After plenty of teaser shots and even some video, it’s not Lamborghini who is unveiling the new Aventador LP700-4 but a leaked image courtesy Evo Magazine Croatia.

Taking design inspiration from the Reventon, powering the successor to the Murcielago is a 6.5-liter V12 rated at roughly 690-hp. It will be 18 percent more powerful than the Murcielago, while also emitting 20 percent fewer emissions. As for the transmission, Lamborghini will make use of its new ISR 7-speed transmission – the first use of a 7-speed with a V12 in the industry. With five gear settings, (auto strada, auto sport, strada, sport and corsa) the innovative transmission will be able to deliver shift times of just 50 ms in Corsa – which is almost as quick as a Formula 1 car.

Weight is kept to a minimum thanks to a carbon fiber chassis and the LP700-4 will get a pushrod suspension setup, similar to those found on race cars.

As for the rest of the car, it will be more ergonomic than even the Gallardo, with space for larger drivers. The dash will feature a new TFT instrument cluster, meaning that it won’t have traditional physical gauges, but that all instrumentation will be displayed on a screen.

The Aventador is set to debut at the Geneva Auto Show in March. Until then, see AutoGuide’s complete 2011 Geneva Auto Show Preview here.

[Source: WorldCarFans]

Lamborghini is continuing the engineering strip-tease of its super sports car, with the latest reveal being the full rolling chassis.

Recently, Lambo showed-off the carbon fiber monocoque and now they’ve bolted on the front and rear suspension bits, as well as the cradle for the engine and transmission.

As for the suspension, it has already been confirmed as a pushrod setup, the first use of this racing style suspension in production road car. And let’s not forget the big 6.5-liter V12 engine that Lamborghini will use to deliver 690-hp.

Look for the full reveal at the Geneva Auto Show on March 1st. Until then, enjoy some teaser video of the Aventador LP700-4 after the jump:

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Subaru is building hype ahead of the reveal of its rear-wheel drive sports car next week at the Geneva Auto Show, releasing a new teaser image on a web site (http://www.subaru-global.com/boxersports.html) dedicate to the vehicle.

Along with the photo of the brand’s legendary Boxer engine is a brief outline of what Subaru calls the Boxer Sports Car Architecture, which, “embodied Subaru’s new definition of driving excitement.”

Subaru hints at the cost of the car, claiming it will be more “accessible” while also delivering a driving experience that, “only a Subaru can provide.”

Set to debut in Geneva as the ‘Subaru Rear-Wheel Drive Sports Car Technology Concept’ on March 1st, look for live photos and updates with AutoGuide’s 2011 Geneva Auto Show coverage here.

MINI‘s rumored city car, set to debut at the Geneva Auto Show, now has a name. According to reports, the more mini MINI will be called the Rocketman and will make use of parent company BMW’s carbon fiber investments to showcase an entirely carbon fiber spaceframe chassis. This should give it an incredibly low curb weight.

Sitting roughly half-way between the current Cooper hatchback and the original, it will be the same height and share the same track.

Powering the small car will be a turbo-diesel 3-cylinder engine, which is expected to arrive shortly in the next-generation version of the Cooper. In this package it is expected to deliver fuel economy as high as 80-mpg.

[Source: TheAge]

***UPDATE*** MINI Rocketman revealed, get full details here ***UPDATE***

GALLERY: MINI Rocketman Concept

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]

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

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]

Due to increasingly strict fuel economy standards, Lotus was forced to scrap its 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine for the Elise and Exige in Europe. The good news is that the smaller 1.6-liter engine now in use helps cut a little more weight from the car, dropping it down to just 1,931 lbs.

For years Lotus has offered a special Club Racer track version of the Elise to customers and this year is no different. Set to gets its official debut at the Geneva Auto Show, Lotus has released a selection of photos and full details on the new car that can be ordered even lighter than the street model. Through a series of deleted part options, the hardest-core of Lotus track racers can take delivery of an Elise Club Racer that weights just 1,876 lbs.

Those who intend to only use the car on the track can even order a Club Racer Power Pack, that ups the engine’s output slightly from 134-hp and 118 lb-ft to 140-hp and 22 lb-ft. Those changes might not sound like much, but in a light weight package like the Elise it’s sure to make some difference. It’s already quite a surprise that a car with just 134-hp can hit 60 mph in 6.0 seconds.

Also included in the Club Racer model is a DPM (Dynamic Performance Management) system with a Sport setting that limits interference by the stability control system. Designed to help less experienced drivers, Lotus also allows a full shut-off of the electronic nannies. Plus, the Elise CR gets all the toys like Bilstein shocks, Eibach springs and adjustable sway bars.

Look for more photos from the Geneva Auto Show on March 1st. Until then, see AutoGuide’s complete 2011 Geneva Auto Show preview here.

