2012 Fiat Panda: first pics

This is Sebastian Vettel’s Infiniti

This is the ‘performance concept' Infiniti intends to reveal at the upcoming Frankfurt motor show.

Infiniti, as you should know, is the luxury arm of Nissan, and it is remaining very quiet about the credentials of this performance-orientated small crossover. But, it did have one thing to say: "It will be unveiled by the Infiniti FX driver who helped design it: reigning Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel."

No word on power, performance or interior decoration. Nada. It will probably house a version of the 385bhp 5.0-litre V8 seen in the FX50S (0-62mph in 5.8s) and perhaps some suspension wizardry. Using utter speculation and conjecture, there will probably be a head-up display offering you new and exciting ways of saying ‘For Sure', as well as a gold-tipped receptacle to clean your index finger in preparation for Winning.



After all, barring some massive intervention from the almighty himself, Vettel's pretty much bagged this year's championship following his victory in Spa over the weekend; a victory that builds on a season of creaming everyone else on the grid. With ease.

Some scientists posit the theory that long before life began on earth, a wave of comets swarmed this early, hellish planet, bringing with them vital sparking elements to begin the process of being.

Peugeot’s Bugatti beater?

One stone. One renegade, anarchic stone. A stone of dissent, you might think, intent on bringing the zero-emission, tree-hugging future crashing down on our heads.

Yesterday, for a couple of minutes, TG witnessed the electric potential of the future. An electric supercar capable of matching the Bugatti Veyron to 62mph. Then Stone arrived, and TG witnessed the power of fate conspiring against The Future.

What you see above is the EX1, and what it represents is a show of arms from a manufacturer desperate to reinvent itself. This year marks 200 years of Peugeot, and the EX1 is the third and final instalment in a monster birthday bash which included a new badge design and two racing RC-Zs taking class honours at this year’s Nurburgring 24hr race.

The covers were pulled from the EX1, Peugeot’s one-off, concept supercar built to set a new electric benchmark. First a gasp, then applause. There was lots of patting on the back. And if you believe Peugeot, there was also a palpable sense that the electric car world was, if you excuse the unavoidable pun, about to get shocked.

Ten favourite Alfa concepts

Alfa Romeo 4C: now in silver

This is the new Alfa Romeo 4C concept. And by new, we actually mean Exactly The Same But With A Shiny New Colour.

First unveiled in March, Alfa Romeo quietly stole the Geneva motor show with the two-seat, mid-engined rear-wheel-drive concept. It made petrolhead brains even more gooey when announcing it would actually go on sale in 2012.

Well, Alfa likes it so much it's bringing the 4C to Frankfurt with a shiny new paint job. A paint job inspired, seemingly, by the duplicitous, murderous and insanely terrifying T-1000 from 1992 blockbuster Terminator 2: Judgement Day. Heck, it's even called ‘fluid metal'.

Other than that, it's the same as before. A 200bhp 1.7-litre turbocharged petrol four-pot sits in the middle of that 850kg body, together with a twin-clutch transmission and Alfa's DNA dynamic control selector. 0-62mph will take less than five and top speed is over 155mph.

Toyota sets new electric ‘Ring record

"To achieve a new lap record at the first attempt, and by such a huge margin, is a great achievement and I am very proud to see TMG's name in the record books."

So said Rob Leupen of Toyota Motorsport GmbH, as he announced that his company's electric supercar, the TMG EV P001, driven by Jochen Krumbach, had blitzed around the Nürburgring in 7m 47.794s to set a new lap record for an electric car. The old one, if you're interested, was set earlier this year by the Peugeot EX1. It was 9m 1.338s.

But Toyota didn't just want to stomp the Peugeot into the ground, it wanted to prove the credentials of its electric technology in the fires of hell; namely, the Green Hell, as "in motorsport there is no more extreme circuit than the Nürburgring."

The EV P001 is built on a Radical chassis and features two electric motors to produce 375bhp, 590lb ft of torque and a top speed of 162mph, and the whole thing weighs just 970kg. In fact, it produces so many torques and so much power that Toyota will begin selling the tech in 2012 for use in "single make electric motorsport series".

A series, we imagine, bereft of discernible sound, as Leupen confirmed: "It was an amazing sensation to watch the electric vehicle fly past, with only the sound of wind rushing past and tyres squealing." Road-legal tyres, no less.

BMW 1M OEM Car Cover now available

BMW of North America announces the availability of the first OEM car cover for the new BMW 1M. The car cover can be used for both indoor and outdoor, and it is tailored specifically for the “baby-M”.

