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Audi spearheads development of an ultra-luxurious EV code-named Landjet

The rumors claiming Audi wants to release a model positioned above the A8, and the reports of an ongoing electric car development program called Artemis internally, have seemingly converged. Citing sources inside the carmaker, a German media outlet reported the firm is busily creating a super-luxurious EV code-named Landjet. Audi is leading the development process, but sister companies Bentley and Porsche will reportedly receive their own version of the Landjet. All three models will likely take the form of three-row SUVs with generous dimensions. They'll be so big that none of Audi's production facilities will be able to manufacture them, according to an anonymous insider who spoke with German newspaper Handelsblatt. Luckily, Volkswagen makes vans, too. It's too early to tell what will power the Landjets. Audi assigned some of its most brilliant engineers to Project Artemis, and the technology they develop will permeate the three EVs before trickling down into cheaper models in the group. Expect high performance, a high driving range, and semi-automated driving technology. If the report is accurate, the Landjet vehicles will enter production in Hanover, Germany, by the end of 2024. The facility currently makes the Volkswagen Transporter, which is a direct descendant of the rear-engined Bus sold for decades, and it will start manufacturing the production version of the ID.Buzz concept in the coming years. Volkswagen hasn't commented on the report, and car companies rarely address speculation, but its Commercial Vehicles division released a statement in November 2020 that confirms the Hanover site will begin building SUVs about halfway through the 2020s. It's a major shift for a factory normally tasked with manufacturing vans. "Our main plant in Hanover is becoming the production site for three completely new premium electric vehicles in the Group. These D-SUVs are genuine flagship projects: premium, 100% electric, and highly automated," said Carsten Intra, the head of Volkswagen's Commercial Vehicles division, in a statement. He added the firm will invest about 680 million euros (about $807 million) to build a new assembly line, among other upgrades.

Porsche purists, look away: This 911 is powered by Hyundai

Bisimoto appears to be putting together a Hyundai V6-powered Porsche 911. While the experiment reminds us of a project from earlier this year, in which Ryan Tuerck dropped a Ferrari V8 into Toyota GT86, this one's a bit different. Bisimoto has a history of creating some truly insane automobiles, usually with Veyron-menacing power levels. In fact, the tuning company built multiple 1,000 horsepower machines, including a 1976 Porsche 911 and a 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe, not to mention a few other Hyundais with oodles of power. So it seems Bisimoto has decided to combine the company's experience with both marque's into one machine with this 1977 Porsche 911. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. The company revealed the intended engine for the car today, next to the disassembled tail end of the 911. No specific details about the engine were given, but a "hyundaiusa" tag, some helpful hints from Instagram commenters and some diligent Google image searching by Autoblog staff members seem to show that this is a Hyundai Lambda series V6. It also appears to be a version from a car with a transverse layout, which would make it easier to fit in the 911's traditional engine location. What we do know is that the build will be completed in time for the SEMA show, and we look forward to seeing the finished Franken-Porsche. The same probably can't be said for Porsche purists though. Related Video: News Source: Bisimoto EngineeringImage Credit: Bisimoto Engineering Auto News SEMA Show Hyundai Porsche tuning engine swap bisimoto

Porsche 911 GT3 RS facing delay over GT3 fire problems?

Porsche has never been afraid to introduce variants of its cars. However, its even higher spec, next-generation 911 GT3 RS may be delayed from its planned launch this summer while the engines in the standard GT3s (pictured above) are replaced.
A delay isn't certain, but executives want to make sure the high-strung mill is no longer a problem before they press forward with another model using it. Germany's Auto Motor und Sport asked Porsche CEO Matthias Müller about pushing back the launch, and he responded that it was too early to say. The company's current focus is making sure the engines get fixed and working on internal measures to prevent this kind of flaw in the future.
When fires claimed two 911 GT3s in Europe, Porsche initially stopped the model's sales and asked owners to stop driving them. It finally diagnosed the blazes as being caused by a loose screw on a connecting rod, which then resulted in crankcase damage and an oil leak. The company is replacing the engines on all 785 affected cars. A source told Autoblog that under 200 customers were actually affected, and the other cars were either at port or dealer lots. Hopefully, the recall doesn't postpone the road-going GT3 RS too far because we want to see what Porsche has up its sleeve.