Leaked Lambo? The Prancing Bull Enters SUV Territory

Before you go shouting blasphemy from the hills that an SUV will have a Lamborghini logo on it, there’s a few things to consider:

• Lamborghini had an SUV called the LM002 in the mid-80s. It wasn’t terribly popular or pretty but if you’re bothered to look it up, feel free to do so.
• Porsche has proved that a supercar company can not only build incredible performing SUV’s but can sell a hell of a lot of them. There is clearly demand for these things for some reason.

Anyway, the photo you see above is a photo leaked of Lambo’s newest product in an Italian magazine. It’s unclear if this is just a rendering or indeed the SUV concept to debut at the Beijing auto show this year, but regardless Lamborghini it’s clear Lamborghini is heading the polarizing route.

Power is rumoured to be the same as the V10 found in the Gallardo which makes 575 horsepower. A hybrid version is rumoured as well which could generate as much as 700 horses. Yikes.

Click past the jump to see a rear shot. What do you think of Lamborghini’s new SUV?

[AutoGuide.com]

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More News on 5-Door Fiat 500 (UPDATE)

*UPDATE: Fiat has jsut released a pic of what the 500L is going to look like. Click past the jump to check it out.

If the Fiat 500 is just a tad too much on the small side for you, stay tuned because there is actually a five door coming.

Dubbed as the 500L, the five door version will get a taller roof line than the three door and will ride on the same chasis of the Fiat Punto. The 500L is expected to be slightly wider as well.

Likely to power the 500L is a 1.4 litre Multi-air four cylinder to make about 105 horsepower. A diesel option is expected as well, but whether or not that makes it to Canada is anyone’s guess. And if you’re a gambler I’d suggest betting against a diesel version gracing our shores.

The 500L will officially debut at this year’s Geneva Auto Show and will go on sale in Europe in July. North American sales will probably begin in the fall.

The 500L joins an already various 500 line up with the three door, cabriolet, and Abarth. An all electric version is planned down the road as well.

[Autoblog Canada]

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Sexy AND Safe: 2012 Volvo S60 Gets Top Safety Marks

Volvo may be pumping up performance in the S60 with the R-Design but that doesn’t mean that they’ve lost sight of their roots: safety. Case in point, the 2012 S60 has just earned perfect ratings in all categories including frontal, side and pole crash tests run by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association. The S60 aced the pole crash test in particular as no other vehicle’s occupants (read test dummies) has ever faired as well in that test.

The S60 is just the second vehicle to ever ace all of the NHTSA tests. It joins only the Chevrolet Camaro for perfect marks.

So, we have a stylish, fun to drive Swedish sports sedan that will likely keep you together in one piece if you wrap accidentally wrap it around a tree. What’s not to like? The S60 is starting to look more and more like this year’s most underrated car. Now all Volvo needs to go is offer it with a proper six-speed manual and then they’ll have a clear winner for sure.

Click the video above to see the side crash test of the S60.

[Examiner.com]

Test Drive: 2012 Nissan Versa SL

By Kevin Harrison

With a potential transit strike looming in Halifax, the idea of car ownership may now on some level seem like less of a burden. Since many in the city seem to think our transit service is non-existent in the first place, perhaps a strike will seem like any other day anyway. But for some people like my friend Erin, having absolutely no transit means absolutely no work or social life. She just can’t afford to lose it.

Likewise, she can’t afford a new car either. While she may be able to get a decent second hand car which would have someone else eat most of the depreciation, there’s still that unsettling feeling that something could go wrong with her ‘new-to-her ride’ at any moment. The question then remains, will she have the money to fix it?

With close to zero knowledge of cars in the first place makes car ownership for Erin more anxious than Charlie Sheen at a drug testing lab. Luckily for her, her friendship with yours truly has many advantages not least of which is someone to help her pick out a good reliable used car.

