FIT SUV?

The production Honda Urban SUV has premiered at the Tokyo Motor Show as the Honda Vezel. The new Jazz-based crossover sports a very clean styling, strong character lines and a hidden rear door handle that gives a coupe-like profile. The design DNA is the same as the CR-V, but many new and original design elements have been introduced.
The front end is composed of design elements that you find in a typical Honda model’s face. The beefed up wheel arches, large wheels and the sharp-edged headlights and stoplights give the car a dynamic stance.

The Vezel shown in Japan was a hybrid model, though Honda say that a traditional petrol variant will also be introduced. Honda will launch the car with 2WD and 4WD systems.

Features used on the Jazz such as the center-tank layout and the highly configurable Magic Seat setup that also provides a flat floor for highest cargo capacity, has funneled here as well.The Vezel is the second member of Honda’s Global Compact Series (following the Jazz) that is launched with the ambition to sell 1.5 million units (of vehicles from this category) globally by the end of 2016, which is twice the current volume.

The Vezel will go on sale in Japan from December 20th.

THE NEW MINI

THE NEW MINI MAKES A BIG ENTRANCE IN LONDON,  

LOS ANGELES AND SHANGHAI.

It’s on! The new MINI will be revealed today in London and in Los Angeles and Shanghai over the next three days. 

The new MINI will be hitting the street soon. 
Stay tuned for more updates on the most connected MINI. 

iPad Air

Apple announced a new line of iPads on Tuesday at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater in San Francisco -- the iPad Air and second-generation iPad mini.Apple CEO Tim Cook kicked off the event saying, "You're going to see some amazing products this morning."The iPad Air is 43 percent thinner than the previous generation at 7.5 mm thin and weighs 1 pound. Inside the iPad Air runs on Apple's A7 chip, has a 64-bit desktop architecture, includes the M7 chip that was introduced with the iPhone 5S.

Apple's new iPad will have a 5 megapixel camera, 1080p HD video and keep the 9.7-inch Retina display. The iPad Air will replace the full-sized iPad, but Apple will still make the iPad 2 available for $399. The iPad Air goes on sale Nov. 1, starting at $499 for a 16 GB model.The iPad mini now comes with Retina display at 2,048 x 1,536 pixel resolution, an A7 chip and will be priced starting at $399 for a 16 GB model. Apple says it will be available in November.Both iPads come in silver and space gray.

2014 Honda FIT SUV

We've been hearing a lot of rumblings this year about a new crossover based on the Honda Fit, and now we finally get to see what this B-segment CUV might look like. Called the Urban SUV Concept, Honda's new small crossover has made its debut at the Detroit Auto Show, but we'll have to wait until 2014 to see the production version on sale in the US.  Honda says the production version of this concept, whatever it will be called, will slot below the CR-V in terms of size and price.
The next-generation Fit is expected to debut before this new crossover model, and both models will be built at Honda's Celaya, Mexico assembly plant, which is scheduled to open early next year. A new sedan is also expected to round out the lineup of Fit-based products.

MINI F55

The concept is simple. According to sources familiar with the program, MINI will create a 5-door version version of the next generation hatch. Using the F56 hardtop 2-door as its basis, MINI will shorten the front doors by 23 cm (9 in) and add two small, conventionally opening doors behind them. Think of it like the Countryman, but in a smaller package. Those rear doors will be on the small side, only about 35 in, but still more usable then you might expect. Sources are telling us that the rear doors will extend from the trailing edge of the front doors all the way into the rear wheel arches. The F55 will also have four standard door handles, one for opening each side door.

Speaking of those door handles, we can expect a redesign of the pull handles that have been around since 2001. Stylistically they will be similar, but instead of an internally pivoting latch, the entire handle will pivot outward from the front end, much like the mechanism found on newer BMWs. This means no more door handles freezing solid and useless in the dead of winter.

Inside the F55, we’ve been told to expect rear legroom to increase about 5 cm as compared to the next generation hardtop (which will be roughly the same as the current generation). F55 will offer a three person bench seat (like the Countryman and Clubman in some markets), likely as standard.

