2009 Volvo S60 Concept

Sleek and sexy are words that are rarely associated with Volvos. Rather, the name Volvo generally conjures up adjectives such as safe and secure. Yet, the 2009 Volvo S60 concept seeks to change that notion and instead prove that a Volvo can be both safe and sexy.

The concept ditches the brand's aged Scandinavian design in favor of the bold styling of the handsome XC60 crossover. In front, there is a strong upward stance, thanks to the angle of the trapezoidal grille and lower air intakes. The LED headlights are modeled to look like miniature Viking longboats sailing up into the V-shaped hood.
The front doors open conventionally while the rears are electronic and swing out then slide rearward. The roofline is low and the beltline is high for that coupe-like sedan profile made popular by the Mercedes Benz CLS. The car's lines follow a "race track" theme as they continue smoothly throughout the body instead of ending abruptly. Volvo says it plans to implement this type of styling into future models and we couldn't approve more.
GMCI will roll out meaner, more powerful "Phase II" and "Phase III" editions in the months after the SEMA Show.

  

Hate it or love it, the crossover market is expanding at a rapid rate. Automakers are investing lots of time and energy in this space and all the competitors are pretty solid choices. The 2010 Chevrolet Equinox should handle all that competition pretty well.

Aimed squarely at the Ford Escape, Jeep Liberty, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Santa Fe, and Toyota RAV4, the 2010 Equinox is arguably the best looking vehicle in the segment and uses some of the most advanced technology under the hood. Equipped with the base 2.4-liter inline-four and front-wheel drive, the Equinox should be rated at 21/30 mpg, thanks to direct injection, a six-speed transmission, and a few aerodynamic tricks (Equinox boasts a 0.36 drag coefficient).



 

                                2009 Detroit Auto Show

Judging by Volvo's heavy use of the terms "coupe-like" and "coupe-inspired," we can surmise that the Volvo S60 concept is a sedan following the growing trend of coupe imitators. The front end of the S60 concept has been drawn back and smoothed out in a design that Volvo says was inspired by the cliffs and seas of the Swedish coastline. Design language aside, we can't help but notice how much it looks like the stylish Jaguar XF.

This concept introduces a technology Volvo calls Powershift. The automaker describes it succinctly as "two manual gearboxes working in parallel, each regulated by its own clutch." Powershift is a name Ford has tossed around for its coming dual-clutch gearbox, and by the looks of it, the transmission will make its debut in the S60 concept. However the transmission is configured, it will receive power from a 1.6L GTDi four-cylinder turbocharged and direct-injected gasoline engine making 180 hp and emitting only 0.42 lbs of CO2 per mile.

The XFR receives a new, direct-injected 5.0L V-8 (also available for the 2010 XF). But the XFR's mill receives pressurization from a Roots-type, twin-intercooled supercharger. Despite a mighty output of 510 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque, the new engine comes sans weight or fuel mileage penalty -- its 15/23-mpg rating is the same as the outgoing supercharged 4.2L. Jaguar attributes this to a variety of new and altered components, including a direct-injection system, a variable-length intake manifold, and variable camshaft timing.

The new cam timing system relies on forces generated by the valves, rather than by oil pressure. The oil pump has been decreased in size and relocated as a result, reducing engine length by 0.94-in. These new technologies allow Jaguar to raise the compression of the engine to 9.5:1 (up from 9.1:1 on the 4.2L). Service intervals have been lengthened to 15,000 miles as well

Future Vehicales

Seeing the 2010 Nissan 370Z

The famous Yenko nameplate will be revived at this year's SEMA Show with the introduction of the 2010 Yenko Camaro Prototype by General Marketing Capital Incorporated (GMCI). The performance-tuned model celebrates the 44th anniversary of Don Yenko's Corvair Corsa being officially recognized as a racecar by the SCCA.

For the complete look, designers plastered its body with Yenko stripes and emblems, as well as a full leather package with Yenko embossed badges.

First Drive: 2010 Subaru Outback

For fifteen years, the Outback as all but defined Subaru in the United States. The high-riding wagons have been the perfect vessels for the brand's signature all-wheel-drive system. Through three generations, the Outback formula has effectively remained the same. For the fourth-generation 2010 Outback, Subaru has made the most significant changes so far to its best-known model.

The Sport-Utility Wagon: More of the former, less of the latter.



Subaru had been offering four-wheel-drive station wagons here since the mid 1970s, but it wasn't until 1995 that the company created the Outback as a special model. Essentially an all-wheel-drive Legacy station wagon with extra ground clearance and a rugged, outdoorsy image, the Outback has hewn to the same formula through two successive redesigns, even as it has added more engine options (including a turbocharged four and a six-cylinder) and more luxury features.



For 2010, however, the Outback branches out, using a unique bodyshell instead of borrowing one from the Legacy wagon (which is no longer sold in North America, but is still offered in Subaru's home market). Given free reign to craft an Outback-specific body, Subaru designers evolved the shape away from a pure station wagon and more towards a crossover/SUV--much as they did with the new Forester last year.

Spycam: 2010 Audi RS5

Audi has managed to keep everyone guessing about the RS5's powertrain, but the most-likely scenario is that it's powered by a modified version of the RS4's 4.2-liter V-8 tuned to make around between 450 and 500 horsepower mated to either a six-speed manual or seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch auto. And of course, expect all four wheels to be putting the power down through Audi's quattro system.

Spycam: Audi A8

Edgy New Design to Reportedly Feature Bigger W-12 Engine, Tiny Turbodiesel

It's been six long years since a major Audi A8 update and the quad-ring brand looks as though it's finally ready to deliver its new heavyweight. The new Audi A8 has been caught testing on multiple occasions and we've come across it again testing at where else but the Nurburgring ahead of the A8's 2010 Detroit auto show debut.

In between, a new, 400-plus-horsepower supercharged V-8 is expected to arrive in mid-2010 with cylinder deactivation technology while the V-10 engine is expected to be put out to pasture. Also rumored is a new version of Audi's supercharged V-6 that's been outfitted with twin turbos instead, offering even more than the current 333 hp.

Turbo Four for BMW Z4

BMW is seriously considering launching its new turbocharged four-cylinder engine in the Z4 sports car, Motor Trend has learned, even after M Division chief Ludwig Willisch said before retiring last summer that the engine was designed for a 1 Series M.