Tata Motors will soon launch a powerful diesel version of its Indica hatch, called the Indica V2 Turbomax. The diesel hatch will also adhere to the stricter BSIV emission norms.

The new 1405cc CR4 diesel motor will develop a healthy 70bhp and 13.7kgm of max torque. As per the car manufacturer claims, the new Indica V2 Turbomax will be India’s most fuel efficient car with 46percent improvement on fuel efficiency over the older Indica V2.

The Indica V2 Turbomax will sport bigger 14inch wheels, fresh exterior and interior looks and come loaded with added features. At present, the Indica V2 diesel is powered by a 1396cc unit producing 52bhp and 8.5kgm of max torque. This gives the new Indica V2 Turbomax a power boost of 32percent and 65percent increase in torque as compared to the older V2.

Official prices of the Indica V2 Turbomax are yet to be announced, but be ready to pay a small premium over the Indica V2 prices. The new Indica V2 Turbomax will hit the showrooms by the first week of March 2011.

Thanks to: Autocar India

The model that will relaunch De Tomaso at next week’s Geneva motor show will be this Pininfarina-designed BMW 5-series GT-rivalling luxury crossover concept, dubbed SLS.

Former Fiat marketing executive Gian Mario Rossignolo will present De Tomaso’s new SLS (meaning sport luxury sedan) at the Geneva show and the Italian is also planning to launch new coupé and luxury saloon models.

De Tomaso went bankrupt seven years ago. Rossignolo purchased it from a bankruptcy court in November 2009.

He signed a deal with Pininfarina a month later to rent its Grugliasco plant near Turin, having previously failed to acquire Bertone’s coachbuliding facilities. The SLS, which will be renamed for production, is going to be put together at the Grugliasco plant from 2012, with Rossignolo planning an annual production run of 3000 units.

The plant has an assembly line, body shop and paint shop and employs 900 people. Planned production of the luxury saloon is 3000 units, while 2000 units of the coupé will be made.

All will be built on an aluminium chassis using an innovative construction technique known as Univis, full details of which will be revealed at Geneva by Rossignolo.

In production, the all-wheel-drive SLC will be offered with 542bhp V8 and 296bhp V6 petrol engines and a 247bhp V6 diesel.

Rossignolo is investing 116 million euros (£98m) in the project. The LC is pictured here in these teaser images ahead of its full reveal at Geneva.

Thanks to: Autocar

General Motors is continuing its drive to build up the Chevrolet brand in Europe, and its new Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback is one of cars it is hoping will help with the effort. These are the first official photos of the production version of the Cruze hatch, which is making its debut at next week’s 2011 Geneva auto show.

FOR years, Vauxhall has sold only one seven-seater model. But now, the line-up is set to expand. These are the first official pictures of the Zafira Tourer Concept – a plush new Ford S-MAX-rivalling people carrier that makes its debut at this week’s Geneva Motor Show.

And Auto Express can reveal that this is precisely how the final production model will look when it hits dealers in September to 
sit above the current Zafira.

Up front are the boomerang-style headlight clusters first seen on the Ampera hybrid, along with Vauxhall’s new single-bar grille. And another design feature seen in the firm’s latest models is the ‘blade’ crease in the side panels.

Interior flexibility and comfort are key to MPV buyers, though, and no expense has been spared in this respect. The cabin is 
bathed in light by a panoramic screen which flows seamlessly into a full-length glass roof.

Plus, Vauxhall’s Flex7 seating layout has evolved. At the push of a button, the centre seat in the middle row folds to reveal a pair of armrests in the outer chairs. These seats can then slide back and towards each other to increase space, while extending footrests enhance comfort further. There’s also pair of Apple iPads mounted on pivots in the rear, although these are unlikely 
to make it to production.

Under the bonnet, the 1.4-litre turbocharged engine is equipped with stop-start. FlexRide adaptive dampers also feature, hinting that the Zafira Tourer will deliver a new level of driver appeal when it appears in showrooms. For more details click here.
Thanks to: Auto Express

Italdesign is preparing to show two ideas for small Volkswagens at next week’s Geneva motor show, judging from this series of patent images that have leaked onto the internet.

