Volvo Tells Us V40 Cross Country Not Coming to the States Either [New Photos and Videos]

The good news about the V40 Cross Country is that we have a fresh set of high-resolution images and a pair of videos to show you following the introduction of the car the other day.
The bad news is that if you live in the United States and thought the Cross Country's tougher looks may have persuaded Volvo to bring it to this side of the Atlantic, we hate to disappoint you, but that's not going to happen.
We asked Laura DiStefano, Corporate Communications Manager for Volvo Cars of North America, and her reply was the same we got for the regular V40 hatchback: "No plans for the U.S."

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Audi Unleashes New S3 Sport Hatch with 296-Horsepower 2.0 TFSI [33 Photos & Video]

The new generation of the more practical A3 Sportback, which was revealed online on Wednesday, will be joined by the spanking new S3 at Audi's Paris Motor Show stand next week.
The performance model of Audi's MQB platform-based compact hatchback is lighter and more powerful than the model it replaces. It is scheduled to go on sale in Europe early next year with a starting price of €38,900 (US$50,500) in Germany.
At the heart of the car lies a newly developed 2.0-liter TFSI direct-injection and turbocharged gasoline engine that belongs to the EA888 engine family.
The new powerplant weighs around five kilograms (11 pounds) less than the previous EA113 2.0 TFSI and is also much more powerful delivering 296Hp (300PS) at 5,500 rpm and 380 Nm (280.27 lb-ft) of torque between 1,800 and 5,500 rpm, an increase of 35Hp and 30Nm respectively. It redlines at 6,800 rpm.


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Refreshed 2013 Honda CR-Z with Some Extra Ponies Makes Surprise Debut at the Indonesia Motor Show

Despite Honda's recent announcement that the facelifted version of the CR-Z compact sports hybrid would make its premiere at the Paris Auto Show, the Japanese automaker pulled a fast one by unveiling the new car at the Indonesia International Motor Show in Jakarta today.
External changes include a redesigned front grille, which loses its vertical bars, revised front bumper, HID headlamps with LED daytime running lights, new fog lamps, reshaped door mirrors and rear diffuser, LED rear lights and new 17-inch alloy wheels.
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Jaguar Shows us How it Tested the F-Type Roadster on European Tracks

It appears that Jaguar is trying to capitalize on the interest surrounding its newest sports car after the first official image of the F-Type made the internet rounds on Wednesday by reminding us that the roadster will debut in a week's time at the Paris Auto Show, and more importantly, by sharing a new video.
The new film released today includes footage of the British brand's vehicle dynamics team testing a craftily camouflaged pre-production model in the UK, Germany and Italy. In one instance, we see the speedometer's needle surpassing the 180mph (290km/h) mark.
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Peugeot Onyx Supercar Gets Scooter Concept Sibling, will Also Debut in Paris

The public outside of Europe may not generally know it, but Peugeot has a long history in the motorcycle segment having introduced its first bike back towards the end of the 1800s and continues to do so today offering 14 different models including scooters, multi-gear bikes and mopeds with engine capacities from 50cc to 500cc (0.5-liters).
At next week's 2012 Paris Motor Show, the French company will present a new prototype three-wheeler named the Onyx Concept Scooter, and yes, as you may have guessed already, it was inspired by the 680HP diesel-electric Onyx Hybrid Supercar Concept.
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Jaguar F-Type Photo is the Real Deal, Check Out the High Resolution Version

Any doubts that we had about the authenticity of the single image of the production F-Type roadster found on Chris Doane's Facebook page earlier today, were cleared up by Jaguar itself that released a high-resolution version of the same picture.
As we noted in our previous posting, the F-Type in roadster guise looks more or less like an exact copy (sans the absence of the roof, of course) of last year's C-X16 Coupe Concept model.
If the idea of a sturdier and racier-looking closed-top model sounds better to you, fear not, as Jaguar will present a coupe version of the two seater, possibly by late 2013 or early 2014 with sales to follow in the second half of 2014.
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Toyota Goes Into Depth with the All-New Auris and Auris Hybrid Compact Hatchbacks

