Today we took a first-hand look at the most powerful of the four vehicles Mopar doctored up for this year’s Chicago Auto Show, the Mopar Chrysler 300 ’12.

In case you don’t recognize that name — it’s actually just a dressed up Chrysler 300, albeit with a price tag that jumped about $10,000 over the entry-level Hemi 300. For $49,700, you get a somewhat sinister black-and-chrome color scheme helped by blue pinstripes that set the car’s lines back in sight. 20-inch glossy black rims complement the matching grille and paint job.

The 300 ’12 interior is full of black leather with blue stitching to match the striped outside. The seats also get blue Mopar emblems embroidered in them, though they look gaudy in a car at that price.

You won’t find any engine changes here, the same 5.7-liter Hemi V8 making 363 horsepower is mated with a 5-speed automatic transmission, but it’s going to feel more punchy off the line thanks to a more aggressive differential. Drivers may also notice improved handling thanks to a stiffer suspension.

Have a look at our gallery and tell us what you think in the comments section below.

GALLERY: 2012 Mopar 300 ’12

The cloth dropped from the 2013 Shelby GT500 convertible at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show today, delivering a topless blast of fast that we’ve been eagerly awaiting.

Just like a bottle of Bacardi 151 rum, this car is wickedly strong and gets its job done fast. With that in mind, here’s the lowdown on Ford‘s most potent convertible to date.

“The Shelby GT500 convertible is every bit the performer that the coupe is,” said Kerry Baldori, SVT Global Performance Vehicles chief engineer. “All of the significant changes we made in the program were instrumental in delivering a convertible that could really shine on the track but can still be driven on a daily basis.”

As for year-over-year comparison, Ford says the 2013 model is 3.5 seconds faster around the track than the 2011 or 2012 models.

That said, there isn’t much mechanically different from the coupe, aside from the obvious convertible top, the latest angry muscle car in the 49-year lineage is anything but a disappointment. Expect the same 19-inch alloys in the front and 20′s in the rear, sitting around Brembo brakes.

It delivers on exactly what you want, obnoxious power and ostentatious appeal that’s sure to turn heads anywhere you go. Under the hood, the same 5.8-liter gut-wrencher of a V8 makes 650-horsepower and a neck-snapping 600 lb-ft. of torque.

As per the coupe version of the latest snake-worthy mustang, the same all-new 2013 drivetrain is still in place including cool features like a carbon-fiber drive shaft and an upgraded transmission axle and clutch.

It’s no surprise that the top-of-the line Mustang, meant to keep the Chevrolet Camaro ZR1 on edge, gets some additional weight thanks to Bilstein electronic adjustable dampers available on the performance package and  a newly tuned chassis.

GALLERY: Shelby GT500 Mustang convertible

Watch AutoGuide’s first look video of the Shelby GT500 Convertible below:

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What better way to ring in the Chinese new year than with some special edition Aston Martins?

Available only for the Chinese market, 88 special “Dragon88″ models of the V8 Vantage S, Virage, and DBS will be made featuring some Chinese cultural references and iconography.

This news comes right after Rolls-Royce announced that their “Year of the Dragon” Phantom has sold out. It seems that those $1.2-million Phantoms were just right for the Chinese market, and here comes Aston to make a few sales of its own.

The Dragon88 models will be available in three color schemes: Champagne Gold, Volcano Red, and Amethyst Red. Each scheme representing a virtue like wealth and fortune, peace and protection, and “dragon fire.”

Inside, the cars will feature dragon embroidery inspired by the Nine Dragon Wall at Beihai park in Beijing.  Other identifying features include special 10-spoke dragon edition alloy wheels, black brake calipers and a Bang and Olufsen sound system.

Aston Martin has six dealerships in China, and believes that China will be their third biggest market, after U.S. and U.K. in just a few years.

Pricing and availability of the Dragon88 models is likely to be announced in April at the Beijing Auto Show.

[Souce: Jingdaily]

Mercedes-Benz already took the SL a step in the performance direction last year, but now the sporty Merc will get the AMG treatment which promises power and prestige aplenty.

The SL63 AMG will debut at this year’s New York Auto Show where we’re predicting it to be a bit of a show stopper. The car will be powered by a 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 coupled to an AMG Speedshift Plus 7-speed automatic transmission that combines to produce 540 hp.

AMG products rarely fail to please and it sounds like this one will follow suit. We’ll bring you more during our coverage of the show.

The Mopar ’12 300, as it’s being called, is a souped up version of the 2012 Chrysler 300.

