We all know that Mitsubishi is having some trouble with their American car line-up and we also know that it’s due to have some serious work done to it. It seems while part of that work is a global small car, the other part is the deletion of a few well known vehicles, at least that’s what Autoweek believes.

The aging machines, the Galant and the Eclipse, won’t be getting any new updates until 2012, as the company looks to create a new global small car. Talk about putting all your eggs in one basket. With those models gone, that would leave the Japanese automaker with only the new small car, the Outlander Sport and the i-MiEV to bring to its already small lineup.

We have all known about this small car for a while now and we can guess what it will feature upon its release. Under the hood will probably be a 1.0-liter or a 1.3-liter four-cylinder motor and for the company’s sake, we hope that America loves the small car by its release in 2012 or 2013, because an engine that big won’t sell well in a power obsessed culture.

We’re still not sold on the idea of dropping a few of the core models because what will dealers have to sell to people? The Outlander and the Lancer are good vehicles, but their sales aren’t that impressive, and the small car and the i-MiEV might not be what Americans are looking for.

Mitsubishi To Kill Galant and Eclipse By 2013 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 7 September 2010 19:00 EST.

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At 21 years old, most of us would be ecstatic to have one working car to drive around to school, on dates, and maybe even a few out-of-town trips.

For engineering student Dhiaa Al-Essa, one car just doesn’t quite cut it. Actually, 10 cars still seems a little on the ‘little’ side. No, this 21-year old son of a Saudi business tycoon already has 30 – yep, 30! – cars in his garage. And the best part is, all of his cars aren’t what you’d call ‘everyday-driving’ vehicles. Apparently, that’s not how he rolls. His list of vehicles include five Porsches, four Ferraris, three Lamborghinis, two Rolls Royces, and a Mercedes SLR McLaren.

On top of that, he’s got two more exotics headed his way – a Bugatti Veyron and a Koenigsegg Agera – and if you remember that Ferrari 458 Italia that burned down at Heathrow Airport in London a few weeks ago, that’s his too. That wasted 458 isn’t all that big of a deal for this guy because he’s already in the process of scooping up a 599 Roadster – production number 70 out of 70, in fact.

Continued after the jump

To be 21-years old and already the proud of owner of 30 supercars originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 6 September 2010 17:00 EST.

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Bentley is all about elegance and luxury, and those that know the name well understand that the brand takes good care of its reputation as one of the auto industry’s most esteemed car brands.

If you’re a young designer looking to make a name for yourself, creating renderings should serve as a good way to not only hone your skills, but also – if they’re good enough – to get some attention for your work.

Alexander Kotlyarevsky’s rendering of this Bentley R-Type certainly fits that bill. Keeping true to the British marquee’s reputation as a luxury automaker, Kotlyarevsky’s rendering comes with an elegant styling that’s also infused with some aggressive, modern touches that highlight the concept’s classic yet modern look.

More than the aesthetics, the young designer also gave this concept quite a powertrain featuring an 8.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine that produces a mind-boggling 800 horsepower and 1600 Nm of torque with a 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 240 mph.

Judging the book by its cover, we give a lot of credit to Kotlyarevsky for the cutting-edge look of the R-Type concept. It’s certainly something we’d endorse to the folks over at Bentley.

Bentley R-Type Concept originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 31 August 2010 18:00 EST.

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Tata Motors has confirmed that there will be three new models developed for Jaguar: a small sports car, an entry-level sedan, and a station wagon. They will be the first new vehicles to be fully developed under Tata since they purchased Jaguar from Ford a few years ago. The only problem is Tata won’t be getting these three ready for several years. Their plans are to focus on the XJ for now, and reveal the three new models plus restylings of a couple of current models between now and 2014.

The first new model to be released under Tata is a new generation X-Type. This will be a small sedan priced under $40k that will compete with models like the BMW 3-Series and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The platform and architecture will be shared with the next-generation XK coupe and convertible and a new small 2+2 sports car. It could go on sale in 2014.

After that we will see the long rumored small sports car. This model is supposed to be called the XE, and it will be taking on models like the Porsche Boxster.

Following the XE will be the XF, which will be redesigned in 2014. Not only will this car be offered in a standard sedan, but Jaguar will also be offering a long-wheelbase version for China and a station wagon for Europe. A coupe is possible in 2013 and is likely to be sold in the United States. The XK will also be restyled in 2013.

However, until then, Jaguar will be focusing on the new XJ, hoping to boost sales to 75,000 cars.

That’s the future, in a large nutshell.

Jaguar confirms three new models originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 30 August 2010 23:00 EST.

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Transformers 3 is currently filming in Chicago, and when you are in the right place at the right time, you sometimes get the chance to see things such as this.

