Range Rover Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - 2014 Land Rover Range Rover HSE - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

When this current generation of Range Rover first debuted for the 2013 model year, much was made of its aluminum-intensive superstructure, and the hundreds of pounds of curb weight – some 700 of the suckers – shed as a result. Not having had the opportunity to drive the newly lightened Range until early this past spring (as you can see from the photos), I'd taken the dynamically positive changes on faith before my test.

Having now sampled the super-lux SUV for myself and being a longstanding fan of the Range Rover brand and most Land Rover products, I'm happy to report that the rumors are true. My Nara Bronze Range Rover HSE not only looked the part of a utility vehicle for the well-heeled set, it performed up to the high standards of the models past, as well.

That summation is extra impressive, considering that the Range Rover I had was powered by the base, supercharged 3.0-liter V6 engine, too.

Driving Notes

I thought Brandon Turkus was crazy. We published his LR4 review around the time I was driving the Range Rover – both vehicles that make use of this supercharged 3.0-liter V6. Brandon complained that the LR4 – admittedly larger – felt pretty laggy with the V6 as compared with its old 5.0-liter V8. After feeling the sprightly performance of the blown six in the Rangie, I called Turkus, and I called foul. That is until I was gently reminded that the Range Rover's new aluminum architecture made it nearly 750 pounds lighter than the LR4.

As you might guess, that relatively light curb weight (4,918 pounds) goes a long way to making the 340-horsepower, 332-pound-feet V6 feel punchy. Land Rover estimates a 0-60 time of 7.1 seconds, but the pull feels even stronger than that in the mid-range speeds. Throttle response is sharper than you might expect for a big SUV, too, which helps the Range Rover seem quicker than it is against the clock.

The lowered curb weight and smaller engine have improved the fuel economy estimates for the Range Rover as well. The EPA cites 17 miles per gallon in the city, with ratings of 23 highway and 19 combined to round out the window sticker. I saw close to 18 mpg in a week of mixed driving that tilted toward an urban cycle.

Even with its adjustable air suspension, cornering hard is not the Range Rover's bread and butter – nor should it be. There's too much vertical motion in the suspension to make you want to push the Range around your favorite driving roads, and I suppose that's exactly why theRange Rover Sport exists.

At highway speeds, the cabin is filled with the low rush of buffered wind noise, and not a lot else until you crank up the excellent optional Meridian audio system ($1,850). As a long-range driver and commuter tool, the highway manners, smooth ride, glove-like seats and all-around great visibility place this vehicle at the top of its class.

The ride from the rear quarters isn't too shabby, either. One thing that the $5,000 HSE package includes is the massive sliding panoramic roof, which makes the whole of the interior feel airy and light. With the sky as the ceiling and plenty of legroom, I didn't hear a word but praise from the few friends I threw in the back seats.

It's truly subjective, but I've never been much of a white-leather-interiors kind of a guy, and even I found this ivory colored hide to be impressively posh. I'm not sure how sensible it would be for the stereotypical family full of muddy wellies and wet Brittany in the boot, but rich people seem to know magic for keeping clean. Anyway, for my money Range Rover is doing some of the best interiors this side of top-trim Mercedes-Benz and Bentley.

In a vacuum, this latest Range Rover is really spectacular. But even I must admit that, if your intended use case is softer than the hard-core off-roading this SUV was built to do, there are a couple of very strong competitors in the market today. Both the all-new Cadillac Escalade and the Mercedes-Benz GL450 are larger, more powerful and less expensive to start, with a slight downtick in terms of star power versus the Range Rover. If you love the Land Rover brand, the look and the potential ability, that might be enough; if your future SUV is set to be more of a mall cruiser, it might not.

Image Credit: Copyright 2014 Seyth MIersma / AOL

source: autoblog

by Seyth Miersma

Http://www.boscheuropean.com

Audi Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - 2014 Audi R8 V8 - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

Where to even begin with the Audi R8 V8.

Let's start with the Ferrari 458 Italia, a car that doubles the base price of the Audi. It's much more fun to drive than it is to talk about; discussions among enthusiasts usually begin with someone saying, "It's amazing!" and end with everyone else agreeing. Opposite that is the vast, swirling nebula of cars that are often more fun to talk about than they are to drive.

In between, there are very few cars that are as fun to discuss as they are to drive, and this Audi is one. It's a car that challenges our notions about its actual competitive set and, even better, its philosophical competitive set, its driving experience, its price, its future, its present viewed from the future, and its verifiable and/or potential pedigree.

We recently attempted to sort out some of those notions during ten days in an R8 V8 driving from Munich to Le Mans. We arrived at quite a few answers, and although we walked away from it still confounded, there's no denying one thing: it is so, so good.

Audi's R8 is an impressive and deeply alluring car, as opposed to beautiful.

We took possession of a white R8 with black sideblades at the Munich airport, then headed straight to meet a local friend and to photograph it before introducing all that Ibis paint to German bugs at 180 miles per hour. Taking a long look at it while it sat posed in front of the Nymphenburgschloss andAntikensammlungen, your author thinks it's an impressive and deeply alluring car, as opposed to beautiful – not a Venus, rather one of the finer works of that ferocious hot smithy, Vulcan. With an overall aesthetic that, like its performance, is sublimely balanced. In fact, only one note strikes as odd, and only when you stop to notice it: there's ample front overhang.

