Just ahead of the car’s debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show, Lamborghini has released photos of its Reventón Roadster.

The drop-top Reventón is rumored to be made in even more limited numbers than the coupe, with just 10 versions being built. And while the coupe model looked wild, but didn’t really offer any performance gain over the standard LP640, the Roadster is expected to get theLP670 SV’s 6.5-liter V12 with 670hp and 487 ft-lbs fo torque, enabling it to hit 62 mph in 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 212 mph.

Pricing is expected to be rated at roughly 1.15 million Euros, although if you haven’t already put down your deposit, you’ll have to wait for a second-hand version, as all 10 units are being pre-sold.

We’ll be sure to bring you official details of the car with live coverage from the Frankfurt Auto Show starting September 15.

GALLERY: Reventón Roadster

[Source: WorldCarFans]

Koenigsegg’s bid to purchase GM’s Swedish Saab brand was contingent on the company securing additional funding, either through external investment or through loans. With the Swedish government not overly excited about bailing out Saab and after rejecting attempts by Volvo to secure assistance, Keonigsegg has looked to the private sector and overseas for an interested party.

Koenigsegg Group AB has now announced it has found just that in Chinese automaker Beijing Automotive Industry Holdings.

The deal has yet to be finalized and no monetary amount has been given, but Koenigsegg did say that Beijing Auto will be a minority non-controlling shareholder.

In return Saab will not only get much-needed funding but also access to the massive Chinese marketplace.

“This is an important step on the road to a new SAAB Automobile. We have a solid business plan, an important partnership and we are now in a position to go ahead without any governmental financing,” said Christian von Koenigsegg, CEO of Koenigsegg Group AB.

Official release after the jump:

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After much speculation, Toyota has finally confirmed that a concept version of the Prius Plug-In Hybrid will appear at the Frankfurt Auto Show next week.

Designed to take on the Chevy Volt, there is no word on when full public sales of the Prius PHV start, while the Volt is scheduled for sale in early 2011. “Although we like to be first to market with these technologies, it’s more important that we are best to market,” said Irv Miller, TMS group vice president, environmental and public affairs. “This demonstration program will ensure that the vehicles we bring to market will not just meet customer expectations, but exceed them.”

As for the numbers, they don’t sound all that competitive, with an expected electric-only range of 12 miles, as opposed to the 40 miles claimed by General Motors. Using Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive and lithium-ion batteries, Toyota says the Prius PHV will be able to reach highway speeds on pure electric power. Engineers at the Japanese automaker are also looking beyond lithium batteries for future energy solutions.

Later this year Toyota will deliver 500 Prius PHV vehicles, 150 of which will be sold in the United States.

Official release after the jump:

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After releasing some exciting technical info on an all-new Power Stroke engine for the 2011 F-Series Super Duty, Ford has now announced plans to officially unveil the new diesel pickup at the Texas State Fair, with sales starting in the Spring of next year.

Under the hood of the new F-Series Super Duty will be a revolutionary new 6.7-liter Power Stroke turbo-diesel engine. The all-new engine promises a, “significant improvement in torque, horsepower and fuel economy,” says Ford in a press release, stating that this new F-Series Super Duty would continue to be a class leader in both payload and towing. It will also be significantly quieter than past diesels.

Numerous high-tech innovations have been employed in building this new engine, starting with a compacted graphite iron (CGI) engine block that Ford says is twice as strong as standard iron blocks. This was deemed necessary due to the increases in power output.

The new engine makes use of a Honeywell single variable turbine turbo (similar to the one found on the Porsche 911 Turbo), but takes turbo technology a step further still. Instead of one, there are two compressor wheels driven off a single turbine impeller, working like a bi-turbo setup that gives the engine a fast response time with little lag as well as the power of a larger turbo.

Visually, the new engine looks remarkably different, due to the fact that the intake and exhaust systems are the reverse of a conventional engine. The exhaust manifolds sit in the valley of the big V8 engine, while the intake manifold is on the outside. This means the cylinder heads are essentially flipped around.

