The new Subaru BRZ coupé will have the lowest centre of gravity of any production car when it goes on sale next summer, according to the manufacturer.

The BRZ’s rear-wheel-drive configuration has meant that Subaru's compact 2.0-litre Boxer engine can be mounted even lower in the chassis than would normally be permissible in the manufacturer's conventional four-wheel-drive layout.

Despite being co-developed with Toyota, the vast majority of the engineering work has been undertaken by Subaru; although the company has confirmed that the BRZ's flat-four unit will incorporate a Toyota direct fuel-injection system.

Power outputs, however, will differ with a Subaru-spec ECU liberating the BRZ’s power to “less than 300bhp,” compared with the FT-86’s 200bhp figure.

Details of the car’s final spec remain under wraps - even Subaru's UK new MD admitted to Autocar that he'd only seen a clay model of the finished product - but insiders suggest that the grille and bumpers will differentiate the RBZ from its Toyota-badged sibling.

A roadster version could yet play a part in future model plans, but a topless car is ‘under consideration’ rather than developmental reality.

Subaru insists that no costing strategy has been established, but with the Volkswagen Scirocco confirmed as the main rival, expect the RBZ’s price tag to land somewhere in the current coupé ballpark.

The lack of a final figure - or even an image of the production car - has apparently not dissuaded Subaru fans from already registering their interest with the company's dealership network.

While the new 2+2 coupé is expected to fill a healthy new niche for the manufacturer, Subaru UK has made it clear that it intends to focus much of its energy on 'lifestyle' products, such as the new XV crossover, as it looks to achieve a sales target of 7500 units in 2012.

The Subaru BRZ will be unveiled at the Tokyo show next month.

Nic Cackett

Source;
http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle.aspx?AR=259739

By Hans Greimel
TOKYO -- Playing a frantic game of catch-up, Japan's automakers are running assembly plants at a pace faster than pre-earthquake schedules in order to boost inventories and recoup sales.

Toyota and Nissan are leading the surge, with output in Japan not only back to normal but exceeding year-ago levels. Mazda and Suzuki have reported their first year-over-year production increases since the March 11 quake, and Honda, Subaru and Mitsubishi are close behind.

But even as the companies return to full domestic output, big hurdles remain.

Some model variants are still in limited production because of lingering shortages of parts, especially microcontrollers. And even with output restored, it could take months for carmakers to rebuild prequake inventory levels, especially at U.S. dealerships.

Suppliers may struggle to keep pace with the surge. And automakers are rejiggering supply chains so they won't get burned again.

They are racing to find multiple sources for parts; tighten control over lower-tier suppliers; buy more parts overseas; and even bolster stockpiles, an abrupt change from Japan's treasured just-in-time approach.

Building inventories
Toyota is among the most aggressive in its supplier overhaul.

"We have instructed them to have a plan that allows them to go back to normal operations within two weeks of a major disaster," Shinichi Sasaki, Toyota Motor Corp.'s executive vice president for global purchasing, told Automotive News.

Toyota's domestic output rose 12 percent in August -- its first year-over-year increase since the earthquake. But it does not expect normal U.S. inventories until March.

Nissan's domestic production actually edged ahead of last year's in May. But not even Nissan says it can make all the car variants it wants. Because of pinched pipelines for some microcontrollers, the small computer chips that control everything from engines to entertainment systems, Nissan does not expect to return to unrestricted production until later this month.

Subaru says its Japan plant will be back to normal by the end of October. But it will take until March for the brand to achieve prequake U.S. inventory levels, especially for Japan-made models such as the Forester SUV and Impreza sedan.

Chips still down
Output of most models at Honda is almost back to normal. But it is still facing shortages of the redesigned Civic in the United States and the Brio small car for Asia. Because those cars were introduced after the quake, Honda couldn't stockpile enough microchips. Civic production should return to normal by the end of this month, and U.S. inventories of the model are expected to be restored by late November.

Nissan spokesman Toshitake Inoshita said: "In terms of raw production numbers, we have more than full production. But we are still waiting on some electronic chips."

Chip maker Renesas Electronics Corp. of Tokyo remains a bottleneck, but that will ease soon. The supplier, which controls about 41 percent of the global market for automotive microcontrollers, returned to prequake output at the end of September, spokeswoman Kyoko Okamoto said. That means a normal flow of chips will start to reach automakers this month.

