Car companies that sell their vehicles in Europe have to deal with the toughest emission standards in the world, and they are about to get tougher still.

The European Union has just announced that it wants to improve emissions by 20% in 2015, and to achieve that goal, it is tightening emission regulations starting from 2012.

As of January 1st, all automobile manufacturer’s who produce more than 10,000 vehicles per-year, will need to sell 65% of their annual sales of cars that produce less than 130-grams of Co2/kilometer (0.621-miles).

Automakers who cannot comply with this regulation will pay a fine of $6.50 per-gram for each car that is over. This could add to millions by the end of the year, making survival in the auto industry even tougher than before.

Renault’s Romanian brand Dacia will be in trouble with these new regulations in 2012, and Daimler is expected to be in even more trouble, as it would have to pay a fine of $2500 per vehicle.

Not all car companies will be in trouble however. Toyota, Peugeot and Fiat produce vehicles that produce between 112 to 119 grams/km.

While this regulation favors companies that produce small cars, those who produce large SUV’s will either have to cut production or start offering a small commuter car to bring their average down.

[Source: Left Lane News]

In Maybach‘s last full year of sales before the hyper-luxury brand will be shuttered for 2013, Daimler has increased the MSRP of Maybach’s 2012 line-up.

According to the latest pricing updates released by Mercedes-Benz USA, the 2012 Maybach 57 will begin at $379,050, an extra $3,080 over the 2011 model year. The 2012 Maybach 57 S and Maybach 62 will be offered at $418,950 and $430,450 respectively, each a $4,200 premium over last year’s model. Next, a 2012 Maybach 62 S will be starting at $470,350, $4,600 more than the 2011 MSRP. Finally, the top-of-the-line Maybach Landaulet pricing will remain the same as last year at $1,382,750.

A strange move for the German automaker as common practice and conventional economics traditionally dictate lower prices amid waning demand. While Maybach is a made-to-order boutique marque, we suggest prospective customers to keep an eye on Maybach’s slightly more affordable 2011 inventory.

GALLERY: Maybach Line-up

There are many tough races on the global motorsports calendar, but perhaps none more so than the Dakar rally.

The rally started back in 1978 and was originally called the Paris-Dakar rally due to its geographic location. However, due to safety concerns, the event was moved to South America in 2009, where it has remained to this day. The event is now simply called the Dakar rally, and for the 2012 event will cover 8000-kilometers (4968-miles). The route for the 2012 event will start from the Atlantic coast in Argentina to across South America and ending the event in Peru.

Each contestant will be required to cover 10% of the distance each day, and since the route will include vast desert landscapes, craggy canyons, impassable pebble plains and the Andes mountain, it will not be an easy trek. While only 50% of the competitors complete this grueling rally, it still attracts a vast array of trucks, bikes, quads and cars to this annual event.

One of the cars making its debut at the Dakar will be the Mini ALL4 Racing by the X-Raid team. They are entering five of these new rally cars which feature a 315-hp, 3.0-liter diesel engine. The all-wheel drive ALL4 is based on the new Mini Countryman.

Only time will tell if the Mini will prove victorious at the Dakar. The event starts on January 1, 2012.

The Volkswagen CC will debut its updated styling for the 2012 at the LA Auto Show in just a few weeks time.

The dark gray metallic beautifully compliments the CC’s refreshed facelift, receiving similar lines as the new Passat sedan, incorporating a new grill and lower fascia that is similar with VW’s corporate appearance. The CC will also feature new bi-xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lamps as standard.

Tweaks to the CC’s interior will be minimal and the drivetrain will carry over unchanged from the current model. Likewise, we expect the new CC’s pricing not to receive any significant alterations either.

GALLERY: 2012 Volkswagen CC

See AutoGuide’s complete 2011 LA Auto Show preview here

Toyota has announced today that the made in the U.S.A. Toyota Sienna minivan will soon be sold in South Korea.

Produced at Toyota’s Princeton, Indiana plant, the Sienna has long been a top seller in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Now, scheduled early this November, South Korea will mark the Sienna’s first distribution outside of North America.

Toyota has been exporting U.S. built vehicles since 1988 and the addition of South Korea bumps the number of countries that will receive U.S. built Toyota vehicles to 19. Models that are currently exported included the Toyota Avalon sedan of Georgetown, Kentucky, the Sequoia SUV of Princeton, Indiana and the Tacoma/Tundra pickup of San Antonio, Texas.

