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These days, most Toyota models are about as likely to get your pulse up as the latest hardware from Frigidaire. But it wasn’t always so. There was a time when Toyota counted itself among the world’s sports car manufacturers with vehicles like the Supra, Celica All Trac and MR-2. Those two-doors helped forge generations of enthusiasts before the company shuttered its go-fast ambitions, a door that is only now starting to open again thanks to the new GT 86/Scion FR-S codeveloped with Subaru. Now, according to Automotive News, the company has unveiled a new development and manufacturing framework designed to aid in producing more exciting vehicles. According to CEO Akio Toyoda, the revamped system will allow the company to design multiple models at the same time to reduce costs.

It will also cut the number of executives tied to the design review process to streamline decisionmaking. The company says that with too many people involved, vehicles have been built by “eliminating negatives” instead of focusing on their strengths. Added cooperation between the automaker’s planning and design units may foster more innovative styling, including models with lower centers of gravity and better aerodynamics. Think NS4 Plug-In Concept.

The Toyota New Global Architecture will first be applied to front-wheel drive models.

Toyota retools development process with goal of creating more exciting cars

The 2013 GS is the new face of the Lexus brand, and as it turns out, that spindle-grilled mug can take a serious punch. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has named the GS a Top Safety Pick after the reshaped Lexus sedan held strong in front, side and rollover crash testing.

To earn a Top Safety Pick designation, a car, truck or utility vehicle must achieve a top score of “Good” in front, side and rear impact crash tests. The IIHS test features taller cement crash barriers to simulate a collision with a larger vehicle and the front impact test is conducted at a speed of 40 miles per hour. The vehicle must also feature stability control and a roof that maintains integrity even at a weight equal to or greater than four times that of the vehicle. The IIHS reports that the GS could withstand 4.88 times its 3,715 pound weight.

The GS joins the RX and the CT 200h as the third Lexus model to net a Top Safety Pick.

2013 Lexus GS earns IIHS Top Safety Pick

The Most Fun You Can Have In A Full-Size, All-Weather American

The American full-size segment isn’t an overly welcoming place for those of us who worship at the altar of skinny-pedal antics. While European automakers are happy to deliver their customers a raft of monolithic luxury barges with Saturn V levels of thrust, We The People have been largely left with coma-inducing hardware like the Cadillac DTS, Chevrolet Impala and Lincoln MKS. Meanwhile, bruisers like the Mercedes-Benz E550 4Matic, BMW 550i xDrive and Audi A6 all boast all-wheel drive capability with sports-car besting performance cocooned in the threads of a tailored three-piece suit. These days, if you want serious big-car, bad-weather go with a domestic badge on the hood, you have just a few options, including the 2013 Taurus SHO.

So far, Ford says it hasn’t had any trouble convincing buyers to abandon traditional big-boned performance vehicles for the SHO resurrection. Around 10 percent of all Taurus sales leave the showroom with a SHO badge on the fender, and half of the performance sedan’s sales have been conquest buyers sniped from brands like BMW and Audi. For 2013, this D-class athlete boasts a slew of mid-cycle changes to keep the model fresh. If, like us, you have a hard time imagining a buyer skipping the 5 Series for a Taurus, a few new exterior tweaks, a more aggressive brake system, a reworked version of MyFord Touch and a new track performance package are all designed to help change your mind.

Continue reading 2013 Ford Taurus SHO

2013 Ford Taurus SHO

More than two years ago, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating the 1997-2008 Ford Econoline/E-350 and E-450 over faulty HVAC temperature controls. According to The Detroit News, stories of melting switches leading to smoke and hot buttons on the dash were recounted in 1,036 complaints received by NHTSA. Two years ago, the government agency upgraded the case to an engineering analysis, but its testing has led to the case being closed without determining that a recall is required.

Two fires due to the short circuits were also reported, but NHTSA found that the layout of the switch tended to prevent a fire when it went bad. Although there won’t be a recall, Ford has redesigned the switch and is informing dealers and customers about replacing the switch and electrical connector.

