Audi introduces its Mini-fighter

Audi introduces its Mini-fighter, but not for American consumption.

By American standards, the Volkswagen Golf--based Audi A3 is a little car. Not so in Europe, however, where the A3 is a legitimate family hauler. In other words, there is plenty of room in Audi's European product portfolio for a car with tidier dimensions. Enter the A1 , Audi's third attempt at the true small-car segment. The A1 is based on the VW Polo platform, a model that, ironically, emerged in 1975 as the cheapo version of the short-lived Audi 50. Audi's second attempt, the all-aluminum A2, failed mostly because it was underpowered and overpriced at its launch in 1999. Today, the Luc Donckerwolke--styled A2 is gaining cult status, albeit a bit too late. End of history lesson.

Mini Paved the Way

This new take on a small-car entry is similarly upscale, only now there's a market for it. For this, we can thank the Mini's wild success. Both cars are similar in concept but vastly

2011 GMC Sierra Denali HD

“GMC has been one of the industry’s strongest truck brands for more than 100 years, and we back the 2011 Sierra HDs with a comprehensive five-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty that provides the best coverage in America,” said Hutchinson. “From the segment-best diesel power to the segment-best warranty, these trucks deliver strength and peace of mind on all fronts.”

Following are details of the new and redesigned product features of the Sierra Denali HD and the other Sierra 2500HD and 3500HD models.

The Sierra HD lineup brings greater capability.

The details: Depending on the model, Sierra HD models offer:

* Increased fifth-wheel towing capacity of 20,000 pounds (9,072 kg)
* Conventional towing capacity increases up to 23 percent, with a maximum of 16,000 pounds (7,272 kg)
* Improved payload capability of 6,335 pounds (2,873 kg) on a complete vehicle
* Gross Combined Weight Rating increases to 27,500 pounds (12,500 kg)
* Gross Vehicle Weight Ratings increases up to 17 percent to 13,000 pounds (5,909 kg)
* Front Axle Weight Rating increases by up to 25 percent to 6,000 pounds (2,721 kg)
* Snow plow capability for all 4WD cab configurations.

A Jeep truck

With the launch of the all-new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee upcoming, Jeep might already be looking further into the future. The company hasn’t offered a pickup truck in North America since 1992, but they are currently debating the idea.

Mike Manley, president and CEO of Jeep expressed interest in a compact and midsize truck in an interview with PickupTrucks.com.

“That’s a segment that I’m very curious about. I know it’s had a rough time here in the U.S., but globally it still seems to be an important sector.”

“I know there’s a lot of elasticity in the Jeep brand globally, so we’re not limiting our search for new-vehicle opportunities or new markets,” Manley said.

Manley seemed very open about the idea of competing with the likes of the Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma.

Yet, this isn’t the first time that trucks have been brought up by Jeep. Remember the Jeep Gladiator concept from 2005. When the press got their hands on it, the truck got nothing, but rave reviews.

Jeep won’t have it easy though. Chinese auto manufacturer Mahindra is already preparing a truck launch in the United States and, with rising gas prices, trucks might not be the best area to explore.

In any case, don’t expect any further comment from Jeep, just keep hoping that something will come along very soon.

Audi R8 GT Catalog and Order Guide now available

Audi Germany is offering a download for the new Audi R8 GT catalog. Unfortunately, the catalog is only available in German, but if you Deutsch sprechen then the new catalog will give you the chance to learn a lot about the new sports car.

For example, from the new catalog you will find out that the R8 GT will get matte carbon fiber blades and accents as standard and will be offered in four standard colors: Suzuka Grey, Somoa Orange, Ice Silver and Phantom Black. The R8 GT will be offered with a new Race package that includes: rear roll bar in black or red, four-point belts in black or red, sports seats, battery emergency, and fire extinguisher.

The R8 GT is powered by a 5.2 FSI V10 engine that delivers a total of 560 HP and 540 Nm (398.28 lb-ft) at 6,500 rpm. The result is a sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds, from 0 to 124 mph in 10.6 seconds, and a top speed of 198.8 mph.

Next-generation Volkswagen Phaeton

How ironic is it that the next-generation Volkswagen Phaeton, a German-born vehicle if there ever was one, will be sent to the US and Chinese markets and not to the vehicle’s home continent of Europe. It’s even more perplexing considering that the first-generation Phaeton was such a sales flop in America (the company only managed to sell 2,253 units in the country).

According to Autocar, the new Phaeton looks to be a car that will be made for America and China where the high-end VW sedan is rumored to come with a platform that’s similar to the Audi A6L, a car that incidentally was released exclusively for the Chinese market.

As far as the US-bound Phaeton is concerned, Volkswagen is looking at building the car with a styling and mechanical set-up that’s geared towards the US market, which would mean that the Phaeton is more likely to come as a bigger size and a more aggressive approach that’s far from the previous models of the Phaeton, which were more on the conservative side.

As far as seeing the next-generation Phaeton in Europe is concerned, VW is still likely to release units in the market, but for now, the emphasis is to tailor the car for the US and Chinese markets, which VW is hoping will have a better showing than the previous incarnation ever did.

