BMW will eventually launch a super high-end version of its upcoming X7 SUV, a top executive at the German automaker has revealed.

Speaking on the sidelines of the recent New York auto show, BMW sales head Ian Robertson confirmed to Automotive News that the company is working on a super-luxury version of its X7 flagship SUV. The luxed-out X7 will be part of BMW’s new Grand Klasse strategy, or GKL for short, which will eventually include a range-topping version of the 7-Series sedan.

The X7 GKL is believed to be an answer to Mercedes-Maybach’s upcoming GLS luxury SUV. Robertson didn’t indicate if the top-spec X7 would wear a different name badge, or simply be positioned at the top of the X7 hierarchy.

Whatever the case, the X7 is expected to steer clear of BMW’s Rolls-Royce luxury brand. Rolls will launch a utility vehicle of its own in the coming years, but that SUV, called Cullinan, won’t share any components with the X7.

“Of course the quintessential luxury is still the [BMW-owned] Rolls-Royce — we do not need a Maybach,” Robertson said.

Few other details are known about the super luxurious X7, but it will retail for somewhere between $100,000 and $200,000.

TrueCar has outlined a number of policy revisions designed to improve relationships with dealers.

The company is attempting to move away from its sole focus as a consumer advocate, with a price-driven shopping tool that had caused friction with many dealers.

Prices curves will now be based on local data from a smaller geographical area, rather than comparing prices on a regional basis. The previous system had pressured dealers to compete with rivals outside their home market.

Consumers will be forced to submit their contact information before viewing pricing, providing leads to dealers before the consumer has even looked at pricing data. The TrueCar interface also eliminates a tool that compared estimated prices from rival dealers, and sellers can now add “why buy from me” messages.

The company is switching to a VIN-based inventory of specific vehicles, rather than comparing pricing for generic vehicles that may not reflect dealer inventory. The previous system sometimes caused “difficulty” when buyers arrived at a showroom.

“We’re cleaning up our consumer-facing advertising and website language by creating more balanced messaging that positions dealers in a positive light,” said TrueCar’s new CEO, Chip Perry, in a message to dealers. “Over the past decade, TrueCar has been successful in attracting car buyers, but its overall approach has alienated many dealers across the country.”

Land Rover is said to be moving forward with a sleekly-styled Range Rover model that will take on the BMW X6 and the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe.

The new model is being developed under the codename L560 and is believed to be the same vehicle as the long-rumored Evoque XL. However, the repurposed Evoque XL will take on a sportier and more stylish demeanor than initially thought.

Positioned more as a lifestyle vehicle than Land Rover’s Defender and Discovery model lines, the L560 will utilize coupe-like styling not unlike the X6 and GLE Coupe. As a reflection of that, Autocar reports than the model could bear the name Range Rover Sport Coupe.

Although that nameplate would closely tie the Sport Coupe to the Range Rover Sport, it will actually be based on Jaguar’s upcoming F-Pace SUV. That means the Sport Coupe will be slightly smaller than its German rivals, but the F-Pace’s aluminum platform should give it a significant leg up in the weight department. It’s possible that the Sport Coupe could weight up to 880 pounds less than a comparable X6 or GLE Coupe.

As style will take priority over SUV functionality in the Sport Coupe, it will ship standard with a 2+2 seating configuration. However, a five-seat configuration will likely be offered as an optional extra. A three-row version has been ruled out due to the constraints of the F-Pace’s aluminum construction.

Power will likely come from Land Rover’s current six- and eight-cylinder engines. It’s also possible that Land Rover could use the same 575 horsepower F-Type SVR for an SVR-version of the Sport Coupe. A hybrid will eventually join the range and a pure electric could also be in the cards.

The interior of the Sport Coupe will be more driver focused than Land Rover’s other Range Rover models, with an emphasis on luxurious appointments. Although the Sport Coupe will be closer in size to the X4, it will command an X6-like MSRP, which means Land Rover will have to get its cabin just right.

Land Rover is keeping quiet on the Range Rover Sport Coupe for now, but the fast-back model could debut as soon as next year.

