Rumormill: Audi RS5 to get 4.2-liter V8 from RS4
The crew at Audi’s quattro GmbH division remains hard at work. Now that the TT-RS is out in the open, the next assignment is the RS5. Given that the recently-introduced S4 features Audi’s new, supercharged 3.0-liter V6, it might have been expected that the RS5 would get a higher output version of that engine. Another option might have been the 5.2-liter V10 that does service in the S6 and S8. Instead, it appears that a revised version of the 4.2-liter V8 from the last-generation RS4 will find its way into the coupe. In RS5 trim, the V8 is expected to crank out 450 hp with a choice of 6-speed manual or 7-speed S-Tronic gearboxes. In true Audi form, all the wheels will get driven all the time.

If the RS5 does indeed come to the party with a 450 hp V8 it may truly be a sign that the German horsepower wars are winding down. With CO2 limits coming to the EU, it was bound to happen sooner or later.

[Source: Automobile]

New York: And the World Green Car of the Year is…
At the New York Auto Show this morning, the organizers of the World Car of the Year competition honored four cars that garnered the most votes in their respective categories from an international jury of journalists. While other categories were open to all newly introduced cars, the Green Car of the Year started with a list of 22 significant cars that had been produced in volumes of at least 10 and were in the hands of customers or test fleets. A team of three international experts in the field representing North America, Europe and Asia (including yours truly) examined the list and narrowed it down to five finalists. Among those, the top three vote-getters from the overall jury were the Honda FCX Clarity, Toyota iQ and Mitsubishi iMiEV, with the fuel cell-powered Clarity taking the top prize.

Mitsubishi made it official, the Outlander GT Protoype revealed at the New York Auto Show will go into production with these changes: a higher ride height to match the typical Outlander, more power for the V6, but you’ll lose the vented discs and Brembos. The polished aluminum roof on this GT is a beautiful addition, but only for the show, and that’s a shame. You will be rewarded with the upgraded interior, which also stays for production. Price for the more powerful V6 model with S-AWC is expected to be about $30,000, nicely equipped. And yes, you can expect the new Lancer nose to make its way throughout the rest of the Outlander line.

Yesterday, Subaru unveiled its new Legacy sedan, a vehicle that is pivotal not just in its own right, but because it also forms the basis for the softroader stiltswagon seen here. It only makes sense that Subaru chose to unveil its new Outback here this morning, as the very first model debuted here in the Big Apple some 15 years ago.

Predictably, the all-wheel drive Outback’s running gear remains pure Legacy, and as such, it has grown similarly. Interior volume is up eight percent thanks in part to a 2.8-inch longer wheelbase (which also adds nearly four inches of rear legroom) and a two-inch wider footprint. Despite these gains, Subie officials claim the 2010 model is actually shorter overall. It also rides a bit higher, with ground clearnce swelling to 8.7 inches. Not only is this growth part of a strategy to combat upsized family sedans from Toyota, Honda, Chevrolet and Mazda, the move also allows the Outback to distance itself from popular Forester that also got biggie-sized with its last redesign.

The new model will be available in the buyer’s choice of a 2.5-liter, normally aspirated flat-four giving 170 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque (backed by one of two new transmissions: a six-speed manual or Subie’s “Lineartronic” CVT) or a 3.6-liter flat-six (256 hp and 247 pound-feet) paired to a conventional five-speed automatic. Regardless of which engine is specified, the fuel tank grows to 18.5 gallons (from 16.9), and regular fuel is all that’s required.

Sometimes the words fail us. Here in the press room at the New York Auto Show, though, people had all sorts of things to say about the Counter Balance, um, truck … thing … concept … vehicle. The best of the bunch: “That’s what happened when a Carbon Motors police car had a night of illicit sex with the Batmobile.” However you want to describe it, the Counter Balance demands your attention. So, now that we’re all looking… what is this thing, exactly?

The designer, who runs Barkan Designs, says the Counter Balance is a compact pickup truck (seriously). Where most engineers would put a pickup’s engine (i.e., in front), the Counter Balance has empty space and there is an five-foot bed in back (it can extend an additional two feet, too). The engine sits low in the middle of the vehicle, which necessitates that the rear seats be bumped stadium style, which explains the awkward secondary window hump.

According to the company’s press literature, the Counter Balance is also “light, efficient and environmentally friendly,” mostly because you could theoretically burn biofuels or CNG to move down the road and because, as the designer says, the vehicle “keeps its dimensions as compact as possible.” Compact dimensions apparently don’t apply to height in Judge Dreddland, however…

Following the introduction of its all-new Forte compact sedan at the Chicago Auto Show in February, Kia unveiled the 2-door variant here at the New York Auto Show today. The car takes not only the name, but also plenty of styling cues from the KOUP Concept that make it distinctively different from its sedan brother. Up front the Koup receives a more aggressive design, featuring a bespoke front end with a larger lower intake and more vertical side intakes. At the rear are wider and thinner taillights with a larger rear fascia and dual exhaust tips.

