crossover
Dartz Prombron Nagel, For When Darth Vader Needs To Tow His Yacht
One of the wildest car companies on the planet at the moment has got to be Dartz Prombron. This Russian automaker has made quite a few headlines with their over-the-top SUV’s featuring such optional extras such as diamonds and whale penis upholstery (how did they even find a supplier for that!). Now they have teamed…
Toyota Canada Warns Dealers Of Chaotic Summer Due To Tight Supplies
Toyota Canada has cut its sales projections by a third and warned dealers that the supply of new vehicles is starting to be choked off as the company feels the effects of the March 11th earthquake that rocked northern Japan. While Toyota sent two memos to dealers regarding the revised sales forecast, the company refused…
MINI Countryman To Get Rear Bench Seat Option
The MINI Countryman was originally offered with a 2+2 configuration that made it somewhat impractical for a significant portion of potential buyers, who need the fifth seat for whatever reason. MINI eventually decided to offer a fifth seat option in Europe, but has now decided that North Americans can have the option of a middle…
2012 Honda CR-V Delayed, Civic To See Limited Production
Honda will delay the launch of their next generation CR-V crossover due to continued production delays, and supplies of their 2012 Civic will also be delayed as Honda’s North American production continues to run at well below capacity amid the after effects of Japan’s natural disasters. In a letter to Honda’s dealers, U.S. executive vice-president…
NHTSA Investigating Ford Escape, Mercury Mariner For Shattering Glass
NHTSA is investigating the 2010-2011 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner for a rear window that could potentially shatter. So far, the government agency has received 18 complaints regarding the rear window shattering when the tailgate is opened or closed. 200,000 Escape and Mariner vehicles will now be investigated, and Ford has issued a service bulletin regarding the…
BMW X1 Delayed Until Late 2012
With the extreme popularity of the BMW X1 crossover within Europe, sales in the United States have been delayed until the end of 2012. The X1 was formally launched in Europe in November 2009 and was initially planned to launch in the US earlier this year. The delay has been caused by the Leipzig plant, which can…
Mazda CX-5 Confirmed For Spring 2012, Mazda3 To Get 40 MPG, Diesel Confirmed
Mazda confirmed that their previously unveiled Minagi concept will go into production as the Mazda CX-5, a small crossover intended to slot beneath their mid-size CX-7 and full-size CX-9. The CX-5 will be the first Mazda vehicle to come with a full suite of SKYACTIV fuel-saving technologies, among them an all-new engine designed for maximum…
Audi Q3 May Come To United States
While Audi’s plans for the U.S. market originally did not include the compact Q3 crossover, but Audi is re-considering the decision to not import the car after seeing the segment expand with offerings like the MINI Countryman, BMW X1 and the Nissan Juke. While the Q5 starts at $35,200, Audi would likely have to price…
Jaguar SUV, Sports Car Details Emerge
Jaguar has slowly been releasing details of their new products expected to debut in the next few years, and each leak makes us more excited for what’s in store. The new SUV is expected to help bulk up the brand’s total sales and take on cars like the Range Rover Sport, BMW X5 and Porsche…
Audi Q3 Sketches Released
Audi has released a number of sketches showing their forthcoming Q3 crossover, based on the Volkswagen Tiguan, that will serve as an entry-level vehicle for the brand. The Q3 is unlikely to come to North America, but its unveiling at the Shanghai Auto Show should give a clue as to where Audi anticipates a fair…
Fiat Increasing Stake In Chrysler To 30 Percent
Fiat is set to increase ownership in Chrysler, from 25 to 30 percent, within the next few weeks, assuming regulatory bodies are satisfied with Fiat’s ability to meet specific demands for Chrysler. Fiat has already been able to generate $1.5 billion in revenue for Chrysler outside of North America, but still needs to build a…
Saab Production Halted Due To Payment Dispute With Suppliers
Saab has halted production yet again amid another dispute with suppliers. Saab representatives declined to say how long the production stoppage would last, but said that they were in discussions with their suppliers to resolve the matter. Saab’s parent company Spyker said that last week’s production stoppage was related to unpaid bills. In an interview…
Ford Hikes Prices On 2011 Models
Now Ford Motor Company is also doing the same, though in this case, the hike is a little less dramatic; the automaker saying the increase will only be around 0.4 percent.
