Hyundai‘s old Elantra Touring was a function-first vehicle, targeted against cars like the Toyota Matrix. Now Hyundai is switching gears, replacing that small wagon with the Elantra GT (that’s Grand Touring), a hatchback built to compete against fun cars like the Mazda3, Ford Focus hatchback and VW Golf.

Unveiled alongside the Elantra Coupe at the Chicago Auto Show, find out more about the new 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT by watching the video below.

GALLERY: 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT

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Replacing the dull-looking Elantra Touring for 2013 is an all new five-door Hyundai, which along with sporty Euro-hatch looks gets a marketing-friendly “Elantra GT” name.

The GT is powered by the same 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine found in the other Elantras, though it fails to make Hyundai’s hallowed 40-mpg mark. Instead, estimated fuel mileage is 28/39 city/highway, or 32 mpg average – still a solid number.

It also misses out on standard heated seats, which suggests that the company really is courting younger buyers when you realize the new coupe version gets that feature across the board. Despite that, there is some catchy standard equipment like a chilled glove box and three 12-volt outlets to keep the kids happy on long trips.

The competition ultimately becomes the defining factor for practical cars, and this is where Hyundai often shines. The Elantra offers significantly more passenger and cargo capacity than those it stacks up next to like the Volkswagen Golf, Mazda 3 and Toyota Matrix. Space behind the rear seat is a substantial 23 cu-ft, with a total of 51 cu-ft when you fold the seats flat. Those numbers are essentially on par with the new Subaru Impreza hatch, although if you don’t need all-wheel drive and do want a few extra miles per gallon, the front-drive Elantra stands out.

Safety ratings are obviously unavailable for the 2013 model, but if it’s anything like the predecessor, which the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave four of five stars, it will be a reasonably safe ride. So far it seems like Hyundai is doing a good job of offering the stuff that sells cars to customers in their segment. You won’t be riding in the lap of luxury, but the savings can buy quite a few steak dinners.

GALLERY: 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT

GALLERY: 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT Reveal

Watch video of the Elantra GT below:

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Rumblings of a 3-Series GT might have been little more than a shudder from the rumor mill, but according to a story published on BMWBLOG a smaller version of the unpopular 5-Series GT is on the way.

It might seem strange that the company would launch such a niche car after the previous iteration failed so heavily. Maybe BMW is jealous of Mercedes-Benz. Whatever the reason is, expect to see them launching in March 2013.

They will feature the same rear glass to stubby bum you would expect on a 4-door hatchback from BMW, in fact they really look like a saloon version of the old 318ti with updated styling.

Engine offerings should be the same as the new 3-Series lineup, so expect to see a 2.0-liter twin-turbo four making 240 hp and a twin-turbo 3.0-liter six-cylinder making 300 hp in higher end models.

BMW did actually tweak the formula a little with this car, offering more rear legroom than the 5-Series version. Don’t expect to see these hit American shores, though. The company is releasing a touring edition of the 3-Series for American consumers which makes sense because it seems few people actually buy hatchbacks in the U.S.

[Source: BMWBLOG]

If there were any doubts that Hyundai is planning to offer a second generation of its Elantra Touring in North America, this should pretty much do away with them.

Spied parking in an underground condo garage in Toronto, Canada and sent to us by a friend who runs the Endras BMW Blog, the spy photos at first seem to show some type of Volkswagen prototype. The shape of the headlights, however, is just some camo trickery, and the fenders are most certainly those of the Hyundai Elantra Touring. As though more confirmation was needed, a peak inside shows the Hyundai badge on the steering wheel and a typical Hyundai interior.

When it does arrive on our shores, look for the same engine as the current Elantra, with a 2.0-liter making 148 hp and getting 40 mpg on the highway. Previous reports have suggested a 200 hp turbocharged model could be in the works, as well as a plug-in hybrid version.

GALLERY: 2013 Hyundai Elantra Touring Spy Photos

Read AutoGuide’s 2012 Hyundai Elantra Review Here

Closing in on a year since the reveal of the Yaris HSD Concept at the Geneva Motor Show, Toyota has released the first production images of the gasoline-electric sub-compact.