But Renesas is far from recovered. It recouped prequake output by shifting work from its damaged Naka factory in Japan's quake zone to chip foundries in Singapore and Taiwan. The Naka factory is still limping along at just over half its prequake capacity. Until the factory is fully restored, it may be hard for Renesas to meet increased demand as automakers ramp up.
Masaya Yamashita, Honda Motor Co.'s global purchasing boss, says: "In order to supply to the carmakers, I think Tier 1 suppliers are really struggling to make deliveries to all of us. The parts are reaching us. But the inventory of parts in the chain is pretty tight."

The pinch has Toyota revising its famous low-inventory, just-in-time production system.

Normally, Toyota carries a two-month inventory of Renesas chips, global procurement chief Sasaki says. But it will raise that figure to as high as four months.

"Right now we are recalculating the optimal volume of inventory that is necessary based on our estimate of how long it will take production at our suppliers to resume after a disaster," he said.

Another new norm: paternalistic big-footing of lower-tier suppliers, a practice previously all but unknown.

Take Nippon Chemi-Con Corp., a maker of aluminum foil for electrolytic capacitors for the electrical system. Its factory was wiped out.

Toyota, which is accustomed to working intimately with Tier 1 and 2 suppliers, decided to get active with lower-tier suppliers that had been flying far below the radar. But when Toyota stepped in to help Nippon Chemi-Con, the industry supplier rebuffed Toyota as an interloper, according to an internal Toyota report reviewed by Automotive News.

Only after weeks of arm-twisting by did the supplier acquiesce to Toyota's help in pumping out 700 tons of liquid waste that had flooded the factory.

Paint battle
Toyota also butted heads with pigment maker Merck, which makes a pearl luster pigment called Xirallic. Merck's kilns in Onahama, Japan, were damaged and unable to supply the pigment, which is a component in many paint colors and is used in about 20 percent of Toyota's vehicles.

Merck rejected Toyota's offers of assistance, according to the Toyota report. So Toyota tried making its own pigments -- with mixed results. Of 67 missing colors, Toyota could successfully substitute only 37.

That was enough to tide Toyota over while Merck recovered. But Sasaki said Toyota asked Merck to establish a backup production site in Germany, the supplier's home country. Merck agreed.

Expect all automakers to keep lower-tier suppliers on a tight leash. Toyota, Nissan and Honda are demanding more control over where suppliers get their components.

"The parts and materials that remained the biggest issues for the longest time after the earthquake aren't the parts that we buy, but the parts or materials that the Tier 1 or Tier 2 suppliers buy," says Honda's Yamashita. When possible, he says, "we want to have dual sources."

Bouncing back
Change in monthly production in Japan, vs. 2010

April June Aug.

Toyota
–75% –13% 12%
Nissan
–49% 2% –3%
Honda
–81% –51% –17%

Source (via Carscoop);
http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111010/OEM01/310109970/1117

Appetizers: Life in the automotive B-segment can be piquant, almost zesty. Choose wrong, however, and you’re in for beans on toast.
BY JOHN PHILLIPS, PHOTOGRAPHY BY CJ BENNINGER September 2011

In the automotive time/space continuum, life first pokes its head out of the primordial pea soup in the B-segment. Some of its denizens are slowpoke slugs with nubs for legs. Others are beginning to sprout wings and dazzling plumage. It’s a mixed bag, with the brightest of its Darwinian candidates evolving at light speed and with the dullest apparently content to linger listlessly in dodo-dom. Selection of the fittest, here, means that shoppers do the selecting, and—as we found out—they’d better do it pretty damned carefully.

We’ve spent time aplenty sampling the bargain Bs. In 2006 (“$15,000 Cheap Skates”), we droned around Ohio celebrating the Buckeye state’s seven dead and oft-maligned presidents. On that trip, the Honda Fit easily won. We revisited the segment in 2010 (“Ego Shrinkers”), only to elect the Fit again to the segment’s highest office, nudging out the Mazda 2 Touring and Ford Fiesta SES. As a result, those two weren’t included in this competition. Yeah, we know, maybe they should have been. We’ll confess that neither would have finished anywhere near last in this face-off. But we gotta draw the line somewhere. Have you seen our restaurant tabs? There’s the food, the alcohol, the pre-arraignment hearings, the occasional small hotel fire.

