#Lotus Launches All-Electric Hyper-SUV, The Eletre

[Auto Styling News]

The all-new and all-electric Lotus Eletre is a strikingly gorgeous SUV. It takes the core principles and Lotus DNA from more than 70 years of sports car design and engineering, evolving them into a desirable all-new lifestyle car from the British automaker. (* Now 51% owned by Chinese automaker Geely Holdings, 49% owned by a Malaysian holding company.)

Eletre has an elegant and highly exotic look, with active aerodynamics and a dramatic, porous design. The use of pioneering sustainable materials is just icing on this delicious looking cake.

With it's high stance and gaping maw up front, it instantly reminds one of the Lamborghini SUV, Urus, which will be direct competitor in this segment, along with the Aston Martin DBX 707 and the upcoming Ferrari Purosangue. The Tesla Plaid also has to be mentioned in the same breath as these supercars.

Of course, to compete in this realm means one has to look absolutely stunning, in this vehicle delivers.

An all-glass roof offers much light to the interior greenhouse. 

The car has more creases and indentations then the face of an octogenarian actor. Heavy creases on the doors is this car look right, though, and give it an exotic feel. The rear features taillamps hidden in deep crevices, and an elegant light bar. 

The rear of the car is dominated by a carbon fiber spoiler that has its center removed so that it resembles wings, a look inspired by racing vehicles, the company says.

Despite being electric, the company says it offers a true Lotus experience. Optimal structural rigidity and active dynamics, combined with a potent blend of high power and torque, provide the kind of performance that is expected from a Lotus.

The vehicle - which Lotus claims is a "hyper SUV" - might very well live up to that hype, since it will deliver a stunning 900 horsepower and have a 373-mile range on a charge. This more than makes it a strong competitor with the other, gas-powered luxury SUVs in this class.

The company crows, "With powerful electric motors and a low centre of gravity, this new icon makes ordinary driving, extraordinary."

Unlike earlier Lotus models, which could have sparse interiors, this one looks as lush and gorgeous as the exterior.

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Auto Styling News is a blog that covers car concepts, newly released models, and the auto industry.

#Maserati Set To Unveil Small SUV Grecale

[Auto Styling News]

The Maserati Grecale has been spotted with no camouflage for the first time ahead of a public debut tomorrow, March 22. 

New images posted on Instagram by Wilco Blok show the Porsche Macan rival in full production-spec bodywork. 

It was wearing some of the promotional stickers seen in some recent teaser images, but largely appears as it will at a full official unveiling tomorrow.

The Grecale, named for a Mediterranean wind system, is the second SUV from the Italian automaker, the first being the larger Levante.
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Auto Styling News is a blog that covers car concepts, newly released models, and the auto industry.

#BMW Leaks Photos Of 2019 #Z4 Ahead Of #PebbleBeach Reveal [Auto Styling News]

It has a long hood, short overhangs, a low center of gravity, and soft top. It's the soon-to-be revealed BMW Z4, and BMW has just "leaked" photos of the iconic car before its debut at Pebble Beach later this month. The photos of this 2019 model were leaked on Instagram.

It's face looks aggressive, with a large, aggressive front fascia, featuring an enormous interpretation of the traditional "kidney-shaped" grille openings, and a large scoop underneath, with more openings at the sides.

These are topped by large, fierce-looking headlights, all of which make the BMW hood badge look tiny by comparison. But of course perhaps that the point.

Commentators note that the front is more aggressive and larger than a previous concept vehicle, as are the lamps and mirrors.

The side features a scoop behind the front wheel wells and some sexy sculpted work on the lower door panels that avoid being compared to the "Bangle" days but still evoke that curvaceous era.

The tail is just as smart, featuring wrap-around tail lamps and a built-in spoiler that's not too large for the vehicle. The rear bumper looks like it's melting away, swooping around the licence tag area and dipping down into rear scoops that continue the aggressive, manly look of the front fascia. Dual exhausts round out the look nicely.

2019 #Audi #Q8 Luxury Mini-Ute Features Coupe-Like Elegance, SUV Seating [Auto Styling News]

Sharing a name (Q8) with a Middle Eastern nation probably appeals to a wealthy market there, if that was the thinking behind the name of the 2019 Audi Q8, which shares a platform with the Bentley Bentayga, Lamborghini Urus, and Porsche Cayenne, and aspires to the same luxury lineage.

