2007 Nissan 350Z

PRESS RELEASE: The Nissan 350Z continues to offer sports car lovers high performance excitement and dynamic driving experience. For the 2007 model year, Nissan engineers have taken the award-winning sports car one step further with the next generation of its award-winning VQ-series 3.5-liter V6. The new VQ35HR V6 produces 306 horsepower and 268 lb-ft of torque and features a twin air intake system, among other enhancements, that increases efficiency and allows for improved fuel economy.

Other new features for the 2007 350Z include a new front hood design, three new exterior colors, a new gray colored convertible top (Roadster models), interior improvements, a Bluetooth Hands-Free Phone System (Touring, Grand Touring Coupes) and standard front seat-mounted side-impact supplemental air bags (Roadster models). These new features enhance the already well-equipped sports car, which features speed-sensitive power steering system, LED taillights, refined optional navigation system and available RAYS super lightweight 18-inch front/19-inch rear 5-spoke forged alloy wheels (Coupe only).

For 2007, the 350Z is again available in Coupe and Roadster body styles and in an array of models – four for the Coupe and three for the Roadster. Each provides sports car lovers high performance excitement and a dynamic driving experience, with a style all its own.

New 3.5 V6 VQ35HR Engine: The fourth-generation VQ-series V6, which has been named one of the "Ten Best Engines" by Ward’s Auto World magazine for 14 consecutive years, has been significantly revised for use in the 2007 350Z, with approximately 80% of major parts (except bolts, O-rings and clips) redesigned.

The block features ladder frame construction for greater rigidity, crank journal and pin diameters have been increased and the block height has been increased by 8.4 millimeters to reduce piston side force. Also, the engine center has been lowered 15 millimeters. Other engine enhancements include variable exhaust cam timing (eCVTCS), a higher rev limit (increased to 7,500 rpm) and higher compression ratio (from 10.3:1 to 10.6:1), asymmetric piston skirts, twin knock sensors, improved coolant flow and new Iridium-tipped spark plugs.

A new symmetric twin ram air intake system helps reduce airflow resistance and increases horsepower, by up to three horsepower, as more air enters the intake at speed. Along with a powerful engine, the Z produces a powerful sports car sound to match – one without the low frequency booming or rumbling or high-pitched mechanical sounds that can grow tiresome on long trips.

Prices: The Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the 2007 Nissan 350Z increases only $250 from 2006 on all models except the 350Z Roadster Enthusiast model, which increases $500 and includes front seat-mounted side-impact supplemental air bags that are now standard on all Z Roadsters.

For 2007, the Nissan 350Z Coupe is available in four models – 350Z 6MT, 350Z Enthusiast, 350Z Touring and 350Z Grand Touring: Starting MSRP for the 350Z Coupe with a close-ratio 6-speed manual transmission is $27,900. The Enthusiast Coupe adds cruise control, Traction Control System (TCS), Viscous Limited Slip Differential (VLSD), aluminum pedals and more, and is available in a 6-speed manual configuration starting at $29,600 or in a 5-speed automatic configuration starting at $30,600. The 2007 Nissan 350Z Coupe Touring model is available with a 6-speed manual starting at $32,700 and with a 5-speed automatic configuration starting at $33,200. Touring models add a 7-speaker Boseâ audio system, heated power leather seats and, with manual transmission, standard Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC).

Nissan 350Z Coupe Grand Touring models start at $36,100 for the 6-speed manual configuration and $37,100 for the 5-speed automatic configuration, and add super-lightweight forged-alloy wheels, front and rear spoilers, Brembo brakes and VDC for both the manual and automatic transmissions.

