Audi confirms new model premiere for July 16 centenary celebratio

This year will see Audi celebrate its hundredth anniversary and to mark the occasion the carmaker has organized more than 50 events to be held across the globe. Two dates are especially significant: on July 16 2009, exactly 100 years after the company was established, Audi will host a commemorative ceremony in its hometown of Ingolstadt, Germany, and then on August 21 it will compete in a recreation of the historic Grand Prix in Berne, Switzerland.

The July 16 event is particularly important as Audi has revealed today that a brand new model will be unveiled in front of attendees, which will include German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Unfortunately, no other details have been revealed.

The month of July will also see Audi put in a special appearance as the ‘featured marque’ of the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England. The company will be showcasing its earliest models, legendary rally cars and the ‘Silver Arrows’. These will include the Auto Union Type C Streamline, a unique, authentic replica of the car in which Bernd Rosemeyer attempted to break the world speed record in 1937, reaching over 400km/h on an ordinary road.

Also on static display at Goodwood will be the first-ever Audi competition car, the Audi Type C Alpine Cup winner dating from 1919. Vehicles in action on the circuit will be Auto Union Type C (1936) and Type D (1938) Silver Arrows, the legendary Audi Pikes Peak (1987) and IMSA GTO (1989) cars, the R8 and R10 sports cars that were victorious in Le Mans and various touring car vehicles.

Audi was established on July 16 1909 by August Horch. The four rings of the Audi badge symbolise the brands Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer, which were combined under the umbrella of Auto Union in 1932 and eventuate into Audi AG in 1985.

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Video: Audi TT RS driven by Tom Kristensen

When Audi wants to win at Le Mans, it hands the keys to Tom Kristensen. Audi also gave Kristensen the keys to a TT RS, but not to race, just to show us all how much fun we’re not having. If we keep our fingers crossed, the TT RS may make it to the U.S.

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Concept802 Range Rover Sport Platinum R Wide Body Kit New Images

Body kit re-styles the Range Rover Sport with a new set of wheels and finely-designed body panels

Concept802 describe themselves as a "dynamic styling company" and founder Barry Graham has kindly sent us the following live images of the Range Rover Sport Platinum R wide body kit in the flesh without "computer enhancements" this time.

The styling graces that Concept802 offer with this wide-arch kit includes new front and rear bumpers, side skirts, a new front grille, and a carbon fiber rear diffuser housing Concept802-designed exhaust tips for the Range Rover Sport.

Concept802 also fits the Range Rover Sport with their own set of wheels - 3-piece forged alloy V2 wheels in a multi-spoked and "deep dish" design. Customers have a wide selection of sizes to choose from too, with rims starting at 19-inches and going up to quite a muscular 24.

And what can we expect next?

Well, Concept802 is working on their own re-imagining of the Lamborgini Murciealago and the Porsche Cayenne. They will also have their take on Aston Martin models sometime in the future too.

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Audi sales boss rules out A1 for the U.S.

Peter Schwarzenbauer says the brand isn't well established enough in the US to support sales of small cars

Audi's sales boss says the brand isn't well established enough in the US to support sales of small cars.

Peter Schwarzenbauer, responsible for global sales and marketing at Audi, also ruled out bringing the upcoming A1 to the US market for that same reason.

Audi has spent the better part of the last 15 years successfully building its brand to compete against its chief rivals, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. But Schwarzenbauer doesn't believe the brand can easily go down market in the US like the 3 German premium brands have done in Europe. Over the last decade, those automakers have introduced smaller models such as the Mercedes A and B Class, the BMW 1-series and Audi with the A1, A2 (discontinued) and A3 models. Schwarzenbauer also ruled out a sub-brand like BMW has with MINI and Mercedes has with Smart.

Automotive News has previously reported that Audi dealers were initially keen on the A1 until they found out the car would come with a price tag of 25,000 US dollars, while they were thinking more along the lines of an 18,000 dollar starting price.

Of course, given current exchange rates, it is simply not viable to sell small, European-produced cars in the US. And the US consumer is still resistant to paying a lot for small vehicles.

Apparently, Schwarzenbauer thinks so too.

"...if you look at the real numbers [MINI and Smart sales in the US], it's not huge volumes. I'm not so sure yet we really see a trend to small cars in the United States," Schwarzenbauer told Automotive News.

