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Next Ford Focus RS to Deliver 330 HP

Ford recently lanuched the new Focus ST on the market, but the Blue Oval hot hatch that everybody’s dreaming about is the RS. We’re here to give you the latest rumor on this and things are looking pretty good. The next Focus RS is expected to hide a 2.3-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine under its hood, with the unit delivering 230 hp. Matthias Ton, the engineer who’s in charge of global performance vehicles at Ford, admits that the 2.0-liter turbo in the current ST, which delivers 247 hp, is too close to the limit in order to offer a substantial power and torque boost without having its turbo and fuel systems upgraded. Thus, is Ford gives the new RS the green light, we’ll get to see a 2.3-liter Ecoboost engine in action. The vehicle will probably still use just the front axle to deliver the power to the road (Ford previously said that it could offer 4WD on the RS, but won’t, as it considers that this would make it too expensive), with the car using a mechanical limited slip differential.

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Nissan 370Z on Vossen CV3 Wheels

The Nissan 370Z is routinely being stumped upon by its American muscle car rivals in dynamic testing, but there’s still a lot that deserves to be said about about the mighty Z. Nissan is probably working on a turbocharged alternative that is more economical, but we and the Z’s fans like it just as it is. Since Nissan built the 370Z with plenty of swoops and sharp angles, there’s not a lot you can tune when it comes to the exterior without ruining it. However, slapping on a set of Vossen CV3 matte graphite concave wheels has improved it tremendously. As you can see, this bright red 370Z also rides lower on custom suspension, the perfect Japanese night prowler to cruise the streets in.

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Hyundai Starts I30 Tourer Production

Production of New Generation i30 Tourer starts at Hyundai’s Czech factory. With the five-door mode already a success with 57,000 orders in Europe, things are looking good for the Czech-built wagon. Hyundai says it expects this new model to further boost sales of the i30 range by about a third. The i30 Tourer offers the same engine options as the hatchback, but it comes with a massive 528 liter boot, and a loading bay that can reach a massive 1,642 liters with the seats folded flat. “The launch of the Tourer is the next phase of the New Generation i30’s introduction to Europe, following the very positive reception for the five-door. It not only brings greater choice for consumers but also is a testament to the quality and importance of the teams at our European design, engineering and manufacturing facilities,” said Allan Rushforth, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Hyundai Motor Europe.

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New Mercedes A-Class Arrives in September 2012

Mercedes has issued a statement saying that the new A-Class luxury hatchback model will arrive at dealerships this September in Europe, priced from under €24,000. Considering how well the B-Class did, we expect it to be a huge success for the German brand. The car will be produced both in Germany and in Hungary, and powered by a range of engines with outputs ranging from 109 hp to 211 hp. "The new A-Class is the heartbeat of a new generation at Mercedes-Benz", stresses Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Cars responsible for Sales & Marketing. "We have taken the opportunity to design a completely new vehicle which sets standards in its segment. I am convinced that the new A-Class will make a significant contribution to our Mercedes-Benz 2020 growth strategy." Standard equipment will include air conditioning, Audio 5 USB, electric windows all round, Headlamp Assist and 12-button multifunction steering wheel. You also get radar-based COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST system. The coolest car you can get is the 2.0-liter powered A 250 Sport, offering 211 horsepower and a 7-speed DCT gearbox for €36,860.

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Gold BMW X6 Hamann Supreme Edition

By now, many of you have heard about the Tycoon Evo kit that Hamann sells with the BMW X5 M sports activity vehicle. But we found something that’s a bit different from that! It’s called the Supreme Edition and it combines gold wrap with carbon fiber and some strange wheels with a gold lip. Now, the car has been a bit reclusive and never made it into the made it into the attention of the media officially. But we managed to find it on Flickr, where photos of it in Nancy, in the French east. After that, it was spotted in Cannnes for the 65th film festival in May. Besides the obviously loud body kit, the Tycoon Evo M boosts the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 using a high-flow exhaust and a reprogrammed ECU. This means it’s got for 670 horsepower and a 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) time of 4.2 seconds.

