|
|
|---|
.jpg)
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Look out MINI! Hot on the heels of the Alfa Romeo MiTo (Top story, Issue 1,004) comes another Italian model with the big-selling British supermini firmly in its sights. This official sketch shows exactly what to expect from Lancia’s next-generation Ypsilon.
After a 14-year absence, the luxury Italian brand will hit the comeback trail in the UK next year, with the new Delta family car. And according to official documents uncovered by Auto Express, this stylish MINI rival will be the next addition to the line-up.
As you can see from the picture, the compact hatchback will get a distinctive chrome-trimmed Lancia shield grille flanked by a pair of slanted headlamps. Classy touches could also include Delta-style LED lights and two-tone paintwork.
The distinctive Ypsilon will share its underpinnings with Fiat’s Grande Punto supermini, so buyers can be sure of a spacious interior. However, the Lancia will be upgraded with high-quality cabin trim that’s more in keeping with the firm’s premium image. Customers can also expect a wide choice of interior materials and exterior colours to personalise their car, similar to what’s available on the Fiat 500 and MINI line-ups. Practicality will be a strong point, too, so expect an easy-access boot and split-folding seats to boost load space.
Engines will be shared with other Fiat Group models, so the firm’s 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol unit will feature, as well as the frugal 1.3 and 1.9-litre Multijet diesels.
The current three-door Ypsilon, pictured below, is only available in left-hand drive, but is a common sight in mainland Europe, where it went on sale in 2003. However, every new Lancia will now be produced in right-hand drive, which paves the way for the firm’s return to UK roads.
The brand new supermini is expected to debut at a motor show next year and hit British showrooms in 2010, 12 months after it goes on sale in Europe.
Here’s proof that Volkswagen plans to gatecrash the pick-up party! The German firm is developing its own rival to the Nissan Navaro, Mitsubishi L200 and Isuzu Rodeo.
Our spy photographers caught the flat-bed model during winter testing, and while they couldn’t get close, the picture shows a double-cab version is on the horizon. According to our sources, the all-new 4x4 will be given the Robust badge, which top brass hope will reflect its tough construction and practical design.
When it hits UK building sites, it will be the brand’s first proper pick-up. While flat-bed versions of VW’s Caddy van have been sold in the UK before, the newcomer promises genuine off-road ability and should be able to carry a much higher payload. The maker is also expected to build traditional single-cab versions, but the four-door model pictured here will go head-to-head with popular models like the Mitsubishi Warrior.
A full-sized SUV spin-off using Robust underpinnings could also be in the pipeline. Such a model would sit between the Tiguan and Touareg in the current line-up, and rival the likes of the Mitsubishi Shogun and Nissan Pathfinder off-roaders.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
This is the new facelifted 2008 A-class, revealed here officially for the first time ahead of a public debut at next week’s Leipzig motor show.
Set for UK sale in June, Merc’s small car receives a host of revisions that are not only claimed to make the three-and-a-half-year-old A-class more economical and cleaner than ever before, but also safer and, through an extended list of optional equipment, more luxurious.
As with the facelifted version of the larger B-class revealed earlier this month, the mid-life styling changes to the second-generation A-class are very subtle. Among the mild visual tweaks are a new-look grille insert, altered headlamp graphics, edgier bumpers, lightly reworked tail lamps and a new range of alloys wheels.
The big news, however, involves Merc’s efforts to bolster the A-class’s environmental credentials. To that end, the German car maker has introduced a standard-fit BlueEfficiency package to the existing A150 and A170, as well as a new 82bhp, 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, common-rail A160 CDI model.
Following on from the C160 Blue Efficiency unveiled at the Geneva motor show, the trio of frugal new A-class models receive a start-stop mechanism that automatically cuts the engine when at standstill, plus a brake regeneration system that re-uses energy created under braking. Other measures include a 10mm lowering in ride height for improved aerodynamic efficiency and low-resistance tyres.
The A160 CDI BlueEfficiency model boasts average fuel consumption of 62.8mpg and a CO2 rating of 119g/km. Mercedes-Benz is claiming average fuel consumption of 48.7mpg and a CO2 rating of 139g/km for the 95bhp, 1.5-litre, four-cylinder A150 BlueEfficiency.