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Eight Sleight: Standbike V8 concept

A 690-kilo motorcycle, powered by V8 from GM. And yes, you can paint it green if want to...

For those who just won’t ride a twin, triple, inline-four/V4 or inline-six/V6, Standbike are working on a V8-powered motorcycle. And they have, apparently, already built a fully functional, ready-to-ride prototype that’s fitted with a 305 cubic-inch (5,000cc) V8 from General Motors.

According to the company’s website, the Standbike V8 concept bike took eight years to develop and uses various unique technical solutions that allow the V8’s power and torque to be suitably harnessed for extreme traction.

The bike’s steering, clutch and lean-control systems are managed by high-tech hydraulics and electronics – probably necessary with a bike that weighs 690 kilos and which has a 2615mm wheelbase, total lenth being 3210mm. The gearbox is a four-speed unit, with one extra gear for reversing the bike, and single-sided suspension is used at both ends.

The Standbike V8 concept actually rides on four 16-inch wheels – two each at the front and back – shod with 205/45 rubber. Cornering? Er…, no, we don’t think so, though straight line stability at 300km/h should be just brilliant

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Husqvarna gets new manufacturing, R&D facility in Italy

Under BMW ownership, Husqvarna can look forward to bigger, better things in the near future...

According to a report on Dealer News, Husqvarna (which BMW bought from Claudio Castiglioni, back in 2007) will be shifting to its new headquarters in Italy, by May this year. BMW, which wants to bring various Husqvarna units – including engine, testing, development, styling and racing divisions – under one roof, is adding to Husqvarna’s existing facility at Cassinetta di Biandronno, in the Varese district of Italy.

BMW hope to sort out Husqvarna’s problems with quality control and spare parts supplies in the near future. While Husqvarna only sold 12,000 bikes in 2007, BMW hopes to increase sales in a big way over the next 2-3 years. In fact, the new manufacturing facility will have the capacity to produce up to 40,000 Husqvarna motorcycles every year.

BMW intend to keep Husqvarna as an off-road specialist brand and use R&D inputs from the company to improve/develop its own dual-purpose and off-road machines.

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Just how fast are those WSBK bikes?

For now, at just 300km/h, the BMW S1000RR is the slowest of the lot...!

From left: Max Neukirchner (GSX-R1000), Max Biaggi (RSV4) and Noriyuki Haga (1098 F09)

From left: Tommy Hill (CBR1000RR), Makoto Tamada (ZX-10R) and Ben Spies (YZF-R1)

Ever wonder just how fast those World Superbikes machines really are? During practice yesterday, at the Losail International Circuit in Doha, Qatar, Max Neukirchner’s Suzuki GSX-R1000 hit a top speed of 314km/h, Max Biaggi’s Aprilia RSV4 did 313km/h, Noriyuki Haga’s Ducati 1098R F09 did 311km/h, Tommy Hill’s Honda CBR1000RR did 310km/h, Makoto Tamada’s Kawasaki ZX-10R also did 310km/h and Ben Spies Yamaha YZF-R1 did 309km/h. Troy Corser’s BMW S1000RR was way down the charts, at just 300km/h. But then, of course, the season has just begun

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Spy shots: Kia planning new compact MPV based on No 3 concept car

While Kia is presenting its new No 3 mini MPV concept at the Geneva Motor Show this week, the production version of this concept has been spotted testing in the colds of Northern Sweden. Prototypes for the vehicle were first sighted late last year and were thought to be a new MPV variant of the Kia Cee’d hatchback.

We can now confirm that the car will be based on the same platform as the Kia Soul, which means it will likely be available with a family of compact petrol and diesel powertrains ranging from 1.6 to 2.0L in size. Power outputs will range from about 126hp (94kW) to 142hp (106kW). There could even be a mild hybrid model added to the lineup further down the track.

Competition for the new Kia MPV will likely come primarily in the form of the Volkswagen Golf Plus, as well as the Opel Meriva and Renault Modus – the latter vehicle was even seen testing alongside the Kia prototype.

Some of the details include a glass panoramic roof, sporty alloy wheels, and Kia’s new H-pattern grille. First sales should start in Europe at the end of the year, which means the latest Kia MPV will be a 2010 model.

Gallery: 2010 Kia Cee'd Plus MPV spy shots

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2009 Alfa Romeo MiTo GTA Concept

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2010 Audi TT-RS

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