Tag: Detroit

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Subaru

All-new Subaru WRX STi confirmed for Detroit

Subaru WRX STi teaser

Subaru has confirmed it will be revealing its brand new WRX STi at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next week.

While the new STi will be based on the new WRX (revealed in LA last year), we’re still not totally sure what engine it will feature. It could be powered by an upgraded 2.0 litre turbo from the new Rex or perhaps STi may choose to stick with a 2.5 litre capacity. Either way, expect power to be around, or over, the 300hp region (220kW+); the standard WRX boasts 199kW.

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Audi Bentley Chevrolet Ford Honda Hyundai Mercedes-Benz Motor Shows Nissan Porsche smart Volkswagen

2012 Detroit Motor Show photo gallery

2012 Detroit Motor Show

Here we have a selection of images from the floor of the Detroit Motor Show, or more correctly, the North American International Auto Show.

Unlike Tokyo late last year there’s a noticeable lack of weird and wonderful concept creations, but we certainly applaud the appearance of the Honda NSX Concept. It’s easily the clear star of the show in our eyes.

Not so fortunate is the Chevrolet Code 130R concept; a BMW 1 Series Coupé that somehow turned out all wrong. So, too, the Chrysler 700C. Seriously, does anyone actually look at these things before they are put on the stand. And if they do, then we’ll have some of whatever it is they’re smoking please.

Equally, we can’t quite understand the fascination the North American audience has had with the Ford Fusion. Its poor mans Aston Martin-like grille is an embarrassment.

Anyway, there’s 50-odd pictures for you after the break. Why don’t you be the judge and tell us what you like and don’t like.

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Motor Shows Porsche

Detroit 2011: Porsche 918 RSR

Porsche 918 RSR

The Porsche 918 RSR has just been revealed at the Detroit Auto Show. Its body is based on the 918 Spyder, its power inspired by the 911 GT3 R Hybrid.

Here’s some headline stats for the 918 RSR. It has a petrol powered V8 engine, which produces 560hp at a massive 10,300rpm. This is joined by a pair of electric motors powering the front wheels. Each engine offers 102hp each. Those quick with their sums will have already worked out that’s a combined total of 767hp.

In addition to the beautiful shape and profile of this car, we can probably expect it to be earning its stripes at the Nürburgring 24 hour race in June this year. It will no doubt compete in other events, too, as more categories welcome hybrid powered entries. Perhaps, more excitingly, though, is the expectation that a road going 918 Coupé will be produced in the near future, as well.

The official press release is now available after the break, along with a selection of screen grabs captured during the live webcast. Also now available are 12 wallpaper-friendly 2000px super images and a couple of official promo clips.

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Motor Shows Volkswagen

Detroit 2011: Volkswagen Passat (US market)

Volkswagen Passat (US market)

Bigger is better. At least that’s what Volkswagen is telling its North American audience after creating a unique Passat just for them. To clear any confusion the European Passat is our Passat and should be in Australian showrooms sometime after March. Meanwhile, the ‘mericans will have to wait until August to get their hands on their Passat.

The Euro Passat, revealed last September, is too slim for the Yanks. This New Midsize Sedan, then, gets 91mm added to its wheelbase, an extra 13mm to its girth and a whole lot more bland added to its styling. And that’s saying something; the Passat is hardly the most exciting model Volkswagen has ever produced.

If anything their Passat looks like an upsized Jetta. And, let’s face it, if it has been upsized, it must be better. That said, their Passat has also been produced to a price. Starting from US$20,000 their Passat is several thousand bucks cheaper than the old model. Partly helped by the fact their Passat will be made in the US at Volkswagen’s Chattanooga plant.

Actually, when you consider the current market rates, maybe the joke is on us. We can’t imagine getting our Passat on the roads here for anything less than about AU$45K.

More after the break. Including a really weird video—that fireball is straight from the Jeremy Clarkson school of daft marketing.

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Volkswagen

Has Volkswagen pulled a New Mediocre Stunt?

It's just a Passat folks!

Last week Volkswagen released a new teaser to let us know they would be unveiling a New Midsize Sedan at Detroit. Word has come through today that this car will be badged as the, wait for it, Passat. Yeah, that’s right, the same name it’s called everywhere else in the world.

