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The crowd here at the Detroit Auto Show may be oohing and aahing over the all-new 2013 Dodge Dart, but something else caught our eye at the Chrysler display here inside Cobo Hall. The swoopy minivan you see above is the Chrysler 700C Concept, a vehicle that we hadn’t heard a peep about until we spent a few minutes talking with Rick Deneau from Chrysler Brand Communications.

Deneau tells us that, in essence, the 700C is simply a design study of what the future of the Chrysler minivan could look like, and that its presence here in Detroit is simply to gauge interest from not only the media, but consumers and the general public. It’s a three-row vehicle, styled here at Chrysler’s headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan, and truth be told, that’s really all there is to say.

It’s a futuristic look for a minivan, and significantly more swoopy than the decidedly boxy Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan twins that currently roam the streets. The backwards-sloping sheetmetal that disguises the B-pillar is interesting, as are the rear taillamps that extend upward onto the rear wheel well arches. Even so, many of the Autoblog staffers have mentioned that, while forward-thinking, this concept looks like it could have been designed ages ago. We can even see a bit of last-generation Nissan Quest in the rear three-quarter and side profile, too.

Check out the 700C Concept for yourself in our attached high-res image gallery, and give us your take on this minivan design study in Comments.

Chrysler 700C concept minivan quietly rolls into Detroit originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In the interest of full disclosure, that’s my byline on AOL Autos’ list of the worst cars from 50 automakers. Yes, it’s not the only such list we’ve seen recently, and you are of course strongly encouraged to let me have it in the comments. Anyone who calls out 50 different automotive brands for their worst FAIL moments had better have thick skin, which I do.

I also have a sense of humor – and not for a minute do I or anyone else at our sister site that weighed in on the list think it is as definitive as it is funny. If you’ve been around the classic car hobby for a while, you come to realize that there is a charm to be had in even the worst cars. Growing up in the 1970s and 1980s meant witnessing the Dark Ages of the auto industry firsthand, the era from which many of these vehicles hail. While these cars were not a lot of fun to own back then, today we can look back and laugh at them, the automotive equivalent of polyester jumpsuits and acid wash jeans.

There are undoubtedly many more vehicles that could be added to the list, so feel free to join in the discussion after viewing the list here.

Worst of the Worst: AOL Autos rolls out its own list originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GoAuto RSS – Car News

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With the Tokyo Motor Show coming up around the bend, Japan’s automakers are preparing to roll out their best. And Mitsubishi isn’t about to sit idly by.

The Tri-Diamond automaker has two major world debuts planned for its home-market expo: one production vehicle and one concept. The former sees the return of the Mirage nameplate – most prominently used in the 1980s – in place of the Colt with a new entry-level model. The basic five-door hatchback packs an economical 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine with stop/start and a continuously variable transmission that will hit the Thai market first when it launches in March 2012.

Joining the new Mirage on the Mitsubishi stage will be the Concept PX-MiEV II, a plug-in hybrid crossover that joins the i-MiEV electric car and the Minicab-MiEV light-duty commercial vehicle in the company’s expanding portfolio of electric vehicles. A 2.0-liter four-banger is coupled to a pair of 60-kilowatt electric motors to drive all four wheels through the Lancer Evo‘s S-AWC traction system to deliver comparable power to a 3.0-liter V6 while offering improved emissions and fuel consumption figures.

In addition to the usual battery-only and internal combustion generator modes, the PX-MiEV II also enables outdoorsy types to run portable appliances off the vehicle’s battery packs. There’s plenty more to digest in the press release, so hit the jump to check it out, and scope out both the Mirage and the Concept PX-MiEV II in the pair of galleries for a closer look.

Continue reading Mitsubishi rolls out new Mirage alongside Concept PX-MiEV II for Tokyo

Mitsubishi rolls out new Mirage alongside Concept PX-MiEV II for Tokyo originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Nov 2011 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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