Our destination was Drummond Island offMichigan’s Upper Peninsula, 700 miles there and back. The island is usually a sleepy place with largely deserted humpy roads that kink through forests inhabited by malevolent-looking pileated woodpeckers. But the island is also home to Drummond Island Resort’s Bayside Dining, renowned for its artful and aromatic appetizers, woodpecker under glass not on offer.

“You spent $135 on lamb hors d’oeuvres?” asked our T&E minder.

“Well, sort of. At first we ordered just one, but a fight broke out.”

When the resort’s executive chef, Frank Jones, heard we’d be touring the environs in econoboxes, he vowed to enliven our travels by fashioning six tasteful and photogenic appetizers, one per car, supplying some gusto where, for instance, the Nissan Versa offered none. Jones promised two appetizers of his own contrivance, with sous-chefs Scott Bousson and Zachary Schroeder contributing likewise, no doubt hoping we’d decree their creations superior to their boss’s. We did not. Chef Jones runs a disciplined kitchen—no hijinks, no insubordination, and, unlike us, no fires.

Folks who buy these B-segment cars usually do so because they can’t afford the entrée. That’s okay. These are apps that will satisfy on their own.

6th Place: 2012 Nissan Versa SL

Highs: A back seat that actually accommodates three adults—briefly.
Lows: You want us to start alphabetically?
The Verdict: Here, again, is that age-old argument for buying used.
Full write up;
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparisons/11q3/chevy_sonic_vs._honda_fit_hyundai_accent_kia_rio5_nissan_versa_toyota_yaris-comparison_tests/2012_nissan_versa_sl_page_2

5th Place: 2012 Kia Rio5 SX

Highs: Laden with features and amenities, above-its-station interior styling.
Lows: Imprecise handling, automatic trans sucks the life out of the twin-cam.
The Verdict: A value-packed ’round-town scooter that looks the part more than it plays the part.
For the full write up;
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparisons/11q3/chevy_sonic_vs._honda_fit_hyundai_accent_kia_rio5_nissan_versa_toyota_yaris-comparison_tests/2012_kia_rio5_sx_page_3

4th Place: 2012 Hyundai Accent SE

Highs: Silky idle, an accelerative standout, useful long-distance cruiser.
Lows: Mystery Hill steering, obscured rear sightlines, pogo-stick body motions.
The Verdict: A terrific value that, dynamically, remains too fair-to-middling in all of its moves.
For the rest of the write up;
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparisons/11q3/chevy_sonic_vs._honda_fit_hyundai_accent_kia_rio5_nissan_versa_toyota_yaris-comparison_tests/2012_hyundai_accent_se_page_4

3rd Place: 2012 Toyota Yaris SE

Highs: Enthusiastic styling inside and out, light, agile, willing.
Lows: Needs a sixth gear, driver’s seating position is seriously compromised.
The Verdict: Stick with the SE’s sport-tuned suspension, and the Yaris finally leaks some fun.
For the rest of the write up;
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparisons/11q3/chevy_sonic_vs._honda_fit_hyundai_accent_kia_rio5_nissan_versa_toyota_yaris-comparison_tests/2012_toyota_yaris_se_page_5

2nd Place: 2012 Chevrolet Sonic LTZ Turbo

Highs: Pugnacious styling, 138 turbocharged horses, serious grip, satisfying ergonomics.
Lows: Could already go on a diet—both for its weight and for its price.
The Verdict: Elegantly and easily relegates the awful Aveo to distant-memory status.
For the rest of the write up;
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparisons/11q3/chevy_sonic_vs._honda_fit_hyundai_accent_kia_rio5_nissan_versa_toyota_yaris-comparison_tests/2012_chevrolet_sonic_ltz_turbo_page_6

1st Place: 2011 Honda Fit Sport

Highs: No-secrets steering, amazing cargo capacity, fun shifter, airy cockpit.
Lows: Wants a sixth gear, buzzy at freeway speeds, could do with some interior texture upgrades.
The Verdict: Since 2006, Honda’s been the judge, jury, and prosecutor in this segment.

A trifecta of goodness, the Fit still owns the B-segment. As mobile appetizers go, this one's a corker. Buy two, and you'll have a full entrée.

Like bruschetta, the Fit is a familiar favorite, returning to its third B-segment comparo and again strutting off with trophies and attaboys. Climbing into the Fit is like strapping on a greenhouse. This is the tallest car in the group, and its minivansized windshield (aided by big portholes under the A-pillars) delivers 180 degrees of glorious worldview. When you can see way, way down the road, driving like a madman takes far less concentration.

