2012 Porsche Boxster spy shots

Porsche is in the midst of developing its next-generation Boxster sports car, which has been seen undergoing testing in prototype form on a number of occasions in recent months. The new car is expected to go on sale late next year as a 2012 model and according to a new report Porsche may be planning a special fuel-efficient model.

A rumor alleging that Porsche insiders are talking about a lightweight, turbocharged four-cylinder platform for the 2012 Boxster recently began making the rounds, however, the car’s model line director, Hans-Jurgen Wohler, has revealed to Autocar that a turbocharged three-cylinder powerplant may even be possible.

Installing a downsized engine would be one way for Porsche to reduce its fleet emissions in line with tough new government standards coming into play in the U.S. and Europe over the next couple of years.

“A Boxster with a four-cylinder engine, or maybe even a three-cylinder turbo, could produce between 180 and 200 horsepower,” said Wohler. “Given the Boxster’s history–that it started with a 200 horsepower, 2.5-litre engine–I think this is possibly something that customers could accept.

The thought coincides with possible rumors of a revived 914 that could be co-branded by both VW and Porsche, targeted at different market sectors, which means the new Boxster could certainly be fitted with a compact turbocharged mill. If that’s the case, we’re sure Porsche will still offer a six-cylinder option for upper range models.

Source:motorauthority.com

2010 Audi TT

As fuel economy rules tighten, sales stagnate or grow slowly and carmakers seeks ways to deliver more for less, some re-shuffling of products is inevitable. At Audi, that means cutting V-6 engines and (mostly) replacing them with turbo four-cylinders, including in the 2010 Audi TT.

The 3.2-liter V-6 is completely gone from the TT range, in S tronic and manual quattro trims, Coupe and Roadster alike. Instead, the 2010 TT offers only a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder rated at 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque, sent through a dual-clutch transmission. Those with a hankering for more power in a TT package can upgrade to the TTS Coupe or Roadster which retains its turbo five-cylinder engine rated at 265 horsepower.

Other Audi cars also see the V-6 removed from some trim levels, including the now-defunct A4 3.2 quattro Tiptronic and A5 3.2 quattro manual. The A5 Coupe gains the 2.0T quattro trim we brought you word of back in July. The Audi A3 TDI joins the range this November, while the A3 3.2 S tronic quattro says goodbye for 2010.

For the TT, that’s about the sum total of changes, since the exterior and interior stay largely the same, and with the 2.0T engine the only option, fuel economy of 21 mpg in town and 39 mpg on the highway is near-brilliant, even considering its slightly slow (compared to the competition) 5.9-second (Coupe) and 6.2-second (Roadster) 0-60 mph times.

Source:motorauthority.com

Ford Scorpion 6.7-liter V-8 Turbodiesel

A new era in Ford diesel technology arrives with the unveiling of the company’s latest 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel engine. Set to debut in the 2011 F-Series Super Duty pickup truck, the new diesel engine is expected to deliver significant improvements in torque, horsepower and fuel economy while adding more fueling flexibility and helping Ford meet stringent new emissions requirements.

So far Ford isn’t releasing much in the way of numbers for either power or efficiency of the new engine other than to say that it is both more powerful and more efficient than the engine it replaces. What we do know is that the engine features several automotive-industry first for a modern production diesel engine.

These include an ‘inboard exhaust’ architecture and a unique ‘single-sequential’ turbocharger with a double-sided compressor wheel mounted on a single shaft.

This turbocharger design allows the single unit to deliver the benefits of a twin-turbocharger system in a smaller, more efficient package, combining the benefits of a small turbocharger (faster response) and a large turbocharger (ability to compress and force more air into the engine for more power) in one unit.

The engine also gets a high-pressure Bosch fuel system that injects diesel at up to 30,000 psi and aluminium cylinder heads for reduced weight.

One of the obvious visual differences in the new 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel engine is the layout of the pipes. The exhaust manifolds, for example, reside in the valley of the engine instead of outboard, while the intake is outboard of the engine. The cylinder heads are essentially flipped around in comparison with previous V-8 engine architectures. Advantages include a smaller exhaust system and improved cooling.

Source:motorauthority.com