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With its poised, confident presence, the mere look of the GLK-Class leaves one in no doubt about its intent to conquer the premium compact-SUV segment. All while displaying unmistakable echoes of the G-Class, the forefather of the Mercedes-Benz SUV family. As Head of Design, Gordon Wagener, remarks: “Combining the puristic design of our style icon, the G-Class, with the latest Mercedes-Benz design idiom makes the GLK a model with genuine character.”

Filed under: Concept Cars, Convertibles, Honda, Misc. Auto Shows

The London Motor Show opens up on July 22nd and with it, comes a new concept from Honda, the Open Study Model or OSM. The lightweight, two-seater, open-air sports car is another design study by Honda that attempts to blend performance and sustainable motoring into a comprehensive package. Designed by Honda’s R&D center in Offenbach, Germany, the OSM is a vehicle in the same environmentally friendly vein as the CR-Z concept unveiled in Tokyo last year, considered to be a low emissions alternative to the traditional sports coupe.

The CR-Z is still slated to be released sometime next year, but Honda insists that the OSM is strictly a design study and is not confirmed for production. However, as OSM (read: awesome) as it may be, it’s not the next S2000, according to Honda spokesperson Steve Kirk.

Sedans/Saloons, China, Misc. Auto Shows

The FAW Besturn is a Chinese sedan based on the current-gen Mazda6, and while it won’t go down in the annals of memorable car designs, its certainly not offensive either inside or out. Come next month at the Beijing Motor Show, FAW is expected to introduce a new, still-unnamed 4-door that Autoblog Chinese refers to simply as B131. The attached sketches show some promise — that’s a nice-looking car — but the spy photo to the right gives us pause, as it looks nothing like the sketches. In fact, it just looks like a taped-up Mazda6. Here’s hoping that FAW unveils something that looks like the drawings and not just the current Mazda6 with a FAW badge in the middle of the grille.

2008 geneva motor show, 2008 lotus europa, 2008 lotus europa se, europa, geneva motor show, lotus, lotus europa, lotus europa se, se

The Lotus Europa is the Elise for people with bags to carry. Though not quite as light as the Elise, or as fast as the Exige, the Europa is a car you might be able to live with as your daily driver. Despite the addition of a bit of room and some creature comforts, the new Europa is still good for a 0-60 mph trot of 5.5 seconds and a top speed of 143 mph, thanks to a 25 horsepower boost to its 2.0 Liter turbocharged I4. The new base model comes in at a cheap $55,500 with the range topping Europa SE adding another $10,000. Despite being mostly an Elise, the Europa SE manages to distinguish itself with a unique look. Press release below the jump.

Press Release Group Lotus plc unveils a new updated and significantly enhanced range of Europa’s at the 78th annual Geneva International Motor Show. The new entry level Europa is priced at £27,950 MSRP / 37,500, with the range topping Europa SE available for a competitive £32,995 MSRP / 41,500 (Euro prices are without taxes, delivery & other related costs). These new Europa variants have been designed and developed especially for European customers and will be sold exclusively across Europe from June 2008. The Europa is now available to a larger target audience with the entry level car providing a more accessible way to own a Europa and the SE designed to appeal to those who are even more style conscious and want increased levels of performance. Mike Kimberley, CEO of Group Lotus plc commented: “As the true driver will know, this Europa range, offers access to Lotus’ unique DNA for those who perceive the Elise and Exige as a little too uncompromising for everyday use. The new Europa SE sits at the more refined end of the Lotus spectrum, providing a terrific mix of performance, agility and style, but incorporates Lotus’s values and heritage”. The Europa has a mid-mounted 2 litre turbo charged engine, tuned in the SE with an all new calibration to 225 PS and with 300 Nm of torque to offer effortless cruising capability. Even though the Europa is engineered with more relaxed driving characteristics it provides amazing performance, with 0-60 mph in the SE dispatched in 5.5s (0-100 km/h in 5.7s estimated) and the sprint to 100 mph (160 km/h) taking just 13.0s (estimated). Given the legal opportunity to stretch its legs, the Europa SE will hit a top speed of 143 mph (estimated). The Europa now offers increased levels of comfort over the Elise and Exige whilst enhancing the focused driving experience that you would expect from a Lotus. These models are both equipped with race car derived double wishbone suspension to give an exceptional driving feel with Lotus DNA. The sleek Europa body work, together with the assistance of the flat underbody, generates positive downforce to provide balanced handling at speed. The Europa SE has attractive and light weight new wheels, which are shod with wider, high performance tyres, for increased levels of grip. These new high performance wheels are larger with 17″ rims up front, and larger 18″ rims on the rear. The new wheels house high performance AP Racing four pot brakes and larger (308 mm) diameter discs. The SE interior has been updated by Lotus Design with a stylish new design that works in harmony with the premium avant-garde Ice White of the Geneva Show car. The interior is finished using 4 hides of soft, lightweight high-grade leather, to ensure that every surface has a luxuriant tactile feel. As with all 2008 Lotus road cars, the Europa and Europa SE come with driver and passenger airbags and an engine start button as standard. The Europa interior is furnished with leather sports seats and comes as standard with a high quality stereo system.

[Lotus via World Car Fans]

This is not just rumormill, this is rumors of hints and suggestions made by anonymous people. Just last week we wondered whether Mitsubishi’s Concept-RA would lead to a new — and proper — Eclipse. What Car? went further, and although citing nothing more than “insiders,” said that the red zinger “could be a forerunner for a new Eclipse coupe, which could go on sale in Europe.”

True, that’s a lot of coulds. But it wasn’t so long ago that the Eclipse was an object of desire, and there can’t be any doubt that Mitsubishi would love to see those days return — especially after watching rival Nissan revive brand lust by slowly reinjecting its products with feeling.

[Source: AutoBlog]