At a technology briefing held today at Ford’s Advance Engineering Center in Dearborn, MI, company representatives gave a sneak peak at the automaker’s green plans. The lineup includes official introduction plans for both a battery electric vehicle and Ford’s first plug-in hybrid (PHEV).

The PHEV will arrive in 2011 and Ford has said it will debut in a C-Class (compact) platform. While rumors have suggested this could be a new Lincoln model, Sue Cischke, Ford Group VP for Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering, all but laid those to rest by commenting that in order to keep costs low, the different powertrain options will be rolled out using the same platform. In other words… look for a Focus plug-in hybrid in 2011.

Ford has decided to go the same route as Toyota when it comes to plug-in hybrid technology, having their plug-in hybrid operate in essentially the same way as a conventional hybrid with a mixture of gasoline and electric power used to move the car. This is different from the formula used by Chevy and the upcoming Volt, which uses gasoline to power the electric motor, which powers the car. Ford didn’t discuss pricing, but did say that their system allows for a much smaller battery. As a result, the battery will be much less expensive, meaning the Ford PHEV, is likely to cost significantly less than the Volt’s targeted $40,000 price point. The Ford PHEV will use a lithium-ion unit.

As for the battery electric vehicle (BEV), it will be just that… a vehicle, a not a car. While an electric Focus is due in 2011, next year Ford will debut an electric version of its new Transit Connect utility truck. Ford representatives acknowledged the problems of launching BEV’s on a large scale and Cischke did say that BEV’s would need the help of government incentives in order to break into the marketplace. Another major problem in getting electric cars into the marketplace is that electric stations need to be created, and while cost certainly is an issue, the larger problem is that Ford’s aroach to the U.S. market is national, while electricity providers are regional.

Ford is expected to debut the all new Focus at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show in January and we expect to hear more about the introduction of its first plug-in hybrid then or shortly thereafter. AutoGuide’s Detroit Auto Show coverage begins January 11th.

***See AutoGuide’s LIVE 2010 Detroit Auto Show Coverage Here***

BMW is bringing the twin-turbocharged six-cyinder 7 Series to North America.

The 2011 BMW 740i and BMW 740Li will be available for sale in the United States in Spring 2010. Both are powered by twin-turbo 3.0L inline six engines with a claimed power output of 315 hp and 330 ft-lb. of torque.

The 740i and 740Li join the V8 750i/750Li and V12 760Li in BMW’s flagship line in North America.

Another example of BMW’s EfficientDynamics “virtual displacement” concept, the twin-turbo inline six promises the power of a V8 but the fuel consumption of a six-cylinder engine.

Other EfficientDynamic features include all-aluminum construction, direct fuel injection, double-VANOS variable camshaft technology and brake energy regeneration.

Both the BMW 740i and BMW 740Li will be available with all 7 Series options including the M Sport, driver assistance, luxury seating, rear entertainment and BMW Individual Composition packages.

Gallery: 2011 BMW 740i / 740Li

Official release after the jump:

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***See AutoGuide’s LIVE 2010 Detroit Auto Show Coverage Here***

Chevy is planning to take full advantage of the 2010 Detroit Auto Show, with a long list of debuts. First up is the production version of the sexy-looking Camaro Convertible, which has been shown in concept form and isn’t likely to get many (if any) changes. Expect the same sort of power plants to be available as with the coupe.

The second big debut will be the all-new Aveo, which is expected to arrive in hot-hatch RS trim first. No details were given, but expect the RS model to feature some nice aluminum wheels and some extra aero bits to spice it up. It’s also likely that under the hood we’ll find Chevy’s new 1.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder EcoTec engine that Chevy first showed at the LA show just a few weeks ago in the all-new Cruze. It makes 138-hp and 148 ft-lbs of torque, while getting 40 mpg on the highway, so it looks like the Aveo might just be a real Ford Fiesta, Honda Fit competitor in the future.

In addition, Chevy is likely to show an updated version of its Orlando MPV, although this isn’t likely to be a full production model yet. Chevrolet has also announced that an all-new Malibu is due out for 2012 and that the Spark will in fact launch in North America in 2011 (despite rumors that it wasn’t going to see U.S. shores).

GALLERY: Chevrolet Camaro Convertible Concept

[Source: Cars.com]

***See AutoGuide’s LIVE 2010 Detroit Auto Show Coverage Here***

BMW will introduce a new electric concept model based on the 1 Series Coupe at the Detroit Auto Show.

The BMW Concept ActiveE will follow the MINI E as the second stage of BMW’s electric vehicle development program. BMW has begun development of a trial fleet of cars based on the ActiveE as part of a large-scale field test.

The ActiveE is powered by an electric motor BMW claims can produce 170 hp and a maximum torque of 184 ft-lb. BMW also claims a 0-60 time of approximately 8.5 seconds. The entire drive system is fully integrated into the ActiveE’s rear axle, taking up about the same space as a conventional vehicle’s differential.

Powering the motor is a litihium-ion battery pack specially developed by BMW and SB LiMotive for the ActiveE. BMW says the battery supports a range of 100 miles in everyday use, with a charge time of 4.5 hours using a North American 32A circuit.

The electric motor can also serve as a generator when the accelerator isn’t being pressed. The car’s kinetic energy is converted into electric power and stored in the battery pack. BMW estimates this process can increase the ActiveE’s range by up to 20%.

We’ll have more on the BMW Concept ActiveE when it is officially unveiled at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show.

Gallery: BMW Concept ActiveE

Officially release after the jump:

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***See AutoGuide’s LIVE 2010 Detroit Auto Show Coverage Here***

The short list for North American Car & Truck of the Year just got a lot shorter and the list of finalists includes one GM product and one Ford product in each category. The three finalists for 2010 North American Car of the Year include the Ford Fusion Hybrid, Buick LaCrosse and Volkswagen Golf. As for Truck of the Year, the three nods go to the Ford Transit Connect, the Chevrolet Equinox and Subaru Outback.

