However, I've noticed that with Consumer Reports reviews, a new perspective is brought forth, on cars we already knew, by highlighting qualities or flaws that may have been (repeatedly) overlooked by others.

It may be down to the way they test the cars, or just their attitude towards them, but for instance, their freshly-uploaded quick takes for the Fiat 500L, Nissan Versa Note and Infiniti Q50 stand separately from the mainstream. According to them, the Note leaves the impression of being the best all-round car of the trio, despite at first glance seeming to be the least desirable…

The Infiniti is penalized for its vague steering that can get an optional steer-by-wire system, which makes things even worse in that respect. The Fiat wins points on style and space, but its automatic gearbox is dimwitted and the limited choice of engines (only one available) further hurts what is otherwise an enticing package for families.

Check out the videos for all three cars, below.

By Andrei Nedelea

The new model comes with a more streamlined design (especially up front where, fortunately, it didn't use the 1-Series hatchback's Japanese anime-style headlights) and better proportions on the outside, and a refreshed and more modern interior with all the latest gadgetry inside.

It's also larger than its predecessor, with its length increased by 2.8 inches (72 mm) to 174.5 inches (4,432 mm), width by 1.3 inches (32 mm) to 69.8 inches (1,774 mm), wheelbase by 1.3 inches (30 mm) to 105.9 inches (2,690 mm), front track width by 1.6 inches (41 mm) to 59.9 inches (1,521 mm) and rear track width by 1.7 inches (43 mm) to 61.3 inches (1,556 mm).

According to BMW's data, the 2-Series has 0.7 inches (19 mm) of extra front headroom and 0.8 inches (21 mm) of additional rear legroom, compared to the 1-Series Coupe. Furthermore, trunk capacity has been boosted by 0.7 cu.ft. (20 liters) to 13.8 cu.ft. (390 liters).

We'll begin our powertrain tour of the 2-Series with the North American model, which will make its world premiere at the Detroit Auto Show next January and go on sale in the United States in spring with two available gasoline engines. These include the 228i with a 240hp 2.0-liter turbo four priced from $33,025, and the M235i featuring a 322hp 3.0-liter turbo'd inline-six starting at $44,025. All prices include a $925 destination and handling fee.

That's not bad considering that the current 230hp 128i Coupe starts at $32,425 and the 320hp 135is Coupe at $44,475.

With the 8-speed automatic driving the rear wheels, the 240hp and 258 lb-ft 228i Coupe goes from zero to 60mph (96km/h) in 5.4 seconds and tops out at a limited 130mph (210km/h) in standard trim, and 155mph (250km/h) in Sport Line and M Sport grades. On average, the 228i returns EPA estimates of 23mpg city, 35mpg highway and 27mpg combined for the 8-speed sport automatic, and 22mpg city, 34mpg highway and 26mpg combined for the 6-speed manual.

The sportier 322hp and 332 lb-ft M235i completes the standard sprint to 60mph (96km/h) in 4.8 seconds and reaches a top speed of 155mph (250km/h). It returns a fuel economy of 22mpg city, 32mpg highway and 25mpg combined with the 8-speed automatic transmission, and 19mpg city, 28mpg highway and 22mpg combined with the available 6-speed manual gearbox.

On both models, the automatic is standard with the manual offered as a no cost option. Aside from the standard edition, the 228i is offered with two special trim grades, the Sport Line and M Sport. The former adds 18-inch wheels, special interior trim and upholstery, and high-gloss black finish for exterior trim, while the M Sport brings a host of goods ranging from the 10mm lowered suspension and 18-inch lightweight wheels, to bespoke front and rear bumpers, and sport trims and seats.

The European market version of the 2-Series will begin its career with three separate models, starting with the 220i fitted with a 2.0-liter turbo'd four rated at 181hp (184PS) and 270Nm that does 0-100km/h (62mph) in 7.0 seconds and returns a combined fuel consumption of 6.3l/100km (37.3mpg US or 44.8mpg UK) with the standard 6sp manual gearbox.

