Archive for the ‘First Look’ Category
Mid-cycle refresh sharpens styling, updates tech, adds new engine – and new AT4 model.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Feb.18, 2019
The new 2020 GMC Acadia AT4 edition puts the emphasis on off-roadability.
GMC has lifted the covers on an update of its popular Acadia SUV, and it offers more changes than you’d typically expect from a mid-cycle refresh.
The 2020 GMC Acadia opts for a more classic, ute-like face, with a more boxy, upright grille framed by now-standard LED headlamps and C-shaped LED running lights. The front and rear fascia also get new treatments.
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The 2020 refresh sees some all new features added to the midsize ute, including a new turbo engine. But one of the more significant moves comes with the addition of the new Acadia AT4. Something of a counterpoint to the upscale Acadia Denali, the AT4 model puts the emphasis on serious off-road capabilities.
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Tags: 2020 gmc acadia, 2020 gmc acadia review, auto news, car news, gmc acadia at4, gmc acadia denal, gmc acadia pic, gmc news, midsize SUV, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Automakers, Automobiles, Chevrolet, Crossovers/CUVs, First Look, GM, GMC, Markets, Product Reveals, SUVs, Sales, Technology, Trends, U.S./North America | No Comments »
More technology and a more technical design.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Feb.07, 2019
The 2020 Nissan Rogue Sport gets a mid-cycle refresh on the exterior and interior.
Nissan is giving its Rogue Sport a more technical feel with the 2020 mid-cycle update, with updates to the crossover’s exterior and interior, along with the addition of new Safety Shield technologies.
Now in its second generation, the Rogue is “a critical vehicle” in the expanding Nissan crossover/SUV line-up, says Scott Shirley, vice president of marketing operations for Nissan North America, so what might seem like a modest mid-cycle update takes on significance for the Japanese automaker.
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“We’re committed to keeping our crossover/SUV portfolio fresh,” Shirley said, during the lead-up to the unveiling of the 2020 Rogue Sport at this week’s Chicago Auto Show media preview.
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Tags: 2020 Nissan Rogue Sport, 2020 chicago auto show, auto news, car news, nissan chicago auto show, nissan news, nissan rogue, nissan rogue sport, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Auto Shows, Automakers, Automobiles, Chicago, Crossovers/CUVs, First Look, Markets, Nissan, Product Reveals, Safety, Safety, Sales, Technology, Technology, Trends, U.S./North America | No Comments »
“The heart and soul of the GTI.”
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Feb.07, 2019
The 2019 VW GLI blends the sportiest features of the Jetta and GTI models.
There are some things that Europeans and Americans just never can agree on, starting with hatchbacks and sedans. True, utility vehicles have come to dominate the U.S. marketplace, but sedans still make up a strong share of sales. Hatchbacks just can’t seem to climb out of the niche category.
So, for those who’d like the power and road-holding dynamics of a Volkswagen GTI, the GLI offers a viable, four-door alternative. And the German maker “ups the performance ante,” it promises, with the launch of the sixth-generation sedan that made its debut at the Chicago Auto Show.
Performance News!
“Volkswagen has long been synonymous with small, sporty cars,” said Scott Keogh, CEO, Volkswagen Group of America. “The redesigned 2019 Jetta proved once more that its combination of design, technology and value continues to resonate with buyers. The 2019 GLI takes the Jetta foundation and adds performance features from the Golf GTI to give buyers a true sport sedan.”
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Tags: 2019 chicago auto show, 2019 volkswagen gli, german sports sedan, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, sporty sedan, thedetroitbureau, vw chicago auto show, vw gli, vw gti, vw jetta, vw news
Posted in Auto Shows, Automakers, Automobiles, Chicago, First Look, Markets, Product Reveals, Sedans, Sports Cars, Technology, U.S./North America, Volkswagen | 1 Comment »
Seventh-generation gets new platform, new performance model, more.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Feb.07, 2019
The 2020 Subaru Legacy gets a bolder look with a more coupe-like roofline.
These days, SUVs and CUVs are all the rage, and Japanese automaker Subaru gets a large share of the credit for shifting public interest dating back to the introduction of its original Outback model.
But Subie isn’t through with passenger cars. Quite the contrary. We’ve seen updates to several models in recent times and now it’s giving a complete makeover to its flagship sedan.
