A new convertible A5 will be ready for the road come 2009. CEO Frank Dreves, speaking in the pages of “A.m.u.s”, gave details that the facilities at Neckarsulm will produce the new Audi cabriolet. There are no technical indiscretions either, regarding a possible hard-top roof (as seen in the latest generation BMW Series 3 cabrio, principle competitor); therefore it seems that the A5 for the moment will remain faithful to the fabric roof, to the advantage of weight and charm. More precise details are available for sales prospects though, at about 28,000 units each year.

This also thanks to a range of both petrol and diesel engines, diversified such as to satisfy every need, including the more sporty S and RS versions. Dreves also focused on how the company of four rings in 2008 is counting on a 6-10% growth and expansion in markets outside the EU. What remains less clear however is whether the A5 Cabrio will replace the current soft-top model of the A4, or whether the proposal (as confermed by the A5 Sportback compared to the A4 Avant) is a step-up in price, sporty style and prestige.

Via | Automobilwoche

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Mazda will reveal a new diesel engine for the new Mazda 6 at the Paris show in September 2008. Contrary to what could be thought, the new 2.2 litre turbo diesel with 175 bhp, has no parentage with the 2.2 Ford-PSA which debuted as the Ford Mondeo Titanium S in Geneva.

It derives from the current 2-litre 140 bhp and will be paired with a manual, six-speed gear box. The recent development has meant the possible Mazda 6 MPS petrol turbo has been temporarily put on standby, though it is hoped the debut has been postponed and not cancelled.

Via | Autocar.co.uk

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Maybach has announced the production version of the Maybach Landaulet - the semi-convertible ultra-luxurious limousine, with a 620 ps V12 bi-turbo engine and a € 900,000 price tag.

Probably Maybach hopes that such an over the top car will save the brands’ sagging sales. The first deliveries will start in the autumn of 2008.

Continue reading: The € 900,000 Maybach Landaulet

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Jaguar is to present the XKR Portfolio 2009 at the Geneva Motor Show, a special edition version full of enhancements on the previous model. Available as a coupe or convertible, the Portfolio 2009 is equipped with the 420bhp 4.2 litre V8 supercharged engine coupled with a six-speed automatic gearbox.

Specific additions for this version are the exclusive Shadow Grey metallic paint colour, the new 20” Selena alloy rims and the milled aluminium vents in the side. In addition, the Portfolio will be equipped with the Alcon R Performance braking system, developed on the Nurburgring track, with 400mm six-pot discs at the front. The wheels show off the old Jaguar logo which
reminds us of the tradition and rich history of the British brand.

Continue reading: Geneva 2008: Jaguar XKR Portfolio 2009

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Recently, both Audi and BMW have shown their interest to produce small cars, even though their model range is made of luxury sedans, big SUVs and fast supercars.

Audi showed last week the Metroproject quattro at the Tokyo Motor Show, a concept car that foreshadows the looks of the next Audi A1. It will arrive on the market in late 2009 and its rivals will be cars such as the Mini Cooper or the future BMW supermini. The three-door variant is likely going to be followed by a five-door version and a convertible one.

Motor Authority published these two renderings in which the cabrio and 5-door variants keep many of the concept’s details, such as the aluminium arches and the LED headlights. The 18″ alloy wheels are unlikely to be kept for the production version.

Continue reading: Audi A1 cabriolet and five-door: first renderings

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Citroën has finally released high res images of its C5 Airscape concept car, a beautiful and elegant coupè-convertible that will debut next month in Frankfurt and prefigures the look of the next generation of the C5 saloon.

The effort of building a true premium car is apparent both in the sleek and aggressive exterior lines and in the rich interior. If the C5 Airscape was branded with the three pointed star or the 4 interlocking circles instead of the double chevron, its success would be assured. As it is, if it was to be produced, it would have to overcome plenty of prejudices against french-built premium cars.

For more details you can find the full text of the press-release below. Some highlights: carbon fiber roof with a big glass portion that prolongs the windshield, UrbanHybrid mild hybrid system (smoth stop-start, brake energy regeneration), 2.7 V6 HDi turbodiesel engine with 208 ps/440 Nm.

Continue reading: Citroën C5 Airscape Concept

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It’s official: the new Porsche Turbo Cabrio will be presented to the public on September 8 2007. The 997 Turbo Cabrio is the third generation of the top of the range convertible from Stuttgart. The engine is the same one used in the turbo coupè: 3.6 liter, flat-six, bi-turbo with variable geometry turbines, 480 ps / 620 Nm (torque can be briefly boosted to 680 Nm).

Performance figures are the same as its coupè sibling: top speed is 310 km/h, acceleration from 0-100 km/h takes only 4.0 seconds (3.8 with the Tiptronic S automatic transmission). Average consumption according to Porsche is 12.9 litres/100 km, but that’s a meaningless figure for a car of this kind.

Porsche engineers seem to have managed a good job of keeping the weight down. The Turbo Cabriois only 70 kg heavier than the Turbo coupè (structural reinforcements, rollover protection, etc ). The three-layer capote can open or close in about 20 seconds, with a fully automatic mechanism. The rear spoiler comes out at speeds over 120 km/h and is 30 mm higher than the one on the coupè.

Continue reading: Porsche 997 Turbo Cabrio - it's official

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Auto Zeitung has some information about upcoming new models from Volkswagen (the Lupo II, the Golf VI Cabrio and the new Scirocco), together with some computer-generated images (these don’t seem too credible, though).

The two big novelties under the Piech-Winterkorn management are going to be the market positioning of the VW brand and its stylistic direction. VW is going back to being a “semi-premium” brand, with prices a little above the competition but with superior quality standards (no “volks-wagen” for Ferdinand Piech!). As for the styling, it seems that De’ Silva and Winterkorn are in agreement on the need for a new direction, and have it in for the big chrome grills of the latest VW models.

For the new entry-level model is not going to repeat the errors it made with the Fox: there’ll be a different car for emerging markets and one for Europe, the Lupo II, coming in 2010, with an entry price around 8,000 €.

Continue reading: Volkswagen - the new Lupo, Golf Cabrio e Scirocco

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News.auto.cz has a nice gallery of spy-shots of the next BMW M3, in its coupè version, in its saloon version and, a novelty, in its cabrio version (E93), with the folding metal roof.

As with the coupe and saloon siblings, the main differences with the normal 3-Series Cabrio are in the front (spoiler, grille, air intakes), the hood, with the hump for the big 4.0-liter V8 (more than 400 ps), the side, with the muscular wheel arches and the 4 exhaust tubes in the back.

Continue reading: BMW M3 Cabrio E93 - spy shots

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Mercedes-Benz has released the first official images of the 4-door cabriolet based on the S-Class. The official name is Ocean Drive Concept design study.

The Ocean Drive is based on S 600, with its long chassis and wheelbase and its V12 bi-turbo engine, but the body is completely new, with softer lines, a large grille and a two-tone paintwork. Once the soft-top is open, the side-view is undisturbed by this such as door-frames, b-pillars or rollbars.

Below the fold you’ll find more images and the full text of the Mercedes-Benz press release.

Continue reading: Mercedes Ocean Drive Concept

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