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MV Agusta has let loose the official specs and pricing for its F3 800 Ago, the decked-out trackday bike dedicated to ex-MV Agusta rider and 15-time World Motorcycle Champion Giacomo Agostini. Starting with its F3 800 triple, the Ago adds uprated electronics including an eight-setting traction control that can also be turned off entirely. The Motor & Vehicle Integrated Control System allows the pilot to adjust the relationship between throttle twist and opening, Bosch ABS with race mode controls the Brembo brakes with the assistance of MV Agusta's rear-wheel lift-up mitigation system that works to keep the back end planted when the front stoppers are hard at work.

A carbon fiber fairing and forged aluminum wheels help shave nearly five pounds off the weight of the standard F3 800, and a price of 22,990 euros ($31,645) - more than double the $15,798 of the standard F3 800 - will lighten your bank account. Act quickly if this is your game, because the company is only making 300 of them, to go on sale next month. Each will be signed by Giacomo himself and will be accompanied by a plaque on the yoke and a certificate of authenticity, and come in that tricolore paint job to let the world know who you ride for.

Lincoln has finally dropped the details on the MKX Concept after a few days of teasing. Set for a very important global debut at the 2014 Beijing Motor Show, we're going to have to see this conceptualized version of the third-generation MKX in person before we can draw any real conclusions on the effectiveness of its design.

One of the things Lincoln will need to do to succeed is deliver something to customers that's unique to the brand's vehicles, which are exclusively rebadged models from parent company Ford. We're not sure this is going to be distinctive enough.

Unlike its last new vehicle, the Navigator, the work done on the MKX is smooth and refined. The stance of the vehicle, with its 21-inch wheels, is aggressive enough. Viewed from the profile, the overhangs appear rather short, while character lines keep it from looking slabsided. In front, we might be witnessing the cleanest interpretation yet of Lincoln's twin grilles. The headlights are slim and stylish, and we're digging the shape and style of the mirrors, which feature integrated turn signals that outline the mirror cap.

That said, the overall look still reminds us too strongly of the Ford Edge Concept that was shown in LA. A number of key styling elements, like the taillights and the shape of the greenhouse, have more Edge DNA in them than we'd like to see. The MKX does have an interesting styling to its roof, although we can't say that this treatment would make it into production.

In any case, this is a clean, stylish and attractive piece of design. Certainly, Lincoln seems to be coming to grips with its styling language, adding some of the very best cues from the upcoming MKC to the MKX Concept. All things considered, had the MKX debuted before the Edge Concept, we'd probably be a lot more impressed.

Unfortunately, we don't have any interior images to share, and Lincoln is completely mum on the details. Here's hoping that the interior is attractive enough to create some distance between the MKX and the Edge. And we hope the same can be said of mechanical details.

All things considered, then, it's time we asked what you thought. Take a look at the full gallery of images at the top of the page, read through the press release below, and then head into Comments and let us know if Lincoln's handiwork is up to snuff. What do you think they should change, and what's your favorite design aspect on the MKX Concept? Have your say below.

This is the New Midsize Coupe in the metal, and as a demonstrator of the versatility of the Modular Transverse Matrix platforms, Volkswagen says it's what "customers all over the world can look forward to over the next few years." Wider than a Passat, shorter and lower than a Jetta and weighing less than a Jetta, these are the cues a sport sedan on the MQB-B platform could wear.

VW designers didn't take any shortcuts with the detailing, the every corner of the sedan meant to reinforce its presence and draw the eye in. At the front of that long bonnet is a three-bar grilled, with the top bar painted high-gloss black to make the car look lower, the lower two bars finished in chrome look at the front and brushed aluminum in back. They front a collection of finned, ornamental modules, the design reaching all the way into the LED headlights where the finned modules act as cooling vanes for the headlights. The motif is recreated in the lower intakes as well.

From the side you get a full view of the long hood and short decklid, set off by a lower sill in metal. The Dragon Red paint is matched in the 20-inch wheels, with spokes carrying a touch of the body color, and their black inner surfaces complementing the high-gloss black roof panel. In back, 3D LED taillights have aluminum accents, sitting high above twin exhaust pipes split by a high-gloss black diffuser.

The 217-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbo will scoot the New Midsize Coupe to 62 miles per hour in 6.5 seconds, and with the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission VW says a driver can get fuel economy of 6.4 liters per 100 kilometers, about 37 mpg.

We're told there won't be any sacrifice in the cabin for that, with "ample space for five," cargo capacity of 500 liters, trim in Silk and Ebony Black with Dragon Red piping, Alcantara on the headliner and pillars, and controls from the Golf (which rides on the MQB-A platform).

There's a press release below with more details. We wouldn't mind being a part of the world that gets a shot at this, should VW make it...