This car cover will also fit 128i and 135i Coupes (not Convertibles). There will be a limited quantity of this car cover available until a full production ramp-up occurs in October 2011.

The price for the M cover is $325.

Here are some of the product highlights:

• Made from “Weathershield” high-performance fabric.
• Compact fiber – will store using 25-50% less space than conventional car cover fabrics.
• Weatherproof – this fabric sheds water as soon as it hits the cover.
• Superior Dry Time – because the fiber sheds water, “Weathershield” has only a 2% absorption factor compared to over 40% absorption by standard fabrics. A quick shake and the cover is ready to be stored dry.
• Breathable – no buildup of condensation is held on the paint surface.
• Protects against dirt, dust, environmental influences and scratches.
• Durable – solution-dyed material with built-in UV inhibitors, including an added UV inhibitor for years of protection from the harsh sun.
• Easy care – this fabric can be washed in your home washer and dryer, unlike other car cover fabrics.
• Convenient sewn-in storage bag for protection.
• Helps to maintain the value of the car.
• Original BMW Accessories are warranted for the New Vehicle Limited Warranty period (4 Years/50,000 miles) when the installation occurs before the first delivery of a new vehicle. If the Original BMW Accessories installation occurs after the first delivery, the accessory will be warranted for the balance of the New Vehicle Limited Warranty period or two years and unlimited mileage from the date of installation, whichever is greater.

Munich Police get the new F11 BMW 5 Series Touring

BMW and Munich Police continue their long-term collaboration and the new F11 BMW 5 Series Touring will enter the Bavarian emergency fleet.

The modern emergency vehicle feature a green and white paint job with reflective contour markings and inscriptions specially created by the BMW Group design team. The police flashing lights on the roof can be easily controlled using the iDrive controller. The cars also come equipped with front and rear view cameras.

While no longer available in the U.S., the BMW 5 Series Touring remains a popular choice among European customers. Considered a versatile and classy vehicle, the BMW 5 Series Touring is continuing its tradition with the latest model.

The design of the new BMW 5 Series Touring is characterized by dynamic and powerful looks. With its long bonnet, short overhangs and a steeply inclined roofline, the new BMW 5 Series Touring is one of the most beautiful Tourings ever to come out of BMW’s production lines.

In Germany, the F11 BMW 5 Series Touring starts at 42,600 euro, the 184 horsepower 520d model, followed by the cheapest petrol variant, BMW 523i with 204 horsepower which starts at 44,500 euro.

Driving Impressions of the New BMW X3

So what is the verdict? It’s a good one and a significantly better vehicle than the previous X3. More luxurious, better ride and handling, great engines and a wonderfully smooth eight speed automatic transmission. BMW has delivered a driver’s SAV with the space, driving feel, and luxury that will delight its driver and coddle its passengers regardless of road quality or weather.

The X3 xDrive35i will be the first model in US showrooms with a base price, including handling and destination, of $41, 925. That comes with a long list of standard features. The X3 xDrive28i arrives in showrooms sometime after teh xDrive35i and has a base price of $37,625.

G-Power BMW X5 Typhoon Facelift‎

German aftermarket company G-Power reveals their latest update to their BMW X5 model. The new G-Power X5 Typhoon takes the output of the xDrive48i model to 525 horsepower. The 2011 BMW X5 xDrive48i is powered by a 4.8 liter V8 engine and it receives the SK III “Sporty Drive” supercharger system, producing 525 hp / 386 kW at 6,100 rpm and 600 Nm of torque at 5,300 rpm.

With this impressive power increase, the G-Power 2011 X5 xDrive48i is able to reach a top speed of 275 km/h and needs only 4.7 seconds to run from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h).

The ASA T1- 522 charger uses a radial centrifugal clutch, which is flanged to the engine through a CNC-milled framework structure. The X5′s supercharger is powered by a crankshaft via the multi-rib belt, and is lubricated through the engine’s oil circulation system. It boosts a pressure of 0.5 bar. T

The G-Power 2011 BMW X5 xDrive48i also features a two-part carbon intake air duct, a large-volume aluminum charge air cooling system, and a high-performance exhaust system including racing headers, catalysts and end mufflers.

On the design side, the TYPHOON body kit consists of new and very aggressive bumpers front and back, massive wheel arch extensions and LEDs at the front. Custom side skirts have also been fitted. The ventilated bonnet made of carbon fiber enhances the aggressive look.