Audi Q3 RS Rumors give Birth to Rendering

The latest news from Audi is that the Ingolstadt automaker is working on a high-performance version of its new Q3 compact SUV. According to inside sources quoted by Auto Motor und Sport magazine in its most recent issue, the brand with the four rings has even decided on the powertrain, which is none other than the 340HP 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five found under the hood of the TT RS and RS3 hot hatch.

Power of course would be transferred to all four wheels through Audi’s quattro system and a seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch transmission.

These yet to be officially confirmed rumors have lead photoshop resident and CoolPictures reader L il-k Amaru to use his talent on the creation of two renderings depicting the possible styling of the Q3 RS.

The artist’s proposal includes all the usual design cues of Audi’s RS models such as the prominent front bumper with a honeycomb grille, side skirts, five-spoke alloy wheels, aluminum trim accents and a rear apron with a diffuser.

Thanks go to L il-k Amaru from Virtuel-car!

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DARPA Selects XC2V to Replace HUMVEEs [with Video)

The trusted HMMWV (High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle), or as the troops (and everyone else) understandably calls it, Humvee, is getting a little long in the tooth, having entered service for the first time in 1984. So it’s reasonable that DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) started looking for a suitable, and more up-to-date replacement with the Experimental Crowd-derived Combat Support Vehicle project –or, in civilian-speak, “the first crowd-sourced, military relevant vehicle design”.
And the winner of this competition was Local Motors’ XC2V FLYPMode (boy, do those military guys love their acronyms…) which was developed in just 14 weeks. According to DARPA, which plans to invest $1 billion over the next five years in innovative defense systems, this is just a “proof of principle” project –which means that it has still some way to go before it becomes operational.
Moreover, during an event at the National Robotics Engineering Center, US President Barack Obama brought the XC2V as an example of showing that the collaboration of the military and the industry can enhance the competitiveness of US manufacturing.

Source: Darpa via Autoblog.com

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VIDEO

Two for the Price of One: Amadou Ndiaye’s Bugatti Atless Concept

Two cars that helped establish Bugatti’s reputation as a world-class automaker during the difficult interwar period were the Type 35 and Type 57 Atlantic. Stunningly beautiful, intricately built and incredibly powerful, these two cars summed up all that Bugatti was and wanted to be.

Now, Canadian industrial designer Amadou Ndiaye has taken these two classic automobiles and melded them into one with his Bugatti Atless design study.

Essentially two cars in one, the Atless comes in two flavours: grand touring and race. In grand touring mode, one set of lightweight body panels are fitted over the chassis, engine, transmission and interior making a comfortable, enclosed two-seat GT car.

In race mode however the sublime bonnet, roof, glasshouse and rear quarter panels are ditched for a stripped down shell turning the Atless into a lightweight, open-air speedster.

It’s an innovative concept, and you can check out our full gallery of pictures as well as leave a comment below.

By Tristan Hankins

Designer: Amadou Ndiaye via Diseno-Art

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2012 BMW M5 Touring Artistically Imagined

Now that we’ve seen what the new 2012 BMW M5 sports sedan looks like, it’s time for some talented hands to shape the Touring version that may or may not follow in the future as the Bavarian company has not yet revealed any plans for a high-performance station wagon model.

The renderings you see pictured below are the work of photoshop artist Wild Speed who combined the bodies of the F10 5-Series Touring and the new M5 sedan.

If it were to produced, the estate variant would be powered by the same 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine with 560-horses found under the hood of the saloon model.

Photos: Wild Speed & BimmerBoost

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Camal’s Retro Sexy Fiat 500 Marcia Corta

What happens when two people who share their passion for sports cars and motorbikes meet under the right circumstances? It depends, but if we ‘re talking about two Italians, Alessio Minchella (designer) and Alessandro Camorali (surface and product development) who met in 2010 while working at Pininfarina, the result is a new company, Camal, and a new product.

The newly formed venture’s main principle was delivering stylish products affordably available to all.The Fiat 500 was the perfect starting point, and the 500 Marcia Corta the end result.

Their goal was to give the little Italian car more character without altering its retro feel like fitting additional headlights that bring to mind old rally cars.

All changes to the bodywork are done in order to comply with the original and quite special feeling of the 500, and ensure adequate air flow to the ducts. Camal is currently looking for partners for production and distribution, with a price close to the Abath kit.

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