Volkswagen released this official sketch of its upcoming midsize sedan. It will be built in the company's new Tennessee assembly plant and be slightly larger than the current Passat.
Like most sketches, this one makes the upcoming sedan look all sporty and stuff. But if history is any indication, the car that arrives next year won't be anything like this, save for the grille and maybe the shape of the C-pillar.
We'll see soon enough as this car may very well show up at the L.A. Auto Show in early December in not in Detroit a month later.
Categories: Detroit Auto Show,Future Vehicles,LA Auto Show,Sedans,Spy Photos,Volkswagen
With a contest to name one of the Volt paint colors, Chevrolet has now officially pulled out all of the stops to try to keep the plug-in, er, extended-range electric vehicle in the public consciousness.
Here's the deal: You choose a winning name for the exclusive Volt color that Chevy is tentatively and alluringly referring to as "silver exterior with an emerald hue," and the company will fly you and a guest to Los Angeles for two nights of "standard hotel accommodations," whatever that means, a $400 gift card and admission to the LA auto show on December 2. In fact, Chevy is going to take three finalists to LA, and announce the winner on December first. In addition to the trip, the winner will be given a test drive in a pre-production Volt.
Naturally, aspiring color-namers can enter at a Volt-specific web site, beginning today. Then you can vote for the finalists from November 16 through December 1.
Or, you could just enter your ideas into the comments section below and win the gratitude of Inside Line.
Here are are three ideas: Clear-Coated Dolphin-hide Pearlmist, Shipping-Crate Mystic Metallic Flake, and Silver Exterior With An Emerald Hue. Think you can do better?
Categories: Chevrolet,Hybrids,LA Auto Show
Finalists for the annual Green Car of the Year award have been announced. The Audi A3 TDI, Honda Insight, Mercury Milan Hybrid, Toyota Prius and Volkswagen Golf TDI all made the cut.
The Volkswagen Jetta TDi won last year, so we can't help but think the Audi and Golf have a slim chance of taking home the prize this year. And given that the Ford Fusion didn't win last year, it seems unlikely that the Mercury Milan stands much of a chance either.
So that pretty leaves the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius. Got any guesses which one will win?
Comparison Test: 2010 Honda Insight vs. 2010 Toyota Prius
Categories: Green Tech,Honda,Hybrids,LA Auto Show,Toyota
Mazda confirmed today at a dealers meeting in Palm Springs that it will bring its subcompact Mazda 2 hatchback to the United States in late 2010. That's only a couple months behind the Ford Fiesta, with which the 2011 Mazda 2 shares its basic platform architecture.
We'll get a look at the U.S.-spec Mazda 2 in early December when it debuts at the 2009 L.A. Auto Show. Mazda says it will get more specific about on-sale timing, pricing, specs and equipment at the show.
We don't yet know whether we will get the five-door Mazda 2 unveiled at the 2007 Geneva Auto Show, the three-door version unveiled last year, or both. Either way, we'll be getting a car that has won numerous awards in Europe and Japan. Lightweight construction is often cited as the key advantage of the Mazda 2 over other subcompacts. Company engineers put considerable emphasis on cutting weight (without compromising safety) to improve fuel efficiency and performance.
"You've asked us for it for a while now, and we've been studying the market to make sure we can make a business case for it across North America," Jim O'Sullivan, Mazda North American Operations' president and CEO, told the assembled dealers. "As consumers' tastes and attitudes toward small vehicles have changed, we now believe strongly there is a place in our lineup for a car below our current least-expensive car, the Mazda 3."
Categories: Future Vehicles,Hatchbacks,LA Auto Show,Mazda
Hyundai's President and CEO John Krafcik has said before that a front-wheel-drive replacement for the Tiburon sport coupe will appear soon and be sold alongside the rear-wheel-drive Genesis Coupe. He has also said that the car would be similar to and possibly named for the Veloster concept the company showed at the 2007 L.A. Auto Show.
Well, now we know more.
In an exclusive Inside Line interview, Krafcik said the car will look 70-80 percent like the Veloster and will pack a surprise body style that will be a segment first. One look at the C-shaped backlight/sunroof on the concept (there's a rear shot after the jump) might be a good guess, but Krafcik would only say this: "It might be doors or a unique roof or something with the hatch. But it won't be like anything out there before in the small car segment."
Continue reading IL Exclusive: 2012 Hyundai Veloster Will Get 140 hp and Direct Injection.
Categories: Auto Industry,Concept Vehicles,Coupes,Future Vehicles,Hatchbacks,Hyundai,LA Auto Show
During Hyundai's webcasted press conference for the Genesis Coupe, product chief John Krafcik was asked whether or not there was still a replacement for the Tiburon in the works. In response, he basically reiterated a statement he's made in the past.
