Toyota’s premium mark Lexus has announced that its LF-A super car concept will participate at the 36th annual Nürburgring 24 Hour endurance race that will be run from May 22-25 at the famous circuit in Germany. Since the LF-A is not a thoroughbred race car, it will only feature the necessary safety modifications to meet racing regulations, including a roll cage and fuel tank.

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The Wiesmann GT has been on sale for almost three years now and in that time there have been very little changes to the car’s specifications, except for the introduction of the M5-powered MF5 last year. That’s set to change as the German niche sports carmaker is planning to launch open top roadster versions of its current MF4 GT and high-performance MF5.

The new models are strictly limited for sale in Europe but with production expected to increase to 350 units annually (Wiesmann will build 250 cars this year) there’s hope more exports will start. At the end of the year the first RHD versions will be delivered to the UK, reports AutoWeek.

The MF4 continues to run BMW’s 362hp (270kW) 4.8L V8 engine while the MF5 newcomer packs the potent 5.0L V10 from the M5/M6. Weighing just 1,250kg, the Wiesmann GT MF5 will sprint from 0-100km/h in just over four seconds and reach a top speed in excess of 280km/h.

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Is it possible to have a classic car with modern mechanics and behavior? The Bentley S3 E Design Concept has already proven it is, but there is at least one more example of that possibility, and a more original one: the Creative Workshop Sport Speciale. It is a pity it is a one-of-a-kind vehicle, and it already has its owners, Barry and Lynn Smith, from Scottsdale.

Look at these pictures and tell us if this automobile doesn’t seem to have just left one of the 1950’s classic competitions Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss used to show their talents on. Well, if it was, talent would not be the only thing these fantastic pilots would have in their favour. They would also count on a modern fuel-injected BMW V12 delivering 451 hp, guided by a six-speed transmition, and 1,012 kg to carry (45% over the front axle and 55% over the rear axle), considering only the car.

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Long gone are the days when Bentley was just a cheap Rolls Royce. These days the luxury marque owned by Volkswagen is selling thousands of cars per year, mostly in the US to you-know-who…

Not known for their frugality at the petrol pumps, Bentleys typically use only V8s and V12s to power their cars, featuring mainly superchargers as the protagonists in their quest for performance. The supercharger has been a Bentley trademark since the late 1920s. In 2012 however, things may change for Bentley as it strives to cut major emissions by then to 120 g/km of CO2 for every model in the range.

Consider that an Audi A3 1.9 TDI, BMW 118D and Fiat 500 1.2 Pop all come in at 119 g/km. Bentley says this goal is on a well-to-wheel basis, and that performance will not be affected by the new strategy. New “green” engines are the key to this, engines that will use renewable flex-fuels.

“By preparing our engines at an early stage for these fuels,” said Bentley CE Dr Franz-Josef Paefgen, “we believe we will help accelerate their adoption, as the supply and market for them develop. Taken together, the measures we are announcing will make the entire Bentley fleet capable of delivering less that 120 g/km by 2012.”

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Suzuki plans to debut the latest in its Kizashi series of design concepts at the New York Auto Show in March. The Concept Kizashi 3 is an upscale sports sedan, and based on early sketches released by Suzuki, could be close to production. The Concept Kizashi 3 will be joined on the New York stand by the Concept Kizashi and Concept Kizashi 2. It will be the first North American appearance for the Kizashi concept series.

Inspired by the theme of a "dynamic athlete in motion," the Kizashi concepts hint at a new design language for Suzuki's automotive lineup. With the recent introduction of the Equator pickup truck, Suzuki has hinted strongly at plans to expand the lineup further with a flagship luxury sedan. Could the Concept Kizashi 3 be it? We'll find out in a couple of weeks.

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Although Mercedes certainly does not have the cleanest luxury vehicles on the road, the company has announced a set of improvements for its spring line-up of cars and claims that, in some cases, the new models burn up to 10 percent less fuel while pumping out more power.

Not every model has increased mpg numbers. In the case of the V6 SL 350, the engine output increased to 316 HP (up by 16 percent) but fuel consumption is 1.1 mpg lower, down to 28.5 mpg (Imperial, about 24 mpg U.S.). For the 8-cylinder SL 500 and the 12-cylinder SL 600, Mercedes has announced the same improvement.

For the SLK 350, the V6 increased the HP figures up to 305, while delivering 30.7 mpg (25 mpg U.S.), which is down 2.7 mpg. There's a SLK 200 Kompressor delivering the best mileage, 36.7 mpg (30.5 mpg U.S.) of the range. Then there's a larger SLK 280 good for 31.4 mpg (26 mpg U.S.) and the outrageous S55 AMG.

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A new, small sub-Lacrosse Buick luxury sedan could fit the bill to meet future federal regulations requiring an average fuel economy of 35 mpg by 2020. If given the go-ahead, General Motors would build the new car based on the upcoming Buick Excelle, itself set to debut in China by early 2009 and thought to look like the car you see above. The Excelle is a small, Toyota Corolla-sized sedan that will be manufactured on GM's new global rear-wheel drive Alpha architecture developed out of Germany. If General Motors decides to proceed with the plan, executives will have to determine what North American plant gets to build it, but its proclivity to be driven by its rear wheels should set the small car apart in a sea of FWD compact sedans.

