Citroën has released more pictures and info of the new C4 Aircross, which will be unveiled at the next Geneva Motor Show. In Europe the new crossover from the French carmaker will come with an engine line-up composed by two diesel and one petrol units: a 1.6-litre HDi engine delivering 115 hp and 270 Nm of peak torque, a 1.8-litre HDi delivering 150 hp and 300 Nm and a 1.6 petrol producing 115 hp and 152 Nm. Outside Europe, a 150 hp 2.0-litre petrol engine will also join the fold. The gasoline powertrains will make use of a 5-speed manual gearbox whereas the diesel ones will come with a standard 6-speed manual transmission.

An all-wheel drive option with three transmission modes will be made available for diesel models only: there is the 2WD mode for optimal fuel consumption, the 4WD mode which automatically distributes the torque between the front and rear axles, and the ‘lock mode’, which increases the torque transmitted to the rear wheels for more grip under severe conditions.

The Citroën C4 Aircross uses 18″ rims and a number of safety and aid systems such as hands-free access and starter, to the GPS navigation system with its touch-sensitive screen, rearview camera, transmission mode selector, USB port and Bluetooth connection for portable audio players, just to name a few. The model is expected to hit the market in the first half of the current year, but Citroen is yet to reveal its price.

View the full Citroën C4 Aircross photo gallery

0 comments

In the wake of the recent restyling of the Bmw X6 M, a face-lifted Bmw X5 M gets now introduced by the German carmaker sporting more or less the same modifications applied to its bigger sister, which were not that many anyway. We are talking about a small upgrade that doesn’t really affect the overall look of the car, which was introduced just three years ago and still feels quite fresh and modern. The revamped X5 M in fact shows slightly different head lights, larger air intakes on the front and new tail lights, now featuring LED technology. Speaking of which, BMW will also offer a full-LED head lamps set as an optional extra, which will be made available in the US for 1,900 dollars.

Other distinctive features of this new X5 M include blue-painted calipers, new multifunction ‘M’ seats and Mogello Red leather upholstery, which replaces the ‘old’ Sakhir Orange trim. The model’s signature 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 unit - delivering 555 hp and 678 Nm of torque - has been left untouched, implying that its performance figures remain the same too: 4.5 seconds to hit the 100 km/h mark (62 mph) from standstill and 250 km/h (155 mph) of top speed. In the US the new facelifted X5 M will be 1,600 $ more expensive than the outgoing range.

0 comments

Apparently, a Lamborghini insider has somewhat confirmed that the much-rumored SUV has won the ballot with the coupe saloon project known as Estoque and will be the next production model to be featured in Lamborghini’s range. The indiscretion has been collected by reliable website Automotive News, that quotes ’senior source at Lamborghini’s parent company, Audi’ as saying : “I can’t comment in detail but the speculation in the press is largely correct“.

In this case, the model will become the first SUV from Lamborghini since the LM002 (pictured), that was produced from 1986 until 1993, and will go and join the Gallardo and Aventador as the third model of Lamborghini’s line up. Automotive News also predicts the appearance of the first concept version at the next Beijing Motor Show (April 23 - May 2), but no official confirmation is currently available on the subject.

The vehicle will be developed on the same MLB platform that will spawn the future upmarket SUVs for the VW Group (meaning Audi, Bentley, Porsche and Volkswagen) and will probably be powered by a 5.2-litre V10 and by an electric motor producing about 110 hp, which should provide the model with a combined output of approximately 660 hp. Rumor has it that the new Lamborghini SUV will be a 5 meters long 4-seater, and will enter the market in early 2016.

0 comments

Audi has released a new official video starring their new Q3 Vail Concept, which was premiered at the last North American International Auto Show of Detroit. This particular version of Audi Q3 anticipates shape and contents of the RS variant - which is expected to surface pretty soon - and has been developed on the same platform used for the A3 hatchback. The model is equipped with a 2.5-litre TFSI engine producing 314 hp and 400 Nm (295.02 lb-ft) of peak torque and, according to the carmaker, it can push the car from 0 to 100 km/h (62mph) in 5.5 seconds, with 262 km/h (163 mph) of top speed.

The Audi Q3 Vail Concept has been named after the famous Colorado ski resort - underlining the fact that Audi designed it for winter sports fans - and comes with an exclusive Energy Red paintjob and matt gray add-on body parts. The black-gray-red theme continues in the cabin, where innovative leather/fabric material is used for the upholstery.

0 comments

Following the introduction of the facelifted X6, Bmw presents the restyled version of the most powerful and aggressive version of the X6 family, the X6 M. The car doesn’t show any radical change, sporting a new layout with LED technology for both head and tail lights as well as a slightly different front bumper. Besides that, the model comes with some new color option for the exterior and new fabrics for the cabin.

Technically speaking, the facelifted X6 M retains the 4.4-litre twin turbo V8 of the previous model, producing 547 hp at 6,000 rpm and 678 Nm (502 ft-lb) of peak torque between 1,500 and 5,650 rpm. This unit pushes the car from standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.7 seconds, with a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). The new SUV from the German manufacturer - or SAV, as Bmw likes to define it - comes with standard Adaptive Drive, air suspension, EDC, anti-roll bar and a braking system with 396 mm discs on the front and 386 mm at the back. The model rolls on 20″ wheels fitted with 275/40 tyres on the front axle and 315/35 on the rear.