Next up is the 220d powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four diesel producing 181hp (184PS – same as the petrol model) and 380Nm. With a six-speed manual, it completes the standardized sprint in 7.2 seconds and delivers a combined fuel consumption of 4.5l/100km (52.3mpg US or 62.8mpg UK).

At the top of the line is the M235i donning a 322hp (326PS) and 450Nm 3.0L turbo'd straight six, with the manual gearbox version returning a 5.0 second run for the 0-100km/h sprint (8sp auto: 4.8 seconds). Combined fuel consumption is 8.1l/100km (29mpg US or 34.9mpg UK).

A wider range of engines (at least in Europe and in markets outside North America) and possibly all-wheel drive, are expected to be added within the next year.

While younger customers don't want to be pushed away from the driver's seat, the elderly are more open to choosing self-driving cars, as they provide mobility to those that are not able to drive anymore. Rising numbers of older drivers being killed or injured in accidents may also boost demand for autonomous vehicles.

Almost 90 percent of traffic accidents are caused by human error, which is a factor that doesn't exist in autonomous cars. Many of these accidents are caused by seniors, according to data from Japan. Of the 4,411 people who died on Japanese roads in 2012, more than half (2,264), were 65 or older.

The situation is not very different in developed countries where the population is aging, with analysts predicting there would be a huge global market for autonomous cars in the future. ''Autonomous driving could be very helpful to people who have physical challenges, or the elderly," said Mitsuhiko Yamashita, executive vice president of Nissan.

Carmakers are introducing automated-driving systems that may ultimately lead to autonomous cars. Toyota said earlier this month that it would introduce systems in about two years that will allow cars to communicate with each other to avoid crashes. Nissan has received a permit to test autonomous cars on Japan's public roads and plans to introduce a self-driving car by 2020. GM is also planning vehicles by 2020 that will drive themselves on controlled-access highways.

By Dan Mihalascu

In a new official video, Porsche design manager Tony Hatter explains how these traditional design elements from the original 911 and following generations can be found in the Porsche 911 50th Anniversary Edition.

At a first glance the 20-inch Fuchs alloy wheels remind of past Porsche 911s, as do the black and chrome grille at the back and the 'houndstooth' fabric found on the seats. There are more subtle cues as well, such as the green instruments (just like on the original 911).

Only 1,963 units will be built, each priced from €121,119 in Germany, £92,257 in the UK and $124,100 in the U.S. You can check out how all upgrades look like in the video posted below.

By Dan Mihalascu

This week, it announced an online competition that will see three people each win a ticket for two to see the car in all three-debut cities, including London in the UK, Shanghai in China and Los Angeles in the United States. The release video included a photo of the new Mini Cooper S showing its LED lights.

For those of you interested, Mini's announcement reads:

"All good things come in threes. That's why we're sending three lucky people and their +1s to three exclusive launch events of the new MINI. This is your chance to fly to London, Los Angeles and Shanghai in one week. Just watch closely and answer the question at the end of the video for your chance to win big."

You can watch the three videos and if you wish, participate in the competition here.

The software that runs it is set up to automatically detect when the driver's view is impaired and to cut a hole for him or her to see through – one could say it's a picture-in-picture effect, where the pop-up shows the live feed from the leading vehicle.

If everything works as designed, then it sounds promising, and we have no doubt it would save lives, especially in Russia…where they regularly play overtaking roulette. The problem is that it all sounds a bit too contrived to feasibly apply on a large scale – I mean sure, new trucks, buses and coaches are now equipped with cameras for other road users to hack into benevolently, but there are plenty of old ones that don't, so it couldn't consistently be of use.

Then, as the NewScientist source article reads, there are the technical constraints too. Currently, the image is transmitted to the in-car screen with a 200 millisecond delay. This puts any approaching vehicle 10 meters / 32 feet further back on the transparent screen than it actually is in real life, so this, along with possible transmission glitches that could crop up keep us from fully believing this is the way to go.

We hope it is developed more and perfected, because the idea is ingenious, and who knows, maybe sometime in the near future it too will become mainstream and be added to the growing list of safety features that are mandatory for achieving the highest possible star rating.

