Today's other news in brief
Audi to invest more than €3m in Dublin forum
DUBLIN WILL join Manhattan, Tokyo, London, Madrid, Beijing and other high-profile locations as the latest showcase location for the Audi brand.
Audi has announced that it will open an Audi Forum later this year, which will represent the brand in a multimedia, lifestyle and high-end retail environment.
According to Audi Ireland, the Dublin forum will become not only a retail experience flagship for the brand in Ireland but also for the Audi brand worldwide.
The Dublin forum will offer the Irish consumer the best interactive retail and brand experience while also showcasing the most current and prestigious models – from the high performance R8 V10 and the all-aluminium A8 Flagship sedan to various concept and classic models.
“The economic environment is obviously very challenging,” said Fintan Knight, managing director of Audi Ireland. “It is exactly at these times we want to demonstrate that we are here for our customers for the long term.”
The two-storey Audi Forum will be located in Dublin 4 and is expected later in 2009.
Nissan unveils production electric car
NISSAN HAS unveiled the Nissan LEAF, the company’s production electric car, which is due to be launched late next year in Europe.
The LEAF is powered by laminated compact lithium-ion batteries, which generate 90kW, while its electric motor delivers 80kW/280Nm. The LEAF combines the lithium-ion battery packs and regenerative braking to provide for a range of more than 160nm on one full charge.
The LEAF can be charged up to 80 per cent of its full capacity in under 30 minutes with a quick charger. Charging at home through a 200V outlet will take eight hours.
The car is connected to an advanced IT system.
Connected to a global data centre, the system can provide support, information and entertainment for drivers 24 hours a day.
The display shows the car’s remaining power and shows nearby charging stations.
The car’s air conditioning and charging functions can be controlled by a mobile phone and an on-board remote-controlled timer can also be pre-programmed to recharge batteries.
Lamborghini reveals two-wheel-drive Gallardo LP550-2
LAMBORGHINI HAS released details of a two-wheel-drive Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Valentino Balboni.
This rear-wheel drive version of the Gallardo is powered by a 5.2-litre V10 engine that puts out 550bhp and a 0-100km/h time of 3.9 seconds.
The car, which weighs 1,380kg, is named after Valentino Balboni, a Lamborghini test driver with over 40 years experience.