This may come as a bit of a surprise to anyone who’s been following the agonizing bit-by-bit release of a number of concept cars in advance of the Geneva Motor Show, but one Italian design studio has chosen to forgo the teasing and release all the details of its show car all at once. In fact, we hadn’t heard anything about Zagato’s coachbuilt Bentley since the initial report from last December, but the famed Milanese carrozzeria has revealed that it will be unveiling the car at the show now only days away.

Called the Bentley Continental GTZ, following the familiar nomenclature last seen on the 2006 Ferrari 575 GTZ, Zagato’s interpretation on the stately grand tourer manages to be instantly recognizable as both a Bentley and a Zagato design. Based on the effortlessly fast Continental GT Speed, the latest Zagato retains, to the best of our knowledge at this point, the donor car’s considerable mechanics, over which the Zagato Atelier has fitted unique two-tone coachwork in classic British racing green with Zagato’s signature subtle double-bubble contrasting roof in medium silver. Other typically Zagato touches include the sharply-creased fenders, elegant tail and curvy rear window. We have a feeling this is going to be one of those cars that looks even better in person than it does in images, which you can see for yourself in the gallery below, and we’re looking forward to getting up close and personal with this custom Anglo-Italian creation on the show floor

[Source: AutoBlog]

The FIA’s Super 2000 formula class was designed to reduce costs in rally and touring car racing and appears to be living up to its aim, as Malaysian automaker Proton joins the growing list of carmakers jumping aboard that already includes Toyota, Ford, Skoda, MG, Peugeot, Volkswagen and Fiat/Abarth. Currently the British Touring Car Championship, the Intercontinental Rally Challenge and the Production Car World Rally Championship, as well as national rally series in Australia, Italy and South Africa, operate under the Super 2000 formula. While it is not yet known for which series the Proton Satria Neo S2000 is being prepared to compete, it’s thought to be prepared by Mellors Elliot Motorsport in Derbyshire, England for a race debut by midyear. Although Mellors Elliot prepared the car with which Proton took the Production Car World Rally Championship in 2002, it wouldn’t be entirely unreasonable to infer that Lotus might lend a hand in developing its parent company’s new contender.

Amidst all this speculation, specs for the Proton Satria Neo S2000 remain unknown, although the Super 2000 formula calls for engines no larger than two liters, naturally aspirated and sending no more than 280 horsepower through the mandated six-speed sequential gearbox

[Source: AutoBlog]

 Honda put out two recall notices today that affects some 273,000 2004-2008 Acura TLs. One of the recalls addresses a windshield wiper issue, where a potentially faulty circuit breaker on 129,600 ‘04 and ‘05 TLs could fail, rendering the wipers useless.

The other recall is a bit more compelling. Apparently an issue with high temperatures under the hood can cause the power steering hose to degrade to the point that it could crack and leak fluid onto the catalytic converter. This could result in a fair amount of smoke, or, at worse, a fire.

Neither issue has resulted in a crash or injury, but Acura dealers have been instructed to replace the power steering hose and, in the case of the windshield wiper motor, inspect the unit and replace it if necessary. Naturally, there’s no charge for either recall.

[Source: AutoBlog]

As we say in the biz, you can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube, so you might as well squeeze out what’s left. After two official images of the yet-to-debut 2009 Volkswagen Scirocco hit the web the other day, a couple of sites have decided just to publish the whole lot of pre-release images. There are seven in total now (VW will likely release dozens more after the car debuts in Geneva next week), including a pair of interior pics that show, surprise, surprise, a cockpit that appears remarkably similar to the one in the Golf and Jetta. Despite that, the deeply bolstered tan leather seats are stitched with a nifty retro pattern that makes us want to crank the cassette player to 11. There’s more info about the 2009 Volkswagen Scirocco that we’d like to tell you, but it’s embargoed until Monday. It’s highly unlikely, however, that this tube of toothpaste won’t be squeezed dry by then.

[Source: AutoBlog]

Here’s a question: what builds excitement? For Pontiac, the General’s erstwhile “excitement” division, the answer hails from Oz. No, it’s not another attempt to rebadge a Holden Monaro with the lofty GTO moniker, it’s to rebadge a Commodore with some G-flava.

The Pontiac G8 has potential, both from an enthusiast perspective and as a means to remake a brand that’s lost its sheen in the last few product cycles. Overall, the G8’s a looker. With a purposeful stance, flared wheel arches and a nose that makes puttering Prii piss their proverbial pants, the Pontiac G8 arrives with equal parts menace and promise. But beyond outward appearances, what does this new sports sedan have to offer in a segment that’s been left largely untapped (save the Dodge Charger)? That’s what we’re in sunny San Diego to find out.

[Source: AutoBlog]

The product leakage continues as we’re packing our bags for Geneva. This time, Autoweek.nl has released images of the Kia SOUL Burner Concept, one of three concepts that the Korean automaker will be unveiling in southern Switzerland.

