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The 2014 Lexus CT to make World Debut at the Guangzhou Motor Show

TOKYO, JAPAN -  The world premiere of the 2014 Lexus CT 200h will take place at the 2013 Guangzhou Motor Show in China, on November 21st 2013.

 

 

 

The CT 200h was introduced in 2010, and was the world’s first full hybrid luxury compact car.

 

With this introduction, it now includes a new Lexus ‘spindle grille’.  Also, this compact luxury hatchback offers a more dynamic and sophisticated exterior design. Newly designed alloy wheels and a new rear look which features a more horizontal structure also reinforce its distinctiveness.

 

 

All other details about the upgraded CT 200h will be revealed at the upcoming Guangzhou Motor Show. A press conference will be held at the Lexus booth, Hall 5.1 in the China Import and Export Commodities Fair Complex.

2014 Honda Civic Coupe Unveiled at the 2013 SEMA Show

LAS VEGAS, NV – A significantly updated 2014 Honda Civic Coupe made its world debut today at the 2013 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show, offering a first look at new exterior styling updates to Canada’s best-selling passenger car. Honda also announced that the performance-oriented Civic Si will benefit from increased power and larger wheels and tires, making both the two- and four-door varieties even more fun to drive.

 

Honda also surprised performance enthusiasts by announcing plans to begin sales of street-oriented performance parts developed by Honda Performance Development, Inc. (HPD), Honda’s U.S.-based race engineering company, starting with a full range of performance accessories for the CR-Z sport hybrid coupe that will be available in Canada. A power-boosting CR-Z supercharger package will follow in the spring of 2014. In the longer term, HPD engineers are also investigating other models and platforms in order to expand Honda’s street performance product line.

 

“We are making a positive statement about our commitment to the fun to drive character of the Honda brand with the further advancement of the 2014 Civic Coupe and Si models.  We are on an exciting path forward, as we draw on our past racing experiences and heritage,” said Dave Gardner, vice president of sales and marketing, Honda Canada Inc.

 

The 2014 Civic Coupe and Coupe Si 

 

Following a major refresh of Civic Sedan styling for 2013, Honda turns its attention to the Civic Coupe and Coupe Si, implementing a host of exterior design changes that include a more aggressive grille, hood, front fenders and headlight design. Additional Coupe exterior changes include new taillight lenses, sportier front and rear bumpers and new side mirrors.

 

The Civic Si Coupe benefits from the same styling enhancements as the standard Civic Coupe, but adds Si-exclusive design cues, including a unique lower front bumper garnish, larger rear decklid spoiler, a distinctive front spoiler and sporty rear air diffuser. The Civic Si Sedan picks up on these same cues, and both the Si Coupe and Si Sedan get larger, 18-inch (+1 inch) wheels and tires with new wheel designs.

 

 

The performance-tuned Civic Si Coupe and Si Sedan also get a retuned exhaust system that helps boost peak output to 205 horsepower1 (+4 horsepower) and 174 lb-ft of torque2 (+4 ft-lb).

 

More details about the full 2014 Civic lineup will be made available at the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show.

What you need to know about SEMA

Every November, a different type of auto show takes place in Las Vegas, Nevada called the Specialty Equipment Market Association, better known as just SEMA (which sounds a lot better). SEMA is all about specialty products steered towards the auto aftermarket. It’s a show that can excite any auto enthusiast and the scene in Las Vegas blends well with this type of automotive crowd – it just works hand-in-hand. 

 

It must be noted that SEMA is a trade-only show and not open to the general public. If you just got all of your hopes deflated, take solace in that you can find your pictures and information online.

 

SEMA begins today at the Las Vegas Convention Center and runs for the rest of the week until November 8th. It’s a spot where the best of the best show-off their latest products and tuner cars for the world to see. It’s a massive show that provides buyers a platform to showcase their products and in 2012 more than 60,000 buyers entered SEMA from all over the world. Additionally, there are seminars, product demonstrations, celebrities on-hand from race car drivers to UFC fighters, and a nightlife scene that’s filled with schmoozing and partying.

