Ford has taken the wraps off its previously rumored Mustang-based sedan, called the Interceptor. With styling to match the aggressive name, the Interceptor concept is a preview of a potential RWD addition to Ford’s boring sedan line-up. The brutish front-end reminds us of the Super Chief truck Ford showed a couple of years back, while the rest of the Interceptor clearly takes design cues from the Chrysler 300c.

The Ford Interceptor concept – based on a stretched Mustang platform – comes equipped with a manual six-speed gearbox mated to a Ford Racing 5.0L V8 Cammer engine that delivers 400hp and runs on E-85 ethanol.

Though Ford hasn’t released any shots of the interior yet, they claim the Interceptor gets metallic accents throughout, as well as low-back leather seats, as well as hidden audio and climate control buttons. It also gets Ford’s race-style four-point “belt and suspenders” safety belt design in all four seats.

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We’ve already reported on Gemballa’s stunning Mirage GT “Black Edition” but if you want something a little more refined you might want to take a look at the standard Mirage GT, which looks just as good in white.

By modifying the engine management electronics, Gemballa has been able to squeeze out a further 60 bhp of power and 20 Nm more torque for the V10, slicing off 0.1 seconds off the time it takes to go from 0-100km/h. The added performance has also been aided by a new, fully stainless steel exhaust system that now resounds through four tail pipes instead of the standard two.

The most conspicuous change to the front are the additional air intakes on the new front spoiler. The bonnet has also been replaced. In the area between the wheel housing and door Gemballa has replaced the standard side panels with its own mudguards, with reshaped openings which blend harmoniously with the original design. Down below, new side skirts lend the vehicle a muscular line. They also come with a cooling vent for the breaks at the rear. The racing look is enhanced by the new rear skirt, with its aerodynamically optimised mid-section for more downforce on the rear axle.

For better deceleration, it comes with an brake-flap in the middle - like the kind seen on the Bugatti Veyron - which snaps up when the brakes are applied. The roof line of the Gemballa Mirage GT also starkly differs from the standard Carrera GT. The front section of an airbox has been integrated into the new Gemballa hardtop. This ends in an air duct that runs along the back of the tailgate installed by Gemballa and supplies the power-enhanced V10-engine with more air to breathe.

The price for this modification begins from €229,800, on top of the Carrera GT you already own. But if you had to ask…

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FoMoCo has penned a deal with Microsoft that will see all Ford vehicles from the 2008 model get optional Bluetooth handsfree and Microsoft’s automotive operating system.

The new system will be called “Sync” and will include the ability to receive email directly to the car. It will be tied to the satellite navigation display already available on most models, and integrate with satellite radio and iPod connectors. It’s expected the first vehicles to receive “Sync” will be the Focus and Five Hundred sedans, both of which are being refreshed in 2007.

The deal is expected to be announced jointly at the Consumer Electronics Show and the Detroit Auto Show. Microsoft currently sells an operating system with similar capabilities to Fiat, but this will be a much larger deal.

We’re not entirely convinced Microsoft is the right company to handle Bluetooth technology. Its desktop and mobile products have time and again shown that the company simply doesn’t understand the concept of adhering to standards. And that’s before you get to the jokes about the operating system crashing as you drive…

Some of the last remaining roads that offer drivers completely unlimited speeds are under attack by environmentalists. They claim introducing a limit could help reduce greenhouse gases, something Germany is currently lagging behind in. Only 30% of Germany’s Autobahn road network is speed limited, while the rest allows drivers to travel at whichever speed they feel is safe for the conditions.

A report from Reuters claims that the greenies are asking for a limit because cars produce a disproportionately large amount of greenhouse gases the faster they travel. A proposed limit of 120km/h would reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 30% in the car-crazed nation.

The unrestricted nature of Autobahns has led to a gentleman’s agreement between manufacturers to hobble most cars to 155mph (250km/h).

Despite the threat, the powerful German carmakers lobby has said that higher speed limits force the development of safer cars, and in turn help the economy. But our favourite quote on the subject has to be from the The Financial Times Deutschland:

Derestricted driving on the autobahn is to the Germans what pesto is to the Italians and the baguette is to the French. No one in Italy or in France would dare to try and ban the cultural characteristics of their country.

Amen.

Now if only the Aussies could be more like the Germans and reverse the decision to put speed limits in remote parts of the Northern Territory.

Chinese state media is reporting that up-and-coming carmaker Chery has struck a deal with DaimlerChrysler to build small cars. The Beijing Morning Post quoted Wang Wei, a spokesman for Chery, as saying “we will formally release the details (of the deal) in one month, if not earlier.”

DCX chief Tom LaSorda has previously admitted he was in talks with a Chinese carmaker that could expand their small car offerings. The new import would likely be sold as an entry-level Dodge subcompact and would fill the void of Chrysler’s lack of both an a or b-segment car in its portfolio.