The facelifted A-class’s safety kit has been expanded to include adaptive brake lights that flash during emergency braking, and interior lights that turn on automatically following an accident of a pre-determined severity to provide occupants with better orientation.
Mercedes-Benz has increased the options list, including a new park-assist system that uses ultrasonic sensors to measure spaces and automatically manoeuvre the car into them. There’s also a new Europe-wide navigation system boasting voice-operated control, as well as external MP3 and USB compatibility.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Bye-bye budget cars... Chevrolet is ready to flex its muscles in the performance market. It won’t be unveiled officially until the Detroit Motor Show in 2010, but the stunning new Camaro has already been spied undisguised by our snappers in the US. The styling has barely changed from that of the Camaro concept which appeared at the 2006 Detroit expo. Angular lines, sharp details and bulging panels provide the Canadian-built model with a truly American look. Even the shapes of the front and rear lights are daring and distinctive, showing just how Chevy intends to rival the new Dodge Challenger. In the US, the most popular model in the range is likely to be the flagship V8 variant, but a cheaper V6 Camaro will also be offered. What’s more, bosses are considering using an efficient four-cylinder powerplant, in anticipation of even higher fuel costs before the end of the decade. The newcomer shares its basic architecture with Vauxhall’s VXR8, so has a rear-wheel-drive transmission. Even though the Camaro will deliver Porsche-chasing performance, the firm is promising bargain prices, and the two-door is set to be cheaper than the VXR8. As a result, the V8-powered model will be available for less than £35,000. The Camaro is expected be available in right-hand drive when it goes on sale in the UK in 2010. It will head a rejuvenated Chevrolet line-up that will leave its Korean roots behind and embrace its US heritage. Before the Camaro is officially revealed, the General Motors-owned firm will pull the covers off its Lacetti replacement at the Paris Motor Show in September. Codenamed J300, the new compact model – which is based on the same platform as the next-generation Vauxhall Astra – will be available first as a four-door, while a hatchback variant is due to join the range at a later date. The French event will also see Chevrolet reveal a new MPV concept. This will be the first of many models, as the firm is promising to launch one every 16 weeks until 2012.
Disguised prototypes of the all-new 2010 Rolls-Royce, codenamed RR4, have been seen testing near Munich. The car will be an ddition to the Phantom line, and it's somewhat smaller. The RR4 will be launched initially as a sedan, though two-door variants, both fixed- roof and convertible will inevitably follow.
Rolls-Royce's Goodwood plant in southern England will assemble the cars, and it's getting a doubling of capacity to cope. That implies an output of 1000 RR4s per year, only one-eighth of Bentley's output of Continentals. Rolls CEO Ian Robertson confirms this positioning: "It will be significantly more expensive than the Bentley." Pricing is likely to be about $340,000 here in the U.S.
As it's being built in Britain, it can use all the skills there in hand-worked leather, wood, and paint. It'll offer high scope for personalization in trims and issues such as entertainment electronics. Under the skin, "the car will use some BMW DNA and some of ours," Robertson says. "It's Group technology."
Unlike the Phantom, it doesn't have an all-aluminum space-frame body, but has a variant of the next-gen BMW 7 Series steel-and- aluminum underbody, a flexible architecture that also will provide for the larger, lower 2012 BMW CS, a big sedancoupe seen as a concept at the 2007 Shanghai show. A specific Rolls body plant at Dingolfing, Germany will build the RR4 steel bodies as well as the Phantom shells, Robertson confirms.
The RR4 will be larger than the 7 Series and considerably taller and statelier. Photos show a car with an upright nose, more swept back than the Phantom sedan. It has the familiar thick Rolls C-pillar. The wheels are extra large; it's a Rolls-Royce cue that they're half the height of the vehicle.
Expect the car to use a V-8 with direct gas-injection and twin-turbo technology as shown in the BMW X6. Robertson refuses to confirm this, but says the RR4 will be efficient. "Remember, the Phantom is already the lowest-consumption car in its class and we want to repeat that." He points out that Rolls must be open-minded about powertrains in the long-term future. "Last year everyone was talking about hybrids. This year, it's plug-in hybrids and diesel, too. I won't rule anything out, but I won't rule anything in. I believe gasoline has a long way to go, yet."
