Hyundai has formally introduced its refreshed 2015 Azera for the North American market.
The sedan has been outfitted with LED fog lights on the Limited package, along with restyled front and rear fascias for all trim levels. The standard 18-inch wheels have also been redesigned for the latest model year.

The facelifted Azera is not exactly the same as its European counterpart, the 2015 Grandeur, which was revealed in June with a new vertical-bar grille and different wheels.

As expected, the mid-cycle update is powered by the same 3.3-liter V6 engine as the 2014 model. The direct-injected mill provides 293 horsepower and 255 lb-ft of torque.

The North American edition now comes standard with blind-spot detection with rear cross-traffic alert and lane-change assist. Other interior enhancements include illuminated door sill plates, a hands-free trunk opener, an eight-inch infotainment system and a redesigned center stack.

The Azera will also be among the first models to offer Hyundai’s latest Safeguards Alerts in-vehicle app, designed for fledgling drivers. Parents can monitor the vehicle speed, hours of operation and movements, with alerts sent via text message or e-mail if the driver exceeds the set limits. Similar technology was previously available, but it can now be managed from the Blue Link infotainment interface.

The 2015 refresh was introduced today at the Miami International Auto Show. A price tag and launch date have not yet been announced.

Chrysler is reportedly ramping up its notification efforts for the trailer-hitch recall that affects older Jeep Grand Cherokee and Liberty SUVs.
The company recalled nearly 1.6 million vehicles, however less than 120,000 have been brought into service centers so far — a dismal response rate of less than eight percent, a spokesman told Automotive News.

It is unclear if the lack of interest is partly related to the controversy surrounding the recall, or its drawn-out timeframe, though low response rates are not unusual for older models.

Safety advocates had been pushing for a recall since 2009 or earlier, citing hundreds of deaths from vehicle fires. The fuel-tank is located behind the rear axle on the 1993-1998 Grand Cherokee and 2002-2007 Liberty, leaving little protection if the SUVs are involved in rear-end collisions.

Chrysler fought with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over the issue, eventually settling on trailer-hitch installation as a resolution. The company still maintains that the models are perfectly safe.

Among the SUVs that have been brought in for inspection, approximately 25 percent were found to have acceptable hitches already installed. The rest either did not have a hitch or the existing OEM or aftermarket hitch posed a puncture risk.

Chrysler is preparing a website dedicated to the campaign, allowing owners to chat with representatives who can answer questions or help set up an appointment at a local service center.

Most automakers spend tens-of-millions of dollars advertising their latest products with the hopes of snagging a few new customers, but a new study indicates the best selling tool could be getting shoppers behind the wheel of a Certified Pre-Owned vehicle.
According to a new study released by AutoTrader.com, 49 percent of CPO buyers are likely to trade up to a new vehicle from the same brand, indicating factory-backed used cars could be a gateway to future new car sales. However, brands need to snag owners early on in the CPO buying pattern as just 40 percent of second-time CPO buyers end up purchasing a new car from the same marque.

Moreover, CPO ownership might have an even bigger loyalty draw on the highly coveted Millennial demographic. According to the study, 54 percent of Millennials are likely to stay within the same brand when purchasing a new car or truck.

“Over the next few years, more than nine million certifiable vehicles will be hitting the market, making now the time for consumers, manufacturers and dealers to pay close attention to the CPO landscape,” said Rick Wainschel, vice president of customer insights at AutoTrader.com. “The insights from this study clearly show that consumers are more open than ever to CPO vehicles, and if dealers and manufacturers can turn shoppers into owners, they are well-positioned to build long-lasting relationships with those consumers.”

Certified Pre-Owned programs are becoming increasingly popular with automakers, with the likes of Bugatti, McLaren and even Tesla getting involved in the certification of used vehicles.

Volkswagen has vowed to shorten its product lifecycle, launching redesigned versions of core models every five years and facelifts on a three-year basis.
“We will reduce the lifecycle of our products to better align with customers’ buying habits,” VW of America’s vice president of marketing and strategy, Joerg Sommer, told Auto Express.

