Nother CarGuy

Sony has shocked the world at the ongoing Consumer Electronics Show (CES), unveiling an all-electric concept car dubbed the Vision-S. The vehicle has been created to showcase the technology company’s efforts in the area of mobility. It features no less than 33 sensors including CMOS image sensors, Solid State LiDAR, and radar embedded across the exterior that allow it to detect and recognize people and objects outside the vehicle. Inside, the Vision-S includes Time of Flight (ToF) sensors that can detect people and objects inside the car. Sony claims the vehicle is good for Level 2 autonomy. Sony’s Vision-S continues its technology-focused theme in the cabin thanks to a set of large infotainment screens behind the headrests of both front seats as well as a panoramic touchscreen display stretching the width of the dashboard. There are also dedicated displays that provide a live view of what the wing-mounted cameras see in real-time, similar to the design of the Honda e. Another...

Daimler has just announced its futuristic Mercedes-Benz Vision AVTR at the ongoing Consumer Electronics Show (CES), created thanks to a newly-announced partnership with the Avatar movie franchise. The show car has been designed to “spark the imagination” of what cars in the future could be. The vehicle pays particular attention to the connection between man, machine, and nature, much like the symbotic relationship between the Na’vi people on Pandora from Avatar (and its forthcoming sequels). All it takes is a quick look at the Vision AVTR to understand that it’s not like any vehicle currently on sale. For starters, there are absolutely no traditional car controls and instead, ‘drivers’ simply place their hand on an illuminated controller in the center console that measures various biometrics including your pulse. The rest of the interior flows around occupants and opens them up to the outside world thanks in particular to the presence of distinct accent lighting and sculptura...

Fisker’s long-awaited Ocean electric luxury SUV has finally made its world debut at CES 2020, but that doesn’t mean we’ll get to see it on our roads anytime soon. Following a business model pioneered by Tesla, Fisker is first showing people the vehicle in the hope of getting enough deposits and investments to start production. Initially, Fisker announced an all-inclusive lease model, but has now added a full purchase option too. In the United States, customers need to pay a $250 reservation fee for either the full purchase option or the flexible lease program. For those who want to take full ownership of the vehicle, prices will start at $37,499 – or $29,999 after the available $7,500 U.S. federal tax credit is applied. That’s a very competitive price but the flexible lease model is even more enticing. Drivers can get behind the wheel of the Fisker Ocean from $379 a month, with $2,999 down before delivery in 2022 (which includes both initiation and activation fees). For cre...

The Chrysler Airflow was decades ahead of its time as the model was one of the first vehicles to be designed with aerodynamics in mind. While the car was a flop, FCA is dusting off the moniker for use on the new Airflow Vision concept. Billed as the next-generation of premium transportation, the Airflow Vision was designed to appeal to customers who want a first-class travel experience and a high-tech interior. The concept is loosely based on the Chrysler Pacifica Plug-in Hybrid, but it adopts a more dynamic exterior that “hints at the future of premium design.” Minivan styling cues have been dropped and overall design is closer to a crossover. Up front, there are slender LED headlights which reside above a slim grille. Further below, there’s an aerodynamic fascia which flows into the front fenders. Continuing further back, there’s a rakish windscreen and a gently sloping roof. The model also lacks doors and has unique wheels that draw inspiration from the “mechanical ele...

Mercedes has officially revealed the all-new CLA Coupe at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas as promised through a series of teasers. The new compact four-door coupe measures 4688mm long and 1830mm wide, making it 48mm longer and 53mm wider than its predecessor, while the wheelbase is also 30mm longer. As you would expect, the bigger footprint of the new CLA Coupe has given it a roomier interior. The second-generation CLA debuted in Las Vegas in CLA 250 form, meaning it’s powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder petrol with 222hp (225PS) and 258lb-ft (350Nm) of torque. Paired to it is a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Mercedes didn’t detail the rest of the engine range, only saying that it’ll include most of the engines on offer with the A-Class, along with the selection between manual or dual-clutch transmissions and the option of the company’s 4Matic all-wheel drive. Driving dynamics play a big role in the new CLA; the front and rear trac...

