Caterham CT04 2014

New Caterham recruit Kamui Kobayashi has thanked his fans for their support, saying they provided him with extra motivation to return to Formula One racing in 2014. 

Fans sent donations to the Japanese driver after he lost his Sauber drive at the end of the 2012 season, with the hope that the funds would help him secure another slot on the grid. In the end, no F1 drive was forthcoming and Kobayashi spent the 2013 season racing for Ferrari in the World Endurance Championship. 

Nevertheless, Kobayashi says the contributions he received were invaluable. 

“I want to give special thanks to all the fans who have made donations to KAMUI SUPPORT,” the 27-year-old said. 

“Their donations and gestures gave me extra strength to come back fighting and I am very pleased that the money they raised not only helped me but will now go to helping Caterham progress this year. Every single one of you who helped with KAMUI SUPPORT will race with me in 2014 and that makes me very proud.”

Kobayashi is optimistic that the changes to F1’s technical regulations in 2014 can help Caterham progress up the grid after finishing at the bottom of the constructors’ standings in 2013. 

“I first visited the factory in Leafield just before Christmas and it’s clear how hungry the whole team is to make progress. Last year was a tough season but the new rules this year mean that everyone in F1 is starting again and that means everybody has a chance to improve. 

“From what I’ve seen, Caterham now has everything in place to progress this year and for many seasons to come. We’re all realistic about what we can actually achieve this year, and until we’ve run the car properly at the tests it’s still too early to see where we are compared to the other teams, but whatever happens we have to move forwards this year. 

“For me, it’s a chance to start again with a new team but one that’s serious about progressing, and for the team, 2014 is the first chance to show what they can do with all the people and infrastructure they’ve built up in Leafield since moving there in 2012.

Caterham will roll-out their 2014 Renault-powered challenger on January 28, the first day of pre-season testing at Jerez, Spain, and Kobayashi is expected to be in action immediately. 

“I can’t wait to start work again, and one of the benefits to making this announcement so close to the start of the tests means I only have a few days to wait to get back on track!” he said.

“Before then I’ll be at the factory as much as possible, working in the simulator and with everyone there to prepare as much as we can for the tests in Jerez and Bahrain. Physically and mentally I’m fully prepared, now I just want to get back to work!”

Caterham have revealed that they are switching their wind tunnel programme to Toyota Motorsport’s high-tech facility in Cologne, Germany. 

Team principal Cyril Abiteboul explained that using the tunnel, which was once the hub of Toyota’s works F1 team and was also used by Ferrari last season, moves Caterham into a similar technological bracket as other F1 teams. 

“The TMG (Toyota) facility allows us to run at 60 percent scale, more than the 50 percent scale we have been using to date, and that has obvious benefits in increasing the accuracy of the data generated in the tunnel,” he said. 

“Ally that to our increased partnership with Dell/Intel and it’s safe to say our design office now has an IT infrastructure and wind tunnel that are on a par with any team in F1.”

Caterham finished the 2013 season bottom of the constructors’ championship table, but the team’s founder and chairman Tony Fernandes says that they now have “everything in place to make serious progress” in their fifth year of competition. 

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Toro Rosso STR9 2014

Toro Rosso took the covers off their 2014 car at Jerez on Monday, just hours before the first pre-season test of the year begins at the Spanish circuit. The STR9 will be raced by France’s Jean-Eric Vergne and his new team mate, Russian rookie Daniil Kvyat.

The new machine will be powered by Renault’s new 1.6 litre, turbo power unit and brings the Italian squad in line with sister team Red Bull, Toro Rosso having used Ferrari engines for the last seven years.

“It has been a fantastic challenge but very hard work,” said Toro Rosso’s chief designer Luca Furbatto in reference to 2014’s wide-ranging rule changes. “Pretty much all the systems on the car are brand-new and that’s certainly a concern from a reliability point of view as the season progresses, because we won’t have known reference points from the past few years.

“Everyone in Faenza and Bicester has worked very hard and we have invested in different technologies and simulations in order to be as best-prepared as possible.”

Work on the STR9 began in the summer of 2012, initially purely on the simulation side. Current technical director James Key joined the team late that year and focused mainly on the 2014 car in terms of planning, simulation targets and internal resourcing. Toro Rosso were able to perform the first STR9 wind tunnel test shortly before Christmas 2012, much earlier than the team’s previous projects.

