2012 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Official Photos and Info - Auto Shows

It’s called the Aventador LP700-4, and it’s Lamborghini’s newest V-12–powered suckerfish. From its scything mandibles to its gawping monopipe, the 691-hp V-12 replacement for the Murciélago is all-new, we’re told. That flushing sound you hear is Swiss bank accounts being emptied in anticipation of its August 2011 arrival at a price of $379,700.

The styling for Lamborghini’s latest Concerto for Creases and Trapezoids borrows much from the 20 Reventón coupes that preceded it. The full-figured lines of the old Murciélago have been pulled out and toned up, as if the big goombata has discovered Pilates. Naturally, the scissor doors endure, while a buyer can choose from three au courant matte-finish colors (black, white, and brown), along with the usual assortment of metallic and pearlescent paints.

Carbon? Si!
Overall, the Aventador is one big Lambo, longer by almost seven inches than the car it replaces, with an NBA-sanctioned 1.4 inches added to the wheelbase. (Overall length is 188.2 inches.) The roof height is unchanged at a low-flying 44.7 inches, but the car is slightly narrower. The dry weight is a claimed 3472 pounds which, if accurate, and with a full tank of 23.8 gallons and a full oil sump of 13.7 quarts, plus coolant, should put the curb weight somewhere between 3700 and 3800 pounds, a few hundred pounds lighter than the old steel-frame Murciélago.
Lamborghini’s flagship finally joins the carbon-fiber club founded by cars such as the McLaren F1 and Ferrari F50, encircling occupants in a molded structural tub. Said to weigh 325 pounds naked and 506 with body panels attached, the Aventador’s passenger cell will be made in-house at Lamborghini’s own Sant’Agata plant.
The tub is assembled from carbon-fiber panels, boxes, and tubes with foam and aluminum reinforcements, using a variety of molding techniques. They include high-pressure resin-injection for many of the core structural parts and “prepreg,” or mats of carbon-fiber pre-impregnated by the supplier with heat-curing liquid resin, for surfaces that need a smoother finish for painting or ornamental clear-coating.
Lamborghini builds up the tub in part by employing already-finished carbon-fiber parts as molds for the next pieces to be added. Epoxy foam strengtheners are added at strategic points to increase stiffness of the monocoque and to dampen noise and vibration, while aluminum inserts are laminated into the front and rear of the tub as mounting plates for the front and rear subframes, which support the powertrain as well as the front- and rear suspension. The arrangement cuts production costs and simplifies crash repair, relatively speaking, of course

F1-like Suspension
Aluminum upper and lower control arms support the body. To centralize and lower the mass as well as reduce un-sprung weight, the Aventador uses inboard coil-over shocks laid horizontally and actuated by pushrods. The front units are at the base of the windscreen, the rears lie just aft of the engine.
Lamborghini says the rigid mounting of the shocks to the body also allows engineers to dial back spring rates for a more livable ride. A pushbutton jacking system on the front axle allows the driver to raise the nose by a crucial 1.6 inches for speed bumps or steeper driveways.
The steering has hydraulic assist with three boost modes tied into the driver-configurable stability and shift controls. The 19-inch front wheels and 20-inch rears are encased in 255/35 Pirelli P Zeros up front and huge 335/30 hunks in back. The carbon-ceramic brake discs—satellite dishes, really—measure 15.7 inches in front, 15.0 inches in back, with six-piston calipers doing the clamping at the front and four-piston calipers at the rear.
A New Engine, Backwards as Usual
Although it’s described as a clean-sheet design, the 6498-cc V-12, known internally as the L539, carries over several key aspects of the Murciélago’s engine. They include its 60-degree V angle, port fuel injection, chain-driven four cams, unusual quad-throttle-body intake, dry-sump lubrication, and backwards mounting, the latter trait descending directly from the original Countach. At 76.4 mm, however, the stroke is much shorter, which helps make it possible for the engine to rev past 8000 rpm.
With a compression ratio of 11.8:1, you’ll definitely want to spring for premium fuel, especially to reach the 691-hp power peak at a frantic 8250 rpm. The torque crests at 509 lb-ft at 5500 rpm. Unlike the Gallardo’s V-10, the V-12 will be assembled entirely in Italy by Lamborghini.

