https://www.facebook.com/191106787655327/

POPP AUTO, Thrissur (2026)

16/11/2016

New 2017 KTM Duke 390 is certainly one of the much-awaited motorcycles from the Austrian bike manufacturer in India. This naked sportbike recently had its world premiere at the 2016 EICMA Motorcycle Show in Milan. Folks at
Motorbeam have now come up with interesting news that the second-generation KTM Duke 390’s bookings will be commenced in the last weeks of January 2017. And deliveries will begin in April 2017.
For 2017, the bike gets both cosmetic as well as mechanical upgrades, thus making it sportier and more feature-rich than the current model. The 2017 KTM Duke 390’s design is inspired from the Super Duke 1290, especially the identical fuel tank extension and high mounted LED blinkers. It comes equipped with LED headlamps and TFT instrument cluster.
Here’s everything you need to know about 2017 KTM Duke 390 –
New 2017 KTM Duke 390 Launch Date
The Austrian motorcycle manufacturer will commence the production of the new KTM Duke 390 towards the end of this year. In India, this street fighter is likely to hit showrooms in January 2017. Though, no official confirmation has been made yet.
New 2017 KTM Duke 390 Price in India
Minimum 2 Lakh (Estimated)
Maximum 2.30 lakh (Estimated)
The new KTM Duke 390 price could be slightly higher than the current model that costs Rs 1.95 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). The bike’s new model, with better body graphics and new features, is estimated to be priced around Rs 2 lakh – Rs 2.30 lakh.

New 2017 KTM Duke 390 Specifications
Engine
373.2cc, single cylinder, liquid-cooled
Maximum Power 44bhp
Acceleration (0-100kmph) 5.6 seconds
Top Speed 169kmph
Transmission 6-speed Manual
Emission Norms Euro 4
New 2017 KTM Duke 390 Mileage
Mileage 25kmpl
New 2017 KTM Duke 390 Dimensions
Length 2,002mm
Width 873mm
Height 1,274mm
Wheelbase 1,367mm
Ground Clearance 170mm
Seat Height 800mm
Fuel Tank Capacity 11-litre
Kerb Weight 154kgs
New 2017 KTM Duke 390 Design
Wearing a more aggressive design and bold stance, the 2017 KTM Duke 390 looks sportier than the current model. The front fascia of the bike is heavily inspired from the 1290 SuperDuke, especially the split headlight and high-mounted LED blinkers. Unlike the current model, the new-generation Duke will come with larger tank shrouds in contrast color, re-designed fuel tank, black-painted handlebar, exposed trellis sub-frame and smaller rear section. Some of the features will be carried forward from the current model such as Metzeler tyres, clear lens indicators, adjustable handlebar levers, black-colored rear view mirrors, split seats and LED tail light.
Reports suggest that the 2017 KTM Duke 390 will have more features to offer than the new Duke 200, unlike their existing models that offer the same set of equipment. The 2017 Duke 390 will get an all-new coloured LCD instrument cluster and separate function forks – one for compression damping and other for rebound damping duties. However, both the Dukes will share a bunch features.
New 2017 KTM Duke 390 Engine & Transmission
Power for the new-generation Duke 390 will come from the same 373.2cc, single cylinder, liquid-cooled engine that does duty in the current model. It was reported that KTM might add a second balancer shaft to the engine’s cylinder head to reduce its vibration and generate extra power figures. However, the company has only worked on the heating problem. This new engine will be able to cool faster, thanks to faster heat dissipation. Paired to a 6-speed gearbox, this engine delivers power worth 44bhp and 35Nm of torque.
Similar to its European version, the India-bound 2017 KTM Duke 390 will have aluminum side-mounted exhaust and Ride-by-Wire (RbW). The street fighter might comply with the Euro 4 emission norms. There will be WP upside-down upfront and monoshock rear setup to perform suspension duties. The bike will receive its braking power from disc brakes, coupled to anti-lock braking system and slipper clutch.
2017 KTM 390 Key Features
Full colour TFT screen
LED front light
Larger 13.4-litre fuel tank
New WP upside down fork
New ride-by-wire throttle
Larger front disc – 320mm
Adjustble brake & clutch levers
New 2017 KTM Duke 390 Competition
Once launched, the new KTM Duke 390 will compete against the Honda CB300F, Kawasaki Z300, Benelli TNT 302 and upcoming BMW G310R .
New 2017 KTM Duke 390 Other Details
Suspension System
Front – WP upside-down
Rear – WP monoshock
Braking System
Front – 320mm Disc
Rear – 230mm single-piston, floating caliper disc
Bosh 9MB two-channel ABS
Tyre Size
Front – 110/70 R17
Rear – 150/60 R17