In these video you will see a Corvette Stingray Convertible Concept, a Mercedes-Benz E-Class, a Ferrari 458 Italia (no, it’s not on fire), some NASCAR vehicles, and a new, upgraded Bumblebee Camaro. If that isn’t enough to get the testosterone flaring, then we might as well let you know that there is also racing, shootings, and a few fights! Hopefully this is enough to make you forget that the beautiful Megan Fox will not be returning to Transformers for this edition.

Transformers 3 will be out in theaters starting July 1st, 2011, so we’ll have to wait about a year to see these beauties in action, but we’ll keep our eyes out for any trailers or pictures that will give us an insight on the latest vehicular heroes.

Hit the jump because there is a lot more to see!

Videos: Transformers 3 in Chicago originally appeared on topspeed.com on Sunday, 29 August 2010 12:00 EST.

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Back in 2006, Korean car manufacturer Kia pulled a masterstroke: It nabbed former Audi design chief Peter Schreyer from Volkswagen AG. Now that four years have passed, Schreyer’s influence on Kia’s design teams can been seen in a lineup of elegant cars. In this article we will take a look at what to expect from Kia over the next few years.

Already on the road is the new 2011 Kia Sportage, and it presents a vastly more elegant look than the preceding model. Besides dripping with style, the Sportage is dripping with available features like a navigation system with Sirius traffic data, LED daytime running lights, heated and ventilated front seats, backup sensors, rearview camera, a panoramic sunroof, and push-button start. The standard 176HP engine will be joined by a turbo offering in the not so distant future.

Next up is the 2011 Kia Optima sedan. Dramatic styling propels this mid-sizer into the big leagues. Like its sister, the Hyundai Sonata, look for naturally aspirated, turbo, and hybrid variants. A configurator is already online for those of you who want to play with the sedan a little early. Could other Optima body styles such as a wagon or coupe be in the wings?

Hit the jump for the full read.

Kia Keeps ‘Em Coming With Swoopy Future Models originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 25 August 2010 02:00 EST.

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UnderGround Racing has put together two of the most powerful supercars for a little one on one racing action. The participants are a standard Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera and an Underground Racing creation: a twin turbo Ferrari F430 Spider.

The Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera weighs in at around 154 pounds less than the Gallardo LP 560-4. The 5.2 liter V10 engine delivers an incredible 570 hp. The result is a sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, from 0 to 124 mph in only 10.2 seconds later, and a top speed that goes up to 202 mph. That’s more than impressive, right?

But wait! Its opponent, the Ferrari F430 is even more impressive. With the addition of a turbo system with modified engine it delivers an impressive 750 HP on standard fuel and 1000 HP on race fuel. So, who do you think will win the competition?

Video: Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera vs. F430 Spider twin turbo originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 20 August 2010 22:00 EST.

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We don’t talk about Infiniti all too often here on TopSpeed, but lately they have been part of our news due to their new Infiniti Performance Line (IPL) and the fact that they will be debuting two new M-based models at the Pebble Beach Concours. Now we get to talk about them for a different reason. Infiniti is now ready to introduce the technological advancements in the M35h that they have been discussing for quite some time: world-first steering and braking technologies. These technologies will be ready to roll when the car goes on sale in the USA and Europe in 2011.

The Infiniti M35H will be powered by a hybrid drive system that combines a naturally-aspirated 3.5-liter V6 engine with a 68 HP electric motor mated to a 7-speed Adaptive Shift Control (ASC) automatic transmission. The motor directly operates the brakes using a system called the Electric Driven Intelligent Brake. This system works by allowing the motor to charge the battery when the driver applies the brake. The steering is also unique in the M35h because it is part hydraulic and part electric. The electric portion kicks in when the wheel is turned which boosts efficiency. Both of these technologies may be found in all future Infiniti Direct Response Hybrid vehicles due to their simplicity and effectiveness.

Press release after the jump.

Infiniti M35h originally appeared on topspeed.com on Friday, 13 August 2010 21:00 EST.

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The Lancia Stratos that we saw driving around keeps getting more interesting every day. Many thought that this was just a one-off car built for some rich person with way too much money to spend. This might not be true after all, as Car and Driver has done some research.

This car was said to be in the works for years and Jason Castriota designed it when he worked for Pininfarina. The website, Italiaspeed, has a sketch of the Stratos with a different front end that is signed by the designer. If this drawing is accurate, it could mean big things for Lancia.

Lancia has come back with rebadged Chryslers – which isn’t going to work – and they haven’t been very good. This new Stratos could give the company the car it needs to get back on the world stage. We truly hope that this information is accurate because the car looks sensational.

Lancia Stratos Might Not Be A One-Off originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 10 August 2010 23:00 EST.

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