Volkswagen’s Sole Ownership of Porsche Could Spawn the Baby Boxster

Last week, we gave you a nice little rundown on what Porsche has in store for us in the coming years. One of those cars included Project 551, which we have all nicknamed the “Baby Boxster.” This compact, entry-level roadster looked to be a certainty in Porsche’s lineup, when suddenly the plan was axed, as Porsche’s CEO basically said it doesn’t fit the Porsche mold and they want to retain their customer exclusivity.

Well, now that the recent automotive giant, Volkswagen AG, has bought out the remaining shares of Porsche, err, “restructured” their corporate design, we may see this all change. You see, VW could give two cents about customer exclusivity. It wants to sell units and that’s that. VW will likely keep the 200,000-unit goal that Porsche had set before the “restructuring” and the way that VW may do this is to release a lower-priced roadster.

Think about it, fresh college graduates can’t typically afford a $50,000 base-level Boxster, but a $23,000 Miata is not an issue. Well, if Porsche slides a smaller, less feature-packed version of the Boxster right between the two, say at about $32,000, it could suck these young professionals into the Porsche brand early. With these premium brands, once they get in, they are typically customers for life.

In addition, the excuse that Porsche CEO, Matthias Mueller, made regarding a Baby Boxster not fitting the Porsche mold is complete hogwash. Porsche released an SUV and a sedan in the last decade, plus it is about to release a smaller version of its SUV, so how in the world could a smaller, more wallet-friendly roadster not fit in with a sports car company? Yeah, we don’t get it either.

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2015 MG Roadster

When MG released the Icon concept car in Beijing, we were all a little shocked, as it had been ages since we had heard from the U.K.-based, Chinese-owned automaker. We also were impressed and disgusted with the concept all at the same time, as its overall styling was pretty sleek, but the Mini-like appearance and strange protruding fog lights killed it for us.

At the time, we knew that the Icon would make it to production, though the dates were a little fuzzy still, but we didn’t realize that this compact crossover may spawn the resurrection of a legend. Well, now we do know that the Icon will also be the basis that a new MG Roadster will be based on.

It sounds a little awkward when you think about it, but this Roadster will be a 4-seater crossover convertible. Calling it a Roadster is a pretty big stretch of the term, as a roadster typically has only two doors and two seats (see: Mazda Miata, BMW Z4 and Toyota MR2).

Regardless of the stretching of its name, the new MG Roadster will likely be a blast to drive, given its compact size and roughly 130 horsepower. We also don’t have to wait too awful long to see a production model, as reports are pointing to a 2015 release of the Roadster. The Roadster also earns brownie points for being relatively affordable at a reported ₤14,000 ($21,800 at the current rates).

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2013 Mercedes C63 Black Series by Domanig

Not pleased with the standard 510 HP offered by the Mercedes C63 AMG Black Series, German tuner Domanig put together their own little power update that increases the output to an amazing 600 HP. This boost in power also increases the top speed from the standard 155 mph to an exhilarating 198 mph.

In order to obtain the extra power, the tuner installed an a-header, sport catalysts, and a modified engine control unit to the already impressive 6.3 liter V8 engine of the C63 AMG. The modifications were then moved to the exterior where the tuner added a new set of 20" Domanig High Quality Wheels painted in a very cool black gloss with polished outer edges and wrapped around Dunlop Sport Maxx GT 265/30 and 305/25 tires. The wheels are combined with a new KW 3 suspension system that lowers the car’s ride by 30 mm.

These changes, combined with the red exterior paint finish and that huge rear wing, make the C63 AMG Black Series a force to be reckoned with.

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BMW to test short-term rentals at New York-area dealerships

BMW Group Financial Services plans to offer short-term rentals at BMW dealerships under a pilot program starting next month in the New York metropolitan area.

Customers will be able to make reservations online starting Aug. 13, said Ed Robinson, CEO of the captive finance company in Woodcliff Lake, N.J.

Pricing for the service — BMW on Demand — will be disclosed later.

“BMW on Demand will fit the market niche between car sharing and rentals,” Robinson said Friday in an interview with Automotive News.

The company hopes that BMW on Demand rentals will spur new-car sales.

The pilot program, expected to run through year end, is limited to 12 BMW dealerships in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, Robinson said.

BMW Group Financial Services will retain title to the cars and insure them, he said.

After cars have been in service for a while — how long, exactly, is one of the details to be worked out, but maybe for a year, Robinson said — dealers will have an opportunity to buy the cars for resale, similar to the way dealerships handle off-lease cars.

The finance company will pay dealerships for service work and for time and effort dedicated to the program, he said.

For instance, some customers may want a product orientation when they pick up a car, or spend time in the customer waiting area.

Those features distinguish the BMW program from car-sharing programs such as Zipcar, where customers pick up cars on the street directly after other customers use them, Robinson said.

Clean, fueled cars

Customers can expect BMW on Demand cars to be clean, in good repair and fueled, he said.

“We’ve taken all those worries away from the customer,” he said.

Robinson said that if car-sharing rentals are five or six hours, BMW on Demand rentals could be up to five or six days or even longer.

Administrative details will be handled by retailers, but it’s likely that the same dealership employees who handle service loaners probably would handle BMW on Demand cars, Robinson said.

