Rolls-Royce announces Phantom Drophead Coupe
Rolls-Royce is one of those luxury brands that transcends logic while simultaneously exuding richness. Many never see more than one or two Phantoms in a lifetime, and its $400,000+ price tag keeps the luxury barge out of the reach of most.

To keep interest among the rich and famous, BMW-owned Rolls-Royce has announced a Phantom Drophead Coupe to round out its lineup. We're guessing it's going to look a lot like the 101EX concept from the 2006 Geneva show, and we think the British automaker wouldn't do poorly if they simply made the stunning two-door as-is. Check out the high resolution RPM Daily gallery of the 101EX here.

VIDEO: 2009 Lexus IS-F doing burnouts for fun
Lexus has done an excellent job here in the US of delivering on a brand identity of safety, technology, and reliability. These aren't the sexiest of attributes, but Lexus has become the number one luxury automaker by sales here on our shores.

The IS-350 may be the one Lexus that exudes real sportiness, but the potent 306 HP Direct Injection V6 still isn't enough to satisfy the true enthusiast. That's where the soon to be introduced ISF comes into play. If you weren't a big fan of the 5.0L V8 monster after seeing the pictures from last year's Detroit Auto Show, try to hide your love for the first Lexus screamer after you watch this. Talk about pure, unadulterated fun... donuts and burnouts for two minutes! Check out the RPM Daily gallery here.

Ford developing Hybrid-only Escort for 2010
The Toyota Prius is selling better every year while the rest of the hybrid lot languishes in a sea of mediocrity. Ford and GM have both realized this, and the two domestic automakers are working to make their own exclusive hybrid/electric models to take the edge off of Toyota's hottest property.

Ford is hedging its bets on the 2011 Ford Escort, which utilizes lithium batteries from the same A123 company that will supply juice to the Chevy Volt. The goal of the Escort will be the once mythical 100 MPG, and if Ford can achieve that goal while keeping costs to Prius levels, we may see hundreds of thousands of Escorts on the road once again. Lets just hope the blue oval fixes that nasty rust problem this time around.

GM cranks up incentives to sell 2007 models
To clear out 2007 models, especially the new Silverado and GMC Sierra, General Motors will offer 0 percent financing on some vehicles, including the GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Silverado crew cab full size trucks. The company will also offer an extra $1,000 bonus on some 2007 and 2008 Pontiac, Buick, Chevrolet, GMC and Hummer models from September 22 to October 1. The bonus cash will be added to existing incentives. A 2007 GMC Yukon will be sold with $7,000 in incentives and the 2007 Buick Lucerne sedan will have $3,500 in incentives.

That's a lot of cash on the hood, especially for reletively new models, but the General has done a great job of laying low on incentives in 2007, and the auto sales market is brutal right now. 

Nissan GT-R to come in three different flavors
The GT-R is a legend in Japan, and after years of envy, Americans will finally get to share the joy. Nissan's fastest ever production car will come in three flavors, ranging from the "base" model, which kicks out 480 HP for $57,000, to the $63,000 V-Spec, and finally the 530 HP, 200 LBS ligher Evo Spec, which will set you back a cool $94,000.

Those are some pretty exclusive prices for a Nissan, but very few vehicles pack 530 ponies at any price. Call us crazy, but we feel Nissan won't sweat trying to find buyers. Nissan is accepting orders for the GT-R now for orders in Japan, but we won't see Nissan's king of cars until 2008.

All-new Bullitt Mustang uncovered (a little)
The previous generation Bullitt Mustang was a monster hit for the Blue Oval, and we knew it was a matter of time before a new iteration appeared donning the original pony car's upgraded body work. We're only catching a peek here (left) but one can easily see the trademark Bullitt rims and a lack of fog lights. Ford will likely remove the rear spoiler to keep with the tradition of making Steve McQueen's trademark ride a real sleeper.

Under the hood, Ford will undoubtedly kick up the power, and we're hearing 312 is the number to look for. If we're seeing this much Bullitt now, we're guessing the next new Mustang will be unveiled at LA or Detroit in January.