The two cars are a rakish three-door and a more upright five-door. The first of the pair looks like a prospective study for a replacement for the current Scirocco. It has a full-length panoramic glass roof and its front end is dominated by a particularly slim headlight and grille treatment.

The five-door’s upright stance makes it more likely to be a Polo replacement - or even a larger development of VW’s forthcoming Up vehicles. The car features a slimline front grille treatment that’s similar to that of the three-door concept, an angular waistline and a large glasshouse enhanced by a panoramic roof.

VW has yet to comment on the renderings. But given that the firm now owns Italdesign, and that the cars feature prominent Volkswagen branding, the reaction at Geneva could well affect the future styling direction of Golf, Polo and Scirocco.

Thanks to: Autocar

Italdesign is preparing to show two ideas for small Volkswagens at next week’s Geneva motor show, judging from this series of patent images that have leaked onto the internet.

The two cars are a rakish three-door and a more upright five-door. The first of the pair looks like a prospective study for a replacement for the current Scirocco. It has a full-length panoramic glass roof and its front end is dominated by a particularly slim headlight and grille treatment.

There’s a deep scallop in the door, drawn from what looks like a small vent at the rear of the front wheel arch. The car also features a ‘pinstripe’ of colour that runs from front wing to the edge of the tail.

Italdesign - the firm of Giorgetto Giugiaro, the designer of the original Golf and Scirocco - is also using both cars to experiment with ‘panels’ (plastics, most likely) within the glass area. The coupé study has a spoiler in the middle of the rear hatch, while the five-door also gets a pronounced strip that floats within the side glass and houses a small camera instead of a side mirror.

Thanks to: Autocar

After months of teasing and speculation, Volkswagen has finally released the first details and images of its all-new Golf Cabriolet — its first in nearly eight years — prior to an official launch at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show.

Since it is based upon the MkVI Golf, the new Golf Cabriolet largely resembles a two-door Golf with a missing top. Designers did take the opportunity to slightly restyle the front end of the car, blessing it with a tweaked grille, LED daytime running lamps, and a steeper windshield rake. The interior is virtually identical to those used in standard Golf models, although one longtime Cabrio hallmark — the fixed “basket handle” roll bar — has been eliminated in favor of a pop-up device.

Unlike VW’s other Golf-based convertible — the Eos — the Golf Cabriolet utilizes a traditional folding soft top. According to the automaker, the electro-hydraulic power top can be raised or lowered in just 9.5 seconds, and at speeds up to 18mph.

In Europe, Volkswagen will offer the Golf Cabriolet with a plethora of engines, including a 1.2-liter and a 1.4-liter I-4, along with a 1.6-liter turbo-diesel I-4. The Golf TDI’s 140-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbo-diesel I-4 is also available, but buyers seeking GTI-like performance can always opt for the gasoline 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4, which places nearly 210 horsepower on tap.

Production is scheduled to begin in Onsabruck, Germany (ironically, in the former Karmann plant that previously built earlier Golf Cabrios) later this year, but Volkswagen’s plans for the car in North America are still unknown. If the next-generation Beetle continues to be offered in a convertible guise, it may prove hard to squeeze three different drop-tops — Beetle, Golf, and Eos — into a single portfolio.

Thanks to: Motor Trend

An all-new Saab 9-3 is still several years away, but in the meantime, the newly independent Swedish automaker will unveil a revised 2012 9-3 line at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

What’s new? Let’s start underhood. Power continues to be provided by a turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4, but the General Motors-sourced engines receive variable valve timing, direct fuel injection, twin-scroll turbochargers, and E85 capability for the 2012 model year. Top-end Aero models are rated at 210 horsepower, but engines fitted to entry-level Turbo4 cars see their output dialed back to 163 horsepower. Both forms, however, can be paired with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission, and can be coupled with Saab’s Haldex-sourced XWD all-wheel-drive system. We’ve been given no word yet on fuel economy ratings, but the outgoing 2.0-liter turbo had a combined EPA city/highway rating between 20 and 24 mpg, depending on transmission and drivetrain.