Combining the elegance of a coupe with the functionality of an SUV, the Audi Q8 debuted in June at the Audi Brand Summit in Shenzhen, China. It will hit US showrooms at the end of 2018.

Inside, the five-passenger SUV offers advanced connectivity, infotainment and driver assistance systems, combined with capable driving dynamics, to set a new standard as the top SUV model from the Audi brand.

The Q8 introduces the brand’s new SUV design language. And it is at once stunning and aggressive. The large, single frame grille with its octagonal shape, combined with massive, highly contoured air inlets, give the vehicle a commanding presence on the road. The LED headlamp fixtures are blessedly angular, as is the entire vehicle, forever putting to bed the "upside-down bathtub" look of the mid-to-late 2000s.

The sloping roofline ends in gently inclined D-pillars and the pronounced wheel arches pay homage to the vehicle’s Quattro DNA, and hint at a couple-like shape, though not as much as, say, the Mercedes CLA. Along with the standard color palate of whites, grays and of course, black, the Q8 will be offered in a stunning "Dragon Orange" (shown here) or a brilliant "Navarre Blue."

A rather handsomely wrought light strip connects the tail lights at the rear of the vehicle, and in an homage to the original Audi Quattro, a black surface underlines and connects this strip. The indenture of the strip is mimicked in the light fixtures, themselves.

As is becoming common on all five-doors and SUVs, a sun-shielding overhang protrudes over the top of the rear window, which will both keep rain and sun from the glass. Rear visibility seems like it will be slightly hindered by the small rear window and somewhat large-looking C-pillars, as is the case with many other 5-door mini-utes.

But the vehicle overall has a gorgeous look to it - more car-like than SUV - which leads one to call this a Mini-Ute, or a full-on Ute. The available 22-inch wheels will definitely give it that appearance, despite the long-ish hood, which takes it solidly into the "car" realm.

#Jaguar E-Pace Is An Attractive Luxury Offering [Auto Styling News]

The 2018 Jaguar E-Pace is a lot of things. It's an attractive vehicle, a luxury car, a Mini-Ute, and a production car that resembles a Concept. But don't make the mistake of thinking it's an electric car.

Many people will make that mistake, unfortunately, but Jaguar is leaving that for it's I-Pace vehicle. This small, beautifully wrought Mini-Ute (a small SUV) is, however, a worthy effort. And it will likely be a success for the company. Though it's not without its flaws.

Coming in at just 173 inches (the I-Pace is 184 inches long) this cute little bundle of engineering is a true entry-level luxury offering, starting at just $38,000.

It's curves up front remind one easily of a Porsche, but the similarities end there. The curves are definitely attractive, especially on the side, which provide the high doors of an SUV and the rakish rear window seen in many others of its size (the Mercedes GLA and its cousin the Infiniti QX30 have similar roof shades in the rear. As does the Nissan Rogue, Subaru Impreza, and... the Honda Fit.)

The front air intakes are huge, and while some my compare them to the Porsche as well, they add a uniqueness to the front fascia that is undeniably attractive.

The rear side view is very "butch" and masculine, if one may still say that these days. The C-Pillars are a bit large and thick, and the back window seems too small, both of which may be problems for visibility, but this is a common complaint for all Mini-Utes. Great back-up cameras will alleviate this problem.

The tail lights are exceedingly attractive, and uniquely beautiful. One cannot mistake them for any other make of car, and that's something rare in today's styling choices. They are similar to other models in the Jag line-up, but that's totally fine. They distinguish the car immediately and give it credibility.

The interior is stunning, as one expects from a Jaguar. Fit and finish inside, not to mention a properly working drivetrain under the hood, will make or break this car among luxury enthusiasts.

But from the looks alone, there's no doubt that the car will be successful in the marketplace - even a crowded one, filled with Mini-Utes already. It will be a stunner on the road, and in driveways, and that's part of the draw for its target audience.

Photos: Jaguar USA

#VW Shows Off Sexy #Arteon At Geneva Auto Show [Auto Styling News]

The lackluster sales of the Passat/CC has led VW to replace it with a dramatically styled replacement that - lo, and behold - will actually go on sale later this year as a 2018 model! (*In Europe. Probably later in the USA.)

