While Audi’s plans for the U.S. market originally did not include the compact Q3 crossover, but Audi is re-considering the decision to not import the car after seeing the segment expand with offerings like the MINI Countryman, BMW X1 and the Nissan Juke.

While the Q5 starts at $35,200, Audi would likely have to price it closer to the MINI Countryman which retails between $21,650 and $26,950. A sub-$30,000 price tag might be uncomfortable for Audi and its positioning as a premium brand, but with the small crossover segment growing, it could be a chance for Audi to increase their overall volume in North America.

The Q3 would likely be powered by the corporate 2.0T engine, with the possibility of a 2.0L TDI diesel engine as well. The diesel offering could allow the Q3 to stake out a niche within the segment, and remain consistent with Audi’s overall diesel strategy.

[Source: Kicking Tires]

Aston Martin has just established its first foothold in India, with its first showroom in Mumbai. The showroom will be managed in partnership with Infinity Cars Pvt. Ltd., a well known local distributor, with a location in a swanky district of Mumbai known as Kemps Corner.

“India represents a new opportunity for us and as part of our programme of growing the reach of the global Aston Martin dealership network; this expansion brings our brand to a different audience in a new market,” Aston Martin’s Chief Commercial Officer, Michael van der Sande said in a statement. “Our decision to bring the Aston Martin brand to India is driven by a strong level of interest and enthusiasm from potential customers in an emerging luxury market. We have taken our time to find the right advocates for Aston Martin and I am confident that we have selected strong partners with whom we look forward to starting a successful relationship,” he said.

Although Aston Martin will offer a full range of vehicles in India, the roads there are in such rough shape, we’re not exactly sure where these cars can be driven. Perhaps some track days at New Delhi’s Grand Prix circuit are in order.

[Source: Auto Evolution]

Lotus may build their next generation Esprit sports car outside of the United Kingdom after its request for a $50 million loan to build a new factory was rejected by an investment arm of the British government.

The loan was intended for a new factory in the Norfolk area of Britain, which would employ 1200 people and build models like the new Elan and Esprit. Other automakers have been given loans by the government, and Lotus released a statement saying “following this decision Group Lotus is currently exploring all available options including the possibility of submitting an updated bid for round two of the RGF, which is set to close on July 1.”

If a British facility cannot be procured, Lotus may build the new cars as Valmet’s factory in Finland or Magna-Steyr’s plant in Austria, where the Porsche Boxster and Aston Martin Rapide are respectively built.

[Source: Auto Express]

Rolls-Royce is testing an extended wheelbase version of their “entry level” Ghost sedan (the term being relative, since the car starts at a mere $245,000).

The car is expected to add 6 inches to its wheelbase, mostly via the rear suicide doors, which will allow passengers to stretch out a little more. If the idea seems a little redundant in light of the larger Phantom, it’s worth noting that long wheelbase cars are hugely popular in Russia and China, two crucial markets for high-end luxury cars that Rolls needs to corner to ensure its long term health.

The stretched Ghost is expected to command a $30,000 premium over the base car, but we may not even see it in North America.

[Source: Auto Express]

Jaguar has slowly been releasing details of their new products expected to debut in the next few years, and each leak makes us more excited for what’s in store.

The new SUV is expected to help bulk up the brand’s total sales and take on cars like the Range Rover Sport, BMW X5 and Porsche Cayenne. Unlike some of the more rugged offerings in the segment, the Jaguar will use the brand’s aluminum spaceframe construction, and be oriented towards on-road performance. The main challenge will be keeping it from cannibalizing sales from Land Rover, and the two will undoubtedly share hardware to keep costs down.

Jaguar is also planning a new sports car positioned below their XK grand tourer, said to evoke the iconic E-Type of the 1960′s, while also avoiding competition with the Porsche Boxster, BMW Z4 and Mercedes-Benz SLK. The new sports car will be out around the same time as Jaguar’s new small sedan and the all-wheel drive XJ sedan .

[Source: Inside Line]

After confirming that there would be an all-wheel drive version of the Jaguar XJ, CEO Adrian Hallmark also confirmed future product plans, including a smaller sedan and a hotter version of the XFR.

Jaguar hasn’t elaborated on their plans for a new small car, but such a vehicle will be crucial for them to expand and take on other European luxury marques, as well as provide an entry point for younger, less affluent customers.

Jaguar is also planning on an XFR-S, similar to the XKR-S supercar, while a 4-cylinder diesel XF and a 6-cylinder XJ are being developed to cater to the other end of the market. The two economical engine choices will open up new markets for the XF in Europe and the XJ in China (where the 6-cylinder configuration will help the car skirt hefty import taxes).

