Audi R8 e-tron Quietly Sets a New Nürburgring Record for Production EVs at 8:09 [w/Video]

For the time being, Toyota may hold the overall world record for electric vehicles at the Nürburgring Nordschleife with the road-legal EV P001 prototype at 7:47.794, but Audi claims to have earned the bragging rights for the fastest lap in a series production model with the R8 e-tron.

The soon-to-be launched electric-powered R8 completed the 20.8-kilometer (12.92-mile) long Nürburgring circuit in the hands of racing driver Markus Winkelhock in 8:09.099 minutes.

By comparison, German magazine Sport Auto has recorded a time of 7:44 with the R8 V10 in 2009 and 8:04 with the R8 V8 in 2007.

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Scoop: Is Lexus Preparing One Final Special Edition Version of its LFA? [w/Video]

A teal colored Lexus LFA prototype with some interesting details captured the attention of our spy photographers at the Nürburgring Nordschleife.

For starters, this particular LFA model is equipped with the Nürburgring Edition package that includes a front spoiler made from CFRP (carbon fibre reinforced plastic), a fixed rear-wing, fin-type side spoilers, a canard fin plus exclusive mesh-type wheels.

If you look a little bit closer, however, you will notice several differences such as the carbon fiber dressed hood with the additional air-vents and roof, the larger and more rounded rear wing and the black stripes with the "AD-A" nameplate just above the side sills.

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The Uninspiring Silence of an Audi R8 e-Tron vs The Screaming Sounds of a Pagani Zonda R at the 'Ring

Call us old fashion, but we believe that a sports car has to arouse all your senses with its acceleration, speed, handling, looks and of course, sounds.

The Audi R8 is by all means a sharp looking and handling automobile that will likely be fast even in e-tron guise, which is Audi talk for its pure-electric powertrain that uses two electric motors on each axle.

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Spied: New Mercedes-Benz CLA Compact Saloon Nabbed Again Testing at the Nürburgring

The next model to join Mercedes-Benz's expanded family of compact cars after the new five-door A-Class and the minivan-like B-Class will be the production version of the impressive looking Concept Style Coupé (CSC) sports sedan seen earlier this year that we will come to know as the CLA.

Our spy photographers spotted Mercedes-Benz engineers testing a camouflaged prototype of the CLA at the Nürburgring track.

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Scoop: Jaguar Testing More Hardcore XKR-S Coupe at the Nürburgring

When Jaguar premiered the open-top version of the XKR-S at the LA Auto Show back in November of last year, we thought the British marque was done with the series.

However, this past February, Frank Klaas, Jaguar’s global head of communications told Car&Driver magazine that the company was considering the development of an even more limited production edition of the coupe that would appeal to those who want to spend a lot of time on the track with a street-legal model.

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2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT Turns the 'Ring 5 Seconds Faster than 2012MY [64 Photos]

Mercedes-Benz has released a few more interesting details and a whole lot more photos of its updated and renamed 2013 SLS AMG GT Coupe and Roadster models.

At the presentation of the car in Affalterbach, Germany, AMG chairman Ola Källenius told Autoblog.com that the more powerful SLS AMG GT Coupe turns the Nürburgring Nordschleife in "a tick under 7:30", thus improving the outgoing SLS AMG Coupe's time (7:35") by a little over 5 seconds.

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Spied: New Maserati Quattroporte Shots Reveal that it Won’t be a...Hunchback

Maserati engineers have toned down a notch the camouflage on their latest Quattroporte prototype that was nabbed by our scoop photographers while undergoing tests at the Nürburgring race track.

It may not seem like a lot, but it's enough to provide us with a better look at the rear window styling, which in previous spy shots, was disguised to give the impression of a fastback body style.

The new photos confirm the more conventional styling of the car's roofline and rear end.

This new Quattroporte will be the Fiat and Chrysler Alliance's flagship sedan model and as such, will sport the latest technologies including a new 8-speed automatic transmission from ZF combined with a start and stop system to will help reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

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Spied: Bing-Winged Prototype Could be a Test Mule for the Next Honda Civic Type-R

Honda, a brand that used to be synonymous with performance cars for the masses, has toned down if not…completely erased its sporty side these past few years, something that has not gone unnoticed by consumers and fans alike.

