For the first time since the 90s, BMW will return and take part in the DTM series once again. To do that, BMW has revealed their M3 DTM Concept Car for the 2012 DTM season series. This may not be the final design, but it will be awfully close.

Behind the wheel will be Andy Priaulx and Augusto Farfus. This M3 DTM comes with a 4.0 liter V8 engine with an air restrictor. The air restrictor allows the M3 DTM to stay within DTM regulations while being at approximately 480bhp.

Technical Specs:
Length: 4,775mm (without rear wing)
Width: 1,950mm
Height: Approx. 1,200mm (depending on suspension set-up)
Chassis/Bodywork: CFRP monocoque with steel roll cage structure
Transmission: Sequential 6-speed gearbox
Engine type: V8
Capacity: 4,000ccm (4.0 Liter)
Max. power output: Approx. 480bhp (air restricted as per DTM regulations)

Click the Photos To Enlarge!!

]]> http://www.myevilstar.com/2012-bmw-m3-dtm/feed/ 0 http://www.myevilstar.com/u-s-outpacing-audi/ http://www.myevilstar.com/u-s-outpacing-audi/#comments Thu, 28 Apr 2011 08:40:32 +0000 admin http://www.myevilstar.com/?p=4387 Buyers are saying yes to Audi.  You may have noticed a recent upsurge in the amount of Audis on the road.  So much that they are having trouble keeping up with U.S. demand, says Johan de Nysschen, president of Audi of America.

“We’re down to a 27-day supply now,” de Nysschen tells Ward’s in an interview at the New York International Auto Show. “We simply can’t get our inventory up to (an optimum) 60-day supply.”

“It’s quite challenging,” the Audi chief says. The small number of choices on Audi dealer lots is pushing up custom ordering. “It’s up to 31%,” de Nysschen says.

“That’s high for us and unsustainable because we’re losing business opportunities and causing our 277 dealers some consternation.  I have no doubt that some of our dealers are unprofitable.” But he says Audi dealers average a 3.27% return on sales.

Audi is intent on maintaining profitability. However, de Nysschen admits Audi is challenged to compete on average selling prices with its German luxury competitors. “Their sales mix is far richer than ours,” he says.

Also, Audi’s U.S. prices overall are lower than in other markets, giving us the  best value.

“That’s something we have to address,” de Nysschen says. “In other markets, Audi does much better in richness of business.” One of his targets is to increase A6 sales from the current 15% to 55%.  “A big focus of our business going forward is to sell more high-end cars.”

Audi also is targeting more diesel sales. De Nysschen predicts half of Q7 CUV sales will be diesel models. “But (again), we are so significantly under supplied and could sell twice the amount we now do. We’re competing for supply with Europe and China.”

[source: wardsauto.com]

You live your life a quarter-mile at a time, but you still care about the environment. So, you’ve patiently awaited Audi’s hybrid Spyder. It’s latest tease is a far cry from the aforesaid ghost, but the A3 e-tron — an entry-level Sportback begging to be modified — is certainly sexy in its own right.  The A3-Tron prototype, an electric car derived from the current A3 Sportback.  The design is fully intact in the original model and the only difference is easily spotted on the different instruments. 

Not exactly Fast and Furious material,  the A3-Tron is a pure electric.  It has a synchronous electric motor capable of peak power of 136 hp, 270 Nm of torque, a  declared weight of 65 kg and is liquid-cooled. Front-wheel drive, with a top speed of 145 km / h it touches the 60 km / h acceleration in 5.3 seconds and 100 km / h in 11.2 seconds.

Lithium-ion batteries (30 modules equipped with liquid cooling) with 26.5 kWh total are positioned in the center tunnel in the back, where normally there is the fuel tank and below the rear seat.  The range is 140 km, with 9 hours recharge time with 230V power and 4 hours in case of voltage of 400V.  The recharge management, among other functions, may be controlled by a specific remote application for iPhone.  You are given a choice of three driving modes: ”dynamic” gets you maximum power from the engine and air conditioning,  ”automatic” optimizes the values ​​for extended battery life, lastly “efficient” power is limited to 68 hp, maximum speed drops to 110 km / h and air-conditioning is kept to a minimum.  Sinking the accelerator to kick-down mode you can switch immediately to full power for over taking.

