We weren't expecting new SUVs to debut next week at the Frankfurt Motor Show. That sort of thing is reserved for truck-loving Americans in New York and Detroit, not in Germany, where lowered, hot-blooded luxury sedans and diesel-powered hatchbacks typically show up. And of all the SUVs to see, would you think one would come from Jaguar?
The relatively low-volume British automaker is clamoring for greater sales, and the C-X17 Concept, silhouetted above, is a thinly veiled preview for its first production SUV.
"The concept illustrates the diversity of vehicles that could be produced using this architecture, which underpins the innovative future of the Jaguar brand," the company said in a statement over the weekend. Translation: Sporty SUVs, hatchbacks and possibly more wagons like the XF Sportbrake are coming.
With Porsche readying its compact Macan SUV, BMW showing a curvy X4 concept in Shanghai and Infiniti debuting a new Q30 hatch in Frankfurt based on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, new SUVs and smaller cars are not a huge leap for Jaguar. The company already sells the XF Sportbrake station wagon in Europe and introduced the 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine, first seen in the Range Rover Evoque, on the XF sedan in the U.S. Despite a fresh lineup, Jaguar isn't as profitable worldwide as its sister brand Land Rover, with which it must compete head-on with a new SUV.
Lexus will show its LF-NX concept, a new compact SUV that looks like the brand's supercar LF-A with a lift kit. As it did with the 2014 IS sedan that debuted in Detroit, Lexus is letting loose with creases, slashes and L-shaped curves. Looking at the LF-NX almost cuts our retinas.
With headline-making compact German crossovers such as the Audi Q3, Audi Q2 and Mercedes-Benz GLA, which is also debuting in Frankfurt, Lexus needs a smaller, sportier rig than the best-selling RX, the car that effectively started the luxury crossover segment when introduced in 1997. Inside, the LF-NX hints at future Lexus interior design, including a spindle-shaped center stack and a touch pad for the infotainment system that's bound to replace the terrible, awful mouse controller on current models.
Land Rover is updating part of its all-SUV lineup for more efficiency, starting with the 2014 LR4. Like the new Range Rover Sport, the 2014 LR4 eschews the standard 5.0-liter V8 engine for the company's supercharged 3.0-liter V6 with auto start-stop, replaces the 6-speed automatic transmission with an 8-speed and drops the 2-speed transfer case for a single-speed box with a 42/58 torque split. That means less capability off-road, but most U.S. buyers won't see the difference. They may not even notice the power drop, from 375 horsepower to 340, as the six's low-end torque is substantial.
Auto start-stop will be standard along with an 8-speed automatic. But unlike the Range Rover Sport's significant weight loss, the LR4 is barely shedding its gut; with just two average adult passengers, it's still three tons of truck.
Slight styling tweaks, including a new front end with restyled headlights, appear throughout the car. In addition, the Meridian sound system and stress reducers such as cross-traffic alert and "Wade Sensing," which checks the depth of standing water, will be offered. (We really could have used that in South Africa.)
Range Rover buyers will be able to order the Black Design Pack on 2014 models, which includes gloss black trim on the grille, mirrors and other parts, including the gorgeous 21- and 22-inch wheels.
Lots more active safety and smartphone technology comes on board – optional, of course – that Land Rover had been lacking. A new InControl application for iOS and Android phones allows owners to check basic vehicle diagnostics such as fuel and door-lock status and lets police track the vehicle if it's stolen. In-car Wi-Fi, via an embedded 3G modem, will also be available. Also on the Range Rover's list of costly extras: lane-departure warning; active cruise control, which can stop and restart the vehicle in traffic; and an industry-first Parking Exit system, which automatically steers the truck out of a space.
While Land Rover is testing hybrid versions of the full-size Range Rover and preparing to sell the a diesel-electric hybrid Range Rover Sport in Europe next year, we won't see these here – or the company's fantastic diesels – for at least one or two more years.
Source: MSN
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