Mazda definitely sparked a lot of reactions when its head designer, Laurens van den Acker, revealed the Nagare design language, which, so far, manifested in the very ‘happy’ grilles of the Mazda3 or Mazda6, and on concepts like the Furai, the Kazamai or the Kiyora.

Now, seeing as how van den Acker is no more, being replaced with Ikuo Maeda, a new design language was needed as an evolution of the love it or hate it Nagare.

Enter the new Mazda Shinari concept, which presents the Kodo (soul of motion, in translation) language. The liens are more aggressive, while the metallic accents are a bit more overstated.

Expect to see cues from the Shinari in all of the future models coming from the Japanese company, including, possibly, the revived Mazda RX-7. The concept will be showcased at the upcoming Paris Motor Show.

What do you think about the Shinari and the Kodo language? Is Mazda on the right track? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment.

Source: Mazda

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Mazda Shinari concept debuts the new Kodo design language

BMW is preparing a special edition of the M3 performance coupe dedicated to honoring the year of the Tiger in China.

The BMW M3 Tiger will be limited to 250 models, all coupes. They will boast Fire Orange Metallic paint jobs, with black 19-inch wheels. On the inside, black leather will be fitted, with orange tiger heads embroidered into the headrests of the sports seats.

In order to really promote this special BMW M3 Tiger edition, the German company released a batch of rather interesting promotional shots. Check them all out in the photo gallery below.

Photo Gallery: BMW M3 Tiger Edition

Source: Moko via Autoblog

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BMW M3 Tiger edition gets interesting promotional photos

The BMW X5 is definitely a pretty capable SUV, as highlighted when it mounted several cars while being driven by a woman from Canada.

Now, the X5 is put through its paces as a make-shift stunt car, with an owner trying to jump and/or flip it in mid-air. For our amusement, he decided to film the whole attempt, which, as you can imagine, didn’t exactly go so well.

Check out the failed stunt attempt in a video after the jump.

Source: Jalopnik

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Video: BMW X5 stunt goes awfully and hilariously wrong

Seeing as how the Ferrari 458 Italia is currently dominating headlines with its fire prone nature, a new incident seeks to keep the also flammable Audi R8 on top.

Manchester City football player Mario Balotelli has crashed his matte black Audi R8 on the streets of the British city, presumably in a collision with a BMW.

While the German supercar didn’t burst into flames, like in certain recent incidents, the front end is pretty damaged. Luckily, Balotellli sustained no injuries and is already training alongside his teammates. With his massive salary, courtesy of the sheiks that own the Manchester City club, he also won’t mind the repair bill for the R8.

Source: News of the World via ProSport

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Manchester City’s Mario Balotelli crashes his Audi R8

Electric and hybrid cars are becoming more and more frequent lately, so the US government wants to keep regular customers informed about the performance of such efficient models, and has tasked the Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency with designing new fuel economy labels that will be present on new vehicles in dealerships.

The EPA and DOT have come forward with two designs, and ask the US public to decide which type of fuel economy label they want present on new models starting with 2012 model year vehicles.

Both have details like the fuel average of the vehicle in question, as well as CO2 emissions, the annual fuel cost or how it compares with the industry average for its specific segment. A QR bar code is also present, which can direct smartphones to a more detailed website.

The tall one also has a special rating, going from A+ to D, which easily portrays just how efficient the car actually is. Better yet, electric and plug-in hybrid models will also be getting a special MPGe rating, detailing just what average they would get in comparison to regular gasoline or diesel-powered models.

People can vote on the winning design and check out high res versions at the EPA website.

Source: EPA

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The EPA and DOT present new fuel economy labels, ask you to choose

New reports coming from Germany seem to indicate that General Motors might have some large expansion plans for its European brand Opel.

More specifically, it seems that the US corporation wants the Opel brand to be present in other markets except Europe, like the China, Australia or South America.

Traditionally, Opel models are usually rebadged before entering such markets, bearing Buick, Holden or even Chevrolet logos instead of the Opel one.

This will change, as Opel will most likely be marketed as a more premium brand, in order to capitalize on customers who want European cars and can afford them, not just the locally-badged Opel models.

No official word has been revealed, but GM might be on the right track if it will decide Opel’s expansion, given the popularity of new models like the Insignia or the new generation Astra.

Source: Deutsche Welle via Autoblog

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Opel might be launched in markets like China, Australia or South America

Quick, what do the Ferrari 458 Italia, the Audi R8 and the Tata Nano have in common? Both the supercars and the cheap compact are extremely fire-prone.

After hearing quite a few stories about burning Ferrari 458 Italia models, the Nano is back with a vengeance, as another model went up in flames on the streets of Delhi last week.

It seems that as soon as the owner attempted to turn on the car, sparks came out of the rear, where the engine was located, and a fire immediately started. Fire fighters were quick to intervened but the Nano already burned to a crisp.

A Tata spokesman revealed that the cause of the fire is still unknown, but that people shouldn’t panic, as there are still tens of thousands of Nanos on Indian roads that aren’t burning.

Check out the fire engulf the Tata Nano in the video after the jump.

Source: IndianAutosBlog via Automarket

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Video: Another Tata Nano catches fire and burns to a crisp

2011 Ford Mustang owners have definitely been on the receiving end of quite a lot of aftermarket tuning options, but most of them were targeted at the top V8 version.

Now, Ford dealerships will begin to offer the already announced DUB tuning package, for the Mustang V6.

For those who forgot, the DUB package includes a Roush Performance body kit, a Ford Racing hood, complete with dedicated scoop, lowered suspension, improved transmission, a new grille, special vinyls for the outside of the car and a set of 20-inch TIS wheels. On the inside, expect DUB badges to decorate the seats.

The DUB package for the 2011 Ford Mustang V6 will be available for $3,599, plus $100 shipping charges.

Source: Galpin Ford via Autoblog

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2011 Ford Mustang V6 gets DUB tuning package for $3,599