Volkswagen Introduces New Accessories for the Touareg

Volkswagen has launched a new range of aftermarket accessories for the Touareg SUV. Among other features, there�s a new underbody protection kit for the front and the back of the Touareg. Available in a two-tone design (black and silver), the kit promises to protect the underbody of the SUV from solid objects as well as from heavy dirt. Buyers can also opt for wide plastic protections for the wheel arches which are available either in black or in the same color as the vehicle.

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2012 VW Beetle in the Flesh with New Gallery and Videos

We reported on the unveiling of the all-new 2012 Beetle yesterday, but since then we got our hands on a slew of fresh photos shot during the presentation of the car in Shanghai, as well as in Manhattan, New York, and Berlin in Germany.

For the most part, the first reviews on the �less flower, more power� styling direction of the New Beetle�s replacement in general do appear to be on the positive side, but for Volkswagen, this needs to translate into consumer spending when the car goes on sale this fall.

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Rolls-Royce Ghost gets on the Procrustean Bed: LWB Model Revealed in Shanghai

The world premiere of Rolls-Royce's Ghost Extended Wheelbase took place at the Shanghai Auto Show, a sign of how important the Chinese market has become for premium carmakers. It's the first time Rolls-Royce brings a world launch to the Asia Pacific region, and the LWB Ghost is a fitting new model for a market that likes its sedans long and spacious.

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2012 Cadillac CTS Sedan, Coupe and Wagon Gain New Grille and Updated V6 with 318HP

You may be hard pressed to visually identify the changes over the current version by looking at the above photo, but the Cadillac CTS range has received an update for the 2012 model year that brings a redesigned grille, a revised V6 engine and a new Touring Package edition. The improvements will be carried over to all three CTS models, including the Sedan, the Coupe and the Sport Wagon, with first deliveries expected in late summer. Read more �

Porsche Improves Cayenne�s V6 Diesel and Introduces 540HP Powerkit for Turbo Model

Less than a year after the market launch of the second iteration of the Cayenne, Porsche has introduced a revised version of the SUV�s diesel engine while also improving and adding new options to the rest of the range. Beginning with the Cayenne Diesel, the 3.0-liter V6 oil-burner has been reworked by Porsche engineers and features a new turbocharger with improved response and greater efficiency, increased direct injection pressure to 2000 bar and a lighter crankshaft.

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Infiniti Teases New JX 7-Seater Premium Crossover, will go on Sale in 2012

Infiniti is planning to enter new territories by introducing an all-new 7-seater luxury crossover designated the JX. Teased here in a blurry sketch, the mid-size model will be shown in concept form at the Pebble Beach Concours d�Elegance this August, and in production guise at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show in November, before going on sale in the U.S. in spring 2012 as a 2013 model.

�The all-new Infiniti JX crossover will allow us to continue to expand the Infiniti brand�s presence in the Americas,� said Carlos Tavares, chairman, Nissan Americas.

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Subaru XV Concept is a High-Riding Impreza Crossover

We�re going to see both the four- and five-door versions of the all-new 2012 Impreza at the New York Auto Show this week, but at the Shanghai motor show, Subaru lifted the wraps off a concept version of the hatchback model in a crossover guise. Named the XV Concept, the study essentially offers us our first glimpse at the successor of the North American market Impreza Outback Sport as well as the Impreza XV that is offered in Japan.

The lime-green XV Concept combines Subaru�s all-wheel drive system with a jacked up suspension and an array of SUV-like styling cues. The five-door model measures 4,450mm in length, 1,800mm in width and 1,620 mm in height sporting a 2,635mm long wheelbase. It is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder boxer engine linked to a CVT.

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Volvo Concept Universe Hints at Design Direction for New Luxury Sedan

Making its world premiere today at the Shanghai Auto Show is the new Volvo Concept Universe, a study for a luxury sedan model that also provides a peek at the Swedish automaker�s future design language.

While Volvo did not release any technical details on the Concept Universe, the fact that it measures less than 5 meters in length points at a design study for a replacement for the firm�s S80 sedan and not a larger, Mercedes-Benz S-Class rival that the Swedish company�s Chinese owner Geely has been recently talking about.