So, we went and found a profile pic of the European Passat and placed it over Volkswagen’s teaser image and guess what—it’s a perfect fit!

Until official details are known (possibly later today) let’s give VW the benefit of the doubt and let them think we’re expecting some new details. But, at this stage, it’s looking like any differences between the US Passat and the real Passat are likely to be cosmetic only.

[Source: Autoblog]

UPDATE: Check out Motor Authority for a gallery of leaked images. It’s a super-sized Passat in Jetta clothing.

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Volkswagen

New Volkswagen sedan coming to Detroit

VW US NMS teaser

In the last six months Volkswagen has revealed a new Jetta and an all-new Passat. Both are Only the new Jetta is available for sale in the United States. But, that’s not enough for Volkswagen US who have announced, via their website, they’ll be showing off a “New Midsize Sedan” at the NAIAS in Detroit next week. It will replace the outgoing European-sourced Passat, which is considered expensive and hasn’t exactly lit up the sales charts.

This new toy has been designed with the US market in mind. So expect comfy seats and lots of supersized cupholders, then. It will be built at Volkswagen’s Chattanooga facility, although it will be destined for overseas markets as well, and is expected to be sold for several thousand dollars less than the old Passat.

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Motor Shows Porsche

Porsche to start 2011 with world debut at Detroit

Porsche 918 Coupe rendering

Porsche has confirmed it will be bringing “an important show debut” to the NAIAS in Detroit later this month. What we don’t know for sure is what that model will be. Current speculation says it will be a 918 Coupé; a model sitting above the 911, but below the 918 Spyder, which debuted at Geneva last year.

AutoBild has published a couple of renderings showing what the 918 Coupé might look like. Obviously there is a strong link to the stunning Spyder on which it is based. Reports say the Coupé version could be powered by a twin-turbo V8 with 600hp+ on tap. Nice!

The 918 Coupé should be just the thing to get Porsche into a ringside battle with the Ferrari 458 Italia and imminent McLaren MP4-12C. Just a shame we probably won’t see a production version of the new Porsche until 2014.

We should have all the answers on Porsche’s new model once the NAIAS news breaks in a bit over a week from now. More after the break.

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Ford

A closer look at the 2011 Ford Focus

2011 Ford Focus

It’s now a couple of weeks since Ford presented the 2011 Focus at the Detroit Auto Show. With the dust settled, let’s take a closer look at the funky sheet metal carving a new direction for Ford. They call it “kinetic design” and there’s a real hint of Chris Bangle flame surface going on. Not that this is entirely new, as the current Fiesta is also cut from the same cloth.

Look closely at the pic above and the way the rear light cluster extends towards the front of the car. At first glance it looks okay, but picture it on a silver or light coloured car. Is that forward extension going to look just a bit too much?

The fuel cap slotting in underneath is also an interesting solution. Again, at first glance it’s a nice way to tuck the lid away. But would a more conventional round lid, as shown on the Focus sedan, have been a better result? Is “kinetic design” trying a bit too hard?

In the last image below, which shows the sedan version from the rear three-quarter angle you get a great look at the creases extending over the wheel arches and the shoulder line along the doors. In theory, the way they run past each other simply shouldn’t work. Maybe it’s the choice of the silver paint and the studio lighting, but there’s something pleasing about the craziness going on there.

The new Focus and the “ONE Ford” global car platform strategy holds great hope for the US carmaker. Despite some reservations I think thew new Focus is a good step forward (on the outside at least). But will this bold new direction pay the required dividends?

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Audi

Mini-e-tron is R4-U2NV

Detroit showcar Audi e-tron

Rumours are getting stronger that the Mini-e-tron revealed in Detroit this week is a thinly disguised preview of the upcoming Audi R4 mid-engine sportscar. US blog InsideLine claim they have been told as much by sources within Audi.

The underpinnings of such a car would likely be shared across the Volkswagen group’s range, including its own Concept BlueSport and even the next generation Porsche Boxster and Cayman.

In regards to the Detroit showcar Audi e-tron, you would expect a lot of the concept to get lost in production, such as the aluminium carbon-fibre composite body, but an electric powered engine option could stay. Speculation also suggests that the snarling five-pot turbo from the Audi TT RS could find its way under the R4’s skin—yes please!

