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Monday, April 28, 2008 28.4.08

Future: Aston Martin Rapide Concept

Ulrich Bez has thrown down the gauntlet to his former employer Porsche with this gorgeous four door concept, the Aston Martin Rapide. The rakish Rapide takes aim at Porsche's planned front engine, V-8-powered Panamera four-door, due 2009. Because it's based on the versatile VH architecture that underpins the current DB9 and Vantage, it could beat its Stuttgart rival into production by at least a year.

Aston Martin is no stranger to four-door cars, having unveiled its first in 1927 and worked on an experimental four-door, the Atom, in the 1940s. Just over 630 of the striking, William Towns-designed Lagonda four-doors were built by Aston between 1978 and 1989, and the company later built a number of special bodied four-door V-8 and Virage models for wealthy customers such as the Sultan of Brunei.

My, You're Fast
6.0-liter V-12 from the DB9 has been uprated to 480 horses; brakes are carbon.


Hello, Gorgeous
Although obviously based on the svelte DB9, the Rapide's shapely silhouette is the work of new Aston design director Marek Reichmann, who started working on sketches of the car last summer. The Rapide is nearly a foot longer than the DB9, but just 1.6 inches taller and 308 pounds heavier.
Smart, Too
Bluetooth technology allows rear passengers to use sat nav.

A Bit Showy
The champagne, glasses, and chess set are pure concept-car show biz. But the wide-opening hatchback allows room for up to three golf bags or four sets of skis. "If there's a space, then you should also offer accessibility, otherwise you're not being honest," says Dr. Bez.
But A Great Personality
Polycarbonate roof ensures low-slung interior feels light and airy. All four doors feature Aston's trademark "swan wing" articulation, opening upwards at an angle of 12 degrees to clear high curbs. Bez insisted the Rapide kept the elegant proportions of the coupes: "If we couldn't have achieved that, we wouldn't have made the car."

28.4.08

Audi Cross Cabriolet quattro concept hints at 2009 Q5


By Todd Lassa

Think that Audi can tackle the BMW X3 with a convertible? Nah, Audi doesn't either. But its Los Angeles show concept, the Cross Cabriolet, looks to be a hint at the five-door 2009 Q5.

Like this concept, the Q5 will ride on the A4/S5's longitudinal-engine, "transmission-forward" platform. Concept engine is a 240-horsepower, 369 pound-foot longitudinally mounted six-cylinder turbodiesel with an ultra-low emission system that Audi says will meet the European Union's 2014 standards. U.S.-spec Q5s will probably launch with the 3.2-liter V-6. The Cross Cab is shown with a full-time quattro system and electronic ride adjustment.

At 181.2 inches long and 75.2 inches wide, it's about the size of the A5/S5 coupe, so if you imagine it lowered by a good ten inches, you're also looking at a vague hint of the 2010 A5/S5 convertible. Overall height of the concept is 64.2 inches, on the low side of small crossover ride heights. Gee-whiz features include Google Earth software for the navigation system, which has a high-resolution display and 3-dimensional maps. It comes with an internet connection so that drivers can tune in on traffic, weather and air-quality information.

With the '09 Q5 and the smaller Q3, previewed by the Cross Coupe quattro at the Shanghai show earlier this year, Audi plans to triple its crossover SUV lineup within a few short years.

28.4.08

2009 Porsche Boxster RS 60 Spyder


Rightfully praised for its nimble, capable handling by virtue of the mid-mounted position of its flat-six heart, the Porsche Boxster RS 60 Spyder bumps output to a full 303 horsepower (eight more than the standard Boxster S) by optimizing the sports exhaust system for every last pony. Spacers push the 19-inch SportDesign wheels to the edges of their wells, while Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) is fitted as standard.

More on the 2009 Porsche Boxster RS 60 Spyder:
Porsche Boxster RS 60 Spyder: Porsche pays homage to its past, again



28.4.08

Buick Riviera Concept


The Riviera was designed in China by the Shanghai-based Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center, a joint venture between GM and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation. It was designed to accommodate a new hybrid system that goes on sale in some Chinese-market Buicks shortly before the Beijing Olympics this summer. However, the Espilon platform-based car's primary purpose is to serve as showcase for Buick's new design direction, elements which, such as the "waterfall" grille can already been seen in the Enclave crossover.

The Riviera was received well in China and GM is undoubtedly eager to see what North America thinks and a production model is not out of the realm of possibility. Expect much of the Riviera (and Enclave) in the next-generation LaCrosse and Lucerne as GM tries to build on the popularity of the Enclave and revitalize the brand.

More on the Buick Riviera Concept:

Made in China: Buick Riviera concept coming to Detroit

2007 Shanghai Auto Show: Buick Riviera Concept Gallery

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