While all attention has been turned to the Big Apple, Seoul has been holding its own auto show, where South Korean automakers are unveiling their latest concepts. The Ssangyong XAV is the firm’s latest design study, a rugged-looking compact SUV.

With some elements that might resemble the Toyota FJ Cruiser, the XAV is actually a design throwback to the 1996 Ssangyong Korando, notable for its flared fenders and large corner lamps. While it may not have been the most expected choice for retro inspiration, the XAV does a commendable job of taking a design widely regarded as downright ugly and interpreting it in modern form.

Ssangyong says XAV stands “for eXciting Authentic Vehicle” and is designed for outdoorsy lifestyle types. One of the more notable design cues is a small lockbox integrated into the rear hatch. Clever storage options are peppered throughout the interior as well.

The concept is fitted with a 1.6L four cylinder driving the rear wheels through an automatic transmission, but an electronic 4WD system can theoretically power the front wheels as well.

Ssangyong is 70 percent owned by Mahindra & Mahindra Limited, an Indian automaker known for its SUVs.

Toyota has unveiled an updated version of its evergreen Corolla for Japan, including sedan, wagon and hybrid versions.

While the Corolla sold in the US (and much of the rest of the world) has grown considerably with each successive generation, the Japanese Corolla is a different model altogether and retains its slim Y2K-era size, about 11 inches shorter than the US-spec model.

The new grille is not dissimilar to that of the 2012 Camry, pre-2014 facelift. However, below the bumper is a large trapezoidal grille connecting two foglamp nooks. The honest sedan profile that eschews faux sportiness and does not attempt to be anything that it’s not.

Even more likely to be missed in American markets is the Corolla Fielder, the five-door wagon variant. Equipped with optional LED headlights, a 5-speed manual, and handsome longroof profile, it represents a breed long extinct in the States.

While the sedan comes with the option of a 1.3 or 1.5L four-cylinders, the wagon is available with 1.5 or 1.8L mills to compensate for the added heft. Both can be had with the same 1.5L hybrid-electric system found in the Prius.

All new Japanese-market Corollas will be equipped with Toyota’s new Safety Sense package, that includes pre-collision warning and braking, lane departure alerts and automatic high beams.

Ford has lifted the veil off of the 2016 Galaxy, a large van whose biggest market is Europe.
Entering its fourth generation, the Galaxy predictably gets an evolutionary design that falls in line with the Blue Oval’s current design language. The van’s overall silhouette stays roughly the same but its front end is fitted with slim angular headlights and a hexagonal radiator grille with horizontal slats.

Inside, the Galaxy continues to offer seating up for to seven adults. It gains a number of available premium options including a retractable panoramic glass roof, massaging front seats, a fully configurable digital instrument cluster and Ford’s Active Park Assist technology. Buyers who are planning on regularly towing heavy loads can order the Galaxy with an optional self-leveling rear suspension.

The 2016 Galaxy is offered with a wide range of diesel- and gasoline-burning four-cylinder engines sourced from the Ford parts bin. The headline-grabber is an all-new twin-turbocharged 2.0-liter TDCi diesel-powered unit that generates 207 horsepower and a stout 331 lb-ft. of torque at just 2,000 rpm. Ford boldly claims that its sequential twin-turbo technology all but eliminates turbo lag.

The other noteworthy engine is a 2.0-liter gasoline-burning EcoBoost mill that provides 236 horsepower, making the Galaxy one of the most powerful vans in its segment. All engines come standard with a fuel-saving start/stop system.

The 2016 Ford Galaxy will go on sale across Europe in the coming months, and it could be added to the Blue Oval’s lineup in China shortly after. However, Ford is not currently planning on selling the van in the United States

France’s Peugeot has introduced an innovative new concept car called Foodtruck at a special event held in Paris.
The Foodtruck commemorates the fact that Peugeot is the only company in the world that offers both a full line of tableware and passenger cars. To enhance the food truck experience, designers opened up the kitchen and positioned the chef and the food preparation as close to the customers as possible in order to create a cozy, small restaurant-like feel.

Alternatively, the Foodtruck and its matching trailer can be transformed into an amphitheater-like dining space with a DJ booth and a 46-inch screen that lets customers watch the chef’s every move. Peugeot says the truck is designed to accommodate up to 30 customers when it is in amphitheater mode.