Thursday, March 27, 2008
It's official – BMW is working on a top-secret new eco-friendly model which could mark the rebirth of the famous Isetta badge.
Auto Express first broke news of the plans to revive the name on a green city runabout back in Issue 989, and now company chairman Norbert Reithofer has revealed further details of the programme.
The initiative, known internally as Project i, includes development of an all-new urban runabout that will complement the existing BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce ranges. According to Reithofer, the i stands for innovation, rather than Isetta – although bringing back the brand behind the original microcar would make perfect sense for the German firm’s fourth potential model line-up.
Engineers working on the project are currently evaluating which technologies the Smart ForTwo rival will use, with advanced electric systems and fuel-efficient petrol and diesel powerplants under consideration. “We will look at all these things before we decide whether this might be a sub-brand for BMW or MINI, or whether it is a standalone marque,” said Reithofer.
The firm already has a hybrid version of its new X6 crossover SUV in the pipeline, while its Efficient Dynamics technologies are available on MINI and BMW road cars. They include a stop-start system to cut CO2 emissions and improve fuel economy, and a clever set-up that harnesses energy generated under braking to recharge the battery. Aerodynamic tweaks to items such as the wheels and wing mirrors also help to minimise drag.
The original Isetta bubble car was a hit in the Fifties and measured only 2.4 metres long. However, while that was a three-wheeler, its modern day successor will get four wheels and a reverse gear – the original version famously did without one. There is no fixed timeframe for the new model, but a design study of the eco machine is expected by 2010.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Calling all fast Ford fans – get ready for the ultimate Fiesta. Following our sensational pictures of the ST in Issue 994, Auto Express can now give you the best look yet at an even hotter version – the RS.
Taking Fiesta performance to new heights, the exciting model will be a stripped-out, lightweight pocket rocket. It’s effectively a hardcore version of the ST, promising few creature comforts but amazing handling and even more driver appeal.
The newcomer is set to rival forthcoming high-performance superminis such as MINI’s John Cooper Works, along with existing extreme hot hatches including Vauxhall’s Corsa VXR. But the Fiesta RS will actually be closest in spirit to the Renaultsport Clio 197 Cup – another car that takes a minimalistic route.
As you can see from our exclusive images, the aggressive bodykit adds bulging wheelarches, lowered side sills and a rear spoiler to the Fiesta’s already sporty lines.
News that a hot Fiesta is on the way will be music to the ears of buyers who had been looking forward to the previous-generation Fiesta RS, previewed at the 2004 Geneva Motor Show as a concept (pictured below right).
That project was canned when Ford bosses couldn’t make it economically viable across Europe. RS sales are always biggest in the UK, whereas take-up in France, Germany and Spain is much smaller. These days, conditions are, if anything, even tougher with high steel prices and a strong Euro making it very difficult to make money on a small car – particularly if it’s a flagship performance hatchback.
However, thanks to Ford’s increased profitability in Europe, hot models are back on the agenda. The Focus RS has already been given the green light for production (see Issue 992) and the Fiesta version is the next step.
Available in limited numbers, the hot Fiesta will have a special-edition feel with a stripped-out cabin featuring racing-style seats, lightweight materials throughout and lots of RS detailing. To keep the weight down, kit will be basic – and that’s great news for performance.
It’s likely to use a slightly uprated version of the ST’s potential 1.6-litre turbocharged engine – inspired by the hi-tech range of small cap-acity direct-injection EcoBoost turbo units revealed by Ford at the Detroit Motor Show earlier this year. With that on board, the RS would develop about 200bhp and sprint from 0-60mph in only six seconds, on its way to a 140mph top speed. With its light weight, CO2 emissions and economy should be kept down.
It’s unlikely, however, that the Fiesta will follow the forthcoming Focus RS’s lead by having a clever front differential. But it could use Ford’s six-speed twin-clutch semi-auto gearbox with steering wheel-mounted paddleshifters, giving the RS the feel of a Junior World Rally Car. Add wider tracks, stiffened springs, uprated dampers and thicker anti-roll bars plus fat, sticky tyres, and the RS promises to handle brilliantly.
