Extreme Bentley to pack 630 HP, hit 60 mph in four flat

With the days winding down until the Geneva Motor Show, more and more details are coming to the surface on the basket of delectable treats in store for us this year in Switzerland. The latest reports indicate that Bentley's new show car, a bio-fuel version of its Continental model, will pack an awesome 630 horsepower from its mulch-munching twin-turbo W12. That's a considerable 30 more horses than Bentley's current most powerful version, the Continental GT Speed, and the package promises to be enough to propel the renewable-fueled luxo-tank to sixty in four seconds flat.

Laughably, Crewe is also said to have removed the rear seats from the Extreme Bentley to save weight , which, when you consider the enormous heft of the Continental, isn't likely to make much of an impact. That said, we appreciate the gesture... and those 630 horses.

[Source: Autowereld via World Car Fans]

2010 Mazda3 starting at $15,045

Mazda has put a price tag on the 2010 Mazda3, and for $15,045, you can roll away in an entry-level sedan equipped with a manual transmission. For those keeping track, that's a scant $355 more than the outgoing model, and it's a small price to pay for the additional features inside.

The Mazda3 i Touring sedan, equipped with the 2.0-liter four-pot and an automatic gearbox will set you back $18,350, and comes equipped with Dynamic Stability Control, Traction Control and Bluetooth integration. If you option up for the Mazda3 s Sport sedan with the 2.5-liter four and autobox, the price rises to $19,540, with the five-door version coming in at $20,030. Both models receive 17-inch wheels and a dash-mounted 4.1-inch multi-information screen that displays everything from MP3 tracks to trip data and maintenance alerts. The "s" models are also available with the Technology package, which includes keyless entry, push-button start, sat-nav, Sirius radio (with six months of service included) and a perimeter alarm, all of which can be yours for $1,195. A Moonroof/CD changer/BOSE Audio package is available at $1,395

Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe

In the ramp-up to the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, we've heard from all the big luxury players and then some on the new concepts and production vehicles they'd be bringing to the Swiss show, except for Mercedes-Benz. But at long last, here's the big debut that the Three-Pointed Star will be presenting at the Geneva Palexpo in a couple of weeks: the new E-Class Coupe.

Replacing the CLK, the new E coupe follows along the same path as the new E-Class sedan which Mercedes unveiled just a few months ago, albeit with with two fewer doors and a sleeker, more...well, coupe-like profile, with no B-pillars to obstruct the view and a low drag coefficient. Carrying a Cd of just 0.24, Mercedes claims the new E-Class Coupe is the most aerodynamically efficient production car on the market. Coupled with an efficient range of engines – ranging from the E 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY that produces more power and torque while sipping less fuel, all the way up to the 388-horsepower E500 Coupe – and a host of new features – including a pedestrian-friendly self-deploying hood, Dynamic Driving package, adaptive headlights, road sign recognition and an automatic emergency braking system – the E-Class Coupe promises to offer an alluring package when it goes on sale in European markets this coming May.

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

2009 Rinspeed iChange

From the gloriously fertile mind of Frank Rinderknecht comes the Rinspeed iChange, a shape-shifting zero-emissions concept car. As its name suggests, the iChange actually morphs its body shape depending on how many people are going to be onboard, thus optimizing its aerodynamic profile around the passenger load that is called for.

The Swiss auto designer's creations have always been a highlight of the Geneva Motor Show, from outsized roadsters with crazy paint jobs to cars that run on garbage and have tilting occupant cells to exoskeltal minimalist roadsters to Lotus Elise-based roadgoing submarines. Next month, we expect the iChange to be no different.

In the main, the lightweight (1,050 kilograms, or 2,315 pounds) zero-emissions iChange starts off as a one-seat sports car that is capable of changing to a three-seat coupe thanks to a pop-up rear end.

In the drivetrain department, the iChange is motivated by a 150-kilowatt motor, whose power is routed through a six-speed "pre-selector" gearbox which Rinspeed says is borrowed from Subaru's WRX. Juice storage is provided by one of two stack configurations of lithium-ion batteries, depending on whether short- or long-distance driving is planned. So-equipped, the iChange will whir its way to 100 kilometers-per-hour (62 miles-per-hour) in just over four seconds, topping out at 220 km/h (137 mph). The car's pure-electric drivetrain is further supplemented by a roof shingled in solar panels, which generates power that is stored in the batteries and also helps operate cooling fans to vent the interior.

[Source: Rinspeed]

Lamborghini Murcielago LP650-4 Roadster special edition limited to only 50 units

Lamborghinis are already pretty rare, so owing a special edition means being part of very exclusive company. Lambo is going for the ultra-rare territory with a Murcielago LP650-4 Roadster that will be limited to 50 units.

What should make this one so special is that it will borrow the 6.5-liter V12 from the Reventon. While the engine in the standard Murcielago LP640-4 shares many components from the Reventon, the ultra-rare bull has about 19 more hp than the 631 hp Murcielago. The outside of the new roadster should share the same grey paintwork as the Reventon, but it will also get bright orange accents.

[Source:Autoblog.nl]

2009 Rolls-Royce Phantom

When Rolls-Royce announces a facelift, even a minor one, it makes news. for the 2009 model year the Phantom is enhanced to come closer in line with the sportier Phantom Coupé. This includes a new front-end that includes a streamlined front bumper and a shallower stainless steel grille.

Other new exterior features include LED door handle illumination and 21-inch cast aluminum wheels are now standard. Two further wheel options exist, both manufactured in forged alloy and available in either painted or part polished finishes.

2010 Fiat 500C

As promised Fiat offered today a preview of its future 500C set to be revealed in March at the Geneva Motor Show.

The 500C has the same dimensions as the coupe version: 3.55 m x 1.65 m x 1.49 m. It is also powered by the same three engines available in the hardtop: a 1.3-liter 75 hp Multijet turbodiesel, 1.2-liter 69 hp gad unit, or 1.4-liter 100 hp gas engine. The big difference is what Fiat calls, "a fully fledged window to the sky."

The 500C follows in the tradition of the original Fiat 500 and uses a rolling roof design that allows the car to retain the shape of the coupe. Because the car does not lose its B or C pillars, structural rigidity that can easily be lost when turning a car into a convertible should be minimized here. The soft top will be available in three colors (ivory, red and black) and sales should begin in Europe in the spring.