Rendered Speculation: Lamborghini Aventador loses its lid

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Lamborghini, Luxury

Lamborghini Aventador Spyder

At long last, we’ve seen the Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4. As any fan of the golden bull should know, when it comes to guessing the next variant of Lamborghini’s biggest and baddest coupe all one need do is imagine the car with about two feet of roof gone missing. Or you don’t even need to suppose, since RenderedSpeculation.com has done it for you.

The Aventador’s close outward relation to previous members of Lamborghini’s V12 family means the roadster’s appearance – at least in rendered form – is exactly what you’d expect. So instead of considering this a test of the imagination, consider it planning: tax refunds will be coming soon, and you might as well figure out now whether the coupe or the inevitable roadster deserves your money…

[Source: Rendered Speculation]

Rendered Speculation: Lamborghini Aventador loses its lid originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 26 Feb 2011 16:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rendered Speculation: Bentley looking to expand with entry coupe, crossover?

Filed under: Coupe, Sedan, Performance, Crossover, Bentley, Rumormill, Luxury

Bentley crossover renderingRumors continue to swirl that incoming Bentley boss Wolfgang Dürheimer, who previously served as head of research and development at Porsche, is looking long and hard at how to expand the luxury marque’s product line. Considering Dürheimer’s experience making magic happen at Porsche, it seems likely that Bentley would tap into the platform used for the Panamera sedan, and that’s exactly what the blokes from Auto Express are suggesting.

The first new model may be an ultra-luxe machine that would fit into the burgeoning four-door-coupe segment. If so, expect a price tag in the mid-$250,000 range and engine choices ranging from the tried-and-true W12 to a new turbocharged 4.0-liter V8.

Those powertrains may also find their way into the engine bay of a Bentley crossover, says Auto Express. As much as some may protest, a Porsche Cayenne-based Bentley with a price near the $200K mark would seem a very real possibility… as would an optional diesel engine, which would be new territory for the brand.

Finally, the long-rumored entry-level (can anything with a $150,000 price tag be called entry-level?) Bentley coupe that would slot below the Continental GT is still a talking point. Branching out into any or all of these segments are seen as a way to get back to the 10,000-unit peak sales year of 2007, as compared to just 4,616 units in 2009.

Head on over to Auto Express to see some rendered speculation on what these vehicles could potentially look like.

[Source: Auto Express]

Rendered Speculation: Bentley looking to expand with entry coupe, crossover? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rendered Speculation: 2012 Dodge Viper

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Dodge

2012 Dodge Viper renderingWe already know Dodge has a new Viper in store for 2012, and those who have managed to lay eyes on prototypes of the venomous supercar have come away impressed with the early results. Whether it will or will be riding on a modified Alfa Romeo or Ferrari platform is unknown, as is the intended powerplant – V8, V10, V12? More American or more Italian? Will it look anything like this illustration from AutoWeek? No matter, color us excited for Dodge’s next snake in whatever form it may take on. [Source: AutoWeek]

Rendered Speculation: 2012 Dodge Viper originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: More speculation bubbles up around Mini Moke/Beachcomber/Canyon Coupe models

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Crossover, Mini, Rumormill

Mini Beachcomber concept car

Mini Beachcomber concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

Remember back in the day when BMW revived the Mini and there was just one version? That was the three-door hatchback, but was also a long time ago in product lifecycle terms. These days, the Mini franchise has expanded to include a convertible, the Clubman and the Countryman crossover. There are diesel, gasoline, supercharged and JCW versions of each, and there are more yet on their way: never mind the Mini E or the electric scooter concept unveiled in Paris (let alone the WRC rally version). In the cards are said to be coupe and seven-seat versions of the Countryman, along with production versions of the Speedster and Coupe models unveiled last year in Frankfurt.

Engine choices and one-offs aside, that’s already eight body-styles off one little car. But that ain’t even the end of it. Not according to reports from Mini’s homeland of jolly old England.

Britain’s Autocar magazine reports that BMW is working on two parallel programs to put a Jeep Wrangler or Honda Element-style crossover into the mix as well. One program apparently calls for a high-riding three-door model tentatively known as the Canyon Coupe, a model that revives the old Mini Moke beach car bodystyle. The other is closer to the above-pictured Beachcomber Concept unveiled nearly a year ago, and while doors would be added, so might removable roof panels, frameless doors and a wind-down rear window to give a real open-air experience.

Only one will be given the green light (if at all), but either would offer the All4 all-wheel drive system and a pillarless frame that would allow easier access, as well as a proper four-door version of the next-gen Clubman, addressing criticism that the single rear suicide door on the current model doesn’t work well for right-hand drive markets (like Mini’s own domestic market in the UK).

Gallery: Mini Beachcomber concept

[Source: Autocar]

Rumormill: More speculation bubbles up around Mini Moke/Beachcomber/Canyon Coupe models originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Oct 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More speculation on Bentley and Audi sharing next-gen V8

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Technology, Bentley, Luxury

2011 Bentley Continental GT

2011 Bentley Continental GT – Click above for high-res image gallery

Bentley hasn’t let much slip about the V8 that will be available in the 2011 Bentley Continental GT. However, each article that appears about Audi’s use of the engine has one more little bit of information on it. According to what has been written we can piece together that it will be a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with 550 horsepower. Bentley, though, hasn’t given any indication of power output yet, though the 550 number was mooted in reference to next year’s RS7 Sportback. If that were true for a V8 Continental GT, it could be uncomfortably close to the base V12 output.

Regardless, the latest news has the V8 will reduce CO2 emissions by 40 percent compared to the W12, listed as 396 g/km. Bentley said during the release of the second-gen Continental that the V8 would have “a class-leading CO2 emissions-to-power ratio,” but even with that in mind, 40 percent is still a huge jump. Unless they’re talking about simply piling on a huge amount of emissions equipment, there figures to be a serious rise in the Conti’s EPA mileage rating, currently at 13 miles per gallon. It still wouldn’t break 20 mpg, but it would be close closer, and not inconsequential.

Gallery: 2011 Bentley Continental GT

[Source: What Car?]

More speculation on Bentley and Audi sharing next-gen V8 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rendered Speculation: 2012 Porsche 911 to look strangely familiar

Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, Porsche

If ever there were a single car that could be said to embody the Japanese concept of “kaizen”, or continuous improvement, it is the Porsche 911. Over its nearly half-century run, the range-topping sportscar from Porsche has been in a state of continual evolution, and with the possible exception of the 1998 transition from the air-cooled 993 models to the water-cooled 996, it would be hard to argue that any of the variants were truly all-new.

Nonetheless, a heavily reworked 911 is expected to be launched next year as a 2012 model that will still be instantly recognizable as a 911. Autocar is reporting that the new car will continue to share its front structure with the new Boxster, but the multi-link rear suspension will be revised and the rear-engined machine will get longer overall.

Like so many other modern cars, the face of the new 911 will likely incorporate a row of LEDs to function as daytime running lamps while the mirrors move back from the A-pillars to the doors. Despite the racing debut of the 911 GT3R hybrid this year, a similar setup for the road car still seems to be a ways off. The first hybrid 911 we see for the road will likely be a mild adaptation of the system in the Cayenne Hybrid with a smaller motor and lithium ion battery similar to the one used in the Mercedes-Benz S400.

[Source: Autocar]

Rendered Speculation: 2012 Porsche 911 to look strangely familiar originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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