Audi R10 TDI to debut at Spa-Francorchamps running on GTL fuel

Two years after its racing debut at the 2006 Twelve Hours of Sebring, the Audi R10 TDI is making its first ever visit to the classic Spa-Francorchamps track in Belgium. The R10s are running in the European Le Mans Series for the first time this year and Spa will be a whole new challenge for Audi. The length of the Belgian track has been cut by more than half to 4.4miles from its original 9.3miles but it still remains one of the most challenging tracks in the world. The diesel-powered Audis will again be taking on the dominant Peugeot 908 HDis but the R10s are fueled by a GTL fuel supplied by technical partner Shell. GTL is a gas to liquid fuel produced from natural gas. GTL has an advantage over conventional petroleum diesel in that it is free of sulfur and produces less particulate emissions without any changes to the engine. The same processes used to produce the liquid fuel from natural gas can be used to produce fuel from a syngas derived from biomass. Audi's press release is after the jump.

Citroën says its cheaper to drive in the UK today than it was in 2000

We're driving, driving, driving like it's nineteen-ninety-nine. Well, not exactly, but Citroën says that owners of its cars in the UK may actually be driving for less money per mile on average than they did eight years ago. Here in the states, gas was über-cheap in the year 2K, but in the UK, where both petrol and diesel has always been more expensive, the price was quite a bit steeper due to fuel protests in September of that year. In fact, Citroën claims that the increased efficiency of its models more than makes up for the increase in the price of gas that took place between the year 2000 and today, even when adjusted for inflation. It's not all good news, though, as the price of oil continues to rise. "Whilst improved fuel efficiency and advances in vehicle design have reduced the cost of filling up, in real terms, the economic benefits of improved efficiency could soon be canceled out altogether if prices continue to rise at their current rate, although our commitment to reducing CO2 and harmful emissions will not be lessened," according to Marc Raven, spokesman for Citroën.

Audi RS6 Spied

The sedan version of the Audi RS6 has been caught on testing in Germany. The shots suggest that Audi is preparing a little butt-lift for the entire A6 range to fall in line with its new posterior styling direction, but is using the RS6 to showcase it first.The front fascia in unchanged from the avant model but you can see the rear styling design that of the A4. Engine will come from the Avant’s V10 which will give impressive performance figures of 0-100km/h in 4.6 secons.

Ford Kuga

Ford has released a new images of its 2009 Kuga Crossover that was unveiled earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show. The Kuga is a good choice if you think about compact crossovers in the U.S. market. In Europe, the Ford Focus (Euro-model) based Kuga will go on sale this summer where it will be initially available with a 136Hp 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel engine that’s good enough to offer an average fuel consumption of 6.3 lt / 100 km or 37.3 MPG to the front-wheel-drive version and 6.4 lt / 100 km or 36.7 MPG to the all-wheel-drive variant.

Lexus LS named Chauffeur CotY

Already a favourite among CEOs in the city, the top of the range Lexus LS 600h L has been awarded chauffeur car of the year, by The Chauffeur magazine in the highly competitive $100,000 to $200,000 category.

Judged closely against the German flagship saloons from Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi, Lexus won the top spot in the toughest category for the most popular vehicles chosen by the chauffeuring industry. Key factors behind the judges’ decision included the Lexus hybrid system which allowed for lower emission and competitive fuel economy, build quality, and the reclining and massaging rear seats which can adapt for shiatsu back and shoulder massages with varying intensity.

VW Up!

Meet the VW Up! The up! scheduled to make its debut in dealerships in 2010, and will compete with an emerging army of chic, eco-friendly small cars such as the Fiat 500. The up! was displayed as concept at last Frankfurt Motor Show. It has a super-compact, rear-engined, rear-wheel-drive powertrain, and promises to be incredibly environmentally friendly, with low CO2 emissions. The final version will maintain all the cheekiness and stand-out style of the concept. At the front, the VW up! gets headlights inspired by the Golf, as well as a reprofiled bumper with redesigned air intakes and integrated indicators. VW Up! will get petrol or diesel guises, and have a capacity of around 600cc. Both units are likely to be turbocharged, and VW is targeting CO2 emissions of less than 100g/km and combined fuel economy of 94mpg. A 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol motor is under consideration, too. The up! will be the first version to go on sale, however, with a basic car designed for emerging markets such as China, India and Russia costing from as little as $8,000. A more luxurious variant for European buyers will get goodies such as climate control, and carry a price tag of around $15,000. The final, production-ready VW up! is expected to make its world debut at a major motor show next year.

Apocalypse Preparation: Geiger Ford F650

When the fit hits the shan, we've got two phone calls to make: our Cayman Islands-based banker and Geiger cars. For 99,000 euro we can protect our loved ones while punching through some of the most wicked terrain this side of Dakar in the robust luxury of the German tuner's interpretation of the Ford F-650. Weighing in at 5.2-tons and stretching over 21-feet long, the Geigerfied uber-truck finds motivation from a tweaked 6.7-liter Cummins turbodiesel putting out 320 hp and 738 lb.-ft. of torque. Grunt is shoveled to a six-speed Allison 3000 automatic gearbox and on down to a biggie-sized driveshaft that powers the four, 22-inch rear wheels. Both the suspension and brakes are air-powered, and if we're willing to shell out a bit more cash, we can get chrome fuel tanks, leather, navigation and, surprisingly, gull-wing doors. We think this would compliment our imaginary post-apocalyptic stable that also includes our all-time favorite RV, the Wothahellizat.