The parent company has a more comprehensive BMW on Demand program in Germany.

It offers the entire BMW lineup, plus some classic BMW models and “specialty” models such as high-performance BMW M variants.

According to a BMW on Demand Web site in Germany, hourly rates range from the equivalent of about $30 for a 1-series coupe to $85 for high-end cars such as the M5.

In the United States, BMW Group Financial Services expects to launch the program exclusively with the 3 series, Robinson said.

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2012 Audi TT 2.0 TFSI Prestige Coupe

what the Audi TT should be–a high-revving, precise-handling, rock-solid all-wheel-drive sports coupe. I’ve always felt that the front-drive TT roadster was a bit of a poseur, with not enough chassis stiffness and too much front-drive understeer to support its high-charging aspirations. This car, with the fixed roof and well-balanced all-wheel drive, does a great job of exorcising all of the demons and bringing out the car’s devilish character.

In this guise, the TT coupe runs hot and sharp, with plenty of boosted power from the little 2.0-liter turbo four, and great grip, chassis control and steering response from this setup. Purists might cry for a proper clutched manual gearbox, but I’m happy with this dual-clutch tranny. As long as you run it in sport mode, response is quick and direct, with the paddle shifters providing a little extra prodding if necessary.

All in all, in this trim and coupe body style, this is the TT that enthusiasts should be looking for–unless they can get their mitts on an over-the-top TT-RS.

NEWS EDITOR GREG MIGLIORE: This 2012 Audi TT Prestige coupe is a tight little machine, with excellent reflexes and the looks of a chic flying saucer. It’s fun to look at and drive. Personally, this isn’t exactly the car for me, but it is a hoot to motor around town in style.

It gets attention, especially in this shade of Volcano red, which really does have more than hint of lava hue. I love the wheels, too.

The chassis is tight, but didn’t beat me up. The steering is light on center followed by satisfying response into movements, especially when pushing through a gentle expressway curve at 80 mph with the needle at 2,500 rpm.

I like the cabin, which is laid out smartly, it has a businesslike atmosphere and classy accoutrements. With the windows cracked and the audio cranked to classic rock, the TT was a cathartic commuter.

I was fortunate to get an additional weekend in this sexy coupe, and it made for fun, enthusiastic driving that nicely blended athleticism with comfort. I picked up a few things I didn’t notice in my first one-night stint in this cute sports car, including the quietness of the cabin and the punch of the engine. Obviously, I liked these features during my initial sampling, but there’s some depth to these elements that gets better with more time.

For example, summoning 258 lb-ft of torque at 1,600 rpm is a riot. It gives the driver a copious dose of confidence during passing, merging and other dashing maneuvers. There’s a slight turbo lag, but otherwise this is a potent yet modest engine that works well with the dual-clutch.

Secondly, the cabin is quiet for a car this small. Yes, it’s an Audi and still premium endeavoring, but generally smaller sports cars can make a racket. Not here. The TT’s interior cushioning drowned out a semi next to me and muffled the outside world appropriately. The dials and the flat-bottomed steering do a good job of conveying a sense of athleticism, and the seats fit me perfectly.

I liked this little runner. It’s not for everyone, as some will seek a raw sports-car experience and others will trend toward the larger, more powerful muscle coupes of Detroit. Still, it fills a niche and even wears a bit of a halo for Audi.

2012 Audi TT 2.0 TFSI Prestige Coupe

Base Price: $39,175

As-Tested Price: $48,920

Drivetrain: 2.0-liter turbocharged I4; AWD, six-speed dual-clutch sequential manual

Output: 211 hp @ 4,300-6,000 rpm, 258 lb-ft @ 1,600-4,200 rpm

Curb Weight: 3,153 lb

Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 26/25.1 mpg

Options: Prestige model including Audi navigation plus, six-disk CD changer, Audi parking system, Bose sound system, heated front seats, LED interior lighting package, black fine napa leather package ($6,100); Audi magnetic ride with S button program ($1,900); S line package including black leather/Alcantara seats, 19-inch, seven-twin-spoke-design wheels with summer tires, matte brushed-aluminum inlays, extended leather, headlight washers, S line steering wheel with shift paddles, S line exterior package, S line door sills, S line fender badging ($1,200); Volcano red metallic paint ($475); Audi music interface, iPod cable ($70

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2013 Via Vtrux

Electric vehicles and various hybrid systems are taking over the front pages of the automotive world as of late. One of the areas where hybrids and EVs haven’t completely infiltrated is the world of pickup trucks. Well, that’s until former GM executive, Bob Lutz, joined forces with the little-known Via Motors.

Via Motors has quite literally taken the electric truck, SUV, and van ball and run with it, and has started carving itself a nice little niche in the automotive world. One of its entrants is the Vtrux, which is a range-extended electric truck. The information on this new green pickup is not 100 percent available yet, but Via has posted a good amount of information on this pickup’s upcoming release.

The question on the mind of the automotive world is can an electric truck actually do well in this world of powerful diesel- and gasoline-powered pickups? The answer to this question is very simple, but to get to that answer, we have to tear into the Vtrux and find out what makes it tick.

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