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And here we thought we already knew about everything BMW planned to bring to the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. We were wrong. The German automaker has announced that it will debut a new M135i Concept, marking the first time it has paired a gasoline-burning engine with its new M Performance moniker.

We’ll get to the powertrain in a moment, but first, take note of the three-door hatchback body. Up until now, we’ve only seen the 2012 1 Series in five-door form, and while the M135i is officially a concept, we’d expect the production version to rock this basic shape, sans the enlarged air intakes up front and the rest of the body kit.

BMW says the three-door 1 Series has “a more dynamic and elongated appearance” than its five-door sibling, pointing to details like its rising character line, frameless windows and “powerfully flared wheel arches” as unique elements. We won’t argue any of that, but we’re still not entirely sold on the new 1er’s nostrils.

Underhood lies BMW’s well-known Twin Power Turbo 3.0-liter inline six that sends “more than 300″ horsepower to the rear wheels. The suspension has been modified for M Performance duty, and the wheels have been upgraded to 18-inch M-branded alloys. We expect something along these lines to show up in production guise in relatively short order… at the very least for European buyers.

Check out the high-res image gallery above, then click past the break to read the official press release.

Continue reading BMW M135i Concept blends turbo heart with three-door hatch shell

BMW M135i Concept blends turbo heart with three-door hatch shell

We have to ask the question above because, in all honesty, we don’t know for sure if these are images of the 2013 SRT Viper, specifically its new nose and hood. Sent to Autoblog by an anonymous tipster, the images appear to be of a mold of some sort, possibly used to make the tooling for the engine cover, fenders and front end of the new Viper.

Based on recent spy shots, as well as the slip by Hot Wheels, these images could be the real deal. Two things make us think that. The first are those three vents in the hood: the central NACA duct and a pair of large air outlets behind it. We can see them on the spy shots in the gallery below and they’re present in these images, as well. The second is the lower grille. Our recent spy shots indicate that the familiar Dodge cross-hairs are being replaced by two vertical bars in a slight ‘V’ shape that bisect a pair of horizontal lines. That matches to a tee the mold we see in the above gallery.

We won’t venture any further speculation since it’s entirely possible these images aren’t of what we think they are. We’ll know for sure when the real deal debuts at the New York Auto Show in early April, or maybe sooner if things progress as they have been.

Is this the 2013 SRT Viper’s new nose and hood?

The Artega GT has no lack of fans in the ranks of the Autoblog editorial staff. With a shape that shows the likes of the Lotus Evora and Porsche Cayman how things ought to be done and a 3.6-liter V6 with 300 horsepower, the Artega never fails to attract our glances when we see it on the European show stands. But this year, the small German manufacturer is tipped to have a surprise up its sleeve.

According to reports, Artega is preparing to unveil a roadster version of the shapely coupe at the fast-approaching Geneva Motor Show. Mechanics are expected to stay the same, but without a roof, this highly desirable sportscar could get even more so.

Artega to unveil new roadster in Geneva

Every car has its better and worse angles, but by and large we’d argue the Jaguar XK is one of the most beautiful cars on the road today. Almost artistic, we’d say, and Jaguar itself seems to agree with the release of the new Artisan special edition.

Launched (for the time being at least) in Jaguar’s home market, the Artisan SE is available in either coupe or convertible and in base XK or supercharged XKR trim. It’s distinguished by its polished 20-inch wheels and unique shades of black, white and silver, but what really sets it apart is its interior: Scraffito-style leather covers the seats, dash and doors, with a Poltrona Frau headliner, a Bowers & Wilkins sound system, stainless steel pedals and unique sill plates.

The Artisan SE bumps the price of any XK specified by a good £12,000 ($19,000 based on current conversion rates), making it the new king of the hill for Jaguar’s two-door range. Check it out in the press release after the jump and the high-res image gallery.

