Audi R18 Le Mans prototype unveiled with full roof, epic LEDs

Right on schedule, Audi has pulled the sheets off its next-generation Le Mans prototype. As had been rumored before the unveil, the R18 has abandoned the open-top design of its forefathers – the R8, R10 and R15 Plus – for a closed canopy to improve aerodynamics and reduce driver fatigue. The company hasn’t worked with a clamshell since 1999, and we’re guessing is has more than a little to do with Peugeot’s 2009 Le Mans win. That victory is the only wrinkle in the Audi’s domination of the world’s most difficult motorsports race, and it’s no small coincidence that work on the R18 began in mid 2009.

The R18 gets its grunt from a 3.7-liter TDI V6 engine, and while Audi isn’t saying exactly how much horsepower or torque the oil-burner produces, we have to guess that the figures are nothing to sneeze at. Behind the engine is a new six-speed transmission, though the innovations aren’t simply chained to the drivetrain. Audi used a single-piece construction carbon fiber monocoque to keep weight down and increase stiffness, and those epic all-LED headlights are the first make their way to Le Mans.

While Audi is planning to campaign a total of three R18 racers at the 2011 Le Mans race this summer, the vehicle’s first appearance will be at the six hours of Spa on April 24. Click past the jump to see the full press release.

Lorinser tunes the Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Lorinser is one of the first tuners to get its hands on the all-new Mercedes-Benz C-Class that goes by the internal code W204. There’s no English press release out yet but we did managed to download a pdf file from the German tuner so we’ve got some initial facts. Design-wise, Lorinser has dressed the 2008 C-Class with 18’’ or 19’’ alloys and a stylish, yet dynamic bodykit that doesn’t go overboard. The most notable change of course is the side air-vents.

Lorinser sort of lost its taste though when it came to the interior with its bright-red and black coloured trim and the quilt-type seat dressings. As for mechanics, from what we where able to make out, Lorinser offers tuned versions of the 3.0 V6 diesel and 3.5 V7 petrol engines that deliver 261 and 305 Hp respectively (from 224 & 272 Hp). The Lorinser C 320 CDI accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62mph) in 7,1 sec (stock: 7,7 sec) achieving a (governed) top speed of 250 km/h (155mph).

PRESS RELEASE

Get close to the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class and you will believe you can sense pounding of an athlete’s heart, and the tensing of muscles. Never before has Mercedes-Benz released a sedan this dynamic.

Just like a great tailored suit, the tuning options offered by Lorinser bring out the best qualities of its wearer. Precision artisanship and a sense for the right line forge the dynamic ensemble. Especially notable are the large air intakes in the fenders, which like the nostrils of a thoroughbred breathe pure performance. The characteristic styling accents make this vehicle an unmistakable member of the Lorinser collection. Underlining the muscular appearance of this youthful and dynamic style are the technical lines of the side skirts, which highlight the clear contours of the vehicle.

A focus point are the 6 gill-like air-vents. The side skirts are the optical link between the turbine style Lorinser type RS8 light alloy wheels. Alternatively a large range of other wheel designs is available from Lorinser. When viewed from the front, most impressive is the Lorinser front bumper spoiler for the C-Class. However most will likely be seeing the rear of the vehicle thanks to the performance gains provided by the Lorinser Diesel Module, which adds considerable power.

The large air intake in the center, covered by a webbed grille, is reminiscent of motor sports. To the left and right, large fog lights form optical focus points highlighting the horizontal nature of the front bumper spoiler, and create a face for the vehicle. A sporty grille, perpendicular in design to the front is the stile accent at the rear. Hear it forms a perfect contour element for the fully integrated Lorinser sport exhaust, which sounds just as great as it looks. Formally the tip design is found in the sail shape of high performance boats, reflecting the synthesis of dynamics and luxury. And just like a yacht in water, the C-Class appears to meld into tarmac, thanks to the lowering kit.

Mercedes-Benz SLR "722 Edition"

This seems to be the “Special Edition” week as yet another manufacture previews a slightly modified version of a top range model. This time, it’s Mercedes-Benz and specifically, the SLR “722 Edition” which is refined in numerous respects, having higher output (650 Hp), a tailor-made suspension configuration and a “decidedly” sporty interior. The car will go on sale on July 11.

Performance: The supercharged 5.5-litre V8 engine in the “722 Edition”, which is hand-built in the AMG engine shop in Affalterbach, generates 478 kW/650 hp. The particular strengths of this high-performance engine are immediate response to movements of the accelerator, highly emphatic torque build-up and an unmistakable V8 sound. The performance figures are outstanding even for a high-end sports car: the “722 Edition” accelerates from standstill to 100 km/h in only 3.6 seconds, and 200 km/h is reached in just 10.2 seconds. The maximum speed (337 km/h) is above the 334 km/h previously achieved by the SLR.

Chassis: Handling characteristics worthy of the racetrack are also provided by the sophisticated suspension, with 19-inch light-alloy wheels, a stiffer damper configuration and a ten-millimetre-lower body. Larger brake discs with a diameter of 390 mm ensure excellent braking performance.

Visual modifications: The modified front spoiler with an air splitter, as well as the rear diffuser, improve both the aerodynamics and contact pressure at high speeds, and reflect the transfer of cutting-edge technology from motor racing. At the same time, the use of clear-lacquered carbon as an extremely strong yet lightweight material symbolises the practicality of these technical features. Bucket-type sports seats upholstered in leather/Alcantara provide outstanding lateral support, while the grippier racing steering wheel with a hunting-leather lining, gearshift paddles and black carbon highlights lend a thoroughbred racing touch to the interior.