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The 2020 Subaru Legacy starts off with an all-new platform that, the maker claims is far stiffer and boasts a lower center of gravity. There is a new foam-filled cross-member and the Subaru Global Platform adopts a new method for joining upper and lower bodies. Those technical details are intended to make the seventh-generation Legacy more agile, stable and quiet.
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Tags: 2019 chicago auto show, 2020 Subaru Legacy, subaru chicago auto show, subaru legacy, subaru legacy pics, subaru legacy review
Posted in Auto Shows, Automakers, Automobiles, Business, Chicago, First Look, Infotainment, Markets, SUVs, Safety, Safety, Sales, Sedans, Subaru, Technology, Technology, Trends, U.S./North America | 2 Comments »
Compact crossover gets modest mid-cycle updates.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Feb.07, 2019
The 2020 Kia Sportage gets its first update since being launched for the 2016 model-year.
Bigger seems to be better these days, especially when it comes to trucks and utility vehicles. We’ve seen all manner of new full-size and heavy-duty pickups debut in recent months, along with large-larger-largest SUVs and CUVs.
That includes the all-new Kia Telluride. But what if someone doesn’t need a honking big, three-row ute? Kia has rolled one possible answer into this year’s Chicago Auto Show in the form of its updated 2020 Sportage model.
Live From Chicago!
Originally introduced way back in 1994, when it was produced in classic, body-on-frame form, the Sportage has gone through a number of updates over the years. It has morphed into a modern-looking, car-based crossover, the fourth-generation model launched for 2016. That means what we’re seeing in the Windy City is a mid-cycle update.
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Tags: 2019 chicago auto show, 2020 kia sportage, auto news, car news, compact crossover, kia chicago auto show, kia cuv, kia sportage, kia suv, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Auto Shows, Automakers, Automobiles, Chicago, Crossovers/CUVs, First Look, Kia, Markets, Product Reveals, Safety, Safety, Sales, Technology, Technology, U.S./North America | No Comments »
All-electric prototype hints of crossover set to mark the brand’s revival.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Feb.06, 2019
The Aston Martin Lagonda All-Terrain Concept will strongly influence a coming production model.
Automakers have a habit of reaching into the history books. We’ve seen a number of once forgotten nameplates rise from the dead lately, including the Chevrolet Blazer and Ford Bronco. And the upcoming Geneva Motor Show will mark the revival of two once-grand brands: Hispano-Suiza and Lagonda.
The return of the latter, a subsidiary of Aston Martin, has been in the works for several years, a show car called the Lagonda Vision making its debut in Switzerland a year ago. Next month, we’ll see the debut of a second prototype, the Lagonda All-Terrain Concept, and it seems a lot closer to the production model set to reach showrooms a couple years from now.
Geneva Motor Show News!
“The Lagonda All-Terrain Concept offers explicit clues regarding what will be the first Lagonda model to enter production, and further demonstrates how Lagonda’s zero emission powertrain enables us to create spectacular cars that will radically redefine their sectors of the market,” says Aston CEO Andy Palmer.
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Tags: aston electri, aston martin electric, aston martin lagonda, aston martin news, auto news, battery car, car news, electric vehicles, lagonda all-terrain conceot, lagonda electric, lagonda news, luxury electric vehicle, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Aston Martin, Auto Shows, Automakers, Automobiles, Business, Chevrolet, Classic Cars, Concept Cars, Crossovers/CUVs, EVs, Electrified Vehicles, Financials, First Look, Ford, Geneva, Investors, Lamborghini, Luxury Vehicles, Product Reveals, SUVs, Sales, Technology, Tesla | No Comments »
35th anniversary editions commemorate a major industry shift.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Feb.04, 2019
The 35th anniversary edition Chrysler Pacifica.
Fiat Chrysler will roll out a pair of special edition minivans at the Chicago Auto Show later this week to mark the 35th anniversary of the automaker’s original “people-movers.”
Few individual vehicles have had a more dramatic impact on the U.S. automotive market as did the original Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager when they came to market in 1984, instantly clicking with buyers and rapidly spawning an array of competitors.
Beyond the Headlines!
While minivan sales today are running little more than a third of their one-time peak, they still remain a go-to product for millions of American families and, FCA hopes to take advantage of that with the 35th Anniversary Models it will roll out on Thursday at Chicago’s McCormick Place convention center.
