In the midst of the 2012 Detroit Auto Show previews, Lexus has thrown out its first teaser image of a new Sport Concept scheduled to be revealed on one of the two press days in Detroit. This sporty new concept is said to showcase the brand’s new design direction which will hopefully eliminate the stuffiness associated with Toyota’s luxury brand.
The teaser image is just that; a big, fat tease. However, we do see a bit of an aggressive line in the design, along with a slender headlight and a large air intake. There also seems to be design elements taken from the GS sedan unveiled earlier this year, which may mean this could be a preview of the new generation IS. Then again, the SC just performed a disappearing act a couple of years ago and Lexus was already rumored to be working on a more powerful successor.
The new sport concept was designed by Calty, the company’s design studio in Newport Beach, California. Its official details will be released on January 9, 2012, so stay tuned!
UPDATE 12/19/2011: Lexus has unveiled a new teaser image of their concept model to be unveiled in Detroit. This time the image offers a glimpse of the concept’s interior.
Ever since the Honda S2000 was dropped in 2009, rumors surrounding a a hybrid successor for the roadster have been buzzing. Turns out, those rumors may be true now that Honda has announced the EV-STER Concept at the 2011 Tokyo Auto Show. Could this be the beginning of the next small roadster? So far, signs point to yes. The Concept is being described as "a next-generation compact EV sports model, fun to drive while achieving excellent environmental performance." It is an all-electric vehicle that combines the pleasure of driving with zero CO2 emissions.
The new EV-STER Concept is made of carbon materials that help reduce the vehicle’s total weight. It is powered by an electric engine combined with a RWD system and a 10kWh lithium-ion battery that ensure a driving range of approximately 100 miles. The concept will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 5 seconds and will be capable of a top speed of 100 mph.
The concept uses an easy-to-operate twin-lever steering that was adopted for the thorough pursuit of the joy of driving. Moreover, the new concept model enables the driver to make his/her own adjustments to some vehicle characteristics such as motor output and suspension settings, to embody the joy of maneuvering to the fullest extent.
UPDATE 12/15/11: Honda has officially announced that the EV-STER Concept has been green-lighted for production. The news comes courtesy of Auto Motor und Sport, who stated that Honda CEO Takanobu Ito has said that the roadster is headed to production and could be offered as early as next year in both standard gasoline and electric powertrains.
The 2012 Detroit Auto Show will be held in less than a month and as expected, more and more automakers are announcing their line-up for the show. For example, Bentley just provided details on its Continental GT V8 and Acura has announced their list of debuts for the show. The line-up includes an all-new compact sports sedan, a redesigned RDX crossover sport utility vehicle, and a concept version of the next generation Acura NSX super car.
The ILX Concept previews an all-new luxury compact sedan scheduled for launch in Spring 2012. It will be offered with a choice of three powertrains including Acura’s first-ever gas-electric hybrid. For the 2013 RDX, Acura has shifted its attention, much like everyone else, to improving the vehicle’s fuel efficiency.
Acura’s new Supercar Concept will take top billing in this showcase, with future plans for a production NSX consuming our minds. This concept was announced at the same time Honda CEO, Takanobu Ito, confirmed that the next NSX would be a high-performance exotic sports car. The company is currently working on a 3.5-3.7 liter VTEC V6 engine in combination with a twin electric motor set-up powered by lithium-ion batteries. This motor will have a plug-in recharge system for a small electric-only range, giving it great amounts of torque.
Another source told AutoExpress that the Dual Note 4WD Hybrid Concept from the 2001 Tokyo Motor Show was the first glimpse at the technology that will underpin the NSX. This concept was powered by a 3.5 liter V6 engine which sent power to the rear wheels, while in-wheel electric motors sent power to the front. This setup delivered an output of over 400 HP.
"Acura has a steady cadence of exciting new models coming to market and it will all begin in Detroit," said Jeff Conrad, vice president and general manager of Acura sales and service. "From the all-new Acura ILX at the gateway of the lineup to the pinnacle of performance with the Acura NSX Concept, Acura vehicles are being created for luxury customers who aspire to the highest levels of quality and value, with beautiful styling and the right balance of technology, performance and environmental responsibility."
Image above is of the Supercar Concept as seen on the movie set for The Avengers.
Joining the 2013 Cobra Jet in Ford Racing’s lineup is a one-off road racer concept named the Boss 302SX. The vehicle will be placed between the Boss 302S and the Boss 302R race car and features Ford’s new School Bus Yellow color. The 302SX is just a concept at this point, but when Ford Racing revealed it at the Performance Racing Industry Show in Orlando, Florida, they confirmed that they were "testing the water for feedback."
The 302SX will feature all of the changes previously seen on the 2013 Mustang Boss 302, as well as a lower front splitter and a massive adjustable rear spoiler. Another unique feature are the 1970-style graphics and the vented hood. The interior leans more towards racing with a Recaro HANS Pro Racer seat, an FIA spec 6-point roll cage, a fire suppression system, a data recording system, a 6-point racing harness, and a quick release steering wheel.
Powering Ford’s newest Mustang concept will is a 5.0 liter V8 engine that uses the same intake manifold found on the new Cobra Jet. The engine delivers a total of 500 HP and will be mated to a 6-speed transmission. Since the Mustang concept is not street legal, Ford has also provided it with a chassis prepared especially for the track. It features an adjustable coilover suspension, adjustable front and rear sway bars, tubular rear lower control arms, and adjustable caster/camber plates. The final element is a new set of 18" wheels combined with Brembo brakes at the front and rear.
The next big auto show will take place at the turn of the calendar, but as early as now, we’re getting a good look at some of the concepts that are scheduled to be in attendance at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show in January.
German automaker, Smart, has never been shy when introducing zany concepts in the past and it’s looking like they’re going to unveil a new one in Detroit.
The car is called the "For-Us" Urban Pick-Up Concept that Smart is describing as a concept targeted to the "young and young-at-heart with active lives who attach importance to low emissions and taking up minimum road space."
The description is pretty much apt to all their previous concepts so there’s nothing unique there. What’s different, though, is that the For-Us Urban Pick-Up Concept comes with an electrically-powered tailboard that opens and retracts with a 900mm cargo area that’s big enough to hold and serve as a charging port for as much as two Smart E-Bikes.
This review has been updated with official details and photos that you can find after the jump
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