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Post by LuLu on Mar 16, 2012 20:50:45 GMT -5
Future Cars, Concept Cars, & Future Vehicles
Step inside the future cars section of Motor Trend online to view the latest concept vehicles, spy photos and our famed Future Vehicle Forecast. This unofficial guide will show you which new cars will be released with significant improvements and style changes.
See more if you are interested.
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Post by LuLu on Mar 16, 2012 21:17:18 GMT -5
Lamborghini Aventador J First Look The Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 is a stunningly fierce machine. It packs a screaming 12-cylinder engine and is wrapped in distinct styling that oozes testosterone. But that hasn't stopped the designers in Sant'Agata Bolognese from creating an even more dramatic vision of their newest supercar, called the Aventador J concept. The world will get its first look at the supercar at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. To create the striking Aventador J, Lamborghini removed the roof and windshield from an Aventador coupe. Not surprisingly, its styling closely resembles the Aventador , though the J's highest points are the roll hoops behind each seat, and the rearview mirror that sits atop a pole protruding from the dashboard. The doors still open upward, but have only a tiny sliver of glass instead of the Aventador's power windows. Out back, the Aventador J features a race-inspired carbon-fiber wing supported by two curved mounts. Lamborghini has shown a car in this vein before -- the Concept S appeared at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show. Based on the Gallardo coupe, the Concept S also was a speedster design; it essentially teased the production Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder that made its debut in 2006. The Aventador J takes the same basic stripped-out approach as the S, and looks more like a formula racer than a series production car.    The Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 is a stunningly fierce machine. It packs a screaming 12-cylinder engine and is wrapped in distinct styling that oozes testosterone. But that hasn't stopped the designers in Sant'Agata Bolognese from creating an even more dramatic vision of their newest supercar, called the Aventador J concept. The world will get its first look at the supercar at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. Lamborghini removed the roof and windshield from an Aventador coupe. Not surprisingly, its styling closely resembles the Aventador , though the J's highest points are the roll hoops behind each seat, and the rearview mirror that sits atop a pole protruding from the dashboard. The doors still open upward, but have only a tiny sliver of glass instead of the Aventador's power windows. Out back, the Aventador J features a race-inspired carbon-fiber wing supported by two curved mounts.   Lamborghini has shown a car in this vein before -- the Concept S appeared at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show. Based on the Gallardo coupe, the Concept S also was a speedster design; it essentially teased the production Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder that made its debut in 2006. The Aventador J takes the same basic stripped-out approach as the S, and looks more like a formula racer than a series production car. To further improve performance, the Aventador J's front and rear bumpers get unique carbon-fiber flics to add aerodynamic downforce, and black mesh at the rear helps cool the giant engine. The carbon-fiber rear diffuser features four hexagonal exhaust tips. The Aventador J rides on new aluminum center-lock wheels measuring 20 inches in front and 21 inches rear with unique fan-shaped carbon-fiber inserts designed to help cool the brakes. There are just two tiny wind deflectors in front of the seats and no roof, Lamborghini cautions that the driver and passenger must wear appropriate clothing -- which probably means a full-face helmet, as demonstrated in the press photos. The interior lacks a radio, navigation system, and climate-control system, so occupants can focus fully on the driving experience. Most of the Aventador J's cabin materials are made from Forged Composite, Lamborghini's patented process for building strong but light structures from carbon fiber. The seat inserts, for instance, use a special type of flexible carbon fabric. To accent the black components, a painted red stripe that matches the bodywork runs from the dashboard, along the center console, and up the bulkhead between the seats. The J shares everything under its skin with the regular Aventador, including the 6.5-liter V-12 engine, which offers 700 hp and 509 lb-ft of torque. It's shielded by a unique X-shaped carbon-fiber cover that leaves much of the engine on display -- "a truly stunning sight," the company claims. We concur. Lamborghini's seven-speed ISR automated manual transmission, pushrod suspension, and all-wheel-drive system also carry over. There are no performance estimates for the Aventador J, but the company says it will eclipse 186 mph, plenty fast but shy of the hardtop's 217-mph maximum velocity. Undoubtedly the best part of this open-top Lamborghini is that the car's engine and exhaust note will be even more audible. The hardtop LP700-4 already sounds phenomenal as the V-12 shrieks toward its 8250-rpm power peak; a topless version will likely sound even more exhilarating. Though the Aventador J is said to be fully drivable, Lamborghini describes it as an "absolute one-off" design study. Yet while this speedster-inspired Aventador will remain a show car, we believe it foreshadows a production convertible model, because Lamborghini has in recent years offered a convertible version of nearly all its cars. The previous V-12-powered Murcielago spawned a roadster version, so it would make sense for Lamborghini's new 12-cylinder Aventador to follow suit. Here's hoping the production car looks as stunning as the concept.
