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BMW Introduces New M Performance Parts Program, Includes Engine Upgrades

There's a lot to see from many automakers at this year's Geneva Auto Show, including a raft of new models from the BMW brand, which will introduce the new 6-Series Grand Coupe, the facelifted X6 and X6M, the new M6 Coupe, X5 M50d, X6 M50d M550d xDrive sedan and Touring along with several new engines for the 1-Series, 3-Series and X3.

That's quite a handful but we're not done yet. The Bavarian firm will also showcase the latest 3-Series sedan, the i3 hatchback and i8 sports coupe concepts (all of which we've already seen before) and in a world premiere, the new BMW M Performance accessory program, which brings us to this post.

BMW's new 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with a twin-scroll turbocharger continues to trickle down the range. Following its introduction in the Z4 sDrive28i, 528i and the all-new 328i, the force-fed four-pot is now replacing the 240-horsepower 3.0-liter straight-six in the X3 xDrive28i.

The German automaker announced U.S. pricing today for the four-cylinder X3 xDrive28i, which arrives in showrooms this April as a 2013 model with the same MSRP of $37,995, including $895 destination and handling, as the outgoing six-cylinder 2012 xDrive28i.

For owners of the new generation of the BMW 6-Series Convertible codenamed F12 looking to improve the looks and the performance of their drop-top model, Lumma Design has released the first details on its CLR 600 GT package that will debut in a couple of weeks' time at the Geneva Auto Salon.

The German tuning firm's offerings include a rather discreet exterior styling kit comprising a front apron with additional LED daytime running lights (wonder how long these will last…), rocker panels, blacked out kidney grilles, and a rear apron with a diffuser.

Another day, another round of photos of the new Ford B-MAX. This time, the Blue Oval enlisted the help of one of its European designers, Erika Tsubaki, to demonstrate the advantages of the hidden pillars and sliding doors when it comes to accessing the small MPV's interior at its UK unveiling in London today.

Ford managed to do away with the central pillars by reinforcing the rear-hinged doors, which are made of special ultra-high-strength steels providing up to five times the strength of conventional mild steel.

Following on from the launch of the Lancia Ypsilon Black&Red last November, the special edition version of the Italian supermini has now put on its Chrysler logos to go on sale in the UK.

Both on the outside and inside, the new edition of the Chrysler Ypsilon subcompact hatchback sports a two-tone black and red color theme.

As it turns out, Porsche won't be keeping the name Cajun for the production version of its upcoming junior SUV as the Stuttgart-based automaker announced today that it will be named "Macan". Porsche says that the name is derived from the Indonesian word for tiger.

“The Macan combines all sports car characteristics with the benefits of a SUV and is a genuine Porsche”, said Bernhard Maier, Member of the Executive Board Sales and Marketing of Porsche. “The name of a new Porsche has to fit with the brand, sound good in very many languages and dialects and evoke positive associations.”

If you hop over the break and take a close look at the 90 pictures of the European-specification 2012 Chevrolet Camaro Coupe and Convertible, you'll probably notice a few things that are different from the North American models - and no, we're not talking about the welcome presence of attractive women in some shots.

First and foremost, the Euro Camaro gets a redesigned pair of LED tail lamps. It's not only the addition of LED units that make them look different but also their shape, which kind of reminds us of sunglasses.

Those of you with flawless memory will remember seeing the revised tail lamps in our Nürburgring spy shots of the Camaro back in 2010.

Other differences include the diffuser-mounted reflectors at the back; the noticeably larger mirrors that look like someone pasted Dumbo's ears on the Camaro's doors (apparently, so you can detect those miniature ForTwos creeping up on you on the highway) and the more modern fonts on the instrument panel gauges that are placed outwards.

Almost a year after its presentation in concept form at the Concorso D’Eleganza at Villa D’Este , the production version of Aston Martin's new V12 Zagato made its world premiere today at the 2012 Kuwait Concours d’ Elegance before it heads over to the Geneva Salon in March for its European debut .

