Citroën Unloads First Official Photos of Tubik Concept Van [Updated]

Figures...just as we hit the post button on our previous article regarding Citroën's Frankfurt Motor Show surprise, the French carmaker dropped off the first official photos of its new concept model named Tubik.

As previously noted, the Tubik pays homage to the 1939 Tub van and its replacement, the 1948 Type H that was produced up until the beginning of the 1980s.

The Tubik serves as both a commercial van and a people carrier with the 4.8 meter long, 2.08m wide and 2.05m tall model providing comfortable space for nine passengers in three lounge-style seats, with the driver cocooned in a separated compartment.

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Citroën to Revive Tub Van with new Futuristic Concept in Frankfurt

A European motor show without some quirky futuristic concept from Citroën is like having creme brulee without the caramelized crisp sugar top layer. Fortunately, the French won't disappoint.

On Thursday, we shared with you a teaser video from Citroën foreshadowing the French firm's new concept study that will make its world premiere at this month's 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show.

Now, we've learned some more details including the type of vehicle which will be a futuristic looking van that doubles as a people carrier.

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Toyota Shatters Peugeot's Nürburgring Lap Time Record for EVs [Video]

When the Nürburgring track came into life, it was considered as one of the most dangerous tracks in the world –so much that it was even banned from the Formula 1 calendar. Then it became a demanding course for privateers to drive their cars and bikes, and for carmakers to test their new cars driving dynamics.

But in the past few years, the Nordschleife, as it's also named, has been transformed into a badge of honor and a true measurement of a car's abilities, with automakers announcing the best lap times achieved at the ‘Ring in a one-upmanship contest. Something, which was inevitably bound to cause disputes as with the Nissan's GT-R lap time.

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Honda Refreshes Insight Hybrid for 2012, CO2 Emissions Drops Below 100g/km

The upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show will see Honda revealing the 2012MY Insight hybrid alongside the European market 2012 Civic 5d hatchback. But for now, we get the first official photograph and initial information on the Japanese carmaker's Prius rival. Read more »

Russian Yo-Concept wants to Rock the Frankfurt Motor Show

One of the lesser known automakers from Russia, Yo-Auto, will participate at this month’s Frankfurt Motor Show with a new study, the (not so imaginatively named) Yo-Concept.

It is one of three hybrid models the Russian company is developing and has been designed in order to introduce the brand to the public and to preview its future products.

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Peugeot Details All-New 508 RXH Diesel-Electric Hybrid Crossover

The HX1 conceptual people-carrier may give us some ideas about Peugeot’s future, but at the present moment, the French brand's newest offering is the all-new 508 RXH, which is the third variant to be added to mid-size model's range after the sedan and the estate.

Although Peugeot had given us a first peek at the 508 RXH in July, the Frankfurt Motor Show will mark the crossover’s world premiere.

Based on the estate version of the 508, the RXH follows in the lines of the Audi Allroad and Volvo XC70 featuring a unique front end, flared wheel arches, and of course, higher-riding suspension along with 18-inch wheels and wider tracks.

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Frankfurt Show Preview: Peugeot’s HX1 Hybrid4 MPV Concept for Six

With the Frankfurt Motor Show just around the corner, Peugeot decided to release the first official photos of the HX1, a six-seater MPV concept propelled by a diesel-electric powertrain.

On the outside, the aerodynamically optimized HX1 (Cd 0.28) adopts the company’s new “floating” front grille that we've already seen on the 508.

One of the concepts unique features are the seven-spoke alloy wheels that resemble turbine blades when stationary, while when on the move, they open up to form a flat surface for better aerodynamic performance. For the same purpose, a spoiler and two side skirts fitted at the top of the tailgate deploy above 100 km/h (62 mph).

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Lexus Teases the New GS F-Sport and GS 450h Hybrid

We only just got our first taste of the next generation of Lexus's executive sedan with the presentation of the 2013 GS 350 at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance show in Monterey last week, but the Japanese automaker has already moved along and is now getting ready for the world premieres of the GS F-Sport and GS 450h. Read more »

Audi Reveals New A8 Hybrid with 2.0-liter Four-Pot, Sales Start in 2012

A little over a year after the presentation of its A8 Hybrid Concept at the 2010 edition of the Geneva Salon, Audi is introducing the final production version of its frugal four-cylinder limousine, which goes on sale in 2012.

Confirming our suspicions that the concept label was misleading, Audi made very few changes to the production model such as the smaller (18" instead of 21") but same design alloy wheels and the more conventional looking engine cover.

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2012 Toyota Camry: Officially Revealed, Pictured and Priced

It is finally here; the car many Americans love to hate buying, the brand-new, seventh-generation Toyota Camry, which was officially unveiled today ahead of its sales launch in States in the beginning of October.

If we wanted to highlight the most important features of the new 2012 Camry here's what we would go with: it's more powerful yet delivers better fuel efficiency, has a more upscale interior with higher quality materials, its styling is sharper but continues to be bland and will definitely not excite (on the other hand, it won't offend either), and finally, in some cases its priced lower than the outgoing model.

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Ford to Collaborate with Toyota on the Development of a New hybrid system for Light Truck and SUV

Ford and Toyota have put their rivalry away momentarily to combine forces for the development of a new "advanced" hybrid system for light truck and SUV customers. The two automakers signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the product development collaboration, in which they will be equal partners, with the formal agreement expected by next year. Read more »

SPIED: New, Evoque-Inspired 2013 Range Rover Hits the 'Ring

Only last week, we brought you spy pictures of the all-new 2012 Range Rover, but our man with the long lens has once again managed to capture the luxury 4x4, this time, in and out of the Nordschleife.