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Post by LuLu on Mar 16, 2012 21:35:16 GMT -5
New Volkswagen Phaeton is a Go After much indecision, Volkswagen has elected to replace the Phaeton, a senior marketer tells Motor Trend. But that's still about three years away. "There will be a show car first, then we will build it," our source says, "The car will be their legacy." Who's legacy? Namely Martin Winterkorn, VW Group CEO, who has had his contract extended to 2016, and Ulrich Hackenberg, VW product development chief, who will be 65 in 2015. Both are expected to retire sometime just before or after the launch of the new car (the present-generation Phaeton is pictured).    VW didn't intend to replace the Phaeton, but the burgeoning car market may be its savior. "The new one will have the same positioning: a straightforward sedan for the person who's successful but doesn't feel the need to show it. Volkswagen doesn't change course between generations of a car. It's always easier to keep the customers you have than to lose them and go find new ones." VW figures a new Phaeton would attract customers for whom the Jaguar XJ is too avant-garde, including American luxury consumers. If the next Phaeton looks conservative -- the design isn't finalized -- it will be obsessively engineered and packed with technology. To save fuel and get the best from smaller powertrains, it will be lighter, with extensive use of aluminum and magnesium. Engines will be downsized (goodbye, W-12) and use forced induction and cylinder deactivation, as well as hybrids including a plug-in. Most of all, it will be built to extremely high standards that will take precedence over saving weight or reducing cost.
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Post by LuLu on Mar 17, 2012 2:01:59 GMT -5
Kia Track'ster Concept The Soul-based Kia Track'ster concept makes its public debut at the 2012 Chicago auto show. The concept car was styled by Kia's California design studio to demonstrate potential future variations of the popular Soul hatchback  "If Soul is our rock star, Track'ster is its heavy metal companion," Kia said in a statement. The Track'ster is touted as a performance-inspired version of the company's Soul five-door hatch, and is said to foreshadow "what the Soul could someday be." It follows in the footsteps of the Soul'ster concept, a convertible model which bowed at the 2009 Detroit auto show. The Track'ster is a bold three-door design with a raked roofline, large scallops in the doors and fenders, giant show-car wheels, and a small roof spoiler. The appearance in profile mirrors that of the Range Rover Evoque, and shares similar proportions to the Hyundai Veloster. Lead designer Tom Kearns apparently wanted the concept to match the "rebellious, individual, and urban character" of the normal Soul.  Although there are currently no plans for production, Kia says it envisages the Track'ster using a gasoline engine with about 247 hp. The regular Soul offers a choice between a 138-hp 1.6-liter inline-four and 164-hp 2.0-liter inline-four engine.    
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Post by LuLu on Mar 17, 2012 2:26:03 GMT -5
All-New Subaru WRX: What to Expect
Electric Turbo? Three-Door Hatch? How the New WRX Fits into Subaru's Plans After its recently revealed "Motion V" program was announced late last year, Subaru bosses arranged a special briefing for potential investors. At that meeting, senior staffers laid out a road map of what models and new technologies would be unveiled up to 2015.  It started with the all-new Impreza of last year, the BRZ and Forester which will go on sale this year, the Exiga minivan in 2013, the all-new WRX (which will diverge from the Impreza platform) and a brand new sport wagon for 2014, and the all-new Legacy in 2015. Of note on the technology side is a new direct injection turbocharged engine slated for introduction by the end of this year. And that's just part of Subaru's powertrain plans. According to a source close to Subaru, the company is currently working on a three-stage plan: Stage 1 (completed) - Direct injection 2.0-liter four-cylinder boxer incorporating Toyota's DS-4 technology for the BRZ Stage 2 - Direct injection turbocharged variant of the FA20 2.0-liter Stage 3 - High-powered four-cylinder turbo boxer for the next generation WRX. While the final engine capacity has not been decided yet, the consensus inside Subaru is leaning towards downsizing and tweaking the BRZ's FA20 2.0-liter unit into a 1.6-liter turbo featuring new lean-burn technology. This is where the story gets interesting. We hear the turbo destined for production later this year and the one being developed for the WRX are two different beasts. That is to say that the WRX, which is expected to return in three-door hatchback and sedan forms (check out our CG image to see how one artist visualizes the hatch), is rumored