For 2007, the 350Z Roadster is offered in three models – Enthusiast, Touring and Grand Touring: The 2007 Nissan 350Z Roadster Enthusiast with a 6-speed manual configuration starts at $35,550, while the 5-speed automatic configuration starts at $36,550. Both feature power seats, a glass rear window with rear defroster and a rear wind deflector. The 350Z Roadster Touring trim adds a 7-speaker Bose audio system and heated leather seats and starts at $37,900 for the 6-speed manual configuration and $38,900 for the 5-speed automatic configuration. The 350Z Roadster Grand Touring model adds Brembo brakes and standard VDC for both the 6-speed manual configuration, which starts at $40,250, and the 5-speed automatic configuration, which starts at $41,250.

2008 Audi A4

The all new 2008 Mercedes C-Class that’ll be revealed in a few days isn’t the only mid-sized luxury sedan we’re awaiting to see in 2007. Rumors have it that Audi will also unveil its successor to the A4 model later on this year and specifically, at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. German magazine Auto Zeitung has taken on the task of creating a rendering of the new A4, based on information that they have from Audi’s headquarters in Germany. Beyond the photoshopped image Auto Zeitung also speculates on the 2008 A4’s engine range that’ll consist among others, of the new 1.8 TFSI in 130 & 160 Hp versions and the 260Hp 3.6 V6 FSI.

Ferrari 420 Dino

Yes, the Dino is back!

Despite being conceived more than two years ago, the whole project only got the green light in September, and is scheduled to be unveiled at a major motor show in 2009.Taking the latter part of its name from Enzo Ferrari’s son, our contacts are confident that the eventual title will be ‘420 Dino’, with the number referring to the V8 engine’s size.

Back in Italy, one fierce debate is still raging between Ferrari, Pininfarina – the car’s designer – and Ferrari’s owner, Fiat. While all indicators still lean toward the Dino being a coupé-cabriolet with a folding hard-top, some bosses would prefer to launch the entry-level model as a berlinetta hard-top GTB first, followed soon after by a targa GTS.This would follow the trend set by the 246 Dino GT and GTS from 1968 and 1971, and the 308 GTB and GTS from 1975 and 1977. Whatever is chosen, annual Dino production is figured to be anywhere between 3,500 and 5,000 cars, and Ferrari has actively sought partners to help lower and spread out the massive manufacturing costs. One company involved is aluminium specialist Alcoa, who will be making the spaceframe chassis in a new facility in Modena, Italy. The outer shell will be constructed from carbon fibre.

The new Dino started life as a Maserati in 2004. However, Ferrari’s then sister firm changed its plans, deciding to develop a luxurious Quattroporte-based coupé to rival the Mer­cedes CL instead. So Ferrari adopted the chassis and technology for the Dino.Unlike the classic original, the newcomer will get a front-mounted V8. The unit is expected to be an all-aluminum 90-degree 4.2-litre unit with around 480bhp.

Inside, the Dino will be the first Ferrari to get standard-fit satellite navigation. The cabin promises to be practical, and alongside the carbon fibre trim shown, an aluminium finish will also be available. Transmission options haven’t been confirmed, but the paddleshifters are likely to control an automated manual.

Aimed squarely at Porsche’s 911 Turbo and Aston Martin’s V8 Vantage, the Dino will be priced between £82,000 and £90,000. This will make the Ferrari badge more accessible, but will also leave room for the F430 to move upmarket. We can also reveal plans to give that model a 550bhp 5.0-litre V10 by the end of 2008. An all-new replacement for the F430 is also already on the drawing board, and is scheduled for 2010.

Honda Accord Coupe Concept

Honda R&D Americas Opens New Advanced Design Studio in California

December 5, 2006 — PASADENA, Calif. — Honda R&D Americas, Inc. (HRA) today opened the doors to its new Advanced Design Studio. The new studio, located in the Old Town area of Pasadena, is the company’s third design center in California. The new studio will focus on advanced design concepts and the creation of concept vehicles for future Honda and Acura products.

In March 2006, HRA broke ground on its second major California design center - the Acura Design Center in Torrance, located adjacent to its existing Los Angeles Center and the company’s U.S. sales headquarters. The new Acura Design Center, opening next spring, will focus exclusively on market research and styling design activities for the Acura brand, while the existing Los Angeles Center will be responsible for market research, concept development and styling design for the Honda brand.