However, it seems that the Japanese automaker has received the message and is making plans to revitalize itself by returning to its roots, as evidenced by the new NSX sports car that will go on sale within the next three years.

For the mainstream crowd in Europe, Japan and other markets worldwide sans North America, Honda appears to be preparing a replacement for one of its more popular models, the Civic Type R.

Our spy shooters spotted a prototype of the latest generation of the European market Civic hatchback featuring a large rear wing near Honda’s technical center at the Nürburgring, which we believe could be a test mule for the next Type R.

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Spied: New Porsche 911 Turbo Filmed on the Autobahn and the Nürburgring

There are many new Porsches heading our way, but one model of particular interest is the next generation of the 911 Turbo, prototypes of which were spotted testing on both the German Autobahn and the Nürburgring racetrack.

The word on the street is that the new 911 Turbo models (including the Coupe and Convertible in both regular and 'S' trims) will adopt an advanced tri-turbo system for the existing 3.8-litre flat-six gasoline engine.

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Scoop: Aston Martin's DBS Replacement Filmed on the Road

While Aston Martin's top brass were previewing the looks of the next DBS with the Project AM310 Concept on the scenic shores of Lake Como in Italy during the 2012 Concorso d'Eleganza, the brand's engineers were hard at work conducting tests of the production model in and around the Nürburgring in Germany.

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Spy Shots: Sporty 2014 MINI Cooper S Hits the Nürburgring for Testing

Under normal circumstances, it's not that hard to tell apart a regular Mini Cooper from its sportier Cooper S counterpart, but try doing the same with a body cloaked in a hippie like camo full of swirls, and it may get complicated.

So how do we do know that this particular prototype that our scoop photographers nabbed racing around the famed Nurburgring track in Germany is actually the Cooper S?

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Spy Video: New BMW 4-Series Convertible Filmed at the Green Hell

We have just filmed the replacement of the BMW 3-Series Convertible while the brand's engineers were driving a camouflaged prototype on the Nürburgring track.

BMW is rumored to replace the 3-Series badge with the 4-series moniker for the two-door coupe and convertible variants of its newly revealed 3-series sedan, in much the same way that it does with the larger 5-Series (sedan, Touring and GT) and 6-Series (Coupe and Convertible) models.

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SPIED: All-New 2013 Volkswagen Golf GTI MkVII Hits the Nürburgring for Testing

If there was ever a more important model in the vast lineup of the Volkswagen Group, it is the seventh generation of the Golf, which we will have the opportunity to see it in person for the first time at the upcoming 2012 Paris Motor Show this September.

Say we had to single out one variant out of the Golf's range, that would no doubt be the GTI, the model that gave birth to an entire segment. However, before you get too excited, learn that we will not be seeing the next Golf GTI in Paris but most likely in Geneva the following March.

Since its presentation is a full year away, we have the next best thing with our first spy pictures of the Golf GTI MkVII wearing its production outfit while testing on the 'Ring.

Compared to the regular Golf prototypes we caught earlier this year, the GTI is distinguished by the larger alloy wheels wrapped around beefier tires, the lowered body and the side skirts. The car seen here is the five-door model, but Volkswagen will also offer a three-door variant and possibly a convertible later on.

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SPIED: All-New 2013 Volkswagen Golf GTI MkVII Hits the Nürburgring for Testing

If there was ever a more important model in the vast lineup of the Volkswagen Group, it is the seventh generation of the Golf, which we will have the opportunity to see it in person for the first time at the upcoming 2012 Paris Motor Show this September.

Say we had to single out one variant out of the Golf's range, that would no doubt be the GTI, the model that gave birth to an entire segment. However, before you get too excited, learn that we will not be seeing the next Golf GTI in Paris but most likely in Geneva the following March.

Since its presentation is a full year away, we have the next best thing with our first spy pictures of the Golf GTI MkVII wearing its production outfit while testing on the 'Ring.

