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	Report: Coda delays deliveries of all-electric sedan to late 2011 The bad news continues.		Think City will cost $34,000 before incentives Targeted customers include, well, city folk.
	In deep with Better Place How to profit while swapping batteries selling miles.	Other news: Report: Volvo expected to announce expansion of C30 electric test program Battery guru Martin Eberhard will leave Volkswagen Nissan to charge up Chile ahead of Leaf’s arrival

AutoblogGreen for 11.17.10

One could be excused for thinking that the definition of urban luxury might be the Cadillac Escalade, but apparently the hive mind at General Motors’ most luxurious division have other thoughts on the subject. In fact, it seems Cadillac is thinking the exact opposite. To wit, take a gander at the Urban Luxury Concept that’s being debuted at the 2010 LA Auto Show.

As would seem appropriate for a car intended for urban confines, this Caddy concept features rather small exterior dimensions, but the automaker claims that it’s large inside with seating for four occupants. Wheelbase comes in at a hair over 97 inches and overall length measures 151 inches. Width is listed at 68.1 inches and height at just under 57 inches.

Ingress and egress takes place through a pair of scissor doors that extend outward and rotate forward when opened – supposedly a boon for tight urban parking spaces. The rest of the exterior carries the brand’s Art and Science motif to new levels and could sort of be described as a Smart Fortwo or Aston Martin Cygnet drawn with nothing but a straight edge. We wouldn’t call it pretty, but striking would certainly be an apt descriptor.

Interior space is recovered by the lack of the expected gauges and control surfaces. Instead, we have projectors and a slew of capacitive touch screens that glow Tanzanite blueish-purple. There’s a hide-away right-hand touch pad and the back of the folding passenger seat converts into an Orbit Baby SmartHub.

Power comes from a 1.0-liter turbocharged three cylinder engine (perhaps the unit that was originally planned for the Chevy Volt?) that makes up part of a hybrid drivetrain. GM claims the system would provide a completely theoretical 56 miles per gallon in the city and 65 mpg on the highway.

To get the full story of the Urban Luxury Concept, you really need to take a look at our high-res image gallery below, and you’ll also find the complete press release after the break.

[Source: Cadillac]

Continue reading LA 2010: Cadillac unwraps Urban Luxury Concept

LA 2010: Cadillac unwraps Urban Luxury Concept

Ford likes to tout the 2012 Focus‘ global credentials, because this is the first time the compact sedan and hatchback will be offered with minimal changes in nearly every market the Blue Oval operates. Interestingly, the Ford has taken a similar approach with the racing version of the Focus, which it says is designed to compete in all kinds of rally racing both in the United States and throughout the rest of the world.

Power, predictably, will come from a tuned version of the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine that we’ll see in the upcoming Focus ST. You’ll find AST performance coil-over adjustable dampers at each corner holding up anthracite 18-inch wheels and Hoosier race tires. Other suspension bits include sway bars from Ford Racing with adjustable end links and front brakes with 320-millimeter two-piece rotors and race pads.

Inside, a full FIA-certified roll cage is included, along with Recaro seats with six-point racing harnesses and a full electronics package for keeping track of essential data. Interestingly, Ford says it teamed up with a number of professional private racing teams to develop its Focus Race package, which means it should be highly adaptable to multiple series and formats.

This car’s first appearance in competition will be at the 2011 British Touring Car Championship, but it will also circle tracks in China and at the 24-hour race at Nürburgring in Germany. Even more importantly, Ford says the upcoming 2012 Focus ST will benefit from the experience gained by racing its track-developed sibling.

In addition to the Focus Race Car Concept, also hitting the LA Auto Show floor will be three Focus models tuned with various aftermarket products. One will come from Ford’s own Vehicle Personalization group while the others will be presented by FSWerks and 3dCarbon, respectively.

Hit the jump for all the details in the complete press releases.

