Sport Utility Vehicles : SUV

The next-generation 2014 Subaru Forester will be more fuel efficient than today’s model according to the company.

A 2.5-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder serves as the base engine in the 2014 Forester, which delivers 170 hp and 174 lb-ft of torque. Buyers craving for a little more spice in their drive can opt for a 2.0-liter turbocharged boxer that belts out 250 horsepower with 258 lb-ft of twist. Available transmissions include a new six-speed manual or an optional CVT.

According to Subaru the vehicle will have more interior space than the outgoing model, but the exterior dimensions like wheelbase, width and length will be very similar to today’s version.

The brand-new Forester formally debuts at the Los Angeles Auto Show later this month. Pricing and fuel economy numbers have not been shared but the current model starts at a little less than $22,000 including destination and delivery charges. It returns up to 27 miles per gallon on the highway.

Look for the 2014 Forester at Subaru dealerships around the end of the year.

[Source: Automotive News]

Maserati is letting a few more details out of the bag in regards to its upcoming sedan and the brand’s first SUV.   A Maserati SUV was rumored to be called the Kubang, but new information today indicates that the actual name will be the Maserati Levante. The Levante should hit production in 2014, and will be made in the US thanks to Maserati’s ties with Fiat and Chrysler. The Levante will share the underpinnings of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. In addition, Maserati has also unveiled plans for a new E-Class fighting sedan, named the Ghibli. The Ghibli is a four-door sedan which is going to make its debut next spring at either the Geneva or Shanghai auto show. The Ghibli should be smaller in size to the Maserati Quattroporte, which will continue to be the brand’s flagship sedan. The Quattroporte will be redesigned and revealed at the Detroit auto show in January. Both the Quattroporte and Ghibli are expected to be produced in Italy.Rich Text AreaToolbarBold (Ctrl / Alt + Shift + B)Italic (Ctrl / Alt + Shift + I)Strikethrough (Alt + Shift + D)Unordered list (Alt + Shift + U)Ordered list (Alt + Shift + O)Blockquote (Alt + Shift + Q)Align Left (Alt + Shift + L)Align Center (Alt + Shift + C)Align Right (Alt + Shift + R)Insert/edit link (Alt + Shift + A)Unlink (Alt + Shift + S)Insert More Tag (Alt + Shift + T)Toggle spellchecker (Alt + Shift + N)▼ Toggle fullscreen mode (Alt + Shift + G)Show/Hide Kitchen Sink (Alt + Shift + Z) FormatFormat▼ UnderlineAlign Full (Alt + Shift + J)Select text color▼ Paste as Plain TextPaste from WordRemove formattingInsert custom characterOutdentIndentUndo (Ctrl + Z)Redo (Ctrl + Y)Help (Alt + Shift + H) Maserati is letting a few more details out of the bag in regards to its upcoming sedan and the brand’s first SUV. A Maserati SUV was rumored to be called the Kubang, but new information today indicates that the actual name will be the Maserati Levante. The Levante should hit production in 2014, and will be made in the US thanks to Maserati’s ties with Fiat and Chrysler. The Levante will share the underpinnings of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. In addition, Maserati has also unveiled plans for a new E-Class fighting sedan, named the Ghibli. The Ghibli is a four-door sedan which is going to make its debut next spring at either the Geneva or Shanghai auto show. The Ghibli should be smaller in size to the Maserati Quattroporte, which will continue to be the brand’s flagship sedan. The Quattroporte will be redesigned and revealed at the Detroit auto show in January. Both the Quattroporte and Ghibli are expected to be produced in Italy. Path:

Audi is bringing its Crosslane Coupé concept to Paris this week in a move that recent reports suggest will confirm its intent to sell a Q2 compact SUV soon.

Expected to launch in 2015, the rugged little car will be built on the A1 platform and set to compete with the MINI Countryman.

Sitting below the Q3 in Audi’s lineup the vehicle will be larger than the three-door A3. The Crosslane Coupé will act as a preview for the Q2, but much of its design will likely be cut for actual production.

Among those changes, the final product is expected to be a five-door model with four seats and a higher roof line to improve its everyday appeal.

Expect it to look more like a crunched down Q3 with less ground clearance and a shorter wheel base. That’s because much like the rest of Audi and Volkswagen’s new products, it rides on the automaker’s MQB platform.

In other words, the little SUV will be based on the same architecture as the 2014 Golf and 2013 A3, which explains the similarities.

A final decision on the Q2 has yet to be passed down from Audi’s executives, but with plans for it to launch in 2015, those words should filter down soon.

