Kia has previewed its redesigned Optima, scheduled to make its formal appearance next month in Geneva.
The concept is said to be the 11th car designed by Kia’s European design studio, located in Frankfurt, Germany. The team has worked to refine the existing design, refreshing the front end with a new bumper and LED headlights.

The concept also features slim side mirrors, unique alloy wheels and what appears to be a panoramic roof, together giving the car a more upscale, sportier appearance compared to the current production edition.

“With confident, powerful lines which sweep elegantly from Kia’s hallmark ‘tiger-nose’ grille towards the rear of the vehicle, Kia’s new concept car embodies modern design and refined, understated energy,” the company said in a statement.

The company has not yet disclosed any specific details, such as powertrain changes, ahead of its March 3 unveiling.

If at first you don’t succeed, you rework it. Sure it’s a paraphrase of the old “try, try again” axiom, but they are words that drove the Acura brand with the mid-cycle refresh of the 2016 Acura ILX.
The last time we checked, with the ILX’s initial introduction in 2012, we found a Honda Civic-sized compact that possessed a hint of luxury, but puzzled us with its lack of power, refinement and comparatively heavy price tag. Four years in, they reworked the formula, and this time, apparently, got it right.

Performance, Proportion, Prestige
The ILX is Acura’s gateway sedan to the brand that is geared more towards performance than luxury. In fact, during the company’s presentation, we barely heard the L-word mentioned. Instead, the phrase “premium” was bandied about to reflect the refinement that appears in the new model that will find competition from Lexus’s CT, Audi’s A3, BMW’s 2, and Mercedes-Benz’s CLA.

Accelerating Momentum
Intended to accelerate momentum, modifications to the ILX also go a long way towards accelerating the actual car. For 2016, the ILX will be powered exclusively by a 2.4-liter Direct fuel injected four-cylinder engine that produces 201 peak horsepower at 6,800 rpm, and 180 lb-ft of torque at a mid-range 3,600 rpm. That’s quite a jump from the 150 horsepower, 140 lb-ft output of the 2.0-liter fuel-injected four-banger found in the last generation model equipped with an automatic transmission. The previously available 2.4-liter engine — which was available exclusively with a manual transmission — made the same horsepower, but the new model achieves it lower in the powerband. Using a dual stage intake manifold, with long- and short intake runners enables the engine to vary its torque based on engine speed. At low speeds, the long runners are used, switching over to the short-length runners to deliver more grunt during high-rpm runs.

The 2016 ILX will only be available with a new eight-speed Dual-Clutch automatic transmission with torque converter and rev-matching downshifts that are controlled via steering wheel-mounted paddle shift levers. Equipped with two drive modes, drivers can select between “D” for smooth operations with efficiency, or “S” for Sport mode, which remaps to offer higher RPMs for performance oriented wheeling. Driving dynamics are improved thanks to a MacPherson strut front and multilink independent rear suspension sporting amplitude reactive dampers at both ends, which read the road surfaces and adapt to conditions on the fly. EPA measures the ILX’s fuel economy at 25 city/36 highway, with 29 combined.

An electrically-assisted power steering kit points the way and offered good feedback as well as guidance with its optional lane-keep assist and lane departure warning systems. Braking has improved with a 1.2-inch increase in front brake rotor size from 11.1- to 12.3-inches.

Bodyworks
Our 2016 Acura has undergone an intense case of rehabilitation in the rigidity department. An expansion of the use of high-strength steel and other fixes have yielded an improvement in firmness of up to 12-percent. In addition to contributing to a better handling car, it has allowed Noise, Vibration and Harshness engineers to tune out much of the noise and vibration seepage into the cabin. They went to work using more insulation, thicker front glass, quieter wheels (yes-quieter) and Active Noise Control technology to make the ILX act like a pair of rolling Bose Noise-canceling headphones. The result is a vehicle that is much quieter and more refined than before.

From a comfort and aesthetic standpoint, our Tech Plus A-Spec-equipped model included new Euro-style stitching on the wheel, shifter knob and parking brake lever, while it was blacked out with the A-Spec’s premium black interior color specification that included a black headliner, perforated Lux Suede inserts, red instrument lighting, silver trim and aluminum brake and throttle pedals.

We are still not fans of the two-staged screens, where the upper eight-inch monitor displayed navigation maps and routes, while the lower seven-inch touchscreen display offered audio and climate controls. We felt it drew our eyes away from the road, where our real attention was needed. That, and the excessive use of small buttons, (15 on the steering wheel, alone), which controlled functions around the otherwise well-executed dashboard.

For those ILX models not equipped with Navigation, Acura offers the AcuraLink app, which uses an iPhone (no Android) to bring navigation into a car not equipped with such, with a USB/HDMI cable. The cable and app are available for $99 and $59, respectively.

