Hatchbacks
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Just over a week ago, reports that BMW was considering a front-wheel drive joint platform for its small cars, to be shared with MINI, emerged on the web. Today, BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer confirmed the reports, stating outright, "There will be front-wheel-drive BMWs in the smaller vehicle classes in the future." The front-wheel-drive models will also likely have all-wheel-drive variants, but purists will no doubt decry the move from the purity of a rear-drive standard. The new vehicles will inhabit the smaller ranges of BMW's lineup, meaning most likely the sub-1-Series car we previewed in...
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Valmet Eva EV debuting at 2010 Geneva auto showIndependent vehicle manufacturer Valmet will be showing off a new concept car previewing an all-electric hatchback at next month’s 2010 Geneva Motor Show, which the company eventually plans to produce. If the Valmet name sounds familiar that’s because it’s the Finnish company...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2011 Audi A1 renderedWe've known since at least September--when the A1 and A8 skipped the Frankfurt Auto Show--that Audi is considering the A1 compact for the United States. A recent report out of Germany even says the car may do without all-wheel drive throughout the lineup to save on weight and production costs...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Chinese Buick Excelle XT Previews Cruze-Based Sedan For U.S.The next small addition to the Buick lineup was previewed with an unveiling in China last week.
Nelson Ireson -
Rally Edition MINI Clubman S Headed To U.S.Look for delivers to start in October, with prices starting at $32,999.
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Mitsubishi prices 2010 Lancer Sportback Ralliart from $27,590With Subaru's defection from sedan to hatch-only status for the WRX STI, some fans lost their love for the rally-bred monster and started eying the heretic's choice: the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X. But fans of the Lancer have so far been stuck with the opposite problem: no hatchback. That...
Nelson Ireson -
There's the Tesla Roadster and several three-wheeled electric vehicles for sale, but so far getting a purely electric-powered car to production with a standard car's features at a price the general public can afford has eluded the industry. Until the Nissan LEAF, that is. Or at least that's the story Nissan is pitching. Due for launch in the U.S., Japan and Europe by late 2010, the LEAF guarantees a range of over 100mi (160km) on a charge in a practical mid-size hatchback bodystyle. Nissan says that 100mi range is enough to satisfy the daily needs of 70% of the drivers in the world. "Our car...
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Audi A5 Sportback set for 2009 Frankfurt Auto ShowAudi will be releasing a host of models in coming years to expand into new segments as it attempts to topple BMW and Mercedes-Benz in the quest to sell more than a 1.5 million vehicles by 2015. Some of the cars in the pipeline include the A1 premium hatch, A7 four-door coupe and a Sportback version...
James Martinez -
2010 BMW 5-Series GT May Replace Wagon in U.S.BMW's controversially styled new 5-Series GT will be heading to U.S. showrooms later this year. When it does, it could take the place of the current 5-Series Wagon altogether. According to BMW's Martin Birkmann, head of product planning, "it's possible" that the hatchback 5-Series could be the...
Nelson Ireson -
Mini sells 1.5 millionth new generation modelJust weeks after celebrating Mini’s 50th birthday, another milestone was reached today as the 1.5 millionth car rolled off the Oxford production line, since the launch of the new generation Mini back in 2001. BMW CEO Ian Robertson as well as British politician Ian Lucas were on hand to see...
Kenneth Hall -
BMW confirms plans for 3-Series GTBMW has just taken the wraps off its new 5-series GT, which goes on sale early next year and shares its design with the next-generation 5-series sedan, also due next year. The concept of the vehicle has proven so popular – at least to BMW’s management - that a smaller version based on...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Opel shows off interior for new AstraAfter months of previews, teasers and small official photos, the 2010 Opel (Vauxhall) Astra has finally been let out of the bag. The hatch has been revealed in high-res photos and for the first time we get a look at the upcoming car’s stylish new interior. The new Astra is crucial for Opel as...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Moving up in the automotive world is a difficult task, whether it's Acura trying to reach tier 1 luxury status or Hyundai-Kia seeking recognition as a globally competitive carmaker. Citroën has faced its own difficulties in recent years, producing products that outstrip the brand's reputation. The French carmaker recently unveiled a new concept car named after its legendary DS that previews a future range of upmarket vehicles that will help kick off the transformation into a “near-premium” brand. The concept was the compact DS Inside, which was first displayed back in March...