to employ a turbo with some form of electric device. This has been a while coming as Subaru took out a patent on an electrically-operated turbo back in 2007. While the internals are still secret, our source did mention that the new turbo would use heat energy from exhaust gases to generate the necessary electricity. That means that the new turbo will do away with the complicated piping prevalent in current turbos. This new system will generate greatly improved energy efficiency which will in turn basically eradicate turbo lag. Toyota, Nissan, and Mazda have all dabbled with electric turbos, but Subaru could be the first to bring the idea to production. Whether the WRX will stage a comeback to the WRC is undecided, but Subaru did say that we can expect to see the car in competitive events from road racing to rallying. The 2012 Subaru Impreza 
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Post by LuLu on Mar 17, 2012 22:18:24 GMT -5
Thought I would just show you some pictures of these cars. I will just tell you a little bit about then..  ~~~2013 Dodge Dart~~~~~~~~Front View~~~~~This is a real beauty, isn't it? It doesn't look at all like the Dodge Dart I remember. |
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Post by LuLu on Mar 17, 2012 22:30:39 GMT -5
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Post by LuLu on Mar 17, 2012 23:27:43 GMT -5
2011 Concept Chevrolet EN V Oh Lord what will they think of next?  Now I am wondering what size tire this thing has.  Oh Oh! Two fat ladies wouldn't fit in here! Hey! Theres one tire!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2012 22:38:56 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2012 22:40:58 GMT -5
If you had a vehicle that was capable of traveling faster than the speed of light...
Do you think the headlights would work?
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Post by LuLu on Mar 19, 2012 2:17:57 GMT -5
Lincoln MKZ Concept
Big Changes Coming for Lincoln Midsizer - And the Brand Itself
 It's no secret Lincoln has been floundering for several years, with a lineup of products that are little more than tarted-up Fords. But with a hip new design team in place and a reported $1 billion pledged to fix its ailing luxury brand, Ford is confident it can reverse the slide.  The revival was launched in November, when Lincoln showed the restyled MKS sedan and MKT crossover at the Los Angeles auto show. And now, at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Lincoln is rolling out the MKZ Concept, a future vision Ford is trumpeting as the vanguard for the brand's resurgence. "With the Lincoln MKZ Concept, we are not introducing a new car. We are essentially introducing a new brand," proclaimed Ford global product kingpin Derrick Kuzak in the statement announcing the MKZ Concept. "The MKZ Concept is the next step in the reinvention of Lincoln, something we've been quietly, but aggressively pursuing." Bold words indeed, Derrick. It remains to be seen if Ford's new approach will resonate with the discerning luxury crowd. The MKZ Concept features a revamped version of Lincoln's bold dual-opening front grille that the automaker says is a more refined interpretation of the split-wing mug from the iconic 1938 Lincoln-Zephyr, with horizontal bars replacing the classic car's vertical slats. A single piece of chrome wraps around each grille and headlamp flank, and both the front headlamps and the full-width taillamps employ LED technology. ![]() image.motortrend.com/f/future/concept_vehicles/1201_lincoln_mkz_concept_look/35095265+pinline_medium/Lincoln-MKZ-Concept-rear-three-quarters.JPG.jpg[/img]Not surprisingly, the MKZ Concept features the type of long, sweeping, coupe-like roofline that's trendy these days in sedan design. Lincoln says the roofline lends the MKZ a more flowing, elegant, and aerodynamic shape. A panoramic glass roof opens up the cabin, extending from the top of the windshield to the top of rear window and spanning the entire width between the side roof rails. The body is finished in a special, cognac-colored hue. "The MKZ Concept's shape is a vision of simplicity completed with just a few strokes," said Max Wolff, Lincoln's design director and the man in charge of the stroking, in a release announcing the MKZ concept. "Our movement as a brand is toward something we call elegant simplicity. It's something warmer and more restrained, which is moving away from complex designs and traditional luxury." The Lincoln MKZ Concept is reportedly underpinned by an all-new midsize platform (no doubt a version of the new Fusion's underpinnings) that supports front- and all-wheel drive configurations. The concept's aluminum and boron steel chassis is larger than the current production MKZ -- wheelbase is up 4.8 inches, now at 112.2; overall length is up 4.3 for a total of 194.1 inches nose to tail; and width is up 1.2 inches, now at 73.4. Height remains unchanged at 59.6 inches. The car rolls on concept-style, oversized 20-inch wheels with low profile 245/35 tires.  