Yet another bit of news that is doing the rounds on the internet is that Audi is actively considering bringing its A1 hatchback, the smallest Audi to India along with vehicles like the smallest iteration of the Q series the Q3 and the new A6. With the German car makers heating up the Indian car market with their various products it has now become imperative that they start launching their whole range of vehicles which they were reluctant to do because of the perception that the Indian car buyer did not like to pay more for small cars. But the perception of the automakers is changing and BMW has announced that the Mini will make it to India and arch rival Mercedes Benz has committed its entire range including the small A and B series cars.
Yearly Archives: 2011
Indian Cars Bikes.com is claiming that the Toyota Etios Liva, whose launch has been delayed already will be launched on the 27th of June, 2011 and that the vehicle will reach showrooms sometime in July. This essentially means like for the Etios, there will be a booking process for Liva as well and the waiting period for the car will depend on the number of bookings that the company receives. The good news is that Toyota is back to its normal production now after having cut back on it due to non-availability of parts due to the devastation caused by the tsunami in Japan.
As the launch date of the Kawasaki Ninja 650R gets ever closer, at least two automobile related websites are claiming that the cost of the motorcycle will be Rs.4.5 lakhs ex-showroom in Delhi. While products in Delhi are clearly cheaper due to the nature of the tax structure, the news if true is a shocker. The Ninja 250R is priced at Rs. 2.7 ex-showroom and expectations of the 650R’s costs have been that it will be higher. In fact, a Probiking employee in one of the cities has suggested that the on road price of the Ninja 650R will be in excess of Rs. 6.5 lakhs. So if indeed the price being touted by the websites is true, it is great news for prospective customers of the 650R.
Casey Stoner riding the works Repsol Honda won the GP of Catalunya at Barcelona. The second and third places went to Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies respectively; both riding the factory Yamahas. The second Repsol Honda of Andrea Dovizioso finished in fourth while Valentino Rossi on the factory Marlboro Ducati finished in fifth position ahead of pole sitter Marco Simoncelli on the Gresini Honda who finished sixth. Cal Crutchlow in his rookie season took his best position in a race so far with seventh on the Tech3 Yamaha while Nicky Hayden on the second factory Ducati took eighth. The only excitement of the race was for the ninth position which was taken by Loris Capirossi on the Pramac Ducati while Karel Abraham finished in tenth position on the Cardion AB Ducati ahead of the Mapfre Bankia Ducati of Hector Barbera in eleventh and Rizla Suzuki of Alvaro Bautista in twelfth. The hapless Tony Elias finished in the final position of thirteenth on the LCR Honda. Hiroshi Aoyama riding the second of the Gresini Hondas and Randy De Puniet riding the second of the Pramac Ducatis collided and went out of the race. The third Repsol Honda factory bike of Daniel Pedrosa and the second Tech3 Yamaha of Colin Edwards did not start since both riders are recovering from surgeries to their collar bone injuries.
Prior to the MotoGP race Stefan Bradl won the Moto2 race with Marc Marquez and Aleix Espargaro taking second and third respectively while in the incident marred 125cc race victory went controversially to Nico Terol while second and third places went to Maverick Vinales and Jonas Folgar respectively. Nico Terol was pushed out of the racing tarmac by Johan Zarco who crossed the line first, but was immediately handed a 20 second penalty for an illegal overtaking manoeuvre by race direction and that demoted him to 6th position. The next race is at Silverstone in a week’s time.
The FIM and Dorna were to announce the names of new teams joining the premier class grid either as regular teams or as Claiming Rules Teams this weekend at Barcelona. But that move has now been postponed and it is believed that the announcement will come at Silverstone next week. The rumour mill suggests that 9 teams (not necessarily of two riders each) will get the FIM nod and therefore grid numbers maybe boosted to around 25.
IAB.com quoting AutoX magazine says that there will be a face-lifted Indica launched during the festive season at the end of the year. IAB expects the Indica Vista to come with the grille of the Indigo Manza. We think that such a face-lift is useless since that does not in anyway contribute to the idea that the car is better. Both the Indica range and the Indigo range have been losing market position thanks to competition hotting up in both the segments with other manufacturers offering more or less everything that Tata has to offer and more. Tata therefore needs to take a long and careful re-look at the Indica and Indigo range and come up with something substantial and not half baked.