26/10/2016

Overview - HONDA CBR 250 RR 2017
Honda has come up with its lightweight, highly efficient, twin cylinder bike named as 'CBR250RR'. The ‘Light Weight Super Sport Concept’ (CBR250RR) was unveiled earlier at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show. The production model has now been unveiled in Indonesia on July 25. Although doubtful to be launched in India, but if launched it is expected to sweep away its rivals with its high performance figures, design and much more. The key rivals of CBR250RR in India would be Kawasaki Ninja 300 and Yamaha R3.
Design and Style
Since the 250RR comes from the CBR series, so undoubtedly it is going to have a head turning design. It features some of the sharpest curves for cheating the wind over its passage. It has been designed with the key phrase “strong presence” which is so depicted by its next-generation super sport concept model, low crouching position and long nose which gives the rider a sense of speed. Its plane architecture indicates its hardness and solidity whereas the sharp edges give it the aggressive look. On the exterior, the bike features matte-black-based low-contrast graphics which adds more to its remarkablility.
The 2017 Honda CBR250RR is based on a newly developed steel truss frame, with aluminium gul type swingarm. The right-side swingarm has been shaped to reduce exhaust pipe extrusion which makes the bike look slimmer while retaining the bank angle. The CBR250RR has got a similar front face as that of the CBR series. To add on its beauty, the bike has dual-LED headlights, sharp wedge-shape, long nose, acute tail, sharp body lines, sculpted fuel tank and chiselled tail section. It features conventional single side exhaust muffler which is supposed to be a 2-1-2 system that is compatible with the overall bike design.
Dimensions and Fuel capacity
Honda CBR250RR is a big step by the bikemaker in terms of design and styling. The bike has got an overall length of 2060 mm, overall width of 724 mm and overall height of 1098 mm. The seat height is 790 mm and the wheelbase is 1389 mm. The bike has got a 145 mm ground clearance. The fuel tank capacity of the bike is 14.5 litres with 1.9 litres oil tank capacity.
Engine and Gearbox
Honda CBR250RR is a one of its kind machine which would boost the quarter litre motorcycle segment by delivering much more than the expected performance figures. The official power and torque values haven't been released yet. The Honda CBR250RR will get its power from the twin cylinder, 249.7 cc, 4-stroke, 8-valve, liquid cooled engine which is expected to produce maximum power of 35-38 BHP and maximum torque of 26-29 NM. The output figures delivered by the bike are expected to be more than the other quarter litre fighters.
The engine is mated to a six speed gearbox with multiplate wet clutch with coil spring. The Japanese bike maker claims that the motor is easy to handle for urban riding as well as comfortable on the circuit giving out a smooth output across the entire rev range. Honda has also confirmed that the engine comes with Throttle-by-Wire (TbW) which makes it possible to use 3-way engine mode settings through which the rider can tap into the linear power output at his will.
Brakes and Suspension
As was showcased in the concept, the CBR250RR is equipped with a USD suspension setup at the front and pro-link suspension featuring 5-step preload at the rear. The braking duties are performed by 310 mm front and 240 mm rear wavy disc brakes. The bike has got dual-channel ABS option.
Instrument Console
CBR250RR has got a fully digital instrument console which includes digital speedometer, trip meter, tachometer, odometer, clock and fuel gauge. The instrument panel also includes ABS light, gear indicator, service reminder, low oil indicator, low battery indicator and rev limiter indicator.

