2017 Audi Q5 - Interior exterior design and vehicle features

2017 Audi Q5 - Interior exterior design and vehicle features

videos   1/15/2017 12:46:00 PM

2017 Model Audi Q5 Information on interior exterior design introductory videos and detailed vehicle features. The new Audi Q5 improves an already competent package with sharper looks and new tech but can it beat the Jaguar F-Pace?

Verdict (4 Star)

The new Q5 is strong enough in lots of key areas to be an even stronger contender in the hotly contested premium SUV class. It’s still not as involving as an X3 or an F-Pace, but it is an accomplished cruiser with a nicely finished cabin, and practical enough for most needs. We’ll hold off on a full five stars until we get full specs, including the crucial CO2 figures - but this is a very complete package, if a slightly predictable one.



The Audi Q5 has been one of the German brand’s best-selling models since it launched back in 2008. Now it’s getting an all-new generation - and Auto Express has driven a very late prototype as senior engineers gave the car the green light for production.



Due on sale at the start of 2017, with deliveries due from April, the new Q5 sits on a shortened version of the MLB Evo platform that underpins the latest Q7, and gets many of the same benefits. Chief among these is a loss of around 90kg compared with the car it replaces, helping engineers to deliver improved fuel efficiency and lower CO2 figures



This is all the more impressive given that the Q5 grows for its new generation; it’s now 4.66m long, 1.89m wide and 1.66m tall, so longer and a little taller than the car it replaces. Most significantly of all, its wheelbase grows by almost 20mm, to 2.82m; this is designed to bring real benefits in cabin space, particularly for rear-seat passengers.

The boot also grows, though; the rear seats can move fore and aft, and the angle of the seat backs can be changed, to prioritise load space or rear legroom, but the capacity ranges from 550 litres to 610 litres - a gain of around 10 litres over the old model. Fold the split rear seats down and this space grows to 1,550 litres. As with Mercedes’ GLC, a powered tailgate comes as standard across the range; Audi will also offer the ability to open the boot by waving a foot below the rear bumper, albeit as an option.



Inside, the fascia has the latest Audi family look. The centre of the dashboard is dominated by a ’floating’ infotainment display, controlled as usual by Audi’s MMI dial between the front seats. The optional top spec system increases the screen size to 8.3 inches and incorporates a touchpad into the rotary button to allow handwriting gestures.

Audi’s Virtual Cockpit is also offered; it replaces the instrument display with a single 12.3-inch screen, and as usual, the driver can flick between a regular layout - with large dials for speed and revs - and one that shrinks those elements to prioritise the navigation map instead.

Three engines will eventually be offered on the Q5 in the UK - though only two will be available at launch. The mainstay of the range will be a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine producing 188bhp and 400Nm of torque.
Read More http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/audi/q5/

2018 Kia Stinger interior and exterior design promotional video

2018 Kia Stinger interior and exterior design promotional video

videos   1/09/2017 12:16:00 PM

2018 Kia Stinger - interior Exterior and Drive (Great Sedan) Detailed information about interior and exterior design introductory videos and vehicle features

2018 Kia Stinger: A RWD Sports Sedan Aimed Straight for the Germans
Up to 365 horsepower, rear-wheel drive.

We can’t say that we weren’t forewarned. Kia has been dropping broad hints about its plan to produce a rear-wheel-drive sedan for years. The original GT concept was shown at the Frankfurt auto show as long ago as 2011, with the Stinger GT4 building on it at the 2014 Detroit show. Now the wait is finally over as the company has unveiled the production version of its forthcoming sports sedan, which adopts the Stinger name.

Don’t confuse it with the K900. The Stinger is a much sleeker and sportier proposition than its staid big sister, and it has a low, coupelike roofline. Power will come from two engines, with the range-topping 365-hp turbo 3.3-liter V-6 making that version the most powerful roadgoing Kia yet; a 255-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder will serve as the entry-level engine. The Stinger gets an eight-speed automatic transmission, with buyers able to choose between rear- and all-wheel drive. Kia says it is targeting a 5.1-second zero-to-62-mph time and a 167-mph top speed for the 3.3-liter. There also will be a diesel version for Europe, but there are no plans to bring it to the States.

