Land Rover has confirmed it will end production of the iconic Defender SUV in December of 2015, two years ahead of schedule.

A company spokesman explained Land Rover is killing the Defender sooner than expected due to strict safety and emissions regulations that will come into effect throughout Europe before the end of the decade.   While it is technically possible to fit a cleaner engine under the Defender’s hood, it is becoming increasingly difficult to stay in compliance with Europe’s ever-stricter safety norms because the truck’s basic design precedes the Cold War.

A replacement is in the works but a previous report indicates the yet-unnamed vehicle will be much more tame than the Defender and pack a premium interior with modern creature comforts in order to reach a larger audience.  Expected to return to the United States after a long hiatus, the SUV will lose the Defender’s body-on-frame construction and adopt Land Rover’s new all-aluminum D7 platform but the company has promised the truck’s core values of dependability and functionality will be retained.

Storied past.

The 2013 Defender is essentially an evolution of the original Land Rover Series I that was aimed at English farmers when it was introduced as the brand’s first vehicle in 1948.  Met with instant success, it went through several evolutions including Series II, Series III and Cab Forward models before morphing into its current state in 1983.   The 90 and 110 monikers that denominated short- and long-wheelbase models were ditched for the Defender nameplate in 1990.

The Defender has gone through a host of engines ranging from frugal four-cylinder diesels to gas-burning V8s over the past two decades.  It gained a new 2.2-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder engine in 2011 and several minor upgrades such as an Alpine stereo system with a USB input, Bluetooth connectivity and two new exterior colors for the 2013 model year.<![CDATA[
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BMW’s MINI division has published the first official technical details about the next generation of the Cooper hatchback that will bow at simultaneous events held in Los Angeles, Tokyo and Oxford, England, on November 18th.

In Europe, the entry-level Cooper will be powered by a new 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine developed in-house to power a wide range of upcoming products.  Under the hood of the MINI it will generate 138 horsepower and 163 lb-ft. of torque from just 1,250 rpms while an overboost function will bump torque up to 170 lb-ft. for short bursts of time.

The next engine up will be a new four-cylinder rated at 195 horsepower and 206 lb-ft. of torque, though the aforementioned overboost function will briefly push that figure up to 221 in order to give the hatchback an acceleration boost.  The four-banger is equipped with direct fuel-injection and engineers have installed the turbocharger directly in the exhaust manifold in order to help eliminate turbo lag.

Buyers who prefer oil-burners will have access to a 1.5-liter three-cylinder turbodiesel that makes 116 horsepower and 199 lb-ft. of torque.  It will be seven percent more efficient than its predecessor, meaning that it should return about 55 mpg in a mixed European cycle.  BMW has not announced whether or not the diesel will make its way to the United States.

All engines will send power to the front wheels via newly-designed manual and automatic transmissions.

The entry-level MINI One and the range-topping John Cooper Works model have not been detailed yet, but rumors indicate the JCW could boast as much as 300 horsepower in its most powerful tune.

Lighter platform, more tech

The upcoming MINI will ride on the UKL1 platform that will also underpin the next BMW 1-Series and production variant of the Mercedes B-Class-fighting Concept Active Tourer.   Although the car will be larger in all directions than the current MINI, it will be considerably lighter thanks to the widespread use of high-strength steel.  

Most trim levels will come standard with an electronically-adjustable suspension that will provide two driving modes that MINI bills as “emphatically sporty” and “balanced and comfortable.”  All models will feature an electric power steering system.

On the safety front, the next MINI will boast an active hood that will instantly raise to create a crumple zone in the event of a collision between a pedestrian at speeds between 12 and 34 mph.

Advanced driving aids

Most Cooper models will be available with a host of optional high-tech add-ons including a heads-up display, collision and pedestrian warning systems designed to avoid a crash, a park assist function that helps the driver find a spot in a crowded parking lot and a rear-view camera that transmits images to a high-resolution color screen on the center stack.  

The MINI will also be offered with a video-based adaptive cruise control and a road sign and speed limit recognition function.

Spy shots

A batch of spy shots have revealed that the Cooper’s basic design will carry over for the third generation.  MINI’s familiar face remains, but the third-gen model receives a more pronounced grille, swept-back headlights and LED daytime running lights.  All 2014 Coopers will sport a “power dome” hood bulge while more powerful S models will gain a hood scoop, a rear spoiler, center-mounted dual exhaust tips and double-spoke wheels.

A second batch of spy shots has given us a good look at the upcoming Cooper’s interior.  The design is more of an evolution than a revolution but the biggest change is that the speedometer has been relocated from the center of the dashboard to being the steering wheel.  Equipped with a configurable thin-film transistor (TFT) screen, the gauge is flanked by a tachometer that is noticeably smaller than the current model’s.

Official details about the third-generation MINI Cooper will emerge in the weeks leading up to its debut.<![CDATA[
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General Motors and its joint-venture partners sold 277,647 vehicles in China last month, setting a new company record.

GM announced on Thursday that its China sales increased 13.7 percent to 277,647 units last month, good enough to set a new September sales record.

GM’s Buick brand helped lead the way in September, posting a 14.3 percent volume improvement to 71,002 units. The original Excelle family remained Buick’s most popular vehicle line during September, accounting for 26,875 units of the brand’s total sales. The LaCrosse also posted a positive month with sales increasing 12.5 percent to 9,797 units.

GM’s Chevrolet brand posted a modest 2 percent gain to 57,285 units in September. The Cruze compact was the most popular Chevy during the month, tallying 24,744 deliveries.