While the weight of the battery pack is 300 kg, the total weight is 1592 kg, only slightly higher than a normal A3 TDI.  No hard word on availability or pricing — the company likely wants it on the streets by 2013.

Audi’s new LMP car is still diesel-powered, but in order to comply with new FIA regulations, engineers had to dial back the displacement from the outgoing R15+. As a result, the R18 now uses a 3.7-liter turbo-diesel V-6, a far cry from the 5.5-liter TDI V-10s found in the R10, R15, and R15 Plus. Other driveline modifications include the gearbox; the R18 uses a six-speed sequential gearbox in lieu of last year’s five-cog unit.

A smaller engine does trigger a loss in power, but Audi’s team focused on ways on using every last ounce of energy packed within the R18. As a result, attention was focused on the car’s aerodynamics in order to help reduce drag and increase efficiency. Wind tunnel testing forced a number of changes, notably the enclosed cockpit — a feature we haven’t seen on Audi LMP cars since the 1999 R8C.

Overall, the R18 looks drastically different than the company’s previous LMP cars. Regulations required the new car to utilize equally-sized wheels in front and back, which in turn forced designers to add some very pronounced wheel arches. The FIA also forced Audi to adopt a large dorsal fin running along the top of the engine compartment, but the headlamps — which incorporate LED lighting and accent pipes — are certainly Audi-designed accoutrements.

The new R18 will make its competitive debut at the Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium on May 8th. Audi plans to enter no less than three R18 s for the 24 Hours of Le Mans race on June 11th and 12th. In total, the new R18 will contend in six races for the 2011 season, including the Petit Le Mans race at Road Atlanta on October 1st.

Loosely based on the Audi RS5, the Audi Quattro concept sits on a wheelbase that has been shorted by almost 6 inches. The rear overhang was shortened by 7.9 inches, and the roofline was lowered by 1.6 inches. Together, these reductions add up to a much tighter package and very aggressive look. To help bring the weight down to 2,900 pounds, roughly the same weight as the 1984 Sport Quattro, Audi replaced the steel body of the production RS5 with a custom aluminum spaceframe, covered with carbon fiber panels. The RS5′s V-8 and dual-clutch transmission was also swapped out for a turbocharged five-cylinder and a manual six-speed gearbox (another nod to the original car), further reducing weight.

DTM, the abbreviation for the series’ official title, Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, competes on road courses at many European tracks such as the Hockenheimring, site of Formula 1 and other events. 

Autosport magazine reported on the comments of Hans Werner Aufrecht, director of DTM’s management group. “Beginning in 2013, we hope to have a championship with 12 races in the United States,” Aufrecht said. He added that six races are to be staged with Grand-Am and six with NASCAR events. 

NASCAR’s premier Sprint Cup Series presently competes on only two road-course venues, Infineon Raceway in California and Watkins Glen International in New York. The Grand-Am series is closely affiliated with Daytona Beach, Fla.-based NASCAR. The series has one race at each track each year. 

American-style stock car racing is popular in other parts of the world, particularly in Mexico and England, but the touring cars are a bigger draw, with Britain and Germany hosting national championship series. The FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) sanctions European and world championships. And Australia’s V8 Supercars series produced present NASCAR driver Marcos Ambrose. 

There are significant differences in the equipment compared to NASCAR machines. DTM and other series use production automobiles (Audis, BMWs, Mercedes-Benzes) which have been modified for racing, similar to the GT sports coupes which compete in various forms of sports car racing.

 More than a year out, there are many unanswered questions about the details of this venture, but the main question is how American fans will respond to the series. Let’s all hope it’s a great response.

Sometimes, the best way to determine an outcome is to put it to a vote. Just ask the Audi TTRS when it hits our shores in mid-2011.

 “Last year Audi unveiled the RS version of its TT model at the Geneva auto show, but as with many European high-performance unveilings, the question of a U.S. import version was in doubt,” explains CNET. “To settle the question, Audi posted a survey on its Facebook page, and got 11,500 yeas for the Audi TT RS in a month. With this result, Audi says it will bring the TT RS to the U.S. by the third quarter of 2011, enough time in Internet terms for people to have moved on from car fandom to the latest Lady Gaga video.“

 Jalopnik notes that the U.S.-bound TTRS has “no prices set yet, and only the hardtop aluminum and steel version makes the trip.”

