The overall design seems to be slightly more sedate than what is on other BMW coupes, like the 6-Series.  This is far from a let down.  Instead, it is a bit of a reminder of a time when BMWs came with subtle performance touches, instead of the overt statements that cover the cars today.  Even the Hofmeister kink that is present on the c-pillar of every BMW sedan and coupe is toned down on the Gran Lusso as half of it is integrated into the rear window line.

BMW did not specify the V12 under the hood, but it is a safe bet that power comes from the 6.0-liter turbocharged unit found in the 760Li sedan.  The 535 hp motor is almost enough to play with some of the Ferraris that have come out of Pininfarina’s design house.

Seating in the Gran Lusso is limited to four people in a very spacious cabin.  BMW and Pininfarina are happy to mention exclusive interior materials such as the Foglizzo leather in Tobacco Brown, or kauri wood from New Zealand that shifts from gold to red to brown depending on the angle of the light.  Still, from behind the wheel the driver may appreciate these bespoke touches, but most of it will still look like a 7-Series interior.

The Gran Lusso Coupé is a car that could easily be affixed as the crown jewel in the BMW lineup.  The grand touring machine fits well with the company’s current design language, which seems a bit underwhelming if BMW enlisted Pininfarina to build them a new vision.

Were we expecting more? Yes.  Do we still want it? Absolutely.

Last year BMW showed up to the same concours with the Zagato Coupe.  In the tradition of most Zagato designs, the Z4 base vehicle was clearly noticeable from almost any angle.  From the teaser shots of the Pininfarina car, it seems that we will only be left with hints of the original BMW that lies beneath.

When we finally get to see the full Gran Lusso Coupé on May 24, it will likely be something that we all beg for production.  After all, BMW has been getting better with their designs lately, but they haven’t come anywhere near Pininfarina’s perfect balance of aggressive and sinister that is the F12 Berlinetta.

The new Acura NSX (badged Honda NSX in most other parts of the world) will keep the tradition of being powered by a V6 engine, however, this time it will include a hybrid system with two electronic motors.  Honda has not hinted at the total horsepower, but we do know cars like the Nissan GT-R, Audi R8, and Porsche 911 are some of the engineers’ benchmarks.  Whatever the final output is, it will be delivered to the ground via a version of Honda’s Super Handling All Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system.

The original NSX was very much a Japanese product.  The finest engineering and racing mind in Japan worked on the development, and then it had a 15-year production run at two sites under the rising sun.  The new NSX is much more of an American affair that goes beyond just the production site.  Honda R&D Americas chief engineer Ted Klaus is leading the global team developing the new NSX, and Clement D’ Souza, associate chief engineer at Honda of America, is bringing the car to market.

The catalysts to build the NSX in the U.S. likely included mix of favorable exchange rates, resource availability, and the desire to produce the car in an area where a sizable percentage will be sold.  Regardless, in a few years Honda will be receiving Marysville factory tour requests not just from Accord enthusiasts.

If these pictures look at all familiar, it might just be more than a coincidence.  The Detroit Electric SP:01, has a profile that is a dead ringer for the Lotus Elise.  It makes sense considering this small company is filled with ex-Lotus employees, but it does feel a little odd considering Tesla has already fished these exact waters from 2008-2012 with their roadster.  Regardless, the Detroit Electric people say that the carbon fiber bodywork is “all-new”.

What should excite the speedy eco crowd is Detroit Electric says is car can achieve a 0-62 mph time of 3.7 seconds on its way to a top speed of 155 mph.  This is a achieved by mating a 201 hp, 166 lb ft of torque electric motor with a vehicle that weighs in a very Lotus-like svelte 2,354 lbs.  Those using the SP:01 as a performance car will likely not get the full 190-mile battery range.

Inside, the party piece is a interface the company calls SAMI (Smartphone Application Managed Infotainment).  It does all the main functions found in other cars such as radio controls and satellite navigation, as well as the necessary battery range calculators.  What makes this a bit unique is that is can also act as a remote control unit, enabling the user to locate the vehicle, turn on the climate control system, and check the charge status.

