KIA MOTORS

Kia EV2 sets standards for noise and vibration reduction in B-segment electric vehicles

Kia has placed noise and vibration at the heart of the EV2’s development to provide European customers with a quiet and well-controlled cabin. Designed, developed and manufactured in Europe, the model brings a high level of acoustic silence to the compact electric vehicle segment.

In electric vehicles, the absence of combustion engine noise eliminates the “masking” effect typical of petrol and diesel vehicles. As a result, road, wind and high-frequency sounds are more noticeable and more important to the overall perceived quality.

“Electric vehicles change what customers notice first; without a petrol or diesel engine to mask background noise, small high-frequency sounds and vibrations immediately stand out,” said Pablo Martinez Masip, Vice President, Product, Brand and Customer Experience, Kia Europe. “The EV2 is quiet at higher speeds, controlled on rough roads and consistent every day, making the car feel refined from the first kilometre.”

Engineering for silence...Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Centre (HMETC) used advanced numerical simulations from the earliest stages of development, emphasizing noise immunity at high speeds. Testing noise and vibration reduction on a dynamometer provided accurate and repeatable measurements in a controlled environment. This allowed engineers to isolate specific frequencies and effectively apply targeted countermeasures. This method eliminates external variables such as changing weather conditions or changing road surfaces.

“We approached the development of noise and vibration for the EV2 as a system,” said Oliver Jung, Chief Engineer at Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Centre. “Early simulations helped us identify where road and wind noise could be disruptive to passengers in the cabin. In addition, dynamometer tests gave us repeatable data to validate each measure. Acoustic tyres, acoustic glass and an optimised acoustic package work together to ensure a calm and quiet cabin, even on motorways.”

To reduce road noise, the EV2 is equipped with acoustic tires designed to reduce tonal disturbances. The tires are complemented by specially developed pads and absorbers in the wheel arches, which reduce the perceived noise level. To reduce wind noise, acoustic door glass* and an acoustic windshield significantly reduce air turbulence noise at highway speeds. This contributes to a stable and calming environment in the cabin.

Although electric motors are quieter than internal combustion engines, components specific to electric vehicles, such as inverters and DC/DC converters, can generate high-frequency tones. The EV2 addresses this problem with a special acoustic package that includes an interior dashboard insulation concept, an absorber in the front of the trunk and an optimized underbody cover. Together, these elements reduce the transmission of high-frequency sounds and support a coherent acoustic profile.

Electric vehicle sound management...The EV2’s warning sound also contributes to safety and usability. Pedestrian warning sounds warn other road users without disturbing passengers. The Intelligent Speed ​​Limiter (ISLA) warning sound is carefully tuned to provide clear instructions without becoming annoying over time.

The best of Kia...The Kia EV2 brings electric power to the B-SUV segment, making electric vehicles more affordable. Available with two battery capacities, 42.2 kWh and 61.0 kWh**, it offers a range of 317 and 453 km (WLTP in preparation)***. With 400-volt DC fast charging, 11 kW and 22 kW AC charging, and features such as EV route planning and two-way charging, the EV2 supports both urban and long-distance journeys, with easy handling.

The EV2 is Kia’s compact car for European households, offering plenty of legroom, flexible rear seating and up to 403 litres of luggage space. Equipped with three screens, live updates and advanced driver assistance systems, the EV2 demonstrates how engineering, development and validation can raise the acoustic standard in the compact electric vehicle class.

The 2026 Kia EV2 is designed to set a new benchmark for Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH) refinement in the B-segment electric vehicle market, offering a cabin experience that is quiet, calm, and controlled. Positioned as a key player in the European compact EV segment, the EV2 incorporates advanced sound-deadening technologies and structural engineering to minimize cabin noise and vibration, often associated with higher-priced vehicles. 

Key NVH reduction features...Kia has focused extensively on silencing the cabin, addressing the lack of engine masking noise by implementing the following solutions(below): 

Acoustic materials: The EV2 uses acoustic laminated glass for both the windscreen and doors to significantly reduce wind noise.

Insulation & absorbers: A dedicated, comprehensive insulation system includes a dash inner insulation concept, a frunk sound absorber, and an optimized underbody cover to limit high-frequency sounds from the electric powertrain.

Vibration control: Specialized carpets and wheel-arch absorbers are used to damp vibration.

Suspension & tires: The rear coupled torsion beam axle (CTBA) features hydro bushings to reduce vibrations over bumps. The vehicle is also equipped with acoustic tires designed specifically to limit road noise. 

Engineering for comfort...The EV2’s NVH strategy was handled as a system, utilizing digital simulations and dynamometer testing during development to identify and eliminate noise sources. This ensures that the cabin remains quiet and comfortable for passengers, even during high-speed highway driving. 

