Mitsubishi Mirage European Version to Debut in Paris

Mitsubishi’s new focus towards green(er) vehicles will, of course, be seen at the upcoming Paris Motor Show, where the company will show its intentions in multiple ways, one of which will be the release of the European-spec Mirage.

The Mitsubishi Mirage is an A-segment vehicle that made its debut at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, but this is a global vehicle, so it will hit the European, Australian and other markets in February next year.

The Mirage, which might get a new designation on certain markets (it could, for example, be called Colt in the UK), is powered by a 1.0-liter 3-cylinder petrol unit that uses MIVEC variable distribution and a Start-Stop system to reduce CO2 emissions to 92 grams per km. The vehicle should get a few different details for the European market, but we’ll have to wait until later this month to see them.

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Mitsubishi ASX Facelift Revealed ahead of Paris

Ahead of the model’s European market debut at the Paris Motor Show 2012, Japanese carmaker Mitsubishi unveiled the 2013 ASX crossover, the facelifted version of crossover which has already gone on sale in North America and Japan.

The European ASX was fist shown more than two years ago, at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2010. From summer 2012, production of the Outlander Sport (the US-market name for the same car) has begun in Normal, Illinois.

Looking at the single photo released by Mitsubishi Europe, we’d say the US and European versions are the same.

The facelift gives the ASX a new grille design and restyled bumper. The European engine lineup includes a 1.6-liter petrol and a 1.8-liter diesel, thus differing to the US and Asian lineup. It’s not yet clear what sort of performance or efficiency enhancements are going to be made.

However, for the US version, Mitsubishi chose to slightly improve efficiency while improving ride comfort and re-tuning the CVT.

autoevolution will be attending the Paris Motor Show 2012, so stay tuned for some real up close and personal shots of the vehicles, as well as for first-hand details of the motorized contraptions presented at the event.

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2013 Ford F-150 Pricing Released

Ford has recently announced the pricing for the 2013 Model Year F-150, with the pickup getting a slight price increase over the model it replaces. However, the Blue Oval has not released the 2013 pricing for the special models, such as the SVT Raptor and the F-150 Limited.

The range starts at $24,665, with this including a $995 destination charge. The figure can also be translated into a $170 increase compared to that of the 2012 model. For the moment, the most expensive model is the F-150 FX4, which can be yours starting from $39,760.

For the 2013 model year, customer can choose from the following engines: a 3.7-liter V with 302 hp, a turbocharged 3.6-liter V6 Ecoboost unit producing 365 hp, a 5.0-liter V8 that places 360 hp under the drivers’s right foot, as well as a 6.2-liter V8 that churns out 411 hp. All powerplants use a six-speed automatic gearbox.

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Ford Taurus Police Interceptor Gets 305 HP 3.7-Liter V6

Police departments are being offered a new engine option when buying a Ford Taurus-based interceptor from Ford. It’s the same 3.7-liter V6 that’s already available with the Explorer-based Police Interceptor SUV.

This is the third engine available to the Taurus, sitting between the the 285 hp 3.5-liter V6 and the 365 EcoBoost turbo V6.

The new V6 engine is a twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT) unit and comes with the promise of 25 mpg highway and 18 mpg city (EPA-rated).

"The horsepower and torque ratings are the highest of any naturally aspirated V6 engine offered for pursuit-rated sedans," Ford says.

“This combination of great performance and top-notch fuel economy means law enforcement agencies won’t have to compromise power or fuel efficiency while getting the job done,” said Bill Gubing, chief engineer for Police Interceptor.

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Ferrari 458 Italia Becomes All-Black via ADV.1 Wheels

US specialist Advance One Wheels wanted to stage an all-black play session with an Italian supercar, so it abducted a Ferrari 458 Italia and forced it to wear some of its shoes.

Now, ADV.1 Wheels wants to share the results with us and has published the adjacent image gallery on its website. A black example of the V8-powered Prancing Horse was fitted with ADV5.0TS wheels, which use a black finish (Captain Obvious reporting here).

