Lexus Hybrid vs. Audi Diesel. Who will win the luxury war?

Lexus set out to beat the Germans at their own game by offering the LS600 Hybrid. A luxury car that offers hybrid technology. Mercedes, BMW, & Audi had created the ultra luxury cars with the big V-12s under the hood. So why create a hybrid? Well Audi has responded by offering a new A8L 4.2 TDI. The Lexus offers a 5.0 liter V8 that combines an electric motor that produces an additional 50hp over the gas version.


Auto Express from England recently paired the LS 600 H with the A8. In TDI form the A8L is the UK's most powerful diesel car you can buy. Where did they stack up. Well everything has lined up in favor of the Audi. Most noticeably in the pricing category. The Audi offered a £20,000 difference in price. With good reason too. The Lexus is the most expensive model to ever be offered by Luxury spin off of Toyota. The German marque is as well known for developing diesel power in luxury and sporting cars as Lexus is for its work in the field of hybrids.


Where the Audi has it all over the Lexus is in driveability. The Audi is actually fun to drive. It's responsive, and preforms exceptionally well with it's Quattro all wheel drive. The Lexus on the other hand lacks AWD, and is rather boring to drive.

VW announces TDI Cup race series.

Volkswagen announced the Jetta TDI Cup racing series at the SEMA show today. VW is no stranger to motorsports, and neither are diesel powered race cars. What will be totally unique about the series is that the cars will be a clean diesel series, with the cars being carbon free.

The cars themselves will all be owned by VW, and will feature the all new 2.0 liter TDI motor. Each car will have 170 Horsepower, with 300 ft lbs of torque. Backed by a 6 speed DSG automatic transmission, 4 wheel ABS disc racing brakes, a mutli link 4 wheel independent racing suspension, and rack and pinion steering.

The races, sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) will have 8 events during the 2008 North American season. This follows after the 2006 GTI Cup series and the New Beetle Cup of 2000. VW also announced a partnership with the SCCA to use Volkswagens as pace cars during the 2008 season.

Official Press Release:

Volkswagen of America, Inc. announced today that it will bring TDI clean diesel technology to select North American race tracks starting in May 2008. The Jetta TDI Cup series will be sanctioned by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Pro Racing Inc., and will appear at up to eight major racing venues in North America during 2008.

"The Jetta TDI Cup racing series will celebrate Volkswagen's diesel technology and heritage in motorsports as good, clean fun," said Stefan Jacoby, CEO, Volkswagen of America, Inc. "Not only will the young drivers gain real-life track experience in a factory-prepared race vehicle, it will allow them to develop their own mindset of today's clean diesel technology, and foster increased awareness of its advantages in this new era of environmental sensitivity."

The Jetta TDI Cup shifts gears from the previously announced GTI program, allowing Volkswagen to showcase the power and performance of its new clean diesel technology, available in the upcoming 2009 Jetta TDI sedan and SportWagen. With up to 30 Jetta TDI's competing in the hands of aspiring, young drivers, this unique motorsport offering will highlight a new, exciting platform of racing that does not currently exist – a full field of clean diesel powered vehicles.

"With the Jetta TDI Cup, Volkswagen has created an amazing platform to develop young drivers and expand their knowledge about clean and quiet diesel technology," said Robert Wildberger, president and CEO, SCCA Pro Racing, Inc. "We look forward to the series in hopes that it will attract more attention to the drivers and advantages of diesel power."

The Jetta TDI Cup racecars will be optimized for track performance and safety. To focus on the skill of the young drivers and to ensure performance parity, proper maintenance and safety standards, all vehicles will be owned and maintained by Volkswagen. The heart of the Jetta TDI Cup racing vehicle will be the all-new, high-tech 2.0-liter four-cylinder TDI clean diesel engine rated at 170 horsepower and nearly 300 ft.-lbs. of torque in racing trim. The Jetta TDI race vehicles will be outfitted with a six-speed automatic DSG® transmission, electro-mechanical power rack-and-pinion steering system, and advanced multi-link fully independent race-tuned suspension, driver airbag supplemental restraint system, and four-wheel ABS racing brakes.

Signifying Volkswagen's environmental commitment, the Jetta TDI Cup series will be certified as CarbonFree by Carbonfund.org. Additional program details will be available at www.vwmotorsportusa.com by mid-November 2007.

Source: Volkswagen

Volkswagen introduces Touareg R50 In Sydney.

WOLFSBURG, Germany - In a world premiere, Volkswagen will be presenting the Touareg R50 on October 11 at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney. Its power of 258 kW / 350 PS (at 3,500 rpm) positions the new Touareg version among the most powerful SUVs in the world. The Touareg R50 can be ordered in Germany at prices starting at 88,260 Euro; it will be introduced to the market this November.

The engine characteristic of the Touareg R50 is marked by a torque level nearly unattainable by the competition: The V10 TDI of the Touareg R50 develops its enormous power of 850 Newton-meter at a low 2,000 rpm. The turbo diesel was derived from the well-known ten cylinder with 230 kW / 313 PS. Adjustments to its turbo charging and modified engine management enabled a 28 kW / 37 PS increase in power and a considerable 100 Newton-meter increase in maximum torque. Under these new parameters, the SUV accelerates to 100 km/h in just 6.7 seconds (production car: 7.4 seconds); its top speed is 235 km/h. In relation to engine power and vehicle size, the fuel consumption of the production ten-cylinder diesel equipped with a particulate filter is a moderate 9.6 liters per 100 km (highway) and 12.6 liters per 100 km (overall). Despite big gains in power and torque, its DIN fuel consumption values have remained constant compared to the Touareg V10 TDI.

In keeping with the performance potential of the R50, Volkswagen Individual designed new exterior and interior features according to the R philosophy. From the outside, the new Touareg R50 is easy to recognize with its 21-inch Omanyt type alloy wheels and size 295 tires, blue painted brake calipers, discrete wheel well flares, side skirts and distinctive bumpers (Sport Design Package), as well as a modified radiator grille (in a matte finish chrome).
Offered exclusively on the Touareg R50 is the car color "Biscay blue". Blue hues of this type have been typical of the high-powered R models since the first Golf R32 was introduced in the year 2002. Offered as optional car colors on the Touareg R50 are "Campanella white", "Reflex silver", "Black Magic" and "Atacam gray".

The car’s extensive features also include an air suspension sport chassis: The so-called "Driving dynamics package with adaptive roll compensation" and chassis lowered by twenty millimeter supplements the "Sport" mode of the manually or automatically controlled air suspension by achieving a stiffer spring rate.

On the inside, the SUV’s features include a sport seating system in anthracite-colored nappa leather with R50 logo integrated in the headrests. The logo was also integrated in the stainless steel tread plates. Also in keeping with the sporty character of the Touareg is the light-colored "engine spin" decor of the interior – a metallic structure similar to that previously used on race cars – as well as metal worked caps for the accelerator and brake pedals. A R50 logo also decorates the gearshift lever of the six-speed automatic transmission (Tiptronic). Standard features the Touareg R50 also include a winter package (including seat heating for the rear seats), the Premium Memory Package (including electrically adjustable seats, steering column and seatbelt height), net partition behind the rear seats and a ski sack.

Source: Volkswagen.