Production and specifications...The EV2, built on a 400-volt architecture, is produced in Žilina, Slovakia, and features a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 5.3-inch climate control screen. The vehicle aims to make advanced EV comfort accessible in the compact SUV class.

Notes:

* Available for GT-Line only.

** The standard version with a 42.2 kWh battery is currently in production. The extended-range version (61.0 kWh) and the EV2 GT-line will be available in June 2026.

*** The official electric range of the EV2 is subject to final homologation.

Autonews

AUTONEWS

Facing the music: Detecting dangerous driving through AI facial analysis

Researchers from Edith Cowan University (ECU) are developing new technology that could change how drunk and dangerous drivers are identified. Using a single 3D deep learning model, researchers are able to detect three major causes of road accidents simultaneously: blood alcohol concentration, fatigue and expression, such as anger.

Blood alcohol concentration was identified with almost 90% accuracy while drowsiness was recognized with 95% accuracy. The technology can also determine the level of intoxication, classifying impairment into three categories: sober, moderate or severe.

Led by ECU Ph.D. candidate Abdullah Tariq, the findings of Jack of Many Faces: A Step Towards Facial Expression and Physiological State Analysis with a Single Network...was presented at the British Machine Vision Conference (BMVC25).

"Drink driving is a major public safety challenge across the globe and the number one contributing factor of crashes in Australia," Tariq said. "Approximately 30% of accidents are due to drink driving."

While the public safety challenge was the major motivation for the researchers, Tariq said he wanted to explore alternatives to traditional detection methods.

"Traditional blood alcohol detection through breathalyzers and blood tests are highly accurate. However, they do have their own challenges—they can be intrusive, require active subject cooperation and don't allow continuous, real-time monitoring," Tariq said.

"Human faces encode a wealth of information, such as emotion, cognitive behavior or physiological state, but most AI models are task-specific—this motivated me to explore if we could develop a single model capable of handling multiple facial tasks."

Pipeline of our unified 3D spatio-temporal network for facial analysis, integrating custom attention modules for expression, drowsiness, and intoxication recognition. Credit: Abdullah et al

Jack of many faces...Dr. Syed Zulqarnain Gilani from ECU's Centre of AI and Machine Learning said this was thought to be the first study to identify fatigue, expression and blood alcohol simultaneously.

"Using a single algorithm from a video, we can detect whether the person is tired, intoxicated, and their mood," Dr. Gilani explained. "The interesting thing is, in psychology literature, we know these three are related. So, if you're very highly fatigued, it is almost as if you are drunk. Likewise, if your expression or mood is angry, this can lead to road rage and extremely dangerous driving."

Dr. Gilani explained that the 3D network looked at certain facial features to capture expression recognition and assessment of physiological state.

"This algorithm is smart, because it can tell the difference between whether a driver is sleepy, just making a facial expression, or affected by alcohol. By separating these factors, it can better understand the driver's real physical state," Dr. Gilani said.

Bifusenet...In another study, the researchers also investigated how combining infrared (IR) with normal color video (RGB) data can further improve analysis. Their findings showed that integrating IR with RGB helps in analyzing blood alcohol concentration more effectively in challenging environments, particularly under poor or low-lighting conditions.

BiFuseNet: A Multimodal Network for Estimating Blood Alcohol Concentration via Bidirectional Hierarchical Fusion...was presented at the International Conference on Multimodal Interaction (ICMI25).

Tariq said the system automatically captures diverse facial dynamics, including eye blinking, subtle facial movements, and progressive facial feature changes that are critical for distinguishing between different states.

"Our rationale was to develop a fully automated framework for estimating blood alcohol concentration by using RGB and IR video stream," Tariq said. "Previously, this was done manually by looking at pupil dilation and eye closing ratios, but these methods may not perform well with certain factors, such as varying lighting conditions.

"BiFuseNet will automatically extract all facial features and facial geometry to estimate whether a person is intoxicated or not. Because it combines different kinds of information in a smart way, it performs better than older methods that only used one type of video."

Facing the future...Dr. Gilani said the research could lead to an innovative, non-invasive way to help combat drink driving. "Extensive experiments have shown this technology achieves a classification accuracy of 88.41%, offering the potential for establishing a new, state-of-the-art estimation for blood alcohol concentration."

Advancements in computer vision means technology can even determine the level of intoxication. "The system can classify alcohol impairment levels into three categories—sober, moderate and severe," Tariq said.

Provided by Edith Cowan University 

VW

VW Golf 2028: electric, Porsche platform

Since 2013, when it launched its first battery-powered model, VW has already put around 4 million electric vehicles on the market. Now, the teaser for the future Golf, which will be exclusively EV, has been revealed.

A new A-segment electric SUV – in other words, a city car – will also be built at the Wolfsburg plant from 2026, while the so-called Project Trinity sedan, which was originally planned for the same plant, has been relocated to the Zwickau plant, where the ID.3, ID.5 and Cupra Born, destined for Europe, are assembled.

