is bringing its diesel-powered to the States after all. But don’t get too excited – it’s only coming in the form of a concept car at the . At least, for now.
We last saw the Alltrack at the in November where VW announced that it would offer the all-wheel-drive wagon in the UK with two versions of the 2.0-liter turbo-diesel inline-four. The engines are rated at 138 and 168 horsepower, the smaller of which is available with a manual transmission.
Despite the fact that the Tokyo show car was a full-on production model, VW is calling the New York-bound Alltrack a concept to presumably gauge the U.S. public’s perception. If Americans seem open to the Alltrack, it would be a welcome alternative to ’s pricey Allroad and granola-flavored .
Check out our Tokyo Motor Show below, and for the official press blast. Be sure to tell us if you think the Passat Alltrack should come to the states in our poll, as well.
BMW i, the sub-brand within with its eye towards the future of mobility, has unveiled its third concept, the i8 Spyder. Based on the that debuted last year alongside the i3 city car, the i8 Spyder is at once an obvious followup, but also appears to be a couple of steps closer to the production models that will eventually go on sale to the public.
Like the coupe, the i8 Spyder is a plug-in through-the-road hybrid with a 96 kW (131 horsepower) electric motor up front powering the front axle and a mid-mounted turbocharged three-cylinder gas engine (presumably with a displacement of 1.5 liters like the coupe) producing 223 hp that powers the rear. A pack of lithium-ion batteries are located in a center tunnel between the two power sources, which together can produce a total system output of 354 hp and 405 lb-ft of torque. On electricity alone, the i8 Spyder can travel about 19 miles before the gas engine turns on to recharge the batteries. BMW says the system is good for 94 miles per gallon on the Imperial cycle, which converts to upwards of 78 miles per gallon on our own EPA cycle.
The beauty of the i8 Spyder’s drivetrain is the car can be front-wheel-drive, rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive depending on whether efficiency, performance or all-weather traction is called for. Like the coupe, the i8 Spyder also features a perfect 50:50 weight distribution, and BMW claims to have completely cancelled out the extra weight of the hybrid drivetrain through extensive use of lightweight materials like carbon fiber and aluminum. Performance is also impressive, with 0-62 mph happening in five seconds and a top speed governed at 155 mph.
Not everything between the coupe and spyder is the same, though. The i8 Spyder has a slightly shorter wheelbase and overall length. Its upward-swiveling, windowless doors are also different. The car’s developers have also whimsically included a pair of electric scooters underneath a glass panel in the rear. Aside from a few more exterior tweaks to accommodate the open air design, which can be closed again with a two-section folding roof, the rest of the i8 Spyder is identical to the coupe, including the interior that features a slightly warmer choice of colors.
Scroll down for the official specs and info from BMW, and stay tuned while we hunt down the i8 Spyder for some in-person impressions. Though BMW makes no mention of its appearance at next week’s , the timing of this debut suggests it will be there.
We will now know the “” – the small four-door “coupe” built on the MFA platform supporting the (pictured above) and – as the CLA. It will debut at April’s , and it’s just one of the five variants that has planned for its MFA underpinnings.
When it hits the streets in 2013, advance reports indicate that both front- and all-wheel-drive versions will be available. Power will come from a range of gas and diesel engines with anywhere from 110 to 150 horsepower (there’s even a potential AMG model with more than 300 hp on the way), mated to seven-speed dual-clutch and six-speed manual transmissions.
Of note, though, over its long gestation, the CLA has been referred to as the CLC, but the CLA and CLC are different cars. The CLC is the Concept Style Coupe, said to be , which was a two-door hatchback, yet also of the , which was a sedan. The CLA will make its debut in China, but the CLC will be at an Mercedes-sponsored art festival called “Transmission LA: AV Club.” The Beijing show and the art festival overlap, so we’ll find out which car is which and what they both look like soon enough.
At this point, we’ve salivated all we can salivate over this year’s Easter Jeep Safari Moab concepts. The and Mighty FC will always hold a special place in our hearts, and now has released a video describing how the vehicles will help shape future product development. While it’s no surprise we won’t see a new Forward Control lounging on dealer lots any time soon, Jeep may shift some of the paint options shown on the concepts to production. Jeep famously brought the portal axles found under the Mighty FC concept to the Mopar accessory catalog after receiving such a strong reception at last year’s East Jeep Safari, and other elements of the concepts may become a reality as well.
