The CarGurus Blog

While SUVs certainly haven’t gone the way of the dinosaur (yet), they are certainly seeing some heavy competition from the sleeker crossover segment, which offers much of the same versatility and cargo space, but with a more car-friendly driving experience.  BMW released its own successful X5 earlier this century, followed by the not-as-popular X3.  Are crossovers so sought after that BMW needs to add to the lineup?  Apparently so, as it is currently testing out the new 2009 X6, set for sale sometime in 2008.

The X6, as it is called now, will be an even sportier version of the all-wheel drive X5 Sport Activity Vehicle, designed for more off-roading and aggressive driving.  Slick style and optimal performance will outweigh family functionality and cargo utility.  This is evident from the space-cutting roofline.  But more on that later.  It is likely to share the same 260-hp I6 and 350-hp V8 engines and 6-speed auto tran as the X5, but performance enhancements such as a lower center of gravity, lighter body panels, bigger brakes and tires, and a 30/70 front/rear torque split should improve handling on the X6. 

It is being billed as a crossover coupe, but a coupe that has four doors instead of two.  In this case, the ”coupe” probably refers to what looks to be a sloping fastback roofline that mirrors the steep windshield.  And though the X6 is actually longer than the X5, the roofline will necessitate the elimination of the third row of seats that you get in the X5.  Picture a coupe top melded to an SUV bottom, and that should give you some sense of how the X6 might look.  Spy shots also reveal Z4-type taillights. 

The X6 will probably compete directly with the successful Range Rover Sport and seems to be BMW’s response to a demand for a more driver-oriented crossover.  Whether adding a third crossover to its lineup might be overcrowding the market and result in dampening sales remains to be seen. 

What’s even more interesting is that apparently BMW isn’t done yet.  It’s rumored to be releasing an F5 and F3 sport wagon (part of the 5 and 3 Series respectively) sometime in 2009 and 2010 as well.  These will be 5-passenger wagons available in either rear-wheel or all-wheel drive, with an emphasis again on performance, thanks to lighter body parts, but with extra roominess due to a higher ceiling.  Whether the world needs this many sporty crossovers or if there are even enough passengers to ride in all of them, well just have to stay tuned.

Some more info and photos at edmunds.com and carconnection.com

Audi is jumping feet first into what it calls a “highly emotionally charged segment” of the automotive market by introducing two new vehicles for 2008. Those vehicles are the Audi A5 and the S5, and the emotionally charged segment to which Audi refers is the specialized realm of the Luxury Coupe, which is becoming more competitive and is certainly a highly prestigious segment for automakers. And a quick glance at Audi’s two new luxury coupes will tell you that “emotional” is exactly what the German automaker was aiming for in designing these vehicles.

Just check out that deep grille (a definite design trend for 2008 vehicles), those sweptback headlights, the stunning wheels, the wide stance, sporty overhangs, and flowing lines of the A5 and S5, and you’ll see what we mean. Who wouldn’t want to drive this car from one end of the country to the other and back? A car like this would certainly be an emotional buy, with the primary emotion being happiness.

The A5 and S5 luxury coupes are scheduled for their official unveiling in early March at the Geneva Auto Show, so details on the two cars are still limited, but this much we know. The A5 will be the grand touring model (read super-luxurious), while the S5 will be a sportier version of the same car.

Both models are designed to comfortably seat four passengers, and will be powered by FSI (direct injection) engines — a 3.2-liter V6 for the A5 and a 4.2-liter V8 for the S5, with horsepower for the A5 at around 260 and around 350 for the S5. Audi will push the vehicles’ front axle forward just a bit, with the engines riding behind it to improve balance and handling. Transmissions will be a six-speed manual or a continuously variable multitronic automatic gearbox, also called a continuously variable transmission or CVT.

Audi also notes that the A5 and S5 will feature a completely redesigned suspension with a new rack-and-pinion steering system, as well as Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system, 17-inch alloy wheels, an automatically opening trunk, a keyless entry system, an electromechanical parking brake, and a comfort key. A three-zone air conditioning system, a panoramic tilting roof, navigation and audio systems, and Audi’s parking system with a rearview camera are also part of the package.

All in all, it sounds like an impressive package. So get your emotions ready — the Audi luxury coupes will be rolling into U.S. showrooms later this year.