“We will now have one center focused on Honda products, another center focused on Acura products and this new advanced studio that takes a longer view focused on advanced design concepts that will guide the future of both of these brands,” said Hirohide Ikeno, president of Honda R&D Americas.

HRA’s new Advanced Design Studio will work closely with other Honda Advance Design studios around the world - specifically in Germany, Italy and Japan - to provide future product and brand direction to Acura and Honda product design stylists. In addition, the new U.S. studio will undertake special projects such as concept cars for American auto shows and school projects with the Art Center College of Design.

“I am pleased that this studio will be integrated into the community and will have a relationship with the Art Center,” said Ikeno. “In this way, it will enable Honda designers to make an important contribution by working together with young designers of the future.”

“Our challenge is not simply to create new products, although we’ll do that, but to help establish brand direction that is two generations away,” said David Marek, chief design stylist with Honda R&D Americas and the director of the Advanced Design Studio. “In our factories, we emphasize that cars are built by people, not machines. And in our design work, even as we get more high tech … I want to emphasize that our goal is to connect our designers with the customer … designing cars with their own hands and their own ideas.”

HRA began its operations in California in 1975 with local market research activities and has steadily grown its capabilities over the past 31 years to include all aspects of new vehicle design and development. Recent development efforts include trend-setting products like the Honda Ridgeline, Pilot and Element, and the all-new Civic Coupe and Civic Si and the Acura MDX and TL sedan.

With the addition of the Advanced Design Studio and Acura Design Center (which will begin operation in summer 2007), the company will operate 10 major facilities in North America with more than 1,400 designers, engineers and support personnel engaged in the development of Honda and Acura passenger cars, motorcycles and power equipment products for North America and global markets.

HRA’s main centers of operation include the Los Angeles Center (Torrance, CA) responsible for market research, concept development and styling design; the Ohio Center (Raymond, OH) responsible for complete product development, testing and support of North American supplier and manufacturing operations; and two dynamic test facilities near the Mojave Desert in Cantil, California, and in East Liberty, Ohio. Power equipment R&D is conducted at the North Carolina Center in Swepsonville, NC.

Honda Accord Coupe Concept to Debut at North American International Auto Show
TORRANCE, Calif. 12/05/2006 –

A bold new look for the next-generation Honda Accord Coupe will be unveiled at the January 2007 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, American Honda Motor Co., Inc., announced today.

The Accord Coupe Concept will convey exterior styling cues and design features that provide a first look at the direction the next-generation Accord will take and it promises to set a new benchmark for Accord and for the segment. The Accord is Honda’s best selling model in North America, and this vehicle’s debut at NAIAS will mark the first time an Accord concept car has ever been shown at a major auto show.
Car and Driver magazine recently named the current-generation 2007 Honda Accord as one of the winners of its prestigious and highly competitive annual “10Best Cars” award. The Accord has achieved “10Best” status 21 times in the 25 years that Car and Driver editors have been conducting the competition, more than any other vehicle in the award’s history.

In March 2006, HRA broke ground on its second major California design center - the Acura Design Center in Torrance, located adjacent to its existing Los Angeles Center and the company’s U.S. sales headquarters. The new Acura Design Center, opening next spring, will focus exclusively on market research and styling design activities for the Acura brand, while the existing Los Angeles Center will be responsible for market research, concept development and styling design for the Honda brand.

“We will now have one center focused on Honda products, another center focused on Acura products and this new advanced studio that takes a longer view focused on advanced design concepts that will guide the future of both of these brands,” said Hirohide Ikeno, president of Honda R&D Americas.

HRA’s new Advanced Design Studio will work closely with other Honda Advance Design studios around the world - specifically in Germany, Italy and Japan - to provide future product and brand direction to Acura and Honda product design stylists. In addition, the new U.S. studio will undertake special projects such as concept cars for American auto shows and school projects with the Art Center College of Design.

