Archive for the ‘First Look’ Category
But market has changed radically since coupe-like model first appeared.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Dec.17, 2018
Mercedes has offered a tease of the second-generation CLA ahead of its debut at CES.
The original Mercedes-Benz CLA, in baseball terms, knocked it out of the park, the compact, coupe-like sedan not only generating a massive sales surge but drawing in the sort of hip young buyers that the German brand long had trouble reaching.
Americans are expected to buy about 22,000 CLA sedans this year, a sharp decline from the model’s 2015 peak, when Mercedes delivered about 30,000 of them. That said, considering the rapid shift from passenger cars to light trucks – including the similarly sized Mercedes GLA crossover – the CLA remains an essential part of the brand’s line-up.
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“We’re still bullish on sedans,” Dietmar Exler, CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA, told TheDetroitBureau.com during a Los Angeles Auto Show interview, and the German brand aims to prove that with the upcoming launch of the second-generation CLA.
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Tags: 2019 ces, 2020 mercedes-benz cla, Consumer Electronics Show, auto news, car news, coupe-like sedan, mercedes ces, mercedes cla, mercedes mnux, mercedes news, mercedes vision urbanetic, mercedes-benz cla, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Auto Shows, Automakers, Automobiles, Autonomous Driving, Business, CES, Concept Cars, Crossovers/CUVs, Electrified Vehicles, First Look, Infotainment, Luxury Vehicles, Markets, Mercedes, Monthly Results, Product Reveals, SUVs, Safety, Sales, Sedans, Technology, Technology, Trends, U.S./North America | No Comments »
Final January run to see over 30 new models debut.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Dec.10, 2018
Toyota showed us a well-camouflaged Supra with chief engineer Tetsuya Tada at the Goodwood Festival.
The Detroit Auto Dealers Association has inked a seven-year deal with the City of Detroit that will ensure that the North American International Auto Show keeps running through at least the latter part of the next decade.
The deal also locks down the move from January to June that DADA, the sponsor of the show, announced earlier this year. That is expected to prove critical if the Detroit Auto Show is to regain its former glory or, at the very least, keep from slipping into second-tier status, something that seemed all too likely in the wake of a painfully quiet 2018 event that saw a single official media day wrap up the new car debuts shortly after noon.
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The 2019 North American International Auto Show will clearly not have the luster of years past. Virtually the entire European contingent – including brands like Audi, BMW, Jaguar and Meredes-Benz – plan to sit it out. But there will still be enough on the calendar to keep the spotlight lit. Among the products set to make their official debut at the Cobo Hall convention center are the long-awaited Toyota Supra and the Lexus RC F which is being hailed as the brand’s fastest and most powerful model ever, save for its limited-edition LFA supercar.
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Tags: 2019 naias, 2019 north american international auto show, 2020 naias, Lexus rc f, auto news, car news, ford shelby gt500, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, ram power wagon, thedetroitbureau, toyota supra
Posted in Acura, Audi, Auto Shows, Automakers, Automobiles, BMW, Business, Chevrolet, Daimler, Detroit, FCA, Fiat, First Look, Ford, GM, Hyundai, Jeep, Kia, Lexus, Lincoln, Los Angeles, Markets, Mercedes, NAFTA, Nissan, Paris, Porsche, Ram, Toyota, U.S./North America, Volkswagen | No Comments »
Cars, trucks, crossover and concepts worth a second look.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Dec.03, 2018
The long-awaited Jeep Gladiator pickup made for one of the splashiest debuts at the LA Auto Show.
We’ve been to some dud auto shows over the last year. The Paris Motor Show, which kicked off the 2019 model-year, couldn’t even fill up a half day on the media calendar, and the Detroit Auto Show didn’t stretch much further. But this year’s Los Angeles Auto Show delivered some sweet surprises with its mix of cars, trucks, crossovers and concepts.
As we’ve come to expect from the Tinseltown extravaganza, there were plenty of green machines making their first appearance at the Los Angeles Convention Center, but these weren’t the sort of slow and stodgy sedans and quirky hatchbacks of years past, covering a broad swath of territory including electrified SUVs, pickups and sports cars. And there were plenty of promising products that fell into more conventional categories.
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Here’s an alphabetical look at 10 of our favorite debuts at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show:
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Tags: 10 best, 10 best of la auto show, 2018 la auto show, Mazda3, Porsche 911, Rivian R1T, audi e-tron gt, auto news, car news, honda passport, hyundai palisade, jeep gladiator, kia soul, lincoln aviator, mercedes-amg gt pro, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, rivian r1s, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Audi, Automakers, Automobiles, Concept Cars, Crossovers/CUVs, EVs, Electrified Vehicles, Environment, First Look, Fuel Economy, Honda, Hybrids, Hyundai, Jeep, Kia, Lincoln, Los Angeles, Luxury Vehicles, Markets, Mazda, Mercedes, Pickups, Porsche, Product Reveals, Rivian, SUVs, Safety, Safety, Sales, Sedans, Sports Cars, Technology, Technology, Trends, U.S./North America | Comments Off
New platform, more technology for smallest Range Rover.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Nov.23, 2018
The 2019 Range Rover Evoque made a splashy debut in Britain on Thursday night.
