Detroit Auto Show
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At the Detroit Auto Show, Volkswagen showed not just one but two concepts with diesel plug-in hybrid powertrains. VW not only unveiled its CrossBlue Concept for a mid-size seven-passenger crossover, it also showed the CrossCoupe Concept it had premiered last year at the Beijing Auto Show. Each vehicle uses a diesel-electric powertrain, which in the CrossBlue is rated at 306 horsepower combined. Together, the turbodiesel engine and electric motors together put out a whopping 516 lb-ft of torque when all four wheels are powered. But one factor that seems to have escaped notice is that the...
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2014 Nissan Versa Note: 2013 Detroit Auto Show First Photos
At the Detroit Auto Show—a day prior to a press conference revealing full details—Nissan took the wraps off the new-generation version of its low-cost Versa Hatchback. From the outside, which is all we’ve been able to see thus far, the Versa Note looks essentially the same as the...
Bengt Halvorson -
Destino--The Corvette-Powered Fisker Karma: Detroit Auto Show
If you've always felt the 20 mpg Fisker Karma is a little bit too green, a new sport sedan based on the Fisker Karma might be just the car you're looking for. The VL Automotive Destino is essentially Henrik Fisker's range-extended electric car, with all the expensive drivetrain components removed...
Antony Ingram -
2014 Infiniti Q50: G37 Replacement Gets M35h's Hybrid System
Infiniti’s replacement for the G37 Sedan, the 2014 Infiniti Q50, has made its official world debut today at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, and, as predicted, the car offers a new hybrid option. The move is part of Nissan’s overall strategy to launch up to 15 new hybrid models by 2016, on...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Tesla Model X Electric Crossover New Interior: Detroit Auto Show Live Pictures
Unveiled live at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] is giving us new ideas as to what the interior of its Model X crossover may look like. Tesla calls it an "interior exploration", giving a hint as to the different colors and trim materials you can expect from the production Model...
Antony Ingram -
2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA Coupe: Detroit Auto Show Preview
It's been a while since Mercedes-Benz offered a truly compact sedan on the U.S. market, the C-Class having grown over the last few decades like many other vehicles, and the old 190e a distant memory. The 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA changes that, but the new small sedan is very different from those old...
Antony Ingram -
It's been rumored for more than a year; now it's reality. This morning at the Detroit Auto Show, the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel will be unveiled by Jeep as part of a comprehensive update to the three-year-old sport utility vehicle. Fitted to European versions of the Grand Cherokee already, the 240-horsepower 3.0-liter V-6 turbodiesel produces a substantial 420 lb-ft of torque. Jeep predicts the diesel Grand Cherokee will be rated at 21 mpg city, 30 mpg highway for the rear-wheel drive version; we're betting that produces a combined EPA rating of 24 or 25 mpg. Adding all-wheel drive...
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Lincoln MKC Concept: Luxury Compact Crossover At Detroit Auto Show
Some may bemoan the lack of a hybrid version of Ford's Escape crossover, but a range of efficient Ecoboost turbocharged engines still makes it a reasonably green pick among its peers. For those wanting a little more class, you may soon have that option. Lincoln has launched the MKC concept at the...
Antony Ingram -
2013 Detroit Auto Show Preview: Diesels, Electrics And Hybrids
Next week is the annual Detroit Auto Show, one of the most important events on the automotive calendar and increasingly a place for car companies to show off new green technology. Given consumer tastes and the trends in the market, it should come as no surprise that the list of green cars, whether...
Antony Ingram -
Subcompact Crossovers: AWD Gets Smaller, More Fuel-Efficient
The 2013 Detroit Auto Show will mark the debut of a crossover concept from Honda, dubbed the 'Urban SUV' concept. It's set to be based on the next-generation Honda Fit, making it the latest in a line of downsized crossovers promising chunky styling with a fuel-efficient twist. They're a world away...
Antony Ingram -
Bob Lutz Previews New Via Motors Electric Trucks: Detroit Auto Show
The 2013 Detroit Auto Show is fast approaching, and details of new models are bombarding us from all angles. Among the more interesting vehicles set to hit the show floor come from Via Motors. The Bob Lutz-backed Via Motors produces plug-in trucks, based on GM vehicle chassis. Taking inspiration...
Antony Ingram -
Nissan's Detroit Show Stand Is Green--Down To The Smell
It's said that some supermarkets pump the smell of baking bread around the store, enticing people into buying their products. Does a similar tactic work with cars? Nissan may be about to find out at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, as its stand will emit what Nissan hopes will be its "trademark smell"...
