Each week, our German correspondent slices and dices the latest rumblings, news, and swift-hit driving impressions from the other side of the pond. His byline may possibly say Jens Meiners, but we basically call him . . . the Continental.
Subsequent year, we will ultimately see the wild Bugatti Veyron 16.4‘s successor in the metal. I hear it’ll be referred to as the Chiron, just like the eponymous 1999 Bugatti idea auto styled by Italdesign Giugiaro. You study it right here initial. In case you had been wondering, the Chiron idea automobile appears to have taken its naming inspiration from early Bugatti racing driver Louis Chiron. Naturally, a cursory Google search returns far much more information for a different Chiron, who is apparently a notable centaur from Greek mythology.
No Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster
Challenging times lay ahead for the Porsche 911. I have seen its nightmare, and it is the Mercedes-AMG GTS, Benz’s new sports automobile which is in the middle of a multi-stage launch. Beginning with prototype drives and continuing with an ever-growing multitude of information on its powertrain and interior, Daimler is keeping suspense at a maximum. Complete info right here next week.
Inside, the GTS is beautifully executed, with a stylized NACA duct in the center console and 8 cylindrical buttons mimicking a its engine’s V-8 cylinder arrangement. The most spectacular detail is the row of buttons positioned above the windshield. It lends a positively aeronautical look to this currently spectacular interior.
Energy will come from the new M178 twin-turbocharged 4.-liter V-8 engine. Down the road, there will be a GT3 version, which will type the basis for a client racing series. But there will not be a V-6 engine selection. And if Porsche ever decides to do a 4-banger 911, I am confident that the boys from Stuttgart will have that industry all to themselves.
A roadster version of the AMG GTS is practically complete, and at this point it demands little much more than an executive yes/no choice. But a selection in the affirmative is unlikely to come, offered that the topless GT would undermine the position of the more prestigious SL. Already below pressure from the upcoming S-class cabriolet that Daimler R&D board member Thomas Weber confirmed is on its way, an open-top GT is the last point the ailing SL would want standing beside it in the showroom.
Volkswagen to Empower the U.S.
The U.S. may be Volkswagen’s most tough industry of late: Sales are effectively below expectations, and the cars are not in tune with the expectations of the typical American purchaser. The design is perceived as cold and generic, and there is as well little “news” or pizazz in the brand’s portfolio.
Now leading management has provided the U.S.-market place operations a lot much more clout. Item cycles will be shortened to 5 years, in a 3–2 pattern: Following a model’s redesign, its first major facelift will come right after 3 years 2 years later, an entirely new item will be prepared. The first car to which this life cycle will apply is the upcoming B-segment SUV, followed by the next-generation Passat. Even just before that, in time for the 2016 model year, the current Passat will get a major face lift. This update will give it a far more aggressive and contemporary look.
To be clear, the new American-market place life-cycle method will not be applied to the brand globally, but they have implications for markets exactly where U.S.-made models are sold, such as China.
I have received more intel on the next-gen VW Phaeton, which “is created and finished” as these words are published. Primarily based on the “MLB Evo” platform, the new Phaeton will be provided with numerous higher-powered engines, which includes a V-8 TDI with around 450 horsepower, a gasoline plug-in hybrid, and a W-12 (!).
Audi News, Electrically Supercharged Edition
Audi has just face-lifted its A6 and A7 models for the European market place, and now I’ve spent some time behind the wheel of the new A7 at the vehicle’s launch in Copenhagen. The updated A7 will come to the U.S. for the 2016 model year. The modifications, which consist of new headlights and taillights, bring the automobile visually closer to the 2009 Sportback idea, which is a good factor.
The most fascinating model, apart from the ultra-strong RS7, is the A7 Competition (pictured above), a top-of-the-line diesel model with a twin-turbocharged V-6 TDI. Thanks to a lot more aggressive timing, optimized turbocharger bearings, and a distinct exhaust downpipe, it makes 326 horsepower (up to 346 horsepower under overboost conditions). The sprint to 62 mph now takes merely a claimed 5.1 seconds, and best speed is governed somewhere north of 155 mph. (Audi is usually a bit more generous with its limiters than the competitors, so raise your expectations.)
But Audi has yet a far better thought: Electric supercharging, which we have described in detail after Audi let us try out an RS5 TDI with a twin-turbocharged, 385-horsepower diesel equipped with such a device. In Copenhagen, Audi had a pre-facelift A6 prototype with an electric supercharger for us to try, as well. With its engine based on a 3.-liter V-6 TDI with a single turbocharger plus the e-superchargerr, it is rated at a healthful 326 horsepower. The motor doesn’t match the twin-turbo RS5 TDI concept’s sheer upper-rev power, but it performed just as beautifully at step-off and at low rpm. I can’t wait to see this technology on the road.
A Cool Lada—No, Seriously!
Pretty a lot every person missed out on the Moscow auto show, which is a pity. Lada unveiled the Vesta, a new compact sedan of unprecedented good quality (for the brand) and style. I like Ladas they are honest automobiles with character. And the Vesta positive has lots of character.
The Continental: Bugatti Veyron Successor Gets a Name, Topless Mercedes-AMG GTS Seems Unlikely
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