Hyundai’s i20 ] will be going through some drastic design changes this year, as proven by these recent spy images of the facelift model. The company hopes to completely change the look of its supermini for the 2013 model year and will be unveiling the result of the changes at the end of 2012.
The design of facelift Hyundai i20 will get influenced by the recently launched i40, with a new hexagonal grille, two jewel-like headlamps, and characterful lines that connect the front and rear of the vehicle. The rear lights and rear bumper will undoubtedly be updated as well, considering they are covered in heavy camouflage on this test model. Inside, the i20 will also be refreshed with changes coming to the dash and the front and rear seats.
Hyundai seems to be only focusing on the aesthetics of the vehicle, because up until now, the i20 looks to be powered by the same ranges of engines as the current model. Expect to see the usual 1.2- and 1.4-liter petrol engines, as well as two diesel engines with either 75HP or 90 HP.
While we were all expecting to see the convertible version of the new generation Beetle at the 2012 Chicago Motor Show in February, Volkswagen has decided to keep us waiting a little bit longer and are bringing a TDI version for the coupe instead.
The new Beetle TDI will be powered by a 2.0-liter turbo-diesel four cylinder engine that will deliver about 140 HP and 236 lb-ft of torque. The engine will be mated to a standard six-speed manual gearbox or an optional DSG transmission. This setup will deliver up to 50 mpg, making the new TDI version the most economical Beetle ever. Volkswagen has yet to announce whether or not the new engine will be offered in the upcoming Beetle Cabrio, but we’ll be on the lookout for any new details.
The 2012 Chicago Auto Show will open its doors on February 8th, 2012 so stay tuned!
MINI has never been the shy type when it comes to rolling out special edition models, especially when certain situations call for it.
As an official sponsor of the 2012 London Olympic Games, you can’t come up with a more ideal situation for a special edition Cooper. Heck, they even made two of them.
Joining the Cooper Bayswater Special Edition is the Baker Street Special Edition, a unique trim of the popular Cooper line that pays homage to London hosting the 2012 Olympic Games. Similar to the Bayswater model, the Baker Street comes with plenty of unique trims, highlighted by a Rooftop Grey metallic finish with special racing stripes on the hood, black mirror caps, and a new set of 16" alloy wheels. Optional paint finishes - Pepper White and Midnight Black - are also part of the package.
Inside, the Baker Street model comes dressed with unique seating surfaces with a Cross Check Rooftop Grey color for the dashboard and door trim and diamond pattern, light grey contrast stitching for the floor mats, gearshift/selector lever, handbrake gaiters, and seat tags.
The Cooper Baker Street Edition is set to be available on the MINI One, Cooper, One D, and Cooper D models with sales expected to begin in Spring 2012.
With the 2012 London Olympics drawing closer and closer, official sponsors like MINI are starting to get their publicity machines going with hopes of squeezing every last ounce of marketing potential that goes with being an Olympics sponsor.
In the case of the German automaker, the marketing initiative involves the release of two bespoke MINI Cooper models: the Baker Street Edition and the Bayswater Edition.
The Bayswater Edition comes with an exclusive Kite Blue metallic finish with optional Midnight Black and Eclipse Grey finishes available for the Cooper S and SD models. In addition, the special edition "Bayswater" Cooper also received special racing stripes on the hood and side mirrors, a black-finished roof, and a new set of 17" wheels.
As for the interior, MINI dressed up the special edition Cooper’s seats in leather with exclusive colors and two-tone stitching on the gearshift/selector lever and handbrake gaiters. The car also has "Bayswater" lettering on the seat tags and door sills, a Piano Black cockpit trim, stainless steel pedals, and MINI’s standard Chrome Line Interior package.
In addition to the Cooper S and SD models, the Bayswater Edition will also be available for the Cooper and Cooper D models with a sale date pegged for early spring of 2012.
The Volkswagen Golf is another iconic shape from Germany. The original Rabbit started the hot hatch craze and provided the tuner car market a boost. Just like its high performance cousin - distant cousin - the 911, the practical Volkswagen continues to become larger, heavier, and more sophisticated. The brand new MkVI Golf arrived in the U.S. as a 2010 model, but it looks as if the sleeker five door hatchback will be short lived.
The new Golf VII will be longer and wider, while its exterior design will be more aggressive and sporty. The engine line-up will include turbocharged, direct-injection diesel and gasoline engines, but a plug-in hybrid and a fully electric version have also been rumored.
The new Golf VII will be launched in late 2012 and will be offered in three and five door versions, with an added station wagon and Golf Plus for the European market. There will also be a GTI and a cabrio version.
If this is the case and the Golf VII has already taken shape, you can expect that what we here in the U.S. are looking forward to might be short lived in order to make space in showrooms for what you are looking at. However if the German automotive conglomerate continues to do business as usual we will have to wait until the European market has had their fun with the new car before U.S. drivers can have a go behind the wheel. Even if the Golf VII is slated for a 2012 release, it may not arrive in the U.S. until as late as 2014, giving the new 2010 Golf VI a few years to shine in the spotlight on Volkswagen of America’s sales sheets.
UPDATE 01/19/2012: German magazine, Auto Motor Und Sport, have reported that the seventh generation Volkswagen Golf will be making its world debut in September at the 2012 Paris Auto Show. It will be slightly longer and wider than the current version and will be built on a new "Modularer Querbaukasten" MQB platform.
New Volkswagen L1 Concept Car Design Package video after the jump.
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