Monday, February 14, 2011

2012 Kia Rio looks sharp ahead of Geneva rollout


Kia has released the first images of its 2012 Rio hatchback ahead of its official Geneva Motor Show debut, and might we say, it's quite a looker. The Korean automaker has been doing some fantastic things with styling in the past few years – thanks in part to strong leadership from design director Peter Schreyer – and now the smaller Rio gets a healthy dose of modernity. It looks fantastic in these photos and we're eager to see the new angles and curves live in the metal.The Rio will be offered with a range of gasoline and diesel powertrains in other markets, including a 1.1-liter diesel that only generates 85 g/km of CO2. We're most curious about the new 1.2-liter turbocharged direct-injected engine – we've heard about this three-cylinder powerplant before – and if it proves to be well-received in Europe, Kia will likely offer it here in the United States after the Rio's initial launch.Look for the Rio to go on sale in the UK starting in September, with a three-door variant expected to launch in early 2012. We don't have any official word as to when we'll see the facelifted Rio here in the United States, but we'd guess that it'll arrive roughly around the same time as the Euro-spec version.

Spy Shots: BMW M6 convertible caught on snowshoeing shakedown

Our own Chris Paukert recently spent some time getting to know the 2012 BMW 6 Series Convertible, and he did so under the hot South African sun. BMW engineers are busy testing their upcoming hi-po M6 droptop, but they're doing so in a place where the top is definitely going to stay up.Spy photographers have caught the powerful two-door out playing in the snow during winter testing. Last time we saw the camouflaged convertible, it was out running on a track and making good use of its rumored 560 horsepower and 530 pound-feet of torque. This time around we imagine that whoever's behind the wheel is going to be a bit more conservative with the throttle.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Kia lining up third shift in GA to meet Sorento demand


Kia is fresh off a fantastic 2010 in which the Korean automaker increased sales by 19 percent versus 2009, boosting its market share from 2.9 to 3.1 percent. A major reason Kia fared so well in 2010 was the success of the Sorento, which managed 109,000 sales for the year.Automotive News reports that Kia will look to increase that total in 2011 by adding a third shift to the company's West Point, Georgia plant. Kia feels that stronger Sorento sales are inevitable given the fact that the U.S. auto market is picking up speed. Add the fact that dealers have reportedly been asking for more Sorentos for months now, and increasing production becomes more of a no-brainer.Kia hasn't yet announced a start date for the plant's third shift, though dealers tell AN that additional Sorento CUVs will begin hitting retail stores "in the next couple months." In the meantime Kia will be looking for additional workers in Georgia, and we're thinking the Korean automaker will receive more than enough applications.

2012 Subaru Impreza could debut in New York

We were smitten with Subaru's Impreza Concept from the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show. The production version will certainly be toned down for normal road use, and a report from Inside Line states that we could see the next-generation Impreza bow sooner than expected. In speaking with IL, Subaru of America's executive vice president, Tom Doll, confirmed that the 2012 Impreza will go on sale in the United States in August, meaning that an official reveal at April's New York Auto Show is very likely.Like the current model, the 2012 Impreza will be offered in both sedan and five-door hatchback body styles, powered by the automaker's revised 2.5-liter Boxer flat-four that debuted in the 2011 Forester. We hope that Subaru keeps many of the Impreza Concept's lines intact for the production car, especially since we drool at the thought of what the STI-fettled version will look like.

2012 Volkswagen Jetta GLI starts at $23,495

Volkswagen has brought its latest iteration of the new-for-2011 Jetta – the turbocharged GLI – to this year's Chicago Auto Show, and we're quickly falling in love with the Autobahn-ready VW. The Jetta's already handsome (if decidedly sedate) looks are emphasized by larger 18-inch alloy wheels, a more aggressive front fascia and smoked taillamps, and when the whole package is painted in pull-me-over red, we can't help but daydream about whipping the new Jetta GLI around our favorite set of twisty backroads.The Jetta GLI appears eager to perform, too. Under the hood is Volkswagen's turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four, rated at 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque. Both a manual and dual-clutch transmission are available, the latter of which allows the Jetta GLI to achieve up to 32 miles per gallon on the highway. Not bad.The big change, of course, is that the GLI will benefit from a more sophisticated independent rear suspension than the standard Jetta, and VW has ported over its XDS cross differential technology from the GTI. Look for the 2012 Jetta GLI to go on sale later this year, priced from $23,495.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Report: 2012 BMW 6 Series Coupe coming to Shanghai

Word has it that BMW is planning to unveil the next 6 Series coupe at the upcoming Shanghai Motor Show in April. According the Dutch arm of AutoWeek, it only makes since for the big two door to take a bow this spring since the concept version debuted at the 2010 Pairs Motor Show last fall. Given that we've seen more than a few spy photos crop up recently, the prediction would seem spot-on.The report says that buyers can first expect to get their hands on the coupe in either 640i or 650i variants with additional models showing up later down the line. But that's not the most interesting bit of news to pop up.AutoWeek is also reporting that BMW is currently slaving away on a sedan version of the 6 Series. Supposedly, the car would make use of the same coupe body lines as its two-door brethren. Such a vehicle would allow BMW to tango with the ever-popular Mercedes-Benz CLS, but we have to wonder if there's room in the Roundel's stable for yet another sedan. - Autoblog

Rumormill: BMW could launch 13 front-wheel-drive vehicles by 2016


Rumors about front-wheel-drive vehicles have been swirling around BMW for some time now, and word on the Bavarian street is that this drivetrain shift in BMW's portfolio is set to launch sooner than we may think. Initially, we believed front-wheel drive would be limited to just a sub-compact here and a compact coupe there, but now comes word that the German automaker could produce up to 13 front-wheel-drive vehicles by 2016.Of course, not all of these vehicles will wear BMW badges – after all, the company's Mini brand only uses front-wheel drive. Inside Line reports that the first BMW-branded car sending power to the front will be the upcoming 1 Series GT, based off the next-generation 1 Series which could also use front-wheel drive. The next-generation X1 and a future subcompact car could also receive a front-wheel drive layout

Restyled 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan leaks out ahead of Geneva debut


Here we have our first look at the facelifted 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan, courtesy of an apparent slip from the automaker's domestic website.From the sole image we have so far, it looks like the Tiguan is getting a tweak to more closely resemble the new Touareg, with a new front end encompassing revised headlights with LED elements. The blue vehicle in the background also appears to feature off-road cladding incorporated into the front bumper.Volkswagen is expected to debut the restyled SUV at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. Stay tuned for more.