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New Ford Focus RS to arrive in 2015. Apparently.

It’s being reported that a new Ford Focus RS will arrive in 2015 with around 330bhp from a 2.3 litre four cylinder turbo. It will be front wheel drive. Ford has finally got the Focus ST out in to the wild, and inevitably attention has now turned to something hot from the Focus instead of just warm – a new Focus RS.

Autoweek ranks the automakers' Super Bowl ads

Neither Blake Z. Rong nor Davey G. Johnson watched the Super Bowl.

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.

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.

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.

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".

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.

NASCAR's sexy French past

In the post-Jean Girard era, your stereotypical NASCAR fan probably doesn't spend too much time thinking about France. Unless it's Bill France Sr., Bill France Jr., or Jim France, or Brian France, or Amy France. Ok, so NASCAR fans might actually think about Frances fairly often, but probably not the French Republic.

Extended Fast & Furious 6 trailer is basically what you'd expect it to be

At 3 minutes, 22 seconds, the newly released Fast & Furious 6 trailer is exactly 3.2 times longer than the Super Bowl commercial, but it seems to contain roughly the same amount of plot. There are tense moments between Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson, a tank, a Euro Ford Escort and various Fiat/Mopar products. There is a Jensen Interceptor.

Super Bowl MVP gets keys to new Corvette

Joe Flacco, 28-year-old Super Bowl MVP, got an extra surprise on Sunday after receiving his trip to Disneyland and a football signed by a boatload of pros. He was handed the keys to a new Corvette Stingray. Flacco was 22 for 33 passing in the game with 287 yards, three touchdowns and no picks.

Ownership costs of traditional versus alternative fuel vehicles

As gas prices remain high, and an increasing number of automakers roll out plug-in hybrid cars and full-electric vehicles, it's becoming easier to be tantalized with the idea of driving right past the gas station and simply "plugging in." The debate ensues when it comes to cost: These alternative fuel vehicles mean a larger outlay of cash at the onset, but the long-term fuel savings could make the purchase worthwhile. To help straighten out this numbers game, we use the Department of Energy's Vehicle Cost Calculator to compare alternative fuel vehicles with their gasoline-only counterparts. For each scenario, we assumed that our hypothetical owner was able to get the full $7,500 federal tax credit and a $2,500 state tax credit, such as is available in California.

Halfway to glory: Fiat Panda midway through African run

On Feb. 1, British rally drivers Philip Young and Paul Brace set out to make the trek from Cape Town, South Africa to London in 10 days -- in a tiny Fiat Panda city car. They’re now halfway through their journey and well on their way to breaking the standing 14-day record for the 10,300-mile run.

Corvette 60th Anniversary to be celebrated at the Petersen

On June 30th, 1953, the first Corvette rolled off the assembly line in Flint, Michigan. Sixty years later and half a country away, the Petersen will honor America's fiberglass wonder within its halls on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, with a weekend of activities. On Friday, March 1st, Corvette fans will get to pose for photos next to Kirk Bennion, the designer of the latest C7 Corvette, as part of a gala dinner with a live auction, speakers like tuner legend Reeves Callaway, and Corvette-themed cocktails.

Lamborghini Aventador Roadster sold out for the next year

It seems that the newly launched Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Roadster is already sold out until the middle of 2014. That North American East Coast outing comes just a few months after Lamborghini revealed its open-topped Aventador at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November with the same 6.5 litre V12 engine as its tin-topped sibling and a 0-62mph of a scant 3.0 seconds. At a UK price expected to be just the right side of £300k you might think, especially in these financially constrained times, Lamborghini might struggle to find buyers for its ultimate toupee wrecker.

Renault replaces Scenic with Renault Scenic XMOD Crossover

The Renault Scenic is no more, to be replaced by a rufty-tufty crossover with a raised ride height called the Renault Scenic XMOD. But Renault think they have the answer to the problem and are following the lead of partner Nissan – who junked their mainstream cars and replaced them with crossovers (step forward the Qashqai and Juke) – by dumping the Scenic and replacing it with the Scenic XMOD. The Renault Scenic XMOD isn’t a new car, but the Scenic with a facelift, raised ride height, butch bolt on bits and a nod to 4WD with a new Grip Xtend Traction control system.

New (2014) Bentley Flying Spur teased (video)

Bentley has started the tease for the new Flying Spur which looks like it will debut at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show in March. We’ve had spy video of the new Bentley Continental Flying Spur out testing and looking,  certainly at first glance, just like a Mercedes S Class. But that’s just Bentley’s take on the usual swirly camouflage.

New Hyundai Sant Fe Super Bowl adverts the most effective

It’s been revealed that Hyundai got the most bang for its Buck with Super Bowl adverts for the new Santa Fe increasing Hyundai site traffic by 1000%. So, with figures like that and a huge captive audience, it’s no wonder car makers like to strut their latest products in front of the Super Bowl audience with the hope of a big return in sales. Umpteen car makers ran TV adverts in the 2013 Super Bowl, but it looks like Hyundai has come out very much on top, with Edmunds reporting a traffic increase of 738% in traffic for the new Hyundai  Santa Fe after Hyundai ran its adverts and the US Autotrader site a massive 1000% increase.

Renault Scenic XMOD (2013) first official pictures

This is the new Renault Scenic XMOD. Following the Kaptur compact-crossover, it's Renault's latest attempt to jump on partner Nissan's niche-building bandwagon. Replacing the regular Scenic MPV in the Renault range, the XMOD adds a dash of utilitarian crossover pretensions to the mumsy Scenic.

