Plenty of sick looking Audi R8s for us to be drooling about in this year Essen Motor Show. After seeing the R8 GT3 and the R8 LMS, specialist Audi tuners PPI Automotive Design have brought yet another R8 re-invention to the Essen Motor Show.

Here are the fresh pics from today’s opening where you can get a good look at how the German tuner has turned this Audi into a mean-eyed cat called the PPI RAZOR GTR.

The hostility-enhancing also extends to under the hood where they have taken the R8 to a beefy 580 hp and 600 Nm of crank-ability. All this muscle-building has actually made the GTR RAZOR lose some weight - about 250 kg off of the 1,580 kg of the production R8. 0 to 100 km/h clocks in at 3.7 seconds and speed tops out at 332 km/h.

The pics also reveal PPI’s own cast wheels made from lightweight materials, which is a large part of the diet, surely. Front wheels are 10Jx19 MAG11 with 255/35 ZR 19 Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tires, and at the back are 11.5J x 20 MAG11’s on 325/25 ZR 20 Michelin Pilot Sport 2 as well. Look closely and you can spot the high-performance brakes made of 6-piston callipers and extra large discs.

You also get a peek inside at the Onyx Nubuck leather PPI interior.

Nice ride. But where are the babes who are supposed to be standing next to it? Just asking.

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Audi R8 LMS customer version of the GT3 race car, is set to go on sale early next year

Audi’s motorsport division announced plans back in August to launch a 500hp-plus (373kW) version of the R8 for use in next year’s GT3 series, and today the car made its debut at the Essen Motor Show in Germany.

The new car has been designed for private customer teams and fully conforms to the production-based GT3 regulations, which means they will be allowable in numerous national and international competitions.

Because the GT3 regulations prohibit the use of AWD, the Audi R8 comes with a modified RWD powertrain and a newly developed six-speed sequential sports gearbox. The suspension is almost completely stock, with most of the modifications focusing on weight reduction and improving the car’s aerodynamics package. A modified front end and a large rear-wing generate the required downforce for the race track.

The R8 race car, which bears the project name ‘R16’ within Audi’s motorsport division, has already conducted a number of shakedown tests at the hands of Audi factory driver Frank Biela. The latest prototype was also being tested by German tuning firm ABT Sportsline, and Audi has confirmed that three additional cars will be built for the actual Le Mans race, and as many as eight private team cars could also be built if interest is high enough. Audi Motorsport itself does not plan to campaign the car however, reports Sweden’s Auto Motor & Sport.

The new R8 race car is joined in Essen by other members of the Audi motorsport family, including this year’s winning Le Mans car, the Audi R10 TDI driven by Rinaldo Capello, Tom Kristensen and Allan McNish, and the Audi A4 DTM in which Timo Scheider clinched the championship title just a few weeks ago.

[Source: MotorAuthority, by Kenneth Hall]

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Here comes the tuner of the future. Notwithstanding the plummeting price of oil, consumer tastes have made a paradigm shift towards economical cars mainly because of, well, global economics. And it’s probably a smart idea to try to get in ahead of the game on the emerging trend towards zero emissions cars.

Yes, BRABUS is tuning electric vehicles. But what does that entail? Swapping the standard, no-name brand batteries for Energizers?

No, but they start where electric cars do need the most tuning - the sound. BRABUS have introduced a “space sound generator” which can simulate a variety of engine sounds including that of a good ol’ fashioned combustion engine V8. There’s also a race car sound. Then things get a little too video gamey/Star Trekkie. Like the two “futuristic soundscapes” called Warp and Beam. Simply getting rid of that whiny golf-cart sound of every electric car would have been enough of a start.

There are a collection of optics such as new wheels (18″ in front, 19″ at the rear) and side entrance lights, again with the moniker “futuristic” attached. (You spot a theme here?) A rear wing and diffuser is also added by BRABUS. Interiors are re-done in lightweight leather and Alcantara.

