It might not have been one of BMW’s main attractions at the Frankfurt Auto Show, but the world premiere of the all-wheel drive 7 Series is a welcome addition to the BMW lineup.

For the first time ever, the 7 Series will be offered with AWD, with xDrive being added to both the 750i and 750Li models. When combined with the recently announced V12-powered 760Li, the 7 Series range grows to five variants for model year 2010.

BMW’s acclaimed xDrive all-wheel drive system has been enhanced for these new models to ensure that the 750i xDrive and 750Li xDrive set a new benchmark for handling characteristics among all-wheel drive sedans. BMW’s Integrated Chassis Management, using the remarkable speed of its FlexRay on-board network and the quick-responding xDrive hardware, is able to identify and limit understeer by shifting torque rearward (up to 80% to the rear axle) while preserving the stability for which xDrive has been so widely recognized.

As a second step, the Integrated Chassis Management system can then apply a precise combination of throttle and individual rear-corner braking in order to maintain perfectly neutral handling in a corner – regardless of road surface conditions.

These key enhancements to xDrive ensure that the 750i xDrive and 750Li xDrive will be two of the most nimble all-wheel drive sedans available in any vehicle segment.

GALLERY: BMW xDrive 750i

At the Frankfurt Auto Show, Volvo officially unveiled a sporty R-Design package for the XC60, giving the brand’s progressive luxury crossover an even more appealing look.

Outside the R-Design model gets a new “silk metal” finish for the grille, fog lamp surrounds, mirrors and a silk metal R-Design badge. The side skirts will have an aluminum look, while the rear skid place will be chrome plated with chrome twin tailpipes. The lower body panels will be paint-matched, giving the crossover a ground-hugging look, even though the ride height remains the same as on the standard vehicle. A set of 18-inch wheels will come standard, although buyers can choose to upgrade to a 20-inch set.

Inside the XC60 R-Design gets new sport seats with unique upholstery with a choice of two color combos and R-Design emblems. Also included is an R-Design sports steering wheel, aluminum sport pedals and blue gauges.

The drive of the XC60 R-Design will also be more engaging due to stiffer springs, more responsive shocks and tighter steering.

The XC60 R-Design will be offered in seven colors including one exclusive color (shown above) Passion red.

GALLERY: 2010 Volvo XC60 R-Design

When it comes to hybrid and eco-friendly technology, it looks like blue is the new green. Both Hyundai and Mercedes-Benz have chosen the color blue to represent their environmentally friendly vehicles with their respective Blue Drive and Blue Efficiency brands. Hyundai’s latest hybrid concept, the Blue-Will, is a look into the future of eco-friendly vehicles.

First introduced at the Seoul Auto Show in April,  the Blue-Will made an appearance at the Hyundai exhibit at the Frankfurt Auto Show.

Concept cars usually include features that are way out there and will likely never see production. In the Blue-Will, this would include features like the  LED screen under the front grille (which seems a bit strange when an internal graphic display promotes fuel saving driving habits).

Some of the Blue-Will’s features may be worth another look however. Touch screen drive selection may not appeal to those who like the feel of a stick, but with the Blue-Will’s continuously variable transmission, the only choices you’ll have are drive, reverse, neutral and park. Touch screen HVAC and entertainment controls seem like a natural evolution however, judging by the popularity of products like the iPhone.

The Blue-Will is powered by a 152hp GDI 1.6l engine and a 100 kW motor in a proprietary parallel hybrid system. Hyundai says this parallel hybrid architecture will be the base for the company’s future hybrid models, starting with the next generation Sonata in the U.S.

Another interesting innovation is a thermal generator in the exhaust manifold that converts heat into electrical energy. Hyundai says this energy will be used to power auxiliary systems, which, we assume, include the LED screen above the front bumper.

The Blue-Will is a plug-in hybrid, and designers have placed the power port at the front of the car behind the pop-out Hyundai insignia on the front grille. The lithium ion polymer battery is located under the rear seat however, so more conventional location for the power port may make more a sense.

Overall, the Hyundai Blue-Wire is an interesting concept, but with some of the choices the designers made might make you wonder what that concept is.

