Spy Shots

The M4 has already been unveiled as a motor show tease and this is the real thing, despite the underwhelming look of a 4 Series coupe body that looks like it's still waiting for the M work.It won't have the power of the C63 from Benz, but BMW is still touting more than 330 kiloWatts with sequential turbocharging.

Perhaps even with supercharging, as the Japanese brand's European engineers turn up the wick on serious performance model.Lexus is already committed to an IS F coupe that will rival the new BMW Z4, but the GS project is about major bragging rights in a class where 700 Newton-metres of torque is the price of admission.

Williams is providing lightweight parts including a new exhaust and carbon-fibre panels, while Nismo is tweaking the twin-turbo V6.The Nismo GT-R is expected in showrooms next year, including Australia, as the flagship of a range that already includes the Micra, Juke and 370Z in Europe.

Force-feeding spreads rapidly through the AMG range, from the SL droptop down to next year's new pocket rocket.This 2014 C63 prototype is lapping the Nurburgring with a nose that's clearly drawing extra air - for the V8 intake and turbo cooling - as well as the giant tyres and brakes needed to cope with the extra torque that's unleashed from the twin-turbo 5.5-litre powerplant.

Particularly once a three-seater rear bench was added for countries including Australia.The next model is much sharper in the body and promises to be a lot more efficient, probably with a hybrid model in the range.

The MLB platform sits under more than two dozen new models.The Vario is a five-door hatch that's a cross with a wagon, much like the ugly-but-effective new BMW 3 Series GT.

It gets a frontal update soon to reflect the styling of the all-new Mondeo.The Cabriolet is expected to follow in 2015, provided the economy picks up in Europe, with a full foldaway top and a sharper look than the previous Focus CC. 

The body will be pulled much tighter around a new V10 engine with more power and torque, while the cabin will get a much-needed update and the latest technology from Audi - which owns the Italian brand. We expect to see the real Cabrera previewed at the Geneva motor show early next year.

The all-new 2015 Audi A3 compact has already been revealed as a three-door Hatch, five-door Sportback and four-door sedan. Now we have a new batch of spy shots of an upcoming fourth variant, the A3 Cabriolet.The car’s only direct rival will be the upcoming 2-Series Convertible from BMW, which replaces the current 1-Series Convertible. And, with many buyers in the luxury market looking for smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicles, the new A3 Cabrio could prove an increasingly popular alternative.The A3 Cabrio will be virtually identical to the A3 Hatch, A3 Sportback and A3 sedan up until its A-pillar, after which most of its sheet metal will be unique. Its overall length will be similar to that of the A3 sedan, which measures in at 176 inches in length. Underpinning the car is the Volkswagen Group’s flexible MQB platform, which also underpins the 2015 Volkswagen Golf and the rest of the A3 range.A key advantage of the MQB is lightweight design, which should make the new A3 Cabrio more fuel-efficient as well as more dynamic than the outgoing model. The car’s MQB platform has also been developed around a range of fuel-efficient drivetrains.Expect it to be initially available with the 2015 A3's 1.8-litre TFSI, rated at 127 kilowatts. A sporty S3 variant is also planned and will feature a 2.0-litre TFSI with 221 kilowatts on tap. Transmission options will include a regular manual, as well as automatic and S tronic dual-clutch units, depending on the model. Customers will also be able to choose from front- or all-wheel drive as well as either xenon or full-LED headlights. Note, the S3 Cabrio will come standard with quattro all-wheel drive.Inside the new A3 Cabrio, owners will find nice round dials and air vents, plus plenty of leather. Audi's latest MMI interface system will handle the media and navigation functions, with displays of either 5.8 or 7 inches available. 4G LTE broadband connectivity should also be offered.The interior from the A3 sedan gives you an idea of what the new A3 Cabrio's cabin will look like. Stay tuned for updates as development continues, and look for a reveal of the new Audi A3 Cabrio at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show in March, with sales to commence overseas in the second half of that year, followed by arrival here.www.motorauthority.com 

But the new model on the Golf 7 package provides more headroom and a high-rider seat position that could work with older people who are reluctant to go all the way into an SUV.Look for the Plus at the Frankfurt Show in just over a fortnight.