The new Mercedes-Benz GLA will be officially revealed on 11 December, with new spyshots and a design sketch giving us an early glimpse of the BMW X2 rival. Although still featuring some front and rear disguise, we can see that the GLA crossover’s shape takes plenty of inspiraton from the A-Class hatchback on which it is based, while the headlights are slimmed down variants of those found on the new GLB SUV. Although it sits lower to the ground than its predecessor, Mercedes has previously confirmed that the GLA’s roofline is more than 10 centimetres higher off the ground, allowing for enhanced headroom and a more upright seating position in line with larger SUV models. Legroom is said to have been improved as well, despite the model being 1.5cm shorter overall than the outgoing car. Earlier this year, our spy photographers captured the interior of the compact crossover for the first time. The image shows that the dashboard is also set to be very similar to that of the A-Class and Mercedes’ other new compact models, featuring rounded air vents and the twin touchscreens of the MBUX system. The new GLA will join Mercedes’ MFA platform-based range alongside the A-Class hatchback, A-Class saloon, CLA four-door coupé, CLA Shooting Brake estate and B-Class MPV. It also now sits below the GLB, the largest car on that platform and a new, fully fledged rival to the BMW X1 and Audi Q3. That leaves the GLA to compete with smaller compact crossovers such as the Audi Q2 and Ford Focus Active and is why it likely has a lower, more car-like profile. Minimal technical details of the GLA have been released yet, but we know it will be closely linked to the A-Class in terms of interior design and technology, engines and gearboxes. That means it will adopt Mercedes’ latest touchpad and voice-controlled MBUX infotainment system, alongside more advanced safety features and increased material quality. The engine range will kick off with a 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol unit developed in conjunction with the Renault-Nissan Alliance. This will likely be available in two states of tune, while a 2.0-litre engine will top out the range for the time being. A 1.5-litre diesel will also be offered. Later on in the GLA’s lifespan, we will see a return of the AMG-tuned GLA 45, putting out anything up to 416bhp through a performance-focused four-wheel drive system. Before that arrives, there will be a 302bhp 35 variant, as is now available on the A-Class. The GLA will be produced alongside the A-Class at Mercedes’ factory in Rastatt, Germany. The A-Class will also serve as the basis of the EQA, an electric hatchback that’s scheduled to arrive next
Origin: New Mercedes-Benz GLA previewed in new shots ahead of reveal this week
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New Mercedes-Benz GLA previewed ahead of December unveil
The new Mercedes-Benz GLA has been previewed in silhouette form, as the company confirms it will be officially unveiled on 11 December. Design details revealed by the latest image are scarce, but we can see how the crossover’s rear styling will be heavily influenced by the A-Class hatchback on which it is based, while the headlights are clearly modelled after those on the new GLB SUV. Although it sits lower to the ground than its predecessor, Mercedes has now confirmed that the GLA’s roofline is more than 10 centimetres higher off the ground, allowing for enhanced headroom and a more upright seating position in line with larger SUV models. Legroom is said to have been improved as well, despite the model being 1.5cm shorter overall than the outgoing car. Earlier this year, our spy photographers captured images of the new GLA in testing, with the interior of the compact crossover seen for the first time. The interior image shows that the dashboard is also set to be very similar to that of the A-Class and Mercedes’ other new compact models, featuring rounded air vents and the twin touchscreens of the MBUX system. The new GLA will join Mercedes’ MFA platform-based range alongside the A-Class hatchback, A-Class saloon, CLA four-door coupé, CLA Shooting Brake estate and B-Class MPV. It also now sits below the GLB, the largest car on that platform and a new, fully fledged rival to the BMW X1 and Audi Q3. That leaves the GLA to compete with smaller compact crossovers such as the Audi Q2 and Ford Focus Active and is why it likely has a lower, more car-like profile. Minimal technical details of the GLA have been released yet, but we know it will be closely linked to the A-Class in terms of interior design and technology, engines and gearboxes. That means it will adopt Mercedes’ latest touchpad and voice-controlled MBUX infotainment system, alongside more advanced safety features and increased material quality. The engine range will kick off with a 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol unit developed in conjunction with the Renault-Nissan Alliance. This will likely be available in two states of tune, while a 2.0-litre engine will top out the range for the time being. A 1.5-litre diesel will also be offered. Later on in the GLA’s lifespan, we will see a return of the AMG-tuned GLA 45, putting out anything up to 416bhp through a performance-focused four-wheel drive system. Before that arrives, there will be a 302bhp 35 variant, as is now available on the A-Class. The GLA will be produced alongside the A-Class at Mercedes’ factory in Rastatt, Germany. The A-Class will also serve as the basis of the EQA, an electric hatchback that’s scheduled to arrive next
Origin: New Mercedes-Benz GLA previewed ahead of December unveil
Hyundai’s retro-styled 45 EV previewed again ahead of unveil
Hyundai has again previewed its Frankfurt motor show star car, a retro-styled electric concept. Called the 45, it’s said to feature styling references to the brand’s first production car, the Mitsubishi-powered Pony hatchback, which was launched in 1974. The first preview image of the EV showed off an LED bar across the rear that will display a matrix flourish upon start-up. Now a rear-side view reveals the car’s large wheels and minimalist profile. Elsewhere, we can see hints that the 45 will bear a resemblance to sibling brand Genesis’s recent Mint concept, with a rakish roofline, a narrow rear window, extended wheel arches and a low, wide stance. As well as paying tribute to the brand’s historic design work, Hyundai says the 45 will “act as a symbolic milestone for Hyundai’s future EV design”. There’s currently no production intent for the 45; it acts as a design study, rather than a preview of a particular future model. However, a Hyundai spokesperson said the concept is based on a new EV platform and will “preview the potential for EV designers in the future”. The 45 will make its first public appearance alongside an all-new version of the i10 city car and the limited-run i30 N Project C hardcore hot hatch. Luc Donckerwolke, Hyundai’s design chief, said earlier this year that the firm’s styling language needs to be further differentiated from that of sibling brands Genesis and Kia. He said: “Our core task is to differentiate the design philosophy of the three brands, not least because we have a big share in Korea. “We need to differentiate each model, otherwise the landscape is too
