2011 Ford Mondeo Facelift Premieres in Moscow, 50 High-Res Photos

In another sign of the growing importance of the Russian market, Ford chose the 2010 Moscow International Auto Show for the world premiere of its facelifted Mondeo series that rivals the likes of the Opel Insignia [ Buick Regal in the States], Mazda6 and Citroen C5. Ford provided initial details and photos of the updated Mondeo back in June, but now we have the 'Full Monty' including a comprehensive image gallery with the first shots of the revised interior. On the outside, all three body styles (four-door sedan, five-door liftback and estate) of the 2011 Mondeo gain a restyled front bumper with larger lower trapezoidal and slimmer upper grilles, LED daytime running lights, a revised bonnet profile and re-designed, LED tail lamps.

Lotus reveals Supercharged Evora S with 350HP and clutchless Evora IPS before Paris

Now that the somewhat docile Moscow motor show is out of our minds, what everyone should be looking forward to is the epic design-fest that is the Paris Motor Show. While I'm definitely looking forward to Citroen's usual insanity, there will be "normal" cars there, too. Take, for instance, these 'Loti'. The performance model is simply called the Lotus Evora S, and it doesn't have nearly enough old-school Lotus graphics for my taste. However, what it lacks in vintage what-what, it makes up for with that big, curvy letter which signifies the car's supercharged status. With the blower on top of its Toyota-sourced (i.e. fairly reliable) 3.5 liter V6, its puts down a very Esprit-esque 350-horses.

All about the home-grown: Canadian company teases Cannabis-bodied electric car

Sure, electric cars are neat, but what if we could take the level of green-ness to an all-time high? Alberta-based Motive Industries... (exhale)... recently announced that it has created an electric vehicle called the Kestrel which has a "bio-composite" body made from hemp mats. The mats are sourced from Alberta Innovates Technology Futures, a company which processes hemp grown in, you guessed it, Alberta, Canada. Motive CEO Nathan Armstrong says, "We saw a unique opportunity to make significant advancements in the automotive sector and support the Canadian auto sector by providing sustainable products and opportunities to create new green manufacturing jobs." Armstrong goes on to explain why hemp is "the best": it doesn't need a lot of water and pesticides, it can grow in Canada's climate, and "it's illegal to grow it in the US, so it actually gives Canada a bit of a market advantage.

What the Pruck? Toyota Prius and Subaru Baja form kinky bond

This is what happens when you have a Toyota Prius with rear end damage, a Subaru Baja (pickup truck version of the Outback) with front end damage, a lot of free time, and a very weird sense of aesthetics - or a sick sense of humor. This freak-o-mobile is the creation of a salvage Prius cars and parts company called "Auto Be Yours" located in Scottsburg, Indiana. And yes, the name given to the Baja-tized Prius is Pruck. If by any sheer ridiculous chance you're interested, the Pruck is up for sale for somewhere around "mid $20k". Skip the jump for more photos. Link: Autobeyours, Via: Cardomain Copyright © Carscoop.blogspot.com - All Rights Reserved

Worldwide demand spurs Audi to expand A1's sales market everywhere except the US and China for now

Come 2011, Audi will offer the A1 outside of Europe due to a significant amount of worldwide demand. To be precise, the A1's dedicated website attracted more than 150, 000 interested customers from all four corners of the world. The German company had previously expected average production volumes of 100, 000 A1 units per year, primarily for the European market at first. Sales chief Peter Schwarzenbauer said that Audi will "expand [the Audi A1's] production capacities by 20 percent", pushing hard at the market owned by cars like BMW's Mini Cooper (because, sadly, Mercedes has yet to make a small car that actually competes in this segment). "Reports from our international dealers show us that interest in the A1 is exceeding our expectations considerably, " said Schwarzenbauer in a statement released by Audi.

Ford and Mazda buddy up and invest US 350 Million in Thailand plant for new pickup trucks

Longtime partners Ford Motor Co. and Mazda plan to invest US$350 million in their AutoAlliance (AAT) plant in Thailand to support the production of the next generation of the Ford Ranger and Mazda B-Series compact pickup trucks, which are scheduled to be launched in the middle of 2011. The investment will go to plant upgrades and supplier tooling. "This new investment in AAT reinforces Ford Motor Company's long-term commitment to Thailand as a strategic manufacturing base for our global operations, " said Joe Hinrichs, President of Ford Motor Company, Asia Pacific and Africa. "The new investment means that AAT will continue to be a global center of excellence for the production of both brands' compact pickup trucks, and play an important role in Mazda's global strategy, " said Masaharu Yamaki, Mazda's representative director, executive vice president, assistant to the president, with oversight of R&D, Production, Purchasing and Quality [yes, that's his official job title.

2011 Honda Inspire: Small styling changes and a forest's worth of wood for JDM Accord

Hot on the heels of the presentation of the updated 2011 Accord sedan and coupe models for North America, Honda today released the refreshed JDM version of the saloon that goes by the name Inspire in Japan. Since the Inspire already featured the 2011 Accord's reflector extensions at the back, Honda focused its attention on the front end that receives the same treatment with new grille and bumper designs as the American model. The JDM car also gets newly styled 17-inch alloy wheels. In the cabin, it looks like Honda killed a forest to trim out the car's interior with wood (or faux wood) accents making an appearance on the steering wheel, the center, lower and rear consoles, door panels - you get the idea.

Senner Tuning launches first round of upgrades for Audi A1

German firm Senner Tuning has released a new line of styling and performance enhancements for the freshly introduced Audi A1 supermini with the 1.6 TDI diesel engine. The tuner starts by massaging the 1.6-liter diesel with a recalibrated ECU, boosting output from 105HP to 140HP. Peak torque also climbs from 250Nm to 310Nm. A new sports exhaust system with a pair of 90 mm tail pipes and an upgraded KW suspension kit is also part of the package, while the car's stance is made more aggressive with a set of 18-inch Barracuda Voltec T6 light alloy wheels wrapped in 225/35 R18 Hankook S1 rubber. The inside can also be revamped with numerous trim options and custom leather upholstery. Copyright ©

Hyundai Shows Russian Market Sonata Sedan in Moscow

Hyundai today introduced the local market version of its new Sonata sedan at the Moscow motor show. While there are no styling changes over the Sonata offered here in the States, the mid-size sedan will be sold in Russia with a different engine lineup that includes a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated petrol producing 150HP and 198Nm of torque, and a 2.4-liter four-banger rated at 178-horsepower and 228Nm ( in the U.S., the same Theta II unit delivers 196HP). Both engines are paired with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, with a six-speed automatic transmission with SHIFTRONIC manual control offered as an option. Depending on the trim level, the added specifications of the Russian-market Sonata include ESP, foot parking brake, amplitude selective dampers and rear heated seats.

Heico Sportiv works over the 2011 Volvo S60, Offers Power Boost for 2.0T and T6 Models

We've already had a first look at Heico Sportiv's package of goodies for the all-new 2011 Volvo S60, but the German company finally released a full set of photos and details surrounding its tuning program that includes styling and performance enhancements for the Swedish sedan. Heico Sportive starts by upgrading the S60's exterior with a two-piece front spoiler, a rear diffuser that's optionally available with carbon fiber inlays and a discreet boot lid spoiler. The sedan is also lowered and fitted with sport springs, a four-tail pipe sport exhaust system and 18- or 20-inch inch alloy rims wrapped in low-profile rubber. Interior options are limited to aluminum pedal set, footrest and gear shift knob.