BMW 5 Series GT to cost 55,200 Euro in Germany

We have classified this latest piece of information as a rumor since we have not received yet official confirmation that indeed the new BMW 5 Series GT will have a base price of 55,200 euro when goes on sale in Germany later this fall.

The production model 5 Series GT will be unveiled this weekend and we expect to receive a full press release with all the details we crave for. What we learned so far is that the 5 Series GT production version will keep the frameless doors seen in the concept format and also the beautiful LED angel eyes.

The price might be surprising for some of you, but we did expect a premium price over the regular 5 Series models. In Germany, the BMW 530d Wagon sells for nearly 6,000 euro less than the 5 Gran Turismo. Despite the fact that the overall size and space of the those two models are somewhat similar, they appeal to a different crowd and fulfill different purposes.

For now, the entry level 5 Series GT will be equipped with the six-cylinder twin-turbo engine and the top model will be using the V8 twin-turbo found in the X6 and 750i.

As always, stay tuned for more information and keep an eye on the blog this coming Sunday.

[Source: Focus.de -translated]

Lamborghini Murcielago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce pics

It’s difficult to get the same emotion out of a Lamborghini Murciealgo LP 670-4 SuperVeloce photo gallery, but in the following pics at least we get a sense of its high speed appeal. That is, until we get our hands on some new videos of the V12 Lamborghini Murcielago symphony. Enjoy the pics.

© Source: eurocarblog

2009 Porsche Cayenne Maff Muron

MAFF Muron
- „Muron” wide body kit for the entire Porsche Cayenne range
- custom styled cockpit with Alcantara leather and carbon fiber inserts
- multimedia system and sound system configured after a MAFF concept
- power kit for the engine and sport exhaust tips designed by MAFF
- retuned electronic suspensions and especially designed MAFF alloy wheels
Popularity turned the Porsche Cayenne into quite a common presence on the roads. This explains why the German model features in the portfolio of so many car tuners. Unfortunately, the big sales volume made the aftermarket industry follow in the foot steps of the stock car manufacturers. And this is because they started producing the so called exclusive, unique body kits in large series. For all these reasons, MAFF Tuning developed the Muron project such as to offer the alternative of a truly custom interpretation of the super SUV. Thus, the Muron package represents a complex stylistic approach, which makes it more than sufficient for seriously amplifying the already powerful personality of the Cayenne.
The Muron body kit is built of carbon fiber. The package comprises of the following: front and rear spoilers, front grille with integrated LED daytime running lights, side skirts, roof spoiler, bonnet with dramatic scoops, masks for the head lights and tail lights, a discreet adornment for the boot lid, inserts of carbon fiber for the door handles, rear view mirror carcases with integrated LED signal lights and exhaust tailpipes covers. Each of these elements are a MAFF design and this is why the cars are adorned with the MAFF and Muron logos. Even the light alloy wheels are a special MAFF design. And their dimensions vary according to the request of each and every client.
For the interior of the car one can configure a virtualy unlimited number of layouts. This is possible due to the liberty MAFF gives to its clients regarding the choice of color, combination of materials, stitching design, embroiderments and inserts (carbon fiber among others). Only the finest leather types, like Alcantara, are used to tailor the cockpit. Even exotic alternatives like leather with a surface that imitates the carbon fiber texture have been selected by our customers. And the design, as well as the entire tailoring process are the work of the specialized department of the MAFF workshop.
The MAFF portfolio includes some unique models able to develop over 700 HP. This is why MAFF engineers also adjust the suspension of the car, aiming to improve its dynamic behavior. The ride height is consequently reduced by up to 8 cm. This is done by tuning the electronic management of the stock suspensions.
© Source: seriouswheels

Citroen GT supercar to lap Nurburgring at 24-Hour Race event

The GTbyCitroen (or Citroen GT, GT by Citroen or whatever you want to call it) made its debut at the 2008 Paris Motor Show last year without any engine under the hood since Citroen never planned on a road-going version of the car. The supercar, which was a joint project between Citroen and the makers of the Gran Turismo video game, was said to be powered by 782-hp, high-tech fuel-cell engine in its virtual reality world.

Nonetheless, in March 2009, Citroen confirmed that the car will be going into production with power coming from GM or Ford V8 engine.

