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Filed under: In the Autoblog Garage , Crossovers/CUVs , Chevrolet , GM Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Chevy Traverse LT After months of reviewing only family-oriented transportation, this particular blogger began a streak of judging high-horsepower sports coupes. It's damn near impossible to complain about something with more power than anyone should ever need, but after a while my family got tired of trying to shoehorn five-year-old twins into the cramped back seat of a coupe. That's why we were most relieved to see that the 2009 Chevy Traverse was ready for a run in the Autoblog Garage. The Traverse is the latest though maybe not last Lambda crossover, and since it dons General Motors' high volume Bow Tie badging, it's likely the most significant, as well. It is GM's least expensive eight-passenger crossover while also carrying the distinction of being the most efficient and most powerful Lambda. Does that make the Traverse the best of GM's Lambda...
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Filed under: Car Buying , Crossovers/CUVs , Toyota Click above for high-res gallery of the Toyota Venza It's been almost a year since Toyota debuted its new Venza crossover at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show , and we've heard nary a peep since. With the launch of the V6 model only a month away, though, we've finally received pricing info. The rather ungainly looking Venza will start at $25,975 with Toyota's new 2.7L four-cylinder engine and front-wheel-drive, and top out at $29,250 for the 3.5L V6 model with AWD. This makes the Venza's pricing very close to its competition from Nissan and Ford , though Toyota's model is the only one available with a four-cylinder engine. Standard features on the Venza include traction and stability control plus plenty of safety features, and the options list looks like it came straight from Lexus. Some of the dollar figures on those options are Lexus-like, as well. DVD Navigation with upscale JBL sound will set you back $2,590, and just...
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Filed under: Spy Photos , Crossovers/CUVs , MINI Click above for a high-res gallery of the MINI Crossover The crew from KGP have finally caught the MINI Crossover/Crossman/Maxi undergoing testing and its acid-inspired duds aren't the only things BMW is employing to confuse our shooters. The cloaked headlamps hide a new set of eyes inspired by the Crossover concept that bowed in Paris , while the funky side door arrangement has been dropped in favor of a more traditional set of hinged openings. On first glance, the rear appears to mimic the barn door arrangement fitted to the Clubman, but closer inspection reveals that the hatch is only bisected by some well-placed vinyl, giving the illusion of two doors. Looking at the tail lamps and crease ahead of the spoiler, it appears that the MINI CUV will be using a traditional top-hinged hatch - a welcome addition considering the compromised rear view of the Clubman. Expect naturally aspirated and turbocharged 1.6-liter engines pulled from the...
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Filed under: Crossovers/CUVs , BMW , Rumormill BMW has been aggressively expanding its vehicle offerings, and like most other automakers, crossovers make up the majority of additions. Earlier this year, team Bimmer added the X6 , and with the X1 concept unveiled in Paris, mild-to-wild CUVs seem to be the focus for the boys in Bavaria. Automotive News is reporting that the SAV love will continue next year when BMW unleashes the X4. Design elements are said to come from the larger X6, which is to say that it'll probably look like a really tall hatchback. The X1 concept and the production X3 are based off of the excellent 3-Series platform, and we're guessing the X4 will also don the sharp-handling underpinnings. If this is what BMW needs to do in order to remain the world's top-selling luxury automaker, we're not so sure it's worth the trouble. The X1 will probably sell relatively well, but it will do so with underwhelming sheet metal. An X4 based off the X6 sounds like...
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Filed under: Marketing/Advertising , Crossovers/CUVs , Volvo Click above for high-res gallery of the Volvo XC60 Vehicle sales are brutal everywhere of late, but Volvo has been tanking long before any industry-wide slowdown took place. That makes the March 2009 arrival of the XC60 crossover that much more important, as it's the first all-new Volvo (besides the low volume C30) in many years. Since customers have been turning away from the Volvo brand of late, marketing will play a big part of the XC60's success. Volvo has unleashed its new campaign for the CUV already with the tagline, "The new Volvo XC60. From Sweden with löv." We get it. Volvo is stressing its Swedish roots in marketing its new vehicle. Hey, it works for IKEA, right? Volvo even utilized the Swedish spelling for 'love' to give its new crossover more Euro appeal. Our tipster Caitlin didn't think it works at all. The reason? Löv means 'leaves' in Swedish and has nothing to do...
