New 2020 Dodge Charger GT all-wheel drive (AWD) features class-exclusive all-wheel-drive system with active transfer case and front-axle disconnect, delivering year-round performance combined with muscle car stylingDodge Dodge is taking its all-wheel-drive family sedan and injecting it with the style and presence of the Charger GT, to make a much more aggressive winter warrior.The AWDs car fascia now mimics that of the GT, with a wider and lower rear splitter, more angular headlights, a functional hood scoop, and projector LED fog lamps.Four 19-inch aluminum wheels replace the standard 17-inch units, wrapped in all-season performance tires (which youll probably want to swap for real snow tires).Around the back is a performance spoiler, and to make sure you dont smash it up, a ParkView rear backup camera and ParkSense park assist. Powering this new Charger GT is FCAs venerable Pentastar V6 engine, which makes 300 horsepower and 264 lb.-ft. of torque. Power is sent to all four wheels thanks to an active transfer case and front-axle disconnect. The rear axle receives the power 100 per cent of the time, until sensors on the front wheels deem the need to engage all-wheel-drive.All-wheel-drive can also be engaged full-time by pushing the Sport button, which also sharpens shifts, and holds the revs higher for more performance-oriented driving.Inside the vehicle are Houndstooth high-bolstered performance seats to keep you in place, as well as a Dark Dub Plate instrument panel. Dodge Performance Pages with an 8.4-inch Uconnect screen is also included.Through the Performance Pages, the driver can activate the Super Track Pak, which enables launch control features, and displays visible performance information such as reaction times, zero-to-60-mph times, a G-force indicator and lap times. For the first time, the Charger GT AWD takes the Charger’s fierce performance exterior and features, including performance hood, fascia, sculpted side sills, spoiler, high-bolstered seats and performance steering wheel with paddle shifters, and mixes it up with all-weather capable all-wheel drive on America’s only four-door muscle car Dodge Traction control can also be turned off completely, for drifting according to FCA. Yes, the companys endorsing getting a little sideways sometimes.The 2020 Dodge Charger GT starts at $43,895, and will arrive at dealers in the first quarter of
Origin: Dodge adds GT muscle-car styling to its AWD Charger
styling
VW proactively preps the Atlas for a 2021 styling update
Volkswagens new Atlas has been selling very well for the brand, and the large three-row SUV also wins points for being an unapologetically boxy truck, which we like.However, despite the fact it hasnt been on the market very long, the automakers preemptively planning a mild facelift for the thing for 2021, adding more sporty elements to the family-hauler.The front end treatment takes the traditional square styling of the Atlas, and injects it with some cues from the Jetta that is to say, it gets slimmer headlights and a wider, more triangular grille.The rear end remains almost exactly the same, save for the internals of the taillights. The boxy flares are, thankfully, still present, helping retain the Atlas signature look.Currently, the Atlas is powered by either a 2.0-lire turbocharged four-cylinder or a 3.6-liter V-6. The engines make 235 and 276 horsepower, respectively, and are both sent to the wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.It isnt clear whether or not VW would change, or add any other powerplants for the 2021 model year. The interior is also an unknown at this point, but thats one element were sure will be updated when the time comes. The automaker has said that new electronic driver-assistance features will be added, so well keep an eye out for those.The 2021 Atlas could debut at the 2020 Chicago Auto Show in February, but its also possible that it
Origin: VW proactively preps the Atlas for a 2021 styling update
BMW design boss defends radical styling direction
BMW’s design boss has again defended the brand’s controversial new styling direction, continued in earnest by the recently revealed Concept 4 Series Coupé. After it was unwrapped at the Frankfurt motor show, Adrian van Hooydonk was asked about the polarising views of BMW’s recent design debuts. He told Autocar: “I’m not a psychologist but I know BMW is a brand that not only has customers, it has fans. They know our entire design history and have strong opinions on that. I don’t think that’s a bad thing, it means we have really connected with these people on an emotional level. Okay, I know that there might be some discussion with fans because they’ve grown to love what you’ve just done and you’re changing it already. “As a company, you have to keep moving,” he continued. “The minute you start standing still, you become an easy target. The market is very competitive now, more than ever. But the hardest thing to do is make changes while you are successful. If you are no longer successful, people will immediately start saying you need to make changes, but then you are in panic mode.” Describing the 4 Series specifically, van Hooydonk said: “It is a sporty coupé, and by definition it has to have a very expressive design, and you see that all around the car, not just the front. But there are not that many lines or elements – it’s not a complex design. “We want to do this for all our cars: we want to have fewer elements, then each element you use plays a bigger role.” Van Hooydonk did acknowledge, however, that it was the recent facelift of the 7 Series flagship that was the most visually distinctive – and there’s a good reason for that. “It was part of the brief,” he said. “People liked the car, but they said by and large it looks quite similar to the previous one, so why should they buy the new one? Now everyone has noticed and production has ramped up
