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Hyundai Genesis Concept

Hyundai’s New York show concept hints at a Korean rear-wheel-drive sports sedan. Is the world ready for this?





This is what happens when a car company doesn’t bother looking for its place. It wanders all about the automotive landscape creating products that some will cry do not fit its portfolio, but are nonetheless well executed. Hyundai began as an affordable brand that made cheap cars, but it has evolved to the point where its products challenge the leaders in almost every small car segment, while still costing less. Affordable, yes, but no longer cheap.
The Genesis concept Hyundai will show at the New York auto show next month is a look at what the company’s future rear-wheel-drive premium sports sedan will look like. It pays homage to design cues from established luxury sedan players with BMW’s protruding trunk lid and Lexus’s plunging beltline. Armed with a V-8 and plenty of luxury and gadgets, the new Korean flagship is likely to appear in the U.S. in calendar year 2008. Hyundai already does an excellent Toyota impression; but a Hyundai Lexus? Bet on it.

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Callaway C16 Convertible cometh

PRESS RELEASE

CALLAWAY C16 CONVERTIBLE MAKES WORLD DEBUT
AT 2007 NEW YORK AUTO SHOW

World-Class Supercar Performance, Now Available in a Paddle Shifted Convertible

OLD LYME, CONNECTICUT (March 16, 2007) – Callaway Cars today announced it will unveil the C16 Convertible – the company's latest variant in an impressive lineup of exclusive, hand-built ultra-high-performance automobiles – at the New York International Auto Show.

Based on the current Chevrolet Corvette platform, the C16 convertible takes performance, style and open-air motoring to the next level, giving buyers an opportunity to experience premium supercar performance in a convertible, complete with the ease of a 6-speed, paddle-shift automatic transmission.

"Customers who want the exhilaration of a convertible and the daily driver convenience of a paddle-shift automatic without sacrificing the performance capabilities of a Z06 and beyond, can only get it here," says company founder Reeves Callaway. "With this car we have maintained the C16's class-leading performance, while creating a gorgeous convertible version, based on one of the best sports car platforms ever made. In true Callaway tradition it incorporates our race-proven technologies and superlative craftsmanship in an arresting and appealing style."

The C16 Convertible, like the C16 Coupe, was drawn and modeled by designer Paul Deutschman, who has a twenty-year portfolio of Callaway designs. Architect of the Callaway look – from its 254 mph Sledgehammer and Corvette-based Le Mans race cars to the current C16 versions – he has masterfully remodeled the original design, redrawing every panel of the standard body to achieve the C16 Convertible's integrated look while retaining the Corvette's easy-to-operate power top.

Equipped with Callaway's 560-hp supercharged 6.0-liter V8, the C16 Convertible is also available with an optional Performance Package that delivers 616 supercharged horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 582 lb-ft of torque at 4,750 rpm. The Callaway C16 Convertible does 0 to 60 in 3.5 seconds, and a quarter-mile in 11.2 seconds. Top speed of the paddle shifted convertible is estimated at just over 200 mph. Equally impressive is its fuel efficiency rating of 18 city/28 highway. It is emissions compliant and backed by a 5 year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

There are three transmission options on the Callaway C16 Convertible: two 6-speed manual transmissions (one incorporating the Z51 Performance Package's shorter ratios in the first four gears), or a 6-speed automatic with paddle shift. The Callaway C16 Convertible, like C16 Coupe, delivers the feeling of a fully integrated driver's car, maintaining the company's legendary hallmark of easy-to-drive, super high-performance road cars, now available with the added pleasure of top-down motoring.

Inside, the C16 convertible's cockpit is completely retooled in fine German leather and Alcantara, featuring seats with a choice of harnessing styles manufactured for Callaway by Recaro. Door sill panels, steering wheel and passenger dash area also carry signature Callaway badging. Each automobile is serialized and identified by its build plaque. Each C16 convertible is built to order. Clients choose body and top color and interior appointments to individual taste.

