Section: Crossovers
Written By: David Yang
May 9th, 2008 10:35 AM
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Compared with Roewe, we haven’t heard much from the MG brand ever since the SAIC-Nanjing Auto merger. It seems the MG guys finally decided to make some noise by bringing two new cars to the Chinese dealers at the end of this month.
As the first made-in-China roadster, the rear-drive MG TF, offers two transmission options along with its 1.8 DOHC four burner: the manual MT and a CVT. The 1.8-liter MT accelerates from 0 to 62 mph in 8.2 seconds, hitting a top speed of 133 mph. It takes the 1.8-liter CVT 9.7 seconds to make the 0 to 62 mph dash, and it will reach a top speed of 124 mph. As it has almost no competitors in its class, the mid-engine roadster will likely be priced around 300,000 RMB (roughly $ 42,860 USD).
Another to hit the Chinese market later this month is an MG crossover called the 3SW. The new model has two engine options: a 1.4-liter four and a 1.8-liter four. The 1.4-liter generates maximum power of 102 horsepower and of maximum torque of 91 pound-feet while the 1.8-liter engine produces maximum power of 118 horsepower with max torque of 118 pound-feet. The price of 3SW will range from 80,000 – 120,000 RMB (roughly $11,428 - 17,142 USD).
(Have a look at the brace of Chinese MGs in our gallery below.)
If you’ve got an idea for Question of the Day, a funny photo for Caption It, or just want to share a news tip, let us know at windingroadtips@gmail.com
Written By: Winding Road Staff
April 23rd, 2008 12:00 PM
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After spending time in the Hyundai Veracruz, many of our staffers are reminded of crossovers like the Ford Edge, Nissan Murano, Toyota Highlander, and Lexus RX. While all of these CUVs are just as capable as our Veracruz, we agree that if given the choice, we’d take the Hyundai.
Click through the jump to read all of our impressions about the Veracruz and click the images below to launch a high-resolution gallery.
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Written By: Seyth Miersma
April 18th, 2008 3:00 PM
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Debuted as thinly veiled concepts called Townside and Freeside at this year’s Detroit Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz has announced that its production GLK crossover will make a public debut at the Beijing Auto Show.
Mercedes will offer the rather ungainly CUV with only one engine when it goes on sale in the U.S., a 3.5-liter V-6 that produces 268 horsepower. The GLK will come in both 4MATIC All-wheel-drive and two-wheel-drive, with a seven-speed automatic transmission as standard equipment. Two-wheel-drive GLK350 won’t shirk from sprightly performance either, should its driver need it, sprinting form 0 to 60 mph in an estimated 6.5 seconds.
Have a peek at the GLK in our gallery below or click through the jump to read the official M-B press release.
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Written By: Winding Road Staff
April 18th, 2008 9:00 AM
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Mitsubishi has a good thing going with its new Outlander SE. Several, in fact, beginning with the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that is new for 2008.
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Written By: Seyth Miersma
April 17th, 2008 3:00 PM
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Members of the United Auto Workers union called a strike this morning at General Motors’ Lansing Delta Township plant. The Lansing plant is responsible for production of a trio of popular GM crossovers: the Saturn Outlook, Buick Enclave, and the GMC Acadia.
While both GM and UAW held back giving a specific cause for the work stoppage, its known that the group that staffs the plant, UAW Local 602, has been working without a local contract agreement with the automaker. The local agreement would cover work rules for the roughly 2,300 workers at the Delta Township facility.
(Click through the jump to read more.)
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Written By: Winding Road Staff
April 15th, 2008 11:00 AM
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American marketing types love to affix the word “new” to things. New and Improved. All New. New Release. New Formula. Hell, even Coca-Cola up and went the “new” route, having somehow convinced themselves that selling the world’s most recognizable and successful product was putting the company at a competitive disadvantage.
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Written By: Seyth Miersma
April 14th, 2008 2:00 PM
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Romanian Renault subsidiary Dacia has long been known for building cars and trucks that sell well primarily because they are supremely inexpensive, without being terrible to drive.
Now Dacia seems ready to enter the playground of small SUVs, with a jacked up version of the Logan. Though this particular mule isn’t representative of what the final product will look like, we can’t help but wishing that it was. The Logan 4×4 has got everything we’ve ever loved about cars like the AMC Eagle or Fiat’s 4×4 Panda, that is to say a silly high ride height, ready-to-pounce stance, and stripper steel wheels.
