Tesla Motors has discreetly announced that the next Roadster is scheduled to go on sale globally in 2019.
“There is of course one speed faster than ludicrous, but that is reserved for the next-generation Roadster in four years: maximum plaid,” hinted the company in a press release that details the latest Model S upgrades.

Tesla’s announcement suggests the next Roadster – a moniker that might not be retained – will be able to sprint from zero to 60 mph in less than 2.8 seconds, a figure that will make it at least a full second faster than its predecessor. To put that time into perspective, the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 performs the same task in 2.9 second, while the 700-horsepower Lamborghini Aventador takes 2.9 seconds to reach 62 mph from a stop.

Range will improve, too, and that’s no small feat for the California-based car maker’s research and development department. The Roadster 3.0 update that was released last December used new battery technology and improved aerodynamics to bump the convertible’s maximum driving range to an impressive 400 miles in the right conditions.

The original Roadster was built on a Lotus-sourced platform and it was sold as a limited-edition model. While nothing is set in stone yet, the next Roadster is expected to ride on a platform designed in-house by Tesla and launch as a regular-production model.

More details about the next Tesla Roadster will gradually emerge in the next few months.

MINI engineers are busily developing the second-gen Countryman, and a new report coming out of England provides us with a better idea of what we can expect from it.
Visually, the next Countryman will fall in line with MINI’s newest design language but it will adopt a much more rugged appearance than the current model thanks to styling cues borrowed from the Dakar-winning X-Raid rally car (pictured). It will stretch roughly 167 inches long, making it the biggest member of the MINI lineup.

The Countryman will ride on BMW’s ubiquitous UKL front-wheel drive platform, and it will launch with three- and four-cylinder engines sourced from its parent company’s parts bin. Buyers will be able to order an evolution of the all-wheel drive system that equips the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer at an extra cost.

Interestingly, British magazine Autocar reports that MINI could capitalize on its Dakar successes by launching a more off road-focused version of the Countryman capable of going far off the beaten path. The crossover could also spawn a BMW X6-style four-door coupe model, though neither project has been given the green light for production yet.

The next-gen MINI Countryman is scheduled to land in showrooms in about a year and a half, so it will likely be introduced at next year’s edition of the Paris Motor Show.

Honda’s recently anointed CEO Takahiro Hachigo doesn’t even own a car, but there’s a very good reason for that: he’s waiting for the new Civic Type R.

Hachigo, who last month took over the company from former president and CEO Takanobu Ito, has promised to “create a new Honda” by invigorating the company’s lineup with exciting new offerings. A self-avowed car enthusiast, Hachigo has stated he would like to focus on product rather than chasing sales numbers.

It appears he will also put his money where his mouth is. When asked by members of the Japanese press recently what kind of car he owns, Hachigo admitted that while he doesn’t yet have one, though his wife drives a Honda N-One supercompact city car finished in red and black two-tone. Hachigo himself keeps a Honda VTR250 motorcycle in the garage, but is waiting for the next-generation Civic Type R to begin production so he can add one to his garage.

The Civic Type R is the upcoming 300hp compact that will revive the legendary Type R moniker, a long-time identifier of top-level performance Hondas. Close-to-production prototypes have claimed the fastest lap times for a front-wheel-drive car on the Nurburgring circuit. Notably, the new Civic Type R will be coming to the US for the first time in the model’s nearly two decades in production.

Hachigo is also reportedly a fan of the new S660 roadster, and an S2000 successor is rumored to be in the works.

Nissan has taken the crown as Europe’s best-selling Asian marque, taking over a long held from Toyota.

During the first six months of 2015, Nissan sold 384,726 cars on the continent, besting sales from the same period last year by 4.3 percent. The newfound success means Nissan now claims 4.2 percent of the overall European market. Nissan’s stellar growth showed in individual markets such as Germany (11 percent), Spain (18 percent) and the UK (with a whopping 34 percent). Nissan, incidentally, is also the UK’s largest car manufacturer.

Nissan attributes its rise in sales primarily to the Qashqai, a compact crossover not sold in the US that splits the size difference between the Juke and the Rogue. It is so popular, in fact, that Nissan corporate bedfellow Renault has just released its own rebadged version, called the Kadjar. Nissan noted that the X-Trail crossover (sold as the Rogue in the US) and the Leaf electric car helped boost sales as well.

Nissan has seen five consecutive years of growth in Europe, a feat made possible by a concerted, sustained marketing push and a constant refreshing of its model lineup. The growth is expected to continue into the second half of 2015.

Shelby American took home its first Manufacturer’s Title 50 years ago, and it is celebrating the occasion by building a limited run of continuation Cobra Daytona Coupes.
Shelby offers an aluminum-bodied version of the Daytona Coupe that’s all but identical to the cars that were built during the 1960s, and a fiberglass-bodied model designed to provide a glimpse into what the coupe could look like today if it had remained in continuous production. The two cars are built using the original blueprints and measurements, but Shelby’s engineers have designed a stronger frame and fitted a set of disc brakes.

Buyers can choose from a long list of paint colors. Although pictures of the cockpit are not available, Shelby explains that all cars ship with a period-correct wood-rimmed steering wheel and black leather upholstery on the seats.

Both cars are sold as a rolling chassis, meaning they do not come with an engine. A numbers-matching 289-cubic inch engine is available as an option directly from Shelby’s engine-building division. Alternatively, well-heeled enthusiasts who want to build their dream Daytona Coupe can opt to install just about anything that fits in the coupe’s engine bay.

