New Cadillac ELR Converj EV Coupe

Ever since GM displayed the Cadillac Converj at the 2009 Detroit Motor Show, rumors have swirled that a production model was under consideration. But we now have official confirmation that the pure electric Converj is indeed moving forward as a production car that will be named the Cadillac ELR.
“The concept generated instant enthusiasm,” said Don Butler, vice president-Cadillac Marketing. “Like other milestone Cadillac models of the past, the ELR will offer something not otherwise present – the combination of electric propulsion with striking design and the fun of luxury coupe driving.”
The Cadillac ELR will be equipped with a similar electric propulsion system to the Chevy Volt, featuring a T-shaped lithium ion battery, an electric drive unit, and a four-cylinder engine-generator.
Like the Volt, the ELR will use electricity as its primary source of energy for motivation, with the gasoline engine generator kicking in once the batteries are depleted.
General Motors said that the development of the ELR is well underway with more details on the powertrain to be released at a later date.

“There’s no mistaking it for anything but a Cadillac, an aggressive, forward-leaning profile and proportion showcases a uniquely shaped, modern vision of a personal luxury 2+2,” said Ed Welburn, GM vice president, Global Design.
The announcement on the production of the ELR Coupe comes shortly after Cadillac confirmed the new XTS large luxury saloon and the BMW 3-Series challenging ATS compact sports sedan.
GM added that it will show a new concept model on Thursday, August 18, at a special event prior to the annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

2009 CADILLAC CONVERJ

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Audi Q7 Pickup Truck is the Real Deal

A little over a month ago, we showed you a photo of a two-door Audi Q7 Pickup Truck, wondering at the same time if the picture was real or the result of some handy digital manipulation.
Earlier this week, Carscoop reader 15 that the Audi Q7 Pickup Truck does indeed exist in real life, and to prove it, he pointed us towards a Facebook page with four photos of the one-off model.
We can’t confirm this, but Majdo-dk wrote that the Q7 Pickup Truck was produced in Slovakia, while the photo album noted that the pictures were taken in VW BA, which we assume stands for Volkswagen Bosnia and Herzegovina. If that's the case, then the Q7 Pickup Truck could be an official project.

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Jaguar Shows Frankfurt-Bound C-X16 Sports Car

This is the first official image or rather sketch of the all-new Jaguar C-X16 study which will make its world premiere at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show on September 13.
The British automaker describes the C-X16 as a "production concept" adding that it is a "precursor to future Jaguar sports cars that will aim to set new class benchmarks in design, vehicle dynamics and technology".
Jaguar did not say whether the C-X16 previews a replacement for the current XK or as recent reports suggested, a new and smaller model lightly inspired from the iconic E-Type that would rival the Porsche Cayman and Boxster sports cars.
Among the few details revealed about the C-X16 is that it is designed by the same team responsible for the XJ, XF and XK, headed of course by Jaguar Director of Design Ian Callum, who had this to say about the study:
"Great Jaguars have always been beautiful, innovative and have looked firmly to the future. The finished C-X16 concept has the potential to do these things while retaining the ability to surprise, to excite and invigorate."
Adrian Hallmark, Global Brand Director, was quoted by the British firm as saying: "Jaguar has set in place bold, ambitious plans for the future. This production concept demonstrates the depth of design and engineering ability we have within Jaguar to make these plans come to life – I look forward to sharing this latest, exciting step at the Frankfurt Motor Show."
Expect more information and photos of the new Jaguar C-X16 to be revealed closer to the Frankfurt Show.

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Kawasaki ZX-770R Concept

If KTM could pull it off with the X-BOW, then why couldn't any other motorcycle maker take the leap and venture into the automotive business with a special lightweight sports car? Though it is a simple question, (obviously) the answer is far more complex than it seems at a first glance.
But in the fantasy land of designers, there are no restrictions or limits, only a desire to create. And for Dutch designer Sabino Leerentveld, who we came to know through his Aston Martin V12 and BMW Nazca Homage prototypes, the answer to the previous question is the Kawasaki ZX-770R Concept.
Inspired by the KTM X-BOW, Leerentveld dreamed up a similar project for the Japanese motorcycle company Kawasaki. However, the ZX-770R is larger sports car measuring 4,427mm long, 1,017mm tall and 2,073mm wide with a wheelbase of 2,710mm.
Leerentveld says the sports car would tip the scales at (a rather overly optimistic) 500kg or 1,102 pounds, while power would be provided by a twin-turbocharged V6 producing about 770-horsepower. 

