Ferrari FF AWD Sports Car Concept Heading to Geneva, Tipster Provides Initial Details

A Carscoop reader who wishes to remain anonymous, sent us an email with details on Ferrari's long-rumored 612 Scaglietti replacement, which is due to be revealed to a select few on Friday, January 21, before making its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show in March. While one can never be 100 per cent sure in these cases, for a variety of reasons, we're almost convinced that the information provided in the email is real. So, without further ado, here's what our tipster told us:

The car will be a pre-production study called the FF, which stands for Ferrari Four, as the GT model will seat four passengers and come with a new four-wheel drive system. Designed by Pininfarina, the FF gets a shooting brake-like body style with a large rear hatch, and a face that brings to mind a chubbier version of the 458 Italia. Inside, Maranello's latest creation will be able to seat four passengers with an impressive -for a supercar- load volume of 450 liters, which can be increased to as much as 800 liters if the rear seats aren't in use.

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All-New Audi Q3 SUV to hit European Showrooms this Fall with 2.0 TFSI and TDI Engines

Audi has done an awfully good job in keeping its forthcoming Q3 under wraps, but it won't be long before the Ingolstadt-based automaker launches its smallest SUV offering. According to a inside source, the new Q3 will arrive in European showrooms this fall, most likely in September or October, depending on the market.

The insider also told us that the Q3 will be offered at launch with three powertrains, a 170PS 2.0-liter TFSI with a 6-speed manual gearbox and CO2 emissions of 172 gr/km; a 211PS 2.0-liter TFSI with an S Tronic transmission and CO2 emissions of 184 gr/km, and a 170PS 2.0-liter TDI diesel and an with an S Tronic transmission and CO2 emissions of 158 gr/km. More engine options will be added further down the line.

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Porsche's LA Show Debut will be the Cayman R Lightweight Special

We just learned that the new mid-engined sports model that Porsche announced for the LA Auto Show will be the Cayman R. Think of it as a more hardcore version of the Cayman S (pictured above) that has shed a few pounds here and there, and comes equipped with a mildly tuned version of the flat-six engine. According to our sources, the Cayman R also benefits from upgraded suspension and brake components as well as the necessary aero kit, bespoke lightweight alloy wheels and interior modifications. We'll bring you the full story and pictures on the Cayman R from the LA Show that kicks off tomorrow.

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Insider: New Porsche 911 Speedster to Debut in Paris

The recently introduced 408HP 911 GTS (read more here) in Coupe and Cabriolet forms won't be the only newcomers at Porsche's Paris Motor Show stand. According to our insiders, the Stuttgart-based sports car maker will also stage the world premiere of the long-rumored 911 Speedster based on the current 997 series.

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Alfa Romeo Milano / Giulietta Uncovered: Will Be Available with Five Engines Including a 235HP 1.7-Liter Turbo

We're still in the dark about the name and the presentation date of 147's replacement as according to reports, Alfa Romeo was forced to drop the Milano name and postpone today's unveiling at the very last moment due to a conflict with its Milan-based workers (details here). The same reports suggest that Alfa might use the Giulietta nametag instead. In any case, and until the Italians come out with official photos, here's what our inside sources confirmed to us about Alfa's sporty compact hatchback.

The Italian automaker's offering in the premium hatchback segment, which will most probably compete against the likes of the BMW 1-Series and Audi A3 as well as the more powerful versions of the Seat Leon 5d, will make its world debut at the Geneva Salon in March 2010.

European sales are scheduled to start in Spring of the same year.

Designed by the Fiat Group's 'Centro Stile Alfa Romeo', the new hatch measures 4,350mm in length, 1,460 mm in height and 1,800 mm in width featuring a wheelbase of 2,630mm. This means it is slightly longer, taller and wider than the current 147.

From what we were told, Alfa's five-door hatch will be available at launch with a total of four, 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol and diesel engines. These include the 1.4-liter TB and 1.4-liter TB Multiair petrols with 120HP and 170HP respectively, and the 1.6-liter JTDM and 2.0-liter JTDM diesels with 105HP and 170HP respectively.

Shortly after, the range will be complemented by the addition of a sporty "Quadrifoglio Verde" (four-leaf clover) version powered by Alfa's 1.7-liter (1,750cc) four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine delivering a notable 235 horsepower.