But its compact shape is all business, low and wide, nary a superfluous curve, and once you turn it on, its LED daytime running lamps transform that already fierce face into an ice-cold threat. If The Wolf ever saw fit to get rid of his Acura NSX, this would make an excellent replacement. And let us go on the record as saying it's criminal that Washington won't let us have the facelifted R8's sequential turn signals.

If it weren't for the endless stares and your knuckles scraping the pavement when you adjust the seat, you could be excused for thinking you're in a slammed RS5.

As we would discover over a few days tooling around Bavaria's heart while loading up on Würst, Radler and idyll, the R8 is the perfect urban pet. For a car that looks so low you could scrape your knee on the roof – it's two inches lower than a Porsche 911, the same height as an Aston Martin V8 Vantage – it's easy to get in and out of. The diktat of exterior purpose continues inside, with exactly zero fuss inside the cabin, only a lot of leather, aluminum and quilting. The coupe is seven inches shorter than an Audi A5 and almost half an inch shorter than an A3 sedan, so you can always find a parking spot. The drama is entirely outside the car; sitting inside, it takes a foot full of throttle to even hear it. It's such an obsequious daily driver that if it weren't for the endless stares and your knuckles scraping the pavement when you adjust the seat, you could be excused for thinking you're in a slammed RS5.

Except for the way it looks, the R8 exhibits almost no urging – which is part of its conundrum and why we've always been conflicted about it. If it's not beautiful, it is definitely magnetic, but we wonder what we'll think of it in ten years. It looks like a supercar and it makes us want supercar thrills, but its performance fits firmly into the sports car segment. It starts at $115,900, about $10,000 more than a Porsche 911 Carrera 4S, about $15,000 less than Aston Martin's new entry-level V8 Vantage GT. It's not as classically beautiful as either of them, but it's four times as striking and un-ordinary as the other two – and yes, we are aware of how much gall it takes to even hint that any Aston Martin is ordinary. It has 430 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque, meaning a little more hp and a little less torque than those other two cars. Its 0-60 miles per hour is 4.3 seconds, equaling the Porsche, just a few tenths ahead of the Englishman.

When not being pushed it behaves like the Platonic form of A Daily Driver.

A supercar on the outside, sports car in genus and when not being pushed it behaves like... please don't take this the wrong way... the Platonic form of A Daily Driver. That should be a good thing, right? So why can't we help missing the thrill? What's more, it's not as convenient as those competitors, for lack of a back seat area to assist that tiny trunk. On top of that, unlike every other sports car in its segment, the R8 has a dearth of pedigree – which is astonishing considering how much racing and winning Audi has done. So maybe that's perceived pedigree?

This philosophical goulash, and its Audi badge, might be why we hardly see them anywhere. Over three days in Munich we saw two R8s, one less than the number of C5 Corvette coupes - not all Corvettes, just C5 Corvettes – and equal to the number of Ford Mustang models. This isn't about money, either – the Münchner are a wealthy lot, jamming the roads with Porsches; it was easy to ring up three or four 911 Turbos an hour. In LA, we see more Ferrari 458s than R8s, even though Ferrari has sold just 171 cars in total in the US this year compared to 422 R8s.

That's another astonishing truth, because the R8 is so, so, so damn good. When we finished in Munich we had to get to Waibstadt for a wedding, and that meant a run over 300 kilometers of Autobahn.

The R8 fastens itself to a derestricted stretch of empty highway in a manner that goes beyond confidence, into certainty.

The mid-mounted V8 is a sweet piece of business, the OED definition of drivability and composure, and the package around it is spooky good at Autobahn speeds. Goad the needle on toward 190 mph and the R8 fastens itself to a derestricted stretch of empty highway in a manner that goes beyond confidence, into certainty. It welcomes fearlessness – not foolishness, mind you – on roads you've never seen before and at speeds you've only dreamed.

We stayed in Heidelberg, meaning we had to make the round trip to and from Waibstadt every day. The bride and groom had their true love, we had our 42-kilometer commute morning and evening, and we still wouldn't trade one for the other. Once off the highway, rural Germania is cut up by plentiful and sinuous tarmac ribbons begging for summertime blasts between burgs. The R8 isn't as light on its feet as some other highly focused machinery and it's no stranger to understeer if you go looking for it, the counterweight to Quattro being the solid sensations it imparts and its superlative balance on the Autobahn and just such B-roads.

One (more) thing we like about exotic sports cars is the lack of driver assistance systems; they don't want to do much beyond try to keep you from killing yourself, so the R8 is, in the main, nanny-free.

It's so easy to access what the R8 can do (and it can do so much), but it's still missing a few specific bullet points of "Wow."

When finally called to make the 722-km trip to Le Mans, we left Waibstadt on a supernaturally beautiful weekday morning, and whatever German word is the opposite of Autobahn in a nasty traffic jam around Saarbrucken. Legendary for unlimited speeds, the vehicular constipation on German highways can be just as extraordinary. At this point it was back to R8 as... please don't take this the wrong way... a regular Audi. Like the aforementioned Porsche and Aston Martin, you could live in it all day, but the aging Audi cabin arguably isn't as special the other two, certainly not the Aston Martin.