[Source: Pistonheads]

While it wasn’t the MINI Countryman WRC that did it, the brand still captured their first ever rally victory, with an S2000-class MINI John Cooper Works finishing first in the Rally dell’Adriatico.

The privateer team, known as Grifone, is campaigning the car in a regional rally series that adheres to the rules of the S2000 class. These are much closer to what one can drive on the street, and are also eligible for road racing series in Europe. The win will certainly give the brand a boost ahead of the Countryman WRC’s debut next week, and its first race in Sardinia in May.

[Source: Paultan.org]

Jaguar is apparently readying an all-wheel drive version of their XJ sedan and the car should be on the market within 2 years. Jaguar is looking to combat their German rivals, each of which offer an AWD variant of their large sedans.

While only a 20 percent of cars in the United States are sold with AWD, that number skyrockets to 70 percent in the Northeast, which has traditionally been Jaguar’s strongest market. Lexus also offers an AWD variant of the LS460 and Audi’s A8 comes standard with the brand’s quattro system.

[Source: Autocar]

The hotly anticipated Range Rover Evoque has been priced in the United Kingdom and will start at £27,955, or about $45,000, for a front-drive, manual gearbox equipped 5-door model. At the other end of the spectrum, a fully loaded, AWD 3-door model with the 6-speed automatic, will cost an eye-watering £44,320 or about $71,000.

Of course, car prices in Britain are much higher than North America, so a direct comparison isn’t possible, but for reference, a Land Rover LR2 in Britain starts at roughly $35,000 (for a far less generously equipped trim level than our base model) and the LR4 starts at about $58,000, nearly $10,000 higher than our starter LR4.

The Evoque is being positioned as a Range Rover for urban dwellers, with an emphasis on aesthetics rather than off-road capability. Interior and exterior customization will be a big part of the vehicle’s selling features, since the 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine and car-based chassis will make it far more crossover-like than anything sold by the venerable British brand.

[Source: AutoExpress]

The 2012 Jaguar XF seen in the above spy shot may not look too different from the existing car, but the improvements you can’t see are what caught our attention.

Jaguar claims that this XF is motivated by a 2.2L 4-cylinder diesel engine making 187 horsepower and 322 lb-ft of torque, while delivering about 52 mpg on the European cycle. This works out to roughly 40 mpg combined in North American measurements, and a start-stop system, as well as low friction engine components, are credited with helping the big cat reach the vaunted 40 mpg target while also hitting 60 mph in 8.5 seconds.

Jaguar will announce more details, including an on-sale date, at the New York Auto Show, so stay tuned to AutoGuide’s live coverage of the show for further information.

Canada and Britain are hooking up for new collaboration that will get you talking. Canadian luxury mobile phone maker Mobiado is teaming up with Britain’s Aston Martin to launch collection of luxury mobile phones.

Set to hit stores in May 2011, this is a phone that trend setters and fashionistas will want to keep their eyes open for. Sleek and streamlined, the phones make a luxe statement and will get your friends talking the next time you go to send someone a text.

Says Peter Bonac, President of Bonac Innovation Corp. (Mobiado): “Like Aston Martin, Mobiado prides itself on design innovation and technological excellence. We look forward to a long and prosperous working relationship, and are thrilled to be working with the prestigious Aston Martin brand.”

No word on how much this phone will cost you, but considering that both brands are considered luxury, we can bet you’ll be shelling out a pretty penny for this fashionable accessory. Will you be picking one up when they come out?

[Source: Born Rich]

Although the destroyed Chinese Lamborghini will forever linger in the minds of car enthusiasts bemused by the antics of spoiled owners, a Range Rover driver decided to take a less apoplectic approach and simply returned his Range Rover by towing it to the dealership with two donkeys.

Dissatisfied after his Rover broke down 6 times in one year (requiring a new engine as well), the unidentified man towed the car (worth $304,604 in China) to the dealer after its 7th breakdown and demanded a refund. The situation was apparently not resolved, but at least it gave the internet something to laugh at on a Wednesday morning.

[Source: TheTycho]

A MINI Cooper S fitted with an experimental hybrid all-wheel drive system was spotted testing in winter climates, a surprise move for BMW, which has given no indication it was developing such a car.

Sharp-eyed readers will not the electric motor mounted between the rear wheels, as well as the “hybrid” stickers mounted on the vehicle. A traditional gas engine provides power to the front wheels.