The vans that were under the agency’s microscope overlap with the 1999-2008 E-Series models in question in a lawsuit over flaking fuel-tank liners. Still, for perspective, the E-Series has been America’s best-selling full-sized van for decades, and according to Ford, those from 1997-2008 have done more than a billion miles.

NHTSA ends 27-month investigation into Ford E-Series vans

Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S got you excited? Well, it appears the new Toyobaru twins might be moving the needle at other automakers, too. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the pair may have challenged Nissan to once again reinvestigate its on-again, off-again plans for an affordable, lightweight sports coupe of its own. Nissan’s Chief Creative Officer, Shiro Nakamura, says his employer is looking at downsizing its Z sports car, though it isn’t clear if that would mean the Japanese automaker would field two separate Z models or just replace the current 370Z with a smaller, less costly model.

“I much prefer smaller sports car,” Nakamura tells the Herald. “It is the time to look at that. With 370Z, we still don’t know next generation will have a larger or smaller engine.”

If Nissan were to reduce the size of the 370’s powerplant, it would be the first time that model’s displacement has dropped. Since the Z gets its model designation from the size of its engine (3.7 liter V6), Nissan could have a problem marketing a smaller Z called the 300Z, since the last time a new 300Z was sold in the States was way back in 1986.

More likely would be the revival of long-forgotten nameplates like 200SX or 240SX. Either would almost certainly be direct competition for the Subaru and Scion rear-drive coupes.

Nakamura reminded fans that even if the 370Z loses some cubic inches, Nissan will still have the young but already legendary GT-R. When asked if Nissan would be willing to support three sports cars, Nakamura says, “If there is a market, we will do it.”

Nissan renews talk of sub-370Z sports car to take on Subaru BRZ

Volvo is poised to rapidly inflate its presence in China, and it believes the way forward is through an $11 billion spending plan. “We want to revive Volvo and give the brand its strength back,” says Li Shufu, Chairman of Geely Automobile Holdings. Speaking with German magazine Wirtschafts Woche, Shufu disclosed that Geely will put up $11 billion for a new engine factory, increased research and development and technology upgrades. However, Volvo’s Per-Ake Froberg tells Reuters that Volvo itself will be providing the funds through borrowing and other means.

No matter where the funding comes from, the investment is meant to aggressively drive the Volvo brand in the Chinese market, where the Swedish brand sold about 50,000 cars last year. Geely wants Volvo to account for 20 percent of the premium car market in just three years(!) with a target of 200,000 vehicles for 2014. It’s all part of an ambitious plan to double Volvo sales over the next ten years, and for its stewardship, Geely will get a new premium brand for China that uses Volvo tech and engineering. In addition, the two brands will be combining their purchasing power to get better deals from suppliers and small engine and electric vehicle development will also be shared between Volvo and Geely.

As the last Swedish brand standing, it’s heartening to see that Geely has designs on increasing Volvo’s sales. Here’s hoping the recently voracious appetite for cars in the Chinese market doesn’t shortchange American buyers looking for Nordic iron.

Geely announces $11 billion investment in Volvo

If you haven’t noticed, NBC’s The Office has really jumped the shark since Steve Carrell left the show at the end of last season. Or maybe the beginning of the end was Pam and Jim’s wedding during the sixth season. Regardless, the point is that the show is no longer very funny or edgy, nor does it ever make the audience uncomfortable in the way the brilliant original BBC version did. Rather, as the main characters in the American version of the show have become caricatures, The Office has grown predictable and formulaic.

And this is why Chevrolet can launch an ad campaign like its “Under The Blue Arch” series. Despite the brief, 30-second running times of the ads, the characters are instantly recognizable and the “plots” are easy to follow. Although the scenes set in a Chevy dealership play with the tropes created by the Emmy Award-winning series, they do so to little comic effect. Because comedy isn’t the point – these are ads, after all, full of ham-handed product information and designed to sell cars.