“I am pleased that this studio will be integrated into the community and will have a relationship with the Art Center,” said Ikeno. “In this way, it will enable Honda designers to make an important contribution by working together with young designers of the future.”

“Our challenge is not simply to create new products, although we’ll do that, but to help establish brand direction that is two generations away,” said David Marek, chief design stylist with Honda R&D Americas and the director of the Advanced Design Studio. “In our factories, we emphasize that cars are built by people, not machines. And in our design work, even as we get more high tech … I want to emphasize that our goal is to connect our designers with the customer … designing cars with their own hands and their own ideas.”

HRA began its operations in California in 1975 with local market research activities and has steadily grown its capabilities over the past 31 years to include all aspects of new vehicle design and development. Recent development efforts include trend-setting products like the Honda Ridgeline, Pilot and Element, and the all-new Civic Coupe and Civic Si and the Acura MDX and TL sedan.

With the addition of the Advanced Design Studio and Acura Design Center (which will begin operation in summer 2007), the company will operate 10 major facilities in North America with more than 1,400 designers, engineers and support personnel engaged in the development of Honda and Acura passenger cars, motorcycles and power equipment products for North America and global markets.

HRA’s main centers of operation include the Los Angeles Center (Torrance, CA) responsible for market research, concept development and styling design; the Ohio Center (Raymond, OH) responsible for complete product development, testing and support of North American supplier and manufacturing operations; and two dynamic test facilities near the Mojave Desert in Cantil, California, and in East Liberty, Ohio. Power equipment R&D is conducted at the North Carolina Center in Swepsonville, NC.

Mazda Ryuga Concept

Press Release

HIROSHIMA, Japan-Mazda North American Operations will unveil an all-new concept car, Mazda Ryuga, and its all-new Mazda Tribute Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) at the 2007 North American International Auto Show. All attending media are invited to the company’s formal unveiling on the Mazda show stand at 10:15 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 8, 2007.

Mazda Ryuga builds on Mazda’s concept of flow. Nagare -Japanese for “flow”- debuted at the recent Los Angeles Auto Show and introduced the company’s new design future. Ryuga - Japanese for “gracious flow,” and the next generation of this exciting concept - will reflect a higher level of sophistication achieved through the use of rich fabrics, engineered fits and hidden details. Mazda Ryuga is elegant and refined, but with spirit and edge, portraying unique Japanese beauty.

“Ryuga is Zoom-Zoom defined,” said Laurens van den Acker, Mazda’s global design director. “It combines vibrance, confidence, fun and youth all in one ingenious package.”

Offering another, although far more immediate and real, look into its future, Mazda also will debut the 2008 Mazda Tribute HEV. The heavily revised Tribute HEV will be the first advanced-technology vehicle dedicated to clean air that Mazda will sell to the public when it becomes available later in the year.

The Tribute HEV is one of the least-polluting vehicles on the road, yet still delivers the performance required by SUV owners. With a combined power output of its gasoline engine and electric motor of 155 hp, the Tribute HEV provides plenty of power yet meets strict Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (SULEVII) and Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV) standards in California - the strictest emission regulations a gasoline-fueled vehicle can meet.

Also on display at the show will be the all-new seven-passenger SUV Mazda CX-9, the five-passenger SUV Mazda CX-7 and the balance of Mazda’s 2007 product lineup.

Acura Advanced Sedan Concept

PRESS RELEASE

November 29, 2006 — LOS ANGELES, Calif. — The Acura “Advanced Sedan Concept” made its world debut today at the 2006 Los Angeles Auto Show. Created by Acura’s Los Angeles-based advanced design team, the concept features a modern, powerful exterior while retaining an ultra luxurious feel.

