The new bodywork reflects an understated elegance that has become Audi's hallmark, the new aluminum skin stretched over a wheelbase 63mm longer than the previous version and widened front and rear tracks. Running gear will range from 17- and 18-in. wheel fitments on all-season rubber, with a 19-in. "sport" wheel available with high-performance tires.
The interior will feature Audi's version of the luxury car command center, here called MMI or multi-media interface. Like BMW's i-Drive, a center console-located knob interfaces four areas of controls, including entertainment, information/navigation, personal settings and phone functions. The main read-out screen pops up from behind a door high in the center console, and a secondary, smaller screen is found in the center of the gauge cluster directly in front of the driver.
Though this new A8 shares some technology with VW's new luxury car, the Phaeton, those who have driven both assure us the driving experiences are sufficiently different, that there should be no confusion between the two models. The A8 will go on sale in America in early summer 2003 as a 2004 model. Pricing has yet to be settled upon, but in the tough D-class segment, Audi must be aggressive in its window stickers to compete with the Lexus/BMW/Mercedes-Benz powerhouses.
Porsche 997 -First Prototypes On The Test TrackAlthough it is no secret that Porsche is preparing a replacement for the current 911, so far only prototype mules have been spotted undergoing first testing. These photos, however, show the real thing, meaning Porsche has begun testing genuine prototypes of what is more than likely project head Olaf Lang's 997, which is slated to be the next 911.
The rear flares are clearly unlike those of the current Carrera 4 S, and the bodywork does a great job of disguising the car's bigger dimensions. Hard to know what engine Porsche will use, but the longer rear deck would indeed allow room for a bigger engine-whether it's a flat eight, the Cayenne's V8, or a 10-cylinder engine derived from Carrera GT is anybody's guess.
The most likely scenarios given Porsche's history are a flat six as the base engine and then either a flat eight or the V8 (if it fits) as the optional engine. Abandoning the six altogether is a possibility. (Porsche also finally left the flat four behind when it moved from 356 to 911, the short-lived 912 aside.)
This car's styling will likely be evolutionary rather than revolutionary, with the basic 911's silhouette cast in granite at this point in the company's life. Changes to further distance the next 911 from the Boxster, however, are virtually inevitable as it's unlikely Porsche wants to open itself to that criticism again. Thus, one can probably expect new headlight designs and taillights that are different takes on the 911 theme, as head stylist Harm Lagaay is well known for his desire to keep the 911's styling true to form.
Mercedes-Benz SLR by McLarenHigh-Speed Testing At NrburgringA prototype of Mercedes-Benz's McLaren-made supercar, the SLR, was caught on film during high-speed testing at the Nrburgring. Even though this test car is wearing only a slightly less heavy disguise than previously seen versions, it has been confirmed that the production version will have gullwing doors similar to those on the 1999 show car, the Vision SLR. The supercar will be powered by a 557-bhp supercharged 5.4-liter V8 engine, with a top speed of 200 mph.
The sports coupe is scheduled for launch in 2003, debuting at the Geneva Motor Show next year. Plans are to build 500 cars per year, The price will start at around 400,000 Euros.
Porsche GT3 3.8The 1,600 original Porsche GT3s sold out very quickly, and when 350 additional cars were built a year later, they sold in seconds, too. So track-day fans are in for a treat when Porsche launches its second-generation GT3 in January next year.