The car's razor-sharp handling and comfortable ride are courtesy of newly developed Callaway/Eibach Multi-Pro coil-over suspension. This advanced spring/damper system features ride height, corner weight, and pitch angle adjustability. The aluminum-bodied dampers feature 10-click-position compression and rebound adjustability and have remote mounted reservoirs, allowing the driver to customize settings for track or road conditions.

To bring the Callaway C16 Convertible from 200+ mph to rest, the C16 utilizes a Stoptech brake system developed exclusively for Callaway using 6-piston front and 4-piston rear calipers gripping 355mm diameter rotors. Super-lightweight Callaway Dymag wheels - the lightest road wheel in the industry - measure 19" x 10" front and 20" x 12" rear. The Dymag wheel features forged magnesium centers surrounded by carbon fiber rims - another example of Callaway bringing their race experience to their road cars. Yokohama "AdvanSport" 285/30ZR19 (front) and 325/25ZR20 (rear) tires complete the package.

Pricing for a fully loaded C16 Convertible is $128,765 USD. All Callaway C16 Convertible components are available individually, for both new and currently owned Corvettes, through Callaway authorized retailers and installers.

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2008 Hummer H2 and H3 model upgrades to hit New York



The Hummer information embargo having recently been broken, we are now able to give you information and images regarding the 2008 H2 and H3 models that will be shown at next month's New York Auto Show.

The H2 will receive a 393 horsepower 6.2-liter V8 and a new six-speed automatic, both of which offer increased efficiency along with a 20 percent increase in power. As a result, towing capacity is up by 1,500 pounds to a total of 8,000 pounds. Inside, the interior has been completely redesigned with a revised blue-backlit instrument panel, center console with silver trim, seats, controls, and door panels. A third row has been added that seats two people, as opposed to the old model's single-seat. Improvements have also been made to the heating and ventilation systems, as well as the stereo - a Bose unit is now standard. Exterior styling is updated with a larger front grille and silver-painted lower bumper.



Perhaps even bigger news is the new H3 Alpha which will finally get a long-awaited V8 engine to replace the inline-five of old. With a 5.3-liter V8 that produces 295 horses and 317 lb-ft of torque (that's an increase of 53 and 75 respectively) the H3 finally feels like one of the family. Towing capacity is uprated to 6,000 pounds, but cosmetically not much has changed. The styling remains largely the same, save an Alpha badge here and there and the new silver-painted lower bumper that is found on the H2. The Luxury Equipment package is standard on the Alpha variant as is the Chrome Appearance package and 16-inch chrome wheels. The standard I5 engine will still be available on the base model.









[Motortrend]

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Chevy Trax



Chevy will show this cute Trax minicar concept, along with two other minicar concepts, at the New York Auto Show. The cars are based on a platform engineered by Daewoo, a GM affiliate. The Trax is powered by a 1.0L engine.

2008 Cadillac STS









Cadillac already sells a large and largely boring sedan. It is called the DTS (née DeVille). Why then would the company need the STS (which arrived in 2005 as the senior sporty sedan in the Caddy family) to be conservative nearly to the point of blandness? Beats us. But at the 2007 New York Auto Show Cadillac will unveil a shinier, more extroverted 2008 STS.

The 2008 Cadillac STS, which will go on sale this summer, has a new front grille, which Cadillac says was inspired by the Sixteen concept sedan of a few years ago, but actually is a dead ringer for the intricate grille of the fully redesigned 2008 CTS. Also from the new CTS come chrome front fender vents. Additional shininess is provided by chrome door handles. Bigger exhaust tips speak of performance and even more shininess. You might not be surprised to read that the optional 18-inch wheels are offered with polished finish.

Also pinched from the upcoming CTS is the (nearly) 300-horsepower direct-injection 3.6-liter V6. That 298-hp motor is now the base engine in the STS series. If you think the marketing folks at Caddy were begging the engineers to add the 2 hp to make a nice round 300, consider that those folks would also like to sell some STSs powered by the optional V8, which makes 320 hp. The new V6 will be mated to the six-speed automatic in place of last year's five-speed.

