Nother CarGuy

Next year's  Detroit Auto Show  will mark the global debut of the new Infiniti QX50 Concept, representing the brand's vision for a next-gen mid-size premium SUV. In terms of design, the QX50 Concept is an evolution of the  2016 QX Sport Inspiration , while attempting to show how the brand's 'Powerful Elegance' design language could be adapted for a future production model. The new concept features what Infiniti calls a "cabin-forward" silhouette, combining taut, muscular lines with flowing surfaces in order to obtain a dynamic yet practical appearance. Inside, the "driver-centric, passenger-minded" cabin is a reflection of the exterior - blending progressive design with high levels of modern craftsmanship. The concept's interior also reflects Infiniti's desire to challenge conventional premium interior designs and introduce their own take on it. "With the unveiling of the QX Sport Inspiration at the 2016 Beijing Auto Show, we show...

After  shaking Nissan's hand  earlier this year, and with Carlos Ghosn taking the reins, Mitsubishi has started working on a replacement of the current Outlander Sport / ASX.  Proof stands an image taken somewhere in Japan by a motorist that shows the  brand's compact SUV  lacking camouflage, but since it's still in development stage, we cannot say for sure whether this design will hold.  However,  previous reports  have pointed towards styling cues drawn from the  XR-PHEV II Concept , and this means that the upcoming Outlander Sport / ASX will benefit from a sportier rear end, and a raked rear window, in addition to the X-shaped front end, slender headlights probably with LED technology, and large wheels, for an extra visual effect.  Besides the usual petrol and diesel engines, which will channel the output to the front wheels or the optional AWD system, we could be looking into a possible plug-in hybrid powertrain too, similar to wh...

A facelifted  Subaru WRX  is expected to be revealed for the 2018 model year but won't bring with it any serious changes. Australian publication  Motoring  has learnt that the refreshed WRX will retain the current model's platform rather than adopting Subaru's new global platform that supports hybrid powertrains.  Although the  updated  WRX won't be radically different, a senior engineer from Subaru said that an all-new model is on the cards and tipped to arrive early next decade. “The WRX will have a facelift soon, not a full model cycle, because the new model just launched in 2015. The full model cycle will be about four or five years, and that’s when you’ll see a full model.  “We would love to have the WRX on the new platform, because the car would be a lot better … but the 2018 will be a facelift only,” the source said. When the  next-generation  Subaru  WRX  does arrive, the Japanese company is expected to install a rev...

The upcoming Lamborghini  Urus  will indeed be offered with a plug-in hybrid powertrain, the first of its kind for the Italian brand. Lamborghini research and development chief Maurizio Reggiani confirmed the news to  Autocar  and said that the Urus's hybrid powertrain will be the only found within the brand's line-up and that it will be available alongside a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8. At this stage, it isn't known if the hybrid option of the Urus will come from within the Volkswagen Group or if it will be developed in-house by Lamborghini. There's certainly a possibility that it could be similar to the hybrid powertrain thought to be in development for a new variant of the Bentley Bentayga. Beyond its engine options, Reggiani confirmed that the design of the  production-spec Urus  has changed considerably to the concept of 2015. “The design [of the Urus] is pure Lamborghini. It has evolved considerably since the [2015] concept and the finished car ...

We've seen the  spy shots , we've seen the  leaked images ... but now it's official:  Suzuki  has revealed the  all-new Swift . Shown and detailed here in JDM spec, the new hatchback looks exactly as expected – which is, to say, instantly recognizable as a Suzuki Swift, but as a completely new one. In its home market, the new Swift will be offered in seven trim levels with three engine options: a 1.2-liter inline four is the base engine, but a mild hybrid version of the same will also be offered – along with a 1.0-liter turbo in the sportiest RSt model. Output figures have yet to be released, but a number of drivetrain configurations have. The hybrid is mated (as is typical) to a CVT, while the base engine offers a no-cost five-speed manual option as well. Both can be had with front- or  all-wheel drive , but the turbo model only comes in front-drive spec with a six-speed automatic. Along with the new engines, Suzuki has equipped the new Swift with all t...

VW is extending the  range of its facelifted Golf family  in Europe with the addition of the high-performance ‘R’, entry level 1.0 TSI, and 2.0 TDI 4MOTION models. As with the other updated 2017MY Golfs, they too come with LED tail lights and the new Composition Color infotainment system as standard. Available in both hatchback and  Variant (station wagon) flavors , the Golf R benefits from a 10PS (10hp) and 20Nm (15 lb-ft) boost, pushing the 2.0-liter turbo four’s output to 310PS (306hp) and 400Nm (295 lb-ft). VW says the ‘R’ hatch can hit 100km/h (62mph) in 4.6 seconds.  In Germany , you can pre-order the Golf R with a manual gearbox from €40,675, and the Golf R Variant with a DSG from €44,800. At the other end of  the spectrum , the base 1.0-liter model, will cost you a little less than half of that at €17,850 for less than a third of the power at 85PS (84hp). On the bright side, the turbocharged direct-injection petrol engine that is used here for the fir...

