Articles From March 2012

This year’s New York Auto Show looks to be a real humdinger. Among a field of exciting new offerings, Subaru would have already stood out with the incoming XV Crosstek. But, sensing and capitalizing on opportunistic market momentum, the automaker plans to renovate the 2013 Legacy and Outback models as well. And we’re not talking about minor updates, either.

Instead, Subaru aims to spruce up the vehicles’ engine offerings, suspension, structure, and overall design.

A day after Toyota teased its own New York Auto Show-bound sedan, luxury brand Lexus followed suit. Lexus will debut an updated ES sedan at the show, and has released the first teaser photo of the car.

Unlike Toyota's teaser sketch, Lexus' picture focuses on the front of the car. We see what is steadily become the defining feature of Lexus front fascias - the spindle grille. The current generation ES has a smaller, trapezoidal grille. The new ES also appears to have a more rounded set of headlamps and redesigned bumper.

BMW and Toyota announced this week that they've begun research first announced in December.  The two companies are researching next-generation lithium-ion battery technology for use in electric vehicles and hybrids.

On December 1, the two automakers announced that BMW would supply 1.6 and 2.0-liter diesel engines to Toyota. The parties also mentioned their plans to work on battery technology at that time.

If you've never heard of Savage Rivale, don't feel bad. Up until a few months ago, we hadn't either. The Netherlands-based startup is in the process of rethinking the supercar with its Roadyacht GTS. Everything about this car makes it unique, including its innovative roof system, which Savage has shown a rendering of in a short, new video.

While the term "supercar" typically refers to a powerful, fast, lightweight two-door coupe, Savage Rivale extends the term to its funky convertible with four wing doors and four seats. While adding the weight of two rear doors and a convertible system would usually prevent a car from performing with other supercars, Savage claims to have weight down below 3,000 lbs., allowing the Roadyacht's 670-hp 6.2-liter Corvette V-8 to provide a 3.4-second to 62 mph time and a 205 mph top speed.

On the first leg of its tour of North America and Europe, “Vochol”—the world's “first and only Volkswagen decorated with beads by Mexican Huichol Indians”—can be seen now through May 6 at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.

Now before you go and dismiss this as a “hippie”-style psychedelic custom VW, let’s look at the facts: all of the intricate, multicolored everything you see on the surface of this 1990 VW Beetle (yes, I meant 1990) has been done—by hand—with “more than 2 million glass seed beads and nearly 35 pounds of fabric, paint, yarn and resin.”

Yep, "two families of Huíchol artisans [eight persons total] devoted more than 9,000 hours” to create Vochol, a name derived from a combination of “vochol”, a popular term for VW Beetles in Mexico, and “Huichol”, the common name of the Wirrárika indigenous group.

But this project is more than 233 lbs. of beadwork slapped on a Bug. And—unlike any groovy, 1960s-era painted version—this one’s important enough to be in the Smithsonian.

If you’re the owner of a “classic” GM car you’re probably familiar with Original Parts Group Inc. and their comprehensive catalogs. We’re talking about models like the Chevelle, El Camino, Cutlass, Skylark, GTO, Monte Carlo, Riviera and even 1954 through 1976 Cadillacs.

[Unfortunately, they have no apparent love—or parts—for my ’89 Olds Custom Cruiser. What’s up with that?]

Anyhoo, on April 1, in celebration of the firm’s 30^th year of operation, they are hosting a classic car show at their Seal Beach, Calif., headquarters. Free and open to all, it is certain to feature many of the finest examples of each vehicle line I’ve mentioned, not including—so far as I know—any Custom Cruisers.

Still, it sounds like a heck of an event. But you don’t have to take just MY word(s) for it…

The New York Auto Show gets underway next week, so automakers are taking their last opportunities to get us excited for what they plan to display. Toyota has released a teaser sketch of a sporty, new sedan, which should bring a little more flair to Toyota's line.

By all accounts, Toyota is sick and tired of being the reliable worker bee with a great personality. Japan's biggest automaker also wants to be known for its sportiness and emotion. Exhibit A: The GT 86/Scion FR-S. Exhibit B: New slogans. Exhibit 3: This sedan.

Sometimes automakers show concepts with the intention that a strong reaction could lead to production. And sometimes a strong reaction convinces an automaker that production is the only logical course of action, even if said automaker had no intention of production when building the concept. The latter appears to be the case with the Lexus LF-LC.

Toyota is currently mulling the possibility of a production LF-LC based entirely on the reaction the sporty two-door received at the North American International Auto Show where it was unveiled and at other world shows. Toyota is looking at how it can create a production model out of a car that was built purely as a conceptual exercise.

The words "Ferrari" and "six cylinder" just don't belong in the same sentence - unless you're talking about classic Dinos. Or future Ferraris. According to a new report, the Prancing Horse is considering offering six cylinder engine options as a means of lowering its emissions and fuel economy numbers.

Ferrari chief Amedeo Felisa told Autocar this month: "Why not six cylinders? It is far away in the future, perhaps, but it is clear perceptions have altered. Even in the US, where until a few years ago eight cylinders was the minimum, it is clear attitudes have changed. We have to think in that direction."

Last Friday Jeep enthusiasts got a taste of three new concepts that will appear during the company’s Easter Safari in Moab, Utah. While the teaser images were hardly satisfying, animated and super zoomed, few could really complain. Jeep appears to be taking the whisperings of a future truck model seriously.

For years now, Jeep execs have made off-hand remarks about the second (or third or fourth) coming of a few classic Jeep models. For example, back in May 2011 and after the very same Easter Jeep Safari event, Mark Allen suggested that he was “a big proponent” of reviving the Cherokee nameplate. And Jeep fans aren’t just interested in the deceased, but beloved Cherokee.

The J-10 has also collected a huge following, and even made notable appearances in films like Twister and Tremors. And let’s not forget the iconic cab-over-engine workhorse Jeep Forward Control (FC) which made a recent TV appearance on My Classic Car. Apparently Jeep has picked up the scent, and decided to listen to the company’s adoring fans.

Perhaps unsurprisingly then, at the 46th annual Easter Jeep Safari Jeep will unveil six new vehicles – three of which will be the Wrangler Apache, Mighty FC concept, and J-12 concept.