2009 Infiniti FX50 and FX35
Filed under: Auto Show Pictures, Crossovers, Infiniti, New York International Auto Show, SUVs
Tags: FX35, FX50, Japanese
At the 2008 New York International Auto Show, Infiniti showed the new features of the FX crossover SUV family. The all-new, second-generation FX is a radical expression of sport and utility – offering exceptional levels of power, refinement and driving exhilaration. Created as a fusion of luxury, performance and SUV utility, with head-turning styling and an advanced sporty platform, the new FX is a showcase of Infiniti’s design and technology leadership.
Along with an aerodynamic, rigid yet lightweight body structure and sporty FM platform, the new FX features a extensive list of available equipment and technology designed to create an exhilarating and rewarding driving experience, including a choice of a new 390-horsepower 5.0-liter 32-valve DOHC V8 engine with VVEL (for Variable Valve Event & Lift) or 303-horsepower 3.5-liter 24-valve DOHC V6. Each engine is paired with a standard 7-speed automatic transmission featuring Adaptive Shift Control (ASC) and available solid magnesium paddle shifters. The new FX is also offered with available Intelligent All-Wheel Drive, double-wishbone front/multi-link rear suspension and large 4-wheel disc brakes, along with available Continuous Damping Control (CDC)®, Rear Active Steer, Intelligent Brake Assist and 21-inch super lightweight aluminum-alloy wheels designed by Enkei.
Inside, the new FX interior provides a warm, modern, inviting environment highlighted by a driver-oriented cockpit with intuitive controls, available sport seating and advanced audio, navigation and technology ranging from an 11-speaker Bose®-developed audio system to Infiniti Intelligent Key, available Intelligent Cruise Control (Full Speed Range) and available Around View Monitor system.
The new FX offers two industry-first safety technologies: Intelligent Brake Assist (IBA), which provides forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking; Distance Control Assist (DCA), which reduces the burden of driving in heavy traffic by intuitively helping to release the throttle and apply the brakes to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle ahead. Also available is a Lane Departure Warning/Lane Departure Prevention system, which helps keep the vehicle in its travel lane.
The all-new FX will be available in three models: FX50 AWD with 5.0-liter V8, FX35 AWD with 3.5-liter V6 and FX35 RWD with 3.5-liter V6. The new 2009 FX goes on sale at Infiniti dealers in the United States and Canada beginning in June 2008.
2009 Toyota Venza Video
Filed under: 2008 Detroit Auto Show, Auto Show Videos, Crossovers, Toyota
Tags: Detroit, Japanese, Venza
The 2009 Toyota Venza is a crossover sedan that will go on sale later this year. The Venza debuted at the 2008 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, MI. This is a vehicle for those who are looking for one package with the value and reliability of the Camry, the luxury of the Avalon, and the SUV-ness of the Highlander.
Watch our video of the 2009 Toyota Venza and let us know what you think of Toyota’s newest vehicle:
Click here for more on the 2009 Toyota Venza.
Toyota Switches It Up: The 2009 Venza Crossover Sedan
Filed under: 2008 Detroit Auto Show, Auto Show Pictures, Crossovers, Sedans/Saloons, Toyota
Tags: Detroit, Japanese, Venza
The all-new 2009 Toyota Venza was unveiled at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, MI. The Venza is an all-new crossover sedan that was designed to shift away from the more traditional SUV styling themes that tend to dominate the segment. This is a vehicle for those who are looking for one package with the value and reliability of the Camry, the luxury of the Avalon, and the SUV-ness of the Highlander.
The Venza will have two powertrain options: a 2.7L four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed sequential shift automatic transmission or a 3.5L V6 (268 hp @ 6,200 rpm and 246 lb-ft of torque @ 4,700 rpm) mated to a six-speed sequential shift automatic transmission with front wheel or AWD systems.
The Venza will be the first sedan with Toyota’s STAR safety system, featuring anti-lock brakes, traction control, electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist, and vehicle stability control. It will also feature active head restraints and seven airbags as standard equipment.
The Venza goes on sale in late 2008 and will be sold exclusively in the North American market.