Earlier today we published a story featuring a gallery with four Mopar-modified cars, which will appear at next month’s Chicago International Auto Show. Since then, the company released detailed information on them. Here’s what we’ve learned about the Mopar ’12 300.

On the outside, the car features a black on black look that suggests improved performance. A single blue pinstripe runs from the front fender to the tail lights, keeping the car from looking more like a piece of auto-shaped obsidian than a sedan.

20-inch glossy black wheels with a matching blue stripe are wrapped in Goodyear Eagle F1s. Just above those wheels, the car sports “Mopar 75” fender badges that feature the Mopar Blue “omega” logo.

The interior is “monotone” black with die-cast aluminum paddle shifters, a thicker steering wheel and blue stitching. The sound system gets a boost too, featuring a 506-watt Alpine 9-speaker system.

Nothing changes under the hood aside from a new Mopar engine cover. The same 5.7-liter Hemi V8 making 363 horsepower is mated with a 5-speed automatic transmission that powers the rear wheels.

That power will feel a little different though, thanks to a more aggressively geared differential, which gets swapped from 3.06:1 to 3.91:1.

Though the 300 isn’t known for it’s nimble cornering, the Mopar ’12 edition will feel better than the 300C, which is minimum level Hemi version, thanks to a stiffer suspension.

The brakes also get a bit better, though it’s marginal for a car that weighs more than 4300 pounds. The Mopar package moves us up to bigger front brakes featuring two pistons over the standard single piston versions.

Before you buy one of these things, take a good hard look at what you’re getting. Sure, it looks different, but you had better be in love with the looks because at $49,700 you’re paying more than $10,000 for what amounts to a lot of makeup and marginally improved performance.

GALLERY: Mopar ’12 300

Efficiency is important these days. The government is cracking down on gas guzzlers and imposing strict regulations that force automakers into saving more fuel than ever before.

That’s why it might come as a surprise that Audi of America is opting not to offer their most efficient diesel engine in the upcoming 2013 Q5. That’s right, the German luxury brand sees fit to package the same diesel 3.0-liter V6 that they currently offer American consumers in the Q7.

Why, you might ask? The answer is simple, though less than logical. Audi is afraid of selling a 2.0 turbo diesel Q5 because it gets better milage than the hybrid-electric powertrain they are offering in the same vehicle.

In other words, the diesel engine is too efficient for the discerning U.S. palette. Now, there may be some merit to the theory, considering diesel fuel is more expensive than gasoline. People can be quick to judge at the pump and diesels still carry a somewhat sordid name among American consumers, even today.

On the other hand Hybrids evoke green imagery and environmentally friendly thoughts, which is even funnier when you realize that Europeans have been driving diesels to save fuel for decades.

Regardless of the reasoning, Audi is doing a good job of pandering to consumer egos, saying they chose to offer a more performance oriented diesel and an efficient hybrid.

Speaking of performance-oriented diesels, the company will also be offering Americans the same engine in the A8 later this year. The same logic that spoiled the chances for a 2.0-liter diesel Q5 is also keeping the hybrid A8 out of reach.

“Our current A8 with the 4.2L gasoline V-8 gets the same fuel economy as hybrids from BMW, Lexus and Mercedes” due to its emphasis on weight-saving aluminum construction, Audi of America President Johan de Nysschen said to Ward’s Auto. “Imagine now what happens when you put a diesel in the car. You have all the driveability and driving enjoyment with even better fuel economy.”

In fact, 41% of Q7 and 55% of A3 sales in the U.S. were diesel models, though the fact that Audi still ships from Germany probably restricted supply, so it makes sense that they would be rolling more models out with the oil-burning option.

GALLERY: Audi Q5 Hybrid

[Source: Wards Auto]

You might be familiar with the sound a Le Mans car makes while whipping around the track, but this year Toyota is going to change all that.

For the first time in more than a decade, the Japanese giant is entering in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race, set to start this June. Yesterday we reported a story revealing some of the mechanical details behind the TS030 hybrid, Toyota’s strategic play to work back into the Le Mans good books.

The hybrid, they hope, will trump the diesel competition this year. Their car will feature a 3.4-liter naturally-aspirated V8 paired with Toyota’s hybrid drivetrain, which will take advantage of a capacitor system instead of the lithium ion batteries found in production cars.

Until today we had only seen still photos and ready specs, but thanks to a fresh post on YouTube, we get a chance to hear what the car sounds like on the road. You don’t see or hear anything interesting for the first 30 seconds of the video, but it ends with the TS030 Hybrid turning onto the track and launching. As you probably imagine, the difference between the electric motors and the V8 is striking. You can watch the video below.