But why ‘settle’ for a used car when a new one is actually within Erin’s grasp? Nissan has just redesigned the Versa sedan and they’re boasting the lowest MSRP of any new car in Canada in the process.  It certainly makes for an interesting new versus used argument.

Has Nissan come up with just a cheap car or a good valued car? I tested one to find out.

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Next Generation Hyundai Elantra Touring Spied

It’s no secret that the good folks at Endras BMW are decidedly obsessed with BMW and performance but it turns out they are also good old fashioned car nuts in general as a member of the Endras team spotted this prototype in Toronto.

The shape of the headlights, the similar interior to the sedan and its overall size point to it being the likely replacement for the current (and very tired looking) Elantra Touring. As evidenced by the interior shots, the new Elantra Touring will get a manual transmission option and it even looks to be a six-speed.

I wouldn’t expect the engine options to stray too far from the sedan counterpart which has a 1.8 litre inline four that makes 148 horses.

This spy shot comes on the heels of the other flavour of Elantra, the coupe, being spied totally undisguised just a few days ago.

More details are sure to follow soon on the new hatch from Hyundai.

[Endras BMW]

Hybrid Wars: Infiniti Targeting Porsche

Just because you may have an interest in the environment or just plain ol’ saving some cash doesn’t mean that you have a disinterest in performance. Just ask the Prius driver jailed for racing.

Anyway, there are lots of performance oriented brands that have now offered up their version of a no-compromise hybrid. Infiniti is the latest with their brand new M35 hybrid. In fact, Infiniti is so confident that their new hybrid is a no nonsense performance sedan that they decided to put their money where their mouth is and stack it up against in a drag race against one of the most expensive hybrid offerings on the market: The Porsche Panamera S Hybrid.

First things first, the specs. The Porsche comes with 380 horsepower and a 0-100 km/h time of just 5.7 seconds all while returning 7.8 L/100 kms in fuel efficiency on the highway.

The M35 gets a 360 horsepower V6 which makes the dash in… your guess is as good as mine. Infiniti has not released official numbers yet. Perhaps this is why this video exists in the first place. In terms of efficiency, the M35 fairs better at 7.3 L/100 kms on the highway.

So without further ado, check out the drag race above. Since this is a video made by Infiniti I probably won’t ruin it for you by saying the M35 hybrid beat out the Porsche on this one, but in the same regard, since it is indeed made by Infiniti, take it with a grain of salt as there is probably lots of unaccounted variables that gives the M35 an edge (not least of which is not showing the drag race from the start line).

Still, the M35 hybrid does make a decent case for itself for those who want luxury and performance but who aren’t willing (or who aren’t able) to pay the Porsche’s $95,000 price tag.

[Youtube]

Oh Hi: 2012 Hyundai Elantra Coupe

Even though the Elantra just won car of the year at this year’s North American Auto Show, Hyundai is hoping to keep the line fresh by introducing a coupe version of their C-segment sedan. It has been spied recently on the back of a flat bed.

We knew this was coming and in terms of design there’s really no surprises here other than that dent in the rear quarter panel. Careful now!

So, coupes are generally known for being of a more sporty nature than their sedan counterparts and the Elantra coupe is…. different from this assumption. So far as I can tell, there will be nothing to set it apart from the sedan in terms of performance. Hell there’s nothing that sets it apart in design either except for less doors. It will get the same 1.8 litre inline four that makes 148 horses. Um, not exactly inspiring performance numbers.

Well, surely they will have reworked the suspension. Nope, not at all. Basically this is a just a less practical Elantra. Why would anyone want that?

You’d think Hyundai would have learned from GM’s Cobalt and Pursuit coupe variants that just chopping off two doors doesn’t make it a performance car. And at least GM had the decency to offer real performance upgrades to those cars in different trim levels. It’s not as if Hyundai isn’t capable of performance either as demonstrated in the current Genesis coupe and upcoming 2013 Genesis coupe.

Overall this Elantra coupe smells of poseur performance. And it will likely sell well because of it. Shame.