The FIA’s World Motor Sports Council has taken a decision to re-instate the F1 GP of Bahrain during the dates originally planned for the inaugural GP of India. This means that the rescheduled GP of Bahrain will be on the 30th of October, 2011. Two dates proposed for the GP of India have been 4th of December or 11th of December and most teams have expressed unhappiness at stretching the season so long and protesting to the FIA. One of the reasons being cited for the postponement of the Indian GP is that the end of the year grand gala Formula One awards ceremony is scheduled to be held in India this year, a first. So it may make sense to have the Indian GP as the final race. Meanwhile the FIA has released a provisional calender for the year 2012 featuring 21 races. The new event is the GP of America at Austin, Texas. The GP of Turkey has been included in the provisional calender with a question mark against it.
Indian Autos Blog.com claims that it has official confirmation of the launch of a BSIV Tavera towards the end of the year. There has been a lot of noise about this vehicle which will probably have a new grille and will have the engine sourced from ICML (Sonalika), makers of the Rhino, plonked into its engine bay. The engine is of 2 litre capacity and makes more power than the existing Tavera engine and is BSIV compliant.
For the last one year or more there have been pictures and stories of a new updated Tata Safari which is being called the Safari Merlin. Some auto journos have claimed that this was the interim Safari or the Safari 18, the 18 standing for the number of months that were given to develop this interim vehicle before launching an all new Safari on the Tata Aria platform. Imagination has been running riot with all kinds of stories about the Merlin but there is no clear indication if it will be an all new Safari or just an interim upgrade. But now there seems to be indication that Tata Motors will launch a totally new Safari during the Auto Expo of 2012. The body being used by the test mules could only be to confuse people, since with the exception of the front end, the vehicle looks exactly like the present Safari which is now eleven years old.
Marco Simoncelli fresh from a reprimand from the MotoGP race direction for dangerous riding, proved that he was not fazed by the incident by grabbing pole position for the GP of Catalunya at the Circuit De Montmelo in Barcelona. In all of the free practice sessions it was the Repsol Honda rider Casey Stoner who was at the top of the time sheets but when it came to crunch Super Sic riding a factory spec Gresini Honda delivered and demoted Stoner on to the second slot on the grid. The works Yamahas of Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies finished in positions three and four respectively while Andrea Dovizioso on the other Repsol Honda rounded out the top five while Valentino Rossi had his best qualifying finishing in seventh place ahead of team mate Nicky Hayden in eighth. Cal Crutchlow on the Tech3 Yamaha finished a creditable sixth on the grid ahead of the factory Ducatis of Rossi and Hayden. Alvaro Bautista qualified the lone Rizla Suzuki in ninth place, an under ten qualification position for the Suzuki for the first time this season and Hector Barbera on the Mapfre Bankia Ducati finished on the 10th place on the grid. Despite a change of chassis, Tony Elias’ misery continued with him qualifying 14th out of fifteen on the LCR Honda and fifteenth position and last was taken by Karel Abraham on the Cardion AB Ducati while twelfth and thirteenth went to the Pramac Ducatis of Randy De Puniet and Loris Capirossi respectively. Eleventh on the grid will be Hiroshi Aoyama, Super Sic’s team mate on the other Gresini Honda. The interesting feature of this race is that all riders start in points scoring positions thanks to the absence of the Repsol Honda of Daniel Pedrosa and the Tech3 Yamaha of Colin Edwards, both of whom are recovering from surgeries to injuries and consequently unfit to race. Sadly this is what MotoGP has come to.
Wörthersee Tour is a meeting for fans of Audi, Seat, Skoda and VW cars. Audi unveiled the Audi A1 Clubsport Quattro showcar in Reifnitz, in the Austrian state of Kärnten, at the 30th edition of this meeting to be held over the period of June 1 – 4, 2011.