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After months of the European Commission blocking French government subsidies to fund research into diesel-hybrids, PSA Peugeot Citroen is shifting its focus from mass-market hybrid diesels to diesel-hybrids made for high-end premium vehicles according to reports in the French media.

While vehicles such as the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight focus on mass-production vehicles that are affordable to a large market, PSA Peugeot Citroen’s move makes sense as small cars are already quite efficient with stand alone diesel engines while heavier premium vehicles still rely on powerful petrol engines to provide performance. Because of this shift in focus, delays to the release of hybrid-diesels from the manufacturer are likely. Previously PSA was working with automotive technology companies such as Continental and Bosch on a hybrid-diesel that would have been placed in the Peugeot 308 for a 2010 release but this deadline will no longer be met. To show it was serious about this technology, the company even produced a concept car based on its popular 308 model.

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If you can’t stand the heat, as the saying goes, leave the kitchen. In this case, better call Webasto. Possibly what some might label a very boring company – let’s face it, car roofs and air conditioning systems aren’t exactly fire under our bellies – yet Webasto is the leader in roof mechanisms for some of the world’s most stylish convertibles. They are behind MINI’s innovative convertible roof, as well as VW’s quiet 5-piece Eos hard-top, with all those complex hydraulic systems.

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It may not seem it, but it's been 10 years since Volkswagen bought Bentley - 10 years in which the Crewe factory has been transformed from the antediluvian (it started life building Merlin aero-engines) to a truly modern manufacturing facility; and 10 years in which the all-new Continental series of cars has been designed, engineered and built, transforming Bentley's fortunes, profits and production numbers. Five years ago barely 1,000 Bentleys were being made per year: last year just over 10,000 were assembled on the site. It has also, of course, won the Le Mans 24 hour race.

But in this era when most Bentleys are built more quickly and sold more cheaply than ever before, for a small number of die-hard traditionalists it is reassuring to know that some things at Bentley never change. Leather is still stitched by rows of ladies with sewing machines, woodworking skills are still handed down from parent to child. Walk about in Crewe and you'll not just see robots, lasers and computers - you'll see chisels, lathes and hammers too. And, for just a few very monied individuals, a small number of old school Bentleys are still painstakingly constructed over a period of several months. This, the Bentley Brooklands, is the newest and best of the lot.

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The Lamborghini Gallardo has been around in its current guise without any major facelifts since its launch in 2003. The car still looks dramatic and modern and has aged well, but parent company Audi has been feverishly working away at the Gallardo’s V10 and in various forms has been implanting it into its A8 and A6 models with resounding success. Could a revised V10 find its way into the heart of Gallardo for Geneva?

The Superleggera edition brought with it lower weight and a tweaked 5.0 L V10 that produced around 522bhp but this was more of a special edition rather than a thoroughly re-worked model. We understand that Lamborghini may be preparing a LP550 version of the Gallardo which would use a 5.2 L FSI version of the V10 to produce somewhere in the region of, you guessed it, 550bhp, up on the standard car’s 520bhp. It would back this up with an improved torque figure of 530Nm verses the standard car’s 510Nm.

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After 20 years of existence, Infiniti will venture into the toughest luxury market in the world, Western Europe. To celebrate its entrance into the world of BMW, Mercedes and Audi, Infiniti will stage the debut of the second-generation of the FX crossover.

Infiniti said that it will also unveil the rest of its lineup of performance cars, including the G Sedan, G Coupe and the new Infiniti EX. All Infiniti models will be launched in Europe starting October 2008.

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Fisker surprised many at last month’s Detroit Auto Show when it revealed its striking Karma luxury plug-in hybrid sedan was headed for production and a 2009 launch. Here was a small coachbuilder promising to deliver a plug-in hybrid vehicle at least one year before heavyweights like Toyota and GM could. Now it plans to add to its arsenal by launching a two-door, four-seat convertible model as well.

The information comes from Fisker founder Henrik Fisker, who spoke recently at a J.D. Power event. Fisker showed a photo of the car with the label ‘top secret’ marked across it, reports Automotive News. Fisker definitely has some ambitious plans. Not only does it want to become a fully fledged carmaker (its current lineup includes a range of re-skinned BMW and Mercedes models) but it plans to expand sales into Europe for the first time next year and there could be more markets to follow.

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We discovered the weird looking Chrysler 300C Hollywood limo “hiding” somewhere between Chrysler’s main stand and Jeep’s indoor 4x4 test course. We don’t have any official information on the car other than it was also seen at the Detroit Show last month.

Apart form the longer wheelbase that helps the two rear passengers stretch their legs into infinity, the 300C Hollywood limo also features a partially exposed cabin over the driver and his companion. Thing is, while the rear cabin is enclosed, there’s no cover for the front passengers who are left to deal with whatever mother nature has in store for them.

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Faulty economy or not, top-end luxury purchases are on the rise, and the new owners of Aston Martin are looking to capitalize on the trend. Plans are in place to increase Aston production from 7,000 units in 2007 up to 8,000 in 2008, but the top-luxury automaker's new owners want more. DAR (owns 50% of Aston) business development manager Adham Charanoglu has met recently with Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Daimler with regards to leveraging the Aston Martin brand with high end luxury products. While increasing merchandising revenue from $100m to up to $300m by whoring out the Aston name is nothing to sneeze at, we're mostly interested in the British automaker's conversations with Mercedes.

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