autoinsane

2010 NAIAS: Volkswagen New Compact Coupe doesn’t replace Scirocco in our hearts

Call us spoiled, but we’ll just take the Scirocco. Not that the Concept Coupe (props on the creative name guys) is a terribly ugly vehicle, but it’s like putting ground chuck in a steak mold if you are a performance person. That being said, next to the Volt this is one of the better looking hybrids out there.

Going with the unofficial theme of concept cars for NAIAS this year, this is another hybrid. Fire power comes from a turbocharged 1.4L inline four with 150 horsepower, which is backed up by 27 horsepower electric backed up bu lithium-ion batteries. The grand total of 177 means this car scoots to 60 in 8.1 seconds which is not to bad considering it should get around 56 mpg or so. Great figures, but we know you guys can put this tech in the Scirocco. Aiding in those high mpg’s is VW’s ‘coast down’ technology that automatically disengages the transmission after the driver lets off the throttle and allows the car to coast for longer periods of time, as well as regenerative braking.

Although it’s still in the concept stages it looks far too polished to stay there. We wouldn’t be surprised if the Concept Coupe showed up in your local Volkswagen dealerships.

2010 NAIAS: Hyundai Brings Blue-Will Concept to Cobo

This odd looking duck is a look into what Hyundai is doing with hybrids. Powered by a direct-injected 1.6L that puts out 152 HP and a 100kw electric motor and a CVT transmission. Hyundai says this combination is good for 50-55 mpg in hybrid mode and 106 mpg in plug-in mode. Operating on electric only mode the plug-in hybrid is expected to do 40 miles, which is the same as the Chevy Volt.

This is Hyundai’s test bed for a lot of tech. Dubbing the design ‘eco-sleek’ it packs organic LED displays for the gauges and touch screen HVAC controls. Other tech goodies aid in fuel economy, with an exhaust manifold mounted thermo-electric generator, roof-mounted solar cells and regenerative braking. The thermo-electric generator converts heat to electricity to power auxiliary device. Hyundai has coupled this with low-resistance tires and brake pads to reduce friction.

Even more interesting tech is packed into the Blue-Will, including an integrated bike rack. To save weight, carbon-fiber reinforced plastics and nano composites have been applied to the side sills, moldings and fenders.

Press Release After the Jump

2010 NAIAS: GMC Granite Concept previews future small utility vehicle

“If brought to market…” That’s all you need to read to know that General Motors is seriously considering building what would be the smallest GMC ever. A full 2 feet shorter than the already compact GMC Terrain, the Granite concept vehicle, which will be introduced during the 2010 Detroit Auto Show (NAIAS), would be a great addition to brand notoriously known for large trucks and SUVs.

The Granite Concept features a turbocharged 1.4L four-cylinder engine matched to a six-speed automatic transmission and plenty of brushed aluminum and metal. There is no chrome on the exterior Granite whatsoever. GMC calls it a Urban Utility Vehicle. We call it pretty sexy looking.

Here’s some photos of the concept and the full press release follows. Check back tomorrow for some real like impressions and more photos of the GMC Granite.

Buick Unveils the Regal GS, Checks Almost All the Right Boxes

6 speed manual, 255 horsepower, 0-60 in under 6 seconds and a whole lot of extras. The Regal GS has a promising laundry list. The turbocharged 2.0 Ecotec will route those 255 ponies through an adaptive AWD system. Stopping power comes from 4 piston 14-inch Brembos.

Holding the drive in place is a set of Recaro seats, which should come in handy with the trick suspension that GM has put in place. GM is using its HiPerStrust technology which helps to reduce torque steer and maintain negative camber during cornering.

However, we have a few questions and speculations. If you’re familiar with the Opel Insignia OPC (That Opel Performance Center for those stateside) it packs a 2.8 V6 Turbo that puts out 325 horsepower, a whopping 70 more ponies. Don’t get us wrong, as-is the new GS looks very promising but we are wondering what is going on. Could the General be holding a GNX or maybe a GSX up its sleeve? Maybe the General doesn’t want to put the Buick up against the Caddy CTS….

BMW Bringing Trio of Hybrids to LA Auto Show

BMW recently announced pricing for its ActiveHybrid X6, but they aren’t done just yet. In addition to the 480-hp crossover, BMW is bringing its ActiveHybrid 7, and Vision EfficientDynamics concept car.
As you might have guessed the ActiveHybrid 7 is a hybrid 7-series. The hybrid 7 features a twin-turbo “High Precision Direct Injected” V8 with a 3-phase electric motor that gives the eco-luxury ride a total combined output of 455 hp and 515 lb-ft of torque. Along with the 8-speed automatic transmission the ActiveHybrid 7 gets 15-17% better gas mileage. According to our calculations, that translates to about 26 mpg. But this hybrid is no slouch, sprinting to 60 in 4.7 seconds. That’s a little quicker than the Lotus Evora that was just announced.

General Motors and Segway reinvent personal transportation with PUMA

General Motors and personal transport company Segway pulled a surprise announcement this morning in New York. The two have joined up and have something to show the world. It’s called PUMA and stands for Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility vehicle. Here’s what we know…

Opel Ampera concept teaser photo- will be unveiled in Geneva

Poised to be on display during the Geneva Motor Show the Opel Ampera is built off GM’s Voltec System. It’s a big deal for two reasons…

Subaru displays new Legacy concept in Detroit

Subaru, fresh off a sales increase for 2008, unveiled only one concept car at this year’s Detroit Auto Show- a new Legacy, in extremely close to production form.We’ve got the full details and a huge photo gallery.

GM kicks off Detroit right: 16 new models on one runway

GM kicked off this year’s Detroit Auto Show with a potent, yet dramatically simple runway show. 16 cars, one governor, the voice of the Detroit Lions, sign-holding/chanting enthusiasts, and hordes of photographers. Here’s what it looked like, what was said- and a video replay so you can watch it for yourself.

Volvo Teases S60 Concept

Although it will not officially be unveiled until the North American International Autoshow in Detroit, Volvo has released two teaser photos of the upcoming S60 concept.