Just unveiled last month in Beijing and already tipped for production, BMW’s four-door coupe concept, dubbed the Gran Coupe, is getting a big push from the company. We’ve got new images showing the car’s progression from rough sketch to clay model, through to the finished product.

It’s a typical design process, but it’s nevertheless interesting to see it unfold – especially considering the Gran Coupe appears to be on the fast-track to dealerships. We’ll spare you the press releases’ flowery language and get straight to the gallery, but it is worth noting that while BMW is moving quickly now, it has been very slow to enter the four-door coupe segment.

Mercedes-Benz’s CLS has been on the streets for years now, and Audi (itself late to the game) is already well into testing of the A7, with rumours of a high-performance RS7 in development. That means BMW is playing catch-up, so the Gran Coupe will have to be a stunner just to compete with, much less beat, its rivals. Is this design enough? We want to hear your comments.

Adapted from MotorAuthority

BMW has unveiled its potential entry into the flourishing four-door luxury coupe market at the Beijing Auto Show with its BMW Concept Gran Coupé.

Combining the comfort of a Gran Turismo with the aesthetics of a high-performance sports car, the BMW Concept Gran Coupé is likely to join the growing fleet of four-door coupes on the market alongside Aston Martin Rapide, Porsche Panamera and most recently the Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Break concept.

Measuring almost five metres long, the BMW Concept Gran Coupé remains spacious even for rear-seat passengers, yet at just 1.4 metres high it retains its coupe-like silhouette – making it up to 100 millimetres flatter than the BMW 5 Series or the BMW 7 Series Sedan.

The forward-tilted shark nose visually extends the bonnet ending in the trademark BMW kidney grilles, flanked either side by sharp, rakish air intakes which house LED day time running lights. The flared wheel arches each house a unique wheel concept where individual spokes extend in towards the centre of the rim, giving it a three-dimensional quality.

Curiously, BMW has not revealed the interior arrangement of its BMW Concept Gran Coupé although it is likely to feature four individual pews like existing models from other brands.

Adapted from CarAdvice

Ford has released the first photos and details of its Start Concept car, as well as the latest in the US automaker’s line of EcoBoost engines.

Unveiled at the Beijing International auto show, the Start Concept is Ford’s own first concept car in three years. It features a new 1,0-litre, 3-cylinder EcoBoost engine, which Ford contends will have a comparable power and torque figures to that of a traditional naturally-aspirated in-line 4-cylinder, all the while delivering C02 emissions below the 100 g/km mark. The compact power plant will come coupled to a 6-speed manual transmission to maximise fuel economy.

The new minicar was designed to cater to a new global trend for ultra-compact cars for dense urban environments. It features an ambitious design, which includes laser-cut LED lights as well as two other sets of running lamps. The Start Concept also comes with the latest connectivity technology as well as “fun to drive” vehicle dynamics.

“Our ambition with the Ford Start Concept was to design a car that goes beyond the practical realities of commuting in these mega cities,” said Ford’s director of design Freeman Thomas in a press release. “We wanted to design a car you would also love.”

The Start Concept also features MyFord Mobile concept technology, which provides the driver with a touch-screen panel to control functions such as air conditioning and navigation as well as the ability to interface with a smart phone device.

The concept car was designed by Ford’s Strategic Concepts Group Studios, based in Irvine, California.

Adapted from WorldCarFans

The Mercedes-Benz F800 Style was introduced at the Geneva Motor Show this week. As a research design study, the vehicle could be pivotal for fans of the German brand. The car could be a preview of the 2011 Mercedes-Benz CLS Class.

Engineers designed the car to be able to use two different powertrains, including a plug-in hybrid and a fuel cell. As a plug-in, the car uses a 220 kW V6 petrol engine mated to a 81 kW motor for a combined output of 301 kW. The car is capable of running as an all-electric up to 120 km/h, or to 249 km/h when using the engine. A zero to 100 km/h sprint takes just 4.7 seconds. Impressive figures, but perhaps the most astonishing feature of this powerplant is the economy it deliveres; less than 2,9 litres/100 km according to Mercedes. This setup has already been earmarked for use in the next-generation S-Class.

