Mitsubishi has launched on the British market the ASX Black - a new special edition model with enhanced exterior styling and a bespoke interior. The model can be ordered with two different engine versions, with prices ranging from £21,099 ($28,800) for the ASX 4 1.6 2wd Manual to £25,399 ($34,700) for the ASX 4 1.8 DI-D 4WD Manual.
Although the name "Black" makes you think about a black car, the new ASX Black will actually be offered in six different exterior color: blue, white, silver, black, red and gray. The name Black comes from the introduction of satin black styling kit which includes striking black 17” alloy wheels, roof, spoiler, mirrors, grille and fog lamp bezels. The interior benefits from the addition of a special edition black leather kit featuring carbon fiber inserts.
As standard options the ASX Black will offer Kenwood satellite, Navigation system, reversing camera, iPod connection, Mitsubishi Active Stability and Traction Control (M-ASTC).
Nissan is headed to the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show with the Juke Nismo - a concept car that offers a first glimpse of Nismo’s future. The vehicle that was designed to "inject some masculinity and dynamism into the small car market" is getting even more agile and aggressive with the addition of the kickass Nismo package.
The new Juke Nismo Concept will be distinguished by Nismo’s signature colors - pearl white with red highlights - and an extreme body kit that not only offers a sportier look but improves the car’s aerodynamics as well. The body kit includes revised bumpers in the front and rear, wider fenders, and sill side skirts. The grille pattern has also been changed and the tailgate spoiler has been modified with the addition of side elements to control airflow more efficiently. The concept will sit on a new set of 19-inch alloy wheels.
The interior has also been highly modified. Everything from the steering wheel, pedals, gauges, shifter knob, and door trims have been redesigned to provide greater involvement when driving. The sporty bucket seats are covered in leather and are highlighted by dials and needles illuminated in red.
"As the Concept shows, Nismo brings new levels of individuality to mainstream Nissan cars like Juke. The future for Nismo is to develop premium sports designs for an ever-widening range of customers," said Nismo President, Shoichi Miyatani.
Hit the jump for a video showing the new Juke Nismo Concept in all of its glory, as well as an explanation for the idea behind the concept.
Full story
The 2012 Honda Pilot is entering a market that’s about as competitive as its ever been. But that’s not as important because it’s coming to the party chalk-full of new features that are sure to attract a wide range of customers.
Honda’s new eight-passenger SUV comes with a wide range of upgrades for 2012, including a refreshed front-end design, enhanced interior features that come with plenty of new technological goodies and a wide-range of safety enhancements, and finally, an increased fuel economy rating compared to its predecessor.
The competitive nature of today’s SUV market has prompted automakers to bring their best offering to the table. In the case of Honda, the 2012 Pilot offers the best of everything they have to offer, complete with four different trim levels - the EX, the LX, the EX-L, and the Touring - and a plethora of new features that include power windows/locks, keyless entry, a seven speaker audio system and front/rear air conditioning, among other things.
Find out more about the 2012 Honda Pilot after the jump.
Full story
For the longest time, we have been treated to Volvos that have the cutting edge design of a loaf of bread. It’s been one of the biggest knocks on the Swedish brand, and it appears that the company is determined to introduce a new generation of vehicles that will be a lot edgier than what we’re used to.
One of the next-generation models that’s expected to be introduced in the coming years is the Volvo XC90 crossover. Despite its popularity, the XC90 has been around the block for almost 10 years with very little changes being done on it. These design sketches of the future XC90 that the company recently released shows that Volvo may be serious in re-defining the way their vehicles look. Maybe there’s more to their "Scalable Platform Architecture" design language than we previously thought.
As for the rest of the information surrounding the next-generation XC90, not much has been laid out on the table except that we might be seeing the car in full form by 2014.
That should give Volvo enough time to really follow through on their desire to be up to the times as far as the design of their cars are concerned. If the new XC90 is remotely close to what these sketches are showing, then we’ll give those guys props for heading in the right direction.
Lincoln has unveiled the 2013 MKT at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The revised crossover offers a dramatically improved ride, sharper handling, better fuel economy, and new safety technologies including rear inflatable seat belts. The new 2013 MKT will go on sale in the spring of 2012.
"The 2013 MKT with Continuously Controlled Damping delivers a surprisingly vibrant blend of ride and handling. It’s more than you’d expect from a full-size, three-row luxury crossover," said Scott Tobin, Director, Lincoln Product Development.
For 2013, The MKT will be powered by the standard 3.7-liter V6 engine that includes twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT) and delivers a total of 300 HP - an increase from the previous 268 HP. Customers will also be able to choose a twin-turbo 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine that delivers a total of 355 HP at 5,700 rpm and 350 lb.-ft. of torque from 1,500 to 5,250 rpm.
Hit the jump to read more about the 2013 Lincoln MKT.
Full story
