Car Magazine has reported that the upcoming Audi RS3 may receive the same engine as the TT RS. This seems to make sense since the 2.0L Turbo engines from the Volkswagen group seem to have gotten as much boost as they’re willing to give at this point, at least in stock form. But, with Audi’s Quattro AWD, the RS3 is sure to be able to put that power to the pavement.

Unfortunately, like the Audi S3, VW Scirocco and many other European cars, we won’t likely be seeing this in the US. (Sigh) Now, I know that we don’t have an Autobahn here in the US, but we do have a lot of great driving roads and plenty of autocross venues and racetracks to put that power to work. I guess we’ll just have to keep dreaming for now.

After a 40+ year absence from the World Rally Championship (WRC), MINI has confirmed that they will enter their new Countryman AWD 4-door crossover into the 2011 season. The number of races and its debut event in 2011 is still yet to be determined, but they are set to race the full season in 2012.

Developed in cooperation with Prodrive, the MINI Countryman WRC will use a BMW Motorsport sourced 1.6L turbo engine aligning with the FIA’s new Super2000 regulations which stipulate the use of turbocharged 1,600cc 4-cylinder engines. The car has been in development since 2009 and will be tested starting this fall. MINI will also make the Countryman WRC available to customer teams.

“I am delighted MINI will be represented on one of the most popular stages in international motorsport. The success enjoyed on the rally circuit has made a vital contribution to the image of the brand. MINI customers have always shown great interest in motorsport. I am convinced we will add a few more chapters to our success story in rallying. The MINI Countryman provides an excellent basis, from which to create a competitive racing car for the world championship. In Prodrive, we have a strong and experienced partner. We will work hard together over the coming months to ensure we get the project on track right from the word go,” states Ian Robertson, BMW AG Board of Management member.

It will certainly be nice to see a new manufacturer in the WRC since the current field consists of mainly Fords and Citroens.

German tuner G-POWER has followed up their 750hp HURRICANE RS with a further modified BMW M5 sedan, the HURRICANE RR. The HURRICANE RR has just set a record speed of 231 MPH breaking the current record that was also held by the HURRICANE RS of 228 MPH set early in 2010.

The 800hp HURRICANE RR V10 is fed by two ASA T1-316 superchargers, one for each cylinder bank. G-POWER also states that this configuration could theoretically make as much as 900hp. The engine internals have also been modified to handle the added boost. New MAHLE high-performance forged pistons with lower compression and the connecting rods and piston pins have also been replaced.

Peak power is achieved between 7,500 and 8,000 RPM with 590 ft-lbs of torque available at 5,000 RPM. The Bugatti Veyron it isn’t, but the HURRICANE RR also doesn’t have the luxury of 16 cylinders, 8 liters of displacement, and 4 turbochargers. Just to put this into perspective, the Bugatti produces 125hp per liter, while the HURRICANE RR produces 160hp per liter.

As you would imagine, the HURRICANE RR also boasts some pretty impressive acceleration with a 0-62 time of 4.35 seconds, a 9.5 second sprint to 124 MPH and 186 MPH is reached in just 25.8 seconds. So….it’s not your average 4,000 pound executive hauler. It’s a 231 MPH supercar that just happens to have 5 seats and a trunk.

G-POWER has also made modifications to the aerodynamics with their HIGHLINE body kit. Consisting of front and rear skirts and spoilers, the HIGHLINE body kit helps to keep the car planted at speed with increased downforce as well as provide the needed cooling for the 5 liter V10. G-POWER also adds performance brake system and height-adjustable G-POWER RS coilovers to help with handling and stopping power.

How much does all of this cost? About $72k on top of the price of the donor M5. Used M5s are selling in the $50k range these days for a decent car, so if you were thinking about buying a the Porsche Panamera Turbo but thought it was a bit too “tame”, this is a great option. That is if you don’t mind a used car. Which in this case, why would you? $120k is a lot of paper, but with this kind of performance, the HURRICANE RR is in a league of its own.

So what am I doing October 22-24? I’m definitely going to the Global Tuner Grand Prix at Laguna Seca. And what is the Global Tuner Grand Prix (GTGP) you ask? Well….just about one of the coolest ideas ever.

Europe has the Tuner Grand Prix, Asia has the Super Lap Battle and now the Laguna Seca has the Global Tuner Grand Prix. Europe’s Tuner Grand Prix attracts mostly European cars with a few Japanese and American entries here and there and is held in Germany. The Super Lap Battle events are held in the US, but only Japanese cars are allowed. The new GTGP however is open to all Import, European and Domestic vehicles separated into 3 classes which include Street, Tuner and Unlimited. Each of the 3 classes are bracketed into 3 categories that include FWD, RWD and AWD. So, basically all are welcome.