Shocking, perhaps, that a concept (itself based on the GTE Coupe Concept from 2015) will actually go on sale, unlike the numerous iterations of the 1960s VW Bug, the latest of which we won't dignify with a comment. What's even more shocking is that this is a really beautiful design.

Dr. Elmar-Marius Licharz, head of the mid- and full-size vehicle lines for Volkswagen, raves about its design.

"The car looks simply great – it both arouses emotions and creates desirability," he said. "Many of the details of the show car have made it into real production."

Yes, it does. The company is calling the car a "fastback," which technically means a car's roofline merges smoothly into its tail in one, smooth, seamless curve. Indeed  that's the case here, though if its meant to evoke the old VW Bug, that's not the case, but it's still beautifully wrought. (The Type 3 Fastback sedan of the late 1960s is a better analogy, as the company points out.)

The name Arteon is a portmanteau of "art" and "eon," the suffix that cleverly signifies all high-end luxury models within the Volkswagen brand worldwide. The Arteon’s integrated grille, LED headlamps and daytime running lights with chrome trim that connects all three elements presents the new “face” of the Volkswagen brand.

Compared to the outgoing CC, the Arteon is longer and wider, while its fastback profile allows for a true hatchback trunk. It’s also space efficient, with up to 55 cubic feet of cargo space when the rear seats are folded down.

LED taillights and 20-inch wheels combined with a SEXY shoulder line that runs the length of the body, highlighting the Arteon’s sporty nature.

THE AUDI PROBLEM
The car does have a problem, however, and it's a problem I call "the Audi Problem."

The company's website says, "while the Arteon offers a premium appearance, it will not carry a huge price tag." Lichartz is quoted as saying it's "the perfect car for people who appreciate great style and great value for money. That is how we are challenging premium car makers without becoming one ourselves." While Volkswagen assuredly is NOT a luxury car company, it's sure approaching one when it puts out such a high-end vehicle as this, and one like the much-maligned CC.

And the problem with all that is that Volkswagen HAS a luxury brand: Audi. And it undercuts sales of new and even used Audis when it puts out a "near-luxury" luxury car such as this.

Audi has long struggled to get itself back on top after a decade or two of floundering sales with cars that looked like, well, flounders. This car, admittedly beautiful and luxurious, is part of Volkswagen's "Audi Problem," because it most assuredly cuts into sales of its A3 entry-level car - which strangely resembles, and perhaps, the Arteon even RIVALS with its gorgeous sheetmetal curves

As KIA is learning with its poorly selling upscale K900 model, a non-luxury car company is NOT a luxury car company, nor can it be. Leave that to the upscale version of your brand (or in the case of KIA, *build* a luxury brand) and then don't try to compete with it.

#Jaguar I-PACE Concept Set For Production In 2018 [Auto Styling News]

Jaguar has been known for over 80 years as a maker of sports cars, but they're hoping that with the introduction of the 2018 I-PACE, they will be taking a big, bold step into the future as an electric vehicle manufacturer.

The I-PACE Concept is a technologically advanced, five-seater sports car. And it's actually slated for production for the 2018 model year. It’s as daringly designed and innovative as the cars that put Jaguar on the map, with technology that enhances our customers’ lives. It sets a template for others to follow, just as we have always done.

Transportation will change more in the next decade than it has in the past 50 years, and the I-PACE proves that they're ready.

Based on the same architecture as the new F-Pace premium SUV, incorporates new technology to create an electric performance package that, according to Jaguar, accelerates to 60 mph in just 4 seconds with the power of a 90-kWh battery that has an estimated range of 220 miles (EPAe) before recharging, which can be done at public charging stations in less than two hours, claims the company.

Yes, it's a performance car, a family car and an all-wheel-drive SUV all in one. Its "groundbreaking design, true Jaguar performance and competitive range and charging times will make it the first real electric alternative to a traditional premium SUV," crows Jag.

The design of the sheet metal is just as stunning as the design of the electric motors. The vehicle occupies less road space than conventional mid-size SUVs yet offers more room for passengers and luggage than models in the segment above. And optimized aerodynamics deliver a low drag coefficient of just 0.29 and inspired new design features that embody the vehicle’s power and performance.

The exterior in some ways is similar to other SUVs, but in others, a radical departure. Like the "hard edge" direction of Cadillac and of recent Lexus models, there are a lot of angles to take in at first glance.