 

Many car manufacturers find the SEMA Show to be a perfect venue to exhibit more cutting-edge vehicles and styles. It’s an opportunity for the manufacturers to let their hair down and support the creativity of some of the world’s top designers in order to see what can be done to some of their existing models.

 

 

 

For this year’s show, Ford vehicles are on display including the 2014 Fiesta from Bojix Design. Modifications are a plenty in this Fiesta starting with its custom paint job using BASF colours with orange accents throughout making it pop. The Fiesta is upgraded with a coilover suspension and powertrain modifications that include a three-inch cat-back exhaust system. 

 

 

 

No show is complete without a Ford Mustang and Nitto Tire will have the 2014 Mustang GT on display in fire red along with jet black stripes. Nitto Tire made the Mustang have more street-cred with a bold 3dCarbon body kit to lower the car, as well as a Classic Design Concepts performance grille that makes that Mustang logo come to life.

 

 

 

One of the most talked about vehicles of the year, the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray will make a splash at SEMA with the release of three separate concepts. Just when you thought the Stingray couldn’t get better – they proved us wrong. The three concepts will be called, the Convertible Atlantic Concept, the Pacific Concept and the “Gran Turismo” Concept. The Atlantic Concept has a Blade Silver colour with a body kit that includes a front splitter, rear diffuser, rocker extensions and custom headlights; the Pacific Concept is more focused on the track with a racing red colour and black stripes fitted with the latest Corvette’s Z51 package; while, the “Gran Turismo” concept is a copy of the one featured in the video game with blue paint and yellow headlamps, along with a carbon fibre rear wing, vented hood and custom new grille.  

 

 

If you’re looking for a larger vehicle, the Range Rover Aspen Ultimate Series by Onyx Concept might be for you. This edition has bumped the 505 horsepower to an incredible 625 making the Range Rover go from 0-100 km/h in only 4.7 seconds. On top of the power increase, Onyx has provided the Range Rover with a one-inch wider wheelbase, lowered the SUV by an inch, as well as adding new aero fins, front air dams, pillars and side mirrors. 

 

 

On the other hand of the spectrum, some manufacturers use the show to promote their regular vehicle offerings. Honda’s prepping for the world debut of the 2014 Honda Civic Coupe. Their reasoning is based on the Civic being a pioneer in the aftermarket world. For many decades, the Civic has been re-worked and customized, so Honda felt it was appropriate to give back to that community by debuting the Civic Coupe version at SEMA. Details have not been released yet, so we will have them for you when we find out after the reveal. 

 

Stay tuned for more exciting information from the SEMA Show or go to www.semashow.com for the latest news and pictures.

 

AJAC’s TestFest turns over a new leaf with a venue change

It’s already October and Halloween is approaching and that can only mean one thing – “TestFest” is upon us. For those that aren’t in the know, TestFest is a week-long event run by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) to eventually determine their picks for Canadian Car(s) of the Year (CCOTY). 

 

 

 

How it works?

 

For this year, there are 58 new vehicles approved and entered into the competition. Each vehicle has been assigned into one of 12 groups and a winner will be chosen from each category group based on the scores assigned from the 79 AJAC journalists attending the event.

 

 

 

Not every journalist votes on each vehicle, but will be assigned to two or three categories to test. Once a journalist begins a particular group, they must complete the group on that same day, conducting back-to-back tests via the same driving route in order to be able to judge them based on the same criteria. Another key factor in AJAC’s voting structure is that these vehicles are tested on public roads and under real-world conditions to provide relevancy for consumers. 

 

My assigned categories

 

This year, yours truly has been handed three categories that have some exciting contenders. I start out with the Small Car (under $21K) category that pits two long-standing rivals in the compact sedan segment, the Toyota Corolla and the Mazda3 with two newcomers, the Mitsubishi Mirage and the Nissan Versa Note.

