While everyone is waiting for the Alfa Romeo 4C GTA to debut in production form and find its way over to the US, other variations may currently be in the pipeline as well. New reports suggest that the 4C concept will not only preview a two-seater model for Abarth and Alfa, but will also come in some other derivatives, including a Maserati model.
The 4C GTA concept is powered by a "4 cylinder" 1750 Turbo Petrol engine located centrally in the rear of the vehicle and mated to a new automatic "Alfa TCT" twin dry clutch transmission. With a total output of 200 HP, the engine will sprint the concept from 0 to 60 mph in just 5 seconds, while top speed goes up to 155 mph. However, we anticipate that the Maserati variant will be both more powerful and sportier, but we’ll have to wait until about 2013 or 2014 to see it in action.
Whether they mean to or not, BMW has been torturing the heck out of the auto industry by reigniting and then extinguishing plans for a new M1. A few years ago they came out with the M1 Hommage concept car which many thought would absolutely go to production considering the tremendous feedback it received. After those hopes were dashed with an official announcement from BMW stating that there were no plans for the M1, rumors are now circulating again that a production version of the BMW M1 supercar is back on the table.
According to rumors, the new vehicle is being called the M-One for now because it will be the first vehicle in a new generation of BMWs and will not be based on any existing BMW model. A couple of different sources are going back on forth on what is actually valid information, but from what we can gather, there has only been a few sketches drawn up of the car and if produced, it will be revealed in 2015. Other than that, there are rumors of a new M6 V8 engine or a radical I6, making the new M-One a serious competitor for models like the Mercedes SLS and the Audi R8.
More details floating in the rumor mill suggest that the M-One supercar will be built on a carbon fiber chassis and will feature a slew of technologies already being used on recent concepts. The sketches conjured up apparently reveal a design that is a little bit Vision Connected Drive meets the i8. Since then, BMW has added a roof and a higher windscreen to judge reaction from the industry.
This is all glorious news if it is indeed true, but we wouldn’t advise anyone to hold their breath just yet.
There’s been talk about an Audi Q6 as far back as 2006 when it was reported that the company had registered the name in Europe. Nothing much was said until two years later when it was reported that its underpinnings would be shared with the Porsche Cayenne to get it ready to do battle with the BMW X6. The Q6 went back into news hibernation for a few more years and now we’ve come across more information to prep us for the coupe-like SUV’s entrance into the market around 2014.
As far as we can tell, the Audi Q6 will be slotted between the Q5 and the Q7, and will share its underpinnings with the Q7 and Porsche Cayenne. It will be offered with a variation of gas and diesel engines, plus a hybrid option as seen in the Cayenne. The top of the line model is rumored to be called the Q6 RS and may share the turbocharged 4.0L V8 engine as seen on the new generation RS6 is based off the Audi Q5
UPDATE 08/17/2011: A test mule for the future Audi Q6 has been captured, proving that the rumors circulating about its production are indeed true. This particular mule is based on the Audi Q5, but is slightly longer and wider for a more sporty appearance. Audi plans to slide in the Q6 between the Q5 and Q7, but with a sportier body, just like the BMW X6.
UPDATE 12/09/2011: Up until now, we’ve only heard rumors about possible Audi Q6 and Q4 SUVs, but now its official. Walter de’ Silva, Design Boss at Audi’s parent Volkswagen Group, has confirmed that the company has started to work on a BMW X6 competitor, while plans for a smaller SUV are still under consideration.
The X6 competitor is known as the Q6 and will be placed between Audi’s Q7 premium large SUV and the Q5 premium medium SUV: "We will definitely launch a sportier crossover in between the Q7 and Q5." The new model will be built on the Q7 platform and is expected to arrive sometime in 2015.
That’s all we have at this point, but we’ll pass along more details on the future Q6 as soon as we get them.
UPDATE 03/20/2012: The upcoming Audi Q6 has been caught testing one more time during cold weather testing in Northern Scandinavia.<
Volvo and Saab have long since been rivals in the automotive industry. Recent years have seen a decline in this competition, but the two still share much in common. After General Motors was finished running Saab into the ground by making re-branded Chevrolets with their nameplate, it was sold off. One of the most unique companies in the world, Spyker, bought Saab and has been running it since 2010.
Earlier today a Swedish newspaper has reported that Volvo in conjunction with the Swedish government were in talks about buying Saab. Volvo spokesman Per-Ake Froberg said, “No such talks have been going on and no such talks are scheduled.” The idea of this merger is rather interesting and has several implications on capital markets.