The event will involve time trials where the fastest lap in each category and class wins. The event will also include the GTGP Challenge Race which will consist of a 50 minute wheel to wheel race featuring some of the fastest GT race cars in the world.

With ticket prices at $35 for the entire weekend, this is a no brainer.

…this year… but you probably already knew that didn’t you? Let’s talk about some things you may not know, or, may not have considered.

The U.S. market is notorious for turning a blind eye to wagons and sport wagons in general. This probably could be to blame for our lust for big, cumbersome, tyrannical SUV’s. Interestingly enough, in my professional and scientific* opinion, (*note: no science was used in the making of this opinion) I believe our lust for things large is a direct connection to the obesity problem as well, but I digress. Wagons world-wide take a stand as being an economic choice, a stylistic choice and to the enthusiast: a solid competitor for satisfying the need for speed. From BMW to Audi, wagons pose a great threat to standard form cars. Alfa Romeo may, hopefully (fingers crossed), help dilute the disdain for wagons by introducing a little class to our barbaric, muscle car culture.

The goal of bringing Alfa Romeo to the U.S. is to boost the Chrysler brand by creating a union that will see profits for Chrysler through utilization of plants Chrysler has shut down. A smart move in my mathematic based opinion (2+2 = Score).

The big question I must ask: Is the American auto market ready to adopt a new European style? It goes without saying that the Alfa Romeo is a blend between luxury and economy, and utilizes some unique lines and styling to grab attention.

Many may consider the styling a bit bold, while others immediately consume it like Oreo cookies and milk. What is your stance?  Tell us in the comments!

Nissan announced today the specs and pricing for their new Juke crossover and it starts at just below $20k. But this “thing” is so ugly they’d have to pay me to own it. I’m going to write this quick because I’m getting a little nauseous.

What The Heck?

What are the designers at Nissan smoking these days? I mean, Nissan isn’t really the first company you think of for beautiful cars, but this is getting ridiculous. The last few models that Nissan has introduced, including the cartoonish Cube and the “I’m-fine-with-it-not-looking-so-good-because-it-is-all-electric” Leaf, are real eyesores. I’m all for pushing the boundaries, but……wow. (I am happy to point out that the Leaf, Juke and Cube are all four-letter words)

Maybe Nissan decided that they’re current offerings were a bit dull? Don’t get me wrong, the Altima is a decent looking car, but it just blends in with the rest of the competition. In my mind, evolution is a good thing. We certainly don’t want to go back to the 90s where just about every car on the road looked like a used bar of soap. Am I preaching to the choir or am I just mental?

Audi USA have started a petition on their Facebook page to bring the TT RS to the US. The TT RS has been available in Europe for the past year and has gotten some great reviews and many Audi fans in the US have been begging for the car to hit our shores. Well, if enough interest is generated, they just might get their wish.

So What Makes The TT RS So Special?

Unlike the tuned 2.0L turbo in the TTS, the TT RS gets Audi’s first 2.5L turbo engine. The 2.5 is based on the current naturally aspirated engine found in the US model VW Golf and Jettas. With the turbocharger and intercoolers fitted, the TT RS engine produces 340hp at 5,400 RPM and 332 ft-lbs of torque at 1,600 RPM. Combine that with a 3,200 pound curb weight and Quattro AWD, and the TT RS launches for 0-60 in 4.5 seconds and has a governor limited top speed of 174 mph. At a price of about $60k, these are Porsche Carrera numbers at a fraction of the cost!

So, What are you waiting for? Go and submit your petition now!

Autocar posted an article on their site today with the title Mid-engined Corvette ‘confirmed’ and it has been spreading its way through the internet quickly. They reveal that a “senior Saab source” confirmed that prior to the 2008 financial downturn Saab was working on a dual-clutch gearbox for the car. Once the financial crisis hit the project was tabled. Autocar states “the latest rumours from the US suggest the mid-engined layout is now back on the agenda for the next-generation C8 Corvette, which is expected to arrive in five years’ time.” They also write “GM bosses are also said to be considering downsizing to a V6 engine, probably backed up by turbochargers. The C8 could also be more compact and lighter, possibly using more aluminium in its construction.” I’m not holding my breath.