The biq question, of course, is whether or not Jeep will ever make the leap to building a legitimate small pickup. The company’s executives have repeatedly acknowledged consumer demand for a diesel-powered model of that ilk in the past, and the company says that it is currently taking those views into consideration as it develops the next generation . That means that we won’t be seeing the J-12 on the street any time soon, either. to see the video for yourself.
If you haven’t had a chance to sit down and watch the full 13-minute CBS “60 Minutes” segment on that , we have yet another reason for you to do so. The good people at Allpar.com seem to have spotted something interesting lurking in the background of an interview with Ralph Gilles, head of design for Chrysler. Look closely, and there’s a red sports coupe hanging out just over the executive’s shoulder. Allpar.com seems to think this is a glimpse at the rumored Barracuda resurrection. After all, Chrysler made sure to trademark the ‘Cuda name earlier this year.
Automotive News took the time to ask Chrysler about the vehicle in the video, and the company very tactfully replied that the vehicle is “just one of the many concepts and projects in our studios. That is one student model.”
A student model that may hint to the design of the Barracuda? Possibly. See the complete video if you missed it the first time ’round.
has just released a teaser image of what it says is an all-new, designed-in-America sedan that will debut at the next week. It isn’t immediately clear if the vehicle will be a concept or production car, but Toyota has issued no showcar qualifiers, suggesting it’s something that will be in dealers soon. Described as having “an elegant yet athletic look,” the teased rear end most likely belongs to the next-generation full-size sedan.
While we can’t be sure until the wraps are removed in New York, the Avalon is our best guess based on who were shown it last year in June. The dealers drew comparisons between the redesigned Avalon and upscale cars like the and , suggesting it will transition from a traditional sedan to a four-door coupe shape. The teaser image provided today by Toyota supports this, showing a severely sloped C-pillar and little-to-no rear deck. And while the cut lines for the trunk aren’t visible in this rendering, we wouldn’t be surprised if that’s a hatch.
Toyota’s new sedan, whatever it is, will makes its worldwide debut on April 5 at the New York Auto Show. We’ll be there covering it live, so keep your computer tuned to Autoblog for more.
has released details on six new concepts the company crafted for this year’s Easter Jeep Safari, including the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk Concept. And while that vehicle boasts a slew of off-road goodies, including tow hooks, aggressive Goodyear Wrangler rubber and a rear light bar, we’re more interested in the wicked Mighty FC Concept pictured above.
Engineers built the Mighty FC as a tribute to the Jeep Forward Control that was offered between 1956 and 1965. Using a as a platform, the company stretched the wheelbase, stuck the cab ahead of the front axle and threw in a custom drop-side cargo box. Underneath, the Mighty FC uses a set of Mopar eight-lug portal axles, which offer a surprising amount of ground clearance without having to resort to a lift. If you like what you see, the axles are available for a combined price of $23,500. The truck rolls on 40-inch tires, and a King coil-over suspension handles the bumps and bruises of the trail.
Of course, the Jeep J-12 Concept (above, left) is equally delicious in its own right. An extended version of the JK-8 pickup, the concept began life as a 2012 Wrangler Unlimited, though the frame has been stretched a total of 18 inches. With a full six-foot bed, custom hood and unique fenders, the concept is straight awesome. Build it, Jeep.
The automaker also showed off an accessorized version of the standard Wrangler as well as a Wrangler Traildozer concept (above, right). The latter of the two was built by partnering with the off-road gurus at American Expedition Vehicles. With a 470-horsepower 6.4-liter V8 and a Getrag six-speed manual gearbox, the machine has the go-bits to tackle any trail. Dana 44 axles with electronic locking differentials at the front and rear are also part of the package.
Likewise, the Wrangler Apache concept (above, left) gets its power from the same fire-breathing Hemi, though that vehicle uses a Mopar conversion kit for the swap. With a beefy lift and 5.13 axles, the Apache should have no problem taking on the rocks of Moab.
Unfortunately, Chrysler has yet to release a full batch of official images for each vehicle, so went to their headquarters in Auburn Hills, MI, and shot them ourselves. for the lot of them, as well as Chrysler’s official press release.
