BMW has unveiled the 7-Series facelift at the Detroit Auto Show. The refreshed car gets some changes to its exterior, interior and more engine options.

The 7-Series measures 5,120 mm in length (5,260 mm for the long wheelbase) making it 22 mm longer than the outgoing car. However, its height and width has remained the same at 1,902 mm and 1,467 mm (1,479 mm for the long wheelbase) respectively. The car's bonnet is now 50 mm higher than before and the front end features a new kidney grille, which BMW claims is 40% larger than before. The car also gets slim LED headlights and larger air intakes in the bumper. Laser headlights are available as an option. At the rear, it gets slim LED tail lights with a thin LED bar connecting both the tail light clusters and larger pentagonal exhaust vents.

On the inside, the car gets the option of Nappa leather upholstery and two new options in wooden trim strips - American Oak Dark with metal inlay and Poplar Grain Metallic Grey high-gloss. The 7-Series comes equipped with a 7.0-inch infotainment screen as standard, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 3-spoke multifunction, leather-wrapped steering wheel, a Bowers and Wilkins music system and wireless charging in the centre console. The rear seat entertainment package adds two 10-inch touchscreen displays for the rear occupants.

The refreshed 7-Series is equipped with driver assistance technologies like steering and lane control assistant, traffic jam assistant, lane keeping assistant with side collision protection, cross traffic alert and a reversing assistant that can retrace the car's movement up to 50 m by steering it along the same lines that it took while going forward. The car also gets adaptive cruise control with Stop/Go function.

Engine options include a 6.6-litre V12 petrol unit developing 577 BHP and 850 Nm of torque, a 4.4-litre V8 petrol unit developing 523 BHP and 750 Nm of torque, 3.0-litre plug-in petrol hybrid developing 282 BHP and 450 Nm + 111 BHP and 265 Nm electric motor and a 3.0-litre, inline 6-cylinder diesel engine in three states of tune - 262 BHP and 620 Nm, 315 BHP and 680 Nm and 394 BHP and 760 Nm. All-wheel drive is available on some variants and an 8-speed automatic gearbox is offered as standard.

Toyota has unveiled the production-ready Supra at the 2019 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The 5th-generation Supra will go on sale in Spring 2019 in Japan, after a gap of 17-years from the last generation.

The Supra measures 4,380 mm in length, 1,865 mm in width and 1,290-1,295 mm in height. It has a wheelbase of 2,470 mm and a curb weight of 1,410-1,520 kg.

On the outside, the car gets a triple-vent air dam with LED headlights and a DRL stripe. The car comes with a large bonnet, sloping roofline and flared wheel arches. The boot gets a lip spoiler and triangular shaped tail lights on either side, while the dual-tone rear bumper gets a black diffuser. The car rides on 17, 18 and 19-inch alloy wheels based on the variants.

The interiors of the new Supra gets a 3-spoke steering wheel, an infotainment screen with slim AC vents below and a BMW iDrive-like rotary dial.

The Japanese-spec Supra will be powered by a choice of 3.0-litre inline six or 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol engines. The 6-cylinder unit puts out 335 BHP @ 5,000-6,500 rpm and 500 Nm of torque @ 1,600-4,500 rpm. The 4-cylinder engine is available in 2 states of tune - 255 BHP / 400 Nm and 194 BHP / 320 Nm. Power is sent to the rear wheels via an 8-speed automatic gearbox. Toyota claims that the larger engine will propel the Supra from 0-100 km/h in 4.3 seconds.

Volkswagen has revealed its seventh-generation Jetta at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show. The new model is based on VW's Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB) platform. It comes in a new design package and is equipped with a new 8-speed automatic gearbox.

The new Jetta is longer, wider and taller than the outgoing model. While the front and rear overhangs have been shortened, the wheelbase has gone up from 2,652 mm to 2,685 mm. The car has a large hexagonal grille in the front with three chrome slats and a thick chrome strip running along the top edge. The twin-pod LED headlights extend from the grille and have integrated U-shaped LED DRLs. The front bumper has a large air dam flanked by a set of fog lamps.

The new Jetta sports a coupe-like roofline and has a bold feature line running along the side of the vehicle. The rear features a subtle boot spoiler, wraparound LED tail lights and a new bumper with integrated faux exhaust tips finished in chrome.

