Straightline

Have you been wondering how much horsepower the new Rolls-Royce Ghost will have? How about its 0-60-mph time? Or maybe its top speed interests you?

Now you can rest easy, as Rolls-Royce has decided to let a few more details loose on its upcoming "small" sedan. Its new 6.6-liter V12 engine will produce 563 horsepower and 575 pound-feet of torque. They used to call numbers like that "ample"; now they have changed to "significant."

All that power is sent to the rear wheels through an eight-speed ZF transmission. The result is a 0-60-mph time of 4.7 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.

The final production version will be shown at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show in September, with U.S. deliveries scheduled for early next year.

2009 Shanghai Auto Show: Rolls-Royce Ghost

Categories: Concept Vehicles,Frankfurt Auto Show,Future Vehicles,Luxury Cars,Rolls-Royce,Sedans,Shanghai Auto Show

BMW announced pricing for the 2010 X5 M and X6 M today, and as we expected they are sickenly expensive. As in, we'll never be able to afford them expensive.

The 2010 BMW X5 M will run you a cool $86,255 while the X6 M will command a slight premium of $89,725 for its oddness.

New York Auto Show: 2010 BMW X6 M

Categories: BMW,Luxury Cars,New York Auto Show,SUVs,Shanghai Auto Show

Looks like the Volkswagen group had a little meeting to figure out its production plans for the next couple of years as Audi has also announced some upcoming production plans. The Q3, a compact SUV loosely based on the Cross Coupe Concept, will be built in Martorell, Spain starting in 2011 Audi announced today.

According to Audi's press release, the Q3 will be, "a coupe-like five-door SUV with seat positions, wheel size, and ground clearance characteristic of a typical SUV. The Q3 will blend a compact car's design and driving dynamics with an SUV's spaciousness and versatility."

So yeah, nothing really new here, just another vehicle to slot into the lineup in an effort to conquer BMW.

Categories: Audi,Future Vehicles,SUVs,Shanghai Auto Show

Last year Geely stole the show in Beijing with its long and lean GT concept. It was over the top in many ways, but at least it was an original design.

This year, the GT is back, but it's flowing lines have been interrupted by the realities of production. There's a full interior this time around and a much larger greenhouse to open up more passenger room. Unfortunately, the new shape makes the car look awkward and unfinished. If Geely wants to make a name for itself with a flagship coupe, it's going to have to channel a little more of the concept into the finished product.

2009 Shanghai Auto Show: Geely GT

Categories: Concept Vehicles,Coupes,Future Vehicles,Geely,Shanghai Auto Show

So how did Porsche get its new Panamera up to the 94th floor of the Shanghai World Financial Center for the sedan's world debut? By the collective will of the Communist people of course. Oh, and one particularly large freight elevator helped too.

Categories: Luxury Cars,Porsche,Sedans,Shanghai Auto Show

Prior to today's announcement at the Shanghai Auto Show, the Rolls-Royce Ghost was called everything from the "baby Phantom" to RR4 to 200EX. Now it has a proper name from the Rolls-Royce history books, one that makes it sound all wispy and athletic.

Don't be fooled, though, this sedan still measures 212-inches nose-to-tail, a good 7-inches longer than a Mercedes-Benz S Class, and it will use a 6.6-liter, turbocharged V12 under its hood. Production is expected to start at Goodwood later this year.

Categories: Future Vehicles,Luxury Cars,Rolls-Royce,Sedans,Shanghai Auto Show

Jaguar used the 2009 Shanghai auto show to announce details on the upcoming 2010 XJ sedan. It will debut this summer in London on July 9th and go on sale in some markets by the end of this year.

A second-generation of Jaguar's aluminum chassis will underpin the new flagship and both standard and long-wheelbase models will be offered. Engines will range from a V6 diesel to the 510-horsepower supercharged V8 already shown in the XFR sedan.

2009 Shanghai Auto Show

Categories: Future Vehicles,Jaguar,Luxury Cars,Sedans,Shanghai Auto Show

In what can only be called anti-climatic, the 2010 Porsche Panamera made its first public appearance at the 2009 Shanghai Auto Show. This after years of seeing lightly disguised prototypes crisscrossing the world, not to mention a recent technical briefing and ride along at Porsche's research center.

If anything, this look at the Porsche Panamera is another chance to give it the once over and contemplate whether you would rather have this sedan over a new BMW 7-Series or the upcoming 2010 Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

2009 Shanghai Auto Show

Categories: Porsche,Shanghai Auto Show

You may have had enough of the auto show circuit after last week's show in New York, but there's one final international show left before summer.

The 2009 Shanghai Auto Show will not only have several production cars bound for the U.S. like the 2010 Porsche Panamera and 2010 BMW X5 M, it will showcase China's growing home market brands like Geely, Chery and Great Wall.

As is typical of the Chinese shows, we'll be seeing a colorful array of model names that make monikers like Brougham and Bonneville SSEI seem quaint. So far we've seen previews of the Chery Karry Viewsonic, Great Wall Cool Bear and the Dongfeng Fengshen. Check back next Monday for more cool name and additional coverage from Shanghai.

