Oh Hi: 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS

Mercedes-Benz decided to leak official pictures of the next generation CLS ahead of its official debut at the Paris Auto Show.

The car that started the whole four door coupe craze retains a similar sweeping profile, with some S-Class added to the mix, along with a front facia more in line with the rest of the Mercedes-Benz family.

If you thought Audi is going nuts with LED lights, then think again. Mercedes is going to be the new LED king. There are 71 LED bulbs in the headlight cluster alone! The headlights, daytime running lights, turn singals and side lights are all going to be LED. Same story goes for the tail lights, which now have a more eye catching design. While that may look cool, that just means more of a chance of lights burning out down the road. Probably costly to replace too. The interior is all new as well with a three spoke steering wheel now standard as well as a steering column gear shift like the S-Class has. No manumatic option then?

No word on engine specs, however expect a 3.5 litre V6 and a 4.6 litre V8 to be available. An AMG version will come down the road.

With BMW already green lighting its Gran Coupe concept, and Audi premiering the A7, the refreshed CLS could not have come at a better time.

Click here for more pics.

[Mercedes-Benz via Autoblog]

Saab and BMW Team Up for Upcoming Audi A1 Fighter

Auto Express apparently has it on good word that Saab has officially inked a deal with BMW to build its upcoming sub-compact 9-2.  Rumour also has it that BMW will lend a helping hand with the next generation 9-3.

The 9-2, however, will use the Mini chasis along with other technologies from the lovable little Cooper.

According a Spyker exec: “We could build the 9-2 on our own, but that wouldn’t make sense. Thanks to the crisis in the industry, everyone is willing to share everything. So Spyker couldn’t have bought Saab at a better time.”

Official: Porsche Will Build 918 Spyder!

YES!

Thanks to all those luck enough to afford a 918 Spyder writing in to Porsche. It’s because of that that Porsche was able to build a business case to build the 918 Spyder and now it has officially been confirmed. It will indeed enter production, albeit in limited numbers.

I think this is going to be the most significant car for the next five years, despite what GM may tell you about its Volt (see my post below for why I have doubts). While I appreciate the Volt and am very intrigued by it, I think Porsche is going to truely upstage it with the 918 Spyder. Being able to make a car that can get from 0-100 in 3.9 seconds, emit just 70 g/km of carbon dioxide all while getting 3 L/100 kms is astonishing. Mind boggling even. On top of that, the 918 Spyder will be able to keep classic handling abilities that Porsche is known for and will be quite the looker if the concept is any indication.

Pricing is the downside, but that’s the case for any supercar. It is expected to start around $650,000 US. Yikes. But considering the technology packed into it and what it’s capable of, I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised. Also this is likely the reason why it will be produced in limited numbers. I’d be surprised if Porsche was able to make any profit on it too, actually.

People are already saying that this could be the successor to the amazing Carrera GT. And if the history of the Carrera GT is any indication, the 918 Spyder should have no problem fitting in with the big boys.

[Canadian Driver]

Oh Hi: 2011 Ford Explorer

After being more of a tease than Marilyn Monroe with teaser shots, Ford decided to finally release the 2011 Explorer for all to see.

The team at Ford had quite the challenge as the demand for SUV’s has dwindled significantly, let alone for the Ford Explorer which is now quite long in the tooth. The public just isn’t interested in gas guzzling, body on frame SUV’s anymore. Poor fuel consumption, harsh ride and horrible handling capabilities really just don’t seem appealing anymore (I don’t know why they were ever appealing in the first place).

So for the first time ever Ford has been the Explorer a unibody design on the same platform as the Taurus and Flex. It is, as Ford puts it, a crossover. However I always tend to use that term with caution, but we’ll go with it for now.

This new Explorer will initially get a choice of either a normally aspirated 3.5 V6 or a 2.0 litre four cylinder Eco-boost. These engines will be 30% more efficient regarless of which engine you choose.

For more info and pics, click here.

Oh Hi: 2011 Heico Sportiv Volvo S60

Even though the 2011 Volvo S60 is not officially available for sale yet, that hasn’t stopped tuning company Heico Sportiv from having a go at Volvo’s latest stylish offering.

They took the standard T6 engine and boosted output by 30 horsepower. As a result the Heico Sportiv S60 develops 330 horses and 300 pound feet of torque. In addition, Heico Sportive revised the front facia, gave it some big gunmetal coloured wheels, and a rear diffuser with a quad tailpipe set up. Nice.

They also plan on reconfiguring the exhaust and suspension to more sporting tastes. If they give it a six speed manual transmission too, I’d say they have a winner. I’ll take mine in the matte black pictured above too!

[Autoblog]

Oh Hi: 2011 BMW X3

Behold, the 2011 BMW X3!

We’ve seen spy shots for a while now and after a test mule created a bomb scare in New York, BMW has finally released official images of the second generation  X3.

