New rendering dedicated to Macan, the new Porsche compact SUV, expected on the market for 2014: the latest spy photos helped the guys at Psgarage to create this nice rendered interpretation of the model. Both the style of the headlights and the outline of the vehicle have been strongly influenced by the Porsche Cayenne design. Because of its contained size it’s not too risky to define the Macan as a “baby Cayenne”.

So what’s under the bonnet? The Macan will boast a 4-cylinder 2.0-litre TFSI engine with output of 240 hp, and a new 3.0-litre V6 with output rated between 300 and 370 hp. The diesel range should include the well-known 6-cylinder 3-litre unit with outputs of 190 and 250 hp. A hybrid version of the Macan is also expected, with technology borrowed from the Cayenne Hybrid.

The following videos have been released by the U.S. division of Mercedes-Benz. There are four clips in which the carmaker of Stuttgart displays the Driving Assistance package present on the next-generation Mercedes ML SUVs. The package includes Active Lane Keeping Assist, the famous Attention Assist, Active Blind Spot Assist, Pre-Safe Brakes and Distronic Plus.

The first video introduces the Active Lane Keeping Assist a technology that monitors road markings and detect off-course drifting, alerting the driver by a vibration system of the steering wheel. It also helps to detect oncoming traffic from behind. If the driver ignores the warnings, the active technology is able to steer the car back into the right direction.

The second video is about the innovative Attention Assist, the best known and exclusive Mercedes-Benz system. Attention Assist monitors parameters of driving behaviour to establish a pattern, detecting signs of tiredness and drowsiness, which are major hazards for drivers. The system alert the driver with visual and audible warnings.

The Blind Spot Assist, as the name suggests, is a device that assists the driver to detect vehicles in the blind spot area, reducing the danger of collision when turning or changing lanes.

Last but not least are the Pre-Safe and Distronic Plus, systems designed to prevent the risk of impact with vehicles ahead. If the car ahead slows down or stops suddenly, the sensors alert the passengers and apply 40% of braking power to prevent collision. It also tightens the seat belts and automatically close the windows and sunroof to better prepare the occupants before a collision.

Chevrolet releases the first official image (above) and some basic info of its brand new Trax, a compact SUV that is bound to be unveiled at the 2012 Paris Motor Show (September 29 - October 14) to then enter the European markets in the Spring of 2013. The model comes with a pretty muscular and compact design and will able to accommodate up to 5 people (driver included) with 533 litres of boot capacity (a feature that can go up to 1,372 litres with the rear bench folded).

Chevy doesn’t really like to go public about that, but the Trax descends from General Motor’s B-SUV range, which already enlists both Opel Mokka and Buick Encore in its ranks. The Trax is expected to come with the same engine range as the Mokka, which includes a 1.4-litre petrol engine delivering 138 hp as well as a 1.7-litre turbo-charged diesel unit producing 128 hp. Two and four-wheel drive versions will be offered.

“The Trax provides Chevrolet an entry into a growing small SUV segment and delivers the flexibility, great fuel economy and car-like handling that urban explorers around the world require - said Mary Barra, GM senior vice president of Product Development - After a record sales year in 2011 and a record first quarter, Chevrolet continues to meet customer needs by expanding its portfolio with strong new entries.”

And finally here it is: the Porsche Macan, the new baby SUV from the German sportscar manufacturer based on the same platform that generated the Audi Q5. Check it out as this is not a regular ‘mule’: this is it, the real deal, the almost definitive version of the car, spotted in its full body for the first time. They tried to fool our photographers by hiding it with a light camouflage, to make it look loke bigger brother the Cayenne, but they did not succeed.

Although the Macan will share its platform with the Q5, Porsche will fine tune the chassis and also give the Macan better brakes and other wheels. Power will come from petrol and diesel engines supplied by Audi, but Porsche will fine tune them too, so that the Macan will boast higher power figures than the Q5.

An hybrid version of the car will also be made available with a 2.0-litre TFSI unit delivering 210 hp combined with a 44 hp electric motor. That will help Porsche to come closer to the average CO2 goal of 130 g/km that all car manufacturers need to reach by 2015. The Porsche Macan will be launched with four doors initially, but later on there might be a sportier looking two door version as well.

View the full Porsche Macan spy shots gallery

Volvo XC90 has been given the my2012 facelift treatment to refresh its look. The changes are mainly aesthetic with a slight update to the front of the car and new combinations of colours for the bodywork and interior.

