Luxury automaker Bentley is welcoming the new year with a fresh range of models for the globally successful Bentley Continental GTC.

The new Continental GTC range includes an improved GTC model and a higher-performance model - the GTC Speed. The GTC Speed, debuting in the 2009 Detroit auto show, is reported to be Bentley’s most powerful convertible to date.

Looks-wise, these GTC models are as sleek and polished as they come. The exteriors come with chrome or dark-tinted matrix grilles and chrome headlamp bezels while the models’ interior boast of premium leather upholstery and wood veneers.

The most recent standard GTC model comes with features that keep with Bentley’s trademarks of luxury and refined performance. Ride comfort is improved by low-friction dampers and an adaptive cruise control system that monitors traffic. Under this model’s hood is a 6-litre W12 engine capable of producing 552 bhp, clearing a 0-60 mph sprint in 4.8 seconds.

The Continental GTC Speed sports larger wheels: 9.5J x 20-inch, multi-spoke alloy wheels with Bentley-bespoke Pirelli PZero ultra-high performance (UHP) tyres. The GTC Speed is also equipped with twin-rifled exhaust tailpipes, and an aerodynamic boot-mounted lip spoiler. The engine delivers as much as 600 bhp, 9% more than the standard GTC. With this engine in the GTC Speed, you can go from zero to sixty mph in 4.5 seconds.

Priced at $197,500 and $217,814.35 respectively, the standard Continental GTC and the Continental GTC Speed may be a little too expensive for some of us. But if you’ve got the bucks to spread around, then go for it. The looks you’ll get while cruising around in either of these beauties must be worth it.

(The recently-held 2008 Mondial de l’Automobile (Paris Motor Show), held at Porte de Versailles, showcased over 20 concept cars. Nineteen of these concept cars were brainchildren of European or Asian auto makes. I think that factoid says a lot about Europeans’ and Asians’ creativity and innovation. *wink*)

Even now, details and specifications on the BMW Concept XI are few. All the auto world knows can be said in a few sentences. The BMW Concept X1 is BMW’s first venture into the compact crossover utility vehicle (CUV) class. Basically, the BMW X1 CUV is styled the same way as the X5, X3, and X6. At 14.63 feet long, 6.64 feet wide, and 5.03 feet high, this compact CUV is the smallest sports activity vehicle to be produced by BMW. The BMW X1’s small size allows drivers to use the said CUV on more narrow streets and to park in tighter spaces. Despite the BMW X1’s diminutive stature, though, the interior boasts of CUV-style roominess and comfort.

Sadly, engine specs for BMW’s latest concept car are still up for speculation.

And to placate ourselves while we wait for the public release of the BMW Concept X1 (within a year), here are some photos from the 2008 Paris Motor Show:

Personally, I prefer the gold-colored BMW X1.

(source: http://www.motortrend.com, http://www.cartype.com/, http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/, )

(I learned about these two vehicle models while looking for ways to improve my beloved Tony. I may be replacing Tony sooner than planned. Heh, just kidding :P)

Many world-famous auto makes are based in Asia or Europe. Asia is home to reliable auto makes such as Toyota and Honda, while performance-oriented auto makes like Jaguar and Maserati hail from Europe. Of course, import cars from either continent have their unique edges and strengths.

But the auto world seems taken with two  import cars in particular– the 2009 Ferrari California and the 2009 Hyundai Genesis. As dissimilar as these two vehicles are, they’re both designed to give consumers worldwide utmost performance and luxury.

2009 Ferrari California

Let’s take a brief look at the 2009 Ferrari California. I’ve always thought of a European import car as the bad boy or the bad girl you just can’t resist falling for. Attractive, powerful, and built to thrill - what’s not to like about a European GT?

The 2009 Ferrari California, in particular, is the stuff many drivers’ dreams are made of. The 2009 Ferrari California can go from zero to 60mph in less than 4 seconds, thanks to a V8 engine that produces as much as 460 horsepower. And you don’t have to worry about safety when you’re speeding down the highway. Auto engineers at Ferrari equipped the 2009 California with a high-performance traction control system and an equally high-performance braking carbon-ceramic braking system.

Leather upholstery, leather-trimmed interior, and a retractable hard top makes this Ferrari serious eye candy, too.

In my opinion, however, the coolest thing about the 2009 Ferrari California is its keyless ignition feature. All you’d have to do to get the California’s engine running is step on the brake pedal and press a button on the dashboard. (Of course, you have to have the key fob on your person.) How’s that for convenience?

2009 Hyundai Genesis

If a European sports car or GT is like that mysterious bad boy you just can’t forget, an Asian import vehicle is more like the boy or the girl you settle down with. Of course, that’s not to say that European imports are undependable. Asian import vehicles just come with more easily-usable features, and more attainable price tags. Priced at around $30,000, “Genesis provides a potent combination of performance, luxury, and value” (according to John Krafcik, Hyundai Motor America VP for Product Development and Strategic Planning).

Hyundai currently offers three engines for the 2009 Hyundai Genesis: a 3.3-liter and 3.8-liter V6 engine, and a 4.6-liter Tau V8 engine. The Tau V8 engine promises a zero-to-60 mph sprint under 6 seconds, and produces around 368 horsepower. Perhaps not as speedy as a sports car, but certainly fast enough to satisfy a speedster. And if the Genesis’ price tag alone doesn’t save you enough money, an overdrive lock-up torque converter allows you to cut back on fuel.

Apparently, Hyundai hadn’t scrimped on creature comforts from the 2009 Genesis, too. The front seats can be heated or cooled according to your fancy. And aside from a cruise control feature, 8 ultrasonic sensors on the front and rear bumpers help you park quickly and easily.

Can you imagine how tough it would be if you had to choose between these two magnificent import cars? The 2009 Ferrari California and the 2009 Hyundai Genesis each have pros that can easily win any driver over.

Well, I, for one, am glad I don’t have to make that choice anytime soon.