Audi A7 four-door hard-top cabrio

The blokes at Car say they've got the scoop on the upcoming Audi A7, including a convertible version depicted in the rendering on the right. Power is rumored to start with six cylinders across the range, with a V10-powered S7 and a twin-turbo V10-motivated RS7. Expect a variety of transmissions to be on offer as well, including manuals, automatics and dual-clutch gearboxes with six or seven speeds, along with the availability of quattro all-wheel-drive.

Sources have suggested that, while Audi will be behind the game in bringing a four-door coupe in the Mercedes CLS mold to market in the first half of 2010, it's got another segment-busting trick up it's sleeve: a full four-door convertible. And according to Car's illustrators, the A7 cabrio will feature a full retractable hard-top. Many have toyed with the idea of a four-door convertible – most recently arch-rival Mercedes with the Ocean Drive concept from Detroit '07 – but Audi may be the ones to actually revive the long-lost segment. Parade detail, here we come.

[Source: Car]

Hyundai recalls 65,000 Elantras for fuel pump problem

Some 2008-model Hyundai Elantras are being recalled due to fuel pumps that could lose pressure and decreasing engine performance. In Elantras with the 2.0-liter Beta engine, gasoline with ethanol added creates a buildup of film on the pump's electrical contacts. This can cause the engine to hesitate during starting or while running. The recall is voluntary, and if you have one of the affected cars, don't hesitate to contact your dealer.

[Source: Freep]

Bugatti releases new palette for Veyron Hermes

The announcement actually came from Monterey but was quickly overshadowed, somewhat ironically, by the unveiling of the open-top Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport and the subsequent auction of its first example for $3.2 million. The unveiling of the new-tint Hermes Veyrons took place at the Quail motorsport gathering on Monterey Peninsula, where Bugatti revealed the four new color schemes available: "indigo blue and vermilion", "indigo blue and lime green", " black and garance red" and "Prussian blue and blue jean". We're not entirely sure what all these colors are, exactly, and given that Bugatti put them in quotation marks, we're not sure they're sure, either. They undoubtedly would have shown us pictures of all four, but given that these 1.5 million euro hyper-exotics are made to order and available only from the end of the year, we doubt examples of each color option have been made yet. Of course they all come decked out with the H-pattern grille, eight-spoke wheels, lavish calfskin interior and exclusive package of specially-made Hermes luggage.

Lexus planning IS cabrio, lightweight IS-F

The higher-ups at Toyota may have decided to axe the replacement for the Lexus SC convertible, but don't get too used to the idea of a world without a wind-in-your-hair Lexus. Word has it they've given the green light to a convertible version of the current IS sedan. Of course, lopping off the doors and roof of a four-door is hardly unheard of, as that's just what Audi did to make the A4 convertible, but while that 'vert is set to be replaced by the A5 cabrio, Lexus is going the opposite direction.

The IS cabrio is tipped to come in 250 and 350 varieties, with Lexus reasoning that there'd be no market for an IS-F convertible. But fret not, as the same reports suggest that a lightweight IS-F sedan is on its way, again going the opposite way of the Germans as BMW just canceled the M3 CSL program. Things are about to get a whole lot busier at the Lexus plants in Tahara and Kyūshū.

Renault's Persian-market, Maxima-based Safrane

The Persian Gulf is fast becoming a demanding market for luxury automobiles. So demanding, in fact, that some automakers have begun creating special models just for consumption there. Just days ago we brought you news that Rolls-Royce, having already shipped a golden Drophead Coupe for one special customer, was launching a limited edition Phantom saloon called the Peony edition.

This, however, is not a special Rolls-Royce. We won't list all the ways in which it isn't a Roller, but will save your time and ours by listing instead what it shares in common. It's a luxury sedan, and it's made specially to be engulfed by the Gulf market. That's about it. The Safrane nameplate was previously used for Renault's lackluster flagship sedan, replaced by the reviled Vel Satis in 2000. So what is this exactly that has revived the name? A rebadged Samsung SM5, essentially. That vehicle is produced in an 80.1% Renault-owned joint venture in South Korea. If you're noticing some similarities with our own Nissan Maxima, you've got a keen eye, as it shares its platform with the last-gen Maxima as well as the Nissan Teana (itself available only in the Asian market).

New SCX Pro Rally Citroen

Kimi Raikkonen

Kimi Raikkonen has dismissed suggestions he is suffering from flagging motivation, insisting he remains determined to fight back in the championship battle.

The world champion’s recent inconsistent form has provoked criticism from both the media and some paddock observers, while speculation persists that the 28-year-old is considering retirement at the end of his Ferrari contract in 2009.

Last Sunday’s European Grand Prix prompted further questions about the Finn’s performances after he was again comprehensively outperformed by team-mate Felipe Massa and knocked a mechanic over in the pit lane during his final fuel stop – before an engine failure compounded his misery.

But despite falling 13 points adrift of championship leader Lewis Hamilton in the drivers’ standings, Raikkonen is adamant he has both the necessary time and desire to remain in the title hunt.

“We knew we had to take a risk for Valencia and we did not finish the race,” he told his official website.

“It’s a shame, but it’s useless to grieve for that.

“One third of the season is still left and it’s enough to fight back.

“If somebody has doubts concerning my motivation, let them doubt.

“One thing I can say is that right now I am more motivated than ever.”

While keen to move on from his disappointing Valencia weekend, Raikkonen – who qualified with three laps more fuel than pole-sitter Massa – did concede he and the team probably got his strategy wrong given his poor recent qualifying form.

“The Friday practice was good – I had a good feeling in the car,” he said.

“But Saturday was a little bit cooler and we struggled again in qualifying.

“We should have been more aggressive.

“Obviously there has been a lot of talk about my qualifying problems.

“But in Hungary I just went wide on my last lap of Q3. Without that we would easily have been third. Then we got the fourth place and after that I knew the race would be very difficult again.”

He now hopes that next week’s Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, a venue where he is chasing a fourth consecutive victory at, is the place to start his title fightback.

“I love that circuit, and obviously, I would love to race there for the whole year long,” he said.

“It’s the best of all the circuits and hopefully we finally get the car working the way I want it to work.

“We go to Spa to win again.”

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