“The Advanced Sedan Concept illustrates Acura’s commitment to modern design and cutting-edge style,” said John Mendel, senior vice president, auto operations.”With our advanced design team taking a significant role in shaping future vehicle design, we can expect upcoming products to reflect this progressive, forward-thinking styling.”

The Advanced Sedan Concept is the purest expression of advanced design, performance and luxury, highlighted by its powerful, wide stance and deeply sculpted surfaces. The primary goal of this design study was to create a sophisticated, refined sedan with a mysterious presence.

The concept’s generous exterior proportions suggest that a large, powerful engine lurks beneath the surface. The exterior lines reveal a sheer, sculpted lower body contrasted with a taut, architectural cabin. Although ultra-modern in its design, the concept retains the classic silhouette associated with a flagship sedan.

Low to the ground, the concept is anchored by large 22 inch front and 23 inch rear tires which are mounted to custom billet-machined, polished aluminum wheels. Powerful brake discs and calipers accent the wheels and large ducts direct cooling air to the components. Bold wheel arches and flares add to the concept’s muscular appearance.

The sleek, compact cockpit nestles atop the sculpted body and flows from hood to trunk. For a unique panoramic view, the roof is constructed entirely of tinted glass that shades the occupants while still connecting them to the outside world.

“We wanted to capture the essence of an ultra luxurious sedan but give it a striking, mysterious presence to create a vehicle with a dual personality,” said Dave Marek, chief designer, Honda R&D Americas, Inc. “The concept echoes this quality with its clean exterior lines, a wide, stance, high performance cues and key luxury accents.”
The hood is accented with pronounced character lines that culminate in the aggressive five-sided grille, which contributes to the sedan’s bold presence. The commanding grille is constructed of polished aluminum and features a cut crystal Acura emblem. The narrow headlights also double as air intakes and are positioned low on the bumper, further enhancing the sedan’s already commanding 79.5 inch width.

“The front of the sedan communicates power and luxury,” explains Marek. “The pronounced hood and large grille communicate performance, while the jewel-like Acura emblem captures the essence of pure luxury.”

In the rear, the Advanced Sedan Concept has a flush mounted rear bumper with the high-mounted stop lamp integrated into the center break of the trunk. The jeweledtaillights are pushed to the outer edge of the bumper to further enhance the vehicle’s wide and low appearance, while integrated dual exhaust outlets complement the sedan’s performance-oriented style.

During the past decade, several Acura vehicles have been designed and developed in the U.S. including the award winning MDX luxury SUV, the innovative TL performance luxury sedan and the all-new RDX turbocharged crossover SUV. Acura will continue the expansion of its U.S. design capabilities with the addition of a dedicated Acura Design Center that will open next year in Torrance, Ca.

Japan Report: Honda S2000 Successor To Grow Up, Spawn Extra Seats?

Behind firmly closed doors in Japan, Honda continues to work on a possible S2000 successor. But with a twist: the new version, if approved, will have four seats and shift upmarket toward a more affluent SLK-type audience.

While the S2000 has had its fans, and that brilliant 2.0-liter screamer of a four-cylinder is almost worth the price of admission alone, overall it’s been too raw and hardcore of a package to deliver the kind of sales that Honda originally hoped for.

So now it’s rethink time, and a new mock-up is underway according to a source familiar with the program. Critically, the car has not yet been approved for production, and even if Honda management gives the green light soon, the new sportster is at least two to three years away. This gibes with earlier reports that peg the car’s successor as not coming to market before 2009.

While it’s still in the car’s very early days, our source says we can expect: A) rear-wheel drive B) an altogether less raucous mechanical package than today’s S2000 and C) a car that looks totally different than the current model.

If it sees the light of day, it’s up for debate whether the car would sell as a Honda or Acura.

2009 Volkswagen Scirocco

After months of internal struggles and arguments over its design, Volkswagen officials have finally given the low-slung Scirocco coupe the green light. Arguments over the car were heated: On one side were the pfennig-pinchers aiming to save cash; on the other, VW boss Wolfgang Bernhard and his plan to resurrect one of the most evocative models in the company’s history.

