The Porsche Panamera has been caught testing in Stuttgart and on the 'Ring for some time, and now you can add the Arctic Circle to the list. The forthcoming sedan is undergoing cold weather testing in one of the world's most most inhospitable places in an effort to ensure the family man's Porsche's engine will still purr even on your worst winter morning. The car's appearance looks essentially the same as it has prior spy shots, which is to say that it's still ugly, yet it's still A Porsche. With possible plans for a diesel, hybrid, V6, V8, and turbo V8 model on the table, the German automaker will likely be hanging out with Santa and Frosty for quite a while. Hit the jump to see the V8-powered Panamera as it traverses the white stuff.
As previously reported, Suzuki has decided to include navigation on its SX4 Sport and Crossover before you make the first mark on the options list. That will make the $15,999 car the lowest priced car in America to come standard with talking maps. And now they're set to arrive in the SX4 Special Editions that arrive in Suzuki showrooms this month.
To recap, the nav system is called TRIP -- Travel, Real-time traffic, Information, and Play -- and incorporates several Microsoft features. Drivers can get traffic info, weather reports, headline news, stock quotes, movie listings, the lowest priced gas in the area, and directions to 500 nationwide Suzuki dealerships. If buyers go for the expansion module, they'll also get Fodor guide reviews of eateries and nightlife spots. It sounds like an awful lot to do in such a little car, but that's the march of progress.
Click above for a high-res gallery of the new 7 Series
BMW has officially announced the details pertaining to the 5th generation 7 Series, so let's cut right to the chase. In Europe, there are five models arriving on the market in November of this year: the 730d; the 740i and Li; and the 750i and Li. The latter two are powered by the same twin-turbo 4.4L V8 that debuted in the X6. In the U.S.-market 7 Series, the turbo eight is rated at 400 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque, and it is the sole engine option being made available. If you want a BMW 7 Series in America, it will be a 750.
Europeans get more choices. The 730d's 3.0L diesel I6 pumps out 245 horses with nearly 400 lb-ft of torque. Despite the grunt, it boasts a combined fuel economy number of 32.6 U.S. miles per gallon (39.2 Imperial). The 740 models are powered by the now-familiar 3.0L twin-turbo gasoline engine. In the 7, the 3.0TT's power output is 326 horses and 332 lb-ft -- enough to hustle the 740Li from 0 to 62 mph in six seconds flat. All the engines are connected to a six-speed automatic. Follow the jump for more details and BMW's official press release.
We've already seen what appear to be official press shots of the new 2009 BMW 7 Series, and it looks pretty good to our eyes. As expected, now that the pictures are available for all the world to see, details about the underpinnings are starting to leak out. Not surprisingly, the V8-powered 750i and 750iL models will get the new twin-turbo engine introduced on the controversial X6, offering 400 horses and 450 lb.-ft. of torque. Other possible powertrains, though not available at launch time, will be a revised twin-turbo inline six with 326 horsepower and a diesel engine for the European market. But fret not fuel misers, a hybrid model is also being considered. Underneath, active suspension which eschews BMW's trademark front struts in favor of double-wishbones, will offer variable damping with comfort, normal, sports and sports-plus modes selectable from inside the cabin.
As you'd expect, BMW's active steering will brings its oft-questioned benefits to the large sedan and can now direct the rear wheels as well. BMW's flagship sedan will undoubtedly be equipped with plenty of passenger pampering features, including massaging rear seats, to go along with safety equipment like night vision, lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control. Of course, the now-familiar iDrive will get its latest set of enhancements in order to make its sometimes confusing interface easier to use. We'll just need to wait for our first stint behind the wheel to see how all this newfangled technology works in the real world, and check back Saturday for more official details.
Autoblog writer and videographer extraordinaire, the ShunkMaster, is currently en-route to Pennsylvania with his wife and kids for the long holiday weekend, but that doesn't mean he's turned off his obsession for all things automotive. As he passed through the outskirts of Motown, the not uncommon sight of a camo-covered car appeared on the horizon. Chris's iPhone-wielding wife, Sara, snapped off a few pics of the cloaked mule, and being in the Dearborn area, the first obvious thought was a prototype Fiesta sedan. However, closer inspection revealed that it's the Kia Forte that was officially announced yesterday. The Spectra replacement proved to be a handsome little sedan that wears the Kia Koup clothes well. We're looking to catch in person -- uncovered -- soon.
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Opel Insignia.
GM's European branch is planning a big debut later this month at the British Motor Show in London for one of its most important mainstream models. The new Insignia is replacing the venerable Vectra and brings with it a whole new design language. We got our first preview of the new look on last years GTC and Flextreme concepts. In London, Opel will be displaying hatchback and sedan variants of the Epsilon II-based Insignia, with the sharp edged look of the Vectra replaced with smoother flowing lines and scooped out side panels. European drivers will have seven engines to choose from including four gas and three diesel models, all with six speed gearboxes. The four- and six-cylinder gas engines range from 115 hp to 260 hp, while the 2.0L diesel fours get 110-160 hp variants. The Insignia will also be available with a version of the Haldex torque vectoring all wheel drive system used on the Saab Turbo-X. GM plans to announce pricing for the new model on July 22 in London with sales later this fall, and don't be surprised if the Insignia makes the trip across the Atlantic and receives a Saturn badge in the process. The Opel press release is after the jump.
