2012 Porsche Panamera Turbo S

2012 Porsche Panamera Turbo S

It was inevitable—and reported by us just yesterday—that Porsche would further extend its Panamera range. Just a couple of years after the launch of the Panamera Turbo, Porsche is adding a Turbo S to the lineup by squeezing another 50 hp out of its awesome 4.8-liter, twin-turbo V-8. This model is not exactly a surprise: The Panamera’s V-8 engines are shared with the Cayenne, and the last-generation Cayenne was already offered with a 550-hp variation. (Here's a wild prediction: Porsche will add a new Cayenne Turbo S soon.)

The Panamera is a big and heavy car, but it shines as it thunders down the road at surreal speeds. Modified engine management and improved titanium-aluminum turbochargers enable the aforementioned 550 hp, as well as 553 lb-ft of torque, up from 516 for the regular Turbo. In the chassis’s "Sport" and "Sport Plus" modes, an overboost function increases the twist to a wild 590 lb-ft. The regular Turbo can muster an already-impressive 568 lb-ft under overboost, which is accessed by paying for the Sport Chrono package. This package is standard in the Turbo S.

The added power translates into performance you won't need to complain about: Porsche says 60 mph can be achieved in 3.6 seconds, but we clocked the regular Turbo at 3.3. Figure a tenth or two quicker than that, thanks in large part to the seven-speed dual-clutch PDK automatic, which includes a launch-control function. It is the only available transmission. The company claims a top speed of 190 mph, but based on our testing, the real-world figure will be higher by about 5 mph. If you care, Porsche has no final fuel-economy ratings yet, but it says they will be close to the Turbo’s city/highway figures of 15/23 mpg.

No major changes were made to the chassis, which can be considered supremely competent even among high-performance sedans, but the rear track has been engorged by specific 20-inch Turbo II wheels. Europe gets the option of low-rolling-resistance tires on 19-inch wheels, which increase efficiency—yippee!

The slight performance increase comes at a not-so-slight premium. Porsche is asking for a cool $174,175, as opposed to the $136,275 required for a Panamera Turbo. For that money, you get some of the Turbo’s performance options as standard (Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control, Sport Chrono, etc.), as well as side skirts out of the "Porsche Exclusive" parts bin and the choice of special color combinations. Agate gray metallic is exclusive to the Panamera Turbo S, and inside there are two color combos—black/cream and agate gray/cream—that you can't get on any other Panamera. We predict these color choices will prove to be especially popular among Turbo S customers, who will be eager to point out to their friends exactly what they got for an extra $38K. (It’s worth mentioning that Porsche also offers a $21,000 Power Pack to upgrade your Panamera Turbo to 540 hp, but it doesn’t include all the S goodies.)

The spacious Porsche hatchback remains the second-fastest sedan in the VW Group—the Bentley Continental Flying Spur Speed has a top speed of 200 mph—and that’s not likely to change for a while, at least until the Bugatti Galibier comes to market. And, if anything, it will serve as a nice benchmark for Audi and its upcoming RS6. Is anyone else enjoying VW Group’s high-powered supersedan civil war as much as we are?

2011 Audi A8 4.2 Quattro

2011 Audi A8 4.2 Quattro

The new A8 is the sweetest, most sophisticated executive sedan Audi has ever produced. Audi is also calling it the sportiest A8 yet. At a glance, this may seem a little difficult to digest. It’s hard to equate two-ton curb weights (specifically, 4436 pounds) with sporty—but that’s one of the many pleasant surprises about this thoroughly cultivated conveyance.

Basics: This is the fourth generation of Audi’s premium sedan. Like the other established players in this profitable game—BMW 7-series, Jaguar XJ, Lexus LS460, Mercedes S-class—the latest big Audi has grown bigger. At 117.8 inches, the wheelbase has stretched 1.9 inches, overall length has increased 2.9 (to 202.2), width has expanded 2.1 (to 76.7), and the roofline sits at 57.5, a 0.6-inch increase. If you’re inclined to wear a Panama hat, don’t worry about headroom. Or any other kind of room, for that matter—though we’d hate to spend time perched on the center rear seat, normally covered by a fold-down armrest equipped with cup holders and climate controls.

