First, Audi debuts the A5 Sportback and says that it won't be coming to America. Then the automaker goes and gives it the S5 treatment and reminds us that, no, it isn't coming to America. Fine. But now the onslaught of aftermarket S5 Sportback tunings have started, and this first one from Senner Tuning AG is pretty darn hot. We surrender.

Senner starts by upping the output from the S5's 3.0-liter supercharged V6 to 375 horsepower and 365 pound-feet of torque – gains of 42 and 41, respectively. A new sport exhaust system was also created specifically for this S5, and it now uses quad-exhaust tips out back. We'd love to hear what this thing sounds like at full throttle, especially since we've noted on many occasions that the current supercharged S5 could stand to be a bit more vocal out on the street.

From there, the car is painted in a special diamond black finish, and new 20-inch wheels have been added, wrapped in 245/30-series rubber up front and 295/25 low-profile treads out back. Senner has also fitted different springs and lowered the S5 by about 35 millimeters. The interior gets the standard carbon fiber trim upgrades, and the whole package is super stealth.

This, friends, is what jealousy feels like. Be sure to see the Senner S5 for yourself in the gallery below, and hit the jump to read the official press release (translated from German).



[Source: Senner AG]

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It's been a while since we've heard from Korea's Oullim Motors, creator of the Spirra – the country's first legitimate supercar. And when we say "supercar," we aren't talking about some Mitsuoka Orochi-like creation that looks exotic, but is powered by a weak engine. Quite the contrary – Spirra is the real deal. The official details about Oullim's pride and joy have gone through many revisions over the past few years, but the automaker has just now released the final specs, and might we say, it certainly packs a punch.

Power comes from a mid-mounted, Hyundai-sourced 2.7-liter V6 which makes 175 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque in the base Spirra N model. Not impressive, we know, but as you climb upwards in the model range, that's where things start to get tasty. The Spirra S adds a small turbocharger to that mill, resulting in 330 hp and 347 lb-ft, and Spirra T uses a larger turbo which ups output to 400 hp and 362 lb-ft. At the tippy-top end is the Spirra EX ('EX' for 'Extreme' – seriously), and its twin-turbo V6 cranks out a screaming 500 hp and 398 lb-ft, making this car capable of competing with the likes of Lamborghinis and Ferraris. All models are fitted with a six-speed manual transmission, and power is sent solely to the rear wheels.

The base Spirra N will run from 0 to 60 miles per hour in a ho-hum 6.8 seconds, but obviously, that number decreases as you add more power, and the EX will run that same jaunt in only 3.5 clicks, on its way to a top speed of 193 mph. And when you consider that the top-rung model only weighs in at 2,646 pounds, it means that this thing is certainly poised to be a real stunner when pushed hard. The Spirra is made up of a carbon fiber body mounted on a tubular spaceframe, and each car is built by hand. Combine that with large wheels (18s for N and S models, 19s for T and EX) wrapped in sticky tires and fitted with beefy Brembo brakes, and you've got a real winner on your hands.

Now then, Oullim – when do we get our test drive?

Follow the jump to read the complete details in the automaker's press materials, and scroll through the gallery below to see high-res shots of the Spirra from all angles.



[Source: Oullim Motors]

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Autoline Daily for 6.18.10

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Rumors have floating around for years that Audi has been planning to develop a small entry-level, mid-engine sports car, and Auto Motor und Sport is now claiming the so-called R4 will debut in 2013. The R4 is expected to be based on Audi's second e-tron concept that debuted at the Detroit Auto Show last January although it will use internal combustion power instead of the electric drive of the concept.

The R4 is expected to weigh in at a comparatively modest 2,500 pounds and offer a choice of gas or diesel inline-four engines. Gasoline propulsion would come from a 180 horsepower 1.4-liter TSI unit while the high-mileage option would be the 170 horsepower version of the 2.0-liter TDI used in the TT and the Golf GTD. The R4 is also expected to be priced well below the TT with a base of about €22,000 (about $27,000). A tip of the hat to Chris!



Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright ©2010 Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Auto Motor und Sport]

Except for a few very low volume manufacturers, it's almost impossible to sell any significant number of cars without spending some dollars on advertising and promotion. Yet that's exactly what Saab has been doing in the months since it was sold by General Motors. Apparently, that's all about to change in a really big way as Saab prepares to start selling its all-new 9-5. Because the 9-5 is at the heart of the company's efforts to reclaim the sales volume it has lost in the last several years, it makes sense that Saab would wait until the new car was ready for customers.

Saab is planning to spend $150 million on marketing its handsome large sedan, starting with its home-market introduction in Sweden this weekend and continuing through the U.S. introduction in August. According to BusinessWeek, Saab also plans to cut its worldwide dealer body by up to 10 percent by the end of next year to cut costs as it aims for profitability in 2012.

Since this is 2010, the marketing push will go well beyond the usual print and broadcast advertising with a major online and mobile push that includes applications for the Apple iPad and iPhone. Later this year, we can probably expect a similar effort for the introduction of the 9-4x crossover.



