Alpina BMW B5 Bi-Turbo Touring is a 5-Series Estate

Catering to the needs of those looking for an über fast premium station wagon, longtime BMW tuning house Alpina has developed the B5 Bi-Turbo Touring based on the station wagon version of the latest 5-Series. With 507HP and 700Nm (516 lb-ft) under the hood and up to 1,670 liters of storage space, Alpina's creations is a party animal at the front while keeping it...professional at the back.

AC Schnitzer 99d is a $205,500 BMW Z4

BMW's decision to create the new 'i' sub-brand for the growing number of eco-conscious buyers has apparently rubbed off its partners like AC Schnitzer, as the German tuning firm will be launching a production ready concept based on the Z4 hardtop-roadster at next week's Geneva motor show.
Developed as an eco-friendly sports car that adapts to AC Schnitzer's new motto "Efficient Performance", the 99d gets its name from its CO2 emission levels and the diesel powerplant housed under its hood.
More specifically, the tuning house fitted the Z4 with the BMW 320d Efficient Dynamic's 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine. After some performance upgrades, the four-pot's output was lifted from 163HP and 380Nm, to 190HP and 420Nm.

New Aston Martin Virage Coup

Aston Martin has decided to further complicate its range with the presentation of yet another pair of cars that are virtually indistinguishable from the brand's other models (insert Cygnet joke here) - at least for the untrained eye. This time, Aston Martin has resurrected the Virage name for a new coupe and cabriolet that sit between the DBS and DB9. According to the company, the Virage "capitalises on the technology from the DBS and unites it with the comfort and refinement found in the DB9 and Rapide".

Bertone B99 asks, "Can't we Forget About the X-Type?"

Bertone and Jaguar have joined forces again, and the result is this lovely little concept called the B99. Celebrating 99 years of existence, Bertone's B99 is meant to showcase what a Jaguar 3-Series could look like (and thankfully there's no silly black C-pillar as found on the XJ). While some may disagree with this design's placement in the lineup, one thing is certain: an X-Type this ain't.

Bentley Celebrates Ice Speed Record

To celebrate the 205.5mph (330.7km/h) world ice-speed record that was set two weeks ago by Finland’s four-time world rally champion Juha Kankkunen in a Continental Supersports convertible, Bentley has unveiled a new special edition version of its drop-top model that will be built in a limited run of 100 units.

To be revealed at the Geneva Motor Show on March 1, the new Supersports ‘Ice Speed Record’ will be available in a choice of three bespoke paint colours - Beluga, Quartzite and Arctica White. Whatever color you choose, the soft-top is finished in a dark grey 'metallic look'. The special edition also gets new 20-inch, 10-spoke alloy wheels with a dark tint finish that are wrapped in Pirelli 275/35ZR20 ultra high performance tires.

BMW 1 Series Active E

The ActiveE is the production version of BMW's 2010 Detroit Motor Show EV concept of the same name and it will share the limelight with the Vision CD Roadster study at the Bavarian firm's Geneva Salon stand. BMW plans to build a test fleet of more than 1,000 units of the fully electric version of the 1-Series Coupe, and lease them to select customers in the USA, Europe and China. 

BMW Vision Connected Drive Roadster Concept

We now seem to live in a world where it is more important to check Facebook updates and check who's tweeting who than it is to drive. You have seen it, you may have possibly done it and the car industry wants to introduce the fun and productivity of Mobile social networking to our daily drive.

Brabus Unleashes Tune for New Mercedes-Benz CLS

The arrival of the second generation Mercedes-Benz CLS has Brabus getting ready to present its tuning program for the sports sedan at next week's Geneva Motor Show. For the 2012 CLS, the German tuning house prepared a variety of aero-enhancements, interior goods and performance upgrades.

Aesthetically, the Mercedes-Benz tuning specialist offers a new front bumper add-on that can be further upgraded with LED daytime running lights with either dark or chrome surrounds, fender gills, side skirts, a discrete boot lid spoiler and a rear apron with custom cutouts for the for the four tailpipes of the available sport exhaust system. 

