Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 Limited Edition leaked online?

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Porsche, Rumormill

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup and GT3 RS

Bridging the gap between Porsche 911 GT3 Cup and GT3 RS – Click above for high-res image gallery

Rumors of a more powerful, special edition Porsche 911 GT3 RS have been circulating for months, and now the spec sheet has purportedly been leaked online. The order form is ostensibly for what’s being dubbed the GT3 RS 4.0, packing a bored-out flat-six with 500 horsepower – a 200cc increase in displacement and 50 horses more than the existing GT3 RS, which itself already packs 15 more ponies than the standard GT3.

The price sheet also lists a €150,000 sticker before tax (equivalent to $217k), or €190,000 with a 20-percent value-added tax attached, and details options like a nav system, ceramic brakes and a nose-lift apparatus. The sheet was posted on the Teamspeed forum, but while the intrepid poster claims its authenticity, a debate is raging over its potential falsification, pointing out, for example, certain discrepancies (such as the 2011 model year instead of 2012, output listed in BHP instead of Porsche’s usual PS, and “breaks” instead of “brakes”) that have raised doubts.

Whether the spec sheet is authentic or not, we should be finding out soon enough, so stay tuned and watch this space for more.

Gallery: 2011 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup

[Source: Teamspeed.com]

Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 Limited Edition leaked online? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Apr 2011 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 BMW M5 Concept leaked ahead of Shanghai debut

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, BMW, Shanghai Motor Show

BMW M5 Concept

BMW Concept M5 – Click above for image gallery

The 2012 BMW M5? Here it is in the “concept” form that will make its official debut later this month at the Shanghai Motor Show, courtesy of photos leaked from an embargoed preview event held this weekend in Germany.

As is BMW’s wont when it comes to these things, “concept” simply means, “This is exactly what the production car looks like, and we’ll reveal the rest of the juicy details at a future date. And maybe the production wheels won’t be black.”

Of course, some stuff related to the F10 M5 is pretty much set in stone already, courtesy of Chris Harris’ first drive for Evo magazine.

  • The twin-turbo V8 should out-power the one in the X6M, which makes 546 horsepower.
  • Shifts come via a seven-speed DCT.
  • Selectable driving programs include Comfort, Sport, and Sport-Plus, plus the let-it-all-hang-out M Driving Mode.

Snap judgement: this is the best-looking BMW M vehicle since the E39 M5, and whatever BMW’s cooked up underhood should have no problem backing up the looks. Stay tuned for more info on the BMW Concept M5 as we receive it.

Gallery: 2012 BMW Concept M5

[Source: Transmissia.net via M5Board via Motor Authority]

2012 BMW M5 Concept leaked ahead of Shanghai debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 03 Apr 2011 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lamborghini Aventador leaked ahead of Geneva reveal?

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Lamborghini

Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4We received our first glance at its insides this morning, but the folks at WorldCarFans have stumbled upon what appears to be the first image of the completed Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4. Set to debut at the Geneva Motor Show next week, the Aventador is Lambo’s new Murciélago-replacing flagship supercar, and as its (still unconfirmed) name suggests, we can expect around 700 horsepower to be on tap, stemming from a brand new twelve-cylinder heart.

We’ve seen dozens of spy shots of the Aventador, and all signs point to a very aggressive design. There are plenty of styling cues from the Sesto Elemento concept that debuted at the Paris Motor Show last Fall, and the end result is absolutely irresistible. Take down the Ferrari posters from your walls, kids – there’s a new supermodel to drool over.

The rest of the Aventador’s rumored specs are just as impressive. It’ll sprint to 62 miles per hour in just 2.9 seconds, and it’ll do 217 mph at the very top end. This sheer speed is the result of Lamborghini’s new carbon fiber monocoque cell that weighs just under 325 pounds – in fact, the whole body-in-white tips the scales at just 505 pounds. Even when the drivetrain and interior bits are bolted in, this new Lambo should be seriously lightweight (for a car its size, anyway).

Expect the full details on the all-wheel-drive Aventador LP700-4 to be revealed in the coming days, and we’ll get our first in-person glimpse at the new hotness next week. Get ready. Top tip, Sean!

[Source: WorldCarFans]

Lamborghini Aventador leaked ahead of Geneva reveal? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Nissan GT-R order guide leaked

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Performance, Japan, Nissan

2012 Nissan GT-R Club Track Edition

2012 Nissan GT-R Club Track Edition – Click above for high-res image gallery

2012 Egoist Nissan GT-R pink interiorWe’ve got good news for you if you want the skinny on exactly how the 2012 Nissan GT-R will be available when it arrives. The crew over at 2009GTR.com have sourced up the ordering guide for the next Nissan supercar from the North American GT-R Owners Club, and it looks like buyers will be able to pick from a total of six colors. Of those, it’s unclear exactly how man that the company will only charge extra for at the moment. Right now 2009GTR.com seems to think that Super Silver will be the only cost-adding hue, though the forums are rife with speculation otherwise. The 2012 GT-R will be available in just two packages, including Premium, which will fetch $89,950 excluding destination and Black, which is expected to land around $95,100.

