Archive for Concepts

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The Mitsubishi Concept-RA could inspire a replacement for the Mitsubishi Eclipse, but for the moment we will have to wait for the 2008 North American International Auto Show to see the car in actual metal as all we have are these artist sketches of the coupe.

Power from a low-emissions 2.2 liter 4-cylinder MIVEC DOHC Variable Geometry Turbocharger turbodiesel engine putting out 204 PS and 420Nm of torque is put down to the ground to all four wheels via the S-AWC driveline from the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. The S-AWC system incorporates Active Center Differential, Active Yaw Control, Sport Antilock Brake System, and Active Stability Control.

The low emissions from this turbodiesel engine that meets the US Tier 2 Bin 5 regulations are achieved without urea, instead it relies on a new converter system that brings together diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC), NOx trap catalyst (NTC) and diesel particulate filter (DPF) technologies.

The Concept-RA’s chassis is constructed with an aluminum space frame made from extruded aluminum sections and die-cast aluminum members, while the engine hood, fenders and other outer panels are made of high impact-resistance and easily recyclable plastic resin.

One more rear view sketch after the jump.

Related Posts:
The new Lancer Evolution’s S-AWC system

Click here to read the rest of Mitsubishi Concept-RA to debut at Detroit 2008

This latest concept Volkswagen is high powered both in the trunk and under the hood. The Volkswagen Golf Variant RaVe 270 makes use of the Golf Variant station wagon’s extra boot space by fitting in a 1,400 Watt high end sound system.

The sound system is based around the new Volkswagen RNS 510 radio-navigation system. This is hooked up to three amps, chanelling sound to 13 speakers, a 880 watt subwoofer and two more 250 watt subwoofers. In the rear is two 12 inch monitors, in case music is not enough and you must have music videos too.

Under the hood is a tuned up version of the Golf GTI’s 2.0 liter TFSI engine putting out 270 PS, and this is mated to a twin clutch DSG gearbox sending power to all four wheels via the 4MOTION all-wheel drive system from the Golf R32.

More images after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Volkswagen Golf Variant RaVe 270

There are now two Ford Verve Concepts, with the latest addition being a 4-door notchback recently unveiled at the 2007 Guangzhou International Auto Show, rather befitting as apparently the Chinese love notchbacks.

This small B-segment sedan could pose a mean fight to the likes of the new Toyota Vios and the upcoming Honda City replacement. while the 3-door Verve goes against the Jazz and the Yaris. They definitely have the looks.

The new Verve Sedan 4-door notchback joins it’s 3-door hatchback sibling unveiled earlier at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show and previews what the future Ford Fiesta replacement might look like.

More photos after the jump.

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Ford Verve Concept previews 2009 Ford Fiesta
Mazda 2 Sedan launched in China

Click here to read the rest of Ford Verve Sedan unveiled in China

This is the sedan version of Hyundai’s two new RWD cars, the Hyundai Genesis Sedan. Hyundai has taken care to give the car a decent 53:47 weight distribution, and claim the body structure is more rigid than a 5-Series. We’ll see how this translates to actual road dynamics when the final production version is out, but on paper it looks decent.

Under the hood is a 4.6 liter V8 engine from the new Tau family, putting out more than 300 horsepower. This engine was originally also destined for the Genesis Coupe but somehow in the end for some reason their product planning decided not to put a V8 in the concept coupe.

More photos and a video after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Hyundai Genesis Sedan Concept

You’ve seen photos and text on what the Maybach Landaulet is all about, but here’s a video allowing you to see the semi-open top luxury barge in motion.

Check out the video after the jump.

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Maybach reveals the Maybach Landaulet Concept

Click here to read the rest of Maybach Landaulet Concept Video

While we are on the subject of Alfa replacements, what about the Alfa Romeo 166’s replacement? The new Alfa Romeo 169 is known as the Progetto 941 internally, and it is set to ride on a derivative of the next generation Maserati Quattroporte E/F platform.

This means rear wheel drive. It also means a longtitudinal engine layout, something not seen on Alfa Romeos since the 145 Boxer and 146 Boxer. Engines are expected to be exclusively V6 and V8 (for a GTA variant) engines with Uniair/Multiair technology, with transaxle gearboxes to help the car achieve a close to 49:51 weight distribution.

Sources reveal the V6 engine will be lifted from a new family of Alfa Romeo V6 engines, not an upgraded GTA engine. It will most likely have JTS lean burn direct injection engine heads and twin turbochargers.

