While Audi continues to sell its A6 Allroad Quattro overseas, the platform was cancelled in North American in 2008. Now Audi has released details of a new Allroad Quattro version of the A4… but there is no word on if this crossover will be available to North Americans.

Based on the A4 Avant platform the A4 Allroad Quattro is intended to be a real off-road-capable machine with a 7.09-inches of ground clearance and, of course, Audi’s legendary quattro all-wheel drive system. On the A4 Allroad Quattro power is distributed front and rear in a 40/60 distribution. As much as 65 percent of the power can be sent to the front wheels and as much as 85 percent of the power can be sent to the rear wheels, when necessary.

The A4 Allroad Quattro sits higher on longer springs and shocks - for a more comfortable off-road drive. Audi insists that the car is still plenty-sporty when on-road as well.

The track of the vehicle has been increased by 20mm (0.79-inches) to increase grip and large 17-inch wheels are fitted with 225/55/17 tires.

One impressive innovation on the car is Audi’s Offroad Detection system, which monitors the condition of the road and limits the intrusiveness of the stability control system when you leave the beaten-path.

The styling is typical of Audi’s past Allroad Quattro vehicles with flared fenders and stainless steel guards on the front and rear bumpers.

Lift the rear hatch and the A4 Allroad Quattro has 17.3 cubic feet of trunk space with a total of 50.5 cubic feet with the rear seats folded down.  That rear hatch is also exactly one meter (3.28-feet) wide.

On sale this Spring in Europe, the A4 Allroad Quattro will be offered with three engine choices, a 2.0-liter TDI, a 3.0-liter TDI and Audi’s impressive 2.0-liter TFSI. The 2.0 TDI makes 170hp and 258 ft-lbs of torque and gets an average of 37 mpg with a 0-62 mph time of 8.9 seconds. The 3.0 TDI makes 240hp and 369 ft-lbs of torque and gets an average of 33 mpg with an impressive 6.4 second scoot to 62 mph. As for the award-winning 2.0 TFSI engine, it makes 211hp and 258 ft-lbs of torque, while delivering 29 mpg and serving up a 6.9 second run to 62 mph.

The A4 Allroad Quattro will be offered with plenty of unique details and packages, including a special Allroad interior.

Official release after the jump:

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As though the upcoming Nissan CUBE was not quirky enough, the Japanese automaker has announced that when the vehicle launches in the summer, a special edition “Krom” model will be offered.

The CUBE Krom will feature a long list of add-ons including a three-bar chrome grille, a two-bar chrome front bumper grille, new front and rear fascias, side skirts, a unique rear spoiler, special 16-inch rims and a Krom rear badge. The basis of the car will be the 1.8 S model. Above the S model will sit the SL and below it is the standard 1.8, which starts at a base price of just $13,990. All CUBEs will come standard with a new version of Nissan’s continuously variable transmission.

The Krom will also feature a long list of interior upgrades including a Bluetooth hands-free system, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, woven black and gray seats, an upgraded audio system with six speakers and a Rockford Fosgate subwoofer, an iPod interface, titanium interior trim accents, sporty aluminum trimmed pedals, climate control, an interior illumination system and more.

All CUBE’s will come equipped with Nissan’s 122hp 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine.

But Nissan isn’t about to limit the customization and personalization to a rigid and structured package… no. They are going to (dare we say it)… think outside the box. Groan…

And so to keep up in this segment Nissan will offer more than 40 different accessories that owners can choose from when ordering their vehicle. The fun options include a 20-color interior illumination kit, stainless kick plates, drilled stainless steel pedal covers, different body kits, custom 16-inch wheels and even shag carpeting panel inserts for the instrument panel – we’ll have to see this in person to truly appreciate it.

Exterior aero kits will be available as packages or as individual pieces and Nissan will even offer a car cover as an option.

One particularly popular option is sure to be the interior trim kits, which will be available in four exterior paint-matched colors, as well as in a faux carbon fiber look.

All the accessories as well as the CUBE Krom package are developed by Nissan North America’s Specialty Vehicles Group, which is responsible for the NISMO 350Z.

CUBE Krom:

Official release after the jump:

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Moments after we posted the unofficial pics of BMW’s new Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo, which will debut at the Geneva Auto Show, BMW updated its press site and now we have all most of the juicy info and plenty of official pics.

BMW says this is the first production-destined concept based on the company’s Progressive Activity Sedan (PAS) idea, and combines aspects of a BMW Sedan, Sports Activity Vehicle and a Gran Turismo.

The vehicle’s dimensions are 196.8-inches long, 61.2-inches high and 74.8-inches wide. This makes it second in length only to the 7 Series (as expected) and second only in height to BMW’s X Series SUVs.

The wheelbase is a significant 120.9-inches.

As for that rear hatchback trunk design, it allows for significant flexibility of cargo space. The trunk can be opened like a sedan to provide 15.1 cubic feet of cargo space, or like a hatchback or wagon to give 20 cubic feet of space. The rear seats can also be folded down for a total of 58 cubic feet of cargo capacity.

