Several technical images leaked out of Chinese patent office have prematurely revealed the Ford Escort, a compact sedan expected to debut in China early next year.

Previewed by a close-to-production concept at this year’s Shanghai Motor Show, the Escort is roughly the same size as a four-door Focus sedan but it is aimed at a clientele willing to pay extra for more room inside and a wide panoply of high-tech feature.  The Dearborn-based automaker believes the typical Escort buyer will be older and wealthier than the average Focus buyer.

The patent images suggest the Escort has changed very little in its transition from a show car to a production vehicle.   Penned with Ford’s Kinetic design language in mind, the Escort borrows styling cues such as its trapezoidal grille with horizontal slats and its elongated headlamps from members of Ford’s global lineup like the Fusion and the Fiesta. �

Technical details are not available but the Escort will undoubtedly use the same four-cylinder gasoline-burning engines that are offered with the Focus.  Power will be sent to the front wheels via either a manual or an automatic gearbox.  

Official information about the Escort will be available in the weeks leading up to its debut at the 2014 Beijing Motor Show.  It will be built in China and it might be exported to Russia and select countries in Latin America, but Ford is not currently planning on selling the sedan in North America or in Europe.<![CDATA[
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To promote the new IS300h hybrid, Lexus has built one that not only paints your self portrait as you drive, but the artwork will vary depending how you drive. Titled “Art is Motion,” the project is a collaboration with Spanish artist Sergio Albiac and his generative painting techniques.

Perhaps somewhat revealing about the way the automaker and the artist feel about eco-conscious driving, those who employ the hybrid system’s 141-hp electric motor more will end up with a more accurate painting in cooler colors. On the other hand lead-foots who make greater use of its 178-hp petrol four-cylinder will draw a more abstract depiction in “virulent” hues.

A photo of the subject uploaded into a computer forms the basis of the painting. Software linked to the car’s hybrid system then uses Albiac’s techniques to digitally “paint” its own version of the image. The result is displayed on a screen mounted on the dashboard so that the motorist can see the results of his driving in real-time.

The IS300h is sold in Europe and Japan. There are no plans to bring it state-side to supplement Lexus USA’s 204-hp and 306-hp V6 lineup. Lexus will auction the Art is Motion IS300h when the project is complete. Watch the videos below.

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BMW’s Individual Manufaktur branch has lifted the veil off of the 760Li Sterling, a one-off sedan designed to showcase the division’s know-how in manufacturing bespoke vehicles.

The 760Li Sterling was built jointly by BMW and silver tableware manufacturer Robbe & Berking.  It stands out from a stock 760Li thanks to real silver plating on both kidney grilles, on the trim piece that adorns the trunk lid and on the exhaust pipe, and BMW emblems hand-crafted out of solid 925 sterling silver. 

Discreet “Robbe & Berking” lettering on the C-pillars and on the trunk lid add a touch of elegance, while a low-key Singapore Gray paint job finishes off the overall look.

The silver treatment continues inside with trim fashioned out of exclusive hand-hammered sterling silver.  Passengers are treated to seats upholstered in brown Merino leather with Robbe & Berking’s century-old logo embroided into the headrests, and the center console houses purpose-built silver goblets.

The silver stops under the hood, where the 760Li Sterling is powered by a stock twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter V12 engine that churns out 535 horsepower and 550 lb-ft. of torque.  The sedan is capable of reaching 60 mph from a stop in just 4.5 seconds.

Precisely how much the one-off 760Li Sterling costs is not known but BMW says it is the most valuable bespoke model its Individual Manufacktur division has ever created in its 20-year long history.<![CDATA[
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Mercedes has revealed the dashboard of the upcoming V-Class, a mid-size van that slots between the Renault-based Citan and the full-size Sprinter in the German automaker’s commercial vehicle lineup.�

Designed to replace the existing Viano, the V-Class will follow the van industry’s shift towards more car-like interiors with a curved dash, an instrument cluster made up of analog gauges and a configurable thin-flim transistor (TFT) screen, circular air vents and a touch screen mounted on top of the center stack.  Buyers will have access to a mile-long list of options to customize their van’s cabin.

The V-Class will adopt a more dynamic exterior design that will be heavily inspired by the third-generation A-Class and the redesigned E-Class.  The passenger-carrying models will come with a healthy amount of chrome trim that will set them apart from their more Spartan cargo-hauling Vito-badged siblings.�

Rumors indicate that the V-Class will ditch the current Viano’s six-cylinder engines in favor of downsized four-cylinder turbodiesel units, but Mercedes has yet to release any mechanical details about the van.   Regardless of what lies under the hood, power will be sent to the front wheels via a seven-speed automatic transmission.

