Nissan has released information about its new Pathfinder Concept today, as well as the new technology thats going to help make it a more comfortable SUV for the whole family.

While the Pathfinder also features a new exterior, which works with a new CVT to provide better fuel economy, Nissan also shows us a few new features designed to upgrade the cars comfort. Drivers will certainly enjoy the heated and cooled front seats, as well as the heated steering wheel. Passengers should appreciate features like the heated second row seating, and the tri-zone climate control. Its also worth mentioning the advanced Bose speaker system that has 13 speakers.

The Pathfinder concept features a large multifunction display which provides the driver with real-time traffic and weather information. Also making an appearance is Nissan’s Around View Monitor, which gives the driver a full 360-degree image of the area around the car.

One last innovative feature is the second row’s “child-seat mode” which allows the row to move forward while a child seat stays in place, so a passenger can get into the third row.

GALLERY: Nissan Pathfinder Concept

Unveiled at the 2009 Detroit Motor Show, the Kia Soul’ster concept dared to prove basic transportation could also be stylish and interesting.

Three years have come and gone but new information has finally surfaced about the Kia, buried in a press release about the Track’ster concept – set to be unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show next week. Despite previous reports that the Soul’ster convertible has been axed, the Kia release says the convertible crossover is “currently under final assessment for production.”

The original Soulster concept looked like a modern Suzuki Sidekick with a chopped windscreen and an innovative two-piece top that allows passengers to open up the front and rear roof independently. The design also features attractive material finishes such as the anodized metal thick roll-bar, fender vents and skid-pad inserts.

If approved, the Soul’ster should be available with a 1.6L 4-cylinder that delivers 138-hp and a more powerful 2.0L that makes 164-hp.

GALLERY: Kia Soul’ster

Click here to read AutoGuide’s 2012 Kia Soul Review

The Lincoln MKZ concept that debuted in Detroit earlier this month gave us an olfactory tingle in more than one place after the display started inexplicably smoking in front of us much to its presenter’s chagrin. Despite all that, the MKZ wasn’t the hottest Lincoln design to make the scene.

Instead, the car that’s still capturing imaginations is the 2025 Lincoln Continental EV concept, pictured above. It’s the brainchild of two undergraduate students from Lawrence Technological University in Michigan.  Colin Bonathan and Jeeho Cha are a part of the transportation design program at Lawrence Tech and started on the project last summer. According to the school, Ford liked the concept so much that they decided to get behind it.

Beyond the fact that the student’s concept got exposure at the NAIAS, there isn’t any word on the likelihood of it passing the imaginary phase, though Bonathan did base the exterior on concrete figures like a desired wheelbase length and other components.

GALLERY: 2025 Lincoln Continental Concept

[Source: Lawrence Tech]

Hollywood comedian John Lovitz was on hand in Detroit to help launch the Smart For-Us pick-up concept at the 2012 North American International Auto Show today.

Smart might have struggled with sales here in the USA with their fortwo model, but globally this eco-minded brand sold over 100,000 units in 2011.

To capture the American market, Smart is hoping that their new For-Us concept, which is billed as an urban-truck will resonate better in our market. This pick-up however is not designed to carry construction workers and their gear to work. No, the For-Us is aimed towards young couples with an active life-style. So if you are looking for a vehicle to carry your mountain-bikes up to your favorite trail, this would do, just as long as that trail is not too far away.

The For-Us is an electric vehicle and uses the same 55kW motor and 17.6kWh lithium-ion battery pack first seen on the all-electric Smart fortwo. Range is thus pegged at 86-miles on a full-charge. Performance numbers are a similar story, its brisk, but not fast. acceleration from 0-37 mph takes about 5-seconds.

Will this vehicle just be a concept? Very likely, but it shows that Smart is trying to expand its customer base and market share.

GALLERY: Smart forus Concept

As we get closer and closer to the start date for the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, MI., more and more rumors are circulating the web as to what will be unveiled at this years show.