Subaru Resumes Car Production In Japan
Subaru will re-start their large car production plant, nearly a month after an earthquake caused parent company Fuji Heavy Industries to shut the factory down. The factory builds the Legacy, Impreza and Forester, which comprise the bulk of Subaru’s U.S. lineup. The plant will only be running at 50 percent capacity initially. Subaru claims that…
Range Rover Evoque Priced In Europe, Priced From $45,000 To $71,000
The hotly anticipated Range Rover Evoque has been priced in the United Kingdom and will start at £27,955, or about $45,000, for a front-drive, manual gearbox equipped 5-door model. At the other end of the spectrum, a fully loaded, AWD 3-door model with the 6-speed automatic, will cost an eye-watering £44,320 or about $71,000. Of…
Subaru To Cut Production Of Legacy, Outback, Tribeca Due To Parts Shortage
A shortage of parts means that Subaru‘s Indiana plant will have its production cut in half through the end of the week, and the company will assess the situation on a day to day basis to examine whether a continuation is necessary. Each of the two shifts will have 4 hours cut from their length….
Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet Won’t Be Available In Canada, Lucky Us Or Lucky Them?
The new Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet is an unusual vehicle, to say the least. It is convertible based on a SUV/Crossover platform, which could make it the ideal vehicle for a beach babe, or an automotive enthusiasts worst nightmare. Whatever it is, our cousins in the north don’t want it. We spoke to a representative from…
Jeep Hopes To Sell 125,000 Cars Per Year In Europe By 2014
Jeep is launching an ambitious campaign in Europe to boost sales eight-fold by 2014, with a new premium small SUV helping to lead the way. The next generation Jeep Compass is expected to debut around 2014, and will be based on the same platform as the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, and the Compass will also share…
BMW 4-Series May Appear As Rival To Audi A5 Sportback
BMW is planning to expand its range yet again, with reports of an upcoming 4-Series lineup that would compete against the Audi A5 Sportback in the burgeoning sporty hatchback segment. Rumors have been flying about a possible 3-Series GT, a complement to the crossover-like 5-Series GT (shown above), but this may in fact be part of the…
Maserati To Use Turbochargers, 8-Speed Automatics In Future Cars
Maserati‘s new GranTurismo MC Stradale might be using a nifty new single-clutch automated manual gearbox in its home market of Europe, but North America will get a ZF-built 8-speed automatic. The ZF unit is a precursor to Maserati’s further use of the gearbox, and frankly, North American consumers of the brand will likely not notice…
Lincoln Offers Free Access To New York Times Online Section
With the New York Times erecting a “pay wall” around their online section, many web enthusiasts are crying foul at the venerable paper’s decision to abandon the online modus operandi of making information free. But 200,000 of the Times’ best customers will be eligible for free access (worth about $150) thanks to Lincoln, which is…
MINI Countryman Gets Rear Bench Seat for 2012
The MINI Countryman currently seats four, plus a whole lot of cupholders. But due to consumer demand, a rear bench option will be coming to America as early as July. The four-seater will be standard, but the bench seat will be an additional option. Current Countryman owners looking to squeeze their fellow countryman into the middle…
Chevrolet Captiva Released For Fleet Sales Only
The Saturn Vue is back, but you won’t be able to buy one. That’s because the Chevrolet Captiva Sport, essentially a rebadged Vue, will only be available to fleet customers. With either a 2.4L Ecotec 4-cylinder or a 3.0L direct injection V6, the Captiva will offer an adequate powertrain for all types of customers, but…
MINI Countryman Helps BMW Increase 2010 Profits
Purists may scoff at the 4-door MINI Countryman and its betrayal of “brand values”, but BMW’s bean counters are laughing all the way to the bank as the company credits the newest MINI with helping profits surge 15-fold in 2010. BMW’s net income was recorded at 3.23 billion euros in 2010, up from 210 million…
