Four-door saloon implements new progressive Volkswagen design language

• Four-door saloon implements new progressive Volkswagen design language
• Headlights and Volkswagen emblem merge into a wholly new interpretation of the front section

Three months ahead of its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show, Volkswagen is providing a first look at the fascinating contours of its new premium saloon, the Arteon. 

The totally new model sits above the Passat and emphasises emotion in the upper mid-class.

In addition to a new and emotive outline Volkswagen is also introducing with the Arteon a highly expressive, horizontally accentuated brand look. 

The bars of the radiator grille extend into the three-dimensional headlights, while LED lighting elements additionally emphasise the striking layout and demonstrate dominance.

The four-door saloon impresses both through revolutionary design and great practicality. While the doors' frameless windows reflect the typical stylistic elements of a grand tourer, the top-hinged and wide-opening tailgate provides optimum access to the huge boot. Tobias Sühlmann, Exterior Designer, explains: “At first sight, the Arteon arouses enthusiasm through its expressive design. It then surprises through its practical virtues. This combination is unique."

The name Arteon – with the emphasis put on the first syllable – is made up of two component parts: 'Art' describes the saloon's harmonious lines and emotionality. The ending 'eon' identifies it, in the same way as Volkswagen's top model for the Chinese market, the PHIDEON, as a premium model.

The new Arteon is being publicly unveiled for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show; its launch will then follow in summer 2017.

Porsche pushes out the boat with the World Premiere of the new Panamera Sports Saloon.

Porsche CEO Oliver Blume presents the latest generation in Berlin

On Tuesday, June 28th, Porsche celebrated the world premiere of the new 2017 Panamera in Berlin accompanied by a spectacular display of lights, music and choreography. Over 300 international media representatives – as well as guests from business, sports and the entertainment industry – were able to view the second generation of the sports sedan for the first time. 

The new 2017 Porsche Panamera, which has been redeveloped from the ground up, combines two contrasting characteristics better than ever before: it offers both the performance of a sports car and the comfort of a luxury sedan.

"We have tapped into the segment of luxury sport sedans with the Panamera. Since it launched in 2009, over 150,000 units of the Panamera have been sold. 

The new model represents a completely redeveloped automobile – with new engines, a new design and new technologies. Furthermore, we are now manufacturing the second generation of the vehicle entirely at our Leipzig production site. 

To this end, we have invested a sum of 500 million Euros – which includes a completely new body manufacturing facility," Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG, emphasized.

The design language of the new Panamera creates a link to the Porsche 911 through its even more dynamic flyline and by using specific design elements of the iconic sports car. 

"An observer will immediately recognize the coupé-like roof line, but it is much 'faster', even more dynamic and includes a new side window look that emphasizes the coupe-like side view even more," said Michael Mauer, Head of Style Porsche AG, who explained the design objectives that were set for the new model. 

"The new Panamera can be identified as a Panamera at first glance, but also as the new Panamera. 

Its strengths have been reinforced, its weaknesses have been eradicated and above all its distinctive character has been preserved."

The new twin-turbo engines of the Panamera are more powerful than before, and thanks to the new eight-speed dual-clutch transmission (PDK II) they are up to 16 percent more fuel-efficient according to the New European Driving Cycle. 

The Panamera will launch with two engines: the 550 hp Panamera Turbo and the 440 hp Panamera 4S. Both models will be equipped with all-wheel drive as standard.

To provide an even larger spread between supple ride comfort and agile handling, the Panamera now offers features such as the new three-chamber air suspension, rear axle steering and the new electronic 4D Chassis Control chassis management sys-tem. Many new assistance systems also enhance ride comfort as well as safety.

In the new Panamera, Porsche is also introducing a future-oriented display and control concept. The new Porsche Advanced Cockpit with its smartphone-like user interfaces and configurable LED screens impresses with its intuitive functionality. 

Furthermore, the new Porsche Communication Management (PCM 4.1) offers an entirely new range of connectivity by its intelligent digital functions and online services. 

In the new Panamera, Porsche Connect is being introduced in all models. It extends existing vehicle functions by adding digital services and apps such as those used to control certain vehicle functions remotely by smartphone – and others to make more efficient use of the driver's time on the go.

About Porsche Cars North America, Inc. | One Porsche Drive, Atlanta, GA 30354 USA

Established in 1984, Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA) is the exclusive U.S. importer of Porsche 911, Boxster, and Cayman sports cars, the Macan and Cayenne SUVs, and Panamera sports sedans. 

Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia since 1998, PCNA is also home to the first Porsche Experience Center in North America featuring a module-based 1.6 mile driver development track, business center, human performance center, and fine dining restaurant. PCNA employs approximately 300 people who provide parts, service, marketing, and training for 188 dealers. 

They, in turn, work to provide Porsche customers with a best-in-class experience that is in keeping with the brand's 65-plus year history and leadership in the advancement of vehicle performance, safety and efficiency. PCNA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Porsche AG, which is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany.

