With an SUV-shaped replacement for the current Countryman already in development, the Clubman will not be the biggest Mini in the lineup.

It's already known that Mini is working on a replacement for the current Countryman, which is planned to take the form of an ‘authentic’ SUV. Although the original Countryman, launched in 2010, it quickly accounted for more than a third of Mini sales. The second-generation Countryman is expected to be more rugged than the current model, taking some cues from the Mini X-Raid, which has won the Dakar Rally four times since 2012. It will be based on the same UKL architecture as the Clubman making it significantly spacious. It’s expected to be just over 150mm longer and at least 10mm wider than the current Countryman.

There is also, a new Clubman in the works which is 158mm longer, 10mm wider and 119mm lower than the existing Countryman. A Mini Traveller MPV (essentially a sister car to the BMW 2 Series) has also been developed as a possible new model line.

Facts have drawn ire from traditional fans of the marque, who argue that the growth in size is not in keeping with its brand values, but according to Mini’s senior vice president Sebastian Mackensen, “Sometimes in life you get used to something and then it moves on. Habit can be hard to challenge, but when you get used to the new thing you can often see new benefits as you adapt.”

Courtesy : Autocar

‘New Dino’ will slot below 488 in the Maranello line-up, Paul Horrell reveals

Ferrari engineers have been talking about a smaller V6 turbo mid-engined car. The new Dino if you like (the gorgeous original is in the second image, above).

The new V8 engine in the 488 GTB and Spider is so powerful that there’s space for a car underneath - roughly the price of a California T.

CEO Amedeo Felisa is talking about the improved CO2 form going to turbos. But what about a V6 to reduce CO2, TopGear asks him? “For sure, over time we can reduce emissions by downsizing the displacement. There is probably a V6 in our future.” So would it be a smaller car? “You wouldn’t do a bigger one with a V6,” he smiles.

A hacked-about shortened engineering test car has been spotted around Ferrari’s Maranello HQ and tearing up the roads nearby, making a V6-ish noise.

An engineer told Top Gear that the V6 car isn’t a definite yet because there are challenges. The aim is for 200bhp per litre. That means 580bhp-odd from a V6 of 2.9 litres or so. But that puts huge stress on the engine components and it’s not ready yet. The new engine is derived from the 3.9-litre V8 of the 488. It’s very unusual to have a V6 with a flat-plane crank, but we’re told Ferrari might go that route, which would make a most strange noise.

A more compact engine and careful packaging of the two people and their bags would mean, we’re told, that the car could be usefully smaller and crucially lighter. “We are thinking about 1000kg but of course we will not get there,” says an engineer.

With less weight and fewer cylinders, the fuel and CO2 savings really kick in. But actually it’s a myth that Ferrari is forced into fleet average fuel economy targets in Europe or the US. “We get exemptions because they realise we are a drop in the ocean,” says Felisa. But it is always good to show willing.

Ferrari keeps improving the fuel consumption and CO2 of its range, and Felisa says that they don’t need hybrids for at least five years. The V12 hybrid LaFerrari is an exercise too hard and expensive to repeat at bigger scale.

So a petrol-only, V6, mid-engined, compact, lightweight Ferrari. Excited, much?

Courtesy : Top Gear

Tata Motors expects a sharp incline in sales during the festive season.

Tata Motors has claimed total sales of 1,100 cars on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, which fell on September 17, considered an auspicious day for buying vehicles. The sales figure was collectively recorded for the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

Over 700 cars were bought in Maharashtra and about 400 in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat. Ashesh Dhar, National Sales Head, Passenger Vehicles Business, Tata Motors said, "The festive season exudes enthusiasm, excitement, anticipation, and energy. With the Zest, Bolt and the GenX Nano witnessing growing momentum in the market, we yet again, confidently testify the value and trust we offer to our customers."

Keeping in mind the response seen during the festive season, Tata Motors has prepped itself to achieve deliveries and meet customer demands for all its passenger vehicles.

Courtesy : Autocar

The EV would have a range between 400-500km; Mercedes likely to enter the luxury saloon or SUV EV market.

Mercedes officials have confirmed the launch of its all-new electric vehicle within a year.

Speaking to our sister publication Autocar UK at the Frankfurt motor show, the company's engineering head Dr Thomas Weber said that the new car would offer a range between 400 and 500km, using lithium-ion batteries with double the energy density of current components.

The news follows the onslaught of EVs at the 2015 Frankfurt motor show, specially from Mercedes’ rivals, Porsche and Audi. Previous EVs from the car manufacturer include the SLS AMG Electric Drive and B-Class Electric Drive.

The company could make its entry into the luxury saloon or SUV EV market, by building a large car that has enough room to accommodate a battery pack, and at a price that’s high enough to justify electric vehicle costs without being prohibitive.

Courtesy : Autocar

Porsche surprised many as it showcased its new electric sedan – Mission E. The Porsche Mission E is powered by a 600PS all-electric drive motor with a range of 500km while Porsche Turbo Charging recharges 80 per cent of the battery in just 15 minutes!

One of the biggest hurdles faced by electric cars is range but the Porsche Mission E has a solution for it. The car can travel 500km on a full charge which is impressive but further hikes its appeal is the fact that it can be charged with enough energy for around 400 km more driving range in less than 15 minutes! The reason for this stupendous recharge time is the fact that the Porsche Masson E employs a 800-volt technology for the first time instead of conventional 400volts. This system has been christened as Porsche Turbo Charging and the charging time is the fastest for any electric vehicle. The lithium-ion battery runs the entire length of the car, between the front and rear axles and the car boasts a 50:50 weight distribution. To keep the kerb weight low, the Mission E has been crafted from combination of aluminium, steel and carbon fibre reinforced polymer.

The cabin layout is typical of any Porsche production car but with a touch of modernity in terms of design and materials. The lack of a transmission tunnel means that interior space has risen. Another aspect of the interiors is the lack of physical buttons or knobs as they have been replaced by OLED (organic light-emitting diodes) screens. There is also an eye-tracking system that works with a camera to detect which instrument the driver is viewing. If the driver sits lower, higher or leans to one side, the 3D display of the round instruments reacts and moves with the driver. The Porsche Mission E will hit production in the next few years and given the technology it has on tap, the folks at Tesla Motors should be a worried lot. 

Courtesy : Autocar