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Filed under: Concept Cars , Paris Motor Show , Crossovers/CUVs , MINI Click above for a hi-res gallery of the MINI Crossover Concept Some concepts are purely design exercises, while others serve as previews of upcoming production models. It's rare for one show car to serve as both, but then MINI is unique in the business. The Crossover concept that the BMW subsidiary unveiled here at the Paris Motor Show has a bit of a Dark Knight villain thing going for it. On one side it's got an unusual door configuration, big show-car wheels and a decidedly conceptual turquoise-highlighted paint scheme. On the other it's more staid, with conventional doors, a more conventional color palette and an altogether more production-feasible appearance. Up top and inside everything's all fantasy, however, with the cloth roof and trick glass infotainment system we reported on earlier. Click the thumbnails below to see the MINI Crossover Concept live from the Paris show floor, and the gallery below...
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Filed under: Euro , Paris Motor Show , Crossovers/CUVs , Ford , Lifestyle , Special/Limited Editions Click above for more shots of Ford Kuga Individual Ford of Europe has an Individual Program that's been rolled out for a number of old world offerings, and now the Kuga gets its turn in the wardrobe room. Inspired by the Iosis concept from 2006, the new body kit and 20-inch wheels clothe a specialized interior for the Kuga Titanium that features Ebony Nappa and Bond leathers with contrasting piping and high-gloss Piano White fixtures. Down in front, the Kuga will benefit from a new 2.5-liter, 5-cylinder Duratec Turbo with 200 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque that comes out of the Focus ST. It should add some sporty to the spaciousness while returning 29 Imperial mpg. This gas engine is 64 hp up on the standard offering, the Duratorq TDCi diesel. Another first for the Kuga, it can be shifted with an optional 3-mode, 5-speed automatic transmission. On another note, the Duratec puts out a more...
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Filed under: Economy , Crossovers/CUVs , Chevrolet , GM Click above for a high-res gallery of the Chevy Orlando concept When GM and the UAW agreed to a new contract in 2007, several new models and the plants in which they would be built were agreed on. Drastic shifts in customer tastes are changing those plans rapidly, and the General is scrambling to deliver. GM was planning to build a seven-seat crossover based off its global Delta small car platform at the Detroit Hamtramck plant next year, but the Wall Street Journal is now reporting that the vehicle will no longer be produced for the US market. The small MPV, which is being unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in concept form as the Chevy Orlando , will still be available in Europe where small seven-seaters are much more popular than here in the States. The small crossover will instead be replaced by a compact vehicle from Asia, possibly the Chevy Beat . However, GM never designed the Beat to meet U.S. crash-test standards, but hopefully...
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Filed under: Concept Cars , Paris Motor Show , Crossovers/CUVs , Chevrolet Click the image above for a hi-res gallery of the Chevy Orlando The Chevy Orlando , due to be revealed at next month's Paris Motor Show , has turned tail and the rendering doesn't look half-bad. It's mildly reminiscent of the Audi A2 from way back when, in an exaggerated, chunked-up way, and we get a little Volvo feeling from the sculpted area of the rear lights. Overall, we give it a thumbs up. The Orlando is a compact seven-seater, and the dip in the rear roofline means that those last to occupants might need to be especially compact. However, the intended audience is probably not the local WNBA team, so the kids should fit just fine. With a hot front and rear, and an interior that nearly qualifies as dreamy, this is the kind of thing we're looking forward to checking out in the flesh. Stay tuned for Paris... Gallery: Chevrolet Orlando concept [Source: GM] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Paris Motor Show , Crossovers/CUVs If you want an SUV that looks like what a really cool Saab 9-4 might potentially look like, but you want it to have a Mercedes model name and be from Korea, then you're looking for the Ssangyong C200. Known outside the U.S. for its 4-wheel drives like the Ssangyong Musso, which means "double dragon rhinoceros", the C200 is a four-wheel-drive, unibody CUV meant to grow Ssangyong's product range. It is packaged with a 2.0-liter engine and a 6-speed transmission, claimed to put out low emissions and be EURO V emissions-approved. Depending on how many horses they can squeeze out, it could be a nice little ride for Ssangyong money. That's all we know about it for the moment, but we'll bring you the full story when it's launched at the Paris Motor Show next