New Skoda Mission L Rendered as a Modern Day Replacement for the Rapid Coupe

If you exclude Skoda's conceptual Tudor from 2002 that was based on the first generation of the Superb, itself a rebadged Passat B5 with a longer wheelbase, the last time the Czech automaker had a coupe model in its range was in 1990 with the poorly built and designed Rapid.

The 1980s Rapid (not to be confused with Skoda's newer small sedan) was often called "the poor man's Porsche" because of its rear-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, though that's where the similarities ended.

The presentation of the almost production ready Mission L Concept sedan at last year's Frankfurt Motor Show sparked rumors about the development of more body styles. These were further fueled by remarks from Skoda board member Eckhard Scholz who said the company is indeed thinking about expanding the range of the series that has not yet been named.

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Watch Citroën's New Numéro 9 DS Luxury Concept on the Move

The first video of the Citroën Numéro 9 has sprung up in the wake of its official presentation on Thursday night.

The sleek looking concept model continues to push Citroën's DS lineup more upmarket while also previewing the design elements to be found in three brand new DS vehicles that will soon launch onto the market, including a C-segment compact sedan, an SUV and a mid-size D-Segment sedan.

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Tony Stark Drives Acura NSX Roadster to The Avengers Red Carpet Premiere [Photos + Videos]

The world premiere of Marvel's big-budget The Avengers film at the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood on Wednesday gave us the chance to see Acura's NSX Roadster in real life as actor Robert Downey Jr., aka Tony Stark, drove the one-off concept model on the red carpet.

As noted in one of our previous articles, while the custom-made roadster's exterior looks closely follow the lines of the NSX Concept displayed at the Detroit Motor Show this past January, it's a whole different story under the skin as the car utilizes the platform as well as the interior of a first generation NSX.

The two-seater model isn’t the only Acura model to star in the film as specially converted MDX crossovers and TL sedans were used in the movie by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.

Being an official sponsor of the film, in addition to Downey's arrival in the roadster, The Avengers stars Chris Evans (Captain America), Mark Ruffalo (The Hulk), Chris Hemsworth (Thor) and Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye) also arrived to the theater in a fleet of Acura models.

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Lamborghini CEO Says SUV Could Launch in 2017 if it Receives the Green Light from the VW Group

There's no end to the news surrounding Lamborghini's upcoming SUV project, which will be previewed through a thinly disguised concept model at the 2012 Auto China Show in Beijing on April 23 to test the waters in the same way that Bentley did with the EXP 9 SUV study in Geneva this past March.

According to a report in the German business daily Handelsblatt, Lamborghini Boss Stephan Winkelmann believes that the SUV is a crucial model for the brand that has been losing money since 2009, and that VW will most likely give the green light, in which case, it could launch onto the market in 2017.

"We definitely need a third line in the mid- and long term," said Winkelmann. "An SUV would be the first Lamborghini for everyday use, not just for the race track or weekends. We would have the opportunity to win new customers. It usually takes 48 months until an all-new vehicle arrives at dealers, so the new Lamborghini would not be available to buy before 2017."

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I Am Numéro 9: Citroën’s DS Concept in Detail with Over 120 High-Res Photos

Over the past few weeks, we managed to gather bits and pieces about Citroën’s newest DS concept study and now, we not only have more than 120 high-resolution photos to share with you, but we also have all the details in advance of its world premiere at the Beijing Motor Show on April 24.

Previously believed to be named the DS9, the French study is called the Numéro 9 concept, though Citroën makes it clear that it belongs to the DS lineup.

Citroën says that the Numéro 9 introduces the more chic and premium DS lineup to Chinese consumers before the company launches its first DS products onto the market later this year.

More importantly though, Citroën states that the Numéro 9 refines the brand's design language and signals the styling cues of the next three DS line models including a C-segment premium sedan (think Audi A3 Sedan), an SUV and a D-segment (mid-size) executive saloon.

As you can see, Citroën is all hyped up about its DS line, which currently consists of the DS3 supermini, DS4 compact hatch and the larger DS5, and all for good reason as it has notched up more than 200,000 sales worldwide just two years after launch.

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Citroen's Luxurious New DS9 Concept Study is Ready for its Beijing Auto Show Debut [35 Photos]

We've been closely following Citroën's new DS study and today, the first official photos of the concept model hit the web, a couple of weeks ahead of its world premiere at the 2012 Beijing Auto Show.

The French automaker's luxury concept is named DS9 and is said to be a further development of the Metropolis study shown back in 2010 for an upcoming flagship model.

