Ford F-150 Raptor SuperCrew Double Cab SuperCrew Raptor unveiled with 6.2-litre V8 engine.

In the UK, Ford’s performance offering is the impressive Focus RS. But in the US, the Blue Oval offers a rather different powered-up range-topping proposition.

Called the Raptor, the 6.2-litre V8-powered beast is based on Ford’s popular F-150 truck. As well as providing plenty of power to all four wheels, the Raptor features custom-developed Fox Racing dampers which can cope with high-speed off-road driving, including landings from sizeable jumps!

For the 2011 model year, the firm has added a Double Cab SuperCrew model to the line-up, which adds a second row of seats and 300mm to the wheelbase, and joins the already-launched standard cab version.

The Raptor was originally launched with ‘just’ a 5.4-litre V8. But that has now been ditched, with all cars coming with the firm’s 6.2-litre V8, which generates 405bhp and 588Nm – 100bhp and 94Nm more than the smaller unit.

As well as offering buyers the choice of two bodystyles, Ford has created a new colour, called Ingot Silver metallic which can be personalised with additional, contrasting matt black decals. On the inside, Ford now includes a 4.2-inch LCD display called the ‘Productivity Screen,’ which shows data on off-road and towing performance.

Sadly, the super-sized Raptor is only available in the US, where both of the 2011 model year cars are now ready for order at dealerships.

Renault Laguana facelift: First Pics Renault pull the wraps off an updated version of the Laguna ahead of its Paris debut.
The show-stoppers keep coming at Renault! These are the official pictures of the new Laguna that will be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show, joining the European-spec Latitude which debuted in Moscow last week.

The evergreen French saloon has been updated for 2011 and sports a number of styling tweaks and mechanical changes intended to bring the Laguna’s styling closer to the rest of the range, although the coupé will remain unchanged.

The redesigned nose features a much narrower grille, outlined in chrome, that shares its look with the current Mégane GT. Chrome inserts also feature on the swept new foglight clusters, and the headlights have been topped off with a wide reflective ‘eyebrow’ to give the saloon a more imposing front end.

The new car will get an upgraded, cleaner version of the current 1.5 dCi engine, producing 108bhp but emitting just 120g/km of CO2, meaning the new Laguna would cost just £30 a year in road tax, and it will be exempt from the new showroom tax.

Inside, there are new options on all trim-levels, including a TomTom live satellite navigation system and a high-performance Bose sound system.  

The innovative 4Control four-wheel steering system, which aids handling and was previously only available on high powered GT versions of the Laguna, will now be an option on the best-selling 178bhp 2.0-litre diesel, the new car will be on sale in the U.K. by November, with exact prices and specs annouced closer to the release date.

Cruze hatchback first pictures Chevrolet to show off Cruze hatch at Paris Motor Show.
Meet the Cruze that’s hatching big plans in Europe! This compact version of the Cruze will be unveiled at the Paris motor show at the end of this month, and is the second of four new cars that will feature on the American firm’s stand.

The Cruze hatchback will join the Orlando that we showed you last week, as well as a facelift of the Captiva SUV, and a new version of the Aveo. The fastback design has an almost Japanese flavour, and the car looks similar to the Subaru Impreza in profile, although the big wheels and LED running lights from the show car are likely to be dropped from the production model.   

The Cruze saloon has recently overtaken the Aveo to become Chevrolet’s best selling car globally, so to broaden its appeal and further boost sales this new hatch is set to offer great value for money and compete with the likes of the Kia C’eed and Hyundai i30.

The hatch will offer nearly 400 litres of boot space, and although that’s 50 less than the saloon, a 60/40 folding seat arrangement and bigger load space should ensure this is the most practical Cruze yet.

Wayne Brannon, Managing Director of Chevrolet Europe, said that by offering a hatch back variant they were “sending out a signal that Chevrolet is now a serious mainstream player in Europe.”

The current Cruze comes in S, LS and LT trims, and the new car will continue to offer the familiar line-up of four-pot engines from  the saloon. That means either a 1.6 or a 1.8-litre with 112bhp or 139bhp. The diesel option is a 2.0L with 123bhp, and 300Nm of torque.

