Detroit 2008: Fisker Karma live reveal

The look of the Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid that was unveiled in Detroit today is not a surprise. We saw a sneak peek of it all the way back in October. It was on the last day of October, but still. The difference is that now we got to oooh and aaah over this expensive and sleek (and I'm tempted to say shark-like, because that's what it reminded me of) PHEV hybrid in person after the curtain dropped this afternoon. I stood in the polite scrum and shot y'all some pictures of the Karma, just in case you can't find $80,000 to buy a Karma, the first vehicle from Fisker Automotive, Inc. in a few years. The company says it hopes to sell 15,000 Karmas a year when these go on sale towards the end of 2009.

The Karma has impressive performance numbers, with a 0-60 time of under six seconds and a top speed of more than 125 mph. The vehicle is moved by something called the Q Drive, which will be found in all future Fisker Karma derivatives, and has two driving modes: Stealth Drive (a nice name for electric only) and Sport Drive (which uses both parts of the hybrid drivetrain). Should you plug the Karma in at night, you can get 50 miles of EV-only driving. Unlike most high-end sports cars in the green realm (the Tesla Roadster, for example), the Karma has four doors. Like all of the others, this will remain tantalizingly out of reach for most of us. Still, one more player in this realm never hurts.

Gallery: Detroit 2008: Fisker hybrid live reveal

(Via AutoblogGreen.)

In The Autoblog Garage: Lexus LS460L

In The Autoblog Garage: Lexus LS460L
click above image for a high-resolution gallery of the Lexus LS460L

It's tough to pity Lexus LS owners. After all, Executive-Class luxury sedans don't exactly suck. We wouldn't blame LS drivers for feeling pangs of over-inconspicuousness whenever they see a Camry, though. Understated luxury is one thing, but when you're devoting something like two years of the average worker bee's salary to a frivolity such as a luxury sedan, it'd be nice to have at least some indication to the Serfs that you're the better man.

'Look at Me!' posturing is not what we have in mind. There are Lamborghinis and Excaliburs for that sort of disgusting bourgeois putrefaction. Exuding a bouquet of fine taste, class and craftsmanship shouldn't be out of the question for a car such as the LS, however. The LS 460L we drove failed to portray itself as what it aspires to be; the né plus ultra shark in the S-Class pool. Spend a few more seconds looking and the sheer size of the big Lexus sinks in, but gosh, from 30 feet away you need to concentrate to see something more than a Camry (or the new Hyundai Genesis for that matter).

Gallery: Lexus LS460L

(Via Autoblog.)

Detroit 2008: MINI to bring diesel option to the US?

Detroit 2008: MINI to bring diesel option to the US?
click above for more high-res images of the 2008 MINI Cooper D Clubman

The car you see above is the MINI Cooper D Clubman. That's 'D' as in 'Diesel'. The diminutive brand owned by BMW offers a diesel engine in Europe, but to date has not in the U.S. We believe that MINI may correct this at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit next week. Our guess is based on a press release issued by MINI today that, while saying very little about its plan for the Detroit show other than the Clubman and Clubman S would be present, included images of a left-hand-drive Cooper D Clubman. The press release also mentions that a talking point at MINI's press conference will be 'More Driving Pleasure, Less Fuel Consumption: The new MINI in the 2008 Model Year'. Couple that with parent company BMW's announcement of two new models for the U.S. market that will be powered by diesel engines, the X5 xDrive35d and the 335d, and it begins to look like MINI will follow suit with a diesel of its own. Of course, MINI has not confirmed this so it's pure speculation on our part, but we wouldn't be surprised to see a Cooper Clubman D burning oil in Detroit next week.

Gallery: 2008 MINI Cooper Clubman D

Gallery: 2008 MINI Cooper S Clubman

Continue reading Detroit 2008: MINI to bring diesel option to the US?

(Via Autoblog.)

New photos of the Skoda Superb

New photos of the Skoda Superb

One of the premieres at the Geneva Motor Show, will be the new Skoda Superb. We’ve already written about this car (check out the previous post here) and now Skoda released two more photos of the Passat-looking Superb, which will be the Czech’s producer’s flagship.