Looks and sounds (hopefully) great. Enough “car of the future” stuff, though. We need electric cars right now. But you can spare us the Star Trek references.

[Source: Worldcarfans.com]

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Pictures courtesy of worldcarfans.com

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TechArt added looks to the tune of side carbon flics, headlight trims, sill panels, a rear spoiler, rear apron, aero bonnet and front bumper with carbon fiber splitter. Running gear figures read as thus: TECHART Formula III forged light metal wheels, one-piece front 8.5Jx20 with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup Plus tyres in dimensions 245/30 ZR 20, back 12Jx20 with 315/25 R 20.

GTstreet R from TechArt is waiting for public viewing at the Essen Motor Show so you can get up close and personal with the beast.

[Source: Worldcarfans.com by Thami Masemola]

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With every European car manufacturer it seems, there will always be a selection of models not available on the left side of the Atlantic – the greener grass on the other side of a row of pickets. For Audi, there is no more in-your-face example of this European forbidden fruit than the latest and greatest RS 6 Avant. And even though a more American mainstream-friendly sedan is known to be on the way, there’s been no mention of any potential sale of the car in the States. That said, the car hasn’t exactly been ruled out yet either and, combined with our own taste fruit we’re told we can’t eat, we headed to Germany’s Eurospeedway Lausitz to get sample the car.

As its name would suggest, the Audi RS 6 is the next step up in performance from the company’s V10-powered S6, currently on sale in the US. However, simply walking up on the Sprint Blue wagon as it sat in front of us on the tarmac, it’s easy to see there are clear and significant changes.

At the rear, changes are more subtle. The wider stance means the car gets a unique bumper to match, though the overall shape isn’t changed much. Two wide oval chrome exhaust tips hint at the potent engine feeding them gases – another RS cue, while the lower valance gets a ribbed splitter design seemingly inspired by Audi’s DTM racecars.

Under the hood, the already tight confines thanks to fitting the large V10 in the nose of the A6’s chassis are made even more intimate thanks to the addition of a new twin-turbo setup and other upgrades made to help account for a significant increase in power. With turbos the big V10 jumps from 435 hp and 398 lb-ft to 572bhp at 6250rpm and 479lb-ft of torque from a low 1,500 RPM all the way up to 6,250 rpm. For those counting benchmarks, that puts the RS 6 well ahead of the BMW M5 (500bhp and 384lb-ft) and even the Mercedes-Benz E63 (507bhp and 464lb-ft) in the legs race.

Opening the door of the RS 6, it’s clear this is another place where the car steps well beyond Audi’s S6. Our particular tester came complete with a whole host of Audi Exclusive interior upgrades from quattro GmbH. The car’s leather was a hue somewhere between amber and dark beige, with accenting black stitching on leather swathed across the door panels and armrest. Inverse black leather with amber-beige stitching skinned the dash,, steering wheel and shift boot while even matching piping was added to the floormats.

All of the buttons controlling the car’s MMI system have been finished in satin silver aluminum finish to match the aluminum accenting elsewhere in the car, such as new aluminum pedals and dead pedal down by your feet. Like the RS 4 before it, door handles have a hollowed out look that suggest weight savings but probably don’t save you any more than hitting the lav on the way to the garage. The RS 6 gets a flat-bottomed steering wheel. For the RS 6, the wheel is cladded with perforated leather – fatter and more contoured than any Audi wheel we’ve seen to date.

Hopping inside, we depress the RS 6’s console-mounted starter button. The bi-turbo V10 fires up and comes to a quiet idle ever-so-subtly more gutteral than that of the S6. Rolling at a slow pace to leave the track and first sample the car on nearby roads, the sound is again not far from the S6. Out on the highway though, the differences are clear and present. Under healthy throttle, the call is not at at all like the V10 in the more pedestrian S-version. You would perhaps expect that given the RS 6’s biturbo mill, but our first run through the gears makes it immediately apparent that Audi engineers spent plenty of time on exhaust note. Where the S6 sounds throaty and deep – almost NASCAR like, the RS 6 sounds screaming mad as revs pile on, then dials out as the transmission shifts cogs for the briefest of moments, paired with a gutteral “bwap” as the engine takes to the lower rev count, only to begin the scream all over again. It’s intoxicating.