[Inside Line]

Next Generation Mini Cooper Interior Spied

No, the interior you’re looking at above is not a new BMW interior, it’s actually that of the next generation Mini Cooper.

The Mini’s current interior pays homage to the original Mini with a retro-styled large speedometer in the middle, along with some modern enhancements such as toggle switches and coloured interiors that match the exterior. The interior has always been quite polarizing and BMW is clearly listening to the nay-sayers.

Assuming this test mule spotted cold weather testing in the article circle isn’t some elaborute ruse to foil sneaky photogs, it seems the next generation is going to do away with the love it or hate it retro look in favour of a decidedly BMW-esque interior. BMW fans will recognize the familiar looking centre stack as well as the orange conservative styled gauges.

BMW has recently said that the next generation Mini will take on a more modern look, but it was unclear if this meant a more modern exterior or interior. This pic seems to at least confirm the latter.

[Photo credit: KGP Photography via Autoblog Canada]

BMW To Bring 5-Series Diesel Over In Wagon Form?!

Just when it seemed like wagon aficionados were going to have to make an occupy-every-auto-manufacturer movement, BMW swoops in with some exciting news.

If Endras BMW is to be believed (who by the way seems to have taken over representing BMW in Canada from the ever dormant BMW Canada), the 5-series is going to be available on our shore in diesel form! The 550d in Europe gets a tri-turbo 3.0 litre six which makes 375 horsepower and a whopping 546 pound feet of torque all while returning on average 6.3 L/100 kms and producing 167 g/km of carbon dioxide.

But wait, it gets better.

The 550d will also come with BMW’s X-Drive all-wheel drive system optional as well as BMW’s M package being available to spruce things up look-wise.

But probably the best news of all? This can all be had in wagon for as well. BMW had decided to not sell the 5-series wagon on our shores with the 5-series GT stepping in to fill the gap. However, as good as the 5-series GT is, it’s not exactly a sales star.

The 550d with the M-pack and in wagon form was actually Jeremy Clarkson’s pick for car of the year this year and it’s not hard to see why.

All this seems too good to be true and when that happens, it usually is. However, Endras BMW claims an 550d Xdrive M wagon can be available to us Canucks as early as March.

Now, all BMW needs to do is add a manual transmission to that wagon and boy, do we ever have one drool-worthy family hauler.

[Endras BMW]

Oh Hi: 2012 Nissan Pathfinder ‘Concept’

 Looks like Ford’s Explorer is going to be getting some steep competition in the form of the new Nissan Pathfinder….concept. Yes, despite its production ready looks, Nissan is still dubbing this one a concept.

Despite this, Nissan is giving a few details. Probably the biggest change in the new Pathfinder is its unibody platform which, as Nissan points out, reduces weight significantly. This, in addition to a new V6 mated to a CVT, means that the Pathfinder will be more efficient than the outgoing model. 25% more efficient in fact.  While there are no official fuel economy numbers just yet, a 25% reduction in fuel usage for a 7-passenger CUV is fairly impressive.

“Nissan is in a great position today.  Sales are up, market share is increasing and our dealers have a great selection of 2012 Nissan cars, trucks and SUVs in inventory,” said Michael Colleran, Regional Vice President of Field Sales and Sales Operations, Nissan Canada Inc.  “This new Pathfinder Concept is just the beginning of a far-reaching wave of new products on the horizon for Nissan.  By the end of 2012, more than 70 per cent of our sales volume will be all-new or redesigned.”

Indeed, big things are happening at Nissan and it’s a bit risky to change over the platform of a tried tested and trusty model such as the Pathfinder, but Nissan hopes this will generate into more agreeable reactions to city driving all while keeping the Pathfinder’s offroad prowess.

Once the Pathfinder is revealed in non-concept mode, there will likely be more specs to report and Car Driven will have all the details. What do you think of the Pathfinder Concept?