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(Via Auto Unleashed.)

Detroit 2008 leak: Saab's 9-4X BioPower CUV concept

Detroit 2008 leak: Saab's 9-4X BioPower CUV concept
It sure gets leaky before an auto show, doesn't it? While GM and Saab would like to keep a lid on the news of the Saab 9-4X BioPower concept CUV, the word is out, thanks to Automotive News (subs req'd). The full details of this eathnol-ready CUV will be coming on Sunday at the Detroit Auto Show, but we do know that the concept is powered by a four-cylinder, 2.0-liter turbo engine that, when burning E85, can produce 300hp at 5,400 rpm as well as 295 pounds-feet of torque at anywhere between 2,600 to 5,100 rpm. The 9-4X BioPower also features amenities like a place to store your skis (what, no Segway?), a panoramic glass roof and flush-mounted starter button. There will be more details on Sunday - at the latest.

Gallery: Saab 9-4X BioPower Concept leaked photos

(Via AutoblogGreen.)

Detroit 2008: HUMMER HX Concept

Detroit 2008: HUMMER HX Concept

Well, there's another embargo blown. HUMMERForums dropped all the images they had of the HUMMER HX concept that was due to be officially unveiled in a scant five days, and Jalopnik followed suit. So here it is, HUMMER's Wrangler-competitor in concept form, complete with a 3.6-liter SIDI E85 FlexFuel engine which sends power to all four wheels via a six-speed auto 'box. The HX is technically a convertible, meaning that the roof panels and modular rear can open or be stowed, while the interior instruments can be reconfigured depending on the type of driving you'll be doing. All the details are available in the press release after the jump.

Gallery: Detroit 2008: HUMMER HX Concept

Continue reading Detroit 2008: HUMMER HX Concept

(Via Autoblog.)

Honda Civic SE Plus

Honda Civic SE Plus

The Honda Civic SE+ comes with an enhanced exterior styling that includes body-colored skirts, 16-inch alloys, and spoiler.

Powered by the 1.4-litre i-DSi engine, The Honda Civic SE+ is priced at 14,900 pounds and sold on the British market.

Press Release

CRACKING NEW CIVIC KICK-STARTS THE YEAR

A new variant of the Honda Civic goes on sale in the UK today with enhanced exterior styling that represents excellent value for money.

Called the SE+, the new model’s distinctive 16-inch alloys, body-coloured skirts and spoiler

give it sporty looks, designed to appeal to the Civic’s increasingly youthful customer. It is powered by Honda’s 1.4-litre i-DSi engine and costs just £14,900 on-the-road.

‘The market has responded well to the new Civic, and the 5-door is drawing a younger audience than ever before, but customers wanted a higher spec, entry level model that looked even more sporting,’ said Tom Gardner, Head of Marketing, Honda (UK). ‘The SE+ looks great, offers fantastic value for money and represents the success of our UK manufacturing plant at Swindon, where all European Civics are built.’

In 2007, Honda of the UK Manufacturing (HUM) reached its full production rate of 250,000 units per annum, of which 140,000 were Civics. Last year in the UK, 30,772 Civic 5-doors were sold.

On top of the standard SE grade specifications, the new Civic 1.4 i-DSI SE + includes:

- 16-inch Atlas alloy wheels

- Image pack - which includes painted front, rear and side skirts and painted rear spoiler

- Metallic paint

The Honda Civic SE + is available in Vivid Blue or Alabaster Silver. Only 1,000 units will be made.

(Via WWW.YOSAX.COM.)

Nissan Pathfinder may return to CUV roots, ditch body-on-frame again

Nissan Pathfinder may return to CUV roots, ditch body-on-frame again

The Nissan Pathfinder has done what was needed to take advantage of a sales trends: it started life as body-on-frame, then switched to unibody, then back to body-on-frame. Today, it shares the ladder platform with the Nissan Titan pickup and Armada SUV.

