• 2015 Porsche 911 Targa to bow in Detroit

    December 21, 2013
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    Porsche has confirmed the 2015 911 Targa will greet the public for the first time at next month’s Detroit Motor Show.

    Porsche is not releasing any details about the convertible but a batch of leaked images posted online by a French television station reveal the 911 Targa will be identical to the existing coupe and convertible variants from the rocker panels up to the belt line. Above that, it will gain a large wraparound rear window and a roll bar adorned by three small vertical air vents, design cues that characterized the first 911 Targa that bowed in 1967.

    The roof panel directly above the occupants’ heads will be removable and likely made out of a lightweight material such as aluminum. The interior is not expected to undergo any major interior modifications, meaning its dashboard will be nearly identical to the one found in 911 Convertible.

    Rumors indicate the base Targa will be powered by a 3.4-liter flat-six rated at 350 horsepower and 288 lb-ft. of torque, while the more expensive Targa S will utilize a 3.6-liter flat-six that churns out 400 horsepower and 324 lb-ft. of torque. At launch, the Targa will only be offered with rear-wheel drive but a four-wheel drive model with a widened rear end will likely join the lineup later in the production run.

    Look for official details about the Porsche 911 Targa to emerge in the weeks leading up to its debut in Michigan next month. The car is expected to land in Porsche showrooms around the world by the middle of next summer at the latest.

  • Citroen previews China-only premium sedan

    December 21, 2013
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    France’s Citroën has published preliminary details about the 2014 DS 5LS, a premium compact sedan designed exclusively for the Chinese market.

    Riding on the same platform as the China-only, long-wheelbase C4 L, the DS 5LS inaugurates the new design language that will influence every upcoming DS-badged model. Its front end is inspired by the Wild Rubis concept that bowed in Shanghai earlier this year and characterized by a sculpted grille dubbed “DS Wings,” angular headlights and a rippled hood.

    Out back, the DS 5LS features horizontal LED tail lamps, a discreet trunk-mounted spoiler and a low bumper that incorporates a piece of chrome trim inspired by the larger DS5 hatchback. Like all DS models sold in China, the 5LS is is devoid of all Citroën emblems in order to widen the gap between the brand’s standard C line and the upmarket DS line.

    The DS 5LS boasts an elegant cockpit with a flat-bottomed four-spoke steering wheel, wood trim on the dashboard and on the door panels and a prodigious amount of genuine leather. A touch screen-based infotainment system and an electronic parking brake come standard.

    Precise technical details are not available, but Citroën says the DS 5LS is offered with two turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline-burning engines that make 160 and 200 horsepower, respectively. Both engines send power to the front wheels via a six-speed automatic gearbox.

    Built in Shenzhen, China, the DS 5LS will go on sale in China next March. It will help Citroën increase its presence on the local market and lower its dependence on Europe.

    At the time of writing Citroën is not planning on selling the car in other markets.