WITH the Frankfurt Motor Show as much a showcase of the latest production cars as it is a display of mechanical might, rival carmakers used the occasion to unveil their potent 2012 bets in Germany’s touring car race championship called the DTM. Here are three from the country’s most hallowed brands.
BMW M3 DTM Concept Car
Unveiled before the Frankfurt show, BMW’s M3 DTM Concept Car offers an initial impression of what the car will look like when it lines up at the start of the 2012 season—which will mark the comeback of a racing legend. That’s because in the seasons between 1987 and 1992 the M3 won 40 races and scored more than 150 podium finishes.
In 2012 trim, the M3 DTM will be powered by a 280-horsepower V8 engine that can send the car from rest to 100kph in about three seconds and to a top speed of 300kph.
Audi A5 DTM
The new Audi A5 DTM bears key changes in safety, reduction of costs (by up to 40 percent) and a spectacular exterior design. The A5 DTM is lower and sturdier than its successful predecessor—with which Audi has won four of the last seven DTM titles. Underneath the body, which is completely made of carbon, is a new type of chassis that’s a combination of a carbon-fiber monocoque and a steel cage. Like its predecessor, the A5 DTM is powered by a 460-horsepower V8 engine that’s mated to a six-speed transmission, which is now pneumatically operated using paddle shifters on the steering wheel.
AMG Mercedes C-Coupe
No less that Michael Schumacher, along with Mercedes F1 teammate Nico Rosberg, unveiled the new DTM AMG Mercedes C-Coupe, with Daimler head Dieter Zetsche and Mercedes-Benz Vice President for Motorsport Norbert Haug looking on.
The DTM car is based on the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupé, and is the first DTM car from the company to be built around a new, improved safety concept that was developed with Germany’s motor racing governing body, as well as DTM manufacturers. The new car incorporates a carbon-fiber monocoque with a roll cage made of high-strength steel, and is equipped with six energy-absorbing crash structures.
Published : Tuesday May 15, 2012 | Category : Motoring News | Views : 806
By : 
BRIAN AFUANG MOTORING EDITOR
LEXUS is getting emotional. And by that it means the brand is making bolder statements with its cars by infusing them with appeal that tugs on a carnal level—all without having to necessarily abandon the cerebral qualities on which Lexus has hinged its phenomenal success to. An example? Look no... Read more
Published : Tuesday May 15, 2012 | Category : Motoring News | Views : 660
By : BRIAN AFUANG MOTORING EDITOR
FOR boxy, practical sedans that could shame—or at least, match—flashy coupés and sports cars in the performance department, the auto planet has BMW to thank. However, it isn’t the company’s 3 Series that should be credited for starting the sports sedan genre. As car guys know, it’s the BMW New... Read more
Published : Tuesday May 15, 2012 | Category : Motoring News | Views : 659
By : FAST TIMES
Fuji Heavy Industries President Yasuyuki Yoshinaga announces the company’s financial result in Tokyo on May 8. AFP PHOTO SUBARU maker Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI) last week forecasted that its 2013 results will post an “all-time high” of 721,000 units sold globally as the carmaker pins its hopes on the healthy sales... Read more
Published : Tuesday May 15, 2012 | Category : Motoring News | Views : 104
By : AFP
SHANGHAI: General Motors (GM) said last week that it saw record sales in China in April despite a broader slowdown in the world’s biggest car market. GM sold 227,217 vehicles in April, up 11.7 percent from the same month last year, it said in a statement. GM also registered a... Read more
Published : Tuesday May 15, 2012 | Category : Motoring News | Views : 105
By :
PORSCHE AG announced it had significantly increased sales, turnover and operating profit in the first quarter of 2012 as it sold 30,231 vehicles globally, up 29 percent. Compared with the same quarter in 2011, Porsche said its revenue was up 32.4 percent to $3.9 billion. Read more