While the new Fiesta will reach dealerships in October and the ST is due in 2009, the RS isn’t likely to arrive until 2010, with a potential price tag of around £17,000.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Is this the car that will finally bring Honda’s luxury Acura brand to British shores? According to our sources, the image on the right provides the best insight yet into plans currently under review to do exactly that.
Based on the chassis that underpins Honda’s four-wheel-drive Legend saloon, the model is being described as a replacement for the top-of-the-range Acura RL – a front-wheel-drive machine available in the US market.
Power is from an all-new 4.8-litre V8 engine producing at least 420bhp, and the newcomer will also benefit from a development of Honda’s Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) transmission, along with a special cylinder deactivation engine management system that cuts fuel use. The hi-tech drivetrain is able to channel power to individual wheels, and works as a highly advanced traction control package. This will provide the new model with tremendous stability on slippery surfaces.
Meanwhile, the engine’s cylinder management set-up uses electronic valve control technology, which can switch off some of the chambers to boost mpg. It means that at cruising speeds, the V8 can run on only four cylinders. But then, under full throttle, the system will reactivate all eight of them, enhancing performance.
Other technology tipped to appear on the RL includes night vision, as well as an evolution of Honda’s Lane Keep Assist set-up, which is already offered in the Legend and Accord.
A self-driving feature should also mean the car will be capable of parking itself, while a hybrid version of the Acura has not been ruled out. This would threaten to lure customers from rival Lexus’s petrol-electric LS600h.
After making its first public appearance in the middle of 2010, the new RL is expected to land in American showrooms carrying a price equivalent to around £45,000.
According to sources at Honda, the firm’s domestic market in Japan will be the next target. If the launch there is successful, sales in the UK could follow as early as 2012.
Monday, March 24, 2008
- Volvo XC60 (38%)
- Toyota iQ (23%)
- Ford Fiesta (15%)
- Honda Accord (15%)
- Volkswagen Scirocco (7%)
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Several years after unleashing the Solstice roadster, Pontiac is following up with a hardtop fastback rework of the vehicle called the Solstice Coupe Concept.
Inspired by the Solstice hardtop concept that wowed the crowds at the 2002 Detroit auto show and foreshadowed the roadster's arrival, the Solstice Coupe should arrive at dealerships in early 2009.
With the Solstice designed as a convertible from the ground up, only slight changes had to be made to the chassis to convert it into a fixed-roof coupe. There's minimal weight gain to the tune of just 31 pounds, which is equivalent to the weight of the removable, Targa-style magnesium roof panel. A soft roof cover and home storage case for the panel will be options.
The roof brackets and other mounting bits for the roof are made of aluminum, the extra weight of which, along with all the extra sheetmetal necessary for the coupe, is counterbalanced by the weight savings due to the removal of the convertible-top mechanism. ducktail spoiler and new taillight assemblies
Other Coupe-specific touches include a ducktail rear spoiler and new rear taillight assemblies. Pontiac says vehicle dynamic characteristics and other factors such as fuel economy should be virtually the same as the roadster.
The Solstice Coupe employs the same powertrain options as its drop-top sibling, the 2.4-liter Ecotec with 173 horses with a five-speed manual, or the 260 horse, 2.0-liter turbocharged Ecotec unit that powers the Solstice GXP, mated to a five-speed automatic.
Pontiac is silent on pricing, but it shouldn't be substantially different from that of the roadster. While it's uncertain what impact the Coupe will have on Solstice sales, it's a safe bet to say that it will be a positive one -- especially for those who have balked at the Solstice's roadster's balky top.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
We expect the new Maxima to ride on Nissan’s new D-platform, with styling not drastically different from the current model’s.
As we reported when we caught a camouflaged Maxima prototype, the Maxima likely will continue to be offered with Nissan’s VQ35DE 3.5-liter V-6, but that engine has been tweaked to 270 horsepower in the Altima and 265 in the Murano—either of which is a significant boost over the current Maxima’s 255 horsepower. Torque should be about 248 pound-feet, up from 240 now.