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading LA 2010: Ford Focus Race Car Concept goes global

LA 2010: Ford Focus Race Car Concept goes global

Sadly, it’s simply not possible to build an automobile that’s impossible to steal. But what we all hope for is that an automaker does all it can to make the unscrupulous thief’s job as difficult as possible. According to a report from WXYZ Action News in Detroit, General Motors full-size SUVs aren’t particularly hard to grab. In fact, the Cadillac Escalade is the insurance industry’s most hated vehicle with $146 in theft loss payments per insured vehicle, per year. On average, insurance companies pay out around $11,934 per theft claim when it comes to the Escalade with 10.8 of the SUVs stolen per 1,000 vehicles.

Gone in 60 14 seconds, says the news station, citing a security flaw in the design of the vehicles’ steering column (sounds familiar, no?). Specifically, it seems that the little locking metal pin that is supposed to keep the aforementioned Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon locked firmly in ‘park’ (which is supposed to be a safety feature, not necessarily a theft deterrent) is rather easy to defeat by giving the column-mounted shift stalk a hard yank down.

Also cited as a contributing factor is the lack of a steering wheel lock that inhibits directional movement of the vehicle when not running. It seems that GM decided to leave off this well-known feature for a period after the introduction of ignition keys with computer chips that make it difficult to start the machines without the properly coded chip.

Combine these flaws and you end up with a vehicle that isn’t all that difficult to steal. Here’s the process outlined in the video after the break: Smash the driver-side window (which apparently doesn’t set off an alarm) and force the column-mounted shift lever into ‘neutral.’ Step two requires some help: Have a buddy with a mutually lax sense of right and wrong push you and your confiscated SUV to a deserted area and strip it of all its pricey bits and pieces. Easy-peasy lemon squeezy, assuming you don’t have a bothersome conscience.

According to a spokesperson for Cadillac, The General is aware of these issues and has introduced laminated glass for the side windows along with a beefed-up locking pin for the shift lever. Also, these full-size SUVs were re-equipped with locking steering wheels to make them more difficult to push without the proper ignition key. In any case, we’d suggest you keep a close eye on your blinged-out sport ‘ute… and get used to paying higher-than-average insurance premiums.

Click past the break to watch a video of the full report.

[Source: WXYZ Action News]

Continue reading Video: Why the Cadillac Escalade is a particularly easy target for thieves

Video: Why the Cadillac Escalade is a particularly easy target for thieves

If you’ve been a long-suffering-standing fan of Gran Turimso here in the U.S., you probably know all about the game franchise’s GT Academy. The clever marketing ploy pitted European Gran Turismo fans against one another for a chance to hop behind the wheel of a real-life Nissan 350Z race car. Now it looks like American gamers will get the same chance. Nissan has announced that Sony is firing up the GT Academy in our neck of the woods. Racers will campaign various Nissan hardware in time trials, unlocking free content as they race.

Finally, the top 32 racers will compete live for just 16 slots in the finals. Those 16 gamers will go lock horns in a variety of competitions, including ones that involve hot-shoeing genuine Nissan 370Z and GT-R race cars around a track. Finally, the winner will have a chance to train with professional drivers and race as part of a professional team. Hit the jump to watch a video and for the full press release.

[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading Sony and Nissan announce GT Academy for U.S. [w/video]

Sony and Nissan announce GT Academy for U.S. [w/video]

Ford wants you to know that it has Four in the Forties. More specifically, four of its vehicles are rated at 40 miles per gallon or better. This reminder comes hot on the heels of an announcement made by Hyundai last Friday that every model of new 2012 Elantra, lineup will achieve 40 mpg on the highway.