More details about the V-Class will be available in the coming months.  Whether or not the van has been earmarked for the United States, where the market for compact front-wheel drive commercial vehicles is steadily growing, is not known.<![CDATA[
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Toyota has announced incremental changes for its 2014 model year RAV4 SUV and 2014.5 model year Camry sedan, including the addition of its Entune Audio system.

Beginning with the 2014 model year, Toyota’s Entune Audio system will be optional on RAV4 LE models and standard on up-level XLE models. Toyota’s Entune Premium Audio with Nav – which also includes Entune apps – will be available on XLE models and standard on the range-topping RAV4 Limited.

Other tweaks to the XLE trim level include sunvisor extenders and chrome interior door handles as standard equipment. RAV4 Limited buyers can opt for a new Technology Package for the 2014 model year that includes a Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Alert and Auto High Beam.

In order to simplify the ordering process, the RAV4′s Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert will no longer be offered as a stand-alone option.

Entune Audio also joins the Camry lineup for the 2014.5 model year. The system will be fitted as standard to L, LE, LE Hybrid and SE models, while XLE and XLE Hybrid models get an upgraded Entune Audio Plus system. Camry SE V6 and XLE V6 get the up-rated Entune Premium Audio with Nav system as standard.

All Camry models receive a standard backup camera for 2014.5.

Reflecting those improvements, the 2014 Toyota RAV4 will arrive on dealer lots with prices between $250 and $1,310 higher than last year’s model. The Camry’s price increase is a little less severe, with the sedan’s MSRP rising between $190 and $955.

The 2014 Toyota RAV4 is scheduled to begin production next month. The 2014.5 Camry will begin rolling down the assembly line in December.

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With the SEMA Show just around the corner, General Motors’ Chevrolet brand is previewing its Vegas-bound lineup of customized cars.

Chevrolet is bringing a total of seven vehicle to SEMA, ranging from its diminutive Spark all the way up to its full-size Impala sedan. The Camaro is conspicuously absent from Chevy’s SEMA lineup however. For the last several years Chevrolet has introduced a production variant of the Camaro at the annual show.

Nonetheless, Chevy’s booth will still contain plenty of performance-oriented models, including the Performance Sonic RS concept. Based on the standard Sonic RS, Chevy has added a cold air induction system and a high-flow exhaust system to increase power from the car’s 1.4L turbocharged engine.

The Performance Sonic RS also features a tracked-tune suspension and a high-performance brake kit with Wilood front calipers.

In order to look the part, the Performance Sonic RS rides on a set of 18-inch wheels and sports a Lemon Peel Yellow exterior with blue graphics.

One of the more interesting cars on tap for SEMA, Chevrolet will also showcase a performance version of its Spark EV. Called the Spark EV Tech Performance, engineers have tweaked the plug-in’s “power-delivery algorithm” to deliver better acceleration. In order to handle that extra performance, the concept has also been fitted with stronger axles. Chevrolet says the Spark EV Tech Performance has been lightened to enhance performance.

For those that prefer going green with diesel technology, Chevy will also have a modified version of its Cruze diesel on hand. Dubbed the Personalization Cruze Diesel concept, the one-off oil-burning compact boasts a ground effects package by 3dCarbon, revised front fascia and a new chin spoiler. Under hood the concept retains the road-going Cruze diesel’s 2.0L engine, returning up to 46mpg on the highway.

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Nissan has announced pricing for its all-new 2014 Pathfinder Hybrid. The Pathfinder Hybrid, which is now available at Nissan dealer nationwide, joins the Pathfinder 3.5L model in an expanded lineup for 2014.

Nissan’t entry-level Pathfinder Hybrid SV 2WD arrives in dealer showrooms with a base price of $35,110, representing a $3,000 premium over a similarly equipped gas-only version of the SUV. Adding all-wheel drive to the Pathfinder Hybrid SV ups the price to $36,710.

In addition to the SV model, the Pathfinder Hybrid will also be offered in SL ($38,050 FWD, $39,650 AWD) and Platinum ($42,750 FWD, $44,350 AWD) trim levels. Prices do not include a mandatory $860 destination charge.

All Pathfinder Hybrid models use a new supercharged 2.5L four-cylinder engine mated to an electric motor. The Pathfinder’s electric juice is provided by a lithium-ion battery pack.

The Pathfinder Hybrid 2WD is rated at 25mpg in the city and 28mpg on the highway, netting a combined rating of 26mpg. Opting for AWD dings the Pathfinder Hybrid’s mileage by 1mpg highway.

The Pathfinder Hybrid retains the same 19.5-gallon fuel tank used by the regular Pathfinder, giving the SUV a total range of 546 miles.

Don’t forget to check out our initial impression of the 2014 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid here.

Photos by Nat Shirley

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