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Filed under: Frankfurt Auto Show, Euro, Crossovers/CUVs, Ford

Sometimes, you have to wonder if Ford really favors Europeans over Americans. After all, look at the product portfolios. Sure, we have the Mustang and the trucks, which are great, but Europe wins pretty much everywhere else. The Mondeo tops the Fusion, their Focus is worlds better than the bizarre-looking thing we’re about to get, and now they’ve announced that Europe’s receiving a small crossover that’s likely to make Escape look ponderous by comparison. Obviously derived from the Iosis X concept, that car is the Ford Kuga, and while the name’s not the greatest (sounds like a Bostonian saying “Cougar”), the sketch above shows a very sporty-looking ride that applies the Ford of Europe “kinetic design” philosophy to a 4×4 crossover. Assuming it’s similarly-sized, Kuga is to Escape what Mondeo is to Fusion. That means the Europeans win and we lose. Again.

The car will debut in September at the Frankfurt show and go on sale throughout Europe in 2008. Follow the jump for Ford’s press release. We’ve also included a gallery of the 2006 Iosis X concept below.

The return of the NSX to Acura’s lineup has been an off-and-on again affair, but the latest intel has a new NSX with a 500-horsepower V10 on schedule for an arrival sometime in late 2008 or 2009. While our only indication of what the new NSX may look like up to this point has been the Acura Advanced Sports Car Concept, we do know work is well under way on the car’s mechanicals. Thus, we submit these spy photos as Exhibit A, evidence that Acura is currently testing its new NSX. They were taken at the Nurburgring in Germany and show a heavily modified Honda S2000 with quad tailpipes located in the middle of the rear bumper and what appears to be a heavy-duty double wishbone suspension below. The test car also features big wheels and a hardtop of sorts. The S2000 body on this NSX mule suggests that Acura is still far from finalizing a design for the car, but that doesn’t appear to have stopped engineers from working on the brand’s follow up to the world renowned “everyday supercar” that was the original NSX.

Alfa Spider is the Italian elegance of the sporty “cabrios”.

Successor of the Giulietta Spider and of the unforgettable Duetto, Alfa Spider is the outcome of the Alfa Spider is the Italian elegance of the sporty “cabrios”. Successor of the Giulietta Spider and of the unforgettable Duetto, Alfa Spider is the outcome of the collaboration between Giugiaro and Pininfarina and it is the most charming and advanced example of the new Alfa Romeo generation.

Alfa Spider by LESTER proposed at the Geneva Motor Show, maintains the essential style and increases the muscularity. The LESTER kit transforms the frontal with a spoiler which exalts the forms of the air intake, with a design in the shape of an overturned trapezoid, and to the sculpted profiles of the bumper. The back part becomes more aggressive, with the adoption of a rear apron and with the “sculpted” sideskirts which give more force to the side outline of the car.

Leave conventions behind and let ypur passion awake - since the beginning these were the roots of the GTI idea. Until today they got more than 1.67 million drivers into their spell. Long has the Golf GTI been an icon. A mark for itself.

Since 1982 Golf GTI celebrate it annually in the Austrian Land at the Worthersee. Thousands come.Volkswagen placed a Golf before them: the Golf GTI W12-650 showcar. This sports car is a inclination before the GTI friends at the Worthersee, people for whom the GTI is a myth.

Stronger, broader, faster

A Golf was never stronger, broader or faster. It seems that the Golf GTI W12-650 comes directly from the racing course. A Golf that runs like the Pace Car of the 24 hours of Le Mans. Its name means: W12-Zylinder, 650 HP (477 KW with 6.000 rpm). A Showcar, not more, not less. Nevertheless it shows what enormous potential the Golf has to offer.

3.7 seconds, 325 km/h, 750 Newtonmeters

Its 6,0 Liter Biturbo engine is longitudinal and placed directly behind the driver and the front seat passenger. The Golf GTI W12-650 differentiate itself in this way from the classical central engine car. A 6-speed automatic transmission transfers 750 Newtonmeters (at 4.500 rpm) to the rear axle. It catapults the Golf GTI W12-650 to 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds. With a maximum speed of 325 km/h the Golf GTI W12-650 leaves behind nearly all of the world’s supercars.

Width 1.88 m, 235er tire in front, 295er tire in the back

Automotive engineers and designers united under Volkswagen Golf GTI W12 650 its 1.88 meters (series: 1.76 meters) spread and 1.42 meters (series: 1.50 meters) flatten body. The chassis components of the Golf GTI W12-650 were adapted directly from supersports cars. The wheels are of course made from a light alloy and because of the gigantic wheel dimensions a specialy engineered tire had to be made.

70 millimeters lower, 160 millimeters broader

The goal was clearly defined - despite the partially dramatic technical changes the study should remain completely clear that this is a Golf GTI. Therefore as much parts as possible were taken from tha classical GTI like: the headlights, the doors, the front hood and the tail lamps. The axles were pushed 70 millimeters into the body.

