Buick Velite 6

The new Buick Velite is a new model for the Chinese market, based on the Chevrolet Bolt.

As you can see, it is not only a bit larger than the Bolt, it has its own, more upscale design and interior.

I think it looks quite nice. it seems roomy. It also seems to offer a sunroof (Something the Volt doesn't)

Buick has had some problems with the Chinese battery suppliers and the car had to be delayed a few months.

So announced EV range is just over 190 miles. (A plug-in hybrid version is also available)

Which is OK, but not great. And a lot less than the Volt.

(Maybe that is only due to different batteries. )

I think this would be a really good car for Buick in the US.

I am sure it could be built along the Volt in the US. And would give Buick something truly modern.

Since most of their cars are currently based on foreign models built in Germany or Korea.

Why not...

Honda e Concept video

These guys were lucky enough to see the all-new Honda E-Concept in person a few days ago.

This is a really interesting video where you really get to see the car inside and out.

It is also mentioned (many times) how close to a production car it looks and feels.



And you also get to meet the designers.



It does look much cuter and more charming than in the few official pictures I have posted earlier.

Still, the 125 miles range is really not great news...

As this really restricts its use as a pure city car.



Which is fine for some I guess....

Volvo Polestar 2

As predicted, the all-new Volvo Polestar 2 EV looks a lot like the 40.2 Concept from 2016.

So I would not call it an all-new design since we have seen it before.

But the concept looked really good, and I think the production version actually improves on it.

This is really the very first head-on competition to the Tesla Model 3.

The Polestar 2 has a 275 miles range from a 300kW (408HP) powertrain.

Production will start in China early next year. 

Apparently, for the first year, only an expensive Launch Version will be available.

For $63 000 in the US.

The base model should start at around $43 000.

(Which means other models than the Launch Edition are still 2 years away...)

It will be interesting to see what you get in the base model. And see the car in other colors, inside and out.

Honda E-Concept EV

This new E-Concept is said to be much closer to the production car we will see in just a few months.

While it is still "cute". It is now also quite "dorky".

Not at all as nice as the really great looking Urban EV Concept from last year.

Although I have to wonder how many screens are too much.

How many screens before the whole dashboard becomes so distracting it is impossible to actually drive???

The prototype has a range of only 125 miles. Which is really not good enough these days.

Especially for an all-new car.

It seems Honda is really having trouble with their EVs range. (The Clarity EV only gets 89 miles!)

While Hyundai and Kia are now up to well over 200 miles.

Here is the original Urban EV Concept.

It seems that almost all of its personality has been lost in the translation to the new E-Concept...

2020 Jaguar XE

 It is time for Jaguar to give the XE sedan a mid-cycle "facelift".

it is a pretty minute affair up front. Sure, the lights, grille and bumpers are actually different. But I doubt anyone will ever notice. Except for current owners.
(new one on top)

 In the back, the lights look a bit more like the ones on the i-Pace now.

Although not an all-new interior, the XE gets new a console, steering wheel, and door panels.
Which actually help a lot I think.
The rotary shifter is gone and the AC controls have their own screen. Just like recent range Rover models.

No more V6 or diesel. At least in the US.
We now only get 2 versions of the 2.0 Liter engine.
With 250HP or 300HP.
AWD is still an option.

And of course, there is a price bump for the new year. About $3000 over last year's model.


It seems that everybody was waiting for that "new small jag sedan" a few years ago.
Then it finally came out. Right on time for a shrinking sedan market.
jaguar sold only 4705 of them last year. (Best year was 2017 with 9278)
That is less than anything else in the segment ( I think...)

makes you wonder if it is even worth it for them to offer the car in the US.
And there is even more competition now. With a brand new BMW 3 series. And the all-new Genesis G70.

These few changes and the $3000 price bump don't seem like such a great idea...

2020 Hyundai Sonata

The all-new Sonata is about ready to come out. Since these pictures show zero camouflage on the car.

Many have noticed close similarities between the new Sonata tail lights and the ones on the current Honda Civic.

Which is true. We'll have to wait and see how it looks in real life.

Sometimes, similar design cues do look quite different on different cars.

Otherwise, this should actually look quite nice.

And somehow, I still have hopes that Hyundai went for a hatch design on this. Since it is still not obvious either way on these new pictures.

It would really make the new Sonata different than its competition.

2020 Buick Encore

A new Buick Encore has been "around the corner" for a while now.

So I guess it could actually come out any time. 

It is still under heavy camouflage on these pictures, and it is hard to tell much about the design. Except it generally seems to stay close to the current version.

The current generation is basically a Buick version of the Opel Mokka X. 

An all-new Mokka X is also due out soon in Europe.