Exclusive “SLR Club”: Before the sales release date, customers and selected guests will have the advance opportunity to appraise the new SLR “722 Edition”. This is to mark the foundation of the worldwide “SLR. Club” at the Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet, southern France. As an ultra-exclusive community of which SLR customers automatically become members, the “SLR Club” provides an attractive platform for outstanding events related to the SLR, as well as numerous other benefits. Another exciting feature is the club’s SLR Safety & Speed Academy, which offers special driver training courses and seminars. David Coulthard, Jochen Mass, Klaus Ludwig, Chris Goodwin and Christina Surer are among the highly skilled and well-known instructors.

Study: Over 13% of motorists drove drunk last year; Wisconsin, North Dakota worst

The holiday season is in full swing, and that means holiday parties are in no short supply, filled with people wearing horrible sweaters. It also means booze is readily available, and the opportunity to drive after having too much to drink is at fever pitch. According to a study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 30 million folks will drive drunk in an average year while another 10 million get behind the wheel under the influence of drugs. Approximately 13.2 percent of Americans over the age of 16 drove under the influence of alcohol this past year, and in some states, the amount of drunk drivers in the past year is well into the 20-percent range. A bit higher numbers than the eight percent of people who actually admit to boozing before turning the ignition key.

f you hit the road in Wisconsin, keep a sharp eye on the cars around you because 23.7 percent of drivers drove drunk this year. The same can be said for North Dakota where 22.4 percent of the driving population should have taken a cab. Rhode Island and Vermont are high on the list of states that prefer drugs to alcohol with 7.8 and 6.6 percent of drivers impaired by illicit drugs, respectively.

On the other end of the scale sit states like Utah and Mississippi that see just 7.4 and 8.7 percent of alcohol-impaired folks getting behind the wheel. New Jersey and Iowa, at 2.9 and 3.2 percent respectively, have the lowest rate of drivers operating an automobile while under the influence of drugs. It’s not all bad news however because the nationwide figure of 13.2 percent has declined from 14.6 percent of people driving while drunk. The number of folks driving while on drugs has also fallen with a previous average of 4.8 percent to this past years nationwide average of 4.3 percent.

BBC: At nearly $7.30/gal and climbing, UK gas prices hit record high

Think fuel prices are high in the United States? What Yanks pay is nothing to what our former colonial masters are forced to shell out at the pumps, as reports come in of record-high prices in the UK.

According to the BBC, prices have hit an all-time high of 121.76p per liter in the United Kingdom. The numbers work out to $7.27 per gallon in American terminology, but the record doesn’t take inflation into account. To put the current British petrol prices into perspective, consider that it will now cost English soccer moms in Chelsea over $163 (!) to fill up their BMW X5s.

The worst news for British motorists is that this isn’t even the end of it: with both the Value Added Tax (VAT) and fuel duties scheduled to rise again in the new year, next month is anticipated to go even higher. As Edmund King, head of the UK’s Automobile Association put it, “for those people dependent on road transport, it’s not looking like a very happy Christmas or indeed New Year.” 

Ford Explorer

At least a few eyebrows were raised when Ford first let on that it was bringing the Explorer back in a radically different form for 2011 – but not all of the quizzical looks were for the same reasons.

For one thing, the Explorer name had been seriously damaged because of the very public Firestone tire rollover controversy of the early 2000s, something that ostensibly made the 2011 model a prime candidate for a new name. In addition, early rumors had the Blue Oval transitioning the vehicle to a unibody chassis and away from the very body-on-frame architecture that helped establish it as the archetypal sport utility vehicle for two decades. It simply wasn’t clear that a crossover-based vehicle would still be able to make an authentic claim to the same core values that helped the previous four iterations of Explorer sell millions of copies. Finally, Ford already had a very competent three-row CUV in its arsenal – the Flex. Were its dealers really looking for another one?

And yet… here we are, with a spanking-new and very different sort of Explorer for 2011. Have Alan Mullaly and Co. made the right call? Click through the jump as we try to find out.

Motor Trend Truck of the Year? The 2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD

Motor Trend is following up its somewhat controversial decision to crown the Chevrolet Volt as its 2011 Car of the Year with a safer call for its 2011 Truck of the Year award. The 2011 Chevrolet Silverado HD was announced as the magazine’s TOTY during a ceremony before the 111th Army-Navy Game at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday, giving General Motors’ volume brand a pair of golden calipers to crow about all next year.

Chevy’s heavy-duty version of its Silverado pickup truck was significantly upgraded this year, though it faced a tough pair of competitors in the equally improved 2011 GMC Sierra HD and the also-upgraded 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty. The Sierra HD looks almost identical on the outside compared to the 2010 model, but Chevy engineers worked magic on all the mechanicals beneath the surface. A significantly more powerful Duramax turbodiesel, excellent six-speed transmissions, reworked suspension and fully boxed frame were enough to put the Silverado HD ahead of its corporate cousin and crosstown rival in the minds of Motor Trendeditors.

Curiously, the magazine claims it doesn’t often have an apples-to-apples fight for its Truck of the Year award, but this year just happened to line up a trio of new-enough heavy duty pickups. The only truck missing was the Ram Heavy Duty, which was new for 2010. Chevy should probably be glad the Ram HD missed the cut off mark, as Dodge’s heavy hauler holds the crown as Motor Trend‘s 2010 Truck of the Year.