NISSAN
Auto enthusiasts already know what’s hot at Nissan for 2009. It’s the GT-R, a fifth-generation Nissan Skyline coupe that finally comes to the States after four iconic generations in Japan. |
BUICK
Buick’s eight-passenger crossover SUV gets more power in 2009, as a 288-horsepower, 3.6-liter, direct injection V-6 replaces the previous V-6. Torque peaks at 270 foot-pounds.
A new engine is added to the Lucerne sedan, too. The 3.9-liter V-6 provides 30 more horses — to 227 — than the 3.8-liter engine it replaces. Torque rises to 237 foot-pounds.
Buick Lucerne.
BMW
The German automaker brings back to the States a diesel engine in the new model year.
Both the X5 SUV and the 3-Series sedan will be available with the new 265-horsepower, 3-liter, turbocharged, diesel, inline six cylinder that puts out an amazing 425 foot-pounds of torque. This engine meets emissions requirements in all 50 states.
The 3-Series also gets a mild appearance freshening in front and back and the new generation of iDrive information technology inside. Meantime, later in the model year, the flagship 7-Series sedan will
debut as a newly styled car with new suspension and the 400-horsepower, 4.4-liter, twin-turbo V-8 that’s already in the BMW X6.
Look for BMW’s Z4 two-seater to end production this year.
AUDI
Audi’s smallest sedan, the A4, is larger and sits a bit lower as a third-generation model. Styling is bolder, too. |
ACURA
All three Acura sedans are revised for 2009.
The entry Acura TSX is a larger, second-generation model with updated exterior styling and a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine with 8 more foot-pounds of torque — to 172 foot-pounds — than its predecessor. Horsepower peaks at 201.
The mid-range TL is a larger, fourth-generation model and has the most powerful sedan engine in Acura’s lineup: a 305-horsepower, 3.7-liter V-6 with 273 foot-pounds of torque. This powerplant is available in the uplevel TL SH-AWD version that, for the first time, includes Acura’s special all-wheel-drive system. That not only shifts power from front to rear wheels when needed, but also from one side of an axle to the other for improved cornering.
Acura’s flagship sedan, the RL, has more aggressive styling this year and a more powerful engine: a 300-horsepower, 3.7-liter V-6 that develops 271 foot-pounds of torque. The new RL has a roomier back seat than its predecessor did, and suspension and tires are upgraded.
Volkswagen unveiling two-door Elise fighter in LA, new sports car
Click either image for a high-res gallery.
Over the past five years, Volkswagen has continued to tease us with sports car concepts that never seem to come to fruition. Back in 2003, VW unveiled the Concept R in Frankfurt to critical acclaim and two years later, the wraps came off the EcoRacer, proving that the automaker was still kicking around the idea of a lightweight, affordable roadster for the masses.
In the interim, VW had two similar concepts that never left the studio, but when the Los Angeles Auto Show rolls along later this year, a new mid-engine coupe will be revealed, and this one actually has a shot at production.
According to Autocar, this newest concept aims to be a budget alternative to the Lotus Elise, balancing performance and fuel economy in a low-cost package. Sources suggest that the coupe will feature either a 168 hp, 1.4-liter TSI gasoline engine or a 125 hp, 1.6-liter TDI mounted amidships and sending power to the rear wheels via a seven speed DSG gearbox. If and when the production version debuts in 2011, the coupe's curb weight is pegged at just over 2,200 pounds, allowing it to run to 60 in under seven seconds while still returning over 55 mpg.If the project is given the green light, the same architecture that underpins the VW variant could form he basis for the oft-rumored and continually denied Audi R4. And with Porsche's stake in V-Dub, that means a 914 successor is just a badge and prayer away.
Gallery: Volkswagen Concept R
Gallery: Volkswagen EcoRacer
Infiniti G37 Convertible revealed ahead of L.A.