Origin: Hyundai’s retro-styled 45 EV previewed again ahead of unveil
2020 BMW 5 Series previewed as prototypes begin testing
Prototypes of the facelifted BMW 5 Series have begun testing on public roads ahead of a planned introduction in mid-2020. Although it’s still heavily disguised, the updated executive model will clearly receive a bolder look in keeping with styling developments brought to both the latest 3 Series and facelifted 7 Series. The move is part of a broader strategy at BMW that aims to give each model its own individual appearance. Among the new design elements expected to be brought to the 5 Series are a more prominent kidney grille, redesigned headlights and a more heavily structured front bumper that incorporates newly designed air vents, including vertical air curtain ducts at the outer edges. Changes at the rear are likely to be less significant, although the plastic wrap adorning the spied prototypes hints at styling revisions to the tail-lights, rear bumper, tailpipes and area around the numberplate. Inside, the 5 Series is expected to receive new digital instrument graphics as well as a revised central display housing the infotainment functions. Today’s 5 Series will get BMW’s latest iDrive 7.0 operating system as part of a running change from this month onwards, suggesting the 2020 model will carry this on until the introduction of an iDrive 7.5 system in the eighth-generation 5 Series model due in 2023. The prototype shown here is propelled by a plug-in hybrid powertrain, shown by the mandatory identification on its front doors as well as the flap for the charging port integrated into the front-left wing. The current G30 5 Series is already sold with a plug-in hybrid setup in the 530e. This has a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor developing a combined 248bhp and providing an electric-only driving range of up to 40 miles. As part of a push to take its plug-in hybrid drivelines into the performance car class, BMW is said to be planning a new 545e model running the same set-up as the 745e. This would use a more powerful turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine and electric motor making a combined 388bhp and yielding an electric-only range of up to 36 miles. In further developments, BMW plans to equip all petrol engines with a particulate filter, while the diesels will receive new selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology, according to Munich
Origin: 2020 BMW 5 Series previewed as prototypes begin testing
New Nissan Juke previewed ahead of September unveiling
Nissan’s long-awaited new Juke has been previewed in a first official image that gives a glimpse of the crossover’s front-end design. The darkened shot, released along with a confirmation of a 3 September debut for the car, shows a sleek LED headlight design that echoes the dual-light layout of the outgoing car but with a more modern twist. The Mk2 Juke, designed at Nissan’s London studio, will go on sale in early 2020, a few months after the unveiling. It’s the replacement for a model that has been on sale with relatively few changes since 2010. Disguised test cars have shown that the Renault Captur rival’s design will evolve the distinctive shape of today’s car but remain recognisable. Details such as Nissan’s V-Motion grille, adapted from the Micra, will be brought in, while the rear end will have a more angular look. In an exclusive interview last year, Nissan’s global design boss, Alfonso Albaisa, claims the second-generation Juke “doesn’t look too much like the last one”, adding: “It doesn’t look like IMx (an electric crossover concept unveiled in 2017) or the new Leaf, either. It’s an urban meteor with a nasty attitude.” Albaisa quashed a rumour that the Juke replacement had been reviewed and rejected, saying: “(The Juke) is certainly coming soon. But it didn’t get ‘sent back’. I’m not sure where that story came from. It’s a very cool car, and it still has all of its attitude.” The original Juke was introduced at the 2010 Geneva motor show and helped to boost the popularity of supermini-sized SUVs. In terms of sales, that class grew tenfold across Europe between 2010 and 2016, and by 2022, it’s expected to double in size from its 2016 level of 1.13 million units. Juke sales have exceeded 100,000 per year in Europe four times to date, and the styling of the Sunderland-built car was considered an important contributor to that. “Our job was easier with the first one, because there was nothing else like it,” Albaisa told Autocar. “And that car’s success was so huge even given how polarising it looked. The second one couldn’t be derivative or evolutionary and still be a Juke. We’d almost have to change its name to Nancy otherwise.” The new Juke is likely to be built on a stretched version of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance’s CMF platform, as used by the new Renault Clio. It’s expected to shun the naturally aspirated petrol engines that have accounted for much of its sales volume so far, instead using the turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder and 1.3-litre four-cylinder units used in the Qashqai. A 1.5-litre 109bhp diesel is likely to be offered, too, while four-wheel drive will be kept for automatic models higher up the range. Albaisa wouldn’t confirm whether the new Juke would be previewed by a show car, in the same way that the Qazana concept displayed at the 2009 Geneva motor show was used to test the water for the production car that followed. Given the riskiness of the original Juke’s styling and how well established the model has become, it’s likely that Nissan will maximise the impact of the new Juke by keeping it under wraps until the last moment.