The 2009 Maxima also will get an updated continuously variable transmission, which will likely continue to be the only transmission offered.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Sport Truck," or ST, is just a placeholder. It's the generic name for the El Camino-style 2010 Pontiac G8 variant based off the Holden Ute. Try saying "Ute" over here without sounding like Joe Pesci describing a young person in "My Cousin Vinny." GM is holding an online contest at www.pontiac.com/namethiscar to pick a name. The result will be announced on April 15.
It could've been Caballero, after the late-1960s/early-1970s GMC version of the Chevy El Camino. GM is "tripling" its Buick-Pontiac-GMC dealerships in the States, and all you'd need is a different nose for this thing. It wasn't the cost of a new nose that made GM pick Pontiac over GMC. It was, to quote product manager Brian Shipman, because of the Ute's sportiness, and "it probably wasn't the best fit for 'Professional Grade.'" The two-door, he says, is a better fit for Pontiac.
That seems a flimsy argument, given that GMC is about to get a second unibody, front-drive crossover, based on the Pontiac Torrent, to complement the larger Acadia. And some Sierra pickups are two-doors. Anyway, the G8 ST comes over in late autumn 2009 with only the GT's 361-horsepower/385 pound-feet V-8 and six-speed automatic. Its wheelbase is stretched 3.7 inches over the sedan and it's 5.7 inches longer overall. The frame and structure have been reinforced to stiffen the pickup body.
Pontiac isn't about to talk sticker price, but it looks like it could echo the G8 GT's $29,995 price or command a couple thousand more.
Target audience? The warm "smile states," people with motorcycles and wave runners and the like. The bed is 73.9 inches long and 47.4 inches wide between the wheelhousings. Payload is 1316 pounds, towing capacity is 2000 pounds, and there'll be no all-wheel drive. There could be all sorts of variants, like an LS3-powered GXP or a V-6, but nothing else is "in the cards" so far, Shipman says. Pontiac could change its mind and bring in the handsome wagon (call it "Safari"), only if the market here for wagons changes drastically.
There could be another coupe, maybe called "GTO," but GM says the new Holden 60 coupe is no more than a concept, so far. How many renamed Utes could Pontiac sell? It's a "segment-bending" model, with no existing competition to help make a guess. In other words, Pontiac is in the dark on how well it will sell as we're in the dark about its name.
Mercedes introduced its B-Class, the automaker's successor to its controversial A-Class, in mid-2005, and since then the four-door hatch "Baby-Benz" has proven to be one of the company's most popular models. Having sold approximately 325,000 units worldwide so far, today Mercedes unveiled a freshened design with a host of small improvements.
On the outside the 2008 B-Class receives a new front end, with a three-slot grille painted metallic gray and featuring a large three-pointed star mounted in the center, similar to a C350 Sport. Along the sides the door handles, side mirrors, and skirt panels are now body colored, and the rear receives a new bumper, "high-brilliance look" taillights, and a chrome handle strip across the hatch. A black plastic insert on the rear bumper is replaced by chrome on models featuring the sports package. Inside the new B-Class features improved materials overall and a new fabric adorns the seats and door linings.
Livability is also improved with two new tech features that focus on the B-Class' primary role as intra-city transport: an optional active parking assist system can guide drivers through tricky parallel parking maneuvers, and hill-start assist keeps the car from rolling backwards when starting off uphill. However the B-Class' most interesting updates are under the hood. The B-Class will now feature 6 available engines: two direct-injection diesel engines making 109 hp and 140 hp respectively, and four gas variants with power ranging up to 193hp. For the first time all gas engines will come with an Eco start/stop function similar to the systems on hybrid cars, which can reduce fuel consumption up to 9% in city driving.
In addition one of the engines, dubbed BlueEFFICIENCY, will be able to run on both premium gasoline and natural gas used in conjunction with each other to maximize range. The NGT (for Natural Gas Technology) model contains a standard gasoline tank as well as 5 natural gas tanks, and the driver can choose which fuel to burn at the touch of a steering wheel button, even while the car is at speed.
The closest the B-Class currently gets to U.S. shores is in Canada, where the model is a strong seller. Mercedes has indicated that the B-Class may come to the U.S. as well. With automotive tastes here beginning to shift from large, gas-hungry vehicles to smaller fare, it's a fair bet that they will.
