I really want to see the behind the scenes video of this effort from Volvo. The good looking and driving Volvo S60 is at the centre of a curious marketing campaign that sees Volvo uncover which European capital (out of a pool of five) is the naughtiest. Some of the scenes look quite funny - like the guy rolling around in the flower bed - but they’re delivered in Volvo’s typical safe, staid style. Show us more of the S60 naughty side! We don’t mind seeing it get its tyres smoked.

Source | Autoblog.com

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The new Jeep Grand Cherokee is experiencing such strong demand in the US that the European market will have to wait longer than previously planned to see the model. The models originally destined for Europe, in production in the US since July 12, will go to furnishing local demand, meaning the fourth quarter 2010 European market appearance is being postponed until the second quarter 2011.

The Detroit plant building the European Grand Cherokee was set to have models ready for the third quarter, and to embark on diesel versions in the first quarter of 2011. But with the local demand, production efforts for the overseas market are being turned to the local market, and Chrysler Group may have to add extra shifts to cope.

It’s surely a good thing though, that production rates have gone up and new parent company Fiat should be looking closely at why the Jeep Grand Cherokee is just so popular. So far though, that popularity is expressed only on the US market, and if 2009 figures are anything to go by (Jeep sold just 4,469 Grand Cherokees in Europe last year) the new model will have to be something special to appeal such that those figures would increase. Jeep will be the only brand left on the European market though, with Chrysler-badged models to be sold as Lancias.

Continue reading: Jeep Grand Cherokee European debut delayed

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The ABT AS1 is the first Audi A1 tuning to reach the market. The ABT package is a complete kit designed to allow for an infinite number of personalised options. It features new aerodynamics, exhaust, suspension, wheels and performance upgrades. If you want to be noticed, there are three new colours: “Kleks” red, “Aloha” white and “High Voltage” black, which can be combined with ‘Z’ 17 or 18-inch alloy wheels.

The three new colours come with decorative elements with the red featuring white paint splashes, the black taking on a mean “toxic skull” design and the white “Aloha” as the name suggests, features Hawaiian style hibiscus flowers. The Audi A1 engines get power upgrades. The 1.2 TFSI gets another 29 hp, taking it to 115 hp and the 1.4 TFSI also gets the same boost, reaching 150 hp. The 1.6 TDI in both its 90 and 105 hp gets another 20 hp.

Continue reading: Audi A1 tuning: the ABT AS1

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The Italians are not enjoying this rumour at all: Volkswagen could be looking at a purchase of Alfa Romeo if Fiat were to sell the struggling brand. Italy’s honeymoon with Sergio Marchionne would be well and truly over if the the Fiat CEO were to pass such a well-loved brand into the hands of the German VW Group, proving that the Germans are happy to tap the heritage and potential of a brand that the Italians either can’t or won’t. While on the basis of patriotism and nostalgia, the Italians are irked at the rumour, on the basis of car quality and bringing the brand back to life, there is more than one potential customer for a VW-built Alfa. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves - let’s look at the rumour in its detail.

According to Quattroruote magazine and Autoblog.it, VW design head Walter de Silva, has a soft spot for Alfas and has such has convinced Martin Winterkorn that if Alfa were to come up for sale, VW should buy. To this end, a project is already in place to quietly plan a takeover proposition which at this stage includes a one-billion euro investment. Given what is apparently a passion for Alfa design, de Silva has in mind already about eight models for Alfa, along with designs and drawings.

If this were true, things are already well underway at Volkswagen to buy Alfa Romeo without the Italian brand actually going on sale. But a stitch in time saves nine and despite the fear that Alfa models could start to take on German design characteristics - steady but a bit boring - could it be exactly what Alfa needs? We would need to do a double-take on the Alfa brand all of sudden becoming German, but if the rumour is to be believed things are more detailed than Volkswagen pipe dreams of owning a piece of history. Read on for the details.

Continue reading: Volkswagen to purchase Alfa Romeo: Marchionne to sell to Germans?

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Until such time as get to see the Audi A7 Sportback live, we will have to content ourselves with this static video. At ten minutes long the only way you’re going to get know this vehicle better is by actually washing it. We’ll get to see the A7 Sportback live at the 2010 Paris Motor Show where it should be a star of the stand, contrasting alongside the Audi A1.

The starting price of the A7 Sportback puts it firmly in the luxury market at over 50,000 euros, but this will be a big model for Audi. It was easy to think that the coupé-sedans appearing from major manufacturers was a bandwagon trend but with competition seriously heating up, we’re happy to accept this is now a legitimate niche. See the smooth design of the A7 Sportback in the video above - it’s all about executive suaveness as far as we can see.

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Given that the US is currently undergoing a love-affair with the newly released Volkswagen Jetta, there probably won’t be too much disappointment that the Volkswagen Polo sedan will unlikely get a stateside debut. Volkswagen is steadily shoring-up its US market presence with the new Jetta and future models of the NMS (New Midsize Sedan) and the New Beetle. Not only is the new product that’s on its way appealing, the Jetta itself is winning hearts in the US.