Automakers attempting to mix the sexiness of a coupe and the utility of an SUV don't appear to be going away. BMW arguably created the niche with its X6, and Acura latched onto it with the awkward ZDX. Mercedes-Benz might be taking the best stab at the form yet with the Concept Coupe SUV, which debuts at the 2014 Beijing Motor Show.

At over 16 feet long, over six feet wide, and riding on 22-inch wheels, the Concept Coupe SUV is an imposing vehicle. The front of the concept is dominated by tons of chrome mesh, and the three-pointed Mercedes star stands proudly in the middle. The hood features some very pronounced creases to lead the eye to that big front end.

Compared to the eye-arresting expanse of chrome at the front, the rest of the styling is surprisingly soft. The profile shows a sweeping curve starting at the A-pillar and ending just above the taillights. It's a sporty look but still slightly weird on a vehicle with SUV proportions. From the rear-three quarters perspective, the design appears to be nothing but curving lines and glass. The back uses simple, horizontal lines with a strip of lights wrapping around, and flat oval exhaust pipes to complete the elegant look below. There are no photos of the interior so that remains a secret for now.

The concept is propelled by a twin-turbocharged, 3.0-liter V6 with 333 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque. It routes through Mercedes' 9G-Tronic nine-speed automatic gearbox to send power to all four wheels.

Recently, Mercedes is treating concepts as thinly veiled previews of future vehicles, and it seems the Concept Coupe SUV is no different. In fact, the company goes so far in the release to say: "With this concept car, Mercedes-Benz is announcing the possible expansion of the previously uniform SUV off-roader family." It's not hard to read between the lines. Scroll down to get all the details.

Among the design concepts Jeep has prepared for Beijing Motor Show this year are a pair of Cherokees dressed up in contrasting schemes.

In one corner we have the Sageland concept pictured above, drawing its inspiration from Shangri-La with an Ivory Peal tri-coat and bronze trim for the grille, fascia appliqués, roof rack, sunroof, mirror caps and exhaust tips. Inside it's all earth tones with light gray Nappa leather seats and red and blue top-stitching inspired by traditional Chinese themes.
Meanwhile the Urbane concept (pictured right) takes the Cherokee in a different direction with steel blue metallic paintjob and black accents. Inside it adopts the theme of Chinese calligraphy with Piano Black accepts and dark red Nappa leather.

Though Jeep isn't saying with which engines these specific concepts are equipped, the Cherokee is available in China with the same engines offered here: the 2.4-liter MultiAir four or the 3.2-liter Pentastar V6, both mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission.

Scroll down for the official press release.

As we mentioned, Jeep is bringing a quartet of concepts to the Beijing Motor Show this year. Its largest model, the Grand Cherokee, is nowhere to be found, but its smallest is. That, of course, would be the new Renegade, which has been done up as the Zi You Xia design concept.

Taking its name from the Mandarin word (or words) for "rebel," the Zi You Xia takes its inspiration from the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, with a Warm Chocolate Gray paintjob with contrasting dark bronze trim. The roof, grille and mirror caps are color-keyed to match the rest of the exterior, riding on 20-inch alloys in the same dark bronze finish.

Inside it's all Piano Black, Anodized Copper and brown leather with plaid fabric inserts. Scope it out in the high-res image gallery above and the press release below.

Jeep is bringing a total of four concepts to the Beijing Motor Show, and the one you see here is called Sundancer (no relation to the Sundance, of course), based, as you can plainly see, on the Wrangler.

To create the Sundancer – a name that riffs off of nearly forgotten Plymouths of yore – Jeep coated the Wrangler in a tri-coat Chocolate Brown metallic paint with gold accents, bronze fender flares and bronze-tinted glass. The bumpers have been color-keyed to the rest of the bodywork, and the 20-inch billet aluminum wheels have a tone-on-tone gold finish.

Inside, it's been outfitted with Axis II perforated and Berry Baltique semi-aniline leather with lace stitching on the control surfaces with gold trim throughout. All of which makes the toughest model in the Jeep lineup look more like a box of high-end sweets. Whether that's a good thing or not, we leave up to you.

Shanghai GM, General Motors' joint-venture partner in China, has officially unveiled a pair of new entries for Chevrolet in the People's Republic. First up is the Trax, a vehicle that is also set to arrive in the American market.

The Trax appears largely unchanged for China, following the theme set by the USDM model, which in turn was plucked from other markets around the globe. Based largely on the Buick Encore/Opel Mokka, the CDM variant offers the same 1.4-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder found around the globe. All-wheel drive and Chevrolet's MyLink system are available, just like on Trax models sold in Canada and other world markets.

