USA - KIA to showcase four models at the SEMA show in Las Vegas 2015.

America’s wanderlust is found from coast to coast and everywhere in between.

The A1A Optima takes inspiration from the iconic Florida A1A highway by letting the sunshine in and taking the all-new 2016 Optima in a new direction with its sliced top, shortened windshield and room for four.  

Reinforced steel tubes have been discretely hidden within the body so that the vehicle retains a rigid structure. 

The back doors of the A1A Optima swing open on rear-mounted hinges, adding a touch of whimsy and fun while complementing the roadster style.  

A gleaming set of 20-in. wheels are bolted to a Ksport coilover suspension, which dramatically lowers ride height.  Soft butter-cream leather bucket seats up front and custom double buckets in back are separated by extended armrests and a custom center console. The powerful 245-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine is combined with a high-performance exhaust.

Kia Motors American will unveil four all-new custom vehicles at its press conference Tuesday, November 3 at 9:00 AM, booth #10809

UBER RARE, show car based on an Aston DBSV8 has been hidden for 40 years, now up for auction.

• Ogle-designed, futuristic show car based on an Aston Martin DBSV8, first showcased at the 1972 Geneva Salon and Montreal Motor Show
• One of only three such cars, the first of two originally commissioned by the W.D. & H.O. Wills tobacco company to promote ‘Sotheby’s Special Reserve’ cigarettes
• Stored in secret for 40 years, it still carries its original dark blue paintwork, gold pinstriping and vibrant green Moquette upholstery
• To be offered by H&H Classics at its 14 October 2015, Duxford sale at £100,000 - 120,000

Joining the headlining Colton Collection Ferraris at H&H Classics’ 14 October Duxford sale is another car from one of the Grandes Marques, this time an Aston Martin, though certainly not one many would recognise.

Named the ‘Sotheby Special’, after sponsor W.D. & H.O. Wills’ brand of cigarettes (yes, the ‘Sotheby’ comes from a short-lived licensing deal with the auction house), the cutting edge lines of the car were by Ogle Design, the Letchworth-based studio also responsible for the Raleigh Chopper bike, Reliant’s Scimitar GTE and the Bond Bug.

The Sotheby Special was based on an Aston Martin DBS V8 chassis (DBSV8/10380/R), with outrageous 1970s glassfibre coachwork supported on a Reynolds 531 tubular steel frame. 

The entire ‘glasshouse’ is in Perspex. Under the bonnet lies an early prototype Aston Martin V8, while the cockpit is a riot of bright green courtesy of ‘banquette’ seating for three in hardwearing Moquette – a type of industrial material used on public service vehicles such as buses and trains.

A striking feature of the rear of the car is the strip of 22 rear lights. The harder the driver pressed the brake pedal the more lights were lit up.

The car was built purely for show, was never road-registered and will require much loving care to bring it back to ‘Motor Show’ condition. 

A second, fully functioning car was manufactured for promotional duties (later to be repainted in Embassy colours for use by Graham Hill’s Grand Prix team) and a third commissioned by a private individual who, once seeing the car on BBC TV’s Tomorrow’s World, simply had to have one, even at a cost in 1973 of £28,750. At the time the standard V8 Saloon was listed at £8,749.

The original Sotheby Special, thought lost for so many years, or confused with the second chassis, was disassembled after it left the show circuit and was then sold and placed in long-term storage. 

H&H will offer this highly significant car at an estimate of £100,000 - 120,000 at its 14 October, Imperial War Museum, Duxford, Cambs sale.

Damian Jones, Sales Director for H&H Classics comments: “This car will certainly ‘light up’ our Duxford sale. 

It’s a remarkable car for three reasons: its futuristic design and engineering, its very of-the-period tobacco connection and the fact that as ‘barn-finds’ go, this one is pretty special. It is a fascinating part of automotive history and we are delighted to place it back in the limelight for which it was designed.”

FRANKFURT - Show debut for electric concept which gives a foretaste of a new Audi production model.

