The #BMW Group's HOT #Mini Superleggera Vision Concept

The BMW Group has released an exciting concept - the MINI Superleggera Vision - an open-top two-seater designed in conjunction with Touring Superleggera, a design and coach building house based in Milan, Italy. The car was unveiled at the 2014 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este.

Anders Warming,  head of MINI Design, calls the concept an "energetic, minimalistic design" that "embodies the dynamic essence of an automobile. At the same time it creates unique emotional beauty in combining the past and future of the automotive industry, i.e. traditional coachwork craftsmanship and modern design styling."

And he's not wrong. The celebration of circles and curves in the head and fog lamps and even in the oval grille is easy on the eyes, as are the clean, sweeping lines from front to rear on the sides. The rakish windscreen and cute "fin" on the rear make this car a head-turner.

Memo to the BMW Group: Please build this!

(photos: The BMW Group)

Mini Recycles Old Plymouth Concept

Mini is shopping a "pickup truck" concept of the Mini Paceman that had me thinking of a previous concept. See if you notice the similarities.

In 1995, Plymouth shopped around a very similar, but perhaps more feminine, baby pick-up called the Plymouth Backpack based on what would become the Dodge Neon.

As a long-time fan of the Backpack, I must say the Paceman version is more "butch" and does look better.

Mercedes and BMW May Be Planning a Love Child (Let's hope not!)

Mercedes Benz is shopping a concept/design study called the "Concept Coupe SUV." See if it reminds you of another car or two on the road today.

Let's first be positive here: The front end is devastatingly gorgeous, as is the rest of the current line-up from Mercedes.

The head lamps are incredibly detailed and again, match the current line-up and cannot be mistaken for lights on any other vehicle.

The grille is equally beautiful and features wonderful details that are making Mercedes a prime choice in the luxury market (as if they have ever given up that title!)

But... okay, the gloves must come off now: The rear quarter of this concept are horrendous, and extremely derivative. It  looks like the slow-selling and "uniquely" styled BMW X6, a so-called "four-door coupe SUV" (a style that has already run its course, frankly) with the added "bonus" of Lincoln MKZ-style tail lights, which look too small for this vehicle.

Mercedes raided the Lincoln parts bin for the tail lights!

This concept - actually just a "design study" to determine what a full-sized, SUV/Coupe would look like if one is ever made - is actually a bit larger than the BMW X6, a full-sized behemoth. It is being shopped around at the Beijing International Auto Show (April, 2014) but it would certainly make an impact in supermarket parking lots all over America if it was ever built and sold here.

While it's a good start, and a wonderful concept, generally, I have to urge Mercedes-Benz to go back to the drawing board on this one.

Other than having proper tail lights, this X6 too much resembles the Mercedes concept!

The Chrysler 200 Goes Under the Knife - and Comes out Pretty

Chrysler's 200 has, since it's introduction in 2012, had a problem. And that problem was the headlight design. The headlights are ghastly on the current model. Almost literally laughable.

In one of our first posts here, Auto Styling News eviscerated the 200 for this and other sins, but mostly the sin of actively advertising this vehicle as 'distinctive' and having funny little eyebrows, and a grille "that's shaped just like the interior clock," somehow made it so. To have "luxury car" pretensions, and have such a glaring mistake right there on the front of the car seemed unforgivable.

In fact, the car's introductory ad itself was called "Why do the headlights have eyebrows?" Why, indeed. (The video screenshot below doesn't do justice to the silliness that ensues when one of these is seen on the road.)

The sad part about the 2011 re-do of the Sebring is that the rest of the car looked pretty good. The rear was very attractive and the proportions were fine.

Anyway, let's just say all is forgiven. The 2015 model, released at the Detroit Motor Show this week, is a far better looking vehicle on many levels.

The headlights, along with the entire grille, has been refurbished, and now has the class that was sorely lacking on the 2011-14 models. The well proportioned Chrysler "wing" logo is now more prominent as well, and gives the car a proper identity.

Had they stopped there, the company would receive great plaudits from this quarter and many others, I'm sure. But they kept going, and tweaked the entire vehicle (which is now built atop a Fiat chassis.)