[Source: AutoCar]

Rolls-Royce, BMW’s ultra luxury brand, is reportedly considering the possibility of building an SUV.

Despite that, it seems hesitant at best to venture down the same controversial path as Bentley did last March in Geneva when it unveiled the EXP 9 F (seen above) to a crowd of pucker-faced journalists.

Earlier this week, recently appointed Rolls-Royce board member Harald Kreuger discussed the brand’s plans for expansion which include going beyond its current Phantom and Ghost models.

Doing so could be a risky play for the brand. It was only earlier this year that Daimler decided to shutter its Maybach brand because of poor sales. While Rolls-Royce and Bentley are sustaining themselves, largely because of strong demand in the Chinese market, the cost associated with developing a new car would be immense.

Big research and development spending is hardly out of the ordinary for any car company, but pulling the trigger on making a new model that would never expect to see high volume sales is very risky.

The company is also working on offering coupe and convertible versions of its smaller Ghost sedan as well as expanding the limited edition models it offers.

[Source: Inside Line]

Earlier this month, the 2013 Range Rover officially debuted with the announcement of a diesel hybrid variant coming later in the year. It’s now been confirmed that America won’t be seeing the diesel hybrid, at least not anytime soon.

Out in Europe however, interested customers will be able to purchase the 3.0-liter turbo-diesel V6 model that’s mated to a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission. On the European test cycle, the British automaker estimates a 45-mpg combined for the model, but remember that Europe uses Imperial gallons.

The reason why the model won’t be coming to America is due to the amount of work and investment Land Rover would have to put in to make the diesel hybrid ready to meet stricter US emissions standards. Americans will get to choose between a naturally aspirated or a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 motor mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The EPA hasn’t released its figures on the 2013 Range Rover yet, but it’s expected to see vast improvements in fuel efficiency thanks to the new transmission and aluminum body.

Those few that are interested in America in a diesel hybrid variant don’t have to give up all hope just yet. The new European standards are coming, and when they do, automakers will have to change their vehicles in order to meet them. When the new standards hit the Range Rover, it may become legal here in the States.

Either way, one thing is clear: the hybridization of vehicles is well on its way.

[Source: Automobile Mag]

The 2013 Range Rover debuted today along with the announcement of a diesel hybrid version to come later in 2013.

“This outstanding new Range Rover symbolises our commitment to investing in Britain and exporting around the world, delivering class-leading performance, agility, quality and luxury in a model that enjoys iconic status in almost every market,” Jaguar Land Rover CEO Ralf Speth said.

Land Rover managed to shed approximately 700 lbs in the American spec V8 model. It achieved this by switching the vehicle to an aluminum monocoque body and by implementing a host of aluminum suspension components. Doing so made the new Range Rover the world’s first SUV to feature such a body. Aside from the suspension, Land Rover will also sell the car with a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission, ditching the previous six-speed model.

Furthermore, the car’s unibody is pressed as a single panel, reducing the number of joints and improving the vehicle’s structural integrity.

“Through a £370 million ($590 million) investment in our manufacturing facilities we have been able to build the world’s first SUV with lightweight all-aluminium construction, a car that is 20 percent lighter, with fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions reduced by 22 percent,” Speth said.

Apart from being the world’s first SUV with such a body, the car is also made of up to 75 percent recycled aluminum and uses high-strength AC300 aluminum within the crash structure – another automotive industry first.

Land Rover’s engineers also redesigned its four corner air suspension to improve both ride and handling. For example, the system will now be able to automatically adjust itself for appropriate suspension calibration depending on the car’s present environment.

Furthermore, the car also gains 4.7 inches of rear seat legroom and customers will be able to opt for rear bucket seats and a second center console. Design cues, both inside and out, come from the wildly popular Evoque. That’s evident in the car’s exterior styling, but also in the 12.3-inch LCD display seen in the main center console.

As for the diesel hybrid model, it won’t be hitting the U.S. market any time soon. Don’t look for it next week during the Range Rover’s American premier on September 13 either. That’s because the truck doesn’t meet emissions standards, and isn’t likely to until the European rules are tightened in 2015 when Land Rover will need to make those revisions anyway.

Still, it shouldn’t stop you from dreaming. The hybridized version is said to get 37 mpg on the U.S. cycle and uses the electric portion of its drivetrain like a supercharger under hard acceleration. That means it will sprint from 0-60 mph in 7 seconds, only half a second shorter than the 5.0-liter V8-equipped model. Land Rover says the SUV stays true to the gasoline version’s handling dynamics despite carrying around heavy hybrid luggage.

GALLERY: 2013 Range Rover