Honda teases image of next generation 2020 Fit (Jazz)Honda Hondas teasing the next generation of the Fit ahead of its debut at the 2019 Tokyo Auto Show, but this time it really is a tease, since odds are the vehicle wont make its way to North America.Automotive News noticed Hondas press release for the Fit referred to it only by its European name, Jazz, and said it would be offered only with a hybrid powertrain.Honda is ramping up its efforts to make low-emissions vehicles in Europe, in order to follow its directive of a 100-per-cent electrified lineup there for 2025.When we reached out to Honda Canada, we were told they would not comment on future vehicles at this time. Hondas American arm similarly wouldnt confirm the car, suggesting the States wont be getting it; that make it seem unlikely well get it either. If the Fit does leave the North American market, Honda will likely close its plant in Mexico, saving the company its import tariffs.Even though we likely wont get it, we might as well mention the vehicles looks. A more round and traditional shape takes over for the angular styling weve seen all around the automotive world, and the front and rear of the vehicle have been made stubbier and more vertical, making it easier to park and drive for Europeans.The vehicle has fallen out of favour with Americans, with sales dropping 17 per cent through to September, another reason we can see its demise here making sense. In August, sales of the Fit in Canada were half what they were January, at 206 cars versus
Origin: Honda’s smallest compact may not be coming back to Canada
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Smallest race car in history, Allard Atom, restored and up for sale
The Allard Atom, the smallest race car in the world, was a product of circumstance. Hemmings details in its blog how, in the 1950s in England, Ronnie Greene, the manager of a track in London called Wimbledon Speedway, noted there was a national thirst for automotive speedway racing and few tracks dedicated to the sport.He also noted that Wimbledon Speedway was designed for motorcycles and would not support a field of full-sized vehicles racing down it.So he tasked racer and founder of the London-based Allard Motor Company, Sydney Allard, with building a car that would use the 500-cc JAP engines common in racing motorcycles at the time and give the local race fans something else to cheer. With a wheelbase of four-and-a-half feet and a front track (the wider of the two) of three feet, the Allard Atom is hardly larger than a ride-on mower. But the 500-cc engine, which runs on pure methanol, was said to accelerate the car at the same rate as Formula 1 cars of the era, pushing its tiny body to a top speed of 150 mph (241 km/h). To save space for the driver and engine, there’s no transmission or brakes. Instead, drivers were expected to adjust speed in the corners. This was to be the first vehicle in the British ‘midget racing’ series. Unfortunately, only two Allard Atoms were ever made. One was crashed and FUBAR’d, and the other is right here. The last remaining Allard Atom has been fully restored and shows the original red-and-black colour scheme, punctuated with a gold star on the nose. It is scheduled to cross the block at Coys’ Blenheim Palace auction where it is expected to fetch from £10,000 to £15,000 ($17,000 to
Origin: Smallest race car in history, Allard Atom, restored and up for sale
Hyundai promises 2020 Venue will be its smallest, most stylish CUV yet
2020 Hyundai VenueJonathan Yarkony / Driving What is it? Yet another cute little crossover from South Korea, this one they claim will be the smallest and most affordable in its now seven-strong SUV lineup. Why does it matter? Well, putting smallest and most affordable in the same sentence as SUV is always attention-grabbing. Power comes from Hyundai’s tried and tested 1.6L inline-four with dual-port fuel injection. Mated to Hyundai’s IVT (Intelligent Variable Transmission), which marries CVT efficiency with artificial “gear shifts” so it feels like a traditional automatic. Overall, the combination is good for 7.1 L/100 km fuel consumption. Stylistically, the Venue looks like a Kona that was mated to a Mini, cute to some, a little too boxy for others. Inside, the “highly function and expressive” interior, like the Venue’s price tag, is meant to attract all those budget-conscious Millennials that have been forced to shop the used car market for the trendy sport-ute they all covet. Hence, what Hyundai Canada calls its “youthful, fun” colour palette. Shorter overall than Kona by 130 millimetres, the Venue’s wheelbase is only 81-millimetres, so the Venue is surprisingly roomy inside. In fact, passenger volume is only down a paltry 62 litres (just two cubic-feet). Even the cargo capacity is down by just 14 litres, barely enough to fit a purse or laptop. The Venue’s infotainment system features an eight-inch Display Audio touchscreen and rear-view monitor that also incorporates both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Heated seats and a heated steering wheel, meanwhile, lend a feeling of affluence in small packages. When is it coming? End of this year. Should you buy it? Like I said, prefacing the description of any SUV with “most affordable” is always a good way to start a discussion. Perky performance and decent fuel economy just add to the allure. The Venue’s styling might not be to everyone’s liking, but I suspect that the Venue’s low MSRP will more than make up for the somewhat tepid
Origin: Hyundai promises 2020 Venue will be its smallest, most stylish CUV yet
Mercedes-Benz unveils its smallest seven-seater at Shanghai Auto Show
Mercedes-Benz Concept GLB 2019Mercedes-Benz Automakers are hitting every possible slot in the SUV market, which might explain Mercedes-Benz’s latest unveiling, the Concept GLB. Thought built on the company’s compact-car platform, it’s designed to hold up to seven people. It’s being called a concept, but the model that rolled out onstage at the Shanghai Auto Show looks closer-than-close to production. It’s essentially a boxier, more rugged-looking version of the current GLA. “We asked ourselves whether there is still space between the GLA and GLC in our successful SUV range,” said Britta Seeger, responsible for Mercedes-Benz Car Sales. “The Concept GLB is the answer to this question. With it, we are demonstrating the creative ideas we have for this segment too.” No wonder it’s being demonstrated: SUVs are currently the top-selling bracket for the company, with more than 820,000 sold globally in 2018. The concept’s interior is tricked out more than a production model would be, with leather-wrapped dash and specially-stitched seats, but it’s unmistakably the CLA/GLA under all the bling. Mercedes-Benz Concept GLB 2019 Mercedes-Benz The third-row seats, a first for a Mercedes-Benz compact model, fold flat for extra cargo space, and offer “comfortable seating for two medium-sized occupants,” the company said. The second row can be slid ahead or back to maximize legroom as needed. The concept uses a 224-horsepower gasoline engine with eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, and has 4Matic all-wheel drive. It’s not the first time Mercedes-Benz has sent out a concept for its world debut in China. In April of 2013, it introduced the Concept GLA at the Shanghai show, and started delivering the production model to customers by the following
Origin: Mercedes-Benz unveils its smallest seven-seater at Shanghai Auto Show
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