Saab 9-3 Out In The Wild

Caught in the streets of Sweden is the new 2008 Saab 9-3 facelift. The exterior has been heavily revised (especially the front end) to impact on the Areo X-concept.

The black plastic around the rear lights will be featured on the production model including the sedan, convertible and possibly the station wagon.

Saab says the rear end has been revised slightly but the interior won't be touched because it received a facelift in late 2006.

Returning To The UK

In a historic ceremony today, the media and VIP contingents from both the UK and China will witness the return of MG production to the Longbridge factory, the long-time home of this historic marque. Guest of honour will be Mr Liang Buo Hua, Governor of the Jiangsu Province in China where NAC MG is based and Mike Whitby, leader of Birmingham City Council.

Earlier today, Solicitor General Mike O’Brien, MP visited Longbridge, and personally handed over a letter of support from Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, on behalf of the British Government. Mr O’Brien met senior officials from NAC in the UK and China, as well as Mr Liang Buo Hua. Since acquiring the assets of MGR Group in 2005, NAC has been devoted to developing the MG brand and MG products, initially in China and Britain.

In only one year NAC completed the construction of a huge, modern production facility in Nanjing and had its first MG cars rolling off the assembly line on 27th March 2007 – which was also the date of the 60th anniversary of the company. NAC is also proud to have won the award for the ‘most attractive car’ at the Shanghai Motor Show held in April 2007. In the UK, NAC has been hard at work at the Longbridge plant; the production lines have been modified to allow the recommencement of manufacturing; a highly experienced management, engineering and production team is now in place, ready to re-launch MG into the marketplace later this year, initially with the famous TF sports car.

Longbridge is an essential part of the MG project. NAC fully understands that they need to keep the originality and Britishness of the brand and the UK is the only place where NAC can absorb the essence of British culture and transfer it into MG products. The role of Longbridge will be as follows: R&D centre for MG Engineering & testing of MG models HR recruiting for China and Longbridge A purchasing and logistics centre for China and Longbridge Manufacturing base for the UK and European markets Sales & marketing base for the UK and Europe.

Today’s event is the next crucial stage in NAC MG’s ambitious development strategy. “We realised from the outset of this project that retaining a manufacturing link with the UK is of fundamental importance,” says Yu Jian Wei, CEO of NAC.

“Longbridge will play a leading role in our European operation and the plant is now in a position to commence TF production for the UK market. This is a very exciting time for MG and it’s an important boost to the economy of the Midlands manufacturing region.” Mike Whitby, Leader of Birmingham City Council said: “Longbridge is part of the fabric of Birmingham’s heritage and we are delighted that MG’s will roll off the production line once again. "We have worked in close collaboration with NAC to bring about today's announcement".

Two years ago, many people thought this day would never come. But as we celebrate a new era for Longbridge, I am delighted that NAC MG will breathe new life into this famous marque. "This clearly shows Birmingham making the most of international investment, and I am proud of the part the City Council has played to bring it about."

BMW 3 Series Caught Undisguised

For the BMW 3 Series facelift we can clearly see the newly sculpted lines of the lower center areas of the bumper fascia as well as the larger and deeper side air vents.

Since, this is a minor facelift, no changes are expected to the rear and engines will remain the same but the interior will be updated. The 3 series sedan and wagon mid-life facelift are expected to be unveiled in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show and the car is expected to go on sale in 2008.

The current car has been on the market since 2005 and has attracted alot of customers mostly British. BMW is hoping to lure away customers from the recently launched Mercedes C-Class and the upcoming Audi A4.

The 3 Series is Britain's best selling small executive car. This spy photo shows a pre-production model undergoing final cold-weather testing in Northern Sweden near BMW's test faculty.

2008 Opel/Vauxhall Vectra Replacement See's Light

Opel/Vauxhall’s Vectra generation 3 has been on the market since 2001, and now generation Vectra 4 is about to see the light.

The car is expected to makes its international debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show this September. The US version Saturn Aura will follow a year later.

The next Vectra is sitting on the new GM Epsilon 2 platform allowing a wider and taller body to provide a better handling and more space inside for the passengers.