By significantly reducing the amount of exhaust piping, lag is reduced considerably. Additionally, this new packaging moves the hotter elements of the engine (like the turbocharger and exhaust pipes) away from the intake areas, ensuring a constant supply of cool air to the engine. And as for that turbo, it sits in the valley between the cylinder banks. Due to its location, spool up is considerably faster and the engine’s overall balance is improved. Another major benefit of this setup is that that cab no longer has to be removed from the frame if work needs to be done on the turbo. The fuel-pump, EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) components and the thermostats are also easily accessible from the front of the vehicle.

Ford still hasn’t released any info on how much power the new Super Duty makes, but we’ll be sure to report on it as soon as they do.

GALLERY: 2011 Ford Power Stroke 6.7-Liter V8

[Source: Autoblog]

Mercedes will debut a plug-in hybrid version of the S-Class at the Frankfurt Auto Show next week. The car, apparently labeled the Vision S500 PHEV (Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle), will be powered by a V6 gasoline engine, connected to an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack. The uber-saloon will be able to travel up to 18.6 miles (30 km) on pure electric power before the gasoline engine kicks in to recharge the batteries.

Mercedes claims the car should get roughly 73.5 mpg (3.2L/100km).

While fuel-efficient, the car is also reported to be a performer, with a 0-62 mph time of 5.5 seconds.

“The Vision S 500 HYBRID is a new milestone on our path toward zero-emission mobility,” said Mercedes CEO Dr. Dieter Zetsche. It is a luxurious and safe S-Class vehicle that offers superior driving performance while at the same time consuming less fuel than current compacts. All of this shows that our top models will also be able to combine automotive fascination with responsibility for the environment.”

We’ll be sure to bring you more on the Vision S500, with live coverage from the Frankfurt Auto Show starting September 15th.

GALLERY: S-Class PHEV

[Source: WorldCarFans]

A judge in Ontario has overturned a charge of street racing against a grandmother from the city of Oakville (just outside Toronto), declaring that the law is unconstitutional. This ruling now opens the flood gates for others charged under the province’s “Street Racing” law to contest their charges in court. And there are a lot of others.

Two years ago the Ontario provincial government passed a law stating that anyone charged going 50 km/h (31 mph) over the posted speed limit would be labeled a street racer and would face a roadside license suspension for seven days, having their car impounded and face a possible $10,000 fine and jail time if convicted. Since the law was passed, over 15,000 people have been charged.

The judge ruled that the law was unconstitutional because it allows for jail time even though the speeder can’t fight the charges. To put it more simply, because the charge is based on undeniable proof from a police radar gun that the person charged was in fact exceeding the posted speed limit by 50 km/h or more, a conviction is automatic, thereby removing the possibility of a defense.

The case was brought to court by Jane Raham, who was clocked doing over 130 km/h (80 mph) in a 80 km/h (50 mph) zone, while passing a truck.

Despite the ruling, Ontario Provincial Police constable Dave Woodford said, “It’s business as usual,” declaring that his police force will continue to charge people under the law even though it has been declared unconstitutional.

We’re not legal experts, but that sure doesn’t sound like “the true north strong and free.”

The Ontario government has declared it will appeal the ruling.

[Source: London Free Press]

[Photo Credit: Canada.com]

General Motors has just announced a deal that will see it’s European Opel brand sold off to Canadian autoparts supplier Magna International. The deal has yet to be finalized, but this morning GM announced Magna was the preferred bidder.

The sale will see Magna and Russian backer Sberbank take a 55 percent stake in both Opel and Vauxhall. Opel employees will get a 10 percent stake in the new company. GM will continue to hold on to a 35 percent stake in Opel.

