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Report: GM to unveil new SUVs at the State Fair of Texas?

Filed under: SUV, Chevrolet, GM, GMC

With General Motors just having rolled out its new fullsize truck twins – the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra – for 2014, now it seems to be time to focus on its big SUVs. The Truth About Cars is reporting that the 2015 Chevy Tahoe/Suburban and 2015 GMC Yukon lineup will be making their debuts later next month at the State Fair of Texas, which kicks off on September 27.

To date, we’ve only seen spy shots of the new Chevy and GMC SUVs (shown above in Yukon XL guise). Based on those spies both trucks seem to be taking a different styling direction than their pickup truck counterparts – just check out the Ford-looking headlight design on the next-gen Chevys.

We reached out to GM for comment and heard back simply that there is no official announcement about the new Tahoe, Suburban and Yukon. Still, the report definitely makes a solid leap of logic, as Texas is a top market for GM’s fullsize SUV lineup. It also appears that GM is still planning a separate launch for the next-gen Cadillac Escalade.

GM to unveil new SUVs at the State Fair of Texas? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Aug 2013 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: EPA, DOT unveil updated window stickers [w/video]

Filed under: Car Buying, Government/Legal

Electric vehicle label

Electric vehicle label – Click above for more labels

Updated United States fuel economy labeling, unveiled on Wednesday, includes additional information on plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles, and highlights other advanced technologies aimed at reducing gasoline consumption and tailpipe emissions.

The redesigned window stickers, required on all 2013 models, enables consumers to quickly compare fuel savings for different types of vehicles, whether they rely on gasoline or some type of alternative fuel. For example, the labels display estimates of how much fuel or electricity would be required to drive 100 miles and how much time is needed to charge a plug-in vehicles like the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf.

Lisa Jackson, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), says the reason for the redesigned labels is to give consumers, “the best possible information about which cars on the lot offer the greatest fuel economy and the best environmental performance.” The EPA developed the updated labels with assistance from the Department of Transportation.

Click here (pdf) for a detailed look at all of the revised fuel economy labels and follow the jump to view video on the labels’ Smartphone “QR Code.” Let us know your thoughts on the updated labels by voicing your opinion in the Comments, as well.

Continue reading EPA, DOT unveil updated window stickers [w/video]

EPA, DOT unveil updated window stickers [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 May 2011 11:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Toyota and Subaru to unveil production sport coupes in Tokyo?

Filed under: Coupe, Budget, Performance, Tokyo Motor Show, Scion, Subaru, Toyota, Rumormill

Scion FR-S Concept

Scion FR-S Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

The wait is over… almost. According to a report from Inside Line that jives with what we’ve been hearing ourselves, Toyota (or Scion, or both) and Subaru are set to use the Tokyo Motor Show to jointly unveil the hotly anticipated rear-wheel-drive sport coupes that they have been working on together since what seems like the beginning of time.

Yes, that means we need to sit back and keep waiting until December, but at least it’s some sort of real real date to mark on the calendar, right? Until then, you’ll just have to be content with what is sure to be an endless series of spy shots and leaked information on the affordable sportscar duo.

Inside Line also offers something of a timetable for production, saying that the Scion FR-S will hit American shores sometime in 2012 (rather nebulous, no?) while the unnamed Subaru version will begin production in the spring of the same year.

Toyota and Subaru to unveil production sport coupes in Tokyo? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 May 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ferrari to unveil unique Super America 45 at Villa d’Este

Filed under: Convertible, Performance, Misc. Auto Shows, Ferrari

Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2011

Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2011 official event poster – Click above for high-res image

Villa d’Este is a wonderful place. Situated along the shores of picturesque Lake Como in northern Italy, every year the palatial grounds play host to the Concorso d’Eleganza that strips all that is mundane and industrial about a regular car show and lets the sun shine through. The annual show is sponsored by BMW, but mixes the finest concept cars of the year with the most beautiful classics – and will feature an auction for the first time – but there’s always something new in store for the concours.

Last year it was Zagato’s Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa – the one-off that preceded the recently-announced TZ3 Stradale. And this year Ferrari and Pininfarina will showcase a new coachbuilt custom at the lakeside exposition, alongside the likes of the Audi Quattro Concept, Infiniti Etherea, Rinspeed BamBoo and James Glickenhaus’ P4/5 Competizione.

Dubbed the Super America 45, it picks up its name from the Ferrari back catalog with models based on the 400, the 410 and most recently the 575M. This latest one-off is tipped to be based on the 599 GTB Fiorano (or one of the myriad variants thereof), commissioned by a New York collector through Maranello’s custom orders department and fitted with unique sheetmetal from Pininfarina.