Considering MINI has their All4 AWD system already, it could become superfluous if the hybrid AWD setup becomes a fixture during the 2013 revamp of MINI’s lineup. With BMW developing hybrid technology in collaboration with Peugeot and Citroen, the cost of such a system would be spread across a large number of models, and thus make it an affordable option for MINI cars.

[Source: Left Lane News]

The first round of the Lotus Cup USA kicked off this past weekend at Willow Springs Raceway, with Jack Fried taking the overall win in the awesome, track-only 2-Eleven sports car. Fried won after race leader Andy Kern bowed out with mechanical problems, but Kern managed to take the overall win in the Time Attack class.

The next round will be held at Firebird International Raceway in Arizona during the weekend of April 9th, and we are soliciting donations so that one of the AutoGuide staff can rent a seat in a 2-Eleven. Any takers?

[Source: Lotus]

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Purists may scoff at the 4-door MINI Countryman and its betrayal of “brand values”, but BMW’s bean counters are laughing all the way to the bank as the company credits the newest MINI with helping profits surge 15-fold in 2010. BMW’s net income was recorded at 3.23 billion euros in 2010, up from 210 million euros in 2009.

BMW also credited increased demand for the 5-Series, particularly in China, as well as the new X1 crossover. The launch of the re-designed X3 and 6-Series should help BMW deliver a record 1.5 million vehicles in 2011.

The Suzuki Kizashi may have enjoyed critical acclaim (and rightly so) but it’s sales figures have never been stellar. Suzuki is planning to sell the Kizashi in the UK  later in 2011, and while Suzuki only plans on selling 500 units, it’s difficult to imagine the car being anything more than a low-volume curiosity.

With only a 2.4L 4-cylinder, a CVT gearbox and all-wheel-drive, the Kizashi will go up against fully loaded players like the Vauxhall Insignia and Ford Mondeo, two established cars beloved by buyers on the other side of the pond. A lack of a diesel option will also hurt Suzuki, but the company thinks that the AWD system will allow it to attract buyers who may gravitate towards Subaru and AWD Vauxhall models. We wish them luck. They’ll need it.

[Source: Autocar]

With the positive reception given to the very compact MINI Rocketman concept at this year’s Geneva Auto Show, MINI execs have given indications that the car will be produced sometime in the near future.

“We are good at looking at history and interpreting a future for it,” MINI sales and marketing chief Kevin Robertson told Autocar, noting that most MINIs end up making it from concept to production.  While the Rocketman is supposed to provide visual cues as to MINI’s future styling direction, the underlying technology behind the Rocketman will also play a significant role in the brand’s future.

“The themes in the car are not just about a smaller Mini,” said Robertson. “Lightweight construction, and new types of components will go on to Minis. The BMW i-concept  will be available to all members of the group.”

But with MINI USA head Jim McDowell telling AutoGuide that no larger or smaller MINIs were slated for America outside of the current lineup, it’s possible that we won’t see the Rocketman on our roads at all.

[Source: Autocar]

Diesel hot hatches have always been a bit of an oddity – one would think that a big, heavy diesel engine would throw off the superb balance and lightweight that are the hallmarks of most front-wheel-drive hot hatchbacks, but the MINI Cooper SD is one diesel hot hatch that deserves the benefit of the doubt after seeing it at the Geneva Auto Show.

While the regular Cooper S isn’t quite a featherweight, the car’s reflexes would have you believe that it weighs as much as an empty coffee cup. While the 2.0L turbo diesel only puts out 143 horsepower, its 225 lb-ft of torque is greater than even a tuned-to-the-gills Cooper S JCW’s output, giving the car plenty of useable power in the lower end of the rev range.

MINI claims a 0-60 sprint of between 8.1 seconds for a Cooper SD to 9.4 seconds for a Countryman SD. Even more astonishing are the fuel economy figures – anywhere from 57.6 mpg to 65 mpg (on the European cycle). To put that in perspective, you can theoretically return Prius-like economy with a small performance trade-off.

Gallery: MINI Cooper SD and Countryman SD

If you’ve ever seen an original Mini (which may be unlikely if you live in North America) you might find it hard to wrap your head around just how small the car really is. The current MINI Cooper, while small by our standards, absolutely dwarfs the original car, but MINI’s new Rocketman concept should set things straight for the brand.

