|
Browse by Tags
All Tags » Tech » Crossovers/CUVs ( RSS)
-
|
Filed under: Gadgets , Etc. , Marketing/Advertising , Tech , Crossovers/CUVs , Ford Ford's latest promotion for the Flex really has nothing at all to do with the Blue Oval's big crossover, but it's still cool. Available for iPhone and iPod touch users, the Flex Photo Lab is free and allows Apple gadget owners to do things like adjust the brightness, contrast, hue, and saturation of images, as well as add special effects like add glowing lines or kaleidoscopic effects to photographs. What's the connection between a big station wagon and photo retouching software? Both are intended for tech-savvy consumers, says Ford. There is a tie-in built into the app. There's a "Discover Flex" functionality that allows users to tour the vehicle's interior and exterior, and iPhone users can use the "Locate The Flex" feature to beat a path to the nearest of Hank's stores. Rather than trifle with becoming an iPhone/iPod Touch developer, Ford farmed out the...
|
-
|
Filed under: Economy , Sedans/Saloons , Tech , Crossovers/CUVs , Suzuki As previously reported , Suzuki has decided to include navigation on its SX4 Sport and Crossover before you make the first mark on the options list. That will make the $15,999 car the lowest priced car in America to come standard with talking maps. And now they're set to arrive in the SX4 Special Editions that arrive in Suzuki showrooms this month. To recap, the nav system is called TRIP -- Travel, Real-time traffic, Information, and Play -- and incorporates several Microsoft features. Drivers can get traffic info, weather reports, headline news, stock quotes, movie listings, the lowest priced gas in the area, and directions to 500 nationwide Suzuki dealerships. If buyers go for the expansion module, they'll also get Fodor guide reviews of eateries and nightlife spots. It sounds like an awful lot to do in such a little car, but that's the march of progress. [Source: Suzuki ] Read | Permalink | Email this...
|
-
|
Filed under: Etc. , Tech , Crossovers/CUVs , Ford They're not very glamorous, but tires make or break our driving enjoyment. Ford wants to soothe drivers of its new Family Truckster Flex, so Goodyear's Assurance ComforTred tires have been specified as the original fitment for the big crossover. The Assurance ComforTred uses a special cushion layer to smooth out road imperfections, the last thing anyone wants with a Flex loaded for bear with the kids, the dog, and a fully stocked refrigerator. The Flex is obviously designed to devour large stretches of interstate without a whimper, and Goodyear seems to think their ComforTred tires share the same appetite for asphalt, backing them with an 80,000 mile warranty and calling the Assurance Goodyear's very best tires. To make the Flex a success, the entire program needs to encompass multiple "very bests;" here's hoping. Press release after the jump Gallery: First Drive: 2009 Ford Flex [Source: Goodyear] Continue reading...
|
-
|
Filed under: Concept Cars , Minivans/MPVs , SUVs , Tech , Crossovers/CUVs , Nissan Click above for hi-res gallery of the X-by-Wire EA2 Concept Nissan showed off a drive-by-wire concept that wasn't about touting the technology itself, but the space and features you could get back because of it. By fitting a steer-by-wire, brake-by-wire, and shift-by-wire systems, 11 centimeters of extra space was added to the cabin which allowed for a third row of seats in the rear of this Murano-based concept. The room came from pushing the wheels out to the far corners, which could be safely done without sacrificing vehicle dynamics due to the lack of mechanical linkages. The small, race-style steering wheel needs less turning input, and the column can be tilted up completely out of the way. The center tunnel has become a beautifully finished control panel that gently arcs up to greet the driver. When you don't need it, it can also be folded back over itself creating even more space in the front...
|
-
|
Filed under: Audio , Gadgets , Tech , Crossovers/CUVs , Lexus , Toys , UK We think Lexus has struck the right balance with the sweetest in-car entertainment system yet. Called ICE (In Car Entertainment), the pair of eight-inch widescreen WVGA monitors protrude out of the back of the two front seats and feature an integrated slot-loading DVD in each, plus RCA inputs, USB ports and SD card slots. The attractive mounting also provides shock protection so discs don't skip over rough pavement or - perish the thought - off road terrain. A disc loaded into one can even be played on both monitors so both kids rear-seat passengers can watch the same Spongebob disc and listen through the included infrared wireless headphones. The ICE system replaces the ceiling-mounted drop-down screen on the current RX350 and RX400h crossovers. Unfortunately, the system costs the equivalent of an extra $4,300 on all trim levels, except the top-of-the-line SE-L that has them included. Even worse, the system is...
|
-
|
Filed under: Car Buying , Sedans/Saloons , Tech , Crossovers/CUVs , Hyundai Hyundai has quickly developed a full range of products in its US lineup, and quality scores from companies like JD Power show those vehicles now rank among the best in the industry. For all of Hyundai's progress the past few years, the South Korean automaker has taken its time getting navigation systems into its fleet of cars and trucks. For '08, the Azera, Santa Fe, and Veracruz all get nav systems, the Genesis sedan receives a separate high-end interface, and the bread-and-butter 2009 Sonata will get the tech as well. The folks over at Kicking Tires proclaim the interface to be bright, clear, and easy to use. It's about time. With Hyundai raising the price of entry for the Sonata to match (or exceed) the competition, it's important that the midsize sedan has everything the competition offers. It's just a shame that it took until now for them to do it. [Source: Kicking Tires] Gallery: 2009 Hyundai...
