With the Cadillac CTS having grown in size considerably since its inception, a true entry-level rear drive luxury sports sedan has been an on-again/off-again project for General Motors. Since emerging from bankruptcy, GM reconfirmed its commitment to the vehicle, likely to be called the ATS.

Now a recent report suggests an ATS concept will debut some time this year, with a possible launch at the Paris Auto Show in the Fall. A more likely debut, however, will be at the LA Auto Show in December, where a new Cadillac model will get the most media coverage.

According to Inside Line, Cadillac will not only introduce a sedan, but also a coupe, convertible and wagon model. The luxury division is currently undecided on if a retractable hard-top will be used or a weight-saving soft top.

The ATS will arrive, in concept form, before the year is out, with a production model to debut in 2011 and sales to follow shortly thereafter as a 2012 model.

[Source: InsideLine]

Cadillac has decided to cut the price of the CTS SportWagon as it currently sits too close to the brand’s new SRX crossover. Cadillac didn’t see the two as competitors (how could they not?) but apparently consumers did. And with the SRX already a more “normal” platform in the market, selling a much pricier wagon made an already difficult task for dealerships next to impossible.

With the SRX priced from $34,155 and a loaded AWD model close to the $50,000 mark, the SportWagon was situated at $40,485 to start. Caddy now lists an entry-level 3.0-liter V6 rear-wheel drive SportWagon at $39,150, down from $40,485. A larger difference can be seen at the top where a 3.6-liter V6 AWD model with all the goodies now retails for $51,390, down $3,055 from $54,445.

The difference between the two models, considering the shared engines and focus on cargo capacity is certainly confusion consumers, however, closer inspection will show a noticably higher level of trim in the CTS wagon.

[Source: USAToday]

In a bid to offer competitive products with the likes of BMW and Audi, Mercedes-Benz will offer a wagon version of the upcoming second-generation CLS. The car will compete directly with vehicles like the new BMW 5 Series GT and Audi A7 Sportback.

Based on the same architecture as the CLS sedan and, therefore, the E-Class, the CLS Wagon (or Estate) is expected to arrive late in 2011 as a 2012 model. The CLS sedan is due out later this year. According to a report in the U.K.’s AutoCar, this new model is part of a larger plan by Mercedes to use existing platforms for more models in an effort to reduce costs.

The CLS Wagon will take its design inspiration from the Concept Fascination, pictured above. A new concept car, set to be unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show in a weeks time, should also give some clues to the future of Mercedes design.

AutoCar also reports that a new lineup of turbocharged and direct-injection V6 ad V8 engines will be used in the new CLS and CLS Wagon, which should help improve fuel consumption by as much as 25 percent over the current powerplants. Those engines will arrive in a facelifted CL model due out later this year.

GALLERY: Mercedes Concept Fascination

[Source: AutoCar]

Audi of America’s top man, Johan de Nysschen has confirmed that the upcoming Audi A7 will go on sale in North America. Many had already assumed as much, but until now Audi hadn’t even officially stated that the car existed. And with the A5 Sportback not destined for U.S. shores, the future of the A7 for North America was less than certain.

In an interview with de Nysschen, the folks at Autoblog have ascertained Audi’s plan for the car, which was first shown in concept form (as the Sportback Concept, shown above) at the Detroit Auto Show in 2009. The A7 will be a top-tier premium vehicle from Audi, priced just below the A8 but competing very much in the same space. The idea here is that Audi will now have the A8 for the more traditional buyers in the segment, which it believes will account for roughly 5,000 units sold each year, while the A7 will cater to younger buyers that might not have purchased  a top-dollar Audi in the past. Sales of the A7 are expected to be around 7,000 to 8,00 units, says de Nysschen. In terms of pricing, the A8 is expected to retail for a higher dollar amount in 2011, meaning a middle-of-the-road A7 should cost roughly $82,000.

Audi’s plan with the two cars is to more than double the brand’s presence in the top level of the market by doubling the number of vehicles available to consumers.

The Audi boss also said that the Sportback concept will serve as a, “very reliable indicator” of what the A7 will look like.

As for an S8 model, de Nysschen said that while nothing has been confirmed it’s “safe to assume, ” considering Audi always does a high performance version of its cars.

[Source: Autoblog]

Say you’re shopping for a new car but you have to pretty strict requirements: you need plenty of cargo room, and the ability to hit 60 mph in about 4 seconds. Cadillac has just the car for you! According to a recent report in Car& Driver, GM product boss Bob Lutz has confirmed that the 556-hp CTS-V will be available as wagon.

“You’ll be able to get the CTS-V any way you want,” he said in a recent interview, alluding to the fact that the V will also be offered in the current sedan form, as well as in the upcoming coupe.