The STS's interior has been upgraded with Sapele Pommele trim, a wood so exotic and little-known that Cadillac might actually have just made it up. Anyway, there's a handsome new steering wheel made out of the stuff. And the wood trim on the center stack is now bordered by metallic surrounds. That's right: The trim has its own trim!

A new "performance handling package" for V8 rear- and all-wheel-drive models as well as V6 rear-wheel-drive STSs comes with 18-inch wheels, Michelin Pilot Sport summer tires and monster-size 14-inch Brembo brakes front and rear.

For stepping up to the V8 model, buyers get the right to pay more for an optional new lane-departure warning system and radar-based blind-spot alert system. All V8s come with a new electronic stability control system that can not only apply the brakes and cut engine power but also can automatically steer the front wheels to correct a skid.

If that sounds creepy, it's because it is a little. But some Lexus models have that capability as well and we haven't heard about any Christine-like stories from owners. But if you don't pony up for the V8, forget it. It's not offered on the base model.

[Insideline]

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2008 Shelby GT500KR











This morning, Ford announced that the mighty King of the Road Shelby GT500KR will be making a return in the spring of 2008 -- just in time to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the original. Only 1,000 of these special Mustangs will be built, and they will definitely be the fastest ones yet! The team at SVT is tweaking the 5.4L supercharged V-8 with new calibrations, a cold-air induction kit and 3.73:1 final drive ratio. The KR will be rated at 540hp/510lb-ft of torque, making it the most powerful Mustang ever.

The suspension has been recalibrated to give improved steering feel and crisper handling. An underhood cross-brace is added to improve chassis stiffness, which also helps the steering feel. Visual changes include a new carbon composite hood with scoops patterned after the original KR's and new Shelby-designed wheels. The show car is equipped with 20-inch rolling stock, while the production version sticks with 18-inch versions of the same design. The lower front valence features a pair of air intakes leading to functional ducts to cool the front brakes.

The Cobra badges will get special 40th Anniversary branding and an individually numbered plate will sit in the center of the dash to remind everyone that this car is one of only 1,000 units. There will be no convertible model and pricing won't be announced until closer to production almost a year from now, although you can probably expect an MSRP somewhere close to $50,000 and retail prices well above that. The old chicken farmer, Carrol Shelby himself, will be on hand for the unveiling in New York on Wednesday.

[Source: Ford]

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2008 Subaru Tribeca



Subaru Tribeca (U.S. specifications)


1. Streamlined sophisticated styling
The exterior design of the new Tribeca is streamlined and powerful, building upon the sporty and dynamic feel of its predecessor model. Interior designs express a sophisticated quality look and sportiness.

2. Outstanding performance
The new Tribeca has been developed with the goal of balancing improved performance and environmental considerations.

• Without increasing the physical dimensions of the power unit, the displacement was expanded from 3.0 to 3.6 liters, which was made possible primarily through design changes involving expanded bore dimensions and a longer stroke.
• The new engine maintains the same levels of emissions and fuel efficiency as the previous 3-liter unit, despite the larger engine size and more powerful output.
• The new 3.6-liter boxer engine features Dual Active Valve Control System (Dual AVCS) for controlling timing in both the intake and exhaust valves, which helps provide improved low-end torque.
• Design modifications made to the cooling system allow the use of regular unleaded gasoline, which contributes to lowering consumer operating costs.
• A substantially revised 5-speed Automatic transmission with newly designed control unit, refined torque converter and optimized gear ratio delivers faster shifting response and smooth and powerful acceleration.
• The new engine and transmission are lighter weight, achieving a total weight reduction of 4.4 kilograms.

3. Improved comfort and functionality
The new Tribeca offers a pleasant ride with improved access, visibility, and comfort.

