Despite the fact the Swedish carmaker is currently under Swedish bankruptcy protection, the Saab 9-5 is on schedule to be sold by early summer.
The big saloon is being finalised for production after an anticipated debut at the Frankfurt show this September.
The new 9-5 is based on the same GM Epsilon II chassis as the Vauxhall Insignia, although the styling inside and out is unique.
The new 9-5 will have a range of ‘downsized’ turbocharged petrol engines as well as the option of a turbocharged V6 engine and the company’s innovative ‘torque vectoring’ all-wheel drive system.
The car scooped here shows it has more than a hint of Saab’s classic upright windscreen pillars as well the ‘hockey stick’ shape around rear window line.
The side-on pictures also show that new car has a very steeply raked rear window and extended boot lid. An estate version is scheduled to appear next year.
Also visible in these pictures are a car’s headlamps and the new Saab corporate ‘horseshoe’ grille.
Although Fiat’s bid for the whole of General Motor’s European arm (including Saab) has only just got underway, Saab could itself be sold to a new buyer by early summer. Reports suggest that the bidding process is down to just two interested parties.

We’ve just driven the third and final coupe variant of the Maserati GranTurismo – but it’s not the end of the line yet! These close-up spies confirm that a convertible version is almost open for business. And judging by the heavy camouflage at the rear, a fabric-roof has been shunned in favour of a folding hard-top, much like its cross-town cousin, the Ferrari California.A 2+2 seating configuration will be carried over from the fixed roof version, although space will inevitably be tighter in the back, to make room for storing the roof. Surprising amounts of rear legroom is one of the Coupe’s strengths though, so expect the Spyder to still be a genuine four-seater. The engine line-up will mimic the Coupe – that means a choice of 4.2-litre or 4.7-litre V8's producing 405bhp and 433bhp respectively, hooked up to either the six-speed ZF automatic or a faster-shifting robotised manual gearbox.Prices for the Coupe range from £78,215 to £88,005, so anticipating a modest increase the Spyder will start from around £90,000. We’ll get our chance to see the finished product in the flesh at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. For more details click here.

Hot off the Internet are these images of the next Opel Astra. This next iteration, which is set to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, is an important player in the subcompact field as Opel's future remains in question.

We expect more details shortly, but what we know for now is that the Astra shares its Delta II small car front-drive platform with the Chevrolet Cruze and Volt, among others. This means when it goes on sale the Astra is expected to offer a base 1.4L gas engine, with 1.4L and 1.6L turbocharged gasoline engines reportedly available as options. Diesel options will likely include 1.3L, 1.7L, and 2.0L mills, and a higher mileage ecoFlex is also expected to become available sometime after launch. Per Opel, the Astra is 174.0-in. long (7.0-in. shorter than the Cruze), and it receives bi-xenon headlights and the Opel Eye camera system. Visually (thankfully, too), the 2010 Astra retains the design language of the Opel Insignia.

Now, the imported version under Saturn's moniker didn't set showrooms ablaze with sales and there's no call yet on whether the new model will make it stateside either. In any event, we've scrounged up some video of the new Astra in motion; click here to visit our YouTube channel to view it.

Here's proof that the launch of the hottest Scirocco ever is edging ever closer! This is one of last Scirocco R development prototypes, spied here undergoing testing at a gloomy and wet Nurburgring circuit in Germany. The Golf-based coupe will feature a storming 262bhp version of the 2.0 TFSI engine already available in 197bhp form. That means a 0-60mph sprint in around six seconds and a 155mph top speed. The same engine will power a Golf R20 model too.
In addition, the R will get a bodykit, with lower front and rear bumpers and more sculpted side skirts, as well as larger 19-inch wheels. It's inspired by the Studie R concept which was first revealed at the Bologna Motor Show last year. Prices should start from around £25,000 when it goes on sale later this year. For more details click here.