Origin: New Nissan Juke previewed ahead of September unveiling
Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato: ultra-rare special previewed
Aston Martin has released more realistic renderings of the new DBS GT Zagato, a limited-run reworking of the DBS Superleggera created to celebrate Italian styling house Zagato’s centenary. Although still digital images, the new shots remove some of the exaggerated proportions of the previous renders, showing what we can expect for the final version to be revealed in the coming months. The new machine is limited to 19 models, and is being sold exclusively as a pair with a DB4 GT Zagato Continuation model. The DBZ Centenary Collection will cost £6 million, plus taxes. The DBS GT Zagato is an extensively reworked version of a DBS Superleggera, and takes styling cues from the original DB4 GT Zagato. The car’s styling was conducted by Zagato and Aston Martin’s design team. It features a ‘double-bubble’ roof styled after the original, which runs from the front windscreen to the tail of the car, replacing the rear windscreen. The front of the car has also been restyled, with a similar bubble theme, new headlights and a reworked Zagato front grille. The car gains a unique wheel design too. The mechanical underpinnings of the DBS GT Zagato will be unchanged from the Superleggera, including the 715bhp turbocharged 5.2-litre V12. The previously announced DB4 GT Zatago Continuation will be offered as a track-only car, because the specifications will exactly match the 58-year-old original design. That will include an updated version of the original’s straight-six, 380bhp engine. Customer deliveries of the DB4 GT Zagato Continuation will begin at the end of this year, with deliveries of the DBS GT Zagato following in late
Origin: Aston Martin DBS GT Zagato: ultra-rare special previewed
New Bentley Flying Spur: luxury saloon’s interior previewed
Bentley is building up to the launch of its all-new Flying Spur, previewing the car’s interior ahead of its debut later this year. While Mercedes-Maybach S 600 rival’s interior is seen for the first time in this image, it’s not exactly revealing, showing the front door card design. Bentley is previewing what it claims to be a world-first: three-dimensional, textured leather upholstery. Bentley describes the new Flying Spur as a “ground up development that pushes the boundaries of both technology and craftsmanship to deliver segment-defining levels of performance and refinement”. The luxury saloon is the firm’s answer to the Rolls-Royce Ghost, as well as the Maybach. While it has commonly been known as the four-door sibling to the Continental GT – and will continue to be closely related under the skin – it is understood that the Flying Spur will have a far more distinctive design, intended to make it stand alone as a model in its own right. As hinted at a previous video showing the car’s bonnet and emblem, the model’s styling will follow the themes of the Continental GT but has more distinct surfaces and sharper swage lines. The latest Continental GT launched early last year, and the maker recently unveiled the V8 variant and the GT Convertible. A full range of engines is expected to be launched on the next Flying Spur, including Bentley’s V8 and W12 petrol options, and a plug-in hybrid based around a V6 petrol engine instead of going down the diesel route. Hybrid options will be key in bolstering Bentley’s sales in China in particular. In time, a Speed variant will crown the range. It will feature a higher-performance engine that will also be used in the Continental GT and GT Convertible. Once the Continental range has been completed, the firm will turn its focus to what Autocar understands will be a next step in its design, promising a more radical change to something more fresh and modern. It is Bentley’s centenary year, and a host of celebrations in July will include a concept reveal which is expected to showcase this change in design direction. Bentley, under the tenure of boss Adrian Hallmark, who joined last year from Jaguar Land Rover, is finalising its broader model strategy for the next few years, which is expected to focus on grand touring models and SUVs rather than sports
Origin: New Bentley Flying Spur: luxury saloon’s interior previewed
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