Author: CarBlog.co.za

The 2012 Porsche 911 GT2 facelift is being developed quite secretly given the fact that there wasn’t a single spy shot of the scorcher available until date. The 2012 model which will go on sale next year and will remain in production until the release of the Porsche 991 was spotted for the first time by spy photographers in Germany. The commuter will get slight modifications on the outside while under the hood will be a direct injection engine boosting power to 550 PS which is way better than the previous 911 models. The facelifted model will also sport a new bumper as well as a new front splitter. [via WCF]

Zagato has been a premium name, famous for building coaches for Alfa Romeo. But believe it or not, Zagato unveils one-off or limited edition models from time to time. The next offering from the Zagato atelier is a racer dubbed the Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa — check out the teaser image below.

The upcoming racer draws its inspiration from Alfa Romeo TZ and TZ2 and this particular model was commissioned by a German racer whose identity hasn’t been disclosed. The racer is directly based on the 8C Competizione and its tubular chassis is a mono shell carved out of carbon fiber and later grazed with aluminum. Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in Italy will be the event where the TZ3 will be unveiled for the first time.

Looks sooo sleek, don’t you think?

We are sure used to admiring the bimmers but this time around there is a different task at hand. We’ll be more inclined towards admiring ‘The Dwelling Lab’ which is a BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo inspired sculpture showcased during Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan. The Sculpture aspires to make the people focus on the interior of the car first rather than the exterior as we do under normal circumstances. It is formed of five conical geometric shapes that jut out to invite the onlookers. The sculpture is sponsored by BMW, along with Danish textile specialists Kvadrat and Italian lighting firm Flos. Spanish architectural designer Patricia Urquiola and Italian designer Giulio Ridolfo have together finished this mammoth sculpture which aims to render a dwelling experience.

Toyota may be a tad on the low side after its relentless string of technical issues which has seen so many Toyota commuters being recalled, but the Prius has been one ray of hope that has never let the moniker down. Toyota is now thinking of further embarking upon the Prius success and the news is that a Prius Minivan may be released in 201. The Prius derivative will come with three rows of seats that will help the commuter accommodate a maximum of seven passengers. What is great is that it will again be a green commuter that will be based on the Li-on battery technology. This will help to improve fuel economy and the excess weight will also not be an issue.

Volkswagen is thinking seriously about greener public transport options and an important step is the showcasing of the Milan Taxi concept at the Hanover Trade Show. The Taxi concept targets space optimization and all eco-friendly options which could make such taxis popular in big cities like NY and Moscow.

The Taxi concept has a single sliding door that opens to the pavement side. The door extends partly into the roof and slides forward to the point of reaching the A pillar. The Milan Taxi is reflective of VWs future design elements including the elimination of the radiator grille and the incorporation of a transparent crossbar between the headlights. Also, there are two eight-inch touch screens on each for the passengers and the driver. We expect this concept to turn real somewhere in 2013.

The Fiat 500 4-door hatchback is finally a reality, and as per Autonews, this special version has been approved to arrive in Europe and the US as early as next year. The upcoming 4-door 500 will compete with the likes of the Opel Meriva and the Scion xD which are all basically categorized as small MPVs. Though Fiat hasn’t confirmed anything, we’re expecting a more powerful engine taking into consideration the extra weight courtesy of the bigger platform and the larger cargo space. One last thing. No one really has a problem with Fiat 500 expanding its lineage but they’ll better come up with a different name for the four-door hatch. [via autonews (sub req)]

There’s a new online competition to celebrate the launch of the Auris X, with prizes including R15 000 cash and a PS3. But even if you aren’t out to win the competition is still worth checking out – it’s a challenging and entertaining game that will test your mental agility as you embark on a journey which will see you hunt for Xs all over the internet.

It works like this:

The game is based here, where you will find a map of South Africa. There are Xs all over the internet. You need to find them and then place them on the map you will find on the site, in order to mark your turf and eventually find a hidden Auris X Showroom. For now, you need to do is register and start hunting for those Xs. In case you need some help there are bunch of clues from Buddy the Boxer and his friend Chi Chi the Chihuahua to help you on your way.

The hunt will take you all over the net and even back in time, you will have to answer questions, find clues and play games within the game. Some Xs are easy to find, others will really test your mental strength. The more Xs you use to mark your turf the better your chance at winning prizes worth R30 000 smackeroos!

The prizes are:

1st Prize: R15 000 Cash

2nd Prize PS3 120GB Console

3rd Prize: PSP Black

4th Prize: Apple iPod nano 8GB – Black

5th Prize: Apple iPod Shuffle 2GB

Enjoy the ride, it’ll Xhilarate you! Happy hunting. You never know, there may even be an X hidden somewhere on this page!

But what about the new Auris X?

The Auris X is the next generation Auris, offering a sleeker and more sophisticated driving experience than its predecessors, and it’s also more fuel efficient. The idea is to deliver superb economy with minimal environmental impact, and with 74kW and 132Nm it delivers class-leading performance, along with a whole bunch of extra attention to quality and safety. For more on the Auris X including full specs, go here.

25 year old Briton Lewis Hamilton is finding himself making news for all the wrong reasons this year. His ‘weaving’ defensive driving act at the Malaysian Grand Prix has been heavily criticized by a number of F1 experts and news is that the weaving act will be discussed by at the pre-event drivers’ Briefing in Shanghai.