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Tags: Dodge Grand Caravan, FCA news, auto news, car news, chrysler minivan, chrysler pacifica, fca minivan, grand caravan 35th anniversary, minivan 35, pacifica 35th anniversary, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Auto Shows, Automakers, Automobiles, Business, Chicago, Chrysler, Classic Cars, Dodge, FCA, First Look, Honda, Markets, Minivans, Monthly Results, Product Reveals, Sales, Trends, U.S./North America, Volkswagen | No Comments »
Three versions worldwide, including U.S.-bound 745e xDrive.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Feb.01, 2019
The second-generation BMW 7-Series plug-in opts for a bigger engine and bigger battery.
BMW continues its push to electrify its line-up with the official launch of the new 745e model. Three different versions of the plug-in hybrid will be offered worldwide, including the 745e, the 745Le and the 745e xDrive, the latter being the only variant planned for the U.S. market.
The new model marks the second-generation 7-Series plug-in but gets a complete makeover under the hood, abandoning the previous model’s 2.0-liter inline-four gas engine in favor of a 3.0-liter inline-six. Paired with a single electric motor, the package is claimed to delivered both improved performance and longer range when operating in EV mode.
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Part of the credit for those improvements comes from the increase in the size of the 745e sedan’s lithium-ion battery pack from 9.2 to 12.0 kilowatt-hours.
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Tags: 2020 BMW 7 Series, 2020 bmw 745e xdrive, auto news, bmw 745e, bmw 745e xdrive, bmw news, bmw phev, bmw plug-in hybrid, car news, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, phev, plug-in hybrid, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Automakers, Automobiles, BMW, Business, EVs, Electrified Vehicles, Environment, First Look, Fuel Economy, Infotainment, Luxury Vehicles, Regulatory, Reviews, Sales, Sales, Sedans, Technology, Trends | Comments Off
“Electric Vision” model to usher in massive shift to battery power.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Jan.23, 2019
Honda will bring a production version of the Urban EV Concept to Europe in the coming year.
Honda plans to use battery power of one form or another in two-thirds of the vehicles it sells by the end of the next decade, and the Japanese automaker plans to give a sense of where its “Electric Vision” is going at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show.
The Honda Urban EV Concept builds on an early prototype shown at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show and is little more than a thinly disguised version of the battery runabout it soon will be launching in Europe.
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“Honda’s new electric vehicle is developed with a focus on functionality and purpose and the prototype sketch demonstrates this through its clean, simple and unique design,” the automaker explained in a statement accompanying this teaser shot. “A mass production version of the car will be on sale later in the year.”
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Tags: 2019 geneva motor show, Honda geneva motor show, auto news, battery car, car news, honda electric, honda news, honda urban evelectric vehicle, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Auto Shows, Automakers, Automobiles, Business, Concept Cars, EVs, Electrified Vehicles, Environment, Europe, Fiat, First Look, Frankfurt, Geneva, Honda, Kia, Markets, Sales, Technology, Trends | 2 Comments »
Maybe it could pull the Queen Mary.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Jan.23, 2019
The Sierra HD 3500 makes an audacious debut pulling 225,000 pounds of yacht and trailer.
It wasn’t quite the Queen Mary, but watching a pickup pull 225,000 pounds worth of yacht and boat lift will clearly get your attention – as it did Tuesday evening when GMC unveiled several versions of its 2020 Sierra Heavy Duty models at a San Diego news event.
“For customers who demand a premium, innovative heavy-duty truck that supports their passions, the next-generation Sierra HD can pull like a pro,” proclaimed GMC Vice President Duncan Aldred following a demonstration that made his words sound a little less like hyperbole.
Keep on Trucking!
The HD builds on the “base” Sierra pickup launched by the GMC brand for 2019, the light-duty 1500 version one of the finalists for North American truck of the year. In heavy-duty trim, buyers will have a variety of options, including the off-road-oriented AT4, the h Denali and the stump-pulling HD 3500 that managed to pull yacht and lift with only a minor modification to its optional fifth-wheel hitch.
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Tags: 2020 gmc sierra 2500 at4, 2020 gmc sierra 2500 denali, 2020 gmc sierra hd, 2020 gmc sierra hd 2500, 2020 gmc sierra review, auto news, car news, gmc news, gmc sierra at4, gmc sierra denali, gmc sierra hd pics, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Aftermarket, Automakers, Automobiles, First Look, GMC, Infotainment, Luxury Vehicles, Markets, Monthly Results, Pickups, Product Reveals, Safety, Safety, Sales, Technology, Technology, Trends, U.S./North America | Comments Off
