Optimized for Wow: Kia Previews Subsequent Optima Sedan, and It Appears Sharp

When Kia recently debuted the mega-über-super-hot Sportspace wagon notion at the Geneva auto show, we right away speculated that it previewed the brand’s subsequent-generation Optima sedan. Certain, the wagon may possibly turn into a thing—albeit only for Europe—but the Sportspace’s genuine value was showing us what the 2016 Optima might appear like. As it turns out, we were appropriate (it is a good feeling!), since Kia has now released sketches of the new Optima, and it is more or significantly less a sultry twin to the Sportspace wagon idea, minus the wagon portion.

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Ignoring the gigantic wheels in Kia’s Optima sketches, this is a lot more or much less what we expect the production car to appear like. If that appears a bit far-fetched to you, contemplate how breakthrough the current-generation Optima’s styling was when it debuted. We dig the slim taillights, sloping roofline, and that muscular, squinty, front-finish style. We’ll get an even far better appear when the production version bows at the 2015 New York auto show. There, we’ll also ascertain what changes new the Optima is hiding beneath its high-style exterior.

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Optimized for Wow: Kia Previews Subsequent Optima Sedan, and It Appears Sharp

Honda N-Box Slash: Retro Appears, Puzzling Name, In no way Coming to America

Check out this boxy little flivver. It is the Honda N/, which you’re meant to pronounce “N-Box Slash.” It’s an effective tiny runabout that packs 10 pounds of retro style in a 5-ounce bag. And it’s by no means, ever coming to the U.S. industry. Sorry.

The N-Box Slash is the fifth model in Honda’s N-Series of kei automobiles, Japanese domestic market place subcompacts that appreciate tax breaks and urban parking perks in exchange for their postage-stamp size. By law, kei cars are no much more than 133.8 inches long, 58.2 inches wide, and 78.7 inches tall–in other words, they’ll match in an 11-foot-by-5-foot parking space.

Tiny size doesn’t mean absent style, though–the N-Box Slash comes in retro flavors ranging from Fiat 500-style gumdrop pastels to the black and chrome aesthetic of a pint-size hot rod. Inside, purchasers can decide on colors that evoke a 1950s diner or the wood paneling from Ron Burgundy’s pad, with seats that fold flat enough for, uh, sleeping?

This rolling box of kitsch will likely be powered by the .6-liter turbo 3-cylinder that motivates the rest of Honda’s N-Series microcars, according to Left Lane News. It goes on sale in Japan starting December 22nd. Aching for this retro style to come to North America? You’re out of luck. Possibly stick some dog-dish hubcaps on the box your refrigerator came in.

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Honda N-Box Slash: Retro Appears, Puzzling Name, In no way Coming to America

Report from California Agency Appears at Millennials, Child Boomers

Millennials are driving a higher require for a far more flexible auto insurance coverage market, whilst Infant Boomers are proving new possibilities for independent agents, according to a study from a common agency headquartered in San Diego, Calif.

A study from Personable Common Insurance Agency Inc., titled “Non-Common Auto: Independent Agency Trends Report,” shows the auto insurance coverage market is seeing a key shift in consumer base demographics, most notably in the average age of the largest client groups and their driving qualities.

The report states there are now a higher number of drivers who are Millennials, or these born right after 1980, and older Infant Boomers who were born just before 1964.

The report states: “These will be 2 crucial groups of consumers to monitor over the next decade for independent agents.”

Millennials will require insurers to be especially versatile, or even possibly lessen advertising and marketing efforts to that generation, because they usually live in cities where they work instead of surrounding suburbs like the generations ahead of them.

“They also tend to use much more alternatives to driving, such as public transportation and ridesharing solutions like Uber, Lyft, Sidecar, and so on. These factors, in addition to other existing conditions, have properly lowered the quantity of miles driven by this age group,” the report states.

Automobile miles driven by that age group shrunk by a quarter from 2001 to 2009, according to the report, which also shows adults between the ages of 18 and 34 bought 30 % fewer vehicles than they did in 2007.

