The has , and apparently wants to seize the opportunity to make its the the standout in what remains of the compact pickup truck segment. Though the sun has been setting on the Ranger for some time, it’s still outselling the Frontier – even after Nissan kicked up its marketing efforts as a way to grab the real estate is cedeing by creating the first advertising campaign for the Frontier in four years.
That’s not to say the Frontier is doing poorly; Nissan moved more than 50,000 out the door in 2011. That’s 20,000 fewer than the Ranger’s 70,000 unit performance, and well behind the 500,000-plus F-Series pickup models Ford shifts, but the aging Frontier is the popular sister in the Nissan truck family. Just 22,000 full-size pickups found a home last year, though the latter is another product that’s been languishing on the market with little marketing effort behind it. The Frontier might do better without the Ranger around regardless, but a commercial about a snowboarding truck couldn’t hurt. Check it out .
dropped plenty of jaws with the company’s MKZ Concept at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, but the vehicle may have been a bit hotter than the company intended. Something seems to have gone awry with the showcar’s electronics as it sat on the show floor. At some point, thin puffs of smoke began wafting from the driver’s side door panel. No actual flames were spotted or damage reported, but something tells us someone is going to have some explaining to do in Dearborn (the screencap above appears to be an unnerved Joel Piaskowski, Ford’s exterior design boss).
The Lincoln MKZ Concept heralds things to come from the production version of the vehicle set to debut later this year. The vehicle features the resurrection of the push-button transmission, the likes of which we haven’t seen on a production vehicle since the late ’60s. Lincoln promises to roll out drivetrain details as we get closer to the 2012 New York Auto Show. Here’s hoping they can keep the vehicle from going all flambé between now and then. In the mean time, to see the video of the concept smoking on stage.
is recalling nearly half a million vehicles in two separate actions announced today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Just over 244,000 crossovers from model year 2001 and 2002 are being recalled for potentially leaky brake master cylinder reservoir caps, while nearly 206,000 2004 and 2005 Ford Freestar and Mercury Monterey minivans may have defective torque converter output shafts.
NHTSA says that in the case of the Escape, leaking brake fluid could cause corrosion on an electrical connector in the antilock brake system wiring harness, leading to “melting, smoke or a fire.” Ford will begin notifying owners the week of Jan. 23, although a parts delay is expected to postpone repairs. “Ford will instruct owners to park their vehicles outside until such time as parts become available,” says NHTSA.
The minivan recall is scheduled for the second quarter of 2012, and will result in dealers inspecting and replacing the torque converter in affected vehicles.
The is only a few months from hitting dealer floors, which makes this as good a time as any to release pricing. The ActiveHybrid 5 will start at $61,845, *including a $895 destination and handling charge.
That’s about $8,000 more than the 535i, but the extra coin will go towards a 3.0-liter TwinPower Turbo inline six-cylinder engine that packs 335 horsepower when combined with a 55-horsepower electric motor. That’s enough power to launch the ActiveHybrid 5 from zero to 60 in a scant 5.7 seconds and the lithium-ion battery pack carries sufficient juice for the ActiveHybrid 5 to travel 2.5 miles on electricity alone.
The ActiveHybrid 5 arrives in dealerships this spring. Hit the jump to read BMW’s uncharacteristically brief press release.
The Detroit News reports that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has concluded its investigations into both the Honda Accord Hybrid and the without ordering either automaker to issue a recall. NHTSA began looking into models after a fatal traffic accident was initially attributed to unintended acceleration. The agency found no evidence of a mechanical or safety issue in the vehicles.
NHTSA had also received 18 complaints of fuel spilling from the filler port on certain 2003-2004 Kia Sorento models. found the vehicles’ fuel evaporation system featured a canister filter that could become clogged over time. As a result, excess pressure could build up in the fuel tank, causing gasoline to regurgitate back out of the filler neck. The canister requires regular service, but isn’t mentioned in the owner’s manual. According to The Detroit News, Kia has agreed to conduct a service campaign involving around 86,000 2003-2004 Sorento models.
Three years (on top of ) is a long time to wait for the second coming of the Acura NSX. Measured in Internet time, it’s an infinite opportunity for speculation about the whys and hows of the new car. Aside from the new supercar’s , the most shocking part of is that the car will be built in Ohio. Honda has an engine plant, a transmission plant, two assembly plants and a research and development center in the state, so this shouldn’t be treated with the same level of surprise as if, say, announced it would start building cars in Kansas.
