It appears as though Opel’s Cascada could be zooming toward Buick showrooms. Our spy photographers just spotted a pair of Cascada convertibles undergoing hot weather testing alongside a Buick Verano in Death Valley.

For months we’ve heard the rumors and now we may finally have the first bit of hard evidence that the Cascada will soon be sold as a Buick in the United States. Today’s Cascada spotting comes just seven months after Opel registered the Cascada nameplate with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Former GM CEO Dan Akerson also publicly pushed for the Cascada to be sold as a Buick. The fact that this test group was spotted with a Buick Verano could suggest that Akerson’s plan is finally coming to fruition.

Details about the Opel-turned-Buick remain scarce, but the European version of the car is powered by a 1.6L turbocharged engine developing 170- or 200-horsepower. The latter seems most likely for the power-hungry U.S. Market.

Based on the same platform that underpins the Chevrolet Cruze, Buick could market the Cascada as a “poor man’s” Audi A5 alternative. Pricing, however, is unknown.

If rumors hold true, the Cascada will arrive in Buick dealerships during the early part of 2016.

Traditionally the most potent model in Chrysler Group’s range, the Viper was recently upstaged by the cheaper, more powerful SRT Hellcat editions of the Dodge Challenger and Charger. However, a new rumor suggests the Viper could soon be restored to its usual spot at the top of Chrysler’s performance pecking order.

According to enthusiast site Allpar, Chrysler recently took delivery of several prototype supercharged 8.4-liter V10 engines that will undergo testing for use in the Viper.

Output for the blown ten-cylinder could reportedly reach 800 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque – beating the supercharged 6.2-liter Hellcat V8′s 707 ponies and matching it in terms of torque. Even more power is possible, but would likely require a new transmission in addition to a bevy of costly brake, suspension, cooling system and body revisions.

Should the rumor prove accurate, it could provide a much-needed shot in the arm for the Viper, which has been selling at a fairly glacial pace. Through the first seven months of the year, just 400 examples of the sports car have found new homes.

Volvo announced on Wednesday that it expects its 2014 sales to climb by 10 percent. Volvo predicts most of that growth will be driven by the Chinese market.

Volvo is already on pace to achieve that 10 percent increase, having already delivered 9.5 percent more vehicles during the first half of 2014 than it did during the same period last year. If all goes to plan, Volvo will sell more than 460,000 vehicles worldwide this year.

“After this solid first half, we look forward from a position of strength. Growing demand for first-class safety and environmental performance will continue to support our global growth,” said Volvo CEO Hakan Samuelsson.

During the first six-months of the year Volvo’s China sales jumped by 34.4 percent. Volvo predicts new models like the S60L and S80L will continue its hot streak in the world’s largest auto market.

Volvo’s European sales inched up by 8.7 percent during the first half of the year, but U.S. Sales remain soft.

“We are growing our presence in China and we expect to sell at least 80,000 cars there this year. The European market is also showing signs of recovery and growth and we are well placed to benefit further. We are committed to the US, where a new management team is implementing a revival plan to improve our performance,” said Samuelsson.

Jaguar’s compact XE luxury sedan hasn’t yet been fully unveiled, but already reports are rolling in of a hot-rodded, BMW M3-fighting derivative.

According to Auto Express, Jaguar Land Rover’s new Special Vehicle Operations division – the outfit responsible for the 550-horsepower Range Rover Sport SVR – is developing a high-performance version of the sedan known as the XE SVR.

Like JLR’s other go-fast models, the XE SVR will rely on a supercharged 5.0-liter V8, tuned for 489 horsepower in this application. With the help of an eight-speed automatic transmission, the zero-to-60 mph sprint is expected to require roughly four seconds. An active exhaust system will ensure ample motor music during spirited drives, along with more subdued noise levels in cruising situations.

A more menacing front bumper, beefed up side sills and flared wheel arches will distinguish the XE SVR from its humbler kin, as will a rear diffuser and quad tailpipes. Underneath, a specially-tuned suspension, upsized brakes and an electronic-controlled limited-slip rear differential will compliment the potent V8.

