Rumormill (Yet Again): Lexus GS-F is coming

This certainly isn’t the first time we’ve heard rumblings about Lexus working on a performance version of itsGS sedan. The crew at Road & Track reports that the upcoming GS-F will serve as the range-topping trim in the GS model range, set apart from its siblings with not only a more aggressive appearance, but a serious increase in power, to boot.

Sources within Toyota have told the buff book that the GS-F will be powered by a 5.0-liter V8, just like the smaller IS-F, but that output will be increased to 465 horsepower for the larger sedan. The other key ingredient to making the GS-F a serious performer is a substantial reduction in weight. Through the use of aluminum and carbon fiber components, Toyota aims to have the GS-F weigh in at about 3,700 pounds, meaning it should be capable of ripping off 4.5-second 0-60 times.

Toyota is positioning the GS-F to compete with the likes of the BMW M5 and Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG, with prices to start somewhere around the $90,000 to $100,000 range. No official timeframe has been given on when we’ll actually see the GS-F, but R&T states that it could show up as early as 2012, after therefreshed GS range debuts.

2012 Nissan GT-R officially goes 0-60 in 2.9 seconds

What’s it take to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just under three seconds flat? According to Nissan, it takes exactly 530 horsepower and 488 pound-feet of torque, coupled to a sophisticated electronic all-wheel-drive system and a dual-clutch transmission.

Put more simply in actual dollars and cents, that will cost you $89,950. For those unaware, that’s the sum Nissan is asking for its updated 2012 GT-R, which recently made its live American debut at the 2010 LA Auto Show. The Japanese automaker has kindly provided a digital readout from an electronic measurement device from Digitek to silence the doubters (above). As you can clearly squint and see, the GT-R hit 60 miles per hour in 2.9 seconds and 100 kilometers per hour (62 mph) in exactly three seconds.

IIHS Obvious Conclusion of the Day: Mismatched bumpers cost thousands in repairs

As you’re likely aware, all cars must pass strict federal guidelines in order to be sold in America, and those regulations include specific bumper heights. What you may not know, however, is that trucks and SUVs aren’t required to meet the same guidelines as passenger cars. Factor in the huge numbers of SUVs and crossovers that are sold each year and you begin to see why can cause major problems.

Perhaps the best way to illustrate this conundrum is by way of a photo gallery, which the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has so thoughtfully provided. As is the Institute’s custom, it has gone ahead and crashed a small sedan head-to-head into a typical SUV from the same automaker at low speeds (10mph). The results are conclusive, and they mean big repair bills for the owner (or, naturally, their insurance company) of the smaller car. Despite the modest velocities, repair estimates ranged from $850 to a whopping $6,015.

Of the seven pairs of vehicles damaged-for-a-cause in this round of low-speed testing, the Honda Civic andCR-V performed the best, with bumpers that actually overlapped by more than two inches. By way of contrast, the Toyota Corolla and RAV4 performed the worst. Says Joe Nolan, the Institute’s chief administrative officer:

What are Canada’s 10 worst selling cars and trucks? Glad you asked…

The end of the year is typically ripe with all sorts of best and worst lists. Canadian automotive websiteWheels.ca has provided us with a look at the car buying habits of our friends to the north. The list ofCanada’s 10 worst selling new vehicles for 2010 is not exactly filled with surprises, but the actual sales volume for each model is quite interesting. Can you guess how many Lexus GS models left the lots of Canadian dealers in all of 2010? Just 215. That number is only good enough to earn the Lexus 5th place on the list.

Click through the gallery below to see how 2010 played out for 10 cars, trucks, wagons and SUVs on sales lots north of the border.

Tata Nano sales plunge to just 589 units in November

The Tata Nano was such a hot commodity when it entered the Indian market that Tata Motors felt compelled to hold a lottery to determine the first 100,000 customers. A reported 70,000 copies of the $2,500+ econobox have been sold to date, but November apparently didn’t budge that number much.

Bloomberg reports that only 589 Nano models were sold in November; a minuscule total for a mass-market car. Tata CEO Carl-Peter Forster reportedly blames a lack of financing options as the reason customers aren’t buying. Forster claims that the Nano is popular with customers who currently use a bike or motorcycle for transportation, and the feeling is that banks fear that extending a loan to a lower income buyer could bring increased risk of default.

But while bank loans are one problem, another issue could stem from the fact that the Nano has been in the news for catching fire. That’s definitely not a desirable feature, and we’re thinking that customers who plunk down their life savings for their first vehicle don’t want their low-cost car to turn into a pricey car-b-que. The ‘no loans’ theory sounds even less likely after hearing that overall Tata sales in November were 54,622, up one percent year-over-year. And the icing on the cake? Tata has also raised the price of the Nano twice over the past few months; $198 in October and four percent back in July. That’s about $300 more than the car sold for at launch.

2011 Mini Cooper S

Henry Ford, Ferdinand Porsche, Karl Benz, Gottlieb Daimler. All pioneers in the automotive world. But this list would be woefully incomplete without the inclusion of Sir Alec Issigonis, the man most responsible for the design of the original Mini.

