2007 Frankfurt Auto Show: Volvo ReCharge Concept

• Looks like: A Volvo C30 with green wheels
• Defining characteristics: 66% fewer emissions than today’s best hybrid car
• Ridiculous features: Did we mention the green wheels?   
• Chance of being mass-produced: We’d like to see a plug-in hybrid like this as much as the next guy, but there are still lots of issues to be ironed out first. Mainly how much people are willing to spend on very pricey technology.

We can see it now. The horsepower wars that brought us a 300-hp Mustang GT and a new wave of Hemi engines are over. The new battle will be waged in mpg — not hp. We’re probably stating the obvious at this point, but with each auto show that passes we’re seeing more and more attention paid to how technology can increase mileage and decrease emissions. Now that we can go as fast as we can possibly handle anyway, we might as well save some money at the pump.

That’s Volvo’s aim with the ReCharge concept. Based on the C30 hatchback that just went on sale in the U.S., the California-developed ReCharge teams a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with four-electrical motors, one at each wheel. This gives the C30 some gusto: It hits 62 mph in 9 seconds, which puts it about a half-second ahead of a Dodge Caliber R/T. That’s not Hemi speed, but Volvo claims on a full charge, on a 93-mile trip the ReCharge will return 124 mpg.

2007 Frankfurt Auto Show: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Wagon

• Competes with: BMW 3 Series wagon, Audi A4 Avant
• Looks like: The old C-Class got anti-Botoxed, meaning more sharp lines and creases were added everywhere
• Drivetrain: 268-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 with seven-speed automatic; 228-hp, 3.0-liter V-6 with six-speed manual or automatic; rear- or all-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: Sometime in 2008

We were impressed with Mercedes-Benz’s new C-Class in sedan form, and now we’re assured a wagon is on the way as well. The wagon as a class unto itself is dwindling fast in the U.S., but European automakers are still developing them. The C-Class Estate, as it’s known on the other side of the pond, has two distinctly different front grilles, just like the sedan. The Sport model maintains a large emblem front and center, and the Luxury model features thin lines more akin to the larger S-Class.

The new C-Class wagon has almost 10% more cargo volume than the outgoing model. There’s also a standard collapsible shopping grate, which sounds useful even though we’re not sure what it is. There’s also an optional power tailgate and additional storage dividers. 

With this radically different new look, perhaps the C-Class will rekindle the motoring public’s love for wagons. More photos below.

2007 Frankfurt Auto Show: 2009 Audi A4

• Competes with: BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Infiniti G35
• Looks like: A slightly squarer version of the last A4
• Drivetrain: 265-hp, 3.2-liter V-6 with six-speed manual or automatic; 160-hp, 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with six-speed manual or CVT; front- or all-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: Fall 2008

The new Audi A4 may not look much different from the one you see parked outside Crate & Barrel, but it has gone through a significant redesign. Most noticeable are the slight exterior design tweaks, especially the squared-off headlights. They may look more boring than the old ones, but they house a cool LED and conventional headlamp combo.

The structure of the body has been radically changed, though, so the new A4 is both lighter and more rigid to make it safer than before. Usually when a car company beefs up safety, performance-draining weight is also beefed up. Interior room has been increased, so passengers will have more space to take in the redesigned instrument panel and dashboard.

Video: Jaguar XF Straight From England

Car Magazine, an enthusiast publication in the U.K., delivers an up-close look at Jaguar’s new XF sedan. Just a day after we brought you the first images and details, this video brings all that writing and imagery to life as only video can. Especially interesting to see in motion are the moving air vents and rising shift knob.

YouTube video via Autoblog

More Dodge Journey Photos, Info

Over the weekend we posted our first look at Dodge’s all-new crossover, called the Journey. While we were down on the name and the apparently sub-par interior, that doesn’t mean it’s not the right type of vehicle for the Dodge lineup. We’ve updated our photo gallery below with new images of the Journey in R/T trim with roof racks and the traditional red paintjob that Dodge always uses for new models. We’re also listing the available engine types and their respective fuel economy.

2007 Frankfurt Auto Show: 2008 Jaguar XF

• Competes with: BMW 5 Series, Mercedes E-Class, Lexus GS
• Looks like: An ungainly S-Type crashed into the beautiful C-XF concept
• Drivetrain: 420-hp, supercharged 4.2-liter V-8; 300-hp, 4.2-liter V-8 and 240-hp, 3.0-liter V-6, all mated to a six-speed automatic transmission; rear-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: March 2008; dealers are taking orders now

When the concept version of the new XF debuted at last year’s Detroit auto show, it was heralded as the car that would save Jaguar. It’s hard to remember any other concept drawing such undisputed praise. Jaguar vowed to build a production model true to the sexy concept, and it did — for the most part.

