Saying automotive journalists like diesel sedans is like arguing the color pink is going to do well with the 5-year-old-girl demographic this quarter. You’re not going to find too many dissenting voices. So, it should be no surprise that we love ourselves some BMW 335d. With plenty of power and impressive fuel economy, the outgoing diesel is a mechanical wonder child. And yet, thanks to the new F30-generation BMW 328i, with its 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine produces 240 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, there’s some competition for the title of most fuel efficient 3 Series.

Admittedly, the 328i’s numbers are a far cry from the 265 ponies and 425 lb-ft of torque cranked out by the diesel-fueled 3.0-liter inline six in the 335d. Even so, the 2012 328i is considerably lighter and more aerodynamic. It also boasts a next-generation transmission, which helps the car get to 60 mph one tenth of a second quicker than the old 335d. That’s surprising, but not nearly as surprising as the fact that the 328i manages 1 mpg better than the diesel in the combined cycle. According to the EPA’s just-released figures, the 328i nets 24 miles per gallon in the city and an impressive 36 mpg on the highway. The 335i? 23 mpg city and 36 highway.

We’ll give you a moment to pick up your jaw from the floor. Now all BMW needs to do, as Automobile points out, is drop a diesel four-cylinder behind the headlights of the 3 Series to go after even bigger green credentials. Fingers crossed.

Smart has put the ForTwo under the knife in an attempt to give the maligned A-segment vehicle a few more years of life. The ForTwo now wears a smarter-looking revised fascia with a bolder Smart emblem, more expansive grille and redesigned lower valance. The front clip is paired with more defined rockers and a similarly restyled rear valance. Throw in a few more wheel options and the package helps freshen the vehicle quite a bit. Unfortunately, engineers left the engine bay alone. That means buyers will still be met with the same abysmal engine lineup and automated manual transmission found in the current vehicle.

Smart plans to continue to offer five option packages, including Brabus and Brabus Xclusive. The refreshed ForTwo will land in dealers in the UK in April, with U.S. sales commencing shortly thereafter as a 2013 model.

Word has it the next-generation ForTwo won’t see the light of day for another two years at least. Will the 2013 nip/tuck draw enough buyers into show rooms to keep Smart afloat until then? We imagine it won’t hurt, but the company is facing increased competition from big players like Scion and Chevrolet, and its sales numbers are terrible to begin with. Vehicles like the the more efficient iQ and the Spark probably won’t help the ForTwo’s chances. Hit the jump for the full press release.

The Bavarian automaker, much like its fellow German marques Audi and Mercedes-Benz, has exploded its product offerings with spinoffs of its established models. So the two-door 6 Series has bred a four-door GranCoupe version. The 5 Series, in addition to the sedan and wagon, has given us the oddly proportioned 5 Series Gran Turismo. But the upcoming 1 Series Gran Turismo is another kettle of fish in that it is not expected to share the small rear-drive platform with its recently revised namesake, but rather pack a new front-drive platform.

According to BMW Blog, the long-rumored 1 Series GT will finally make its debut next fall at the Paris Motor Show. When it does, the tall hatchback will be targeted directly at the Mercedes-Benz B-Class, slotting (in form at least) in between the existing 1 Series hatchback (pictured above) and X1 crossover. But if front-wheel drive isn’t how you picture your BMW channeling its power, an all-wheel xDrive version is also tipped to be in the cards, as well as a hybrid model.

You’ve seen the S-Max. You’ve seen the C-Max. Now get ready for the B-Max.

The latest European-focused mini minivan from Ford was previewed in concept form at last year’s Geneva Motor Show, but has now been confirmed for production release at the 2012 edition of the same expo this March. Based on the Fiesta (the C-Max is based on the Focus), the new B-Max will arrive into a highly competitive segment overseas, so it will need to offer some alluring features to make its mark.

The edgy design should help, but the party piece for this diminutive people carrier is that it has no B-pillars. And we don’t mean that the windows have no frame: we mean the entire pillars are incorporated into the doors themselves, so that when you open the doors there’s no encumbrance to loading and unloading of passengers and cargo alike.

Motivation is provided by a 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine, with Duratorq diesels also on offer. After its unveiling in Geneva, the new B-Max will go on sale at dealers across Europe later this year. Follow the jump for the full press release and click the thumbnails below to view the pair of images released thus far in high resolution.

Chevrolet, which, after the failure of the Aveo, is returning to its goal of creating a competitive subcompact, has created a car with an original look, the specifications of a Chevy Cruze and the room and features of a luxury vehicle. What makes this car so roomy? It may be that it just feels bigger because the features in it are so typically reserved for big cars—features like 10 standard airbags, rollover sensing software, hill-hold assistance software and a secure interior that is relatively silent in action.

The Chevy Sonic sedan is available in three versions. The Sonic Sedan LS has a well-equipped price tag of $14,495, which gets you 15 inch alloy wheels, traction and stability control, auxiliary stereo, power locks, and the ‘big car’ luxury features listed above. It also comes with six months of OnStar with a tilt/telescoping wheel. The Sonic Sedan LT adds 16 inch aluminum alloy wheels, an MP3-ready CD player, six speakers, SiriusXM satellite radio and premium interior and exterior features such as heated mirrors. Rounding out the triumvirate is the LTZ, which adds perforated leather surfaces and steering wheel, heated front seats, USB and Bluetooth capabilities, cruise control, the ability to start the vehicle remotely, and an additional inch on the wheels.

All three of these models are beasts on the road too, sporting a 1.4 liter turbo-charged engine, 138 horsepower, excellent torque, and either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission which can get you 40 mpg on the highway. This is about the most power you’re going to find in the subcompact class and makes for a vehicle that can perform excellently in herky-jerky city traffic while garnering serene fuel efficient miles in rural settings.

Chevrolet now looks to challenge its competitors, Honda, Toyota, and Hyundai, and prove to the automotive world that General Motors is ready to hit the ground running again in the subcompact market once so dominated by foreign cars.