A leak has revealed the convertible version of the Opel Adam city car ahead of its scheduled debut at next month’s Geneva Motor Show. The tiny convertible is aimed squarely at the Fiat 500C and the Citroën DS3 Cabrio.

The Cabriolet was previewed by the Adam Rocks soft-roader concept that bowed in Geneva last year. The production version of the pint-sized convertible is equipped with a 500C-like cloth roof panel that fully retracts at the push of a button and folds away neatly above the trunk lid, a setup that minimizes the loss of cargo space.

Roof aside, the Adam Cabriolet is almost identical to its hatchback counterpart inside and out but the concept’s rugged styling cues such as plastic cladding on the wheel arches and on the front fascia have made it to production.

The convertible will likely command a premium of about €2,500 (roughly $3,400) over its closed-top counterpart, bumping its base price to €14,000 (about $19,000) in its home country of Germany. Buyers will have access to a mile-long list of optional add-ons to customize nearly every aspect of their car.

Official details about the Opel Adam convertible will emerge in the coming days. Like all Opel products, the convertible will wear a Vauxhall badge in the United Kingdom.

U.S.-bound?
Like the regular Adam, the rumored Cabrio will begin its career in Europe but it might cross the ocean and wear a Buick badge shortly after its launch. Last year, former GM CEO Dan Akerson stated that the Adam and the Cascada convertible would make great additions to Buick’s lineup in the United States and in China because both models target a young clientele.

General Motors may use its rear-wheel-drive Alpha platform as the basis for the next-generation Chevrolet SS, as well as the replacement for the Holden Commodore, a new report finds.

Last year, when GM announced that it will end Australian production after 2016, the future of the Aussie-built, Commodore-based SS suddenly became uncertain.

But now, the automaker is considering a new plan in which the next SS would be designed and built in the U.S., according to an Autocar report. The sedan would be underpinned by the Alpha platform utilized by the Cadillac ATS and CTS (and the next Chevrolet Camaro), and exported to Australia as a Holden.

The scenario outlined above conflicts with a previous rumor, which suggested that GM would shift the SS and its Caprice PPV police car sibling to a reworked Zeta II platform in 2015, and concurrently move production to North America.

It’s likely that GM is evaluating several different plans as it works to figure out which path its future non-luxury rear-drive sedans will take.

Photo by Andrew Ganz.

Chrysler’s minivan operations have been in the headlines recently, with several reports focusing on the company’s demands for large subsidies from the Canadian government, however additional details of the next-generation minivans themselves have also surfaced.

The company’s CEO, Sergio Marchionne, has reportedly confirmed that the upcoming Town & Country will switch to a new nine-speed automatic gearbox. An all-wheel-drive variant is also expected, along with improved collapsable seating and a new infotainment system, according to an Automotive News report.

The information contradicts rumors that suggested the nameplate was on the chopping block, to be replaced by a smaller crossover for the 2015 model year. Rather than dropping the offering, the company appears to be doubling down with a variety of new features and promises of improved fuel economy.

Chrysler’s head of design, Ralph Giles, acknowledged that the company has felt pressure to avoid “screwing up something we started,” after the original Town & Country helped establish the segment more than 30 years ago.

New minivans will be a central element of Chrysler’s controversial expansion proposal in Windsor, Ontario. Reports suggest the company has called for subsidies worth more than $700 million from the federal and provincial governments, with plant upgrades expected to cost more than $2 billion CAD.

New details surrounding Mini’s plug-in hybrid Clubman have emerged, suggesting its electric powertrain may be used for a performance boost.

Unlike Toyota’s Prius and most other hybrid vehicles, which route torque from the electric motor through the same wheels as the gasoline or diesel engine, the Clubman’s electric motor is expected to power the rear wheels only, unnamed sources have told MotoringFile.

The arrangement is believed to give the hybrid hatch a total of at least 190 horsepower, with 134 ponies coming from its 1.5-liter three-cylinder mill to the front wheels. If the report is accurate, the car may effectively act as a rear-wheel-drive platform if driving in electric-only mode. Under hard acceleration the system would switch to all-wheel-drive mode.

It is unclear if the system will be similar to other modern hybrid all-wheel-drive technology, such as Acura’s RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD system. The Japanese company uses independent electric motors for each of the rear wheels, enabling torque vectoring.

The BMW hybrid concept that is believed to be used for the Clubman reportedly achieves combined fuel efficiency ratings of up to 94 mpg in European measurement cycles.

The hybrid system is expected to be offered as an option for the 2016 Clubman, alongside traditional gasoline- and diesel-engine options.

Volvo is celebrating the fortieth anniversary of its triennial yacht race with several special-edition vehicles that will be on display at the Geneva Motor Show and sold during 2014 and 2015.

The Volvo Ocean Race is one of the most grueling sailing races, requiring teams to cover over 38,000 nautical miles with stops in 11 different cities around the globe. The 70-foot yachts set off on October 4 in Alicante, Spain and finish more than eight months later in Gothenburg, Sweden.

The sailing-inspired Volvo Ocean Race packages include aesthetic tweaks for the V40, V40 Cross Country, V60 and XC60, along with handling upgrades for the V70 and XC70.

The vehicles will be available in four colors–Ocean Blue II, Bright Silver, Black Sapphire and Crystal White–with seven-spoke “Portunus” wheels in 17- and 18-inch diameters. Volvo Ocean Race badges adorn the tread plates and front fenders.

On the inside, black or blond leather upholstery features orange stitching and the yacht-race logo. The orange accents also extend to the door panels and floor mats.

Alongside the sailing-themed packages, a separate special-edition V70 features a lower chassis for improved handling. The company is also offering its XC70 with a full range of dynamic-chassis upgrades for the first time. Both vehicles also add high-gloss black trim details and similarly-themed wheels.