The De Telegraaf newspaper mentions that the Swedish government would like Volvo to take over Saab because that would mean a greater chance that a loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) granted to Saab, which was guaranteed by Sweden, would be repaid. This type of acquisition would also help Saab deal with its cash problem. Spyker had its 2010 sales fall below forecasts and has therefore struggled to pay suppliers. Sweden has also come to the rescue here by approving financing to help get production on the move once more.
The Swedish government is not the only player in this transaction seeing as China is essentially the owner of Volvo. Geely Automotive Holdings took over the Volvo brand after its sale from Ford. This acquisition was the largest of any automaker by China. You may also remember the acquisition of the Hummer brand, but that paled in comparison to this. The Saab CEO, Victor Muller, has said, “the Swedish carmaker is negotiating with a wide range of Chinese car makers about a tie up.” It will be interesting to see how this situation plays out and whether these two monikers can rise from the ashes of their U.S. ownership and become profitable once again
Motorsports history will show the Ford GT as one of the most dominant forces in the game. Shelby and his Cobra were the only real competition to the classically styled GT. As Ford attempted to reincarnate the GT model and introduce it as a super sports car, things became abundantly clear that they had rushed things. The most recent GT was a beautiful representation of the classic car in modern clothes, but the powertrain and stamina were not up to par. Many buyers of the vehicle became so frustrated with its ownership that they simply gave up all together. The car was plagued with problems and would begin falling apart from the moment you drove it off the lot.
Today, Ford is a company on the rebound after the financial crisis rocked the American automotive industry. For the first time it has begun to outsell General Motors on a quarterly basis and things seem to be getting better all the time. By trimming the fat and producing solid vehicles that the American consumer wants has been a key to this success. So is it time to release a new supercar?
That question is somewhat of a double-edged sword. On one hand, if Ford was able to build a true competitor to the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and more exotic machines like Ferraris and Lamborghinis, then the answer is undoubtedly YES. Coming from the other side, if Ford makes another immensely powerful machine that simply breaks down at every track, then the reputation they have been trying to build will take a major hit. That being said, Ford seems to have plans in the works for a new GT, but information is scarce and speculative.
Hit the jump for more details on the Future Ford GT.
Well speaking of jokesters and pranks, so far the best April Fool’s joke comes from BMW with their new M3 - the world’s fastest pickup. A prototype was "caught testing" recently and BMW couldn’t even hold out until April 1st before they confirmed that it was indeed just a prank. But staying true to their powers of pranking, the German automaker still released full details on their new M3 pick-up.
The M3 Pick-up is powered by a V8 engine and features a generously sized load area in the back and a removable Targa roof. The pick-up, which is only 110 lbs heavier than the convertible M3, offers a maximum load capacity of 992 lbs. The best part? The M3 pickup can hit a top speed of 186 mph (as a reminder, all of the other M3 models are limited to 155 mph).
The official BMW statement states: "the BMW M3 Pickup will not be heading for the golf course or series development, but will retain its status as an exclusive one-off. It is earmarked for use as a workshop transport vehicle for BMW M GmbH. With this in mind, the current BMW M3 Pickup – unlike a similar predecessor built back in the 1980s – has gone through the requisite procedures to earn its road certification. Which makes it officially a truck – but one that puts a whole new spin on the meaning of the word."
The idea behind this is absolutely fascinating and just the sheer curiosity of it all would have made this the best April Fool’s joke ever, had BMW lasted long enough to make it to April 1st.
In a statement to select members of the press, Toyoda was quoted as saying, “We [at Toyota] are always looking to consolidate redundant parts of our lineup so we can pass our cost savings on to our customers. Because of this, we are pleased to announce that the next generation of the Subaru Impreza will be based on our Toyota Corolla, which is the best selling car in the world.”
While Toyoda declined to discuss a timeline for the changes, he did mention that Subaru’s signature boxer engines and symmetrical all wheel drive would not be carried over to the new Impreza because of, “[the] inefficient nature of the design.” He declined to comment further.
Toyoda did however make great note of his excitement over the Impreza’s changes, “Combining Corolla and Impreza designs makes perfect sense. They share the same area on the marketplace and while the Impreza is unique, it was never a class leader. Nevertheless, [the Impreza] will now have the same DNA inside that helped [Toyota] sell over 40 million Corollas.”
A Toyota insider later broke down the changes for us. The new Subaru Impreza will share very little with the Impreza concept that was shown at last year’s Los Angeles Auto Show. Instead the new Impreza will receive a face lift to look more similar to its Corolla cousin. Our insider also told us that under the hood, the new Impreza would get the Corolla’s 1.8L 4-cylinder engine driving the front wheels. Lastly and most unfortunately of all, our insider told us that Toyoda will relegate the WRX and WRX STI nameplates to being no more than sporty trim packages with, “Very little, if any,” more power added.