Speculation, however, is that the next generation Pathfinder could go back to unibody construction. Nissan isn't yet saying what it will do, but with the need to raise mileage -- as well as comfort -- a new Pathfinder CUV could be a win for everyone. And, as seen with the repackaging of the Ford Explorer America concept, a unibody build would give Nissan designers a lot more leeway to create something new and fresh.

The biggest issue appears to be what to do about the Pathfinder's different buyers in other countries. In America, the Pathfinder could probably sacrifice some off-road prowess and towing capacity and not suffer too much if at all. In Africa, every bit of the Pathfinder's off-road ability gets used, and customers there wouldn't accept the compromises of a softer CUV. It wouldn't be unheard of to keep building the Pathfinder on a ladder frame for other markets while creating a new one for America. The next generation is still a couple of years away, but Nissan will announce its decision later this year.

Gallery: 2008 Nissan Pathfinder

(Via Autoblog.)

2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart snapped in parking lot

2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart snapped in parking lot
Click image to enlarge

According to poster jmk2888 at the EvolutionM.net forums, the car you see here is indeed the 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart. The poster, who indicates that he works for Mitsubishi in California, says that the car was in the lot briefly but is now 'on the way to an auto show.' Funny, we happen to be going to an auto show next week, so let's assume the Lancer Ralliart's on its way to Detroit for its official unveiling.

According to the jmk2888, here are the pertinent stats. To be safe, treat everything as speculation for now until we get official info from Mitsubishi:

• 230 - 240 turbocharged horsepower


• AWD


• 5-speed manual gearbox or Twin Clutch SST available


• Recaro front seats


• Gunmetal-finish Lancer GTS wheels


• GTS rear wing


• Nav system available

In front, the Ralliart gets a unique fascia dominated by a large (but not Evo X-large), chrome-rimmed grille opening. At the top right section of the grille itself, you can see the telltale Ralliart badge. According to the poster, the car in the photo is painted in the orangey-red 'Sunset Pearlescent' finish that's currently available on the Eclipse. He also states that there's Ralliart branding on the rear of the car, and some other posters have noted that this car appears to be equipped with the same HID headlamps as the Evo X. Assuming it's going to be in Detroit, expect complete details and many photos of Mitsu's new Subaru WRX competitor early next week.

(Via Autoblog.)

Detroit Preview: Ford Explorer America Concept

Detroit Preview: Ford Explorer America Concept

Everybody so excited about the Detroit auto show closing in and Ford wants to cut a little all that waiting, so they’ve unveiled the Ford Explorer America Concept. The new crossover concept has a futuristic design which abandons the classic body-on-frame construction and switches to unibody, this way reducing weight and delivering superior driving dynamics.

The concept is powered by a 4-cylinder 2 liter engine with EcoBoost technology that delivers 275 hp and 280 lb.-ft. of torque or, as a premium engine, a 3.5-liter V-6 delivering about 340 hp. Depending on engine selection, fuel-efficiency will improve by 20 to 30 percent versus today’s V-6 Explorer.

See more photos of the Ford Explorer America Concept and the full press release, after the jump.

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(Via Auto Unleashed.)

Pics Aplenty: Cadillac Provoq Live Reveal

Pics Aplenty: Cadillac Provoq Live Reveal
Click image for a hi-res gallery of the Cadillac Provoq at CES

Fresh from the floor of the Sands, where GM supreme leader Rick Wagoner delivered the CES keynote, we have photos of the Cadillac Provoq fuel cell concept, courtesy of our own Sam Abuelsamid. The Provoq, as you likely know by know, makes use of the E-Flex architecture that also underpinned last year's Chevy Volt and Opel Flextreme concepts. If you like what you see, plan on seeing more of it in the not-too-distant future. The styling of the Provoq is likely very close to what we'll see when Cadillac eventually pulls the wraps off its upcoming BRX crossover. That's down the line, howeve. In the meantime, check out the gallery below for our first look at the Provoq in the metal.

Gallery: CES 2008: Cadillac Provoq Live reveal

(Via Autoblog.)