With rumors flying around that the people’s car maker Volkswagen will cease production of their B segment Passat sometime very soon, that opens the door for future design studies from the forward thinking group of German engineers. This official sketch represents Volkswagen’s new mid size sedan that is planned to be built at their all new production facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee; right here in the good old U.S. of A. The design continues what the automaker started with their Passat CC, considered to be their comfort coupe, the four door sedan gave the impression of a large sporty coupe with its sleek lines and swept back roofline. This new design study continues the theme with a very long and slender sedan.
What we are still in the dark about is exactly what the future four door VW will have hiding underneath the sheet metal. It is almost a given that there will be an Audi Quattro derived all wheel drive version as well as Volkswagen’s DSG gearbox. However what is left to be speculated upon is exactly which power plant VW will choose for their new flagship sedan. As long as VW doesn’t get overambitious and try to recreate the Phaeton, we can’t see where they could possibly go wrong.
At any point in the future where you see yourself in front of a 2013 Jaguar XE, you should know that it was well worth the wait.
Despite the fact that it’s still a few years from now, the new Jaguar compact sports car is poised to take the XE line to new and unprecedented heights. With a lightweight, 3.5-liter V6 engine that’s capable of churning out as much as 450 horsepower, Jaguar is wasting no time in preparing the world for the new two-plus seater 2013 XE.
Together with the new XK, Jaguar is set to release a canvas top roadster of the XE, which will then be followed by a coupe version, allowing for prospective buyers to choose what style of the XE they prefer.
As it stands, the company is expected to release 60,000 units of both the
2013 XE and the XK, an optimistic number for a company that struggled to make any kind of dent on car sales this year.
After struggling with sales for the better part of the 2009, Jaguar is pegging 2013 as a big year for them and releasing a preview of what’s in store for customers is a sign that the Tata-owned luxury brand is hell bent on returning to its rightful place on top of any car enthusiast’s wish list.
Judging from the way the car looks – and the rumored engine it’s
supposed to come in – the 2013 XE just may be the car Jaguar is looking for to jumpstart its fledgling brand.
With the future Audi A7, the Ingolstadt company is preparing to fill the gap between the A6 and the A8, but also between sedan and Avant. A five-seter model, featuring Audi’s language design previewed by the Sportback Concept back in January, the A7 Sportback will be sold in three different version: the standard A7, a more powerful S7, and the top of the line RS7.
Under the hood of the future A7, Audi will use three different direct gasoline injection engines including a 2.8 Liter FSI and 3.0 Liter TFSI V6s as well as a 4.0 Liter TFSI V8. The alternatively fueled diesel options include a 2.7 Liter V6 and both turbocharged and twin-turbocharged versions of the existing 3.0 Liter TDI V6.
The S7 version will use the same naturally aspirated 5.2L V10 engine from the S6 that delivers 435 hp at 6,800 rpm and 398 lb.-ft of torque. The S7 will be capable of an estimated top speed of 185 mph (but most likely will be electronically limited to 155 mph).
The Audi’s SUV series started in 2005 with the Q7, then in 2008 they added the compact Q5. In 2011 they will be joined by the Q3, and if it where to believe the series, we will see the Q1 in 2014.
The Audi Q3 will be a small five-seater SUV with a coupe-like silhouette. It will combine the sporty handling of a compact car with the spaciousness and versatility of an SUV. In addition, it will also receive a higher seating position, large wheels and increased ground clearance.
The Q3 will be followed by the Q1. It will be built on the next Audi A1 platform and will measure 3.95m in length, with both two and four-door versions to be released.
Nissan completely redesigned the Skyline model when they introduced the GT350 back in 2001. Gone was the classic boxy shape of the 1990s models which gave way to a 350Z inspired curvilinear Infiniti G35. The luxury car was well appointed and like all of Nissan’s VQ35 powered vehicles, the new Skyline had an exhaust note to die for. The next update for the R35 Skyline came in 2006 when Nissan’s engineers sharpened up the design and bumped displacement up to 3.7 Liters for the world renowned V6 engine. Although the current Infiniti G37 is still a very attractive sports car, the now classic two swoop shape is due for a major update in preparation for the 2012 model year.
When the Japanese automaker unveiled the Infiniti Essence concept car at the Geneva motor Show, they were laying out the floor plan for their future model lineup both aesthetically and mechanically. So with no better inspiration for the future Skyline in sight, it would appear that the new Nissan Skyline could be the first production model to speak the Essence concept’s design language. However it is not expected to adopt the working show car’s hybrid drive train. Instead the 2012 Skyline will feature a 3.7 literV6 to produce a total of around 450 HP. However we won’t find out any time soon because Nissan is rumored to be preparing a Skyline Coupe prototype for the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show with a production version slated to go on sale in the 3rd quarter of 2012.
