New Performance Lamborghini Reventon | Luxury Sports Car Photos

Based on the Murcielago concept, Lamborghini created Reventon at Saint’Agatha, Italy wich heads straight from the spotlights of Frankfurt motor show halls. Moreover, the clientele is limited(20 owners by October 2008) and the price varies around $1.365. Its engine is powered with 650hp at 8000rpm, right coveted 100-hp/liter mark and 10hp more than the LP640-which dates back from Lamborghini pre-Miura days, even if claims the same speed and acceleration numbers as the Lp640.

The carbon-fiber masterpiece was inspired by the F-22 Raptor Jet,as the brand and design manager talks,Manfred Fitzgerald talks about of every team’s member involvement and creativity in order to soak up dynamic views of the jet design. The rear lights,which are carbon fiber with LeD inserts,or the carbon fiber struts across the top of the engine bay,with a transparent cover,will definetly keep people talking.

Though the Reventon ticks every box in the Murcielago’s options list ,like carbon ceramic brakes,forged-aluminium wheels with fiber inlays,no panels are shared with the LP640-only the side mirrors have been carried over from it. Fitzgerald claims that the Reventon is designed to go straight from sketches to CAD production,and not only a piece of design.

The quarter-scale model,allowed them to reduce production time tremendously,because it has been all virtual,and the higher cornering speeds than the LP640 are due to the aeronautics inspiration-arrowhead nose and visible carbon-fiber splitter that provided the car with more front downforce.

Equipped with a digital dash,it allows the driver to enjoy a digitized version of the traditional round,and while the bodywork will capture the attention of the overwealming majority,it is the instrument cluster(all aluminum) that lends the car more technical credibility9.

The rest of the interior is stylish,equipped with greenish Alcantara seats which follow the design of the sharp arrow idea,or nappa leather around the cabin,similar to that in the Gallardo Superleggera.

It is question whether the Reventon worths its million dollar price due to its comparison to the LP640,though its price is justified by pointing out the months of research and its different body and interior design,with the lefthand drive.The 20 Reventons have already been sold and are on the sales list among Bugatti Veyron,The Mercedes Benz CLK and Ferrari Fxx.

Volvo Rolls Out Sportier XC60 R-Design

With the R-series sports cars eliminated from Volvo's line-up, the Swedish firm's R badge lives on as a high-end trim and equipment level that may also include some degree of chassis upgrades as is the case with the new XC60 R-Design. According to Volvo, the R-Design chassis of the XC60 is stiffer than that of the standard model, featuring stronger damping and more distinct driving properties without compromising too much on ride comfort.

Furthermore, the Swedes claim that the steering has been improved on the XC60 R-Design and is now more responsive thanks to the new, "more direct steering gear".

On the outside, the sport package adds door mirror housings, trim mouldings and decor trim in matte silk metal finish, skid-plates and twin chrome tailpipes plus a set of newly designed 18-inch or optionally, 20-inch alloy wheels. Another unique feature is the color-keyed lower section of the car (instead of the matte black theme of the standard model).

The XC60 R-Design's interior is also upgraded with aluminum trim inserts in the sports steering wheel, door mouldings and the centre stack which also features a different decor with a circular pattern. Other highlights include the sports pedals made of brushed aluminium, the two-tone sport seats and the specific watch dial instruments with blue gauges.

The new R-Design option pack for the XC60 will be officially presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September with sales expected to start around that time.

2010 Citroen C3 Hatchback Scooped Uncovered During Dealer Presentation!

There's a reason why automakers don't permit cameras or modern mobile-phones at private presentations. Or at least they try not to allow because more often than not, someone will manage to sneak in a camera and take a few pics. And that's exactly what happened during a private showing of the all-new Citroen C3. These photos that where sent by an anonymous reader over to our colleagues at Worldcarfans, reveal the new C3's looks in detail.

The French automaker's new proposal in the supermini category that will compete against the likes of the Ford Fiesta, VW Polo, Renault Clio and Fiat Grande Punto, preserves the basic lines of the outgoing C3 but borrows several styling cues from Citroen's latest models such as the DS3 concept's fascia and the C5's tail light design.

The new C3 shares the same platform architecture and mechanical hardware with the DS3, but the latter will be positioned more upscale rivaling cars like the MINI Cooper.

The lineup will most likely include a 1.6 HDi turbo diesel with 90HP and 110Hp, and two gasoline units, a 1.4-liter with 95Hp and a 1.6-liter with 120Hp.

We'll see the new Citroen C3 in the metal at the Frankfurt motor show in September 2009, before it goes on sale across Europe before the end of the year.

Via: Worldcarfans

Audi A5 Sportback Caught Unmsaked at Photo Shoot in California!

While 'das' Germans at Audi are playing hide and seek with the new A5 Sportback releasing only one cryptic teaser shot of the five-door coupe, a member of the Audi enthusiast forum at Fourtitude captured the sleek-looking sports sedan during a photo shoot on the campus of the University of California, San Diego. The pictures aren't of the best quality but they clearly outline the shape of the A5 Sportback that is set to be officially unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show this fall.

Even though the front-end of the car is masked in the photos, it is evident that the styling will be similar if not identical, to the A5 Coupe. From the B-pillar and back, the Sportback gets its own unique styling highlighted by the swoopy roofline.