The decisions were made after a meeting between the Board of Directors of the German brand's Group and the Supervisory Board of the controlling group, which resulted in the plan to allocate vehicles to the Volkswagen brand until 2028 (for German plants only).

As part of the assembly reorganization, VW models will be grouped on a platform basis for each plant, in the hope that this will reduce complexity and costs. That said, the German manufacturer did not provide details about the aforementioned A-segment SUV, which will likely be a version of the ID.1.

Despite being, most likely, the most important electric model among those that Volkswagen is preparing to launch, the first image of the next Golf, which will be 100% electric, was not revealed by the German manufacturer, but by the IG Metal union. The revelation occurred at a meeting between union officials and Volkswagen workers, at a time when it was already known that the combustion-engine Golf would cease production in Wolfsburg, Germany, and would be manufactured in Mexico, freeing up considerable production capacity. IG Metal informed at the aforementioned meeting that it would be the Golf, but the electric one — which should replace the ID.3 — that would occupy the lion's share of the brand's largest factory.

Volkswagen had already confessed that it was not satisfied with two of the options it took when it started marketing electric models, the first being related to the different shapes of its bodies, to be more aerodynamic and to stand out from combustion engine models — nothing in line with what was tradition at the brand. The second option had to do with the names, since, according to the German manufacturer, the ID names were not as well received by customers as intended.

Volkswagen's foray into electric mobility began in 2013 with the e-up!, followed by the e-Golf, and in 2020 it abandoned electric vehicles based on combustion engine models and focused on battery-powered models based on specific platforms to maximize the potential of this technology. This was the phase of the ID.3, ID.4, ID.5, ID.7 and ID.Buzz, models that, all together, have already captivated around 4 million customers, establishing itself as the brand that sells the most EV cars in the European market.

The new Golf EV, which should be called ID. Golf, is far from being Volkswagen's first electric vehicle with a combustion engine model designation, and is scheduled for 2028. Long before that, the brand will market electric vehicles with traditional names such as the ID. Polo or ID. Passat. The Golf EV will utilize the group's new electric vehicle platform, the SSP Platform, which is substantially more modern than the MEB platform used in current ID models.

The strategy will be the same as that followed by the Polo, which in the new generation will be called ID. Polo, also alluding to the electric powertrain. It's worth remembering that the ID prefix is ​​used by Volkswagen in all its electric cars and will now be combined with the traditional names, in order to take advantage of the strength and image of the combustion engine models in their battery variants.

Another piece of news revealed was a teaser, in which the silhouette of the unprecedented electric Golf appears in a sketch. In the image, it is possible to notice the familiar shape of the body, including references to previous generations of the model. The front, for example, looks more square than that of the current car, reminiscent of the Golf III and even the Corrado coupe from the 1990s.

Porsche platform...In addition to the electric motor, the unprecedented ID. Golf will have its platform as one of the great highlights of the new generation. This is the sophisticated Scalable Systems Platform (SSP) architecture, which is being designed by Volkswagen in partnership with the American company Rivian. The platform will debut in upcoming Porsche and Audi releases, starting in 2027, and will be used within the group in various applications. In the case of VW, the architecture will be inaugurated precisely by the new Golf.

The brand says that the base will be "truly scalable" and will have specific sizes according to each vehicle. In addition, it will maintain the same modules and main components, in order to maximize the scale effect. Gradually, it will replace the current MEB and EPP platforms, being used by all the group's electric cars, from Skoda and Volkswagen to Lamborghini and Bentley.

Another advantage of the platform will be the fact that it supports both electric vehicles (BEV) and series hybrids (REEV). In the first case, the SSP will allow ultra-fast charging (10% to 80% in 12 minutes) and the use of 800-volt systems. In the second, it will support small combustion engines that will only function as range extenders.

The launch of the ID. The Golf will happen by the end of the decade, but the exact date has been changing. Initially, all rumors pointed to 2029, but delays in the project would have forced Volkswagen to postpone the debut to 2030. Now, new rumors indicate that the model may arrive sooner, around 2028.

In any case, it is certain that production will be concentrated at the Wolfsburg factory in Germany. To accommodate the electric Golf, the unit will be thoroughly updated and will cease producing the current model, which will have its assembly lines transferred to Puebla, Mexico.

Volkswagen Golf 2028 (Mk9 Generation)...The ninth generation of Volkswagen's iconic hatchback is scheduled to debut in 2028. Key changes include:

Electric transition: The model will be exclusively electric (EV), possibly under the name ID. Golf.

New platform: It will utilize the SSP (Scalable Systems Platform) architecture, which replaces the current MEB and offers 800-volt charging for ultra-fast charging.

Rivian software: The vehicle's operating system and software will be developed in partnership with the American startup Rivian, allowing for advanced remote updates.

