Rides : Check Out Audi's new Quattro Coupe

This is sad news, depending on how you look at it. According to UK magazine Car, Audi will not produce a road-going version of the terrific Quattro Concept, first seen at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. Since its debut, we have driven it, we have loved it and now it seems we will not see a production version of it.

Apparently, Audi believes that the performance coupe market is reaching the point of saturation, with less room than ever for the concept that the car guy world seemed to excited to see.

That there will not be a production version of the Quattro Concept may not stop Audi from using the moniker to name a compact crossover, however. It would not be as tall as a normal CUV, rather Car predicts that it could take the form of a 2-door crossover, à la the Range Rover Evoque Coupe. Possibly to be named "Q-Coupe," potential motivation could be a five-cylinder turbo, sending power through an S-tronic dual-clutch gearbox to the eponymous Quattro all-wheel-drive system.

Considering the recent rollout of Audi CUV concepts, such as the RS Q3 at the Beijing show and the Audi Crosslane Coupe in Paris, this is a real possibility. The Ur-Quattro itself rode higher off the ground than your standard sport coupe at the time. In that regard, a coupe/CUV would have more in common with the original than the ground-hugging Quattro Concept.

Hey, if Audi can make compact crossover coupe that tears up a dirt road with even a fraction of the gusto of the Ur-Quattro, as it dispatched rally stages, we would say, "job well done." 

 

Credit : Autoblog

Rides : Check Out The Maserati Kubang SUV

"For some reason SUVs today never seem to offer the kind of uplifting driving pleasure and luxury atmosphere that are two givens of today's high-end sports and luxury cars."

So says Maserati, and though we're quite certain rivals like Porsche, BMW and even Maserati's own sister-brand, Jeep, would take offense to the claim, we feel inclined to point out that the very nature of the SUV – higher ground clearance, seating position and the subsequent higher center-of-gravity, to name just one – makes them less suitable for the kind of "driving pleasure" we'd generally associate with Maserati. But we digress.

What we have here is Maserati's take on the premium sport utility vehicle, and the Italian automaker promises it heralds the coming of a new product line. Maserati claims that the Kubang's "style, engine, suspensions, brakes, handling and performance will all be 100% Maserati in picture-perfect continuity with the brand's core values of sportiness, style, elegance, luxury, performance and craftsmanship."

We hope all that is true, and at least the powerplants sound enticing. According to the Italian company, a new generation of proprietary engines are being designed in Modena by Paolo Martinelli, who previously spent 30 years at Ferrari and its Scuderia factory racing team, and they'll be built in Maranello by Ferrari. Expect that engine to be mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

Keen fans of the brand may remember that this isn't the first Kubang seen from Maserati. Way back in 2003 at the Detroit Auto Show, the Trident brand showed off an SUV in conceptual form that shared the same moniker. We think this one looks a fair bit better, though it's still a somewhat oddly shaped little duckling.

Nothing else is yet known about the Kubang, but we'd expect it to borrow liberally from the Jeep parts bin, and there have been many indications that it will likely even roll down the Detroit same assembly line as the Grand Cherokee.

 

Press Release

MASERATI'S VISION OF A HIGH PERFORMING SPORT LUXURY SUV

Frankfurt, September 13, 2011. A new Maserati vehicle in the sport luxury SUV segment will represent a natural direction for Maserati to enlarge its product range and strengthen its presence in the sport luxury market.

For some reason SUVs today never seem to offer the kind of uplifting driving pleasure and luxury atmosphere that are two givens of today's high-end sports and luxury cars. And this is precisely what Maserati set out to do with its new sport luxury SUV concept that is being unveiled at the Frankfurt Auto Show today, the forerunner of the future Maserati range, creating at once discontinuity by entering a new segment, and continuity by maintaining the integrity of Maserati's DNA.

The idea of a sport luxury SUV is naturally not totally new to Maserati. Many will remember the Kubang concept that was unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show in 2003. At a time in which few other brands were going in the direction of a sport luxury SUV, Maserati was already thinking to build one.

Today potential synergies with sister brand Jeep – a brand that 70 years ago created a new segment of the market and is today a leader of this very segment – are the important catalyst for Maserati's own interpretation of a sport luxury SUV. And it seems only appropriate to give the model that we are unveiling today the very name of the concept that opened the way: Maserati Kubang.

