Audi's biggest and most expensive sedan has been on the market for too long. Sure, it still looks as good, or better, than its competition, but it's a little behind in the technology and power department.
This prototype of the 2011 Audi A8 was caught testing at the Nurburgring recently. It's scheduled for a official debut in the next few months, but this test mule gives a pretty good idea of what it will look like.
Power will continue to come from a V8 in standard models and a W12 on the top-of-the-line version. An aluminum spaceframe chassis will form the structure and quattro all-wheel drive will remain standard as well.
Look for the official debut of the 2011 Audi A8 at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show in January.
Spy Video: 2011 Audi A8 on the Nurburgring
Categories: Audi,Detroit Auto Show,Future Vehicles,Luxury Cars,Sedans,Spy Photos
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
Here is some apparent proof that Lexus has a sense of humor, or at least engages in not-entirely-serious behavior.
Everyone knows that the LFA first appeared at the 2005 Detroit auto show (as the LF-A concept), right? True. But two years earlier at the 2003 Tokyo auto show, the company commissioned three pieces of art that contained within them representations of the exhaust manifold and throttle body of the LFA which had already been in development for three years at that point. Sneaky.
Where would one find such information? Have a look at the Lexus configurator site we pointed you to a post or two ago, and click "MILESTONES" for the full rundown of the decade-long LFA development.
Click to check out Lexus LFA milestones.
Categories: Coupes,Detroit Auto Show,Lexus,Sports Cars,Tokyo Motor Show
Here are the final 15 cars and, after the jump, the final 10 trucks (and SUVs and vans) under consideration for the 2010 North American Car and Truck of the Year awards. As always, a jury of senior-level automotive media will vote on the two awards, and the results will be announced at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show.
BMW 335d
Buick LaCrosse
Cadillac CTS Wagon
Chevrolet Camaro
Ford Fusion/Fusion Hybrid
Ford Taurus
Honda Insight
Kia Soul
Mazda3/Mazdaspeed3
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Porsche Panamera
Subaru Legacy
Suzuki Kizashi
Toyota Prius
Volkswagen Golf/GTI
Continue reading 2010 North American Car, Truck of the Year Candidates.
Categories: Auto Industry,Automaker Feedback,Detroit Auto Show
We heard last month that the redesigned 2010 Audi A8 would see only evolutionary design changes, and now we've spotted the car on the autobahn in Germany. Even under the Benz-style psychodelic camo that Audi is using for daylight runs, the subtlety of the facelift is apparent. This sedan has the same basic silhouette the A8 has had since 2004.
There will be some detail changes, though. The hood, for example, seems to have a more dramatic slope toward the nose than before. If you look at the profile photo after the jump, you'll see the character line has moved down as the beltline moves up. This contour now appears to be flush with the door handles, which look to be pull-style rather than flipper-style.
And in the rear 3/4 photo, you'll see evidence of a subtle Bangle Butt, as Audi designers are apparently trying to keep the 2010 A8 sedan from looking strange and ungainly with its higher beltline.
Don't expect to see this new Audi A8 next week in Frankfurt. We hear that Audi is saving it for the 2010 Detroit Auto Show. It should go on sale sometime next year with a new range of engines and an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Continue reading Spy Photos: 2010 Audi A8 on the Autobahn.
Categories: Audi,Detroit Auto Show,Luxury Cars,Sedans,Spy Photos
Before you scoff at the idea of a poster contest (or a blog entry about a poster contest), you should know that 2010 will be the 22nd year of the Detroit Auto Show poster contest for Michigan high school students.
And if automakers are smart, they'll be using this contest to scout the next generation of automotive designers. Because some of the 2009 posters are really good. You're looking at them here.
If you wanted to enter, you'd need to be a resident of Michigan and in grades 10-12. You'd then to create a poster in any two-dimensional media reproducible to 25-by-21 inches. You'd need to include the following copy: "North American International Auto Show 2010, Detroit, and Cobo Center." You'd need to submit it all by Nov. 18. And you'd then be eligible for one of 16 cash awards.
Details and Gallery of 2009 Winners
Categories: Detroit Auto Show
Not too long ago we told you that the upcoming 2011 Audi A8 would make its world debut at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show. We're sticking to that story and now sources at Audi are telling us that the new flagship sedan will feature an eight-speed automatic transmission hooked to its 4.2-liter V8. We were told to expect about 375-horsepower out of the standard engine and the usual quattro all-wheel drive setup.
The new drivetrain isn't exactly groundbreaking for the class, but it does open up an interesting new possibility for the 2011 Audi S5 coupe. Although the original plan called for the S5 to switch to the S4 sedan's supercharged V6 after the 2010 model year, overwhelming enthusiasm inside and outside the company for the S5's current V8 setup has convinced the company to reconsider. Given the coupe's surprising speed with the current 354-horsepower powerplant, an extra 20 horses and some extra torque certainly couldn't hurt. And as much as we like the six-speed manual in our long-term S5, the eight-speed auto might be even faster. We'll see.
By Ed Hellwig, Lead Senior Editor
Categories: Audi,Detroit Auto Show
Photo: Fox Syndication
The 2011 Audi A8 is the last of the big luxury sedans to arrive, but it won't be headed to the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show as many expect. Our sources tell us that Audi is saving the world premiere for Detroit in January in order to open up some floor space for the R8 convertible and RS5 coupe, both of which are expected to show up next month.