With less than three weeks to go for the Detroit Auto Show, the first teasers of Audi’s new  production-intent Q8  concept have emerged on the internet. Official sketches of the Q8 flagship SUV were shared by German news site  Welt  which spoke to Audi chief designer, March Lichte, about the brand’s future plans.  One of Lichte’s first projects at Audi, the Q8 will sit alongside the A8 at the top of the brand’s current lineup, with the model described as a cross between a traditional “SUV and a Sport Coupe”.  While similar in philosophy to BMW’s X6 and Mercedes-Benz’s GLE Coupe, the Q8 is believed to be placed above those models in in terms of size, pricing and features, maybe even targeting the Bentley Bentayga and Porsche Cayenne, with which it shares its MLB-EVO platform that also forms the base for Audi’s Q7  and next A8 .  Lichte did not divulge any details about the concept’s powertrain, but the production model that will be introduced in...

Introduced back in 2011, the current  Kia Picanto  is about due for replacement. We've been  expecting it  for some time now, and now we know what it will look like. The  Picanto  is now gearing up to enter its third generation and will undoubtedly emerge as a marked improvement over the model it replaces. Stylistically, it will incorporate the Korean automaker's latest design language into a compact form – including some red accents and flared wheel arches to give it the look of a hot hatch, even if it only offers tiny 1.0-1.2-liter engines not even capable of mustering a hundred horsepower. Despite its “characteristically compact dimensions” and low price point, we can expect the new Picanto to feature the latest infotainment and safety technologies that the Hyundai Motor Group has to offer. Kia says it will be revealed early in 2017, but, with the  Rio  currently being its most compact model in the U.S., we wouldn't expect to see the new cit...

Volkswagen has dropped the first teasers for a new concept it has in store for the fast-approaching 2017 Detroit Auto Show. And while it's not telling us much about what form it will take, it would appear to be  the new electric Microbus we've been waiting for . Characterized as “a multi-functional vehicle for a new era,” the concept promises to tie together “the legendary origins of the Volkswagen brand and its electrifying future.” An electric Microbus would seem to fit the description perfectly, especially judging from the accompanying trio of teaser images. The concept follows  the previous ID electric hatchback concept  showcased in Paris just a few months ago and shares the same underpinnings, called the Modular Electric Drive Kit (and referred to by its German initials MEB). It's slated to incorporate two electric motors and all-wheel drive, as well as fully autonomous capabilities that orchestrates the use of laser scanners, radar, ultrasonic sensors, and camer...

By inaugurating a  new car production facility , the Volkswagen brand has officially returned to Kenya, where it used to assemble the Beetle in the 1960s.  The plant is located in Thika, near the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, and it represents the company's third manufacturing facility in Africa, joining the ones in  South Africa  and Nigeria.  " After over 60 years of Volkswagen vehicle production in South and North Africa, I am delighted to now have a further site in Kenya. We will systematically continue to develop our position in the fast-growing African car market ", commented VW brand's CEO, Herbert Diess.  Present at the opening festivity, the country's president, Uhuru Kenyatta, said: " A few months ago, this was only a dream. Now, Volkswagen's investment in Kenya has become reality. This is further proof of my government's determination to strengthen the production location of Nairobi, and to forge ahead with the industrialization of the ...

As it does most years, Italdesign will debut a bold new concept car at March’s Geneva Motor Show and has just dropped the first image. All the  teaser  shows is a fuel cap with some subtle graphics and the brand’s logo finished in black. Other than this cap, the image provides us with no further details about the new concept and in a statement, the company simply says “We are waiting for you to discover our first special story during the Geneva Motor Show 2017." Whatever Italdesign has created, it will be one of the company’s first models since  Giorgetto Giugiaro  left the company in 2015. Last year, the brand brought the intriguing  GTZero electric shooting brake concept  to Geneva and even though the vehicle wasn’t created to preview a future production car, it still managed to capture the attention of attendees with its beautiful design and advanced powertrain. Can't wait to find out what they have in store for us this time...

The Chevrolet Malibu is proving more popular than ever before, selling the best it ever has since being reintroduced in 1996. In the first 11 months of the year, more Malibus have been sold than any year prior, allowing the mid-size sedan to become the highest selling car for General Motors, displacing the budget Chevrolet Cruze. GM has tried for many years to perfect the Malibu and introduced a redesigned model in 2007 with high hopes. However, after the financial crises, it proved unsuccessful and even the 2012 Malibu failed to deliver. But in 2015, a  totally new generation  was released with an edgy design and advanced technologies and it seems to have done the trick. Last month, sales of the Chevrolet Malibu topped the Ford Fusion but are still someway shy of rivalling those of the Honda Accord and  Toyota Camry , reports  Automotive News . According to director of auto testing at Consumer Reports, Jake Fisher, “It's a serious competitor, there's no question....

Honda is teasing its  new generation 2018 Odyssey  minivan prior to a world premiere at the  Detroit Auto Show  next month.  The Japanese automaker dropped a teaser sketch of the car, which as you can see for yourself, is on the wishful thinking side of things, as we wouldn’t count on the real 2018 Odyssey looking as nearly as dynamic and sleek as Honda is suggesting here.  The drawing was accompanied by four "teaser scribbles" from children of the Ohio-based Odyssey Development Team. "We wanted to have a bit of fun by sharing some of the drawings from children of the Odyssey team members, since they were inspirational in shaping the family-friendly direction of the all-new Odyssey," said Chad Harrison, chief engineer at Honda R&D America and the development leader of the new Odyssey. According to Honda, the fifth-generation of  their people carrier  will get new powertrains, advanced connectivity, entertainment and safety features “promisi...