While the currently in production A1 has to do with front wheel drive, the Clubsport Concept has in place Audi’s hallowed Quattro delivering power to the wheels via a six speed manual transmission. A 5 cylinder 2.5L turbocharged gasoline engine power the concept to deliver 370 kW (503 hp) and 660 Nm (486.79 lb-ft) of torque. Audi claims the maximum power is available between 2,500 and 5,300 rpm.
Finished in what Audi calls the Glacier White matt paint, the Concept was presented to a considerable crowd at Wörthersee. The clubsport dons many add on parts to advertise its sporty intent, including a carbon fiber roof, large split air intakes on the front skirt, headlights with ‘matted’ clasps with a red wing and two very large air outlets in the hood.
The rear of the showcar is dominated by the roof spoiler, which features a double wing to provide for sufficient downforce. Darkly toned rear lights and a large, closed diffuser hone the rear view of the A1 clubsport quattro.
The rear seats have been ditched for a large crossbar and space for HELMETS! The interior of the showcar is a study in dark gray. Large areas are covered with exposed, matt-finished CFRP, including the walls in the rear section of the car, the tubes of the air vents and the “stern of the yacht” in the lower section of the center console.
Leather wraps the center console and the seats and the selector lever is made of aluminum; the caps of the pedals and the surface of the footrest are made of stainless steel. Red loops replace the handles on the doors, the glove box and the covers of the storage compartments.
Many of the features of the Audi A1 clubsport quattro will soon show up in the accessories program for the A1 family, which Audi is steadily expanding. Adhesive film decals in the contrasting colors Amalfi White, Ice Silver, metallic and Daytona Gray, pearl effect for the vehicles’ shoulders are available immediately.
Another option is the union square lifestyle kit. It comprises exterior decals and design elements for the interior, both with a diamond pattern. Audi is presenting both this and the A1 aerodynamics competition kit at the Wörtherseetour. The customer can order this add-on kit painted either in the body color or in a contrasting color. The same applies to the Audi A1 roof spoiler competition kit.
Design Sketches:
Not surprising that even the design sketches have so much detail and scream out loud the precision with which the sketches have been rendered!
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Audi at “Wörthersee Tour 2011”
- Audi presents the A1 clubsport quattro showcar at the Wörthersee
- New adhesive film decals in accessories program for the A1 family
- Experience the Audi A1 clubsport quattro at world.needforspeed.com
It gives the impression of having just emerged from the shop, freshly painted, on its way to the first rollout on the race track. The Audi A1 clubsport quattro is a one-off vehicle built to the limits of technology for breathtaking dynamics. Audi is presenting the showcar in Reifnitz, in the Austrian state of Kärnten, at the Wörtherseetour 2011. The 30th edition of this major meeting for Audi, Seat, Skoda and VW fans takes place from June 1 – 4, 2011.
The heart of the Audi A1 clubsport quattro is a classic Audi gasoline engine – a five-cylinder unit displacing 2.5 liters with turbocharging and direct fuel injection. Compared with the version used in the Audi TT RS and RS 3 Sportback on which it is based, the output of the TFSI has been increased dramatically to 370 kW (503 hp) and 660 Nm (486.79 lb-ft) of torque. Maximum power is available between 2,500 and 5,300 rpm.
The turbocharger, intercooler, admission tract and the exhaust line have been systematically tuned for high performance. As on the Audi A4 DTM, the tailpipe is located on the left flank, just in front of the rear wheel.
Another area where the A1 clubsport quattro shines is its overall weight of just 1,390 kilograms (3,064 lb). The powerful engine catapults the car from 0 to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 3.7 seconds. From 0 to 200 km/h (124.27 mph) takes just 10.9 seconds, while the car goes from 80 to 120 km/h (49.71 to 74.56 mph) in fourth gear in just 2.4 seconds.
A six-speed manual transmission and quattro permanent all-wheel drive, both taken from the TT RS and enhanced, deliver the power to all four wheels. Top speed is governed at 250 km/h (155.34 mph).