The executive admits that VW currently works around a seven-year lifecycle, which may have a restraining effect on sales potential.

The company also plans to invest $7 billion into US operations through 2018, helping fund product development and facility upgrades. A new midsize SUV built at the Chattanooga, Tennessee, plant is at the top of the list, aiming to take a bigger bite out of the booming SUV market, though several new models are expected to be added to the smaller end of the spectrum.

VW is on track to ship more than 10 million units for 2014, but at a lower profit margin than competitors. The company is expected to eliminate some struggling or low-volume models to help bolster net income.

It is unclear if Sommer’s comments are representative of a larger shift in Volkswagen Group’s strategy across all brands.

Toyota and BMW are moving forward with plans for a jointly-developed sports car platform that could eventually underpin a new Supra and the next-generation Z4.
BMW revealed in a statement to Bloomberg News that the new sports car architecture it’s co-developing with Toyota “has moved on to the concept phase and is running according to plan.” The German automaker added that a technical feasibility study, which began in January 2013, has been “successfully completed.”

Toyota also confirmed that the project has progressed beyond the feasibility stage.

According to previous reports, Toyota will use the architecture to spawn a new-age Supra while BMW will use the underpinnings for its next-generation Z4 sports car.

Toyota used the Supra name for it’s top-spec sports car offering for several decades, but killed off the nameplate in the early 2000s. Toyota has since updated its trademark filing for the Supra name, indicating a new version could be forthcoming.

Earlier this year Toyota unveiled the FT-1 concept, a model it said was inspired by past cars like the Supra.

Details on the sports car twins remain scarce, but the new platform is said to be rear-wheel drive-based. However, all-wheel drive could be offered.

Drivetrains will likely be sourced from BMW and include an inline-six. A hybrid drivetrain is also a distinct possibility.

No timeframe for launch has been announced, but look for the new Supra and Z4 to debut within the next 2-3 years.

Former Takata employees have implicated top executives in an alleged coverup of airbag defect tests dating back a decade.
After receiving a notification that one of its airbag inflators ruptured and injured a driver, the supplier in 2004 reportedly obtained 50 components from scrapyards. The tests reportedly confirmed potential trouble, with cracks in two if the steel inflator capsules, however the test program was brushed under the rug.

“One day, it was, ‘Pack it all up, shut the whole thing down,’” a former engineer at the company told The New York Times. “It was not standard procedure.”

Executives allegedly ordered lab staff to erase any test data from their computers, then scrap any inflators that had been included in the trial. The results do not appear to have been shared with automakers or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The latest report further suggests Takata has been misleading automakers and federal investigators by claiming that manufacturing problems were resolved by 2002. Internal documents point to ongoing handling issues, including airbag exposure to moisture and machine problems that caused the propellant to become more volatile, as late as 2009.

“Claims such as these have raised additional concerns about Takata’s handling of airbag issues and are one of the reasons we’re compelling them to produce documents and answer questions, under oath,” the NHTSA said in a statement.

As the NHTSA continues to investigate the issue, the agency itself is under scrutiny over its decision to drop an earlier investigation in 2010 without pursuing any recall action or a deeper inquiry.

Bentley has published a short teaser video that previews its first-ever SUV.
The teaser does a good job of hiding the SUV’s overall lines but earlier spy shots have given us a good idea of what to expect from the off-roader. Billed as the “most luxurious and most powerful SUV in the market,” it’s clear that the yet-to-be-named SUV will take styling cues from Bentley’s latest Flying Spur sedan. Whereas the EXP 9 F concept featured front end-styling more in line with the range-topping Mulsanne, this prototype uses four LED headlight lifted from the sportier Flying Spur.