If you were in Houston back in January for the car show there, you may have seen a there which dubbed a “production-intent concept.” The most iconic of Chrysler brands then with a similar GC with more of a Storm Trooper look, joined by a blacked-out . These, too, were called “production-intent concepts” – a name that wasn’t all that dynamic. So Jeep opened a contest called “Name My Ride,” and the handle chosen was “Altitude.” Now Jeep is putting the Altitude into its product catalog for the , Compass and the , too.
Like the concepts, the production Altitude special editions are characterized by their blacked-out approach. For the Grand Cherokee, that means a black grille surround, black headlamp trim, black liftgate light bar, blacked-out 20-inch alloys and a black interior, complemented by “platinum chrome” on the lower fascia and the mesh grille. For the Compass, the Altitude edition blacks out the grille, headlamp bezels, roof rails, step pad and 18-inch alloys (as well as the interior), whole the Patriot Altitude gets black 17-inch alloys and cabin but trades in most of the rest for chrome and polished steel.
If this all strikes you as just too dark, each model is available in other colors for the bodywork, in which case the black trim provides the contrast. They all come packed with optional extras as well, with prices starting at $20,240 for the Patriot Altitude edition, $22,190 for the Compass Altitude and $35,595 for the Grand Cherokee Altitude. Like what you see? Check ‘em out in the high-res image gallery and the full press release .
Autocar reports may be mulling a production version of the company’s LF-LC Concept. After receiving a near universally positive reception following its unveiling at the Detroit Auto Show this year, Karl Schlicht, head of Lexus product planning, reportedly gave the vehicle a 50-50 shot at hitting dealers sometime in the future. Those aren’t great odds, but it is a change of tone from when the vehicle first hit the stage. Back in January, made it very clear the LF-LC was strictly a concept. As you may recall, the vehicle is a 2+2 coupe with a hybrid drivetrain and a low-slung presence.
According to Schlicht, the vehicle would have never even been considered for production if it had merely been submitted as a design proposal. With a physical concept backed by chorus of positive reviews, the company’s decision makers have evidently been prompted to give the LF-LC a second look.
Schlicht himself is set to become the head of product planning for Toyota and Lexus starting on April 1.
Automotive News reports is staying the course with the company’s EXP 9 F SUV Concept. The ultra-luxury automaker plans to bring the vehicle to the Beijing Motor Show exactly as it appeared at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this month, despite the fact that the concept didn’t exactly debut to resounding acclaim. Critics described the design as awkward and unbecoming of nameplate like Bentley, but the automaker says it wants to vet the design in as many markets as possible before finalizing the exterior. Here’s hoping the crowds in China are as repulsed as those in Switzerland.
The EXP 9 F has already been green-lit for production, and while we have no qualm with the thought of a high-riding luxury brute with a twin-turbo 12-cylinder engine under the hood, we’d like to see something a little less muddled outside. Bentley says an SUV will give the company a leg up in markets like the Middle East and China, where luxury SUVs remain king. Through the first two months of this year, the company’s sales are up 66 percent in China, putting the country ahead of the United States as the largest market for Bentley products.
When Ford unveiled the at the New Delhi Auto Expo in January, we were smitten. A pint-sized, good-looking CUV with thrifty engines could do well here in the States. Brazil’s Noticias Automotivas has caught what looks like a production EcoSport sans camo before it undergoes crash testing and, as promised, it looks little changed from the showcar.
The sparkly LED-powered headlights are gone but everything else seems to be very close to what design boss told us about in New Delhi. The final version is expected to come with two engine options: the 1.6-liter Sigma and the 2.0 liter Duratec.
Despite Ford’s plans to expand the EcoSport beyond Brazil, we’re not hopeful it’ll be sold in North America, as we’ve heard Blue Oval executives dismiss the -sized CUV as too small. Be sure to check out Noticias Automotivas for additional photos of the new EcoSport.
has not been long known for polarizing design. The company’s styling philosophy has read more closely along the lines of “cheap and cheerful.” But when it brought out the in 2008 as a 2009 model, Ford started down a road of trying to be more expressive, emotional and evocative in the design of its crossovers and SUVs, not just with the Mustang.
For Ford, the Flex has been one of those hollow victories. The people who buy it love its Mini-Cooper-on-a-high-protein-diet look, especially with the available two-tone paint jobs, and the comfortable packaging and cruising ride they get without bumping up to a frumpy minivan. The trouble is that there haven’t been enough of those happy buyers taking the plunge.
