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Subaru has just revealed this, the XV Concept, at the Shanghai Motor Show. Although it looks like an Outback with an arced roof, it’s a substantially smaller crossover – seven inches shorter in length, an inch narrower and about two inches lower. Even if considered a mini Outback with wheel-arch cladding, its design is said to be something completely new: “Protren,” defined as “express[ing] the integration of ‘authentic functionality as a professional tool’ and ‘urban and stylish design’.”

If you know what that means, then perhaps you’ll also understand the Electro Yellowgreen matte finish. What is easy to grasp is the full-length panoramic roof and the “silvery white leather” seating for five. Forward-looking concept bits can be found in the lighting elements and the EyeSight stereo cameras that project images on an LCD screen for the driver.

There’s no indication of us seeing the XV in production form, but we’ve got precedent in the form of the current Impreza-based Outback Sport (a car known as the XV in other markets). There’s a press release after the jump with more details and a high-res gallery below for your viewing pleasure.

Continue reading Subaru XV concept crossover unveiled in Shanghai

Subaru XV concept crossover unveiled in Shanghai originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Apr 2011 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi rolled out yet another e-tron concept alongside the new Q3 in Shanghai, and what it lacks in power, it makes up for with efficiency, fuel economy… and weight.

The original A3 sedan concept that bowed in Geneva came packing a modified version of the TT RS’ turbocharged five-cylinder, outputting over 400 horsepower and 368 pound-feet of torque. This etron variant – based on the RS3 hatch – ditches the five-pot in favor of a turbo’d and direct-injected 1.4-liter four-cylinder that brings 211 horsepower to the party, and combined with another 27 ponies pulled from the 20kW electric motor, can propel the A3 etron to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds before topping out at 143 mph.

A seven-speed dual-clutch S-tronic transmission is the only drivetrain component carried over from the concept’s RS3 roots, but combined with lithium-ion battery pack stored in the trunk, Audi claims the e-tron can putt along for up to 34 miles on electric power alone thanks to the plug-in hybrid drivetrain.

The suspension carries over, with a MacPherson design up front and a four-link independent rear end, along with 20-inch wheels wrapped in 245/30 R20 rubber at all four corners. The square setup would indicate that the e-tron is all-wheel-drive, but Audi doesn’t give any specifics on how power finds its way to the ground.

The exterior is a dead-ringer for the original A3 concept, albeit e-tronified with a new grille and bumper framed by a carbon fiber-reinforced frame, aluminum hood, trunk and doors. However, the weight savings is largely nullified by the battery weight in the boot, increasing the curb weight to 3,792 – nearly 400 pounds more than the original.

Inside, it’s typical concept car flare partnered with Audi’s next-generation MMI system complete with a UMTS module to provide wireless internet, WLAN hotspot functionality and Google mapping and POI search.

A toned-down version of the A3 sedan is due to hit the market late next year, and if Audi intends to stick to its electrified roadmap, we could see an e-tron variant arrive by 2013 at the earliest. Full details in the press blast below the fold.

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Audi A3 e-tron concept debuts in Shanghai [w/video]

Audi A3 e-tron concept debuts in Shanghai [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Apr 2011 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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msnbc.com: Autos

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