Yet it’s still a big change for the exotic , which was manufactured in Japan during its entire first-generation lifecycle, from 1990-2005. When the NSX debuted, part of its appeal was that it represented the pinnacle of Japanese technology and quality, at a time when Japanese automakers were absolutely crushing the competition in both. Times have changed, but we still suspect that a number of fanboys might be disappointed that the second-generation NSX will be built by gaijin.
We spoke with American CEO and president Tetsuo Iwamura about the decision to develop and manufacture the NSX here in the U.S., and he told us that the decision was made for three reasons. The first is that Honda is committed to . The U.S. is the largest market for the NSX, although he said the car will be exported to Japan and other markets.
When asked if there was any concern that Japanese customers might have objections to a Japanese supercar built in the U.S., Iwamura said, “You don’t have to be so modest. American-built cars have a power, even in Japan.”
The second factor was that Honda has had positive experiences with product development of other models here in the States. Iwamura specifically mentioned the North American market-only and as examples. The third reason for the decision to build the NSX here is that Honda believes its produce high-quality products and wants to take advantage of that expertise. Iwamura also said that assigning the halo car to the U.S. would be motivational for its American employees.
Currency fluctuation, however, was not a consideration, according to the Honda chief. While he said that would indeed be the case with a mass-market model, the limited-production nature of the NSX makes the effect of a strong yen a moot point. Regardless of where its built, Iwamura said the main consideration in bringing the NSX back to market is its technology, quality and performance, just as the original did. The NSX is an important part of modern automotive history, a literal poster-child of the ’90s, so we’re certainly rooting for this new exotic Buckeyemobile to deliver on all fronts.
has made it a point to emphasize – surprise – the . Now, at the , the Swedish automaker has showed off the XC60 Plug-In Gasoline HybridConcept, a way to gauge American reaction to the idea of a plug-in CUV from Volvo. Why? Because this concept is headed to the U.S. and Chinese markets – in a different guise and with a lot of changes – within “a couple of years.” That means something like 2014-2015. Volvo’s first PHEV here could be an model, or perhaps an , said Volvo CEO and President Stefan Jacoby. For now, Jacoby tells Autoblog that the XC60 PHEV shows the direction Volvo is headed.
Here are the numbers: a 35-mile all-electric range, a recharging time of just 3.5 hours from a 220V outlet (7.5 hours from a more common 110V). Volvo estimates U.S. fuel economy of 105 miles per gallon equivalent and 50 mpg when the battery runs dry. 0-60 is reached in 5.8 seconds on the way to a 130-mph top speed. Oh, and there are eight gears in the auto transmission.
Gasoline is burned in a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that is turbocharged and direct-injected and has stop-start technology. This 280-horsepower powerplant moves the front wheels, and a 70-hp electric motor propels the back wheels (this is known as a through-the-road hybrid). The XC60 PHEV has a 12-kWh lithium-ion battery, but just 66 percent of that (8 kWh) is used. The driver can select three modes – Pure, Hybrid and Power – depending on which type of fuel economy and performance is desired. Details of this technology can be found after the jump, and images of the XC60 test bed are available in our galleries.
The has always sort of been known as a truck show, and because of that, many new pickups, SUVs and crossovers tend to debut in the Windy City. That in mind, it comes as no surprise to learn that plans to debut an all-new version of the in Chicago next month. The Acadia, which launched in 2006 as a 2007 model, is indeed due for an overhaul, with its only major update being the addition of a Denali model (pictured) in 2011.
If you recall, the Acadia was the first of the Lambda crossovers to go on sale, alongside the now-departed Saturn Outlook. When asked about the possibility of a new or making an appearance in Chicago, GMC Communications Manager Joe LaMuraglia stated that it “will be a GMC show,” leading us to believe that we’ll have to wait until New York or even Los Angeles to see the rest of the Lambda portfolio.
No specific details about the new Acadia were revealed at this time, nor was there any hint as to whether we’ll see just the standard CUV or whether it will be joined by a Denali version. Stay tuned for the full details next month.
We got our first taste of new at , and for being a pre-production unit that’s not due to arrive in showrooms until later this year, we’re throughly impressed.
The system uses a seven-inch resistive touchscreen to display the basics – audio, telephone and settings – along with a photo/video viewer (only functional when the car is stationary) and an app launcher.
The only two apps currently available are Pandora and Stitcher, but there’s a lot of space to fill on that screen and the reps we spoke to made it clear that they’re in talks with other third-party developers.
What impressed the most was both the responsiveness – something other automakers have been combating for some time – and the overall design, which is clean, clear and straight-forward (and how can you go wrong with Helvetica Neue?). It’s everything we want in a touchscreen interface and nothing more.
Well, almost.
