Two more official images of the upcoming Lexus LF-LC Concept have been published by Autocar.co.uk. The model will be officially unveiled at the upcoming North American International Auto Show of Detroit this coming January, and is a 2+2 sportscar that will anticipate the new design theme that the Japanese manufacturer will adopt in the future. The LF-LC has been developed on a not-better-specified hybrid platform, and many details of this model remain a mystery. According to the British magazine, this model might anticipate a high class convertible coupe model which would become an ‘informal’ version of the new LS, but there are no confirmation on the matter, as for yet. However, the 2012 NAIAS will open in just a few days, thereby we should get more info about the LF-LC concept pretty soon.

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As predicted, just a few hours after a bunch of full view images leaked on the internet, Toyota has released the first official picture of the LF-LC concept car that will be officially introduced to world at the upcoming North American International Auto Show, taking place in Detroit this coming January.

The new image confirms our first very positive impression of the model, giving us a first glimpse at the open roof design - which might feature some sort of sliding/folding device - and revealing that the car is not going to be a 2-seater, but a 2+2. There is not much left to discover about the design of the car at this point, but the whole mechanical side is still pretty unclear: we just know it will make use of a hybrid powertrain, and that’s about it.

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When we last talked about Toyota NS4 Plug-In Hybrid, we noticed that the Japanese carmaker was revealing bits of both this NS4 and a new (yet-unnamed) Lexus-badged hybrid sportscar to build up the suspense in view of the launch of these concept cars at the upcoming North American International Auto Show, taking place next month in Detroit. We said that probably we would have seen the whole thing at the opening of the event, unless something would have leaked on the internet before January the 9th. Well, that’s just happened.

The source of these grainy images picturing the new Lexus hybrid supercar concept (apparently called LF-LC) is an iPad app preview for US magazine Road & Track. We think it is a stunner: the design of the car includes pretty original solutions in every area (some of which lifted from the LFA) and, as whole, it all blends together in a very harmonious way.

So, following the first official teasers (see the first one here and the second one here), now we know how the model will look like. We just hope that, in the wake of this leak, Toyota will reveal something more about the LF-LC before the NAIAS will open. At least an official high-res photo gallery: it’s no good crying over spilt milk anyway.

View the full Lexus LF-CF hybrid concept leaks photo gallery

via | The Motor Report

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Nissan has released a teaser of the Nissan Pathfinder concept, which will make its world debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next month. In comparison to the model that it will replace, this image seems to reveal a sleeker, more aerodynamic-effective Pathfinder (that is known as Terrano in several countries), although Nissan has already confirmed that the new one will retain the traditional SUV hallmarks that made the previous model a success. The new Pathfinder is likely to be a 7-seater based on the same paltform that generated Infiniti JX, and is scheduled to go on sale next fall.

via | Autoblog.com

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A new sporty variant of Chevrolet Sonic (a model known as Aveo in the Europe) will be unveiled at the upcoming North American International Auto Show (January 9-22), in Detroit. The new model will not be carrying the SS badge, it will be called Chevrolet Sonic RS, and will come with a turbocharged 1.4-litre Ecotec engine delivering 138 hp and 200 Nm of peak torque, coupled with either a manual or an automatic 6-speed transmission.

The Sonic/Aveo RS will also make use of a stiffer suspension that will reduce ride height as well as an upgraded braking systems, now adopting disc brakes on the rear axle, too. As for the aesthetics, the RS uses specifically re-designed front and rear bumper, rear spoiler and a different front grille. 17″ rims and a new exhaust system with chrome-finished mufflers complete the exterior changes of the RS in comparison to the standard model.

In the cabin we find new customized seats with stitched RS logos, a thicker sports steering wheel with slightly flat bottom, aluminum pedals, specifically designed instrumentation and a new gear lever, whereas Chevrolet MyLink infotainment system with 7″ touch-screen will also be made available as optional extra. Chevy Sonic RS will be initially available in the US in the following colors: Victory Red, Summit White, Cyber Grey Metallic and Black Granite Metallic. As for now, it is not known when the model will become available in Europe.

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Recently we have been talking a lot about the new Mercedes SL Roadster, covering basically all steps of the process that eventually led to its virtual launch. Now, after the leaked brochure and photo gallery and the first lot of official videos, Mercedes-Benz just released another couple of videos starring their new model, right before we will finally get to see the car ‘in the metal’ at the upcoming North American International Auto Show (January 9-22), in Detroit. Check out the second video by clicking on the ‘Continue Reading’ link below, where you will also find a 9-minute long clip of the SL driving around uploaded by youtube user TheCarFanatic.

As recently confirmed by the carmaker, the new Mercedes SL will come with a 3.5-litre V6 engine for the SL350 version (producing 306 hp and 370 Nm of peak torque) and a 4.7-litre V8 unit for the SL500 (with an output of 435 hp and 700 Nm). Both engines will come with a 7G-TRONIC PLUS automatic transmission. Also worth mentioning is the fact that the model is also the first production Merc to use an aluminum body-shell, a choice that made it considerably lighter and less ‘thirsty’ than its predecessor, and still it boasts better performance figures.

Continue reading: 2013 Mercedes SL: more videos emerge

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Nissan will be at the forthcoming North American International Auto Show in Detroit with a concept car version of the future Pathfinder, a.k.a. Terrano in some countries. The new offroader from the Japanese manufacturer is probably being developed on the same platform of the Infiniti JX, and is likely to enter the market toward the end of 2012.