Frankfurt Show debut for electric concept which gives a foretaste of a new Audi production model 

• Frankfurt concept is conceptual basis for the brand’s first large-scale production electric car due in 2018
• Range of more than 310 miles (500 kilometers) on a charge
• All-wheel steer and e-quattro drive thanks to front and rear-mounted motors
• Innovative aerodynamic and creative design solutions

Flow-enhanced design with a drag coefficient of 0.25; powerful, all-electric e-tron quattro drive with up to 370 kW – Audi is presenting the Audi e-tron quattro concept at the International Motor Show (IAA) 2015 in Frankfurt. The car is the company’s statement about the future of electric mobility: It is responsive, efficient and suitable for everyday use.

“Audi will present an all-electric, luxury-class sport SUV in early 2018. The Audi e-tron quattro concept provides a concrete foretaste of this,” says Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Audi Board of Management for Technical Development. “It combines driving pleasure with great range, an expressive design and excellent comfort.”

Electric power

The Audi e-tron quattro concept uses the power of three electric motors: One electric motor drives the front axle, the two others act on the rear. Total output is 320 kW. The driver can even mobilise 370 kW and over 800 Nm (590.0 lb-ft) of torque temporarily while boosting. The concept study thus performs like a sports car. When the driver floors the throttle pedal, the Audi e-tronquattro concept sprints from a standstill to 62mph in 4.6 seconds and quickly reaches the electronically governed top speed of 130mph.

The concept with three electric motors which Audi is presenting for the first time makes the technology study an e-tron quattro. An intelligent drive management system controls the interplay between them as appropriate for the situation. The focus here is on the greatest possible efficiency. The driver decides on the degree of recuperation, the driving program S or D and the mode of Audi drive select .

During sporty driving on a winding road, the Torque Control Manager actively distributes the power between the rear wheels as necessary. This torque vectoring provides for maximum dynamics and stability.

The large lithium-ion battery is integrated into the floor of the passenger compartment. It gives the Audi e-tron quattro concept a balanced axle load distribution and a low centre of gravity – prerequisites for its dynamic handling. The battery’s capacity of 95 kWh enables a range of more than 310 miles (500 kilometres). 

The Combined Charging System (CCS) enables charging with DC or AC electrical current. A full charge with DC electrical current at a charging point with an output of 150 kW takes just around 50 minutes. As an alternative, the study is equipped with Audi Wireless Charging technology for contactless induction charging. 

The charging process is very convenient. The Audi e-tron quattro concept uses a system for piloted parking that guides it to the proper position at the charging plate. In addition, a large solar roof provides electricity for the drive system battery on sunny days.

The chassis also expresses the high-tech character of the concept study. The adaptive air suspension sport, which features controlled damping, lowers the body at higher speeds to reduce drag. The dynamic-all-wheel steering combines a dynamic steering system on the front axle with a steering system for the rear wheels. 

Depending on speed and the driving situation, they steer either in the same direction as the front wheels or in the opposite plane. The Audi e-tron quattroconcept thus reacts even more spontaneously and stably, and is also very manoeuvrable at low speeds.

Aerodynamic: The exterior design

The Audi e-tron quattro concept harmoniously combines its remarkably aerodynamic design with the all-electric drive system. The five-door technology study is 4.88 metres long, 1.93 metres wide and just 1.54 metres high. Its coupé-like silhouette with the extremely flat greenhouse that tapers strongly toward the rear lends it a very dynamic appearance. 

The car’s drag coefficient measures just 0.25 – a new best for the SUV segment, where figures are usually considerably over 0.30.

All of this contributes considerably to the long range of more than 310 miles (500 kilometres). At speeds of 50mph and above, electrically actuated aerodynamic elements on the bonnet, the flanks and at the rear end direct the flow of air as needed to improve the flow through and around the vehicle. 

This is one example of the intensive development work in the wind tunnel. Wind noise is low on board the car, and there is of course an absence of engine noise. The fascination of electric driving unfolds in near total silence.

The vertical separating edges on the side panels and the fully enclosed floor pan with its newly designed microstructures contribute to reducing drag. Cameras replace the exterior mirrors – another contribution to the excellent aerodynamics and also a foretaste of the future of driving.