No concrete mechanical details have been revealed, but the SUV will likely utilize elements of the platform shared by the next-generation Volkswagen Touareg, Audi Q7 and Porsche Cayenne. Bentley’s twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter W12 will be the only motor available at launch, but a plug-in hybrid drivetrain will be introduced in 2017. The SUV will eventually be offered with the company’s 4.0L twin-turbocharged V8.

The SUV will launch in 2016 with a two-row configuration, but an optional third-row is under consideration.

The SUV’s interior will be pure luxury with plenty of leather and wood. The SUV will use the same steering wheel as the Flying Spur, but it looks as though the utility vehicle could adopt an all-LCD instrument cluster.

Even with pricey ‘utes from Lamborghini and Maserati set to arrive in coming years, the Bentley could well end up as the world’s most expensive SUV thanks to a starting price north of $200,000. In the past, Bentley has hinted at plans to sell 3,000 examples each year – which would make it the automaker’s highest-volume vehicle.

The launch of the SUV, which will be built in Crewe, England (not Slovakia as previously rumored), will create 1,000 jobs in the UK. Bentley is investing $1.23 billion to develop the SUV and other new models, as well as to upgrade its headquarters in Crewe.

Mercedes-Benz has published a full set of details about the Vision G-Code concept that will be introduced in a few weeks at the Los Angeles Motor Show.
Penned by Mercedes’ recently-inaugurated design center in Beijing, China, the G-Code is small crossover that stretches 161 inches long, 74 inches wide and 59 inches tall. Its front end borrows styling cues such as a twin-slat radiator grille with an oversized three-pointed star emblem from recent members of the Mercedes lineup like the fourth-gen C-Class and the new GLA-Class. Sculpted flanks add a muscular touch to the overall appearance, while full-width LED tail lamps inspired by the Concept Coupe SUV that debuted in Beijing earlier this year bring the crossover in line with Mercedes’ latest design language.

The G-Code boasts a sporty and futuristic interior that offers space for up to four passengers on carbon fiber seats upholstered in premium leather. The steering is commanded through a rectangular four-spoke wheel that automatically unfolds from the dash when the ignition is switched on, and suicide rear doors facilitate access to the rear seats while eliminating need for a B-pillar. Highly focused on comfort, the show car’s seats are fitted with sensors that trigger a massage function if they sense the occupant is tired, a technology that eliminates fatigue on long trips.

Power for the G-Code comes from a plug-in hybrid drivetrain consisting of a turbocharged hydrogen-burning engine that spins the front wheels and an electric motor that powers the rear axle. Innovative multi-voltaic paint captures solar energy in order to recharge the crossover’s battery pack.

Mercedes has not revealed what the future holds for the G-Code concept. If given the green light for production, the crossover will slot beneath the GLA-Class to compete against city-friendly crossovers like the MINI Countryman.

Stay tuned to Leftlane for live images of the Mercedes-Benz G-Code concept straight from the show floor in Los Angeles.

Tesla Motors appears to be encountering difficulty keeping up with demand for the Model S and bringing to market the Model X.
The startup has lowered its production forecast for the Model S, expecting to deliver 33,000 units rather than the previous target of 35,000 sedans. Nonetheless, the numbers still represent a significant jump from 2013 production.

After introducing the all-wheel-drive Model S, the company now offers a wide range of powertrain and battery options. Reducing the configuration options has been mentioned as one strategy to help boost manufacturing numbers.

“People don’t appreciate how hard it is to manufacture something,” CEO Elon Musk said in an earnings call, as quoted by Forbes. “There are 70,000 unique parts in a car, and Model S is a complicated car.”

The 2014 hiccup has been partly blamed on a shutdown of the company’s Fremont plant, which halted Model S production as the facility was retooled to support Model X assembly on the same line.

Confirming analyst predictions, Tesla has also confirmed that its Model X — originally expected to begin production in 2013 — will now have to wait until late in 2015. Musk suggests “more validation testing” is necessary, though he also admits that maybe Tesla needs to be less of a “perfectionist” on future products.