Inside, the new Jetta gets a driver-oriented cockpit featuring an infotainment screen placed high in the dashboard. It gets a three-spoke multi-functional steering wheel, while a full-digital instrument cluster is available as an option. A 10-colour ambient lighting package is also part of the options list. Besides, features like panoramic sunroof, heated and ventilated front seats with leather upholstery, driver seat memory function, and dual-zone automatic climate control are also on offer.

Higher variants of the Jetta get Volkswagen's Digital Cockpit as standard. It can be configured to display vehicle information and navigation. The Volkswagen Car-Net system offers Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and MirrorLink connectivity. It also gets a 400-watt audio system by BeatsAudio.

A 1.4-litre, 4-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine that delivers 145 BHP and 249 Nm of peak torque powers the US-spec Jetta. A 6-speed manual transmission is offered as standard in addition to a new 8-speed automatic that is available on higher trims. Engine start / stop is available on models equipped with the automatic gearbox. The R-Line trim comes with an XDS electronic differential.

The new Jetta comes with a host of safety equipment including forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, blind spot monitor with rear traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, high beam control, lane departure warning and automatic post-collision braking system. Features like ABS, airbags and rear view camera are standard.

The deliveries of the new Jetta are scheduled to begin by Q2 2018 in the USA. Volkswagen's plans for the same in India are not yet known.

Volkswagen has released a teaser image of the next-gen Jetta. The new model is scheduled to debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January 2018.

Spy images of the next-gen Jetta had first surfaced back in August 2017. The new model is based on Volkswagen’s MQB platform and is likely to feature a longer wheelbase than the outgoing model. While the teaser doesn’t reveal much in terms of its design, the spy images have confirmed that the car will get a redesigned front end with a hexagonal grille finished in gloss black and a new front bumper. In the leaked images, the new Jetta looks visually longer than the current model. A strong character line runs along the side and blends into the new wraparound tail lamps. It is expected to get updated interiors with the latest tech and features.

VW hasn’t announced the engines that will be offered on the new Jetta, but some media reports suggest that is likely to be offered with a 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre petrol engine along with a 2.0-litre diesel. Transmission options will include a manual and DSG dual-clutch automatic. 

Currently, Volkswagen has no plans to launch the new Jetta in India.

Volkswagen is set to debut the next-gen Jetta at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show. According to a media report, Volkswagen North America CEO Hinrich Woebcken has confirmed that the new model will be revealed in January 2018.

The new Jetta will be based on the MQB platform. Recent spy images have indicated that the new model sports a completely redesigned exterior. The front-end styling has been clearly inspired by the VW Artreon sedan and boasts a large hexagonal grille finished in gloss black with twin-pod headlights on either side. The rear features neat wraparound LED tail lights, a new bumper and dual exhaust tips.

The next-gen Jetta is likely to get revised interiors with upgraded tech and features. Further, the overall wheelbase of the car is rumoured to be longer than the previous generation model.

The current Jetta is offered with a choice of a 1.4-litre turbo-petrol and a 2.0-litre diesel engine paired with either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission. While Volkswagen is yet to announce the engine options for the next-gen Jetta, recent media reports suggest that the Jetta could be offered with a 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engines in addition to the 2.0-litre diesel in the international market.

Source: Autocar

Toyota has unveiled the eighth-generation Camry sedan at the ongoing North American International Auto Show in Detroit. It will first go on sale in the North American markets, while an ASEAN-spec model will be revealed later this year.

The new Camry is built on the TNGA (Toyota New Global Architecture) platform and follows the automaker's latest 'Keen Look' design language. It gets a new front fascia with angular headlamps, a two-piece grille and a redesigned bumper with a large air dam in the centre. From the side, the new-gen Camry looks a lot sleeker as compared to the outgoing model, since the car's height has been reduced by around an inch. The top-end trim levels come with 19-inch black machined-finish alloys. At the rear, the 2018 Camry gets a bootlid-mounted spoiler, a diffuser element in the bumper and faux slits that merge into the taillights.

On the inside, the eighth-gen Camry gets a driver-oriented dashboard layout. The cabin is detailed with various trim inserts, including brushed metal and leather. A key design element of the dashboard is a character line that flows down from the instrument cluster and divides the centre console. The v-shaped upper console houses the 8-inch infotainment screen and HVAC control knobs.