• Third row seating access has been enhanced through a number of changes. The second row seat comes with a tilt-and-slide control on both the driver's and passenger's sides and a new assist spring that reduces the effort needed to slide the second row seat. Also new are molded grab handles on the lower C-pillar to assist in stepping into the third row.
• With redesigned door mirrors and rear quarter windows, side and rear vision have been improved.
• Re-calibrated rear suspension with new bushings improves ride comfort.

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2008 Infiniti G37 Coupe

















2008 Mercedes Benz CL 65 AMG













2008 Mercedes Benz CLK 63 AMG Black Series

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Infiniti EX Concept















2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR

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2008 Honda S2000 CR

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Chevy jumps into B segment



2007 New York Chevrolet Concepts






Chevrolet Trax





Chevrolet Beat






Chevrolet Groove

Chevrolet has chosen to use the New York Auto Show to show off three new concepts as well as gauge the market for the microcar segment in the U.S. Dubbed Trax, Beat, and Groove, the three concepts all take different approaches to what a minicar can be. All three were developed in GM's South Korean design studio and aim to appeal to younger buyers.

The Trax (who's cover was blown earlier this week ) is a four-door, front-wheel drive micro-SUV with an electric limited slip differential that features a battery and electric motor to drive the rear wheels in the event they are needed for traction, resulting in a low-cost all-wheel drive vehicle.

The exterior is painted a vibrant Blaze Orange with Burnt Orange accents (and Flame Yellow brake calipers), but despite its fun appearance the Trax builds in practicality with fold-flat rear seats, a functional roof rack, and an efficient 1-liter gasoline engine.

Featuring equally attention-getting Vertigo Green paint that extends to its dashboard and brake calipers, the Chevrolet Beat is a three-door micro-hatchback. A 1.2-liter turbocharged engine and automatic transmission deliver power to the Beat's front 17-inch wheels.

departure from small cars that are labeled as "cute" and to develop a small car with a tough stance. The Groove's 17-inch rear wheels were placed as far aft in the chassis as possible to create the perception of great length, while the long, flat cabin provides more interior space that would be expected of such a small vehicle. The front-wheel drive Groove is powered by a 1.0-liter diesel unit and features a Lunar Quartz exterior with contrasting satin silver chrome details.
All three vehicles are on display at the New York Auto Show this week and by going to www.vote4chevrolet.com, you can vote for your favorite. Chevrolet will use the results to determine what kind of market there might be for the development of a microcar for U.S. consumption.

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2009 Ford Flex


















2008 Ford F 150 Foose Edition









2008 Ford Expedition Funkmaster Flex Edition

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Jeep debuted the Liberty for model-year 2002 as the replacement for the 18-year-old Cherokee. The company was hopeful that it could move maybe 160,000 copies of the Liberty in the U.S. per year, and even now, the little SUV that could still does. Jeep sold 133,557 of them in 2006—that’s down from almost 167,000 in 2005, but it’s still a respectable number.

The company figured a six-year model run is long enough, and so the second-generation Liberty debuts at the New York auto show. To what extent Jeep is changing the looks of what has been, next to the Grand Cherokee, its bestseller—well, that’s a bit of a surprise. As with the larger Commander, Jeep has taken the 2008 Liberty in a moderately retro direction to the point where, as the photos suggest, it looks like a slightly shrunken Commander and uncomfortably close to its mechanical twin, the Dodge Nitro. And since the Commander has not exactly been flying out of dealerships, even with $3000 rebates, we’d suspect there’s a little trepidation at HQ in Auburn Hills, Michigan, not to mention at the assembly plant in Toledo, Ohio.

That said, the 2008 Liberty has some things going for it, including a “Trail Rated” badge that confirms it’s a real Jeep, for those who insist car-based vehicles such as the Compass are diluting the Jeep gene pool. There are, in fact, two four-wheel-drive systems offered—good ol' part-time Command-Trac and the new full-time, on-demand Selec-Trac II. The ’08 Liberty has an all-new independent front suspension and a new five-link rear suspension to control the unruly solid rear axle. Steering is rack-and-pinion. A rear-drive model will be offered, but as before, the product mix favors four-wheel drive.