But the effect isn't jarring, but is rather stirring. The large front fender haunches, the flat rear and he lower door creases all have a unifying effect, despite their novelty. The large intake chutes and cats-eye headlamps could be from any luxury car, but the now-familiar Jaguar corporate grille assures us that this is, indeed, a Jag. The shortened hood itself is stunning, as well, and that, along with the stubby rear-end, give it a smart and aggressive look.

More branding occurs in the rear, with a leaping Jaguar and Jag-style lamps that assure us what brand this really is. But some may see the rear as too generic, resembling a Japanese car if one squints.

That said, it's hard to view this car from almost any angle and not see that it will be a success, even apart from the revolutionary tech that runs it, which will also give the Tesla cars runs for their money. And if this thing is even close to being reasonably priced, it could be a smash hit.

[Photos: Jaguar.com]

The Shocking #Concept Car Roots Of The 1996 Taurus [Auto Styling News]

An editor over at the CarBuzz facebook page asked "What The Hell Were They Thinking: 1996 Ford Taurus?"

One possible explanation for their apparent lapse of judgment? Good intentions gone awry.

Four years earlier, the Ghia Focus concept (1992) was an incredibly influential and thought-provoking design. And one must say, quite a radical one.

Based on "organic life," it was clearly ODD, but it had a point to make. The gill-like structures on the hood and back end, and a swooping, curvy rear with lights in strange places that resembled a strange rash were all animal-like in appearance. A rope-like devise that stretched from the front of the door to the trunk was obviously not ever going to make it to a production vehicle, but was meant to tease the eye and draw it to the rear of this beast. The raw beauty of it - perhaps too raw - was undeniable. It is almost Porsche-like. Certainly Ghia-like.

Whether the concept could have survived in the marketplace in this form is certainly is debatable.

But of course, as with many concepts, by the time this concept's influences began to make it into production in REAL cars - notably the 1996 Taurus -  it was FAR from what the designer had hoped it would be. Blame the bean-counters and the unimaginative executives for this.

And yet, perhaps overall, their interference on this one may be a good thing, This may have been too shocking of a design for 1996. Or even 2006.  But it's also a shame that the production '96 Taurus came off more like a dead fish than a car inspired by nature. It DID dare to be different, but in all the wrong ways, and was widely ridiculed. The concept pointed in a better direction.

The headlights of this concept vehicle could be easily used today on any car. Stripped of its odder elements, the shape would today be seen as a revolutionary and welcome challenge to Porsche, and with a proper engine, could actually make good on that challenge.

The most recent Ford Fusion shows that the company is fully capable of producing a beautiful vehicle that actually sells - and one that doesn't stray far from the original concept.. Perhaps slapping a new grille and proper tail lights on this gorgeous concept would be a market-pleaser as well.

With the MKZ and New Lincoln Motor Co. Moniker, Ford Crosses its Fingers

Well, it's a brand new day over at Lincoln - or should I say "Lincoln Motor Company" (I'm calling it LiMoCo.) As the video above shows, the Ford subsidiary (since 1922) has just relaunched itself with this new moniker and with the new MKZ as a halo car, which, no question, is a pretty car, based on the Ford Fusion (itself a pretty car.) Hopefully it's one with enough differentiation to justify the higher price tag.

So far, the car, and the company, looks good, though with 90 years of badge engineering - simply changing the badge from "Ford" to "Lincoln" with a few cosmetic changes inside and out - it's a history that breeds skepticism.

The introduction video comes with a slick new website (www.lincoln.com) that's large on graphics and hype but not much else. A hybrid MKZ will be available that gets 45 MPG in both city and highway driving, that's something to crow about. The rest of the fleet getting as low as 17 MPG is not, however. No doubt it all balances out to meet Federal standards, though, just as the Ford fleet does with its hybrid(s) and electric Focuses (Foci?)

The MKZ itself has a lot to recommend it. It's exterior features a slim, tasteful windswept grille and a handsome, though seemingly Dodge Charger-inspired rear lamp assembly. The tiny rear window is attractive and not at all derivative of the BMW "Hofmeister Kink" as so many others have been.

The back window hints at great aerodynamics, and the squared-off dual tailpipes are sufficiently exotic.