Sales aren’t likely to be very high in North America, but the CTS-V Sport Wagon should help the Cadillac brand expand in Europe, where there has long been a contest between the German automakers to build ridiculously powerful wagons like the 580-hp RS6 Avant and the 518-hp Mercedes E63 AMG wagon.

No timeline for the production version has been given, but with the CTS-V Coupe expected to debut at the LA Auto Show in a few weeks time, the CTS-V Sport Wagon is likely to arrive roughly a year later. It would also make sense for the debut to take place in Europe.

[Source: Car&Driver]

Toyota is preparing to launch a variant of the Prius and while the new hybrid would be a larger model, the exact type of vehicle is not known. According to a report in Japan’s Yomiuri newspaper, the new Prius variant would either be a crossover or a wagon.

Back in 2007, Toyota did display a wagonized hybrid at the Geneva Auto Show, called the Hybrid X (pictured above). Not long after the concept car’s debut it was reported that once the 2010 Prius launched, a wagon would arrive roughly a year after. That would mean the new Prius model should debut in the near future.

There are also rumors that the new Prius model would use a lithium-ion battery, which is both more powerful and more compact than the ones currently used in the Prius. Both of those factors would make sense for a vehicle that would be larger and heavier, with a focus on cargo room and functionality.

Toyota has not commented on the matter, which is no surrise as the automaker is one of the best at keeping new models secret.

[Source: Yomiuri via GreenCarAdvisor]

Along with a more traditional modified STI and a wild Legacy show car, Subaru is set to debut a stunning Legacy wagon at the 2009 SEMA Show. Called the Legacy GTk, this wagon is designed to be an autocross champ and can also carry your family and an autocross secret weapon. Subaru designed the car so that it would fit a racing go kart in the back and that’s where you’ll find a Coyote Motorsports XP kart.

As for the Suby, it was built by Specialized Vehicles, Inc. (SVI), with several parts like the rear spoiler and HID headlights donated from the Japanese domestic market (JDM) Legacy. SVI then built its own custom parts like a new front bumper, quad-tipped exhaust system and a new vented hood.

Under that hood you’ll find the Legacy GT’s turbo 2.5-liter boxer engine that has been modified with a new exhaust system and a reprogrammed ECU to make 300-hp and 350 ft-lbs of torque – up from 265-hp and 258 ft-lbs. There’s also a six-speed manual transmission – yummy!

Subaru Performance Tuning (SPT) and STI parts were also tossed on, including an STI shift knob and SPT short shifter.

To make it a real autocross champ, the Legacy gets an SPT strut brace, Bilstein shocks, STI “pink” springs, 6-piston Brembo brakes up front and a 4-piston setup in the rear, along with a set of 19-inch HRE Comp wheels and 245/50/19 BF Goodrich Force-KDW 2 tires.

It might just be a SEMA Show car, or could Subaru be using this vehicle to see how interested the U.S. public is in a wagon version of the Legacy? Subaru already offers the Outback, but the Legacy wagon is on sale in Japan and Europe and perhaps there is space in the North American marketplace for Subaru to bring back a sporty Legacy Wagon. Please do!

See AutoGuide’s live SEMA Coverage here!

Official release after the jump:

Continue Reading…

Acura has confirmed that it will offer the TSX as a wagon starting in 2010 as a 2011 model. Called the TSX Sport Wagon, this people hauler version of the TSX will be based on the Accord Touring model (shown above) sold in Europe. This only makes sense as the TSX was originally brought over from Europe where it is sold as the Euro Accord.

We’re glad to see the addition of this new model as the luxury wagon seems to be making a comeback. The TSX Sport Wagon will be aimed squarely at vehicles like the Audi A4 Avant, while somewhat targeting folks who might look at a Cadillac CTS wagon – although the TSX will be much smaller.

Acura is keeping quiet on any additional info, including drivetrains, but we expect to see the 201-hp 2.4-liter 4-cylinder, as well as the 280-hp 3.5-liter V6. We can’t wait!

As unlikely as it seems, Cadillac may be preparing to launch a high-performance V version of the CTS SportWagon.

The rumors of a 556hp CTS wagon re-emerged when an Autoblog reader reportedly had an email exchange with GM’s product boss Bob Lutz where he asked Lutz if a manual transmission version of a CTS-V wagon were to be built, then he would buy one. Lutz is reported to have responded saying, “Since we do market the V with a 6-speed manual, and since the V-wagon is in the plan, we’ll be selling you a car in one year!”

When asked about this conversation, Cadillac spokesperson David Caldwell responded that, “There’s not been an ‘official’ or announced change in the status of this car. It’s certainly a car we’re thinking of, and one we know how to do. I can’t really speak to what’s inside your reader’s email account. I don’t doubt him… not would I doubt Bob Lutz.”

