Mini fans, it’s official! The British brand has revealed that it will be entering the 2011 World Rally Championship competition with UK-based Prodrive team.

The model they will be racing will be a customized Countryman crossover, probably with an upgraded 1.6-liter turbocharged engine.

After plenty of months of speculation, it seems that the two British entities will work together, marking the return of Mini into rallying and the return of Prodrive into WRC. For those who don’t remember, the team left the competition at the end of 2008 after Subaru stopped its rallying efforts.

The Mini Countryman WRC model will race just in select stages of the 2011 season, and will undergo a series of tests by Prodrive. It is, however, scheduled to race in the full 2012 season of the WRC competition. As such, get ready to once again see a Mini model braving tarmac, gravel or snow.

Source: Automotive News via Automarket

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Mini officially announces WRC entry with Countryman model

Even though its appearance was leaked last weekend, the 2011 Audi A7 Sportback was unveiled yesterday by the German automaker.

The new model will compete with the likes of four-door coupes like the Mercedes-Benz CLS, as well as with five-door performance models like the Porsche Panamera or BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo.

As you can see above, the new A7 boasts a design similar to the 2011 A8, albeit a more angular, in terms of the front fascia. In the rear, the fastback design is apparent, while the side view clearly highlights the cues it has taken from the A5 Sportback.

In terms of engines, not a lot of details were given, but you can expect four V6 units, two gasoline and two diesels, to be used. They will be equipped with either a Multitronic CVT or a seven-speed S-tronic gearbox, feeding the power to either just the front wheels, or too all four, thanks to the Quattro AWD system.

The interior is almost the same as the 2011 A8, with the new MMI Touch multimedia interface, as well as a wide array of technologies and systems ready to make driving the new A7 Sportback a safer and more pleasant experience.

No other details were given, but expect new info to arrive as we approach its fall release date. Prices, at least in its native Germany, will start at €51,600 ($67,160). Feel free to check out the high res photo gallery below and then hit the jump to see a video of the 2011 Audi A7 Sportback launch.

Photo Gallery: 2011 Audi A7

Source: Audi

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2011 Audi A7 Sportback formally revealed and detailed

The four-door coupe market is expanding by leaps and bounds these days, as not only were we treated with spy shots of the second generation Mercedes-Benz CLS, as well as with the first photos of the 2011 Audi A7 Sportback, but BMW is reported to have cleared the stunning Gran Coupe concept for production.

It seems that the gorgeous concept we saw in Beijing will be produced by the German company, and will be incorporated in the next generation 6 Series lineup. The rumored arrival date is 2012, putting it one year after the planned release of the next 6 Series.

Still, we’re pretty sure it will be worth the wait, as the Gran Coupe garnered a lot of rave reviews from both the media and the general public. Expect plenty of styling cues to make it to production, while an array of gasoline and diesel engines will no doubt be found under the bonnet. An ActiveHybrid version might also appear, further down the line.

Source: Automobilwoche via Autoblog

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BMW to produce the Gran Coupe concept in 2012 as part of the 6 Series

We’ve published a few outlandish rumors around here, but this new one, coming from Italy’s Quattroruote magazine, can definitely take the proverbial cake.

According to it, the Volkswagen Group is reportedly interested in buying Fiat’s Alfa Romeo division. In order to achieve it, VW plans to spend as much as 1 billion Euros, around $1.3 billion.

Volkswagen wants to be the largest carmaker in the world by 2018, and this new acquisition might help even more. The German company has already purchased a stake in Japanese carmaker Suzuki, and already owns another Italian brand, Lamborghini.

On the other side, Fiat has always said that the Alfa Romeo brand is in a bit of troubled position, at least in terms of earnings, but with models like the Giulietta, and the pending comeback onto American shores, it seems like Alfa is still alright.

Frankly, we’re not so confident in this report, but if one company can go after Alfa Romeo, it’s Volkswagen.

Source: Autoblog.it via Automarket

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Volkswagen rumored to buy Alfa Romeo

The 2011 Ford Explorer is the one of the Blue Oval’s biggest bets this year, and as such, it has been promoted through a lot of new ways.

We’ve already seen the official launch yesterday, and now the online car configurator is already available, albeit in a not-so-complete way.

Customers are able to configure their own V6-equipped Explorer, as the 2.0-liter EcoBoost version isn’t available for configuration just yet. Still, prices for the base Explorer, with the 3.5-liter V6 and front-wheel drive start at $28,190.

