Thursday, 02 May 2013 09:35
Ford revives Escort nameplate as a concept for China
Words by Jose Carlo R. Sapera | Photos courtesy of the Ford Motor Company
Long before the Laser, Lynx, and Focus, there was the Ford Escort. Its life started in the late 60's as a great family car and proved to be a equally-great rally car as well. But after 32 years in production and six generations, Ford decided to pull the plug and replaced it with the Focus that we have today.However, a lot has changed since Ford last built an Escort. More specifically, China's boom has transformed it into an economic giant. It's so big that they're now the world's largest producer of motor vehicles and account for almost 1/3 of the annual global car sales. With this, it's a no-brainer for automobile manufacturers to take advantage of their fast-growing car market by tailoring specific models just for them. And Ford's solution is to revive the Escort as a concept that's intended solely for China.
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Concept
Wednesday, 20 February 2013 10:26
Kia’s Cross GT concept hints of an upcoming sporty SUV
Words by Hans Gerald Chua | Photos courtesy of Kia Motors America
Crossovers and SUVs are quickly becoming the transport of choice for most people nowadays. They're easy to drive, versatile, and can practically do anything a sedan can, only better. As a matter of fact, manufacturers have begun turning them into luxury saloons and even supercars. And the latest to join in the fray of classy sporty crossovers is Kia, who recently came up with the Cross GT concept.
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Concept
Friday, 08 February 2013 09:48
Toyota confirms debut of open-top 86 at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show
Words by Christopher Kho
How do you make the world's most thrilling front-engined rear-wheel-drive lightweight sports car even better? By chopping its roof off, of course and turning it into a cabriolet. Toyota has confirmed that the “FT-86 Open concept” will make its public debut at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show in March. While no exact details have been published, they did give us this sketch to contemplate upon.
According to Toyota, the concept is a “possible future development” of the Toyota 86 sports coupe. That means they're not exactly quite sure if it should go into production and they'll gauge the public's reaction to the model to know if they'll push through with it or not.
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Concept
Wednesday, 06 February 2013 10:24
Nissan’s Resonance Concept is one bold glimpse of the next-gen Murano
Words by Jose Carlo R. Sapera | Photos courtesy of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
Concept cars are hints of what car manufacturers may have in store for the next few years. They’re styled to thrill and, sometimes, tickle our imagination. This is also the best medium to showcase their latest tech. And the latest to turn our heads and tickle our senses is Nissan's Resonance Concept, which will be the basis of the next-generation Murano.
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Concept
Monday, 28 January 2013 07:06
Hyundai's HCD-14 Genesis Concept hints of things to come
Words by Leo Lim | Photos courtesy of Hyundai Motor America
Hyundai came up with the Genesis sedan back in 2007 as a way to show the world that they're now all grown up and ready to take on the big boys. Although the Korean premium sports sedan didn't sell that well in the Philippines, its Coupe version did. And at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, Hyundai released the HCD-14 Genesis Concept as a showcase of things to come.
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Concept
Wednesday, 23 January 2013 10:46
Veer into the individual: Honda GEAR Concept
Words by Jade Lu | Photos courtesy of Honda Canada Inc.
Falling into the ‘smaller’ trend, Honda follows suit after the Chevy Spark, Hyundai Eon, and Mitsubishi Mirage. At the 2013 Montreal International Motor Show, Honda Canada unveiled their concept unit for the chic, young, next generation urbanite - the GEAR Concept Study Model.
Honda doesn’t really say anything about the GEAR, just this statement from Honda R&D Americas Design Director, Dave Marek: "Subcompact cars are usually either utilitarian, but uninspiring or they're fun, zippy cars that are impractical and too expensive for the Gen-Y buyer, GEAR Concept tears down those walls - it's practical but fun, customizable, connected and affordable. Everything that young, discerning urban buyers would want in a car."
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Concept
Monday, 15 October 2012 06:38
Toyota’s Smart INSECT: Living a Bug’s life… small and hopefully short
Words by Carl Trocio | Photos courtesy of Toyota Motor Company
Concept cars are car manufacturers’ way of keeping their designers awake. It seems that Toyota’s design crew locked themselves in a room, had a back-to-back DVD marathon of Disney’s “A Bug’s Life” and “Cars” and hit their drawing boards while still having a hangover with the Toyota COMS electric vehicle. The probable result of that kiddie slumber party might have been the Toyota Smart INSECT. No “Mr. I-can-put-two-and-two-together,” this is not Toyota’s love child with Daimler’s Smart brand. Geez, if you call a kid smart does it automatically mean Daimler impregnated the kid’s mom?
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Concept
Monday, 25 June 2012 06:19
Toyota Camatte Concept: Car Town comes to life... somewhat (w/ video)
Words by Jopet Tocino | Photos courtesy of Toyota Motor Company
Japan - the land where some of the world's most outrageous ideas and things come from - has yet another one to add to the list. At the recent Tokyo Toy Show 2012, Toyota unveiled the Camette Concept. Named after the Japanese word for “care,” their latest “family-oriented” concept looks more like something that jumped out of Car Town than a would-be production car.
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Concept
Monday, 21 May 2012 09:50
Out of the Ordinary: Audi builds TT-powered RS Q3
Words by Hans Gerald Chua | Photos courtesy of Audi AG
Ingolstadt, Germany must be a very boring place to live in, because Audi has done it again. They've taken the taken the entrails from its mini-monster, the TT RS, and shoved it up the wazoo of their compact crossover, thus creating a mind-blowing 360 horsepower RS Q3. While it's still a concept, this should give the engineers at Audi a new toy to play with 'til it hits production... that is, if it ever does.
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Concept
Monday, 12 March 2012 11:20
Hyundai shows off the future with the 'i-oniq' concept at Geneva
Words by John Luther Garcia | Photos courtesy of Hyundai Motor America
In just over two decades, Hyundai’s small sports car evolved from the humble Scoup (named from blend of the words sporty and coupe), the front-wheel-drive Coupe of the mid 90’s, to the fiery Genesis Coupe of today. And at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, the Korean automaker continues to up the ante by showing off its latest concept coupe dubbed the 'i-oniq' that not only previews Hyundai’s future design language, but also their technological breakthrough primarily as a range-extended electric vehicle.
The i-oniq was penned by Hyundai’s R&D center in Germany, which goes to show the heavy European flavor on its design. Instead of going bonkers on wild shapes and angles, the new sports coupe is restrained with subtle character lines and curves that are less showy.
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Concept
