Just a few days ago we reported that Lincoln is preparing to add a new baby crossover to its lineup and today we have created a rendering that will help give you an idea of how the 2014 MKC will look.
As you can see, we have based our rendering on the previous rumors that suggested the MKC will be based on the Ford Escape platform and will feature design elements seen in the recently launched MKZ, including the new horizontal grille that makes the MKC looking pretty aggressive.
Under the hood, Lincoln will place several different powertrain options, almost certainly including the Ford 2.0-liter and a smaller 1.6-liter turbocharged EcoBoost. These engines will transform the MKC into a real competitor for models like BMW X1.
Lincoln will unveil the first concept version in just a few days at the Detroit Auto Show, so we’ll find out pretty soon how close we were with our rendering.
Chevrolet may not be bringing its full armada of vehicles to the Tokyo Auto Salon, but for an American automaker that’s going halfway around the world, its offerings of two special edition concept vehicles and a limited-edition Camaro is impressive enough on its own right.
One of the aforementioned special-edition vehicles is the Chevrolet Captiva Freedom Rider, a subtly modified Captiva crossover that comes with a black body with baby blue accents on the lower-front bumper, the wheel arches, the door panels, and the set of 20-inch “Gianna Crown” alloy wheels. A new chrome grille was also added, as were new side steps and window surrounds. Judging by the rendering Chevrolet released, the Captiva Freedom Rider appears to also have a roof rack that can hold a full-sized mountain bike.
The Chevrolet Captiva Freedom Rider, together with the Sonic Street Edition and the Camaro Giovanni Edition, will comprise Chevrolet’s participation at the 2013 Tokyo Auto Salon. It’s not a lot to go by, but these vehicles, including the Captiva Freedom Rider, do have some appealing qualities.
We’ll see if any of them actually hit production in some form.
With Maserati already juggling the development of many new models to increase its lineup, like the next gen Gran Turismo, Levante, Ghibli and a new flagship GT car, it has to be nearing the multitasking breaking point with this latest rumor. Said rumor is pointing toward the Trident-bearing brand developing a compact crossover to round out its lineup..
While the larger Levante is all set to compete against luxury SUVs like the Range Rover Sport, this smaller crossover has the Range Rover Evoque and Audi Q5 in its crosshairs. So, like its unannounced rival, the Porsche Macan, expect the design to be as wild and hot as the Evoque’s. With Pininfarina behind it, that’s not a tough task to undertake.
Like the Levante, which is based on the Jeep Grand Cherokee, the compact crossover will be based on a next-gen Jeep. The Jeep model in question will be the upcoming Liberty, which shares its platform – called the Compact U.S. Wide platform – with the Dodge Dart, Fiat Viaggio and the upcoming Alfa Romeo Giulia.
With Fiat’s aggressive lineup for Maserati, it looks like many more fans may be able to step foot into a Maserati of their own.
Image Note: The image above is of the Kubang, not the rumored compact crossover
The new John Cooper Works version of the new Mini Paceman will be make its world debut in January 2013 at the Detroit Auto Show, but, as expected, Mini couldn’t keep it a secret until then. The first official details have been released today, while full details will arrive in just two weeks.
The JCW version will feature a more aggressive design language, with black exterior paint combined with red stripes, roof and exterior mirrors. Mini will also add in an updated aerodynamic kit and a set of larger alloy wheels. The interior will also be a little bit sportier than on the standard Paceman and will combine the same black and red colors seen on the exterior.
Under the hood, Mini has placed the same powerplant from the Countryman JCW, so no big news here.
Updated 12/13/2012: This review has been updated with the official details, images and specs. Hit the jump to read more about the new Mini Paceman John Cooper Works.
UPDATE 01/16/13: MINI has officially released the base price of the Paceman John Cooper Works. Find out how much it’s going to cost you after the jump.
