Geneva Preshow: Maserati's Go-Faster GrandCabrio Sport

It's been a year-and-a-half since Maserati lifted the wraps off a drop-top version of its GranTurismo coupe at the Frankfurt Motor Show in late 2009, and now the Italians are getting ready to expand the range of the GranCabrio with the presentation of a sportier variant at the upcoming Geneva Auto Show.

The new GranCabrio Sport follows in the footsteps of its hardtop sibling offering an improved chassis, more horse power and optimized gearshift response. The convertible is motivated by a more potent and fuel-efficient version of the firm's all-alloy 4.7-litre naturally-aspirated V8 churning out 450HP and 510 Nm or 376.2 lb-ft of peak torque, an increase of 10HP and 20Nm respectively over the standard GranCabrio. The top speed of the GranCabrio Sport is 285km/h or 177mph.

The company said the engine benefits from what it describes as "Maserati’s Friction Reduction Program", without providing any specific details, but claims a 6% reduction in fuel consumption.

The V8 is coupled to an upgraded ZF six-speed automatic transmission equipped with the MC Auto Shift software from the Quattroporte Sport GT S, which promises faster shift times. Maserati's engineers also revised the car's Skyhook active-suspension system and added grooved and drilled dual-cast brake discs.

On the outside, the GranCabrio Sport receives some mild tweaks in the form of a black grille, smoked headlamps with white sidemarks, new front corner splitters and redesigned side skirts. There's also a new shade of red called Rosso Trionfale, said to have been inspired by the red Italian national colors used on 1950s racing Maseratis.

Sales of the GranCabrio Sport will start from summer 2011.

BMW Sub-Brand, will Launch in 2013

It's been a long time in the making, but the BMW Group today confirmed its new sub-brand called "i", with which it will market a new lineup of eco-friendly vehicles including regular and plug-in hybrids, and pure electric models as well as an additional range of mobility services.

The first models to be launched under the new sub-brand from 2013 are the BMW i3 and i8. The BMW i3 is an all-electric city car, which was previously known as the Megacity Vehicle, while the i8, is a plug-in hybrid sports car based on the Vision EfficientDynamics concept study unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show.

BMW said both models are based on a new construction concept called LifeDrive that makes use of an aluminium chassis to house the powertrain, while the passenger cell consists of high-strength but extremely lightweight carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP). In addition, both the i3 and i8 will be manufactured at the firm's Leipzig plant and will share the same component sets for the electric motors, power electronics, and high-voltage lithium-ion batteries.

“Both cars have been designed specifically for their respective alternative drive systems," explains Klaus Draeger, BMW Board member responsible for development. "We used the innovative architecture and CFRP to cancel out practically all of the extra weight added by the batteries. For our customers this means superior driving dynamics combined with significantly increased range using electric power.”

While BMW did not disclose further details in today's announcement, the company recently revealed that the 1-Series ActiveE's electric synchronous motor with 168HP (125 kW) and 250 Nm of torque will be incorporated in the i3.

As for the i8, it is likely to combine the Vision ED concept model's 1.5-liter three-cylinder turbo diesel engine with a variant of the i3's electric motor. We'll remind you that the 2+2 seatd design study featured a 1.5-liter diesel engine and two electric motors for a total system output of 328 horsepower and a 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) sprint in 4.8 seconds with a combined fuel economy of 62.6 mpg US.

The BMW Group will also make use of the 'i' sub-brand to expand its range of mobility services. In addition to services developed in-house, the company is pursuing collaborations with partner companies.

The Bavarian automaker said that New York-based My City Way is the first company in which BMW i Ventures has taken a stake. Regarding the partnership, BMW's Ian Robertson said, “I am thrilled to announce that we have just signed our first strategic partnership with My City Way. As a mobile app, My City Way provides users with information on public transportation, parking availability, and local entertainment for over 40 cities in the US. Another 40 cities will be part of the global rollout, including Munich, of course.”

Peugeot's Special Editions of RCZ and 3008 Hybrid4

Unless Peugeot is hiding a surprise in its pouch, the French carmaker's presence at the upcoming Geneva Salon will most likely go under the radar. Aside from the subtly facelifted 308 family which includes the hatchback models, an estate and the coupe-cabriolet, Peugeot's stand will also host the premiere of two limited edition models.

The first is the RCZ Asphalt which is based on the most potent variant of the coupe model with the 200-horsepower 1.6-liter turbocharged engine, and is set to go on sale in Europe this spring. Exclusive features include a matt grey body colour, two-tone 19-inch alloy wheels and numerous other interior and exterior appointments.

The second model is a limited edition of the 3008 HYbrid4 crossover, which features a 163HP turbo diesel driving the front wheels and an 37HP electric motor at the rear for a maximum power output of 200-horses, a “zero emission” mode and an average fuel consumption of 74.4 mpg UK, equal to 3.8lt/100km and 61.9 mpg US. Production will be limited to 300 numbered cars, all of which get a Pearlescent White exterior finish and two-tone full leather trim.

The 308 facelift and the two special edition models will be joined by two older concept studies, the HR1 and EX1, plus the new 908 Le Mans race car which was unveiled by Peugeot Sport in February.

2011 Buick Regal 2.0 Turbo

General Motors has released an update on the 2011 Buick Regal's 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that enables it to run on any blend of gasoline or E85 Ethanol. The Detroit automaker claims the Regal's flex-fuel capability is a first for a direct-injected turbocharged production car.

