The Black Series idea seems to be catching on at Mercedes-Benz. Between 2006 and 2011, the company rolled out just three rabid Black Series cars, but now, mere months after M-B announced the 2012 C63 Black Series, we have proof that that work on AMG’s next super-ultra-high-performance product is well underway. Spotted on the Nürburgring wearing matte-black paint, purposeful fender extensions, and a wider front fascia, this SLS is AMG's response to the likes of the Audi R8 GT and the Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale.

The wide fenders cover tires that are even fatter than what you’ll find under a regular SLS. While the production SLS Black Series will sport similar flares, they will most certainly be integrated a bit more gracefully than those seen here. When the Black Series comes to market, expect it to bear a strong resemblance to the SLS AMG GT3 race car. In addition to the stretched fenders, that means bigger air intakes and more of them. The Black Series will weigh less than the regular SLS, but the difference won’t be nearly as significant as the 500 or so pounds AMG managed to cull from the SL65 in creating its Black edition. Figure on a reduction of about 100 pounds for the SLS. In keeping with its purist approach, the SLS Black Series likely will be available with a closed roof and gullwing doors only.

With bedplate construction and dry-sump lubrication, the SLS’s M159 naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V-8 is a technological marvel. It’s rated at 563 hp and 479 lb-ft in standard trim, but will make well over 600 hp—perhaps as much as 650—in the Black Series. Mercedes will achieve this not with forced induction, but with internal tweaks. Power will be channeled to the rear wheels through a strengthened version of the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission serving in the regular car.

Thanks to: Car and Driver

The Black Series idea seems to be catching on at Mercedes-Benz. Between 2006 and 2011, the company rolled out just three rabid Black Series cars, but now, mere months after M-B announced the 2012 C63 Black Series, we have proof that that work on AMG’s next super-ultra-high-performance product is well underway. Spotted on the Nürburgring wearing matte-black paint, purposeful fender extensions, and a wider front fascia, this SLS is AMG's response to the likes of the Audi R8 GT and the Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale.

The wide fenders cover tires that are even fatter than what you’ll find under a regular SLS. While the production SLS Black Series will sport similar flares, they will most certainly be integrated a bit more gracefully than those seen here. When the Black Series comes to market, expect it to bear a strong resemblance to the SLS AMG GT3 race car. In addition to the stretched fenders, that means bigger air intakes and more of them. The Black Series will weigh less than the regular SLS, but the difference won’t be nearly as significant as the 500 or so pounds AMG managed to cull from the SL65 in creating its Black edition. Figure on a reduction of about 100 pounds for the SLS. In keeping with its purist approach, the SLS Black Series likely will be available with a closed roof and gullwing doors only.

With bedplate construction and dry-sump lubrication, the SLS’s M159 naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V-8 is a technological marvel. It’s rated at 563 hp and 479 lb-ft in standard trim, but will make well over 600 hp—perhaps as much as 650—in the Black Series. Mercedes will achieve this not with forced induction, but with internal tweaks. Power will be channeled to the rear wheels through a strengthened version of the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission serving in the regular car.

Thanks to: Car and Driver

“For 100 years, the Chevrolet brand has been focused on making advanced technology that improves customers’ lives accessible and affordable, and the Chevrolet EN-V will continue that tradition,” said Chris Perry, vice president, global Chevrolet marketing and strategy, in a press release.

“By 2030, more than 60 percent of the world’s 8 billion people will live in urban areas,” Perry continued. “The Chevrolet EN-V represents a possible solution for global customers living in markets where alternative transportation solutions are needed.”

According to GM the EN-V, which reminds us of a two passenger, enclosed Segway, is designed “to address environmental issues and help alleviate traffic congestion, parking, safety concerns and energy consumption.” The automaker says its next EN-V concept will address customer wants, such as climate control, interior storage, and inclement weather capabilities.

“The Chevrolet EN-V has the potential to reinvent transportation in key markets by creating a new vehicle DNA through the convergence of electrification and connectivity,” said Chris Borroni-Bird, GM’s director of Advanced Technology Vehicle Concepts, in a press release. “It provides an ideal solution for petroleum- and emission-free urban transportation that is free from congestion and crashes, and more fun and fashionable than ever before,”

GM isn’t wasting any time to get its vision of the future started. Earlier this year the automaker signed a memorandum of understanding with the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Investment and Development Co. Ltd. (SSTEC), to integrate the next EN-V into the Tianjin Eco-City’s power, communications, and physical infrastructures. The automaker will explore locations around the globe for other pilot programs as well as the United States, according to Borroni-Bird.

The EN-V would be a true urban commuter with 24 mile range per charge from its lithium-ion battery. It will be rechargeable from a conventional wall outlet. It will also use GPS and vehicle-to-vehicle communications and distance sensors to avoid collisions and offer autonomous driving capabilities, allowing passengers to conduct business or socialize while the EN-V does all the driving. It will also retain manual driving capabilities.

Thanks to: Motor Trend

This is the first of two Juke-R models built by Nissan’s European Technology Center and the RML racing team. The project entailed stripping the funky Juke crossover of its turbocharged I-4 and massaging the bodywork and platform to accommodate Godzilla’s powertrain. As a result, the car now sports the GT-R’s 3.8-liter, twin-turbocharged V-6, and boasts all-wheel-drive, 480 hp, and a six-speed dual-clutch transmission. Impressive, but most incredible is the fact the finished cars will be street legal.

On the inside, Nissan managed to squeeze in the GT-R’s gauge cluster, as well as its seven-inch LCD display with graphics by video game house Polyphony. The car also gets a complex roll cage, designed to brace the Juke body to cope with the extra power.

The hopped-up crossover was given a surprise unveiling at a press event in Malaga, Spain, which was primarily focused on Nissan’s less-insane crossover models. Nissan says the Juke-R will begin testing next month, but after that, the plan is a little less certain. Interestingly, Nissan says it’s toyed with putting a form of a super Juke into limited production, and that the Juke-R will gauge public reaction to such a vehicle.

Seeing as the Juke-R has roughly 25,000 fans on Facebook, many of whom have left comments like “Love that JUKE!” and “This is exactly what all car companies should be about,” we predict the reaction will be favorable.

Thanks to: Motor Trend