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The past year has seen the likes of Ferrari, McLaren, and even Aston Martin launch their own customization programs. What initially seemed like something reserved for high-end automakers apparently isn’t the case because Nissan has jumped into the picture with its own personalization program for the Juke crossover.
We’re under no illusion when we say that personalized Ferraris and McLarens are in a different league than a personalized Juke. We get that. But we’ve got really high hopes for the funky Nissan crossover, especially because we already saw what Nissan is capable of (the Juke R, anyone?) when it goes creative with the Juke. Even more exciting is the phrasing the automaker used in their press release, seemingly suggesting that "more components [are] set to be added as [the] program expands."
For now, the personalization program for the Juke includes three design packages — Style, Premium, and Exclusive — with each offering a host of unique features for customers. In addition, Nissan is offering five different color schemes, including Force Red, Glossy White, Orange Racing, Piano Black or Silver Grey, plus a host of new components, including side sills, a trunk handle, a roof spoiler, mirror caps, fog lamp rings, and yes, even some alloy wheels.
The personalization program is only limited to Europe, for now. That might be a bummer for U.S. customers, but don’t fret, as the personalization program could head across the pond eventually. At least that’s our hunch.
UPDATE 01/02/13: Nissan will be bringing the first samples of the Juke’s new Personalization Program at the Tokyo Auto Salon. That’s something to look out for if you’re interested in getting your own customized Juke crossover.
Read Nissan’s press release after the jump
Acura has been testing the next-generation MDX for quite some time now, but the official debut of the production version is still months away. Before we have the chance to see it on the market, Acura will debut the first prototype version in January 2013 at the Detroit Auto Show.
The first teaser image, which Acura revealed today, shows that the prototype version will be feature a new "Aero Sculpture" design language that will affect both form and function. Expect the prototype’s alluring proportions with smooth, arching body lines to be carried over in the production version.
Acura offered no details on the new MDX’s powertrain, but rumors say it will be powered by a 3.5-liter V-6 engine that delivers a total of 310 horsepower and 272 pound-feet of torque. There are also rumors about a hybrid powertrain which will combine a V-6 engine with three electric motors.
Full details on the 2014 Acura MDX prototype will be unveiled during the company’s press conference in Detroit. Stay tuned!
For those who think that the BMW X6-M is simply a crossover with an M-spec body kit and a powerful V-8 engine, you’re wrong. It’s more than that…
To know how much more, here’s a video showing a person unleashing his BMW X6-M over a beautiful stretch of road. Apart from the beautiful exhaust note, we’re baffled at how a 6,200-pound crossover remains stable while negotiating corners. This sports car-like stability in a heavy, bigger vehicle is all thanks to the special M suspension that includes Adaptive Drive and a newly-developed Servotronic power steering. This ensures that every BMW M product, big or small, has the performance and stability of a powerful sports car, if not greater.
Also to be appreciated is the driver’s guts of unleashing a $90k Bimmer on a deserted, unpredictable road. If you notice, he zips past an intersection at a murdering speed, which would’ve brought a totally different conclusion, had another car was crossing that intersection.
We won’t be surprised if we find another video or a news clip saying "BMW X6-M Crashed into a Tree" or "Driver is fined heavily after rashly driving BMW"
Rest assured, for those who doubt it’s stability and cornering capabilities must watch this video and let us know whether that doubt is settled or not.
Straight from the Cross Promotion 101 handbook comes this one-off project car from Nissan and Warner Bros., celebrating the UK release of Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster movie, "The Dark Knight Rises" on DVD and Blu-Ray.
As only Nissan can, the Japanese automaker decided to build a one-off Juke Nismo crossover solely to promote the new DVD and Blu-Ray. Appropriately enough, the crossover is called The Dark Knight Rises Juke Nismo.