At first glance, you might not recognize the compact ute has gotten a nearly complete makeover, but there have been plenty of significant changes made to the 2019 Range Rover Evoque, more than 90% of what you’d find under the skin of the compact SUV being all new.
First launched in 2010 as a 2011 model, the Evoque quickly became the most popular model in Land Rover history and, even as the first-generation ute approached the end of its run it has remained quite popular. But, in an increasingly crowded market, the British sibling of Jaguar is taking no chances.
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“When Range Rover Evoque made its debut back in 2010, it transformed the world of compact SUVs and the new model is set to continue that remarkable journey,” declared design director Gerry McGovern, at a splashy British unveiling on Thursday evening. “This characterful vehicle combines refinement and fun to create that all important emotional reaction that will turn heads and make people smile.”
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Tags: 2019 range rover evoque, Range Rover Evoque, SUV review, auto news, car news, compact luxury SUV, compact suv, land rover, land rover news, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, range rover, range rover evoque debut, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Auto Shows, Automakers, Automobiles, Business, Chicago, Electrified Vehicles, Environment, First Drive, First Look, Hybrids, Infotainment, Land Rover, Luxury Vehicles, Markets, Product Reveals, Reviews, SUVs, Sales, Technology, Technology, Trends | Comments Off
EV range of 17 miles per charge.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Nov.21, 2018
Subaru's first plug-in hybrid, the Crosstrek PHEV, will make its debut next week.
Subaru is about to become the latest automaker to plug-in to battery power – quite literally, with its first-ever plug-in hybrid set to make its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show next week.
The Japanese carmaker will underplay the plug-in side of the drivetrain by calling its new model the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid – apparently lifting a page from Fiat Chrysler’s playbook, the Detroit automaker calling its own plug-in the Pacifica Hybrid.
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That said, the new version of the Subaru SUV will have the ability to travel about 17 miles in pure battery mode. That’s relatively modest compared to some current plug-in offerings, such as the Chevrolet Volt which gets three times the range, but it’s about what Toyota manages with its latest PHEV, the Prius Prime.
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Tags: 2018 la auto show, 2019 subaru crosstrek hybrid, LA Auto Show, auto news, car news, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, plug-in hybrids, subaru crosstrek hybrid, subaru la auto show, subaru news, subaru phev, subaru plug-in, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Auto Shows, Automakers, Automobiles, Chevrolet, Electrified Vehicles, Environment, First Look, Fuel Economy, Hybrids, Los Angeles, Markets, SUVs, Safety, Safety, Sales, Subaru, Technology, Technology, Toyota, Trends, U.S./North America | Comments Off
Compact sedan gets new look, broad range of new, standard features.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Nov.16, 2018
Brand boss Jack Hollis introduced the 12th-generation, 2020 Toyota Corolla.
It may be an SUV-crazed market, but Toyota is not going to cede ground in the compact sedan market without a fight, or so brand boss Jack Hollis declared during the unveiling of the all-new, 2020 Corolla Thursday night.
It’s no surprise that Toyota is intent on proving its prowess with the new sedan. Over the past half century, Corolla has been one of the cars instrumental in building the Japanese automaker’s reputation for quality, reliability and durability. But with other manufacturers, like Korea’s Hyundai and Kia, breathing down its neck, Toyota will have to show it can deliver more than the classic, plain vanilla design, Corolla has also long been known for.
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It hinted at a more expressive direction earlier this year with the launch of a new, and decidedly more sporty , Corolla Hatchback. Now, the mainstay sedan gets a complete makeover. And it is not only more stylish, but boasts more power and lots more features, including the latest version of the Toyota Safety Sense package which now will be standard on all Corolla grades. Key competitors, such as Honda, have chosen not to package these advanced driver assistance systems on many of their base models.
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Tags: 2018 la auto show, 2020 toyota corolla, Toyota Corolla, auto news, car news, jack hollis, new Corolla, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, sedan sales, thedetroitbureau, toyota corolla la auto show, toyota news
Posted in Auto Shows, Automakers, Automobiles, Business, Electrified Vehicles, Executives, First Look, Honda, Hybrids, Infortainment, Los Angeles, Markets, Monthly Results, Personalities, Product Reveals, Safety, Safety, Sales, Sales, Sedans, Technology, Technology, Toyota, Trends, U.S./North America | Comments Off
Fleshed-out SUV coming to Los Angeles – and could feature new Transparent Hood technology.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Nov.15, 2018
Land Rover created full-size, wireframe versions of the second-generation Range Rover Evoque.
Land Rover took a dramatic turn with the 2011 launch of the Range Rover Evoque, moving away from its traditionally boxy SUVs to deliver something far more sleek and sinuous. With its distinctive, sloping roofline, it quickly became the brand’s big seller, attracting a wide range of new buyers that might otherwise have ignored the British brand.