With its informative steering, quick shifter, and stern roll control, the Fit devoured our slalom at the highest speed, and when it came time to whoa, its brake pedal was the easiest to modulate. That the Honda won fun-to-drive kudos surprised no one. Of course, fun is often the enemy of usefulness, but with its folding rear seat dropped to the load floor, the Fit also managed to swallow the most cargo in this group.

The chief fault, here, is that, like the Yaris, the Fit needs a sixth gear. At freeway speeds, the engine isn’t exactly screaming, but it’s definitely calling urgently at 3500 to 4000 revs. It’s a shame because the engine is otherwise an angel—quietest at idle, quietest at full throttle. Of course, our test car was a 2011 model. The 2012 Sport promises additional sound insulation, thicker front quarter-windows, new upholstery, and a few classier cabin surfaces.

Best fit and finish, tied for best ergonomics, tied for the quickest to 30 mph... well, we’ve listed all these character proficiencies before. The Fit is a spicy and tasteful little runabout that knows exactly what it needs to be, then delivers the pesto, presto.

Lexus is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation. First introduced in 1989 in the United States, Lexus is now sold globally and has become Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. The Lexus marque is marketed in over 70 countries and territories worldwide, and has ranked among the ten largest Japanese global brands in market value. Its world headquarters are located in Toyota City, Japan, with major operational centers in Brussels, Belgium, and Torrance, California, United States.
Lexus originated from a clandestine flagship sedan project, code-named F1, which began in 1983 and culminated in the launch of the original Lexus LS in 1989. Subsequently, the division added sedan, coupé, convertible, and SUV models. In 2005, a hybrid version of the RX crossover debuted, and additional hybrid models later joined the division's lineup. In 2007, Lexus launched its own F marque performance division with the debut of the IS F sport sedan, followed by the LFA supercar in 2009.
Lexus
Lexus
Lexus
Lexus
Lexus

Renault is all-set to unveil the Pulse compact car for India, on 29^th October 2011.

The Pulse (codename: B58) will be the French car maker’s third offering in six months; the Fluence saloon and Koleos SUV being the earlier two.

The Pulse is based on Renault-Nissan alliance’s V-platform that also underpins Nissan’s Micra hatchback and Sunny saloon and will be built at Renault-Nissan’s Chennai plant alongside the Micra.

The Pulse’s dimensions will be near-identical to the Micra and likewise should weigh less than a tonne which will reap huge dividends in the terms of fuel. While the two cars will share many components including engines namely the 1.2 litre petrol and the 1.5 litre diesel, the Pulse will be easily identifiable as a Renault and willlook different from the Micra. The nose, headlights and grill will be very different and so will the shape of the rear hatch and tail lights included However, the two cars could share the dashboard design as tooling for a new dashboard entails considerable expense.

Apart from the Micra itself, the Pulse will compete with the likes of the Maruti Wagon R, Hyundai i10, Honda Brio and Maruti Swift and will be priced around Rs 4-5 lakh.

Thanks to: Autocar India

10/24/2011 - TORRANCE, Calif.

Honda will debut two all-new models, the 2012 CR-V and 2013 Fit EV, at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 16th at 1:05 pm PST. As one of the best-selling SUV's in the United States, the fourth-generation 2012 CR-V will showcase new exterior and interior styling, improved fuel economy and added technology features. The all electric zero-emissions Fit EV concept vehicle debuted at last year's Los Angeles Auto Show and the production model will be revealed this year.

The Honda press conference at the Los Angeles Auto Show can be viewed live via webcast at www.hondanews.com.

For high-resolution photos and media information on Honda's current product offerings, please visit www.hondanews.com. Consumer information is available at automobiles.honda.com.

Source;
http://www.hondanews.com/channels/corporate-headlines/releases/honda-to-debut-two-all-new-models-at-the-los-angeles-auto-show

Wow....

Good genes: Ford’s Frankfurt debutant defines a new design language for its global products.

BY STEVE SILER



At the 2005 Frankfurt auto show, Ford’s stunning Iosis concept car debuted the company’s “Kinetic” design language, which shortly thereafter debuted on non-U.S. models like the Mondeo, European Focus, C-Max, and Kuga. Our first taste of Kinetic design came more recently with the 2011 Fiesta and 2012 Focus models. But now Ford’s look is evolving, with another Frankfurt concept—the 2011 show’s gorgeous and aptly named Evos—previewing the next evolution (get it?) of Blue Oval design.



