on the TTS model and come with some sporty upgrades. They are available exclusively in the special paint finishes Imola yellow or Nimbus gray, and their exterior calling card is a fixed rear wing with bars in a matte finish. They also come with 19-inch wheels featuring a five-arm Rotor design and are shod with beefy 225/35 tires.Inside, the cars get gray leather trim with yellow contrast stitching. Aluminum badges on the door trims embossed with “1 of 500” further accentuate the exclusivity of the special edition. Being based on the TTS, the cars also benefit from xenon headlights, Audi magnetic ride damper control and aluminum accents in the cabin.No changes have been made to the powertrain, which means a 2.0-litre TFSI engine outputting 203kW and 350Nm of torque. Paired with a six-speed dual-clutch transmission, coupe versions of the TTS Competition will hit 100km/h in 5.3 seconds and a governed top speed of just under 250km/h.The TTS Roadster Competition takes 5.5 seconds for the 0-100 km/h run and is limited to the same 250 km/h top speed as the coupe. Fuel economy comes in at around 7.4L/100kms, based on European combined figures.The 2014 Audi TTS Competition will be shown for the first time at the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show next month before hitting showrooms towards the end of the year. Pricing and availability will be announced closer to launch.The original TT was launched in 1998 and almost immediately hailed as a design icon. The second generation followed in 2006 and will be replaced next year by a third-generation TT.www.motorauthority.com

The 2015 Ford Mustang is on track for an auto show debut within the next six months and already many of its details are becoming known. Today, we learned that engineers developing the car have targeted a substantial weight saving for the new model. A source familiar with the car’s development told Edmunds that the 2015 Mustang will be only slightly smaller than the model it replaces but weigh around 180kg less. The 2014 Mustang equipped with a V6 tips the scales at just over 1587kg which means the new 2015 Mustang may be as light as just a bit more than 1400kg. The source said engineers were trying to improve the fuel economy of the car, though no doubt lobbing off around 180kg from the current Mustang will also yield significant gains in virtually every dynamic statistic. Combined with a new independent rear suspension, the lighter weight should see the Mustang turn in new levels of performance at the track. The 2015 Mustang is expected to be about 38cm shorter than the current car and 15cm narrower. Getting the weight down will be done by using lighter materials such as aluminium instead of conventional steel. Improved chassis design will also mean less reinforcement will be needed. www.motorauthority.com  

 M fans need wonder no more; the BMW Concept M4 has just been revealed ahead of its debut at the 2013 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and subsequent Frankfurt appearance.Though still a concept, the car is an almost perfect representation of BMW’s successor to the M3 Coupe, the new M4, which we’re expecting to see debut at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show in January.Full information on the Concept M4 will be released in a few hours but from these images, we can see that the design takes the already aggressive 4-Series and turns things up a notch. Pumped fenders, chunky alloy wheels and carbon fiber used on the roof and exhaust tips all scream performance, and it’s great to see that designers have retained the previous M3 Coupe’s powerdome hood.The sedan version of the car, the M3, should adopt a similarly aggressive look. It is expected to debut in production trim alongside the M4 in Detroit. Both cars should be for the US market a few months after the 2014 Detroit Auto Show in January.What’s still unclear is what will be powering them. The engine is tipped to be a turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six and matched to it should be an M-DCT seven-speed dual-clutch ‘box. Drive will be sent to the rear wheels via a limited-slip differential. You can hear the new engine in a teaser video released by BMW M recently.www.motorauthority.com  

At next month’s 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show Jaguar is expected to make a landmark announcement concerning its future lineup, which we know will be expanded with a new entry-level sedan and may also include a crossover SUV. A concept of the new sedan or possibly the SUV is tipped to be unveiled in order to gauge opinions, but have both vehicles already been approved for production?We know the sedan is in the works due to the sighting of various test mules in Europe. However, Jaguar may soon start work on an SUV, too, as Autocar is reporting that the production green light has been given and a launch date set for 2016.The SUV, which may be called Q-Type or perhaps XQ, will target the likes of the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class in the competitive small premium SUV segment. Jaguar is hoping to lure young families, who often look past the brand’s current lineup of powerful sedans and sports cars. A conventional five-door SUV body is likely to be adopted but being a Jag it will still be very sporty looking and sophisticated.Underpinning the vehicle is said to be a shortened version of the aluminium Premium Lightweight Architecture (PLA) that debuted in the 2013 Range Rover SUV. The flexible platform will be used for a variety of Jaguar models including the new small sedan and next-generation versions of the XF, XJ and even the XK.By utilising the PLA, Jaguar’s SUV may end up being the lightest vehicle in its class. Matched with the automaker’s punchy 2.0-litre turbo engines, it may also end up being the most frugal as well, at least when non-hybrids are concerned. Diesel and V-6 engines should also be on offer. With the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show’s September 10 opening press day quickly approaching, we should have a better idea of Jaguar’s future plans very soon. Stay tuned for an update.www.motorauthority.com 