If anyone should understand that it’s Joel Ewanick, General Motors’ Chief Marketing Officer. Yet he told Automotive News at the New York Auto Show that GM has “talked about turning this into an actual show because we’ve got so much material.”

Well, that Chevy product line isn’t nearly the joke it once was, but if you say so…

Let’s just chalk this one up to Ewanick being a bit starstruck. “Under The Blue Arch” was created by Randall Einhorn, one of the directors of The Office, and it “stars” Wayne Wilderson, who appeared on the NBC show in 2006.

Click past the jump, where you can watch a few of the ads.

Continue reading GM’s Ewanick mulls turning Chevy ad campaign into sitcom

GM’s Ewanick mulls turning Chevy ad campaign into sitcom

The 2013 SRT Viper stole the New York Auto Show this week with its 640-horsepower 8.4-liter V10 and the promise of even better tire-melting performance. It’s the crown jewel in Chrysler’s Street and Racing Technology brand headed by Ralph Gilles, President and CEO of SRT, Senior Vice President of Chrysler Design and the man most credited with resurrecting this beast.

Discontinued in 2010, the Viper was always a brutal and unforgiving car. It was the baseball bat of supercars.

Autoblog got a chance to sit down with Gilles and ask him five questions. Always the gentleman, Gilles answered six.

Gilles and his team walked a narrow line refining the Viper to the point of Italian Boss Sergio Marchionne’s acceptance, but still remaining true to the car.

Before, the Viper was brutal, it’s transmission tunnel heated up so much, the sparse cockpit turned into a crock pot. It did not even offer stability control, now required by law, meaning one wrong move, one slip of the clutch and the Viper would be wrapped around a light pole faster than an airbag deployment.

Even getting out of the Viper, with its side-mounted exhaust pipes, could be a challenge, giving the car one last chance to leave its mark, literally, on your calf.

Autoblog got a chance to sit down with Gilles and ask him five questions. Always the gentleman, Gilles answered six.

AB: The new design is pure Viper, but it seems to have some influence from those Italian super cars. What’s the percentage of the Viper that’s American, percentage that’s Italian?

Gilles: Maybe five percent Italian. The seats, the seats are the same supplier as Ferrari. It’s all American. Done inside, done outside, it’s all all American.

Continue reading Five Questions with Ralph Gilles about the 2013 SRT Viper

Five Questions with Ralph Gilles about the 2013 SRT Viper

We have to admit to being fairly smitten with the promise of the low-slung Acura NSX concept that debuted at the Detroit Auto Show back in January. But for this moment – and for the next several moments – “promise” is all it is, because Acura says we shouldn’t expect an NSX in showrooms until sometime around 2015. (Back in January, Acura advised that the production car is “expected to debut in the next three years.”) Until then, Honda’s premium outpost is going to do whatever it can to stoke the fires to keep interest high, including star-studded Super Bowl commercial appearances and this – a drophead spinoff that will be Tony Stark’s ride in this summer’s The Avengers blockbuster from Marvel.

We first saw this car thanks to some intrepid movie set shots by would-be paparazzi back in early October, but this is the first official acknowledgement and image of the car that we’ve seen. Early in March, we told you about alleged patent drawings of an NSX convertible that was very similar to the Detroit showcar, which some interpreted as Acura planning both a fixed-head coupe and a roadster for production. However, those drawings look an awful lot like the car shown here with the exception of small details like a unique wheel pattern and differing seatbacks, so while it’s possible that Acura is pondering a topless NSX, the renderings could have simply been to protect design rights to the movie car, especially considering that neither Stark’s ride nor the patent drawings appear to have headlamps.

We’ll have to wait and see what Acura decides regarding its Ohio-built all-wheel-drive hybrid supercar, but we suspect that even if it does greenlight a convertible version, we probably won’t see it until 2016. Which is… a really long time to keep believing in a promise.

Continue reading Acura previews Tony Stark’s NSX roadster from The Avengers

Acura previews Tony Stark’s NSX roadster from The Avengers

After we saw spy shots of a long-wheelbase BMW 3 Series for China, we knew it one was coming. Now BMW has confirmed that the car will indeed bow at Auto China 2012, otherwise known as the 2012 Beijing Motor Show, which kicks off on April 23.