The interior features an acceptable level of luxury, with all the right wood and leather in the right places. The placement of the shift buttons (yes, buttons) on the center console are at once eyebrow-lifting and interesting - perhaps even logical. The buttons on the Aston Martin-like center console are flush and polished nicely, and there's no question one is inside a luxury car.

Hopefully, this attractive and serviceably luxurious MKZ and the new re-branding can pull the brand out of the trash bin, where it has been tossed by many dismissive customers for decades now.

Jaguar video of the 2013 F-Type Shows One Sexy Tiger!

Jaguar has released official video of the 2013 F-Type. The curves and sexiness of the vehicle are unmistakably Jag.

Some may question the "J" in the headlamps as a bit "Audi," but they are definitely unique. Less controversial will by the tail lights, which are thin and sexy.

What do you think? Sex on Wheels, or Misfire?

2013 Aston Martin Vanquish. It will vanquish you.

The 2013 Aston Martin Vanquish is a gorgeous vehicle, there's no doubt about that.

The video below is the official unveiling of the car to the public by the company (though it was also shown earlier this summer.)

The lines and curves - not to mention the extremely powerful and easily recognizable exhaust note! - are uniquely and clearly Aston Martin. If anyone were to criticize, ever so slightly, it would be the tail lamps, which look kind of like cut-outs of lamps, where the tail lamps were supposed to go. (Though close-up, and at night, they do look more spectacular than a first glance would suggest.

That said, these are the kinds of details that grow on you in a car like this. And if Toyota can foist tail lamps onto the millions like they have with the Camry's "comma-shaped" lamps, these will suffice for the few who buy Astons- and these surely are better and more nicely defined.

The interior of the vehicle is masterfully crafted, and will take your breath away.

Watch this astounding video and see if you fall in love:

2013 Mustang Ad Gets a Huge Checkered Flag (and so does the car!)

The introductory ad for the 2013 Ford Mustang "Unleash Yours" was debuted during the Daytona 500 back in late February (and a day earlier on Google and Facebook.) It definitely gets the "checkered flag" and a victory lap, both for cleverness in execution, style and effectiveness. Check it out, below.



The ad nails it by understanding that Mustang is an aspirational brand that everyone has, at one time, wished it could own and envisions what THEIR car would look like if their wishes came true.

The ad features four people viewing the new car as a runs down a city street: a woman, a tatooed chef, a cyclist and a little girl. Each see the car in their own favorite colors, exemplified by the clothes their personal styles and clothes.

The girl, wearing a pink tutu, blows away stereotypes by envisioning something far more radical than a pretty little pink car one would assume she'd enjoy.

Since last Fall, Ford has played up the aspirational character of the brand with the Mustang Customizer, which tempts fans of the car with the tagline, "Deep down, you know you want to," and allows users to choose color, transmission type and other packages (which quickly add to the $22,000 base price, as it's tabulated below the car.)

Clearly, the customizer, which has been used by four million fans, and the video, which has had over a million views on YouTube, has struck a nerve, as has the car.

"We know that Mustang owners are incredibly passionate about their car," says Matt VanDyke, director of U.S. Marketing Communications for Ford. "Rather than just show features and benefits, our new ad demonstrates how people see the product as an extension of who they are. We believe that everyone has an inner Mustang just waiting to be unleashed.”

2013's Mustang iteration looks as classic and beautiful as it always has (except for a while there in the late 80s and early 90s, but let's not ruin a good discussion here.)

New for 2013 are some seriously bad-ass headlamps which powerful LEDs, and a slicker hood design that droops over the classically-refined grille. The tail lamps look like they belong on a Mustang, and the optional chrome rear section, which surrounds the badge, is quite impressive.

Morgan 3-Wheeler brings classic style to the road

Car enthusiast Jay Leno test drives the new 3-Wheeler from UK car maker Morgan in the video below.

The car is admittedly beautiful, evoking earlier iterations of the Morgan "kit-car" style. It is a pre-production model, but it's unexplained why it goes veering off the road during Leno's test drive in the UK. The one-seater will reportedly run around $30,000.
Still, it looks comfortable, with classic leather seats and the long nose for which Morgans are well known. The chrome details, especially on the front, are stunning. From the side, one can't help but think the car is from the late 1920s or early 1930s, and the hindquarters look a bit odd to modern eyes, though in a classic way.
The three-wheel design, though unique, is both economical and head-turning, as Leno notes in a rather glowing review in this video. The company is already taking orders for the car, according to a company spokesman in the video.