All in all the Vectra 4 will be an all new car with a completely new styling as can be seen on these photos. It will enter the market as a direct competitor against the recently launched Ford Mondeo and the VW Passat. Furthermore Opel will offer for the first time all wheel drive for the new Vectra as an option, and power will come from a wider selection of new engines including a 200 HP 2.7 litre V6 Turbodiesel and a newly developed 2.8 litre V8 fuel engines.

New Car: 2008 Kia Picanto facelift

Press Release:

NEW KIA PICANTO MAKES WORLD WIDE DEBUT IN BARCELONA:

Kia's best seller is about to get bigger and better. Only millimetres bigger but miles better in every way, the face-lifted Picanto is set for a world debut at the Barcelona show on 7th June.

Kia's design teams have updated Picanto to exude glamour while still maintaining its cheeky charm. A rounder nose and deeper rear bumper make the new model 40mm longer than its predecessor. Further changes in Picanto's looks are a result of all-new panels on the bonnet, front wings and front and rear bumpers. This new 'rounded' theme is also reflected in the light clusters and newly designed grille which will be gradually introduced across the Kia range. Fresh new colours and a restyled rounded exterior create a more intimate feel which continues on the interior as well.

The upgraded interior comes in five funky new colours to complement the nine new exterior colours on offer. New audio equipment and power steering will also enhance Picanto's high quality driving experience seldom offered in this sector.

Kia Motors European Vice President, Jean-Charles Lievens commented on this latest addition to the Kia range: "Picanto has been a great success for Kia, achieving more than 250,000 sales across Europe in a segment where we previously had no presence. Now we have refreshed our small car, upgrading its equipment and introducing a range of customer benefits, we aim to maintain its appeal and expand sales to 90,000 units annually over the next few years." Engine choices remain the same – 1.0 litre and 1.1 litre petrol units; there’s still no sign of Kia’s 3-cylinder diesel.

Meet The GL-Classes Younger Brother

Mercedes has descended upon the Nürburgring with their new GLK compact crossover. The new W204 C-Class-based sport-ute did some hot laps with a BMW X3, which will be its primary competitor, and our sources say that the GLK appeared to hold its own in the track day duel.

Since the "K" in GLK stands for kleine (German for small), the name implies that this car is a smaller version of the GL-Class. True to form, the GLK's styling takes many cues from the Mercedes' large GL-class sport-utility. The GLK won't rival a Land Rover LR2 for serious off-road prowess, but the extra ground clearance should provide a sufficient off-road capability when combined with Mercedes' 4matic four-wheel-drive system. Expect the usual range of C-Class engines to be on offered in the GLK.The exact launch date for the GLK is not clear.

A September unveiling in Frankfurt may be too early, which would leave the Los Angeles, Detroit, or Geneva auto shows as other potential launch events for the GLK to make its official bow.Next SUV to be released will be the little brother of the GL, the smaller GLK, based on the new C-Class Station wagon 4-matic.

Mercedes decided to join the group of smaller luxury SUVs that has been BMW X3 domain for the last years. And with Audi also developing a small SUV, the Q5, it will be crowded in that class. Power is expected to come from four and six cylinder engines, both petrol and diesel and later on there could be a V8 powered GLK 55 AMG version too.

All versions are expected to have the 7 G-Tronic, TouchShift automatic transmissions. The GLK will be built in Bremen/Germany alongside the C-Class, rather then in the US plant that builds the ML and GL. The price is expected to start at about 35.000 Euros or £20,000 when it will hit the showrooms in late 2008.

New Car: 2008 Seat Altea Freetrack XL4

You're looking at the first 4x4 Seat will sell in the UK; this is the Altea Freetrack and, unlike the recent crop of faux-4x4s from VW and Renault, Seat’s first attempt at jacking up a road car and adding some body cladding actually has a dose of real off-road ability.

The Altea Freetrack, based on an Altea XL, gets the VW group’s Haldex four-wheel drive system, as used by the Octavia Scout. It also has 40mm of extra ground clearance, which should mean it will be capable of dealing with more than just a gravel path.

Previewed by the Freetrack concept at this year’s Geneva motor show, the production car is essentially the same as the show car without the boot-mounted spare wheel. Some of the concept’s detailing has been toned down – the body-colour mouldings have been replaced by matt black cladding - but it retains protective underbody skid plates at the front and rear.