GALLERY: Lotus Elise Club Racer

Lamborghini is continuing to build hype ahead of the reveal of its new supercar at the Geneva Auto Show, releasing a teaser video of the car in action.

Showing more of the exterior of the car as well as a few interior shots, it’s almost possible to make out the new gauge display that Lamborghini has said won’t actually house any physical instruments, but will instead be a display screen.

Perhaps more exciting, near the end of the clip we’re treated to the incredible sounds coming from the 690-hp 6.5-liter V12 engine.

The Aventador is set to debut at the Geneva Auto Show in March. Until then, see AutoGuide’s complete 2011 Geneva Auto Show Preview here.

See the video after the jump:

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Land Rover will unveil the next step in its mission to become a ‘greener’ automaker at the Geneva Auto Show in just a few weeks time. Set to take the stand alongside the new 3-door and 5-door Evoque models is the Range_e Range Rover Sport.

Powered by a turbo-diesel V6 engine, mated to a plug-in hybrid setup, the Range_e can travel up to 20 miles on pure electric power and reach a total distance of 690 miles.

While an excellent solution to fuel economy and environmental concerns, hybrid diesels are prohibitively expensive for most automakers. That rule may not, however, apply to Land Rover, as many customers purchase the vehicles particularly because of their exclusivity and price.

Still just a concept at this point, Land Rover may make a production announcement for the hybrid diesel SUV in Geneva, with previous reports suggesting it would see production in 2013.

[Source: AutoExpress]

Porsche‘s new Panamera sedan has been a tremendous success and now the German sports car company has revealed a new hybrid version of the car, combining performance and fuel economy.

Motivated by the same 333-hp 3.0L V6 engine and 47-hp electric motor combo as found in the Cayenne hybrid, the Panamera S Hybrid makes 380-hp and can achieve 41.54 mpg (Imperial and using the European test cycle). That should work out to slightly better than the 20/24-mpg rating of the Cayenne hybrid .That number is, however, achieved thanks to special low rolling resistance tires developed by Michelin and with standard tires the car is capable of 39.79 mpg.

Acceleration for this hybrid is brisk with the Panamera a few ticks quicker to 60-mph than its Cayenne hybrid cousin. Sporting an official 5.7 second 0-60 mph time it’s one fast hybrid.

Porsche’s two-mode hybrid system allows the Panamera S Hybrid to travel just over a mile on pure electric power and electric-only acceleration possible up to speeds of 50-mph. The drivetrain also switches off the engine at speeds of up to 103-mph when the driver lifts off the throttle to help deliver maximum fuel economy.

Standard equipment on the Panamera S Hybrid includes an adaptive air suspension with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM)

The Panamera S Hybrid will go on sale later this year with a price of $95,000.

Look for more on this car from its debut at the Geneva Auto Show in just a few weeks time. Until then, get full Geneva Auto Show Coverage here.

GALLERY: Porsche Panamera S Hybrid

Video after the jump:

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As we anticipate the launch of the Scion iQ here in North America, parent company Toyota is preparing to introduction an all electric version of the mini-car in Europe.

Set to debut at the Geneva Auto Show in March, the car uses a lithium-ion battery located under the floor. As a result it doesn’t take up any passenger space and with all the weight down-low, it also improves the car’s center of gravity.

The car’s range is set at 65 miles and a leasing program is set to begin in Europe in 2012. A similar program will then be launched in the U.S.

The Toyota iQ EV will debut alongside the FT-86 Concept II, the Yaris hybrid and the Prius+ in Geneva.

Get more Toyota/Scion iQ news and info at iQ-Forums.com

As a part of Fiat’s control of Chrysler, the company will breath new life into its Lancia division by re-launching it using rebadged versions of Chrysler products – including the new 2011 300.

Powering many of the vehicles will be Chrysler’s new 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine, as well as several diesel choices. Lancia has not said if it will offer a Hemi-powered version of the Thema (rebadged 300) in Europe.

In addition, the new Lancia lineup also includes a compact car that isn’t offered in North America, the Ypsilon. It’s based on a stretched version of the Fiat 500 platform and could make its way to the U.S. in one form or another.

Set to be unveiled at the Geneva Auto Show, look for updates from the show and photos of the new Lancia lineup starting March 1st.

Just think, now you can feel at home when you rent a Lancia Flavia from Hertz to cruise the Mediteranian coast.

GALLERY: 2011 Lancia Lineup

Engineered to make you forget the C230 hatchback ever existed, Mercedes-Benz has just revealed its new C-Class Coupe with a planned world premiere at the Geneva Auto Show in March.

With a profile similar to the E-Class coupe, it gets a slightly more simplistic front end borrowed from the C-Class sedan. It has a sportier edge to it as well, thanks to a roofline that is 1.5-inches lower.