The company’s test drivers put the zebra-dressed Range Rover prototype through its paces to check out different suspension settings and evaluate its on-road high-speed behavior and agility.

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New Cadillac Ciel 4-door Convertible Concept Wows Pebble Beach Crowd [Photos + Video]

GM's Cadillac division is on a roll lately. After confirming the production of three new cars including the XTS large luxury saloon, the BMW 3-Series rivaling ATS compact sports sedan, and the ELR Coupe plug-in hybrid EV, Cadillac revealed an impressive new concept model called Ciel that looks into the future but winks at the past.

Named after the French word for sky, the Ciel is a large (5.174 mm or 203.7-in. in length) four-seat, four-door convertible with “suicide” rear doors and no B-pillar reminiscent of the 1961 Lincoln Continental convertible.

“Large, expressive luxury is innate to Cadillac and the Ciel recalls that heritage, while suggesting where the brand can go in the future,” said Clay Dean, global design director for Cadillac. “Authentic luxury is driven by experiences, not just products, and Ciel is about the experience of the journey.”

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2013 Lexus GS Officially Unveiled at the Pebble Beach Festival [47 Photos + Video]

Time is up for Lexus to pull the wraps off the third-generation GS luxury sedan that made its first outing today at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California.

Based on the LF-Gh concept we saw in New York, the new GS features much bolder lines that its predecessor. Key highlights include a prominent trapezoidal grille that the company says will be a trademark of all future models, deep-set headlamps with L-shaped LED daytime running lights and an aerodynamic body that brings to mind the smaller IS.

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Ferrari Boss Says No to Electric Models, Endorses Hybrid Tech

Electric vehicles are the new black. Most mainstream manufacturers either have or are currently developing an EV in order to promote their environmentally friendly profile and at the same time, reduce the average fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of their fleet to comply with stricter future regulations.

However, Ferrari’s president, Luca di Montezemolo begs to differ. And we are talking about the man responsible for transforming Maranello’s supercars from fragile and non-practical toys for the wealthy to the finest in their class, while also turning the Scuderia’s F1 fortunes around bringing home five consecutive world championships.

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New Cadillac ELR: GM Officially Confirms Production Version of Converj EV Coupe

Ever since GM displayed the Cadillac Converj at the 2009 Detroit Motor Show, rumors have swirled that a production model was under consideration. But we now have official confirmation that the pure electric Converj is indeed moving forward as a production car that will be named the Cadillac ELR.

“The concept generated instant enthusiasm,” said Don Butler, vice president-Cadillac Marketing. “Like other milestone Cadillac models of the past, the ELR will offer something not otherwise present – the combination of electric propulsion with striking design and the fun of luxury coupe driving.”

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Toyota Spent $1.2 Million Courting Washington Politicians in Q2 of 2011

Lobbying is a fact of political life in most democracies. And as with everything else, it isn’t for free: you can never get something for nothing, and the companies know that very well. So they are prepared to spend quite a lot of cash on lobbying the US House and Senate for laws and regulations that meet their needs.

How much? It depends. Toyota Motor Corp., for example, spent $1.29 million in the second quarter of 2011 lobbying on tax incentives for patent laws, alternative energy vehicles, fuel cells and other issues, according to a report filed on July 20 with the House clerk's office, and which was obtained by the media.

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Lexus Adds Optional F-Sport Package to 2012 CT 200h

Lexus’ fifth hybrid vehicle and second dedicated hybrid after the HS sedan, the CT 200h, is cruising into its second model year with a few minor updates, the most important of which is the U.S. introduction of the optional F-Sport Package.

Unveiled for the first time at the 2010 Sydney Motor Show in Australia before making its North American debut at last year's SEMA gathering, the F-Sport Package for the CT 200h adds a limited number of visual and performance goods.

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Report: GM Seriously Considering but has Not Yet Decided on Production of Cadillac Converj Coupe

When Cadillac unveiled its Converj concept at the Detroit Motor Show in 2009, it drew a lot of attention thanks to its cutting-edge styling and equally impressive hardware as it was powered by the firm's Voltec hybrid system that comprises of a 16 Kw, T-shaped battery pack and a four-cylinder gasoline engine range extender.

A production version would be a perfect “halo” car for the brand: stylish and at the same time eco-friendly.

Recently, word got out that Cadillac gave the green light for the production version of the Converj and that the company had awarded a production contract to A123 Systems for the development of the Nanophosphate lithium-ion batteries to be used in future electric vehicles.

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2013 Range Rover Spied Out in the Open wearing New Body

An all-new model will soon replace one of the oldest but undeniably, still one of the best-looking and most capable vehicles in the premium SUV segment, the Range Rover.

The upcoming Range Rover will be the fourth generation model following the original that was produced from 1970 to 1996, the second iteration that lasted from 1994 to 2001, and the current version that has been in production since 2002.

While the current model has the unique distinction of being developed by three different companies as it was planned and designed under the leadership of the BMW Group, updated by Ford when the latter bought Land Rover, and revised when the British company landed in the hands of India's Tata Motors, the fourth-gen Range Rover will be the work of Tata.

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