Sporting the front-end of the FCV-R hydrogen fuel cell concept, the Yaris Hybrid is powered by the same Hybrid Synergy Drive engine-motor combination as found in the Prius c, with a 1.5-liter gasoline engine mated to an electric motor and battery pack, good to 98 hp and around 53 mpg combined.

A version of the Yaris Hybrid for North America is unlikely with the upcoming launch of the Prius c on our shores later this year.

Look for full Geneva Motor Show Coverage starting March 6th here.

GALLERY: Toyota Yaris Hybrid

Known for modifying wagons like the Honda Odyssey and Nisaan Stegea, Japanese tuner Takero’s recently expanded its product offering to include the Honda Fit – with impressive results. First came aerodynamic components, followed by suspension parts, now Takero’s has revealed a wide body kit for the Fit at the Tokyo Auto Salon, plus a turbocharger setup.

Head-on the Takero’s Fit still looks impressive, but the widebody sub-compact looks a little absurd from any other angle. The obvious advantage, however, is the ability to fit wider tires for more grip, with some massive 225/35/18 rubber on this machine. And that extra tire is no doubt necessary to help put down the extra power generated by the new turbocharger setup. Unfortunately, Takero’s hasn’t released any specs on the kit, but we’d expect something close to the 180 hp mark.

GALLERY: Takeros Honda Fit Turbo

For many, there is only one problem with the Hyundai Veloster: it’s slow. Funky asymmetrical design aside, the interesting new Hyundai product left enthusiasts wanting and so to solve that issue the Korean automaker has unveiled a new turbocharged model today at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

With a twin-scroll turbo mated to a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder output is rated at 201 hp at 6000 rpm and a significant 195 lb-ft of torque at just 1750 rpm. That’s a serious jump over the standard car’s 138 hp and just 123 lb-ft of torque. With that power (and more standard equipment) comes several hundred pounds of extra weight, putting the Veloster Turbo at 2,800 lbs. More than a MINI Cooper S but less than a Civic Si, Hyundai can still boast a better power to weight ratio than either of those cars.

As for fuel economy, the use of direct injection helps deliver a projected 27/38 rating with the six-speed manual. No numbers for the dual-clutch six-speed automatic are yet available.

In the transmission department both a six-speed manual and six-speed dual-clutch automatic are available, with wider gears for the manual, so as to cope with the added power, while the auto-box gets closer gears to help keep it in the ideal power range.

In addition to power Hyundai has also tuned the car’s intake and exhaust notes and has firmed up the steering to improve driver feel. The car also looks noticeably sportier thanks to 18-inch wheels and it’s quite a lot meaner too, thanks to a large, monotone flat-fronted grille and a complete ground effects kit that ends out back with a large diffuser and two center-exit exhaust pipes. To help the car stand out further are Turbo-exclusive LED daytime running lights, as well as an optional Matte Gray paint – the first matte paint finish offered by Hyundai.

GALLERY: 2013 Hyundai Veloster Turbo

See AutoGuide’s First Look Video of the Veloster Turbo below:

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The launch of the next generation MINI Cooper has been reportedly been pushed back, but according to reports, it will be well worth the wait. Sharing a platform with the next-generation 1 Series, the BMW will arrive first with the MINI (code named F56) being revealed in late 2013.

While similar, insiders say the two will be very different and without knowing you’d never guess they shared the same underpinnings. The MINI’s new design has been described as “modern”, and the most dramatic evolution yet, while still being true to the brand identity. It will reportedly gain a more aggressive look, a direction MINI has been heading in since the launch of the Coupe.

Powering the new cars will be a brand-new 1.5-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder engine, with roughly 120 hp in the base Cooper and 180 hp in the Cooper S. That tiny yet powerful engine will show huge gains in fuel economy with as much as 40 mpg highway for the Cooper S and 45 mpg highway for the base Cooper.

With that engine seemingly tapped-out for power, the new platform will reportedly have room for a larger 4-cylinder engine as well – likely for John Cooper Works models. In addition, a 2-cylinder could be offered, for sale in Europe and emerging markets.

Once launched, look for a new Clubman and Convertible to arrive shortly after, with the secong-gen Countryman still a few years after that.