 

The next group I’ve been assigned to tackle is the Luxury Car (under $50K) category. This group has five contenders in it including the Buick Regal, Kia Cadenza, Lexus IS 350 RWD, Lincoln MKZ Hybrid and the Mercedes-Benz CLA 250. Many of these vehicles have their pros and cons, but matched-up against each other might just reveal a clear winner. Who knows? 

 

The last group will be my most exciting and that’s the Prestige (over $75K) category. This group also has five entered including the Cadillac XTS, the Jaguar XJ XJR, Mercedes-Benz S Class, the Porsche Panamera S e-Hybrid and the Range Rover Supercharged. This is a mixed bag of competitors that are not typically compared against each other, so it’s anyone’s guess who will take it.

 

 

 

You will be hearing a lot about the vehicles listed above along with my top picks, but I will be able to test out other vehicles throughout the week. It wouldn’t be possible to leave TestFest without testing the highly sought-after Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, Jaguar F-Type V6-S, or Porsche Cayman. 

 

New venue and winner announcements

 

AJAC’s TestFest has moved its venue several times over its 28 years of existence and in its 29th edition they will be heading to the Legends on the Niagara GolfCourse in Niagara Falls. This will be new to everyone, so it will take some time to get adjusted to those new routes. We will have to wait and see whether this new venue will surpass the former that was located at the Niagara Airport in Niagara-on-the-Lake. 

 

Another new feature to TestFest this year is that category winners will not be announced on the Thursday evening, but we will be treated to an American Idol-style cliffhanger. Ballots will still be tabulated by the international accounting firm KPMG, but not revealed until December 3rd at a press conference in Toronto.

 

After that, we will be provided the Best New Technology winners on January 28th in Toronto and the overall winners will be announced on February 13th at the Canadian International AutoShow in Toronto.

 

To keep track of everything related to AJAC’s TestFest, visit our Twitter handle @thedrivermag or my personal one @david_miller11. You can also check out the latest pictures on our Facebook page. 

 

Ken Block wows us with what can be done in a Ford Fiesta ST

The day was bright and the air was as thick as ever in downtown Toronto. Not because of the unrelenting smog, but owing to the tire shredding smoke that was being produced down by the waterfront. 

 

It was clear to me that Ken Block arrived early for the Ford Fiesta ST event, as only he could rack up the pile of tire carcasses near the road. Block has become a YouTube drift legend famous for his stylish slide-ways video’s titled “Gymkhana,” which prominently features his WRC Fiesta rally car flying over jumps and drifting between obstacles that look impossible for any mere mortal to attempt. 

 

 

Block took some time from his busy schedule to join a group of journalists at the waterfront to put on a show of stunts; while promoting the overall star of the event, the 2014 Ford Fiesta ST. 

 

As I was given my credentials for the event, I glanced at them and noticed a typo. I was representing my publication humorously under the name “Max Patterson.” I took it in stride and laughed it off with the organizers and began focusing on my new alter ego. 

 

As initial introductions finished with TheDriver.ca video team, we headed on over to the Fiesta ST that was parked alongside Block’s Fiesta rally car. It was being fitted with a new pair of shoes that would be shredded by the end of the session. The presentation on the Fiesta ST was short, but informative. It was a lifestyle event after all and we were all anticipating what Block had in store for us. 

 

But for those that are interested, the Fiesta ST packs a 1.6-litre turbocharged, four-cylinder engine that cranks 197 horsepower to the front wheels through a six speed manual. With colors names such as “Race Red” and “Molten Orange” this little hot hatch was sure to boost serotonin levels as one powered through the gears. 

 

 

 

Ford Canada created a makeshift parking lot course and it was time for us to try out how the Fiesta ST handles on it. The course wasn’t long enough to even try third gear, but nonetheless, it performed wonderfully as the car pulled to redline smoothly. The ST comes with a base price of just $24,999 but leaves you with a smile on your face and an appreciation for the superior build quality. It also doesn’t hurt that it comes with a mountain of standard features to play with. 