The score thus far: Car Guys, 1; Bean Counters, 0.Depicted in this series of computer-generated images, the new Scirocco goes into production in early 2008 and on sale in North America by the end of that year as a 2009 model. Information for the illustration was pried from VW’s Wolfsburg-based design studio. AutoWeek sources suggest prices for a base four-cylinder front-drive edition will start at E22,000, or nearly $28,000 and rise accordingly.

The top model will have a 3.6-liter V6 and all-wheel drive.While it would have been easy to tap into Scirocco’s design heritage to launch this renaissance, Volkswagen instead chose a contemporary look. Though it boasts a family resemblance to the Golf (Rabbit), this Scirocco’s shallow side glass and wide stance are similar to the Giorgetto Giugiaro-designed original launched in 1974.Detailing, though, is borrowed from the low-slung EcoRacer concept unveiled at last year’s Tokyo show, with tautly drawn surfaces, a steep windshield rake and short overhangs.

Sources say the three-door hatchback stretches to around 167.3 inches—or 1.8 inches longer than today’s Golf—with width and height at 70.5 inches and 54.7 inches, respectively. Taking a page from Audi’s book, design boss Murat Gunak created a distinctive grille (maw?) that replaces the V-shaped one on current VWs. Other features include prominent shoulder- and beltlines to avoid a slab-sided look.

Scirocco will be offered only as a coupe, though VW toyed with the idea of a convertible; buyers will have the option of a full-length sunroof. Scirocco’s cabin strives for a sportier look while borrowing switchgear, seats and other bits from other VWs. One option: advanced 3D navigation with software from Internet giant Google.

More an image booster than a volume seller, the Scirocco’s business case calls for sales of no more than 150,000 cars over a six-year life—or just 25,000 per year. Insiders admit that figure is conservative and say it could sell in much higher numbers, particularly if it takes off in the United States.The new Scirocco is built on the PQ35 platform that is underneath the Golf, with much of the hardware altered to appeal to the ride-and-handling expectations of coupe buyers. The Scirocco gets wider tracks and a MacPherson strut front and multilink rear suspension with specific settings.

Word in Wolfsburg says Scirocco may adopt some lightweight aluminum parts from the second-generation Audi TT. Steering assist is electrohydraulic, though drivers can expect sharper responses than those found in existing Volkswagens.The entry-level model will likely get the just-introduced supercharged and turbocharged 1.4-liter Twincharger four from the Golf GT. It pumps out 140 hp to 170 hp, depending on tuning.

Above that, a turbocharged 2.0-liter like that in the GTI can be massaged to deliver in the region of 230 hp, as hinted at on Volkswagen’s Edition 30 concept. A 2.0-liter diesel four will also slide into the engine bay, but that oil burner probably won’t come to the United States.Volkswagen also plans a Scirocco 4Motion flagship, probably later rather than at the initial launch of the model. Expect it to use the new 3.6-liter 15-degree V6 with 280 hp.

Transmission choices will include a standard six-speed manual, with the popular double-clutch DSG unit an option.Volkswagen will build the Scirocco in Portugal on the same line as the coming Eos. The two cars share a basic mechanical package, and with key suppliers having established satellite operations on site, sources claim the new coupe can be produced more cheaply and with the same quality as in Germany.

Before the car goes into production, Volkswagen intends to streamline processes to ensure profits. Call that a nod to the accountants. If reports in Germany are believed, VW now loses money on every Golf it produces at home. That’s something product boss Bernhard intends to reverse—and soon.

Porsche Carrera GT1

Bugatti’s mantle as purveyors of the World’s Fastest Automobile won’t last through decade’s end if Porsche has anything to say about it.

Stuttgart’s engineers are reportedly hard at work on a roadgoing iteration of a future Le Mans contender, dubbed the GT1. The super car is expected to call upon every one of its 950 horsepower en route to a top whack of 254 mph, pipping Bugatti’s Veyron by a pair of speedometer increments.

