The 5-Series GT is one of the most unsuccessful models in BMW’s lineup, so before deciding if the model will survive or not, the company has prepared some small revisions for it. Our spy photographers have caught the car testing one more time, and as you can see, it has dropped more of its camouflage.
The car is wearing camouflage on only those parts of the body that benefit from this revision. Up front, the revised 5-Series GT will receive a new bumper, a slightly revised grille and a new headlight design that will most likely go all the way to the grille, like on the 3-Series. For the rear, the model will receive a new bumper and taillights with new graphics.
The most important update will lay under the 535i GT’s hood; this model will drop the current N55 engine in favor of a new turbocharged in-line six-cylinder.
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When the Kia Soul dropped onto the U.S. market in 2010, hipsters everywhere saw Kia in a whole new light. This boxy compact car had all the tuning capabilities the Honda Civic had when it was a tuning phenomenon through the late 1990s and early 2000s, plus it had a catchy commercial with hip hop hamsters. All was well in the world of the Soul, and it’s about to get even more real with the preparation of the future-generation model.
Fresh off of its facelift in 2011, the most sold model from Kia has just entered a new generation. The 2014 Kia Soul was unveiled at the 2013 New York Auto Show and will be put on sale in the third quarter of this year.
For the new generation, the Soul has switched to a new chassis, received a new design language inspired by the Track’ster concept and features significant suspension upgrades.
Updated 03/29/2013: This review has been updated with the official details, images and specs.
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Subaru is going to expand the XV lineup with the addition of a XV Crosstrek Hybrid version – the brand’s first-ever production hybrid vehicle. The model made its world debut at the 2013 New York International Auto Show and will be put on sale in the fourth quarter of 2013.
With the new XV Crosstreck Hybrid, Subaru managed to keep all the features offered in the standard version, but enhanced it with higher fuel efficiency. The model is powered by a compact hybrid system that weighs just 209 pounds, so the new hybrid model weights just 300 pounds more than the gasoline engine XV Crosstrek.
The model displayed in New York featurs a very cool Plasma Green Pearl exterior color - an exclusive feature for the XV Hybrid.
Updated 03/28/2013: This review has been updated with the official details, images and specs.
Hit the jump to read more about the 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid.
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Back in 2007 Daimler, Renault and Nissan signed an agreement that will bring new models and technologies to all the three companies. For Daimler, this partnership will bring a new model placed under the current A-Class that is rumored to be called the X-Class.
The new X-Class will be launched in 2018 and will be built on the next-generation Renault Clio platform as a competitor for BMW’s front-wheel-drive vehicles.
Mercedes will try to keep the price as low as possible - somewhere in the €20,000 area ( around$26,000 at the current exchange rates) and for this the new X-Class will be heavily influenced by Renault and Nissan models, but it will still offer the minimum of luxury offered by the Mercedes models.
Under the hood, the upcoming X-Class will get a new 1-liter three-cylinder and a 1.5-liter four-cylinder, while a hybrid or an electric version and a double-clutch gearbox are out of the question.
The X-Class will be offered in both sedan and crossover variants and Mercedes expects to sell around 100,000 to 150,000 units annually.
*NOTE: The image above is of the A-Class.
Nissan is preparing to roll out a new special-edition Juke, except that unlike the Juke-R that has been the subject of numerous dreams and fantasies, the Juke n-tec Special Edition is not to be confused with a performance monster.
Unfortunately, the Juke n-tec doesn’t carry any power enhancements the same way the Juke-R, and to a lesser extent, the Juke Nismo, had it in droves. Nevertheless, the Juke-n-Tec does come with a unique and new feature, namely Google’s Send-to-Car technology.
With this technology in tow, a Juke n-tec owner can make travel arrangements on any form of technological device - a PC, a tablet, or a smartphone - from just about anywhere and then sent those instructions to the car. The Juke n-Tec’s Send-to-Car technology then proceeds to map out the entirety of the trip by itself, including checking for the best route, avoiding traffic and specifying how many pit stops to make. Pretty cool, right?
On top of the Send-to-Car technology, the special-edition Juke also comes with a choice of eight exterior colors, three interior color choices, glossy-black mirror caps, a new set of 18-inch black/silver alloy wheels, the new generation Nissan Connect infotainment system with remote connectivity and a choice of three different engine trims.
