Can you have too much of a good thing? We sat here wondering that when this rendering of a BMW X3 M popped up, thinking perhaps that BMW is diluting the prestige that comes with the M-moniker by attaching it to every vehicle they possibly can. While the X3 M is still under consideration and nothing is set in stone, the folks at BimmerBoost are more ambitious and have rendered up what BMW could possibly release in the near future.

In all honesty, an X3 M makes a ton more sense than an X5 M or even an X6 M. The M3 is easily the most popular of all the M-vehicles and a transition over to BMW’s lightest and most nimble SUV could be natural. Just packing a more potent powerplant than what’s already offered in the N55 X35i would already be a winner; but combine that with the naturally more aggressive styling that all M-vehicles have to offer and we think BMW might have a winner.

There’s no arguing that many feel if they’re stuck with an SUV, they might as well have fun driving it. The X3 M could enter in a market segment at a competitive price, offering what very few other manufacturers even have the potential to.

GALLERY: BimmerBoost BMW X3 M Rendering

[Source: BimmerBoost]

In response to increasingly strict fuel consumption and emissions standards future General Motors mid-size sedans will be offered exclusively with 4-cylinder engine options – starting with the 2012 Chevy Malibu.

The development comes from GMInsideNews‘s sources working on the next generation of mid-size sedans. The plan actually began with the current Buick Regal, which is currently offered with two 4-cylinder options. Even the upcoming high-performance Regal GS model will get a 4-cylinder.

There’s no word on exact what engines will be offered in the new Malibu, which is due out some time in late 2011. Possibility’s include the obvious Regal powerplants, which include the 182-hp 2.4-liter direct-injection engine and the 220-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged engine.

Four-cylinders have long been the volume models in the mid-size sedan category, but Chevy will be one of the first to drop the V6 entirely. The current Hyundai Sonata is offered exclusively with 4-cylinder engines.

[Source: GMI]

Summer vacation may be coming to a close, but that means it’s time for a whole new season of bringing your kids to school, piano lessons and football tryouts. Consumer Reports has put together a list of new cars that are great for transporting the family around, all ranging in price from just under $20,000 to just under $40,000. They all gained good scores in road tests, and have good seating and cargo arrangements.

They’re listed after the jump, listed in order by price, along with a brief description on why they ranked well:
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Photos of the 2011 Challenger have already appeared online ahead of the car’s official unveiling, but now we have a first look at Dodge‘s 2011 Challenger SRT8.

Outside, the biggest changes are to the lower rear fascia, the door handles and the lip spoiler. An upgraded interior will also be a part of the package.

More importantly, however, is a new 6.4-liter HEMI V8 with 480-hp and 460 ft-lbs of torque. Pricing is expected to be set at $45,601 with the new engine also making for improvements in the fuel economy department.

In the future, both acceleration and fuel economy will improve further with an 8-speed automatic transmission.

For those interested in the SE model, it gets a new Pentastar V6 displacing 3.6-liters and making 290-hp and 270 ft-lbs of torque – an increase of 40-hp and 20 ft-lbs. It’s also expected to deliver fuel economy of 20/26-mpg (city/highway) up from 18/25-mpg.

[Source: Detroit News]

Mazda has just unveiled its new Shinari four-door sports coupe in Milan, Italy. The vehicle will set the design tone for all future Mazda models.

Recently Mazda announced it would move away from the Nagare design language that has inspired its recent smiley-face models. This new design language will be called Kodo – a Japanese word for soul of motion.

The new style was a collaborative effort between Mazda’s design studios in the U.S., Germany and Japan.

In addition to the exterior design of this car, Mazda also aims to make a big push in improving its interiors, which are already quite impressive. Derek Jenkins, design director for Mazda North America even commented that the Japanese automaker wants to compete with BMW and Audi in terms of interior quality.

Mazda has not said when we expect to see the new design language first used in a production model and gave not hints that this Shinari sports coupe would make it to production – although we can certainly hope.

Expect to see the Shinari debut on a larger scale at the Paris Auto Show in just a few weeks time.

GALLERY: Mazda Shinari

[Source: Automotive News]

The Nissan Xterra may not have long to live hints Nissan product boss Larry Dominique. In a recent interview with Ward’s, Dominique commented that Xterra segment is, “falling apart.”

According to Ward’s internal data, the mid-size SUV category in which the Xterra fits totaled just 211,042 vehicles last year, compared to an all-time high of 1.65 million in 2000. Back then Nissan sold 88,578 Xterra models, while so far this year it has managed to move just 12,186. Surprisingly, however, there seems to be a mini-boom in the SUV segment as of late with that number up 42% over a ear ago.

Dominique did comment that execs at Nissan are big fans of the SUV and plan to keep it in the product lineup or as long as possible. But, “With (new U.S. corporate average fuel economy rules) Xterra’s going to be a tough vehicle to keep around.”