GALLERY: Toyota TS030 Hybrid

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Toyota spilled more details on Tuesday of its plan to run a hybrid at the 2012 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.

Last week we reported that the Japanese automaker would be entering such a vehicle, but there were no details on the powertrain or the plan surrounding the car itself. That changed when the company issued a release detailing their plans to run not one, but two of their hybrid contenders in the Le Mans for the first time in more than a decade.

The first of the two cars will make its race debut at the Six Hours of Spa race in May. Perhaps the most interesting information to come from Toyota today are the details behind their hybrid LMP1 entry.

It will sport a 3.4-liter normally-aspirated V8, paired with a capacitor system instead of batteries, which will store energy through the car’s regenerative braking system. Essentially, that means the hybrid will store power while slowing down and use it for a significant acceleration boost while returning to speed.

The car will also benefit from a new carbon fiber LMP1 chassis that was developed and assembled at Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG) in Cologne, Germany.

Toyota will not, however, compete in all the FIA races. Instead, they want to use those they participate in to build up a strong racing platform for the future.

“Of course we would love to win Le Mans; that is the dream for all competitors in this race. But we are realistic and we know we need to develop and to learn in order to compete with some very strong competition. Our target this year is to show the performance level of our car and particularly the THS-R powertrain,” Yoshiaki Kinoshita, racing team president, said.

The decision hasn’t been made about who will man the second car, but we do know that the first car’s team includes 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Alex Wurz, last year’s 12 Hour of Sebring winner Nicolas Lapierre and former F1 driver Kazuki Nakajima.

GALLERY: TS030 Hybrid

The automotive enlightened ones know that when you really need to turn heads, going for a Ferrari, Lamborghini or Maserati might work but it’s nothing compared to pulling up in something nobody has ever seen before.

For your consideration, the Falcon F7. It’s the second supercar to come from the company that built their name making special body panels for Dodge Vipers. Last year Falcon Motor Sports debuted the Mach7 at the Detroit Auto Show, jump forward 365 days and we have the F7, an evolution of its predecessor.

The F7 is powered by a 7.0-liter V8 sourced from the Chevrolet Corvette. That mill churns out 620 hp and 585 lb-fit of torque, put to the wheels via a six speed transaxle. What’s more impressive about this car than the horsepower rating, is the fact that it only weighs 2,785 pounds, making it lighter just under 80 pounds lighter than the tiny Honda S2000 thanks to a carbon fiber body.

Falcon estimates the car will jump from 0-60 in 3.3-3.6 seconds with a top speed of about 200 miles per hour. For brakes it gets six piston calipers in the front and four piston calipers in the back that help it squeal to a stop from 60 miles per hour in less than 100 feet.

The F7 won’t be winning any awards for luxurious interior design, but it still comes with the goodies that are standard in modern cars, like GPS iPod docking and bluetooth connectivity. These cars will be available by the end of the year, but not for cheap. They start at $225,000 and go up from there based on bells and whistles.

GALLERY: Falcon F7

There’s a certain romanticism that comes with the combination of performance cars and a low V8 growl that isn’t the same with fewer cylinders. Maybe that’s why Audi decided to pull all the stops for this last iteration of their 4.2-liter S5, making a car we’re already nuts for even sweeter.

The next S5, you see, will move to a 3.0-liter TFSI V6 that will build on past performance and please most enthusiasts, but leave the nostalgic few puffing cigars and chatting about S5 exhaust notes of old. The out-of-the-box torquey grunt associated with the S5 will also exit stage left.

That’s why all fans who can manage to muster the cash should drop those cigars and try to get their hands on this Audi Exclusive build, after all there are only 125 being made.

From the outside-in here’s why this is the best S5 ever. To start, they’re all painted in Daytona Grey, a color otherwise reserved for RS models. They also get 19-inch Rotor design rims. Pop open the door, though, and you’ll see where Barry Hoch, Audi of America’s A4/S4/A5/S5/RS 5 product planner really got his hands dirty.

The seats are a real eye grabber: two-tone Polar Silver and Black S5 sport seats stitched together with silver thread stand out with brilliant style. The same black and leather wraps the armrests, shifter and steering wheel. The floor mats are bordered by the same silver leather found in the seats, completing the well-executed color contrast. Wide weave carbon fiber trim runs throughout the cabin and surrounds the piano-black instrument cluster.

[Source: Fourtitude]