“I love this car,” said the Volkswagen Group’s and Audi AG’s engine guru with board level position Wolfgang Hatz, before launching into an audible impression of the RS 6 under full throttle. “Grrrrrr, bwap, grrrr, bwap.” He’s admittedly proud – something even more significant when you consider this is the development mind behind such great engines as the 2.3-liter 4-cylinder in the first-generation M3, the 3.6-liter boxer in the Porsche 964 RS and the R8’s own high-revving 4.2-liter mill.
From a stop, the RS 6’s initial acceleration is not unlike an S6. The throttle is touchy, though not razor-touchy like the S6. As boost comes on, the superior power ratings become apparent. However, even then, the delivery is so smooth that it makes the RS 6 deceptively fast much like the twin-turbo W12 found in the Audi’s Bentley Continental GT corporate cousin.

There’s only one transmission available in the RS 6 – an Audi-termed Tiptronic with conventional torque converter and manual control over gear selection if you so choose. Shift inputs take only a tenth of a second to change a gear, and our RS 6 tester even let us bounce off the rev limiter when the engine first wound up to redline faster than we’d anticipated. Like all other modern Audi Tiptronic transmissions, you can also make use of a sport automatic mode when seeking the best performance, as it does an admirable job keeping you in the heart of the power range albeit swilling fuel all the way. The normal automatic D setting is best for daily driving and the bank account.

We’ve got limited time in the smurf blue metallic grocery-getter and find ourselves torn. We eventually find signs indicating the legendary Autobahn is just klicks away, but we are in danger of missing our window of track access back at the EuroSpeedway. With reluctance, we swing a U and head back. We know the claimed top speed, and are more curious about how this 4464-lb. car will handle hot into a curve where we know we can run it with fear of no Polizei intervention.

Eurospeedway Lausitz is the latest home of the Audi Sportscar Experience driving school and, in fact, our RS 6 tester is one of their charges. With no spare parts, tires or wheels, they’d prefer we go out with a lead car. All’s well though as the driver is a professional driver with rally cred and 25-years of experience at Audi… and he’ll be driving an R8. Open track might be preferable, but we figured it’d be interesting to see how the more powerful and heavier RS 6 fares against the lighter and lower R8 with its horsepower disadvantage.

As a Sportscar Experience car, there’s no way to defeat ESP in our RS 6 tester. The theory is that they don’t want to toy with the idea of an inexperienced driver stuffing this $100,000+ wagon into the wall, though we’re happy to have it after the first few curves of the course.

Before we hit the back straight of the track, several nuances have already come to light. While we’ve learned the track in an R8 just this morning, the RS 6 Avant has clearly more weight to throw around as well as a significantly taller center of gravity. That said, it feels surprisingly light on its feet – even willing to throttle-off oversteer or swing the tail with the right flick of the short-ratio steering.

Unlike the S6 and its conventional steel spring and shock suspension, the RS 6 has an adjustable damper controlled by the MMI with three settings – Comfort, Dynamic and Sport. Comfort is nice on rough roads and definitely more comfortable than the sometimes-harsh S6, while Sport is the clear choice on the track.

This suspension configuration isn’t to be confused with the air suspension in the S8 or the magnetic ride system in the TT. Rather, think of it like the old Koni adjustable shocks where the pressure of the shock is changed by adjusting the valve. In the Koni this was done by a manual action, though it is all done electronically via controls in the MMI system in the RS 6.