Antony Ingram -
For years, spy photographers made a living shooting camouflaged test cars for eager fans. Now the auto companies are doing it themselves. GM today released a photo of the 2014 Cadillac ELR on the road in Southern California, covered in camo, as its second teaser shot for the electric luxury coupe it will unveil next Tuesday at the Detroit Auto Show. In mid-December, GM had released a first teaser image of the Cadillac ELR, a shadowy side-profile shot that confirmed its essential shape without adding many details. The range-extended Cadillac will ride on the same underpinnings as the Chevrolet...
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Via Motors To Show More Plug-In Electric Trucks In Detroit
Electric vehicle startups come and go, but it's harder to ignore one fronted by "father of the Chevy Volt" Bob Lutz. That startup is Via Motors, producer of electric trucks, and it's set to unveil three new full-size electric vehicles at the Detroit Auto Show in January. Diversifying from mere work...
Antony Ingram -
Detroit Auto Show Preview: Honda 'Urban SUV' Concept
Honda has teased the first image of a new concept car, due at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show. The 'Urban SUV Concept' will make its debut at Detroit in January, hinting at the look of a small SUV designed for city driving. Honda says it combines "a sporty and dynamic SUV profile with a spacious...
Antony Ingram -
2014 Lexus IS 300h Adds Hybrid Model To Smallest Luxury Sedan
Lexus has confirmed that its 2014 IS sedan will debut at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show next month. Continuing the marque's trend towards hybrid models, the range will also tout a hybrid--though it hasn't yet been confirmed whether such a model will hit the U.S. market. Automobile Magazine (via Motor...
Antony Ingram -
What Would You Pay For A 100-MPG Via Full-Size Pickup Truck?
This is a perfectly serious question. A basic 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 full-size pickup truck starts around $23,000, and the rear-wheel drive XFE model is rated by the EPA at 18 mpg combined. The Silverado Hybrid model, a 1500 twin-cab, starts at around $40,000, and the RWD model is rated at...
John Voelcker -
2013 Ford Fusion: High-MPG Engines, Hybrid, Plug-In (Video)
Now that we're back from the Detroit Auto Show, we can say with confidence that the two most important cars of the show were the 2013 Ford Fusion and the 2013 Dodge Dart. The 2013 Fusion in particular got rave reviews for its styling--which blended elements of Audi A7 and even a hint of...
John Voelcker -
Last year, the 2011 Chevrolet Volt struck a winning blow for green vehicles everywhere by taking the 2011 North American Car Of The Year (NACOTY) title. This year, another fuel-efficient vehicle has strode to the title - the 2012 Hyundai Elantra. It's seen off competition from the Volkswagen Passat, and more importantly for Hyundai, its Ford rival, the Focus. Both Ford and Hyundai offer models that hit 40mpg according to their EPA highway ratings. Of course, it isn't always that straightforward. To buy a Focus that achieves 40 mpg highway, you'll need to spend a little extra on Ford's SFE...
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2013 Dodge Dart Compact Sedan: Video From Detroit Auto Show
We brought you the actual unveiling of the 2013 Dodge Dart, complete with flashy graphics, loud music, and the car emerging in a welter of spotlights. Now, we can bring you a slightly calmer walkaround and summary of Chrysler's most important new car on video, as a complement to the full Dodge Dart...
John Voelcker -
Acura ILX Concept Walkthrough: 2012 Detroit Auto Show Video
Last week we brought you live photos of Acura's ILX compact luxury sedan from the 2012 Detroit Auto Show. As Acura's first compact sedan since the Integra, it's tasked with bringing new buyers to the brand. With sharp styling and some economical engines from the Honda Civic, it may just do that...
Antony Ingram -
Tesla Model S Electric Sport Sedan: Video From Detroit Auto Show
With production of its ground-breaking electric Roadster now complete--despite a recent offering of some 2012 models--Tesla Motors is fully focused on bringing its Model S electric sport sedan to market and delivering the first cars to paying customers. At this year's Detroit Auto Show, the company...
John Voelcker -
2013 VW e-Bugster Electric Concept: 2012 Detroit Auto Show Video
At the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, Volkswagen rolled out an all-electric, two-seat coupe-speedster concept based on its iconic Beetle. With a powertrain borrowed from the VW Golf Blue e-Motion—including the 85-kW (114-hp) electric motor, 26.5-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack, plus...
Bengt Halvorson -
2012 Toyota NS4 Plug-In Hybrid Concept: Detroit Auto Show Video
The 2012 Toyota NS4 Plug-In Hybrid Concept represents not just a new styling direction for Toyota, but quite possibly the start of a new model line.
Kurt Ernst