The 2011 Volkswagen Touareg

The second-generation of Volkswagen’s mid-size crossover line, the Touareg, starts worldwide sales this April. Let’s see how the 2011 VW Touareg shapes up.

Exterior-wise, the second-gen Touareg reflects the new brand-wide styling cues–the wider grille, flashier LED headlights, and generally some of the more recent elements we’ve seen in such models as the latest Golf GTI. Additionally, this baby packs a milestone: it’s the first car ever to sport a high beam that’s totally glare-free, something the folks over at VW call Dynamic Light Assist.

The new Touareg also sheds a lot of weight (to the tune of around 400 lbs.), which should be a lot of help for improved mileage. Of course, that means the Touareg sacrifices some of its other technological comforts. Of course, it’s still loaded with a ton of advanced features, such as adaptive cruise control and a blind spot monitor.

The 2011 model is available with a Diesel V6 setup. Owners can also opt for a hybrid system. Both have eight-speed automatic transmission systems.

We here at Crossomotive really like the redesign for the second-gen Volkswagen Touareg, and it could probably be heads over the competition like the Acura RDX and the Lexus RX 350.

The Upcoming VW Touareg

Volkswagen has unveiled the next-generation Touareg mid-size crossover SUV, and the car manufacturer has said that it will be ready at dealerships in the UK by August this year. The new model boasts of a lighter body, higher power, and improved fuel efficiency—thanks largely to a new hybrid-electric powertrain.

The hybrid powertrain is a first on UK Volkswagens. The vehicle will be 200 kilograms lighter across the board on all trims, and this helps contribute to what VW claims to be a 20-percent improvement on fuel efficiency.

Upon the UK release, the Touareg will be available in 4 trim levels, including options for 3 powertrain variants. This starts with a 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 good for 238bhp and coupled with an 8-speed automatic transmission plus stop-start technology.

VW says that an entry-level version will be released in November, sporting a 202bhp variant of the aforementioned V6 engine.

Belated Happy New Year from us here at Crossomotive.com!
We’re looking forward to 2010 bringing more crossover goodies to the market!

How to Change Cabin Air Filter

Crossovers are big bruisers. However, CUVs are affected by dirt, dust, and all other sorts of debris that clog the cabin air filter. That’s why it is necessary to periodically change cabin air filter on your CUV.

The following video is a helpful guide on how to change cabin air filter. Let’s follow Barbara as she demonstrates to us the proper way of changing cabin air filter.

The new Chrysler logo

Chrysler–maker of the funky PT Cruiser wagon, the Town and Country minivan, and the Pacifica midsize crossover–will be unveiling its new logo at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show. That’s still a couple more months down the road, so let’s thank some resourceful netizens for being able to acquire a copy from the patents site.

The logo retains the chrome winged structure of its predecessor, albeit with an edgier, more unified design. Interestingly, the Pentastar image is out again, it seems.

The Detroit Auto Show, formally-known as the North American International Auto Show, will be held from January 11 through 24.

The hotspots are achieved by making a system that connects cars and devices through routers in the vehicles. The in-car router itself should fetch something along the lines of $500, and then owners would have to pay a monthly access fee in the neighborhood of $29 or $30.

GM is expected to break out the system first on the Cadillac Escalade and the Buick Enclave.

2010 Toyota Tundra

The 2010 Toyota Tundra is Toyota’s latest contender in the full-size pickup segment. In the past, the Toyota Tundra has fared much better than the Sierra from GMC, and it looks to stay with the Ford F-150 in the middle of the pack behind the Chevrolet Silverado.

Here’s a 2010 Toyota Tundra Video from the web:

Enjoy the Toyota Tundra Commercial!

Teaser image for the upcoming Buick hybrid crossover

Buick has released a teaser image for its upcoming plug-in hybrid crossover vehicle, and shortly after, news surfaced that the company has another crossover in the works.

The hybrid crossover is pegged for a 2011 release date, and with that timeframe, it should become the first widely-available commercial plug-in hybrid x-over.

The second crossover looks to be different from the hybrid one, with indications that it won’t just be a gas version. Sources say that the second vehicle could be based on the Chevrolet Aveo

The Kumho Fortis SUV Concept

It’s not exactly something you would expect from a company that manufactures tires for SUVs worldwide. Kumho Tires, part of the multifaceted Kumho Asian Group, has released its Fortis SUV concept, with unique takes on how SUVs of the future should help environmental initiatives.

The concept SUV makes extensive use of recycled tire rubber. The bumper sections, hood, doors, front wings, and the hatch in the rear all make use of the reused material. The Fortis concept runs on a lithium-ion battery pack.

Of course, innovative tire technology is also present–after all, Kumho makes millions of tires for SUVs. There are metal biters along the treads of the tires so that off-road capability is maximized, acting as a hook that will grip the terrain. The tire’s cavity is inflated when the car rolls on-road so that the biters will be covered.

That sure is something. Those measures, coupled with the Fortis’ high-tech looks, should be something to watch. There’s probably a miniscule chance of it getting produced, since this is a tire company we’re talking about here. Still, it would be nice to see a unit go on and off the road.

Lagonda is a La-No-Go-nda

We’ve reported on the upcoming Aston Martin Lagonda revival in SUV form, but it seems that the revival won’t be pushing through after all. The company has confirmed that it will be shelving the revival for the time being, thanks to the weak economy and the sheer lack of financial sense of launching a model that hasn’t been well-received by the public.

“We have several sources ready to invest upward of a quarter-billion pounds,” said Ulrich Bez, Aston Martin’s Chief Executive Officer. He added that the timing of the revival in the current conditions “is simply wrong. We have some work to do yet, and it takes a lot of investment.”

Many criticized the visual appeal of the Lagonda Concept showcased by Aston Martin at the previous Geneva Motor Show. Actually, “criticized” is such a tame word. “Blasted” seems more appropriate. Maybe now that the Lagonda is back on the drawing boards, Aston Martin can work on making the design more palatable–which should translate to favorable sales projections for the future re-launch.