Future Cars, Concept Cars, & Future Vehicle Photos

Tuesday, 12 July 2011

2011 BMW X3

Talk about déjà vu. Two years after rolling out Chevy's Orlando concept en Paris, General Motors will unveil the production-ready 2011 Chevrolet Orlando crossover this September at the 2010 Paris Motor Show.
Overall, the Orlando concept morphed into the production 2011 Orlando with few changes. The largest departure from the original show car lies at the nose, where the angular, chiseled lines of the original design were replaced with a softened snout. The angular, trapezoidal headlamps are gone, replaced with large, rounded assemblies that help flow into the front bumper's sweeping upper edge. In back, the narrow tail lamps grow to incorporate white turn signal lenses, while a lamp combining the fog tail lamp and back-up light is placed in the middle of the rear bumper fascia.
GM has yet to release photos of the production-spec interior, but we're not expecting a big break from the concept, which sported a rounded, dual-cockpit dashboard that gently flowed into the center stack, along with seating for seven spread across three rows. Interestingly, one conceptual cue -- a cubby and USB audio input hidden behind the front fascia of the audio system -- is reportedly making its way into production, and we wouldn't be surprised if the fold-flat nature of both the second- and third-row benches also becomes reality.
2011 Chevrolet Orlando Rear View
The 2011 Orlando rides upon a stretched version of GM's front-wheel-drive global small car architecture, which also underpins the likes of the 2011 Cruze and the 2011 Volt plug-in hybrid. Buyers will have their choice of three different engines, including a 141-horsepower, 1.8-liter gasoline I-4, or a 2.0-liter turbo-diesel I-4 offered in both 131- and 163-horsepower forms. Transmissions choices will likely include six-speed automatic and manual options.
What's all this? Diesels and a manual? Yes, and if that doesn't tell you what markets the Orlando is targeting (hint: they're all in Europe), we don't know what will. GM had once pledged to sell (and build) the Orlando here in the United States, but apparently reversed course and proclaimed it to be a "global" offering that won't make it to North America. Still, we've heard some executives are pondering adding a small van to Chevrolet's U.S. portfolio.

2011 BMW X3

2011 Audi R8 GT

These days, it's seemingly a requirement for any supercar worth its Y-rated rubber to have a limited-edition evil twin. Names like Scuderia, Superleggera, GT3 RS, and ACR-X are all testament to the current demand for no-nonsense road monsters, sacrificing comfort and practicality for purpose and sheer speed. Audi's R8 was billed as an everyday supercar when it was released, and the addition of a V-10 in the latest example hasn't done anything to change that impression. But such a reputation is a double-edged sword, with some dismissing the mid-engined Audi as too soft, or without soul.
Audi R8 GT Rear Three Quarter
Fewer people will be saying that about the Audi R8 GT, but mind you, this is still no anorexic skin-and-Kate Moss. Consider that Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system is retained, as is the stereo and climate control system. There are no Spartan nylon door pulls or bare aluminum floor panels to be found, and the R8 GT retains the majority of its sound insulation. For the most part, the R8 GT's diet consists of lighter materials -- no easy task when the standard car already boasts an aluminum space frame and magnesium chassis.
Audi R8 GT Front
Still, engineers set to work using thinner glass for the windscreen and polycarbonate for the rear window and engine cover, saving 20 pounds. The R8 GT's sheetmetal is of a lighter gauge and cutouts were made to the aluminum luggage hatch, while the rear hatch was remolded in carbon fiber-reinforced plastic, along with the car's trademark sideblades and rear bumper -- another 35 pounds lost. Weight was also removed from the power brake system, battery, air intake module, engine compartment insulation, and exhaust system. Inside, glass-reinforced plastic helps lighten the seats (69 pounds saved), while the carpet is slightly thinner and lighter for an additional 17 pounds gone. Combined with other weight-saving measures, a hair over 220 pounds was shaved off the R8 V10, bringing total curb weight down to 3362 pounds.