“The aero side was by far our biggest priority, as we wanted to put that department into a much more current and competitive shape,” said Key. “Over the past 12 months, we’ve been working on increasing the size of the aerodynamics department. It’s grown significantly, and we now have many new people with very relevant F1 experience.”

On the engine side, Toro Rosso announced their new agreement with Renault at last year’s Monaco Grand Prix and work between the two parties began immediately in order to ensure as smooth as transition as possible.

“Changing your engine partner is always a bit of a step into the unknown for both parties, until that working relationship is established and everyone understands how best to operate together,” commented Key. “Renault were very supportive from the outset, making sure we had a very good overview of what they’ve been up to with the PU [power unit] and their plans for development, so we were able to get up to speed very quickly with it.

“To switch from a process where you’ve got a well-established and understood way of working with the previous engine supplier to a situation where you have not only a new engine supplier but also a totally different type of power unit that we’re not familiar with at all, is quite a big leap. Not only are you trying to establish the relationship, you’re doing it through what is a very complex project for both sides. I have to say, Renault has been excellent at recognising that and helping us out a great deal. They are very proactive and we have daily discussions between our design team and theirs. We have already built up a good working relationship with them.”

Toro Rosso finished a slightly disappointing eighth in the 2013 constructors’ championship and the team’s build-up to March’s season opener in Melbourne will include not only the specific tasks of testing the STR9, but also the continuation of improvements to their factory infrastructure and working practices.

“As far as the team is concerned, the summary is it’s a work in progress,” concluded Key. “We were quicker than the points scored suggested in 2013, if you could look behind the numbers, but we didn’t make the most of our opportunities. Therefore, we’re putting all our efforts into ensuring we have a better situation for this year.”

The STR9 will test for the first time at Jerez on Tuesday with Vergne at the wheel, alongside the new cars from all teams bar Lotus.

Reference :

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Red Bull RB10 2014

Red Bull launched their new RB10 at Jerez on Tuesday, billing the car as their "first interpretation" of the new rules.

This season, in light of the new regulation governing the lowering of the tip of the nose, there have been some interesting designs and the RB10 is no exception.

Opting for a sharp finger pointing towards the ground, the RB10 marks Red Bull's 10th entry into the Formula One World Championships.

The most successful team in recent years, Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel will be chasing their fifth Championship double this year with the help of new signing Daniel Ricciardo.

"The reset button has essentially been pressed for 2014 with the regulation changes so it is a clean sheet of paper," said team boss Christian Horner.

"It is an opportunity for the design teams to get their teeth into a new challenge but of course the biggest challenge is in the power unit and that's where we rely heavily on our engine partner Renault to make sure we have a power unit that is competitive with our rivals."

As for Red Bull's chances of securing a fifth successive double this season, he added: "I think it is dangerous some times to be over confident that you have all the elements in place for the start the any season.

"We have enjoyed great continuity the past few years, we have a strong driver line-up, we have a strong technical line-up and we have great strength in depth within the team.

"But you can't take anything for granted and Formula One like any sport can be unpredictable at times." Adrian Newey not only dislikes the new-look F1 noses but doubts whether they really will improve safety.

This season, because of the regulations lowering the tip of the nose, the Formula One teams have launched cars with dolphin, platypus or twin tusk tips to the nose.

The general consensus in the paddock and amongst fans is that the new look is ugly, something Newey feels no F1 should ever be.

Explaining the noses, he said: "We have a lowered nose which I think is supposedly been done on the grounds of safety to reduce the chances of a car being launched if one car hits another in the manner for instance that Mark Webber went up the back of Kovalainen a few years ago.

"Whether it really makes a difference or not is a much more moot point because it has been deemed safer so that's what we've had to go for.

"It's a funny regulation, basically what the regulation does is call for a maximum side view height and then on top of that there is an area 50mm behind the front of the nose which we have to meet and that area is quite low down, much lower than the side view.

"So what you end up with of course is almost two noses. One of which is the main bulk of the nose and then almost a bulb sticking out of that to satisfy the area rule lower down."

So rather than improving F1 in any way, the Red Bull technical guru reckons they have in fact taken away from the beauty of the sport.

"To varying degrees everyone will have these rather ugly and ungainly noses which I think is an awful shame," he added.

"To me the aesthetics of a F1 car is important, the car should look good and not many of the owners of these noses could love them."