 

After running through several laps, we were ushered over to Block’s car where he had emerged from his parked RV. He introduced himself to the crowd and was more than happy to speak with us and have a few pictures taken. Yes, it’s rare for a journalist to take a photo op, but it was a different type of event. Block is a man of few words, who prefers to communicate in race results and screaming engines. 

 

Ford is always filled with surprises and a few names of those invited were put into a hat to win a drift ride around the course with Mr. Block. The course was modified to suit his needs, so whoever was going to win would have one hell of a ride. Sadly, my name wasn’t one of the ones picked, but The Driver’s video host Cynthia Stone was selected to ride shotgun in the heavily modified Fiesta.  

 

As Cynthia was strapped into her passenger seat that resembled something out of a space shuttle, she gave us an enthusiastic thumbs-up before blasting off into the distance. All I could see was a cloud of white smoke and loud bangs from the exhaust. As the smoke settled, I could see Block driving the car with the same precision that a Rolls Royce leather maker achieves. Every slide and drift was executed as it was on rails. He flung his Fiesta in-between tight barriers and parked Fords. Onlookers gathered to watch the spectacle unfold as the air grew thicker and thicker with the smell of burnt rubber and spent fuel. Cynthia’s ride ended but the expression on her face seemed to stretch for miles. It’s not every day that one gets to be a passenger in a 600 horsepower all-wheel drive machine spending more time sideways than going straight.

 

 

Block’s show was over concluding the event with a bang and many shrieks. We walked away with our pictures and so much rubber in our eyes we could construct a set of Prius tires. In the end, we drove a fantastic hot hatch and watched the hoonigan himself conquer the waterfront. Nevertheless, we headed home with a satisfied quench for tire carnage and speed mayhem with the Ford Fiesta ST event now entering our rear view mirror.

Volkswagen TDI Clean Diesel Tour – Leg 4: Winnipeg, MB to Medicine Hat, AB

The Driver participates in Volkswagen’s cross-country journey with five of their TDI vehicles

 

 

 

Eight provinces, five vehicles and six tanks of diesel is the premise for Volkswagen’s TDI Clean Diesel Tour. It was a plan that took several months to create and organize with the goal of an Amazing Race style adventure that would show off Volkswagen’s range of TDI models. An impressive feat to say the least! 

 

In a time where fuel economy is always a concern, Volkswagen wanted to show off their diesel options as alternatives to regular gas guzzlers, hybrids and all-electric cars. For those that are unaware, TDI means Turbocharged Direct Injection. This is a process used by Volkswagen where turbochargers compress air used for combustion thus allowing the engine to generate more power after each quick fire of the cylinders.

 

There’s has been plenty of debate in favour of diesel engines, but for some reason or another, Canadians have not taken to them like their neighbours across the pond in Europe. In contrast, diesel engines comprise 50 percent of sales, while they account for 2 percent of the Canadian market. Volkswagen have always been leaders in the diesel market with 28 percent of their sales coming from TDI models and they are welcoming any manufacturer challenges to provide more press and attention to diesels. Recently, Chevrolet has jumped onto the diesel game with their Chevrolet Cruze Clean Turbo Diesel and Volkswagen couldn’t be happier.

 

Setting the stage for the VW TDI Clean Diesel Tour

 

 

 

Many people have dreams of travelling across the country.  There’s no better way to see our beautiful country then experiencing the different cultures, people and climate then a continuous journey across it. The best part about it is you really just need to use one road – the Trans-Canada Highway. For Volkswagen, it provides a platform to showcase their TDIs and diesel claims in a real-life adventure.

