M Sport Package comes to the BMW X1

The X1 compact crossover is getting a lot of attention lately from BMW. Following the addition of the firm's new 2.0-liter turbo engine to the range, the Bavarian company officially announced the launch of an M Sport package for smallest member of the X family. The M Sport specification comprises suspension, exterior and interior components specially developed for the X1.

In detail, the package adds 17-inch star-spoke M alloy wheels or optionally, 18-inch rims, sports suspension calibration, an M Aerodynamics package with unique bumpers and side skirts, door sills with the “M” logo and BMW Individual High Gloss Shadow Line trim for the side window surrounds and roof rails.

Also available in conjunction with the M Sports package are the metallic exterior paint colours Alpine White, Le Mans Blue, Sapphire Black, Space Grey, Vermillion Red and Mineral White.

Inside, X1 gets sports seats upholstered in cloth/alcantara, an M leather-trimmed steering wheel with multifunction buttons and an M footrest for the driver capped off by an anthracite liner, dark cross-brushed aluminium trim, plus the M gearshift lever for vehicles with six-speed manual gearbox and a leather handbrake lever gaiter.

In the UK, prices start at £26,615 OTR for the X1 18d sDrive M Sport and £27,710 for 18d xDrive M Sport.

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Ferrari's Revolutionary Breadvan: The Four-Seater, All-Wheel Drive FF

Ferrari's replacement for the 612 Scaglietti has finally come out of the closet ushering a radical new concept for the famed company from Maranello. The FF, which is an acronym for Ferrari Four, is probably the company's most versatile series production model ever featuring seating and luggage space for four, an all-wheel drive system and a shooting brake body style. It will be revealed at the forthcoming Geneva Motor Show with sales to follow later in the year.

Designed by Pininfarina, the FF is a large sports car measuring 4,907 mm in length, 1,953 in width and 1,379 mm in height. The elongated roofline, the styling of the rear quarter and the car's proportions bring to mind a variety of older models, one of which is the BMW Z3 Coupe.

The Prancing Horse company has not published any photos of the interior yet, but notes that the FF "can comfortably accommodate four people and their luggage". Talking about boot capacity, there's 450 liters of space with all four passengers about, or 800 liter with the rear seats folded.

Ferrari added that it has developed a vast array of personalization options and accessories for the FF, including include six model-specific exterior colors and interior trims.

There's a lot going on under the sheetmetal as the FF introduces company’s first ever [production] four-wheel drive system. Called 4RM, it is said to weigh 50 per cent less than a conventional four-wheel drive system, thus helping to maintain an almost perfect weight distribution [47:53].

The Italian company has released few other details about the system, but it claims "it delivers record levels of performance on all terrains and in all conditions via continuous and intelligent predictive torque distribution to all four wheels."

The FF is powered by a brand new 6.3-liter V12 engine with direct injection and Ferrari's HELE tech that includes a stop/start system. Sitting up front, the 12-cylinder motor delivers 660-horses at 8,000 rpm and is hooked up to dual-clutch F1 gearbox. Ferrari said the FF completes the 0-100km/h [62mph] sprint in 3.7 seconds and 335 km/h (208 mph), while returning a combined fuel economy of 15.4 lt/100km, equal to 15.3 mpg US, with CO2 emissions of 360 g/km.

The GT tips the scales at a hefty 1,790 kg or 3,946 pounds, but thanks to the powerful V12, it boasts a weight-to-power ratio of 2.7 kg/hp.

Other highlights include the latest magnetorheological damping system (SCM3), as well as the most recent development in carbon-ceramic brakes from Brembo.

More details will be released at the Geneva Motor Show in March, but until then, check out the photos and video below, and tell us what you think about Ferrari's latest model in the comments section.

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SCOOP: European Hyundai Veloster Coupe Shows its Face, will get 1.6-liter Turbo with 208HP

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know by now that Hyundai unveiled its Veloster coupe at the 2011 Detroit Motor Show. So, what's with the 'scoop' title of our post, we here you ask? Well, this here example is the European spec Veloster and it was caught undisguised by our spies in Germany ahead of its debut at the at the Geneva Salon in the beginning of March.

The only visible styling changes over the North American model concern the use of clear indicators up front, all-red tail lamps at the back and the newly styled alloy wheels. Unfortunately, our spies couldn't get close enough to the prototype to snag the interior, but don't expect to see any significant modifications other than trim and color options.

Up until now, we were in the dark about the engine lineup of the European model. However, we just learned from an official source that the Veloster will be offered with two gasoline engines including a flagship turbocharged four banger.

The Veloster will launch in Europe with the same 1.6-liter direct-injection four-banger as the NA-spec model, producing 140-horsepower and 167 Nm of peak torque for a 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint time of under 10 seconds. Power is transferred to the front wheels through a standard six-speed manual gearbox, or an optional dual-clutch transmission.

