Maserati has unveiled today the first teaser image for a new model set to be unveiled at the end of this month at the Shanghai Auto Show. No other details have been revealed, but the teaser image came with the confirmation that the new model represents the “newest addition to its lineup and that it not only borrows from the past but also looks to the future."
This statement make us think the model Maserati is referring to is the new Ghibli sedan we have seen testing in the past few months. Also, the model hidden under the sheet seems to feature a long hood and coupe-like fastback design - a reminder of the original Ghibli.
The new Ghibli will be built on the same platform as the new generation Quattroporte and will be offered with the same engine as the larger sedan: turbocharged V-6 engine and the new V-8 engine. Both engines will be mated to an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox.
Full details on the new Ghibli will be unveiled at the end of the month during its official debut in Shanghai.
Click past the jump to read more on the Ghibli
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Most of Europe is waiting for the first days of spring; so, many automakers are taking advantages of the last days of winter to get in some cold-weather testing. BMW for example, has taken out the Gran Coupe version of the upcoming 4-Series for some winter testing in the cold regions of Sweden.
The new 4-Series is aiming squarely at the Audi A5 and S5, so BMW is building a whole range of models for its new 4-Series family. Following the Coupe and Convertible models, the company will also prepare a sportier looking four-door model - aka the 4 series Gran Coupe.
The model will be offered with the same engines as the coupe version, meaning there will be a choice of four engines - two gasoline-powered units and two diesel units - with the most powerful version being the 435i with an output of 306 horsepower.
With its unorthodox body style, the new 4-Series Gran Coupe will turn its sights to the A5 Sportback and we expect to see an M4 Gran Coupe as well at some point.
Racing season is now in full swing and as the days go by, we’re seeing more and more racing series begin their respective seasons.
One that’s scheduled to start in a month’s time is the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship (STCC) and Romanian automaker, Dacia, is preparing for the series with a new racecar in the form of a second-generation Logan that has been christened as the Logan STCC 1024.
After plying its craft in Pikes Peak with its custom Duster rally cars, Dacia wants to make headway at the STCC and it picked a pretty good car to do it, thanks to the Logan’s 400-horsepower V-6 engine that’s mated to a six-speed sequential transmission. Add that to a model that only weighs slightly north of 1,100 kg (2,425 pounds) and you have a racecar that’s ridiculously quick and can bust out of the gates with the nimbleness and power of a pouncing panther.
Hyperbole notwithstanding, the Logan STCC 1024 looks ready for competition and it will get its chance to show everyone what it’s got when the STCC season kicks off on May 3rd.
There’s not much going on with Suzuki cars these days. All that could change at the Shanghai Motor Show when the Japanese automaker that specializes more on small vehicles and motorcycles introduces the Authentics Concept.
The concept, which has been described as one embracing Suzuki’s new design philosophy of "Sporty x Elegant," sure does look like a concept that could bring Suzuki’s design language into the new millennia.
Not much was revealed apart from these two teasers, but the images do offer some distinctive qualities about the Authentics Concept, including what certainly looks to be a sedan concept with a low roof line, sweptback headlights, massive taillights, a dual-exhaust system and a pretty long wheelbase.
The Suzuki press release also says the car has a "strong character line, which gives a wind-cutting image along with a rich and fine curved surface." That’s a way of describing the Authentics Concept that’ll surely have a lot of people interested in seeing what the car looks like when it rolls out of the shadows at the Shanghai Motor Show later this month.
The 2014 Kia Optima SX Limited made its debut at the New York International Auto Show and offers a sporty package for the mid-sized sedan market.
The Kia Optima line is the best-selling line for the Korean automaker and the SX Limited model offers a more upscale feel. The cars styling has subtle details that set it apart from the other cars in the model’s lineup.
The SX Limited offers a high performing engine and a lot of tech goodies. The more powerful engine option is given away with styling cues such as larger chrome alloy wheels, red brake calipers and chrome accents. Kia is hoping that this model will help give the car a bit more excitement than the lower level cars in the model’s lineup.
The design of the car was out of Frankfurt Germany to help ensure a pleasing European design. The Limited is styled to compete with sporty mid-size sedans from Europe and Japan and looks like it will give them a run for their money.
