William Maley

Consider Audi's plan for the A3 lineup in the U.S. There will be the A3 Sedan, S3 Sedan, A3 Cabriolet, a TDI version of the sedan, and A3 Sportback e-tron, which is the gasoline-electric hybrid. Pretty large lineup to say in the least? Well you can add another one as the company announced that the A3 Sportback TDI will becoming to the U.S. next summer at the New York Auto Show today. The A3 Sportback TDI will come with a new 2.0L TDI four-cylinder with 150 horsepower, paired with a six-speed S-Tronic dual-clutch automatic. Front-wheel drive is standard, but there is no mention if Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system will be available. Much like the sedan, the Sportback TDI will be available with a number of technology options such as Audi’s MMI infotainment system, Audi drive select, 4G LTE, and a Bang & Olufsen audio system. “The A3 TDI Sportback has an incredibly passionate and loyal fan base, this new version has been one of our most requested models since the announcement of the new A3 family. This new A3 TDI Sportback combines excellent fuel economy with advanced technology and utility and will make a stunning addition to the already impressive A3 family,” said Scott Keogh, President of Audi of America. Audi is keeping quiet on pricing and fuel economy for the A3 Sportback TDI for the time being. Source: Audi Press Release is on Page 2 Audi introduces the all-new Audi A3 TDI Sportback The decision to bring the Audi A3 Sportback TDI® clean diesel to the U.S. market follows an outpouring of enthusiasts’ support The newest model will arrive in 2015 to join the aggressive Audi push to expand the compact luxury segment The A3 TDI Sportback will join the A3 e-tron Sportback to provide a range of efficiency choices in a versatile design HERNDON, Va., April 16, 2014 – Fans have spoken and Audi is responding with the all-new Audi A3 TDI Sportback set to arrive in the U.S. in the summer of 2015. The A3 TDI Sportback is the latest model to join the newly launched Audi A3 family and the expanded model lineup of Audi TDI models. It will make its U.S. debut at the New York International Auto Show on April 16th. The A3 TDI Sportback is a premium, compact hatchback that pairs fuel efficiency and coupe-like looks with the utility of a crossover. Its quality engineering and advanced features offer ideal performance and functionality along with advanced technology and driving dynamics. “The A3 TDI Sportback has an incredibly passionate and loyal fan base, this new version has been one of our most requested models since the announcement of the new A3 family,” said Scott Keogh, President, Audi of America. “This new A3 TDI Sportback combines excellent fuel economy with advanced technology and utility and will make a stunning addition to the already impressive A3 family.” The A3 TDI Sportback will join the newly launched all-new A3 family, which will be introduced over the next 18 months – the Audi A3 Sedan, Audi A3 Cabriolet, A3 TDI clean diesel sedan, the high-performance S3 Sedan and the A3 Sportback e-tron® gasoline electric hybrid (PHEV). These vehicles are redefining the standards of the entry level premium market with new innovative technologies and the detailed craftsmanship found in larger flagship Audi sedans. In addition to advanced technology, the Audi A3 TDI Sportback will offer the consumer the fuel efficiency of the iconic Audi TDI clean diesel powertrain. This will include a 150 horsepower 2.0 TDI® clean diesel mated to the standard 6-speed S tronic® transmission. This transmission provides the driver immense shifting flexibility and driving pleasure with smooth, dynamic acceleration and virtually no interruption to the power flow. Audi has now answered with two sportback options, the A3 e-tron PHEV and the newly announced A3 TDI. When these two models reach the market next year Audi will have a compelling green narrative in the versatile sportback packaging. One choice for eco-conscious drivers facing a typical American commute, another for those with longer daily hauls who require the superb range TDI offers. The A3 marks the first time that an A-segment vehicle will offer available features including MMI® technology, Audi drive select, 4G LTE connectivity and Bang & Olufsen® audio. The new A3 family will feature the most advanced version of Audi connect®, including picture navigation, read-aloud news headlines, Facebook® and Twitter® alerts, access to more than 7,000 Web radio stations, personalized RSS news feeds and more. View full article

Well there is the Jeep Renegade and Honda's which is rumored to be named HR-V.. I would not be surprised if we see more announcements/rumors in the coming months.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A GREAT SHOW!