By Andrei Nedelea

Just like on the FWD version, the diesel engine develops 124PS (122hp) at 6,000 rpm, and 310 Nm (228 lb-ft)) of torque between 1,600 and 2,400 rpm. Mated to a six-speed manual transmission, the powertrain generates CO2 emissions of 136 g/km. Toyota didn't provide fuel consumption figures, but on the front-wheel drive RAV4 the same engine averages 4.9 l/100 km (48 mpg US) and emits 127 g of CO2 per kilometer.

The Integrated Dynamic Drive System allows front to rear torque distribution to vary from 100:0 to 50:50, with front-wheel drive (100:0) automatically engaged under normal driving conditions to improve fuel consumption.

Besides the new AWD diesel version, the 2014 Toyota RAV4 brings new exterior and interior color and trim designs, including a new Dark Brown Metallic exterior paint color. There's also a new 10-spoke 18-inch alloy wheel design available, while a range of 18-inch wheel designs is now available for front-wheel drive models as well.

There are four-color schemes available for the interior, Black, Grey, Terracotta and new Beige, while the Black fabric and Grey leather interior designs have been retained.

Equipment upgrades include the updated Toyota Touch 2 multimedia system featuring a new, 6-inch full colour WVGA touch screen with improved resolution, a new Drag and Flick function, and six additional languages, plus new optional equipment including the Smart Entry and Start system, power-operated tailgate, and an 8 channel, 9 speaker, 440 Watt JBL Premium sound system. The new Geneva 'Premium' Pack adds a rear under-run and chrome finish on the side sills and the tailgate.

Finally, the new available Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) system alerts the driver for approaching vehicles when backing out of a parking space.

By Dan Mihalascu

Audi will launch its all-new A3 Sedan in the U.S. early next year with prices starting from $29,900 (€21,700 at the current exchange rates), the automaker announced today. Even though it's not mentioned in the release, usually base MSRPs do not include destination and handling, unless noted.

Unless Audi is referring to a launch model with a bigger engine, one can only assume that the entry price is for the base 177hp (180PS) 170hp 1.8-liter TFSI model that will come with standard LED DRLs and taillights, Bluetooth technology, Audi pre sense basic, a panoramic glass sunroof, leather seating surfaces and a 6-speed S tronic automatic transmission.

The range will include two more gasoline powerplants, a 2.0-liter TFSI (we don't know the output yet) and a higher output 2.0-liter TFSI for the sporty S3 with 296hp (300PS), along with a 2.0-liter TDI diesel, all of which will be paired to a standard 6-speed S tronic transmission.

The A3 sedan's base price is the same as the entry-level Mercedes-Benz CLA 250, which sports a 208hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four-gasoline unit and just $3,900 less than the Audi A4 Sedan with a 220hp 2.0-liter turbo. We're using the word "just", because if the price does indeed concern the 1.8L TFSI, then the 2.0L TFSI A3 Sedan should logically cost almost as much as the bigger A4…

Audi said that the A3 Sedan will be joined later in 2014 by the recently announced A3 Cabriolet, A3 TDI clean diesel, the high-performance S3 sedan and in early 2015, the A3 Sportback e-tron gasoline electric hybrid (PHEV).

Note: We contacted an Audi spokesperson who confirmed that the base price is indeed for the 1.8-liter TFSI engine, which in U.S. specification will produce 170hp. He also added that the A3 Sedan series "will go on sale in the spring of next year. The $29,900 price does not include D&H – that'll be $895. We have not announced the final hp numbers on the 2.0 L motor as of now."

Poll: At $30,000, which one would you buy?

A vehicle's dash-cam recorded part of the pileup on the Kavkaz highway. Even though the driver of said automobile managed to stop in time before crashing into the cars in front, other motorists weren't as diligent or successful…

One person was hurt in the crash, and had to be hospitalized, albeit with non-life threatening injuries. A video from the pile-up can be found below.

The announcement was made by Tesla CEO Elon Musk at the company's service center in Munich, Germany, this week. The exec said Tesla will offer customers free custom high-speed tuning to make driving above the 130 km/h (81 mph) recommended speed more refined and enjoyable.

"I was just driving the Model S on the Autobahn, on one of the unrestricted sections. It was a lot of fun. But for Buyers of the Model S, we'll offer a free, optional high-speed tuning," Musk said.