It is fair to assume then that the new Nissan Pathfinder will make use of three rows of seats just like the recently unveiled luxury crossover/SUV from Infiniti. Chances are that the two models will also share the same engine, that is a 3.5-liter DOHC V6 unit delivering 265 hp at 6,400 rpm and 336 Nm (248 lb-ft) of torque at 4,400 rpm. No information is currently available about the actual design of the new model, but surely the Pathfinder concept will shed some light on the matter in Detroit.

via | Worldcarfans

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Two more teasers of the upcoming Dodge Dart have been released by the American carmaker. The new model will make its official debut next January in Detroit at the North American International Auto Show, and has been developed on the same C-Evo platform that spawned Alfa Romeo Giulietta. The Dart will replace the Caliber in Dodge’s range and will boast high quality interior as one of its stronger points: top-notch finishing, 14 different color combinations and plenty of options for its customization will make its passenger compartment worth of a car from a superior class.

As for the teasers, on the first one we can notice right away a little LCD monitor placed right in between tachometer and transmission gauges, providing some navigation info as well as other data (such as fuel consumption) in its upper side. The second one is a snapshot of the 8.4″ touch-screen media/infotainment display probably located in the center of the dashboard, that seems to offer plenty of menus to manage all the functions of the car as well as other peripheral devices.

The new Dodge Dart will be available with 12 paint color options, 6 different sets of wheels, 3 engine choices and 3 different types of transmission, including the 6-speed dual clutch gearbox by Fiat and a 9-speed automatic option supplied by German ZF Group.

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As it just happened with the new BMW 6-series Gran Coupe, Bentley just introduced the new Continental GT with some official pic and then, shortly afterwards, released some new video featuring their latest creation. Since we just posted an extensive article about the new model, all you need to do to find out about its technical highlights and is scrolling down this page a little bit.

This new Bentley Continental GT is powered by a brand new 4.0-litre twin turbo V8 with direct injection and will be officially unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next January. To see the second video click on the ‘Continue Reading’ link below.

Continue reading: Bentley Continental GT V8: official videos available

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Acura is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Honda, and this coming January, during the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, they will introduce to the world three brand new concept cars for the very first time. The most significant piece of the lot is by far the eagerly-awaited new version of the NSX, which will eventually enter the market as a fully-fledged Honda model at a later time. The Acura-badged NSX concept should be a further evolution of the prototype used during the shooting of “The Avengers” movie (pictured above, with Robert Downey jr.). Unfortunately, no official technical details have been released about the car, but rumor has it that it is a a four-wheel drive model equipped with V6 hybrid powerplant and a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Making their first appearance at the Acura stand in Detroit there will also be a compact luxury sedan called ILX, that is scheduled for launch in spring 2012: it will feature three powertrains (including Acura’s first-ever gas-electric hybrid) and should go on to compete in the same class as BMW 1-Series and Mercedes new A-Class. Completing Acura’s line up at the event will be a redesigned version of its five-passenger SUV model, the RDX.

via | Autoblog.com
pictures | AutoExpress

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Bentley releases the first official pictures of the Continental GT powered by a brand new 4.0-litre twin turbo V8 with direct injection that will be made immediately available for the GTC as well. Both model will be officially introduced at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit (January 9-22). The new engine delivers an output of 500 hp at 6,000 rpm with 660 Nm of peak torque between 1,700 and 5,000 rpm, and boasts a 40% improvement in fuel efficiency compared to the 12-cylinder unit. However, the flagship W12 will not go out of production but will remain at the top of the range, focusing on unrivalled comfort and refinement.

The new engine has been built and developed with the cooperation of Audi’s engineers, and uses an interesting variable-displacement system that enables the engine to run on only four cylinders under partial throttle load. This feature allows it to significantly reduce its CO2 emissions, with obvious benefits in terms of fuel consumption as well. Bentley says it will be capable of travelling over 800 km (about 500 miles) on a single tank of fuel, which is quite astonishing for a car of this class and size. This engine is coupled with an 8-speed automatic transmission that will convey its power all four wheels, permanently.

This classy coupe from the British manufacturer can be distinguished from its W12 counterpart by the specific design of its chrome exhaust pipes, the glossy black radiator grille with chrome outline, a slightly revised lower fascia in which the three air inlets are more evenly sized, and its set of six-spoke alloy wheels, specifically designed for the V8 version and available in 20″ or 21″ sizes. Besides, all of the Bentley “B” logos on the car front and back are surrounded by red paint rather than the usual black. Inside, there’s a new Eliade cloth headlining with Dark Fiddleback Eucalyptus wood veneers and optional two-tone leather. The Continental GT V8 will offer a choice of seven exterior and four interior colors, while three different hood shades will also be made available. Click on the ‘Continue Reading’ link below to find out more.

View Bentley Continental GT V8 official pictures

Continue reading: Bentley Continental GT V8 to debut in Detroit

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Dodge will unveil the all-new ‘Dart‘ at the next North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan. This four-door compact sedan can be considered as the successor of the Caliber, and has been developed on the same platform that generated Alfa Romeo Giulietta, making it is the first Chrysler Group vehicle based upon a Fiat architecture. The two teasers released so far by the carmaker are quite promising, at least from an aesthetic point of view.

Initially there will be three engine options available: a new Tigershark 16-valve 2.0-litre, a 16-valve 1.4-litre MultiAir Intercooled Turbo engine (for the first time on a Chrysler-badged vehicle), and a new Tigershark 16-valve 2.4-litre MultiAir 4-cylinder engine. This last one is also especially interesting as it is going to be the first time that MultiAir technology will be used by an American car. Three transmission options will also be made available, but at the moment Dodge hasn’t released any specific detail about them. The Dodge Dart will be produced at the Chrysler plant in Belvidere, Illinois.

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