Seat to Tease Ibiza Sport Tourer with Concept Model at the Frankfurt Show

Seat is planning to take the wraps off a thinly disguised concept version of its forthcoming Ibiza Sport Tourer (ST) model at next week's Frankfurt Motor Show, Carscoop has learned. The production model that will most likely be revealed at either the 2010 Geneva Salon in March or the Barcelona Show in May is expected to arrive at European dealerships in the second quarter of 2010. Earlier this year SEAT said that the Ibiza ST range will include a selection of engines that are not currently offered in the SC (three-door) and five-door hatchback models.

The third member of the Ibiza family will be produced at Seat's factory in Martorell Spain.

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Insider: MINI to Reveal Near-Production Coupe Model this Week, Roadster in Frankfurt

This Wednesday, on August 26, the MINI brand will turn 50 and to celebrate the occasion the British automaker will reveal the first photos a two-seater coupe concept car based on the hatchback model ahead of a planned debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show. According to Carscoop's inside sources, the most distinctive styling features of the coupe variant of the MINI are the steep windshield and of course the new roof.

Our source told us that the concept car will be based on the John Cooper Works Mini using the same 1.6-liter twin-turbocharged four-pot that pumps out 211 horsepower and a maximum torque of up to 280Nm or 207 lb-ft with overboost deployed.

However, the coupe promises to be quicker and even more capable than the three-door JCW Mini as it is lighter due in large part to the weight saving aluminum roof and the elimination of the rear seats.

According to our insider, the Coupe concept will be joined in Frankfurt by the long-anticipated Roadster model. What our source didn't reveal is when or if these two sporty versions of the Mini will make it into production.

And yes, the photo above is a photoshop based on an older MINI concept car that we drew up a couple of months ago when the first rumors broke about the Roadster model.

Stay tuned on Carscoop as we'll have the Full Monty on the MINI Coupe on Wednesday.

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Land Rover to Unveil Updated Discovery, Range Rover and Range Rover Sport this week

According to Carscoop sources, Land Rover is serving up a surprise for the New York International Auto Show that opens to the public on April 10, with the unveiling of three facelifted models, the 2010 Discovery (or as it is called in the US, LR3), Range Rover and Range Rover Sports. All three premium SUVs will receive a mid-life update with cosmetic changes in and out. However, the headlines news is the presentation of a new range of more powerful, yet more fuel efficient diesel and gasoline engines.

In particular, as with the recently updated Jaguar XF and XK models, the 2010 Land Rovers adopt a new dual turbocharged 3.0-litre AJ-V6D Gen III diesel engine that produces up to 275HP and a massive 600Nm (443 lbs-ft) of peak torque.

The 2010 Range Rover and its Sport sibling also benefit from the AJ-V8 Gen III direct-injection engine that will be offered in both naturally aspirated and supercharged forms producing 385HP / 515Nm and 510HP / 625Nm respectively. We'll have more details on all three Land Rovers at the opening of the NY Show.

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Insider: Toyota to Bring Subaru Co-developed RWD Coupe as a Scion TC in 2011

Rumors that Toyota will market its Subaru co-developed rear-wheel-drive coupe as a Scion in America have been swirling around the net ever since the two Japanese automakers made their plans official this spring. But now we've received word that it's true. According to our inside source, Toyota officials in the U.S. confirmed that the affordable RWD coupe will indeed arrive in the States in late-2010 / early-2011 as the new Scion TC. Further details weren't provided but from what we know up until now, both the Toyota / Scion and Subaru variants of the two-seater compact coupe will get an all-new platform with power coming from a new 2.0-liter four-cylinder boxer engine producing around 200HP.

Toyota officials also told our source that the iQ minicar will be heading to the States as the latest addition to the Scion line-up. Even though it is apparent that the iQ and the RWD TC will target a different segment of the young or young-at-heart audience, company officials are certain that both vehicles will do their part to spice-up the Scion brand's youthful / hip image.

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Insider: Volvo To Preview HEICO's SEMA Concepts In Frankfurt

We received an invitation from Volvo earlier this morning to take part in a preview event in the Frankfurt Show and check out two concepts tuned and designed by HEICO Sportiv prior to their SEMA (Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association) debut in Las Vegas this fall. According to Volvo, the cars destined for Las Vegas are a high performance S80 wearing a heavily tuned bioethanol powered turbocharged 6-cylinder unit and a C30 that features a flower power exterior (that’s exactly how the Swedes describe it) and an intriguing custom interior. (The car pictured above is a stock Heico S80 and not the actual concept)

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