Land Rover LRX Concept Revealed
Filed under: 2008 Detroit Auto Show, Auto Show Pictures, Coupes, Crossovers, Green Hybrids/Alternative Fuels, Land Rover
Tags: Detroit, LRX
Land Rover revealed its exciting vision of its future with the LRX concept at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show. The LRX concept is a bold evolution of Land Rover design that signals the brand’s shift into new areas of the market, while remaining true to its core values. As the company prepares to celebrate its 60th anniversary during 2008, the three-door LRX, with its more compact size, lighter weight and sustainability-focused technologies, clearly addresses the needs of a changing world and offers the potential of 120 g/km CO2 emissions.
The LRX concept is described as a cross-coupe and dramatically extends the scope of what Land Rover represents. Though 149 mm (5.9 in) shorter than the Freelander 2 / LR2 and 205 mm (8.1 in) lower, LRX was conceived as a premium car, designed to appeal to new customers in the luxury and executive sector – those who want many of the benefits of a 4×4 and the presence of a larger vehicle, but in a more compact package. Its many recognizable Land Rover design cues include bold new interpretations of the signature clamshell bonnet, the floating roof and the solid ‘wheel-at-each-corner’ stance.
LRX is conceived as a highly fuel-efficient, US Federal-specification, 2.0-litre, turbodiesel hybrid, capable of running on bio-diesel. In combination with other Land Rover technologies, this powertrain could reduce fuel consumption by as much as 30% compared with other 4×4s of comparable size, and reduce emissions to approximately 120 g/km.
LRX’s improved efficiencies are the result of advanced mechanical and electrical energy-saving elements, which are combined to achieve cumulative gains in many areas.
The concept’s integrated Electric Rear Axle Drive (ERAD) is particularly significant in Land Rover terms as it would allow LRX to use electric drive alone at lower speeds while retaining full (even improved) 4×4 ability in tough conditions. Unlike the hybrid technology used by some 4×4 rivals, Land Rover’s unique solution retains mechanical drive to all four wheels. Off-road, the ERAD would provide additional torque only when it is needed, and with maximum electrical torque from standstill, this solution offers even better low-speed control and enhanced pull-away on difficult surfaces (such as packed snow or wet grass) or when towing.
On the road, the ERAD would allow low-speed traffic creep up to 20 mph (32 km/h) on electric power alone, with the Integrated Starter-Generator (ISG) function re-starting the engine automatically when needed. The electric drive would then continue to assist the mechanical drive until the engine is running in its most efficient range, benefiting both fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The ISG would also stop the engine automatically when the vehicle halts in traffic, so the engine does not idle needlessly, and restart it quickly and smoothly as required.
The electrical drive system uses power stored in a dedicated high-voltage, high-capacity, lithium-ion battery pack, independent of the normal 12-volt battery. This is charged by a regenerative braking energy system, also working through the ERAD.
Although LRX is compact, clever use of space makes it impressively roomy, and many neat design touches maximize its practicality. A second touch-screen area gives a fully interactive display and control for LRX’s iPhone docking facility.
On either side of the horizontally-split, power-operated tailgate, removable and power-adjustable speakers include an iPod docking station. There is also a coolbox, plus a bottle chiller that can be clipped to the lowered tailgate. The tailgate also has integral aluminum cupholders between two padded seating areas, for a new twist on the idea of a traditional Land Rover tailgate lunch.
Cadillac Provoq Concept Shown At Detroit Auto Show
Filed under: 2008 Detroit Auto Show, Auto Show Pictures, Cadillac, Concept Cars, Crossovers, Green Hybrids/Alternative Fuels
Tags: American, Detroit, Provoq
Today at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, GM unveiled its luxurious, environmentally-friendly, crossover concept, the Cadillac Provoq Concept. The Cadillac Provoq fuel cell concept is the latest example of GM’s groundbreaking E-Flex propulsion system combining the new fifth-generation fuel cell system and lithium-ion battery to produce an electrically driven vehicle that uses no petroleum and has no emission other than water.
2009 Honda Pilot Prototype Revealed
Filed under: 2008 Detroit Auto Show, Auto Show Pictures, Crossovers, Honda, SUVs
Tags: , Detroit, Japanese, Pilot, Prototype
At the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, the future look of the Honda Pilot was revealed. 2009 Honda Pilot Prototype conveys design features of a more boldly-styled 2009 Pilot that should debut in Spring 2008. The styling emphasizes authentic SUV styling , clever and more accommodating interior packaging and advanced technologies for safety, fuel efficiency and convenience.