Be sure to visit the Morgan 3-Wheeler website, where you can design your own Bespoke model with numerous color options for paint and leather seating and trim, as well as some neat decal work that's available. Mine is below, featuring 1940s-evoking decals and classic green and camel leather seating and trim. To save, hit "print screen" on your keyboard. There doesn't seem to be a way to save the design otherwise.

Bangle Era finally ending at BMW with elegant M3 styling?

I must say, the new tail lamps of the 2012 BMW M3 are quite beautiful, and a vast improvement over previous models' designs. The "Bangle" era at BMW (named for chief designer Chris Bangle, who is now working in his own firm in Turin, Italy) was extremely controversial.

While the easy-to-spot swoopiness and curvaceous lines on BMWs alienated many traditionalists, one cannot argue that it was successful in raising the company's profile and standards of luxury during his 17-year tenure at BMW. Still, that polarization came at a price, and frankly, my view is that the brand suffered somewhat from it, in the same way other companies suffer when they go too far in the direction of experimentation and away from customer's tastes (the Ford Taurus of the mid-1990s comes to mind, as does the Pontiac Aztek and other follies.)

The new direction of the company, with less flare and more true, sophisticated style - as exhibited in the smart and handsome looking 3 Series - is the right direction for this company. Let's hope they can sustain it and expand upon it.

Range Rover's Gorgeous Evoque Coupe

Above is the launch film for the stunning Range Rover Evoque Coupe, set to debut later this year as a 2012 model. It is the smallest, lightest and most fuel efficient Range Rover ever produced.

The completely new model comes in a two-door coupe as well as a five-door version, which made its debut at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show last Nov. 17.

Both aim to "transform the premium compact SUV segment," says the international Land Rover site, landrover.com.

The curves and creases of this Range Rover model are undeniably sexy, though one could less charitably say that it looks like someone simply squeezed a previous Range Rover model between one's thumb and index finger. Still, both exterior and interior views seem to uphold the brand's high quality of luxury craftsmanship.

The one quibble one might have with the otherwise well executed design is with rear visibility. The slight rear window surely will give headaches to wealthy soccer moms backing out of the supermarket parking space. The same is true for certain Jeeps. We'll see if this(hopefully minor) problem prevents sales of this otherwise well-executed vehicle.

There's Something Horribly Wrong Over at Chrysler

It's pretty bad when the entire advertising and marketing campaign strategy for a car company's lineup of vehicles is based on the idea of keeping them in the shadows as much as possible.

That seems to be Chrysler's strategy, especially with its Sebring replacement, the 200, which debuted in a much-ballyhooed commercial during this year's Super Bowl. As you remember, rap star Eminem hyped the poorly photographed car traveling amongst the ruins of Detroit touting the benefits not so much of the car but of the city - which is about as prosperous today as is Kandahar or Benghazi.

The missing element was the car, which was filmed at night and in severe close-ups. At the time, I thought this was a "teaser" and that we'd get to see more of the car in future ads. Well, this ad was all we'd see, and shorter versions of it have been the sum total of what we've seen of the 200.

Good thing, it turns out. In one of our first blog posts here, we exposed the true and hideous nature of this car, which frankly looks worse than the Sebring, or at least just as cheap.

Surprisingly, though (or perhaps not, given the looks of the thing) the "shadow" campaign continues on the company's website, where it features the woefully small and pitiful four-car lineup for the "major" automaker photographed in shadows, making the black cars look dark and mysterious, but also strangely LESS elegant - and one assumes that's what the photographer was going for.

Even more oddly, in the "gallery" section for the 200 on the company's site, most of the photos are again in shadow, or in extreme close-up. It's incredibly difficult to get a handle on what the car looks like, or any of them, for that matter.

Is this deliberate? I think so. The four cars Chrysler is putting on the market in 2011 run from just over $19,000 for the 200 to just over $30,000 for the Town and Country minivan (rated one of the worst cars on the market by Consumer Reports last year.) All of them are shown in deep shadow and in solid black.

From a styling point of view, these are among the worst cars Chrysler has ever produced. They are bland, lack imagination and vision, and do not excite in the least. The new headlights on the 300, for example, are meant to be more elegant than the 2005 300, which was a rare hit for the company. Why mess with good, unless you're going to make it better?

