Audi is reportedly considering a five-cylinder engine for future versions of the R8 and Lamborghini Huracan.
Although a V8 or V6 engine would provide efficiency gains and help minimize displacement-based taxes in some markets, Audi appears to be looking even further down the road by exploring the absolute smallest engines that could be tuned to meet output figures from the current V10.

The company earlier this month unveiled the TT Clubsport Turbo concept, which serves as a preview of future engine technology. It is powered by a 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine, taking advantage of dual electrically-driven compressors for 600 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque from 3,000 to 7,000 rpm.

The Huracan’s comparatively enormous 5.2-liter V10 delivers just one extra pony and 63 fewer lb-ft of twist. The latest R8, now available exclusively with a V10, produces up to 610 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque in ‘plus’ trim.

Audi has previously promised to bring electric compressors to production cars. The technology uses electric motors to spool compressors at low rpm, virtually eliminating lag before the exhaust-driven turbochargers kick in. The company will implement a 48-volt alternator and lithium-ion batteries to help power the system.

“Electric boosting would be necessary for any smaller motor, even if it’s turbocharged,” Audi Quattro head Heinz Peter Hollerweger told Car and Driver. “The problem with electric boosting is that this type of battery is much heavier and the weight disadvantage of the battery has to be countered by the performance gain.”

Switching to a smaller engine is said to be particularly important in China, where vehicles with engines larger than 4.0-liters are hit with a 40-percent consumption tax.

A Nissan executive has again cast doubt on the IDx Freeflow‘s chances of making it to production.
After taking a closer look at the challenges in transitioning the IDx from a show car to a production vehicle, the company has determined that it could not be built upon an existing rear-wheel-drive platform.

“So, for us, it would mean developing a different rear-wheel drive platform and then we are bumping into the same obstacles every other automaker has: the volumes of a small, sporty car are not enough to justify the investment,” Nissan North America product planning VP Pierre Loing told The Truth About Cars.

The executive rejected the possibility of downsizing the 370Z’s platform, which is designed for “much larger powertrains,” however the company has left open the possibility of borrowing the IDx’ retro-theme design for a different model that could be cheaper to develop.

“That kind of retro 510 inspired design was very well received in Japan and in the US, and to some extent in Europe as well,” Loing noted. “So, yeah, that could be an option – among other ones, it could be an option.”

The IDx has been the subject of numerous conflicting rumors in the past year. Some reports suggest it will tone down its retro styling and add elements consistent with the design language of the Sport Sedan Concept or the new Murano, emerging as a larger coupe that shares its platform with the next Z.

Determined to break its stigma as a maker of bland automobiles, Toyota is said to be prepping a radical open-wheel sports car concept for this year’s Tokyo Motor Show.
We’ll have to wait until October to see if the concept actually comes to fruition, but it is being reported that Toyota is developing a light-weight sports car in the same vein as the Lotus Seven. The open-wheel sports car is reportedly being championed by Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda, who also spurred development of the Scion FR-S and Lexus RC.

According to Australia’s Motoring, the dedicated sports car will stretch about 12-feet in length and will weigh just north of 1,500 pounds. The unnamed sports car, which will use carbon fiber for most of its construction, is also tipped to feature a unique 1+2 seating arrangement not unlike the McLaren F1.

Power for the three-seater will be provided by a 1.5L four-cylinder paired with an electric hybrid drive. Total output will be around 100 horsepower, which should scoot the lightweight car around just fine. Unfortunately, a continuously variable transmission might be the only gearbox on offer.

If the reaction to the concept is favorable, a production version of the car might launch as soon as 2018. A price point of $30,000 has been mentioned, but it’s a little too early to nail down a specific figure.

Mazda, Mitsubishi and Subaru have issued another round of airbag recalls, following Takata’s acknowledgement of defects in approximately 34 million vehicles.
The three Japanese automakers are collectively recalling approximately 710,000 vehicles globally, according to a Reuters report.

Nearly half of the vehicles were sold in Japan, including approximately 112,000 Mazda vehicles, 91,000 Subaru Imprezas and 100,000 Mitsubishi vehicles. The remaining units, all included in the Mitsubishi campaign, were sold in overseas markets.

Takata’s latest announcement is expected to spark another wave of recalls from most major automakers. The 34 million recalled vehicles represents nearly one in seven vehicles registered in the US, based on a vehicle population estimate from 2012.

The defective airbag inflators, which sometimes explode with too much force, have been blamed for at least six deaths due to shrapnel injuries. Investigators are still attempting to determine a root cause, though humidity intrusion is believed to be the culprit.

Porsche has issued another precautionary recall for its flagship 918 Spyder.
The German automaker has discovered a problem with the radiator fan’s electric wiring harness, which can be damaged by a carbon-fiber component. The cause was identified after the company received several inquiries, though it is unclear if harness failures have led to any more serious issues such as fires.

Owners of affected vehicles will be directly contacted by Porsche Cars North America to schedule a service visit. Wiring harnesses will be inspected and replaced or remounted to prevent damage.

The company suggests the issue affects 223 vehicles sold in the US market, including all units built before manufacturing processes were revised in April 2015 to prevent the problem.

The 918 Spyder was recalled last September to replace faulty rear control arms, and again in December to install a new chassis component. One of only 918 examples was destroyed in a fire at a gas station near Toronto, but the accident does not appear to have prompted any formal recall.