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BMW Gran Coupe reportedly go for launch

Filed under: Coupe, Sedan, Performance, BMW, Luxury

BMW Concept Gran Coupe – Click above for high-res image gallery

Not to be outdone by the likes of the Mercedes-Benz CLS, Porsche Panamera, Aston Martin Rapide or Audi A7, BMW will reportedly be building a production version of the Gran Coupe concept that debuted at this year’s Beijing Motor Show. It may be a late arrival to the growing segment of swoopy luxury sedans, but BMW will indeed poise the Gran Coupe to offer just as much in the way of technology and refinement as the lot of its competitors.

Based on the next-generation 6 Series, the Gran Coupe is set to launch sometime in 2012 and will share its powertrains with what we’re seeing in the 5, 6, and 7 Series BMWs, including a possible hybrid variant. Naturally, the production Gran Coupe will slot between the 5 and 7 Series in terms of size and price, and if the overall design doesn’t change too much, it’ll certainly be an attractive addition to the BMW lineup.

Gallery: Beijing 2010: BMW Concept Gran Coupe

[Source: AutoWeek]

BMW Gran Coupe reportedly go for launch originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Look: 2011 Toyota Highlander to launch at Moscow Motor Show next month

Filed under: Crossover, Toyota, Misc. Auto Shows, Russia, Design/Style

2011 Toyota Highlander – Click above to enlarge

Toyota Europe has confirmed to Autoblog that the automaker’s popular Highlander crossover will go on sale in Russia and the Ukraine for the first time ever. Why should Statesiders care? Because the new-look model above will be unveiled at the Moscow Motor Show on August 25, and it’s almost certain to be the refreshed CUV that we will receive in North America.

From the looks of things, the 2011 Highlander will retain its strong body lines, but ditch the conservative front fascia of the 2010 model in favor of a leaner, more aggressive nose with angry looking headlamps. With appropriate helpings of chrome in all the right places, the new Highlander is downright handsome. As this is the only shot that we have, we don’t know what’s going on at the rear, but we would expect redesigned taillamps and perhaps some revamped trim. From what we can see, the Highlander’s profile appears unchanged, save perhaps for a new wheel pattern and a very discreet set of turn signal repeaters in the mirrors.

While we have no confirmation that we will receive this same model, European officials believe that it will make it to North America with “more or less the same look.” The Highlander is only built in three places at the moment – China, Japan and in Indiana, so it doesn’t seem likely that Toyota would bother to develop new sheetmetal for select European markets without disbursing it elsewhere.

Unfortunately, we don’t know too much about what’s going on under that hood or in the cabin. So far, the only thing that Toyota Europe has confirmed with us is that the hybrid version of the Highlander won’t be available in those markets. We’ll just have to wait for details from the Moscow Motor Show for more information. Thanks for the tip, Mike!

First Look: 2011 Toyota Highlander to launch at Moscow Motor Show next month originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Aug 2010 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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All-electric Saab 9-3 test fleet reportedly to launch in early 2011

Filed under: Sedan, Saab, Electric

During a media launch for the 2011 Saab 9-5, company executives revealed plans to introduce a test fleet of electric vehicles based on the upcoming 9-3. As Inside Line reports, Saab execs confirmed that the test fleet of EVs will roll out in early 2011 and will be deployed at various locations across the globe, including Saab’s hometown of Trollhattan, Sweden.

Saab’s “100 percent electric vehicle” test fleet is a joint effort between the automaker, lithium ion battery producer Boston-Power, electric propulsion systems manufacturer Electroengine and the Swedish Energy Authority. Saab Automobile AB managing director Jan Ake Jonsson said:

The main purpose is to draw technology from this test fleet, technology that we can then incorporate quickly. The key target short-term is to drive fuel consumption down. You can electrify certain portions of the vehicle.

When prodded about a target release date for a mass-production EV, Jonsson ducked out by stating:

Everybody is looking at that question. Nobody has an answer. It will take some time.