Issigonis once famously said, “When you’re designing a new car for production, never, never copy the opposition.” Sage advice, we’d say, as the Mini – a true clean-sheet automotive design, with its transverse engine, front-wheel drive and sparse seating – went on to become one of the most successful vehicles in history. And its name and likeness continue to live on in the form of the modern-day Mini Cooper, Clubmanand, most recently, Countryman.

Despite the similarities from one modern generation to the next, the BMW-owned automaker is quick to point out the myriad of changes made to the Cooper for the 2011 model year, not the least of which are improvements to the engine and transmission options, resulting in more power and improved efficiency.

So, the logical question is: Do these changes make a better Mini, or are they so minor (or is that Minor?) you won’t even notice?

2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe caught uncloaked

Mercedes-Benz’s retouched C-Class will sprout an all-new coupe version for 2012, and our spy photographers have just captured a nearly production-ready prototype with no camouflage. In addition to the obvious removal of the rear doors, the coupe wears the new C-Class’ slightly refreshed front fascia, featuring the quad-foglamp design that is quickly spreading across the entire Mercedes-Benz range. LED running lamps will no doubt be available on higher-end trim levels.

The most robust changes will likely be found inside the C-Class Coupe, where a new interior design will be on hand. We’ve seen spy shots of the coupe’s new innards before, and the design mimics that of the larger E-Class range. Still, the current C-Class interior was beginning to feel a bit outdated, so any freshening is indeed welcomed.

Our spies report that powertrains will be carried over from the 2010 model, meaning we’ll get the same pair of 3.0-liter and 3.5-liter V6 engines, producing 228 and 268 horsepower, respectively. Will we see a C63 AMGCoupe with the automaker’s twin-turbo 5.5-liter V8 (or naturally aspirated 6.2-liter mill)? Mum’s the word on that one, but consider our fingers crossed.

Ferrari 458 Challenge debuts at 2010 Bologna Motor Show

Everyone loves a special-edition, track-focused Ferrari and the time has come for the 458 to get a taste of the Maranello magic. At this week’s 2010 Bologna Motor Show, Ferrari has devoted its stand to serve as storyboard showcasing the automaker’s racing heritage. The newest piece of that history takes the form of the Ferrari 458 Challenge, which is finally making its world debut.

The 458 Challenge is the fifth model to get placed into a single-series racing program. The standard 458 Italia is already such a potent beast that the Challenge keeps the changes away from the engine bay leaving it with the same 570 horsepower as the standard 458 Italia. That said, the gear ratios and calibration of the dual-clutch transmission have been adjusted so that the Challenge generates more torque at lower revs.

Stiffer springs and a lower ride height help keep the body planted around the large Pirelli tires. That rubber hugs 19-inch forged alloys with a central locking nut. The brakes are upgraded to the newest setup that Brembo offers, and the system is paired with the ABS that debuted on the wild-child Ferrari 599XX.

2012 Buick Verano details and pricing leaked in dealer letter?

Following the launch of the Regal, Buick will be introducing its next all-new model sometime in 2011. Set to launch as a 2012 model, the Verano compact will slot in beneath the Regal sedan, though we’ve been told on several occasions that it will not share a platform with General Motors’ other new small car, the Chevrolet Cruze.

According to the infomongers at GM Inside News, the automaker recent sent a letter to its Buick dealers inviting them to participate in an order study in an attempt to gain knowledge about what pricing and trim levels would be most attractive to potential buyers. The details, available after the jump, reveal that the Verano will be powered by a 2.4-liter inline-four (same as the Regal) that produces 180 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, and will be initially offered in four trim levels.

If the letter is to be believed, the base Verano 1SB (the alphanumeric likely being an internal designation) is estimated to start at $20,900. From there, the 1SD model adds Bluetooth, automatic climate control and remote start, and will be priced from around $22,100. 1SG models add a power driver’s seat, heated mirrors and rear park assist and should command roughly $23,300. Top-trim 1SL Veranos will have heated leather seats, premium audio, a heated steering wheel and 18-inch wheels. Expect the top-rung 1SL to retail for around $25,600, with pricing reaching as high as $26,200.

Lamborghini Sesto Elemento Concept

here are times when you’ve seen so many incredible super cars you just have to wonder “can it get any better’? Well, Lamborghini has an answer to that question and it’s a big “Yes!”. Check out the newly leaked pics from our friends at MotorCrave.com of the Concept Lamborghini Sesto Elemento, which means Sixth Element . I have to say the design level of this piece of art is a GrandSlam!

After yesterday’s leak, we figured Lamborghini would have no choice but to unveil its new concept today, and indeed it has. After dropping the sixth and final teaser, which we won’t waste any more time on, Lamborghini released photos and information on the concept.

The Sesto Elemento, which means Sixth Element, uses a carbon fiber monocoque tub and carbon fiber all over–front end frame, body panels, suspension parts, rims–pretty much everywhere you look. As such, it cuts hundreds of pounds over other Lamborghinis and comes in at a featherweight 2,202 lbs. (or 999 kg if you want to be catchy). The 570-hp 5.2-liter V10 engine has no problem pushing that light, skeletal body to 62 mph in just 2.5 seconds on up to around 218 mph.

The car’s distinctive exterior is made with a fashion-out-of-function ethic, and the interior is stripped down to the most basic of basics–essentially an empty carbon tub with controls and padding in key places. Drop down below to see some more pictures and read the full story from Lamborghini’s press release.