Since the Olympic games of 2012 are being held in London this year, the whole of Britain is anxiously looking forward to the way everything is going to pan out.

Mini Rocketman

Mini is included in the same sort of excitement and in order to show this they’ve revamped their Rocketman concept in anticipation of the event.

We have no idea about whether or not the Rocketman will be involved in the process, turn up at the opening or closing ceremony but that’s why we get to see it again.

Last we heard about it, it was a concept that had a chance at production but eventually wound up being shelved and never heard of again.

Mini Rocketman

Now though, because London is at the heart of the Olympics and because Mini have actually bothered showing it to us again in something that’s not gray, everybody has taken notice.

Maybe it’s because the colors Mini have chosen to paint their Mini Rocketman have all been taken off the Union Jack.

Whatever it is, I will admit the fact that the revived Rocketman does look great. The only problem I have with it is people’s reaction to it.

Mini Rocketman

Everybody seems to think that Mini will once again look at the numbers and might end up sending the miniature two door into production once again.

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Since they were recently purchased (finally) by a Japanese and Chinese consortium that will change. Saab will turn to the production of considerably more exclusive cars.

Saab 9-3

This is because the plan for the Swedish brand is to produce new electric cars. That’s a market that even Saab was outselling.

Considering they haven’t produced a car for about two years you can see the kind of mountain electric cars have yet to climb.

Regardless of the situation, Saab’s future is electric. For the time being, that sadly means battery powered but there’s bound to be a few interesting things about it.

Saab 9-3

The first model they’re going to roll out is actually going to be based on the Saab 9-3. That means it’ll look like a great car, be very well built and come with great aerodynamics to help the efficiency and range.

On top of that, the Swedes will almost certainly keep the overly gadgeted Japanese and the Chinese instinct to copy at bay.

It really not shaping up to be a recipe for disaster once you think about it. There is a bit of a problem. As with any new venture, money is pretty tight.

Saab 9-3

That doesn’t mean Saab will be cutting corners, it’s just that they’ll be taking their time. The 9-3 EV will hit production sometime in 2014 and there’s no word on any other models yet.

The post Saab bought – to produce different kind of cars appeared first on Car News, Car Reviews, Car Tuning.

Or at least that’s what I thought until I found out that Nissan made an unveiling at the place. It’s not that I have something against them but you’d think they could find other places for their cars.

Nissan Juke Nismo

In Nissan’s defense, the Deltawing racer they’re sponsoring for the race is using one of their engines, one that’s available in the Juke.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean that the Nismo version of the Juke is getting a 300 horsepower 1.6 liter turbocharged engine.

In fact, we have no idea what sort of engine the Nismo version of the Nissan Juke can be ordered with because they didn’t announce anything about it.

All the Nissan in-house tuner announced is that they updated the suspension setup, the interior was retrofitted with a few upgrades and that’s about it.

Actually, they’ve also fitted the Nissan Juke with new specially designed 18 inch alloy wheels and a redesigned exterior finish.

Obviously, the new body kit and the several other tweaks they’ve made will not only change the way the crossover looks but also refine the aerodynamics.

Nissan Juke Nismo

Somehow, the guys at Nismo considered it more important to mention that it’s going to be available worldwide.

I’m sure some people care about that but I couldn’t be bothered about it and I still can’t understand the need to introduce it at Le Mans.

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The heavy cover of camouflage has certainly kept plenty of those juicy details on the styling hidden away from our view but that’s not going to stop us.

2014 Maserati Quattroporte spied

Obviously, there are plenty of other interesting bits about the Trident’s upcoming super sports sedan but there’s a couple of things we care about in particular.

First of all, it must not be very good. Having a few flaws, annoyances or even dangerous bits will always be a part of the Maserati sedan’s appeal.

I’m fairly confident that the Italians, or the Americans at Chrysler, will find some way to take care of that by not caring or cutting some costs.

2014 Maserati Quattroporte spied

The second part of the appeal would be in the engine. Alongside its performance delivery, a Maserati should also be properly loud.

