Audi is wasting no time since in addition to unveiling the restyled A8 and A8 L – as well as the extended A8 L Horch for China – the manufacturer is also unveiling the S8. The sports sedan is arguably one of the most desirable cars to wear the Four Rings, and for 2022, the Ingolstadt teams haven’t changed the winning recipe too much. The Mercedes-AMG S63 rival retains its familiar look, but changes a few things.

For starters, the grille is slightly wider than before and has lost the horizontal bars in favor of a new mesh pattern with honeycomb-shaped elements that give it a sportier look. A similar grille treatment is also available for the “normal” A8 fitted with the very first S Line exterior package. Much like the other versions, the S8 receives new graphics for the digital matrix LED headlights and OLED taillights, which echo recent offerings from the German brand.

10 Photos

Available in some of its major markets, such as the United States and China, exclusively with a long wheelbase, the S8 retains its four tailpipes typical of an Audi Sport performance model wearing the famous S. La All-wheel steering is standard equipment, as is the predictive active suspension and sport differential which improves handling by actively distributing torque between the rear wheels. For an additional cost, buyers can opt for carbon-ceramic brakes for superior stopping power.

At the heart of the Audi S8 is the famous 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine developing 571 horsepower (420 kilowatts) and a generous torque of 800 Newton-meters. The discreet large luxury sedan reaches 100 km / h in less time than it takes to say it: 3.8 seconds. A hell of a performance for such a large and heavy car equipped with a heat engine.

Unfortunately, there is no upgraded Plus version yet, as was the case with the previous generation S8. We don’t expect an RS8 either, as Audi has refrained from giving its larger sedan the full RS treatment, just as BMW doesn’t make an M7.

The revised Audi S8 is expected to hit the market in Europe next month and will cost you a minimum of € 158,800.

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When you spend your days, and sometimes your nights, repairing TGVs, you don’t always want to worry about the condition of your car in the morning. So Édouard let Peugeot go, after setbacks with his 308 1.2 130 hp phase 2. “On the latter, I had, in particular a drive belt that let go of me at 49,000 km and an air blower at 23,000”. He therefore decided to change brands.

Except that the railway worker has complex specifications. He appreciates sports cars, while looking for a car, obviously reliable, but also economical. Because at 24, he lives with his partner not far from Chartres, and works at the SNCF center in Châtillon, near Paris. If he usually goes there by train, he often takes his car, depending on his schedule. So, seeking this difficult compromise, Édouard set his sights on a Ford Fiesta.

The neighbor’s car – Édouard and the reasonable sportiness of his Ford Fiesta 155 MHEV

Head for the Chartres dealership which takes back his 308. He opts for a Fiesta 1.0 Ecoboost of 125hp. but quickly, he got bored on board. He immediately discovered the existence of another Fiesta, less common and more efficient, the 155 MHEV. In March of this year, return to the garage where the seller agrees to take back his car. He ordered the new one, still equipped with the same 1 liter unit. Thanks to its micro-hybridization, it is exempt from penalties. “I would have loved to take a 200hp ST, but its penalty and its consumption, it was not possible for daily use.”

In September, the ordered car arrived. “5 months of delay, at the moment, it is rather reasonable”. He opted for a red paint and an ST Line X finish, “It allows me, among other things, to take advantage of the Bang & Olufsen sound system”, as well as red stitching in the cabin and the flat steering wheel, in addition to the plethora of equipment of the ST Line finish. For two months, he has been having fun driving her, and his partner too. “It changes her from her old Opel Agila”. The pleasure he takes at the wheel can be read on his odometer: he has already completed 6,000 km. “And in terms of consumption, it’s ultra-reasonable when you drive normally. I run between 4 and 6l / 100km”. Obviously, when he pushes the “sport” button and attacks the laces of the crest road in the Vosges, where he released the excellent Ford chassis, consumption soars. “But even then, I don’t go over 7 to 8 l / 100 km.”

The future could take shape in ST

Édouard also added a few options to his red car, such as this rear spoiler or full led lights at the front. However, in the end, with the resumption of his 125hp Fiesta, he did not have to pay more than 6,900 euros out of his pocket. As for his insurance, it costs him less than 1,000 euros per year. He managed to combine sportiness at a reasonable cost, while waiting to crack, perhaps one day, for a third Ford Fiesta, an ST, this time.