Audi’s extensive use of aluminum helps keep weight somewhat in check despite the standard all-wheel-drive system. And a slick new ZF eight-speed automatic transmission—plus the addition of 22 ponies to the 4.2-liter, direct-injection V-8—makes the A8 livelier than its curb weight suggests.

The engine’s basic specifications haven’t changed; the gains were achieved by adding Audi’s variable intake-valve-lift system and reducing internal friction. What this produced was a surprising 0-to-60-mph sprint in 5.1 seconds and an equally vigorous quarter-mile in 13.7 at 104 mph. That 0-to-60 time is quicker than even the previous-gen S8’s. That would be the 450-hp, V-10–powered S8.

Equally remarkable, Audi’s powertrain troops have simultaneously achieved an increase in fuel-economy expectations. Standard A8 or long-wheelbase A8L, the EPA ratings are 17 mpg city and 27 highway (21 combined). This compares with 16 and 23, respectively, for the outgoing car and tops the highway ratings of all the big luxosedan offerings from BMW, Jaguar, Lexus, and Mercedes—including hybrids. Only the Mercedes S400 hybrid and the Lexus LS600h come close to the A8’s overall ratings by matching its 21-mpg combined figure.

As usual, in our zeal for exploring every erg of  horsepower, our observed economy—17 mpg—was less impressive, falling right on top of the city projection.

Other elements also stand out. Skidpad grip came in at 0.89 g, thanks to a set of Goodyear 265/40 Eagle F1 Asymmetrics on optional 20-inch alloy wheels. From 70 mph, the A8 stopped in a very respectable 160 feet; its top speed—164 mph—is certainly enough to get you into trouble; and its interior noise levels are low.

As an aside, we must note that the subdued interior decibel level isn’t an entirely good thing. There’s very little V-8 reverb to satisfy your inner outlaw, and, more importantly, the A8 is so smooth that it never seems to be going as fast as it is. (We tried to explain this to a Michigan cop one evening. He said, “Uh-huh, this won’t take long.”)

Anyway, good numbers, but the subjective stuff is even better. The variable-ratio steering, for example. At low speeds, it’s quick—just 2.1 turns lock-to-lock in a parking lot. But as speeds climb toward flat-out, where quick might be too quick, it slows down. Steering weight is just right; accuracy is surgical.

However, where the A8 really justifies Audi’s “sportiest” claim is in its composure on lumpy back roads when the g-loads are coming from odd angles and the pace is brisk. BMW wrote the manual on this—a benchmark blend of compliance and agility. Still, Audi’s adaptive air suspension may have added a new chapter. With its combination of forward-weight bias and all-wheel drive, understeer is still the basic dynamic trait. But the push is mild, the threshold of stability-control intervention is high, and the predictability factor is exceptional. The faster you go, the more level the car’s cornering attitude becomes as it hunkers down and attacks the apexes—all this and supple ride quality, too.

Inside, the new A8 is what we’ve come to expect from Audi—tasteful, elegant, and adjustable to just about any personal dimensions you bring to the supportive leather seats. Even Quasimodo could find a comfortable driving position here, particularly with the optional, 22-way-adjustable seats in our test car. In addition to the endless alterations possible, these heavenly cathedras have five different massaging functions from which to choose. It’s the best automotive rubdown we’ve ever experienced and positively shames the functionality in the vastly more expensive Bentley Flying Spur and Rolls-Royce Ghost found elsewhere in this issue.

As you’d demand of a car in this class, the A8 is packed with all sorts of electronic goodies, including a touch-pad update to Audi’s MMI (Multi Media Interface), allowing the operator to make nav-system entries by scrawling them on the pad with a finger, one letter at a time. The system seems able to recognize cryptic handwriting, and the pad can also be used to activate six radio presets.

