It was bound to happen; the very first official press photos of the new 2012 Porsche 911 were leaked onto the internet today well ahead of the sports coupe's world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show in mid-September. If you're having a hard time spotting the styling changes we won't blame you as the 991 was closely modeled after the outgoing 997. And while there may be more differences than we care to mention, the most eye-catching alterations concern the concave front LED daytime running lamps, the door-mounted exterior mirrors and the much thinner and more futuristic looking LED tail lamps that adorn the more heavily sculpted rear end. As anticipated, the new 911's interior blends the two styling worlds of the 997 and the Panamera into one. A key highlight is the pronounced lower part of the center console that hosts a number of buttons. Move away from the styling and you'll find a larger platform with a 4.0-inch longer wheelbase as well as a new pair of engines, with the basic Carrera sporting a 3.4-liter boxer delivering 350HP, and the Carrera S, a 3.8-liter flat-six producing around 400-horsepower. In both models, power is channeled to the driving wheels through a new 7-speed manual gearbox or an optional PDK transmission. Stay tuned on Carscoop for more news on the new Porsche 911, as it won't be long before the German automaker comes out with a full release.
For the first time in the SLK's history, Mercedes-Benz is offering a diesel-powered version of its small hardtop roadster that will be available for order in Europe from September 13, 2011. The new SLK 250 CDI makes use of the Stuttgart-based automaker's 2.1-liter turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine delivering 204-horses (150kW) and a hefty 500Nm (368.8 lb-ft) of peak torque. Power is transferred to the rear wheels through a standard 7G-TRONIC PLUS automatic transmission, but Mercedes said a six-speed manual gearbox will also be available in the second quarter of next year. With the 7sp auto, the SLK 250 CDI can go from zero to 100km/h (62mph) in 6.7 seconds, accelerate from 80 to 120km/h in 4.3 seconds, and reach a top speed of 243 km/h (151mph). And while performance is on par with the gasoline-powered SLK 250 BlueEfficiency that features a 1.8-liter turbocharged four-pot with 204HP (0-100km/h in 6.6 sec, 243 km/h top speed), the diesel SLK really shines when it comes to fuel economy. According to Mercedes, the SLK 250 CDI returns a combined fuel consumption of 4.9lt/100km (48mpg US or 57.7mpg UK) versus the SLK 250 BlueEfficiency's 6.2 lt/100 km (38 US mpg or 45.6mpg UK). Like all third-generation SLK models, the SLK 250 CDI also features a start/stop system as standard, and is available with a choice of three versions of the vario-roo, including the panoramic glass roof with MAGIC SKY CONTROL that allows it to be changed from dark to transparent at the touch of a button. In Germany, the new Mercedes SLK 250 CDI is priced from €41,828.50 (US$60,065). Mercedes did not say if it has any plans to offer the diesel-powered SLK in the States, but we wouldn’t hold our breath.
This is the first official image or rather sketch of the all-new Jaguar C-X16 study which will make its world premiere at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show on September 13. The British automaker describes the C-X16 as a "production concept" adding that it is a "precursor to future Jaguar sports cars that will aim to set new class benchmarks in design, vehicle dynamics and technology". Jaguar did not say whether the C-X16 previews a replacement for the current XK or as recent reports suggested, a new and smaller model lightly inspired from the iconic E-Type that would rival the Porsche Cayman and Boxster sports cars. Among the few details revealed about the C-X16 is that it is designed by the same team responsible for the XJ, XF and XK, headed of course by Jaguar Director of Design Ian Callum, who had this to say about the study: "Great Jaguars have always been beautiful, innovative and have looked firmly to the future. The finished C-X16 concept has the potential to do these things while retaining the ability to surprise, to excite and invigorate." Adrian Hallmark, Global Brand Director, was quoted by the British firm as saying: "Jaguar has set in place bold, ambitious plans for the future. This production concept demonstrates the depth of design and engineering ability we have within Jaguar to make these plans come to life – I look forward to sharing this latest, exciting step at the Frankfurt Motor Show." Expect more information and photos of the new Jaguar C-X16 to be revealed closer to the Frankfurt Show.
