Euro Cars

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Future Classic Feature – 1999 Saab 9-3 VIGGEN Is Thunderbolt Legend – And This One Is For Sale!

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The SAAB 9-3 Viggen is a legend of a car. Named after the Thunderbolt fighter jet, the Viggen celebrated all that made the Saab 9-3 the firm’s most-successful model throughout the marque’s storied history. Front-drive, mad power and turbo antics were all paramount with the Viggen — but in typical Saab fashion, this was not a badge and stickers job. The upgrades list over the standard 9-3 Aero is absolutely huge — with what amounts to an all-new, direct-injected engine just the start of the custom elements in the Viggen.   EXHAUST NOTE VIDEO INTRO The 225-horsepower and 258-pound-feet of …

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AC Schnitzer Range Rover Sport S Is Seductive Style and Performance Makeover

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Have performance parts, will travel long distances at high speeds! The AC Schnitzer upgrade program for the Range Rover Sport is a dapper and subtle way to make the factory truck far more intense looking, sounding and feeling around corners. The various exhaust options let you pick the style that is just right for your RRSS. The key holder inside a cupholder insert of this and other AC Schnitzers is handy, but would be cooler there was somewhere on on the gearknob to mount the key. AC Schnitzer Range Rover Sport S

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2015 BMW X6 M Is New Podium Race SUV From $103k

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PART TWO: The X6 M The X6M is just a bit harder, a bit wider and even wilder than the new X5M — with the rear fender strike and chopped roof design feeling right for its massive new power and pace. PREVIOUS The most powerful BMWs ever made have just shattered the glass ceiling of SUV performance. WIth 567-horsepower through standard xDrive AWD, the new X5 and X6 M have sprint times of just 4.0-seconds along with a devilish M styling overhaul. The grille and front fascia are all-new designs for the X twins, with twin-chrome vertical accents inside each …

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2015 BMW X5 M Revealed! Cayenne-Beating 4.0s, 567HP Muscle Truck Arriving Spring 2015

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  The most powerful BMWs ever made have just shattered the glass ceiling of SUV performance. WIth 567-horsepower through standard xDrive AWD, the new X5 and X6 M have sprint times of just 4.0-seconds along with a devilish M styling overhaul. The grille and front fascia are all-new designs for the X twins, with twin-chrome vertical accents inside each kidney recalling the M3 and M5. Down below, a new trapezoidal shape forms a spiked area of the bumper, creating an all-new look not seen even from the aftermarket so far. Very menacing and mean styles here, with incredible side-view mirrors …

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AC Schnitzer BMW X5 Upgrades Are Gorgeous and Functional!

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Two things come to mind with the new X5 from BMW: the lack of an X5 M (so far…) and an overall bumper treatment that can be very busy and awkward. Where is the clean M-car styling we love so much? AC Schnitzer’s latest upgrades catalog addresses this nicely – with huge wheels, lowering springs and a tasteful bodykit to wrap the front and rear in high-speed style. The exhaust and ECU changes also free up about 50-horsepower for all of the engines, as well as sounding absolutely outstanding!  AC Schnitzer BMW X5 – Exhaust Notes Check out the parts …

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Pristine Porsche 924 Martini Rally Car Up For Grabs In New UK Sweepstakes!

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  Imagine driving not just a rally car every day, but a Martini Racing rally car from the heyday of high-speed gravel pace. Not just a Martini Racing rally car… but a Porsche too! The dream is real with a new sweeps from UK firm Classic Car Win. Entries are via text for about $7 each — with details below. http://www.classiccarwin.co.uk/ For those outside the UK, the photos are still a visual feast. This 924 is flawless. Porsche 924 Martini Rally Car     CLASSIC CAR WIN LAUNCHES ITS FIRST COMPETITION WITH A PORSCHE! 29/10/14 CLASSIC CAR WIN is giving …

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2014 Fiat FCC4 Concept For Sao Paolo Is Samba Rambo SUV Pickup!

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Lambo Rambo… in Portuguese… is Samba Rambo? This amazing concept from Fiat is called the FCC4 and looks to be about the size of the Jeep Cherokee, but wearing giant rock-crawling rubber and a bad-ass pickup-truck bodystyle. Fresh ideas and designs abound, including the floating C-pillar and wrap-around brightwork of the glasshouse. Inside the roof and bed structure, we see some of the organic bracing seen from Bertone lately — all good stuff. Looks fantastic, and opens new doors to what the Fiat brand can be in the large Brazilian market. Fiat FCC4 Concept    

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2014 Nissan Kicks Concept Is New Sao Paolo Off-Road Crossover

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  In the ‘cars we want from other markets’ category, here is the latest Nissan crossover – the KICKS for Sao Paolo’s auto show this week and next. As far as what the KICKS concept may preview, we would not bet on anything directly coming to the US market in this off-road-able mid-size crossover segment, where the Kicks appears to share much of its mechanical footprint with the Rogue. But the style and design themes shown here are a strong hint at the next-gen Patrol and xTerra SUVs for the global market. 2014 Nissan Kicks Concept Nissan debuts Kicks Concept …

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RM London Highlights – 1920 Bugatti Type 23 Was First Rally Supercar + RARE Archive Photos

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When racing in a straight line, the key attributes you want are a long wheelbase and huge power. But when racing up tight mountain roads, with switchbacks every few hundred metres, you want the shortest wheelbase possible. Still with the huge power, but in a nimbler and pointer package. Bugatti has always chased the extremes of performance, and this Type 23 is no different. Chopped short like a Sport Quattro — this Type 23 is hilarious at first. We can see in these extremely rare archive photos a T11 racer and an the enclosed-shell Bugatti T32 ‘Tank’ sharing this same …

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RM Hershey Highlights – 1905 FIAT 60HP Five-Passenger Tourer by Quinby & Co.

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A top earner at the Hershey, Pennsylvania event from RM Auctions earlier this month? This 1905 Fiat Tourer with a whopping 60-horsepower. 60HP is double what anything else offered in 1905 — with huge power like this making it the Rolls-Royce and Bentley of its era. The Fiat packs triple the 20-hp that the Ford Model T’s “L-head” four-cylinder delivered from from 1910 to 1930. A wheel and triple-pedal setup on the floor also predates nearly any other car with this now-standard control layout. This very car was originally owned by August Anheuser Busch Senior — to give a sense …

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Road Test Review – 2015 Toyota Yaris SE 5-Door Is A Hipsters Delight!