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If you read regularly Argus or if you are currently looking to buy a new car, it will not have escaped your notice that the shortage of semiconductors affecting (among others) the automotive industry is leading to longer delivery times, or even the elimination of some equipment to order. Manufacturers are therefore trying to redirect certain customers to their vehicles in stock so as not to lose them. Most have, on their respective websites, a link to an inventory of new vehicles available immediately.Skoda goes further, the French branch of the Czech manufacturer has just launched a humorous communication campaign dedicated to its cars in stock.

Skoda Toutsuiq and Dispola, a reinvented range

Skoda called on the Rosa Paris advertising agency to attract potential buyers to its vehicles in stock. The speech is centered on puns, via models of the brand “renowned” in a spelling evoking their official names but whose pronunciation indicates their availability without delay. The campaign is launched with the following assertions:

• New ŠKODA ENŠTOQ is an ENYAQ iV, available from stock.
• New ŠKODA DIŠPOLA is an OCTAVIA, in a version available here.
• New ŠKODA TOUTŠUIQ is a KAMIQ, available immediately.
• New ŠKODA FIŠA is a FABIA, available fissa.

TO READ. Dacia-Renault. The impact of the chip shortage model by model

The stock to counter the occasion

The advertising posters of this Skoda campaign are now circulating on social networks, and will also be visible in the press from November 18. It remains to be seen whether this will convince potential buyers whose a good part is currently turning, for lack of personalized configuration of their future vehicle, to the recent second-hand market.

TO READ. Auto market. Sharp decline in October, Dacia and Hyundai are doing well

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Volkswagen Group boss Herbert Diess on Thursday urged his employees to prepare for a “revolution” to enable him to face new competition from Tesla and Chinese manufacturers, which threaten jobs in Germany.

“I’m worried about Wolfsburg”, the main and historic factory of the group, said Herbert Diess, at the head of the Volkswagen group since 2018, and whose future within the manufacturer is under debate. “In the new automotive world, unprecedented competition awaits us”, he warned, referring to the “impressive productivity” planned at Tesla’s new plant in Germany, which is due to open in the coming months.

“Today is the right time for a revolution at Volkswagen”, ruled Herbert Diess, who caused a stir last month by internally shaking the specter of 30,000 job cuts.

He addressed the employees of the Wolfsburg plant at a meeting organized by the recently very critical works council. “Discussions” are even underway on his retention at the head of the group, a source close to the supervisory board said on Wednesday.

A crisis within a crisis?

“There isn’t one too many people here”, launched Daniela Cavallo, the president of the influential “Betriebsrat” which represents the employees, attacking Herbert Diess, very present on the social networks. “You regularly provide us with nice photos of your trips, but unfortunately still no semiconductors”, she lamented, while several factories of the group have been regularly shut down in recent months due to the global shortage of electronic chips.

While the Volkswagen brand has produced so far this year 27% fewer cars than expected, “the lack of chips will also accompany us next year”, a dit Herbert Diess, même si “supply is improving”.

The saving “Trinity” project?

For the boss of the group, the “revolution for Wolfsburg” is the “Trinity” project: a new series of electric and connected cars produced from 2026, which will also entail a vast reorganization of the historic site by 2030 in order, in particular, to reduce production times.

The transition to the connected car is “much more complicated than the switch from heat engines to electric”, and assured Herbert Diess. “It will above all be the software offering that will decide the market shares”. While Tesla initially faced production issues, “our main competitor learns very quickly” and “the quality is improving”, noted the German leader.

The American manufacturer plans to manufacture a car in 10 hours, he noted, while the largest electric plant of Volkswagen, in Zwickau, is currently still “more than 30 hours” on a model. But if “Tesla is the benchmark, other solid start-ups are coming to our market”, also warned the boss. He says he has “tested several Chinese cars in recent weeks” and “we must admit that they are really not bad”.

50% electric vehicles by 2030

Daniela Cavallo requested that another electric model be produced in Wolfsburg “long before Trinity”, ensuring that “the works council wants change”. Volkswagen, which invests tens of billions of euros in its electrification, intends to sell 50% electric vehicles by 2030. Ten years later, the proportion must reach almost 100% in its main markets.