GM, UAW are close on a ground-breaking deal
General Motors and the UAW have wrapped up another night of negotiating without a contract agreement. This agreement affects the lives of all stakeholders, including 73,000 active UAW workers and 340,000 retirees.

The bargaining between GM and the UAW is important because details will have a large impact on the negotiations between the union and Ford and Chrysler LLC. In the meantime, the contracts with both automakers has been extended indefinitely until an agreement is finalized with GM. Click here for more on UAW negotiations with General Motors.

2008 Ford Focus (US) priced from $14,695
The 2008 Ford Focus may not be the prettiest girl at the prom, but at least it's very affordably priced. The new for 08 Focus retains the last generation chassis, but Ford says it has improved the underpinnings by leaps and bounds. While the exterior may not look so great, the interior looks much better than it did in the last generation, and neat features like ambient lighting makes a nice statement.

The coupe will come in at $14,695, and the the sedan is a few hundred more at $14,995. The SE adds $1,000 to the price tag, and the top of the line SES, which includes Microsoft SYNC, is $2,000 more than the base unit. Ford has priced the new Focus very reasonably, and they're hoping that price and new features like the SYNC will draw in more retail sales.

RPM Daily full preview of the 2008 Honda Accord
Even though the Honda Accord hasn't been the sales leader in the highly competitive midsize segment, they're been the best in the eyes of critics and enthusiasts alike. The last generation Accord had a best in class interior, an absolutely incredible 3.0L V6, and terrific driving dynamics. For 2008, Honda couldn't rest on its laurels, and the Japanese automaker went all out with the 2008 Accord. Click Here to read RPM Daily's full preview of the Honda Accord coupe and sedan, complete with many high-resolution photos.

Novitech Ferrari F430 TuNero is bad to the bone
The Ferrari F430 has been under seige by legitimate challengers and poseurs alike offering more speed, more power, and more exclusivity. It appears the folks over at Novitech have seen enough, and they've built a bad-ass supercar with Saleen S7 power and exclusivity.

Novigetch employed twin superchargers, a revised intake system, and air to water intercoolers to help increase force to 717 HP, and the result is a matte-black beast that's capable of 216 MPH and 0-60 in 3.5 seconds. Yeow! That's 911 Turbo-beating g-force in an already exclusive Ferrari. Sign us up, and keep it black! Click here to view the RPM Daily high resolution photo gallery.

New Audi A4 features captured in video
The Audi A4 has been transformed from a contender in the entry luxury battle royale to something very close to leader of the pack. Audi managed to take the best design elements of the Audi A5, slap on two more doors, and make Audi's volume champ better than ever. The folks over at World Car Fans put together two minutes of motion pictures to show just how improved the A4 really is. Power side mirrors, beautiful light treatments, and high quality materials amaze. Check out the YouTube video here.

BMW unveils the X6 concept at Frankfurt
Right now BMW is on top of the luxury car heap, and to stay on top of the charts, the German automaker knows that it will have to enter new segments. In the past few years, BMW has given us the X5 and X3, and we may soon have an X6 coupe.

The X6 concept combines the sleek styling of a coupe with the high ride height of a CUV. The X6 looks large in pictures, and we're guessing it'll be quite a bit larger than the X3 (because six is larger than three.) The butt of the X6 is puzzling, as the steeply raked back is almost anti utility. BMW also unveiled an X6 Hybrid, and it carries the "Live Hybrid" moniker. The creative types over at the Bavarian Motor Werks even put togehter a video for your consumption. For more high resolution photos of the X6, check out the RPM Daily gallery here, or click on the images to the left.

The 2009 Audi A4 bows at Frankfurt
Audi has publicly announced a very lofty goal; to become the highest volume luxury automaker in the world by 2015, with sales of over 1.5 million units. The goal seems like quite the stretch, especially when considering the fact that the German automaker has yet to crack the 1 million mark.