The press release on the event confirms the Super America 45’s participation, but indicates it’s a six-cylinder car. Since Ferrari hasn’t made a V6 since the Dino 246 went out of production 37 years ago, we’ll chalk that one up to a mistake. As for what the 45 stands for when the first Superamerica was introduced in 1956 is beyond us. One way or another, we’ll find out when the show opens later this month, so follow the jump for the press release and watch this space for more.

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Ferrari to unveil unique Super America 45 at Villa d’Este originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 May 2011 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche to unveil full hybrid in Geneva

Filed under: Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Porsche, Luxury

Porsche Crest

Porsche is wading even deeper into hybrid waters by showing off a new electrified model at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. According to the company, the vehicle will be a parallel full hybrid. Porsche says that the move to introduce another battery-laden model to the company’s stable was bolstered by the success of the Cayenne S Hybrid as well as the gaggle of hybridized race cars and concepts that Porsche has unveiled as of late. The most recent of those, the 918 RSR hybrid, debuted at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, but that’s not the only battery-operated vehicle to wear the crest.

Porsche famously campaigned its 911 GT3 R hybrid racer on the tracks of Europe last year, and the 918 RSR predecessor, the 918 Spyder concept, have all helped underscore the automaker’s commitment to the hybrid game.

The automaker’s unnamed hybrid isn’t the only new model headed to Geneva. Porsche says that it will also dust off the recently-unveiled Cayman R as well as the stealthy Black Editions of the 911 and Boxster. Hit the jump for the full press blast.

[Source: Porsche]

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Porsche to unveil full hybrid in Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Land Rover to unveil Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate Edition in Geneva

Filed under: SUV, Geneva Motor Show, Land Rover, Luxury

Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate Edition

Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate Edition – Click above for high-res image gallery

If you look at the very pinnacle of the automotive market, you’ll mostly find exotic sportscars and luxury sedans. There are plenty of high-end SUVs out there too, but not quite at the same level. But demand for luxury sport-utes continues to rise in “developing” luxury markets like Russia and the Persian Gulf, prompting automakers to dial up their high-riding game time and time again. And the latest ne plus ultra comes courtesy of Land Rover.

Called the Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate Edition, this top-of-the-line SUV is exactly that: the ultimate. It’s billed as the most luxurious Range Rover ever, and that’s no mean feat. To get there, Land Rover has outfitted the SUV with a veritable first-class cabin that includes four individual buckets, separated front and back by middle console with aluminum tray tables and a drinks cooler in the back. The rear-seat passengers also get the use of a pair of Apple iPads docked into the front seatbacks, and the cargo area gets a yacht-inspired teak deck. Of course the leather is top notch, offset by Kalahari wood veneers.

Outside, prospective owners will find a dark grille, color-keyed door handles (which are available with a couple of new paint options), along with the requisite special badging and unique 20-inch alloys. Buyers can choose from either the 4.4-liter V8 turbodiesel or the 5.0-liter supercharged V8, both mated to ZF’s eight-speed automatic transmission and capable of catapulting the truck to sixty in 7.5 or 5.1 seconds respectively.

Pricing has yet to be announced, but the Autobiography Ultimate Edition is set to be unveiled at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, now just weeks away, but you can read all about it now in the press release after the jump and soak up the opulence in the high-resolution image gallery below.

Gallery: Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate Edition

[Source: Land Rover]

Continue reading Land Rover to unveil Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate Edition in Geneva

Land Rover to unveil Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate Edition in Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Feb 2011 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: BMW to unveil M5 Concept in Shanghai

Filed under: Concept Cars, Sedan, Performance, China, BMW, Shanghai Motor Show

2008 BMW M5

The Chinese market is becoming increasingly vital for automakers like BMW, which could go a long way towards explaining why the Bavarian company has chosen the world’s most populous nation as the location to unveil such new debuts as the long-wheelbase 5 Series and the Concept Gran Coupé.

Now reports indicate that BMW is planning on returning to the Shanghai Motor Show in April with a conceptual preview of the new M5 performance sedan. Based on the latest 5 Series, the new M5 is tipped to carry a 600-horsepower version of the 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 put to work in the X5 M and X6 M crossovers. Westerners won’t feel too left out, however, as the concept version in Shanghai is anticipated to be followed by the production version at the Frankfurt Motor Show in the Fall.

In parallel to the M5 – and at the other extreme of the range – BMW is also working on the 5 Series hybrid, anticipated to mate a 306-hp turbo six with a 54-hp electric motor for possible debut alongside the M5 in Shanghai as well.

The biennial show in China is also rumored to the debut show for the 2012 6 Series Coupe.