About month ago, Toyota unveiled its brand-new 2013 MY Auris ahead of its Paris Auto Show world premiere on September 27.
Now, Japan’s biggest carmaker has shed more light on the latest iteration of what it claims to be the most popular C-segment model series (including the Corolla nameplate) in the world, having sold 39 million units in more than 140 countries since the introduction of the Corolla in 1966.
Toyota says that the second generation of the Auris was specifically designed for Europe, which will be its biggest market. It will be manufactured alongside the Avensis in Toyota’s UK plant in Burnaston, which this year celebrates its 20th anniversary.
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New Audi A3 Sportback Grows in Size, Shrinks in Weight [50 Photos and Video]

Audi will showcase a new addition to its redesigned A3 series at the 2012 Paris motor show from 27 September. The 2013 A3 Sportback is the more practical and versatile five-door version of Audi's premium compact model.
The evolutionary (according to Audi, stale according to others) styling language of the A3 can be found on the Sportback variant as well, with the five-door variant employing the use of three side windows and a sloping tailgate design. For a sportier look, buyers will be able to opt for Audi's S-Line package that adds different bumpers, spoilers and larger alloy wheels.
While the car's exterior dimensions at 4,310mm (169.7 inches) long, 1,780mm (70.1 inches) and 1,425mm (56.1 inches) tall are only slightly greater than on the previous Sportback, the new model now rides on a 2,636 millimeters (103.8 inches), an increase of 58 millimeters (2.28 in).
The five-door model is also 35 millimeters (1.38 in) longer between the axles than the three-door version, resulting in an increase in rear passenger legroom. The luggage compartment offers 380 liters (13.42 cu ft) of space in the basic configuration and can be expanded to 1,220 liters (43.08 cu ft) with the rear seats (60:40 split) folded down.
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The Racy Girls of the 2012 Paris Motor Show on Film

The supercar and sports car spotters over at the YouTube channel Marchettino have an eye for anything powerful and exotic rolling on four wheels. You may be happy to know that they are not too shabby when it comes to girls as well.

The same can probably be said for the folks running the Shmee150 YouTube Channel. Both were on hand at the 2012 Paris Motor Show to record some of the most eye-catching models at the automakers' booths.

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Dacia Highlights Attributes of 2013 Logan Sedan and Sandero in New Ads

The Renault Group's budget-brand Dacia came to this year's Paris Motor Show with a host of new goods, including the redesigned 2013 Logan Sedan and Sandero five-door hatchback and its high-riding sibling, the Sandero Stepway.

The three-related models bring more modern styling touches inside and out, new standard and optional amenities such as a multimedia system with a 7-inch touch screen, navigation and Bluetooth connectivity, and a new Renault-sourced 0.9-liter turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine producing 88HP (90PS).

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Carscoop’s A to Z Guide to the 2012 Paris Motor Show [Updated]

The European car market may be in trouble because of the financial crisis that’s been dragging on for a long time now, but carmakers are gearing up to display their latest models in the City of Light.

From September 29 until October 14, the Paris Expo at the Porte de Versailles will host some of this year’s most important world premieres.

French automakers have chosen the 2012 Paris Auto Show to launch models like the new Renault Clio, Peugeot 208 GTi and Citroen DS3 Cabrio.

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New Range Rover and the Defender from 007’s New Skyfall Flick Debut in Paris [w/Video]

While the F-Type was Jaguar's most anticipated new car launch at the 2012 Paris Auto Show, its sister company Land Rover had its own special premieres.

The first was the world debut of the all-new, fourth-generation Range Rover, which was displayed in its entire range at Land Rover's stand.

The all-aluminum Range Rover has been designed from scratch and will be available in Europe with three powertrains: the 3.0-liter TDV6 and the 4.4-liter SDV8 diesels, as well as the top-of the-Range (pun intended) supercharged 5.0-liter V8 that packs 503HP and accelerates the luxury model from 0-60 mph in just 5.1 seconds.

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Peugeot Sport Replaces 207 S2000 Rally Racer with New 208 R5

With the 208 replacing the 207 in Peugeot’s European line-up, it was natural that the French automaker would introduce a racing version of the new model to succeed the highly successful 207 S2000 International Rally Championship car.

Peugeot's new competitor in international rallying is the 208 R5, which made its world premiere at the ongoing Paris Auto Show. Due to FIA’s new rules that were introduced to reduce costs and will come in effect next year, the 208 R5 is quite different to the car it replaces.