month. [Source: Ssangyong ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Concept Cars , Paris Motor Show , Crossovers/CUVs , MINI Click above for a high-res gallery of the MINI Crossover Concept Judging by your response to the MINI Crossover Concept in our original post , the new micro 'ute's styling leaves a bit to be desired. We're not entirely sold on the idea or its execution ourselves, but have decided to hold off final judgment until we see it in all its conceptual glory next month at the Paris Motor Show . In the meantime, we've assembled 48 high-res images of the MINI Crossover Concept into a gallery, giving you a clear view of the jacked-up 4x4's minivanesque sliding side door, folding cloth roof and odd glass sat-nav. Check all the pics below. Gallery: MINI Crossover Concept Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Concept Cars , Paris Motor Show , Crossovers/CUVs , MINI Click above for a gallery of the MINI Crossover Concept It's finally arrived folks... and it's not the coming apocalypse. MINI has released the first official images of the Crossover Concept, proving that BMW not only has a sense of humor, but that it's serious about bringing an all-wheel-drive MINI to market in 2010. These initial images give us a clear indication of how future MINIs will be styled, and if BMW's reputation for making only a few revisions from concept to production hold true, this is very close to the finished product. Measuring about six inches wider and taller than the Clubman, the Crossover Concept features a five-door body style, but that's where the similarities end. The right rear door has a conventional hinge, but the left door slides out and back, minivan-style. The rear hatch ditches the Clubman's dual doors and is instead fitted with a single panel that opens to the right...
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Filed under: SUVs , Crossovers/CUVs , Cadillac , GM , Rumormill MotorTrend reports that GM insiders are saying that the next-generation Cadillac Escalade will jump from its current GMT900 truck platform to the Lambda crossover architecture that underpins the GMC Acadia, Saturn Outlook, Buick Enclave, and Chevy Traverse. MT points to the not-gonna-happen-but-it-almost-did Buick Enclave Super as evidence that an Escalambda would be able to handle an eight-cylinder engine, which would be a step up from the rest of El Generalissimo's increasingly-crowded crossover lineup. Edgier, CTS-like styling would likely be a given, too. Frankly, this is a good idea. The packaging afforded by the Lambda platform is vastly superior to what the GMT900 trucks offer. Remember that in the latter, the 3rd row is bolted to the cargo floor, it doesn't fold flat, and it's generally uncomfortable. The Lambda solves that instantly, and is better suited for what's positioned as a luxury vehicle anyway...
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Filed under: In the Autoblog Garage , Crossovers/CUVs , Chrysler, LLC. , Dodge Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Dodge Journey R/T The 2009 Dodge Journey carries the size and shape of a typical crossover, and it has seating for seven and all the amenities you could possibly ask for at $30,000. On paper, the Journey has a plenty of things in its favor, yet we had our doubts. First off, it looks a lot like the Dodge Caravan, which works against the Journey when considering that many crossover buyers want to avoid the minivan stigma. It's also based on the less than impressive Chrysler Sebring platform, which we have found to be just awful. Then there is Chrysler's corporate 3.5L engine, which is less powerful, refined and efficient than similarly sized engines from its competition. Chrysler's recent track record for vehicles that are less than class competitive also lent support to our notion that the Journey might be a letdown. Regardless, we tried to clear our minds...
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Filed under: Crossovers/CUVs , Mercedes-Benz , Rumormill While there is a mad rush for automakers to make smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles for the U.S. market, many of the vehicles we crave are already available to European customers. Mercedes sells A- and B-Class vehicles were deemed too small for U.S. consumption. One product Mercedes doesn't have in either of its two biggest markets is a small crossover vehicle, but that could change in 2011. Autocar is reporting that Mercedes is looking to rectify its small crossover position with the BLK , which will be positioned to take on the BMW X1 and Land Rover LRX. If Mercedes does build the BLK, it will likely be on an all-new FWD chassis that will also accommodate the next-gen A- and B-Class, as well as other like-sized models. The guys and gals on team Benz were looking to strike a deal with another automaker to platform share, but talks apparently came up empty. Mercedes is still looking to partner up with BMW on engine development...
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