Hyundai plans to unveil a brand-new C-segment model to replace the first-generation of its i30 at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month. Like the current model, the 2012 i30 is a product of Hyundai’s design and engineering center in Russelsheim, Germany and is designed exclusively for the European market. Hyundai's European design boss Thomas Burkle says the i30's styling represents the next evolution of the firm's form language, ‘fluidic sculpture’. What this means is that it shares a lot of common design features with Hyundai's more recent models like the ix20, the ix35, the Veloster and the i40. Recent spy photos suggest that the interior will also share many elements with the i40 and the Veloster coupe. “When designing the new i30, we used strong, fluid lines to sculpt a car which looks athletic while exuding a sense of constant motion, even when stationary," said Burkle. "From the rendering, you can see how we managed to give the car a bold stance, transmitting a confident attitude through sporty characteristics and dynamic proportions. In this way, the car is very close to the recently unveiled i40, and we want people to recognise the Hyundai design DNA on those two models,” continued Burkle. Under the fresh sheetmetal, the i30 will likely feature MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link arrangement at the rear. Even though Hyundai is keeping its cards close to its chest, the engine line-up is believed to include the 140HP direct injection 1.6-liter gasoline unit from the ix35 as well as a more fuel efficient "Blue" edition. Allan Rushforth, Senior Vice President and COO of Hyundai Motor Europe, commented, “We expect this next-generation i30 to play a significant role in developing our brand image in Europe and strengthen the vehicle’s position as our best-seller in Europe. Hyundai's Ford Focus and VW Golf rivaling i30 will be manufactured at the firm's plant in the Czech Republic before going on sale early next year.
It's been a long time in the making, but Suzuki is finally ready to add a sporty variant to the Swift's range. The Japanese automaker released a single photo and details of the Swift Sport ahead of its official debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month. The new Swift Sport is powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with an output of 135HP at 6,900 rpm and maximum torque of 160 Nm (118 lb/ft) at 4,400 rpm. The four-cylinder engine was developed especially for the Swift Sport and it transmits power to the front wheels via a newly developed six-speed manual gearbox. According to Suzuki, the new Swift Sport is more refined than its predecessor that was launched in 2006. The company says it will also be more responsive thanks to struts with internal rebound springs and a redesigned rear suspension. While it has a more aggressive look than the regular versions thanks to the large honeycombed front grille, the redesigned front bumper with the big fog lights and the side skirts, it isn't as wild as the Swift S-Concept we saw at the Geneva Show last March. Although Suzuki has not released any photos of the interior, the company claims that “it combines essential sportiness with a high-quality look and feel”. If you want a preview of the cockpit, take a look at the photo of the S-Concept as we reckon most parts including the sport seats will make it into production.
From the moment we saw the XV Concept at the Shanghai Motor Show last April, we knew that it was a thinly disguised study of Subaru’s new Impreza-based crossover. And we were right: the Japanese company announced today that the production version of the XV will make its world premiere at the opening of the Frankfurt Motor Show on September 13. Subaru also released a cropped sketch of the XV showing the car's front end. As expected, it doesn’t differ much from the concept, and we expect the same to be true of the interior. The Concept was powered by a 2.0-liter flat-four engine coupled to a continuously variable transmission (CVT), which will most likely make it on the XV. Power will be directed, as is customary for Subaru’s models, to all four wheels. Production of the new Subaru XV will begin in late 2011 and the first deliveries are expected in early 2012.
It's showtime for Audi that just released the first sketches of its Frankfurt Motor Show-bound Urban Concept a couple of days after a camouflaged prototype made a public appearance at the Potsdamer Platz in Berlin Germany during a video shoot. The official sketches show a lower and sleeker design with more futuristic styling elements than what we saw in the video footage of the car, but that's usually the case with all designer renderings. Audi says the Urban Concept is an ultra-light car for congested urban spaces that is not based on any previous model. It is built around a central carbonfibre monocoque and rolls on massive wheels with a 21-inch diameter. Power comes courtesy of two e-tron electric motors that draw energy from a lithium-ion battery. A sliding canopy that forms part of the body opens up to allow the driver and one passenger to enter the car. The cockpit consists of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer, which integrates the undercarriage of both seats. The driver is seated in front and to the left while, the passenger behind and to the right. Audi says the driver can adjust the steering wheel and pedals to his own body measurements. More details on the Urban Concept are to be released closer to the Frankfurt Motor Show.
