Tag Archives: luxury
Pricing for the 2019 BMW X5 Announced, Starts At $61K
BMW finally announced the prices for its new luxury crossover SUV, the 2019 X5. The new BMW X5 is available in just two models—the xDrive40i ($61,695) and the xDrive50i ($76,745). The starting price is an increase from the outgoing 2018 BMW X5.
The lineup of the crossover has also been slimmed down. The 2018 lineup used to have a two-wheel drive, a diesel, and hybrid models. However, the 2019 lineup offers none of the said options.
Instead, the xDrive40i gets a six-cylinder engine while the xDrive50i is powered by a V8 engine. The xDrive40i gets a slightly higher price increase. It’s priced $1,200 more than the cheapest all-wheel-drive model, the xDrive35i. But compared with the even cheaper rear-wheel-drive sDrive35i, the difference is $1,500.
On the other hand, the xDrive50i saw a higher price increase from the previous model. The difference is $1,700. Don’t fret, though, since the two new models are more powerful and perform better than their predecessors. That more than makes up for the price increase.
The 2019 xDrive40i makes an extra 35 horsepower, pushing the total to 335 ponies. It also produces 330 pound-feet of torque. The xDrive50i, meanwhile, gets 456 horses from last year’s 450.
Both models will get ZF’s eight-speed automatic transmission. They’ll also be packed with the xLine specification, which includes Dynamic Damper Control, two 12.3″ screens, adaptive LED headlights, and safety assists such as blind spot detection and frontal collision warning. There’s also the city driving assist system aptly called the City Collision Mitigation.
The xDrive40i and the xDrive50i are both configured for towing. They have the hauling power of a 6,600-pound trailer and there’s an available option of tow hitch rated for 7,200 pounds. There’s another option—an off-road package that includes air suspension and mechanical locking rear differential.
Buyers may also get the performance-oriented M Sport package, remote starting, BMW’s Laserlights with a heated steering wheel, and heated and cooled cupholders.
The 2019 BMW X5 will be available in dealerships starting on November 10 this year.
More Details Emerge About The 2020 Cadillac CT5 Luxury Sports Sedan
Cadillac hasn’t given us much to talk or think about when it comes to the 2020 Cadillac CT5 luxury sports sedan—seeing as the prototype has always been heavily camouflaged to the point that it’s barely recognizable. We think Cadillac wants us to think they’re merely testing the Charger, thanks to the big hood scoop and fake full-width taillights.
The last time we got spy photos of the CT5, we only glimpsed its front end. This time, thankfully, we’re seeing it from all angles and despite the fake body work, we can find some important new details about the luxury sports sedan.
The front lighting takes a new development. The production-ready headlights are fitted with what appears to be LED illumination and it takes on the same shape we saw on the last prototype. We believe this will end up higher on the front-end section, probably extending horizontally toward the grille. A section of the headlights would still bend to extend to the fender at the back. The design language of the headlights is meant to fuse the current Cadillacs and the Escala concept, which are the basis of the car’s overall body style.
There are also vertical LED accent lights, a trademark feature of the current Cadillacs and the Escala. This is a new detail since we didn’t see this development on the last prototype.
The grille’s details have also changed. Instead of the usual slats that we see in many Cadillacs and other sedans, the CT5 has a plastic mesh of small rectangles. Think of a brickwork and you’ll understand what the CT5 is getting into.
The back looks a typical Cadillac, though it’s less modern than the front end. There are angular cutouts in the bumper (probably to let exhaust gases out) and the taillights have the current Cadillac look with the top curving. The prototype used fake lights, so we can’t tell yet if it will be similar to the one on the Escala.
There’s a good chance the new CT5 will use existing Cadillac engines such as the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, naturally aspirated 3.6-liter V6, and the twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6. The CT5 should be revealed sometime next year for the 2020 model year.
2020 Cadillac CT5 Photos
Here are new spy shots of the 2020 Cadillac CT5 from Autoblog:
2020 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Cabin Is Made of Money
In 2020, we’re going to see a new model for the flagship sedan of Mercedes-Benz. The photos of the next Mercedes-Benz S-Class’ testing may have showed no changes on the exterior, but the cabin will likely receive a do-over that would enhance the driver and passenger experience.
Hartmut Sinkwitz, Mercedes’ director of interior design, was interviewed during the 2018 Beijing Auto Show where the Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury was revealed. For the 2020 S-Class, Sinkwitz said the design for the car’s interior should place emphasis on appealing to the driver’s and the passengers’ sense of touch. This means ditching the current scroll wheel interface for the COMAND infotainment systems. It will be replaced with touchscreen and touchpad systems similar to those found in the Mercedes E-Class.