Not long after being set free from the mess around Saarbrucken we hit the French border, where maximum speed limits encouraged the use of cruise control and a return to the R8's Clark Kent mode. We tried to figure out what this car is during this last leg into Le Mans – it's clinical in many ways, yet it's impossible not to notice. Even so, once you close your eyes, there's almost nothing visceral about it. It performs beyond its price, and it's got the interesting dichotomy of being short on space yet otherwise easily livable on a daily basis. We occasionally wished the new S-Tronic transmission had reflexes that were quicker still, but thankfully its steering is gorgeous. It's so easy to access what the R8 can do (and it can do so much), but it's still missing a few specific bullet points of "Wow." Perhaps that's what the V10 model is for.

Taken in total, it is a conundrum that from now on we will always enjoy revisiting and pondering anew from behind its flat-bottomed steering wheel. No matter what else we might want from it, what we definitely get is a coupe that is so, so good.

Image Credit: Copyright 2014 Jonathon Ramsey / AOL

source: Autoblog

by Jonathon Ramsey

http://www.boscheuropean.com

VW Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - Volkswagen considering a four-door, four-seat XL1 - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

According to a report in Autocar, Volkswagen might have more in mind for the XL1 than mining it for advances to grace the next-generation Golf. Aiming to fight the Honda FCEV due for public consumption next year, we're told VW executives have put a four-door, four-seater version of the XL1 - it could be called XL2 - on the drawing board. The impetus is said to come from the top, with VW Group chairman Ferdinand Piëch intent on staying in the deep end of "super-efficent vehicles."

Autocar suspects the necessary changes could raise the weight of the car from 1,749 pounds to 2,068 pounds, which would make it four pounds less than the 2,072-pound Up! we drove a few years ago. Crucially, however, the mag thinks the extra capacity wouldn't change the two-seater's 310-mile-per-gallon rating, with tech tweaks and the aerodynamic benefit of a longer car offsetting the weight. Speculation is that the back seats would be staggered like the fronts in order to maintain the XL1's overall profile.

We recently heard about another XL1 variant that's gone off the radar entirely, the Ducati-engined XLRthat we thought we'd see at the Geneva Motor Show and that was said to be going into production, so this one could go the same way. The biggest hurdle to making such an idea a reality, though, could be the price: the current XL1 costs 110,000 euros ($146,116). If VW really is going to compete with theHonda FCEV and the Toyota FCV - $70,000 in Japan - that might be where it wants to start.

News Source: Autocar

Image Credit: Copyright 2014 AOL

Autoblog

by Jonathon Ramsey

http://www.boscheuropean.com

Porsche Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - Porsche 911 GT3 RS revealed in patent photos - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

Porsche has been taking its time developing the most hardcore 911 models for the latest 991 chassis. While the GT3 has been on the market for a little while, it suffered from some teething issues. The 911 GT3 RS is certainly on the radar since being spotted testing, but it's always better to get a look at a new car without all of the camo to hide the coolest parts. Thankfully, Car in the UK has some patent photos of the RS ahead of its debut, and they show off one mean-looking 911.

The first thing that you notice about the RS is that Porsche clearly isn't afraid to rework the latest 911's shape for its track-focused version. Each piece is slightly resculpted to squeeze the most out of it. Up front, the air dam has the same shape to the earlier photos. They also both highlight the upcoming model's tiny air inlet at the tip of the hood, the massive intakes in the rear fenders and general design of the rear wing with a ducktail underneath. The bubbled roof is much clearer here, where it was disguised in spy shots. You can also spot the slashing fender gills behind the front wheels that are a completely new feature.

The GT3 RS is the ultimate naturally aspirated 911 for the street, but according to Car, Porsche aims to take that even farther with the latest model. If these are the looks, then it's working. Unfortunately, the new version's power plant remains a mystery. Though, given all the changes to the bodywork, the engine is almost surely getting tweaked over the 475-horsepower GT3. The RS is rumored to hit the road and be screaming down the track in 2015.

source: Autoblog

by Chris Bruce

News Source: Car

Image Credit: Porsche via Car, CarPix

BMW Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - BMW 6 Series Convertible gets a little work done for 2015 - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

Truth be told, I've never really found the modern BMW 6 Series to be a particularly attractive car, in Coupe, Convertible, or sedan Gran Coupe forms. This current generation certainly looks a whole lot better than the Bangle-fied Six that came before it to my eyes, but on the whole, I find much of the car's design to be fussy and awkward. There's a new 6 Series on the way, scheduled to arrive sometime in 2017 or 2018, but to hold us over until then, BMW is freshening its current range, as evidenced by this convertible prototype our trusty spies recently caught testing.

Will the changes to the current 6 Series be an improvement? Perhaps. Up front, there are restyled headlamps and a new front bumper, and at the rear, BMW has redesigned the LED taillamps to bring them more in line with the rest of the company's offerings. Aside from those modest tweaks, we don't expect much more to change on the Big Six – the interior will likely carry over with some minor tweaks (or new colors), and it's possible the powertrains could be massaged gently for gains in either power, efficiency, or both.