The new Aston Martin is essentially a re-skinned version of the V12 Vantage designed by Italian coachbuilder Zagato in celebration of the golden anniversary of the 1962 DB4GT Zagato.

The last time we had a good look at the 2013 Audi A3 hatchback, it was from the January Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas where the German automaker displayed the compact model's interior.

In some of those aforementioned shots, the new A3's exterior was displayed on the LCD screen located above the center air vents.

Now, an Eastern European website has posted this picture claiming that it's the first official photo of the new three-door A3, which is scheduled to make its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show in early March.

We've known for some months now that Ferrari was preparing a mild update for its entry-level California model and today, the Italian automaker made it official releasing the first photos and specs ahead of the hardtop roadster's world premiere at next month's Geneva Auto Show.

While there aren't any noticeable styling changes other than the silver front grille, under the skin, it's a different story.

The all-new Kia Cee'd will make its world premiere at the 82nd Geneva International Auto Salon in March but the South Korean automaker wants us to get a better view of its VW Golf rival with the release of another set of photos, which include the very first pictures of its interior.

The car's overall appearance is in line with Kia's latest crop of models and especially the Optima sedan. This is even more evident inside with Kia promising a more premium look and feel, higher perceived quality and enhanced driving position ergonomics.

The dashboard layout features a driver-orientated fascia with the main switchgear positioned towards the driver.

Kia has not yet announced precise dimensions but it said that the new Cee'd is longer, wider and lower than its predecessor, while retaining the same wheelbase.

The new generation of Lexus' GS sedan is gradually making its way to most markets around the world. Today, the Japanese automaker released pricing for the UK market where the GS is available for order now with first customer deliveries to take place in mid-June.

The range starts from £32,995 for the GS 250 while the full hybrid GS 450h starts from £44,995. The GS 250 is powered by a 2.5-liter V6 petrol engine delivering 206bhp while the GS 450h combines a 3.5-liter Atkinson-cycle V6 petrol engine with the Lexus Hybrid Drive for a total system output of 338bhp.

After we got our first-taste of the new RS4 through a handful of leaked images earlier today, Audi has now officially pulled the sheets off the flagship model of its A4 series.

The RS4 makes its comeback as a station wagon featuring the same 4.2-liter V8 engine found in the RS5 models. The naturally aspirated eight-cylinder unit is good for 450PS (444bhp) at 8,250 rpm and a peak torque of 430 Nm (317.15 lb-ft) available from 4,000 to 6,000 rpm. That's a 30bhp improvement over the previous RS4.

Audi's seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch automatic transmission and quattro permanent all-wheel drive with up to 70 percent flowing to the front or as much as 85 percent to the rear with a default 40:60 ratio, transfer power to the road.

According to the German automaker, the RS4 Avant can accelerate from zero to 100 km/h (62mph) in 4.7 seconds and reach a governed top speed of 250 km/h (155mph), which can be increased to 280 km/h (174mph) upon request, while consuming less than 11lt/100km on average (21.4mpg US).

With each new generation of the Chrysler Group's Viper sports car comes a new interpretation of the snake logo and the same holds true for the next model that will be officially unveiled at the 2012 New York Auto Show in April.

Following last month's release of the black and white teaser of the new Viper, which will be marketed under the SRT brand instead of Dodge, the Detroit automaker has now revealed the new and more sinister looking "venomous" logo nicknamed "Stryker".

More often than not, building better vehicles comes at a price but Hyundai's clientele may not be very happy about the company's pricing strategy with the brand-new 2012 Azera that starts at $32,000 (€24,500), not including an $875 delivery and handling fee that pushes the price to $32,875.

Granted, the redesigned Azera costs $4,725 less than the 2012 Lexus ES350 ($36,725), but it's also $6,605 more expensive than its predecessor and only $2,400 cheaper than Hyundai's more upscale and powerful Genesis V6 sedan, which features a 333HP 3.3-liter engine linked to an 8-speed auto.

Ford's teaser train of the new B-MAX continues to roll down the track with the release of the first animated video of the car. The short clip walks us around the small MPV and shows the regular front and sliding rear doors in action.