The saga continues! We saw Lexus’ first ever supercar way back at the Detroit show in 2005, but these spy shots prove that while it’s been a long time coming, a production version is still on the cards. Spied testing at the Nurburgring, the Japanese rocket is seen here in showroom-spec, with only light camouflage at the front and rear. A self-raising spoiler which deploys automatically at high-speeds, a triangular exhaust arrangement and distinctive air intake behind the B-pillar can all be seen clearly and will be distinguish the LF-A when it goes on sale next year.As part of the car’s intensive testing regime, Lexus has confirmed that two race cars, with only light-modifications compared to the road-going version shown here, will compete in the Nurburgring 24hr race on May 23 this year. The racers will use a 5.0-litre V10 tuned to produce around 500bhp, but the exact specification of the road-legal car is yet to be confirmed. For more details click here.

The onslaught of new models from Aston continues! The DBS Volante, V12 Vantage and One-77 hypercar are all close to going on sale – and now our team of spies has caught a fourth newcomer undergoing final durability tests.Just like the V8 Vantage Roadster on which it’s based – the V12 Roadster will use a traditional fabric roof and feature many of the key design cues from it’s fixed-roof stablemate. Vents in the bonnet to help cool the 6.0-litre V12, a new carbon front-splitter and deeper side sills are the big giveaways of this car’s potential, but more subtle cues such as wider tyres, larger exhausts and carbon-ceramic brake discs are part of the uprated package too. And with 510bhp and 570Nm torque, expect a 0-60mph time in the region of 4.4 seconds and a top speed of over 185mph. We’ll get our chance to see the new 12-cylinder drop-top at the Frankfurt show in September. For more details click here.

Red-hot and raring to go! This is the first undisguised shot of the Vauxhall Insignia VXR Sports Tourer – a high-performance version of the Insignia estate. Our spies have already caught an early mule in testing, but this is the first time production-ready car, complete with a griffin badge on the bonnet and the chrome-rimmed nostrils lifted from the VXR saloon, has been spotted out in the open.Shoehorned under the bonnet is a 2.8-litre turbocharged V6 producing a stonking 321bhp. And for the first time in a car wearing the VXR nameplate – power will be juggled between all four tyres for maximum traction and stability on the move. Expect a 0-60mph sprint in under six seconds and an electronically-limited top-speed of 155mph.Due to go on sale alongside the saloon variant before the end of the year, the Insignia VXR Sports Tourer will be a performance bargain – starting from around £27,000. For more details click here.

 

 

Jaguar has stripped off the heavy cladding that has disguised its new XJ for the final testing of the car ahead of its launch in July.
The new car borrows nothing from the styling of the current XJ, which has remained true to the original model launched in 1968. The clean sheet design introduces a completely new look for the flagship Jaguar, although it does use styling cues and detailing from the XF saloon.

At the front is a huge grille, bigger than the XF’s – Jaguar has attempted to make the car look like a BMW with a false divider – that’s deeply inset behind the frame. The headlights, almost entirely taped up on this car, are from the C-XF concept car; they’re much narrower and more striking than the production XF’s.
The ridge in the front doors is a fake, designed to distract attention from the location of the wing-mounted air vents, which are said to be a different shape from the XF’s vertical vents. The door mirrors are lifted from the XF.
With the cladding lifted, the XJ’s low roofline and shallowly raked rear screen are clearly visible for the first time. At the rear the car’s coupé-look styling is clearly visible, making it unique in a market dominated by three box saloons such as the S-class and Audi A8.
The full-length glass roof has been obscured, but the effect will be of a single piece of glass that runs from the base of the windscreen to the base of the rear window. The C-pillars will be blacked out to create the impression of a floating roof, but will have a curved trim strip behind the rear doors to provide a visual stop to the rear window.
The rear lights are also fully taped up, but they actually wrap over the top of the rear wings in the style of the Citroen C6.
Although it owes nothing to the traditional look of the XJ, the new car does share a chassis and plenty of engineering with it. The all-aluminium frame remains – at a very basic level this is a very thorough reskin – although it will have been altered for new engines.
That means the XJ will be the lightest car in its class, which should also provide it with a performance and handling advantage.

Audi will show this customised Q5 at the annual Worthersee Tour gathering of VW and Audi enthusiasts, which starts tomorrow.
The Q5 Custom Concept is a lowered, widened version of Audi’s mid-size SUV, with a retuned 3.0-litre TFSI V6 engine.

