As with most custom projects, companies who go through this option understand that it’s a hit-or-miss proposition; some people might like it and some might hate it.
In the case of Italian coachbuilder, Fornasari, their new crossover project, the RR99, definitely falls somewhere in between. The car was initially presented at the Geneva Motor Show back in March and is being described as a luxury grand tourer that offers plenty of off-road capabilities.
It even has an impressive powertrain under its hood, one that features a GM-sourced 6.0-liter V8 engine that produces 610 horsepower with a ’north to 60’ time of just 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 174 mph. By all accounts, the RR99 has some serious ponies inside that body. But it starts to get a little tricky when talking about the body. The interior looks luxed-up, which is pretty cool, but the exterior design, is pretty confusing. There are elements of Lamborghini, Aston Martin, and Porsche that seem to have been thrown into a giant blender, ratcheted up to peak power, and produced the RR99.
Judging it on its looks leaves a lot to be desired as far as originality is concerned. Thank God, it’s got an impressive powertrain, otherwise this crossover - they really took it literally with that label, didn’t they? - will be as forgettable as anything we’ve seen lately.
For anyone insane enough to want to buy it, Fornasari is currently taking orders.
Infiniti is preparing to enter a new market segment with the launch of the JX crossover, a 7-seater luxury model. The vehicle officially made its official debut at the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance with the production version scheduled to be revealed in November at the Los Angeles Auto Show. That being said, the vehicle won’t be going on sale until Spring 2012 as a 2013 model.
Like we said before, Infiniti hasn’t dished out any extravagant details for their new SUV model, but they have confirmed that the JX will have three rows of seats with room for seven passengers. The crossover’s exterior design will follow along the lines of the Infiniti Essence Concept revealed at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show and the interior will feature the next generation of Infiniti’s telematics and infotainment technology.
"There aren’t a lot of choices for luxury families today. The all-new Infiniti JX is the 7-passenger antidote to the ho-hum luxury crossovers that are out there right now," said Ben Poore, vice president of Infiniti Americas.
Find out more about the Infiniti JX Concept after the jump
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Now that the next generation Porsche 911 is up and ready - as illustrated in the first official images of the sports car - Porsche can focus more on the Cayenne’s baby brother: the Cajun. Caught by our spy photographers while cruising the Nurburgring, this Porsche Cajun mule doesn’t look much like the design of the real Cajun, but just the fact that it is testing at Porsche’s facility is proof enough that this is the real thing.
The Porsche Cajun will be sharing many of its components with the Audi Q5, including the platform and power sources, but Porsche will go the extra mile to tweak the chassis and engines to make it Porsche-ready. Audi’s full line of diesel and petrol units will be available , but the Cajun may also be offered with the Q5’s Hybrid drivetrain. This would mean a 2.0 TFSI delivering 210 horsepower which would then be combined with a 44 HP electric motor. This combination will help Porsche come closer to the average CO2 goal of 130 g/km that all car manufacturers need to reach starting in 2015.
The Porsche Cajun should be ready to go by 2013 as a four door model, but down the line, a sportier two-door may become available.
Subaru is making a quick turnaround with its XV Concept car by offering up a production model in the same year. The concept was revealed at the 2011 Shanghai Motor Show while the production version was officially unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Known as the Impreza Outback in the US market, the new XV Crosstrek was introduced to show an SUV that will "define a new generation of Subaru crossover vehicles."
The concept was favorably received globally thanks to its distinctive and trendy design which blend a crossover-like commanding silhouette and an urban friendly image into one harmonious and elegant package. The Subaru XV’s design symbolizes the fusion of SUV functionality and urban persona. IT carries a crossover design that combines a stylish, flowing form with the overall functionality of an SUV.
The hexagon grille and hawk eye headlights emphasize a unique identity of Subaru’s future line-up of vehicles. The corners of the front and rear bumpers come with special edges that aids and improves aerodynamic performance, which in turn provides better fuel economy.
The interior of the XV is as roomy and spacious as any of its contemporaries. Combine that with a stylish design that perfectly balances the different tactile and emotional qualities of leather, metal, and cloth and you have the best of luxury and modern-day technology in one fine interior cabin.
Whereas the concept car was powered by a 2.0-liter four cylinder horizontally-opposed DOHC engine with an output of 150 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 146 lb/ft at 4,200 rpm, the XV Crosstrek will carry the same powertrain while also coming with a more palatable 1.6-liter petrol variant, as well as a 2.0-liter Boxer diesel engine.
UPDATE 11/18/2011: During the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show, Subaru has revealed that the XV Crossover headed to the US will officially be called the XV Crosstrek. Subaru thinks this will help differentiate it from its brother, the Impreza Outback Sport.
Fisker took years to have the Karma set and ready for production and now the company is rolling out new models at the Frankfurt Motor Show?
Sounds a little ambitious in our book, but the company is reportedly looking at introducing a host of new models in the coming years. One of the first models expected to be revealed is a crossover concept that’s scheduled to be introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month.
We like the aggressive direction Fisker is taking after the long-awaited release of the Karma sports car, but the plethora of new models on tap in the coming years makes us think that these guys may be in over their heads. In addition to the crossover, Fisker is expected to introduce the soon-to-be released Karma saloon, a hard-top convertible version called the Karma S, a four-wheel-drive version of the Karma, and a new ’Nina’ model. We want to be wrong on this because we love what Henrik Fisker did with the Karma, but it just feels like they’re biting off more than they can chew.
