Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Frankfurt 2009: Hyundai ix-Metro concept is all white by us]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/16/frankfurt-2009-hyundai-ix-metro-concept/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/16/frankfurt-2009-hyundai-ix-metro-concept/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/16/frankfurt-2009-hyundai-ix-metro-concept/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Hyundai ix-Metro concept - Click above for high-res image gallery


Hyundai returned to Frankfurt a far bigger player than it was two years prior. The Korean company has leapt up the sales standings to become the world's fourth largest automaker, eclipsing such major players as Ford and Honda. And its product line has long since expanded from diminutive hatchbacks to include crossovers and luxury sedans. What better way, then, to mark its newfound stature than to unveil... a diminutive hatchback/crossover thing?

Of course, Hyundai also unveiled the new ix35 Tucson, but presented along side was the automaker's vision for a compact hybrid. Called the ix Metro, it may be about the same size as the Geo that once bore the same name, but packs more curves and creases into the same plot of real estate than a linen mill. Curiously, Hyundai hasn't provided any details on the electric component of the hybrid drivetrain, but the conventional side of the equation boasts direct injection, variable valve timing and a turbocharger in a tiny 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine, driving through a six-speed dual-clutch transmission. The interior looks like something straight out of Star Trek, but don't take our word for it, check it out for yourself in the gallery below.


Gallery: Frankfurt 2009: Hyundai ix-Metro





Continue reading Frankfurt 2009: Hyundai ix-Metro concept is all white by us

Frankfurt 2009: Hyundai ix-Metro concept is all white by us originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2009 frankfurt2009 frankfurt auto show2009 frankfurt motor show2009Frankfurt2009FrankfurtAutoShow2009FrankfurtMotorShowfrankfurtfrankfurt 2009frankfurt auto showfrankfurt motor showFrankfurt2009FrankfurtAutoShowFrankfurtMotorShowhybridhyundaihyundai hybridhyundai ixhyundai ix metrohyundai metroHyundaiHybridHyundaiIxHyundaiIxMetroHyundaiMetroixmetroWed, 16 Sep 2009 10:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19163116/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/09/16/frankfurt-2009-hyundai-ix-metro-concept/19163116/article-detail.xml 19163116 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/ix-metro-lead_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/ix-metro-lead.jpg <![CDATA[Frankfurt 2009: Hyundai Tucson ix35 is... another crossover]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/16/frankfurt-2009-hyundai-tucson-ix35-is-another-crossover/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/16/frankfurt-2009-hyundai-tucson-ix35-is-another-crossover/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/16/frankfurt-2009-hyundai-tucson-ix35-is-another-crossover/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Hyundai Tucson ix35 - Click above for high-res image gallery

The new Hyundai Tucson ix35 may look good with a Britney Spears soundtrack playing in the background. It may even look good out on the road. But under the bright lights here at the Frankfurt Messe, it looks pretty much like every other compact import crossover on the market. Which is to say, attractive, but rather cookie-cutter.

The new Tucson is being offered overseas with 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engines burning either gasoline or diesel (with 166 and 184 horsepower, respectively) and driving either the front wheels or all four through a six-speed automatic slushbox. Among the latest features, Hyundai included are Downhill Brake Control and Hill-Start Assist Control, which almost makes us mistake this for a real sport-utility vehicle. Almost.

We'll reserve our final judgement for when we actually drive the thing, but in the meantime, you can check out the gallery of live shots below.


Gallery: Frankfurt 2009: Hyundai Tucson ix35


Frankfurt 2009: Hyundai Tucson ix35 is... another crossover originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 06:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2009 frankfurt2009 frankfurt auto show2009 frankfurt motor show2009Frankfurt2009FrankfurtAutoShow2009FrankfurtMotorShowfrankfurtfrankfurt 2009frankfurt auto showfrankfurt motor showFrankfurt2009FrankfurtAutoShowFrankfurtMotorShowhyundaihyundai ixhyundai ix35hyundai tucsonhyundai tucson ixhyundai tucson ix35HyundaiIxHyundaiIx35HyundaiTucsonHyundaiTucsonIxHyundaiTucsonIx35ixix35tucsontucson ix35TucsonIx35Wed, 16 Sep 2009 06:31:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19163167/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/09/16/frankfurt-2009-hyundai-tucson-ix35-is-another-crossover/19163167/article-detail.xml 19163167 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/ix35-lead_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/09/ix35-lead.jpg <![CDATA[In Montreal, sell on Sunday, get pelted on Monday]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/26/in-montreal-sell-on-sunday-get-pelted-on-monday/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/26/in-montreal-sell-on-sunday-get-pelted-on-monday/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/26/in-montreal-sell-on-sunday-get-pelted-on-monday/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Quebec is probably the last place in North America where some businesses are still forbidden to open on weekends. Although the practice has long since dissipated in other retail sectors, car dealerships in Montreal still adhere to an archaic 35-year-old policy that dates back to when the Catholic church still had a strong hold on French Canadian society.

