VW BlueSport Roadster: New Wallpaper Gallery

The BlueSport concept was one of the most important models to debut at this year's Detroit Show as it essentially confirms earlier rumors supporting that Volkswagen is preparing to introduce a mid-engined, rear-wheel drive roadster by 2012. If you click through, you can check out a new high-resolution gallery of the BlueSport that was released by the German firm. You may also want to take a look at our previous analytical post on VW's back-to-basics roadster by clicking here or watch the official video here.

2008 Hyundai Genesis V8 Sedan: BMW 5-Series Copycat Fully Uncovered

Yesterday, we showed you a handful of spy pics featuring the production version of Hyundai’s Genesis luxury sedan (click here) which we described as BMW 5-Series crossed with a Lexus LS. Sorry, but we’ll take that back now that we discovered a new set of images fully exposing the Genesis; this is no cross, this is literally a “Koreanized” version of the BMW 5-Series! And you thought that only the Chinese would attempt something like this… -Continued after the jump

However, Hyundai won’t be imitating BMW in terms of pricing by charging an arm and a leg for the Genesis when it goes on sale shortly after its debut at the Detroit Show in January 2008. According to Hyundai, prices will start well-under $30,000 (approx. €20,500), or in other words, as much as BMW charges for the 3-Series sedan. And mind you, the rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan won’t be short of power as it will be equipped with a 4.6-liter V8 engine producing over 300 HP.

Pics via: bobaedream

2009 Fisker Hybrid Sports Sedan Unveiled!

Following a hazy teaser image that circulated in the net last week, Henry Fisker released a second picture of the highly anticipated plug-in hybrid sports sedan that will be launched at the at the Detroit Motor Show (NAIAS) in January 2008. Developed in cooperation with Quantum Technologies, a Californian company that focuses on clean propulsion technologies, the yet unnamed high-performance hybrid sedan will go on sale towards the end of 2008 - early 2009.

If anything, automotive designer Henry Fisker came up with a sexy shape for his eco-friendly 4door sports sedan that could hit it big judging from the fact that it will be priced under $100,000 (€70,000). Makes the Porsche Panamera that we’ve seen in various scoop pictures look hideous to say the least. -Continued after the jump

PRESS RELEASE: DRIVE THE FUTURE WITH FISKER AUTOMOTIVE, A NEW GREEN AMERICAN PREMIUM CAR COMPANY

IRVINE, Calif. Sept.5, 2007: Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc. (Nasdaq: QTWW) and Fisker Coachbuild, LLC announce the launch of a joint venture in Fisker Automotive, Inc. - a green American premium car company. Fisker Automotive will offer a range of environmentally friendly premium cars – with the first production car to make its Worldwide North American debut at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show in January. Initial production is anticipated to be 15,000 vehicles annually with pricing to start under $100,000.

Design and technology development are already underway for the first production car. All models will feature cutting-edge plug-in hybrid technology penned as Quantum Drive, developed by Quantum Technologies exclusively for Fisker Automotive. This all-new plug–in Quantum Drive chassis layout will allow Fisker to design innovative luxury cars with uncompromised proportions.

The Fisker name has attracted and attained worldwide brand recognition, thanks to years of first-class automotive designs. Over his 18 years in the car design business, Henrik Fisker has left his thumbprint on some of the most highly regarded automobiles. His creations range from the BMW Z8, Aston Martin DB9 & V8 Vantage to his most recent creations – the Tramonto and Latigo CS, designed under the Fisker Coachbuild nameplate. Fisker Automotive will retain the orange and blue logo originated at Fisker Coachbuild.

“The troubled environment is captivating the attention of the world. Developing a premium luxury green car which also delivers attractive design can make a difference. We are extremely excited to join our automotive design expertise with the plug-in hybrid technology of Quantum in Quantum Drive. This breakthrough chassis development will allow us to deliver a design with dramatic proportions – one which will carry the Fisker badge,” expressed Henrik Fisker, CEO of Fisker Automotive, Inc. “We want people to drive beautiful fast cars that make environmental sense – cars that are eco-chic and will have less of an impact on global warming.”