The car’s track has been increased by 90mm and the ride height has been lowered by 60mm. The Q5 Custom Concept is fitted with 21-inch wheels.
The engine’s power has been increased from 333hp to 408hp, and torque is up to 369lb ft, which gives the Q5 a claimed 0-62mph time of 4.4sec. That makes the Q5 theoretically as fast as a 4.2 R8.

THE ’Roc just got harder! The Scirocco R is the fastest, most aggressive version of the Golf-based coupé yet, and Auto Express has been granted an exclusive audience with it – giving us the chance to bag these first official images.
Joining the Touareg R50 and the Passat R36 as one of the performance flagships in the VW range, the Scirocco R is the first model to use the simplified ‘R’ designation – and it’s a thrilling prospect. At its heart is a revised 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine with uprated pistons, high-pressure injectors and a bigger turbocharger.
The result is a startling 261bhp and 350Nm of torque – up 57bhp on the existing 2.0 TSI. Despite the significant hike in power, drive is still sent exclusively to the front wheels via either a six-speed manual or a twin-clutch DSG gearbox.
To help contain wheelspin on exiting corners, an XDS electronic differential, first seen on the new Golf GTI, is fitted as standard. Larger brake discs and gloss black calipers ensure the newcomer has excellent stopping power.
Even when parked up, there’s no mistaking the Scirocco R for lesser models. A redesigned front bumper is punctuated with a trio of deep air intakes and incorporates a pair of jewel-like LED running lights.
There’s a gloss black finish on the wing mirrors and grille, while the rubbing strips on the side of the standard car are removed for a smoother profile. More pronounced body-coloured side skirts add to the drama.
At the back, more gloss black can be found on the enlarged diffuser, bracketed by a pair of wide-set oval exhausts. A more prominent rear spoiler plus a single ‘R’ badge marks this car out. The interior also gets a makeover, featuring new sports seats embossed with ‘R’ logos, black trim and a flat-bottomed steering wheel.
White backlit dials swept by blue needles are a unique feature we’ll see more of on ‘R’ models in the future – including the Golf R, set to debut with the Scirocco at the Nürburgring 24 hours race this weekend. Sales of the Scriocco R are set to start in September, with prices from around £26,000. For more details click here.

Get a load of Vauxhall’s fastest-ever estate. The firm has released the first official pictures of its Insignia VXR Sports Tourer.
It joins the hatch and saloon to complete the flagship range, and the deeper bumpers, large mesh front grille, matt-finished chrome exhaust pipes and VXR badges make it easy to identify.The newcomer also rides 10mm lower than the standard car on 19-inch alloys, features Brembo brakes and gets an adaptive 4WD system and a limited slip differential.
Inside are Recaro race seats, as well as a VXR steering wheel and gearknob. The car delivers on all this promise, too. Under the bonnet is a 2.8-litre turbo V6. This 320bhp unit propels the Insignia from 0-62mph in six seconds, on the way to a top speed of 155mph.The suspension is stiffer than that of the standard car, while engineers have covered in excess of 6,000 miles during testing at Germany’s gruelling Nürburgring race track to ensure supreme handling ability.Practicality hasn’t been compromised in the pursuit of performance, though. The 540-litre boot can be expanded to a huge 1,530 litres with the rear seats folded flat. This blend of flexibility and pace has left bosses confident that the newcomer will tempt buyers of more expensive rivals such as the BMW 335i Touring and Audi S4 Avant. Prices will be announced in the summer, but buyers can expect to pay around £25,000 for the VXR Sports Tourer when it arrives towards the end of the year. For more details click here.

