Brabus will introduce what it calls the world’s “fastest and most powerful office on wheels” at the Frankfurt Auto Show on September 15th.

The Brabus SV12R is based on the latest Mercedes S600 facelifted model. Brabus designers gave the SV12R a custom-tailored aluminum sport fenders with clear-coated carbon air vents.

The SV12R is powered by a Biturbo 6.3-liter twelve-cylinder engine that Brabus says can produce 750 hp and a peak torque of 995 ft-lbs. With those stats, Brabus says the SV12R can go 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.0 seconds and reach 124 mph in 11.9 seconds. The SV12R is electronically capped to a top speed of 211 mph.

The SV12R comes with a 3 ghz tablet notebook computer that docks in a drawer hidden in the trunk. A 15.2 inch monitor inside the car is fully integrated with the interior leather. Internet access is provided by a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS).

We’ll have more details when the car is introduced at the Frankfurt Auto Show, starting Sept. 15.

GALLERY: Brabus SV12R

In front of a select audience, Jaguar took the wraps off its Limo-Green Concept, a hybrid version of the company’s newly-released 2010 XJ flagship. The car will appear at the Frankfurt Auto Show starting tomorrow (September 15th).

Powered by a 145kw (195hp) and 295 ft-lb electric motor and a 1.2-liter gasoline engine (developed by Lotus), the car is capable of 30 miles under pure electric power before the gasoline engine kicks in to provide an extended range of 600 miles. Jaguar says the car is rated at 57 mpg and a top speed of 112 mph.

The Limo-Green is more than just a fanciful concept car, however, and Jaguar says it will begin testing a production model next year. Anthony Harper, head of research at Jaguar Land Rover, told the U.K.’s AutoCar that Jaguar originally began testing this Range Extender engine in the previous XJ but decided to switch to the new chassis when it debuted just a few months back.

Jaguar won’t set a date for when the Limo-Green Concept could see production and did warn that it could be a while as the parts involved are still prohibitively expensive and not quite up to Jaguar standards yet.

[Source: AutoCar]

Back in 2002 Volkswagen first showed its two-seater One-Liter Concept car and tomorrow at the Frankfurt Auto Show Germany’s largest automaker will unveil an updated version of that vehicle.

Called the One-Liter or L1 Concept because of its ability to travel 100km on 1 liter of gasoline (235 mpg), the latest edition isn’t quite so fuel-efficient, but it is slightly more realistic. Reported to be powered by a 29hp two-cylinder diesel engine mated to a seven-seed DSG transmission, and weighing just 380 kg (838 lbs) the L1 is capable of 189.6 mpg.

As mini-cars continue to grow in popularity in markets like Europe and Asia, a production version of the L1 Concept is a possibility in the not-too-distant future. Volkswagen has also been clear about its intent to develop small vehicles for developing markets.

We’ll have to wait until tomorrow (September 15th) when Volkswagen will reportedly unveil the latest L1 Concept at the Frankfurt Auto Show to see just exactly where VW is headed with its latest concept.

GALLERY: Volkswagen tandem L1 Concept

[Source: AutoCar]

Just ahead of the car’s official debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show tomorrow, images and details of the Mazda MX-5 Superlight have leaked onto the web.

Weighing just 2,194 lbs (995 kg), down from the stock 2,381 (1,080 kg), the car sheds roughly 200 lbs of weight.

Mazda says the concept car was designed to capture “the pure essence of the world’s most popular roadster, the Mazda MX-5,” and has included plenty of motorsports design cues including carbon fiber racing seats and plenty of carbon fiber details inside.

Power comes from a 124hp 1.8-liter four-cylinder (rather than the 169hp 2.0-liter 4-cylinder currently offered in North America), mated to a Mazdaspeed cold air intake and exhaust, allowing the car to hit 62 mph in 8.9 seconds while getting 44.8 mpg.

Interestingly the Superlight’s track is 50mm wider than the stock car and the Bilstein suspension sits 30mm lower on 17-inch wheels.

The MX-5 Superlight is reported to be the first of several concept cars that will shape the direction of the next MX-5 Miata. Mazda wants the car to return to its light-weight roots with good handling and fuel-economy, while keeping all the car’s fun-to-drive aspects – hence the design. And by equipping the concept car with a smaller engine than the chassis is currently offered with we have to think this is a big hint that Mazda will down-size the next engine of the MX-5 – with a turbocharged 4-cylinder a strong possibility.

GALLERY: Mazda Miata MX-5 Superlight

[Source: AutoCar]

Thanks to a budding spy-photographer with a cell phone camera we have these images of the next Infiniti QX. Reportedly taken at a private event in the middle-east, the photos show a significantly revised look with much of the old luxury SUV’s odd proportions smoothed over.

Looking a lot more like it’s Lexus LX competition, the QX gets an imposing grille and what appear to be smaller windows, giving the SUV a more serious look. It also gets a massive set of wheels and some fender vents.

There’s no official word that it will continue to be called the QX56, but its unlikely Infiniti will have an all-new engine for such a low volume vehicle. We’ll be sure to bring you updates once Infiniti makes an official announcement on the 2011 QX.