The Nissan Leaf has a relatively short range of 150 miles (241 km), but the company is fixing that problem by unveiling the new Leaf e+ at CES. Featuring a larger capacity 62 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, the Leaf e+ has an EPA-estimated range of up to 226 miles (363 km). This is 76 miles (122 km) more than the standard model and it should help to alleviate any lingering range anxiety. Besides the improved battery, the Leaf e+ features an upgraded electric motor that produces 214 hp (160 kW / 217 PS) and 250 lb-ft (340 Nm) of torque. This is a significant improvement over the standard model which is rated at 147 hp (110 kW / 149 PS) and 236 lb-ft (319 Nm) of torque. The extra power more than compensates for the upgraded battery as Nissan says the top speed has increased by approximately 10 percent. Accelerating from 50 mph (80 km/h) to 75 mph (120 km/h) is also nearly 13 percent quicker. Sticking with the performance theme, Nissan confirmed the Leaf e+ will be availabl...

Recently-established Chinese automaker Byton has teased its upcoming sedan concept vehicle, set to premiere at CES Asia in Shanghai this June. Two separate images of the concept have been released, and while neither provides many details, they do reveal that the car’s design will be reminiscent of the Byton SUV unveiled last year. With this in mind, we can see small front and rear overhangs, the outline of a large cabin, a sleek roof and a pair of sensors that pop out of the roof. Beneath the skin, the Byton sedan will share its platform with the SUV and be followed up by a seven-seat MPV. The sedan should launch in China in 2021, roughly two years after the SUV hits the market in Byton’s home country. The SUV will land in Europe and the United States in 2020, so it’s reasonable to assume that the sedan will hit the shores of the Old Continent in 2022. Speaking to Autocar about this vehicle, Byton design chief Benoit Jacob said the company envisioned three models from the o...

LG is announcing its refreshed range of its thin and light Gram laptops today, ahead of CES next month. LG is introducing three refreshed versions of the Gram, in 13.3-, 14-, and 15-inch models. The 2018 Gram laptops include Intel’s 8th-generation Core i5 and i7 processors, SSD storage, and an option for a second SSD drive. LG’s Gram laptops have always been very thin and light, and this year’s models maintain just over two pounds for the 13.3- and 14-inch models, and 2.4 pounds for the larger 15-inch version. While LG claimed its Gram 14 laptop had 23 hours of battery life earlier this year, the test was based on a decade-old benchmark. LG is making bold battery life promises again for the 2018 models, but this time the company is using the 2014 version of MobileMark for its battery estimates. LG is claiming that the 13.3-inch model will last up to 22.5 hours, with the 14-inch at 21.5 hours, and the 15-inch version at 19 hours. The batteries have also been increased to 72Wh, up f...

Samsung refreshed its Notebook 9 series of laptops earlier this year, and the company is getting ready to do the same for 2018. Samsung is unveiling three new models today, instead of waiting for CES next month where we typically see a number of new laptops. The first is Samsung’s Notebook 9 Pen, and perhaps the most interesting of the trio. It’s a 13.3-inch 2-in-1 notebook, and as the name suggests the Notebook 9 Pen includes an integrated S Pen, much like the Notebook 9 Pro introduced in May. Samsung is updating the Notebook 9 Pen to include Intel’s 8th-generation Core i7 processors, up to 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage. The display resolution is 1920 x 1080, with a disappointing lack of a higher resolution option. Much like Lenovo’s Yoga tablets, Samsung’s Notebook 9 Pen will flip around into various modes for tablet or drawing use. Samsung has squeezed in a HDMI port, a single USB-C port, and a regular USB port, alongside microSD storage and a Windows Hello camera to si...