I’m not exactly sure where they hear these “rumors” or what their “sources” are, but this doesn’t seem to make much sense to me. While it is easy for me to believe that GM would begin using a smaller turbocharged engine, as many other carmakers are beginning to do for emissions and fuel economy reasons, I seriously doubt they would turn the Corvette into a mid-engined car. And if they did, I think that is a BAD IDEA. It’s like Porsche saying that they’re going to make the 911 a mid or front-engined car. I’m sorry…..WHAT?

While I’m not a hug fan of the Corvette, but it is an American muscle car icon. It’s been around for almost 60 years! What would be the point of a mid-engine Corvette? You just don’t mess with that kind of history.

If GM is truly developing a mid-engine car, wouldn’t it be smart to just create an all new car and keep the Corvette the way it is? Now, it probably wouldn’t make sense for GM to create another supercar under the Chevy brand. So just create a mid-engined Cadillac! In my opinion this would be the best way to go. A mid-engine sports car from GM should be competing against the likes of the Audi R8, Lamborghini Gallardo, Ferrari 458, etc.. And you’re not going to do that with a Chevy. At least if you want to make something truly special. That’s what is great about the Corvette. It provides supercar performance at a reasonable price. They don’t need to spend a lot of money on exotic materials and fancy interiors. They just need to make it fast.

Using the Cadillac brand for a new GM mid-engined supercar makes the most sense. They could build an entirely new car from the ground up. They wouldn’t need to adhere to any pre-determined design ideologies, they could set a price for the car beyond the current going rate for the Corvette and yet still keep it affordable.

So, maybe Autocar’s sources are good, whoever they are. But I just don’t believe it.

What do you think?

AWE Tuning had just released their K04 Turbo Kit for the Mk6 VW GTI. The stock GTI produces 200hp and 207 ft-lbs of torque. But add the $2,245 kit ($2,495 after Aug. 18th) and power jumps to 335hp and 345 ft-lbs. And if you want to squeeze even more power from your 2.0T, add the Audi S3 sourced intercooler and AWE cold air intake for $1,080 for a total of 350hp and 360 ft-lbs of torque.

With the AWE K04 kit plus recommended exhaust, intake and intercooler, you pay about $32 per horsepower increase. That’s not much considering the APR Stage III kit costs $4,999 plus an additional $3,000 for the recommended intake, exhaust and intercooler for 376hp at a cost of over $45 per horsepower.

Forget shelling out a couple of grand on a new set of rims or new suspension. Save those for later! We’re talking BMW / Porsche power levels for just a few thousand over sticker. I think 335 owners would start questioning their purchase when trying to out run a Mk6 GTI fitted with this kit.

Porsche announced today that they plan to move forward with series production of the 918 Spyder hybrid supercar in response to the “overwhelming response from the public and customers to the Concept Study.”

For those of you who are not yet familiar with the 918 Spyder, it is the most advanced use of plugin-hybrid technology to date. Similar to the much anticipated Chevy Volt, the 918 will have the ability to run purely on electric power, in this case, about 16 miles.

At the heart of the car is a 500hp 3.4L V8 based off of Porsche’s extremely successful RS Spyder race engine which, by the way, won titles in the American Le Mans Series. Add 3 separate electric motors, producing an additional 218hp and you have one mean and clean machine. Two of the three electric motors power the front wheels making this a four-wheel drive car and the third is connected to the 7-speed PDK transmission providing additional power to the rear wheels.

The liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery is located just behind the passenger compartment and can be charged by plugging the car into an electrical outlet as well as through regenerative braking. The 918 has 4 different drive modes. E-Drive (economy) allows the car to run purely on electric power for up to 16 miles as stated above. Hybrid mode combines the V8 with the electric motors for extended low-speed driving. In this mode, the 918 emits only 70 grams of CO2 per kilometer which is lower than most, if not all, of the current hybrids on the road like the Toyota Prius. This mode also produces an astounding 78 miles per gallon! The Sport Hybrid mode unleashes more of the V8′s power sending most of the power to the rear wheels. Finally, the driver can select the Race Performance mode which allows the V8 engine to rev to 9,200 RPM and releases the full 218hp available from the electric motors for a total of 718hp.

With the option for the driver to select the drive mode that best suits the driving situation, the 918 Spyder offers eco-conscious buyers the ability to own and drive a supercar without all of the guilt.

What is exciting to me about this car, is that this it is a look into the future of performance automobiles. While there are a number of all-electric sports cars in development, the technology being employed on the 918 Spyder will likely make it into sports cars most of us can afford in the near term.