20/10/2016

2017 Nissan GT-R Nismo somehow still a bargain at $176,585
Godzilla's latest form officially costs over $100,000 more than the original R35.
The only thing that's climbed faster than the cost of college tuition is the price of the Nissan GT-R . When the first R35
GT-R made its US debut at the 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show , it carried a price of $69,850. In our report, we called it a "huge performance bargain." Now, Godzilla's hottest variant, the 2017 GT-R Nismo, officially costs $100,000 more than the original R35.
Yes, the 2017 Nissan GT-R Nismo costs $176,585, including $1,595 in destination charges. And while that figure might seem exorbitant, it's only about $10,000 more than last year's GT-R Nismo, a mere smidgen in the world of six-figure
supercars. And unlike the $188,100
Porsche 911 Turbo S , Nissan's price is almost a case of what you see is what you get – paint is the only available option, with Super Silver carrying a $3,000 price tag and Pearl White demanding an extra $1,000. We doubt you'll ever find a 911
Turbo S for its base price.
As we covered during the 2017 GT-R Nismo's debut earlier this year, the majority of the changes focus on aerodynamics, with a new, larger front splitter. That means the new Godzilla will have more downforce than any of its predecessors. Engineers also made minor changes to the suspension's springs, stabilizer bars, and adjustable Bilstein dampers. The 600-horsepower, twin-turbocharged V6 is unchanged.
The Nissan GT-R Nismo is officially at
dealers . If you have nearly $180,000 burning a hole in your pocket and are in the market for some automotive Kaijū , you know where to go.

11/09/2013

Let's get something straight. The Rolls- Royce Wraith is the fastest, most powerful car Rolls-Royce has ever built, but that doesn’t mean that the
four-door Ghost has been
transformed into a sports car. Instead,
the brand describes the new fastback
coupe as its ‘Super GT’, so it retains all
the traditional luxury trappings, but more power and style than ever
before to help attract a completely
new – and younger – breed of
customer. The enormous twin-turbo 6.6-litre
V12 engine has been stoked to push
its total power output up to 624bhp.
That means this 2.4 tonne limousine
will crack 0-60mph in just 4.4
seconds, almost as fast as the considerably smaller (and 4WD)
Bentley Continental GT. However, thankfully none of the Rolls-
Royce serene character has been lost.
The Wraith is incredibly quiet at the
sort of speeds normal cars start to
become ragged. That engine is
whisper-quiet at cruising speeds, but it builds into a distant rumble, then a
full-blown roar if you keep your foot
planted deep into the thick lambs
wool carpet. Yet the steering is fingertip light at low
speeds. In fact, if you put more than
half a turn of lock on the expansive
wheel then the column suddenly goes
light in your hands as the huge nose
sweeps round in an unexpectedly swift manner. It weighs up at speed
but the big variation in resistance does
take some getting used to – so it takes
a little while to build up enough
confidence to really press on. When you do though the result is
effortless progress. The suspension
does pitch and roll under heavy
braking and acceleration but the
Wraith also feels just as planted and
stable as any of its four-wheel drive competitors. The eight-speed gearbox
adjusts the spread of ratios according
to the terrain (via the sat-nav) but
there is such an enormous wave of
torque from the engine that it charges
forward no matter what gear you find yourself in. The designers have done an excellent
job of increasing the visual clout of the
Wraith to match the newfound level of
performance. The stunning coach
doors open backwards to expose a
lavish interior covered in expensive wood veneers, chrome and plush
leather. The thick handles extend into the
front wing to help give it sleeker
proportions and the low-slung
fastback roof and striking two-tone
paint work all do a fine job of making
this an entirely more extrovert Rolls- Royce. A wider variety of wheel
designs and colour combinations are
all designed to allow buyers to tailor
the car to their own personal tastes –
with the Bespoke department able to
cater for almost any styling request. However despite the racier looks there
is still an excellent amount of room in
the back. The Wraith really is a proper
Grand Tourer in that regard. It feels
cosy in the back but there is still plenty
of space for passengers and 470-litres of their designer luggage too. Even the visibility is decent – which is
especially helpful when the car is still
nearly two metres wide and over five
metres long. Although on smaller
roads you are always aware of the
car’s vast size, and it’s this -rather than any lack of dynamic ability- that
prevents you from utilising the
engine’s mighty power reserves more
often. • Rolls-Royce Ghost review Key specs Price: £235,000 Engine: 6.6-litre V12, twin-turbo petrol Power: 624bhp Torque: 800Nm Transmission: Eight-speed auto, rear-wheel drive 0-62mph: 4.4 seconds Top speed: 155mph (limited) Economy: 20.2mpg CO2: 327g/km Equipment: Heated leather seats, parking sensors, 20.5GB music
hard drive, soft-close doors, sat-
nav, 20-inch polished wheels. On sale: Now

