Insider: VW's R32 Successor, the 270HP Golf R to get All-Wheel Drive after All

Earlier this week we told you that VW will take the wraps off the Golf R hot hatch at this month's Frankfurt Motor Show. We also said that while we knew that the sportiest Golf would use the Scirocco R's 2.0-liter turbocharged four with around 270 horsepower, we weren't sure if it would keep the GTI's front wheel drive setup or go for an all-wheel drive system like the R32 that it will replace. Well, we've just been tipped off by a credible source that, unlike the FWD Scirocco R, the Golf R will be equipped with a four-wheel drive system similar to the one featured on the Audi S3.

We can also tell you that the Golf R that will be available in both three- and five-door bodystyles hits the 100km/h (62mph) mark from standstill in 5.5 seconds when equipped with VW's dual clutch transmission and 5.7 seconds with the standard six-speed manual gearbox. More to come next week.

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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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Ford's Seven-Seater MPV to be Named Grand C-MAX

It appears that Ford's marketing team took a liking to the naming system used by their French colleagues at Renault on the longer versions of the Scenic and Espace MPVs as according to Carscoop sources, the seven-seater version of the all-new C-MAX will employ the 'Grand' moniker. While Ford has already published the first photos of the five-seater C-MAX, we'll have to wait a few more days for the Grand C-MAX that's also planned to make its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

In addition to being longer than the five-seat model, the Grand C-MAX also makes use of a pair of sliding doors at the rear to provide easier access to the two last rows of seats that can accommodate three and two passengers respectively.

The Grand C-MAX will be available with the same diesel and gasoline engine range with its five-seater sibling including Ford's brand-new 1.6-litre turbocharged direct-injection EcoBoost unit.

2010 Ford Grand C-MAX Spy Shots

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2010 Ford C-MAX

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Insider: VW to Unveil Golf GTI VI in Paris

Continuing our 'Tour de Paris', we have just received word from our European inside sources that along with the more humble versions of the sixth generation Golf, VW will also take the wraps off the highly-anticipated 2009 Golf GTI at the Paris motorshow. Unfortunately we weren’t able to obtain any official information (or unofficial for that matter) on the GTI’s powertrain options. Most likely, the range-topping Golf will get the latest version of the VW Group’s 2.0-liter turbocharged TFSI engine channeled through a six-speed manual or the highly acclaimed DSG dual-clutch semi-automatic transmission.

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VW Golf R to Break Cover in Frankfurt, Ditches R32's V6 for 270HP 2.0-liter Turbo

It's no secret that Volkswagen has been preparing a high-performance version of the latest Golf that will sit atop the GTI model in the range, but we can now confirm that the Golf R will definitely make its global debut at next week's Frankfurt Show. We're still short on the details but we do know the Golf R will downsize from the previous generation Golf R32's 250HP 3.2-litre V6 to a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which is the same unit used on the new Scirocco R. Expect to see similar output in the range of 270 - 280HP.

What we couldn't confirm is whether or not VW will upgrade the Golf R with a four-wheel drive system or if the company will keep the GTI's front-wheel drive setup as is the case of the Scirocco R (pictured below).

The Golf for power junkies will get a new bodykit similar in design to the one featured on the top-of-the-line Scirocco along with twin central exhausts, a set of beefier five-spoke alloys and darkened headlamps and tail lights. The R will be offered in three- and five-door bodystyles.

We'll be bringing you more 'inside' news from the Frankfurt Show this week so stay tuned...

[* All photos are of the Scirocco R]

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All-New 2010 Ford C-MAX Revealed: Based on Next-Gen Focus, Offered in Two Body Styles

UPDATE: Ford just came out with official photos of the five-seater version of the 2010 C-MAX minivan confirming that it will indeed be offered with the firm's new 1.6-liter EcoBoost direct injection four-cylinder petrol engine. Full details will be released during the Frankfurt Show press days.

We've just been tipped off that Ford will swipe the covers off the all-new 2010 C-MAX minivan by the end of this week as the automaker seeks to get some additional publicity before the world premiere of the model at the forthcoming Frankfurt show. The new compact-sized MPV is based on the next-generation Focus platform with its styling loosely inspired from the Iosis MAX concept car that was displayed at the 2009 Geneva Salon in March.

According to Carscoop sources, Ford has followed in the footsteps of Renault and Citroen with their respective Scenic / Grande Scenic and C4 Picasso models by developing two different body styles for the C-MAX, one for the five seater version and another one for the larger and more practical, seven seater model.

While we're patiently waiting for Ford to green light the release of the first official images, we've added a full set of spy shots of the seven-seater model. Unlike the base C-MAX with five seats and conventional rear-doors, the seven-seater version features a pair of sliding rear doors that promise to improve access to the rear seats.

It is believed that Ford will premiere its newly developed 1.6-liter Ecoboost turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine on the new C-MAX that will also be available with numerous other normally aspirated petrol and turbo diesel units.

The new Ecooboost engine will eventually make its way on other Ford models in Europe such as the Mondeo and the next-generation Focus range.

Sales of the new C-MAX models are expected to start in Europe in mid-2010.

As for North America, even though Ford has confirmed that the U.S. will get the all-new, next-gen Focus model in 2010, there's no word if the range will also include the C-MAX.

Official Photos of 5-Seater 2010 Ford C-MAX

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Spy Shots of 7-Seater 2010 Ford C-MAX

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