When the A5 Sportback goes on sale thorough Europe this September, it will be available with two gasoline and three diesel engines with prices in Germany set to start from €36,050. For the full Monty on Audi's sport sedan click here to read our detailed report.

Photos via: Fourtitude

VIDEO: Audi R8 Spyder Spied Barely Camouflaged on the Nurburgring

Ever-expanding Audi is adding the final touches on the R8 Spyder (could be named Spider though) that is expected to premiere at the Frankfurt motor show in September. A thinly disguised prototype model of Ingolstadt's drop-top supercar was captured on film during testing at the Nurburgring race track. Despite the fact that only the rear window seems to be covered, the dark finish does not allow us to view the design in all its glory. What is clearly visible though is the R8 Spyder's fabric roof.

If we're not mistaken, the prototype seen in the spy footage appears to be equipped with Audi's 5.2-liter V10 FSI that churns out 525HP at 8,000 rpm and a peak torque of 530Nm or 390.91 lb-ft. Unverified reports from both sides of the Atlantic suggest that the R8 Spyder will initially be available only with the V10 engine, though we find it hard to believe that the German firm won't offer the smaller 4.2-liter V8 engine in the near future.

BMW X1 SUV: The Full Monty with Official Details, Video and 183 High-Res Photos

The all-new BMW X1 has finally been officially revealed after a plethora of photographs were leaked into the web last night. Cutting to the chase, the X1 is BMW's new entry-level SUV model slotting right under the X6, X5 and X3. It will arrive at European showrooms this fall rivaling high-end versions of the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V and Volkswagen Tiguan compact SUVs while BMW has also confirmed that the X1 will be offered in the States from 2011.

If BMW's latest SUV/SAV looks familiar to you, it's no surprise as the X1 was shown in pre-production form at last year's Paris auto show under the ConceptX1 moniker. Compared to the X3's fussy styling, a more streamlined look has been adopted for the X1 that incorporates flatter surfaces and tauter forms. We're still trying to get used to that large snout, but we'll wait to see the car up close for our final judgment (don't expect us to fall in love...).

Moving on to the interior, let's just say that if you have sat in an X3, you will feel right at home in the X1 as the only styling feature that is new here is the driver orientated center stack that will be making its return on all future BMWs.

Built on the 3-series platform architecture, the X1 is close in size to the current X3 measuring 4,454mm or 175.3-inches in length, 1,798mm or 70.8-inches in width and 1,545mm or 60.8-inches in height. That means its roughly 110mm or 4.3-in. shorter, 60 mm or 5.5-in. narrower and 140 mm or 2.4-in. lower that today's X3, which is expected to grow in size when BMW introduces the second generation model.

Back to the X1, the luggage compartment capacity may be increased from 420 lt or14.7 cu ft to a maximum of 1,350 liters or 47.3 cu ft with the rear seats folded.

The X1 will debut in Europe with an initial choice of four engines while for the first time ever in an X-Series model, BMW's crossover will available in rear-wheel drive (bearing the sDrive moniker) and xDrive all-wheel drive configurations.

The range includes a 3.0-liter straight six gasoline engine that produces 258HP launching the X1 from zero to 100km/h (62mph) in 6.8 seconds, and three 2.0-liter four-pot diesel units with outputs of 204HP, 177HP and 143HP that achieve up to 5.2 liter/100km or 45.2mpg US on the European test cycle. Initially, only the 177HP and 143HP diesel models will be offered with the option of rear-wheel drive.

BMW is also expected to enhance the X1's range with a 2.0-liter four-banger gasoline engine offered with various outputs as well as with more sDrive variants.

BMW X1 Official Gallery Leaked: 43 Photos of Small SUV

Click Here For Official Details, 183 Photos and a Video of the BMW X1

A couple of BMW enthusiast sites have gotten their hands on a full set of photos of the all-new X1 small SUV that slots beneath the X3 in the Bavarian automaker's crossover range. Not surprisingly, the X1's exterior design is virtually unchanged from last year's so-called "X1 concept study". The only visible change between the two models concerns the subtly revised tail light design, but that's about it. For the first time, we also get a complete look at the X1's interior.

The X1's dashboard pretty much follows in the lines of the X3. However, as with the latest generation 7-Series, the X1's center console is slightly tilted towards the driver which is a welcome change.

Since BMW has not made the release official, we do not have the technical specs. But we do know that the X1 is based on a modified version of the 3-Series platform, and that the soft-roader is be equipped with the Bavarian firm's 'xDrive' all-wheel-drive system.

According to previous reports, the initial petrol range will include an entry-level 2.0-liter four cylinder with outputs of 143HP and 170HP and a 3.0-liter straight-six producing 265HP while the diesel lineup will consist of a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder unit available with 143HP, 177HP and 204HP.

Roughly 110mm shorter, 60 mm narrower and 140mm lower (4.3, 5.5 and 2.4-inches. respectively) than the X3, the new X1 will be marketed as an upscale alternative to compact SUV offerings like the VW Tiguan, Ford Kuga, Toyota RAV-4 and the Honda CR-V.

The X1 will go on sale in Europe shortly after its world debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. North American sales are slated to begin sometime in early 2011.

Via: Xbimmers & Bmwblog