Gallery: Hyundai Blue-Will Concept

As expected, Dodge unveiled its updated 2010 Caliber at the Frankfurt Auto Show, with a redesigned interior, more powerful base engine and a new diesel engine for Europe. The car wasn’t getting much attention, however, as it was located in the same hall as all those other brands that fall under the Fiat umbrella. Even a Caliber SRT10 wouldn’t get much notice next to a Ferrari 458 Italia or Fiat’s models in school girl uniforms (see below).

Still, the new interior is a significant improvement over the previous design with plenty of quality materials including chromed HVAC vents and cluster rings as well as a chrome surround for the shift bezel and instrument panel. The door armrest and center console now also feature soft-touch material. Other features include a new automatic climate control system, a nine-speaker Boston Acoustics audio system, a Chill Zone storage bin for drinks,m LED lighting around the cup holders and reclining rear seatbacks.

For Europe a new 2.2-liter turbo-diesel makes 163hp and 236 ft-lbs of torque, a 16 percent increase in horsepower and a 3 percent increase in torque. This translates to a towing capacity that is improved by 25 percent to 3,300 lbs – significantly more than most entry-level crossovers.

In the U.S., Europe and elsewhere, the 2010 Caliber will come with either a 2.0-liter or 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. The top-level (now that the SRT4 model has been discontinued) 2.4-liter makes 170hp and 162 ft-lbs of torque. As for the 2.0-liter motor, it replaces the old 1.8-liter engine and makes 156hp and 140 ft-lbs of torque.

GALLERY: 2010 Dodge Caliber

GALLERY: Fiat Models

Volvo to chose the Frankfurt Auto Show to debut a mid-cycle makeover for the C30 premium hatchback.

“Since its introduction in 2006, the Volvo C30 has become highly appreciated for its unique appearance. This applies in particular to the rear. With the new front, it feels as though everything has fallen neatly into place and that the car’s entire personality has been boosted to an entirely new level,” says Daniel Backman, Product Manager for the new Volvo C30.

We’re not sure we agree with the comments about the car’s back-end, but the new front certainly adds a bit more style to the C30, helping it appeal to its intended young-buyer audience. Much of the design cues have been taken from Volvo’s progressive new XC60 crossover.

The new front end features not only a new bumper and grille, but also new headlights.

A new rear end is also a part of the redesign, using colored panels, as opposed to black plastic ones, while on T5 models large 90mm exhaust tips will be included. A new Orange Flame Metallic paint job will also be offered, as will white wheels.

Volvo has also decided to offer a long list of interior trim options to customers, with items like an Espresso/Blonde two-tone interior, as well as Cranberry leather.

In addition a sport chassis will be offered with stiffer bushings, a tighter steering ratio (by 10 percent) and springs that are 30 percent stiffer as well.

In Europe Volvo has also announced changes to it’s C30 1.6D DRIVe, including the addition of start-stop technology that allows the diesel to use just 3.8 l/100km of fuel (62 mpg).

GALLERY: Volvo C30

GALLERY: Volvo V30 1.6D DRIVEe

As we predicted, Ford’s new Grand C-Max will make its way to North America. Freshly unveiled at the Frankfurt Auto Show, Ford of Europe boss John Flemming made the announcement that the company’s new seven-seat multi-purpose vehicle will make the jump across the pond.

Both the Grand C-Max and standard C-Max are based on Ford’s new global architecture that will also underpin the new Focus. This is yet another European model that Ford is bringing to North America, after announcing several months ago that the Fiesta would find a home in showrooms on this side of the Atlantic.

The Grand C-Max is a seven-seater multi-purpose vehicle along the lines of a Mazda5. In fact, Ford has the 5 directly in its sites, after selling off much of its stake in Mazda about a year ago. TThe Grand C-Max MPV even has typical minivan sliding doors.

Ford unveiled its European MPV complete with the company’s new 1.6-liter 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine, which makes roughly 180h and 170 ft-lbs of torque. Ford plans to offer turbocharged EcoBoost powerplants across almost all of its product range with a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 replacing V8 engines, a 2.0-liter EcoBoost 4-cylinder replacing V6 engines and a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder replacing larger four-cylinder motors.