Based on the carbon fiber chassis of the out-of-production Carrera GT, the GT1 is said to incorporate new front and rear end fixtures, but the powerplant remains up for debate. Sources indicate that it could be powered by a twin-turbo 5.5-liter V-8 derived from the Cayenne SUV, or it could simply be a force-fed version of the Carrera GT’s V-10.

Either way, expect a high dollar, high profile dogfight between Ettore’s and Ferdinand’s people in just a few years.

Mercedes Readying Audi R8-Fighter?

Mercedes-Benz appears to be readying a ride to contest Audi’s forthcoming R8 supercar for mid-engined supremacy. Auto Motor und Sport has revealed this Schulte-Nextline rendering of the car which they indicate is due around 2010.

Said to be powered by a variant of AMG’s 6.2-liter V8, this car is not to be confused with the higher-end P8, which was originally slated to come in at around $200,000. That car has reportedly been put on ice, presumably in favor of this less-expensive, larger volume model.

BMW M10

Racing Dynamics, the well-regarded Italian BMW tuner might just have better ties to the automaker than we thought. The proof? They’ve got a rendering of a new BMW supercar, the “M10” on their website, and the company claims to already be hard at work on their own version, the RS55 Coupe. Us? We’re a little concerned that the above rendering is so grainy… it almost looks like it’s been scanned from a magazine, leading us to question its veracity.

Regardless, according to Racing Dynamics, their version of the mystery coupe will purportedly benefit from a 655 horsepower version of BMW’s V-10, which should be enough to push it above 215 miles per hour. The tuner hopes to have its version available to customers by the end of 2009.

Lotus Esprit Caught Testing

WorldCarFans has caught some more shots of the Lotus Esprit. The website maintains that as this is the first time a complete mule has been spotted (previous prototypes appear to have been cobbled together from the last Esprit), this likely means that the car’s fixed points and drivetrain technology has been decided upon.

The car’s running gear remains something of a mystery, though it could use a 4.4 or 4.8-liter V-8 sourced from BMW.

The new car is expected to be significantly pricier than the last Esprit, and is likely to be another entrant in the $125,000+ niche that appears to be developing into a sweet spot for the wealthy.
In related news, the website has also caught the Elise-derived Tesla Roadster undergoing testing, complete with a fabric soft top.

Audi’s A7 Four-Door Coupe And Convertible

It might be just us, but Audi’s lineup is expanding so quickly that we’re beginning to have trouble keeping up.

CAR has come up with some nifty renderings of Audi’s planned four-door A7 coupe and Convertible, which is slated to hit dealers in 2009. According to the magazine’s sources, a particularly innovated door arrangement is expected, leading them to believe that the automaker will somehow manage to fit four frameless doors to the car, while still meeting side-impact standards.

The hardtop is being seen as the Four Ring’s response to Mercedes-Benz’s high-profile CLS line. According to the UK publication, both variants will be based on Audi’s pending Q5 off-roader, with Audi’s dual-clutch S-Tronic and Quattro all-wheel drive as standard equipment.

Ford Mustang Shooting Brake For 2010

Only Hau Thai-Tang, Mark Fields, and Alan Mulally (and Ford PR man Alan Hall) would know for sure, but the German automotive world is decidedly abuzz with the latest speculative moon shot: a Mustang shooting brake to join the coupe / convertible lineup (a veritable “Macho Kombi,” or macho combination, in German) for 2010. Germany’s Auto Motor Und Sport has just released the above illustration, which will send the Mustang enthusiasts into something of a non-IRS tailspin.

2007 Mazda 2 / Demio

As a replacement for the Demio, the compact five-door five-seater Mazda 2 came on the market in 2002 and had been proven quite a success since its first appearance – especially the European market has accepted the tiny Japanese from the very first moment. The car is now due for replacement, and our spy-shots show it’s going to have an even more European design when it hits our shores in summer 2007.

