When the Buick Riviera concept debuted at the Shanghai Motor Show last summer, many didn’t give the car a second glance because, while imminently snazzy, no one though it would have much impact on the U.S. market. We all may have been wrong, according to TheCarConnection, which is reporting that the Riviera Concept offers a sneak peek at what the next-gen Buick LaCrosse will look like. We’ve seen the next LaCrosse in spy shots and can maybe find a few similarities between the two, but otherwise we don’t really see the resemblance. Aside from the obvious discrepancy in door count, you can see the grilles are markedly different, with the Riviera’s upturned into a smile and the LaCrosse prototype’s turned down in a frown. The Riviera also has three air intakes below the front bumper, while the spy shot shows only one on the prototype. Both cars exhibit a certain amount of Buickness in their look, though the Riviera definitely turns it up notch. For that alone we hope the connection between the two is real.
[Source: AutoBlog]
We’re back from the Chrysler press conference that saw the Detroit Auto Show debuts of the Jeep Renegade, Dodge ZEO, and Chrysler ecoVoyager. As we have mentioned already, each is born out of the automaker’s ENVI program, the focus of which is on new, environmentally-friendly electric propulsion. As such, all the concepts share the same 200 kw (268 hp equivalent) electric motor powered by a currently nonexistent lithium-ion battery pack and augmented by a secondary “range-extender” in the Renegade and ecoVoyager. That includes a vaporware fuel-cell in the latter. It’s all okay, though, because as Chrysler’s Frank Klegon pointed out, these are “pure concepts.” He then went on to say that these “pure concepts” would be seen “in future production vehicles,” which left us confused. Follow the jump for some extremely in-depth analysis of Chrysler’s electric vehicle concepts.
[Source: AutoBlog]
We first saw spy photos of the Lincoln MKT concept only a week ago, and it’s now here as a concept at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show. Based on the fact that a development mule was spotted already, you can ignore Lincoln when it says the MKT is a potential new vehicle for the brand. It is a new vehicle for the brand. The new premium CUV is believed to be based on the platform of the Ford Flex and follows the Explorer America concept in being powered by one of Ford’s new EcoBoost engines. Like its sedan sibling, the MKS, this one gets a turbocharged 3.5L V6 that allows you to choose between either E85 or premium grade petroleum-based gasoline. The premium requirement is the result of the engine being optimized for the higher octane ratings of the biofuel. The upside is that output jumps from 340 hp/340 lb-ft to 415hp and 400 lb-ft. All of that twisting force is transmitted through a six-speed automatic transmission and distributed to all four wheels for propulsion. The voluminous interior of the MKT has also been optimized for comfort and luxury with only four seats allocated for passengers. If a production version with a third-row bench arrives, this looks like the likely candidate to replace all those Town Cars in livery fleets. The body work incorporates more of the new Lincoln design cues that first turned up on last year’s MKR concept but were too late for the MKS. That body work is formed from “upcycled” plastics produced by Sabic Innovative Plastics, the same people who produced the materials used on the Chevy Volt and Hyundai Qarmaq concepts.
Follow the jump for Lincoln’s official press release with more details than we can muster at this late hour, and check back later today for live shots of the MKT from the floor of the Detroit Auto Show.
[Source: AutoBlog]
One of three Pentastar concepts powered by some combination of cutting-edge technology, the Chrysler ecoVoyager continues the automaker’s fascination with art-deco by resurrecting the Stout Scarab. Doing away with a conventional powertrain and installing a 45kW fuel cell allows the 268-horsepower electric motor to spin the wheels for 300 miles before refueling. The Li-Ion batteries give the concept a theoretical range of 40 miles before the fuel cell is called upon, and regenerative braking recovers some energy for the batteries, too.
The skateboard nature of the chassis and power systems allows for a very roomy cabin and low center of gravity, which aids handling. Weighing in at a modest 2,750 pounds, the ecoVoyager doesn’t have a problem performing like the cars we know and love, either. 0-60 is dispatched in 8.8 seconds, and Chrysler’s claiming a 12.9 second quarter mile, which we find astounding to the point of disbelief. A 13-second quarter mile seems too fleet, even for the eyeball-flattening torque delivery of electric motors. Nuts and bolts aside, Chrysler outfitted the ecoVoyager’s interior to keep occupants connected, entertained, fed and watered. There’s even dual strips of sunroof that don’t look at all like toaster slots. The goal was to create the earth-bound experience that a Gulfstream jet offers in the air. The powertrain of the ecoVoyager certainly outpaces the mere jet-age ideas of a G5.
[Source: AutoBlog]
Chrysler is out to convince folks of its green cred here in Detroit, so it’s offering up the Dodge Zeo to the fuel- and emissions-conscious masses. The 2+2 coupe features 64kWh of electric energy that’s sent to the rear wheels via a 268-hp motor. Dodge claims that the 2,650-pound Zeo can amble along for 250 miles before it’s due for a recharge, although we’d suspect that turning the massive 23-inch wheels might take a bite out of the Zeo’s long-range cruising capabilities. The actual mechanicals are also, most likely, a figment of some product planner’s imagination at the moment.
The design is typical concept car flare, with wheels pushed to the edges of the body and a steeply raked windshield that carries all the way to the rear of the vehicle, terminating in a tapered hatch that’s accentuated by massive fender flares.
We don’t expect the Zeo to come to fruition anytime soon if at all, but we approve of automakers at least entertaining the idea that being green doesn’t need to overwhelm a vehicle’s personality.
[Source: AutoBlog]
It’s a rare day when a concept makes us visibly wretch, but Mitsubishi did just that when it ripped the sheets off its Concept-RA. Maybe it was the ill-proportioned front fascia that took all the wrong cues from a Vector, or the generic styling of the rear three-quarter view, but overall, it left us cold, despite Mitsu’s infinitely looped Daft Punk/Kanye West mashup.
Regardless, the Concept-RA uses some innovative materials (aluminum space frame and recycled plastic body panels) and we like the idea of an all-wheel-drive, diesel-powered sports coupe that sends 201 hp and 310 lb.-ft. of twist through Mitsubishi’s S-AWC system. But beyond the powertrain underneath, we weren’t impressed — and the engine poking through the hood didn’t help either.
[Source: AutoBlog]
After the first day of the 2008 Detroit Auto Show press days ended, some of us decided to take up Toyota on its invite to a reception at which we were greeted by the live reveal of the A-BAT concept hybrid pickup. Though images of the A-BAT were released some time ago and we know all about the unibody pickup’s hybrid synergy drivetrain and Chevy Avalanche-like midgate, we were pleasantly surprised to find ourselves not hating the design as much as we thought we would. It’s odd, for sure, but it’s a concept and there’s artistic license to be had there. The actual size of the A-BAT, however, is smaller than its chunky flanks and expanse of sheet metal suggest. It makes us long for the compact pickup segment to be revived with trucks that are actually, you know, compact. Like the new 2009 Dodge Ram, the A-BAT also features storage compartments in its bed rails, as well as a first-aid kit in the tailgate. Aside from the hybrid drivetrain, its green cred is further bolstered by solar panels embedded in the dash to drive the accessories. All good stuff, of course, but we just want a small pickup with one of those efficient yet torquey clean diesels everyone’s talking about. Perhaps if Toyota hears our collective demand for such a vehicle, a version of the A-BAT might actually be produced.
[Source: AutoBlog]
