Category: Auto Industry

Official: Hyundai unveils new i10

Filed under: Budget, Europe, Hatchback, Hyundai

2014 Hyundai i10 front three-quarter

Hyundai has just revealed the new i10, the sub-Accent five-door sold in Europe. The diminutive city car first went on sale in 2007, but received a light facelift in 2011, to bring it more in line with Hyundai’s then-new styling theme. The new model is an even more style-conscious offering, with a gaping front fascia, integrated LED running lights (because, why not?), and a stylish side strakes integrated into the doors.

The new model is longer (80 millimeters or 3.14 inches) and wider (65 mm or 2.5 in) than the car it replaces, but is 50 mm (2.0 in) lower than the old i10. The result is a purported best-in-class legroom and cargo space, while the lower overall height should lead to a slightly better driving experience. The wheelbase has been stretched an inconsequential five millimeters as well, as part of its move to a new platform.

Hyundai hasn’t announced any engines just yet, although we’d suspect the regular suite of three- and four-cylinder engines, with both gas and diesel options will be available. The new i10 begins production in September, and will do battle with A-segment stalwarts like the Fiat Panda, Renault Twingo and Volkswagen Up!.

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Hyundai unveils new i10 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Aug 2013 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: BMW 4 Series Convertible basks in the sun

Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertible, BMW, Luxury

BMW 4 Series Convertible spy shots

The BMW 4 Series Convertible will show its non-camouflaged face sometime later this year, but our spies recently caught this nearly naked prototype out getting some sun. As you’ll recall, the droptop 4 Series replaces the 3 Series Convertible in the BMW range, and if our recent stint behind the wheel of the new 435i Coupe is anything to go on, this topless 4er should be quite a fun runabout for sun-drenched motoring.

To no one’s surprise, the 4 Series Convertible shares all of its design with the 4 Series coupe, save, of course, the obvious roofectomy. Beyond that, the topless 2+2 will use the same engines and transmissions as the coupe, meaning it should arrive in the US in both 428i and 435i guises, powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four and 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six, respectively. Both six-speed manual and eight-speed automatic transmissions will be available.

The car spied this time around has the full M Sport visual treatment, with the revised (and better-looking) front fascia, larger 19-inch wheels, and attractive Melbourne Red paint. Interestingly, it appears this prototype has the standard xenon headlamp setup, rather than the full-LED option that’s also available.

BMW has not officially confirmed if the 4 Series Convertible will debut at the Frankfurt or Los Angeles auto shows, but with production expected to begin at the end of the year, looks like this droptop will arrive just in time for winter.

BMW 4 Series Convertible basks in the sun originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Aug 2013 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Audi Q7 E-Tron confirmed?

Filed under: Hybrid, SUV, Technology, Crossover, Audi, Electric, Diesel, Luxury

2011 Audi Q7 3.0T S-Line front three-quarter

Rumors out of Australia say we’ll be seeing a new variant of the Audi Q7 when the next-generation models bows in a few years. Joining the diesel and gas range will be the second production member of Audi’s E-Tron family, which was introduced by the R8 E-Tron, but will actually see production in the form of the A3 E-Tron.

Speaking with Audi’s managing director in Australia, Andrew Doyle, Car Advice asked what the future held now that the electrified R8 had effectively been shelved. “I don’t see it [R8 E-Tron] as a major thing for us. We’ll launch [locally] with A3, followed by Q7…”

The new Q7 will share its platform with the Volkswagen Group’s two other large SUVs, the Porsche Cayenne and Volkswagen Touareg. But, as Car Advice is quick to point out, the Porsche and VW variants are slated for arrive next year – the second-generation Q7 won’t arrive until 2015. Doyle refused to explain the discrepancy.

Car Advice seemed to think the Q7 E-Tron will end up being a gas-electric hybrid, but we wouldn’t be so sure. Audi has hinted that it will tap into its Le Mans-winning, diesel-electric know-how for an eventual production car, and considering the Q7 has a fairly strong association with diesel, both in the US and abroad, it seems like it’d be a solid candidate for the race-proven technology. This could also explain the extra lead time between the arrival of the Q7 and its platform mates. Looks like we’ll need to wait until 2015 to find out.

Audi Q7 E-Tron confirmed? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Aug 2013 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: New Mini to bow on Nov. 18, on Alec Issigonis’ birthday

Filed under: Budget, Performance, Hatchback, Mini

F56 Mini Hardtop covered

Miniacs, note November 18 on your calendar. That’s when the all-new Mini Hardtop will debut. Now, this might not be a great deal of news, after all, we already showed you the car, codenamed F56, a few weeks ago. But this full unveiling should bring with it even more detailed exterior images, a full look at the cabin and if we’re lucky, performance numbers.