Right now, only three of the Blue Oval’s vehicles actually wear the 40-mpg badge of honor: the Fiesta SE with SFE package, Fusion Hybrid and Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. Despite what Ford’s press release after the jump claims, each member of this trio is NOT rated at 41 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway – only the hybrids. The Fiesta tops out at 29 city/40 highway. The fourth member to join this family is expected to be the 2012 Focus, as soon as Ford finishes tuning its 2.0-liter, direct-injection engine and six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Once the Focus is ready to go, Ford claims it will be the first, and only, full-line automaker to offer four vehicles that are capable 40 mpg. Ford also claims that its fleet fuel economy has risen faster than any other automaker, some 19.2 percent from 2004 to 2009.

It’s really a matter of investment dollars, and Ford’s decision to invest in new powertrains is clearly paying off with a more fuel efficient fleet. That fleet will get even more thrifty once Ford’s new 2.0-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost becomes available in the Edge and Explorer, two CUVs that would traditionally offer only a large V6 or V8 option.

But Ford shouldn’t get too cocky, as all of its competitors are on the same path towards fleet-wide fuel savings and gaining momentum, not the least of which to be worried about is truck-free Hyundai/Kia juggernaut out of Korea.

Photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Ford touts “Four in the Forties”: Four vehicles with 40 mpg highway or better

Ford touts “Four in the Forties”: Four vehicles with 40 mpg highway or better

Each year the LA Auto Show plays host to the Los Angeles Design Challenge, where aspiring designers partner with automakers to envision the future of mobility. This year’s theme was to create the 1,000-pound car, and Mercedes-Benz’ three designs – one from the U.S., another from Germany and yet another from Japan – are predictably out there.

The entrant from Mercedes’ U.S. design arm in Carlsbad, CA was not only rendered but built into a full-scale model. The basis for the Biome Concept is a vehicle that “grows in a completely organic environment from seeds sown in a nursery.” Not only that, but it’s powered by a combination of the sun and a chemical bond from an imaginary liquid dubbed BioNectar4534. It’s all natural, all organic and all science fiction. Size-wise, the Biome comes in at a theoretical 875 pounds, but it’s massively wide, slightly shorter than a CL and about as tall as a Vector.

M-B’s German design team created the Smart Weight-Watch, an ultra-compact dunebuggy with removable and recyclable plastic and cloth panels, a carbon fiber tub and tires (you read that last part right) and a lithium-ion battery powering two 15 kW motors. Total weight: exactly 1,000 pounds.

Finally there’s the Maybach eRikscha from Japan, a four-passenger, two-wheeled “amalgamation of organic intelligence and biomechanical engineering artistry.” Ummm… sure.

You can bone up on all three concepts in the press release after the jump and check out live images and design sketches below.

Continue reading LA 2010: Mercedes-Benz shows off Biome concept for LA Design Challenge

LA 2010: Mercedes-Benz shows off Biome concept for LA Design Challenge

The lone spy photo of the 2011 Jeep Compass that was sent in by an astute Autoblog reader did nothing if not leave us wanting for more. Fortunately, more is just what we’ve been granted today by another eagle-eyed shooter who wishes to remain anonymous

Again, we can see a nicely restyled front fascia that brings Jeep’s entry-level nameplate more in line with the range-topping Grand Cherokee, and that’s certainly a welcome improvement. The chrome-highlighted seven-slot grille doesn’t look out of place with the Compass’ newfound hulky appearance. Looking past the nicely-styled fascia proves what we had surmised would be the case: a profile and greenhouse that are mostly left alone.

That means the Compass will retain the gently sloping roofline and reverse-crimped C-pillar arrangement of the first-gen model… for better or for worse. And while we still can’t say for certain, our best guess is that there will be a much nicer interior under that freshened sheetmetal, but likely no significant updates to the powertrain packages.

With auto show season about to kick off in LA, we shouldn’t have to wait much longer for a full reveal of the 2011 Compass. Even so, these spy shots make it clear that the next Compass will have its needle pointing dead North in comparison to the much unloved original, and we look forward to finding out how well Jeep is able to differentiate this machine from its platform-mate, the Patriot.