One dealership in this writer's home town is departing from that policy, and he's facing tough opposition. Pie IX Dodge Chrysler (pronounced pee nuf, on the street named after Pope Pius the 9th) is a dealership on the island's predominantly French east end, next to the Olympic stadium that once hosted the Montreal auto salon before it moved to the convention center downtown. They decided to open on weekends, selling cars on Saturday and Sunday, a move opposed by other area dealerships and their association (which also organizes the annual car show). Pie IX's sales have gone up, despite the protests outside. The demonstrators include salesmen from other dealerships (which remain closed on the weekend) and from nearby used car lots (which are open on the weekend). If new car dealerships were to open on weekends, the association says the salesmen will be overworked, while the used car lots will lose business. One protestor even went so far as to hit the manager at Pie IX Dodge Chrysler in the head with a block of ice and was arrested for assault. Demonstrators were also thought to have jammed the dealership's phone lines.

Despite the opposition, and with support from DaimlerChrysler, owner Claude Leclair says he plans to keep his dealership open on weekends, quoting sales figures of over a dozen cars each weekend, while competing dealerships are suspected to be operating in the red. Kinda gives new meaning to the old Quebec separatist slogan "Vive la Quebec Libre" - long live a free Quebec.

[Source: The Montreal Gazette via Jalopnik]

In Montreal, sell on Sunday, get pelted on Monday originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Feb 2007 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>9associationcanadachryslerdealershipdodgegazetteixmontrealopenpiequebecsalessaturdaysellingsundayweekendMon, 26 Feb 2007 11:05:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/815789/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2007/02/26/in-montreal-sell-on-sunday-get-pelted-on-monday/815789/article-detail.xml 815789 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/02/pie9_showroom_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/02/pie9_showroom.jpg <![CDATA[Evo IX bids farewell to UK with the MR FQ-360]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/17/evo-ix-bids-farewell-to-uk-with-the-mr-fq-360/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/17/evo-ix-bids-farewell-to-uk-with-the-mr-fq-360/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/17/evo-ix-bids-farewell-to-uk-with-the-mr-fq-360/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Mitsubushi Lancer Evolution IX MR FQ-360
Click image for 4 more photos in our gallery

Over the summer, we reported on the UK-market's Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX FQ-360, a car whose verbose nomenclature communicated the presence of a force-fed 366-horsepower 2.0-liter four under its bonnet. With its MR-style vortex generator on the roof, gigunda rear wing, carbon-fiber lip spoiler and rally-look five-spoke wheels, the FQ-360 looked every bit the tarmac carver that it was engineered to be.

Fast forward to January '07. Mitsubishi is laying the groundwork for the arrival of the next Evo, which was previewed with the appearance of the Prototype X at Detroit last week. Before we get too caught up in Evo X hysteria, we need to remember that the Evo IX still roams the streets, and that even when faced with imminent replacement, it's no shrinking violet. As such, Mitsubishi's UK division is bidding farewell to the machine with one final model: the Lancer Evolution IX MR FQ-360.

Its 2.0L engine is prepared by Ralliart and HKS, and while its output matches the 366 horses of the last HQ-360, this car's mill is said to be even more responsive. The FQ-360's 0-60 sprint is now an astonishing 3.9 seconds (vs. 4.1 for the last one). Top speed is 157 mph -- and that's an electronically governed number. In terms of appearance, the final edition MR FQ-360 looks like the car it replaces with some subtle changes. The five-spoke Speedlines are out, replaced by 11-spoke units from the same manufacturer. This time around, there's enough badging on the trunklid to let everyone know that this is the alpha dog Evo IX, and it's going out in style.



Full details in the press release after the jump.

[Source: Mitsubishi UK]

Continue reading Evo IX bids farewell to UK with the MR FQ-360

Evo IX bids farewell to UK with the MR FQ-360 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Jan 2007 11:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>evo ixEvoIxevolutionevolution ixEvolutionIxfq-360hksIXlancer evoLancerEvomrralliartWed, 17 Jan 2007 11:06:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/737391/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2007/01/17/evo-ix-bids-farewell-to-uk-with-the-mr-fq-360/737391/article-detail.xml 737391 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/01/evo9_mrfq360_lr_01_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/01/evo9_mrfq360_lr_01.jpg <![CDATA[VIDEO: Steal an Evo!]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/05/video-steal-an-evo/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/05/video-steal-an-evo/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/05/video-steal-an-evo/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

There's a certain indefinable "quality" about flashy, rally-derived Japanese sedans. Those big air scoops, the ostentatiously over-sized rear wings, the jumbo rims... it all just screams "steal me!" Evidently Mitsubishi thinks their Evo IX is theft-worthy, too, as demonstrated by this promotional video. Seems their security personnel are too preoccupied watching rally footage to notice one of their street machines being stolen - spy-flick style - right out from under their noses.

[Source: Motor Authority]

VIDEO: Steal an Evo! originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Jan 2007 18:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adevoevolutionixlancermitsubishipromorallysedanvideoFri, 05 Jan 2007 18:05:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/730072/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2007/01/05/video-steal-an-evo/730072/article-detail.xml 730072 -1 2