[Source: MotoringFile]

Click here to read AutoGuide’s 2012 MINI Cooper S Review

As rumored, Chevy has unveiled a new Sonic RS model with a long list of extras, improving the cars looks and handling. Plus, the new sport-tuned Sonic RS also comes equipped with the Chevrolet MyLink telematics system with a 7-inch color touchscreen.

Available only in the 5-door hatchback style, the car gets a new aero kit and RS grille, special mirror caps, a “sport exhaust” with a chrome finisher and 17-inch wheels. In addition, the car features a lower and stiffer suspension, increasing the handling potential of the sub-compact. RS models can be had in a choice of four colors: Victory Red, Summit White, Cyber Gray Metallic and Black Granite Metallic, which is new for 2013.

The interior updates are significant with new front sport seats, a new sport steering wheel (with a “race-inspired flat-bottom design), aluminum pedals, an RS specific trim color, a custom instrument panel and a special shift knob for manual transmission models.

Available only with the 1.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder, the updates do not include any performance gains, with the car rated at 138 hp and 148 lb-ft of torque. The good news is, that’s still the most of any sub-compact and manual transmission models get unique gear ratios while automatic models get a custom final drive ratio to help improve driving feel.

The 2013 Chevrolet Sonic RS will officially be revealed at the Detroit Auto Show in January.

GALLERY: 2013 Chevy Sonic RS

See AutoGuide’s complete 2012 Detroit Auto Show preview here and read our 2012 Chevy Sonic review here

Despite a fairly decent reception from attendees at the 81st annual Geneva Motor Show last year, Infiniti has remained tight lipped about the chances of its Etherea concept (shown above) of entering production.

Instead, the automaker is saying that three possible designs are still in play for its new hatchback, with the winner to be announced next month, according to words uttered from a Dutch spokesman for the brand to local buff book publication Auto Week.

The car is yet another project that sees closer ties between Infiniti and Mercedes-Benz (the new G sedan and the diesel powered Euro spec M being others) and in fact, the little hatchback will share architecture with the next generation Mercedes A-Class.

As to whether it will share powertrains with the A-Class, that has yet to be determined (the Etherea concept sported a supercharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder), though the unnamed spokesman for Infiniti did say that a Hybrid version is on the table, conceived as a competitor for the new Audi A3 Hybrid.

Look for a more finalized version of Infiniti’s new hatchback to make an appearance at next year’s Geneva show, once the actual design direction for the car has been chosen.

[Source: Left Lane News]

It’s a far cry from the 1960s and 1970s when in Britain, you couldn’t throw a rock without hitting a MGB or Midget. It was almost a similar story in the United States, which for much of the postwar period was Britain’s largest single vehicle export market.

Nonetheless, despite a very troubled recent history and selling so few cars in the UK last month (three of the seven were MG TF mid-engined roadsters, the other four MG 6 hatchback/sedan models), current parent, China’s Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp (SAIC, which builds the MG 6 and ships complete knocked down examples for final assembly in the UK), has said it isn’t giving up on the brand.

Part of the firm’s strategy with MG is the introduction of several new models for the UK market, including the MG 3, which is aimed at the likes of popular sellers such as the Ford Fiesta, Peugeot 208 and Toyota Yaris.

This should help bolster sales, as despite being on the market for less than a year, the MG 6 is a relatively large car by UK standards, competing in a segment where demand is shrinking. The lack of a diesel option and a hoary old, relatively thirsty 1.8-liter turbocharged gas engine that can trace its roots back to the mid-1980s certainly aren’t helping matters, despite the 6 earning a four-star crash rating in NCAP safety tests.

Besides the MG 3 it will be interesting to see what other new models materialize; a  ”halo” replacement for the TF, which can trace its roots all the way back to 1995 is long overdue and would certainly help bolster the brand’s reputation as a maker of fun, affordable sports cars, something it was synonymous with back in its heyday.

[Source: Left Lane News]

Smaller than the Cruze. Smaller than the Sonic. The Spark is Chevy‘s new urban mini-car, designed for sale globally, the bowtie brand has now officially unveiled the Spark for the U.S. market, here at the LA Auto Show.

Powered by a 1.2-liter 4-cylinder it makes just 85-hp and will compete against cars like the Smart fortwo, Scion iQ and Fiat 500. For full details on the Spark, watch the video below.

GALLERY: 2013 Chevy Sonic

Watch the video below:

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