New BMW M3 In Sedan Form Only, M4 Coupe Coming: Report

The current Coupe variant might be the last time you see the M3 name on a two-door, according to reports out of Europe this week.
Following reports earlier this year that BMW will shift its coupe and cabriolet models to an even-numbered badge (2 Series, 4 Series), Britain's Autocar is reporting that the next M duo will be the M3 Sedan and a new M4 Coupe.

While a new Coupe has yet to arrive - in either 3 or 4 Series guise - the recent unveiling of the 2012 3 Series sedan means that a four-door debut for the next M car could occur in the coming year.
The regular 4 Series Coupe and Cabriolet, built on the same platform as the new 3 Series, are expected to arrive in 2014. The M4 Coupe will supposedly debut in the following six months.
The differences will reportedly go beyond bodystyle and badges, with the M4 expected to be the more hardcore, performance-focused half of the M3 Sedan and M4 Coupe pair.
Both models are expected to utilise a twin-turbo six-cylinder engine, retiring the current 309kW V8 mill and boosting output to around 335kW.

Pictured above: the 2012 3 Series M Sport package.

 
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Mercedes-Benz Bringing Back The Straight Six: Report

More than a decade since the last example in its line-up was retired, Mercedes-Benz is reportedly developing new petrol and diesel straight-six engines.
Mercophiles will remember the carmaker's long history of straight-six powerplants. However, with the phasing out in 1997 of the M104 engine in favour of the M112 V6, rival BMW has become the better-known Euro brand for the straight-six design.
Now, according to Britain's Car magazine, Mercedes is understood to be planning a mid-decade debut for its new straight-six engines, including single- and twin-turbo versions.
The report adds that the arrival of the straight-six engines will signal the end of Mercedes' V6 offerings.
An unnamed source also pointed to a run of turbocharged 4.0 litre V8 engines to replace the larger units - although it is unclear if the still very-new 5.5 litre and 4.6 litre V8 engines will remain on duty.
An entry-level four-cylinder engine for "most" of the brand's large cars is also expected.
With a 2015 debut expected for most of these engines, it's likely that the upcoming 'MLC' SUV will be among the first cars to feature the new powerplants.

Nissan Juke-R Concept Revealed, 358kW On Tap

 Nissan has pulled back the covers on its mental Juke-R concept in Spain this week, and this is the first photo of the GT-R powered crossover.

As reported earlier here at TMR, the R version of the off-the-wall Juke compact SUV is driven by the GT-R's twin-turbo 3.8 litre twin-turbo V6.
In GT-R form, the big turbo six produces 390kW and 612Nm of torque. For the Juke-R, Nissan's engineers have pulled power back to a still impressive 358kW - a good deal more thrust than its normal 1.6 litre engine.
Nissan says it will build two examples of the turbocharged all-wheel-drive Juke-R, one in left-hand-drive and one for the right.

Click here for all the details on the Juke-R concept.

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Lotus dismisses Lexus: Will use homegrown 4.8L V8 for Esprit

Lotus is on the verge of tackling the supercar market with their very own high-powered V8 engine fitted underneath the hood of the future Esprit. The British company has been working on this 4.8L V8 engine at its headquarters in Hethel, Norfolk where engineers have achieved 570 HP at around 9000rpm and 398 lb-ft of torque at a bit higher than 3000rpm.

But that’s not where the story ends. Lotus Chief Technical Officer, Wolf Zimmermann, says this engine can reach up to 630 HP at 9,400 rpm and 424 lb-ft of torque between 5,500 and 6,000rpm. The V8 weighs in at about 375 lbs, which is about 176 lbs lighter than the original 5.0L V8 Lotus was going to borrow from Lexus. The Lexus engine ended up being too heavy so Lotus engineers took to the drawing table to create their own modular engine. This engine will be matched up with a forged aluminum wishbone suspension and electro-hydraulic power steering. The vehicle will be made entirely of aluminum with hopes of not surpassing 3,220 lbs.

Lotus CEO, Dany Bahar, thinks the future Esprit will be a new icon. He states, "There’s a fine balance in acknowledging the greatness of the past while rapidly leaping forward to the future and ensuring that this car not only does the name Esprit justice but also the Lotus brand.

"I think we’ve managed to find the balance. The design is aggressive. You have to see it to appreciate how low and wide the proportions are, but it still retains a level of dignity, of class and, most of all, exclusivity."

2012 Chevrolet Corvette Carlisle Blue Grand Sport Concept

With the growing number of customized Camaros showing up at the 2011 SEMA Auto Show, it’s nice to see that Chevrolet hasn’t forgotten about their non-muscle sports car. The Corvette will be making its stand in Vegas with the Carlisle Blue Grand Sport Concept, created as a celebration of 30 years of "Corvettes at Carlisle," one of the largest annual Corvette events in North America.

The Carlisle Blue Grand Sport Concept is painted in a very cool Carlisle Blue exterior with exquisite Pearl White full-length racing stripes. This color combination is highlighted with Silver-painted Torque 2 wheels. The Corvette also benefited from carbon fiber front splitter and rockers, a full-width rear spoiler, and a Grand Sport style hood blanket. For the interior, Chevrolet has opted for Ebony/Titanium leather with blue stitching, a new Bose Premium Audio with nine speakers, a USB port and audio jack with iPod integration on the touch screen, and racing pedals.

Performance wasn’t forgotten either. Chevrolet also hooked up the celebratory model with a dual-mode exhaust and Magnetic Selective Ride Control to go with the standard 6.2 Liter 430-hp LS3 V8 engine.

Only a few images were released of the elegant Carlisle Blue Grand Sport Concept, but we’ll make sure to snap a few of our own when we get to the 2011 SEMA Auto Show next week!