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Report: Ford to reveal Vignale sub-brand with special Mondeo in Frankfurt

Filed under: Sedan, Europe, Ford, UK, Design/Style, Luxury

Ford says that 10-15 percent of its customers in Europe want their cars to be set apart from regular Fords – even those wearing the top Titanium X trim – and the Blue Oval will answer them with the Vignale sub-brand. The new brand proposes a more upscale look and a much-improved dealership experience, Autocar reports. The Vignale Mondeo will debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show to kick off the new endeavor.

The first Ford to receive the Vignale treatment will be the 2015 Mondeo, a Euro-only model, followed by the new S-Max and Edge. The Vignale Mondeo is set apart visually from other Mondeos by a chrome grille and chrome door handles and mirror caps. Mondeo badging will be deleted – only Vignale badging will make an appearance.

The interior will get a more upscale flavor, as well, with quilted leather seats and door trim and leather covering the instrument panel, center console and steering wheel. A Vignale-badged storage drawer will be installed in the trunk, and in-car Wi-Fi is available.

Roelant de Waard, Ford of Europe’s sales boss, says the Vignale sub-brand is aimed at customers who don’t have a lot of free time, are “independent thinkers” and want to feel special, Autocar reports, so visual treatments aren’t the only features Vignale cars will get. Owners also will have a Ford dealer contact assigned to them and receive exclusive services, such as free car washes at the dealership for the life of the car.

There’s no word if Vignale Fords will come to the US, but our guess is that they won’t – at least not right away.

Ford to reveal Vignale sub-brand with special Mondeo in Frankfurt originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Sep 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Ford to reveal Vignale sub-brand with special Mondeo in Frankfurt

Filed under: Sedan, Europe, Ford, UK, Design/Style, Luxury

There’s no word if Vignale Fords will come to the US, but our guess is that they won’t – at least not right away.

Ford to reveal Vignale sub-brand with special Mondeo in Frankfurt originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Sep 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Next Subaru WRX and STI to go sedan only; reveal headed for LA

Filed under: LA Auto Show, New York Auto Show, Spy Photos, Sedan, Performance, Subaru, Rumormill, Off-Road

Subaru WRX Sedan Spy Shots

After a serious bit of teasing at the 2013 New York Auto Show, Subaru might be finally preparing to pull the sheets off of the production versions of the new WRX and STI. The venue, according to Automotive News, will be the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show in November. Besides that tasty bit of info, AN has a number of other interesting ideas about the 2015 WRX.

If you’ve been a fan of the five-door bodystyle, don’t read this – the next WRX and STI will reportedly go four-door only. We’ve already seen the latter’s whopping great wing, a tradition we’re happy to see soldering on for next-gen car. According to the AN report, power figures to be around 265 horsepower from a 2.5-liter, turbocharged, flat-four engine.

Los Angeles is still quite far off, so expect to hear more rumblings about a production WRX or STI in the coming weeks. Take a look above for our most recent batch of spy photos, and then hop down below for some images of the stunning WRX Concept that was shown at New York.

Next Subaru WRX and STI to go sedan only; reveal headed for LA originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Aug 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Audi teases Frankfurt reveal… is it the A8?

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Sedan, Videos, Audi, Luxury

Audi teaser with mystery sedan under covers - 2015 A8? - video screencap

Audi has already rumored to have plans to reveal a 650-horsepower Sport Quattro Concept at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show in September, but it also seems that we’ll be getting our first look at the 2015 Audi A8 as well. Based on a panned-out shot of a teaser video, we can clearly see that this is a new sedan model, so it makes sense that is the updated A8 since we’ve already seen recent spy shots of that car that seemed to be almost complete.

In the short video, all that we can definitely see is the Audi logo in the grille, a five-spoke wheel with cross-drilled, ceramic disc brakes and a small portion of the front fender that has an almost mirror-like shine. We’ll find out for sure in September, but until then, check out the teaser video posted below.

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Audi teases Frankfurt reveal… is it the A8? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 Jul 2013 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Followup: Lexus coupe caught in spy shots actually RC, headed for Tokyo reveal?

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Performance, Lexus

Lexus may have pulled a fast one on us. The car our spy shooters spotted yesterday may not, in fact, be an IS F Coupe as we indicated. Rather, the car shown above may be a new model, dubbed RC, that will arrive at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show.

Following a report from Automotive News, the RC is believed to be a pure coupe, rather than a hardtop convertible. This gels with information provided on the IS sedan’s launch, when Lexus spokespeople said the IS Convertible would remain on the current platform. With styling based on the LF-CC from the 2012 Paris show, the new car will share a rear-drive platform with the IS and GS sedans.

Power is expected to come from a 3.5-liter V6 that turns out 306 horsepower. That car will likely wear the RC 350 badge. A hybrid model is expected to follow, but in a twist, it won’t be coming to the US. The big news, though, is that the RC will spawn an RC F.

Sources told AN that a 460-hp V8 will replace the 416-hp mill found in the current IS F, allowing the RC F to really duke it out with Stuttgart, Munich, and Ingolstadt.

Where does that leave the IS F? We can’t be sure, but with Mercedes-Benz and BMW both offering (now or in the future) fast, compact sedans, we wouldn’t bet on Lexus sitting out. We can expect to see a production RC F at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show, with examples arriving in dealers later that year.