The largest problem was to supply the 6-litre central engine with sufficient air and to produce sufficient drift at the rear axle without watering the silhouette of the Golf GTI W12-650. Therefore the C-columns were re-designed in such a way that they lead air to the engine. The rear side windows run inward, so that two channels develop between the disks and the C-columns on the left and on the right to drive air to the engine.

The Carbon fiber roof is a diffuser

Innovative building of the body also prevented that the lines of the Golf GTI W12-650 to get ruined by a putting on a roof wing. The study carries the wing inward. The roof is part of an enormous diffuser, which provides sufficient drift to the rear axle. It’s made from carbon fiber and leads air under the normal tail spoiler.

Interior with racing ambitions

The leather is Alcantara. On the middle range of the armatures are Three rows of auxiliary instruments. Transparent “Flip UP” switch guards for central functions like the disconnectible ESP look like taken derectly from the race track.

Fire extinguishers are integrated in the place of the glove compartment to also remind us of the race. Because of weight reasons “stripped” the door linings are complete; only lattices are used, which grant a complete view of the interior mechanics of the door.

The Ferrari F430 already is a brilliant, eye-catching vehicle. The “look” as well as engineering technology presents many similarities to motor sports racing. In the latter instance, most vehicles here feature a catchy paint finish in “warrior look”. HAMANN MOTORSPORT now offers the mid-engine Ferrari a special outstanding design that equally provides a racing car look standing out from the crowd. It’s called “Black Miracle” and will be responsible for great deal of turned heads.

outstanding “Black Miracle” look in black matt with coloured finishes for aerodynamic parts
improved performance from 50 HP
competently integrated wing doors
light weight wheels “Edition Race” in 20-inch
An individual entrance thanks to Black Miracle design

HAMANN’s “Black Miracle” designed black car body via a foil suggests the appearance of a primary base coat versus a ready-finished lacquered vehicle. It leaves an impression as if the entire car body is covered in velvet. Here as well, comes an idea directly from motor sports racing scene where motor covers are often finished in black matt to aide drivers with glare reduction. The “Black Miracle” design by HAMANN acts similar to a black hole absorbing all light. For the “light at the end of the tunnel” HAMANN provides additional parts following customer preferences in brilliant red, orange or yellow finish. The contrast between black matt and each “luminizing” addition is unquestionably mesmerizing especially for countless admirers at Ferrari meetings. Such an individualized F430 entrance has never been seen before! The highlight of the “Black Miracle” designs: when the black matt colour doesn’t seem pleasing anymore, the foil can be easily removed.

The noted HAMANN aerodynamic kit for the Ferrari F430 in dazzling colours grasps many elements directly out of motor sports. Front impressions of the F430 “Black Miracle” through HAMANN’s front spoiler provide a distinct racing sports face and minimize front axle buoyancy. The wide rocker panel wings give a lowering impression. Further reminiscence of sports racing awakens at the rear end through the HAMANN diffuser and a powerful rear wing which provides more downthrust on the rear axle. HAMANN air dams for the downforce generating Venturi Tunnel boosts the effect.

Additionally included in the “Black Miracle” design are finished aerodynamic parts in red, orange or yellow as well as coloured side mirrors and brake callipers, tinted rear lights, a coloured engine cover framing, dark tinted windows (including front window), bi-coloured leather furnishings (any choice of colour combinations), HAMANN logos within the head rests as well as the wheels finished in the colour of the aerodynamic components and with completely covered black matt rim flange.

The finest detail through wing doors

The absolute show stopper effect with the eye-catching “Black Miracle” colour in combination to the car body is achieved with the addition of HAMANN constructed wing doors. This process is completed without compromise as HAMANN offers a completely full car body integration through guaranteed technology minus that look of actually being built-in. In other words, this vehicle looks as if it just rolled directly off the assembly line.

Performance jump

Through new motronic programming including a new rear silencer plus a sporty high-performance header and sport steel catalyst, the F430 in HAMANN “Black Miracle” style has a performance increase of 36kW /50 HP which is naturally a plus for vehicle performance.

Even more driving pleasure is promised with a specially designed set of suspension springs. Through the HAMANN springs, not only does the F430 lurk lower to the ground, it also moves noticeably with more agility.

The F430 “Black Miracle” comes equipped from HAMANN with a 3-pieced, forged light weight wheel “Edition Race” in 20-inch. Available for the front axle in size 8,5 x 20 (tires 235/30-20) and for the rear axle in size 12,75 x 20 (tires 325/25-20).

One example of the ultra lightweight wheels with dimensions of 12,75 x 20 have an astounding weight of only 15,45 kg! As previously indicated, within the “Black Miracle” package HAMANN finishes a wheel spider in the colour of the aerodynamic components and rim flange matching to the car body in black matt.