Some Asian manufactures future products and an idea of what is to come.
Acura
RSX: The entry-level model is being killed at the end of the 2006 model year because the division is beginning to move farther upscale.
TSX: The 2009 version is slated for a redesign. Sources expect it will be equipped with a turbo engine and all-wheel drive. A convertible model may be in the works.
TL: The TL will be freshened for the 2007 model year. A redesign is scheduled for the 2009 model year, when awd will be available.
RL: U.S. dealers will be able to order a decontented model for the 2007 model year. Consumers balked at paying nearly $50,000 for a loaded awd model powered by a 290-hp, 3.5-liter V-6.
The specific equipment has yet to be announced. Dealers in Hawaii and Alaska already offer decontented models without such standard equipment as navigation systems and satellite radio.
The RL will be redesigned for the 2010 or 2011 model year. It may be equipped with a V-10 and share a chassis with the redesigned NSX.
NSX: The redesigned sports car is expected to hit the market for the 2008 or 2009 model year. Acura has said it will be powered by a V-10 engine, but there have been few other details. Sources say the company is testing front- and midengine configurations. A hybrid version may be offered.
RDX: Acura's new small crossover went on sale this month. This is Acura's first vehicle with a turbocharged engine. The 240-hp, 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine produces 260 pounds-feet of torque. Standard equipment includes the RL's high-tech awd system and 18-inch wheels.
The interior can accommodate two 19-inch bicycles sitting upright. A 300-watt, seven-speaker audio system with a six-disc CD changer and XM satellite radio is standard.
MDX: Acura's MDX crossover is redesigned for the 2007 model year. It is wider and longer than the current model and will offer more cargo space. It also will sit lower.
The six-cylinder engine will produce close to 300 hp, up from 253. Displacement may be increased to 3.8 liters vs. the current 3.5.
Honda
Fit: The small 2007 Fit went on sale in April at a base price of $14,400, including the $550 destination charge. The five-door hatchback replaces the Civic as Honda's entry-level car and competes against Toyota's Scion cars, the Chevrolet Aveo and Nissan Versa. The Fit is equipped with a 109-hp, 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine with a five-speed manual transmission. Standard equipment includes side curtain airbags, antilock brakes and an audio system that works with iPod players. A hybrid version may be offered in 2008 or 2009.
New hybrid: Honda says it will introduce an entry-level, four-door hybrid positioned below the Civic for the 2009 model year. The company says it will wear a new nameplate, but it could be a sedan version of the Fit.
The hybrid may be built at a new Honda plant in Indiana that will begin producing four-cylinder vehicles in 2008. Honda hopes to sell at least 100,000 of the small hybrids annually.
Insight: The two-passenger hybrid vehicle will be dropped at the end of the 2006 model year.
Civic: The Honda Civic may get a diesel engine in the 2009 model year.
Accord: The car is due for a redesign for the 2009 model year; a four-cylinder diesel engine may be offered at that time. The vehicle likely will grow; more interior space is a goal. The Accord Hybrid may be killed.
S2000: The 2007 model year may be the last for the two-passenger sports car.
Odyssey: The popular minivan will be redesigned for the 2010 model year.
CR-V: The redesigned 2007 CR-V goes on sale this fall. It is more stylish than the current boxy model. It is not as long as its predecessor, but it is wider, providing for larger seats. Standard safety features include side curtain airbags and antilock brakes. A navigation system with voice recognition is optional.
New crossover: A new Civic-based crossover will be added for the 2009 model year, powered by a four-cylinder engine. A diesel also may be offered. The vehicle would be positioned between the CR-V and the Pilot.
Pilot: The redesigned Pilot is due for the 2009 model year; a 3.8-liter V-6 engine may be offered.
Element: The Element will be redesigned for the 2009 model year.
Ridgeline: A hybrid model may be offered for the 2009 model year. Honda is thought to be testing a V-8 in the Ridgeline that first may appear in the Acura RL. The Ridgeline may get the V-8 when it is redesigned in 2011.
Hyundai
Accent: Redesigned in late 2005; no major changes are expected.
