Autocar December 27, 2018

IN THE PAST couple of decades, Audi has become a great car maker, but not a maker of great cars. Audi’s expansion as a huge, global player with a diverse range of models began with the A3 of 1996 – but, first-gen TT aside, for most enthusiasts the very best Audis were already behind it at that point. At last, Audi now appears to be doing something different. “High-tech throwback is a timely reminder of what Audi does best” is what we said of recent road test subject the A6 Avant, which provides a back-to-the-future blueprint for how more mainstream Audis can truly be different to their peers and shake their corporate edge and samey feel. Now Audi has gone further, and created the E-tron GT concept, which we get a first…

“Power should push 700bhp, nearly double the i8’s 369bhp and exceeding next year’s M8” BMW is actively considering introducing a flagship “super-sports car” to its line-up. The McLaren 570S-baiting package would bring together the brand’s advancements in electrification, light-weighting and new materials. The i8 is currently BMW’s principal electrified sports car, with the new 8 Series becoming the more traditional flagship GT. Autocar understands a direct replacement for the i8 is unlikely, although BMW has yet to confirm this publicly. A new super-sports car would take inspiration from the i8 and could serve as an indirect replacement. However, it would have a higher price point and more power, and sit at the top of the M performance division. Klaus Fröhlich, the BMW board member responsible for product development, hinted that the supercar is in…

IN THE PAST couple of decades, Audi has become a great car maker, but not a maker of great cars. Audi’s expansion as a huge, global player with a diverse range of models began with the A3 of 1996 – but, first-gen TT aside, for most enthusiasts the very best Audis were already behind it at that point. At last, Audi now appears to be doing something different. “High-tech throwback is a timely reminder of what Audi does best” is what we said of recent road test subject the A6 Avant, which provides a back-to-the-future blueprint for how more mainstream Audis can truly be different to their peers and shake their corporate edge and samey feel. Now Audi has gone further, and created the E-tron GT concept, which we get…

BMW’s M brand will go electric in the future, but hybrids will rule the roost, according to product development boss Klaus Fröhlich. “M will also be electric in the future, but we will work very heavily on partial electrification on M cars. This is because they do not only need acceleration on the straight, they have to drive around corners and race tracks, so weight is an issue and electric vehicles still have a weight penalty for range,” he said. Each of BMW’s two platforms are able to accommodate combustion engines, plug-in hybrids or electric powertrains, which means that every BMW from 2021 has the capability to be electric. Fröhlich said: “The M cars are derived from that architecture, the electric i cars will be derived from that architecture and I think flexibility…

Where did the inspiration come from? “The first vision was to translate the concept of a sidecar. You have the driver’s side dedicated to pleasure and sensation, which is open to your surroundings, and the other part of a luxury cocoon.” How challenging was an asymmetric car to design? “Very. The original plan was to have an asymmetric wheelbase, but when we discussed it with DS Performance, they went: ‘Are you sure?’ Because this is a real car. For safety, it was better to have the same wheelbase.” Would you ever offer an asymmetric car for sale? “It’s difficult to do for production, particularly because in some parts of the world, the steering wheel is on the other side.”…

“Power should push 700bhp, nearly double the i8’s 369bhp and exceeding next year’s M8” BMW is actively considering introducing a flagship “super-sports car” to its line-up. The McLaren 570S-baiting package would bring together the brand’s advancements in electrification, light-weighting and new materials. The i8 is currently BMW’s principal electrified sports car, with the new 8 Series becoming the more traditional flagship GT. Autocar understands a direct replacement for the i8 is unlikely, although BMW has yet to confirm this publicly. A new super-sports car would take inspiration from the i8 and could serve as an indirect replacement. However, it would have a higher price point and more power, and sit at the top of the M performance division. Klaus Fröhlich, the BMW board member responsible for product development, hinted that…