UPDATE 04/01/2011: Sorry to pull one over on you guys, but April Fool’s!!! This is all complete fallacy!
Bentley Motors has announced that they will build a two-seater sports car said to rival the Ferrari 458 Italia not only in terms of performance, but design as well. The legendary automaker has not built sports cars since its racing glory days, but the signs have been clear. Bentley has a storied racing past and is a thriving company today thanks to high selling models like the Continental GT. The company is poised to re-invest a significant portion of profits towards the development of this new car and has already enlisted the help of its parent company, Volkswagen, and their Cup racing team to develop certain components.
Recent years have seen Bentley push the envelope in terms of power and performance, especially with the introduction of models like the Continental GT Speed. Consider also that for no apparent reason, Bentley broke the World Ice Speed record in a convertible powered by bio-fuel. It now appears that these introductions were more than just publicity stunts, but may have been used as testing for technologies to be used in the new “Turbo R” model.
Rumors circulating around the Crewe, England factory seem to point towards the new model resurrecting the legendary Turbo R moniker. The most recent model to hold this name was built between 1985 and 1997. It used a turbocharged 6.75 liter V8 engine, that can propel the car from 0-60 mph within 6.7 seconds, with a top speed of 152 mph. This was something to be very proud of back in the day, but expect the latest model to be a whole different animal.
This could certainly be a new chapter for Bentley Motors and if they are able to successfully develop a car that can challenge the Ferrari 458 and others like the McLaren MP12-4C than they may begin racing once again. The last Le Mans series that Bentley was in was 2003 and with the development of new performance and racing technology, we hope that the brand will return to the track in the next several years. We’ll be sure to pass along any more information revealed as soon as we get it.
UPDATE 04/01/2011: April Fool’s!! This is 100% not true, but would be kind of cool!
Americans always says that Canadians are “just like us.” They talk (almost) the same, look slightly paler, and they just happen to use those funny little kilometers per hour instead of the proper miles per hour. After much thought though, it’s the Australians that are most like Americans– especially when it comes down to the shared passion of muscle cars.
The HoldenCommodore last made its appearance on our shores in 2009 as the PontiacG8. It was a big, full-size, four door sedan, complete with an equally big Corvette-sourced V8 engine. What’s not to love about it?
Unfortunately for us, the G8 left our market with the demise of Pontiac in 2010 and we’ve been without our fair share of Australian cars since then. But alas some good news: according to GM Inside News, the Holden Commodore has been confirmed to return to the United States as a 2014 ChevroletSS Sedan.
Even better news follows. GM Inside News also reports that General Motors is considering bringing the Holden Commodore Ute and Commodore SportWagon to our shores as well, as the Chevy El Camino and SportWagon. If these rumors hold any water, we’d expect to see the El Camino the same time we see the SS Sedan and the Sport Wagon released soon thereafter.
For the record, this isn’t the first time these rumors have popped up. Some of you may even remember that we were supposed to get the Commodore Ute back in 2009 as the Pontiac G8 Sport Truck before the economy tanked and it was cancelled. Also in July of the same year, Bob Lutz said that the G8 would be saved and become the Chevrolet Caprice. That also turned out to be untrue although the Commodore’s big brother, the Statesman went on to become the new Caprice PPV.
While there is hope for these awesome Aussies on our shores, we’ll have to wait to believe it when we see it.
Just when we were starting to get used to the idea of a Porsche sedan to go along with the small family of SUVs produced by the German automaker, they go ahead and start working on another rendition that may leave us scratching our heads.
Rumors on the web suggest that Porsche is working on a junior version of their Panamera which will resemble the relationship the Cajun has to the Cayenne. They might have even come up with a name for it. Unoriginally so, the future "baby" Panamera may be called...wait for it...the Pajun (Panamera Junior).
The future Porsche Pajun will follow along the design lines of the Panamera, but with smaller proportions. It will also feature its six-and eight-cylinder gasoline engines, as well as the hybrid and six-cylinder diesel options. Power will range from 400 to 560 hp, with the diesel coming in at about 300 hp. Prices for the future model will start from about 60,000 euro or about $85,000 at the current exchange rates.
As of right now, there isn’t an official configuration from Porsche on the so-called Pajun, but they have confirmed a convertible version for the Panamera due out in 2012. Let’s just hope that, if the "baby" Panamera does make it, it comes with a better name.