If you ask a bartender how to sweeten a screwdriver, he’d probably tell you to add more juice. The same rule apparently applies to the Toyota Highlander, which will get a major power upgrade for 2008.
If you saw this model at the 2007 Chicago Auto Show, you figured the basic design wouldn’t do much to rev up the public’s imagination. However, the Highlander does more than enough to rev its own 3.5 L, 270 hp V6 engine with 5 speed automatic transmission, a jump of almost 55 horses from earlier editions.

The new Highlander makes safety a priority with 7 airbags that cover all three rows. In addition, a few extra inches in length and width along with an extra few hundred pounds give the SUV extra leverage and stability on the road. Expect to get 27 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway.

Besides the extra girth, Toyota continues to offer a hybrid trim that feeds off a nickel metal hydride battery when the driver flips a switch. Unfortunately, the battery only lasts a mile before it needs re-charging. In any event, amateur conservationists may still appreciate the cursory attempt at lip service to reduced emissions.

So when can we drive the new Highlander? Expect the regular model to hit showrooms in July and the ‘hybrid’ to arrive by September. The increased size and power should make them worth the wait.

For more info, check out the following links:

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=119522

http://www.automobilemag.com/auto_shows/2007_chicago/0702_2008_toyota_highlander/

- Posted by Taeho Lim

When the green flag dropped this weekend on The Great American Race in Daytona, NASCAR’s Nextel Cup Series had what, at first blush, must have seemed like a distinctly foreign new flavor. The 2007 Daytona 500 served as the Nextel Cup Series debut of Toyota as some of  NASCAR’s established stars such as Michael Waltrip, Dale Jarett, Jeremy Mayfield, and Brian Vickers were be among those driving their Camrys into battle.

NASCAR long since gave up their stated goal of racing full-size, two-door American muscle cars when the full-size, two-door American muscle car went the way of the carburetor (which ironically finds its last great refuge in NASCAR), but America’s 5^th major sport stalwartly held to it’s assertion that American cars would form the centerpiece of stock car racing.

When it was announced that the Camry would enter the Nextel Cup and Busch Series in January of 2006, the howls of the purists were long, loud and plaintive. But I wonder how many of the purists know that the Camry was the only nameplate in the starting grid in Daytona that is actually built in the United States. Chevy’s Monte Carlo, a long time staple of the series, is built in Canada as is the Dodge Charger which joined the series in 2005. Dodge of course is now owned by a German company but still carries the perception of an American brand. Ford’s entry, the Fusion is made in Mexico, a long way from Toyota’s manufacturing facilities in the Blue Hills of Kentucky.

And while the Daytona 500 was Toyota’s coming out party in Nextel Cup, the race marked the third anniversary of the Japanese manufacturer’s participation in NASCAR’s higher profile racing series. Toyota joined NASCAR’s pickup truck schedule, the Craftsman Truck Series in February of 2004, and won their first race in July of that same year. In 2006 Tundras found their way to Victory Lane in 12 of 25 races and Todd Bodine won the series Championship for Toyota, their second in a NASCAR series following a 2003 win NASCAR’s relatively unknown Dash Series.

Of course once you breakdown the cars in the Nextel Cup series you find out that their 2007 version of the “stock car” is far from stock. Any resemblance between Michael Waltrip’s NAPA Auto Parts Camry at Daytona and the Camry in your neighborhood showroom is purely coincidental and less than skin deep. The printed graphics that depict the Camry’s headlights are pretty much where the similarities end.

Underneath the basically generic sheet metal of a typical Nextel Cup car, a rolled steel-tube chassis provides a fortress of a roll cage that protects the driver from all angles. In the case of the Toyotas on race day that chassis will also carry the Camry Racing V8, a power plant fed 112-octane Sunoco fuel by an 830-cfm carburetor.

The 358-cubic-inch cast iron engine with aluminum heads will generate 850 hp while turning 9000 rpm for the better part of three and a half hours each Sunday. Its 12:1 compression ratio will help provide 550 ft/lb of torque at 7500 rpm.

Toyota continues to battle for acceptance in the garage amid criticism that they are attempting to buy dominance in the series by out-spending their struggling American competitors and raiding their team talent. But at least the owner of one of NASCAR’s biggest stable of race teams, Jack Roush of Roush Racing, believes that this only the beginning of the march of foreign manufacturers into America’s premier racing series.

“Nissan, Honda, Toyota will all be here,” he said. “I just hope when we’re done with it, we still have Ford, Chevrolet and Chrysler.”

Break out the cigars. The enormously successful Volvo XC90, the Swedish maker’s first true SUV, is going to be a big brother. This blessed event—the arrival of the XC60 mini-ute, is expected by 2009 at the latest.

