The production version Acura NSX mid-engine supercar with three-motor, twin-turbocharged Sport Hybrid power will make its world debut at the 2015 North American International Auto Show on Jan. 12, 2015. The NSX comes back after being discontinued in 2005.
The Volkswagen Passat BlueMotion® Concept is a non-hybrid, gasoline-engine mid-size sedan with an all-new version of the Volkswagen 1.4-liter EA211 TSI® engine with direct injection and turbocharging that delivers 150 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque for an manufacturer estimated highway fuel economy rating of 42 mpg. The Passat BlueMotion® Concept also offers Active Cylinder Management technology which deactivates the valvetrain on cylinders two and three for situations when the driver only applies light throttle pressure to maintain specific city speeds, previously seen on the European Volkswagen Polo and Golf models.
The all-new 2011 Audi A8, Audi's fourth generation flagship sedan with aluminum space frame, MMI user interface, quattro all-wheel-drive and adaptive air suspension, will hit showrooms this Fall. The A8 is powered by a 372 hosepower 4.2 FSI direct injection V8 engine with Valvelift System variable intake valve lift delivering 328 lb-ft torque and mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission.
The biggest issue with the new high tech luxury sedans is the navigation, entertainment interface which manufacturers painstakingly research with focus groups to make user-friendly. A difficult to use control system can be a customer's key vehicle dissatisfier so I spent an hour with Dr. Werner Hamberger assigned to making the next-generation MMI 3G+ Multi Media Interface with ‘MMI touch’. MMI touch is essentially like a laptop mousepad that recognizes handwriting for entering letters and numbers for Navigation destinations, and is backlit to allow it to change to a pointer for map functions, a number pad for radio functions (see lower left of photo) and can be used to scroll lists in the MMI.
The A8 NWB (Normal Wheelbase) was shown in Detroit and the LWB (Long Wheelbase) A8 will be revealed in 2010. The A8 competes with the Mercedes-Benz S Class, BMW 7 Series, Lexus LS and Jaguar XJ. The A8 introduced this week in Detroit and coming to market in the Fall is a vehicle of beauty, technology and performance with an intuitively easy-to-use control system. We'll get the price for the new A8 closer to sales date.