"I agree with his approach," Shipman continues, as if he'd have a choice. "He wanted a more refined approach, and he said, 'How many BMWs do you see driving around with a wing spoiler?'"
Before GM vice chairman and car guru Lutz arrived, the "Excitement Division" measured said excitement by how much cladding and "performance" spoilers it could trowel onto a car. Lutz ordered all that stuff stripped off and worked on making Pontiac the poor man's BMW. It hasn't been smooth going. Lutz earnestly compared the handling of some sporty front-drive Pontiacs with BMW's best. His first Pontiac-Holden hybrid was the quick but crude 2004 rear-drive GTO. And even now, the 2008 G6 GXP suffers some residual big-hair cheesiness. The front-drive G6's styling comes off as a bit common, Shipman thinks, so "we had to do something to maybe bring that out a little more. When you look at the G8 styling, the profile, the whole stance of the vehicle is unique. So we don't need to do the same thing to make this car stand out."
Like Teddy Roosevelt, or the sublime M3, it walks softly and carries a big stick. Pontiac estimates the LS3 will scoot from standstill to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, 0.6 second quicker than the G8 GT (which was 0.2 second quicker than the Dodge Charger R/T, as tested in our April issue). We have to bench-race the GXP for now. A 4.7-second 0-to-60-mph time would trump the Charger SRT8's 5.0 flat. Thanks to better handling and much better refinement, that 425-horsepower Charger won a two-car battle over the GTO in our December 2005 comparison, despite the LS2-powered Pontiac's quicker 0-to-60 sprint of-wait for it-4.7 seconds
Friday, March 14, 2008
We’ve been waiting for years now for new clean diesels from a number of different manufacturers, including Mercedes-Benz, and finally the German luxury brand is bringing 50-state BlueTec engines to the U.S. in its lineup of SUVs.
Debuting at the New York auto show in BlueTec guise are the 2009 GL320, R320, and face-lifted 2009, all boasting the AdBlue urea injection technology that cleans up the exhaust from the 215-hp 3.0-liter turbo-diesel enough for these diesels to be certified for sale in all 50 states. Currently, these models can only be sold in 45 states.
Urea—a nitrogenous compound found in mammal urine but also produced synthetically—is the BlueTec solution to the last emissions hurdle facing diesel engines in the U.S. Various catalysts and filters have reduced particulate emissions—the heavy black soot associated with diesel engines—to acceptable levels, but until now emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) have been too heavy for full 50-state certification. AdBlue is a urea solution injected into the exhaust stream that, when it reacts with the nitrogen oxides, breaks them down into nitrogen and water. The storage tanks for AdBlue should usually only need refilling every 10,000 miles, which will be done as part of Mercedes’s regular maintenance.
With the fuel-economy benefits of diesel—typically 20 to 30 percent higher than comparable gasoline engines—Mercedes is claiming a range of 600-plus miles for each of these three SUVs, meaning that road trippers will likely be stopping to drain their own urea tanks more often than to fill the fuel tank of their Benz.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Monday, March 10, 2008
Saturday, March 8, 2008
CITROEN C4 PICASSO IS THE FAVORITE - Citroen C4 Picasso (60%)
- Mazda 5 (30%)
- VW Touran (10%)
- Opel Zafira (0%)
Friday, March 7, 2008
Based on the pictures we just got from our spies, the 2010 Chevy Equinox appears to share its bodyside stampings, wheelbase, and certain other key elements with the Cadillac. This prototype’s front end appears to be darn close to that of the shorter-wheelbase Vue, though its thin bar in the middle of the grille—as opposed to a fat bar at the top of the grille—clearly gives this one away as a Chevy.
The interior shot reveals interesting thick-rimmed gauge pods and silver trim around the HVAC registers—design elements we’ve not seen on Chevrolets before.
Under the skin, little is known at this point. We expect GM’s 3.6-liter V-6 from the Vue will make it to the Chevrolet, and we half expect an SS version with a 300-plus-horsepower direct-injection V-6, as seen in the Cadillac CTS.
We’ll see what GM has done to address the Vue’s pesky weight problem, something which prevents even the hybrid version from getting truly great fuel economy.
