hatchback
Fiat Working On B-Segment Car To Slot Above 500, Made For North America
While speaking to Motor Trend, Fiat USA head Laura Soave told the magazine that in addition to new variants of the Fiat 500, there will be a new subcompact car arriving sometime around 2013, with a focus on the needs of the United States market. Soave did not specify what body styles would be offered,…
VW Unlikely to Launch Polo R-Edition
In Europe, hot-hatch enthusiasts can enjoy a faster version of the Golf in the form of the GTI, or they can go absolutely mad with the V6-engined, all-wheel drive Golf R32. But while they can also buy the Polo GTI, Volkswagen isn’t so sure about building a quicker and AWD version of the smaller hatch….
Infiniti Etherea Concept Surfaces Ahead Of Geneva Auto Show
Despite our initial reservations, we grew to adore the Nissan Juke, even though it’s styling could politely be described as “interesting”. Whether the Infiniti Etherea concept will do the same is a question only time can answer, but so far we’re not quite as enthusiastic about the concept car’s looks than Infiniti might like us…
Ford Focus Electric Will Require Almost No Maintenance
One of the big advantages of an electric car is the lack of routine servicing they require. With only the battery and electric motor present, consumables like fluids, filters, belts and the like are obsolete. Ford is making this a big selling point for their upcoming Focus Electric, as it released a list of 25…
Infiniti Etheria Concept To Show At Geneva, Use Mercedes Power
Without a compact luxury car, Infiniti will have a hard time competing in their new European stomping grounds, and let’s face it, a rebadged Nissan Versa ain’t exactly up to the task. What Infiniti does have is a new alliance with Daimler through parent company Renault-Nissan. Infiniti is about to leverage this relationship big-time with their new…
Ford Will Introduce “Groundbreaking” Vehicle At Geneva Auto Show
Ford of Europe CEO Stephen T. Odell announced a “groundbreaking” new vehicle set to debut at the Geneva Auto Show at the beginning of March, but gave no details as to the nature of the car. Some have speculated that the car could be an larger version of the Fiesta, dubbed the B-Max, that would…
Honda Fit Overtakes Toyota Prius In Japanese Car Market After Hybrid Subsidies End
The best-selling car in Japan is about to change as government subsidies on hybrid cars has lead to a drop off in sales of the Toyota Prius. Analysts expect the Honda Fit to take the top spot. Prius sales began to dip in September after the government subsidy program ended, but Fit sales remained strong, buttressed by the introduction…
2012 Fiat 500 Buyers “Have No Interest” In Manual Transmission, Want “No-Haggle” Pricing
Fiat is hoping to eliminate haggling from the buying experience of the new 500 small car, in what the company claims is a bid to eliminate a stressful process for younger buyers. Speaking to Automotive News, Fiat USA head Laura Sove stated that “The pricing is the pricing.” “The younger generation doesn’t haggle. They don’t…
Alfa Romeo, Jeep To Build 280,000 SUVs Per Year In Italy
As part of the new joint venture between Fiat and Chrysler, the two companies will build 280,000 SUVs a year at the new Fiat facility near Turin, Italy. The SUVs will be produced for the Alfa Romeo and Jeep brands. The Alfa SUV, the first for the 101-year-old sports car maker, will compete with offering…
Mercedes-Benz To Launch Entry-Level Lineup, Including, SUV, Coupe, Shooting Brake
Mercedes-Benz will launch a new front-drive model for the United States market, aimed at capturing sales from a younger demographic, as the company seeks to stay competitive with rivals BMW and Audi. A coupe and SUV have been confirmed for an expected 2013 launch, while a third variant is under considering. Mercedes is evaluating both…
MINI Countryman May Get WRC Inspired Street Car
With a huge gulf existing between the road-going version of the MINI Countryman and the WRC-ready version, a halo version that could bridge the gap between urban crossover and full-blown race car could be an asset for MINI, and help them leverage some of the image boost that their rally program will provide, especially in…
Ferrari FF Video Uncovered
To end your weekend on a good note, here’s a video of the Ferrari FF being wrung out by the engineering crew at Ferrari. Bet you never thought you’d see a Ferrari sliding through a winter wonderland did you? The FF, as you all now, is Ferrari’s newest flagship, powered by a 6.3-liter V12 engine…
