MINI has officially announced that it will enter the World Rally Championship (WRC) next year, teaming up with Prodrive and running a Countryman crossover. The MINI Countryman WRC is being developed by the legendary Prodrive race team (which helped Subaru win six championships) to run part of the 2011 season as it prepares for a full 2012 season of competition.

The modified Countryman model will meet new FIA Super2000 regulations, using a turbocharged 1.6-liter 4-cylinder BMW Motorsport engine, mated to MINI’s new All4 all-wheel drive system.

In the future, MINI will offer the Countryman WRC model to customer teams, so expand the number of MINIs competing in rally racing internationally.

Rumors suggest several well-known drivers may compete for the official MINI team, including Mads Ostberg and Marcus Gronholm.

Official release after the jump:

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Nissan has just announced a recall for the 2009-10 Cube model for a recall involving the fuel system. According to a NHTSA press release, the vehicle did not pass its fuel leak test, in which the amount of fuel leaking from the car exceeded, “allowable limits” in the agency’s crash test. A fire could result as a consequence. The recall affects 46,000 Cube models built between January 30, 2009 and July 30, 2010.

A fix for the problem will be available by August 30th at which point owners are asked to contact their dealers.

A similar recall was recently issued for the Lexus HS250h.

Official press release after the jump:

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General Motors was said to be targeting the $40,000 mark for its revolutionary new Chevy Volt electric car, and according to insider info provided to Bloomberg, that’s roughly how much the car will cost when official pricing is announced later today. GM’s new marketing boss, Joel Ewanick, is set to officially announce the dollar amount at a noon press conference (Eastern Time) in San Jose, California. The Volt is also expected to qualify for a $7,500 rebate under current government subsidies.

Priced significantly higher than cars like the Nissan Leaf (at roughly $32,000) the Volt isn’t hampered by the limited range of an electric only engine, offering 40 miles of electric plug-in power before the gasoline engine kicks in to recharge the electric batteries and provide an additional 300 miles of distance.

The Volt will go on sale later this year in certain markets including Texas, New York, California and Washington, D.C. with GM planning to build and deliver 10,000 Volts in 2011.

[Source: Bloomberg]

With its official unveiling set for the Paris Auto Show this Fall, Audi has decided to unwrap its latest model, the A7 Sportback, well ahead of schedule. Designed to compete against the likes of the Porsche Panamera, Mercedes CLS and BMW 5 Series GT, this 5-door has 18.89 cubic feet of cargo room in the trunk, with a total of 49.09 cu.-ft. when the rear seats are folded flat. The rear hatch design is made even more unique by a rear spoiler that automatically deploys at speeds above 80 mph.

Four V6 engines will be offered internationally, including the 3.0 TDI motor and the 3.0T (supercharged) engine. While we did expect a V8 to be offered, it’s not necessary as Audi claims the 3.0T engine will deliver a 0-60 mph time of 5.6 seconds. Audi has said that all V6 engines will use an energy regeneration system and a start-stop setup to improve fuel economy. Two transmissions will be offered: a multitronic CVT transmission for front-drive models and 7-speed S tronic with AWD models.

Like it’s mechanically similar A8 brother the A7 gets plenty of luxury inside as well as lots of high-tech goodies. These include standard and optional features like a WLAN hotsport, 1,300 watt Bang & Olufson audio system, the advanced MMI operating system, a heads-up display and Audi’s new touchpad feature that lets the driver or passenger input Nav info by writing the letters with his or her hand.

The new A7 will go on sale in Europe this fall, with North American sales to follow.

GALLERY: Audi A7 Sportback

Official release after the jump:

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After enduring a decade of domination by Japanese upstart Lexus, Mercedes-Benz may be on their way to clinching the title of top luxury car brand in America after a series of setbacks has left the Lexus brand damaged in the eyes of consumers.

Lexus has had no less than four recalls in the first seven months of 2010, as well as the disastrous scandal where Consumers Reports condemned the handling of their GX460 SUV as unsafe. While Lexus sales have rebounded, so have sales of the three pointed star, buoyed by a strong lineup of new products, like the E-Class sedan.

Lexus sales were up 2.7 percent in June, while Mercedes and BMW were up 25 percent and 15 percent respectively. Toyota’s luxury division needs to act fast, especially with the Hyundai Equus nipping at its heels.

