Sneak Peek: Honda Urban SUV Concept

The Detroit auto show is next month, which means we’re preparing for a deluge of shadowy teaser images and promises of big concepts. Honda, for example, just released the image you see above, a preview of what it calls the Urban SUV concept. While the compact utility vehicle could be anything, we are wondering if it’s the long-rumored Fit crossover.

The concept has a typical CR-V look to it, with an angular window behind the C-pillar and geometric, pointed taillights, but it’s obviously not a CR-V–the proportions are too small (there’s also the fact that the CR-V was new for 2012). The sloping roofline would rule out a new Pilot (which was also refreshed for 2012) or anything with three rows, and the concept only has two doors, although there would appear to be space for fourin a production version. There’s also the hint that the concept is “urban,” which is usually automaker-speak for “small and maneuverable.” We are digging the deep, upward character line on the door and quarter panels and the flared wheel arches, too–both features that wouldn’t work on any of Honda’s existing, conservative utility vehicles.

 Piece those meager clues together and it points to a new small Honda CUV, perhaps the size and stature of the new 2013 Buick Encore. That leaves only one major Honda platform to build the new car on: the Fit’s. We’ve heard for a while that Honda is going to make multiple variants of the next Fit, including a crossover, once the hatchback debuts for the 2014 model year. If this shadowy concept is definitely a Fit crossover, it’ll probably be made in a new plant in Celaya, Mexico alongside the 2014 Fit hatchback.

It also wouldn’t be uncharacteristic for Honda to make use of the new Fit’s high-tech powertrains–including its Sport Hybrid i-DCD system (which uses a 1.5-liter Atkinson-cycle I-4, an electric motor, and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission) to motivate the diminutive crossover. We’ll see more next month when Honda’s Urban SUV concept takes the stage at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Thanks to: Motor Trend

Hot News: Lamborghini Plans to Introduce a New Model for 50th Anniversary

Italian tractor company turned sports car builder Lamborghini hits the 50-year milestone next year, and to celebrate, Automotive News reports the brand will host a gathering of Lamborghini vehicles in its home country and also debut a special one-off model – likely a preview of the next-gen Gallardo.

Called the Grand Giro Lamborghini, the gathering will be held next May in Milan, and is open to all Lamborghini owners worldwide. Those owners will have to pay their own way to get to Italy, but once they arrive they’ll join a caravan of other Lambos and drive through such scenic Italian destinations as Tuscany, Rome, and Bologna. The convoy’s final destination will be the Lamborghini factory at Sant’Agata Bolognese. To make things easier for Lambo owners, the company has set up a website dedicated to handling the logistics of shipping an Italian exotic back to its homeland. The automaker will also provide a number of support vehicles for the drive to offer roadside assistance to the many finicky supercars in attendance. Because not every Lambo driver has the time or money to get to Italy, the sports car maker says smaller-scale events will be held at every dealer worldwide. In addition to the grand gathering in Italy, Lamborghini will also unveil a special model for its 50^th birthday.

 “It will not be a revival or retro,” said Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann to Automotive News.

Given that we’re expecting a next-gen Gallardo in 2013, the one-off special could be a concept for a successor to Lambo’s “entry-level” car. That exotic coupe will be based on the new modular MCC platform, which will be shared with the next Audi R8. By moving to the new platform, the Gallardo is expected to shave more than 50 pounds from its curb weight, which should also help in the fuel-economy and acceleration departments. The video below could be further proof that the mystery vehicle is indeed a Gallardo replacement, as the clip shows Lambo officially bidding farewell to the current model.

Thanks to: Motor Trend