Daily Archives: October 4, 2016
Lexus UX Concept Is A Glimpse of a New Luxury Compact Crossover
The Lexus UX Concept just made its world debut at the Paris Auto Show last week, and to say it made quite a bit of a splash is an understatement. Showcasing Lexus’ vision for a compact crossover in the future, the concept defines a new vision for the company’s design journey and driving experience.
What the UX Concept showed is that Lexus is determined to separate itself from the rest. The models using this concept will have a bold, standalone and unique character coupled with a powerful design and deconstructed interior styling.
During its introduction at the Paris Auto Show, experts raved about the concept’s sharp creases, trademark grilles, piercing headlights and flared side intakes. One can see bits of Lexus NX SUV in the concept, though the innovation was heavily exaggerated on the UX Concept. For one, it has massive wheels, ones we would not see on a production vehicle anytime soon. But this completes the muscular and sexy look of the concept.
There are some pretty interesting parts to the exterior design, but none as compelling as the wild taillight setup at the rear. The clearance between the lens on the rear hatch and the stationary units on the rear quarters is almost nonexistent that the taillight looks like one wide light.
What’s even more unique is the see-through A pillar that “blurs” the boundaries between the exterior and the interior.
Inside, there’s a “deconstructed” look as demonstrated by the sharp and angular forms that overlap each other to replace the conventional dashboard. These overlaps create shadows and contrasts, making it difficult for anyone to identify where they begin or end. The passenger seat was also not prioritized to emphasize that it is the driver that has control of the environment.
The seats, by the way, are inspired by the Lexus Kinetic Seat Concept, which also premiered in the show.
A Look at the Spy Shots of the 2018 Ford Mustang
Photos for the prototype for the facelifted Ford Motor Company Mustang have just been revealed. Since this is a facelift, the visible tweaks were expected to be only minimal. Still, Ford engineers went to great lengths to try to conceal whatever changes they did on the Mustang.
Based on the photos released, tweaks in the 2018 Ford Mustang are expected on the headlights. And although the shape of the enclosure won’t be changing, the internal graphics will likely be updated along with the headlamps. As for the front bumpers, expect a totally revised look, the most dramatic change being an all-new design for the lower section of the bumper. The said design will take on an “A-wing” shape for the front splitter.
As for the car’s performance, fans might be interested to know there will be some mechanical changes such as a new 10-speed automatic, which will appear on high-end models, developed by Ford and General Motors Company. The current 6-speed and automatic will be maintained for lower-spec cars.
The 10-speed automatic has already been used for the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, which apparently experienced quicker shifting than Porsche’s dual-clutch transmission. A 6-speed manual, though, will remain standard on most Mustang models.
The current lineup of engines will most probably remain, except for some adjustments to improve power and gas mileage. The Mustang V-6 enjoys a production of 300 horsepower while the Mustang EcoBoost has 310 horsepower. The Mustang GT can cough up a stunning 435 horsepower while the Shelby GT350 and GT350R models produce 526 horsepower.
We’re expecting this Ford Mustang model to arrive in 2017 as a 2018 model after the sixth-generation Mustang made its final appearance in 2014 as a 2015 model. A new Mustang Shelby GT500 will also be arriving in 2018 as a range-topper model.
More updates will come in the next months. The Mustang maintains a strong lead over the Camaro in the past 22 months. In August 2016, Ford sold 8,299 Mustangs while Chevy released 5,604 Camaros.
Spy Shots Of 2018 BMW Z5 Released
Back in 2011, Toyota and BMW planned to jointly develop a mid-size sports car platform to replace their Z4 and Supra models, respectively. It looks like the day has finally come for us to see the completion of such platform.
New spy shots of a prototype for BMW have been released. We’re expecting these shots to be soon called as the Z5. Instead of being a next-generation Z4, adopting a new name links this car to BMW’s 507, which is a legend in the industry. And it being a notch higher than the Z4 means the German automaker can charge more for it.
The higher positioning can be backed up by the larger size of the prototype as compared to the Z4. And although the shots have almost similar to identical proportions to the Z4, what’s most noticeable is that this is going to be a soft-top convertible rather than a retractable hard-top. Based on one of the shots, we can also gleam that there is going to be a new grille design.
Another thing that should justify the higher positioning of what seems to be the new Z5 is the improved performance. This new car will be competing against the likes of the Jaguar F-Type and Porsche 911. The base model will most likely have an inline-4 though the inline-6 as an option is a popular suggestion too. Turbocharging might be standard for all variants of the Z5.
You may be wondering if the hybrid tech will be used on the Z5. This is highly unlikely because BMW certainly wants to differentiate their Z5 from Toyota’s Supra successor, which might go down the route of gasoline-electric.
This new BMW sports car, whether or not it will be called the Z5, will debut either in late 2017 or early 2018. Though there have been no word yet on pricing details, this will likely go as high as $50,000 for a starting price.