These are the first official photos of the Subaru Legacy Touring Wagon, released to co-incide with the Legacy's launch in Japan.
The Touring Wagon shares flat-four mechanicals with the saloon, and fills out the customary three model range.
The message with this fifth generation Legacy is that Subaru’s decided to push its major breadwinner substantially upmarket.
The new cars are bigger all round, more plush and the main Boxer engine now spans 2.5 to 3.6-litres. Europe will be in line for an updated version of Subaru’s excellent 2.0-litre Boxer diesel but precise details on that, and the launch timing for the new Legacy in Europe are still under wraps. However, an appearance at September’s Frankfurt Show looks almost certain.
With their Boxer engines and Symmetrical 4WD, the new Legacy and Outback follow a hi-tech design path that’s been an essential part of Subaru’s DNA for years
For 2009, however, this is essentially a brand new package, packed with new technology including Lineartronic CVT transmission, a first for the Legacy, to help boost economy and lower C02 emissions.
Subaru has also spent the cash on a completely new platform with a substantial 80mm stretch in wheelbase (75mm for the Outback), plus wider tracks.
Dimensions grow in tandem. The new saloon and Touring Wagon are each 95mm longer and 50mm wider than outgoing versions.
The new uppercrust Outback grows 45mm in length and 50mm in width and rooflines in the new series push up by as much as 80mm.
Controversially, Subaru has dropped the lead-in 2.0-litre option, starting things off with a revised version of its long running 2.5 flat-four (170 ps). A turbo 2.5 pumps out 281bhp and replaces the former 3.0-litre sports model.
The new Outback kicks off with the atmo 2.5 but top versions get the creamy 3.6-litre flat-six from the Tribeca SUV.
Visually, the new looks might well divide opinion, but this is clearly this is the most sophisticated and ambitious Legacy yet.

A fourth variant of Volkswagen’s unshakable Golf will be available from November. The MkVI version of the hugely successful all-rounder already comes as a three and five-door hatch, Golf Plus, and now as an even roomier estate. Minor revisions to the styling have been made at the rear to accommodate the larger boot and longer overhang – the result is a very respectable 1,495-litre boot capacity. And thanks to a flexible seating arrangement it can adapt to any task.VW’s existing engines will be available, which amongst others includes a 120bhp TSI petrol and two turbodiesels, with 104bhp and 138bhp. Expect to pay a premium of between £500 and £700 over the five-door hatch, with prices starting from around £15,000. For more details click here.

Full photos and details have been leaked ahead of schedule concerning the production version of BMW's upcoming 5 Series Gran Turismo. Attempting to combine a grand touring sports coupe, sports activity vehicle, and luxury sedan in one vehicle, the newest addition to the 5 Series features few exterior changes from the concept version we saw at this year's Geneva Auto Show.
Power will come from BMW's twin-turbo V-8 producing 400 hp - good enough for a 5.4-sec. dash from 0 to 60 mph. The engine will be mated to an all-new eight-speed automatic gearbox, capable of delivering the engine's 450 lb-ft of torque reliably. The transmission features a taller top gear than BMW's more common six-speed gearbox, giving reduced fuel consumption and quieter cruising. Regenerative braking is also on the menu, allowing the alternator to remain disengaged from the engine most of the time for improved efficiency. BMW expects a top speed of 150 mph when equipped with the optional Sport Package which includes high-speed tires. Vehicles equipped with the standard all-season tires will be limited to 130 mph for reasons of safety, claims BMW.
Style-wise, the distinct "Hofmeister Kink" remains intact in six-window form, with its characteristic upswept tail at the rear three-quarter window. Both upper and lower side character lines are also remain; the upper being a sharp crease along the door handle lines that extends from headlights to taillights, and the lower being a softer scallop beginning halfway along the front fender and terminating at the rear door's trailing edge. Front and rear valances were also left largely alone, with a stout, vertical nose and L-shaped, wraparound taillights. The gently rearward-sloping roofline culminates in a similar upswept tail to the concept version, although the fin-like antenna has been moved from the subtle roof spoiler to just aft of the standard panoramic sunroof.
As expected, larger changes are to be found inside. Gone is the concept's keystone center console that extended from front cabin to rear as a singular shared element. Thankfully, the scalloped rear ceiling remains, giving occupants a touch more headroom to compensate for the car's sloped rear roof. In standard configuration, the 5 Series GT seats five, although an optional extra includes two individual reclining rear seats separated by a tall, stubby center console with cupholders and a storage compartment. All seating is higher from the ground than in typical BMWs in order to provide better exterior visibility for all occupants, as well as easy ingress and egress to the vehicle.
The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo Concept's two-piece dual-opening trunk has survived the cut and will live on in the production version. Access to the trunk is given either by lifting the entire rear hatch, or by opening a panel under the rear glass, as one would a trunk lid. The trunk assembly is constructed of aluminum, as are the vehicle's doors and many suspension components, in an effort to save weight.
BMW expects the 5 Series Gran Turismo's world premiere to be at the Frankfurt show this September, and the first production models should arrive at U.S. showrooms in the fourth quarter of this year, as 2010 models. The vehicle's MSRP, though not finalized, is planned to start in the $65,000 to $70,000 range. For more information, be sure to stay tuned for our First Look article, but meanwhile, have a glance at the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo Concept here.

