Hyundai Santa Cruz Crossover Truck Concept

Hyundai is aiming hard to capture the small truck/pick-up truck market with their trucklet, the Santa Cruz Crossover Truck Concept.

This four-door five-passenger “urban adventure” concept is powered by a 2-litre turbodiesel producing 190 horsepower, 300 lb-ft of torque, and a fuel efficiency figure north of 30 mpg. The Santa Cruz’s HTRAC AWD system puts the power to the ground, though the transmission used to direct said power wasn’t mentioned.

Other features include: expandable bed, integrated tonneau cover, Brembo brake calipers, LED fog lamps, lens-free honeycomb headlamp projectors, tie-down cleats on the roof, wheel arches and bed rails, and a footprint comparable to a small crossover.

Hyundai states that the concept is not aimed at traditional truck buyers, instead choosing to pursue crossover and sedan buyers looking for a vehicle that’s truck-like, but better suited to city life.

Revised Acura NSX showcased at NAIAS

Acura unleashed its new NSX on America's most significant auto show in Detroit on Monday with improvements that make it faster, bigger and even more in-your-face.

The NSX is the sports car that stunned the automotive world 25 years ago by showing that a Japanese maker could compete with the Ferraris of the world in creating an exotic, sexy and uncompromising car.

It has got a new engine, a twin-turbocharged six-cylinder powerplant, coupled with three electric motors. The new engine was larger and gulped more air, requiring significant changes to the original concept. NSX will come with a nine-speed dual clutch transmission.

NSX that goes into production in Ohio will be 3 inches longer and an inch wider. It has larger air ducts, especially behind the doors, to suck more air into the intercoolers for those two turbos.

2016 Chevrolet Volt unveiled

Chevrolet has unveiled its next generation Volt at Detroit's North American International Auto Show.

It has an all new design, more sleeker and its electric-only range has increased about a dozen miles to 50. At that point, a gas engine kicks in, which offers a total range of more than 400 miles before a fill-up and recharge are necessary. 

The engine is a new 1.5-liter unit that takes regular gas and delivers a combined fuel economy of 41 mpg when in use. Charging comes in 4.5 hours connected to a 240-volt source.

The Volt carries on the Chevy tradition of a two-screen dash. One for the instrument cluster and the other in the center stack, but both seem better and more useful. 

Remote start, heated seats, Bluetooth connectivity, and integrated LTE round out Chevrolet's usual list of tech and comfort features.

Pricing hasn't been announced, but it'll be in dealerships in the second half of 2015 as a 2016 model.

Chevrolet Bolt : Electric car of the future

Chevrolet unveiled its latest electric concept car at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The car, a high-roofed hatch, promises "more than" 200 miles on a charge at a price around $30,000 which is not far from what Tesla is looking to go after with its upcoming Model 3. It supports DC fast charging, though GM doesn't say exactly how long it would take to fill it from empty.

A 10-inch touchscreen is the centerpiece of the dashboard. It is bigger than many of today's interior screens and leads up a list of high-tech features, including the ability to use a smartphone as your key, integrated ride-sharing management, and self-parking capability.

Volkswagen Cross Coupe GTE Concept

Volkswagen ‘Cross Coupe GTE’ concept was showcased at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS)

The two row five-seater uses a V6 plug-in hybrid drive-train which combines the 3.6 litre FSI engine with two electric motors to produce a maximum output of 355 horsepower. These dual electric generators which source from a compact lithium-ion battery, each power a wheel set – the front or rear and can fuel the car exclusively as an EV for 20 miles when in the e-mode drive type. 

The four other modes are hybrid, GTE, off-road and battery hold/charge, work in sync with the selected driving profiles: snow, sport, on-road and off-road.

The Cross Coupe GTE’s powerful exterior design is characterized by a clear and logical line structure and is 190.9 inches long, 79.9 wide and 68.3 high. This upscaled appearance gives the SUV a confident stance, which is increased by the precise edges of the long hood and the lowered wheelarches. The car’s physical presence is complemented by features such as the neat air inlet and radiator grille, as well as the LED dual headlights that generate a low beam.

The interior reflects strong influences from the german bauhaus movement. The combination of gloss black applications with the seamlessly integrated displays and chrome elements, complement with the elegant bi-color and ink blue nappa leather seats and borders. by enhancing technology, the 10.1 inch infotainment touchscreen that governs most of the car’s features, can also be controlled to make a more intuitive driving experience.