Category Archives: design and styling

Halcyon Highland Heather Corniche EV to Debut

Posted on 3 September 2025 by Ken Zino

“Unveiling the result of our design study in the beautiful setting of Hampton Court Palace gives our clients a first taste of how incredible their cars will be. The passion, effort, and attention to detail that our team has poured into the Highland Heather design study have created a vehicle unlike any other. Classic elegance and a modern spark make for everything the Corniche should be, unmistakably Rolls-Royce®,” said Matthew Pearson, CEO of Halcyon. Continue reading →

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More C9 Corvette Concepts Seen in California

Posted on 15 August 2025 by Ken Zino

Chevrolet (NYSE: GM) today gave car enthusiasts and racing fans another, yet another glimpse of the high-performance future. Two Corvette concept cars, the Corvette CX and CX.R Vision Gran Turismo, debuted at The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering in California. If these promotional events proceed at the pace of previous events and press releases, they could outnumber the sales of the production C9 Corvette when it appears. Continue reading →

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Nissan Armada Starts at $58,840

Posted on 15 August 2025 by Ken Zino

“Following the all-new debut of the 2025 model year, Nissan continues to deliver an Armada for every adventure – offering supreme comfort, premium technology, a bold new design and uncompromising capability. With three rows of seating, a maximum towing capacity of up to 8,500 pounds [3], and the added confidence of standard Nissan Safety Shield® 3604, the Armada is ready for whatever the road – or trail – may bring,” Nissan said. Continue reading →

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BMW Art Car World Tour – Pebble Beach Next

Posted on 14 August 2025 by Ken Zino

The BMW Art Cars by American artists Andy Warhol and Julie Mehretu will be exhibited at this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, BMW said today. The display at the concours marks the beginning of the North America segment of the BMW Art Car World Tour which celebrates the collection in its 50th year globally.

“The display at the concours marks the beginning of the North America leg of the BMW Art Car World Tour, which celebrates the iconic collection in its jubilee year around the globe from Vienna to Hong Kong and Shanghai, from Dubai to Marrakech and Milan. The two BMW Art Cars will travel on to The Bridge and the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington D.C. respectively,” BMW said. Continue reading →

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Cadillac Off-Roader – Elevated Velocity

Posted on 14 August 2025 by Ken Zino

Cadillac today revealed the so-called Elevated Velocity concept. It is said to be a continuation of the Cadillac V-Series performance formula. [It’s not available for sale yet – Autocrat] This off-roader built on an elevated platform appears to be a serious concept that is winding its way through the sand, rocks, and mud of the GM bureaucracy to become a production vehicle. Yes, an off-road Cadillac?! Continue reading →

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Mercedes-Benz Chauffeur-Driven Vision V in California

Posted on 12 August 2025 by Ken Zino

“Traditionally crafted materials blended with hyper-modern, tech-savvy design elements that are just as stylish as they are unexpected, providing an unprecedented immersive digital experience.,” Mercedes-Benz said. “Pebble Beach Automotive Week is the ideal setting for the world’s finest automobiles, where enthusiasts and collectors gather to celebrate automotive excellence and innovation making it perfectly suited for the Vision V to showcase its immersive user experience.” No word on powertrain offerings thus far.  Continue reading →

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Annals of Marketing – Curated by Cadillac

Posted on 12 August 2025 by Ken Zino

“Curated by Cadillac embodies our commitment to delivering an elevated level of customization,” said John Roth, vice president, Global Cadillac. “Drawing upon experience from the ultra-luxury, hand-built CELESTIQ, we are now offering a limited number of CT5-V Blackwing customers an opportunity to create a vehicle that is as unique as their own story.” Continue reading →

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Hypercar, Hyper Price – 2026 Corvette ZR1X

Posted on 6 August 2025 by Ken Zino

Chevrolet (NYSE: GM) said today that the 2026 Corvette ZR1X, inarguably the most advanced Corvette ever, will be available with an exclusive, limited production Quail Silver Limited Edition model. It will debut at this year’s “The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering,” in Carmel, California on August 15. There will also be the debut of GM Design’s concept car for the future C9 Corvette. Continue reading →

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Another Corvette C9 Concept from SoCal