The winner will be announced at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on January 11th. The North American Car & Truck of the Year is decided by a panel of 49 journalists from both the U.S. and Canada.

Last year the winners included the Hyundai Genesis and Ford F-150, marking the first time a Korean automaker had won Car of the Year. Domestics have won Car of the Year eight times, with European countries taking the award four times and the Japanese three times. Truck of the year has long been dominated by domestic automakers, taking the award 10 times, compared to four for the Japanese and two for the Europeans.

AutoGuide will be covering the 2010 North American Car & Truck of the Year awards live at the Detroit Auto Show starting January 11th.

[Source: Automotive News]

Volkswagen has just announced the release of a new R-Line package for the sporty CC sedan in Europe. Available with all engine types, the R-Line trim delivers an aggressive aero kit including a new front lip and side skirts with R-Line logos. Out back, the taillights also get smoked. A set of 17-inch R-Line wheels with 235/45/17 tires are included, with an option to upgrade to 18s.

Other parts of the package include R-Line kick plates, sport seats, climate control, fog lights and a leather steering wheel with redundant controls.

The addition of the R-Line package to the CC, means that VW now offers eight R-Line models in Euroe. There is no official word if this package will be offered in North America, but we’ll keep our fingers crossed.

GALLERY: Volkswagen CC R-Line

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Who better to get across Audi’s “new luxury” message and help promote the youth-targeted A1 premium subcompact than Justin Timberlake. Audi has just announced that the pop star and aspiring actor has been named the luxury German automaker’s official brand ambassador.

In particular, JT will help with an extensive marketing plan that Audi will unveil over the next several months to help promote its new A1 premium subcompact, which will debut at the Geneva Auto Show in March.

“As a superstar he appeals to a young target audience that we’re particularly intent on exciting about the compact and efficient A1,” said Audi board member Peter Schwarzenbauer. And the fact that JT’s image is as clean as it was when he as a mousketeer doesn’t hurt either.

This news also seems to potentially contradict a story we just published, stating that the A1 will not be offered in North America. While JT’s popularity is certainly global, it would seem silly for Audi to not use the superstar’s talent and influence in a market where he is best known.

GALLERY: Audi A1 Sketches and Graffiti Art

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Aston Martin has just released a selection of photos of its Cygnet mini-car concept, giving us the first real look at what this luxury econo-box will be like. Officially still a concept, the Cygnet is expected to go on sale next year in the U.K. and is based on the Toyota iQ mini-car.

Sold exclusively to current Aston Martin owners and then offered to new car buyers, it will be available late in 2010. Aston Martin plans to retrofit the cars at its facility in Gaydon in the U.K., after receiving the basic vehicles from Toyota.

From the new photos the car gets a typical Aston Martin grill, which honestly doesn’t look a ridiculous as we might have expected. It also gets some aggressive hood vents, some larger Aston Martin-style wheels, some fender vents, Aston’s signature door handles and some LED taillights.

Inside it’s seriously luxurious with plenty of leather, as well as some high-tech goodies.

Under the hood we expect to find Toyota’s 99-hp 1.3-liter 4-cylinder engine.

Aston Martin expects to sell from 1,000 to 2,000 units of the car but insists the decision to sell the Cygnet has more to do with offering well-heeled owners a practical city car, rather than to help the large-engined British automaker to meet increasingly strict corporate emissions regulations.

GALLERY: Aston Martin Cygnet

[Source: AutoCar]

Over the next several months Audi will unveil a cleveryly divised marketing plan to pump up interest in its upcoming A1 model. But if you live in North America, just ignore it all, as the luxury German automaker has no plans to deliver the car to the U.S.

Previous reports had suggested that the car was created with the U.S. market in mind, but according to an item on InsideLine, if you want an A1 – move to Germany.

The North American marketplace is only just beginning to accept sub-compacts en masse and the sale of premium sub-compacts is still in its infancy stages. And while the A1 isn’t likely to be the best thing North America has missed out on, we’re certain to really regret the decision if Audi ever does plan an RS model.

GALLERY: Audi A1 Sketches and Graffiti Art

Starting next year, the high-performance AMG division at Mercedes-Benz will begin to replace all 6.2-liter V8 engines with smaller, twin-turbo units. The replacement motor will be a twin-turbo 5.5-liter V8 that is expected to make just as much (if not more) power, but reduce fuel consumption significantly. This move follows in the footsteps of other automakers to move away from naturally aspirated motors, to forced induction ones. Interestingly, the 6.2-liter V8, the first ground-up engine built by AMG, only recently joined the company’s lineup after it ended a long run with the supercharged 5.5-liter V8.

News of the downsizing and switch to turbocharges comes from a report by InsideLine, after an interview with Dr. Thomas Weber, a member of the board at Merc’s R&D department.

Dr. Weber also said that the move towards turbochargers won’t be isolated to just the AMG group. It is expected that the 5.5-liter V8 will be decommissioned in favor of a turbocharged engine with a displacement of anywhere from 4.5 to 5.0-liters.

An official announcement is expected at next year’s Paris Auto Show, possibly in a revised version of the SLS supercar, or in a Black Series version of the E-Class (Coupe perhaps), as Mercedes has made known plans to brand the AMG division as a leader in performance through the efficient use of materials, and engines.

We just hope they work on the sound of the new turbo mills, as the current lineup of twin-turbo V12′s don’t sound half as good as the 6.2 or the old supercharged 5.5.

[Source: InsideLine]