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Germans love power and speed. While most of us would have been more than content with a stock BMW Z4 M, the owner of this Z4 that\’s for sale on a German online vehicle marketplace found that an inline-six with 343 HP couldn\’t satisfy his lust for speed. So what more reasonable than to throw in a BMW M5 / M6 sourced 5.0-liter V10 engine. But even the M5 V10\’s 507 HP weren\’t enough for our German protagonist who decided to replace the Z4\’s inline-six with an even more powerful, Hartge-prepped version of the V10 delivering a hefty 551 HP. The engine is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox.

Aside from a set of Hartge 20-inch alloy wheels, the Z4 V10 is all stock on the outside. The asking price for the V10-powered German roadster is… Read the rest of this entry

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Bypassing the neat alloy wheels that are featured in KW Automotive\’s press pics but are not offered as part of the package, the German-based company has released three new suspension kits for the latest VW Golf. The V1, V2 and V3 KW coilover suspensions lower the sixth-generation Golf by 1.4-2.6 inch (35-65mm) on the front and the rear axle. While the V1 has preset dampening rates, the V2 kit allows drivers to make modifications in ride height and rebound dampening. As for the range-topping V3 kit, it permits an even higher degree of customization to the suspension with adjustable (and independent reacting) rebound and compression damping.

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At the upcoming 2009 Tokyo Auto Salon that runs from January 9 to 11, Japanese tuning firm Branew will launch a complete performance package for the freshly revealed Nissan 370Z. Branew\’s tasty exterior kit that will also be available in carbon-fiber, consists of a front spoiler, side steps, rear spoiler and a rear wing. The sport coupe\’s looks are complemented by a set of multispoke alloys that will be offered in various sizes.

Performance-wise, Branew has developed a new sports exhaust system and reprogrammed the 3.7-liter V6\’s ECU. In terms of handling, the Japanese tuner has upgraded the 370Z\’s brake system and added a new sport suspension kit. Further details will be released with the car\’s debut at the Tokyo Auto Salon in January.

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Porsche has started production of its first ever diesel-engined model, the new Cayenne Diesel, at its Leipzig plant in Germany. The sports utility vehicle that is equipped with Audi\’s 3.0-liter V6 turbo diesel engine with 240 HP and 550 Nm of torque, will be available for sale from February 2009 onwards. According to the German maker, the Cayenne Diesel consumes an average of 9.3 liters per 100 kilometers (25.3 mpg US) with CO2 emissions of 244 grams per kilometer.

Equipped with Porsche\’s Tiptronic S automatic transmission as standard, the basic European price for the Cayenne Diesel will be about ? 47,250. In Germany, the latest addition in the Cayenne family will cost ?56,436.

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Jaguar has introduced a new 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel engine for the European market 2010 XF that will be offered with outputs of 240 HP and 275HP in S form. The dual turbocharged 3.0-litre AJ-V6D Gen III diesels are a direct development of the 207 HP 2.7-liter AJ V6 that was jointly engineered with the PSA Peugeot-Citroen group. Both units are matched to Jaguar\’s six-speed ZF 6HP28 automatic transmission. In standard form, the 3.0 V6 diesel produces 240 HP (16 percent more than the 2.7 V6) allowing the XF to go from 0 to 60mph (96 km/h) in 6.7 seconds and reach a maximum speed of 149mph (240 km/h).

The more powerful XF Diesel S that delivers an output of 275HP and a massive 600Nm (443 lbs-ft) of torque, accelerates from 0-60mph (96 km/h) in just 5.9 seconds, 1.8… Read the rest of this entry

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A member of an Italian Fiat Sedici enthusiast forum has scooped the facelifted version of Fiat\’s soft-roader ahead of the car\’s official debut at the forthcoming Geneva Motor Show in March, 2009. The Sedici is the twin brother of the Suzuki SX4 and it is offered in front-wheel and all-wheel drive layouts. The subtly restyled Sedici features a new front grille inspired from Fiat\’s latest models like the Bravo and Grande Punto as well as a redesigned front bumper. Interior revisions include the restyled instrument panel and the new air-condition controls.

Sources state that apart from the cosmetic enhancements, the Sedici will also benefit from mechanical updates that will include the introduction of new diesel and petrol engines.

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Seat has revealed U.K. pricing and full specification details for its all-new Exeo saloon that is due to go on sale in April. The previous-generation Audi A4-based saloon is offered in S, SE, Sport and range-topping SE Lux trim levels, with an initial choice of three engines, a 2.0 TDI turbodiesel producing 143 HP or 170 HP, as well as a 2.0 TSI turbocharged petrol unit with 200 PS. All engines are mated, as standard, to a six-speed manual gearbox. Prices for the Exeo start from ?17,740 for the entry-level 2.0 TDI S. Comparatively, a similarly powered Ford Mondeo sedan 2.0 TDCi 140 Edge starts from ?18,449, though Ford does offer discounts.

All Exeos will come equipped with standard USB connectivity that allows MP3 music players to be used in-car; cruise… Read the rest of this entry

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Despite Honda\’s attempts to keep a tight lid on any information concerning the new Insight hybrid sedan, a set of scans from the official Japanese market model (JDM) brochure have been leaked online, two weeks before the car\’s worldwide premiere at the Detroit auto show on January 11. Honda had released a three-quarter front shot of the production version but the brochure scans give us our first glimpse of the 2009 Insight\’s more conservatively styled rear-end along with the hybrid\’s interior which remains for the most part unchanged compared to the Paris Show Insight Concept.

The brochure that was uploaded on the Honda enthusiast site called Temple of Vtec also reveals a picture of the Insight Modulo. For those wondering, Modulo is the name Honda gives to jazzed-up versions of factory-designed cars. The… Read the rest of this entry

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At next month\’s 2009 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, Subaru will take the covers off the Legacy Concept that essentially previews the shape and styling of the next generation Legacy sedan and station models which are due to arrive in late 2009 and early 2010 in some markets including the U.S.A. Along with the official NAIAS announcement, Subaru issued a teaser picture of the concept revealing the mid-size sedan\’s front-end styling. The crew over at Japan\’s Best Car magazine took this photo and created a rendering of what the production version of the 2010 Legacy Sports Tourer (station-wagon) may look like when it is unveiled in 2009.

Even though we\’ve yet to see the concept in full form, we reckon that Best Car\’s artist impression gives us a pretty accurate view of the 2010 Legacy Sports Tourer, especially… Read the rest of this entry

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Despite new products like the 2009 Ford F-150, shown being assembled at the automaker\’s Dearborn, Michigan facility, Edmunds.com forecasts new-vehicle sales will continue to drop in 2009. (Photo courtesy of Ford Motor Company)

SANTA MONICA, California —  expects sales of new cars and trucks to continue dropping next year, with a decline of nearly 5 percent to less than 12.5 million vehicles.

Automakers sold an estimated 13.1 million vehicles in 2008, down more than 16 percent from the previous year, when they delivered close to 16.2 million vehicles.

Edmunds.com, the premier resource for automotive information, also forecast that automakers will be more selective in their use of incentives in the coming year and will reduce the supply of some vehicles, causing transaction prices to climb on certain models.

Truck sales also… Read the rest of this entry