This isn’t the first time we hear about a possible Infiniti GT-R model. In fact, this rumor took root as soon as the Nissan GT-R was launched back in 2008, and has resurfaced numerous times since then. Now, it’s making another appearance. According to British magazine CAR, Infiniti may offer a GT-R version after all, hinted by Francois Bancon, Head of Advanced Planning for Infiniti in Tokyo. He stated that the GT-R platform is too good to use for only one model. In fact, he said that the company is taking under consideration ’three or four’ proposals and that an Infiniti GT-R is one of them.
If the decision does lie with the Infiniti GT-R, it would need to counteract the Nissan GT-R’s power with sophistication: "It would have to be softer than the GT-R. And that’s extremely difficult to do. You can’t easily tweak the GT-R to deliver the sophisticated, more refined performance we would need on an Infiniti."
A final decision on the Infiniti GT-R will be made in the next two or three years and, if chosen, a production version should arrive in the next five years.
After Mercedes unveiled the new generation CLS, rumors started to circulate about a Shooting Brake version. And while this isn’t the first time the vehicle has been caught testing, it is yet another confirmation that the Shooting Brake is happening, however strange it may seem.
The up and coming CLS Shooting Brake was in Northern Sweden doing some winter testing when our spy photographers caught up with it. If anyone expects to see great things from this new model, we recommend they stop dreaming. The Shooting Brake model will only be a station wagon version of the CLS and will feature the same design language as its sedan brother. The technology and engine lineup will also be shared.
This means that when the CLS Shooting Brake finally makes its appearance, it will be powered by a direct-injected 3.5-liter V6 capable of producing 306 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. An AMG version is also a strong possibility.
The Mercedes CLS Shooting Brake is expected to be unveiled sometime in 2012.
Jaguar made a sensational decision in producing the XKR-S Coupe and they have decided it’s time to expand the impressive line-up with the addition of a new Convertible model. The new XKR-S Convertible made its world debut at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show and is the most powerful and fastest open-topped GT Jaguar has ever built.
The convertible uses the same 5.0-liter supercharged AJ-V8 engine as the coupe version. It delivers a total of 543 HP and a peak torque of 502 lbs-ft; enough power to sprint the car from 0 to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds on its way up to a top speed of 186 mph.
Just like the coupe version, the XKR-S Convertible received an impressive aerodynamic package that helps maintain stability in an open-topped car capable of speeds as high as 186mph. More than that, all the exterior changes make the XKR-S look more aggressive and sportier than ever.
Adrian Hallmark, Jaguar Global Brand Director says, "There is nothing as liberating as life behind the wheel of an open-topped Jaguar and the new XKR-S Convertible takes the Jaguar GT experience to new heights."
UPDATE 02/02/2012: Jaguar has unveiled a new video showing the XKR-S Convertible as it plays in the snow somewhere in Finland. Enjoy!
More details on the 2012 Jaguar XKR-S after the jump.
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The long-awaited Tesla Model S is finally itching and itching closer to production as the California-based electric car maker has released the latest batch of photos for their electric sedan.
Looking more or less the same as the concept version, the newly-designed Model S features a restyled front bumper and new rear lights that resemble that of the Jaguar XF. Despite the minimal changes, the "new-look" Model S figures to be as close to what the production version of this model is going to look like.
If and when this model does see the light of the production block, Tesla has announced that the first 1,000 models of the Model S will be given a unique special edition badging - the North American Model S Signature Series - which will come with some added aesthetic treatments, a bevy of optional upgrades, and a powertrain that features the model’s top-of-the-line lithium-ion battery pack with a 300-mile range.
UPDATE 02/01/12: To say that Tesla has high hopes for the Model S is really an understatement. More than just being the company’s new flagship model, the Model S is also Tesla’s first venture into the world of what could be described as luxury electric cars that boast of features that you won’t find in any other sedan in the market. The company even released a new video, suggesting not so subtly that 2012 will be the Year of the Model S. To that, who are we to disagree? Check out the video by clicking on the image above.
Details on the Tesla Model S after the jump.
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Volkswagen unveiled the coupe version of the new generation Beetle in April 2011 at the New York Auto Show and at that time, everyone believed that a cabrio version would only be a few months away. However, Volkswagen has decided to make us wait a little bit longer with the new Beetle Cabrio not making its world debut until late 2012. That’s just a little too long to wait so we got to work and came up with this rendering of the future drop top Beetle.
The upcoming Volkswagen Beetle Cabrio will feature a design language similar to that of the coupe version, except, of course, for its soft-top folding roof. This means that the convertible Beetle will be bolder, more dynamic, and more masculine, making it a tad more appealing to the male population. Looking at the new Beetle, there’s a new design line from the front bumper and front air inlet, straight lines of the bonnet edges, a precisely drawn line between the A-pillar and C-pillar, and new styling of the rear lights, all assisting in the new generation’s transformation into a new world.
The engine line-up will also be borrowed from the coupe version and will include one diesel and two petrol engine with power ranging from 138 HP to 197 HP. Every engine will be paired with either a standard 6-speed manual or an optional 6-speed DSG transmission.