Chefs and foodies alike will appreciate that the truck is equipped with two grilling plates, four induction burners, a deep fryer, a professional espresso machine and two large refrigerators. Additionally, Peugeot’s centuries-old Poivrières Salières Production division built a set of salt and pepper mills specifically for the concept.

Peugeot has not provided technical details about its restaurant on wheels, though it promises that it is fully functional.

Although it’s simply a concept that will not see the light that awaits at the end of a production line, the Foodtruck will be put to work during the Milan Design Week that will kick off on April 14th, and later in the French Pavilion of the World Fair, Expo Milano.

The MX-5 Club has barely had time to cool off after its New York Auto Show debut, but Mazda is announcing yet more news about the world’s most popular roadster. The MX-5 will spawn a limited Launch Edition variant and the Hiroshima-based automaker has created a mini-site to take pre orders.

The Launch Edition will be limited to 1,000 units. All will be painted Soul Red, Mazda’s trademark color that commands a $300 premium on cars such as the Mazda 6, matched with a Sport Tan leather interior.

The car will also come maxxed out with luxury amenities — 17-inch alloys, heated seats, automatic climate control, Mazda-Connect navigation and infotainment system, and a 9-speaker Bose stereo with SiriusXM satellite radio.

Mazda’s i-ActiveSense suite of safety technologies will also come standard on Launch Editions, equipping drivers with blind spot warnings, rear cross-traffic alerts and automatic high beams.

Additionally, for customers who’d like to enjoy their MX-5 even when not driving it, Launch Editions will come with a portable Bose Bluetooth speaker and apparel from the Heritage Line launched at the Chicago Auto Show.

The website LongLiveTheRoadster.com is taking pre-orders for the first 1,000 customers and will go live May 5, at 9:00 am Pacific Time. Last year, 100 units of the 25th Anniversary MX-5 sold out in 10 minutes.

Honda has published a lone teaser sketch that previews a yet-unnamed concept that will be introduced later this month at the biennial Shanghai Motor Show.
The concept was penned by designers from Guangqi Honda Automobile and Dongfeng Honda Automobile, the company’s two joint-ventures on the Chinese market. The computer-generated sketch suggests that the crossover features a bold, sporty design that falls in line with Honda’s Exciting H design language by adopting styling cues such as a large radiator grille that incorporates a pair of thin headlights and a prominent Honda emblem.

Blacked-out A- and B-pillars create a floating roof, while pronounced fenders and a sizable roof-mounted spoiler add a sporty touch to the overall appearance. The concept rides on large five-spoke alloy wheels.

Honda is keeping additional details about the concept under wraps until its formal debut. The crossover could be a simple design study built to showcase the capacity of Honda’s two Chinese joint-ventures, or it could preview an upcoming crossover that will most likely be built and sold exclusively in China. Where the crossover would slot in Honda’s lineup remains a mystery.

Honda will introduce its next concept online in the coming weeks. Stay tuned, we’ll bring you live pictures of it straight from the show floor in Shanghai starting on April 20th.

Honda has introduced a new roadster called S660. Designed specifically for the Japanese market, the S660 was previewed by a thinly-veiled concept that bowed at the 2013 edition of the Tokyo Motor Show.
Visually, the S660′s overall shape is reminiscent of the Beat, a convertible kei car built in the early 1990s, but its front end borrows a handful of styling cues from the Acura NSX supercar that bowed in Detroit last January. As expected, the production model is nearly identical to the concept but it is fitted with less futuristic-looking lights on both ends and slightly revised bumpers.

Inside, the production version of the two-seater loses the concept’s futuristic dashboard and gains a simpler unit with a digital instrument cluster. Aluminum pedals and a red push-button ignition seemingly borrowed from the Civic Type R add a touch of sportiness to the cockpit.

Power comes from a mid-mounted turbocharged 660cc three-cylinder engine that makes 63 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 77 lb-ft. of torque at 2,600 rpm. That’s not much on paper, but it’s plenty in a car that weighs about 1,800 pounds in its lightest configuration. Pulled from Honda’s kei car parts bin, the turbo three can be linked to either a six-speed manual transmission or an optional CVT.

