BMW Officially Lifts the Veil on 2012 M5 with 560HP V8 Turbo [154 High-Res Photos]

With the first photos of the all-new 2012 M5 making the internet rounds since the early hours of Wednesday morning, BMW decided to lift the embargo and officially present the fifth generation of its high-performance saloon.

As with all previous M5s since the introduction of the first generation model back in 1984, the most important highlight of the car is tucked away behind the double kidney grilles. This time, BMW’s M division opted for a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine that replaces the previous M5’s more exotic but less powerful, naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V10 with 507HP.

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All-new European Market 2012 Toyota Yaris Breaks Cover

Toyota has unveiled the European version of the new Yaris, its all-new supermini which will replace the model of the same name in the summer of 2011. The new Yaris is, quite predictably, based on the Yaris HSD Hybrid prototype that we saw last March in Geneva.

It adopts Toyota’s new design language, with more angular headlights and more prominent creases in the body, although the general shape does not stray too much from the previous generation model.

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2012 BMW M5: First Official Photos Leak on the Internet

These are the first official pictures of the all-new BMW M5. It is based on the latest generation of the 5-Series, the F10, and boasts all the visual cues that you expect from a car that has been honed by BMW’s famous M-division: namely huge air intakes in the front bumper, side vents in the front wings bearing the M-logo, 20-inch wheels with 265/35 front and 295/30 rear ZR-rated tires, and twin tailpipes at either end of the rear diffuser.

As anticipated, the new model breaks with tradition by using a twin-turbocharged V8 (the outgoing M5 had a V10 and the one before that a V8, with the previous versions making do with in-line straight sixes, all naturally aspirated) sourced from the X5 M and X6 M.

Losing two cylinders and gaining two turbochargers seems like a fair trade, though, since the new M5’s output is up by 45 hp, from 507 to 552, and, more importantly, maximum torque has risen from 383 to 501 lb-ft (53,0 to 69,4 kgm).

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Journalist Spies Next Renault Twingo RS at French Firm’s Test Center

During a presentation at Renault’s facilities in France, a foreign journalist attending the event managed to slip away from the crowd and snap a single photo of a small car testing on the company’s proving grounds before falling into the unloving arms of the security team.

The journalist-turned-into-spy photographer said the bagged prototype looked similar in size to the current Twingo city car. He added that the small hatchback model featured several sporty elements such as the bumper designs, wide tires and tall alloy wheels, which lead him to believe that it’s a prototype for the new Twingo RenaultSport (RS) or the Gordini RS, with the differences between the versions being purely aesthetic.

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Mercedes-Benz Shows Off its New 2012 ML-Class SUV on Film

By now, you know that Mercedes-Benz has released the new 2012 ML-Class ahead of its world premiere at September’s Frankfurt Motor Show. If you’re curious to see how the German firm’s American-made SUV looks on road, this is your lucky day as Mercedes has just published two official videos including a five-minute long film of its BMW X5 rival. You can watch both clips right after the break. Read more »

New Scoop Photos Shed More Light on 2012 BMW 3-Series Sedan

With the new 1-Series out in the open, it is time for us now to take a look at the next car in line for replacement in BMW’s range, the 3-Series sedan with these freshly shot spy photos. As we’re nearing closer to the launch, BMW continues to peel away the disguise with the latest F30 prototype having shed not only plenty of swirly decals but also the fake front and rear end additions giving us a better look of the car’s styling.

BMW hasn’t really messed around with the design of the 3-Series since the introduction of the E36 in 1990, and the new F30 isn’t an exception to the rule. The styling of the F30 is a clear evolution of the current E90 3-Series borrowing certain elements from the 5-Series such as the stronger belt-line combined with a lower and more aggressive front end with larger double kidneys. Previous spy shots reveal that BMW will follow a similar formula with the 3-Series’ interior.

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2012 Mercedes-Benz ML Class: First Official Photos hit the Web

A leaked brochure of the all-new 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML Class that was floating around the internet on Monday was followed up today with the release of the first official photos.

We are still waiting for Mercedes to come out with an announcement detailing the next iteration of its mid-size SUV, but aside from the evolved styling language, we learn that the ML also introduces a new engine lineup that will include a 2.1-liter turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine with a little over 200-horses. A hybrid version based on the same turbocharged diesel powerplant will follow next year.

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Opel Officially Reveals 2012 Astra GTC, High-Po OPC Coming Next Year

This is General Motors’ brand new Opel Astra GTC revealed more than two months ahead of its world premiere at the 64th International Motor Show in Frankfurt, Germany, in mid-September. The newest member of Opel’s ever-growing Astra family will go on sale across Europe including the United Kingdom where it will be available as a Vauxhall later this year. Recent reports also suggest it may come to the States under the Buick brand.

