Infiniti Q60 Concept Detailed in New Photos

Infiniti Q60 Concept Detailed in New Photos
BMW Reclaims US Luxury Sales Crown for 2014
FCA’s Ferrari Spinoff Opens Door for New Deals
2016 Lexus GS F Revealed Before Detroit Debut
Rolls-Royce to Decide Fate of SUV This Year
2015 Porsche 911 GT3 RS Spied Before Geneva Debut

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Infiniti has released a new set of photos giving us a better look at its latest concept car.

Previewing the new Q60 Coupe that is expected to enter production later this year, the Q60 Coupe Concept will make its official debut next week at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show. It is likely that the majority of the concept's design will make its way to production, though expect some elements to be toned down to be more acceptable for mass production such as its sleek side mirrors.

Overall, the Q60 Coupe Concept draws heavily from the Q80 Inspiration concept as the Japanese automaker looks to give all its models a more trademark front grille like its competitors Audi and Lexus. Expect the engines to carryover from the existing Q50 sedan including the popular 3.7-liter V6.

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BMW Reclaims US Luxury Sales Crown for 2014

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BMW is once again sitting on top of the luxury sales throne.

After losing the title to Mercedes-Benz in 2013, BMW has reclaimed the crown after boosting its December sales by 11 percent. Last month, the German automaker delivered 41,526 vehicles on the strength of the 3 and 4 Series as well as the X5 SUV. Mercedes moved 34,009 units in December, marking a three-percent increase with the redesigned C-Class and GL-Class leading the way. In total, BMW saw a 9.8-percent increase in annual sales last year to 339,738 units while Mercedes finished off the year at 330,951 up 5.7 percent.

SEE ALSO: 2016 BMW 7 Series Leaked

Lexus, which held the U.S. luxury sales title for 11 years until BMW took over in 2011, had its sales climb 15 percent in December for a total of 39,879 vehicles sold. The company's annual sales rose to 311,389 as the Japanese automaker continues to gain ground on its German competitors.

[Source: Automotive News]

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FCA’s Ferrari Spinoff Opens Door for New Deals

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Sergio Marchionne already setup one of the largest auto industry deals in the last decade, but he's not done yet.

Marchionne still thinks the industry is ripe for another major merger like the one between Fiat and Chrysler that he made happen. Thanks to the company's spin-off of Ferrari, which helped to raise $5 billion to greatly lower debt, FCA is now much more attractive to other automakers for a potential merger.

"I've always had the view that this industry over the middle to long term needs to look at other consolidation opportunities," Marchionne said. "Eventually it must happen."

Partnerships are becoming much more common in the auto industry amid slowing market growth and higher development costs thanks to new technology packed cars. By joining forces, auto companies can maximize economies of scale to cut down on costs.

Among the companies being tossed around for possible merger are General Motors, Ford and the Volkswagen Group. Mazda and Suzuki are also possibilities, both of which would help FCA in Asian markets.

[Source: Automotive News]

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2016 Lexus GS F Revealed Before Detroit Debut

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Lexus' secret Detroit Auto Show reveal is now out in the open.

The Japanese brand has revealed its latest high-performance sedan, the GS F. Based on the four door Lexus GS, the GS F packs a 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V8 that sends 467 hp and 389 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.

SEE ALSO: 2015 Lexus RC F Review – Video

To compliment all that power, the car is fitted with tons of performance goodies including a torque vectoring differential, increased structural rigidity, better brakes and tires along with with an upgraded suspension.

The car will makes its official debut at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show next week and AutoGuide will be there to catch the action live.

Discuss this story at our Lexus F Forum

Rolls-Royce to Decide Fate of SUV This Year

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Finally, after years of discussion, Rolls-Royce will make a production decision on its SUV this year.

The company has been studying the pros and cons of entering the ultra-luxury SUV market, to come up with the decision. "We've made progress in evaluating options and in understanding better how such a project could work, what's needed to make it work if we decide to go ahead," said CEO Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes.

Rolls has been gaining sales ground for the past five years and an SUV could help the company continue its growth. Not only are overall sales numbers up at Rolls-Royce, average transaction prices have also been climbing.

With a Bentley SUV on the way, it would give Rolls-Royce a natural competitor in the market as well.

[Source: Auto News]

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2015 Porsche 911 GT3 RS Spied Before Geneva Debut

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The 2015 Porsche 911 GT3 RS has been spotted the way it was meant to be seen: in the wild.

Instagram user Johan9ff has spotted photos of the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, likely the same test vehicle that AutoGuide.com's spy photographers caught testing late last year. The 911 GT3 RS will sit atop the 991 range since the German automaker has no plans of producing a GT2 model for this generation.

Based on the 911 Turbo, the 911 GT3 RS features air intakes on the rear fenders and an aggressive front spoiler that pairs nicely to the large front fenders which also sports vents this time around. Porsche is keeping official details on the car under wraps until its expected debut at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, but it will likely be powered by a 4.0-liter six-cylinder boxer engine with around 520 hp.