Powertrains are identical to the sedan; the base EX model gets Kia’s 2.0-liter inline-4 producing 156 horsepower and 144 lb-ft torque while the SX features a 2.4-liter four-banger with 173 horsepower and 168 lb-ft torque. Transmission options are a standard 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic on the EX, and a 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic on the SX. Inside the Forte Koup features standard sport seats, power windows, power door locks, remote keyless entry and cruise control, and a leather package is an option on both models.

The road to production for the Mercedes-Benz ML450 hybrid hasn’t always been smooth, but now that the Germans have shown off the new SUV here at the New York Auto Show (following its early debut at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show), they’ll be happy to tell you just how amazing and luxurious this SULEV people-hauler is.

The numbers start with a respectable 21 city/24 highway mpg rating. With a 3.5-liter V6 Atkinson cycle engine and a 288V NM battery pack, the ML450 hybrid can go 1.8 miles and up to 34 mph on battery power alone (take that, Toyota Prius!). The hybrid powertrain altogether has a combined output of 335 horsepower, so providing adequate power to move the giant SUV was clearly just as large a priority as fuel economy. The ML450 hybrid features Mercedes’ first application of the Two-Mode hybrid powertrain it co-developed with General Motors and Chrysler - similar applications also appear in the Chevrolet Tahoe Two-Mode Hybrid, Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen Hybrids.

Here in New York, Volkswagen CEO Stefan Jacoby said the company might be shaking things “Up” again in the States. The on-again, off-again status of the Up! mini-car on these shores is apparently about to go on – again. While the Up! (likely to reintroduce the Lupo nameplate) won’t see production until 2012 at the earliest, Jacoby is hinting that it could be on sale here when it debuts: “Up! could be in the future of the market here. In urban areas like New York, a car like Up! has a good chance.”

Jacoby, among others, thinks that fuel efficiency will remain a big draw into the future, so cars like the Up! make a lot of sense for VW, returning an anticipated 50 mpg. And that’s just in conventional internal-combustion engine configuration. Throw in some of VW’s alternative-fuel technology, and that number could go up significantly. “We are looking at second-generation biofuels, electric cars, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and nanotechnology,” Jacoby said. That doesn’t mean VW thinks the end of the ICE is nigh. When the U.S. market starts to rebound at the end of 2009, Jacoby anticipates a total market of 13 million to 14 million vehicles, the vast majority ICEs.

We’ve already speculated that the Up! will be produced in India, and that we’ll most likely get the roomier Space Up! microvan model rather than the smaller three-door hatch version. We’re also hearing that the original Beetle-like rear-engine, rear-drive configuration will be swapped to front/front for production. Engine options are said to range from a 600cc turbo to a 1.2-liter three-cylinder, in gas and diesel forms. Mileage could be as high as 80 miles-per-gallon. If it has any of the driving dynamics that Volkswagen is known for, we can see this being a worthy rival for the Honda Fit and Fiat 500 in the fun little econo car class.

New York 2009: Hyundai Nuvis concept hints at next-gen CUVs
The first hint of what we can expect from the next generation Tucson and Santa Fe crossovers was revealed today at the New York Auto Show as the Hyundai Nuvis concept. The sweeping creases echo and expand upon Hyunadi’s design direction that could be seen on the Genesis coupe and sedan and the Korean market Equus that stood on display nearby. Like so many other concepts at the show this year, this one featured doors that will almost certainly not be duplicated in production, extra-long gull-wings in this case.

The interior is designed for exactly four occupants instead of going for the maximum possible seating with three rows. Nuvis designers have dispensed with all the usual switch gear in favor of a river of information flowing throughout the concept’s interior, all of which is accessible through touch-sensitive surfaces. All of the interior fabrics are also made from 100% recycled materials.

Under the skin, the Nuvis is spec’d out with the same Hyundai-developed BlueHybrid drivetrain that was shown at the LA Auto Show last November. The hybrid system uses lithium polymer batteries, which give designers more flexibility in packaging compared to more typical lithium ion batteries. The production version of this hybrid system debuts next year in the next-generation Sonata, while the design elements of this concept will likely appear on the new Tucson later this year.

The Continental Supersports has been priced, with Bentley having decided that $267,000 is fair compensation for exclusive access to green, luxurious speed. The ethanol-capable Conti is not only a sign of Bentley technology to come, it also provides the first clues to the next generation Continental, which we were told “isn’t far off.” Orders can be placed beginning in October, though the first couple hundred units earmarked for the U.S. will be gas-only, with the full on flex-fuel model arriving Stateside summer of 2010.

The total price includes ceramic brakes but not destination and gas guzzler tax, which will take you up to about $275,000. After that, the only limit is your Cayman Islands balance.

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