The latest rumor in circulation is that the Nissan GT-R brand will get a hybrid powertrain in 2012 as a 2013 model year says Inside Line. The car would supposedly use the current 3.8-liter twin turbo V6 plus the battery powered electric drive powertrain in the 2009 Infiniti Essence Concept. A hybrid GT-R is expected to achieve 25 – 30 mpg but still perform miracles on a track and straight line drags. How much could a best-of-both-worlds supercar like this be expected to cost? Nothing concrete of course, since this is still just a rumor, but an amount of around $100,000 is being thrown about.

By DUB

A South Korean forum member has posted these spy shots of what clearly looks like the production version of Hyundai’s hotly anticipated Veloster that will in some way replace the Tiburon, aptly known as the Coupe in Europe and other markets. There are only two shots of the car, but from what we can tell, it appears that Hyundai Motor America’s CEO John Krafcik wasn’t exaggerating when he told Inside Line this past summer that the production model will look 70-80 per cent like the 2007 Veloster Concept.

The small front-wheel drive coupe, which has been described by Krafcik as a "4-passenger Honda CR-X", is scheduled to go on sale at Hyundai’s dealerships alongside the larger and more expensive rear-wheel drive Genesis Coupe before the end of 2011. Krafcik has revealed that the production model, which may very well retain the Veloster nameplate, will be powered by a new 1.6-liter four cylinder engine with direct injection pushing out 140 hp. It is expected that the base model will return over 40 mpg US (5.8lt/100km or 48mpg UK).

There’s a strong possibility that Hyundai may also offer the Veloster with either a turbocharged variant of the 1.6L engine or the firm’s 2.0-liter GDI petrol that develops 198HP in the new Sonata. Europeans could also get a diesel version of the Veloster.

By CarScoop

Audi may unveil a new concept at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. While details are limited, Audi stated their press conference will feature a "showcar (that) underscores Vorsprung durch Technik (advancement through technology)." We’re not exactly sure what to expect, but Audi’s production timetable seems to suggest the company will unveil a concept version of the next-generation A3 or A6. Other possibilities include the long-rumored R4 roadster and the entry-level Q3 crossover.  Audi will also show the new A8 which was unveiled earlier this month in Miami.

By WCF