There’s no embedded navigation system, so you’ll be relying on OnStar to provide directions. That said, turn-by-turn guidance will be ported through the head unit, so it’s better than dealing with arrows on a tiny screen nestled between the gauges. And what about voice control? For Android devices, Chevy is leveraging the built in voice search functionality. For the iPhone… not much, yet. But for a system that’s aimed at subcompacts and with a price point that’s sure to be more than palatable, you can’t have the world. And aside from the Sync-equipped , there’s nothing out there that even begins to compete. Check out the demo for more.
C is for Cookie. At least, that’s what the baking industry lobbyist known as Cookie Monster would have us believe. At they have another idea, where C is not for Cookie, it’s not for Car and it’s not for Compact. In the latest addition to the family, C is for City.
What you’re looking at is a new, smaller hybrid from Toyota, which is eagerly growing the Prius range from one four-door to include the (for Versatility), the Prius plug-in hybrid and this, the Prius C. It’s both smaller and more affordable than the existing Prius range, while delivering superlative fuel economy figures. In fact, with a 50-mpg combined rating, the Prius C claims the best economy of any car this side of a plug-in EV.
Motivation is provided by a 1.5-liter four that, together with the electric motor, delivers up to 99 horsepower at peak (compared to the Prius liftback’s 134hp). It’s also more nimble than its bigger brother, and more affordable: when the Prius C reaches showrooms in the spring, it will wear a sticker price under $19,000. In the meantime, you can check out our gallery of high-resolution images from the show floor above, the stock images below and for more details.
is extending its AppLink support to its own Sync Destinations app, finally providing voice control and including more accurate, real-time traffic and rerouting data thanks to its partnership with Inrix.
Surprisingly, you weren’t able to access the app through voice commands before, but this latest version of Destinations allows the driver to access all the traffic, saved routes and direction services without having to tap their phone or touchscreen.
In addition to routing to saved destinations, users can send an address from their smartphone directly to the Sync system, get real-time traffic data with rerouting and report accidents, which helps increase the accuracy of Inrix’s crowd-sourced traffic information.
The updated app for iPhones will be rolling out soon, but Android users will have to hold out for a few more months. Full details in the press blast and video .
In true fashion, we’re once again presented with a “concept” car that’s only a set of wheels and a de-Bedazzling away from being production-ready. What you’re looking at here is the concept that previews the next-generation that will be dropping later this year, ready to compete with a full slate of redesigned mid-size sedans.
Honda has once again taken a conservative approach to design, and while it’s certainly handsome (except for those gaudy air intakes that flank both sides of the front fascia), we can’t help but think that it already looks one or two generations old. (2009 Kia Optima, anyone?) We’ll have to wait until we see the car in its production spec before making final judgments, but with sexy new mid-size offerings like the , and , the Accord doesn’t look to be gunning for shoppers who want a whole lot of style with their substance.
Substance, though, it definitely has. The base engine is a new Earth Dreams 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder with direct injection, putting 181 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque to the ground via a continuously variable transmission. Honda will continue to offer a V6 in the Accord – a dying trend in this segment – measuring 3.5 liters, mated to either a manual or automatic transmission, both with six gears.
The Accord Hybrid will use an all-new two-motor plug-in hybrid system with three drive modes – all-electric, gasoline-electric and “direct-drive.”
What’s really interesting, though, is that the 2013 model marks the return of the Accord Hybrid – a vehicle that died after the 2007 model year. This time, however, the Accord will use an all-new two-motor plug-in hybrid system with three drive modes – all-electric, gasoline-electric and “direct-drive” – with a 6-kWh lithium-ion battery and a 120-kilowatt electric motor mated to a 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle inline four-cylinder engine. Honda says that the Accord Plug-In will have a pure electric range of 10-15 miles with a top speed of 62 miles per hour, and that recharging the battery will take less than four hours with a 120-volt charger, or less than 1.5 hours with a 240-volt setup. Not bad, Honda.
Naturally, Honda will pack the 2013 Accord with all of its latest safety technologies, including lane departure warning, forward collision warning, blind-spot detection and a multi-angle rear-view camera. We expect to see the production car debut in the not-too-distant future (, perhaps?) with the 2013 model officially hitting dealerships this fall. The Accord Plug-In will arrive a little later, in winter. Hungry for more details? to read Honda’s official press blast.
isn’t inspiring many purchase decisions these days, as the luxury make sits in dead last in sales. That could change with the introduction of a few key products, starting with the .