Continue reading Jaguar reskins the cat with new XK Artisan edition

Jaguar reskins the cat with new XK Artisan edition

Yesterday’s outrageous attack on electric vehicles didn’t come from the GOP (for a change), but from a seemingly disinterested blogger, one Michael Degusta. His charges against Tesla include suggesting that its cars will have “eventual, inevitable, catastrophic battery failure,” lambasting the company for poor warranty service, accusing Tesla of tracking its owners without consent, and intimating that the company is not only failing to provide owners with proper notice of this phenomenon but also covering up the whole sordid affair. Serious stuff, this post of his that’s rippled through the automotive web with the force of a 185-kW electric motor.

Yet all may not be what it seems. Late yesterday, an e-mail surfaced on Green Car Reports, in which a disgruntled owner who bricked his battery pleads his case to Tesla CEO Elon Musk. The e-mail, sent by one Max Drucker, CEO of Santa Barbara-based Social Intelligence Corp, is a clear plea for assistance in the repair of his car. Drucker identifies his car as Roadster #340, the same car that serves as the primary example in Degusta’s piece. Drucker has since spoken with Autopia about his car, admitting that he drove his Roadster down to a 25 percent charge, then left it parked for six weeks, something the owner’s manual specifically warns against.

Now, let’s turn our attention towards Degusta, who noted at the end of his screed, “No one has paid me to write this article” and pointed out that his blog is not advertising-supported. That’s an important point, as it’s clearly designed to give readers the impression that Degusta is an unbiased outsider, something of a modern-day Upton Sinclair, defending the poor, innocent owners of $100,000 sports cars from the uncaring electric car company and its billionaire co-founder.

Yet, a few minutes spent with Google shows that Drucker and Degusta are also business partners, having registered at least four corporations together in California, according to Corporationwiki. It also turns up this article, from the November 15, 2000, issue of Insurance & Technology magazine, a profile of Drucker, in which he is quoted describing Degusta as his “partner in crime.” Indeed, we wonder if the famously litigious Tesla might be considering another libel lawsuit against this muckraking duo.

Tesla bricked battery story may have a short circuit

Ford will begin rolling out its 1.0-liter, three-cylinder Ecoboost engine this year in overseas models like the UK-spec Ford Focus and C-Max. Replacing the naturally-aspirated 1.6-liter four-cylinder, the little Ecoboost lump translates its minimal displacement into versions with 99 horses and 118 horses, and up to 125 pound-feet of torque. A report in Autocar suggests Ford can do even better, speculating that The Blue Oval is currently testing a unit outputting 177 hp.

The supplemental power would come from another turbocharger in a production guise, but for testing purposes comes from a supercharger feeding a turbo taken from Ford’s 1.6-liter, four-cylinder Ecoboost. A hi-po option would be slated some kind of “performance version of the Focus positioned some distance below the forthcoming 247bhp Focus ST.”

Or, if Ford could really get that output to work for production the engine could be an option for the Fiesta ST. Shown off last year, the hotted-up Fiesta was paired with a 180-hp, 177-lb-ft version of the 1.6-liter Ecoboost. Granted, this is all hypothetical, but even with the loss of a noticeable chunk of torque the idea might have its merits.

Ford’s tiny 1.0-liter EcoBoost to net 177 hp?

Back in the mid-40s, Pininfarina designed a car for Cisitalia called (simply enough) the 202. The auto marque has long since died, but the 202 lives on as a hallmark of harmonious design. Now the students at the IED in Turin are paying homage with a new design study slated for unveiling at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show.

Something of a collective thesis project by the masters students of the school’s transportation design program, the Cisitalia 202 E Concept was penned by Chin-Hsuan Chen of Taiwan and implemented under the watchful eyes of Pininfarina and Maserati head designers. More of a 1:1 model than a rolling show car, the 202 E (for Evoluzione) would (theoretically) be powered by a V8 driving 450 horsepower to the rear set of 19-inch wheels and follows such recent designs as Scorp-ION of 2011 and the Maserati Chicane of 2008.

IED Torino students revisit Cisitalia 202 with Geneva-bound concept

It’s been five months since we first brought you word that Honda was developing a version of its new euro-spec Civic hatchback for competition in the highly competitive British Touring Car Championship. A month later, Matt Neal took home the title for the Japanese automaker behind the wheel of the outgoing Civic touring car. And just a couple of weeks ago, Honda released a quintet of renderings of the version it is preparing in parallel for the World Touring Car Championship.

