VIDEO: Chevy brings 2012 Camaro Z/28 to the 'Ring

Now that the Z/28 program is back on track, GM has begun to test its Shelby-killer super Camaro at the Nürburgring. You can check out the vid below; it shows the car scooting around the track and rolling around on unsuspecting German roads.

Unlike Ford's new Mustang Boss 302, which is more in-line with its original iteration, the new Z/28 shrugs off its Trans-Am heritage for range-topping excess that's high power out-putting with better stopping and handling than the current SS.

When the car comes out next year as a 2012 model, there should be a version of the CTS-V's LSA supercharged V8 under the hood. Whether or not the engine will be re-tuned is anyone's guess at the moment, but if it were to strictly carry over I'm pretty sure no one would complain. After all, it's still got 556 horsepower, 551 lb-ft of twist, and a six-speed driving the rear wheels.

Pricing is still up in the air, but if this is meant to go up against Ford's Shelby GT500 we should be seeing it in the mid- to high-40k's before options. More info as it becomes available.

By Phil Alex

Via: Camaro5

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SCOOP: 2012 Ford Fiesta ST Hot Hatch with EcoBoost Turbo Engine

For those complaining about the lack of a sportier and more powerful edition of Ford's latest (global market) Fiesta hatchback, we have some very good news. Our spy photographers have snapped a prototype version of the upcoming Fiesta ST model undergoing testing in Germany.

The three-door test car featured in these photos gets a wilder bodykit with a front apron incorporating a lip spoiler, chunky side skirts, a bigger roof spoiler and a rear diffuser that houses two large exhaust pipes.

The sporty Fiesta also receives darkened headlamps and big alloy wheels, while we can also see a pair of body-hugging bucket seats for the front passengers.

A closer look at the pictures reveal a massive intercooler up front which feeds the ST's EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine. At this moment, we don't know if Ford has opted to fit the Fiesta ST with a 1.6-liter or a 2.0-liter variant of the EcoBoost engine family.

If anyone knows a German website(s) where we can find more information about the car from the license plate number, we (and consequently our readers) would deeply appreciate it.

In any case, expect an output of around 200-horsepower with all those ponies finding their way to the road through the front wheels. Suspension, brake and steering wheel system tweaks should be on the menu also.

Ford has not yet made any official announcements on the Fiesta ST, which may or may not make it on this side of the pond, but expect to see the Polo GTI-rivaling model arriving first in Europe in 2011.

2012 Toyota Prius Alpha Hybrid Minivan Scooped?

Carscoop reader Nick K. had an opportunity to snag what may very well be the first spy photos of the long-anticipated minivan version of the Prius, rumored to be called the Prius Alpha.

Spotted out in California following a new Lexus CT200h with its logos covered, the camouflaged minivan seen here - said by Nick to be "about the size of a Mazda 5" - appears to be wearing a Prius-esque front fascia and doesn't look to fit anywhere else in the lineup.

As you can see in our photo gallery after the jump, the minivan and the Prius also seem to share a similar design for the windshield, front window line and tail lamps.

If earlier reports from Reuters and Japan's Nikkei daily are correct, the Prius MPV will end up housing three rows of seats with space for up to seven passengers and be powered by in-house developed lithium-ion batteries (which may later be manufactured with help from Panasonic).

As we recently told you, Toyota Executive VP Takeshi Uchiyamada hopes to launch six new hybrids worldwide by 2012 (two Lexi and four Toyotas) on top of its current hybrid offerings. That means the Lexus hybrid family - LS, GS, HS, and RX - will likely gain another crossover of some sort and probably an IS hybrid.

Toyota - currently at three hybrids in the U.S. with the Prius, Camry, and Highlander - will likely get at least one more variant of the Prius, as well as three other models. Speculation on those is up to you all.

By Phil Alex

Many thanks to Nick K. for the spy pictures!

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Lamborghini's Geneva-bound Murcielago Successor Spied

Here are some spy pics of the Murcielago's lighter successor getting ready to do some track time at the Nürburgring. Whether or not it'll be called the Jota is yet to be properly established, but it won't be long before we find out as the new majority-composite Lambo flagship is pegged to make its world debut at next year's Geneva Salon.

Could the Murcielago/Jota seen here be powered by something other than a mid-mounted V12? Not likely. Instead, we should see direct injection involved to improve efficiency and create upwards of the Murcielago SV's 670 horsepower.

The front will maintain the edgy lines found on all the most recent Lamborghinis, while the rear will get wide, black mesh intakes and a wide-mouth center exhaust tip.

"Razorback" glass slats above the engine are possible, and for now the doors are still a mystery. While the V12 is guaranteed, there have been rumors that Lamborghini may kill the scissor doors for more conventional units. If they do, they had better form a bull's horns when opened like the Miura's units.

CEO Stephan Winkelmann knows Lamborghinis can occasionally be impulse buys, so keeping mum on future model info could hurt sales to those consumers who need to have the first of everything. In an interview with Car magazine earlier this year, Winkelmann said: "We never talk about the future. The point is, we sell emotions. If we talk about what might happen, they might wait. And that's not good."

By Phil Alex

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SPY VIDEO: Ferrari 612 Scaglietti Test Mule Filmed Revving it up at the Fiorano Circuit

What is believed to be a test mule of the next Ferrari 612 Scaglietti using the current model's sheet metal as camouflage, was spied doing the rounds at the Italian firm's Fiorano race track near Maranello. From what we know up until now, the 612 Scaglietti's replacement is due in showrooms by early 2012 and will benefit from a lighter chassis and a revised V12 engine with direct-injection.

Though not confirmed, there's also the possibility the new four-seater supercar may adopt the gasoline-hybrid technology Ferrari unveiled in the 599 GTB Fiorano HY-KERS concept at the Geneva auto show earlier this year.

The system, which is derived from the kinetic energy recovery tech Ferrari used in Formula One, comprises of an electric motor coupled to the rear of the dual-clutch 7-speed F1 transmission and a set of lithium-ion batteries, to boost fuel economy and cut CO2 emissions by around 35 percent.

Via: Autoblog.nl

2012 BMW F30 3-Series Spy Shots, Now With a Better View of the Interior

Here are some more spy shots of the upcoming next-gen BMW 3-Series with a closer look at the interior. Codenamed the F30, BMW is likely to play its next bread and butter 3-Series pretty safe with an evolutionary design. Even without looking at the pics, we all know it'll be the 3-Series version of the 5-Series.

As stated in our previous post (read here), power is likely to come from a series of inline-4 and -6 cylinder gasoline and diesel engines that'll see some boost from turbochargers. Also, with BMW downsizing and boost-raising, the next M3 could see either a turbo V8 or possibly even revert to a lighter but high-output 6-cylinder.

Inside, you'll see the newest bit: the car's center information stack is turned slightly toward the driver, harking back to the good old days of BMW. Also, this F30 seAlso, this F30 sedan is just the beginning. After it and the coupe/convertible debut, we could see a hybrid and even a GT variant joining the ranks. As soon as we got some spy pics of those two nasties, we'll let you know.

By Phil Alex