Latest Auto Design: January 2013

Thursday, January 31, 2013

What Was Your Favorite 2013 Detroit Auto Show Debut

What Was Your Favorite 2013 Detroit Auto Show Debut The 2013 Detroit auto show press days have come to a close, but not before showcasing some of the most anticipated vehicles such as the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. Some automakers even came out of left field showing unexpected concepts, such as Ford’s Atlas concept, which previewed the 2015 F-150. With the Detroit show being one of the biggest shows of the season, car companies surely saved their big debuts for Motor City, but which one was your favorite?

What Was Your Favorite 2013 Detroit Auto Show Debut

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What Was Your Favorite 2013 Detroit Auto Show Debut

Lincoln showed the MKC concept, which got several positive reactions for its Range Rover Evoque-esque looks, while Infiniti’s Q50 sports sedan also got a thumbs-up for its sleek styling. Volkswagen brought the CrossBlue concept, showing it’s ready to dip into the midsize SUV market, and Audi’s RS7 joined the rest of the RS family in the U.S. BMW unveiled the 2013 320i, which didn’t seem so ultimate with only 180 hp, but the 4 Series Coupe concept is what really stole the show at the German automaker’s stand.
Rival Mercedes-Benz, on the other hand, touted its sexy all-wheel-drive E63 AMG 4Matic and the production version of the swoopy CLA sedan. The Lexus IS F Sport scared some spectators with its gaping grille, while Toyota may have shown us what the next-gen Corolla will look like with the Furia concept. The Corvette stole the next-gen Silverado’s thunder at the Chevy booth, while another GM reveal included the Volt’s cousin, the Cadillac ELR. The Resonance concept (previewing the next-gen Murano) and Versa Note represented Nissan, while Acura’s MDX prototype served as a sneak peek for the production version. Honda also teased a new small crossover coming out in 2014 with the Urban SUV concept, and although many thought the Hyundai HDC-14 concept would preview the next-gen Genesis, Hyundai stressed that was not the case.

What Was Your Favorite 2013 Detroit Auto Show Debut

Among all the new showstoppers at the Detroit show, which debut was your favorite? Have your say in the comments below.

Official GM Videos Reveal Even More on the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette – Video Find

Official GM Videos Reveal Even More on the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Video Find If you’re like us, you can’t get enough of the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. Here to feed your craving is a series of videos from Chevy all about its latest sports car.

Official GM Videos Reveal Even More on the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette – Video Find

Official GM Videos Reveal Even More on the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette – Video Find

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Official GM Videos Reveal Even More on the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette – Video Find

In the clips, you’ll find out about the aerodynamic upgrades made to the exterior, learn more about the Corvette’s aluminum chassis, and see what all went into crafting the car’s interior.

In the first video, we see the Corvette in its early stages of design, with artists carefully sculpting the model out of clay. Corvette exterior design manager Kirk Bennion talks about the car’s exterior styling philosophy, and emphasizes that “form follows function” was the goal in the C7’s case. We then move to the wind tunnel, where the Corvette’s many vents are explained in detail by Bennion and aero engineer John Bednarchik. With a stream of visible smoke blowing over and around the car, you can see how airflow is directed for cooling and aero purposes.

In the next two videos, we hear more from executive chief engineer Tadge Juechter, who gave us an overview of the 2014 ‘Vette’s design in a previous episode of The Downshift and sat down with host Jessi Lang for a brief Q-and-A on last week’s Wide Open Throttle. Here, Juechter gives us more details on the C7, touching on everything from the stiffness of the all-aluminum body structure to the many improvements found in the cabin.

Ultimate Remix V-8-Powered Destino Has Fisker Looks, Corvette ZR1 Firepower

Ultimate Remix V-8-Powered Destino Has Fisker Looks, Corvette ZR1 Firepower Former GM Vice President “Maximum” Bob Lutz has brought us some wild cars over the years. But his latest effort, built in collaboration with boutique carmaker VL Automotive, may be his wildest. Called the Destino, the custom vehicle is a four-door sports car that combines the best of both worlds with the Fisker Karma’s curvaceous body and the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1's power.

