New Car: 2012 BMW M3 Limited Edition

The BMW M3 Limited Edition 500 will offer enhanced specification over the standard car, it has been revealed. BMW will build 500 special edition models in both coupé and convertible bodystyles.

Although the Limited Edition 500 is mechanically unchanged over the standard car, BMW says more than extra equipment worth more than £4000 is fitted as standard. The new model costs £55,690 (coupé) and £59,785 (convertible); £1000 more than the base model.

The BMW M3 Limited Edition 500 is available in three colours: Imola Red, Mineral White and Santorini Blue, reflecting the colours of the iconic ‘M’ badge.

Each model will have “One of 500” laser cut into the dashboard inlay. The cabin is trimmed in BMW’s extended Novillo leather and features stitching to match the exterior colour.

The grille surround, side gills and tailpipes are finished in dark chrome. Both the coupé and convertible have Shadowline exterior trim and black alloy wheels.

Thanks to: Autocar

New Concept Car: SEAT Toledo

The wraps will come off the fourth-generation SEAT Toledo at next week’s Geneva Motor Show. And while the car you see in our pictures is officially a concept, it will reach dealers before the end of the year virtually unchanged.

SEAT’s designers have sidestepped the compact MPV styling of the previous Toledo to produce something that resembles a saloon in profile, but has a hatchback rear door – just like the original 1991 Toledo. The benefits of that are a generous 500-litre boot (only five litres less than in the VW Golf Estate), which can be expanded by folding the split rear seats flat.

The new Toledo measures 4.48 metres long and has a 2.6-metre wheelbase. It’s as wide as an Ibiza, but as long as a Leon, and slots neatly between the two in the line-up.

The front end features a wide and low front grille, finished with a chrome surround and honeycomb mesh, while the LED running lights and three large intakes on the front apron are in line with the recently facelifted Ibiza.

Sharp creases in the body and clean, uncluttered surfaces are typical of SEAT design, while inside, it’s clear that the Toledo is production-ready. An upright centre console houses a new touchscreen and controls for the air-conditioning, all using switchgear familiar from elsewhere in the VW Group.

The dashboard features clean, straight lines in keeping with the exterior, but to add a premium feel, the show car gets two-tone leather seats and red contrast stitching to match the exterior paint. SEAT claims there’s plenty of space of three passengers in the back.

When the Toledo reaches showrooms, SEAT is planning an aggressive pricing strategy to place it between the Ibiza and Leon – so the luxurious interior materials on the show car aren’t likely to make it to production.

Even so, a spokesman for the brand was adamant that there would be plenty of equipment included as standard.

To reinforce the new car’s status as a value model, and keep costs as low as possible, SEAT will only offer small-capacity petrol and diesel engines. For more details click here.
Thanks to: Auto Express

New Concept Car: Volkswagen Up!

The Volkswagen Up will appear in four new concept guises at next week’s Geneva motor show – the Swiss Up, Winter Up, X Up and Cargo Up.

Swiss Up, designed to pay tribute to Geneva and Switzerland, has an exterior and interior that’s painted in the red and white colours of the Swiss flag.

The cabin is finished in the ‘ceramique’ trim colour. The leather is also styled in ‘ceramique’ in the outer area of the seats, the rear head restraints and the middle of the rear bench seat; the seat surfaces (and grab handles in the roofliner) are upholstered with brown Alcantara.

Running laterally across the centre panels of the front seat backrests is a narrow leather band. Worked into each leather band is a holder for a pocket knife. White, silk-like ‘porcelain paint’ adorns the dashboard, while the decorative bezels of the round air vents are painted in ‘tornado red’.

The Winter Up is based on the four-door Cross Up concept that was on show at the Frankfurt motor show last year. It is designed for winter sports, and features a snowboard carrier on the roof rails. The car also has ESP with differential locks to deal with snowy road conditions.

The Volkswagen is painted in two colours: ‘pure white’ and ‘malibu blue’. The body surfaces are painted in cool ‘pure white’, while ‘malibu blue’ is used as a contrasting colour on the bumpers, the door mirror housings and the seam that runs parallel to the side windows.

This variant has underbody protection at the front and rear, and rugged exterior accents on the wheel wells and side sills. Up to four snowboards or six skis can be stowed on the roof rail-mounted holder.

The X Up is intended as a ‘go anywhere’ vehicle and gets a roof box with two integrated searchlights, as well as robust side panels and underbody guards at the front and rear.

Like the Winter Up, it is based on the Cross Up and could potentially go into production very quickly. The X Up is painted in ‘burned orange metallic’ with the bumpers and roof box finished in ‘anthracite’. The surrounds of the search and fog headlights are chrome. The interior gets two-tone door inserts, door entry sills and a special gearshift grip.

The Cargo Up is designed as a delivery van and offers 1400 litres of rear space. It is equipped with underbody protection front and rear, and its sides have sill trim panels. As with the cross up!, there is also a roof railing. Inside, the cargo up! has been emptied except for the driver seat and the cockpit. This has created a flat cargo floor both on the passenger's side and in the boot.

