Insider: Nissan Qazan Compact Crossover Concept to Premiere in Geneva

Carscoop has learned that Nissan will take the wraps off a new compact-sized crossover concept at the Geneva Motorshow in March. Our sources told us that the concept car will be called Qazan and in effect, it will preview Nissan's new compact car that will arrive in European showrooms in 2010. The Japanese automaker disclosed its plans to expand its crossover portfolio beyond the Qashqai, Qashqai+2 and the Murano in June 2008, when it released the teaser sketch of the compact car that you see above.

The new compact crossover will be built at Nissan's Sunderland plant in the U.K. where it will take up the manufacturing capacity created when production of the current Micra ends in 2010. The Japanese firm's next-generation supermini will be shifted to a new plant in Chennai, India that is currently being built by the Renault-Nissan Alliance.

Geneva Debut for New Renault Scenic, Grand Scenic and Megane Grandtour

Along with the new 250HP Megane Coupe RS, Renault will also stage the world debut of three more Megane-based models at the Geneva Show, the Scenic and Grand Scenic MPVs and the Megane Grandtour station-wagon. The French firm's new people carrier will be available once again in two styles, the five-seater Scenic and the extended-wheelbase Grand Scenic that can accommodate seven passengers in three rows of seats.

As you can see in the images that come from a patent application made by Renault with the EU trademark office, the Scenic III's styling draws on the latest Megane as well as the Laguna - at least in what concerns the front-end design.

Renault's Opel Zafira and Volkswagen Touran rival will share the same engine line-up with the rest of the Megane range. This means that the petrol engine range will consist of 100 and 110HP 1.6-liter units, a 140HP 2.0-liter and the turbocharged 130HP 1.4TCe and 180HP 2.0TCe. Diesel options will include 1.5 dCi 85HP, 90 HP, 105 HP and 110 HP units along with more powerful 130 HP, 150HP and 160 HP variants.

As for the Megane Grandtour, Renault's C-Segment station-wagon is expected to feature a longer wheelbase than the hatchback model. The engine range variations will of course be on par with the Megane hatchback.

2009 Renault Scenic III

2009 Renault Grand Scenic III

Audi to Reveal 340HP TT RS and A4 Allroad at Geneva Motorshow

Continuing our pre-show Geneva Salon reports, we have just received word that Audi's booth will host the world premieres of the long-awaited TT RS and the A4 Allroad. Details are still sketchy, but it has been said that the range-topping TT RS will make use of a turbocharged version of Volkswagen's U.S. spec 2.5-litre five-cylinder petrol engine pumping out close to 340HP. Naturally, the TT-RS will be fitted with Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system as well as with the latest version of the firm's S tronic twin-clutch semi-automatic gearbox. The TT RS will be available in both coupe and roadster bodystyles.

As for the first-ever A4 Allroad model, it will be based on the latest-generation A4 Avant. To justify its existence in the range, the A4 will feature the same Allroad cues as the larger A6, including a higher road clearance, larger wheels and dark-grey wheelarch extensions and redesigned bumpers. The engine range will of course be sourced from the A4.

Insider: 2009 Renault Megane Coupe RS with 250HP to bow in Geneva

Renault's super-hot performance version of the new Megane Coupe that was unleashed at last year's Paris Show will break cover in Geneva on March 3. The Megane Coupe RenaultSport (RS), will be equipped with the same 2.0-liter turbocharged engine as the most powerful version of the current Megane RS, the limited edition R26, but according to Carscoop's sources, the French firm's engineers have performed several upgrades boosting output from 230HP to 250HP. That's 40HP more than the new VW Golf GTI, 25HP more than the Ford Focus ST and 10HP more than the Opel Astra OPC which are the RS's chief rivals.

Power will be transmitted to the front wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox, while the Megane Coupe's chassis and suspension will be enhanced. A limited-slip differential will also be offered as an option on the standard version. Why, will Renault introduce more than one variants of the Megane RS, you ask? The answer is yes, as our insiders said that the French carmaker will reveal more hardcore versions of the RS, just like it did with the current-generation model.

These hardcore variants will focus on weight reduction and improved handling through a series of measures like the addition of a limited-slip differential and the re-calibrating of the suspension settings, instead of increasing the turbocharged engine's output.