Elantra: The oldest of Hyundai's products gets a redesign this fall. The production start for the United States has been delayed several months because of the jailing of Hyundai Motor Co. Chairman Chung Mong Koo. The U.S. and Korean markets get a traditional sedan, but Europe gets a five-door hatchback.
Tiburon: Look for a reskin for the 2007 model year, with new front-end styling and some hardware upgrades.
A full redesign comes for the 2009 model year. Hyundai wants it to be similar to the Infiniti G35 coupe, including rear-wheel drive. But that proposal has not been approved yet. The decision to move to new production tooling for a rwd coupe might delay a redesign.
Sonata: Redesigned in summer 2005; no major changes are expected.
Azera: Redesigned in late 2005.
Luxury sedan: In an attempt to penetrate the luxury market, Hyundai wants to build the equivalent of a BMW 5 series but price it in the $33,000 range. The rwd sedan, code-named BH, is scheduled to be launched here in fall 2008. Power will come from a choice of a 3.8-liter V-6 or a 4.6-liter V-8.
Entourage: Hyundai's first minivan arrived this spring.
Portico: The Portico will be a Pacifica-like vehicle. It is loosely based on the recent Portico concept vehicle. It is expected to ride on a 120.9-inch wheelbase with a 197-inch overall length. That means it would come from the new Sonata/Azera platform. It is expected to arrive in fall 2008. Six- and seven-passenger models are planned. The Portico may be assembled in Alabama.
Tucson: The compact crossover arrived as a 2005 model; no significant changes are expected.
Santa Fe: The redesigned, fwd 2007 Santa Fe is considerably bigger than its predecessor, similar in size to the Toyota Highlander. Five- and seven-passenger seating is offered, as is a 3.3-liter V-6.
Santa Fe-plus: This is not the name of the new, Ford Explorer-sized crossover slated to debut for the 2008 model year. But it does share a platform with the Santa Fe. The larger crossover has three rows of seats; a 3.8-liter V-6 will be offered.
Big SUV: If Kia gets a big body-on-frame SUV, then Hyundai gets one, too. Those plans are on the back burner. Hyundai has a bigger wish to develop and sell luxury cars in the United States.
Pickup: Hyundai wants to be a full-line manufacturer, so expect a pickup with help from Kia.
But the parent company's wish to build luxury cars keeps the pickup program in its infancy. Some in the Hyundai camp think they need to develop a compact pickup before they go full-sized. Others think they can dive right into the full-sized fray. One issue: A full-sized pickup would be too big to fit into Hyundai service bays, so expect something sized like a Toyota Tacoma or a Dodge Dakota.
Isuzu
Ascender: General Motors dropped the seven-seat Ascender, based on the Chevrolet TrailBlazer, earlier this year. The five-seat Ascender may get a light-duty diesel engine for the 2008 model year. But it likely will be killed around the 2009 model year.
i-290/i-370: The two Isuzu pickups that went on sale in the 2006 model year receive new names along with horsepower and torque boosts for the 2007 model year.
The base i-290 (called the i-280 in 2006) produces 185 hp and 190 pounds-feet of torque, an increase of 10 hp and 5 pounds-feet. Power is increased by 22 hp on the i-370 (formerly the i-350) to 242 hp. Torque is 242 pounds-feet, a boost of 17 pounds-feet.
The pickups are essentially a version of the GMC Canyon. The Isuzu pickups are slated to be discontinued in the 2009 or 2010 model year.
Kia
Rio: Redesigned in fall 2005; nothing major is planned in the near future.
Spectra: Redesigned in fall 2004; no major changes are foreseen.
Optima: Redesigned in spring 2006; no major changes are expected.
Amanti: For the 2007 model year, Amanti receives freshened front and rear fascias, a retuned suspension and a boost to the 3.8-liter V-6 shared with the Sorento and Sedona. This is the last of Kia's new models on a Kia-specific platform. The redesigned 2009 Amanti is expected to share the Hyundai Azera platform. Because of the two-month jail stint of Hyundai Motor Co. Chairman Chung Mong Koo, the program could be pushed back a year.