Reference :

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Mercedes-Benz W05 F1 Team 2014

Mercedes presented their W05 to the world in the Jerez paddock on Tuesday morning with the new car featuring a Ferrari-esque nose.

This year all the attention regarding the new designs has been on the nose with some unveiling dolphin noses and other twin tusks.

However, like Ferrari, Mercedes have gone for a more platypus style of nose.

The car, which Mercedes are hoping will carry them close to a World title, incorporates Mercedes' new 1.6-litre V6 engine.

"The adventure has only just begun," said executive director Toto Wolff.

"We have a busy winter testing period ahead of us and a long season where both performance and reliability wil be critically important.

"Lewis and Nico begin the season hungry for success and I am confident that our team will benefit thanks to the continuity of their work during the winter period.

"We have positive momentum after our second-place finish last season.

"Our clear target is to continue building up our team and we aim to deliver on every single race weekend in 2014."

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Day One Lewis Crash On Jerez Testing 2014

Lewis Hamilton has crashed his brand new Mercedes W05 after it suffered an apparent front wing failure on Day One.


Putting in the laps at the Jerez circuit on the opening day of pre-season testing, Hamilton posted a 1:27.621 to lead the way.


However, minutes later disaster struck.


The Brit crashed into the barriers at Turn 1, causing a fair bit of damage to his W05.







"A car failure for Lewis put him off at Turn One," tweeted Mercedes.


The team later confirmed that it was a front wing failure.


"We can confirm a front wing failure on car 44," said the team. "The reason is now being investigated."


Hamilton was unhurt.






Jerez test Day One timesheet @ 2.14pm UK time


1. Hamilton, Mercedes, 1:27.820, 18 laps;


2. Raikkonen - Ferrari, 1:29.474, 11 laps;


3. Vergne, Toro Rosso, 1:36.530, 14 laps;


4. Gutierrez, Sauber, 1:42.257, 7 laps;


5. Perez, Force India, No time, 1 lap;


6. Ericsson, No time, 1 lap; No other drivers have completed laps so far;


Lewis Hamilton crashes heavily into the barriers; Red Bull still yet to appear; McLaren unlikely to run today

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Honda Mobilio First Strike!

Honda, the Japanese automaker is trying everything to promote its all-new Mobilio MPV. Showcased at the 2013 Indonesia Motor Show, the Mobilio MPV has been put on display to get the customer feedback. The Brio based MPV will go for the production in early 2014 at the company's production facility in West Java, Indonesia.

In Indonesia, the vehicle will be made available in only petrol version- a 1.5-litre i-VTEC engine that also does duty to the Honda City. On Front wheel drive the highly reliable engine is capable of developing 117bhp and 146Nm of top torque. It will be available in both manual and automatic versions. Honda Mobilio have a high ground clearence of 189mm, Dual SRS Airbag, ABS + EBD, Tilt Steering, iPod Ready, Security Alarm and Immobilizer.

For Indonesian buyers, the Honda Mobilio will probably be available in three different variants - S, E and E CVT. The vehicle which was presented for customer previews is the top of the line, E CVT Prestige.

Honda Mobilio took the basic design of the vehicle Progressive Private jetliner. The exterior design also takes this theme to adopt strict lines and sharp design on the front to the back of the vehicle.

On the dashboard design, Honda has combined the concept of sporty and dashboards to assist a broad view for motorists. This design is reminiscent of the design Honda Jazz and Honda Brio. Instrument panel, although not lighted, it seems adopt 3D design layer as the other Honda products.

Go to the second row, the first feature is the presence of Autocar see double blower on the roof of the vehicle. The existence of this feature is crucial, especially in the design of a family of vehicles that want the convenience to the third row. Second row leg room was deemed wide enough to make passengers comfortable.

Design Honda Mobilio's trunk is quite roomy even with the third row seat passengers enforced. But for leg room in the third row seat feels narrow enough for adult passengers.

Silent delivery for the first 160 customer on January 25, 2014 in Indonesia. The vehicle will be priced in the range of 150 to 190 million Indonesian Rupiah. However, Mobilio will compete against the likes of Chevrolet Spin, Suzuki Ertiga, Mazda VX-1, Nissan Evalia or even Nissan Grand Livina.

Ready To Strike!

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Force India VJM07

Along with a single photo of the predominantly black VJM07, the Silverstone-based team also released photos of their driver line-up of Mexican Sergio Perez and German Nico Hulkenberg.

