Carlsson has kitted up the new Mercedes Benz C-Class with its latest CK35 tuning package, a race-proven kit that delivers the performance to match its sporty look. The tuner has been a successful competitor in the VLN Long Distance Trophy at the Nürburgring for many years and has consistently used its own commercial range of parts and accessories in the competition.

The Carlsson unit produces 295bhp (217kW) and presses maximum torque of 385Nm onto the crankshaft. The increased output comes from a stainless-steel sports rear silencer with four oval tailpipes as well as a modified engine management system. The top speed of the CK35 is 270km/h, while the sprint from 0-100 km/h takes just six seconds, four tenths faster than the standard car.

To match its performance, Carlsson fits an aerodynamic kit that includes a front apron, a diffuser-look apron at the rear, side moldings and rear spoiler. All parts are made of high-grade PUR and, while the front-end grille gets an electro-polished grille insert and double-headlight units with fog and driving lights. These parts are also available separately for fitment in combination with the standard bumper. Handling is enhanced with lowered sport springs and 19in lightweight alloys.

Starting from 2008, traction control will be banned from use in Formula One as part of a number of changes approved by the FIA. The decision came after all competitors agreed to the changes at the meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Paris on Wednesday.

Traction control was introduced by the FIA back in 2001 after being originally banned in 1993. Previously, it was too difficult to monitor whether teams were using traction control systems or not so F1’s governing body caved in and allowed its use. But starting from next year, every team will use the same electronic management system, which should make it easy to detect illegal systems.

Other changes include a reduction of the racecars’ width by 200mm, while plans to reintroduce slick tires have been delayed and the engine freeze rules slightly loosened.

Ford will unveil three new show cars at next week’s New York Auto Show that it developed with the aid of several car customizers. The Blue Oval is using these vehicles as part of its attempt to capture some of the lucrative aftermarket segment, a marketing practice it calls “microsegmentation.”

The first of these vehicles will be the Shelby prepped Mustang GT-500KR. The hotted up Stang gets more power than the 500hp GT-500 and will be in store before the end of the year. The vehicle was developed in conjunction with Ford’s Special Vehicle Team and racing legend Carroll Shelby and follows in a long line of high-performance Mustangs.

Following the Mustang will be the 2008 Ford F-150 Foose Edition pickup truck, the most powerful F-150 ever. Designed by hotrod expert Chip Foose, the special edition F-150 picks up a 450hp 5.8L V8.

Finally, Ford will also display another vehicle that was modified by hip-hop legend Funkmaster Flex. It also plans to introduce other limited edition versions of the Mustang and F-series within the next 12 months.

To help fund its takeover bid for Volkswagen AG, Porsche has taken on a loan of $46.67 billion and appointed several investment banks to arrange the credit. The sports carmaker recently lifted its stake in VW to 30.94%, a move, which under German law, forced it to launch a takeover bid.

The new capital will be used to finance the public tender offer for the remaining shares and will eventually be refinanced with capital-market issued bonds. The actual loan is sub-divided into four main sections including two one-year bills and two three-year notes with a two-year term out option.

Porsche will be submitting details to German regulatory bodies within the next four weeks and has to await final approval from before the official offer can be made. If approved, it means Porsche will have control of mass-market brands like Skoda as well as premium niche players such as Bugatti and Bentley.

UK’s Connaught Motor Company has set up its new global headquarters and R&D center in Wales and is well underway in the development of the world’s first green high-performance hybrid sports coupe. Connaught has spent close to £12 million in building the high-tech facility, which will employee up to 200 new staff over the next three years.

The brand was only re-established back in 2002 after a 40 year hiatus, but the small company has already developed five world-class prototypes and is ready to start production of its Type-D sports car in Wales by the end of the year, with the first customer deliveries to commence in early 2008. The company expects to build 100 cars in its first year of production, with 250 in the second year and five year target of 1,000 cars per annum.

