Blog on 2040Parts

New Bentley Flying Spur glimpsed in new teasers

Bentley has released a preview image and video previewing the new-generation Flying Spur ahead of its debut at next month's Geneva Show. From what we can tell, the pair of redesigned circular headlamps feature below the presence of a crease not seen on the outgoing model. There is also a new crease along the new model's shoulder line.

BMW 3 Series GT revealed

The BMW 3 Series Grand Turismo – the third model in the BMW 3 Series range – has been revealed ahead of a public debut at the Chicago and Geneva Motor Shows. Now, BMW has revealed a little brother for the not exactly super successful 5 Series Grand Turismo, in the guise of the new BMW 3 Series GT, a slightly ungainly looking 3 Series that’s almost as big as a 5 Series and will cost around £3,000 more than the 3 Series saloon. Stretched by 110mm in the wheelbase from the 3 Series Touring – and a full 200mm longer – the 3 Series GT will, say BMW, offer the dynamics of the saloon with the practicality of the Touring.

Audi TT Coupe & Roadster Black Edition get Amplified Black Package Option

Audi has launched an extra package for the TT Coupe and Roadster Black Edition – the Amplified Black Package – with extra spec for £700. Car makers like a ‘Black’ edition, but what do you do when you’ve already got a ‘Black’ Edition and want to gild it a bit to get punters to spend a few bob more? Do you call it ‘Super Black’ or ‘Black Plus’ or ‘Ultimate Black’?

Kia Cross GT SUV Concept arrives ahead of reveal in Chicago

Kia has revealed their concept for a new large SUV – the Kia Cross GT Concept – ahead of a reveal at the Chicago Auto Show. Underpinning the Cross GT are the same underpinnings the impressive Kia GT Concept we saw at Frankfurt in 2011 had, to create a new SUV that is a chunk bigger than the Sorento (213mm longer with a wheelbase 399mm more) but, thanks to a swooping roofline, is 41mm lower. Power for the Hybrid Cross GT comes from a 3.8 litre petrol V6 and an electric motor which produce around 400bhp and 500lb/ft of torque, driven to all four wheels through an eight-speed auto ‘box.

BMW 3-series Gran Turismo (2013) first official pictures

This is the latest member of the BMW 3-series family: the taller, roomer 3-series Gran Turismo. BMW claims the 3GT is designed to give the dynamic handling of a saloon, the rakish looks of a coupe and more space than an estate. Has BMW found the Holy Grail, or is this a case of Jack of all trades and master of none?

Golf Mk 6 bows out with new VW Golf R Cabriolet

Volkswagen is finally delivering the VW Golf R Cabriolet Mk 6, just as the Golf Mk 7 hits the road, but it does without 4WD. But it’s taken until now – 2013 and after the Mk 7 Golf arrived – for VW to fulfil the promise of more powerful open-top motoring in the Golf with the arrival – following a Golf R Cabrio tease video at the end of 2012 – to finally reveal it. Just as you’d expect, the Golf R Cabriolet is mechanically similar to the Golf R in that it gets the same 2.0 litre turbo four cylinder petrol engine that delivers its power through a six-speed dual-clutch auto box.

VW Beetle GSR Limited Edition gets 207bhp

Volkswagen are launching a limited edition of the Beetle – the VW Beetle GSR – with yellow and black paint job and 207bhp. The Beetle GSR stays relatively faithful to the paint job on its granddad with the bonnet and boot of the GSR in black, as are the roof and mirrors, and there are yellow and black stripes with ‘GSR’ lettering on the sides, all setting off the yellow paint job and 19″ alloys completing the exterior. Oddly, despite the GSR paying tribute to its 1970s predecessor, you can also order your GSR in Platinum Grey or Black. Inside, the new GSR gets R-Line racing track sports seats with cloth upholstery and yellow stitching )although our Colonial cousins get full leather) and a leather steering wheel with the build number – 1 to 3,500 – on a badge on the wheel, R-Line dash, GSR gear stick, leather handbrake cover and black mats with yellow trim.

Subaru VIZIV Concept & new Subaru Forester at Geneva 2013

Subaru are debuting a new crossover/SUV concept at the Geneva Motor Show as well as the new Subaru Forester and Outback diesel CVT. Subaru are heading to the 2013 Geneva Motor Show with a new crossover concept  - Subaru VIZIV Concept – but has failed to give us any real information. So we don’t know if the VIZIV (the name is supposed to mean ‘Vision for Innovation) is a replacement on the way for a current Subaru, or an all new car.

