Green
-
With a hat trick of new cars at this year's Detroit auto show--including the hybrid NSX concept--the Acura brand is taking fresh aim at luxury-car buyers that have moved onward and upward to other brands. With the ILX concept, Acura's looking for fresh talent. The new four-door makes it clear that Honda's idea of luxury car buyers now includes those folks who want smaller, greener cars. Acura says the ILX concept is the precursor to a new vehicle it will put on sale early next year. Like most recent Honda and Acura concept cars, this one looks about 90 percent production-ready, though that's...
-
2013 Audi A8 Gets 3.0-Liter Gas And Diesel Options In U.S.
Audi has announced at this week’s 2012 Detroit Auto Show that it is expanding its A8 family with two new fuel-efficient powertrain options in the 2013 model year, one of which is a diesel. We can confirm that Audi’s flagship sedan will offer a 3.0-liter V-6 ‘TDI’ turbodiesel...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2013 Ford Fusion Live Photos: 2012 Detroit Auto Show
There’s no denying that the new 2013 Ford Fusion is a looker, and these latest live photos confirm that the stylish sedan looks just as good in the metal as it does in the stylized press shots we saw earlier. The new Fusion is also a star when it comes to environmental consciousness, with...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Nissan Shows Its e-NV200 Electric Van At Detroit Auto Show
Nissan is showing an electric-powered version of its NV200 van, using the Leaf drivetrain, at this week's Detroit Auto Show.
Kurt Ernst -
Chevrolet Tru 140S Concept Preview: 2012 Detroit Auto Show
The other side of Chevy's Detroit Auto Show small concept-car coin from the Code 130R is the Tru 140S. Despite the slightly more annoying name, the Tru 140S offers its own set of attractive design features, packaged as a "four-seat coupe" that's also a "three-door hatchback." It's also front-wheel...
Nelson Ireson -
2012 BMW ActiveHybrid 5 Priced From $61,845
Though we pretty much already know everything there is to know about the 2012 BMW ActiveHybrid 5, the eco-friendly sedan has finally made its U.S. debut with an appearance today at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. However, coinciding with its local debut, BMW has also revealed the all-important pricing...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
We’ve known about plans for a hybrid version of Volkswagen’s latest Jetta sedan for almost two years but now, finally, at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show the covers have come off the car. And the all-important gas mileage is, according to Volkswagen’s own estimates, is 45 mpg combined. That’s a full 11 mpg better than the already frugal Jetta TDI and it’s also one whole mpg better than the 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid’s combined figure. Not only that but the new Jetta Hybrid, which will be coming onto the market later this year as a 2013 model, also features a few...
-
Smart For-Us Pickup Concept Debuts At 2012 Detroit Auto Show
Fresh from its win in last year’s Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge, Smart has unveiled a funky electric urban pickup concept at this week’s 2012 Detroit Auto Show. Yes, this tiny concept car is an open-top pickup complete with a sturdy tray, which Smart claims is ideal for holding...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2013 Ford Fusion Debuts With Gas, Hybrid, And Plug-In Efficiency
Ford’s new global design strategy so far appears to be working, with the largely European designed and engineered Fiesta and Focus compacts doing particularly well around the globe, including in the U.S. where such cars have proven to be a hard sell in the past. More recently we saw the 2013...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2013 Dodge Dart Revealed At 2012 Detroit Auto Show Debut
After an early leak, the new 2013 Dodge Dart has finally been revealed to the public, with the stylish compact sedan debuting in front of audiences today at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. The vehicle, despite its lower-end positioning, is a crucial model in the Fiat-Chrysler empire as the car’s...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee Diesel Announced For U.S.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee Diesel powered into the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, but only for Europe and other non-U.S. markets. The 241 horsepower, 406 pound-foot V-6 turbodiesel it featured was a tantalizing prospect, and now, finally, the U.S. will get its taste of the torquey and fuel efficient Jeep...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Porsche Cayenne Diesel Confirmed For 2012 U.S. Launch
Porsche is set to launch its first-ever diesel model in the U.S., confirming this week that its Cayenne Diesel luxury SUV will be offered to U.S. customers in the second half of the year. Though we already knew the vehicle was coming, this is the first time that Porsche has confirmed the news...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Remember the ultra-efficient, albeit somewhat pricey, diesel-electric V60 Plug-In Hybrid wagon Volvo unveiled for the European market last month? Well here is a preview of the version we’ll get in the U.S., and as previously confirmed it will feature a gasoline-electric setup. The fact that the U.S. version requires gasoline rather than diesel isn’t the only major difference. In the U.S. Volvo has chosen its XC60 crossover as the basis, fitting it with a new-generation 2.0-liter turbo four, electric motor, and eight-speed automatic. Debuting next week in concept form at the 2012...