Hot into a corner, there’s more need for care with input to the throttle or brakes, but an experienced driver can use this to his or her advantage in dialing a small bit of oversteer or drift into a turn before the ESP kicks in. As with the R8, Audi’s left some wiggle room in the ESP’s programming to let you have some fun, though less experienced drivers may find themselves constantly sliding into the embrace of the safety net and significantly lessening the lifespan of the tires and brakepads.

The RS 6 has the same 40:60 bias Torsen quattro system as most any Audi north of and including the A4 nowadays – a setup that offers some rear bias, but will also understeer if you aren’t careful. The RS rotates admirably, but it should be clear that you still can’t play open parking-lot drift king.

Steering feels as if it’s been lifted wholesale from the S6. It’s light enough around town, and weights up in the curves but is still not as communicative as a rear-wheel drive application where no torque is pushed through the front wheels.

We do wish the car had column-mounted paddles over the wheel mounted satin silver butterfly wings in the RS 6. We’ve seen the column controls before in Bentleys and even a European Touareg V10 TDI we once tested. Even though they’re not quite as sightly, they’re much more functional. With the wheel turned 180 degrees and your hands rotating from the 10 and 2:00 positions, there’s no quick and easy way to make a shift.

The lead R8 is clearly not pushing it in the corners, but we’re surprisingly not that far off our morning pace in an R8 of our own. Out on the back straight, the R8 hammers it and so do we. He’s not pulling on us but, in turn, we’re not reeling him in either. The RS 6 and all its horsepower is at a stalemate in a straight line with the lower-powered R8 due clearly to the ample amount of extra heft it’s pushing around the course.

After just five laps, our track time with the RS 6 has come to an end. Audi’s carbon ceramic brakes are optional on the RS 6, though the car we had on track has the base setup 12.6” rotors clenched on demand by six-piston aluminum calipers. Even with the lesser stopper fitment, we experience no fade in our five laps. Still, a cool-down lap is in order to let the rotors (and the turbos) dissipate heat a bit before we head into the pit.

Running laps on a track isn’t the best way to milk high mileage from any car, much less a 5.0-liter V10 fitted with two turbochargers. In the real world, the RS 6 is said to be able to actually get 20.1 mpg on the highway and drop considerably when you press on the alloy pedal – not bad, but not all that great with today’s fuel prices. We’re guessing though, anyone in the market for an RS 6 doesn’t really care about price per gallon.

Having bitten this blue apple, there’s no surprise that we’d like more. Audi tells us the car hasn’t been ruled out for America, but that’s far from saying its coming. A sedan is on the way (to Europe at least), with pre-production versions having been spotted cruising around Neckarsulm and lapping the Nurburgring. Knowing Audi’s past offering of an RS 6 sedan and the brand’s 10:1 sedan to wagon ratio, we’d bet it will arrive as a sedan if it arrives at all. However, if they’re listening, we suggest the Avant. The new RS 6 is even more of an exotic than the old and it’s our belief that it wouldn’t be as susceptible to the normal buying trends applied to mass market Audis. Our gut says bring it as a wagon and the car will get even more attention – a ballsy move to be sure.

[Source: George Achorn]

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(Crewe, England. 12 November 2008). Stylish and powerful, the new Bentley Azure T is the world’s most elegant convertible and destined to become a future classic. With unique Bentley ‘T’ styling cues reinforcing its sporting stance, the 500bhp Azure T delivers driver-focused performance with the ability to transport four adults in first-class, open-top luxury.

The new Azure T, specified with the high performance version of Crewe’s iconic 6¾ litre V8 engine, is the latest in a line of Bentley models to bear the ‘T’ legend. The 1996 Continental coupe was the first modern Bentley ‘T’, followed in 2002 by the Arnage T, both flagship models with a distinctive sporting character and thunderous performance.

The Azure’s already striking form is now enhanced by 20-inch 5-spoke wheels and tyres, ‘Le Mans’ front wing vents, dark tint matrix grille and a sculpted, retractable Flying ‘B’ mascot.