Visually, the 2009 Megane Coupe RS will stand out from the crowd thanks to a bodykit that is said to include new front and rear bumpers, spoilers and flared wheel arches. While the RS might not be as dramatic as the race-prepped Megane Trophy seen in the pictures, RenaultSport's people claim that the hot Megane Coupe will definitely capture our attention with its looks.

2009 MINI Cooper S Convertible John Cooper Works Set for Geneva Debut

Fans of the new MINI Convertible will be excited to learn that according to Carscoop's sources, the British firm will launch the all-new John Cooper Works version of the drop-top model in Geneva. Like its hardtop sibling, the JCW MINI Cooper S Convertible's 1.6 litre twin-scroll turbo engine receives a power increase to 211 hp, from the standard unit's 172 hp. Maximum torque is also extended from 240 Nm to 260 Nm (192 lb-ft) and is available from 1,850 rpm to 5,600 rpm. By means of overboost the torque can be increased to 280 Nm (207 lb-ft).

Elsewhere, the MINI Convertible will feature upgraded brakes and suspension as wellas a series of visual upgrades including John Cooper Works branding on the front grille and tailgate, a subtle aerodynamic kit and a set of 17-inch alloy wheels (18's optional).

Insider: Fiat 500 Convertible to Premiere at Geneva Show

The Geneva Motor Show this March will see Fiat taking the top off its much anticipated 500 Convertible. As you can see in our rendering, unlike the MINI Cooper Cabrio that features a fully retractable rooftop, Fiat chose to retain the standard car's pillars and side windows, and simply fit the 500 Convertible with a folding-back canvas top that covers the roof and the rear glasshouse section. Although this solution does not offer a full drop-top experience, it helps keep the price down and logically, should make the 500 one of the most affordable cabriolets in the market.

The 500 Convertible will arrive in dealerships across Europe by summer 2009. As one would assume, the engine range will be shared with the hatchback version and include 1.2- and 1.4-liter gasoline units and a 1.3-liter turbo diesel.

Stay tuned on Carscoop as our insiders are working overtime to bring you first all the world premieres that will take place at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

Insider: New Mazda3 MPS - Mazdaspeed3 will Debut in Geneva

Having already unveiled the sedan and 5-door hatchback versions of the '3', Mazda is now preparing to take the wraps off the sportiest variant of its C-segment model, the Mazda3 MPS or as it's known in the US, the MazdaSpeed3, at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show in March. While this is something that you may have heard as a rumor in the past, we are in a position to verify the debut as a fact.

What we couldn't manage to extract from our source is what kind of engine will find its way under the hood of the 2010 Mazda3 MPS / MazdaSpeed3. The most obvious choice is a turbocharged version of the 3's new 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder unit, but we wouldn't be surprised if Mazda takes advantage of its FoMoCo ties and uses a variant of the Focus ST / RS 2.5-liter turbocharged 5-cylinder engine that can deliver up to 300HP.

New Audi A5 Cabriolet to be Unveiled this week, S5 Gets 3.0 TFSI

Audi will publish the first official images and details off the new A5 Cabriolet and its S5 sibling by the end of the week, according to Carscoop sources. Unlike the BMW 3-Series Convertible, Infiniti G37 Convertible and the Lexus IS 250C, Audi continues to resist the trend toward retractable hard tops preferring to equip the A5 and S5 Cabriolets with a more traditional and less complicated/heavy, electric folding canvas roof.Power options for the A5 Cabriolet will remain the same as the Coupe offerings minus the 2.0 TDI. The range will include 2.7-litre and 3.0-litre V6 diesels with outputs of 190HP and 240HP, two 2.0-litre TFSI petrol units with 180HP and 211HP and a 3.2-litre V6 FSI petrol with 265HP.

Our sources have also confirmed that S5 Cabriolet will be offered from launch with the S4's brand-new 3.0-liter supercharged V6 petrol engine that pumps out 333HP and a hefty 440 Nm (324.53 lb-ft) of torque. Power will be channeled to all four-wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox or optionally, via Audi's new seven-speed dual-clutch S-Tronic transmission. In 2009, the same powertrain will also replace the current S5 Coupe's 354HP 4.2-liter V8 unit.

Both the A5 and S5 Cabriolets are expected to go on sale by spring 2009.