With good German build technology, an attractive and competitive price-tag, good design and a fancy launch, the Volkswagen Jetta in the US can’t get any better. It looks like it will be the one to beat in this popular and competitive segment. So why worry about whether the Volkswagen Polo sedan, initially intended for emerging markets, will ever make it to the US?

The Volkswagen Polo sedan, or Volkswagen Vento, will first make its debut in Russia before being rolled out to other European and Asian markets. It represents a dubious choice for the US market, though, especially in terms of appeal and cost. Volkswagen has stated it would prefer to invest in a quirkier downmarket choice and would prefer to dedicate production at its Tenessee and Mexican plants to “more profitable models”.

Source | Car and Driver

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The Mercedes CL63 and CL65 AMG models have been released, concluding Mercedes’ renewal of the range. The two AMG models take on many of the exterior updates seen on the standard Mercedes CL including new bumpers and modified grille, LED fog lights and restyled headlights. We also get larger air intakes, 20-inch wheels and, of course, an AMG exhaust system. The interior sports a new design steering wheel, AMG instruments, leather seats and other luxury finishes include chrome features.

The Mercedes CL63 AMG is equipped with a new 5.5-litre V8 twin turbo with 537 hp and 800 Nm of torque, matched to the AMG Speedshift automatic transmission. It takes 4.4 seconds to reach 100 km/hr and has a top speed of 250 km/hr. The AMG Performance package takes that speed to 300 km/hr and gives a power and torque boost to 570 hp and 900 Nm. According to Mercedes, the new 5.5-litre twin turbo reduces fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 23 and 30 percent respectively, compared to the 6.2-litre aspirated engine.

The Mercedes CL65 AMG keeps its 6.0-litre V12 engine with 621 hp and 1,000 Nm of torque, hitting 100 km/hr in 4.2 seconds and having a top speed of 300 km/hr. It has a five-speed automatic gearbox in the place of the seven-speed one, to handle all that power and torque. Both the AMG Mercedes’ CL models have AMG Active Body Control suspension, Direct Steer system and Torque Vectoring brakes for powerful braking.

Continue reading: New Mercedes CL63 and CL65 AMG

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The Dacia Logan will get a next generation update in 2012, with the new style to be anyone’s guess. We think it’s unlikely that the low-cost sedan will have the same success as its SUV sibling, but that Dacia is expanding is no news to anyone. The new Logan is currently codenamed X52 and is being put together by a large number of suppliers - hence the unknown design at this stage.

The new Logan will keep Dacia’s current engine line-up, with a few updates to bring them in line with Euro5 laws. They should get power and torque upgrades while decreasing emissions and fuel consumption. The Logan will also go international as Dacia plants in Romania are nearing capacity. Production outsourcing to Russia and Morocco will likely occur.

Apparently, through collaboration with suppliers, we could see some elements like LED headlights make their way onto the Logan, making it perhaps a little less low-cost. We’re hoping that we may be out of this economic crisis by 2012; not that we will get any closer to purchasing the new Audi A7 Sportback, but it would be interesting to see the fortunes of low-cost brands like Dacia were our European bank balances to be suddenly healthy again.

Source | AutoEvolution

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Porsche will be field-testing three all-electric Boxster models as part of its development of electric drive technology. Porsche is splashing out more trying to keep its sports style while developing its environmental qualifications more. The Cayenne hybrid is the first production model of its kind for Porsche and recently we have also seen the 911 GT3 Hybrid and the 918 Spyder with hybrid powertrain (possibly headed for production).

Porsche will start testing in 2011 and there is a focus on battery technology as well as some market research on electric mobility, including infrastructure issues. A challenge for Porsche though, is to develop electric drive technology while remaining faithful to what it describes as “product qualities typical of a Porsche”.

Porsche may have pulled this off with the 911 GT3 Hybrid and its racing bent. While we’re more on the purists side of the fence with a brand like Porsche, we can see the need to develop more sustainable vehicles. And we’ll be interested to see what Porsche has up its sleeve with the three electric Boxsters in testing.

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Our colleagues at Autoblog.it are asking themselves just how heavy the Ferrari 458 Italia is. It’s performance stats were impressive from the start, but it looks like they’re hauling around more kilos than Ferrari likes to declare. The official dry weight of the Ferrari 458 Italia is 1,380 kg as declared by the company.

But tests would indicate that this is not the case. Recently, the guys at Asphalte.ch tested the 458 Italia and it weighed in at 1,598 kg on a full tank. That’s a difference of 218 kg compared to the official figure. The May issue of Italy’s Quattroruote magazine also provided a very different figure. In a comparison test with the Mercedes SLS AMG, the Ferrari weighed 1,633 kg in testing conditions.

That takes the difference to 253 kg. To put things into perspective, the Ferrari F430 in testing conditions has previously weighed in at 1,474 kg and the Scuderia at 1,421. With similar dimensions, it looks like you get more performance but more kilos into the bargain. It seems Ferrari’s figures are more optimistic than testing has proved, on a full tank of fuel or not. We could also guess that the new dual clutch transmission would affect weight but 250 kg or more of difference is a lot of explaining to do.

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