Cadillac is really proud of its recent Nurburgring achievement with the 2009 CTS-V bringing in a lap time of 7:59.32. When we heard the news, we were left wondering if the 7:59.32 time of the 2009 CTS-V, which Cadillac says is actually the fastest documented lap time for a production sedan, beat any of its German rivals.

So what German marquees do you leave behind when you drop a 6.3 liter small-block V8 that is closely related to the LS9 found in the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1? Pumping out a total of 550-hp the 2009 Cadillac CTS-V leaves behind a pair of high-performing BMW ‘M’ division cars.

The BMW M5 clocks in at 9:13 while the new 2008 BMW M3 is listed at 8:15. So yes, the Bayerische Motoren Werkes have a lot of work to do.

2009 Cadillac CTS-V:

   

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Nissan today announced its financial results for fiscal year 2007 that ended March 31, 2008. The number three Japanese automaker sold 3,770,000 vehicles worldwide in 2007, an increase of 8.2 percent to the same period a year before.

Honestly, if you want to read more about the numbers and the financial results, follow the jump for the press release. We’re more interested in “Nissan GT 2012″ right now. Nissan GT 2012 is the company’s outline for a new 5-year business plan that is comitted to achieving quality leadership, zero-emission vehicle leadership and a 5 percent revenue growth on average over five years.

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Spyker and Lotus today announced that they have reached an agreement to cooperate on Parts and Platform Commonality Agreement (PPCA) and a Parts and Accessories Supply Agreement. As a part of the agreement Lotus would provide certain parts for Spyker’s new C8 Aileron supercar and a concept Design and Engineering Agreement to all future Spyker models.

Both said that their main objective of the cooperation is to reduce the increasing costs of parts and components by sharing technology.

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Giving the lucky UK buyers a chance at a sporty entry level model, Lexus has revealed its new IS 250 SR. The new Lexus IS 250 SR gets a full body kit with 17-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels along with aluminum plates and pedals and subtle visual upgrades on the inside. And as if the sportiness won’t get you heated up regardless, Lexus is offering heating seats as standard in the IS 250 SR.

Other standard features include 10 airbags, climate control, cruise control, smart keyless entry and engine start and sequenced LED interior lighting. Also, those who want to make a bigger statement can opt for five-spoke 18-inch Tsuki rims.

The new Lexus IS 250 SR is available in either Velvet Black, Cadoxton Slate or Argento Ice metallic finishes. All come with a Worcester Black interior trim. Sales start May 19th with prices starting from £24,990 (manual) and £25,800 (automatic).

Click through for more images and the press release.

Lexus IS 250 SR:

   

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After all that waiting and teasing Ferrari has finally revealed their new model called the Ferrari California. The new model will be available exclusively as a convertible with a folding hard top. Both chassis and bodywork are aluminum to keep the weight down.

Designed by Pininfarina, the Ferrari California has a mid-front engine layout. Power comes from a 4.3 liter V8 producing 460-hp. That allows for a 0-62mph time of less than 4 seconds with power being transferred to the wheels via a 7-speed dual clutch transmission.

The Ferrari California is also equipped with the exclusive F1-Traction control system which debuted in the 599 GTB Fiorano. The car also comes with carbon-ceramic breaks as standard.

Sales in Europe will begin by the end of this year, with prices expected to be very close to the F430, which in Italy starts at 159,900 euros.

Click through for the press release.

Ferrari California:

   

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Introducing the new 2009 Ford Focus Coupe! Yay! Umm, and it’s not much different from the 2008 model. Ford has gone and updated the 2009 Ford Focus Coupe but has left the sedan completely alone; however you won’t notice the changes until we point them out.

The 2009 Ford Focus Coupe features a new front and rear fascias, a new roof-line and standard 17-inch aluminum wheels on the SES series. You’ll notice the larger intake in the front and the disappearance of massive amounts of chrome usage for a darker/bronze color. Power comes from two different engine choices including the130-hp Duratec 20E engine that returns an estimated 35mpg and a 2.0 liter inline 4-clyinder engine that produces 143-hp.

The 2009 Focus Coupe will make its debut on American Idol on Wednesday and will hit dealerships later this summer with an MSRP of $15,920.

Click through for the press release and more pictures.

2009 Ford Focus:

   

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It’s been called the SLC, the Gullwing; but whatever you want to call it, it’ll be the hottest Benz to hit the road as of yet. Well at least after the Mercedes-Benz SL 65 AMG Black Series, which it will share major components with.

Our friends at CAR have gotten their hands on the recent Gullwing documents and have found out some interesting things. Measuring 4650mm x 1950mm x 1250mm, the wheelbase of the Gullwing will measure 2700mm with a luggage capacity of 200 liters for the coupe and 175 liters for the roadster.  Yet the car will still be lighter than the SLR with the use of a brand-new advanced aluminum spaceframe technology.

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Volkswagen Group of America will begin offering free vehicle service starting in the 2009 model year in a move to boost sales and shed the German brand’s image of high-cost maintenance.

The “Carefree Maintenance Program” will give owners of 2009 Volkswagen cards and SUVs free scheduled service for three years or 36,000 miles as well as a checkup after 90 days or 6,000 miles.

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Currently, women account for half of the buyers of the large Q7 SUV. Audi is expecting the same figure when the Q5 goes on sale on the stateside in the first quarter of 2009 said Frank Hermann, head of product marketing for the Q5 and Q7.

That’s all fine and dandy, but we were more interested in other things Hermann pointed out. He said that next year, Audi will launch a Q7 gasoline-electric hybrid variant next year but will not build a Q5 hybrid until later down the road. Audi will first offer diesel variants of the Q5 in the U.S. before going hybrid.

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According to Kelley Blue Book Marketing Research’s Brand Watch study, brand perception of Audi and Cadillac was the most improved in the past year in the Luxury segment.

Audi improved in terms of seating capacity, luxuriousness, available options and prestige brand, while Cadillac improved in terms of driving comfort, exterior styling, interior layout/design, interior roominess and cargo/trunk space.

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Alfa Romeo has blessed us all with some new images of the new Mi.To, giving us a first look at the car’s interior. Alfa will officially show the Mi.To to the international press during June and will start introducing it to markets in July.

The Alfa Romeo Mi.To will have offer a choice of 4 engines, all Turbo, that range from 90hp up to 155hp. The Italian automaker also plans to extend the range with even higher power ratings.

An official logo for the Mi.To was announced earlier last month.

Click through for more images.

Alfa Romeo Mi.To:

   

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Nissan’s CEO Carlos Ghosn is planning an onslaught for the electric vehicle market and sees a potential for 10 million global electric car sales per year in cities such as New York, Washington, London, Paris and Mumbai, India. Ghosn also wants its partner Renault to be a major player.

“It’s a territory we want to own,” Ghosn said. “We are bullish on zero-emission vehicles because of the social trend. The young generation is demanding this. The social trend will make electric vehicles more favorable, along with incentives and tax cuts.”

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According to Jim Lentz, president of Toyota Sales in the U.S., a Prius family of hybrid vehicles we’ve been hearing could very well be on the way.

Lentz says that Toyota’s way of marketing its “Hybrid Synergy Drive” technology as a kind of brand hasn’t worked out so well with the Japanese automaker. Toyota is now looking into other options and lending the ‘Prius’ badge to all future hybrid models is currently the top choice.

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