One such rumor is in regards to a mystery GM concept. Sources suggest it will be a Chevrolet product, and the name that has been kicking around the most is the Chevelle.

Rumors regarding a return of the Chevelle has been around for two years now and was initially expected to bow at the L.A. Auto Show two years ago, but all we got was a scale model. Many expected that the concept would have been unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show, but that never happened either.

So could Detroit play host to this much anticipated concept? Will the new Chevelle be as cool as the 1970 model (pictured)? And will it be called the Chevelle or something else, as GM has the name “Chicane” also trademarked.

With the first press day only a few days away, you won’t have to wait too long to find out the answer.

[Source: Jalopnik]

While the city of Detroit is preparing itself to host the next major auto show on the global calender in January, Hyundai is looking to the future and preparing a concept for the Geneva Motor Show in March.

Their latest concept is called i-oniq and it is the work of Hyundai’s European research and development center in Russelsheim, Germany.

This latest concept is described by its chief designer Thomas Burkle as a “fluidic sculpture.” Burkle said, “two strong arched curves define the silhouette of i-oniq, creating a playful contrast between the sharp character lines and soft but muscular features.”

More information on this concept will be revealed at the Geneva Motor Show.

Volvo chief designer Christopher Benjamin took took his artistry to the social media masses in a tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Volvo P1800.

In case you don’t know, the P1800 was Volvo’s take on a sports car in the early ’60s and were produced for about a decade, as a rival for the Jaguar E-Type.

Despite having long been been discontinued, Volvo fans have an appreciation for these cars and were predictably intrigued by Benjamin releasing the pictures. However, the company quickly quelled speculation that a production model might be in the works.

If you want to see the Facebook posts, click here.

[Source: Autoblog]

The electric mobility pod from Chevrolet called EN-V will be shown in its latest form at the Tokyo Motor Show from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11.

The EN-V, which stands for Electric Networked – Vehicle, made its world debut in 2010 at the World Expo Shanghai, and is designed to solve congestion in heavily populated city centers. The idea is that a small personal vehicle will take up less space on the road, will be easy to park and won’t pollute the environment either.

The EN-V will be part of the “Smart Mobility City 2011″ display, which will highlight other mobility solution vehicles from around the world.

So far, there are no plans on putting the EN-V into production.

Over the past 60-years, Volkswagen has produced delivery vehicles, which have been used around the world for various purposes, from delivering mail to emergency services.

Gathering all the knowledge they have learned in this field, Volkswagen has now come up with a new concept van which they think will be the future of delivery mobility.

It’s called eT! and it’s a fully electric van, which uses electric wheel hub motors to power it along. A zero-emissions delivery vehicle will certainly go a long way in cutting down on pollution in city centers.

The eT! can be operated semi-autonomously in certain situations also. With their “Follow Me” feature, the van can follow the delivery person as they go door to door. It even has a “Come To Me” command feature which will have the car come to its driver.

The eT! can even be driven via using a joystick controller on the passenger side of the vehicle. This way, the delivery driver can drive the vehicle without having to walk around every time to get to the driver’s seat.

While currently operating brands Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac, and Wuling in China, the very first China division GM crossover, the Buick Envision, will come to market next year, according to a report from the Beijing Times Newspaper.

Shanghai GM first introduced the Envision concept at the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show and presented a very progressive shape, further evolving Buick’s design philosophy. A GM representative said, “Envision merges Buick’s global design language with Chinese aesthetics and was designed specifically for the China market.”

The Buick Envision will receive a plug-in hybrid powerplant. To highlight the technology fitted to the vehicle, the Envision’s technology driven interior will feature a futuristic dashboard, flat bottomed steering wheel, an oversized central instrument tunnel and a flat floor to optimize passenger cabin comfort.

Some initial reports indicate the Envision may be built in China and for the Chinese market, but production and sales of the hybrid crossover are expected for other markets as well.

GALLERY: Buick Envision Concept

[Source: InAutoNews]