The new model year features bumpers and wheel arches matching the shade of the body, new LED day running headlights and slightly revised tail-lights with LED brake lights. The base model is equipped with a set of six-spoke 18-inch Thalia alloy wheels, new matte finish side mirrors and a lower front with chrome accents.

Inside the luxury XC90 boasts new details such as new dials with white light and rain sensors as standard. The Platinum Plus and Premier models get new soft leather seats and red wood trims on the dashboard, steering wheel and shift knob. The sports version, the XC90 R-Design, features new 19-inch Ixion alloy wheels and a few stylish updates in the passenger compartment.

After introducing the Cayenne GTS at the Beijing Motor Show, Porsche has released some official videos showing a few dynamic scenes on the road. The latest version of the German SUV is positioned between the Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo, both in terms of performance and price.

The new Porsche Cayenne GTS mounts the same 4.8-litre V8 engine of the Cayenne S, with a maximum output of 420 hp and 520 Nm of torque delivered at 3,500 rpm. Top speed is 261km/h and sprint from standstill to 100km/h is covered in just 5.7 seconds.

The GTS’ external appearance might be quite similar to the Porsche Cayenne Turbo, but the car will be priced at £67,000 in the UK, £12K less than the Turbo version. The new Porsche Cayenne GTS will go on sale from July.

New official videos dedicated to the new Audi Q5 MY 2013: the restyled version of the German SUV presents a few aesthetical and mechanical improvements. Efficiency increases by 15%. The base model mounts a 2.0-litre TDI engine with 143hp, but for those seeking more sprint there’s a version with 177hp and a V6 TDI with 245hp. As for the petrol engines we find a 2.0-litre TFSI with 225hp and a 3.0-litre V6 TFSI with 272 hp.

Porsche has presented the new Cayenne GTS at the 2012 Beijing Motor Show. The high performance SUV is shown in a new series of images, portraying the distinctive features of the model, such as decorative stitching on the upholstery and seat belts in contrasting colours that match the bodywork shade.

The Porsche Cayenne GTS is positioned between the Cayenne S and Cayenne Turbo, mounting the same 4.8-litre V8 engine, with output increased of 20hp compared to the S. The power generated increases to 420 hp, delivered at 6,700 rpm, with maximum torque of 520Nm at 3,500 rpm. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h is covered in 5.7 seconds with a top speed of 261 km/h.

The car displayed at the Chinese world premiere will go on sale in July with prices starting at £67,147. Aesthetically speaking the GTS presents a few new details, compared to the Cayenne S: emphasised side-skirts, wider wheel arches, new alloy wheels and “twin-wing” roof spoiler, as well as sportier internal features and an enhanced dashboard.

In Europe, Great Wall is one of the most well-known and appreciated Chinese manufacturer, but in its homeland this brand really is huge. Around here they are mostly known for their SUVs of the Hover range and the Steed pick-up trucks, thereby it is fair to assume that some of the vehicles on display at the 2012 Beijing Motor Show will sooner or later land on our shores as well. The Great Wall stand in Beijing is one of the most crowded ones and we are not talking about people only: the carmker has brought a strong line-up including the Haval H5, Haval H7, Haval M2, Haval E, Voleex C20 EV and Voleex C50.

The Haval E is a hybrid concept car that anticipates the future design theme of the manufacturer. It develops 245 hp and can switch from front- to four wheel drive configurations. The model is built with light materials, uses its solar panels on the roof to feed clima and instrumentation and is equipped with a KERS. The Voleex C20 EV is an electric crossover that measures 4,058 mm in length, 1,727 in width,1,604 in height and is equipped with an electric motor delivering 76 hp and 150 Nm of torque: it reaches 130 km/h (80 mph) of top speed and has a range of 160 km (100 miles).

The Haval 5 is a MPV measuring 4,649 mm in length, 1,810 mm in width and 1,745 mm in height, although its all-wheel drive versions are 10 mm lower. Its engine range include a 2.4-litre petrol engine delivering 136 hp and 200 Nm of peak torque and a 2.5-litre diesel with an output of 109 hp and 300 Nm. The Beijing event also saw the world premiere of the new SUV H7, the AWD production version of the SC60 concept we had seen in 2010. Weighing in at 2,200 kg and measuring 4.8 meters in length, 1.93 in width and 1.78 in height, it ranks as the largest Great Wall car ever. It is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre 4-cylinder unit producing 217 hp that is mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox. The model goes from 0 to 100 km/h in 10.6 secs and reaches 180 km/h of top speed.

