Tomorrow is September 1st and that means Honda will finally take the covers off of the much-anticipated Honda Accord Crosstour crossover . The Japanese automaker released its fourth and final teaser today on Facebook, showing the new model taking shape. We’ll have all the details and pictures for you tomorrow. Stay tuned. – By: Kap Shah Here is the original: Fourth Honda Accord Crosstour shows crossover taking shape before tomorrow debut View original post here:  Fourth Honda Accord Crosstour shows crossover taking shape before tomorrow debut

Not everything in Frankfurt will be automotive pornography. Audi even in its home country will be showcasing fuel-efficient versions of the Audi A4 and A3. These aren’t really new developments, they’re just clever use of what they already have in their parts bins and make their existing cars better. For the A4, they took the 3.0L TDI from the Q7 and crammed it into the A4’s engine bay. Mated to a 6-speed triptronic and quattro system, the A4 now gets 35 mpg and 0 to 62 comes in a not too shabby 6.2 seconds. The new A3 will get a turbocharged 1.2 TFSI 4-cycliner engine. The engine generates 105 hp and a max torque of 129 lb-ft. While these don’t really get you anywhere (0 to 62 mph comes in 11.1 seconds), you can probably deal with its slowness with a 43 mpg rating. Go here to see the original:  Fuel-Efficient Audi A4 and A3 Coming to Frankfurt Read the original post: Fuel-Efficient Audi A4 and A3 Coming to Frankfurt

It’s all about the money these days and big companies like automakers do have the luxury to base their activities in different parts of the world. Hyundai, Korea’s largest automaker and the world’s 4th largest, will be taking the production of its i20 small car from India to Europe by mid-2010. The reason? Tax benefits. Hyundai’s India plant can currently produce 200,000 i20s in a year. However, Hyundai sees an opportunity to slash operation and production costs due to tax benefits and plans to move the production of 70,000 cars to another plant in Europe. Hyundai hasn’t announced to which part of Europe they will be shipping production but given Hyundai’s production locations in Europe, it will most likely be in the firm’s Turkish plant. Hyundai is an emerging big player in today’s market through clever marketing and product development. Their recent success in the US through anxiety marketing and the affordability of their cars is testament that Hyundai can be a force to reckon with. Source: Autocar Read the original post:  Hyundai to Ship i20 Production Out of India Here is the original post:  Hyundai to Ship i20 Production Out of India

Ford has released details on the 6.7-liter Powerstroke diesel V8 for its 2011 F-Series Super Duty line, and this engine is definitely not short on complexity. It's also the first Ford diesel engineered in-house since the company parted ways with Navistar, the manufacturer of all recent Powerstrokes. The first thing you'll notice is the inboard exhaust arrangement — the exhaust manifolds are in the center (in the "vee") while the intake is on the outside. It's the same arrangment as on BMW's 4.4-liter, twin-turbo gasoline V8 . But Ford touts the 6.7-liter as the first diesel "inside-out" V8 application and with GM postponing its next-gen diesel , this is true. The reversed design aids turbocharger response and helps with packaging, naturally, and says Ford, provides easier service access to major components. The turbocharger housed in the vee of the new Powerstroke is not any old turbocharger. It's a single turbo with two compressor wheels driven by a single turbine. Though the two compressors actually operate in parallel and not sequentially, Ford calls this ball-bearing unit a "single-sequential" turbocharger — needlessly confusing says our engineering editor, Jay Kavanagh. The benefit of this design is a broader compression map, resulting in quicker boost response and improved low-end torque. Read the rest here: Ford’s New 6.7-liter Powerstroke V8 Gets 2-in-1 Turbocharger Read more here:  Ford’s New 6.7-liter Powerstroke V8 Gets 2-in-1 Turbocharger