Origin: BMW design boss defends radical styling direction
Audi updates RS4 Avant with more aggressive styling for 2020
Audi has given its RS4 Avant performance estate a facelift, including a reshaped grille and flared wheel arches, just two years after the current generation was launched. The mild redesign follows on from the recent refresh of the standard A4 and is limited mostly to a revised front end design and enhanced interior technology. The RS4’s front grille, bumper and lower splitter have been overhauled to further distance the performance variant from the standard model and bring it into line with the new RS6 Avant, which sports a notably more aggressive stance than the outgoing RS4. The gloss black honeycomb grille featured across Audi Sport’s range of top-rung RS models has been designed without a frame to sit flush with the bumper. The model’s LED headlights have also been reshaped and can now be specified with darkened bezels. As is tradition with Audi’s sportier models, the wheel arches are substantially flared to accommodate wider wheels and tyres, the RS4 measuring a full 30mm wider overall than the standard A4 at the front and rear. Inside, the facelifted model receives a new 10.1in infotainment touchscreen, equipped with Audi’s new MMI acoustic response technology, in place of the outgoing car’s rotary controller. A new digital instrument panel can display drive system component temperatures, g-forces, tyre pressures, power output, lap times and acceleration measurements. It also features a shift light display to assist the driver with gearchange timings. There are no changes to the RS4’s turbocharged 2.9-litre V6, which still produces 444bhp and 443lb ft – enough to give the car a 0-62mph time of 4.1sec and top speed of up to 174mph. The new RS4 Avant will make its public debut at this weekend’s DTM season finale at the Hockenheimring, ahead of sales beginning later this month. UK pricing is yet to be confirmed, but a European starting price of €81,400 suggests we’re likely to see a slight increase over the current model’s £67,585 price
Origin: Audi updates RS4 Avant with more aggressive styling for 2020
The 2020 Nissan Titan just got an update to its styling and performance
The Nissan Titan full-size pickup undergoes an extensive redesign for the 2020 model year.Nissan Nissan has updated its Titan pickup truck with better looks and a host of new technological and performance updates.Styling has been improved Nissan calls the new exterior design Powerful Warrior, and we can see why. The grille has been revised to look more aggressive, but its not ridiculous like some other trucks; and the LED headlights provide much more illumination.There are more LEDs hiding in the bed, as well, to light up your cargo; theyre activated by opening the tailgate.Inside the Titan is a much more luxurious interior, with a wood-grain steering wheel and real wood touches available, which should stand up to the more expensive truck interiors were seeing these days. Speaking of seeing, you can now peer up through the panoramic sunroof when the crew cab is specced, and 8.0- or 9.0-inch touchscreens are available for when you arent stargazing. Under the hood is Nissans trusty 5.6-litre V8 engine, now producing 400 horsepower and 413 lb.-ft. of torque. The engine is connected to a new nine-speed automatic transmission two more gears than previous. A 3.69:1 axle ratio also gives the truck a little more leverage when the going gets tough. Its also helped to knock almost a second off the 80-to-110 km/h time.Safety is a big concern with any vehicle, and Nissan is stepping its game up in the 2020 Titan. Eight airbags now come standard, as well as Safety Shield 360, which includes forward automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, reverse automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning and automatic high-beam headlights. Surround-view camera, traffic-sign-recognition, and adaptive cruise control are also available.The truck was unveiled at a state fair in Texas, a place that knows a thing or two about trucks. It will be made available to customers in early
Origin: The 2020 Nissan Titan just got an update to its styling and performance
Former Jaguar styling boss Ian Callum launches his own company
