Click To View Larger Image

Story and Photos by Dubspeed Driven Contributor, Wes Grueninger

On a warm day this April, amid the palm trees and adobe buildings that have been standardized and stamped out like assembly-line sausage patties, a line of Audi Q7s threads its way through morning traffic in Carlsbad, California. The procession comes to a stop fifty miles later, in an overgrown field at the base of a rutted dirt trail on the side of Palomar Mountain. “Be careful,” says an Audi staffer in a black twill shirt. “The road’s muddy from the rain this morning, and if you go over the side there’s nothing to stop you for another 2600 feet until you’re back down here.” He makes sure that the air suspension on the Q7 is set to “lift”, then gives my co-driver and me a wry smile. “Have fun.” I was told there might be some off-roading today.

Continue reading Dubspeed Driven First Drive – The 2007 Audi Q7

Click To View Larger Image

Volkswagen today released images of its upcoming 30th Anniversary Edition GTI for the European Market. As part of the 30th birthday celebration, Volkswagen has increased power of the 2.0T FSI engine from 200hp to 230hp, and given it a much more agressive look. The matte-black 18″ wheels are standard on the anniversary model, as are blacked out tail-lights, body colored front and rear spoilers, and special edition badging.

Click To View Larger Image

Click To View Complete Volkswagen EOS Gallery (22 Images)

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – Volkswagen of America, Inc. today announced pricing for its all-new, 2007 Eos convertible, arriving in showrooms this fall. This four-seater features a revolutionary three-panel roof that transforms a hardtop coupe roof with an integrated sunroof, to an open convertible. Volkswagen will offer the Eos with two engines: an award-winning 2.0 liter turbo, 200 horsepower, four cylinder starting at $27,990 and a 3.2 liter, 250 horsepower version of Volkswagen’s narrow angle V6 starting at $36,850.

Continue reading Volkswagen Announces Pricing of the All-New Volkswagen EOS Convertible

INGOLSTADT, Germany – The decision has been made: the new Audi Q5 will be built in Germany. The new model will start rolling off the production line at Ingolstadt in 2008. To that end, around EUR 300 million will be invested in the production facilities over the next years. Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG, explained: “The decision demonstrates what potential there is for industrial production in Germany. We are delighted that the Audi Q5 will be built in Ingolstadt, now that we have reached an agreement with the Works Council enabling us to build it at a competitive cost.” A total of some 1,700 workers will be involved in production of the Audi Q5 in Ingolstadt. “This decision will also benefit employment at Neckarsulm, because both plants will be very closely interlinked,” added Winterkorn.

Continue reading New Audi Q5 To Be Built in Germany

Wolfsburg/Hanover, 19 May 2006 – The Volkswagen Group has won a major order from Porsche AG. The Volkswagen plant in Hanover will produce the painted bodies for Porsche’s new “Panamera” sports coupé to be launched in 2009, and deliver them to Porsche’s plant in Leipzig.

Dr. Bernd Wiedemann, Spokesman for the Board of Management of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, commented: “The order from Porsche shows we have made significant progress towards more competitiveness. Our efforts are taking us in the right direction. Productivity, flexibility and quality were the decisive factors in securing this order for our Hanover operations.” He underlined that the decision would bring long-term security for some 500 jobs in Hanover.

Wiedemann added that the decision in favor of Hanover was good news for the plant. “The model diversity of our T5 demonstrates we have high production flexibility. Our large suction press can produce parts up to five meters in length, and our paint shop can apply 24 different standard colors and some 130 special color combinations.”

President and CEO of Porsche AG, Dr. Wendelin Wiedeking, said: “We examined several offers very closely before taking our decision. The VW plant in Hanover not only impressed us with its range of services, but above all with its high flexibility and broad production know-how. We are therefore convinced this plant will supply us with bodies that meet our premium quality specifications.”

The Committee for Business Relations with Shareholders, which has been set up by the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG, has taken note of the planned cooperation between Volkswagen and Porsche.

Toyo Tires® announces the Gettin’ Sideways Sweepstakes to celebrate Universal Pictures’ upcoming release The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift. From the producer of the worldwide blockbuster hits The Fast and The Furious and its sequel, 2 Fast 2 Furious, comes the latest installment of the adrenaline-inducing series built on speed — TheFast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift. Set in the sexy and colorful underground world of Japanese drift racing, the newest and fastest customized rides go head-to-head on some of the most perilous courses in the world. In The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift, Toyo Tires® will have its greatest visibility to date with Toyo tires placed on many of the vehicles featured in the film. Universal Pictures will release The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift June 16, 2006 nationwide.