Quantum Technologies has a long history of advancing technology. Benefits in developing an entirely new, from-the-ground-up design for a plug-in hybrid vehicle include optimized fuel efficiency and performance, unchanged gas station infrastructure, home based battery recharging with any 110-volt outlet at a fraction of the cost. A cleaner and a quieter car for local travel… all with the most advanced comforts that are anticipated with a luxury car.

“Our goal here is to deliver the advancement that Quantum Technologies has made in the area of plug-in hybrid technology. By combining our efforts with the renowned design talent of Henrik Fisker, we can produce a car that makes a difference to the environment – without sacrificing the luxury that accompanies the finest automobiles,” stated Alan Niedzwiecki, CEO Quantum Technologies.

Via: Autoblog.nl , Source: Fisker

Nissan FORUM Concept To Premier In 2008 Detroit Show

And you thought it would be all about the SEMA Show today, huh! Just minutes after Hyundai released a set of teaser sketches (click here) previewing a rear-wheel drive coupe concept that will debut at the 2007 LA Show in mid-November, Nissan came out and announced the premiere of a family orientated concept vehicle at the 2008 Detroit Show in January. According to Nissan, the FORUM concept will combine distinct styling with various innovations like the sliding doors. -Teaser release after the jump

PRESS RELEASE: LAS VEGAS (Oct. 30, 2007) – Nissan’s exploration of the next generation of family transportation, the Nissan FORUM Concept, offers distinctive styling with innovations including trackless sliding doors and no B-pillars. Created at Nissan Design America, the FORUM Concept makes its public debut at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January.

2008 Detroit Show: Fisker Hybrid Teaser Image

Here’s the first official image of Fisker’s Hybrid sports sedan that will be introduced at the forthcoming North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in January 2008 with sales commencing towards the end of 2008 - early 2009. Though the teaser image is too small to for us to make any serious assumptions, it does look like someone forged the front end of a Corvette to the body of a Jaguar XF.

The yet to be named hybrid sports sedan will be jointly produced by Fisker Coachbuilder and Quantum Technologies, a Southern Californian company that focuse on clean propulsion technologies. According to Fiker’s plans, initial production of the unnamed hybdrid vehicle is anticipated to be 15,000 vehicles a year with pricing to start at under $100,000 (€70,000). -Continued after the jump

PRESS RELEASE: DRIVE THE FUTURE WITH FISKER AUTOMOTIVE, A NEW GREEN AMERICAN PREMIUM CAR COMPANY

IRVINE, Calif. Sept.5, 2007: Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc. (Nasdaq: QTWW) and Fisker Coachbuild, LLC announce the launch of a joint venture in Fisker Automotive, Inc. - a green American premium car company. Fisker Automotive will offer a range of environmentally friendly premium cars – with the first production car to make its Worldwide North American debut at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show in January. Initial production is anticipated to be 15,000 vehicles annually with pricing to start under $100,000.

Design and technology development are already underway for the first production car. All models will feature cutting-edge plug-in hybrid technology penned as Quantum Drive, developed by Quantum Technologies exclusively for Fisker Automotive. This all-new plug–in Quantum Drive chassis layout will allow Fisker to design innovative luxury cars with uncompromised proportions.

The Fisker name has attracted and attained worldwide brand recognition, thanks to years of first-class automotive designs. Over his 18 years in the car design business, Henrik Fisker has left his thumbprint on some of the most highly regarded automobiles. His creations range from the BMW Z8, Aston Martin DB9 & V8 Vantage to his most recent creations – the Tramonto and Latigo CS, designed under the Fisker Coachbuild nameplate. Fisker Automotive will retain the orange and blue logo originated at Fisker Coachbuild.

“The troubled environment is captivating the attention of the world. Developing a premium luxury green car which also delivers attractive design can make a difference. We are extremely excited to join our automotive design expertise with the plug-in hybrid technology of Quantum in Quantum Drive. This breakthrough chassis development will allow us to deliver a design with dramatic proportions – one which will carry the Fisker badge,” expressed Henrik Fisker, CEO of Fisker Automotive, Inc. “We want people to drive beautiful fast cars that make environmental sense – cars that are eco-chic and will have less of an impact on global warming.”