“The hard work over the past two weeks to clarify open issues and resolve details in the German financial package brought GM and its Board of Directors to recommend Magna/Sberbank,” said Fritz Henderson, GM President and CEO. “We thank all parties involved in the intensive process of the last few months — especially the German government — for their continued support that enables this new venture. I’d also like to thank the Opel and Vauxhall customers for their continued loyalty. GM will continue to closely collaborate with Opel and Vauxhall to develop and produce more great cars, such as the new Insignia and the new Astra,” Henderson added.

The deal will see continued cooperation by GM and Opel, allowing the two automakers to take advantage of economies of scale. The cooperation will also extend to projects like the Ampera (pictured above), a European version of the Chevy Volt.

Official release after the jump:

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Easily one of the most anticipated debuts at the Frankfurt Auto Show is the convertible version of the Audi R8. The folks over at WorldCarFans seem to have gotten a hold of a selection of official Audi images of the R8. What we do know (other than the fact that it’s incredibly stunning) is that Audi will only release the convertible version with the 525hp 5.2-liter V10 engine.

What we don’t know is what is will be called. Sure, it’s a convertible, but will it be called the R8 Spider or Spyder, like the Italians tend to do, or will Audi stick to its German routes and use the efinimate ‘Cabriolet’ term. There is also the classic ‘Roadster’ 

Audi will officially unveil the drop-top R8 on September 15th at the Frankfurt Auto Show. Be sure to check back then for our live (and frequent) updates.

GALLERY: Audi R8 Convertible

[Source: WorldCarFans]

After several teaser images, Lexus has finally released a full selection of exterior and interior images of the LF-Ch Concept, which will officially debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September 15th and head into production next year.

Set to compete in the premium compact segment against cars like the Volvo C30, BMW 1 Series and Audi A3, this new Lexus hatchback will be the only hybrid in the segment. Lexus isn’t saying anything about the hybrid system yet, however, and there’s no guarantee they will when the concept debuts in Frankfurt. Lexus has filed for patents on several new names, including CT200h, which seems to indicate the car will come with a hybrid powertrain similar to the one in the HS250h.

The entire design for the LF-Ch evokes Lexus’s L-Finesse design language. While the exterior is definitely sporty with oversized rims, an aggressive stance, LED headlights and plenty of jagged lines, the interior might just be more impressive. This is no Prius. Inside there are equally as many hard and sharp lines with a sporty steering wheel (featuring paddle shifters), as well as a DVD/Navigation system that pops out of the dash. There is even a version of Lexus’s Remote Touch feature, as seen on the RX450h.  

GALLERY: Lexus LF-Ch Concept

Official release after the jump:

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It may surprise you to learn that these are the first images of the new SLS AMG supercar from Mercedes. Not only does the car look startlingly familiar to the legendary 300SL Gullwing, but thanks to spy photos (some of which were even provided by Mercedes) and a few leaked images here and there, there’s a good change you’ve already seen this new 563hp retro-styled exotic.

Powered by the same 6.2-liter V8 engine found in all of AMG’s 63 models, but with reworked internals, the SLS makes a total of 563hp and 479 ft-lbs of torque – enough to propel the SLS AMG all the way to 62 mph in 3.8 seconds and on to a top speed of 196 mph.

The engine uses a dry-sump lubrication system (great for serious abuse), as well as a transaxle and a double-clutch seven speed transmission. That tansaxle layout means that the tranny is located out back (for an ideal weight balance of 48/52) and it attached to the engine by a carbon fiber driveshaft.

The projected curb weight is just 3,571 lbs, due mostly to the fact that this is the first model Mercedes has ever produced with an all aluminum chassis and body.

Weight is also saved by using carbon ceramic brakes and light weight wheels, that measure 19×9.5-inches up front and 20×11-inches in the rear. Tires measure 265/35/19 front and 295/30/22 rear.

As for the styling we have to say its growing on us. From some angles its achingly beautiful, while from others it’s just ok. We’ll report back as soon as it’s unveiled at the Frankfurt Auto Show on September 15th.

GALLERY: 2010 Mercedes SLS AMG