At last, we finally know the last showing from Chevrolet for the New York Auto Show and it's the announcement of the Trax coming to the U.S. early next year. Now the Trax has been on sale in other countries for the past couple of years, and some were clamoring GM to sell it here. We're guessing that the success of the Buick Encore and the growing marketplace of subcompact SUVs made GM reconsider this. “Trax offers customers another option in the Chevrolet family and will be a strong competitor in the emerging small-SUV market, which is expected to grow more than 80 percent by 2016. Trax also leverages our global resources and builds on Chevrolet’s strong SUV heritage,” said Alan Batey, General Motors senior vice president for Global Chevrolet. The U.S. model will feature the 1.4L turbocharged four-cylinder and have front-wheel drive standard. All-wheel drive will be on the options list. Other items to take note are the availability of OnStar 4G LTE and and a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot. Source: Chevrolet Press Release is on Page 2 Chevrolet Adds Trax to Growing Small-Vehicle Lineup Global small SUV arrives stateside, offering versatility, connectivity and efficiency NEW YORK – At the New York International Auto Show today, Chevrolet announced it will add the Trax, a new small SUV, to its portfolio. The 2015 Trax will offer versatility, connectivity and turbocharged performance in an efficient package. Sporty and modern, Trax blends small-car agility with the utility of an SUV, including up to 48.4 cubic feet (1,371 liters) of cargo space. It’s Chevrolet’s seventh small-vehicle launch in less than four years. During that time, the brand’s share of the small-, compact- and mini-car segments has more than tripled – up 221 percent. “Trax offers customers another option in the Chevrolet family and will be a strong competitor in the emerging small-SUV market, which is expected to grow more than 80 percent by 2016,” said Alan Batey, General Motors senior vice president, Global Chevrolet. “Trax also leverages our global resources and builds on Chevrolet’s strong SUV heritage.” When it arrives in dealer showrooms early next year, Trax will accommodate customers’ increasingly connected lifestyles with available OnStar 4G LTE and built-in Wi-Fi hotspot, as well as MyLink technology featuring the segment’s only seven-inch color touch screen. Trax also will be the first in its class to offer Siri Eyes Free. Trax technologies also enhance passenger safety, with more standard air bags than its competitors, a standard rearview camera and available rear park assist. Additional vehicle highlights include: Ecotec 1.4L turbocharged engine that delivers the efficiency of a small-displacement engine with the power of a larger engine on demand Available all-wheel drive Electric power steering Available next-generation OnStar and MyLink Ten standard air bags, including side-curtain and knee air bags – and the segment’s only rear seat-mounted thorax air bags Clever and convenient storage areas, including upper and lower glove boxes – with a USB port and auxiliary jack in the upper glove box for plug-in media 60/40-split fold-flat rear seat and fold-down front passenger seatback for storing and transporting items up to eight feet long Standard remote keyless entry and available remote start. Trax will be offered in LS, LT and LTZ trims. Pricing will be announced closer to the start of production. A Chevy inside and out With its signature dual-port grille, prominent bowtie emblem and swept headlamps, the Trax is immediately identifiable as a contemporary Chevrolet. Its grille design – with chrome accents – emulates other Chevrolets and provides a more cohesive appearance across the brand’s lineup of crossovers and small cars. Available cues such as front fog lamps and simulated front and rear skid plates lend a sportier presence, while vertical tail lamps flank the tailgate, accenting taught body lines and pronounced wheel arches that give the Trax a confident stance. The 10 exterior are: Brilliant Blue Metallic, Orange Rock Metallic, Satin Steel Metallic, White Pearl Tricoat, Black Granite Metallic, Summit White, Silver Ice Metallic, Ruby Red Metallic, Deep Espresso Metallic and Blaze Red. Inside, Trax’s distinctive styling carries over to a dual-cockpit instrument panel. In the center, it houses a seven-inch, high-resolution, full-color display for the standard MyLink voice-activated infotainment system. It also features displays for available SiriusXM satellite radio and standard rearview camera, as well as the available GPS-enabled app navigation system that customers can download. The instrument cluster is inspired by the bold design in the Sonic, featuring a large, performance-style analog tachometer combined with a prominent digital display for the speedometer and other readouts. A small-diameter, thick-rimmed steering wheel enhances the sporty ambience. The wheel is leather-wrapped on LTZ and some LT models. LS models feature standard cloth seating, with deluxe cloth standard on LT, along with an available cloth/leatherette seating trim. LTZ models feature standard full