The world has been watching this dragged-out gestation period for some time now, as various incarnations of the XC60 concept have appeared at the world’s auto shows. It’s even gone through a name change, having grown up a notch from the original XC50 moniker.

It will compete with an impressive list of premium compact utes, including the BMW X3, the Acura RDX, and the forthcoming Mercedes-Benz GLK. The XC60 will get its drivetrain and platform from the Land Rover LR2, which awaits its U.S. launching in May.

Although it greatly resembles its XC90 idol, the new Swedish SUV is also based significantly on Volvo’s C30 sports coupe – look at the roofline, for instance. To be sure, its developers have consciously aimed for a beautiful blend of coupe and utility vehicle.

At the moment the XC60 concept has an innovative split tailgate, which features radical, form-following taillights along its angled edges and is heavy on the glass for better rear visibility. Its design also allows it to be opened in tight situations, for instance if another car is parked close to its bumper. Up front, the traditional Volvo iron-symbol grille is beefy and it accents a new V-shaped “face” with ultra-modern rearward-reaching headlamps that may find its way across the product line.

The most notable feature on the inside is a very modern, slim-line center console that “floats” to save space and calls to mind a chrome-framed iPod. But this is a Volvo, so the big story will be the abundance of integrated safety features. Expect it all, from reinforced construction to whiplash-protection head restraints and every kind of air bag to electronic stability control.

Look for a 3.2-liter DOHC inline six (similar to the one in the S80 sedan and the Land Rover LR2) to provide the power, in the range of 230 horses. There’s no word yet on what the XC60’s towing capacity or offroad capability may be, but the concept model has been outfitted with front and rear skid plates that may or may not make the cut.

Does the world really need another roadster?  Probably not, but these cars are so much fun to look at, fun to drive, and even more fun to be seen in, that they’re hard to resist.  It’s a bit like saying, does the world really need a new ice cream flavor?  These cars are equally rich, luscious, and hard to pass by without trying a sample.  Apparently Dodge thinks the roadster segment needs some fresh blood.  With the success of its Viper sports car and the growing popularity of the Pontiac Soltice roadster, Dodge is ready to unveil its Dodge Demon concept roadster at the Geneva Auto Show in March.

With advance pictures and basic specs recently released, the Demon is sure to draw an anticipatory crowd.  It is being marketed as a more affordable Viper, a sports car within everyone’s grasp, and is reportedly built on a completely new rear-wheel drive platform, though it uses the Chrysler 2.4-liter, 172-hp I4 engine and 6-speed manual.  Of course, drivers are hoping for more engine options, particularly that of the 300-hp SRT-4 drivetrain.  Really, when you see pictures of the Demon, it demands a lot more rocket-launching power. 

Its body is wide and low, with 19-inch tires pushed out to the edges, and its overall shape a mixture of curves and angled planes.  Rear wheel intakes are large and muscular, flowing directly into the Cubist rear end consisting of three intersecting planes — a look that tends to either excite or repulse car fans.  Not really new or innovative in appearance, the Demon seems more like what you’d get when you throw a 350Z, S2000, and a Viper into a food processor, which isn’t such a bad thing.  The front end is pure Dodge Ram tough, however, featuring the company’s cross-hair grille.  When combined with the cat’s-eye headlights, the overall effect is a menacing sneer.  As an extraneous sporty touch, the hood will be front-hinged.

Inside, Dodge has designed the dash and center console with the driver in mind, making edges flush and unobtrusive.  Bolstered seats with rear rollbars keep passengers firmly snug, and the interior shines with brushed aluminum trim and a 3-spoke steering wheel.  But because this is still a concept car yet to make its official debut, details are vague and unformed.  One wonders how much of what you see in the photos will make it to a production vehicle, if in fact a production vehicle appears at all.  But if the Geneva Auto Show is anything like a Ben and Jerry’s store, your driver’s palate should enjoy some tasty new sensations at the Dodge exhibit. 

 

We all seem to be pretty green-minded here at the CarGurus blog these days; my excuse is that a friend of mine recently came back from Tennessee and the “Inconvenient Truth” training with Al Gore and company, and her enthusiasm and wealth of information has left me feeling like a fossil-fuel-swilling roadhog.

But wait! There’s hope on the horizon, even for hopeless car junkies and racing aficionados. While reading this interesting article about the rise of bioethanol in Europe, I discovered that Lotus has created a bio-powered racing car, the Lotus Exige 265E.