The Pilot will feature the Honda-exclusive Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure that enhances frontal collision compatibility with vehicles of different sizes/bumper heights and the most extensive use of high-strength steel in any Honda product to date. A pedestrian injury mitigation design in the front of the vehicle is designed to help absorb energy in the event of a collision.
A crossover SUV platform underpins the Pilot to provide the best of the car and truck worlds by integrating the refined traits and packaging advantages of a unit body car design with the utility and capability of an SUV design.
The V6 in the 2009 Pilot Prototype introduces the latest generation for Honda fuel-saving Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) technology that operates in 6-cylinder mode for power and 4- and 3- cylinder modes for efficiency, an improvement compared to the existing Pilot’s available VCM system that works exclusively in 6- and 3- cylinder modes.
For the passengers, the 60/40 split second row is now more spacious and slides forward a bit further for increased ease of access to the third row. With the 60/40 split third row, it now supplies enough knee room for an above-average sized adult male to fit comfortably, making the Pilot’s third row one of the most practical in the industry.
BMW Goes Green
Filed under: 2008 Detroit Auto Show, Auto Show Pictures, BMW, Concept Cars, Convertibles, Crossovers, Green Hybrids/Alternative Fuels, SUVs, Sports Coupes
Tags: , 1 Series, German, X6, xDrive
BMW will be bringing several new models to the 2008 North American International Auto Show in January.
The first production version of the X6 Sport Activity Coupe (SAC) will premiere in Detroit. The X6 will be offered in two models: the X6 xDrive35i with the 300hp twin-turbo 3.0L inline-six and the X6 xDrive50i equipped with the new 400hp 4.4L twin-turbo V8. The X6 is slated to go on sale in late Spring of ‘08 as a 2008 model. The BMW Concept X6 ActiveHybrid will also be at featured, showcasing BMW’s two-mode hybrid drivetrain.
The big news is that BMW has gone green. The BMW X5 xDrive35d and BMW 335d will make their first US debuts. Available Fall 2008, the vehicles will be equipped with BMW’s Advanced Diesel with BluePerformance. The diesel engine that will be in both vehicles meets the strict exhaust emission requirements in North America; it is a 3.0L inline-six featuring Variable Twin Turbo Technology that produces 265hp.
The BMW 1 Series Convertible will also make an appearance. The 1 Series Convertible will go on sale in late spring as a 2008 model, a few months after the 1 Series Coupe. The 1 Series Convertible will be offered as a 128i (230hp Valvetronic inline-six) or a 135i (300hp twin turbo 3.0L inline-six).
For more coverage, check back on Sunday, January 13th, when we go live from the 2008 North America International Auto Show.
2008 Detroit International Auto Show Preview
Filed under: 2008 Detroit Auto Show, BMW, Chrysler, Concept Cars, Crossovers, Dodge, Ford, Green Hybrids/Alternative Fuels, Jeep, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, SUVs, Toyota
With the 2008 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) quickly approaching, we thought we would give you a quick preview of a few vehicles that will be making debuts.
Chrysler will have a trio of eco-friendly debuts: The Jeep Renegade which is a small two-seater that runs on electricity stored in a lithium-ion battery that is supplemented by a small diesel engine, the Dodge ZEO which is a two-plus-two wagon that runs solely on electricity from a lithium-ion battery, and the Chrysler ecoVoyager people mover that runs on electricity from batteries supplemented by a fuel cell.
Ford is set to unveil its next-generation F-150 pickup truck and the small crossover Verve concept.
Nissan will be introducing its Forum concept which is a next-generation family mover. Some of the innovations featured in the concept include trackless sliding doors and no pillars between the front and second row seats.
Mitsubishi will reveal a new sports-car concept derived from the infamous Evo X. The concept uses Mitsubishi’s S-AWC vehicle dynamics control system and the Twin Clutch SST automated manual tranny that is used in the Lancer Evolution X. The unnamed concept is built on an aluminum space frame structure and will be powered by a turbo-diesel engine.
Both Toyota and Kia plan to unveil all-new production models. While Toyota has stayed mum on their premiere, Kia has confirmed that theirs will be a new seven-passenger SUV called the Borrego.
BMW will be introducing several vehicles, including new diesel-powered models while Mercedes-Benz will be premiering a small luxury SUV concept.