The roadster is built by Yachigo Industry Company, a small Honda-affiliated supplier that has assembled many of the automaker’s kei cars and trucks over the past couple of decades. It is expected to land in Honda showrooms across Japan in time for summer.

The S660 will fight head-to-head against the Daihatsu Copen. Honda’s next roadster won’t be sold outside of its home country with a three-cylinder, but rumors indicate the automaker will shoehorn a slightly larger four-cylinder unit in the engine bay, christen the ragtop S1000 and distribute it in select markets around the world. However, U.S. sales are unlikely due to the ragtop’s truly tiny size.

Delphi Automotive’s modified Audi SQ5 has successfully completed its journey from San Francisco to New York City, claiming the title of first coast-to-coast trip by an autonomous vehicle.
The expedition took nine days, crossing 15 states and Washington DC, exposing the self-driving system to traffic circles, construction zones, tunnels, aggressive drivers and a wide range of weather conditions.

“Our vehicle performed remarkably well during this drive, exceeding our expectations,” said Delphi CTO Jeff Owens. “The knowledge obtained from this trip will help optimize our existing active safety products and accelerate our future product development, which will allow us to deliver unsurpassed automotive grade technologies to our customers.”

The company has plenty of data to sift through, amassing nearly three terabytes of data across the 3,400-mile transit.

The crossover prototype was outfitted with extra electronics, such as LiDAR and radar sensors, complementing the production model’s existing suite of cameras and integrated radar components.

Although the trip may be the first completed by an autonomous vehicle, it is not the first fully-autonomous trip across the country. The SQ5 drove itself for 99 percent of the miles, but human drivers took over when the car was off the highway.

Lane-holding is already a common technology across the industry. More vehicles will soon be able to operate autonomously on highways, but the real challenge is off the high-speed roads where the cars face a much more complex and less-predictable environment.

Several major automakers appear to be aiming for partially autonomous production vehicles by 2020, with fully autonomous technology likely waiting until 2030 or later.

McLaren has announced U.S. pricing for its latest 570S sports car. The 570S made its global debut earlier this week at the New York auto show.
The inaugural vehicle in McLaren’s newly minted Sport Series line, the 570S Coupe will carry a base MSRP of $184,900. That price tag puts the 570S about on par with the Porsche 911 Turbo S and Ferrari California T.

Although it’s tough to call a car that list for nearly $200,000 a bargain, the 570S does give you a lot for your money. The 570S boast a carbon fiber chassis, carbon ceramic disc brakes, an adjustable suspension system and a 3.8L twin-turbocharged V8 capable of hitting speeds in excess of 200mph.

For those that can’t quite come up with the $184,900 required for the 570S, a cheaper option is on the way. McLaren also announced that it will launch a less expensive 540C model at the upcoming Shanghai Motor Show. U.S. pricing wasn’t announced, but the 540C will list from £126,000 in the UK, or about 17 grand less than the 570S. If that pricing holds true, the 540C should go for something in the neighborhood of $160,000 in the U.S.

Both the 570S and 540C are expected to be available through McLaren outlets by the end of the year.

Live images by Brian Williams.

West Virginia Governor Ray Tomblin has signed into law a bill that will bar Tesla Motors from selling directly to customers in the state.
The state may not be at the top of Tesla’s priority list, but it nonetheless serves as a blow to the company’s battle against dealer franchise laws in a handful of US states, following on the heels of a victory in New Jersey.

The legislation was supported by Senate President Bill Cole, a franchised auto dealer with Honda, Nissan, Kia, Subaru and Hyundai showrooms in West Virginia and neighboring Kentucky. The West Virginia Automobile & Truck Dealers Association is also listed as one of his top campaign donors, according to FollowTheMoney.org.

The bill included wording that prohibits a manufacturer from acting “in the capacity of a new motor vehicle dealer.” The company had reportedly lobbied for an amendment that would allow non-franchisor manufacturers to sell directly at a limited number of stores, however the provision was rejected, the West Virginia dealer association’s president, Ruth Lemmon, said in a statement to Automotive News.

“I just can’t understand why if you want to be in the auto transportation business, why you wouldn’t want to be part of a proven model,” she opined.

Tesla has not yet publicly commented on the setback.