Between the seats is a new single-clutch, seven-speed paddle-shifted automated manual that Lambo dubs the ISR (Independent Shifting Rod). No manual will be offered. The 154-pound ISR uses four hydraulically actuated shift forks, and its software hastens gear changes by overlapping the motions of the forks of successive gears during shifts, a technique that has already been embraced by Ferrari in its single-clutch gearboxes. Lambo claims shift times that are 40 percent quicker than in an e-gear–equipped Gallardo.
The Aventador’s transmission also operates as a full automatic. As with the stability control, the shift profile can be altered by the driver depending on whether he or she selects the “Strada” (street) or “Sport” modes. There is also a “Corsa” (track) setting, which is manual-only and includes launch control for maximum acceleration from a standing start. During upshifts, it probably makes the car feel as if it’s being rear-ended.
As denoted by the 4 in its name, the Aventador is all-wheel drive. Power transmits to the front axle via an electronically controlled Haldex clutch; zero to 60 percent of available torque is sent forward depending on the surface conditions and speed.
A More Intimate Cockpit
A more focused dashboard positions digital displays and warning lights around a large central combination tach/speedometer. At the driver’s whim, the thin-film transistor (TFT) display in the cluster can be toggled to show either a large tach or a speedometer. Navigation, Bluetooth connectivity, an iPod port, and other modern conveniences are standard.

Options include a transparent engine cover, a stereo upgrade, parking distance sensors, a rear-mounted camera, and brake calipers painted in wild colors. (The parking sensors and backup camera are pretty much required for any Lambo.) A package of contrasting two-tone leather is also available, or, as has always been the case at Lamborghini, you can go in and order whatever psychotic combination of colors and materials your wallet and bad taste can realize.
Forsaking steel in Lamborghini’s V-12 flagship is both a substantial and long overdue change. With its German-built aluminum space frame, Lamborghini’s smaller Gallardo was technologically years ahead of the pricier Murciélago. With buyers asked to lay out almost 400 large for the big Lamborghini, now is the right time to add F1-like technology to the F1-like price tag.

2012 Aston Martin V8 Vantage S - First Drive Review

The S trailing the name of this Vantage stands for “sport”—hardly astonishing news—but the differences between sport and standard (one simply cannot employ so mundane a descriptor as “base” in connection with an Aston Martin) are a bit elusive. S means a little more motor, a little more brake, a little more rubber, a little less weight, some small trim distinctions, and, of course, a little more money.

Tweaking the Recipe

 The engine is Aston’s familiar 4.7-liter aluminum V-8, with improved intake airflow, new mufflers, and new programming that keeps the exhaust system’s bypass valves open longer. The net is 430 hp and 361 lb-ft of torque, gains of 10 ponies and 15 lb-ft. Although it’s a small gain in output, the S’s new transmission (more on that in a moment) should help it whittle the Vantage’s 0-to-60-mph time down from the 4.3 of the last example we tested to about four flat. Beyond that, the menacing V-8 sounds that emerge when the bypass valves open up and the engine soars toward redline are almost worth the price premium on their own, with or without the extra thrust.

Engine output flows through a new single-clutch seven-speed Graziano automatic to a limited-slip rear differential; the carbon fiber driveshaft spins in an aluminum torque tube. From there, power is applied to the pavement via a set of fat (285/35) Bridgestone Potenzas on 19-inch cast aluminum wheels. (The front tires measure 245/40-19.)
There are no chassis rigidity distinctions between Vantage and Vantage S, and none was needed. The bonded aluminum tub is as stiff as a railroad trestle. But the elements attached to the tub—dampers, springs, and bushings—are a bit more stern than those in the, uh, everyday Vantage. Allied with a quicker steering rack, the sum of the upgrades is an exceptional level of response.

Brakes are always a key element in the process of elevating sporty to sportier still, and that’s true here. The front rotors grow slightly to 15 inches, and the rears carry over at 13. All corners are vented and grooved, with six-piston calipers grabbing the fronts and four-pot pincers in the rear. It’s worth noting that much of the foregoing is pretty conventional hardware—nonadjustable dampers, single-rate springs, cast-iron rotors—but it works. Very well. Stylistically, the S models its rockers, decklid, and front and rear fascias after the V-12 Vantage’s, but they are difficult to identify at a glance, even for a seasoned Aston aficionado.
At Speed
Neither are the dynamic distinctions between the two readily discernible. Fortunately, we had a racetrack at our disposal to help illustrate the improvements. The heart of the Ascari Race Resort near Ronda, Spain, is a 3.4-mile road course entailing several modest elevation changes, blind corners, and a couple of hold-your-breath, close-your-eyes high-speed curves that may or may not be taken flat-out in a Vantage S—further research is needed. It is a perfect venue for putting a luxury sports car through its paces without worrying that a herd of goats might be marching along just around the next turn (something we observed on public roads).
When the last checker was thrown, the Vantage S had established a mostly positive impression of its capabilities and limits, which are high, indeed. There’s plenty of grip, and at the limit, mild understeer is easily overcome with the throttle. A high intervention threshold for the stability control meant we could leave that safety net in place without feeling like our experience was dulled.
The speed-sensitive steering is a little quicker than that of the standard V-8 Vantage and utterly devoid of secrets—the driver’s sense of connection with the front wheels approaches race-car tactile. Although the S’s 3600-pound curb weight is less than 100 pounds lighter than the Vantage’s, its combination of tightly controlled body motions, right-now reflexes, and substantial grip make it feel almost sprightly. Powerful, fade-free brakes and supportive seats contribute greatly to driver confidence.