Engine options will be the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol four-pot from the Golf GTi with 197bhp, or the 168bhp 2.0-litre turbodiesel. The petrol will reach 62mph in 7.5sec, the diesel in 8.7sec.

Inside it’s much the same as the standard Altea XL – the main differences are a new gearknob embossed with the Freetrack logo and a steering wheel with a dash-coloured insert.

Although this is Seat’s first vehicle with off-road pretensions, it is not Seat’s all-new SUV.

Confirmed by Seat boss Eric Schmitt for production at the Paris motor show, that car will be a bespoke model, with front and four-wheel drive powertrains, and will share mechanicals with the new VW Tiguan.

A Smashing Start For Nissan

In a coup that's sure to make sister company and safety champion Renault green with envy, Nissan's new Qashqai hatchback-cum-4x4 has scored the highest rating ever recorded by Euro NCAP for adult occupant protection.

The Qashqai scored five stars and 37 points in the European benchmark crash test; that's maximum points for protection of occupants in a side impact, maximum points in NCAP's offset front pole crash test, and near-maximum points in the frontal impact test.

In the crash safety body's other tests, the car also scored highly; it was awarded four stars for child occupant protection and two stars for pedestrian protection. The only car in the class that betters it in either of those areas is the Toyota Auris.

Mazda2 Production Starts

The first Mazda 2 rolled off the production line in Hiroshima yesterday. Vice President of Mazda, Robert Graziano, led the celebrations claiming that the new Mazda 2 "is the first of our new generation products to evolve to the next stage".

By this, he refers to Mazda's plan to produce driver's cars that are also safer and more environmentally friendly.

Following this strategy, the new Mazda 2 is 100kg lighter than the outgoing model in order to improve performance and economy, whilst the styling should suit the global markets that Mazda are now targeting.

The Mazda 2 made it's debut at this year's Geneva Show, where we reckoned it was one of the best new cars on show.

Sales begin in the UK later this year, and we can't wait to find out if Mazda has managed everything it claims regarding this all-important model. You'll be the first to know when we do.

The new Mazda2 is based on the same platform as the Ford Fiesta. The first image is showing a Lime Green Mazda2 which rolled off the production line.

V8 Toyota Sequoia Caught

This isn't the best spy photo we've seen in awhile, but they are the first shots of the 2008 Toyota Sequoia. Built on the same platform as the Tundra pickup, this full-size SUV will get the same lineup of V8 engines along with five- and six-speed automatic transmissions. And you can bet it will match the Chevrolet Tahoe and Ford Expedition when it comes to interior dimensions as well. Expect to see this new SUV in full production trim by the end of this year with sales beginning shortly thereafter.

The Sequoia will be borrowing syling cues of the 2007 Toyota Tundra.

Abarth-ing The Fiat 500

At the rear, there's a hint of a roof spoiler nestling under a strip of black tape, and most of the brightwork (bar the door handles) from the 500 is dechromed, replaced by body coloured red or black trim. Does it work? To our eyes, yes - the 500 Abarth looks sharp and purposeful and, above all, fun. Just what a sporting 500 should be.

The red paint on this prototype is telling; Fiat is planning an unparalleled range of colours inside and out for the new 500, with the hope of surpassing Mini's extensive choice of personalisation. So expect lots of scope for tailoring your 500 to your exact whim. Fiat has used online microsites to gauge fans' interest in picking wild options and decals, so expect some pretty wacky toys with which to spec your car.

If the new Fiat 500 is one of the most intriguing new cars of 2007, this must be one of the highlights of next year: the Abarth version of Fiat's latest retro supermini, aimed squarely at the fashionable Mini set.

Spies were at the Nurburgring in Germany when Fiat's engineers took this prototype out for testing.

At the rear, there's a hint of a roof spoiler nestling under a strip of black tape, and most of the brightwork (bar the door handles) from the 500 is dechromed, replaced by body coloured red or black trim. Does it work? To our eyes, yes - the 500 Abarth looks sharp and purposeful and, above all, fun. Just what a sporting 500 should be.

The red paint on this prototype is telling; Fiat is planning an unparalleled range of colours inside and out for the new 500, with the hope of surpassing Mini's extensive choice of personalisation. So expect lots of scope for tailoring your 500 to your exact whim. Fiat has used online microsites to gauge fans' interest in picking wild options and decals, so expect some pretty wacky toys with which to spec your car.