"If you're someone who likes to ride at the top speed on the Autobahn then we will tune the car. We'll do a custom tune of the car to make it feel really great at top speed," he added. Musk also said that he will send his top engineers from California to Germany to make sure Model S cars there were perfectly tuned for Autobahn driving.

Although Musk didn't state it explicitly, the Model S with the high-speed tuning is expected to have an increased top speed and not just feel better at speeds of over 130 km/h. The CEO also announced a massive rollout of Supercharger stations across Germany, promising that more than half of the country's population would be within range of a Supercharger. By the end of 2014, Tesla wants to have the whole country covered.

By Dan Mihalascu

And why shouldn't it since it only has a little over 20,000 miles on the odometer (20,095 miles or 32,332 km, to be precise). It gets even better as the 282hp (286PS) 4.0-liter V8 mill is connected to a six-speed manual – a rare option in the U.S. considering that only 3,203 stick shift 540i E34s were sold globally.

There is some bad news, though, as the Massachusetts seller states that the car's original black paint was changed to the baby blue shade you see here in 2006 – of course, if you're interested, you should check the car's history.

Here's what's stated on the ebay ad:

"Here is a 1995 BMW 540i that drives the way it did when it first came off the lot.  It is an excellent example of BMW finest engineering. As you can see by the pictures this car is flawless.    It is part of a private collection.  The color was originally Black, but we had it painted the current color.   It was painted because the blue looks better...  It was painted by BMW in 2006."

The current price for the 540i is $10,500 or best offer (we're guessing that the 38 watchers won't be too pleased with us for sharing the story…).

It's not like he suffered a lot though, since in 2012 he bought himself a Ferrari 599 – which he sold almost a year later because it was too expensive to run and maintain. The ban didn't stop him from reviewing Ferraris owned by other people either, which probably made Maranello realize that it's hard to keep Harris away from their cars. Especially after an incident that occurred earlier this year, when he "thrashed" a 458 Spider press car that he sub-contracted from a third party.

The following video in which Harris destroys five sets of tyres with the F12Berlinetta on the Anglesey circuit proves that Ferrari has lifted the ban on the British auto journalist.

It also shows that the Italians are still holding a grudge, since Harris is probably the last well-known journalist to get his hands on the F12. Still, the video will no doubt convince you that it was worth the wait.

By Dan Mihalascu

Anyway, this latest group of press shots includes images of the regular 2-Series Coupe, the most powerful version of the range, the M235i and the sported up M Sport edition.

The report states that the new 2-Series will make its world premiere at the Detroit Auto Show in January and go on sale in the United States in the spring of 2014, where it will be available as the 228i powered by a 240hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four-pot, and the M235i fitted with a 3.0-liter turbocharged straight six with 322 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque.

As mentioned earlier, European customers will get a bigger variety of engines, including more frugal diesel units.

Unless the leaks continue, we'll wait for BMW for the full details, possibly as early as tonight.

Located in Ningbo, south eastern China, the facility will have an annual production capacity of 300,000 vehicles and will create 5,700 new jobs. The plant features production technology based on the Modular Transverse Toolkit (MQB) and will manufacturer Volkswagen and Skoda models.

The new plant was built in less than two years and is part of the Shanghai-Volkswagen joint venture between SAIC Motor Corporation and Volkswagen AG. Located 150 km south of the greater Shanghai area, the facility has its own press, body and paint shops plus a final assembly unit. The first model to roll off the assembly line will be the Skoda Superb, with other MQB-based VW and Skoda models to follow in the next stage.

"This new, state-of-the-art factory is further proof of the Volkswagen Group's comprehensive commitment in China. For our Group brands, the Ningbo plant also gives new momentum to tapping the full potential of the huge market south and west of Shanghai," said Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, CEO of the Volkswagen Group.

China is the VW Group's largest sales market, with the German carmaker delivering 2.81 million vehicles in the country last year together with its partners Shanghai-Volkswagen and FAW-Volkswagen. Deliveries rose 18 percent in the first nine months of this year compared with the same period last year to 2.36 million vehicles. By 2018, the automaker targets an annual production capacity of around 4 million vehicles.

