Aimed at similarly stretched variants of the BMW 3-Series, the Audi A4 and the Volvo S60, the rumored ATS-L will be nearly four inches longer than its regular-wheelbase counterpart. The extra space will be allocated to the rear passengers and the interior will undoubtedly be marginally more upscale than the one found in the regular ATS.

Long-wheelbase buyers will reportedly be able to choose from a naturally-aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 200 horsepower, a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-banger that makes 270 ponies and a 3.6-liter V6 that generates 320 horsepower. All engines will transfer power to the rear wheels via an automatic transmission.

Unlike the regular-wheelbase ATS, the ATS-L will be built in China by a joint-venture called Shanghai General Motors so it will be exempt from the stiff tariffs that Beijing slaps on all imported cars. Pricing will start at roughly 275,000 yuans, a sum that converts to approximately $45,500.

The long-wheelbase ATS could make its debut next April at the Beijing Motor Show and go on sale across China shortly after. At the time of writing, Cadillac is not planning on selling the stretched sedan outside of China.

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Toyota CEO Jim Lentz might have given the world a quick preview of Lexus’ upcoming compact crossover during a presentation held earlier this month.

Speaking at the annual Society of Auto Analysts Outlook Conference, Lentz briefly showed an image depicting a toned down version of the LF-NX concept that was presented in Frankfurt last September and again in Tokyo last November. Tentatively called NX, the crossover wears a more conservative version of Lexus’ trademark spindle grille and a softer front end but the concept’s chiseled silhouette appears to remain roughly intact.

Interestingly, both concepts accurately previewed the production crossover’s drivetrains. When it goes on sale, the NX will be offered with a 220-horsepower gasoline-electric hybrid drivetrain consisting of a small electric motor and a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, and a brand new gas-burning 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine fed with a turbocharger. Power will be sent to either the front or all four wheels via an automatic transmission.

The turbo four will be Japanese automaker’s first turbocharged engine. After debuting in the crossover, it will be gradually replace the existing 2.5-liter V6 and find its way under the hood of a wide variety of upcoming Lexus vehicles.

The crossover will boost Lexus sales around the world but company executives are not looking to catch up to German rivals.

“We don’t want to copy BMW and we are certainly not chasing BMW and Mercedes volumes. Our focus is to keep the brand very individual,” explained Richard Balshaw, the director of Lexus’ British arm, in an earlier interview with Auto Express.

Lexus is keeping its lips sealed about the crossover but we wouldn’t be surprised to see it unveiled next March at the Geneva Motor Show. Aimed squarely at the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, the NX will go on sale across the United States and Europe next summer as a 2015 model.

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The Hanover plant currently builds the VW T5 multivan and the Amarok pickup, and also welds and paints bodies for Porsche’s Panamera sedan. However, with demand slipping for commercial vehicles in Europe, the plant is now running at just 70 percent of capacity.

Making matters worse, it appears as though Porsche could shift all production of its next-generation Panamera to its factory in Leipzig, leaving the Hanover plant running well below ideal levels.

“Porsche may well want the Panamera in Leipzig. We can imagine that too pretty well, but only if there is adequate compensation,” Thomas Zwiebler, head of the Hanover plant’s works council, told Reuters.

“We need a second volume model besides the T5,” he added.

Workers at the Hanover plant have been pushing for production of the upcoming Crafter van, but capacity concerns have VW considering that product for a new site in Poland. The Crafter is currently made for VW by Daimler.

The Hanover plant, which employs 14,000, cranks about 150,000 T5 vans per year, plus another 35,000 Amaroks. The factory also handles the bodies for about 20,000 Panameras.

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The Tesla is a P85 model, the highest-performance Model S that is claimed to produce 416 horsepower. In the right lane, the Stingray C7 Z51 pairs a 455-horsepower V8 with an automatic transmission.

The instant torque of an electric drivetrain can theoretically give the Tesla an edge off the line, though the driver in the drag video appears to have jumped the gun on the first race. Nonetheless, the California luxury family sedan holds its own against one of Michigan’s top two-seaters.

Aside from a bit of controversy over battery fires, the Model S has been extremely well received. Buyers solely focused on a pure sports-car experience will likely still find the Stingray to be a better value, however, as the Model S performance package adds more than $25,000 to the car’s $62,400 base price.

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