The Connaught Type D GT Syracuse will feature a 2.0L supercharged V10 producing an estimated 300bhp. The vehicle will be followed by another hybrid version that’s pegged to be the world’s first truly high performance hybrid sports coupe and is said to produce 30% less CO2 emissions than the class average. Connaught claims the hybrid sports car will have a fuel economy rating of 42mpg and will be able to complete the 0-60mph dash in 6.2 seconds and reach a top speed of 150mph.

As the New York Auto Show draws near, the field of entrants competing for the World Car of the Year has been narrowed down from a list of 28 new vehicles to just 3. The final 3 contenders are the Audi TT, Lexus LS460 and the MINI Mark 2. As much as we love the new MINI, we have our hopes set on Audi and its TT coupe taking top honors but we’ll have to wait until the winner is announced on April 5.

Judging the competition is a jury of 44 international motoring journos chosen on their respective levels of expertise, experience, credibility, and influence. Many new cars, especially the US domestics, weren’t eligible for the competition because its rules stipulates that entrants must be in production and sold in at least five countries on two continents during 2006.

In addition to the World Car of the Year, cars will also be judged in the World Performance Car, World Green Car and World Car Design of the Year categories. The finalists for the performance car award are the Audi RS4, BMW 335i and Porsche 911 Turbo and finalists for the green car include the BMW Hydrogen 7, Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec and the Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion. Finally, for the car design award, the finalists are the Audi TT, Citroen C4 Picasso and the Fiat Grande Punto.

The latest addition to the potent AMG range is the 2008 Mercedes Benz CL65 coupe, a car that bows in as the performance division’s new flagship model. Packing a 6.0L bi-turbo V12 motor as shared with the S65 and SL65 AMG models, the new CL65 is capable of reaching 100km/h from rest in a brief 4.4 seconds with the 200km/h mark passing in just 13.3 seconds. Official specs for the engine read 612hp (450kW) at 5,100rpm with torque electronically limited to 1,000Nm and available from just 2,000rpm.

Complementing the high-output engine is a free-flow sports exhaust with two twin chromed V12-design tailpipes. Catalytic converters with tri-metallic coating provide a faster response from a cold start as well as more efficient exhaust-gas treatment. Drive is sent to the rear wheels via an AMG prepped five-speed auto gearbox with paddle shifters located behind the wheel. An “S/C/M” mode button in the center console allows the driver to choose between the “Sport”, “Comfort” and “Manual” driving programs. As well as changing the transmission characteristics, these modify the accelerator response and the spring and damper settings of the sports suspension that’s enhanced with Mercedes’ Active Body Control. Other features include 20in AMG alloys and a high-performance brake package with new double-frame sliding calipers that allow the big coupe to stop from 100km/h in just 35.6m.

In order to mark the 40th anniversary of Mercedes-AMG, the CL65 is also being offered as a “40th Anniversary” limited edition model. The car is available with a new ‘Alubeam’ paint scheme, a unique finish which has previously only been seen on a handful of Mercedes show cars. Inside, the car gets all-Nappa-leather upholstery with a diamond pattern, a color-coordinated Alcantara roof lining and embossed V12 logos on the front head restraints.

Chevrolet will unveil three new minicar concepts at next week’s New York Auto Show, as a preview to a possible production model that’s set to target young urbanites after a stylish and affordable city runabout. The first concept to be launched is the Chevrolet Trax

After the official reveal, the public will be able to choose which of the three cars they’d like to see go into production by casting their vote at a special dedicated website. Depending on the response it gets, Chevrolet will then gauge the level of interest present in the minicar segment before finally green lighting the project.

All three concepts were designed at GM’s Design Studio in Incheon, South Korea, and feature highly efficient 1L gasoline engines and low resistance tires. The Trax concept pictured above is decked out in a new Blaze Orange paint scheme, with replaceable corner panels painted with a Burnt Orange matte finish.

Update: Check out more photos and information in our updated story.