The Opel Insignia is entering the 2012 model year with some modest upgrades that include the broader availability of the 1.4-liter and 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engines in more markets across Europe and new technology systems. Even though Opel makes word of a new 1.4-liter Turbo petrol that replaces the naturally aspirated 1.8-liter unit with the same output, as well as a new 2.0-liter turbocharged petrol for the 4x4 model with 30 more horses for a total of 250HP, we know for a fact that both engines were already available in certain market. That said, we reckon Opel means it will roll out the new engine options to all markets across Europe with the 2012 Insignia. As a reminder, the 1.4-liter Turbo ecoFLEX offers the Insignia a 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint time of 10.9 seconds and a top speed of 205km/h, while returning a combined fuel efficiency of 5.9lt/100km (39.9mpg US with CO2 emissions of 134g/km. The 250HP (184kW) 2.0-liter Turbo accelerates the Insignia 4x4 from zero to 100km/h) in 7.5 seconds and on to an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). It consumes 8.9 lt/100 km (26.4mpg US) on average with CO2 emissions of 209g/km. For the new model year, Opel will also enhance the 220HP 2.0-liter Turbo Insignia with front-wheel drive and six-speed manual transmission, with a start/stop system, aerodynamic underbody paneling and rolling-resistance-optimized tires, all of which will help reduce fuel consumption by 0.5 to 7.6 liters per 100km and CO2 emissions from 189g/km to 179g/km. Throughout the range, Buick Regal's European counterpart benefits from the new Navi 600 and Navi 900 Europa infotainment systems featuring SD cards, a revised front camera that adds a Following Distance Indication function to the traffic sign recognition and lane departure warning systems, new available leather trims and a new dark metallic lacquer “Luxor" exterior color. The updated for the 2012 model year Opel Insignia will make its first public appearance at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
At the 2008 Paris Motor Show, Toyota lifted the wraps off the third generation Avensis, which went on sale across Europe in both four-door sedan and station wagon formats in January of 2009. Even though Toyota's proposal in Europe's highly-competitive mid-size segment has only been in the market for less than three years, the Japanese carmaker has apparently decided to give the Avensis a mid-life facelift to help bolster its position in market. And while Toyota was evidently trying to keep its plans on the refreshed Avensis under secrecy, a reader of the Dutch car magazine Autoweek stumbled upon two completely undisguised models and made good use of his camera. The pictures show that both the sedan and station wagon variants of the 2012 Avensis gain a new front fascia that bring it line with Toyota's latest models such as the Yaris and the upcoming FT-86. Aside from the new front grille, the refreshed Avensis gets reshaped headlamps and a redesigned bumper. The styling tweaks continue at the rear end with the restyled tail lamps and the new bumper. If you head over to Autoweek, you'll find a few more pictures including one of the interior, though we couldn't manage to spot any changes inside due to the poor quality of the image. We're still waiting for Toyota to issue a press statement about its plans for the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, but chances are the 2012 Avensis will be among the cars to debut at the German show.
Undisguised prototypes of the upcoming 2012 Porsche 911 are quickly becoming a more common sight than Bratwurst sausages in Germany. In our latest encounter, a barely disguised 991 test car equipped with a sunroof was caught filling up at a gas station in Stuttgart before firing up its six-cylinder boxer engine and driving away. Turn up the volume of your speakers and follow the jump to enjoy the video.
Designing a new car from scratch is a relatively easy task for an automaker –provided it has the resources. Replacing an icon, however, is much more difficult. Especially if said icon has a long and distinguished history and has made its manufacturer synonymous to hardcore 4x4 capabilities. The Defender is one such example. However, that’s what Land Rover intends to do, and the first step will reportedly be the unveiling of a new Defender concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Land Rover director John Edwards told Autocar magazine that he “can’t imagine not producing a successor” to the four-wheel drive that established the brand. However the market is now much more competitive and Land Rover's owner Tata Motors must find a way to make the new Defender a credible rival that can command higher prices without losing its legendary character. Edwards admits that for the project, which is scheduled to begin production in 2015, to be viable, annual sales must be in the 60-80,000 units region. In comparison, only 18,000 Defenders were sold worldwide last year. Edwards says that, like the 4x4 it intends to replace, it must be versatile and reliable enough to adapt to army use. Currently Land Rover is considering all options for the new Defender’s underpinnings, from using a modified Discovery chassis to designing something completely new. Whatever the British company decides, one thing is for sure: they need to satisfy the loyalists and at the same time attract a much larger clientele.
Emerging from the rumormill are talks about Ferrari getting ready to reveal a convertible version of its new 458 Italia supercar at next month's 2011 Frankfurt auto show. According to the report from Germany's Auto Motor und Sport magazine, like its predecessor, the 458 Italia Spider will be offered with an electrically operated cloth convertible top that disappears behind the front seats. Under the hood, the 458 Italia Spider will sport the same 4.5-liter V8 engine with direct injection technology found in the coupe model. The V8 delivers 570 horsepower at 9,000 rpm and a peak torque of 540Nm or 398.2 lb-ft at 6,000 rpm. All that grunt will be sent to the rear wheels through Ferrari's highly-acclaimed 7-speed F1 dual-clutch gearbox. Expect to see the Spider version in showrooms in 2012.
