VIDEO: New Audi A7 Caught Testing with BMW 7-Series in Norway

A pair of camouflaged prototypes of the upcoming Audi A7 were spotted testing outside the city of Oslo in Norway. The A7s appear to be accompanied by an A5 Sportback, a BMW 7-Series and one more car that we couldn't identify. The A7 is to the next-generation A6 what the A5 Sportback is to the A4 / A5 models; a sexier looking and less practical five-door variant (notice the open hatch in the video) of the A6 with seating for four.

Designed to compete with the likes of the Mercedes-Benz CLS that will soon enter its second generation, the A7 shares its steel-reinforced aluminium platform and mechanical hardware with the next A6.

The A7 though will arrive first as Audi has already made it official that it will launch the sporty-looking saloon onto the market in the second half of 2010.

Power will come from a variety of gasoline and diesel engines including the firm's supercharged 3.0-liter V6 TFSI petrol, while rumor has it that Audi will expand the range in 2011 with a gasoline-electric hybrid model.

Via: DN TV

What if Citroen Made a C3 Crosser out of the Mitsubishi ASX?

Given the close relationship between the Peugeot Citroen PSA group and Mitsubishi that has already given birth to the Outlander-based Citroen C Crosser and Peugeot 4007 SUVs, we wouldn't be surprised if Theophilus Chin's photoshop proposal for a Citroen C3 Crosser model based on Mitsubishi's 'baby' crossover model, the all-new ASX, becomes a reality in a couple of years.

'ASX' is the name that Mitsubishi chose for the European version of the JDM RVR that will have its world premiere at this year's edition of the Geneva Motor Show in early March.

Via: Theophilus Chin

VIDEO: New BMW 335is in Detail and in Action at the Estoril Race Track

Here's your chance to get a look at the North America-only BMW 335is Coupe in motion at the media presentation that took place at the Estoril race track in Portugal. If you follow the jump, you'll find two videos, one that includes a walk around the sporty coupe that nests between the 2011 335i and the M3, and the other with some driving impressions from the circuit.

The newest model in the facelifted 3-Series range packs an upgraded, twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six with 320HP and 332 lb-ft of torque (370 lb-ft with overboost) mated to either six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual gearboxes.

The high-performance 335is Coupe will go on sale in the United States in June at an MSRP of $50,525, or about $7,000 more than the 2011 335i Coupe that's powered by a new single-turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six with 300HP.

Via: BMWblog & Bimmerpost

First 2010 Chevy Camaro Convertible Arrives in Middle East

We're still more than a year away from the launch of the convertible version of the new Chevy Camaro, yet a luxury car dealership in Abu Dhabi called 'Princesscar' has put on sale what they describe to be the first drop top example of GM's muscle car to arrive in the Middle East.

However, since the odds of GM having supplied the Middle Eastern dealer with the yet to be revealed in production guise Camaro SS Convertible are less than the probabilities of discovering alien life in our solar system, we'll just assume that this example was built by an independent coachbuilder like NCE or Drop Top Customs. More pics after the jump.

Hat tip to George.L! Link: Princesscar

Designer Attempts to Create a 21st Century Ford Model T

Even though it's been more than century since the original Ford Model T revolutionized the world of transportation by bringing motoring to the masses, the iconic 'Tin Lizzy' continues to inspire designers up until these days.

With the goal of creating a modern-day car that shares the simplicity and other qualities as well as certain design elements with the original Model T, Brazilian designer Eduardo Oliveira came up with this compact crossover.

Oliveira's well executed design does bring to mind the Model T from certain angles (in a much more convincing way than the winners of Ford's Model T competition in 2008), but we could do without the gaudy front grille.

Styling elements that hark back to the original model include the pronounced wheel arches that encompass the wheels that are pushed out to the corners of the vehicle as well as the opposite angle of the lower part of the rear hatch that houses the spare tire.

Designed to be around 4.2 meters or 165-inches in length, the five-seater crossover model gets suicide-style rear doors and two exterior storage compartments located on either side of the bumper.

The designer said that the modern-day Model T could be equipped with a four-cylinder gasoline engine or better yet, a hybrid drivetrain.

Via: Irmaododecio