GALLERY: Ford Grand C-Max

Germany exotic car tuner Mansory continues to one-up itself with custom creations, the latest of which is an exposed carbon-body Aston Martin DBS. Looking like something you might find on a race track with black wheels, wider fenders, a massive rear diffuser and an additional spoiler, this custom DBS also sports a very special front end.

This DBS, called Cyrus by Mansory, sorts a carbon version of the same grille that apears on Aston’s upcoming One-77 supercar.

Mansory hasn’t released any info on if the Cyrus has any engine modifications, but then under-the-hood work has never been their specialty. Besides, with a 510hp V12 engine, there’s already plenty of power on tap.

GALLERY: Mansory Cyrus

It isn’t every day that Rolls-Royce rolls out a new model, let alone the start of a new lineup of cars. In fact, the most luxurious luxury brand on the planet hasn’t had an entirely new model (based on a new platform), since 2003. Sure, there have been the Coupé and Drophead Coupé, but both of those models are based on the Phantom’s underpinnings.

The company’s latest model, the Ghost, has just been officially unveiled at the Frankfurt Auto Show. With definite Phantom design cues, the Ghost is a slightly smaller vehicle, but that’s not saying much.

It is, by all accounts, incredibly large and has an engine to match. Powered by a 6.6-liter V12, the Ghost makes 563hp and 575 ft-lbs of torque at just 1500 rpm. Using a new eight-speed automatic transmission the Ghost will be able to hit 62 mph in just 4.8 seconds.

The Ghost will be available with a very long list of standard an optional equipment, including rear-seat LCD screens with fold out tables and, of course, umbrellas in the doors.

Rolls-Royce is expected to follow the same product development strategy with the Ghost as with the Phantom, so expect to hear rumors of both a coupe and a convertible starting soon.

GALLERY: 2010 Rolls-Royce Ghost

Official release after the jump:

Move over Corvette, Barbie has a new ride.

German luxury tuner Mansory unveiled its latest and, quite possibly, most ludicrous vehicle to date at the Frankfurt Auto Show today. Called Vitesse Rosé, this completely reworked Bentley Continental GT Speed is most notable for it’s Barbie-pink paint. Or should we say matte-Barbie-pink.

While the pink paint is the most obvious, this Bentley Continental GT Speed also gets a complete Mansory aero kit including a new front bumper with wider openings, side skirts and a new rear bumper with a diffuser. There is also an exposed carbon fiber hood to drop a few pounds on the hefty Bentley, with a carbon rear lip out back that shows just a hint of carbon weave emerging from the paint.

Additional exterior details include the set of 21-inch wheels, but the real surprise is inside, where a pink and purple diamond stitched leather and Alcantara cockpit assaults the eyes.

If you’re life just wouldn’t be complete without owning this car then you’re in luck. The current model is spoken for but Mansory will build another one for 269,000 euros ($383,000) – plus the cost of a Bentley.

GALLERY: Mansory Vitesse Rosé

Unveiled at the Frankfurt Auto Show, the latest Brabus E V12 might be typically Brabus in that, like almost all Brabus models, it is “fast, black and expensive.” It’s also very uncharacteristically Brabus-like due to the wider rear end with bizarre fenders that cover over most of the wheels. Add on matte black paint and we’d almost think we were at Mansory’s booth.

Designed to hit 230mph, the E-Class’s new rear fenders were tested in a wind-tunnel to help reduce lift on the rear end and are made of light-weight carbon fiber. And because the rear end is now also 1.4-inches wider, it is possible to fit wider 285 rear tires for better high-speed stability.

Under the hood is the latest version of the Brabus twin-turbo 6.3-liter V12 engine called the SV12 R Biturbo 800. Making 800hp (788bhp) at just 5500 rpm, torque is an incredible 1,047 ft-lbs. Due to safety concerns with tires, Brabus chose to electronically limit torque to “just” 811 ft-lbs.

Brabus claims its new E v12 can hit 62 mph in 3.8 seconds and 124 mph in 9.9 seconds.

Just 10 of these special edition high-performance models will be built at a price of 498,000 Euros (roughly $730,000).

GALLERY: Brabus E V12 “One of Ten”

Official release after the jump: