All posts tagged 2011 detroit auto show
Porsche 918 RSR videos
The Porsche 918 RSR can be considered the queen of the 2011 Detroit Auto Show - and it’s definitely a treat for those going to see what Porsche has in store for its super racing models of the future. The combination of the design of the 918 Spyder concept and the technology of the 911 Gt3 R Hybrid is almost too much to take in, but as revealed in the preview Detroit 918 RSR presentation video after the jump, Porsche has proved it is still at the cutting edge of racing technology. They say that this model was born not as a coupé or spyder concept, but as a super sports car project. The official 918 RSR racing lab video is above and despite the hyberbole, it shows just how convinced Porsche is that hybrid technology can fit its racing tradition and history.
BMW live at 2011 Detroit auto show
BMW certainly gave us a treat at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, bringing along its sexy burnt orange 1 Series M coupé, together with the 1 Series coupé and cabriolet restyling and the sleek new BMW 6 Series cabriolet. The model on show is the 650i convertible with its direct-injected 4.4-litre V8 which produces 400 hp. It will go on sale in the US in spring and will cost a pretty penny at nearly 92,000 USD. It’s a good looking model but it would want to be at that price. Still, BMW will be gunning for luxury convertible buyers for summer and you couldn’t get much better looking than this. See the models in our live pics below.
BMW live at 2011 Detroit auto show
Live from Detroit: Porsche 918 RSR
What do you to say to a mix of the Porsche 918 Spyder concept and the amazing 911 GT3 R Hybrid all in one racing Porsche 918 RSR? The model, revealed at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, is the next hybrid step in Porsche’s model range and is, again, nothing short of impressive. The 918 RSR is a kind of prototype preview of the technology that Porsche will use on future racing models, and even if you’re not into the new wave of environmental tech and the pressure put on sports car companies like Porsche, the results have been astonishing with models like these - enough to please any petrol head out there.
The Porsche 918 RSR has the same drivetrain set-up as the 911 GT3 R Hybrid, although this latest version gets even more power. The new V8 is based on that which appeared on the 918 Spyder and produces 563 hp. The rest of the hair-raising power is provided by two front-wheel electric motors, each producing another 102 hp to make for a total of 767 hp combined. It uses the same flywheel accumulator as the GT3 R Hybrid for extra energy storage (like having a powerful, onboard generator) and the front electric motors are equipped with a torque vectoring function for variable torque distribution.
Further aspects include a six-speed, racing transmission with paddle shift and the chassis is a carbon fibre, reinforced plastic (CFRP) monocoque. The accumulator mentioned above sits where the passenger seat would originally be, making this a one-pilot car, and it can be used for power boosts of up to eight seconds. Below you can find all the pics live from Detroit, along with the press release.
Volkswagen NMS becomes new US Passat at Detroit: live pics
The new US-built Volkswagen Passat for that market is part of the company’s ambitious attempt to sell 800,000 vehicles in the US by 2018. If you thought Volkswagen was going to produce something exciting to be revealed at the 2011 Detroit auto show, you might be disappointed to find that it seems to be going down the sensible sedan route (aside from the much-anticipated New Beetle, perhaps). This Passat was expected to be a bigger model, and it is, but has borrowed a Jetta design which seems to indicate that Volkswagen thinks its success lies there.
Not only bigger, it should also prove to be a slightly more upmarket version of the Jetta, with a new interior. What’s more, Volkswagen plans to drop the price of its Passat in the US to about 20,000 USD when it goes on sale later this year. It’s a good move but it might not be enough considering some of the stiff competition in that price bracket.
The engine range includes an entry-level, 2.5 litre petrol powertrain with 170 hp. The diesel on offer is the classic 2.0-litre turbodiesel with 140 hp, while the top-of-the-range model is a 3.5-litre V6 with 280 hp. We get the impression that Volkswagen will be counting on its German-design, US-built credentials to reel in some of the competition but whether the new US Passat is individual enough remains to be seen.
Live Detroit 2011: US Volkswagen Passat
Continue reading: Volkswagen NMS becomes new US Passat at Detroit: live pics
Volkswagen New Midsize Sedan teaser before Detroit unveiling
We’re guessing that Volkswagen has already decided on a new name for the car currently known as the New Midsize Sedan but it’s not letting the cat out of the bag before the Detroit show. The Volkswagen NMS will be revealed on Monday and is a key part of the company’s strategy to re-conquer the US market, via sedan models, after the new Jetta was first released on that continent before coming to Europe. With VW’s most popular model in Europe, the Golf, not having the same status in the US due to its hatchback style, Volkswagen is pursuing tactics of releasing competitively-priced, quality sedans to increase its share of a market crucial to its future sales goals.
Ambitious targets are that Volkswagen will sell about 60,000 NMS models in the US but it’s doing so with a sensible plan. It will cost less than the ill-fated Passat it’s replacing, and will be built locally at facilities at Tennessee which will provide some American production opportunities, with German design quality, and will keep costs down. VW has released the above teaser prior to the NMS unveiling in Detroit on Monday.
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