[Source: AutoTelegraaf.nl – translated | Image: Dan Roth/AOL]

Report: BMW to unveil M5 Concept in Shanghai originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: BYD to unveil Lexus RX-influenced S6 hybrid in Detroit

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Hybrid, China, Crossover, Electric

BYD S6 DM

BYD S6 DM – Click above for high-res image gallery

Whenever we hear that a Chinese automaker is working on a vehicle that’s “influenced” by some other successful model from an established global company, we wince a little. After all, we’ve seen quite a few less-than-convincing attempts to go along with a few couldn’t-tell-the-difference carbon copies. And neither of those options are acceptable.

From what we can tell, BYD’s S6 (shh – don’t tell Audi) DM crossover could be considered a little of both. From the profile, you’d be forgiven for mistaking it for a couple-year-old Lexus RX. From the front, we see clear influence from General Motors’ European arm, Opel. That said, it appears to be a passable effort on the styling front, and it’s what’s underneath that derivative skin that’s what really counts.

The DM in the ‘utes name stands for Dual Mode, as in a hybrid that can be powered by electricity only or a combination of the electric motors and gasoline engine. The drivetrain consists of a 14-horsepower electric motor that powers the front wheels and a 102-horsepower gasoline engine powering the rears. That’s not a lot of power, but at least the two systems can work together to offer all-wheel drive.

We’ll be on the lookout for this machine at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show next week. In the meantime, check out a few images in our gallery below.

Gallery: BYD S6 DM

BYD S6 DM

[Source: China Car Times]

Report: BYD to unveil Lexus RX-influenced S6 hybrid in Detroit originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 07 Jan 2011 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche to unveil competition-spec 918 in Detroit?

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Motorsports, Porsche, Racing

2013 Porsche 918 RSR rendering

2013 Porsche 918 RSR renderings – Click above for high-res image gallery

Some automakers are in it for the racing. Others make cars to preserve some sort of legacy. But most are in the business, like any other company, to make money. And Porsche is certainly no exception. But while its road car division rakes in the dough hand over fist, the German automaker has made a science out of making its racing division profitable.

How is that, you ask? Because unlike some of its rivals, Porsche first and foremost provides factory-built racing machines to privateer customers. That’s how the 911 dominates GT racing grids around the world with such variants as the recently unveiled GT3 RSR. And if the latest reports from Germany are anything to go on, Porsche could be preparing a new racer at the rapidly approaching Detroit Auto Show.

Now we already knew that Porsche was planning something big for its return to the NAIAS after a four-year absence. And the signs seemed to point towards a new variant of the 918 Spyder concept we saw in Geneva last year. But the latest word from Auto Bild suggests that instead of a roadgoing production coupe version as some had suspected, Stuttgart will instead unveil a racing version of the new mid-engine flagship supercar in Cobo Hall.

The reports further suggest that the race-spec 918 will carry a more conventional V8 powertrain than the hybrid setup of the previous concept, and that the car will – like the rest of Porsche’s aforementioned customer racing paddock – be available to privateer teams to purchase and campaign on the world’s racing circuits. Sounds tempting – and profitable – and fortunately we won’t have long to wait before we find out one way or another.

[Source: AutoBild via Motor Authority | Images: TeamSpeed]

Porsche to unveil competition-spec 918 in Detroit? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Ferrari to unveil all-wheel-drive shooting brake in Geneva?

Filed under: Hybrid, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Ferrari, Rumormill

Ferrari 612 Scaglietti unveiling

We’re anticipating a new Ferrari to be unveiled in a few months time at the Geneva Motor Show, but just what form – and arguably just as vitally, what technology – the new Prancing Horse will take has been the subject of much rumor and conjecture as of late.

Based on Ferrari chief Luca di Montezemolo’s reported pronouncement that his company is preparing “a very different new Ferrari” for the Swiss salon, initial reports speculated that a production-ready hybrid could be in the cards. But the latest reports seem to call that into question.

So if not a hybrid, what has Maranello got in store for us? Most reports point towards a replacement for the 612 Scaglietti, the company’s flagship (if somewhat lackluster) four-seat GT. Others suggest a shooting brake two-door wagon, while yet others report that whatever debuts will incorporate the company’s part-time all-wheel drive system, if not necessarily a hybrid drivetrain. The truth probably lies in the combination of several of these reports, if not all of them, but we’ll just have to sit tight to see what will lie underneath the veil come March.

[Sources: Le Blog Auto, Eurocarblog]

Rumormill: Ferrari to unveil all-wheel-drive shooting brake in Geneva? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Jan 2011 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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