 “Audi is warning American customers that a limited number of cars will be imported, asking them to offer their contact info so that they can receive further information when this becomes available,” writes Autoevolution.

Click here for full car specs:

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 3-door hatchback

ESTIMATED BASE PRICE: $57,000

ENGINE TYPE: turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 20-valve inline-5, iron block and aluminum head, direct fuel injection

Displacement: 151 cu in, 2480cc
Power (SAE net): 340 bhp @ 5400 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 332 lb-ft @ 1600 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed manual

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 97.2 in Length: 165.3 in Width: 72.8 in Height: 52.8 in
Curb weight (C/D est): 3200 lb

PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 4.5 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 13.2 sec
Top speed (governor limited): 174 mph

FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST):
EPA city/highway driving: 18/26 mpg

Click here for full Gallery

Click on thumbnails to view larger.

In turning the R8 into a convertible, Audi needed to make a few changes—the designers didn’t want to lose the R8’s unique styling, while the engineers were charged with retaining the coupe’s rigid chassis.

For starters, Audi gave the R8 Spyder a full LED headlight treatment. And while the sideblades just behind of the R8 coupe’s doors have been eliminated, in their place are more traditional vertical air intakes, which are perhaps even better looking. Also new is a carbon-fiber composite engine cover for the mid-mounted V-10, which features two parallel air vents that trail the seat headrests, forming a downward sloping profile toward the rear.

Underneath the R8 Spyder’s body is a strengthened version of the coupe’s aluminum space frame that shares about 70 percent of the parts. For the Spyder, reinforcements are made to the center tunnel, bulkhead, floorpan, doors and A-pillars. The extra rigidity comes via thicker materials, crossbeams and thrust plates. Yet despite the reinforcements, the Spyder’s chassis weighs just 13 lb. more than its fixed-roof sibling. Overall, it tips the scales at around 3800 lb.

The area behind the R8’s seats, where you normally could store a set of golf clubs, now serves as the resting spot for the Spyder’s well-insulated cloth roof. The 93-lb. top can be raised or lowered in 19 sec. with a simple toggle switch on the center console, at vehicle speeds up to 31 mph. Top up, road and wind noises are well damped. Top down, the heated glass rear window—which is separate from the top—can be operated via another button on the center console. Along with a snap-on wind deflector, the rear window helps keep turbulence out of the cockpit, facilitating easier conversation.

Speaking of reducing background noise, you can order optional seatbelt-mounted microphones (in addition to the one near the sun visors) used for the hands-free phoning while you’re enjoying the sunshine and fresh air. We were able to make some calls while driving the R8 Spyder along winding mountain roads and rowing through the gears with the engine revving aggressively. The person on the other end heard us clearly and noted only a hint of noise.

The Audi R8 Spyder is powered by the same 5.2-liter direct-injected V-10 as the coupe. The V-8 shall follow next year. As with the R8 coupe, the Spyder feels right at home either cruising or dancing through corners. The Quattro all-wheel-drive system combines with a limited-slip rear differential to inspire total confidence on challenging mountain roads. Top down, the chassis feels solid, responding to steering input with immediacy. Downshift a gear (with the standard 6-speed manual or the optional R tronic paddle-shift manual) and dip into the throttle—the engine’s 525 bhp and 391 lb.-ft. of torque are unleashed, accompanied by a throaty roar that makes an argument that the Spyder provides a more thrilling driving experience than the coupe. According to the factory, the R8 Spyder can accelerate to 60 mph in about 4 seconds, with a top speed of 195 mph.

Standard equipment on the R8 Spyder is Audi’s magnetic ride technology that features adjustable shock absorbers complementing its all-around double-wishbone suspension. For hard-core enthusiasts, conventional dampers can be ordered when you specify the optional sport suspension setup. Standard tire fitment for the Spyder calls for 235/35-19s up front and 295/30-19s at the rear. And, if so desired, carbon-ceramic rotors can be ordered to replace the 14.4-in. front discs and 14.0-in. rears.

The Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 FSI Quattro arrives at U.S. dealers later this year as a 2011 model, priced in the $160,000 range.