New Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe Revealed Before Geneva Debut

Here comes the E-Class Coupe as will be seen when its takes its first public bow at the Geneva motor show next month.

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe is meant to replace the discontinued CLK, so Mercedes has a lot riding on the success of this model.

With the new design, Mercedes says the E-Class will be the "world's most aerodynamically efficient series-production car." That's a bold claim to make but one can see in the newly acquired sleekness of the body that things have changed. This Coupe, in its slight form with no B-pillars and completely retractable side windows, creates a drag coefficient of just 0.24.

Geneva Motor Show 2009 Preview: Aston Martin DBS Volante the ultimate in alfresco 12-cylinder motoring

Thanks to the embargo-breaking crew at World Car Fans, we can finally give up the details on the 2009 Aston Martin DBS Volante. The drop-top version of Bond's uber-Aston features a fabric roof that can be retracted in 14 seconds at speeds up to 30 mph and supposedly looks just as good with the top up as the top down. Motivation is provided by the same 6.0-liter V12 found in the standard DBS, putting out 510 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque to a rear-mounted six-speed manual or "Touchtronic" sequential gearbox. The run to 62 mph is dispatched in a scant 4.3 seconds on its way to a top speed of 191 mph. Aston says it was able to keep the weight down (the DBS Volante tips the scales at 3,990 pounds) through the use of a lightweight roof mechanism, along with a carbon fiber hood, front splitter and trunk lid. The standard carbon ceramic brakes – pulled directly from the fixed-roof DBS – reduce unsprung weight at all four corners and provide the neck-punishing stopping power you'd expect. We'll get our first look of the DBS Volante at the Geneva Motor Show next week, but in the meantime, get all the details in the press release below the fold.

Rendered Speculation: Corvette Stingray C7.R

While the Corvette Stingray Concept (a.k.a. Autobot Sideswipe) introduced at the Chicago Auto Show earlier this month sports heritage-inspired cues, its futuristic styling could also hint at the design of the next-generation model. GM made no comment on whether any of the concept would find make its way into the C7 Corvette, but there will doubtless be plenty of people willing to speculate. The gang at BadBoyVettes.com have taken it one step further and have come up with what the C7.R would look like if the Stingray went to production as-is. Using one of our live shots from the show, they've added the Corvette Racing livery, complete with the "Jake" skull mascot featured prominently on the hood. We think they did a good job, which is to be expected, since BBV helped put together the design schemes for the actual C6.R racers. In full race livery, the Stingray looks like it'd be equally adept at chasing down Gulf-liveried Aston Martins or battling giant evil robots. After all, Jake plays no favorites; he's an equal-opportunity intimidator.

Geneva Motor Show 2009 Preview: Giugiaro concept claimed to be the world's fastest hybrid

Giorgetto Giugiaro has a series of successful concepts under his belt, including the Ferrari GG50 and his own interpretation of the Mustang. But his most recent design exercise -- the Italdesign Quaranta, shown at last year's Geneva Motor Show -- was a clear indication that he was moving beyond bespoke bodywork and taking a long look into the future of the automobile.

At this year's Geneva expo, he'll take the wraps off another hybrid concept that appears to evolve the Quaranta design and the (theoretical) drivetrain underneath. Judging by the teaser, it's decidedly more sleek than its predecessor, dropping the blocky '80s aesthetic of the Quaranta and packing a powertrain that will supposedly propel the gas-electric coupe to 186 mph. If the same 270 hp, 3.3-liter V6 hybrid employed on the Quaranta migrates to this new concept, expect an all-wheel-drive system with a duo of electric motors powering the front wheels and a claimed 0-60 time of around four seconds.