Autoblog

BMW bringing i4 concept to LA Auto Show

Zach Bowman — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 11:33:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, LA Auto Show, Coupe, Technology, BMW, Electric, Luxury

Word has it BMW may be planning to bring a new electric vehicle concept to the Los Angeles Auto Show. A report in the French magazine l'Automobile suggests the German manufacturer will show up with a sportier version of the i3. BMW has made big waves about shifting its naming structure to brand coupes, convertibles and sports cars with even-number designations, leaving odd digits for base models and hatchbacks. That means the concept could theoretically wear an i4 badge if and when it rolls across the stage. The report suggests the i4 will offer buyers a lower, more attractive roofline and come with a steeper price tag if it makes production.

Both the i3 and the i4 will presumably make use of the same carbon-reinforced plastic chassis, and odds are the sportier variant will benefit from the same 170-horsepower electric motor found in the five-door. Expect more details as we get closer to the Los Angeles Auto Show later this month.

BMW bringing i4 concept to LA Auto Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Nov 2012 11:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jaguar announces new supercharged V6 and turbo four-cylinder

Chris Shunk — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Jaguar, Beijing Motor Show

The Jaguar engine lineup is about to get a lot more interesting with the addition of a pair of forced-induction powerplants. The engines, announced in time for this week's Beijing Motor Show, will be mated to efficient eight-speed ZF transmissions.

The more powerful of the two is a supercharged 3.0-liter V6 making 340 horsepower or 380 hp, depending on the configuration. The all-aluminum V6 is derived from Jaguar's 5.0-liter V8 and it features quad cams, direct injection and a Roots-type twin vortex supercharger with a water-cooled intercooler. The 3.0-liter boasts a 10.5:1 compression ratio, up significantly from the 9.5:1 ratio of the supercharged 5.0-liter.

Jaguar also notes in its press release that the 380-horsepower version of the supercharged 3.0-liter will rest under the hood of a high-output variant of the upcoming F-Type roadster (pictured above) when it arrives sometime in 2013.

Jaguar will also offer the 240-horsepower 2.0-liter turbo four that's already available in the Range Rover Evoque. Jaguar hasn't announced which vehicles will receive the efficient 2.0 turbo, but the new F-Type seems a good bet. Scroll down to read over Jaguar's press release.

Continue reading Jaguar announces new supercharged V6 and turbo four-cylinder

Jaguar announces new supercharged V6 and turbo four-cylinder originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 22 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW i4 and i5 on the way?

Aaron Richardson — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Performance, Europe, Hatchback, BMW, Rumormill, Electric, Luxury

With the BMW i3 and i8 guaranteed for production (well, nearly guaranteed), rumors are starting to swirl that BMW will add two more models to its high-efficiency i brand. Likely dubbed the i4 and i5, they will expand on the i3 and i8 platforms, respectively.

The i4 will likely be a sporty, two-door play on the i3 platform, wearing the same carbon fiber and plastic skin as the smaller hatchback. You can expect a wider track for the i4, and likely more power from the electric motors. The optional two-cylinder range-extending engine offered in the i3 will probably make the i4 checklist, too.

The i5 will be a sport sedan akin to the Audi A5 Sportback, and will play off the i8's platform. That means a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder mill helping electric motors do their thing. Don't expect the i8's 349 horsepower, but the i5 should move along just fine.

BMW i4 and i5 on the way? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Aug 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW i4 and i5 to focus on affordable performance, families

Damon Lavrinc — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Crossover, Hatchback, BMW, Rumormill, Electric

There are plenty of numbers between three and eight, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that BMW's recently unveiled i sub-brand will expand after the i3 and i8 go on sale in the next two to three years.

A few reports and our own sources indicate that the next two models will be the i4 and i5; a smaller coupe and a family focused four-door.

Both models will be based around the carbon fiber reinforced plastic "Life" structure to keep weight in check and use variations of the drivetrains fitted to the i3 and i8.