But now, Opel isn't GM anymore. (Now Peugeot)

Buick might end up being in quite a tough spot soon. The Encore is a very popular model for them (Over 93 000 last year. More than ever before)

Now they might end up having to pay Peugeot for it?

Not sure how that works.

The Regal and Tour-X are also Opel cars now built by Peugeot in Germany. And the Envision is threatened with a 25%Tariff.

They discontinued the Lacrosse and Cascada. 

Which leaves them only with the Enclave as a "true Buick".

Everything else isn't really safe for the long term. Or is it?

Mitsubishi Engelberg Tourer Concept

That is quite a mouthful.

Let's hope this will see actual production as just "Outlander". 

Since the current generation Outlander is now about 6 years old. And aging pretty fast.

The concept will be a pure EV. But the production version might not be.

Which is unfortunate. With the help of partner Nissan, Mitsubishi should become an all Electric brand ASAP if they really want to stand out. Or simply survive.

It is quite amazing that Nissan has not really used the Leaf EV powertrain on other passenger cars. 

(There were talks about a small Infiniti EV sedan for a while. That went nowhere)

They need to turn Mitsubishi into something special. Quick.

I guess sporty electric SUVs could be one way.

(although that thing above doesn't look particularly sporty...)

Let's hope...

New Peugeot 208 EV (e208)

Peugeot will be offering an all electric version of the new 208 hatchback. The e208.

At the same time as the regular versions become available. No waiting.

The e208 produces the equivalent of 136HP and has a range of around 210 miles.

I guess this will go directly against the Renault Zoe in Europe.

This is really the start of a new era. Where EV versions of a car will be available at launch, just like another engine option.

Cruising Instagram

Here are just a few pictures from Instagram that I thought could be interesting. Or at least fun to share.

Some of these feeds are great. I follow most of them. 

I am also there as @vburlapp.

I think this one looks great.

It was a design study for the 1977 Chevrolet Impala coupe.

Which, as we know, never looked that good.

This would still look good today. 

This is a rotary Corvette concept. The XP-897GT from 1973.

This must be an almost final design for the 6th generation Cadillac Eldorado that came out in 1967.

It looks very, very close to the production car. (Except some vents and side markers)

This is a 1974 concept, 2 door wagon version of the Fiat 130 Coupe. 

A famous Bertone concept from 1969, the Autobinachi A112.

Which previewed the Fiat X1/9. 

This is one of the weirdest things I have ever seen. A 6 door limousine version of the good old Citroen 2CV.

Another weirdo that started out as a Citroen DS.

 And another Frankenstein car. Looking like a truck version of a Buick Regal.

Between weird and pathetic: the wannabe Bentley Bentayga that started life as a Toyota Venza. 

And another strange creature. A pickup version of the 80's Mercedes Coupe.
This US version got the ultimate American treatment.

New interior pictures of the Geely GE11 EV sedan

From the outside, the new GE11 EV looks like a modern but somewhat conservative sedan.

Not inside...

that interior is seriously modern. Especially considering this is a production car.

Geely claims this will be sold overseas. Although they have not mentioned Europe or the US.

But at least in China, this should be serious competition against the Tesla Model3.

I hope official specs are coming very soon. And more pix!

2020 Ford Escape and 2020 Lincoln Corsair interiors

Even though these two are closely related, it is quite amazing to see what Ford did to make sure the Lincoln version does not look at all like its Ford cousin.

Sure, currently the MKC also doesn't look like an Escape.

But they have very successfully made the new Corsair look like a smaller Aviator, inside and out.

I really liked the Aviator when I had a chance to sit in a few versions. But the interior is still ruined (at least for me) by the sea of super cheap looking plastic chrome everywhere.

A trend that started with the Continental a few years back.

These days, most manufacturers can come up with a chrome or satin trim that looks OK and even upscale.

Not Lincoln. Their trim looks like 1970's cheap stuff.

Which is really too bad. I know these are details, but the competition does get it right. Why not Lincoln??

Otherwise, I really think the new Corsair with its 2.3 Liter engine and 275HP will be more than ready to face any competition out there. 

Most people seem to really like the Aviator design. A similar look in a smaller package could be a real hit for Lincoln...

Already much better shots of the all new 2020 Hyundai Sonata

The top photo matches the one I posted HERE a while ago.

Showing one of the most distinctive rear lights design in a mid-sized sedan. It looks great so far.

It's harder to tell much from the front end picture. 

It looks like the big grille is still there. Looking a lot like any other current Hyundai model.

( I was hoping for something a bit simpler and different)

Inside, we see an electronic shifter. Although with a different pattern than what they have in the Kona EV.

This should end up looking really good.