The slim spokes allow us to take a good look at the generously-sized carbon-ceramic rotors and a strong element of contrast is brought by the grabbers, which are finished in yellow. The wheels are part of ADV.1’s Track Spec series, as their designation tells us, so serious weight reduction was also an aim here.

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Ferrari Driver Shot in the Testicles, Takes 458 into Emergency Room

When a yellow Ferrari 458 is driven straight into the emergency room, people will gather around to see what happened, but we don’t think anybody expects to see the driver covered in blood, which was also spilled on the car, due to the fact that he had been shot in the testicles.

This is exactly what happened last Sunday at the Cardarelli hospital in Italy, with a 31-year-old, Antonio Sarno, being the man we are talking about. He had been shot in his testicles and legs, which his female passenger had been shot in her foot.

According to the two, this was the result of a failed carjacking attempt, which started with the sitting a a traffic light at about 2AM and being surrounded by a group of armed motorcyclists, who demanded the keys to the car. Sarno didn’t want to let this happen so he tried to make a run for it, but this determined the robbers to use their weapons. One bullet broke the window of the V8 supercar, while the others reached the two people.

There are no public details about the driver’s condition, while his passenger should get out of the hospital in two weeks from now.

However, the two said that they couldn’t remember the street where the story took place, so the police took their story with a pretty big grain of salt - the yellow 458 was taken into custody for investigation.

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2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser Updates

Toyota has announced the upgrades for the 2013 model year FJ Cruiser, with the vehicle receiving just a few changes. It all starts with the Trail Teams Special Edition, which gets a new two-tone exterior finish.

The Trail Teams Special Edition brings together the Off-Road Package with custom interior pieces. However, the standard color, Radiant Red, was ditched in favor of a new one, Cement Gray, while black is used for the door handles, bumpers and front grille,

The suspension uses special Bilstein dampers, a rear differential lock with Active Traction Control system, underbody protection elements, as well as 16-inch Toyota Racing Development (TRD) wheels with 265/75ZR16 All-Terrain BF Goodrich rubber.

The 2013 FJ Cruiser range now offers standard power mirrors and there’s a new exterior color, Magma Red. The FJ Cruiser keeps its 4.0-liter V6 that delivers 260 hp and can be ordered in four-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive versions.

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Toyota RAV4 EV Coming to California for $49,800

Toyota recently announced that it will put the RAV4 EV on sale in California on September 24. The electric crossover will come with a starting price of $49,800.

The aforementioned price might scare you, but you have to know that the car, which has been created together with Tesla Motors, is eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit and a $2,500 rebate via California’s Clean Vehicle Rebate Program. Thus, you end up paying $39,800 for the car. In addition to that, Toyota will also offer a $599 36-month lease option.

Toyota brags that the RAV4 EV only needs 6 hours for a full charge (using a 240V outlet), while the car’s EPA rating shows a range of 107 miles (172 km) per charge. The automotive producer says that it aims to sell 2,600 units of the car by the end of 2014.

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2013 Lexus GS 350 F Sport Safety Car

BMW and Mercedes have had so many safety cars over the year that we can’t hope to keep track of them all. In 2012, the new M6 has perhaps become the most iconic safety car, but the C63 AMG Black Series is still seriously cool in our book.

Lexus has also joined the fray, perhaps a little late to the game, with their sporty-ish 2013 GS 350 F Sport safety car, which will be used by the Sydney Motorsport Park in Australia. Especially for this job, the GS has been bestowed with a set of lights on the roof and special livery.

The power for the car comes from a 3.5-liter V6 engine that puts out 306 hp and let the car loose to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6 seconds.

"There have been many changes here at Sydney Motorsport Park in the last year and we are pleased that Lexus has decided to maintain its long-standing relationship with us," said CEO of Sydney Motorsport Park and the Australian Racing Drivers’ Club, Glenn Matthews.

"The GS 350 not only looks fantastic, but the feedback I’ve had from the drivers is that it’s a really enjoyable vehicle to drive…we are pleased that Lexus has decided to maintain its long-standing relationship with us," he adds.