14/07/2013

The Bullet 500 graphic novel contest winners rode off on the legendary Bullet 500s from Chandigarh to the Wagah border on July 13 '13. Here are pictures from the flag off, ride, the Wagah border!

26/06/2013

The Audi RS5 Cabriolet joins the firm’s rapidly expanding high-performance
RS range. It uses the same 444bhp
4.2-litre V8, seven-speed S Tronic
dual-clutch gearbox and quattro four-
wheel-drive powertrain as the RS5 Coupe and RS4 Avant estate to deliver impressive all-weather performance.
However, this time, there’s the added
bonus of being able to drop the
canvas roof when the sun comes out. Like the RS5 and RS4, the Cabriolet promises plenty of performance, but
doesn’t quite deliver the thrills that the
keenest drivers will appreciate. Our choice: RS5 4.2 V8 Styling 4 The Audi RS5 Cabriolet certainly isn’t a
car for shrinking violets. From its
aggressive front bumper with its
gaping air intakes, to its blistered
wheelarches and huge twin exhausts,
there’s no doubting that the RS5 Cabriolet shouts performance. The
suspension is 20mm lower than a
standard A5 Cabriolet, too, while the
car comes with 19-inch alloy wheels
as standard. The interior is beautifully
built, with additions like sports seats, extra dials and a flat-bottomed
steering wheel as reminders that
you’re driving something special. Driving 3 As you’d expect, the 444bhp 4.2-litre
V8 gives plenty of acceleration, helped
by the smooth twin-clutch gearbox. It
can do the 0-62mph sprint in 4.9
seconds - 0.4 seconds slower than the
coupe - and has an electronically limited top speed of 155mph. Four-
wheel drive gives lots of reassuring
grip, as it can shuffle up to 70 per cent
of the engine’s power to the front
wheels, or 85 per cent to the rear.
Thanks to additional bracing to compensate for the lack of a metal
roof, the RS5 Cabriolet weighs
1,920kg - 205kg more than the
coupe. Under heavy braking and rapid
changes of direction, the extra weight
means the RS5 Cabriolet is less planted than the lighter coupe. Being able to
drive with the wind in your hair is
some compensation. But although the
V8 is louder with the roof down, you
can actually hear it better with the top
up, because the acoustic hood filters out other road noise. For keener
drivers, the Sport option pack is worth
considering. It costs £2,250 and
includes Dynamic Ride Control
adjustable suspension, 20-inch alloys,
a sports exhaust and variable-ratio steering.

