There’s a new flagship Bentley sedan in town and it’s called the Mulsanne, named after the famous straightaway in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It was unveiled at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegence in Monterey, California today. It replaces the Bentley Arnage and is a completely unique platform. The Mulsanne doesn’t share any parts with other Bentleys or Volkswagens, and it’s the first Bentley since 1930 to be designed completely by the company’s in house engineers. Bentley says the Mulsanne is the ”pinnacle of British luxury motoring”, so hit the jump for the rest. [Source: Bentley]

Not too many technical details have been released but we do have a set of pictures of the exterior. While the taillights are distinctively Bentley, the rest of the rear end might remind many fans of the Rolls Royce Phantom, one of its direct competitors.

It’ll most likely be powered by a reworked version of their 6.75-liter twin turbocharged V8 engine from the Arnage. The big V8 will be capable of producing around 500 horsepower and 740 lb-ft of torque. Of course, Bentley is not above the green car movement and assures us that they have reduced the emissions as much as they can by using lightweight engine parts. There’s also some buzz about possibly including a cylinder deactivation system. The final emissions cut: 20 percent. Just like their other new car, the Bentley Continental Supersports, owners of the Mulsanne will have the option of running the car on E85. No performance figures for E85 fuel have been released yet.

They’ll be showing off the Mulsanne at the Frankfurt Motor Show and probably giving the exact specs and pricing. Expect this big sedan to hit the streets in mid 2010.

BMW has just given out info on two of the company’s upcoming hybrids cars based on the X6 and the 7 Series. These hybrids, unlike many out there, are no slouches in the power department and can put over 400 horsepower to the pavement. Of course, they also have better fuel economy than their gasoline-only counterparts. Jump for the details on these BMW “ActiveHybrid” cars. [Source: BMW]

The ActiveHybrid X6 is powered by a 4.4 liter twin turbocharged V8 engine that produces around 400 horsepower. Pretty good already, but weak compared to the X6 M, which is rated for more than 550 hrosepower. The hybrid will also have two electric motors that are rated at 91 horsepower and 86 horsepower for a total output of 480 horsepower and 575 lb-ft of torque – not bad for a car with low emissions. Fuel consumption will be reduced by 20% but no exact figure was mentioned.

More importantly, the ActiveHybrid X6 is able to run on its electric motors all the way till 37 MPH, using only one electric motor. Once higher speeds are reached or more power is needed, the second electric motor will start up the gasoline engine. Of course, it will have a kinetic energy recovery system that feeds its nickel metal hydride battery pack while braking or decelerating.

Power is transmitted through a seven-speed automatic transmission with four clutches and three planetary gearsets. All four wheels are powered thanks to BMW’s xDrive system.

News on the ActiveHybrid 7 Series was released very close to the X6 hybrid, but it’s actually powered by a different system. It also uses their 4.4-liter turbocharged V8 engine but it produces 440 horsepower in this application. A single electric motor between the engine and transmission is rated at only 15 to 20 horsepower. It might end up being more efficient then the X6’s electric motors because the ActiveHybrid 7 uses lithium-ion batteries instead of the more common NiMH packs.  Expect a 15% reduction in fuel costs when compared to a gasoline 7 Series sedan.

While the 7 Series might be the flagship hybrid model, the X6 hybrid looks like a much more attractive buy. It’s looks are still questionable but it’s ability to purely accelerate up to 37 MPH with its electric motors, yet still able to drop the hammer with the gas engine, would make urban driving much more efficient while still being fun to drive.  More green cars should start following that formula.

Expect to see more on these cars at the upcoming Frankfurt Auto Show.

A GM press release confirmed a new Cadillac sedan will be coming soon, along with a couple other vehicles for the lux model range. Jump for more info. [Source: GM]

The new Caddy sedan will be called the ATX and fits below the CTS in the lineup. The General is planning for the ATX to become the sales volume leader for Cadillac. It’s a much needed small luxury sedan with performance that should compete with the BMW 3-Series, but with a cheaper price tag. Not too much information is available on the drivetrain just yet, but we know it’ll be rear-wheel drive with an all-wheel drive option. The ATX will be riding on a new platform from GM, which is expected to be used in a few other applications, including a new crossover that’ll be released as a Buick.

The sport wagon version of the CTS has also confirmed, with similar exterior dimensions and double the interior cargo space. Drivetrain choices for the new SRX crossover were also confirmed. Buyers can choose between a 3.0 liter direct injection V6 engine or a 2.8 liter turbocharged V6. No power figures were cited, but high fuel economy and low emissions were promised.