“I want your children and grandchildren to still have a job with us in Wolfsburg in 2030”, said Herbert Diess, launching “an appeal” to the employees to “make Volkswagen fit for the future”. On December 9, the management board will present a “vision 2030” for the plant at a meeting of the supervisory board devoted to multi-year investment plans. (with AFP)

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If many enthusiasts mourn the brilliant lineage of Focus RS, it is because they certainly underestimate their little sisters: the Ford ST badged. Reputed to be wiser, this family nevertheless gives birth to damn playful models, whose angry engines and playful behaviors have marked the saga of our extreme tests. Shot in 2019, our onboard videos of the Fiesta ST 200 (in the wet) and the Focus ST 280 (in the dry) are still getting thumbs up every day!

It remains to be seen if this crest did not go astray last year, when it was attached to the vertical tailgate of an urban SUV. The Puma ST thus welcomed the small three-cylinder of the eponymous Fiesta (1.5 turbo of 200 hp), making it run from 0 to 100 km / h in 6.7 s and reach 220 km / h in top speed. The existence of a Performance pack combining stationary start aid, optimal gearshift indicator and mechanical differential on the front axle finished arousing our curiosity. What if this city SUV was just as fun as the other Ford STs? Answer in four acts.

Engine: 15/20

The engine at a glance. Taken from the restyled Fiesta ST, whose platform it uses, the Puma’s 1.5 turbo petrol is a known friend. 200 hp are reached at 6,000 rpm, and 320 Nm remain constant from 2,500 to 3,500 rpm thanks to the Continental turbo blowing up to 1.5 bar (relative pressure read on the on-board computer) . Techno side, this small block combines variable camshaft timing and cylinder deactivation system (only one of the three!), Noticeable at low steady speed when a tiny hum is invited on board. On the unrestricted German motorway, this phase was obviously rare …

Our opinion. Very lively in the city car Fiesta ST, the 1.5 EcoBoost must here take an additional 80 kg, but also wider (225 mm instead of 205 mm) and heavier wheels (19 inches instead of 17 or 18 inches as an option) . The shortened final report allows however to limit the consequences, while the less talkative exhaust does not alter too much the sound environment, discreet in normal mode, nicer in Sport and Circuit modes. Starting aid activated, we press the clutch and accelerator pedals to the floor. The speed then stabilizes automatically at a precise 4,200 rpm. All that remains is to release the clutch unceremoniously… and let the electronics do its work.

In a clever mix between light slippage (so as not to stall the regime) and subtle braking (so as not to see the power go up in smoke), the Puma ST takes off effectively and connects the reports without giving the impression of forcing. The bar of 200 km / h is crossed in less than 30 seconds, before a nice descent allows to hang the 246 km / h on the clock. This confirms the good health of the engine, as well as its frank and linear thrust up to 6000 rpm. Beyond that, the gearshift indicator light flashes and confirms that it is unnecessary to look for the red zone located 500 rpm further. A small common frustration with turbocharged engines.

Box: 15/20

The box in brief. Still of the six-speed mechanical type, the Puma ST’s box receives a final report shortened by 5.8% to preserve acceleration despite the overweight and less aerodynamic profile of the SUV (0 to 100 km / h announced in 6.7 s here, against 6.5 s for the Fiesta ST). Unlike the Focus ST or the Mustang Mach 1, on the other hand, the Puma does not have an automatic double clutch system when downshifting. The mechanical self-locking differential is optional and supplied by English Quaife.

Our opinion. Identical to that of the Fiesta, the gear tiering continues to appeal. Top speeds do not prove to be excessively long (as is often the case with modern cars), although our maximum speed downhill was reached at 5800 rpm, which is 200 rpm before maximum power. . Not a fault on a winding road or even on a circuit, where the Puma ST takes advantage of its generous torque to boost the revivals without the need to downshift at any cost.

If the control is quick and smooth in dynamic driving, its shortened lever sometimes prevents it from being manipulated without hooking the armrest with the back of the arm, forcing a slight break in the wrist. The other small ergonomic concern concerns the crankset, equipped with an accelerator too far from the brake to make the heel-toe exercise safe when downshifting.

Chassis: 16/20

The chassis at a glance. To contain its body movements despite being 4.6 cm higher than the Fiesta ST, the Puma had to stiffen its suspension. The front anti-roll bar goes from 22.5 to 24 mm in diameter, a rear of 28 mm is introduced, and the stiffness of the deformable cross member increases by 40%. The rate even reaches 50% compared to classic Ford Puma, whose ST is also differentiated by a more direct steering of 25% and a new Sport mode of its ESP antiskid. Ford has finally remained loyal to Michelin to develop specific tires from the Pilot Sport 4S family in 225/45 R19.

