The lack of high-performance-sports-car plans is glaring at Audi, but Car and Driver has learned that an EV replacement for the R8 is in the works.Don’t get too anxious, though: the launch date for this new model, currently called the Rnext, has been pushed back to 2029. Whether Audi will design its own platform or use a Porsche matrix is still unclear, but if Ingolstadt can have things its way, Lamborghini and Bentley are likely to get bespoke spinoffs.Imagine Audi competing in Formula 1 in 2026 without a high-performance sports car in its portfolio to reap the motorsports rub-off. How silly would that be? And yet, at the moment, the brand’s future road map has no successor to the TT, no replacement for the R8, or in fact any other ultrafast, high-visibility, big-margin, image-building product.While elsewhere in the Volkswagen Group, Lamborghini has the next Aventador and Huracán pretty much cast in stone, Rimac is preparing a follow-up to the Bugatti Chiron fitted with an awesome 1800-hp hybrid V-8, and Porsche is seriously contemplating an electric supercar and hypercar, Audi’s think tank harbors plenty of great ideas but not enough hard plans.To date, the duel between Markus Duesmann (wearing the four-rings livery as Audi chairman) and Oliver Blume (with Porsche embossed in his armor as the brand’s CEO) has ended in a dead heat, but now that Blume has stepped into the hot seat recently vacated by Herbert Diess, the young CEO is calling the shots. Will he let the Audi CTO Oliver Hoffmann develop his own bespoke sports-car architecture as planned? Or is he going to urge the group’s Bavarian satellite to use the SSP6 componentry being compiled exclusively for Porsche? “A decision won’t be made before next spring,” claims one insider. “Blume will keep the brands on a long leash to stimulate creativity and differentiation,” believes another. “In the end, the bottom line is all that matters,” quips a third.Let’s assume for a moment that Audi has free rein and can push ahead with AU634/0, which is the code name for Rnext. While the car at this point does not share a single item with the Huracán replacement, the high-voltage effort is destined to spawn a Lamborghini model late in the decade and a Bentley offspring in the early 2030s. There is still a long way to go, but that’s the plan. We expect three body styles to make it into production: a two-seat coupe and spyder as well as a roomier 2+2, the latter perhaps as a shooting brake. Porsche Batteries, Slim PackagingModularity and scalability are key to keeping the costs down, which is why all models allegedly will use Porsche-sourced high-performance batteries. Will the construction be aluminum or carbon fiber? Perhaps a bit of both, with a synthetic weave for the tub and lightweight metal for the suspension. A cell-to-chassis concept, where the battery pack is a stressed component, promises even fewer calories, slimmer packaging, and extra rigidity.What we have so far is yet another electric supercar to be positioned in the $250,000-to-$300,000 range that may be eaten for breakfast by the less pricey Tesla Roadster, if that ever comes. In all likelihood, not even breathtaking design, extraordinary efficiency, and superb quality will make the Rnext a sure-fire success guaranteed to eclipse the competition. True, admits Audi’s Hoffmann. What defines the difference between greatness and mere competence is how such a car drives. No, we’re not talking 1000 watts of power here, because 1000 horsepower can already be taken for granted when the next RS6 e-tron bows. Instead, the vehicle dynamics specialists are waxing lyrical about their breakthrough neuronal Quattro system that shares its massive brain power with the steering, brakes, and suspension for, to quote Hoffmann, “total control and absolute excitement.”Branding Is EverythingThat’s the good news. The bad news is that AU634/0 is conspicuous by its absence from the latest cycle plan, which does show the next-gen e-tron GT with a Porsche SSP6 platform moniker and a 2029 release date. We asked around and were told that the Rnext will appear in the not yet finalized Planning Round 72 in early 2023. So, at this point, it seems anything is possible. Porsche still could allow Audi to use the Cayman/Boxster platform for a 2027 TT replacement. And it could design the dramatically different electric future 911, code-named PO998, around a component set flexible enough to also accommodate the Rnext. Porsche could, but we wouldn’t bet on it. Brand identity is key when a premium nameplate trades on the stock exchange. And let’s face it: After three years of fierce good cop/bad cop rivalry, isn’t it about time for the new King of Wolfsburg to show some leniency and tolerance towards the Duke of Ingolstadt?This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Porsche released a lighthearted video today in honor of Valentine’s Day, but really as a way to show the automaker’s love for the V-8 engine.Porsche introduced a V-8 in the 928 in 1977. Back then, the engine produced 240 horsepower. The V-8 in the 2021 Panamera Turbo spits out up to 620 hp.It may be Valentine’s Day, but apparently Porsche is not expressing its feelings for all-electric powertrains or V-6s. Nope, today Porsche is in love with V-8 engines. And to prove it, the company has released a short video gushing over its own special history with V-8 engines. Just wait until Porsche learns that the V-8 doesn’t have any monogamous feelings toward Porsche.
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The video explains how Porsche has been using V-8 engines for 45 years, starting with the 928 in 1977. “Eight cylinders, 90 degrees from one another in the form of a V,” the video says. “It was love at first sight.” The video then runs through a bit of Porsche V-8 history, from the Cayenne to the Panamera to racing on the Nürburgring to that time the V-8 went to college and experimented with electric power in the 918 Spyder. That vehicle “made us fall in love all over again,” the narrator says. “Now, on to a new challenge and a new era combining ideas old and new as our hybrid V-8s take to the track.”