Powered by the entry-level 59bhp engine in the Up range, the Cargo Up weighs 929kg, can carry a payload of 426kg and has a 15mm higher ride height.

Thanks to: Autocar

Sneak peek: 2013 Nissan Altima

Auto show season is in full swing, and along with that comes numerous teasers of vehicles that will get their full reveals at an upcoming show. The latest to break out is an 8-second YouTube clip of the 2013 Nissan Altima. The one thing apparent from the tease is that the new Altima will likely be a departure from the conservative styling of the current model.

We’ve already seen the vehicle out testing in California and Michigan, and other details have been revealed about what we might see under the hood. Including, most intriguingly, a supercharged 2.5-liter hybrid that promises to deliver V-6 performance with four-banger frugality.

Styling-wise, it seems the new Altima borrows from its big brother, the Maxima, with more accentuated curves compared to the current model. Watch the brief clip below to see if you can pick out any other details.

Thanks to: Motor Trend

New Concept Car: Hyundai I-oniq

The Hyundai I-oniq concept is on its way to the Geneva Motor Show, and Hyundai has released a full photo of the car, along with some details on exactly what’s under the hood of the funky hatchback.

The automaker describes the I-oniq Concept as “an electric sports hatchback,” which is propelled by a 108-hp electric motor and powered by a lithium-ion battery pack. Hyundai says that provides up to 75 miles of range, but a 1.0-liter, three-cylinder gasoline engine can serve as a generator and provide power for longer trips. Subsequently, the Hyundai I-oniq theoretically offers a total range of 435 miles, and could produce as little as 45 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer. If true, that’s less than half the CO2 output of Fiat’s TwinAir two-cylinder engine, which is currently one of the world’s cleanest automotive engines.

At 14.5 feet long, the Hyundai is about six inches longer than the production-spec Hyundai Veloster. Although the two abide by the same basic premise – a fastback coupe capable of seating four – the I-oniq’s shape is entirely its own. Designed by Hyundai’s European styling team, the I-Oniq incorporates a surprising number of clean, flat surfaces – a far cry from the company’s typical “Fluidic Sculpture” design language. Hyundai hasn’t shown images of the concept’s interior, but claims the I-oniq provides a lounge-like area, along with an advanced human-machine interface and driver-focused concept.

The complete package, according to Hyundai Europe senior vice president Allan Rushforth, “provokes contemplation on the future of automotive possibilities.”

Thanks to: Motor Trend

Spied: 2013 BMW M6 Gran Coupe

The excitement over the 2013 BMW M6 coupe’s debut at the Geneva Motor Show next week has drawn attention away from the other M6 that’s on the way, the M6 Gran Coupe. Not to be outshined, the four-door coupe version of the M-tuned 6 Series made an appearance in Scandinavia, ironing out any remaining details in cold-weather testing.

Not much has changed since we last saw the M6 Gran Coupe, as the camo still covers many of the car’s key design elements. The car features wide openings in itsfront valance, much like the M6 coupe unveiled online early last month. The car will likely share many of its exterior features with the standard 6 Series Gran Coupe, but the quad-tipped exhaust and large, drilled brake rotors confirm to all that this is indeed the performance version.

The M6 Gran Coupe is all but guaranteed to pack the same twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 found in the M5 and M6. In those cars, the twin-turbo powerplant produces 560 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque. However, rumors are circulating that the M6 Gran Coupe may be endowed with an extra 20 ponies, which would bring total output to a whopping 580 hp. BMW will likely employ its latest seven-speed dual-clutch transmission as the sole gearbox choice for the M6 Gran Coupe.

As we previously reported, BMW is targeting the Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG and Audi S7 with this hot four-door, which should make the segment a bit more interesting (hmm, do we smell a comparison test brewing?). Though the standard 6 Series Gran Coupe, along with the M6 coupe, is set to make its debut at Geneva next week, the reveal of the M6 Gran Coupe is likely still a ways away. Until then, we’ll have to enjoy these shots of a twin-turbo test mule playing in the snow.

Thanks to: Motor Trend

Sneak Peek: 2013 Ford F-Series Super Duty

This black sheet conceals an all-new model that will join the 2013 Ford F-Series Super Duty lineup. Ford hasn’t revealed any other information so far, though it has confirmed that the new truck will be revealed Friday, March 9.

The dark sheet covering the Super Duty pickup truck precludes us from telling what changes Ford has in store. Given that we can’t actually see the car, we’d guess that this teaser image means that the toughest F-Series trucks will receive some sort of visual makeover or change.

Ford plans to unveil the 2013 F-Series Super Duty in partnership with the Professional Bull Riders; Ford sponsors the organization’s Built Ford Tough Series that is effectively the “major league” of bull riding. You can watch the truck’s reveal next Friday at 10 a.m. Eastern / 7 a.m. Pacific via a special webcast.

Thanks to: Motor Trend