When spy photos of the next-generation BMW M5 surfaced recently, they gave us an intent what the new super sedan would look like, but didn't give any indications what was under the hood. The current 5.0-liter V10 is a bit of an oddball within the lineup so something a little more mainstream was expected.

To us, the most logical powerplant was BMW's new turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 that debuted in the X5M and X6M. It develops 555 horsepower and 500 pound feet of torque, more than enough to make the M5 a contender in the high-end super sedan category.

Sure enough, when we posed the question to BMW insiders they confirmed that the next M5 would have a turbocharged V8. They wouldn't give us any more detail than that, but it's innocuous to say that the 4.4-liter is the logical choice.

We dug for additional information on other potential Motorsport vehicles, but came up empty. Our sources squashed any hope for a Motorsport version of the 1 Series and when we suggested a high-powered variation of the upcoming 2011 3 Series GT they said that's not probably not happening either. Turns out income of the M3 sedan have been miserable, so the company will most likely stick with couples only when it comes to Motorsport-tuned 3 Series models. 

Undoubtedly, you remember the movie Ferrari released last week — the one with the two Ferrari 458 Italia on Mugello Circuit in Tuscany. We liked it a lot.

Today, Ferrari has released one of those increasingly favourite behind-the-scenes-how-we-made-it-so-impossibly-gorgeous videos. It's not quite as good as the real thing.

Updated

This week we learned that Gran Turismo 5 will launch in March 2010… in Japan. Still no date for the U.S., yet. Maybe the delay is because GT5's creator, Kazunori Yamauchi, had to take time out to lap the Nurburgring Nordschleife in the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, which is on the car list for the upcoming (apparently…) PS3 game.

Also, we now have proof that the SLS AMG really is in the game, thanks to some gameplay footage from the 2009 Tokyo Game Show. And Sony's Polyphony Digital has produced a commercial for Gran Turismo 5 starring the reborn Benz Gullwing. Both videos are after the jump.

GT Planet

What's he doing in an electric car anyway?

Toyota announced pricing on the 2010 4Runner today. A base, two-wheel-drive SR5 version with the new 157-horsepower 2.7 inline-4 starts at $27,500, plus an $800 destination charge. It will show up at dealers in January.

The V6 4Runners will get there a lot quicker — in late October or primeval November, depending on where you live. A 2WD 4Runner SR5 just slips in under 30 grand with a base price of $29,975. It goes up to $31,715 with four-wheel drive.

A mid-range, four-wheel-drive Trail Grade model like the one we tested will start at $36,500 (you can't get a 2WD Trail Grade). The top-of-the-line 2010 Toyota 4Runner Limited will cost you $38,565 in 2WD and $40,600 in 4WD.

Full Test: 2010 Toyota 4Runner Trail Grade

Long time USAC car owner Pat Patrick may have said it best: “I know there’s money in racing.  I place it there…”  That notion makes me appreciate grassroots racing opportunities all the more.  I’ve been thinking of blogging about ways to race on the (semi-)cheap and then Speed Sport Life went and did all the work (bless ‘em for that).  So here it is, as forwarded to me by NASA Spec Miata Media’s Rob Krider:

Calling all car nuts,

Instead of driving the couch in Gran Turismo, have you ever wondered what it would be like to participate in an actual sanctioned motorsports event?  The guys at Speed Sport Life have been entering every type of amateur motorsport they can find (from a weekend autocross, to destruction derby to the 24 Hours of Lemons, and have detailed what it really takes to participate in (and win) apiece race.

Every other week the boys go out and get involved in some sort of automotive shenanigans, photograph, write, and use a set of gauges on a dashboard to compare costs, time invested, adrenaline level, danger bourgeois and car wear.  The stories are filled with humor, great tips and useful links.

Kill some time at work (the links are safe) and window shop some of the recent “Racer Boy” articles listed below.  There is sure to be an event listed you have thought about entering.

