Back in April the facelift version of the Opel Insignia has been caught testing for the first time and it looks like Opel took it out again, this time during some hot weather testing in Southern Europe. This could be one of the latest testings for the new Insignia considering the car is expected to be unveiled in September at the Paris Auto Show.
This time our spy photographers have caught testing both the sedan and the Sports tourer versions. As you can see from these spy shots, the changes are focused on re-designed bumpers, front head lights, grille and rear lights. The rear lights on these prototypes are just build for test purpose without giving away the finished version that are likely to be LEDs.
Rumors say that Opel will also be offering a few changes under the hood where the engine line-up will receive some upgrades in order to reduce the fuel economy.
Japanese custom body kit creator, Wald International, is well known for creating some of the best looking and highest end body modification kits. The Black Bison lineup has received some of the best reviews, and rightfully so.
Wald International is now ready to add another example to its lineup, which is the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate Black Bison. This station wagon isn’t your everyday grocery getter, as it boasts a set of ground effects that include stylish front apron side skirts and a rear bumper with an integrated diffuser. All of the ground effects are built from fiber-reinforced plastic. Also included with the kit is a set of LED running lights that are positioned about 9 inches below the headlights, on the front apron.
Optional on this Black Bison kit is are a set of front fenders with large arc-style vents, for an additional €2,088 ($2,652) and a set of split exit stainless steel D.T.M. mufflers that integrate perfectly with the cutouts in the kit’s rear bumper. The replacement mufflers can be had for €2,530 ($3,214). There is also a lowering kit and replacement pedal kit offered as optional equipment, but Wald does not list a price for them yet.
Unfortunately, there is no additional bite to go along with all of this bark, as Wald does not offer any engine upgrades for this kit. This means the E-Class Wagon will still have its 3.5-liter V-6 engine that cranks out 302 ponies at 6,500 rpm and 273 pound-feet of torque at 3,500 rpm. That is plenty of power to get this wagon moving, but some extra mods to help it move as fast as it looks would be nice.
The base kit – LED running lights, side skirts, front apron and rear bumper – runs €5,062 ($6,430). Add in the base MSRP of the E-Class Wagon ($57,150) and this entire build will set you back at least $63,580 and as much as $69,446, if you opt for the custom muffler and fender vents.
Back in 2008, MTM unveiled the RS6 R based on the previous generation Audi RS6. Now, German tuner, Fostla Wrapping, has brought the MTM RS6 remake back to the front page with a series of updates that make the sporty wagon look even better.
Fostla wrapped the car in a very cool matte blue metallic PWF and then combined it with a 5% tinting of the front and back lights. There is also a new set of 20" wheels equipped with 275/35R20 tires - the right addition if you want to stop this beast when it hits its top speed of 216 mph. A carbon front lip and a rear diffuser will further improve the aerodynamics of this car.
Under the hood, the engine delivers an amazing 759 HP and a peak torque of 672 lbs-ft. A new stainless steel exhaust system with race catalyst will make the engine sound amazing. If you were wondering, the R in the title stands for "Rosskur," which is "power increase" in German.
After Top Gear’s numerous tests of the Toyota Hilux and how they could never really and truly kill the car, people finally realized just how well built modern day cars are, specifically Japanese ones despite their generally low prices.
But the car in the following story has to take the crown for the toughest car on the planet. A 1986 Subaru Legacy was recently pulled out of a Finnish lake after sitting at the bottom of this bitterly-cold body of water for three months and, wait for it, managed to start first try.
You can smash a car into as many trees as you want in order to destroy it, but there’s no bigger test than submerging a car for an extended period of time in order to truly test out a car’s build quality.
This particular Subaru was sitting under 12 feet of water and as a result, would have constantly been under significant pressure yet all of the windows remained in tack. Of course, that’s nothing when compared to the car actually starting.
In order to get it started, the Finnish owner extracted the lake water from the gas tank and oil reservoirs, and then doused the ECU with some brake parts cleaner. Before he knew it, the car started right up as did the vast majority of the car’s electronic systems.
It’s safe to say that this Subaru may have created its own Legacy.
Who said that station wagon models aren’t any fun? Edo Competition has released its newest tuning package that takes the Mercedes C63 AMG Station Wagon to new levels of awesome by increasing its output to a total of 600 HP. Top speed also gets a boost up to an impressive 211 mph.
The package includes a new high-performance exhaust system, exhaust headers, high-flow catalytic converters, new air filters, revised engine electronics, and a removal of the top speed governor. As a result, the engine will deliver a total of 600 HP and 501 lbs-ft of torque. Next to the modifications made to the engine, the tuner also added a high-performance exhaust system made entirely from stainless steel.
The Mercedes C63 AMG has also received a new set of 19" wheels combined with Michelin high-performance tires. The package continues on the interior where the tuner added leather, cloth, fine woods or lacquer, high-quality metal applications, and carbon fiber.
In the past few months or so, Porsche has revealed that they are planning the production of a new model to be placed under the current Panamera. We’re not really sure why they are planning this, but it probably has something to do with the fact that the Panamera has been very well-received in spite of the huffs and puffs of Porsche fanatics wanting the company to stick to sports cars. Until now, rumors of this future Pajun (Panamera Junior) model will be offered only as a sedan, but now German magazine Autobild is reporting that Porsche will also be offering a Pajun station wagon and that both will arrive in 2017.