Options include floor mats, a cold-weather package and a rear view camera, though at this point it’s unclear how much Nissan will want for those niceties. One of the most curious additions comes from the car’s homeland. Japanese buyers will be able to opt for an Egoist package for the interior that drapes the cabin in red and pink leather as seen above. Let’s just say we won’t be missing that one in the States. More demure owners can go for grey and red hide.

To each their own, we suppose. There are also a heap of photos of a new JDM-only Club Track Edition, though details are scarce at the moment. Judging from the photos, that machine is a full-on track heathen with a gutted interior, unique dampers, a roll cage and a driver controllable rear differential cooler. Tasty. Sadly, it looks like that particular car isn’t headed stateside anytime soon, either.

Head over to 2009GTR.com to have a look at the full order sheet.

Gallery: 2012 Nissan GT-R Club Track Edition

Gallery: Egoist Nissan GT-R

[Sources: NAGTROC via 2009GTR.com]

2012 Nissan GT-R order guide leaked originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kia Pro_cee’d facelift leaked ahead of Geneva?

Filed under: Budget, Europe, Hatchback, Kia

2011 Kia Pro_Cee'd

2011 Kia Pro_Cee’d – Click above for high-res image gallery

Let the Geneva Motor Show previews begin. A handful of images of the facelifted Kia Pro_Cee’d have managed to find their way to the internet via Kia World. Fans of the company’s corporate nose will be happy to see the communal H-shaped grille make an appearance on the model for the first time, and new, aggressive fog-light insets help give the vehicle a little more personality, too. We can’t tell from the leaked photos, but we’d guess that the rear has received a similar, if not slight, update as well.

But the aesthetics aren’t the only thing on that’s changed on the punctuation-laden Pro_Cee’d. Kia World also suggests that the Kia will now come with a slightly warmed-over diesel engine under its hood. The new lump is expected to churn out 128 horsepower and 188 pound-feet of torque from 1.6-liters of displacement. Look for the revised Pro_Cee’d to show up at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show in March.

Gallery: 2011 Kia Pro_Cee’d

[Source: Kia World]

Kia Pro_cee’d facelift leaked ahead of Geneva? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leaked: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK revealed ahead of schedule [w/video]

Filed under: Convertible, Videos, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK leaked in French promo film

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK leaked in French promo film – Click above to watch video after the jump

Mercedes-Benz has pulled the drapes back on its 2012 SLK… by accident. A French promotional film made its way to the Internet, and the star of the clip is the redesigned hardtop convertible. We’ve got the video and a host of screen-grabs that show off some of the SLK’s new features.

The compact two-door Benz will be available with the company’s neck-warming AirScarf system, adaptive headlights, a seven-speed automatic transmission and a Magic Sky Control roof that darkens at the touch of a button.

The style of the Mercedes-Benz SLK has grown up to fall in line with the rest of the family. The front sports a very aggressive treatment with a gaping grille and a massive Three-Pointed Star. The whole package comes off as a miniature SL rather than a soft imitation of one.

Check out the 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK from all angles by taking a stroll through the gallery below, and then hop the jump to see the video. Hat tips to Douglas and K7!

Gallery: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK leaked in French promo film

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK leaked in French promo film2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK leaked in French promo film2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK leaked in French promo film2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK leaked in French promo film2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK leaked in French promo film

[Sources: CarScoop, bobaedream.co.kr]

Continue reading Leaked: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK revealed ahead of schedule [w/video]

Leaked: 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK revealed ahead of schedule [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Buick Verano details and pricing leaked in dealer letter?

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Buick, GM

2012 Buick Verano teaser

Following the launch of the Regal, Buick will be introducing its next all-new model sometime in 2011. Set to launch as a 2012 model, the Verano compact will slot in beneath the Regal sedan, though we’ve been told on several occasions that it will not share a platform with General Motors’ other new small car, the Chevrolet Cruze.

According to the infomongers at GM Inside News, the automaker recent sent a letter to its Buick dealers inviting them to participate in an order study in an attempt to gain knowledge about what pricing and trim levels would be most attractive to potential buyers. The details, available after the jump, reveal that the Verano will be powered by a 2.4-liter inline-four (same as the Regal) that produces 180 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, and will be initially offered in four trim levels.

If the letter is to be believed, the base Verano 1SB (the alphanumeric likely being an internal designation) is estimated to start at $20,900. From there, the 1SD model adds Bluetooth, automatic climate control and remote start, and will be priced from around $22,100. 1SG models add a power driver’s seat, heated mirrors and rear park assist and should command roughly $23,300. Top-trim 1SL Veranos will have heated leather seats, premium audio, a heated steering wheel and 18-inch wheels. Expect the top-rung 1SL to retail for around $25,600, with pricing reaching as high as $26,200.

We don’t expect GM to reveal official Verano specifications and pricing until closer to its launch date, with the car being officially debuting sometime in the early 2011 auto show season. Top tip, Ed!

[Source: GM Inside News]

Continue reading 2012 Buick Verano details and pricing leaked in dealer letter?

