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The 2013 BMW 7 Series gets incremental improvements everywhere. Outside the changes are minimal: fewer vertical slats inside the kidney grille and a larger chrome surround, two horizontal chrome accents bars splitting the lower intake, restyled side mirrors with turn-signal indicators, and new shades of red on the taillights. Inside are resculpted front seats, more soundproofing, redesigned ambient lighting, an updated iDrive controller and “floating” screens for the Rear Seat Entertainment package, and an optional Bang & Olufsen sound system. Along with those changes, the look of the navigation system has been updated with new menu organization, displays, a “pie menu” and 3D elements. The Attention Assistant system provides gives BMW drivers their own coffee cup icon to remind you when it’s time to rest and hands-free trunk operation makes its first appearance in the range.

The eight-speed steptronic transmission, fitted to every model, allows the new 7 to make more of its engines. Under the hood, the inline six-cylinder in the 740i maintains the same power ratings, 315 horsepower and 330 lb-ft, but is mated to the new eight-speed Steptronic transmission and said to have “significantly improved” efficiency, with a 20 percent increase noted in the EU cycle. The 4.4-liter V8 in the 750i gets fitted with Valvetronic and gets bumps of 45 hp and 30 lb-ft, for 445 hp and 480 lb-ft total. The changes reduce its 0-60 time to 4.7 seconds, at the same time as fuel economy on the EU cycle climbs 25 percent with the new transmission.

The second-gen ActiveHybrid 7 drops down an engine size, swapping its previous V8 for the 3.0-liter six-cylinder from the 740. It’s yoked to a 55-hp synchronous motor. Rated at a combined 349 hp and 367 lb-ft, BMW says it is 14 percent more fuel efficient than the 740i.

Both the 740i and 750i will come with a new powertrain management system dubbed ECO PRO that joins the other Driving Dynamics Control settings and that includes a coasting mode operable between 30 and 100 mph. Other driving enhancements include Dynamic Damper Control, an electronically controlled damping system that works on each shock individually dependent on road conditions, self-leveling rear suspension now standard on all models, and xDrive available on the 740i.

Both the 740i and 750i will arrive in showrooms this summer, the ActiveHybrid 7 coming this fall. The high-res gallery above can show you what’s coming, scroll down to read all about it in the press release.

Continue reading 2013 BMW 7 Series arrives with more power, gadgets and safety

2013 BMW 7 Series arrives with more power, gadgets and safety

Could it be? Could Subaru finally be killing the Tribeca?

We’ll admit it. We’ve been waiting for this day since we first spied the 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca. So has every other too-clever-by-half automotive journalist who slammed Subie’s range-topper when it debuted in late 2005, looking like it had been styled by whatever group-think team General Motors had canned for unleashing the Pontiac Aztek on the world. We never thought Plan B9 From Outer Space would last this long to begin with, and we wouldn’t be surprised if someone told us that Subaru has been keeping the slow-selling, three-row crossover in production just to keep the automotive journalist peanut gallery from gloating. We do love to gloat.

Of course, the report from Motor Trend is nothing more than a rumor at this stage, and Subaru’s official response is that there will be a 2013 model year Tribeca. And who knows, maybe the powers that be at Fuji Heavy Industries will shove another delightfully refreshed model year down the pipeline. Volvo’s been doing it for years.

Subaru Tribeca getting the axe?

Renault has confirmed the unveiling of an Alpine concept at this weekend’s Formula One Grand Prix de Monaco, but as we get closer there are new details alongisde new questions. Just yesterday came the leaked image of a concept called the A110-50C, heavily based on the Renault DeZir concept, that could turn out to be the thing itself or pure Photoshop fancy. French press is reporting that Renault COO Carlos Tavares has confirmed that a 400-horsepower concept will appear that “could be homologated and on the road in the future,” and it will take a lap of the Monaco course.