All the main lighting functions at the front of the car use Matrix laser technology. The bottom section houses a new, distinctive lighting signature comprising five lighting elements. 

Each of these combines an LED luminary with an extremely flat OLED element (organic light-emitting diode). Audi is developing Matrix OLED technology for use in production vehicles and is showing it for the first time in the concept study at the IAA.

The rear lights also comprise two sections. Each of the top zones features nine red OLED units for the tail light function, with three more below.

Deep integration: The interior

The package of the Audi e-tron quattro concept enables a spacious, comfortable interior for four people and 615 litres of luggage space. The interior has a light and open feel to it; its architecture melds harmoniously with the operating and display concept. All displays in the interior use OLED technology. The extremely thin films can be cut to any desired shape.

The new Audi virtual cockpit curved OLED is a further development of the Audi virtual cockpit that debuted in production vehicles in 2014. To the left and right below the fully-digital instrument cluster are two touch displays with black glass and a subtle aluminium frame. 

The driver controls the lights and the systems for piloted driving with the left display. The large display on the right is for media and navigation management. The steering wheel serves as an alternate control level. Its spokes are equipped with contoured touch surfaces.

Below the selector lever on the centre tunnel console are two more OLED displays for the drive system status, climate control and freely programmable information functions. The curved displays in the front section of the doors serve as digital exterior mirrors.

The two rear passengers sit on comfortable individual seats. They can use the OLED displays on the centre console to configure the climate control and infotainment for their area or to exchange data with the driver. An LTE module connects the Audi e-tron quattro concept with the Internet. The connectivity features in the study are cutting edge.

The zFAS: Nerve centre for piloted driving

The concept study is equipped with all the technologies that Audi has developed for piloted driving: radar sensors, a video camera, ultrasonic sensors and a laser scanner. 

The data these supply come together in the central driver assistance controller (zFAS) in the luggage compartment. It computes a complete model of the car’s surroundings in real time and makes this information available to all assistance systems and the systems for piloted driving. These technologies are also nearly ready for use in production vehicles.

Skoda supports the Worthersee event with a host of great fun models, cars and people :-)

› Highlights at Wörthersee: Fabia R5 rally car, Fabia R5 Combi show car, ‘Trainee Car’ ŠKODA FUNstar and Fabia with Red & Grey Plus design package

› Fastest Octavia of all time: ŠKODA Octavia Combi RS 230

› Raising the pulse: take a ride in the ŠKODA Fabia R5 

› Get in the racing spirit: drive mini racing cars in ŠKODA’s ‘Crazy Rally Ride’

ŠKODA will be showing its sporty ride at the legendary GTI Meeting in Wörthersee from 13 to 16 May. The brand will be presenting no less than five exciting ŠKODA sports cars at the cult event, including four sporty versions of the ŠKODA Fabia and the racy ŠKODA Octavia Combi RS 230. Visitors can also look forward to some great racing action with mini racing cars in ‘ŠKODA’s Crazy Rally Ride’.

Today is the opening day of the 34th GTI Meeting in Reifnitz, Austria. As many as 200,000 tuning and motorsport enthusiasts are expected to attend the event open until Sunday

The ŠKODA Fabia R5 will be heading to Wörthersee straight after the model’s very first race. Three weeks ago, ŠKODA’s brand new racing car celebrated its dazzling world premiere with a triumphant victory at the opening of this year's Czech Rally Championship. The model features some ultramodern technology, including the 1.6-litre turbo engine, all-wheel-drive, sequential five-speed transmission and McPherson struts. 

ŠKODA’s designers have reinterpreted the Fabia R5 as an estate model to create the surprising ŠKODA Fabia R5 Combi show car, with highlights including the green, white and black paint job, 18-inch alloys, powerful bumpers, flared mudguards and doorsills, as well as a huge rear spoiler.  

The ŠKODA FUNstar – ŠKODA’s ‘Trainee Car’ will be celebrating its world premiere at Wörthersee. The sassy pickup, based on the Fabia, was designed and constructed by ŠKODA apprentices in months of hard work. A 1400-Watt sound system provides a surround sound experience for all passengers to enjoy. 