Posted on 24 July 2025 by Ken Zino

“Our Advanced Design teams are dedicated to shaping the future, driving innovation, and exploring what’s possible,” said Bryan Nesbitt, vice president of global design. “The California Corvette concept is another example of forward-thinking design. We invited multiple GM studios to envision Corvette-inspired hypercars, the first of which was revealed by our UK studio in March. The California team has now delivered a complementary study that honors Corvette’s legendary performance, while infusing it with their own distinctive vision.” Continue reading →

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First GMC Acadia Denali Ultimate Debuts in Late 2025

Posted on 17 July 2025 by Ken Zino

GMC (NYSE: GM) said today that the 2026 Acadia mid-size SUV will be the  latest vehicle in GMC’s lineup to receive the so-called ultra-premium Denali Ultimate trim.

“Denali Ultimate represents the pinnacle of premium expression for the GMC brand, delivering an innovative mixture of stunning craftsmanship and real-world capability,” said Jaclyn McQuaid, global vice president, Buick and GMC. “Expanding Denali Ultimate’s innovative technologies and exclusive design elements to the Acadia nameplate allows us to further differentiate our mid-size offering in a highly competitive segment.” Continue reading →

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Annals of Marketing – Mercedes-Benz VLE Test Drive

Posted on 2 July 2025 by Ken Zino

Mercedes-Benz said today that two prototypes of its new Van Electric Architecture (VLE) drove from Stuttgart through the Alps to Rome with only two 15-minute charging stops under “real‑life “driving conditions. Starting in 2026, Mercedes-Benz will launch its newly developed modular and scalable Van Architecture. This new platform is attempting to successfully straddle luxury-focused Grand Limousines and commercial vans where Mercedes has a longstanding market presence. Continue reading →

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As Pedestrian, Cyclist Deaths Grow so do Vehicle Blind Spots

Posted on 27 June 2025 by Ken Zino

“The across-the-board decrease in visibility for this small group of models is concerning. We need to investigate whether this is a broader trend that may have contributed to the recent spike in pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities,” IIHS President David Harkey said. “This study also illustrates that the new method developed by IIHS gives researchers a straightforward, repeatable way to assess driver visibility,” he added. Continue reading →

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1908 Echoed at Cadillac?

Posted on 27 June 2025 by Ken Zino

“This week Cadillac said the CELESTIQ represents a new era of ultra-luxury at Cadillac. Each CELESTIQ embodies the ultimate expression of Cadillac technology, performance, refinement and innovation. Working with a CELESTIQ concierge, and with available curation assistance from a Cadillac designer, each client has the opportunity to create an entirely unique CELESTIQ to fit their tastes and desires,” Cadillac claimed. Continue reading →

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Dealers Now Have the Infiniti 2026 QX60 SUV

Posted on 27 June 2025 by Ken Zino

The 2026 Infiniti QX60 is now on sale at Infiniti retailers nationwide with a starting Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $51,200. The first-ever QX60 SPORT grade, which elevates the model with its “most statement-making appearance yet,” is priced from $61,700. The QX60 is offered in four grades: Pure, Luxe, Sport and Autograph. Destination and handling charge on all grades adds $1350.

“QX60 continues to be a cornerstone of our lineup and a compelling choice for today’s premium SUV buyer,” said Brian Maragno, director, Product Marketing, Infiniti USA. “Accounting for 45% of Infiniti sales last quarter, QX60 reflects our product strategy at work – blending bold design, advanced technology and thoughtful features that resonate with our Infiniti clients.” Continue reading →

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J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Initial Quality Study Released

Posted on 26 June 2025 by Ken Zino

The number of problems cited by owners in the first 90 days of ownership has improved slightly, according to the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS)SM released today. Overall, problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) have improved to 192 PP100 from 194 PP100 a year ago. Premium brands have improved to 27 PP100 to 203 PP100 from 230 PP100 in 2024, while problems among mass market brands have increased to 187 PP100 from 181 PP100 in 2024. A lower score reflects higher vehicle quality.* Lexus is the highest-ranking brand overall in initial quality with a score of 166 PP100. Among premium brands, Jaguar (175 PP100) ranks second and Genesis (183 PP100) ranks third. Among mass market brands, Nissan ranks highest with a score of 169 PP100. Hyundai (173 PP100) ranks second and Chevrolet (178 PP100) ranks third. Continue reading →

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