2013 Bugatti SuperVeyron

1600 HP Bugatti SuperVeyron in the works

Anyone who thought the Bugatti speed legacy was going to quit at 1200 HP may be in for a big surprise once the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show gets underway. According to Automobilemag, the French manufacturer is working on a 1600 HP version of the Veryron and have dubbed it the "SuperVeyron."

The new Bugatti SuperVeyron is supposed to incorporate extensive use of carbon fiber, shaving off about 550 lbs from the Veyron Super Sport’s total weight of 4052 lbs. Under the hood, Bugatti will place an 8.0-liter (or 9.6-liter) engine that will deliver an amazing 1600 HP, and a power-to-weight ratio of one kg (2.2 pounds) per hp thanks to the amazing weight loss. With these additions, the new SuperVeyron will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 1.8 seconds, while top speed will be raised from the current 259 HP up to an impressive 288 mph.

Next to the extra power, the new supercar will also get new designs for the front and rear with even more sophisticated active aerodynamics.

If these reports are true, then all of this will come in at a not-so-bargain price of over $2.5 million.

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Jaguar C-X16 Concept

Looking firmly to the future, the C-X16 marks a new chapter for Jaguar. The two-seater concept has inspired new advances in design, in engineering and in vehicle technology to create the most compact and responsive Jaguar in a generation. A hybrid, the C-X16 combines searing performance with beautifully realised styling.

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BMW revealed the electric models i3 and i8

BMW unveil the i3 and i8 concept cars which are aimed at sustainability and zero-emissions. These vehicles will be the first electrically powered cars from the BMW i sub brand, with the launch of the i3 coming in 2013 and the i8 the following year. The i3 concept has a range of 150km and is intended for use in an urban environment. It comes with a 125 kW electric motor, rear-wheel drive and impressive handling. Weight was a kept to a minimum in this vehicle thanks to the LifeDrive architecture, allowing the vehicle to clock in at just 1 250kg. It also comes with 4 seats and 200 litre luggage compartment. The BMW i3 is able to complete 0-100km/h in less than 8 seconds and can reach 80% charge (off a high speed charger) in just one hour. The BMW i8 comes with a 260 kW engine which allows it to complete 0-100km/h in just 5 seconds and a top speed of 250km/h. It boasts a fuel economy of less than 3 litres/100km, a figure other sports cars would love to emulate. It comes with a plug-in hybrid drive and has a range of 35km in electric mode, with a 3-cylinder petrol engine taking over for more dynamic driving. The BMW i3 and i8 will be built in Germany’s Leipzig plant. Look for more information on these vehicles closer to the release date.

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2013 Lexus CX

Lexus is planning to capitalize on the success of the CT 200h by introducing yet another full hybrid model. This time, however, the luxury automaker is entering the crossover market with the long-rumored Lexus CX. Expect the new CX to be launched at the end of 2012 as a 2013 model.

The new Lexus CX will be built on the same platform as the Toyota RAV4 and will serve as a competitor for models like the BMW X1, the Audi Q3, and theMercedes GLK. The new CX will only feature a hybrid drivetrain that combines a four-cylinder engine with a powerful electric motor, a generator, a high performance battery, a power control unit, and a power split device. This system will deliver about 200 HP and a fuel economy of about 47 mpg. As a comparison, the BMW X1 and the Audi Q3 can only achieve 45 mpg at best in their diesel offerings.

No additional details for the future Lexus CX have been offered as of now, but we believe the exterior design language will combine elements from all the latest Lexus models.

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2013 Mazda MX-5

With a history that began in 1989, the Mazda MX-5 is one of the best sold convertibles on the market. In its 21 years of history, the MX-5 saw three different generations, numerous design updates, and even more engine changes. However, the most impressive update has been announced for the fourth generation that is set to be launched in 2012.

The Mazda MX-5 will remain a rear-wheel drive compact sports coupe with exterior design inspired by the Shinari Concept unveiled earlier this year. With the new generation, Mazda will focus on reducing the total weight to less than 1,000 kilos.

