It seems Mitsubishi has nothing else better to do except tease the public and automotive journalist world with concept after concept after concept, only to have them be long forgotten.
This has been the case with the small Japanese automaker, who’s been showing us some wicked concepts, but almost none of them followed-through to become a production model. And with Mitsu’s current lineup being more obsolete than Phillips’ LaserDisc and the death of the Lancer Evolution, we’re all left wondering if we’ll see Mitsubishi depart the North American market.
Either way, Mitsubishi is back beating the dead-horse of concept reveals again with the teasing of a new concept for Geneva. Does it really matter any more since none of the previous never took off?
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No matter which way you argue, electric vehicles are still rather impractical when compared to the typical internal-combustion engine-powered car. Let’s face it, who wants to wait hours to refuel/recharge a battery pack when filling up a 16-gallon tank only takes no more than five minutes?
Granted, the EV regiment still fits a select niche of car owners, but not all. And Volvo recognizes this, hence their decision to stick with the development of plug-in electric hybrids instead of full-fledged EVs.
Click here on our original post on the 2015 Volvo XC90 at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show.
The word was shared with AutoCar, who spoke with Volvo of the Americas’ senior vice president, Lex Kerssemakers. In the interview, he said that right now, plug-in hybrids make much more sense as a business case than full-electric vehicles. Additionally, it offers the best of both worlds.
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It seems Buick is interested in expanding into different markets, specifically the subcompact luxury market as word from AutomotiveNews suggests the Opel Adam is under consideration for North America, but as a Buick.
America’s Tri-Shield has a knack for slightly reengineering and rebadging Opels because, well, Opels in Europe today are good cars. So why not bring them to our shores? And they have, with the latest Regal. Next is the Opel Cascada, aptly named the Buick Cascada, and there’s even more to come.
But after speaking with Buick’s Duncan Aldred, Buick can’t use the current Adam since it is soon to be due for a replacement. That replacement could take shape as a new subcompact Buick. Timeframe, probably 2018.
Think Buick could pull off an entry-level subcompact?
Source: AutomotiveNews
Ford undoubtedly took the limelight when they revealed their new 2017 GT at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this month.
Now, the brand released a new video via Road&Track, where Ford explains how the GT’s design came to fruition.
The video features an interview with Ford Americas Design Director, Chris Svensson.
The Ford GT comes with a potent twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6, said to be good for at least 600bhp mated to a new dual-clutch seven-speed automatic.
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Porsche’s rumored to be prepping a performance-oriented Boxster, which will supposedly be called the Club Sport.
Much like its larger sibling, the 911, the high-strung Boxster should weigh less, get less amenities, and more power from its 3.4L flat-six.
Some spy shots of the model were spotted testing about, so the car is certainly on its way, since more aggressive bodywork was noticed on the test mule.
A launch date sometime in 2016 is expected.
Source: AutoCar
It seems Nissan just gobbled down a massive serving of boring as AutomotiveNews reports the Japanese automaker put all of its rather exciting projects on hold. These include the Nissan IDx, Infiniti Q60 Eau Rouge, and their BladeGlider projects.
The plan is to focus their efforts on volume cars, meaning more awful things like the Versa, instead of cars that would otherwise define the brand’s character.
The Nissan IDx was originally slated to be a new rear-wheel drive entry-level sedan to compete with the likes of the Scion FR-S/Toyota GT-86–meaning, it would’ve most likely been really fun to drive. Another knock off the brand’s fun factor is the supposed cancellation of the Infiniti Q60 Eau Rouge, which was a pitch at a competitor to the BMW M3.
Source: AutomotiveNews
The Super Bowl TV ad onslaught for automobiles has begun and Toyota just threw another one into the mix.
It features Paralympic medalist Amy Purdy, who was also a Dancing with the Stars finalist and the star car–the 2015 Toyota Camry.
The Camry recently underwent a major refresh for the 2014 model year, and we mean major since it’s underpinnings are the same, but the exterior and interior are vastly different.
Check it out after the jump.
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For a split second, it was as if we were beginning to worry for Aston Martin since they were struggling to secure some extra bolstering in the form of financial backing, following their liquidation from Ford a few years back.
Aston Martin is in dire need of money so they could revamp their aging lineup with new research and development and resources. This of course all costs a lot of money and their current sales just isn’t adequate enough to fund their future plans.
But now, Bloomberg says Investindustrial SpA out of Italy secured some rights to the brand by offering some financial support.
Details are sparse, but Aston could reveal their first concept as early as Geneva in March, thanks to the extra help. Alternatively, it could also be their highly-anticipated crossover, which will certainly help them increase numbers and their profits.
Source: Bloomberg
For those who seem to be making it in the world, the Volkswagen Tiguan is a perfect stepping stone into the more luxurious markets, especially those with kids or an active lifestyle.
So for fans of the ever so popular crossover, get excited, because a new Tiguan should be showing up at the Frankfurt Motor Show, according to Auto Motor und Sport.
Though because it’ll be revealed in Europe first, we’ll most likely get our version a little later, similarly to how the next generation Passat is already available in Europe.
Expect it to ride on VW’s usual MQB platform.
Source: Auto Motor und Sport
We’re in that lull period with auto show season, following the Detroit Auto Show, the Washington Auto Show, and then the Geneva Auto Show in March, which is the next biggest worldly automotive exhibition.
But for now, the next biggest network spectacle is the 2015 Super Bowl, which isn’t that far away. That said, automakers are just beginning to release their TV ads, yea, the ones they spend millions on just to get 30 seconds of fame.
This one here features Mercedes-AMG and their hot new AMG GT S, a perfect show-off for the affluent crowd watching the big game on their overpriced curved screen.
Check it out after the jump.
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