If the Auto Express report proves accurate, the XE SVR will launch in early 2016, following a thorough vetting on the Nurburgring.

Jaguar’s next-generation XF sedan has broken cover on the streets of the UK. The all-new XF is expected to make its market introduction in 2016 as a 2017 model.

The final styling of the 2017 XF remains hidden beneath camouflage, but we know that Jaguar’s mid-size sedan will move to a brand new platform shared with the upcoming XE. Like the XE, the XF will lean heavily on aluminum for its construction, which should net benefits in both performance and overall efficiency.

The XF will continue to battle the BMW 5-Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class, but we hear Jaguar is also readying a coupe variant that will go toe-to-toe with the 6-Series and E-Class Coupe. Timing for that model isn’t known at this time.

The next XF will likely be powered by today’s range of four-, six- and eight-cylinder engines, but a 2.2L diesel could also be in the works. A high-performance XF-R model is almost a certainty.

Look for the 2017 Jaguar XF to make its world debut sometime next year.

Infiniti is planning a major product expansion over the next five years that will include the launch of several new performance variants, a new report finds.

With an eye toward capturing a bigger piece of the luxury car market, Infiniti will introduce five new models by 2019, giving the company 8 sedans/coupes and 5 utility vehicles. Infiniti currently sells just 8 model lines.

Infiniti’s new product offensive will begin next year with the market launches of the Q30 hatchback and QX30 compact crossover.

In addition to just new nameplates, Michael Bartsch, vice president of Infiniti Americas, revealed to Autoblog that the company is also developing a new high-performance sub-division that will presumably take on BMW’s M and Mercedes’ AMG. Moreover, Bartsch said the performance treatment would be given to “products across all model lines,” indicating high-performance Infinitis will be available at several different price points.

Infiniti has been using the IPL label for its performance cars for the last few years, but that could change with the launch of the Q50 Eau Rouge.

Look for Infiniti to break ground on its new initiative at this year’s Paris Motor Show.

Our spy photographers have sent us the first images of Lotus’ super Elise for the street.

Earlier this year Lotus unveiled its most extreme Elise to date in the form of the S Cup R, but those lucky enough to take delivery of the high-performance two-door were restricted to track use. However, that won’t be the case for long as Lotus is developing a road-legal version of the Elise S Cup R.

Spotted today testing on Germany’s Nurburgring, this Elise S Cup R looks nearly identical to its racing counterpart, save for functioning headlights and the deletion of a rollcage.

It’s presumed that the road-going Elise S Cup R will be powered by a 217 horsepower version of Lotus’ 1.8L supercharged four-cylinder. The sprint from 0-60 should come up in a quick 4-seconds.

It remains to be seen if the Lotus Elise S Cup R will be sold in the United States, but if it is, expect a price tag in the neighborhood of $70,000.

Subaru announced on Tuesday that its latest Legacy and Outback models have earned the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety’s top rating of Top Safety Pick+.

Both the 2015 Legacy sedan and 2015 Outback crossover earned the IIHS’ highest rating of ‘good’ in front small overlap, front moderate overlap, side impact, roof crush and rear impact crash evaluations. Additionally, both models eared a ‘superior’ rating in the Institute’s front crash avoidance testing.

When equipped with Subaru’s EyeSight system — which uses two, high-mounted cameras for collision avoidance, adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning – the Legacy and Outback are also winners of the IIHS’ Top Safety Pick+ award.

“The Institute’s findings reinforce our dedication to building safe vehicles,” said Thomas J. Doll, president and chief operating officer, Subaru of America, Inc. “We are proud of the 2014 Top Safety Pick endorsement for every Subaru vehicle in our line-up.”

Subaru has seven models rated as Top Safety Picks, three of which have been bestowed with the Top Safety Pick+ rating.

Images by Drew Johnson.