Extra Extra, Nissan Qashqai Gets 7 Seats

Up to the B-pillar it's standard Qashqai. Beyond that, Nissan's Cranfield engineers have inserted an additional 200mm into the chassis, raising and extending the roofline to make way for the third row of seats.The two slimmed down occasional seats will fold down flat in to the floor of the loadbay when not use, and will be equipped with individual three-point harnesses. And don't expect much luggage space with a full complement of passengers either - with the sixth and seventh seat erected, the boot will be good for a few soft bags and no more.

Keen to expand the sales appeal of its Sunderland-built Qashqai, Nissan is hurrying a seven-seater version of its off-roader cum hatchback to market. Sitting on an extended wheelbase and offering two third-row rear seats, the long-wheel base Qashqai will be primed to take on the Mitsubishi Outlander and its Citroen C-Crosser and Peugeot 4007 spin-offs.

Seven seats aside, the extended Qashqai will be little changed from the standard five-seat version. That means a comprehensive line-up of 115 bhp 1.6 and 140 bhp 2.0-litre petrol and 105 bhp 1.5 and 150 bhp 2.0-litre turbo diesel units, with the choice of front or four-wheel drive. No word on pricing yet, but expect to pay a £1500 premium over the standard model - for a £15,000 kick-off price. And given the production-ready look of this test car, expect it to arrive early next year.Step back and the hand of Carlos Ghosn can be seen, with Nissan borrowing a page out of Renault's model strategy -like the Scenic and Grand Scenic at sister company Renault, the Qashqai would offer five and seven-seater versions of the same car. Spinning two models off the same architecture at very cost - he's not called the cost-cutter king for nothing.

So far 5200 Nissan Qashqai's have been sold with most sale going to the UK market. Several prototypes have been sighted in the UK and Germany.

Dodging Camera's

These are the first spy shots of the 2009 Dodge Ram. Caught during some hot weather testing in the Southwest of the US, these Ram truck prototypes reveal a few of the changes in store for the next-generation truck that will go on sale late next year. Even with all the camouflage over the new front clip, it's easy to make out the more aerodynamic look of this Ram's design. The big crosshair grille remains, but the "shoulders" of the current truck are gone in favor of a broad, flat hood which extends all the way across. In back, the Ram will get new taillights similar to the revamped Dakota shown earlier this year.

Under the hood, expect to see the Ram incorporate Chrysler's latest V6 and V8 engines. The 4.0-liter V6 first introduced in the Grand Caravan is the likely choice for the base Ram engine as it provides more torque than the current 3.7-liter V6. An upgrade to the twin-plug 4.7-liter V8 may occur as early as this year as production of the revised engine it's already scheduled for the 2008 Dakota. An upgrade for the top-of-the-line 5.7-liter Hemi V8 is likely too, although it's already one of the more powerful engines in its class. Expect to see the debut of this new Ram next spring with sales beginning in the fall.

Byding By The Supermini Rule

As we all know Chinese car makers have a habit of cloning cars that aren't sold in China.

Byd is now following the Chinese cloning trend. Beneath this disguise lies a facelift Toyota Aygo which would be perfect for Europe but a facelfit Aygo is very unlikely in Europe.

Parked behind the cloned Aygo is a Cadillac STS. The Byd Aygo/Supermini or whatever they' decide to call it will only be sold in China.

Citroen 2CV To Come Back?

British car magazine Auto Express is reporting that French automaker Citroën is planning to bring back a successor to the 2CV, its classic cheap people's car. Showing images of the VW Beetle-like car with a long, flat clamshell-style hood that shows its relationship to its ancestors, the news story says it takes over "where the Evoque concept car of 2005 left off" and calls the shape "instantly recognizable."

Auto Express says the new 2CV could have a hybrid diesel engine and plastic body panels that would join to give the car good fuel economy and low emissions, as well as a "minimalist" interior and a "retro" speedometer. The gearlever will be centrally placed as in the previous models, the publication says.A panoramic glass top or a roll-back canvas top would be available on the new 2CV.The publication cites inside sources as saying a concept could be out as soon as 2009. To so many Europeans, the 2CV is a fond memory from their youth and their learner's-permit days.

