A 1925 original Bugatti Brescia Type 22 Roadster, which was submerged in a lake for over 70 years, is most likely to fetch at least around €70,000 when as soon as it hits the auction block later this month. The Bugatti was submerged in Switzerland’s Lake Maggiore since the year 1936 following an argument between the owner of the cars and a government official.

The auction proceeds will benefit the Fondazione Damiano Tamagni charity, which works on reducing violent crimes amongst juveniles. The last owner of the car was Marco Schmuklerski, an architect who’s buildings very famous around the country. Experts estimate suggest the real true value of the car could top around €90,000. The vehicle can very potentially be restored, or could be easily be used as a display piece.

The car’s identity was tracked through its engine number and chassis number, 879, 2461 respectively, and gearbox number, 964.

It consists of a Chausson radiator, Zenith carburetor, and a twin ignition from SEV.

The Fusion Hybrid and the Transit Connect by Ford have been named the North American Car and Truck of the Year respectively at the 2010 Detroit auto show. It has only been three times in the past that a single company has won both awards.

This was pretty much what everyone expected as the Fusion Hybrid got a hands up for its super attractive styling, including its advanced powertrain, and stellar fuel efficiency (it is rated at 41 mpg city / 36 mpg highway). It easily left behind the Buick LaCrosse and Volkswagen Golf/GTI.

To everyone’s surprise the Transit Connect won the North American Truck of the Year. It was quite an upset for many as the Transit Connect faced kinda stiff competition from the likes of Chevrolet Equinox and Subaru Outback, but still it won even though it being a commercial-oriented vehicle.

A panel of 49 automotive journalists selected the winners at the Detroit auto show from a huge list of contenders which included “all-new” and “substantially updated” models.

The Brand new 2011 Porsche Cayenne will be displayed at the Geneva Motor Show as a hybrid all-wheel drive. Porsche’s role with its new parent Volkswagen is going to be tested at the SUV category, what matters most is the Cayenne Hybrid will travel around 34.5 miles-per-gallon, which easily makes it the most efficient Porsche vehicle as per current production. Moreover the CO2 emissions is much below 200 grams-per-kilometer.

Further, the Cayenne Hybrid will be available in four engine choices. A 3.6-liter V6 generating 300 hp, a 4.8-liter V8 producing 400 hp, and a 500-horsepower turbocharged 4.8-liter model used on the Cayenne Turbo. Few markets will also get a 240-horsepower 3.0-liter V6 sourced from Volkswagen. The  newPorsche Cayenne will also get a brand new eight-speed automatic transmission.

Irrespective of purchasing a hybrid model or a conventional one, each Cayenne will be fitted with stop/start and brake energy recovery systems. Other features promised are adjustable back rests in the new sliding rear bench. More leg room because of the longer wheel base. The 2011 Porsche Cayenne is all set to roll out in March. [via WCF]

Quick, what car could possibly get 100, 200 or even 500 miles on a single charge?
The catch…you will have to attach a handle to the top can carry it from time to time. But it’s doable.

Next question….what’s smallest enough that you would never have to find a parking place?
The catch…you will have to hide it under your bed at night, desk at work or in your locker at school. But it’s doable.

Finally…what kind of car is likely to get confused with the ones your little boy plays with?
The catch….it’s so small it goes IN the toy box instead of the other way around. Yeah, yeah….it’s doable.

Give a look at the world’s smallest car.

Honda has upped the competition by introducing a new compact car concept, just when Toyota introduced its Etios hatchback and sedan at the Auto Expo 2010. Honda doesn’t have a name for the car yet, but it’s confident that the concept will roll out from the production lines by 2011. Auto Expo staged the world premiere for the car (a global model, they say) which comes with special changes to meet the demand of the Indian customers. It has five-seats and three doors and has been designed on the principle of ‘Man Maximum-Machine Minimum’. Courtesy of the wide platform, this compact car concept offers plenty of cabin space.

Few years back, no one talked about the Auto Expo New Delhi, but since India is the next big market to automakers, this year’s event has gained a lot of importance. For India MPV is still a rarity and the first of its kind to make its debut as a concept was the Suzuki R3 which was designed in a modest time of nine months. The R3 comes with six individual seats and those seats can be folded away to increase the cargo space. There are no sliding doors to be found and the rearward opening doors making things easier for the passengers. The exterior is boxy and it has a bulky rear portion. At the fascia is a combination of high-intensity lighting with LED accents and the LEDs can also be found at the back. The engine choice is still a mystery but that will gain importance only if Suzuki is keen to take this MPV to the production facility. The prototype has an engine that is mated to a five-speed manual transmission.

If you auto fanatics loved the CTS Coupe, the 2011 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe will draw even more admiration. Slated for a debut in Detroit next week, the CTS-V offers the most powerful engine a Cadillac has ever offered. It houses an LSA supercharged 6.2L V8 engine which churns a whopping 556hp and 551 lb-ft of torque. Courtesy of this stunning engine power, the CTS-V can pelt from 0 to 60mph in 3.9 seconds. The engine is mated to a number of options (transmission choices) which include a Tremac dual-disc six-speed manual and a Hydra-Matic six-speed paddle-shift automatic.

The Brembo brakes also find a place in this variant where the six-piston calipers are at the front and the four-piston calipers jam the rear wheels. Another impressive feature is the presence of the magnetic ride control system as a standard. The unique grille is just a means to draw in more air and hence keep the engine cooler. The CTS-V also offers a standard infotainment system that includes a Bose surround sound, a retractable screen, a navigation system and a 40GB hard drive. The Coupe will start selling this summer.

Small family cars are a big thing in the Indian market which is slowly but steadily becoming the global hub for such cars. The latest sensation that has its name doing rounds across the country is the small family car Toyota Etios which is slated to compete with the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Swift. The segment to which it caters is a very competitive one in the Indian market and therefore Toyota has priced the Etios competitively at 4.5 lakh ($10,000).

The Etios is slated for a debut at the New Delhi Auto Expo and the commuter has already been spy photographed prior to that launch. It will be launched both as a sedan and a hatchback variant and will be available for purchase by the end of 2011. India will have the largest production facility for the Etios followed by Brazil and China where the car will be introduced next year.