The essence and all major system components of the Maserati sport luxury SUV will unmistakably be Maserati: style, engine, suspensions, brakes, handling and performance will all be 100% Maserati in picture-perfect continuity with the brand's core values of sportiness, style, elegance, luxury, performance and craftsmanship.

The distinctive Maserati style that makes the Kubang immediately recognisable as a true Maserati has been created by the Maserati Style Center headed by Lorenzo Ramaciotti.

New-generation high-tech Maserati proprietary engines will be designed in Modena by Paolo Martinelli – Head of the Maserati Powertrain Department and for nearly 30 years at Ferrari, where he also served as engine chief of the Formula One racing team – and will be produced in Maranello by Ferrari.

An AT 8 speed automatic transmission and specific performance settings such as suspensions, brakes, steering will be exclusively developed in Modena for the Maserati sport luxury SUV by the Maserati Product Development Department.

Until today Maserati has been producing sedans, coupes and two- or four-seater convertibles. Whether we named them Quattroporte, GranTurismo or GranCabrio – or, before them, Ghibli, Mistral, Bora or Indy - their common denominator rested in two words: sportiness and luxury. Times have changed: sportiness and luxury today don't have just one definition. They can also take the form of a very dynamic looking and high performing sport luxury SUV.

Rides : Check Out The Volvo 'YOU' Concept Vehicle

We've heard plenty about Volvo attempting to move up-market and now we've got another indication of what it's going to look like.

The Volvo Concept You, debuting today at the Frankfurt Motor Show, is the next iteration of the Concept Universe originally shown in Shanghai earlier this year. We don't have any powertrain or production details, but that's the point – the You is all about showing off the future of Volvo luxury and how the Swedes plan on evolving the infotainment game.

The You's controls are distilled down into a single touchscreen mounted in the center console, partnered with a heads-up display on the windshield and a customizable dash. When the driver looks – yes, looks – in the direction of the screen, a pair of infrared cameras register the eye movement and wakes the display from sleep. All the normal climate, audio and infotainment controls are accessible – including internet for the passenger side – and drivers can swipe data from the touchscreen to the heads-up display or to share with back seat passengers. If it's anything like Volvo's standard navigation and audio controls, it should be pretty slick and less distracting than other systems.

The other interior innovation comes in the form of a new audio system developed by Alpine, equipped with a "FreshAir" subwoofer that drops the weight of the speaker from around 33 pounds down to three pounds.

Rides : Check Out the Kia GT Concept rear-wheel-drive platform

Now that Kia has proven itself to be a true leader in terms of automotive design (thanks for that, Peter Schreyer), it's time for the Korean automaker to evolve its styling language to new types of vehicles. Every new Kia design has been created for a front-wheel-drive platform, but now, Schreyer and his team have expanded to the world of the rear-wheel-drive architecture, previewed here with the GT concept, making its debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show.

"We wanted to create something similarly graceful, athletic and confident, but not aggressive or overbearing," says Gregory Guillaume, Kia's European design chief. Those of you with keen eyes will note that the GT concept is a sort of evolution from Kia's Kee concept, first seen in Frankfurt back in 2007. The swoopy, four-door coupe shape works well with the Kee's original design direction, though we must admit, we feel like we've seen that front fascia before. (Aston Martin One-77, anyone? Or how about the GT by Citroën race car?)

We're not quite sure if we love the exterior design, but one thing's for sure – what's under the hood is sure to impress. The GT concept is powered by a 3.3-liter turbocharged V6, producing 389 horsepower and 394 pound-feet of torque, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Inside, the GT concept uses single-piece seats floating on arched supports, as well as a glass instrument panel with three layers of organic LED lights. This glass panel not only gives an interesting, 3D view of the information display, but allows the center console to be freed up of its usual buttons and displays, allowing for a cleaner, more spacious feel.

