We know that we should be concerned with the CR-Z's performance, but the possibility of a new Honda nav system has us excited.
(Credit: Temple of VTEC)Scans of the brochure for the Honda CR-Z have been making the rounds on the Net, giving us a peak at what you get when you apply the terms performance, compact, and hybrid to a production car.
However, upon taking a look at the interior photos, we were hit with what looks like even more good news: the navigation system's new button layout seems to suggest that the CR-Z may be getting a new system. Which is great, considering Honda's current goes-in-everything navigation system is over half a decade old. Does this mean no more DVD-based navigation? Are we finally going to get traffic data? Is this the end of the funky PC-card slots behind the motorized touch screen? Hopefully, yes.
It also looks like the digital instrument cluster is sporting some heavy LCD usage, which also gets us all hot and bothered...um, sorry.
If the CR-Z can match the expectations of a generation of rabid CRX lovers and deliver zippy performance, a tossable chassis, and decent fuel economy, an upgraded cabin tech package could be the feather in its cap. But we won't know for sure until we get some time behind the wheel after the CR-Z is unveiled at the 2010 Detroit auto show.
Mini's new concept is based on its upcoming crossover model.
(Credit: Mini)Before its upcoming crossover enters production in 2010, Mini is already using this new platform for a concept.
Mini removed doors and roof to get passengers in touch with nature.
(Credit: Mini)For the Beachcomber, Mini stripped off the doors and roof, opening up the cabin like a dune buggy or jeep. Lest occupants suffer sunburn or freezing rain, Mini includes what it calls "lightweight door and roof elements" that can be "installed within a few minutes."
For its sand-crawling duties, the Beachcomber uses a new all-wheel-drive that Mini calls ALL4, which will be a feature of the upcoming crossover. The suspension is raised, as well, with large wheels providing extra ground clearance.
Mini has used concepts in the past to herald its upcoming new models, such as the Mini Clubman. But, at least as far as North America is concerned, the Beachcomber heralds nothing. When the Mini crossover enters production next year, it won't be sold in North America.
The Mini Beachcomber will debut at the 2010 Detroit auto show.
Well, we know three things: it's a Toyota; it's a hybrid; and it's green.
(Credit: Toyota)The 2010 car show season is set to kick off in January at the 2010 North American International Auto Show, affectionately and more commonly known as the Detroit auto show. Toyota is going to be there and, being Toyota, you can bet its booth will be stuffed to the gill with hybrids. We've just received a pair of teaser images for an unnamed Toyota hybrid concept.
The ultra-swept headlamps and rounded nose point toward a concept that's like no current Toyota offering.
(Credit: Toyota)The concept should be a new model and not simply a hybrid version of a currently selling vehicle. There's not much that we can tell from the pictures beside that it's a green Toyota hybrid. I'm guessing based on the steep angle of the A-pillar that this is going to be a tiny car. Perhaps a new subcompact hybrid that slots in below the Prius.
We'll keep our eyes peeled for more information as it comes available. In the meantime, give us your best guess as to what Toyota's got up its sleeve in the comments.
According to SEMA News, the 2010 Camaro is one of the most customizable vehicles on the road.
(Credit: CNET)Well, the 2010 SEMA Show is long over, but the members of the Specialty Equipment Market Association are still at work doing whatever else they do when they're not putting together banging car shows.
The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro leads the charge as the most accessory-friendly car, earning its position with its reasonable sticker price, which should leave plenty of cash in your pocket for the many styling accessories for the retro futuristic body and performance accessories for its mod-friendly LS-series V-8 engine.
The Toyota 4Runner Trail has a host of aftermarket off-roading parts available.
(Credit: Toyota)Representing for the trucks category is the Ford F-Series Super Duty, which isn't surprising considering the broad range of available power trains and an almost endless stream of accessories for both work and play. In the SUV category, the Toyota 4Runner racks up a win, partially because it is one of the last mass-produced true off-roaders available today, and there's a pretty big market for accessories that let you play in the dirt.
Finally, SEMA chose the 2010 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid for the hybrid category--because, let's face it, folks just aren't modding Priuses in a major way. Plus, the Silverado Hybrid has access to most of the styling and performance accessories of the conventional Silverado.
So, what do you think? Are these the most accessory-friendly vehicles on the market today, or has a better candidate been overlooked? Sound off in the comments with your thoughts.
(Source: SEMA News)
This race-prepped Mazda3 could be found tucked in the back of Mazda's booth.
(Credit: Antuan Goodwin/CNET)It was no SEMA Show, but the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show featured its fair share of rides that had spent time under the knife to become something more than stock.