The new X3 is now wider, taller and longer – something not entirely unexpected thanks to the introduction of the X1 due out next year. The new X3 also gets a bigger signature kidney grille, a more square looking headlight cluster with halo lights standard and signature LED tail lights that are now more in line with the rest of the BMW family.

The X3 Xdrive28i (yes, BMW is still all over that new foolish name scheme) will feature a naturally aspirated 3.0 litre inline six making 240 horsepower and 230 pound feet of torque. This engine is likely going to be the one used in the next generation 128i and 328i as well. 0-100 will take 6.7 seconds, a half a second quicker than the old X3. The X3 Xdrive35i will make 300 horsepower and 300 pound feet of torque from BMW’s new N55 single turbo inline six. 0-100 will take 5.5 seconds.

The new X3 will feature an eight-speed automatic as well as updated everything from the struts, to the suspension.

Production is expected to start at the end of this year. No word yet on Canadian pricing.

For more pics, click here.

[Autoblog]

Drool: BMW Releases Video of 1-Series M Coupe

Even though it is still fully camouflaged, BMW has released an official video of the upcoming 1-Series M. In the video, they do not give it an official name, but BMW has said that it will not be called the M1. That name is reserved for the original M1 and for a possible successor down the road.

Rumours of power have been all over the map, but the most consistant seems to be in the 320 horsepower range, about 20 more than a regular 135i. The 1-series M will also add two more air intakes, two additional ducts, wider fenders, a more pronounced ducktail shaped trunk spoiler, and of course drilled rotors are large brakes. Oh, and those sweet looking wheels will indeed make it to production as well.

No word yet on pricing, but BMW did say that the 1-Series M will only be available in limited numbers.

Oh Hi: 2011 Smart Fortwo

Even though our Amurrican neighbours haven’t quite warmed up to the little bug that is the Smart Fortwo, parent company Mercedes-Benz thinks a slight refresh will help boost sales.

Here in Canada, Smart sales have been better, but have trailed off a bit lately, so the refresh is a good idea.

Though you probably can’t tell by looking at it, the new Smart gets a slightly revised front facia, optional LED running lights (how Mercedes) and newly designed 15 inch alloy wheels. A new range of colours is now available too, not least of which is a matte finish option.

The interior is updated with new fabrics and a leather steering wheel is now optional.

The big news is the new power plant choices. Those in Europe still get the CDI diesel engine, however we still will not. Thanks for that one, America. You’re foolish habits keep affecting us. But anyway, horsepower will get a boost from 70 horsepower to 83. The Brabus edition will now be more than just an appearance package. Brabus editions will feature a 100 horsepower engine.

Now if only Smart could address the horrid automatic transmission of the Fortwo. It’s probably the worst I’ve ever encountered in any vehicle.

No word yet on fuel efficiency numbers. Mercedes-Benz has announced improved efficiency with the 2011 Smart now rated at 4.9 l/100 kms city over the current version’s 5.9 l/100 kms city. Better, but still not as good as the CDI’s 3.9  city rating.

[Top Speed]

Oh Hi: 2011 Volvo V60

We’ve known about the V60′s existence for a while, we’ve even seen pics of it without any camo, so there aren’t really any surprises here, but now we have an official reveal and I must say it looks fantastic.

The very shapely and sporty looking wagon apparently enjoys being taken by the scruff of the neck. The video Volvo has released above shows just how well the wagon can handle the elements. Volvo has bragged about the new S60′s handling capabilities, so it’s safe to say the V60 can pull off similar tricks, only with more room for all your stuff.

Even though Volvo has had huge amounts of success with its SUV’s (I came away quite impressed with the XC60 for instance), I really appreciate that they haven’t given up on their wagons, which have really helped to catapult Volvo’s sales in the past.

This new V60 will replace the V70 & V50 (at least in our market). The XC70 will still stick around for those who want a bit more space and a bit more off-road capability. As you would expect, you get all the usual Volvo safety bits as standard.

In any event, looks like another winner from Volvo.

Check out some pics at Autoblog

[Volvo via Autoblog]

Oh Hi: Victoria Beckham and the 2011 Range Rover Evoque

Top Gear was invited to the official unveiling of the new baby Land Rover, once thought to be called the LRX, but is officially called the Range Rover Evoque. Car Driven’s invite to the event must’ve gotten lost in the mail.

Anyway, topgear.com has posted some pics and I must say it doesn’t look so bad. Victoria too. She could stand to put on a few pounds though. Anyway, this new baby range is going to be the lightest most fuel efficient Range Rover ever. There were rumours that it was going to be front-wheel drive only, but according to the press release from Land Rover, the Evoque will compete in the 4WD compact luxury SUV segment. Therefore it stands to reason that the Evoque will indeed be 4WD.

Also according to Top Gear’s Tom Ford, the reason why Posh Spice was in attendance was because she is the new creative design executive for Range Rover. She’s going to design special editions. I still can’t tell if he’s joking about that one or not. Turns out it’s not a joke, the least talented member of the Spice Girls indeed holds the position. Yeesh.

