LA Show 2011 Highlights: 2013 Honda Fit EV

Introduced at the Los Angeles auto show, the Honda Fit EV joins the Scion iQ, Fiat 500, and Chevy Spark in the tiny-cars-that-have-been-converted-to-run-on-batteries brigade. But the Fit EV's rollout, set to begin next summer, will be small and contained: Honda expects to produce and distribute only about 1100 of the cars over the next three years, first in California and Oregon, and then in six to-be-announced East Coast markets.

The production model shown at the Los Angeles auto show is, as expected, very similar to the concept that debuted one year ago at the same show. Contrary to our predictions, the glowing charge port remains, as do EV-specific decals, although the latter's size and garishness have been reduced. The aerodynamic rear spoiler and unique rocker panels remain as well, while the front fascia has been modified slightly to incorporate a chrome smiley face and less-obvious cooling apertures. The car will be offered only in the color seen here: Reflection Blue Pearl.

The Fit EV is powered by a 123-hp electric motor that's based on the one in Honda's FCX Clarity fuel-cell electric sedan, and is fed juice by a 20-kWh lithium-ion battery. Honda claims the onboard 6.6-kW, 32-amp charger can top off the pack in less than three hours on 240-volt power. That's slightly better than the claimed time for Ford's Focus Electric, which should need a little longer to charge its slightly higher-capacity battery. (Both should beat the Nissan Leaf's charge times.) Honda projects a 123-mile city range and a combined-driving total of 76 miles on a full charge.

Like Honda's hybrids, the Fit EV will have three driving modes—Normal, Sport, and Econ—that govern the behavior of the accelerator pedal and other systems. A full telematics suite (not unlike the one Nissan packages with the Leaf) will allow monitoring of the vehicle's state of charge, charge scheduling, and climate-control pre-conditioning via smartphone or computer. Honda also will include a remote control that can display charge and climate-control status, initiate and terminate charging, and switch on the A/C. It only works within a 100-foot range of the vehicle, though, so its usefulness will mostly be limited to saving the driver trips out to the garage when the car is parked at home.

While most changes to the interior are minimal-bio-fabrics used on the seats, colored gauge illumination to match the driving mode-stuffing the batteries under the floor necessitated a couple of big changes. The Fit's trick flat-folding rear seat is gone; now the back cushion folds, but the bottom is fixed. And the floor is two to three inches higher in the EV than in conventional Fits, which raises the H-point—how high off the ground the driver's hips are—and reduces headroom. Luckily, the Fit is well-endowed in that measure.

Thanks to: Car and Driver

LA Show 2011 Highlights: 2013 Honda CR-V

This is the new Honda CR-V, which has made its debut at the Los Angeles Motor Show. It is a rival for the Ford Kuga, which was also revealed at the US show.

It's set to go on sale in the UK in Autumn 2012, and has been updated with a mildly facelifted body. Despite being a bit shorter and lower than the car it replaces, Honda says there is actually more space inside, as the windscreen has been moved forward and the floor lowered.

As well as being more practical, the CR-V has also moved upmarket, with a redesigned dashboard that features better quality materials.

Honda has stripped some weight from the CR-V, and along with improved aerodynamics, electric power steering and taller gearing, the car is expected to be slightly more economical and have lower emissions. For the UK, engines will be carried over from the current model with a 2.0-litre i-VTEC petrol and 2.2-litre i-DTEC diesel, with the latter returning around 45mpg. There are currently no plans for a hybrid version.

Variable four-wheel drive is carried over from the current car. This is capable of sending up to 100 per cent of power to the front or rear wheels, depending on which have the most grip.

Gadgets include Bluetooth, a rear parking camera, USB connectivity and a system that allows the driver to text from Blackberry phone.

Honda says a version 'developed and designed specifically for the European market' will arrive later next year. Expect Honda to tweak steering and suspension settings, while the new CR-V will also be built at Honda's Swindon plant.

The US market is crucial for the CR-V, where Honda aims to sell around 200,000 models every year, making. For more details click here.

