A rider needs to be just a bit off their rocker to have any chance of winning a European hill climbing event, but some really effective machinery can make the task slightly easier. With that in mind, BMW, long considered to be a rather staid and proper bike manufacturer, has gone off the deep end by creating a two-wheel drive off-road hill climbing machine. Powered by slightly modified version of the parallel twin engine used in the German marque's F800 and new GS machines, the liquid cooled mill should offer nearly one-hundred horsepower to both wheels. Getting that power to the ground in front is what appears to be a hydraulic pump and motor system mounted to the beefy front forks. Spinning forces originate from a dual sprocket with chains leading to the rear axle and up into the bodywork.
With dedicated racing machinery like this and the new 450cc four-stroke dirt bike project, BMW is most definitely leaving its mild roots behind. Unfortunately, no production plans are currently in the works for the impressive hill climbing bike, though we look forward to seeing what else comes from the fertile minds at BMW Motorrad.
"The poor man's Audi S4." That's what Motor Trend is tentatively dubbing the Ford Fusion GT, an EcoBoost-powered, SVT-massaged version of the automaker's staid sedan. According to the buff book, Ford will equip the Fusion GT with a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, producing around 340 hp, still short of the engines 415 hp capabilities. Instead of trying to shovel that much grunt through the front wheels, Ford will tap Haldex to supply a part-time all-wheel-drive system to aid grip and limit torque steer, and it's possible that a paddle-shifted six-speed auto 'box could be part of the package.
The Fusion GT would be the fourth model to benefit from Ford's line of EcoBoost engines, which currently power the Lincoln MKS, Ford Flex and forthcoming Lincoln MKR. Four-cylinder versions are in the pipeline and are expected to power the entry-level Fusion in 2010, along with a high-performance version of the Focus and another version of the Edge crossover. EcoBoosted sixes are also rumored to be motivating Ford's downsized F100 pickup, but according to MT, a blown V6 for the next Mustang is on hold.
Buyers of the next generation of Volkswagen-developed small cars will have one more option box to tick when placing their order: all-wheel-drive. The new platform, dubbed PQ25, will find its way underneath a handful of new models, spanning the range from the low-end (SEAT), mid-grade (VW) and luxury (Audi). All-wheel-drive won't be an option for the new SEAT Ibiza, but consumers of the next VW Polo (specifically the CrossPolo) might be able to outfit their tiny runabout with AWD, while the Audi A1, due out in late 2009, will continue the automaker's love affair with quattro.
The beating heart of the Porsche 911 Carrera 4 (and Turbo) is the company's own proprietary wet-clutch all-wheel-drive system. Its traction dynamics are what Porsche owners and enthusiasts have come to know and trust for generations. Reports are now circulating, however, that Stuttgart is preparing to dump its own tried-and-tested in-house four-wheel-drive system for an outsourced Haldex transmission, reportedly equipped with the latest electronic limited slip differential. The rumors come at an interesting time for Porsche, considering that a wide range of vehicles from the Volkswagen Group into which Porsche just acquired majority interest – including VWs, SEATs, Skodas, Audis and even the Bugatti Veyron – use the Haldex. If the reports are accurate, the system could be out on the next iteration of the Porsche 911 Carrera 4 as well as the 911 Turbo spied while undergoing cold weather testing in Scandinavia just last month.