Continue reading Toyo Tires® Launches “Gettin’ Sideways Sweepstakes” Celebrating The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift

Click To View Larger Image

Photos by Dubspeed Media Photographer, Zerin Dube

Dindo Capello (Italy) and Allan McNish (Scotland) extended their American Le Mans Series lead when they steered their “factory” Audi R8 home to victory in the inaugural Grand Prix in Houston (US state of Texas) on Friday night. It was the 62nd victory for the most successful Le Mans prototype from 78 races.

With the Audi R10 TDI currently being prepared in Europe for the 24 Hours of Le Mans (17/18 June), Capello and McNish successfully reverted to the Audi R8 featuring FSI petrol direct injection technology first pioneered in 2001. Having scored a historic win in the 12 Hours of Sebring with the diesel-powered Audi R10 TDI, the Anglo-Italian combination reminded its rivals about the efficiency of the Audi FSI technology.

Continue reading 2006 Grand Prix of Houston: Audi R8 makes a winning comeback in USA

Click To View Larger Image

Some of your servants from Dubspeed Media have picked up their credentials from the HGP officials, and will begin bringing you information from Reliant Park. There is a lot of entertainment on tap, from the four races, Star Mazda, Atlantic Series, American Le Mans Series, and Champ Cars, to displays, live music, autograph sessions, tech sessions, and more! We’ll keep you posted as to celebrity sightings, results and stats on the races as they happen.

Yesterday we attended the American Le Mans Series press luncheon, where we had Panoz Multimatic driver Tom Milner jr. at our table, and his partner Gunnar Jeannette, at the next table. Mr. Risi and his two hired guns from F-1, Mika Salo and Jaime Melo there to tell us of their mission to keep the Panoz and Porsche cars at bay in GT2, and to win in Houston for the home based Ferrari F430 of Risi Competizione. They were all very complimentary of Houston, the race track, and all the people involved with the Grand Prix of Houston.

We will be at the Champ Car press conference today, and then we are there in the trenches from early tomorrow morning till after 10pm each day.

Sunday, 7 May 2006

16:51:48 / 4:51:48 p.m.

As stated in the last update, many of the cars yesterday from Salt Lake City ditched the checkpoints in order to get a jump start on the leg to Vegas. Most cars took the I-15 route south while others took the more direct I-93 route south. I-93 was discovered to be a death trip with the road being plastered with state troopers just waiting for Gumballers. It seems as though the State Police now keep tabs on the Gumball more then some fans do.

I-15 though seemed to be just as bad once the state troopers realized there were two roads that the Gumballers were using. Team Polizei though had their secret weapon in use. Its codename: Birdman. No, not Tony Hawk. Birdman was the secret codename for the spotter helicopter that was following Team Polizei from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas. Its purpose was to mostly capture the rally on film, but it was also used for rally support and trooper detection. Birdman proved to be helpful since Team Polizei didn’t get a single ticket. Notice how I said ticket and not pulled over?

Ten miles east of Las Vegas, it happened. Team Polizei was pulled over by an undercover cop who was hiding on an on-ramp. Only doing about 85mph, Team Polizei was a bit confused. What made it even more confusing was that the undercover cop was driving a Kia. The cop started questioning Alex and Ross, and then the line which will always be remembered finally came out: “You are Alex Roy, aren’t you?” The game was up; Team Polizei had finally been caught. This time, it was no undercover cop, but rather a Gumball Fan who traveled 700 miles from Canada just to pull this prank. Everyone always said they would do it, but no one actually did, until now. To the Polizei and Gumball fan from Canada, we thank you. You deserve some sort of prize. We also would like you to please contact us.

Team Polizei finally arrived in Vegas after storming down I-15 past several cars. The team arrived around 5th place out of the cars who actually went to the checkpoints in Salt Lake City. Vegas has been a great welcome to all the drivers but its sad to now know that we are only a few hours away from the 2006 event coming to an end.

One last note: In Vegas, Team Polizei’s Bentley GT was once again vandalized; this time by plastic wrap. Alex said it must have taken Ed Leigh at least an hour to cover the entire car with the plastic wrap.. little did he know that Team Polizei comes equipped with knives which can take it all off in a few seconds.

Click To View Larger Image

Toronto – ON (May 5th, 2006) Multimatic Motorsports Team Panoz is ready to hit the streets in Reliant Park, Houston next week for the second ever street course event for the Panoz Esperante GTLM.

Fresh from victory in the GT2 class at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, the Multimatic squad is out to capitalize on the championship lead held by David Brabham and Scott Maxwell aboard the #50 Esperante.

Continue reading Multimatic Motorsports Team Panoz Ready to Fight the Big Guns in Texas