Thanks to: Auto Express

New Concept Car: Volkswagen eT

Is Volkswagen getting closer to launching a new Microbus van inspired by the 1950s original? This electric-powered concept, called Volkswagen eT, could hint at a Microbus-inspired shape for the next-generation of VW’s Transporter commercial van.

The significant styling change is a shorter nose that gets closer to the original Type 2 van, now a classic design. VW has had several previous attempts at engineering a new Type 2 — a concept in 2001 and the Volkswagen Bulli in 2011.

The Bulli is rumoured for production as a Polo-based five-seat minivan. Currently the Transporter is in its fifth-generation, T5 version. A new T6 van is pencilled in to the product plan for 2014/15.

The innovative Volkswagen eT shown here, features new design ideas to ‘simplify’ the working day, including a ‘follow me’ function.

Designed by the same team who created Frankfurt's NILS concept, the VW eT is powered by electric wheel hub motors. The Volkswagen eT’s innovative ‘follow me’ function allows the van to follow the delivery person from house to house. Alternatively, the ‘come to me’ function recalls the van on command. As a third option, the driver can also direct the car from the passenger seat via a ‘drive stick.’

The eT also features a wide, electrically opening sliding door that opens to two different stages. VW says the door offers quick access inside and makes ‘unnecessary walking movements around the vehicle a thing of the past.’

VW’s commercial vehicles spokesman Dr. Wolfgang Schreiber added that the eT showcases “what is the maximum feasible technology for electric vehicles in the commercial market today with a special design that systematically addresses future customer needs.”

No further details have been revealed, but VW has hinted at a production version for the latter half of the decade.

Thanks to: Autocar

Sneak Peek: Infiniti EV Sport Concept

Infiniti has hinted at the styling of the new electric sports car it is developing in two ‘teaser’ pictures.

The manufacturer is planning to show off its new creation – first announced in September – at the Geneva motor show in March 2012.

The car is part of Infiniti’s plan to extend its range of hybrids and explore high performance, low emission electric cars.

Infiniti spokesman Andy Palmer said: “At the Geneva show next year, we will present our vision for a totally new kind of inspired premium performance car. Infiniti already has hybrid and clean diesel models on sale. And with an all-electric saloon on the way, the natural next step was to push the boundaries where performance and the environment intersect.”

Infiniti could use the same technology that is currently being used in the Nissan Leaf, more notably the one-off racing version, the Leaf Nismo RC.

The RC features a low roofline, a carbonfibre tub and a mid-engined, rear-drive design while housing a completely standard Leaf powertrain, including its batteries.

Thanks to: Autocar

New Car: 2013 Audi A1 Sportback

Audi has unveiled the promised five-door version of its A1 supermini, and plans to have it in UK showrooms early in 2012. Called Audi A1 Sportback, the five-door is identical in size and style to the three-door, but designers have found an extra 6mm in both height and width, which they say improves rear-seat room, one of the few major points of criticism in the three-door.

The Audi A1 was an instant success when launched late last year, exceeding a planned annual sales rate of around 18,000 cars. The company believes volume should increase further with the launch of the Audi A1 Sportback, which should eventually account for about 70 per cent of total sales.

At launch, the Sportback will be offered with the same four-level engine with which the three-door began life: three petrol engines (ranging from a normally aspirated 1.2-litre with 84bhp to a turbocharged and supercharged 1.6-litre with 184bhp that comes as standard with a seven-speed twin-clutch gearbox). The diesel is Audi’s economy showpiece, a 1.6-litre four producing 103bhp that emits just 99g/km of CO2.

Next summer the A1 Sportback will get the 141bhp, 184lb ft 2.0-litre “performance” diesel recently introduced to the three-door range. Its 0-62 time acceleration is 8.5 seconds, yet its combined cycle economy is an impressive 68.9mpg.

The A1’s kerb weight of 1065 kilograms is a relatively modest 25 kilograms ahead of the three-door figure. The entry-level Sportback 1.2 SE five-door costs £13,980, a premium of £560 more than the corresponding three-door. Audi dealers are taking orders now for delivery next spring.