I have a few questions for Chrysler:
What happened to your Glory Days? Chrysler has put more concept cars on the road than any other car company. To name just three: the PT Cruiser, the Pacifica, and the aforementioned Crossfire (which, despite that unfortunate name, outsold the Audi TT for a brief while in the mid-2000s.)

Where is your Vision? The Crossfire was a beautifully executed vehicle that took chances. So did the PT Cruiser, which sold millions. What happened to your mojo? It's sure not in the 200.

Where is your electric car? Chrysler was working on a secret weapon, the daringly styled ecoVoyager (see drawing below) which would have theoretically gotten 300 miles for each charge of its lithium-ion batteries, or even run on hydrogen (though we were promised this with the Chevy Volt, too, but never mind.) This was in 2008, when it hit the auto show circuit. Flash ahead to 2011, and Nissan literally cannot produce enough of its plug-in electric Leaf vehicles, nor can Toyota create enough Prius's to meet demand. Chrysler could have been the talk of the industry with this vehicle. But Chrysler blew it. Again.

Ford Unveils Handsome 2013 Taurus

Ford unveiled it's 2013 Taurus and Taurus SHO designs at the New York Auto show this week, and it looks like they've upped their game quite a bit, even over their current model, which is itself a vast improvement over past years.

"Attention to detail" is their mantra, and it looks like they've taken it to heart with this handsome car (and that it's not just a cheap slogan.)

Fine details abound on this car, as described in a video released by the company this past Tuesday. Just enough chrome, a new signature trapezoidal grille on a more aggressive hood, better and intricately detailed headlamps and tail lamps, nicer rear treatment (again with beautiful chrome work) and even a nice side vent with the Taurus name in chrome helps to elevate this, Ford's flagship sedan, to a new level of (gulp) luxury.

The high waistline, similar to, but imitative of, the Chrysler 300, help add to the aggressive, yet handsome, looks of this model.

Add to this all the neat gizmos under the hood - 2.0 EcoBoost engine, self-parking mechanisms, and more (click for Ford's page) - this will be a flagship indeed for the company, which has not had to struggle as much as its rivals because it has actually put some excellent models into the market in the past few years, and seems to be committed to continuing this tradition.

The Insanely Beautiful 2013 Bugatti C16 Galibier

The 2013 Bugatti C16 Galibier was revealed earlier this year. It was named after an Alpine pass featured in the Tour de France and combines the styling cues of the Type 57 Atlantic coupe with the Galibier sedan name of the 1930s in a 4-door flagship that also has echoes of the legendary Bugatti Royale.

The nose of the insanely beautiful Galibier sports a large horse collar grille, a Bugatti signature, along with a pronounced fore/aft center spine. The hood has a center hinge along that line, with engine bay access covers opening to the sides of the vehicle. The two-tone body treatment is similar to the Veyron's — the sides done up in polished aluminum that is contrasted by the royal blue hood, roof and rear body panels crafted from carbon fiber. The rear of the vehicle tapers into a boattail, and there's a hatch for access to the rear cargo area. The body silhouette may remind some of the profile of the recently released Porsche Panamera (which for some will not be a compliment but for me, it works.)

The fastback shape of is rear window certainly does evoke Porsche, but upon closer inspection, a large crease runs the length of the roofline and INTO the glass of the window. Shockingly, perhaps, the crease doesn't begin on the roof, but instead, can be seen within the windscreen and the hood as well.

The magic doesn't stop there. The car's "third tail light" is embedded within this crease in the rear window. Like most Bugattis of the past, this will be a truly beautiful car to behold - if we are lucky enough to see one, that is! Production numbers are likely to be less than 5,000.

Beneath the hood is Bugatti's 8.0-liter W-16 engine, which is a flex-fuel unit capable of running on ethanol. The engine, with two-stage superchargers, is said to propel the Galibier to a top speed of 217 mph. The all-wheel-drive car is also equipped with an advanced reactive suspension and carbon-ceramic disc brakes.

Inside, it's a leather-wrapped paradise, of course, with enough wood to build furnish a small apartment. Which, of course, is standard Bugatti fare. The seats look plush and the windscreen appears spacious and unobstructed by the aforementioned crease.