Ford sold just 27,000 Flex models last year, down 20 percent from the year before – not exactly one of CEO Alan Mulally’s homeruns. Also, its marketing has been confused since its debut. Ford initially pitched it as a cool urban crew wagon – think Funkmaster Flex. The advertising Powerpoint presentation actually said “No dog drool.” No kidding. The high-concept ads were all shot at night on city streets. It bombed. Soon after launch, we saw families and even a dog or two in ads.
Our spy photographers managed to spot something curious (and decidedly hilarious) recently. General Motors has been busy testing what would appear to be models with massive 20-inch wheels and tires in place of the low-rolling resistance pieces on the stock plug-in.
Why? Guesses are slim at the moment, but one hypothesis is that this is actually our first glimpse at a Cadillac Converj test mule. That vehicle will make use of an altered version of the Voltec drivetrain found in the , albeit bolted to flashier wheels. The luxury hybrid has been an on-again-off-again affair for since the concept first rolled across the stage at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show.
Last we heard, the Converj is on track for launch in either 2013 or 2014. If true, now would be the time to begin working out any engineering bugs on the rumored Voltec 1.5 system. With luxury buyers more willing to hand over stacks of cash for new technology, the Converj could make quite a bit more sense to buyers than the Volt. Or bolting chrome dubs to a hybrid, for that matter.
The all-electric hasn’t exactly set the sales charts ablaze since it hit the market, but it has succeeded in delivering a zero-emissions halo to the brand, and the model’s fortunes are poised to improve now that it’s a 50-state offering. What’s more, TheDetroitBureau.com reports that the electric love will soon migrate over to Nissan’s luxury marque, but with a lot of Leaf under some sexier sheetmetal.
We’ve heard rumors of an Infiniti-branded EV concept for some time now, but details on the electric concept car have been scarce to this point. Now, the automaker tells TDB that it will feature G-Series-inspired styling with a sprinkling of inspiration from the concept (pictured above). Infiniti wants to frame the unnamed concept as a luxury car first and EV second, with more performance and a larger battery pack than the Leaf’s 24 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion setup.
The concept will reportedly also utilize a 6kWh charger that will charge a spent battery in about half the time needed for the Leaf. The beefier charger is likely to make it to production, since the Leaf will reportedly get the 6kWh unit by December.
Freightliner is stealing the spotlight at this week’s Mid-America Trucking Show in Kentucky with a new truckconcept. The Revolution Innovation is aimed squarely at reimagining the face commercial trucking. With innovations like a more aerodynamic body, cold-rolled aluminum frame that’s 200 pounds lighter than its steel equivalent, low-slung engine placement and an intelligent rear axle that can automatically switch between four and six-wheel drive as needed, the concept is more fuel efficient while retaining plenty of functionality.
Designers looked at how most drivers use their rigs, and determined that most of the time, there’s only one occupant in the cab. To that end, they scrapped the passenger door in favor of a more efficient work station and a rest area. There’s even an innovative rear door between the cab and trailer. A new gauge cluster and cell-connected center console both add extra layers of functionality as well.
Outside, clever use of LED lighting and low-drag cameras replace traditional design elements. Despite its concept looks, the Revolution Innovation is a fully operational truck. to check out the full video for yourself and peruse the gallery for more.
Spring means lots of things to lots of people, but for owners, this time of year points to just one main event on the calendar: Easter Jeep Safari. This year, Jeep and Mopar have put their heads together to create another group of awesome concepts. All told, the automaker will roll out six new vehicles in the desert, including the , Jeep J-12 and Jeep Mighty FC concepts – the last of which is pictured above. We can’t say much about what the Apache will bring to the table, but the J-12 looks to pay homage to the old Kaiser Jeep M715.
Another year, another Jeep pickup truck that’ll likely never make it to production. Sigh.
Still, the truck should be as cool as can be. Speaking of awesome, the Mighty FC teaser hints to the resurrection of the long deceased Forward Control. Our hearts ache from how killer this is. All six concepts will be unveiled in Moab on March 31. for the brief press release.
The Citroën DS6 Concept may have slipped out ahead of the showcar’s planned debut later this year. What is believed to be the big DS was seen lounging on the streets of Paris during a recent photo shoot, and while initial photos like the one above show the car covered by a well-placed cloth, new shots from have come out that show the concept in its entirety. The massive alloys shown above look to be the same as the ones we’ve already seen poking through the lens-flare-riddled teasers. Details are still scarce about what the DS Concept will bring to the stage in terms of drivetrain, but the French automaker has made it clear it has its eye on creating a new, large cruiser aimed squarely at the large-sedan hungry Chinese market.