The 2008 Jeep Liberty has a wheelbase of 106.1 inches, nearly two inches longer than the current model's. Overall length, at 176.9 inches, is an increase of 2.4 inches. Width is up a half-inch, to 72.4 inches.

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2008 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen









VW’s GTI and its budget-minded stall mate, the Rabbit have been on a tear lately in Car and Driver’s pages, snatching up comparo crowns like Homer Simpson grabbing gummies at a candy convention, and plopping down in one of our 10Best spots at that shebang’s 2007 go-round.
We like the great combination of hatchback practicality and responsible small-displacement fuel economy, plus the fun-centric driving experience that the Rabbit and GTI offer. Although the five-door version of both cars debuted just last year, there are always those who want more. For people with bigger dogs, bigger kids, and pricier trips to the grocery store than the five-doors can handle, VW’s only offerings have been the Passat wagon or the Touareg, both significant steps up in size and price.
At the Geneva auto show in March, Volkswagen debuted the Golf Variant—“Variant” is what Europeans call wagons when they don’t want to say wagon. In New York, VW shows off the same vehicle, dubbed Jetta SportWagen for the U.S. market. Although nobody has explained yet if we have to say “SportWagen” with a German accent, we think it would be polite to at least try. Maybe Volkswagen thinks that Americans won’t recognize the word wagon if it is misspelled and hidden behind “Sport.” Because who doesn’t love sports? Go Tigers!
But a wagon is what this is, and it’s not all bad. Stretched 14 inches beyond the five-door Golf, the Variant adds nine more cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat for a total of 24. Fold the rear seats, and there’s a full 54 cubic feet of air just waiting to be displaced by dorm-room debris, Home Depot scores, and slobbering Mastiffs.
The Jetta SportWagen will go on sale in Europe this summer as the Golf Variant, and come to the U.S. this fall. Here in the New World, our SportWagens will be powered by the 2.5-liter inline-five familiar from the Rabbit, now up from 150 horsepower to 170. A few months later, the 200-hp 2.0-liter turbo four from the GTI will be available. In January of 2008, the SportWagen will also be available with the 140-hp 2.0-liter turbo-diesel four-cylinder we told you about back in February. Pricing should start around $18,000 and reach into the mid- to high-20s as option boxes are checked.

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2008 Audi S5





















Look out, BMW 3-series coupe, Infiniti G37 coupe, and Mercedes-Benz CLK, the 2008 Audi A5 and Audi S5 are poised to make their debuts later this year. Derived from the next-generation A4 platform, dubbed B8, the A5 and S5 coupes have just two doors—go figure—bucking the silly four-door-coupe trend that marketers at other manufacturers have dreamed up recently. By year’s end, the A4 cabriolet is expected to defer to a convertible version of the A5, and there’s even talk of a five-door A5 “spaceback” model sometime thereafter.

The four-seat A5 will ****** the A6’s 3.1-liter FSI (direct injection) V-6, but it will be slightly more powerful—we expect a rating of 260 horsepower in U.S. trim. The engine also will be pushed farther behind the front wheels for a more favorable weight distribution. (Rejoice! The next A4 is sure to boost its skidpad numbers.) Although diesel and four-cylinder engines will be offered in Europe, the 3.1-liter is the sole U.S. powerplant. Initially, six-speed manual and continuously variable transmissions (with eight nominal ratios in manual mode) will be offered. U.S. specifications aren’t yet finalized, but we expect front-wheel drive will be standard and all-wheel drive will be optional. As in all recently redesigned and new Audis, power distribution in all-wheel-drive A5 and S5 models will be rear-biased with a nominal 40/60 split.