From an outside view, the ILX moves closer to the rest of the Acura fleet and its performance through technology ethos. From the front, the headlights are pulled wider and lower so they fall in line with others in its Acura stables. Jewel-like headlights are similar to those on the Acura TLX and now include an LED strip that runs below the lamps on either side. The chrome “beak” has been restyled and moved lower in the grille opening for a new sense of symmetry. Since our tester was A-Spec equipped, it was also fitted with 18-inch performance alloy wheels, a chrome-accented spoiler, chrome side sills and fog lights located in the new front fascia.

Safety first and finally last
Acura, and by extension its Honda parent company, are known for their cutting-edge technology. The ILX is not about to break that notion, either. AcuraWatch is their new suite of safety and driver assist technologies that uses a fusion technology-based monocular camera and millimeter wave radar. They help the Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist, collision mitigating braking and road departure mitigation to “see” obstructions ahead and bring the ILX to a stop, if needed. We actually were pretty stoked to see the system steer its way around gentle curves in the road-to a point. And it was quick to ask us to “please steer the car” with our hands instead of relying on the system. Cute.

When operating without a couple of wise-guy autojournalists behind the wheel, the system will detect a departure from the road and offer steering and braking. It also provides blind spot and cross traffic warning information.

The ILX will be built in Marysville, Ohio, alongside big-brother TLX.

Wheel time
Cruising along the Silverado trail in Napa, California, gave us a quick taste of the ILX’s improvements. From the moment we pushed the red starter button, we could see that Acura had corrected many of the motivational issues that plagued the last car. And to their credit, Acura executives acknowledged as much, when during the presentation about the vehicle’s new features, they stated that they had taken many an expert’s comments to heart.

In addition to the lack of power, one of the bigger complaints of the previous version was the excessive road noise that made its way into the cabin. The NVH guys got it right this time, utilizing tricks and techniques that made a huge difference that was quantifiable in back-to-back tests.

For 2016, buyers will get a taste of just what 51 extra horsepower and an additional 40 lb-ft of torque are capable of, especially in a car that weighs only 3,100 pounds. We found a compact four-door sedan that offered up just the right amount of torque steer when we launched from a standing start. They didn’t post exact times but Acura officials state the ILX gets to 60 mph 2.5-seconds faster than the model it replaces. And that was in the normal drive mode. Switching over to sport mode allowed us to put the paddle shift levers to good use as we blipped our way up through the eight-speed gearbox. Offering a different feel then that found in the normal drive mode, it allowed us to hold our gears as long as we wanted while negotiating the twisties in Northern California’s wine country.

Leftlane’s bottom line
The 2016 Acura ILX version 2.0 shows that when a design is examined, re-thought, re-engineered and refreshed, truly good things can happen. Offering refined interiors with more technology inside, as well as more power underhood, allows Acura to remove the “coulda been” prefix from the phrase, “a contender.” Now it really is one.

Words and photos by Mark Elias.

ILX Base, $27,900
ILX with AcuraWatch Plus, $29,200
ILX Premium, $29,900
ILX Premium A-Spec, $31,890
ILX Tech Plus, $32,900
ILX Tech Plus and A-Spec, $34,890

Photos by Mark Elias.

Fiat Chrysler has announced a youth-focused marketing blitz for the Jeep Renegade‘s arrival in the US market.
The company has teamed with NBCUniversal to air commercials on Bravo, E!, NBC Entertainment and Syfy. Segments will feature a “call to action” theme, inviting viewers to share their “Renegade spirit” photos on social-media platforms.

Three posts will be chosen from Instagram and Twitter, entitling the winners to a free Renegade and a trip to Los Angeles for the iHeartRadio Music Awards. They will also be filmed and featured in a commercial for the second part of the marketing campaign, initially airing during the music award show.

“We know that our Millennial audience looks to multiple engagement platforms for their consumption to include television, music and social media channels, to discover what’s new and share this content,” said Jeep advertising head Kim Adams House.

The Renegade represents a new entry-level model for the brand, featuring quirky styling in a small package. It will serve as a rival to other entries in the fast-growing segment, including the Kia Soul, Honda HR-V and Chrysler’s own Fiat 500X, among others.

Bentley may be considering a coupe variant of its upcoming Bentayga SUV, according to a speculative report based on executive comments.

The Bentayga has not yet been formally unveiled, but the company is said to be already looking down the road at the next model. Chief executive Wolfgang Duerheimer suggests the clear possibilities are an entirely new model or a new variant.

“The growing segment is SUVs,” he told Top Gear in a recent interview. “Convertibles are going down. Sports cars are going down. Saloons too.”

The comments have been interpreted as a sign that the next mystery model could be a coupe-like counterpart to the Bentayga, taking advantage of the $1.2 billion development investment in the standard SUV.

