SCOOP: Hyundai Readying Veloster Coupe to Take on VW Scirocco and Honda CR-Z

These are the latest spy pictures (see the scoop video here) of Hyundai's upcoming compact coupe based on the 2007 Veloster Concept. The South Korean company's answer to the VW Scirocco and Honda CR-Z hybrid will act as a replacement to the Tiburon, otherwise simply known as the Coupe, and it will be offered with naturally aspirated and turbocharged engines.

The new car that may or may not keep the Veloster nameplate, will most likely make its world premiere as early as September at the Paris motorshow and go on sale on both sides of the Atlantic early next year.

While the production model is expected to retain much of the Veloster concept's styling including its shooting brake-like roofline, it won't be a two door model. Instead, Hyundai has opted for an asymmetric body with two doors on the passenger side of the car and a single longer door on the driver side.

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New Ford Focus ST with 2.0-liter EcoBoost Turbo Pegged for Paris Debut

A Ford insider has reportedly confirmed to Autoexpress magazine that the hotted-up ST version of the new Focus hatchback will make its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show in September. We remind you that the five-door hatchback and four-door sedan variants of the all-new Focus broke cover at the Detroit Show in January, followed by the European-market-only Station Wagon at the Geneva Salon in March.

It is possible that Ford may introduce the three-door hatchback version of the Focus alongside the ST in Paris. Either way, as with the current model, the hot hatch will be offered in both three- and five-door flavors.

Ford's product development boss, Derrick Kuzak, has already confirmed that the new ST will make use of the company's new EcoBoost engine (see here). This means the current ST's 225HP 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five will be replaced by Ford's 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost unit, which is already offered on the refreshed S-MAX and Galaxy MPVs with 203HP, as well as on the facelifted Mondeo in 203HP and 240HP versions.

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SCOOP: 2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Sedan Facelift and New C-Class Coupe Snagged Together

Not surprisingly, Mercedes-Benz engineers are testing the redesigned for 2011 C-Class sedan together with its new two-door brethren that will carry the C-Class Coupe name populating another niche for the German carmaker when it arrives in the marker next year.

The development of the new C-Class Coupe has led to some modest styling updates for the sedan (obviously for the Estate model also), which include the re-designed front bumper and headlights along with a recontoured grille. It also appears that the sedan's gets a reprofiled rear bumper and a fresh design for the tail lights.

As for the C-Class Coupe model that will most likely try to take on both the BMW 1- and 3-Series coupes, aside from losing two doors, it gets a sleek, swooping C-pillar and frameless side windows while the centre pillar has been discarded.

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Volkswagen Unveils Redesigned 2011 Caddy Minivan

This is Volkswagen's facelifted Caddy compact van that enters the 2011 model year with six new TDI diesel and TSI petrol engines returning up to 21 percent lower fuel consumption, a new nose, an upgraded interior and added standard features.

The exterior facelift includes a completely redesigned front end that draws inspiration from the latest Volkswagen models and re-trimmed tail lamps at the back. Inside, there's a new steering wheel design, a revised instrument cluster and higher-grade materials.

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Official: Audi A7 Sportback to be Unveiled on July 26, 2010

Less than a week after the launch of the Dutch teaser site on the new A7 Sportback, and Audi announced today it will officially reveal the car at a special event that will take place on July 26, 2010, at the "Pinakothek der Moderne München", a modern art museum situated in the center of Munich, Germany.

The Ingolstadt-based automobile manufacturer did not release any other details about the event or the car. However, we do know that the new A7 Sportback (that's the official name used by the automaker) is the production version of the 2009 Sportback Concept and will be mechanically related to the next A6.

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2011 Mercedes-Benz CLS Sports Saloon Snagged Completely Undisguised!

We were supposed to see the next iteration of the Mercedes-Benz CLS for the first time at this fall's Paris Motor Show, however, thanks to an eagle-eyed reader of the Brazilian website Noticiasautomotivas, we now have pictures of the sporty four-door saloon without a hint of camouflage. Believe it or not, the reader caught the 2011 CLS lurking around the German firm's Stuttgart Museum. We assume the car was there for a photo shoot.

The new CLS blends the "banana shaped" body of the outgoing model with styling elements Mercedes-Benz's latest cars such as the E-Class Coupe's heavily shouldered rear wheel arches and the more dramatic front-end design, all previewed on the CLS Shooting Brake Concept.

There are no photos of the interior, but don't expect to see something entirely different the concept study.