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BMW X5

Customers swimming in the SUV segment are usually conservative and thus most carmakers won't make radical direction changes from one generation of their SUVs to the other. This is a true statement and so is the fact that Europe has learned to love SUVs, with this kind of vehicle being used by a wide range of customers, from those who really need to take their cars offroad, to soccer mums and young people who want to bee cool.

However, neither one of the aforementioned statements were true back in the late 1990s, when the premium German automakers started making SUVs.

BMW made a difficult bet when it launched the first X5 in 1999 - how could a large, heavy vehicle like that be driving machine? However, the Bavarians had an ace up their sleeves and that ace was called... Mercedes ML. Mercedes had launched the ML two years before and the model quickly became a hit, so the Bavarians knew that they could take advantage of this booming market. And they fully did, mainly thanks to the fact that the X5 was superior to the ML in many ways. 

BMW also tried to compensate for not being the first at this table and invented a new segment when it launched the X5, calling it an SAV, which stands for Sports Activity Vehicle, a designation that would be used for all its vehicles of this kind.

However, the first step was the only revolutionary one, so the second generation of the X5, which landed in 2006 followed the footsteps of its predecessor pretty closely, even in terms of design.

The X5 received a facelift in 2011 and is now speeding towards the end of its life cycle, which means multiple things, one of them being that, if you want to buy one, now is a good time, since the vehicle was already refined over the years of market presence.

However, since the X5 is no longer a fresh vehicle, you'll have to dig deep in the list of optional extras to make sure that your car looks right. This is why we chose to test an example fitted with the M Sport package. Under the bonnet, we chose the most powerful non-M diesel, the twin-turbo 40d version that offers 306 hp and 600 Nm (442.5 lb-ft) of torque.

Don't worry about anything, we are going for quite a long trip, but this is an SAV, so it should be able to handle anything. Let's see if it does in the following pages.

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BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe Test Drive

Ever since the first four-wheeled creation wearing a BMW badge came to the world, the German carmaker showed a conservative attitude when it came to classifying its vehicles. For BMW, coupes were coupes, sedans were sedans and so on. However, the Bavarians have dramatically changed this principle in the modern era, with the company now placing niches high on its list of priorities.

Thus, BMW couldn't resist not creating a model that would fall into what has to be the most popular niche of all times: four-door coupes. In fact, this area has expanded so much that it's starting to look more like a fully-grown segment.

The start-up credit goes to Mercedes, which relied on the first generation of the CLS to bring customers to this segment, but now the list of names that play this game ranges from the lower tier, where VW (with the CC) plays for the moment and Kia is set to arrive later (the K9 Concept), through the premium one, where we find the Audi A7 and the second-generation Mercedes CLS, as well as the  Porsche Panamera, to the luxury one, which, for now, only includes the Aston Martin Rapide.

However, the Bavarians didn’t take any risks with the launch of their first four-door coupe. Like we said, the segment is now established, the new 6-Series Coupe was already on the market and the Gran Coupe is just a version of this that has gained a two doors. Or is it?

BMW’s Head of Design, Adrian von Hooydonk took this as a challenge and, together with his team, incorporated centuries of experience (no, they’re not vampires, that’s the final result you reach if you add up each designer’s years of work) into giving the Gran Coupe its own flavor. The engineers were also called in to make sure that, again, the car has personality and it’s not just a 6-Series Coupe built for China (read: long wheelbase).

Have all these efforts paid out? Install yourself in one of the individual rear seats, let’s go for a drive and find out. What? Yes, this is the diesel version (640d), so let's see if we can avoid the pump while going fast.

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Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder on PUR Wheels

After all the fun in the sun that the Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder allowed you to enjoy, it’s only natural that you feel obligated to give the car a little treat. And Canadian customizer SR Auto decided to do just that to this lovely V10 convertible - treat it to some custom wheels.

“At the height of super cars, we are presented with a convertible that not only is a sight to be seen, but serves the driver as one of the best drop top cars of this century,” SR Auto said. “From our experience, we have concluded that a set of mesh wheels always looks spectacular on Lamborghini’s.”