Reader Spy: More revealing 2011 Jeep Compass shots come to light

As much as we’d like to say that we didn’t see this one coming… well, we did. But, despite the fact that it would seem to be the obvious choice to take home the Automobile Magazine Automobile of the Year award, the voting crew claims that it “wasn’t a shoo-in.”

In fact, claims Automobile, “the Chevrolet Volt endured more scrutiny and skepticism than any of the nine other semifinalists.” We don’t doubt it, either. There’s no denying that the Volt has and will continue to receive more close scrutiny than just about any other vehicle that will be introduced this year or any other, and the voters are well aware of this fact. In other words, if the Volt wins a bunch of awards and turns into a major flop, the award-givers will have plenty of explaining to do…

Fortunately, it seems that the Chevy Volt is mostly worthy of the admiration it is receiving from the automotive press (the Volt was also named the 2011 Motor Trend Car of the Year). Automobile Magazine calls the Volt a “game changer,” and, with its innovative powertrain that should allow a large number of owners to drive almost completely without the use of gasoline, it’s hard to argue with that assessment.

Click past the break for a video of Automobile’s Editor-in-Chief, Jean Jennings, explain why the Chevy Volt is a worthy recipient of Automobile of the Year. When you’re finished, feel free to click here for a massive 10-page missive on the same topic.

[Source: Automobile Magazine]

Continue reading 2011 Chevrolet Volt wins Automobile Magazine Automobile of the Year award

2011 Chevrolet Volt wins Automobile Magazine Automobile of the Year award

Toyota has given the Corolla a quick refresh for 2011, and we can expect to get our first in-the-flesh peak at the design at the 2010 LA Auto Show later this week. Toyota says it sought help from styling studios in Turin, Italy, in shaping the small sedan’s revised nose and tail section. With a new bumper cap, grille and headlights, the 2011 Corolla now wears a face that’s a bit more differentiated from the much larger Camry. Out back, Toyota designers also gave the car a reworked trunk lid and rear bumper.

Next year will also bring a host of standard safety tech, including vehicle stability control and traction control. Otherwise, buyers can expect to be met with the same 132-horsepower 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine as the 2010 model. While we have no qualms with the company’s workhorse four-pot, we are more than a little disappointed to see that the archaic four-speed automatic will stay on for 2011 as well. At least the five-speed manual gearbox is still available. Hit the jump for a look at the press release.

[Source: Toyota]

Continue reading 2011 Toyota Corolla will debut in LA with new nose

2011 Toyota Corolla will debut in LA with new nose

Heads up, fifth-gen Camaro fans: General Motors has just released a full slate of official information on the drophead version of Chevrolet’s muscle car. The topless bruiser has undergone a significant amount of reinforcement to cope with the loss of structural rigidity that comes along with shaving a vehicle’s roof structure, and by bracing at the transmission, transmission tunnel and strut towers, GM claims that the Camaro Convertible has better torsional rigidity than the BMW 3 Series Convertible.

The convertible makes use of a folding softtop built by the same folks responsible for the unit in the Corvette, so it’s probably reasonable to expect the same center-handle locking mechanism. GM says that the top folks away in around 20 seconds. When up, the top uses composite knuckles to help do away with the traditional convertible roof ribbed look.

Like the hardtop, the Camaro Convertible will be available in both V6 and V8 trims starting at $30,000. Destination will cost you another $850. For that price, you get a row-your-own six-speed manual transmission, though a six-speed auto is also available. Something tells us that a manual-equipped Camaro Convertible is going to be a rare bird indeed.

Look for the Camaro Convertible to land on dealer lots in February of next year, but before that, you can expect a full slate of images and impressions from its introduction at the LA Auto Show later this week. While you’re waiting, hit the jump to have a look at the press release as well as a few videos of the softtop in action.