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New Kia K2 is the China Market Rio Sedan

This pint-sized Optima lookalike is the new Kia K2 and it will make its world premiere at this week�s 2011 Shanghai Motor Show. It is the China market version of the upcoming Rio Sedan that will be revealed at the New York Auto Show on Wednesday. However, it remains to be seen if the two models will share the same look as Kia said the K2 was designed and engineered specifically for the Chinese market. Read more �

Audi Turns A3 Sedan Concept into e-tron Study with a Plug-in Hybrid Powertrain

Audi has been trying to show off its green credentials for quite some time now with a variety of plug-in hybrid and pure electric concepts, all sporting the e-tron nameplate, such as the 2009 e-tron Concept Coupe, the 2010 A1 e-tron, and more recently, the e-tron Spyder. Now, the brand with the four rings has prepared a new e-tron study, this time based on the A3 sedan concept shown at the Geneva Salon this past March.

The new A3 Sedan e-tron is a compact sized four-door saloon study featuring a gasoline-electric hybrid drivetrain, and it will receive its world premiere at this week�s 2011 Shanghai Auto Show in China.

Audi�s engineers replaced the Geneva concept model�s 408HP 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five with a hybrid powertrain comprising of a 211HP 1.4-liter TFSI gasoline unit with turbocharging and gasoline direct injection, and an electric motor with an output of 20 kW (27HP), for a combined system output of 238HP. A seven-speed S tronic dual clutch transmission is linked to the gasoline engine.

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BMW Generation Z4

BMW Z4 Pictures

BMW Z4 (E85) Pictures

BMW Z4 (E89) Pictures

The Z4 M is powered by a 3.2-litre straight-six engine (S54B32). Performance figures are: 3,246 cc displacement, 333 brake horsepower (248 kW) at 7,900 rpm, 269 lb·ft (365 N·m) of torque at 4,900 rpm, 8,000 rpm redline. Output per litre is 107 bhp (80 kW; 108 PS) , and power-to-weight ratio is 9.9 lb/bhp. Acceleration to 60 mph (100 km/h) comes in 5.0 seconds and top speed is limited electronically to 156 mph (251 km/h).

First Generation BMW E36/7 M Roadster

The Perfect Car Lamborghini Estoque Picture

Lamborghini Estoque Picture

Lamborghini Estoque Picture

Lamborghini Estoque Picture

Lamborghini Estoque Picture

Lamborghini Estoque Picture

The Hot BMW 328

 

Manufacturer	Bayerische Motorenwerke
Production	1936–1940 464 produced
Assembly	Eisenach, Germany
Predecessor	BMW 319/1
Successor	BMW M1
Class	Sports car
Body style	Roadster
Layout	FR layout
Engine	1971 cc straight-6
Transmission	4-speed manual
Wheelbase	2,400 mm (94.5 in)
Curb weight	830 kg (1,830 lb)
Designer	Peter Szymanowski Fritz Fiedler Alfred Böning Alex von Falkenhausen Ernst Loof

The BMW 328 is a sports car made by BMW between 1936 and 1940, with the body design credited to Peter Szymanowski, who became BMW chief of design after World War II (although technically the car was designed by Fritz Fiedler). It featured many advanced features for its time, such as a tubular space frame and a hemispherical combustion chamber engine. It was much praised at the time for its performance and handling, proving to be suitable not only for the BMW factory drivers, but also perfect for everyday motoring.

Hot New Audi A7 2011 Car Show Pictures

2013 Chevrolet Malibu: First Official Details, Photos and Video, gets New 2.5-liter Four-Cylinder

In a simultaneous world premiere at the New York Auto Show in the States and the Shanghai Auto Show in China, General Motors will lift the curtain on its brand new 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, one of the firm�s most important models in years. The online debut of the brand�s new mid-size model comes on the same day that Chevrolet announced its best ever first-quarter results with 1.1 million sales worldwide.

