Audi has announced more powerful TT RS Plus, coming in both Coupe and Roadster versions, and now featuring a 2.5-liter five-cylinder turbo good for 360 horsepower and 343 lb-ft of torque. Customers will have the option of going with a manual six-speed transmission or the seven-speed S tronic. The Coupe with S tronic transmission can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.1 seconds, with the manual lagging just behind at 4.3 seconds. The roadster splits the difference at 4.2 seconds (manual: 4.4 seconds). Both models are electronically limited to a top speed of 280 km/h (174 mph). The exterior of the TT-RS Plus is distinguished with a single-frame radiator grille in polished anthracite with trim frame finished with a matte aluminum look. The side mirrors are outfitted with carbon fiber reinforced polymer, while the Audi RS sport exhaust has black oval tailpipe trims. The 19-inch wheels are painted black with red accent on the rim flanges, and a large fixed rear wing increases downforce at the back of the car.

The Audi TT-RS Plus is expected to launch in April following its public debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March. Check out multiple images in the gallery following the click. via: WCF

Bentley‘s logo may have wings, but the vehicles themselves don’t. This doesn’t necessarily preclude automotive flight, however — the British luxury carmaker debuted its new 4.0-liter V8 Continental GT coupe over the city of Munich, as the vehicle soared above downtown buildings tethered to a helicopter. While curious onlookers gawked, the car arrived at its destination on a special podium atop a high-rise near Munich’s city center. Klaus Becker, general manager of Bentley Munich, would dryly comment that the helicopter was simply “the fastest way to get to the rooftop podium.” 300 VIP guests celebrated the launch of the Continental V8 nearby at the SkyLounge, situated in a bridge between two skyscrapers.  Check out video of the airborne journey following the click.

Ever the contrarian, billionaire Elon Musk decided to debut the new Tesla model at the company’s design center in California last night, instead of the ongoing car show in Chicago. A rather obtuse gesture to the rest of car industry, yet its the same “outside the box” thinking that Tesla thrives on. Case in point, the new Tesla Model X. To be the company’s third production model, the Model X is Tesla’s take on the growing “crossover” genre of the market. Sharing many similarities with its sedan counterpart, the Tesla Model S, the Model X will have the exact powertrain in the output range of 60 kWh and 85 kWh. There is a 10% reduction in distance per charge, however, since the Model X is slightly heavier. Never the less, the ranges are still quite respectable. For that extra push on steep climbs, Tesla will be offering an additional electric motor as option. When added, the Model X becomes an all-wheel drive speed demon, capable of 0 to 60 mph in under 5 seconds.

Like those on a modern-day airliner, Model X will have an “all-glass” control inside with LCD displays and an imposing 17-inch touchscreen at the center. But the most dramatic aspect of this new concept will be its rear doors. For ease of access to the second and third row seats, Tesla incorporated the “Falcon Doors” design, essentially gull-wing door with another hinge at center for them to tuck away further when spaces are tight. Because the lack of an engine, Model X has another bonus – two luggage compartments instead of one.

On schedule for production in late 2013, the Tesla Model X will be available in early 2014.

Back in December we told you about a roadway mishap in Japan that many had taken to calling the world’s most expensive car accident. In case you missed it, here’s a synopsis: a caravan of exotic sports and luxury cars were on their way to a weekend motor festival when one Ferrari driver attempted to change lanes and hit a barrier, skidding out of control and causing the vehicles behind him to collide into one another. The resulting list of casualties: eight Ferraris, three Mercedes, one Lamborghini and a couple of Toyotas. 14 vehicles in all, with damages estimated at over $1 million. (Thankfully, zero human casualties.) In the event your morbid curiosity and/or sense of schadenfreude is still not satisfied, click through for video of the gruesome aftermath. An appropriate title for the short film? Ferrari Graveyard. via: Jalopnik

In a bold declaration, Tesla’s Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen, along with George Blankenship, VP of Sales and Ownership Experience, stated the company wasn’t out just to make a great electric vehicle. Instead, it was making the best performance sedan out in the market today, period. What made them so adamant in their beliefs was the new Model S, a full-sized sedan completely designed by Tesla. Comfortably seats five adults and with innovative features like its Universal Mobile Connector and 17-inch LCD touchscreen center console, the Tesla Model S also boasts a high level performance characteristic thanks to its unique design. With the new year just started, see Tesla’s first promotion of 2012 as the company calls this year “The Year of Model S” in this short video.