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 2015 Toyota Yaris Review Quick: name the only Toyota (or Lexus) that is imported to the US from Europe? Any guesses? The header here is a solid clue. It is indeed the 2015 Yaris. Designed and built in Europe, the land of hot hatch excellence and cheap/cheerful mini cars, the Yaris embodies all the frisky spirit of the Fiat 500 or the MINI Cooper — but with a giant discount. The 2015 Yaris hopes to sell on more the efficiency and low entry pricing, however. It brings a full suspension redesign, a cabin upgrade and even funky LED lighting on …

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Update1 – 2015 Ford Mondeo Brings New LED Headlights + Hybrid Option

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 Updated 10.28.14 with 20 new photos Ford’s new Mondeo is heading to European dealers by the end of this year! Revised LED lighting, tech and redesigned steering/suspension round out the changes. The Mondeo Hybrid will also be new to the European and UK market. Might these updates show the direction of Ford’s hot-selling Fusion here in the US? Time will tell! Despite lots of moves toward global models, the Mondeo vs Fusion name difference is slightly helpful in making different update cycles by market a bit easier to swallow. This is in sharp contrast to the Euro VW Passat versus …

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Best of Awards – 2015 BMW X4 xDrive35i M Sport in HD Drive Video + 50 Gorgeous Photos

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The BMW X4 and X4 crossover coupes are easy to write off as silly fashion cars. But in the flesh, they are undeniably sexy and far cooler than a normal SUV. The X435i is simply the best SUV we have ever driven. It is a car that would fit hip commuters and track junkies alike — with room in the trunk for pups and in the back seat for pals. Love it. And in a dark color, the X4 is even sexier than this too-popular red. In fact, the X4 is so good — we recommend everyone at Cadillac spend …

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50 New Photos! 2015 Lexus NX300h and NX300h F Sport Are Best-Looking SUVs of the Year

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Updated 10.24.14 with 50 New Photos These latest photos from the UK show the hybrid NX Lexus in an absolutely beautiful light. The complex and emotional creasing of the surfaces is endlessly entertaining to the eye, while the practicality of this mid-size crossover pair belies their base price in the mid-$30,000 ballpark. It is surprising and welcome to have an F Sport version of the Hybrid. This is definitely a car to worry both the BMW X3 and X5. The Lexus NX will be in dealerships in just a few months, with a December arrival projected nationwide. 2015 Lexus NX300h …

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Best of Paris 2014 – Citroen Divine DS Concept

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Updated 10.23.14       The DS premium brand spin-off is a HUGE, huge success — sales and margins on the line are better than even Citroen could have imagined five years ago. This gorgeous concept hatchback is relatively practical by French concept standards — it runs a standard THP 1.6-liter turbo engine (with a non-standard 270-horsepower) and a compact four-door hatchback shell. Most logically, this machine would slot in above the DS3 and below the DS5. So will the DS4 be this gorgeous as a production car? Fingers crossed that the nose makes it intact, as well as the …

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$35k 2015 Volkswagen e-Golf Now Available From Select VW Dealers; 86-mile Range From Li-ion Batteries

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  The VW e-Golf has come in with a surprisingly affordable price tag: just $35k with few options makes it one of the cheaper full-EV models available, and the cheapest European EV ever to reach US shores. It undercuts the Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive by more than $10,000 and is clearly benchmarking the Nissan Leaf, its clearest competitor. The Ford Focus EV recently chopped $7k from its $42,000 pricing strategy — with all non-Tesla EV makers struggling to find shoppers. Struggling to find shoppers…. at any price, is how that sentence wanted to end. People are not on-board with EV …

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2015 Exige S Automatic Is Quickest LOTUS Streetcar EVER! 3.8s 60mph Sprint, Race Modes and Coming to USA

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Lotus has just announced details on the quickest production car ever — the new Exige S Automatic. We cannot think of another street-ready and USA-legal Lotus that has ever been so quick — with nearly all of Lotus’s hottest technology, biggest powerplant and raciest equipment, all on the most-hardcore and lightest model. The latest Exige S is really a king-maker on any racetrack, but also a delight on the roads there and back. It is 50-state legal and priced from about $75,000. In terms of thrills per buck, the Exige S will make a Porsche 911 look like a giant …

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TECHART MACAN Stage Two Revealed! Aerokit, Exhaust Flaps, +50HP and Suspension Reflash Join The Fun

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When one of these press photos instantly becomes my Twitter profile’s headline graphic, you know TechArt is doing something right! The latest upgrades for the super-hot 2015 Porsche Macan hit exactly the right notes. In what we are calling Stage Two versus the previous wheel options from TechArt, the team has revealed a subtle but effective aero kit. Up front, a deeper nose-plate in contrast grey helps ground the Macan’s somewhat awkward grille design, and this ground effects kit wraps the sills and rear diffuser as well. We enjoy all these upgrades and accents in Acid Green, as this is …

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HD Road Test Review – 2015 Volkswagen Golf GTI Is Sophisticated But Trumped By New WRX

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The GTI seems like a city car for people who actually want a BMW. The tricky thing about the latest GTI is that it overlaps with the base BMW 228 and even the $33,000 320i sedan. This is a big problem for Volkswagen — but it is not the worst problem. The competitiveness of the 2015 WRX is definitely causing wrinkled foreheads in Wolfsburg. The Subaru is now as refined as the GTI when cruising, but far more fun and much quicker at all times. Bright red seems to be the GTI’s signature color. After driving the new GTI a …

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LA Teasers! Scion iM Concept Car Previews New tC + 2016 Acura ILX + Prius V Facelifts

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First look this morning at the very promising Scion iM concept car for Los Angeles! The ‘iM’ name of this hot new Scion prototupe is a reference to the brand’s new Driven campaign, with fans and Scion drivers encouraged to tweet with the #iMdriven hashtag to show some love. (Not to be confused with Range Rover’s #IamDriven contest .. which we did not win. A skydiver from ‘ellay’ won the trip to Carmel.) So what is this Scion iM concept? It appears to be a hotter and more-aggressive sports car. The deep scoops and lighting elements are heavily FR-S-influenced, as …

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400HP, 4.1s 2015 BRABUS Mercedes-Benz GLA Hunkers Low on 21s + Aero Kit

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  The strangest part of the GLA-Class and other small crossovers lately is how low they actually are. Is it an SUV? The OEM plastic shields on the fenders say yes, but the mind is not so sure. It has taken 20 years then for the world to catch up to the classic Subaru Legacy —> Outback conversion. Taller springs, chunkier rubber and an Eddie Bauer package outside is all you need to sell thousands of cars a year! Just kidding. (JK BFR = just kidding, but for real.) How to stay ahead of trends and planted in corners with …

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Pebble Beach Concours – 1911 Hotchkiss AD Amiet Enclosed Limousine

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  Paris-based Amiet bodied this Hotchkiss limo in 1911 — more than 30 years after Connecticut industrialist arrived in France to set up a military armaments factory. The competitors for the Hotchkiss would have been the Benz wagon. Looking like a stagecoach was a nice ‘in’ to gentrified society buyers. These folks had long traveled within enclosed coaches, leaving the rain and smells of the city to the driver up front or simple farmers. For a sense of what the hoi polloi were traveling in? See the steam-car nearby for context! After more than 100 years, this original Hotchkiss limo …

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Spanish Bay Classics – 1948 DELAHAYE 135M Figoni et Falaschi Captivates In Black

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Tucked over in the corner of Pebble Beach resorts is Spanish Bay, a more modern setup than the relatively classic (albeit still uber-lux) accommodations at The Lodge. And in a corner of a mini classic car display at Spanish Bay? This surreal 1948 Delahaye. It took more than a few minutes to even identify this car tonight – we even wondered if it was a replica briefly, simply because there is little info about each of these low-batch supercars handcrafted near Paris. The 135M is very enchanting in a rich black monotone — which is quite a contrast with many …

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Quail Classics – 1950 Healey Silverstone Roadster Is Race-Optimized Aerolithe

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We need an article to put together while my pulse comes down after totally breaking this website a few hours ago. Learning to be a webmaster on the fly is fraught with peril. Would Healey have said the same thing about his much-wider Silverstone roadster for 1950? This ‘E-Type’ Healey was widened by more than a foot versus the D-Type of 1949, which was initially planned as an affordable vehicle to slide under a $4,000 cap at which new car taxes doubled from 33-percent to 66-percent. The plan was to put Jaguar and Alfa-Romeo and Maserati power and tech into …

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2012 Cadillac CTS-V with Satin White Wrap by CAMSHAFT vs 2015 CTS-V Coupe Midnight