Europeans will also get a Blue Edition version that pairs the 140-horse motor with a start-stop system and some additional fuel-saving features, which help drop CO2 levels from 138 g/km to 129 g/km.

The crown jewel of the Veloster lineup will be a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with direct-injection technology and an output of 208-horsepower, allowing the car to complete the standard sprint in around 7 seconds. We don't know if or when Hyundai will offer this engine in North America.

The naturally aspirated models will go on sale in most European countries this April, with the UK following later in the year. The Veloster 1.6 Turbo will be added to the range in early 2012.

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Ferrari FF AWD Sports Car Concept Heading to Geneva, Tipster Provides Initial Details

A Carscoop reader who wishes to remain anonymous, sent us an email with details on Ferrari's long-rumored 612 Scaglietti replacement, which is due to be revealed to a select few on Friday, January 21, before making its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show in March. While one can never be 100 per cent sure in these cases, for a variety of reasons, we're almost convinced that the information provided in the email is real. So, without further ado, here's what our tipster told us:

The car will be a pre-production study called the FF, which stands for Ferrari Four, as the GT model will seat four passengers and come with a new four-wheel drive system. Designed by Pininfarina, the FF gets a shooting brake-like body style with a large rear hatch, and a face that brings to mind a chubbier version of the 458 Italia. Inside, Maranello's latest creation will be able to seat four passengers with an impressive -for a supercar- load volume of 450 liters, which can be increased to as much as 800 liters if the rear seats aren't in use.

According to our reader, the FF is powered by a new 6.3-liter V12 engine delivering 660 horses at 8,000 rpm and 683 Nm / 503.8 lb-ft of peak torque at 6,000 rpm. That massive amount of power is transferred to all four wheels through a 7-speed dual clutch transmission and a new and extremely lightweight all-wheel drive system.

The 4,907mm long fastback coupe is said to accelerate from zero to 100km/h (62mph) in just 3.7 seconds and top out at 335 km/h (208 mph), while returning a combined fuel economy of 15.4 lt/100km, equal to 15.3 mpg US.

We'll be on the watch for any official information and / or photos of the Ferrari model, and keep you updated on any new developments as they occur.

ABT Sportsline Readying New Audi Models for 2011 Geneva Motor Show

VW Group specialist ABT Sportsline will bring several Audi models to the 2011 Geneva Motor Show in March, including the eye-catching R8 GTR with a chrome finish pictured above, as well as its newest tuning proposals for the A7 Sportback and 2012MY A6 sedan.

Alongside the R8 GT-R, A7 Sportback and A6, the German tuner will also be presenting a fourth model, which is being kept a secret for now. “We will be bringing along a sports car which I personally like a lot. For it shows our technical capabilities and offers a maximum level of driving enjoyment. I am looking forward to seeing how it is received by the public in Geneva," said the ABT general manager, Hans-Jürgen.

Saab Releases First Official Photo of 2011 9-5 SportCombi

Following a preliminary release earlier today, Saab has issued the first official photograph of its 9-5 SportCombi. The estate version of the 9-5, which will carry the SportWagon moniker in certain markets including the UK, will get its public debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

Saab has not yet released detailed information on the engine lineup, but buyers should expect to see a similar mix of turbocharged diesel and gasoline motors (depending on the market of course) to the sedan variant when it arrives in the market this Fall.

For the time being we only have a single official picture of the 9-5 SportCombi / SportWagon, but Carscoop reader Torben just sent in several renderings of the car sourced from the patent drawings filled in the U.S., which you can check out after the jump.

Hat tip to Torben for the drawings!

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Saab's All-New 9-5 SportCombi to Debut at Geneva Motor Show

We've been fielding rumors of an estate version of the all-new Saab 9-5 series for some quite time now, but today, the Swedish automaker made it official announcing that the world premiere of the SportsCombi will take place at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show in March.

"The launch of the 9-5 SportCombi is a much-awaited next step in the roll-out of our new product offensive," said Saab Automobile CEO Jan Ake Jonsson. "It will take Saab back into the large wagon segment where we have established a strong presence in many key markets with our previous offering."

While Saab is keeping official photos out of sight for now, it did release some preliminary details on the 9-5 SportsCombi. According to the Swedes, the premium estate model will come equipped with many practical features. These include an adaptable multi-fold floor, flexible U-rail load space configuration and under-floor stowage with a sealed wet storage compartment, a programmable powered tailgate, and 60/40 split rear seatbacks that fold down almost completely flat without having to reposition the seat squab or remove the head restraints.

Turbo engines, Saab's XWD all-wheel-drive system and an array of features such as, adaptive cruise control, Bi-Xenon adaptive lighting, key-less entry and starting, tri-zone air conditioning and a Pilot Head-up Display which projects information on the windshield, will also be available.

Saab said the 9-5 SportCombi will arrive in the US in the Fall of 2011.

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