Sport sedan: Kia is scheduled to get a version of Hyundai's rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan for the 2008 model year. But expect Kia to make it more sporty and aggressive-looking. Expect stiffer suspensions and engines tweaked for more power.
Coupe/convertible: Check out the Kia Slice concept car, and turn it into a coupe. Now wait a few years. Kia plans to have a variant of the front-wheel-drive Tiburon platform in 2008 as a 2009 model. The company wants a Miata fighter, but it is not happening right now.
Rondo: Kia plans to take on the likes of the Mazda5 with this mini-minivan. But while the Mazda5 is derived from the compact Mazda3 platform, the Rondo is shrunk from the mid-sized Optima platform. There will be a choice of a 158-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine or a 185-hp, 2.7-liter V-6. It is to arrive in early 2007.
Sedona: Was redesigned this spring; no significant changes are expected.
Sportage: Redesigned in spring 2005; no major changes are planned.
Sorento: The SUV will be redesigned and will move to Hyundai's unibody Santa Fe platform. But it will look and feel nothing like the Santa Fe. It has been delayed a bit, so look for the redesign in fall 2008.
Pickup: Kia plans to get into pickups with something about the size of a \l "" or a Toyota Tacoma. Anything larger will not fit into Kia dealership service bays; dealers will not redesign their back shops twice in five years. Look for U.S. production starting in spring 2010.
Truck-based SUV: Although the Sorento moves to unibody construction, expect Kia to keep its body-on-frame SUV roots when the mid-sized pickup arrives. But an SUV derivative is not expected to come until late 2010.
Lexus
IS 250/350: The rwd sedan was redesigned for the 2006 model year; a coupe is in development, likely for the 2008 model year.A convertible was expected to debut when the coupe arrived. But Lexus is worried that its planned convertible may not succeed in a world of hard-top convertibles. The model may be sent back to the drawing board, forcing a delay.
Lexus executives downplay reports of a V-8, saying the big engine would kill the car's handling - not to mention that a 300-hp V-6 is plenty for a car this size. Don't rule out a hybrid as a midcycle addition.
ES 350: The redesigned 2007 model debuted in the spring.
GS 300/430: The GS sedans get engine upgrades for the 2007 model year: a 3.5-liter V-6 and a 4.6-liter V-8. The V-6 may arrive this fall, while the V-8 may have to wait for the LS 460 to show up first.
LS 460: Lexus executives claim the redesigned 2007 LS 460 will take the luxury segment by storm. A 4.6-liter V-8 produces 380 hp and is mated to an industry-first eight-speed automatic transmission. Rear- and all-wheel drive will be offered. Mating the V-8 engine to Toyota's hybrid powertrain, the LS 600hL will have the equivalent power of a 6.0-liter V-12 engine while delivering the fuel economy of a small V-8.
Interior features will also be impressive, such as a rear executive seat with ottoman and massage and infrared temperature sensors to monitor cabin temperature more accurately.
SC 430: The retractable-hardtop coupe gets a redesign in summer 2007, sharing the IS/GS platform. The 2008 model also will share the 4.6-liter V-8. Lexus is looking at proportions and stance similar to those of a BMW 6 series.
LF-A: Lexus' two-passenger, high-performance sports car will be unveiled at the same time as the Japan Formula One race moves to Toyota's home, Fuji Speedway, in the fall of 2007. It is likely that a big 500-hp V-8 will be the powerplant, as a V-8 has weight and packaging advantages over the all-but-dead V-10 program. It would arrive in the United States in spring 2008.
Small crossover: Lexus once thought about using the RAV4 as the basis for a luxury vehicle. Executives concluded that the platform was too downmarket. But the success of the BMW X3 and the arrival of the Acura RDX and Volvo XC50 have them rethinking. If a thumbs up is given, it could arrive for the 2009 model year.