2009 Shanghai Auto Show
 

Categories: Concept Vehicles,Future Vehicles,Geely,Shanghai Auto Show

You may not notice it from the pictures, but this is the reskinned 2010 Audi Q7. The changes are so slight as to be unnoticeable, so we'll point them out for you.

In terms of design, the grille has been given chrome vertical bars while the lower fascia gets a skidplate-looking thing. You'll also notice the glittery looking light cluster. It's now available with optional LED marker lights that add what is quickly becoming a distinctive light signature for all Audi's.

New window moldings change up the profile of this Q7 while the rear end gets a two-tone paint job along with an aluminum tailgate to save weight. Interior upgrades are also minimal as the most noticeable enhancements are a new instrument panel and additional chrome accents throughout the cabin.

Although Europe gets to choose from six engines in the Q7, U.S. versions will offer just three. A new 3.6-liter V6 with 280-hp, a 4.2-liter V8 with 350-hp and a new 50-state legal 3.0-liter TDI V6. A six-speed automatic transmission and quattro all-wheel drive is standard with all engines.
 

Categories: Audi,SUVs,Shanghai Auto Show

#NYIAS Mercedes gave a quick introduction to the Vision E250 Bluetec sedan yesterday in New York. We took a quick photo. By today, the diesel Benz concept was gone, already whisked off for the Shanghai auto show .

"Vision" is somewhat of a misnomer, because the E250 isn't really a concept. A version of this car, the E250 CDI, is already part of the 2010 E-Class lineup in Europe. But the "Bluetec" indicates the car now has an AdBlue urea tank in back, allowing it to meet Europe's more stringent EU 6 emission standard that goes into effect in 2014. Compared to the current EU 5 standard, this requires a significant cut in NOx emissions.The urea injections would also allow the Mercedes-Benz E250 to get 50-state certification here.

Who's going to buy a four-cylinder diesel E-Class? You are. Consider that the Vision E250 Bluetec has a 2.1-liter turbodiesel four (or 2.2 liters, according to Benz, but displacement is only 2,143cc) good for 204 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque from 1,600-1,800 rpm. That's not much less than the 210 hp and 400 lb-ft in our current E320 Bluetec, and the E250 would be cheaper, Mercedes officials tell us.

Estimated fuel economy ratings on the U.S. test cycle are an incredible 28 mpg city/39 mpg highway -- vastly better than the E320 Bluetec, rated at 23/32.

Mercedes has not yet made a decision about whether to import a production E250 Bluetec, but if it came here, it would replace the diesel E320. This diesel is also under consideration for the GLK. -- Erin Riches, Senior Editor

Categories: Concept Vehicles,Diesels,Luxury Cars,Mercedes-Benz,New York Auto Show,Sedans,Shanghai Auto Show

Though we reported yesterday that the 2010 BMW X5 M won't officially debut until the 2009 Shanghai Auto Show , BMW has quietly released more photos.

And it turns out that the X5 M has the same 20-inch wheels as the X6 M. Similarly, the front seating areas are indistinguishable. So as on the non-Motorsport versions, the differences come down to sheet metal, seat count and cargo capacity. You already know our preference.

Categories: BMW,Luxury Cars,SUVs,Shanghai Auto Show

After BMW officials waded through a grim economic status update, noting that the company will continue to maximize liquidity and cut costs through 2009, Ludwig Wilisch, head of the Motorsport division, got down to the business of introducing the 2010 BMW X6 M , which we've already written about in detail. The 2010 BMW X5 M was nowhere to be found; its official debut is two weeks from now in Shanghai .

The engine is the story on the X6 M, as the Motorsport engineers started with the block of the 4.4-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 engine in the current BMW 750i and made modifications from there. The turbos are twin-scroll on the M-tuned V8, and there's that innovative two-piece single exhaust manifold. Really, it's a completely different engine now, though it retains the reverse-flow design (with the turbos in the vee), which explains the 555 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque.

Still, says Wilisch, "our philosophy is that the chassis must always be faster than the engine -- a big challenge I can tell you, on an SAV."

To that end, the M engineers retuned the car's Active Roll Stabilization system and fitted stiffer rear axle mounts and upgraded control arm bushings. Plus, the BMW X6 M sits 0.4 inch lower than the normal X6.

Come fall 2009, we'll see how well the Motorsport engineers fared with this first-ever M-badged SUV. -- Erin Riches, Senior Editor

Categories: BMW,New York Auto Show,SUVs,Shanghai Auto Show

Porsche recently invited journalists to see its new Panamera sedan first hand at its Weissach research facility. No one was able to get behind the wheel, but Porsche did offer rides in the back seat. Our own Director of Testing Dan Edmunds pulled out his camera to get a shaky video of the experience. See for yourself after the jump.

Continue reading Video: Lapping Weissach in the Back Seat of the Porsche Panamera.

Categories: Luxury Cars,Porsche,Sedans,Shanghai Auto Show

With a world debut officially scheduled for the Shanghai auto show next month, the 2010 Porsche Panamera is edging slowly toward production.  Additional information has been released on the some of its more unique features. They include a start/stop ignition, retractable rear wing and a nearly flat undercarriage for improved aerodynamics.

Inside Line News

Categories: Car Tech,Porsche,Sedans,Shanghai Auto Show