Ian Callum, Jaguar head designer. Ian Callum, the man behind a bevy of beautiful designs for British car companies Jaguar and Aston Martin, has started up his own design house.Callum stepped down from the top styling role at Jaguar a few weeks ago, leaving behind a massive body of work, but also some pretty big shoes to fill.Now it looks like those shoes were never taken off in the first place. His new venture will focus on art, audio, automotive, fashion, lifestyle and motorsport, and will simply be called CALLUM. View this post on Instagram Our new Design business starts today. CALLUM A post shared by Ian Callum (@iscallum) on Jul 17, 2019 at 12:42am PDTI wanted to get back to the essence of creativity; the challenge of producing something wonderful and personal. To design the alternative has always been my mantra, but always the beautiful alternative and something to enjoy, Callum said in a statement.In todays modern world, collaboration is the catalyst for new ideas, and this is our ethos and inspiration, both within our team and as we look to work with partners in the future. CALLUM is an exciting new chapter that will focus on Journeys to Destinations, and all that encompasses.At Jaguar, Callum was responsible for such iconic modern designs as the Jaguar F-Type, the XJ, the F-Pace and the C-X75, which was featured in the 007 movie Spectre. Previously, Callum also designed the Aston Martin DB7, the Vanquish and the DB9, as well as the Ford RS200 and the Nissan R390.Joining Callum will be a few other prominent designers including David Fairbairn, who styled the lightweight E-Type; Adam Donfrancesco, who gave Noble its modern design language, and penned the Aston Martin GT8 and GT12; and Tom Bird, who put the C-X75 into the latest Bond film.CALLUM has just 18 employees so far, and a 20,000-square-foot facility in Warwick,
Origin: Former Jaguar styling boss Ian Callum launches his own company
Audi Q7 SUV mid-life update brings new engines and styling
Audi has given the Q7 a major makeover with new styling and upgraded kit to bring it in line with the rest of its SUV range – with every engine featuring electrified technology. The five or seven-seat SUV will go on sale in September with a choice of two 3.0-litre diesel engines, producing 228bhp and 282bhp respectively, and a 335bhp 3.0-litre petrol engine. All three units are mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox and a 48V mild-hybrid electrical system, which allows coasting for up to 40 seconds with the engine switched off. Those will be followed soon after by a plug-in hybrid petrol version – technical details of which are yet to be disclosed – and the hot SQ7, which features the same 429bhp 664lb ft 4.0-litre twin-turbo mild-hybrid TDI engine used in the new SQ8. The revamped Q7 features an updated design to bring it in line with Audi’s other SUV range, including a new-look grille and new standard LED headlights. The rear features a new chrome strip that runs between the rear lights. While it sits on the same platform as before, the new Q7 is 11mm longer at 5063mm, although its wheelbase of 2994mm remains unchanged. Audi has put a major focus into the car’s interior to match the rest of the range, including the latest version of Audi’s twin touchscreen MMI infotainment system, featuring a main screen of up to 10.1in. Audi’s Virtual Cockpit system is standard, with an optional head-up display available. In five-door form the Q7 has 865 litres of boot space, rising to 2050 litres with the seats folded. The new Q7 is available with optional electromechanical active roll stabilisation and all-wheel steering to boost handling, along with standard steel spring or optional air suspension. The SQ7 version has gained unique design touches including a revamped grille and chrome exhaust pipes, along with 20in wheels and upgraded brakes measuring 400mm at the front and 370mm at the rear. Carbon fibre-ceramic brake discs are available as an option. The revamped Q7 is due on sale in the UK in October, priced at around
Origin: Audi Q7 SUV mid-life update brings new engines and styling
Next-gen Porsche hypercar could adopt retro styling
Porsche design boss Michael Mauer is deciding whether the firm’s new hypercar, due around 2025 as a successor to the 918 Spyder, should be styled futuristically or with a retrospective nod to some of the greatest cars from the company’s past. The firm recently released a Porsche 917 Concept design study (above) to mark the 50th anniversary of its 1970 Le Mans victory, with Mauer saying it reflected ongoing discussions over the next-generation hypercar. “If you launch a new hypercar then you can go extremely modern in your thinking or maybe just go back to our sports car roots and take inspiration from some of the many icons in our history,” he said. “When you look at the 917 Concept then, personally, I love it. You look at it and you immediately make the connections. “But as a designer who believes that the next hypercar should point to the future, I’m not so sure. There is always the option to look into history, but sometimes you can also take the option to create some history.” Porsche CEO Oliver Blume confirmed that plans for a next-generation hypercar are under way, but said its future hung on a decision on its powertrain: “If we want it to be electric then we must wait, because battery performance is not where we need it to be yet in order to meet our performance targets. “It is not decided though that the car will be fully electric. There are opportunities with hybrid, too. We will make a decision when the time is
Origin: Next-gen Porsche hypercar could adopt retro styling
2019 Renault Captur to get more radical styling update