There is still another coupe to come from Hyundai and it will be a smaller, front-wheel drive model based on the Elantra platform. The Veloster concept was a clue to the styling direction, but Hyundai is still up in the air whether or not it will be called Tiburon. In fact, Krafcik openly asked for input on the name, so if you like Tiburon let Hyundai know.
Categories: Coupes,Hyundai,LA Auto Show
Yes, we are driving the Infiniti G37 Convertible today.
No, we can't tell you about it just yet (next week).
G37 convertible water on the other hand is quite invigorating.
Categories: Convertibles,Infiniti,LA Auto Show
Official pricing details were released for the 2009 Nissan Cube today. The base model will run you $14,685 including destination while the top-of-the-line Krom version will go for $20,055.
For comparison, Scion's xB has a base price of $16,420 with destination charges.
The options list for the Cube includes $290 20-color interior accent lighting, a $180 rear cargo organizer and an $1,180 aero kit. A set of 16-inch gunmetal or silver alloy wheels will add another $790 to the bottom line.
Full Test: 2009 Nissan Cube
Categories: LA Auto Show,Nissan,Wagons
Here it is: the first full test of the new 2009 Nissan 370Z. Fully redesigned from top to bottom, Nissan's other sportscar is now lighter, smaller and...well, different looking. See for yourself in our comprehensive road test of the redesigned Z.
Full Test: 2009 Nissan 370Z
Categories: LA Auto Show,Nissan
Are you seeing those sidewalks? They look pretty desolate don't they? No big deal maybe, but that wasn't the case at last year's L.A. auto show. Just 12 months ago, those sidewalks were awash in protestors. They were holding up signs, throwing paint on Hummers and converting Priuses to full electric power right there in the parking lot across the street.
And this year? Nothing. No one. Zippo. OK, there were a few taxi drivers mulling around smoking cigarettes, but saving the environment wasn't the topic of discussion. What a difference a year makes huh?
-- Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor
Categories: Green Tech,LA Auto Show
Not to be outdone by the Porsche Experience, there was something similar in the Ford booth dubbed the "Mustang Garage". It showcased all the ways you could set up the new 2010 Ford Mustang. Sure, it wasn't nearly as dreamy as the Porsche hall, but at least we could imagine ourselves actually buying some of these parts someday.
Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor
Continue reading 2008 L.A. Auto Show: The Mustang Garage.
Categories: Ford,LA Auto Show
One of the unique elements of the L.A. auto show is the Porsche display. Instead of occupying some corner of a big hall, Porsche always sets up shop in its own small venue just off the main corridor. You walk in one door, through the display, and out the other side, kind of like an amusement park ride. They call it the Porsche Experience, and it usually lives up to the name. Here's a quick tour of this year's setup.
Continue reading 2008 L.A. Auto Show: The Porsche Experience.
Categories: LA Auto Show,Porsche
We've already driven the 2009 BMW 750i and the redesigned 7 Series made its official debut in Paris. But we haven't yet driven the extended-wheelbase 2009 BMW 750Li, and BMW had one here at its booth in L.A.
The 750Li is pretty much what you'd expect: It rides on a 126.4-inch wheelbase (5.5 inches longer than the 750i's) and has 44.3 inches of rear legroom (an increase of 5.9 inches). With the extra room, chances a 750Li will have more humans (and likely heavier ones at that) riding in back, so BMW equips a self-leveling rear air suspension as standard on the LWB 7 Series.
We walked by the BMW outpost at least a half dozen times and at no point were all four outboard seats in the 750Li vacant for longer than 10 seconds. (The same was true of the 750i in the booth until it was confined behind a plexiglass wall.) People weren't taking photos, either. They were stretched out to the point of dozing off. We checked, and the car's rump didn't droop a bit under their weight.
Erin Riches, Senior Editor
Categories: BMW,LA Auto Show,Luxury Cars
I put in a good 20 minutes ogling the 2009 Nissan Cube
this afternoon. I wasn't alone. The Super Silver GT-R on the other side of the stage wasn't getting nearly as much attention.
Finally, some employees of Scion walked up and when I saw their badges, I couldn't resist asking them what they thought.
"I don't like it," said one. "We build cars that are more uniform-looking, more, um..."
"Symmetrical?" I offered. (We were looking at the Cube's rump.)
"Yeah."
So what do you think? Can we allow the 2009 Nissan Cube to defy symmetry?
-- Erin Riches, Senior Editor
Categories: LA Auto Show,Nissan
Sure, we're all at the L.A. auto show to see all the brand-spanking-new cars, but a few manufacturers chose to display some greats from their past. Here are some of the gems. My favorite is the Jag. -- James Riswick, Automotive Editor
Categories: BMW,Jaguar,LA Auto Show,Mitsubishi,Volkswagen