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Tastes are changing fast. In the latest Corvette C7 sales breakout for 2014, gloss black wheels took nearly half of the sales on the top Z51 trim level. Old staples like silver and chrome are now battling for the remainder of sales. This makes sense. Supercars and hypercars as far back as 2005 and 2006 started to appear with black wheels. This is a great top-down was to make a trend go mainstream. Similarly, brightwork is out. Chrome trims on the windows have long been ditched on M Sport BMWs, but it takes a custom touch to update your own …

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2016 Toyota FCV On Sale October 2015! Fuel Cells Now Less Vaporware, More EVent H20rizon

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Are those typos in the headline? No, just some attempted cleverness. The FCV is an EV and H20 event horizon. VAPORWARE? Fuel cells helped define the term vaporware. Vaporware is now a ubiquitous silicon valley description of long-term possibilities that are always on the distant horizon. Part of the reason fuel cell Hydrogen vehicles have earned and propelled this bit of jargon is that their main byproduct is water vapor by converting hydrogen into electricity for a battery pack. The other reason is that companies have been researching this technology for more and 30 years, with no production models to …

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2015 Maserati Ghibli S Q4 ZEGNA EDITION In Exclusive Blue with Silk-Lined Cabin

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Talk about a meeting of the unpronounce-ables! The new Ghibli (ghee-blee) Zegna (Xen-yaa) Edition is the second partnership between Maserati and the famed Italian fashion house. Outside, the Ghibli Zegna wears exclusive shades for its rich light-blue paint and liquid-silver wheels, but the real action is inside. The leather-edged seats and dash and doors now have a silk seating area with hand-woven chevron patterns.Even the headliner is now wrapped in gorgeous and touchable Zegna fabrics. The Ghibli Zegna’s swanky cabin promises to be as soft as the exact yarns in Zegna’s suits and sweaters — of which a certain Fiat …

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Audi LA Concept Teaser May Be Upcoming Q4 Crossover

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Audi’s cryptic teaser image of its upcoming Los Angeles showcar creates many more questions than it answers. On the one hand, the overhead view is enticing and definitely exciting. The flowing surfaces and glasshouse bulge out into the fenders and overall nose and tail shape enticingly. But what the heck is it? Audi has already shown two coupe-style concepts this year in the form of the TT OffRoad concept in Beijing (yellow) and the TT sedan in red below. Audi also has a variety of models that are overdue for the next model to come out, including the Q7 and …

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Update3 With 70 New Photos – 2015 Mercedes-Benz S550 Coupe Priced from $116k

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Update3 10.17.14 Three updates?!  This article is becoming a beast and a half – with about 150 photos of the new S550 in Pebble Beach and elsewhere included below. But who can deny how gorgeous the new S-Class Coupe is in every latest photo! Not us, that is for sure. The options shown on this S550 Coupe make it every bit as sexy and slinky as the S63 and S63 AMG Coupes — not to mention the Bentley Continental GT. In terms of differentiating among the powertrains, the big key is in the front bumpers — where the S550 is …

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2015 Mercedes-Benz G-Class Edition 35 Celebrates Otto’s 500K Mile World Tour

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  One of the best parts of any trip is the momentous return home. A place you never knew you missed until seeing and feeling all those familiar sights through a dusty windshield up ahead. In the case of ‘Otto’ the 300GD Mercedes-Benz, the journey has been 26 years, 216 countries and 900,000 kilometers in the making. The photos of Gunther and Christine Holtorf’s long, long journey home to Swabia from Germany are absolutely miraculous. The map of their travels is completely unbelievable! The red lines below are not borders — those are their routes! Along the way, Otto and …

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Update1 – Road Test Review – 2015 Ford Fiesta ST Is Freaky Fast, Freaky Good

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 Updated 10.18.14 With New Videos Performance Specials. They are the cream of the crop. They are the CTS-V’s of the world, the M5s and the Lancer Evo’s. They are freaky specials that are the product of pure driving joy, allowed to slip into showrooms every now and then. For car guys, they are the holy grail. Rare. Special. Excellent. From the moment you sit in the Ford Fiesta ST, you know that it is going to be a hugely fun drive. The seats are packed with support bolsters and the engine start button kicks the Fiesta into life with a …

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BMW X Model SUVs Celebrate 15-Year Anniversary Ahead of X7 Launch

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What a kerfuffle the BMW X5 created! Between when the X5 was revealed in 1999 and began arriving in the US as a 2000 model-year, people were seriously up-in-arms. They were angry and skeptical and vocal critics. Why would any BMW SUV ever seem logical, they said. How could an SUV maintain the BMW driving style epitomized by the well-liked 3, 5 and 7 series luxury cars? But all that came to a sharp stop the moment you sat in the X5’s driver seat — or any of its five seats, frankly. Led by the 4.4-liter V8 engine and its …

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Update1 No Crash, But No Speed Either – 2014 Audi RS7 Piloted Concept at Hockenheim

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Updated 10.19.14 No driver, no drama and no crashes from the Audi RS7 around Hockenheim! But also… not as much speed as one might expect. The car was driving at about five tenths, which is disappointing due to the outlined info below. It knew the track and was still pretty wimpy. No doubt Audi being cautious, but still … kindof lame versus seeing a car really driven on its ragged edge. After all, driverless tech will be very helpful in running 24-hour durability tests in the future — once it gets warmed up and will start flooring the throttles!   …

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2015 Audi Sport TT Cup Is Customer Racing Series Alongside DTM – Now Taking 18 Driver Applications!

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12 races over the 2015 DTM season will see dozens of normal guys train with Audi Sport and head out for intense 30-minute TT Cup races with a truly world-class engineering and racing support team at their disposal. The Audi Sport TT Cup is a customer racing program that will run these 30-minute races of 24 cars each before six major DTM races in the 2015 season. The price is sure to be high for those who want to join, but the rewards will be high too. This is a fully race-prepped TT with 310-horsepower, roll cage, lightweighting and flypaper …

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Update1 With 50 New Photos – 2014 Renault Eolab Concept PHEV Is Not Ebola-Proof

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  The Renault Ebola Eolab concept PHEV is back with 50 new photos! Renault reads the newspaper, right? How could they let a name so close to the deadliest disease known to man be attached to the back of a damn-sexy concept car previewing a PHEV Megane? We especially like the orange-red accent color that appears to be bleeding out the Eolab’s grille and under its floating A-pillars. Classy. Eolab. Ebola. Pretty close. We are excited for the upcoming Chevrolet Cancer and Vauxhall SIDS. Or how about the new Volkswagen HIV? Mazda Malaria? Opel Polio?     PREVIOUS Ahh! What …

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2015 Land Rover Discover Sport Enters Production With Uniquely British Launch Art and Events

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Giant flowing art installations in red and blue outside a brutal banking building in London? Check. Off-road course made in astroturf on a river barge up and down the Seine in Paris? Check. Collaboration with Virgin Galactic to shuttle passengers from Spaceport America out to their intergalactic spacecraft idling on the runways? Check. All good stuff to launch the Discovery Sport in style and with memorable flair. This seven-seat Discovery Sport is now in production for first UK customers before arriving in the US market in Spring 2015 as a 2016 model. Check out the details on the Nino Mustica …

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INFINITI Q50 Parachutes into 2015 BTCC BAttle! OEM Racing Program To Benefit British Army Paratroopers