2011 Audi R8 GT

2011 Acura TSX

The exterior of the 2011 Chrysler 200 attempts to pull away from its Sebring predecessor. The sedan features a bigger grille is bigger and projector-style headlights that give the front a new angle, while the rear features a sleeker look with slimmer taillights and a fresh rear fascia. Even the Chrysler badging has taken a new direction. The 200 also has LEDs everywhere in an attempt to give it more class than the outgoing Sebring. LED taillights are joined by an LED high-mounted brakelight. In front, the 200 joins the LED light pipe party, with some LEDs around the headlights for extra style.
Sitting beneath the hood is the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 or the base 2.4-liter inline-four. An old-school four-speed automatic transmission will be offered at the lower end of the lineup, but a six-speed auto will otherwise be standard gear-changing fare.
The $19,995 Chrysler 200 LX may continue to be a rental car special, with its 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a four-speed automatic. The 200 Touring is $2000 more, but Chrysler is still keeping quiet on what exactly separates the trim levels. Regardless of whether you choose cloth or leather seats, all 200s have a new seat design with more cushion material and revised spring geometry.
The 200 Limited will retail for $24,495, or $1630 more than a 2010 Chrysler Sebring Limited. An S model will arrive later.

2011 Acura TSX

Sunday, 10 July 2011

2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Sedan

The 2010 WRX STI Special Edition doesn't make much sense as a business plan. With an upgraded suspension and a slightly decontended interior, it's a better handling STI for less money. Unless you just have to have HIDs and a trunk-shaking sound system, there's no reason to look higher up Subaru's performance hierarchy. That is until late this summer, when the 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, which is making its debut at the 2010 New York show, reaches dealer lots.
The Special Edition as it turns out is a preview of sorts of the 2011 STI, which will be available as a hatchback and a sedan for the first time ever in the U.S. It employs the same go-fast JDM Spec C suspension as the Special Edition. The basics are also the same: Inverted struts up front with aluminum lower L-arms, a double-wishbone out back, and high-tensile-strength steel used at the suspension mounts. Changes consist of stiffer springs all around, thicker stabilizer bars, a lower ride height, front pillow-ball bushings, and stiffer rear subframe bushings. Subaru says the upgraded suspension means "reduced body roll, more neutral handling response, and higher lateral-G capability." From our brief time in the Special Edition, we can attest that the changes are for the better: it returns easier rotation and a more neutral feeling.
The drivetrain remains the same. The 2011 STI routes 305 horsepower from the same 2.5-liter flat-4 through a 6-speed manual transmission to all four wheels, meaning a blast to 60 mph will take 4.8 seconds, and the quarter mile in 13.5 seconds at 100.6 mph, as it did in our departed long-term STI. The robust Brembo braking system, which is good for a 109-foot 60-to-0 mph stopping distance, is unchanged.
While the Special Edition keeps the black Spec C wheels (has to be special for a reason, right?), the STI gains new 18-inch rolling stock that weigh 17.6 pounds apiece. Besides assisting in the looks department with silver paint, a set of optional forged aluminum BBS wheels reduce unsprung weight even further, according to Subaru.
But Subaru didn't stop at the wheels with the cosmetic upgrades. The hatchback dons bumpers styled to appear sharper and wider, black trim around the fog lights, and a lip spoiler. Black also finds its way to the new front grille and detailing in an attempt to exaggerate width. The STI sedan's rear fenders stretch out past the tail lamps, a shape that Subaru says improves the STI's drag coefficient. Interior changes include a black and silver finish and a dark cast metallic color for the steering wheel. The base single-disc stereo boasts Bluetooth audio, iPod connectivity, and satellite radio, while a navigation system is optional.
You'll still find dials for the power-biasing Driver Controlled Center Differential (DCCD) and throttle-map-adjusting SI-Drive, both of which can adjust automatically or by driver preference. Incline Start Assist for hill starts comes standard, as does stability and traction control with a performance-orientated mode. The suspension changes we previewed in the Special Edition benefited the STI's overall driving experience. But is it enough to compete with the poise and controllability of the Lancer Evolution? Consider us primed to find out.