2012 Buick Verano details and pricing leaked in dealer letter? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Dec 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota Prius MPV leaked ahead of Detroit debut? [UPDATE]

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Hybrid, Minivan/Van, Toyota

Toyota Prius MPV

Toyota is planning to reveal its new Prius-based MPV at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, and while we’ve seen spy shots and teasers of the fuel-sipping people-mover before, we now have our clearest look yet at the forthcoming hybrid hauler.

Our friends at Autoblog.it have managed to snag what appear to be official shots of the Prius MPV, and based on the test mules we’ve seen out on the road, we’ll bet our bottom dollar that the seven-passenger, three-row vehicle you see here is what will be displayed under the Detroit show lights.

Autoblog.it says that the Prius MPV will be powered by the same 1.8-liter hybrid engine used in the five-door hatch, though output has reportedly been bumped up to 138 horsepower. Efficiency will obviously be the MPV’s biggest factor, and we’re that Toyota has tweaked the standard Prius’ powertrain to account for the added heft of the MPV. As always, stay tuned for more information, and head over to Autoblog.it for an additional image of the bulked-up Prius.

UPDATE: As convincing as this image looks, the keen-eyed folks at Carscoop have pointed out that this is not, in fact, the upcoming Prius MPV, and is actually a rendering crafted by Japan’s Best Car magazine. Still, that doesn’t change the fact that Toyota will be debuting the Prius people-mover at the Detroit show in January, and we’ll have the full details after the turn of the new year.

[Source: Autoblog.it (translated)]

Toyota Prius MPV leaked ahead of Detroit debut? [UPDATE] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Triumph Tiger 800 completely leaked

Filed under: Motorcycle

Triumph Tiger 800 and 800 XC

Triumph Tiger 800 XC – Click above for high-res image gallery

Surprise, surprise. An entire high-resolution image gallery of the 2011 Triumph Tiger 800 and 800 XC has found its way online, and everything is exactly as we suspected. The Tiger is also (surprise, surprise) very reminiscent of the BMW F 800 GS, which will be Triumph’s main competition in this particular segment niche.

Triumph’s hopeful ace in the hole will be its trademark triple engine, measuring 800cc in this case. According to leaked documentation, this mill is a stroked version of the much-loved 675cc inline-three used in Triumph’s small-bore sport bikes. Figure around 100 horsepower and a nice, flat torque curve peaking at about 70 pound-feet.

With an expected weight in the 440-pound range, the Tiger’s power-to-weight ratio should crucially be just a bit better than the aforementioned Beemer. Check out our high-res image gallery below.

Gallery: 2011 Triumph Tiger 800 and 800 XC

2011 Triumph Tiger 800 and 800 XC2011 Triumph Tiger 8002011 Triumph Tiger 800 and 800 XC2011 Triumph Tiger 800 and 800 XC2011 Triumph Tiger 800 and 800 XC

[Source: MotorInfo.hu via Asphalt & Rubber]

2011 Triumph Tiger 800 completely leaked originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 23 Oct 2010 15:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leaked 2011 Challenger brochure: 305-HP V6, 475 HP in the SRT 6.4

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Dodge

Leaked pages from the 2011 Dodge Challenger brochure – Click above for high-res image gallery

Specific outputs have been put to engines in the 2011 Dodge Challenger lineup, and the increases are substantial at the bottom and the top of the range: the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 will turn out 305 horsepower and 268 pound-feet, the 5.7-liter Hemi will crank 379 hp and 410 lb-ft., while the 6.4-liter Hemi tops the charts with 475 hp and 460 lb-ft.

That’s a 50-hp and 18 lb-ft. rise for the 3.6-liter V6 over the current 3.5-liter, which ought to make Dodge’s muscle car much more competitive with base models of the Camaro and Mustang. Moving up, there is a 50-hp bump in ponies alongside a 40-lb-ft. increase in torque for the top-shelf 6.4-liter that should help the SRT8 compete with Ford’s GT500. The man in the middle, the 5.7-liter, makes do with an increase of seven horsepower and ten pound-feet.

Much more intriguing than that is the tale that Ralph Gilles, Dodge’s CEO, said that the SRT8 would do the 0-to-60 run in less than four seconds. The current Challenger has been tested by various outlets to run anywhere from 4.8 to 5.5 seconds. Dodge doesn’t officially list its own time, but the EVIC information page on the Challenger site displays a 4.90-second time.

If Gilles did actually say the 2011 would get it done in “the 3-second zone,” then there’s a year’s haul of Deadly Catch in Denmark because 50 additional horsepower won’t cut an entire second. A Cadillac CTS-V weighs about 60 pounds more than the Challenger SRT8 but has 81 more ponies that help it break the four-second barrier. The truth is in there somewhere – the question is, where is it, and how fast will it be? Thanks for the tip, challenger64hemi!

Gallery: Leaked pages from the 2011 Dodge Challenger Brochure

[Source: Ontario Street Car]

Leaked 2011 Challenger brochure: 305-HP V6, 475 HP in the SRT 6.4 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 18 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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