Another story in the French press has a picture of Sebastian Vettel sitting inside a vintage Alpine 110 racer – the car that all this hubbub is about, an example of which is pictured above. It was taken in mid-April for German GQ magazine at the Barcelona F1 circuit. Vettel and Tavares will supposedly be presenting the concept, but that report indicates the car is called the ZAR and suspects the first letter is for “zero emissions,” the second for Alpine, the third perhaps for Renault. A report in CNET France also claims the ZAR appellation for the concept, allowing that the meaning of the acronym can only be supposition for now. True, the DeZir was an all-electric concept, so either the A110-50C/ZAR has 400 electric horsepower and there isn’t any mid-mounted 3.5-liter Nissan V6, or Renault has found a way to break every single law of internal combustion… or we just don’t know what’s really in there.

We’ll should know all come Friday at 1:00 PM local time.

* UPDATE: The leaked image (inset) is the real deal. Renault has released some teaser photos and a video, and the reveal will happen on French Yahoo! Autos on Friday at 1:01 p.m. Monaco time. Scroll down to watch the teaser vid.

Continue reading Renault confirms 400-HP Alpine concept debuting on Friday *UPDATE [w/video]

Renault confirms 400-HP Alpine concept debuting on Friday *UPDATE [w/video]

We’ve noticed that 2013 Ford Fusion configurator has been updated with dollar values for each of its four models, however, we’re not so sure the pricing is that black-and-white. Ford has also updated the disclaimer at the bottom of the page, to read, “Prices and features are for survey purposes only and are subject to change and features may become unavailable at the time of vehicle introduction.” In other words, don’t get too fixated on the numbers, as they’re not locked down yet. And by playing with the configurator, you’re likely serving as a FoMoCo lab rat – after all, this is the company that never met a focus group it didn’t like.

It’s worth noting that Ford has not issued an official press release on pricing yet. But for now, it seems like the base Fusion S will start at $22,495, though we’re not sure whether that includes destination or not. Stepping up to the SE at $24,490 will upgrade the steel wheels to alloys, add heated, lighted mirrors with turn signal indicators, and get you body color rocker panels. Inside, the SE has a power driver’s seat and a better stereo, and backseat passengers get an armrest and their own HVAC ducts. The SE also allows you to order other stuff, including navigation and start/stop, or opt for a different engine than the base-spec 2.5-liter four-cylinder with automatic transmission.

The 1.6-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder is available with a manual or automatic on the SE for $25,290, while the start/stop-equipped version (automatic only) is $25,585. The 2.0-liter EcoBoost with automatic is $26,745 when ordered in SE trim. Ford lists a number of different packages and options, but they seem to be offered on a sliding scale, such that the packages are more expensive on the lower-priced models. For instance, the Luxury Package with leather and heated seats, among other equipment, is $1,505 on the 1.6-liter EcoBoost but only $1,050 on the 2.0-liter EcoBoost.

On the SE Hybrid, which starts at $27,995 and is equipped with a non-EcoBoost 2.0-liter four-cylinder and a CVT, the same Luxury Package is listed at $2,000. Apparently if you’re saving all that money on gas, you can afford to pay double the guy with the most powerful engine.

At the top of the Fusion price list, of course, rests the Titanium, which offers a lot of the optional stuff standard for $30,995. It’s also the only way to get all-wheel drive, which will set you back $32,995. Note that the Titanium is exclusively powered by the 2.0-liter EcoBoost and is not available with a manual, so you won’t be configuring your Fusion as a dual-use weekend rally car.

But then again, Ford will likely change this all tomorrow.

Pricing added to 2013 Ford Fusion configurator

No, that’s not a Mitsubishi i-MiEV in a fat suit, it’s the automaker’s brand-new all-electric race car, and it’s set to take on the 2012 Pike’s Peak International Hill Climb in July. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen an EV enter the Pike’s Peak challenge – Nissan commissioned a Leaf for battle last year, a car that set the bar for all future electric racers.

Mitsubishi says that its race car, dubbed i-MiEV Evolution, uses the same motor, drive battery and other major components as the standard, bean-shaped electric car that we haven’t quite grown to love. Aside from the additional bodywork, the chassis has clearly been lengthened and widened, and the race car now uses an all-wheel-drive configuration rather than the rear-wheel drive of the standard i-MiEV.

