Honda previews S660 Concept and line-up for Tokyo 2013

Honda has announced its line-up of production and concept vehicles set to debut at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show, including the S660 Concept a study of a compact roadster.

The S660 compact roadster features a design based on the 2011 EV Ster Concept and could preview a production model set to be launched in Japan within 2014.


Compared to the 2011 EV STER Concept, the S660 maintains the main design features, leaving out all the distinctive trims and details typical of show cars: from the blueish LED accents to the chromed contours and the carbon-fiber roll-bars.

Above: the 2011 EV STER Concept (left) and the new S660 Concept

The interior, while more conventional than the original futuritic cockpit of the EV STER, is still quite original and high-tech oriented, with a steering wheel featuring flat tops and bottom and extensive use of carbon fiber trims.

Above: the interior of the EV STER (left) and the new S660

Beyond the aesthetic changes, the new S660 will not be powered by an electric drivetrain like the concept, but will adopt a small-displacement three-cylinder turbocharged engine of just 660 cubic centimeters, coupled with a CVT transmission and a rear wheel drive system. The projected weight is under 2,000 pounds / 907 kg.

Honda at Tokyo 2013

The upcoming Tokyo Show will also see the world premiere of the production version of the Urban SUV Concept unveiled at the Detroit Show in January and the Japan premiere of the NSX Concept.
Another highlight of Honda’s stand will be the UNI-CUB personal mobility device and the world premiere of the N-WGN, the fourth model of the N Series of mini-vehicles.
Also on display will be a number of mass-production models, including the all-new Accord Plug-in Hybrid and the Fit equipped with Earth Dreams Technology.
In the motorcycle area several planned production models will be exhibited, including the Cross Cub Custom Concept and the DUNK Custom Concept, a new style 50cc scooter made for the Japanese market, equipped with a newly-developed liquid-cooled engine.
Further highlights on the Honda stand will include:

• RA271 – Honda’s first F1 machine raced in the Formula One World Championship in 1964.
• MC-β – A micro-sized short distance EV commuter which will be used in field tests jointly with local governments. The model will be exhibited at the SMART MOBILITY CITY 2013.
• Sports 360 -The first automobile Honda showed to the public in 1962. Based on this small sports model the S500- Honda’s first sports car- S600 and S800 were then mass-produced. It can be said that this model is the starting point of Honda’s automobile business (replica model).
• Super Cub C100 -The first model of The Super Cub 50 produced in 1959

(Source: Honda)

Chrysler previews concepts ahead of SEMA Show.

 

 Chrysler Group has released a set of teaser sketches that previews some among the 20 vehicles customized by Mopar that will make their debut at the 2013 SEMA Show.

 At the SEMA Show (Specialty Equipment Market Association) that will take place at the Las Vegas Convention Center on November 5-8, Chrylser will display 20 Mopar-modified Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Fiat and SRT vehicles.

 For Now, the company has released some teaser sketches of a modified Jeep Cherokee, Ram 1500, Fiat 500L and Chrysler 300.

 
In addition to this groupof custom vehicles, the company will highlight Jeep Performance Parts developed by its newly created Mopar Off-Road Division.

(Source: Chrysler)

 

ONJAWO247: Design History: Ford Mustangs that Never Were

ONJAWO247: Design History: Ford Mustangs that Never Were: 23 September 2013 A document on the prototypes and concepts developed during the first 30 yea...

Design History: Ford Mustangs that Never Were

23 September 2013

A document on the prototypes and concepts developed during the first 30 years of Ford Mustang’s history and that never made it to production.

As part of the celebration for the 50th Anniversary of the iconic Mustang, Ford has recently started to publish an extensive history of the model along with images sourced from its archives.
Here we report a very interesting document which lists a number of prototypes developed from the early 1960′s up to the 1990′s and that never reached production.