Hulkenberg returns to the stable after a year with Sauber while Perez joins the team after being dropped by McLaren following just one season.

Force India finished sixth in the constructors’ race last campaign.

The new car will be officially put through its paces on the track for the first time in testing at Jerez, Spain on Tuesday January 28.

The Air Box

The first newly front nose of Force India hit the Jerez testing.  

On Top is The Old and Below is The New One

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Lotus E22 2014

Lotus has revealed the first image of its new E22 2014 Formula One car. The car appears to have a different take on the nose scenario compared with other cars seen so far, with an unusual twin-pronged approach.

The team issued the image just as McLaren was unveiling its new F1 car online in what was clearly an attempt to gain some positive PR just hours after Lotus revealed that team principal Eric Boullier was leaving -- possibly for a new job at McLaren.

The car now carries the logos of Pastor Maldonado's sponsor PDVSA, while a new deal with Yotaphone was announced today. Coca-Cola brand Burn's logo has been moved from the end plates to the top of the car, near the cockpit.

Lotus is the only team missing the upcoming Jerez test in Spain, and the car will thus make its track debut in Bahrain next month.

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Sauber C33 F1 Team 2014

Sauber has unveiled its 2014 car, the C33, which will be driven by Adrian Sutil and Esteban Gutierrez in this year's championship. It is the third Formula One car to be officially launched this year and pictures show another odd looking front end to satisfy safety regulations regarding the height of the nose. The car is powered by Ferrari's new V6 turbo and energy recovery system and will hit the track for the first time in Jerez on Tuesday.

"The radical changes to the technical regulations for 2014 mean that it's even harder than usual to make predictions for the new season," chief designer Eric Gandelin said. "We know what kind of package we've put together here, and we are happy with what we achieved, but it is difficult to foresee what shape our rivals are in.

"The earliest opportunity to gain an impression of where the teams are in relation to one another will come during testing. The path we have followed with the design of the Sauber C33-Ferrari allows us maximum flexibility, so that we can react quickly. It is also clear that reliability will be an important factor in the first few races in particular. So this is an area which we have given very high priority."

Sauber is hoping to rack up some mileage on the C33 in Jerez but additional performance parts will come ahead of the start of the season. "On the one hand this gives us time to maximise the development of these performance relevant parts," Gandelin explained. "On the other hand we can run the car during the first test and check all the systems, which we feel is crucial, considering all the technical changes."

After a poor start to 2013, Sauber improved in the second half of the season, but team principal Monisha Kaltenborn was cautious about making predictions for the coming season. "The first half of 2013 in particular was difficult for us, but the second half saw us making significant strides. We learnt a great deal during this time and will be applying the lessons in the new season.

"Due to the radical changes in the technical regulations [for 2014], predictions are simply impossible to make at this stage. Even more so than in previous years, any impression of how the teams stand against each other will only emerge once winter testing has been completed. That is also when we will announce our goals for the 2014 season. One thing's for sure: reliability will be of the essence, especially at the beginning of the season."

Reference :

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McLaren MP4-29 2014

It is the first of the new era of V6 turbo Formula One cars to emerge ahead of pre-season testing next week and features the odd-looking nose that is expected to be a common feature up and down the grid this year. The front end is designed to conform to new safety regulations regarding the height of the front of the nose while also allowing airflow to the floor of the car.

It also features a narrower front wing in line with the 2014 aero regulations and a solo exhaust exiting at the middle of the rear of the car. The cooling requirements for the new V6 turbo engine and energy recovery systems have also required bigger sidepod openings to feed the radiators and intercooler. It is the last McLaren to be powered by Mercedes for the foreseeable future, with Honda set to take over the engine supply from 2015.

The team noted that the car "will potentially undergo more technical change throughout a single season than any other car in McLaren's long and illustrious history". Managing director Jonathan Neale added that the team had taken a pragmatic approach to the car design over the winter.

"We've never had such significant new regulations before; reacting to them, and managing those changes, while still pushing the performance limits, has been an extremely tough job," he said. "We've been relatively pragmatic about it. We know that the need for consistency initially outweighs the need for performance - the winter tests won't be about chasing set-up or refining the car; the envelope of performance is likely to be so wide, and so relatively unknown, that the winter - and to some extent the opening races - will be about understanding the operational boundaries of the car as best we can.