As we know, the current Mercedes are fitted with a pair of side-by-side 12.3-inch screens. That would have to change as well because Sinkwitz believes that the screens must evolve to accommodate the kind of lifestyles the passengers have. Since the S-Class is in the “executive level sedan,” there must be a new screen. While the new screen will not necessarily be sizable, it would have to provide the same kind of convenience and luxury expected from an executive’s sedan. Sinkwitz, by the way, considers huge screens for Mercedes as impersonal.
The screens would most likely mirror the same ones seen on the Ultimate Luxury concept revealed in China. The screens feature a pair of active fields displayed within a broad, horizontal glass panel. This is what would be fitted in every Mercedes luxury models from the next GLE-Class and up.
There are changes in the interior lighting, too. The current-generation S-Class has seven different ambient light colors, including five dimming levels and four dimming zones in its LED-capacitated cabin. With the E-Class, there’s 64 ambient lighting colors. The S-Class might push for more than that.
Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury SUV Gets Chinese-Inspired Interior
The Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury SUV, a concept high-end luxury SUV, was unveiled at the 2018 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition. It got that sleek, cherry red finish aimed at the Chinese market because red in China means happiness, luck, and joy.
But we’re here about the elegant, luxurious, and spacious interior of this concept SUV. The design is a mix of Western and Far Eastern influences, incorporating Chinese design elements like ebony, the known “Magic Wood” used in Chinese furniture. The highlight of the SUV’s interior is the tea set hidden in the center console that extends to the rear. The heated tea set, that includes teapots and teacups, is integrated into a sculpted wooden tray made of ebony. It can be electrically retracted into the console at the push of a button. Talk about fancy, huh?
Aside from the hidden heated tea set, there are other exciting features in the SUV. This includes the seat with SUV-like position, sitting higher than in a sedan. They are wrapped in fine Nappa leather with a diamond quilt design. The front section is finished off by a Rose Gold trim, Pearly Grey detailing, and brushed aluminum elements.
The rear section gets even more comfortable. It is very spacious and has lots of legroom in front of the two seats. The seats have lateral support and leather-wrapped pillows, perfect for long and tedious drives.
The simple but elegant center console houses double 12.3-inch displays for the driver, a touchscreen and touchpad on the center console, and touch control buttons on the steering wheel. There is voice recognition capability that could adjust to the user’s voice and adapt to new words being used.
If Mercedes pushes through with the production of this concept vehicle, it will be a class of its own. And maybe, Mercedes will finally have something to compete with Rolls Royce.
Checking Out The New 2019 Cadillac XT4
The decision of Cadillac to hire Johan de Nysschen has finally come to fruition in terms of the crossover market. This 2018, we’ll finally get to see the launch of the 2019 Cadillac XT4, which will give the BMW X3, the Audi Q5, and the Mercedes-Benz GLC a run for their money.
Making its public debut at the 2018 New York Auto Show, the XT4 is Cadillac’s smallest crossover to date. It rides on a new platform and uses a small displacement engine. Is it surprising that Cadillac wants a chunk off the crossover market? It’s a huge market, and one being slowly monopolized by luxury brand such as BMW.
Exterior
The overall styling cues of the XT4 comes from the larger XT5. Although it has a more subdued appearance, it is still elegant and sophisticated. Plus, it has a nice sporty look that would go well with the millennial market. Similar to the XT5, the XT4 has a swept-back headlamps with vertical daytime running lights, a big trapezoidal grille, and a sturdy bumper. From the CT6 sedan, it got the side intakes that are placed higher than the fascia and the LED strips that are shorter than the XT5.
Overall, the XT4 feels sportier and more aggressive, which is much needed if it’s to compete with the BMW X3 and the Mercedes-Benz GLC. There are eight colors that you can choose from— Atlantic Metallic, Autumn Metallic, Crystal White Tricoat, Twilight Blue Metallic, Shadow Metallic, Red Horizon Tintcoat, Stellar Black Metallic, and Radiant Silver Metallic.
Interior
Inside, the cabin has some familiar features, but there’s enough styling elements also to make it stand out. First, it has a unique dashboard design. The center piece holds the new eight-inch infotainment display with several controls underneath. There’s a three-spoke steering wheel design wrapped in leather and has big grip handles for a sportier feel.
Other notable features include the sporty seats with a massage option and ambient lighting. On the tech side, you can enjoy the infotainment system with a smartphone-like operation and intuitive interface.
Drivetrain
Here’s the 411 on the new Cadillac XT4. It will run on a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with Active Fuel Management or cylinder deactivation for the best fuel economy. It can produce 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque.
The XT4 will have a starting price of $35,790, including the destination charge, but excluding tax, title, license, dealer fee, and optional equipment.