 

Travelling across the country is a big time commitment with a lot of planning. Just the thought of planning such a trip might intimidate the best trip organizers and have them shy away from such an undertaking. Hence, Volkswagen split the coast-to-coast adventure up into five legs with the attempt to have five teams along for each stretch. The Driver was invited along for Leg 4 where the travel route would be from Winnipeg, Manitoba to Medicine Hat, Alberta. Each team would get to test out all five TDI vehicles on hand across three provinces including the Beetle, Jetta, Passat, Golf Wagon and the Touareg. The Golf was excluded from this adventure, as Volkswagen was showing off all of their 2014 models and the 2015 Golf is expected to be released next year – there are no 2014’s in Canada.

 

 

The Driver’s David Taylor and I were sent on this journey through the Prairies and we had our eyes set on bettering the rest of the teams in any challenge that came our way and in fuel-efficient driving. What the rest of the teams didn’t know was that David and I are experts in efficient driving after being participants in AJAC’s Eco Run over the past few years. No matter what the vehicle, we’ve adopted driving techniques that can help reduce fuel consumption that lead to fuel savings. We were instructed by Thomas Tetzlaff, Public Relations Manager at Volkswagen Canada, that this wasn’t an exercise in hypermiling, so we relied on a gentle acceleration, maintaining a steady speed and avoided higher speeds that the other teams succumbed to.

 

Four of the cars on this trip share the same powertrain, the 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine that puts out 140 horsepower and a more impressive 236 lb.-ft. of torque. The higher torque to horsepower on a diesel vehicle is commonplace, as a diesel engine compresses just air (not a fuel/air mixture as in gas engines) at a high temperature, so when fuel is directly injected it ignites automatically without a spark. With this system, the diesel engine needs to do more compression than a gas engine to get the fuel to ignite, hence the higher torque numbers.

 

The other engine on this journey belongs to the lone SUV, the Touareg. It uses a 3.0-litre, six-cylinder engine that puts out 240 horsepower and a mind-blowing 406 lb.-ft. of torque. 

 

Day One: Winnipeg, MB to Regina, SK

 

Day one began with the Golf Wagon. It would take us from Winnipeg to Brandon and we were determined to reach some good numbers right off the bat. This led to us being last upon arrival for all of our challenges and meals, but we still managed to win one of the challenges through our wisdom and guile. It could be otherwise worded as taking advantages of mistakes from the other teams. 

 

The Golf Wagon managed a combined fuel economy of 6.1L/100 km, which surprisingly ended up being the best of all of the teams, but we knew we could do better. The afternoon trek from Brandon to Regina saw us blow away the competition by scoring 5.4L/100 km in the Jetta and 5.5L/100 km in the Passat. No one touched these numbers including the Volkswagen representatives who know these cars inside and out. 

 

 

As impressive as the fuel economy numbers are the drive was smooth and relaxing. There’s something about driving the flat grounds of the Prairies that’s so peaceful while you drive through plenty of farmland, greenery and livestock, followed by plenty of farmland, greenery and livestock, and repeat. It’s nice to have the right vehicles to complement that peaceful ride and the Jetta and Passat provided that for our journey. The air was refreshing and clean and so were the cars we rode – a perfect pairing. 

 

Day Two: Regina, SK to Medicine Hat, AB 

 

As day two began, I wanted to change our approach for two reasons. First off, I didn’t like the fact that one team was bragging about being the first to depart and arrive, while achieving impressive fuel economy numbers. That got my competitive juices flowing. In didn’t take much convincing to the other David, based on my second point that it would be informative to see how well these TDIs perform under a typical every-day driving style. 

 

 

 

We set out on the Touareg from Regina to Swift Current passing through Moose Jaw. But before we could get started, we were sent on another challenge at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s Heritage Centre which surrounds their Academy. After an initial tour through the museum, we were treated and I say the word treated loosely, to drill training by one of their sergeants. Thanks to the excellent marching and listening ability of Mr. Taylor (I know, shocking); we once again excelled at this challenge. 