The most exciting news is that the C350 Coupe will be powered by a new direct-injection version of Merc’s 3.5-liter V6 making 304-hp. Using the automaker’s 7-speed automatic transmission, it will hit 60 mph in just 5.9 seconds. Also available will be the C250 coupe using a new turbocharged direct-injection 4-cylinder that makes 201-hp and 229 lb-ft of torque for a 0-60 mph time of 7.1 seconds.

Along with a long list of safety features,the 2012 C-Class coupe gets an Agility Control adjusting suspension and an updated COMAND system.

Look for live photos from the Geneva Auto Show, with coverage starting March 1st. Until then, see AutoGuide’s 2011 Geneva Auto Show preview here.

GALLERY: 2012 Mercedes C-Class Coupe

Official release after the jump:

Continue Reading…

For years Honda has relied on its Integrated Motor Assist hybrid system, designed to help improve fuel economy without adding a lot of additional cost. A more basic system than Toyota’s two-mode, it doesn’t speak to Honda’s engineering prowess and has become out-dated.

Honda will aim to rectify that soon with the introduction of a proper two-mode hybrid system, and one that will also feature a plug-in feature, in a new mid-size vehicle soon. While that vehicle isn’t ready to be unveiled, Honda will provide the first details on the PHEV platform at the upcoming Geneva Auto Show.

While no additional details have been provided, the photos clearly show an inline (presumably 4-cylinder engine), which has been rumored to be the basis for the PHEV setup.

In addition, Honda will showcase the EV Concept, which is the next step in a plan by Honda to bring an electric car to market. At last year’s LA Auto Show, Honda unveiled the Fit EV, and little is expected to change for the car, with a 100 mile range and several drive modes (ECON, Normal and Sport) just like in the CR-Z.

GALLERY: Honda PHEV Platform, EV Concept

Saab is planning to show off four new models at the Geneva Auto Show, including an all-new hatchback concept that will help put the company back to its five-door (or three-door) roots.

The four-car range will feature the 9-5 SportCombi wagon, which was previously teased and will debut at Geneva. There will be the 2012 9-4x crossover, which will go on sale in May. The aging 9-3 range will get some special editions to keep the momentum going. And perhaps more importantly, the concept car will feature a hatchback and styling by newly-minted Saab Design director Jason Castriota.

This vehicle will no doubt be the rumored 9-2 or 9-1 that will be powered by the current turbocharged 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engines found in the MINI Cooper.

For a company that, one year ago, was nearly swallowed into the bankruptcy abyss of GM bureaucracy, to come back and debut a concept car in such a short amount of time is great news for brand loyalists and the automaker’s future.

[Sources: Saab, Autoblog]

Lamborghini has already teased its new Aventador LP700-4 supercar several times, but now we have some amateur spy video of the Murcielago successor. Better yet, there isn’t just one car, but two of them doing some final shake-downs ahead of the official reveal at the Geneva Auto Show on March 1st.

Taking design inspiration from the Reventon, powering the new Lambo will be a 6.5-liter V12 rated at roughly 690-hp. It will be 18 percent more powerful than the Murcielago, while also emitting 20 percent fewer emissions. As for the transmission, Lamborghini will make use of its new ISR 7-speed transmission – the first use of a 7-speed with a V12 in the industry. With five gear settings, (auto strada, auto sport, strada, sport and corsa) the innovative transmission will be able to deliver shift times of just 50 ms in Corsa – which is almost as quick as a Formula 1 car.

Weight will be kept to a minimum thanks to a carbon fiber chassis and the LP700-4 will get a pushrod suspension setup, similar to those found on race cars.

As for the rest of the car, it will be more ergonomic than even the Gallardo, with space for larger drivers. The dash will feature a new TFT instrument cluster, meaning that it won’t have traditional physical gauges, but that all instrumentation will be displayed on a screen.

The Aventador is set to debut at the Geneva Auto Show in March. Until then, see AutoGuide’s complete 2011 Geneva Auto Show Preview here.

[Source: GTSpirit]

See the video after the jump:

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The Lexus LFA has been on the auto show circuit for quite some time now and owners have even started to take delivery of their Japanese supercars, but what about that special Nurburgring edition?

Announced several months ago, the limited edition LFA (just 50 of the 500) will make its first official appearance at the Geneva Auto Show in just a few weeks time.

Designed to show how the car was honed on the world famous re track, the LFA Nurburging gets a special front splitter and rear spoiler, inspired by the racing version of the car. Also included is a more aggressive suspension setup, an extra 10 horsepower and even quicker shift times.

Priced at an additional $70,000 over the already expensive $375,000 base price, the LFA Nurburgring will be available in orange, white and gloss black, with a special matte-back paint scheme adding an extra $20,000. We can’t wait to see what color the Geneva show car is and will be sure to deliver plenty of photos with coverage starting March 1st. Until then, check out our 2011 Geneva Auto Show preview here.