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Mini celebrates 50 years with special Beatles ‘Magical Mystery Tour' Cooper SMini is resurrecting one of its most famous models, a car that once belonged to Beatles member George Harrison. Decked out in psychedelic paintings, the legendary Beatle Mini Cooper appeared in the rock group’s 'Magical Mystery Tour', and now Mini is dedicating a reinterpretation of...
Jeremy Weber -
Mini celebrates 50 years of production at UK's Oxford plantTomorrow, May 8, 2009, marks 50 years to the day since the first Mini rolled off the production line at Plant Oxford, formerly known as Cowley. It's been a long and winding road for the British icon, but the Mini has made it through half a century of nearly continuous production despite passing...
Kenneth Hall -
Kia Prices All-New 2010 Soul HatchbackKia the recent Los Angeles Auto Show to display the North American version of its new Soul hatch, which is now on sale in the U.S. as a 2010 model. Pricing for the car leaked on several internet forums late last year, and now Kia has made it official, revealing that the stylish hatch will be...
James Martinez -
New Volkswagen Polo debuts at 2009 Geneva auto showIn January, Volkswagen development chief Ulrich Hackenburg explained to reporters at the Detroit Auto Show that the small car segment in the United States is likely to surge in the coming years, and that his company was intent on taking advantage of that growth. Already confirmed is the Mark VI...
James Martinez -
Toyota to add 1.3L four to iQ lineup at Geneva Motor ShowThe 2009 Geneva Motor Show will play host to a wide range of concepts and production vehicles, from speedy supercars to family sedans and even raw engine technologies. One of Toyota's additions to the show will be a new variant of the iQ, powered by a peppy 1.3L gasoline four-cylinder. The current...
Alex Kaufmann -
Talk of the revival of the Topolino nameplate has been circulating for nearly a year, and in April Fiat took a positive step in the process of building a new B-segment car by buying a former Zastava plant in Serbia, and now new details reveal that the new car will be targeting newcomers like the Toyota iQ and Volkswagen Up!. A range of small cars are expected to be spawned under the Topolino banner, starting with a compact two-seater that mimics the layout of the original. A four-seater is expected to follow, along with the possibility of an up-market premium model, though that car would be...
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Technical details for Mini E electric HardtopMini has released the full technical details for the all-electric version of its two-door Cooper hatch, which is set to be delivered in an initial batch of 500 examples to customers in the United States later this year. BMW is using its Mini brand to test the waters with its electric powertrain...
Alex Kaufmann -
General Motors looking at hatch and wagon variants for CruzeDespite the economic reality that smaller cars may end up costing their owners as much as larger cars, the small and mid-size segment is an incredibly important volume leader, and the Chevrolet Cruze is shaping up to be General Motors' prime entrant. As the Cruze progresses through its lifecycle...
Nelson Ireson -
Alfa Romeo MiTo Officially UnveiledAlfa Romeo's MiTo hatch has been turning heads for months since several photos of the car leaked ahead of the official reveal. Today the final specifications and a host of new pictures have come out, though U.S. fans will have to wait a bit longer to find out if the model will be coming their way...
Nelson Ireson -
Ford Fiesta 5-door debuts in GenevaFollowing the reveal of the three-door Fiesta hatch last month, Ford Motor Company [NYSE:F] has introduced the new five-door version of the car at the Geneva Motor Show today. Both variants share the same dimensions and will arrive in showrooms in Western Europe in the second half of the year. The...
Alex Kaufmann -
VW's Up! concept: The Beetle legacy continuesVolkswagen looks to be returning to its roots with the recently unmasked up! concept. A rear-engined, three-door, four-seat city car, the up! evokes many of the key design elements and emotions of the original Beetle. A unique feature of the concept is the collapsible/removable seating. Every seat...
Nelson Ireson