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According to Auto International, Volkswagen is set to release the latest update its Passat mid-size sedan at the upcoming Paris Motor Show. Further, the German automaker could have both the sedan and wagon versions already in European dealerships before the end of the year. If there's any truth to the rumor, the next Passat will get new bodywork but will share it basic structure with the current car, with major elements such as the roof going completely unchanged. In keeping with VW's upscale theme for the Passat, the next-gen model is expected to offer such luxuries as reversing cameras, active cruise control and intelligent lighting. Power will surely come from a number of gasoline and diesel engines, most employing some form of forced induction and displacing between 1.2 and 2.0 liters. In what appears to be a growing industry trend, larger V6 engines are said to be gone from the specifications list, although a hybrid and full electric model are supposedly planned for the next full redesign for the 2015 model year.

Mercedes-Benz is diligently trying to attract new, younger customers to its AMG performance line, and one giant step forward might be the introduction of a new small coupe, set to rival small performers such as the Volkswagen Golf R, BMW 1-Series, and so on. A report from Autocar states that this rumored new AMG coupe would be powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four with direct injection, mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. This engine may produce as much as 300 horsepower, putting the AMG coupe right in line with the competitive set. Fuel-efficient technologies like brake energy regeneration, stop-start and a shift indicator lamp are likely to make their way into this new model, and all-wheel drive isn't out of the question, either.