Every week, our German correspondent slices and dices the newest rumblings, news, and swift-hit driving impressions from the other side of the pond. His byline might say Jens Meiners, but we merely contact him . . . the Continental.
Next year, we will ultimately see the wild Bugatti Veyron 16.4‘s successor in the metal. I hear it’ll be named the Chiron, just like the eponymous 1999 Bugatti concept vehicle styled by Italdesign Giugiaro. You study it here first. In case you had been asking yourself, the Chiron notion auto appears to have taken its naming inspiration from early Bugatti racing driver Louis Chiron. Naturally, a cursory Google search returns far a lot more info for a diverse Chiron, who is apparently a notable centaur from Greek mythology.
No Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster
Difficult times lay ahead for the Porsche 911. I have observed 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-increasing multitude of particulars on its powertrain and interior, Daimler is keeping suspense at a maximum. Full information 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 gorgeous detail is the row of buttons positioned above the windshield. It lends a positively aeronautical appear to this currently spectacular interior.
Power 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 buyer racing series. But there will not be a V-6 engine option. And if Porsche ever decides to do a 4-banger 911, I am confident that the boys from Stuttgart will have that market all to themselves.
A roadster version of the AMG GTS is practically complete, and at this point it wants small a lot more than an executive yes/no choice. But a choice in the affirmative is unlikely to come, given that the topless GT would undermine the position of the a lot more prestigious SL. Already below stress 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 final factor the ailing SL would need standing beside it in the showroom.
Volkswagen to Empower the U.S.
The U.S. may possibly be Volkswagen’s most challenging marketplace of late: Sales are effectively beneath expectations, and the cars are not in tune with the expectations of the average American purchaser. The design and style is perceived as cold and generic, and there is as well tiny “news” or pizazz in the brand’s portfolio.
Now top management has given the U.S.-marketplace 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 after 3 years 2 years later, an totally new solution will be prepared. The initial car to which this life cycle will apply is the upcoming B-segment SUV, followed by the next-generation Passat. Even prior to that, in time for the 2016 model year, the existing Passat will obtain a significant face lift. This update will give it a far much more aggressive and contemporary appearance.
To be clear, the new American-market place life-cycle strategy will not be applied to the brand globally, but they have implications for markets where U.S.-made models are sold, such as China.
I have received more intel on the next-gen VW Phaeton, which “is developed and finished” as these words are published. Based on the “MLB Evo” platform, the new Phaeton will be offered with numerous higher-powered engines, including 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 vehicle visually closer to the 2009 Sportback concept, which is a very good point.
The most fascinating model, apart from the ultra-potent RS7, is the A7 Competition (pictured above), a prime-of-the-line diesel model with a twin-turbocharged V-6 TDI. Thanks to a lot more aggressive timing, optimized turbocharger bearings, and a certain exhaust downpipe, it makes 326 horsepower (up to 346 horsepower below overboost circumstances). The sprint to 62 mph now takes merely a claimed 5.1 seconds, and best speed is governed someplace north of 155 mph. (Audi is normally a bit much more generous with its limiters than the competition, so raise your expectations.)
But Audi has yet a much better concept: Electric supercharging, which we have described in detail soon after Audi let us attempt 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 healthy 326 horsepower. The motor does not match the twin-turbo RS5 TDI concept’s sheer upper-rev energy, but it performed just as beautifully at step-off and at low rpm. I can not wait to see this technologies on the road.
A Cool Lada—No, Seriously!
Pretty considerably 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 truthful vehicles with character. And the Vesta confident has lots of character.
The Continental: Bugatti Veyron Successor Gets a Name, Topless Mercedes-AMG GTS Seems Unlikely
