New Porsche Small SUV Confirmed by VW Group CEO, Says it May be Called "Cajun"

According to Volkswagen AG CEO Martin Winterkorn himself, there's a new baby Cayenne in the works. In an interview with German magazine Der Spiegel, Winterkorn said Porsche "will get a new SUV, a smaller brother to the Cayenne which might be named Cajun."

I guess the name is appropriate if Porsche insists on spicing up its lineup with controversial vehicles. Should this be the case, can we expect the Panamera coupe to be called the Tabasco? Or perhaps the Texas Pete? Name game in the comments below.

As for the ragin' Cajun, why would Porsche bother building it at all? For the same reason that it's said to be building a new entry-level VW-based roadster: to piss off purists and elitists alike.

Well, actually, it's because Porsche is now controlled by VW, and the people's car manufacturer can and will do anything to help attain its lofty sales goals of 150,000 Porsche models sold (in the "medium" term).

A new Porsche cute ute will do just that, and will also help spread out some of the Q5's development costs. If this little sports car SUV does make it to production, it'll probably just be a smaller version of the Cayenne (which shares its platform with the latest Touareg). If true, that's a shame.

...deep breath...

It's a shame because a small 5-door SUV is exactly what's expected, and Porsche doesn't seem crazy enough to put out more than one version (double-dog dare to you, Porsche).

If Stuttgart's fastest were to go a little zany, though, could we recommend a three-door SUV variant (with an emphasis on the sport) to tackle the Range Rover Evoque? Clearly Land Rover is willing to commit to a unique new segment, so why not Porsche?

By Phil Alex

Source: Autoweek

*Opening Photo: Sketch of current generation Cayenne SUV

Audi Q5 - Now Also Made in India

Audi today announced that it has started assembly of its Q5 compact SUV at its Aurangabad plant in the Indian state of Maharashtra, with the company planning to build up to 1,500 units per year exclusively for the Indian market.

"The production of the Q5 is part of our long-term growth strategy in India," commented Frank Dreves, Audi Board Member for Production: "The Indian market for automobiles will grow very rapidly, and the Q5 is the right automobile at the right time."

The Q5 is the third Audi model after the A4 and A6 to be built at the company's Indian plant since the start of production in September 2007. Up until now, around 2,000 cars have rolled off the line at Aurangabad, but the German automaker expects to increase that number to about 6,000 units each year by 2015.

Audi Confirms Q5 Hybrid (2011) and A7 Sports Sedan (2010)

Audi has published new details on its future product plans that include the introduction of several new vehicles such as brand's first full hybrid model based on the Q5. The Ingolstadt automaker said that by 2015, the brand will have enlarged its vehicle portfolio from currently 34 to 42 models.

In particular, 2010 will see Audi launching a series of new cars like the A1 premium supermini, the A7 based on the Sportback Concept, the new A8 limo and the R8 Spyder. Though no specific details were released, the automaker said that it will unveil the Q5 Hybrid at the end of 2010, with sales beginning in early 2011.

The German company said that it plans to devote around 5.9 billion euros or about 80 percent of its total investment in fixed assets through 2012, to new product development, further optimization of conventional drivelines and the development of electric and hybrid models.

"With our planned investments in new products and mobility concepts, for example electric propulsion, we are creating a basis for our company's future growth," said Axel Strotbek, Member of the Board of Management for Finance and Organization at AUDI AG.

PS: Standard Q5 and Sportback Concept pictured

Audi Q5 and A4 Allroad Quattro Get New Entry-Level Engines

A new entry-level diesel is available for both the Audi Q5 SUV and the A4 allroad quattro crossover while the Q5 also gets a new base gasoline unit in the form of the 2.0 TSI. The diesel engine is a 2.0-liter TDI with common rail high-pressure injection that produces 143HP and a maximum torque of 320 Nm (236 lb-ft) between 1,750 and 2,500 rpm. The base 2.0-liter TSI makes 180HP and 320 Nm (236 lb-ft) of torque from 1,500 to 3,900 rpm. Both engines are linked to a 6-speed manual gearbox.

Audi claims that the 2.0 TFSI accelerates the Q5 from 0 to 100km/h (62mph) in 8.5 seconds while returning an average fuel consumption of 8.4 liters per 100km or 28.0mpg US. With the 2.0 TDI, the Q5 goes to 100 km/h from rest in 11.4 seconds and on to a top speed of 190km/h or 118mph while averaging 6.5 liters of diesel fuel per 100km (36.19mpg US).

The A4 allroad quattro 2.0 TDI with the six-speed manual transmission consumes an average of 6.2 liters per 100km (37.94mpg US). The German automaker said it reaches the 100km/h mark (62mph) in 10.3 seconds and can accelerate up to 200 km/h or 124 mph.

In Germany, prices for the Audi Q5 start at €36,800 for the 2.0 TFSI petrol and €36,500 for the 2.0 TDI diesel, while the base price for the A4 allroad quattro 2.0 TDI is €37,100.