Photos via: Facebook

Tokyo '09: Toyota to Release First Photos of Subaru Co-Developed Rear-Wheel Drive Sports Coupe this Week

Toyota's version of the much anticipated rear-wheel drive sports coupe that the automaker is developing in conjunction with Subaru will make its world debut as a thinly-veiled concept car at this month's Tokyo Motor Show. And according to our well-placed sources, we're going to get our first glimpse of Toyota's affordable compact sports coupe sometime this week with the release of the first official photos and details.

For those of you wondering why we chose to 'decorate' the article with photos of Toyota's 2007 Detroit Show star, the FT-HS hybrid concept, that's because we've been informed by our source that the RWD Coupe prototype draws heavily upon the styling of that concept model.

But while the FT-HS featured a hybrid drivetrain built around a 3.5-liter V6, Toyota's compact coupe will get a front-mounted, 2.0-liter four-cylinder boxer engine sourced from Subaru sending power to the rear-wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox.

If we are to take Subaru's official press release on the firm's 2009 Tokyo Motor Show offerings for granted, then we won't be seeing its version of the RWD coupe in Japan this month.

In a previous statement, the two automakers said that the sport coupes will share the same hardware (meaning the Subaru-sourced boxer engine, chassis, suspension etc), but each model will feature a distinct exterior design.

The market launch of both the Toyota and Subaru badged coupes are targeted for the end of 2011, with production set to take place at Subaru's new Gunma plant in Japan.

Even though Toyota has not made any official announcements on the matter, back in 2008, a reliable source here in the States told us that the company plans to sell its variant of the RWD coupe in the U.S. as a Scion essentially replacing the TC. The same source also informed us then that the iQ would head over to the States as a Scion, something that was confirmed with the presentation of the iQ Concept at this year's New York Auto Show in April.

However, bear in mind that these sort of decisions may change over time in response to the different demands of the market.

2007 Toyota FT-HS Hybrid Sports Coupe

Insider: VW's R32 Successor, the 270HP Golf R to get All-Wheel Drive after All

Earlier this week we told you that VW will take the wraps off the Golf R hot hatch at this month's Frankfurt Motor Show. We also said that while we knew that the sportiest Golf would use the Scirocco R's 2.0-liter turbocharged four with around 270 horsepower, we weren't sure if it would keep the GTI's front wheel drive setup or go for an all-wheel drive system like the R32 that it will replace. Well, we've just been tipped off by a credible source that, unlike the FWD Scirocco R, the Golf R will be equipped with a four-wheel drive system similar to the one featured on the Audi S3.

We can also tell you that the Golf R that will be available in both three- and five-door bodystyles hits the 100km/h (62mph) mark from standstill in 5.5 seconds when equipped with VW's dual clutch transmission and 5.7 seconds with the standard six-speed manual gearbox. More to come next week.

Seat to Tease Ibiza Sport Tourer with Concept Model at the Frankfurt Show

Seat is planning to take the wraps off a thinly disguised concept version of its forthcoming Ibiza Sport Tourer (ST) model at next week's Frankfurt Motor Show, Carscoop has learned. The production model that will most likely be revealed at either the 2010 Geneva Salon in March or the Barcelona Show in May is expected to arrive at European dealerships in the second quarter of 2010. Earlier this year SEAT said that the Ibiza ST range will include a selection of engines that are not currently offered in the SC (three-door) and five-door hatchback models.

The third member of the Ibiza family will be produced at Seat's factory in Martorell Spain.

Ford's Seven-Seater MPV to be Named Grand C-MAX

It appears that Ford's marketing team took a liking to the naming system used by their French colleagues at Renault on the longer versions of the Scenic and Espace MPVs as according to Carscoop sources, the seven-seater version of the all-new C-MAX will employ the 'Grand' moniker. While Ford has already published the first photos of the five-seater C-MAX, we'll have to wait a few more days for the Grand C-MAX that's also planned to make its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

In addition to being longer than the five-seat model, the Grand C-MAX also makes use of a pair of sliding doors at the rear to provide easier access to the two last rows of seats that can accommodate three and two passengers respectively.

The Grand C-MAX will be available with the same diesel and gasoline engine range with its five-seater sibling including Ford's brand-new 1.6-litre turbocharged direct-injection EcoBoost unit.

2010 Ford Grand C-MAX Spy Shots

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2010 Ford C-MAX