Volkswagen's 200 Millionth Car is a Special One

The Volkswagen Group has announced its 200 millionth car, and it's a special one indeed. The vehicle, which marks a significant milestone for the company, comes with a few unique features that set it apart from other cars in the lineup. With a price tag to match its exclusivity, this car is sure to be a head-turner on the road. Volkswagen has been working tirelessly to produce high-quality vehicles, and this particular model is no exception.

The 200 millionth car is available for order in January, with deliveries starting in the spring. This milestone marks an incredible achievement for the company, which has been producing cars since the 1930s. The vehicle's design and features are inspired by Volkswagen's previous models, including the super-frugal 300 M to the gallon XL1. While it doesn't come with a diesel or electric hybrid powertrain, it does feature Ducati's most powerful motorcycle engine installed in the middle of the car.

Ducati has been a part of the VW Group since Audi acquired it in 2012. The engine from Ducati's 1198 Panigale Superleggera is used in the XL Sport, producing 197 horsepower that drives through a 7-speed twin-clutch transmission. Volkswagen claims that this car can go from 0-60 mph in just 5.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 167 mph - an astonishing feat for a sub-200 horsepower vehicle.

The XL Sport's performance is a testament to the engineering expertise of the team at Ducati, which has been fine-tuning its engines since its inception. The car's design, while similar to other Volkswagen models, features some distinctive elements that set it apart from its siblings. With a drag coefficient of 0.26 and a weight of just 890 kilos, the XL Sport is surprisingly fast and agile.

While there's no word on production numbers for the XL Sport, it's worth noting that Volkswagen has produced only 250 XL1 units since its launch in 2009. This precedent may indicate that the company will produce limited quantities of the XL Sport as well. Regardless, this car promises to be a thrilling experience behind the wheel.

Mazda's New MX-5 Roadster is on Its Way

The fourth-generation Mazda MX-5 Roadster is set to arrive next July, bringing with it a new rear-wheel drive chassis and two new petrol engines. Both engines utilize Mazda's Skyactive technology, which promises improved fuel efficiency and performance. The MX-5 remains true to its ethos of prioritizing fun and entertainment over sheer power.

Mazda has confirmed that the new model will be lighter than its predecessor, with a reported weight reduction of around 100 kilos. This significant weight loss is made possible by the use of lightweight materials and an optimized chassis design. Despite this, Mazda expects the MX-5 to deliver exceptional performance and handling on the road.

The interior of the new MX-5 has received a serious hike in perceived quality, with improved materials and attention to detail throughout. The weight distribution is also claimed to be near-perfect at 50/50 front-to-rear, ensuring a balanced driving experience. Initially, the MX-5 will arrive as a soft-top model, but it's expected that a folding hard-top version will become available later in the year.

Pricing for the new MX-5 starts from under £20,000, making it an attractive option for those looking for a fun and engaging driving experience. With its emphasis on entertainment and handling, the MX-5 is poised to remain one of Mazda's most beloved models.

Lamborghini Unveils the Asterion: A Technological Demonstrator

Lamborghini has unveiled the Asterion, a technological demonstrator that showcases the company's innovative approach to powertrain technology. The Asterion features a petrol-electric hybrid system developed in-house by Lamborghini, which produces an astonishing 900 horsepower.

The Asterion is not designed for track performance, but rather for comfortable daily luxury. Its focus is on delivering a smooth and refined driving experience, with the ability to drive on electric power alone for up to 31 miles. The vehicle's design is sleek and aerodynamic, with a drag coefficient of just 0.28.

Under the hood lies a 5.2-liter V10 engine, similar to those found in Lamborghini's iconic 458 Special A. However, this engine is paired with two electric motors, one for each axle, which adds to the vehicle's incredible power output. The result is a car that can accelerate from 0-60 mph in just 3 seconds and reach a top speed of 199 mph.

The Asterion is not expected to enter production immediately, but it serves as an important technological demonstrator for Lamborghini. By showcasing its innovative approach to hybrid technology, the company aims to establish itself as a leader in the automotive industry.

Ferrari's 499-Unit Special A Open Top Model

Ferrari has unveiled a new open-top model, dubbed the Special A. This limited-edition vehicle features a sleek and aerodynamic design that's sure to turn heads on the road. With only 499 units planned for production, the Special A is an exclusive offering for Ferrari enthusiasts.