RX 350/400h: The V-6 engine gets bumped to 3.5 liters and adds a six-speed automatic transmission for the 2007 model year. A redesign comes in spring 2008. It will be slightly larger but not as large as the Toyota Highlander. The new target width is the same as that of the Acura MDX.
JX 470: The big brother to the RX 330 crossover comes off the new GS sedan platform in mid-2007. For styling hints and dimensions, look to the Lexus LF-X (nee HPX) concept car, which had a 116-inch wheelbase, 194-inch overall length and room for three rows of seats. Power would come from a 4.3-liter V-8, although a 3.5-liter V-6 also might be offered. Competitors include the Infiniti FX35 and FX45.
GX 470: No major changes are foreseen.
LX 470: A proposed large, Sequoia-based SUV has been killed from the product plan. That means the LX 470 lives on in its current form when the Toyota Land Cruiser gets redesigned.
Nissan
Versa: This is Nissan's first U.S. entry in the B segment. But it has an advantage over competitors such as the Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris: It has 93.9 cubic feet of interior space vs. 87.1 in the Yaris and 90.0 in the Fit.
The 2007 Versa is built on a global platform that Nissan shares with Renault. Two models are offered: a hatchback, on sale in July, and a sedan, which goes on sale later this year.
The vehicle is powered by a 122-hp, 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine. Three transmissions are offered: a six-speed manual, a four-speed automatic and a continuously variable transmission.
Cube: Nissan is expected to bring this small, boxy car to the United States in the 2009 model year to compete against the Scion xB. Sources say it will be powered by a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a CVT.
Sentra: Nissan's redesigned compact sedan finally makes it to market a year later than expected. The automaker delayed production when the car's exterior fared poorly in U.S. clinics. Nissan executives think they now have a winner.
The 2007 Sentra, built on the company's new C platform, is longer, wider and taller than the current model.
The Sentra also has a new, more powerful engine. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine makes about 135 hp and 140 pounds-feet of torque. The current 1.8-liter four-cylinder makes 126 hp and 124 pounds-feet of torque. A six-speed manual transmission is standard; a CVT is optional. Side-impact curtain airbags are standard.
An SE-R performance model is expected to be added for the 2008 model year.
Altima: The redesigned 2007 Altima is the first Nissan developed on the company's new D platform. It also is the first Nissan-branded vehicle to receive the company's new 3.5-liter V-6 engine.
The 2007 Altima sits on a one-inch-shorter wheelbase, but the company says the redesigned car has the same interior space as the current model. The new front suspension is designed to reduce torque steer; the rear suspension is designed to improve handling.
Standard interior amenities include softer materials such as padded armrests, plusher seats and side-impact curtain airbags. Options include a push-button ignition, a hands-free phone system and a nine-speaker Bose audio system. The new V-6 engine provides about 265 hp, compared with 250 hp for the current V-6. A new six-speed manual transmission is standard; a CVT is optional. A hybrid model will be available in the winter.
Maxima: The 2007 Maxima is reskinned; a CVT is standard. A redesign is expected for the 2009 model year.
350Z: The sports car is scheduled to be redesigned for either the 2009 or 2010 model year.
GT-R: Much to the chagrin of Infiniti dealers, the upcoming all-wheel-drive GT-R performance car will be badged as a Nissan. The next-generation GT-R is expected to go on sale in the United States as a 2008 model. The sticker price is expected to be about $60,000. Infiniti dealers desperately wanted the GT-R as a halo for the brand.
Quest: The company spent more than $60 million to rework the interior of the 2007 Quest. Among other changes, it relocated the gauges from the center of the instrument cluster to in front of the driver. Potential buyers were turned off by the location. The Quest is due for a redesign for the 2010 model year.
Small crossover: Smaller than the Murano, this front-wheel-drive crossover is due to hit the United States in the 2008 or 2009 model year. It will be powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. The vehicle may share a platform with the Versa.
Fuel cell vehicle: Nissan plans to deliver its first fuel cell vehicle to the United States in the 2008 or 2009 model year. It is unknown whether the fuel cell vehicle will be a separate model or a version of a new model, such as the small crossover vehicle.