With a footprint that’s only slightly larger than the original Mini, the Rocketman also boasts a carbon fiber spaceframe to keep weight down, and a re-configurable interior to maximize passenger and cargo space. Unfortunately, MINI USA head Jim McDowell said that North America was unlikely to get any products that deviated from the current car’s size, so we’ll have to gaze at this one from afar – assuming it ever sees production.

Gallery: MINI Rocketman Concept

As if Bentley needed yet another excuse to launch a special edition of their Continental GT line, the Continental Supersports Ice Speed Record edition will debut at the 2011 Geneva Auto Show. The model, released in a 100 unit production run, will commemorate Finnish rally hero Juha Kankkunen’s record setting 202 mph blast on ice in an E85 powered Conti.

A new intake, intercooler and exhaust system help the turbocharged 12-cylinder motor pump out 631 horsepower and rocket to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds. E85 can be run as a “green” alternative fuel, and buyers will also be swaddled in the finest hides available. Check back tomorrow for live pictures.

Now that the Range Rover has become the luxury SUV of choice for the merely rich, the Land Rover crew is forced to step up for their uber-wealthy client base and create something over the top. Enter the Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate Edition, a truly opulent SUV for the developing world plutocracy.

The biggest changes occur inside, where the rear bench is jettisoned in favor of 4 individual bucket seats. A center console made of aluminum hosts a cooler and drink tray with Apple iPads impregnated into the front seat headrests. The cargo area is fitted with a teak surface, while Kalahari wood veneers accent the highest grades of leather upholstery. Outside, new wheels, special badging and specific grille and door handle trims help set it apart from plebeian versions of the Range Rover.

Powertrain options include a 5.0L supercharged V8 or a 4.4L turbodiesel mill mated to an 8-speed ZF automatic. Pricing has yet to be announced but will be revealed at the Geneva Auto Show.

Hit the jump for the official press release

Gallery: Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate Edition

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A fascinating interview with Jaguar‘s Adrian Hallmark, that appeared in Automobile Magazine, gave some key insights into Jaguar’s future, and the rapid changes in the auto industry that have taken place in the latter half of the 2000′s.

Hallmark, formerly of the VW Group (where he was posted at Bentley) and Saab, discusses not only Jaguar product plans for the future, but companies that he sees as successful at transitioning from the old market place, where the U.S. was the key market and niche products reigned supreme, to a new model where crossovers and sedans must co-exist and the needs of emerging markets like China have to be met to ensure corporate survival.

The meat and potatoes of Jag’s lineup will remain, but some enticing new additions are set to appear. Look for a new XJ Coupe, featuring a short wheel-base, no B-pillar and unique styling, something that Hallmark says is “much more dynamic and emotional than a Mercedes CL.”

Hallmark would like a small sports car, but claims it wouldn’t be produced in sufficient volumes, so a smaller, more accesible Jag is in the cars – but fear not, as it won’t be a return to the declasse X-Type. “Not many 35-year-olds can afford a long-wheelbase XJ,” he says.  ”So we’ve got to bring in cars that are more affordable to younger buyers, but believe me we are not looking at the lowest-price BMW 3-series or Audi A4. We’ll have premium products at the very top of each segment we operate in.” Furthermore, Hallmark says that markets like China and India still like sedans more than crossovers, but that doesn’t mean the idea of a Jag SUV is dead. Far from it. Hallmark views Porsche as a model for success, and the way they were able to take advantage of VW’s Touraeg architecture (a concept he elaborates on in-depth) means that Jaguar will likely consult with Land Rover when the time comes.

[Source: Automobile Magazine]

With a huge gulf existing between the road-going version of the MINI Countryman and the WRC-ready version, a halo version that could bridge the gap between urban crossover and full-blown race car could be an asset for MINI, and help them leverage some of the image boost that their rally program will provide, especially in parts of the world where WRC is a popular motorsport.

At this point, the idea of a hardcore Countryman is just a rumor, but the it’s not hard to imagine a pumped up Countryman, perhaps with some tweaks courtesy of a JCW upgrade package, more macho bodywork and big wheels. So far, a concept is supposedly planned for.

[Source: Ausmotive]

The Aston Martin Cygnet, the British luxury brand’s take on the Toyota iQ, is almost ready to go on sale, and the ultra-lux city car will start £30,995, or about $50,000 USD.

Using the 1.3L Toyota engine and a 6-speed manual or CVT gearbox, the iQ’s 11 second 0-60 sprint is decidedly not Aston-like in its performance, but the city car represents a new market for Aston, as well as a way to get around average fuel economy regulations such as America’s CAFE standards.

[Source: Carscoop]