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2011 Nissan Murano gets Revised Front Styling Due to New Diesel Engine, European Sales Start in September

Back in March, Nissan announced plans to introduce a diesel engine option for the very first time on its European market Murano crossover in September. The need for additional cooling airflow to the diesel engine and radiators meant that the Nissan had to redesign the front end of the Murano which enters the 2011 model year with a reworked fascia sporting a new grille and a reshaped bumper with larger air intakes and different fog lamps.

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VIDEO: 2011 BMW X3 SUV in Motion - Plus Styling Poll

We got our first official look at the all-new 2011 BMW X3 on Wednesday, but now we can also show it to you in motion as the Bavarian automaker has just released some B-roll footage of the compact crossover as well as a video with Anders Warming, head of exterior design, talking about the vehicle's styling.

Of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinion and we'd really like to hear what you have to say about the aesthetics of the new BMW X3. Aside from sharing your thought in the comments section, you can also vote in the poll after the jump.

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New BMW X3 Officially Revealed: Mega Gallery with Over 200 High Res Photos

Six years after the introduction of the first X3, BMW has lifted the wraps off the all-new second generation model that grows in dimensions and gains new engines. The new X3 will go on sale by the end of 2010, following its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show in late September. It will be built at BMW's Spartanburg plant in South Carolina.

Although familiar in shape, the exterior design of the new BMW X3 is less complicated and more 'clean' than the outgoing model incorporating styling elements from the X1 and X5 as well as from the latest 5-Series including the more prominent double kidney grille and concave surfaces on the hood.

The interior has been redesigned from the ground up and now features a classic four-dial instrument layout along with a more driver orientated center console housing a large 8.8-inch high-resolution screen.

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2011 BMW X3 Unwrapped - More Photos and Details to Come

The first picture of the second-generation BMW X3 without the annoying swirly camouflage of the prototype models (see here) has hit the interwebs. Set to go on sale in Europe after its debut at the Paris Motor Show in late September, the 2011 X3 is built around the next 3-Series architecture and will be offered with a range of four- and six-cylinder engines spanning from 2.0-litre four-pot petrol and diesel units to a 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six petrol.

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Audi Launches Teaser Site for A7 Sportback

Audi will soon bring the five-door / low roofline fastback concept to its A6 model series with the introduction of the all-new A7 that may or may not carry the Sportback nametag. The German automaker is getting ready for the launch with a new a teaser site in the Netherlands that doesn't reveal anything about the car, except that it will be based on the 2009 Sportback Concept. But we already knew that. We'll keep a close eye on the site and let you know if anything new comes out. For more details and a spy video of the A7, head over to our previous report here.

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2012 Chevrolet Aveo Sedan and Hatchback: Official Design Patents

What you see here are official design patent drawings of the all-new 2012 Chevrolet Aveo four-door sedan and five-door hatchback models, filed by General Motors. The next generation of GM's Ford Fiesta rival was teased in concept form with the sporty Aveo RS hatchback study at 2010 Detroit Auto Show in January while shortly after we also got a sneak peak of the sedan variant through some leaked illustrations.

The drawings of the five-door model suggest that the production version follows pretty closely to the RS concept minus of course some snazzy details like the shaved door handles, big alloy wheels and the more pronounced side sills that made the concept model really stand out.

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2011 Land Rover Freelander Facelift Leaked through Brochure Shots?

We weren't supposed to see the refreshed for the 2011 model year Land Rover Freelander SUV before its world premiere either at the Moscow auto show in August 2010, or in Paris at the end of September, but Car Magazine provides our first look at the facelifted model through a group of pictures, allegedly taken from a leaked Italian brochure.

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New Peugeot 508 Officially Unveiled, gets HYbrid4 Variant with 200HP and AWD

The all-new Peugeot 508 has been officially revealed following the leakout of the first photos earlier today. Available in sedan and station wagon body styles, the 508 replaces two cars in Peugeot's range, the 407 and 607. The French marque's Ford Mondeo and Volkswagen Passat contender will make its world debut at the Paris Motor Show in late September and go on sale early next year.

The 508 is the production version of the '5 by Peugeot' concept car seen in Geneva this past March, and according to Peugeot, it introduces the firm's new -and more subtle- design language as previewed on the SR1 Concept sports car. Expect to see the same type of grille finding its way on all future Peugeot models.

For the first time we get a look at the 508's interior, which according to the French carmaker, combines hi-tech features with the use of "high quality materials" both "visually and to the touch".

