FOUR comes to the fore with the latest Mini concept. Dubbed the Crossover Concept for its Paris motor show debut next month, this is BMW’s fourth instalment of its small-car icon after the hatch, Clubman and soon-to-be-replaced Cabriolet.
At more than four metres long, this four-seater crossover is the longest to ever to wear the Mini moniker, while width, height and wheelbase are rated at a similarly unprecedented 1830, 1598 and 2606mm respectively.
It is also the first (not counting the oddball twin-engined Twini Mini of the 1960s) to feature four-wheel drive.
However, Austria, rather than Oxford in England where all other Mini variants spring from, is the likely source for the production version due in 2010.
BMW hopes to cash in on the downsizing trend by collecting compact SUV buyers who might otherwise settle for the Volkswagen Tiguan, Land Rover Freelander or the upcoming Audi Q3. BMW itself is expected to produce an X1-badged crossover version of its compact 1 Series.
Meanwhile, they have the Crossover Concept to contemplate, with its overtly broad shouldered waistline, wagon-oid silhouette, Fiat Panda-like daylight opening (DLO) in the C-pillar region and completely bespoke body panels.
Most striking is the Crossover’s unique pillarless door arrangement, featuring a sliding rear door a la Peugeot’s 1007 city car and an absent B-pillar on the driver’s side, plus a conventional forward-opening one as its opposite number.
Unlike the Clubman’s twin barn-door design, a single side-hinged rear door with a retractable rear window will have fans of the 1970s Ford XA-XC Falcon wagon reminiscing.
A low cargo floor aids loading, while a removable storage box on the tailgate and the option of roof-mounted rails extend the Crossover’s utility potential.
The concept also has a full-length retractable roof cover for open-air motoring, but whether any of these make it onto the production car remains to be seen.
Inside, the lounge-style rear seats are identical to the front ones, separated by a rail-mounted moveable console that may or may not make it to production.
The dashboard features a fanciful centrally-located instrument ‘Globe’ in 3D, with all communication, entertainment and navigation controls housed within it.
The globe employs industry-first laser projecting imaging to create that multi-dimensional effect.
This innovation allows the driver to see one thing and the passenger to observe something else, such as the GPS functionality, via the touch-sensitive surface/screen, a trackball on the steering wheel, buttons and slide controls in the lower section of the ‘globe’ or a keyboard on the front passenger’s side, which extends at the touch of a button from the dashboard.
An image of the Earth’s land mass is also incorporated within it, presumably for BMW to plot the Mini’s global conquests.
Lip service is paid to the BMC-era original Mini by having the speedometer track along the outer circumference.
The Crossover Concept’s retro-style circular and oval themes also extend to virtually all other areas of the cabin, such as the metallic pedals, toggle switch housing and vent outlets.
BMW is keeping quiet on engines, but the existing Peugeot/Citroen-shared naturally-aspirated and turbocharged 1.6-litre direct-injection four-cylinder petrol powerplants are likely, along with a development of the turbo-diesel unit that is also shared with PSA and Ford.
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Source: http://www.goauto.com.au
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
BMW’s Mini family with Crossover Concept
Toyota Hybrid X.
The latter joins the Mazda Taiki – an environmentally friendly vision of Mazda’s design future that is also set for the Sydney shindig – in being a 2007 Tokyo motor show debutante.
FPV, meantime, has issued a press release stating that a model commemorating the firm’s five years in existence will form the centrepiece of its AIMS stand. Believed to be FG Falcon-based, the show car will be in the vein of the 40th Anniversary BFII Falcon GT it released last year. Full Story
Source: http://www.goauto.com.au
CHEVROLET CORVETTE ZR1
A ZR1 was never part of the original C6 plan, but CEO Rick Wagoner casually mentioned aloud, "Geez, if that's what you can do with $60,000, I wonder what a $100,000 Corvette would look like?".full story
Source: http://www.carreview.com
Renault : The ‘European’ Megane III
RENAULT has finally released photographs of its vital new third-generation Megane hatch, almost a week after embargo-busting images surfaced on the internet. European sales commence in November, with an Australian launch of a variation of this car scheduled to take place late next year or early in 2010.> Full Story
Source: http://www.goauto.com.au
Peugeot 308 Touring
Peugeot Automobiles Australia scored a major coup with the global public debut of the 308 Touring at the 2008 Melbourne show. The 308 Touring features a standard panoramic glass roof that is 27 per cent larger than its 307 wagon predecessor's, extending beyond the second row.> Full Story
Source: http://www.goauto.com.au
Mini Cooper JCW Hardtop and Clubman 1.6-litre twin-scroll turbo four
Billed as the most powerful production Mini ever built, the latest John Cooper Works (JCW) version of the iconic Cooper S will be priced from $48,800. Featuring a 155kW iteration of the BMW Group’s 1.6-litre twin-scroll turbo four, the JCW Cooper will be available in both hatchback and Clubman wagon guise.> Full Story
Source: http://www.goauto.com.au
Mercedes-Benz B-class B170 BlueEfficiency
Mercedes-Benz will introduce a facelifted B-class range in August 2008. Featuring a new metallic-finish three-bar grille and lower bumper, and body coloured wing mirrors. Mechanically, the big news is the introduction of a new bi-fuel model called the B170 BlueEfficiency, which runs on premium petrol or natural gas.> Full StorySource: http://www.goauto.com.au
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Renault Koleos
Renault Oz will release the compact Koleos crossover, which was unveiled at the 2006 Paris motor show as the French brand's first SUV, in Australia in September. Designed at the Renault Samsung Motors Design Centre in South Korea, it shares the same part-time 4WD platform as Nissan's MkII X-Trail.> full story
Source: http://www.goauto.com.au
Porsche 911 C2/C2S/C4/C4S coupe and cabrio
orsche's facelifted 911 range should adopt direct-injection engines and a new 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. All-wheel-drive models will come fitted with a standard limited-slip differential. The exterior gains restyled front and rear bumpers, LED daytime running lights and redesigned tail-lights.
Source: http://www.goauto.com.au
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Audi A4 Avant
Audi’s new A4 Avant is larger and lighter than the model it replaces. Based on the same platform as the sedan, it benefits from a new five-link front axle and longer wheelbase, giving the Avant a class leading 1430 litres luggage capacity. The Avant will be available in a range of petrol and turbo diesel engines.
Source: http://www.goauto.com.au
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