Compared to the regular Golf prototypes we caught earlier this year, the GTI is distinguished by the larger alloy wheels wrapped around beefier tires, the lowered body and the side skirts. The car seen here is the five-door model, but Volkswagen will also offer a three-door variant and possibly a convertible later on.

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Spied: All-New Skoda Rapid Compact Sedan Caught Undisguised

Czech carmaker Skoda is more or less done hiding its Rapid sedan prototypes, one of which was snagged by our scoop photographers while running around the Nürburgring racetrack in Germany.

Skoda's engineers simply applied some convincing, but fake, decals on the tail lamps, the top part of the headlamps, and the rear door lines, just to keep our spies on their toes.

Other than that, what you see in these pictures is what European buyers will get when the compact sedan model makes its first public outing at the Paris Motor Show this September before reaching dealerships at the end of the year.

The European market Rapid (Skoda also sells a smaller and unrelated Rapid sedan in India) is the production variant of the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show Mission L Concept.

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Spied: All-New Skoda Rapid Compact Sedan Caught Undisguised

Czech carmaker Skoda is more or less done hiding its Rapid sedan prototypes, one of which was snagged by our scoop photographers while running around the Nürburgring racetrack in Germany.

Skoda's engineers simply applied some convincing, but fake, decals on the tail lamps, the top part of the headlamps, and the rear door lines, just to keep our spies on their toes.

Other than that, what you see in these pictures is what European buyers will get when the compact sedan model makes its first public outing at the Paris Motor Show this September before reaching dealerships at the end of the year.

The European market Rapid (Skoda also sells a smaller and unrelated Rapid sedan in India) is the production variant of the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show Mission L Concept.

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Spy Shots: New Range Rover Strips Down to the Metal

These are by far our best pictures yet of the all-new, fourth generation Range Rover, as our spies managed to snag a prototype model without all the plastic cladding of the previous test cars.

Even though Land Rover engineers have covered select parts of the body with black and white decals that look like they came straight out of the Matrix, these new images afford us a clear view of the upcoming premium SUV's shape.

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Spy Shots: New Range Rover Strips Down to the Metal

These are by far our best pictures yet of the all-new, fourth generation Range Rover, as our spies managed to snag a prototype model without all the plastic cladding of the previous test cars.

Even though Land Rover engineers have covered select parts of the body with black and white decals that look like they came straight out of the Matrix, these new images afford us a clear view of the upcoming premium SUV's shape.

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SPIED: 2014 Acura MDX Crossover, May Get New RLX's Hybrid Powertrain

Our man with the long lens snapped a prototype of the next Acura MDX crossover testing on public roads near the Nürburgring racetrack in Germany.

The mid-size crossover model was heavily camouflaged but a close look at the front end of the vehicle reveals Acura's revised five-point grille with the beaked chrome upper part and twin chrome slats underneath.

While most styling details of the third generation MDX remain hidden, it appears that like the 2013 RDX, it too will feature a more mature / less exciting exterior design, with several elements borrowed from the RLX and ILX sedans.

The current model, which has been on the market since 2006 having received a mild nip and tuck in late 2009, is available with a 300hp 3.5-liter VTEC V6 engine linked to a 6-speed automatic transmission and Acura's Super Handling All-Wheel Drive.

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SPIED: 2014 Acura MDX Crossover, May Get New RLX's Hybrid Powertrain

Our man with the long lens snapped a prototype of the next Acura MDX crossover testing on public roads near the Nürburgring racetrack in Germany.

The mid-size crossover model was heavily camouflaged but a close look at the front end of the vehicle reveals Acura's revised five-point grille with the beaked chrome upper part and twin chrome slats underneath.

While most styling details of the third generation MDX remain hidden, it appears that like the 2013 RDX, it too will feature a more mature / less exciting exterior design, with several elements borrowed from the RLX and ILX sedans.

The current model, which has been on the market since 2006 having received a mild nip and tuck in late 2009, is available with a 300hp 3.5-liter VTEC V6 engine linked to a 6-speed automatic transmission and Acura's Super Handling All-Wheel Drive.

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