1961 Avventura, Avanti, Allegro

From late 1961 into mid-1962, Ford designers tried out a wide range of themes for a sporty coupe based on the platform of the new Falcon compact. Each design was given an internal name for the purpose of discussion.
One fastback design actually went through at least three different names starting with Avventura before moving on to Avanti and finally Allegro.
The fastback design was originally sketched with a hatchback and rear-facing second row seat. While this car never made it to production, a variation of the fastback profile was eventually adopted as the third bodystyle for Mustang.

1962 Allegro Concept

As Avventura moved from sketch to physical design model, the hatch was replaced with a trunk and the rear seat was switched to a more conventional forward-facing orientation.
Originally shown internally as Avanti, the name was eventually changed to Allegro, likely because Studebaker had introduced its own production Avanti coupe around the same time.

1961-62 two-seater studies

Early in the gestation of the original Mustang, Ford designers also considered a number of two-seater studies. These were seen as a more affordable return to the roots of Thunderbird, which by this time had grown into a much larger four-seater.
The idea of a two-seat Mustang was something designers returned to frequently in the period between the original Mustang 1 concept and the 1992 Mach III. Aside from some track-oriented Mustangs that had the rear seats removed to save weight, there has never been a strictly two-seat production Mustang.

1962 Allegro design study

In 1962, the design team, led by Gene Bordinat, worked on several iterations of another design called Allegro. While the production 1965 Mustang was a very different car in almost every visual detail from Allegro, the design study established the basic proportions that would define most Mustangs for the next five decades. The notchback coupe had the same long-hood, short-deck layout with a compact greenhouse that would roll out of the Rouge factory two years later.

1963 two-seat, mid-engine Mustang Concept

Although it was probably never seriously considered for production as a Mustang, this hard-top variation of the Mustang 1 concept from 1962 did provide some inspiration for the GT40 MK I that would race at Le Mans and elsewhere beginning in 1964.

1965 four-door Mustang

When you have a product as enormously successful as Mustang, you invariably have to consider how to capitalize on the idea.
While Mustang used the platform of the compact Falcon as its starting point, the four-door Mustang could have brought the idea full circle by adding two doors to the pony car. Fortunately for Mustang fans, cooler heads prevailed.

1964 two-seater study

This 1964 clay model of a two-seat Mustang incorporates some of the design cues of the production 1965 car including the side scoops

1966 Mustang station wagon

In the mid-1960s, Ford designers considered at least a couple of different concepts for a Mustang station wagon, with at least one running prototype based on a 1966 coupe getting built.

Another design study included elements for refreshed models that were coming later that decade. All of the known Mustang wagons were three-doors that were closer to a European “shooting brake” than a traditional American family station wagon.

1966 Mach 1 concept

As the first-generation Mustang transitioned from a pony car to a larger and heavier big-block muscle car, the Mach 1 concept was created as a preview of the 1968 model.

The original nose of the concept drew inspiration from the 1963 Mustang II concept with its covered headlights and chrome rimmed protruding grille.

In late 1966, Ford designers prepared a Mustang concept to preview some of the design updates coming for the 1969 model. The Mustang Mach I was a two-seat fastback with a very aggressive looking chopped roof profile.

The front bodywork formed a single piece hinged at the front to expose the engine compartment. A 427-cubic inch V8 with four carburetors was meant to power the concept.	The two-position hatchback was intended to accommodate longer objects in a near horizontal position or open wider for cargo loading.

Each of the rear pillars featured a flip-open racing-style gas cap while larger than normal air-scoops dominated the flanks.

The production 1969 Mach 1 had a rear window louver as one of its distinguishing visual features. The concept was intended to use a laminated rear window with the louvers embedded within but that idea never even made it onto the concept.	The power-dome hood in this sketch is very similar to the design on the 2010-2011 Mustang.

The sloped rear end included a hatchback, a feature that wouldn’t appear on a production model until the 1974 Mustang II.

1967 Mach II concept

With the Mustang having already set sales records following its launch in 1964, Ford design chief Gene Bordinat and the Special Vehicles Group decided to try rearranging the pieces for the Mach 2 concept.

The 289 Hi-Po V8 was shifted from the front to behind the two seats to evaluate the layout as a possible successor to the Shelby Cobra.