By Dan Mihalascu

A group of car enthusiasts were on hand to film a Ferrari F430 crossing the road (note that the crackling sounds heard in the beginning are from a Subaru Impreza WRX / STI passing through), which it did perfectly fine.

And then, out comes the F-Series van-o-truck with its driver dangerously tailgating the red Italian supercar…

Watch the short clip for yourself right below the break.

According to Kaul, the production version of the S-Class Coupe is about 30mm (1.18in) higher and about 20mm (0.78in) narrower than the study, while the center of the nose cone is marginally higher and has less of a shark nose. The series production model will also ride on smaller 20-inch wheels compared to the concept's 21-inch rims.

"Although the car is part of the S-class family with the prominent dropping line detail on the side of the car, the stretched proportions are completely different, with the greenhouse pulled right back. The car has a high shoulder and deep shoulders over the rear wheels," Kaul told Autocar magazine.

Kaul, who was lead designer for the interior of the study, admitted that the cabin is slightly further from what the real car will look like. "The overall interior architecture is from the production model. With the dashboard we split it into two, separating the upper and lower elements, emphasizing that with the trim," he said.

The interior, however, contains production elements like the large LCD display, the center console switchgear, the steering wheel, central control dial and much of the door switchgear. On the other hand, the huge aluminum door trims and the vent designs will not be seen on the production version.

By Dan Mihalascu

If you live in the States and have been gawking at ABT's European product lines on our pages (and elsewhere, naturally), you'll be pleased to know that in a few months' time from now, the German tuner will open its first subsidiary on U.S. soil at Cerritos, Los Angeles, at the beginning of 2014.

Unsurprisingly, ABT has chosen the biggest aftermarket event in the U.S. (and in the world) to introduce itself to American consumers, the 2013 SEMA show held in Las Vegas from November 5 to 8.

The tuning company said that it will present "a both visually and technically tuned Audi A6 sedan", dubbed the AS6 with a 3.0-liter V6 TDI diesel uprated to 282hp (286PS) and 678Nm (500 lb-ft) of peak torque.

"We look forward to being part of the SEMA's 50th anniversary 'party'. With the ABT AS6, the more than 100,000 trade visitors at one of the globally most successful automotive fairs can see a perfect, detailed and dynamic total package," said Hans-Jürgen Abt, CEO of ABT Sportsline.

We'll be hearing more on ABT's U.S. product plans over the coming weeks.

UK magazine AutoExpress recently reviewed the latter and did not have a hard time justifying both models, in the end. The Spaceback is pushed forth as a more youthful choice, and it will be an especially important model in the UK, where small sedans are shunned in favor of hatches (and more recently crossovers).

The rest of the package is standard Rapid, with its good and bad points, and even the mechanical tweaks it benefits from don't really make it any different to the regular model, according to the review. Check it out after the virtual jump.

By Andrei Nedelea

However, it has been absent from the convertible segment, even though it does produce a coupe with the Forte Koup.

If it were to make one, the most likely candidates to form the base for an open top model would be the related Cee'd / K3 / Cerato hatchbacks and Forte Koup. X-Tomi Design chose the former for his visual representation of what an economical and compact-sized Kia convertible would look like.

In your opinion, is this the right way to enter the convertible category or should Kia opt for a more unique creation, similar to what Volkswagen attempted with the Golf-based CC? Share your answers in the comments.

Designer: X-Tomi

It has become so unappealing as of late in fact, that in the US, they only scraped a measly 1,247 sales of the model through September of this year, marking a 18.9 percent drop from 2012 – they sold 84,372 Foresters in the same time frame, along with 90,073 Outbacks and 38,019 XV Crosstreks.

Even the BRZ sports car outsold it five to one…

Now, Edmunds tells us that Subaru has finally received the message and will be pulling the plug on the Tribeca in January of 2014, after having been in production since 2005. It doesn't mean the Japanese manufacturer is not returning to the segment, because it is - Subaru of America spokesman Michael McHale announced it: "We have confirmed we will return to the three-row segment in the future," he said in an email reply.