Back in August Bentley unveiled the their new flagship luxury sedan, the Mulsanne at the world’s greatest classic car show, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Now the high end English coach builder caters to a group of clientele where even excess is never enough. So in an attempt to one up the fixed roof Mulsanne, rumors are flying around that W.O.’s car company is working on a drop head version that will offer the same level of luxury as the hardtop coupe except with a much more glamorous open air driving experience.
The new Bentley Mulsane is powered by a 6¾ Liter V8 that develops a maximum output of 505 HP while at the same time producing a very broad torque curve that peaks at 752 lb-ft of thrusting force. According to Bentley, the new coupe and cabrio versions of the Mulsanne will replace the outdated Bentley Brookland coupe and Azure convertible, two models that have long exceeded their respective life spans. Not to mention that a Bentley Mulsanne convertible would be the perfect vehicle to take on the other drop top super duper luxury coupe, the Rolls Royce Phantom drophead coupe.
Considering Bob Lutz’s recent challenge to take on any and all four door sports car competitors with a Cadillac CTS-V, it got us thinking about what four wheeled machine would be the perfect choice to bring to the Monticello Motor Club on October 29. At first we figured that a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution with its Audi R8 super car like handling might be able to keep up with the supercharged Cadillac sedan, but whereas the EVO X is only packing about 300 HP, the CTS-V is putting down a total of 556 HP. The next obvious choice would be a twin turbocharged V8 powered Porsche Panamera, however those aren’t scheduled to arrive until next year.
That is when it hit us, what would be better than a 1000 HP all wheel drive Bugatti super car to take on the bad boy from Cadillac. While this rendering displays a GT spec Galiber ready for the grid at Le Mans with its oversized rear wing and quad turbocharged 16 cylinder engine poking through the openings in the hood, the standard Bugatti super sedan will make use of the same 8.0 Liter W16 that powers its big brother the Veyron. Although it might be harder to get your hands on a Galiber than Naomi Campbell’s backside, it just might be the perfect street legal four door to take on GM’s Vice Chairman, that is as long as the straightaways are long enough.
After the French automaker Peugeot revealed the RCZ sports car coupe version at the Frankfurt Motor Show as an affront to compact sports car makers like Audi and their TT coupe, it was to be expected that the European lion would also be coming out with a competitor for the rag top roadster version as well. In a recent interview with Automobile MAgazinem a Peugeot official confirmed that the company is taking into consideration two alternative open air models for the future, being "a roadster version as a competitor for the Audi TT, but also a Targa variant in the spirit of the first 911."
Now we are all familiar with what an Audi TT looks like with its top down, but a Porsche Carrera Targa inspired sports coupe would be quite a fresh design. Unlike modern day Targa models that make use of an oversized sliding glass roof, the original features a removable roof panel. However where the old one was made of metal and rubber, a 21st century targa would have to make use of some lightweight carbon fiber and hopefully won’t lose any of the performance of its fixed roof brethren. The RCZ’s engine lineup will include a 1.6 Liter turbocharged direct gasoline injection engine that makes 200 HP as well as a standard 1.6 Liter boosted gas burning mill that makes 156 HP while there are also plans for a top of the line 2.0 Liter unit that will go well beyond the 200 HP barrier.
We’ve made enough fun of Marrusia’s car-naming decisions – B1 and B2, ladies and gentlemen! – but then again, we have to give props where props are due.
Judging from the spy shots we’ve gathered, the second Russian supercar after the B1 looks as good as advertised. Thanks to its 3.5-liter Cosworth V6 engine, the B2 can churn out as much as 420 horsepower. As far as how it looks, it’s kind of hard for us not to think about the Ferrari Enzo when looking at this Russian powerhouse, and if you’re keeping score, that’s a very good thing.
Nevertheless, if there are still people who are skeptical about the car, the Russian carmakers have released a number of computer-generated renderings of the B2. If you’re still cynical about the B2, then these renderings should make a believer out of you
Ferrari’s latest mid engine sports car was unveiled only a few weeks ago in Frankfurt and the renderings of modified 458 Italias haven’t stopped popping up. Ranging from an aftermarket inspired 458 by the Japanese design house ASI to a racing version and from an Italia spider to a police edition. However the latest of these digital drawings is more representative of something that the exotic Italian automaker will actually be producing sometime in the near future. The rendering was done by DJ at Teamspeed and gives us an official look at what a future factory tuned 458 Italia could look like.
Despite Ferrari CEO Amedeo Felisa dispelling any rumors about a Scuderia or Challenge Stradale version of their latest sports car, we can all dream about what it would be like to get behind the wheel of a hot rod 458 Italia. The car would weigh less, have more power and unthinkable as it maybe even sexier. Now there is no chance of seeing a super tuned 458 in the next year or so, Ferrari will most likely let the Italia’s steam run out before they invested heavily in a new high performance product that will revitalize the line. So when it does come to fruition, expect for the used 458 Italia market to be in full swing. The last unknown about a factory tuned 458 is exactly what the automaker would call it, rumors are flying around that in honor of the Scuderia’s die hard Formula One fans, it could be called Tifosi.
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