New BMW 535i GT Sport Design

What happens when you take a sports sedan and add sprinkles of practicality? You get the 2011 BMW 535i GT. This car lets you carve the corners and allows you to transport the kids in comfort..sounds like a winner in our book.

Nowadays, the trend has shied away from old time station wagons which are seen as obsolete and as fuel prices continue to be on the rise, the trend is also moving away from SUV’s. So to address these concerns, BMW has defied convention and created the 535i GT which combines most of the features from a SUV along with most of the features from a sedan. This combination forms a vehicle that is like a nice pair of jeans- you can still do hard work in them yet when you go to a nice dinner, the jeans oblige.

Initially you look at this car and gasp “ What has BMW done?” Walking around the 535i GT and examining it is much like being at an art gallery. As you stroll around this vehicle you notice it sticks up 2 inches higher and about 4 inches lower than a X5 (61.4 inches) and combined with a length of 196 inches, it should make up for any cargo room shortages. From an aesthetic point of view it’s kind of a mismatch. The long hood and short trunk reminds us of a modern incarnation of the old BMW 2800 sedans from the late 1960’s. BMW has clearly thought to make this a true grand tourer and drops hints at some of the amenities hidden within, the first of such luxuries that you notice is the two piece panoramic moon roof and invites you to explore it further.

The interior is very functional yet inviting like sitting in a opera house, because it’s somewhat somber and classy whilst also being exceedingly comfortable. We love that the layout makes all the major controls on the dashboard within easy reach.

The seats also tow the fine line of cushion and support, actually pushing you to make a long road journey. The Idrive control center comes standard with this vehicle and while it has gotten better, it still periodically perplexes us with its interface, sometimes it seems really choppy and out of sync. Other than that minor inconvenience, the standard features such as power seating and parking distance control will make parking at the yacht club that much easier. It will fit in when you park it at the marina because this vehicle has more storage space than most ships. With all the seats up there is a astounding 15.5 cu. ft, then when you drop all the seats for that big delivery, you get an amazing 60 cu. ft of cargo space. One major thing we enjoyed about this car is that it had just enough luxury to justify the price tag but not enough to dilute and/or pollute the driving experience.

New Lotus Esprit Elegant 2012

On your marks, get set, GO! McLaren and Aston Martin are charging forward with their respective supercars, but a new leader in the race for Britain’s fastest supercar is emerging and it’s none other than Lotus. According to Automotive Express, sources are stating that the British manufacturer is preparing a flagship Superleggera version of their next generation Esprit. The new Superleggera is set to be released in late 2013/early 2014 and will be the fourth model in the Esprit lineup - next to a coupe, a convertible, and a glass-roofed Targa edition.

The Esprit Superleggera will be powered by an upgraded version of the 4.8-liter V8 engine mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch semi-automatic gearbox with rapid shifts. This configuration will be capable of producing 612 HP at 9,000 rpm which will be highlighted with a special aluminum body that will be even stronger and lighter than the body used in the current model. This type of powerful and light combination will ensure the supercar charges from 0-60 mph in under three seconds with a top speed of 212 mph. Drooling yet?

Lotus is so confident about their new Superleggera model that Chief Technical Officer, Wolf Zimmermann, even took a stab at McLaren’s new MP4-12C: "This car will not be like the McLaren MP4-12C. It will be cooler 
– there will be more emotion."

Lotus is definitely shaking things up and moving in a direction reminiscent of their high performance origins. They have already planned the next five models spanning out in the next five years and they have recently announced they would be building their own engines. These seem to be pretty hefty plans for a company that has been in the shadows since the release of the Elise.

New BMW 6-Series M-Sport 2012

We are all used to BMW launching a new model and, sometime after, getting that model its very own M-Sport package. True to this statement, the company has already decorated the 6-Series with its sporty add-ons as proven by the first leaked image that found its way on the internet. The BMW 6-Series M-Sport’s official debut should be made any day at either the Shanghai or New York Auto Show.

There are still no other details on this package, but the M-Sport package usually adds a sportier appearance to the Beamer. Expect to see the usual M-Sport elements: front bumper, rear diffuser, side skirts, wheels, and dark chrome tail pipes. This leaked image also reveals larger air intakes and a set of LED foglights.

The same sportier treatment will also be applied to the interior with an exclusive Alcantara combination, an M leather steering wheel, M door sills, an M foot rest, an M shift knob, and sets of decorative trim for the dashboard and door panels.

New Aston Martin V12 Zagato Sport Concept

Aston Martin V12 Zagato

Aston Martin will be celebrating the iconic DB4GT Zagato’s 50th anniversary with a new concept car developed in collaboration with the Italian design house Zagato. The concept car made its first appearance at the Villa D’Este Concours on May 21st, 2011 and will make its racing debut at Nürburgring on May 28th.

Dr. Ulrich Bez, Chief Executive said: "The DNA of both Aston Martin and Zagato has combined successfully to make some of the world’s most desirable collector cars in the past and in this special anniversary year of the DB4GT Zagato it is appropriate to explore a modern collaboration. Now is the right time for a new Aston Martin Zagato and in combining our design intelligence I think we can create something fitting of the iconic DB4GT Zagato that has gone before and since established itself as one of the most famous Aston Martins of all time."

Aston Martin V12 Zagato

The original Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato made its first appearance in 1960 at the London Motor Show. It was essentially a much lighter DB4 GT that got worked on by the Italian Coachbuilder to include a 3670 cc straight-6 DOHC engine that produced 314 HP with a top speed of 154 mph.

2012 New Chrysler 200 Convertible

New Chrysler 200 Convertible is not a bad looking car, the Chrysler 200 Convertible will be performing at New York Auto Show, and while the design of the conversion is not the creation of the most interesting, because the rear still looks a lot awkward. Besides the elimination of fixed roof, we expect the Chrysler 200 Convertible become largely the same as partners sedan, with improved interiors and engine options all brought. This means that both the 2.4-liter inline-four and 3.6-liter V6 Pentastar must underhood, and the end result is a car that, while better than the model it replaces.

2012 New Subaru Impreza sale in the United States

New Subaru Impreza 2012 will go on sale in the United States in August, which means that an official said in April New York Auto Show is very possible. Like the current model, the Subaru Impreza 2012 will be offered in both sedan and five-door hatchback body style, supported by a revised car Boxer 2.5-liter flat-four that debuted in 2011 Forester. We hope that the Subaru Impreza make a lot concept of the whole line for car production,

2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 at New York Auto Show

The last Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 will perform at New York Auto Show which will come in April. And when that happens, it is expected to package the new Hemi V8 6.4 liter with about 470 horsepower and just as much torque. That will be married, according to rumors, with five-speed automatic comes with paddle shifters - SRT first. Couple that to a new adaptive suspension damping, 14-inch Brembo brakes and 20-inch alloys wearing Pirelli rubber

2012 Fisker Karma Hybrid Electric

The Fisker Karma is much better than luke, but the design needs a little tweaking and most do not give Fisker Karma is a serious opportunity to make a difference in our automotive lives. It was just before all the planet Earth became obsessed with green plants and the environment. Basically, it was ideal for Fisker Automotive to try out some innovative by creating a new car, called the Fisker Karma.

Geneva Preshow: Rolls Royce Phantom 102EX with Full-Electric Drive

Rolls Royce will be showcasing a one-off, fully electric powered Phantom at the Geneva Motor Show on 1 March 2011. The British automaker said the car will serve as a working test bed to explore the feasibility of battery-powered Rolls Royce models in the near future.

“We have engineered the world’s first battery electric vehicle for the ultra-luxury segment,” said CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös, speaking from the company’s headquarters in Goodwood. “With this vehicle, we begin an exploration into alternative drive-trains, seeking clarity on which alternative technologies may be suitable to drive Rolls-Royce motor cars of the future.”

The 102EX, also known as the Phantom Experimental Electric (EE), will go on a world tour in 2011 offering Rolls Royce owners and enthusiasts in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America the opportunity to test drive the car and share their experiences, thoughts and concerns directly with the company.

According to Rolls Royce, these include the 102EX's ability to deliver an acceptable range between re-charges and to operate in extreme weather conditions, as well as to benchmark reliability and quality against customer expectations.

“I must be convinced that any alternative drive-train we choose for the future delivers an authentic Rolls-Royce experience,” added Müller-Ötvös. “It must be a technology that is right for our customers, our brand and which sets us on a sound footing for a sustainable future.”

Rolls Royce said it will reveal photos and full technical specifications for the 102EX at the Geneva Salon on March 1.

Nissan Cannot Meet Demand for New Leaf EV, Production Shortages to Last Longer than Expected

It has been known for a while now that Nissan is struggling with the Leaf’s slow rollout. The demand for the all-electric vehicle is so high that the Japanese maker has been forced to stop receiving new orders and concentrate on filling existing ones. However, projected production figures show that the company will only assemble 10,000 units until March 31, while it has already received 27,000 orders from the U.S., Japan and Europe.

The remaining 17,000 orders are likely to be filled in the next fiscal year starting April 1, during which Nissan will reach the maximum production capacity of 50,000 units at the Oppama plant in Japan.

Consequently, the automaker could take 33,000 more orders in the next fiscal year, but it hasn’t decided yet when it will do so. According to Chief Operating Officer Toshiyuki Shiga, Nissan wants to “deliver enough volume to the first lot” before giving new orders the green light.

One solution would be the opening of new assembly lines sooner than initially planned, but Shiga ruled out the possibility due to the fact that work has just started on the factory that would provide the additional lithium-ion battery packs needed.

That means Nissan's UK factory will begin producing Leafs in 2012, followed by the Tennessee plant in 2013, so the shortage could last longer than expected.

Audi A3 Sedan Concept with 408HP Officially Previews Next Generation Model

It's been rumored for a while now that Audi was exploring the possibility of adding a four-door sedan body style to its A3 range, but today, the German firm officially confirmed the news with the release of the first official sketches of the A3 Concept ahead of its world premiere at the 81st International Geneva Motor Show in early March.

Its main purpose is to preview both the saloon variant and the styling direction of the next A3, which is scheduled for a rollout in 2012 and will also include the successors to today's three-door hatchback, five-door Sportback and the two-door convertible models.

"The four-seater notchback sedan offers a glimpse of the future expansion of the A3 family," Audi said in a statement.

The A3 concept measures 4.44 meters (14.57 feet) long, 1.84 meters (6.04 feet) wide and just 1.39 meters (4.56 feet) high, meaning it's slightly smaller than the new Volkswagen Jetta (4.64 m long).

The sedan study embodies Audi's latest design language as seen on the recent A8, A6 and A7 Sportback models featuring a single-frame grille with tapered upper corners, angular headlights with LED technology and taut body lines.

The show car is fitted with an upgraded version of the 2.5-liter five-cylinder turbocharged engine found under the bonnet of the current RS3 and TT RS models, producing a peak output of 408-horses. The five-pot distributes power to all four wheels through a seven-speed S tronic transmission and permanent all-wheel drive.

We'll have more details on the A3 Concept from the Geneva Motor Show in March.

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.