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Proof that the Infiniti Q50 is ripe for more performance than even the Eau Rouge concept? The new BTCC Q50! Wearing an awesome widebody with menacing aero vents and scoops, the Infiniti Q50 BTCC entry is low and lean and mean. The program’s headline sponsor is Infiniti itself – with the car wearing a satin grey finish and giant Infiniti logos on both sides. In addition to building brand awareness in the UK, the team will raise money for a newly-formed Paratrooper Regiment charity for the British Army. The new “Support Our Paras” foundation is a combined entity for the …

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2014 Alfieri Maserati Underwhelms In Person With Bloated Surfaces and Mildewing Cabin

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  Updated 10.11.14 Forgot we have photos of the Alfieri Maserati from the Pebble Beach concepts lawn! The car is not that great in real life. Its nose is by far the best feature. Overall, it looks too stubby and odd around the mid-section, where its wheelbase appears too short to balance its giant bulging real end. Another oddity? The jackasses who were minding the car would not shut its doors and windows. When asked for third time, he slowly dipped down the back glass but wouldn’t latch it for photos. I mean, seriously? I thought he was just a …

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4K Road Test Review – 2015 Ford Transit 3.5L EcoBoost LWB, Low-Roof Cargo Van

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Breaking News: NASCAR developing 2018 commercial van racing series. The NASVAN Home Depot Cup will feature the Ford Transit, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Chevy Express, Nissan NV and the Ram ProMaster. Each van will hit top speeds of more than 199-mph while they trade paint around circuits like the legendary Charlotte and Atlanta Motor Speedways….””” The news above is pretend. There are no current plans for a NASVAN series. But if there were, we could sign up for the new Ford Transit as our ride first time, every time. This rear-drive big van is shockingly good on the road and at the …

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2015 MINI Cooper 5-Door in Postcard-Worthy Trip Around The City of Light

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A moveable feast with a big back seat? Yep! Table for five, please. Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Metro, the Seine and the Arc de Triumph — all in an afternoon with this big new MINI! Any of these charming photos would look nice on an old-fashion paper postcard, or even an Instagram to your friends back home. The 5-door SD shown here is the hot Diesel engine for Europe, but the looks are identical to the Cooper and Cooper S engines we will see in the US. This means a base turbo triple and a turbo …

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Best of Awards – 2015 Ford Transit Connect Cargo 1.6L EcoBoost – 4K Track Test Drive Video

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Proof that a turbo engine can make any car or van a hoot? The Ford Transit Connect Cargo with the optional 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine! Check out the brief autocross video to see a preview of every busy delivery driver near the end of his shift. The TCC (Transit Connect Cargo) is comfortable and sporty with a low center-of-gravity but an elevated view forward. It is a bit like a tall Focus or a slammed Escape — but hooning a cargo van makes it all the more enjoyable. With the MyFord Touch and Navigation, the TCC makes almost no sacrifices for …

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2015 Mercedes-AMG GT Edition 1 Packs Dark Style and Huge Rear Wing + 60 New Photos

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Updated 10.10.14   The wraps have come off the AMG GT’s Edition 1 package! 2015 Mercedes-AMG GT Edition 1     PREVIOUS The relationship between PlayStation and Mercedes-Benz has been very strong since the AMG SLS was the cover car for GranTurismo 5. That relationship is a three-way affair: among AMG, Polyphony Digital as the GT game developers, and Sony itself in extending the reach of PS4. The new DRIVECLUB game seeks to be a new type of social racing experience — where friends battle one another for track glory both in real-time and as part of championship leagues. Sony …

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510HP, 3.9s 2015 Mercedes-AMG C63 S Makes Paris Debut With Red-Lipped Styling Accents

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The new C63 is here! In UK  trim at first, but with key details now clear ahead of the US announcement. In an unusual move, Mercedes-Benz is now Mercedes-AMG for the hottest models in its range. This slight name change drops the Benz and moves the AMG portion ahead of the model nomenclature. Aside from the detail OEM change, the rest of the car is far more exciting. Huge power from the 476-horsepower engine is also available in an XXL power guise: the S Model simply becomes the C63 S. One distinct piece for the C63 versus the E63 and …

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Speculative Renderings – 2016 Volvo S80 and 2017 Volvo S60

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The new Volvo XC90’s style is being very warmly received across almost all of the seven-seat SUVs major markets. This all-new platform brings a stunningly-luxurious cabin and a high-tech PHEV hybrid drivetrain with T6 and T8 engine choices. But the secret behind those badges and the T8 moniker? They are both turbocharged four-cylinder engines, with varying levels of electric assistance. So how will the new XC90 influence the rest of the Volvo lineup, both under the skin and in the exterior designs? The answer to both, we predict, is heavily. The tech of this new chassis is set to roll …

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2014 Peugeot Quartz and DKR Prototype Top Paris Concept Reveals

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  Updated 10.9.14 With Debut Video and 20 New Photos! Well here is an interesting surprise! This PHEV crossover concept leverages some of the sexy looks of the 2008 DKR race truck into a production-friendly shape. A 270-horsepower engine powers the front wheels, while the back wheels are driven by a powerful electric motor. The new plug-in setup even allows the Quartz crossover to have a 31-mile EV range when the batteries are fully charged. 2014 Peugeot 2008 DKR Prototype In terms of style, the defining elements of this cab-backward crossover are the long hood and ultra-low roofline. While not …

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European-Market 2015 Volkswagen Passat Is Luxury Sedan For Contract Killers on a Budget

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Updated 10.9.14 We had some seriously scathing things to say about this new 2015 Passat for European markets when it debuted the other month online. Overall, the new Passat is not nearly as dull and lifeless as it seemed in VW’s initial renderings. In real life, the detail in the new design is pretty fresh up front and in back. A new-to-VW LED style is seen in both the head and taillamps, and is the most successful part of the design. Overall, the wagon is far more appealing in its quest to bring some of the low-roof / long-hood look …

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Meet BharatBenz – India’s Locally-Made Trucks Seeing Huge Growth Via Combo of Low-Cost + High-Quality

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  Familiar with the American FUBU apparel line? The name stands for ‘For Us, By Us.’ Think of BharatBenz as the ‘FIBI’ of big trucks. For India, By India. Heavy trucks may not be huge business by volume, but for Daimler, they are some of the most profitable. Among the truck lines owned by Mercedes’ parent company are big names like Mitsubishi Fuso, Wester Star, Thomas Bus Lines, Freightliner and Setra. The newest kid on the block? BharatBenz — a locally-made and locally-tailored line of trucks both from and for India. Mercedes engineering and safety foundations are a great shared …

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4.3s, 400HP 2015 VENTURI America EV SUV Reaches Limited-Production!