To give you an idea of just how big the racer is, a quick glance of Mitsubishi’s specs show that the i-MiEV Evolution’s dimensions are within a few inches of the stock Lancer Evolution. We wouldn’t be surprised if the all-wheel-drive system was sourced from the Lancer, as well.

Mitsubishi will also be bringing two more of its EVs to the Pike’s Peak event, including an i that has been updated with a more aerodynamic front bumper and new safety equipment, as well as a bone stock model. Scroll down for the official press blast.

Continue reading Mitsubishi previews bonkers i-MiEV Evolution for Pikes Peak

Mitsubishi previews bonkers i-MiEV Evolution for Pikes Peak

Volvo recently unveiled yet another model year of the impossibly old XC90 – promised to be the final one before a complete redesign. But the overripe vintage of the first SUV to fall from Volvo’s vine isn’t stopping corporate parent Geely from absconding with the platform to launch a new high-end brand for China.

According to China Car Times, Volvo’s new XC90 will be launching in 2014, and after that the original will soldier on in China, at least in some form. The report does not make clear whether the first-generation XC90 will merely be re-badged, or if the platform will be used for a new Geely design.

Geely launched its first SUV, the GX7, at this year’s Beijing Auto Show, according to the report.

Volvo XC90 to become Geely

Calling it “Holden’s worst kept secret,” a report in Australia’s Drive indicates that the General Motors antipodean brand will announce “very soon” that it will be exporting “thousands of Commodores to the U.S. from 2013.” Or, put another way, we will be getting thousands of Chevrolet SS Performance sedans – the Pontiac G8 in a previous life – starting next year.

The report says Holden is divulging the news earlier than planned because leaks just about everywhere, including OnStar, as well as trade-publication reports and speculation about GM’s 2013 NASCAR entrant, have got everyone looking southward for confirmation of the answer we already (almost) know.

Drive says our rear-wheel drive Chevrolet will get a revised take on the VF-model Commodore that has an aluminum hood to make it lighter and less aggressive wheel arches to make it more slippery. No hard numbers are attached to the export rumors, but it is expected to number “much fewer than the 50,000-odd” units that were predicted for the Pontiac G8 program.

The scintillating line for bitter enthusiasts still chafing over the confirmed-then-cancelled G8 ST Ute corn tease is that the exports “could also expand to involve ute and sportwagon variants.” Drive didn’t, but we will emphasize the word “could,” since we’ve been here before. However, that does jive with a report in Car and Driver indicating the same thing. Holden’s announcement could be made as soon as later today right now – see below for update.

*UPDATE: Well that didn’t take long. General Motors has officially confirmed that the new Holden-derived sedan sold in the U.S. will be called simply Chevrolet SS. The “limited production” SS will race in NASCAR beginning with the 2013 Daytona 500 and will appear in showrooms in 2014. GM isn’t getting into specifics, but says “The much anticipated Australian-built car will benefit from significant technology advances which enhance overall performance.” As to additional bodystyles like a wagon or pickup, well, GM isn’t saying. See more in the official press release added below, and click on the image above to get a look at GM’s newest racer all camo’d up.

Continue reading Holden announces export of RWD Commodore to North America, other bodystyles could follow *UPDATE

Holden announces export of RWD Commodore to North America, other bodystyles could follow *UPDATE

The current Renault Espace has been on the market since 2003. Next year that will make it ten years old, which is a long life cycle for any vehicle. But it’ll still be a few years until its replacement is ready. So following the facelift it performed on the Euro-market minivan in 2003, Renault is releasing another update.

Refreshed to fall more closely in line with Renault’s current styling direction (the company has changed aesthetic strategies a few times since the introduction of the fourth-generation model), the new Espace has a fresh grille that better incorporates a larger emblem than the model it replaces, and it’s flanked by new headlights and a new bumper fascia below.

Further details on what else Renault has tweaked will be released in July when it hits showrooms overseas.