There’s just one asterisk. The single-clutch gearbox, chosen for packaging and weight-saving reasons, doesn’t quite measure up to the car’s other mechanical elements. Nor does it match the performance of the dual-clutch boxes found in many of the Aston’s peers. It offers two modes, sport and normal, but upshifts in the base setting are a little slow and convulsive, reminiscent of BMW’s unlamented SMG tranny. In sport, there’s more urgency, particularly when shifts are tucked close to redline, but even then the responses are a bit deliberate compared with something like the whap-whap shifting of, say, a Ferrari 458 Italia.
Fast Elegance
Like other members of the Aston Martin lineup—we’re not counting the Cygnet here—the V-8 Vantage S is handsome and beautifully crafted inside and out. The seats may not quite match the snug race-car embrace of Porsche or Ferrari’s best, but they are sufficient and comfortable. Interior leather, enhanced by handsome stitchery, seems to have been contributed by leisure-class cows, and the level of fit and finish measures up to anything in this class. The Vantage S might look traditional compared with a car like the 458 Italia, but traditional doesn’t mean the Aston is a wallflower. It still attracts attention wherever it goes, drawing admiring glances and provoking fights among valets.
Compared with other cars that have this much curb appeal, even the S model Vantage looks like something of a bargain. The standard V-8 Vantage with Sportshift starts at $126,365, and another $13,250 puts you at the threshold of the S coupe. A Vantage S roadster also is available, its $152,615 price representing the same premium over a non-S cabrio. Whether or not the S is worth its premium is a question of priorities. If all you want is performance, V-8 Vantage S money will get you into a speed-freak Porsche 911 Turbo. But if exclusivity is high on your list of priorities, the S does trump the base Vantage, and no 911—except maybe the limited-production GT2 RS—enters into Aston Martin’s realm.

Audi Quattro Concept Meets Ur-Quattro - Feature

   From Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro on down to Audi’s Quattro, German speakers for centuries have abandoned their own language for Italian to express articles of passion. Quattro means “four” in the language of  love, undoubtedly a better name for the driveline hardware that has come to define Audi’s high-tech and sporting image than the German vier, which is pronounced “fear.” Can you see the ads? “Come drive the new 5000S Fear at your Audi dealer today!”

With apologies to Bismarck, Quattro just sounds more prestissimo, especially  when it’s plastered to the sawed-off rump of a new concept two-seater intended to stoke scintillating memories of  Audi’s rally glory days. Audi unwrapped the Quattro Concept at the 2010 Paris auto show in September, and just a few months later delivered it to us tanked up and ready to run over asphalt at realistic road speeds (provided that we first swept its path clean of loose stones and dust and immediately  put the $4.6 million hand-built Fabergé egg back in its truck at the first sign of rain or temperatures below 45 degrees).
While we pondered the weather reports, as well as what long-term significance, if any,  Audi’s nostalgic glance back  would ultimately have on its future products, a particularly noteworthy time traveler from those old days also materialized. In 1983, to homologate a short-wheelbase version of  the Quattro Coupe for Group B rallying, Audi started building 224 Sport Quattros for testing, racing, and selling to wealthy civilians as road cars

The Quattro Concept's buzz-cut tail, large trapezoidal quarter-glass, and asymmetrical hood vent celebrate the style of the original Sport Quattro. The rest looks vaguely A5-ish but with a lower roof and a new glaring face.

One of these precious hen’s teeth, painted red and wearing modern Michelin Pilot Sport Cup near-slicks, makes a natural wingman for a Quattro Concept photo shoot. Our sample of Audi’s potential future was to be mingled with a full-immersion dunking into its turbocharged, mudslinging, sideways-drifting past.
These days, Audi is a lit skyrocket. The Volkswagen Group has poured cash and technical resources into its upscale brand during the past decade with the intention of moving it in line with BMW and Mercedes-Benz in the hearts of its primarily German, American, and Chinese customers. Having recently delighted in the new A8 and in selecting the aging A6 over its competitors in a comparison test [August 2010], we’d say the Ingolstadt boys are succeeding.