The ŠKODA Fabia is showing off its sporty ambition with the Red & Grey Plus design package. The moon-white Fabia kitted out with ŠKODA genuine accessories is a real eye catcher: the model’s many interesting features inclue red and grey stripes run over the bonnet, roof and boot, complementing the red 17-inch alloys and wing mirror casings.  

The new ŠKODA Octavia Combi RS 230 completes ŠKODA’s grand appearance at Wörthersee. The fastest Octavia Combi (estate) of all time reaches a top speed of 247 km/h, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in just 6.8 seconds. This is also the first series-produced vehicle from ŠKODA to feature an electronically controlled front-axle differential lock for particularly dynamic cornering. 

In addition to the sporty model highlights, ŠKODA will again be hosting a special kind of ŠKODA racing experience for all ages at Wörthersee. Visitors can take part in ‘ŠKODA’s Crazy Rally’ – a special racing track next to the stands where contestants go head-to-head in mini racing cars

   

Škoda Fabia Combi R5 Concept car promises to pack 'em in at the 34th Worthersee GTi Gathering.

• Fabia Combi R5 to make debut at mid-May GTI meeting
• ŠKODA reinterprets its new rally car as an estate
• Follows ŠKODA Fabia R5’s spectacular opening in Czech Rally Championships

The new ŠKODA Fabia R5 caused a sensation at its first ever race, with the ŠKODA team bringing home a clear victory from the new model’s world premiere in the Šumava Klatovy Rally. Now the high-tech racer will be presented as an estate show car at the 34th GTI meeting at Wörthersee (13 to 16 May 2015). 

ŠKODA will also be presenting the ŠKODA Fabia R5 alongside three other sports cars.

PREVIOUS SKODA WORTHERSEE CONCEPTS

As many as 200,000 tuning and motorsport enthusiasts will be making the pilgrimage to Wörthersee in Austria between 13 and 16 May to indulge in their passion for fast cars. This will be ŠKODA’s sixth appearance at the GTI meeting, where the brand will be presenting five sporty models.

ŠKODA’s designers have reinterpreted the Fabia R5 as an estate model to create the ŠKODA Fabia R5 Combi show car. The green, white and black ŠKODA Fabia R5 Combi will be driving onto the stage on 18-inch alloys. At the front, a powerful bumper and wide air intakes signify the car’s rallying ambitions. 

The wide contoured grille is finished in black, as are the door mirror covers. Flared mudguards and powerful doorsills accentuate the model’s racy appearance.

The rear sports a huge spoiler, as well as a giant rear bumper, and a wide central exhaust pipe. Beneath the surface, the Fabia R5 features an ultra-modern 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine, all-wheel-drive, sequential five-speed transmission and McPherson struts.

ŠKODA will also be showing the ‘original’ ŠKODA Fabia R5 at Wörthersee. ŠKODA’s brand new racing car celebrated its dazzling world premiere at the end of April with a triumphant victory at the opening of this year's Czech Rally Championship. Driven by the Asia-Pacific Champion Jan Kopecky (CZ), the car proved to be both fast and reliable. 

The Fabia R5 is based on ŠKODA’s new production Fabia, and is the successor to the Fabia Super 2000, which went down as the most successful rally car in ŠKODA’s history.

First interior pic of new Skoda Superb revealed ahead if Geneva Launch, its a little bit of a let down.

• First impression of the new ŠKODA Superb interior
• Whole new dimension: spacious and elegant with great attention to detail
• Comfortable throughout: extremely roomy, fine materials
• New level of quality: high quality workmanship, pure precision

ŠKODA is once again demonstrating the design and emotional power of the brand with the latest version of its flagship model, the Superb, the interior is definately part of the VW group with a look that could slot easily into the Passat or any current AUDI, this lazy design, and look, will end up hampering Škoda, like it will SEAT and AUDI. 

We just hope that the bosses at each of the brands, sees sense before it is too late, and actually give their brands, a distict brand identlty, because at the moment, take away the Skoda badge, and you would be hard pressed to say which of teh VW Group cars it is.