Outside of the engine compartment, the modest upgrades are sprinkled about the car to visually bring the 9-3 into line with the new 9-5 and 9-4x. Up front, the 2012 9-3 receives new trapezoidal lower air intakes, a larger Saab script logo, and blue-tinted headlamps. The rear end receives a script emblem in place of the company’s traditional griffin logo, while sedan models receive a standard decklid spoiler across the board. 16-inch wheels are standard across the line, although XWD models do receive 17-inch rims. Buyers will have a choice of new optional 17- and 18-inch wheels, including some patterned after the 9-5’s turbine design.

Inside, the 9-3’s cabin receives either titanium metallic or graphite fiber dash trim, depending on Turbo4 or Aero model specification. In addition to the current two-tone black and parchment leatherette seats, Saab has added a new shark grey seat fabric for the Turbo4, and irregularly ribbed grey leather skins for Aero models.

Thanks to: Motor Trend

Nissan has revealed its supercharged Micra Dig-S ahead of its official launch at the Geneva motor show next week.

The Dig-S – or Direct Injection Gasoline-Supercharger – features a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder supercharged engine with stop-start system and produces 98bhp and 105lb ft of torque – "the same power expected from a conventional 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine," according to Nissan.

When mated to the manual ‘box, the Dig-S will reach a top speed of 112mph and achieve 68.9mpg with emissions of just 95g/km. The CVT variant will be less frugal, emitting 115g/km of CO2.

Sales for the Micra Dig-S start in the summer this year.

Thanks to: Autocar

Call it a spicier DB9, or a medium strength DBS... Aston Martin has exploited the middle ground between its two V12-powered coupés and resurrected a famous name of old to create a brand new model.

The new Virage offers the best compromise between the refined cruising ability of the DB9 and sporty prowess of the DBS, according to the firm – and updates features from both. Power is from Aston’s hand-built 6.0-litre V12. It delivers exactly 20bhp more than a DB9 and 20bhp less than a DBS, at 490bhp, and drives the rear wheels through a six-speed auto box.

The engine also features a new exhaust manifold for an even more intoxicating sound, and develops its 570Nm of torque low down in the rev range for maximum driveability. Beneath the skin is the aluminium VH architecture that underpins all modern Astons, while the Virage gets newly developed adaptive dampers. These offer five different stiffness settings in normal mode, and five more when owners press the Sport button on the dashboard.

This also sharpens throttle response, holds on to gears for longer and speeds up shifts. Carbon-ceramic brakes are standard, too. Striking xenon lights help to distinguish the Virage from other Astons, while there’s a five-bar aluminium grille – inspired by the One-77 hypercar – and a cleaner front bumper, with a single lower grille in place of the DB9’s three-part element.

Also fitted are fresh sills, 20-inch alloys and side vents with a chrome highlight that extends on to the doors. A new rear diffuser completes the look. Inside, the Virage gets upgraded leather seats, and Aston has finally responded to criticism of its ageing Volvo-sourced sat-nav and replaced it with the latest integrated Garmin.

Heated seats, a 700W stereo and Bluetooth hands-free also feature. The Coupé comes as a 2+2, or with a storage shelf instead of rear seats to save weight. A Volante drop-top is also available. Prices will be confirmed at next week’s Geneva Motor Show, but are expected to split the DB9 and DBS, starting at £150,000. For more details click here.
Thanks to: Auto Express

The secret new Scenic has been exposed! Renault engineers had managed to keep their R-Space concept under wraps... until now. But our spies have scooped the people carrier just days before it makes its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show next week.

This striking bronze model was snapped during filming for a promotional video. It’s one of two concepts that will grace the Renault stand – the other is the Nissan Juke-rivalling Captur, revealed just a week ago.

The R-Space is the third of six concepts the firm plans to reveal over the coming months – a run that started with the debut of the DeZir sports car at last autumn’s Paris expo. These models are the work of new design chief Laurens van der Acker, and will dictate the look of Renault’s future product line-up.

Cues such as the large badge, a grille that narrows towards the car’s front corners and swept-back headlights will all grace the next Clio, Mégane and Scenic. The R-Space previews the latter.

Although it will be toned down considerably before it reaches dealers, it shows how Renault is set to get bolder with its people carriers. Curvy body panels give extra muscle, and the steeply raked windscreen gives a sporty stance. Added flair comes from the dramatic flowing shoulder line.