2012 Saab 9-3 Griffin Facelift

Aside from the limited-run 9-3 Convertible Independence Edition, Saab also announced today a mild facelift across the 9-3 range, which gets refreshed exterior and interior styling plus the introduction of gasoline direct injection on the 2.0-liter engines. The updated range will carry the 9-3 Griffin moniker and it is basically a last edition before a new generation takes over in 2012.

Changes apply to all models (Sport Sedan, SportCombi, Convertible and 9-3X) and include new front bumpers, a new "ice block" finish for the headlights and the Griffin badge added to the front fenders. On the inside, the dashboard, seat upholstery and decor have received a fresh look. The 9-3 Griffin models will be offered in two specs, standard and Aero.

Jaguar XKR-S Sports Coupe

According to Jaguar, the new XKR-S is the most powerful and fastest mass production sports car the company has ever built. The hardest-looking version of the XK series gets an uprated supercharged V8 direct-injection engine churning out 550-ponies and 680Nm of torque, good enough to propel the sports coupe from 0 to 60 (96km/h) in 4.2 seconds and on to a top speed of 186mph (300km/h). 

Saab PhoeniX Sports Coupe Concept

The highlight of Saab's booth at the Geneva show is undoubtedly the PhoeniX concept car that previews design features and technologies that will be used by future Saab models. Based on the platform that will underpin the next-generation Saab 9-3, the PhoeniX was penned under the supervision of the firm's new design boss, Jason Castriota. According to Saab, it introduces an "aeromotional” design, which the company describes as the "the visual evocation of the aerodynamic design principles".

SAAB 9-3 Convertible Independence Edition

Saab has built a limited edition of its 9-3 Convertible to celebrate the first anniversary of its independence, or to put it more realistically, the completion of the sale from General Motors to Spyker Cars. Called the Independence Edition, only 366 examples of the car will be produced, one for each day during the first year and one extra for the start of a second year.

Aston Martin DBX

In terms of coolness, Aston Martin’s are ice cold, baby. You have proper classics like the DB5 and the DB4GT Zagato and modern classics like the Vanquish and DBS. The less said about the Cygnet the better. So now there’s a new kid on the block, the Virage, for those who want something a little faster than the DB9 but not quite as fast as the DBS.

Renault Alpine Sports Coupe

An affordable, rear-wheel drive sports coupe from Renault bearing the historic Alpine moniker has been in the cards for years but the French carmaker has yet to launch a modern day successor to the last model to carry the Alpine name, the A610 from the mid 1990s.

Lamborghini Sold More Than 12 Months’ Production of Aventador LP700-4

Last week, we told you that the first year of production of both the Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 and Ferrari FF have reportedly been spoken for. Today, Lamborghini made it officially-official confirming that it has already sold more than 12 months’ production of its new flagship V12 model, deliveries of which will start in the second half of 2011. 

Hyundai’s Model Naming Conventions: From 0 to Fubar in 4 Years

Hyundai is one of the world’s biggest automakers, and the most visible of South Korea’s business and industrial acumen. So you would think a company that can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the likes of Toyota and pre-bailout GM would be pretty consistent with its model naming conventions, right?

De Tomaso Deauville Sincerely Flatters BMW's 5 GT

De Tomaso's return in Geneva makes me ask two questions: 1) Why do companies think cars like this, the recent Lagonda, and Spyker D12 are necessary?, and 2) Who's buying them? According to the Italian company, they've already got a 1,500 unit backlog.

O.CT Brings 420 Ponies to the Audi TT RS

Need to add a some extra oomph to your Audi TT RS Roadster (or coupe, for that matter)? No worries, there's an army of tuners out there that will most gladly up the performance ante of your car. One of the latest tunes for Ingolstadt's TT RS model comes from O.CT which has developed a sport package that includes an engine kit, suspension upgrades and a set of alloy wheels. 

Novitec Rosso Supercharges the Ferrari 599 GTO to 888 Ponies

Ferrari's most exclusive and powerful series production model, the 599 GTO, doesn't seem fast enough for the aftermarket specialists at Novitec Rosso. This is why the tuning house brought to Geneva Motor Show the 599 GTO Bi-Kompressor, their own version of the Prancing Horse's fastest car.