Whether you think this new look is pretty or not, this freshened 6 Series will likely debut sometime next year, while BMW's engineers and designers craft the all-new version. See it from several angles in our gallery, above.

Image Credit: CarPix

Source: Autoblog

by Steven J. Ewing

http://www.boscheuropean.com

Mercedes Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - Mercedes reveals armored S600 Guard - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

It's not every day that Mercedes rolls out a new S-Class, but when it does, Benz usually makes the most of it. Since revealing the latest W222-generation model just last year, the Silver Star automaker has revealed a steady stream of variants, including sedans, coupes and AMG models. You can bet there will be more to come, including Pullman and Maybach versions to make Mercedes' flagship model even more luxurious, but for some buyers there can be no greater luxury than safety. And for just such buyers, Mercedes has now revealed the new S600 Guard.

Joining the E-Guard, M-Guard and G500 Guard, the new S600 Guard offers what Mercedes claims are unprecedented levels of ballistic protection. Rather than buying an existing S-Class and sending it for retrofitting, the German automaker fits it with components made of aramide, polyethylene and a special steel compound right on the assembly line. It also gets polycarbonate-coated glass and underbody reinforcement to make the S600 Guard the first vehicle to meet the top VR9 level of ballistic certification against firearms and explosives.

Despite all the modifications, the S600 Guard is said to be virtually indistinguishable from a standard S-Class, and provides the same level of comfort you'd expect from the flagship Mercedes. The cabin can be configured in either four- or five-seat layouts, and in addition to all the usual luxuries, Mercedes has equipped the S600 Guard with opaque roller blinds, opaque roller blinds, a panic alarm system, automatic fire suppression system, emergency fresh air system and beefed-up hydraulic power windows.

The S600 Guard is powered by the same 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12 as the standard S600 with 523 horsepower and 612 pound-feet of torque channeled through a seven-speed automatic transmission. You can expect performance to be more lethargic due to the added weight, however, with the top speed electronically limited to 130 miles per hour. Mercedes also gives the armored sedan a recalibrated air suspension, larger brakes and Michelin PAX run-flat tires with tire pressure monitoring system.

News Source: Mercedes-Benz

Autoblog

by Noah Joseph

http://www.boscheuropean.com

VW Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - 2014 Volkswagen Scirocco R - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

Germany's automakers seem to get their jollies by watching us scratch our heads. Instead of sticking to traditional automotive body styles, they've been deliberately blurring the lines between them and inventing new terminology with which to classify their creations. So we're left with low-slung sedans called "four-door coupes," crossovers marketed as "sports activity coupes" and slant-back luxury vehicles we wouldn't even know what to call. The upshot is that the customer is left with more choices, but those choices can also make buying a new German Whatchamacallit that much more bewildering. Which brings us to the Volkswagen Scirocco – a model which returned to the fold shortly before many of these segment-busters arrived on the scene.

Volkswagen introduced the original Scirocco 40 years ago as a replacement of sorts for the Karmann Ghia (itself only VW's second model after the Beetle), with a timeless design penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro. The second-generation model arrived in 1981 and stayed in the mix until 1992, after which point the Corrado (with which it initially overlapped) effectively took its place until 1995. It took another baker's dozen years, however, before Wolfsburg saw fit to bring back the Scirocco. When it did, we were left trying to figure out what to call it. A hatchback? A coupe? A sports car? Volkswagen's own literature uses all three terms interchangeably, likely because, as fashion-forward as it is, the modern Scirocco's chopped-down, extended roofline seems to defy classification every bit as much as thePorsche Panamera, BMW X6 or Audi A7.

Those questions weren't answered, naturally, with the debut of the facelifted model at the Geneva Motor Show in March. So with the sleek and stylish Scirocco still missing from North American showrooms, we boarded a flight for its home market in Germany to see if we could wrap our heads around this shapely enigma.

VW has given the existing Scirocco a mid-life facelift to keep up interest in showrooms.

The revived Scirocco revealed at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show was based on the VW Group's A5 platform that also underpinned the company's contemporary Golf, Jetta, Beetle and Tiguan, as well as an array of Audis, Seats, Škodas and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. Many of those models have since been replaced by new versions based on the automaker's more advanced MQB platform, and there will eventually be a new Scirocco built on the new modular architecture as well. But in the meantime, Volkswagen has given the existing Scirocco a mid-life facelift to keep up interest in showrooms.

Although the updated Scirocco still looks very much like the outgoing one, put the two side by side and you'll immediately notice the sharply creased styling that updates its more rounded predecessor and better emphasizes its squat stance. Familiar but fresh is the name of the game. The headlights have been replaced with bi-Xenon units (optional on base versions, standard on the R), the taillights updated with LEDs, and the interior has been refitted as well with new seats, steering wheel, dash-top auxiliary gauge binnacle, trim and electronics. Of course there are new alloys and other minor updates as well, but the biggest advancements have been made under the hood.

That's where you'll find a range of enhanced four-cylinder, turbocharged, direct-injection engines that are both more powerful and more economical than the preceding units. There are six options in all, including two diesels (with 148 or 181 horsepower) and four gasoline engines ranging from 123 hp in the base model all the way up to 276 hp in the top-of-the-line Scirocco R. Take a wild guess at which we chose to spend the day with.