One vehicle in the Audi lineup that already attracts plenty of customers to the dealer floor is the A4, and the stallwart midsize sedan just got much better for 2009. The A4 takes many styling queues from the new A5, and we feel the story is even better when four doors are applied. Engines for the US include the 2.0T, which kicks out around 200 HP, and the freshly reworked, 3.2L, Direct Inject 6, which gives Audi's smallest sedan (for now) 265 HP. We don't know about you, but we've got a gut feeling that the new A4 will steal some 3-Series sales with its larger dimensions and multitude of model styles. Check out the RPM Daily photo gallery by clicking here, or by clicking on either photo to the left.

Ford unveils the Kuga, their first Euro CUV
The Kinetic design theme over in Europe is hot, and the hits just keep on coming. Right now the newly refreshed Focus, the Mondeo, and the Galaxy all share the same design language, and now an SUV has been added to the fray.

The Kuga is a five seat crossover that comes standard with front wheel drive, but AWD is available as an option. The only engine announced as of right now is the 2.0 diesel powerplant mated to a six speed manual transmission, which should achieve fuel economy approaching 40 MPG on the highway. We know there are already too many Ford CUVs already on the road here in the US, but we'd trade a Freestyle or Escape for this baby any day. The Kuga looks like what the VW Tiguan should have become. Check out our high resolution gallery of the Kuga here, or click on the photos to the left.

Volvo unveils the S80 Heico Sportiv before SEMA
Volvo may be the safety company, but the German tuners from Heico have turned the Swedish company's safety flagship into a fire-breathing monster.

The Heico tuner uses the T6 engine from the mid-level S80 and boosts power to 350 HP, and that's just the beginning. The SEMA edition S80 also comes with beautiful, huge tires, flared wheel arches, great-looking skirting, and a stunning, seven coat paint job. To see more of Heico's SEMA S80, click here for the RPM Daily gallery.

2008 Euro Ford Focus gets a nip and tuck
The European Focus has been the envy of Ford fans based in the US, as its superior build quality, design, and materials makes the current US model look meager in comparison.

The picture to the left are pretty reasonable rendering of what is to come for Ford's European premium small car. It looks like the Euro design team has once again done a great job of implementing their Kinetic design theme. It's little wonder why Ford will likely sell 400,000 copies of the European Model this year. We only have a couple days to find out if this rendering is the real deal. Keep an eye on the RPM Daily Frankfurt Motor Show page for updates.

2009 Mazda6 leaks before Frankfurt debut
The current Mazda6 is a great-handling vehicle that is available as a sedan, hatch, or wagon. Critics love the driving dynamics and looks, but power has been lacking, and the interior of the sedan and hatch could use a lot more usable space.

Good thing for us, Mazda didn't give up on the 6, as they've put together an absolutely kick-ass Mazda6 for the 2009 model year. The new 6 looks much more refined than the vehicle it replaces, and the new EUCD platform borrowed from the Ford Mondeo (we know, Mazda gets another great Ford platform that Ford North America doesn't) will give Mazda's midsizer plenty of room and flexibility. While the excellent chassis probably isn't as stiff as the current six, the ride will likely be much more refined. From our view from the cheap seats, Mazda has a major winner with the New 6. Check out the RPM Daily high resolution pictures here.

1-Series pricing overseas gives clue to US tally
The BMW 1-Series has been an unattainable Bimmer for too long, and we're a few months away from being able to purchase one on these shores. We know we want to toss around a RWD, 300 HP 135i with its wide stance, short wheel base, and BMW demenor. The only question left to answer is price.

If the folks over at Autoblog are correct, the base price of the 135i could be too close to its big brother 335i. Their theory takes the cost of both the 135i and 335i in UK currency, and converts it into dollars. Since the British are fiscally punished for having a strong Pound, the story can't end at the conversion price. Next the US price of the 335i was measured against that of the converted Pound value of the same vehicle. If that sounds confusing, and it really should, the bottom line is that the 135i may well come in at about $35,000. At that rate, we'd rather have a 335i for $3,000 more. Lets cross our fingers and hope we're wrong. Click Here to view our high-resolution BMW 1-Series Coupe pics.

Audi RS6 Avant breaks cover before Frankfurt
The soon to be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show Audi RS6 has had its cover blown by the folks at the German Car Blog, and we couldn't be any happier. The RS6 Avant may be one of the fasted wagons on earth, with 580HP coming from a ridiculous twin-turbo 5.2L V10.

