Okay, it is purple and therefore a little bit ghastly—okay, a lot ghastly—but we do applaud Roger Lighterness for his unofficial rendering of the F10 BMW M5 Touring. We can only assume BMW will make an estate version of their new M5 and, if they do, we’ll be wishing one was ready and waiting in the garage at AUSmotive HQ.
[Source: 5Post]
Apparently, by this time next week BMW will have lifted the wraps from its highly anticipated 1 Series M Coupé. But that hasn’t stopped the rumour mill from working overtime and we think most will like the latest 1M news to emerge.
Remember a couple of weeks back when we showed you that screen grab of engine specs, believed to be from an internal BMW source. Well, on that list was an N54B3OTO engine spec listed with 332kW (445hp). That’s a fairly healthy increase over the expected 250kW we will see in the 1M Coupé, right.
Turns out there is a chance that BMW, through a new Performance Program, could be getting ready to make a CSL-style 1M. The theory being this will be a nice little earner for the Munich massive while they’re busy developing the next model M3.
Is it really going to happen; well, we don’t know for certain. But it would be the perfect way to see out the 1 Series Coupé model cycle in 2012, that’s for sure!
[Source: Jon Sibal via BimmerFile]
First, it was the Jota. Then, it was the LP700-4. Now, it would seem, the Lamborghini Murcielago replacement will be called the Aventador. More guesswork? Possibly, but the recent discovery of an application with the US Trademark office does give the Aventador theory some credence.
It might be worth noting that a simple Spanish–English translation via Google yields the result that Aventador simply means “fan”. However, according to comments over at Jalopnik it should translate as “one who dares”.
We’re still expecting a 220kg weight loss program for the Aventador. And, we’re still expecting around 700bhp from a 6.5 litre V12. There’s a really small outside chance we could see this car at the LA Auto Show next week, but it is more likely that this beast will be unleashed at Geneva next March.
[Source: Jalopnik | Pic: autoevolution]
It’s somewhat ironic that the Lamborghini LM002 is one of the coolest SUVs around. In general, SUVs, especially those from Germany, are little more than a status symbol screaming out “look how rich I am!” But the LM002 was created in the mid 1980s. Sure, excesses were obscene back then, too, but this was a time when one of the only crossovers in the world was the Subaru Brumby, unless you count those Holden Overlander things, as well. Therefore, the boxy and otherwise foreign concept of a supercar maker producing a four-wheel drive was something to celebrate.
Now, though, any such overbearing SUV creations are often viewed with disdain. Regardless of how good engineers have made them. The BMW X5, for example, is an excellent drive. But it would be better if it was a few inches closer to the ground.
So, what do we make of the news that Lambo wants back in to the SUV club? Early details have emerged of a new model, dubbed the LM00X, which is likely to have a three-door body based on the Audi Q5/Porsche Cajun platform.
Of course, the LM00X will have stupid power. It will be blindingly quick and it will probably be overtly expensive, as well. The rendering above, from World Car Fans, is around four years old, but given the way Porsche designers tried to turn the 911 look into an SUV with the Cayenne, it’s probably still on the money. The LM00X is probably a couple of years away yet, so we’ve still got time to brace ourselves.
[Source: World Car Fans]
This is the most accurate rendering to date showing the rear of the BMW 1 Series M Coupé. It was created by resident 1addicts forum P-chop guru Alpine325ci and follows two previous efforts (all renderings are shown below). We got a hint of the rear valance just last week; there’s a lot of detailing there from the BMW designers and it’s almost starting to look a bit too fussy. Overall, though, it still gets the AUSmotive tick of approval.
A drive would be nice. But we’ll have to wait until 2011 for that, I’m afraid.
[Source: 1addicts]
Despite looking like the real thing, this image is, apparently, a rendering prepared by forum user Alpine325ci. You may remember he also created the earlier renderings of the 1M Coupé. There’s still no official date for release, so you’ll just have make do with goose pimples for now.
[Source: 1addicts]
German publication Auto Motor und Sport currently has a promo previewing some of the cars that will be on show at the Paris Motor Show in a few weeks (2–17 October). Included in that preview is this image of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster. Until now we’ve only seen camouflaged prototypes in testing at the Nürburgring and the like.
Often the transition from tin top to soft top can result in a less than satisfying design. Based on this image, however, it would seem Mercedes has done quite well. The real test, of course, is seeing how the car looks with its roof down.
