Subaru mulling three-row utility, upscale versions of existing models

 

 
Subaru was one of few automakers whose sales actually picked up during the recent recession. But now that auto sales are back on track (and expected to hit pre-recession numbers this year), Subaru is trying to come up with new products to fill voids in its current lineup. Wards Auto had a chance to talk to Subaru's director-product manager Ken Lin, who indicated that the automaker is planning to introduce new models this year that will help it attract new buyers without alienating current ones.

The biggest void, of course, is a competitive three-row crossover, a role the Tribeca does not fill in one a very popular segment. Lin said that while there's no current plan to kill off the Tribeca, Subaru is looking at creating a larger three-row CUV with more interior space. In addition to to something big, Subaru is getting ready to bring its customers more luxury with new touring models, but does not anticipate going toe-to-toe with Mercedes-Benz or BMW.

By the end of this year, Subaru will be introducing a new hybrid model, although we don't yet know on which model it will be based. What we do seem to know is that the car will get its power from a nickel metal hydride battery rather than a more modern lithium-ion pack for the sake of simplicity. Finally, Lin mentioned a new product being brought into the sports car segment, but while the article takes this as a hint toward a possible BRZ Turbo, it could also be a reference to the next generation of the WRX and WRX STI.

UK Bugatti saleswoman sells nearly one Veyron per month

Selling cars is difficult enough without your company's only product being a $2.2 million supercar, but that doesn't seem to have slowed down Anita Krizsan.

As a sales representative for Bugatti, Krizsan sold 11 Veyron models to clients around the world last year, and her efforts have earned her the nickname "The $15 million woman." For comparison's sake, most of the company's salesmen are happy to move three of the ultra cars in a calendar year, and Krizsan's exploits mean she's the worldwide Bugatti sales leader. But getting there has been plenty of work.

The sales rep is available to clients 24 hours a day, and many times, potential customers call her in the middle of the night with questions about the car or its warranty. Krizsan even personally attends every delivery.

BMW recalling nearly 570,000 1 Series, 3 Series and Z4 models over electrical issue

 BMW is recalling roughly 570,000 vehicles in the United States and Canada due to faulty battery cable connectors that can fail, causing the engines in these cars to stall. Of the nearly 570,000 affected vehicles, just over 504,000 are here in the US.

The affected vehicles include 1 Series coupes and convertibles (both 128i and 135i) from the 2008 to 2011 model years; 3 Series sedans, coupes, convertibles and sport wagons (both 328i and 335i) from the 2007 to 2011 model years; and Z4 roadsters from the 2009 to 2011 model years.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, "the connector for the positive battery cable connector and the corresponding terminal on the fuse box may degrade over time," which can eventually lead to a break in the electrical connection and a loss of power in the vehicle. If the car loses power, the engine can stall, which could possibly lead to a crash. The Detroit News reports that BMW knows of one minor collision in Canada as a result of this problem, but no injuries.

The official recall program will kick off in March, at which point BMW will notify owners and dealerships will replace the positive battery cable connector, free of charge

Qoros brand debuting in Geneva with 3 Sedan, two concepts

 

There will be plenty of debuts at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, but one of the more unique reveals will be for an entire car company. Chinese automaker Qoros will use the prominent auto show to introduce itself to the world by launching a new production-intent sedan as well as two "concepts" that appear to be production ready. Qoros was founded as a part of a joint venture between Chery Automobile and global holding company, Israel Corporation.

Unlike most Chinese-designed cars we've seen recently, this car is neither unsightly nor a blatant rip off of another automaker. There are some hints of maybe BMW and even a little Kia on the outside and some Volkswagen and Audi on the inside, but the overall design language is clean and unique. This includes the highly detailed exterior with the Qoros name inscribed into the headlights as well as the large eight-inch touch-screen infotainment and navigation display inside the car.

At 181 inches long and 72.4 inches wide, this sedan is just slightly longer and wider than a Ford Focus. Under the hood, there will be two engines available at launch with another two said to be coming later. The base engine will be a 1.6-liter four-cylinder producing 126 horsepower and 114 pound-feet of torque, and there's also a turbocharged version of the same engine putting out 156 hp and 154 lb-ft; two turbocharged and direct-injected engines (a 1.3-liter inline-three and a 1.6-liter inline-four) will come at a later date. Transmissions include a base six-speed manual or an optional six-speed dual clutch transmission; auto stop-start is also an option.

Looking down the road, the Qoros 3 Cross Hybrid Concept shows a potential crossover model for the brand using a Honda-like Integrated Starter Generator sandwiched between the engine and transmission, but there is also another motor offering power to the rear axle for use as all-wheel drive. Finally, there is the Qoros 3 Estate Concept showing off a likely station wagon model

Fisker may get $350 million bid from China's Dongfeng

Fisker Automotive may receive a $350 million acquisition bid from China-based automaker Dongfeng Motor Corp., Bloomberg says, citing people familiar with the process.

Dongfeng would buy about 85 percent of the California-based maker of the $100,000 Karma extended-range plug-in, the wire service reports. Fisker spokesman Roger Ormisher tells Bloomberg that Fisker's received proposals from "multiple parties in different continents."

Either way, a new majority owner would help Fisker pay back its loans to the US Energy Department. Fisker drew down a $529 million line by about $200 million before the US government froze the rest because Fisker didn't meet certain production targets.

Fisker hasn't produced vehicles for about seven months. The company couldn't get new batteries because supplier A123 Systems filed for bankruptcy and is going through its own bidding process. Additionally, Fisker's been renegotiating with Finland-based supplier Valmet, Ormisher told AutoblogGreen last month.

Toyota hybrids get more popular in diesel-loving Europe

 

Together, Toyota and its Lexus luxury arm broke the 100,000-unit barrier for hybrid vehicle sales in Europe last year, Automotive News Europe reports.

Long known for their diesel-buying preferences as a way to boost fuel economy, Europeans upped their Toyota and Lexus hybrid purchases by a whopping 29 percent in 2012. While the Toyota brand accounted for more than three-quarters of the approximately 109,000 units sold, about 90 percent of Lexus vehicles sold in western Europe last year were hybrids.

While the 29 percent jump is impressive, it pales in comparison to the gains Toyota made in the US last year. The Japanese automaker boosted US alt-fuel sales by 83 percent in 2012 to more than 327,000 units and accounted for about 60 percent of all the hybrids sold Stateside. Lexus accounted for about 38,000 of the hybrids Toyota sold in the US in 2012.

Best speculative Ferrari Enzo successor rendering yet

While so many supposed Ferrari fanatics are just sitting on their collective hands and waiting for the Italian supercar maker to finally reveal its F150 (or whatever it'll be called) Enzo follow-up, designer Josiah LaColla has gotten busy with his Wacom tablet and set to work. The results, though quite possibly no closer to the actual F150 as any of the other renderings we've seen thus far, are lovely to behold.

Well, actually, "lovely" probably isn't the perfect descriptor – anything less than a little bit brutal wouldn't be a proper successor to the Enzo, nor would it fit the parameters laid out by the test mules we've seen so far. Accurate within the best of LaColla's ability to guess and imagine is probably a better way of looking at these designs, which show a car that has enough venting to keep the bowls of Hell cool (should Hell ever hit the autostrada at 150+ miles per hour).