The Magna MILA Alpin concept car shown in Geneva has gotten the attention of both Mercedes and BMW. The button-cute 4-wheeler rode on a flexible platform, could utilize a variety of fuel sources, climb 45-degree angles, and get up to 120 mph. Those capabilities, and the ability to be easily rebodied and cost-effectively manufactured, have the two premium brands looking at ways to bolster their lineups and enviro-credentials.

Mercedes is known to be working on developing a 4-wheel-drive A-Class sedan. While the sandwich floors in the A-Class and B-Class cars were specifically created to allow flexible drivetrains, it is open to exploring options with BMW. Those other Bavarians in blue and white appear to be even more serious, having engaged Magna to discuss strategy and market demand. The MILA could provide a sound platform for BMW’s electric car rumblings, as well as cost-effective, outsourced manufacturing.

(source: Autoblog)

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We’ve big fans of the Land Rover LRX concept’s styling, which looked as good in black (unveiled in Geneva) as it did in the original white (unveiled in Detroit). So we’re suitably pleased by reports that Land Rover is preparing to build the vehicle, which could get the nameplate Freelander Sport in keeping with the nomenclature already set in place by the Range Rover Sport.

The production LRX would target the likes of the upcoming BMW X1 and Audi Q5 (and potentially the Porsche Roxster), while offering a range of eco-friendly engine options that help Land Rover reduce its overall environmental impact. Such powertrain possibilities could include a 2.2-liter diesel and 3.2-liter gasoline inline-six with the potential for start-stop technology and even a hybrid system. Although the Freelander Sport would be oriented towards on-road driving dynamics, we wouldn’t expect it to compromise the brand’s legendary off-road prowess as much as recent offerings from Jeep. Reports place the production LRX on the road as early as 2010, and we hope much of the show car’s dramatic styling would remain in place as the Land Rover rides the rocky road from concept to production.

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Making any car longer, particularly a sportscar, comes with penalties and concessions. But Spyker managed to circumvent them with the new C8 Aileron, which the eccentric Dutch automaker unveiled here in Geneva. Despite a ten-centimeter stretch in wheelbase, torsional rigidity has improved by a whopping 40-percent without adding extra weight to the C8’s aluminum space frame. The same Audi V8 continues to deliver 400 horsepower as in the shorter C8 Laviolette, but is now offered for the first time mated to an automatic transmission, which Spyker hopes will help improve its sales and extract the company from its financial woes.

The longer wheelbase of the C8 Aileron also means that Spyker will be able to produce a more functional convertible than the spyder it’s offered in the past. In the meantime, a slew of new visual details are added to the already busy design along with the stretch, including some new vents and scoops drawn from the forestalled C12 Zagato. If you want more details, we’ve got the full press release for you after the jump, and a whole gallery of high-resolution images of the C8 Aileron from the floor of the Geneva Motor Show.

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The 612 is the prancing horse’s strong, silent type; it’s about as edgy as a long weekend in the South of France, and just as pricey. That’s been the extent of criticism leveled at Ferrari’s luxurious tourer. With the 2009 edition, the company left most aspects of the 612 alone, but added a couple of quick updates. They won’t likely alter that 612’s nondescript feel, but is may make the experience of driving one more Ferrari-like by increment. Like the current model, the 2009 612 is powered by a 5.7-liter V12 producing 532 horsepower and 434 lb-ft of torque. New for next year include updated “Manettino” switch. That’s the finagler of the 612’s driving dynamics, by way of pre-set combinations of transmission, power output and traction control settings (”Ice,” “Low Grip,” “Sport,” “Race,” and “Off). It also gets a modified F1 semiautomatic gearbox, which the company says will provide faster upshifts and those luscious throttle blips for rev matching on downshifts. Those updates won’t make a 612 into Mr. Hyde, but then again the 612 isn’t the 599GTB.

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Jaguar will produce a limited run of 200 XKR-S coupes, which will be offered in Europe only. Now, the regular XKR is a delectable conveyance that combines endless sex appeal with eye-widening performance. Put plainly, it is an absolute hoot to drive. The XKR-S takes all that goodness and ramps things up a bit. The 420-horsepower blown V8 is unchanged, and the XKR-S has the same 0-60 time (4.9 seconds) as its standard counterpart. What does change is the electronically governed top speed. Adding the “S” also adds 19 mph to the cat’s top end, now 174 mph.mong the myriad other changes made for the XKR-S are the addition of big Alcon Performance R brakes, a retuned suspension, and a host of visual and aerodynamics upgrades, such as new wheels with retro-logo caps, a new front splitter, side skirts, a new rear spoiler, and a rear diffuser insert. Inside, what was already a very nice cabin becomes opulent, with new interior trim, a higher-end audio system, updated instruments (to accomodate the higher top speed) and other sundry niceties. You can sum the whole thing up in two words: “fast” and “beautiful.” We want.

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They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and in this case, we’ve been rendered so speechless that we need the photos to do all of our talking. Why, oh why, would somebody intentionally inflict this kind of punishment on a pair of perfectly good Mercedes Benzes? Fab Design is showing these two shockers and the best guess as to an answer to our question is that they are desperate for attention. I guess that makes us enablers now. Actually, they might have been made for Kobe Bryant, now that we think of it. Just check out that purple and gold.

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We were finally beginning to accept the notion of that we would never join the Alfa Romeo 8C owners club, and then this hot little number showed up. The single-seat electric kiddie car is definitely just the thing for aspiring Fangios, and in point of fact, it’d look pretty nice sitting in the corner of our Ann Arbor offices, too.

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