The Special A builds upon Ferrari's legacy of delivering exceptional performance and handling. Its engine output and chassis design are tailored to deliver the perfect driving experience, with a focus on agility and responsiveness. While specific details about the vehicle's performance capabilities have not been revealed, it's clear that the Special A is designed to be an exhilarating drive.

Ferrari has consistently pushed the boundaries of innovation in the automotive industry, and this new model is no exception. With its emphasis on exclusivity and exceptional performance, the Special A promises to be a must-have for those who crave the very best from Ferrari.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enwelcome to autocars review of the 2014 Paris Motor Show where Volkswagen group certainly knows how to dominate proceedings not only did the group unveil a Volkswagen with the jcass motorbike engine and a new Lamborghini gr Tor more on both later it also unveiled the Audi TT sportback you see behind me now with the A5 and A7 sportback Audi gave us four-door saloons and turned them into Coupes with this it is has done more or less the opposite this is the TT sportback a longer wider four- seat and Five-O version of the TT Coupe officially it's just a concept but as with the Allroad and off-road TTS that Audi has already shown this year it represents a realistic widening of the TT range or as Audi's R&D boss or Hackenberg described it to us a potential TT family at 4.4 M long the TT sportback is longer even than an Audi A3 Saloon while it's 125 mil stretched wheelbase makes room for two individual chairs in the rear of the cabin which owners of the regular TT will know is not a particularly spacious place the engine in the concept is the one you'd probably expect it to be ubiquitous 2 L turbo petrol from the regular TT turned up to 395 horsepower and driving through a twin clutch gearbox expect new production members of the TT family soon the range could comprise as many as five models within the next 3 years Jaguar took the opportunity of the Paris Motor Show to announce prices for its new BMW 3 Series rivaling XE Saloon petrol versions will start from 5 quid less than 27,000 and diesels from just under £30,000 when cars reach dealers next May the XE is built on a new aluminium platform with double Wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension the base diesel engines are Jaguar's new ingenium four-cylinder units which will eventually free Jaguar Land Rover from its dependence on Ford for small capacity engines rear wheel drive is standard but four-wheel drive will be announced later as well other body styles and the range is currently topped by an xes which costs 45 Grand and shares its 3 l supercharged V6 with the Jaguar ftype but knowing Jaguar you can expect a faster r model quite soon the most exciting thing about infiniti's q80 concept is that is going to become a production reality Infiniti told us that the four-door show car is way more than a design study this is our entry into the large Saloon segment the Renault Nissan Alliance which owns Infiniti knows that range expansion is the only way to dramatically increase the Brand's sales so as well as announcing it will make the q80 alliance boss Carlos gone told autocar that Infiniti will also make a mini rivaling q20 hatchback there's also the possibility of a Range Rover rival while Infiniti is considering increasing the amount of Technology it shares with its sometime partner Mercedes-Benz it might use Mercedes rear drive platforms for its larger cars the q80 though will hit production in 3 to 5 years time and even though the concept looks outlandish Infinity says that perhaps as much as 90% of it could make it onto the road citron's DS sub brand is changing not only will DS models drop citon badges entirely in Europe from next year but by 2020 citon wants it to be challenging the appeal and exclusivity of Audi and it has a new design Direction heralded by this Divine DS concept car ignore the fact that it has scissor doors because they're pure concept fantasy but citon people tell us they are serious about a car which doesn't have a rear window instead there's a rear view camera whose view is projected where a rear view mirror would normally be the Divine DS isn't meant to point to a specific new model Citron has revealed few mechanical details Beyond saying it has 267 horsepower and his front-wheel drive but it is promising separate manufacturing and Engineering standards for DS models in future to boost the Brand's premium appeal this is the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT getting it public debut it's amg's second series production model and follows but doesn't directly replace the recently discontinued SLS AMG although it shares elements of its body structure with the SLS the positioning is rather different the SLS cost nearer £200,000 the GT is expected to cost from 95 to 110,000 the GT will get a twin turbocharged 4 L V8 engine with Buyers able to choose from two power outputs as standard it has 456 horsepower that's the 5 grand one but there's also an S specification which is visually a little different and has 503 horsepower initially only s models will be delivered with a lower powerered model following later like the SLS the GT's engine is set far back beneath the Bonnet far enough to Mercedes call it front mid-engined while a seven-speed transaxle puts power to the rear because the gearbox is rear mounted some 53% of weight is over the rear wheels official performance figures suggest that in s form the GT will reach 62 mph in 3. 