BMW M4

The BMW M4 Coupe, successor to the three-door M3, was revealed at a private BMW event in California. The concept is finished in unique Aurum-Dust metallic paintwork. BMW is labelling the M4 a styling concept at this point, so there are no official engineering details on the chassis or engine. However, it is known, that the M3 naturally aspirated 4.0 litre V8 will be replaced by a new twin-turbo 3.0 litre six-cylinder engine. It is expected to deliver 436 HP with 480 NM of torque. A significant improvement in performance is expected, with 0 to 100km/h in 4.5 seconds and a top speed of about 298 km/h, which is limited to 250 km/h as usual. It is believed, that the M4 will not get a manual gearbox, so here is a unfortunate drawback. To bring the handling up to scratch, engineers will tweak the suspension layout with lower springs and stiffer, adjustable dampers. A wider track front and rear will aid stability and fill out the flared wheelarches, while a revised M differential will help the driver to execute the smoky drifts for which these cars famous. Plus, new electromechanical steering will be tuned for sharper reactions than the standard car. The M4 will mainly compete with Audi RS5, Cadillac ATS-V and Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG. It will cost about 68 000 euros. The following pictures are all taken from autoexpress.co.uk

Maserati Ghibli

A beautiful automobile, which is available as a diesel car and the price range is not that bad. Heads up all of you, who are searching for a good alternative to a Mercedes-Benz E-class and BMW 5-series.
Whatever you thought Maserati stood for, you are going to have to think it over. In the space of three years, the brand will rediscover turbocharging, introduce a diesel engine, build and SUV and second, smaller sedan, and offer all-wheel drive in both of its four-door cars. All this in an effort to increase its 2012 global sales eightfold to 50 000 in 2015 and give Ferrari's older brother the scale it needs to be stable. More compact, lighter, nimbler and let us not forget, substantially less expensive than the more luxury-orientated, but also new Quattroporte, the Ghibli aims to give the Fiat and Chrysler Alliance a first foothold in the lucrative, but hugely competitive and diverse executive sedan segment. Besides its semi-exotic label and elegant Italian styling, the Ghibli also has to offer an interesting, albeit limited for the standards of the category, engine lineup. The launch range consists of three turbocharged V6 powerplants, including two 3.0 litre petrols rated for 326 HP in the regular model and 404 HP in the "S" variant, and a fuel-efficient 272 HP 3.0 litre diesel that return 6.0 litres per 100km/h. The fastest model in the range is, of course, the S, with a 0-100 km/h time of 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 285 km/h. All models are offered exclusively with an eight-speed automatic transmission driving either the rear or all four wheels. It costs about 66 000 euros, which is competitive to its rivals. I did not forget to mention the sound it makes. The sound is usual from Maserati, which means, it is ferocious. Just imagine yourself driving in this car and pulling up to a local grocery shop, with everybody in awe. That is a feeling you can not express with words. It is not only for show off, it really is a driver car to enjoy, although the buttons and steering wheel are not really user friendly. The following pictures are taken from carscoops.com

Audi Quattro Concept 2014

This one is with slight differences comparing to the 2012 version. The 2014 version will actually come into production. It's being presented by Audi at Frankfurt Motor Show 2013, and comes packing a serious amount of firepower. The familiar 4.0 litre twin-turbocharged TFSI V8 petrol engine from the RS6 has been carried over, producing the same 560HP and 700NM of torque, complete with COD-system and stop-start. But where it differs from the RS6 is in the electric motor snuggled in between the V8 and the transmission; a motor producing just under 160HP and a further 400NM of torque. Power for this comes from a liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery, capable of up to 50km on electrin power alone. Of course, you can toggle between various modes of V8 fury and electric elegance, though the one you will want-purely because of what it represents - is "sport" mode. Here, both the V8 and electric motor are hooked up together to produce the full 710 HP, with an eight-speed automatic gearbox and that quattro system to make it go from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.7 seconds and on to a top speed of 306 km/h. Still, all this and a claimed 2.5 litres per 100km fuel consumption though it is not light. Audi tells there are aluminium structural elements, and carbon fibre reinforced polymer is used for the roof, bonnet and rear bootlid, but the Quattro Concept still weighs in at 1850 kg. The racing influences are smattered all over the angry concept: those broad shoulders, single frame grille, bonnet creases, front splitter and rear diffuser, massive 21-inch wheels and flared arches. Inside, there are sports bucket seats, a digital instrument cluster, head-up display and multi-function sports steering wheel that provides a glimpse into future sporty production models. It is supposed to be priced at around 220 000 euros.

Audi Quattro Concept 2012

Everything about this car is evocative. But as designer Wolf Seebers puts it, “We did not simply graft pieces of the original car’s styling onto the new one. You have to be careful with retro design. We wanted something that would express a new design language, something that will appear on all new Audi sport vehicles.” A design that has to commemorate a classic but also lead the way for future vehicles sounds like a stylistic pressure cooker, but design chief Wolfgang Egger’s team pulled it off. The body is a combination of Audi’s aluminum space-frame technology and assorted carbon-fiber pieces (the hood, the hatch), and the body in white weighs 350 pounds. The whole thing is claimed to weigh 1300 kg, about the same as the old steel Sport Quattro. But bear in mind that the old car carried none of the multifarious safety systems present in a modern vehicle. Thus, in the Quattro concept, even the seats are light, despite being equipped with the usual adjustment motors. It’s a real car, with a platform adapted from the RS 5 and a tuned version of the direct-injected turbo five from the TT RS. In this application, the engine is mounted longitudinally and hooked to a six-speed manual transmission borrowed from an S4. Audi said it produces 402 HP and 480 NM. It is powered by a turbocharged TFSI five-cylinder 2.5L engine, which is able to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. Based on the platform of the Audi RS5, with a wheelbase shortened by 150mm, the styling is a reinterpretation of the short-wheelbase Audi Sport Quattro. The body is constructed in aluminium using Audi Space Frame technology, and additional carbon fibre components.