Design: Teasers indicate a silhouette that maintains the classic Golf identity (such as the wide C-pillar), but with a more robust and modern look.

by Autonews

AUDI

Audi RS3 Competition Limited

Audi is celebrating 50 years of its five-cylinder engine with a special edition of the RS3 called the Competition Limited.

Available in Sportback and Sedan versions, the model brings several visual and chassis upgrades and will be produced in a limited series of 750 units globally.

The Competition Limited stands out, among other things, with a split front splitter, along with a subtly revised spoiler for the Sportback. The aero parts are finished in matte carbon fiber, while the 19-inch wheels have a Neodymium matte finish contrasting with the red brake calipers.

The color palette includes three shades: the exclusive Malachite Green, the new Glacier White matte and the familiar Daytona Gray.

In addition, the RS3 Competition Limited gets a new cool trick. When approaching the vehicle or unlocking with the key, the darkened Matrix LED headlights perform a start-up sequence that reflects the engine starting order "1-2-4-5-3".

The cabin is upholstered in black and Ginter White leather, paired with Alcantara inserts and Neodymium gold accents. Equipment includes RS seats with carbon backrests, along with special graphics for the Audi virtual cockpit plus, which has a white background inspired by the RS2 Avant.

To mark the occasion, each car carries a matte serial number on the center console. Owners also receive an “RS 3 Competition Limited” lettering projected from the door lights, as well as lettering on the black floor and luggage mats.

The highlight of the Competition Limited are chassis upgrades aimed at faster and smoother cornering. The model has a new adjustable suspension paired with a stiffer rear stabilizer bar.

Standard ceramic brakes with red calipers and optional Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tires further emphasize the Competition Limited’s track-oriented intentions.

The Competition Limited retains the standard 2.5-liter five-cylinder turbo engine with 294 kW/400 hp and 500 Nm of torque, sending power to all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Performance remains unchanged, with acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 290 km/h.

Although power remains the same, the five-cylinder engine should sound a little louder thanks to the RS sports exhaust system. Audi has also reduced the insulation, allowing the more characteristic engine sound to be heard more in the cabin.

The Audi RS3 Competition Limited will be produced in 750 units worldwide. Deliveries in Europe are scheduled to begin in mid-2026. In Germany, the Sportback version starts at 108,365 euros, while the Sedan variant costs 110,005 euros.

Autonews

DODGE

2026 Dodge Charger Scat Pack: 3.0L Hurricane inline six engine 550hp

The new 2026 Dodge Charger Scat Pack two door marks a major turning point for Dodge performance cars. For decades, the Charger name was tied closely to large displacement V8 engines, tire smoke, and classic American muscle. Now the brand is stepping into a new era while still trying to keep that same aggressive spirit alive. Instead of the old HEMI V8, the latest Charger Scat Pack uses a powerful twin turbocharged 3.0 liter Hurricane inline six engine that Dodge calls the SIXPACK High Output.

This new engine produces 550 horsepower and 531 pound feet of torque. That is serious performance for a modern muscle coupe and it allows the Charger to remain competitive with high performance rivals from brands like BMW and Mercedes AMG. Power is delivered through an 8 speed automatic transmission, and for the first time in the history of the Charger Scat Pack, the car comes standard with all wheel drive.

The new platform also allows the driver to switch between all wheel drive and a rear wheel drive focused setup. Dodge engineered a front axle disconnect system that lets the Charger behave more like a traditional rear drive muscle car when the driver wants to have fun. That means burnouts, drifting, and aggressive launches are still very much part of the experience.

Performance numbers show that this is not just a modernized Charger but also a very fast one. The two door Scat Pack is expected to accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in about 3.9 seconds, which is impressive for a large coupe. Quarter mile performance is estimated at around 12.2 seconds, and top speed is expected to reach about 177 miles per hour.

If you’ve read our previous coverage of the gas-powered Charger Scat Pack, then the new Charger R/T is going to look awfully familiar. Like the Scat Pack, the R/T is powered by a version of the Hurricane 3.0-liter twin-turbo I-6—rebranded by Dodge as the Sixpack—and mated to an eight-speed automatic. The biggest difference is power: The Charger R/T gets the standard-output version churning out 420 hp and 468 lb-ft of torque, versus the Scat Pack’s 550 hp. 

Both models also come with a standard all-wheel-drive system featuring a mechanical limited-slip rear differential that biases power rearward wherever possible for more of a traditional muscle car feel. For those in the snow belt, it’s useful knowing that Normal mode features up to a 40/60 front/rear power split, Snow/Wet a fixed 50/50 split, and Sport an up to 30/70 front/rear split, with the ability to also switch into a full rear-wheel-drive mode. Dodge says the Charger R/T should accelerate to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds (about a half second behind the Scat Pack) and that it’s EPA-rated at 17/26/20 mpg city/highway/combined (1 mpg better in each category than the Scat Pack).