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Exciting news from Venturi in Paris this week! The well-resolved America dune-buggy has a redesigned powertrain and will now grow past concept and prototype stages. Limited-production of the EV off-roader begins in early 2015 — but there is a catch. Only 25 initial copies of this innovative and stylish crossover will be made. Performance stats are looking very impressive, however, and the carbon-kevlar tub will make this thing unstoppable on the rough stuff. And likely a fun canyon-carver on hard surfaces or, gasp, tarmac! TECHNICAL MASTERPIECE   (Sorry for the watermark.) SPECIFICATIONS Like the Local Motors Rally Fighter and many …

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Update2 – 2015 Aston Martin Lagonda Production Debut – Exclusively Available in Middle East

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Updated 10.5.14 New photos and production details of the new Lagonda limo — including a cabin that is breathtakingly posh. Regretfully for some, the Lagonda will only be available to buyers in the Middle East. As a low-volume model like the One-77, the Lagonda is sure to be one of the rarest of all luxury four-doors. 2015 Aston Martin Lagonda             PREVIOUS Lagonda lives! Breaking news with a confirmation from Aston-Martin on the 2015 Bespoke Super Saloon project – which is officially the new Lagonda saloon car. 2015 Aston Martin Lagonda     Inspiration for …

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2016 JAGUAR XE Configurator Is Live! Buyers Guide To Colors, Wheels, Options and Trims

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Updated 10.5.14   We’ve spent a few hours with the all-new Jaguar XE configurator today, and are blown away by the amount of customization available on this hot new executive sedan. Far below are are prices for the various trim levels, and included here are the major configurations for Colors, Wheels, Exterior Options, Interior Options and cool accessories. Most of the features are organized into tiled Tallpapers or animations, but the base images are included mid-way down. My final XE R Sport with the 240-horsepower turbo four is viewable at this link – where you can work backwords and change …

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2015 KTM X-Bow RR Is 400HP of Race-Ready Track Speed

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The HTM X-Bow RR is a custom-created version of the X-Bow GT and X-Bow R designed to beat all others in the one-make ‘Crossbow’ Battle. The one-make racing series puts the KTM dash-board mantra into action — you must be Ready To Race! Sure, the RR is not the best-looking of the X-Bow line. Its extra aero kit and crash structures like roll bars and crash protection is purely functional. This makes sense when you see the list of huge track-attack upgrades that are fitted to this racing special. For buyers outside of Europe, where the X-Bow will be a …

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2015 BMW LW M4 by LightWeight Performance Packs 520HP and GTS-Previewing Chassis and Aero

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The 2015 BMW M4 is stunning and packs 425-horsepower from the factory. But is there room for a more track-focused version? BMW M certainly thinks so — the upcoming M4 GTS model is nearly complete after running extensive testing around the Nurburgring. Lightweight Performance of Germany has beat them to the punch, however, with its new LW M4 upgrade. This includes nearly the whole catalog of LW upgrades, including engine tuning, wheels/tires, suspension mods and exhaust changes. The combination results in 520-horsepower and a far more focused look on the outside. Aero upgrades are comprehsive and include a racing-spec rear …

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Paris Debuts – 2014 Nissan Pulsar NISMO Concept

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Here is a good-looking upgrade to the new Nissan Pulsar hatchback! About the same size as the VW Golf and Ford Focus, the Pulsar complements the smash-hit Qashqai crossover in the Nissan European range. Why go back to the segment? Nissan is following buyer preferences – which in many Euro markets prefer the hatch shape to a small CUV. THe Pulsar adds a DIG-T 190-horsepower engine in its production guise, so this NISMO model is likely to run the 215-horsepower engine from the Juke NISMO RS. The Pulsar NISMO shares much of the Juke NISMO’s cabin, meaning a powertrain sharing …

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2015 Honda Civic Type R Concept Two Makes Paris Debut

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UPDATED 10.4.14 Production concept is more sexy than WTCC car? Oh yes.   2015 Honda Civic Type R Concept Two Paris Debut     PREVIOUS   276 horsepower is now the floor for Honda Type R models – this latest 2.0-liter turbocharged engine shows that Honda is diving in head-first into the world of turbochargers. Which definitely makes sense – Honda is, after all, supplying the McLaren Formula One team with its engines for 2015 and beyond. So you can be sure that the engine lab is glowing red-hot with huge boost! So what will change between now and the …

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2016 Fiat 500X Makes Paris Debut With Optional AWD and 9-Speed Automatic

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Fiat has big plans for the 500X, a four-door off-roader sharing a name and styling themes with the popular 500 line of mini cars. This machine is a logical next move for Fiat as the 500 enters its third year on the US market. Under the skin, the 500X shares major platform and chassis pieces with the upcoming Jeep Renegade mini SUV, and benefits from the Jeep’s AWD and automatic transmission requirements. Both features are relatively critical to the 500X achieving sales volume in the US market when it arrives in Spring 2015 as a 2016 model. Perhaps even more …

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2014 Volkswagen XL Sport Concept Makes One Seriously Sexy BMW i8 Competitor

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Here is an interesting machine! The eco-friendly supercar segment established by the BMW i8 could find a competitor in the VW XL Sport concept, which takes all the ideas and tech from the XL1 high-mileage, low-volume special and sends it to the racetrack. Much wider, lower, leaner and meaner: the XL Sport is still wholly unconventional in its style and presence. This makes it not unlike the i8 in many ways. They both certainly have stopping power: heads will turn to catch this wild machine zing past. But the carbon-ceramix brakes of the the XL Sport will surely provide actual …

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Asterion Returns! Lamborghini LPI 910-4 Asterion Is Back With 30 More Photos

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  Uh-oh. A new set of photos less than 24-hours after the car’s debut at VW night before the Paris show is a bad sign. Perhaps others agreed with its frumpy proportions critique, discussed below. In more detail, the headlamps are still ghastly and the Polizei light accent in blue is odd and eBay-esque. Overall, the nose looks about a foot too tall. The rear haunches are overly bloated and recall the Alfa 4C. This chassis might be a snazzy PHEV, but the Lambo GT curse is alive and well in this pig’s design.   PREVIOUS My my! Dozens of …

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2016 JAGUAR XE – Models, Specs and Prices + 75 New Photos!

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It appears that the Jaguar XE sedan is very, very close to production! So close that the car is available for UK orders from today, October 2. This points to a US arrival around April of 2015 as a 2016 model. We are likely to receive a base 2.0-liter turbo making 240-horsepower with available AWD and a base price of around $40,000. At launch, the XE will also offer a variety of diesels in Europe, but the up-market model will be the supercharged V6 XE S with 380-horsepower and a sprint time of under 4.9-seconds. The XE S is also …

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Updated With 42 New Photos – INFINITI Q80 Inspiration Concept Flagship

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Updated 10.2.14 One popular design cliche is to describe the panel shapes of a model as ‘like flowing silk.’ The idea is to be lighter than air, and always in motion with ripples and elegant movement at all times. Far beyond cliche, the new Q80 Inspiration makes the idea real.A rare achievement, to be sure, and very exciting. Freeze that wind-swept silk in time, and it carries the beauty of motion even as a static piece. That is how we would describe the latest panel shaping theme shown in the new Q80 Inspiration, which is officially set to become a …

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3.0s Lamborghini LPI 910-4 Asterion Is Mid-Engine, V10+PHEV Hyper Cruiser!

