Rumors: New Porsche 911 Turbo to Get Three Turbochargers?

There used to be a time when bolting a turbocharger into a bog-standard engine was more than adequate. As the horsepower wars escalated, twin-turbochargers appeared in high-performance models. Truth be told, even the most daring of tuners would stay away from adding a third turbo. BMW was the one of the first manufacturers to make it a hat-trick with its new 3.0-liter M-Performance tri-turbo diesels – and it was quite a surprise.
Now, according to a report from British publication Autocar, Porsche is going down the same road. Unlike BMW, though, it’s not for a diesel version of the Panamera or the Cayenne, but for the gasoline-powered flagship version of the latest 911.
The report claims that a series of patents of the new 911 Turbo that were uncovered show a smaller turbocharger positioned closer to the 3.8-liter flat-six for instant response and increased torque at low revs, plus two more that are similar to the Variable Turbine Geometry turbochargers employed by the 997.
Of course, no one has complained that the current 500HP 911 Turbo was lacking in the performance department. Moreover, Porsche’s engineers could have easily upped power by with some very minor tweaks.
Such are the times however, that even a brand like Porsche needs to lower its models’ fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. So, even though the 991-based Turbo will have an output of around 520HP, just 10HP shy of the current Turbo S, the primary reason for introducing a third turbocharger will probably be to make the engine more fuel efficient and greener.

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Ford Focus gets New 1.0-liter Turbo EcoBoost with up to 123HP in Europe, Replaces 1.6-liter Units

Ford continues to downsize its engines in order to reduce consumption and lower CO2 emissions with the presentation of a brand-new 1.0-liter, three-cylinder EcoBoost petrol unit on its Focus family car range in Europe.

The new turbocharged engine replaces the naturally aspirated 1.6-liter petrol and is available with two power levels, the first of which produces 99HP (100PS) and delivers 58.9mpg UK (4.8lt/100km or 49mpg US) with 109g/km of CO2 emissions in the five door Focus.

The second version delivers 123HP (125PS) and 170Nm (125 lb-ft) peak torque (200Nm with overboost) between 1,400 and 4,500rpm for a combined fuel economy of 56.5mpg UK (5.0lt/100km or 47mpg US) and CO2 emissions of 114g/km, again on the five-door hatchback.

"This is the third addition to our acclaimed EcoBoost engine family. Joining the 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre EcoBoost engines which span 150PS to 240PS, this 1.0-litre EcoBoost signals a new era of downsized, super frugal engines for the sub-130PS segment," said Graham Hoare, Ford's European executive powertrain director.

The 1.0-liter EcoBoost, which Ford says can fit on a piece of A4 paper, was developed by UK-based engineers at Dunton and Dagenham.

Sales in Europe will begin in February with UK pricing starting from £13,995 on the road. According to Ford, this engine is priced £250 above the 1.6-litre 125PS engine and will subsequently find its way in the C-MAX, Grand C-MAX compact minivans and the all-new B-MAX small MPV later this year.

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Ferris Bueller Takes a Day Off to Enjoy the 2012 CR-V in Honda's New Super Bowl Ad

If you were expecting Matthew Broderick to mark his return as a 50-year old Ferris Bueller with a Ferrari model, you're out of luck as the much publicized teaser turned out to be a commercial for the all-new 2012 Honda CR-V, an extended version of which you can watch after the break.

Honda brought Ferris Bueller's Day Off back to life for the Super Bowl XLVI game with Matthew Broderick playing himself.

The two-and-a-half minute spot that pays homage to the classic 1980's movie shows Broderick skipping out on a day of acting work to enjoy his all-new CR-V.

The Japanese company says that it has hidden over two dozen references to the movie throughout the extended version of the commercial that will air on February 5 during the game. See if you can find them in the video that follows after the break.