The particular mesh wheel set chosen for this project was the Design 2WO by PUR Wheels. The monoblock 2-inch wheel is finished in modern matte black. From behind them, bright red brakes still shine in the summer sun.

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Lamborghini Gallardo Recall Reaches US

Lamborghini is recalling certain units of the original Gallardo, along with its Spyder version, due to a fire risk - the action started in Australia, reached Canada and has now come to the US.

A total of 1,491 Gallardo Coupes and Spyders belonging to the 2004-2006 model years are being called back, with the problem being linked to the steering system. "In certain driving conditions, the high-pressure steering pipes near the steering assistance hydraulic system pump might leak," the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration tells us. 

And despite the fact that the leak is at the front of the car and the engine is in the middle, "Leaking fluid, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire."

Lamborghini said it came across this issue during an internal testing session and that it can appear during really hard driving conditions. However, the carmaker added that it is not aware of any fires or accidents related to this.

The recall campaign has already debuted, with Lamborghini dealers replacing the power steering systems of the affected units. You can contact the carmker at (866) 681-6276.

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2013 Hyundai i30 Coming to US as Elantra Hatchback

Carscoop recently reported on a spotting of a heavily camouflaged Hyundai testing in the US. This is likely to be the brand new 2013 i30 five-door that was revealed in Frankfurt back in September.

The Elantra hatchback will sit in the range alongside its sedan compact brother and will likely replace the Touring version, since US consumers are likely to be more comfortable buying smaller cars than ever.
In Europe the i30 hatchback will be sold with two petrol engines, a 100 hp 1.4L and the 140 hp 1.6 GDI, plus two diesels. However, the US version is likely to stick to only offering the 1.6-liter GDI and the 1.8-liter four-pot offered as a base engine.

A three-door hatchback i30 will be revealed in 2012, and it’s likely to get a hot hatch version for the first time, powered by the new 204 hp 1.6-liter turbo. Rumor has it a hybrid version is also coming later next year.

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Hyundai i30 Three-Door Revealed ahead of Paris

You can never have too many Korean three-door hatchbacks! Just a couple of days after the Kia Pro_Cee’d was revealed, the sister brand came out with the three-door version of the i30 hatchback, known as the Elantra GT in the US.

Hyundai says this three-door market niche filler has been "designed, engineered and manufactured in Europe, for Europe," featuring fresh styling from the A-pillars back. The 3-door has more muscular rear wings and touches for the grille and front bumper.

⌕ Hyundai i30 Three-Door

The Engine range offered with this car will include the same units as the i30 and i30 Tourer, basically 1.4-liter and 1.6-liter diesel and gasoline units with outputs from 90 to 128 PS.

Pricing and more information should be revealed at the i30 3-door’s unveiling at the Paris Motor Show.

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Honda Civic with 1.6 i-DTEC Diesel Heading to Paris

Selling hatchbacks in Europe is not about having the biggest TV screens or the sportiest suspension setup, just ask the VW Golf, it’s about having the most economical engines, especially diesels ones.

The best selling points of the new Honda Civic hatchback were always going to be the styling and the aerodynamic body. But the engine range basically remained unchanged from the old car.

But soon, this five-door hatchback will be offered with a brand new 1.6-liter i-DTEC turbodiesel, the first engine to be of Honda's Earth Dreams Technology series in Europe.

A Honda Civic with the new 1.6 diesel will be shown at the Paris Motor Show, ahead of going on sale in October. It will offer 120 PS of power at 4,000 rpm and 300 Nm of torque from 2,000 rpm. It will also help the Civic return 3.6 l/100km combined (78 mpg UK). and emit only 94 g/km of CO2.

autoevolution will be attending the Paris Motor Show 2012, so stay tuned for some real up close and personal shots of the vehicles, as well as for first-hand details of the motorized contraptions presented at the event.

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ABT AS6 (Audi A6) Gets Extra Diesel Power

German tuner ABT Sportsline has announced a slew of tuning kits for the diesel-powered versions of the Audi A6 they’ve dubbed the AS6 due to its sportier nature.

