Category Archives: concept

Smart Jumps on the Tiny SUV Bandwagon, Maybe…

Posted on 16 January 2013 by Ken Zino

With tongue firmly in cheek, Smart showed a tiny SUV-like electric vehicle at the Detroit Auto Show dubbed ForStars, a reference to its all glass roof. With a 60-kilowatt electric motor, the two-door concept car has 100 lb.-ft. of torque and a top speed of, well, 80 mph. With its lithium-ion battery, the ForStars has a capacity of 17.6 kilowatt-hours of electric power. Continue reading →

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Nissan Spins off Tiny Resonance SUV from Versa B-Car

Posted on 15 January 2013 by Ken Zino

Nissan today showed a Versa-derived Resonance SUV at the 2013 North American International Auto Show. Honda, Buick and Smart, among others, are also exploring the expanding “cute-ute” segment with the tiniest SUVs ever offered or contemplated in the U.S. market in an attempt to boost profits form what are traditionally thin-margin cars, as well as increase CAFE ratings. Continue reading →

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Ford Shows F150 Atlas Pickup Concept

Posted on 15 January 2013 by Ken Zino

Notably missing was any mention of the extensive weight saving materials that are under exploration at the Dearborn engineering center. Industry insider know that Ford has locked in the purchase of large quantities of aluminum, and are assuming that the next F150 when it appears in 2015 will use the weight-saving, but expensive material to increase efficiencies. How that goes over with conservative truck buyers, remains to be seen, but the time they are a changin’. Continue reading →

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Tiny Honda Urban SUV Concept Makes World Debut at NAIAS

Posted on 14 January 2013 by Ken Zino

An all-new Honda “Urban SUV Concept” vehicle made its world debut today NAIAS. The concept points to styling direction of an all-new small SUV slated to launch in Japan by the end of 2013, followed by the U.S. market in 2014. Continue reading →

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Toyota Corolla Furia Concept Appears at NAIAS

Posted on 14 January 2013 by Ken Zino

Toyota revealed the Corolla Furia Concept at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit today. This somewhat exaggerated concept hints at the styling cues can expect to see on the next-generation Corolla. The concept represents an exterior styling study by Toyota designers, and it builds on the brand’s product development priority to develop more “dramatic, expressively designed vehicles.” Continue reading →

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BMW Shows a “Concept” 4-Series at NAIAS

Posted on 14 January 2013 by Ken Zino

Over the past year, BMW has introduced 14 new and renewed vehicles, the most ever in the U.S. Today in Detroit at the NAIAS BMW unveiled what it says is a Concept 4-Series Coupe that looked production ready. It’s another formidable car from Bavaria. Continue reading →

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VW Taigun, Nissan Extrem Mini SUVs Unveiled in São Paulo following the Intro of the Production Chevrolet Trax at the Paris Motor Show

Posted on 22 October 2012 by Ken Zino

Volkswagen has shown a Taigun concept that looks to be the final design for its new family of VW, Seat and Skoda mini SUVs or crossover vehicles ahead of the 2012 São Paulo International Motor Show in Brazil alter this week. Nissan, too, is showing a mini SUV, Extrem, in Brazil. Both introductions follow the debut of the Chevrolet Trax at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. Mini SUVs are predicted to be one of the fastest growing segments in the global market. Whether that applies to the U.S. will be explored next year by Buick with its tiny Encore crossover – 166 inches or 4216 mm in overall length – Buick’s second foray into crossover land. Continue reading →

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“Upscale” McLaren P1 Concept to Debut at Paris Motor Show

Posted on 18 September 2012 by Ken Zino

McLaren Automotive will show a concept of what it is calling the next generation ultimate supercar later this month. The P1 will be at the center of the McLaren stand at its first big league auto show, the Paris Motor Show or Mondial de l’Automobile 2012. The British company says the car is only a design study, next year a production version will be revealed and go on sale. Continue reading →

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Red Tail Mustang to be Auctioned at EAA Oshkosh for Eagles

Posted on 23 July 2012 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor will auction a one of kind Red Tails Mustang at the Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture convention in Oshkosh next Thursday. The single edition Mustang has VIN 00051 in honor of the red tail P-51 Mustang planes flown by the Tuskegee Airmen during more than 1,500 missions during WWII. Pervasive racism in the army kept the black unit segregated during the war. Continue reading →

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BMW Zagato Coupe: Concept or a Small Production Run?

Posted on 31 May 2012 by Ken Zino

The Concorso on the shores of Lake Como began as a get-together of coachbuilders presenting one-off hand-built creations, but some of the press photos supplied by BMW were taken at its test track in Germany, a sign that more than one copy of the coupe will appear for wealthy buyers. Continue reading →

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Honda Develops the First Traffic Jam Preventer?

Posted on 26 April 2012 by Ken Zino

Honda Motor Company today announced a computer program that prompts a driver to change behavior if it has the potential to cause traffic jams. Honda knows what traffic engineers know and commuters endure – the acceleration and deceleration behavior of one vehicle influences the traffic pattern of trailing vehicles and can trigger the traffic jams. (Nothing about road hogging SUV driver’s whose super-sized vehicles prevent trailing car drivers from judging and responding to traffic ahead since all the driver of the car behind can see is the SUV driver talking or texting on his cell phone until he jams on his brakes.) Continue reading →

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April First in New York as Mini Cooper Yachtsman Debuts

Posted on 1 April 2012 by Ken Zino

The latest BMW press release from Mini on 1 April 2012 says that Mini customers will be able to boldly go (sic) where no motorer has gone before when the all-new Mini Cooper Yachtsman makes its world premiere at the New York International Auto Show this week, right beside the Hudson River. Continue reading →

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Audi Announces U.S. A3 e-tron Electric Vehicle Pilot Program

Posted on 28 February 2012 by Ken Zino

A3 is currently sold to U.S. consumers in gasoline-powered and turbo diesel configurations starting at $28,000 with several thousand dollars in options. The A3 EV – dubbed e-tron – has a 26kWh lithium-ion battery pack and claimed zero driving emissions, if you ignore how the electricity to charge the expensive battery pack is generated. No pricing was given since this is a development not a marketing program. One Audi insider said that eventually an A3 e-tron is “highly likely” here. Continue reading →

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GM Working on Rear Window Apps for Children of All Ages

Posted on 18 January 2012 by Ken Zino

If such interactive windows were put into automotive production they likely would use electronically charged “smart glass” technology, which is capable of variable states of translucence and transparency, and can reflect projected images. Smart glass is now used in architectural and display applications, but outside of movies like Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is rarely seen in cars. Alas, there are no immediate plans for production. Continue reading →

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Lincoln MKZ Concept Derived off Ford Fusion Debuts at NAIAS

Posted on 10 January 2012 by Ken Zino

Lincoln needs some sales successes and in the U.S – virtually its only outlet for this fading regional brand – where luxury car sales range from ~10-13% of the market annually. There’s an enormous opportunity now posed by Generation Y types, 80% of whom say they would consider a luxury car in the $30,000 range, which hasn’t escaped impending product actions at Lexus, Acura, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, among others. Continue reading →

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