Welcome to the Hooniverse News! This is a weekly recap of some of the biggest stories in the automotive industry without the fluff or the bull. I also throw in a little opinion of mine, just because I can. This week, it’s more pre-Geneva Motor Show news:

• Bentley Flying Spur is all-new for 2014

• Audi RS-ifies the Q3

• The Volkswagen Golf GTD returns

• The McLaren P1’s insane drivetrain revealed

• Galpin Auto Sports is building a real-life Tonka Truck 

2014 Bentley Flying Spur

Bentley will be rolling into the Geneva Motor Show next month with an all-new Flying Spur, which builds on the success of its predecessor by adding more luxury, more connectivity, more refinement, and really just more of everything in general (except weight). It also adopts new styling that is also seen on its 2-door sibling, the Continental GT, which is already on sale. 

That new styling involves a more sporting, muscular look with sharper lines, more curves, a lower roof line, and a, well, muscular rear haunch. The front fascia is identical to the Continental GT’s except for the lower intake which features a single horizontal chrome accent and nothing else. The business end features a longer and lower boot lid and new single ellipses LED taillights (the Continental GT has a dual-ellipses design, in case you were wondering). Buyers will get to choose between well over 100 paint colors and a handful of wheel designs ranging from 19″ and 21″ in size. Lightweight aluminum body panels, simpler door construction, and some magical polymer composite materials contribute to an overall weight-loss of about 110 pounds. Sounds nice until you remember that it still has a curb weight of 5,451 pounds.

The hand-crafted cabin combines classic Bentley luxury with modern infotainment features such as an 8″ touchscreen navigation system up front, two LCD screens with USB and HDMI connectivity in the back, and a premium 8 speaker audio system all around. For the passengers who have no interest in the outside world whatsoever, the car can also come with its own WiFi hotspot. The Flying Spur can be had with either 4 seats or 5.

Bentley’s “more of everything” strategy doesn’t end there, as the Flying Spur utilizes an updated 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 which now delivers 616 horsepower, 580 lb.-ft. of torque, more refinement, improved responsiveness, and fewer emissions to boot. Power is sent to all four wheels through an 8-speed ZF automatic gearbox, and when it all works well, 0-60 mph comes in just 4.3 seconds and the top speed is rated at 200 mph.

No pricing or availability info is available yet.

Source: Bentley

2014 Audi RS Q3

For the first time in company history, an Audi Q model is getting the RS treatment. The first of what I’m sure will be many RS Q models is the RS Q3, which is based off the smallest crossover they currently make. It will go on sale in Germany for €54,600 ($72,000) this Fall and presumably elsewhere in Europe, but no word on it coming to America.

The RS Q3 focuses on providing RS-like performance with the practicality and luxury of a standard Q3. That RS-like performance comes courtesy of a 2.5-liter TFSI 5-cylinder motor that produces 310 horsepower and 310 lb.-ft. of torque which is paired up with a 7-speed S-tronic automatic. 0-62 mph comes in 5.5 seconds and the top speed is limited to 155 mph, yet fuel economy is averaged at 27 mpg. Other performance goodies include electromechanical steering, powerful 14.3″ brakes, an RS sport suspension which sits about an inch lower than normal, and even launch control. 

Visually, the RS Q3 is differentiated by its bold body accents, a massive honey comb grille, RS-specific front bumper, a roof spoiler, and special diffusers out back. There are four wheel styles to choose from that are 19″ and 20″ in size. The interior features RS sport seats with a few different leather and pattern options, aluminum and/or carbon fiber trim pieces, RS-style gauges, and a lap timer which nobody will use. The same tech features available on any standard Q3 are also available on the RS Q3.

Source: Audi

Volkswagen Golf GTD

Volkswagen has announced that they’re bringing the Golf GTD into the Golf’s 7th generation. You could call it a diesel GTI, because that’s basically what it is. The performance-oriented diesel hatch will go on sale in Europe this June and possibly America after they see one million car forum posts about how they should totally sell it here.

The diesel power originates from a 2.0-liter four cylinder TDI unit that produces 184 horsepower and 280 lb.-ft. of torque. Buyers can choose between a standard 6-speed manual or a 6-speed DSG automatic gearbox to send power to the front wheels. 0-62 mph comes in 7.5 seconds and the acceleration continues up to 143 mph. The advantages of diesel power are evident in the expected fuel economy, which is an admirable 56 mpg according to European testing. Performance goodies like a sport tuned suspension and reworked exhaust are also included.

Styling-wise, it’s very similar to the GTI as expected with a more aggressive front bumper, honey comb grilles, rear spoiler, a new rear diffuser, and standard 17″ alloy wheels. The interior is enhanced with bespoke sport seats, sport steering wheel, stainless steel pedals, a special GTD shifter grip, and a model-specific gauge cluster. The GTD will only be available in red, black, and white but will still feature many of the same tech and practicality features as the standard Golf.

German buyers can pick one up for €29,350 (~$39,000) starting this June.

Source: Volkswagen

McLaren P1 drivetrain is official

 

Just a few weeks before the P1 supercar makes its appearance at the Geneva Motor Show, McLaren is finally sharing info on the powertrain and other performance features as well as some long-awaited numbers.

First off, 903 horsepower and 664 lb.-ft. of torque. Those figures come from a 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8 also found in the MP4-12C but boosted to 727 hp and paired with an in-house electric motor that kicks out an additional 176 hp. Fun fact: the car’s actual torque output is 723 lb.-ft., but that had to be limited to 664 to make sure the car’s 7-speed dual clutch automatic didn’t explode. The car can be operated as a gas-electric hybrid or as a full electric-vehicle with a some 6 mile range – charging takes two hours through a high-voltage charger that gets stored in the luggage compartment. All of the electric motor’s power is available instantly thanks to a Instant Power Assist System and is controlled by a steering wheel-mounted button. 

The car also utilizes a Formula-1 style Drag Reduction System (DRS) which reduces the angle of the rear wing to reduce drag up to 23% to allow for a higher top speed and is also controlled by a wheel-mounted button. No word yet on top speed or acceleration numbers yet, but it’s clear that McLaren is only concerned about producing a stellar driver’s car. Sounds like a winner to me.

Source: McLaren via Autoweek

Galpin Auto Sports is building a Tonka Truck

The Tonka Truck, the sandbox icon we all know and love, is about to become a full-size reality thanks to the guys at Galpin Auto Sports. They’re currently working with Funrise Toys, Banks, Kelderman, Fab Fours, Highway Products, and Toyo to recreate it using a new Ford F-Series pickup as a base. After another month or two of work, the truck will be ready for use as a promotional vehicle… and it might even be available for a test drive by our top blooger, Jeff. When we have new images of the end result we’ll update you, and if/when Jeff gets to drive it, we’ll definitely bring you that as well.

Source: Galpin Auto Sports