When the big A8 does arrive it won't look all that different from the current model. Audi has always been conservative with its flagship sedan and the eventual arrival of the A7 four-door coupe next year gives the company one less reason to go radical with the A8. Its aluminum spaceframe construction will remain along with a standard V8 engine and all-wheel drive.
Photo: Fox Syndication
Categories: Audi,Detroit Auto Show,Future Vehicles,Luxury Cars,Sedans
Photo: Assayyarat.com
Hyundai will attempt to make some additional waves in the U.S. market when it unveils the next-generation Sonata sedan at next year's North American International Auto Show.
Already seen several times in prototype form, the 2011 Hyundai Sonata hopes to separate itself from the Accords and Camrys of the world with a design that CEO John Krafcik told us is "bold, so bold." The prototype above reveals what Krafcik was talking about as Hyundai is going for the "four-door coupe" look with the new Sonata.
The rest of the car will most likely follow traditional family car packaging with a base four-cylinder and an optional V6 although Hyundai may use direct injection to improve mileage. The company has also said publicly that this generation of Sonata will offer the company's first hybrid system in the U.S. and utilize unique lithium polymer batteries.
Hyundai Elantra Hybird Goes On Sale in Korea
Categories: Detroit Auto Show,Hyundai
With the first half of 2009 coming to a close, preparations for the 2010 North American Car and Truck of the Year awards have already begun. The initial list of contenders was released on Monday night and it features a fairly even cross section of the American, European and Japanese vehicles.
To be eligible, a vehicle must be "all new" or "substantially changed" from the previous model and be on sale to the public by early 2010 at the latest.
Notable entries on the list include the Honda CrossTour, an wagon version of the Accord that has yet to be shown publicly and the Suzuki Kizashi sedan which is expected to debut in the fall. The existence of the Toyota 4Runner on the list also indicates that a redesign is on the way by the end of this year.
Full list after the jump.
Continue reading 2010 North American Car and Truck of the Year Nominees Announced.
Categories: Auto Industry,Detroit Auto Show
You know that slick-looking Fiesta hatchback Ford gave out to a bunch of cool youngin's to drive for a year? Yeah well, here's a good look at what we'll probably be getting instead.
This is the 2011 Ford Fiesta sedan, at least in prototype form. Not surprisingly, it looks very much like the Fiesta concept sedan shown at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. Back then it was known as the Verve and it wasn't a bad looking little car.
It still looks better than most compact sedans, but we hope that Ford does the right thing and offers the hatchback too. It's a much more compelling car even if it's a given that the sedan would sell better.
2008 Detroit Auto Show: Ford Verve Concept
Categories: Detroit Auto Show,Ford,Future Vehicles,Hatchbacks,Sedans,Spy Photos
The 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedans will cost substantially less than their 2009 counterparts according to a report in Automotive News. In order to bring the new sedans closer to its traditional transaction prices, Mercedes-Benz reduced the base price of the E350 sedan by $4,600 to $49,475. The base E550 sedan gets a $5,400 price cut to $57,175.
The new 2010 E-Class Coupes, which replace the current CLK Coupes, get only minor reductions in price. The base E350 coupe will start at $48,925 while the E550 coupe will start at $55,525.
A diesel-powered E350 sedan is slated to arrive next March followed by a wagon in June and a convertible around the same time.
Automotive News
Categories: Convertibles,Coupes,Detroit Auto Show,Future Vehicles,Geneva Motor Show,Luxury Cars,Mercedes-Benz,Sedans,Wagons
It's been the big dog on the auto show circuit for awhile now, but some behind-the-scenes political fighting threatens to derail the Detroit Auto Show altogether. Daniel Howes details the issues in his latest column for the Detroit News and it's not pretty.
It begs the question: Does anybody still care? With so much bad blood surrounding the Big Three and their respective financial issues, is Detroit still enough of a draw to lure the world's major manufacturers to a show in Michigan in the dead of winter?
Detroit News: Cobo, Auto Show Future Looks Dim
Categories: Auto Industry,Detroit Auto Show,Dodge,Ford,General Motors
Yesterday, Motor Trend reported that the Cadillac Converj concept had been approved for production.
Today, Cadillac officially denied the report to Inside Line News. "There is no change to the status of Converj," said Cadillac spokesman David Caldwell. "It is a concept -- a proposal -- and it's being reviewed, and the review is not completed."
Inside Line News: GM Denies Cadillac Converj is Approved for Production
Categories: Cadillac,Concept Vehicles,Coupes,Detroit Auto Show,Future Vehicles,Green Tech
Audi officials have told Inside Line that the much anticipated R8 convertible is on the way, but not until next year. Prototypes caught testing last summer showed R8s with a full convertible top, a feature that product planners in the U.S. preferred over a less complicated targa setup. "We fought for a full convertible instead of smaller targa roof," an official from Audi USA told Inside Line.
The extended time frame will allow for more time between the launch of the convertible and the V10-powered R8 5.2 FSI Quattro. There was some initial hesitation from Audi USA regarding Stateside sales of that model, but it has now been confirmed for arrival later this year. And will the V10 fit with the convertible top? "Yes, it all fits," the Audi official told us.
Spy Video: Audi R8 Convertible
Categories: Audi,Convertibles,Detroit Auto Show,Future Vehicles,Luxury Cars,Sports Cars
