Volkswagen has detailed its SEMA-bound lineup mere hours before the show is scheduled to open its door to the public.  The automaker will showcase the 2015 Golf that will land in showrooms next summer, its new lineup of turbocharged engines and two Jetta-based concepts designed specifically for SEMA.

Racer’s Dream Jetta

Built jointly with tuner FMS Automotive, the Racer’s Dream Jetta features a beefy turbocharger that bumps the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine’s output to a whopping 425 horsepower, over twice the output of a stock Jetta.  The mill features bespoke performance pistons and connecting rods, an intercooler and a cold air intake system made out of carbon fiber.

Power is sent the the front wheels via a DSG gearbox, while a coil-over suspension setup with upgraded anti-roll bar and Brembo brakes all around help the Racer’s Dream Jetta keep all four wheels on the ground in even the most extreme situations.

Visually, the tuned Jetta wears a Golf R front fascia with a custom-built front splitter and a radiator grille borrowed from the more pedestrian Jetta Hybrid.  Golf R side skirts, fender flares and a new rear bumper that incorporates an air diffuser and twin oval exhaust pipes finish off the race-bred look.

Living up to its name, the one-off Jetta features Recaro bucket seats upholstered in black and beige, LED lighting, a navigation system and a custom sound box with a digital sound processor.

Helios Jetta GLI Tribute Special Edition

As its name clearly implies, Volkswagen’s second concept is a homage to the Helios Special Edition Jetta that was offered across the United States in 1989.  It features a blue and black paint job that harks back to its predecessor, a full body kit consisting of an aggressive front bumper, side skirts on both rocker panels and a trunk-mounted spoiler and ten-spoke alloy wheels.

Inside, the Helios edition packs a premium upholsterly, aluminum pedal caps, an upgraded sound system and the Helios logo embroidered on the floor mats. 

The Jetta’s 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine and the six-speed manual transmission carry over unchanged but the car packs Golf R-sourced brakes mounted behind 19-inch alloy wheels on all four corners.  

While the Racer’s Dream Jetta will undoubtedly remain a concept, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the Helios Jetta GLI Tribute join the Volkswagen catalog as a limited edition model over the coming months.  

Stay tuned to Leftlane for live images straight from the show floor.

After unveiling three SEMA-bound Corvettes, Chevrolet has detailed the complete lineup of cars it will bring to the annual trade show in Las Vegas.

Jeff Gordon SS Performance Sedan Concept

Designed with input from famed NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon, the SS Performance Sedan Concept boasts an eye-catching red paint job, 20-inch alloy wheels, a rear spoiler made out of carbon fiber and No. 24 decals all around.  A lowered and stiffened suspension provides a more responsive ride, while a Borla exhaust system helps squeeze every last ounce of power from the V8 engine.

COPO Camaro

Designed to compete in the NHRA’s Stock Eliminator and Super Stock racing classes, the COPO Camaro is a factory-built race car limited to just 69 examples.  It packs a solid rear axle in lieu of the stock Camaro’s independent rear suspension, a full roll cage and a model-specific suspension setup.  Buyers will be able to choose from a wide palette of engines including naturally-aspirated 427, both supercharged and naturally-aspirated variants of the 350 and a naturally-aspirated 396.

The first COPO Camaro built will be auctioned at the Barrett-Jackson auction that will take place next January in Scottsdale, Arizona.  The proceeds from the sale will be donated to an organization called Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans.

Performance Garage V6 and V8 Camaros

The Performance Garage Camaros are designed to showcase the diversity of the accessories sold through Chevrolet dealers.  The V6 model features a Brembo brake kit, a sport-tuned suspension, black 20-inch wheels and an auxiliary gauge package.  

The V8-powered model gains blacked-out badges and mirrors, a body-colored hood louver, bespoke wheels, RS lights on both ends, Recaro bucket seats and soft-touch black interior bezels.  A performance air intake, a 2.75-inch exhaust system and a pair of Shorty exhaust headers round out the updates under the hood.

Camaro Spring Special Edition

The Spring Special is a production-bound package that will be offered next year on both V6- and V8-powered models.  Wearing a two-tone white and blue paint job, it features 21-inch wheels, a blue fabric top and a ZL1-sourced spoiler on the trunk.  The blue and white theme continues on the inside with two-tone trim on the door panels and on the dashboard.

Stay tuned to Leftlane for live images straight from the SEMA show floor starting tomorrow. 

A revised version of Nissan’s global-market Patrol SUV, sold in North America as the Infiniti QX80, was recently spotted in Dubai.

Boasting new tail lamps and some revisions to the trim used along the bottom of its doors, the Patrol nabbed by a member of the Nissan Arabia message forums (via Carscoops) also boasts flashier wheels. However, it’s clear that this is simply a mid-cycle enhancement – known in the industry as an MCE – since the Patrol’s bulbous body and distinctive rearmost windows appear to be entirely unchanged.

It’s not clear whether these updates will make their way onto the QX80. Aside from a name change for 2014 – the QX80 was previously known as the QX56 – Infiniti’s biggest and most expensive vehicle has been essentially unchanged since going on sale for the 2011 model year.Â

Differences between the QX80 and the Patrol are mostly trim-related; the Infiniti is vastly more upmarket inside and out in keeping with the division’s positioning. Both the QX80 and the Patrol use the same 5.6-liter V8 engine and seven-speed automatic gearbox to send power to all four wheels.

Although the QX80 is Infiniti’s thirstiest offering, it is actually the division’s third-best selling vehicle. More than 10,000 have found owners through the first 10 months of 2013.  

Rolls-Royce has confirmed it will launch a convertible variant of the recently-introduced Wraith in 2015.

Tentatively called Wraith Drophead Coupé, the car will be identical to the existing coupe model from the rocker panels to the belt line but its roof will be replaced by a thick fabric soft top.

The topless Wraith will likely use the same twin-turbocharged 6.6-liter V12 engine found its hardtop counterpart.  The mill will send 624 horsepower and 590 lb-ft. of torque to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission, enabling the behemoth to sprint from zero to 60 mph 4.4 seconds.

Rolls-Royce’s top brass hopes the Wraith Drophead Coupé will lure younger buyers into showrooms.

“We are also seeing that early orders are bringing in customers who haven’t bought a Rolls-Royce before and who perhaps wouldn’t have considered one.  We have already had customers who own Ferraris come to us and place orders. They are not replacing their Ferraris, but they now see an alternative option,” explained Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös in an interview with England’s Autocar Magazine.

Look for official details about the Wraith Drophead Coupé to emerge in the months leading up to its official debut at a major trade show next year.