[Nissan Canada]

Civic Still Canadian Car-sales King

Canadians still prefer the Honda Civic despite new offerings from Hyundai, Ford, Chevrolet and Mazda.

For the 14th year in a row, the Civic has been named Canada’s best selling car with 55,090 iterations of the Civic being sold. The runner up is the Hyundai Elantra, with the Mazda3 coming in next, followed by Chevrolet’s Cruze.

“First and foremost, we thank the thousands of Canadians who bought Honda Civic models this past year to make the Civic the number one car in Canada for the fourteenth consecutive year,” said Honda Canada in a statement.

And thank them they should since this model year Civic has been widely criticized for lackluster performance, sub-par quality and boring styling – things that never would have been said about Civics of the past. This, apparently, has not deterred Canadians and Honda should thank their lucky starts for that, as Consumer Reports for the first time ever did not recommend the 2012 Civic. It is rumoured that Honda is going back to the drawing board to address these issues. The changes could come as early as the 2013 model year.

[Honda Canada]

Oh Hi: 2013 Ford Fusion

Oh hey there, pretty young thang.

Ford has released official images of the new Fusion and stylewise, it’s a winner for sure. Part of the reason might be due to the fact that this is actually the new Mondeo for Europe too and the Europeans, well, they just plain have better taste than us with certain things not least of which is car designs. Ford’s new global car campaign is paying off for us North American’s as a result.

The new Fusion gets a low-slung sleek look that easily rivals that of the Hyundai Sonota. Europeans might see this design as more of an evolution of the Mondeo, but regardless, it’s safe to say that this new design is quite agreeable.

Now for the big news. Ford is ditching its V6 in favour of a 4 cylinder line up. Many criticized Hyundai for doing the same with the Sonata, but there seems to be no indication of backlash in their sales. It’s safe to say the all four lineup won’t hurt Fusion sales either. The base trim level will get a 2.5 litre four that generates 170 horsepower and 170 pound feet of torque. This unit gets paired to a six-speed automatic only. Next option available is actually a 1.6 litre Ecoboost engine that makes 179 horsepower and 172 pound foot torque. This is interesting because it will likely be more efficient and just as powerful as the 2.5. Makes you wonder what the point of the 2.5 litre is altogether, but I digress. The top of the line engine will come in the form of a 2.0 litre turbo which makes 237 horsepower and 250 pound foot of juice. Both the latter engines will get the automatic transmission but the 1.6 can be had with a six-speed manual which should help make the most of power from that unit.

What about the hybrid?

Well it’s sticking around but it will get a 2.0 litre four cylinder Atkinson unit which replaces the 2.5 in the outgoing Fusion Hybrid. The result is 180 horses and 130 pound foot torque estimated. The result? An estimated 5 L/100 kms in the city and 5 L/100 kms on the highway.

But wait, there’s actually another hybrid version of the new Fusion called the Energi. It uses the same engine set up from the regular hybrid, but it’s actually a plug in which helps the Fusion run on pure electric power alone.

No matter what your preference is, chances are there’s a variant of the new Fusion which is at least somewhat appealing to you. Click past the jump for a few more pics.

[Ford]

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Oh Hi: 2013 Cadillac ATS

Behold, Cadillac’s answer to zee Germans.

The ATS is essentially a baby CTS that is meant to give the typical compact German performance sedans a run for their money. Specifically, Cadillac wants to eat away at BMW 3-series sales. Cadillac actually bought and stripped a 3-series to the gills in the hopes of finding out what makes the popular Bavarian sedan the benchmark. Even though BMW is just introduced the new 3-series which is supposed to be better than the one that Cadillac modeled the ATS after, but let’s just forget about that for the moment.

The ATS, like the previous generation 3-series, offers 50/50 weight balance, is the same height and offers a five link independent rear suspension. However the ATS is about 160 pounds heavier than the 3-series.