About the only thing we found to dislike is the new shift system, which seemed a little balky. However, this is one of those elements, like Jaguar’s dial-a-gear, that becomes a nonissue to owners.

As a piece of rolling sculpture, the new A8 isn’t vastly different from the old one. This is not a bad thing. Despite all that engine protruding beyond the front axle, the proportions are attractive, and the new front end, with its bright horizontal grille bars and festival of LED lights, makes an unmistakable identity statement, one that becomes deliciously sinister after dark. Indeed, the A8 looks best in noir, a fact that’s amplified by the U.S. color palette: It includes nine choices, and three of them are variations of black.

Audi of America was still working out pricing as of this writing—the A8 and A8L won’t appear in showrooms until November—but we’ll chance a base prediction of $80,000 (destination fees included).

This will represent a substantial hike over the current A8—by about $5000. With the various options in our test car, you’re looking at about $95,000. Still, the A8 figures to be competitive versus its German rivals. A 2011 BMW 750i starts at $83,875; the long-wheelbase-only 2010 Mercedes S550 starts at $92,475. And even just shy of $100 large, the A8’s worth it.

2011 Audi A8L W12

2011 Audi A8L W12

Most cars are made to be driven, of course, and there is a select group of vehicles that are made to be driven in—the Rolls-Royce Phantom, the Maybach 62, the Ford Crown Victoria. But beyond that, there exists the infinitesimally small number of cars that have been engineered with both missions in mind, offering dynamic excellence for those twirling the steering wheel and five-star appointments for those occupying the rear seats. The 2011 Audi A8L W-12 is one such vehicle, and it satisfies in almost all aspects.

Length and Luxury

The L in A8L refers to “long wheelbase.” Beyond an extra five inches between the front and rear axles, the regular A8 and the A8L don’t differ much. The forward cabins are identical, and most folks won’t be able to tell the difference from outside without the cars parked next to each other. The range-topping model we drove, with a W-12 engine under the hood, gains some additional chrome on its nose and unique exhaust finishers, but the classy, black-tie look applies equally to short- and long-wheelbase A8s.

Slide into the buttery-soft leather of the back seat, however, and the distinction between A8 and A8L is immediately clear. All five inches of extra wheelbase were given to rear-seat occupants, and whereas the already-roomy A8 makes you feel comfortable and cosseted, the studio-apartment-size rear cabin of the A8L makes you feel high and mighty. A panoramic glass roof adds to the expansive feel, and the A8L W-12 sports a pair of power-adjusting heated rear seats, split by a flowing center console that can be optionally equipped with a fold-out table and fridge. (The A8L 4.2 has a rear bench as standard, with the individual seats being an option.) The chairs can be further outfitted with ventilation and massage, and the final frontier for true titans of industry is the relaxation seat. It’s a rear-passenger-side-only personal spa and business-class airplane seat all rolled into one, with heating, cooling, massage, and a power footrest the folds down from the back of the front-passenger seat. Choosing this seat also adds a smorgasbord of rear-entertainment technology, including two 10.2-inch monitors mounted to the front seatbacks, Bluetooth headphones, a separate DVD drive, a pair of SD card slots, a TV tuner, and an additional MMI controller allowing access to navigation and media functions. Additionally, W-12 customers get MMI “navigation plus” as standard. It features a touchpad on the front center console that can decipher inputs drawn with a fingertip. There’s also a special Google search function for the navigation, as well as the A8L’s ability to be its own Wi-Fi hotspot, turning the car into perhaps the world’s nicest mobile office. (The A8 and the A8L go on sale here in November, but the Wi-Fi connectivity won’t be available until sometime next year after a wireless data provider has been chosen.)