If built with a fuel cell, the concept’s electric motor would be rated at 101 kW, producing up to 290 N.m of torque. Hydrogen in the four tanks reacts with an onboard oxygen supply to create an electrical current sent to the lithium-ion battery. Mercedes was not clear about what the vehicle’s range would be.

The car features a flowing, modern design that uses modern LED lighting with an interesting front-end, and a stubbed rear, some 177 mm shorter than the current CLS. According to Mercedes-Benz’s head of design, Gordon Wagener “the exciting coupe-like roof line, and in general the vehicle’s balanced proportions, lend it a stylish sporty look that reinterprets the Mercedes-Benz design idiom and emphasizes the sculptural character of the F800 Style. The result is a harmonious blend of innovative form and function, which conveys a sense of great styling and authority”.

Peugeot’s new concept car “5 by Peugeot” is a clear indication of the design direction the company is heading in. Peugeot’s Hybrid4 technology lives under the bonnet giving the car 150 kW of power that drives all four wheels and produces only 99 g/km of CO2 emissions or zero in electric mode.

The “5 by Peugeot” is a large luxury saloon, which combines a modern look with quality and performance and reflects Peugeot’s search for more status without affecting the personality of the Peugeot marque. With smooth flowing exterior contours from the bonnet to the boot lid, the design of the front grill and headlights has been influenced by the Peugeot SR1 concept car with the new revised Lion badge at the front. With 19-inch sculpted wheels, brushed aluminium window surrounds and door handles to enhance the streamlined sides of the car. The tail lights are designed in three seperate linked clusters which provide a link to previous models.

Peugeot’s Hybrid4 technology will be used on the 3008 due to be launched in 2011. A 2,0-litre HDi FAP 122 kW diesel engine drives the front wheels and a 28 kW electric motor drives the rear wheels. With the ability to be driven slowly in electric mode the car has the potential of producing zero CO2 emissions. The Hybrid4 technology can be combined with a range of engines to suite the market it is in and can also be fitted to different platforms and body shapes.

Adapted from CarAdvice

Audi has unveiled yet another version of its e-tron electric über coupé at the Detroit Motor Show. But unlike past events purely showcasing the car, Audi has revealed a production date. 2012 is when they say their Tesla rival will enter production.

The new e-tron functions much like designs on-show at Frankfurt and Los Angeles. For example, the latest e-tron retains the two electric motors delivering a combined 150kW and the 45 kWh li-ion battery pack that Audi claimed will be good for a “realistic” 240 km range. Drive will be sent to all four wheels, with a 60:40 split in favour of the rear. The car’s top speed will be electronically limited to 200 km/h. Apart from the obvious styling changes made to e-tron’s front-end between the various models, the latest car is a whopping 250 kg lighter than before and just over 203 mm shorter than its petrol-powered R8 brother. The improved packaging and diet will see the e-tron hit 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds and cover a 60 – 120 km/h sprint in just over five seconds.

Audi has also confirmed that ‘e-tron’ will become a sub-brand eventually filled with a range of alternative models. Ford now though, Audi is keeping quiet about details of what these ‘alteranative models’ could be, as well as the potential price of its 2012 e-tron.

The future of Audi sports cars has charged in. This stunning electric supercoupé is the e-tron – a concept that resembles a baby R8, but this is no pie-in-the-sky show car. It’s due on sale in 2012, and will rival the Tesla Roadster and an upcoming electric version of Mercedes’ SLS.

At the e-tron’s core is an all-new platform, with a mid-mounted lithium-ion battery pack – developed by joint-venture partner Sanyo. There are four electric motors: two on the front axle and two either side of the rear. In all, this drivetrain produces 230 kW from zero rpm.

The body is constructed from composite carbon fibre, and this covers an aluminium spaceframe chassis. As a result, the e-tron tips the scales at 1 600 kg – not bad when the batteries alone weigh a hefty 470 kg. Other clever features include a brake-by-wire system, comprising powerful ceramic discs – these recover as much energy as possible in operation to top up the batteries.