How or where the R4 would slot into the Audi range with the company’s iconic TT is uncertain at this stage, but Autoblog reckon an entry-level R4 could fit under the TT. Hard to see that happening, but stranger things have happened.

[Source: InsideLine & Autoblog | Thanks to Wayne for the tip]

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Motor Shows Volkswagen

Detroit: Volkswagen New Compact Coupe

Volkswagen New Compact Coupe

Today Volkswagen presents its stunning New Compact Coupe at the NAIAS in Detroit. There’s a nice and cuddly green side to this car, but for now, let’s just focus on the looks.

Said to offer a hint of what to expect from Volkswagen’s new four-door Jetta, which is due for release later this year, the New Compact Coupe takes some definite styling cues from the VAG stable. The high crease shoulder line and C-pillar is akin to the Audi A5, albeit somewhat straightened out. The rear tail lights, too, take inspiration from the current A4 sedan. There’s even a bit of 3 Series coupe Hofmeister kink in the rear fixed pane window.

Overall, though, well, what a beautiful design. Every detail is bang on, from the squared off headlights, to sharply styled wing mirrors. In silver, under controlled lighting the New Compact Coupe looks just about perfect.

Just don’t look too closely at the light gray interior! Aside from the colouring, the rest of the interior is smartly laid out with nice details throughout. Ford could definitely learn a thing or two from the Germans here.

Now, to the car’s green credentials. Volkswagen has made sure the NCC will attract attention with its looks, so this will only help the company push their Hybrid technology under the car’s skin. The headline figures are fuel consumption of 4.2l/100km with CO2 emissions of just 98g/km. That CO2 figure is quite good, but the fuel consumption isn’t setting any records, with a handful of production cars already bettering those numbers.

Forget that, as the New Compact Coupe can use its 110kW 1.4 litre TSI petrol and 20kW electric engines to propel itself to 100km/h in 8.6 seconds with a top speed of 227km/h. Kind of pointless when you’re promoting a Hybrid car, but it’s good to know anyway. And, in Volkswagen’s words they want this car to be “sporty and fun to drive”.

More detail on the NCC’s clever gadgets and engine spec is given in the second press release below. Fourteen more images are also available after the jump. As always, simply click on the pic you like to access it in a wallpaper-friendly 2000px super image.

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Audi

Audi R8 V10 unwrapped in Detroit

Audi R8 V10 5.2 FSI quattro

Audi’s V10 powered R8 had its first public showing in Detroit recently. With 525bhp the 5.2 litre produces an engine note to die for. As far as finer details go, nothing has really changed from the information we bought you last December. However, since when has it been a bad idea to show more pics of the stunning R8?

Enjoy!

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Audi

Audi Sportback Concept wows Motown crowds

Audi Sportback Concept
Audi Sportback Concept

Audi has revealed yet another Sportback model at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. But, unlike the A1 and A3 Sportback (seen here in S3 guise), this new concept is a large saloon, almost 5 metres in length. Think in between A6 and A8 sizing if it were to slot into Audi’s current model lineup. A7 perhaps?

So why call this a Sportback? Audi’s press guff says, “The Audi Sportback concept show car is now rolling up to the starting line with a dual mission: As suggested by the name, it symbolizes the Sportback principle in its purest form in the combination of elegance, sportiness and variability.”

Well, however they sell it, this new metal looks pretty damn good. Rolling on 21 inch alloys the side profile is stunning and has an aggressive fastback-like feel. There’s a bit of Jaguar there, and even a hint of Mustang if you try hard enough. From the front, though, the car’s lineage becomes clear, with Audi’s increasingly familiar all-LED headlights, flared guards and strong A5-inspired shoulder line.

The speedboat-like timber interior is all show car and may not be to everyone’s taste. Although, it works well in a show environment.

The Sportback Concept is powered by a 165kW/550Nm 3-litre V6 TDI, fitted with 7 speed S tronic transmission, is said to consume less than 6l/100km. In an Australian context that would see the car benefit from Luxury Car Tax exemptions. Emissions, too, are quite good, adhering to EU6 guidelines, which aren’t scheduled for introduction until 2014.

Of course, there’s plenty of electronic trickery wrapped inside the gorgeous shell, so make sure you check out the press release below while admiring the images on offer.

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