Ride or Drive, You’ll Enjoy It Either Way

The W-12 is exclusive to the long-wheelbase model and is the step-up engine from the base 4.2-liter V-8. Now in its second generation, the W-12 has been revised with an increased cylinder bore and direct fuel injection, the latter of which required reworked cylinder heads. The net result is an additional 50 hp and 33 lb-ft of torque for totals of 500 and 461, respectively. Quattro all-wheel drive is standard on U.S. A8s (for now), as is a new, ZF-supplied eight-speed automatic transmission. The eight-speeder provides almost seamless shifts, and it helps fuel economy, too. The car is rated for 26 mpg on the highway in Europe—impressive, even if the test cycle over there is notoriously optimistic. If asked, the gearbox will even execute an eight-to-two downshift during spirited driving.

The air suspension provides excellent wheel control and delivers a plush ride, and the standard “Audi drive select” keeps unseemly body motions in check. Rotors larger than the base A8’s and six-piston front calipers (versus the 4.2’s two-piston binders) handle the braking, and the setup delivers good feedback through the pedal, making modulation an easy task. Compared with the 12-cylinder competition from Mercedes and BMW, the quiet and velvety smooth W-12 is down on power and torque, but you’d be hard pressed to notice by the seat of your pants. Acceleration is definitely brisk, and there are power and torque available for the taking whenever you want them. The car surges forward when requested even during triple-digit autobahn runs. The A8L isn’t an all-out thoroughbred, of course, but it will definitely dance when asked, a trait enhanced by the extensive use of aluminum throughout—keeping weight down—and by the optional understeer-mitigating, torque-vectoring sport differential.

We had one gripe. In our road test of the A8 4.2, we wrote that the weight of the steering is just right and its accuracy surgical. The same can be said of the W-12’s rack, but we found this car’s steering so sensitive that rotating the wheel merely a touch off-center sent the A8L darting rather uncouthly toward the requested direction. Toggling through the dynamic-steering and adjustable-chassis settings did nothing to alter that feeling; the steering was as sensitive in comfort mode as in any of the sportier settings. It made the car hard to drive smoothly and made some rear passengers motion sick. Although we wouldn’t want the feel and accuracy dulled down, cars in this segment demand steering somewhat slower and more refined than this.

Runnin’ Down the Tech

Like the regular A8, the A8L is available with all of Audi’s latest electronannies, including active cruise control with low-speed stop-and-go capability, blind-spot monitoring, lane assist, and night vision. The W-12 adds a lot of the 4.2’s optional equipment as standard, including metallic paint, an upgraded Bose stereo (a 19-speaker, 1400-watt Bang & Olufsen system is a further upgrade), acoustic glass, a power trunklid, four-zone climate control, Bluetooth connectivity, additional aluminum interior trim, ambient interior lighting, and full-LED headlights.

Audi has yet to release pricing on U.S. models, but the W-12 will start at €137,000 in Europe. The last A8L W-12 sold here, the 2009 model, carried a $121,000 base price—look, our pricing is affordable!—and we expect this one to cost some small amount more. Given this car’s mastery of its dual roles, we’d say it’s worth it.

car, 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS

car, 2012 Mercedes-Benz CLS

We’ve already seen a leaked brochure showing several pictures of the next-gen Mercedes-Benz CLS-class, due in 2011 as a 2012 model. Now you can save your eyes the trouble of straining to see a grainy German brochure, as Mercedes has released official pictures of a European-spec CLS.

The second-gen CLS—the four-door coupe that started a segment—has a more restrained, muscular design this time around. If the first CLS was meant to be mistaken for an Italian car (or so Mercedes’ PR folks said), this one is clearly Germanic, with flared rear wheel arches and squared-off corners. The headlights, which are now completely comprised of LEDs, morph from the previous generation’s amoeba-shaped units to a blocky design similar to the lights on the E-class.

