Car Tech Articles

Chrysler Group LLC announced that the Chrysler 200 Super S by Mopar will debut at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The Mopar treatment offers a long list of exterior modifications, including a large chin spoiler, satin chrome fog light trim, satin chrome grille surround and mesh in the upper and lower grilles. Modifications to the body sides include new side sills, satin chrome belt molding, black chrome "200" badges, and gray or hyper black 18-inch S-alloy wheels.

"The Super S is Mopar's interpretation of the Chrysler 200," said Pietro Gorlier, president … Read more

An all-electric Jeep Grand Cherokee will be shown, and available for a test drive, at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, thanks to AMP Electric Vehicles.

Based in Loveland, Ohio, AMP specializes in the conversion of OEM (original equipment manufacturer) vehicles to electric power. The new Jeep Grand Cherokee EV joins AMP's Mercedes M-Class EV, which has a range of about 100 miles on a single charge.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee EV is powered by a lithium iron phosphate battery with a capacity of 37.6 kWh. The Jeep runs on two rear-mounted Remy AC motors … Read more

Last week Lexus teased with a partial shot of the new sport coupe concept, but today a little more was revealed.

Lexus released this side view of the LF-LC 2+2 sport coupe, but the company is still holding out on any under-the-hood details. The sport coupe concept will be unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next month.

"Crafted from a clean sheet of paper at the request of Lexus headquarters in Japan, the LF-LC blends both high technology and organic shapes to connect the driver to the machine," Mark Templin, Lexus group vice … Read more

As with many previews for the upcoming Detroit auto show, Nissan made few details of its new Pathfinder concept known.

The press release merely promises a new platform and aerodynamic body. The teaser photo for the Pathfinder concept released today reveals big fenders in the update to Nissan's seven-passenger SUV.

We bumped up the brightness of the released image to bring out more detail. The fenders show a particularly strong, pontoonlike design, sticking out from a body with a heavily contoured beltline. The side windows also look quite large, but the roofline looks conventional.

Nissan says the concept will feature "thoughtful technology, comfortable seating for seven, and ample cargo room," along with four-wheel drive. The current Pathfinder has three-row seating and four-wheel drive. Mention of a new platform suggests Nissan will move the vehicle from its current truck frame to a unibody design. It is possible that the new Pathfinder will share a platform with the Infiniti JX, unveiled at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show.

Nissan noted that the new generation of the Pathfinder will go on sale next fall, as a 2013 model year. The concept shown in Detroit must be near production-ready. … Read more

Arthur C. Clarke wrote, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic," which is what Mercedes-Benz must be thinking with some of the new features in its 2013 SL550.

Its Magic Sky Control consists of a panel in its retractable hard top that goes from dark to transparent at the touch of a button. That does sound very advanced. Not quite as magical is Magic Vision Control, a system that dispenses wiper fluid from openings on the wiper blade, rather than spraying haphazardly over the windshield from two jets on the hood.

Although not called out as magical by Mercedes-Benz, the new SL550 includes other very advanced features. It will come with an automatic parallel parking system and a sensor under the rear that opens the trunk when someone waves a foot across it. Both of these technologies were recently introduced by Ford, stealing some of Mercedes-Benz's thunder. … Read more

If Acura thinks that its announcement that a new NSX concept will make a bow at the 2012 Detroit auto show is going to whip me into a fanboy frenzy, well, then it's absolutely correct.

However, if anything, today's announcement has raised more questions and concern than excitement and anticipation.

This can't be right... Let's take a quick look at the rumored specs. We're starting with 3.5-liter V-6 (308-horsepower est.) that is hybridized by the integration of an approximately 40-horsepower (30kW) electric motor with its seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. There are also a pair of … Read more

Lexus today teased fans with the promise of a new concept vehicle that will be unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on January 9, 2012.

The concept car was designed by Calty, the company's design studio in Newport Beach, California. Calty also designed the FT-SX, Scion t2B, Scion FUSE, FT-HS, A-BAT, and Lexus LF-Ch concept vehicles.

No other details were revealed in the press release.

On the heels of the Earth Dreams Technology announcement at the Tokyo Motor Show, Honda says it will unveil a concept version of a new Acura NSX at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.… Read more

Joining the four-door coupe trend pioneered by the Mercedes-Benz CLS 550, BMW adds rear doors to its 6-series, calling it a Gran Coupe.

At first glance, the 6-series Gran Coupe seems an odd overlap with the 7-series. BMW says the Gran Coupe fills a niche, being a car for buyers who want the sporty look of the 6-series, but also want a usable rear seat.

Normal rear doors give access to the rear seat, which will only hold two adults comfortably. BMW calls the seating configuration 4+1, as the hump in the middle of the rear bench is too … Read more