You can read more about the B-MAX in our previous posts; we'll just remind you that the Fiesta-based minivan will make its first appearance at the 2012 Mobile World Congress, in Barcelona, Spain on February 27 before it heads to the Geneva Motor Show in March.

The all-new Audi RS4 Avant is not much of a secret anymore as the first official pictures along with some initial details leaked onto the web today.

As we reported in our scoop story on Monday, the 2013 Audi RS4 adopts the RS5's improved 4.2-liter V8 engine rated at 450PS (444bhp) and 430Nm (317.15 lb-ft), channeled to the road through a seven-speed S-tronic dual-clutch transmission and Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system.

We also learn today that the new RS4 Avant allegedly completes the 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint in 4.7 seconds, a tenth of a second slower than the lighter but also far less practical and roomy RS5 Coupe.

Audi's engineers also made changes to the suspension setup and fitted the RS4 with a more potent braking system and 19-inch wheels shod in low profile, high-performance tires.

We get our first look at the updated Hyundai Genesis Coupe for the North American market at last month's Detroit Motor Show and now the South Korean automaker has released details on pricing and specifications before it goes on sale in March.

The 2013 model continues to be available with two engine options, but the new 2.0-liter turbocharged four now produces 274-horses (+64hp) and 275 lb.-ft. (+52 lb-ft) of peak torque, while the 3.8-liter V6 gains direct-injection technology pushing output to 348-horsepower (+42hp) and 295 lb.-ft (+29 lb-ft).

America's favorite modern muscle car, the Chevrolet Camaro, has made the trip across the Atlantic and has arrived on UK shores where it will go on sale this spring available exclusively with GM's 6.2-liter V8 and a choice of two body styles, coupe and convertible.

On-the-road prices for the Camaro SS Coupe start at £34,995 (US$55,100 or €42,300), which brings it in the same price range as the BMW 330i Coupe (£35,045) and fairly close to the Nissan 370Z coupe that costs £29,950 (US$47,200 or €36,200).

While the all-new B-MAX will be introduced to the automotive world at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show on March 6, its actual world premiere will take place at a very different event at the end of this month.

Ford revealed today that the company's executive chairman Bill Ford will unveil the sub-compact MPV on February 27 at the 2012 Mobile World Congress, in Barcelona, Spain.

The Blue Oval notes that it is the first automaker ever to present a new car at the leading mobile industry event, and all for good reason – or so it claims – as the B-MAX will debut feature several mobile technologies.

Top Nice Cars

BMW Introduces New M Performance Parts Program, Includes Engine Upgrades

2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i with 2.0L Turbo Priced from $37,995

Lumma Design Presents New BMW 6-Series CLR 600 GT Prior to its Geneva Motor Show Debut

Ford Shows the Merits of the B-MAX's Pillarless Design

New Chrysler Ypsilon Black&Red Special Edition Arrives in Britain

Porsche Names its Upcoming Compact SUV "Macan", Releases First Official Teaser and Video

Poll: What do You Think about the Euro 2012 Camaro's Redesigned LED Taillights?

Aston Martin Debuts V12 Zagato in Kuwait, Watch it on the Move

First Official Photo of All-New 2013 Audi A3 Leaked?

Ferrari Introduces California Facelift with 490HP Ahead of Geneva Debut

Kia Shows More of its All-New Cee'd Hatchback Including the First Shots of the Interior

New Lexus GS Priced from £32,995 in Britain

All-New Audi RS4 Avant with 450PS V8 Makes Official Debut [38 Photos]

Meet Stryker, the 2013 SRT Viper's New Venomous Logo

New Hyundai Azera Starts from $32,000*, a $6,605 Premium Over its Predecessor

Video Animation Walk us Around the New B-MAX

New Audi RS4 Avant Photos Leaked, gets 4.2-liter V8 Delivering 450-Horses

Refreshed and More Powerful 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe Priced from $24,250*

Chevrolet Camaro Coupe and Convertible Come to the UK, Prices Start from £34,995

Ford Drops Another Picture of B-MAX, Says it will Debut the MPV at the Mobile World Congress