We've already gotten a sneak peak of what the 2009 BMW 7-series will look like on the outside ahead of its official launch, but the interior – and iDrive in particular – is still veiled in a cloak of secrecy. However, Bimmerfile has supposedly gotten the inside dope on the new multi-function brushed aluminum mole.
According to Bimmerfile, the new iDrive interface will take a cue from one of our favorite in-dash control units – Audi's MMI – with a new interface that has a similar list design and selection system. The screen resolution is higher, which makes the maps and text "more visually appealing" and the submenus are reportedly "more like bookmarks," which should facilitate an easier flow of information.
The new display will also allow show maps in full screen, rather than the split screen in the previous version of iDrive, and radio and CD functions are now available in two separate menus. When playing a CD, the current song will be displayed in a "frame" at the top of the screen, with the list of tracks shown below it.
The major revision, aside from a new phonebook contact list that allows for multiple numbers, is the date, time and radio station bar migrating from the iDrive screen into a central mounted display nestled between the two gauges on the dash. This is one feature that Audi's MMI has had for a few years and is a very welcome addition to the new iDrive. We'll hopefully have official information about the new system in a few days.
There's a crack in the dam somewhere at BMW, and what certainly appear to be official press shots of the new 2009 7 Series are now making the rounds. This leads us to believe that we should see an official release from the automaker sometime over the weekend (if the way the 1 Series leaks played out is any indication). Obviously, all we have to go on are the photos, so lets talk about what we can see. The new car's lines and overall appearance are remarkably conservative compared to the Bangleized E65/E66 cars we were presented in 2001. The 2006 facelift those cars underwent cured many of those visual ills, and this latest car mainstreams things even further.
Up front, the wide double-kidney grille is flanked by angel-eye lamps that have an "eyebrow" built into their assembly. Move to the rear, and you'll find a pair of somewhat bulbous-looking (in pictures, at least) taillamps that are likely to generate a good amount of for/against chatter. Integrated, parallelogram-shaped exhaust tips poke through the rear bumper of the gold long-wheelbase car, while the darker, diesel-powered standard-length machine has a traditional double-tipped outlet on the driver's side.
The interior sports a new iDrive controller with buttons mounted around it now, and the iDrive onscreen interface itself is new, too. The multifunction steering wheel now has 3 spokes instead of four, and one shot clearly shows BMW's new in-car Internet service onscreen. Finally, the rear-seat entertainment system gets screens on each front seatback instead of the single, low-mount center screen available in the current 7. We're sure there's plenty more to talk about as well. For now, the comment floor is yours, and we expect to be talking about the official details in the coming days. Thanks to all the tipsters!
click the picture to view a high resolution gallery of the 2009 Kia Forte
Just the other day, we were all looking at a teaser pic and speculating wildly, and now, here it is. Kia dropped official images of its Spectra successor, the Forte, on the interwebs, and it is one sharp little car. The styling that the Forte introduces is Kia's new look, from the pen of Peter Schreyer, also responsible for the first-gen New Beetle and TT. The face of the Forte combines chunkily-flared front fenders with a new corporate grille, and there's a distinctive depression down the lower part of the flanks that works well with the prominent swage line to lend a stone-hewn look to the car. The term Forte in musical notation means "play loud," but this new Kia is restrained and maturely drawn. Additionally, the two-door variant of the Forte should look even better.
While there's no new design ground being broken, the overall effect is clean and handsome, reminiscent of many other higher-end vehicles. Check out those rear lamps -- remind you of any 40-something thousand dollar luxury car? When the Forte hits Korean showrooms in August, a new four-cylinder engine will be under the hood, employing 1.6 liters of swept volume. A 2.0 liter will follow on directly, and may be the only engine we get in the US when the Forte arrives on North American highways and byways in 2009. Compared to the Spectra, the Forte looks worlds better, and even on its own, we think it looks like a million bucks. Okay, $500,000. Let the endless string of "it looks like" comments begin. Thanks for the tip, William!
Click above for high-res gallery of the Dacia New Logan
Hot on the heels of the new Sandero five-door hatch, Dacia has unveiled a redesign of the cheap, little car that started it all for the offshoot of Renault, the Logan. Now dubbed the New Logan, Dacia's inexpensive four-door economy car gets spruced up on the outside with a new front fascia inspired by the Sandero, as well as additional chrome brightwork on some models. While just an evolutionary upgrade of the Logan's original four-year-old design, the mid-cycle refresh is well timed as the Logan line has now grown to include a pickup and now a hatchback. The interior has also been upgraded to include the new dash introduced in the Sandero, and we expect the new looks inside and out to make their way to the Logan Pickup, as well. There aren't really any mechanical upgrades of note, except the inclusion of the Sandero's new Emergency Brake Assist function, but what do you expect for a base price of €7,400?
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