In a potential public-relations disaster for Audi, the president of the German company’s U.S. operations, Johan de Nysschen, has been quoted as saying that the upcoming all-electric Chevrolet Volt is “a car for idiots.”
At the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, Porsche is proudly presenting the 911 Sport Classic. In creating this unique model Porsche is bringing back the tradition of exclusive series built in very small numbers, for the 911 Sport Classic will be offered in a production run limited to just 250 cars worldwide.
The Volvo C70 is a rather invisible vehicle, considering we haven’t seen one on the road. Ever. But as limited as its sales are, the C70 hardtop convertible has received a minor facelift for the 2010 model year, giving it the droopy new corporate nose that debuted with the XC60.
Renault’s Turkish factory, production home of the goofy Symbol and Clio sedans, has added a new model to its line-up. Dubbed the Renault Fluence, it is intended to replace the French-built Megane in “low-end” markets such as Turkey, Russia, Romania and most likely the GCC countries eventually.
The BMW Vision concept car is the latest in a string of “EfficientDynamics” ideas by the German automaker. Conceived as a 2+2-seater with plug-in full-hybrid technology, this concept car combines the performance of a BMW M vehicle with a standard of fuel efficiency and emission management that exceeds even the current levels achieved by the latest small cars. This result is made possible by the combination of BMW ActiveHybrid components with an economical combustion engine and good aerodynamic qualities.
The exclusive dealer for BMW in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain is now offering a HAMANN body kit for the BMW X6, with a complete factory warranty.
The Lotus Exige range has always been about offering more performance by losing more weight. The latest Exige Cup 260 takes the 38 kg weight savings introduced in last year’s Cup 240 model, combines them with the extensive body and aerodynamic improvements and revisions introduced on the 2010 Exige in March 2009 and tops them off with new components and technologies.
The official unveiling of the Ferrari 458 Italia will be held at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show on the 15th of September. Until then, Ferrari has released more details on the 458 Italia, including shots of the overly-complicated interior.
The latest version of Audi’s beluga-whale sports car, the V10-powered R8 5.2 FSI Quattro, has gone on sale in the UAE and the rest of the GCC.
The new version of the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup is now on sale to racing teams. It is now based on the 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 RS, with the weight of the racing model reduced significantly versus the lightweight road-going version.