LOS ANGELES--Lexus' LF-Ch hybrid concept should be turned into a production vehicle and sold in the United States, said division General Manager Mark Templin.
The compact five-door hatchback debuted at the Frankfurt auto show in September and was shown at the Los Angeles Auto Show last week. If approved for production, the LF-Ch would compete with such models as the BMW 1 series and Audi A3. Lexus said the concept is a response to the growing demand, especially from young urbanites, for smaller and more fuel-efficient cars.
"We're showing it in North America to see if it can compete," Templin said. "We'll survey people to see how they feel about it. I would love to see this car in the U.S." Templin did not say when a decision would be made.
(Source: Automotive News)
(Credit:
Ford)
Remember when the bottom dropped out of the economy and everyone was screaming for small, inexpensive, and fuel efficient cars? Well, they're here; and they're in Los Angeles.
Small cars ruled the roost at the 2009 LA Auto Show, with marquees such as the Ford Fiesta, the Mazda Mazda2, and the VW Up Lite attracting a lot of attention and stealing the spotlight from bigger more powerful cars.
Check out our gallery of small cars at the 2009 LA Auto Show for a closer look.
The Honda P-NUT was the strangest thing on display at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)
In a time when most automakers limit their new production, Honda showed the most creative flair at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show with its Personal-Neo Urban Transport (P-NUT) concept. The P-NUT explores new ideas for small city cars, using a 1+2 layout, with rear seats that can fold up, turning the car into a delivery cart. Honda has some interesting ideas for how the driver would interact with the car, and specifies a head-up display for the broad windshield.
Don't expect the P-NUT to ever hit production; it is pure concept. Honda merely suggests some ideas that would work for its powerplant, from a traditional internal combustion engine to an electric drive unit.
Half of a TDI engine plus an electric motor equals twice the fuel economy. That's our kind of math.
(Credit: Josh P. Miller/CNET)Volkswagen unveiled one of the few new concepts at the 2009 LA auto show, a tiny hybrid concept called the Up Lite concept (or Up! Lite, if you have a penchant for gratuitous punctuation). This small turbo-diesel hybrid possesses a small physical footprint--being much smaller than the VW Golf--and a super small carbon footprint, reaching an astronomical 70 US mpg fuel economy on the EU testing cycle.
To create the power train for the Up Lite, VW took its 1.6-liter TDI engine, chopped it in half, and slapped an electric engine on the back. Of course, we're sure there's more that went into the development than that, but what you end up with is a two-cylinder 0.8-liter TDI engine mated to a 10kW electric motor that spins its flywheel to the tune of a maximum of 64 horsepower. However to attain the Up's insane 70 US mpg, the drive train must be placed in ECO mode, which limits output to 34 horsepower. Putting that power to the front tires is a seven-speed DSG gearbox.
The electric motor is a multitasker, performing as a motor, a regenerative brake, and as a starter for the diesel engine. Able to be operated in an all-electric mode, the Up Lite is a full-fledged hybrid. When in EV mode--for coasting, at low speeds, and when stopped--the small grill opening at the base of the front air dam slides shut to reduce aerodynamic drag. Like any good full hybrid, the electric motor can also work in tandem with the TDI engine when maximum acceleration is necessary.
The Up Lite is thrifty, but obviously not very powerful. However, thanks to the torquey nature of electric and diesel powerplants, the up is still able to hustle to 60 mph in just over 12 seconds before reaching a top speed of 100 mph.
While the Up Lite's hybrid power train is mostly responsible for the lofty fuel economy and low emissions, it does get a little help in the form of weight saving and aerodynamic measures. Besides just being physically small, the Up Lite keeps its mass down through extensive usage of aluminum. With the exception of its carbon fiber roof and plastic bumpers, all of the Up Lite's body panels are made of aluminum, as are parts of its underlying unibody.
To cut down on aerodynamic drag, the Up Lite utilizes a narrow and long body and the aforementioned opening and closing grill. In place of turbulence creating side mirrors, the Up Lite has a pair of cameras that work in tandem with the rearview camera to offer a blind-spot-free panoramic view of the road behind you. Expect practical mirrors to be back in placer before this puppy reaches production.
In addition to loads of green tech, the Up Lite concept features a good array of good ol' fashioned cabin tech.
(Credit: Josh P. Miller/CNET)In addition to green technologies, the Up Lite will be equipped with a full array of safety features (airbags, stability control, etc.) and a cabin tech package that includes MP3 playback, hands-free calling, video playback, and a trick navigation system that utilizes traffic, time, and terrain data to find the most fuel efficient path from point A to B.
The Up Lite concept is the harbinger of Volkswagen's new small car platform that should bear fruit in the form of a production Up Lite as early as the second half of 2011.
