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New car lines: Audi quattro reborn and Patriot gets a new heart
publication date: Nov 23, 2010
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author/source: Robin Roberts
The revered RS badge is about to adorn a compact
class Audi for the first time as the new RS 3 Sportback waits in the wings with
suitably spectacular performance and an evocative five-cylinder soundtrack for
a spring 2011 UK debut.
The formidable yet usefully practical newcomer will
be available to order in the UK from next month priced at £39,900 OTR. |  | Audi high performance engineering division quattro
GmbH takes the five-door Sportback version of the A3 as the foundation for the
latest RS model, and in deference to the classic quattros of the Eighties
endows it with a turbocharged five-cylinder petrol engine that employs 21st
Century TFSI turbo charging and direct injection technology.
First seen in the TT RS, this all-new unit fills
the cabin with a rich, bass-heavy five-cylinder tone as it channels 340PS and
450Nm of torque to the road through a standard seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch
transmission and quattro all-wheel-drive. A sound flap in the exhaust branch
intensifies the sound even further when the driver presses the Sport button,
which also varies throttle response.
Maximum torque is readily available at the low end
of the rev range, from around 1,600 rpm, and remains constant up to 5,300
revolutions, making for excellent flexibility and response.
The large turbocharger generates up to 1.2 bar of
boost pressure, and downstream of it is an intercooler which achieves an
efficiency rate of more than 80 per cent. The combination of the latest forced
induction technology with FSI direct injection facilitates a high compression
ratio (10.0:1) along with a correspondingly high efficiency ratio. Flaps in the
intake tract mix the air as it flows in. The two camshafts, each adjustable by
42 degrees of crankshaft rotation, also enhance the efficiency of the mixture
formation.
As befits an RS model the impressive output of this
engine is reflected in an exceptional 0-62mph sprint time of just 4.6 seconds
and an electronically governed 155mph top speed. Yet less predictably, this
rapidity doesn't rule out the potential for up to 31mpg according to the
combined cycle test. |
 | Changes to the diesel-powered Patriot
medium-sized SUV have recently been announced by Jeep.
The current 2.0 Volkswagen diesel engine
has just been replaced with a modern 163bhp 2.2 CRD engine sourced from
Mercedes-Benz, offering a significantly wider spread of torque available from
lower RPM. This new engine boasts advanced common-rail
technology with a turbocharged inline-4 diesel, leading to significant
improvements in power output (+ 23bhp) and torque (+10Nm) combined with an
increase in fuel efficiency to 42.8 mpg (combined). |
As well as the fuel efficiency increase, CO2
emissions are further reduced. This leads to a lower tax band (H) which in turn
reduces both showroom tax and the annual tax burden.
The more powerful engine increases the
vehicle's maximum speed from 117mph to 125mph and reduces the 0-62mph
acceleration time to 10.7 seconds, but it also cements Jeep Patriot's position
as a serious towing vehicle, elevating its maximum towing weight from 1,500 kg
to 2,000 kg (braked trailer).
The new diesel powered Patriot will be
available in the following versions: 2.2 CRD Sport,
2.2 CRD Sport + ,2.2 CRD Limited and 2.2 CRD Overland.
Compared to the outgoing vehicle, Sport
trim now offers improvements such as body coloured door handles, Hill Start
Assist, leather wrapped hand brake and ‘active' head restraints (front row).
Compared to the previous car, Sport +
versions now offer: cruise control, deep-tint sunscreen glass, leather-wrapped
steering wheel with audio controls, uconnect phone (Bluetooth® handsfree
communication and Voice Command) and rear view auto-dimming mirror with
integrated microphone.
Limited models add Hill Start Assist,
leather wrapped hand brake, ‘active' head restraints (front row) and a 6-way
power driver seat, while the Overland version also gets a raft of high tech and
luxury features including 18-inch aluminium wheels, premium leather trimmed
seats with embroidered ‘Overland' logo, additional front seat side airbags,
rear park assist, tyre pressure monitoring display and chrome finish door sill
scuff plates.
The new Jeep Patriot range starts at
£14,995 OTR for the 2.4 Sport petrol, rising to £21,995 OTR for the 2.2 CRD
Overland. |
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