The SOUL is obviously taking aim at the Scion xB, which took the two-box design to literal levels. This new image gives us the full-frontal treatment of the new Kia people-mover, with a fascia that mixes sportiness with an upright demeanor. It’s not bad, although the pseudo-tribal graphics are so 1996. But the raked windshield and shortened D-pillar make it stand out a bit more than the xB from which it finds inspiration.

[Source: AutoBlog]

Usually we would have no reason to report on a concept that we’ve already seen debut. Hence, the Australian debut of Toyota’s hybrid FT-HS sports car concept at the Melbourne Auto Show isn’t really news. It becomes news, however, when a suit from Toyota Australia makes a veiled comment about the next Supra and its possible ties to the FT-HS. Peter Evans, corporate manger of product planning for Toyota Australia, said “To really appreciate the FT-HS, think of it as a ‘Prius on steroids’. Alternatively, it could be a vision for a Toyota Supra of the future.” Whaa?

Had this quote been given on the show floor amidst a throng of journalists, one might be able to pass it off as a slip of the tongue. The quote, however, appears in Toyota Australia’s press release for the FT-HS debut down under, which can be read in full after the jump. This means it passed by the eyes of countless PR people whose job it is to vet press releases for embarrassing mistakes. This suggests that the quote is not a case of Evans opening his mouth and inserting foot, but rather was meant to be there, perhaps to whet our appetites, stoke our interest and get us all talking. Job well done, Toyota, because otherwise we would have completely ignored the umpteeth debut of the FT-HS in another country.

[Source: AutoBlog]

Toyota Australia is finally ready to unleash TRD HiLux. The concept version bowed a year ago, and while the production truck was shown at the Brisbane show earlier this month (supposedly its “official” debut), the officially official debut is taking place tomorrow in Melbourne, where this all began way back when. To back that up, additional photos of the supercharged TRD HiLix have been released along with a new press release, but Toyota is still being coy with the hard numbers. All the Aussie division says is that the blown 4.0L will make around 25% more power and 20% more torque than the standard-issue HiLux SR5 Double Cab’s mill, while consuming a bit less fuel, to boot. Toyota will presumably confirm the final power and torque figures tomorrow, which we expect to be around 300 hp / 330 lb-ft. That’s enough to let the TRD HiLux make the 0 - 62 mph (100 km/h) sprint in under 7.5 seconds. Our friends Down Under get to pound on the new sport truck in April, when it joins the TRD Aurion in showrooms.

[Source: AutoBlog]

We can’t follow where this particular embargo break began, but a pair of official embargoed images of the production 2009 Volkswagen Scirocco scheduled to be unveiled next week at the Geneva Motor Show has hit the interweb. As you can see, the Scirocco’s design has changed dramatically from its days on the auto show circuit as the IROC Concept. Gone is the face only a Pokemon master could love, replaced with something more appropriate for public consumption. In fact, the Scirocco will be the first VW we’ve seen in a while without the double-decker grille treatment. Instead, a slim grille connects its headlamps that are set atop a wide swath of body colored molding before we get to the large lower air intake that also houses turn signals and fog lamps. The basic body shape and rear of this hatchback are, however, much closer to their concept counterpart. Designers were not only able to port over the strong character line that created a broad shoulder down the entire length of the concept, but they even made it more pronounced on the production version by adding a slight crease. From what we can see, the car is lower and wider than, say, an R32 or GTI, which officially makes it the VW hatch we’ve always wanted and, surprise, won’t get

[Source: AutoBlog]

The modern American auto show circuit has turned into a series of venues at which automakers try to out-green or out-crossover each other, with the occasional fire-breather thrown in. Down in Australia, it’s like the late 60s or early 70s, with a power-mad pissing contest between GM and Ford going full-tilt. We already saw Holden’s killer flex-fuel muscle concept, the Coupe 60. Now it’s time for the skunkworks to unveil its newest street missile. We previewed it this morning, but here it is in all its glory: the HSV W427. The “W” is a nod to Tom Walkinshaw, whose TWR crew joined up with Holden in 1988 to create the Group A VL SS Commodore, a homologation special that marked the birth of GM’s Australian factory performance division, HSV.

The 427 represents the engine’s size in cubic inches, as in GM LS7 V8 cubic inches. The Corvette Z06’s heart has been transplanted into the VE Commodore’s body, which has been substantially modified with a unique blackened fascia (you might also call it “ugly,” or more diplomatically, “menacing”); updated aero bits all around; new 20″ wheels; and an immeasurable amount of testosterone. That’s what the LS7 brings to the party — no blue pills required. Final power numbers aren’t yet available, but HSV expects them to be in excess of 496 horses and 472 lb-ft. That should make the W427 the fastest Aussie street-legal supercar ever produced. All the good Corvette trickery is in play, too: magnetic ride control, big brakes, and the bi-modal exhaust system are among the hidden goodies that make it the ultimate super saloon. Quantities will be limited, but lucky owners will feel like every road is Bathurst.

[Source: AutoBlog]