Lexus coupe caught in spy shots actually RC, headed for Tokyo reveal? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Jul 2013 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: 2014 Audi R8 GT zooming toward Le Mans reveal

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Audi, Rumormill, Luxury

2014 Audi R8 GT spy shot - front three-quarter view

According to a report from Autocar in the UK, the Audi R8 is set to get something of a swan song for its own going-away party in the form of an updated GT model for the 2014 model year. If Autocar is right, this even higher-performance Audi R8 will debut at the upcoming 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France.

The 2014 Audi R8 GT Plus will reportedly get a tuned version of the much-loved 5.2-liter V10 engine that Audi has used to good effect in past R8 models. A six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic would send power to the rear wheels, enabling a 3.4-second 0-62 mile per hour run and a top speed of 199 mph.

Judging from spy shots that we’ve already seen (reprised above), the new GT Plus will be fitted with an aggressive body kit that includes a massive rear wing, a more prominent front splitter and enlarged side blade ducts. A Spyder version of the GT Plus may be on tap for 2015. Pricing, obviously, is unknown, as is any potential launch date. In other words… stay tuned.

2014 Audi R8 GT zooming toward Le Mans reveal originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Jun 2013 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: 2012 Nissan Tiida hatch (pronounced: “Versa”) caught ahead of Shanghai reveal

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Spy Photos, Hatchback, Nissan

Yesterday, we told you that the 2012 Nissan Versa is coming to the New York Auto Show later this month, and today we can show you exactly what its JDM counterpart will look like. Above is a completely undisguised photo of the Tiida hatchback as it sits in a parking lot in China. The hatch shares a virtually identical front end to that of the Versa sketch Nisan showed us back in October. The Tiida also shares a platform with the already in production Sunny, which shows that a sedan variant is also likely.

The spy photo shows highly stylized headlamps and a grille that is framed in chrome. The lower fascia is agape, framed by a pair of similarly large fog lamp openings. Overall styling of the Tiida appears to be a bit more conservative than competitors like the Ford Fiesta, though it’s a clear improvement compared to the outgoing Versa. Another spy photo, which is available on autoincar.com, shows that the Tiida carries a Direct Injection Gas 1.6 liter turbo engine, which currently pumps out 188 horsepower under the hood of the Juke, though we’d be very surprised if the Versa gets that kind of power – a naturally aspirated 1.6 will likely be offered.

We’ll see how close this spy shot of the Tiida is to the production 2012 Versa when it is unveiled in New York later this month.

[Source: Auto In Car]

Spy Shots: 2012 Nissan Tiida hatch (pronounced: “Versa”) caught ahead of Shanghai reveal originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 15:33:00 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

We 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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Spy Shots: Subaru FT-86 spied again ahead of Geneva reveal

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Geneva Motor Show, Hatchback, Subaru, Toyota

Subaru FT-86 spy shots

Subaru FT-86 spy shots – Click above for high-res image gallery

Subaru has already announced that it plans to debut its version of the rear-wheel-drive FT-86 concept at next month’s Geneva Motor Show. It’s safe to say that the joint venture between Toyota and Subaru is one of the most highly anticipated debuts of the year, and while the vehicle that takes the stage in Switzerland will still be designated as a concept, it should give us a very good glimpse as to what’s in store for the production car.

Our trusty spy photographers have caught Subaru’s version of the sports car out testing, and while we’ve been quick to label the Toyobaru as a coupe, this latest set of photos suggests a hatchback configuration. There’s still a small deck out back, though, so perhaps the term ‘fastback’ is more appropriately used in an instance like this (sort of like the Scion tC). Either way, the bodywork looks similar to evaluation mules we’ve seen periodically over the last couple of years, but it isn’t known for certain if the bodywork shrouded in camouflage is production.

In any case, you can expect to see a 2.0-liter turbocharged flat-four under the hood, producing something like 260 horsepower. Subaru will break its all-wheel-drive-only mantra with this new car, as the automaker has confirmed that power will run solely to the rear wheels. See the latest set of spy shots for yourself in our high-res image gallery below.

Gallery: Spy Shots: Subaru FT-86

Spy Shots: Subaru FT-86

[Source: Brian Williams for Brenda Priddy & Company]

Spy Shots: Subaru FT-86 spied again ahead of Geneva reveal originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 15:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 caught sunbathing ahead of NY reveal

Filed under: Spy Photos, Performance, SUV, Jeep

spy shots jeep grand cherokee srt8

Spy Shots: Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 – Click above for high-res image gallery

We can hardly wait for the redesigned Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 to strut across the stage at the 2011 New York Auto Show. Thankfully, we can get our muscle truck fill courtesy of some spy shots showing our favorite non-trail rated Jeep taking in some desert sun.

This next-generation Grand Cherokee SRT8 is rumored to pack a 6.4-liter Hemi engine under the hood, which should be good for around 470 horsepower. Rather disappointingly, the rumormill has the automatic transmission earmarked as only having five ratios, but it’s at least said to be the first SRT-branded product with paddle-shifters. What’s more, the brake pedal should handily haul in the twisting speedo needle thanks to a set of 14-inch Brembos.

Gallery: Spy Shots: Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8

Spy Shots: Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8

[Source: CarPix]

Spy Shots: Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 caught sunbathing ahead of NY reveal originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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