The interior is significantly upgraded, notably ditching dash-mounted COMAND controls for the more intuitive console-mounted knob. The gearshift moves from the center console to the column, as on the S-class and other Mercedes, making the cockpit more spacious. An unusual and charming feature from the first CLS, the matte-finish wood on the dash, will no longer be available. It’s replaced by optional high-gloss wood, piano black lacquer, or carbon fiber (seen in the accompanying pics). Overall, the interior still appears stylish and avant-garde—especially compared with an E-class—but based on the pictures, the intimate, warm atmosphere of the previous generation does not carry through.

Powerrrrr!

Although Europeans will have optional V-6 gas and diesel engines, the North American CLS will be V-8 only. The base car will still be the CLS550, but the old car’s 382-hp, 5.5-liter engine is replaced with Mercedes’ new twin-turbo 4.6-liter V-8, which here makes 402 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque. There will, of course, be an AMG version of this latest CLS. It, too, will retain the first generation’s nomenclature—CLS63—but it will have the new corporate AMG engine. Another twin-turbo V-8, the AMG mill displaces 5.5 liters and cranks out as much as 563 hp and 664 lb-ft in the S63 AMG.

Both CLSs will be sold with Mercedes’ seven-speed automatic, although enthusiasts should keep their fingers crossed that the company will decide to install the seven-speed dual-clutch unit like the one in the SLS AMG. For more sedate shoppers, the new CLS will offer 4MATIC all-wheel drive—the first generation was rear-wheel drive only—available slightly after launch.

Mercedes has said the price for the 2012 CLS will increase one-to-two percent over the cost of the current car. For 2010, the big-boy CLS63 ran $98,825, and the CLS550 rang in at $73,275. When it goes on sale in mid-2011 as a 2012 model, the 402-hp CLS550 might be the most expensive “bargain” on the market.

Audi, 2012 Audi A7 Sportback 3.0 TFSI

Audi, 2012 Audi A7 Sportback 3.0 TFSI

When automakers begin development on a new model, there are typically three or more competing design proposals, one of which is then chosen to make it into metal. This standard operating procedure was discarded with the Audi A7 Sportback, says Audi boss Rupert Stadler: "Everything was right in the first place." Indeed, this large hatchback could be the most beautiful of all Audis. Long, wide, and low, it’s styled with smooth and supremely clean lines. The front end is better proportioned than the latest A8's and seems cool and almost stoic—especially with the optional LED headlights. The side view recalls the most handsome (if not the most reliable) of 1970s hatchbacks, such as the Rover SD-1 and Citroën CX; the rear end is cut off sharply, like an Italian supercar of that same era. This car is free of the gimmicks you'll find on many others in this class, and we haven't talked to anyone who doesn't admire its looks.

Now that we've established that the A7 is beautiful, we’ll note that the car really is little more than a dressed-up, next-generation A6. It uses Audi’s modular longitudinal architecture; a good 20 percent of the A7’s body is made from aluminum, which is more heavily relied on in the more expensive A8, but most of the A7 is made from less costly steel.

Calm and Collected

Our experience behind the wheel of the A7 bodes well for the next A6. The chassis glides over uneven roads with far more grace than before; this is a very comfortable car, with none of the harshness and forced sportiness that characterizes many other Audi models. The 114.7-inch wheelbase, up almost three inches over the previous A6’s, definitely helps in keeping body motions controlled and the cabin serene. But whereas the A7 can be considered a big car, at least in Europe, it doesn't mind being pushed through the corners. This is especially true for those versions equipped with the Quattro all-wheel-drive system, which feeds 60 percent of torque to the rear wheels as a default; as much as 70 percent can be shunted to the front and 85 percent to the rear. All U.S.-bound A7s will have Quattro.

Even without the optional sport differential, the A7 is agile when pushed. It stays neutral up to insane cornering speeds and never discourages you from playing. Audi's wheel-selective torque vectoring is so well programmed that the stability control has one of the lightest workloads of any of the systems in this car. Besides the 3.0 TFSI Quattro—the U.S.-bound configuration—we drove a front-wheel-drive 3.0-liter TDI. It is also predictable in its handling and fairly agile but ultimately tends toward understeer and is less quick to recover speed when exiting corners.