Designers will also inject a sporty feel into the newcomers’ interiors. In a bid to make the company’s MPVs exciting to drive again – rather than simply vehicles for taking people from A to B – the dashboards will be much more focused. Full details and more clues to the look and engineering of Renault’s future people carriers will be announced at the R-Space’s Geneva launch. For more details click here.

Thanks to: Auto Express

We already knew that Volvo would be showing its production-ready 2012 V60 Plug-In Hybrid at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, but the automaker released the first official photos and information on its semi-electric wagon earlier this morning.

Developed in partnership with European energy company Vattenfall, the V60 was developed in parallel with the automaker’s forthcoming C30 Electric, but that’s about where the similarities stop. The V60 sports all-wheel-drive, but allocates a 215-horsepower, 2.4-liter turbo-diesel I-5 to power the front wheels, while a 70-horsepower electric motor propels the rear axle. A 12-kWh lithium-ion battery pack is also integrated into the system.

How that powertrain is used is left entirely to the driver’s discretion. Three different drive modes — including one that renders the V60 as a pure electric vehicle — are selectable from behind the wheel. The so-called Pure method allows for up to 31 miles of pure EV driving. The conventional hybrid mode blends both power sources together to provide the most economical means of driving. A power mode combines both engine and electric motor to provide full power, and subsequently, all-wheel-drive.

In full power mode, the V60 PHEV can sprint from 0-62 mph in 6.9 seconds, but opting for the more efficient hybrid mode can allow up to 745 miles of travel before refueling the tank and recharging the battery. Volvo expects charging time to range from as little as three hours when using a 16-amp, 240-volt charger, to 7.5 hours when using a 230-volt, 6-amp supply — much like a conventional European household outlet. The car can also be pre-cooled or pre-warmed during charging, with those settings controlled either in the setup menu within the car in the car or via a mobile phone application.

The V60 Plug-In Hybrid is expected to launch in Europe sometime next year, and both pricing and rollout timing may be discussed next week at its Geneva debut. Executives have suggested the V60 PHEV may reach U.S. shores, but if it does, it may not retain the diesel engine. The swap could compromise range, but appeal to buyers in a traditionally diesel-unfriendly market.

Thanks to: Motor Trend

As is so common these days, Lamborghini has carefully scheduled the release of photos and information pertaining to its upcoming Geneva debut, the long-awaited Murcielago successor. Unfortunately for Lambo, the automaker’s teaser images have just been usurped by this leaked frontal shot that leaves very little left to the imagination.

The convertible version of Cadillac’s 2014 3 Series-fighter, being designed under the codename ATS, will be a soft top, rather than a folding hardtop model. While the current BMW 3 Series convertible has a folding metal top, Cadillac’s decision saves money, complexity, and weight while lending the car a classic ragtop look. The ATS, a rear-drive car that will be smaller than the current Cadillac CTS, will be offered in sedan, coupe, convertible, and wagon body styles. It’s unlikely that all body styles will be offered when the car is launched some time in ’13, and the wagon may be offered in Europe only, depending on the sales success of the current CTS Sportwagon.

There has been a lot of speculation on what engine a Cadillac ATS-v (not its final name) would have. We’ve heard Cadillac is considering a twin-turbo 3.2-liter V-6, though recent reports suggest it will be the CTS-v’s supercharged 6.2-liter small-block V-8, making 470 horsepower. The 3.2-liter engine would be based on the V-6 GM developed with Fiat for Alfa Romeo models, reoriented to a longitudinal layout for the RWD Caddy.

The ATS-v may be a ’14 model, but we’ll predict that, like the CTS-v, it will launch up to a year after the standard ATS, as a ’15. That gives Cadillac a bit more time to decide between the two engines. Because it’s an overhead valve engine, the supercharged small block would fit and wouldn’t add too much weight to the ATS while competing with Mercedes AMG models. The twin-turbo V-6, though, would compete more directly with the next-generation M3 in terms of balancing power and responsible fuel efficiency.