The spy shooter seems to think that the finished Dacia will be a hot commodity in its own right. Check out the Dacia 4×4 in our gallery below, or read the shooter’s notes below the jump.
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Written By: Seyth Miersma
April 8th, 2008 4:00 PM
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Owners of midsize utility vehicles like the Honda Pilot, Chevrolet TrailBlazer, and Ford Explorer chose to move into smaller vehicles at a greater rate in the first quarter of 2008 than in the same period last year.
According to J.D. Power and Associates only 16.2 percent of midsize utility owners purchased another vehicle in that segment during Q1 of this year, that’s down 6.5 points from 2007. The largest percentage of consumers moved into a compact crossover vehicle like the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, or Toyota RAV4, with the small CUVs getting 13.2 percent of trades in the first quarter. Conventional midsize sedans represented the third greatest target of former utility owners, with a substantial 12.8 percent of buyers defecting to the segment.
(Click through the jump to see the full breakdown of Midsize Utility Destinations or on the thumbnails to check out an upcoming small CUV, the 2009 Ford Kuga)
+ J.D. Power
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Written By: Winding Road Staff
April 1st, 2008 10:00 AM
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The Mazda CX-7 is a pretty neat package. It has turbocharged power, all-wheel-drive, and loads of options for just above $30,000. Some staff members thought the interior was a bit gimmicky and that the engine could have had just a bit more power, but we still found the CX-7 to be a very well-rounded crossover vehicle.
Click through the jump to read our staff’s full impressions and click the images below to open a gallery.
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Written By: Chris Paukert
March 24th, 2008 10:00 AM
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During our time at the New York Auto Show, the folks at Ford took us for a spin in a 2009 Flex. While we weren’t given the opportunity to get behind the wheel, we probably wouldn’t have gleaned a whole lot of valuable driving experience in the miasma that is the Big Apple’s bumper-to-bumper shuffle, but we did take the opportunity to learn more about the vehicle’s interior and many features.
The Flex’s neither fish-nor-fowl exterior is something of a love/hate proposition. Ford’s latest somehow reminds us of a Land Rover Range Rover that’s been capped at the knees and cross-bred with a Mini Clubman. That may sound unfortunate, but the tall wagon shape is actually not unattractive and has a number of unique details (scalloped door skins, matte-finish rear brightwork, and available contrast-color roof), and the square-rigged shape promises good interior space.
(Click through the jump to read on or on the thumbnails below to launch a gallery of Flex in the city images.)
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Written By: Seyth Miersma
March 17th, 2008 12:00 PM
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We were big fans of Land Rover’s LRX concept from the first time we saw it in the metal at this year’s Detroit Auto Show. And we were among the many who lauded the sleek and stylish leather interior found in the CUV.
Good news then, as Autocar is reporting in the February 27 issue of its print magazine that Land Rover has plans to stick as closely as possible to the concept interior for the production version of the LRX. Reports are that a senior source within the company is directing product engineers to investigate, “how to turn the challenging shapes and structures into production items for the 2010 launch.”
Most concept cars loose their expensive handmade interiors for the transformation to mass production. If the LRX can come to market with something approaching even 80 percent of the concept cabin, we would consider it a job well done.
+ Autocar
If you’ve got an idea for Question of the Day, a funny photo for Caption It, or just want to share a news tip, let us know at windingroadtips@gmail.com
Written By: Seyth Miersma
March 13th, 2008 1:00 PM
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A new report from German publication Auto Motor und Sport says that Mercedes-Benz will be expanding its diesel lineup in the U.S., by adding tubodiesel engine options to its M-Class, GL-Class, and R-Class offerings.
All three vehicles will run a Mercedes 3.0-liter V-6 turbodiesel, capable of 210 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque, in an effort to burnish the image of M-B diesels among American consumers. New exhaust filtering technology will allow the oil-burners to pass emissions standards in California, as well as Euro 6 regulations.
Even the very heaviest of the new models, the massive GL320 CDI SUV (pictured above), is said to return a respectable economy figure of nearly 25 mpg.
(Check out a gallery of the 2009 R-Class below.)
+ Motor Authority: Mercedes-Benz prepping three new diesels for U.S.
If you’ve got an idea for Question of the Day, a funny photo for Caption It, or just want to share a news tip, let us know at windingroadtips@gmail.com
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