Press Release

KIA GT – THE NEW REAR-WHEEL DRIVE CONCEPT CAR

- New GT concept car to be unveiled at the 64th IAA Motorshow
- Kia's first ever rear-wheel drive vehicle
- V6 turbo and 8-speed automatic powertrain

Powerful, dynamic and forward-looking, Kia's new concept car signals the company's distinctive new design direction. This four-door sports sedan with a rear-wheel drive layout – a Kia first – marries sleek and muscular proportions with a sophisticated and elegant four-seater cockpit.

Although work on the Kia GT concept first started in November 2010, the idea of a powerful rear-wheel drive Kia saloon had been percolating in the minds of Kia's European designers for some time. "This concept allows us to explore exciting new design directions, as using a rear-drive layout creates very different proportions compared to a front-wheel drive car," says Peter Schreyer, Kia's Chief Design Officer. "The classic front-engined, rear-wheel drive layout of a performance saloon has distinct appeal not just for the domestic Korean audience, but also for the European and American markets."

"At the onset of this project," adds Gregory Guillaume, Kia's European Design Chief, "the design team was inspired by the spirit of iconic 1970s GT cars: sumptuous and elegant vehicles capable of whisking passengers from Paris to the South of France in effortless style and at high speed. We wanted to create something similarly graceful, athletic and confident, but not aggressive or overbearing."

This focus of dynamism and pace is sharpened by the car's aeronautical theme, headlined by the multi-piece propeller-style alloy and carbon-fibre wheels, the jet-themed rear-view cameras, the low-slung front air intake, the aerodynamically efficient rear diffuser and the winglets that curve in from the front flanks and flow into the headlamps.

This particular design motif draws inspiration from the seminal Kia Kee concept car, shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2007. Indeed, Kia GT has a strong design lineage, with a number of central design elements that link it to last year's Pop concept and the Kee, ensuring a high degree of visual continuity despite their divergent styles and themes.

One of Schreyer and Guillaume's key goals was to ensure that the car's proportions couldn't be mistaken for anything other than a rear-wheel drive performance saloon. Hence the extended bonnet with the front wheels pushed right to the very front of the car, the cab-rearward stance, powerful rear shoulders and truncated rear end.

The Kia GT's silhouette accelerates away from the A-pillar towards the rear of the car, and this impression of athleticism is enhanced by the copper signature line that runs from the base of the A-pillar and along the roofline to end ahead of the base of the rear windscreen. And in a neat touch, the tick-shaped motif recalls the front quarter-light windows of the rakish GT cars that inspired the Kia design team.

The inspiration for the use of copper came after a visit by Kia's colour and trim team to the DMY International Design Festival Berlin – Germany's key event for contemporary and conceptual design – where this warm tactile metal was one of the stand-out materials of the show. The material's warmth is balanced by the coolness of the Kia GT's pale grey paintwork, with its mica flakes, that subtly captures nuances of light.

There's a tangible sense of strength and coherence to the Kia GT's flowing lines – from every angle it brims with intent and purpose, a vital element of Schreyer's approach to design. This impression of solidity is further reinforced by the way the roofline extends past the C-pillar to meet the rear screen, hunkering the car closer to the ground.

This powerful confidence is balanced by a raft of eye-catching details. The brake calipers are finished in copper, creating a neat visual link with the car's signature line. The contours of the castellated top of the windscreen flow into the roof, itself subtly bubbled to create further headroom for driver and front passenger. And the bonnet features a discreet power bulge and air intake, hinting at the car's performance potential.

Both Schreyer and Guillaume are particularly passionate about the Kia GT's lights. The alloy-framed central grille is flanked by complex headlamp units that each house a bank of six deeply recessed LED illuminators, to create a highly distinctive nocturnal signature. The advanced construction of the headlamps is mirrored by the single sweeping wing-shaped tail light that flows around the car's flanks and incorporates two sets of three upright stanchions.

The front doors and rear-hinged rear doors open outward at a slight upward angle, imbuing the car with what Schreyer describes as an air of grace and confidence. Despite its low stance, fast roofline and shallow glasshouse, the Kia GT's clean and uncluttered cabin architecture has created a spacious and airy interior with generous accommodation for the driver and three passengers.

The single-piece seats float on arched supports, further accentuating the cabin's spacious dimensions. The Kia design team deliberately chose to emphasise the proportions of the transmission tunnel to reinforce the power and performance of the saloon, but then balanced this muscularity by moving away from a button-laden centre console and creating a strongly driver-centric layout.