The two concepts share a similar design language, though instead of a sedan body style, the new DS showcar adopts a more shooting break-like styling in the tradition of Citroën's range-toppers such as the original DS and the more modern CX, XM and C6 models.

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Acura Roadster Concept Featured in The Avengers Movie is Built on the First-Generation NSX

If it wasn't for a new batch of photos posted by Edmunds, we would have probably never guessed that the unnamed Acura roadster model featured in the upcoming film 'The Avengers' is actually built around the first generation of Acura's (Honda for the rest of the world) much lauded NSX coupe.

Even though the exterior styling is very similar to the NSX Concept we saw in Detroit earlier this year, if you take a look at the extensive gallery, you'll see that Tony Stark's ride features the same exact interior and mid mounted V6 powerplant as the original NSX.

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Honda Outlines Plans for China, will Debut Two New Concepts at the Beijing Auto Show

Honda has important plans set for the Chinese market over the next few years, as it will enhance its range with the introduction of more than 10 brand new or redesigned models from 2013 to 2015, while also increasing its local production capacity.

We'll get a taste of what Honda has in store for Chinese consumers at the 2012 Beijing Auto Show, as aside from the presentation of the CR-Z, Insight and Fit hybrid models that will all be launched onto the market this year, the company will also debut two new concept models.

The Japanese automaker isn't willing to reveal anything about the two studies yet, but it did release a pair of sketches that outline the shape of a minivan and a what is most likely a sedan model.

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Scion FR-S Speedster is a Concept Car Created by Cartel Customs

As it turns out, we were right to assume that the open-top 2013 Scion FR-S spotted at this past weekend's Formula Drift event in Long Beach, California, was a tuning concept.

The speedster version of the Scion FR-S was created by Cartel Customs, a California-based company headed by Jeremy Lookofsky, which specializes in the design and manufacturing of custom display vehicles and motorcycles.

While the name may not ring a bell, you've probably seen some of Cartel's work at previous SEMA shows such as last year's Scion iQ Pit Bull, the 2010 Scion xB Stretch Limousine and the 2009 Scion tC Low Rider concepts.

The company's new Scion FR-S Speedster drops the coupe's top and most of the interior appointments gaining a two-seat configuration with a mid-mounted instrument panel.

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Scion FR-S Speedster Appears at Formula Drift Event in Long Beach

A chopped version of the just launched in the States Scion FR-S made a special appearance at the 2012 Long Beach Formula Drift even in California this past weekend and was snagged on camera by a forum member over at the FT86Club.

While there's no official information on the speedster model, evidently it's some sort of racing concept based on the production FR-S, possibly one we'll see at this year's SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

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U Imagine: Jaguar C-X16 Rendered into the F-Type Roadster

After Jaguar itself admitted the relationship between the C-X16 Coupe Concept that was displayed at last year's Frankfurt motor show and the firm's upcoming F-Type roadster, it was only a matter of time before someone put their photoshop skills to work.

In our case, that someone happens to be a Carscoop reader that goes by the alias 'Plattform' in our comments section.

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Aston Martin V8 Vantage Design Concept by Narcis Mares is Simplistically Beautiful

Some designers like their cars to be complex and overly aggressive in their details while others prefer to keep things sleek and simple.

This Aston Martin V8 Vantage concept, which was sent to Carscoop by independent designer Narcis Mares, is one of those cars we would personally catalogue in the second group.

Mares says he drew his inspiration from several Aston Martins ranging from the British brand's brutish 1980s models to the more contemporary V12 Vanquish and V8 Vantage coupes, though we must say that we also see a hint of BMW Z4 on the supercar concept's profile.

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One-Off Pininfarina Hyperion Found for Sale in Abu Dhabi Dealership

As impossible as it may seem for us mere mortals, even one-off special creations can quickly become mundane for extremely wealthy individuals.

Rolls-Royce collector Roland Hall from Britain, custom ordered the Hyperion from Pininfarina back in 2008 only to put the car up for sale a year later for €4.5 million (roughly US$6 million at today's exchange rates).

We're not aware if the car was actually sold at the time, but we re-discovered the Rolls Royce Hyperion listed for sale for an undisclosed price at an Abu Dhabi dealership.

Named after Hyperion, one of the Titans of Greek mythology, the convertible model was designed by Jason Castriota of former Saab fame and built by the Special Projects division of Pininfarina.