Euro NCAP: Q5, Jazz, i20, Soul and 3008 Achieve 5-Star Rating, Suzuki Alto gets only 3-Stars

European car safety testing body Euro-NCAP has announced its latest batch of results for six new cars. Five of these models, the Audi Q5, Honda Jazz, Hyundai i20, Kia Soul and Peugeot 3008 received Euro NCAP's maximum five star award while Suzuki's made-in-India Alto scored only three stars, its rating limited by its performance in adult occupant protection, child protection and safety assistance technologies. Euro NCAP made a special note on the Honda Jazz and the Hyundai i20 as both cars managed to achieve a high score in pedestrian safety.

"We would like to commend the Honda Jazz and the Hyundai i20 for their impressive pedestrian scores that not only meet current requirements, but also meet Euro NCAP's future requirements," Euro NCAP said in a statement.

All six vehicles were tested with Euro NCAP's new overall rating scheme that was introduced in 2009 and covers Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, Pedestrian Protection and a new area of assessment, Safety Assist. Under the new testing regime, vehicles are awarded a single overall score from one to five stars with the overall rating being based on the car's performance in each of the four main areas and the scores are weighted with respect to each other.

Euro NCAP: Q5, Jazz, i20, Soul and 3008 Achieve 5-Star Rating, Suzuki Alto gets only 3-Stars

European car safety testing body Euro-NCAP has announced its latest batch of results for six new cars. Five of these models, the Audi Q5, Honda Jazz, Hyundai i20, Kia Soul and Peugeot 3008 received Euro NCAP's maximum five star award while Suzuki's made-in-India Alto scored only three stars, its rating limited by its performance in adult occupant protection, child protection and safety assistance technologies. Euro NCAP made a special note on the Honda Jazz and the Hyundai i20 as both cars managed to achieve a high score in pedestrian safety.

"We would like to commend the Honda Jazz and the Hyundai i20 for their impressive pedestrian scores that not only meet current requirements, but also meet Euro NCAP's future requirements," Euro NCAP said in a statement.

All six vehicles were tested with Euro NCAP's new overall rating scheme that was introduced in 2009 and covers Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, Pedestrian Protection and a new area of assessment, Safety Assist. Under the new testing regime, vehicles are awarded a single overall score from one to five stars with the overall rating being based on the car's performance in each of the four main areas and the scores are weighted with respect to each other.

Audi Q5 Concept with Modded 408HP 3.0TFSI V6 from S4

Every year about this time, Worthesee in Austria plays host to the annual GTI meeting of Audi and VW enthusiasts alike. For this year's gathering, Audi has prepared a high-performance customized variant of its new compact SUV, the Q5, equipped with a retuned version of the S4's 3.0-liter V6 TFSI producing an output of 408HP and a maximum torque figure of 500Nm or 369lb-ft, up from the standard engine's 333HP and 440Nm. The result is a 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) sprint time of just 4.4 seconds while the SUVs top speed is electronically governed at 250 km/h or 155 mph.

Furthermore, the Q5 Concept's track was widened by 90mm (3.54 in) and the ride height lowered by 60mm (2.36 in). The customized version of the German SUV rolls on 21-inch seven-spoke alloy wheels while other features include the orange accents on the outside and the S-Line interior treatment with sport seats and stainless steel-plated pedals.

Alongside the Q5 Concept, Audi will also showcase many other production and concept cars like the new TT RS, R8 5.2 FSI quattro and the A1 supermini concept that is slated to enter the market in 2010.

Overview of the Audi Q5 custom concept

• Engine: 3.0 TFSI, V6 gasoline engine with supercharging and FSI gasoline direct injection
• Max. power output in kW (hp): 300 (408) at 6,000 – 7,000 rpm
• Max. torque in Nm (lb-ft): 500 (369) at 3,000 – 5,500 rpm
• Drivetrain: quattro permanent all-wheel drive
• Gearbox: 7-speed S tronic
• Top speed: 250 km/h (155 mph) (governed)
• 0 - 100 km/h (0 - 62 mph): 4.4 seconds
• Paint: Daytona Gray matt with red applications on the rims, roof rails, front skirt and rear spoiler
• Special features and selected equipment: power-enhanced 3.0 TFSI engine from the Audi S4 with 408 hp (normally 333 hp), ceramic brakes, active sound exhaust system, 90 millimeter wider track, 60 millimeter lower ride height, 21-inch wheels of 7 twin-spoke design, modified air intake, cooling water strut brace in engine compartment, stainless steel-plated pedals, S line sport seats, panorama roof system, "Wörthersee 09" adhesive film, textile floor mats with "Wörthersee 09" print application, Audi drive select vehicle dynamics system, parking aid with rearview camera, voice control, Audi lane assist lane change assistant, headlight range control with cornering lights