What could be cooler than a supercharged Exige? A supercharged Exige that delivers 265 horsepower and faster speeds than the regular Exige, and does it all on E85 fuel (that’s 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline). The unique concept car is a one-off demonstration model, but the performance has been so consistent that reviewers and drivers alike are calling for Lotus to add a bio-friendly element to its luxury line.

The green stripe is for…well, you’ve probably figured it out, but the sleek, streamlined design is old-school Lotus at its finest. The lucky people at CarMagazine.co.uk got to take this beauty for a spin, and it’s every bit as fast as it looks.

Okay, so you probably can’t afford a Lotus (I know I can’t). But this kind of creativity is testing the limits of what new, planet-friendlier fuels can do. We’re seeing innovation like this all over Europe–Saab’s Biopower models, which are being sold right now in Sweden and elsewhere, are an indication of how these alternative-fuel cars can command a place in the market.

And my only question is this: is the American car industry going to catch up?

Automobile manufacturers have not rushed to directly cater to consumers who factor environmental concerns into their decisions about which car to buy. But that doesn’t mean there’s a lack of “green” options in the automotive market place.

Fortunately for the Earth-friendly, there is a major area of overlap in the factors that make a car both less offensive environmentally, and more economically attractive. As gas prices rise consumers of all ecological stripes seek cars that are efficient with a gallon of gas. No matter what the intent of the buyer, a car that uses less gas creates fewer emissions and that helps the environment,

Of course several car companies have responded to the market outcry for fuel efficiency with hybrid cars but that technology currently requires an extra outlay of cash, somewhere in the neighborhood of $1,000 to $3,000. That premium continues to test the resolve of tree huggers everywhere but our marketing research friends, J.D Power and Associates say that you can still be green, or certainly greener, without going hybrid.

A list of the top 30 environmentally-friendly, 2006-model-year vehicles released by J.D. Power contains just 8 hybrids.  Among the 22 other cars on the list are the more traditional internal combustion types such as the Acura RSX; Chevrolet Aveo and Cobalt; Ford Focus sedan and wagon; Honda Accord and Civic; Hyundai Accent and Elantra; Kia Rio and Spectra; Mazda 3 and MX-5 Miata; Nissan Sentra; Saturn Ion; Scion xA; Suzuki Reno; Toyota Camry and Corolla; and the Volkswagen Golf (now known as the Rabbit for 2007), Jetta and New Beetle.

Those 22 models represent 15 of the 37 brands sold in the United States and include Ford and Chevy. The American manufacturers didn’t do so well, however, on a similar list released by Yahoo. Their list of top “green cars”, which includes the 2007 model year, developed in consultation with Environmental Defense (what Yahoo describes as “a leading non-profit that finds practical ways to protect the planet), includes just the 2007, and 2006 version of the Ford Escape (#9 and #15) as the only vehicles from American companies.  The Escape is also the only SUV in the top 15 of Yahoo’s list.

The Honda Civic Hybrid CVT for 2006 and 2007 takes the top two positions on the list, offering 49/51 mpg with a navigation system for under $25,000.

The 2006 and 2007 models of the Toyota Prius, also a hybrid, holds down spots #3, and #4 offer 60/51 mpg at a little more than $1,000 less than Honda’s hybrid.

Hybrids are gaining acceptance and popularity, and attracting incentives every day. Kansas is currently considering offering a $2,500 state income tax credit to residents who purchase a hybrid vehicle. Two Kansas state legislators, Rep. Anthony Brown and Rep. Tom Hawk, a Republican and a Democrat, told the Kansas House Energy and Utilities Committee that the tax refund would prompt car manufacturers to increase production of fuel-efficient hybrid vehicles, and help clean the environment.

“This also would be a good way to curb our use of foreign oil,” Brown said.

Despite the lack of a national advertising campaign many Toyota dealers across the country have waiting lists for their hybrid Prius that are up to a year long, and customers were paying several thousand dollars more than sticker price for the cars that did reach the floor.

Fueled by gasoline prices reaching towards $3 a gallon last fall, Toyota sold 106,971 Pruis’ in the U.S. last year and 280,000 worldwide. But the lack of available product and the drop in gas prices this winter slowed sales. As a result Toyota will launch its first national ad campaign for their hybrid in April as the manufacturer gears up to deliver as many as 170,000 cars in 2007.

Spots #5 and #6 are held by Honda’s Civic GX NVG which uses natural gas as fuel which burns cleaner than gas but offers just 28/39 mpg.