Developing a new engine from the ground up is an extremely intricate and expensive task, but relying on old designs for new engines can only take efficiency so far. Sometimes, going back to the drawing board can produce something that's far better tailored for the needs of today. That's part of the reason why Stellantis went to all the work to create an entirely new inline-6 gas engine.

Say hello to the Hurricane. Built in part to help phase out larger engines as Stellantis strives for increasing efficiency, the Hurricane is said to offer V8 performance at a two-cylinder bargain. When it comes to market, this dual-overhead-cam engine will be offered in both efficient standard-output (SO) form, as well as a performance-oriented high-output (HO) variant.

The two engines share 96 common parts, including the block, exhaust camshaft and spark plugs, but each variant has dozens of unique pieces meant to get the most out of what each variant offers. That said, the more efficient version won't exactly be a slouch, as Stellantis claims it'll be capable of putting out more than 400 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque. The high-output Hurricane, on the other hand, will be able to deliver upwards of 500 horsepower and 475 lb-ft. Both should have a nice, flat torque curve that dials up nearly all its available twist by 2,350 rpm.

While Dodge is quick to hammer home the Charger’s muscle car credentials both to us and to you in its marketing campaigns, there’s clearly some sensitivity over the fact that the Charger is not, in the traditional American sense, as muscle car like as it was before thanks to the lack of a V-8 and its standard all-wheel drive.

But that might be the gas-powered 2026 Charger’s greatest strength.

Putting aside the emotional questions around the V-8 (it’s worth noting that the bulk of previous Chargers and Challengers sold were powered by a V-6, and we wouldn’t bet against a V-8 appearing at some point), the Charger R/T is a compelling option for shoppers who can afford its high-for-the-segment starting price.

This Sixpack came packing the high-output version of the 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six pushing 550 hp, and thanks in part to the car’s all-wheel-drive system, the new two-door Charger had no issue laying down the engine’s 531 lb-ft of torque. With launch control helping eliminate any turbo lag, the car was able to charge to 60 mph from a standstill in 4.0 seconds and barrel through the quarter mile in 12.3 seconds at 114.7 mph.

How does that compare to the previous-generation Charger? Or in this case, the two-door Challenger Scat Pack? The most recent edition that went through our battery of instrumented tests was the 2023 Dodge Challenger Shakedown R/T Scat Pack Widebody, which featured a 6.4-liter V-8 developing 485 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque.

With less output, the RWD coupe still managed the same 0–60-mph time of 4.0 seconds, though it took slightly longer to complete the quarter mile (12.5 seconds at 112.1 mph). Notably, the last-generation Challenger weighed in at 4,340 pounds, while this Charger tipped the scales at a far heftier 4,876 pounds.

Now it’s time to address the Dark Horse in the room, the Ford Mustang Dark Horse, which develops 500 hp and 418 lb-ft of torque from its 5.0-liter V-8 engine. It’s also a lot lighter than the Charger or Challenger coupes, weighing in at 4,028 pounds. A 10-speed-automatic-equipped Dark Horse we tested needed just 3.7 seconds to hit 60 mph and galloped through the quarter mile in 12.0 seconds at 118.4 mph. As a comparably priced drag racer, the Dodge Charger leaves something to be desired relative to its rival from the Blue Oval.

Thanks to its standard all-wheel drive and resultant all-weather capability, ample power, large back seat, available sedan configuration, and massive trunk, it’s a new-era performer with few holes in its game. Bring the kids and bring on the snow, because this might be the first modern muscle car that can do it all, no matter the season.

The design of the new Charger also helps it stand out. The coupe returns with a bold wide body stance, muscular fenders, and a modern interpretation of classic Dodge styling cues. Unlike the previous generation sedan, this new Charger is built as a liftback coupe, which gives it a practical cargo area while still keeping the sporty profile.

Inside the cabin, the car blends muscle car attitude with modern technology. Drivers are greeted by a large digital gauge display and a 12.3 inch central touchscreen running the latest Uconnect system. Premium materials, optional performance seats, and an available 18 speaker Alpine sound system add a level of refinement that older Chargers never had.

The two door Charger Scat Pack with the SIXPACK engine shows how Dodge is trying to balance tradition with innovation. It keeps the aggressive personality that muscle car fans expect while introducing a new generation of turbocharged power and modern performance technology.

For enthusiasts who were worried about the future of American muscle, this new Charger proves that the story is far from over.

by Autonews

 

TUNNING

Manthey Porsche 911 GT3

The German company Manthey, which has long been behind Porsche's racing activities, has a solution for the well-off clientele who feel that (and) the redesigned 911 GT3 (992.2) can be even faster and sharper.

Manthey Racing has repeatedly proven that the "elfs" with the charismatic GT3 badge can be even faster without any necessary interventions under the rear cover where the legendary 4-liter 6-cylinder boxer engine "resides"; one of the last living atmospherics.

