Mazda unveiled its Hakaze Concept at last week’s Geneva Motor Show. The Hakaze (pronounced ‘hah-kah-zay’) is the brand’s third concept in its “Nagare” design study, which was inspired by flow and movement of nature’s elements. The Hakaze Concept is a compact crossover coupe sporting styling cues pulled from three different segments — roadsters, hatchbacks and SUVs.

The previous concepts in the “Nagare” design study were the original Nagare Concept that debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show and the Ryuga Concept, which was unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show.

Video of the concept’s unveiling after the jump.

## Source: Mazda ##

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Opel officially unveiled its Gran Turismo Coupe (GTC) Concept at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show. The sexy GTC previews the future design language of Opel, and, with the twining of Saturn, it also previews future styling of Saturn’s in the States.

“The GTC Concept importantly signals the next chapter in Opel’s design identity,” says Bryan Nesbitt, Executive Director, GM Europe Design. “Our team strategized to envision the new essence of Opel — more confident, relevant and distinctive — in a high-performance, yet versatile, four-seat coupe. This style is what to expect of future Opel products.

While the GTC Concept is not radical design, this is probably a good thing as it is increases the production possiblities. The four-seat GTC is powered by a turbocharged 300-hp 2.8L V6 engine mated to all-wheel drive. The GTC features an innovative “Flex4″ system with the backs of both rear seats can be folded separately by remote control, creating a spacious three or two-seater with flat load floor and plenty of cargo capacity.

More from Geneva during the day. Full press release and high resolution gallery after the jump.

## Source: Opel ##

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Thanks to the eventual leaks, we now know more about the Opel concept that will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show. We first reported on the concept last month, but knew almost nothing about it.

The car is called Opel Gran Turismo Coupe concept. The all-wheel drive GTC concept is said to be powered by a longitudinally mounted 300-hp V6, which would make for a great rear-wheel drive production car.

The Opel Gran Turismo Coupe concept was penned by Bryan Nesbitt, GM Executive Director of Design, who designed the Chrysler PT Cruiser back when he worked for that company. Nesbitt’s coupe likely previews Opel’s (and by proxy Saturn) new design direction, and is equally likely to preview a new model in Opel’s line up.

Now, we hope this follows the other Opels into Saturn’s U.S. showrooms.

More images after the jump, and more details after its official unveiling tomorrow.

## Source: km77.com ##

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Mazda has released more images of the Hakaze Concept that it will unveil at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show next week. Hakaze (pronounced hah-kah-zay), from the Japanese words “ha” for “leaf” and “kaze” meaning “wind,” is the brand’s third concept in its “Nagare” design language. The Hakaze Concept is a compact crossover coupe sporting cues pulled from — roadsters, hatchbacks and SUVs.

At the Los Angeles Auto Show, Mazda said the Hakaze concept would “embody design ideas we expect to implement in the very near future.” While the Hakaze is more production ready than the previous concept, that isn’t saying much, since the Nagare and Ryuga concepts were little more than studies in surface language.

Unfortunately, the Hakaze is the least appealing of the “Nagare” design language concepts. While the flow lines along the sides of the Nagare and Ryuga concepts added motion to the previous concepts, the flow lines on the sides of the Hakaze look like the ribs of a starving animal.

The Nagare design language has a lot of promise, and we would like to see a production version of the Ryuga Concept as the next-generation RX-8.

High resolution gallery after the jump.

## Source: Mazda ##

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Dodge has added another clip to its collection of promotional videos (and here) for its Dodge Demon Concept that the automaker will debut at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show.

This video focuses on the car’s design and offers insight into the interior and exterior designers thoughts during the design process.

Video after the jump.

## Source: Chrysler ##

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Following up on its first video, Dodge has posted another preview video of its Demon Concept on YouTube ahead of its unveiling next week at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show. The Demon Concept is Dodge’s take on a challenger to the Mazda MX-5 Miata, Saturn Sky, and Pontiac Solstice.

GM’s business case for its Kappa roadsters seems to be working. Now the question is: Can Dodge make a business case for the Demon? And if so, will it see the production floor?

Video after the jump.

## Source: Chrysler ##

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The all-new Mercedes-Benz C-Class will feature more aggressive styling than the European version when it arrives in the States this September, said Ernst Lieb, Mercedes-Benz USA president and CEO, in an interview with Automotive News.

Lieb didn’t provide any details about what “more aggressive” means, so we can only speculate, and speculate we will. The European C-Class will be available in Sport (shown) and Luxury models, and we expect that the U.S. will either get the Sport model only or get the Sport as its base model, with an even more aggressively styled car available on top of the Sport.

## Source: Automotive News ##

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“There’s never been anything like it.” That was how the editor of an acclaimed international news magazine describe the first sketches of the new Rinspeed “eXasis”. Add “it looks like no other vehicle before it” and you have a good idea of how the eXasis looks.

But illustrations could only hint at what Swiss automotive visionary Frank M. Rinderknecht had thought up in collaboration with the experts from Bayer MaterialScience AG – one of the largest plastics producers in the world – ­to mark his company’s 30th anniversary: a drivable “glass” car with a completely transparent body and floor made of Makrolon. Once again, this Rinspeed creation has been built by the Swiss engineering specialists Esoro, and will be shown to the public for the first time at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show, 40 years after Bayer presented the first “all-plastic car” at the K67 Plastics Fair in Germany in 1967.

Full press release after the jump.

## Source: Rinspeed ##

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When Honda unveiled the Acura Advanced Sports Car Concept at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year, the concept was said to preview the replacement for the Acura NSX. But the Advanced Sports Car Concept was just a preview. Acura would unveil an updated version later this year at the Tokyo More Show, which would be a closer representation of Acura’s v10 supercar that would appear in showrooms in 2009.