8 seconds and go on to 193 it should hit the road during the first quarter of next year Mercedes also showed the C63 AMG at the Paris show it too will get a 503 horsepower version of the new 4 L V8 with deliveries in February priced at around £60,000 the Land Rover Discovery sport received its public debut at the Paris show bringing the discovery name to the replacement for the Freelander the big news is that it has been lengthened to make it a seven seater thanks to pair of chairs in the boot it's around 80 mm longer than the Freelander and a little lower giving it a Sleek appearance slightly reminiscent of the range over evoke that's perhaps not surprising much of the Mechanicals are the same inside the discovery sport gets a fairly premium F interior and a sliding rear bench to improve leg room to near Range Rover levels happily it also has a new 8in touchscreen infotainment system that's currently one of the weaker points of the Jaguar land driver lineup and this new system will pretty quickly filter throughout the rest of the range disappointingly initially the range will only comprise an existing 2.2 L diesel but jlr's new range of small engines will be available from 2015 Discovery Sports will start at £32,000 and rise to £ 40,000 when they become available to order in January delivery start in the spring this is the 200 millionth car produced by Volkswagen so deserves to be a bit special and it is remember the super Frugal 300 M to the gallon XL1 well imagine that without the diesel Electric hybrid and instead with ducati's most powerful motorbike engine installed in the middle instead and you're pretty much there ducatti has been a part of VW group since Audi bought it in 2012 and this car the XL sport utilizes the engine from ducati's 1198 panagal super leera it makes 197 horsepower which driving through a 7-speed twin clutch transmission is enough Volkswagen claims to launch the XL sport to 60 mph in only 5.7 seconds and onto a top speed of 167 milph that's extraordinarily fast for a sub 200 horsepower car but remember the XL1 is an extremely efficient aerodynamic base and although the XL sport is wider heavier and less slippery it still only weighs 890 kilos and has a drag coefficient of 0.26 there's no word on production but given Volkswagen was persuaded to make 250 xl1's there is a precedent this is the new MX5 the fourth generation of Mazda's perennially popular Roadster it'll arrive next next July with a brand new rear wheel drive chassis and two new petrol engines both using Mazda's skyactive technology much about the MX5 ethos Remains the Same though it's still a strict two- seat lightweight small convertible majoring on entertainment and not only is it shorter than the current MX5 Mazda admits to weight Savings of around 100 kilos which should mean base models weigh little more than a ton Mazda describes the new model as returning to the original aims of the first generation car so fun should be high on the agenda however it also admits that in some markets buyers won't accept less power than now so the 1.5 and 2 L petrol engines are likely to make 140 and 180 horsepower respectively despite the weight loss the interior has received a serious hike in perceived quality while weight distribution is claimed to be near perfect 50/50 front to rear initially the MX5 will come as a soft top only but we expect a version with a folding hard stop which accounts for 80% of sales now to become available later prices should start from only a little over 20,000 Lamborghini calls the asterion a technology demonstrator and it's not a bad way to demonstrate a petrol electric hybrid powertrain that is developed inhouse and makes 900 horsepower rather than focusing on handling the asterion according to Lamborghini boss Stephan winlan careful to avoid drawing comparisons with the LaFerrari Porche 918 and McLaren P1 has been conceived more for comfortable daily luxury than for ultimate track performance it can drive on electric power alone for up to 31 Mi the aerion's advanced powertrain features the company's 5.2 L V10 like you'll find in the Horan driving the rear wheels only but it's also linked to two electric motors one for each axle the engine makes 600 horsepower the motor's 300 which combin to give that breathtaking total Lamborghini complains the asterion is good for 60 mph in 3 seconds dead and a top speed of 199 mph the 458 Special A an open top for Ferrari Speciale is the kind of car devoted Ferrari customers are invited to buy as a result the 499 units Ferrari proposes to make should sell out no problem at all the XC90 is the most important car in Volvo's recent history developed as part of a 6.5 billion pound investment program this second generation XC90 is a seven seater and moves up Market slightly the limited run first edition model will sell for £68,000 this is the PUO quartz distri described by pjo as having the body of an SUV with the cabin of a saloon it's powered by a plugin hybrid totaling 493 horsepower and while perso will not make it this gives a vague idea of what visual form a future perso crossover could take fresh impetus for smart at Paris with the introduction of the third generation for two and second generation for four UK sales have both begin early next year like previous 42 and 44 models they're different sizes but this time to save costs they both share the same platform one they also have in common with the Renault twingo Honda's Civic type arm moves tantalizingly closer to production