Toyota decided to slip a teaser through the crack, hinting at some new RND Concept along with a brief press blast.
Most of the outlets seem to be mystified by the teaser and what it could be, and they’re not alone.
Some speculation suggests this could be a new city car of some sort, with Toyota saying that this new model should appeal to “the widest possible market.”
This of course screams mainstream. And right now, mainstream screams crossovers, especially affordable models with all-wheel drive.
What do you think it could be?
Check out the press blast after the jump.
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Auto Motor und Sport reports a concept version of the second generation Passat CC could surface in Geneva, following the launch of the Passat in Europe, which entered its eight generation.
The Passat CC surfaced in the sixth generation model as a stylized version of the Passat and it reigned as a successful model. As a result, the CC is making a happy return.
Click here for more news on the Volkswagen Passat.
Not much is known about the future CC, but it should be launched as a 2017 model in Europe. Considering we haven’t even seen the eight generation Passat as of yet, we can most likely expect ours later.
Expect the usual range of gas and diesel turbo fours for the Euro version, while we most likely will just get the gas version. No word exists on the return of a VR6 model either, but we can only cross our fingers for that and the arrival of a diesel version for our shores.
Source: Auto Motor und Sport
Land Rover seems to be making the same mistake Nissan did by making a convertible version of one of its crossovers. Nissan attempted this with the Murano CrossCabriolet, which was a total flop. But now, Land Rover might be attempting the same thing Nissan did with the Range Rover Evoque by making a cabrio version.
That said cabrio version of the Range Rover Evoque might launch in the UK sometime later this year, according to AutoExpress.
Several spy shots of the Range Rover Evoque Cabrio have been floating around, so it is inevitably going to surface, soft-top and all. But whether it’s going to show up in the US has yet to be determined.
Source: AutoExpress
Jaguar-Land Rover are taking their new Special Vehicle Operations division very seriously and the overall plan is to have the SVO branch be the equivalent to BMW’s M-Division and Mercedes-Benz’s AMG.
As a result, J-LR plans to replace all the R-S badges on those particular vehicles with SVO badges to avoid confusion and to streamline the moniker, which really comes to no surprise.
The recently launched Range Rover Sport SVR is the initiator of this this transition with nomenclature and all subsequent high-performance models with either the R-S and future SVO badges will come with the usual mixture of performance upgrades.
Speaking with J-LR’s SVO boss, John Edwards, Dutch publication AutoVisie also learned that a range-topping Jaguar F-Type Coupe will get an even more powerful version to kick of the preexisting range-topping R model off of its throne. As a comparison, the current Jaguar F-Type R Coupe comes with 550hp from a 5.0L supercharged V8.
Source: Autovisie
Hyundai revealed a newly updated Veloster Turbo in Korea recently featuring some subtle exterior tweaks and a new seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.
While this may be for the Korean Domestic Market, it’s not unreasonable to expect these same changes for our version of the Veloster Turbo.
Some of the changes include revised headlights, an updated grille, new wheel designs, and tweaks on the inside. It also comes with a new sound enhancer for the engine note, using the car’s sound system to boost the car’s exhaust note. Driver’s can also choose what kind of sound using the Engine Sound Equalizer.
Power is still provided by a 204hp 1.6L turbocharged four-banger.
Source: TheKoreanCarBlog
Motoring.com in Australia reports Land Rover’s program director, Murray Dietsch, disclosed that a SVR version of the Discovery Sport is unlikely, however a performance-oriented model may still happen.
For those of you who’ve been living under a rock, Land Rover and Jaguar formed a Special Vehicle Operations department for high-performance and custom variants of cars from both portfolios, kind similarly to BMW’s M-Division or Mercedes-Benz’s AMG branch. An SVR version would be similar to the Range Rover Sport SVR.
Dietsch didn’t go into specifics obviously, but he did confirm the Discovery Sport willb e offered with Jaguar-Land Rover’s new line of Ingenium engines, with the highlight in the Discovery being a 2.0L turbocharged four-banger with more than 295hp on tap.
Source: Motoring
The Nissan Altima has been with us in its fifth generation since 2013 and now, AutomotiveNews heard from Nissan of North America’s Vice President of Product Planning, Pierre Loing, that the Altima should be getting a “significant” update for the 2016 model year.
Some of the changes hinted include a serious visual overhaul and upgraded technology.
But of course, Loing kept his cards close. If this was any indication, Loing did say the Altima won’t be undergoing as big of a change as the facelifted Toyota Camry.
Source: AutomotiveNews
The Acura NSX is finally here in production form and to make things a little more interesting, graphic artist, X-Tomi Designs decided to render their own version of a more powerful Type R version of the NSX.
And while this may be an interpretation and rendering of what the hypothetical Type R version could look like, Acura’s chief engineer already hinted at a “higher specification” model, which may be ready in as soon as two to three years with more power, more aggressive bodywork and tuning.
So this rendering might not be fantasy after all.
Acura still has yet to reveal the full specifications of the new NSX but either way, the standard version won’t be the only offering.
Source: X-Tomi Designs
Jeep as smartly introduced an entry-level compact using Fiat’s parts bin and it’s called the Renegade. A smart move it is since crossover demand just continues to skyrocket. But because of this increased demand, Jeep is reportedly working on a crossover model below the Renegade.
AutoCar sat down with Jeep’s CEO, Mike Manly, who said at the Detroit Auto Show last week that the small SUV market is growing significantly, leaving potential for such a model.
Manly did say the project is int he planning stages so Jeep’s executive branch have yet to make up their mind. Should the project occur, it’ll most likely be based off of the Fiat Panda Cross.
Source: AutoCar
MotorTrend recently spoke with Mercedes-AMG’s boss, Tobias Moers, who hinted at the possibility of a Porsche 918 Spyder competitor from the Stuttgart brand.
Speaking at the Detroit Auto Show last week, Moers said that AMG’s plan is “to be seen by the public on the same level as other sports cars makers in Germany,” which means including the adaptation of racing technology for street use.
Of course, Moers kept his cards close, but rumors have begun floating around about a new Mercedes-AMG branded supercar with all-wheel drive, a more potent version of Mercedes’ new 4.0L twin-turbo V8, and an estimated power rating of around 400hp. However, that’s not all as the Porsche 918 Spyder is also a hybrid.
That means Mercedes should meet the 918’s every move, including the use of several electric motors and technology lifted from the SLS AMG Electric Drive. The estimated result, when paired to that aforementioned V8, should be around 1,000bhp.
Source: MotorTrend