The LWB 3 Series has an 4.3-inch wheelbase stretch and will be offered with three powertrains. The smallest is the 184-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that’s not available in North America. The 240-hp, 2.8-liter sold here in the 328i will also be available, as will the 300-hp, turbo 3.0-liter six-cylinder. The LWB 3 Series models will carry the “Li” suffix like we’ve seen on the 7 Series, so the three models will be designated 320Li, 328Li and 335Li.

Click past the jump to see the press release, and be sure to check out our gallery.

Continue reading BMW confirms 3 Series long-wheelbase model for Beijing

BMW confirms 3 Series long-wheelbase model for Beijing

If you’ve attended major international auto show in the U.S. this season, you’ve likely seen this car: Edsel Ford’s 1934 Model 40 Special Speedster. We first saw it at the Monterey Concours d’Elegance last August, then again in January at the Detroit Auto Show. It is, frankly, a most beautiful specimen, and since we hadn’t yet taken the opportunity to capture it with our own lenses, New York seemed like the perfect place to hold an impromptu shoot.

The Speedster has a very long history going back to 1932 when Edsel Ford, then president of Ford Motor Company, returned from Europe and asked design director E.T. Gregorie to pen a sports car similar to the ones he saw running around Europe. It started out as a 1934 Ford, but was radically altered to make a low slung, two-seat sports car with technology that wouldn’t appear on production Fords for many years. It originally weighed 2,100 pounds and was powered by a 75-bhp Model 40 flathead V8 that was later replaced by a 100-bhp Mercury V8.

Edsel Ford enjoyed the car until his death in 1943, at which point the car began a journey of many ownerships, ultimately vanished and then resurfaced in 1999 when it was sold to a collector for $1.76 million. When the collector died, the Speedster was given to the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House who oversaw a complete restoration of the car. It now travels the auto show circuit, on display in a place of honor within the Lincoln display.

Continue reading Edsel Ford’s 1934 Model 40 Special Speedster

Edsel Ford’s 1934 Model 40 Special Speedster

Chrysler has announced that in honor of the brand’s return to the Chinese market, it’s bringing two design concept to the Beijing Motor Show later this month. The first is a sharp-looking 300C with an all-black exterior, a set of very large wheels and a two-toned interior with light-colored leather seating surfaces. The seatbacks are embossed with some sort of symbol, what looks to be gusts of wind. Chrysler says this special 300C was “created specifically with Chinese elements in mind,” but we’ll have to wait a couple weeks to find out exactly what that means.

The 300C, however, is a wallflower compared to this Jeep Wrangler design concept that unabashedly wears its Chinese pride like a flag draped around its shoulders. Said to be inspired by the Year of the Dragon, the black Wrangler features dragon decals on its sheetmetal, some small and some very large, as well as a very ornate image of a dragon on the underside of the hood. The all-black exterior is set of with gold accents on the black wheels, as well as gold trim around the headlights and trademark seven-slat grille. Lastly, the lighting has been upgraded with a set of high-tech LEDs set within the Wrangler’s traditional round headlamps. It may be strange to see all that Chinese iconography on something so American as a Jeep Wrangler, but it’s no more stranger than an American flag-wearing edition of the Italian Fiat 500.

Continue reading Chrysler preparing two Chinese-influenced concepts for Beijing

Chrysler preparing two Chinese-influenced concepts for Beijing

The streets of Gotham are about to look a lot different. After being inundated with legions of bulky Ford Crown Victoria and the occasional Toyota Sienna or Prius for years, New York City’s hack pool is slated to get a fresh crop of yellow ugly thanks to its “Taxi of Tomorrow” program.

Chief among those vehicles figures to be the Nissan NV200 Taxi, also unveiled at this week’s New York Auto Show, but the Japanese automaker isn’t the sole manufacturer to be in the good graces of the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission. The 2013 MV-1 seen here has also gained approval, and its maker, the snappily named Vehicle Production Group, notes that this is the first purpose-built vehicle to gain the board’s approval since the Checker Cab.