No word on powertrain configurations yet, but we can assume the production version of the MKZ will employ at least one four-cylinder option from the Ford engine portfolio, although given Ford's drive to differentiate Lincoln from Ford brand products, we'd be stunned if the MKZ doesn't come with a V-6 of some type. A hybrid version is no doubt in the cards. On the inside, Lincoln says the MKZ's cabin uses "responsibly harvested poplar wood," bright- and satin-finished aluminum trim, and champagne-colored leather seating. The seats are set off with dark taupe accents featuring a "champagne perforation pattern" on the seatbacks. The perforation pattern gets its name because the perforations on the seat backs are supposed to "conjure up the image of champagne bubbles rising from the bottom of the glass." A full-length center console limits seating to four, but visual and actual space has been increased thanks to the tiered center console and redesigned dashboard. In front of the driver sits a reconfigurable 10.1-inch TFT LCD screen that displays vehicle information as well as Sync and MyLincoln Touch. A flush-mounted 8-inch LCD touch screen is mounted in the center console.  "The front graphic is repeated in the dramatic sweep of the instrument panel, helping tie the interior to the exterior," said Wolff. "These flowing forms create a comfortable and functional interior that particularly appeals to the younger, more diverse customers we are targeting." A highlight of the cockpit is the car's electronic shift actuation setup, in which lighted pushbuttons are pressed to select and change transmission gears, a neat old-school touch. The automaker said the design helped reduce overall vehicle weight and opened up more design possibilities for the center console. The MKZ Concept also makes use of Lincoln Drive Control, its Continuously Controlled Damping (CCD) adjustable suspension, and Ford's Lane Keeping System, also found on the new MKS and MKT. Although the production model is bound to differ, the concept is believed to be a fairly accurate representation of the styling and direction of Lincoln's new entry-level sedan, and of Lincoln itself. Will the MKZ help save the brand? We'll find out soon enough.     The 2012 Lincoln MKZ 
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Post by LuLu on Mar 19, 2012 2:37:42 GMT -5
612-Horsepower Mercedes-Benz G65 AMG SUV Will Be Produced, Report Confirms
 Take one part engine from the S65 AMG sedan, one part G-Class retro SUV, and shake. We hear that the resulting cocktail–a bonkers, twin-turbo V-12, G65 AMG utility vehicle—will pack a 612-hp punch. AutoEvolution reports that a source close to the automaker has confirmed that the G65 AMG will receive a new heart in the form of the corporate 6.0-liter V-12 engine, which is also grafted into the S, CL, and SL-Class cars. The engine makes 612 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque and is mated to a five-speed automatic transmission in the other cars. While Mercedes nor AutoEvolution could say if the G65 AMG will make any more or less power, we hear that the G-Class will be one of the first Mercs to use the AMG Speedshift Plus 7G Tronic transmission. Previously, the seven-speed lacked the capability of handling the twelve-cylinder’s torque. As you can see from an earlier spy shot, expect all manner of tweaks other than the engine on the forthcoming G65 AMG, from brakes to aerodynamic kit additions, to wheels. All of this will reportedly cost around 222,000 Euro, or just over $290,000–the G65, then, is anything but cheap speed. If the price and power are too much for you, we hear that a G63 AMG, complete with a twin-turbo 5.5-liter V-8 engine and 536 horsepower and a smaller price tag, is on its way as well.   
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Post by LuLu on Mar 20, 2012 0:10:13 GMT -5
Tech Look: 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class " Almost 90 percent of the chassis is made from aluminum -- 89 percent, to be exact. "    The result is that the front of the car looks nothing at all like the rear of the car. The nose is aggressive, gnarled, and angular. The rear end is soft and smooth-looking. Weirder still, a third motif shows up when the SL is viewed from the side. I walked up to a MB designer and said, "It looks like two different people designed it." He was very quiet for a moment before he said, "Three." So there you have it. Because of its lightweight, incredibly stiff chassis, the new SL should be the best-driving Mercedes of them all. And because you'll be behind the wheel, you won't have to look at it. When I first saw this car I thought, "God this is ugly!" Now you want to know what I think of it? "God this is an ugly car!"
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