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My my! Dozens of exciting launches in Paris today, but few as surprising as this one so far! A PHEV Lamborghini concept called the Asterion is an all-new segment for Lamborghini in the 21st century.We initially thought the car was a front-engine 2+2, but it is actually a mid-engine V10. Since the Estoque in 2008 did not reach production approval, the Lamborghini team has been going wild with one-off models like the Eqoista and Reventon or Sesto Elemento, refining its new Huracan production car, and even exploring a small SUV in the URUS concept. But in many ways, a front-engine …

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2015 Ford Mondeo Brings New LED Headlights + Redesigned Steering and Suspension

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  Ford’s new Mondeo is heading to European dealers by the end of this year! Revised LED lighting, tech and redesigned steering/suspension round out the changes. The Mondeo Hybrid will also be new to the European and UK market. Might these updates show the direction of Ford’s hot-selling Fusion here in the US? Time will tell! Despite lots of moves toward global models, the Mondeo vs Fusion name difference is slightly helpful in making different update cycles by market a bit easier to swallow. This is in sharp contrast to the Euro VW Passat versus the US Passat, for example, …

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PARIS DEBUTS – 2016 Volkswagen Passat GTE Plug-In Hybrid To Arrive in Europe October 2015

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Okay folks, lets brace ourselves for perhaps three dozen amazing new car reveals in Paris! We will try to focus on whether the car is a concept or a production model – and detail production cars’ arrival timeframes and markets in which it will be sold! To that end, the 2015 VW Passat GTE is an all-new production car for the European markets, with first arrivals in October 2015 to showrooms. It is the first plug-in VW hybrid and will be offered as the normal sedan or the practical estate shape. The Passat GTE powertrain is very promising for the …

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2015 Honda Civic Type R Previewed By Crisp and Clean New Paris Concept

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276 horsepower is now the floor for Honda Type R models – this latest 2.0-liter turbocharged engine shows that Honda is diving in head-first into the world of turbochargers. Which definitely makes sense – Honda is, after all, supplying the McLaren Formula One team with its engines for 2015 and beyond. So you can be sure that the engine lab is glowing red-hot with huge boost! So what will change between now and the production model set for Spring 2015 in the UK? Mostly the headlights and the wheels. They will both be slightly more production-feasible. But otherwise, this is …

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2010 BERTONE Pandion for Alfa-Romeo Is Next-Level Brilliance Inside and Out

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  We obviously cover a lot of concepts and dream cars here, but rarely does one captivate the eye and mind more than the 2010 Bertone Pandion. BERTONE: COMPANY SITUATION ANALYSIS First things first: Bertone (pronounced ‘Bear Tony’) is currently restructuring after some lean years in the Italian car business drained its corporate accounts to breaking point. Is this any way indicative of the quality of the firm’s design work? Absolutely, positively not. In fact, it is because of Bertone’s amazing ideas that the firm branched back into actual car factories versus just dreamy, steamy concept cars and prototypes. Full-scale …

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Concept Debrief – 1969 BMW 2800 Spicup Was Bertone Spider-Coupe Prototype

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Named for its dual purpose, the Spicup is a contraction of ‘Spider’ and ‘Coupe’ into one word. This one was a joint effort and actually led with Bertone proposing the idea of a spider coupe with a retractable hardtop to BMW. A 2.8-liter straight six lives up front and the one-off Spicup BMW opened the door to more Bertone-BMW collaboration later in the 1970s. The machine is certainly unique and eye-popping today: imagine it today as some form of BMW Z4 variant: a cabrio two-door built off a traditional sedan platform. More accurately, considering the roof and semi-popup headlamps, was …

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BMW E31 840i, 850i and 850CSi Celebrate 25th-Anniversary Homecoming in Munchen

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The BMW 8 series might not be everyone’s favorite German supercoupe, but it certainly made its mark on owners! They are fanatically enthusiastic about the machine – in a way that is not echoed by owners of many big BMW sedans. As the second slant-nose BMW after the M1, the 8 series had a charmed birth in 1989. It was a slow climb to greatness: many enthusiasts yawned at its relatively pokey sprint pace and over-heavy controls in rapid corners. But versus its rivals from Mercedes-Benz, the 8 series delivered in spades. It made the Mercedes-Benz CL-Class a mandatory part …

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2015 Volvo V40 XC Adds 245HP T5 Powertrain – USA Imports Coming Soon?

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  UPDATE: The fine print of Volvo’s release below actually invalidates much of the below editorializing — it looks like the V40 Cross Country may be coming to the States after all!!! Say a big thankyou to the new XC90’s strong initial sales if this does become the case… watch this space for all the updates.   PREVIOUS The V40 is Volvo’s smallest model range and is no longer imported to the US market. Is this a total letdown? It is a bit of a disappointment, that is sure. Especially because this platform has housed many of the latest Volvo …

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Mercedes-Benz FT2025 Is New Daimler Trucks Flagship

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Why care about the brand-new Mercedes-Benz Future Truck 2015 concept shown in Hanover this week for the first time? A few reasons: — The vast majority of S-Class-level active safety and automated driving tech is all-new to the long-haul truck segment — Daimler Trucks is the top-selling medium and heavy truck supplier worldwide, so these ideas will populate everything from future Unimogs to the new Damiler India brand BharatBenz in the coming years — Germans take concepts seriously: these ideas are all totally feasible and likely already headed to full production in the next five years — The active safety …

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Concept Flashback – 2003 Citroen C-Airlounge Is Most Artful and Memorable Van Concept… Ever?

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What does it take to make a minivan form sexy? To make it fresh and trippy and almost psychedelic? That would take the mad hatters at Citroen in France. The look of this C-Airlounge concept actually strongly informed the designs of the current generation of people-movers like the C4 Picasso — but loses much of the surreal sense of hypercurved panel shapes and seamless construction. Part of the fantasy of this C-Airlounge is that imagining a car like this on the road is nearly impossible. Virtually no panel gaps or shutlines get in the way of the features, while the …

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2013 Kia CUB Concept Is Retro-Futurist Hatch With Surfacing and Stance To Best Even MINI Cooper

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  Here is a real charmer of a concept – one that shows what the aesthetic of the Soul might look like in a traditional five-door hatchback. The retro portion of the design is in the low hood and steep windshield glass, while the futurist element comes with the lack of gaudy chrome detailing or a big grille up front. Rounding takes over in the front corner vents and the smooth flow of the rear canopy and hatch region. A shark-fin element appears in three-dimensional relief in the front door panel, while the rear glass incorporates a CHMSL LED as …

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Update2 New Photos – 2015 Peugeot 508 Facelifted With New LED DRLs, Box-Design Beams and Tweaked Cabin Tech

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My passion for great LED lighting is spiraling out of control. It seems, lately, that a new headlight design with some flashy LEDs is enough to win my favor. But am I alone? LED lighting and headlights are by far the easiest piece of a car for the manufacturers to update — no new sheetmetal is required at all in many cases. But the impact on the 30-percent of the time spent driving in the dark or dusk? A totally transformed car. This new 508 is more than an LED refresh – and includes various new shapes for the grille …

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2014 Evanta Barchetta Makes Goodwood Debut With Modern 450HP V8 Engine + Classic Style

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The continued prominence of the English sportscar business is no accident – the country’s road laws allow small-batch sports cars to be exempt from most EU emissions and safety rules. This is how cars like the Ariel Atom and others can wear UK license plates, but are track-only specials in (most of) the rest of the world. Evanta Motor Cars is leveraging that unique government flexibility to make its next car a relatively big seller. The Evanta Barchetta runs a custom-frabricated tubular alloy frame and vintage-inspired panels alongside a huge General Motors-sourced V8 engine. The combination means light weight and …

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Renault Espace New for 2015 With More-Butch Styling, Will Not Come to UK

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  The Renault Espace has long been one of the biggest players in luxury French family travel. Consider its history: the minivan exemplar has been plying Europe’s roads since its near-simultaneous debut in the mid-80s with the Chrysler minivans over here in the States. Many variations on the Espace’s appeal have moved the car upmarket over the years, without reclaiming much if its initial sales volume from its first few generations. The new Espace is a seriously low-volume seller at this point, and will not be made in right-hand-drive since being dropped from the UK price lists two years back. …

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510HP, 3.9s 2015 Mercedes-AMG C63 S Joins New C63 – Without the Benz Name!