Click above image to enlarge
Note to the Lexus SC430: it is now beyond over for you. Infiniti, Nissan's BMW-hunting luxury brand, has unveiled the 2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible, a retractable hardtop 4-seater that preserves the Coupe's good looks even with its 3-piece folding metal roof neatly tucked out of sight, as you can see here. Power from the 3.7L V6 will be in excess of 320 horses, and numerous comparos against the BMW 335i convertible are inevitable. You can practically hear the buff mags reserving track time as we speak. Sunny Los Angeles will be the venue for the car's formal unveiling in November, and likely a fertile ground for sales when the time comes.
2010 Cadillac CTS coupe coming to LA Auto Show
Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2010 Cadillac CTS coupe.
This past Saturday in Monterey, Cadillac invited a select group of journalists to see the production version of the CTS coupe. Naturally, cameras weren't allowed inside the Caddy tent to keep images leaking out ahead of the coupe's official unveiling this November at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
However, a lack of pictures hasn't stopped InsideLine from going into detail about what the CTS coupe will look like when it rolls onto the stand in LA. According to the report, the coupe is virtually unchanged from its conceptual predecessor, with everything ahead of the A-pillars pulled directly from its sedan counterpart. The massive C-pillars have remained, along with the vertical taillights and steeply raked rear window. Thankfully, Cadillac saw fit to include a back-up camera to make up for the lack of rearward visibility.
Production will begin next summer at GM's Lansing Grand River plant, and while GM execs remain mum on engine choices, expect the same duo of V6s available on the sedan and sport wagon to carry over to the coupe, along with the CTS-V's 550 hp, supercharged 6.2-liter V8 later down the line.
Gallery: Cadillac CTS Coupe - spy shots II
Gallery: Cadillac CTS Coupe Concept
Lincoln MKT headed to Detroit, facelifted MKZ to LA
Mark Fields, Ford's president of the Americas, has confirmed that the Lincoln MKT crossover is due to be reveal this January at the Detroit Auto Show, while a refreshed MKZ will be unveiled at the Los Angeles Show in November.
We already knew the Ford Flex-based CUV was headed to Detroit, with power provided by either a 3.7-liter or a 3.5-liter Ecoboost V6. Both six- and seven-passenger seating arrangements will be offered, along with Blind Spot Monitoring and a Cross Traffic Alert system which utilizes two sonar modules to notify drivers that a vehicle has moved into their blind spot by shining a light on the corresponding outside mirror. Sales are expected to begin later in 2009 and Ford is insistent that the MKT won't share any body panels with its platform sibling.
The facelifted MKZ sedan will sport the new split-wing grille originally found on the MKR concept. New taillights are also rumored to be part of the package and sales should begin later this year or early in 2009.
Gallery: Lincoln MKT Concept
BMW X1, 7 Series hybrid headed to Paris; Z4 to debut in LA
Inside Line has the skinny on BMW's new product unveils for the upcoming show season. Paris and L.A. are the headliners, with the City of Light chosen as the backdrop for the official public debuts of the all-new 7 series (including an ActiveHybrid variant) and facelifted 3 Series. While those cars will get their fair share of attention, all eyes will likely to be on the concept X1, which will also make its world debut in Paris.The baby ute should be to the X3 what the 1 Series is to the 3. As for its "concept" status, if Bimmer concepts in recent years are any indication (think M5, Z4 Coupe, and M3), the X1 show car and production vehicle should be essentially one and the same. The next major unveiling involving a roundel-wearing car will take place this November in Los Angeles, where the redesigned Z4 will be introduced. According to Inside Line, it'll go on sale in January. As for the X1? Time will tell. Details on if and/or when it'll be offered in the States aren't available yet.
Spyker officially reveals Le Mans-inspired C8 Laviolette LM85
It's been a winning formula for Ferrari: build a road car, then build a race version of that road car, and finally build a road version of the race car. Spyker has decided to try out the formula for itself and officially announced it will be building a road car inspired by its GT2R race car that is in turn based off the C8 Laviolette production car. Named the C8 Laviolette LM85, the Le Mans-inspired Dutch supercar features Audi's 4.2-liter V8 producing 400 horsepower, a 6-speed manual transmission, paint scheme from the GT2R race car, and an interior covered in black leather and alcantara. Other features include a carbon fiber rear spoiler, black powder coated alloy wheels and 6-piston brakes from AP Racing. The car will be on display at the LA Auto Show in November, so we will be sure to bring you additional photos. For now, check out the small gallery below, as well as a gallery of the GT2R race car. More information on the C8 Laviolette LM85 can be found in the press release after the jump.