For the performance-oriented Azure T, the twin-turbocharged V8 engine produces 500bhp and 1000 Nm of torque – an 11 per cent increase in power and a 14 per cent increase in torque over its 450bhp/875 Nm Azure stable mate.

The famous Bentley wave of torque is even more prodigious than before and performance is significantly raised with a top speed of 179 mph (288 km/h) and a 0-60 mph time of just 5.2 seconds (0-100 km/h in 5.5 sec). Member of the Board, Sales and Marketing, Stuart McCullough comments:

“The new Azure T reflects our passion for creating the world’s most exhilarating and prestigious convertibles that, true to the Bentley T tradition, blend sophistication with a powerful presence.”

A UNIQUE OPEN-TOP MOTORING EXPERIENCE
Based on the Azure, the Azure T offers a range of discreet exterior cues that further enhance its powerful stance and hint at its increased performance potential. Key ingredients of its distinctive appearance include design features such as 20-inch five-spoke, two-piece alloy wheels and ‘Le Mans’ lower front wing air vents.

Further distinguishing points from the Azure are standard features such as dark-tinted upper and lower grilles, ‘jewel’ fuel filler cap (made from billet aluminium) and door mirror mountings finished in body colour.

Like the Bentley Brooklands, the Azure T sports the iconic Flying ‘B’ mascot, which can retract neatly into the grille surround. Originally designed by motoring artist F. Gordon Crosby, the ‘B’ was first used on the 1930 Bentley 8-Litre.

With exterior lines that echo visual elements of the Bentley Mk.6 from 1946, the Azure was enthusiastically received on its original debut as a concept car at the Los Angeles Show in January 2005. Now, as the Azure T makes its own ‘debut’ at LA, Raul Pires, Manager of Exterior design for Bentley Motors, notes:

“The Azure’s proportions provided us with the ideal platform to work with when creating the new Azure T. The prominent haunches and ‘supermodel’ body inspired our designers to create a new interpretation of a Bentley convertible with the accent placed on a more muscular, sporting stance.”

Bentley’s designers highlight the 1955 Park Ward S1 Drophead Coupé and 1995 Azure as the main influences for the current Azure and Azure T. Like the ’50s convertible, the car has a deep body with a single feature line that runs along both flanks and rises at the powerful rear haunches before spearing off at the rear of the car. Similarly, the Azure T’s fast and flowing roofline is echoed in its seven-bow canvas roof that gives the car a visible sporting profile when raised.

Prominent wheel arches grace a slender, narrowing boot that results in a ‘horse shoe’ trailing edge. This elegant shape is reminiscent of the first Crewe-built Bentley, the Mk.6, and the overall effect is a subtle hint at the power and performance that lies beneath the Azure T’s bodywork.

Delicate brightware detailing accentuates the flowing lines of the Azure T and this includes rear tail-lamp bezels, exhaust finishes and slender strips that run the length of the car.

Significant time and effort has gone into making the Azure T’s folding roof attractive as well as highly functional. Operated hydraulically at the touch of a switch, the impressive, three-layer canvas roof is elegantly stowed beneath the rear parcel shelf in a matter of 25 seconds. Because the roof is held in a separate well area, there is no impact on the generous boot space which was designed to hold two sets of golf clubs and hand luggage.

EFFORTLESS PERFORMANCE FROM MIGHTY V8
The engine and transmission of the Azure T are identical to those already employed in the high-performance Arnage T and Arnage Final Series saloons. In this specification, Bentley’s remarkable all-aluminium 6¾ litre V8 engine produces 500 bhp (507PS/373kW) and 1000 Nm (738lb ft) of torque – with over 90 per cent of that torque available between 1,800 and 3,800 rev/min – figures that ensure the signature Bentley ‘wave of torque’ delivers effortless performance for a unique open-top convertible driving experience.

