BMW 328i Saloon to the ASC3 Turbo with 291-Horses

We won't have to wait until the Geneva Motor Show's grand opening on Tuesday to find out what AC Schnitzer has in store for us, as the German tuner of all things BMW related has published details on its first take on the new 3-Series sedan. The tune is based on the 328i, which in stock form is fitted with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four churning out 240hp and 350 Nm (258.1 lb-ft), allowing for a zero to 100km/h (62mph) sprint time of 5.9 seconds and a limited top speed of 250km/h (155mph).
An ECU upgrade and a sports exhaust system ring up those numbers to 291hp (295PS) and 410Nm (302 lb-ft) and as a result, reduce the 0-100km/h acceleration time to 5.7 seconds. Maximum speed continues to be electronically governed at 250km/h.
AC Schnitzer then adds a sports suspension kit while offering buyers a selection of alloy wheel designs in sizes from 18- to 20-inches.
Other available options include an AC Schnitzer front spoiler, chromed front grille, rear roof spoiler, rear spoiler and rear skirt extension, complemented by designer stripes, while the interior of the car can be upgraded with an aluminum trim kit for the dashboard, pedals, foot rest and the "i-Drive" controller.
The entire contents of the package will be available for order this summer.

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Chevrolet Malibu gets New 259-Horsepower 2.0-liter Turbo Engine, does 0-60mph in 6.3"

About a couple of months after it confirmed the availability of its new 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder Ecotec gasoline engine on the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu sedan, General Motors today released the performance numbers. The force-fed engine produces a maximum output of 259 horsepower (193 kW) and a peak torque of 260 lb.-ft. of torque (353 Nm), which is sustained from 1,700 to 5,500 rpm.
According to the Detroit automaker, the direct-injection engine can propel the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu from zero to 60mph (96km/h) in just 6.3 seconds, which is a fairly impressive figure for a mainstream car of this size.
GM said that the turbocharged Malibu will go on sale in the U.S. this fall while it will also be offered in Canada, Israel and other markets with more details including pricing and fuel economy figures to be released at a later date.

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Bertone's Geneva Show Nuccio Concept

On the eve of the 1997 Geneva Motor Show, Lilli Bertone promised her husband, Nuccio, that she would forever carry the company in his name. And this year's Geneva Motor Show was the natural choice for the world premiere of the Nuccio concept, which celebrates the design house centennial and pays homage to the son of the company's founder. The Italian design house says that the new concept is tasked to "carry the moral legacy of the Master into the new millennium, confirming Bertone once again among the international leaders of car design."
The Nuccio is a fully functional prototype powered by a mid-mounted, 480HP 4.3-liter V8. It measures 4,800mm in length, 1,950mm in width and 1,220mm in height, with a 2,600mm wheelbase.
Bertone says that the Nuccio harks back to some of its best concept cars such as the 1968 Alfa Romeo Carabo, the 1970 Lancia Stratos Zero and the 1971 Lamborghini Countach.
Some design elements from the era include the cab-forward design, the tapered, trapezoidal windscreen and the "twin peaks" on the orange roof.
The same color is used in the concept's interior, which features classic analog instruments with a prominent central tachometer and anatomical sports seats.
A nod to the future is the 26-inch LCD screen mounted behind the seats. It replaces the conventional windscreen, which due to the shape of the car and the mid-engined layout would offer no visibility, projecting the image from the rear view camera.

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New Cisitalia 202 E Sports Coupe Concept

The car Henry Ford II described as the most beautiful Italian vehicle he had ever seen, has inspired the creation of a new concept model called the Cisitalia 202 E, which was unveiled in the flesh at the 82nd GenevaInternational Auto Salon. The modern day Cisitalia 202 concept is the work of eleven students of the Master course coordinated by Pininfarina Lead Designer Luca Borgogno and Maserati designer Luigi Giampaolo.
The idea for the Cisitalia 202 E came from Chen Chin-Hsuan from Taiwan, who was aided by: Shaaz Abbasi Bin Saeed from India, Yaroslav Chumachenko from Ukraine, Yo Kobayashi from Japan, Vasily Kurkov from Russia, Andrea Leoncini, Daniela Spina and Pasquale Meli from Italy, and Soowan Park and Yoon Seul Ki and Soohan Yun from Korea.
The Cisitalia 202 E is a two seater coupe that measures 4,270mm long, 1,850mm wide and 1,240mm tall. It rides on a 2,650mm wheelbase.
The original 1947 Cisitalia was powered by a small displacement 1.1-liter inline four-cylinder engine delivering only 55bhp at 5500rpm, but thanks to the coupe's low kerb weight of just 780kg (1,720 lbs), it propelled it to a top speed of 165km/h (102mph).
In line with the times, the concept gets an unspecified, compact V8 engine producing 450bhp that is mounted up front driving the rear wheels.
“To encourage our students to overstep their limits, they must have the possibility of developing exciting, ambitious projects," said César Mendoza, Director of IED Turin.
"What greater challenge than to redesign one of the most beautiful cars in the world? An extraordinary opportunity. Taking advantage of this occasion and with the support of Cisitalia and the commitment of lecturers and coordinators, we have achieved outstanding results not only with regard to the life size model of the vehicle but in all the projects proposed, making it extremely difficult to single out that to be presented in Geneva," Mendoza concluded.

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