For the less adventurous among us, the first traditional gasoline-fueled cars come in at #10, #11, and #12 in the form of (respectively) the 2007 Toyota Yaris S, the 2007 Hyundai Elantra, and the 2007 Toyota Corolla.

Even if environmental concerns won’t fuel your next car purchase the pursuit of the tree-friendly automobile will pay dividends in 2007 for those looking for economical transportation. We are still a ways away from complete acceptance and availability of cars with hybrid technology however, so this year being as green as possible in your garage will still cost you more green from your pocket.

Links

Yahoo’s Top 100 List of Green Cars for 2006-7: http://autos.yahoo.com/green_center-top100/

J.D. Power and Associates: http://www.jdpower.com

The 1993 model year was the last time a new Chrysler wearing the Imperial badge rolled off the production line. A defining model for Chrysler, the Imperial was produced nearly without interruption from 1926 to 1975, with production only being suspended during the height of WWII. Chrysler resurrected the long-running name for brief stints in 1981 and 1990. In 1994, it was replaced by the LHS.

Perhaps the return of the Imperial should have been expected when DaimlerChrysler introduced the aggressive retro-styled 300 for 2005. While the 300 revisited some of Chrysler’s past attributes, its overall presentation seemed most inspired by current Bentley and Rolls Royce models.

The upcoming Imperial will bare many similarities to the current 300 and will share the LX platform, which was once the foundation for the Mercedes E-Class. Hints of the Rolls Royce Phantom will be very apparent throughout. There are also many 1960s Imperial design cues found here, including the long hood, short rear deck, free-standing headlights and taillights, and suicide doors.

The Imperial can be easily differentiated from the 300 by its size and the orientation of the cabin. While the 300 has more of a balanced layout, the Imperial’s roofline has positioned further to the rear of the car. This brings more interior space and the noticeably stretched hood. The Imperial is also much larger. The wheelbase has been pulled out three inches, and the overall height has been increased by half a foot. The Imperial reaches 214 inches in length, which is just short of the Bentley Arnage RL ‘Limosine’, and over a foot longer than the 300.

A car this size needs a lot of power, so Chrysler will drop in its most potent engine. A 5.7 liter Hemi V-8 will provide this 4000+ pound car with 340 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque. SRT-like acceleration is expected, but the Imperial will probably ride atop a softer suspension.

Front and rear French-style doors open to reveal a significantly higher quality interior. The Imperial is finished with leather seats, abundant California burl wood, and aluminum accents. Luxury elements will include a DVD entertainment system, reclining rear seats, and many soft LED lighting enhancements. The six-figure image which Chrysler hopes to establish will be further supported by the inclusion of many handcrafted items.

If the Imperial arrives as anticipated, along with the new Dodge Challenger in 2008, it will be slated as Chrysler’s new flagship sedan.

Pro football coach Bill Parcells once said, “You are what you are.” But if you go out and tell everyone what you are, do you risk putting yourself in a box? This scenario illustrates the potential dilemma that the Nissan Bevel concept SUV faces after rolling out for its flashy debut at the 2007 Detroit Auto Show.

Nissan execs essentially label the Bevel as the new midlife crisis-mobile, geared toward 45-60 year old men whose kids have left the house and who finally have time to enjoy themselves. Call it a Rogue for the old folk.

Any way you spin it, Nissan decided that older men apparently enjoy solitary time with their dogs and their power tools. Enter the “utility/pet zone,” an area where you can fold down the rear seats to do some manual labor, store your camping equipment, or give Fido some room to roam outside of his specially designed home away from home near the tailgate. Need some more juice for the powerdrill? Plug it into the 110 volt outlet that draws power from the solar panel roof.

As for the powertrain, Nissan hasn’t mentioned much of anything beyond the 2.5 L V6 hybrid electric design. Then again, mature older men shouldn’t care how many horses their vehicle can pack under its hood. Nissan says you’ll drive alone in your Bevel almost 90% of the time anyway.

So when should we expect this concept to materialize? Most experts report that the Bevel should hit showrooms sometime in 2009 or 2010. Until then, be nice and let Dad take the Rogue out for a spin every once in awhile as he prepares for the twilight of his driving career.

For more info, check out these links:

http://www.ifilm.com/video/2814710

http://autos.msn.com/advice/urlart.aspx?contentid=4024583

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/07/detroit-auto-show-nissan-bevel-is-a-fresh-approach-for-a-utilit/

- Posted by Taeho Lim