Yoshimi Inaba, president and COO of Toyota Motor North America, Inc. is optimistic of Sienna’s success in South Korea, “Toyota’s North American operations are constantly working to identify and expand new export opportunities for the vehicles we produce here, building on our extensive investments in auto production, research and development in the U.S. and helping to maintain a strong, stable base of jobs… With this development and other possible achievements in the future, we hope to continue boosting exports from our North American operations.”

Toyota North America has exported about 100,000 units for calendar year 2010. Initial sales of the Sienna in the South Korean market is a modest 600 units annually.

GALLERY: 2012 Sienna

Click here to read AutoGuide’s 2011 Toyota Sienna SE Review

34,000 units of GM’s 2012 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain crossovers are recalled due too improperly calibrated tire pressure monitoring systems.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, requires all tire pressure monitoring systems to illuminate a warning signal when the tires are below 25 percent of the vehicle’s recommended psi. However, the sensors fitted into the 2012 Equinox and Terrain may not illuminate until it is even lower than that.

Improperly inflated tires will result to various unsafe situations including an overloaded and overheating tire that may blowout at speed, increasing the possibilities of a crash. Inconveniences such as irregular and premature wear, poor handling, as well as poor fuel economy can be a result of underinflated tires as well.

GALLERY: 2012 Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain

The only natural gas production car to be manufactured and sold in the United States, the all-new 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas will be available at 200 dealers across 38 states beginning on October 18th.

Prices for this one-of-a-kind alternative energy vehicle begins at $26,155. The Civic Natural Gas is powered by a modified version of the same 1.8-liter engine that’s found in the petrol Civics. While the Civic Natural Gas is significantly more efficient than the regular Civic at 27 city and 38 highway, it falls short of the 44 mpg achieved by the Honda Civic Hybrid. Starting at $24,800, the Civic Hybrid is cheaper than the Natural Gas variant as well.

Honda explained in their press release that the Civic Natural Gas significantly reduces operating costs and fuel costs, as natural gas at gas stations have historically cost approximately 30 percent less per gallon than gasoline. Furthermore, as the Civic Natural Gas’ engine produces almost zero smog-forming emissions and is the cleanest internal-combustion engine certified by EPA (Tier-II, Bin-2, ILEV certification), it earned a state-issued decal that allows for single-occupant access on the HOV lane in multiple states including California. While it is more expensive than the Honda Civic Hybrid, owning a Civic Natural Gas sure has its perks.

GALLERY: Honda Civic Natural Gas

Read AutoGuide’s 2012 Honda Civic review here

Scion has revealed two new Release Series editions for the 2012 model year.

The Scion xD R.S. 4 will offer cosmetic upgrades including a unique Blizzard Pearl paint job finished with a sleek set of 16 inch alloy rims in a smoked platinum finish. Interior upgrades will feature colored trim pieces matching the paint scheme and white stitching. The limited run of 800 units will be priced at $16,980 for the manual or $17,780 for the automatic.

The Scion xB R.S. 9 will get an attention grabbing Hot Lava paint finish along with a color matching “SCION” text embossed across the face of a sport appearance honeycomb lower grill. An interesting feature exclusive for the Release Series 9 are its illuminating front and rear badges that will activate every time the remote locks or unlocks the car. The interior will feature synthetic suede seats and Hot Lava trim pieces. Only 1,500 R.S. 9 models will be built. Prices start at $18,840 for the manual and will reach $19,790 for the automatic.

The 2012 Scion line-up will all receive a new Pioneer audio system with Bluetooth and HD Radio.

GALLERY: 2012 Scion Release Series

The 2012 Honda CR-V Concept was just unveiled earlier this week at Anaheim, California’s Orange County International Auto Show.

Honda America’s Executive Vice President of Sales John Mendel proudly boasts, “As the best-selling SUV in each of the past four years, the 2012 CR-V promises to build on its highly successful formula with even more style, innovative features and higher fuel economy.”

While the press release raves on about the CR-V Concept’s bold new design, similarities in lines and proportions to the outgoing CR-V’s are obvious. Since the CR-V is one of Honda’s best selling products, it would make better sense for the CR-V to receive measured and incremental improvements so as to not alienate its loyal customers and long-time owners.

According to leaked details, look for a base 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine with 180-hp and 170 lb-ft of torque, while a new 2.5-liter will make 201-hp and 177 lb-ft.

