Spy Shots: Opel Insignia OPC Sports Tourer shows its fresh face ahead of Frankfurt debut

Filed under: Frankfurt Motor Show, Spy Photos, Performance, Wagon, Europe, Opel

Opel Insignia OPC Sports Tourer - front three-quarter

Drive down the Autobahn and there’s any number of vehicles likely to pass you, and most of them are produced locally. But if you’re wondering how that Opel left you in its dust, look closely (and quickly) enough and you might make out the letters OPC on the back.

They stand for Opel Performance Center (the German counterpart to Vauxhall’s VXR line) and they adorn performance versions of the Corsa, Astra and Insignia. The latter is undergoing a bit of a refresh and is expected to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in a couple of weeks, but you don’t have to wait that long as our intrepid spy photographers have caught it in the flesh outside an Opel facility in Germany.

Spied here completely undisguised in Sports Tourer (read: wagon) form, the Insignia has had a few nips and tucks performed, but we’ll be more intrigued to see what it’s got under the hood. The current model packs a 2.8-liter twin-turbo V6 driving 325 horsepower to all four wheels, but rumors suggest that the OPC (yeah you know me!) could have as much as 400 hp up its sleeve. That would make this one heck of a sleeper – especially in wagon form – and only make us pine for a more potent version of its twin Buick Regal to roam our highways, too.

Opel Insignia OPC Sports Tourer shows its fresh face ahead of Frankfurt debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Aug 2013 13:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: VW, Suzuki mulling rekindling relationship in face of legal battle

Filed under: Government/Legal, Suzuki, Volkswagen

Suzuki and Volkswagen Grilles

Volkswagen and Suzuki have been undergoing marriage counseling in a bid to avoid finalizing their nasty divorce. The union has been troubled for some time, with Volkswagen claiming that it could affect operational decisions at Suzuki, and the Japanese brand’s sniping and constant flirting with a certain Italian temptress causing rifts.

The matter first went to court in 2012, when Suzuki demanded VW get out, and leave its 19.9-percent stake in the Japanese brand in a box to the left. Now, Automotive News is reporting that the company will give the relationship one last shot, according to closed-door dealings between the two in London.

Still, it’s understood that VW and Suzuki recognize the benefit of their alliance, and that it’d be in the best interests of the kids both parties to make things work. Spokespeople declined to comment to AN, but the newsmagazine spoke with Frank Biller, an analyst for LBBW in Stuttgart, who said, “Both companies stand to benefit if they can overcome the disagreements over leadership claims.”

This argument over who wears the pants in the relationship has the potential to make or break the partnership, as sources close to the discussions told AN that if an agreement can’t be reached, then a London-based arbitrator could get involved.

Suzuki last made waves when it up and pulled out of the US and Canadian markets last year after declaring bankruptcy.

VW, Suzuki mulling rekindling relationship in face of legal battle originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 27 Jul 2013 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Next Mercedes C-Class sedan shows its face

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

Although our recent spy shots of the next-generation Mercedes-Benz C-Class revealed a mostly uncovered look at the sedan’s profile, these latest images give us our best look yet at its front end. Caught performing some hot-weather tests, this sedan is devoid of any major camouflage obscuring the fascia, grille and headlights, showing off what is clearly an E-Class-inspired face.

With its two-bar grille and massive lower intakes – similar to what we’ve already seen on the 2014 E-Class with Sport Styling Package – we wonder if Mercedes is planning to offer the new C-Class with two distinct visual packages. As a refresher, expect to see the redesigned C-Class sedan make its debut at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show, followed shortly thereafter by wagon, coupe and convertible variants.

Next Mercedes C-Class sedan shows its face originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 23 Jun 2013 15:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York 2011: Lexus LF-Gh Concept shows off the new face of the brand

Filed under: Concept Cars, New York Auto Show, Hybrid, Sedan, Lexus

Lexus LF-Gh Concept

Lexus LF-Gh Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

Last week we gave you the first look at the Lexus’ new hybrid concept car, the LF-Gh, and now we have live photos from the car’s official unveiling a day ahead of the New York Auto Show. The LF-Gh debuts Lexus’ future direction in style that includes an “aggressive and bold spindle-shaped front grille” accented by LED lighting both front and rear. The look is a departure from the brand’s generally conservative styling, and it should be interesting to see how this new fascia integrates into future Lexus production cars.

Lexus didn’t open up the doors or the hood, but says that a hybrid powerplant provides the LF-Gh’s motivation and that the interior will provide a look at future designs highlighted by a three-dimensional analog clock. You can read the full Lexus PR after the jump, or get a better look at the car in the high-res gallery below.

Gallery: Lexus LF-Gh Concept: New York 2011

Photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips/ AOL

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New York 2011: Lexus LF-Gh Concept shows off the new face of the brand originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Apr 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: 2012 Subaru Impreza shows its face

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Spy Photos, Budget, Sedan, Subaru

2012 Subaru Impreza spy shots

2012 Subaru Impreza spy shots – Click above for high-res image gallery

Subaru released a side profile shot of its 2012 Impreza sedan ahead of the car’s New York Auto Show debut, and now, our trusty spy photographers have caught the new Subie out in public, revealing its fresh face. Rather unfortunately, the production-spec Impreza looks to be a pretty drastic departure from the decidedly hot concept car that bowed at the Los Angeles Auto Show last November.