Each of these hand-made V8 engines comes with a black-finish air intake manifold bearing the signature of the team leader who oversaw its construction by Bentley technicians in the Crewe factory. The six-speed ZF automatic transmission ensures optimum flexibility, response and refinement. Three transmission modes (Drive, Sport and Manual) allow the driver to take full advantage of the powerful 500 bhp V8 engine.

A sophisticated electronic management system provides fast yet smooth gearshifts regardless of how the car is being driven. Another important feature of the latest Azure T is the separation of the sports suspension and sports gearbox settings, allowing the driver to select their preference for each system independently – via a ‘Sport’ switch on the dashboard for the suspension and by positioning the gearlever for the transmission’s Sport mode.

Bentley’s V8 guarantees outstanding performance levels. From standstill, acceleration to 60 mph is achieved in just 5.2 seconds (0-100 km/h 5.5 seconds), 100 mph reached in 12.1 seconds (160 km/h in 12.0 seconds) and a top speed of 179 mph (288 km/h) is possible.

DYNAMIC HANDLING, SUPERB RIDE AND AWESOME BRAKING
The Azure’s double wishbone front and rear suspension is carried over to the Azure T unaltered. Set-up and fine-tuned to give a refined ride that best suits the character of this convertible Bentley, the system features coil springs with computer-controlled, adaptive electro-hydraulic dampers and automatic ride-height control with auto-load compensation.

The Azure T’s suspension delivers impressive body control in all driving conditions, while the new five-spoke, two-piece 8.5J x 20-inch Sports alloy wheels with 255/40 ZR20 Pirelli P Zero tyres further improve handling and road holding.

As an option, Azure T owners may specify an upgraded braking system with carbon/silicon carbide, cross-drilled brake ventilated discs. Measuring 420 x 40 mm (front) and 356 x 28 mm (rear), these discs are the largest fitted to any production car on sale today. With eight-piston callipers, the brakes provide impressive deceleration and also give an 8 kg reduction in unsprung weight, benefiting steering response, ride suppleness and acceleration.

This lightweight braking system ensures virtually fade-free use, time after time, and superb resistance to disc distortion under high thermal conditions. Under normal use, the brake discs will last the lifetime of the car and pad life is doubled compared to the standard system.

For Azure T and its Bentley stable mates, the Traction Control system is calibrated with the aim of avoiding all unnecessary reductions in engine torque. The ESP logic system, which is set up to allow spirited handling without any reduction in stability or safety, monitors the car’s overall stability rather than simply loss of grip to the wheels. This reduces the amount of intervention required and restores power earlier and more progressively, allowing the power of the Azure T’s V8 engine to be fully exploited.

The Bentley Azure T enjoys an 11 per cent power and 14 per cent torque increase compared with Azure and the strength and stiffness of the original chassis are such that no changes were deemed necessary, as Brian Gush, Director of Powertrain and Chassis, explains:

“The Azure chassis has always had an immense potential and this enables us to offer the extra power of our 500 bhp V8 engine and the driver-focused qualities of a true Bentley T without compromising ride comfort.”

Compared with the Arnage, the Azure T benefits from significant stiffening members. These strengthened steel parts lie in the sill section of the car and extend into the A-pillars that form the windscreen frame. Beneath the front and rear of the Azure, carbon fibre cross-bracing members reinforce the whole bodyshell, while adding far less weight than steel.

Strengthening has also been applied to the body structure behind the rear seats where an advanced rollover protection system is fitted. This immediately detects if the car is in danger of inverting and deploys two hoops that are integrated within the rear headrests. In conjunction with the strengthened front windscreen frame, these are capable of supporting 2.5 times the entire weight of an over-turned car.

EXQUISITE CRAFTSMANSHIP
Befitting its role as a new Bentley flagship convertible, the Azure T embodies a range of standard features that were previously unavailable or only available as cost options on the Azure. The seats and door panels have Diamond Quilting, the fascia features an ‘engine-turned’ aluminium finish (reminiscent of 1920s racing Bentleys), and the instrument faces are finished in Black rather than Parchment.

