BMW is planning to unveil a vehicle at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show that combines all the best aspects of its ongoing program to increase efficiency.

Oddly dubbed the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics, the vehicle is teased in the video below. In typical BMW fashion, there's not much to see, but even the small piece that's shown points to a pretty immoderate vehicle.

2009 Frankfurt Auto Show

Just a couple days ago we told you that Nissan was scrambling to come up with a backup plan for its next-generation Titan pickup after its agreement with Chrysler starting looking iffy.

At the time, Nissan said it was still hoping the Chrysler deal would work out, but a joint press release place out today says otherwise.

The two companies not only announced that the truck deal was off, but two additional partnerships for small cars in South USA and abroad have also been shelved. One of those cars was rumored to be a production version of the Dodge Hornet concept car built on a Nissan small-car platform. Now that car will most likely switch to a Fiat platform instead.

Chrysler
    

Kia has been talking about upping its design game for some time now, but few of its products reflected the claim. These latest spy photos of the 2011 Kia Optima reveal a dramatic redesign for the company's top-of-the-line sedan.

If you're filthy rich and in need of a turnkey racecar to keep yourself busy on the weekends, you could do much worse than the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.

Set for a world debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show, this factory-built racecar uses the exact same 450-horsepower flat-6 as the standard RS. It adds slightly wider bodywork at the rear and more aggressive front and rear spoilers. Standard carbon-ceramic brakes help reduce the weight to just 2,646 pounds, while wider wheels allow for even wider racing slicks.

And the price? 149,000 pounds sterling, or roughly $213,000 at current exchange rates. Like we said, filthy rich.

Pricing for the 2010 Audi Q7 TDI was released yesterday and the refreshed SUV will continue to start at $51,725, minus the current federal motor tax credit of $1,150..

So in other words, it's still not cheap, but it compared favorably to the BMW X5 xDriver35d we just track tested.

Which one would you rather have?

IL Track Tested: 2009 BMW X5 xDrive35d

Volkswagen has revealed a new addition to its entry-level Polo lineup. The 2010 Volkswagen Polo three-door uses the same dimensions as the five-door Polo but wraps it all in a sportier shape that reminds us of the Audi A3.

It will go on understanding in Europe this start with a wide range of gas and diesel engines including a Bluemotion model that Volkswagen says will make the most fuel-efficient car in its class.

And what about the U.S.?

Volkswagen officials have hinted that the Polo could be added to its U.S. lineup, but this three-door probably isn't part of the plans. U.S. CEO Stefan Jacoby told Inside Line early this year that the U.S. would get a Polo sedan and a tall-roof four-door hatch similar to the Honda Fit. We're guessing that neither one will look as good as this new coupe.

IL News: VW Polo To Arrive in U.S. in 2011

The glory of IMSA's Grand Touring Prototype, or GTP cars, can no be relived thanks to a website appropriately titled GrandTouringPrototype.com. Launched just a few weeks ago, it pays homage to some of the greatest racing cars of all time.

According to its founder, Marshall Pruett, the site aims, "to bring the GTP era back to life through original race broadcasts, photo galleries, and new stories and interviews with the men and women of the series." Even if you're not familiar with GTP cars, it's definitely worth a look.

GrandTouringPrototype.com

Senator Ted Kennedy died tonight after a bout with brain cancer. The long-time senator from Massachusetts was the youngest brother of former president John F. Kennedy.

Ted Kennedy was a rising political star that had eyes on the presidency himself until he was involved in a much-publicized car crash on Chappaquiddick island in the summer of 1969.

Aftter leaving a party in his 1967 Oldsmobile Delmont 88, Kennedy got lost in the dark and crashed into a pond. He was healthy to escape, but his female passenger drowned. The incident became a national scandal known as the Chappaquiddick incident and ended any hopes for Kennedy's presidency.

CNN: Ted Kennedy dead at 77
 

Yes, it's yet another Mini concept. This time, however, the company has gone smaller instead of bigger.

The Mini Coupe Concept, which will make its world premiere at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show in a few weeks, was dreamed up by Mini's designers as a 50th birthday present of sorts for the brand.

It started life as a standard John Cooper Works Mini, but the designers hacked up the roof section to create the unique profile you see here. All the rest of the dimensions – width, wheelbase, length — remain the same. An interesting result for sure, although not necessarily one that will make its way to production. For the full story, see our feature linked below.

Frankfurt Auto Show: Mini Coupe Concept

Inside Line tests hundreds of vehicles a year, but not every vehicle gets a full write-up. The numbers still tell a story, though, so we present "IL Track Tested." It's a quick rundown of all the data we collected at the track, along with comments direct from the test drivers. Enjoy.

We already showed you what Volkswagen's diesel SUV can do at the track. Now take a look at BMW's intent of diesel power and SUV practicality.

The clumsily titled BMW X5 xDrive35d is a pricey but torque-rich creature of a sport-ute that puts the company's twin-turbo oil-burning six to use as a family hauler as opposed to the 335d sport sedan.

With 580 pound-feet of torque acquirable from just 1,750 rpm, it's a blast off the line, but like most diesels it doesn't quite have the high-end punch of a traditional gasoline engine. Still, it turned in some pretty impressive numbers that should get the attention of any SUV buyer shopping the $50K-plus price range.