View the full Great Wall @ the 2012 Beijing Motor Show photo gallery

Two hundreds Chinese drivers will be the owners of the Range Rover Evoque Special Edition, limited to 200 units, which boasts luxurious trimmings and lavish materials. This model has been created in collaboration with Victoria Beckham, former Spice Girl, turned Creative Design Executive for the British brand, who has teamed up with Land Rover Design to create a refined, exclusive and very expensive special edition: each car will be on sale at £79,995.

The whopping price includes exclusive features such as 20-inch gloss black alloy wheels with rose-gold accents and hand-finished matt paint. The interior is enhanced with gold-plated accents, Piano Black finishes and hand-stitched leather upholstery. Each car is equipped with a set of four leather suitcases and a hand-sewn wallet for the manual signed by Victoria Beckham. The Evoque Special Edition features a 2.0-litre supercharged petrol engine with 240 hp.

View the full Range Rover Evoque Special Edition photo gallery

Revived manufacturer MG (which is now more Chinese than British) showed up at the ongoing 2012 Beijing Motor Show with a slew of new models that are supposed to pave the way for its return on the global market. Arguably the most interesting ones of the lot are the brand new Icon Concept and the production version of the MG5 - which are being exposed to the public for the very first time at the Beijing event - as well as the already known MG3 Xross and MG6.

The MG Icon Concept is the first crossover model ever in MG’s history and is somewhat reminiscent of the Nissan Juke. It is supposed to anticipate a new model that will be made available on the Chinese market only in 2014. The model has been designed to accommodate 4 people (including the driver) and uses elements that makes it look both vintage and modern at the same time. The Icon Concept has been developed on the same platform of the MG5 and is powered by a turbocharged 1.5-litre 4-cylinder engine that is featured in the MG5’s engine range as well, capable of delivering 137 hp and 200 Nm of peak torque.

The MG5 is a hatchback with sporty aesthetics that is clearly aimed at a young audience. The model is expected to appear fairly soon in the Chinese showrooms of the brand with a 106 hp 1.8-litre 4-cylinder engine, but an European version of this car is also in the cards: rumor has it that in Europe the MG5 will come with an engine range made of both petrol and diesel units whose displacement will vary between 1.0- and 1.5-litre, and whose output will be between 117 and 164 hp.

At the MG booth in Beijing there are also the model that had the historic MG plant in Birmingham working again, the MG6, a 4-door sedan powered by a supercharged 4-cylinder unit producing 160 hp and 215 Nm of torque. This unit allow it to go from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 8.4 seconds, witha top speed of 193 km/h (120 mph). The MG3 Xross instead is a sort of off-road version of the MG3 pushed by a 1.5-litre engine with an output of 88 hp and 117 Nm.

View the full MG Icon Concept, MG5, MG6 and MG3 Xross @ the 2012 Beijing Motor Show photo gallery

Hyundai is at the 2012 Beijing Motor Show with quite a few interesting models, most notably the new Santa Fe“>Santa Fe, the BHCD-1 and the Rhoens Coupe, which is basically the Genesis Coupe with a different name and some light cosmetic change.

The BHCD-1 is a model developed by Hyundai together with Chinese partner Beijing Automotive and will be marketed in China only as a Shouwang model. Its flashy front end features a pair of slender head-lights with LED technology and a sunken bonnet that gives the car a pretty aggressive outlook. As for now the model is still a prototype, but its definitive version is due to appear on Chinese roads within a couple of years.

Arguably the real star at the Hyundai stand in Beijing, the third generation of the Santa Fe (which was premiered at the New York International Auto Show earlier this year) turned out to be one of the crowd’s favorites. Measuring 4.69 meters in length, 1.88 in width, 1.68 in height and with a wheelbase of 2.70 meters, the innovative design of the Santa Fe is aligned to the design language adopted by the most recent models from the Korean carmaker. Its engine range include a 2.0-liter turbocharged GDI engine developing 264 hp, a 2.4-litre direct injection (GDI) producing an estimated 190 hp, and - for the Long Wheel Base variant only - a 3.3-litre GDI V6 engine delivering 290 hp.

View the full Hyundai BHCD-1 and Santa Fe @ the 2012 Beijing Motor Show photo gallery