So how fast is the car? Well, Audi claims 0 – 100 km/h in less than five seconds, 64 – 112 km/h in about four seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 198 km/h. The latter would be higher if aerodynamic drag didn’t drain the batteries so much at these speeds.

A torque vectoring system is capable of sending power to individual wheels, to ensure strong handling. In standard mode, this adopts a 30:70 bias in favour of the rear wheels, to deliver R8-style cornering.

The e-tron has a range of 246 km, while the battery pack can be recharged from a 400V supply in two hours. Plug into a regular household socket, and it takes six hours. The most striking thing about the car is its size. Although it’s inspired by the R8, the body isn’t much bigger than a Ford Fiesta.

Either way, it looks fantastic. Neat details include a metallic grille, which has a movable flap. This stays shut for maximum aerodynamic efficiency in normal driving, but can open to cool the car’s systems.

There’s more to the LED headlamps than it seems, too. They work with a small camera and the sat-nav to illuminate into bends before the driver even turns the wheel. Plus, they can adapt for rain or fog. There’s no gearlever; instead, a simple selector pops up from the centre console. And in place of a regular dashboard, there’s a fold-out MMI cabin control screen, flanked by analogue dials – a speedo and a charge meter. What’s more, the e-tron can talk to other cars to warn of accidents and even reserve parking spaces.

Acceleration is lightning fast, and even at motorway speeds it’s accompanied by only a gentle hum from the electric motors. This prototype uses modified R8 suspension, so the ride is firm. But the car is agile, despite seeming heavy.

Even though it’s still in development, the Audi feels showroom ready. And that’s the point, according to Thomas Krauter, e-tron project leader. “This isn’t just a show car; it’s a fully working prototype,” he said. “Apart from some of the aluminium trim, the exterior will stay the same. We will also create a synthesised ‘engine’ sound. But our main challenge will be to keep all the electrical systems cool and integrate the latest battery technology.”

Only 1 000 models will be built, each costing £120 000. And the lack of an electric car infrastructure is a major issue. But if Audi can overcome this, the e-tron is sure to be a hit.

Adapted from AuotExpress

VW has unveiled their Up! Lite concept at this years Los Angeles Auto Show.

The Volkswagen Up! Lite aims to be the most fuel-efficient four-seat passenger car in the world with a 800 cc TDI engine. The engine of the Volkswagen Up! Lite is based on the 1,6-litre TDI and develops 38 kW at 4 000 rpm and 120 N.m of torque. The Volkswagen Up! Lite also has an Eco mode, which at a press of a button reduces the power output to 26 kW. Furthermore, a 10 kW electric motor – designed as a pulse start module (starter, alternator and E-drive) – also reduces the load on the TDI engine, providing added propulsion and works to recover kinetic energy (regenerative braking). During boost phases – e.g. when overtaking – the TDI and E-motor combine for a total power of 48 kW. Incidentally, a version of the TDI used in the Volkswagen Up! Lite was also used aboard the L1 concept car that Volkswagen presented in September at the IAA Motor Show in Frankfurt.

In two of its operating phases, the hybrid drive of the Volkswagen Up! Lite was designed to operate without any TDI propulsion at all. First phase: In so-called coast-down, activated by the driver taking his or her foot off the accelerator (car coasts, TDI engine is shut off). Second phase: Over shorter distances, e.g. in residential areas, the E-motor can power the Volkswagen Up! Lite all by itself. In this case, a lithium-ion battery supplies the energy. Since it is capable of pure electric driving, the configuration is classified as a full hybrid. Gear changes are handled by a 7-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) like the one used in the new Polo. Moreover, the Volkswagen is equipped with a Stop-Start system.

The body of the Volkswagen Up! Lite, it’s built from a combination of aluminum and carbon fibre to achieve an overall weight of just 695 kg. The carbon fibre roof weighs only 3.3 kilograms and by comparison the identical panel size in steel would weigh around 9.5 kgs, or 5.1 kgs in aluminium.

