Moparized Jeep Wranglers

Daftest model name of the year (so far) must be the Jeep Wrangler ‘Pork Chop’. Built in collaboration with Mopar, it’s a customised special that’ll first appear at the upcoming Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah.

Six such models are set to be unveiled, although for now only two have been revealed - the other being the much more sensibly titled ‘Renegade’.

Can’t wait to see what other weird monikers Jeep comes up with for the remaining four…



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BMW Concept M5

BMW has revealed the 2012 M5 - albeit in ‘concept’ form - ahead of its debut at this month’s Shanghai motor show.

Performance figures have yet to be released, although BMW has confirmed that the V10 engine of the previous generation E60 M5 has been ditched in favour of a twin-turbo V8 for the new F10 model.



This is expected to be an adapted version of the 4.4 litre unit already seen in the X5 M and X6 M, and BMW is promising increased power combined with a 25% reduction in fuel consumption and emissions.



Drive to the rear wheels will be via a seven-speed M double-clutch transmission, while a specially calibrated active differential has been engineered to minimise wheel spin and maximise traction.

Visually, all of the usual M5 styling cues are present. These include subtly widened wheel arches housing bespoke 20” forged alloy wheels, neat front wing gills and reworked front and rear aprons that are designed to aid both cooling and aerodynamics.



The interior remains a mystery for now though. The blacked-out glass of the concept suggests that it’s probably still work in progress.



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Kia Naimo electric concept

Kia has revealed its Naimo (pronounced neh-mo) electric concept car at the Seoul Motor Show.



Powered by a motor producing 107 bhp (80 kW / 109 PS) and 280 Nm of torque, it’s claimed that the Naimo will achieve a top speed of 93 mph (150 km/h).

Not bad outright performance, but the more relevant issue for any electric vehicle is always going to be how far it can travel before running out of juice.



Thanks to a 27 kWh lithium ion polymer battery pack, which is housed under the boot floor, the Kia should be good for a range of around 124 miles (200 km). By comparison, that’s slightly more than a Nissan Leaf manages.



Recharging time is another area that has clearly received plenty of attention, because the result is that the Naimo’s battery can be restored to 80 percent of its capacity in a reasonable 25 minutes. A full recharge would take five and a half hours, though.



Promising figures then, but the disappointing news is that this particular concept isn’t going to make it to production. Rather, Kia will be using it as a test-bed to help develop future models.