GALLERY: 2011 Infiniti QX

[Source: VWVortex]

According to a recent report in the U.K.’s AutoCar, Saab is planning a hybrid version of the upcoming 9-5. The system will use a small 1.4-liter turbocharged gasoline engine, which will be assisted by an electric motor. Sounding similar to the setup found in the Honda Insight, this will not be a two-mode hybrid and will not be able to operate exclusively on electric power. Instead the electric motor’s immediate torque will be used to help the small gasoline engine which will then take over at highway speeds.

While not overly sophisticated, the system is much less expensive than a full hybrid setup like in the Toyota Prius. Saab is hoping that with diesel-like fuel-economy, the refinement of a gasoline engine, and a lower price than diesel competitors, the 9-5 Hybrid will be attractive to customers (particularly in Europe) would would opt for a diesel BMW, Audi or Mercedes.

[Report: AutoCar]

In a brief statement, Chrysler has announced that the Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance (GEMA) is now entirely owned by the U.S. automaker, with both former partners, Mitsubishi and Hyundai, having sold their parts of the company.

This may sound like a dull bit of business news, but it could most certainly have a big impact on some of the coolest engines on the planet. Sure, the engines that originated from GEMA have found there way into less exciting vehicles like the Chrysler Sebring, but the same engines have also been the backbone of cars like the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution (pictured above) and Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.oT. The high-powered Caliber SRT4 also used a version of a GEMA engine.

Three basic engines have come out of GEMA with displacements of 1.8, 2.0 and 2.4-liters, many of which were fitted with turbochargers and superchargers to make as much as 300hp.

There is no word if the end of the GEMA partnership could affect future Hyundai and Mitsubishi powertrain developments, but you can be sure the decision had a lot to do with Chrysler’s new Fiat ownership.

Official release after the jump:

Continue Reading…

Lotus is on a motorsports roll as of late, releasing racing versions of the Elise, Exige 260 and now this, the company’s flagship Evora model. Called the Type 124, this race-prepped Evora gets a 400hp version of the Toyota Camry’s V6 motor, mated to a six-speed sequential transmission.

The Lotus mantra is to build fast cars through the use of light-weight components and so the company’s road cars are already featherweights by comparison to most of the competition. Impressively, through the use of carbon fiber body parts and a fully striped out interior, Lotus engineers managed to drop an additional 440 lbs from the curb weight of the Evora, reducing it to just 2,600 lbs.

Other racing components on the car include a full roll cage, 18-inch wheels with Pirelli racing slicks, a new suspension setup as well as AP Racing brakes with six-piston calipers. The car meets FIA standards and will debut at next year’s Nürburgring 24 Hour race. Lotus says it will run a factory backed team in 2010 and 2011 and we would imagine the Evora Tye 124 will also be made available to private teams to compete in motorsports throughout the world.

“Every Lotus car is designed to be at home on the race track as well as the road, and the Evora is no different,” said Roger Becker, Vehicle Engineering Director for Group Lotus Plc. “Designed primarily as an everyday road car, the Evora’s lightweight and stiff structure, its aerodynamics and performance means that it is perfectly suited to taming race tracks around the world, and we are looking forward to seeing the new Lotus Evora Type 124 Endurance Racecar line up on the grid for the 2010 season.”

GALLERY: Lotus Evora Tye 124 Endurance Race Car

Official release after the jump:

Continue Reading…

Toyota had set September 24th as the date to officially unveil the 2010 4Runner at the Texas State Fair, but thanks to an insider over at Toyota-4Runner.org, we have these leaked images.

As a true off-road capable SUV with a body on frame construction, the 2010 4Runner looks the part, with plenty of hard lines and A big square front end, helping to differentiate if from the more car-like Highlander.

Toyota is expected to drop the optional V8 engine for 2010 and offer the 4Runner with either a 161-hp four-cylinder or a 268-h V6 engine. Despite the lack of a V8, Toyota has promised the 2010 model will be more capable than in the past, while offering more comfort.

GALLERY: 2010 Toyota 4Runner

[Source: Toyota-4Runner.org via Autoblog]

German luxury tuner Mansory is full of surprises. Just when you think the creative minds at Mansory might have reached the limits of excess by fitting a Murciélago exhaust to a Ferrari 599, painting an SLR in Matte gold or completely modifying a Bugatti Veyron, they do this. Called the Vitesse Rosé, this baby pink Bentley is a perfect Barbie-mobile.

While the pink paint is the most obvious, this Bentley Continental GT Speed also gets a complete Mansory aero kit including a new front bumper with wider openings, side skirts and a new rear bumper with a diffuser. There is also an exposed carbon fiber hood to drop a few pounds on the hefty Bentley, with a carbon rear lip out back.

Additional exterior details include the set of 21-inch wheels, but the real surprise is inside, where a pink and purple diamond stitched leather and Alcantara cockpit assaults the eyes.

Mansory will debut this Vitesse Rosé for the first time at the Frankfurt Auto Show next week. The car will be available in a limited edition for a price of 269,000 euros ($383,000).

GALLERY: Mansory Vitesse Rosé

Official release after the jump:

Continue Reading…