Top 4 Reasons for You to Buy the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe
What happens when you combine the winning formulas of the Mercedes-Benz CLS and the Mercedes-AMG GT? You get the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe. This is the reason why there was so much hype surrounding the high-performance car’s world premiere and why it was flocked by people since the press days of the 2018 Geneva Motor Show.
Mercedes is yet to reveal the pricing of the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe. However, it is already given that it will be very expensive considering it will take on the $85,000 to $194,800 Porsche Panamera. What we know so far is that it will roll out for buyers in mid-2018.
So why should you spend your hard earned cash for it? Here are four reasons why you should put the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe in your checklist if you are looking to buy a high-performance luxury car:
1. Unique Addition to the Mercedes-AMG GT Family
The Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe successfully makes itself stand out from the Mercedes-AMG GT family with its distinct four-door feature. The rest of its siblings from the base GT going up to the GT R have two-door designs.
2. Athletic and Classy Design
The Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door is defined by its long bonnet, Panamericana front grille, squinting Multibeam LED headlamps, jetwing front bumper design, huge air ducts, thin taillights, rear diffuser, low greenhouse, retractable rear wing, quadruple exhaust tips, and a combination of AMG performance wheels and tires. On the other hand, its curvaceous and smooth exterior is an excellent manifestation of Mercedes’ “Sensual Purity” design philosophy.
3. Luxurious Aura
The Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe also carries the DNA of the Mercedes-Benz CLS. If you strip away all the Mercedes-AMG GT elements of the four-door high-performance car leaving only its shell, it can be noticed that its form is all too similar to the Mercedes-AMG CLS 53. That’s because both are riding on the E-Class platform.
The interior of the two only vary in layout but you can find that most of the tech within the AMG GT 4-Door Coupe are just spiced up versions of the ones found in the E-Class and CLS. However, the arrangement of the controls of the AMG GT 4-Door Coupe follows its AMG GT siblings.
4. Performance
The Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe is available in three performance configurations and its power is governed by an AMG SPEEDSHIFT TCT 9G transmission. It starts with the Mercedes-AMG GT 53 4MATIC with 3.0-liter inline-six that can deliver 435 hp combined with EQ Boost providing it an extra 22 hp, and 520 Nm of torque. Next is the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 4MATIC equipped with a 4.0-liter biturbo V8 engine capable of delivering 585 hp and 800 Nm of torque.
The top trim of the range is the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4MATIC+. It has the engine of the AMG GT 63 4MATIC but with an upgrade that lets it produce 639 hp and 900 Nm of torque. The auto can reach speeds of up to 310 km/h, and its 0-100 km/h acceleration can be achieved in merely 3.4 seconds.
Photos
Check out the official photos of the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe in the gallery below:
2019 Hyundai Genesis G70 Will Come With Manual Transmission Option
The upcoming 2019 Hyundai Genesis G70 compact sports sedan will come with a manual transmission option, a representative for the South Korean automaker said. Genesis is Hyundai’s standalone luxury brand.
This manual transmission option has just placed the G70 in a segment that has increasingly become lacking of options that would allow you to “row your own” vehicle. Kevin Smith, Genesis’ spokesman, said in a report by The Car Connection that the 6-speed manual gearbox will be paired with the G70’s standard 2.0-liter turbo-4. There are no details though on the pricing of these different trim levels.
It is further revealed that the G70’s manual option is only for purists, which means those who can handle the turbo-4 and a rear-wheel drive. On the other hand, the more powerful 3.3-liter twin-turbo V-6 engine will be exclusive with the 8-speed automatic that will be optional with the turbo-4.
It’s in the fuel economy that will suffer, apparently. The rear-wheel-drive G70 will be powered by the 2.0-liter inline-4 with manual transmission. That has an EPA rating of 18 mpg city, 28 highway, and 22 combined. Compare that to the 22/30/25 mpg for the G70 with an automatic transmission, the turbo-4, and rear-wheel drive, and the manual option surely did a take a lot of hit.
The rest of the lineup will have these ratings: 21/28/23 mpg for the turbo-4, the 8-speed automatic, and the all-wheel drive, 18/26/21 mpg for the optional V-6, and 18/25/20 mpg for the V-6 and all-wheel drive.
The G70 will probably make its debut this early 2018 as a 2019 model, so that should come anytime soon. As for the prices, though there is no official word yet, it will probably be in the $30,000 bracket.
Aside from the Hyundai Genesis G70, other luxury models from other brands offering manual transmission are the Cadillac ATS, Audi A4, and BMW 3-Series.
Hyundai Genesis Gets Linked with Amazon’s Alexa
Hyundai announced that its Genesis luxury sub-brand is offering an integration with Amazon’s Alexa. The “skill” provided by the service enables the driver to issue certain commands to the car.