few new details announced here but we can be increasingly sure it'll look like this that it'll have 300 horsepower and crucially the version that Honda has developed to break the front drive lap record at the Nurburgring is precisely the same car you can buy in the showroom no special packs no special tires it's just the fastest hot hatch money can buy ohwelcome to autocars review of the 2014 Paris Motor Show where Volkswagen group certainly knows how to dominate proceedings not only did the group unveil a Volkswagen with the jcass motorbike engine and a new Lamborghini gr Tor more on both later it also unveiled the Audi TT sportback you see behind me now with the A5 and A7 sportback Audi gave us four-door saloons and turned them into Coupes with this it is has done more or less the opposite this is the TT sportback a longer wider four- seat and Five-O version of the TT Coupe officially it's just a concept but as with the Allroad and off-road TTS that Audi has already shown this year it represents a realistic widening of the TT range or as Audi's R&D boss or Hackenberg described it to us a potential TT family at 4.4 M long the TT sportback is longer even than an Audi A3 Saloon while it's 125 mil stretched wheelbase makes room for two individual chairs in the rear of the cabin which owners of the regular TT will know is not a particularly spacious place the engine in the concept is the one you'd probably expect it to be ubiquitous 2 L turbo petrol from the regular TT turned up to 395 horsepower and driving through a twin clutch gearbox expect new production members of the TT family soon the range could comprise as many as five models within the next 3 years Jaguar took the opportunity of the Paris Motor Show to announce prices for its new BMW 3 Series rivaling XE Saloon petrol versions will start from 5 quid less than 27,000 and diesels from just under £30,000 when cars reach dealers next May the XE is built on a new aluminium platform with double Wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension the base diesel engines are Jaguar's new ingenium four-cylinder units which will eventually free Jaguar Land Rover from its dependence on Ford for small capacity engines rear wheel drive is standard but four-wheel drive will be announced later as well other body styles and the range is currently topped by an xes which costs 45 Grand and shares its 3 l supercharged V6 with the Jaguar ftype but knowing Jaguar you can expect a faster r model quite soon the most exciting thing about infiniti's q80 concept is that is going to become a production reality Infiniti told us that the four-door show car is way more than a design study this is our entry into the large Saloon segment the Renault Nissan Alliance which owns Infiniti knows that range expansion is the only way to dramatically increase the Brand's sales so as well as announcing it will make the q80 alliance boss Carlos gone told autocar that Infiniti will also make a mini rivaling q20 hatchback there's also the possibility of a Range Rover rival while Infiniti is considering increasing the amount of Technology it shares with its sometime partner Mercedes-Benz it might use Mercedes rear drive platforms for its larger cars the q80 though will hit production in 3 to 5 years time and even though the concept looks outlandish Infinity says that perhaps as much as 90% of it could make it onto the road citron's DS sub brand is changing not only will DS models drop citon badges entirely in Europe from next year but by 2020 citon wants it to be challenging the appeal and exclusivity of Audi and it has a new design Direction heralded by this Divine DS concept car ignore the fact that it has scissor doors because they're pure concept fantasy but citon people tell us they are serious about a car which doesn't have a rear window instead there's a rear view camera whose view is projected where a rear view mirror would normally be the Divine DS isn't meant to point to a specific new model Citron has revealed few mechanical details Beyond saying it has 267 horsepower and his front-wheel drive but it is promising separate manufacturing and Engineering standards for DS models in future to boost the Brand's premium appeal this is the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT getting it public debut it's amg's second series production model and follows but doesn't directly replace the recently discontinued SLS AMG although it shares elements of its body structure with the SLS the positioning is rather different the SLS cost nearer £200,000 the GT is expected to cost from 95 to 110,000 the GT will get a twin turbocharged 4 L V8 engine with Buyers able to choose from two power outputs as standard it has 456 horsepower that's the 5 grand one but there's also an S specification which is visually a little different and has 503 horsepower initially only s models will be delivered with a lower powerered model following later like the SLS the GT's engine is set far back beneath the Bonnet far enough to Mercedes call it front mid-engined while a seven-speed transaxle puts power to the rear because the gearbox is rear mounted some 53% of weight is over the rear wheels official performance figures suggest that in s form the GT will reach 62 mph in 3. 