Fasterer and More Furiouser

OMG! They're back! Vin, Paul, Jordana and Michelle, the Our Gang of the underground criminal import racer scene return for -- yes, you're about to read this right -- the sixth time!

Top Gear Tonight: Lexus LFA, SRT, Aston Martin Vanquish, US Road Trip & Mick Fleetwood is SIARPC

Top Gear Episode 2 of Series 19 is on tonight with a U.S. Road Trip with Lexus LFA, Dodge SRT, Aston Martin Vanquish & Mick Fleetwood is SIARPC. The second episode of the new Top Gear series – series 19 – is on BBC2 tonight, and the main feature is a road trip across the USA – this time on the West Coast – with the boys undertaking the usual entertaining nonsense in a trio of supercars.

Is this a tease for the Pagani Huayra Roadster? (video)

Pagani has released a tease for what we assume is a reveal at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. Could this be the convertible Huayra – the Pagani Huayra Roadster? Unbelievably, it’s now two years since Cars UK exclusively revealed the first ever photo of the Pagani Huayra, Pagani’s replacement for the car that turned Pagani from a wannabe garden shed car cobbler together to a credible maker of ultimate supercars – the Pagani Zonda.

London Taxi maker Manganese Bronze bought by China’s Geely

China automotive giant Geely has bought Manganese Bronze – makers of the iconic London Black Cab – in an £11.04 million deal. The iconic London Black Cab has been an accident waiting to happen for years, as under investment in making the Black Cab fit for the 21st century saw competition – like the Mercedes Vito Taxi and the Nissan NV200 Cab – start to offer serious competition to the taxi that identifies London. Despite an investment by China’s Geely – when Geely bought 20 per cent of Manganese Bronze, makers of the Black Cab – and the bulk of the Black Cab being produced in China and bolted together in the Midlands, the final nail in the coffin for Manganese Bronze was the recall of 400 TX4 cabs over a steering fault.

Saab back online as NEVS rebuilds the Saab Brand

The Saab website has now come back online with NEVS (National Electric Vehicle Sweden) outlining its plans to rebuild the Saab Brand. Back in September the long-running Saab Saga was finally concluded, with the sale of what’s left of Saab after Victor Muller’s  little adventure saw Saab left as nothing more than another defunct icon brand from the annuls of motoring history, with NEVS taking control of Saab. The plan is to build a range of electric cars in Trollhattan and China, initially based on the Saab 9-3 platform but eventually developing the Phoenix platform in to the basis for Saab’s future.

Bentley SUV (Bentley Falcon) to get completely new design – EXP 9 F scrapped

Car & Driver are reporting that Bentley’s new Design chief - Luc Donckerwolke – is scrapping the Bentley SUV Concept and starting again. Despite the less than friendly response to the Bentley SUV, Bentley went on to show it at both the Beijing Motor Show and Pebble Beach but made it clear that the SUV was just a concept; a work in progress. But the arrival of Luc Donckerwolke as Bentley’s Chief Designer appears to have signalled the end of the EXP 9 F concept completely, with Car and Driver reporting that Donckerwolke isn’t overseeing a tinkering with the EXP 9 F Concept, but is scrapping it altogether.

Toyota GT86 Convertible teased by FT-86 Open Concept for Geneva

A roadster version of the Toyota GT86 now seems certain as Toyota tease an open-topped roadster for Geneva with the FT-86 Concept. It took Toyota a long time to deliver the promise of an ‘affordable’ sports car, but the Toyota GT86 has delivered a proper driver’s car at a sensible price (and you can even have it as a Subaru BRZ if you choose). So a success with a single sports car model can mean only one thing – more versions of the same car.

Mercedes C 63 AMG Edition 507 at Geneva 2013 with more power & bigger spec

Mercedes has revealed a final version of the C63 AMG – the C 63 AMG Edition 507 – with more power and bigger specification  Debuts at Geneva 2013. Mercedes will have plenty to show visitors to Switzerland next month – including the new CLA – and they’ll also have this morning’s Mercedes news – the Mercedes C 63 AMG Edition 507. The C63 AMG Edition 507 - available as saloon, coupe or estate –  looks like a final hurrah for the current C Class AMG (the new C Class will arrive in 2014), and Mercedes has made a decent effort to make the Edition 507 more than just a jump in power.

New Mercedes A-Class is “The Most Beautiful Car of the Year 2012″

The new Mercedes A-Class – perhaps set to become Mercedes’ most successful model ever – has been voted the most beautiful car of 2012. Not only that, but the new A-Class looks to be a real challenge to cars like the BMW 1 Series (except for keen drivers) and the new Volvo V40, something the old A-Class wouldn’t have had a prayer of doing, despite being the favourite car for ‘er indoors whose hubby had a big Merc. Now, to add to the accolades the new A-Class has already received from buyers, reviewers and award givers, the 2013 Mercedes A-Class has been voted “The Most Beautiful Car of the Year 2012″ by more than 100,000 car fans across 52 countries.

Toyota to show FT86 Convertible at 2013 Geneva show

Toyota is bringing a drop-top GT86 to next month's Geneva motor show. Based on its sublime lightweight GT86 coupe, the FT-86 Open (the show car has ditched the 'GT' name reverted to the 'FT' tag because it's currently only a concept) will be revealed in March 2013. 'FT' stands for 'Future Toyota', and Toyota has already started the media tease by releasing this sketch. Is the Toyota GT86 convertible confirmed for production?