A BMW V5 prototype has been let loose under a wardrobe's worth of camo, but you can still see it remains true to the early renderings. That might be a good thing if anyone has really decided they need a stretched X6. Based on the X6's slower-than-expected U.S. sales, maybe the extra room is what people are waiting for, and the trifecta for this latest niche-creating could be: not quite car, not quite SUV, lots o' room. (See "Toyota Venza" for comparison.) BMW's name for it, however, is just as kooky as Venza: Progressive Activity Sedan.

When we recently posted on Aston Martin dragging Lagonda out of its crypt, one of the assertions was that "they've reportedly ruled out the possibility of a sport-ute." That might have been nothing more than a semantic turn, as Car & Driver is reporting that the first Lagonda will be "something SUV-ish."

The next stab at a Saab SUV is reportedly going to be... a Saab. Word is that the newest hauler will have "Saab-DNA design and technology." Designed by teams in Sweden and Germany, that means an Aero-X-like snout, some combi-type curves in the back, and an ascending shoulder line. No word on engines yet, but there looks to be a full range of options, and dealers who have seen the final car are excited. This is all very good news to Saab mavens who don't want another badge-engineered Tahoe. For the rest of us, our first chance to see it could be as soon as the 2009 Detroit Auto Show.

[Source: Next Autos]

Inside Line has the skinny on BMW's new product unveils for the upcoming show season. Paris and L.A. are the headliners, with the City of Light chosen as the backdrop for the official public debuts of the all-new 7 series (including an ActiveHybrid variant) and facelifted 3 Series. While those cars will get their fair share of attention, all eyes will likely to be on the concept X1, which will also make its world debut in Paris.

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2008 Range Rover Sport

Driving a Range Rover Sport is like wearing an Izod circa 1980-anything: everybody immediately knows what you're about. And that's not a bad thing. We never wore Izods, but we'd drive this thing all day long -- and in fact, we did. The sport is supposedly the Range Rover for people who just want to go from work to the golf course to the watering hole, and don't need to traverse the Andes do it. Turns out, though, that it's suitably equipped for both. Follow the jump for the rest of the Rover story, and check out the gallery of hi-res shots below.

Sources out of Japan suggest that Mitsubishi is considering offering a jacked-up version of the Lancer Sportback to international markets in 2010. The new model would come equipped with a higher ride height, a restyled fascia and protective body panels similar to those found on the old Subaru Outback and Audi Allroad.

Based off the current Lancer architecture, the compact crossover is almost guaranteed to be packing the Evolution IX's all-wheel-drive system, and if Mitsubishi offers the 240hp, turbocharged 2.0-liter from the Ralliart, the Sportback X could be a serious contender in a market filled with bland and dynamically-challenged CUVs.

[Source: Carscoop]

Click above to watch Ryan's call to action

Ryan Mickle, seen above and apparently afraid of no ghosts, has had a change of heart since purchasing his Range Rover Sport new in 2006. Since then, gas prices have shot through the roof and fighting climate change has become a favorite global pastime. Seeing that his SUV gets about 13 mpg, Ryan doesn't want to drive it, doesn't want to sell it and doesn't want anyone else to get behind the wheel -- ever. Trouble is, he's not quite sure how to go about it just yet. So, he wants you to help him decide the fate of his SUV. A few initial ideas: catapult it into the Pacific Ocean, blow it up or convert it to a run on either electrons or biodiesel.

As consumer demand for thirsty vehicles continues to wane, Mercedes-Benz is being forced to slow production at the Alabama plant which manufactures their GL- and ML-Class SUVs and the R-Class crossover. Sales of Mercedes domestic trucks fell to 5,090 vehicles in June, representing an 11.9 percent decline from the same period last year. The move marks the first time in more than a decade of U.S. production, that the German automaker has reduced output due to market and economic conditions. The cuts will affect more than 4,000 of the plant's employees, and unfortunately will trickle-down to hurt the countless other companies who provide just-in-time components to support Mercedes production.

As suspected, the KTM X-Bow is just the beginning of the bike-cum-automaker's assault on the four-wheeled world. According to CAR, KTM is in the process of creating a "slew" budget oriented vehicles, including a city car and "the world's first frugal and eco-friendly off-roader."

The SUV, codenamed the New Haflinger, will split the difference between KTM's world-renowned bikes and a traditional utility vehicle, with a small footprint, an open- or closed-top body and the ability to handle the rigors of the Paris-Dakar rally (which it plans to compete in with four wheels) while still holding its own on the road.