Although the Scirocco R doesn't pack quite as much punch (or as many driven wheels) as the latest 290-hp Golf R, it far outguns the lesser 210-hp GTI with which it shares its front-drive layout. With 15 more horses under the hood, the 2.0-liter turbo four in the new Scirocco R further outguns any sleeper Škoda has made to date, and proved enough to rocket the Seat Leon Cupra 280 around the Nürburgring in record time. Its 276 horses also puts the Scirocco R right on pace with other performance-tuned European hatchbacks like the Renaultsport Mégane 275 Trophy andOpel Astra OPC.

Which brings us to the confusing bit – or the variety, depending on your perspective. When some rival automakers (like the aforementioned Renault and Opel) go with a more coupe-like form for their three-door hatchbacks, they leave the taller, boxier version with five doors exclusively. Volkswagen does both, so if you're in a market where the car is sold, you have the choice between the three-door Golf or Scirocco.

The notion of the Scirocco sharing much with the Golf, however, evaporates the moment you lay eyes on its far sleeker, more stylish form, and disappears from memory altogether when you step inside. The switchgear and general interior design tells you you're in a Volkswagen, but if you didn't know otherwise, you wouldn't find much in common with a Golf. For starters, it feels like a bunker inside, a fact that might appeal to some but turn off others. Particularly in the Scirocco R, you sit lower than you would in a Golf, with less glass around you. The near shooting-brake roofline leaves you with tunnel vision out the back – not helped any by the large, integrated headrests on the back seats – and large blind spots over your shoulders. All of which might be fine if you're planning on leaving everyone else behind you, but the thick A-pillars – a common problem resulting from stricter roof integrity standards – leave you with sizable blind spots out the front as well, forcing the driver to dart back and forth between windshield and side glass when rounding a corner.

Fortunately, you can count on the Scirocco R to hold its line around that corner. The XDS electronic differential didn't leave us wanting for the added traction (or weight) of the Golf R's 4Motion all-wheel drive system and the car barely exhibited any front-end push despite all that power at the nose. In fact, we barely saw the systems flicker (much less feel any intervention) even when pushing hard on slick roads as the Scirocco handled flat through the bends.

Between the traction control (which can be defeated entirely), the stability management (which can only be reined back to the relaxed intervention points of Sport mode), the adjustable dampers (which offer Comfort, Normal and Sport settings) and the transmission (which can be set to Drive, Sport or Manual), the Scirocco offers the driver a wide array of options to find his or her ideal combination. We barely scratched the surface during our daylong drive, leaving the stability and traction control activated in the wet conditions, and could hardly discern much difference between the damper settings, but we found a satisfying and noticeable step as we switched between shift modes.

Our tester was equipped with a six-speed dual-clutch transmission, which did a fine job of swapping and holding gears. In a model this performance-focused, however, we would have expected larger shift paddles, as we ended up blindly reaching for the close-by auxiliary stalks too many times instead. Of course that problem disappears if you opt for the more engaging manual, but most buyers will specify the quicker-shifting DSG. Both models top out at the same 155 miles per hour to which most German automakers voluntarily restrict themselves, but the DSG version gets to 62 mph two-tenths quicker at 5.5 seconds (a rate, we note, that is still 0.4 seconds slower than the more tenacious Golf R).

Either way, the Scirocco R packs meaty steering with above-average feedback and a positive on-center feel. The brake pedal offers excellent feedback as well, gripping internally ventilated discs measuring 13.6-inch up front and 12.2 at the rear. Watching the needle flick back and forth around the boost gauge atop the center stack offered its own share of entertainment, though we couldn't help but wonder why it was placed further away from the driver than the oil temperature gauge and analog clock. The Alcantara-trimmed seats – one of three options available in the Scirocco R alongside leather seats and racing buckets – offered good lateral but little lumbar support along a full day of driving. (We're told the leather option offers more adjustment.) Meanwhile, the sound bellowing out the dual exhaust tips proved more resonant than you'd expect from a turbo four.

Blasting down the Autobahn on the way back to the airport, we barely lost sight of an Audi RS3 running flat out in front of us, and found ourselves wondering once again what to call the Scirocco. A hatchback? Maybe, but we're not sure what that would make the Golf. A coupe? Not with that upright liftgate at the back. A sports car? Not with front-wheel drive, we'd argue. Put it in the same category, then, as the Peugeot RCZ or smaller Hyundai Veloster Turbo – both front-drive models that, like the Scirocco, are at least as much about style as they are about substance. But then again, if the current state of the German automotive industry has taught us anything, it's that labels and categories don't count for much anymore – at least beyond higher price tags.

The bigger question, in our mind anyway, is whether Volkswagen has made the right call by keeping the Scirocco on the other side of the Atlantic. It was, after all, designed for the European market, not ours. But if the updated Scirocco R is evidence of what Wolfsburg can do with an aging platform, we're looking forward to seeing what it can do with newer technology. And – not unlike with the Amarok pickup we drove recently – we hope it does so with the North American market in mind when it does.

