FRIDAY, JANUARY 11, 2013 |

After the release of a teaser image and a video earlier this week, Renault pulled the wraps off the all-new Captur, a sub-compact crossover that will make its world debut at the Geneva Salon in March before arriving in showrooms across Europe in late spring.The new Captur is the French version of the Nissan Juke, with which it shares its platform architecture that also underpins the Renault Clio Mk4. At 4,120mm (162.2-inches) long, the Captur is only 5mm (about 0.2-inches) shorter than the Juke.
According to Renault, the Captur combines the "expressive styling and driving position of an SUV, the cabin space and modular interior of an MPV, and the agility and driving enjoyment of a compact hatchback".
While it may borrow the name of the athletic three-door Captur Concept from 2011, when it came to the design, Renault chose to look more towards the latest Clio than the study itself.
Renault says the Captur will offer many customization options including a two-tone color scheme that produces a contrast between the roof and pillars and the rest of the bodywork, as well as a choice of colors and motifs for the different trim features in the cabin.
Inside, the French brand tells us that the crossover offers "a large boot, modular interior and innovative stowage solutions" borrowed from the world of MPVs (minivans), adding that it will be equipped with plenty of standard features including hands-free entry, hill start assist and rear parking sensors.
Available features will include an in-dash Renault R-Link touchscreen multimedia tablet, plus a system that comprises six loudspeakers, Bluetooth connectivity, audio-streaming and Arkamys hi-fi sound
Renault is holding back on the engine details, but said that the Captur will be offered with a variety of petrol and diesel engines with "best-in-class fuel consumption" and CO2 emissions starting from as low as 96g/km. From what we understand, the engine lineup will mirror that of the new Clio with the latest turbocharged three-cylinder petrol and four-cylinder diesel units.
The Captur will be manufactured at Renault’s Valladolid plant in Spain.

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013 |

Even if you’re not a Corvette fan, we bet that by now, you’ll be pretty frustrated from all the teasers GM is fanning out on the C7 while managing to keep the seventh-generation ‘Vette under wraps.The fourth, and probably final, video released by the General about its upcoming sports car that will debut at the Detroit Motor Show next week shows parts of the car’s manufacturing process.
Even though we all want to see what it looks like, the video shows us what’s under the (presumably, pretty) skin. So, it’s all robots riveting and hurling metal around and humans checking details, shot in black and white, with the tagline being “Precision Never Rests”.
You can watch the video after the break and make sure you visit this page on CarScoop on Sunday, January 13, at 7 p.m. EST to view the live video stream of the Corvette C7's pre-Detroit show presentation.
By Andrew Tsaousis

VIDEO

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013 |

The latest news from Smart is the introduction of a new special edition version of its Fortwo city car called the "Cityflame", which will be arrive in European showrooms this April.What you will first notice about the Cityflame is the contrasting colors used on the outside with Smart applying a pearlescent 'flame yellow' finish on the body panels and black on the tridion safety cell and the bespoke 15-inch alloy wheels. If you prefer a darker theme, Smart also offers the same model with black body panels.
The same colors are applied inside with black surfaces contrasted by yellow frames and accents on the partially leather seats and the leather-look instrument panel. A leather steering wheel with shift paddles and yellow stitching, and the custom floor mats embroidered with the word "cityflame" complete the look.
Smart offers the Edition Cityflame in both coupe and cabrio styles with a choice of two petrol engines, producing 71PS (52kW) or 84PS (62kW), with prices in Germany starting from €14,490 (about £11,800 or US$19,000).

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013 |

Why would an automaker ponder if we remember one of its past models and whether it will bring it back? Well, if you ask us, the only reasonable explanation is because it actually plans to do so.Case in point, a Lexus posting on the brand's official Facebook page where the Japanese carmaker states:
"Do you remember the ‘02 IS 300 Sport Cross with its style, utility and performance? Will we bring it back? Watch the 2014 IS premiere on Facebook in 6 days to find out!"
Lexus offered a station wagon version of the first generation IS under the Sport Cross moniker in Europe and the United States, with Toyota marketing the car under its own brand as the "Altezza Gita" in Japan. The current, second generation of the IS, comes in only sedan and hardtop-convertible flavors.
The new, third generation IS was unveiled online in sedan guise on Wednesday, ahead of its world premiere at next week's Detroit Auto Show.
So, what do you think; should Lexus bring back the Sport Cross variant to the new IS's range? Have your say in the comments below.

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