[Source: AutoCar]

Kia has just released the first details and photos of the new Rio sub-compact ahead of its world premiere at the Geneva Auto Show in March. A sister car to the Hyundai Accent (details on the 2012 model here), the Rio gets a unique styling and for now will only be available as either a 3-door or 5-door hatchback. The 2012 Hyundai Accent, revealed at the Montreal Auto Show, will be sold as both a 5-door hatch and a sedan.

The new car is 2-inches longer, one inch wider and roughly half an inch lower than the outgoing model, with a wheelbase that has increased by almost three inches – which should notably improve rear seat room.

Details on the U.S.-spec model are not yet available, but the European versions will get either a 69-hp 1.1-liter diesel, or a turbocharged gasoline direct-injection (GDI) 1.2-liter that’s touted to get as much as 50-mpg. When it does arrive in the U.S., it should share the Accent’s direct-injection 138-hp 1.6-liter 4-cylinder that makes 123 ft-lbs of torque.

Get full coverage starting March 1st and see AutoGuide’s 2011 Geneva Auto Show Preview here.

GALLERY: 2012 Kia Rio

Set to debut in just under a month’s time at the Geneva Auto Show, a second batch of photos of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe have been leaked showing the car in more detail than before.

The luxury coupe gets some of the restyling from the newly facelifted 2012 C-Class sedan. More important, however, are the new engines that we’re almost certain to get in the coupe model, in order to make it an attractive rival to cars like the BMW 3 Series.

First up is a new direct-injection 1.8-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder that makes as solid 201-hp and 229 ft-lbs of torque to deliver a 0-60 mph time of 7.0 seconds. Wearing the C250 badge, a C350 model will also be offered with a new direct-injection version of the Mercedes V6 engine that produces 302-hp and 273 ft-lbs of torque.

Both a C63 AMG version and an ultra-high performance Black Series model could follow, with the former using the new Mercedes 4.7-liter twin-turbo V8 making 430-hp, while the Black Series could make use of AMG’s new 5.5-liter V8, delivering as much as 563-hp.

Get full coverage of the Geneva show starting March 1st and see AutoGuide’s 2011 Geneva Auto Show Preview here.

GALLERY: 2012 Mercedes C-Class Coupe

[Source: AutoCar]

Porsche has announced it will debut an all new hybrid model at the Geneva Auto Show on March 1st. No details have been provided beyond that, but the vehicle is believed to be a hybrid version of the Panamera sedan.

Likely to wear the Panamera S Hybrid badge, it will use the same powertrain found in the Cayenne S Hybrid which uses a 3.0-liter V6 engine that is supercharged and mated to a 47-hp electric motor for a total of 380-hp and 427 ft-lbs of torque. Porsche claims the Cayenne S Hybrid can travel up to 40 mph on just electric power and can cruise on pure electric power at speeds of up to 97 mph.

In addition, Porsche will also hold the European debuts of the stunning 918 RSR hybrid race car concept, as well as the Cayman R, 911 Black Edition and Boxster S Black Edition.

Get full coverage starting March 1st and see AutoGuide’s 2011 Geneva Auto Show Preview here.

Lotus has just announced it will debut a Mansory-tuned version of its Evora sports car at the upcoming Geneva Auto Show. In a brief statement, the British sports car company makes it very clear that this is in now way a new version of the car, not is it a facelift, but simply a look at what level of personalization Lotus owners can achieve with the Evora as a canvas.

No details about the project have been released, but from two photos provided by Lotus, it’s easy to see the extensive carbon fiber bodywork. No doubt commissioned by Lotus, the project appears (at first, at least) to be much more subtle than some of Mansory’s past creations, which have included a widebody Aston Martin DB9, a Barbie Pink Bentley and an eye-searing Panamera.

Geneva Auto Show coverage starts March 1st. Until then, get more news on the show with AutoGuide’s complete 2011 Geneva Auto Show Preview here.

GALLERY: Mansory-Tuned Lotus Evora

Previewing a possible sister-car to the Nissan Juke, Renault has announced the new Captur Concept ahead of its official debut at the Geneva Auto Show. The two seater is a look at fun crossover mobility and is the second of six concepts that will set the tone for the French automaker’s future design language.

Powered by a 158-hp 1.6-liter dCi diesel engine, the Capture also gets a dual-clutch automatic transmission. This is an exciting development, considering the Renault-Nissan partnership and could result in Nissan models (like the Juke) getting this unit in favor of the CVT.

As proof that the two automakers are in fact sharing technology across brands, the Captur also showcases what Renault is calling RX2, a high-tech AWD system that can spit power left to right at the rear axle. The Juke just so happens to have this very system.

GALLERY: Renault Captur Concept

Geneva Auto Show coverage starts March 1st. Until then, get more news on the show with AutoGuide’s complete 2011 Geneva Auto Show Preview here.