Image Credit: Copyright 2014 Noah Joseph / AOL

source: Autoblog

by Noah Joseph

http://www.boscheuropean.com

Jaguar, Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - Jaguar XK and F-Type meet for final sibling faceoff - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

There's nothing that real, dyed-in-the-wool car geeks love so much as to say "Old Car X is actually a lot better than New Car Y." For reasons that defy both logic and science, we all (your author included) are able to, almost simultaneously, bitch about needed advancements in current vehicles and then bemoan character lost in the next crop.

Mitsubishi Evo models have been supremely prone to this bifurcation of opinion in recent years (ask an Evo IX fanboy about the Evo X sometime... ), and performance cars wearing WRX, Mustang, and M3badges have been deeply subject to it, as well.

The Jaguar XK and F-Type are not exactly in the same one-model, generational-changeover form as those mentioned above, but that doesn't mean that there aren't defenders of both the old dog and the new joint. Autocar seeks the truth of the matter in this new video, and we're just happy to come along for the ride. May the best sib win. 

News Source: Autocar via YouTube

Autoblog

by Seyth Miersma

Range Rover Service, Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Sport SVR: Poised to Clash with Cayennes - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

Yet another abbreviation for performance has arrived, but this one comes from an unexpected place. Land Rover, a brand that usually trumpets the mudslinging and stair-climbing prowess of its SUVs, is introducing a new, Nürburgring-tuned version of its Range Rover Sport called the SVR, which stands for Special Vehicle Racing. One of the first products from Jaguar Land Rover’s new Special Vehicle Operations arm, the SVR will start at $111,400.

The most powerful vehicle to ever come from Land Rover, the SVR makes 550 horsepower and 502 lb-ft of torque, bumps of 40 horsepower and 41 lb-ft compared with the regular Range Rover Sport Supercharged. The SVR’s supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 gets its extra muscle from a recalibrated ECU, more boost from the supercharger, and larger intakes for the intercoolers. The EPA fuel-economy ratings are unaffected by the additional horses and remain at 14 mpg city and 19 highway.

Yet another abbreviation for performance has arrived, but this one comes from an unexpected place. Land Rover, a brand that usually trumpets the mudslinging and stair-climbing prowess of its SUVs, is introducing a new, Nürburgring-tuned version of its Range Rover Sport called the SVR, which stands for Special Vehicle Racing. One of the first products from Jaguar Land Rover’s new Special Vehicle Operations arm, the SVR will start at $111,400.

The most powerful vehicle to ever come from Land Rover, the SVR takes 550 horsepower and 502 lb-ft of torque, bumps of 40 horsepower and 41 lb-ft compared with the regular Range Rover Sport Supercharged. The SVR’s supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 gets its extra muscle from a recalibrated ECU, more boost from the supercharger, and larger intakes for the intercoolers. The EPA fuel-economy ratings are unaffected by the additional horses and remain at 14 mpg city and 19 highway.

An eight-speed automatic is the only transmission choice. Shifts are said to be 50 percent quicker than the regular Range Rover Sport’s, and the transmission offers rev-matched downshifts. Even if you leave it in drive, it’s smart enough to hold gears while cornering, too. Land Rover claims it will achieve 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, roughly a half-second quicker than it touts for a regular-strength Sport Supercharged. We managed a 4.6-second run to 60 mph in the non-SVR model, so we should be able to hustle the SVR to 60 in about 4.1 seconds. Top speed is governed at 162 mph. To put that performance in perspective, the first-generation Range Rover hit 60 in 13.2 seconds and topped out at 95 mph.

Here’s another number that you might not expect from such a vehicle: 8:14, as in “eight minutes and 14 seconds.” That’s the SVR’s reported lap time of the 12.9-mile Nürburgring Nordschleife, which, according to Land Rover, makes it the quickest production SUV ever to circle the Green Hell. To achieve such a feat, the SVR offers stiffer rear-subframe bushings and optional summer tires on 22-inch wheels. The rest of the chassis remains closely related to the regular Sport Supercharged, but it has been thoroughly recalibrated. The magnetorheological shocks, active roll control, brake-based torque vectoring, air suspension, and limited-slip differential are all retuned for maximum performance.

What’s most surprising about the SVR is that Land Rover hasn’t completely eviscerated the SVR’s off-road ability. A four-wheel-drive system with a low-range transfer case remains in place to facilitate rock crawling, the center differential remains lockable, all-season tires are standard, the adjustable air suspension offers up to 9.3 inches of ground clearance, and wheel travel remains the same as that of the standard version. Even the active roll-control system reverts to the normal Range Rover Sport program should you decide that you’d rather be on trails than on a track. Retaining all of this off-road gear likely means an eye-watering 5500-pound curb weight despite the SVR’s aluminum structure.

To make sure the SVR appeals to the eye, it gets a new front-end treatment with a unique bumper that increases airflow to the intercoolers and the 15-inch front brake rotors, which are pinched by six-piston calipers. A deeper chin spoiler reduces lift and is removable to allow the SVR to go off-road. At the tail end, the SVR gets its own bumper with four exhaust outlets.