The 24 Hours of LeMons:

http://www.speedsportlife.com/2009/09/17/racer-boy-24-hours-of-lemons-or-endurace-racing-for-the-financially-and-mentally-challenged/

E.T. Bracket Drag Racing:

http://www.speedsportlife.com/2009/08/31/racer-boy-e-t-bracket-drag-racing-or-how-to-actually-win-a-race-with-an-87-ford-taurus/

Slot Car Racing:

http://www.speedsportlife.com/2009/08/11/racer-boy-slot-car-racing-or-how-to-race-door-to-door-without-worrying-about-your-doors/

Destruction Derby:

http://www.speedsportlife.com/2009/07/24/racer-boy-destruction-derby-or-how-to-deposit-money-directly-into-your-chiropractor80%99s-wallet/

Time Attack:

http://www.speedsportlife.com/2009/07/09/racer-boy-time-attack-or-how-to-race-on-a-real-track-without-totaling-your-car/

Rallycross:

http://www.speedsportlife.com/2009/06/11/racer-boy-rallycrossing-80e299s-get-dirty-baby80%9d/

Autocross/Solo:

http://www.speedsportlife.com/2009/05/26/racer-boy-autocrossing-101-or-how-to-kill-cones/

The Racer Boy overall column list on Speed Sport Life:

http://www.speedsportlife.com/category/dubspeed-driven-articles/racer-boy/

Enjoy the adventures and I’ll see you at the track!

http://www.speedsportlife.com/

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) confirmed yesterday that the LRX concept shown at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show will go into production and debut for the 2011 model year as part of the Range Rover series.

We showed you spy photos of an 2011 Range Rover LRX mule last week, though it was difficult to make out the new vehicle's lines since it was camouflaged in truncated LR2 body panels. The production LRX will be a two-door like the concept vehicle.

The proportions were likely pretty close, though, as the Range Rover LRX will be the smallest Land Rover in the lineup. It's 5.9 inches shorter nose to tail than the current LR2 and stands 8.1 inches shorter. As such, it simply won't have the ground clearance for off-roading. Still, it will have Land Rover's Terrain Response system, though an Eco driving mode will be added.

Land Rover will build the LRX at its Halewood, UK plant, which is good news for British workers. About 800 additional workers will be needed, and that should mean no jobs will be lost when JLR closes either its Castle Bromwich (Jaguar) or Solihull (Land Rover) works in 2010.

Inside Line News: Range Rover LRX Going Into Production for 2011

The Guardian

Qualifying for the 10-hour, 1,000-mile Petit Le Mans race is today at Road Atlanta, and the race starts tomorrow at 11:15 a.m. EST with coverage on Speed Channel. However, you just can't escape social media anymore, and Audi will be tweeting and facebooking about the R15 TDI thoughout. This car hasn't lost the P1 class here since 2000. The company just posted this video of the racecar being prepped for Thursday night's practice session.

Apart from that, the major news here is the debut of the RSR (Rocket Sport Racing) Jaguar XKR GT2. Underneath the racecar's carbon-fiber body work, says RSR team owner Paul Gentilozzi, is the aluminum frame of the showroom XKR — in keeping with GT2 class rules. The 4.2-liter V8 is heavily modified from stock, of course, and it's hooked up to a sequential rear transaxle. Brakes are by Brembo (14.9-inch with 6-piston calipers up front, 13.8-inch with 4-pot callipers in back); tires are by Yokohama.

RSR is using this race as a shakedown for the XKR GT2, as it prepares for the full 2010 ALMS season.

Inside Line News: RSR's Jaguar XKR GT2 To Debut at Petit Le Mans This Weekend

R15 TDI Facebook, Twitter

Apparently, Chrysler still plans to expand the exterior color palette for the Dodge Challenger. Beyond Hemi Orange and TorRed (shown), you will see Plum Crazy and Detonator Yellow, says Jim Parker, manager of Chrysler's color studio.

PentastarVideo (YouTube)

Chrysler Group Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne is expected to lay out a formal, 5-year product plan for Chrysler today. Expected on it are 2010 launches of the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee (though Jim Press, above, won't be around for that) shown at this year's New York Auto Show, and the Chrysler 300, which will spawn Dodge and Alfa variants.

Marchionne is also likely to order makeovers for the Chrysler minivans, Dodge Caliber, Jeep Compass/Patriot and, somewhat surprisingly, the PT Cruiser. Marchionne wants these updated products on the market by mid-2011, the Detroit Free Press reports, and will rehire an unspecified number of employees to get this done. The word around Detroit, says Auto Observer, is that Chrysler has been so throughly gutted of talent and manpower, it currently doesn't have enough of a workforce to take on such projects.

The Fiat 500 is also expected to get a U.S. introduction by mid-2011, and it will be built at Chrysler's Toluca, Mexico, plant. All of this, of course, has to be greenlighted by the President's automotive taskforce.

Auto Observer

Detrot Free Press