 

After being yelled at and disciplined we were back on the Trans-Canada Highway driving a little above the speed limit as one would normally do. The Touareg is fitted with an eight-speed automatic transmission differing from the six-speeds in all of the other participants. It was the most luxurious ride out of the five with soft leather throughout the cockpit and comfortable black leather seats. They even enhanced the entertainment console by making it larger and fitted with more options. Safe to say our numbers spiked from the previous day as we achieved an aggressive 8.6L/100 km, well above the rating that Volkswagen promotes. 

 

We continued this driving style with our final car, the Beetle and scored a 6.7L/100 km. However, the number was inflated due to some photo opportunities along the ride from Swift Current, Saskatchewan to Medicine Hat, Alberta. On this final drive, the sky was dark and stormy and we even found a picturesque salt harvest coming from Chaplin Lake, which came out of nowhere. 

 

 

The Beetle caused some trouble in finding a comfortable seating position, but how could you complain – it’s a Beetle. It’s not for everyone, but it does have enough character and pep to be enjoyed by a certain few who likes its size and charm.

 

 

In Summary

 

There are many varying road trips, but a cross-country trip with the family would be best suited with the Golf Wagon or the Touareg. The choice of better fuel economy versus luxury and speed would be the decision and that’s up to individual preference. As for the Jetta, Passat and Beetle – they all showcased how impressive their TDI engines could be. Based on the numbers so far, it looks like six tanks of diesel might have been a reach for Volkswagen considering the driving habits of some of these automotive journalists, but it can definitely be achieved. So far the Passat (4.29 tanks) and the Touareg (4.90 tanks) have used the least amount of tanks of diesel with one leg to go. 

 

 

 

Volkswagen planned a great journey to show off how much savings diesel engines can provide. There’s a lot of hype about hybrids and it’s about time some love is shown to those diesels. Diesels have always exhibited savings in mileage by bettering fuel economy numbers in gas-powered vehicles by an average of 25-30 percent and the TDI Clean Diesel Tour made that reality. Their past negatives of being smelly have stayed in the past and this new TDI proves they should at least be given a chance. There must be a reason to why they are so successful in Europe and perhaps it takes events like this to show off their true worth and value.

 

If you were holding your breath whether the two David’s won their leg – you can rest assured that we were victorious with an average of 6.46L/100 km! Was there ever a doubt?

 

Top 5 Car Reveals from the Frankfurt Motor Show

Now that the Frankfurt Motor Show has closed its doors to the public, it gives us a chance to look back at what we saw from what is considered the world’s largest motor show. 

 

There were plenty of reveals from production vehicles to concepts, but we wanted to narrow it down for our readers. So after much deliberation, here are The Driver’s top-five most exciting reveals from the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. 

 

1) Ferrari 458 Speciale

 

Historically, Ferrari has used the Frankfurt Motor Show as the grounds in which it decides to unveil its new mid-engine V-8 supercar. This year was no exception and Ferrari has left everyone more than satisfied. 

 

The long-awaited successor to the 430 Scuderia, the 458 Speciale is, without a string of doubt, a monster on four wheels. Powered by a tuned-up version of the 458 Italia’s V-8, the Speciale charges to 100 km/h in less than three seconds and continues to sprint to 200 km/h in an incredible 9.1 seconds. This prancing horse’s beating heart produces 597 horsepower with 398 lb.-ft. of torque and officially produces the most amount of power for any naturally aspirated V-8. 

 

 

2) BMW i8 (Production version)

 

After what seemed like an eternity of concepts, spy shots, and even a movie cameo (I’m looking at you, Mission Impossible), BMW has finally unveiled it’s much anticipated i8 supercar. As the halo car for the newly inaugurated “i” brand, the i8 has some hefty shoes to fill. Luckily, it appears to be doing a fantastic job as BMW’s first plug-in hybrid.

 

The futuristic exterior compliments the technology that is housed underneath. The i8 is powered by a combination of a 1.5-liter, turbocharged, three-cylinder engine and an electric motor producing 131 hp for a combined 362 horsepower and 320 lb.-ft. of torque. This combo allows it to sprint to 100 km/h in only 4.4 seconds. The i8 will place BMW on the map when it comes to hybrid performance ushering in a new era for the German brand.