Those four pipes are the terminus of a new, larger-diameter exhaust system that features electronically controlled valves that open and close in response to engine load and rpm. Judging by the audio on the video of the SVR at the ’Ring, it sounds just like a Jaguar F-type—not too surprising considering the SVR and the F-type share their supercharged V-8s. We’ve yet to drive the SVR, but judging by what we know so far, it might just steal a few sales away from Porsche and its Cayenne Turbo.

source: http://www.caranddriver.com/news/2015-land-rover-range-rover-sport-svr-photos-and-info-news?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+caranddriver%2Fblog+(Car+and+Driver)

by Tony Quiroga

http://www.boscheuropean.com

Audi Service, Repair and Consignment Sales Redwood City - 2014 Audi SQ5 Review - Bosch European Redwood City - (650) 368-3000

It may be obvious at this point, but here in the United States, European manufacturers routinely give us the short end of the stick. Now, I'm not talking about models or brands that don't come here, like the Mercedes-Benz A-Class or the entire Renault line. No, instead, I'm referring to cars that are sold right here in the Land of the Free in one bodystyle, while Europe enjoys the same vehicle with a wider variety of configurations.

A prime example of this is the Audi S4/S5 line. In America, we can have the supercharged twins in two-door coupe, four-door sedan, and cabriolet body styles. Meanwhile, our Euroland cousins get the same trio of body styles, as well as the A5/S5 Sportback, a characterful 'four-door coupe,' and a versatile hauler, the S4 Avant. At first glance, Audi of America lacks a vehicle that can compete with the latter's blend of performance, versatility and subdued looks. So, what's an American with around $60,000 and an obsession with quick, conservative haulers to do? Well, he can buy an SQ5. (Though it bears mentioning, our US-spec SQ5 is vastly different than what's available to our European friends.)

The SQ5 has a huge number of things going for it that make it a viable alternative to a proper hot wagon, and foremost among them are its looks – this is a sleeper. Audi has thankfully decided not to molest the clean looks of the standard Q5 when penning the sportier model.

The SQ5 gains a unique set of wheels: 20-inchers are standard, but our tester was fitted with a set of 21-inch rollers. Visually, neither make a huge departure from the standard Q5 though. Other standard features of Audi's S models are also found on the SQ5, including a set of quad exhausts, silver mirror caps and mildly different front grille and foglight surrounds. If anything, the Q5 TDI diesel I tested late last year looks sportier than today's tester.

It's a similar story of minor but purposeful changes in the cabin. Audi has ditched the Q5's standard steering wheel and slotted in the excellent, flat-bottomed unit found in other S models, which in this case is flanked by a set of high-quality "alu-optic" paddles. Upgraded leather seats complement the new wheel, while my SQ5 offered the Carbon Atlas interior trim (a $500 option). Outside of the S-specific changes, this is the same cabin I've enjoyed in other Q5s, with fresh, attractive materials and excellent fit and finish.

The SQ5's interior updates are targeted specifically at the driving enthusiast, so it should come as no shock that the cabin is an excellent place to spend time. The seats are wide and comfortable, yet they aren't even remotely short on support. The 12-way power seats offer a wide range of adjustability that is supplemented by a leg extension (heat on these chairs is standard, while ventilation is optional). Combined with tilt and telescoping functions for the sport wheel, there's no reason that even the most oddly proportioned driver won't be able to arrange their seating position just so. Meanwhile, the ample paddles fall nicely to hand, as do the rest of the cabin's various buttons and knobs. It isn't a bad interior for the folks in second class, either, as Audi offers standard reclining seats in back, which pair well with the plentiful rear legroom (37.5 inches, more than a BMW X3).

The overarching influencer of the SQ5's drive experience is Audi Drive Select, the German brand's name for its all-encompassing electronics that manage throttle mapping, shift points, engine sound and steering effort. There are three global settings – Comfort, Auto (Normal) and Dynamic – which run the gamut of these adjustable systems. There's also an Individual mode, in which the driver can select his or her preferences for the CUV's systems (e.g. engine and steering in Dynamic, noise in Auto and transmission in Comfort). I greatly prefer this approach to global Sport and Comfort modes, as it really allows the driver to tailor the various systems to create a just-right driving experience.

So, the SQ5 is a match for the S4 Avant in terms of its exterior styling, interior function and custom-fit for drivers. That wouldn't mean much were it not also a match for the longroof's performance. Under the SQ5's hood sits the same 3.0-liter, supercharged V6 that's on duty in the S4 and S5. In this guise, however, it's more powerful, producing 354 horsepower and 347 pound-feet of torque versus the sedan and coupe's 333 ponies and 325 lb-ft. The extra power doesn't fully make up for the SQ5's 4,409-pound curb weight (551 pounds more than the S4), but this is still a riot in terms of outright quickness.

It's not only the power on offer that's so seductive, it's also the quickness with which this engine revs. Particularly in first gear, the SQ5 comes with a sense of urgency that is shocking at first, and becomes exhilarating with subsequent drives. The sharpness of the throttle is dependent on how the Audi Drive Select system is set, yet to its credit, it avoids dead spots or sluggishness in all three settings. Power is robust throughout the rev range, delivering a particular punch in the middle of the tach without feeling out of breath as the 6,800-rpm redline approaches. 60 miles per hour arrives in a manufacturer-estimated 5.1 seconds, but I thought it felt quicker from behind the wheel.