Sadly, the company won’t go so far as to adapt the Evos’s quad butterfly doors for production. But this fastback four-seater, which is shorter than a Focus sedan but wider than a Porsche Panamera, does embody a half dozen newly defined pillars of Ford global design—which will drop the Kinetic moniker. The Evos will provide the template for future Fords, and so we took a virtual tour of the car with Ford design chief J Mays, who explained those design pillars.



Ford’s New Global Design Language, Explained

The first two pillars of Ford’s new design language are “silhouette innovation” and “perceived efficiency.” The former, according to Mays, represents a profile “that defines your automobile and looks different than most of the other cars in a particular class on the road,” while the latter equates to visual lightness and sleekness. “We’d like to have lightweight pillars [and] a teardrop cabin [where] the lines on the side disappear at a vanishing point somewhere around 100 yards behind the car.” The gist? Think less ‘traditional three-box sedan’ and more ‘four-door coupe.’



“Refined surface language” refers to a smoothing out of Kinetically sculpted body surfaces, among them the architectural fenders, creased door skins, and sculpted hoods. This directive also appears to be a reaction to other manufacturers that Mays claims have “annexed” and subsequently exaggerated Ford’s Kinetic motifs. Ford is going in “exactly the opposite direction” now, he said, keeping what he called the “excitement” of Kinetic design but rendered in “beautiful shapes you’d love to run your hands over.”



An emphasis on the fourth pillar, “technical graphics,” basically refers to the lamps and lower body addenda. “Headlamps seem to be growing to absurd proportions,” said Mays. “They’ve become less about technology and more about design flourish and style. And we think that’s reached its complete evolution. So we’re going to the minimal height for the headlamps and the taillamps and we’re going to let the technology speak for the graphics rather than overt style.” The headlamps on the Evos are rendered in LEDs “designed in such a way that you probably haven’t seen before.” Will every future Ford model get “razor-cut” headlamps such as these? Yes, and Mays told us that he is committed to LED headlamps on every new Ford, although we’ll have to see if those make it past the accountants.



The final two newly defined design-isms are the “new face of Ford,” which involves pulling the trapezoid grille way up to the leading edge of the hood (it gives the Evos a sort of Mustang-esque shark nose), and a “visual sense of premium quality,” which—besides being less catchy than the others—basically means creating the sort of designs people associate with higher-end cars. “We’ve tried to eliminate one of the grilles on the vehicle, and focus on the other. And what that does is allow us to have a smaller inlet, gives us better aerodynamics, and also, I think, looks much more premium.”



If roadgoing Fords end up looking like the Evos, we say “mission accomplished” to the premium bit. Indeed, more than a few of us think that the “new face of Ford” looks a lot like the current face of Aston Martin, particularly, the slim, six-sided grille and Rapide-esque roofline. Could Ford be suffering from a case of “seller’s remorse” after getting rid of Aston Martin during the great fire sale of 2008? Mays didn’t admit any such—to borrow his own term—annexation of Aston’s designs, but when asked about the similarities, he seemed rather comfortable with the comparison.



Head in the “Cloud”

However Aston-y the Evos looks, it wouldn’t be a show car if it didn’t contain a boatload of future tech. Cloud-based connectivity supposedly helps the Evos identify and pre-arrange its various systems to match the preferences of the upcoming drive, thus promising “seamless connectivity” from home to car to office, which may or may not be a good thing. It also gauges the skills of the driver and, reconciling them with weather and road conditions, adjusts the powertrain and chassis to maintain “optimum safety”—which sounds a bit Hal 9000 to us. Then there are the “driver wellness” features, too, which include a heart-rate monitor; the car is able to use current and previous data via the cloud to monitor “the physical state and workload of the driver and adjusts the driving experience accordingly.” To the good, if you start driving aggressively, the Evos will also simplify the gauge cluster to provide only necessary info and switch the driver’s phone to “do not disturb mode.”



The Evos is powered by—what else?—the cloud. Just kidding. It features a lithium-ion-based, plug-in gas/electric powertrain that’s said to be able to deliver extended-range or parallel-hybrid propulsion, ultimately delivering the same sort of fuel economy as the Ford C-Max Energi that’s scheduled to arrive stateside next year. Ford gave no more details on the powertrain beyond this: The cloud would theoretically be heavily involved, directing the car when to make various on-the-fly powertrain adjustments, such as switching to electric mode when driving into a city center that may have emissions restrictions.