The design certainly is aggressive; it is the work of Kia’s European design studio in Frankfurt. Up front, there’s the brand’s familiar “tiger nose” grille, but behind that, the low stance and muscular proportions effectively distinguish the Stinger from anything else the company has produced. Buyers will be able to have fun by getting their buddies to guess the brand of their new car when seen in profile. There’s something distinctly Alfa Romeo–ish about the rear end’s small, high-mounted taillights as well as the quad tailpipes on the V-6 GT model. LED lighting is standard front and rear.

Although it’s being pitched as a rival to existing compact sports sedans, the Stinger is bigger than any of the cars Kia cites as competitors. At 190.2 inches in length, it’s 4.1 inches longer than the Audi A4 and 5.7 inches longer than the Mercedes-Benz C-class, while the Stinger’s 114.4-inch wheelbase is also longer than any of its rivals. The Kia’s roofline is lower, though, and its overall height of just 55.1 inches makes it 0.2 inch shorter than a C-class coupe. Kia says that the Stinger is a coupe-sedan, which ties into design boss Peter Schreyer’s assertion that he sees the conventional two-door coupe as being of such little interest to buyers that the company probably will never build one. Inside, the conservatively styled if smart-looking cabin features an 8.0-inch central touchscreen and a TFT information screen sitting between the instruments. The company also claims class-leading rear legroom thanks to that long wheelbase.

The twin-turbocharged V-6 is Hyundai’s direct-injected aluminum Lambda II unit and is basically the same engine found in the Genesis G90, generating its peak 365 ponies at 6000 rpm and accompanying that with 376 lb-ft of torque that’s available from 1300 rpm. The 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder is effectively a longitudinal version of the unit Hyundai and Kia use in their front-wheel-drive-based vehicles, but it’s also related to the engine fitted in the first-gen Hyundai Genesis coupe. The peak of 255 horsepower arrives at 6200 rpm, with 260 lb-ft of torque spread across a plateau from 1400 to 4000 rpm. The only transmission is a development of the K900’s automatic and uses a tuned-mass damper on the flywheel to help reduce torsional vibration through the drivetrain. The optional all-wheel-drive system features torque vectoring, while the rear-drive version has a standard limited-slip differential.

The Stinger is constructed from mostly conventional materials, with Kia saying the chassis uses 55 percent high-strength steel. We haven’t been given any weight numbers yet, but we’re promised that they will be competitive. There is a strut suspension setup at the front and a multilink setup at the rear. The four-cylinder car sits on 18-inch wheels as standard; the V-6–powered GT gets 19s as well as upgraded Brembo brakes, including four-piston front calipers and vented discs all around. Adaptive dampers will be offered—a first for Kia—and they’ll be selectable alongside other driving functions through five dynamic settings: Eco, Sport, Comfort, Smart, and Personal.

Much of the chassis development was carried out in Europe, led by Hyundai-Kia’s chief handling engineer, Albert Biermann, who formerly headed BMW’s M division. We’re told that the car has been extensively tested at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Biermann previously told us that we should see it as a genuine rival to performance derivatives of the German compacts, a promise we look forward to testing as soon as possible.