The plainly named Quattro Concept began as sketches two years ago but was built in just four months, says the man described as its father, Wolfgang Egger, head of Audi Group Design. Egger bristles at the suggestion that the Concept is retro, saying the idea was to “look back but also look forward” by cribbing certain unmistakable cues from the original Quattro Coupe (1980–1991), such as the chopped tail and triangular C-pillars, but experiment with a new face and more sophisticated surfaces. The guiding principles of the design, according to Audi, were that it be a compact two-seater with a curb weight less than 3000 pounds, use a downsized but high-output engine consistent with current ­powertrain trends, and, of course, feature Quattro technology.

Engineers cut 5.9 inches from the RS5’s wheelbase, losing the back seat in the process, and trimmed the propulsion hardware accordingly. They also had to adapt the engine of choice to the Concept. The turbocharged, direct-injected 2.5 TFSI five-cylinder from the European-market TT RS and RS3 was selected for its compact size, historically evocative cylinder count, and stout 340-hp output. But it had to be turned 90 degrees, from the transverse mounting of the VW Golf–based TT platform to the longitudinal orientation of  the A4/A5 platform.
Stephan Reil, head of technical development at Audi Quattro GmbH, says the job involved engineering new intake and exhaust components but not altering the block or accessories in any significant way. To reach the horsepower claim of 408, the 2.5 received a larger turbo and more aggressive cam profiles with appropriate computer mapping. The S5 donates its six-speed manual transmission and center differential, as well as its optional torque-vectoring rear differential.

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-class / C250 / C350 - First Drive Review

Is a mid-cycle refresh successful if it makes owners of the current car feel like suckers? Absolutely. When the fourth-generation C-class arrived in 2007, the dour, cheap interior made us wonder if Mercedes-Benz was serious about calling it a luxury car. For 2012, Mercedes gutted it, refinishing the C with soft, rich plastics befitting the pricier E-class. There are new gauges with higher-quality displays, the seats are more comfortable, and the switchgear looks to have been lifted from the new CLS. It’s so much nicer inside that we actually feel a little bad for customers who already bought a C-class.

Just as Fresh under the Hood

If Mercedes-Benz had stopped at the new interior, we probably still would have considered the remodel a triumph, but there are many more changes. Under the new aluminum hood, U.S. buyers will find one of two new engines, both of which will be paired with a seven-speed automatic. At the bottom of the lineup is the new C250. Available in August, the C250 will get a turbocharged 201-hp, 1.8-liter four. If you’re in a big hurry, you’ll find yourself regularly revving past 4000 rpm, but the turbo does provide a good percentage of its 229 lb-ft of torque from just 2000 rpm. Most of the time, the four is barely audible, but it emits a healthy growl when worked hard. Figure on a 0-to-60-mph time of about seven seconds flat. Fuel-economy numbers have not yet been set, but we expect to see a city number of about 23 mpg and a highway figure of about 31.

For those craving a bit more speed, the C350 has more horsepower, courtesy of a new V-6. For this engine, Mercedes adopted a 60-degree design, its ideal bank angle eliminating the need for a balance shaft. At high rpm, the V-6 feels slightly smoother than before, but not remarkably so. A high 12.2:1 compression ratio and direct fuel injection endow the V-6 with 302 hp and 273 lb-ft. Mercedes claims a 0-to-60 time of 5.9 seconds. Our brief drive of the C350 gave us enough confidence to call that guess conservative by about a half-second. The C300 sticks around, its carry-over 3.0-liter V-6 shuttling power exclusively to all four wheels. It is the only C-class available with 4MATIC.
Updated Looks and Safety Roster, Similar Pricing
To mark the inward changes, the C-class has a few exterior tweaks—basically, if it’s plastic and on the outside of the car, it’s new. New bumpers front and rear help update the C-class to the latest Mercedes-Benz styling, as do the new head- and taillights. Like before, Sport models have their grilles laid back with an inset Mercedes star; Luxury models get a more upright grille with a stand-up hood ornament. The overall effect of the changes is subtle, but it helps bring the C-class in line with the rest of Mercedes’ sedans.
For the collision-prone, the C-class is now offered with the brand’s latest safety equipment. To ensure you’re awake, there’s Attention Assist. To keep you in your lane, there’s active lane-keeping assist, which vibrates the steering wheel when the car senses it has wandered from its lane. And active blind-spot assist will tell you if a car is lurking in your blind spot.

On sale this August, the 2012 C-class should come in at the same price point as today’s car. We expect the C250 to command $34,500—basically what a rear-drive C300 costs now—and the C350 should open at $41,000. The all-wheel-drive C300 4MATIC is expected to arrive in showrooms at the end of 2011. With this latest C-class, Mercedes has addressed the small sedan’s major interior deficiencies and added a couple of compelling engine choices. If Mercedes can hold the line on pricing, expect to see a lot of disappointed owners of pre-face-lift C-classes—making this a very successful refresh.