-
Toyota NS4 Plug-In Hybrid Concept Bound For Detroit Auto Show: Video
Toyota will show a new plug-in hybrid concept called the NS4 at the Detroit Auto Show, and the concept is said to take Toyota in a sportier design direction.
Kurt Ernst -
Mercedes E Superlight: Carbon Fiber, Fuel Cell Exec For 2015
It's difficult to discuss the weight of modern cars without referring to the old Colin Chapman adage, "add lightness". Still, the old Lotus chap had a point--by making a car lightweight, you improve it in every dynamic area, and efficiency increases too. Automakers are once more starting to take...
Antony Ingram -
2012 Fisker Karma Sedans Recalled For Battery Coolant Leak
Fisker is recalling 239 Karma sedans to correct a potential battery coolant leak that could result in a fire.
Kurt Ernst -
New Hybrid Acura NSX To Come Packing 400 Horsepower: Report
Combining a 3.5-liter V-6 with front wheel mounted electric motors, the upcoming Acura NSX is said to produce a combined 400 horsepower.
Kurt Ernst -
Battery Supplier Issues Fix For Fisker Karma Batteries
In the wake of recent news regarding short circuits in Fisker Karma battery assemblies, supplier A123 Systems has developed a solution to resolve the issue.
Kurt Ernst -
Honda is vigorously implementing new weight saving measures in the design and construction of its cars, according to latest reports coming out of Japan. The move is said to be part of an orchestrated effort to revive the automaker’s once proud reputation for engineering brilliance as well as to make cars cheaper for sale in emerging markets. The key will be the adoption of new design and manufacturing techniques aimed at making vehicles lighter, Reuters reports citing Japan’s Nikkei business daily. Essentially, Honda will weld more components, such as the roof, side panels and...
-
2012 Toyota Prius C Gets TRD And Modellista Enhancements In Japan
Sales of the new 2012 Toyota Prius C have commenced in Japan, where the vehicle goes by the name Aqua and is offered with a range of performance modifications from TRD and Modellista. TRD, as many readers may already know, is Toyota’s official in-house tuner and is responsible for much of the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Santa Gets Ford Evos-Inspired Sleigh Just In Time For Christmas
In the spirit of the season Ford has decided to conceptualize an eco-friendly sleigh for Santa Claus to use on his present-dropping run this Christmas Eve. We say eco-friendly because the sleigh is powered by Ford’s new 1.0-litre EcoBoost gasoline engine, which according to the automaker...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Mercedes Bringing E400 Hybrid And E300 Bluetec Hybrid To Detroit
Mercedes-Benz is bringing two new hybrid models to the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, one of which has been confirmed for sale in the U.S. next year. The two hybrids are the gasoline-electric 2013 Mercedes-Benz E400 Hybrid and the diesel-electric Mercedes-Benz E300 Bluetec Hybrid, and for now only the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Top Ten Concept Cars Of 2011
2011 has been a great year for concept cars, with everything from eco vehicles to supercars, to... eco supercars. There's definitely been some imaginative shapes appearing on the motor show stands, so here are some of our favorites - in no particular order... Toyota Fun-Vii The writing is on the...
Antony Ingram -
Honda EV-STER Concept To Spawn Production Version: Report
One of Honda’s star attractions at last month’s 2011 Tokyo Motor Show was the EV-STER electric sports car concept that many, including us, were calling a modern day iteration of the classic CRX. Turns out the CRX analogy may not be too far off as a new report suggests that the EV-STER...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran