Guess we called this one from the outset. Looking like a that just ate a for breakfast and a for lunch, the EXP 9 F concept was the biggest disappointment – and we mean that literally – of the . Apparently, Bentley must have agreed with , because it’s working on a new design for it’s first production SUV, according to Britain’s What Car? magazine.
According to the report, Bentley officials have admitted that the design was “heavy handed” and have promised to tone it down, as the SUV heads toward a likely 2015 on-sale date. Potential changes include “slightly smaller” headlights, and “more traditional SUV proportions,” according to the magazine’s source.
We hope Bentley goes a bit further and just starts from scratch, dumping the sedan-ified SUV look entirely. If Bentley is bound and determined to sell an SUV, it should come up with something distinctive for the brand that doesn’t just ape the classic look of its car line.
has announced pricing for the refreshed , and buyers can look forward to paying a little more for the big performance sedan. Inside Line reports the price has inched up to $39,995 including destination, or $1,045 more than the 2012 model.
As before, that kind of cash will buy you a turbocharged, direct-injection Ecoboost 3.5-liter V6 good for 365 horsepower as well as a six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. If that isn’t enough to raise your eyebrows, Ford is continuing to offer the SHO performance package, complete with a more robust cooling system, more serious brake hardware and flashy 20-inch wheels.
Of course, that package also throws in a traction control system with a true ‘off’ mode. Yes, we’re grinning from ear to ear. Unfortunately, the performance package has also climbed a bit compared to last year. The pieces will set you back $1,995, or about a grand more than in 2012.
It looks as if work is officially underway on the next . Our spy photo friends managed to click the first few images of a pre-production prototype stretching its legs on public streets. The four-door is covered in enough cladding to successfully obscure any hint of new body work, but from what we’re told, there’s a whole new chassis under there. The rear-wheel-drive architecture is built to accommodate all-wheel drive as well. Where, perchance, would secure the engineering to put power to all four corners? If the whispers we hear are true, the tech could be lifted from none other than the .
Speaking of , the next-generation Quattroporte will likely continue to get its thrust from the same beefy Italian V8 found in the current generation, though adjustments for either power or fuel consumption would be a smart guess. We’ve even heard hints of a hybrid drivetrain in development. Stay tuned. With prototypes on the road, it’s only a matter of time before we spot one with a little more metal showing.
is getting closer to the next generation “tire” that could be used on wheeled rovers for space exploration. We highlight the word tire because those on the original lunar rover were made of piano wire with treads made of titanium cleats – no rubber, no air. A few years ago , the project another co-development with Goodyear, which made the originals.
The modern version is called the Spring Tire, so-called for the 800 load-bearing springs that make up its bulk, mounted to a six-spoke metal hub. The springs can conform to the varying terrain of other planets and satellites without transferring undue shock to the vehicle, and a malfunction is likely to damage only a few of them, leaving the tire operable.
for more info from Goodyear on the tire, and check it out in the gallery of high-res photos. When it’s time for another group of astronauts to go “ridin’ dirty,” this is likely how they’ll do it.
Form follows function, so it’s easy to find one element of a vehicle that explains everything you need to know about it.
Look at the widened haunches of a and you know there’s serious hardware in the Porsche’s rump. Check the elongated bed of an and its obvious the should be roaming free on the ranch. Look at a … Actually, don’t. It’s for your own good.
So when I opened the door to the , a single feature stood out: the cupholder. Encircled in a chrome ring and mounted dead-center in the massive armrest, this lone receptacle was the defining feature of the interior. As it should be. The Prius is the commensurate commuter and the V variant’s raised roof and enlarged hatch make it even more practical for Mommy and Daddy carpool duty. At least in theory.
If ever a car made us think of mullets, Cragars, racing suits and Natty Light, this is it. And we don’t mean that in a bad way. The COPO Camaroconcept that Chevrolet last year is officially becoming a production reality for everyone; however, only 69 people will be able to own it. In celebration of the built in 1969, is building just that many of its modern drag-strip-only racer.
Two engine choices have been mentioned previously: a 427-cubic-inch V8 for AA Stock racing and a 327-cubic-inch V8 with a 4.0-liter supercharger for A Stock racing. Now, a third engine choice has been added: another 327-cubic-inch engine but with a 2.9-liter supercharger for B Stock. If you want all three engines Chevy will install one and provide the other two, all with matching numbers. Shifting is handled with a Powerglide automatic, and color schemes include Metallic White, Semi-Gloss Black, Inferno Orange Metallic and Chevy Racing Blue.