Bmw has released a full photo gallery picturing the new model as well as a couple of short promo that you can watch by clicking on the ‘Continue reading’ link below the thumbnails.

View the full BMW X6 M facelift photo gallery

Continue reading: BMW X6 M: videos, pictures and info released

0 comments

The fourth generation of the iconic Range Rover is currently being tested on some snowy roads in Northern Europe. The mule pictured in these spy shots is wearing some really heavy camouflage which doesn’t allow us to say much about the future exterior design of the model, but for the first time our photographers have also snapped a couple of pictures of the interior of the car, revealing a somewhat classic dashboard with the by now mandatory LCD touch screen placed right in the middle of the console.

The next generation of the large luxury four-wheel drive SUV produced by British carmaker Land Rover should be unveiled by the end of the current year, and is expected to show some influence drawn by both the successful Evoque model and the recent Range Rover Sport. The new model is being developed on a modified version of Jaguar XJ’s aluminum platform, and will make large use of composite materials for its body to save as much weight as possible.

View the full Range Rover IV spy shots photo gallery

0 comments

Mercedes-Benz releases a slew of official images dedicated to the ML 63 AMG, the latest muscular SUV from three-pointed star house. The model comes with a brand new 5.5-litre biturbo V8 engine delivering 518 hp and 700 Nm (516 lb-ft) of peak torque, and capable of pushing the new ML from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 4.8 seconds, with a self-imposed top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). The Mercedes ML 63 AMG is also equipped with the new Active Curve System, which uses active anti-roll bars on both front and rear axles to compensate for body roll angles while cornering. Besides, it ensures that the vehicle does not react badly to one-sided suspension movements caused by potholes and/or bumps.

For those who would like to get even more out of it, Mercedes offers the so called Performance Package, which increases the working pressure of the turbocharger from 1 to 1.3 bar, providing the car with an extra 32 hp and 60 Nm (44 lb-ft) of torque, boosting its total output to 550 hp and 760 Nm. With this Performance Package, the new ML 63 AMG is allowed to reach no less than 280 km/h (174 mph). The new Mercedes ML 63 AMG and ML 63 AMG Performance are scheduled to hit the market this coming April, priced at 116.450 € and 127.220 € respectively.

View the full 2012 Mercedes ML63 AMG photo gallery

1 comment

Two images of the new Hyundai Santa Fe model year 2013 (which will probably be marketed in Europe as Hyundai ix45) have leaked on the internet through the hyundai-blog website.

The pictured model should be the final version of the car and, as the full reconstruction of the front end operated by AutoEvolution (third image) would confirm, it will be using the same design language adopted by the most recent Hyundai models, with the same hexagonal front grill and similar head lights and LED strips. Same goes for the rear end, also clearly inspired by the latest production of the South Korean carmaker.

The 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe is expected to make its debut at the next New York International Auto Show (April 6-15), and should be initially available with four engine options: two petrol (a 1.6 and a 2.0 GDi) and two diesel (1.7 and 2.0), all of which should be made available with both front- and all-wheel drive configurations.

0 comments

BMW releases the first official info about the new X6, releasing also a photo gallery picturing the new version of the Sports Activity Coupe. Aesthetic changes aside, the main new feature of the new range is the addition of the brand new 3.0-litre flat-six Triturbo FH81 unit - that will equip the X6 M50d - to its engine line-up, which delivers 381 hp and 740 Nm of torque between 2,000 and 3,000 rpm. This engine is said to be the most powerful 6-cylinder diesel engine of the world and - in combination with a 8-speed automatic gearbox courtesy of German specialist ZF - is capable of pushing the X6 M50d from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 5.3 seconds, with a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). Average fuel consumption is rated at 7.7 l/100 km, with 204 g/km of CO2 emission.

From an aesthetic point of view, the restyled X6 gets newly designed bi-xenon head lamps, front grille, fog lights and tail lights with LED technology. Bmw also introduced new color options for the livery, namely Orion Silver Metallic, Midnight Blue Metallic and Marrakech Brown Metallic. As an optional extra, a different bonnet with a ‘power dome’ will also be made available to provide the most powerful versions of the model with a more aggressive visual look.

View the full BMW X6 2012 photo gallery

0 comments

A few weeks ago we introduced a tuning program for Range Rover Evoque created by renowned Kahn Automobiles Boutique, and here is a bunch of official pictures featuring a new red version of the same package. Exclusive paint job aside, in comparison to the stock version this model comes with a ride height lowered by 35 mm, blackened windows, new adaptive front headlights and a wide range of 20″, 21″ or 22″ alloys from which to choose.

What makes the Kahn program particularly interesting is in fact the many options it offers for the customization of both exterior and interior of the car, with plenty of color combinations and trims available. Besides, the cabin also gets some extra treat such as touch screen sat-nav and aluminum pedals.

View the full Range Rover Evoque in red by Kahn Design photo gallery

0 comments