The glass instrument panel – similar to that first seen on last year's Pop concept car – features three layers of organic LEDs. These not only give it a three-dimensional depth but also allow a wealth of information to be displayed at the driver's command, freeing up the centre console from the usual proliferation of controls, buttons and displays. Fingertip controls mounted on the small, dished, three-spoke steering wheel allow the driver to select the desired data display.

This sophisticated instrument panel floats above the muscular centre console, further enhancing the cabin's sense of space. The large red starter button and twist-and-go transmission selector are combined in a single compact unit, further freeing up space on the central transmission tunnel. Playback from the cigar-shaped rear-view cameras is displayed on a pair of compact and thin LED screens mounted on the doors – perfectly positioned in the driver's line of sight.

The warm shades of copper used along the top of the glasshouse create a visual link with the buffed surface of the metallic-treated leather used throughout the cabin, and this russet cabin hue is enriched by the golden tint of the glasshouse.

The idea behind this leather surface treatment is simple – the areas with which the driver and passengers come into regular contact become buffed and smooth, creating a warm and welcoming patina to the cabin.

Schreyer believes this concept is less about design specifics and more about a general feeling of stance, proportion and balance – elements that will influence and guide his design team's approach to their next project.

"One of the great things about working on this project was that this is a very real car," says Schreyer. "It felt good to be working on a car that could roll down the road tomorrow. Yes, it would be a dream to put this into production – it has a logical layout, with four seats, and good luggage space, and it's also engaging and dynamic and makes a strong statement. It's exactly the kind of car Kia should be making."

Rides : BMW i3 electric and i8 plug-in cars on display at Frankfurt

We've seen 'em as sketches and we've seen 'em having fun on the snow, but now, after getting a few upgrades, they're parked on the stage at Frankfurt. BMW rolled out its new i3 and i8 electric cars, part of a new sub-brand focused on efficiency and responsive driving -- though it'll ultimately be up to the driver to determine just how responsively these behave on the road.

The i3 is a pure electric, 150km range (about 100 miles) and a very lightweight construction of both aluminum and carbon fiber. The i8, meanwhile, is a plug-in hybrid that is said to deliver about 87MPG and yet still get from 0 - 60MPH in under five seconds. Spunky, then. It also sports those funky laser headlights that are both far more efficient and far more awesome sounding than current LED models. This is what they look like in the flesh, and if all goes according to plan you'll be seeing them for yourselves when they enter production in 2013.

BMW i3 and i8

BMW i Family

Rides : Check out Ferrari's future hypercars at the World Design Contest

Ferrari's been one of the most respected car manufacturers in the world since the 1940s, but it hasn't exactly gotten there by being bleeding-edge. In the early '60s, when rear-engined cars were sweeping the charts in Formula One, Il Commendatore -- Enzo Ferrari -- refused to take one racing, famously saying "the horse doesn't push the cart along with its nose." It would take many humiliating defeats before his company would finally put that horse where it belongs. Being an early adopter, obviously, was not a priority. It's only in the past few years, with cars like the Enzo and 458 Italia, that Ferrari has truly embraced modern ideas of whizz-bang tech to make their cars genuinely faster -- not just easier to drive.

That's just the beginning. Automotive technology is finally starting to accelerate the way personal computing devices have for the past few decades. New means of propulsion are combining with ever-greater integrated systems and it's easy to see this as leading us toward a generation of cars faster and still more efficient than anything we've yet seen on the roads. Ferrari calls this four-wheeled singularity the "hypercar," and to get an idea of just what that car of the future might look like it invited 50 teams of designers from major universities around the world to compete. Join us as we look at some of the best creations.

Ferrari World Design Contest

The competition

Ferrari says the hypercar is "extreme car not only in its architecture but also in every other aspect," a machine that will be making its appearance in dealerships around 2030 or 2040. It'll be the sort of thing kids a generation or two from now will be plastering all over their walls in posters -- if indeed OLED wallpaper isn't commonplace by then.