The production version of the new Honda CR-V will debut in November at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

GALLERY: Honda CR-V Concept

Mercedes-Benz unveiled its second-generation B-Class at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show along with a concept for an E-Cell version of the front-wheel drive compact sport tourer.

The new B-Class is almost two inches shorter than the previous version yet has more leg room thanks to a lowered floor. The seats are also more upright but still offer a lot of head room.

European customers will have the choice of two new gasoline and two diesel options, all with ECO start/stop. The turbocharged 1.6 liter B 180 offers 122 hp while the B 200 version offers 156 hp. The 1.8 liter diesel options include the B 180 CDI with 109 hp and the B 200 CDI with 136 hp. B-class models will come with either a 6-speed manual transmission or a new 7-speed dual clutch transmission.

New safety features include a radar-based collision warning system with brake assist designed to reduce rear-end collisions. Other features include adaptive headlamp assist, blind spot and lane keeping assists, a reversing camera, active parking assist and the Pre-Safe preventive occupant protective system. First introduced in S-Class models in 2002, the Pre-Safe system automatically tightens seat belts and closes side windows and the sliding sun roof in emergency situations.

Mercedes-Benz also introduced an E-Cell Plus electric concept version of the B-class with a range extender. The B-Class E-Cell Plus’ lithium-ion battery provides a range of 100 km (62 miles) on electric power with the three-cylinder gasoline-powered engine extends the range to 600 km (372 miles).  Mercedes-Benz plans to produce the B-Class E-Cell Plus in 2014.

GALLERY: Mercedes-Benz B-Class

GALLERY: Mercedes-Benz B-Class E-Cell Concept

Porsche pulled the covers off its seventh generation 911 Carrera with nearly 90% newly redesigned or redeveloped components including a 7-speed manual transmission.

The new 911 has a longer wheelbase by 100mm yet the body is only 56mm longer. The new 911 is also about 7mm shorter than the previous version. At just under 176.91 inches in length and 71.18 inches in width, Porsche says the new 911 Carrera remains the most compact sports car in its class.

The standard 7-speed manual transmission is an all-new feature for any passenger car in the world, offering gears in close ratio with the seventh as a quasi-overdrive gear.

The 911 Carrera is also the first Porsche sports car equipped with auto start/stop for improved fuel economy.

Porsche will offer two versions, the 911 Carrera and the 911 Carrera S. The non-S version is powered by a 3.4 liter boxer engine claiming 350 hp. Porsche claims a 0-100 kph (0-62 mph) time of 4.8 seconds, 4.6 with the optional PDK 7-speed transmission, and an even quicker 4.4 seconds with the Sport Chrono package. Top speed is 179.6 mph for the standard version, 178.3 with PDK while fuel economy is about 26.1 mpg (28.6 mpg with PDK).

The Porsche 911 Carrera S is equipped with a 3.8 liter boxer pumping out 400 hp. Porsche claims a 0-100 kph time of 4.5 seconds (4.3 s with PDK, 4.1 with Sport Chrono Package). Top speed gets a boost to 188.9 mph for the standard model, 187.7 mph with PDK. Fuel economy takes a slight hit with the S getting 24.8 mpg, 27.0 mpg with PDK.

GALLERY: Porsche 911 Carrera

Watch video of the new 911 Carrera S from it’s debut in Frankurt after the jump:

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There hasn’t been a lot of buzz generated around the new 2012 Nissan Versa since its unveiling back in April at the New York Auto Show, so it’s completely understandable if one were led to believe that the Versa will manage limited success. On the other hand, Versa’s biggest competitor Hyundai Accent set off to an early lead as Hyundai managed to move a thousand more units than any subcompact, including the Versa, in its first full month of sales.

Surprisingly, this has become the perfect example of the tortoise and the hare as numbers now show that as of August, the 2012 Nissan Versa is the new best-selling subcompact in the United States– trumping the Hyundai Accent, Honda Fit, Ford Fiesta, Mazda2, Chevrolet Aveo and Toyota Yaris.

This isn’t necessarily to say that the Nissan Versa is a superior product, but as it is currently the least expensive car sold in North America at $10,990, individuals who buy the Versa won’t be too concerned about performance specs anyway. As for the numbers, the 2012 Versa comes with a 1.6 liter I-4, producing 109 horsepower and 107 lb-ft of torque. The CVT helps to optimize the Versa’s efficiency, achieving 30/38-mpg city/highway.

GALLERY: 2012 Nissan Versa/Sunny