Detroit 2011: 2012 BMW 1 Series M Coupe revs its beating heart

BMW's latest introduction to the U.S. market bowed today at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, and it's a machine that's meant to light the true enthusiast's heart aflutter: the 2012 1 Series M Coupe. We must say, it looks rather striking in the metallic orange hue you see in our live photo gallery below.

Even more importantly, the 340 horsepower put out by its 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine is said to "capture the soul of the original M3." Or so they say... BMW claims this new sportster was inspired by the 1988 M3, and the German automaker's intention is reportedly to "illustrate its ability to build race car performance into a small car, capable of everyday use."

Expect to see the new 1 Series M Coupe hit dealership lots in the spring of 2011 for $47,010, in limited quantities according to BMW.

Detroit 2011: 2012 BMW 650i Convertible goes topless in the Motor City

In addition to the scorched orange 1 Series M Coupe at the BMW booth in Detroit was the new 2012 BMW 650i Convertible. Under the sharply creased (and rather long) hood lies a 400-horsepower, twin-turbocharged, direct injected V8 that manages to shove out 450 pound-feet of torque between 1,750 and 4,500 rpm. All that grunt will be sent to the rear wheels through either a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission.

BMW claims the new 6 Series Convertible can drop its flying-buttress-equipped fabric top in exactly 19 seconds an there's also a 10.2-inch screen to control the standard iDrive technology package. Not bad, but such niceties are to be expected when you are asked to pay a wallet-busting $91,375 for the privilege of owning one, which you'll be able to do sometime in the spring of 2011.

Detroit 2011: 2012 Buick Verano is quietly powerful

If you were wondering how General Motors was planning to differentiate the 2012 Buick Verano from its Chevy Cruze counterpart, wonder no more. According to Buick, its newest addition will offer the quietest ride in its segment thanks to heaps of laminated glass, triple door seals and a host of other muting technologies. Buick calls the cabin "library quiet," though there's no word as to whether the interior smells of old books. They've also made sure to throw in the same levels of refinement as found in the likes of the Lacrosse, and drivers can expect to find the same high-quality leather and a host of tech goodies as the bigger four-door.

That's all fine and good, but we're more excited about what Buick has thrown under the hood of the 2012 Verano. Buyers who opt for the base car will be met with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine capable of 177 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque. Mated to either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission, Buick is shooting for around 31 mpg highway. The really juicy news is that the Verano will also be available with the same turbo 2.0-liter four cylinder found in the Regal Turbo, and again with your choice of six-speed manual or automatic! That means this significantly smaller, lighter four-door will be available with a full 220 horsepower.

Detroit 2011: 2012 Audi A6 is predictably handsome

Audi has unveiled its mid-range 2012 A6 sedan, and as we learned from advanced photos, it follows closely in the mold of its big brother, the A8. As the range-topping sedan is a pretty piece, that's not a bad thing, but Audi seems to be channeling BMW's old "One sausage, three sizes" design mantra of decades ago. In this case, that means a massive single-frame grille, available LED headlamps (as shown), and a relatively simple and unadorned profile that lends the A6 a premium look that will likely wear well over the years.

The new A6 will be available globally with two gas engines and three TDI diesel powerplants, as well as a front-wheel drive-only hybrid model. The most powerful gasoline-fed model will be the 3.0-liter TFSI Quattro, packing 300 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque, routed through a seven-speed S tronic automatic.

Nico Rosberg shows off 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK

The benefits of having an F1 team is that, in the off season at least, you've got some of the world's best professional drivers on call for test driving duties. And promotional detail, too.
Specifically, In this case, we're talking about star driver Nico Rosberg and upcoming Mercedes-Benz 2012 SLK. Michael Scheer-Vehicle engineer riding in the new roadster around Monte Carlo shot some footage as Rosberg brief us of what to expect from the new SLK. Check it out in the video

2012 Buick Verano details and pricing leaked in dealer letter?

Following the launch of the Regal, Buick will be introducing its next all-new model sometime in 2011. Set to launch as a 2012 model, the Verano compact will slot in beneath the Regal sedan, though we've been told on several occasions that it will not share a platform with General Motors' other new small car, the Chevrolet Cruze.

According to the infomongers at GM Inside News, the automaker recent sent a letter to its Buick dealers inviting them to participate in an order study in an attempt to gain knowledge about what pricing and trim levels would be most attractive to potential buyers. The details, available after the jump, reveal that the Verano will be powered by a 2.4-liter inline-four (same as the Regal) that produces 180 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, and will be initially offered in four trim levels.