 

 

3) Porsche 918 Spyder

 

The Porsche 918 Spyder is a plug-in hybrid that draws its power from a 4.6-litre V-8 engine that produces a whopping 608 hp. When you add in the two electric motors from a 6.8 kWh lithium-ion battery – its power can total 887 hp and 590 lb.-ft. of torque.

 

Those numbers are exciting enough, but Porsche took the 918 to the Nürburgring and set the fastest lap time for any street legal car (apart from the Radical which can hardly be considered street legal). It ran a blistering 6:57 around the “Green Hell” obliterating all doubt of the 918 being an underperforming car compared to its main rivals (LaFerrari. P1). 

 

This gives Porsche fans some needed ammunition in the ongoing mud-slinging war between McLaren, Porsche and Ferrari. While Porsche might be ahead for now, they will have to keep an eye over its shoulder as the others will no doubt be working on something to run the ring and continue the hybrid supercar battle.

 

 

 

4) Mercedes-Benz S Class Coupe

 

Jeremy Clarkson once described the Jaguar XJ as a rolling sculpture. This moment in Top Gear history is what immediately played in my mind when Mercedes-Benz took the cover off the Mercedes S Class Coupe. Its obnoxiously huge and vulgar but the shape and streaming lines of the body made it just about the most beautiful concept car to have made an appearance this year.  Borrowing the front end of the CLA, the S Class Coupe is sure to be a big vista cruiser with style, luxury and performance in mind (if it ever makes it to production, of course).

 

If you’re a specs junkie, you will be happy to know that under the hood is a 4.7-litre twin-turbo V-8 that generates 449 hp and 516 lb.-ft. of torque. However, the combination of power, style and technology make the S Class Coupe a standout. The biggest highlights are its panel and seats that are made from the finest calfskin and silk carpet made by hand. You don’t see that in every reveal!

 

 

5) Spark-Renault's SRT_01E electric race car

 

Formula E is one of the most interesting racing series to have sprouted up in recent memory. As it draws closer to its inaugural race, it’s time to take a look at the vehicle that will be providing the levels of excitement that’s being promised. Officially, the first car to be homologated for the series is the adequately named Spark-Renault SRT_01E. 

 

The 01E is powered by 441 pounds worth of lithium-ion batteries being housed by a combination of aluminum and carbon fiber. All this together allows the car to weigh a total of 1,793 pounds not including the added weight of the driver. In total, the car has a top speed of 220 km/h with a total horsepower output of 268 hp. 

 

Oh, and one last thing. The series is unique because it requires the driver to change cars at one point in the race.

 

VW Group Night Video before the Frankfurt Motor Show

Frankfurt, Germany – Just before the Frankfurt Motor show began, the Volkswagen Group had a night to remember previewing many of the vehicles that were to be showcased at the event. 

 

Thanks to our friends at AutoEmotionenTV we bring to you footage from that night. 

 

 

The theme of the night was e-cars and they were celebrated by rolling out the Volkswagen e-Up and e-Golf, the Audi A3 e-tron, and the Porsche Panamera S Hybrid. 

 

Also on hand from Volkswagen was the new seventh-generation Golf, called the Sportsvan and the e.load-up, an electric commercial transporter. Rounding out some of the other manufacturer models were the Bugatti Veryon, the Lamborghini Gallardo and Skoda’s Rapid Spaceback.

 

The video is in German, but when it comes to cars – they are the ones doing the talking.

BMW i8 revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show – a long-time concept finally a reality

After years of concept reveals and leaked photos – BMW has finally revealed what the production i8 will be and look like. The setting was the Frankfurt Motor Show, where the first BMW i8 concept was first introduced only four years ago.

 

The BMW i8 is considered one of the most anticipated cars in the history of BMW as it gives us a glimpse of the future with a lightweight plug-in hybrid (3,284 lbs.) that also acts as a sports car. The best of both worlds!