Hit the jump to read more about the 2014 Kia Optima SX Limited.
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Hyundai unveiled an updated version of its Equus luxury sedan at the 2013 New York Show. After teasing it for a few weeks, the updated Equus wowed the world today in the Big Apple.
According to Hyundai, the 2014 Equus will receive more than 30 new and enhanced features on both the exterior and the interior. These updates will include higher-quality materials, tweaks to ride and handling, an updated driver information display and new safety features.
On the exterior, the 2014 Equus receives a new front bumper fascia and grille design, new side mirrors and taillight graphics, plus a new set of wheels combined with revised suspensions. The interior receives a completely redesigned instrumental panel and center stack, plus a new series of updates for the materials, rear seats and steering wheel.
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 Hyundai Equus.
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In the same time with the standard E-Class variants: sedan, coupe and convertible, Mercedes will also be unveiling the most powerful version of the lineup: the E63 AMG. As the previous spy shots have revealed, the new E63 AMG is the first model to feature the new AMG design language and it also received an improved version of its AMG 5.5-liter V8 bi-turbo engine.
As usual, the new E63 AMG will be offered in both sedan and station wagon variants and all models will be offered with permanent all-wheel drive is standard. As a first for the E-Class AMG lineup, Mercedes will be offering a S-Model version that is both more powerful and faster than the standard version.
Official debut will be made next week at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, with sales on the U.S. market to being in the summer of 2013.
Updated 03/27/2013: Mercedes has unveiled at the 2013 New York International Auto Show the 2014 E63 AMG S 4MATIC Wagon and all of its performance credentials. We are still awaiting details on the S version of the sedan. Check out the performance of the E63 AMG S 4MATIC after the jump.
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Swedish automaker, Volvo, has introduced a new lineup of R-Design-badged models at the New York Auto Show.
One of them, the S60 R-Design, is a pleasant surprise.
Volvos don’t usually have the kind of presence that its European counterparts command in an auto show as big as New York. But it’s doing its part to ensure that people still remember that they have something to offer that can impress a lot of people.
The S60 R-Design carries its share of improved dynamics over the standard S60 model. Some you’ll notice right off the bat, others you’ll notice only after you take it out for a spin.
In any case, the entire program is certainly worth looking into, at least if you’re in the market for an affordable luxury car with some added components that can drive up its appeal.
In the end, the S60 R-Design is a step up from the standard S60, and at this point, that’s as good as anything when it comes to Volvo.
Find out more about the Volvo S60 R-Design after the jump
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Audi has finally pulled the covers off of the new Audi A3 Sedan and with it, the German automaker also introduced its S-variant, the equally new S3 Sedan. Oh joy.
Scheduled to meet the world at the New York Auto Show, the new S3 is already getting quite the attention from a lot of people in large part because Audi hasn’t had a small sports sedan in its line-up in a long time.
So you can say that the new S3 has a lot of expectations attached to it, in large part because you can never have enough people clamoring for a German sports sedan that they can actually afford.
Mercedes went ahead and revealed the CLA-Class earlier this year, so it was only the right time for Audi to join the German sports sedan party in America. There’s a sentence we never thought we’d write.
If you’ve been waiting for this day to come, well, wait no longer because details of the new Audi S3 Sedan can be found after the jump.
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The Cadillac CTS was not the best-received model that the luxury automaker released when it debuted back in 2008. Despite its lukewarm reception, it has grown on buyers and has really blossomed into quite the staple in Caddy’s lineup. Now, at the 2013 New York International Auto Show, Cadillac has unveiled the third-generation CTS Sedan, but no coupe model yet.
Unfortunately for Cadillac, the images had leaked several days before the model actually debuted, so we already knew what it would look like. However, there are still plenty of details left unknown. For example, we have no clue what model will receive that sexy, sexy twin-turbocharged V-6 engine. We also have no clue what features the new CTS will include.
Well, all of the mysteries can be laid to rest today, as Cadillac has officially released all of the information on the upcoming CTS.
Click past the jump to read all of the information on the 2014 Cadillac CTS Sedan
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