The first hint of what we can expect from the next generation Tucson and Santa Fe crossovers was revealed today at the New York Auto Show as the Hyundai Nuvis concept. The sweeping creases echo and expand upon Hyundai's design direction that could be seen on the Genesis coupe and sedan and the Korean market Equus that stood on display nearby. Like so many other concepts at the show this year, this one featured doors that will almost certainly not be duplicated in production, extra-long gull-wings in this case.

The interior is designed for exactly four occupants instead of going for the maximum possible seating with three rows. Nuvis designers have dispensed with all the usual switch gear in favor of a river of information flowing throughout the concept's interior, all of which is accessible through touch-sensitive surfaces. All of the interior fabrics are also made from 100% recycled materials.

Under the skin, the Nuvis is spec'd out with the same Hyundai-developed BlueHybrid drivetrain that was shown at the LA Auto Show last November. The hybrid system uses lithium polymer batteries, which give designers more flexibility in packaging compared to more typical lithium ion batteries. The production version of this hybrid system debuts next year in the next-generation Sonata, while the design elements of this concept will likely appear on the new Tucson later this year.




Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

When Chrysler revealed the new Jeep Grand Cherokee this week in New York, it marked the first public appearance of the company's new V6 engine family. What had previously been referred to as the Phoenix is now officially dubbed the Pentastar V6. Over the next couple of years, variants of this engine will supplant all current 6 cylinder engines in Chrysler's lineup. Like its predecessors, the Pentastar has a 60 degree block angle but manufacturing process has been changed to high pressure diecasting. The initial 3.6-liter version has dual overhead camshafts with variable cam phasing.

The engines are designed to be lighter and more efficient than the units they replace. The first 3.6-liter is claimed to use eight percent less fuel than before, even with the port fuel injection it will have at launch. In the past, Chrysler has said these engines will also have direct injection which will probably appear on later variants. All of the Pentastar V6s will have flex fuel capability from launch.

[Source: Chrysler]

Out in the middle of the Dodge display here at the Javits center lies the past and future of performance cars. Sitting on the floor is the epitome of old school performance, the Viper SRT-10. With a rip-roaring 8.4-liter V10, the Viper accelerates at a rate few cars on the road today can match. In doing so however, it consumes prodigious amounts of refined petroleum.

Just a few feet away, highlighted on the turntable, was the Dodge Circuit. Based on the Lotus Europa, the battery-powered Circuit is likely to be the first of several electric drive vehicles that Chrysler plans to produce starting in 2010. While it's not quite as fast as the Viper at this point, 0-60 times in the 5-second range are nothing to be embarrassed about. Unlike its long-nosed sibling, the Circuit emits nothing nor does it consume any petroleum products directly. Now if only Chrysler can stay in business long enough...

An hour after Mercedes-Benz unveiled its new ML450 hybrid at the New York Auto Show, we got to take our first quick drive in the first German version of a two-mode hybrid. Mercedes-Benz has been collaborating with General Motors, Chrysler and BMW for the last four years to develop the two-mode hybrid system for applications smaller than the buses that GM originally designed it for. GM has now installed the system across the board on all its GMT900 full size trucks and SUVs and Chrysler briefly offered it on the Durango and Aspen before production of those vehicles ended at the end of 2008. In 2010, Dodge will add the system to the Ram pickup trucks.

Mercedes-Benz will be building its own version of the two-mode hybrid transmission at a plant in Germany. Those transmissions will also be supplied to BMW for the X6 hybrid when that debuts. Read on for our first on the road impressions of the ML450.


Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

In New York this morning, the organizers of the world car of the year competition honored four cars that garnered the most votes in their respective categories from an international jury of journalists. While other categories where open to all newly introduced cars, the World Car of the Year's 'World Green Car' started with a list of 22 significant cars that had been produced in volumes of at least 10 and were in the hands of customers or test fleets. A team of three international experts in the field representing North America, Europe and Asia (including yours truly) examined the list and narrowed it down to five finalists. Among those the top three vote-getters from the overall jury were the Honda FCX Clarity, Toyota iQ and Mitsubishi iMiEV. The overall winner turned out to be the fuel cell powered Clarity.


Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

UPDATE: We've changed references in this post from the "World Green Car of the Year" to the "World Car of the Year's 'World Green Car'" to avoid confusion with the Green Car Journal's WGCOTY.

