With six cars joining the grid this year in the DTM series, BMW is sure to present wildly different liveries – largely determined by the sponsors brought on board – for each one. And this is the first.

Based on a sponsorship deal with BP, this particular M3 DTM is decked out in the bright green color of Castrol Edge motor oil and the light blue of German gas station network Aral. This car’s unveiling is the first time we’re seeing the new touring car in anything but flat black or BMW’s trademark striped white color scheme.

To pull of its entry into the competitive German racing series and take on its rivals at Mercedes-Benz and Audi, BMW is bringing in four of its proven factory drivers (including three-time World Touring Car Championship winner Andy Priaulx) and has poached longtime Mercedes AMG driver Bruno Spengler and Audi’s reigning DTM champ Martin Tomczyk.
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When McLaren released the MP4-12C, there were some questions about the distinctiveness of its styling, but not about whether the engineers at Woking had extracted every bit of performance they could from its 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 engine. John Hennessey and company, however, think they can do better. That’s why Hennessey Performance Engineering has targeted the 12C for its latest tuning package.

Traditionally, Hennessey usually starts by bolting on a pair of turbos to whatever car it can get its hands on. But McLaren has already done that, so Hennessey has fitted new ones, and along with it, upgraded the intercooler, intake, exhaust, electronic control modules and transmission. It’s also fitted a CarbonAero body kit, new wheels with Michelin Pilot Super Sport rubber and a redone interior swathed in carbon, leather and Alcantara.
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Fear not, Lamborghini fans. According to Stephan Winkelmann, president and CEO of the brand, the company’s vehicles will remain naturally aspirated “for now.” Winkelmann recently spoke with Autocar, and said that the Raging Bull will remain turbo-free for at least the remainder of the decade. That means we won’t see a forced-induction Lamborghini until 2020 at the earliest. That means that it’s crystal-clear that the next-generation Gallardo, set to debut in two years or so, will not show up with a turbocharged engine as its heart. Read More »

Early last year, Chrysler announced that it would be bringing the Viper back into production, with the brand’s performance flagship once again taking its place at the front of the SRT lineup. The next generation Viper won’t be unveiled until April at the New York Auto Show, and it looks like Dodge will be doing its best to tease us mercilessly until then with vague sketches of the car. The first has just been posted on the official SRT Facebook page, providing the very first look at the front end of the 2013 Viper. From the silhouette it’s hard to really tell what the design will look like, but the overall shape and the hood scoop distinctly remind us of the Viper GTS coupe built from 1996 to 2002. Read More »

A howling red prototype of the Aston Martin’s V12 Zagato made the international rounds last year, and now the first production example is headed for a Middle East reveal at the Kuwait Concours d’ Elegance (running February 15-18). Only 150 of the super-exclusive Astons will be made for worldwide consumption.

Aston Martin hasn’t released any new photos so we don’t know how the 510-horsepower, £330,000 (that’s $550,000 U.S., before taxes), aluminum-and-carbon-bodied coupe will differ from its progenitor. If the model on display at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show is an indicator, though, future owners have much to look forward to.

We’ll know more in a few weeks, so until then, feast your eyes on the attached photo galleries and read the press release after the jump. Read More »

Love it or hate it, the automotive industry of today is not lacking for its exercises in reviving old nameplates. The trend ranges from Mini to Maybach, from Dodge Dart to Dodge Challenger. And the French are certainly not immune. Citroën revived its fabled DS moniker for a range of premium hatchbacks, and Renault – most of all – has been mulling bringing back the Alpine for years now.

Arguably just as central to Renault’s performance heritage as the recently revived Gordini line, Alpine made mid-engined sportscars with Renault mechanicals starting in the 1950s and discontinued four decades later. Its most famous model, however, was the A110 (pictured above), which is now celebrating its 50th anniversary. And if a new report from Autocar is accurate, Renault has no intention of letting the occasion slip by unnoticed. Read More »

We have good news for you if you’re missing the Tesla Roadster already. German manufacturer PG has unveiled the company’s new Elektrus, a Lotus-based sports EV with some very wild styling. While the company has made a name for itself producing carbon-fiber electric bicycles, the Elektrus is its first crack at the automotive market. The Randall Boggs-inspired coupe uses a Lotus Elise chassis with bodywork comprised of carbon fiber and composite, though the company is keeping powertrain details to itself for the time being. We do know the vehicle’s battery pack will afford Elektrus buyers a claimed range of around 215 miles and the whole package is said to weigh under 2,000 pounds. Read More »