Stylistically the front of the car will be identical to the new F56. However, the rear will be slightly raked, as the extra 5 cm of legroom will push the boot out slightly. Think of the shape as almost a fast-back — something reminiscent of the upcoming MINI Paceman. In total, the F55 will likely be at least 5 cm longer overall than the F56 hatch, but its a size difference that will be almost imperceptible between the two cars. On the roof, the R55 will feature a more subtle version of the current Clubman’s “dune-line” roof profile to further distinguish the three and five door hatches.

Golf Sportvan

FRANKFURT, Germany –

While the e-Up! and e-Golf (pure electric versions of the compact and city hatchbacks) garnered plenty of attention, Volkswagen also debuted the Golf Sportvan concept, a more commodious version of the Golf hatchback that replaces the former Golf Plus.

The Golf Sportvan (the name is only temporary) is one of those Volkswagen models that are for foreign buyers only. Longer than the outgoing Golf Plus and the seventh-generation four-door Golf hatch on which it is based, the Sportvan also gains a longer wheelbase than the new Golf, and is taller and wider to create more passenger and cargo room.

As a more practical and flexible alternative to a Volkswagen Tiguan crossover, the five-passenger Sportvan retains the Golf Plus’s “command” (taller) seating. The front passenger seat can fold forward and flat to store longer objects. Rear cargo space goes up 74 litres over the old Golf Plus’s 498 litres rating. Plus, the rear seats split and fold 60:40 and can slide back and forth by as much as 180 mm generating 87 litres more room.

To me, the Sportvan simply looks like a roomier Golf hatch, with a taller seating position to better blend in with SUV/crossover/pickup traffic. But currently, there are no plans to bring the Sportvan (or whatever it ends up being called) to Canada. So far, we’ll be getting the Golf hatches and Wagon models only when they start arriving in Canada in 2014. But what do you think? Would a Golf Sportvan make more sense for a growing family than the Golf Wagon?

iPhone 5S / 5C

Apple introduced its latest flagship iPhone, the iPhone 5S. 
The new iPhone retains the designs and dimensions of last year’s iPhone 5, but adds a faster processor, an improved camera and a new feature called Touch ID, which allows the owner to secure the iPhone with a fingerprint. 

Apple also introduced the cheaper iPhone 5C, available with a plastic backing and in multiple colors.

"new" FIT

Honda has released images of the all-new Japanese model Fit and the pictures offer U.S. buyers a sneak peak of the 2015 U.S. model.

The images show a white Honda Fit hatchback with all-new styling that will be featured on the 2015 U.S. model. Changes include more angular bodywork on the front, side and rear and a new headlight and grille combination.   Honda has also developed a new hybrid system for the Fit that “greatly boosts fuel economy over the current [hybrid] system” that's used in other Honda models, like the Insight.   Honda will probably not release a hybrid version of the hatchback pictured above to the U.S. However, the U.S. will likely receive a new Fit sedan and Fit-based small crossover with the hybrid drive train.

2015 PRIUS

The first images of Toyota's next-generation 2015 Prius. 
The future version of the popular hybrid was spotted testing on the roads of southern California.

Previous rumors suggested that the next-gen Prius might ditch its iconic wedge-shape in favor of a more mainstream sedan-like design, but our spy shots indicate that won't be the case. Although still covered in heavy camouflage, this prototype's steeply raked windshield and flat rear glass section clearly show that the fourth-generation Prius will maintain the nameplate's familiar shape.

The 2015 Prius will ride on a new flexible architecture that will eventually underpin a number of Toyota vehicles, including the Camry, Corolla and RAV4. We've heard that the next Prius might adopt an electronic four wheel drive system, but there are few clues to that on this particular test car.

A few shots of the 2015 Prius' interior, revealing a more conventional layout than the current car. The Prius' main gauge cluster will move from the dash to behind the steering wheel, with further instrumentation likely to be housed in the car's yet-to-be-finished center stack. Although it's not complete, an 'EV mode' button can be seen just below the HVAC controls.
As for the Prius' drivetrain, it remains unclear at this point if the hybrid will keep its current nickel-metal hydride batteries or switch to a lithium-ion setup. The car's 1.8L gas engine should carryover, albeit with some improvements.

