Autoblog

Click above for high-res gallery of the BMW X1 Concept

In a move that marks a significant departure from its current direction, BMW will offer both all- and rear-wheel drive versions of its upcoming BMW X1 model. Up to this point, consumers have only been offered all-wheel-drive mechanicals under the skin of the BMW X6, BMW X5 and smaller BMW X3. The German automaker cites weight savings and gains in efficiency as the reason why its newest and smallest SAV loses its front driveshafts, but be assured that it's also a cost-saving maneuver as automakers squeeze to keep prices down. As the models will appear virtually identical from the outside, BMW will offer the rear-wheel-drive version with a special "sDrive" badge to differentiate it from the xDrive-equipped all-wheel-drive model (of course, you'll have to squint to discern the badge differences between a rear-wheel-drive "BMW X1 sDrive28i" and the all-wheel-drive "BMW X1 xDrive28i"). Built on the 3 Series platform (and set for production at the same Leipzig plant), the showroom version of the X1 is expected to look much like the X1 Concept shown in Paris last week. There has been no word on when we'll see it on this side of the pond, but those in Europe should look for the X1 to appear in showrooms sometime in 2010.

[Source: Autocar]

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2008 Pontiac G8 GT

A quick glance at Pontiac's (rumored) future product plans reveals just how much fuel prices have affected plans for an all rear-wheel drive lineup. Let's see, we've got the Solstice and the G8, and, um... that's it. Sure, we're expecting the G8 ST soon, but the El Camino-come-lively will never sell enough to keep bean counters happily sliding their abaci beads in their cubicles. The Solstice also plays to a relatively small crowd, so its future could be up in the air, as well.

As for the rest of the brand's lineup, the Grand Am G6 will remain on the same front-wheel drive platform for the foreseeable future as there's just not enough funds to switch it to a rear-wheel-drive platform. Meanwhile, the G5 is tied to the Cobalt and the future Cruze from Chevrolet that uses the FWD Delta platform. The Vibe comes from Toyota and is based on the Corolla's underpinnings. Please, don't get us started on a possible Aveo-based subcompact from GM's "Performance Division". As our esteemed editor says, "So sad, G8 rules." Indeed it does, and it may be the best we'll get from Pontiac for a while.


[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Ford has apparently finally heard the call and green-lighted development of a new global rear wheel drive platform and a family of vehicles to be built on it. However, unlike General Motors, Ford will not rely on its Australian division to do the heavy lifting. Since the collapse of the U.S. dollar has made the United States a low cost country, the development of the new platform has been moved back to Dearborn. The most recent attempt at a rear-drive architecture that debuted on the latest Australian Ford Falcon was something of a debacle for the company. Unlike Holden, which designed its RWD Zeta platform to be built in right- and left-hand-drive versions, the new Falcon platform is right-hand drive only. This new Ford architecture to be developed near Detroit, however, will spawn models for both the Ford and Lincoln brands, including an all-new Mustang. With Ford making a major push to reduce weight in future models, hopefully these new cars will come in a lot lighter than the GM equivalents, as well.

[Source: Detroit News]

The Australian website GoAuto figured that if Bob Lutz wouldn't give up the name of the proposed small Cadillac, it would coin it. So the new Caddy could be known as the "ATS." It's certainly anonymous, but not any more contrived than the rest of the alphabet soup that makes up Cadillac's naming structure.

Regardless, Lutz told the Aussie web-pub that the ATS, "... is, or would be, about the size of a BMW 1-series – maybe a tiny bit bigger to enable larger wheels." Sounds good to us, but the on-again, off-again proposal of rear-wheel drive cars coming out of the General causes us to remain skeptical. If it does come to fruition, it will be built atop the Alpha platform with the help of Holden.

[Source: GoAuto via Motor Authority]

More details have come to the fore about the ongoing development of a lightweight sports car birthed from the union of Toyota and Subaru. Our friends over at 7Tune were kind enough to translate the finer points of an article in Daily Car, and the one burning question -- what platform the new coupe would be derived from -- has been answered.

A test mule has been spotted running around Toyota's test track in Toyota City, built off a shortened Subaru Legacy chassis and powered by the firm's SOHC two-liter flat-four. Although the mule's underpinnings are currently derived from the Legacy's (with about 200mm lopped off), it's expected that a version of the Impreza 15S's platform will be used instead. This gives credence to the idea that the new coupe will send power to the rear wheels, as the AWD chassis could be modified to be exclusively RWD. Currently, the test car is running the all-wheel driveline with the front drive shafts removed.

Subaru's 108 HP 1.5-liter boxer (EL15) is likely to be used to power the new coupe, apparently due to the rear differential's fragility and Toyota's aim of making the coupe as fuel efficient as possible. While barely cresting the 100 HP mark won't set the spec sheet ablaze, the fact that the vehicle will tip the scales at 1,100 kg (2,425 lbs.) should make it a competent performer in the same way as its AE86 forbearer.