In the North American markets, the new Camry will be available with three powertrain options. The top-end models will get a 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine, while the lower variants will be powered by a smaller 2.5-litre petrol unit. Meanwhile, the Camry Hybrid will get the next-gen Toyota Hybrid System, which includes a 2.5-litre petrol motor working in tandem with an electric motor.

Audi has revealed the Q8 Concept at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. This concept is an indication of Audi's plans to enter the full-size luxury SUV segment. Audi has already started working on the production model based on the Q8 concept, which was recently spotted testing with production body and is expected to go on sale in the international markets by 2019.

The Q8 Concept shown at the motor show is finished in a new Bombay Blue colour shade. It comes with an octagonal singleframe front grille with honeycomb inserts. The grille is relatively wider than what is found on other Audi models currently on sale. It is flanked by a pair of wedge-shaped headlights, which use Audi's Matrix laser technology for the low and high beams. The top edge of the headlight assemblies get an LED light guide that acts as the DRLs as well as dynamic turn indicators.

The side profile reveals the Q8 Concept's coupe-like styling, thanks to a sloping roofline. Other design elements on the side include frameless windows, a thick C-pillar and flared wheel arches. The rear gets a sharp roof-mounted spoiler, while the LED taillights stretch across the entire width of the SUV. The rear bumper houses an aluminium diffuser.

Powering the Q8 Concept is a plug-in hybrid setup, which includes a 3.0 litre petrol TFSI engine that puts out 324 BHP and 500 Nm. Additionally, an electric motor rated at 132 BHP works in conjunction with the gasoline mill to produce a combined output of 436 BHP and 700 Nm of peak torque. Audi claims that the Q8 Concept can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 5.4 seconds, before hitting its top speed of 250 km/h. It also has a pure-electric range of about 60 kilometres. The 17.9 kWh lithium-ion battery pack can be charged up in around two and a half hours.

Audi has released a couple of official design sketches of the Q8 Concept, ahead of its premiere at North American International Auto Show, in Detroit. Audi claims that the Q8 concept is a near-production study, which is expected to go on sale in the international markets by 2019. The Q8 will be designed as a SUV coupe, and will become the range-topping model of Audi's 'Q' line-up of SUVs.

The Q8 will likely be built on the MLB platform, which also underpins the current-gen Q7. It will come equipped with a range of turbocharged petrol and diesel engines. The teaser image also shows an e-tron badge on the front bumper, pointing towards the possibility of a hybrid or all-electric variant.

The released teaser images suggest that the Q8 concept will come with an octagonal singleframe front grille which looks significantly wider as compared to the ones found on the current-gen Audi cars. The concept also appears to get full LED headlamps with DRLs. The bumper gets a muscular design with large air dams and a sharp chin blade that houses the e-tron badging.

The side profile showcases a sloping roof line, a wide C-pillar, prominent shoulder line and flared wheel arches. The Q8 Concept will be a four-seater with five-door layout and a liftback-style tailgate.

After revealing the next-generation Cruze sedan last year, Chevrolet has taken the wraps off the Cruze hatchback ahead of its public debut at the Detroit motor show this month. The hatchback shares design traits with its sedan counterpart, and both cars have the same 2,700 mm wheelbase too.

While the car does have the same sharply raked windshield as the sedan, the roof design has been altered and of course, the car features a different rear-end as well. The tail lights and rear bumper have been redesigned. While the number plate sits on the boot-lid in the sedan, it moves to the rear bumper in the hatchback. Also seen is a large integrated roof spoiler with a mounted stop light.

The car offers 643L of boot space with the rear seats up, expandable to 1,336L with the seats down. The Cruze hatchback will be offered in the 'LT' and 'Premier' trims, with an 'RS' package available as well. Key features of the car include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility via the MyLink radio system as standard, with 4G LTE with Wi-Fi hotspot available as well.

Other features include a heated steering wheel, heated front and rear seats, and halogen projector-beam headlamps with day-time running LEDs. Safety features include Lane Keep Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Side Blind Zone Alert and Rear Park Assist among others.

The Cruze hatchback will be powered by the same 1.4-litre, direct injection, turbo-charged petrol engine as the sedan. The motor develops 152 BHP and 240 Nm of torque. This engine features an aluminium cylinder block and head, stop/start technology and is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission or a six-speed manual transmission.

While the car will make its debut at the Detroit motor show, sales in the US will begin in the second half of 2016. While the new Cruze sedan is expected to arrive in India in 2017, it is uncertain if the hatchback will be considered for our sub-continent.