This is where the first of our worries appear as there’s a lot of talk about Ferrari working on supercharged or turbocharged engine for this car.

If that’s the case and the 2014 Maserati Quattroporte ends up sounding like this Ferrari California, it would be a sad day in petrolhead heaven.

2014 Maserati Quattroporte spied

Until that gets cleared up we hope to see more of the 2014 Maserati Quattroporte sedan, particularly its design features.

So far, the only thing we can clear up about the look of the new car is that it will certainly not be a hunchback like a few rumors used to claim recently.

Images

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The same applies for turbocharger systems. Even though the idea actually boosts horsepower output and significantly raises the torque figures, there are two major downsides.

2013 Ferrari California

Smoothness of the grunt delivery is going to be compromised and so’s the exhaust note. Due to the way they work, they take kind of muffle the whole thing.

Ferrari is a company that’s seriously leading this school of thought since they go to great lengths to keep their cars sounding raw and natural.

Which kinds of makes us wonder what’s the idea behind the Ferrari California that was spied going around the track in the following video.

As youtuber Marchettino rightfully points out, that kind of sounds like it’s turbocharged. The hints are: the general quiet, the turbo-like whistle and the fact that the bonnet isn’t completely closed.

The latter would point out at an engine that, apart from having a turbocharger to keep cool, may also still be in the development process.

So what’s the idea? Well, nothing was announced by Ferrari but there are several ideas floating around.

2013 Ferrari California

The first would be that Ferrari is getting a little tired of its California feeling a little left behind these days and are planning some extra power for it.

The second is more flamboyant. Most people are speculating that the California is a bit of a throw-off as it may actually be an Abarth engine that lurks under that bonnet.

The post Ferrari California spied with a different sound appeared first on Car News, Car Reviews, Car Tuning.

They do stray from the norm in creating a totally different sort of thrill machine, the KTM X-Bow trackday car. We all know what that means.

KTM X-Bow R

It’s fast and nothing else. It is hopelessly impractical, uncomfortable and useless anywhere outside a smooth (preferably dry) track.

There’s not really that big a market for cars that do just one thing so KTM are thinking about making a slight change in their automotive plans.

The Austrians are now considering a version of the KTM X-Bow that will be more user friendly. That sounds brilliant, but does that mean that the hardcore racer will be watered down?

KTM X-Bow R

Not likely, the list of commodities on offer from KTM will not include anything remotely fancy. The new addition to the X-Bow range will feature some basic amenities.

The list includes doors, a windscreen and even a roof panel to keep (some of that?) pesky water out of your lap, clothes or mobile phone.

Who knows, if we’re lucky, the “luxury” of a glove compartment might just be put on offer with the rest of these amazing new features.

KTM X-Bow R

Otherwise it’s business as usual for the racing heritage as KTM are planning to enter the LMP2 class at Le Mans with a new car.

That would go quite a notch up from the KTM X-Bow as rumor has it that it will use a 2.5 liter turbocharged five cylinder engine pushing some 400 horsepower.

The post KTM X-Bow range to include another model soon appeared first on Car News, Car Reviews, Car Tuning.

Who’d ever think the popular German brand would end up making an exclusive version of one of their commercial vehicles. In other words, what we’re dealing with now is a posh van.

Volkswagen Caravelle Business

No, it’s not a rebirth of the Volkswagen Camper van but tweaked up version of the VW Caravelle they call the Business edition.

This will be the new top of the range version of the Caravelle lineup and the name will easily point to the sort of customers it’s aimed at.

According to the press release, the whole point of this trim line is to utilize the vast amount of space inside it in order to create something of a mobile conference room.

Volkswagen Caravelle Business

The toy list includes cruise control, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, satellite navigation, 6.5 in colour screen, 30GB hard drive and a lane change assist system.

Obviously businessmen aren’t really the sort of people who can do without an image boost so there’s the addition of 17 inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights and tinted rear lights.