Eight years in, the automaker is getting ready to roll out a new version of the Evoque at the Los Angeles Auto Show, with a sneak peek coming a week earlier. To give us a hint of what’s coming, Land Rover has released a group of unusual teaser images.
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Unlike the usual teasers that cross our desk, these aren’t carefully cropped or shadowed images but, rather, wireframe renderings that clearly lay out the exterior dimensions of the new 2019 Range Rover Evoque. And, we’re hearing, there very well could be a secondary meaning to this approach, hinting at a major new feature that could debut on the new SUV.
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Tags: 2018 la auto show, 2019 range rover evoque, LA Auto Show, Range Rover Evoque, auto news, car news, evoque teaser, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, range rover evoque pics, range rover evoque teaser, range rover la auto show, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Auto Shows, Automakers, Automobiles, Crossovers/CUVs, EVs, Electrified Vehicles, First Look, Geneva, Hybrids, Infotainment, Jaguar, Land Rover, Los Angeles, Luxury Vehicles, Markets, SUVs, Sales, Technology, Trends | Comments Off
Official debut coming at LA Auto Show.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Nov.13, 2018
The new BMW M340i and M340i xDrive models will reach U.S. showrooms next spring.
The rush is on. With just weeks to go before this year’s U.S. auto show season kicks off in Los Angeles, automakers are rushing to give us a preview of what they’ll have on hand in the City of Angels.
For BMW, the big news will be the debut of the 2020 M340i and M340i xDrive sedans, and the Bavarians have proffered up this first look at the range-topping model. While we’ll have to wait to get a look at the next-gen M3, these M Performance sedans are impressive in their own right, sharing an updated twin-scroll turbocharged 3.0-liter straight six making 382 horsepower and 369 pounded-feet of torque.
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This marks the first time the 3-Series will be offered with an M Performance package, what some have dubbed M-Light. We’ll have to wait for the Los Angeles Auto Show to get all the specs on the 2020 BMW M340i models, but preliminary specs suggest 0 to 60 times of around 4.2 seconds, with top speed electronically limited at 155 mph.
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Tags: 2018 la auto show, 2020 bmw 340i xdrive, 2020 bmw m340i, BMW 3-Series, auto news, bmw 3-series pics, bmw la auto show, bmw m340i pics, bmw news, car news, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Auto Shows, Automakers, Automobiles, BMW, First Look, Los Angeles, Luxury Vehicles, Motorsports, Muscle Cars, Paris, Safety, Sports Cars | Comments Off
Critical debut comes as Japanese automaker considers paring back passenger car line-up.
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Nov.12, 2018
Toyota will pull the wraps off the new Corolla during a webcast at 7 PM PST Thursday.
Earlier this month, Toyota’s top U.S. executive confirmed that the automaker is considering ways to pare back its passenger car line-up as the market continues shifting to SUVs – but you won’t see the long-popular Corolla going away any time soon, as this new teaser image suggests.
Toyota isn’t saying much beyond promising that, “The world’s most popular car is about to get greater than ever,” with the Japanese automaker set to reveal the 12th-generation sedan version of the Corolla during a livestream webcast on Thursday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. Pacific time.
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Toyota clearly needs to rebuild the buzz for the compact Corolla which has been around in sedan form since 2014. Sales fell 11.6% during the calendar-year-to-date, and 14.2% in October alone – and that’s despite supplementing the familiar sedan version with a hatchback model this past year.
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Tags: 2020 toyota corolla, LA Auto Show, Toyota Corolla, Toyota sedan, auto news, car news, new Corolla, next corolla, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau, toyota corolla hatchback, toyota la auto show, toyota news
Posted in Auto Shows, Automakers, Automobiles, Business, First Look, Los Angeles, Markets, Monthly Results, Sales, Sales, Sedans, Toyota, Trends, U.S./North America | Comments Off
Automaker wants to create a “symphonic landscape.”
by Paul A. Eisenstein on Nov.05, 2018
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra made over 100 recordings before coming up with the right warning sounds for the new Lincoln Aviator.
Warning sounds are, by definition, designed to draw your attention, but sometimes they also can get on your nerves.
Ford has been trying to find the right balance with some recent products, looking for sounds that are distinctive yet easy on the ears. It’s going a step further with the new SUV its luxury brand will launch this coming year, turning to the Detroit Symphony Orchestra to record 25 of the “non-critical, soft-warning chimes and hard-warning chimes that will be used in the new Lincoln Aviator.
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“Aviator represents the true vision of the Lincoln brand,” explains Lincoln design director David Woodhouse. “With a look this striking, we needed to have sounds that matched the beauty of this vehicle.”
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Tags: auto news, car news, detroit symphony lincoln, dso, ford news, lincoln aviator, lincoln aviator pic, lincoln detroit symphony orchestra, lincoln dso, lincoln news, paul a. eisenstein, paul eisenstein, thedetroitbureau
Posted in Auto Shows, Automakers, Automobiles, Crossovers/CUVs, First Look, Ford, Lincoln, Los Angeles, Markets, New York, SUVs, Safety, Safety, Sales, Technology, U.S./North America | Comments Off