The crossover features plenty of Batman-inspired details, something that you should expect from a car promoting The Caped Crusader. Matte-black paint was used to give the Juke Nismo a Batmobile-like appearance. A shark fin antenna was also installed in lieu of the traditional set-up on the Juke, and aluminum bat badges have been plastered in various parts of the Juke Nismo, including the front grille and the tailgate. Rounding out the exterior modifications is a set of 18-inch gloss-black alloy wheels with red detailing.
Moving to the interior, Nissan gave it a Batman-inspired look, beginning with Bat logos on the kick plates. Reflective Bat badges on the suede-trimmed Nismo sports seats’ headrests pays homage to the inspiration for the one-off project car. The puddle lights in the door mirrors are particularly cool because they project the Bat symbol on the floor area by the doors. The same setup can be found on the uplighter, projecting the same Bat symbol on the headlining.
Unfortunately, the Juke Nismo Dark Knight Rises will neither be sold nor be sent off to the auction block. The question of how to get it has yet to be answered, although expect the Juke Nismo Dark Knight Rises to be a prize in some sort of competition down the road.
Based on the new Nissan Juke Nismo, which goes on sale in the UK in January 2013, The Dark Knight Rises Juke Nismo features the same 200PS (197-horsepower) 1.6-liter turbocharged engine driving the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox, giving it a 0 to 62mph (0 to 100 km/h) time of 7.8 seconds. It also gets a Nismo body kit and upgraded suspension.
Kia’s lineup of debuts at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show offers plenty of revisions from previous model years. None of the unveilings venture more from their previous renditions than the 2014 Sorento.
The obvious choice for most drastic upgrade is the installation of a new 3.3-liter V-6 engine that produces an stout numbers that put it in favorable light compared to most of its rivals.
Aesthetically, the Kia crossover also received plenty of visual upgrades, highlighted by a modified front and rear fascia, a new grille, and the option of fitting up to 19-inch wheels. There’s a lot to like about the new Sorento, although there are parts of it that we weren’t too excited about.
Either way, it’s obvious that Kia went to great lengths to give the Sorento significant improvements. In the words of Michael Sprague, executive vice president, marketing and communications of Kia Motors America: "With more than 80 percent of the 2014 Sorento including new or significantly redesigned parts, it’s obvious that the improvements are not just skin deep; including technological enhancements such as UVO eServices, the next generation of our voice activated telematics system, and Kia’s first-ever blind spot detection system.2"
Find out the latest digs on the new 2014 Sorento after the jump
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Three years ago, Honda unveiled the Accord Crosstour - a model that begged to be a competitor for the BMW X6. Things didn’t turn out as expected and the Accord Crosstour turned out to be a flop. So, in 2012, Honda decided to change things up a bit and tackle the same competitors it failed against in the previous generation.
As a result, the old Honda Accord Crosstour has dropped the Accord name - being simply called the Honda Crosstour, and has received updates for both the exterior and interior to spice things up. For 2012, the Crosstour was offered in two trim levels - EX and EX-L - both of which are powered by a 3.5-liter i-VTEC V-6 engine that delivers a total of 271 HP at 6,200 RPM and 254 lb-ft. of torque at 5,000 RPM.
These changes didn’t really help either, so Honda decided to give it one more try. As a result, the Honda Crosstour will receive even more changes for the 2013 model year. We’ll all have to look closely to even notice these changes, but we guess a certain amount of credit needs to be given for the effort. Most of the changes will be made to the power source, which includes a 4-cylinder engine that delivers a total of 192 HP and improved fuel economy: 22 mpg city, 31 mpg highway, 25 mpg combined. The V6 engine’s output has been raised to 278 HP, while rated at fuel economy is 20 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, 23 mpg combined.
Honda has even decided to lower the price of the Honda Crosstour, allowing it a base model price of $27,230, about $500 less than the previous model year. Will that help? We doubt it, but there is always hope!
UPDATE 11/15/2012: Honda has unveiled the official details on the 2013 Crosstour.
Hit the jump to read more about the 2012-2013 Honda Crosstour.
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