Reported production could start in 2 years (2009) and prices could start around 6,500 GBP or less so the car shouldn't destroy the Citroen C1 sales.

Kia Sorento Replacement Snapped

We brought you the first pictures of what we thought was the next Sorento but we were wrong, it will be a Sorento replacement for 2008.

Here we have is the latest spy shot of Kia's new SUV undergoing cold weather testing in Northern Sweden.

One thing that stands out about this vehicle is the size of it. The new large SUV will seat 7 people with a seat configuration of 2+3+2. The new SUV will be measuring just about the same size as the 2007 Hyundai VeraCruz.

Engines are still unknown but don't expect it to be easy on your wallet when it comes to re-fuelling. Both diesel and petrol engines will be offered and if we're lucky we could be seeing a V8 in it.

The vehicle is yet to be named but the name "Mesa" is what its called at the moment. A European debut is unlikely so expect to see the beast debut in an upcoming American Motorshow.

Pricing is yet to be announced.

2008 Honda Acccord Sedan Spied!

After we showed you pictures of the 2008 Accord Coupe undergoing testing in the U.S, spy photographers have now spied the 4 door sedan undergoing testing too. As with the coupe the 4 door sedan is in minimal disguise.

Expect to see this sedan debut along side the coupe this fall with sales beginning in the U.S. by the end of the year.

Seat Goes Off-Roading

This is the Seat Altea XL4. The vehicle is based on the Seat Altea XL and it has a 4WD system so that's where the name come's from.

Based off the FreeTrack concept that was shown in 2007 Geneva Motorshow, spies capture 2 pre-production model's undergoing testing in Spain and with no camouflage.

Seat is joining the new trend of crossovers like the Volkswagen CrossTouran and Renault Scenic Conquest.

No word on prices yet but expected the prices to be competitive but more expensive than the Seat Altea XL.

Genesising All The Way

Sticking with Hyundai, the latest test mules of the Genesis have now been caught. Caught testing in the U.S this mid-sized luxury car will be on the market by 2008 using rear wheel drive and a V8 to power the car.

Despite the tape and vinyl covers the Genesis production model should hint at the concept that was shown at the 2007 New York Motorshow. This time round the prototypes aren't reveling anything new.

Size wise the Genesis is longer than the Azera/Grandeur but 4 inches shorter than the Chrysler 300C.

No word yet whether the car will be sold in Europe but if is does then diesel engines will have to be offered.

2010 Hyundai Coupe/Tiburon Caught!

Thats right, some amateurs photographers managed to capture the 2010 Hyundai Coupe undergoing testing in South Korea.

The current model had a facelift and has recently gone on sale across Europe. Tiburon means "shark" in Spanish.

The new model is expected to be bigger, wider and longer than the current model. Some of the styling for the new model is expected to come from the Hyundai HCD8 concept.

Its clear the test mules in using a manual transmission which is connected to a turbocharged direct injection 2.0 petrol engine. The next model is also expected to be more upper market than the current car.

Rumors are reporting a V8 which will be used in the upcoming 2008 Hyundai Genesis. As ever the new coupe is likely to be rear wheel drive and prices could start around $20,000 with the top specs reaching around high $30,000.

Its not sure whether this prototype is for Europe or other Hyundai Coupe markets but its been proven this is defiantly not for the U.S.

Dodge and Chrysler Crossover

Dodge engineers have begun testing prototypes for a new crossover vehicle to do battle with the Ford Edge, Toyota Highlander, and the rest of the burgeoning crossover crowd. This new model known internally as the JC49 is based on the just-released Chrysler Sebring and soon-to-be Dodge Avenger sedans, although this spin-off is clearly larger than its platform-mates.

Despite the camouflage, typical Dodge styling cues show through. The cross-hair grille design takes after the Avenger, the headlights appear to have some of the Nitro's detailing, while the chiseled shoulder line, flared wheel arches and chunky lower body sculpting appear somewhat Caliber-inspired.

The taillights have Dodge's typical red lenses with white bands, as on the Charger and Avenger. The prototype also displays a fetching profile, thanks to a nicely raked windshield and a rising beltline, which gives this new Dodge a fairly athletic stance.