The Volkswagen Touareg and its Porsche Cayenne sibling serve as the perfect example for the synergies between VW and Porsche. Porsche developed both SUVs, while VW builds them at its Bratislava, Slovenia, plant. Porsche fits V-8 engines into the SUVs’ bodies in its Leipzig, Germany, facility, while the V-6 engines of the entry Cayennes are fitted at VW’s plant in Slovakia. The partnership has worked well: the Cayenne has served Porsche's existing customer base while bringing new buyers to the brand, and the Touareg bolstered VW's claim that it is a premium carmaker more convincingly than the ill-fated Phaeton.
To the latter point, the Touareg has always impressed us with its mountain-goat-like off-road capability and superbly finished interior. Where it falls short of the competition, however, is in seating capacity—unlike some others in its class, it is just a five-seater—and its heft. It is simply too heavy, with curb weights well into the 5000-pound range.
With the next-generation Touareg, spied here, VW aims to address both shortcomings. A VW source hints at available third-row seating, but we advise you not to sell your Suburban yet, since, as in most SUVs of this type, it will be mostly symbolic in nature.
Impressively, the specification brief for the new Touareg called for up to 600 pounds to be shaved from the portly SUV, although our VW source acknowledges this target was rather optimistic, and won't stand when the Touareg reaches showrooms. With variation depending on engine choices, we believe half of the original target to be a more realistic figure.
We suspect that VW could either permanently diminish the Touareg’s off-road capability or make it optional; the company’s engineers must have watched with dismay as customers thwarted the capabilities of the all-wheel drive hardware with their beloved 18- to 20-inch wheels. In terms of saving weight and cost, taking out some of that unused capability is nearly a no-brainer.
U.S.-spec engine choices will likely include the current 3.6-liter V-6 and 4.2-liter V-8 gasoline engines, as well as the 3.0-liter V-6 TDI diesel. In Europe, the current V-10 TDI will make way for an Audi-sourced V-8 TDI with similar power—VW wouldn't abandon the upper diesel segment, our source says—since adjusting the V-10 for upcoming emission limits is too costly. The V-8 TDI does everything just as well, anyway. The silky-smooth 450-hp, W-12 gasoline engine, identical to the unit used in the top-of-the-line Audi A8L W12, will die or—we hope—simply hibernate until the economic crisis is over. A gasoline hybrid based on Audi's supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 is a done deal—we’ve already driven a Cayenne so equipped—but it will be added to the lineup about a year after launch.
The exterior will be a forceful evolution of the current styling, and the interior will be slightly more sporty in style, adding contemporary infotainment systems. Don't expect too much of the Tiguan's kitschy details to migrate to the next-generation Touareg. This SUV, finalized under the guidance of Walter de'Silva, will break away from the glitzy style of Murat Günak, his predecessor.
The Touareg will be launched in Europe next April and in the U.S. later in 2010. While VW and Porsche are currently engaged in a war as to who will occupy the throne in their partnership, the dust should have settled by the time this ute reaches the market.