Mercedes Benz has lost ground in the premium coupe segment against its main rival BMW and its more recent E92 3-series coupe, so it comes as little surprise that engineers are rushing to sign-off on the final design for the all-new 2009 CLK. Just last month, a near production ready CLK test mule was spotted undergoing cold-weather testing in Sweden and this latest rendering gives us a clue as to what the final car will look like.

Designers have followed the style set by the larger S-Class sedan with the new CLK picking up a high waistline wedged profile and a chiseled front end with angular headlights. The new lights are a departure to the current model’s conjoined circular units, featuring a squared look that’s rumored to star on the next-generation E-Class sedan as well.

Powertrains will be similar to the C-Class sedan including the new 272hp 3.5L V6 engine as well as Mercedes’ 5.5L V8 for the CLK500 flagship. An even more powerful AMG version is guaranteed; sporting the 503hp hand built 6.2L V8 engine. The CLK will be offered with optional 4Matic AWD and could possibly come with a new mild-hybrid option.

To capture ground lost to its rivals, Mercedes will beef up the CLK range with the latest technology shared with the more expensive S-Class. The new coupe is likely to pick up Mercedes’ Presafe brake assist, night vision, the latest COMAND system and possibly even an active suspension system. The CLK is expected to be revealed at next year’s Geneva Motor Show, with the first sales likely to start towards the end of 2008.

GM is ramping up for a massive assault on next week’s New York Auto Show with planned launches for its HUMMER, Buick and Cadillac labels. The General’s luxury division is set to debut the facelifted version of the 2008 model-year STS sedan, which picks up revised styling, a revamped interior, a new V6, and a host of new safety options.

The most significant change to the outgoing model is the introduction of the new direct inject 3.6L V6 in the base STS. This powerplant delivers a healthy 298hp (222kW) and 268lb-ft. (371Nm) of twist with drive being sent to the rear wheels via GM’s new Hydra-Matic 6L50 six-speed auto. An AWD version is also available. Not only is the new engine significantly more powerful than the old unit, it also achieves a 25% reduction in cold-start hydrocarbon emissions and only a marginal increase in fuel economy despite a 15% increase in power.

Visual differences include a new grille and headlight design plus side air extractors incorporated into the front fenders inspired by Cadillac’s Sixteen concept car of 2003. Other touches include chrome-plated door handles, color-coded bumpers and a set of polished aluminum exhaust tips. Final pricing will be announced closer to the car’s launch date, which is scheduled towards the middle of the year.

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Production for Ford’s new mid-sized Mondeo sedan has commenced at the Blue Oval’s production facility in Genk, Belgium, just days after production started for the new Ford C-max and almost exactly 12 months after the introduction of the Galaxy and S-max line of cars.

To accommodate the increased production numbers, Ford had to upgrade the Genk plant at a cost of almost €715,000 and the hiring of additional staff, which now totals 5,800 personnel.

The new Mondeo is the latest model to join Ford’s revamped Euro lineup, but US fans are likely to be disappointed as the car has a low chance of being launched Stateside. Ford’s CEO Alan Mulally has publicly praised the Mondeo and admitted he’d like to see it launch in America, but fears of it cannibalizing sales of the Fusion sedan has ruled out any US export program.

Porsche may add a new compact SUV model to its lineup to compete with the impending flood of new premium mid-sized crossovers from the luxury automakers. In addition to the four-door Panamera, Porsche is rumored to be speeding up the development of the BMW X3 competitor by sharing components being developed for the upcoming Tiguan and Q5 SUVs from Volkswagen and Audi.

According to Germany’s AutoZeitung, the new Porsche model will also utilize the same drivetrains as its larger Cayenne sibling with both V6 and V8 powerplants expected to debut. Porsche’s CEO Wendelin Wiedeking has previously mentioned that he’d like to see further utilization of the new production facilities being set up to accommodate the Panamera, so it’s entirely possible that we’ll see Porsche build a new small SUV.

