BMW M3 GT Coming?!

Rumours are floating around the internets (from fairly reliable sources too) that the next generation M3 sedan will be replaced by a GT hatchback version similar to the 55oi GT pictured above.

I must say, I really liked the 550i GT that I tested a while back because it blended excellent performance and handling with a luxurious comfortable drive and excellent versatility. But that’s not what M cars are about.

M cars, specifically M3′s are all about raw performance and eff anything else. That means ride quality, luxury, versatility, and reliability even all take a back seat to the raw performance.  Adding some versatility to a vehicle that has traditionally been a raw performance coupe since its inception is a bit like adding a business degree to a porn star’s education.

Still, there’s something deliciously awesome about the CTS-V Wagon, the C63 AMG wagon and the RS3 hatchback.  And when you think about it, BMW has no high performance car that is also practical. The M3 GT is probably meant to that void. Sure the X5 M and X6 M are options, but let’s get real here. While they are tremendous for SUV’s they are still SUV’s nonetheless. Showing up to a track in your X6 M is pretty ridiculous afterall.

[Inside Line]

Sneak Peak: Saab 9-4X

Set to officially debut at the Los Angeles Motor Show in November, a Saab nut over at Saabs United was actually able to snag a pic of the production version.

Now under the ownership of Spyker, it seemsthings are chugging along quite nicely for Saab after being dangerously close to death. Spyker seems to be respecting the overall Saab design philosophy that makes Saab such quirky loveable cars.

Since this Saab was planned and developped under General Motors, it actually shares the same platform as the Cadillac SRX. It is expected to get possibly the same 2.8 litre turbocharged V6, however the 2.0 litre turbocarged inline four found in the 2010 9-5 is also a possibility, what with efficiency being on the mind of everyone. As the ‘X’ in the name suggests, AWD will be standard.

[Saabs United]

Test Drive: 2010 Cadillac CTS 6-Speed Manual

By Kevin Harrison

After President Obama put GM on a much needed diet – shedding itself of brands it didn’t need, he also stipulated that they do something about their gas guzzling line up or else government money would disappear quicker than Jessica Simpson’s sex appeal.

So the restructuring process began. For Cadillac, the new SRX is now Saturn Vue sized, the DTS and STS are going to be axed in favour of a single model and a new entry level Caddy is expected to be introduced to comepete against the likes of BMW 3-series et al.

So where does that leave the CTS?

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Another Reason To Hate it: Escalade Top Pick For Thieves

Isn’t it just the best when people get what they have coming to them?

Well the likeliness of that ringing true has just increased for Cadillac Escalade owners because the Highway Data Loss Institute has just released its list of vehicles with the highest and lowest insurance claims or thefts. You guessed it, the Cadillac Escalade took top honours for most stolen. Another reason to hate it!

But wait, you must be asking yourself “how can the Escalade be such a hot item for thieves? What about GM’s infamous Onstar?” Well, car thieves are quite crafty these days. All they do is take a flat bed truck, and load it on. By the time the douchebag owner realizes that their sweet ride has been stolen, the thieves have already deactivated the Onstar system which means the Escalade is now untrackable.

Which car is least likely to be stolen? Somewhat unsurprisingly, the Volvo S80. While that may be good news for S80 owners, wouldn’t that make them wonder why no one even wants to steal their car? Just sayin’.

Hit the jump to see the rest of the top 10 highest stolen and least stolen vehicles. Is your car on the list?

[Highway Data Loss Institute]

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No You Can’t: Obama’s Ride Will Not Be A Hybrid

Obama’s new fuel efficiency standards will come into effect in 2016 which is great for the environment, but a headache for most manufacturers who are struggling to meet the standards in time.

At the risk of becoming hypocritical, the President asked that his 2009 custom Prestidential Limo be transformed into a hybrid as soon as he got into office.

During his recent trip to North Carolina, Obama was asked how the hybrid transformation of his ride was coming along. His answer? It’s not.

The 2009 limo that Obama gets shuffled around in is cutsom made for the man himself by Cadillac. Among many other things, it carries heavy duty weapons on board, emergency medicine, and is bomb proof. Naturally, all of this translates into substancial amounts of weight gain. If fact, Obama’s limo weighs roughly three times more than the average car! So, Obama was told by the Secret Service that it’s not possible.  The limo needs to be able to make quick getaways in emergency situations and, frankly, hybrids can be as slow as Heidi Montag.

Instead, the limo uses a heavy duty diesel for power, which allows it to make quick getways along with exceptional efficiency.

It was a good idea while it lasted, Barack, but your safety is likely more important.

Oh Hi: 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Wagon

This is how you do a wagon properly, Acura. People who buy wagons don’t necessarily want to be reminded that they are driving a wagon. You don’t want to make your customer feel like a 70 year old just because they have kids and need more space.

How do you do that? Well, you offer a copious amounts of power. Then you offer a manual transmission (we can’t stress that one enough). Then you make it handle like the dickens and ta da! You have just made a desirable wagon. That’s it. That’s all you need to do to keep performance purists who happen to need room more often than not, happy.

And it just so happens that Cadillac has discovered the uncomplicated formula as they had the bright idea of making a wagon version of the CTS-V sedan. The CTS coupe is also going to be offered in V guise as well. Kudos to Cadillac for making a family car for us performance nuts. The CTS-V wagon will get the same 556 horsepower V8 with 551 pound feet of torque that the sedan gets.

The CTS-V wagon will go on sale in late 2010, expect “limited availability” however.

Wagon Comeback: Acura TSX To Get More Junk in the Trunk

Call us crazy, but we are going to predict a swift return of the wagon. That’s not to say the end of the SUV, but CUV’s are definitely becoming all the rage, and let’s face it, they’re just jacked up station wagons. The term ‘station wagon’ is pretty taboo in the car world so you’ll hear car companies come up with new cooler sounding names such as ‘Sportcombi’ or ‘Avant’. Call it whatever you want, they’re wagons.

But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes you just need to haul more stuff more often than not and you shouldn’t have to sacrifice performance and fuel consumption (like an SUV) in order to get it. Hence, our prediction of the return of the wagon.

Honda has officially announced that the Acura TSX wagon will make its debut at this year’s  New York Auto Show. You don’t debut a model at a U.S auto show unless you plan on selling it in the U.S, so it’s safe to say it’s on its way and insiders are whispering rumours or a fall debut at dealerships. No word yet on powertrain options, but the RDX’s turbo’d  4-cylinder is a strong possibility along with SH-AWD. If they make a stick available then colour us officially intrigued.

Acura is just the latest to step up to the wagon plate with Cadillac introducing a wagon version of their CTS (with rumours of a CTS-V wagon in the works), Saab continuing on with 9-5 and 9-3 wagons, and Volvo slotting a new wagon in their lineup as well.

GM Kicks Toyota While They’re Down

To say the automotive business is a tough business is quite an understatement. No one knows this better than GM.

Things got so bad that they had to run to the government, with promises of change,to ask for money or else the entire company would go bankrupt. And both American and Canadian governments gave the A-OK to the loan, despite lots of public outrage at the mere notion of a bailout.

But now that GM is semi-back on its feet, and paying back those loans, it seems that they have all but forgotten what it’s like to be down on your luck as they are aiming at taking advantage of Toyota’s misfortune.

GM is offering Toyota owners some incentives if they jump ship. From now until the end of February, if you take in your Toyota and buy a Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet or GMC vehicle you can choose from three different incentives.

Find out what they are after the jump

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