German Car Scene

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  • BMW Z4 GT3 storms Valencia


    Veteran German BMW Motorsport driver Dirk Adorf recently got behind the wheel of the company’s stunning Z4 GT3 car before putting it through its paces around Valencia’s “Circuit de la Comunitat”. That 4.4 L eight-cylinder engine sounds glorious.

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  • 2012 Mercedes-Benz B-Class by Brabus


    Brabus, the Bottrop-based Mercedes-Benz tuning specialist, has released details of its program to suit the W 246 Mercedes-Benz B-Class.

    For the body Brabus offers high quality Pur-R-Rim plastic components, comprising of a lift-reducing front spoiler that attaches to the lower section of the bumper, while around the rear there’s a replacement bumper insert with twin apertures designed to house those chromed quadruple tailpipes attached to the stainless steel muffler.

    Brabus has five different wheel styles to choose from, in various sizes, with the Monoblock E, F, Q and S designs available sized 8.5 x 19-inches. The vehicle shown here wears a combination of Monoblock F cross-spoke wheels in a ‘Liquid Titanium’ finish and Monoblock Q wheels in a five double-spoke formation. A Brabus sport spring set lowers the B-class by 30 mm.

    Inside, Brabus can supply anything from aluminum door pins and pedal covers, or stainless steel scuff plates to a completely reupholstered interior and multimedia upgrades.

    A range of ECO PowerXtra performance kits for petrol and diesel-engined models are being developed right now.

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  • 2012 Porsche 911 saluted


    Nice little video from Porsche featuring previous generations of the iconic 911 model gathered at Rennsport Reunion IV to hail the new 991‘s arrival. Some pulchritudinous machines on show.

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  • WRC Team MINI Portugal takes over. Prodrive to support customer teams


    After MINI dropped Kris Meeke at the end of last year – with zero explanation, many of us could hear alarm bells ringing. Today, things just got a little bleaker…

    While Prodrive will continue to build and support MINI John Cooper Works WRC customer cars, and develop the vehicle along with the BMW Group, the Banbury-based WRC team will become a supported private team – with immediate effect, it will be Motorsport Italia-run WRC Team MINI Portugal who will be taking a two-car MINI team to every rally throughout 2012, as the offical factory team, with Armindo Araújo and co-driver Miguel Ramalho, and Paulo Nobre and co-driver Edu Paula.

    The MINI John Cooper Works WRC will now be homologated, ensuring that it can be used in rallying, and other series conforming to FIA regulations, until the end of 2018.

    “I am delighted that the future of MINI in the WRC has been secured on a long-term basis. We remain convinced that the sport of rallying is perfectly suited to our brand. The situation we now find ourselves in means the MINI Motorsport family can, and will, continue to grow on the rally scene,” said MINI’s Dr. Kay Segler.

    Dani Sordo and Patrik Sandell will head Prodrive’s MINI Team assault at this week’s Rally Sweden.

    Let’s hope BMW’s DTM gamble pays off…

    [Source: Autosport]

  • evo: Audi R8 Spyder V8 v Porsche Boxster Spyder


    evo magazine’s Jethro Bovingdon and Richard Meaden recently headed over to the Bedford Autodrome armed with high-speed ragtops from Audi and Porsche. Powered by a 3.4 L flat-six developing 239 (320 hp), the nimble Boxster Spyder can hit 100 km/h (62 mph) is just 4.8 seconds, while the weightier R8 needs a 316 kW (430 hp) 4.2 L V8 to match that time. (more…)

  • Five-door SEAT Mii revealed


    Sit down for this breaking news, because here’s a real bolt from the blue… SEAT has just confirmed that its baby Mii model will also be manufactured in a five-door configuration.

    Following in the tyre prints of Volkswagen’s virtually identical up! and its Skoda counterpart, the Citigo, the Mii will be offered with a super-frugal 1.0 L three-cylinder developing either 60 hp (45 kW) or 75 hp (56 kW). Fuel consumption is impressive enough at 4.2 l/km and 4.3 l/km respectively, but the Ecomotive versions can go a little further. Technology, including brake energy recovery and a start/stop system, sees those figures drop to 4.2 l/km and 4.2 l/km, yet their top speeds remain the same at 160 km/h and 171 km/h.

    Notable optional extras include a large panoramic sunroof with sliding roof blind, the SEAT Portable System, which is a removable infotainment device with a five-inch touchscreen and voice control phone capability, and the brilliant City Safety Assist. Working at speeds up to 30 km/h, this system uses lasers to identify potential obstacles and can take avoiding action by automatically applying the car’s brakes.

    [Source: SEAT]

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