SUVs Straightline Archives

Nothing like a full redesign to bring a vehicle back from obscurity. In the case of the 2011 Ford Explorer, obscurity might not be the word. Not too long ago the Explorer was one of the best-selling vehicles in America. And now? It's not even in the top 10.

Ford is looking to get the Explorer back in the game by recasting it as a modern crossover instead of a more traditional SUV. That means it will ditch its off-road ability and towing capacity in favor of ride quality and interior packaging.

As you can see in these latest photos, it's getting a substantially revised design too. The changes up front can be seen a little better than before. Looks like some pretty funky headlights going on there. Expect some Ecoboost action under the hood too as well as an interior similar to the recently upgraded Edge.

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Categories: Crossovers,Ford,Future Vehicles,SUVs,Spy Photos

Remember fuel cells? They're the perpetually "ten years away" technology that will allow us to drive around in electric cars that emit nothing but thirst quenching water droplets. Sounds refreshing eh?

Well, there are still a few problems to overcome. It's not quite as convenient as a battery-powered electric car, namely because the ratio of electric outlets to hydrogen fueling stations is roughly 10 billion to one.

Then there's the fact that creating hydrogen fuel requires massive amounts of electricity. Hmm....using electricity to create hydrogen that you then turn back into electricity? Sounds like cutting out the middle man might be easier, no?  

Just bumps in the road according to the various automakers who are working on such systems. GM is one of them and it recently announced that its latest hydrogen fuel cell is smaller, lighter and uses less platinum that the setup in its earlier Equinox test vehicles. The new system has been installed in yet another Equinox and delivered to one Stephanie White, a biologist who's really into this kind of stuff. According to GM officials, the technology in Ms. White's Equinox could be ready for mass production by 2015. We'll see.

Categories: Auto Industry,Concept Vehicles,Future Vehicles,General Motors,Green Tech,SUVs

Oh, crap! Forget it.

Categories: Concept Vehicles,Fiat,SUVs

Inside Line tests hundreds of vehicles a year, but not every vehicle gets a full write-up. The numbers still tell a story, though, so we present "IL Track Tested." It's a quick rundown of all the data we collected at the track, along with comments direct from the test drivers. Enjoy.

When the current-generation MDX first arrived nearly four years ago, it was a dramatic change, both in terms of styling and performance. The new Super Handling all-wheel-drive system turned the family hauler into a more performance-oriented luxury cruiser. Instead of being compared to a cushy Lexus, we thought it felt more like a BMW X5.

For 2010, Acura gave the MDX a modest set of upgrades. Most notable among them was a new six-speed automatic transmission. The 3.7-liter V6 got a few revisions, too, but its output remains nearly unchanged at 300 horses and 270 pound-feet of torque.

The suspension got a few minor upgrades as well. The Active Damper system was retuned to deliver a wider range of adjustment while various chassis points were reinforced for additional rigidity. MDXs with the Advance Package like our tester also get 19-inch aluminum wheels with 255/50 tires. Does any of it help? Check the numbers for yourself after the jump.

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Categories: Acura,IL Track Tested,SUVs

We're not kidding either. This G55 was at the AMG factory getting retrofitted for a Russian customer who wanted a little more, uh, protection. Along with the fully armored outer shell and windows, this G-Class was fitted with captain's chairs in back.

Also note the dual doors at the rear, it's a tell-tale sign of an armored G. Normal G-Class SUVs have a single swinging door, but the extra weight of armor makes it too heavy for the hinges so two smaller doors are used.

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Categories: Mercedes-Benz,SUVs,Tuners and Modifications

Toyota owners whose cars have had the recall fix performed on their throttle pedals are now filing complaints with NHTSA to the effect of "it didn't work." At least 13 have been logged.

Representative Bart Stupak (D-Michigan) then added fuel to the fire today when he told Bloomberg that Toyota owners should feel "not very safe" when driving their cars.