The Avant also acts as a bit of a sleeper, as the casual car fan would probably have little idea that 580HP lurks beneath. Huge tires and rims, larger front air dams, and those beautiful twin-oval tail pipes are among the few queues that distinguish the RS6 from the base Audi wagon. Now that we know that the RS6 Avant is going to arrive at Frankfurt in a week, we now wish we'd bought a ticked. Check out the RPM Daily Audi RS6 Avant photo montage.

Ford previews Verve concept before Frankfurt
Ford could use a small car in the US that fits below the Focus, but nothing in Europe can satisfy US emissions and safety standards. That may change shortly with the introduction of the new Ford Fiesta in about a year, and with gas prices staying above $3 per gallon, that time can't come soon enough.

Ford is giving a sneak-peek of their next Fiesta at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The Verve concept offers kick-ass styling and a "richer than economy" presence on what is essentially an unmodified Mazda2 platform. We could use something fuel-efficient, stylish, and affordable here in the States, and we hope Ford can bring this thing here, and quick. Ford made a video about the Verve, which you can check out Here. Check out RPM Daily's high-resolution Verve photo gallery Here.

Honda takes the new Accord to the next level
The current Honda Acccord hit the streets back in 2002 as an 03 model, and it's still winning comparison tests today. It combined great fuel economy with trend-setting power and agility.

The new for 2008 Accord sedan is poised to take Honda's biggest seller here in America even higher up the sales chart. Honda replaced the stallwart 3.0L engine with a larger 3.5L V6, which will bump power to 270HP. Honda also took care of the 4 cylinder set with two 2.4L engines, one making 200HP and the other pushing out 180HP. Everybody seems to be making better midsize cars now, and Honda just raised their game to another level. Good news: customers win in this equation. Check out the RPM Daily photo Gallery here.

Honda improves the Accord Coupe for 2008
While the Honda Accord Sedan has been a big draw at Honda show rooms, the Accord Coupe has been big with young couples, and enthusiasts that want an every day car.

The 2008 Accord Coupe keeps up the tradition of sporty looks and, we assume, terrific performance. The 3.5L V6 should propel Honda's midsize two-door to 60MPH in well under 6 seconds. The coupe is a couple inches shorter than the sedan, and weight should be down too. Volume is usually a little more than 10% of overall Accord sales, but Honda is looking to really increase that number with the arrival of the 2008 model. Check out our Accord Coupe photos here.

2008 Cadillac CTS is ready for prime time
The engineers and designers at Cadillac have been waiting forever for the chance to unleash on the public their newest and best work. The completely redesigned CTS employs the latest technology like Direct Injection while delivering on Cadillac's promise to become a world-class vehicle.

The CTS rides on a widened version of the Sigma platform that underpinned the last CTS, but ride dynamics has been updated significantly. Autoblog took the CTS out for a drive, and they declaired Cadillac's new 3-Series fighter to be "an amazing piece of kit". We'd agree, just on looks and stats alone. Look forward to seeing plenty of the new CTS on public roads in the next few weeks. Check out the RPM Daily gallery of the CTS here.

The BMW M3 Coupe is one bad-ass ride
The BMW M3 has some time before it graces our shores with its beauty and 420HP V8 engine, but journalists from around the world have already taken it for a spin (lucky dogs).

The fine writers over at Edmunds were nice enough to put together a video of their time in BMW's first V8-powered M3, and you can take a look at it by clicking here. We also have a complete high resolution photo gallery available for your enjoyment here.

Jaguar takes one more shot at survival with the XF
Jaguar needs a grand slam to bring the leaping cat out of the decades-long abyss. When we saw the CX-F concept at the Detroit Auto Show in January, we knew there was a good chance that they'd at least have a solid double, and a home-run was a real possibility.

Upon further review, Jaguar is fighting like they want to live, as the XF retains the beauty of the concept while adding an interior that is second to none. Jaguar has seen the ante, and they're prepared to raise the stakes. check out the 10-image gallery to the right for the beautiful pics.