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The new C63 is here! In UK  trim at first, but with key details now clear ahead of the US announcement. In an unusual move, Mercedes-Benz is now Mercedes-AMG for the hottest models in its range. This slight name change drops the Benz and moves the AMG portion ahead of the model nomenclature. Aside from the detail OEM change, the rest of the car is far more exciting. Huge power from the 476-horsepower engine is also available in an XXL power guise: the S Model simply becomes the C63 S. One distinct piece for the C63 versus the E63 and …

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Concept Flashback – 1978 JAGUAR XJ Spider by Pininfarina

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How advanced is this Pininfarina concept for Jaguar? It is hard to believe there is an XK under these swoopy panels, which predated anything else curvy by more than eight years. Very, very impressive for 1978 — especially considering that this basic template was a huge hit for the Aston Martin DB7 and even the Jaguar XK from 1996. 1978 JAGUAR XJ Spider by Pininfarina

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2015 Honda Civic Sport is New for UK with Type-R Styling Accents!

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How fantastic does this Euro Civic Sport look! Enjoy it, our UK pals. We are envious here in the States! 2015 Honda Civic Sport     Honda UK Ltd 24 September 2014 New design, new technology and a new Sport derivative for the Swindon-built Civic range   New sporty exterior and interior styling upgrades for Honda Civic and Civic Tourer models Introduction of new Civic Sport with visual links to forthcoming Type R New in-car entertainment and technology system introduced across the line-up New automatic low-speed braking system applied as standard across the range Class-leading boot space of 477 (Civic) …

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INFINITI Q80 Inspiration Previews Gorgeous and Fascinating S-Class Competitor

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One popular design cliche is to describe the panel shapes of a model as ‘like flowing silk.’ The idea is to be lighter than air, and always in motion with ripples and elegant movement at all times. Far beyond cliche, the new Q80 Inspiration makes the idea real.A rare achievement, to be sure, and very exciting. Freeze that wind-swept silk in time, and it carries the beauty of motion even as a static piece. That is how we would describe the latest panel shaping theme shown in the new Q80 Inspiration, which is officially set to become a production model …

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2012 Giugiaro BRIVIDO Martini Racing Honors Lancia Beta Montecarlo and 037

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In the world of iconic racing liveries, Martini Racing is right up there with Golf Oil as the most-loved in history. What better way to salute the long collaborative partnership between ItalDesign Giugiaro than to dress their sexy Brivido GT concept in fast red and blue stripes on a white base. In the case of the Brivido Martini Racing, the homage is more than paint-deep. With a semi-exposed rear diffuser and and long, low nose splitter, the Brivido is close in spirit to the legendary 037 and Beta Montecarlo racecars. These wild turbo rally specials were so fast and wild …

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Updated with 30 New Photos – 2015 MINI 5-Door Answers the Call of Back-Seaters Everywhere!

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Updated 9.23.14 What is the back-seaters’ call? “Let us out!” ? That is not exactly the MINI Cooper’s fun-loving style! Back-seat whiners have typically just wanted to stretch their legs a little bit, but been stuck until one of the fancy front-seaters will move their tush and let the seat slide up to an open slice of door. The 2015 MINI five-door hatch promises modest solutions to both problems via an extra set of rear doors on the silly-fun urban classic. The latest MINI model is far more approachable in every way, with its turbocharged standard triple delivering more MPG …

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Citroen C1 Urban Ride Concept Adds Crossover Height and Style Atop Supermini Chassis

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Crossover mania is sweeping France and the wider world this year! Citroen is joining the fun with a butched-up suupermini concept called the C1 Urban Ride concept. With a taller ride height and chunky bumpers and sills, it promises to be tougher than a standard C1 for light off-roading. It will also be unstoppable across any parking lot of pot-holes — with the extra ride height making speedbumps a non-event! The fabric roof rolls back to give those in back an al-fresco safari experience; all the better for going wild down the main streets of Paris! Citroen C1 Urban Ride …

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2014 Volkswagen TRISTAR Is All-New Off-Road Cargo Van with Pickup Truck Bed

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The world’s top commercial truck show is going on this week in Hanover, Germany — and VW has just debuted an exciting light truck concept. Part van, part pickup truck, and part off-roader — the idea is for the best of all worlds. Called the TRISTAR and packing a styling design and modern cabin, the machine promises to be an all-star work truck for the fleets of tomorrow. Just a concept for now, the design is likely to preview a heavy-duty version of the next Transporter van. 2014 Volkswagen TRISTAR WORLD PREMIERE OF VOLKSWAGEN TRISTAR AT THE IAA 23/09/14 Concept …

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Concept Flashback – 1985 Nissan Cue-X Inspired Original Infiniti Q45 Flagship and Future Q80

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  As we prepare for the upcoming Infiniti Q80 Inspiration concept’s debut in Paris, how about a look back at the springboard ideas that led to the first flagship, the Q45 of 1990. The 1985 Cue-X concept from Nissan shares clear details with what became the Q45 from all angles, but especially in profile. This low and lean shape was far less formal than the competition from Lexus in the LS400, as well as the established players like Mercedes-Benz and BMW. It is fascinating to see the inspiration for the original Q, and the low and flowing style shown by …

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Part Two: 2011 Audi Urban Concept SPYDER is 2-Seater for Scooter-Phobes

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PART TWO: Showcasing through a few favorite concept cars ahead of the Paris Motor Show! This  2010 Urban Concept from Audi is a battery EV design to be ultra-light and ultra-efficiency, while also packing the maneuverable of a scooter. Okay, that would be one large scooter… but still. It is easy to pilot around and the enclosed cockpit promises far more safety and security than anything on two wheels. A standard steering wheel and pedals make this a perfect machine for those who would never feel safe on a motorcycle, but do not require anything as huge as a Smartcar. …

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2015 Honda CR-V Refreshed Inside and Out – On Sale October 1st

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Just a first look at this one – but the launch timing is approaching fast! The new CR-V will go on sale in the US in just a week’s time, on October 1st, 2014. Full details are promised from Honda on September 30th. Overall, the new nose eliminates some of the grin from the current car, with an updated nose and LED lighting to bring a classier appearance to this best-selling crossover. The 2014 model carries a base price of $23,500 — which is the ballpark of the new model as well. Looking sharp! 2015 Honda CR-V     HONDA …

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2012 Chevrolet Code 130R Is Rear-Drive, 1.4L Turbo Coupe That Will Never Exist

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Never exist? That is a bit harsh, no? The fact of the matter is, the Code 130R was always a longshot. The potential price range of the model would need to base around $16,000 and max at about $24,000, where the Camaro starts with no options. Sharing a Camaro chassis is certainly possible, but this again would bring prices far above the current Korean-engineered compact and subcompact cars in the General Motors portfolio. As enticing as a car like this is, its chances of ever seeing production are extremely slim. The non-existent overhangs and proportions would compete nicely with the …

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2010 Audi Quattro Concept in 50 High-Res Photos and LED Animations

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Where did Audi’s design mojo go? We are not sure — but it is gone. This concept is the purest and cleanest style any future RS5 could hope for, but after four years since its 2010 debut, we have seen nothing similar anywhere near production. The 2013 Sport Quattro concept that succeeded this short-wheelbase special is a mess of melted surfaces and creepy detailing. 2010 Audi Quattro Concept Headlamp Animation 2010 Audi Quattro Concept Taillamp Animation

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Digital Renderings Fix the 2009 Aston Martin LAGONDA SUV Concept