"I don't think yet they have an answer [to reports of alleged unintended acceleration]," he said. "There's a glitch in either the computer, the software or the electronic system, and they haven't been able to narrow it down."

But here's a reality check on all this: Inside Line's parent company, Edmunds.com, reports that purchase intent for Toyota vehicles increased 38.5 percent from March 1 to March 2, following Toyota's announcement of its March sales program.

The automaker is offering 0 percent financing for up to a 60-month term on the 2010 Avalon, Camry, Corolla, Highlander, Matrix, RAV4, Tundra and Yaris.

Stupak, if you're wondering, served as a Michigan State Trooper for over a decade and holds a law degree; he is not, however, an engineer.

Edmunds.com press release

Inside Line News -- Toyota Recall: "It's Doing It Again, Mom!"

Bloomberg

Categories: Auto Industry,Hatchbacks,SUVs,Sedans,Toyota,Toyota Recalls

We're scratching our heads over the camouflaged Saturn Vues our shooters have spotted putting around Michigan over the last week. They still have Saturn badging in the back, but what's with the taped over Chevrolet grille and Buick wheels? And then there's the hybrid badging down the side.

This almost certainly suggests that General Motors is considering a two-mode hybrid version of the Chevrolet Equinox, where you'd have a gas engine joining forces with a pair of electric motors built into the transmission.

But we think there's a chance this hybrid might be a plug-in, judging by the camo over the fender vent -- this is where the plug was on the Saturn Vue PHEV. That vehicle debuted at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show.

GM officials had said the plug-in Vue would use lithium-ion batteries and go on sale in late 2010, about the same time as the Chevrolet Volt. Notably, though, it was only going to have a 10-mile all-electric range, which almost defeats the point of having plug-in capability.

The other curious thing about the prototypes is that they all have a single exhaust outlet. The Vue Two-Mode Hybrid and PHEV were slated to use a directed-injected version of GM's 3.6-liter V6, and the show cars all had dual exhaust tips. The switch to a single could indicate that GM has decided to use a four-cylinder engine instead -- perhaps the direct-injected 2.4-liter.

We'll have to wait and see how this project develops, but it's clear GM hasn't given up on the idea of building hybrid crossover SUVs.

Update: We've added a photo of another of the "Vue Hybrid" prototypes after the jump. It lacks the Chevy grille treatment (but still has those Buick wheels), but since the shot was taken from the driver side, you can more clearly see the fender-mounted port that would take the charger cable -- not to be confused with the block-heater plug dangling from the front of the vehicle.

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Categories: Chevrolet,Crossovers,Green Tech,Hybrids,SUVs,Saturn,Spy Photos

Hummer has received a temporary stay of execution, or at least the 153 remaining Hummer dealers have, as General Motors has extended their franchise agreements for another 60 days, Automotive News reports. The reason? More offers have come in, it seems, since the deal with Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machines Co., Ltd. collapsed earlier this week.

The Hummer leadership now has until May 1 to find a buyer for Hummer, or portions of it.

"The next step in the process is to sit down with those interested parties and figure out who is serious and who just doesn't make any sense," Hummer CEO Jim Taylor told AN. "Some are well-known equity houses, who do this for a living. Some are just those who say, 'I want to buy it.'"

Reuters is reporting that four more Chinese manufacturers have entered a bid. None are mainstream automakers, say sources close to GM, and none are likely to be interested in buying all of Hummer. Instead, they might be interested in only tooling and equipment from the brand's Shreveport, Louisiana, production plant.

Still, nothing's a sure bet, as the Tengzhong deal is thought to have fallen apart due to objections from the Chinese government, and other companies may be loath to challenge the government. In addition, Hummer's product portfolio really isn't any better a fit for the Chinese market than it was for the United States.

Automotive News

Reuters

Categories: Auto Industry,General Motors,HUMMER,SUVs

For an SUV that many people thought would be the death of the brand, the 2011 Porsche Cayenne has arrived looking pretty strong. And as you can see, the second-generation model also arrives looking much like the current version. 