The future Pajun will be built on an entirely new platform and will be offered with a new range of engines: six-cylinder gasoline units with 320, 420, and 520 HP and a six-cylinder diesel engine with up to 313 HP. It will especially target models like the Mercedes E-Class.
The future Porsche Pajun will be priced at about €65,000, or about $85,000 at the current exchange rates.
The future Mercedes CLS Shooting Brake has stripped down to its skivvie, laying out all it has to offer with no camouflage in sight. For the first time, we can easily see the lines of the rear lights and the hatch opening. And judging by the fact that the car is almost completely bared, we expect to see it launched in the very near future.
The CLS Shooting Brake name is in fact an elegant way of calling this vehicle a station wagon version of the luxury CLS. This means that, except for the rear, the CLS Shooting Brake will feature the same design elements as the four-door coupe model and the same technology and engine lineup.
Expect to see a direct-injected 3.5-liter V6 engine under the hood, capable of producing 306 HP and 273 pound-feet of torque, as well as a 4.6-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine with 429 HP and 516 lb-ft of torque.
Volkswagen Europe is offering a R-Line treatment to the new Passat facelift. The package will be offered for both sedan and station wagon versions and prices will start from 30,225 euro ($39,600 at the current exchange rates) while the optional R-Line Design Package adds an extra 990 euro (about $1,300).
The new R-Line package will be distinguished by a new front bumper with larger cooling air vents, a R-Line logo in the grille and integrated fog lamps. The rear will get a diffuser be painted in "Gloss Black" and an elegant roof spoiler in body color. The car will sit on a new set of 17" "Mallory" alloy wheels (optional 18-inch) combined with a dynamically tuned sports suspension that can lower the car’s ride by 15 mm.
The interior adds sports seats in "Kyalami" design, decorative inserts in "titanium silver" on the dashboard, door panels and center console for extra sportiness. There is also a leather-trimmed multifunction steering wheel and stainless steel pedals.
The extra R-Line Design Package will include: rear and roof spoiler in body color, newly designed side sills and R-Line logo on the radiator grille.
After a very long wait, Ford has finally unveiled the production version of the dramatic new Focus ST at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and they’ve also announced that, next to the standard five-door model, Europeans will also be getting a station wagon version. The Focus ST is Ford’s first truly global performance car and Ford promises it will combine power with fuel efficiency and an impressive handling characteristic.
For the new model, Ford has tuned the 2.0-liter Ford EcoBoost engine with a redesigned intake and a new exhaust system with a unique engine calibration for a total output of 250 HP. The engine was combined with a 6-speed manual transmission which has also been specially revised for the ST.
Ford has also announced that many of the design elements seen in the Focus ST will also be used in all the future ST models. These elements include the aggressively enhanced front and rear bumpers and the addition of a rear spoiler and sideskirts, plus a unique signature color.
UPDATE 05/01/2012: All hatchback performance enthusiasts are monitoring the upcoming release of the new Ford Focus ST salivating like a pack of dogs surrounding a meaty T-bone steak. There is good reason for this excitement, as this 2.0-liter turbocharged Focus pumps out a stout 247 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque, which is an astonishing 45 percent more horsepower and 83 percent more torque than the final model year of the Focus SVT (2004).
Well, the Ford Focus ST ordering books are now open and prices have been revealed. Let’s start with the base model Focus ST, which it is set at $23,700. The Ford Focus ST2 (group 201A) has a base MSRP of $26,205 minus a $120 discount and the ST3 (group 202A) has a base MSRP of $28,540 minus a $405 discount. Granted, this is all barring dealerships doing the ultimate screw-the-customer move and slapping a “Market-Based Markup” on the sticker price. Hit the jump for more pricing details!
UPDATE 07/17/12: Ford has released a new video of their highly amazing Focus ST doing what it does best: running roughshod over the race track and calling out some of its competitors. Heck, Ken Block and Tanner Foust are also in the video. Good times all around! Check it out by clicking on the photo above!
UPDATE 01/22/13: The Ford Focus ST is now available in the UK with a base price £16,995. Depending on the trim and options you avail, expect that price to go up significantly.
Hit the jump to read more about the Ford Focus ST.
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It seems as if the new Ferrari FF will soon have a serious competitor from McLaren. The British company has tried to keep their future models as much of a secret as possible, but now AutoExpress has obtained the first details on a future shooting brake model set to arrive in 2014.
The new model will be based on the platform of the new MP4-12C supercar and will be similar in concept to the Ferrari FF. However, the British magazine reports that the Mclaren model will be significantly cheaper. While the FF is priced at about £230,000 ($366,000 at the current exchange rates) on the British market, the new McLaren model will be priced from about £150,000 (about $240,000).
The new McLaren Shooting Brake (not its actual name, at least as far as we know) will be a two-seater model, but with more boot space than the MP4-12C. Under the hood, expect to see the same 592 HP 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 engine as the sports car, meaning the future model will deliver impressive performance numbers.
Check out our rendering of what we’re calling the McLaren MP4-12C Shooting Brake and let us know what you think!