At the core of this success is Porsche's proud racing heritage that boasts some 30,000-plus motorsport wins to date.

The Lexus NX, tajking the SUV out of the design box.

• Ground-breaking design for the NX, Lexus’s first premium compact crossover
• Traditional SUV lines make way for sports-influenced styling, inside and out
• Great looks not at the cost of comfort or convenience, with generous cabin space and room for four golf bags in the boot
• New NX 300h available to order now, with customer deliveries from October

Lexus is reshaping SUV design with styling for its new NX that owes more to sportscars than slab-sided 4x4s. The model that marks the company’s entry into the mid-size luxury SUV market makes a big visual statement with muscular curves and agile angles, representing the latest development of Lexus’s L-finesse contemporary design language.

The high-impact exterior presents a low, sloping roofline, a cab-forward silhouette, powerfully flared wheel arches and defining bodywork lines that flow directly from the signature Lexus spindle grille.

Making a vehicle appear as though it’s forged from a single piece of metal is a familiar design concept, but Lexus took it to heart by actually pouring molten metal over the die used to make the grille and studying the natural shape the flow created. The result inspired the NX’s angular shape – a look that’s distinct from any other model in its class.

The NX has the most distinctive “face” in the current Lexus line-up, its prominent spindle grille flanked by new LED headlamps and daytime running lights.

It’s not a case of style over substance, though. For example the C-pillar has a wide angle to maximise internal storage width. The crouched look is linked to the NX’s good ramp-over angle performance, and the fact the high point of the roof is set rearward ensures good headroom for rear passengers.

The exterior also achieves an ideal balance between distinctive design and aerodynamic efficiency, a major challenge for the design team given the car’s overall compact dimensions. A rear spoiler was essential to create a smooth flow of air away from the back of the vehicle, and extensive wind tunnel testing revealed that the best results came from giving the leading edge of the fin an upturned lip – a detail that stands out as a design accent while also helping secure the NX a low (0.33) coefficient of drag.

Similarly, the door mirrors and handles have air-cheating design, the latter being particularly eye-catching thanks to a concealed key barrel and integrated single-LED illumination.

The detailed work continues out of sight, beneath the car, where undercovers and spats designed specifically for the NX, ensure a clean airflow.

Where the interior is concerned, chief designer Tetsuo Miki wanted to capture the kind of style impact associated with high-end urban sports gear with a combination of structural good looks and luxurious but functional materials and textures.

His mission has delivered a driver’s cockpit that reaps the full benefit of Lexus’s advances in HMI technology, combined with elements that reflect the NX’s SUV status, such as soft leather kneepads either side of the prominent centre console.

The cabin provides ample space for everyone on board, with best-in-segment space in critical areas. The front-to-rear couple distance is a class-leading 962mm and the high roof design provides exceptional head clearance. The rear knee room is even greater than in some larger SUV models.

Luggage space is generous and practical. Maximum loadspace width is 1,347mm, enough for four golf bags to be stowed sideways, rather than across the diagonal. More storage space is available under the luggage board, taking total luggage capacity to 555 litres in hybrid versions and 580 litres in the turbo petrol (with a tyre repair kit carried).

True to its status as a practical SUV, the NX comes with a wide variety of storage points around the cabin, including glove and console boxes, a console tray, utility box, sunglasses hold, cup holders and door pocket holders for half-litre bottles. Throughout there is a typically Lexus attention to detail, as in the high-friction material used to line the inside of the cup holder that lets the driver open a twist-cap bottle one-handed.

The new full hybrid NX 300h is available to order now with customer deliveries from October. Next year the range will grow to include the NX 200t, the first model to adopt Lexus’s new 2.0-litre petrol turbo engine. 

Toyota, revises Yaris in time for Summer.

Toyota is to deliver a significant programme of revisions for Yaris this summer, including refreshed styling, an improved interior, better vehicle dynamics that together will position the car as one of the strongest contenders in the supermini market.

Yaris follows the example of new Aygo, adopting dramatic looks that will make it stand out from the crowd. Developing themes from Toyota’s current design language, it integrates a distinctive cross shape, centred on the front emblem, which separates the new-look upper and lower grilles.

At the rear there are restyled light clusters fitted with LEDs. The car’s overall stance has been improved through detailed changes, including the integration of a diffuser in the rear bumper and a reshaped licence plate surround.

Toyota has invested a lot of work in enriching Yaris’s cabin, to increase its appeal in a fast-changing market. Customer feedback has inspired improvements in three principal areas: a greater feeling of roominess and dynamic appeal; higher levels of perceived quality; and more choice in terms of colours and equipment.

Under the skin, the suspension has been revised to improve both comfort and handling. Noise levels have also been reduced. The range of powertrains is unchanged, with 1.0 and 1.33-litre petrol and 1.4 D-4D diesel engines, and Yaris’s flagship full hybrid system.