Gallery: Spyker C8 Laviolette LM85
Toyota to display CNG fueled Camry Hybrid concept
Hybrid vehicles are increasingly becoming mainstream, but so far all of the production units available on the market have used gasoline exclusively as the fuel for the internal combustion engine. Various manufacturers have also shown concept and one-off test hybrid vehicles with diesel and E85 capable flex-fuel engines. One combination we don't recall seeing is a CNG fueled hybrid. Toyota plans to address that oversight at the LA Auto Show in November with a CNG fueled Camry Hybrid. Vehicles running on compressed natural gas are nothing new, although the only one currently offered by a major automaker in the US right now is the Honda Civic GX. Since CNG vehicles have a shorter range, they have primarily been used by fleets with centralized filling stations. Toyota has built this vehicle as part of its wide ranging sustainable mobility strategy. With domestic supplies of CNG being comparatively plentiful, something like a CNG hybrid sedan could be a good option for someone who does most of their driving locally. Combine it with the Phill home fueling station and you'd never have to go to a gas station again. Press release after the break.
Sneak peek at Mitsubishi's LA Design Challenge entrant: MMR25 Rally Racer
Click above for gallery of the Mitsubishi MMR25 Rally Racer concept
The LA Auto Show is once again hosting its annual Design Challenge in which automakers are asked to let their minds wander and think freely about what future vehicles might actually be like. Last year's theme was green, but this year designers are being asked to imagine what motorsports will be like in 2025.
Mitsubishi's answer will be the MMR25 Rally Racer, a way out there concept that draws upon the automaker's long lineage of successful rally racing to create a sand crawler like we've never seen before. We've only got a sneak peek for now, so there's no telling what exotic or outright fictional engine powers the MMR25, but expect it to be just as crazy as those multidirectional wheels.
Conflicting details: Volkswagen's LA-bound mid-engine coupe
CAR and Autoweek have tapped their sources within Volkswagen to get the scoop on a rumored mid-engine Elise-fighter that may debut at next month's LA Auto Show. But when working with unnamed insiders, information tends to get jumbled in the process and differing reports emerge that suggest it's all more speculation than hard facts.Both reports confirm what we've heard before: Volkswagen will limit the cylinder count to four, but that's where the similarities end. Autoweek's sources say that engine choices will be limited to either a 170-hp 1.4-liter Twincharger TSI gasoline engine or a new 125-hp 1.6-liter TDI sending power to the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. CAR pegs displacement of the gasoline engines at between 1.2- and 1.4-liters, with output ranging from 105 to 160 hp. A 1.2-liter TDI producing 75 hp is also being bandied around.
According to Autoweek, the mid-engine coupe will come to market in 2011, while CAR contends production won't begin until 2013. Additionally, CAR reports that VW won't use an aluminum architecture due to cost constraints, meaning that the Modular Sports Car (MSC) will come in at around 2,660 pounds (300kg heavier than the Elise). On the other hand, Autoweek is saying that the concept will tip the scales below 2,200 pounds by tapping Audi for its expertise with aluminum and opening the door to a four-ringed variant with a choice of a 211-hp 2.0-liter TFSI or a 204-hp twin-turbo'd 2.0-liter TDI. Not to mention the possibility of a Porsche 914 successor.
A strut-based suspension will be employed instead of a Golf-derived multi-link arrangement, while parts cribbed from the rest of the VW line – ranging from steering components and brakes to electronics and transmissions – will be used to keep manufacturing costs in check. Autoweek is also reporting that both a coupe and roadster will be offered, which strikes us as totally unnecessary as VW would be better served offering a removable hard-top similar to that on the MSC's target, the Lotus Elise.