By now, the Honda team has not only finished building the new Civic NGTC – shorthand for Next-Generation Touring Car – but it has completed initial systems testing, carried out its first on-track shakedown and released these images to tell the tale. With everything running smoothly so far, the team is gearing up for further testing before the 2012 championship kicks off at Brands Hatch on April 1. That’s when Neal and Gordon “Flash” Shedden will campaign the new Civic NGTC against a vicious field of rivals driving Ford, Vauxhall, Volkswagen, Skoda, Seat, Audi, BMW, Toyota and Proton racers. Heck, there’s even the new MG MG6 GT…but not Chevrolet.

We’ll be watching keenly to see if Neal and Shedden can defend Honda’s title, but for now, you can check out the high-res images in the gallery above and the press release after the jump to see how their new ride is shaping up.

Continue reading Honda gets new Civic NGTC out on the track to defend BTCC title

Honda gets new Civic NGTC out on the track to defend BTCC title

There seems to be an endless stream of spy shots scrolling across out digital desktops here at Autoblog, and some will invariably be more interesting than others. But few are as hotly anticipated as the new Viper that’s coming roaring around the corner.

So far, all Chrysler has given us is a shadowy sketch, a close-up detail shot, and the new badge that will represent the model, joining the test mule spy shots we’ve been seeing for the past several months and the Hot Wheels leak we brought you yesterday. But this latest batch of spy shots appears the clearest yet – despite the best efforts of the SRT development team (including a Dukes of Hazzard-style hood slide that compelled KGP Photography to do a quick bit of wry image manipulation).

So what can we see from these pics? Ventilation, and lots of it. There is a pair of massive hood vents that pass air through the grille over the hood like you’d expect to see on a Le Mans race car. And through the mesh on Dolly Parton-size hood bra you can see a pair of uprights in the grille forming a V shape that’s a slight departure from the crosshair grille of the previous Vipers. (Remember, this is technically an SRT product and – like the Ram trucks – no longer a Dodge.)

We’re also seeing the clearest shots yet of the interior, with what looks like a full digital dashboard (complete with 220 mph speedo) instead of analog instruments. With each passing day, we hope to see a little more, but for now you can check out the full batch of spy shots in the gallery for a closer look.

2013 SRT Viper is starting to vent

Proving “Base” Means Anything But These Days

The Soul is an unqualified hit. Sales of this playful econobox have increased year-over-year since it was introduced in 2009 as a 2010 model, with over 100,000 people bringing one home last year alone. In fact, the Soul was Kia’s second-best-selling model in 2011 behind the Sorento, beating out the critically acclaimed Optima, gorgeous Sportage and entry-level Forte.

Not only is the Soul outperforming products in its own portfolio, it’s also slaughtering what little competition there is out there that lines up straight against it. One could argue that the Soul competes with any sub-$20K five-door hatchback on the market, but most agree that buyers considering a Soul are also likely to check out the Scion xB and Nissan Cube. These three vehicles make up a tiny selection of boxy alternatives for people who shun the norm, but in just a few short years, the Soul has run away with the segment, accounting for 76-percent of its sales last year alone.

There are a number of reasons for the Soul’s success, not the least of which is an award-winning marketing campaign that stars a peace-keeping troop of intergalactic breakdancing hamsters. Aside from rhythmically inclined rodents, the Soul has achieved what the xB and Cube haven’t because its unorthodoxy ends long before alienation sets in. A lot of people just find it charming, and it covers the basics of A-to-B transportation as well as any other vehicle with a starting price below $14,000.

But the Soul wasn’t perfect, as evidenced by the number of upgrades it received for the 2012 model year. With new styling tweaks inside and out, new and updated engines and transmissions along with additional features, the 2012 Kia Soul is a lot newer than one would expect of a vehicle just three years old. And while normally automakers are prone to sending out loaded models to review, Kia was confident enough to deliver us this Base 1.6L model for a week-long test.