The 300-hp 3.0 TFSI is the same engine found in the current A6 and S4—it makes 310 hp in the former, 333 in the latter—and it remains great in the A7. Despite its misleading "TFSI" moniker, this V-6 is supercharged with a Roots-type blower. It’s smooth and responsive and delivers excellent performance, or so says Audi. The company claims an A7 thus equipped can achieve 62 mph in 5.6 seconds—we estimate that to be about right—and the top speed is governed at the customary 155 mph. In Europe, the 3.0 mates to a seven-speed wet dual-clutch gearbox, but we’ll get the same ZF-supplied eight-speed automatic found in the A8. The seven-speeder executes quick shifts, but the exhaust sound is subdued; this is clearly a luxury car with sportiness playing second fiddle—although it is, as noted, plenty capable.

The most popular engine in Europe likely will be the 245-hp, 3.0-liter V-6 TDI Quattro (it’s the same engine as in the front-wheel-drive version we sampled, but it made a weaker 204 hp there). There also is an entry-level gasoline engine that is a naturally aspirated 204-hp, 2.8-liter V-6. The best engine is yet to come: a 4.0-liter turbocharged V-8 that will be available in the upcoming S7 and mated to the seven-speed dual-clutch S tronic gearbox. The S7 will arrive after the S8 sometime late in 2011, and it just might be worth waiting for. Of course, if you need a sportier look right now, Audi is happy to oblige with an S line package that adds boxier front air intakes, although we found them disrupting to the front-end aesthetics. No thanks.

Opulence and Simplicity

Inside, the A7 simultaneously oozes opulence and simplicity. The high center console creates a sporty, cockpit-like feeling; the instruments are clear and crisp; and the materials are, as usual for Audi, stunning. The aluminum and wood trim options could be considered an industry benchmark, with the layered oak being the most luxurious variation.

Complementing the A6-based mechanicals are lots of gadgets that first appeared in the flagship A8, including the touch pad that can detect fingertip handwriting and a feature whereby our test car constantly updated its navigation system with Google Maps data (we'd be interested in checking out the cellular data bill after the multiwave, two-week press launch). The A7’s head-up system is crisp and clear, and there is a full set of nanny and assistance systems, including radar sensors to detect slow or stopped vehicles ahead, blind-spot monitoring, active cruise control that can operate to and from a complete stop, and lane-keeping assist. The data fed into the latter helps in the event the car begins to slide by increasing or decreasing the power steering assist. We like the speed-limit-recognition technology, which displays road signs in the IP as you pass them—handy if you’re driving in unfamiliar locales—but we’re unsure if it will make it to U.S. models.

Speaking of U.S. models, expect them here next year, priced somewhere between $50,000 and $60,000. The A7’s most direct competitors are the Mercedes-Benz CLS, the second generation of which debuts at the Paris auto show, and the Porsche Panamera V-6. Others are the coupe-ish Jaguar XF, as well as the funky BMW 5-series GT. Whereas some are better to drive and all offer more or less similar levels of practicality, none wears sheetmetal that is as effortlessly sensual as the A7’s. And in a segment where styling is pretty much everything, that gives the Audi a leg up.

2013 BMW 3-series

2013 BMW 3-series

As we inch closer to the 2012 launch of the sixth-generation BMW 3-series, code-named F30, more details emerge—along with better spy shots. The photos seen here reveal a compact sedan that, visually, remains close to the current model: The proportions are virtually unchanged, and, with the tape-covered front and rear lights, it takes an expert to spot the differences.

Specifically, the lower body side gets a more-pronounced crease, which is picked up by the rear bumper. Somewhat surprisingly, one of the two cars captured here carries a regular sunroof, not a panoramic one, as has been BMW’s fashion of late. Prominent changes will be made to the front end, with the next 3er getting a less-convoluted headlight design. And inside, the dashboard will lose the bump above the optional navigation screen. The interior of this 3 will stay in the mold of the previous generations; there is none of the radical "layered" styling that was introduced with the Efficient Dynamics concept and which will trickle down to the series-production i8.