It's actually slightly longer with a 1.6-inch longer wheelbase, yet this Cayenne is nearly 400 pounds lighter than its predecessor across the board according to Porsche. Ditching all the hard core off-road hardware probably helped, no low-range on this sucker.

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Categories: Geneva Motor Show,Luxury Cars,Porsche,SUVs

Oh, dang! Think we might have jinxed this one. In a post yesterday about GM's successful completion of the deal to sell Saab to Spyker, we listed a number of the General's earlier failures to close deals for its other doomed brands. We ended that with what we thought was an innocent: "And who knows what will end up happening with Hummer."

Well, one day later, we know: Hummer is dead. The drawn-out negotiations with the enticingly named Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machines Co., Ltd.are over. GM said in a statement today that the Chinese company was "unable to complete the acquisition of Hummer," and that it will begin the "orderly wind-down of...operations."  No further details were provided but word is that the deal was ultimately doomed by the Chinese government.

General Motors pointed out that it will, of course, continue to honor Hummer warranties, providing service and spare parts to current owners.

Categories: Auto Industry,General Motors,HUMMER,SUVs

This is the latest test mule of the 2011 BMW X3. As you can see, it's not all that different form the current X3. It's your basic compact SUV with a high seating position, all-wheel drive and a little bit of cargo room out back. From what we hear, this X3 will go on sale toward the end of this year just before the slightly smaller X1 arrives in early 2011.

Categories: BMW,Crossovers,Luxury Cars,SUVs

Unlike most leaks, this wasn't some rogue employee or crafty spy photographer. No, this was a case of the folks at Porsche getting a little too relaxed about their own website. Turns out they put up a configurator that included a picture of the soon-to-be-introduced 2011 Porsche Cayenne.

Look for more pics and photos when it makes an official appearance at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show in a couple weeks.

TopSpeed
 

Categories: Geneva Motor Show,Porsche,SUVs

Inside Line tests hundreds of vehicles a year, but not every vehicle gets a full write-up. The numbers still tell a story, though, so we present "IL Track Tested." It's a quick rundown of all the data we collected at the track, along with comments direct from the test drivers. Enjoy.

Say you have $95,000 to spend on an odd-looking crossover thing. Unlike most luxury manufacturers, BMW has not one, but two models to choose from. On the one hand, there's the X6 M, a Motorsport-tuned version that will embarrass sports cars that are half its weight.

And then there's the X6 ActiveHybrid, an equally expensive but slightly less nimble X6 that trades some performance for fuel-efficiency. Not much fuel-efficiency, mind you. On the highway, the X6 Hybrid's EPA number goes up two notches, but it still doesn't crack 20 mpg (its 19 mpg) while the city numbers goes from a paltry 12 mpg to a more respectable 17 mpg.

So day to day, the X6 Hybrid will drain your wallet at a slightly slower pace. Then again, all those batteries assure that you'll be moving at a slightly slower pace as well. The weight gain is nearly 500 pounds, which wouldn't be so shocking if the X6 M wasn't already a bit hefty on its own. Still, neither crossover is a slouch in the performance department as you can see from the numbers that appear after the jump. You just have to decide which numbers you care more about.

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Categories: BMW,Crossovers,Hybrids,IL Track Tested,Luxury Cars,SUVs

Nissan unveiled its all-new Patrol SUV in the UAE a couple days ago. It'll head our way later this year, first as the next-generation Infiniti QX and maybe later as the replacement for the Nissan Armada. This is the first promotional video showing the big SUV in action.

Categories: Nissan,SUVs

A photo of the restyled 2011 Toyota RAV4 for Europe was released today. As you can see, it's a slightly more dramatic redesign than the barely noticeable refresh we got in 2009.

Not a bad looking restyle in our opinion. Toyota says this RAV4 will get a range of engines that will make it the most efficient vehicle in its class. Look for the official unveil at the 2010 Geneva Auto show in a couple weeks.
 

Categories: Geneva Motor Show,SUVs,Toyota