Showing posts with label 2012. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2012. Show all posts

2/20/12

2012 Aston Martin Vantage V8




Aston Martin is really trying to tell us is that it has upgraded the base Vantage V8 with many of the improvements first seen on the Vantage S.

While the standard six-speed manual transmission remains, the optional six-speed Sportshift automated manual transmission has replaced with the seven-speed Sportshift II.

In addition, the base V8 model gains the Vantage S' quicker steering with a ratio of 15:1 compared to 17:1, bigger brakes with 380mm two-piece ventilated cast-iron front discs and six piston calipers, and 10mm wider tires.

On the outside, the 2012 Vantage V8 inherits a number of styling changes from the Vantage S and N400 limited edition, which include a new lower front bumper piece with a splitter, more sculpted side sills and and a rear diffuser.

The base Vantage's 4.7-liter V8 engine that produces an output of 420bhp (426PS/313kW) remains intact.

The technical and styling changes have been applied to both the V8 Vantage Coupe and Roadster models, with prices starting from £84,995 in the UK and from €108,500 in Germany.

Production of the other Vantage models, which include the Vantage S featuring a 430bhp version of the 4.7-liter V8 along with a bespoke sports exhaust system and a carbon fiber aero package, and the 510bhp Vantage V12 continue unchanged for 2012.

We'll remind you that Aston recently also launched the V12 Zagato , which assumes the role of flagship model of the series and will be produced in a strictly limited run of 150 units.









2/11/12

1/26/12

12/27/11

New Audi A3 and R8 e-tron for 2012







The German premium automaker announced today a new plan to invest €13 billion, mainly in new products and technologies and in expanding its sites by 2016, while the company will also recruit some 1,200 specialists in 2012 in addition to 3,500 new employees it hired throughout 2011.


“We are aiming to achieve strong growth on an international scale and boost our lightweight construction and electric mobility areas of expertise in particular," said Thomas Sigi, Member of the Board of Management for Human Resources at AUDI AG. "That is why we will be hiring even more people and are planning to appoint a further 1,200 experts next year.”

Audi said that in order to cover its needs for skilled employees over the next few years, the brand and the employees’ elected representatives agreed to offer permanent employment contracts to trainees, students from vocational training academies and participants of the StEP program (Study and Experience in Practice) once they complete their courses.

The carmaker's planned investment of €13 billion (US$17 billion) from 2012 through 2016 is the biggest investment program in Audi's history.

“To maintain our profitable growth, we will step up investment spending on new products,” said Axel Strotbek, Member of the Board of Management for Finance and Organization at Audi AG. “The Audi Group plans to invest over € 2 billion annually in new products and technologies.”

Audi said that more than €10.5 billion (US$13.7 billion) would be spent on the development of new models and on technologies of the future such as electric or hybrid drive.

The company also confirmed three new production models for 2012, including the A8 hybrid that employs a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine, the next generation of A3, the 2013 A6 allroad quattro as well as the pure-electric R8 e-tron that will be built in a small series.