So, if you are one of the few who were looking to buy one of these Stateside, you can still do so for another few months. For the 2014 model-year, it only comes in Limited trim, priced at $35,745 plus destination.

By Andrei Nedelea

It all started when Graceffa posted a (NSFW) video on October 17 ranting about a "slut" owner of a "fat a$% car" who had his Toyota Prius towed because it was blocking the driveway "just a little bit".

Five days later, Nate Clark recorded a video response in which he claims it was his driveway that the hybrid was blocking and that he was the one who had Graceffa's car towed away.

If by any chance you're asking us whether Clark is actually telling the truth or simply trolling Graceffa just for kicks (or clicks), our reply is the classic shoulder shrug.

Helped from an expanded range of compact cars after the addition of the CLA sports saloon, which unlike the A-Class hatch, is offered worldwide including the all-important North American market, the company's Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicle division saw its sales grow by 14 percent to 395,400 units in Q3 2013. Third-quarter revenue for the auto brand grew by 8 percent to €16.5 billion.

"The development of earnings primarily reflects the ongoing growth in unit sales, especially in China, the United States and Western Europe. A major contribution came from the expanded range of compact cars," said Mercedes in a statement.

The German company said that aside from its compact range that includes the A-Class hatch, B-Class MPV and CLA sedan, the revised E-Class coupes and convertibles also provided added sales impetus since June, with Mercedes anticipating "significant growth" in the luxury segment for the next quarter, primarily due to the launch of the new S-Class in major markets such as China and the United States.

Together with the above picture of the production Macan covered under a white sheet standing at the brand's Leipzig, Germany plant, Porsche has issued another batch of images of its compact SUV shot in various locations, including on California highways, with only the front and rear light clusters cleverly camouflaged.

Porsche began production of the new Macan at the end of summer after hiring more than 1,500 workers at Leizpig and is expected to begin shipping the SUVs worldwide by early 2014.

While purists may disagree with Porsche's expansion to more mainstream categories, truth is that models like the Macan, which is expected to become the brand's best-selling vehicle, allow the company to thrive and continue to develop hardcore supercars like the 918 Spyder.

The photos have been posted on the 2Addicts forum and reveal the M235i's sleek body and muscular appearance, courtesy of the M body kit. In my opinion, the car looks good from most angles. Sure, some may criticize the oversized taillights, but it's probably wise to see the car live before making that statement.

On the inside, the cabin has M135i hatch written all over it, with the exception of the steering wheel, which on the M235i looks sportier and reminds of the one fitted to the BMW M3 E46.

The BMW2-Series Coupe will be released with five engine options in Europe: three diesels - 218d (143PS/141hp), 220d (184PS/181hp) and 225d (218PS/215hp) and two gasoline units – 220i (184PS/181hp) and M235i (326PS/322hp).

Until a BMW M2 Coupe is confirmed, the fastest model of the range will be the M235i. The car sprints from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.8 seconds with the 8-speed automatic gearbox (5.0 seconds with the 6-speed manual). Both acceleration times are 0.1 seconds quicker than the M135i's. Top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h (155 mph).

By Dan Mihalascu

As you already know, it was designed under the new Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 design language. It makes the car look modern and imposing, but a bit too much of a mishmash between the premium Euro brands, in my opinion, as I detect hints of Audi, Jaguar and even the Mercedes-Benz CLS.

Originality is not the first thing that comes to mind when taking in its shape, but it looks classy enough to wear any luxury German marque's badge, and that is high praise.

Hyundai is also keen to point out that a lot of work has been done on its chassis which now features more ultra-high-strength steel in its construction. The suspension it comes with will be stiffer than before, and will be electronically controlled via the brand's Advanced Traction Cornering Control (or ATCC). "Furthermore, Rack-mounted Motor Driven Electric Power Steering (R-MDPS) was first applied to the model with a variable gear ratio, which provides high-speed stability and direct response at low and medium speeds," says Hyundai.

All-wheel drive will also be offered as an option (for the first time in the model's history), in the form of Hyundai's own HTRAC system that electronically shuffles torque between the two axles. V6 and V8 engines are expected to be on offer.

By Andrei Nedelea