"To achieve this, we need a consistent platform - one that responds positively to changes. Moreover, the work of the engineers and designers to understand and interpret trackside data will be more important than before. That's because this year, more than ever, will come down to a development race: I don't necessarily think you can expect the car that wins the opening race to be the car that leads the championship charge, something we've often seen in the past.

"No, it will be all about a team's ability to react and respond. We already have an update package that we're readying for race one, and we're discovering new things in the 'tunnel, or in CFD, all the time. Once we start track testing, I think you'll see an intense throughput of ideas and concepts - that's the nitty-gritty that will win or lose the world championship."

The livery has also been altered from that of the last seven seasons due to the loss of title sponsor Vodafone at the end of last year. As expected, McLaren has not yet announced a replacement for Vodafone and the livery is a simple silver and black design, with MP4-29 decals replacing Vodafone's red logos.

After a season without a victory in 2013, sporting director Sam Michael said McLaren's main aim is to get back to winning ways as soon as possible and is hoping the team can take advantage of the unpredictability F1's new regulations will bring.

"We've made no secret of our disappointment at how the 2013 season turned out," Michael said. "The aim now is to get back to winning - that's what McLaren exists to do - but there's a certain amount of growth and regrowth that needs to take place before we return to a position where we can challenge for the world championship.

"The good thing is that we've acknowledged that, and we've actually been working towards that goal for many months now. We have Honda waiting in the wings, we have a number of key technical staff bolstering our existing design and engineering teams, and we are fostering the careers of our young drivers, all of whom have an incredible amount of potential. The future for McLaren is bright, and we're now putting in place the processes that will move us closer to our goals.

"For 2014, our aim is for continuous development; we'll be refining and strengthening the car and the organisation throughout the year, so you'll see a rapid turnover of parts and ideas on the car as we, like every team, wrestle with the many unique challenges of these new regulations. More immediately, our aim is to enjoy a smooth winter at all three tests, hopefully learning a lot as we go, and hopefully developing MP4-29 into something consistent, useable and quick."

Reference :

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Williams FW36 2014

Williams F1 Team has released the first images of its 2014 car, FW36. Released in an interim all-blue livery, the most striking feature of FW36 is its narrow nose, which is necessary to meet FIA regulations while allowing for as much airflow as possible under the car.

Most teams are expected to adopt similar solutions to meet the 2014 regulations, but Williams is the first to release an image of the unsightly design. FW36 will be the first Williams powered by a Mercedes engine, with the all new V6 turbo and Energy Recovery Systems under the engine cover.

"This is the first time that Williams has worked with Mercedes in F1 and we've been very impressed," technical director Pat Symonds said. "Their professionalism and commitment have been notable and we're as confident as we can be that the power unit will be competitive.

"There's a lot more technology on the cars this year. We've had turbo-charged engines in F1 before; what's different this time is that it is much more than just an engine change, it is a completely different system. We've gone from a slightly hybridised normally aspirated engine to a fully integrated hybrid power unit with novel technology at its heart.

"Overall the cars will need more cooling this year. The demands on water and oil cooling may be slightly diminished, but the ERS system is significantly more powerful and hence needs more cooling. We also have to cool the charge air from the turbocharger compressor which requires a substantial intercooler.

"We finished the gearbox relatively early. It's completed a lot of running on the test rig and at Mercedes HPP in Brixworth, but you can't take reliability for granted. It's a completely new 'box and it has to cope with a lot more torque than was the case with the V8."

"F1 is still going to be an aerodynamic formula in 2014," he added. "There are some significant changes: the nose is lower than last year and the front wing is narrower, which means the end plates are now more shrouded by the front tyre. The rear wing isn't as deep as last year and the beam wing below it is no longer permitted, and we've also lost the ability to use the exhaust to enhance aero performance.

He added that one of the biggest challenges with FW36 was making sure the extra bulk of the new engine did not tip the car over the minimum weight limit.

"The build of the new car has gone remarkably smoothly," Symonds said. "But it's been a challenge to get the car down to the weight limit. It's been achievable, but it hasn't been easy because the new power unit is heavier than the outgoing V8." The car will hit the track for the first time at the Jerez test on Tuesday with Valtteri Bottas behind the wheel.

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Ferrari F14 T 2014

Ferrari's 60th Formula 1 creation, the F14 T – which was named formally yesterday following an public online poll -, will be driven by Fernando Alonso and Scuderia returnee Kimi Raikkonen, who comes back on board in place of Williams-bound Felipe Massa.