VW says the car will offer a fuel economy of 2.44 L/100km on the highway.

Helping to achieve this low consumption figure are the aerodynamics of the Up! Lite. Edges and recesses are simply not to be found on this car. Even the radiator air inlet at the front end is only opened when needed to regulate engine temperature (‘active thermal management’). The results are a slippery shape that cuts through the air with a drag coefficient of 0.237 Cd.

VW says despite the low fuel consumption, the Volkswagen Up! Lite offers enough interior room for four passengers and their luggage. The concept car is also equipped with completely new and intuitive displays that replace more traditional instruments.

Audi has revealed more information about its new A1 baby hot hatch.

It will intially only be available as a three-door, with the range expected to start at around R220 000. An Audi spokesperson said the best selling Mini in the range is the Cooper and this is where the A1 will be aiming both barrels, hence the R220k estimated price point. Audi has no desire to go any further downmarket with the car, so it’s not planning any Mini ‘One’ type models with the A1. Its premium position in the supermini market will be preserved.

The brand expects many buyers to go for the premium options, so a fully-equipped example of a top A1 version could end up costing well over R300 000, once it’s left the showroom. Much of the mechanicals will be shared with the new VW Polo (recently crowned European Car of the Year), although the badging on the A1 will not reveal the size of the engine fitted. Audi want to get away from using engine size as a model designator as engines will be getting smaller in the future and buyers don’t like showing to the world they are downsizing.

Sales will begin at the end of 2010 but the real sales push will be in 2011. Audi realises the maintenance package BMW has been offering on its cars is highly attractive to buyers and so want to introduce a similar scheme themselves on the A1.

Adapted from Evo

The Land Glider concept car Nissan is bringing to the Tokyo Auto Show could one day appear in showrooms wearing an Infiniti badge.

Company insiders say the electric two-seater, which leans into turns like a motorcycle, “is under serious study” and “is intended to look five to 10 years into the future at emerging market trends.” That’s a slightly longer timeline than Volkswagen is considering with the equally wild 1.3 L/100km L1 diesel-electric concept unveiled at last month’s Frankfurt Motor Show.

The Land Glider, like the L1, redefines “car” and embraces a less-is-more design ethos to maximize efficiency. It isn’t so much a car as an enclosed motorcycle with four wheels. Perhaps that makes it an enclosed all-terrain vehicle that leans. In any event, Nissan says the Land Glider could be marketed to city dwellers as an urban runabout that provides the mobility of a two-wheeler but with greater safety and comfort.

“We want to position this car to be competitive against these alternatives,” says designer Ryusuke Hayashi.

Should the Land Glider see production, expect at least one change to the design.

Nissan’s goal was an efficient car that meets the needs of urban commuters. Company CEO, Carlos Ghosn, has made it clear he believes cars with cords are the future, so an electric drivetrain was almost certainly a foregone conclusion. The company says 50 percent of the world’s population will live in cities “in the near future,” so the designers “latched onto motorcycles as a credible base to begin the design process.”

Hayashi apparently wasn’t so concerned with such grandiose thinking when he pitched the idea in 2007, and originally wanted a car that would be easy to park.

The Land Glider should be able to squeeze into the tiniest of spots — it is just 1092 mm wide and 3098 mm long. Like the Volkswagen L1, the passenger sits behind the driver. But rear-impact safety concerns may mean a production model that’s a single-seater.

Aside from its tiny dimensions, the most striking thing about the concept is, it leans up to 17 percent in turns. Nissan says that gives the super-narrow car added stability at speed. Nissan hasn’t offered many details about the drivetrain beyond saying it features a pair of electric motors driving the rear wheels and a lithium-ion battery under the floor. The concept also uses fly-by-wire steering.

Safety will be a big concern with such a small car, which is one reason Volkswagen gave the L1 a carbon-fibre safety cell similar to those used in race cars. Nissan says the Land Glider uses “a car-robotics–style crash-avoidance system” that detects and avoids cars much like schooling fish avoid hitting each other and other objects.

The Japanese automaker has hinted the Land Glider, or a car based on it, could see production.