And not only is the MV-1 purpose-built for taxi duty, it was designed with the Americans with Disabilities Act in mind – the square-rigged design is built around a 56-inch by 36-inch door for wheelchair access, and VPG will fit MV-1s with either manual or power ramps as requested. The American-made, body-on-frame MV-1 will also be available powered by Compressed Natural Gas.

It remains to be seen how many taxi companies are eager to buy vehicles from a startup automaker, but VPG says it has approval for up to 13,000 units. We imagine much of the MV-1’s success will come down to pricing and reliability, as well as acceptance of the vehicle’s unusual appearance. Of course, Nissan’s new NV doesn’t look like it will be contending for any design laurels, either…

VPG Autos MV-1 Taxi will leave the light on for you

J.D. Power has become a household name thanks to the organization’s yearly awards based on in-depth consumer surveys about all manner of goods and services. In the automotive industry, manufacturers constantly struggle to best each other for top honors, and that struggle has helped push the industry toward ever-better quality. But as Ward’s Auto points out, few people know the man behind the name.

James David Power III began licensing manufacturers to use his award in advertisements in 1986, two years after Subaru dropped the J.D. Power name in a Super Bowl ad.

In 2005, Power sold J.D. Power and Associates to publishing giant McGraw-Hill, but stayed on with the company until 2009. Even after his departure, Ward’s Auto says Power is proud of the empire he helped build. While outlets like Consumer Reports have gained a substantial following, the organization only polls its own subscribers, while J.D. Power takes its data from a larger cross section of consumers.

Using a separate operation to keep conflicts of interest at bay, companies must pay a fee to be able to use the J.D. Power name in their ads. Yet J.D. Power is not without controversy – auto companies pay substantial fees for access to its various quality metrics and counsel, leading critics to suggest there’s a conflict of interest in having a quality auditor paid by the very companies it monitors. In addition, critics note that the company’s much ballyhooed Initial Quality Study isn’t purely a study of manufacturing defects, but rather an arcane formula that mixes actual owner problems with design flaws (think: cupholders that can’t hold a Venti Frappucino from Starbucks). As most consumers are likely to equate the idea of quality with a product free of problems, the thought is that this is somewhat misleading methodology.

Either way, there’s no doubting J.D. Power’s impact on the auto biz – both the company and the man who bears its name. To learn more about him, check out the in-depth Ward’s Auto article at the link below.

Who, exactly, is J.D. Power?

While it doesn’t even appear as a bad pixel on most enthusiasts’ radar, the Toyota Venza serves legions of mainstream consumers perfectly well. To keep the unassuming family hauler from lagging behind its advancing competition, the automaker has introduced a refreshed and tweaked 2013 Toyota Venza at the New York Auto Show.

Look carefully on the exterior and you may notice the freshened fog lamps or redesigned grille on the front fascia. Out back, there are restyled taillamps. Three new colors join the pallete (Attitude Black, Cypress Pearl and Cosmic Gray Mica). Under the hood, the engines are carried over from last year (2.7-liter four-cylinder or a 3.5-liter V6, depending on trim level, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission).

With the exception of the new interior color (black leather or black cloth upholstery) and new buttons on the steering wheel, the cabin appears virtually identical. However, there are more standard features on the LE trim (blind spot mirror, eight-way power-operated driver’s seat, puddle lamps, tilt/telescope steering wheel, and more) and the range-topping Limited receives LED running lights and a premium navigation system with Entune connectivity. Most of the new features are offered across the model range, but at an additional cost. The updated 2013 Toyota Venza goes on sale in late May.

2013 Toyota Venza is updated and refreshed. Yay.

Porsche has announced that Ferdinand Alexander Porsche – grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, son of Ferry Porsche and designer of the iconic 911 – passed away today, April 5, at the age of 76. He died in Salzburg, Austria of unknown causes.