Without official word from Jonsson, we’ll have to fall back on the previous comments of Saab’s chief executive officer Victor Muller, who suggested that 2016 is the year the company will go for electrification.

[Source: Inside Line]

All-electric Saab 9-3 test fleet reportedly to launch in early 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Aug 2010 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche confirms 2011 launch of Panamera S Hybrid

2010 Porsche Panamera 4S – Click above for high-res image gallery

Buried within Porsche’s recent announcement regarding its plans to test three electric Boxsters, the company openly confirmed that the launch of the Panamera S Hybrid is on track for 2011. Though perhaps not as innovative or as those racy electric vehicles, the Panamera S Hybrid still hails from Stuttgart and, therefore, is bound to be one exhilarating ride.

The upcoming Panamera will borrow the hybrid hardware found in the current Cayenne S Hybrid. That means it will sport a 329-horsepower 3.0-liter V6 engine mated to a 46 hp electric motor. Like the Cayenne S Hybrid, the Panamera’s parallel hybrid setup boasts the ability to operate at low speeds under electric power alone. When the production Panamera S Hybrid takes to the streets in 2011, it will become the company’s second model to sport a hybrid powertrain, a remarkable achievement considering that few people associate Porsche with fuel efficiency. Follow the jump for more info on Porsche’s fuel-saving plans.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Porsche Panamera 4S

[Source: Porsche]

Continue reading Porsche confirms 2011 launch of Panamera S Hybrid

Porsche confirms 2011 launch of Panamera S Hybrid originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Volvo crowns Paris ‘naughtiest’ city in Europe as part of experiments tied to bizarre S60 launch

Filed under: Sedan, Europe, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Volvo, Luxury

Vovlo tests the world’s naughtiness – Click above to watch video after the jump

Some habits die hard. Swedish manufacturer Volvo has always been one for extensive research. The company’s reputation for safety is based largely on its understanding of the mechanics of a collision thanks to impossibly thorough field studies. So it should come as no surprise that when we all thought Volvo was putting down the clipboard in favor of a cocktail glass by throwing a slew of parties in some of the world’s most iconic cities, the carmaker was actually studying human behavior. Go figure. Why? The move was part of the quest to unearth the Naughty Capitol of Europe as part of the S60 marketing campaign.

Each of the company’s parties included a few clandestine experiments designed to test participants’ naughtiness, including seeing how many people would try to talk their way into a fake VIP room, hit on an actress who was pretending to be married or sprint through a well-manicured flower bed. Volvo held the same experiments in Berlin, London, Milan, Paris and Madrid. Not surprisingly, the City of Light took the crown by a wide, wide margin. Hit the jump for a look at a video of Swedish sins.

[Source: Volvo]

Continue reading Video: Volvo crowns Paris ‘naughtiest’ city in Europe as part of experiments tied to bizarre S60 launch

Video: Volvo crowns Paris ‘naughtiest’ city in Europe as part of experiments tied to bizarre S60 launch originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: The ridiculous heights automakers like VW go to launch a new car

Filed under: Sedan, Marketing/Advertising, Volkswagen

2011 Volkswagen Jetta being hoisted into launch position – Click above to watch video after the jump

It’s said, by America’s postmen at least, that nothing will stop them from delivering your mail. Comparable dedication is found in carmakers, who will do everything that time, city permits and bagfuls of money will allow in order to put on a good show for the press.

Case in point: The 2011 Jetta launch is still going on in San Francisco right now, and to create the right impact, Volkswagen put a Jetta on the fourth floor of the St. Regis hotel. It took halting a few lanes of traffic and a ol’ big crane to make it happen, but nothing succeeds like excess, right? Maybe next time the can do like Porsche did with the Panamera and just use the elevator… Follow the jump for the video.

Gallery: 2011 Volkswagen Jetta: First Drive

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: The ridiculous heights automakers like VW go to launch a new car

Video: The ridiculous heights automakers like VW go to launch a new car originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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