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2013 Buick Verano Turbo packs 250 HP, available six-speed manual

There has been many a conversation about the Buick Verano around the proverbial water cooler here at Autoblog Towers. And while it isn't necessarily the type of vehicle you'd think a group of car enthusiasts would get excited about, those of us who have spent time with the Verano have all become quite smitten with it. Our only wishes: more power and a manual transmission. Enter the 2013 Verano Turbo, packing 250 horsepower, 260 pound-feet of torque and yes, an available six-speed manual transmission. This is perhaps the most excited we've been about a Buick in... um... decades? Powering the Verano Turbo is – you guessed it – General Motors' 2.0-liter Ecotec inline-four. Buick states that the turbocharged Verano can sprint to 60 miles per hour in just 6.2 seconds and that more than 90 percent of the engine's torque is available as low as 1,700 RPM. The Turbo model is packed with standard equipment, including all of the optional goodies found in the Leather and Convenience packages of the standard Verano. That means things like heated leather surfaces on the seats and steering wheel, a premium nine-speaker Bose audio system, sport pedals, dual exhaust and a rear spoiler are all standard, as well as Buick's IntelliLink infotainment system. Pricing will be announced closer to the Verano Turbo's on-sale date later this year. Considering how well-received the standard car is, and how good we anticipate the new Turbo model to be, we have to ask: Why buy a Regal these days? With how excellent the Verano range is shaping up to be, this seems like a clear-cut case of fratricide on Buick's part. 2013 Buick Verano Turbo Debuts with 250 Horsepower Award-winning engine at the heart of luxury sedan's effortless performance DETROIT – Buick today announced the 2013 Verano Turbo luxury sedan will be powered by an Ecotec 2.0L turbocharged engine with direct injection and continuously variable valve timing that produces an SAE-certified 250 horsepower (187 kW) at 5300 rpm and 260 lb.-ft. (353 Nm) of torque at 2000 rpm. Acceleration from 0-60 mph is an estimated 6.2 seconds. The Verano Turbo goes on sale later this year. More than 90 percent of the Verano Turbo's peak torque – more than 234 lb.-ft. – is available between 1700 to 5500 rpm. Its closest competitor, the 2013 Acura ILX 2.4L, offers a peak of 170 lb.-ft. of torque. "The 2.0L turbo engine was designed for refinement, higher output capabilities and reduced noise," said Amy Joss, Ecotec 2.0L assistant chief engineer. "The way it sounds, the power delivery and the refined character are all fitting of a luxury sedan with a fun side." In December, Buick's 2.0L turbocharged Ecotec engine was named one of WardsAuto World's 2012 10Best Engines for North America. At the time, the publication's editor-in-chief, Drew Winter, said: "This engine delivers a level of power and sophistication that redefines Buick." The choice to use a small-displacement turbocharged engine for a more powerful Verano model is consistent with Buick's effort to downsize its powertrains without sacrificing performance. Verano and the Regal luxury sport sedan are available exclusively with four-cylinder engines, while the LaCrosse luxury sedan comes standard with a four-cylinder engine paired with eAssist technology, which uses an electric motor and battery to boost both performance and fuel economy. The standard 2013 Regal four-cylinder engine also is equipped with eAssist. "Buick's engine strategy continues to be driven by intelligent performance," said Tony DiSalle, vice president of Buick Marketing. "Four-cylinder engines, turbocharging and eAssist are all the right solutions for today's market. With these advanced technologies, Buicks are more efficient without sacrificing their smooth, quiet character." According to IHS Automotive, use of four-cylinder engines in North American vehicles will grow 74 percent from 6.9 million to 12.2 million units over the next 10 years. The Verano Turbo will be available with a choice of a six-speed automatic transmission or a six-speed manual gearbox. Including Regal Turbo and Regal GS, the Buick brand offers more manual transmissions than Ferrari and Lamborghini combined. Acceleration performance is expected to be consistent between the two transmissions. Fuel economy numbers are not final, but the Verano Turbo is expected to be in line with Buick's other turbocharged models. Pricing will be announced closer to the start of production in late 2012.

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