Munich - The new BMW 3 Series with several design, technical and interior modifications goes on sale in Europe in September, the car maker announced recently.

The front of the saloon and touring models are characterised by an emphasis on width. The typical kidney grille is wider and the double circular headlights are underscored by chrome tubes. Taut surfaces and character lines dominate the side view. The contour edges of the side skirts have been set higher.

Nuerburgring, Germany - Spy shots of a convertible version of Audi's R8 super sports car that is expected to be launched at next year's Frankfurt Motor Show have been revealed.

The shots published by Germany's auto-motor-sport magazine show a convertible with matt, black paintwork and vinyl roof during a test run on the Nuerburgring racetrack.

The car is expected to go on sale in the first half of 2010 but it remains unclear whether it will called Spyder or Targa, the magazine reported.

Wolfsburg, Germany - Volkswagen is offering a special, transparent foil to protect cars from gravel, scratch marks and other damage.

Pebble Beach, California - Bugatti will produce 150 open-top versions of the Veyron super car at a starting price of around around 1.66 million euros (2.44 million dollars).

Similar to the coupe version, the Veyron Grand Sport is powered by a 16-cylinder 736 kW/1001 hp engine with a top speed listed at 407 km/h.

But the top speed of the convertible can only be achieved when the top is closed. Open air drives have a maximum top speed of 360 km/h, the car maker said.

Stuttgart, Germany - The Porsche Panamera scheduled for European showrooms in March 2009 has been spotted during testing with spy shots revealing more details of the sleek four-door sedan.

Built on the same chassis as the Cayenne, the Panamera is powered by either a 3.6-litre V6 with 300 hp from Volkswagen or the 4.8-litre V8 with 350 hp also found in the Cayenne.

Spy shots published by Germany's auto-motor-sport magazine reveal a rear wing providing downforce and a bigger rear window than in previous spy shots. The bonnet is more contoured and the headlights are clearly visible.

Moscow - The Russian tyre manufacturer Avtoros unveiled a super Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) with eight wheels on four axles. at the Moscow Motor Show for use in the lonesome wilds of Siberia.

Painted in bright orange, the gigantic prototype Avtoros Z-83 makes a Unimog or Hummer look like a baby in comparison. It measures 6.2 metres in length, weighs 3.7 tonnes and is powered by a 2.4-litre diesel engine with an output of 96 kW/130 hp.

The eight wheels, that are almost as high as a human being, are individually driven. The first and fourth axle can be steered.