Production VW Up! Ditches Rear-Engine, Rear-Wheel Drive for a Traditional FWD Setup

It won’t be long before we get our first glimpse of the production version of Volkswagen's all-new Up! city car that scheduled to have its official world premiere at next month's Frankfurt Motor Show.

But here's a little something we learned. While the three-door hatchback model's looks are very similar to the original Up! Concept car displayed at the 2007 Frankfurt auto show, under the sheetmetal it's a different story as Volkswagen has ditched the study's unique rear-engine, rear-wheel drive layout.

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Porsche to Unveil New 550HP Panamera Turbo S this Week

*Standard Porsche Panamera Turbo pictured above

There have been rumors floating around the internet lately about a new flagship version of Porsche’s Panamera sports saloon named the Turbo S. We asked around and according to Carscoop sources, the new Panamera Turbo S is in fact real and it will be revealed by the end of this week.

The most potent model of the Panamera series to date is based on the Turbo model. It features a modified 4.8-liter turbocharged V8 engine delivering around 50 more ponies for a total output of approximately 550HP. Top speed is pegged at 307 km/h (191mph) and it will hit 100km/h (62mph) in 3.8 seconds. That’s compared to the standard Panamera Turbo’s 303km/h (188mph) top speed and 4.2 sec. sprint time.

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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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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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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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