With the latest Performance package from Manthey (which will appeal to clientele willing to spend around 50,000 euros), the redesigned 911 GT3 (992.2) has come even closer to the GT3 racing version, as best shown by measurements on the legendary German Nürburgring Nordschleife track.

DTM champion Ayhancan Güven completed the 20.8-kilometer lap in 6 minutes and 52.981 seconds, 3 seconds faster than the result of Manthey's GT3 from the 992 Series before the redesign, and according to Manthey, this was all achieved in less than ideal track conditions. For comparison, the standard Porsche 911 GT3 (992.2), driven by factory driver Jörg Bergmeister, achieved a time of 6:56.294.

The key reason for the improved time is the sophisticated aerodynamics of the carbon body components (including the adjustable rear spoiler and diffuser from the GT3 RS model), which provide significantly more grip in corners, and the speed is also supported by the flat floor and the distinctive aero caps on the rear wheels.

1,190 pounds of downforce... In its standard factory configuration, the 911 GT3 already generates significant downforce. Manthey's new kit focuses on making the car even more track-focused. The entire underbody has been transformed into a continuous aerodynamic element. The airflow-directing fins under the car are much larger and now measure approximately 150 cm in length, representing a 99 cm increase compared to the standard vehicle design. This allows them to generate additional downforce in a particularly efficient manner. To achieve this result, the trunk floor of the production vehicle now has a cover that helps create a completely smooth underbody. The front spoiler has been redesigned and extended by almost 1.3 cm. Special diffuser fins on the lower front and flaps attached to the sides of the vehicle increase downforce on the front axle. The 911 GT3's wing with swan-neck struts is wider and now features a Gurney flap. Larger side plates are noticeably curved inwards to achieve optimal airflow. The rear diffuser features longer fins and increases downforce without adding drag.

The carbon fiber aerodiscs at the rear reduce drag, completing the interaction of all the car's aerodynamic components to optimize airflow and maximize efficiency. Overall, downforce increases considerably, while drag remains the same. Even in the least aggressive configuration, the car equipped with the kit generates 355 kg of downforce. In the most extreme configuration, intended exclusively for track use, this value rises to 540 kg at the same speed.

Adjustable coilover suspension...In partnership with Manthey, Porsche developed a special four-way coilover suspension for the 911 GT3, which can be configured for track use. The shock absorbers have four levels of adjustment, allowing for changes in compression and rebound without the need for tools. The spring rate on the front axle is increased by 10% compared to the previous model's Manthey kit to compensate for the increased downforce. This contributes to improved handling in sporty driving. The track-focused suspension increases mechanical grip and makes the car even more stable, especially when going over kerbs.

Behind the ultra-light wheels is a multi-adjustable aluminum suspension that is optimized for use on the track, and an important part of the Performance Package is the brake pads used on racing "elfers". At the Manthey (Meuspath) headquarters, they emphasize that all the components that require a considerable amount of money do not affect the Porsche factory warranty.

Lightweight 20- and 21-inch forged wheels are available as an option for the Porsche 911 GT3. They reduce unsprung mass by a total of 6 kg (13.2 lbs) compared to the standard wheels. They are available in Brilliant Silver, Neodyme, and Black (satin gloss). Braided steel brake hoses are included as standard in the kit. This ensures precise pressure and optimized braking control.

Those wishing to add even more visual detail can personalize their 911 GT3 with specially designed sporty accessories. Carbon fiber door sills with illuminated "Manthey" lettering, LED door spotlights with white "Manthey" lettering, and the option to apply "Manthey" lettering to the doors are ways to emphasize the bold character of the 911 GT3. In addition, the carbon fiber aero discs, included in the kit, are available with a variety of colored decals. Tow straps in red, black, or yellow are also available and can be attached to the threaded holes in the front and rear bumpers, although they must be removed before driving on public roads. The 911 GT3 can also be enhanced with carbon fiber front air vents and rear air intakes.

At the Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit, used by Porsche as a test track for the development of sports cars, the 911 GT3 with the Manthey Kit was able to show its full potential. With the current DTM champion, Ayhancan Güven, at the wheel, and in less than ideal conditions, the modified GT completed a lap of the 20.8 km circuit in the Eifel region in 6:52.981 minutes – 2.76 seconds faster than the previous generation (992.1) of the 911 GT3 with the Manthey Kit. Both cars were equipped with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires, available as an option. The lap time was certified by a notary present at the site.

Autonews

DOSSIER

AUDI

Audi RS5 review

If you’ve seen any online reaction to its unveiling, you may have noted some dismay that the kerb weight is 2355kg (hatch) or 2370kg (estate). The latest BMW M5 elicited a similar response; both are high-performance plug-in hybrids. Those are big numbers, so there are preconceptions to dispel, but Audi thinks that actually driving the RS5 will do the trick.