Alexa, the voice service of Amazon, lets users access certain capabilities or skills. The said elements allow them to interact with devices like the Amazon Echo, Fire TV, Tap, and Echo Dot. The system is integrated in the Hyundai Genesis Connected Services suite. The technology is available in the Genesis G80 and G90 sedan. The good news is that purchasing the new G90 comes with a gift card for the Amazon Echo.
The owner can simply issue commands directed to his car using the abovementioned compatible Amazon devices for the Alexa. As an alternative when the user is not near an Amazon device, he can still access the feature using a dedicated web portal or using his smartphone app.
When near Amazon devices, dedicated apps or web portal, the user can start the service by saying, “Alexa open Genesis.” Then this can be followed by commands such as “Alexa, tell Genesis to lock my car,” or “Alexa, tell Genesis to start my car at 70 degrees,” and others. The commands will be forwarded to the Genesis G80 or G90. From the car, the user can also control the Amazon devices he has at home.
The partnership of Hyundai and Amazon started yesterday (August 19, 2016). To use the service, the owner should enable the Genesis “skill” using the Alexa app. The app will run the owner through the whole activation, tutorial and customization process.
It was revealed through a report that the Alexa app in the Hyundai Genesis G80 and G90 functions by starting the car, controlling its air conditioning and heating system, operating the locking functions of the doors, and turning on the lights of the auto.
2017 Cadillac CTS Gets Minor Visual Updates
Because Cadillac’s core sedans—the compact ATS and the midsize CTS—were struggling to make sales against its competitors, the automaker has decided that its 2017 CTS will receive minor trim-level upgrades and mild visual refresh.
“Mild” might be overstating it as the only visual change we noticed in the pictures is the addition of a horizontal chrome bar for the grille and the reshaped exhaust outlets at the rear.
In terms of trim-level structure, the more significant changes on the 2017 Cadillac CTS are the 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder. It doesn’t offer much luxury equipment, but the base CTS will only have a starting price of $46,990, which is $435 higher than before.
On the other hand, the CTS Luxury, which starts at $52,690, has the standard 2.0T engine. Buyers, though, are allowed to upgrade to the 3.6-liter V-6 for an extra $2,000. Inclusions in the Luxury package are essentials such as leather seats, a sunroof, heated and ventilated front seats, along with several active-safety features including blind-spot warning, lane-keep assist, and forward-collision warning.
Another step up is the CTS Premium Luxury, which will have a standard 3.6-liter engine with the following features: adaptive dampers, rain-sensing wipers and park assist. It has a starting price of $60,190.
All models will be paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission while an all-wheel drive option is available for an additional charge of $2,000.
If you want more performance from the CTS, check out the 420-horsepower CTS Vsport. It is a 10Best winner for the last three years. We’ll also see the return of the 640-horsepower CTS-V. The two, however, did not receive the same minor updates as the standard CTS models.
The Vsport has a two-model lineup—the standard’s starting price is at $61,990 while the Vsport Premium begins at $71,790. The 2017 CTS-V’s price remains unchanged at $85,990.
Check out the photos of the new Cadillac CTS in the gallery below:
Mercedes-Maybach SUV Might Be In The Works
We might have dreamed about it until the day came. It was quite hard to imagine that the luxury SUVs have finally arrived. The three-pointed star marque has once again hinted that it might join the ultra elite group of carmakers with a Mercedes-Maybach SUV.
Merc is the latest in the long line of luxury carmakers that bit into the trend. Bentley has the Bentayga. Rolls Royce has the Project Cullinan. Lamborghini has the Urus by 2018. Aston Martin has a plan based on the DBX concept.
However, a Merc official said that although Mercedes is willing and even able to build a luxury SUV, it cannot be done on the current platform. So, if ever Merc does build a luxury SUV, it would be on the next generation platform.
This makes sense, of course, since Maybach’s release, which was based on a completely different portfolio than the previous version, has been widely successful in places like China.
In China, the automaker sold more of the new long-wheelbase Mercedes-Maybach S-Class in a month than it was able to do so during the old Maybach’s “best year.” This renaissance was the push Merc needed in order to plan ahead again.
An SUV based on this current lineup is a wise decision, especially because the SUV has been slowly catering to Merc drivers as well. Since bringing back the M-Class in 1997, the SUV segment has been successful.
Ola Källenius, a Merc board member, said there is an unbroken trend in SUV because people love the high seats, sporty image and all-around usefulness for outdoor adventures. He believes the SUV trend will continue in years to come.
In Mercedes, 30 to 40 percent of the portfolio are SUVs, which Källenius said all carry the Mercedes imaging, meaning there’s no actual conflict in creating a Maybach SUV.