If Toyota can keep the weight down (a constant challenge), while keeping the price below 2,000,000 yen, it's rumored that we could see the coupe make its debut sometime next year, with sales beginning later in 2008.

[Source: 7Tune]

During an interview with BusinessCar, Hyundai UK's head Tony Whitehorn finally confirmed what's been rumored for going on a year: the automaker's new RWD coupe will replace the Tiburon. The coupe will take about 50- to 60-percent of the styling cues originally debuted on the Veloster concept and is set to make its world debut at the London Motor Show in July of 2008.

When the as-of-yet unnamed coupe goes on sale, expect power to be provided by the automaker's 260 HP 3.8-liter V6, with the possibility of a two-liter turbocharged mill finding its way underhood. Whitehorn goes on to eschew rumors of a V8 powerplant, as well as hybrid and diesel options. Doh!

[Source: BusinessCar via Motor Authority]

We're pretty excited about the upcoming rear-wheel-drive coupe from Hyundai, which you can probably tell by the myriad of posts we've written about it. Most have been spy shots of the car, which reveal very little about what the actual car may look like beyond its overall size and general proportions.

We happened upon this tiny rendering at the French site Caradisiac, and while our Google translation offers little explanation of what we're looking at exactly, we believe this could be an official rendering of the car from Hyundai, or maybe we just want it to be because it looks that damn good.

The details we've been able to glimpse from spy shots appear faithfully included in this rendering, particularly the wheels and the horizontal character line right behind the front wheels. While this certainly could be an unofficial render produced for a magazine or website, we're putting our money down on the chance that it's the real deal. Either way, if the car looks this good, we won't be disappointed.

[Source: Caradisiac]

click on above image to view 6 spy shots of the new Hyundai RWD Coupe

Hyundai has just confirmed that the successor to the Tiburon will be a rear-wheel-drive coupe, so we can now stop the speculation that the prototype seen in spy shots for the past few months is a new model completely unrelated to the next-gen Tib. While the Tibby was a fine looking coupe, its appearance couldn't change the fact that it was wrong-wheel-drive. The new car will be a proper rear-wheel-drive coupe, and as these new spy shots reveal, it's closer to production than we think. Hyundai states it could appear as soon as late 2008 or early 2009, in fact.

KGP Photography caught the new RWD Tiburon testing in Death Valley, U.S.A., and while most of the design's details are shrouded by covers, the general silhouette of the new car is true to the shape of the current car. It looks larger in all dimensions, particularly width, and the tires are fatter than anything found on a current Hyundai car. We also dig some upscale touches spotted like the turn signals mounted on the side-view mirrors and the projector beam lamps.

Since we know the new Tiburon will share its RWD platform with the upcoming Genesis luxury sedan, we can also assume that the coupe will at least be offered with a V8 like its four-door brother. Further evidence to support this assumption is the fact that KGP spotted a Ford Mustang in the Hyundai prototype's caravan, no doubt along for the ride as a benchmark.

[Photos: KGP Photography]

Back in March, Winding Road floated the idea that Toyota may be in the process of developing a rear-wheel drive vehicle in the same vein as the Corolla AE86 of the 80s. At the time, it was easy to pass it off as pure speculation. Now, the GTChannel says that its sources in the Land of the Rising Sun have also confirmed that a 2+2, front-engine, RWD vehicle is in the works and that if and when it comes to market its sticker will be "well under [$] 20k" – maybe even $16,000.

Considering that the Scion brand has quickly emerged as a cost-conscious means of stylish transport, it wouldn't be hard to imagine that such a vehicle would slot in nicely within the youth-oriented marque, even if its price would make it a direct competitor to the tC. The only rub is finding a suitable platform to build the new vehicle atop, and the only RWD vehicle that could fit the bill would be the Lexus IS. Granted, the $30,000+ sports sedan's underpinnings might be a bit of a stretch (or shortening, in this case) to make a budget performance car, but the ability to cut costs via platform sharing isn't out of the question. Maybe some of the old IS's architecture could even be used.

In the meantime, we're hoping to see spy shots of a tC-bodied mule making the rounds around the 'Ring, rear-wheels a blazing and powersliding into the Carousel.

[Source: GTChannel]

As much as we enjoy featuring professional spy photog's material, sometimes the real joy comes courtesy of your average Joe. So when we got tipped off that TheCarBlogger was able to catch a camo-clad Genesis prototype floating around out in the open (location undisclosed), we were more than happy to share the love.

Although little is revealed through the liberal application of vinyl and styrofoam, it's evident that Hyundai decided to remove a few horizontal slats to make the front a bit less Camry-esque, while the HID headlamps received the chrome treatment and the 18-inch rolling stock still seems to hint at Hyundai's economy car roots.

Look for the production version of Hyundai's first foray into the luxury sedan segment to reach consumers late next year, sporting either a 3.8-liter V6 or the new 4.6-liter "Tau" V8.

[Source: TheCarBlogger]