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading Officially Official: 2011 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible [w/videos]

Officially Official: 2011 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible [w/videos]

	Fisker says “Karma is the first and only true electric vehicle with extended range” Oh, snap.		Revenge of the Electric Car trailer will be released today Or maybe not.
	Toyota exec feels Chevy Volt’s gas-engine assist won’t affect sales Says, “it’s still an interesting car, a challenging car and all congrats for them to do it.”	Other news: Neil Young’s Lincvolt severly damaged in warehouse fire Chevrolet returns to Indy; will supply 2.4-liter twin-turbo E85 V6 Jay Leno drives the Think City, wishes it would break down

AutoblogGreen for 11.16.10

Top Gear is something of an institution among the car-obsessive types who come to Autoblog to keep up with the comings and goings of the automotive world. So it seems fitting that we should all take time out of our busy schedules to talk about the upcoming American version of the hit British show that debuts on the History Channel next Sunday, November 21st, don’t you think?

We had an impromptu phone call with the three hosts of the show, comedian Adam Ferrara, racing analyst Rutledge Wood and professional racer Tanner Foust, and managed to record the entire half-hour-long conversation. You’ll have to wait until tomorrow when we release the next episode of the Autoblog Podcast (subscribe in iTunes so you don’t miss it) to listen to the whole exchange, but in the meantime we’ve gone ahead and typed up some of the more interesting tidbits and nuggets of knowledge from our time with the Top Gear USA hosts.

Autoblog: What are your current dream cars?

Adam Ferrara: A current dream car for me… uh, a ‘57 Starfire Olds.

Tanner Foust: I’ve been lucky because I did another show where I got to drive exotics around… I drove a [Pagani] Zonda. And, ya know, it seemed a little gaudy over the top, but meeting Pagani, who’s just completely an eccentric, brilliant, rich car fanatic and completely anal retentive, it all came together with the planets aligned and made this amazing Zonda.

Rutledge Wood: I’m gonna say a little bit combo dream garage… it would be the A Team van, obviously. The ‘86 Countach that I had a poster of when I was growing up… it was white.

AF: Yeah, Okay. Well, first of all, I didn’t know we got more than one.

RW: The A Team van… I’m just saying, the three of us could just cruise around.

AF: But you didn’t say you were going to share and now you’re picking another one…

RW: Okay, I’m just sayin’ that would be fine. And another one. Don’t tell anyone else from the South I said it, but a Ferrari Enzo would be great.

AF: But if you want more than one, be honest. You want an ‘83 Civic wagon because I’m sure you need some more parts.

AF: I want a Grand National. Put the Grand National down.

And so we did. Buick Grand National for Adam, a Pagani Zonda for Tanner and, um, a 1983 Honda Civic wagon for Rutledge… or maybe a Ferrari Enzo. Or the A Team van.

Continue reading our questions and their answers after the break.

Continue reading Interview: Top Gear USA hosts go on the record with Autoblog

Interview: Top Gear USA hosts go on the record with Autoblog

The relationship between Lotus the automaker and Lotus the F1 racing team only seems to be getting more complicated. The name was licensed by Malaysian state automaker Proton to fellow Malaysian businessman Tony Fernandes for use by his F1 team. Then Fernandes announced he didn’t need Proton’s permission and bought the name from a third party who claimed ownership. Proton and Lotus disputed the claim and canceled the licensing agreement, but Fernandes insisted he was within his rights. Both Lotus and Fernandes then launched their own GP2 feeder teams. Rumors then surfaced that Lotus the automaker was set to jump into F1 on its own by buying Renault’s team, leaving us to wonder which team would race under the Lotus name and which would be forced to back down.

The signs seemed to point towards Fernandes losing the battle, but the latest word indicates otherwise. After racing their first season in classic Lotus green and yellow, the team has now announced it will be “returning” to the black and gold livery that Team Lotus used in its heyday under John Player Special sponsorship. Only now, of course, tobacco sponsorship is banned in F1.

