New Honda Fit Shuttle: Leaked Brochure Reveals Station Wagon-Like Model

A bonanza of allegedly official brochure photos showing a new, station-wagon-like variant of the Japanese domestic market [JDM] Fit have leaked onto the internet. Named the Fit Shuttle, the car appears to be based on the recently refreshed Fit (Honda uses the Jazz nameplate in Europe, Australia and other international markets) featuring a longer body with taller roofline and a redesigned rear end.

As you can see in the brochure shots, the Fit Shuttle will be offered in two flavors, a Hybrid version powered by the same IMA system with a 1.3 liter i-VTEC engine featured on the five-door hatchback model, and a more powerful variant with a regular 1.5-liter gasoline unit.

According to the Japanese media, the Fit Shuttle will be introduced in its home market within the next few weeks with sales to start around March. We'll follow the story and keep you posted on any updates.

Sources: Ryuji & Mincara

2012 Kia Rio Spotted out on the Road

Like sister company Hyundai, Kia is in the midst of a new-product blitz that started a little over a year ago. Since the second half of 2009, the South Korean automaker has refreshed its lineup with a slew of new models such as the Forte Koup, Cadenza sedan, Venga mini MPV, Sorento, Sportage and Optima sedan.

Now, following the announcement on the completely redesigned Picanto city car that will break cover at the Geneva Show, our spy photographers snapped the next new model to be added to Kia's range, the 2012 Rio subcompact, while testing in Germany.

The prototype seen in these scoop photos is the five-door hatchback model, but the range will also include a four-door sedan. Although disguised, it's not hard to see that the new Rio 5d will be a more stylish proposal than the current model. From what's visible, the roofline looks more sloped while the front-end appears to feature a similar styling to the European market Picanto and Venga.

Underneath the skin, the new Rio will most likely share its platform with the latest Hyundai Accent, while powertrain options will depend on the market. In Europe, buyers should expect a similar engine lineup to the Kia Venga and Hyundai ix20, including a choice of 1.4-liter and 1.6-liter diesel and gasoline units.

Look out for an auto show debut later in the year, with sales kicking off in most markets before the end of 2011.

SCOOP: New Pagani C9 Supercar Filmed Around the Factory

While Pagani is testing our nerves with its shadowy teaser videos, Youtube user 'Marchettino' caught the Italian supercar on test in its homeland. The first clean-sheet design Pagani in years, which is currently known by its C9 codename, is pegged for a debut at the Geneva Salon in March. The gullwing-door supercar will be powered by a new 6.0-liter bi-turbocharged V12 sourced from Mercedes-Benz's AMG division, tuned to deliver somewhere around 700 horsepower and over 1,000 Nm or 738 lb-ft of peak torque. Video follows after the jump.

New Honda Fit Shuttle: Leaked Brochure Reveals Station Wagon-Like Model

A bonanza of allegedly official brochure photos showing a new, station-wagon-like variant of the Japanese domestic market [JDM] Fit have leaked onto the internet. Named the Fit Shuttle, the car appears to be based on the recently refreshed Fit (Honda uses the Jazz nameplate in Europe, Australia and other international markets) featuring a longer body with taller roofline and a redesigned rear end.

As you can see in the brochure shots, the Fit Shuttle will be offered in two flavors, a Hybrid version powered by the same IMA system with a 1.3 liter i-VTEC engine featured on the five-door hatchback model, and a more powerful variant with a regular 1.5-liter gasoline unit.

According to the Japanese media, the Fit Shuttle will be introduced in its home market within the next few weeks with sales to start around March. We'll follow the story and keep you posted on any updates.

Porsche Officially Confirms World Premiere of New Model at 2011 NAIAS

Earlier this month, we told you about Porsche spokesman Hans-Gerd Bode's interview with Bloomberg where he discussed the firm's plans to unveil a new model at the upcoming North American International Auto Show in Detroit (January 10 to 23). Today, the Stuttgart-based sports car maker made it official by announcing that it will be giving a new model its world debut at the Detroit Show. Porsche, however, did not release any information on the vehicle.

As we previously noted, Porsche's debut could be anything from a successor to the 911 series, Boxster or Cayman, to the new Cajun three-door SUV and the production version of the 918 hybrid supercar, which is pictured in these shots.

2011 Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback: Production Version's Shape Trademarked

At the 2010 Paris Motor Show in early September, General Motors unveiled a near-production version of the Chevrolet Cruze five-door hatchback. Now, the Detroit automaker has registered trademark filings with the European patent office revealing the shape and details of the actual production model which is set to reach dealerships in Europe as a Chevrolet and in Australia as a Holden, in mid 2011.

The images here show that the production model wont' change much since we last saw it at the Paris Salon, with the most visible differences concerning the redesigned and less snazzy front bumper featuring round fog lights, and the smaller size alloy wheels. Though it can't be seen in these illustrations, also expect to see more conventional headlamps and tail lights.

At least in Europe, the 5-door model will most likely be available with same engine options as the regular Cruze, including 113-horsepower 1.6-liter and 141-horsepower 1.8-liter gasoline units, and a 123-horsepower 2.0-liter turbodiesel. There are no current plans to offer GM's Ford Focus hatchback contender in North America.

2011 Kia Pro_cee'd Facelift Leaked Ahead of Geneva Salon Debut

Photos of the mildly refreshed Kia Pro_cee'd are making the internet rounds before the car's scheduled world premiere at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in early March. The most obvious visual changes concern the restyled front end that brings the three-door version of the European market Cee'd more in line with Kia's latest offerings.

Along with the new H-shaped front grille finished in black, the 2011 Pro_cee'd also gains restyled headlamps and a reworked bumper. It is also possible that Kia may have upgraded the three-door model's interior as well as its engine line-up, but we won't know for sure until we get the official press release in our hands. Until then, follow the break to check out the rest of the pictures.

2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK Patent Drawings

While looking for the designs of the Smart Roadster model we showed you in our previous post, we stumbled upon these drawings of the next-generation Mercedes-Benz SLK used for trademark filings. Being that an official video of the 2012 SLK has already been leaked online (you can watch it after the jump if you missed out), these pictures simply offer some additional -and unobstructed- views of the roadster model with the retractable hardtop.

Boasting a similar silhouette (though with edgier details) to the outgoing model, the new SLK will arrive in the market sometime next year offering buyers a revamped engine lineup of four-cylinder and V6 gasoline units, and if the rumors turn out to be true, a diesel option also. The range will be completed by a high-performance AMG model, said to be equipped with either twin-turbocharged V6 or a larger-displacement V8 engine.

Keep an eye out for the SLK either at the Detroit Motor Show in mid-January or at the Geneva Salon in March.