The automaker is keeping quiet about what’s under the hood of its new Impreza (the black car seen above looks like it might be a base model), but the brand has already confirmed that a revised version of the trusty boxer flat-four powerplant will be on hand and good for 36 miles per gallon on the highway – a figure all but unmatched in the all-wheel drive kingdom. Subaru will continue to offer the Impreza in both sedan and hatchback formats, and of course, AWD will be standard.

As for the design, we’ll wait until the 2012 WRX and STI present themselves before making the final judgments. Slap some more aggressive styling elements on this thing, along with rally-spec blue paint and gold wheels, and perhaps we’ll be singing a different tune.

Gallery: 2012 Subaru Impreza: Spy Shots

2012 Subaru Impreza: Spy Shots2012 Subaru Impreza: Spy Shots2012 Subaru Impreza: Spy Shots2012 Subaru Impreza: Spy Shots2012 Subaru Impreza: Spy Shots

[Images: Brian Williams for Brenda Priddy & Company]

Spy Shots: 2012 Subaru Impreza shows its face originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Apr 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: 10,000 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac SRX models face faulty defroster recall

Filed under: Sedan, Recalls, Safety, Crossover, Buick, Cadillac, GM

General MotorsThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and General Motors have announced the recall of 10,000 vehicles. According to The Detroit News, certain 2011 Cadillac SRX and 2011 Buick Lacrosse models may have been built with a defect that can prevent the vehicle’s defroster from effectively clearing the windshield. NHTSA is concerned that the reduced visibility could lead to an accident.

The problem was discovered to during a production trial, in which one in 50 vehicles exhibited the defect.

At the moment, no crashes or incidents have been reported as a result of the programming error, though it’s worth noting that only a third of the 10,179 vehicles covered by the recall actually belong to customers. The rest are either unsold or are awaiting delivery.

GM dealers will reprogram the HVAC software to fix the bug free of charge.

Gallery: 2011 Cadillac SRX

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Gallery: 2011 Buick LaCrosse

[Source: The Detroit News]

Report: 10,000 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac SRX models face faulty defroster recall originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Mar 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chicago 2011: 2012 Acura TL is the face of change… at least a little bit

Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, Sedan, Acura, Luxury

2011 Acura TL

2011 Acura TL – Click above for high-res image gallery

Acura has yanked the sheets off of the latest take on its bread-and-butter TL at the 2011 Chicago Auto Show. In the face of much criticism, the Japanese automaker’s stylists have set about taking some of the edge off of the sedan’s styling with a fresh front fascia that goes some way toward making the vehicle look more like a car and less like Picaso’s interpretation of one. The 2012 TL now wears shorter overhangs both front and rear, and the new look includes shedding the chrome trim from around the rear taillamps for a look that’s altogether more appetizing than the previous iteration.

A few changes have cropped up under the hood as well. Acura engineers managed to cut engine friction to increase fuel economy, and a new six-speed automatic transmission helps bump the final figures to 20 mpg city and 29 mpg highway. That’s an increase of three mpg highway over the five-speed automatic-equipped 2010 model. Fans of the third pedal need not fret, though. Acura says that buyers will still be able to snag their 2012 TL SH-AWD with the same six-speed manual setup that’s currently available.

Inside, TL Advance trim now comes with a blind-spot awareness system and ventilated heated and cooled seats, while the TL Tech boasts a 60-gig hard-drive based navigation and entertainment system. Hit the jump for the full press blast.

Gallery: Chicago 2011: 2012 Acura TL

Photos copyright (C)2011 Zach Bowman / AOL

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Chicago 2011: 2012 Acura TL is the face of change… at least a little bit originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Feb 2011 13:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Videos: DOT tugs on heartstrings with ‘Face of Distracted Driving’ campaign

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Videos

Faces of Distracted Driving

Faces of Distracted Driving – Click above to watch videos after the jump

As part of this year’s Distracted Driving Summit, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and the Department of Transportation unveiled a new campaign to curb distracted driving. Called The Faces of Distracted Driving, the web series tells the stories of friends and family members who lost someone to distracted driving. So far, just three episodes have been released, but more are expected in the future.

The DOT says that last year, 5,500 people were killed and over 50,000 were injured in incidents related to distracted driving. Here’s hoping the Faces of Distracted Driving campaign does something to curb that figure. Click past the jump to see the videos for yourself.

[Source: Department of Transportation]

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Videos: DOT tugs on heartstrings with ‘Face of Distracted Driving’ campaign originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Nov 2010 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mazda Shinari Concept debuts new face of the brand in style

Filed under: Concept Cars, Performance, Mazda, Design/Style

Mazda Shinari Concept

Mazda Shinari Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

When Mazda invited us to Milan to see its new concept car, we knew it must be something important. Normally concept cars get their 15 minutes of fame at an auto show, and then it’s off to the next press conference to see what the following automaker will introduce. Not so with Mazda’s latest styling endeavor. The Japanese automaker wanted our full and undivided attention, with the center of international design and fashion in Italy as a fitting backdrop.

The Shinari concept, which roughly translates to “resistance to being bent,” will serve as a the basis for Mazda’s new design language, and many of the styling cues will make it to future production vehicles. That means that the Shinari will essentially affect the design of every vehicle coming from the Japanese automaker for the next several years. An important car for Mazda? You bet.

The Shinari was officially unveiled earlier today, and we spent several hours talking with Mazda’s artists about the design and how it will affect the automaker’s forthcoming vehicles. Follow the jump to learn more about the Shinari and what it means for the brand’s future.

Gallery: Mazda Shinari Concept In Detail

Photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

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Mazda Shinari Concept debuts new face of the brand in style originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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