Cadillac remains a niche player in China’s luxury segment, but the brand managed a healthy 73.9 percent sales jump to 4,496 units last month. The SRX crossover was Cadillac’s most popular model, followed by the XTS large sedan.

Through the first nine months of the year GM has sold 2,312,418 vehicles in China, representing an 11.1 percent increase over the same period in 2012.

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A prototype race car powered by a version of Ford’s 3.5L EcoBoost V6 has set a new lap speed record at the Daytona International Speedway.

Colin Braun piloted the EcoBoost-powered Riley Technologies Daytona Prototype race car to a single lap speed record of 222.971 mph during a special record run attempt earlier on Thursday. Braun beat the previous record of 210.364 mph set by Bill Elliott in a Ford Thunderbird in 1987.

Additionally, Braun and his team was able to set a new world record for 10 miles from a standing start, averaging 210.018 mph.

“It was a challenging day,” said Braun. “There was a lot of work put in by a lot of people to accomplish these records. The power in the new EcoBoost engine was incredible, and it was amazing how fast it came up to speed on the runs.”

Ford didn’t give the details of the EcoBoost V6 used in the race car, but the road-going version of the motor develops up to 365 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque.

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General Motors’ Opel division has lifted the veil off of the facelifted 2014 Meriva, a compact MPV with innovative suicide rear doors.

The revamped Meriva is characterized by a new front end that falls in line with Opel’s latest design language.  It gains less angular headlights, a more streamlined bumper and a larger four-slat grille that proudly displays Opel’s lightning rod logo.  The back end stays roughly the same but the tail lamps have been given a new look.

LED daytime running lights, LED tail lamps and 18-inch alloy wheels are available as options.

The biggest changes carried out the Meriva are found under the hood where the MPV is available with a new 1.6-liter CDTi turbodiesel engine that is fully compliant with the strict Euro 6 emissions norms.  The mill sends 136 horsepower and a healthy 236 lb-ft. of torque to the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission, enough to propel the Meriva from zero to 60 mph in 9.1 seconds.  It returns 53 mpg in a mixed European cycle.

Buyers who prefer gasoline-burning engines can choose from a naturally-aspirated 1.4-liter four-banger that generates 100 horsepower or a turbocharged 1.4-liter available with either 120 or 140 ponies.  The 120-horsepower unit can be ordered with the necessary modifications to burn LPG straight from the factory.

Opel’s refreshed Meriva will go on sale throughout Europe over the coming weeks.  Pricing information will be revealed closer to its launch.

Like all Opels, the Meriva will wear a Vauxhall badge in the United Kingdom.<![CDATA[
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Specifications for BMW’s upcoming entry-level coupe and convertible range have hit the web, revealing a few surprises.

BMW is expected to introduce the 2-Series, which replaces the 1-Series coupe/convertible, to the world later this year. For the U.S. market, we anticipate an engine lineup consisting of two tunes for the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and a twin 3.0-liter six-cylinder. The specs that found their way to 2addicts.com today are for the South African-market models.

Most notably, the M235i will use a 322 horsepower, 332 lb-ft. of torque version of the automaker’s 3.0-liter inline TwinPower turbocharged six-cylinder engine; that’s actually a little more power than the M135i hatchback currently sold in South Africa.

In addition, the South African market will also be offered 220i (gasoline) and 220d (diesel) models, the former of which is likely to come to the U.S. It features a 181 horsepower, 200 lb-ft. of torque 2.0-liter engine, and it’s the same unit found in the BMW 320i. It’s not likely that we’ll see the diesel-powered 220d any time soon in the U.S.

Interestingly, the spec sheets list the South African model 220i with a curb weight checking in at just under 3,000 lbs. While the North American market model should weigh a little more thanks to some additional standard equipment, it will likely weigh less than the outgoing 1-Series. 

Thanks to several readers for pointing us in the direction of these leaked specs.

Spy shots… and what we already know

Our intrepid spies have provided us with a fully uncovered look at BMW’s 1-Series-replacing 2-Series coupe while it was on a photo shoot in Europe.

Pictured here in M Sport guise – note the M badge, bulging front fascia, big alloy wheels and gigantic brakes – the 2-Series coupe is set to arrive in the United States very soon as a 2014 model year. 

Confused about the 2-Series name? You’re not alone. BMW is repositioning its coupes to have even-numbered names, while its higher-volume sedans will retain their odd number configurations. The upcoming 1-Series sedan will be complemented by the 2-Series coupe, while the current 3-Series is set to gain a 4-Series coupe companion in the near future. 

The 2-Series will be marginally larger than the outgoing 1-Series, stretching perhaps 2 to 3 inches longer overall.

Spotted in both soft- and hard-top configurations, the 2-Series will ride on a version of the 1-Series rear-wheel drive platform. However, that won’t last for long – BMW’s next-generation 1-Series will switch to a front-wheel drive layout, meaning this round of 2-Series will be the first and last to send power to the rear wheels.

Underhood we expect to see both four- and six-cylinder engine options for the U.S. market. For those craving the ultimate in performance, BMW is said to be developing an M2 based on the 2-Series coupe, but it should be more aggressive looking than the red car spied in Europe.

Although not seen yet, our sources tell us that BMW is also working on a Gran Coupe version of the new 2-Series. Penned in the same vein as the 6-Series Gran Coupe, the 2-Series Gran Coupe will take on upcoming vehicles like Mercedes’ CLA. It remains unknown if the 2-Series Gran Coupe will spawn a performance M model.

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