There are no performance differences between the standard 2.0-liter turbo engine and its flex-fuel variant, as output remains at 220 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque.

However, engineers made some changes to allow the engine to run on E85. Given that ethanol needs a richer air-fuel mixture than gasoline to function properly, the flex-fuel engine is equipped with higher flow-rate injectors. In addition, a sensor in the fuel system measures the combination of gasoline and ethanol in the tank (a maximum of 85 percent is allowed of the latter), allowing the engine management system to automatically adjust the mixture to provide the required performance, emissions and fuel consumption.

GM's 2.0-liter Ecotec turbo engine also sports a new sand cast aluminium cylinder block, which translates into better durability, less noise and vibration than before.

The Regal's engine update is a step towards GM's goal of having more than 50 percent of its production in flex-fuel models by the end of 2012, with the company having already put on the streets more than 5 million flex-fuel cars in the last 15 years.

New Jeep 3.0-liter V6 Turbo

Given that over forty per cent of all cars sold in Europe are diesel-powered, any brand that wants to be successful in the market must have diesel options in its range. Following the presentation of its new 3.0-liter V6 turbo diesel on the Chrysler 300's European clone, the Lancia Thema the Fiat Group is now introducing the oil-burner to Jeep Grand Cherokee the range for Europe and other diesel markets around the world.

The new V6 diesel engine is built by VM Motori and has been developed together with Fiat Powertrain, which is a subsidiary of the Fiat Group. The 3.0-liter unit features Fiat's MultiJet II system which enables up to eight injections per cycle, with the possibility of managing the two main injections in a single modular profile (IRS – Injection Rate Shaping). It is also fitted with a single Garrett VGT 2056 turbocharger with variable turbine geometry.

In the Grand Cherokee, the 3.0-liter V6 diesel is offered in two guises, the most powerful of which produces 241HP at 4,000 rpm and 550 Nm (406 lb-ft) of peak torque at 1,800-2,800 rpm, with the company claiming a 10 percent gain in power and eight percent more torque than the engine it replaces.

Despite the improved performance, Jeep said fuel economy for the 241HP version returns 8.3 lt/100km (equal to 28.4 mpg US) on the combined European cycle, an improvement of 17 percent over the prior diesel engine. CO2 emissions (are also reduced by 17 percent, now at 218 g/km.

Jeep will also offer a lower-output version of the 3.0-liter V6 turbo diesel rated at 190HP at 4,000 rpm and 440 Nm (324 lb-ft) of peak torque available from 1,600 to 2,800 rpm. The low-output version of the turbo diesel engine will be standard on Laredo models and optional on the Limited

The new 3.0-liter turbo diesel variants of the Grand Cherokee will receive their world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show next week and be available in Europe by the end of the first half of 2011.

MotorTrend Pits the Corvette Z06, Shelby GT500 and Nissan GT-R Against Each Other

What weights ten tonnes and costs more than US$240,000? If you said, “a gold plated bulldozer”, you’d be close but no cigar. The answer is three sub-100k supercars: the Chevy Corvette Z06, Ford Shelby GT500 and Nissan GT-R. These three industry titans, with nameplates stretching as far back as the 1960s, were the recent subjects of an epic comparison test by MotorTrend. Here are three would-be-supercars – over 500hp and 3 second 0 to 60 mph times – that don’t command the supercar price tag.

The US$55,330 GT500, US$90,950 GT-R and US$98,010 Z06 are all within the budgets of most mid-life crisis suffers (providing you sell the house, the kids and the dog) and offer the sort of performance that was once the sole reserve of great Italians like Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati.

And they’re not stripped out racers either. The Z06, for instance, comes with such luxuries as heated leather seats, Bose audio, Bluetooth and sat nav. You can’t buy a second-hand Lamborghini with that sort of equipment for US$98,010.

If you want to find out who wins this legendary battle, you’ll just have to check out the video. Even if you don’t care who wins you should check out the video anyways for a sweet-as drag race between the Z06, GT500 and GT-R. Now that’s something you don’t see everyday...

First Photos of New SAAB 9-3 Convertible Independence Edition

On Wednesday, February 23, SAAB will host a special party at its Trollhättan plant in Sweden to celebrate what it describes as "the first anniversary of Saab’s rebirth as an independent carmaker".

I'd argue if Saab is really independent given that the company heavily relies on GM for its current portfolio (one example is the new 9-4X which is based on the Cadillac SRX and is built at the Detroit automaker's Ramos Arizpe factory in Mexico) and is actively seeking help to develop its future models having already sealed a deal with BMW for the supply of 4-cylinder engines, but that's another story for another time.

Case in point is that at the birthday party, the Swedes plan to debut a commemorative edition model based on the 9-3 Convertible, the first pictures of which were spilled on the internet today. According to Saabsunited, the 9-3 Convertible Independence Edition will be built in a limited run of 366 units, apparently one for each day that passed since Spyker Cars took over the company from GM.

The special edition model gets a 220HP 2.0T Biopower engine and will boast several unique features such as the bespoke Sunset Red color, new 18-inch alloy wheels, gray leather seats with a center strip and piping in orange, numerous Hirsch interior appointments and an orange-colored turbo instrument needle.