I've heard of carrying extra batteries for a laptop but this is a bit ridiculous. Actually, that's the president of Chrysler electric vehicle ENVI division Lou Rhodes with his laptop sitting on top of the battery pack case for the Dodge Circuit. When I spoke with Rhodes and Doug Quigley a couple of weeks ago they promised that Chrysler would make several announcements regarding its electric vehicle program before Earth Day (April 22). The first of those came a few weeks ago with the revelation that A123 Systems would be the lead supplier for the first production program coming in 2010.

At the New York Auto Show, Rhodes reaffirmed that more announcements were coming within the next two weeks but declined to elaborate further. Unfortunately, the Chrysler display gave no hints because four different battery packs were on display including the Chrysler Town and Country and 200C, as well the Jeep Wrangler. The latter two have a T-shaped configuration similar to the Chevy Volt pack while the minivan pack is a flat rectangular layout that fits nicely under the floor of the people carrier.


Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

To no one's surprise, Toyota unveiled the Scion iQ concept today at the New York Auto Show. Ever since the iQ debuted in Europe last year, the expectation has been that Toyota would sell the micro compact car as a Scion here in the U.S. to compete against the Smart ForTwo. What surprised us were the modifications made to the iQ for its debut in the States. In keeping with the customization culture that is rampant among Scion owners, the concept features widely flared fenders and super-size 18-inch wheels.

Like the current production model, the concept iQ features 3+1 seating with a very compact air conditioning unit that facilitates an asymmetrical dashboard. This allows the front passenger seat to slide forward so that one adult can fit in the back. The seat behind the driver, however, is strictly for the legless. One new innovation in the iQ is a rear window airbag that provides protection to rear seat passengers whose heads are butted up against the rear glass. The concept also features lots of special lighting and a pop-up 10-inch LCD embedded in the dash.

Scion is just evaluating the iQ for U.S. introduction, but we would be shocked not to see it sold here soon.




Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid and Sebastian Blanco / Weblogs, Inc.

The road to production for the Mercedes-Benz ML450 hybrid wasn't always smooth, but now that the Germans have shown off the new SUV here at the New York Auto Show (following its early debut at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show), they'll be happy to tell you just how amazing and luxurious this SULEV people-hauler is. The numbers start with a respectable 21 city/24 highway mpg rating. With a 3.5-liter V6 Atkinson cycle engine and a 288V NM battery pack, the ML450 hybrid can go 1.8 miles or up to 34 mph on battery power alone (take that, 2010 Prius). The hybrid powertrain altogether has a combined output of 335 hp, so providing adequate power to move the giant SUV was clearly just as large a priority as fuel economy. The ML450 hybrid features Mercedes' first application of the Two-Mode hybrid powertrain it co-developed with General Motors and Chrysler that also appears in the Chevy Tahoe Two-Mode Hybrid and Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen Hybrid. For more technical details, see Mercedes' spec sheet (page 1, 2)

How does it ride? All we can say for now is: stay tuned. We're about to hop in one and see for ourselves.



Photos copyright ©2009 Sebastian Blanco / Weblogs, Inc.

Like its mechanical twin, the 2010 Chevrolet Equinox, the new GMC Terrain is getting an engine lineup that consists entirely of direct injected engines. The base 2.4-liter EcoTec four cylinder is expected to give the Terrain an EPA highway fuel economy of 30 mpg and get cleaner cold-start emissions. Cold starts are when engines produce the vast majority of emissions and GM is using a two pulse strategy with it's direct injection system to help warm up the cylinder walls and catalytic converter faster. A richer primary pulse is injected allowing the spark plug to light it off faster. This is followed by a leaner secondary pulse. Once the engine warms up, only the second pulse is used. The optional engine in the Terrain will be the new 3.0-liter direct injected V6 that's also going into the new Buick LaCrosse and Cadillac SRX. There are two videos and a press release after the jump.

[Source: General Motors]

With the New York Auto Show just around the corner, representatives from the Progressive Automotive X Prize will use the occasion and will mark the one-year anniversary of the official start of the competition by revealing the list of all registered teams, possibly as early as tomorrow. 80 teams turned in their paperwork just in time to beat the submission deadline in late February, out of 120 total. We'll see who made the list soon enough.

Those of you not in New York can keep up with latest from the X Prize team Thursday from noon thirty until 1:30 p.m. (EST). During that time, the Auto X Prize crew will be blogging and chatting on their website about the new teams and how the rest of the competition plays out. We'll bring you all the details from New York. Stay tuned.

UPDATE: the list came out earlier than expected. Check it out here.

[Source: Auto X Prize]