Amelia Island Concours to celebrate the Porsche 911 Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20120928/carnews01/120929813#ixzz27yo6fYWA

The 50th anniversary of Porsche's iconic 911 will be celebrated at the 18th Annual Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance the weekend of March 10, 2013.
The 911 was introduced in the autumn of 1963 at the Frankfurt Auto Salon and has become an iconic design, helping propel Porsche to commercial and competition success.
Designed by the late Ferdinand Alexander “Butzi” Porsche, the grandson of Dr. Ferdinand Porsche, the 911 broke new technological ground with a horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine that became the foundation of generations of Porsche sports and racing cars.
Originally named the “Type 7” during its prototype stage, the new Porsche was assigned model number “901.” Copyright complications forced Porsche to rename the car. The new designation, “911,” was a logical, practical and inspired choice.
Even 50 years later, the 911 is a success in showrooms and on roads and race courses worldwide. From its first entry, Porsche's new 911 won its category in all the classic sports-car endurance races. Class wins in the 1966 24 Hours of Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans were followed by outright victory in the rugged Monte Carlo Rally in 1968. In 1973, the Brumos Porsche 911 RS driven by Jacksonville's Peter Gregg and Hurley Haywood won a legendary upset victory in the 24 Hours of Daytona, defeating an international field of pure prototypes. The same year brought Porsche's 911 overall victories in the punishing 12 Hours of Sebring and the World Championship Targa Florio on the rugged mountain roads of Sicily.
In a half-century, the engine displacement of the 911 has doubled. The 911 has also been turbocharged, making it one of the fastest and strongest accelerating cars for highway use. On Feb. 4, 2012, Porsche introduced the latest version of the 911, the 991.
“The profile of Porsche's 911 is instantly recognizable,” said Bill Warner, founder and chairman of the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. “The 911's shape has remained fresh, contemporary and essentially unchanged since the day the first 911 was built a half-century ago. That must be the best and purest definition of a truly great design.”
The 2013 edition of the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance will be March 8-10 on the 10th and 18th fairways of The Golf Club of Amelia Island at Summer Beach adjacent to The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, Fla. The show's foundation has donated nearly $1.8 million to Community Hospice of Northeast Florida Inc. and other charities on Florida's First Coast since its inception in 1996.

Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20120928/carnews01/120929813#ixzz27yoQHMzK

McLaren P1 revealed at the Paris motor show Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20120927/paris/120929854#ixzz27ynfCIXJ

McLaren's first-ever press conference as a standalone carmaker was a memorable one.
Executive chairman Ron Dennis and managing director Antony Sheriff ushered in a fresh era in performance cars with the debut of the P1 at the Paris motor show. The P1 is the second model in the company's growing line, joining the MP4-12C. Engine details were not immediately revealed, but the production car is expected to be shown this spring in Geneva.
"We are, in small scale, a real car company now," Sheriff said.
The firm is on pace to deliver 1,200 cars by the end of the year.
One thing is clear: McLaren remains committed, nearly obsessed, with carbon fiber, as evidenced by the F1 and 12C.
"We've never actually not made a road car without carbon fiber," Sheriff said. "You might say we don't know how to make a car without carbon fiber."
Though the P1 concept was striking in its style, it's been designed with performance, not simply eye candy.
"There's really nothing here that doesn't have a purpose," Dennis said.
Finally, McLaren's singular F1 has a successor. Dripping in carbon-fiber and exuding Grand Prix gravitas, the P1 was revealed Thursday at the Paris motor show.
The P1 is a design study. A production version will debut in 2013—which is shaping up to be a busy year for McLaren. The order bank will open, and the P1 will arrive on the market. Not coincidentally, it's the 50th anniversary of the sporting venture founded by Bruce McLaren.
The P1 name is meant to evoke the F1, which as called Project 1, or P1, in early stages.
The P1 joins a growing McLaren lineup, which also has the MP4-12C and its Spider variant. While the P1 will be blindingly fast (engine specs have not been revealed), it will also focus on handling and agility.
“The McLaren P1 will be the result of 50 years of racing and road-car heritage,” McLaren Automotive executive chairman Ron Dennis said. "Twenty years ago, we raised the supercar performance bar with the McLaren F1, and our goal with the McLaren P1 is to redefine it once again."
Carbon Fiber
The P1 has a carbon-fiber monocoque. All of the lightweight body panels are made from the material, and they have scoops and ducts to enhance aerodynamics.
The Wing
This is one of the most striking features of the P1, and it adjusts for downforce and aero. It can extend 11.8 inches on the track, and 4.7 inches on the road. The pitch of the rear wing can increase to as much as 29 degrees, and it adjusts to help maximize straight-line speed. The wing can also function as an air brake. It was developed using McLaren's Formula One software and development methods.
Aerodynamics
Two flaps are mounted under the body, ahead of the front wheels. The doors, wheel arches and snorkel intake on the roof all work for the cause of aero. The coefficient of drag is 0.34. The P1's aerodynamic configuration was conceived by Simon Lacey, who previously oversaw that for the racing division. The P1 is estimated to create five times as much downforce as the MP4-12C, and registers at a level close to the 12C's GT3 racing variant.
Design
Penned by Frank Stephenson, the P1 evokes a Le Mans racer and has a fighter-jet profile with a teardrop-shaped glass house. The dramatic lines and carbon fiber are set off with LED headlights, and the taillights frame the rear diffuser. It's topped off with a gold-leaf heat shield around the exhausts. Cost was not a concern.
Powertrain
McLaren would not reveal specifics of the powertrain. But the mid-engine P1 is expected to run an upgraded version of the MP4-12C's twin-turbo V8. Power could hit about 800 hp, and with the strength of a kinetic-energy-recovery system, push out a staggering figure around 960 hp.
Safety
A feature called the MonoCage protects passengers and is made of carbon. It also channels air into the engine for cooling, and the front and rear panels are attached to the structure, forming a spinal connection.
The 2012 Paris motor show—or Mondial de l'Automobile, as it is officially known––will take place Sept. 27 through Oct. 14. It occurs every two years, alternating with the Frankfurt motor show in Germany. Paris is a showcase for the latest in design, but automakers will also be showing off their latest concept cars, green cars and supercars.

Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20120927/paris/120929854#ixzz27ynuujy2

Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo at Paris 2012

28 Sep, 2012 3:24pm

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Watch our video of the Panamera Sport Turismo which made its debut at the 2012 Paris Motor Show

Alongside the new 911 Carrera 4 and Cayenne V8 diesel, Porsche surprised us at the Paris Motor Show with the Panamera Sport Turismo concept.
The Panamera Sport Turismo is essentially an estate version of the standard Panamera, and it has been built to gauge public reaction.
In addition to the new design, Porsche used the concept as an opportunity to debut new technology. The plug-in e-hybrid system in the Sport Turismo will make its way into Porsche’s road cars as early as next year, and will allow up to 80mpg and 20 miles of range on battery-power alone.
Although technically a concept, this model gives us an idea of how the facelifted Panamera could look when it hits showrooms in 2013.

VW plots more SUVs

A Nissan Juke-rivalling small SUV is among a raft of new Volkswagen models on the way

Speaking to Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, Volkswagen’s board member for product development, at the Paris Motor Show, Auto Express has learned that a Nissan Juke-rivalling SUV is just one of a number of new VWs on the horizon.
On the subject of the small SUV, Hackenberg said “I think it’s a very interesting segment, although our offering will be different in different countries. I think the A0 or A- size (which is the size of the Nissan Juke in Volkswagen speak) is very important, so I would imagine [we’ll see the car] not next year but 2014. We have started work.”
The VW small SUV is likely to arrive slightly before the Audi Q2, previewed by the Crosslane Coupe Concept at Paris. Both the Q2 and VW model will use the new modular MQB platform, along with the next Polo, and be offered with front and four-wheel drive. They will also use VW’s new engine range, which will include a three-cylinder diesel.
Hackenberg also confirmed that VW is working on a larger version of the Tiguan. Designed and likely to be built in North America, the car will feature three rows of seats.

For an alternative review of the latest Volkswagen up! Hatchback visit our sister site carbuyer.co.uk

RenaultSport Clio 200

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27 Sep, 2012 10:00am Chris Ebbs

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The all-new RenaultSport Clio 200 is the big talking point on the French firm’s Paris Motor Show stand