VW Golf R Cabriolet (2013) first official pictures

Volkswagen has officially revealed the Mk6 Golf's swansong: the production-ready Golf R Cabriolet. First seen at the 2011's Worthersee enthusiast show, the new Golf R Cabriolet packs the same 266bhp engine as its hard-top sister, but loses its all-wheel drive underpinnings. It's now a front-driver, like a regular Golf GTI.

AMG-inspired Cigarette boat to appear at Miami boat show

Polish up those white loafers and pick up a ticket to Florida, 'cause the 2013 Miami International Boat Show is nearly here. With its aquatic focus, the marine expo is a welcome break from the long list of annual motor shows -- but that doesn't mean automakers won't play any possible angle to ensure they have a presence at the event. That's why Mercedes-Benz has once again teamed up with go-fast boat maker Cigarette to bring an AMG-inspired vessel to the show.

BMW adds 3-series GT to 2014 lineup

The BMW 3-series family is growing, as the German automaker adds a GT, or Gran Turismo, model to its lineup. The car launches this summer as a 2014 model after a reveal at the Geneva motor show. The 3-series GT is 7.9 inches longer, has a 4.3-inch longer wheelbase and is 3.2 inches taller than the existing 3-series wagon.

Radical Cup comes to North America

The 2013 Radical Cup USA schedule was announced on Wednesday. The brand new gentleman-racer series will host 12 events over six weekends, beginning in March at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah and is set to wrap up in September at the Monticello Motor Club in New York. The 270-hp Radical SR3 and 460-hp Radical SR8 already compete in one-make series’ in Europe, Australia and the Middle East.

Ferrari F70 takes test laps

It's a strange world we live in when, even in my short-to-medium lifespan, we've gone from the 1980 Ferrari 308 GTSi making either 205 or 214 hp—depending on who you're asking—to the Ferrari F70, which is rumored to make 950 hp with its V12 and KERS system. I would put an Excel graph here, but just imagine a line going up at a 45-degree angle to infinity. With all of that in mind, here's about five minutes of the camouflaged supercar flying around the test track with fantastic audio of the Italian stallion in action.

Five Minutes With Edsel Ford II

If you watched the PBS documentary American Experience: Henry Ford last Tuesday night you likely enjoyed it and learned a few things you didn't know about the American icon and Ford Motor Company founder. Alternately laudatory and critical, the documentary detailed Henry Ford's exceptional vision, drive and personal contradictions, touching on his relationship with his son Edsel and his views on labor. The prime living link to the documentary, Edsel B.

Opel/Vauxhall Adam Rocks previews crossover, cabrio

Opel/Vauxhall has previewed its Adam Rocks 'concept' ahead of its world debut at next month's Geneva motor show. This mini-crossover is taller and wider than the production Adam thanks to a suspension raised by 15mm with a 20mm wider stance. Its fabric sunroof suggests it will compete with the Fiat 500C and the new Citroen DS3 Cabrio.  The sketches show unpainted plastic bumpers and extended wheelarches along with underbody protection, emphasizing its rugged appearance apparently inspired by "parkour athletes".

Video: Ferrari F70 caught drifting at Fiorano

0-60 tipped us off to this short video of Ferrari's forthcoming Enzo successor drifting its way around Ferrari's Fiorano test track. The F70's V12 can be heard, though there's no evidence of the rumored KERS-like hybrid system. Ferrari tells us to expect a sub-2,500-pound curb weight, and we're also hearing the 920-hp figure bandied about.

Cadillac to update CUE system

The Cadillac User Experience (CUE) infotainment system gets a significant update to address complaints and add new features. CUE provides in-car infotainment, navigation and communication. It is managed on an 8-inch touchscreen designed to simulate a smartphone.

Suzuki S-Cross production version at Geneva 2013

The Suzuki S-Cross – which arrived at the 2012 Paris Motor Show as a Concept – will arrive in production guise at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. The Paris Motor Show last year saw Suzuki roll out a concept for a new C-segment crossover – the Suzuki S-Cross Concept – which was clearly close to production ready. So it’s no surprise that the production version of the Suzuki S-Cross is arriving at the Geneva Motor Show next month – before heading for a Suzuki dealer near you by the end of 2013 – looking very faithful to the S-Cross Concept design.

Spyker Supercar & Spyker ’911′ at Geneva 2013

It seems that Victor Muller is planning not just a Spyker ’911′ for Geneva, but a Spyker ‘Supercar’ with oodles of power too. We discovered last year that Victor Muller has picked up the reins at Spyker once more, dragged in some investment from China and was working on the return of the Spyker D8 Peking-Paris super SUV (that started life as the D12). But, as this is Victor Muller, there are more grandiose plans in play.

