Concept Cars
Audi quattro concept heading into production?
Remember the Audi quattro concept that was shown at the 2010 Paris Motor Show? Now we have news that Audi may put the coupe/3-door hatch into production, according to a recent post by Jalopnik. Apparently a reader of the motoring website spotted a quattro running around with design studio license plates in Malibu, Calirfornia.
It was definitely for a photo shoot as a classic quattro was also present and there was police escort as well. The reader then asked one of the crew members some questions and he or she ‘confirmed’ that the quattro concept is going into production. There is nothing official about this and it will be interesting to hear what Audi has to say.
As mentioned before, the all-wheel-drive Audi quattro concept weighs 1,300 kilograms and it is powered by a turbocharged 2.5 liter 5-potter which makes 402hp and 480Nm of torque. Naught to 100km/h can be reached in 3.9 seconds. You can read more about it here.
LA 2010 – 2012 Toyota RAV4 EV shown
Toyota has officially lifted the veil on the all-electric RAV4 at this year’s Los Angeles Motor Show. The green SUV was co-created with Tesla Motors and is part of an US$50 million collaboration between the two. The vehicle which is still in its demonstration phase uses a lithium metal oxide battery with useable output rated in the mid-30 kwh range. Unfortunately that is as technical as we can get at the moment as Toyota has yet to finalize other details.
However Toyota has stated its aim of achieving a 161-kilometer range. The RAV4 EV which weighs about 100 kilograms heavier than the RAV4 V6 features a different suspension, steering system and is modified to optimize weight distribution. Despite it being an electric vehicle, trunk space is maintained at 2,067 liters. Toyota announced that the production model will be launched in 2012 along with a smaller electric vehicle and the Prius plug-in hybrid.
Check out an image gallery and a video after the jump. Read the rest of this entry.
Mercedes green-lights CLS Shooting Brake
Looks like the rumors turned out to be true after all. Mercedes-Benz has officially announced that it will put the CLS Shooting Brake into production with a market introduction sometime in 2012. The Shooting Brake concept was shown at the Beijing Auto Show and it inspired the all-new CLS.
The new variant will definitely carry over design cues from the new CLS but instead of four doors, the CLS Shooting Brake will feature five, with the must-have slopping roof line of course. Engine and transmission options are expected to be carried over from the new CLS. Mercedes also confirmed that the Shooting Brake will be manufactured at the Sindelfingen plant.
Subaru to introduce new concept at the LA Motor Show
Subaru has announced that it will present an all new concept vehicle at the Los Angeles Motor Show later this month. The concept which will signify the company’s new brand philosophy called “Confidence in Motion” is likely to be a hybrid, judging from the tone of the press release. There is also a possibility that it could point to the next generation Impreza. More will be revealed soon so stay tuned!
Subaru Forester S-Edition hints at 2011 model
Subaru has put its presence at the 2010 Australian Motor Show into good use by unveiling the Forester S-Edition concept. Despite being a concept, this Forester actually previews the 2011 Forester, leaving pretty much nothing to the imagination.
This concept has a 2.5 liter force-inducted engine which makes 259hp, instead of 227hp in the outgoing XT model. Torque has also been improved to 347Nm, up from 320Nm. It was also previously announced that the updated Forester will debut Subaru’s new normally-aspirated 2.5 liter engine which makes 170hp and 236Nm of torque.
The all wheel drive concept also sports a revised sport suspension, a 5-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters, 17-inch STI wheels, drilled allow pedals, Alcantara seat trim and a luminescent instruments with a centre design. The 2011 Forester will be sold in the US, with a US$20,495 price tag for the base 2.5X model before topping out at US$29,995 for the 2.5XT Touring.
Continue reading to view an image gallery of the concept. Read the rest of this entry.
Paris 2010 – Lotus 3-door CityCar concept shown
Apart from the magnificent five that were shown at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, Lotus also revealed the CityCar concept vehicle, which is pretty much a 3-door version of the Proton EMAS concept that was shown at this year’s Geneva Motor Show.
The CityCar concept, which is being considered as Lotus’ answer to the Aston Martin Cygnet also shares the same powertrain featured in the EMAS. This means that there is a hybrid system which is capable of collectively producing peak power of 220 PS and 240Nm of torque. Continuos power comes from a 73 PS (54 kW) rear-mounted electric motor.
This fuel-less motor is complemented by a range-extending 1.2 liter 3-cylinder combustion engine which makes 46 PS. The engine is able to run on methanol, ethanol or conventional petrol. With above-mentioned electric motor alone, the concept is able to run for 60 kilometers, while with a fully fueled combustion engine, the range is figured at 500 kilometers. While running, the engine will output as low as 60 grams of CO2 emissions per kilometer.
The CityCar concept thats weighs below 1,400 kilograms also sports a glass roof, an interior that is finished in green as well as combinations of leather, fabric and carbon fiber. More images including live ones can be seen after the jump. Read the rest of this entry.
Paris 2010 – Chevy Cruze hatchback live images
Chevrolet has presented the hatchback version of the popular Cruze in the city of love. The new global variant will join the sedan model mid next year and it will feature a body-frame integral system, up to 400 liters of trunk space and a 60/40 spilt for the rear seats.
Shown in Paris is what Chevrolet calls a show car, but the final production shouldn’t run far off. Details are still scarce but you can safely expect the hatchback to be offered with the same drivetrain options found in the sedan model. You can check out some live images after the jump. Read the rest of this entry.