[Source: Bloomberg]

Mazda is said to be launching a new SUV, dubbed the CX-5, in late 2011. Details are sparse, but considering that the current Mazda Tribute will be nearly 13 years old by the time the CX-5 bows, such a model would make sense for the lineup.

The CX-5 is said to use lightweight technology to be over 200 lbs lighter than rivals and Mazda’s super-efficient SKY engines to give it a performance engine. Three and five door configurations, similar to the Land Rover Evoque are also supposedly in the cards. Styling is said to be influenced by 2008′s Kazamai concept car.

[Source: Autocar]

Audi has confirmed via a Twitter messgae to enthusiast blog SpeedSportLife that they will be bringing the A7 Sportback to North America by August 2011.

The A7, unvieled today in Munich, will be a four-seater coupe/hatchback/sedan designed to take on the Mercedes-Benz CLS and possibly the BMW 5-Series GT. A four-seater only, the A7 will be powered by a range of 6-cylinder engines, with direct-injection, stop-start technology and brake energy recuperation, which sounds suspiciously like a hybrid car for our tastes. Look for the familiar 3.0L TFSI supercharged V6 to be the sole engine for North America, as it is already certified here and Audi is unlikely to bring the lesser 2.8L V6. Diesels are a slim possibility, but unlikely. With the 7-speed S-tronic dual clutch gearbox, the A7 3.0TFSI can hit 60 mph in 5.6 seconds. The A7 is some 220 lbs lighter than the CLS350, allowing it to get away with forgoing a V8 gasoline engine. The A7 will also share the new quattro all-wheel-drive system that debuted in the RS5, featuring a decidedly rearward bias. Front-wheel drive and a CVT gearbox will be offered in Europe, but again, don’t expect them to show up in North America.

While the A7 Sportback does not share a platform with the A8, the car is designed to slot in just below it, with its swoopy styling acting as a contrast to the more staid, discreet A8. It’s not hard to imagine the A8 as a car that European government ministers (and low key wealthy folks in the Americas) would be driven in, while the A7 is for people who still have a performance itch that needs to be scratched.

Pricing hasn’t been announced for North America but “more than an A6, less than an A8″ is likely a safe bet. An S7 and RS7 pair of performance variants were also announced, likely taking aim at the Porsche Panamera, Aston Martin Rapide and Maserati Quattroporte.

[Source: Twitter, Audi]

Gallery: Audi A7 Sportback

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Hyundai‘s upcoming pimpmobile ultra-luxury sedan will be offered in two trim levels, the Equus Signature and the Equus Ultimate. What’s the difference, you ask?

The Signature is the plebian version, with features like, a massaging driver’s seat, parking assistance, an air suspension system and a 17-speaker, 608-watt Lexicon stereo, just like the Rolls Royce Phantom. The Ultimate ups the ante with backup cameras that can see around corners, massaging and reclining read seats with foot rests and a rear seat refrigirator -just like a first class cabin.

Both Equus models come with a fancy owners manual on an Apple iPad – as if the novelty of owning Korea’s first ultra luxury sedan wasn’t enticing enough.

[Source: Hyundai]

Hit the jump to read the official press release

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General Motors just sent us this sparse press release to let us know that Chevrolet Volt pricing is being announced tomorrow at 12 noon EST. We know that the government will be chipping in with a $7,500 tax credit if you buy a Volt, but beyond that, it’s anybodies guess as to how much it will cost.

We’d love to hear what you think the Volt will be priced at. Leave your guess in the comments and see if you beat Autoguide’s prediction of $29,999 after the credit. The winner gets a smug sense of self-satisfaction.

[Source: General Motors]

Hit the jump to read the official press release

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We’ve lost track of how many recalls have been issued for the Subaru Legacy and Outback, so much so that we had to check and make sure that this story was recent and not run within the previous couple weeks.

While this currently recall, affecting 809 vehicles is relatively minor, the consecutive recalls on Subaru’s bread and butter models is a terrible PR display for the company.

The current recall only affects Outbacks with the manual transmission, a very small percentage of sales to be certain. But the recall, which is designed to correct the lack of an oil lubrication hole in the gearbox, could mean that some vehicles need third through sixth gear replaced, a very costly and time consuming procedure.

What’s worse is that the Outback and Legacy are great vehicles, so much so that Autoguide staffers have recommended them to family members looking for a new family car. This recall, as well as previous ones, like the fluid leak in the CVT gearbox, puts a damper on encouraging people to look at a good car at a good price.

[Source: Inside Line]