VIDEO

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhkDdayA4iA&feature=player_embedded 

Chrysler Group to Celebrate Mopar's 75th Birthday with Four Specially Modified Vehicles

 

We are eagerly anticipating the first official teaser photo of the next SRT Viper in the early morning hours of Tuesday but that's not all the Chrysler Group has in store for us this week.

In celebration of the 75th anniversary of Mopar, which is the group's automobile parts and service arm, the Detroit firm will present four specially modified vehicles that will go on display at next month's 2012 Chicago Auto Show (January 10 to 19).

Mopar is keeping the vehicles under wraps for now but we will get our first view of the four models on Tuesday, January 31, at 9 a.m. EST.

You can watch the event live via the streaming video box below, so bookmark this page and come back tomorrow morning.

Skoda Releases First Photo of the Five-Door Version of its Citigo City Car

Like clockwork, the Volkswagen Group is releasing pictures and details of its expanded range of city cars based on the Up!.

Following on from last week's introduction of the Volkswagen brand's five-door Up!, it's Skoda's turn to show a more practical but same-sized version of the Citigo.

The five-door Citigo will make its grand premiere at the 2012 Geneva Salon in March before it goes on sale across Europe together with the three-door version of the Skoda-branded car from mid-May.

Both body styles will share a common engine range comprising a 1.0-liter three-cylinder petrol engine in two states of tune delivering 60-horsepower and 75-horsepower.

The Czech automaker says that it most efficient Green tech variant, the Citigo returns a combined fuel consumption of 4.1lt/100km (68.9mpg UK or 57.4mpg US) with CO2 emissions of just 96g/km.

Next in line will be the presentation of a five-door body style of the Up!'s third sibling, the Seat Mii.

New Subaru XV Crossover Pricing Released for Britain

The already heavily populated C-sized SUV segment has a new contender from Subaru, the XV, which slots right under the Forester in the Japanese firm's lineup.

The XV is in essence a crossover version of the Impreza hatchback with a reworked body with plenty of plastic cladding and a jacked up suspension. It arrives in the UK with a choice of three engines and an equal number of trim grades with on the road prices ranging from £21,295 to £29,995.

The engine lineup includes two petrol units with a displacement of 1.6-liters and 2.0-liters producing 112HP (114PS) and 148P (150PS) respectively, both of which are available with either a five / six-speed manual or a six-speed CVT automatic.

There's also a diesel option with the 2.0-liter boxer unit that delivers 145HP (147PS) and 350Nm (258 lb-ft) of peak torque propelling the XV to 60mph (96km/h) in 9.3 seconds while returning a combined fuel economy of 50.4mpg and CO2 emissions of 146g/km. Subaru believes this version will likely be the best-seller in the range.

All three-engine variants come with Subaru's Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system fitted as standard.

The entry-level S models are equipped with ABS, traction control, Subaru Vehicle Dynamics Control (SVDC), front, side, curtain and knee airbags, 17-inch alloy wheels, daytime LED running lights and automatic air conditioning as standard.

Moving up to the SE trim adds a rear-view camera, cruise control, Bluetooth functionality and USB/iPod connectivity, while the range-topping SE Lux Premium models also get a sunroof, Keyless Smart Entry, push-button start, leather seats and satellite navigation.

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New Limited Edition Honda CR-Z 'Label α' for Japan

Japanese buyers are no strangers to special edition versions with extremely subtle modifications, the newest one coming from Honda with its CR-Z 'Label α' model, which goes on sale this week and will be available for a limited release until May 31. What makes the 'Label α' special in Honda's eyes is the bespoke burgundy pearl metallic finish on the outside with a matching interior color for the seats, door panels and the stitching on the leather steering wheel and manual gearbox shifter.
The hybrid sports hatch also gets alloy wheels and aluminum sport pedals.
The CR-Z 'Label α' will be offered with a CVT (continuously variable transmission) or a six-speed manual gearbox with pricing in Japan set at 2,510,000 yen (about €24,850 and US$32,150) for both models.

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