Both the A6 sedan and estate models equipped with the 2.0-liter TDI can be tuned from 177 hp to 205 hp. That’s impressive, but what they’ve done to the V6 TDIs is even more so. The Bavarian company offers various packages, the base one pushing the 304 hp version of the V6 to 270 hp.

In addition, the 245 hp version of the A6 becomes a 300 hp monster when reincarnated as the AS6, while the bi-turbo 313 hp range-topper is pushed to 360 hp.

Besides the extra power, ABT offers a full body kit, performance suspension and brakes plus custom wheels sized from 19- to 21-inches.

If you don’t want a diesel, ABT can always tune a 3.0 TFSI from 300 hp all the way to 420 hp.

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Audi RS 5 Cabriolet Facelift

Audi has just launched the facelifted version of the RS5 Cabriolet, with the vehicle following the coupe model that has already been launched. The vehicle is wearing the specific RS bodykit and Audi has stuck to the cloth soft top, which can be opened/closed in 15 and 17 seconds, respectively, up to speeds of 31 mph (50 km/h). When the roof is folded, this takes up just 60 liters (2.12 cu ft) of the luggage compartment’s 380 liters (13.42 cu ft).

Inside, we find and RS5 three-spoke steering wheel with a flat bottom, which is finished in perforated leather, electric sport seats that use a combination of leather and Alcantara, with Audi telling us that “All leather types are pigmented to inhibit heating by sunlight”. You can also opt for manually-adjustable bucket seats, as well as for comfort seats that also come with ventilation.

Just like in the Coupe, we get a high-revving, naturally-aspirated 4,163cc V8 that delivers 450 hp at 8,250 rpm and 430 Nm (317 lb-ft) between 4,000 and 6,000 rpm. The exhaust comes with special flaps that control the sound, with Audi offering an optional sport exhaust, which uses black tailpipes.

Power is sent to all four wheel via a seven-speed dual-clutch S Tronic gearbox and we’d advise you to dip into the list of optional goodies and go for the rear sport differential for the car’s quattro AWD.

The 0 to 62 mph sprint is dealt with in 4.9 seconds (0.4 seconds slower than the coupe), while the top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph (250 km/h). If this is requested, the top speed can be boosted to 174 mph (280 km/h). As for the combined cycle fuel efficiency, this sits at 10.9 l/100 km (21.58 US mpg).

Compared to the standard A5 Cabrio, the RS rides 20 mm (0.79 inches) lower, uses stiffer suspension mounts and beefier anti-roll bars. The car is connected to the road via a set of 19x9-inch that use 265/35 runner, while optional 20-inch rims with 275/30 tires are available.

Stopping power comes thanks to a system that uses ventilated and perforated discs, with the front ones measuring 365 mm (14.37 inches) and using 8 pistons. Again, if we look at the list of optional features, we find carbon-ceramic front rotors.

Another interesting optional feature is the Dynamic Ride Control (DRC), a hydraulic adaptive suspension. Let’s hear Audi talking about this: “Each pair of diagonally opposing shock absorbers is interconnected via hydraulic oil lines and a central valve; when cornering at speed, the system increases support of the spring-deflected front wheel at the outside of the curve. The shock absorber characteristic can be adjusted over three levels.”

Audi has also announced the German market details for the RS5 Cabrio, with the vehicle set to reach its first customers early next year, while its pricing starts at EUR88,500 (USD). As we previously told you, the RS5 Cabrio will also arrive in the US, although Audi hasn't mentioned anything about this for now. You can check out the full press released in the PDF file below

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2009 Acura Review

The Acura TL is a medium-sized, entry-level luxury sports cars sedan, currently Acura's best-selling car. Although TL typically does not provide the excitement or the prestige of competing European sports sedan, it counters with exceptional value and above average durability and reliability.

After three generations, the current model is the sportiest and most desirable yet, with chiseled exterior styling, firm suspension tuning, a powerful V6 and an impressive level of standard equipment. The AcuraTL underwent a midlife freshening for 2007, with minor exterior and interior styling tweaks and an upgraded optional navigation system. The TL Type-S also returned to LINEUP this year with a 286-hp V6, various performance upgrades and styling enhancements.

