Car Blog

Hyundai Motor America introduced the all-new Hyundai Azera in a North American debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Azera is the fifth vehicle to adopt the company’s signature Fluidic Sculpture design language. Tucson, Accent, Elantra, Sonata and Azera now all have a modern, sleek, sophisticated style, creating the illusion of constant motion. This flagship Fluidic Sculpture sedan also features a more powerful Lambda II 3.3-liter GDI engine, six-speed transmission, best-in-class combined fuel economy of 23 miles per gallon and a wide range of advanced safety equipment.

Azera is the seventh vehicle in Hyundai’s 24/7 version 2.0 product initiative (seven new models in 24 months), on the heels of the all-new Tucson, Sonata, Equus, Elantra, Accent and Veloster. The 2012 Azera represents a modern approach to the traditional large sedan segment by using an advanced powertrain, emotional design and luxury features offered with Hyundai’s strong value proposition. This approach has been successful for the other Fluidic Sculpture vehicles. Read the rest of this entry »

Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) will unveil the all-new 2013 CX-5 at the upcoming Los Angeles International Auto Show.  The compact SUV will be Mazda’s first vehicle to fully encompass SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY, the brand’s ground-breaking engineering and leading-edge technology toward improving all-around vehicle efficiency.

A suite of technologies, SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY includes completely redesigned, highly efficient internal combustion gasoline and diesel engines, manual and automatic transmissions, and an advanced body and chassis.  Together, these components will improve upon every aspect of the driving experience, including the vehicle’s performance, handling, fuel economy and safety.

Based on the MINAGI Concept, which made its global debut at the Geneva Motor Show last March, CX-5 enters a highly competitive compact SUV segment but with the unique advantage of all-new SKYACTIV technologies, such as the SKYACTIV-G 2.0-liter gasoline engine, SKYACTIV-MT six-speed manual transmission, SKYACTIV-Drive six-speed automatic transmission, SKYACTIV-Body and SKYACTIV-Chassis. Read the rest of this entry »

Design Studios from the U.S., Germany and Japan Participate in the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge: Make a Car the Star

For decades, automobiles have played important roles in some of Hollywood’s most popular films. The big screen has seen a steady parade of iconic autos that not only entertained as the emblematic rides of their famous drivers, but also actually stole the show and took leading roles themselves. Thanks to vehicles such as the 1968 Mustang GT that Steve McQueen raced through the streets of San Francisco in Bullitt, to the DeLorean featured in Back To The Future, automobiles are now firmly part of film lore.

In the quest to find the next A-list automobile, this year’s LA Auto Show Design Challenge will focus on designing Hollywood’s hottest new movie car. For the second year in a row, participating design studios from not only the U.S., but also Germany and Japan, will compete against one another to showcase their talents. Design studios from General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz Germany (Smart), Mercedes-Benz Japan (Maybach), and Mercedes-Benz U.S., will explore new ideas in automotive design as they contend for this top annual design honor. Read the rest of this entry »

Honda unveiled the all-new Fit EV Concept electric vehicle and the platform for a midsize plug-in hybrid vehicle. Both vehicles are integral to the Honda Electric Mobility Network, the company’s comprehensive approach to reducing CO2 emissions through innovative products, energy-management and energy-production technologies.

The Fit EV Concept hints strongly at the direction and styling for Honda’s upcoming production Fit EV all-electric vehicle, which will be introduced to the U.S. and Japan in 2012. The all-new plug-in hybrid platform showcases Honda’s next-generation, two-motor hybrid technology set to debut in 2012.

“Honda’s long history with electromotive technologies has enabled us to understand customer requirements,” said Takanobu Ito, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. President and CEO. “In Honda’s view, an electric vehicle must offer great utility and be fun to drive. Fit EV’s urban commuting capability will be a perfect addition to the full-function mobility of the plug-in hybrid and FCX Clarity fuel cell electric vehicle.” Read the rest of this entry »

Volkswagen’s Popular Golf Goes Electric; Zero-Emission Golf blue-e-motion available in 2013

Next week during the Los Angeles Auto Show, Volkswagen of America, Inc. will offer U.S. media their first chance to get behind the wheel of the Golf blue-e-motion zero-emissions electric vehicle. Drivers will experience the pure electrically powered version of the most successful European car ever built, the Golf. For Volkswagen, 2013 is the key year of electric mobility. First the brand starts into the age of pure electric driving by introducing the all-electric Up! and shortly afterwards the Golf blue-e-motion.

The five-door and five-seat Golf blue-e-motion is silently driven by an electric motor that delivers a high maximum torque (199 lbs.-ft.) from a stop, resulting in a true zero-emissions Volkswagen driving experience. The electricity for powering the electric motor is stored in a lithium-ion battery with an energy capacity of 26.5 kilowatt-hours. The Golf blue-e-motion joins Volkswagen’s many other responsible mobility options, including TDI Clean Diesels, hybrids and bio-fuel powered vehicles. Read the rest of this entry »

Chrysler Group LLC will feature four Moparized vehicles at the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show, which takes place Nov. 19 – 28 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Mopar-modified vehicles on display will include Ram 1500, Chrysler Town & Country, Jeep® Wrangler Sahara and the Mopar ’10 Challenger. In addition, Mopar will demo industry-first features including owner-information mobile phone apps and its new Electronic Vehicle Tracking System (EVTS).

“Our mission at Mopar is to add value to each one of our brands,” said Pietro Gorlier, President and CEO of Mopar, Chrysler Group’s service, parts and customer-care brand. “By offering exceptional customer service and proven, quality-tested parts and accessories, we will continue to enhance the customer experience with our brands and vehicles. Mopar now offers more than 20,000 accessories for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram vehicles. And when our new Fiat 500 arrives, we will offer even more.”

In addition to accessories, Mopar continues to introduce innovative features and service initiatives.

Just last month, the brand launched its industry-first Electronic Vehicle Tracking System (EVTS), an ideal device for fleet owners or concerned parents. If someone drives a vehicle too far or too fast, the system will send the owner a text. And unlike any other vehicle-tracking system, Mopar EVTS offers nationwide tracking without a subscription.

From a service standpoint, Mopar recently expanded its industry-first owner-information mobile phone apps to include 2011 Ram 1500/2500/3500 pickup trucks along with the all-new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Information that used to be stuffed into the glove box is now available free-of-charge on customer smartphones. Read the rest of this entry »