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Auto blog

MT's Jessi Lang recounts her harrowing Autobahn R8 crash

Automotive enthusiasts know the name, face, voice and stories of Jessi Lang well. And if they don't, they should. The longtime Motor Trend video presenter and host of The J-Turn is a regular fixture on the automotive scene, and one of our favorite to watch. But a year ago, Jessi vanished from the scene. And we're sad to say she hasn't been kicking back enjoying umbrella drinks on the beach all this while. A year ago Lang went on a pilgrimage to Germany, driving a Porsche 911 GT3 on the Nurburgring and an Audi R8 modified by Abt on the Autobahn when the unthinkable happened. A car swerved out of its lane and into Jessi's path. A catastrophic collision ensued, and Lang was seriously injured. Jessi's been recovering from the multiple fractures and life-threatening lacerations ever since, and in her first appearance back on the net, has returned to tell her harrowing but courageous story. We wish her all the best on her long road to recovery, hope to see her back to her old self again soon, and invite you to watch the heart-rending story here.

Audi Nanuk Quattro Concept is a wild surprise ahead of Frankfurt

Volkswagen Group Night ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show always has some surprises, the first of which this year is the Audi Nanuk Quattro Concept. The all-wheel-drive, turbo-diesel-powered supercar is similar to the Giugiaro Parcour Concept that was unveiled earlier this summer. In fact, the Parcour's creator, Italdesign Giugiaro, penned the Nanuk, and we suspect much of the former found its way into the latter - with some changes, of course.
The diesel engine, a departure from the Parcour, is a twin-turbocharged 5.0-liter V10 TDI unit that develops 544 horsepower and a hole-digging 738 pound-feet of torque, which make the 4,189-pound all-road vehicle able to dispatch 0-62 miles per hour in 3.8 seconds and go on to a 190-mph top speed. Fuel consumption is a relatively low 30 miles per gallon for a car with this much performance.
The Nanuk showcases Audi's Quattro, though it uses a specially designed version of the all-wheel-drive system to get the job done. Audi's next generation of adaptive air suspension is featured as well, which fits the crossover nature of the Nanuk. Drivers are given a range of 2.76 inches of height adjustment, though Audi doesn't mention the car's minimum or maximum ground clearance.

Ford GT, Buick Avenir and Audi Q7 take 2015 EyesOn Design awards

The annual EyesOn Design Awards at the Detroit Auto Show allows some of the greatest designers in the world to weigh in on the best production and concept debuts at the big event each year. For 2015, the large panel of judges included luminaries like Frank Stephenson of McLaren, Ralph Gilles from FCA and Moray Callum of Ford. Apparently the editors at Autoblog had a good eye because the winner of 2015's Best Designed Production Vehicle award went to the Ford GT, which was also our favorite debut from the show. The new supercar beat the Acura NSX and Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class Coupe for the honor. The judges described the Blue Oval's shape as "capturing the original GT40 in a modern interpretation," according to EyesOn Design. The Buick Avenir was also a big winner in the awards this year and received the nods for both Best Designed Concept Vehicle and Innovative Use of Color, Graphics and Materials. In the concept category, it beat out the Chevrolet Bolt and Mercedes-Benz F 015, and in the latter group, the sedan triumphed over Audi Q7, Mercedes F 015 and Volkswagen Cross Coupe GTE. The Q7 received its own accolade for Best Designed Interior, and it beat the Avenir and Infiniti Q60 for the honor. This year's Lifetime Design Achievement Award went to former Renault designer Patrick le Quement, and Bob Lutz received the EyesOn Design Catalyst Award for the second time. The honor is for an executive "who has empowered great design," according to the organization, which describes Lutz perfectly. Scroll down to read the announcement with more comments about the winners. Related Video: Ford, Buick, Audi recipients of EyesOn Design Awards at North American International Auto Show EyesOn Design Awards for Design Excellence for 2015 were revealed today at the North American International Auto Show. The awards honor the most significant automotive designs revealed at NAIAS as determined by the North American and global leaders of design from automotive manufacturers, along with academic chairs of transportation design programs and design leaders from other fields.