Cadillac is preparing to reposition its lineup for younger buyers in China, moving away from long-wheelbase vehicles geared for older businessmen.

General Motors’ top luxury brand will opt for single unified designs that will be sold in all markets, including the US and China. Future models will bring a “right size” wheelbase, longer than Cadillac’s current US-market cars but not quite as stretched as China-spec variants such as the ATS-L, chief executive Johan de Nysschen told Reuters.

Older businessmen have shown a preference for long-wheelbase vehicles, preferring to sit in the back while a chauffeur pilots the vehicle through heavy traffic. Younger buyers appear to be more enthusiastic to drive a car themselves.

The brand reports early success in targeting younger buyers, with Chinese owners averaging just 34 years old.

“In China, young buyers already dominate the luxury market,” de Nysschen added. “It was far easier to begin to cultivate the desired positioning for the brand from the get-go.”

The executive expects China to become Cadillac’s top market in the coming years, eventually exceeding US sales. The company will be designing upcoming models with Chinese tastes in mind, potentially resulting in toned-down styling with a less angular look.

A new report coming out of England finds Mercedes-Benz is open to the idea of building a topless version of the GLC Coupe (pictured) that bowed last week at the New York Auto Show.

“It would be fun, and it’s actually not that much of an engineering challenge,” said Michael Kelz, the chief engineer for the GLC, CLS, and E-Class model lines in a recent interview with British magazine Autocar.

If approved for production, the GLC Cabriolet would fight head-to-head against the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Convertible, a model that currently has the premium convertible crossover segment to itself. The Cabriolet would ride on the same basic platform as the GLC Coupe, and it would presumably borrow the four- and six-cylinder engines that power its hardtop counterpart.

The biggest obstacle standing in the way of the GLC Cabriolet isn’t public demand; Mercedes expects the convertible crossover segment will actually grow in the coming years as buyers leave traditional convertibles behind. Instead, Kelz explained the Stuttgart-based car maker doesn’t have the production capacity required to add another model to its lineup. To build the GLC Cabriolet, Mercedes would need to give one of its existing cars the ax.

The 5,000th Lamborghini Aventador has rolled off the company’s assembly line in Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy.

The 5,000 cars represent both the Aventador coupe, which was introduced at the 2011 edition of the Geneva Auto Show, and the Aventador Roadster, which bowed about a year and a half later. Finished in a head-turning hue called Rosso Bia, the milestone car (pictured) is an Aventador Roadster that’s headed for the Italian market. Lamborghini hasn’t disclosed the identity of the new owner.

The milestone makes the Aventador the most successful V12-powered model Lamborghini has ever built. The record was previously held by the Murcielago, the Aventador’s predecessor, which was axed in 2010 after a nearly decade-long production run over which 4,099 examples were built.

The standard Aventador is powered by a 6.5-liter V12 engine that makes 691 horsepower and 509 lb-ft. of torque at 5,500 rpm. Bolted to a seven-speed ISR transmission that spins all four wheels, the twelve sends the Aventador from zero to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 217 mph. Lamborghini gave buyers the chance to buy a more extreme Aventador when it launched Superveloce-badged variants of the coupe and the Roadster. Sold out, both Superveloce models used a 750-horsepower evolution of the V12, and they were markedly lighter than their series-produced counterpart.

Last year, Ram announced that it had no plans to take on the Chevrolet Colorado/ GMC Canyon twins and the Toyota Tacoma with a mid-size pickup truck. However, a new report suggests the company has changed its mind over the past few months.

“I think there’s opportunity there in the U.S. if you look at what’s happened in the mid-size segment here – significant growth last year,” said Ram boss Mike Manley in an interview with The Detroit News.

Ram parent company Fiat-Chrysler will return to the mid-size truck segment in a couple of years’ time when Jeep introduces a pickup variant of the next-gen Wrangler. Manley believes there’s enough room in the segment for both a Wrangler truck and a successor to the Dodge Dakota (pictured), though he wouldn’t confirm that Ram is preparing to launch a model positioned below the 1500.