The i4 will supposedly be based on the i3's architecture, but will nix the extra set of doors and seats to become a two-seater with a sloping roof, wider track and a more sporting demeanor. Power will likely come from a variant of the i3's electric motor, with the same optional range-extending engine mounted out back. BMW wants to have at least one affordable i-branded two-door within the next five to six years, and considering the i8 will likely crest $100,000, the i4 will be a more attainable entry point for the marque.

Less is known about the i5 aside from the fact that it will be a more conventional four-door sedan with a coupe-ish profile and power provided by the same plug-in hybrid drivetrain as the i8. That could mean up to 400 lb-ft of torque when the turbo'd 1.5-liter and electric motor work in unison, creating one incredibly compelling hybrid sports sedan.

However, both models are a ways off. Concept versions should arrive sometime after the i8's launch in 2014, so don't expect either to arrive until late into the decade.

BMW i4 and i5 to focus on affordable performance, families originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Aug 2011 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Four-cylinders increase lead over V6s as engine of choice for Americans

Jeff Glucker — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 18:32:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Etc.

America cho-cho-chooses the four-cylinder engine as its preferred means of locomotion. In fact, the four banger has been the favored choice since taking the lead over six-cylinder engines a few years back. The four-versus-six debate was neck in neck back in 2005, when six-cylinder engines accounted for 43 percent of the market. Now, it's the four pots that own 43 percent of the market.

There's no mystery behind the shift in consumer buying patterns. Fuel prices are higher, four cylinder engines keep getting better and the economy continues to remain flat.

It's also no surprise that a the eight cylinder engine has also fallen out of favor with new car shoppers. In 2005, a V8 could be found powering one in three new vehicles. Today, that powerplant has fallen to powering one in six. Time, as they say, marches on...

Four-cylinders increase lead over V6s as engine of choice for Americans originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Jul 2011 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2010 GMC Terrain - a tale of two engines

Alex Nunez — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Crossover, GMC, New Car Reviews

2010 GMC Terrain - Click above for high-res image gallery

GMC's "Professional Grade" tagline works best when it's being used to upsell truck shoppers into Sierras instead of Chevy Silverados, but even wider mass-market success comes from snaring folks who couldn't care less about payload. And while the Yukon has its place at the table for some families, the thirsty brontosaur's broad appeal vanished with the disappearance of super-cheap gasoline. Hence, traditionally truck-focused GMC has crossed over, so to speak. The three-row Acadia was the beginning, and while the trucks are still there for those who want or need them, if you're shopping for a family car, the nice man in the tie would like to show you something different: the 2010 GMC Terrain.

Gallery: Review: 2010 GMC Terrain

Continue reading Review: 2010 GMC Terrain - a tale of two engines

Review: 2010 GMC Terrain - a tale of two engines originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Jun 2010 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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USA Today: Four-cylinder engines powered nearly half of all new car sales last month

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 21 May 2010 09:58:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying

Along with eight-cylinder engines and manual transmissions, six-cylinder motors appear to be on the outs, relatively speaking. In the first quarter of this year, USA Today notes that four-cylinder lumps made up 46.5 percent of new car sales, almost a five percent jump over the same period last year.

This movement to fewer cylinders is likely to continue, as more and more mainstream models like the Hyundai Sonata, Suzuki Kizashi and Buick Regal are only being offered with four-cylinder powerplants. That's partially because modern technologies, including direct injection and forced induction, have closed the power deficit, and partly because automakers' need to raise their CAFE figures and play to growing consumer appetites for better fuel economy.

The trend has caused J.D. Power to raise its four-cylinder sales prediction for 2012 from 48 percent to 51 percent. If that ends up being the case, that will leave 35 percent for six-cylinder cars, and just 17 percent for V8s.

[Source: USA Today]

USA Today: Four-cylinder engines powered nearly half of all new car sales last month originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 May 2010 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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