History buffs will also note that November 18 is the birthday of Sir Alec Issigonis. It was Issigonis that penned the original idea for the Mini on a cocktail napkin, envisioning a car with a transversely mounted engine, the wheels pushed out to all four corners and plenty of cabin space for occupants. That car had a remarkably small footprint and was quite efficient, perfect for tackling the fuel shortages brought on by the Suez Crisis in 1959’s Great Britain. An unintended side-effect of its design was that it was also an absolute hoot to drive.

The November 18 debut will take place at Mini’s home, Plant Oxford, in the UK. Following that, November 20 will see a near-simultaneous debut at both the Tokyo Motor Show and Los Angeles Auto Show. We’ll be on hand to bring you all the details.

Continue reading New Mini to bow on Nov. 18, on Alec Issigonis’ birthday

New Mini to bow on Nov. 18, on Alec Issigonis’ birthday originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Aug 2013 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Shelby GT500 and Roush Stage 3 go head to head at the drag strip

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Videos, Ford, Racing

Video screencap of Roush Stage 3 vs. Ford Shelby GT500

The Ford Mustang is a brilliantly affordable source of horsepower, with a base 300-plus-horsepower version available for well under $30,000. Jumping up to about $35,000 will get you a solid 420 horsepower from a high-revving V8, while those with some extra disposable income can get a pair of 600-plus-horsepower monsters. Both the Roush Stage 3 with its Phase 3 package and Ford’s factory Shelby GT500 even crest the 650-horsepower mark, with 675 and 662 ponies, respectively.

Naturally, someone needed to find out which of these hi-po Mustangs was the quickest. And while this video is quite obviously a dealership commercial, at least there’s some solid drag racing between two of the most powerful performance machines available for under $100,000.

With two NHRA drag racers at the wheel, the Stage 3 and GT500 go head to head for three races. Scroll down below to see the results in the full video.

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Shelby GT500 and Roush Stage 3 go head to head at the drag strip originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Aug 2013 12:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: 2015 BMW i8 Prototype

Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, BMW, First Drives, Electric, Luxury

M Meets Edison

2014 BMW i8 prototype

The real telling moment for the new BMW i division will be seeing how the recently tested 2014 i3 sells in its various markets, since that is the car that changes how we perceive our expectations of the brand. But this 2015 BMW i8 green supercar has all the earmarks of a slam-dunk project, we just needed to drive it and make sure for ourselves.

BMW has a spectacular test facility in southern France, called Miramas, and that’s where we just had our first brief go behind the wheel of the i8. There were three cars for us there and they were dressed up in exactly the same paisley camo that we’ve all seen in the spy photos published everywhere for the past year. The interiors, though swathed in masking to hide all the details, varied in their color.

As opposed to our realization that driving the stink out of the i3 was not the right attitude, with the i8 we were mostly encouraged to do exactly that by the entire BMW project team. Our essential takeaway from this event is that even BMW feels much more at ease splashing the i8 around with the media, because they’re certain we’re going to enjoy it. Even if the technology underneath is all new, this is the type of product BMW knows how to do in its blood and bones.

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2015 BMW i8 Prototype originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Aug 2013 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Baby boomers now buying more new cars than their children

Filed under: Car Buying

a row of new cars parked at a...

Could it be that the automobile’s luster has faded over the years, that cars have become less synonymous with youth and freedom to Generation Y? A study by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute clearly says yes, but that’s not the whole story, Bloomberg reports. Though young people are buying fewer new cars, baby boomers, the crowd born between 1946 and 1964, are buying more new cars.

Young people aren’t flocking to buy used cars, either … there’s a growing percentage of them who legally can’t drive.

People aged 55-64 had the highest rate of new-vehicle purchases in 2011, according to the study, and they’ve become the age group most likely to buy a new car. Just four years ago, the population aged 35-44 was most likely to buy a new car, which goes to show how much the auto industry and its customer base has changed since the recession in 2008. But the decline in miles driven by Americans started in 2004, according to another study by the University of Michigan, much of which has been related to lifestyle choices, such as urban living and public transit.

