MINI will unveil a new city-car concept at the Geneva Auto Show next week as it continues to study the possibility of a smaller model to sit below the Cooper hard-top in the current lineup.

According to reports, the car will be a 3 +1 layout, along the lines of the Toyota iQ and will sit half-way between the current Cooper and the original Mini in terms of overall size.

To keep weight at an absolute minimum the car is expected to make significant use of light weight materials.

With the increasing popularity of the MINI brand it’s not hard to think this concept will see production in the future, although don’t expect to see it on U.S. shores. In a recent interview MINI U.S.A. boss Jim McDowell told AutoGuide that no smaller (or larger) MINI’s were headed to our shores.

[Source: CarScoop]

Nissan‘s Leaf electric car has been in such high demand that the company is struggling to build them fast enough. It’s stopped taking new orders just to fulfill its current demand.

Out of 27,000 total orders so far from the United States, Japan, and Europe, it has only completed 10,000. The remaining 17,000 will be pushed back to the next fiscal year in April—enough time for the Oppama, Japan plant to reach its maximum capacity. It will be able to build 50,000 Leafs by then, and would be able to take 33,000 more orders from those clamoring to ride the lightning.

Nissan wants to get their international factories going to fulfill demand, which could see the electric car built in England as well as Tennessee. One possibility could be to open new assembly lines earlier than scheduled, but Nissan is also planning a new factory that can churn out lithium-ion battery packs, which won’t be ready if they do so.

[Source: Automotive News via Carscoop]

Maserati has just revealed a new version of its Gran Cabrio model, adding power and improved driving dynamics. Set to officially debut at the Geneva Auto Show in just a week, the Gran Cabrio Sport (likely to be called the Gran Turismo Convertible Sport in North America) makes use of the same 4.7-liter V8 engine found in the hard-core MC Stradale version of the Gran Turismo Coupe.

A bump of 11-hp brings the total to 444-hp while the transmission location is changed slightly to improve weight distribution. Other upgrades include a more sport-oriented Skyhook active suspension and upgraded brakes.

Body-colored aerodynamics and blacked-put headlights help set the car apart outside, while some custom treatments are saved for the interior.

Look for more photos from the car’s debut in Geneva on March 1st. Until then, see AutoGuide’s 2011 Geneva Auto Show Preview here.

GALLERY: Maserati Gran Cabrio Sport

Earlier this month a debate raged on whether the American armed forces should sponsor NASCAR teams, one that had the potential to get ugly. But the House voted 241-148 to ditch the proposal, allowing the Army, Air Force, and National Guard to keep on racin’.

Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) introduced the proposal, as an amendment to the House’s 2011 spending bill, by questioning why $7 million was being spent “for a sticker on a NASCAR,” in the words of her chief of staff. She argued that the Army’s NASCAR team did nothing for military readiness, but Army spokesperson Col. Derik Crotts claims that the Army picked up 46,000 potential recruits through its sponsorship efforts in 2010.

The Army has maintained a presence in NASCAR since 2000, through direction from Congress itself. NASCAR, of course, is one of the most popular spectator sports in America, and if the Army wants to attract more people, then—stereotypes aside—there aren’t many better places than stock car racing.

[Sources: Wall Street Journal]

With a history of building the world’s fastest sedans, G-Power can now claim the title of the world’s fastest wagon. To do so, the German tuner has transplanted its 750-hp twin-supercharged V10 powerplant from the BMW M5 Hurricane RS into an M5 Touring (wagon).

The G-Power BMW M5 Hurricane RS Touring will come as a complete vehicle package which includes 20-inch G-Power Silverstone Diamond wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport tires, a coilover suspension and brake modifications, plus a reupholstered leather interior. The interior receives a luxury diamond-stitched treatment throughout with G-Power logos incorporated on various pieces.

But the heart of this spectacular wagon is its performance with G-Power taking the 5.0L V10 and pairing it up with a G-Power twin-supercharger version SK III RS system. Cooling the forced inducted air is a twin-scroll, water-cooled intercooler in a flashy orange finish.

A limited number of just 1,025 versions of this car will be made by G-Power, although we’d be surprised if they ever get to build 10 of them.

Make sure to check out the video of the G-Power Hurricane RS Touring hitting its record-setting 360 km/h (223.7 mph) after the break.

GALLERY: G-Power BMW M5 Hurricane RS Touring

[Source: GermanCarScene]

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The newly resurrected Gemballa brand may not be making as many splashes as we would like to see, but they’ve recently returned to their roots with a new Mirage GT edition. Similar to the Matt Black Edition that was seen in 2009, Gemballa has created another version of its modified Porsche Carrera GT, this time in matte blue.