Murano: The Murano is due for a redesign for the 2008 model year.
Baby boomer vehicle: Researchers at Nissan's design center have identified a target of consumers in their late 50s to 60s who want a functional vehicle to meet nearly all needs. This person wants a comfortable vehicle that is not yet offered - a combination of the Murano crossover, Xterra SUV and Titan pickup. Seats positioned for a good view of the road are important. The designers are sketching a vehicle around these people. No timetable has been mentioned.
Xterra: The Xterra will be freshened for the 2009 or 2010 model year.
Pathfinder: The SUV gets a freshening for the 2008 model year and a redesign for the 2010 or 2011 model year.
Armada: The full-sized SUV may be freshened for the 2008 model year; a redesign is expected for the 2010 model year.
Frontier: The Frontier pickup receives a freshening for the 2008 model year.
Titan: A diesel may be offered in the 2008 model year. The Titan pickup is due for a redesign for the 2010 model year. The company also is studying medium- and heavy-duty versions of the truck.
Toyota
Yaris: The 2007 Yaris sedan debuted in the spring; it replaces the Echo. The five-door hatchback currently sold in Canada may be added to the U.S. lineup.
Prius: Changes to body styling will come as hybrid technology advances. Consumers have said they like their hybrids to be noticeably different. So even as hybrid powertrains enter mainstream vehicles, expect Toyota to keep a quirky-looking one in the stable.The redesign is likely for the 2010 or 2011 model year. The next generation probably will have plug-in capability, as in letting you plug it in to your house's grid to recharge and allowing you to drive on full electricity for the first 40 or so miles. It also may have a rheostat so drivers can select a performance or fuel-economy mode.
Corolla: Toyota has delayed the redesign for the United States by one year until spring 2008. A Toyota official blames this on engineering resources being stretched too thin. But sources say the original design and packaging were too plain compared to the Mazda3 and the Honda Civic; it was sent back to the drawing board.
Matrix: The redesign will come at the same time as the Corolla's, meaning the 2009 model year. Toyota wants the Matrix to be a destination vehicle for Scion owners.
Camry: The redesigned Camry debuted this past spring.
Camry Solara: Underachieving sales mean Toyota will kill the coupe and convertible after the 2008 model year. There is a chance a coupe could make a comeback in 2010.
Avalon: The redesigned Avalon debuted in spring 2005; no major changes are planned.
Supra: Not going to happen - all the rumors of the two-passenger sports car's return are false.
Sienna: The current Sienna minivan was not engineered for a hybrid powertrain. That has to wait until spring 2009, when the redesigned 2010 model debuts.
RAV4: The redesigned 2007 model debuted in spring. The RAV4 grew considerably, crowding the larger Highlander.
Highlander: The redesigned 2008 Highlander will move to the new Avalon platform, which means it will move up in size closer to the Honda Pilot and Ford Explorer.
FT-SX: This large crossover, arriving in summer 2008, is intended to be more stylish. Toyota thinks this is the segment where boomer SUV buyers are headed. And since their kids are grown up, the vehicle will be offered only with five-passenger seating.
The 2009 FT-SX will be slightly taller than a Volvo XC70 and an Audi Allroad. It likely will be assembled at the Princeton, Ind., plant alongside the Sienna. The FT-SX will have the Avalon's 3.5-liter V-6 and a six-speed automatic transmission.
Tacoma: No major changes are foreseen.
Tundra: The redesigned, full-sized 2007 Tundra pickup arrives in January. Expect the next Tundra to offer a choice of a 4.7-liter or a 5.7-liter V-8, although a V-6 could arrive later. Toyota U.S. executives torpedoed a more conservative Japanese design in favor of an aggressive American one.
Toyota subsidiary Hino is gearing up its U.S. manufacturing operations for what appears to be a heavy-duty version. But executives in Japan are being cautious about excessive engineering costs for variations that yield few extra sales.
FJ Cruiser: The FJ Cruiser SUV arrived in spring.
4Runner: A re-engineering is planned for 2009.