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Luxury Carmakers Lower 2013 Projections due to the Eurozone Debt Crisis

Premium brands continue to roll out one model after another as fast as they can. In the past year alone, Porsche has revealed its brand-new 911 in four versions (with more still to follow), Bentley the Continental GTC open-top and Ferrari, its fastest model ever, to name but a few.

Moreover, the battle at the hypercar segment is heating up as Ferrari is readying its all-new Enzo replacement, Porsche the 918 Spyder and McLaren just a few days ago revealed its own weapon, the P1.

Surely then, with the rich of this world getting richer, those nameplates should be not affected by the economic crisis that rages in Europe and has hit mainstream car sales, seriously hurting companies like Fiat and Peugeot.

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McLaren P1 Design: Love It, Hate It, or Somewhere In Between? [Poll, Plus New Videos and Photos]

Sure the new Volkswagen Golf Mk7 and its kin, the Audi A3 and Seat Leon, along with the likes of the Renault Clio, Dacia Logan and Ford Mondeo, just to mention a few of the mainstream debuts at the Paris Motor Show, are the ones that matter in real-life terms, but it's cars like the McLaren P1 that keep us dreaming and…alive.

Although billed as a concept, in reality, the P1 is a pre-production teaser of the road car that will hit McLaren's glitzy showroom floors just before the end of 2013.

Deemed by many as the spiritual successor to the great F1 of the 1990s, McLaren says the P1 was designed with one simple goal: "to be the best driver’s car in the world on road and track".

We will have to wait for the production model to find out whether the McLaren P1 can live up to its promise, but in the meantime, we can ask your opinion about the hypercar's design and if it hits the right notes.

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New Fiat Panda 4x4 and 'Giusy' Miss Italia 2012 Hit the Paris Auto Show Catwalk [w/Videos]

The big news for Fiat at the 2012 Mondial de l'Automobile was the world premiere of three new additions to the Panda range, namely the 4x4, Trekking and Natural Power models.

And they weren't along as the cars were joined at the presentation by Miss Italia 2012, 19-year old Giusy Buscemi from Sicily. In case you wondering why, Fiat happens to be one of the official sponsors of the Miss Italia pageant with the latest generation of the Panda being the official car of the event.

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Porsche 911 Carrera 4 and 4S Bow to World at Paris Auto Show [w/Videos]

The main attraction at Porsche’s Paris Auto Show stand this year is, of course, the Panamera Sport Turismo concept, but the Stuttgart-based automaker that recently passed into the loving arms of the Volkswagen Group, also had new production models to show in the guise of the four-wheel drive editions of the all-new 911.

Based on the all-new, 991 series, there are coupe and cabriolet versions and in 345HP (350PS) Carrera 4 and 394HP (400PS) Carrera 4S flavors, bringing the total 911 AWD tally to four versions.

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Mitsubishi Showcases Production Version of New Outlander Plug-in Hybrid in Paris

Nearly a year after Mitsubishi unveiled the concept car in Japan, the production version of the new Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV (PHEV) has been unwrapped at the 2012 Paris Motor Show.

The PHEV will first go on sale in Japan early next year, followed shortly after by Europe, North America, and other regions around the world.

Mitsubishi says the new generation of the Outlander was developed from the beginning to be offered with a plug-in hybrid drivetrain.

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2012 Paris Motor Show: Cherchez La Femme! [Updated]

To explain, "Cherchez la Femme" is a popular French phrase that loosely translates to "look for a woman", and which is often used to suggest that the root of a man's wrongdoing is - you guessed it, a woman.

The root of our personal "wrongdoing" can be traced to an extensive, high-resolution photo gallery of the femme fatales of the 2012 Mondial de l'Automobile in Paris, which awaits your curiosity just below the jump…

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Parisian Poll: Which is the Better Looker, the Hyundai i30 3D or the Kia Pro_Cee'd?

South Korean automakers Hyundai and Kia aren't leaving a lot of breathing space for Europe's troubled mainstream car manufactures, as they are relentlessly assaulting every popular category with new models.

At the 2012 edition of the Paris Motor Show, the Korean partners each introduced a three-door version of their respective C-segment compact hatchbacks.

The two models are the Hyundai i30 3d (the five-door version of which is sold as the Elantra GT in North America) and the Kia Pro_Cee'd, both of which offer a more aggressive design than their five-door counterparts.

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