Maserati Quattroporte (2013): the first official pictures

Maserati has unveiled the new 2013 Quattroporte – the luxury sports saloon which has been the mainstay of Modena since the current car's launch in 2004. The new Maserati Quattroporte will be shown at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, with left-hand drive sales starting in spring 2013. However, right-hand drive UK sales of the new QP are unlikely to begin before June 2013.

BMW M7 coming after all?

Despite BMW’s stating they will never make an M7, BMW’s American boss Ludwig Willisch says it will happen. Three years ago the BMW ‘M’ anoraks got excited when they thought BMW was about to produce a range-topping M7, but it turned out the photos that elicited their excitement were simply a 7 Series with an M Sport pack bolted on. In answer to the M-anorak’s disappointment BMW pointed out – very sensibly in our view – that the market for an M7 would be tiny and that you could already have a 760i M Sport with a stunning V12 and 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds.

June sales get a pick-me-up from pickups

If there's a bright spot in June's tepid light-vehicle sales, it came from an unlikely segment. After slumping for several years as the economy tanked and gas prices spiked, pickup demand is rising faster than the overall sales gains of most automakers--serving as a pillar once again during the industry's fledgling recovery. And most of the buyers returning to showrooms are pickup enthusiasts, automakers say.