Continue reading Renault updates aging Espace in attempt to keep it fresh

Renault updates aging Espace in attempt to keep it fresh

The current Infiniti G has soldiered on since the 2009 model year with few updates, so it is about time for a design change. But how much longer do we have to wait? Inside Line reports that the new G will arrive next spring with a new design, fresh engines and a possible hybrid variant.

Nissan VP Andy Palmer reportedly let loose the G’s tight time line, while providing room for us to speculate what engineering changes could come with the redesign. The high-ranking executive told IL that the partnership between Nissan and Mercedes-Benz is progressing as planned, and we know that a four-cylinder engine is among the early collaborative endeavors. In fact, just last week Autocar reported that the next G will feature diesel and four-cylinder engines with Mercedes DNA.

Such a powerplant could replace the 2.5-liter V6 under the hood of the G25, and turbocharging could be on order as well. Palmer added that a turbocharged six could also be in the cards, noting that there is a business case for blown sixes that deliver V8 power with V6 fuel economy. Given that the entry Infiniti sedan doesn’t currently feature a V8 option, we’re all for more G-power for 2014.

The last interesting tidbit is the possibility of a G hybrid model. The addition of a battery-assisted G makes sense given that the automaker already features a hybrid option in its M sedan, and using the powertrain in more applications helps lower development costs.

Next Infiniti G to arrive in a year’s time

There can be no argument that the Mercedes-Benz E-Class is a handsome sedan, but some changes are underway to make the 2013 model more striking. Our spy shooters caught this wagon, which despite having its front end heavily cloaked, gives up at least a few details.

New headlights are hiding beneath all that masking, which will integrate the current model’s separate daytime running lamps. Out back, the taillights will retain the same shape, but get a slightly different look.

Also absent from these photos will be a new design to the rear fenders, as we’re told that Mercedes will be changing the rear doors to remove the “Ponton-style” bulge. The interior will be updated, as well, with some improved safety equipment being added to the E-Class order sheet.

Check out all of the high-res images in our gallery.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class facelift spotted

Now that the title of world’s largest maker has become a clear and eager battle, we can expect more regular updates on the progress of the combatants. Bloomberg reports that Toyota snagged the #1 crown in Q1, taking it away from General Motors with 2.49 million units sold across its five brands compared to 2.28 million for GM. Volkswagen was just another tenth down at 2.19 million units sold.

What all three might appreciate even more than the crown – except for VW, who is monomaniacal about the No. 1 tag – is that sales volumes and profitability are up, at least in America. Toyota’s sales rebound from the catastrophes of last year (and indeed, the last few years) is being underlined by its performance here, where the Prius Plug-In is the third-best seller against a background of the nation’s best car sales market in five years. Even with double its usual fleet sales in Q1, Toyota expects this financial year’s profits to double.

The year isn’t over yet and it remains close, but for now it looks like there’ll be good news for everyone. Well, until 2016, when Volkswagen is predicted to vanquish all challengers at the top of the podium, two years ahead of its own ridiculously ambitious schedule.

Toyota takes title of World’s Largest Automaker… again, for now

Get ready. The hype machine is revving up for the 2013 Ford Fusion. And it’s not going to slow down in the coming months, as Ford prepares to launch it’s most important midsize entry in 30 years.

Even with no pricing available, Ford has launched its Build Your Own Fusion website. The configurator will walk a curious customer through all of the variations of the new Fusion from a base S model to the fully loaded Titanium to the gas-electric Hybrid. (The only model missing is the plug-in hybrid Fusion Energi.)

The configurator, which Ford says on the website is for “survey purposes only,” will allow you to see the Fusion S in eight different colors (the Titanium model comes in nine – click through our attached gallery to see them all), list out each model’s engine choices, features and options, as well continue the buzz the Fusion created at the Detroit Auto Show.

After building the Fusion of your dreams, you can also sign up for email updates, which, over the summer, will be many.

2013 Ford Fusion configurator powers up

April was a busy month for the long-term 2011 Mini Countryman, with over 2,500 miles added to the odometer and a heaping helping of people and things passing through its doors. When I picked up the Countryman, I was impressed by the fact that all four of its winter tires were neatly stowed behind the front seats. However, the biggest of Mini models didn’t fare so well when the rear seats were occupied.