Afterwards, things increase to as much as $39,190 for the top-of-the-range Limited trim line, with the same engine and four-wheel drive. That doesn’t even include any extra options you might want, nor the $805 destination charge.

Still, if you want something to do until the 2011 Ford Explorer hits dealerships this winter, the configurator will keep you busy.

Source: Ford via Autoblog

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2011 Ford Explorer configurator now online, prices start at $28,190

Porsche knows that if it wants to stay successful and keep its future corporate overlord, Volkswagen, happy, it needs to invest in hybrid and electric powertrain technologies.

As such, we’ve already seen the plug-in Porsche 918 Spyder concept, the 911 GT3 R Hybrid race car, as well as the new 2011 Cayenne Hybrid.

Now, the company has officially revealed that it will be testing out three new all-electric prototypes next year, all based on the Boxster convertible sportscar.

These will be tried out in real life conditions around the company’s native city of Stuttgart, Germany, and provide key insight into electric motor and battery technology. You can expect that these findings will not only help the future 918 Spyder concept become a reality, but also other electric plans.

Source: Porsche

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Porsche testing out three electric Boxster models in 2011

After a big amount of rumors and speculation about the Toyota FT-86 concept, the Japanese company decided to set a few things straight.

The automaker revealed that the rear-wheel drive sports coupe’s development is still on track, despite rumors that it will be delayed until 2013. As such, the FT-86 will hit production around November, 2011.

Also, it seems that it will see three spec levels, with at least two different engines. The mid-range option will cost around $28,500, so it may be on the steep side for those that want an accessible sportscar. Still, the top-of-the-range will be represented by a turbocharged model, so we know what true enthusiasts, with a deep wallet, might want.

Toyota also pointed out that none of the FT-86 powertrains will use a hybrid assembly, as that technology is researched for another product, most probably the MR2 Sports Hybrid. Still, the company guaranteed that the FT-86 will offer plenty of sporty thrills, largely thanks to Subaru’s input on the whole project.

With this new official info, November of next year will definitely be a happy month for Toyota fans.

Source: 7Tune via Autoblog

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Toyota FT-86 still on track, arrives in November, 2011

A new batch of rumors have appeared concerning Mazda and, this time at least, it doesn’t have anything to do with the oft-rumored RX-7 revival.

Instead, it seems that the Japanese company wants to finally expand its lineup into the compact crossover segment, by launching the CX-5.

It seems that the automaker wants to make good on the Kazamai concept it showcased a few years ago, and will introduce a smaller model into its CX range, currently represented by the CX-7 and CX-9. This crossover would attack this ever growing market segment with an aggressive design and a frugal attitude.

The design will no doubt be inspired by the Kazamai concept you see above, while the frugality and efficiency are courtesy of Mazda’s new SKY range of engines. The CX-5 will also be lightweight, as Autocar suggests that it will be 220 pounds lighter than its competition.

These are just rumors at the moment, but considering the big sales crossovers are experiencing, Mazda can’t afford to not get in on the action.

Source: Autocar

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Mazda planning CX-5 crossover?

After a lot of waiting, teasing and spoon-fed information, General Motors will finally detail and, most importantly, price the upcoming Chevrolet Volt extended range electric vehicle.

According to the company, while speaking today at the Plug-In 2010 Conference in San Jose, California, GM’s vice president of marketing, Joel Ewanick, will detail and price the future Volt model.

The announcement will be followed by a webchat session with Volt marketing Toni DiSalle.

Up until now, the Chevrolet Volt had been hyped consistently by GM, going so far as to associate the President of the USA, Barrack Obama, with the future ER-EV. Rumors peg the price around $40,000, but government subsidies and discounts will play an important role in the end price the customer will have to pay out.

Care to guess what the Volt’s final price tag will be? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment.

Source: GM

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Chevrolet Volt to be priced and detailed by GM today

If you thought that luxury carmakers are safe from the recall epidemic, then think again, as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has just announced that BMW will be issuing a recall for certain 2010 and 2011 5 Series and 5 Series Gran Turismo models.

It seems that the fuel tank sensor, which detects how much fuel you have in the tank, might become wedged, and will display an inaccurate reading. As such, you might be thinking you’ve got a full tank, but most likely you’re running on fumes.

6,080 vehicles are affected by this recall, all manufactured between January 12 to July 1, 2010. BMW has yet to reveal what fix it will implement, but as soon as it finds it, owners will be notified. Until then, you can contact the German company at 1-800-525-7417.

Source: NHTSA

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BMW recalls 5 Series and 5 Series GT over fuel tank sensor problem