The car is a direct replacement for the RS4 but with a different name, because Audi briefly revised its naming strategy and this is a hangover from that. Maybe they had already made the badges.

And it’s as heavy as it is because making a PHEV is one of the few options left open to a company that wants to make super-saloons. A fully electric sports saloon could be perceived as insufficiently exciting, as modest RS E-tron GT sales suggest. And the days of simply fitting a whopping engine to an executive estate are largely behind us: German tax rates are much kinder to cars with a 50-mile electric range and there are many other places where a reduced headline CO2 emissions figure is advantageous. In the US they mind big engines less – at the moment, anyway – but Audi couldn’t have known that when it started this car's development.

Audi opted, then, to mate a 2.9-litre V6 petrol engine making 503bhp and 443lb ft of torque with a 174bhp/339lb ft electric motor mounted within the gearbox, for a system total of 630bhp and 608lb ft. There’s a 22kWh (total) battery beneath the boot floor, and together the engine and motor drive all four wheels through a Torsen limited-slip centre differential. So far, so Quattro.

But Steffen Bamberger, Audi Sport’s head of technical development, says he wanted the car to not only have traditional sporting Audi security but also an agility and a rearward-biased balance like never before. It’s a theme that Audi has been chasing for a while, ever since fitting a crown gear centre differential to the RS5 Coupé in 2010. But this time it has gone much further than ever. “We wanted it to be an oversteering car,” says Bamberger.

You will probably have seen the smoky pictures by now, so I won’t try to maintain the suspense: they’ve got one. Partly it owes its behaviour to a centre differential that can let up to 85% of torque head towards the rear wheels, but the bigger advantage is what happens at the rear axle. A 5bhp motor mounted around the differential may not sound very significant, but once geared down it can create a torque difference of up to 1475lb ft between the rear wheels, slowing or accelerating left and right driveshafts independently. 

Let’s talk this element in more detail. We’ve seen cars with clutches on independent sides of a differential before (the previous RS4 had one, in fact), but they act mechanically, which regulates the speed they can work at, and they can only distribute whatever torque is being delivered to them at the time. That the RS5's rear mounted motor can generate and deliver its own torque means it’s not dependent on throttle application. Because it’s electric it reacts quicker. And because it’s a motor it can drag as well as just engage or disengage.

It also means there’s no need for active rear-steer, which must have been a temptation in a 2.4-tonne car, even if the weight is balanced 49:51 front to rear. The motor exists to slow an inside rear wheel to encourage the car to car turn, plus apply positive torque to the outside to overspeed that wheel, so it can help introduce an oversteer slide and then mess around a bit to keep it going.

But even if you’re not drifting (because who ever does in a car like this?), its effect its at its most notable well within the realms of grip, on corner entry.

There are significant other technical highlights too, I should add. The wheels are 20in as standard but 21s more likely to be optioned. The 285/30 tyres are either Bridgestones (both sizes) or grippier Pirelli P Zero Rs (21s only), front and rear. However, the wheel widths are different – 10J on the front, 10.5J at the rear – to give stiffer tyre sidewalls at the rear and greater control.

Without them, and without prodigious tuning, Bamberger likens early development iterations of the RS5 as like being a student with a loosely strapped satchel bumping around on their back – a nice analogy.

Lastly, suspension is by coil springs rather than air, with adaptive twin-valve dampers with four stages of adjustment. Anti-roll bars are passive but “the biggest you can find on the market”, says Bamberger, not entirely seriously but not unseriously either. He wants the car to remain as flat as possible in roll and pitch to get the most out of the drivetrain.

The steering ratio is overall 13:1 (down from 15:1 in the standard A5), for just over two turns between locks, and is a little slower in the centre than at the edges. 

The steering wheel isn’t exactly round, to the annoyance of Audi’s still fairly new CEO Gernot Döllner.

It lives in a cabin that, like the exterior, has received some highlights, like flared wheel arches and doors outside, bolstered seats inside and carbonfibre and piano black lowlights (hardly anyone ordered the silver highlights that Audi used to offer).

You can have a hatchback they call a saloon or an estate they call an Avant. Rear leg and head room are fine in both.

The boot, while reduced in capacity from the regular A5 (330 litres in the hatch, 360 in the estate), is probably fine unless you routinely fill one to the roof. Likely a bigger annoyance is that the boot floor doesn’t lift, which means the charging cables and tyre repair kit don’t have an obvious snug home.

The engine is very smooth and the motor, because it can torque-fill or pull revs up and down during gearshifts, responds exceptionally urgently. Gears are changed rapidly and super-smoothly.

The headline figures are that the RS5 can go from 0-62mph in 3.6sec and onto 177mph if you spec the Performance Pack, but it’s the immediate response that’s more impressive than those figures. In the angriest of drive modes, motor response is genuinely alarming (and we will come to the effect that various motor responses have on driving characteristics in the next section).

