BMW reveals 5 Series GT, aka PAS, ahead of Geneva

BMW had a vehicle in development that was quite a mistery. Dubbed as PAS, or Progressive Activity Sedan, it would be a sort of sporty station wagon, but nobody knew much more about the car. But now we do, at least in what relates to the car appearance. And now the car has been named 5 Series GT Concept.



The car will be officially unveiled to the public at the Geneva Motor Show, but these pictures, taken from an anticipated presentation to the media, makes us perceive 7 Series and X6 styling cues on the new car. And also foretell how the future 5 Series will look like.









Source: 5post.com via AutoBlog

VW presents the first sketch of its new mid-size sedan, the NMS

What is the best way to have huge sale numbers in a country? Establishing a plant there is certainly the answer and this is what Volkswagen plans to do in the USA with a new factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. The first product to leave its production lines, in 2011, will be the NMS, or New Mid-size Sedan, a car that the German automaker has presented in a light way with the rendering below.



This car is expected to be as big as the current Passat, what will assure lots of space inside. Luggage will also have plenty of room and the planned engines are the FSI and TFSI petrol units and TDI powerplants.

The NMS, which will still have its definite name defined, will also be sold in other markets and will be built over a platform that is easier to build than the current Golf VI, what will probably put it in emerging markets such as India, Russia and Brazil. A hatchback version based on it, prone to replace older versions of Golf in these markets, is also expected to appear.

Source: VW via CarScoop

Porsche Panamera reveals it has more to offer than a new face

When you bet everything you have on one skill you have, you may end up in trouble if that single skill is not needed anymore. This is why people and companies try to have more than one talent. Porsche is known for its sportscars, but it felt it had to be more versatile. Hence the Cayenne, a high performance SUV, indeed, but an SUV. Now the German company will have a family car. Once again, a high performance (wealthy) family car, but nonetheless... The car's name is Panamera, as you already know. What you did not know was the car's interior. And it is as impressive as the outside.



The front seats have eight electric adjustments and the rear seats can also have some as an optional. The leather in these seats can have 13 different patterns, four of them in bi-colour combinations. Interior trim can also be ordered in seven different ways, ranging from carbon fibre to olive and other sorts of noble woods.

Safety is assured by airbags all over the car: front, side, curtain and even knee airbags. The individual back seats can also have side airbags, if the owner of the car is willing to pay for them.

The steering column is also electrically adjustable, what does not end all the comfort features of this five-door coupe. The air-conditioning system can be individually adjusted in each seat of the car both in temperature and in the wind speed.

People who love audio systems besides the roar of a V8 engine will be pleased to know Burmester has created the High-End Surround Sound System for Panamera. It features 2,400 cm² of sound membranes all over the car, divided in 16 loudspeakers controlled by 16 amplifier channels with more than 1,000 W. An active subwoofer with a 300 W Class D amplifier completes the sound package.

The baggage compartment has different sizes, depending on the version of the car. For S and 4S versions, it can hold 445 l. For the Turbo version, it can carry 432 l. Porsche has already said Panamera would have a 450 l luggage compartment, but this must be the capacity for the entry-level Panamera, which will be equipped by a 300 bhp 3.6-litre V6.

S, 4S and Turbo, the first versions to be sold, will come with a 4.8-litre V8. S and 4S will count on 400 bhp (294 kW). S has a six-speed manual gearbox fitted to this engine and is a rear wheel drive car, but there is also the option of a seven-speed automated dual clutch manual transmission, named by Porsche PDK. With this gearbox, Panamera S reaches 283 km/h and goes from standstill to 100 km/h in 5.4 s. Panamera 4S, which is a standard PDK all wheel drive car, reaches a lower top speed, 282 km/h, but accelerates faster: 5 s until 100 km/h.

Impressive numbers, but nothing compares to Panamera Turbo, with its 500 bhp (368 kW) 4.8-litre V8 biturbo petrol engine. It also counts on PDK and AWD as standard features and can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.2 s, with a top speed of 303 km/h.

Prices for these Panamera are respectively 94,575 euros for the S with manual gearbox, 98,085.50 euros for the S with PDK, 102,251 euros for the 4S and 135,154 euros for the Turbo.

Sales will start after the official presentation of the car, in April, at AutoShanghai in China.














Source: Porsche

Tesla reveals first teaser photo of the Model S sedan

Fisker Karma will soon start to have competitors emerging. Besides Chevrolet Volt, Tesla also wants to present a clean solution for the transport of more than two people. It will be called Model S and will be officially presented on March 26, but the company has given us the chance of imagining what this totally electric sedan will look like.



The vehicle will be a five-seater. Unlike Volt or Karma, it will not count on the help of a combustion engine to have its range extended. All power will come from the car's batteries, what may represent a range not bigger than 350 km. This is how much Tesla Roadster can run on a single full charge.

