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Crossover, Aston Martin, Luxury, Concept Cars, Geneva Motor Show

Aston Martin is proud to announce the return of Lagonda, one of the oldest and most iconic names in luxury car manufacturing.

The revival of Lagonda fulfils a long-term vision and will bring performance luxury into new markets around the world for Aston Martin Lagonda. Ultimately, Lagonda will be a strong presence in global territories, vastly increasing brand reach of the company and extending to new customers.Lagonda is committed to innovative new propulsion technologies, new materials and elegant forms, creating a functional luxury for the near future. Critically, the brand will allow the exploration of alternative powertrain solutions including flexfuel, hybrid systems. Lagonda willВ design and technology with Aston Martin’s established high performance expertise.

The LAGONDA CONCEPT is an avant-garde luxury vehicle; with powerful four-wheel drive, a four-seater car that will satisfy the most discerning and demanding owner. The concept demonstrates a commitment to innovative new propulsion technologies, new materials and elegant forms.

The LAGONDA CONCEPT is a four-seat international tourer, an avant-garde luxury car that draws inspiration from the brand’s illustrious past as well as the visual language of speedboat design, the spacious individualist environment of the upper class cabin and the bespoke feel of contemporary modern furniture. Inside, the four generous seats are divided into a two zones.. The result is a relaxed, rich environment that envelops you in warm, tactile materials.

The large 22″ wheels and cut-away bodywork offer exceptional ground clearance, while the concept’s V12 engine delivers power through all four wheels.

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.