Audi RS3 Gets Sideways In The Snow
Audi‘s finest test drivers got to wring out the new RS3 Sportback in on some powder-strewn Canadian roads this past week, and lucky for us, they were kind enough to film the whole thing. Powered by the same 340 horsepower 5-cylinder in the TT-RS, the cost of the TT-RS will likely stop it from being…
Nissan Cube Pulled From European Market
Nissan‘s Cube has had a lukewarm reception outside its home market of Japan, and sales have been so poor in Europe that Nissan has decided to axe the vehicle entirely. Nissan is citing exchange rate issues between the yen and the euro as the underlying cause, but the dismal sales are likely an equal culprit…
Mitsubishi Colt To Take On Ford Fiesta, Debut In Geneva
The Mitsubishi Colt is one of the oldest nameplates in the compact car market, having been sold across the globe in fairly substantial numbers. While North Americans missed out on the previous incarnation, the Colt was well regarded as a practical and inexpensive subcompact that was also a competent driver’s car. For the next generation…
Honda Fit To Get Station Wagon Variant For Europe
Images leaked on the internet purport to show a new version of the Honda Jazz (sold as the Fit in our markets) that looks somewhat like a stretched-in-all-directions version of the current car. The tall-wagon/”people-mover” segment is a major one in much of the world, and the new car, which may be sold as the…
Lancia-Badged Chrysler 200, 300 To Debut At Geneva Auto Show
Lancia’s version of the Chrysler 200, likely dubbed the Flavia, will debut at the Geneva Auto Show in March. While the idea of a Lancia-badged Chrysler is unpalatable to many enthusiasts, the fact that Chrysler has decided use the much vilified 200 will surely make it the automotive equivalent of the Antichrist. Fiat CEO Sergio…
Detroit 2011: MINI Paceman Confirmed For Production 2013 [Video]
Having just been unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show, the MINI Paceman Concept is production ready, according to a MINI source, who told AutoGuide that 2013 is the target date for the Paceman’s launch. Before the new two-door crossover, MINI will launch the upcoming Coupe and Roadster, sportier, stripped down versions of the base car…
New MG Cars Debut In China
You may have never heard of Guangzhou, China, but with nearly 12 million people, the industrial metropolis is a major player in the Chinese auto market. Making its debut at the show is one of China’s most anticipated new cars, the MG3 hatchback and MG6 sedan. Although Chinese cars are a laughing stock in much…
Honda Fit Recalled Over Headlight Defect
143,8003 Honda Fit hatchbacks from the model years 2007 and 2008 are being recalled in North America due to a defect that could cause the low beam headlights to stop working. Plating on the vehicle’s headlight connector has been identified as the culprit, with the automaker stating that it “can become warn after repeated use…
Honda Fit, Mazda2 Headline New B-Spec Road Racing Series
The Honda Fit and Mazda 2 will headline a new racing class, known as B-Spec, that’s been designed as a new showroom stock racing series. The rule set is expected to be finalized within the next 60 days, and both the SCCA and NASA sanctioning bodies have expressed interested in adopting the class. Using OEM…
Fiat Sues Journalist Over Negative Review
One recent discussion taking place at Autoguide HQ was how long it’s been since we’ve driven a car that was truly worth a bad review. Most cars these days are pretty good, and the true stinkers are few and far between. The other side of the coin is that competition for your dollars is fierce,…
40 MPG Subcompacts Not Such A Hit With Consumers
For all the hype surrounding Ford‘s Fiesta subcompact, which is capable of hitting 40 mpg, it looks like subcompacts, especially those than can hit the vaunted number, aren’t selling all that well in the USA. Even though gas prices will almost certainly hit $3 a gallon, customers are still gravitating towards compact cars, according to…
Hyundai Elantra Touring To Abandon Station Wagon Bodystyle
The next Hyundai Elantra Touring will ditch the traditional station wagon bodystyle and adopt a more compact hatchback shape, as consumers warm up to cars like the Ford Fiesta which are heavily promoted in 5-door guise. Hyundai CEO John Krafcik told Autoblog that the current Elantra Touring would complete its lifecycle, and a new model…