These are the first images of a new Audi Quattro concept set to debut next month at the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show. In 2010, Audi rolled out a similar modern Quattro concept to mark 30 years since the launch of its original Quattro, and while that previous concept was slated for production a new Quattro sports car is yet to materialise.The reveal of a new Quattro concept this year shows that Audi is still interested in launching a high-performance sports car honouring the original Quattro. This time, however, we’re expecting Audi to honour the later Sport Quattro. Launched in 1984, the Sport Quattro was based on the original Quattro but came with a shortened wheelbase and was developed primarily for Group B rallying. A run of 200 road-going versions (pictured below) were built for homologation purposes and sold to the public.Audi doesn’t compete in rallying anymore but it looks like influences from its successful R18 e-tron quattro Le Mans prototype may feature in the new Quattro concept. Running down the centre will be a tunnel flanked by a carbon fibre frame, perhaps mimicking the carbon fibre monocoque of the R18. The new Quattro concept will be based on the chassis of the A5 so there won’t be a complete carbon fibre monocoque structure, but we could see some of the lightweight stuff used in the construction to help shed the pounds while also improving stiffness.The sketches above also reveal an aggressive exterior inspired by the original Quattro line of cars while the interior features a 2+2 seating arrangement and high-tech controls. Unlike the 2010 Quattro concept, which was based on a shortened version of the A5 chassis, the new concept is likely to keep the full length in order to maximize space for the four occupants.As previously reported, the new Quattro concept is expected to benefit from a 450kW version of Audi’s twin-turbocharged 4.0 litre V8 engine. Though it’s possible Audi might use its e-tron quattro all-wheel-drive system as featured in the R18 race car, which uses electric motors in addition to an internal combustion engine in a through-the-road hybrid setup, we’re more likely to see the engine paired with a conventional mechanical all-wheel-drive system. Such a car would be matched in performance by only the range-topping R8 V10 Plus in Audi’s lineup. Initial performance estimates are a 0-100km/h time in less than 4.0 seconds and a top speed of close to 300km/h.If built, production would likely take place at the special Neckarsulm plant in Germany where Audi’s RS models and its R8 are built. Production would also be limited, meaning pricing may exceed even the AU$408,200 of the R8 V10 Plus.www.motorauthority.com

Last week we learned that Toyota was planning to unveil a new concept car at the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show, which would showcase technology from its TS030 Hybrid Le Mans prototype in road car form. That got us wondering whether we might get a preview of Toyota’s planned successor for the Supra sports car in Frankfurt.Unfortunately, this is not the case as Toyota has revealed a second teaser of its upcoming concept, which confirms that it will be based on the Yaris Hybrid. The new concept will be called the Hybrid-R and feature a sophisticated powertrain combining an internal combustion engine with an unspecified number of electric motors. Peak output will be upwards of 300kW.In order to make the most of that output, the Hybrid-R will feature a dual-mode control system that allows the car’s performance to be tailored to suit either the road or track. Helping to develop the Hybrid-R is TMG, the German outfit currently responsible for Toyota's Le Mans program and the former constructor of its F1 cars.Toyota is keen to leverage its technology developed for Le Mans in its future road cars, and the Hybrid-R offers a glimpse of what to expect. Unfortunately, Toyota is yet to mention when we might see a high-performance hybrid model in showrooms but the Hybrid-R suggests things are brewing. We’ll be seeing one more teaser before the reveal of the Hybrid-R at the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show on September 10.www.motorauthority.com 

Keep this video on repeat as those growls you hear are the sweet sounds of the new straight-six engine developed for the latest generation of the BMW M3 and the all-new M4 (basically a new M3 Coupe). Also shown in the video is a small sliver of the new M3’s power dome hood, whose yellow hue is likely to be the car’s hero color.BMW is set to preview either its new M3 or M4 (or perhaps both) in concept form at the 2013 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance later this week and will follow up with the production versions at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show in January. The cars are likely to hit the market early next spring, as 2014 models.The M3 will get the F30 3-Series’ body and the M4 will get the F32 4-Series’s svelte coupe shape. However, both cars will have common internals. The highlight will be the raspy engine you hear in the video above, which to these ears sounds a bit like the 3.2-litre straight-six last used in the E46 M3.The engine is believed to be a 3.0-litre unit codenamed the S55. That makes it sound very much like a high-performance derivative of the N55 found in the latest 335i and 435i models, which makes sense as the BMW M Division is no longer building standalone engines.A pair of turbochargers and tuning of the heads should get performance to the levels demanded by an M car. We’re expecting a power figure somewhere between 300 and 335 kW.www.motorauthority.com  

