Renault has just released information on its diminutive new roadster dubbed “Wind,” a car they will debut at next month’s Geneva Motor Show. At just 150.7 inches long, the Wind is just about five inches longer than a Mini Cooper. In keeping with the current fashion for hardtop convertibles, the wind doesn’t use fabric for the lid. Because of its small size, the complex mechanized lids found on cars like the Volkswagen Eos or even the larger Renault Megane simply wouldn’t be practical.

Instead, the roof panel of the Wind simply flips over 180 degrees to stow under its rear deck. If this sounds familiar, think back about five years ago to the Ferrari 575M Superamerica, which used an almost identical system, albeit with an electrochromatic panel called “Revcromico.” Renault hasn’t released any details about the mechanicals or when the Wind will be available.

Read more auto com…

If you were enticed by Zagato’s take on the Bentley Continental GT (pictured above), rumor has it Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera has a version of its own in the works.

Anticipated to be unveiled at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in two months’ time, Touring’s coachbuilt Bentley is slated to be based on the convertible Continental GTC, and could borrow its underpinnings from the upcoming GTC SuperSports.

Like Zagato’s Continental GTZ, the second coachbuilt Continental reportedly received support from Crewe. Since its revival, the Carrozzeria gave us such Maserati-based creations as the A8 GCS and Quattroporte Bellagio Fastback, and was recently rumored to be working on a custom Ferrari design as well.

Read more auto com…

The original BMW X5 marked Bimmer’s first entry into the then-burgeoning SUV segment, and it remains a strong seller for the company, trailing only the 3 and 5 Series. The time has now rolled around for the X5’s mid-cycle refresh, which brings two new gas engines and some mild visual updates. The lower front fascia has been reshaped with the larger outboard air intakes inspired by the X5 M. Similarly, the rear bumper is re-sculpted and both ends get more of their bodywork painted the car’s main color instead of black.

The more important changes are underhood, however, where both gasoline engines have been replaced. The base engine for the xDrive35i is now the same single turbo, 300-horsepower N55 3.0-liter inline-six finding its way into most other 2011 BMWs. Similarly, the xDrive50i gets the sweet 400-horse twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 found in the BMW X6, 7 and BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo. Both gas engines are paired with the new eight-speed automatic also making its way to other BMW models. The gas versions also adopt brake energy regeneration to reduce parasitic losses.

Read more auto com…

Assuming for a moment that you won’t be watching any stages live, what could possibly be better than strapping into the living room recliner and watching World Rally Championship coverage here in the United States? How about watching that very same coverage in glorious high definition? You’re in luck, as Discovery’s HD Theater plans to air the entire 2010 season, the start of which is coming up fast.

The action will begin on Thursday, February 25th at 10 PM Eastern with the Rally Sweden event. Racing will continue on Friday and a follow-up episode will be aired the following Sunday night from 10-11 PM ET. The second race, the Corona Rally Mexico, will follow the same schedule from Thursday, March 18th through Sunday, March 21st.

Read more auto com…

Lamborghini has released a new video to support their “Ad Personam” program. The plan, which translates from Latin as “To the person,” offers customers the opportunity to select from a variety of exclusive options.

The options include an extensive variety of choice in exterior color, leather tone, and stitching hue. As the video points out, one thing that will not be changed is Sant’Agata, Bolognese, where each hand built Lamborghini is still assembled.

Lamborghini makes Ad Personam available, for a fee, to those customers who need an extra level of exclusivity. Launched at NAIAS in 2008, the only limiting factor to the options is the customer’s available cash.

Read more auto com…

Last summer, our man Damon Lavrinc drove the then-brand-new 2010 Mazdaspeed3 around California’s legendary Laguna Seca Raceway and then Caramel Valley’s world-class back roads. And he loved it. I mention this because we’re sure that under similar, near-ideal conditions, I would have been nearly as smitten. But reality has a funny way of tossing monkey wrenches at even the most lovely picnics. To wit: I had the Speed3 in Los Angeles during the recent torrential downpour/tornado warnings, then drove to Phoenix through a monsoon the same day/night that Russo and Steele got their tents blown across a freeway. Ideal? Hardly. Informative?

We’ll start with looks, because the new Mazda3 might be the single most polarizing mass-market vehicle design since the Bangled 2002 BMW 7 Series. After spending seven days with the car, my take is that the Speed3 is so deformed it’s kinda cute. How can you not love that homely side view? It’s mutated, it’s bizarre, it’s got muscular fenders leading to soft organic lines that finish in hardboiled creases all capped off by a handsome, purposeful wing. Then there are the taillights that actually extend a few inches off the body. The world hasn’t seen lines like that since the fins of the 1950s. And of course, there’s the mouth – and it’s not nearly as smiley as the standard Mazda3. In Mazdaspeed guise, the grin is filled with scalloped gray teeth. Even if you hate what you’re seeing up front, you must admit that the forged wheels are trés sexy. Summarizing, the Speed3 is so… unique that I can’t help but like how it looks, especially painted Celestial Blue. Also, like the last generation Speed3, Mazda only sells it as a five-door, which is snappier looking than the sedan.

Read more auto com…

Be still our hearts. A Toyota post that doesn’t involve a recall. Instead, we’ve got an unsurprising report about ToMoCo’s plans to start a new, in-house performance division dubbed “Gs” sometime in 2010.

Earlier this month, Toyota trotted out three models wearing a new line of performance parts at the Tokyo Auto Salon under the “Toyota G Sports” moniker. While a bodykitted Prius isn’t exactly our cup of Earl Grey and the tuned Mark X is about as interesting as a fire-breathing Camry, the (supposedly) turbocharged Toyota FT-86, fitted with a complete aero kit, suspension and brake mods kicked our salivary glands into overdrive.

Read more auto com…