Customers can choose from a 1.6-liter naturally aspirated engine that delivers 117 horsepower; a 1.5 dCi with 110 horsepower; and best of all, a 1.6-liter turbocharged DIG-T that produces 190 horsepower.
Well that didn’t take long, did it?
Fresh off of wowing the crowd at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, Kia’s Provo Concept may be headed to production faster than anybody anticipated.
Benny Oeyen, Kia’s European Vice President of Marketing and Product Planning, recently told Auto Express that the Korean automaker is seriously considering building a production model of the Provo Concept.
“The Provo is a possible niche we can venture into," Oeyen said. "Our brand is currently rational, but there’s space for a B-Coupe."
While there’s no immediate timetable for the production of the Provo, Kia’s next step in determining the concept’s production future would be to conduct market research to determine if the model will have the kind of demand that warrants a production model being built.
The automaker’s admission that it has no problem venturing into the B-Coupe market should be a big plus in the side of those wanting to see the Provo get its production green light.
Here’s our two cents on it: if Kia decides to retain the concept’s fantastic exterior while simplifying the interior to adhere to production standards, then we have no qualms about saying that it’s a car the automaker has to have out on the road.
Spyker announced that its new B6 Venator Concept, which was unveiled at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, is just the first step the company has made into its global resurgence. The company has plans to unveil a concept crossover model next year, with a production version to arrive later in 2016.
The new crossover will be based on the D8 Paris-to-Peking crossover, which was unveiled at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show, but it will be less extravagant, while still retaining Spyker’s reputation for exclusivity.
The same Spyker officials also confirmed that a production version of the B6 Venator Concept will be put on sale on the U.S. market in the spring of 2014 at a price somewhere from $125,000 to $150,000.
Once these changes are made, the company’s lineup will include three different models: the current C8 Aileron, the upcoming B6 Venator and the upcoming crossover. Once all three models are put on sale, the company hopes to sell around 2,500 units a year - up from the current 350 units.
One of two concepts based on the new-generation RAV4 brought to the 2013 Geneva Motor Show is the RAV4 Premium. This second concept was developed to prove that the crossover can deliver added sophistication.
The new RAV4 Premium features a cool Deep Bronze finish on both the exterior and the bumpers. The car’s bronze is combined with chrome insertions on the redesigned bumper and brushed aluminum skid plates. For the exterior, Toyota is also offering horizontal lines for the front and central grille display, large air intakes, a stylish chrome-finished spoiler with LED lights and 20-inch alloy wheels.
The concept’s interior has been designed by Toyota’s Kansei design department. It includes luxurious leather upholstery in the cabin, sports seats with new black piping and two-tone double stitching in several areas of the interior. The instruments and door panels are wrapped in a combination of grey and black leather.
After much teasing and prodding over the past couple of months, Kia’s tiger-looking concept has finally broken cover at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show.
Apparently, it’s called the Provo Concept and, as you can imagine, it looks absolutely bonkers or at the very least, right up what Kia promised as a "racy new urban concept.” It sure wasn’t kidding, huh?
But the radical conceptual design of the exterior, particularly the eye-catching front profile, only tells part of the story of the Provo Concept. The interior is also awash in some fine and fancy suede and carbon treatments while the wheels, well, those ridiculous bad boys sure do speak for themselves.
It’s also worth noting that the Kia Provo Concept is looking like the Korean automaker’s answer to the growing crossover market, one that could have the likes of MINI in its crosshairs.
Find out more about the Kia Provo Concept after the jump
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Switzerland is set to become the center of the auto world when the annual auto show opens next week. It’s also important to remember that the 2013 Burton European Open snowboarding event in LAXX, Switzerland is also on-going.
It’s important because MINI is a sponsor of the event and when a marketing opportunity presents itself, you know MINI going to take full advantage of it. So what exactly did MINI do?
Build a Countryman art car, of course; except that this isn’t just any other art car. It’s one that was designed by Swiss local artists Lu&Lu and has been rechristened as the Countryman RE:LAAX!
Using the Swiss Alps as the inspiration, Lu&Lu proceeded to draw an image - or something that resembles it - of the picturesque landscape of the region. And the best part is, they chronicled the whole thing via a video, which need we say more, is a must-watch.