Citroen announced today that its GTbyCitroen will now make rounds at major events in the coming months. Its first stop will be the 24-Hours Nurburgring race where the car will take a lap of the legendary German track. One June 12, the GTbyCitroen will join a host of supercars from all over the world at in the  ”Grande Parade des Pilotes” at the Le Mans 24 Hours. Last but not least, it will stop over at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK on July 3.

Citroen says that the GT will see a limited production run of just 20 units. Expect each unit to cost an arm and a leg.

Citroen GT:

2010 Lexus IS 350C Convertible First Drive

Let’s admit this right now, Toyota is boring. Somehow the boringness really works for them as they are staying afloat in this slumping economy selling some of the highest quality vehicles to mainstream America. In my opinion, the only excitement from Toyota can be found in the Lexus brand starting with the new Lexus IS. Lexus has taken the IS to a new level with their newest drop-top, the Lexus IS Convertible. Inside Line (Edmunds) took the new 2010 Lexus IS 350C for a drive and discussed some of what the new IS Convertible has to offer.

With 306-hp on tap in the Lexus IS350C, do you think it is the better choice when compared to the BMW 335i convertible? What about the new Infiniti G37 Convertible or Volvo C70? Here we go again, Lexus is still chasing BMW.

2010 Lexus IS Convertible / IS250C / IS350C

Lexus is throwing another dart at the blue-and-white bull’s-eye that is BMW. Toyota’s luxury division knows that 30 percent of BMW 3-series sales are coupes and convertibles and it wants a seat at that buffet. Introduced nine years ago and well into its second generation—Toyota doesn’t act without exhaustive study, apparently—the entry-luxury IS sedan finally gets an additional body style: a hardtop convertible.

In dealerships by the end of May, the two-door, four-seat IS250C and IS350C feature an aluminum hardtop roof that relies on 15 electric motors and 37 sensors to crack into two panels and seamlessly belly-flop into the waiting trunk. The process takes 20 seconds.

In most other respects, the IS convertible varies not a nanometer from the established Lexus path. Though every exterior panel and molding on the IS C is unique to the convertible (except the hood), it looks to untrained eyes like a sedan that has met a hack saw. The engine choices—a 204-hp, 2.5-liter V-6 and 306-hp, 3.5-liter V-6—are identical to the IS sedan’s. So are the transmission choices, which mean a six-speed manual is available in the IS250C and a six-speed automatic in both models. As expected, the IS convertible features Lexus fit and finish and, somewhat less appealingly, Lexus dynamics.

Keep Reading: 2010 Lexus IS Convertible / IS250C / IS350C - First Drive Review

2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible - Short Take Road Test

If you think we’ve got a man crush on the BMW 3-series, walk into an Infiniti showroom sometime. Nissan’s upmarket brand is practically stalking the 3. Nearly half of Infiniti’s floor space is given over to Far East facsimiles of the BMW 3-series family: There’s the G37 sedan, the G37 coupe, an EX35 with the X3 on radar lock, and now this G37 hardtop convertible. All Infiniti needs now is a despised former chief designer.

Like the 3-series cabriolet, the new two-door G’s top stacks itself into three sections and disappears behind the rear seats (albeit in 30 seconds versus the BMW’s 23). Also like the convertible 3, this car weighs two tons. Our scales measured it at 4136 pounds, which is 454 more than a manual coupe and nearly 800 pounds more than the Nissan Z on which both are based.

That extra weight is in the roof’s armature and motors, as well as the gussets and braces that backfill some of the torsional stiffness sacrificed to open-air motoring. Other changes from the G37 coupe include an exhaust system that robs the car of five horsepower and a rear suspension whose top mounting points were moved to accommodate the folding roof.

In addition to a lower price, what the G has always offered in response to the 3-series is a certain lightness of control feel and freneticism of powerplant. But the G37’s extra weight dulls the eagerness that defines the other Gs. Kick down the 3.7-liter V-6, and the car seems to think hard for an instant before committing its considerable heft forward. Also, the noticeable body flex over broken pavement leaves the impression that the G37 could actually use a few more braces. Infiniti must have decided that enough added weight was enough, lest drivers think that the car was carrying a rhino in its trunk.

Keep Reading: 2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible - Short Take Road Test