“The car was a phenomenon of the 20th century,” says John Wolkonowicz, an automotive historian and former Ford product planner. Young people aren’t flocking to buy used cars, either. The data of registered drivers in the US shows that they’re not just avoiding new car purchases, there’s a growing percentage of them who legally can’t drive. In 2011, only 79 percent of drivers aged 20-24 had driver licenses, compared with 92 percent in 1983. Conversely, the percentage of the population aged 60-64 with driver licenses is 93 percent today, but was 84 percent in 1983.

So what can an automaker do? Marketing hasn’t helped sway young people, as vehicles like the Honda Element, which was aimed at 25-year-olds, were bought more by baby boomers, says John Morel, a market researcher for Honda. “But your propensity to buy a car at 25 is roughly a quarter of what it is at 65,” he relates. “By definition, very few cars sell in high volume to 20-somethings.”

Baby boomers now buying more new cars than their children originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Aug 2013 11:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Ford to update Sync, MyFord Touch software… again

Filed under: Technology, Ford, Infotainment

MyFord Touch

Ford hasn’t had the best luck with its MyFord Touch and Sync systems, as the finicky infotainment system has been subject to a critical whooping while customer issues have helped sink Ford’s IQS scores. The automaker has made a concerted effort, though, to try and fix MyFord Touch. And while the results have been mixed, The Blue Oval is hoping its latest free update, set to go live next week, will make things better.

According to a report from The Detroit News, the new system promises streamlined voice commands with fewer levels between opening query and actual result. Ford is also addressing where certain options are selected on the touchscreen. Rather than working one of the four quadrants on the homescreen, users will be able to select anywhere within the quadrant to make adjustments.

While it might only be a band-aid for MFT’s problems, the fact that Ford is still trying to improve it is a promising sign. It’s going to take more than just this update to address the system’s ills, though.

Ford to update Sync, MyFord Touch software… again originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Aug 2013 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Learn how Hot Wheels built a life-sized Double Loop

Filed under: Motorsports, Technology, Videos, Racing

Hot Wheels Double Loop Dare documentary screencap

At the 2012 X-Games, Hot Wheels attempted a death-defying, double loop. Unlike when you were a kid and actively trying to destroy your toy cars, though, this was a life-size attempt, with real drivers behind the wheel. The massive stunt, with two 66-foot-tall loops, was completed by Tanner Foust and Greg Tracy, and now there’s a short YouTube documentary on the process involved in setting up the stunt.

It shouldn’t be a surprise, but there were crashes in practice. Hot Wheels rigged up a poor Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback with a remote-control system as a practice vehicle, which eventually pancaked itself into the track midway through its run. The full-size RC car showed the lengths that the team went to get this stunt right, while making it as safe as possible for the two drivers.

You can check out the complete documentary below, along with the live lap from the 2012 X-Games in Los Angeles.

Continue reading Learn how Hot Wheels built a life-sized Double Loop

Learn how Hot Wheels built a life-sized Double Loop originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Aug 2013 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Glickenhaus’ FIA championship-winning P4/5 Competizione comes home [w/video]

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Videos, Ferrari, Racing

Jim Glickenhaus' Ferrari P4/5 Competizione comes home.

The sexy Ferrari P4/5 Competizione, a cross between the lightweight F430 Scuderia and the race-only F430 GT2 with special Pininfarina bodywork, spent some time in Europe notching a few race victories. But it finally has made its way back to the US and into owner Jim Glickenhaus’ collection, where it met its sister car and inspiration, the original P4/5.

During its short-but-sweet two-year racing campaign, it competed in just two races but left a big impact. We’d call any lap of the Nürburgring that’s under seven minutes a victory, but, with the help of a hybrid drivetrain, the P4/5C qualified for the 2012 Nürburgring 24 Hours with a lap of 6:51. That’s faster than any Ferrari-powered vehicle has ever gone around the ‘Ring. The car then went on to win the EXP-1 class (for experimental vehicles), for a World Championship, and finished the race 12th overall in a field of 170 cars. Not bad at all.

For those who haven’t kept up on the P4/5C, the hybrid powertrain was introduced to the one-off racecar for 2012 after it had attempted the Nürburgring 24 Hours in 2011 with negligible results. A Ferrari 4.0-liter V8 was joined by a Formula One-style Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS), good for a combined 563 horsepower.

Scroll down to watch the P4/5C return to its home in the US and meet the road car that inspired it in a day’s worth of video compressed into four-and-a-half minutes.

Continue reading Glickenhaus’ FIA championship-winning P4/5 Competizione comes home [w/video]

Glickenhaus’ FIA championship-winning P4/5 Competizione comes home [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Aug 2013 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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