If the letter is to be believed, the base Verano 1SB (the alphanumeric likely being an internal designation) is estimated to start at $20,900. From there, the 1SD model adds Bluetooth, automatic climate control and remote start, and will be priced from around $22,100. 1SG models add a power driver's seat, heated mirrors and rear park assist and should command roughly $23,300. Top-trim 1SL Veranos will have heated leather seats, premium audio, a heated steering wheel and 18-inch wheels. Expect the top-rung 1SL to retail for around $25,600, with pricing reaching as high as $26,200.

We don't expect GM to reveal official Verano specifications and pricing until closer to its launch date, with the car being officially debuting sometime in the early 2011 auto show season. Top tip, Ed!

[Source: GM Inside News]

Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept

Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept

The first ever Brazilian sports cars was recently unveiled at the 2010 Sao Paulo auto show in Brazil and its name – Rossin-Bertin Vorax. Manufacturers of Rossiné Bertin Vorax went for a healthy diet for a motor that must ensure their supercars just – the V10 engine of the BMW M5.

The car itself is a dramatic and menacing looking coupe (a convertible is to follow later). The lines are fairly unique, and Rossin has done a good job of making the car look different from most other generic supercar prototypes. It features a carbon fiber body over an aluminum chassis, cradling the Bavarian ten-pot in two states of trim: naturally aspirated with 570 horsepower, or supercharged with 750.

Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept

The standard V10 version accelerates up to 62mph in 3.8-second and has a top speed of 205mph (329km/h). The supercharged motor has a better acceleration time of 3.6 and its 180 extra horsepower pushes the car up to a much higher top speed of 231mph (371km/h).

The two men behind the Vorax are CEO and designer Fharys Rossin and (presumably lead investor) Natalino Bertin Jr. The former is a 37-year-old ex-GM designer and the latter is the 29-year-old, car-mad heir to the Bertin Group of slaughterhouses. Mr. Rossin wanted to build a supercar that could compete with the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche; a heady goal.

Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept

Bankrolled by meat industry scion Natolino Bertin, Jr. and realized by former General Motors designer Fharys Rossin, the Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept coupe is targeted to hit the market late 2011 or early 2012.

Production of the Vorax coupe will begin at a proposed plant in Blumenau, Brazil in late 2011 or early 2012. A convertible is set to follow twelve months later. Rossin-Bertin expect to sell between 500 and 1,000 Voraxes for around R$700,000 (US$409,836) each. In addition, in 2013, Rossin-Bertin plans to launch a series of open-source version Vorax.

Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept

Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept

Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept

The first ever Brazilian sports cars was recently unveiled at the 2010 Sao Paulo auto show in Brazil and its name – Rossin-Bertin Vorax. Manufacturers of Rossiné Bertin Vorax went for a healthy diet for a motor that must ensure their supercars just – the V10 engine of the BMW M5.

The car itself is a dramatic and menacing looking coupe (a convertible is to follow later). The lines are fairly unique, and Rossin has done a good job of making the car look different from most other generic supercar prototypes. It features a carbon fiber body over an aluminum chassis, cradling the Bavarian ten-pot in two states of trim: naturally aspirated with 570 horsepower, or supercharged with 750.

Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept

The standard V10 version accelerates up to 62mph in 3.8-second and has a top speed of 205mph (329km/h). The supercharged motor has a better acceleration time of 3.6 and its 180 extra horsepower pushes the car up to a much higher top speed of 231mph (371km/h).

The two men behind the Vorax are CEO and designer Fharys Rossin and (presumably lead investor) Natalino Bertin Jr. The former is a 37-year-old ex-GM designer and the latter is the 29-year-old, car-mad heir to the Bertin Group of slaughterhouses. Mr. Rossin wanted to build a supercar that could compete with the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche; a heady goal.

Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept

Bankrolled by meat industry scion Natolino Bertin, Jr. and realized by former General Motors designer Fharys Rossin, the Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept coupe is targeted to hit the market late 2011 or early 2012.

Production of the Vorax coupe will begin at a proposed plant in Blumenau, Brazil in late 2011 or early 2012. A convertible is set to follow twelve months later. Rossin-Bertin expect to sell between 500 and 1,000 Voraxes for around R$700,000 (US$409,836) each. In addition, in 2013, Rossin-Bertin plans to launch a series of open-source version Vorax.

Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept

Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept

Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept

The first ever Brazilian sports cars was recently unveiled at the 2010 Sao Paulo auto show in Brazil and its name – Rossin-Bertin Vorax. Manufacturers of Rossiné Bertin Vorax went for a healthy diet for a motor that must ensure their supercars just – the V10 engine of the BMW M5.

The car itself is a dramatic and menacing looking coupe (a convertible is to follow later). The lines are fairly unique, and Rossin has done a good job of making the car look different from most other generic supercar prototypes. It features a carbon fiber body over an aluminum chassis, cradling the Bavarian ten-pot in two states of trim: naturally aspirated with 570 horsepower, or supercharged with 750.

Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept

The standard V10 version accelerates up to 62mph in 3.8-second and has a top speed of 205mph (329km/h). The supercharged motor has a better acceleration time of 3.6 and its 180 extra horsepower pushes the car up to a much higher top speed of 231mph (371km/h).

The two men behind the Vorax are CEO and designer Fharys Rossin and (presumably lead investor) Natalino Bertin Jr. The former is a 37-year-old ex-GM designer and the latter is the 29-year-old, car-mad heir to the Bertin Group of slaughterhouses. Mr. Rossin wanted to build a supercar that could compete with the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche; a heady goal.

Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept

Bankrolled by meat industry scion Natolino Bertin, Jr. and realized by former General Motors designer Fharys Rossin, the Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept coupe is targeted to hit the market late 2011 or early 2012.

Production of the Vorax coupe will begin at a proposed plant in Blumenau, Brazil in late 2011 or early 2012. A convertible is set to follow twelve months later. Rossin-Bertin expect to sell between 500 and 1,000 Voraxes for around R$700,000 (US$409,836) each. In addition, in 2013, Rossin-Bertin plans to launch a series of open-source version Vorax.

Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept

Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept

Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept

The first ever Brazilian sports cars was recently unveiled at the 2010 Sao Paulo auto show in Brazil and its name – Rossin-Bertin Vorax. Manufacturers of Rossiné Bertin Vorax went for a healthy diet for a motor that must ensure their supercars just – the V10 engine of the BMW M5.

The car itself is a dramatic and menacing looking coupe (a convertible is to follow later). The lines are fairly unique, and Rossin has done a good job of making the car look different from most other generic supercar prototypes. It features a carbon fiber body over an aluminum chassis, cradling the Bavarian ten-pot in two states of trim: naturally aspirated with 570 horsepower, or supercharged with 750.

Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept

The standard V10 version accelerates up to 62mph in 3.8-second and has a top speed of 205mph (329km/h). The supercharged motor has a better acceleration time of 3.6 and its 180 extra horsepower pushes the car up to a much higher top speed of 231mph (371km/h).

The two men behind the Vorax are CEO and designer Fharys Rossin and (presumably lead investor) Natalino Bertin Jr. The former is a 37-year-old ex-GM designer and the latter is the 29-year-old, car-mad heir to the Bertin Group of slaughterhouses. Mr. Rossin wanted to build a supercar that could compete with the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche; a heady goal.

Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept

Bankrolled by meat industry scion Natolino Bertin, Jr. and realized by former General Motors designer Fharys Rossin, the Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept coupe is targeted to hit the market late 2011 or early 2012.

Production of the Vorax coupe will begin at a proposed plant in Blumenau, Brazil in late 2011 or early 2012. A convertible is set to follow twelve months later. Rossin-Bertin expect to sell between 500 and 1,000 Voraxes for around R$700,000 (US$409,836) each. In addition, in 2013, Rossin-Bertin plans to launch a series of open-source version Vorax.

Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept

Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept

Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept

The first ever Brazilian sports cars was recently unveiled at the 2010 Sao Paulo auto show in Brazil and its name – Rossin-Bertin Vorax. Manufacturers of Rossiné Bertin Vorax went for a healthy diet for a motor that must ensure their supercars just – the V10 engine of the BMW M5.

The car itself is a dramatic and menacing looking coupe (a convertible is to follow later). The lines are fairly unique, and Rossin has done a good job of making the car look different from most other generic supercar prototypes. It features a carbon fiber body over an aluminum chassis, cradling the Bavarian ten-pot in two states of trim: naturally aspirated with 570 horsepower, or supercharged with 750.

Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept

The standard V10 version accelerates up to 62mph in 3.8-second and has a top speed of 205mph (329km/h). The supercharged motor has a better acceleration time of 3.6 and its 180 extra horsepower pushes the car up to a much higher top speed of 231mph (371km/h).

The two men behind the Vorax are CEO and designer Fharys Rossin and (presumably lead investor) Natalino Bertin Jr. The former is a 37-year-old ex-GM designer and the latter is the 29-year-old, car-mad heir to the Bertin Group of slaughterhouses. Mr. Rossin wanted to build a supercar that could compete with the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche; a heady goal.

Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept

Bankrolled by meat industry scion Natolino Bertin, Jr. and realized by former General Motors designer Fharys Rossin, the Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept coupe is targeted to hit the market late 2011 or early 2012.

Production of the Vorax coupe will begin at a proposed plant in Blumenau, Brazil in late 2011 or early 2012. A convertible is set to follow twelve months later. Rossin-Bertin expect to sell between 500 and 1,000 Voraxes for around R$700,000 (US$409,836) each. In addition, in 2013, Rossin-Bertin plans to launch a series of open-source version Vorax.

Rossin Bertin Vorax Sports Cars Concept