We still have our doubts about the V-Wagon, and after Lutz’s comments about the Pontiac G8 living on turned out to be false, we’ll take his comments with a grain of salt.

There is still hope, however, as the arguments for why most European automakers don’t bring over their high-powered wagons doesn’t hold up with GM. BMW has never offered its M5 wagon here and neither has Audi offered its RS6 Avant. The issue with those cars, however, is their price. Already extremely expensive overseas, cars like the RS6 are prohibitively priced for the U.S. market, with the twin-turbo V10 wagon commanding 110,000 Euros, or $160,000. With the CTS-V and CTS SportWagon already both existing, and priced significantly less than European competitors, the price issue wouldn’t be nearly as big a factor. Demand for the car still remains a big question mark.

[Source: Autoblog]

Mercedes-Benz is expanding its E-Class family of vehicles with a new wagon. Called the Estate in European markets, the wagon will be available with ten different engine options.

The new wagon will launch in November with two gas options and three diesel options:

Gas

• E 350 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY: V6, 3498 cm³, 215 kW/292 hp, 8.6–8.9 l/100 km, 200–208 g/km, 7-speed automatic transmission
• E 500: V8, 5461 cm³, 285 kW/388 hp, 11.1–11.2 l/100 km, 258–260 g/km, 7-speed automatic transmission

Diesel

• E 220 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY: 4-cylinder in-line, 2143 cm³, 125 kW/170 hp,5.8 l/100 km, 150 g/km, 6-speed manual transmission
• E 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY: 4-cylinder in-line, 2143 cm³, 150 kW/204 hp, 5.8 l/100 km, 150 g/km, 6-speed manual transmission
• E 350 CDI Blue-EFFICIENCY: V6, 2987 cm³, 170 kW/231 hp, 7.0–7.3 l/100 km, 185–192 g/km, 7-speed automatic transmission

An additional three gas options and two diesels will be introduced in early 2010:

Gas

• E 200 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY: 4-cylinder in-line, 1796 cc, 135 kW/183 hp,7.7-n/a l/100 km, CO2 179-n/a g/km, 6-speed manual transmission,
• E 250 CGI BlueEFFICIENCY: 4-cylinder in-line, 1796 cc, 150 kW/204 hp,8.0-8.2 l/100 km, CO2 185-191 g/km, 5-speed automatic transmission
• E 350 4MATIC: V6, 3498 cc, 200 kW/272 hp, 10.2-10.3 l/100 km,CO2 238-241 g/km, 7-speed automatic transmission

Diesel

• E 200 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY: 4-cylinder in-line, 2143 cm³, 100 kW/136 hp,5.7–n/a l/100 km, 150-n/a g CO2/km, 6-speed manual transmission
• E 350 CDI 4MATIC BlueEFFICIENCY: V6, 2987 cc, 170 kW/231 hp, 7.6–7.7 l/100 km, CO2 200-203 g/km, 7-speed automatic transmission

The new wagon will have air suspension with rear self-leveling. The E-Class wagon has a load capacity to 68.8 cubic feet.

In addition to the standard models, AMG will, as expected, offer its own version of the E-Class Wagon: the E63 AMG Estate. With a 6.2-liter V8 making 518hp and 465 ft-lbs of torque, the E63 Wagon will get you (and all of your stuff) where you have to go… fast. In fact, the E63 Estate takes just 4.6 seconds to hit 60 mph! And because if you bought a wagon you might actually care somewhat about practicality, Mercedes is pleased to announce that the new 2010 model is now 12 percent more fuel-efficient.

GALLERY: Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate

More on the E63 AMG Estate after the jump:

Continue Reading…

Thanks to the folks at WorldCarFans, we have these photos of the upcoming 2010 Mercedes E63 Estate/Wagon. Spotted hanging out at the Nürburgring, this family hauler might be more at home out on the track than in the paddock.

With the E63 sedan already out, we have a good idea of what the wagon model will bring. Included will be the 6.2-liter V8 engine with 518hp and 465 ft-lbs of torque, hitting the ground through the rear wheels via a 7-speed Speedshift MCT transmission.

Expect a long list of safety features as well as what will most likely be some serious weight savings over the previous model.

The 2010 E63 AMG Estate will debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show in a few weeks time.

GALLERY: 2010 Mercedes E63 Estate/Wagon

[Source: WorldCarFans]

It’s official, Honda will debut the 2010 Accord Crosstour on September 1st and it will have… wheels and… tires. OK, so Honda’s teaser image isn’t much to go on, but knowing these sorts of manufacturer images, it was either this or some abstract of a headlight or door crease.

Besides, spy photos of the upcoming crossover have already given us a good idea of what it will look like.

