Expect the next Soul to look something like the Track’ster, with Kia deploying more than one variant.

Kia’s Track’ster Concept is one of the big hits of the Chicago Auto Show, one of the rare concepts that just screams, “Build me!” But after a thorough interrogation of Kia’s PR team and an interview with design chief Peter Schreyer, we realize that’s just wishful thinking. We do, however, expect the next Soul to look something like the Track’ster, with Kia deploying more than one variant when the second generation appears in a few years.

“If the Soul were to evolve into a family, it would be nice,” Schreyer told us.

Kia spokesman Scott McKee repeatedly said the Track’ster was just a concept and not intended to be production feasible, all the while issuing the standard auto company disclaimer, “Every concept car we do is about gathering information from consumers and media.”

One of the big pieces of information Kia is likely looking for is whether performance cars from Kia would play with the notoriously cliquish enthusiast community. Even more importantly, however, Kia will be gauging interest in additional body styles for the Soul. Schreyer said he thinks the Soul would be “more substantial” if it were also offered in a two-door version, or in a more performance-oriented flavor. All-wheel drive is a feature Schreyer also specifically mentioned as being on his wish list.

Continue reading Kia Track’ster unlikely for production, but hints at next-generation Soul “family”

Kia Track’ster unlikely for production, but hints at next-generation Soul “family” originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The true jewels of most auto shows are often hidden, requiring a bit more legwork to find. During our third pass of the Chicago Auto Show, we stumbled upon a display from the Classic Car Club of America. Tucked away in a corner behind low aluminum railing, we found a stunning full-size two-door hardtop: the 1954 Mercury XM 800 Concept.

When it was first introduced at the 1954 Detroit Auto Show, the XM 800 made quite an impact. Mechanically speaking, it was fitted with a 312 cubic inch engine rated at 270 horsepower. A Ford-O-Matic automatic transmission, sending power to the rear wheels, was standard. Its design was noted for an expansive greenhouse offering passengers an almost 360-degree outside view. Benson Ford, running the Lincoln-Mercury Division at the time, pushed for the XM-800’s basic design to be added to the Mercury lineup. The plan to move forward was only extinguished because the automaker switched gears to work on Edsel.

The fiberglass XM 800 traveled extensively in 1954 and 1955, making appearances at most major car shows and special exhibitions (including the Chicago Auto Show). It even had a featured role in Hollywood, appearing in the 20th Century Fox production Woman’s World. In the late 1950s, the concept car was gifted to the University of Michigan’s Automotive Engineering Lab to be used for training and design inspiration. Ten years later, the Mercury ended up in storage outside a barn on a farm in central Michigan. Thankfully, the deteriorating concept car caught the eye of an enthusiast who purchased it and began a 20-year frame off, nut-and-bolt restoration.

Today, the 1954 Mercury XM 800 is considered to be one of the most significant concept cars ever produced. It recently sold at the RM Auction for $429,000. Check out the press release for its interesting history and our gallery for some beautiful design.

Continue reading 1954 Mercury XM 800 Concept is retro-cool in execution, detail and design

1954 Mercury XM 800 Concept is retro-cool in execution, detail and design originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s not like we needed any more reason to like the Soul, but Kia went ahead and debuted the Track’ster concept at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show anyway. The Track’ster is a three-door, all-wheel-drive, 250-hp version of the cute and quirky urban Soul that we hope gets green lights all along its road to production. That’s wishful thinking, but follow along to find out why we want the Track’ster made so badly.

The Track’ster eschews a back seat in favor of a “fully integrated equipment tray and spare-tire well.”

To date, the Soul has been anything but a performance machine. The Track’ster changes that in a big way by eschewing not only a pair of doors, but also the back seat in favor of what Kia describes as a “fully integrated equipment tray and spare-tire well.” This tray is designed to house helmets, race suits, gloves, tools and all the accoutrement that goes with being a serious track rat.

The idea for the Track’ster is to run what your brung, so while the car itself carries everything you need to race, it also needs to move with enough hustle that you’re not embarrassed behind the wheel. To that end, Kia has fitted the concept with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder producing 250 horsepower that gets dissected by a six-speed short throw manual transmission and further divided among all four 19-inch wheels by an all-wheel-drive system.