Ford marketing boss Jim Farley introduced the MKZ Concept at the , and we very much like what we see. The concept, which should look a whole lot like the production model that goes on sale later this year, really pops on the elevated turn table. The rakish, full-length glass roof retracts so all four passengers can enjoy open air. We heard the word “bespoke” a few too many times during the presentation, but Lincoln promises a more individualized purchase and ownership experience.
Lead designer Max Wolff poured over the details of the luxurious interior, including unique stitching, individualized seating for four, push-button gear selector and a floating center stack that was inspired by modern suspension bridges. Wolff also pointed out that future Lincoln models will be designed at the automaker’s new design studio in Dearborn, which employs 180 dedicated designers and engineers.
We don’t have any information on powertrains, but we’re expecting the production car to be released with all the info at the . Hit the jump to read over the Lincoln press release, and feel free to peruse the high-resolution images from the .
Infotainment systems are expensive. Even rolled into the average new car payment and spread out over four or five years, you’re still talking about some serious cash. And if we’re honest, most buyers that can drop that kind of coin generally don’t care about deep smartphone integration. But young people do. And that’s where the latest MyLink system from comes in.
Set to be fitted to the and higher-spec Spark models, the new, low-cost MyLink system integrates a seven-inch LG-sourced capacitive display into the dash and can connect with either iPhones or Android devices with a USB cable or Bluetooth.
Phone and address book integration is built in, but more importantly, users can stream Pandora and Stitcher radio through the system, as well as play videos and photo slideshows. OnStar handles navigation duties and reps tell us that more third party apps are on the way.
GM isn’t saying how much the system will cost when it hits both models later this year, but something well below $500 would be a smart place to start. From the images we’ve seen, it’s easily one of the most attractive interfaces on the market and we’re hoping to get some hands on time with it tonight. But in the meantime, get the first batch of details in the video and release .
MyLink democratizes infotainment, coming to 2013 Sonic and Spark
The eagle-eyed among you may have spotted something suspicious lurking on the Chevrolet Code 130R and and Tru 140S concepts, both of which debuted here today at the . Each concept prominently features the legendary cross flag emblem, or at least appears to at first glance.
The Tru 140S wears the badges in question on the center caps of all four wheels while the Code 130R proudly displays them as integrated turn signals on the front fenders. According to Nicholas David, a senior exterior designer with General Motors and the man behind the Tru 140S, the cross flag emblems identify both concepts as members of a new “passion portfolio” within .
Once upon a time, the cross flags found themselves on a number of sport-oriented Chevrolet vehicles from the Corvair to the Corvette. As the years progressed, the badges fell off of every model but the Corvette. Now, David says GM wants to expand its family of sports cars, and each new member will feature the cross flags. With SS and RS models lining showrooms, GM isn’t exactly short on sports branding as it is. Fortunately, the cross flags likely won’t detail a separate trim so much as a family of vehicles.
It’s worth noting that while the emblems on the two concept twins are remarkably similar to the cross flags of the Chevrolet Corvette, they aren’t identical. The Corvette relies on a curled flag with a gold Bow Tie and a flur de lis on a red field, while the Code 130R and Tru 140S make due with just the Bow Tie.
Those of us on this side of the pond in the market for a luxury crossover should be familiar with the gargantuan and its little brother, the . Overseas the German automaker also offers an even more compact Q3. Today on the floor of the , Audi announced it will be bringing the Q3 to the North American market, and this is the show car with which they broke the news.
Called the Q3 Vail, what we have here is a concept version of the overseas-market crossover with some added off-road trim. Named for the Colorado ski resort, the Q3 Vail has lower body cladding similar to the treatment on Audi’s Allroad wagons, in matte grey to contrast with the glossy red paint job. The theme is further accented by aluminum underbody guard plates and extra lighting, with 20-inch wheels to round out the package. The red, black and grey color theme carries into the cabin, and there’s a 314-horsepower, 2.5-liter turbo five-cylinder powering all four wheels through a seven-speed automatic for an impressive 5.5-second sprint to 62 mph.
There’s more to digest in the press release after the jump, and both stock and live images in the dual galleries. But what interested customers need to know now is that Audi is targeting a U.S. market launch for the existing production Q3,which will continue to be built by Seat in Spain, sometime next year.
Somewhat lost in the fanfare of introducing a hybrid version of its best-selling at the was a brief mention of its new navigation technology. The will be the first hybrid to use its nav system to help predict the best time to use and recharge its battery. This will go well beyond currently available navigation technology that based on traffic and speed limits, also incorporating altitude, final destination and other real-time data to wring the most out of those electrons.