At the launch of the Shinari concept, Ikuo Maeda, general manager of Mazda Motor Corp.’s design division said: "this design will lead to the next generation of Mazda design and will lead to other elements." Guess the MX-5 will be among the first to adopt Mazda’s new "Kodo - Soul of Motion" design language.

Updated 06/09/2011: Inside Line has released today new details on the next generation Mazda MX-5 roadster. It seems that one of their insiders confirmed them the next model will loose no less than 720 pounds from the 2,480-pound curb weight of today’s Miata. In order to obtain this impressive weight reduction the company will use high-strength steels for the body, a smaller, lighter engine and a more minimalist specification. The model will be offered by a 1.4 liter turbocharged engine equipped with direct injection and variable cam phasing as part of Mazda’s SkyActiv engineering efficiency program.

Updated 07/04/2011: The British company Autocar has revealed new details about the next generation MX-5’s turbocharged four cylinder engine. According to the magazine the new engine, a 1.5 liter one, and not 1.4, will feature variable cam phasing, lighter, low-friction reciprocating parts, and possibly a new exhaust manifold design, all of them as part of Mazda’s SkyActiv engineering campaign. The body will be made in steel, but it will feature high-strength panels, and some ingenious structural solutions, such as a twin-backbone frame, to solve the problem of open-top rigidity.

Hit the jump to read more about the fourth generation Mazda MX-5.

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Aston Martin Pays the Price for All New Platform

Investors are getting more and more strict when it comes to allowing people to borrow their money and it seems as if Aston Martin is getting the short end of that stick. The British sports car maker has secured a £304 million bond - about $440 million at the current rates - from global investors at a rather high 9.25% interest over the next seven years. That’s a 3-4% increase over the typical interest rate. Desperate or not, Aston Martin now has the money to design an all new platform for their full line of sports cars, including the DB9,Vantage and Rapide. Expect the new line to debut in 2015 or 2016 with the first details of the new design and production engineering showing up in a concept car sometime in 2012.

Before the British automaker moves to the new platform, however, their current VH platform will have to be modified to obey the new Federal FMVSS pedestrian impact rules. This re-engineered platform will be used for facelift versions of all three models. The new models will also benefit from new skin panels, revised interiors, and tweaked chassis and engines.

gallery:2011 Aston Martin DB9

 

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gallery:2011 Aston Martin V8 Vantage S

 

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gallery:2010 Aston Martin Rapide

 

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Source:AutoCar

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Five-door Hyundai Veloster in the works?

 

2012 Hyundai Veloster - Click above for high-res image gallery

Hyundai may be working on a more traditional five-door hatch version of the company's new Veloster. The Australian site Car Sales Network recently spoke to Eunjuu Shin, the manager for overseas product planning for Hyundai, who said that his company is working on a Veloster with four doors for global markets. Other suits within the Korean automaker have neither confirmed nor denied the news, saying that right now, the manufacturer is focused on the launch of the two-plus-one door configuration.

So, how likely is it that Hyundai is working on a five-door Veloster? On the one hand, a slightly more functional version of the vehicle might appeal to more buyers, though with the same 1.6-liter direct-injection four-cylinder as the Accent, we could easily imagine too much product overlap between the two siblings. The Veloster is set to touch down in the United States later this year, so don't expect to hear too much more about a five-door version until well after the vehicle's launch date.

Gallery:2012 Hyundai Veloster

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[Source: Car Sales Network]

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2013 Jaguar XE

Jaguar’s long rumored XE model is finally making its way towards production as confirmed with the newest spy shots of the small roadster. First thought to be dropped due to struggling sales, the XE project has been seen spot testing with almost zero camouflage, and we like what we see.

The retractable hard top that was first thought to featured on the XE is obviously vacant, and a soft top can be found in its place. This, as well as the rest of the design language, falls in line with all of the latest Jaguar models. The Roadster will be built on the same platform as the XK, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see the same package from the XKR-S in the upcoming model. As for the engine lineup, the XE will feature a range of V6 engines, and a V8 for the top R version.

Expect the new XE model to be launched sometime next year as a direct competitor for models like the Porsche 911.

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Source:Straightline

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