2007 Frankfurt Auto Show: All-New Dodge Journey Crossover

• Competes with: Mazda CX-9, Hyundai Veracruz, Toyota Highlander, Ford Edge
• Looks like: Dodge wasn’t happy with its Dodge Durango SUV or Magnum wagon, so it met somewhere in the middle on this one
• Drivetrain: 235-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 with six-speed automatic; 186-hp, 2.7-liter V-6 flex-fuel engine or 173-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder with four-speed automatic; front- or all-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: Early 2008

We knew it was coming, we just didn’t know the name would be so … 1980s. That’s right, the all-new crossover Dodge is hoping will compete with the Toyota Highlander and newcomers like the Hyundai Veracruz has the unimpressive name Journey, just like the 1980s rock band. Unlike most new crossovers on the market, the Journey comes standard with seating for five, with a two-seat third row optional. Having that choice is good for consumers, but before we start talking about the Journey — no, we can’t restrain ourselves from writing the name over and over — we’ll just point out the fatal flaw: It has three engine choices that are all less-powerful and just as thirsty as the competition. Perhaps the Journey will be to the gas station.

OK, enough of that. The new crossover has a nice look to it, with a profile reminiscent of the Dodge Magnum wagon and a much more pleasing shape than the bulbous Dodge Durango SUV. The interior, however, looks just as plastic-laden as most of Dodge’s current products we’ve tested. Without seeing the Journey in person we can’t say for sure that the quality is as poor as, say, the Avenger sedan, but the photos make us believe it is.

Instead of improving its interiors, Dodge delivers more gadgetry in the Journey. Like the Caliber’s Chill Zone glove box and the Nitro’s Load ’N Go floor, the Journey has a nifty new feature we’ve never seen before: There’s a drink cooler built into the floor in front of each of the second-row seats. Both can hold 12 cans of soda and ice, and can be removed and washed out. Oh, and the Journey has the Chill Zone glove box, too, just in case 24 cans of soda isn’t enough.

Another Midnight Surprise

There will be another midnight release tonight of an all-new, U.S. Bound vehicle that will debut at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show. Tonight we'll have all the details and plenty of photos. Besides that, we can't say anything else. The most we can divulge is that is an all new vehicle in an all-new segment for this particular brand.

Ford Subcompact Concept Coming to Detroit

Yesterday we got our first look at the Ford Verve concept car, the basis for a new subcompact for Ford's European customers. At the Detroit auto show in January, the company will unveil an American-targeted version. There will also be a third concept for Asian markets, set to debut in China this November. All three will be largely the same outside of the design realm, based on a chassis developed with Mazda. The partnership with Mazda has brought the most interesting new products to Ford's lineup of late, including the Fusion sedan and Edge SUV.

One Ford executive said there would be only "slight tuning" for each market, and that the American version would be similar to the Verve concept.

The subcompact market is one of the fastest-growing in the U.S., and Ford rivals Chrysler — with its Dodge Hornet — and GM — which showed three minicar concepts at the New York Auto Show in April — are aiming to join in. There's a video below of the Verve being built with lots of design speak. One interesting tidbit from the video is that the Verve is exactly the same size as the current Ford Fiesta. Video thanks to WorldCarFans.

Ford Goes Global With Verve (The Detroit News)

2007 Frankfurt Auto Show: Ford Verve Concept

• Looks like: A shrunken Mazda CX-7 SUV with a Ford badge
• Defining characteristics: Slim headlights, SUV-like profile, large wheels
• Ridiculous features: That huge lower air intake underneath the skinny grille   
• Chance of being mass-produced: The Verve is the first of three concepts that show what the next small car from Ford might look like — and yes, that car will come to the U.S.

It’s a bit mind-blowing to us that Ford will finally bring its next small car to the U.S. Considerably smaller than the Ford Focus, the Verve concept is one take on what the next Ford Fiesta will look like. It will be based on the Mazda2 — which is also planned for sale in the U.S. — and offer a sporty, domestic alternative to small cars like the Hyundai Accent and Toyota Yaris.

There’s no information on what type of power the Ford Verve would have if produced, but it won’t be much. These cars are built for economy — and now looks. Ford is emphatically behind this concept’s design, and Ford of Europe stayed fairly true to concepts like the Mondeo sedan when it came time to build the production version. More photos below.