From race-prepped Fiestas and Mazda2s to a pair of crazy Scions that take tailgating to a new level, modifications at the LA Show took all shapes and forms. Suzuki brought out two examples of its new Kizashi sedan modified by Rockford-Fosgate and Road Race Engineering to deliver great sound and great performance.
Meanwhile, SMS Supercars showed us the meaning of "exotic muscle" with a pair of SMS 570 Challengers, one that developed 500 naturally aspirated horsepower and another that outputs 700 supercharger-assisted ponies. Those who just can't be satisfied with stock could definitely find a few surprises hidden throughout the show floor.
Check out our gallery of modified cars at the 2009 LA Auto Show for a closer look.
(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.
Mercedes-Benz new fuel cell research vehicle is built on its B-class platform.
(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)Instead of big, new vehicle launches at the Los Angeles Auto Show, Mercedes-Benz focused heavily on technology. The company brought out its next generation fuel cell vehicle, a car that lets passenger and driver view different content on the same screen, and an iPhone app that works with the company's new telematics service, Mbrace.
The 2011 Mercedes-Benz F-Cell is a fuel cell research vehicle, continuing the company's look into using hydrogen fuel cells to generate electricity to drive a car. The new model is based on the Mercedes-Benz B-class, a small vehicle with practical interior space. The fuel cells, lithium ion battery, and hydrogen tanks sit below the floorboards.
Mercedes-Benz owners can use this iPhone app to unlock their doors.
(Credit: Wayne Cunningham/CNET)The hydrogen tanks store 3.7 kilograms of hydrogen compressed at 10,000 psi, while the lithium ion battery produces 35 kilowatts. This vehicle's range is 248 miles, getting the equivalent of 86.6 mpg. The electric motor drives the wheels with 136 horsepower and 214 pound-feet of torque, getting the F-Cell to 60 mph in 11.3 seconds.
For its production cars, Mercedes-Benz introduced its new Mbrace service, powered by Hughes Telematics. Similar to competing services such as Onstar, Mbrace provides crash notification to the nearest authorities, concierge services for navigation, and emergency roadside assistance. Mbrace also offers traffic and weather features, but most of these are concierge-based, so you will have to talk to a real operator.
Mbrace includes a smart phone app, current available for the Blackberry and iPhone, that lets you lock and unlock your car from almost anywhere in the world. The app uses a graphic of a Mercedes-Benz key, with button areas matching the lock and unlock functions of the physical key. The app also has a car location feature, which can guide you to your car if you forgot where you parked it.
And finally, Mercedes-Benz will offer an optional split-view technology for the LCDs in its S- and CL-class cars. This technology lets the passenger watch a movie, while the driver uses the car's navigation. Check out Brian Cooley's video, in which he shows how it works.
The Porsche Boxster Spyder borrows design elements from a bygone era.
(Credit: Josh Miller/CNET)
Sport car companies enjoy the luxury of pushing design to the extreme, putting issues such as passenger comfort and cargo area aside. At the Los Angeles Auto Show we found a selection of new car designs that are as beautiful as they are impractical. Porsche showed up with a convertible that makes it more difficult to lower the top than in its other models. Lotus' newest car may be more accessible than its previous models, but you will still need the moves of a break-dancer to get inside. And the second generation of the Spyker C8 Aileron takes car design into the world of art.
Check out all these cars, and a special eco convertible, in our slideshow.
The Sienna's Dual View display seems a bit wide for single source viewing, but dual source may be OK.
(Credit: Toyota)
Maybe they should call it a Van-za...
(Credit: Josh P. Miller/CNET)This week the 2011 Toyota Sienna debuted at the LA Auto Show and while the minivan's new Venza-esque aesthetic, 3.5- and 2.7-liter power trains, and available all-wheel drive are, well, kind of interesting, we're most intrigued by the new Dual View rear seat entertainment system.
Folding down from its hiding place in the Sienna's ceiling, the Dual View display appears to be a superwide 16.4-inch display. However, it is actually two smaller displays seamlessly butted against each other in one frame.
When watching a single source, the Dual View displays a single image. Choose two video sources (such as a DVD and the RCA inputs) and the two Dual View system switches to a split screen mode, displaying the two images side-by-side.
The rest of the Sienna's cabin tech package consists of the same DVD-based navigation system that Toyota's been using since forever, Bluetooth connectivity for calls and audio streaming, USB and iPod compatibility, and an 180-degree Panorama Camera rear monitor.
Check out our photos of the 2011 Sienna from the floor of the 2009 LA Auto Show.
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.