 BMW i8

The i8 is BMW’s first venture into the plug-in hybrid world. It features a 2 + 2 seating arrangement that’s surrounded by a carbon-fibre reinforced passenger cell. Its hybrid system has a rear-mounted 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder TwinPower turbo engine that’s mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox. It also has an electric motor that works through the front wheels as part of a two-stage process. The electric motor gets its energy from a 5 kWh lithium-ion battery. 

 

Complicated it is, but the two-part engine process provides a combined 362 hp and 420 lb.-ft. of torque that can go from 0-100 km/h in 4.4 seconds. BMW has made assurances that both engines are perfectly in-sync and can allow for all-wheel drive capability.

 

The BMW i8 comes with an option of five different drive modes and can run on pure electricity for up to 35 kms at 120 km/h with an overall combined range in comfort mode of 500 kms. BMW claims that it can reach fuel economy numbers of 2.5L/100km, which is extremely impressive, but we will have to see how much pure electric driving needs to be done to achieve that number.

 

As for the styling, the i8 has been toned down as is the case of many concepts turned production vehicles. The doors still open upwards and they have kept the curvy low nose and tail, but gone are the see-through doors and the LED lights have been toned down.

 

The suggested retail price in the United States is stated to be $135,925 and when converted into Canadian that will be a touch above $141,000.

 

2015 Infiniti Q30 Concept – a Q50 alternative

Infiniti just released pictures and some information of its upcoming Q30 – a concept that it plans to reveal at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Infiniti claims that the vehicle is a sports coupe, a hatchback, and a crossover all rolled into one. The company also claims that the Q30 is designed to appeal to a younger customer that would usually opt for premium compact vehicles. 

 

The Q30 certainly reveals the future of Infiniti’s design language without straying too far away from their current one. The design shares design cues with other Infiniti products such as the deep grille found in the Q50, as well as the familiar curve on the rear passenger window – currently found on the popular JX model.

 

With GM, Mazda, and Mitsubishi all offering a relatively new “sub-compact SUV” segment, we may be expecting a Nissan sub-compact SUV possibly built on the same platform as the Q30.

 

Although this is just a concept, because it shares design elements with existing Infiniti products, we can expect this to be what the Q30 will look like when it comes out.

 

Upon its launch, we estimate the Q30 will be priced competitively with the Audi A3 – slightly over the $30,000 price mark. 

 

Here’s what Infiniti has to say about it in their press release:

 

Infiniti has provided a first look at the Q30 Concept which will have its world premiere at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show as the next step in Infiniti's foray into new premium segments.

 

The Infiniti Q30 Concept signals the contemporary design vision for a compact Infiniti vehicle which will target a new generation of premium customers.  It is set to be unveiled at Infiniti's press conference, scheduled for 10:15 am CET on September 10 in Hall 5 at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

 

Q30 Concept embodies Infiniti's vision to deliver head-turning design, innovative materials with precise fit and finish and passionate craftsmanship, while provoking a radical shift in the premium compact segment.

 

The shape of the Infiniti Q30 Concept deliberately challenges categorisation – not a coupe, not a hatch and not a crossover but a fusion of the three body styles. It is designed for younger customers seeking an alternative to traditional premium compact vehicles and open to convention-challenging approaches.

 

Infiniti is confident this merging of the dynamic design and sportiness of a coupe, the roominess of a hatch and the higher stance of a crossover will resonate with these customers.

 

The Q30 Concept design language reflects the brand's vision to deliver new levels of design, materials, fit and finish, craftsmanship and performance. The Infiniti design team, led by Executive Design Director Alfonso Albaisa, has explored bolder, sensual sculpting and enhanced muscularity with the Q30 Concept as the brand's design language continues to evolve.

 

The Q30 Concept signals the next step in an aggressive strategy to extend the Infiniti brand into new premium segments.

 
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