The Cruze is the bigger news. While we're set to receive a lightly refreshed model here in the US, the Chinese market is getting something more extensive. Images of the new fascia were first seen a few weeks back, giving us our first indication that there'd be a separation between the US and China. The CDM Cruze draws inspiration from the Tru 140S Concept, shown a few years ago in Detroit. That accounts for the Dodge Dart-like headlights and more aggressive lines, which Shanghai GM calls "coupe-like."

Two engines will be available when the Cruze launches in China, both of which come from GM's latest family of Ecotec mills. A 1.5-liter naturally aspirated engine and a 1.4-liter, direct-injected, turbocharged four-cylinder provide motivation, while the Chinese market will have a choice of a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission or a six-speed automatic.

We're a bit short on images of the CDM Cruze and Trax, although once more pics become available, we'll be sure to update this gallery. Until then, scroll down up and have a look. You can also take a peek at the official press release, below.

Almost two weeks ago, we reported that BMW may be bringing a concept to the 2014 Beijing Motor Show that could herald a flagship 9 Series model that would be better suited to do battle with the tip-top of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class range than the current 7 Series. Well, here it is. This is the Vision Future Luxury Concept, and straight away, it looks suited to the role of ultra-luxury flagship.

In our original story, we reported that the Beijing concept would wear styling similar to the Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupe that was shown in Villa d'Este nearly a year ago. Unlike that car, the Vision Future Luxury sports four doors, although its roofline plunges aggressively enough for it to be considered a four-door coupe. That doesn't mean it will compromise on rear-seat space, however. Judging by the length of the rear doors alone, this is a very large vehicle.

Its styling, though, is, as we reported, quite familiar. We can see the evolution of the Concours' concept's styling, with a narrower grille that still leads up into the hood. The thin headlights use BMW's Laserlight technology while retaining a shape similar to the Gran Lusso, and the lower intake is dominated by a carbon-fiber air deflector on both ends. BMW's Air Breather system can be found behind the front wheels, adding an accent along the lower portion of the doors. In back, organic LED lighting is used for the super-slim taillights.

Considering that this car has "Luxury" in its name, the cabin should be a pretty nice place to spend time. There's no shortage of concept car styling, but the overall sense of design looks like a nice evolution of the styling we see on newer Bimmers. BMW opted for a layered design to the interior materials, using carbon fabric as a base before adding an aluminum support layer. Finally, wood and aniline leather are added, as needed. There's no shortage of exposed carbon fiber, but it's found in such tasteful doses that it looks quite nice.

Being a concept, BMW took the opportunity to include a few next-gen interior technologies. A new head-up display projects information onto the road, highlighting certain buildings or road signs, for example. Rear-seat occupants, meanwhile, have access to a detachable Touch Command Tablet, which can access BMW's Luxury Concierge Service, as well as games, the Internet and trip information. There are two other seat-mounted displays for rear-seat occupants, as well.

Make no mistake, this might be a wild, out-there concept, and there's no talk of what might potentially power it, but much of its look seems very much grounded in reality. Perhaps, like the Vision concept that went before it, we'll be talking about this fullsize, four-door coupe for the next few years. Take a look above to see what BMW's put together for the PRC's annual Auto China show, and then scroll down for the official press release on the Vision Future Luxury concept.

We'll step right out and say we like the TT Offroad Concept, but there's something that's just a bit too... familiar about it. Yes, this yellow five-door looks like a not-so-distant relative of the Allroad Shooting Brake Concept that debuted at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show earlier this year. So, we've seen the production TT, a super-light, high-performance model and now we're seeing a crossover. Does any of this sound familiar? Considering the Detroit concept earned an editors' choice award for that show, you can imagine how we feel about the strikingly similar TT Offroad, which is debuting at the Beijing Motor Show.

The two concepts share a propulsion system – a high-performance version of Audi's E-Tron plug-in-hybrid drivetrain. Total system output sits at 408 horsepower, thanks to a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder and a 40-kilowatt electric motor in front and an 85-kW motor on the rear axle, for all-wheel drive. 62 miles per hour arrives in 5.2 seconds, while the TT Offroad is limited to 155 mph. Fuel economy is impressive, with a claimed 123.8 US miles per gallon on the European cycle.

The most obvious different between these two, then, are their looks. The TT looks a bit tougher, thanks to its larger 21-inch wheels and narrower headlights, but its more conventional belt and roofline give it more of an Audi Q3's look. Out back, a slightly restyled bumper is the sole differentiator between the two vehicles.

The TT enjoys a slightly more upscale cabin, with Stone Gray leather seats with yellow contrast stitching from Poltrona Frau. A diamond-pattern is stitched in the seat inners, while the headliner and other interior points are finished in Alcantara. Like the exterior and the powertrain, though, these two are very, very similar in terms of their TT-based layout.