It goes without saying that the 911 is the most important product in the history of Porsche, and it’s a testament to Ferdinand Alexander’s skill as a designer that his original shape has evolved so little since 1963 when it debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

The 911, though, isn’t his only achievement. He was also reportedly very proud of another car he designed, the 904, as well as founding the industrial design company Porsche Design Studio in 1972.

Continue reading Ferdinand Alexander Porsche – designer of the 911 – dies at age 76

Ferdinand Alexander Porsche – designer of the 911 – dies at age 76

Ram is out to make both Ford and General Motors sweat with the Auburn Hills automaker’s newest pickup, the 2013 1500. Debuting at the 2012 New York Auto Show, the half-ton pickup bows with less weight, an efficient new 3.6-liter V6 option and an eight-speed automatic transmission. Chrysler projects the V6 alone should help yield 20 percent better fuel economy over the old 3.7 lump, thanks in part to a start/stop system. While there are no solid EPA numbers as of yet, our estimations put the vehicle at around 17 mpg city and 24 mpg highway. Throw in aerodynamic tweaks like an active shutter system that closes off the engine bay and a standard air-ride suspension that lowers the vehicle by as much as 1.2 inches for better efficiency, easier loading and load leveling and you have a force to be reckoned with.

The Pentastar churns out 305 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque, besting the 3.7-liter V6 in the Ford F-150 by around three ponies. Chrysler has also increased the output of the optional 5.7-liter V8, from 390 hp to 395 and 407 lb-ft of torque. Engineers managed to free up the extra grunt by using an electronic power steering system in place of the old belt-driven unit. Interestingly enough, the V8 will also boast 20 percent better fuel economy thanks to an eight-speed automatic.

In addition, the new 1500 features a tweaked interior, complete with the company’s excellent 8.4-inch UConnect touch screen interface. We love the system in vehicles like the Dodge Charger, and the tech should be right at home on the big pickup.

Chrysler also managed to trim a significant amount of weight from the 2013 Ram 1500. In V6 guise, the truck now uses aluminum control arms, an aluminum hood, a new bed and frame design as well as lighter bumpers for a combined weight savings of around 147 pounds over the previous generation. V8 models get away with a more modest trimming. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading 2013 Ram 1500 ups the pickup ante with new V6, less weight

2013 Ram 1500 ups the pickup ante with new V6, less weight

When we read through the press materials for the new 2013 Toyota Avalon, we had to double-check… had we downloaded the release for the wrong car? Because right here it says, “In Sport mode, throttle response is enhanced and steering effort is weighted… to offer a sportier character.” And what’s this about paddle shifters? This is the Avalon, the car that replaced the Mercury Grand Marquis in the hearts, minds and garages of Florida retirees.

But yes, we had the right car. Apparently Toyota is serious about developing more interesting and youthful products, and it’s off to a good start with the Avalon, based on what we have heard and seen at the New York Auto Show today. The car was developed, styled and engineered in the United States, and it will be built here too, at Toyota’s Georgetown, KY, plant. While that doesn’t mean much without a product that can deliver the goods, we like most of what we see. From the A-pillar on back, the new Avalon looks long and sleek and seems to have a lot of BMW inspiration in its design. The front grille, however, has way too much Hyundai Genesis Coupe in it for our tastes. Inside the Avalon, we see what looks to be a pretty stunning instrument panel design, and we’re intrigued by the capacitive touch controls Toyota has included.

While Toyota is declining to say anything about what powers the new Avalon other the fact that the engine will have six cylinders, we can’t imagine it will be anything other than a version of its corporate 3.5-liter. The big question is how much horsepower this new, sportier Avalon might be packing. The current car has 268 horses, though another derivative of the engine in the Lexus GS boasts 306. The 2013 Avalon goes on sale late this year, and we must admit, this is the first Avalon we might actually be excited to drive. Click past the jump to read the full press release.