During a live chat on GM’s FastLane Blog, general manager of Buick and GMC Susan Docherty said that the company will convert 3,000 dealerships that sold Buick, Pontiac and GMC brands into 2,000 Buick/GMC duals by October 2010. “All our franchise agreements will be renewed then, and we’ll only offer one contract: a dual Buick-GMC,” Docherty said. According to a report by Automotive News , there will be no stand-alone Buick or GMC dealerships after that. Docherty said that GM is getting rid of discontinued Pontiacs faster than it expected. By tomorrow, GM expects to have only 16,000 to 17,000 units left. – By: Stephen Calogera The rest is here: GM to convert Pontiac/Buick/GMC stores into Buick/GMC duals, only 17,000 Pontiacs left More:  GM to convert Pontiac/Buick/GMC stores into Buick/GMC duals, only 17,000 Pontiacs left

Jamie Case didn't want to take her new husband's last name when they got married over the summer. So she and her fiance, Chris Hodges, decided to choose a new last name. They decided on "Ford," and we're sure it had nothing to with the Fusion that Ford loaned them for their honeymoon road trip. In any case, the recently wedded Jamie Ford came up with a list of 11 criteria to aid in decision making. Among them: "The word 'Ford,' as defined by dictionary.com, means 'to cross a river.' It implies strength and determination, two qualities Chris and I hope to embody in our marriage." "Ford is the only American car company that didn't take bailout money." "Driving around the country seeing the Ford sign everywhere made Chris and I feel like a part of a larger family – we loved that." Any of you plan to take "Pontiac" as your new last name in a tribute to the G8? USA Today Photo from USA Today Original post: Touching or Pathetic? Married Couple Takes "Ford" as New Last Name Read the rest here: Touching or Pathetic? Married Couple Takes "Ford" as New Last Name

Jamie Case didn't want to take her new husband's last name when they got married over the summer. So she and her fiance, Chris Hodges, decided to choose a new last name. They decided on "Ford," and we're sure it had nothing to with the Fusion that Ford loaned them for their honeymoon road trip. In any case, the recently wedded Jamie Ford came up with a list of 11 criteria to aid in decision making. Among them: "The word 'Ford,' as defined by dictionary.com, means 'to cross a river.' It implies strength and determination, two qualities Chris and I hope to embody in our marriage." "Ford is the only American car company that didn't take bailout money." "Driving around the country seeing the Ford sign everywhere made Chris and I feel like a part of a larger family – we loved that." Any of you plan to take "Pontiac" as your new last name in a tribute to the G8? USA Today Photo from USA Today Original post: Touching or Pathetic? Married Couple Takes "Ford" as New Last Name More: Touching or Pathetic? Married Couple Takes "Ford" as New Last Name

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. As such, we don’t rate styling – but that doesn’t mean we don’t find some cars more attractive than others. To my eyes, the Audi A6 is aging rather well, both inside and out. (Visit the Audi A6 model overview , available to online subscribers.)   The current generation appeared in 2005 and a recent freshening for 2009 keeps a fresh look. Even though some nipping and tucking went on, the biggest change was under the hood. If you get Audi’s Quattro all-wheel-drive system (like the vast majority of buyers do), the new base engine is a 300-hp, 3.0-liter supercharged V6 instead of Audi’s 3.2-liter. (It’s a bit odd that the badge on the car’s rump has a “T,” implying a turbocharger, rather than an “S.”) The old engine did a pretty good job, fuel-economy and performance-wise, but Audi felt like it needed a more powerful V6, since opting for the V8 these days is both politically incorrect and expensive.  It will be interesting to see how this new one compares.   Our A6 is a Premium plus model, adding “no-charge navigation,” 18-inch wheels, HID headlights, and other interior features. That’s lots of optional equipment for $1,400. Heated seats and winter mats brought the price to $53,075.   Despite the freshening, some of the A6’s minor eccentricities remain. The MMI controller still takes a lot of button twirling and presses for navigating through the radio functions, although you can change stations through the steering wheel controls. (Still, traditional “hard” preset buttons would be handier.) The glove box is mostly consumed by an old-school six-CD changer, as well as Audi’s multimedia drives/slots.   We’ll let you know how this stylish and posh executive transport fares as we put more miles on its clock.   — Tom Mutchler More here: Just In: 2010 Audi A6 3.0T