Such a model is not expected to arrive until at least 2019, three years after the Bentayga hits the road.

Low-resolution spy shots taken in China have given us the best look yet at the all-new 2016 Chevrolet Spark.
The next Spark will share its platform with the Opel Karl that will be presented to the public next month at the Geneva Motor Show. The Spark stands out from its German sibling thanks to a Cruze-inspired front fascia with L-shaped headlights and a bold rendition of Chevrolet’s two-part radiator grille. Overall, the next Spark appears to wear a softer design than the outgoing model.

The rear door handles are integrated into the C-pillars, a Chevrolet-specific design cue borrowed from the current Spark. Pictures of the Spark’s rear end were not leaked.

Similarly, technical details are not available but rumors indicate the Spark will be equipped with the same engine as the aforementioned Karl. If that’s the case, expect entry-level models to pack a 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine tuned to availalbe with an automatic, and bigger engines will join the lineup later in the production run.

The 2016 Chevrolet Spark could be presented to the public next April at the New York Motor Show.

A low-resolution leaked image might have revealed the next-gen Audi R8 ahead of its debut at next month’s Geneva Motor Show.
Although official details remain scarce, the next R8 is expected to ride on the same platform as the Lamborghini Huracan. That architecture shift will allow Audi engineers to use more light-weight materials such as aluminum and carbon fiber in the R8′s construction, which should net better performance and improved fuel economy.

The R8′s length should remain fairly close to today’s model. However, the Huracan is much wider than the current R8 so it’s possible that Audi’s supercar could add a bit of girth for its second generation. The R8′s styling is a sharper evolution of the first-gen model that borrows styling cues from recent Audi concepts such as the sport quattro that bowed in Frankfurt in 2013. Our swirl-free spy shots reveal that the 2017 version of the car will have a few more curves than the current model.

On the powertrain front, the R8 will retain its current V8 and V10 engines but an entry-level model powered by a turbocharged six-cylinder engine could join the lineup a little later in the production run. The current R8′s seven-speed dual-clutch transmission will likely carry over to the new model, but the car will lose its six-speed manual.

Interestingly, Audi has confirmed plans to introduce an all-electric version of the next R8 at the same time as the gasoline-burning model. Likely badged e-tron, the battery-powered R8 will have a total driving range of at least 248 miles. It will be launched as a low-volume halo model and it is expected to cost significantly more than a standard R8.

A brand new interior is also on tap for the 2016 R8, with our earlier spy photos revealing the new design will include an LCD gauge cluster, updated dash design and chrome-ringed air vents.

Additional details about the 2017 Audi R8 will emerge over the next few weeks.

Swedish boutique automaker Koenigsegg has announced that it will introduce two new models at next month’s Geneva Motor Show.
Dubbed Regera, the first new model is billed as a megacar, which likely means that its engine generates at least a megawatt (1,341 horsepower) of power. Koenigsegg’s first megacar, the One:1, is limited to just six examples worldwide so the Regera could be a less exclusive model designed to put a megawatt of power into the hands of a greater number of drivers.

Launching a megacar at this year’s edition of the Geneva Motor Show makes sense because the Bugatti Veyron is sold out and a successor isn’t expected to land until 2017 at the very earliest.

The company’s second new model will be an evolution of the existing Agera called RS. The RS will likely be powered by a twin-turbocharged 5.0-liter V8 engine that will make over 1,100 horsepower and 885 lb-ft. of torque. The Agera RS will be able to reach 62 mph from a stop in less than 2.9 seconds, 124 mph in less than 7.5 seconds and reach a top speed of over 245 mph.

It is not too far-fetched to assume that both the Regera and the Agera RS will be sold in the United States. Late last year, Koeniegsegg founder Christian von Koenigsegg announced plans to expand the company’s dealer network in the United States and introduce a new, fully street-legal model.

Full details about Koenigsegg’s new models will emerge over the coming weeks. Stay tuned to Leftlane for live images straight from the show floor in Geneva starting on March 3rd.

From its inception, the BMW X6 has been a mix of things that don’t really go together. Fitting, then, that BMW asked us to try out the latest version of its high-performance SUV on a race track designed for Formula 1 cars.
Using The Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, as a home base, we put the all-new 2015 BMW X6 M through its paces both on-track and on-road. So how did the vehicle equivalent of Beauty and Beast perform? Read on to find out.

Sedate it ain’t
At first blush, it might seem silly to introduce a new SUV at an F1 track. But the X6 M is no ordinary SUV.

First off, the X6 M doesn’t really look like any other SUV. At least that used to be the case.

BMW pioneered the SUV coupe segment with the launch of the original X6 in 2008. Since then several other automakers have scrambled to come up with sleek-looking utility vehicles of their own, including Mercedes-Benz’s new GLE Coupe.