leatherette trim. Interior colors are Jet Black, Jet Black/Light Titanium and Jet Black/Brownstone. For versatility, the 60/40 flat-folding rear seat features a fold-down armrest with cup holders, storage in all four doors, four bins in the dash, pockets in the seatbacks and bins under the rear load floor and a hidden storage drawer under the front passenger seat. It also offers 18.7 cubic feet (530 liters) of storage behind the split-folding rear seat and 48.4 cubic feet (1,371 liters) with the rear seat folded. The front passenger seat also folds flat to extend the cargo length and accommodate items up to eight feet long. Connectivity and infotainment details Available Siri Eyes Free for iPhone iOS 6 and iOS 7 users enhances connectivity and convenience. Each enables voice-controlled connectivity so customers can keep phones stored and their hands on the wheel. Additional standard and available features include: Seven-inch-diagonal color touch screen and additional USB ports Available Chevrolet connected by OnStar 4G LTE with built-in Wi-Fi hotspot Available next-generation OnStar and MyLink Available BringGo navigation app Available SiriusXM Satellite Radio (with three months of trial service), SiriusXM Travel Link and SiriusXM Tune Select (requires XM subscription) · Supports playback of MP3 files stored on USB flash memory drives. With Chevrolet’s connected by OnStar 4G LTE connection, Trax provides an available Wi-Fi hotspot that allows passengers to connect multiple personal devices such as smartphones, laptops and tablets, to high-speed wireless Internet. Turbocharged performance Trax is powered by a power-dense Ecotec 1.4L turbocharged four-cylinder engine backed by an efficiency-enhancing six-speed automatic transmission. The engine is expected to be rated at an SAE-certified 138 horsepower (102 kW) and 148 lb-ft of torque (200 Nm) between 1,850 and 4,900 rpm. The wide rpm range for the maximum torque – a specific trait of turbocharged engines – helps it deliver a more confident driving experience, with a strong feeling of power across the rpm band. The turbocharger’s on-demand performance also contributes to efficiency because it enables greater power when needed with the lower fuel consumption of a small-displacement engine when it’s not. The turbocharger is integrated within the exhaust manifold, for reduced weight and greater packaging flexibility. A solid cast crankshaft and forged connecting rods deliver additional durability to support the engine’s pressurized power and torque. A Hydra-Matic 6T40 six-speed automatic transmission with TAPShift control is matched with the 1.4L turbo engine. It has a unique design, with the planetary gearsets positioned on the same axis as the engine crankshaft centerline, making the entire powertrain unit shorter fore-to-aft. This design enables a shorter overall vehicle length, increased interior space, enhanced safety crush zones and lower weight. A “steep” first gear and a “tall” overdrive top gear to achieve a wide ratio spread of 6.14:1. This allows Trax to achieve robust acceleration, as well as fuel efficiency and lower engine noise at highway cruising speeds. Refined ride and handling Trax is built on a robust global platform and engineered with precise suspension tuning to deliver one of the segment’s quietest and most refined driving experiences. Available all-wheel drive seamlessly shifts power to the rear wheels when required for better traction and handling. A 100.6-inch (2,555 mm) wheelbase and wide stance – 60.6-inch (1,539 mm) front and rear tracks – contribute to a confident driving experience, while a strong structure enables greater suspension precision and a quiet ride. A MacPherson strut front suspension is used with coil springs, a large stabilizer bar and side-load-compensated front strut modules. The rear suspension incorporates a compound crank (torsion beam) design, with a double-wall, tubular V-shape beam profile with gas-charged twin-tube shocks. It combines all the advantages of a conventional torsion beam axle, including minimal space requirements, with low weight and consistent camber control. Noise-damping urethane spring isolators improve ride isolation and dampen noise. Trax also features a column-mounted, variable-effort electric power steering system that saves fuel compared to a conventional engine-driven power steering pump. Sixteen-inch wheels are standard on LS and LT (aluminum wheels on LT). LTZ has standard 18-inch aluminum wheels. Built to protect Trax incorporates technologies that help avoid crashes and protect occupants in case one occurs. Crash-avoidance technologies include: Standard rearview camera Standard StabiliTrak electronic stability control, incorporating traction control and rollover mitigation features ABS and electronic brake force distribution Cornering brake control and brake assist The body structure forms a protective cage around the passenger compartment, with 66 percent of the structure composed of high-strength steels, including ultra-high-strength steel. That structural protection is complemented with 10 standard air bags: Driver and front passenger frontal air bags Driver and front passenger knee air bags Front and rear thorax air bags for all outboard positions – including the segment’s only rear-seat-mounted thorax air bags Side curtain air bags for front and rear outboard passengers. Trax’s safety and security features also include exclusive OnStar technology with Advanced Crash Response System, emergency assistance and more. View full article

