Monthly Archives: February 2010

Audi A1 Configurator!

You can now configure the A1 to different specs!  Interestingly enough the A1 microsite also offers customizing abilities to North American customers! Is this a sign the car is coming to the US? Or is this to gauge interest? Either way, play around with it and imagine throwing a little Audi around the city!

There’s also a competition on the microsite, for designing the A1.

LINK: http://microsites.audi.com/a1onlinespecial/html/popup.html#/customize/customizer/

thanks to Fourtitude for the heads up and the photo!

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oh hello Audi A1!

Pricing: 16,000 euros (about $22k)

Curb weight: ~2300 pounds

Power: 86-122hp (TFSI and TDI versions)

Drive: FWD (Quattro expected later in the years)

Availability: Unknown whether the car will come to the US yet!

Competitors: Mini Cooper, Alfa Romeo Mito, Fiat 500,

I REALLY hope Audi bring this thing to the states! we need more cool small cars.

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BMW enters Le Mans GT2 class

BMW hasn’t raced in Le Mans for over 11 years, since they ran the V10 Prototype in 1999.  As the cars on the lineup for the 2010 Le Mans were revealed, it appears 2 BMW E92 M3s are registered in the GT2 class!

Seeing as BMW has pulled out of Formula One, it appears they are redistributing some of their racing technology, staff, and resources into various ‘other’ forms of motorsports.  Should be interesting to see how they do in the competitive GT2 class against C6 Corvettes, Porsches, and Ferraris.

Thanks to Jalopnik for the tip!

http://jalopnik.com/5467950/bmw-registers-for-le-mans-for-the-first-time-in-eleven-years

Complete list of entrants into 2010 Le Mans:

http://www.lemans.org/24heuresdumans/pages/engages_gb.html

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foto of the day. 3.0 CSL

1971 BMW 3.0 CSL.

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EXCLUSIVE: MTM Horchaus bringing C6 Audi RS6s (and more) to North America!

Well i’ve been gathering information about this for a few days, straight from Francois over at Horchaus (Official Canadian distributor of MTM (V.A.G. tuning company).

It seems that they have worked out a plan with Audi of Germany to be able to bring Audi RS6s (C6, current) as well as B7 RS4 Avants and R8s to North America directly from Germany! To any other Audi afficianados such as myself—this is HUGE news.  For a very long time, we’ve been stranded by the products being provided to the US market when it comes to ‘special’ Audis.  We did receive the previous generation C5 RS6, but only in sedan form (NO Avant in North America).  We also received the B7 RS4 sedan (NO Avant in North America).  We are not going to receive the C6 RS6 at all——until NOW!

After creating a working agreement with Audi of Germany in Ingolstadt, Francois and Horchaus have found a way for certain cars such as the current RS6 to be modified according to US Spec BY Audi themselves!  After these modifications, the cars are imported into North America (Canada OR the United States) and undergo customs, duty, etc….and are brought here as legal, street-ready versions of these European cars.  Since Horchaus is working directly with Audi to ensure the modifications are done to North American spec, this is a whole new way of getting these cars into the United States legally and safely.  The OEM spec cars will have an AUDI WARRANTY, since they are brand new from the factory.

The prices of these cars vary, however If someone really wants a brand new C6 Generation Audi RS6 Avant, it’s gonna cost them $115,000 CAD (Canadian dollars) and $125,000 CAD with the 730hp MTM upgrade (including  all import, shipping and duty fees).

******As of right now, they have already brought TWO C6 RS6s successfully; one into the US and another into Canada******

At the moment, they have another 4 cars on the way.  one R8 (sold), a B7 RS4 Avant (sold), and one C6 RS6 Avant and a C6 RS6 Sedan; which are both available to purchase.

A further reason to be excited, is that Horchaus is currently also evaluating the possibility of bringing other Audis in the same manner; cars such as the current Audi TT-RS and Audi S3.  Really exciting stuff, and groundbreaking progress in the world of importing Audis.

Stay tuned to IEDEI for further updates about this as I get more information.  So far I only have the pricing for RS6s, when I receive further information about pricing for others I will pass them along! Meanwhile, if you are interested in these cars, follow the link to the MTM/Horchaus website for more information and contact info.

UPDATE: B7 RS4 Avants are CEO company cars, and will be titled as 2nd hand.  They are $70,000 CAD (Canadian dollars) and the R8 V10 is $105,000 CAD (Canadian dollars) which is amazingly good pricing….the R8 V10 turns out to much less than a comparably ordered US version.