We know Mercedes-Benz is planning a new compact crossover based on the platform underpinning the CLA and to be labeled a GLA. We also know the vehicle is scheduled to make its debut at the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show on September 10. Now we have our first official look thanks to a set of official images that leaked onto the internet just hours after Mercedes released a teaser video and some design sketches. This isn’t the GLA concept car we saw at the 2013 Shanghai Auto Show but the production GLA set for a debut next month and due in Australia towards the end of the year, as a 2014 model.  Pricing is expected to be around $45,000-$70,000 to match rivals, with the spread of prices depending on drivetrain and specification. The GLA - which shares the platform and drivetrain with the A250 hatch, the CLA sedan and the B-Class hatch - will be available with similar petrol and diesel engines. That means the same turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder found in the A250 and base CLA, delivering 155kW of power and 350Nm of torque, with drive sent to either the front or all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Other engines are also on the cards, including 115kW turbo 1.6-litre for the base model GLA200, a 100kW 1.8-litre turbodiesel for the GLA200 CDI, and the 265kW turbo petrol four-cylinder from the A45 AMG. We’ve already seen numerous prototypes, though these have been heavily camouflaged. The images show a rugged vehicle that’s managed to maintain the svelte lines of the previous concept. The GLA echoes the styling of the A250 and other models with a large twin-bar grille and swept-back headlights. But it follows the A250 detail with coupe-style frameless doors, recessed door handles and wrap-around tail lights. Shots of the interior showed a layout virtually identical to that found in the CLA. Key competitors include the BMW X1, Audi Q3 and Range Rover Evoque. www.motorauthority.com  

One of Great Britain's major political parties says it wants to see diesel-powered and non-hybrid petrol-powered passenger cars banned from British roads by 2040. The Liberal Democrats, part of the UK's current coalition government, said it would even be willing to accelerate the timing of the ban, if the availability and affordability of fuel-sipping hybrids and battery-powered electrics matched those of regular petrol and diesel cars. The proposal, which excludes vehicles used for freight purposes, was published in a paper submitted by the political party titled Green Growth And Green Jobs -Transition To A Zero Carbon Britain. It will be voted on by party members at an upcoming conference and could end up as official party policy if approved, The Telegraph reports. Understandably, there has been a lot of backlash to the proposal in the UK, especially because it makes no provisions for owners of classic cars and there is no mention of solutions for charging infrastructure and other requirements for electrified cars. “To set an arbitrary deadline like this is completely unrealistic,” one opposing politician said. The party also proposed a new road-pricing system for congested areas. This would replace the current flat road tax system, with vehicle owners paying a fee calculated on how many miles they drive, whether those miles are driven during peak or off-peak hours, and which road types are used -- as well as their car’s CO2 rating. www.motorauthority.com  

Audi’s latest A3 range already consists of a hatch, Sportback wagon and a sedan, and soon a convertible will be added, but further down the track we may see even more variants, one of which is tipped to be a MPV. The A3 MPV was championed by Audi’s recently ousted R&D chief Wolfgang Dürheimer and is expected to be previewed in concept form soon, possibly as early as this September’s 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show.While no mention of an A3 MPV has been made via official channels, Autocar reports that the production green light has already been given. One need only look at the success Mercedes-Benz has enjoyed in Europe with multiple generations of its B-Class MPV to understand why other automakers are keen to enter the segment. That success has even convinced BMW to start development on its own MPV and we’re sure Audi doesn’t want to miss out on the action.The key to understanding the popularity of such vehicles is demographics. As the proportion of older buyers in Western countries rises and the size of families shrink, vehicles that offer ease of ingress and egress, are practical, and fuel efficient will only increase in demand.Developing an A3-based MPV would be straight forward for Audi thanks to the flexibility of the car’s underlying MQB platform. Key attributes would be a tall roof (allowing for a raised seating position), flexible seating options and extra storage space.  Both five- and seven-seat versions are expected. A release date is expected to be several years away still.www.motorauthority.com