The Evoque will make its second public appearance at the Paris Auto show in September where more details are likely to be released. Expect the Evoque to be ready for North American showrooms in the fall of 2011.

Official pic after the jump.

[Top Gear]

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BMW’s Supercar to be Called M8? May Have Hybrid Set Up

It’s going to be the battle of the 8′s! M8 vs. R8.

BMW’s new supercar is reportedly going to be called the M8 according to Autozeitung. It is going to take aim directly at the Audi R8.

The M8 is going to take a lot of styling cues from the Vision Efficient Dynamics concept pictured above. That concept uses a diesel-hybrid engine which relies mostly on torque for its get-up-and-go and was thought to carry over to the production model, but apparently BMW has dropped that idea in favour of another hybrid set up.

They will reportedly take the power plant from the upcoming M5 which is expected to produce 580 horsepower from either a V8 or a V10. They are then going to add two electric motors for added boost and of course for added efficiency. Since it’s a BMW, the weight will be distributed properly with one electric motor in the front, and the other in the back for perfect weight distribution. Total output is expected to be in between 600 and 700 horsepower!

Add the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG into the mix and you’ve got yourself one tasty German supercar showdown. Can’t wait!

[Autozeitung via BMWblog]

Oh Hi: 2011 Mini Cooper Lineup

When BMW isn’t prodding Porsche to race, they’re hard at work refreshing the Mini lineup for the 2011 model year. We’ve pretty much seen what the refresh is going to look like through spy shots, but BMW has released official photos of the Cooper lineup.

The biggest news is that both engines get a boost in power. The regular Cooper gets a bump from 115 horsepower to 122, while the spicier Cooper S gets its power boosted from 172 to 180. Mini is still going to stick to turbocharging the Cooper S models, mostly to keep fuel efficiency numbers in check.

On top of that, the Coopers will all get LED tail lights, a slightly refreshed front facia and the Camden edition will be optional on every Cooper trim level, not just limited to the Cooper S like it is now.

Click here to check out an aray of pics, courtesy of Autoblog.

[Mini via Autoblog]

WTF? 2011 Honda Accord

It’s very clear that Honda had absolutely no ideas when it came to refreshing the 2011 Accord.  They must’ve thought “oh, let’s just add some red reflector strips to the trunk lid to make the Accord tackier”

The front facia is also slightly revised and is now a bit more similar to the Crosstour, which is also a bad idea.

The automatic transmission equipped with the four cylinder has been revised and is now more efficient – by two mpgs.

The coupe also gets similar updates as the sedan except if you opt for the automatic, you get paddle shifters. Also V6 models get different alloys.

Yup, it’s all very exciting, isn’t it?

Check out pics of the coupe after the jump if you care.

Read the rest of this entry »

2012 Saab 9-3 to Have BMW Underpinnings?

Spyker is serious about turning its newly acquired brand, Saab, into a serious world contender that can take on zee German heavyweights such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi.

It looks like the tides are turning away from terminal GM influence on the Swedish brand. The newly designed 9-5 is now out, the 9-4 crossover is next on the docket, Spyker is making an 1-series, A1 and Mini fighter called the 9-2 (meant to be a throw back to the tear drop design) and now they’re promising an all-new redesigned 9-3 sedan for 2012.

Spyker is going to revive the hatchback design of the old 900 series and make a convertible version. If they’re smart, they’ll also revive the Viggen models as well. After personally driving a 2000 9-3 Viggen, I can say that, despite the notorious turbo lag, it was one spicy Swedish meatball. I definitely have a soft spot for it.

Reports are swirling around the interwebs that Spyker has been in talks with BMW to help out with the chasis of the new 9-3 as well as the engines. The powerplant in the Mini Countryman is supposedly being considered. BMW has reportedly agreed to supply these underpinnings and if that’ true, the new 9-3 will definitely be a big contender.

Armed with BMW blood, the new 9-3′s goal is to take on the Audi A3 specifically. Should be interesting!

[Autocar]

Rumour: Next Gen Mitsubishi EVO to Be A Hybrid?

AutoCar is reporting that the next generation Mitsubishi EVO is going to be a hybrid. Before all you performance afficionados and EVO enthusiasts hang yourselves with that rope in the closet, the new hybrid set up is expected to be a diesel-hybrid. That means incredible amounts of wonderful torque, so don’t think for a minute that the EVO will turn into a lazy, yet efficient, dog.

Still not satisfied? Well it’s a take it or leave it situation apparently. The EVO is supposedly very close to being killed off due to all the gas it consumes and the new CAFE standards. The new diesel hybrid will ensure frugal gas abilities yet great performance. It will also cut CO2 emissions to 200 g/km.

0-100 is estimated to be under 5 seconds, but the real challenge will be to keep all that weight down and make it so it doesn’t upset the handling – of which many consider the EVO to be the best at.

[Autocar]