Archive for March, 2011
Spy Shots: 2012 Toyota Yaris Three-Door
Posted on 31. Mar, 2011 by admin.
Toyota is currently working on a replacement for its Yaris compact car, which is expected to enter the market towards the end of the year and has been spied here for the first time in prototype form. The new hatchback will go on sale as the 2012 Toyota Yaris, both in three- and five-door trims, the former of which you see here. A new Yaris sedan…
Continue Reading
2013 Chevrolet Malibu: 2011 New York Auto Show Preview
Posted on 30. Mar, 2011 by admin.
This is the first look at the 2013 Chevy Malibu, due for a full unveiling at the 2011 New York and Shanghai Auto Shows on April 19th. So far, we get nothing but a teaser of the rear of the car and some general suggestions as to its specs, though the video below gives a better idea of what to expect. Those specs are very general indeed, however…
Continue Reading
Chevy Prepares Next Generation Malibu Reveal
Posted on 30. Mar, 2011 by admin.
This is a screenshot (above) from a promotional video of the Chevy Malibu sedan. The real thing — in showcar form — will be revealed simultaneously in Shanghai and on Facebook April 19.
The U.S. press will see it a few days later during the media preview for the New York International Auto Show. The new Malibu will be labeled a 2013 model year, meaning it can’t be sold until at least Jan. 1, 2012. We’d expect sales to start in the first half of 2012.
The images above and below are of the design study for this sedan.
It looks to be a nearly complete rendering. We’d guess that the large wheels are the only exaggerated element.
Watch the video and see the designer elaborate on how he used elements from the new Camaro in the design.
While not a breathtaking design, these early glimpses show an improved Malibu from what’s currently on sale. But will it be as hot a seller as the new Equinox crossover?
Continue Reading
Johnson Controls Introduces Slim Stow Second Row Seat
Posted on 30. Mar, 2011 by admin.
The Slim Stow Seat by Johnson Controls promises to save weight and cargo space in future extended and crew cab pickup trucks.
When folded flush against the cabin wall, the Slim Stow Seat occupies 33 percent less space than today's second row seats, according to a Johnson Controls press release.
Driver visibility is also improved.
“Our Slim Stow Seat enables us to set new standards in rear seats in pickups,” said Dr. Andreas Eppinger, Vice President Technology Management at Johnson Controls Automotive Experience. “It surpasses previous seating concepts in terms of comfort, cargo space and appearance. It also improves visibility when stowed since the seat back is lowered [3.94 inches].”
Johnson Controls is a Tier 1 global supplier of interior components to automakers.
The seat consists of two parts. The upper part uses a tubular frame design with integrated anchors to hold a child seat and side bolstering that Johnson Controls claims provides as much lateral support as a truck's front row captains chairs. The lower part of the seat features a stable arm that holds the seat pad, which features 50 percent more foam than usual in strategic spots for extra comfort.
Overall, the Slim Stow Seat uses less materials that save 30 percent in weight over today's seats to help marginally improve fuel economy. The seats can be quickly deployed or stowed with one hand.
Johnson Controls hasn't named any truck manufacturers that it has partnered with to supply Slim Stow seating.
[Source: Johnson Controls]
Continue Reading
Alfa Romeo Zagato TZ3 Stradale Enters Limited Production
Posted on 30. Mar, 2011 by admin.
Last summer, Zagato unveiled its Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa at the Villa D’Este as a celebration of the 100th anniversary of Alfa’s involvement in motorsports. The car is now entering limited production as the TZ3 Stradale. The Corsa was billed and envisioned as a pure racing car, and the TZ3 Stradale is the street-going version–but it keeps that raw…
Continue Reading
Guilty Pleasure: Buick Reatta
Posted on 30. Mar, 2011 by admin.
Welcome back to the Guilty Pleasures series, a weekly journey into the land of cars we shouldn’t, yet do want. The ideal Guilty Pleasure car sold for a bundle when new, failed miserably in the showrooms, and only gets discussed later— if it is remembered at all— in semi-mocking tones. The Buick Reatta, a fancy two-seater built for the…
Continue Reading
Goatherding Cabrera: Gallant Gallardo Replacement To Pack 600 HP, Supercharger?
Posted on 30. Mar, 2011 by admin.
Everyone knows Lamborghini names its cars after famous fighting bulls. But those names also have Spanish meanings–and while Gallardo means “gallant” in its mother tongue, its replacement’s name isn’t as elegant: Cabrera means “goatherder” in Catalan and Spanish. Whatever the nominal designation, however, the Cabrera could be a powerhouse…
Continue Reading
Review: 2011 Buick Regal Turbo Take Two
Posted on 30. Mar, 2011 by admin.
Sometimes love strikes at first sight. Other times it emerges more gradually over months or even years. When I first drove the new Buick Regal nearly a year ago, I found a fair amount to like, but love didn’t instantly happen. The Regal just isn’t that kind of car. Its strengths are subtle. Perhaps if [...]
Read more
Continue Reading
Buick Envision Plug-In Hybrid SUV Concept: Shanghai Auto Show Preview
Posted on 30. Mar, 2011 by admin.
Turning heads and changing minds has not been Buick’s strong suit until recently, but with cars like the LaCrosse and Regal on the road, credibility as a legitimate option for those not yet part of the golf-and-managed-care-facility set is growing. The newest concept from the company may push Buick even farther toward the limelight: a plug-in…
Continue Reading
Video: NFS Shift 2 Unleashed Time Attack Pits Milner Versus McNamara
Posted on 30. Mar, 2011 by admin.
American Le Mans Racer Tommy Milner wheels a Covette this season, while Formula D drifter Darren McNamara, or D-MAC as he’s known to fans, is more at home sliding and smoking that turning fast laps–or is he? This video shows a Need For Speed SHIFT 2 Unleashed time attack challenge between the two–racing from Washington, D.C. and Cork, Ireland…