Model S's range could be bigger, if top speed was limited to, let's say, 160 km/h. Anyway, Model S will surely be heavier than Roadster, what will affect the distance the car will be able to run.

Tesla expects a US$ 400 million loan from the US Department of Energy in order to build a factory for Model S in the USA and develop its sedan. If everything goes fine with that, we may be able to see the production version ready by 2011.

Source: Tesla via Autoblog Green

SCOOP! - Reader snaps Peugeot 207 Pick-Up in Rio de Janeiro

The Brazilian Peugeot 207 did not deserve to be called 207. After all, it is just a facelifted 206. Anyway, there is a new version of the car being prepared by Brazilian engineers that could bear that name with no shame, since there will be no other model like it for sale with the same name. Gentlemen, thank our reader Bruno Francisco da Silva for the picture below. It was taken in January 30 in Resende, Rio de Janeiro, and proves Peugeot is developing its first small pick-up truck in the world. It will probably be called 207 Pick-Up. Check it out.



With the same suspension used for 207 Escapade, a sort of a crossover version of 206 SW, it is currently under development, as you can see by the heavy disguise, and it will be presented by the end of 2009. Exports are certain, or else, this vehicle will also be sold in most South American markets. Besides the 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre flexfuel engines, it will also offer two diesel options, a 70 bhp 1.9-litre and a 90 bhp 2-litre.

If you manage to find and photograph a new car running around, disguised or not, and want to share you finding with us, do not hesitate to contact us andsend us your pictures. Please do not forget to authorise us to publish them. We will be glad to share them with our other readers, as we have done with Silva's picture!

Source: Bruno Francisco da Silva

Gumpert will present the Speed version of Apollo in Geneva

Gumpert Apollo has already been crowned as the fastest car Stig has driven so far on Top Gear. But the German company does not seem to be satisfied with that. This is why the car will now have an even sportier version, called Speed, to be presented at Geneva Motor Show.



The new version features a two-tone paintjob inspired on race cars. Speed is also 9 mm lower than the regular car (1,105 mm against 1,114 mm) and can be ordered in three optional outputs: 650 bhp, 700 bhp and 800 bhp. Torque is respectively 850 Nm, 875 Nm and 900 Nm.

In the 700 bhp version, Speed is able to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3 s. Top speed is over 360 km/h. Sales will probably begin soon after Geneva Motor Show, in March.

Source: Gumpert

Ford bring the SHO acronym back with the 2010 Taurus

Ford has made an important part of its history sleep for years. The SHO acronym, which stands for Super High Output, has finally awaken and got back from the dead in a powerful manner. It will be offered again as a version of the beautiful new 2010 Taurus.



The new vehicle will be powered by a 3.5-litre V6 EcoBoost, an engine that counts on two turbochargers to achieve 370 bhp at 5,500 rpm and 475 Nm at 3,500 rpm. This is Ford's way to offer V8 power with V6 fuel consumption. All four wheels drive the car ahead, with the help of a six-speed automatic transmission.

There are still a lot of information lacking, such as top speed, 0 to 100 km/h time and fuel consumption, but the price is much too attractive to make all these data seem disposable. The car will be sold for US$ 37,995. It is not only the engine that has received an EcoBoost...













Source: Ford

GM presents the Stingray Corvette Concept at Chicago Auto Show

Not long ago, some pictures of a new car have leaked. They were from the second Transformers movie, "Revenge of the Fallen", and presented what appeared to be a Corvette. More specifically, to be the new generation of Corvette, or the C7, as it is being called. At the 2009 edition of Chicago Auto Show GM has finally put an end to this mistery and revealed the Stingray Corvette Concept.



This car has searched for inspiration in some very important versions of Corvette, such as the 1959 Stingray race car, the 1963 Stingray Split Window and the Corvette SS from the 1950's. There is no information on engines or technical specs.

GM apparently denies it is the new generation for its most important sportscar, but why would it admit such a thing? Just to create a huge expectation on when this beauty will be available at dealers? Since things have to be back on track before that, there would be no need to make promises now. Especially one like this, which people will demand to see fulfilled with all their energy.













Source: GM

Mini willl present the convertible version of JCW in Geneva

Mini has prepared a surprise for its fans that will visit the 2009 edition of Geneva Motor Show. The JCW (John Cooper Works) version of its hatchback, with a 211 bhp 1.6-litre twin-turbo engine, will have a convertible version, the one you can see below.



Besides the gorgeous pictures, Mini has also offered us the performance numbers of the new version. It will be able to reach a top speed of 235 km/h and to accelerate from stantstill to 100 km/h in 6.9 s.

It has also had its price revealed. The car will cost 23,470 pounds. Considering what this car offers, many will find this amount pretty reasonable.
















Source: Mini