Now it looks like the next concept is heading back to the drawing board. Honda’s top executives weren’t pleased with the car and have sent it back to the drawing board. Apparently, while the reviews weren’t negative, the concept didn’t get the thunderous response that Honda was looking for.

The basic proportions, V10 engine, and all-wheel-drive will remain, but the rest of the car — at least the appearance — will likely change before production.

As of right now, were not sure what — if anything — is going to appear at the Tokyo Motor Show this fall.

## Source: Winding Road ##

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Jaguar is hard at work developing what could be an even more radical car than the forthcoming XF, which replaces the S-Type later this year. This new Jaguar is the next-generation XJ. According to U.K. magazine Autocar, the next-generation XJ is going to “rock the luxury market” when it launches in late 2009.

The magazine’s rendering of the car shows a new look inspired by the design language of the C-XF Concept, but takes it to a whole new level. Jaguar reportedly has already shown a full-size mockup of the car — accurate inside and out — to potential customers, with one source who has seen the new XJ describing it as “looking like the C-XF’s features had been draped over an Aston Martin Rapide”.

The next-generation XJ will be based on the same lightweight aluminium chassis of the current XJ, which is a good thing, but will have a new upper structure that allows for a coupe-like roofline. With narrower headlights than the C-XF, and a high tail, the XJ will once-and-for-all throw away the retro styling of the current model.

The new XJ is expected to be powered by a new light-pressure turbo inline six developing around 300-hp and the brand’s new 5.0L V8 in normally aspirated and supercharged versions. Jaguar thinks the new XJ could be marketed against a wide range of rivals, including Mercedes CLS, Maserati Quattroporte and even the Bentley Flying Spur, with a top-end model priced as high as £85k.

If the XF and XJ are not the successes that are expected of them, they could be the last of Jaguar’s nine lives.

## Source: Autocar ##

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Volkswagen may drop much of the New Beetle’s retro styling when the next-generation model debuts, if these sketches from Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport are any hint. When Volkswagen unveiled the New Beetle in 1998, its look was derived directly from the original Beetle. If the new illustrations are accurate, the 2010 model will have a completely different interpretation of classic Beetle cues.

The next-generation New Beetle is expected to become sportier to compete with BMW’s MINI, and will be more practical, with more interior space and more space behind the front seats.

We aren’t too sure about the profiel view of the hardtop, but we like the rear three-quarter shot of the convertible. While we doubt that this is very close to how the next-generation New Beetle will look, it’s going to be very interesting to see what Volkswagen does with the retro-look of today’s New Beetle.

## Source: Auto Motor und Sport ##

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Hyundai has released a single teaser sketch of the crossover concept that it will unveil at next month’s Geneva Motor Show next month. The new crossover concept uses “advanced materials” from its partner GE Plastics.

Designed in Europe, the concept is environmentally friendly and offers excellent results in computer pedestrian safety tests.

Full press release and larger image after the jump.

## Source: Hyundai ##

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General Motors is taking its lineup of new interior components on the road in a series of design salons put its designers — and their work — front and center. The design salon and these images highlight GM’s interior design improvements and experimental technologies planned for future vehicles.

The automaker is trying to show that it knows how to innovate, and that the first products in its long-term, design-driven revitalization are at last ready for prime time. These new products are the result of a corporate edict issued by Bob Lutz, the company’s vice-chairman for global product development. Lutz made design a primary importance, and increased its budget. Additionally, Lutz made interior and exterior design equally important, a first for the company, since interiors had been subordinate to body design.

Dave Rand, GM’s executive director of interior design, says, “We don’t have to keep making promises, we feel we have something we can show.”

General Motors showed the interior of the revamped 2008 Cadillac STS, which is the nearly identical to the one seen on the Chinese-market Cadillac SLS. The image clearly shows GM’s emphasis on interior quality. GM isn’t just focusing on vehicle interiors, with its designers working on future key fobs. The key fob is the “only component that walks away from the car” and it is a great branding opportunity. Future GM key fobs will take a page from jewelry and high-end watches that are meticulously weighted to feel luxurious and substantial in hand.

Gallery of GM’s other interior components after the jump.

## Source: BusinessWeek ##

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Volkswagen is sending several of its future products back to the drawing board. According to reports, new VW CEO Martin Winterkorn isn’t happy with design of the automaker’s Tiguan, Passat Coupe, Scirocco, and next-generation Golf/Rabbit. Earlier this month, we reported that the four-door Passat Coupe, which was scheduled to be unveiled at next month’s Geneva Motor Show, will not debut at the show because Winterkorn sent it back for a resdesign. There is some question about whether the Passat Coupe will see production at all.

Now comes the news that the Tiguan and Scirocco are going to be sent back to the drawing boards. Both vehicles were scheduled to be launched within the next 12 months, and a redesign would push both vehicles back. While we aren’t surprised by a desire to redesign the Scirocco, the Tiguan Concept that was unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show was well received. According to Autocar, the production version loses much of the concept’s boldness, and is too conservative.

Volkswagen is also said to be taking another look at the Golf/Rabbit, which was being readied for a 2009 launch.

## Source: Autocar ##

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Toyota will unveil its Hybrid X Concept at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show in March. The Hybrid X “proposes a new design language for hybrid models while also acting as a technology showcase for future hybrid cars.” This teaser image of the previews a vehicle that is inspired by the Prius.

Toyota will also stage the European debut of its FT-HS Concept that premiered at the Detroit Auto Show last month. The FT-HS is a front-engine, rear-drive sports car with a projected 0-100 km/h acceleration in the four-second range.

Larger image after the jump.

## Source: Toyota ##

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