It has been almost a year since Volkswagen introduced the U.S. to the seventh-generation GTI at last year's New York Auto Show. While we have to wait just till June for the GTI to arrive at dealers, the company has revealed the pricing for the hot hatch. The 2015 GTI will start a price of $25,515 (includes a $820 destination charge) for the S model which gets you a turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder with 210 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, and a six-speed manual transmission. That will also get you a drive-mode selector, touchscreen radio, LED foglights, and heated front seats. Step to SE model which starts at $27,395 and comes equipped with a sunroof, keyless entry and start, leather, Fender audio system, and automatic headlights. The GTI Autobahn wraps up the lineup with a starting price of $30,415 and will come equipped with navigation, twelve-way power seat for the driver, and automatic air conditioning. The Autobahn will also be available in a four-door, the S and SE will be available in either two or four door. As for options, all GTIs will be available with the six-speed DSG transmission for $1,100 and the performance pack which adds such goodies as a 10 horsepower boost, an electronically controlled limited-slip differential, and bigger brakes for $1,495. SE and Autobahn models with the performance pack also get adaptive damping. Source: Volkswagen Press Release is on Page 2 VOLKSWAGEN ANNOUNCES PRICING OF 2015 GOLF GTI MODELS, STARTING AT $24,395 The latest Golf GTI adds more standard equipment and exciting new optional features Seventh-generation Golf GTI is bigger, lighter, faster, and more fuel-efficient Price rises just $195 over previous-generation GTI, despite more standard equipment and an increase of 10 horsepower and 51 pound-feet of torque from new EA888 TSI® engine Golf GTI Performance Package provides a great value at just $1495, includes electronically-controlled torque-sensing limited-slip differential Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) adaptive damping to be offered as an option for the first time in the U.S. New York – Today, Volkswagen of America, Inc., announced pricing of the 2015 Golf GTI models. The entry-level S trim starts at $24,395 (plus destination and handling) in two-door form with a six-speed manual transmission, an increase of just $195 over the base price of the previous-generation two-door GTI. Compared with the previous GTI, the all-new 2015 Golf GTI adds the following features as standard equipment: Latest EA888 turbocharged and direct-injection TSI® engine offering 210 horsepower (up 10 hp) and 258 pound-feet of torque (an increase of 51 lb-ft) Driving mode selection feature VW Car-Net® connected services Touchscreen radio Leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel Ambient and footwell lighting with LED reading lights LED foglights The 2015 Golf GTI will be offered in two other trim levels: SE and Autobahn. The SE model starts at $27,395 for the two-door model equipped with a manual transmission. The Autobahn model is available only in four-door form, starting at $29,595 when equipped with the manual transmission. A six-speed DSG® dual-clutch automatic is available as an $1100 option on all Golf GTI models. Later in the year, Volkswagen will be offering the Performance Package, which includes larger brakes, a torque-sensing electronically-controlled limited-slip differential, and a 10 horsepower boost over the regular GTI, all for just $1495. The Dynamic Chassis Control (DCC) adaptive damping system will also be available later in the 2015 model year on the SE and Autobahn models with the Performance Package. The seventh-generation Volkswagen Golf GTI manages to do the seemingly impossible. While it's bigger and more spacious than the car that it will replace, it's also lighter and more fuel- efficient. Volkswagen is predicting that the EPA estimated highway fuel economy rating will improve by three miles per gallon, to 34 mpg, for the model equipped with the manual transmission. Based on the new MQB (modular transverse matrix) architecture, the 2015 Golf GTI ends the cycle whereby new versions of a car end up heavier than the models they replace. The 2015 Golf GTI is 2.2 inches longer and 0.5 inches wider than the current car. It is also 1.1 inches lower, which benefits both aerodynamic performance and the car's proportions. The interior package has been optimized to give 0.6 inches more rear-seat legroom and 1.2 inches of additional shoulder room in the back. The trunk is approximately 10 percent larger than in the car it replaces. The seventh-generation Golf GTI will go on sale as a 2015 model in June. It will be built at Volkswagen's Puebla, Mexico factory. View full article