Sequoia: The redesigned 2008 Sequoia will be developed on the new Tundra platform; expect a choice of V-8 engines. But Toyota executives are worried that they miscalculated the market for full-sized SUVs. While the current Sequoia is too small, the redesign may be too big in an era of high gasoline prices. The Sequoia is expected to be the size of the Chevrolet Tahoe.
Land Cruiser: The icon of the truck lineup soldiers on. Markets outside the United States and Canada are to receive the re-engineered vehicle in 2007; the vehicle bows in both countries a year later.
Scion
xA: Expect a spring 2008 redesign of the xA, which is the U.S. version of the Japan market ist.
Don't expect the wedge shape to continue. The xA could be a U.S.-only vehicle derived from the ist platform, or it could be something pulled from the Japan product portfolio.
xB: Scion boss Mark Templin says: "We should always have a box. The box can evolve and improve, but the concept of a box will not change." That may mean the current xB sticks around as a heritage model and will not become the redesigned bB seen at the 2005 Tokyo show. A new powertrain is scheduled to come in spring 2008 for the 2009 model year.
tC: Expect a five-year model cycle with a redesign arriving in early 2009 as a 2010 model. For a hint of future design ideas, check out the Fuse concept coupe from the New York auto show.
xD: Do not be confused by the stretched version of the current xB that has been snapped by spy photographers. That vehicle is a mule for a future Scion vehicle, based on the Corolla platform with more horsepower. The xD likely will be a variation on the Toyota Matrix theme. It will arrive in the 2008 model year. Scion has applied for a trademark on the xD name.
Subaru
Forester: A redesign is planned for the 2009 model year.
Impreza: The Impreza will be redesigned for the 2008 model year; radically different styling is expected, with cues taken from the Legacy and the B9 Tribeca.
Outback/Legacy: The 2008 Outback and Legacy will be freshened; the redesigns may arrive for 2010 model year.
B9 Tribeca: The B9 Tribeca's exterior styling is polarizing. A reskin is planned for the 2008 model year, a U.S. Subaru executive says. A redesign is expected in 2011.
Baja: The slow-selling, pickuplike Baja will be dropped at the end of the 2006 model year.
Hybrid: Subaru has halted development of its own hybrid, which was expected in 2006 or 2007. Instead, it is partnering with Toyota. Development started in March, and a Subaru hybrid is several years away.
Suzuki
Aerio, Aeria: The Aerio wagon will be dropped during the 2007 model year.
Forenza: A freshening is planned for the 2008 model year.
Reno: Reno is the hatchback version of the Forenza. It may get a high-performance engine for the 2008 model year.
Swift: The company will bring the next-generation Swift hatchback to the United States in 2010 to compete with such vehicles as the Honda Fit. A hybrid sedan is a possibility. The Swift last was sold here in 2002.
Verona: U.S. sales never hit projections, so the car will be dropped at the end of the 2006 model year. The Verona was built by GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co. Quality problems with the engine and transmission also were issues.
Sources say the upcoming, redesigned Verona may be exported to the United States in the 2008 or 2009 model year. If so, Suzuki execs say they want to be in charge of the engine technology.
SX4: The SX4 crossover goes on sale this fall. The five-seat hatchback was developed on the Swift platform and is Suzuki's first crossover. All-wheel drive, antilock brakes and six airbags are standard.
The base model is powered by a new 143-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 136 pounds-feet of torque.
Suzuki has developed an awd racing version, called the SX4 WRC. That vehicle will run in the European World Rally Championship series starting in August 2007. A production model also is planned.
Grand Vitara: The small SUV is due for a freshening in 2009.
XL7: The redesigned 2007 XL7 crossover is the largest vehicle Suzuki has ever sold in this country. Five- and seven-passenger seating is offered.
The XL7 is developed on General Motors' front-drive Theta platform, shared by the Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent. Awd is optional. The new 3.5-liter engine delivers an estimated 250 hp, 65 hp more than its predecessor.
Pickup: Nissan will provide Suzuki with a small pickup to sell in the United States in the 2009 model year. A version of the Frontier is likely.
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