2017 Volkswagen ATLAS Interior design detailed

2017 Volkswagen ATLAS Interior design detailed

volkswagen cars   12/29/2016 01:16:00 PM

2017 Volkswagen ATLAS Interior design detailed promotional videos and vehicle features exterior design, information about engine features and car pictures

2018 VW Atlas Largest Volkswagen ever assembled in America Five trim levels, priced for the heart of the competitive SUV market Available interior features include innovative Volkswagen Digital Cockpit instrumentation Two engine options: four-cylinder TSI® turbo or the available powerful VR6®, both with eightspeed automatic transmission Seating for two adults in the third row, with innovative access system Based on the award-winning Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB) architecture Optional 4Motion® all-wheel-drive system on VR6 models or standard front-wheel-drive



The 2018 Volkswagen Atlas, unveiled tonight on the Santa Monica Pier at the end of historic Route 66, launches a new chapter in the company’s American history. Built in Tennessee, the seven-passenger Atlas offers class-competitive levels of technology and spaciousness combined with hallmark Volkswagen driving dynamics and attention to detail, all at a price designed to draw customers’ attention in the family SUV segment.

“This is the biggest and boldest Volkswagen we have ever built in the United States, delivering the distinctive design and craftsmanship we’re known for, now with room for seven, ” said Hinrich J. Woebcken, CEO of the North America Region, Volkswagen. “The Atlas marks a brand new journey for Volkswagen to enter into the heart of the American market.”



Engineered from Volkswagen’s award-winning Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB) architecture, the Atlas draws on the latest Volkswagen design DNA to create a bold new look in the SUV segment. At 198.3 inches long, 77.9 inches wide, and 69.6 inches high, Atlas is larger than any other Volkswagen on sale in the U.S., yet it retains classic proportions and clean lines that create a sense of timelessness and precision. Up front, standard LED headlights and LED Daytime Running Lights combine for a unique visual signature, with optional LED taillights to complete the look.



Inside, the Atlas makes maximum use of its dimensions to offer space for seven adults and their luggage. The third-row can be easily reached by an innovative folding seat solution, one that works even with child seats installed in the second row. Simple, driver-centric displays enhance the feeling behind the wheel rather than distracting from it; while the available Volkswagen Digital Cockpit allows drivers to reconfigure how they view vehicle information.



The available Volkswagen Car-Net® system provides a full suite of connected vehicle services, including standard App-Connect technology that offers integration with the three major smartphone platforms—Apple CarPlay™, Android Auto™ and MirrorLink®. The vehicle also features an available Fender® Premium Audio System that is the most sophisticated yet seen in a Volkswagen, with 12 channels, a 480-watt amplifier and 12 speakers.



The Atlas offers available driver assistance features that had been previously been reserved for premium SUVs, at an affordable level. These include: Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC); Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking (Front Assist); Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Traffic Alert; Lane Departure Warning (Lane Assist), which actively helps the driver steer the car back into its lane; and Parking Steering Assistant (Park Assist).



Also, the Atlas is the only vehicle in its class to offer the Automatic Post-Collision Braking System. This builds on the premise that a collision is rarely a single, instantaneous action, but rather a series of events that follow the initial impact—the most significant of which can cause additional collisions. The Automatic Post-Collision Braking System addresses this by applying the brakes when a primary collision is detected by the airbag sensors, thus helping reduce residual kinetic energy and, in turn, the chance of additional damage.



The Atlas arrives with a choice of two powertrains: the 2.0-liter turbocharged and direct-injection TSI® four cylinder with 238 horsepower or the available 3.6-liter VR6 engine with 280 horsepower. Either engine routes power through an eight-speed transmission to help maximize engine efficiency, and the Atlas can be configured either as front-wheel-drive or with available 4Motion all-wheel-drive in VR6 trims. The 4Motion system has a Driving Mode Selection feature that allows the driver to select specific parameters based on driving conditions. EPA fuel economy estimates will be released ahead of the launch in the Spring of 2017.



The Atlas is built alongside the Passat at the Volkswagen Chattanooga assembly plant, the result of an additional $900 million investment by Volkswagen in the facility. The Chattanooga plant is the only automotive manufacturing facility in the world to receive Platinum certification by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) program.