The Detroit Electric SP:01 will cost $135,000 when it hits the international market this summer.  While it may seem a bit much, used Tesla Roadsters are currently listed for not much less, and they don’t come with the 3-year/30,000-mile warranty of the SP:01.  Plus, Detroit Electric says they plan to limit production to only 999 examples of this roadster before moving on to, “two other high-performance models that will enter production by the end of 2014.”

Detroit Electric is more than just reviving the name of a forgotten electric car icon, it is also holding true to the name by keeping their headquarters and factory in the Detroit area.  So we are a bit hopeful to see this ambitious company find a success where few others have.

The next WRX will not disappoint the loyal as Subaru will once again be delivering a high horsepower AWD champion.  Just how much power, though, remains to be known.  The current WRX makes 265 hp (305 hp for the STI), and we would expect this to be the same of better.  Subaru is a company that is becoming known for better efficiency, so some of the performance may really come from with the new WRX that spawns from this concept may just be about the car going on a stricter diet.

As usual, the next WRX will be Impreza-based.  Sure this one has some huge fenders, quad tail pipes, carbon fiber roof, and new hood scoop, but squint hard at this WRX, and the lines of Subaru’s more pedestrian sedan become clear.  What is more apparent is that the production car will fall in between the wild of this concept and the mild of the current Impreza.

When will we see this compromise? As impatient car addicts, we always feel the sooner, the better.  So hopefully will see a street-ready version before the LA show this fall.

The changers for the 2014 Camaro include a more angular front end with meaner looking headlights.  Around the back the taillights that took their inspiration from the second generation Camaro had the clock turned back even further as this update looks a bit more like the 1969 (gen 1) Camaro.  Not a whole lot of the major body parts changed on the 2014 Camaro, and honestly, the mild revision to the now four-year old Camaro would probably not get too much of our attention if it wasn’t for the gravity of the Z/28.

The heart of the beast is the 7.0-liter LS7 small block V8 from the outgoing Corvette Z06.  It makes 505 hp in that car, so we expect power to be about the same.  For those wondering why Chevrolet would do this when they already have the 580 hp Camaro ZL1.  Well, just like the original 1967 version, the 2014 Camaro Z/28 is about offering a balance of good power and good weight.  In fact, there is a 300 lbs difference between the current ZL1 and Z28.

It is not all just engine in this package.  There is an aero package that includes front and rear spoilers. Chevrolet is particularly proud of the spool-valve suspension dampers that have multiple settings for track maneuvers. Keeping all this on the road are 19-inch wheels on Pirelli PZero Trofeo R tires and Brembo carbon ceramic brakes.  “We made nearly 200 changes to improve the track performance, which cumulatively make the Z/28 capable of 1.05 g in cornering,” according to Mark Stielow, Camaro Z/28 engineering manager.  “For perspective, with all other things, equal increasing maximum grip from 1 to 1.05 g can cut up to four seconds per lap.”

We’ll take their word on all the improvements for now, but we’ll certainly want to test it all out for ourselves sometime very soon.

We don’t know much about this flick (once we heard something about sharing a writer with the Twilight series, we just kinda started focusing one the car.)  This type of movie will likely not have the same boost on Lotus’ sales as having James Bond turn your car into a submarine.  Still, having a few of their ultra-light, Toyota-engined sportscars on the big screen should give the company a good boost among the tweener market.

Lotus seems to be showing up with a chrome covered Evoras to every place this movie premieres across the globe.  Although the Los Angeles party was the most recent, we chose to use most of the shots from an earlier Italian premiere for a couple of obvious reasons.

Source:Lotus

Giovanni Agnelli does not get the same international name recognition as Enzo Ferrari, but he was an even bigger player in the Italian automobile industry.  As president of Fiat for 30 years, he steered the company through some its most interesting (i.e. creative and turbulent) times.  Agnelli wielded enormous political power, and like any good wealthy auto executive, he had a passion for interesting cars.

