Kia keen to debut electric city car concept

COURTESY OF KIA`

A zero-emissions electric car, the Pop, in concept form at least, has room for three - two in the front and one in the back behind the passenger. It will debut at the Paris auto show next month.

John Leblanc

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

Korea’s Hyundai-Kia Motors is serious about contending with the largest automakers in the world.

And as part the Kia brand’s renewal that will see an all-new lineup by 2012, it has announced that a concept for a three-seat electric-powered city car will debut at the Paris auto show next month.

Taking design inspiration from this year’s Kia Ray electric coupe concept, Kia says the Pop concept will bring “innovative design and chic and dramatic styling to the city car segment.”

A zero-emissions electric car, the Pop, in concept form at least, wears a panoramic glass roof and what seems to be scissor doors

Shorter in length than the smallest model in Kia’s European lineup, the Picanto, the Pop is just 3,000 mm long (the same as the forthcoming, four-seat Scion iQ city car and 10 per cent longer than the existing two-seat Smart ForTwo), yet still has seating for two adults in the front and a single seat in the rear behind the front passenger.

Kia said it would release more details of the car at its launch in Paris on Sept. 30.

2012 Boss 302 will be hardcore, Ford says

The “302” moniker is hallowed ground at Ford, and now it’s back.

This relates to the cubic-inch displacement of the V8 used in the original 1969-’70 Boss 302, Ford’s Trans-Am entry of that era. The Boss 302 took on the likes of Chevrolet’s Camaro Z28, the Dodge Challenger, AMC Javelin and — of course — the Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am both on the street and the track.

And now with the reintroduction of a new 5.0-litre (i.e. 302 cu-in) V8 in the Mustang GT for the 2011 model year, Ford has announced an even higher performing 2012 Mustang Boss 302.

Staying true to its roots, Ford says the new Boss 302 will be a hardcore, track-ready car, able to break 1.0g in cornering grip, and lap a typical road course two seconds faster than the standard Mustang GT.

In fact, Ford claims the Boss 302 beat BMW’s M3 Coupe around California’s Infineson Raceway at Laguna Seca track.

Beyond the requisite Sixties-style exterior graphics, Ford has blessed the production Boss 302 with plenty of go-fast bits from its racing parts catalog, including an upgraded clutch, short-throw shifter, adjustable suspension and improved brakes.

A more powerful version of the GT’s 5.0-litre now makes 440 hp and 380 lb-ft torque. Inside, five kilograms of sound-deadening material has been removed and an Alcantara-covered steering wheel and Recaro high performance seats will be optional.

Expect Boss 302 pricing to be announced closer to its Spring 2011 on-sale date.

Two new Infiniti G series cars coming to Canada

Amid the various classic car events held is conjunction with this year’s Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance, Nissan’s premium Infiniti brand broke news about two new G series models coming to Canada.

Seemingly in direct response to BMW’s 323i sedan, Infiniti is launching its 2011 G25 Sedan — available in both rear- and all-wheel-drive — to join the existing G37 Sedan.

The $36,390 G25 will offer a smaller engine and less power than the 328 hp G37.

Like the entry level $34,900 BMW sedan, the Infiniti will come with a 2.5-litre six-cylinder. The G25 will come with 18 more horsepower than the 200 hp 323i, but 128 hp less than the $38,690 G37 Sedan.

Unlike the 323i, which is available with a six-speed manual transmission, the G25 will only be offered with a seven-speed automatic,

The second new Infiniti model is the first of what the brand says will be a new line of high-performance models.

Similar to rival in-house performance cars from BMW’s M division, Audi’s Quattro GmbH, and Mercedes-Benz’s AMG, Infiniti has announced the new Infiniti Performance Line. And its first creation is the 2012 348 hp.

Compared to a regular G37 Coupe, performance on the IPL G Coupe is up via a recalibrated engine management system, allowing the 3.7-liter V6 to rev higher (now 7,400 rpm from 7,000 rpm) and make 348 hp (an increase of 18 over the cooking G37 Coupe) and 276 lb-ft of torque (an additional 6 lb-ft).

Arriving in Canada in March 2011, the yet-to-be-priced rear-wheel-drive IPL G Coupe will sport many IPL-tuned features, including new front and rear fascias, 19-inch wheels and low-profile performance tires, high-flow exhaust, stiffer shocks and springs, “sport-tuned” steering gear, larger brakes, and limited-slip rear differential.

BMW to put Grand Coupe concept into production

It will have taken seven years, but with the decision to put its 6 Series-based Grand Coupe concept into production, Germany’s BMW has confirmed that it will finally have a competitor to rival Mercedes-Benz’s groundbreaking 2005 CLS “four-door coupe”

Despite having four doors (instead of a coupe’s traditional pair) and a solid B-pillar, Mercedes has had quite a bit of success with its CLS formula.

Compared to the traditionally-styled, five-passenger E Class sedan, customers have been more than happy to pay a premium for the more-stylish — yet less practical — four-passenger CLS, which will be launched as a second-generation model this fall.

The ‘Benz has had a big impact on the industry. Other automakers like Audi (the A7), Porsche (Panamera), Aston Martin (Rapide), and Volkswagen (Passat CC) have all come out with a “four-door coupe” of their own.

Even Hyundai claims its new Sonata has “four-door coupe” styling.

First seen as a concept at the Beijing auto show last April, the BMW Grand Coupe will launch in 2012, following the debut of the new two-door 6 Series coupe next year.

The new model’s mechanical bits will come from the new 6. Yet it’s still not decided whether the Grand Coupe will get a hybrid model, but BMW isn’t leaving out the possibility.

“We are in position to bring out an additional hybrid version since we are using the same powertrain architecture as the 5, 6 or 7 series,” the company’s development chief, Klaus Draeger, told Automotive News.

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