The 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour is due for its ‘sneak preview’ unveiling tomorrow, September 1, but today the company has released a fourth teaser image via its Facebook fan page, this time revealing a close-up shot of the crossover/wagon’s wheel. The previous three teasers have highlighted the rear C-pillar, grille, and headlight .. Excerpt from: Honda Releases Fourth Teaser For 2010 Accord Crosstour

According to, CEO of Volkswagen North America Stefan Jacoby, the German company needs to get a lot more “local” in order to be competitive in the U.S. market. Part of that will be through the new plant under construction in Chattanooga, TN, and the two vehicles that will start rolling out of its doors in 2012. During a media roundtable session last week, Jacoby and his executive team laid out some of Volkswagen Group’s North American goals, product plans, and obstacles that have to be overcome in order for the company to reach its goal of selling 10 million vehicles worldwide by 2018. Evidently, the company thinks the U.S. market should play a bigger role. Even though sales for January through July 2009 are down 13.5 percent compared with 2008 (117,598 vs. 135,966), U.S. market share is up 25 percent, at 2.1 percent through July 2009 compared with 1.4 percent in 2008. In order to really grow, both Jacoby and his staff explained that VW has to move into new segments where they currently aren’t competitive. VW has recently entered two segments–small SUV ( Tiguan ) and minivan ( Routan )–that they were never been before (not counting the EuroVan which was not quite a minivan but not a full-sized van, either). The lack of vehicles in those segments meant they lost customers who were looking to buy in those categories. But there are still several segments here where VW lacks an entry. They’re working to fill those holes. Subcompacts, for example, are another segment where they still don’t compete in North America. Look for a vehicle that is similar in size to the tiny Volkswagen Polo, but don’t expect the exact same car as the one sold in Europe. As Jacoby said, “American consumers need bigger vehicles than European customers.” There is some truth to this: American family size is larger than those in Europe (not sure if he meant because of children or Big Macs), and there is a greater dependency on cars in the United States. In addition, a seven-passenger SUV will be offered to take on the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander. The Jetta replacement, a Honda Accord/Chevrolet Malibu/Toyota Camry mid-sized sedan competitor built in Chattanooga, will go on sale for the 2012 model year. The current Jetta is both smaller and more expensive than...

Because Fiat plans to bring some of its Euro-designed models to our shores with Chrysler badges, we’ve started paying special attention to the company’s latest products. The Punto Evo is one of those Italian products that piqued our interest. The Evo will go on sale in Europe this October and replaces the Grande Punto. The three- or five-door hatchback is attractive and looks much more grown up than the cutesy 500. At 160 inches by 65 inches, it’s practically the same length and height as a Honda Fit. Powertrain choices will include a 1.3-liter diesel or 1.4-liter gasoline engine, the latter using the MultiAir technology that’s likely to see use in American vehicles. Features on the Evo include seven airbags, stability control, hill-start assist, and adaptive headlights. An engine stop-start system and a TomTom navigation unit are optional. Pricing isn’t available yet, but the outgoing Grande Punte starts at the equivalent of $18,500 in the U.K. There are no official plans to bring the Punto Evo to the U.S., but it—or something based on it—could show up here sometime soon. Related posts: Lexus Compact Concept to Debut in Frankfurt – Auto Shows 2010 Fiat 500C – Auto Shows Driving Miss Fiat: We Sample Engines Likely to Come to the U.S. See the original post: 2010 Fiat Punto Evo to Debut in Frankfurt Originally posted here: 2010 Fiat Punto Evo to Debut in Frankfurt