Vauxhall Adam Rocks – it’s a butch Adam Cabrio Crossover

The new Vauxhall Adam is about to spawn a cabrio crossover version based on the first official sketches of the Vauxhall Adam Rocks Concept. But it seems Vauxhall are not content with just having a funky little urban runaround to flog, they want to get in on the butch mini urban crossover market too. Or that certainly appears to be the aim looking at Vauxhall’s latest Adam project – the Vauxhall Adam Rocks.

Honda Civic Estate Concept, NSX & CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC at Geneva 2013

Honda will show a concept Civic Estate – the Civic Wagon Concept – the latest NSX Concept and the new  CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC at Geneva 2013. With the 2013 Geneva Motor Show just around the corner, there are going to be lots of car news stories about car makers’ plans for their Swiss outing. Today, we get the news that a Honda Civic Wagon concept will be debuting on Honda’s stand which, say Honda, hints at the design direction of the final production version.

Another James Bond Aston Martin DB5 up for sale

Another Aston Martin DB5 used for the original 1960s Bond franchise is up for sale. One of only two DB5s with original gadgets it costs £3 million. Back in 2010, R.M.

McLaren P1 Geneva reveal confirmed & first instrument view

The McLaren P1 supercar has been confirmed for a Geneva Motor Show debut and we get the first peek at the P1′s ‘Race’ instruments. McLaren are certainly making the most of the reveal of the P1 and are still keeping the exact specifications close to their chest, although we do know that the P1 will get a modified version of the V8 in the 12C with a hybrid KERS type boost offering something north of 900bhp. But McLaren has thrown us a titbit of extra information with the Geneva confirmation in the form of two photos of the digital instruments in the P1 (inset above and in the main photo gallery for the P1).

Pininfarina readies 'Sergio' concept for Geneva

Pininfarina is readying a concept car dedicated to the late Sergio Pininfarina to be shown at the Geneva motor show. The Pininfarina Sergio is hailed as a celebration of the brilliant life's work of the man who headed the Italian design house for 40 years before passing away last July. Just one image has been revealed so far but we're promised a modern vision of the great man's creations, described by Pinin as "a modern vision in the name of exclusivity, innovation and passion".

Renault Scenic XMOD

In a move that marks the huge shift in interest from MPVs and minivans to SUVs, the definitive ‘mini-MPV' Renault Scenic has been rehashed and reborn as a pseudo off-roader. The addition of unpainted bumpers and lower body cladding, along with some metallic-effect details is a clear attempt to stem the flood of buyers choosing cars such as the Nissan Qashquai. It may be little more than an Allroad-style makeover rather than a new format but it speaks volumes in terms of how the family car market has shifted and not only in Europe.

Toyota previews two new Geneva-bound concepts

Toyota has released the first images of its FT-86 Open and i-Road concepts ahead of their debuts at the upcoming Geneva motor show. The carmaker's FT-86 Open concept previews a potential future development of the GT86 sports coupe. Toyota is using the concept to gauge public reaction while carrying out engineering tests on a prototype.

100% TobeUs: 100 designers for 100 new toy cars

Perturbed to see his children lost interest in their toys after just a few hours, Italian designer Matteo Ragni conceived a plan to create a toy with which they could form an emotional attachment. No simple feat, as parents will testify. After crafting simple cars from fragrant cedar wood, he saw his children's reactions and invited 99 other international designers to get involved.

VW board OKs Bentley SUV, report says

Bentley's new SUV has been approved for production by parent Volkswagen, a German newspaper said. VW's supervisory board has agreed to build an ultraluxury vehicle based on the EXP 9F concept unveiled at the 2012 Geneva motor show, Handelsblatt reported Feb. 4, citing board sources.

BMW M8 (2016) supercar

BMW’s plans to unleash a new mid-engined supercar are firming up. Previously known as M1, the 600bhp supercar is now called M8 internally, and is being lined up as the flagship car to mark BMW’s 100th birthday in 2016. M division boss Friedrich Nitschke has proposed that the M8 shares the exotic carbonfibre and aluminium underpinnings of the i8 plug-in hybrid due in 2014.

Infiniti Q50 to arrive at Geneva 2013 with ‘European Power’

The new Infiniti Q50 – the Infiniti formerly known as the G37 – will make its European debut at Geneva 2013 with a diesel and turbo petrol option. The Infiniti Q50 debuted at the Detroit Auto Show last month and came with the same two engine options the G37 got, namely the 3.7 litre V6 petrol with 323bhp and a 3.5 litre V6 hybrid sporting a total of 355bhp. But that engine lineup isn’t going to be enough to make sales of the new Q50 in Europe, where fuel costs so much more than in Infiniti’s core U.S.