Have the two Lotus outfits come up with this as a solution to differentiate one team from another? Or is Fernandes preparing to soldier on under the Lotus banner regardless of what the automaker says? We’ll find out sooner or later, but as of now it appears the controversy has far from subsided.

[Source: Autosport]

Lotus Racing to return to classic JPS black and gold livery

Ferrari was undoubtedly disappointed with the results from this weekend’s season-ending grand prix in Abu Dhabi, but the Italian outfit may have left with a parting gift. One they had to pay for, anyway.

According to reports, parent company Fiat exercised a clause to re-acquire the five percent stake in Ferrari which the company sold five years ago to Abu Dhabi’s state investment firm Mubadala.

The 122-million euro deal comes at an interesting time for a number of reasons. For one, the company just opened the Ferrari World theme park in the gulf emirate. For another, the news broke during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend itself. And finally, rumors have been circling recently that Fiat could itself be preparing to sell as much as 49% of Ferrari in the near future. Could the buy-back be a preparatory step to such a sale? Only one way to find out, so we’ll have to sit tight and see what develops.

[Source: World Car Fans]

Fiat reportedly buys Ferrari stake back from Abu Dhabi

Some racing teams are just that – racing teams – and nothing more. Ferrari, however, serves as a national symbol. When things are going well, it serves them as such. But when things go badly… as you can see from this story, people in high places can turn on them rather quickly.

Reports surrounding the condemnation of Ferrari’s unfortunate performance in this past weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where the team lost the title that seemed to be theirs for the taking, are running rampant around Italy. Some cabinet ministers are even calling on Ferrari chief Luca Cordero di Montezemolo to resign.

The calls, which were denounced by Fiat chief Sergio Marchionne among others, seem to lead further credence to longstanding rumors that Montezemolo could go into politics. A popular and influential national figure, Montezemolo is descended from Italian aristocracy whose family tree includes admirals, generals and cardinals. A former head of business lobby group Confindustria and of the Italian Olympic Committee, Montezemolo recently stepped down as chairman of the Fiat group, fueling speculation of his imminent move into politics.

The latest reports place Montezemolo leading a coalition in opposition to Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, whose moral credibility has come into question of late and from whose cabinet the calls for Montezemolo’s resignation have reportedly emanated.

[Source: The Canadian Press Image: Tiziani Fabi/AFP/Getty]

Italian politicians call for Montezemolo’s head over Ferrari’s F1 failings

According to a report from Japan’s Nikkei.com, Honda will stop selling the Civic sedan in its home market as soon as existing inventories run out. As customers shift their focus towards MPVs and more compact vehicles, the popularity of the Civic has dwindled substantially in Japan – only 452 of the trusty Honda sedans were sold in the automaker’s domestic market during the month of October.

Honda is still committed to offering the Civic sedan in other markets, such as the United States and Europe, where sales numbers are substantially more robust. In fact, new versions of both the U.S.- and Euro-spec Civics are set to bow sometime next year. Honda will continue to manufacturer Civic sedas at its Suzuka plant for export purposes. It’s unclear whether Honda will continue to import the European-built Civic Type R Euro hatchback into Japan. Thanks for the tip, Jim!

[Source: Nikkei.com]

Report: Honda Civic sales ending in Japan

During Hyundai’s product briefing on the 2011 Elantra last week, the automaker confirmed that a new version of the five-door Elantra Touring will be coming our way, based heavily on the swoopy new sedan that will debut at this year’s LA Auto Show.

In its current form, the Touring’s styling is quite different from that of the milquetoast sedan, though equipment levels and interior fittings are relatively similar between the two models. Hyundai Motor America President and CEO, John Krafcik, says that the automaker is still committed to offering the Elantra Touring here in the United States, but since that car is based on the i30 sold in other markets, we won’t see an updated version until a short time after the sedan’s launch. Krafcik confirmed that the new Touring will share the vast majority of its styling elements with that of the sedan, and that the two models will be better recognized as part of the same Elantra family.

