Hyundai Elantra

Were we the betting type, we’d put money on looming CAFE standards as the single biggest issue to keep auto execs awake at night. Organizations from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration to the California Air Resource Board and the Environmental Protection Agency have all made noise about increasing corporate average fuel economy standards to lofty figures that reside anywhere between 47 and 62 mpg in around 14 years – a blink of an eye in terms of product development. If you’ve been wondering why manufacturers continue to roll out a bevy of fuel-efficient, economical vehicles despite relatively stable fuel prices and luke-warm demand, wonder no more.

Hyundai, with its small-engined fleet of fuel-savvy bruisers, seems downright giddy at the news. The Korean manufacturer has announced that by the time 2025 rolls around, the company will have a corporate average fuel economy of 50 mpg. The groundwork for that dramatic increase is being laid right now with vehicles like the Sonata Hybrid and the most recent addition to the Hyundai stable, the 2011 Elantra.

The last-generation Elantra debuted four short years ago, but in meantime competition in the American small-car market has increased by leaps and bounds. Additions like the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze and the upcoming2012 Ford Focus have proven that domestic manufacturers are just as serious about producing compact, high-quality vehicles with excellent fuel economy as the long-reigning titans of the segment from Honda and Toyota. With its 40 mpg highway, stylish exterior and excellent drivetrain, the 2011 Hyundai Elantra is set to put the rest of the segment on notice.

Porsche making its return to Detroit show with ‘spectacular’ supercar

It’s been nearly four years since Porsche pulled out of the Detroit Auto Show, but next month the German automaker is coming back to Motor City and will mark its return with an all-new concept.

Porsche spokesperson Hans-Gerd Bode told Bloomberg in a recent interview that the automaker will “have something spectacular to show,” but failed to go into detail.

Early reports indicate the automaker will debut a supercar concept, possibly a new iteration of the 918 Spyder that debuted at the Geneva Motor Show this past March. The concept could be based on a more production-ready version of the 918′s platform and possibly pack a conventional powertrain rather than the hybrid drivetrain fitted to the original concept.

Porsche’s return to Detroit comes amidst the Volkswagen Group’s expanded marketing push in the States, with the sports car maker joining VAG’s other brands, including Audi and Bentley.

Volvo to downsize engines in 2013; ponders diesel for U.S.

Engine downsizing is considered an effective method for reducing emissions and improving fuel efficiency and that’s precisely why many automakers have developed smaller mills to replace older, larger motors. Kia,Volkswagen, Fiat, Audi and many others already announced their intentions to introduce downsized enginesin upcoming models. We can now add Volvo to the ranks of automakers developing new low-displacement powerplants.

According to Autocar, Volvo plans to introduce downsized gas- and diesel-fueled engines across its model range beginning in 2013. The automaker is also eying the addition of clean diesels that displace less than two liters – including a 1.6-liter engine that puts out 113 horsepower – and is even discussing the possibility of importing oil burners here to the States. Volvo’s Chief Executive Officer, Stefan Jacoby, tells Autocar that the company is “taking a deep look at whether it will introduce the diesels to the U.S.,” though nothing has been decided yet.

What do you think – would bringing over a range of diesels help improve Volvo’s fortunes in the States?

Opel debuts 53-mpg Corsa ecoFLEX at Bologna Motor Show

Opel’s upcoming 2011 Corsa ecoFlex model, powered by a 1.3-liter CDTI turbodiesel, boasts an impressive fuel economy rating of 53 miles per gallon (U.S.) and an equally noteworthy CO2 emissions of 98 grams per kilometer. Credit the 95-horsepower, 140-pound-foot engine; stop-start technology; and an optimized five-speed transmission with taller gearing for the ecoFLEX model’s fuel-sipping status.

The Corsa ecoFLEX accelerates from 0-62 miles per hour in 12.3 seconds and hits a top speed of 110 mph. That won’t exactly light the pavement on fire, but it’s 28 percent more powerful and ten percent more fuel efficient than the model it replaces. Despite the ecoFLEX’s impressive numbers, the VW Polo BlueMotion – a competing model in Europe – is slightly more fuel efficient; returning 59.4 mpg (U.S.) and emitting 87 g/km of CO2.

The Corsa ecoFLEX made its debut at the Bologna Motor Show on December 4. To read more, check out the official press release after the jump.

Toyota Etios joins India’s B-car ranks

Toyota will officially join the Indian B-car segment with this, the 2011 Etios sedan. A hatchback version, Etios Liva, will follow in April. While the styling is decidedly sedate, Toyota hopes to attract shoppers with the Etios’ low price point – 496,000 Rupees, or just under $11,000 USD based on current exchange rates.

Power comes from a 1.5-liter inline-four mated to a five-speed manual transmission. Tuned specifically for fuel efficiency, athe engine produces just 89 horsepower and 97 pound-feet of torque. The Etios is capable of achieving 17.6 kilometers per liter, or roughly 41.2 miles per gallon.