Styling will most likely be inspired by the year 2004 Alfa Romeo Visconti Concept styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro. The Visconti was based on the Alfa Romeo Premium platform which underpins the current Alfa Romeo 159, but has its wheelbase lengthened by 20mm.

The 169 was to originally use this platform, but later it was decided that the Quattroporte E/F platform was a better idea. Under the concept’s hood is the first sighting of the new V6 engine family - a 3.2 V6 twinturbocharged JTS direct injection engine to make 405hp and 680Nm of torque.

More photos of the concept after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Alfa Romeo 169 to be based on Quattroporte E/F?

Suzuki produced two concept kitted up cars for the 2007 SEMA aftermarket parts show - one is the Suzuki SX4 Sedan “Street Sport” concept shown in Dark Blue above, and the other is the Suzuki SX4 Sedan “touring” concept, which is dressed in Dark Red above.

The SX4 Street Sport concept is powered by a 143 horsepower 2.0 liter DOHC engine mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. Coupled with a rigid body and a sports suspension, it should prove to be interesting to drive considering Suzuki’s experience with making fun to drive cars like the Suzuki Swift. Completing the sporty look are 18 inch alloy wheels wrapped with performance-oriented Yokohama tyres in 215/40R18 size.

The other “touring” version is nothing more than a cosmetic dress up, fitted with a bodykit and 17 inch wheels.

The new Hyundai Concept Genesis Coupe is the near-production result of the HCD series of concept coupes and crossovers. It goes into production in Spring 2009, and will most probably be slightly more production friendly, with a more toned down exterior design compared to this concept.

Done up in a bright Sonic Orange and Ballistic Black two-tone design, the Hyundai Concept Genesis Coupe is powered by the 3.8 liter V6 from the Genesis Sedan mounted at the front mated to a 6-speed manual, sending over 300 horsepower to the rear wheels. The FR design, a classic sports car drivetrain configuration. 0-100km/h time is expected to be under 6 seconds, and the car will also have an LSD differential.

Although still a concept car, there is some preliminary info to preview the final production car specifications. The 2+2 coupe has a wheelbase of 2,820mm, a length of 4,666mm, a width of 1,902mm and a height of 1,386mm. It rides on 20 inch wheels wrapped with Hankook 255/35ZR20 wheels at the front and wider 275/35ZR20 wheels at the rear. Disc brakes are Brembos, with sizes 340mm and 330mm with twin calipers for the front and rear discs respectively.

Hyundai has an ambitious dream of delivering an Infiniti G37 experience at Mitsubishi Eclipse prices with the production Hyundai Genesis Coupe, so this will be quite an interesting wait-and-see for Spring 2009.

More photos after the jump.

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A spyshot of the production Genesis coupe interior

Click here to read the rest of Hyundai Concept Genesis Coupe - RWD V6!

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The new Mitsubishi Concept-ZT was on display at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show. The Concept-ZT carries the same design language as the new Lancer (called the Galant Fortis in Japan), but looks like an enlarged version. It should point to how the next generation Mitsubishi Galant will look like.

Just a short recap as regular visitors would have already read about the car in a previous post - the Concept-ZT is powered by a 188 horsepower 400Nm 2.2 liter turbodiesel engine with a VGT turbocharger mated to a Twin Clutch SST gearbox. The car also has an electronic LSD differential for the front, and ASC based on Mitsubishi’s AWD system.

More information on the Concept-ZT is available in the previous post I wrote about the concept car, linked below.

Check out more live photos from the show after the jump.

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Mitsubishi Concept-ZT to be unveiled at Tokyo 2007

Click here to read the rest of TOKYO LIVE 2007: Mitsubishi Concept-ZT

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The new Suzuki Kizashi 2 Concept (done up in white) shown at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show is an evolution of the Suzuki Kizashi Concept (this is the red-coloured car) shown at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show.

While the Kizashi had a 2.0 liter turbodiesel under the hood, very apt for its European motor show unveiling, the new Kizashi 2 concept uses a more Japanese-oriented 3.6 liter V6, the largest Suzuki has ever put in a car, mated to a six-speed auto.

More photos after the jump.

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More about the Suzuki Concept Kizashi

Click here to read the rest of TOKYO LIVE 2007: Suzuki Kizashi 2 Concept