If you look at the car of 20 years ago compared to the car of today it would be easy to think automobiles 20 years from now would be quite familiar to say the least. After all, compare a modern Miata MX5 to the one of the early '90s and you'll see that not a whole heck of a lot has changed.

But, compare today's Droid Bionic to, say, a Motorola StarTAC from 1996 and you'll see the kind of advancement that Ferrari (and others) are hoping will sweep the automotive industry in the coming decades. Optimistic? Sure, but that's far better than planning for another generation of the same 'ol same 'ol.

So the competition is intended to explore some ideas on that front, but it's also an opportunity for students to explore new ways of creating those designs of the future.

Third place - Cavallo Bianco - RCA, London

The third place car, from London's Royal College of Art, was certainly one of the most distinctive models on display at the competition. It was inspired by the need for a Ferrari that would excel in colder climates -- one that's not only drivable on the snow, but is optimized for it. It features four skinny wheels and tires designed to cut through the snow and grip the surface beneath. An electric motor at each corner puts things in motion, while a 1.3 liter turbocharged engine provides the electricity. Also, it's silver -- one of only three cars that weren't red.

Second place - Xezri - IED, Turin

Samir Sadikho from Turin's IED contributed the Xezri, a sleek coupe that uses micro-turbines for power. It features flexible aerodynamics that flow up at higher speeds to cool the engine and also to generate extra downforce. It has a fighter-inspired cockpit with just a single seat making this the perfect dream machine for eternal bachelors.

First place - Eternità - Hongik University, Seoul

The grand prize winner came out of Korea and nobody among the (largely cynical) journalists gathered at the event was surprised. Korea is seen as Ferrari's next big market to capture, and so the company is keenly interested in feeling the pulse of that area. Listening to a bunch of design students is certainly a very good way to do that. Plus, the creators from Seoul seemed to be among the few who not only designed their car in software, but who also produced it using digitally-controlled fabrication. Everybody else we talked to whittled theirs out of clay.

That's not to say the car itself wasn't deserving. It relies on superconductive engines to provide incredible efficiency and power. The electricity comes from a hydrogen fuel cell and the open cockpit design would surely provide a rush at the ridiculous speeds this thing could achieve -- if the tech existed to actually put it in production. This is, like the rest, very much a car of the future.

Wrap-up

A hypercar from Ferrari relying on incredible technology? We have mixed feelings about that. It's obvious that young designers around, when freed from the constraints of modern technology, have some ideas about what this sort of exotic automobile should look like. So, the next generation is looking bright -- but the current generation of those in power at the Scuderia are obviously locked in the past.

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo told us he "doesn't believe" in electric cars and, while he seems to be the kind of man who will still be kicking (and looking rather dashing) in 20 years time, chances are he'll have long-since retired. Will the next generation of Ferrari leadership, then, be a little more open to the sort of change all these young designers are asking for? He or she had better be.

 

Rides : Audi announces A2 electric concept car

Lasers make everything better, including (but not limited to): microphones, kidneys and Audi's electric A2 concept. This newest flight of fancy uses a laser diode as the rear fog lamp, which projects a red triangle onto the road to let other drivers know you're there. The German car-maker has tricked out the rest of the EV's lighting system as well by implementing matrix beam technology using LEDs and microreflectors -- giving it high resolution, non-glaring beams and intelligent tail lights that change in intensity based on weather conditions. Claiming other state-of-the-art features like gesture controls instead of keys, and brake lights that glow brighter the harder you press, it sounds like this would be a pretty sweet ride -- if it ever makes it to market. 

 

Press Release

The Audi A2 concept – premium-class space concept

Plenty of room for four people within a length of just 3.80 meters

Matrix beam, dynamic light and an innovative, bright interior design

Powerful electric drive system for agile performance and long range

With the electric-only powertrain of the A2 concept, Audi is offering another peek into the future of electric mobility at the 64th International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt. The technical study features a classic, premium-standard space concept that offers plenty of room for four people.

The Audi A2 concept is just 3.80 meters (12.47 ft) long, 1.69 meters (5.54 ft) wide and 1.49 meters (4.89 ft) high; even so, it makes an elegant, powerful and sporty impression on the street. Its clean appearance concentrates on the essentials; all details are subtle but shaped for visual impact. The dark glass roof of the white-painted show car switches to transparency with the push of a button.