With a focus on usability, the Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo is intended to be a comfortable space for passengers and so a great deal of attention has been paid to rear seat room. Leg room is said to be almost the same as in a 7 Series, and rear seats are adjustable fore and aft by 4-inches. Headroom in the rear is almost equal to the X5.

Inside, the Concept 5 Series GT has plenty of unique features, most of which we expect to see make it to the production vehicles. One of the key items is the black panel screen on which the instruments are displayed. Used for the gauges it remains black until the car is turned on and then the different gauges and dials are electronically generated. (This system is already in use on the new 7 Series).

Outside, BMW has drawn inspiration from past models on this truly modern vehicle. The signature BMW kidney grille slants slight forward on this 5 Series concept, forming the front-most point of the car. This is similar to a design used on the old 2002s.

BMW has yet to release any info on the powerplants available for the new 5 Series, however, as we already mentioned, expect to see one or more turbocharged options.

BMW Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo:

Official release after the jump:

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While Chrysler and Nissan will continue to work together on one project, the companies have said that they have put on hold any plans to build a small car for the North American market – essentially killing any hope that we might get a vehicle based on the Dodge Hornet concept.

Plans to launch a Chrysler version of the Nissan Versa will go ahead, but the car, which would use Nissan underpinnings and a Chrysler designed body, is only slated to be sold in South America.

The two companies have also shelved plans to work together to build the next generation Nissan Titan pickup truck, based on the Dodge Ram.

With Nissan’s recent announcement of a $2.9 billion operating loss and Chrysler facing a deadline to submit a plan to the U.S. government to secure it’s bailout loans, both companies have been forced to put any future projects and non-essential projects on hold.

“Because of current economic conditions, Nissan and Chrysler teams working on the two other projects have been asked to ensure that financial objectives for both companies can be met before these two projects move forward,” said a statement distributed by Nissan North America Inc.

Chrysler won’t comment on whether the parting of ways has anything to do with their new partnership with Fiat, but one can only assume that is part of the equation. After all, Chrysler does plan to build new small vehicle on existing Fiat platforms, and with the rising value of the Yen, working with Japanese automakers is becoming less and less attractive.

[Source: AutoNews]

An Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer in the Canadian province of Ontario has been charged with “Street Racing” in her police cruiser while on duty.

The officer was charged with the offense after she was stopped by a Bryant County OPP officer on Highway 403, west of Toronto. Det. Const. Heidi Fischer was clocked going 165 km/h (103 mph) in a 100 km/r (62 mph) zone.

Det. Const. Fischer was not racing another car, but according to “street racing” legislation passed in 2007 by the Ontario Provincial Government, anyone caught going more than 50 km/h over the posted speed limit can be charged with a new street racing offense.

“The subsequent investigation found that the officer was not within the lawful execution of her duties at the time,” police said.

Her license was suspended for seven days and the OPP unmarked vehicle was impounded for seven days. Det. Const. Fischer is due to appear in court in March where things could get much worse for her. Upon conviction, she could face a maximum fine of $10,000 and a license suspension of 2 years. (Repeat offenders can face a license suspension for up to 10 years).

And we though Canada was full of socialists, not Nazis.

This is not the first time a police officer in the province of Ontario has been charged under the new legislation either. OPP Constable Lloyd Tapp was charged last year on Highway 35-115, southwest of Peterborough. Constable Michael Deyell, is recovering from injuries suffered during a late-night collision with two horses on a highway, also near Peterborough. Const. Deyell was also charged last year after allegedly exceeding the posted limit by more than 60 km/h when he hit two horses on another highway near Peterborough.

These aren’t the most bizzare cases either. According to CanadianDriver.com a garbage truck was busted for street racing last year.

[Source: The Toronto Star & National Post]

Gumpert has released some specs and info (and just one picture) of the upcoming Speed version of its Apollo supercar, which will be unveiled at the Geneva Auto Show in March.

Whereas past Apollo models, including the Apollo, Apollo Sport and Apollo Race, were all aimed at track performance, the Speed model is designed for hitting and breaking those 200+ mph barriers. And according to Gumpert, that shouldn’t be a problem with the Apollo Speed, as it is listed as having a top speed of 224 mph!

To hit these speeds, Gumpert stuck to modifying the aerodynamics of the car and left the engine well-enough alone. A revised front end, including new, smoother front fenders and a modified front air intake, as well as a new adjustable rear spoiler are apparently enough to get the Apollo up to that 224 mph speed.

As for the engine, it remains unchanged from past models. Out back can be found a 4.2-liter twin-turbocharged Audi 4.2-liter V8, which produces anywhere from 650 to 800hp. Gumpert claims a 0-60 mph time of 3.0 seconds.

Other aesthetic modifications include revised tail lights.

As for the rest, we’ll have to wait for Geneva to find out.

