Subaru presents XV Concept at Shanghai

Subaru presented the XV Concept at the Shanghai Auto Show, which looks very similar to the rendering posted a few days ago (earlier post). Subaru hasn't revealed if it will head to production, but expect to see it in the showrooms in late 2012 or early 2013, although many nice features will not make into production. I have to admit that I have been so disappointed from the new Impreza (earlier post) and therefore, I don't pay much attention to the actual concepts presented by Subaru...

Merc's upcoming compact models

This post may seem a bit bizarre to many of you, but the compact car segment is a vital one for all manufacturers and especially for luxury brands, since they need strong sales in order to develop their bigger models. So, since I got a copy of the latest Auto Motor und Sport issue yesterday, which has some interesting renderings of Mercedes' new models, I thought it would be nice to share some photos with you.

Lexus has already introduced the CT (earlier post) and I spotted one today. I have to admit that I wasn't really impressed. There is nothing exciting about it at all...

Infiniti on the other hand is more promising with the ETHEREA concept (earlier post) and I believe their new compact model will stand out from the crown, although it won't be easy "stealing" customers from the top three German makes. 

Although the other two German luxury brands are preparing also their rivals, I consider the new Mercs being of a greater interest, since there is a completely new approach and 5 models (A-Class, B-Class, GLC, CLC and CLC Shooting Brake) will be introduced in total. I have to admit that Mercedes had a disappointing lineup for around 10 years, but this has started to change and I am really impressed with the new CLS, E-Class Coupe and SLK.

BMW will introduce the new 1-Series later this year and it will be slightly bigger than the current generation and in terms of design, expect to see an evolution of the current one. Although the new "1er" will certainly be a very nice car to drive, it will look similar to the previous one, plus BMW's interiors have ended up being boring since the same theme is applied over and over again...

In terms of the new Audi A3... don't expect anything great in terms of exterior design. I am big Audi fan, but all the latest models look the same.... A4, A5, A8 (A4 on steroids) etc. Even the new Q3 looks almost identical to the Q5. Nice LEDs though...

Nissan to unveil LEAF NISMO RC

Nissan will unveil the LEAF NISMO RC at the New York Auto Show, which doesn't have much in common with the production model. It uses a Li-Ion battery pack and it uses a carbon fibre monocoque platform, making it 40% lighter than the production model. The concept will be used for demonstration purposes only.

How the next-gen Toyota Corolla should not look like...

Back in February BC published a very nice rendering of the next-gen Corolla (earlier post) and I was really happy seeing Toyota coming back from the dead.... but this latest rendering worries me a lot!!! It looks like eeeer.... a typical Toyota and this is very wrong. I guess we will have to wait until January 2012 to find out.

Scion FT-86 concept to be unveiled at New York

So, now it's official. The FT-86 will be sold as a Scion in the States.

All-new Nissan Murano coming in 2013

The next-gen Nissan Murano is scheduled for 2013 and this is an impression of how it may look like. Mitsubishi is also working on the Pajero (aka Shogun) replacement, which is though not a direct competitor.

Latest info about new Toyota Prius C

Back in January, both BC and Mag-X provided some early info about the upcoming Toyota Prius C (earlier post) and now it's time for another rendering, which is the latest impression by Best Car. According to the article, its price is expected to be around ¥ 1,500,000 and it will achieve a fuel efficiency of 44.0 km/L (10.15 mode - 40.0 km/L under the JC08 cycle). The Prius C is expected to be launched in 2012.

Lexus LF-Gh reveiled!

This is Lexus' latest concept and it is a preview of the next-gen GS. The concept provides also a glimpse of the future design direction, which is an evolution of L-finesses philosophy. According to Lexus, the front end design incorporates a spindle-shaped grille contributing to efficient aerodynamics and radiator and brake duct operation. It is a key feature that will be inherited by future Lexus models.