The S5 will get the same 4.2-liter V-8 found under the hood of the S4 and S4 Avant, updated with direct injection, as found in the current A8, and rated at 354 horsepower. The S5 will route power through a six-speed manual transmission to standard all-wheel drive. The current S4 offers a conventional automatic transmission as an option, and the lack of that option on the S5 lends credence to the rumor that a new sequential manual is in the works. The A5/S5 line would be the first from the brand to mate a dual-clutch sequential manual transmission to a longitudinally mounted engine. Such a transmission also would have to be far more robust than the current sequential manual, which hasn’t been mated to anything more powerful than a 250-hp V-6.

Although the A5's styling isn't terribly original, we can find little fault with it—the latest Audi is pretty stunning. As with every other Audi, the A5 wears the corporate single-frame grille. The detailing in the lighting, particularly the optional LED daytime running lamps, recalls the Audi R8 supercar. The upper-body coke-bottle sculpting also reminds us of the R8, although the lower-body rise is a TT-ism. Somewhat surprising, however, are the formal, notched roofline and the thick C-pillars. The rear end reminds some of us of the 3-series coupe, only executed with considerably more elegance. The S5 packs a bit more visual punch in the form of an egg-crate grille insert, a lower stance, a more pronounced integrated trunklid spoiler, and wide-set quad pipes in place of the lesser A5’s duals.

The interior, as expected, is swank. The photos clearly show lots of aluminum trim, Audi-typical gauges, and what appear to be comfortable and supportive sport front seats (but we’ll have to wait until we climb in back to see if we can say the same about the rears). An electronic parking brake and a push-button ignition system will also be standard. And, of course, the capable but complex MMI is there to serve and confuse.

We also wouldn’t be surprised if an RS 5 appeared sometime during the 2009 model year with the RS 4’s direct-injected 4.2-liter V-8 with 420 horsepower.

The A5 will be priced between the A4 and A6, so you will be able to scoop one up for between $35,000 and $40,000. Pricing of the forthcoming S5 is less clear, but we expect it to be in the low-$50,000 range to slightly undercut the 400-hp 2008 BMW M3. Oddly enough, the S5 goes on sale first, this October, while the A5 doesn't make its way here until spring 2008. But one thing is certain: Audi’s new coupe will give empty nesters another alluring option.

playdoh43

wow the G37 coupe looks a lot better in those pictures

Dinhx8

that new Tribeca is nasty. I thought the current one had some originality to it.

zoom44

you should always make sure to credit your sources when you do a thread like this. its just common courtesy.

im liking the Ford Flex although i think i liked its former name much better.


Any pics of the Mazda Nagare? I was told by Mazda that they were bringing an "updated version" to NY and i have since read its gotten a new paint scheme. Instead of the sand dune look they have given it a blue and slate ssemi translucent ocean look.

Also on the Mazda stage should be the entire 2008 line-up including a Mazda6. Intitally i thought that would mean the new 6. But Ive heard its been pushed back and wont debut until later possibly Tokyo. So itll launch like the CX-9 in January 2008 as a 2009 model

zoom44

saw on autoblog yesterday that someone dragged an '87 Buick GNX out a basement somewhere with only [/B]43 original miles[B] on it. poor turbos

JeRKy 8 Owner

I think the G37 exterior is barely an improvement over the G35, if at all.

ChuLooz

dam, some of those cars are looking great, and others not so good...im loving the look of the 2dr audis thats awsome...and the mercs look cool too. when exactily are they having this show? is it going to be a javis centre? by the way, thanks

moRotorMotor

I'm surprised no one mentioned that the Ford Flex looks like a direct copy of a Range Rover.

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Most of the posts have the source at the end. Others are from my own press information and that name I can not give out.

FYI- I'm an Auto News Mod for Mazdas247 as well.

Clavius

Fords Foose Truck and FunkFlex SUV look nice but sadly Flex's SUV looks way better than Foose's design.. I'm very surprised by that.

zoom44

no they don not. for instance you did not cite the source for any of the pics and info you posted from autoblog, motortrend or car and driver.

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You are correct.

-out.