The newcomer is again based on the Ford Fiesta and again engines will be mounted transversely driving the front wheels. Our pictures show an early prototype during a test-drive in Germany.

Mazda Mx-2 sketch

American Road & Track have features a sketch of the upcoming 2-seater Mazda Mx-2. Based on the downsizing of the current MX-5 platform. It will steal sales from the likes of Peugeot 206cc, OPEL Tigra twin Top etc..

Fiat 500 - Interior & Abarth sketches

From the Autotematic.it forum, some official-looking sketches of the interiorior of the Fiat Trepiuno, the next 5oo. And, from the Autopareri forum, three unofficial sketches of a possible Fiat 500 Abarth, which would be a real treat, if coupled with the upcoming 1.4 Turbo Fire engine with 150 ps.

The 500 should be officialy presented in June '07 (even if Marchionne and Montezemolo have always spoken of the beginning of 2007).

Bugatti Veyron Sport Version

We found this piece of information in a totally unrelated article in a local German newspaper, discussing some silly ideas about speed limits on German highways.

But here's the breaking news: Bugatti seems considering to build a sport version of the Bugatti Veyron with 1200 bhp! Wow, we are impressed.

Here's the original quote as well as the translation, done by our friends from Google:

Das Spitzenmodell von Bugatti, das 1000 PS hat, solle demnächst in einer Sportversion mit 1200 PS auf den Markt kommen. Resch: „So starke Motoren sind in der Formel 1 nicht zugelassen.“ Auch Daimler-Chrysler plane für die E-Klasse einen knapp 700-PS-Motor.

The top model of Bugatti, which has 1000 HP, is to come shortly in a sport version with 1200 HP on the market. Resch: „So strong engines are not certified in the formula 1. “Also Daimler Chrysler flat for the E-class one scarcely 700-PS-Motor.

In the same article it was also revealed that Mercedes in working on a 700 bhp engine for its E class.

Audi R4

When AutoBild released their November issue with the above illustration on its cover, rumors of a new coupe from Audi began spreading like wildfire across the web. As we've discovered all too often, speculation and photoshopping go a long way in stoking the fires of the rumor mill. We're sure this is no exception, but a few sentences of translation and analysis can't hurt. Right?

Designed to compete with the likes of the 2009 BMW Z4 and its M-badged variants, the Audi R4 will be a strict two-seater and, much like it's larger sibling the R8, will have a mid-ship mounted engine (that's were we started glazing over). A few engine choices will be available, with the top slot being filled by a 300 HP V6. Although the mid-mounted engine placement would seem to imply that Audi is taking a shot at Porsche's Cayman and Boxter, AutoBild's sources maintain that those vehicles are not its intended competition.If the R4 will ever see the light of day, expect it sometime in 2010. We're not holding our breath and we'd suggest you do the same.

Porsche Panamera

Porsche may be adding another model to their line to be called the Panamera. The addition would be a four-door hatchback. Power would come from a 4.5-liter V-8. Two models may be developed: a 340 bhp and a turbocharged 450 bhp version.

Lamborghini Lagartijo

Lamborghini is working on a 2+2 seater called the Lagartijo reminiscent of the 1960s Espada. The Lagartijo is expected to be driven by a 620 bhp, 6.2-liter V-12 that delivers 511 lb-ft of torque. It may reach the market in 2009.

It shares its name with the famous matador who spared the life of the famed bull Murciélago. The car, if produced, may run around $300,000 USD.

McLaren P8

Shown here is a project McLaren was working on with Mercedes, known as the "P8." Partner Mercedes-Benz opted to drop out of the supercar project, leaving McLaren to develop the P8 alone..

The carbon-fiber supercar will have a mid-engine AMG 6.3-liter V8 producing around 500 bhp and 440 lb-ft. of torque. The McLaren P8 will run around $200,000.