The rear end - which they actually got right on the previous 200 - also received a completely facelift, and while the rear spoiler from a certain angle seems to give it a bit of a "duck face" (or duck's a**?) it's tolerable. And while the previous tail lights were just fine, the new ones are certainly appropriate, if not a bit hum-drum.

The side view also looks completely different, and this yields one of the few criticisms, since it looks a lot like most other cars on the road, and it is not at all distinctive.



The rear looks a bit like a Hyundai and one could mistake the profile for a Lexus or even (if you squint) a Jaguar F series. Which isn't a bad mistake for a car seeking to enter "luxury" status (and a $21k luxury car would certainly be welcome.)

With this complete re-think, Chrysler shows that it's serious about reaching into the luxury market - or at least that it knows how to recover when it makes a mistake, and the previous 200 was a big one.

It's too early to say whether the 200 can actually compete with the luxury brands it hopes to take on, or whether it's rather anonymous styling makes it more of a competitor with the Hyundai's and KIA's of the world. But at least it's now a full competitor.

#KIA's GT4 #Stinger Concept debuts in Detroit

KIA's concept GT4 Stinger has just debuted at the Detroit Auto Show and it's a beauty, based on official images released today. The car is said to be KIA's version of the Hyundai Genesis, and very close to what the production model will look like. What do you think? Post your comments below.

 

10 Great Mini-UTEs Reviewed

The world of small SUVs are proliferating throughout every brand.

We've selected a few Mini-Utes and arbitrarily selected those that are 160-180" in length, meaning micro-minis and land barges don't count in this match-up.

Remember this is Auto STYLING News, not auto performance news, so regardless of how powerful it is under the hood (and most of these ARE quite powerful) looks, at least here, matter more.

Prices are listed here are for 2013 list prices, but bear in mind, as later model year SUVs are rolling out, you may be able to snap these up for far less coin!

We'll rate each from between one and four stars, with four being the best "lookers" of the bunch. The list is alphabetical.

*** BMW X1 175" $30,650

The branding here is excellent. One recognizes it instantly as a BMW with its kidney-shaped grille, BMW badging, and Hoffmeister kink (which BMW created) in the third window, which nonetheless doesn't obscure the driver's view - a common problem in this category, as we'll see in the other reviews. Overall a very well-wrought vehicle, though one could quibble with such a long hood length.


*** Buick Encore 168" $24,200

This is GM's Cute-Ute for the Buick brand. Some fans of this brand may not want to buy a tiny version of the venerable Buick name, but others may want to pare down and get away from the Dinosaurs that GM's rivals are portrayed as in the car's ads. The proportions are a bit Mini Cooper-like and that will scare some away, and rear visibility seems obscured a bit by a very large C-pillar, but overall a very nice design.

**** Ford Escape 178" $22,470

This is a home-run for Ford, with beautifully proportioned front-end that isn't overpowered by the upper or lower grille nor the size of the headlamps - a common error on cars these days. The lines flow nicely over the roof with "Sportage-style" rails and a nice Reverse-Hoffmeister kink that shows up on many other Sport Utes but seems to really complement the lines here.

*** Hyundai Tuscon 173" $19,245

The Tuscon has gone from a bland vehicle to a stand-out in just a few years, and this is a beautifully designed Sport Ute. The front grille, bisected with a curved bar and a small Hyundai badge, is well integrated with the short hood, which radically sweeps upward to the windscreen, giving the car a feeling of swift movement. Head lights are complimented by appropriately-sized fog lamps here. The only issue may be with visibility in the rear, with the tiny third window framed with a perhaps too-large rear panel. Still, the overall look is fantastic and is clearly identified as a Hyundai.


*** Kia Sportage 175" $19,000

The Sportage has always looked nice and so does this version. One might say this one is a bit chunky though, with a high hood, large grille and high door sills that create a "Concept Car" style greenhouse. The head and rear lights are well proportions. Though the extremely large C-Pillars must create visibility issues. Among the cheapest of the bunch reviewed here, the KIA is well worth a look.

*** Mazda CX-5 179" 21,195

The longer, shark-like hood and grille treatment that Mazda recently adopted for its entire line-up is incredibly attractive and suits its image as an innovative brand. The way the head lamps merge into the grille, with an apparent downward force, is also well done. The Reverse-Hoffmeister is present here, creating a bit of an odd shape behind it. The tail lamps are large and mimic the head lamps' style and size.