Because Fiat plans to bring some of its Euro-designed models to our shores with Chrysler badges, we’ve started paying special attention to the company’s latest products. The Punto Evo is one of those Italian products that piqued our interest. The Evo will go on sale in Europe this October and replaces the Grande Punto. The three- or five-door hatchback is attractive and looks much more grown up than the cutesy 500. At 160 inches by 65 inches, it’s practically the same length and height as a Honda Fit. Powertrain choices will include a 1.3-liter diesel or 1.4-liter gasoline engine, the latter using the MultiAir technology that’s likely to see use in American vehicles. Features on the Evo include seven airbags, stability control, hill-start assist, and adaptive headlights. An engine stop-start system and a TomTom navigation unit are optional. Pricing isn’t available yet, but the outgoing Grande Punte starts at the equivalent of $18,500 in the U.K. There are no official plans to bring the Punto Evo to the U.S., but it—or something based on it—could show up here sometime soon. Related posts: Lexus Compact Concept to Debut in Frankfurt – Auto Shows 2010 Fiat 500C – Auto Shows Driving Miss Fiat: We Sample Engines Likely to Come to the U.S. See the original post: 2010 Fiat Punto Evo to Debut in Frankfurt See the rest here: 2010 Fiat Punto Evo to Debut in Frankfurt

BMW’s latest concept combines a three-cylinder diesel and two electric motors to deliver impressive fuel economy—plus 60 mph in less than five seconds. BMW is using its home-market Frankfurt auto show to display its latest contribution to the hybrid trend, the Vision EfficientDynamics Concept. The 2+2 concept also contributes to the obviously German trend of giving things names as long as a freight train, but it surely provides a vision—so to speak—of things to come from Bavaria. BMW describes the Vision EfficientDynamics Concept as a four-door coupe (yes, there’s that stupid phrase again) with “outstanding aerodynamic qualities.” BMW says that the slippery shape combines with BMW’s second-gen ActiveHybrid components and “an extremely economical combustion engine” to exceed the fuel efficiency of today’s small cars while delivering impressive performance. Keep Reading: BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept – Auto Shows Related posts: BMW Teases Vision EfficientDynamics Concept with Video BMW 5-series Gran Turismo Concept – Auto Shows BMW Concept 7-Series ActiveHybrid – Auto Shows View original here: BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept – Auto Shows Go here to see the original:  BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept – Auto Shows

BMW’s latest concept combines a three-cylinder diesel and two electric motors to deliver impressive fuel economy—plus 60 mph in less than five seconds. BMW is using its home-market Frankfurt auto show to display its latest contribution to the hybrid trend, the Vision EfficientDynamics Concept. The 2+2 concept also contributes to the obviously German trend of giving things names as long as a freight train, but it surely provides a vision—so to speak—of things to come from Bavaria. BMW describes the Vision EfficientDynamics Concept as a four-door coupe (yes, there’s that stupid phrase again) with “outstanding aerodynamic qualities.” BMW says that the slippery shape combines with BMW’s second-gen ActiveHybrid components and “an extremely economical combustion engine” to exceed the fuel efficiency of today’s small cars while delivering impressive performance. Keep Reading: BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept – Auto Shows Related posts: BMW Teases Vision EfficientDynamics Concept with Video BMW 5-series Gran Turismo Concept – Auto Shows BMW Concept 7-Series ActiveHybrid – Auto Shows View original here: BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept – Auto Shows Read the rest here: BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept – Auto Shows

Last week, sources close to BMW were spreading some rumors regarding BMW talks with Toyota regarding the iQ platform. While at that time we categorized them as simple speculations, today a few major car magazines add more fuel to the fire. The bi-directional collaboration mentions BMW’s plans to use the Toyota iQ platform for its upcoming  iSetta model, the micro electric car part of Project i. At the same time, Toyota is looking at the MINI Coupe and Roadster platform for their future model variants. For several reasons, we still believe these are simple rumors at this point. Toyota already has access to similar MINI platforms in their Subaru and Daihatsu brands. Naturally, the questions of cost savings comes in play and would it make sense for Toyota to use the MINI platform? In the past few months, several other rumors surrounding BMW and its Project i have surfaced. There were several reports on BMW’s talks with Daimler, Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Peugeout, but nothing has been confirmed to this date. Aston Martin has already arranged a similar deal with Toyota to use the iQ as the basis for its Cygnet micro car. [Source: Autocar | InsideLine | Autoblog ] The rest is here:  Rumormill: BMW in talks to use iQ platform for future models