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New Peugeot 508 Sedan and SW: First Official Photos

Say 'bonjour' to the all-new Peugeot 508, the first official pictures of which were leaked onto the web today. Designed to replace both the Opel Insignia-challenging 407 and the larger 607, the French automaker's new mid-size contender will have its first public outing at the Paris Motor Show at the end of September, and go on sale across Europe and other markets early next year.

Peugeot previewed the new 508 at this year's edition of the Geneva Salon with a concept sedan model, called the "5 by Peugeot". The production version has remained more or less true to the concept car

Along with the first photos of the sleek-looking sedan, we also have pictures of its load-loving station wagon brethren that will cater the needs of those looking for a more practical and possibly more spacious proposal in the mid-size segment.

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SPIED: 2012 Peugeot 508 Station Wagon?

Our colegas at Diariomotor got themselves a series of spy photos showing what they claim to be a heavily disguised prototype of the Peugeot 508 Station Wagon. The French carmaker teased the sedan version of the 508, which will replace both the 407 and 607 saloons, with the "5 by Peugeot" concept model at the 2010 Geneva Salon this past March.

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New Volvo V60 Sports Wagon: 2011 S60 gets Practical

Revealed ahead of its Paris Motor Show debut, the all-new Volvo V60 is the estate version of the recently launched 2011 S60 sedan. Aimed almost squarely at European buyers as Volvo projects that "no less than 90 percent" of the annual V60 production of 50,000 cars will find a home in Europe, the sporty-looking estate model will go on sale this fall.

Volvo describes the low slung V60 as a sports wagon with a coupe-like roofline. "The typical sports wagon customer is an S60 buyer who would like some extra space and flexibility, but without the slightest compromise on sporty design and exciting driving properties," says Volvo Cars President and CEO Stephen Odell.

However, Volvo's focus on looks come with a cost as the V60's boot space is a mere 430 liters with the rear seats up. That's compared to 460lt of the BMW 3-Series Touring, 485lt of the Mercedes C-Class Estate and 490lt of the Audi A4 Avant. The car will come equipped with a 40/20/40-split rear seat and the fold-flat front passenger seat.

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Paris Preshow: Renault DeZir RWD Concept Previews New Design Language

Renault has released the first photos of its latest concept car, the all-electric DeZir ahead of its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show in September 2010. What's important about this new concept is its styling as it heralds the firm's new design direction. Its aim is to get people talking about Renault's styling again.

The DeZir project is the first to have been led by Renault's new chief designer Laurens van den Acker who took over from Patrick le Quement in 2009. Before joining Renault, the Dutch designer worked for Mazda where he was responsible for many projects including the Nagara, Ryuga and Hakaze concepts, while he has also spent time at Ford and Audi.

One of the most important design features of the DeZir is the front-end styling as according to the company, it previews the new front-end identity that is set to become a feature of all Renault models in the near future.

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2012 Range Rover Evoque: Videos and Photo Gallery from Presentation

Yesterday, we showed you the first official photo of Lande Rover's new small SUV, the three-door Range Rover Evoque. Now we bring you a full set of images and a video from the glitzy presentation that was held in partnership with Vogue magazine in London [hence the glamour shots, which we hope you don't mind], as well as a second video clip with 'walk-around' beauty shots of the production version of the LRX Concept.

The new 'baby' Range Rover will descend upon on us at the Paris Motor Show at the end of September and will go on sale from next summer. Few technical details were released on Land Rover's smallest, lightest and according to the company, most frugal vehicle in the brand's lineup, but we do know that customers will have a choice of both a 4WD and a 2WD version.

Furthermore, it was revealed during the presentation that Range Rover's newly appointed Creative Design Executive, Victoria Beckam (yes, the former Spice Girl), will make use of her styling expertise [sic...] on a special edition version of the Evoque. Enjoy the photo gallery and videos after the break.

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New Opel Astra Sports Tourer Unveiled - Should Buick Bring it to the States?

[Updated Gallery] This here sleek-looking station wagon model is the all-new Opel (or Vauxhall in the UK) Astra Sports Tourer and it has been revealed ahead of its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show on October 2. It is set to go on sale across Europe in November.

The exterior design of the Astra Sports Tourer brings to mind the Insignia ST, and that's a positive thing. Unlike its boxy predecessor, Opel's styling team led by Mark Adams opted for a much more 'lifestyle estate' design with a more raked roofline and a less perpendicular tailgate.

The Sports Tourer shares its footprint with its five-door sibling, with a similar 2,685 mm-long wheelbase and front and rear tracks of 1544 and 1558 mm respectively.

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