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 This is a light update to the previous LAGONDA article, but one that is best as a distinct piece to avoid confusion. As identified below, the nose and tail of the Lagonda SUV concept were its biggest problems. The make it hard to love. FIXED NOSE RENDERINGS The grille is far too large and far too bright. During a few hours in Photoshop, we have identified the eggcrate grille design as the true fault up front. It makes this Lagonda look like a Chrysler Sebring — which is not a flattering comparison for a superlux SUV. We have made the …

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Concept Debrief – 2009 Aston Martin LAGONDA SUV Concept

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  The Aston Martin  Lagonda SUV was easily the most-hated SUV concept of 2009 when it debuted. People absolutely hated it. They hated the design mostly, but fell back on SUV hate for extra emphasis. The only other concept whose design has been so roundly hated was the Bentley EXP-9F — which required a full redesign, led to the re-assignment of the CEO who approved it, and ultimately pushed the production Bentley SUV debut back at least three years. What do these two hated SUVs have in common? — Long-history sports-car brands’ first attempts to move into the crossover market …

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Road Test Review – 2015 Ford Fiesta ST Is JJ Fantastic: Freaky Fast, Freaky Good! Even Better than BR-Z and FR-S

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Performance Specials. They are the cream of the crop. They are the CTS-V’s of the world, the M5s and the Lancer Evo’s. They are freaky specials that are the product of pure driving joy, allowed to slip into showrooms every now and then. For car guys, they are the holy grail. Rare. Special. Excellent. From the moment you sit in the Ford Fiesta ST, you know that it is going to be a hugely fun drive. The seats are packed with support bolsters and the engine start button kicks the Fiesta into life with a snort from up front and …

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2011 Volkswagen Cross Coupe SUV Concept is Future MQB-Sized BMW X4 Competitor

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Volkswagen has been flirting with an expanded large SUV line for more than five years, with this 2011 Cross Coupe concept a sportier Touareg variant. Since then, we have seen the CrossBlue Concept and the CrossBlue Coupe Concept, but both are believed to carry underpinnings from the US-market Passat. This extra-wide machine is clearly from another family altogether — despite its quoted MQB (Golf) underpinnings. VW CrossBlue concept VW CrossBlue Coupe concept The look of the car shown here is quite interesting, but may or may not be en route to production. Volkswagen’s adventures in the Phaeton-land have established a …

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Audi Sexes Up 48-Volt Conversion With New Electric Turbo RS5 TDI

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The 12-volt automotive electrical architecture has long been a weak link in the further electrification of the automobile. Audi is taking big steps to quadruple the system voltage, which might be a dull topic. Step in, the new RS5 TDI and A6 TDI concepts. Running diesel engines with this more-powerful 48-volt system allows a new type of forced induction: the electric turbocharger. Similar to a super-powerful electric leaf-blower, the possibilities are pretty interesting. No exhaust gasses are needed for this electric turbo, which can also offer anti-lag traits by zinging up to max boost before the throttle is floored — …

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Ferrari 575 and 599 SuperAmerica Preview F12 Targa in 85 High-Res Monaco Photos

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Right before Luca Di Montezemolo was canned at Ferrari last week, he let it slip that an exclusive new model would be coming to the LA auto show in November. That car is widely believed to be some sort of droptop F12 — very likely a Targa or rotating glass SuperAmerica variant. A full cabrio version with a hardtop is seen as unnecessary with the full convertible California model in the range. We have seen this innovative idea before on a few concepts before 559 models were made for sale in 2005 and 2006 near the end of the 550/575 …

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Concept Flashback – 2009 Audi R8 TDI V12 Shows Great Engineering Potential, But Limited Market

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Audi seems to have no trouble winning LeMans with its ultra-sophisticated R18 models in the last decade — but has struggled mightily trying to translate racing tech to the road. Even today, there is no clear link between Audi racing glory and the cars sold by Audi dealerships. Sure, there is anecdotal evidence hat motorsport success has fueled Audi’s continued sales rise — but it is a tenuous link. Upon the arrival of Audis’ first supercar, the R8, this finally looked set to change. At last — a way to show how LeMans racing improves the breed in general! The …

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Hypercar Heroes – 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 Stirling Moss

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How time flies! The calendar seems to be moving faster than ever in 2014 — only five years since the 75 hand-made SLR McLaren models left Woking in 722 Stirling Moss trim. A speedster without a windshield or any attempt at a convertible top, the stunning machine could reach a true 219-mph. Only the brave need apply — which is the perfect homage to Sir Stirling Moss’s racing achivements during his career. These include winning the Mille Miglia for Mercedes-Benz — but Moss also raced for Maserati and Porsche during his reign. The inspiration and celebration of Stirling Moss is, …

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2014 Citroen C4 Cactus 2L AIRFLOW Brings 141-MPG Via Active Aero and Compressed Air Hybrid

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It must be aero concept day in Paris today, as the C4 2L AIRFLOW is also joined by the new Renault Eolab concept with an ultra-svelte EV design. This C4 2L Cactus AIRFLOW is a highly modified Hybrid Air concept cased on the new C4 Cactus production crossover. The most eye-catching tech is the active aero shutters up front and in the wheels, but the 141-mpg truth is more complicated. In fact, the active aero additions can, at most, drop the fuel consumption by perhaps 10 percent. The rest of the gain comes from the PSA compressed-air hybrid system that …

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2015 Ford S-Max SportVan Adds LED Lighting and Next-Gen SYNC in Comprehensive Redesign

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Ford of Europe just revealed the new S-Max sports activity vehicle with all-new everything: engines, cabin design and exterior styling are all fresh for 2015. The S-Max is now clearly part of the C-Max and Grand C-Max family, but with premium features that are missing from the smaller and cheaper siblings. The new Ford nose blends nicely into this sportvan shape, and the LED styling front and rear is great to see. LED headlights and accents are included in the S-Max — as only the second Ford model to every pack this technology, right after the 2015 F-150 Platinum. The …

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2015 Ford C-Max and 7-Seat Grand C-Max Make UK Debut With Revised Styling and Tech

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Very subtle tweaks to the nose of the C-Max and Grand C-Max debuted today for the UK market. No word yet on when the US-market C-Max Hybrid might receive these changes, but a Spring arrival to US showrooms is likely. The Grand C-Max with seven seats would be a welcome car for the US market — but Ford has those bases covered with the Transit Connect Wagon — which is far better-looking than the sliding-door C-Max shown here in a dark tan color. What the Grand C-Max does offer shoppers is a more-sophisticated set of drivetrains and a more refined …

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2014 Renault Eolab Concept is Ultra-Aerodynamic Innovation Showcase

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Ahh! What a terrible, terrible name for a pretty cool concept, Renault. The focus of this machine is to maximize the efficiency of an EV powertrain in a holistic way. This means aero as well as weight and management and materials innovation. The car is said to preview an EV that will be larger than the current ZOE hatchback and will integrate many of these features into a production car. The drag coefficient of the Eolab concept is just 0.235, which is very good but not very much better than the slipperiest new cars available in 2015 – like the …

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2015 VOLVO XC90 R-Design Adds Sex Appeal to All-New 7-Seater

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  Hooray for Volvo! We are very excited for the XC90 launch and have a strong feeling that Volvo’s efforts in the cabin and with the ultra-modern powertrains will be a big hit with shoppers. But if one thing was missing from the XC90 announcement last week — it might have been a bit of sex appeal. Where was the VaVaVoom of the Concept Coupe and Concept Estate? The new XC90 seemed a little too practical for its own good? Luckily, the R-Design trim is now out and addresses many of these concerns. It looks hot — and even hotter …

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