**** Mercedes-Benz GLK 178" $37,090

Riding high and with a huge greenhouse, this Mercedes is clearly a luxury brand and is unmistakably a Mercedes Benz. It's also got a Benz price tag, so it had better be worth it! The large but well proportioned grille sports the company tri-star, and the aggressive lines moving across the doors give it a sense of style and speed even while standing still. The functional roof rack adds character and an outdoorsy feel to the car, and small C-pillars in the rear give it heft but not sight-line problems for the driver.


*** Mitsubishi Outlander Sport 169" $19,170

The "Shark-like" appearance of the Outlander has offended and shocked some auto reviewers but its just that aggressiveness that gives it character and oomph. The slightly sloping side lines (shown well in this almost matte black photo) are nicely done, and it's clear that visibility isn't an issue with this Mini-SUV, either. The grille is better than the rather prissy one on the ghastly, clunky 2014 Outlander.





**** Toyota RAV4 180" $23,300

The RAV4 underwent a redesign in 2013, and it remains a very attractive vehicle - among the pioneers of the Sport-Ute style. The front end is clean and crisp, as expected from a Toyota. The greenhouse looks large and the Reverse-Hoffmeister side window is nicely done and causes less alarm than in other cars by the delicate curvature of the roofline, which, along with the rising door sills, means that visibility remains acceptable. The tail lights floating away from the rear of the car are as interesting as they are innovative.

** VW Tiguan 174" $22,995

The Tiguan, like all VWs, is an acquired taste. The snout is rather aggressive and unpleasant, while the rest of the body is oddly malformed and seems to be the creation of a committee within VW. There does appear to be great visibility from the greenhouse, however, and the lines are clean and it's certainly consistent with the brand.

And Five others...

** Fiat 500L 167" $18,000 - Larger than the other Fiat.
** Ford C-MAX 174" $25,200 - A cute Ute that looks like a Fiesta on steroids.
** Mini Cooper Countryman 162" $22,000 - Larger than the other Mini.
* Nissan Juke 162" $20,280 - If you can stand the crazy lights, buy this one. Otherwise, wait until they're gone on the 2014 version.
** Subaru XV Crosstrek 175" $21,995 - A car on stilts. Interesting tail lights. Otherwise, not interesting.

The Amazing Rolls-Royce Wraith: Set for Production in 2015

The amazing Rolls-Royce Wraith convertible concept is going to production by 2015, according to multiple sources who said Rolls-Royce chief Torsten Müller-Ötvös had signed off on the model. The lushly produced "Official" video above shows how this shorter Rolls will likely appear, and it's extremely tantalizing.

The suicide doors, which undoubtedly alone weigh in at a ton or more, are slathered with leather, as is the entire interior, which will likely have literally millions of available permutations for a true bespoke/custom look, as is available for all Rolls orders.

The grille and lamps are squared off and are incredibly imposing, as they are on other models, like the Phantom Drophead Coupé, on which it's clearly based. The fast-back styling of the coupe are what really set this apart from the larger models currently in production. Care is taken not to sharply curve downwards in the rear quarter panel, but the D-Pillar is large and a bit bulky. While nicely rendered, as expected, this will clearly be a line-of-sight issue that will hinder visibility, but likely to be well handled by rear cameras, which are included on car makes far less expensive than this. Expect more top-of-the-line cameras here than on a Hollywood set.

The entire daylight opening in the greenhouse is extremely limiting, which, while stylish, is going to be a problem for owners who are daily drivers. Or their chauffeurs.

The trunk is likely to be ginormous, large enough for several golf bags or a huge assortment of custom luggage for the annual Hamptons holiday.

The entire rear, including the tail lamps, clearly define it as a Rolls, and its clear the heritage of the design was of paramount concern here. The entire design language and down-road graphic is instantly recognizable, and isn't a severe or radical departure for Rolls, and that's a very important and crucial decision, since the brand's customer base is conservative and loyal. Best not to stir things up with extreme and bizarre styling that will rankle the 1% who can afford this new iteration of a classic brand.

As a side note about the video's "plot," I love how the guy blows right by the beautiful woman in the video, rather than picking her up! As if to day "This car is enough for me, babe!"