Starting next year BMW will offer the M3 with a new Competition Package. According to the BMW-nuts at Bimmerfile, the package, coded ZCP, is likely to include items like larger wheels, sticker tires and upgraded brakes. Other items we should expect are new shock and spring settings with a lowered ride height of approximately 10mm,...
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It hasn’t been a good week for BMW when it comes to keeping a lid on things. Yesterday, pictures of BMW-owned MINI’s new Countryman crossover were leaked onto the Internet. And now, images of the 2011 BMW 335is have also surfaced on the Interwebs. In the case of the Countryman, MINI responded by officially releasing...
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A day after pictures of its new crossover were leaked out to the web, MINI has officially released details and photographs of the 2011 MINI Countryman. Originally scheduled to be unveiled at next month’s Geneva Auto Show, the Countryman was originally supposed appear at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show but was unfortunately delayed. It is...
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According to leaked BMW Canada documents, the German automaker is planning a new 335is model to slot in part way above the 335i and below the M3. To do this the 335is will get a similar setup to the one recently unveiled in the Z4 sDrive35is, but with 322-hp and 332 ft-lbs of torque. Like...
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With recent reports that Mercedes is planning a C-Class Coupe, it’s no surprise to learn that a C-Class Cabriolet is also on the way. The car is expected as a 2011 model, meaning it will debut some time this year. The E-Class Cabriolet (pictured above) was recently unveiled at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show. Mercedes...
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BMW has just released details on a mild mid-cycle update for the 3 Series, including aesthetic and engine changes. Sadly, the rumors of a 335is, using the Z4 sDrive35is engine with 335-hp have yet to materialize, but the 335i model goes get some changes under the hood. Most importantly the 3.0-liter inline-six N55 block gets...
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Apparently not all big debuts happen at the Detroit Auto Show. Volkswagen made a splash at the Montreal Auto Show, by showing, for the first time in North America, the Euro-spec Golf R. First unveiled at the Frankfurt Auto Show last year, VW has yet to confirm this model for production in North America, but...
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Popularly known for tuning Audis, Sportechnic was present at Tokyo Auto Salon this year with an equal number of Audi and Porsche products. Alongside a Q5 and more highly modified A4 model, sat a Cayenne and a brand new Panamera. The Panamera was mostly stock except for a set of Sportech wheels. We’ll be interested...
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Not many aftermarket parts manufacturers have been in existence as long as Blitz. Continuing to uphold their reputation of high quality and groundbreaking performance products, Blitz kept things rolling as usual at the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon. Much like many body kit manufacturers, Blitz has also expanded its line to include some European tuning, with...
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It’s certainly not a household name, but Japanese tuner Varis is making headway modifying not only Japanese cars, but European models as well. The company does complete transformations, with everything from aesthetics to performance, with designs that are extreme, but not quite over-the-top. On display at the Varis booth at the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon...
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Wheel manufacturer BBS turned to the European market to appeal to the Japanese consumers at the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon. The company’s RN wheel was the feature item on a pristine white Porsche Panamera 4S. And in true sensible BBS style, the fitment was conservative, as is the design. That design looks to be the...
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With the introduction of Porsche’s luxury sedan to the market, it’s no surprise that the aftermarket has already jumped on this platform. Fairy Design based out of Japan has taken their Panamera and designed quite the attractive body kit for it. Gone is the traditional Porsche front bumper styling in exchange for something much more...
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With a new version of the 5 Series now headed to dealerships, BMW is preparing to launch the all-new M5, with the super saloon likely to debut at the Geneva Auto Show in March. According to a report in CAR Magazine, they have all the deets on the 2011 F10 model. As expected, power will...
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Companies like Audi have been at the forefront of the small premium car segment and with American buyers finally moving away from the idea that luxury means large, Audi is planning to meet that demand with a new model – the A3 sedan. Planned for 2012 as a 2013 model, the A3 sedan will also...
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Shown previously during the Design Week festivities in Miami, Audi’s new 2011 A8 flagship luxury sedan has now made its auto show debut in Detroit. Now you might not have believed that Audi’s massive front grille could get any more…. well… massive, but it has. In addition to this new design cue, which is sure...
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BMW has officially unveiled a new entry-level version of its flagship 7 series sedan at the Detroit Auto Show. Priced from $71,025, it undercuts the current 750i by roughly $11,000 bringing the 7-Series into a slightly more affordable bracket. Using BMW’s twin-turbo inline-six cylinder engine, the 740i (and extended-wheelbase 740Li) make 315-hp at 5800 rpm...
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BMW has just released an all-new high-performance version of the Z4 at the Detroit Auto Show. Called the Z4 sDrive35is, this roadster’s twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six gets a new air intake system and higher boost pressure to produce a bump in power. With an extra 35-hp and 32 ft-lbs of torque, the new model makes 335-hp...
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Audi has just unveiled a significantly updated version of the E-Tron electric sports car concept that originally debuted at the Frankfurt Auto Show last year and the new look is much improved. Looking far more like a street car, this E-Tron is smaller, rear-wheel drive and a little less powerful. The rear-drive E-Tron uses two...
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BMW introduced its 1-Series Coupe-based Active E electric vehicle at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Powered by newly developed lithium-ion batteries, the Active E has a claimed power output of 170 hp with 184.4 ft-lb. of torque. As per BMW tradition, the Active E is rear-wheel drive, testing an early version of...
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During a press conference that focused on Audi’s E-Tron electric concept, the German automaker didn’t give much time to hybrid technology – except to add on that hybrid versions of the Q5 and A8 are coming…. soon. Audi continues to put the main focus on its electric car developments, while quietly following the same hybrid...
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Mercedes chose a frigid day in Detroit to launch the convertible version of its all-new E-Class model. The E-Class Cabriolet extends the E-Class range to four models, which also include the sedan, coupe and wagon/estate. Styled more aggressively like the C-Class coupe, the convertible will initially be offered with two engine choices: an underwhelming 268-hp...
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Audi is continuing to demand the auto industry focus on it’s E-Tron electric sports car, with a revised version of the concept on display at the Detroit Auto Show. First unveiled at the Frankfurt Auto Show and then paraded in front of the media in brilliant tangerine at the LA Auto Show, this new E-Tron...
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With the launch of two hybrid models in 2009, Mercedes-Benz has announced it will add two more hybrids to its lineup starting in 2011. More impressive, is that neither is a run-of-the-mill type of hybrid. Due out first is the E300 BlueTec Hybrid, based on the new E-Class model. It will be a hybrid and...
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Volkswagen is showcasing what it calls the New Compact Coupe (NCC) at the Detroit Auto Show. A stylish looking VW, this Jetta-sized model is actually a hybrid. A 1.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder makes 148-hp and 177 ft-lbs of torque and is mated to a 27-hp electric motor. When combined with VW’s 7-speed DSG transmission, the NCC...
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