On a shopping day with the kids, a relatively small amount of goods proved to be far too much for the Countryman’s diminutive trunk. As a result, I had no choice but to disperse boxes at the feet of my wife and kids, which was a decidedly unpopular move (don’t let the smiles fool you). The kids didn’t love the lack of roominess, but I can assure you that my 2,500 miles were mostly enjoyable.

I got a huge kick out of the Countryman’s spirited handling, even though I didn’t find our long-termer to have the same go-kart-like demeanor of its smaller siblings. The good news, however, was that I was able to average 26 miles per gallon during my month with the Mini, with a high of 30 mpg and a very entertaining low of just over 20 mpg. But don’t blame the Countryman for that 20 mpg number – that tank of gas was all about exploring the performance limits of our smallest long-term loaner. And even so, my own average fuel economy is higher than the dismal numbers that Editor Ewing brought up in last month’s update.

One thing I didn’t like about the Countryman was a sometimes jarring ride, which we’ve attributed, in part, to the dreaded run-flat tires. The throttle was also a bit odd, as the first few degrees of pedal travel felt a bit dead. It took a few days to get used to it, and it helps to always drive in Sport mode.

The Countryman did require a non-scheduled trip to the dealership during its month in my hands. After just a few days with the car, I noticed that the fan kicked on at full blast every time I turned on the car. I didn’t think much of it at first, until I came back outside one day and discovered that the fan was still on after about 10 minutes of the vehicle being turned off. The ‘check engine’ light illuminated the very next day, so off to Motor City Mini we went. As it turned out, the engine’s thermometer was on the fritz, and the dealer replaced the part under warranty. That one issue aside, we’ve enjoyed nearly 15,000 miles of carefree Mini motoring.

Our Mini will spend the month of May shuffling between a number of staffers, with a few road trips planned as warmer weather starts to grace southeast Michigan. Stay tuned to see how the Countryman fares.

Keep your eyes locked on the official Autoblog Facebook page for the majority of our updates, as well as the official Autoblog Twitter account (@therealautoblog, look for the #ablongterm hashtag).

2011 Mini Countryman: April 2012

Yes, it’s spring time in Indiana, and although Jim Nabors won’t be singing ahead of the drop of the green flag, it’s time for another One Lap of America.

Having been part of the timing and scoring team for well over a decade, we tend to see a lot of the same faces and sheetmetal year in and year out, though there’s always a steady stream of newcomers. Every few races, however, there seems to be a bumper crop of new cars that show up as old ones get tired and drivers find something different to play with. This is clearly one of those times, perhaps brought about by the dominance of the Nissan GTR over the last several years. As a result, there are a glut of the Japanese supercars in the fold, along with other noteworthy new models including an Audi TT RS, a BMW M5 and 1 Series M Coupe, not to mention a factory-prepped Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8. As ever, there’s a brace of Porsche 911 and Chevrolet Corvette models of various vintages, along with a Dodge Viper or two and a Ferrari 430. There’s even an E-Series ambulance and an incredible sounding Honda Odyssey, also running with factory support.

Unfortunately, one key classic will be notably absent from the paddock this year: Brock Yates. Father of One Lap Of America and the legendary Cannonball Run that spawned it, Yates’ health has been deteriorating due to Alzheimer’s. Yates’ son, Brock Jr. has been ably running the event for many years, but this is the first time that Senior won’t be in attendance.

As has become the usual, this year’s event kicks off in South Bend, Indiana at title sponsor Tire Rack’s massive headquarters with a wet skidpad event. The motley crew of madmen and their motors will then jog down the road a few miles to the South Bend Motor Speedway (a paved oval) before hoofing it over to Autobahn Country Club’s road course in Illinois. After that, it’s off to a string of road courses starting with scenic Pacific Junction, Iowa, for the Mid America Motorplex, then on to Oklahoma’s Hallett Motor Racing Circuit before heading to High Plains Raceway in Colorado. After that, it’s off to Motorsports Park Hastings in Nebraska followed by a northwestern jog to Brainerd International Raceway in Minnesota. Then it’s over to Wisconsin’s legendary Road America before the sleepless and bedraggled horde stumble back into South Bend next Saturday, April 14 for a final dry skidpad event. Got all that? If you don’t, you can check out a map here.