If these barely disguised prototypes look familiar to you, it’s no surprise: This BMW X1 was already shown at last year's Paris auto show under the rather unimaginative but BMW-typical "Concept X1" moniker. Now BMW is testing prototypes on the Spanish island of Mallorca and releasing some details as the car is readied for its official launch later this summer. This will be BMW's fourth size of SUV—sorry, “SAV”—after the X3, X5, and X6.
The elderly X3 is having an increasingly difficult time in a changing marketplace that now includes the Audi Q5 and the Mercedes-Benz GLK. The X5 and X6, on the other hand, have been getting flak for their politically incorrect appetite for fuel—even before BMW, in a somewhat incendiary move, added the over-the-top X5 M and X6 M. For more details click here

What better way to enjoy the warm summer days that are nearly upon us than to cruise in one of Volkswagen's new California vans, right? Well, for those van-types looking to get away for away in style, VW has just released a limited California Black Edition featuring classy and sophisticated appointments suitable for the most discerning of campers.
Its exterior wears a single dark black livery matched with numerous chrome accents. Each corner receives 18-in. black faced wheels, while up front, headlights get the bi-xenon treatment. Open up any of the doors and passengers are treated to Alcantara and leather trimmings. Front occupants are in command of a three-zone climate control system, as well as a GPS navigation. Drivers get the latest in park distance controllers too.Powering the mighty California is the same 130-hp TDI engine found in run-of-the-mill editions.All this coolness doesn't come cheap though. Pricing for this sleek people mover is 77,736.75 euro, or around $109,921 in Yankee money. Of course, that's if you could buy one here -- which, ironically, you can't. At least we get the actual state as a consolation prize.

Last November, we spied a tall, widened Honda Accord mule that used the front end of the U.S. Accord and the body of the European Accord Tourer wagon to cover an all-new, Toyota Venza–fighting crossover. Now, thanks to a snap-happy Tennessee tourist, we bring you the final product. Expected to be called Crosstour, it is seen here covered only by a front-end mask and some bits of tape that actually show more than they cover. (Note to Honda: Don’t take your top-secret development cars to the same places that attract camera-totin’ tourists.)
As seen on this prototype, the CUV’s front end will clearly be similar to that of the four-door Accord, although we can tell there has been some butching-up of the graphic elements beneath the thick tarps. A side swoosh similar to the Accord sedan’s passes through door handles borrowed from that model. Where the Crosstour really goes its own way, however, is aft of the B-pillar, where the window line rises to a point and the rear end slopes down to form a hatchback. The shape of the rear end appears to have necessitated the addition of a second, Insight-esque lower rear window to salvage some outward vision.
Under the skin, we expect the Crosstour to be a mix of Accord and Accord-based Pilot mechanicals, with all-wheel-drive models using a version of the system found in Honda’s SUVs. Engine choices will likely include a four-cylinder engine with at least 200 hp (possibly turbocharged) and a 3.5-liter V-6.
What strikes us most about these shots is just how closely the new CUV’s slant-back profile resembles that of Acura’s polarizing ZDX crossover, which itself is a distant cousin of the Accord. The sloping deck will both restrict cargo space somewhat compared with traditional crossovers and invite plenty of controversy—a surprising dare-to-be-different approach that is noteworthy from conservative Honda, especially given the American aversion to hatchbacks.
Pricing will likely start at about $25K, with well-appointed models reaching into the mid- to high-thirties. We expect the Crosstour to go on sale late this year as a 2010 model.

It’s five alive! Peugeot is filling the gap in its line-up with the launch of a brand new people carrier, the 5008.
Available as both a five and seven-seater, the model is the spiritual successor to family favourites such as the 504 and 505 estate. It’s developed on the platform of the C4 Grand Picasso from sister firm Citroen, and will debut at September’s Frankfurt Motor Show, before hitting dealers early next year.
At 4.5m long, it’s 20cm shorter than the 807 MPV and designed to be ultra-flexible. Each passenger seat folds flat, while those in the rear can slide forwards and backwards. With 2.76 metres from the dashboard to the hatchback, the car will easily accommodate longer loads. Cargo carrying is expected to be a key selling point for the 5008, and the capacity ranges from 758 to 2,506 litres.
There will be two 1.6-litre petrol engines, delivering 120bhp or 156bhp, and three diesels: a 110bhp 1.6, plus a 2.0-litre with 150bhp or 163bhp. Fuel economy ranges from 38.6mpg to 54.3mpg. For more details click here.