But given that the current Equinox has provided the basis for a variety of alternative fuel powertrain experiments, including a small fleet of hydrogen fuel cell versions, we expect that the next one will include not only a two-mode hybrid, but also a plug-in hybrid, and the next generation of hydrogen fuel cell powertrains.
Regardless of what it has beneath it, we like what we see so far. If Chevy can pull the same kind of coup for crossovers that it did in the sedan market with the Malibu, we predict more praise for the bow-tie division.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Following the red Kizashi (pictured middle) from the 2007 Frankfurt auto show and the white Kizashi 2 (pictured bottom) from the 2007 Toyko motor show, Suzuki will roll out the Kizashi 3, its third take on a flagship model, on Thursday, March 20, at the New York auto show. The first two Kizashi concepts will join the newer sibling at New York. Suzuki hopes the concepts will wow American audiences and show the company's intentions to eventually offer a "larger, more It's fitting that Kizashi is the Japanese word for "prelude" or "foretaste." We don't yet have details, but expect wheels around 21 inches as on the first Kizashi as well as an environmentally friendly powertrain like the first Kizashi's 2.0-liter four-valve turbodiesel. With the Kizashi 2, Suzuki got an off-road-ready version of the concept out of its system, so we're ready to see more than just a sketch of the Kizashi 3 in person. upscale sport sedan."
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Monday, March 3, 2008
Check out Land Rover’s latest stunning show car – the LRX black and silver.
Following on from the popular baby-Freelander concept revealed at the Detroit Motor Show in January, the re-modelled Geneva Motor Show star is designed to show just how good the little Landie can look with a range of colours and accessories.Powered by a 2.0-litre turbodiesel hybrid powerplant, Land Rover claims the LRX is capable of 60mpg fuel economy with emissions of 120g/kmThe black and silver model will be unveiled at the first Geneva show press day tomorrow alongside the existing white LRX."With its metallic black paintwork, silver roof and precisely detailed exterior features, the second version of the LRX concept is designed to show how well the vehicle can deliver a contemporary example of personalisation," says Gerry McGovern, Land Rover's design director.When the production version of the LRX appears in 2009, a range of accessories will be offered to allow buyers to customise their cars. Phil Popham, managing director of Land Rover, added "we've always seen scope for LRX to provide a whole showroom of different models, with a range of powertrains including hybrids and bio-fuel capable engines."
- Daihatsu Sirion (42%)
- Suzuki Swift (23%)
- Honda Jazz (14%)
- Toyota Yaris (14%)
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Apart from the fact they reveal the Holden Coupe 60 is basically a three-year old design (executed under the direction of Mike Simcoe, the quietly talented Aussie responsible for the Commodore/G8 and now the designer with overall responsibility for all GM rear drive unibody cars) these pictures also show GM was contemplating a radically different front end design for the Zeta-based Pontiacs.
Had it been approved, this car's "wide-track" look would have appeared on the G8 sedan. However we understand it was a considerably more expensive option than the design that made it into production, primarily because it would have required unique headlights.
As we said in our story yesterday, the appearance of the Holden Coupe 60 doesn't necessarily mean a new Holden Monaro, and therefore a new Pontiac GTO (or G8 Coupe) is on the way. Holden needs Pontiac volumes to make production of the Monaro viable, but GM officials are worried that with the impending launches of both Dodge Challenger and Chevy Camaro, the U.S. coupe market is fast becoming saturated.
But what we do know now is GM could build a new GTO if we really wanted one.
All environmentally-friendly technology aside, this is still a concept Mercedes is using to spread word about its GLK SUV, which will enter the market in fall 2008. Putting its best wheel forward, the GLK concept wears eye-catching multi-spoke 20-inch light alloy wheels and an alubeam blue paint Mercedes says has an "incomparable depth." LEDs on the front fascia and a polarizing three-bar silver grille let everyone know you drive a compact hybrid SUV. Inside, the special GLK gets an upper dash lined in black leather, lots of aluminum trim, and leather seats in a color recalling the alubeam blue on the outside. Dark blue piped seams complete the package.
We think a diesel hybrid is an excellent idea, especially since Mercedes understands that the technology can be applied to other cars in its lineup. Allright, Mercedes, we've seen the concept. How long until we can drive a production Bluetec hybrid?