Continue reading 2013 Toyota Avalon looks to shed geriatric image

2013 Toyota Avalon looks to shed geriatric image

Yes, Infiniti has indeed made a habit of teasing the masses with exotic and eco-friendly concepts at some of the world’s largest auto shows over the past few years, notably with the Emerg-E and Essence Concepts. But, unlike those rolling showcases, the automaker claims its latest reveal, known rather cryptically as the LE Concept, will hit dealerships within the next two years in nearly unchanged form.

According to Infiniti, the LE Concept boasts a 24kWh lithium-ion battery made up of 192 cells, positioned under the passenger compartment floor. For those keeping track, this sounds like the same battery used in the Nissan Leaf. The 100kw electric motor, however, is upsized for this application. The LE’s 134 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque represent increases of 24 horses and 30 lb-ft over its less powerful sibling.

Infiniti is quick to point out that the LE Concept is not a small car. At 186.4 inches, its length is roughly the same as Infiniti’s G sedan. Atop the EV platform sits a highly streamlined body, which pays dividends with a .25 coefficient of drag that ought to help the LE reach its estimated 100-mile range (the latter being the same as the Leaf).

Inside, Infiniti uses words and phrases like double-wave and “Hamon” (ripple) design to describe the LE’s purposeful cabin. Ahead of the driver sits both analog and digital readouts showing speed, distance remaining and even the location of available EV chargers in the vicinity, all powered by an Intel Atom processor.

There’s plenty of technology packed into the LE Concept, including what the automaker calls Infiniti Connection, which includes Infiniti’s Personal Assistant 24-hour concierge service, navigation, and POI search. Also on the menu is a wireless charging system in addition to the standard DC 50 kW quick charger.

Infiniti Americas Vice President Ben Poore says the company expects the LE to “be the first home-based wireless charging system if adapted for the production version.” Yes, we noticed the ‘if,’ too. Guess we’ll have to wait and see about that bit. In any case, feel free to read all about the LE Concept in the press release below and to check out our high-res image galleries.

Continue reading Infiniti LE Concept will spawn production electric sedan within two years

Infiniti LE Concept will spawn production electric sedan within two years

First announced last October, the reborn, all-electric Delorean has made a surprise appearance at the New York Auto Show this year. It’s a surprise because not even Delorean Motor Company president Stephen Wynne knew he was going to be here until a few weeks ago, when show organizers called with an invite.

With a prime spot near the EV ride along track – the DMCev is sadly not involved – Wynne said he’s been getting good attention, even though said track is in the basement. We asked Wynne what’s been going on with the car since last fall’s announcement and the short answer is that this is one EV concept that’s going into production.

The target date for fans to buy the DMCev is early 2013, but a lot has to happen between now and then. Right now, all the company has is the converted DMC-12 to show off the technology. To create this, the designers had to add 200 pounds of stuff, and the production version is going to be either the same weight as the gas version, or a few pounds less, in order to improve both performance and range. The car is powered by a 32-kWh lithium iron phosphate battery pack and has a 125 mile per hour top speed with a range of 100 miles. Published specs claim a 0-60 time of 4.9 seconds, but Wynne said the target is now under six seconds. Price for all this fun? $95,000.

DMC will assemble the car in Houston, TX with a lot of help from Louisiana’s Epic EV, the company working on the Torq and Amp vehicles (not the Amp conversions). These two companies are testing different motor/inverter combinations for the electric Delorean, and Wynne said they are looking for a “proven product” from a company that has at least “several hundred” units on the road. The current prototype also uses a DC motor, but the production will use AC for better range, performance and regenerative braking ability. The old-school dashboard is also due for an upgrade

Those are the details we could glean in New York. Can you believe we made it through this entire post without a Back To The Future reference? The DMCev can’t do it, though, with a license plate that reads “Gas? Where we’re going we don’t need gas” and a battery that carries the “Flux Power” nickname. For more, you can watch a video of Translogic going for a ride in the DMCev down below, where you’ll also find a related press release.

Continue reading Delorean Electric surprises in New York, will cost $95,000 in 2013

Delorean Electric surprises in New York, will cost $95,000 in 2013