Renault has used its home motor show to officially unveil the latest version of its RenaultSport Clio hot hatch.
The big news is that it will be fitted with a smaller 1.6-litre turbocharged engine, rather than the naturally aspirated 2.0-litre of the current car. Due to the addition of the turbocharger, power remains at 200bhp while torque has been upped to 240Nm from the current 215Nm. The smaller engine also means a 25 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions.
A more controversial change is the decision to drop the six-speed manual gearbox of the current car and replace it with six-speed dual-clutch transmission. That blow will be softened a little by the news that all cars will come with steering wheel mounted paddles for manual gear changes.
The raw, unfussy nature of the current car appears to have been updated for a more technological approach. This new car comes with a choice of ‘Normal’, ‘Sport’ and ‘Race’ modes, which alter steering feel, throttle response and stability control settings. It is also fitted with a Launch Control function.
This approach has continued inside the car with the addition of a multimedia system, touchscreen sat nav, Bluetooth radio with USB connection and keyless entry and start.
Another new addition is the R-Sound Effect. Using Renault R-Link, it can simulate the sound of one of a range of iconic engines through the car’s speakers. Tuned to the speed and acceleration of the car, drivers can choose engine noise they want.
On the design front, the RenaultSport Clio gets LED daytime running lights, 17-inch alloys, new F1-inspired front and rear bumpers, along with a new grille and spoiler. The latest diffuser and spoiler generate 80 per cent and 20 per cent extra down force respectively, according to Renault.
Buyers will also get a chance to give their car a personal feel with the introduction of an interior and exterior personalisation programme. There’s a choice of four different themes to start. These can then be combined with different motifs and upgrade elements to create a unique car.

Paris motor show 2012: show report

Despite the troubles facing the European car industry, the 2012 Paris motor show exhibited an impressive array of machinery including some of the year's most important debuts

BMW Active Tourer heralds a new dawn of FWD models for the firm

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by Steve Cropley

27 September 2012

To the casual onlooker, the 2012 Paris Mondial de l'Automobile seemed what most motor shows are meant to be: a happy celebration of the launch of an impressive collection of new cars. Certainly the mix of new machinery was rich and varied, and even this year's crop of concepts seemed pleasantly realistic and on the pace. For your first few minutes, you might even have missed the fact that Europe's mainstream car industry is in deep trouble.
Watch the full video round-up
The cracks were soon visible, however, first in the relative simplicity (read cheapness) of stand designs - Ford, for instance, was much smaller, and struggled to look like more than a car park - and then in the voices and expressions of the many top managers who made presentations. These people are taught to behave like poker players, but things are so bad and manufacturing capacity is currently racing so far ahead of demand, that the size of the problem could not be disguised or glossed over. Even before lunch, car bosses had become heartily sick of the which-plant-will-close question.
Paris motor show gallery part two
Yet all the new product was terrific. The mainstreamers are being attacked from the cheaper end of the market by aggressive and well-financed Koreans, and from above by highly successful premium manufacturers like BMW and Audi. They have no alternative but to make convincing new products - and they did.
Renault had the new Clio, supported by a racy 200hp Renaultsport vision and the showroom-ready Zoe electric car, the model they believe will "humanise" electric car sales. Ford had a whole plethora of machinery: revised Fiestas, the new Mondeo, a roomier Kuga, the baby SUV EcoSport and even a Berlingo-style civilised van called Tourneo Connect. Peugeot made a further fuss of its recently-launched 208 by showing both the new GTi and a "premium luxury" version called XY. Having delayed its new contender in the 208-Clio-Fiesta arena, the Punto, Fiat looked rather bereft, though its cute and ultra-versatile Panda 4x4 provided a minor hit.
Of course, there was the New Golf, which as usual had that confident, crafted-from-solid look that tells you its backers are very well financed (albeit by the sales of premium market Audis). The Golf has made an art form out of delivering exactly what buyers expect, even before they see it, and nobody doubted that with this latest edition the success would continue.
The premium makers, sustained by strong international sales and reasonable demand at home, were making hay. Chief among them was JLR, which showed the magnificent new Range Rover that seems to have been coming for years, and the fabulous F-type Jaguar. Both had tumultuous debuts, and were received with the all-important international critical acclaim. It must have occurred to Jaguar men that there would have been much to lose, had they botched the arrival of the true successor to a car so large in history as the E-type, but (barring the malfunction of one headlight) they didn't.
If there was one Jaguar jarring note, it was over pricing. Given the relative difficulty (versus product excellence) of car makers in lower sectors, it hardly seemed moral that a sports car billed for years as a Porsche Boxster fighter should have a top price - before bespoke options - of £80,000. Several industry-watchers couldn't help wondering whether JLR's practice of charging more than expected for its products, though it works at present, will one day bite the thriving UK concern on the backside.
There was, of course, wall-to-wall talk about market prospects in Europe, and the main conclusion seemed to be that premium cars would keep doing all right, but there would be years of struggle - and potentially big reorganisations - for the mainstreamers. VW's top men, sounding unnecessarily smug, loudly predicted that some of their opponents would fail, something Fiat's Sergio Marchionne sternly rebutted. But it seems that for now, the best Europe's top executives can do is to chase non-European export sales even harder, and do an even better job of "smiling through".

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