Citroën is likely to unveil the DS6 Concept at the Paris Motor Show in September, and may borrow more than a few elements from the built just for the Shanghai World Fair. While the exterior elements may vary considerably, both vehicles are expected to carry approximately the same dimensions. That means the DS6 may be over 17 feet long and more than six feet wide.
For more shots of the car uncovered, head over to .
We can’t quite explain why we’re so drawn pre-production test mules. Maybe we just like the thought of seeing a vehicle as it grows from concept to reality or being able to take a peak into the engineering behind a car that will hit production soon. Either way, videos like the one after the jump flip all the right switches for us. , EVO recently got the chance to ride along in an early version of the 2013 Porsche 918 Spyder. With two electric motors and kicking V8, the car is good for a dizzying 770 horsepower combined.
EVO gives us our closest look yet at the vehicle’s driveline, including the 80-kW electric motor in the front and the 90-kW motor in the rear. Interestingly, as Evo points out, the 918 can be powered purely on the front-mounted electric motor that drives the front wheels. That’s right, this is the first production front-wheel drive Porsche, even if it’s only likely to operate as such a sliver of the time. Even with all the technological whizzbangery on board, the 918 still sounds like a true when the 570 horsepower V8 barks to life. Porsche has worked to keep as much of the vehicle’s weight below the center line as possible, and as a result, the engineers had to resort to some cleverness when it comes to exhaust routing and the like. to see what we mean.
We saw the 2013 last fall , but today we get the real thing – in pixelated, jpeg form, that is. Indeed, this is about as close as U.S. buyers will probably get to the new Trailblazer. While we weren’t expecting General Motors to change its tune about bringing the diesel-powered, seven-seat SUV stateside, we called and asked anyway. spokesman Tom Wilkinson told us, “There are currently no plans to bring that vehicle to the U.S.”
While the good-looking TrailBlazer would certainly look right at home sitting next to the 2013 on dealer lots, Chevy already has a three-row utility vehicle in the . Buyers in Thailand, where the vehicle debuted ahead of the Bangkok International Motor Show, are more apt to need a real body-on-frame SUV like the TrailBlazer. And U.S. buyers looking for a three-row truck can still roll in a . Either way, The General has to figure it doesn’t really want another burly three-row utility vehicle sitting on its CAFE ledger.
Still, there’s much to like about the 2013 TrailBlazer, especially underhood. GM is offering two turbo-diesel four-cylinders in 2.5- and 2.8-liter displacements. The smaller engine is rated at 150 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, while the extra displacement bumps horsepower to 180 and torque to a particularly impressive 346 lb-ft. A five-speed manual and six-speed automatic will be offered. GM says the engines are designed to last for 240,000 kilometers – nearly 150,000 miles.
The TrailBlazer will hit dealers in Thailand in June, with much of the rest of the world – minus the U.S. – to follow. Don’t thing this is some stripped out truck for developing economies though, as the TrailBlazer is sporting a pretty long list of standard features, including lots of safety equipment – stability control, ABS, traction control, electronic brake-force distribution, and hill descent control – that we take for granted here.
Click to read the full press release, and be sure to check out our .
has announced it will debut a concept version of the at the New York Auto Show next month. Details are scarce at the moment, but we wouldn’t be surprised if the vehicle turns out to be a thinly veiled look at the next version of the funky crossover. Honda has a long and storied history of rolling out concepts with more than a passing resemblance to its production models. Given that the Crosstour has only been on the market for a couple of years, we aren’t anticipating an all-new model, or perhaps even a heavy redesign.
Back in December, Honda President and CEO Tetsuo Iwamura told Autoblog that he was “really disappointed” with sales of the Crosstour, which he maintained has “.” Even so, Iwamura acknowledged that Honda would further refine the vehicle’s styling and performance. As to the latter, Honda now offers buyers the ability to with a more fuel-efficient four-cylinder. The move was largely thought to be in response to the fact that competitors like the are available with four-pot motivation.
Still, all the engine options in the world won’t save the Crosstour from its inherent design issues. Specifically, the Crosstour offers compromised rear visibility and cargo area, not to mention its highly controversial appearance. Will the concept headed to New York address those ails? We certainly hope so. for the brief press release.