The Audi showcar rolls on 255/30 low-profile tires mounted on 19-inch alloy wheels with a unique turbine design. Sitting behind the wheels are large, internally ventilated disc brakes. Up front, six-piston calipers grab perforated carbon fiber-ceramic discs. Large steel discs are mounted on the rear axle. The coilover suspension of the A1 clubsport quattro features adjustable compression and rebound damping.
Dynamic and brawny: the exterior
Sporting a very dynamic appearance and an exquisite finish, the showcar makes no secret of its potential. The body has a Glacier White matt paint finish, with accents provided by many add-on parts. The roof arch in high-gloss black supports a roof made of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP), and the four rings at the front of the car are solid aluminum.
Large, split air intakes with carbon struts are integrated into the distinctively modified front skirt. The single-frame radiator grille sports a black honeycomb design, and the headlights feature matted clasps with a red “wing.” Heat from the engine compartment is dissipated via two large air outlets in the hood.
The front fenders, the doors and the rear side panels of the Audi A1 clubsport quattro have been widened by a total of 60 millimeters (2.36 in). They form horizontal “blister” edges, like those found on the Audi Ur-quattro. Air outlets are integrated into the rear ends of the fenders, and the newly designed trim strips on the sills are made of exposed CFRP. Sleek side mirrors are reminiscent of the Audi R8 high-performance sports car.
The rear of the showcar is dominated by the roof spoiler, which features a double wing to provide for sufficient downforce. Darkly toned rear lights and a large, closed diffuser hone the rear view of the A1 clubsport quattro.
Designed as a road vehicle for the race track, the showcar has no rear seat. In its place are a large crossbar to further stiffen the body and storage for racing helmets. A weight-optimized starter battery used in racing is mounted in the rear below the two storage compartments. The strict high-performance concept left no room for an infotainment system, an MMI monitor or even a loudspeaker. The lightweight bucket seats are taken from the Audi R8 GT and feature a chassis made of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer. Red four-point belts secure the driver and passenger.
The interior of the showcar is a study in dark gray. Large areas are covered with exposed, matt-finished CFRP, including the walls in the rear section of the car, the tubes of the air vents and the “stern of the yacht” in the lower section of the center console. The CFRP material used on the open-spoked sport steering wheel is covered with leather. Rocker switches on the center console replace switches on the control stalk and in the door panels. Three additional instruments indicate the oil pressure, boost pressure and electrical system voltage.
The center console and the seats are covered in fine leather upholstery with tone-on-tone stitching. The selector lever is made of aluminum; the caps of the pedals and the surface of the footrest are made of stainless steel. Red loops replace the handles on the doors, the glove box and the covers of the storage compartments.
Experience the Audi A1 clubsport quattro interactively
The Audi A1 clubsport quattro can also be experienced exclusively in Need for Speed World (http://world.needforspeed.com), where it will be available to all players as a free in-game rental car from June 1 – 4. Need for Speed World is the Play4Free online PC racing game from EA, in which players take part in races in a giant multiplayer world.
The Audi stand at Wörthersee
Joining the A1 clubsport quattro on the Audi stand at the GTI meet are 17 production vehicles from the current Audi model lineup. Among the vehicles that the brand is presenting to its fans at the Wörthersee is the new Audi Q3. The public can also take a close look at the Audi TT RS in Ibis White and an RS 3 Sportback in Misano Red. Another model is the new Audi A6, which is on display next to an A7 Sportback in Misano Red.
Fans and guests making the trip to the Wörthersee from June 1 – 4 have the opportunity to present their tuned Audi in a worthy manner by driving it past the Audi stage at the company’s Wörthersee stand.
New accessories for production models
Many of the features of the Audi A1 clubsport quattro will soon show up in the accessories program for the A1 family, which Audi is steadily expanding. Adhesive film decals in the contrasting colors Amalfi White, Ice Silver, metallic and Daytona Gray, pearl effect for the vehicles’ shoulders are available immediately.
Another option is the union square lifestyle kit. It comprises exterior decals and design elements for the interior, both with a diamond pattern. Audi is presenting both this and the A1 aerodynamics competition kit at the Wörtherseetour. The customer can order this add-on kit painted either in the body color or in a contrasting color. The same applies to the Audi A1 roof spoiler competition kit.