We won’t have to wait long to see the look previewed here on a saleable Ford product. The 2013 Fusion will be the first Ford to wear the new design language; we expect to see that car next January at the Detroit show. In the meantime, if you can make it to Frankfurt, check out the Evos—it’s a stunner.



Source;

http://www.caranddriver.com/news/car/11q3/ford_evos_concept-auto_shows

CHICAGO, Oct. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Cars.com, the nation's premier online resource for new and used car buyers announced today that the 2012 Honda Pilot is the winner of its $37,000 SUV Shootout in conjunction with USA Today and MotorWeek. The shootout pitted seven three-row SUV's and crossovers configured with family-friendly features—all under $37,000—against each other in a series of tests.

"The Honda Pilot won for its great mixture of comfort, roominess, features and efficiency," said Patrick Olsen, Cars.com editor-in-chief. "It is the perfect SUV for buyers who want to comfortably haul the entire family and all of their gear.

The seven SUV's were tested over three days in order to measure all of the needs of family SUV buyers including gas mileage, storage, features and comfort. The testing included:
230-miles of highway driving to determine each SUV's accurate gas mileage.
Driving of each car by each expert to measure each vehicle for features, ride quality, styling and comfort.

A day of family testing and driving where a family of four joined our experts to give their impressions of the family-friendliness of the vehicle. They inspected every vehicle and its features and took the vehicles on a test drive.

"Interest in large SUV's took a hit during the gas-price spike in 2008," said Olsen. "However, the reality is that if a family doesn't want a minivan, these vehicles are really the only other option. Manufacturers have realized this and now 3-row SUVs are more competitively price, and more fuel efficient than ever before."

Other vehicles competing for the title included the Chevrolet Traverse, Dodge Durango, Ford Explorer, Kia Sorento, Mazda CX-9 and Toyota Highlander.

For further details and results on this shootout, visit www.cars.com.

ABOUT CARS.COM
Cars.com was recently named the "Best Overall Customer Experience" by Keynote Systems, the leader in internet and mobile cloud monitoring. Cars.com is an online destination for car shoppers that offers information from consumers and experts to help buyers formulate opinions on what to buy, where to buy and how much to pay for a car. With price listings, side-by-side comparison tools, photo galleries, videos, unbiased editorial content and a large selection of new- and used-car inventory, Cars.com puts millions of car buyers in control of their shopping process with the information they need to make confident buying decisions.

Launched in June 1998, Cars.com is a division of Classified Ventures, LLC, which is owned by leading media companies, including Belo (NYSE: BLC), Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI), The McClatchy Company (NYSE: MNI), Tribune Company and The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO).

Source;
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/carscom-names-the-2012-honda-pilot-the-best-37000-suv-131972108.html

For the Full Write up;
http://www.cars.com/go/crp/buyingGuides/Story.jsp?referer=&year=New&year=New§ion=SUV&story=37ksuvOverview&su

BMW isn’t wasting any of the momentum from its reveal of the 2012 3 Series sedan just last week, as the automaker is seen here testing the next-gen M3 sedan on the famed Nürburgring. Speculation abounds when it comes to the much-anticipated sixth-generation M3, but these spy shots at least gives us a glimpse at what the next ultimate, ultimate driving machine will look like.

We can see that the car will wear the updated front fascia of the new 3 Series, with the sleeker, lower-profile headlamps that stretch all the way to the kidney grilles. The hood appears to be the same on this test mule as it is on the standard 3 Series, but the front valance is unique – with a central intake opening similar to the one found on the 3 Series with M Sport Package. From the side, it’s clear this car rides a bit lower than the standard 3 Series, dropped on large, 10-spoke wheels. At the rear, a quad-tip exhaust system can be seen, hinting at the presumably potent engine this car is packing.

That engine has been a source of frustration for us automotive journalist types, as we still can’t say with 100 percent certainty what it will be. We do know that it won’t be the 414-hp naturally-aspirated 4.0-liter V-8 of the current M3, and reports suggest that a twin-turbo six-cylinder engine could be in store. Whether that will be a version of BMW’s classic straight-six, or a rumored (and highly controversial) new V-6 engine, remains to be seen. All we can say is this car has a lot of hype to live up to, and also has quite the reputation to uphold. Here’s hoping it can deliver.

Thanks to: Motor Trend

sport cars
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