Based off a Porsche 980 Carrera GT, the exotic sports car features 650-hp and 464 lb-ft of torque. And while Gemballa’s designs are often criticized for being too extreme, the Mirage GT aero kit couldn’t be a better fit, helping keep the exotic Porsche looking modern.

The engine bay and interior also gets their fair share of colored accessories, with a white theme contrasting the flat blue exterior.

Take a look at all the pics in the gallery below. Nostalgia never looked so good.

GALLERY: Gemballa Porsche Mirage GT Matt Blue Edition

[Source: GTspirit]

Hoping to increase its IS 350C sales, Lexus has introduced a limited edition F Sport rendition with an MSRP of $55,120. The limited edition vehicle will only be available to 175 customers, featuring a selection of F Sport performance accessories, interior badging and red stitching.

The special edition IS 350C comes in two shades, Starfire Pearl or Obsidian. The major F Sport accessory setting it apart from your run-of-the-mill IS 350C is a set of 19-inch dark graphite wheels paired with Michelin Pilot Sport rubber. The suspension has been upgraded with a set of lowering springs matched with shocks developed in cooperation with Bilstein. An upgraded sway bar set helps reduce the body roll of the convertible.

Inside, the stock seats have been accented with red trim and stitching. Lexus’ navigation package will also come standard on the F Sport Special Edition.

Official press release available after the break.

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North Americans only received the small Golf-based A3 hatchback a few years ago, but Audi is planning to expand the lineup with a fastback four-door sedan at the Geneva Auto Show packing 400+ horsepower and quattro AWD.

The power comes courtesy of a turbocharged 5-cylinder engine, attached with precision to a 7-speed S-tronic transmission. Stylistically, the teaser above shows us the trademark LED lights and angular Audi grille from its incredible Quattro Concept and puts it in a package that isn’t just aimed at drooling 1980s rally nerds (like us).

At 14.5 feet long, it will be approximately the same size as the A4 (15.4 feet). But after news of the A5 Sportback and the A7 coming to American shores, Audi hasn’t been shying away from overpopulating the market. The A3 will continue to compete against the 1-Series and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Coupe.

GALLERY: Audi A3 4-Door Concept

The Forspeed concept is Smart‘s interpretation of a zero-emissions roadster, based on the only vehicle Smart currently builds: its Fortwo city car.

It’s designed to complement the rest of Smart’s electric transportation lineup for really small vehicles, which includes a scooter and a bicycle. The squat, roofless car features huge, ringed headlights reminiscent of eyelashes, dotted grilles, and a white-on-white color scheme inside and out, designed with a “unique and electric look, but is still recognizable as a Smart,” says Mercedes head of design Steffen Kohl.

And you may think three-spoke wheels fell out of fashion in the late-90s, but the Forspeed is rocking them with pride. The interior also features brown leather trim on the door pulls and steering wheel, and solar cells in the wind deflectors to power the car’s electronics.

The 40-horsepower electric motor in the back features an “overboost” function: when the driver presses a button in the center console the motor calls up seven extra horsepower. Think of it as a really toned-down version of the Turbo function from OutRun. The motor can propel the Forspeed up to 75mph and a range of 84 miles.

Smart will officially reveal the Forspeed Concept at the Geneva Auto Show on March 1st. Until then, get more news on the 2011 Geneva Auto Show debuts here.

[Source: Autocar]

Mazda recently unveiled its new 2012 Mazda3 model, a mid-cycle update with one important change under the hood. Along with some cosmetic updates, the 3 gets Mazda’s new SkyActiv engine. At the time, Mazda was only willing to say that it was a direct-injection 2.0-liter 4-cylinder, targeting a 20 percent fuel economy improvement, while also adding low-end and mid-range torque.

No specific numbers are available, but according to Car & Driver a prototype version of the engine was able to make 163-hp and 155 lb-ft of torque. That’s up from 148-hp and 135 lb-ft in the current 2.0-liter, and down only slightly from the larger 2.5-liter engine.

Better yet, like the prototype, Mazda is targeting a 40-mpg highway rating with 30-mpg in the city, up significantly from 25/33-mpg with the current 2.0-liter and a drastic improvement from the 22/29-mpg rating of the 2.5. Aiding the improvement is a new 6-speed automatic transmission.

Debuting first in the Mazda3, it’s also expected to become the base powerplant for the next-generation Mazda6.

The 2012 Mazda3 will go on sale this Fall.

GALLERY: 2012 Mazda3

[Source: Car & Driver]

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