The price of entry is $89,000. How can you be one of the lucky? Chevrolet isn’t saying. An “independent third party” chose the initial buyers, but it isn’t clear how many slots are left or how they’ll be distributed. for a press release with more info.
has officially served up the details on the upcoming . Buyers will be able to snap up the latest work rig with in a new Platinum trim level that throws in niceties like SYNC, MyFord Touch, navigation and a rear-view camera as standard equipment. Power telescoping mirrors are also part of the package.
Unfortunately, the Platinum trim will only be available in Super Duty Crew Cab configuration. Even so, the cabin is swaddled in high-quality wood grain trim and premium leather seating. The leather-wrapped steering wheel is also heated for those really frosty mornings.
Outside, a smattering of chrome trim work sets the 2013 F-Series Super Duty Platinum apart from the rest of the trucks on the job site. Chrome door handles, mirror caps and running boards all add a bit of splash, as do the sizable 20-inch wheels that are newly designed for 2013.
Ford says the MyFord Touch at work in the new Super Duty is truck specific with features like a massive eight-inch touch screen display which has been optimized to function even when users are wearing thick work gloves. for the full press release as well as a brief video.
Believe it or not, isn’t all about high-performance vehicles. The company just showed off its latest take on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van. The SP5 Conference boasts an interior inspired by the trappings of Air Force One and features front seats that can swivel 180 degrees to face rear passengers. You know, for conferencing and the like.
A small table can be folded into place and boasts swivel function of its own. Beyond the rear, forward-facing seats, a kitchenette with cabinet space, a Nespresso coffee machine and a handful of 12-volt outlets for other appliances. Ambient lighting spread throughout the cabin helps set the mood indoors, and extensive insulation work keeps the interior cozy even when the weather isn’t.
Of course, The SP5 Conference couldn’t wear the Hamann name without a few exterior flourishes thrown into the mix. The van is equipped with a complete body kit, including a new front fascia, side sills and rear valance. Massive 20 inch wheels are part of the exterior treatment as well.
Two months with our is enough for me to know that history will not look back kindly on this generation of VW’s long-running compact sedan. As has been covered, rather exhaustively I might add, the 2011 refresh of the Jetta brought with it a significant reduction in interior fit, finish and overall quality. Sadly, the more time you spend in the Jetta, the more its interior bits and pieces wear on your senses, as does the dour black color palette.
Perhaps the interior deficiencies of the 2011 Jetta wouldn’t be so noteworthy if hadn’t set such a heady precedent in past models, offering an upscale alternative to its competitors at a slightly higher price. As you’re likely aware, VW’s latest strategy puts its products on an equal footing with more mainstream brands while boasting a highly competitive price. Based on the brand’s , the plan is working to perfection.
We hate to harp on the point, but have to wonder if moving downmarket will have long-lasting repercussions with diehard VW fans.
Keep your eyes locked on the official for the majority of our updates, as well as the official Autoblog Twitter account (, look for the hashtag).
We weren’t exactly smitten with the when we got the chance to tae one out for a spin, thanks in part to the eAssist wizardry aimed at improving the vehicle’s fuel economy. With a lackluster drivetrain, regenerative brakes and low rolling resistance tries, the simply isn’t capable of keeping its head high among the competition. Even so, we were told to wait for the Ecotec 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder set to debut this year. Now we know why. According to General Motors, the engine is good for 269 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. More importantly, all that torque comes on at a very low 1,700 rpm.
The direct-injection engine helps the Malibu hit 60 mph in a scant 6.3 seconds. Trust us when we say that’s an improvement over the Eco model. While there’s no word on fuel economy, we would expect the engine to return well better than the 17 mpg city and 26 mpg highway supplied by the outgoing 3.6-liter V6, an engine that was only good for 252 horsepower.
This isn’t the first time GM has dabbled with a turbocharged four-cylinder. The company supplied buyers with a 2.0-liter Ecotec in vehicles like the Pontiac Solstice GXP, HHR SS and Cobalt SS that put out 260 horsepower. for the full press release.
Malibu’s turbo four rated at 269 HP, 0-60 in 6.3 seconds
If you’re looking at and thinking, “Who in the hell would pay six figures for a derelict van covered in graffiti?,” just go ahead and check out or something.
Whatever. Never mind.
Because to those of us who watch Portlandia and never stopped buying records (yes, hipster Millenials, they’re called records, not “vinyls”), this van might as well be a time machine. Just thinking about a band like the Melvins takes us back to being young, to a time where anything was possible …
Well, that’s just patently untrue.
When the current owner of this 1972 Dodge Sportsman van acquired it from the mother of Melvins bassist Matt Lukin in 1992, nothing was possible. Or at least that sort of nihilism was the zeitgeist of the era.