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Frankfurt Preview: Subaru XV Crossover Concept

From the moment we saw the XV Concept at the Shanghai Motor Show last April, we knew that it was a thinly disguised study of Subaru’s new Impreza-based crossover. And we were right: the Japanese company announced today that the production version of the XV will make its world premiere at the opening of the Frankfurt Motor Show on September 13.
Subaru also released a cropped sketch of the XV showing the car's front end. As expected, it doesn’t differ much from the concept, and we expect the same to be true of the interior.
The Concept was powered by a 2.0-liter flat-four engine coupled to a continuously variable transmission (CVT), which will most likely make it on the XV. Power will be directed, as is customary for Subaru’s models, to all four wheels.
Production of the new Subaru XV will begin in late 2011 and the first deliveries are expected in early 2012.

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Audi's Urban e-Tron Minicar Concept At Frankfurt motor show

It's showtime for Audi that just released the first sketches of its Frankfurt Motor Show-bound Urban Concept a couple of days after a camouflaged prototype made a public appearance at the Potsdamer Platz in Berlin Germany during a video shoot.
The official sketches show a lower and sleeker design with more futuristic styling elements than what we saw in the video footage of the car, but that's usually the case with all designer renderings.
Audi says the Urban Concept is an ultra-light car for congested urban spaces that is not based on any previous model. It is built around a central carbonfibre monocoque and rolls on massive wheels with a 21-inch diameter.
Power comes courtesy of two e-tron electric motors that draw energy from a lithium-ion battery.
A sliding canopy that forms part of the body opens up to allow the driver and one passenger to enter the car. The cockpit consists of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer, which integrates the undercarriage of both seats.
The driver is seated in front and to the left while, the passenger behind and to the right. Audi says the driver can adjust the steering wheel and pedals to his own body measurements.
More details on the Urban Concept are to be released closer to the Frankfurt Motor Show. 

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Land Rover Rumored to Reveal New Defender Concept

Designing a new car from scratch is a relatively easy task for an automaker –provided it has the resources. Replacing an icon, however, is much more difficult.
Especially if said icon has a long and distinguished history and has made its manufacturer synonymous to hardcore 4x4 capabilities. The Defender is one such example.
However, that’s what Land Rover intends to do, and the first step will reportedly be the unveiling of a new Defender concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
Land Rover director John Edwards told Autocar magazine that he “can’t imagine not producing a successor” to the four-wheel drive that established the brand. However the market is now much more competitive and Land Rover's owner Tata Motors must find a way to make the new Defender a credible rival that can command higher prices without losing its legendary character.
Edwards admits that for the project, which is scheduled to begin production in 2015, to be viable, annual sales must be in the 60-80,000 units region.
In comparison, only 18,000 Defenders were sold worldwide last year. Edwards says that, like the 4x4 it intends to replace, it must be versatile and reliable enough to adapt to army use.
Currently Land Rover is considering all options for the new Defender’s underpinnings, from using a modified Discovery chassis to designing something completely new.
Whatever the British company decides, one thing is for sure: they need to satisfy the loyalists and at the same time attract a much larger clientele.

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Fisker will Unveil New Crossover Model at Frankfurt Motor Show

The man behind the Karma extended-range electric sports sedan, company boss Henrik Fisker, revealed some ambitious new plans to develop the brand's lineup during the European launch of the saloon model.
According to one report from British magazine What Car?, Fisker confirmed the development of a new crossover that will combine elements from sporty estate and SUV models, and which will be revealed at the 2011 Frankfurt auto show in September before it allegedly reaches showrooms in 2012.
No other details were given about the crossover, but we reckon it will most likely be shown in pre-production form.
Aside from the Karma and the as of yet unnamed crossover, Fisker is also said to be working on the production version of the 2009 Karma S coupe-convertible (pictured in our gallery) and a smaller and more practical model called the Nina, both of which are due to enter production in 2013.
In addition, Fisker said that the company has plans for a four-wheel drive version of the Karma as well as a new two-speed transmission designed to improve fuel economy and offer a higher top speed.

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Infiniti Shows us 2013 JX Crossover's Rear End with Teaser Shot No5

Since the beginning of July, Infiniti has been releasing a teaser photo of its new 2013 JX luxury crossover every single week and will continue to do so until the official unveiling at this year's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance event in Monterey, California, on August 18.
For this week's menu, we get the fifth picture that shows the 7-seater model's rear end in all its glory but nothing else more. You can check out the rest of the images of the 2013 Infiniti JX right after the break.

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