Honda will reveal its new 3E Robotics concept, a range of experimental robotic technologies displaying the company’s vision for the future of mobility, at the CES 2018. The range will consist of four different robotic concepts, including an autonomous off-road vehicle with AI, a small-sized electric mobility concept with cargo space, a chair-type concept for use in both indoor and outdoor spaces and a companion robot that can show compassion through facial expressions. Honda will also have on display their Mobile Power Pack World, which includes a portable, swappable battery pack for electric vehicles, complete with a recharging system that can be used at home, recreation or during a natural disaster. A battery exchange concept that can store and charge mobile power packs will also be present, as well as the latest partnerships of Silicon Valley-based Honda Innovations with various startups. Honda will debut its latest robotic and mobility concepts at the CES 2018 on January...

A Chinese startup named Future Mobility (FMC) has just released a teaser of the car it intends on revealing at January’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The vehicle comes from FMC’s Byton car brand and will reportedly be a medium-sized SUV. Power will come from an all-electric setup offering about 500 km (310 miles) of range. Additionally, the Byton SUV will come equipped with all the required hardware for Level 5 autonomous driving. A teaser of the vehicle’s front shows that it will have thin LED headlights as well as intriguing daytime running lights which resemble illuminated cracks across the SUV’s fascia. We can also see that the Byton badge will be illuminated. Inside, the Byton will be dominated by a single, curved touchscreen display stretching the width of the dashboard. Also found within will be a steering wheel that supports a removable tablet. FMC boss Daniel Kirchert says the Byton’s interior space will rival the Mercedes-Benz S-Class while its exterior ...

Two intriguing concepts have been introduced by Honda at CES 2017 in Las Vegas, one of which is a self-levelling motorcycle.  The  motorcycle  concept in question leverages the company’s brand new Riding Assist technology aimed at improving the stability of a motorcycle when it isn’t moving. Honda says that instead of using heavy gyroscopes, the self-levelling motorcycle concept borrows technology from the brand’s  UNI-CUB personal mobility concept , an intriguing Segway-like device which you sit on. Honda has also presented the NeuV (New Electric Urban Vehicle)  concept  at CES, a Smart-sized two seater designed to be used around the clock. Honda says that most privately-owned vehicles sit idle 96 per cent of the time. The NeuV however is able to operate as an automated ride-sharing vehicle when not being used by its owner. Additionally, the concept can sell energy back to the electricity grid when it’s not in use and incorporates the Honda Automated Ne...

Mercedes-Benz has used CES 2017 as the place to reveal a second teaser image of its upcoming  F1-powered hybrid hypercar . Snapped here by  GTspirit  during a presentation, the image shows the rear-end of the car and its aerodynamic body. Among the most obvious elements is the large roof scoop, a Le Mans-style central fin running the length of the hypercar as well as two massive NACA-ducts to feed cool air into the engine bay. The prominent rear haunches also catch the eye. Power for the Mercedes-AMG hypercar will come directly from the brand’s championship winning Formula One car. This means the model will feature a high-revving 1.6-liter turbocharged V6 engine mated to a hybrid and energy recovery system. Although the internal combustion won’t rev as fast as the F1 car, it will still spin at over 10,000 rpm. All up,  around 1,000 hp  is being targeted. Between 200 and 300 examples are bound for the  production line .

Toyota pulled the wraps off the new, futuristic Concept-i at  the CES in Las Vegas , showcasing the company’s view for vehicles of the future.  The Concept-i was designed at Toyota’s CALTY Design Research in California and uses the user experience technology from the Toyota Innovation Hub in San Francisco. The whole idea behind the concept was to offer an immersive and energetic user experience, mainly thanks to the Concept-i’s integrated artificial intelligence system which can anticipate people’s needs, improve their daily lives or, as Toyota puts it, “inspire their imaginations”. “At Toyota, we recognize that the important question isn’t whether future vehicles will be equipped with automated or connected technologies,” said Bob Carter, senior vice president of automotive operations for Toyota. “It is the experience of the people who engage with those vehicles. Thanks to Concept-i and the power of artificial intelligence, we think the future is a vehicle that can engage ...