Porsche is close to losing whatever exclusivity and brand cachet it has left. The introduction of the Cayenne was supposed to help with the development of new models, but the resulting cash injection has only led to the production of the Panamera. Where’s the modern version of the Porsche 928?

Updated: Click here for official Audi A3 Cabrio information

Audi’s top brass have confirmed that production for the new A3 Convertible is scheduled to start at the luxury brand’s car plant in Brussels by late 2008. Positioned against its arch rival, BMW’s new 3-series drop-top, the new A3 variant is expected to eschew a folding metal roof in favor of a less complex and lighter canvas top to give it a performance edge over the BMW. The guys over at The German Car Blog managed to dig up this latest information and even include a couple of new renderings of the car.

These images are an accurate representation of the final styling of the new model and reveal that the car will feature seating for up to four passengers and slightly different front end styling to the current A3. The biggest change is the revised bonnet that has been positioned higher in line with the latest pedestrian safety regulations.

BMW won’t be resting on the laurels of its popular 3-series cabrio. Expect to see the launch of convertible versions of its upcoming 1-series coupe around the same time as the A3 convertible is released.

General Motors is hoping to transform its Cadillac label into a full line global car company and has its sights set on the likes of BMW and Mercedes Benz. Cadillac only offers a handful of models outside the US, but we’re likely to see a full range of cars including a high-end saloon, luxury SUV and performance convertible sold in global markets in the coming years.

The first wave of Cadillac’s global invasion is the introduction of the new CTS sedan that’s set to be launched in Europe by the end of the year and which will eventually be sold in regions outside of the US and Europe. The sedan will be followed by coupe and wagon variants in 2009 and possibly a next-generation BLS.

Cadillac is rumored to be developing a small RWD vehicle based on a new compact architecture code named Alpha. This new platform will spawn several major models for many other GM brands including cars for Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Vauxhall and possibly Chevrolet. It’s thought Alpha will be available with both RWD and AWD and feature either four-cylinder or V6 performance. The next generation DTS sedan and upcoming luxury XLS flagship will be based on GM’s Zeta architecture that underpins cars such as the Pontiac G8 and Camaro coupe.

New reports are suggesting that there may not be a new XLS flagship after all. In a recent interview, Holden’s engineering head has denied claims that the Aussie GM subsidiary is developing the new V12 powerplant. However, GM’s Vice Chairman Bob Lutz has previously confirmed that development work for the new saloon is well underway. Other Cadillac models in the pipeline include a new mid-sized crossover that’s likely to be called the BRX, but it’s thought that the SRX may be dropped in favor of the new CTS wagon. Finally, we’ll likely see the next-generation XLR roadster bow in by 2012.

Update: Official GLK concepts here and here. Final production model details here.

Prestige automakers are planning to launch a wave of premium soft-roaders over the coming 12 months, with the likes of Audi, Alfa Romeo, BMW and Mercedes Benz all set to release their own unique models. The first of these new crossovers is likely to be the mid-sized GLK from Mercedes Benz, which is set to debut by the middle of next year as a 2009 model and is estimated to cost close to €35,000.

Several prototypes have been spotted cold weather testing in Scandinavia, which revealed a design similar to the bigger GL-Class SUV. These latest renderings, compiled with information sourced from insiders close to the project, show that the new GLK picks up the same angular design theme and rugged seen in the rest of the Mercedes SUV range.

In line with Mercedes’ new development strategy, many of the components used for the upcoming GLK share their design with the parts used in the C-Class. The car’s underpinnings will be based on a revised version of the C-Class platform, meaning the GLK will be powered by the same engine lineup as seen in the new saloon. A brand new four-cylinder Bluetec diesel displacing 2.2L and producing up to 204hp should also make an appearance.

The range topper will feature a 3.5L V6 powerplant with 4Matic AWD and a 7G-Tronic automatic gearbox with pseudo manual control. It’s also rumoured that AMG will release a high-performance version of the GLK complete with the popular 6.2L naturally aspirated V8 engine. Follow the jump to see the rendering in full.

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