As we’ll be working the event, we won’t have the ability to give you daily updates on the rally’s progress, but if you’re interested in keeping tabs on the action, check out One Lap Of America’s official website and Facebook page, both of which figure to have live updates as the race gets underway this morning. In the meantime, you can check out our massive gallery above. It doesn’t have every one of the roughly 75 that are scheduled to race, but if you are new to One Lap, it’ll give you a good idea of the automotive diversity on display.

We’ll see you in 3,300 miles or so, if not sooner…

2012 One Lap Of America starts today

It’s hard to believe that the Volvo XC90 has been on the market since 2003. That’s 10 model years ago, predating our own existence as a website. Even the XC90 mid-cycle refresh that happened in 2007 seems like an eternity ago. So it stands to reason that for 2013 Volvo would introduce… yet another year of the same old thing.

Well, not exactly. The 2013 XC90 has been “delightfully refreshed,” though we’re pretty sure that the color-coordinated exterior and LED daytime running lights were actually introduced last year. But hey, don’t fix it if it ain’t broke.

Volvo has also rejiggered the trim packages on the XC90, which now starts at $39,500 plus $895 delivery. And that Yamaha-built V8 that disappeared this year? Still gone.

While you wait with us for the next-generation XC90, go ahead and scroll down to read the full press release and check out the images in our gallery. Then do it again. And again…

Continue reading Volvo releases details on ever-so-slightly updated 2013 XC90

Volvo releases details on ever-so-slightly updated 2013 XC90

We’ve taken the bone-stock 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 down the quarter-mile drag strip at Bondurant in Arizona several times. The very first pass we made netted us a time slip in the mid-12-second range. That’s an impressive performance for a car wearing road-legal radial tires with zero preparation and a driver familiarizing himself with the car.

We instantly knew this car was capable of more, and wondered how long it would take before we saw our first elapsed time in the 11s. Turns out the wait is over.

General Motors itself is the perpetrator of the blazing-fast quarter mile. Chevrolet engineers took two completely stock ZL1 coupes to Milan Dragway in Michigan – one automatic and one manual – and recorded a best pass of 11.93 seconds at 116 miles per hour. That was with the automatic; the row-your-own model managed 11.96 at 117 mph.

Those looking to drag their new Camaro ZL1 ought to be pleased with this news. But even if your race track aspirations lean more toward a curvy strip of asphalt, the baddest production Camaro ever made has you covered. Consider its Nürburgring lap time of seven minutes and 41 seconds as proof of its prowess.

Likely sensing that there would be plenty of Ford fans skeptics demanding proof of its quarter mile performance, Chevrolet has released a video showing off its drag strip exploits at Milan. Scroll down below for the video, along with the related press release… and join us in waiting for a response from Ford.

*UPDATE: We’ve placed a call to Chevrolet inquiring whether these times were recorded on stock tires, as the press release indicates, or on drag radials. We’ll add another update as soon as we hear back.

Continue reading 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 runs quarter mile in 11.93 seconds [UPDATE]

2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 runs quarter mile in 11.93 seconds [UPDATE]

Mini will launch its seventh model – a two-door version of the Countryman crossover – at the Paris Motor Show later this year, and our trusty spy photographers recently spotted this prototype out testing. Many sources have stated that the car will be dubbed Countryman Coupe when it hits the market, but we’ve also heard rumors that the vehicle will wear the Paceman name that was given to the original concept that debuted at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show.

Whatever it ends up being called, the two-door Countryman formula is pretty simple. The rear doors have been removed, allowing for a more swept-back roofline that integrates into an updated rear fascia. The rear end design – as previewed in these spy shots, anyway – is immediately reminiscent of the Land Rover Evoque, the Countryman’s main competitor.