L’Avvocato (the lawyer) had some vehicles specially built for his personal transport, and now they are a part of the National Automobile Museum in Turin’s exhibit called Le Auto dell’Avvocato.  While it might be interesting to see Agnelli’s favorite Fiat 125 (complete with road scars from its use,) or his Fiat Multipla Spider that normally resides in Fiat’s private museum, there is one unique machine that should command a lot of attention.  Agnelli had a Lancia Delta Spider Integrale built just for him.

Rally fans know Delta Integrale as one of the greatest, although far from prettiest, rally Lancias that were released for the streets.  Agnelli had a one-off spider created to turn this ugly duckling into a swan he could be proud to drive on the Italian and Swiss mountain roads while summering St. Moritz.

Other cars being featured include a shooting brake made from the beautifully square Fiat 130 coupe, an off-road Fiat Panda known as the Rock Moretti, and a Lancia Thema station wagon by Zagato.  This is the kind of exhibit that meets what we imagine the legacy of a stylish and eccentric Italian automotive executive should be (Sergio Marchionne may want to start buying more than just black sweaters.)

Le Auto dell’Avvocato will be part of the museum’s temporary display now through June 2nd.  Those lucky enough to have already visited the facility know that temporary exhibition space makes up only a small part of this world-class car museum.  So for those making it to Turin this summer, plan to spend at least the whole day looking at cars, but don’t forget to have lunch Lingotto’s rooftop test track.

The statement wasn’t just speculation.  On stage were representatives from Ford and General Motors who did not refute that they were leading the charge away from the radio dial.

The impending death of the AM/FM radio is not fully surprising.  The world of in-car audio entertainment has long ago shifted to a more customizable platform with everything from the iPod to Pandora.  Still, we’ve been receiving broadcasts on the road for over 80 years, which means companies like GM might feel a real push-back when they officially announce the end of AM/FM.

The impact of may be less severe if some form of traditional broadcasting stays with our vehicles, and this is likely because the elimination of AM and FM does not necessarily not mean getting rid of all local signals.  For example, there has been no mention of discontinuing reception of digital broadcasts.  It would be wise to have some form of local reception available as a tool for receiving emergency information that does not require the internet.   Since digital broadcasts are often repeats of the analog AM and FM stations, most consumers might not even notice the difference.

Unlike television’s switchover to digital that has now eliminated the analog signal, the FCC is not currently requiring AM and FM stations to broadcast in digital.  Stations who provide digital signals are doing it on a voluntary basis.  There is no set date for a transition into all digital, and in fact, no formal digital transmission standards exist.  So the digital signal is still in its infancy, but that could change if more car companies eliminate analog reception.

So where does that leave the consumer? Has AM/FM come to end of its automotive usefulness like the 8-track and the cassette? Or are the tech wizards at the car companies getting too far ahead of the public for their own good?

VŪHL (say “v-oo-l”) stands for Vehicles of Ultra- lightweight and High-performance, and their first “supercar” is VŪHL 05 teased above.  The company has a bit of an international feel as the suspension and handling was developed in the U.K., bodies are planned to be fabricated in Canada, and final assembly will be in Mexico City.  The other notable Mexican sportscar company, Mastretta, takes pride in supplying almost everything from the home market — somewhat ironic considering VŪHL lists the Mexican government as one of its main financial backers.

Judging by the company’s supplier list, the VŪHL 05 will likely be built with Ford power.  We can hope for a large V8 motor, but it could also employ something similar to the turbocharged 2.0-liter Duratec that moves the Mastretta MTX.

VŪHL is the brainchild of brothers Iker and Guillermo Echeverria, Jr.  Their passion and expertise for cars stems from having a “hands-on role” during their father’s (Guillermo Echeverria, Sr.) 30-years of building and racing GT cars.  We did search for elder Guillermo’s records and nothing of note came up in his racing history.  Then again, most of this history took place in Mexico, so it is a safe assumption we don’t have the full picture of his competition background.

All we have right now is a teaser shot and a father-son story.  That’s enough to keep us interested until the VŪHL 05 gets revealed at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this July.