The van itself was the seminal grunge band’s tour vehicle, reportedly having been both driven and illustrated by none other than Kurt Cobain, a great admirer and friend of the band in the late 1980s. The van’s value is derived almost entirely from a mural of the band Kiss that Cobain drew on its side, which is why the “Melvan” is not listed on eBay Motors, but in eBay’s art section.
Cobain, of course, went on to later fame as frontman of Nirvana, but committed suicide in 1994, the same year the van last saw use. If there’s one thing that Cobain made clear through his suicide, it’s that angst-as-religion doesn’t play out well. With his passing, grunge began to die off, and the rest of us were forced to grow up.
We’re old now, most of us fans are at least pushing 40, if not already “over the hill.” This makes an artifact like the Melvan desirable for sheer nostalgia, but there’s more to it than that. Most Cobain-related memorabilia seem unfortunately tarnished by his ultimate demise, while this piece harkens back to an earlier, more hopeful point in Cobain’s life. A time before the fame and drugs and pressures of public life conspired to destroy him.
Think about it: Who would draw Kiss on the side of a junky old van with a Sharpie other than a goofy kid? That seems like the best imaginable way to remember Kurt.
While we adore sexy three-door hatchbacks in the same way that our lungs crave oxygen, our fellow countrymen don’t quite seem to feel the same way. Three-doors simply don’t sell in America, and that’s exactly why the delicious isn’t headed to the states, according to The Detroit Bureau.
Instead, American buyers can look forward to a market-specific sedan version that Johan de Nysschen, CEO of of America, says won’t share so much as a single body panel with the longroof you see above. While that’s a crying shame by our eyes, de Nysschen says the U.S.-spec will likely be successful enough to boost model sales to 30,000 per year.
The A3 Sedan is expected to bow with a more upscale, refined interior and more passenger volume as well. We wouldn’t be surprised to see an abundance of available technology options as well. The Detroit Bureau says the new model may even bow with the same touch pad control system found on the and a larger LCD screen mounted in the dash.
Nine times out of ten, if the Autoblog crew isn’t talking cars, we’re discussing cameras. Or cat videos. But mostly cameras. We love shooting the world’s newest vehicles almost as much as we enjoy driving them, and odds are we aren’t alone.
If you’ve ever wondered how the real pros manage to get their best photos, wonder no more. The crew at FStoppers.com tagged along while Blair Bunting trained his lens on the . The shot you see above was crafted using around $60,000 in lighting equipment, a full staff of assistants and a professional retoucher.
Bunting says he actually uses Forza Motorsport 4 to plan his shots before the vehicle ever arrives. Using the game’s Free Look mode allows him to spot interesting aspects of the car that would otherwise be missed by viewing the stock photography.
But the pro lets us all in on another little secret toward the end of the video. Amateurs and enthusiast photographers like ourselves can get a very similar effect with a small light box and a lightbulb on a stick. Now we just need a car worth shooting in the middle of the night. to watch the video yourself. It’s a long one, but completely worth it.
There are a lot of ways to describe the Valmet Dawn you see pictured above, but our favorite could be mouthed by Keanu Reeves: Whoa. And then we would expand it to WTF? As in, “Whoa the F?”
That’s because Valmet Automotive – the makers of the , among other vehicles – has wrapped its electric vehicle engineering chops in what is perhaps the most impractical and odd-looking concept vehicle we’ve ever seen. The Dawn concept is meant to show that Valmet can both research and develop EV components like drivetrains and batteries and put them together into a vehicle, a two-prong approach that Valmet says is a new strategic focus area for the company. With that in mind, perhaps it not a total surprise that Valmet hasn’t released any sort of information about the range, power or really any real-world details about the Dawn. Like, for example, what’s that blue disc in front? An inductive charger? A 21st Century cow catcher? An Identity Disc?
Valmet says this test bed vehicle “integrates both the component developer and integrator roles. Displaying the battery pack, drivetrain, control unit and charging options, it also shows what ultimately can be achieved in the world of electric mobility, by integrating solutions in an innovative fashion.” Innovative. Yeah, that’s the word.
Carbon Motors, maker of the purpose-built E7 police car, won’t receive the $310 million in U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) loans under the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing (ATVM) program that it applied for almost three years ago, and said that it’s a victim of politics.
“We are outraged by the actions of the DOE and it is clear that this was a political decision in a highly-charged, election year environment,” Carbon Motors William Santana Li said in a statement. The company added that it was “actively examining its strategic and financing alternatives.”