Ultimate Remix V-8-Powered Destino Has Fisker Looks, Corvette ZR1 Firepower

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Ultimate Remix V-8-Powered Destino Has Fisker Looks, Corvette ZR1 Firepower

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Ultimate Remix V-8-Powered Destino Has Fisker Looks, Corvette ZR1 Firepower

First shown at this week’s 2013 Detroit auto show, the Destino features slightly different styling modifications to set it apart from the always-grinning Karma. The Destino sits atop a 124.4-inch wheelbase and is 202.8 inches long. After reengineering the chassis, VL Automotive was able to rip out the Karma’s range-extended electric drivetrain in favor of the ZR1's earth-shaking 638-hp, 604-lb-ft supercharged 6.2-liter LS9 V-8. That power is sent to the wheels via a manual or automatic transmission, though specifics have not been revealed.
Normally, the Karma is powered by a GM-sourced, turbocharged 260-hp 2.0-liter Ecotec four-cylinder, which supplies juice to the two electric motors driving the rear wheels. Electricity is stored in a 20-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, and the Karma can travel under electric power for an estimated average of 32 miles, at which point the I-4 gas engine kicks in and extends range by another 250 miles.
The Destino is said to compete with the Porsche Panamera and Aston Martin Lagonda Rapide, and will be delivered on a first-come, first-served basis. Prototypes are being tested, and the Destino is scheduled to go on sale later this year.
Do you like the Karma better with a conventional powertrain? Tell us in the comments below.

Car and Driver Reviews the 2013 Alpina B7

This very well spoken review of the 2013 BMW Alpina B7 speaks for itself.

Winter Tires Or 4 Wheel Drive?

First question you may ask is why do we have Skoda Yetis on a BMW website? Because we are going to be watching a video of identical Skoda Yeti's with the same engine compete in a snow challenge. One of the Yetis is Front Wheel Drive (Like the MINI) with winter tires... The other Yeti has four wheel drive (like xDrive) with standard all seasons tires, they will compete in an acceleration, braking and a grip test to see which of these two Yetis will fair in the snow. Watch the video below or click read more for the results of this test.

Summary of Results
The 4 wheel drive Yeti with regular tires accelerated faster.
The Front Wheel Drive Yeti with Winter tires stopped a lot sooner
Winter tires generated 35% more grip.

Verdict: 4 Wheel drive allows you a accelerate faster in the snow, Winter tires allows you to stop faster and provide more grip.

- Skoda Yeti is a small activity vehicle not available in North America and some parts of the world.

Updated Acura NSX Concept Shows Possible Interior Design – 2013 Detroit

Updated Acura NSX Concept Shows Possible Interior Design – 2013 Detroit The Acura NSX concept wowed us at the 2012 Detroit show with its stunning sheetmetal and high-performance powertrain, but its interior wasn’t ready for primetime. This week, a second version of the NSX concept made an appearance at the 2013 Detroit auto show with minor exterior tweaks and a possible interior setup, previewing what the cabin could look like before the supercar goes into production.

Updated Acura NSX Concept Shows Possible Interior Design – 2013 Detroit

Updated Acura NSX Concept Shows Possible Interior Design – 2013 Detroit

Updated Acura NSX Concept Shows Possible Interior Design – 2013 Detroit

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Updated Acura NSX Concept Shows Possible Interior Design – 2013 Detroit

We caught up with Acura’s head of design Jon Ikeda, who told us his team has narrowed down the NSX’s interior possibilities to two variations. Ikeda says the interior on display at the 2013 Detroit show can be summed up as a “Human Connected Space.” Cryptic design jargon aside, the driver-focused interior is highlighted by a black and red color scheme and materials that include leather, Alcantara, and carbon fiber. Ikeda says the interior will be comfortable yet lightweight, and the heavily bolstered seats — which are constructed of a carbon-fiber shell and soft red leather seating surfaces – appear to meet that goal. The dashboard is simple, with none of the double-stacked trickery used for the instrument panel in the 2013 Honda Civic.
Otherwise, the NSX concept 2.0 is essentially the same as version 1.0. Ikeda did say that the updated concept sits just a tad lower to the ground. The rear end still features boomerang-style taillights connected to each other by a red bar. The massive V-shaped air scoop (to cool the mid-mounted gas engine) still dominates the side view. The jewel style headlights remain up front as does the power plenum grille and gaping air dams.
Acura didn’t release additional info on the powertrain, which at this point still comprises of a mid-mounted 3.5-liter V-6 (mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission) and electric motor driving the rear wheels; two additional motors power the front wheels. We still have to wait about two long years until the NSX arrives, but until then enjoy the latest iteration of Acura’s supercar.