Despite the lack of rear doors, the Track’ster sports a wheelbase nearly an inch longer than the Soul and a 75.5-inch rear track that stretches nearly five inches wider. Likewise, its braking system is also extra strength with 14-inch Brembos clamped by six-piston calipers up front and 13.6-inch discs with four-piston calipers in back. Of course, the interior has also been done up for concept duty, but not so much that it’s outside the realm of possibility.

The Track’ster is one of those concepts that occupies a space just near enough reality that we believe it, or something like it, could be be produced if the proletariat buying regular old Souls screamed loudly enough. Let us just say, AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

Continue reading Kia Track’ster concept is a self-contained 250-hp AWD track star

Kia Track’ster concept is a self-contained 250-hp AWD track star originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan is headed to the Geneva Motor Show in March with a brand new hatchback concept. Called Invitation, this five-door should give us an idea of what the Japanese manufacturer has planned for its next B-segment contender. The concept borrows a bit from the likes of the Honda Fit, though that’s no bad thing. With a clean, athletic design, the Invitation is a refreshing break from some of the automaker’s more questionable exteriors.

Nissan hasn’t divulged any drivetrain details as of yet, though the company has said each of the Invitation derivatives will be eligible to wear the company’s Pure Drive badge. That means the production-version Invitation will be among the most efficient and economical vehicles Nissan produces. We do know the hatch will boast the ever-cool around-view monitor system along with a full slate of tech goodies. Hit the jump for the full press release and be sure to keep an eye open for our Geneva show coverage of the concept’s official unveiling.

Continue reading Nissan Invitation Concept peeks out ahead of Geneva debut [w/video]

Nissan Invitation Concept peeks out ahead of Geneva debut [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The on-again, off-again Volkswagen BlueSport roadster is, well, on again according to EVO Magazine. The publication reportedly spoke with Uli Hackenberg, head of engineering with Volkswagen, who said the company’s dealers are mistaken when they say there won’t be a market for a vehicle like the BlueSport. Hakenberg said that the rise of hardware like the Toyota GT 86 and Subaru BRZ, alongside the upcoming next-generation Mazda MX-5 suggests buyers are once again willing to put down cash on an entry-level sports car. Throw in the fact that the dollar is regaining strength and European vehicles start to look even more competitive in the Land of the Free. Despite this, recent reports have indicated that the BlueSport’s planned sibling at Porsche has been delayed, and its other planned sibling, the Audi R4, is understood to have been canceled back in May.

As a result, Volkswagen is reportedly going to ask its dealers to once again gauge demand for a mid-engine convertible. The roadster will need to see sales estimates of at least 50,000 units worldwide in order to get the go-ahead from corporate. Even if that happens, it will likely be a good three years before we see the production model touch down. Maestro, cue up the sad trombone if you would be so kind.

Volkswagen BlueSport roadster still on-track after all? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Love it or hate it, the automotive industry of today is not lacking for its exercises in reviving old nameplates. The trend ranges from Mini to Maybach, from Dodge Dart to Dodge Challenger. And the French are certainly not immune. Citroën revived its fabled DS moniker for a range of premium hatchbacks, and Renault – most of all – has been mulling bringing back the Alpine for years now.

Arguably just as central to Renault’s performance heritage as the recently revived Gordini line, Alpine made mid-engined sportscars with Renault mechanicals starting in the 1950s and discontinued four decades later. Its most famous model, however, was the A110 (pictured above), which is now celebrating its 50th anniversary. And if a new report from Autocar is accurate, Renault has no intention of letting the occasion slip by unnoticed.

In fact, the French automaker is reportedly planning an Alpine concept car to unveil at the Paris Motor Show next fall. But the question remains whether there’s any production potential with such a concept. The French are known for producing some rather intriguing show cars – sportscars in particular – that never seem to get very far from the show stand, from the GTbyCitroën to the Renault DeZir.

Whether Renault can make the business case – without the North American market, at that – to take on the sports car establishment remains to be seen, but having the Nissan product bin to raid certainly couldn’t hurt.

Renault planning 50th anniversary Alpine tribute concept for Paris originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In true Honda fashion, we’re once again presented with a “concept” car that’s only a set of wheels and a de-Bedazzling away from being production-ready. What you’re looking at here is the concept that previews the next-generation Accord that will be dropping later this year, ready to compete with a full slate of redesigned mid-size sedans.