While some could see this generation as representing waning chance, Ryan O’Connor, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Personable Insurance coverage, believes this demographic calls for far more innovative insurance coverage products and more flexibility.

“Millennials are an exciting arena proper now,” O’Connor mentioned. “We have a lot of young people who live in downtown areas, like San Diego for example, and barely drive. But they use Uber, Lyft, Sidecar. We require to ask ourselves: ‘Is there a policy that we need to produce for them the flexibility of when, say for example, they’re employing these services, or driving their friend’s automobile?’”

However, the report shows the massive chance for independent agents lies with Child Boomer consumers.

“With the oldest Boomers reaching 68 years of age, there are much more seasoned drivers on the road than ever before, and that quantity will continue to grow for at least the next 2 decades,” the report states.

The report cites statistics from AAA that suggests that almost 25 % of drivers on the road by 2025 will be age 65 or older. Those drivers appear to be modifying their driving behavior based on exiting health-related circumstances and driving capacity to be safer on the roads, the report states.

There were 4,079 drivers age 70 and older involved in fatal crashes in 2012, a 31 percent drop from 1997, according to the report.

Regardless of the possibilities O’Connor pointed to for Millennials, the report advises a targeting shift toward advertising and marketing far more heavily to Child Boomers.

“Considering this info, Child Boomers might be an essential customer group that your agency should concentrate its advertising and marketing efforts on, rather than Millennials, who seem to be shrinking in worth to the independent agent,” the report states.

Infant Boomers are loyal to their auto insurance providers, are much less cost-sensitive and are much more concerned about being correctly insured with a reputable business – they are therefore far more most likely to obtain a a lot more high-priced policy and continue to renew with in the future, the report notes.

Much more standard marketing strategies and a “personal touch” are advisable when advertising to this generation, according to the report.

“You could want to have your agents verify in regularly with these buyers to see if they have further insurance needs, to remind them when their policy is coming up for renewal, or even hand deliver their policy documents to them when proper,” the report states.

The report delves into Walmart and Overstock.com as examples of new huge entries into the insurance marketplace and how that is impacting independent agents, and what they can do about it.

Walmart has partnered with AutoInsurance.com and the coverages for Overstock.com come from key carriers secured by Insuritas. Each have sites that have been developed for direct integration with carriers, enabling customers to evaluate several choices swiftly and easily.

O’Connor said that although it is good for agents to use the latest technology and methods to battle for market share with the huge providers who are increasingly going through direct channels, the ideal factor they can do is to attain out to buyers in individual.

“They can offer that ‘I’m here’ factor,” O’Connor said. “That one particular-to-one is going to assist them keep relevant. Folks nevertheless want to speak to someone, to go in and speak to their producer or agent when they have questions. There’s no discount or ease of use that can beat independent agents’ understanding and individual touch.”

Kristen Nevins, corporate communications specialist for Personable Insurance, advised sharing private experiences with consumers to relate.

“You’re not going to get that when you get a policy quote on the internet,” she mentioned.

Personable Trends Report August 2014

Report from California Agency Appears at Millennials, Child Boomers

The Continental: Bugatti Veyron Successor Gets a Name, Topless Mercedes-AMG GTS Appears Unlikely

Each and every week, our German correspondent slices and dices the latest rumblings, news, and rapid-hit driving impressions from the other side of the pond. His byline might say Jens Meiners, but we basically contact him . . . the Continental.

Next year, we will lastly see the wild Bugatti Veyron 16.4‘s successor in the metal. I hear it’ll be known as the Chiron, just like the eponymous 1999 Bugatti idea automobile styled by Italdesign Giugiaro. You study it right here 1st. In case you had been asking yourself, the Chiron idea automobile appears to have taken its naming inspiration from early Bugatti racing driver Louis Chiron. Naturally, a cursory Google search returns far much more data for a various Chiron, who is apparently a notable centaur from Greek mythology.

No Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster

Challenging instances lay ahead for the Porsche 911. I have observed its nightmare, and it is the Mercedes-AMG GTS, Benz’s new sports automobile which is in the middle of a multi-stage launch. Starting with prototype drives and continuing with an ever-rising multitude of details on its powertrain and interior, Daimler is keeping suspense at a maximum. Complete info right here subsequent week.

