Ward’s: Scion tC derivatives possible, including five-door

Filed under: Coupe, Budget, Scion

2011 Scion tC

2011 Scion tC – Click above for high-res image gallery

Toyota’s MC platform supports a range of the company’s models from the Corolla to the Venza, and it also does duty under the Scion tC. With Scion having just introduced the new 2011 tC, it looks like the company might also want to do more with it. Scion vice president Jack Hollis told Ward’s Automotive that a Tc with five doors is “possible.”

It would make sense to provide a Tc with more doors. After all, Scion is designed to be a feeder brand that encourages owners to eventually move into Toyotas. The tC coupe is important, because it draws customers with Scion’s youngest average age: 26. Giving them another point of entry into the brand, and offering those with bigger needs a sporty four-door (neither the xB nor xD fit that description) would not be a bad thing.

At this point it’s all merely talk, but it’s talk that makes sense. And if Scion isn’t going to daringly style its way to a new customer base, more doors on a proven, flexible platform might be the next best thing.

Gallery: 2011 Scion tC: First Drive

Photos copyright (C)2010 Jeremy Korzeniewski / AOL
[Source: Ward’s Auto]

Ward’s: Scion tC derivatives possible, including five-door originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 22 Aug 2010 10:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: 2012 Range Rover Evoque hits the ‘Ring in five-door trim

Filed under: Spy Photos, Paris Motor Show, Crossover, Land Rover

2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque spy shots – Click above for high-res image gallery

Land Rover may be sending specially wrapped versions of its early LRX Range Rover Evoque prototypes to different cities around the world, but when it comes to the serious development testing, the standard swirly yellow camouflage will do. Here, our spies have caught the five-door version of the Evoque making its first foray onto the Nürburgring, giving us hope that there might be a sporting bone or two in the Evoque’s skeleton.

Details on the new Evoque are still pretty slim as of this writing, but we fully expect the usual raft of details to be released closer to the crossover’s public debut at the Paris Motor Show. As of right this writing, we know that both front- and all-wheel drive versions will be available and that a hybrid powertrain is planned. For now, scroll through our high-res gallery of spy shots below.

Gallery: Spy Shots: 2012 Range Rover Evoque

[Source: CarPix]

Spy Shots: 2012 Range Rover Evoque hits the ‘Ring in five-door trim originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: 2012 BMW 1 Series three-door caught in Munich

Filed under: Spy Photos, Europe, Hatchback, BMW

2012 BMW 1 Series hatchback spy shots

2012 BMW 1 Series three-door – Click above for high-res image gallery

The next-generation BMW 1 Series three-door has been spotted again, this time on the streets of its hometown in Munich, Germany. Despite the swirlies covering all its details, it’s clear that the basic shape, size and proportions of the new iteration aren’t going to change much from the current model, which has never been offered in North America. We Yanks have only had the fortune of sampling the 1 Series in coupe and convertible form, though no one’s complaining.

The headlamp clusters on this three-door 1 Series prototype appear to be sloped back and stretched along the top of the fender line like those on the new 5 Series. Similarly, the wider grille has been pushed forward to be flush with the bumper line below it. The profile shot also indicates that the hood now features the increasingly familiar clam-shell with side cut-lines and a higher arc to provide improved pedestrian protection.

Judging by the hood-to-cabin proportion of this prototype, it’s also safe to say that the next 1 Series has not been converted to front-wheel drive (even though 80 percent of owners already think it is FWD) as BMW has indicated it might do with future smaller models. We expect the new 1 Series will debut sometime next year as a 2012 model, and until that time we have the high-performance 1 Series M Coupe to look forward to.

Gallery: Spy Shots: 2012 BMW 1 Series hatchback

2012 BMW 1 Series hatchback spy shot2012 BMW 1 Series hatchback spy shot2012 BMW 1 Series hatchback spy shot2012 BMW 1 Series hatchback spy shot2012 BMW 1 Series hatchback spy shot

[Source: Carpix]

Spy Shots: 2012 BMW 1 Series three-door caught in Munich originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: 2012 BMW 1 Series five-door caught with rumored turbo’d four

Filed under: Spy Photos, Hatchback, BMW

2012 BMW 1 Series spy shots – Click above for high-res image gallery

The big BMW 1 Series news is the upcoming M-badged coupe, but we mustn’t forget that an all-new 1er is currently in development. Our spies have just recently snapped this five-door model testing, concealing what could be a highly anticipated turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

Sources suggest this new four-pot could be a new tri-turbo setup, meaning the 1 Series would still be plenty powerful and could replace the naturally aspirated 3.0-liter inline-six currently used in 128i models. Additionally, we won’t rule out the possibility that BMW is testing the new N55 twin-scroll single-turbo for use in the 1 Series, since that mill seems to quickly be replacing the current twin-turbo 3.0-liter setup.

Expect the next-generation 1 Series to hit the road sometime in 2012. With that in mind, a debut at next year’s Geneva Motor Show doesn’t seem out of the question.

Gallery: Spy Shots: 2012 BMW 1 Series Five-Door

[Source: CarPix]

Spy Shots: 2012 BMW 1 Series five-door caught with rumored turbo’d four originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Jul 2010 14:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Three-door Mini Countryman to gun for Land Rover Evoque?

Filed under: Coupe, Budget, Crossover, Mini, Rumormill

It looks like Land Rover may have accidentally kicked over a hive of hornets by rolling out its new two-door Evoque. We recently heard all about BMW musing as to whether or not to build an X4 to compete with the crossover, and now Auto Express is reporting that Mini may be game to take on the newcomer as well. We’re not talking about the Countryman here, either. The site claims that the head honchos at Mini are mulling bringing a two-door version of the high-rider to life, and that it will be called the Canyon when it arrives.

Auto Express doesn’t cite any sources or point to any hard evidence of this decision (no surprise there). Instead, the site has chosen to rely on the fact that the company has been kicking around the idea of a vehicle like the Canyon since 2005. Now that the Countryman is headed for production, the logic is that it wouldn’t take too much effort to slim the platform, throw on two doors and bolt up one very coupe-looking roof. Thing is, until we hear word from Mini itself, we’re going to have to approach this one with a whole heap of skepticism.

[Source: Auto Express]

Rumormill: Three-door Mini Countryman to gun for Land Rover Evoque? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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