Thanks to: Motor Trend

Jaguar has been promising for some time that it would use this year’s Geneva auto show to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its iconic E-type. Many expected this nod to the company’s heritage would include the announcement of a new small sports car. That is not the vehicle you see here. This is the 2012 XKR-S, and it proves that someone decided to make the XKR very angry. The thing looks as if it’s been raised in the wild. By a pack of badly behaved race cars with an obsession for body jewelry.

On the subject of heritage, it should be noted that this is not the first time Jag has used these four letters in a row. The company brought a 550-hp XK-RS concept with a supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 to the 2004 Chicago show. And then in 2009, Jaguar built a run of 200 XKR-S models for European customers, giving the cars unique appearance bits but no additional power. The 2012 XKR-S happens to combine traits of both cars: the engine is a hopped-up version of the XKR’s supercharged 5.0-liter, and the car takes aesthetic crazy to new levels.

The 5.0, tuned to the same 550 hp of the XK-RS show car and producing 502 lb-ft of torque, propels the car to a claimed top speed of 186 mph. Jag projects a 0-to-60-mph time of 4.2 seconds, but we would expect to better that time; a 2010 XKR we tested, with its V-8 producing 510 hp and 461 lb-ft, hit the mark in four seconds flat.

Unique front and rear fascias are evident, the hood is mostly vents and nostrils, and there’s a big fixed rear wing. We believe Jaguar when it says the design of the XKR-S was “aerodynamically driven.”

We’ll be able to relay additional details on the XKR-S once it debuts in Geneva. We’ll also keep you up to date on the merriment surrounding the E-type’s 50th, should that bear any fruit of interest.

Thanks to: Car and Driver

Mini’s stand at the 2011 Geneva auto show is the launchpad for its slick little Rocketman, a concept car that evokes the spirit and packaging of the original Mini even more faithfully than the current Cooper. For one thing, at 11 feet, 3 inches long, the Rocketman is barely longer than its eensy forefather. Its width is closer to that of the new car than the old, but this is about as mini as a car can get while making room for four occupants.

Yes, four. Mini claims that the Rocketman’s reconfigurable cabin can be set up for two or three seats, or a 3+1 arrangement with, in Mini’s words, “an exceptionally efficient division of space” (read: everybody’s gonna hurt). That sounds like a challenge to us: second only to driving it, the most fun you could have in an original Mini—or contemporary Beetle or Fiat 500—was seeing how many friends you could stuff inside. Now we know that the Rocketman’s starting point is four.

Getting everybody in and out shouldn’t be too much of a challenge, however, thanks to double-hinged doors that move forward as they swing out. Once inside, those whose faces aren’t smashed against the windows might be able to see the central speedo, which incorporates 3D graphics. Rather than the tiny console-mounted joystick that controls the infotainment system in today’s Minis, a trackball on the steering wheel handles those functions in the Rocketman. Connectivity is facilitated by a removable control unit that can be hooked up to a home computer to program destination and contact information, as well as to manage music files. (And here we thought that cars were going to do that wirelessly. Hmm.)

Thanks to: Car and Driver

Smart has revealed its Forspeed concept ahead of its debut at the Geneva motor show.

The Forspeed is a zero-emissions roadster. It’s designed to complete Smart’s electric vehicle line-up, which also includes a scooter and a bicycle.

The company claims the Forspeed will reach a top speed of 75mph, thanks to a rear-mounted 40bhp electric motor with a 7bhp overboost function. It’s said to have a maximum range of 84 miles.

The car’s squat body features a high-end and seamless gloss finish, integrated solar cells in the wind deflectors to power on-board electrics, and a ‘smiling’ honeycombe grille. Mercedes's head of design Steffen Kohl says the Forspeed has a “unique and electric look, but is still recognisable as a Smart”.

On the inside, the car’s minimalist design mirrors the look of a motorboat, with individual binnacles for the driver and co-pilot. In front of the latter sits a Smartphone unit, which can be tilted 90 degrees to face the driver.

Other interior touches include leather door pulls, as well as a leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear knob. A boost switch located in the centre console frees up the extra 7bhp.

Smart boss Dr. Annette Winkler says the Forspeed is not planned as a limited series. “We have to be profitable with Smart so it won’t make production,” she said. But she added, “Elements of the car will be carried over into future projects.”

Thanks to: Autocar