Nother CarGuy

Skoda’s vehicle expansion plan will continue with a new crossover slotting under the Kodiaq and Karoq, with the brand previewing the car with the Vision X Concept. Unveiled online before its media presentation at the Geneva Motor Show tomorrow, the new study is of “compact proportion”, and has a “crystalline exterior” design, in the car firm’s own words. What they’re trying to say is that it sports a very familiar styling, being inspired by the larger Karoq and Kodiaq, with a few nips and tucks to highlight its concept presence. Notice the green-ish paint with black roof, aluminum trim, black accents, and front end that makes it instantly recognizable as a Skoda. Still, expect it to be significantly toned down for production, so you may want to wave goodbye to the very slim LED headlights, shaved door handles, and some of its exterior accents. Inside, the show car has a very funky look, with lots of different accents running alongside the dashboard, pillars, doors, ste...

Skoda has released new details and pictures of the Vision X concept. Set to be debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month, the concept is billed as an “urban crossover” that transfers the characteristic features of the Kodiaq and Karoq to “another vehicle segment.” While it may look like just another crossover, the Vision X has a lot going on underneath the skin. For starters, the model has a turbocharged 1.5-liter G-TEC four-cylinder engine which can run on petrol or compressed natural gas (CNG). That’s not too usual but Skoda engineers didn’t stop there as they equipped the model with a new hybrid system. Another interesting feature is the concept’s unique drive system, Skoda didn’t go into specifics but said the model switches from front to rear to all-wheel drive as needed. This combined with the high-tech powertrain promises to give the model “spontaneous power delivery, increased agility and low CO2 emissions of only 89 g/km.” Detailed performance specifications were...

The Wörthersee gathering continues as Audi has taken the wraps off a customized A5 Sportback g-tron. Dressed in dark grey paint, the one-off model has blue accents in the headlights and stylish two-tone alloy wheels which are backed up by a braking system with blue calipers. Designers also installed a blue honeycomb rear wrap, a black rear spoiler, and tinted rear lighting units. Audi didn't have much to say about the interior but the picture shows the car has been equipped with leather and Alcantara seats, blue contrast stitching, and carbon fiber trim. The A5 Sportback g-tron was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year and it will become the brand's third model which can run on compressed natural gas. In this case, the car is powered by a 2.0-liter TSFI engine which produces 170 PS (167 hp) and 270 Nm (199 lb-ft) of torque. The engine is fed by four CNG storage tanks which can hold a total of 19 kg (42 lbs) of fuel. This enables the A5 Sportback g-tro...