Mercedes G63 AMG 6X6

Mercedes have unveiled a monstrous new rugged off-roader with six wheels - their first since a similar model was produced for the Nazis in 1930s Germany.

The outrageous Mercedes G63 AMG 6x6 is a limited edition model based on the iconic G-Wagon.

It has been designed to have the off-road capabilities of a tank, accelerate like a hot hatch and provide the luxury feel of a limousine.

To give it brutal acceleration, Mercedes has replaced the standard G Wagon's 3-litre diesel engine with a twin-turbocharged 5.5-litre V8.

The result is a 536bhp behemoth which is capable of 0-62mph in less than six seconds - despite measuring 19ft in length, weighing 3.85 tons.

Mercedes claims the 6x6 - which has 37 inch wheels - can negotiate rocky terrain with 'all the agility of a mountain goat', while fording a river is 'almost child's play'.

They add: 'Anyone exploring the on-road performance is certain to be impressed by the catapult-like acceleration of this 3.85-tonne pickup.'

However, the 6x6 comes with a massive £350,000 price-tag - making it the most expensive model in the Mercedes range and three-times as pricey as a typical G Wagon.

The off-roader, which is likely to be most popular in the Middle-East, will be limited to around 30 sales per year.

The new model is not the first six-wheel off-roader from the German firm, with Hitler owning eight during the Third Reich. 

The G4 was a heavy-duty off-road car Mercedes produced for the German army between 1934 and 1939. 

Mercedes built 57 G4s during this period with heads of state and top military brass regarding them as a 'prestige all-terrain vehicle'.

Rare: It is understood there are just three G4 models in existence which are absolutely authentic although other models have been rebuilt

Hitler was a huge fan and had eight of the six-wheeled cars, with a number located at his various castles around Germany. 

However, unlike the new Mercedes G63 AMG, the G4 wasn't six-wheel drive with power only sent to the rear four wheels. 

It is understood there are just three models in existence which are absolutely authentic although other models have been rebuilt. One of these models is owned by the Spanish royal family after Hitler gave it to General Franco in 1939.

BMW 3 Series GT

It's a more practical hatchback version, in much the same mould as the 5-series Gran Turismo.

At 4,284mm long, the Gran Turismo is 200mm longer than a 3-series Touring. It's also 81mm taller, and has a 110mm longer wheelbase.

None of the Gran Turismo's exterior panels are shared with 3-series saloon or Touring models - it has similar headlights and front grille, but there's a sloping tailgate, frameless side doors and a different interpretation of BMW's "Hoffmeister kink". An active rear spoiler - the first of its type on a BMW - raises automatically at high speed.

The rear of the car looks similar to the 5-series Gran Turismo's, and there are L-shaped vents in the front wings reminiscent of those on the recently unveiled 4-series coupe concept car.

Much of the Gran Turismo's interior is familiar from the 3-series saloon and Touring, with the same switchgear and a very similar look. Practicality is boosted, BMW says, by a 59mm higher seating position and 70mm more rear legroom. A 40/20/40 split/folding rear seat comes as standard; with a 520-litre capacity, the Gran Turismo provides 25 litres more boot space than the 3-series saloon.

The Gran Turismo will initially be offered with a choice of three petrol and two diesel engines, with power outputs of between 141 and 302bhp. Rear-wheel drive and a six-speed manual gearbox are standard; an eight-speed automatic gearbox is an option. In autumn 2013 a four-wheel drive 320i xDrive model and range-topping diesel version - the 325d - will join the range.

Mercedes SLC

These are the pictures that prove Mercedes is working on a baby brother to the SLS AMG supercar. Thought to be called the SLC, this early protoype uses an SLS body with experimental running gear underneath. 

It’s given away by the shorter wheelbase and heavy cladding at the front and rear, which is likely to hide some of the production model's altered styling. Earlier this year Mercedes Head of Design, Gordon Wagener, told us to expect a dynamic design inspired by the SLS.

The SLC will be front-engined but the SLS's 6.2-litre V8 will most likely be replaced by an all-new turbocharged 4.0-litre V8. Mercedes may offer a V6 model, too, using the 3.5-litre unit from the SLK.

Expect to see a power output of around 500bhp in the flagship variant, which will allow the SLC to accelerate from 0-62mph in just over four seconds.  

While the SLS is going after models like the Ferrari 458 Italia and Aston Martin DBS, the SLC will be far cheaper with a price-tag closer to nearly RM500,000 (£80,000).

We should get our first glimpse of the production-ready Mercedes SLC in 2014, before the car goes on sale early in 2015.