A car that began as a concept more than two years ago, the F14 T is the latest chassis to be revealed based around a raft of rule changes being introduced for 2014, not least the much anticipated changes to front-end designs.

Indeed, with McLaren and Lotus creating plenty of discussion with different designs, Ferrari has adopted another alternative look, with a wider and flatter interpretation than McLaren's thin, elongated nose and Lotus's dual-pronged nose.

Touching on the new-look, Ferrari says the design presented designers with a real challenge to repackage the front suspension into a much lower monocoque.

“The front wing is regulated to be 75mm narrower per side in order to make it less vulnerable to collisions with other cars and with the barriers,” read a launch statement. “This change, perhaps one of the less noticeable visual differences to the 2013 cars, has a profound effect on the aerodynamics of the vehicle.

“The front wings used since 2009 have all featured elaborate measures to encourage the wake of the front wing endplates to pass around the outside of the front tyres in order to maximize the downforce on the car. An innocent change of just 75mm to the position of the wing tip has required us to reinvent completely the front wing aerodynamics for 2014.”

In addition, the 2014 rear wing shares nothing with the previous year owing to three rule changes requiring a much larger stroke DRS, a much smaller overall rear wing depth and removal of the beam wing.

Ferrari heads into the 2014 F1 season determined to reclaim a first Formula 1 World Championship title since 2007. On that occasion Raikkonen was crowned champion and the Finn has been charged with ending Ferrari's title drought once more following his highly publicised switch from Lotus.

Despite rumours of ructions between himself and management – partly due to Raikkonen's arrival as a threat to his No.1 superiority in the team -, Alonso remains on board for a fifth consecutive season with an eye on securing his third career F1 title, but a first in 'red', having finished runner-up to Sebastian Vettel in three of the last four seasons. The F14 T will get its first public test outing at Jerez next week on 28th January.



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Audi A3 Sedan 2015

When the next A3 arrives early next year (in the first quarter of 2014 as a 2015 model), Audi will no longer be playing around. Specifically to please American and Chinese car shoppers, the third-generation model adds a sedan body style to our previously hatchback-only A3 lineup. We still will get a hatchback in the form of the five-door Sportback, although only the e-tron plug-in hybrid version has been confirmed for America.

The sedans, though, are where Audi is focusing its efforts. A base model will use a 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 170 horsepower and more than 180 lb-ft of torque, a new unit unrelated to the old 1.8T wedged into Audis of the last decade. (It’s part of the EA888 engine family, further details on which can be found here.) A slightly larger 2.0-liter version of the engine, omnipresent in Volkswagen and Audi products, and will serve up about 200 horses in the all-wheel-drive A3 Quattro. Diesel makes a return appearance in the American A3, too, and would you believe that more than half of the A3s sold in the U.S. in the past few years were TDIs? The new 2015 A3 will carry the latest Volkswagen-family 2.0-liter diesel four—TDI geeks, here’s its backstory—delivering about 150 horsepower. Torque from the diesel will probably come in at around 250 lb-ft.

From what Audi has said so far, it appears as if only the 2.0-liter four will be paired with all-wheel drive. That the base 1.8-liter engine and the 2.0-liter diesel will be front-wheel-drive-only isn’t a big deal, really—Benz will be selling a front-drive version of the CLA250—although the diesel’s torque might make hard launches a bit of a handful. Dynamically, we came away mostly impressed from our drive of a Euro-spec three-door hatchback, which bodes well for the sedan. The suspension consists of struts up front and a multilink rear, while steering is of the efficiency-boosting electric type.


Regardless of the engine or driven wheels, the only transmission on offer is a six-speed dual-clutch automatic. A six-speed stick, available on the base trim of the outgoing A3, is off the books for the new sedan. Keep your fingers crossed that, should Audi offer a conventionally powered A3 Sportback in the U.S., a manual transmission appears on its options list. (Update: Nope, no chance. An Audi executive told us there is "no business case" for it.)

Speaking of lists, here’s one of available A3 technology (some of which we previewed way back at the 2012 CES show): the latest MMI infotainment system, full-LED headlamps, LED interior lighting, 4G LTE connectivity for Google Maps integration and other internet-type functions, and a 705-watt, 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system. Leather upholstery will be standard, as will rain-sensing wipers and a big sunroof. The car also will offer what Audi calls a “phone box.” Basically, drop your phone into the center bin under the armrest, and the car will boost your cell signal using an antenna embedded in the rear glass.

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