Launching a mid-size truck could help Ram expand its presence outside of the United States, where the 1500 is often considered too big. A mid-size model likely wouldn’t fare very well in Europe, where pickup sales are low at best, but it could go head-to-head against popular similarly-sized trucks built by Nissan and Toyota in regions like Latin America, the Middle East, and Australia. The global mid-size truck segment is promising enough that even Mercedes-Benz is eager to get a slice of the pie.

If approved for production, Ram’s mid-size model is at least a couple of years away from hitting showrooms.

Jaguar has hinted that its first all-electric model is right around the corner.

“Within two years, we’ll have something that’s not driven by a petrol engine,” revealed Ian Callum, Jaguar’s head of design, during a recent interview with AutoGuide.

Callum joked that the model he’s referring to will be powered by “a couple of hamsters,” but AutoGuide believes he was talking about the battery-powered model that Jaguar has allegedly been working on for the past couple of years. Tentatively called E-Pace, the EV will take the form of a crossover that will ride on the same modular platform as the bigger F-Pace (pictured) and the XE sedan. Earlier reports claim it will feature a striking design inspired by the experimental C-X75 supercar.

Interestingly, Callum suggested Jaguar is preparing a “big surprise” that will be revealed before the end of the year. He stopped short of confirming what the car maker has in store, but it’s not too far-fetched to speculate the British car maker will preview the E-Pace with a close-to-production concept either at the Paris Motor Show or at the Los Angeles Motor Show. The production model will fight in the same segment as the Tesla Model X when it goes on sale about a year later.

Photos by Ronan Glon.

The 2016 New York International Auto Show has has concluded its final day of press conferences.

Like day one, the second round of introductions mostly focused on production vehicles rather than concepts. Notable models include the 2017 Nissan Titan Crew Cab and the US-bound Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV.

Despite a short list of day-two unveilings, the 2016 show will provide visitors with plenty of new vehicles to check out when the Javits Convention Center opens to the public on Friday.

The event continues to be one of the most important global venues for automotive unveilings, typically with an abundance of luxury vehicles. The 2016 public show runs from Friday to Sunday, April 3. Tickets cost $16 for adults and $7 for children. Attendees will likely be screened through metal detectors, potentially resulting in long lines due to heightened security.

Highlights:

Lincoln Navigator Concept
Ford’s luxury division appears to have big plans for its full-size SUV. The Navigator concept follows the Continental’s design language, with unique gull-wing doors that span the first and second rows. Concertina steps deploy nearly to the ground, while the interior features a mix of opulence and technology.

2017 Subaru Impreza Sedan, Hatchback
Subaru has finally shown its long-awaited fifth-generation Impreza lineup. Styling has been refreshed, while the new SGP platform architecture is more rigid and promises a better ride.

2017 Nissan GT-R
Rumors have focused on the next-gen GT-R, however Nissan believes the current model has plenty of life left. The facelift now meshes with Nissan’s latest design language. Designers and engineers also worked to refine the interior, increase engine output and enhance handling.

Full list:

2017 Acura MDX
2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia, Giulia Ti
2018 Audi R8 Spyder
2017 Buick Encore
2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Convertible
2017 Chevrolet Sonic
Fiat 124 Spider Elaborazione Abarth
2016 Ford Mustang GT-H
Genesis New York Concept
2017 GMC Terrain Nightfall
2017 Infiniti QX70 Limited
2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit, Trailhawk
2017 Kia Cadenza
Lincoln Navigator Concept
2017 Mazda MX-5 RF
2017 Mercedes-AMG E43
2017 Mercedes-AMG C63 Cabriolet
2017 Mercedes-Benz CLA/CLA45 AMG
2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe
MINI Clubman ALL4
MINI John Cooper Works Convertible
2017 Mitsubishi Mirage G4
2017 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV
2017 Nissan GT-R
2017 Nissan Titan half-ton
Porsche Macan with 2.0-liter four
Scion tC RS 10.0
2017 Toyota 86
2017 Toyota Corolla 50th Anniversary Special Edition
2017 Toyota Highlander
2017 Toyota Prius Prime
2017 VW Golf Alltrack

Image by Brian Williams.