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Rare Isdera Imperator 108i flexes its considerable muscles

The Isdera Imperator 108i is a remarkably rare supercar from the late 80s and early 90s. Born of a Mercedes-Benz concept car, it's powered by a range of AMG-developed V8s, with five to six liters of displacement, depending on the engine. The example shown here, lapping the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit, features the most potent 6.0-liter V8 available. And rather than just being driven about on a perfectly clean racing line, it's freaking power sliding!
Yes, there's something eternally childlike about a wedge-shaped supercar from our formative years being flung about a Belgian racetrack. Adding to the appeal is the Imperator's stumpy, periscopic rear mirror, sticking out of the roof. Even after being out of production for 20 years, this is still a wild, wild car and we'd happily snap up the opportunity pilot one of the 36 Isderas that were built. Take a look below for the full video from Spa.

Is Audi getting complacent and suffering from brain drain?

The argument is made in a Reuters article: Audi is falling behind other luxury brands, such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW, due to a lack of research-and-development spending and "brain drain," or the migration of top executives and R&D chiefs to other parts of the Volkswagen Group. Reuters notes that Audi's current R&D chief is the third in 16 months.
Audi, which contributed to 40 percent of VW Group's $11.6 billion in profit the first nine months of the year, is delivering cars at a record pace: 1.31 million were delivered from January to October 2013 versus BMW's 1.35 million. Yet Audi, Reuters reports, doesn't have a halo car akin to BMW's new electrified i3 and i8 or an answer to Mercedes' plug-in-hybrid S-Class, and the R&D spending at Audi is less than BMW and Mercedes by a fair margin. It's noted in the article, however, that Audi benefits from other R&D spending within VW Group.
Reuters mentions that BMW "trumpets its new 'i' series" and the new Mercedes CLA and GLA ranges are winning "rave reviews" as part of its argument that Audi's recent lack of technological innovation could hurt future sales. Those cars do pack tons of new technology, some of which are firsts for mainstream production cars. But last time we checked, the i3 could be causing BMW's stock to slide, the CLA isn't receiving the rave reviews that Reuters would have you believe and the GLA hasn't been reviewed yet.

2017 Infiniti QX30 price anounced ahead of September launch

The 2017 Infiniti QX30 will start at $30,945 for the base model and will max out at $39,495 for the Sport trim. The oversized hatchback will be available in six different trims: the QX30, QX30 Luxury, QX30 Premium, QX30 Sport, QX30 Luxury AWD, and QX30 Premium AWD. There will also be a 2017 QX30 Reservation Program for buyers interested in getting their hands on the car first. Buyers in the program will be able to choose from a selection of gifts to go along with their new QX30. The QX30 Luxury starts at $33,595, while its AWD variant is $1,800 more. The QX30 Sport, which is front-wheel drive only and is 0.6 inches lower than the rest of the lineup, is priced at $39,495. The QX30 Premium will start at $36,295 with the QX30 Premium AWD commanding an additional $2,400. All trims are powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four that puts out 208 hp and sends power to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. While the QX30 borrows a lot of components from the Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class, it's priced lower than its German counterpart. The Mercedes GLA250 starts at $33,775, while the GLA250 4Matic is priced at $34,775. The QX30 also comes in under the Acura RDX ($36,510), BMW X1 ($34,095), Audi Q3 ($34,625), and the larger Lexus NX 200t ($35,915). The QX30 will hit showroom floors in September.Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery 2017 Infiniti QX30 View 19 Photos News Source: InfinitiImage Credit: Infiniti Infiniti Mercedes-Benz Crossover Hatchback Luxury infiniti qx30