Audi S1 at Paris

The Audi S1 will have a Paris Launch (A1 Wörthersee Concept pictured) It’s getting on for a year since we reported that – despite some saying it wouldn’t happen – Audi were planning at least a warm version of the A1 and had on the drawing board the Audi S1 to take on the MINI Cooper. So it’s not a shock that we hear Audi are planning on bring the S1 along to Paris for a reveal before getting the S1 on the roads by the second quarter of 2011. Expect the usual Audi S bits in the mix  - bigger wheels, fettled suspension, beefed-up brakes, body kit – and power in the S1 to come from the S/C turbo 1.4 TSI found in the VW Polo GTI, although the S1 may just get a tweaked version of the engine as befits its higher standing in the VW hierarchy with a bit more than the 178 horses the Polo GTI manages.

Mini Paceman (2012) first official pictures

This is a controversial one. It's the new Mini Paceman, a coupe version of the Countryman SUV, which itself is an upsized take on the Mini hatch. If that leaves you dazed and confused, angry even, as to why anyone would want to own such a thing, this isn't the car for you.

Buick LaCrosse with eAssist priced at $30,820

The freshly stickered 2012 Buick LaCrosse with eAssist will start at $30,820, including destination costs, the brand said on Wednesday. Buick says the 2012 LaCrosse with eAssist is rated at 37 mpg in highway driving, a 25 percent improvement over the 2011 LaCrosse. The improvement comes from eAssist, a mild hybrid system that uses a belt-driven electric motor-generator and a lithium-ion battery pack.