The plan is to exceed the upcoming 34.1 mpg fleet fuel economy standard for 2016 with high-volume Sentra and Altima models, however, Nissan already has to overachieve in those areas to make up for the Titan’s it sells.

Dominique did reassure ans of the Frontier and Pathfinder that those models are safe. Nissan currently sits at third in the compact pickup segment with the Frontier and with Ford preparing to axe the Ranger, Frontier sales are likely to spike. The truck has already seen a sales increase that’s up 48.5 percent so far this year. (The Toyota Tacoma currently leads that segment).

As for the Pathfinder, it will “live on,” although, “How it will live on, wait to see,” says Dominique, perhaps hinting that the big SUV will follow Ford’s Explorer and be transformed into a car-based crossover.

[Source: Ward's]

Despite reports to the contrary, Volkswagen continues to insist that the Amarok pickup truck will not see duty in the U.S. In a recent interview with Gilberto dos Santos, VW Brasil’s PR boss, InsideLine states that there is no plan to bring the German pickup to North America.

“Volkswagen is not planning currently to market the Amarok in the U.S.. It is destined for South America, Europe, Russia, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. Capacity of the General Pacheco manufacturing plant in Argentina is 100,000 units yearly, and the planned demand will be fully met. Other markets such as the U.S. and Asia are not in the company’s plans.”

There’s still hope for Amarok fans in the U.S. however, as it’s certainly seems like a strange decision for VW to not bring a pickup to the world’s largest pickup market – especially when VW is trying to hard to expand its product base here. And with VW already having a strong diesel following and room for a diesel truck in the market that isn’t a Heavy Duty rig, it seems like bringing the Amarok here would be a wise decision.

Plus, with the Amarok being built in South America it doesn’t face the prohibitive cost factor of the Euro, which stops so many high-performance VW products from crossing the pond.

The earlier Car & Driver report had indicated that the Amarok would not see U.S. shores any time soon. Perhaps that’s a hint that we’ll have to wait for the second generation of the truck. Or perhaps it’s just until Volkswagen can accommodate for sufficient supply.

Currently the Amarok is being offered with a small turbocharged diesel 4-cylinder that makes 160-hp and 295 ft-lbs of torque.

[Source: InsideLine]

Mazda officials are considering using a diesel powerplant for the next-generation Mazdaspeed3 hot hatch. According to Car & Driver, Mazda USA product boss Robert Davis made the comments at a decent technology seminar hosted by the Japanese automaker.

Davis did say that were the company to go this route “performance wouldn’t be degraded. That’s somewhat reassuring, but as to how to achieve such an outcome wouldn’t be easy. And changing the characteristics of the relatively high-revving hatch to a diesel beast with even more torque steer doesn’t sound attractive at all.

One of the reasons Davis is even considering the switch is that he believes the younger buyers choosing a car like this don’t have the negative perception of diesels that the older generation does.

More reassuring is new that Mazda has already begun testing a turbocharged version of the new Sky gasoline engine – just in case the diesel thing doesn’t pan out.

[Source: Car & Driver]

Mazda is planning for its future with a new multi-purpose platform that’s being designed to underpin the majority of vehicles in its lineup. According to a report by AutoCar, the new spaceframe will be adaptable in order to accommodate new versions of anything from the Mazda3 to Mazda6 to CX-7. There are even suggestions it could be used for the next Mazda2 sub-compact.

The new platform could be used for as many as 800,000 vehicles in a 1.2 million vehicle company.

Mazda’s plan is to find efficiencies as it has become clear that Ford’s decreased involvement in the Japanese automaker means it will need to fend for itself instead of relying on donor-platforms.

In addition to the new platform, Mazda is also reportedly working on an “advanced” (dual-clutch?) six-speed automatic transmission and two new Sky diesel engines. There’s also talk of a new four-cylinder gasoline engine with a super-high 14:1 compression ratio and 4-2-1 exhaust manifold.

The new engines are reportedly already meeting the upcoming Euro6 emissions regulations and Mazda plans that they will be competitive for up to a decade.

[Source: AutoCar]

Ford has officially announced a recall for the Windstar minivan after a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigation confirmed the rear axles on the cars can snap. The recall affects 1998 to 2003 model year models (a total of 575,000) in 21 cold-weather U.S. states and all of Canada.

The issue is specific to cold weather vehicles as corrosion from salt and rust could lead to a fracture in the axle.

NHTSA began the investigation in May of this year after 234 reports of fractured or snapped axles had been reported. Since then the number of complaints has risen to 950.

Owners are asked to contact their local Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealership to have their vehicle inspected. If a crack is detected the axle will be replaced. If no crack is detected, owners will be asked to drive the vehicle until a reinforcement bracket is available.

States where vehicles are affected include: Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

[Source: Reuters]

UPDATE: The Ford Windstar is now under investigation by NHTSA for rusting subframe issues. Click here to read the story.