What�s important about this generation of the Malibu is that Chevy�s mid-size saloon will become a global player, as GM plans to sell the car in nearly 100 countries across the world and build it in multiple locations, including China. The North American version will be manufactured at the Fairfax Assembly plant in Kansas City, and at the Hamtramck factory in Detroit.

Redesigned from the ground up, the new Malibu sports a new exterior styling with lines and curves inspired from Chevy�s most recent models such as the Cruze up front and even the Camaro at the back with the LED dual-element taillamps.

�The exterior design of the all-new Malibu carries DNA from its sister vehicles, the Camaro and Corvette, to bring a sporty sensibility to the family sedan segment,� said Bryan Nesbitt, executive director for GM exterior design.

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Chrysler Spices up 2011 200 Sedan and Convertible with New �S� Versions

If you've been following our recent reports on Chrysler�s update lineup, then you know about the Auburn Hills-automakers plans to expand its range with a new trim series called �S�, which is aimed at younger buyers who want something a little more attitude in looks.

Following the appearance of the 2011MY 300, 300 and Town & Country S Concepts at the 6th Annual Spring Festival of LXs in California, in late March, Chrysler has lifted the veils off the first production S models based on the 200 Sedan and Convertible.

The �S� treatment is a cosmetics-only package, with both the saloon and drop top 200 gaining a bespoke front grille with a black background, body color mirrors and door handles, smoked headlamps, unique 18-in. aluminum wheels with dark painted pockets and �S� badging.

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Fiat to Replace Slow-selling Bravo with a Small Crossover in 2013

Following in the footsteps of Nissan and its Qashqai small crossover that proved to be a success for the Japanese automaker, Fiat has decided that the Bravo's replacement won't be a conventional hatchback as initially planned, but a high-riding C-segment hatch.

The decision was made at the end of last month and the new car will launch in 2013, according to inside sources quoted by Autonews Europe. The Fiat Bravo didn't make it in the list of Europe's 10 best sold compact cars in 2010, whereas the Nissan Qashqai placed fifth, with 216,091 units. In comparison, Fiat sold 44,850 Bravos, while the segment leader, Volkswagen's Golf, enjoyed sales of 501,671 units.

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New Z4 sDrive 28i is the First BMW in the USA to get the 2.0-liter Four-Cylinder Turbo

With automakers scrambling to meet stricter fuel economy and emissions standards, four-cylinder powerplants with turbocharging are becoming increasingly popular these days. Even BMW has jumped on the bandwagon with the release of a new 2.0-liter TwinPower Turbo 4-Cylinder unit that made its debut on the X1. Today, BMW announced that the Z4 hardtop-roadster will be the first U.S. model to receive the force-fed four-pot.

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Can't make 'em Speed: LAPD gets Hosed in Ticket Quota Case

$2 million, it turns out, is the magic number when trying to teach a lesson to the Los Angeles Police Department's traffic division. Which lesson?, you may ask. It's the one involving illegal (in California at least) quotas for traffic tickets, with an extra credit dose of payout for punishing officers when they don't meet those quotas.

Officers Howard Chan and David Benioff, working for LAPD's West Traffic Division, were awarded the money for winning a 2009 suit for harassment of various kinds resulting from the fact that they didn't write a number of citations each day.

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2012 Dodge Avenger R/T Breaks Cover ahead of NYIAS Debut, Features Styling and Chassis Upgrades

After the introduction of the R/T flavored Challenger, Journey, Durango and Grand Caravan at the Chicago Auto Show this past February, it was only a matter of time before Dodge applied the same sporty treatment to the revised Avenger sedan.

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2012 VW Beetle Configurator Goes Live, Plus New Photo Gallery

Dreaming of a new 2012 Volkswagen Beetle? Well, if you live in Europe or North America, you�ll have to wait until this October and September respectively to grab one, but for those of you in a hurry to see what your 2012 Beetle could look like, VW�s configurator is available for everyone to play with on the firm�s German website. Unfortunately though, at the time, the options are limited to a choice of exterior colors and alloy wheel designs.