The engine specs from the 6.3 litre V8 found in the SLS AMG aren’t expected to change for the Roadster version. It will also be interesting to see how the dynamics of the soft top have been affected by its greater weight due to chassis strengthening.
[Source: Auto Motor und Sport]
Following the recent launch of Audi’s new A7 Sportback it hasn’t taken long for the Photoshop gurus to create an RS version. Here is an RS7 rendering produced by dacim12 from DeviantArt. It’s all pretty straightforward stuff; take a regular A7 shot, add some well-known RS styling cues, mix it altogether with some elite pchop skillz and voila—an RS7! The end result looks pretty good, I have to say.
But the real story here is Fourtitude’s snippet suggesting such a car would be powered by a new 4.0 litre V8 helped along with the assistance of twin turbos. Nice!
[Source: Fourtitude]
This animated GIF gives you a look at the latest Volkswagen Golf VII rendering. Produced by Auto Express there is a likely to be a reasonable amount of guesswork taken, but it’s probably in the ballpark of what the next Golf will look like.
Styling cues, for the exterior lighting in particular, are heavily influenced by the New Compact Coupé shown at Detroit early this year. Indeed the entire front end of this rendering is greatly inspired by that concept model.
While the reign of the current Golf VI is likely to be one of the shortest in Golf history, we’re still probably around two years away from seeing the Mk7, and its all new platform, in European dealerships. Introduction of the Golf VII could even stretch into 2013, we’ll have to wait and see.
Once the new Golf is released we’ll be able to listen to Volkswagen thump their chests about their newest range of efficient small capacity turbocharged engines and plenty of other new technologies, too. The Golf is clearly Volkswagen’s most important mode line. They won’t get it wrong.
[Source: Auto Express]
Around this time last year rumours were growing of a BMW Z2 based on the next generation 1 Series. This spy shot, captured in Laguna Beach, California, appears to confirm those rumours were on the money.
Note the soft top roof, which would be used, partly, to keep weight down. Surprisingly, in this day and age of electronic gadgets, there’s a chance the roof could be manually operated, too. Reports of the Z2 weighing in under 1000kg are about, and that would be a major feat if BMW could pull it off.
Speculation remains uncertain about the timing for production. Earlier reports have suggested the Z2 could be ready to roll as soon as next year, but the latest word indicates we might be waiting until 2013 before a Z2 rolls off a production line. Although, World Car Fans reckon we could see a concept car at the Paris Motor Show in October this year.
Expect the latest range of BMW four cylinder engines to find their way into most Z2s. It’s likely the range will include electric, hybrid and diesel versions, as well. The powerplant from 150kW MINI E could make a nice fit, for example.
There’s been a few renderings and illustrations around for a while now, but the example shown below is one of the more attractive to surface. Let’s hope we don’t have too long to wait for some official word out of Munich.
[Source: World Car Fans | Spy pic: moniteurautomobile.be | Rendering: World Car Fans]
With the immediate future of Saab now secure, plans for a new compact-sized model are emerging. Expected to be badged as the 9-1, the new mini-Saab is creating enough hype for the Photoshop gurus to start speculating what the car could look like.
The new Saab will still continue to draw mechanical inspiration from the GM parts bin and the 9-1 would likely be based on the new Astra platform. With the well established MINI and new Audi A1 in its sights the Saab 9-1 needs to marry style, handling and hype in equal parts if it is to make a lasting mark in this space.
The above rendering is somewhat clunky in parts, but it does give a good idea as to how Saab styling cues may translate to a smaller car.
US based site VWvortex brings us some great coverage of the New Compact Coupe, including this rendering of how they expect the next Jetta sedan will look. In fact, the report says the profile of the show car is pretty much exactly the same as the final shape for the production version of the four-door Jetta sedan, which is expected to go on sale in the US before October.
This is clearly Volkswagen’s best effort in recent years at making the Jetta a proper stand alone model, rather than simply “a Golf with a boot”. Moving away from platform sharing, to a degree, VW will rather employ component sharing across its model range. This Jetta, for example, has a wheelbase around 75mm longer than the Golf VI, but it will share components from the Polo, Passat and everything in between.
As you can see from the images of the New Compact Coupe, interior styling has also been given a hand to establish an identity of its own. Sure, it’s all Volkswagen design language, as you would expect. Now, though, the Golf and Jetta will appear as siblings, rather than identical twins in different outfits.
More on the New Compact Coupe from the Detroit show can be seen at the VWvortex gallery.
UPDATE 13 January: For more Jetta speculation head on over to The Motor Report.
[Source: VWvortex]