GM’s European subsidiary is confident about its new Astra GTC with Vauxhall going as far as to claim that it will “lay down the gauntlet to VW’s Scirocco and Renault’s Megane Coupe with a heady mix of dynamic excellence, dramatic design features and competitive pricing".

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MINI Previews New Coupé, Publishes Information on Lineup and 131 Photos

We’re still more than three months away from the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show in September, but the BMW Group has already begun dropping information and photos of the models it plans to introduce at the show. Following the presentation of the all-new 2012 BMW 1-Series hatchback during the weekend, today the Bavarian group unleashed specifications and a large gallery of photos of the MINI Coupé.

While the model seen in the official pictures is partially covered in the firm’s characteristic swirly camouflage, it’s clear that the production version has barely changed from the 2009 concept car. Pictured here in John Cooper Works (JCW) form, the top-end Coupé hangs on to the concept’s sportier aero package that includes modified front and rear bumpers, side skirts and extended wheel arches that leave room for larger alloy wheels. The Coupé is also the first MINI to get an active rear spoiler that extends automatically at 80 km/h (50 mph).

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All-New 2012 BMW 1-Series: Official Specs, Details and 126 High-Res Photos

With imagery of the brand new 1-Series hatchback making the internet rounds since Friday, it was only a matter of time before BMW came out with an official release and a full set of photos. The Bavarian firm’s entry-level model sports has grown in size and sports fresher –albeit, somewhat more controversial- looks, while also introducing a new generation of 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline engines with up to 170HP.

For its debut, BMW chose to show the five-door hatchback model, but the range will eventually grow to include a three-door hatchback followed by the coupe, cabriolet and if the grapevine holds true, a longer and more spacious Gran Turismo version in the likes of the 3-Series GT we recently showed you in these spy shots.

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2012 BMW 1-Series Unveiled, gets New 1.6-liter Turbo Engine with up to 170HP [Updated with 60 High-Res Photos]

We knew that the next generation of the BMW 1-Series was coming but we didn’t expect to see the compact hatchback making its appearance so early. These official photos along with the first details showed up on a German website called Motor Traffic, as BMW has not yet made an announcement.

Seen here in a five-door format, the new 1-Series evolves the current model’s styling with sharper and more prominent creases all around along with a much more pronounced front end that sports unusually large headlamps pushed to the far corners of the bumper literally hugging the wheel arches.

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U Spy: 2012 Mini Roadster Testing in Britain

The new Mini Roadster isn’t expected to reach showrooms before late next year, but Carscoop reader Klaus M. has spotted a prototype model in a swirly camouflage at a roundabout near Oxford in South East England. Caught by surprise, Klaus managed to shoot a single photo of the 2012 Mini Roadster but promised to keep an eye open and send us more photos in the future.

Mini has already revealed plans to debut the Coupe version of the series at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show this September, with sales to follow towards the end of the year. The ragtop Roadster model will follow at a later date.

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SCOOP: 2012 Mercedes-Benz B-Class MPV is Same ol’ Same ol’…

Not too long ago, we brought you official design images of the brand new 2012 Mercedes-Benz A-Class sporting a five-door hatchback body styled after the impressive A-Class concept seen at the New York and Shanghai Auto Shows in April. Now we have some revealing spy shots of the upcoming 2012 B-Class minivan. Being that the next A-Class and its larger B-Class sibling belong to the same family, you would expect a similar design philosophy between the two models.

However, as these latest scoops demonstrate, that is not the case with the new 2012 B-Class. We had a very hard time telling the differences between the current B-Class and its successor, as the overall shape and styling of the small MPV have been kept intact. Nevertheless, the new B-Class is slightly taller and longer than the current model, with the front and rear ends influenced by the latest crop of Mercedes-Benz cars and SUVs.

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2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster Officially Revealed : 68 High-Res Photos [Updated]

Little by little, Mercedes-Benz is releasing more photos and information on its 2012 SLS AMG Roadster ahead of the supercar’s world premiere at the forthcoming Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Following the release of a barely disguised car earlier this month, the German company’s PR tease continues today with the first official photos of the roadster version of the SLS AMG without any kind of camouflage.

We also get to learn that the three-layered fabric soft top will not eat in the roadster model’s trunk area as its capacity remains at 6.1 cubic feet with the roof either open or closed, and is roughly the same to that of the SLS AMG Coupe, which stands at 6.2 cubic feet. The fully automatic top is available in three colors – black, beige and a classic red. It opens and closes in eleven seconds, and can be operated on the move at speeds up to 31 mph or 50km/h.

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