German Car Scene

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  • Bentley Continental GT3 unveiled

    Bentley Continental GT3
    Following on from last’s year’s Concept, Bentley has chosen this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed to debut its libidinous Continental GT3 racecar.

    Built in partnership with Malcolm Wilson’s M-Sport outfit, the Continental GT3 is powered by a race-spec version of the road car’s 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 using Cosworth management and a dry-sump system. Producing 447 kW (600 hp) in unrestricted guise, power is sent to the rear wheels via a carbon fibre propshaft connected to an Xtrac six-speed sequential transmission with a limited slip differential, while flappy paddles on the steering wheel actuate the pneumatic shift system.

    Chassis upgrades include double wishbone suspension with four-way adjustable racing dampers all-round, ventilated iron discs gripped by Brembo six-piston and four-piston calipers, and 13 x 18-inch O.Z. Racing wheels wrapped in 310/710 Pirelli tyres.

    Externally there’s an aggressive carbon fibre aero package, which comprises of a front splitter, colossal rear wing and widened body panels. Add in lightweight bumpers, hood, sills and fenders, and remove the decadent wood and leather trim and it’s easy to see how the Continental GT3 dips below its target of 1300 kg.

    Following its appearance this weekend, the Bentley will start full competition in the FIA Blancpain Series in 2014.
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  • Audi R8 V10 plus review

    Audi R8 V10 plus
    With Matt Farah in Sweden driving Volvos, Smoking Tire Editor Zack Klapman steps in to review Audi’s hotter R8 V10 plus and asks if it has what it takes to lure motorists out of their Porsches and Ferraris.

    Differences on the plus include CFRP mirrors, side blades, splitter, larger diffuser and adjustable bucket seats. Carbon ceramic brakes come 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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  • Audi RS 6 Avant vs Nissan GT-R

    Audi RS 6 Avant vs Nissan GT-R
    This new video from Autocar sees Steve Sutcliffe host a battle between two potent performers which are aimed at different demographics: the family-friendly Audi RS 6 Avant and Nissan’s GT-R sports car.

    Both are big-power all-wheel drive vehicles, but the Nissan uses a twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre V6 developing 404 kW (542 hp) and 632 Nm of torque, while the Labrador-lugger is propelled by a twin-turbocharged 4.0 TFSI V8 unit churning out 412 kW (560 hp) and 700 Nm.
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  • Goodwood statue honours Porsche 911 milestone

    Porsche at Goodwood
    As part of the celebrations marking 50 years of the 911, Porsche’s ‘Central Feature’ display will be welcoming showgoers at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed in front of Goodwood House.

    Featuring three 911s heading towards the skies, the stunning sculpture focuses on three pairs of beams carrying an original 1963 car, followed by a 1973 2.7 RS and a brand spanking new 991 model.

    As well as UK debuts for the 991 Carrera 4S and 991 GT3, Porsche will also be taking examples of each of its seven generations, along with the Sebring 12 Hours-winning 1973 RSR 2.8, an SC ‘Safari’ and ‘Paris Dakar’ Carrera 4×4, a ’98 GT1, 935/78 ‘Moby Dick’ and triple Le Mans-winning 936 Spyder.

    Other notable machines in attendance include an 1,000 hp 917/30 Can-Am car, Hans Herrmann and Richard Attwood behind the wheel of the legendary Porsche 917 KH and Porsche GB’s 1965 Project 50 race 911.
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  • Volkswagen Bus by Hartmann Tuning

    Volkswagen T5 Bus by Hartmann Tuning
    Neuss-based Hartmann Tuning has revealed its range of options for the Volkswagen T5 Bus.

    Produced by the company’s Vansports sub-brand, the performance upgrades see output from the 2-litre TDI increase from 104 kW (140 hp) and 340 Nm of torque to 124 kW (166 hp) and 395 Nm, with the 2-litre BiTDI version rising to 158 kW (212 hp) and 460 Nm from the series 133 kW (179 hp) and 400 Nm.

    Other components include a throttle control kit for optimized response, a stainless steel exhaust system with twin 80 mm tailpipes, and -35 mm sport springs and Bilstein dampers.

    Aesthetically, Hartmann offers a front spoiler, rocker panels and rear skirt, along with a set of 9 x 20-inch VEST-3 alloy wheels wrapped in 275/35 tyres, while the interior receives new floor mats, and aluminum pedals and sill plates.
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  • BMW Concept Active Tourer Outdoor surfaces

    BMW Concept Active Tourer Outdoor
    BMW has announced details of the Concept Active Tourer Outdoor ahead of its debut at the OutDoor Friedrichshafen trade fair later this month.

    With an exterior length of 4,350 mm, it’s virtually identical to the F20 1 Series, but its width of 1,833 mm and height of 1,576 mm are more akin to the dimensions of the E84 X1.

    As the name suggests, this Gold Race Orange recreational variant differs from the regular CAT thanks to the addition of hard-wearing interior materials, such as MoonWhite and MoonRock Grey leather, a studded plastic load floor, and an integrated carrier system for two bicycles that folds back into the side panels when not in use. The Outdoors’s eight-inch display panel also utilizes the ConnectedDrive mobility services for a new “Heart of the Alps” route guide, which was developed jointly by BMW and the Austrian Tyrol tourist board.

    Beneath the Concept’s skin lies the latest BMW eDrive system; a combination of 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder unit along with a lithium-ion-powered electric motor. With a total output of 140 kW (187 hp) and 200 Nm driving the front wheels, the Concept Active Tourer Outdoor can hit 100 km/h in under 8 seconds and reach a top speed of 200 km/h. Emissions of under 60 g/km of CO2 are achievable with a consumption figure of just 2.5 litres every 100 kilometres equally impressive, while a range of 20 to 30 kilometres (12 – 19 miles) in electric mode alone is also possible.
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