It's all About the Looks

Renault's UK division has brought back to life the Clio S formula from the early 1990s and applied a similar treatment on its latest generation supermini for an all-show, no go result. Based on the standard variants of the Clio, the new three-door S models hark back to the original Clio S through their trademark white 16-inch 'Polar' alloy wheels.

New Porsche 911 GT3 R Racer with 4.0-liter Boxer Unveiled at Autosport International show

Today, Porsche celebrated the world debut of its new 911 GT3 R racing car at the Autosport International Show in Birmingham, UK. A further development of the 911 GT3 Cup that was presented in September for one-make cup racing, the new 'R' model replaces the 911 GT3 Cup S in Porsche Motorsports' model range fully complying with the FIA GT3 regulations.

Six-Cylinder Gasoline Engines to X1 SUV Range

Starting from March 2010, BMW's most compact X model will be available (in most markets) with a new entry-level four-cylinder version and an additional six-cylinder power unit expanding the engine portfolio available in the X1 to a total of three gasoline and three diesel engines.

2010 MINI Launched, 1.4-Liter Petrol Replaced by New 1.6-Liter, Cooper S gets More Power, New Models Added

BMW Group's MINI models with the presentation of a new range of petrol engines that offer more power and torque while reducing both emissions and fuel consumption as well as new model variants. Even better, MINI said that the powerplant upgrades will not affect pricing that remains the same.
Beginning from March 2010, all First, One, Cooper and Cooper S models in the Hatch, Convertible and Clubman ranges will be equipped with a new and improved version of MINI's petrol engine.

1970s Rallye Kadett B Sprint

Chevrolet isn't the only brand in the GM Group playing around with vivid colors and special editions that hark back to models of the 60s and 70s. So is the firm's European division Opel that has released a new exclusive edition of the Corsa supermini called 'Color Race' inspired from the late 1960s - early 1970s Rallye Kadett B Sprint.

Chevrolet Camaro

This time, the independent designer with a flair for creating realistic automotive fantasies has crafted a batch of computer generated images of a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro-based sports car racer for the American Le Mans Series (ALMS).

The 2009 BMW Z4 is completely redesigned, now a roadster only

The newest version of the Z4 is slightly larger than previously, and with more storage space. It introduces an aluminum convertible top that does a better job of keeping out the weather and folds into the trunk in 20 seconds, as well as reducing blind spots and greatly increasing the size of the rear window. The Z4 is the direct descendant of the famous Z3 and competes with other foreign sports cars such as the Audi TT, Infiniti G, Mazda MX-5 Miata, Nissan Z, Porsche Boxter and Mercedes-Benz SLK. American competition, if you can call it that, includes such vehicles as the Chrysler Crossfire, Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky. The Z4 comes in two trims: the Z4 sDrive 30i and the Z4 sDrive 35i, both with rear-wheel drive. The 30i has a 3.0 liter, 255 horsepower V6 gasoline engine with a special six-speed manual transmission that has a shorter - thus faster - gearshift than other BMWs. The 35i has a 3.0 liter, 300 horsepower turbocharged V6 gasoline engine. It offers a choice of the same transmission as the 30i or a six-speed automatic. Either transmission can be shifted manually with paddles on the steering wheel. Finally, the 35i offers a seven-speed dual clutch transmission that can reportedly take you from 0 to 60 in five seconds. The 30i has pretty good horsepower for a small sports car, and the 35i is excellent. Mileage figures are not available for the Z4. NHTSA and IIHS ratings are also unavailable for the 2009, and the changes from 2008 make previous ratings less than useful. The Z4 comes standard with antilock brakes with electronic braking assistance, traction control and vehicle stability control system, keyless remote entry and a trunk safety latch. Like other small, luxury sports cars, the Z4 is somewhat hard to classify as the common classes are any one of those - small, luxury or sports. How well it performs and whether it's a bargain depend on how you look at it. The base price for the 2009 BMW Z4 30i is $45,750 which compares well to the similar Audi TTS. The 35i, a bit snazzier little car, is also a little more expensive, coming in with a base price of $51,650. In today's economy those prices might be a little hard to swallow, but even in a downtrend you get what you pay for. And with BMW what you pay for is always first rate.