For example, suppose there’s a big hill on your route. Since the 3 Series hybrid “knows” you will be descending, and thus afforded a good opportunity for recharging, it can drain more of the battery on the way up. BMW says it is still working on the system, but it will be included as a standard feature on the ActiveHybrid 3, and will eventually spread to the and other hybrid models. While we don’t have much in the way of details, the opportunity here seems pretty vast, effectively allowing the car to hypermile for you.
This afternoon at a media roundtable event, Renault-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn unequivocally confirmed that will build a next-generation . “We are going to replace it. We are going to present in every segment in the market in the United States.” indicated that Nissan was pursuing a new Titan, but persistent reports indicated that the automaker would pursue an outside partner for the vehicle’s development.
A subsequent Autoblog discussion with a Nissan official revealed that not only is the company developing the next-generation Titan right now – internally and without another automaker as a partner – it’s not that far off. Our source confirms that Nissan will first show the truck “in about a year’s time” and the vehicle will likely go on sale as a 2014 model, consistent with earlier reports.
One of the chief issues the current Titan has faced, according to our source, has been its limited configurability versus competitors’ offerings. But the next-generation Titan won’t make this same mistake – it will offer multiple engines and cab configurations.
Nissan first introduced the Canton, Mississippi-built Titan in 2004, but it’s suffered from slow sales and limited updates. More recently, The Japanese marque entered the North American commercial truck market with its , but in 2011, it only managed to sell around 6,500 units.
As any diehard would be quick to tell you, a revival of the iconic is long overdue. In true Honda fashion, the automaker decided that, if it was going to go to the trouble of producing a legitimate sportscar, it was going to take on the very best in the industry. Suffice it to say, the NSX delivered the goods.
We now have a new concept to drool over. While the Acura showed off left NSX purists with a sour taste in their mouths – a V10 engine mounted up front was a far cry from the lightweight and high-revving mid-engine V6 of the original – we have a strong feeling that nobody is going to turn their noses up at this new NSX Concept.
Like its forebear, this latest take on the NSX promises to shed excess weight through the use of a high-tech platform made from the latest lightweight materials. Power, as with the original, will come from a V6 mounted behind the two occupants that sends its power to the rear wheels; except this time, it will be augmented by an electric motor.
Acura’s latest SH-AWD incorporates one electric motor in a dual-clutch transmission, forming a hybrid setup. Additionally, two more motors can instantly send negative or positive torque to the front wheels during cornering for improved handling and efficiency, and the whole package can be tailored via software. Acura says the new all-wheel-drive system will provide “supercar acceleration while offering outstanding efficiency.”
We’re not so sure environmentalists are ready to accept the notion of an eco-friendly supercar, but it’s clear Acura’s parents at are keen to keep emissions and fuel usage in check. “In this new era, even as we focus on the fun to drive spirit of the NSX, I think a supercar must respond positively to environmental responsibilities,” says Takanobu Ito, president and CEO of Honda Motor Co.
Acura isn’t saying how much horsepower its V6 engine and three electric motors will amount to, but we’re not expecting outlandish figures. The automaker says it’s aiming for an “extremely favorable power-to-weight ratio.” We like the sound of that, and hope the production version, which is expected within the next three years, delivers on this laudable promise. Check out the complete press release .
Sure, the refreshed 2013 now looks more aggressive, but the real story is under the hood, with new powertrains that pack more punch and a few more gears, as well. The V6 Genesis Coupe now features direct injection, while the turbocharged four has a new turbo and intercooler setup. Both models are available with eight-speed automatics and get slightly better fuel economy, as well.
The 3.8-liter V6 in the Genesis Coupe now makes 348 horsepower and 296 pound-feet of torque, up from 306 and 266, respectively. The 2.0T model gains even more, going from 201 horses to 274, with torque improving from 223 lb-ft to 275. (All numbers cited are with premium fuel.) Both cars retain their six-speed manuals, but now have a Hyundai-developed eight-speed with paddle-shifters as the automatic option. Despite the new automatic, fuel economy goes up by just a single digit. More importantly, says the new V6 is good for a 0-to-60 time in the low five-second range.
There’s plenty more to this mid-lifecycle revision, including seven new exterior colors and some new hues for the interior, which has also been improved. Other hardware upgrades include a re-calibrated, quicker steering rack, front strut camber adjustment, and revised damper settings. The Genesis Coupe also gets the .
It’s pretty clear from the extent of this refresh that Hyundai is playing to win in the suddenly revved-up sports coupe segment. Just a few years back, several automakers had written off these enthusiast-focused models, but with new introductions like the and this much more capable Genesis Coupe, things are looking good for lovers of affordable performance cars. for the full press release.
