German Car Scene

Month: April 2013

  • Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series tested

    Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series
    Autoweek’s senior west coast editor Mark Vaughn recently headed to Circuit Paul Ricard in the south of France to stretch the legs of the new Mercedes SLS AMG Black Series.

    Weight-saving measures include a carbon fibre driveshaft, 15 kg lighter seats, a 17 kg titanium exhaust system and a featherweight lithium-ion battery; all contributing to the Black Series’ 70 kg reduction to 1,550 kg.

    Propelled by a revised version of the regular car’s 6.2-litre V8, the Black Series has 464 kW (622 hp) and 635 Nm of torque at its disposal; enough for a 3.6 second sprint to 100 km/h and a 316 km/h top speed.
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  • Audi R8 PD GT850 by Prior Design

    Prior Design Audi R8 PD GT650
    Kamp-Lintfort styling specialist Prior Design has released images of its PD-GT850 program to suit the Audi R8, providing the appearance of the company’s R8 LMS ultra racecar.

    Constructed from high quality Dura-Flex FRP (Fibre Reinforced Plastic), the extreme aero package consists of an aggressive front fascia with integrated carbon fibre spoiler, wider ventilated fenders, skirts, sideblades, rear quarter panels, vented rear bumper with combative diffuser and questionable roof scoop. That voluminous motorsport wing completes the conversion.

    Price is on asking.
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  • Audi R8 V10 plus vs Ducati Diavel

    Audi R8 V10 plus vs Ducati Diavel
    Ducati’s 121 kW (162 hp) Diavel motorcycle has twice the power-to-weight ratio of the cogent Audi R8 V10 plus, but which is quicker from zero to 150 mph and back again? Autocar’s cheeky Steve Sutcliffe finds out.

    Differences on the plus include CFRP mirrors, side blades, splitter, larger diffuser and adjustable bucket seats. Carbon ceramic brakes are fitted as standard, while the improved output of 404 kW (550 hp) and 540 Nm of torque allows a 3.5 second 0-100 km/h time and a 317 km/h (197 mph) top speed.
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  • BMW Concept X4 surfaces

    BMW X4 Concept
    Here’s a bunch of leaked BMW Concept X4 images for you to nonchalantly glance at.

    Due to make its official debut at 2013 Auto China in Shanghai later this month, the new Sports Activity Coupe is set to sit above the X3 in BMW’s foodchain, but is likely to borrow engines and transmissions from it. Visually, the X4 wears similar twin LED hexagonal headlights to the 4 Series Coupe, along with a more aggressive radiator grille and large air intakes sunk into the meaty front fascia.

    The flanks feature sculpted shoulders, while the sloping roofline bears more than a passing resemblance to the X6’s. At the rear there’s the trademark wide rear lights, twin tailpipes and a diffuser section that replicates styling elements from the front of the car.
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  • mcchip-dkr and Raeder Motorsport partnership announced

    Raeder Motorsport Audi TT RS
    Obergartzem tuning specialist mcchip-dkr has announced that it will be joining forces with Raeder Motorsport in Buren.

    From now on, including the upcoming racing season, mcchip-dkr will be in charge of the customer sports sector from Raeder Clubsport with software optimization and customized software solutions for individual customer needs. Set-up work on the cars will be carried out on one of the most advanced four-wheel dyno in Germany.

    mcchip-dkr´s CEO Danny Kubasik will pilot the Raeder Audi TT RS on selected races at the Nürburgring endurance championship (VLN). Together with Elmar Deegner, Jürgen Wohlfarth and Christoph Breuer, he will be part of a strong team in the SP3T car. They will also participate in this year’s legendary 24-hour race at the Nürburgring.

    Danny Kubasik points out that he isn’t involved purely for fun, but to assist in the development of the car, which will ultimately lead to better software products for its customers.
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  • Audi S4 v Audi RS 4

    Audi S4 v Audi RS 4
    Anyone following DRIVE’s Chris Harris on Twitter, will know that he recently bought a battered Audi S4 Avant from a family member – for a bargain price. The channel’s latest video sees his new acquisition go head-to-head with Ingolstadt’s brand new RS 4 model.

    Clearly, with a supercharged 248 kW (333 hp) 3.0-litre V6 lurking beneath the hood of the S4, it was never going to give the 331 kW (450 hp) 4.2 FSI-engined RS 4 much of a fight. However, after a little software tweak by the guys from Revo Technik, the tatty clanger now produces around 298 kW (400 hp). Let’s see how it gets on…
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