The second-generation Renault Captur, due later this year, will be a much bigger step in design to its predecessor compared to the new and outgoing Clio, said design boss Laurens van den Acker. The Captur, which when it launched was one of the first in a now-saturated small SUV segment, has remained at the top of the sales chart in Europe despite its age. Van den Acker said the new model will be focused on everything: “technology, interior, exterior”. He continued: “The Captur is in the most dynamic market segment in Europe. The car industry has become so competitive – if your product is not 100% perfect, you are going to have a very tough life.” The Captur will launch with petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid variants. It is the second, following the Clio, in an onslaught of new hybrids in the car maker’s range. It will use an 89bhp petrol engine mated to a 40bhp electric motor and 9,8kWh battery, which promises an electric-only range of 25 to 30 miles. The Nissan Juke and Peugeot 2008 rival is due to arrive in the middle of next year, a few months after its platform-sharing supermini sibling: the fifth-generation Clio. The latest spy shots have given a glimpse of the upcoming crossover’s design, which despite the extensive disguise of the test mule, shows how the Captur will evolve. The familiar curvy front end with an oversized Renault badge is clearly visible, although the high bonnet line takes inspiration from the larger Kadjar SUV. A more steeply rising waistline with a broader shoulderline can be seen behind the camouflage, as can a pinched rear window and sloping roof. As with the new Clio, Renault will make more extensive changes to the Captur’s interior design than the exterior. A technology upgrade is the brand’s top priority for its B-segment models, and we’re expecting to see a Tesla-style portrait infotainment system adapted from that found in the latest Mégane. A raft of semi-autonomous driver assist features, shared with Nissan’s upcoming ProPilot system, will also ensure it has the high-tech appeal of premium-badged rivals. Both the Captur and Clio will be based on a modified version of the existing CMF-B platform, shared with the latest Nissan Micra. New 1.0-litre and 1.3-litre turbo petrol engines – the latter co-developed with Mercedes and seen in the A-Class – will be drafted in to improve performance and efficiency, while a 1.5-litre diesel unit will also be offered. A 48V mild-hybrid variant of the diesel is in the product plan but won’t be available at launch, while it’s likely a full plug-in hybrid option will appear by 2020. A fully electric variant would fit in with Renault’s desire to launch eight EVs before 2022, although it remains to be seen if the platform can be adapted in a cost-effective way to accommodate such a powertrain. Like many crossovers, sales of Renault’s Captur have been climbing steadily, with more than twice as many sold in 2016 (215,000) than the brand shifted in 2013 (84,000). Only in the past year have sales started to tail off as newer models, such as the Seat Arona, attract buyers. With the new model expected to be on sale by the summer of 2019, it could help the French car maker regain ground in the
Origin: 2019 Renault Captur to get more radical styling update
Mini Clubman facelift brings styling tweaks and trim changes
Mini has performed a mid-life refresh on the four-year old Clubman, rival to the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus. Most of the changes are aesthetic, but there are improvements in lighting and some fresh colour and alloy wheel choices. There’s also a new sports suspension option, which lowers the car’s ride height by 10mm, while adaptive dampers remain an option. The line-up remains unchanged, save for the deletion this coming July of the Clubman City, an entry-level model aimed at fleets that will be dropped. Its absence and an across-the-board price increase of £900 means that the range will start at £21,200 rather than £19,995. The refresh is most obvious from the front, where the black bar bisecting the grille has been removed to tidy the Clubman’s nose, while the black grille of the Cooper S features a slender horizontal décor strip. A chrome grille finish can also be specified. The lower air intake has also been redesigned, as have the LED headlamps and adaptive Matrix lights, which automatically maximise illumination without dazzling other road users, are an option. LED tail-lights are now standard and feature the distinctive Union Jack design of smaller Minis. The Clubman’s door mirrors have also been resculpted. There are two new colour choices – Indian Summer Red and British racing Green – and three new alloy wheel designs. As before there are three engine choices, a 135bhp three-cylinder petrol, 189bhp four-cylinder petrol and 148bhp four-cylinder diesel, all turbocharged. A six-speed manual is standard, a seven-speed automatic optional. Three trim packs can be applied to the Cooper and Cooper S models, consisting of Classic, Sport and Exclusive. The Clubman accounted for only 11 per cent of UK Mini sales in 2018, a little less than for its worldwide share of 14 per cent. The three-door hatch accounts for 27 per cent of global sales, the five-door 18 per cent, the Countryman 33 per cent and the Convertible eight per
Origin: Mini Clubman facelift brings styling tweaks and trim changes
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