Porsche has expressed its love for the V-8 before, like five years ago for the 40th anniversary. Then, the company explained how this first V-8, part of the 4.5-liter lightweight alloy engine in the 928, was not the first Porsche to use eight cylinders, but it was the first to arrange the cylinders in a new shape. A heart-like V, of course. Porsche said that engine had a “conspicuously low compression ratio of 8.5:1” and could use 91-octane gasoline.Porsche’s original V-8 engine produced 240 horsepower at 5500 rpm, while the second version—found in the 928S in 1979—displaced 4.7 liters and produced 300 hp. Things have come a little way since then. The V-8 in the 2021 Panamera Turbo S produces a maximum of 620 horsepower.Someday, Porsche may be over the V-8. But not today.

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Renault revealed another version of the 4Ever Trophy concept, this time in Île-de-France Blue paint, a nod to the original Renault 4.The concept was first revealed at the Paris auto show last year, but that one wore silver paint.The newest concept will take the stage at the 2023 French Open, which begins later this month.Renault first revealed the 4Ever Trophy concept at the Paris auto show last year, as both an homage to the original Renault 4 and as a look into the upcoming relaunch of the vehicle. The company just revealed an updated version of the concept, this time finished in Ile-de-France Blue paint, complete with neon accents. RenaultAccording to Renault, the livery of the new concept is meant to represent the “iconic tennis balls of the French Open,” which is exactly where the company plans to debut the car. That seems a bit of a stretch, but either way, we love the look of the concept. The electric crossover sits on a set of all-terrain tires, with rugged panels running along the bottom half of the car while a spare is strapped down to a roof rack. Off-roading accessories like traction boards and a shovel are strapped to the rear windshield to help in the event that the little 4 gets itself stuck off-roading. Passé ComposéThe Île-de-France Blue of the new version is inspired by the launch color for the original Renault 4L, back when it launched in 1962. It’s been over 30 years since the original car left production, and now Renault is planning to bring it back in the form of an small EV crossover.RenaultAccording to a report from Top Gear magazine, Renault’s chief of advanced and concept design Sandeep Bhambra says the concept is “very close” to the production version. Of course, we won’t get the updated 4 in North America, but that won’t stop us from fawning over the images. Despite carrying a lower number designation, the new 4 is said to be sized and priced above the 5, which will be much closer to the original city-going 4. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Associate News EditorJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More

The 2022 Chevy Colorado is adding a Trail Boss off-road package.It includes a lifted suspension, skid plates, different wheels, and a few other tweaks.The dealer-installed package is available for $2995 on LT models and $2895 on Z71 models.Like its big sibling the Silverado, the Chevy Colorado pickup will offer a Trail Boss off-road package starting for the 2022 model year. The dealer-installed extra will be offered for $2995 on LT models and $2895 on Z71 models, and it includes a suspension lift, different wheels, skid plates, and a few visual modifications—similar to the AT4 trim level already offered for its mechanical twin, the GMC Canyon.

The suspension lift raises the truck 1.0-inch, and the package also includes the removal of the front air dam and the addition of skid plates for the front and middle of the underbody. Other add-ons include red tow hooks, black badges, and 17-inch black wheels taken from the full-blown ZR2 off-road model.

Chevrolet

The 2022 Colorado is otherwise unchanged and continues to offer three engine choices: a 2.5-liter inline-four, a 3.6-liter V-6, and a turbodiesel 2.8-liter inline-four. Elsewhere in the Chevy truck lineup, the Silverado is scheduled to receive an update for 2022, and the full-size pickup will add an off-road ZR2 version of its own.
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Acura has announced that its first electric vehicle will be named ZDX.It’s a joint venture with General Motors and powered by Ultium batteries.The Acura ZDX features styling cues from the Precision EV concept.Acura is on a revival kick as of late, resurrecting the cherished Integra title for its compact sedan after a 20-year hiatus. Now Acura is at it again as it dusts off an unlikely nameplate for its first electric model: the ZDX. Built from 2010 to 2013, the original ZDX was a delightful, impractical oddball that struggled to find an audience. While it rode on an SUV chassis, its cargo space was extremely compromised by its swoopy fastback proportions.

Cognizant of this legacy, Acura stressed that this new ZDX would provide versatility and utility that’s more in line with the current Acura RDX and MDX SUVs. Though no photos yet exist of the ZDX, its styling and proportions will borrow heavily from the Precision EV concept, an MDX-sized vehicle that features a spacious, upright greenhouse. The ZDX rides on a platform developed in conjunction with General Motors and powered by GM’s Ultium battery packs. This scalable EV platform offers multiple motor and battery configurations, and provides a range of up to 450 miles. Acura hasn’t provided any additional technical details, but we predict the launch edition Type S variant will feature a dual-motor AWD setup and larger battery, with FWD base models to follow. It’s highly unlikely that Acura will offer a RWD version. Acura says that the ZDX will arrive in calendar-year 2024. More