SCOOP: European Hyundai Veloster Coupe Shows its Face, will get 1.6-liter Turbo with 208HP

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know by now that Hyundai unveiled its Veloster coupe at the 2011 Detroit Motor Show. So, what's with the 'scoop' title of our post, we here you ask? Well, this here example is the European spec Veloster and it was caught undisguised by our spies in Germany ahead of its debut at the at the Geneva Salon in the beginning of March.

The only visible styling changes over the North American model concern the use of clear indicators up front, all-red tail lamps at the back and the newly styled alloy wheels. Unfortunately, our spies couldn't get close enough to the prototype to snag the interior, but don't expect to see any significant modifications other than trim and color options.

Up until now, we were in the dark about the engine lineup of the European model. However, we just learned from an official source that the Veloster will be offered with two gasoline engines including a flagship turbocharged four banger.

The Veloster will launch in Europe with the same 1.6-liter direct-injection four-banger as the NA-spec model, producing 140-horsepower and 167 Nm of peak torque for a 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint time of under 10 seconds. Power is transferred to the front wheels through a standard six-speed manual gearbox, or an optional dual-clutch transmission.

Europeans will also get a Blue Edition version that pairs the 140-horse motor with a start-stop system and some additional fuel-saving features, which help drop CO2 levels from 138 g/km to 129 g/km.

The crown jewel of the Veloster lineup will be a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with direct-injection technology and an output of 208-horsepower, allowing the car to complete the standard sprint in around 7 seconds. We don't if or when Hyundai will offer this engine in North America.

The naturally aspirated models will go on sale in most European countries this April, with the UK following later in the year. The Veloster 1.6 Turbo will be added to the range in early 2012.

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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 sears aren't in use.

According to our reader, the FF is powered by a new 6.3-liter V12 engine delivering 660 horses at 8,000 rpm and 683 Nm / 503.8 lb-ft of peak torque at 6,000 rpm. That massive amount of power is transferred to all four wheels through a 7-speed dual clutch transmission and a new and extremely lightweight all-wheel drive system.

The 4,907mm long fastback coupe is said to accelerate from zero to 100km/h (62mph) in just 3.7 seconds and top out at 335 km/h (208 mph), while returning a combined fuel economy of 15.4 lt/100km, equal to 15.3 mpg US.

We'll be on the watch for any official information and / or photos of the Ferrari model, and keep you updated on any new developments as they occur.

2012 BMW 6-Series Convertible Photo Shoot from South Africa

If by any chance you still haven't seen the new 6-Series Convertible in the flesh and are not satisfied by the first batch of 133 photos released by the Bavarian automaker last November, BMW has just published an enormous gallery of its soft top cabriolet, photographed in South Africa. The Germans also added a few shots of a 6-Series Individual, which is a special program that provides customers additional bespoke options to reflect their individuality.

As a reminder, there are two engines available for the new 6 Series Convertible at launch. The 640i gets a 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six with 320-horses and 450Nm / 332 lb-ft of peak torque, good enough to propel the four-seater model from standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.7 seconds.

The 650i boasts a 4.4-liter turbo V8 producing 407HP and 600Nm / 443 lb-ft, and completes the standard sprint in 5.0 seconds. Both models have an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).

In the USA, BMW will offer the 650i Convertible from this Spring with a starting price of $91,375 (including destination and handling fees).

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