Inside, the GTS is beautifully executed, with a stylized NACA duct in the center console and 8 cylindrical buttons mimicking a its engine’s V-8 cylinder arrangement. The most spectacular detail is the row of buttons positioned above the windshield. It lends a positively aeronautical look to this currently spectacular interior.

Power will come from the new M178 twin-turbocharged 4.-liter V-8 engine. Down the road, there will be a GT3 version, which will kind the basis for a customer racing series. But there won’t be a V-6 engine selection. And if Porsche ever decides to do a 4-banger 911, I am confident that the boys from Stuttgart will have that market all to themselves.

A roadster version of the AMG GTS is practically total, and at this point it demands small more than an executive yes/no selection. But a decision in the affirmative is unlikely to come, provided that the topless GT would undermine the position of the more prestigious SL. Currently under pressure from the upcoming S-class cabriolet that Daimler R&D board member Thomas Weber confirmed is on its way, an open-leading GT is the final thing the ailing SL would need to have standing beside it in the showroom.

Volkswagen to Empower the U.S.

The U.S. may possibly be Volkswagen’s most hard marketplace of late: Sales are effectively under expectations, and the vehicles are not in tune with the expectations of the typical American buyer. The design is perceived as cold and generic, and there is too little “news” or pizazz in the brand’s portfolio.

Now best management has given the U.S.-market operations a lot a lot more clout. Product cycles will be shortened to 5 years, in a 3–2 pattern: Following a model’s redesign, its very first key facelift will come following 3 years 2 years later, an totally new product will be ready. The 1st vehicle to which this life cycle will apply is the upcoming B-segment SUV, followed by the subsequent-generation Passat. Even just before that, in time for the 2016 model year, the current Passat will get a significant face lift. This update will give it a far far more aggressive and contemporary appearance.

To be clear, the new American-market life-cycle technique won’t be applied to the brand globally, but they have implications for markets exactly where U.S.-developed models are sold, such as China.

I have received more intel on the subsequent-gen VW Phaeton, which “is created and finished” as these words are published. Primarily based on the “MLB Evo” platform, the new Phaeton will be provided with several higher-powered engines, including a V-8 TDI with around 450 horsepower, a gasoline plug-in hybrid, and a W-12 (!).

Audi News, Electrically Supercharged Edition

Audi has just face-lifted its A6 and A7 models for the European industry, and now I’ve spent some time behind the wheel of the new A7 at the vehicle’s launch in Copenhagen. The updated A7 will come to the U.S. for the 2016 model year. The modifications, which include new headlights and taillights, bring the auto visually closer to the 2009 Sportback idea, which is a good factor.

The most fascinating model, apart from the ultra-effective RS7, is the A7 Competitors (pictured above), a leading-of-the-line diesel model with a twin-turbocharged V-6 TDI. Thanks to far more aggressive timing, optimized turbocharger bearings, and a distinct exhaust downpipe, it tends to make 326 horsepower (up to 346 horsepower beneath overboost situations). The sprint to 62 mph now requires merely a claimed 5.1 seconds, and top speed is governed somewhere north of 155 mph. (Audi is usually a bit more generous with its limiters than the competitors, so raise your expectations.)

But Audi has but a greater thought: Electric supercharging, which we have described in detail right after Audi let us attempt out an RS5 TDI with a twin-turbocharged, 385-horsepower diesel equipped with such a device. In Copenhagen, Audi had a pre-facelift A6 prototype with an electric supercharger for us to try, as nicely. With its engine primarily based on a 3.-liter V-6 TDI with a single turbocharger plus the e-superchargerr, it is rated at a healthful 326 horsepower. The motor doesn’t match the twin-turbo RS5 TDI concept’s sheer upper-rev energy, but it performed just as beautifully at step-off and at low rpm. I can’t wait to see this technology on the road.

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A  Cool Lada—No, Seriously!