With its headlights, Audi is presenting the next phase in LED technology, known as matrix beam. A package of LEDs and microreflectors generate a high-resolution and non-glaring high-beam light. Delicate daytime running light fibers frame the highly efficient LED low-beam light module. Intelligent tail lights adapt their illumination to the visibility conditions. The rear fog light, produced by laser diodes, is seen as a beam of light in fog and projects a red triangle onto the road as a warning.

The dynamic light runs below the edge of the window from the front to the rear of the A2 concept – a band of light that contains a multitude of innovative, dynamic light functions. Integrated approach sensors detect the owner and unlock the doors via gesture control. While driving, the dynamic light functions as a continuous side marker light. If the car's indicator is activated, light impulses run throughout the entire band of light.

In addition, a red bar of light flows forward from the tail lights when braking and demonstrates the strength of the brakes intuitively for other road users.

The dynamic light is also located in the cockpit area of the show car, structured in two separate arches. Like the entire interior, the dash panel has a light and clean look and intuitive controls. The driver manages many important features via touch-control areas on the inside of the steering wheel. Two additional control surfaces fold up at the driver's right when starting the vehicle. An open profile serves as the steering column; a seven-inch display and two secondary displays are located at its end.

The Audi A2 concept has a flat interior floorboard. The center console is attached to the driver's seat; the rear console extends forward between the two rear seats. The four individual seats add lightness, and there is storage space under the fold-up seat cushions. There is room between the rear seats for a city bicycle with its front wheel removed. The load area has two levels; a frame with functional nets creates the upper level.

The colors and materials in the interior support the impression of lightness and functionality. The large areas from the door top shoulders to the floor bear a new and innovative covering material made of polyurethane with a neoprene surface feel; a ribbed material made from recycled polyester covers the central floor area. The seat shells are made with a plastic blow molding technique. Aluminum elements create highlights the cockpit.

Rides : Scion FR-S Concept

Toyota’s upcoming FT-86 concept has been the most exciting main-stream vehicle that that the Japanese automaker has hinted around since the Supra. Ever since the first reveal of the FT-86 in 2009 at the Tokyo Motor Show, enthusiasts have been following the concept car’s evolution.

The Scion FR-S looks close to the FT-86 II Concept that we saw in Geneva. The front end of the FR-S concept doesn’t have the large LED accents of the FT-86 II concept, which isn’t a bad thing.
The FR-S should have a 2.0- or 2.5-liter turbocharged flat-four engine and rear-wheel drive — the youth-oriented brand’s first rear-drive car.

Rides : Mercedes-Benz Concept A-Class is Small Without Slumming It

Ask the vast majority of Americans what kinds of vehicles Mercedes-Benz makes and they’ll answer luxury cars and SUVs. However, in other parts of the world, the world’s oldest car company is involved in many, many more segments, including big rigs, buses, vans (though the Sprinter recently began being sold in this county as a Mercedes-Benz after years of wearing Dodge and Freightliner grilles) and, yes, even front-drive subcompacts. The smallest and cheapest car wearing the Three-Pointed Star is the A-Class.

The new third-generation A-Class scheduled to arrive for the 2012 model year promises to advance the evolution of the Baby Benz even further. It might also take the line to a strange new land, for the concept car previewing the new A will be making one of its debuts (the other being the Shanghai Motor Show) at the New York Auto Show.



But first things first, let’s focus on the car itself. The profile is long and low, a sharp contrast to the rather upright silhouettes of the first two iterations of the A-Class. The flanks have more creases and character lines than a mall-parking lot’s-worth of late model BMWs, while the snout echoes the quite vertical visages of the current R- and CLS-classes. The headlights are LED units, but the daytime running lights (DRLs) utilize fiber optics to let oncoming traffic know you’re coming. The Mercedes-Benz badge appears to be floating in a sea of stars rather than a grille, but they’re really just shiny metal hexagons on black stems.

And while the secret to the grille’s nifty visual effect is a bit of a letdown, the stuff behind the grille isn’t. There you’ll find the newest member of Stuttgart’s BlueEFFICIENCY engine family, a direct-injected turbo four-banger producing 210hp. That power is then sent to the front tires via a new dual-clutch transmission.