The baby Caddy will get three engine choices: a 2.5 litre four making 200 horsepower and 188 pound feet of torque, a 2.0 litre turbo four making 270 horsepower and 260 pound feet of torque and a 3.6 litre V6 which makes 318 horses and 267 pound feet of torque. Given the choice of the three, I’d say the mid level turbo is the most interesting. Regardless all engines are fitted with a proper six speed manual or an optional six speed automatic.

There’s nothing terribly shocking in terms of it’s design, it looks pretty much the way everyone expected it to look since the design of most Caddy sedans are pretty much identical. With that said, it’s a fairly agreeable design, with an eye catching interior. It’s clear from the pictures alone that GM has done it’s homework in this regard as well.

So far no performance or fuel efficiency numbers have been released. Check out a few more pics after the jump. Do you think the ATS will lure away 3-series owners?

[General Motors]

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Oh Hi: 2013 Dodge Dart

Well look what decided to show its face before the official reveal.

The all-new Dodge Dart was scheduled to be revealed at the Detroit Auto Show, however images and a preview video of Dodge’s new small sedan has been released.

Since this is not an official reveal, details are sketchy but rumours have it that either a 1.4 litre, 2.0 litre, or a 2.4 litre engine will find itself under the hood. It’s clear that there will be more than one engine option as an R/T version is expected to bow in the not too distant future.

It’s clear from the interior shots that a 6-speed manual will be available, but what’s unclear is whether the automatic option will be a 6-speed or a rumoured  9-speed automatic. Yes, you read that right, Chrysler is apparently working on a 9-speed auto. If it were my money, I’d wager that any intro of a 9-speed would find it’s way onto more premium models.

With that said, one of the main goals of the Dart’s development was to make it as fuel efficient as possible, so perhaps a 9-speed auto might be plausible. The Dart is supposed to be fairly light weigh as well. The result is an expected fuel efficiency rating of 6 L/100 kms combined.

One thing that is clear is this is not a successor for the Caliber, which has recently gotten the axe. Dodge says the Caliber is a hatchback and the Dart is a sedan, so therefore it can’t be a replacement. Um, okay.

More details are expected to come, but for now enjoy the video above.

What do you think of Dodge’s new offering in the compact segment?

[Inside Line]

Test Drive: 2012 Volkswagen Beetle 2.5

By Kevin Harrison

Jon Voight turned 73 last week. Can you believe it? The man best known for his role in The Rainmaker in the 1990′s, his outspoken liberal political views and, most notably, for helping to spawn Angelina Jolie has actually been around for over seven decades. It seems like just yesterday he was playing Ben Stiller’s coal-miner father in Zoolander. He certainly has quite the resume.

Although as impressive as it is, the Volkswagen Beetle certainly has done a lot in its 73-year history as well. It’s the most manufactured car based off a single design (though the Porsche 911 could take second place easily). There were 21,529,464 Beetles sold worldwide and that was up until 2003 when that first generation body style officially went out of production. In fact, that body style was the star of my all-time favourite Disney movie (and probably the only Disney movie I’ve ever liked), Herbie. No one could beat the little Bug with the #53 painted on its hood, even though many Lancia’s, Alfa Romeos, Lamborghinis and Ferrari’s tried. Back then as a mini car nut, Herbie, and subsequently the Beetle, earned a special place in my heart. Even to this day when I see a Type 1 Beetle it puts a smile on my face.

I remember being fairly unimpressed with the ‘New Beetle’ which debuted in 1998. While the overall shape of the original was captured, it’s bubble styling cuteness was hard to overlook. It was clear that Volkswagen was after a specific market with the New Beetle and it was not me. Available in a wide variety of bright colours and even a daisy on the dash, the New Beetle become quite a hit with mostly women. Meanwhile I, and pretty much every male on the planet, was left wondering what Volkswagen had done with my beloved Herbie.

Well it seems Volkswagen has had a new train of thought with this all-new second generation New Beetle. Volkswagen realized that in order to achieve their goal of world domination, they had to make a vehicle that pleased both men and women alike.

Have they succeeded?

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