Thanks to: Autocar

LA Show 2011 Highlights: 2013 Ford Mustang

A new volume knob on the radio represents big news to Mustang loyalists, and so we are preparing for a virtual meltdown in the online Mustang community. Ford is debuting the 2013 model at the Los Angeles auto show this week before the car hits dealerships in early 2012, and it has undergone some significant changes.

Most important for aesthetes, the Mustang gets a nose job. There's a more-prominent grille, an aggressive front splitter, new headlights with outboard LED light pipes, and a new hood with functional heat extractors. The rocker panels are now body color, and out back, the signature sequential taillamps also are ringed in LED light "ropes," with the lenses themselves tinted. A gloss-black panel spans the width of the rear and encircles both taillights. Also look for new wheel designs in 17-, 18-, and 19-inch sizes, including mean-looking gloss-black 19s only available on the GT. Two new paint colors join the lineup for 2013: Deep Impact Blue and Gotta Have It Green, and those with the itch for kitsch will be thrilled with the inclusion of "pony projection lights" that cast the Mustang logo on the ground below the mirrors when the doors are unlocked.

nside, the Recaro front seats currently found inside the GT500 and the Boss 302 are available on the rest of the lineup, too, with either cloth or leather upholstery. Thankfully-and unlike most recently refreshed Ford products-the Mustang does not adopt Ford's maligned MyFord Touch controls. Its infotainment system does incorporate a version of Ford's Sync system, however, which is operated via steering-wheel controls and spoken commands. Two new sound-system upgrades also are available for 2013.

Even bigger news is the addition of a new Track Apps option for versions of the V-6, GT, and Boss 302 that are equipped with the Premium package. Like the Performance pages offered on Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep SRT8s but with richer presentation, Track Apps shows various performance data on a digital display tucked in the IP. Specific screens present acceleration times, lateral-acceleration information, and braking performance.

Thanks to: Car and Driver

LA Show 2011 Highlights: 2013 Ford Mustang Boss 302

Set your time machine to 1970. Mirroring the differences between the 1969 and 1970 originals, the changes Ford makes to the 2013 Mustang Boss 302 will be mostly cosmetic. We’re okay with that, since we called both the original and its 2012 redux the best-handling Mustangs Ford had produced yet.

Differentiating between the 2013 and 2012 will be just like separating the 1970 Boss from the 1969. The first-year cars wear C-shaped side striping and large black-out hood panels, while the 1970 and 2013 have “hockey stick” side markings and a center stripe on the hood. Like those on the original Boss, the 2013’s decals will be reflective.

Along with the rest of the Mustang lineup, the Boss gets revised front and rear trim for 2013. Those are functional vents on the bulgier hood, which terminates at a larger, more-GT500-esque grille. Whereas last year’s in-grille fog-lamp covers were molded in and just for looks, the 2013 piece has removable caps that open up to provide better engine cooling. They’re flanked by standard HID headlight units, which have faux slats that recall the outboard vents on the 1970 model. The taillights now are recessed into the sheetmetal, with LED surrounds and a gloss-black panel bridging them.

As another nod to the car’s past, Ford will offer School Bus Yellow paint that matches the color on Parnelli Jones’s 1970 Trans-Am championship car. Color options for the regular Boss 302 include that hue, Grabber Blue, Gotta Have It Green (which we’re told is an electric/neon shade), Performance White, and Race Red. The Laguna Seca will be available in SBY or black, both of which will have gray-trimmed spoilers, mirror caps, grilles, wheels, and interior cross-braces instead of last year’s garish red accents. Both the Boss 302 and Laguna Seca lose their contrasting-color roofs for 2013. We’re okay with that, too.

There are no chassis or powertrain changes for 2013, which, again, is just fine with us. Sync, which wasn’t available in last year’s Boss, is now standard. A wrench to remove the side-exhaust restrictors is not, but it’s the only entertainment-system-adjustment tool required in the Boss. It produces this sound. You’re welcome.

The current Boss 302, like the original, will only have a two-year run; 2014 will bring a new Mustang to coincide with the car’s 50th anniversary. That does, however, pave the way for a Boss 351 in the future. We’d be cool with that.

Thanks to: Car and Driver