18/06/2013

Rumors of a three-cylinder
replacement for Yamaha’s crossplane
YZF-R1 started at Intermot last year
with an inscrutable exhibit promising
new motorcycles with a “crossplane”
inline-triple. It was a tease, of course, making us wonder just what the
Tuning Fork guys had in mind, and
what, exactly, they meant by a
“crossplane” triple. Except for a few
Laverdas, aren’t they all? We have it on good authority that
when a new R1 comes—probably for
’14, as Yamaha hinted that more new
models will be introduced in
September—it almost certainly won’t
have three-abreast seating. Whether it’s closer to Lorenzo’s daily driver or
the current R1 remains to be seen.
And what of the triple? Here it is in the
2014 Yamaha FZ-09, a naked standard
to replace the FZ1-derived FZ8. But not
to replace the FZ1, which has been largely unchanged since moving into
its second generation way back in
2006. Supposedly, the FZ1 will
continue into the ’14 model year. At the heart of the FZ-09 is an all-new,
847cc triple featuring, you guessed it,
a crossplane crank. Actually, it’s just
your usual 120-degree arrangement
familiar to anyone who’s opened up a
modern Triumph or fiddled with any of Kawasaki’s two-stroke triples. With
a bore and stroke of 78mm and
59.1mm, respectively, the liquid-
cooled mill is less oversquare than the
R1 or current FZ1 powerplants.
Comparing Yamaha’s new triple to the Triumph Speed Triple’s 1050cc engine
shows just how long-stroke the
Hinckley machine is, with a 1.11:1
bore/stroke ratio against the
Yamaha’s 1.32:1. Triumph’s newer
triples, in the Tiger 800 and Explorer/ Trophy, both run 1.19:1 bore/stroke
ratios. The only engines in the
Triumph catalog with a more
oversquare configuration are the
Street Triple (1:42) and Daytona 675
(1:53:1). Redline is 11,000 rpm, which is conservative for a 59.1mm stroke.
So, the new Yammie mill is right in the
thick of things, design-wise.

15/06/2013

That rising temperature means it’s time to roll down the windows, leave the worries behind and head toward the horizon with a GPS programmed for adventure. Take a look at these photos of our fans celebrating summer Mercedes-Benz style, and if you haven’t already, post a picture of your own summer drive on our wall.

13/06/2013

The all-wheel-drive A45 AMG is a
blisteringly quick car. In fact, you’ll
find it hard to believe there’s only a
2.0-litre engine under the bonnet. A
vast array of changes to the A-Class’s chassis improves the handling, too.
And while the A45 AMG may not be
the last word in driver involvement, to
many the incredible pace will be all
that matters. It does cost £7,275 more
than the more engaging BMW M135i, but its straight-line performance is
incredible. ‘The Beast’ – that’s the nickname
AMG’s engineers gave the new Mercedes A45 AMG during its development. And within just one minute behind the wheel it’s pretty obvious why. Under the bonnet is a 2.0-litre turbo
that produces 355bhp. That’s 178bhp
per litre – more than any other
production car in the world. This is the
very first time AMG has built a four-
cylinder engine, but you’d never know as Mercedes has managed to make it 39bhp more powerful than
the straight-six in the BMW M135i, despite having just two-thirds of the
capacity. AMG has a one man, one engine policy
and the 2.0-litre in our car was hand-
built by Jerome Wachholz. He’s done a
good job, because although this early
right-hand-drive example was barely
run in, it proved to be way faster than Mercedes’ claims. Watch the Mercedes A45 AMG take on
the CLS63 AMG in a drag race The official figures say the A45 AMG
will go from 0-62mph in 4.6 seconds
with launch control. This is engaged
by putting the stability control in sport
mode, the gearbox in manual mode,
selecting drive using the special AMG selector and holding down both solid
metal steering wheel paddles to
engage ‘race start’. In reality, however, it’s even quicker
than that. In our hands, it went from
0-60mph in only 4.1 seconds. And to
find out just how fast the car is over a
standing quarter mile, we raced it
against a CLS 63 AMG Shooting Brake . You can see what happened by
watching the video above. The engine isn’t only good when it’s
being thrashed, though. Peak torque
of 450Nm arrives from 2,250rpm
thanks to a twin-scroll turbo, so
there’s hardly any delay between
pushing the throttle and feeling the thrust, but still an intoxicating top-end
rush. If we have one complaint, it’s the
noise. It’s by no means bad, and does
make a nice ‘thrump’ when you
change up a gear, but overall the A45
doesn’t quite sound as fruity as you’d expect of an AMG. To be fair, though, our car featured the
standard exhaust; an optional sports
system apparently makes the A45 a lot
more vocal, with pops and crackles on
the overrun. Obviously it’s the engine that
dominates the A45 experience. But
AMG has also extensively overhauled
the rest of the A-Class. Inside, there’s a carbon-look facia, red air vent
surrounds and a sports steering
wheel, while outside there’s an AMG
styling kit and 18-inch alloys that hide
larger, more powerful brakes. AMG has also upgraded the A-Class’s seven-speed twin-clutch auto box – which now gets more tactile metal
steering wheel paddles and that
unique gear selector. Shifts are now
slicker than before and it gets less
confused in auto mode, too, although
it’s still not as good as an Audi S3’s unflappable dual-clutch transmission. Like its Audi rival, the A45 has all-
wheel drive, and the 4MATIC system
can send up to 50 per cent of the
engine’s torque to the rear wheels.
This helps boost away-from-the-line
acceleration and improves traction when exiting corners, allowing you to
get on the power sooner. There are also new dampers, springs,
hubs, axles and anti-roll bars. These
changes have improved not only the
handling but, surprisingly, also
enhance the ride quality. Of course,
you are naturally more accepting of a firm ride given that this is a
performance-focused car – but there’s
also an added compliance that’s sorely
missing in the regular A-Class. This means you can feel what’s going
on beneath you through the AMG
sports seats. This is handy, as you
don’t get so much communication
from the steering wheel. Even though
AMG has reworked the steering set- up, it still doesn’t have the immediacy
or feel of a BMW M135i’s steering.