“This leaning machine gives a clear direction to how a future small car from Nissan could look in congested cities, a clue of what Nissan means by new era of mobility,” the company said.

Adapted from Wired

Toyota recently revealed the highly-anticipated FT-86 Concept that will be shown at the Tokyo Motor Show happening soon. Many excited about this new Toyota, but the Japanese auto maker only released a few images of the sports concept, up to now that is.

We now have a total of 44 new images of the FT-86 to share with you. However we still need wait until the concept makes its debut for juicier details, such as power figures and more. We do know that it has a Subaru-sourced 2,0-litre boxer engine under the hood and that Subaru will also produce its own version of the FT-86. Furthermore, Subaru is also like to roll out a high-performance STI version.

Adapted from iCars

An old Japanese favourite looks set to return. This is the Toyota FT-86 Concept, a hark back to the rear-wheel-drive Corolla AE86 of the mid 1980’s.

Once again, the power is sent to the back, its source being a Subaru 2,0-litre boxer engine. While power and performance figures haven’t been released, an Impreza with the same engine has 110 kW and 196 N.m of torque on tap, sending the 1 345 kg hatchback to 100 km/h in 9.2sec.

Expect much sprightlier acceleration from the FT-86 though, which is set to focus on weight-saving and optimised aerodynamics, with the engine mounted as low as possible up front to keep the centre of gravity down. We’re still hoping that a turbocharger makes its way under the hood though.

It certainly looks the part, in concept form at least. It looks every inch the baby LF-A, a scaled down supercar and the dose of excitement Toyota’s range craves. It should be a more than able competitor to the VW Scirocco, Volvo C30 and the rest of the small coupe class.

Fingers crossed the styling doesn’t change too much should the FT-86 make the transition to road car. The same probably can’t be said for the interior. Impressive as it is, it’s unlikely we’ll see zipped leather dashboards and those striking seats on a production-spec budget coupe.

Should it get the go ahead (and we’d be surprised if it doesn’t), expect FT-86 sales by 2011 and a price tag to rival its R300 000 rivals. The concept will be shown at this month’s Tokyo motor show, where Honda’s rival CR-Z coupe is also on show.

Adapted from Evo

Not a fan of going hybrid but love the looks new Honda CR-Z? Well, we have some bad news for you. Honda has ruled out any chance of offering the CR-Z with anything other than a hybrid powertrain. That means all your dreams of getting a turbocharged 4-cylinder hot-hatch out of the new CR-Z are shattered.

“This will definitely only be a hybrid,” a source said. “The whole direction of Honda is hybrids and this car is designed all around a hybrid powertrain. The car isn’t boring; it is responsive and fun.”

Just before September came to an end, Honda released the first official images of the 2009 Honda CR-Z Concept, which will debut at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show later this month.

No official details have been released as of yet, but reports say that power will come from a 1,5-litre 4-cylinder engine mated to Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist hybrid technology. Power will be driven to the wheels via a 6-speed manual gearbox and an optional CVT automatic.

Via egmcarTech

Audi of America President, Johan de Nysschen, says an electric vehicle based on the high-performance e-tron concept will debut in the United States in two to three years.

The sleek two-seat sports car was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show last month, but at the time Audi would not confirm plans to produce it. Now de Nysschen says the car is on its way.

“I expect we will see running examples in the next 24 months,” he says.

The e-tron concept is powered by four electric motors, one on each axle. Audi says the car has a range of 246 kilometers using a lithium ion battery positioned behind the passenger cabin.

The show car is 4 2 67 mm – about midway between Audi’s TT and R8 sports cars – and 1 905 mm wide.

The e-tron uses a space frame wrapped in fibre-reinforced plastic body panels, ensuring the e-tron’s relatively low weight of 1 600 kg’s – 470 kg of which is the lithium-ion battery.

Audi are also busy developing hybrid vehicles. Reportedly, the first on the U.S. market will be the Q5 crossover, scheduled to debut in the 2011 model year.

Take a look at the images from this years IAA motor show in Frankfurt.

Adapted from AutoWeek