If what we hear is right, a small front-wheel-drive coupe would soon roll out of the Infiniti stables and would drive straight into the European market. Riding on the Infiniti Essence concept showcased at the Geneva motor show last year, the new coupe would come with the looks that could stand well above the normal hatchback design and would sport a coupe style profile.

The car which would be offered as the only front-drive model in Infiniti’s line up, would come in as a front-wheel drive vehicle. Most probably, the model could be seen taking on the Mercedes CLC which falls in the same category.

We also get to know from Autocar that the Essence based front-wheel-drive coupe would come in addition to the all-electric model based on the Nissan Leaf. This model, expected to roll out in the near term, would come sailing along the same basic platform and would boast of under-the-floor battery packs. A much powerful electric motor would make this e- different from the Leaf.

The Infiniti electric car, if you would remember, had made an appearance at the Tokyo Motor Show last fall. Look forward to seeing some good looking cuties from the Infiniti assembly line.

The sporty five door Volvo V60 is here. The advent of the new model from Volvo is seen as an attempt to enhance sales in the European wagon category. The new Volvo V60 is a smart take off from the S60, with the visible addition being the five-door feature. The Volvo V60 comes with eight different engines, and it is seen by the industry as an attempt by the company attract at least around 50,000 new customers every year.

Four inline-four petrol engines, including two 1.6-liter units that produce up to 240 Nm of torque and either 150 or 180 horsepower (112 or 134 kW), and two 2.0-liter models that produce either 203 hp (151 kW) and 300 Nm or 240 hp (179 kW) and 320 Nm would be part of the pack. Further, the inline-six would have a 3.0-liter unit that returns 304 hp (227 kW) and up to 440 Nm. The Volvo V60 is capable of racing from 0 to 100km /h in 6.6 seconds, while the electronically-limited top speed is 250 km/h.

The Volvo V60 also comes in a diesel variant that boast of 115-hp (86 kW), 270-Nm 1.6-liter inline-four, and two inline-five engines. The first, a 2.0-liter model, is capable of 163 hp (122 kW) and up to 400 Nm, while the top diesel model burns 205 horsepower (153 kW) and up to 420 Nm.

The coupe styled roof-sporting car has been built on a new dynamic chassis for the European market. Features include collision blocking aspects, pedestrian detection, all-wheel drive, tight steering, stability control and an advanced brake system. The car also holds space for 430 liters of load. We are now waiting for Volvo to give us the pricing details.

The new Renault Dezir concept is out. Spelt Desire in French, the new design comes with the promise of zero emissions. The fully-electric, two-seat coupe that sports gullwing doors will come powered by a 110 kW (150 PS) and 226 Nm (167 lb-ft) of torque-producing mid-mounted electric motor. The motor would be driven by a vertically-placed 24 kWh Li-Ion battery placed behind the bench seat.

Expected to return a range of 160 km, the Renault Dezir concept has shown up with large wheel arches, fitted with 21-inch wheels and a full-width front grille that stretches from the Renault badge in the center of the face to under the headlamps. The interiors would be designed in a simple with a bare, white hued cabin.

Renault is expected to bring on the Dezir concept at the Paris Motor Show which gets underway during the fall.

Who is the fastest on the tarmac? If you thought it was the Shelby SuperCars’ Aero SSC TT that fits the bill as the fastest production car in the world, think again!

Bugatti has climbed on to the top position, post a June 26 drive when test driver Pierre Henri Raphanel drove an orange-and-black Veyron 16.4 Super Sport to an average top speed of 268 mph (431 kph).

The event that got underway at the VW Group’s test facility at Ehra-Leissien saw the Veyron Super Sport tumble all high-speed records. The question as to who is the fastest has been remaining unanswered for quite a while now.

The Veyron Super Sport is a much higher version that the usual Veyron we usually get to see. The company has thrown in additional power and has increased it to 1,200 hp, while the quad turbo W16 would return torque at 1,106 pound-feet.

The car has ensured this via its enlarged turbochargers and intercoolers. The company has also incorporated in the Veyron Super Sport a redone suspension that is capable of managing aero downforce at speeds about 260 mph.