|
-
|
Filed under: Detroit Auto Show , SUVs , Tech , Crossovers/CUVs , BMW BMW's twin-turbo 3.0L inline-six has been a rousing success, with nothing less than a Wards 10 Best Engines award sitting in its trophy case. The praise is understandable and well-deserved, as the engine uses a combination of forced induction and direct injection to serve up a torque curve that's far beefier and flatter than what should be expected from a engine of its size. So what next for the propeller brand? Simple -- take similar technology, add it to the company's 4.4L V8 and toss in a dash of unconventional packaging to make everything fit. BMW put its latest jewel on display at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show, and we snapped some shots of it to give you an idea of why this engine is so special. We've included those photos in one of our galleries, and below the fold, we've thrown in a few observations. Gallery: Detroit 2008: BMW 4.4L V8 twin-turbo Continue reading Detroit 2008: BMW's twin-turbo...
|
-
|
Filed under: Detroit Auto Show , SUVs , Tech , Crossovers/CUVs , BMW click above to view more high-res images of the BMW X6 Dropping the "concept" descriptor that it carried in Frankfurt , the BMW X6 was just revealed at the Detroit Auto Show in full production trim. Not surprisingly, it's almost identical to what we saw in Frankfurt, with a sharply-raked backlight and hatchback replacing the squared-off rump of the X5. BMW likes to describe it as a blend between a coupe and a crossover, which leads us to ask - is it possible to crossover from something that's already a crossover? Does this mean that it's been double-crossed? The mind boggles. Follow the jump for our first impression... Gallery: Detroit 2008: 2009 BMW X6 - Live Continue reading Detroit 2008: BMW unwraps the production X6 Permalink | Email this | Comments
|
-
|
Filed under: Detroit Auto Show , Hybrids/Alternative , CES , Green , Tech , Crossovers/CUVs , Cadillac Click on the Cadillac Provoq concept for a high-res image gallery var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/autos/Cadillac_Provoq_Concept_debuts_at_CES_2008'; Following the introductions of the Chevrolet Volt and Opel Flextreme during 2007 auto show season, Cadillac is bringing forth a third design based on the E-Flex architecture. The Cadillac Provoq concept is intended to help give the brand an image of premium sustainability by updating the fuel cell E-Flex powertrain that was shown in a Chevy Volt at the Shanghai Motor Show last year . The Provoq is a luxury crossover design that's considerably larger than the Volt. With updated Cadillac styling cues on a 180-inch long CUV body, it's stretched 10 inches longer than a Volt to allow comfortable seating for five passengers. The Provoq is built around GM's fifth-generation fuel cell stack combined with a 9kWh lithium ion battery...
|
-
|
Filed under: Coupes , Economy , Sedans/Saloons , SUVs , Tech , Crossovers/CUVs , GM GM's new compact front-wheel-drive platform created to replace the Delta platform is longer with a longer wheelbase than its predecessor. This will give allow it to underpin at least eight new models in a range of segments and markets around the world. Compare that to the current Delta platform, which sits under just six models (including the current Cobalt and coming Astra), all of them small or mid-sized vehicles. The as-yet-unnamed platform is expected by 2012 to be produced in volumes exceeding one million units per year. It will form the basis for small, economy models to be sold in emerging markets for under $10,000, as well as luxury models sold in Europe for $40,000, and everything in between. The extra length will also allow it to underpin a small Chevy minivan or CUV, as well as a 7-passenger SUV replacement for the Opel Zafira. Other variants include the next-gen Saturn Astra in 2009 or 2010...
|
-
|
Filed under: Concept Cars , LA Auto Show , Trends , Economy , Hybrids/Alternative , Sedans/Saloons , SUVs , Trucks/Pickups , Green , Tech , Crossovers/CUVs , Chevrolet , GM Promising the best possible fuel economy for whichever type of vehicle its customers choose, GM's Bob Lutz and Ed Peper trotted a full lineup of green vehicles from their arsenal. The Aveo5, Impala E85, Malibu Hybrid, Tahoe Hybrid, Silverado Hybrid, Volt, Equinox Fuel Cell, Beat and Groove were used to show off that Chevy will be the brand carrying the greenish flame most prominently into the future for GM. Lutz talked about having a whole range of options available to meet future trends, from hybrids, to flex-fuel burners, to fuel cells, to electrics like start/stop technology and good old-fashioned economy cars that get great fuel economy. Gallery: 2008 Chevy Hybrids at the LA Auto Show Gallery: 2008 Chevy Aveo5 Continue reading LA 2007: Lutz and Peper show off Chevy's high efficiency fleet Permalink | Email...
|
-
|
Filed under: Tech , Crossovers/CUVs , Acura , Driving Click the RDX for a high res gallery from the track What's pictured above looks like a stylish, if conventional, compact crossover utility vehicle. As is so often the case, however, appearances are...
|
|
|
|