Like most sports sedan, the TL is very usable on a daily basis and can perform well in almost any role. According to our editors, the current TL is "a well built, high performance, feature-laden entry-level luxury sports sedan, which should please most consumers shopping in this market."

Current Acura TL 
The current Acura TL receives a midlife freshening, but the big news is that the TL Type-S returns to the LINEUP after a three-year break. Equipped with a 286-hp 3.5-liter V6, Type-S also includes a sport-tuned suspension, brakes Brembo high performance and unique design elements that include quad tailpipe. A six-speed manual or five-speed automatic with auto-manual shift paddles are no-cost options. The upgraded touchscreen and voice-activated navigation system with real-time traffic reporting is standard equipment on the Type-S, which is the rest of the TL's long feature list.

The regular TL receives minor styling tweaks and interior changes, including a sporty new three-spoke steering wheel. The updated navigation system is the only option, while the five-speed automatic is the only available transmission. The 258-hp 3.2-liter V6 is unchanged.

Both versions of the TL come with an attractive, well-built interior design with a more sporting intent in mind. Aluminum inlays, bright blue electroluminescent gauges and aggressively strengthened seats should appeal to enthusiasts, but may postpone the're looking for a more traditional luxury look. Ergonomics are excellent, with redundant stereo controls on the radio face plate, steering wheel, and optional touchscreen and voice commands. High-tech standard features includes Bluetooth phone connectivity options, programmable driver memory function and an excellent surround sound stereo with six-CD/DVD audio changer and satellite radio.

On the road tests we have always been impressed with the Acura TL's performance and handling abilities, but ultimately find that its front-wheel-drive setup can not compete with rear-drive models like the Infiniti G35, Lexus IS 350 or BMW 335i. Type-S ups the ante a bit, increase power without noticeable during teas. But until the Acura offers its Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system on the TL or even switching to rear-wheel drive (unlikely), the TL will remain a few steps behind its top competitors. For a majority of customers, even though the TL will provide a good mix of fun and convenience at a reasonable price.

Earlier Acura TL models

The current generation TL was introduced as a 2004 model. Consumers are interested in a used or certified pre-owned TL would be well advised to look for that model year or newer. There is not much difference between them in terms of features or hardware. Please note that Acura revised V6's horsepower ratings from 270 to 258 by 2006. But this review was a regulatory issue, and the engine is not in fact change.

The second generation Acura TL was built from 1999-2003. Although it was not as exciting as the current model, our editors gave their elders very positive reviews during its course. Improvements were made throughout this period, and the car had a number of SL first, including Honda's VTEC variable valve timing and a GPS navigation option. The powerful Type-S version, which debuted in 2002, should strongly consider buyers interested in increased efficiency. Regardless of specific trim level, just about any use second-generation model will work well.

The original Acura TL debuted in 1995 as a replacement for the popular Acura Vigor. Two versions were offered: a 2.5 TL with a 2.5-liter inline-5 engine and a 3.2 TL with a 3.2-liter V6. Both models were available during the first generation's run, which lasted virtually unchanged through 1998. As there is now a small price difference between the two, we suggest that consumers are interested in a first-generation TL used to go to the more powerful 3.2.

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Geely Englon SC7 and SX6: Bentley SUV Cloned

They say that imitation is the mother of all flattery, but we don’t think Bentley is feeling it right now. On the same show floor that houses their brand new EXP 9 F concept they worked so hard on (to get it wrong), Chinse automaker Geely unveiled three concepts that offer a familiar grille and headlight combo.

First, there’s the Geely Englon SC7 concepts, the RV hatchback and the RS sedan.

They are supposed to be studies for a replacement London Cab, but all we see are Bentley wheelarches, headlights and foglights.

Before acquiring Volvo, Geely purchased some shares in London Taxi manufacturers Manganese Bronze Holding PLC. We’ll let these slide for now, because the iconic black cab has round headlights. But the SX5 crossover/SUV is a definite no-no copycat in our opinion.

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