2011 Honda Odyssey - Official Info And Photo

Our reigning minivan champ gets redone with a wider track and new family-friendly features.

It's an exciting time in the minivan market--woo!--with a couple of the major players redesigning their people movers this year. Toyota recently deployed an all-new 2011 Sienna , and now Honda has pulled the 2011 Odyssey out of the oven, releasing photos and information on the van, which goes on sale this fall.

We first saw the 2011 Odyssey in concept form at this year's Chicago auto show; as is the case with most Honda concepts, the production version differs little. A grille that's nothing less than garish on the Accord Crosstour actually looks decent here, and the "lightning-bolt" window line breaks up what would otherwise be a lot of bland sheetmetal.

But styling takes a back seat to utility for minivan buyers. Honda added 1.4 inches of track versus the outgoing model, which it touts as increasing stability and space. Up front, the

The 600 Club: A Celebration of Horsepower - Feature

"Horsepower wars" might be the most overused phrase in automotive journalism (aside from "award-winning 3-series"). Like most abused terminology, it's a little inaccurate, reflecting some laziness on the part of the user. In a war, there are battles; there are strategies, movements, fronts. What we've been experiencing since the late 1990s is more of a horsepower revolution, a wholesale overthrow of slow by maniacal power mongers. It doesn't matter what type of car you're building or what segment of the market you're playing in, there's ludicrous horsepower everywhere. (Go ahead, check the bottom of your shoe. Aw, you stepped in horsepower.)

When faced with the staggering number of humongous-horsepower cars out there, 400 ponies almost seems like too little to care--until you consider how fantastically thrilling that output can be. Including body-style variants, there are almost 60

Family car travel

There's a reason why so many families tell and retell the stories of long-ago road trips in the family car. The truth is, being in such close quarters with the ones we love most can create some hilarious situations and wonderful memories, but it can also be stressful. Need some help avoiding motion sickness and keeping the peace between quarrelsome kids? Follow our tips for family car travel and make your next trip one to remember.

Plan Ahead
Before you hit the road, be honest with yourself about what you and your children can handle in the way of a road trip. While older children might be capable of dealing with 10+ hours in the family van, chances are your 4-year-old isn't. Generally speaking, young children should not be subjected to confinement in a car for more than six hours a day. This is just as much for your sanity as it is for theirs.

If your family car is better suited to in-town trips rather than long hauls, think about renting a van. A van will, at minimum, leave everyone enough room to create their own personal space. If your 8-year-old doesn't share his toys, chances are he isn't going to want to share elbow room either. If you decide to rent, make your reservation well in advance, especially during peak travel times. See our article on car rental tips for more information.

Start packing, at least mentally, a few days before you leave. Let the kids help pack their own bags if they are old enough, and discuss the trip with them -- kids are much better behaved when they know what to expect. Packed bags mean less confusion, less standing around and less frustration on departure day. This translates into a pleasant start to your road trip.

A great way to avoid the inevitable question (are we there yet?) is to give kids a map, or, even more fun, help them create their own. You can trace the route together and point out interesting landmarks so that they will have a sense of where they are going.

Custom Car Audio

Custom audio pictures of speakers, subwoofers, amplifiers, audio boxes and all other accessories can all be viewed in clear quality from most car audio web sites. You can be attracted to the quality and display. It is therefore very vital to consider the pictures that please you. Other sites post tiny pictures that cannot be viewed properly. They can be of poor quality and unattractive displays and you do not need any help to move to the next site. A good custom car audio picture must show you the actual features you are looking for. If the pictures are large, they must come with back up pictures for specific key parts and features. Some pictures are easily enlarged as you view them making your view much easier.

Winter Coats for Car Seat Safety For Baby

Check All Winter Coats for Car Seat Safety
It's easy to check and see whether a baby's winter coat or infant snowsuit is too thick to be safe in a car seat. This test will show you how thick the coat is and how much the coat will compress during a crash.

1. Take the car seat into the house.
2. Put the winter coat or snowsuit on the child.
3. Put the child in the car seat and buckle the harnesses as you normally would before car travel. Adjust the straps to the appropriate fit for your child.
4. Take the child out of the car seat without loosening the straps at all.
5. Take the coat off your child.
6. Put the child back in the car seat and buckle the harnesses again, but do not tighten the straps.
7. If you can fit more than two fingers under the harness at the child's shoulder bone, the coat is too thick and is not safe for use with the car seat.

almosen den zahnlosen!!

servus leute,
bei meinen modellautos war wahrscheinlich ein "zahnarztpraktikant" am werk!!
so sahen die zahnräder vom 1. und 2. gang des s28-getriebe nach der letzten saison aus.
das waren die kegelräder des s50-getriebes, nach dem kampf zwischen s50-motor und den rädern bei voller traktion!!!!
das war die kupplungsglocke vom st-1, nachdem der 28er-go sie mal richtig reingreifen lies. lol
-dann hat der "zahnarztpraktikant" sein praktikum beendet!!!!
und das pleuel von meinem go-motor den dienst quittiert!!!!!
und so sah es ausgebaut aus!!

"ich würde sagen, leistung fordert seinen tribut" grins.

gruß, banzer.