Maserati Hosts Prive Ladies Day in London

Maserati’s UK arm hosted a special day for their lady clients last week at one of London’s trendy clubs, the Hurlingham. The Italian sports carmaker’s clients were joined by supermodel and Maserati ambassador Jodie Kidd and Fifth-Gear TV presenter Vicki Butler-Henderson (the first woman to ever win a race in a Maserati). In case you want to check out Maserati UK’s female clientele, follow the jump to see the image gallery.

2011 Buick LaCrosse Sedan Scooped in Michigan

A heavily camouflaged prototype of the 2011 Buick LaCrosse was spotted by Autoblog.com reader Mike rolling around in Troy, Michigan. The second generation LaCrosse that will be sold in the United States and China is built on GM’s new global front-wheel-drive Epsilon II platform which was first introduced on the new Opel Insignia. The LaCrosse that will be offered with GM’s new 3.6-liter V6 powerplant is expected to hit Buick’s showrooms in during the first half of 2009 as a 2011 model. -More pics after the jump

Via: Autoblog.com

ΑΒΤ Audi A3 Convertible with up to 270Hp

Although ABT is still working on the A3 Convertible’s optic package, the German tuner has revealed details on the available mechanical upgrades for Audi’s newest soft-top that competes against the BMW 1-Series Convertible. Starting off with ABT’s basic “Power” pack, the 1.8 TFSi’s output is raised to 200Hp (from 160Hp) while the 2.0 TFSi delivers 240Hp (from 200Hp). For those who want more, ABT offers the “Power S” kit that increases the 1.8 TFSi’s output to 240Hp and the 2.0 TFSi’s to 270Hp. -Image gallery after the jump

2009 Citroen C4 Facelift with New 1.6 & 1.6 Turbo Engines

French carmaker Citroen has taken the wraps off the facelifted C4 hatchback which is available in three-door and five-door variants. The new C4 will be world premiered at the Moscow International Motor Show that opens its gates to the public on August 26, 2008. Citroen has made subtle changes to the C4’s exterior appearance that include a new front bumper, a beefier bonnet and transparent crystal fixtures for the rear lights. Inside, the facelifted C4 features new upholstery and grain on several trim parts while the rev counter has been incorporated in the middle of the dashboard. -Continued

Engine-wise, the facelifted C4 is now available with two new petrol engines co-developed with the BMW Group. It is the first Citroen to be fitted with engines from this family. The C4’s VTi 120 normally aspirated engine replaces the 1.6i 16V and has a capacity of 1.6-liters developing 120Hp while the THP 150 that will replace the 2.0i 16V, is a 1.6-liter turbocharged unit producing 150Hp.

1000 Subaru Impreza Owners to Pay Tribute to the late Colin McRae

Almost a year has passed since that wretched day on September 15, 2007 when Rally Champion Colin McRae and three more passengers including his five-year old son died in a tragic helicopter accident near his hometown in Scotland.

In order to pay a fitting tribute to Colin McRae, the Subaru community is planning to gather a world record 1,000 Imprezas at Prodrive, the home of Subaru World Rally Team, where Colin spent the most successful years of his rallying career, first winning the British Rally Championship in a Subaru Legacy in 1991 and 1992 and then becoming Britain’s first world rally champion in 1995. -Continued

A convoy of more than 1,000 Imprezas led by McRae’s 1995 World Rally Championship-winning Impreza 555, will leave Colin’s home town of Lanark at 10 am on Saturday 30 August arriving at Prodrive on the same day.

On Sunday August 31, after setting a world record for a gathering of Subarus, the group’s aim is to then set a world record for a parade of Subarus, as all the cars circulate around the 2 mile test track. As a final mark of respect, Subaru owners will park up on the mile-long straight to spell out the name Colin McRae in letters more than 100 feet tall and visible to anyone flying into nearby Birmingham International airport.

The McRae Gathering is only open to Subarus and to take part, all cars must bear the special ‘McRae Gathering’ plate. There is an entry charge of £10 for each car with all proceeds going to the McRaes’ nominated charities.

Alfa Romeo 147 Ducati Corse on Sale in the UK

The special edition Alfa Romeo 147 Ducati Corse that was created in celebration of Ducati’s its 2007 MotoGP world championship title win with Australian rider Casey Stoner, has arrived in the UK. The 147 Ducati Corse is available in two versions, the five-door priced at £17,995, and the three-door priced at £17,495. Both versions are equipped with a 170Hp 1.9-liter turbo diesel engine tied with Alfa’s Q2 limited slip differential. With this engine the 147 goes from 0-62 mph in 8.0 seconds, and to a top speed of 134 mph or 215 km/h. -Continued

Exclusive to the 147 Ducati Corse are the bespoke 18” alloy wheels wrapped in 225/40 R18 tires, red painted brake callipers, satin effect electrically adjustable and heated wing mirrors, a rear spoiler, and appropriate Ducati badging. Buyers can choose from three individual external colors – Etna Black, Ghiaccio White and Giulietta Red.

Inside, the special edition Alfa 147 features aluminum sports pedals, Ducati Corse sports dials with a red background, sports seats upholstered in black leather with red stitching, cruise control, dual zone automatic climate control, as well as a car radio with audio CD player, MP3 reader, and an auto-dip rear view mirror.

2009 Toyota Avensis Sedan Rendering

After the withdrawal of the Camry from European markets in 2004 due to long-term poor sales, the Avensis became Toyota’s largest offering in the continent. The current, second-generation Avensis has been available in Europe since 2003 (having received a mild-facelift in 2006) competing against the likes of the Ford Mondeo, Peugeot 407 and VW Passat.

In the face of new competition, Toyota is planning to reveal a successor to the Avensis II that will be offered in both sedan and station-wagon variants towards the end of 2008 or early 2009. Now, whether or not the new Avensis will look like the car featured in this scanned rendering that was sent to us by one of our readers, your guess is as good as ours…

Thanks for the pic Adrien!

Kia Soul Crossover in Factory Guise

Caught here undisguised on Kia’s assembly line in Korea, the Soul is a subcompact crossover (something like a Scion xB but a lot prettier) that will be offered with a variety of 4-cylinder petrol and diesel engines –the latter only in Europe. The Soul is scheduled to make its debut at the forthcoming Paris Auto Show in October with sales beginning on both sides of the Atlantic in early 2009.

Pic via: Soul Mania