“Our best cars. Your best offer”. That’s the tagline of GM’s newest promotion the company hopes will help them get back to profitability.  For now it’s only be available for California residents because of GM’s lower market share there, which is around 13.5% compared to the national average of 19.5%. It’s a bit surprising that this is the first time that an automaker has tried this out, so kudos to GM for being the first. Jump to see how you can participate — you might be able to score a G8 for super cheap! [Source: NYTimes]

Selling cars through Ebay is certainly not a new concept, as dealers and individual sellers have been using the website to move their cars for many years now. But this promotion bands 225 dealerships together to make a coordinated effort for Ebay sales.

Cars will be listed with a “Buy It Now” price instead of the usual auction format. Potential customers will still be able to lowball the dealer by sending their offers through Ebay. Of course, everyone’s still expected to physically come to the dealership to examine the cars and take test drives, but this promotion is expected to facilitate everything leading up to a visit to the dealership.

The intial goal is to have 20,000 cars listed on Ebay starting today, August 11th, and run until September 8th, 2009. Check out what GM has for sale. gm.ebay.com.

Aston Martin has leaked new pictures of its answer to the fast sedan market: the Rapide. The outside shots are nothing really surprising and it looks just as you’d expect: a DB9 or Vantage with a slight stretch and two additional doors. Of course, there are parts that are unique to the Rapide, like its headlights and a duckbill spoiler, but it still looks unmistakably like an Aston Martin.  This set of pictures also includes a cutaway shot that reveals the interior, so click the jump to see why you won’t mind sitting in the back of the Rapide. [Source: MotorAuthority]

The Rapide will be powered by a modified version of the DB9’s 6.0 liter V12 engine with 470 horsepower and 442 lb-ft of torque, paired to a traditional six speed manual transmission or a six speed auto. The automatic transmission features the ‘Touchtronic’ system which includes manual paddle shifting and a sport mode with a more aggressive throttle and later shift points. They’ve managed to coax the same 4.3 second 0-60 time out of the automatic transmission.

The cutaway photo mentioned earlier shows off four bucket seats divided down the center with a large center console. The console is business as usual at the front, offering occupants all the controls you’d normally expect. It looks like the console might just give passengers in the rear their own set of controls.

The Aston Martin Rapide’s pricetag is suspected to be in the $200,000 range, which is close to the DB9 and below the DBS. Look for more info and pictures of the Rapide after its official unveiling at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

It might not seem like it, but the BMW 3 series has already been on the streets for almost five years now —  maybe that’s because we’re just now starting to see the new M3 on en masse. Either way, it’s tenure puts it in a position for a facelift, and Autocar seems to have all the info about the upcoming redesign. It’ll be released sometime in 2011 and the theme of the updated model will be improved efficiency via smaller turbocharged motors and improved aerodynamics. Production of diesel models is also expected to be ramped up. Jump for details on the changes. [Source: Autocar.co.uk]

Turbocharged 1.5 liter three cylinder gasoline and diesel engines will be available in addition to the traditional six cylinder choices. The three cylinder diesel will have a power rating around  150 horsepower and 220 lb-ft of torque, while the gasoline three cylinder will have 150 horsepower and 170 lb-ft of torque. Of course, the decreased power output and displacement comes with a hefty price cut and a better weight distribuption. Non performance engine cars can also look forward to having an engine stop/start feature as well.

Also, there is the possibility of electric assist motors to help spin up the turbos faster in the 2016 models, even though the turbocharged E90 3 Series cars seem to have almost no turbo lag already. For now, BMW is still trying to figure out where to store the electric battery packs and other electronics.

Most models will likely use a traditional eight-speed automatic transmission like the unit found on the 7 Series, which might mitigate some of the downsides of having a smaller engine. Dual clutch gearboxes will be offered on performance oriented models.

The second part of the update is aerodynamics, which centers on their ‘Air Curtain’ system, which uses narrow, upright intakes in the bumper to route air into the car, dumping out inside the wheel well. Since the air exhausts in front of the wheel, it is supposed to form a curtain over the wheel, which has been observed to reduce the drag coefficient on the BMW 5-Series by 0.01.

The most useful feature might have nothing to do with drivetrains or aerodynay mics at all: the new 3 Series will be fully connected to the internet. Besides being able to check your Facebook page anywhere you go, the possibilities are endless: traffic, weather, doing work on the go, and others are opened up.

Accidents on the Nurburgring Nordschliefe in Germany will be tended to faster than ever thanks to a new emergency response vehicle. What better choice than the car that has one of the fastest — sorry 911 owners — ring times? You probably guessed it, they’re using a Nissan GT-R.  Hit the jump for pics and info on the car’s special equipment. [Source: GTRBlog]

The car’s decked out with safety equipment like a full roll cage and Recaro carbon fiber racing seats. That should do the trick for keeping occupants safe while racing to spots on the track, where seconds can mean the difference in getting people out of burning cars safely. Although I wonder what getting out of the car in a hurry will be like with a harness to unbuckle and a roll cage to jump over?