Continue reading 2012 Kia Soul 1.6L Eco

2012 Kia Soul 1.6L Eco

Last year, Rinspeed introduced its Dock+Go concept at the Geneva Motor Show, a Smart ForTwo Electric Drive with a wagon attachment whose wheels could recharge the battery. The Swiss tuner thought the idea so good that this year, instead of conjuring something just as wacky, they went even wackier: the new Dock+Go holds steady on the “go” but adds an extra dock in the form of what Rinspeed calls a wheeled backpack.

The modular system allows for the two attachments to be used at once, creating a four-axle ForTwo. The last backpack, though, is a “Variohybrid” that drives the wheels of the intermediary backpack and so charges the batteries it contains. The point is to provide the space and the range you need, but only when you need it.

Inside, it’s as if the Smart had absorbed every vehicle used by every one of The Avengers. There are space-age threads and surfaces, Swiss clocks, electroluminescent lighting, flatscreen technology and a Takata-Petri steering wheel. And that isn’t even the appetizer. You can peep it from numerous angles in the well stocked gallery, or click through to the jump for five videos and a press release that is three times the length of the car.

Continue reading Rinspeed Dock+Go concept returns with another tag-along ahead of Geneva debut [w/videos]

Rinspeed Dock+Go concept returns with another tag-along ahead of Geneva debut [w/videos]

American Honda is recalling some 8,709 crossovers due to a possible fuel leak. The 2012 Honda Pilot and its upscale platform-mate, the Acura MDX, are affected by this recall, which is expected to begin in mid-March.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the vent shut float valve cases in the fuel tank assemblies of these vehicles does not meet proper design specifications. Because of this, fuel could leak from the tank, increasing the risk of a fire.

Four other vehicles – the Honda Accord, Odyssey, Ridgeline and Acura ZDX – also share at least some of their underpinnings with the Pilot and MDX, but they are not affected by this recall.

Earlier this week, Honda issued a recall on the 2008 and 2009 model year Odyssey minivan due to liftgate struts with improper gas compression. Over 45,000 minivans are included in that recall, and according to Honda, two injuries have been reported as a result of the liftgate issue.

Follow the jump to read NHTSA’s full report about the Pilot/MDX recall. Concerned owners can contact Honda directly at 1-888-327-4236 for more information.

Continue reading Honda recalls 2012 Pilot, Acura MDX crossovers over possible fuel leak

Honda recalls 2012 Pilot, Acura MDX crossovers over possible fuel leak

Bentley has long been associated with the Mulliner moniker, having comissioned the centuries-old company to design the coachwork for many of its original road cars. In the modern sense, Mulliner is an official department of Bentley, in charge of crafting customized vehicles for those buyers who want something more bespoke than what’s on offer from the automaker’s standard product line. Their latest creation is the Bentley Mulsanne Mulliner Driving Specification, the first time that the Mulliner name has been applied to Bentley’s new flagship sedan.

While much of the Mulsanne remains the same including the twin-turbo 6.75-liter twin-turbo V8, it’s the small touches that set the Mulliner Driving Specification apart. The interior gets unique features such as ‘Flying B’ wing vents and special diamond-quilted leather seats and trim that uses an improved perforation process. The exterior is set apart with new lightweight 21-inch aluminum wheels available in painted or polished finishes as well as subtle Mulliner badging on the front fenders. Customers can also choose from a dizzying array of 100 exterior paint colors and 22 interior leather colors. Finally, a new ‘Sport’ setting allows the driver to select a suspension and steering setup for improved handling and feedback.

The Bentley Mulsanne Mulliner Driving Specification will be making its debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month alongside the standard Mulsanne that receives a few new options for 2013. Follow the jump for all the details in the official press release from Bentley, or check out the high-res photos in the gallery above.

Continue reading 2013 Bentley Mulsanne Mulliner Driving Specification slated for Geneva debut

2013 Bentley Mulsanne Mulliner Driving Specification slated for Geneva debut

The 2013 Audi A3 will be rolling into the Geneva Motor Show next month, but first it went to Russia to get leaked all over the Internet. We saw one angle of it a few days ago, and now we see more of what looks to be a very handsome car. The move to the new MQB platform hasn’t altered anything drastically, but revisions in the hatchback’s details have made for a more concentrated bearing, with very A1-like appearance.

