We expect the Jaguar X-Type to be making an appearance in an episode of AMC’s Walking Dead, since the sedan that died two years ago simply will not, well, die. Or rather, its successor won’t die. Autocar has a detailed report on the work being done to engineer a new entry-level Jaguar, and it is hypothesized that we’ll see it in 2015.
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Lexus is headed to SEMA in Las Vegas with an arsenal of custom vehicles. A total of nine Lexus products will be in attendance, tuned by the likes of Five Axis, VIP Auto Salon and JT Grey Racing in addition to a line of factory-customized F-Sport offerings.
Five Axis plans to bring along both the CT 200h that the company unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show this year as well as a new GS F Sport project (seen above). The latter vehicle wears a full widebody conversion as well as custom paint, brake hardware from StopTech and a full AirRunner TC-5 air suspension.
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We’re not exactly surprised, but Kia will be selling the sedan version of the Rio for $200 less than the five-door hatchback. The five-door is on sale now, while the $13,400 sedan won’t hit dealers until January 2012.
An automatic-equipped Rio sedan will set you back $14,500, while the high-end SX trim starts at $17,500. None of those prices include the $750 destination charge.
While we found a lot to like about the all-new Rio five-door in our First Drive, we remain disappointed that yet another automaker has decided to charge a premium for the hatchback version. If we had a nickel for every time we’ve heard automakers say Americans don’t want to buy hatchbacks, we’d all be able to retire to Bora Bora.
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Every six months or so, we drive a car that exceeds our expectations. Such is the case with the all-new 2012 Buick Verano, the American automaker’s fresh new entrant into the $25,000 compact luxury segment.
Wait a minute – what’s this so-called “$25,000 compact luxury” segment?
Buick explains that there is a window of opportunity for a small luxury sedan priced below the Audi A3, Lexus IS 250 and Acura TSX sedan, but above the Honda Civic, Ford Focus and Chevrolet Cruze. After identifying the void, Buick’s objective was to develop a vehicle that was quieter, more luxurious and better equipped than anything close to its $23,470 cost of entry. Even loaded with every option, the Verano won’t exceed $29,000, a figure which cleanly undercuts all of the aforementioned luxury imports by several thousand dollars.
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Take one BMW 7 Series, hand it over to Germany’s TuningWerk, ask for the second-stage tune that the company characterizes as “a little revitalization,” and the sedan you get back will top out at 720 horsepower, 803 pound-feet and 217 miles per hour.
The super stormer gets bigger, lighter brakes, a new sound system, a sport exhaust, and a weight-loss totaling 264 pounds, The eight-speed transmission is swapped for a beefier unit with either five or six speeds. It all makes getting from zero to 62 mph a minor inconvenience, taking but 3.5 seconds.
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AutoExpress recently took the time to sit down with Kia design guru Peter Schreyer for a chat about the company’s GT Concept that debuted at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show. Schreyer is understandably keen to bring the front-engine, rear-wheel-drive sedan to market, though he isn’t necessarily wedded to the 400-horsepower turbocharged V6 under the concept’s hood. Schreyer said that any number of drivetrain options could conceivably work, including hybrid and smaller displacement powertrains. The designer believes that Kia could still produce an executive sedan with the performance that buyers want while still maintaining excellent fuel economy.
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It’s been only four years since Renault launched its third-generation Laguna, and one year since the model underwent a facelift. But according to the latest reports the French automaker is getting ready to pull the plug and go back to the drawing board for an all-new replacement. And if our information proves accurate, that could lead to a new sports coupe as well.
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