The Beijing newspaper was also quoted as saying that Chery would become the new production center for Dodge and would supply the global market with small, economical, and fuel-efficient cars. A production version of the Dodge Hornet (pictured above) is a sure bet.

The news comes shortly after Chery’s deal with Malcolm Bricklin to import cars directly to the US fell through due to a disagreement over the way cars should be produced for overseas markets.

After a couple of teasers and even a premature leak, this is the first look at Chevrolet’s all-important Malibu midsize sedan before its unveiling at the Detroit Auto Show. The new Malibu will go head to head with best-selling rivals such as the Toyota Camry and GM has taken advantage of its global development program to ensure it’s a close fight. The Malibu is based on the FWD Epsilon platform that’s also used on the Pontiac G6, Saturn Aura, and the Saab 9-3, but this new model is based on a longer-wheelbase variant that makes it larger than its competitors.

The new design, featuring Chevrolet’s new “brand face,” gives the Malibu a more upmarket style. Overall, it’s a big improvement compared to the previous model. The interior hasn’t been neglected, either. Unusually, GM’s first sneak peek of the Malibu was the inside, and you can see why. GM is finally learning the art of building more attractive interiors (check out the China-only Cadillac SLS if you still doubt us), but we’ll have to view it in the flesh to see how good it really is.

The higher-spec model is powered by a 3.6L V6 pumping out 252hp, complete with a 6-speed auto transmission with optional paddle-shifters. The base Malibu gets a 2.4L four-cylinder engine with 164hp, mated to a four or six-speed auto depending on the trim you choose.

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Jeep’s headline display at the Detroit Auto Show will be the Trailhawk concept, a SUV that’s supposed to be at home both on and off the road. The design is a mish-mash of previous Jeep concepts and other SUVs, but the Trailhawk does have a few redeeming qualities. Firstly, there’s the innovative roof system, which is made up of two glass panels directly above the driver and passenger. A third glass is located above the rear passengers, and all three are removable for open-air cruising. The concept rides on a 116-inch wheelbase and comes with massive 22” wheels. Power comes courtesy of a 3.0L BLUETEC diesel engine from Mercedes that develops 215hp and 376 ft-lbs. of torque.

The side windows retract fully into the body, leaving no B-pillar above the belt, while the diagonal quarter windows are also fully retractable. The four-passenger interior is dominated by two major design elements -the cross-car instrument panel and a full-length central spine which forms the floor console. The AC outlets, center stack compass/inclinometer, and the dimensional, double-deck “biplane” gauges are housed in circular casings having the appearance of machined aluminum, with detailing matching headlamp surrounds.

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Because of the embargo-breaking antic of yet another magazine, we can now show you Chrysler’s stunning new Nassau concept that will debut at the Detroit Auto Show. The four-door luxury coupe is an indication of future Chrysler design trends, and swaps the big, blocky exterior of the Chrysler 300, upon which it’s based, for styling that’s both modern and undoubtedly American. It’s not known whether Chrysler will put the Nassau in production, but the “design DNA” should make its way to future models.

Though built on a full-size 120-inch wheelbase, the Nassau appears more visually compact than a comparable Chrysler 300C, mainly due to the short overhangs and the rear hatch, which increases luggage capacity. Though the arc of the roof resembles that of a coupe, the Chrysler Nassau concept is in fact a four-door hard top with front and rear side glass that retracts fully, revealing the absence of an above-the-belt B-pillar.

The concept is powered by a 6.1L HEMI engine developing 425hp and powerful enough to push the two-ton concept to 60mph in just five seconds.

Fronting the long hood is a new interpretation of the eggcrate Chrysler grille, rendered in chrome and aluminum, which is surrounded by LED headlights and fog lamps.

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A brand new hybrid-only model will join Toyota’s Prius in 2009 to help the Japanese carmaker boost its sales of hybrid vehicles past 1m. The new model will be a midsize sedan and come fitted with a 2.5-3.0L engine, rather than the anemic 1.5L engine currently found in the Prius.

The sedan will get Toyota’s third-generation hybrid system, which promises to be both smaller and lower priced, reports Japan’s Asahi newspaper. The new drivetrain will also feature in the next generation Prius that’s due in 2009 as well as other hybrid Toyota models. It should reduce the current price penalty of being green from $4,000 down to $1,900.

Toyota’s also looking in to rolling out hybrid-only station wagons and minivans down the track. A diesel hybrid is expected by 2010, and should achieve ratings of over 50mpg, even with the tough new EPA standards.