The interior is practically a throwback to the original Audi TT, with a cleaned-up, minimalist IP sporting a screen atop the dash, the expanse below broken up only by two round vents and HVAC controls below.

The three-door is expected to be followed by variants that include a convertible, five-door and sedan. According to Google’s translation of Russian, engine options will include TSFI engines with 122 and 180 horsepower and a six-speed manual transmission alongside a seven-speed dual-clutch option.

More pictures of the 2013 Audi A3 say hello to the Internet

The poor Fiat 500. The adorable three-door hasn’t exactly been the resounding success Fiat had hoped, missing sales projections by a wide margin. As you may recall, the company managed to sell just 17,945 units between March and December of 2011. That’s a far cry from 50,000 units annually the company projected before the 500 landed in dealerships. But, according to Polk, things may not be as bad as they seem. While it’s true that the 500 managed to pull down just four percent of the subcompact car segment, the results look a bit rosier when you compare the 500 to other three-door B-segment offerings.

In that admittedly small group, the 500 did quite well, pulling down 27 percent of all sales and landing in second place behind the Mini Cooper. The plucky Italian even manged to best the Hyundai Accent and Toyota Yaris. Still, as Polk points out, that’s a good portion of a very small corner of the total subcompact segment, and an even thinner slice of the American car market.

The upcoming five-door 500 will likely give Fiat an extra edge, though whether the vehicle helps the automaker crest its 50,000 unit goal remains to be seen.

Why the Fiat 500 isn’t the flop it’s being made out to be

Aston Martin has had the V8 Vantage on the market since 2005, making it seven years old this year. That’s a fairly long life-cycle for any car, but that doesn’t mean Gaydon hasn’t tried its best to keep it current, releasing the most comprehensive update since the refresh it received in 2008.

Although the 420-horsepower, 4.7-liter V8 with six-speed manual continue unchanged, buyers can now opt for the seven-speed Sportshift II sequential transmission from the Vantage S in place of the jerky old six-speed Sportshift.

The steering rack has also been quickened, the tires widened and the brakes enlarged and aided by Hill Start Assist. To distinguish the new model from the old – and to help cool those beefed-up rotors – the front intake has been enlarged, while a new front splitter, side sills and rear diffuser help optimize airflow.

The updated V8 Vantage is currently confirmed only for the UK and European markets and is
set for unveiling at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, but you can check it out now – in both coupe and Roadster form – in the press release after the jump and the high-res images in the gallery. Meanwhile, the Vantage S and V12 Vantage continue on largely unchanged, but now play second fiddle to the exclusive V12 Zagato.

Continue reading Aston Martin tweaks V8 Vantage for Geneva debut

Aston Martin tweaks V8 Vantage for Geneva debut

Go back half a century or so and nobody owned the concept of the little roadster quite like the British. These days it belongs to Mazda and its ubiquitous MX-5 Miata, but as if to pay homage, the Japanese automaker has launched a new special edition in the UK.

Called the MX-5 Venture Edition, it bundles a dozen or so additional features into one slick little package. Gunmetal-finish 17-inch alloys, fog lamps and chrome grille are all part and parcel, but the nicest touch is the Havana Brown leather trim inside, with alloy pedals and piano black trim. TomTom sat-nav with a 5.8-inch touch screen and full connectivity keep it current.

It’s available in special shades of black, white or grey, and buyers can choose between soft-top or retractable hard-top, but only 250 examples of the former and 550 of the latter will be made available exclusively in the UK. Check it out in the high-res image gallery and the press release after the jump.

Continue reading Mazda takes the long and winding roadster to the British isles with MX-5 Venture Edition

Mazda takes the long and winding roadster to the British isles with MX-5 Venture Edition

Get ready, middle school art teachers – your new car is almost here. Following the launch of the re-skinned 2012 Beetle (and its oil-burning TDI kin), Volkswagen is hard at work prepping the new droptop variant, seen here testing in a not-so-convertible-friendly environment.

The signature styling difference that separates the 2012 Beetle from the Bug that came before it is indeed the longer, flatter roofline, and it’s interesting to see how well the shape has been kept intact during the transformation from hardtop to droptop. This test mule is fitted with the front and rear fascias of the last-generation car, but make no mistake, the decidedly more masculine fore and aft lighting treatments will indeed carry over to the new convertible.

