8th May 2008, 10:36 am
Work on the new BMW M5 is gathering pace, industry sources have revealed to Autocar. M division is collaborating closely with the team developing the next 5-series, and plans to take the supersaloon fight to Mercedes’s doorstep with an all-new, fifth-generation 550bhp M5 in 2011. Mercedes is currently working on a ground-up redesign of the E63 that will appear in 2009.
The new 5-series, due in 2010, will be an obvious evolution of today’s design, and the new M5 is expected to use the current V10, bored out to 5.5 litres. It is also likely to get a direct injection, turbocharged unit, to reduce emissions. The engines will be available with either the six-speed manual gearbox or the new seven-speed M DCT double-clutch transmission.
Further improvements in fuel economy would result from the use of the company’s stop-start technology. BMW has already emphasised that it wants to reduce the emissions of the new 5-series through the Efficient Dynamics programme and it’s unlikely that the M5 would sidestep this technology. The part-time alternator system, for example, which is branded as regenerative braking, boosts power and economy without in any way affecting performance.
Will Powell / Greg Kable
8th May 2008, 10:04 am
The
Audi A3 and A3 Sportback, the premium compact models from
Audi, are raising their profile this summer with a raft of technical and visual improvements.
• Innovative high-tech advances
• Updated exterior design
• New trim line-up for UK
• S tronic transmission, Audi magnetic ride and efficient engines
• S3 now also available as a Sportback
Continue reading ‘The new generation Audi A3’ »
8th May 2008, 02:55 am
The new Megane has been revealed for the first time, with a new sporty look.
The new model will hit the UK early next year and it has features such as a panoramic Continue reading ‘Spy pics of the new scooped Megane’ »
8th May 2008, 02:53 am
When Ford launched the redesigned Escape and Mariner compact CUVs last year, the bodies and interiors were all new but the powertrains were largely carried over from the first-generation models. For the 2009 model year, that issue has been addressed with thorough upgrades to both four- and six-cylinder engines. We’ll talk more about the engine upgrades next week after we drive them. In the meantime we got an early look at the new automatic transmission for the non-hybrid models. The previous four-speed unit is replaced with an all-new six speed unit dubbed the 6F35. Continue reading ‘New Ford 6 speed automatic bumps Escape mileage 4-6 percent’ »