Our opinion. It didn’t take long, riding the Puma ST, to realize that our tour of the Nürburgring was going to be fun. The entry of the first curves in cold tires resulted in generous commas of the rear axle, caught up with the help of clear counter-steers in the absence of electronic stand (ESP off). The balance certainly settles down when the tires heat up, but it remains playful enough to bring back happy memories to former owners of Peugeot 205 GTI and 206 S16.

The direct steering / incisive front axle / cooperative rear axle trio therefore requires a little time to adapt, possibly aided by the ESP Sport mode which tolerates nice drift angles while acting jerkily so as not to exceed the point of no comeback. This natural tendency to oversteer when letting go of the accelerator simply requires not making an error in fast curves, where hesitation in full support is not recommended… In extreme situations, moreover, the anti-skidding ends up reactivating. (even in Off mode), which gave us a nice break on the brakes after a call / counter call that was supposed to turn the car into the tightest left on the circuit.

In more academic driving, the Puma ST can however hold a fast or even astonishing pace for this type of model. The front axle bites the ropes with gusto, the generous ground clearance allows certain vibrators to be climbed, and the authentic reactions of the locking mechanism in the steering (alas a little “silent”) even make you imagine yourself at the wheel of a small rally moth. The future Puma WRC will therefore not be blasphemy!

Let’s close this chapter by discussing the damping, which is rather brittle at low speed on the road but works much better when under stress. The shock absorber stoppers have never been reached on large compressions, and the small detachments of the wheels on the load shifts do not create a large loss of grip when cornering or parasitic reactions of the ABS when braking.

Braking: 15/20

Braking in brief. A bit tight on the Fiesta ST, the braking system has been increased on the heavier 80 kg Puma. If the floating single-piston calipers remain, the ventilated front discs evolve from 278 to 325 mm in diameter and the rear (still full), from 253 to 271 mm. The mechanical handbrake remains in the game.

Our opinion. Possibly at fault on a small circuit with intense and repeated slowing down, the braking of the Puma ST did not worry on a north loop that was not very demanding on this point. The long cooling zones and the relatively low top speeds (the Puma ST reached a maximum of 220 km / h on the Schwedenkreuz hump, when the last Porsche 911 GT3 was rolling there at 280 km / h!) Did not affect endurance. braking, clearly sufficient on this track. As on the classic Puma, however, the pedal suffers from a small dead stroke before a very marked bite which alters the progressiveness and complicates the dosage, even in sporty driving.

Find the results of the test, the technical sheet and the prices of the Puma ST 2021 on the following page …

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On paper, the script looks like a little matchstick girl. A VTC driver addicted to amphetamines has lost custody of her daughter and is forced to sleep in her car while waiting to repay her debts and get her child back. But above all, do not trust this melodrama pitch. VTC is not warmed by this wood, but by the dry and nervous one of its two designers: Sébastien Drouin in the writing, and Julien Bittner in the realization.

The two thieves have never produced a series, and it shows. They are not encumbered with any codes of the genre, have done as they see fit and that’s what makes the salt of these 5X20mn, to watch necessarily in one go and necessarily called VTC. All the episodes take place during a single night, from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., the next morning. During this night trip, we do not leave the Citroën C5 Tourer, the work tool and the house of Nora.

This character is also one of the strong points of the saga. Nora is played by Golshifteh Farahani who finds there her first role in a series. The Franco-Iranian actress who, in the cinema, alternates between auteur films (Paterson de Jim Jarmush, A couch in Tunis by Manele Labidi) and blockbusters (Pirates of the Caribbean, de Joachim Ronning, Exodus by Ridley Scott) finds the right tone here, with the detachment and false naivety that befits this heroine.

Mired in drug business and grappling with a mafia network, she seems to glide over the atrocity of her life and troubles with a welcome detachment, which keeps the series from wallowing in tears. Thanks to Golshifteh Farahani and the authors of the series who are chosen and directed, it is urgent to get on board this VTC. The series, broadcast on Canal + on November 1, is now available for replay on mycanal for subscribers.

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