Limited to just 50 examples, the Shelby 50th Anniversary Cobra Daytona Coupe is on sale now with a price tag that isn’t for the faint of heart. The fiberglass-bodied car carries a base price of $179,995, while the period-correct aluminum-bodied model starts at $349,995. Those figures likely seem extraordinarily high, but they pale in comparison to the millions that collectors are ready to pay in the off chance that one of the six original Daytona Coupes built in the 1960s comes up for sale.

Some unnamed Hyundai hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles have been spotted testing in the southwestern United States.

Hot on the heels of the Hyundai Equus and Kia K900 luxury sedans that were spied earlier this week, a new batch of yet-to-be-released Hyundais have been reported. The cars appear to be smaller than the Sonata, but the heavily camouflaged vehicles do not match the shape of any current cars in the Hyundai lineup.

With a distinct hybrid hatchback profile reminiscent of the Prius and Honda Insight, the compact-sized hybrids may be the next-generation Elantra. What’s more, keen observers have noticed that one of the test mules has a dual fuel caps, indicating that it is a plug-in hybrid vehicle. The other, with a single fuel cap, will likely be a traditional hybrid. Power may come from a 1.6L turbo four mated to an electric motor and lithium-ion battery.

The current generation Elantra, which debuted in 2011, is set to be replaced soon. It is likely these hybrid versions will be unveiled in early 2016. However, since the 2016 Elantra is already slated to soldier on in its current generation, any hybrids or plug-ins will likely be a 2017 model.

Photo by Mark Elias.

The upcoming Fiat 124 Spider will have macho styling, says the FCA designer responsible for re-skinning the Mazda MX-5 for Fiat.

Speaking to Top Gear at a Fiat 500 press event, Fiat design chief Roberto Giolito appears to be addressing a concern that the Mazda MX-5, which debuted in 1989 as the Miata, is often stereotyped as a “hairdresser’s car,” despite being one of the most popular affordable racing platforms available. Giolito described the upcoming droptop sports car as “very masculine” and “not at all ‘delicate.’” This image is something the 2016 MX-5 designers sought to correct, with sharper angles and edges in the face while still retaining an overall Miata family resemblance.

Aside from the look, which was hinted at in spy shots earlier this week, Fiat will also be supplying its own engines: a 1.4L turbo four capable of over 200hp and potentially a 1.8L turbo four for the Abarth version.

Mated with Mazda’s lightweight SkyActiv chassis and handling dynamics, the Fiat 124 promises to be a superb roadster. In fact, it will be the brand’s first since the Barchetta went away in 2005.

When prodded about when the public might see the 124 in its sheetmetal, Giolito said “You really have to wait a few months…. Maybe Geneva, or even earlier.”

Maurizio Reggiani, Lamborghini’s head of research and development, recently sat down with DRIVE to provide insight into how and why the Aventador Superveloce (pictured) was created.
“SV is a car where a normal driver, not a professional test driver, can really experience his own limits without touching the limits of the car,” summed up the engineer.

Superveloce means “super fast” in Italian. To ensure that the Aventador was worthy of wearing the heritage-laced SV badge, Lamborghini shaved about 110 pounds from it by fitting model-specific composite body panels and by installing carbon fiber seat shells. The diet noticeably improves the supercar’s cornering abilities, agility and acceleration.

The SV is powered by a naturally-aspirated 6.5-liter V12 engine that’s hand-built in Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy. The twelve is similar to the mill found in the engine bay of the standard Aventador but it has been tuned to make 750 horsepower at 8,400 rpm and 507 lb-ft. of torque at 5,500 rpm. That’s enough grunt to send the Superveloce from zero to 62 mph in a jaw-dropping 2.8 seconds and on to a top speed of 217 mph.

To cope with the extra power, Lamborghini added a model-specific body kit that includes a more aggressive-looking front fascia designed to give the coupe more grip at turn-in and a bigger rear wing that can provide a 15-percent variation in the aerodynamic balance of the car. Finally, bigger air intakes on both sides of the car provide the V12 with an extra dose of cooling air.

Limited to just 600 examples, the $490,000 Lamborghini LP750-4 SV sold out mere months after its introduction in Geneva. Enthusiasts who want to get their hands on one aren’t entirely out of luck because a convertible version of it is expected to make its official debut this September at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Photos by Ronan Glon.

Mercedes-Benz has revealed it is considering introducing a rugged, high-riding station wagon aimed squarely at Audi’s allroad models.
The project is at the embryonic stage of development and executives haven’t decided if the jacked-up wagon will be based on the C-Class or on the next-gen E-Class. Regardless, the wagon will stand out from its regular-production counterpart thanks to a noticeably raised ground clearance, black plastic trim on the wheel arches and on the rocker panels as well as brushed aluminum trim on both ends.

Power will come from the gasoline- and diesel-burning engines sourced directly from the Mercedes-Benz parts bin. Robert Lesnik, Mercedes’ director of exterior design, recently told Australian magazine Drive that the wagon will come standard with the company’s time-tested 4Matic all-wheel drive system.

Beefy skid plates will protect vital mechanical components on both ends of the car, and the wagon could ship with Mercedes’ AirMatic air suspension system.

Mercedes hasn’t revealed when its high-riding wagon will arrive. If it’s based on the existing C-Class we wouldn’t be surprised to see it unveiled at next year’s edition of the Geneva Motor Show, but an E-Class-based model is at least a year away from making its official debut.

Similarly, whether the wagon will be sold on our side of the Atlantic – where wagon sales are steadily declining – is an open question.

Rendering courtesy of TopSpeed.