2010 Cadillac SRX SUV – First Official Photos

Cadillac has released the first official images of the next generation SRX that is in essence the production version of the Provoq Concept that appeared at the CES show in Las Vegas last January. According to GM, the all-new SRX will make its debut at major global auto shows later this year (quite possibly at the Paris Show in October and the LA Show in November), with sales set to start worldwide in mid-2009. With an overall length of about 4,580 mm or 180.3 in, the five-seater SRX is about roughly the same size as the BMW X3 SUV meaning that its far more compact (and lighter) than the outgoing seven-seat SRX. -Continued

“The next-generation SRX, along with the new CTS Sport Wagon, showcases Cadillac taking its dramatic design into new directions, particularly cars and crossovers that are the right size at the right time for today’s luxury consumers,” said Jim Taylor, Cadillac general manager.

Cadillac hasn’t released any mechanical details yet, but expect to see the CTS’ 3.6-liter V6 gasoline units along with a 2.9-liter V6 turbo diesel engine (for Europe). The new SRX, which was initially referred to as the Cadillac BRX, will also form the base for the upcoming Saab 9-4X SUV.

James Bond’s Ford KA to be Hydrogen-Powered?

Ford released a bunch of pictures of the all-new KA (see details and photos here) that will make a cameo appearance at the new James Bond film, “Quantum of Solace” that opens in the UK and France on October 31st, then across the rest of the world during November 2008. The new KA will be used in the film as the personal car of leading lady Olga Kurylenko, who plays Bond's ally Camille.

The “Quantum of Solace” KA that was created by Ford of Europe’s Design team, in collaboration with the movie’s Oscar award-winning production designer, Dennis Gassneby, gets a metallic gold paint, an exclusive exterior graphics and interior trim combination and –weirdly enough, a set of “Greener Planet” and “Hydrogen” decals. Ford makes no mention of the decals in its official press release so your guess is as good as ours to as why the automaker decided to add them on the James Bond movie KA. -Image gallery after the jump

New Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon Available from 2009

Cadillac unveiled a stylish station-wagon version of its new CTS at this weekend’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance classic car show in Monterey, California on 15 August 2008. Dubbed the Sport Wagon, the latest addition to the CTS range follows in the footsteps of its German counterparts as it pays more attention to style than function. While it rides on the same 113.4-inch (2,880-mm) wheelbase as the CTS sedan, it’s 0.3-inch (7 mm) shorter that its 4-door sibling. However, it still offers a generous cargo area of 25 cubic feet (720 litres) behind the rear seats.

As expected, the CTS Sport Wagon’s powertrains are identical to those of the sedan including two gasoline units, a base 263 HP 3.6-liter V6 and a 304 Hp 3.6-liter direct injection V6 matched with a six-speed manual or an electronically controlled six-speed automatic. As is the case on the sedan, CTS Sport Wagon includes AWD as an option. Europe will also get a 250 HP 2.9-liter V6 turbo-diesel engine. -Continued

“The addition of this dramatically-designed Sport Wagon is well synchronized with today’s changing consumer tastes as a compelling alternative to SUVs or other larger vehicles,” says Jim Taylor, Cadillac general manager. “This is an important step in Cadillac’s ongoing global expansion, and of course in international markets like Europe, wagons have been and continue to be very significant.”

The Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon will arrive in dealerships in spring 2009.

CTS SPORT WAGON PRELIMINARY SPECIFICATIONS

Vehicle type: four-door, five-passenger rear-wheel-drive/all-wheel-drive wagon
Wheelbase (in / mm): 113.4 / 2880
Length (in / mm): 191.3 / 4859
Width (in / mm): 72.6 / 1842
Height (in / mm): 59.1 / 1502
Track (in / mm): 61.8 / 1570 (front); 62 / 1575 (rear)
Engines: 3.6L VVT V-6 (263 hp / 196 kW) 3.6L V-6 VVT DI (304 hp / 227 kW)
Transmissions: Aisin six-speed manual or Hydra-Matic 6L50 six-speed automatic
Suspension: four-wheel independent: MacPherson strut front; multilink rear, progressive rate coil springs, monotube shock absorbers
Steering: variable-assist rack-and-pinion
Brakes: four-wheel disc; aluminum or iron dual-piston front calipers; aluminum or iron single-piston rear calipers
Wheels: 17-inch, 18-inch or 19-inch aluminum
EPA luggage capacity (cu ft / L): 25 / 720 (behind rear seats)
EPA total volume (cu ft / L): 121.9 / 3452

Opel Insignia Sports Tourer Heading for Paris Show

These are the first official shots of Opel’s new Insignia estate, which will premiere at the Paris Auto Salon on October 2nd. The third variant to join the Insignia range after the 4-door sedan and 5-door hatchback models will be called the Sports Tourer and it will be available in European markets in spring 2009 with a choice of seven different powerplants.

Compared to the sedan versions, all the bodywork after the B-pillars is unique and although less dynamic than its two other siblings, the Sports Tourer is one of the first Opel station wagon models that you may actually buy for its styling. While the Insignia station wagon has retained an identical wheelbase of 2.74 meters with the sedan models, Opel’s designers added around 80 mm to its length for an overall 4.91 meters. According to Opel, the luggage compartment offers a volume of 540 liters. -Continued

Opel isn’t releasing any details, but the German carmaker said that alongside the existing line up of three petrol and two diesel units that are already available from launch of the sedan models, the new Insignia Sports Tourer will debut two new engines, a downsized gasoline turbo engine and a new turbo diesel. Moreover, Opel is also working on an, an ecoFLEX variant with low fuel consumption and CO₂ emission levels that will be added to the range in the near future.