Inside, the relatively spartan interior uses a center-mounted instrument panel, and amenities like steering-mounted audio controls and red seat inserts are available in the more upmarket models. The Etios is offered in four trim levels – J, G, V and VX – with pricing as high as 686,000 Rupees (roughly $15,287) for the top-tier Etios VX.

Hit the jump for Toyota’s official press release, and scan through the gallery below to see high-res images of the India-only Etios.

Top Gear Award winners announced

As we said before, it’s that time when everyone starts rolling out their year-end “Best of” lists and revisits their favorite rides of 2010. Top Gear is in on the action, naming its annual award winners. Its list, as you can see, is diverse and loaded with forbidden fruit (at least for those of us in the U.S.)

• Hypercar of the Year: Koenigsegg Agera
• Cabrio of the Year: Maserati GranCabrio
• Grand Tourer of the Year: Bentley Continental GT
• Hot Hatch of the Year: Volkswagen Golf R
• Family Car of the Year: BMW 520d Touring
• Engine of the Year: Fiat TwinAir
• Coupe of the Year: Peugot RCZ
• Luxury Car of the Year: Jaguar XJ
• Small Car of the Year and Car of the Year: Citroen DS3

Besides the standard categories, the three hosts also picked their favorites of 2010. Jeremy Clarkson is in love with the Pagani Zonda R, James May goes with the Bugatti Veyron Supersport and Richard Hammond is quite fond of the Porsche 911 GT2 RS.

Though we’ve given you the list, it’s still worth a trip over to the Top Gear website to read the reasons behind each choice.

Brabus claims the world’s fastest, most powerful sedan with new SV12 R Biturbo 800

Mercedes-Benz is no stranger to wickedly powerful and insanely fast luxury sedans. After all, its AMG models are among the fastest and most powerful on the market. Leave it to specialty Benz tuner Brabus, then, to take it the extra mile… and then some.

The freshly unveiled Brabus SV12 R Biturbo 800 claims the mantle as both the fastest and most powerful sedan on offer. To get there, the German tuner has tweaked the 5.5-liter V12 from the S600 to 6.3 liters, fitted a new crankshaft, camshafts, cylinder heads, air intake, exhaust, turbochargers, quad interoolers and bigger pistons, and of course, remapped the ECU. The result is a massive 788 horsepower (800 in metric form, hence the name) and 1,047 pound-feet of torque. The twist is so massive, however, that Brabus had to electronically limit it to 811 lb-ft. Don’t worry – performance hasn’t been hindered. 0 to 62 sprints are managed in just 3.9 seconds and its Autobahn-devouring top speed is electronically limited to just 217 miles per hour.

Bigger brakes help keep the beast under control, as well as a new limited-slip differential. A full aero kit and upgraded rolling stock are on hand, as well, completing the “we mean business” look. Check it out for yourself in the gallery below, and hit the jump for Brabus’ official release.

Report: Washington to require that ‘quiet’ cars get alert sounds

Hands down, one of the few pleasures of driving a hybrid is cruising around in all-electric mode. There’s just something that’s undeniably cool about silently whisking along, but if a new auto safety bill makes its way into law, we can kiss even that one pleasure goodbye. A coalition of automotive manufacturers and advocacy groups for the blind have joined forces to make sure that silent-running vehicles will make more noise in the future. The logic is that the blind and other pedestrians are at risk of being struck by quiet hybrids and EVs. We can’t really argue with that one.

If passed, the bill would have the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration propose regulations for an “alert sound” within a year and a half, and finalize the rules within three years. Drivers would not be able to turn off the noise. So far, there’s no word as to how loud the noise would be or what it will sound like, but the technology already exists to make that sound signature variable – concept cars like the Brabus Smart High Voltage EV shown above can simulate the sound of everything from a buzzing bee to a good ol’ American V8 with hidden speakers inside and outside of the vehicle, with the sound varying according to engine speed. If we absolutely have to be making a racket while we drive on all-electric power, we vote for sounding like George Jetson’s daily commuter, but we’re not exactly crazy about user-selectable EV ‘ringtones,’ lest one’s daily commute become an auditory assalt of Star Wars Tie Fighters and clydesdales.

Infiniti FX50 S Dressed Up in Styling Package by Brabus' CRD Division

Here’s a proposal from this year’s Frankfurt Show that somehow managed to escape our radar. Supposedly a concept study, the Infiniti FX50 S Limited Edition was created by Car Research and Development or CRD for short, a subsidiary of the Brabus Group that works directly with automakers and their national importers. Among other cars, CRD was responsible (…) for the creation of the Dodge Avenger-based Startech Starster that appeared at the 2007 Frankfurt Show.

The Infiniti FX50 S Limited Edition show car gets a set of bespoke 21-inch turbine-design light-alloy wheels in a grey finish, while the front grille, side air inlets in the front fenders and the roof bars are also painted grey.

The luxury SUV’s cabin is upholstered in high-quality leather with contrasting light brown stitching while the carbon-fiber trim in a dark brown finish and the alcantara trim on the headliner and pillars round off the interior upgrades.