Hamilton was severely criticized by Brazilian veteran Rubens Barrichello of Williams and Pole Robert Kubica of Renault for his car handling when he defended against Kubica’s team-mate Russian Vitaly Petrov. Barrichello also mentioned that the drivers also have a kind of verbal agreement that you should move only once during the protection of your line.

Hamilton’s defensive tactics were worthy of punishment as it was against the sprit of the competition. Mark Webber is however of the opinion that this issue should be “tidied up” when the drivers congregate for their pre-race briefing in Shanghai.

The fist photos of the pre-production Chevrolet Camaro Convertible surfaced back in 2008, and since then, the development has taken a pretty long time. GM has finally revealed the first images of the production ready 2012 Camaro Convertible prototype through social media outfit Facebook. The convertible looks similar in design to the Coupe and a few noticeable changes include a repositioned third brake light, a trunk-mounted antenna, and a key slot for opening the rear trunk. The 2012 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible will feature the same engines as the coupe including a 312hp 3.6L V6, a 400 hp 6.2-liter V8, and a 426hp 6.2L V8 option. We expect the convertible to arrive by April 2011.

I know it’s not exactly car news, but anyone that likes awesome will enjoy this video. It’s about a crazy man called Robbie Maddison on a little two stroke bike defying certain death by charging over some obstacles to reach the correct speed to do this jump.

The adrenalin that must’ve gone through this guy’s body must’ve been enough to jump start a dead elephant. The true question I suppose is how he managed to make the jump with a scrotum filled with steel?

Spy photographers finally headed elsewhere to catch a glimpse of the models ready to invade the Asian markets and they managed to capture the 2011 Buick Excelle compact sedan. The commuter based on the highly successful Opel Astra Platform was caught undisguised in China.

From what we see it features a waterfall grille, distinctive headlights, hood-mounted porthole vents, and controversial taillights. On the inside the 2011 Buick Excelle appears discreetly similar to the Astra minus the badge on the steering wheel. The Chinese model of this automobile shall be showcased at the Beijing auto show while the US aspirers of the Buick Excelle will have to wait a little longer. It is noteworthy that Buick has already released a hatchback version of this car — Excelle XT hatchback in China only and that variant looks utterly different that this sedan.

The Nürburgring circuit in Germany is one place to be if the upcoming automobile models are what get you excited. It is sometimes difficult to keep track of all cars that get tested here day in and day out; and the latest one nabbed by spy photographers is the 2012 Mercedes Benz B-Class. The hatchback will feature a more spacious front and it will sport a more aggressive look courtesy of LED lighting and a rear spoiler. This upcoming model will go on sale in 2011 and will be based on the BlueZero Concept — a design study that was showcased at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. We’re not that much into it to be honest … at least not the design.

Do not confuse the Nissan Leaf with this because this concept comes from the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation. The original name of the concept vehicle is Ye Zi which means ‘leaf’ and this concept probably gathers energy for mobility from the surrounding environment. Amazingly, the Ye Zi isn’t just a leaf in the name; the concept vehicle is shaped like a leaf too. Interestingly SAIC Leaf isn’t a zero emission vehicle but a negative emission automobile and SAIC will have to explain that bit in detail. The car body is itself made of metal-organic framework that can absorb CO2 and water to generate an electric current and oxygen.

Over the years, many small cars have been touted as Smart ForTwo competitors but none of those models could ever enjoy the ForTwo success. Chinese automaker JAC is determined to change this pattern as it has readied the IV concept which will get thoroughly previewed at the Beijing Motor Show. There are no real details available but JAC IV gets the style traits from JACs Italian Design Studio. The Italian lines might be good to impress the consumers upfront but the engine also plays an important part in the long run. What the JAC IV does hare in common with the ForTwo is the two-seat arrangement.

We loved and admired the luxurious Bentley sedans over all these years and we have every right to know what exactly makes it the brand it is today. Bentley has gone head and revealed the details of the craftsmanship involved in chiseling the interior of its Mulsanne luxury sedan. The Mulsanne features trademark Bentley features that have been around since the 1920s.

Other than the signature elements, the Mulsanne interior is resplendent with mirror-matched wood veneers in Walnut, Piano Black, Oak, Bird’s Eye Maple, Vavona, Olive Ash or Sapelli Pommele. Even the seating arrangement is treated to a complex tanning procedure which creates a rich and mature leather aroma. The seat leather itself is available in a whopping 24 color options. The Mulsanne also gets an 8-inch multimedia screen, which is covered by a veneered door (when not in use), thick carpeting, and stainless steel accents that are polished carefully for 10 hours.

Most of you already know that the 2012 Mercedes CLS 63 AMG is slated to compete with the likes of Porsche Panamera and the Audi A7, what you may not know is that it was spied testing in Nürburgring. The 2012 model is very close to hitting the production floor and a good indication of that is the prototype loosing its veil on the test circuit in Germany, where most of the cars are found heavily clad. The commuter is looking very aggressive and sporty and gets blessed with LED running daytime lights. From what we’re being told the 2012 four-door Mercedes CLS 63 AMG is getting an all-new 5.5L twin-turbo V8 engine that will churn 536bhp and it will be mated to a 7-speed automatic transmission. It will go on sale in Europe as early as next year. [via WCF]

If any of you are angry with the fact that the Toyota Celica is not rolling out of production lines anymore (although word is might come back) here’s a video to push the knife even deeper. I must say it looks amazing in this electric orange …