In addition to the news on the configurator, we�ve also found a fresh batch of photos of the latest generation of the Beetle, which you can ogle on in the gallery after the break. For more details on VW�s newcomer, check out our previous post here.

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Buick Envision Concept Previews Future SUVs for China

GM has lifted the wraps off the Buick Envision SUV Concept that will debut at the Shanghai Auto Show, a natural choice since the study is the work of Shanghai GM and the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC). Furthermore, GM says the crossover model was designed for China, as �it introduces the development direction for Buick�s future SUV products for the market�.

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Chevrolet Sells 1.1 Million Vehicles Worldwide in Q1 2011 Recording its Best First-Quarter Results Ever

Driven by the new Cruze sedan and the globalization of the Chevrolet name, sales of GM�s brand in the first three months of the year reached 1.1 million vehicles worldwide, which is the best first-quarter results in the company�s history. Compared to the first quarter of 2010, Chevrolet recorded a 15 percent increase in sales this year.

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Toyota Corolla vs Ferrari F430: Can You Guess Who Wins this Race?

Pitting a puny stock Toyota Corolla against a Ferrari F430 and asking which car would win in a straight line race sounds like a joke, right? Well, under any other circumstances, you would be right to take this as a shaggy dog story but this comparo, which was made for a Japanese TV show, has a peculiar twist to it: the race was run in reverse gear� So, now that you know, can you pick the winner? Enjoy the quirky drag race between the Corolla sedan and Maranello�s supercar in the video clip after the break.

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Citroen Reveals Family-Sized DS5 Crossover ahead of Shanghai Premiere

Citroen has officially dropped photos and information on its all-new DS5, which is the latest addition to its DS sub-brand and the largest one yet. Measuring 4.52 meters in length, 1.50 meters in height and 1.85 m in width, the DS5 sits between the C4 and the C5 in Citroen's range, with the company describing the car as an alternative to the more conventional C5 with a higher ground clearance, more refined interior and a crossover shape.

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Mazda Minagi Concept is the New CX-5, Production Version to Debut at this Fall�s Frankfurt Show

Mazda today confirmed what many of us already suspected � that the Minagi concept shown at the 2011 Geneva Salon earlier this year will form the base for a production model that will be called the CX-5. In addition, the Japanese firm also announced that the compact crossover model will make its international debut in production guise at the forthcoming 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show to be held in Germany in September.

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2012 Volkswagen Beetle: All-New Bug Grows up

Ladies and gents, say hello to the all-new, third generation Volkswagen Beetle that was unwrapped today ahead of its world premiere at the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show and New York Auto Show. The newest interpretation of the Bug comes 73 years after the launch of the original Beetle in 1938, which sold an amazing 21.5 million units, and 13 years after the debut of the New Beetle in 1998 that managed to sell a little over 1 million units until production ended in 2010.

When it goes on sale in North America and Europe in the fall of 2011, and the rest of the world from early 2012, the latest model will be known simply as the �Beetle� as Volkswagen dropped the �New� from the car�s name.

If someone asked us to summarize the qualities of the 2012 Beetle in a few words, it would be: larger, more mature and unisex. Starting with the design, VW�s goal was to make the 21st century Beetle appeal to both genders. As a result, the VW Group�s chief designer Walter de Silva and his team offered the Beetle a meaner and lower-slung look that draws on cues from the Beetle Ragster concept shown in Detroit in 2005. The overall styling is far less bulbous and more chiseled compared to the New Beetle, while keeping the retro feel of the series.

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ATS 2500 GT_Picture

The ATS 2500 GT is a sports car made by Italian company Automobili Turismo e Sport in Bologna. It was the first Italian and one of the first GT or sports car in the world to have a mid-engine layout. The group behind the ATS project consisted mainly of Ferrari defectors, where family troubles had created an uncomfortable working atmosphere for the personnel. ATS, intent on beating Ferrari on all fronts, also produced a Formula One car for 1963, "a ghastly mess, one of the most inept racing cars ever, and its appalling performances did not help the road car." Even the late great Phil Hill was unable to provide ATS with any results on track.