22Apr/130
Report: New Lexus small CUV may have been behind moving ES production to Kentucky
Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Japan, Plants/Manufacturing, Crossover, Lexus, Luxury
Lexus may have had another big reason - in addition to the financial incentives potentially worth up to $146.5 million that Kentucky offered - to move ES production to its Georgetown, KY plant. The ES has always been built in Japan, and a report at TheDetroitBureau.com claims that the Kyushu facility will be tooling up to build a new model thought to be a compact hybrid crossover expected to go on sale next year. While ES300h production would remain in Japan, shedding 50,000 units of traditional ES production would free capacity for what many think will be an important model in the Lexus lineup.
The new CUV will come in below the RX and be built on the platform of the RAV4. Speculation is that there will be an NX200t and an NX300h, the former possibly getting the 2.0-liter turbo Toyota engine due in 2014 - matching the predicted timeline for the CUV and supposedly also meant for an RX200t - and latter getting the same 2.5-liter hybrid powertrain in the ES300h. We'll see a preview of the Audi Q3 and BMW X1 fighter at this year's Tokyo Motor Show; the production version should be unveiled at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show.
New Lexus small CUV may have been behind moving ES production to Kentucky originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Apr 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Report: Range Rover Evoque convertible unlikely to see production
Filed under: Concept Cars, Convertible, SUV, Geneva Motor Show, Land Rover, Luxury, Off-Road
From the time when all we had were rumors of a Range Rover Evoque convertible, to the grainy spy shots of said topless SUV in some English alley, to the time it rolled out on the floor of the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, nothing could keep people from asking, "Is this really happening?"
To be fair, there were a number who asked in anticipation, enthused about the prospect of getting both a commanding driving position and wide open sky in a more toothsome package than the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet. Nevertheless, the number wasn't enough to recommend the concept for production: A report in Car and Driver says the prospects aren't "as bright as we were led to believe when the crossover cabrio debuted," and that instead an Evoque with a panoramic roof that opens is a better bet.
Elsewhere in the rapidly evolving Land Rover line-up, platform harmonization and more
Range Rover Evoque convertible unlikely to see production originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 07 Apr 2013 17:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Report: Lexus to debut small hybrid CUV at 2014 Geneva Motor Show
Filed under: Concept Cars, Hybrid, Geneva Motor Show, Tokyo Motor Show, Crossover, Lexus, Luxury
Following rumors that Lexus has been working on a small crossover to slot below the RX (pictured), Automotive News Europe reports that the production-ready CUV will bow at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show next March. Later this year, Lexus will preview this new crossover by way of a concept car at the Tokyo Motor Show in November.
According to the report, this new crossover will be a hybrid, and will ride on the smaller architecture that underpins the Toyota RAV4. Specific details have not been confirmed, but AN states that the entry-level CUV will be powered by the same 2.5-liter gasoline-electric drivetrain found in the Lexus ES 300h. Since Toyota will evidently be taking the time to hybridize the platform, we can't help but assume that it will eventually build a second-gen RAV4 EV.
Either way, with the small luxury CUV segment heating up, Lexus is likely smart to offer a player in this space. Until now, there has not been a Lexus crossover below the RX, and this new model will compete with other new players in the class including the BMW X1 and Audi Q3.
Lexus to debut small hybrid CUV at 2014 Geneva Motor Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Apr 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments18Mar/130
Report: Pininfarina to build handful of Sergio Roadster models?
Filed under: Concept Cars, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Design/Style
At just about any other auto show, Pininfarina's Sergio Roadster would've been the uncontested showstopper - but at the Geneva Motor Show, where supercar reveals stack up like cordwood and there are plenty of coachbuilt classics-to-be, the Sergio was merely stunning.
But its beauty shouldn't be overlooked, and apparently it hasn't been - Pininfarina is seriously considering a very limited run of the roofless, windshield-free sports car. With just five or six examples in the possible production run, the Ferrari 458 Spider-based barchetta could fetch some three million euros. That's according to CEO Silvio Angori, who spoke with Automotive News Europe. At the time the Sergio was introduced, we had heard that Pininfarina was mulling production, but this is the first time we've had even rough numbers assigned to the car.
The Sergio's aesthetic success hinges quite a bit on the roll bar element, which also serves as a rear spoiler, and it's quite low, which could pose production challenges. If sold as designed, European law would mandate that helmets be worn whenever it's driven on public roads. Apparently, Pininfarina is aware that plutocrats tend to not want "helmet hair" when popping down to the shops or going out for dinner, so a small windshield could be added to make the car more palatable for actual road use.
Pininfarina to build handful of Sergio Roadster models? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Mar 2013 17:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments13Mar/130
Autoblog Podcast #324
Filed under: Motorsports, Podcasts, Geneva Motor Show, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford
Motorsports with BaronVonClutch, Geneva highlights according to Zach, four cylinder Mustangs for the world!
Episode #324 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth, Zach Bowman and Peter Leung (aka BaronVonClutch) of Richland F1 talk about motorsports and how to learn to love them, Zach's Geneva impressions and four cylinder 2015 Ford Mustangs. We wrap with your questions and emails, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. Keep reading for our Q&A module for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #324:
Topics:
- Geneva Motor Show highlights from Zach
- Four-cylinder Ford Mustang
- Motorsports appreciation class with BaronVonClutch
In the Autoblog Garage:
2013 Dodge Durango Citadel
2013 Chrysler 300 SRT8
Hosts: Dan Roth, Zach Bowman, Peter Leung
Runtime: 01:14:20
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Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com
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Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #324
Autoblog Podcast #324 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Mar 2013 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments12Mar/130
Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #324 LIVE!
Filed under: Concept Cars, Motorsports, Geneva Motor Show, Ford
We're set to record Autoblog Podcast #324 tonight, and our friend Peter Leung (a.k.a. BaronVonClutch), who writes about racing for Richland F1 is going to teach us how to love the vroom-vroom. Drop us your questions and comments regarding the rest of the week's news via our Q&A module below. Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.
Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #324
- Geneva Motor Show highlights from Zach
- Four-cylinder Ford Mustang
- Motorsports appreciation class with BaronVonClutch
Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #324 LIVE! originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Mar 2013 16:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments12Mar/130
Report: Kia to green-light GT and Provo for production?
Filed under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Motor Show, Coupe, Sedan, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Hatchback, Kia
Kia is looking to inject a bit more performance life into its brand, and according to Auto Express, the company is looking at creating sporty models based on two of its recent concept cars, the GT four-door from the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show (shown above) and the Provo hybrid hatchback that debuted in Geneva last week (inset, right).
"The GT is close to being approved and going into production, but, as with all our cars, they have to be developed on a sound financial footing," Benny Oeyen, Kia Europe's VP of marketing and product planning, told Auto Express. When it debuted, the GT four-door was powered by a turbocharged 3.3-liter V6, reportedly good for 389 horsepower and 394 pound-feet of torque, mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
The Provo, on the other hand, could stand as a sort of halo car for the company's B-segment offerings. It would ride on the same front-wheel-drive platform as the Rio compact, though Kia says it's eager to keep the concept's gasoline-electric powertrain intact. "Our brand is currently rational, but there's space for a B-coupe," says Oeyen. Of course, the company would indeed have to look at different naming possibilities for its B-segment coupe, since the week-old Provo is already stirring up some controversy.Kia has not disclosed any sort of timeline for when the cars may officially get the green light or when they would arrive in production form. From where we sit, some sporty Kias sound good to us, and if anything, the GT and Provo concepts certainly seem like promising building blocks for new products.
Kia to green-light GT and Provo for production? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Mar 2013 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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