Much like the coupe, we can expect the Beetle Convertible to be available with Volkswagen’s 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine as standard kit. There’s no word about whether or not the 2.0-liter turbo-four will make its way under the hood of the new convertible, but what really piques our interest is that Volkswagen sources have pretty much confirmed that the topless Beetle will be available with the 2.0-liter TDI unit, making it the first (and currently, only) diesel droptop in the United States. Expect to see the production car debut at the New York Auto Show this April.

2013 VW Beetle Convertible spotted buttoned up for winter

Ford has begun producing the company’s two new Police Interceptor models. According to Ward’s Auto, both the Taurus and Explorer-based cruisers are rolling off of the line at the automaker’s Chicago Assembly Plant. All told, the sedan variant has accounted for around 60 percent of orders so far. Currently, the law enforcement market is Ford’s to lose: Dearborn has controlled up to 70 percent of police car sales in the U.S. with its now defunct Crown Victoria in the past, but General Motors has made it clear it wants a larger slice of that pie.

GM has given law enforcement agencies an alternative to the two Interceptors from Ford with its Caprice PPV and Tahoe law enforcement SUV. Even so, Ford remains confident it will stay on top of the police market. The company says that early orders indicate it will remain the segment leader.

With a turbocharged, direct-injection 3.5-liter V6 engine in place of the old 4.6-liter V8 found in the Crown Victoria, Ford also says its new Interceptor models should be capable of returning 20 percent better fuel economy – an attribute that should salve relationships somewhat with fleet orderers who were fond of the anvil-like reliability and simplicity of the old Crown Vic.

Ford Taurus and Explorer Police Interceptor production begins

Here’s a new worry for electric car owners: bricking your new, expensive ride.

Using a word taken from the computer world, to “brick” an EV means to make your electronic device inoperable. In the case of an EV, it would mean to run the battery state of charge so far down that nothing works anymore, thus requiring an expensive flatbed tow and an even more expensive battery pack – about $40,000 in a Tesla Roadster.

This is the charge of Michael Degusta, who wrote a detailed post on the matter in which he claims there have been five cases of Roadsters being bricked that he knows about. Since this is the first we’ve heard about it (and we imagine all those Silicon Valley Roadster owners know a thing or two about Internet communication), we’re surprised we didn’t hear about this before the alleged problem claimed five non-working cars. Thus, we figure there’s more to the story, especially since some people are already poking holes in some of Degusta’s statements. We’ve emailed Degusta and asked him to provide further proof of and details about these bricked cars, but he has not responded yet.

For its part, Tesla has offered AutoblogGreen a fairly noncommittal statement on the matter:

All automobiles require some level of owner care. For example, combustion vehicles require regular oil changes or the engine will be destroyed. Electric vehicles should be plugged in and charging when not in use for maximum performance. All batteries are subject to damage if the charge is kept at zero for long periods of time. However, Tesla avoids this problem in virtually all instances with numerous counter-measures. Tesla batteries can remain unplugged for weeks (even months), without reaching zero state of charge. Owners of Roadster 2.0 and all subsequent Tesla products can request that their vehicle alert Tesla if SOC falls to a low level. All Tesla vehicles emit various visual and audible warnings if the battery pack falls below 5 percent SOC. Tesla provides extensive maintenance recommendations as part of the customer experience.

It’s also true that all vehicles will require some attention if they sit unused too long, and people know what happens if you leave your laptop unplugged for two weeks. In the owner’s manual for the Roadster 2.0/Roadster Sport, Tesla does say that “Over-discharge can permanently damage the Battery” and that “If storing for more than 15 days, it is strongly recommended that you keep it plugged in” (see the full section on “Leaving the vehicle unplugged” after the jump, or download the manual in PDF here), but it doesn’t specify what sort of damage that is, or how expensive it might be to fix it. Tesla spokesman Ricardo Reyes did tell AutoblogGreen that he is working to demystify the situation and will get back to us with more information.

Continue reading Tesla Roadster facing ‘brick’ battery problems?

Tesla Roadster facing ‘brick’ battery problems?