Prices should remain broadly the same as the current range, although the hatchback could end up costing less than its stable mate, starting at around £13,000 for the 1.6i S when it goes on sale mid-way through next year.  

Citroen C4 Estate spied Practical C4 wagon to join new C4, DS4 and facelifted C4 Picasso range.
Citroen has loaded up the C4 Estate! The French firm will pull the wraps off its all-new Ford Focus-rivalling C4, stylish DS4 and facelifted C4 Picasso range at the Paris Motor Show. But that hasn’t stopped bosses giving the green light to a practical estate version of the C4 too.

Our spies captured the first pictures of the practical addition to the range hot weather testing in a very comprehensive disguise. However, expect the estate to feature the same handsome new look as the regular C4 hatchback from the bottom of the windscreen forwards.

From there back, the estate gains a gently curving roofline to give a more dynamic appearance, and a short rear overhang to reduce the car’s bulk. However, despite the design flair, boot space is expected to be around 500-litres, to compete against the 482-litres offered by the Ford Focus Estate, and 505-litres of the VW Golf Estate.

The engine range is carried over from the C4 range, including 1.6-litre petrol and diesel units, and a range-topping 2.0-litre diesel. The 1.6-litre diesel HDi unit will be offered with the firm’s new e-HDi stop start system and regenerative alternator, which cuts carbon dioxide emissions to around 110g/km for the Estate.

Expect the latest addition to the C4 range to make its debut next year, most likely at the Geneva Motor Show in March, before going on sale in the summer.

Next Picanto pictures Kia’s new supermini spied testing ahead of 2011 Geneva Motor Show debut.
Kia’s hoping its new supermini is the Pic of the bunch! Our spy photographer caught this mule on test near the firm’s European R&D headquarters in Russelsheim, Germany, undergoing testing ahead of its launch next year.

And while the Picanto is wearing a substantial disguise, the newcomer’s proportions are notably similar to the car it replaces. But the all-new car’s boxy shape has been given a serious injection of style by design boss Peter Schreyer and his team.

At the front, swept back headlights and the familiar tiger’s snout chrome grille are visible, while the current car’s kinked shoulderline is replaced with a steeply rising one, giving the Picanto a more sporty profile.

The car pictured here has five doors, and is likely to be offered in that bodystyle at launch, but Kia is currently evaluating whether to build an even cheaper three-door version.

Expect the Picanto to feature a similarly impressive interior, with a practical yet stylish design that echoes the recently-launched Sportage. And just like the SUV, which majors on value for money, the Picanto will be packed with kit like air conditioning, electric windows and an MP3-compatible stereo.  

Under the bonnet, the Kia will get the same all-new 1.0-litre petrol engine that emits 99g/km of carbon dioxide, which will debut at Paris in the 2011 model year Hyundai i10. The Picanto uses the same platform as its Hyundai sister car.

The new Picanto will make its global debut at the Geneva Motor Show next March. Prices are likely to remain highly competitive, with entry-level versions costing around £7,000 when it go on sale in the UK early next summer.

Subaru WRX Coupé spied Spy shots reveal best look yet at exciting new Toyota-Subaru coupé venture
Subaru’s WRX coupé is go – and these are the pictures that prove it!

The new car is a joint project with Toyota and was previewed by the FT-86 concept car which debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2009.

Both Toyota and Subaru branded models are expected to be launched late in 2011, but the front lights and bonnet-scoop on this mule signal it out as the latter.

Unlike the Toyota badged car – which will be rear-wheel drive only – the Subaru will come equipped with a four-wheel drive system that runs a rear-wheel drive bias.  Like the Impreza, the newcomer will be offered with a 2.0-litre flat-four cylinder boxer engine. That means power should stand at around 200bhp, allowing for a 0-62mph of just under seven seconds.

Engineers have worked hard to ensure the motor meets the latest emissions regulations, and although it’s unlikely to be frugal – the Impreza’s boxer is infamously thirsty – the newcomer should return around 35mpg.

Yet while the Subaru Legacy donates its chassis, not much of the basic architecture will be retained in the new model. The springs, dampers, brakes and steering will all be uprated, to ensure the newest Subaru is every inch the rear-driven sports car. The production version is set to cost at least £22,000 when it arrives.