It's way too early to guess whether Audi will attempt to expand the TT family beyond its long-running coupe and convertible models. It certainly seems plausible, though, particularly when you hear high-ranking Audi officials say stuff like this: "[The TT Offroad Concept is] a glimpse of how we might imagine a new model in a future TT family." The latter remark comes from Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, a member of Audi's board of management for technical development. Sources don't get much higher than that.

Take a look below for the press blast on the TT Offroad Concept, and then hop up top for the official images of the rough-and-tumble TT in the gallery.

The tale of Nick Murray and his lemon Porsche 911 appears to have come to a satisfactory end. As noted in the original story about Murray, he and Porsche Cars North America met and came to a resolution. However, we didn't know exactly what that meant, until now.

Murray has created a new video explaining that PCNA offered to buy back the car at full price or give him an exact replacement for it. This was exactly what he was asking for. Murray remains pro-Porsche in the new video. "I am definitely considering reordering a Porsche 911," he says.

Porsche also posted a message on its Facebook page that clarified the situation. "We at Porsche have always sought excellence in all that we do. We know you expect it of us. And when we don't meet that standard, we make every effort to improve," said a portion of the note.

It's good to see a level-headed guy like Murray succeed. He's getting what he wants, but he doesn't seem to harbor any ill will towards the company. Scroll down to watch the latest video. Warning, there is some very vulgar NSFW language when he reads several YouTube comments left on his previous video.

The Morgan Motor Company is the consummate automotive industry survivor. While a name like Triumph is fading, Morgan is still is in business building a relatively small number of sports cars annually. This year is a big milestone for the company. Its Pickersleigh Road factory in England has been building cars for the last 100 years. To celebrate the centenary, Morgan is launching the new Plus 8 Speedster.

The model's design follows Morgan's classic formula of a long, low hood with protruding headlights and a short rear deck. While it has classic style, a thoroughly modern powertrain hides under the bonnet. Propelling the Speedster is a 367-horsepower, 4.8-liter BMW V8 and either a six-speed speed manual or ZF six-speed automatic. Morgan claims it is enough grunt to get the car to 62 miles per hour in 4.2 seconds and to a top speed of 148 miles per hour. The company's latest aluminum chassis underpins everything, but a leather belt is in place holding down the hood like on the vintage cars.

As you can see from the renderings in the gallery, the Speedster is highly customizable. Buyers can order roll hoops, wheel louvers, several wheel designs and even a top if they are afraid of getting wet. A Morgan rep told Autoblog that the "final specification and price list will be released in two weeks." Production will begin in June, and first cars will be ready before the end of the summer. Prices will start at 69,995 pounds. Scroll down to read the full details about a vehicle that has been a century in the making.

Ford is set to give the burgeoning Chinese market its very own C-segment model, while also reviving one of the brand's more notable nameplates. The new Escort, which will make its world debut at the 2014 Beijing Motor Show will be built in the People's Republic at the Changan Ford joint venture facility.

The Escort's exterior is best thought of as a mix of the finer points from the US market Focus and Fusion, with the Aston Martin-ish grille and narrow, wraparound taillights presenting a clean look at either end of the car. It's all fairly true to the concept car from last year's Shanghai Motor Show. That said, this exterior job is almost too clean. There doesn't seem to be a lot of character or substance beyond the typical Ford looks.

There's a similar issue in the cabin - it all looks pretty nice, but the design is rather plain, particularly when viewed alongside the display-filled cabin of a US-spec car. Still, there looks to be a fair amount of space in both the front and back seats, and the trunk isn't exactly tiny, either.

Riding on the Blue Oval's global C-segment platform, which underpins the US and European-market Ford Focus, the Escort is powered by a 1.5-liter four-cylinder which Ford promises will deliver "outstanding" fuel economy.

Take a look above and below for the official images and press information from Ford.

According to Ford, the Chinese SUV segment grew by 49 percent in 2013, and the Blue Oval held a 4.5 percent market share. At the 2014 Beijing Motor Show, Ford is showing the Everest SUV that, while just a concept for now, will go into production in the near future.

The Everest is a big, brawny seven-seat SUV that mixes solid, chiseled styling and contemporary Ford design cues. Up front there is an angular version of the trapezoidal grille and sharp, wraparound headlights. The beltline rises in the rear to make the back appear higher than the front. The rear seems just as chiseled, with the taillights resting in jagged scallops. There is no doubt that this concept means to look rugged, and ready for rough roads – the whole thing looks pretty great.

The truck was penned by Ford's Asia Pacific design and engineering team in Australia, and it was first shown in Sydney last year. Ford's JMC joint venture will build the truck for the Chinese market, and it will be sold at Ford dealers there. The Blue Oval isn't hinting at what powers the production version yet, but it reportedly shares some components with the foreign-market Ranger.

Don't get up any hopes of the Everest coming here. "We have no plans for it at the moment," said Ford spokesperson William Mattiace, about its US prospects. Scroll down to read the official press blast.