More interesting are the new 3’s technological changes. The next generation will remain rear-wheel drive with an optional all-wheel-drive system, but it will be powered by an entirely new family of engines, all of them turbocharged. BMW will offer four- and six-cylinder diesel and gasoline engines. This forced-induction mantra applies to the next M3 as well, which will receive a 400-plus-hp inline-six. Available transmissions across the lineup will include a manual, a torque-converter automatic, and a dual-clutch automatic.

BMW also is working on a three-cylinder engine, which could find its way into the 3-series. A hybrid 3-series is planned, too—but unlike the three-cylinder unit, it’s being created with the U.S. market in mind.

The four-door sedan will continue to be the most important model, but this time around, BMW is going after every possible niche with additional body variations. BMW will offer a station wagon, a "Gran Turismo" five-door hatchback, a two-door coupe, a folding-hardtop convertible and, at least according to rumor, a real softtop convertible as well.

The BMW 3-series is the company's core model and the benchmark for sports sedans around the world. BMW must try to stay ahead of the game in terms of handling, fit and finish, and sheer driving excitement. The mildly revised shape is a good sign—let’s just hope BMW doesn’t mess with the rest of the recipe too much.

2014 BMW 3-series GT

2014 BMW 3-series GT

Take a car like the Mercedes-Benz CLS or Volkswagen CC, stretch the roofline a little farther back so that the backlight incorporates into the trunklid and forms a hatch, and you’ve got a body style that is booming on the other side of the Atlantic. The sleek Audi A5 Sportback is a huge hit, and even the stylistically challenged BMW 5-series Gran Turismo has exceeded BMW’s expectations. That surely pleases the company's bean counters, if not people who spot the car on the street.

Now BMW is taking the idea one segment down-market—and, thankfully, taking a cue from Audi on styling direction. The 3-series Gran Turismo spotted by our spy photographers looks little like its big brother, being closer in size and proportion to the A5 Sportback. Although the camouflage exaggerates the height of the rear end, notice the notch in the camo indicating the location of a small spoiler above the taillights. The roofline is low and sleek, and the bulging hood adds tension to the body.

Like the other 3-series body styles, the GT will have standard rear-wheel drive and optional all-wheel drive. A clever mix of materials should keep weight from rising too much, but it remains to be seen whether or not BMW can emulate Audi's success in slashing hundreds of pounds from its next-generation vehicles. BMW’s work with carbon fiber will first benefit its upcoming electric cars, whose other expensive technologies and low sales goals make the cost of the material more palatable.

Act Now, Before They’re Gone Forever!

If you still care to drive a 3-series with the legendary, naturally aspirated inline-six, the Gran Turismo—or, for that matter, any 3-series based on the new F30 platform—will not be for you. All engines in the next 3-series family will be turbocharged, with four-cylinders covering the landscape below 300 hp and a blown inline-six taking over above that. This new family of engines might include three-cylinders, although the upscale aspirations of the GT means they are unlikely for this car. Diesels are a given, however, and so is a hybrid version. Power will be transmitted through a six-speed manual gearbox or an eight-speed automatic.

For a kind of entertainment other than that provided by the powertrain, BMW promises its upcoming vehicles will be leaders in connectivity. Surfing the web, making phone calls, having text messages read aloud, and downloading music will keep drivers informed, busy, and distracted.

The GT will join a large family, complementing the 3-series sedan, station wagon, coupe, and folding-hardtop convertible. And that’s a family it won’t just be joining in Europe. The 3-series Gran Turismo is likely to be sold in the U.S. as well, where—since Audi doesn’t sell the A5 Sportback here—it will pretty much have the niche to itself. The 5-series GT also has a niche to itself, but we’re pleased that the 3’s looks to be a much shapelier segment.