The GT-R is equipped with a system that can put out car fires in no time, which is located in its trunk. With a fire fighting vehicle like this watching over me, I’d definitely feel much safer while driving the ring.

North American Lotus customers will be happy to know there will soon be a factory-backed supercharger kit for their cars. This kit applies to both Elise and Exige models, so owners now can have some extra power to back up their razor-sharp handling. Also, the supercharger kit is the same one that’s used on the Lotus Elise SC, so it’ll have a full factory warranty to back it up. Jump for more info. [Source: Lotus]

The stock Toyota 2ZZ-GE engine, which is also found in the Toyota Celica, makes 189 horsepower in its stock trim, but with the supercharger, max power is bumped up to 218 horsepower. Torque also jumps from 133 lb-ft to 155 lb-ft and instead of coming on at 6,800 RPM, the supercharger lowers maximum torque to 5,000 RPM, which gives a much wider powerband.

Press Release:

Duluth, GA, August 3, 2009 – Lotus Cars USA, Inc. is pleased to announce the availability of a new Lotus factory engineered, warranted and 50-state legal complete Supercharger Kit for naturally aspirated Elise and Exige models.

These Lotus Supercharger Kits use the same supercharger and integrated intake manifold unit as fitted to a production Elise SC and can be installed on any naturally aspirated Elise or Exige powered by a Toyota 2ZZ-GE engine. The compact supercharger and integrated intake manifold, working in concert with new high-flow fuel injectors and a re-programmed engine management control unit, increases horsepower from 189 HP up to approximately 218 HP and torque jumps from 133 ft.-lbs. up to approximately 155 ft.-lbs.

Perhaps even more important, the increased maximum torque is available at a lower 5,000 rpm instead of the naturally aspirated 6,800 rpm providing the Lotus driver with a much broader and more flexible power band to work with when carving their favorite twisty roads.

“Lotus Elise and Exige owners are genuine driving enthusiasts and that’s what has attracted them to Lotus cars in the first place,” said Lotus Cars USA, Inc. Director of Operations Arnie Johnson. “They will fully appreciate the dramatically enhanced driving character these Lotus Supercharger Kits will bring their vehicles and the peace of mind from a fully warranted, factory engineered kit.”

The Lotus Supercharger Kit is available for purchase and installation at all authorized Lotus dealers in the U.S. and Canada.

Like the Volkswagen Beetle and Ford Mustang, the Mazda Miata is becoming an iconic car with one of the longest production runs of any car today. To commemorate the car’s 20th year, Mazda will be releasing a special edition Miata/MX-5 in Japan. It’ll cost around 2,860,000 yen for a soft top version and 3,110,000 yen for a hard top version. While car prices don’t translate from country to country exactly, that’s approximately $30,184 and $32,822 respectively. Jump for more info on this roadster. [Source: Mazda]

The 20th Anniversary Miata will either have a proper six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic transmission. The price premium also gets special badges, clear fog lights, 17 inch aluminum wheels, a front strut bar, additional leather interior trim and Crystal White Pearl Mica paint. The most significant part would be the seats, which are made by Recaro and are upholstered in red and black Alcantara, with a five setting heating feature.

The Miata has been in production since 1989. Since then, it’s made its way into dealerships in 60 different countries around the world. It gained recognition at 800,000 units produced when Guiness World Records christened it the world’s most produced two-seat convertible. Since then Mazda’s produced another 860,000 units, with a lot more to come.

Suzuki will be expanding its presence in the US with the Kizashi sedan, which is getting very close hitting the streets. The car made its official debut today, with solid information on drivetrain as well as a collection of official photographs.  The Kizashi is significant because it’s going to make a big impact in the sports sedan world, giving Civic and Altima shoppers a cheaper option.  Jump for the info. [Source: Suzuki]

The Kizashi will be offering a number of standard features that don’t normally come with a low MSRP like a keyless push button start, iPod connectivity and Bluetooth audio connectivity. For an extra fee, you can also get leather upholstery and heated memory seats. Another feature that should be a step above competitors is its Dynamic Vehicle Stabilty Control  system, or DVSC for short. Suzuki is sure that its traction control system is superior to others because it’ll allow the driver to have greater freedom before kicking down the power. I’m interpreting that as a greater amount of wheelspin before slapping your wrist.

More interestingly, front wheel drive and all wheel drive will be offered. The FWD version gets a six-speed manual transmission or a CVT unit, while AWD owners will only get the CVT. For power, the Kizashi will get a 2.4 liter DOHC inline four engine with an unspecified amount of power and torque. Suzuki expects to release a hybrid version a year after the car is released.

Suzuki is really pushing the performance aspect of this new sedan, but who knows if it’ll actually be able to hang with the Civic Si, Sentra SE-R, or other competitors. If anything, it’ll just carry a much cheaper pricetag. We’ll be finding out soon, as the car is due to be released before the end of 2009 as a 2010 model.