Has the Smart car really been buzzing around the SUV-dominated North American market for five years now? Apparently so, and the Mercedes-Benz offshoot, Smart, believes its time for the new 2013 Smart ForTwo to receive a facelift. Based on the leaked and official photos, this second-generation minicar received new bumpers, flared front fenders, a refined front grille, and a shift in the placement of the Smart logo from the bonnet to the grille ultimately giving it a more sporty appearance. Buyers will also get a choice of three 1.0-liter three-cylinder engines, including a gas micro hybrid, a turbo petrol, and a cdi turbodiesel that lead to a new centrally-mounted set of dual exhaust pipes and the option of new fog lamps. Keep an eye out for the official launch at this  year’s Geneva Motor Show in March. via: WCF

German auto tuner Senner has devoted its resources to the classic 2001- 2003 Z8, the retro-styled roadster that BMW stopped manufacturing after just 5,703 units. The BMW Z8 by Senner Tuning is equipped with 19×19-inch Work Schwert SC1 wheels at the front and 19×10-inch wheels in back, along with a new coilover suspension with an adjustable rebound, plus reinforced shock mount to stabilize the front end. Fans of the car will be happy to know the exterior was virtually left untouched, though the original 5.0-liter V8 engine received a substantial upgrade. With the addition of a sports air filter set, a new stainless steel silencer and flame tubes with metal catalysts, the vehicle is now good for 450 horsepower and 394 pound-feet of torque. The end result is a top speed of 186 mph, up from the standard 155 mph. If you’re one of the 5,703 or so members of the BMW Z8 club, you can commission Senner to rework your Z8 for just under $25,000. via: Autoblog

Not too many 75 year olds are presented with a new special edition Chrysler 300, but that’s exactly what Chrysler’s parts division, Mopar, gets to unwrap at this year’s 2012 Chicago Auto Show that runs from February 10-19. This Mopar 2012 300 will be among only 500 set for production, all of which are painted with a black exterior finish with blue pin stripes running down the sides. Its grille and accents are also blacked-out, including its tinted rear lights, leather interior, and 20-inch forged alloy wheels. It keeps the standard model’s 363 horsepower, 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine linked to a five-speed automatic transmission, but the differential has been upgraded from 3.06:1 to a 3.91:1 final-drive ratio, which results in boosted acceleration. “Mopar 75″ will be stamped on each fender badge and each new lucky owner will get a personalized kit marking the car’s VIN, date of manufacture, and production number as well as an original sketch of the car. The Chrysler 300 Mopar is expected to retail for $49,700 once it hits the showroom floors later this summer.

At first glance, this match-up between the Nissan Juke-R and three legendary exotic cars – Lamborghini Gallardo, Mercedes SLS AMG, and Ferrari 458 Italia, seemed quite unfair. The result, however, couldn’t be more different. A testament to the age old saying of “don’t judge a book by its cover”, this demonstration was part of this month’s Dubai 24 Hour endurance race where the Juke-R was the official pace car. The race was set against the backdrop of Dubai International Marine Club, where an impromptu raceway was set up for the challenge. Though many were skeptical at first, the little Juke-R demonstrated a clear dominance right at the first corner, thanks to its smaller footprint, light weight, and a wildly powerful 485-horsepower engine taken from Nissan GT-R. All enable the Nissan Juke-R to achieve 0 to 62 mph in 3.7 seconds. Maybe now Nissan execs will give the green light to put the Juke-R into production.

Though there is no narrative in this new video by Mercedes AMG, the images are quite self explanatory. A contender in the GT3 racing circuit, the SLS AMG GT3 is actually an exact copy of its street legal counterpart. Furnished with an aerodynamic kit including carbon fiber front and rear wing, the GT3 variant also includes a safety cell, also made from carbon fiber, and other performance parts. But at its heart is the same 6.3-liter V8 capable of propelling this beast of a machine from 0 to 60 in just 3.7 seconds. See how specialists at Mercedes piece it all together in this first episode of a new video series.

We’ve seen a number of Year of the Dragon-themed releases lately, but nothing more extravagant than this special-edition Rolls-Royce Phantom, which carries a jaw-dropping $1.2 million price tag. What’s more remarkable, Rolls-Royce has completely sold out of the vehicle. The company won’t reveal exactly how many it’s sold, but we know that the entire inventory had been bought up within two months of the car’s launch in August 2011. Special features on the vehicle take the form of a gold-colored “coach line” along the exterior, as well dragon designs embroidered on the leather upholstery and inlaid in the wood trim. The sales figures are sure to enhance the already impressive numbers Rolls-Royce posts in China, a country that now boasts over a million millionaires. Rolls Royce is said to have plans of adding ten more dealerships in China by the end of the year, bringing the total to 24. via: Autoblog

Simply disappointed at how your new Lamborghini Aventador performs? If money is no object to you, then you can seek the assistance of PRINDIVILLE DESIGN. With 20 years of experience on performance upgrade, customization, and carbon fiber fabrication, the London-base bespoke specialist can “re-engineer” your Lamborghini Aventador to your specifications. One method is to replace majority of its body panels with carbon fiber ones. Thus, translates to 65% reduction in weight. Another is to upgrade the exhaust system. In place of the existing one, a titanium high performance version that is 80% lighter than the original. Naturally, all these upgrades will cost you the equivalent amount of some small nation’s GDP. Then again, if you’re a tycoon of some sort, its merely chump change. See PRINDIVILLE DESIGN’s promotional video after the click…