Venturing farther back into the cabin, we find a fighter jet-inspired dash with red lighting and accents. The concept features 2+2 seating with a full-length center console, though the production model (which should be available in both 3- and 5-door form) will likely accommodate five.

But let’s get back to the fact the Concept A-Class is debuting in the Big Apple. As mentioned earlier, Mercedes-Benz has historically preferred to avoid moving too far downmarket in the U.S. for fear of tarnishing its longstanding, carefully-crafted premium image. But with big upticks in Federal fuel economy regulations on the horizon and $4.00/gallon-plus gas here now, Daimler knows it’s got to start thinking small sooner rather than later.



What about Smart, you ask? Well, in case you haven’t been reading the auto industry tea leaves, the small city cars have fallen on their faces. Whether it’s the lower-than-you’d-expect fuel economy, the higher-than-you’d-expect price or the fact it has Lucifer’s own transmission, the little buggers just haven’t caught on, and you know that if Roger Penske couldn’t unload enough of them, Daimler probably won’t fare much better. Hedging its bets by offering its more conventional compact – and a sharp-looking one at that – on these shores might be the hot ticket.

orld premiere at the New York Auto Show
Mercedes Concept A-Class: the beginning of a new compact generation

MONTVALE, NJ – The Mercedes-Benz Concept A-Class will make its debut at both the 2011 New York and Shanghai Auto Shows later this month. Looking as though it might have come from another planet, the Concept A-Class features an expressive and athletic design. Technical highlights include a new turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine, a dual clutch transmission and a radar-based collision warning system with adaptive Brake Assist.

The aggressive appearance of the Concept A-Class, with its long hood, low silhouette and slim side windows, is given depth by the interplay between lines and surfaces. Inspiration was drawn from the wind and the waves, as well as aviation engineering.

The Concept A-Class previews a new compact class era at Mercedes-Benz. This front-wheel drive model is powered by a four-cylinder gasoline engine from the new M270 series. It was designed for transverse installation and thanks to direct injection and turbocharging, offers high performance together with minimal emissions and fuel consumption. The Concept A-Class is equipped with the twoliter variant of the new engine, developing 210 hp. This BlueEFFICIENCY engine is mated to the new Mercedes-Benz dual clutch transmission.

As a world first in the compact class, the concept car features a radar-based collision warning system with adaptive Brake Assist, which lowers the risk of rearend collisions. This assistance system gives a visual and acoustic warning to an inattentive driver and prepares Brake Assist for a precise braking response. Braking is initiated as soon as the driver forcefully operates the brake pedal.

The exterior design of the Concept A-Class features the combination of defined edges and free interplay with the body surfaces that Mercedes-Benz first showed in the F800 Style. The side view is structured with three prominent lines: the front structural edge above the front fender forms a dropping line, while the prominent shoulder muscle above the rear axle underlines the car's coupe-like character. A further line extends upwards from the rear wheel arch in a sweeping curve.

The front end of the Concept A-Class immediately catches the eye with the Mercedes-Benz star logo surrounded by what looks like a star-filled sky. Where there are usually openings or louvers, the radiator grille consists of numerous metallic silver hexagons on black stems. This theme is reflected in the design of the wheels.

The headlights of the Concept A-Class continue this design element with innovative full-LED high-performance headlamps repeating the starry sky motif with numerous light points. The daytime running lamps consist of 90 optical fibers with aluminum sleeves which are arranged in a wing-shape within the headlamp.

In the interior, the eye is immediately drawn to the dashboard which has the shape of an aircraft wing and a translucent, stretchable fabric lining. This enables the bionic, cellular structure of the dashboard to remain visible.

The shape of the air vents in the dashboard is reminiscent of a jet aircraft. The prominent dials in the instrument cluster are in red, inspired by the afterburner of a jet engine. The center console is designed as a modern flight control panel, with the shift lever designed as a "reverse thrust control".

A smartphone is fully integrated into the Concept A-Class. All functions are shown in the display as applications, and can be operated using the rotary/push control. The visual presentation of the display screen elements is unique, with a deep, three-dimensional appearance created by laser-like magenta-colored lines.