And the X6 M, the highest-performance version of BMW’s so-called Sports Activity Vehicle, has a spec sheet more in line with a high-dollar sports car than a typical SUV. Eight-cylinders, direct-injection and TwinScroll turbochargers all working in harmony to develop 567 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque. All that power moves through an eight-speed automatic gearbox to an M-specific all-wheel drive system with a rear-wheel bias.

Thanks to those very large numbers, the X6 M’s accelerations numbers are quite small — the X6 M can scoot from 0-62 is 4.2 seconds and cover 1,000 meters in just 22 ticks of the clock. Not too shabby for a vehicle on the wrong side of 5,100 pounds.

Highway muncher
Before we put the X6′s M pedigree to the test on the track, we piloted the Super SAV around the public roads of Austin.

With a push of the start button the X6 M barks to life before settling in to a low rumble. The X6 M’s gearshift lever is needlessly complicated, but it kind of adds to the feeling of driving a high-tech toy. Once we found “Drive,” we were off.

Our attention was almost immediately fixed on the sound of the X6 M, but not for the right reasons. Although the X6 M boasts a meaty V8 under the hood, the exhaust note is more akin to an engine with fewer cylinder.

But any complaints about the X6 M’s exhaust note were quickly forgotten as we squeezed on the power. The X6 M leaps away from traffic like it’s being shot out of a cannon. Point the X6 M down any on-ramp and you’ll be up to triple-digit speeds before you can blink.

Like every M vehicle, BMW says the X6 M is “fit for the Nordschleife,” but perhaps equally impressive, the SAV is equally fit for the daily commute. We found the X6 M to be supremely comfortable over the expansion joints and pot holes of the real world, which is impressive considering the car’s sports suspension and low-profile tires.

The X6 M’s road comfort is aided by supportive front buckets wrapped in super soft leather. In fact, virtually every surface in the X6 M is covered in some form of premium material, whether it be cow hide, carbon fiber or Alcantara. But then again, you’d expect that at this price level — the X6 M carries a starting price of $103,000.

Visibility wasn’t as much of a problem as we expected, but the X6 M’s sloping roofline does limit your field of view. Use your mirrors and the car’s blind spot warning system and you should be fine, though. Rear-seat headroom is actually fairly decent, but passenger may feel closed in by the X6′s low-slung C-pillars.

Visibility isn’t an issue from the outside, however, with the X6 M sporting plenty of eye-catching cues, including its signature coupe-like roofline. Love it or hate it, it’s hard to deny that the X6 stands out from the crowd.

M-specific features of the X6 M include front fender vents, aerodynamic side mirrors, rear-spoiler, unique wheel designs and a ride height that is 10 mm lower than the standard X6.

Track time
In order to verify the X6 M’s Nordschleife credentials, BMW put us on COTA behind a pace car driven by one of its factory drivers. After a couple of warm up laps, we started testing the X6 M’s limits.

With the X6′s M2 setting engaged — which allows for some tail-out fun — we tackled the tight corners and long straights of the 3.4-mile track. We initially used the X6 M’s paddle shifters, but decided to let the car’s computer handle shifting duties early on.

Considering its two-and-half tons of mass, the X6 M handles itself remarkably well in the bends, acting more like a big sports sedan than a high-riding crossover. After a few hot laps the X6 M’s hefty did become a factor, though, with the front tires demonstrating obvious signs of fatigue. Where the X6 M used to tuck in nicely, it started to demonstrated some front end push.

But thanks to its rear-biased all-wheel drive system, understeer can easily be defeated with a dap of power. The X6 M’s back end isn’t overly eager to step out of line, but can be coaxed with the right amount of throttle modulation (aka flooring it). It may not be the fastest way around the track, but it sure is fun to drift a 5,000 pound SUV as poised as the X6 M.

Steering was quick and accurate in the X6 M, with the sport setting offering a good measure of weight. We also didn’t mind hanging on to the steering wheel’s thick rim and premium leather cover.

We found the brakes of the X6 M to initially be strong, but they did get a little woolly toward the end of our six-lap session. They never completely went away, but we started to notice a bit of fade when dragging the X6 M down from a long straightaway. We were also the last group of the day, so our test car’s brakes had already taken a beating before we ever got behind the wheel.

While it wouldn’t be our first choice for attacking the Nurburgring, we certainly came away impressed with the X6 M’s track aptitude.

Leftlane’s bottom line
The answer to a rarely-asked question, the BMW X6 M might be the ultimate (niche) driving machine.

Not as spacious as the X5 M or as good to drive as the M5, the X6 M delivers where those cars can’t — panache. And if you’re going to spend $100,000 on a car, you might as well get some attention while doing it.

2015 BMW X6 M base price, $102,100. Destination, $960.

Photos by Drew Johnson.