Mum’s the word on powertrain choices, though we’d expect the four-door Countryman’s range of naturally aspirated and turbocharged engines to carry over largely unchanged, mated to both front- and all-wheel drive. Stay tuned for the car’s official unveiling in Paris later this year.

Mini Paceman Countryman Coupe spotted testing

The General wants more rear-wheel drive vehicles in its lineup and has plans to bring a few more to America, including a sedan and possibly a wagon and sport utility, according to Car and Driver.

GM already sells a rear-wheel-drive Chevrolet sedan in the U.S., but only sworn law enforcement officers are allowed to drive it: The Chevrolet Caprice PPV.

Now, GM will reportedly build a civilian offshoot of the the PPV and market it as the SuperSport sedan, as we reported last week. Under the hood would be GM’s 6.2-liter V-8 creating more than 400 horsepower. That SuperSport badge will also go onto Chevrolet’s NASCAR entry next year.

Car and Driver reports that after the V8 SuperSport launches, a milder 300-plus-horsepower 3.6-liter V-6 model will follow. By 2015, when the rear-wheel-drive Zeta platform is improved, production of this vehicle (as well as the PPV) will come to America, thus opening up the market for more police car sales, as some local governments can only buy American-made cruisers.

Furthermore, GM is considering building a rear-wheel-drive wagon as well as a sport-utility (read: ute) model. The updated Zeta II platform can handle both vehicles, especially since the next-generation Camaro will be shifting to the new Alpha platform that will underpin the Cadillac ATS and next-gen CTS.

Really, all of these vehicles are derivatives of the Pontiac G8, which is still on sale as the Holden Commodore in other markets. It was, arguably, the best Pontiac ever made. Bringing cars, wagons and utes like that to America, under any name or brand, is an immigration policy we can fully endorse.

GM considering RWD wagon and ute for U.S. market

UPDATE: The Focus ST has officially been added to Ford’s configurator. Click here to build one yourself.

Well now, the inexpensive performance game just got considerably more interesting. Ford has officially dropped pricing on its upcoming 2013 Focus ST, and it starts at $24,495 (*including a $795 delivery charge). That kind of coin will net you a EcoBoost 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine good for a whopping 252 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque, along with a torque-steer compensation system that works in conjunction with electronic power steering to keep the nose pointed in the right direction. If you’re keeping track, those power metrics are slightly north of the figures Ford had previously released. A variable-ratio steering rack toes the line between sport and comfort while the sport suspension sits the chassis 10 mm closer to the ground than the stock configuration.

That fire-spitting four-cylinder breathes easy through a free-flowing exhaust, and interior options like Recaro bucket seats give the cabin a little pedigree. Of course, massive wheels and plenty of aero work are both part of the package as well. What’s more, Ford says it will give early buyers a GoPro HD Hero2 Motorsports camera when they pick up the keys. Sweet.

The entry price puts the Focus ST well below fellow front-drive competitors like the Volkswagen GTI and Mazdaspeed3, but within spitting distance of playful hardware like the Toyobaru twins and the all-wheel drive Subaru WRX. Suddenly, it appears we live in a world where cheap speed is in abundance. Head over to the Ford site for a closer look and be sure to click past the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading Ford prices 2013 Focus ST from $24,495* [UPDATE: Configurator launches]

Ford prices 2013 Focus ST from $24,495* [UPDATE: Configurator launches]

The Nuccio concept, showed off by Bertone as a rolling model at the Geneva Motor Show and then as a road-ready car at the Beijing Motor Show is in talks to be sold. An update on the Lancia Stratos Zero concept from the seventies and powered by a 4.3-liter Ferrari V8 with 480 horsepower, the Nuccio was a 15,000-hour exercise in what the company’s historical language could look like today.

A Chinese collector was so taken with it that, according to a report in Automtive News, he is in discussions with Bertone to drop €2 million ($2.7 million) to take it home. If the deal is closed, he won’t get to take it home until after Pebble Beach weekend, where Bertone plans to again display the Nuccio.

Bertone may sell Nuccio Concept to collector for $2.65M