2013 Honda Civic Type R

Has the new Honda Civic Type R started testing? This mystery prototype was spotted near Honda’s engineering centre close to the Nurburgring circuit in Germany – and the vast rear wing suggests it’s no ordinary hatch.

The car also features modified front air intakes to allow extra cooling, although there don’t appear to be any other changes to the wheels, tyres, brakes or suspension, leading our spies to believe this could be the first prototype to test the Type R’s new engine.

Rather than follow the current trend for small-capacity turbocharged engines, Honda is expected to fit a naturally aspirated, high-revving i-VTEC with the same 2.0-litre capacity as the old hot Civic.

The next generation of 2013 Honda Civic Type R is speculated to be Honda’s first-ever turbo road car. Due to strict emissions regulations, the new Civic Type R will replace its 2.0-litre naturally aspirated engine with a 2.0-litre turbo designed to comply with Euro V emissions regulations. Stop-start is also likely to be fitted too.

To be expected, we will be seeing the similar engine to be featured in Honda’s 2012 British Touring Car Championship challenger. The new 2013 Honda Civic Type R is estimated to churn out 210bhp, 0-100km/h in less than 6.5 seconds with a top speed of 240km/h.

Instead of 3-door, Honda will offer the car as a 5-door only. Prices are expected to start from around £23,000 in UK when it arrives in 2013.

BMW Zagato Coupe

BMW and Italian design house Zagato have teamed up to produce a one-off show car - the BMW Zagato Coupe.

Revealed at the Villa d'Este Concours on the banks of Lake Como, Italy, the Z4 Roadster-based model is the latest in a series of high-profile projects from Zagato, which include the £400,000 Aston Martin V12 Zagato revealed earlier this year.

The swooping bodywork is handrolled from aluminium sheet and cleverly blends the two company's design philosophies. The interior is largely carried over from the Z4, while the twin kidney grille at the front (which uses hundreds of small 'Zs' locked together to create a mesh effect) is unmistakeably BMW. The double-bubble roof, powerful haunches and aerodynamic Kamm-tail rear-end are classic Zagato cues.

Although strictly a one-off, the BMW Zagato Coupe is fully road legal and registered in Germany - it's even undergone high-speed testing. It adheres to all crash regulations and the aerodynamics have been optimed for stability at high speeds.

As for power output, BMW is staying tight-lipped about what's under bonnet, but the 335bhp turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six from the Z4 sDrive35is seems likely.

Mercedes A25 AMG spied!

The Mercedes A25 AMG has been spied outside AMG HQ in Affalterbach, Germany. These images show that the AMG version of the A-Class will get new bumpers and more aggressive side skirts, with the front-end’s larger air intakes designed to cool a much larger braking set-up.

There’s also AMG alloys and a much lower ride height, while at the rear there's a set of rectangular exhausts replacing the regular A-Class’s round versions.

The A25 AMG will have four-wheel drive, with a dual-clutch gearbox transferring around 350hp from the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine. That’s more power than the Audi RS3 and BMW 1 Series M Coupe, which both produced 335bhp.

The A25 should beat both in the sprint from 0-62mph, with an estimated time of 4.5 seconds, while top speed will be electronically limited to 155mph. 

In terms of handling, the A25 AMG has a wider track front and rear to boost grip, while revised suspension settings and standard-fit adaptive dampers will be used.  

The A25 AMG will go on sale in 2013.

BMW i8

First official pictures of the BMW i8 Spyder concept have been released, ahead of the car's debut at the Beijing Motor Show later this month. 

Like the i8 coupe, the Spyder is a plug-in hybrid using a 1.5-litre petrol engine with 220bhp to power the rear wheels and a 129bhp electric motor to drive the fronts. Expect to see a 0-62mph time of around five seconds. 

Aside from the lack of a roof, the i8 Spyder does boast a few visual differences to the coupe concept, including solid metal doors and roll-over hoops. 

There are a few technical changes too, such as a shorter wheelbase and overall length than the coupe. The hard top's back seats have also been ditched. 

The LifeDrive construction – which consists of a carbon fibre body and mainly aluminium chassis – ensures weight is kept to around 1,600kgs, despite the heavy batteries on board. 

When it makes production in 2014, BMW claims the i8 Spyder will return fuel economy of 94mpg and will be able to travel for around 17 miles on electric power alone. Expect it to have a price tag of around RM450,000 (£90,000).

Other i8 Link:

http://pauhatsu.blogspot.com/2011/07/pauhauto-bmw-i3-and-i8.html