As with the rest of the Insignia range, the Sports Tourer will be available with all-wheel drive or front-wheel drive, while buyers will also be able to opt for the new FlexRide mechatronic system which raises stability and provides real time, electronically controlled damping.

2009 Mitsubishi Colt Facelift Gets Lancer Nose Job – Premieres in Paris

The revised 2009 Mitsubishi Colt has been captured on film during a promotional photo shoot in Berlin, Germany. The main changes are to the front end that echoes the styling of the new Lancer Sedan and Sportback. Judging from the picture, Mitsubishi’s designers seem to have done a great job incorporating the shark-like nose to their subcompact hatchback that will compete in Europe against the new Ford Fiesta, Fiat Grande Punto, Toyota Yaris and others. Changes to the rear end are limited to the restyled bumper, and the darker tail lamps. -Continued

Our sources confirm the report from the scanned newspaper article that the facelifted Mitsubishi Colt will indeed make its global debut at the Paris Motor Show in early October with sales in Europe set to begin shortly after.

Via: Autoweek-forum

New Audi RS6 Sedan Revealed, Gets 580 HP Twin-Turbo V10

Unlike BMW that introduced the M3 Sedan only to replace it a few months later with a facelift version, Audi patiently waited to present the revised A6 range (see details here) before it unleashed the almighty RS6 Sedan. Like the new RS6 Avant that was unveiled at last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show, the RS6 Sedan packs a twin-turbocharged 5.0-liter V10 engine that delivers an output of 580 HP between 6,250 and 6,700 rpm and a peak torque of 650 Nm (479.42 lb-ft) available from 1,500 to 6,250 rpm.

Power is transferred to Audi’s rear-weighted quattro all-wheel-drive system through a six-speed tiptronic automatic transmission that allows drivers to change gears manually either using the shift lever or the paddles on the steering wheel. Audi’s ridiculously powerful sedan can go from 0 to 100 km/h (62mph) in 4.5 secs (Avant: 4.6 secs) and on to an electronically-limited top speed of 250 km/h or 155mph, which can be optionally raised to 280 km/h or 174mph. -Continued

As with the RS6 Avant, the Sedan also gets a reworked suspension and standard Dynamic Ride Control (DRC) that reduces pitch and roll using purely mechanical means. When combined with the sports suspension plus, DRC offers a choice of three selectable damper settings – sport, dynamic and comfort – which can be activated through the MMI. Braking power is provided by 390 millimeter brake disks up front and 365 millimeters brake disks at the rear.

While it won’t go by unnoticed, the RS6 Sedan’s looks are relatively subtle for a car that packs so much power under its hood. Along with bulging wheel arches that house 19-inch alloy wheels as standard (20-inch alloys as an option) shod with 255/40 tires, the RS6 gets a more heavily profiled bumper with a revised grille, deep side skirts, a rear diffuser incorporating two large oval exhaust pipes and a spoiler integrated into the trunk lid.

Step inside and the first thing you’ll notice if you checked the correct box on the options list are the awesome driver and front passenger bucket seats seen in the pictures below. Otherwise you’ll have to be content with a set of deeply sculptured sport seats upholstered in Silk Nappa leather, with leather/Alcantara and Valcona leather available as option.

The Audi RS 6 will be launched on the market in mid-October with the starting price in Germany including tax set at €105,550. Standard equipment will include a dual-zone automatic air conditioning, a parking assistant at front and rear, an RS leather multifunction sports steering wheel with flat-bottomed rim and a Bose surround sound system.

Audi Unveils Facelifted A6 with new 290HP 3.0 TFSI: 61 High-Res Photos

In typical German style, Audi decided to reveal initial details and photos of its facelifted A6 a couple of months prior to the car’s official Paris Show debut. The most obvious change concerns the A6 and S6 Sedans’ revamped buttocks that feature A4-inspired LED taillights along with a newly shaped trunk and bumper design. Look a little closer and you may notice that the new A6 Sedan and Avant boast a slightly revised single-frame grill and a new front bumper with redesigned air vents and fog lights. The optionally-available xenon plus, LED daytime running lights have also been redesigned as horizontal strips with 6 LEDs each.

Inside the instrument panel uses new higher-resolution graphics while all versions of the 2009 A6 benefit from Audi’s new-generation MMI control system that features a new 7-inch, high-resolution screen. In terms of mechanical updates, Audi has fine tuned the A6’s suspension and with new large-diameter, front-axle shock absorbers operating within an optimized valve system and by lowering the ride height. -Continued

Under the hood the most important news is the addition of Audi’s new supercharged 3.0-liter V6 engine. The 3.0 TFSI delivers an output of 290 HP and a maximum torque figure 420 Nm (309.78 lb-ft) which is available constantly between 2,500 and 4,850 rpm. Equipped with a tiptronic transmission and quattro drive train, the A6 Sedan 3.0 TFSI accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62mph) in 5.9 seconds and keeps going on until its electronically-regulated maximum speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). According to Audi, the A6 3.0 TFSI has an average fuel consumption of 9.5 liters per 100 kilometers (24.76 US mpg) on the EU cycle

The revised Audi A6 will be available in German dealer showrooms as of mid-October 2008 with prices starting at €34,200 for the A6 Sedan 2.0 TFSI 170 HP. In the U.S. the new Audi A6 is expected in early 2009.

2009 Audi A6 Sedan

2009 Audi A6 Avant

2009 Audi S6 Sedan & Avant

2009 Audi A6 allroad quattro