Porsche has released photos and information on the Cayenne facelift, and as expected, the front of the vehicle gets most of the changes, with the rear end getting a few mild touch ups. The new front clip does more to separate the base V6 model from its top-of-the-range sibling, eschewing the old Turbo styling cues with fewer gapping air ducts and turn signal indicators being pushed to the outside of the air dams. Moving up into the range, the new triangular headlamps remain on the Turbo model, but the turn signals go horizontal, a la Cayman and Turbo, the air intakes open wider and a duo of power streaks flank the hood on both edges. The old 3.2-litre V6 has been nixed in favour of the 3.6-litre V6 found in the new Touareg, producing 290 HP in the base model.
No plans for Ferrari Dino
At last year's L A Auto Show, Ferrari vice
managing director Amedeo Felisa stated there's not a modern-day Dino or any other ‘entry-level’ Ferrari under development and asked the media to discontinue reporting there would be. Now, Ferrari chief Luca di Montezemolo has emphatically confirmed the same. There's a definite pecking order to Fiat's automotive line up. Ferrari is at the top of it, and will remain so. The marque sells every car it can build, limits production to maintain exclusivity, and some models have waiting lists of up to two years. So there's little incentive to launch a less-expensive, volume model, as Ferrari neither wants nor needs to boost its production numbers. Besides, keeping Ferrari as the ultimate aspirational brand – and in the US$200,000-and-up price range-leaves plenty of expansion room for Maserati and Alfa Romeo.
Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
When the 2009 Mercedes-Benz GLK debuts next year, it will slot below the ML-Class SUV in the line up in both size and price. Expected to go heads up with other small luxury SUVs like the BMW X3 and Land Rover LR2, the GLK will most likely ride on the same platform as the redesigned C-Class sedan. Expect to see the same line up of engines as well, including the latest version of Mercedes' 4Motion all-wheel drive system. Look for an auto show debut early next year with sales starting in the fall of 2008. Engines likely will be the 231-horsepower, 3.0-litre and 268-horse 3.5 V-6s. A 3.0-litre Bluetec diesel would seem obvious, though Merc so far has no plans to bring that engine in the C-Class sedan.
BMW X6
The arrival of the new X6 means that the Bavarian
manufacturer will soon have a three-strong line up of 4x4s. Not that any of them are mud-tackling 4x4s in the truest sense, and the X6 will be BMW’s most road-oriented SUV so far. Or rather SAC, as BMW is bringing a new acronym to the market with its Sports Activity Coupe. The X6 has sprung from BMW's RFK SportVan initiative and has cropped up in recent spy photographs. It's an X5 with a fast coupe-like roofline. That kind of product indicates BMW is on the cutting edge of exploring new types of aspirational lifestyle models, in this case a tall, all-weather-capable crossover with BMW ride and handling and closed-coupe interior space.
Volkswagen Tiguan
The compact SUV category gains another entry for 2008 with the introduction of Volkswagen’s Tiguan concept at the L A Auto show. The Golf/Rabbit-based concept is pretty close to the real thing according to VW insiders, and will host a wide range of powertrain combinations. The Tiguan concept features VW's new 2-litre clean diesel four. The 200-horsepower, 2.0-litre FSI four and 250-horsepower, 3.2-litre FSI VR6 are likely engine options. While the Golf-based 2008 Tiguan must be less luxurious than the Touareg to be competitive, VW says it has similar on- and off-road capabilities. And it has seating for five. On sale in Europe late this year, the US will have to wait until early 2008.
Rossiter to take charge at Lear
Lear Corp has announced that president Doug DelGrosso is leaving the company ‘to pursue other opportunities’. CEO Bob Rossiter is taking direct control of the automotive seating and electronics company's global operations and will add the position of president to his title. Rossiter had became the CEO in 2000. The change in Lear's executive ranks comes a month after Lear shareholders rejected a management-backed buy out offer from stockholder Carl Icahn to take the supplier private.
Did you know?
Duryea Brothers founded America's first company to manufacture and sell gasoline-powered vehicles.
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