It is based on the running gear of the Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe with power coming from the British model's 6.75-liter V12 engine.

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Chrysler to Celebrate Return to China with 300C and Jeep Wrangler Concepts at the Beijing Auto Show

One of the main goals for the Fiat-Chrysler Alliance is to increase its presence in the hugely important Chinese market. And today, the alliance is making another step in this direction by announcing the return of the Chrysler Group return to China at the 2012 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition on April 23, 2012.

The celebrate the occasion, the Detroit-based automaker will present two special edition models at the Beijing motor show.

These include a Chrysler 300C design concept created specifically with Chinese elements in mind and a Jeep Wrangler study inspired by the Year of the Dragon, which the company says, "showcases the opportunity for special editions that might be available for Chinese customers in the near future".

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Carscoop's A to Z Guide to the 2012 New York Auto Show [Updated]

Welcome to Carscoop's coverage of the 2012 edition of the New York International Auto Show, where you will find all the world and North American premieres that took place at the Jacob Javits Center.

The international press days are scheduled for April 4-5, while the Jacob Javits Center will open its doors to the public from April 6 to 15.

The New York motor show marked the world debut of several important brand-new cars such as the 2013 Chevrolet Impala, Nissan Altima, Mercedes-Benz GL, Hyundai Santa Fe and Acura RLX, to name just a few.

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2013 SRT Viper GTS Loses Part of its Top and Gains a Limey Green Shade in New Rendering

So what if it's only been a day or so since the Chrysler Group dropped the curtains on the 2013 SRT Viper; we already have a speculative take on the slithery sports car, courtesy of Dan Buzdugan from PS-Garage, who dropped this image into our email box.

Calling it a roadster is probably a bit of a stretch as the only part of the roof that has been removed is the center section above the heads of the passengers. In this case, Targa would be a more appropriate name.

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Acura Shows Tony Stark's NSX Roadster, MDX S.H.I.E.L.D., and RDX 'The Avengers' Commercial

Honda's premium brand, Acura, is using every opportunity to advertise the sponsorship and the appearance of its production and concept cars in the upcoming blockbuster film "The Avengers", due in theaters on May 4, 2012.

At the New York Auto Show, Acura displayed its S.H.I.E.L.D. edition MDX finished in a stealthy matte black paint and fitted with all sorts of goods such as the large front bull bar, protective black cladding all around and special wheels.

Furthermore, the company released the first official photo of a prototype Acura convertible sports car that was created specifically for the film, and which we first saw last September being driven by Tony Stark (aka Robert Downey Jr) while filming The Avengers at Central Park.

"Before we unveiled the NSX Concept in Detroit, a number of you speculated that the car spotted right here in Central Park in the company of Iron Man Tony Stark was actually the new NSX," said Acura Vice President Mike Accavitti, at the company’s New York Auto Show press conference.

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Infiniti Crafts a Premium Family Car Concept out of the Leaf's Platform and EV Components [Video]

This is the Infiniti LE Concept that made its world debut today at the 2012 New York International Auto Show. The LE is a pure-electric, four-door family sedan mechanically related to the Leaf EV.

While this is the first time we see the concept in the flesh, Infiniti has been talking about the LE since the 2010 Paris Motor Show as it intends to put the car in production within the next two years.

"As a ‘production intent’ concept, most of what you see in the LE Concept will become a reality, including its zero emission powertrain, advanced telematics, cutting-edge design, advanced connected services and premium appointments," said Infiniti Americas Vice President Ben Poore.

As a more upmarket model than the Leaf, the larger LE features a more stylish exterior design full of waves and creases, while also sporting Infiniti's new signature double-arch grille and crescent-cut rear-pillar. The sedan model has a rather low coefficient of drag of 0.25.

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Watch the New BMW i8 Spyder Concept in Action

We've already had the chance to see the first images of BMW's i8 Spyder concept in advance of its world premiere at the Beijing Auto Show, where it will be presented alongside the new local market 3-Series LWB model, but if you'd like to watch the study on the move, we've just added three new videos that you can check out right past the break.

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2014 Mazda6 Based on Takeri Concept Confirmed for Paris Motor Show [New Gallery]

After its world premiere in Tokyo this past December and its European debut in Geneva last month, the Mazda Takeri concept car made its first appearance on North American soil at this week's New York International Auto Show.

However, more importantly, at the presentation, the Japanese company announced that the production version of the Takeri Concept, which is none other than the next generation Mazda6, will make its world debut at the upcoming 2012 Paris Motor Show in late September.

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