If you select the Performance Pack (21in wheels as standard) it comes with carbon-ceramic brakes. Some earlier sporting Audis, like the TT RS, suffered from brake fade. The engineers were determined this one wouldn’t; 440mm diameter front and 420mm rear discs should do it, even at this weight, and indeed I had absolutely no issues with brake fade.

Braking is by wire, and that I have nothing to report about brake feel is very encouraging about how it blends regen with pads.

My first moments behind the wheel of the RS5 are on a slalom topped by a group of cones that are meant to form the centre of a slidey circle. The engineers really are very pleased with this car’s transient behaviour. With the driver aids off and the car in an RS Torque Rear mode it throws itself in an increasingly sideways pendulum along the slalom until, suitably Scandi-flicked, we reach the circle at the end. I’m instructed to slam the throttle down and keep it there and it pirouettes around the cones for a moment before exiting the cloud of its own smoke for a return run. Not quite rear-wheel drive but very much not conventional four-wheel drive either. It behaves a bit like a rear-biased 4WD supercar such as a Ferrari 849 Testarossa or, in fact, an Audi R8.

Then I drive a few laps of a small, technical and dusty circuit, mostly in an RS Sport mode that forgoes the ultimate tail-happy demeanour for solid damping and maximum efficiency. This is the fastest drive mode. What I find, regardless, though, is that if understeer thinks about settling in, more throttle and more steering don’t see the nose pushed ever wider. Instead that rear motor cranks in the inside wheel, overspeeds the outside wheel and pushes the rear of the car outwards, tightening the line. Yes, of course that mullers the tyres, but it’s a hoot. And if Audi’s plan was to rapidly attempt to quell concerns about the RS5’s weight by demonstrating how unhingedly agile it can be, I would say it has proven its point.

Which is great, but fewer than 1% of all cars on the Nürburgring are Audis. It actually makes fast road cars that can do a dynamic job when asked; RSs are mostly daily-driven. And in the RS5, Neckarsulm has engineered a car with a very significant breadth of ability, doing those daft things at the extreme end but, with the dampers nestled into Comfort mode and the engine quiet or even entirely off, this is a refined and smooth executive car. I’d normally insert caveats about baize-adjacent overseas roads in here but some of Morocco’s are, astoundingly, even worse than England’s, and the RS5 rides with comfort and not very much of the discernible jostle that you might expect with thick passive anti-roll bars charged with controlling a car of this mass. I guess the centre of gravity is relatively low.

The steering is good: always precise and variable in weight through three settings, ranging to quite heavy for an Audi, albeit not by all competitor standards, in its meatiest setting.

It’s easy to get into a groove with the RS5 and it demonstrates very good body control and resistance to pitch and dive.

Even on the road, that rear axle makes itself very obvious, acting like active rear-steer would to nudge the car’s line into the corner, thereby reducing the amount of steering lock one needs, and making the car feel more agile than it would. And because an electric motor can braking a wheel more quickly than an active steer can adjust its angle, the system has clocked on, done its work and clocked off in a flash as you turn in. You know it’s doing it, but by the time you’re conscious of it, it’s all but over, leaving a car that feels naturally perky.

There are a few different ways to disguise a car’s mass, but I don’t think I’ve discovered one that makes a car of this size and weight feel quite so alert as it does. We will undoubtedly see it again in Audi’s bigger RS models. 

The PHEV powertrain has more than short-term benefits for Audi. It thinks this is a good strategy for the foreseeable, letting it sell cars in places where pure-ICE RSs would be a no-go, and cars that are more exciting and long-distance, high-speed usable than EVs.

As I write, full MPG figures haven’t been released, but with a 50-mile range and estimated 87-106g/km CO2 figures, the RS5 should return around 70mpg officially – more if you plug it in routinely, less if you don’t. In which case, the mere 48-litre fuel tank might have you stopping more regularly than you would like.

We expect a benefit-in-kind tax figure of 26% or thereabouts – nuch more than you would pay for an EV, of course, but less than a pure-ICE car.

The RS5 will cost from £90,220 in base hatch form to around £110,000 as the Performance Pack Avant that UK buyers will actually choose.

It's astounding what car manufacturers can make heavy cars do. If you give a car the right tyres and the right steering response, you can make them feel lighter, notes Bamberger. I suspect there’s more to it than that – and that the RS5 will eat tyres if you use it hard on a track – but I take his point. The RS5 does feels much more agile than the numbers suggest it would.

Obviously it will take a more closely controlled test than this one to assess it alongside the competition but, going by memory, the RS5 feels like it has more nuance and certainly breadth than the BMW M3 Competition, with more capability but less natural fluency than the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio.

All the cars in this segment do things differently enough that they have their own appeal – but what the RS5 does, it does with ability and verve.

Autonews