Despite its mid-engine layout, the Mach 2 retained the long-hood, short-deck proportions of a Mustang. Unfortunately, the Mach 2 never went much beyond the auto show circuit.

1967 Allegro II concept

In 1967, Ford designers decided to reprise one of the original Mustang design concepts from 1962 with a new form and repurposed name.

Starting with the Avanti/Allegro fastback coupe, the greenhouse was removed and replaced with a low-cut speedster-style windshield, rollbar, flying buttresses on the rear deck and a new rear end. The reworked concept was dubbed Allegro II.

1970 Mustang Milano Concept

First shown publicly at the February 1970 Chicago Auto Show, the Mustang Milano concept previewed the nearly horizontal rear deck and sharp, extended nose that would be seen on the production 1971 model.

However, aside from those two elements, the Milano didn’t really bear much resemblance to any production Mustang. In fact, the car that probably drew most heavily on the Milano profile was the Australian-market Falcon XB coupe of the mid-1970s.

1980 Mustang RSX concept

Created at the Italian Ghia design studio, the RSX was conceived as a rally special based on the new Fox-body third-generation Mustang that debuted for the 1979 model year.

With a one-inch-wider track and 5.6-inch-shorter wheelbase than the road-going Mustang, the RSX had extra ride height that would be needed for dealing with the off-tarmac stages of European rallies.

1990 “Bruce Jenner”, and “Rambo” design studies

In 1990, Ford designers evaluated a number of themes for a replacement for the long-running third-generation Mustang.
The notchback and hatchback bodystyles would be replaced with a single fastback coupe format. After departing from many of the original design cues on the third-generation models, the upcoming fourth-generation would return elements like the galloping pony in the grille, the side scoops and the tri-bar taillamps.

Above: Design Sketches of the ‘Jenner’ (left) and ‘Rambo’ (right) concepts

The studies were named Jenner after Bruce Jenner, Schwartzeneggar after actor Arnold Schwartzeneggar, and Rambo after Sylvester Stallone’s character.

The softer concept, called “Bruce Jenner” (above) wasn’t considered aggressive enough to be a Mustang.

The proposal dubbed “Rambo” (above) was deemed too extreme for production. Ultimately, Schwartzeneggar (below) would be the winning design.

Above: Design Sketches of the ‘Schwartzeneggar’ concept

1992 Mach III concept

The Mach III provided the first public hints of the new design direction that was coming for the fourth-generation Mustang.

While classic elements like the grille pony badge, side scoops and tri-bar taillamps were included on the 1994 Mustang, the two-seater layout and the low-cut speedster windshield have never been part of a regular production Mustang.

CONCEPT: Jaguar C-X17

 
At the recent Frankfurt Motor Show Jaguar has presented the C-X17 Concept, previewing an upcoming crossover model set to compete in the premium SUV/Crossover segment.

The vehicle features an all-new advanced aluminum monocoque architecture called iQ[Al], which will form the basis for a new range of future Jaguars – the first production model based on it will be a mid-size premium C/D segment sedan on sale in 2015.

The C-X17 Concept has the typical proportions of this class of vehicle: with a length of 4,718 mm, a wheelbase of 2,905 mm, a height of 1,649 mm and a width of 1,959 mm, the C-X17 is slightly longer than the BMW X3 and the Audi Q5.

Trademark design elements include the large, prominent front grille and headlights already seen on the XJ and the muscular shoulders and sleek tail lamps introduced with the C-X16 Concept and its production counterpart, the F-Type.

In side view, the tall vertical panels are visually balanced by the dark colored lower sill, the crease line running above it, and the sharply defined wheel-arches.

The interior has a very futuristic look, and features four individual bucket seats and the Interactive Surface Console - a “multi-screen infotainment network that links passengers with each other and the outside world through social media channels.”


The performances are focused on on-road use, and offer sedan-like handling and dynamics, thanks to the low height, optimized center of gravity, and dynamic technologies such as Torque Vectoring by Braking.