CAR reveals spy shots of McLaren P11 supercar
UK-based CAR magazine teased over the weekend that super secret photos of a mystery car would be published on its website today, and that car has turned out to be the McLaren P11. While P11 is just a code name, the actual car and its real name are still around 18 months away. CAR's photos show a styling buck of the new McLaren, which is said to be a volume supercar to compete with the likes of the Lamborghini Gallardo and Ferrari F430. Recent job listings for McLaren suggest that its body will be made of lightweight composites and the engine will likely be sourced from the company's most visible partner, Mercedes-Benz. Expect a version of Merc's 6.2L V8, possibly turbocharged, to produce upwards of 500 bhp behind the P11's seats. Ex-Fiat designer design chief Frank Stephenson is leading the styling charge for the P11, or will be any day now, and as you can see, it mixes a little Ferrari with some Lotus and throws in a dash of McLaren F1 for the sake of continuity. A 200+mph top speed and sub-4-second trip to 60 are likely performance targets for McLaren's new baby, which could be produced in relatively large numbers for such a small company, around 5,000 units per year or so. Click the source below to check out all three pics of the McLaren P11.
2010 Mazda3 unveiled ahead of LA Auto Show
Mazda has confirmed the time and place for the unveiling of its all-new 2010 Mazda3: November 19th at the LA Auto Show. In anticipation of the car's public debut, the Japanese automaker released these three images of the remodeled 3 sedan that reveal the car's new design. While the new 3 retains a similar shape as the current model with a high beltline and rear decklid, the new car sports a much more expressive face with a "smile" grille positioned low up front that's flanked by vertical air intake/fog light combos. The front fenders, likewise, are more distinct from the elevated hood and roll nicely back into the car's forward canted character line. Out back are bigger taillights embedded in what appears to be a larger trunk above dual exhaust tips. The overall shape is a logical evolution of the current car that combines current Mazda design elements already found on the RX-8, Mazda6 and recently refreshed MX-5. Mazda also tells us that the 3 sedan will carry over its 2.0L four-cylinder, but be joined by a larger 2.5L engine to replace the current car's 2.3L. As for the Mazda3 five-door hatchback, we'll have to wait until some time after the LA Auto Show for that, though we're hoping the new Mazdaspeed3 is not far behind.
[Source: Mazda] PRESS RELEASE All-New Mazda3 Sedan to Debut at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show HIROSHIMA, Japan-Mazda Motor Corporation has confirmed that the sedan version of the all-new Mazda3 (known as Mazda Axela in Japan), fully redesigned for the first time in 5 years, will be revealed at the Los Angeles Auto Show*1 on November 19, 2008. The covers will be pulled off during Mazda's press conference from 12:20 to 12:45 (local time) revealing the all-new Mazda3, the latest evolution of Mazda's Zoom-Zoom spirit. All-new Mazda3 sedan (North American specification) Every element of the all-new Mazda3 has been developed for heightened exhilaration, with a more refined sporty ride, top class fuel economy and quietness. Environmental and safety features, based on Mazda's long-term "Sustainable Zoom-Zoom" vision, aim to achieve a balance with fun-to-drive. Add in a new expressive face and Mazda's dynamic design elements, and the all-new Mazda3 is everything a driver could ask for in a sports compact. The brand new version of Mazda's best-selling sports compact carries forward the heritage of Mazda and the pedigree of the current Mazda3. Since its launch in 2003, the current Mazda3 has sold approx. 1.8 million vehicles*2 in over 100 countries and has won more than 90 global motoring awards*3 to date. The Mazda3 accounts for almost one in three Mazdas sold every year. Following the world debut of the North American specification sedan with 2.0- and 2.5-liter engines at the show, the five-door hatchback version will be revealed in line with Mazda's global sales schedule.
Aston Martin One-77 (partially) revealed -
Aston Martin said it would have a "property" here in Paris, and indeed it did. The Aston Martin One-77 made its "debut," but it looks like we'll have to wait a bit longer to see the British automaker's $1,000,000+ super coupe.
Judging by the limited upskirt shots in our gallery, the length of the One-77 easily surpasses the DB9 and the stylized front end, with blacked-out headlamps, ensures that the One-77 will spend more time in the comfy confines of heated and carpeted garages then out on the track where it's 7.3-liter V12, carbon fiber monocoque and massive brakes will be put to good use.