Get set for the Dagger GT. The new high speed model would come with hopes of being the fastest production car ever. Though only five will be made as part of the first batch in 2011, reports are that three of them have been pre-sold. The design of the car is based on the Corvette Cheetah concept and it is aiming to break every major speed record.

We get to know from U.S. based TranStar Racing that the first batch of five units would be followed up with another 10 to be delivered in 2012. Delivery of the first five is to be kicked off by the first half of next year, and each unit would come for a minimum of US$450,000.

The Dagger GT, which will come with capabilities to race from 0 to 60 mph in just about 1.5 seconds, a quarter mile in less than 7 seconds and a top speed of up to 483 kmph, is expected to be powered by a 572 multifuel -petrol/methanol/hydrogen/ethanol – twin turbo racing engines from Nelson Racing Engines. The car will come sporting an exterior made out of carbon fibre, while the chassis would be built using super-strong 4130 Chromoly Steel.

The 2010 Moscow Motor Show that will get underway on August 25 will see Ford Europe bringing in a fresh version of the Mondeo. The updated version would come with a new look exterior and interiors. It would also sport new high-efficiency EcoBoost petrol and TDCi diesel powertrains.

Being currently built in Moscow and Germany and China too, the new updated Ford Mondeo is being tipped to be the smartest, safest and greenest Mondeo ever. The car will be the last in the line of the CD segment range for the current year.

Add-ons would include new front bumpers that sport LED daytime running lights. The move is part of adhering to the new EU norm that makes DRLs mandatory. The rear lamps are also being redesigned with LEDs. A high-performing 240PS version of the two-litre EcoBoost turbocharged petrol engine, would come with the new updated Mondeo. This will be in addition to the 203PS version launched earlier this year. A variant will sport an updated 2.2-litre Duratorq TDCi diesel engine with power up 12 per cent to 200 PS. Ford Europe is also revamping the interior with new flow-through centre console, new door trims and a new central overhead console that comes with ambient lighting. A six-speed PowerShift double wet-clutch transmission system would be a standard feature.

Other aspects about the updated Mondeo will include a smart regenerative charging, eco mode and new active grille shutter system. Besides, an electronically controlled device that regulates the airflow through the radiator and engine box so that it cuts down on the aerodynamic drag and boosts fuel efficiency would be part of the package.

Interest towards the Nissan Leaf has suddenly surged, after a brief lull. Though there had been lots of interest for pre-order, there had been a fall in numbers as time went by. However, the Leaf is seeing a comeback in interest. The car maker is said to be steadily jacking up more potential sales though not in the same tempo as it used to be earlier.

According to Nissan, Leaf’s pre-order status in the US market place which stood at 13,000, plus an additional 6,000 in Japan, has now gone up to more than 15,000 in the US. It looks like more US buyers are ready to shell out $99 as reservation fee to be in line to drive the initial batches of the Leaf.

It may be also noted that the pre-orders for the Nissan Leaf in the US and Japan combined would stand somewhere well over the 20,000-levels. In case you are interested to know what color is being most sought after, market analysis says that around 29 percent of the recorded pre-orders have chosen the Aqua Globe vehicle while the one with Silver hues comes in as the second most preferred at 26 percent.

If you have been waiting for the Aston Martin One-77 to arrive, gear up for the big event! A test car was recently spotted and speculations are that the final testing on the model is being undertaken currently so that customers could soon be able to take delivery of the car.

The Aston Martin One-77 test car has been caught on camera at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. Going by what we see, the new sports car from Aston Martin is driven by a 7.3-liter V12 engine. The engine, we are told, would come with capabilities to deliver about 700 horsepower (522 kW / 710 PS). The automaker will be bringing in only 77 units of the car in the first batch.

Capable of racing from0 to 60 mph in just 3.3 seconds, the sports car model can touch top speeds of over 200 mph. This has been proved by a prototype, which under test conditions, ran up to 220 mph or 355 km/h speeds. Are you among the first 77 to take the car out for a spin? [via WCF]