No official time frame was given as to when we’ll see the new Elantra Touring, but since the i30 is due for a refresh in the near term, we’d expect to see the production model crop up sometime during the 2011 calendar year.

Hyundai planning new Elantra Touring based on 2011 Elantra sedan

We’ve known that a refreshed Jeep Compass is on the horizon for the 2011 model year, and we’ve even seen a few heavily camouflaged spy shots of prototypes running around. That said, we haven’t been able to judge the scope of the redesign until reader Adam M. sent in this snapshot of a flotilla of undisguised testers.

Even with the grainy quality of this spy photo and the unflattering light, it’s easy to see that Jeep has authored a substantial refresh that leverages the styling language of its handsome new Grand Cherokee.

Forsaking the outgoing model’s round-light, drop-shouldered look in favor of a boxier and more traditional front clip instantly gives the new Compass a more serious and polished appearance. Gone is the awkwardly styled triangular bumper cap, and in its place is a more organic form with round outboard foglamps and what looks to be a small horizontal breather slat below the chrome-lipped seven-slot grille. The squared-off headlamps look like they wrap around a bit, and they clearly have more elements and definition than the outgoing model’s historically minded ‘lantern eyes.’ There also appears to be a nice power bulge in the hood, although it’s impossible to know at this point whether that’s just a design element or an engineering necessity because we don’t know what lurks underhood.

We only have this one spy shot to go on, so we can’t really make out what additional work has been done to clean up the Compass’ profile and greenhouse, or its rear-end. We’re guessing that since it isn’t expected to be a clean-sheet redesign that the rump will look much like it does on the 2010 model, albeit with different taillamps and revised lower fascia.

No word, too, on what’s gone on in the cabin of this new model, but we’ve seen some very positive signs from Auburn Hills’ designers of late, what with significant material upgrades and cleaner looking surfaces in other Jeep products including the refreshed Patriot (with which the Compass shares the lion’s share of its greasy bits) and the 2011 Wrangler, so it seems reasonable to expect similar improvements. For what it’s worth, the latest Patriot didn’t get any new powertrains.

If Jeep can manage to clean up the interior half as well as it appears to have edited the Compass’ front end, it ought to be a much more compelling vehicle all-around than its lackluster predecessor. Thanks for the pic, Adam M!

Reader Spy: 2011 Jeep Compass spotted undisguised

Think of this as a Buick LaCrosse Hybrid. General Motors‘ new eAssist technology employs a 115-volt lithium-ion battery and 15-kilowatt electric motor to increase fuel economy by 25 percent compared to today’s four-cylinder LaCrosse. This means the Buick sedan will achieve an estimated 25/37 miles per gallon (city/highway).

During initial acceleration, the electric motor delivers 15 horsepower and 79 pound-feet of torque to get the LaCrosse moving. A torque-smoothing function is activated as the gasoline engine is turned on, and the eAssist system kicks back on during deceleration, using a fuel shut-off feature and regenerative braking, combined with a start/stop system for the 2.4-liter gasoline engine. At full tilt, the gas engine produces 182 hp and 172 lb-ft of twist to keep things moving along at speed, and is mated to GM’s Hydra-Matic 6T40 six-speed automatic transmission.

Other modifications to the LaCrosse eAssist include improved underbody panels and an active front air-flow shutter to keep the sedan’s coefficient of drag as low as possible. Inside, a revised instrument panel not only shows when the LaCrosse is operating in electric mode, but has an eco-meter for the driver to monitor how efficient his or her driving style is.

GM will be offering eAssist as standard equipment on all 2012 Buick LaCrosses equipped with the 2.4-liter four, and pricing is expected to begin around $30,000. Considering the LaCrosses’s size, level of content and efficiency, it sounds like quite a bargain. Read the full details in GM’s press release, after the jump.

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading 2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist achieves up to 37 mpg highway

2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist achieves up to 37 mpg highway