As a preview to the 2009 Los Angeles auto show, Honda sent out some tantalizing words--but no photos--of a new concept it will display. The Personal-Neo Urban Transport (P-NUT) concept is described by Honda as an "ultra-compact, aggressively designed coupe". Given the word "personal" in the concept's name, though, we're assuming P-NUT will be less CRX and more Batcycle, probably with some electric drive technology thrown in.
When our coverage of the 2009 Los Angeles auto show starts on December 3, we will post photos and answer the question, what is P-NUT?
(Credit:
Antuan Goodwin/CNET)
Last year, Scion's booth at the SEMA Show was jam-packed with some of the craziest cars at the show. 2009 saw the continuation of that grand tradition.
This year, Scion brought out an xB with a built-in kitchen (sink and all!), another with its own dancefloor, and yet another that had been stretched into a pickup toting a matching custom scooter. Scion's other models also got some modding love in the form of a rally-prepped xD and a loud-and-low tC that seemed to have forgotten its roof.
Check out some of the wildest Scions of 2009 in our gallery.
In a road train, a lead vehicle controls slaved cars, letting the drivers work or relax.
(Credit: Ricardo Engineering)The latest research into allowing people not to drive comes from Europe, where the EU is funding a road train concept. A road train is a group of cars controlled by a lead vehicle. If you are on a long trip, your car might detect a road train going in your direction. You could then choose to join it, slaving your car to the lead vehicle. If a car wanted to leave the train, the gap between it and the other cars would be increased so it could safely exit. The lead vehicle would be operated by a professional driver, and include equipment designed to control the other cars. Along with drivers being able to work or relax while riding in a road train, each car would draft the one ahead, getting about 20 percent better fuel economy.
Existing technologies make road trains possible. Cars would use GPS to find out if a road train is near, while radar could determine the vehicles' following distance to each other. Electronic throttles and power steering units would allow the lead vehicle to control each car in the train. The EU is also looking into this concept because road trains are a less expensive means for achieving some degree of autonomous vehicle operation, rather than installing sensor infrastructures along the roads.
The concept is being developed by Ricardo Engineering, funded by the EU, with a project called Sartre (Safe Road Trains for the Environment). Test track trials will take place in Spain, the U.K., and Sweden.
Sartre may not be the most appropriate name for the project, as giving up control of your vehicle to a higher power doesn't exactly comport with existentialist philosophy.
(Source: BBC News)
View the Peugeot BB1 concept photo gallery
(Credit: Benoit Solivellas/CNET)Our colleagues in Paris got to drive Peugeot's BB1 concept car, a rare opportunity as concept cars usually get rolled out for display in a few auto shows, then never see the light of day again. The BB1 is small, designed as a city car, and runs on electricity, getting a range of 75 miles.
The BB1 includes an iPod dock mounted in the center of the steering wheel, which might prove to be a problem for the airbag. With an iPhone in the dock, the BB1 becomes Internet-enabled.
The GReddy Genesis Coupe is pretty heavily tuned and it wasn't even the craziest Coupe at Hyundai's booth.
(Credit: Hyundai)Last year, Hyundai was all about the Genesis sedan at the 2008 SEMA Show. For 2009, the newer and sportier Genesis Coupe steps to the forefront for its share of the spotlight. Hyundai had no fewer than four Coupes in its booth and there were dozens more scattered across the rest of the show floor. If that's not enough to convince your that Hyundai's got a hit on its hands, we're not sure what will.
Among Hyundai's offerings were the wild midengine V-8 RM460 Genesis Coupe and the mild Hennessey Tuning School Coupe. Also in the mix was Hyundai's Genesis Coupe 2.0T R-Spec, which we've already taken a look at, and a Genesis sedan that received custom hand painted graphics live during the show.
Check out our photos of Hyundai's assortment of Geneses for even more details.
Subaru's booth wasn't the biggest at the show, but it made a killer first impression.
(Credit: Antuan Goodwin/CNET)Subaru's booth at the 2009 SEMA Show is located directly in front of the entrance to the show's Central Hall. And, wow, does it make a good first impression.
The first thing that you see upon passing through the doors is the towering 400-horsepower TRAX STI and its equally imposing sleigh trailer--built by none other than Subaru enthusiast numero uno, Ken Block. After finding our way around (or under) this massive one-off snowmobile, the rest of Subaru's offerings seemed a bit mild, yet were still impressive in their own ways.
For example, a VIP-styled Legacy sedan featured big wheels, big luxury, and an air suspension system to provide a super-low stance. Over on the other side of the booth, a road race Impreza sat poised to take on the Grand-Am Koni Challenge racing series. And any Subie-fan worth his salt would immediately recognize Mr. Block's other ride, the Gymkhana 2 STI from the previously featured videos of the same name.
Check out our photo tour of the Subaru booth for more photos and details; and as a bonus, check out the embedded video of Block's TRAX STI destroying some fresh snow with full reverse-lock action. You can thank me later.