Official release after the jump:

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Early this morning an unnamed Porsche engineer died after losing control of a prototype Porsche 911 on the A5 Autobahn in Germany. Porsche spokesman Dirk Erat told Germany’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (or FAZ) that the 51-year-old engineer, “was one of the most experienced test drivers” and has been employed by Porsche for 25 years.

The unnamed engineer apparently lost control of the vehicle at a high rate of speed and slammed into a guard rail at approximately 2:45 a.m. The location of the crash is between Frankfurt and Heidelberg on a stretch of road where there is no speed limit.

Porsche says that the accident was not as a result of a high speed test but rather that the company was putting the car through endurance testing in which three different drivers piloted the car around-the-clock. The company did confirm that the vehicle was a next-generation 911 Cabriolet, known as the 991.

[Source: MotorAuthority & Ynetnews]

Thanks to the folks over at www.5post.com, we have hour first look at the BMW 5 Series Concept. Called the Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo, little is known about the vehicle yet other than what it looks like – and we wouldn’t exactly say it is beautiful. This is, after all, most likely the last BMW to be directly infused with Chris Bangle’s signature style.

The Concept 5 Series GT has styling hints from throughout the BMW range, including the new 7 Series, the X6 and the stunning Concept CS – plans for which have since been scrapped. The vehicle features a long hood, a tall mid-section and a hatchback style trunk. In fact, it looks as though BMW took a great deal of the design of this vehicle from Audi’s Sportback Concept – which will form the basis of the upcoming A7.

As for the engine, BMW hasn’t released any info as of yet but we do expect to see a turbocharged powerplant offered as one of the options.

We’ll be sure to bring you more information from the floor of the Geneva Auto Show, starting March 3rd.

Concept 5 Series GT:

[Source: 5post.com]

As we’ve already brought you several stories about the ongoing shenanigans of Motor Trend’s publisher and distributor Source Interlink, so we feel compelled to carry through with the unfolding events.

The latest news, as reported in the Down Jones SmartMoney wire service, is that Source has filed an antitrust suit against several publishers and competing distributors, after several publishers stopped sending their magazines (like People and Sports Illustrated) to Source for distribution.

The suit alleges that the defendants’, “indisputable goal is to destroy Source’s business so that defendants – through Hudson and News Group, the two remaining wholesalers – will monopolize the wholesale market and use that monopoly power to shift to retailers and consumers – and away from publishers – the entire financial burden resulting from worsening market conditions and publisher-induced inefficiencies in the distribution system.”

Listed as defendants are American Media Inc., Bauer Publishing Co., units of Time Warner Inc., and Hachette Filipacchi Media, which publishes major Motor Trend competitors Car & Driver and Road & Track. (We suggest you dig up your copy of The Da Vinci Code and start dreaming up conspiracy theories right away).

Other defendants listed are the competing distributors Curtis Circulation Co., Kable Distribution Services Inc., Distribution Services Inc., as well as wholesalers Hudson News Co. and The News Group LP. (For the record, AutoGuide is NOT being sued, despite a post by one of the company’s employees on our last story that we should “get ready to be served by lawyers.”)

Source claims the publishers and distributors acted to cut off Source’s supply of magazines and to spread a campaign of lies about the company’s financial situation.

“The goal of that coordinated campaign was to… put Source out of business,” the suit claims.

Either way, the suit looks like a real Catch 22 for Source. Win or lose the company has burnt its bridges with its entire customer base of publishers.

[Source: Dow Jones Newswire]

Porsche continues to tease us with photos of its new Panamera grand-tourer, the latest of which are of the car’s stunning interior.

The interior design of the sports sedan is made up of four separate spaces, with seating for four in individual “cockpit-like” seats. Porsche will even offer an optional four-zone climate control system so every individual in the car can adjust the temperate to his or her liking.

Both the Panamera S and Panamera 4S will have eight-way power adjustable seats with a driver memory package. Panamera Turbo models will come with a memory function that includes the steering wheel. An 18-way adjustable front Sport Seats and eight-way power rear seas will be offered.

Porsche will offer 13 color and material combinations for the Panamera models, including four two-tone options and seven trim options, ranging from carbon fiber (yum yum) to Natural Olive wood.

For the audiophile, Porsche will offer a 1,000 watt Burmester 17-speaker sound system.

In terms of safety, the Panamera comes equipped with front, side and curtain airbags with standard rear side airbags in the rear. Cargo room is significant with 15.7 cubic feet of space in the trunk and 44.6 cubic feet of total cargo space with the rear seats folded down.

The Panamera S, featuring a 400hp 4.8-liter V8, a 0-60 mph time of 5.2 seconds and a top speed of 175 mph will retail for $89,800 ($115,100 CDN). The all-wheel drive Panamera 4S, featuring the same powerplant and a 0 to 60 mph time of 4.8 seconds will retail for $93,800 ($120,300). The top-line Panamera Turbo, with a twin-turbo 4.8-liter V8, a 0 to 60 mph time of 4.0 seconds and a top speed of 188 mph will retail for $132,600 ($155,000 CDN).

The Panamera will officially go on sale October 17, 2009.

Official release after the jump:

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