When it comes to the interior, the Volkswagen Caravelle Business edition gets some serious updates in the seating options and it’s all covered in Nappa leather upholstery and burr wood inserts.

Volkswagen Caravelle Business

There’s a 2.0 liter TDI diesel under the bonnet with 180 horsepower and some decent torque level but I’m seriously trying to wonder about who’d pay some 86.500 USD for a van and then worry about fuel economy.

Oh yeah, you didn’t think VW would make something aimed at business men and not charge them “what it’s worth” did you?

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It’s been a while since the original launch date of the McLaren MP4-12C but there’s still a ton of car makers out there trying to catch up.

2013 McLaren MP4-12C

In an attempt to keep them from succeeding at it, McLaren have given the MP4-12C a bit of an update for the 2013 modelyear.

The twin-turbocharged 3.8 liter V8 engine in the middle of the British supercar gets a boost of 25 horsepower. That brings the grand total up to 625 horsepower.

The torque figure, the fuel economy, the emissions and just about any other figure you may be interested in, remains untouched.

2013 McLaren MP4-12C

McLaren promises the 2013 MP4-12C is now even faster on the limit thanks to the new engine and the new drivetrain updates.

The latter set isn’t completely mentioned. The British tell us it’s now a more rewarding to drive car and should be easier to live with.

Just in case you don’t easily notice the difference, there’s also been an updated to the Innovative Intake Sound Generator (ISG).

That’s the system they created to manage the noises the mid-engined exotica makes. Rather that’s the system the British company added after some complaints came in for the MP4-12C being too sedate.

2013 McLaren MP4-12C

What I find particularly interesting about the new facelift/update since the Brits have announced that they will be offering the engine upgrade to existing customers for free.

They’ll need to wait till October to get it fitted but I think that’s a remarkable idea and one we’ve never seen before.

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The Freemont, California assembly line hosted the first opportunity for a Tesla Model S handover. Literally. This is because we’re not dealing with a standard delivery.

Tesla Model S

There was no dealer involved, no letters and emails, there was probably not even a phone call placed for the entire affair.

That’s because the first lucky owner of a brand new Tesla Model S is Steve Jurvetson, a Tesla board member.

The insider was very pleased to receive the car and the video showcases his joy upon receiving the key to his new ride. We should note that he made a little speech and that he had the first drive off responsibly.

Not only did he get behind the wheel to adjust the mirrors and look around, he even went as far as to warn people that he’d be driving off.

It might not mean a lot to some people but that’s the sort of thing that says much about the sort of people behind the Tesla company.

All the information we have on the first Tesla Model S to be delivered is that it’s a Signature Red exterior and a custom license plate “TSLA S1″.

Tesla Model S

The rest of the Tesla Model S deliveries, the ones for regular customers, will begin sometime in about two weeks.

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No wonder the Italian supercar maker is readying a replacement for its four door sedan. Maserati’s plans actually go quite a lot further than that but the Quattroporte is the one we’re interested in right now.

Maserati Quattroporte

Why? Because it’s about to get some new engines from what is, by most accounts, the best place in the world for such things.

Recently Fiat announced that they’re going to shift some 50 million euro worth of cash to the engineers at Ferrari so that they can develop a couple of extra engines.

Naturally, we’re not allowed to know what these engines are but we don’t expect them to be making any two, three or four cylinder engines anytime soon.

Maserati Quattroporte

The Prancing Horse doesn’t really go along well with that kind of powerplant and, at the moment, most speculation is aimed at a new V6 and new V8.

Seems like old news but here’s the twist. Just about everybody is expecting them to add a supercharger (maybe two) or some turbochargers to the equation.

That’s how the V6 is expected to produce more than 420 horsepower and the V8 should go well beyond the 500 marker.

Maserati Quattroporte

That sounds tempting but there’s more. Alongside the new Quattroporte, Maserati will use these engines in the next generation of the GranTurismo and the new Levante.

And, as most of us, are still taking the previous information in, at least one of these new engines could be used by Fiat in new flagship Alfa Romeo models.

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