Photos by Chris Paukert / Copyright ©2010 Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: BusinessWeek]

The all-wheel-drive editions of the 2011 BMW 5 Series won't be arriving stateside until October, but at least we now knowwhat the latest xDrive models will cost. The 535i xDrive kicks off at $52,775 while the twin-turbo V8-powered 550i xDrive will set you back a minimum of $62,875. Both prices including an $875 destination charge.

The xDrive system on the new 5 Series is not quite as sophisticated as the clutch-controlled torque vectoring on the X6, but it can utilize individual braking on the rear wheels to send torque to either side as needed to counteract oversteer or understeer. The central clutch pack also defaults to sending 80 percent of the torque to the rear axle to minimize understeer and retain BMW's familiar driving dynamics, shifting the balance to the front only when needed for traction. All xDrive 5 Series models also get hill descent control to maintain a constant speed when going down a slippery grade. See the press release after the break for all the details.



Photos by Chris Paukert / Copyright ©2010 Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: BMW]

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The Detroit auto industry's annual summer shutdown is a tradition that goes back many decades, but this year, General Motors is taking a pass. It comes from a time when the new model year started in September for every car and they all debuted simultaneously, usually in dealer showrooms. The shutdown was the two week period in the summer during which all the plants installed updated tooling for the new models.

In more recent times, the practice has persisted as a time to do maintenance and other work that might interfere with production – even if it hasn't coincided with the launch of a new model. This year, however, GM's inventories on many models are running so low that nine of the automaker's 11 assembly plants will keep producing vehicles during the designated shutdown period. Among the plants that will stay open are the Detroit-Hamtramck plant that builds the Cadillac DTS, the Delta Township plant builds the Lambda crossovers and the Chevrolet Corvette plant in Bowling Green, KY. Full press release after the jump.

[Source: General Motors]

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Mini can safely be considered the 800-pound gorilla of viral marketing in the automotive sector, but fresh from its big showing this year with its Assurance program and successful Super Bowl appearances, Hyundai is showing real pluck. Need more proof? The boys from Korea have just stepped up to stand in for Porsche, offering to take on Mini at its Road Atlanta Challenge.

In a smack-talk-tastic video response they've released to Mini USA head Jim McDowell, Hyundai says they're eager to bring their Genesis Coupe to Hotlanta raceway next month. What about Mini's planned June 21 event? Seems Hyundai race driver Rhys Millen is a bit busy getting ready to climb a certain mountain, so Hyundai is challenging Mini to a race in July.

As Hyundai spokesman Dan Bedore tells Autoblog, "Since we launched the Genesis Coupe, we've always said that we'll take on all-comers when it comes to comparison tests. And we've had some experience on the race track at Road Atlanta. We'd be happy to meet Mini on the race track."

To step in and offer to take a punch for someone you don't really even consider a buddy (read: Porsche) is either bold or downright crazy – or more than likely, some glorious combination of the two – but either way, it takes serious cojones. Will Mini step up to the challenge? Better still, might there be a three-way battle royale? Check out the video after the jump and stay tuned, everyone... this just got interesting.



Photos by Michael Harley / Copyright ©2010 Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Hyundai]

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The all-new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee will start flowing into Chrysler dealerships in the coming weeks, but you can go price one out right now at the official configurator. Playing around with the "build your own" system shows that the least expensive Grand Cherokee available is the rear-wheel-drive Laredo which starts at $30,995 including destination and delivery.

Regardless of the trim level or number of driven wheels, the Grand Cherokees come standard with the new 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, although the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 is available as an option on Limited and Overland trims. Injudicious use of the options list can push the price tag of a Grand Cherokee up to $50,000 and beyond.



[Source: Jeep]

There was a time in the not too distant past when Honda had a slew of fun-to-drive tuner specials ranging from tiny JDM Beat kei-car to the razor-sharp S2000. Both of those vehicles are dead and gone now, but a report from Motor Trend posits that Honda could be working on a way to replace both vehicles in one tidy (and presumably, fun-to-drive) little package.

The rumored roadster, which reportedly wouldn't be production-ready until 2014, would utilize a subframe with a mid-engine layout for optimum weight distribution. If this exciting-sounding ride is indeed in utero, the big question would surround the avenue Honda would choose for propulsion. Options include a small, possibly boosted gasoline motor, a CR-Z-like hybrid and possibly even an electric-only solution. All three options would likely be relatively efficient due to the roadster's small stature, but MT points out that a gas-only option could limit the vehicle's international appeal.

A mixture between a Beat and an S2000 sounds great to us, but is there any proof that such a vehicle is under development? The magazine did some digging and discovered a Honda patent pending in Japan for a subframe vehicle with an "engine being fitted to a center frame." Add to that the fact that last year we heard rumblings of a next-generation Beat that looks a lot like the rendering above, and we could finally be looking at a fun new Honda by mid-decade. Click on the photo above to check out Motor Trend's hot-looking rendering.

[Source: Motor Trend]