8 seconds and go on to 193 it should hit the road during the first quarter of next year Mercedes also showed the C63 AMG at the Paris show it too will get a 503 horsepower version of the new 4 L V8 with deliveries in February priced at around £60,000 the Land Rover Discovery sport received its public debut at the Paris show bringing the discovery name to the replacement for the Freelander the big news is that it has been lengthened to make it a seven seater thanks to pair of chairs in the boot it's around 80 mm longer than the Freelander and a little lower giving it a Sleek appearance slightly reminiscent of the range over evoke that's perhaps not surprising much of the Mechanicals are the same inside the discovery sport gets a fairly premium F interior and a sliding rear bench to improve leg room to near Range Rover levels happily it also has a new 8in touchscreen infotainment system that's currently one of the weaker points of the Jaguar land driver lineup and this new system will pretty quickly filter throughout the rest of the range disappointingly initially the range will only comprise an existing 2.2 L diesel but jlr's new range of small engines will be available from 2015 Discovery Sports will start at £32,000 and rise to £ 40,000 when they become available to order in January delivery start in the spring this is the 200 millionth car produced by Volkswagen so deserves to be a bit special and it is remember the super Frugal 300 M to the gallon XL1 well imagine that without the diesel Electric hybrid and instead with ducati's most powerful motorbike engine installed in the middle instead and you're pretty much there ducatti has been a part of VW group since Audi bought it in 2012 and this car the XL sport utilizes the engine from ducati's 1198 panagal super leera it makes 197 horsepower which driving through a 7-speed twin clutch transmission is enough Volkswagen claims to launch the XL sport to 60 mph in only 5.7 seconds and onto a top speed of 167 milph that's extraordinarily fast for a sub 200 horsepower car but remember the XL1 is an extremely efficient aerodynamic base and although the XL sport is wider heavier and less slippery it still only weighs 890 kilos and has a drag coefficient of 0.26 there's no word on production but given Volkswagen was persuaded to make 250 xl1's there is a precedent this is the new MX5 the fourth generation of Mazda's perennially popular Roadster it'll arrive next next July with a brand new rear wheel drive chassis and two new petrol engines both using Mazda's skyactive technology much about the MX5 ethos Remains the Same though it's still a strict two- seat lightweight small convertible majoring on entertainment and not only is it shorter than the current MX5 Mazda admits to weight Savings of around 100 kilos which should mean base models weigh little more than a ton Mazda describes the new model as returning to the original aims of the first generation car so fun should be high on the agenda however it also admits that in some markets buyers won't accept less power than now so the 1.5 and 2 L petrol engines are likely to make 140 and 180 horsepower respectively despite the weight loss the interior has received a serious hike in perceived quality while weight distribution is claimed to be near perfect 50/50 front to rear initially the MX5 will come as a soft top only but we expect a version with a folding hard stop which accounts for 80% of sales now to become available later prices should start from only a little over 20,000 Lamborghini calls the asterion a technology demonstrator and it's not a bad way to demonstrate a petrol electric hybrid powertrain that is developed inhouse and makes 900 horsepower rather than focusing on handling the asterion according to Lamborghini boss Stephan winlan careful to avoid drawing comparisons with the LaFerrari Porche 918 and McLaren P1 has been conceived more for comfortable daily luxury than for ultimate track performance it can drive on electric power alone for up to 31 Mi the aerion's advanced powertrain features the company's 5.2 L V10 like you'll find in the Horan driving the rear wheels only but it's also linked to two electric motors one for each axle the engine makes 600 horsepower the motor's 300 which combin to give that breathtaking total Lamborghini complains the asterion is good for 60 mph in 3 seconds dead and a top speed of 199 mph the 458 Special A an open top for Ferrari Speciale is the kind of car devoted Ferrari customers are invited to buy as a result the 499 units Ferrari proposes to make should sell out no problem at all the XC90 is the most important car in Volvo's recent history developed as part of a 6.5 billion pound investment program this second generation XC90 is a seven seater and moves up Market slightly the limited run first edition model will sell for £68,000 this is the PUO quartz distri described by pjo as having the body of an SUV with the cabin of a saloon it's powered by a plugin hybrid totaling 493 horsepower and while perso will not make it this gives a vague idea of what visual form a future perso crossover could take fresh impetus for smart at Paris with the introduction of the third generation for two and second generation for four UK sales have both begin early next year like previous 42 and 44 models they're different sizes but this time to save costs they both share the same platform one they also have in common with the Renault twingo Honda's Civic type arm moves tantalizingly closer to production few new details announced here but we can be increasingly sure it'll look like this that it'll have 300 horsepower and crucially the version that Honda has developed to break the front drive lap record at the Nurburgring is precisely the same car you can buy in the showroom no special packs no special tires it's just the fastest hot hatch money can buy oh\n"