Bentley emblems are embroidered on the front seat backs and the rear seat centre, an iPod/USB interface is provided, while the full range of Bentley’s premium veneers is available, a knurled finish is applied to several handles and switches and a knurled, chrome gear knob is fitted.

The new Azure T will have a strong appeal to Bentley customers, as Trevor Gay, Personal Commissioning Manager at Mulliner (Bentley’s specialist commissioning department), explains:

“The Azure has always stood apart from the rest of the Bentley range and the higher-performance Azure T will allow customers the opportunity to use the Mulliner service to create a bespoke convertible to their exact specification.”

Although many of the most desirable Mulliner options are included in Azure T as standard, Bentley anticipates that the majority of buyers will request additional enhancements. Inside, the Azure T is everything customers would expect of a bespoke Bentley, offering the highest levels of hand-craftsmanship to a small, discerning audience. The interior offers a spacious, luxurious cabin to provide the ultimate in first-class, open-top travel for four adults.

As in every Bentley, craftsmanship and bespoke finishing are to the fore. Every item of trim, be it veneer, hide or chromed bezel, uses authentic materials.

Azure T is available in the full Bentley range of 42 exterior colours, 25 interior hides, and the full range of premium veneers, plus the comprehensive line-up of Mulliner options and its bespoke colour-matching service that enable Bentley owners to create a uniquely personal car.

Of course, the nature of a convertible means that its interior is often on display as much as its exterior and Bentley’s design team knew that the Azure T’s spacious cabin should make a strong statement. Consequently, warm and inviting leather hide extend past the seats and onto the parcel shelf and this emphasises the dimensions of the rear compartment.

A new audio head unit with larger display screen and an SD (secure digital) memory card slot instead of the single CD slot is fitted. At the rear, a new hide-covered boot rail with coordinated leather trim and a chrome strip along the top edge gives the load area a tidier, premium appearance.

All Azure T models come with an iPod Interface linked to the Infotainment system, enabling customers to play their favourite music through the car’s audio system. The system is supplied with connectors for iPod, USB, Mini USB and a 3.5 mm AUX jack and includes a 12 volt power outlet for charging purposes.

As an option, Azure T buyers can specify the Naim for Bentley premium audio system. Created in partnership with Bentley by Naim Audio, a UK-based high end hi-fi manufacturer, this system features 10 speakers, a dual-channel sub-woofer and an 1100 watt amplifier, plus eight individual DSP modes to reproduce true emotions and a ‘live’ concert-like experience.

In Azure T the sub-woofers are located in the rear passenger footwells and contained within a special enclosure to ensure the sound of this pure music remains within the open cabin.

[Source: Bentley Motor Cars]

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Former champion Fernando Alonso is sure he will not retire until he adds a third title to his tally.

“I’m more or less convinced about not leaving F1 without becoming world champion again,” the Renault driver told the Spanish radio network Cadena SER.

Alonso, 27, won the drivers’ titles with the French team in 2005 and 2006, but last year endured a miserable season with McLaren, and in 2008 struggled early on with Renault.

And although hopeful for the R29, he refuses to rule out a future with F1’s most famous team, Ferrari.

Asked about his unrelenting link with Maranello, Alonso said coyly: “A quick answer to that question would not be the right answer.”

He is scheduled to test at Jerez next month, and then get at the wheel of the 2009 car late in January.

“Tomorrow I’m going to get my seat fitted for the new car, which takes half a day.”

Alonso also took the opportunity to once again play down his rivalry with Lewis Hamilton, which is billed as the bitterest in the paddock.

“It’s not as bad as it is made out in England and in Spain,” he insisted. “I congratulated him for becoming champion, as I did with Kimi as well. I told him to enjoy it, he said thanks, that’s it…”

[Source: GMM © CAPSIS International]

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