This sensation may be down to the evocative sound coming out of the SQ5's four exhaust pipes rather than actual performance. If Audi could bottle and sell the sound of this 3.0-liter, supercharged six-pot, I'd buy it by the case. It's rorty and buzzy (in a good way) at first, and it builds into a potent, smooth V6 scream. Keep the radio volume low and leave the Audi Drive Select system's engine noise setting in Dynamic, and not only can you better hear the boisterous exhaust, you can even hear the supercharger working its magic.

Adding to the experiences provided by the engine's performance and sound are the effects of the SQ5's eight-speed Tiptronic gearbox. I'll admit that I was initially disappointed to learn that Audi hadn't fitted the seven-speed, S-Tronic dual-clutch found in the S4 and S5, but as it turns out, the automatic seen here is a gem.

Upshifts are quick, almost dual-clutch-like, and at wide-open throttle the first few gear changes are accompanied by a satisfying burp from the quad tips. Downshifts are similarly rapid, and the 8AT will happily drop multiple gears at a time. Truth be told, if given a Pepsi Challenge between the S-Tronic and the Tiptronic, it'd be difficult to distinguish the two. Perhaps the big difference happens to be the 8AT's main weakness – in manual mode it won't hold its gears to redline. Admittedly, that's a very minor niggle, but it still bears mentioning. While the trans is just fine when left to its own devices, it's still just more fun to do it yourself, plain and simple. Auto mode is just fine, but I enjoyed relying on the paddles for more interaction.

Like the transmission, I was initially dismayed to learn that Audi opted not to fit an adaptive damping system to the SQ5, even though it's optional on the lesser Q5 TDI and 3.0T. Despite the lack of this increasingly common technology, you'll take little issue with the SQ5's five-link front suspension and multi-link rear when the road gets curvy.

This is a sharp handler, despite its crossover profile, with remarkably composed behavior through bends. It rolls progressively without feeling top-heavy or tipsy, and is almost car-like in its attitude, with plenty of feedback. This allows the driver to really push the SQ5 around the bends with a higher degree of confidence than most other vehicles in its class. Its higher center of gravity can be noticeable, though, and the SQ5 is (unsurprisingly) unable to duplicate the pinned-down handling character of the S4 or S5 (it should be noted that Audi offers a sunroof delete option, which would lower its center of gravity a smidge). That said, in terms of overall handling, it's easily one of the most agile and composed crossovers I've ever driven.

In terms of ride comfort, however, the SQ5 would benefit from the adaptive dampers available on other models in the Q5 line. Not that it's particularly uncomfortable for the intended purpose – indeed, if speed and comfort are your game, you'll be better served by the SQ5 than the stiffer S4 or S5 – but under certain conditions, you're reminded of that permanently firmer suspension.

There's too much vertical motion, though to be clear, it's not that the vehicle is porpoising down the road – the degree of movement is quite small. No, the issue is that the body seems to be constantly moving and responding to the road surface, a condition that can grow tiresome, particularly on roads that still bear the scars of winter (thanks, Michigan Department of Transportation). Perhaps the issue isn't so much one of suspension tuning, as it is wheel choice. As previously mentioned, my tester arrived wearing 21-inch wheels wrapped in 255/40R21 Dunlop Sport Maxx GT tires. They look spectacular, but so do the standard wheels, which are an inch smaller and boast a slightly taller 255/45 sidewall. Bottom line: if you're keen on comfort, save yourself the $800 and stick with the standard alloys.

These oversized wheels and tires also have an impact on the SQ5's acoustics. There is more road noise than expected, and impact sounds are a bit more noticeable, too. Wind noise, though, is hardly an issue, even at freeway speeds. The engine's lovely sound doesn't wear out its welcome, as it doesn't drone, even when the Drive Select's engine note is set to Dynamic.

Regardless of wheel size, the SQ5 benefits from thoroughly uprated brakes. The vented rotors have grown from 13.6 inches in front and 13 inches in back on the standard Q5 3.0T to 15 inches in front while retaining the 13-inch plates in back. Aesthetically, these new stoppers are highlighted by having "SQ5" emblazoned on the front calipers. It shouldn't be a shock with this kind of disc acreage, but the SQ5's brakes proved up to the challenge posed by this 4,400-pound wagon replacement, delivering confident stopping power, as well as a communicative and easy-to-modulate left pedal.

While the SQ5 generally feels solid in most areas, its electromechanical steering would prove to be a low point, as it lacks clear feedback and exhibits too little effort for the CUV's sporting character. Even when set to its heftiest mode, the steering lacked the sort of weight that one expects of a racy German vehicle, feeling particularly lifeless on center. Every piece of armor needs its chink, I guess.

Let's be honest, fuel economy is not the SQ5's raison d'etre, so its EPA estimated rating of 16 miles per gallon in the city and 23 mpg in the city isn't particularly shocking. I finished my loan out with this fast Audi sitting nearer to the city rating than the 19-mpg-combined figure, although I place all blame squarely on the ear-pleasing exhaust and lickety-split transmission, not on my over-exuberant right foot.

Image Credit: Copyright 2014 Brandon Turkus / AOL

source: Autoblog

by Brandon Turkus

http://www.boscheuropean.com