2018 Mercedes AMG GT-R 585 hp Interior exterior design and Vehicle features

2018 Mercedes AMG GT-R 585 hp Interior exterior design and Vehicle features

videos   12/29/2016 06:02:00 AM

2018 Mercedes AMG GT-R 585 hp Detailed introduction video about internal interior design and vehicle features

There is understeer. There is oversteer. And then there's a four-wheel slide through an unavoidable spackle of rubber marbles that have built up through a fast, prolonged sweeper. A highlight reel of every other Indy 500 crash zips through my brain, as driver after driver goes off line, catches the marbles, and sails into the crunchy confines of the Safer Barrier.

But then, there is an awful lot to be said for downforce. For, even as its otherwise sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires struggle with the marbles, the 2018 Mercedes-AMG GT R continues to tenaciously hold itself to Portugal's Autodromo Internacional do Algarve. The GT R isn't just an extra stein of power poured into the regular GT with some bigger, pricier brakes thrown on for good measure. That was largely the AMG M.O. of yesteryear. And, okay, it still has those, but with the R, you get extra vents, foils, ducts, and diffusers that all contribute to keeping the ultimate AMG GT adhered to Portugal through that grand corner. And, quite ideally, most of them are hidden away, preventing one of the most beautiful cars in the world from becoming an overwrought track-day special.



Those parts also provide plenty of faith to progressively feed in throttle as that long, final sweeper unwinds into Algarve's main straight as marbles kicked up from the car ahead pang, pang, pang off the GT R's long, long hood. The lateral G's first press me into the prominent bolsters of the optional AMG race seats and then into their thin backs. It's invigorating, but then comes the deep, guttural, nasty bellow of the hand-built 4.0-liter V8 massaged up to 585 horsepower courtesy new turbochargers with a higher boost pressure, plus a modified compression ratio, sharpened throttle mapping, and a modified exhaust (including an additional, center-mount port). Mercedes says the entire combustion process has been retuned and the grand total is 82 more horsepower than in the AMG GT S.



Yet, the resulting acceleration advantage isn't just a matter of extra power (the 0–60 run is estimated at 3.5 seconds versus 3.7 of the GT S). Few areas of the GT R have avoided the weightsaver's scalpel. This includes the wider front fenders, roof, torque tube, drive shaft, and multiple structural braces made of carbon fiber, plus forged wheels and composite materials taking the place of several metal parts. Mercedes had most of these components on hand at Algarve to let us hoist them ourselves, and the weight difference is obvious – lifting the nine-pound driveshaft makes you look like The Rock – and it's easy to see how all of it together shaves off about 200 pounds versus the GT S's curb weight.

A further 37 pounds can be cut by opting for the carbon-ceramic disc brakes, which provide fade-free, mammoth stopping power as the main straight dips downhill before leading into a sharp right turn. They are the definition of confidence-inspiring despite the very-Mercedes low-effort pedal that makes for perfectly pleasant real-world driving.



Really, though, it's the gentlemen in lab coats manning the wind machine that have made the biggest difference. It all begins up front. Those 15 chrome slats that boldly differentiate the R from its GT siblings and evoke the original 1950s SL race cars actually disguise the fact the grille has been tilted forward for improved aerodynamics. Beneath it is the "active air management system," or a wide box filled with vertical slats. They automatically open when additional cooling is needed, but mostly stay closed to reduce drag and direct air down under the car to the next bit of engineering wizardry: the exclusive new active aerodynamics profile.



When the car is in Race mode at speeds higher than 50 mph, a carbon-fiber blade lowers by 1.6 inches and significantly changes airflow. This reduces front-axle lift by essentially sucking the car to the ground and leads to improved high-speed steering and stability. There wasn't a GT S on hand to compare to this improved bit, but there certainly is never a reduction in confidence from the GT R's steering, which lets you sharply and fluidly turn into corners. But more on that shortly.

As the air moves under the GT R, it's channeled to the special rear diffuser or up to the air outlet between the taillights (shared with the one-rung-lower GT C). These help the rear of the car remain planted, as does the carbon-fiber wing that can be manually adjusted to match the downforce requirements of a particular track or drive (an electric adjustment would've added weight).