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.

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

Audi will be giving the Audi Q5 compact crossover SUV a couple of new engines, although these engines aren’t headed for US releases anytime soon.

Two new smaller engines for the entry-level Q5, only in Europe for now

Along with the Audi A4 Allroad, the Q5 will be getting the 143-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder TDI diesel engine and the 180-horsepower 2.0-liter TFSI four-cylinder gasoline power plant. The two will be leaned on to give buyers more options in the entry-level segments, along with better efficiency and savings options.

It is unclear when the Q5 equipped with the new engines will be released Stateside, if at all. The A4 Allroad executive car isn’t even released in the US.

There’s no question that the Crossomotive team loves the Volvo XC60 crossover. We loved it when it initially came out, as seen in our preview on the car. We loved the XC60’s City Safety system, even if there aren’t any figures yet that show how effective it is. We even featured the mixed-review XC60 ski campaign.

Now, Volvo is giving XC60 lovers and crossover lovers alike a new treat, as it will be releasing the sporty Volvo XC60 R-Design edition, which is set to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

The XC60 R-Design gets a sporty setup, with a new body kit and a lowered sports chassis. The car gets standard 18-inch Cratus aluminum wheels, but buyers also have the option to upgrade these to 20-inchers. The car’s lower part is color-coordinated with the body (although we personally prefer the matte black on the standard model’s lower parts).

There are also premium R-Design elements for the interior. The steering wheel has aluminum inserts, and there are also door moldings, aluminum pedals, and a new center console. There’s a new dual-tone design for the leather seats, too. Perforated-leather trimming and an R-Design engraving on the sports steering wheel round out the interior premiums.

The bottom line: If you loved the XC60, then you’ll definitely love the sportier XC60 R-Design.

The Chrysler PT Cruiser

Thanks to the Chrysler PT Cruiser’s declining sales on epic proportions, the company had already said that it will discontinue the retro-styled wagon crossover SUV. However, new Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne is keen on keeping the model alive–at least for another year.

Marchionne confirmed that the PT Cruiser will continue production at the Chrysler plant in Toluca, Mexico. That’s good news for many people who are part of the PT Cruiser’s following.

The PT Cruiser started selling back in 2000 and was practically a hit right off the bat. It combined good retro looks with a pocket-friendly price. Chrysler sold over 50,000 PT Cruisers in 2008, but so far in 2009 has only managed to sell 8,591 units, effectively making the model a candidate for cancellation.

The Upcoming Saab 9-4X CUV

Despite all the uncertainty over at Saab, the company’s new 9-4X crossover has been seen testing and the company says that the new model is still good to go for a launch sometime in 2010.

The 9-4X will share components with the Cadillac SRX, and the 9-4X will be manufactured in the same plant where the SRX is assembled.
The 9-4X is set to replace the 9-7X, a slow-selling model.

The 2010 Chevrolet Equinox

GM will be letting go of the Saturn brand pretty soon. That means the completed two-mode hybrid system slated for the used-to-be-upcoming Saturn Vue needs to be shifted to a different model.

The recipient? The Chevrolet Equinox crossover.

GM confirmed that the Vue’s system will be tweaked to fit the Equinox’s 3.0-liter V6 engine (the Vue uses a 3.6-liter V6). The company says that the vehicle should be ready by 2011.

The 2010 Volvo XC60

Volvo has launched a campaign using ski boots at Norway’s own alpine resorts. The skis were redecorated with the image of the new Volvo XC60 compact crossover SUV.

Kinda reminds me of Voltes V or the car Voltron’s feet.

Take a look at the resulting skis for yourselves:

The 2010 Chevrolet Equinox

To hike up sales, Chevrolet will be banking on the efficiency of the new 2010 Chevrolet Equinox. The mid-size crossover SUV is expected to reach EPA ratings of 22 mpg on city traffic and 32 mpg on highway traffic.

The CUV is powered by a 182-horsepower 2.4-liter Ecotec engine with direct-injection technology, the tools that help the vehicle achieve its heightened mileage.

There’s an option for a more powerful but less efficient engine, namely the 255-horsepower 3.0-liter direct-injected V-6 engine.

GM further expects its upcoming GMC Terrain to achieve similar efficiency figures.

Source: Car and Driver

The Hyundai Nuvis concept

A new crossover concept joins the ranks of Hyundai’s recent concept vehicles such as the HED-6 and the Blue Will. Designated as the Nuvis, this new concept is designed to make the most of the urban lifestyle.

“Our goal was to create a living machine, constantly moving, that the driver and passengers could be part of,” said Hyundai Design Manager John Krsteski. “There are no lines on or in this car that are standing still.”

It is clearly a sleek design, with an interesting mix of coupe, hatch, and SUV design elements. We look forward to more news about the new Hyundai Nuvis crossover concept.