UPDATE 2: Some people have been asking “well why wouldn’t Audi bring these cars in the first place????”…..the answer was explained to me by Francois. Audi of Germany wants them to go everywhere, the reason why these cars don’t come to the US or Canada is simple; Audi of America and Audi of Canada don’t believe they have a market and do not readily import them here.

Horchaus Website: http://www.horchaus.com/Car_imports.html

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Saab 9-3X now on order sheet at US Saab dealers…

Amidst the soap opera of what has become SAAB, The SAAB-Spyker deal seems to be building confidence in its conclusion.  The latest positive sign seems to be that after over a year of US market dormancy, the SAAB 9-3X has been added to US dealer order lists!  It will be months til customers get their orders filled, and maybe this is a way for the company to gauge interest in products after all the hooplah….but it seems that the 9-3X would nicely fill the gap that the Audi Allroad’s absence in the US market has created; an upscale, european wagon with AWD.

To all those people who have been rooting for SAAB to be rescued, this is your time to walk the walk and place your order for a pretty cool AWD wagon.  Good decision SAAB, now back up all this talk with some kick ass new products, and success will be yours!!

more info:

http://www.saabhistory.com/2010/02/03/saab-9-3x-now-available-to-order-in-the-united-states

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Take a tour of the Mercedes-Benz Museum.

As expected, MB has constructed a damn cool museum to display alot of their motorsports and production car history.  Here are some of the pics presented by the company to highlight their new museum.  You can tour the museum virtually on their website as well.  Easier than getting a flight out to Stuttgart!

Online museum tour:

http://www.mercedes-benz-classic.com/content/classic/mpc/mpc_classic_website/en/mpc_home/mbc/home/museum/virtual_tour.html

(CLICK TO ENLARGE TO GET HI-RES….for wallpaper use)


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book: Go Faster: Graphic design of racing cars.

We love books about cars! This one looks fantastic.  Sven Voelker has created a book outlining over 100 different race cars, outlining and dissecting the racing livery, graphics, and appearance and its impact on the car.  Looks like a beautiful book, and definitely one to check out!

thanks to the fantastic Chicane Blog for the tip.

Suggested price is $40.  Amazon has it on pre-order for $24.

more info here: http://www.gestalten.com/books/detail?id=ceafb21a24b0f7bc01250bdacde90085

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Audi A4 DTM (B8).

from Quattroworld, via Top Gear

sinister, with the wings…..sinister.


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foto of the day. Khamsin.

One of my all-time favourite Maseratis….and IMO the most underrated.  the Maserati Khamsin. simply gorgeous!

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Fulvia video. V4 FTW!

here is a great video of a Lancia Fulvia.

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Latest Audi A1 spy shots.

the 2011 Audi A1 is set for its online debut in about 1 week, however over the past few months—-there has been tons of leakage, teasers, spy pics, etc…posted around the web.

These new spy pics posted by Motor Authority seem to be the best ones yet, showing the dimensions and profile of the car the best.  It looks great……..AUDI! BRING IT TO THE US!!!!! I would love to have this little thing as a commuter around NYC.

More pics here: http://www.motorauthority.com/blog/1036759_spy-shots-2011-audi-a1

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Death to the Prius! Toyota fighting new safety problems

As you know, over the past year or so—-IEDEI has posted several articles speaking against the most irritating, useless, and crappy car on sale today: the Toyota Prius.

Through all this Toyota recall business going on, i’ve been secretly hoping the Prius gets involved in the hooplah, somehow destroying its squeaky clean image and ruining its mojo.  Well it’s finally happening!

Some Toyota cars accelerate too much……some just cannot stop.  The Prius cannot stop. RECALL pending! Phase I of the Prius Destruction Program initiated.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/04/business/global/04prius.html?hp

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the ultimate towtruck.

yeah!!!

thanks to Colla Verglas for the pic!

foto of the day. 02022010.

of all the car photos saved on my computer, i have the MOST photos of this.  Alpine-Renault A110.

I will have one, one day.

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Renault revives vintage livery colours for F1.

Reviving the yellow livery from the 70s Elf F1 cars….Renault today introduced promo shots for the 2010-2011 Formula One season.  Check it out!

ORIGINAL (1977)


NEW (2010)


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