MUENNICH MOTORSPORT JOINS WORLD RX

German team ALL-INKL.COM Muennich Motorsport will compete in all 12 rounds of this year’s FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy with two self-developed Audi S3 RX Supercars.  The team, which is owned by renowned World Touring Car driver Rene Muennich, will use 2015 as a development year in a bid to fight for the World RX Teams’ Championship title in 2016.

Muennich made his long-awaited debut in the Audi S3 RX Supercar at last year’s World RX of Germany but since then the Saxony-based team has made a number of changes to the car based on its performance in Estering and also at Franciacorta for the Italian RX round. It is still to be confirmed who will drive for the team but several drivers are expected to test the Audi S3 over the next few weeks.

“World RX will be our main programme this year,” confirmed team owner Muennich. “We will use this year to learn and then we want to fight for the title in 2016. We are pleased about the development of rallycross as a sport and the fact that we can develop our own car is what makes this Championship so special. Even without a strong result in Germany, we saw that our car is fast enough to score a top ten placing and it was interesting to see how the requirements for the cars change as a result of some of the circuits. The top speed on the World RX tracks is high and the grip is much better so we need to adapt the car accordingly.”

Muennich continued: “We have a different engine in the car since Estering as well as a new gearbox, new differentials and brakes.  We also changed the geometry of the rear axle and have a new weight balance. It’s basically a completely new car.  Our team has grown to more than 20 people and we will have more engineers and mechanics this year to help with the development of the cars. The line-up of competitors such as [Petter] Solberg will make this year very challenging for us but we’re very excited to be competing in World RX full-time and can’t wait to get started.”

Muennich Motorsport is the second all-new World Championship team to confirm its participation in this year’s World RX.  The season kicks off with World RX of Portugal at the end of April.

source: fiaworldrallycross.com

Audi A3 & S3 score 5 stars in US NCAP tests

 2015 Audi A3 Sedan

Audi S3 Saloon

The New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) used by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration(NHTSA) is a very important step for any new model looking to be successful on the American market. The A3 sedan is the only European premium compact model that received the full 5 stars from the NHTSA. 

The A3 and S3 offer multiple advanced technology features such as Audi Pre Sense Basic System which helps detect when an emergency maneuver is being made and prepares the vehicle and its occupants restraint systems for a possible collision. This system is part of Audi's optional Advanced Technology Package which also comes with Audi Active Lane Aassist and Audi Adaptive Cruise Control with stop & go.

The secondary collision brake assist, a system that automatically brakes the car after a collision so as to prevent another one taking place in nearby or oncoming traffic should the driver be incapacitated.

Audi recruit adds fuel to F1 rumors

Audi appears to be taking more steps towards a potential F1 entrance in the near future.

Now, it emerges that former Honda, Brawn, BMW and Williams technical chief Jorg Zander will start work as Audi Sport's new head of technology on Jan. 1.

Volkswagen's brands, however, have consistently played down speculation of a F1 project, and Bernie Ecclestone said earlier this month that he thinks a foray is unlikely.

Rumours of a project were fuelled recently when ousted Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali resurfaced at the German carmaker, where the Italian is reportedly conducting a feasibility study into a turbo V6 design for the VW-owned brand.

The former Ferrari Formula One team principal Stefano Domenicali has no experience of Le Mans-style sports cars, has no experience of touring car racing and does not even speak German. The sources are insistent that Formula One is only possible reason why Audi, which is the successor of the legendary pre-war Auto Union brand and carries its four-ringed badge, would have just hired the Italian, even under the temporary pretense of a non-racing role.