POSSIBLE LOOK OF NEW SUPERB (all mock ups)

The new ŠKODA Superb combines spaciousness, functionality and design in a truly unique way. ŠKODA already gave some hints as to the future of the brand’s design language last year, when it presented the ŠKODA VisionC show car at the Geneva Motor Show. The new Superb brings these innovations to series production. ŠKODA is now presenting the specific details of the third-generation Superb with a closer look at the vehicle’s interior.

The aim of ŠKODA’s engineers and designers was to create a superior inner space, with a more modern, elegant and sophisticated look. With further improvements to the interior dimensions, ŠKODA has brought the qualities of higher-class vehicles into the automotive mid-class. With the vehicle’s unrivalled amount of room, new level of comfort, new technical solutions and high-quality, precise workmanship, the new ŠKODA Superb is truly setting standards in its segment.

Renault to showcase new Pick up a the Sao Paulo Motor Show in Brazil.

• Duster Oroch show car set to make its debut at the 28^th Sao Paulo Motor Show
• Show car designed by the Renault design centre for Latin America (RDAL) in Sao Paulo
• Pick-up truck styling exercise inspired by the world of kitesurfing

Renault is set to unveil the Duster Oroch show car at the 28^th Sao Paulo Motor Show in Brazil, taking place from 30^th October to 9^th November. The design process for the show car took place in the Renault design centre for Latin America (RDAL) in Sao Paulo, one of Renault’s five design centres worldwide.

The Duster Oroch show car is a styling exercise for a five-seat recreational pick-up truck featuring the robust looks of a true SUV. Pick-ups account for nearly 75% of the light commercial vehicle market in South America, representing just over 920,000 units and Renault has already announced plans to enter the pick-up market with at least two models.

The show car’s body colour is an exclusive combination of satin-finish white and touches of orange that highlight its sporty personality and the world of kitesurfing, which inspired the vehicle’s design. The vehicle’s front end features the new brand identity and carries over some of the styling cues explored previously on the D-Cross concept car, which was a reinterpretation of the Duster presented at the Sao Paulo Motor Show in 2012. The large front and rear bumpers convey an impression of strength and power.

“The Duster Oroch show car boasts the energetic, robust stance that appeals to customers. It’s the work of our Sao Paulo design centre and packs an emotional punch which is characteristic of design in Latin America,” said Laurens van den Acker, Senior Vice President, Corporate Design for the Renault group. “While it takes its inspiration from the Duster, itself a robust vehicle with an assertive personality, our local design team has delivered a fresh interpretation of the model in the form of this show car,” added van den Acker.

The fully-integrated roof rails protect the panoramic glass sunroof which lets an abundance of natural light into the cabin and improves the sense of space inside the car. The rear layout has been specially designed to safely stow several kitesurf boards.

The Duster Oroch includes two rear-mounted cameras to capture special sporting moments. Their angles are set at 80° and 140° for full outdoor coverage.

In true ‘go anywhere’ style, the Duster Oroch offers a spacious cabin, high ground clearance, 18-inch wheels with 255/60 tyres and broad side protective mouldings. The dashboard features a multimedia screen which displays in real time the images captured by the two cameras installed in the rear of the dual cab outside the vehicle. A rotary control on the centre console is used to operate the cameras.

The Duster Oroch’s seats boast the new ‘Cover Carving’ technology, which involves inserting an additional layer of foam in the seat to withstand intensive use. The technology also provides a better finish and permits a unique, customised design.

The Duster Oroch’s combination of colour and trim is reminiscent of the world of water sports. Fluorescent orange details brighten up the dark charcoal interior. The dashboard, door inserts and some parts of the seats are made from a material which looks like neoprene wetsuits.

“The Duster Oroch is a concrete illustration of our strategy to develop products tailored to our Latin American markets,” said Denis Barbier, Senior Vice President, Chairman of the Americas Region. “Based on the Duster, which is one of our best-selling models in the region, the show car explores the world of pick-ups – a segment we’re absent from at the moment but which totals over 900,000 vehicles sold each year,” added Barbier.

The Sao Paulo Motor Show will be held from 30^th October to 9^th November at the Anhembi exhibition centre and is the biggest motor show in South America, attracting over 748,000 visitors in 2012.