Carbon Motors says its vehicles will save government entities money because they get better fuel economy and they’re purpose-built, meaning that factory vehicles don’t need to be retrofitted. Carbon Motors has said its diesel-powered cars may cut law-enforcement fuel use and greenhouse-gas emissions by as much as 40 percent, and that building such cars may create as many as 10,000 jobs. The car was to feature a BMW 3.0-liter turbodiesel engine.
The company says it’s received about $200 million worth of financial commitments from private and public sources and has taken orders from more than 500 law-enforcement agencies for more than 20,000 cars.
Last December, the company urging the Obama Administration to push the DOE to approve the loan.
The federal loan process has vexed other automotive companies. Bright Automotive, which was to make extended-range plug-in utility vehicles, publicly pleaded with the government to process its application for a $400 million loan in January. Last month, that company .
Meanwhile, , maker of the extended-range plug-in sports sedan , has been fielding questions about its future after the company in early February and halted production. Fisker has received less than $200 million of the $529 million loan it was slated to get from the DOE.
Among the numerous renditions of its DS line unveiled at the , Citroën went a step further with the introduction of the DS3 Racing S. Loeb. Taking advantage of the ridiculous success it has had with the DS4 WRC piloted by Sebastien Loeb, the DS3 Racing S. Loeb is for those who want a cuter brute than the .
Even better, you can actually buy this one: Citroën is making 200 examples, all of them numbered and signed. Citroën was mum on any power upgrade, but we do know the hatch comes “cloaked” in a textured matte black hue with red accents and will come standard with the company’s MyWay nav system.
Citroën was also mum on the price, but we’re sure there’ll be a premium. for more info on the models it showed off at Geneva, and there’s a high-res gallery from the show floor plus a couple of stock images of the car with the man himself, and his DS3 WRC car.
Among all the automakers unveiling their new wares in every year are a handful of independent designers and schools that aim to change the way we think about the automobile. They range from mainstream design houses like and to the zany obscurity of the and – most especially – .
Not to be confused with the Italian fast-food chain, Franco Sbarro has a history of creating off-the-wall show cars for the Geneva show. But while we were expecting to find the concept created for , instead we found the vehicle you see above.
Called the Intencity, this vehicle is less a design of Franco himself and more that of his students at the Espera Sbarro school in Montbéliard, France. Details are few and far between, but what we can tell you is that the innovative design packs an electric powertrain into a 1+1 body-style with a giant front-hinged canopy.
Power (whether theoretical or otherwise) comes from a 100-kilowatt electric motor fueled by a 96-cell lithium-phosphate battery good for about 180 kilometers fitted in a tubular frame chassis for a package that weighs a lithe 980 kg overall. OZ provides the wheels and Recaro the seats, and you can check out the whole package in our high-resolution live images from the show floor.
Please excuse us while we banish thoughts of – Magna; MILA… Uma; Oprah – and instead focus on what this concept car brings to the table. This is , the Austrian arm of Canadian auto parts giant Magna International, and it’s meant to showcase the capabilities of the supplier.
First and foremost, the MILA Coupic’s two-door crossover shape can convert into a convertible or a pickup truck, depending on the configuration of the rear seat. There’s seating for as many as five occupants in full CUV mode, and the two glass roof elements can be opened or closed independently.
The MILA Coupic is an impressive engineering exercise, and, since Magna builds such production machines as the , Fiat 500C and , it’s one that could potentially see a roadway near you at some point in the not-too-distant future. See for yourself in our image gallery above, and read more in the official press release .
Wide, chunky, low-down and matte gray. There aren’t many things for which we’d consider that a flattering descriptive, but the concept is just such a thing.
Developed by Citroën Racing and a step up from the , it’s 35 millimeters lower, 55-mm wider than the production car and sits on two-tone wheels hiding massive brakes. Under the hood is a 1.6-liter four-cylinder with 256 horsepower.
Galleries of high-res photos are above and , along with the official press release.
It may not be the most exciting vehicle that debuted at the , but the new is an important one nonetheless. The Romanian-bred, French-owned automaker says the Lodgy will be offered in multiple configurations that will include options for five or seven occupants.
We can’t say for certain what will power the machine, but we can comment on its interesting name. Dacia says, as you can read in the press release after the break, that the moniker is “derived from the English word ‘lodge’ and refers directly to the model’s ability to comfortably accommodate a family and its luggage.” Odd name aside, we expect the Lodgy will be popular with European families looking for an inexpensive way to transport their brood.
Alongside the new Lodgy MPV, Dacia also displayed the Lodgy Glace Alain Prost drove to . Check both out in our included photo galleries and read the few details released by Dacia .