And yes, we too are wondering why Brabus / CRD even bothered to call this creation a concept study…

Citroën DS4 Racing hybrid set to take on Audi S3?

In its quest to take on the lucrative premium compact segment, Citroën has been unrelenting with the release of the its higher-end DS line. The DS4 was just unveiled in Paris, and now reports indicate that the French automaker plans to take on the likes of the Audi S3 and Volkswagen Golf R with a new performance-oriented version of the high hatch.

The kicker is that, according to recurring reports, the Citroën DS4 Racing is tipped to go hybrid, following the likes of the Honda CR-Z and Lexus CT200h. A 95-horsepower electric motor would be mated to the car’s 200-horsepower turbo four, in either a Hybrid4-sytle all-wheel drive setup or as a front-driver using the system being developed with BMW. Sounds enticing, but hybrid or not, the DS4 Racing isn’t expected before 2013

Report: Citroën to build Metropolis concept flagship

The beauty of an automaker entering a completely new market like China is the ability to completely redefine what the brand stands for to local buyers. In the case of France’s Citroën, they’re going decidedly upmarket, but instead of taking baby steps like turning its C3 econo-hatch into the DS3 premium hatch, the French automaker can start completely from scratch.

According to reports from Europe and China, parent company PSA/Peugeot-Citroën is planning on jump-starting its Asian operations by building a production version of its Metropolis concept, the first design carried out at the company’s Shanghai-based design team. Unveiled there in May, the Metropolis stands for the Double Chevron’s vision of what the marque could be to upscale Chinese buyers.

In production form, the Metropolis is anticipated to carry the DS9 nameplate, topping the DS range with an executive limousine that looks like the size of China itself. While the concept featured a compact V6 mated to an electric motor and seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, the production version could carry any powertrain, likely nestled into a modified platform borrowed from the outgoing Citroën C6 and Peugeot 407. The DS9 looks poised to be built at the joint-venture facility announced last July with Changan Automobile Group. Whether it will ever make it outside of China, of course, remains to be seen.

Paris Preview: Citroën puts un peu d’air sur terre with Lacoste concept

French couture, as is widely known, is at the very height of fashion. French cars, well…less so. But Citroënis hard at work to fix that and capitalize on potential synergies within its own homeland. Its new DS line of premium vehicles is doing much to bridge that gap, as are concepts like the Metropolis and theGQbyCitroën. Now the French automaker has teamed up with a sportswear powerhouse to develop a new show car set to debut on its home turf in Paris next week.

The product of collaboration with tennis-wear giant Lacoste, Citroën’s latest concept takes the alligator brand’s slogan “un peu d’air sur terre” (“a little air on the ground”) to heart with an open buggy-like design ready to, according to Citroën, transports its “passengers to a lighter, fresher world.” And what does that entail, exactly? No roof, no doors and a collapsible windshield, apparently, taking cues from classic Jeeps, but in a more, how you say, avant garde form.

Powering those jumbo golf-ball wheels is a compact three-cylinder gasoline engine that Citroen figures should be plenty to propel the compact vehicle along in joie de vivre bliss. Beyond that, we’ll let the French designers’ work speak for itself, so take a stroll through the Louvre-like gallery of high-resolution images below for a closer look, or follow the jump for the full press release.

New Citroën Metropolis concept photos released ahead of Shanghai debut

Citroën rarely disappoints when it comes to concept cars. This year, for example, we’ve already gotten theSurvolt and DS High Rider. Its latest effort steps up the luxury in a big way. The Citroën Metropolis concept , set to debut in Shanghai later this month, is a beautiful and very French take on the Maybach formula (whether PSA actually greenlights a production venture into such rarefied air remains to be seen.)

Some of the Metropoplis concept’s lines are similar to those first seen on the GTbyCitroen supercar, but they’re more elegant than outrageous as presented on this opulent saloon. A 460-horsepower hybrid powertrain has our interest piqued as well, but for now we’ll have to keep ourselves content with the photo dump that just hit Citroën’s media site. All the latest images are laid out in the high-resolution gallery below, and we’ve begun counting down to this year’s Paris salon to see what Citroën has in store for us next.

Citroen Survolt Sports Car Concept Debuts at 2010 Geneva Show

[Updated gallery with 'live' photos] A sleek electric sports coupe named ‘Survolt’ was Citroen’s surprise debut at this year’s edition of the Geneva Salon. The low-slung, 3,850 mm long, 1,870 mm wide and 1,200 mm tall concept car combines styling elements from both the ‘GT by Citroen‘ supercar and last year’s Revolte concept studies.

The French automaker did not release any technical details on the Survolt, so the only thing we know about the concept is that it is powered by an electric motor fed by a set of batteries.

And while the chances of a car like the Survolt making into production are slimmer than the return of the Edsel, the concept’s design could inspire the next generation of Citroen’s production cars. Full gallery after the jump.