Hamann has given the normally cute-looking Mini a going over and the result is a sinister looking hatchback. Based on the latest-generation Mini, which was announced in August, the Hamann modification comes with a front spoiler to reduce lift, a pair of side sills with integrated, brushed aluminum doorsills, and a two-piece rear diffuser. Hamann also offers the flag decals shown in the above picture, but we think you’d be better off leaving it off the option list.

Underneath, the Mini MKII gets a twin-pipe sports rear silencer, with two round stainless steel tailpipes (each 90 mm in diameter). A sportier air intake sound is created by the HAMANN sports air filter, and can be fitted to both the Cooper and Cooper S versions. Also new is the height-adjustable coilover suspension, which allows you to lower your Mini by up to 50 mm at the front, and up to 30 mm at the rear. On top of this, you can pick the obligatory interior and wheel modifications.

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German magazine Auto Zeitung has spilled more information on BMW’s upcoming X6 Coupe, a sporty version of the hugely successful X5. Scheduled for release in the beginning of 2008, the X6 will share the same four-door coupe styling made so popular by the CLS, but will do so on the same platform as the X5. Being a “fun SUV,” the X6 will come with a more driver-oriented interior and range of powerful engines. The relationship between the X5 and X6 will be the same as the 5 and 6-series – more sporting and upscale. BMW’s goal is to target the Porsche Cayenne by having a vehicle that is both more fun to drive and cheaper to boot.

The X6 will get engines from the cream of the crop, including the following already found in BMW’s other offerings:
Twin-turbo 3.0L diesel with 286hp
Twin-turbo 3.0L petrol with 300hp
4.8L petrol V8 with 367hp

Further down the track, it’s expected to get a turbocharged V8 developing 420hp, which should propel it to 100km/h in under six seconds. AZ is also reporting BMW won’t be making a M version of the X6 because all-wheel-drive doesn’t fit in with the M-philosophy. All models will get a 6-speed auto gearbox with the new joystick-style shifter found in the facelifted X5 and soon to be in the facelifted 5-series.

With luxury car manufacturers increasingly resorting to niche vehicles to spur growth, it looks like the next couple of years will be busy in the SUV/crossover space. Audi will be releasing the Q5 and Mercedes will have the GLK. Game on.

There’s no shortage of lightweight sports cars hitting the market, but the T-Rex is different to most. Instead of two rear wheels it’s got just the one fat rear wheel that allows it to manoeuvre more effectively. The 460kg trike has a Kawasaki engine developing a massive 187hp, enough to propel it to 100km/h in just over three seconds. Check out this video of it being tested by Fifth Gear.

Nissan has taken the wraps off its new entrant to the CUV market, the Rogue. Despite the “x-treme marketing” name, the Rogue is actually a relatively small crossover, fitting in above the Honda CR-V but below the Hyundai Santa Fe. It’ll have front-wheel drive as standard, with AWD as an optional extra like most of its rivals. Power comes from a 170hp 2.4L four-cylinder engine, which is higher than most competitors but hardly what you’d call sporting. This is mated to a CVT transmission with paddle shifters.

Under the body, you get independent suspension up front, while the rear wheels use a multilink setup. The usual stability and traction control are also included, as are 16” wheels shod with 215/70 tires. The Rogue will be priced from $20k, with prices nudging up to the $25k mark for better featured models.

We’re not entirely convinced of the styling on the Rogue. It’s too anonymous compared to other entries in the market, and buyers looking towards the top end are likely to be swayed by Ford’s Edge.

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The Dodge Viper has never been short of power, but the latest iteration due as a 2008 model gives buyers an additional 90hp, to make a total of 600hp. To achieve this, Dodge has had to tweak the engine by increasing bore size by 1-millimeter, raising the displacement to 8.4L from 8.3L. The SRT10 now delivers performance figures of 0-60mph in under four seconds, 0-100-0mph in just over 12 seconds.

It’s not just power that Dodge engineers have increased. The Brembo-built brake rotors are now 14-inches and can stop the SRT10 from 60-0mph in less than 100 feet. The manual gearbox has been upgraded to a dual-disc clutch, and the six-speed manual has wider gears for better torque throughout the range. Dodge claims the new SRT10 is a better handler, too, with changes to the suspension and a new LSD that’s supposed to provide better traction. We’ll have to try it ourselves to see if there’s any improvement over the generally disappointing handling of the current model.

Externally, there’s a more efficient hood scoop for air induction and larger, functional hood louvers to facilitate a greater cooling effect for the more engine underneath.

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These are the first official images of the new convertible Rolls Royce will show at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show. The new car is essentially a production version of the 100EX shown two years ago and retains many of the same features such as LED headlights and teak roof cover. Mechanicals will be identical to the Phantom, so expect the same 6.8L V12 developing 453hp, aluminum construction and six-speed automatic transmission. We’ll update this post with more information as it’s released, but in the meantime click ahead for a gallery.
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