Quantum Technologies has a long history of advancing technology. Benefits in developing an entirely new, from-the-ground-up design for a plug-in hybrid vehicle include optimized fuel efficiency and performance, unchanged gas station infrastructure, home based battery recharging with any 110-volt outlet at a fraction of the cost. A cleaner and a quieter car for local travel… all with the most advanced comforts that are anticipated with a luxury car.

“Our goal here is to deliver the advancement that Quantum Technologies has made in the area of plug-in hybrid technology. By combining our efforts with the renowned design talent of Henrik Fisker, we can produce a car that makes a difference to the environment – without sacrificing the luxury that accompanies the finest automobiles,” stated Alan Niedzwiecki, CEO Quantum Technologies.

Pic via: Autocar , Source: Fisker

2008 Detroit Show Premieres Announced: Ford, Mazda, Mercedes, Subaru & More

The October issue of the official NAIAS (North American International Auto Show) newsletter took us by surprise today as it revealed several of the premieres that will take place at the Detroit show in January 2008.

Among the worldwide debuts revealed in the newsletter are the U.S. version of Ford’s Verve compact hatch that was shown in Frankfurt (click here), the production version of the Kia Mesa SUV concept (okay, we knew about that), Hyundai’s V8-powered, rear-wheel drive luxury sedan, the Genesis, and a new model from Subaru and Mercedes-Benz (most probably the compact SUV, GLK). -Follow the jump for the details

From NAIAS’ October Newsletter:

Ford will unveil a new small concept vehicle for the U.S. market that will share the underbody with a concept that Ford unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. The Ford Verve, revealed in Frankfurt, is a crossover vehicle carried on a small B-segment platform.

The Detroit concept will use the same platform, which is smaller than that used for the Ford Focus. But the Detroit concept will have a different body, details of which are not being revealed. Ford executives say the Verve and the upcoming Detroit concept hint at the automaker’s new design direction for future compact cars. The company plans to gauge public reaction to its proposed “super-mini generation,” a vehicle segment Ford anticipates will grow substantially in the future around the world.

Kia has announced it will hold the worldwide debut of its new seven-passenger sport utility in Detroit. The SUV, which goes by the codename HM until the real name is announced, is derived from the Mesa concept. It will be a 2009 model built in Korea and will have three rows of seats, making it larger than Kia’s current Sorento.

Mazda Always to be counted on for unveiling innovative concept cars, Mazda will do it again at NAIAS 2008. The automaker will hold the debut of a new concept car, the name of which has not been revealed, that takes its Nagare design theme to its “most realistic level yet,” company officials said.

Hyundai will unveil to the world the produc-tion version of its flagship Genesis sedan. It will be similar to Concept Genesis, revealed last spring. The 2008 Genesis rides on a rear-wheel-drive pre-mium sports sedan architecture and is powered by a V8 engine – both rear-drive and V8 power are Hyundai firsts in the U.S. Executives at Hyundai have said the car will start at “well under $30,000.” Always to be counted

Mitsubishi plans two worldwide debuts –one a concept car and another a production car. Details on those debuts will be available in December, the automaker said.

Suzuki will hold the North American introduction of a global concept to be first unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in late October. More details will become available at that time.

Subaru plans a global debut in Detroit.

Mercedes-Benz will hold the worldwide debut of a new production model, details of which are being withheld.

2008 Detroit Show Chinese Exhibitors Announced

Back in August, we informed you that five Chinese car manufactures would attend the 2008 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit (Jan. 13-27, 2008) without knowing however, the names of the carmakers. Today, NAIAS officials decided to spill the beans by releasing the names of the Chinese exhibitors –don’t wet your pants ok: Changfeng Motor Group, BYD Auto Co., Geely International Corporation, China America Cooperative Automotive, Inc./ZXNA (Chamco) and Li Shi Guang Ming Auto Design Co. While Changfeng and Geely have shown their merchandise in previous Detroit Show, BYD., Chamco and Li Shi Guang Ming will be making their first ever appearance.

"We are very excited to welcome these Chinese companies to Detroit," said Carl Galeana, NAIAS 2008 senior co-chairman. "With so much interest surrounding their products, we expect the thousands of industry executives and international media who attend our show will be eager to learn more about these companies first hand”, added Galeana.