10/06/2013

Pagani has shown off the latest
‘ultimate’ version of its Zonda
supercar, the £2.2m Zonda
Revolucion This is the Pagani Zonda Revolucion,
the most recent, ‘ultimate’ incarnation
of the Zonda supercar. The track-only
model was unveiled to Pagani’s clients
during the ninth running of its
'Vanishing Point 2013 - International Pagani' gathering. Power comes from a tuned 6.0-litre Mercedes AMG V12 that develops 789bhp and 730Nm of torque – up
49bhp and 20Nm respectively over
the figures that Pagani claims for the
Zonda R. Pagani is yet to make any performance
claims for the car, but the Zonda
Revolucion is expected to be
marginally faster from 0-62mph than
the 3.0 seconds it takes the Zonda R,
and also eclipse its 233mph top speed. The Zonda Revolucion is based on the
already massively fast Zonda R, but
uses Pagani’s latest carbon-titanium
material for its monocoque to shave
34kg from the Zonda R’s kerbweight.
That means the Revolucion weighs just 1,070kg –almost exactly the same
as a Volkswagen Polo – and has a power to weight ratio of 738bhp per
tonne. The Revolucion features a six-speed
sequential gearbox that changes gear
in just 20 milliseconds, while the car
also features a Bosch-developed 12-
stage traction control system. Pagani has also fitted its latest model
with Brembo’s F1-derived carbon-
composite brakes, which cut weight
by 15 per cent and are most resistant
to fade, plus a new ABS system. In addition to the technical upgrades,
the Revolucion benefits from some
aerodynamic tweaks, which include
winglets on the front bumper and an
F1-style Drag Reduction System (DRS)
rear wing. The DRS system can switch between
high-drag or high-speed modes at the
push of a button, at speeds above
62mph. Hold the button longer, and
the car will automatically switch
between modes based on algorithms programmed by Pagani. And the cost for the Zonda
Revolucion? Pagani charges 2.2-
million Euros plus tax for its ultimate
trackday car, which makes the car a
little over £2.2-million here at the
current exchange rate. Just five will be made, with four already sold.