While Honda has yet to confirm any details, it is expected that the Crosstour will be offered exclusively with the Accord’s 3.5-liter V6 engine and a choice of either front-wheel or all-wheel drive. Pricing is expected to be slightly more than the Accord sedan, starting at around the $30,000 mark ($35,000 CDN).

The only details that have leaked out about the crossover so far are that it is reportedly 2.5-inches taller than the Accord Sedan, while measuring 7-inches longer than its main rival, the Toyota Venza.

As the name suggests, it will be part crossover and part “tourer,” which, in Europe, means wagon. That being said, it will also be an ideal competitor to vehicles like the Subaru Outback.

GALLERY: Honda Accord Crosstour Spy Photos

Acura is considering introducing a wagon version of its TSX luxury sedan in North America. John Watts, product planning boss at Acura told Car & Driver that they are “closely, closely looking at it.”

Watts believes that younger buyers, Generation Y in particular, are interested in wagons and don’t regard them with the same sort of disdain that older generations do.

The market certainly seems open to wagons and Cadillac is just about to launch its CTS Sport Wagon and Mercedes just confirmed the E-Class wagon will make its way to North America. Audi has also offered a wagon (Avant) version of the A4 for years and while BMW hasn’t had much success with the 3 Series wagon, it is poised to launch a car with a similar concept, the 3 Series GranTurismo.

Making the possibility of a TSX wagon even more likely is the fact that the car already exits… in Europe. The current TSX is actually just a rebadged (and leather-coated) Euro-spec Honda Accord. Honda sells an Accord Touring in Europe and all Acura would have to do would be rebadge it and get government approval to sell it in North America.

[Source: Car & Driver]

A full gallery of photos of the 2010 E-Class Wagon (known as the Estate in Europe) have emerged online a month ahead of the car’s official launch at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September.

Details on the car are still scarce but we expect Mercedes to bring the 3.5-liter V6 powered E350 Estate over in 4MATIC trim, with a high-performance 6.2-liter V8-powered AMG model to follow a year afterward. The new model is expected to be longer and wider, offering improved passenger space. And we can also be sure it will include Mercedes’ long list of E-Class safety features including Attention Assist, Adaptive Main Beam Assist, Blind Spot Assist, Lane Keeping Assist and Brake Assist Plus.

Sales are expected to begin in Europe in November and the rest of the world in early 2010.

GALLERY: 2010 Mercedes E-Class Estate

[Source: Carscoop]

Despite rumors of its delay, Mercedes has confirmed that the E-Class station wagon (or Estate as they call it in Europe) will debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show this September.

Sales of the new E-Class are already off to a strong start says Mercedes with 40,000 units already delivered and U.S. and Chinese deliveries still yet to happen.

“The fact that the E-Class sedan already became the global market leader in May demonstrates how well it is being received by our customers,” said Dr. Klaus Maier, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing at Mercedes-Benz. “The new coupe is also extremely popular, thanks to its dynamic design and the new generation of efficient engines. We are very delighted with this positive response because the E-Class has always been of great importance for Mercedes-Benz. It’s an exemplary embodiment of the brand’s basic attributes of safety, comfort, and quality. The new E-Class also sets the standards when it comes to economy in the upper-range segment.”

The E-Class wagon will debut as a 2010 model and like past versions we expect the North American market to receive the E350 4MATIC and 6.2-liter V8-powered E63 AMG model.

Official release after the jump:

Continue Reading…

BMW’s introduction of the 5 Series Gran Turismo may just spell the end for the company’s Sport Wagon – at least in North America. In a recent report on Autoblog, Martin Berkmann, the man responsible for product planning at BMW North America, said that the GT model could wipe out whatever small demand there is for the wagon in North America.

While a staple of the company’s product lineup overseas, luxury wagons have never been popular in North America. In fact, the 5 Series Sport Wagon is such a small part of the BMW lineup that it only offers one take-it-or-leave-it trim, the spacious, sporty and capable 535 xDrive.

[Source: Autoblog]

Those patiently waiting for a new E-Class Convertible or Wagon will have to wait a little longer. According to a report in Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport both versions of the E-Class have been put on hold as Mercedes-Benz searches for ways to balance its books.

In order to limit expenditures (in both development costs and marketing) the company is delaying both versions of the E-Class. The new E-Class Convertible was expected to debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show this September but instead it will be pushed back to the Geneva Auto Show, which will be held in March of 2010.

An extra six month wait isn’t too long, and puts the car’s release in perfect timing with the changing seasons, however, the E-Class Wagon (or Estate as it’s called in Europe) won’t appear until 2012.

The article also says that Mercedes is planning to release the second-generation CLS in 2010.

[Source: Auto Motor und Sport via Autoblog]