Honda has once again taken a conservative approach to design, and while it’s certainly handsome (except for those gaudy air intakes that flank both sides of the front fascia), we can’t help but think that it already looks one or two generations old. (2009 Kia Optima, anyone?) We’ll have to wait until we see the car in its production spec before making final judgments, but with sexy new mid-size offerings like the 2013 Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima, the Accord doesn’t look to be gunning for shoppers who want a whole lot of style with their substance.

Substance, though, it definitely has. The base engine is a new Earth Dreams 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder with direct injection, putting 181 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque to the ground via a continuously variable transmission. Honda will continue to offer a V6 in the Accord – a dying trend in this segment – measuring 3.5 liters, mated to either a manual or automatic transmission, both with six gears.

The Accord Hybrid will use an all-new two-motor plug-in hybrid system with three drive modes – all-electric, gasoline-electric and “direct-drive.”

What’s really interesting, though, is that the 2013 model marks the return of the Accord Hybrid – a vehicle that died after the 2007 model year. This time, however, the Accord will use an all-new two-motor plug-in hybrid system with three drive modes – all-electric, gasoline-electric and “direct-drive” – with a 6-kWh lithium-ion battery and a 120-kilowatt electric motor mated to a 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle inline four-cylinder engine. Honda says that the Accord Plug-In will have a pure electric range of 10-15 miles with a top speed of 62 miles per hour, and that recharging the battery will take less than four hours with a 120-volt charger, or less than 1.5 hours with a 240-volt setup. Not bad, Honda.

Naturally, Honda will pack the 2013 Accord with all of its latest safety technologies, including lane departure warning, forward collision warning, blind-spot detection and a multi-angle rear-view camera. We expect to see the production car debut in the not-too-distant future (New York Auto Show, perhaps?) with the 2013 model officially hitting dealerships this fall. The Accord Plug-In will arrive a little later, in winter. Hungry for more details? Click past the jump to read Honda’s official press blast.

Continue reading 2013 Honda Accord Coupe Concept previews redesign, hybrid returning

2013 Honda Accord Coupe Concept previews redesign, hybrid returning originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One very unusual electric car has debuted in Brussels. The Hiriko EV uses a hub-mounted electric motor at each wheel, though that’s not the most interesting aspect of the vehicle. According to The Telegraph, the Hiriko uses an interesting rear suspension design that allows the vehicle to fold up, rotating the cabin vertically, to take up less space while parking. The partnership behind the vehicle say the car consumes approximately one third the parking space of a Smart ForTwo. Occupants enter from a single front door, and the Hiriko ditches the traditional steering wheel in favor of a joystick.

The vehicle is set to begin production in Spain next year, and the partnership behind the vehicle’s development aims to use several European and American cities as testbeds for the bubble machine. The two-seater has been co-developed by a collection of Basque businesses, the Spanish government and the MIT media lab (you may remember the concept, from 2007). A total of 20 test vehicles are currently being built, and each vehicle is said to cost $16,253 to manufacture. No final price tag has been set, nor are there solid details on range, power or charge times.

Hiriko folding electric car headed for production originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Last Summer Toyota showed off its Window to the World technology created in partnership with the Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design. It turned a rear window into an augmented-reality screen that would keep kids interested in something other than asking “Are we there yet?” Now General Motors has showed off a similar bit of kit called Windows of Opportunity, developed with the Bezalel School of Art and Design in Israel.

GM’s Windows concept is aimed just as much at kids as adults. The team came up with four different apps that provided interactivity ranging from a virtual take on drawing on foggy windows to checking what was on other augmented windows on cars around the world. We’re probably a long way from seeing something like this in production, but you know you can look forward to the day when your kid monitors your driving style from his child seat. Follow the jump for the full press release and a short video on GM’s new tech.

Continue reading GM latest to explore turning rear windows into screens

GM latest to explore turning rear windows into screens originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Mini Rocketman (we’ll spare you the Elton John lyrics) was one of our favorite concepts from the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. Sure, the name is silly, but this pint-sized concept showed what could be in store for an even more mini Mini. A smarter Smart, if you will. However, a new report from CAR states that the entry-level Mini project has allegedly been canned. The Rocketman as we know it has been grounded.

The reason? CAR reports that it would be a costly endeavor to develop the Rocketman to meet street-legal specifications; specifically, handling, stability and crash standards. The concept only measures in at 134.6 inches long – a full 12 inches shorter than a standard Cooper hatchback, and while Mini insiders said that a production version could come as early as 2016, there are now no plans to offer a vehicle smaller than the current Cooper.

Mini Rocketman reportedly canned originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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