The next Prius, which could be built is Mississippi, will eventually spawn c and v variants.
The 2015 TOYOTA PRIUS is expected to debut in either late 2013 or early 2014.

MINI F56

The next MINI, dubbed F56, will be unveiled this year, either at the Geneva Motor Show next month or in September at Frankfurt Auto Show. The F56 MINI is built on a new front-wheel drive platform which will be shared between the MINI and the FWD BMW vehicles. The first FWD BMW made its debut in concept form in September at the Paris Auto Show.

Several prototypes are currently undergoing intensive testing and the latest spy photos place them in the snowy Nordic part of Europe.

The F56 will compete with offerings from Audi, the A1 and other non-premium European brands. Design wise, the proportions of the F56 are similar to its predecessor, R56. Some design elements like the headlights and taillights will go through some changes, but will not steer away from the DNA of the British brand.

Galaxy S4, available worldwide soon

It’s been leaked, teased, accused of being a copy of its predecessor, and celebrated as the likely champion of the mobile ecosystem for 2013. Samsung has finally unveiled the next in their line of globally available smartphones, the Galaxy S4.  Times Square lit up in anticipation of Samsung’s event, and despite LG’s shenanigans earlier in the day it felt like the world stood still. The Galaxy S4 is finally here, and while it may look almost exactly like last years model, the two phones couldn’t be more different. Samsung’s Galaxy S4 is just barely lighter (130g), thinner (7.9mm), and possibly even shinier than the Galaxy S3, but what is underneath that Gorilla Glass 3 and textured casing is entirely deserving of the praise it will undoubtedly display.

Samsung's new Galaxy S4 features a 5-inch 1080p HD screen and a slightly slimmer, lighter build than its antecedent.

MINI Paceman

It’s no accident that the brand refers to the Paceman, essentially a two-door Countryman, as a sports activity vehicle, the same nomenclature that BMW applies to its X5. That said, if there is a variation that’s likely to endear a few critics to the Paceman, it’s this one. Meet the John Cooper Works Paceman, a vehicle created essentially from the parts bin, but impressive nevertheless. The JCW Paceman is powered by the same turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder that resides under the hood of the JCW Countryman, a proven unit co-developed with PSA Peugeot Citroën. This engine turns out 208 hp at 6000 rpm and maximum torque is 207 lb-ft, which is available from 1700 rpm. The power and torque is transmitted through a reinforced Getrag six-speed manual box. An Aisin-sourced six-speed automatic with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters is optional. The standard all-wheel-drive system is fully variable and can send up to 100 percent of its power to the rear wheels.Performance is, in Mini’s words, “gratifyingly vivacious,” with a claimed 0-to-60-mph time of 6.5 seconds. Top speed will be governed at an unremarkable 127 mph (European models can reach 140). Those JCW Pacemans equipped with the manual are EPA-rated for 25 mpg in the city and 31 on the highway, while self-shifting versions get a 23/30 split.Tangible performance upgrades include a lowered sports suspension with a high-performance braking system; a louder, “suitably stirring” (so says Mini) exhaust with chrome outlets; and unique 18-inch aluminum wheels. A 19-inch wheel option also is available. Like any Paceman, the JCW comes with electromechanical power steering.

Alfa Romeo MiTo

Four international awards, two cylinders, and congestion charge beating technology. 

You'd be forgiven for thinking that the latest Alfa MiTo TwinAir model was more tree hugger than corner hugger. Well believe it or not, the all-new Alfa MiTo satisfies both modern driver requirements. Fitted with the revolutionary TwinAir engine - a compact 875cc turbo petrol engine - and MultiAir technology, the Alfa MiTo TwinAir delivers on performance with a punchy 85 bhp and 145 NM of torque whilst being the cleanest and most economical car in its class.