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Concept Cars, Crossover, Mini, Off-Road

We still have few more months to wait before the production version of the new MINI Crossover arrives. We think of the MINI Beachcomber asВ like progeny with a Jeep Wrangler. The Beachcomber is based on the brand’s new CUV, but gets an open-top look cabriolet.

Unlike the mid-sixties Mini Moke, this one retains the main structure of the upcoming crossover, but is unlikely to ever see production. The new all-wheel drive system in the concept and the turbocharged four cylinder, although the 4,000-word press release somehow manages to avoid giving technical details. Like a Wrangler, the Beachcomber can accommodate either solid roof inserts or a soft top. Hopefully we’ll get more details in Detroit, and maybe we can see more options for this model.

Sedan, Geneva Motor Show, Volvo

the Swedish automaker has been hard at work to spruce up its image, and this is the latest result.

Though predictably toned down for public consumption, the production-ready Volvo S60 sedan bears close resemblance to the stunning S60 Concept that debuted at the Detroit Show nearly a year ago. Gone are the suicide rear doorsВ  and the shape of the headlights have been toned down just a touch, but the coupe-like roofline and the aggressive overall styling stay.The new sedan will debut at the Geneva Motor Show next March, with production slated to begin at Volvo’s plant in Belgium early next summer. In the meantime, Trollhattan has released a pair of image.

Truck,В HUMMER HX Concept, Rumormill, GM,В Off-Road

As a brand, Hummer has been in limbo since General Motors announced it was selling the downtrodden marque to China. For now, everything is on hold, though Tengzhong and new Hummer CEO Jim Taylor are apparently still working hard to plan Hummer’s future.

First on theВ list is to arrest the free-fall of Hummer sales. Right now, sales are down 64% on the year to about 8,500 units, but Hummer is looking for 25,000 sales in 2010. That will be a tough nut to crack, but Automotive News reports that the companyВ good plans to get things done in part with some aggressive marketing. Ultimately, however, new product will be needed to get dealershipsВ with customers again. In the meantime, Hummer’s 154 U.S. dealers need more inventory in the showrooms to help move metal.
The last piece of the Hummer reclamation project is adding those new models. When Tengzhong gets the management to the Hummer kingdom, it will also receive engineering plans for the H4, a new smaller model that is reportedly based on the HX Concept from the 2008В Auto Show.В  Also possible is an even smaller Hummer H5, which would help the SUV automaker to meet future CAFE requirements. Taylor even goes as far as to say that the smaller H4 and H5 could one day replace the brand’s heavier and thirstier H2 and H3 mainstays.В GM will reportedly cease building Hummer models as early as the end of 2010.

В Toyota,В Auto Shows

Toyota hasВ chosen the state shindig to debut its all-new 2010 4Runner SUV. Besides the all-new exterior and interior, the big news is the addition of a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine and a new Trail grade model for hard core off-roaders. Of course, we’d be remiss not to also mention the sound system’s new Party Mode that raises bass and transfers equalization to the rear of the vehicle where hatch-mounted speakers await to please the tailgating crowd.

Both wider and longer than the previous 4Runner, the new model offers an optional third-row seatВ is available in three trims: the top-of-the-line Limited, SR5 and new Trail grade.В Peoples can choose between rear-wheel-drive 4×2, part-time 4×4 and a full-time 4×4 system with a locking center differential. All 4×4 models get a 4.0-liter V6 producing 270 horsepower and 278 lb-ft of torque and achieving 17 city/22 highway mpg. V6 powered models with 4×2 do slightly better with 17 city/23 highway. The new 2.7 liter four cylinder is only available on the 4×2 SR5 model and produces 157 hp and 178 lb-ft of torque while returning 18 city/23 highway mpg. Considering the marginal difference in fuel economy, we recommend the V6 and question why Toyota is even offering a four-cylinder option besides a lower starting price.

Toyota describes the 4Runner SUV as more rugged than the Highlander CUV and more versatile than the two-door FJ Cruiser. The question remains how large a market still exists for four-door, mid-size SUVs.В  Nevertheless, Toyota still believes there’s demand for a rugged, go-anywhere SUV in today’s penny-pinching, gas price-fearing market.

Concept Cars,В Hybrid, Europe, Marketing, Hatchback, Lexus, Design

Earlier this month at the Frankfurt Motor Show,В was got first glimpse at Lexus’ LF-Ch, a five-door hatchback concept. The car to presage a premium hatchback model for Toyota’s upscale line – but that model isn’t likely to come to the U.S. – word is that the production model is being crafted with Europeans in mind. That’s something of a pity considering how visually dynamic the LF-Ch is, but not unexpected considering the chilly sales reception premium hatchbacks have received in the States.

In any case, if you’re interested in seeing something like the LF-Ch in American Lexus showrooms, while we would normally suggest that your best course of action would be to inundate Lexus with pleading love letters, Lexus has set up a feedback channel of sorts for the LF-Ch on its website. Yet it also asks meatier questions, like whether the showcar’s five-door bodystyle is an attribute or a demerit, or whether hybrid technology for a car like the LF-Ch would be a deal-maker or a deal-breaker.В