05/06/2013

Suzuki’s original B.O.S.S., the 2013 Boulevard
C90T B.O.S.S., was a success in the showroom,
so for ’14 the company has extended the black-is-
better idea to three additional models. In case you
missed the memo, B.O.S.S. stands for Blacked
Out Special Suzuki. As the name implies, B.O.S.S.
models are fairly dipped in black paint, black
chrome, and even black tires. (Who would have
thought it?)
Joining the B.O.S.S. line is the non-touring
version of the C90. It’s mechanically identical to
the C90T, just without the windshield and hard
saddlebags. The liquid-cooled, 90-cubic-inch
(1462cc) V-twin pushes power through a five-
speed transmission and shaft final drive.
Another B.O.S.S. addition is the M109R, a fully
blacked-out iteration of Suzuki’s power cruiser.
The 109-inch (1783cc) engine carries over from
the brighter versions of the M109R, as do the
240mm-wide rear tire and high-tech inverted
fork.
And the third new member of the B.O.S.S. family
is the Boulevard C50 B.O.S.S., which picks up the
familiar 805cc V-twin and steel-tube chassis. As
with the other B.O.S.S. models, the C50 gets a
deep dip into the black barrel.
Suzuki has not set prices for the new B.O.S.S.
members, but says the bikes will begin arriving in
dealerships by late July.
For more information, go to
www.suzukicycles.com.

02/06/2013

The electric e-tron was supposed to crown the
R8 range, but Audi has pulled the plug mere
months from its arrival in showrooms. However,
10 near-production cars exist and we’ve driven
one to catch a glimpse of what might have been.
There’s a small, silver start button near the gear
selector. Once pushed, the car emits a muted,
synthesised version of the V10 engine’s purr
from four speakers mounted under the car. You
can’t hear much noise inside, and the e-tron
glides away near-silently on a light throttle.
Our drive took place on a twisty test track. Floor
the accelerator and the car’s 820Nm of torque
makes amazingly light work of the fact the e-tron
weighs 1,780kg - 160kg more than the heaviest
V10 model. The noise from the motor sounds like
a golf cart on steroids, but the acceleration it
delivers is brutal.
You do notice the extra weight when braking,
however, although you can increase the amount
of power the motors regenerate by pulling the
left-hand paddle on the steering wheel. This better
helps mimic the effect of engine braking.
The front brakes are a traditional hydraulic set-up,
but the rears use a computer-controlled brake-
by-wire system. However, most of the rear
braking is done by the motors, although the
entire braking process is very smooth despite the
different systems working together to slow you
down.
The e-tron is rear-wheel drive only. But any loss
of handling sharpness is countered by the fact
that each rear wheel is powered by its own
140kW motor, allowing the e-tron to adopt a
stunningly effective torque vectoring system.
Accelerate around a tight bend and the nose tucks
in, resisting understeer with almost spooky effect.
Audi’s engineers told us that a version of this
system can be used in conjunction with a petrol
engine.
The ride remains supple too, despite the fact that
the e-tron features new CFRP suspension springs,
which weigh 40 per cent less than conventional
steel ones. And, while the e-tron is a heavy car,
the bodyshell now features 23 per cent carbon-
fibre, and weighs 23kg less than the 199kg body
of the R8 coupe – all of which bodes well for the
R8’s replacement.
The e-tron’s 19-inch alloys are wrapped in low-
rolling-resistance Continental tyres. The spaces
between each wheel spoke feature carbon fibre
flaps which close at speeds above 30mph,
reducing drag, while there’s a new carbon fibre
engine cover and a rear diffuser to replace the
normal R8’s twin exhausts. The e-tron also
borrows the CFRP bonnet from the LMS race car.
Inside, while the R8’s excellent visibility means it’s
actually no more intimidating to drive than a TT –
even if these pre-production cars are worth over
a million Euros each.
A new touch is the 6.8-inch OLED screen, which
replaces the rear-view mirror. The tech is
borrowed from Audi’s R18 Le Mans car, and uses
a rear-facing camera to give a very sharp picture
no matter if the level of light varies.
Key specs
Price: N/A
Engine: Two electric motors
Transmission: Single-speed, rear-wheel drive
Power: 200kW (375bhp)
Torque: 820Nm
0-62mph: 4.2 seconds
Top speed: 124mph
Range: 134miles
Equipment: 19-inch alloys, Drive select, rear-
view camera, carbon-fibre tub and engine bay
On sale: N/A

POPP AUTO

16/11/2016

26/10/2016

20/10/2016

11/09/2013

14/07/2013

26/06/2013

18/06/2013

15/06/2013

13/06/2013

10/06/2013

05/06/2013

02/06/2013

Address

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Shortcuts

Share

Category