DaimlerChrysler reps have described this model as a "new concept crossover", somehow designed to separate it from its competitors, but from what we can see here it's pretty much what you would expect from the mainstream crossover offering. Where this model might cause a stir is in price -- if initial reports of a starting price around $20,000 hold true. To go for that price, we expect that it will be offered in both four- and six-cylinder forms. This seems to fit the evidence we have seen on the testing circuit, since, in addition to the dual exhausts visible on the prototype in our photos, we spotted another prototype sporting a single exhaust.

Dodge's new mid-size crossover will be built in its updatedToluca, Mexico assembly plant, alongside the PT Cruiser. Dodge planners hope for 150,000 annual sales of this model. A production run in the east China province of Fujian is reportedly also planned, for export to other markets outside of North America.

The JC49 is expected to reach the market in early 2008. A Chrysler spin-off is possible for 2010, likely serving as the replacement for the Pacifica.

Codenamed JC49, these are exclusive pictures of the upcoming crossover to be built by the Dodge boys in Toluca, Mexico, and sold in Europe as a Dodge and Chrysler – referred to as the “JZ49” – at the same time.

Both versions will be built on the new Sebring platform, with production scheduled to start in December of 2007, and an on-sale date of early 2008. Chrysler’s version will likely not arrive before the 2010 model year and may replace the retro-styled PT Cruiser. Wearing completely unique sheet metal, the Chrysler model will only account for 25% of the total units built.

Size-wise, the new crossover will measure in a bit larger than Honda’s CR-V, Hyundai’s Santa Fe and the Toyota RAV4 – and hopes to compete directly with Ford’s new Edge in the U.S. The car-based crossover will be offered in a FWD configuration, with AWD optional. A 3.5-litre V6 is guaranteed to be one of the several offerings.

The crossover is likely to come into Europe with a range of petrol and diesel engines and with a range of transmissions too although the AWD drive option isn't likely to make it here.

Volkswagen goes touring....

With the next Touran. Due to go on sale in 2009, the new model will be bigger, wider and more eye catching than the current model.

Despite the Touran being facelifted recently, the next model should offer more fuel efficent engines and a BlueMotion model is likely to be on the way.

The current Touran offers around 500 seat configurations.

There is no word on what engines will be offered for the next generation but don't expect the engines to changed to much. Test mules will be out early next year and prices could change slightly. For the base model, the price could start around £15,000.

Queuing for 5

For the first time we can exclusively reavel how the Audi Q5 will look. Lurking beneath the brown cover lies Audi's answer to the BMW X3 and Mercedes’ upcoming GLK. The small SUV will be built at the Ingolstadt factory in Germany. Audi has invested 300 million Euros for the production that will keep 1700 employees busy. Based on the same new platform as the A5 and upcoming A4, Audi will start the production of the Q5 in 2008.

The platform’s layout will make it possible for Audi to offer a full range of engines, meaning that the brand´s various FSI-equipped four and six cylinder engines, plus some high efficiency diesel models will be offered. Most likely the 2.0-litre TDI and the 3.0 litre V6 TDI.It’s even possible that the 4.2 litre V8 will find its way under the hood for an S-line version.

All Q5 will have an updated version of the Quattro all-wheel-drive system with a six-speed manual or the new seven-speed DSG gearbox. Expect the Q5 to come equipped with hill-descent control and an adjustable air suspension. Unlike the Q7, the Q5 will do without the third row of seats and remain a five seater.

Volkswagen's 300bhp Golf

Don’t get fooled by the R32 badge on the front, this is the secret new Golf R36. For those who believe the 250bhp engine in the R32 isn’t enough, Volkswagen is developing a 300bhp version of this cannonball. The engine, recently released in the Passat R36, is showing enlarged air intake openings in the front bumper fascia.

Compared to the R32, these air intakes in this R36 prototype look huge. As in the R32, this R36 gets the power down with four wheel drive and a DSG-gearbox. Note that the prototype has also a slightly different front grille. The Golf R36 will have its market launch just before the debut of the next generation Golf VI, however, expect to see it debut in semi-concept form at this year's Frankfurt Motor show in September.

This is the only prototype thats on the Nurburgring racetrack in Germany undegoing high speed testing