Fairly significantly absolutely everyone missed out on the Moscow auto show, which is a pity. Lada unveiled the Vesta, a new compact sedan of unprecedented high quality (for the brand) and style. I like Ladas they are sincere vehicles with character. And the Vesta positive has lots of character.

The Continental: Bugatti Veyron Successor Gets a Name, Topless Mercedes-AMG GTS Appears Unlikely

The Continental: Bugatti Veyron Successor Gets a Name, Topless Mercedes-AMG GTS Appears Unlikely

Each and every week, our German correspondent slices and dices the newest rumblings, news, and swift-hit driving impressions from the other side of the pond. His byline may possibly say Jens Meiners, but we merely call him . . . the Continental.

Subsequent year, we will finally see the wild Bugatti Veyron 16.4‘s successor in the metal. I hear it’ll be called the Chiron, just like the eponymous 1999 Bugatti concept automobile styled by Italdesign Giugiaro. You read it right here first. In case you have been wondering, the Chiron idea automobile appears to have taken its naming inspiration from early Bugatti racing driver Louis Chiron. Naturally, a cursory Google search returns far more data for a various Chiron, who is apparently a notable centaur from Greek mythology.

No Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster

Challenging instances lay ahead for the Porsche 911. I have noticed its nightmare, and it is the Mercedes-AMG GTS, Benz’s new sports auto which is in the middle of a multi-stage launch. Starting with prototype drives and continuing with an ever-rising multitude of specifics on its powertrain and interior, Daimler is maintaining suspense at a maximum. Complete information right here subsequent week.

Inside, the GTS is beautifully executed, with a stylized NACA duct in the center console and 8 cylindrical buttons mimicking a its engine’s V-8 cylinder arrangement. The most beautiful detail is the row of buttons positioned above the windshield. It lends a positively aeronautical appear to this currently spectacular interior.

Power will come from the new M178 twin-turbocharged 4.-liter V-8 engine. Down the road, there will be a GT3 version, which will kind the basis for a client racing series. But there won’t be a V-6 engine choice. And if Porsche ever decides to do a 4-banger 911, I am confident that the boys from Stuttgart will have that market place all to themselves.

A roadster version of the AMG GTS is virtually full, and at this point it requirements little more than an executive yes/no decision. But a decision in the affirmative is unlikely to come, given that the topless GT would undermine the position of the far more prestigious SL. Already under pressure from the upcoming S-class cabriolet that Daimler R&D board member Thomas Weber confirmed is on its way, an open-best GT is the final point the ailing SL would require standing beside it in the showroom.

Volkswagen to Empower the U.S.

The U.S. may be Volkswagen’s most challenging marketplace of late: Sales are effectively beneath expectations, and the cars are not in tune with the expectations of the typical American buyer. The design and style is perceived as cold and generic, and there is also small “news” or pizazz in the brand’s portfolio.

Now best management has offered the U.S.-marketplace operations a lot much more clout. Solution cycles will be shortened to 5 years, in a 3–2 pattern: Following a model’s redesign, its first major facelift will come following 3 years 2 years later, an entirely new item will be prepared. The very first vehicle to which this life cycle will apply is the upcoming B-segment SUV, followed by the subsequent-generation Passat. Even before that, in time for the 2016 model year, the existing Passat will obtain a key face lift. This update will give it a far more aggressive and modern look.

To be clear, the new American-market life-cycle technique won’t be applied to the brand globally, but they have implications for markets where U.S.-made models are sold, such as China.

I have received much more intel on the next-gen VW Phaeton, which “is created and finished” as these words are published. Primarily based on the “MLB Evo” platform, the new Phaeton will be provided with many higher-powered engines, like a V-8 TDI with around 450 horsepower, a gasoline plug-in hybrid, and a W-12 (!).

Audi News, Electrically Supercharged Edition

Audi has just face-lifted its A6 and A7 models for the European industry, and now I’ve spent some time behind the wheel of the new A7 at the vehicle’s launch in Copenhagen. The updated A7 will come to the U.S. for the 2016 model year. The modifications, which contain new headlights and taillights, bring the automobile visually closer to the 2009 Sportback concept, which is a great issue.

The most fascinating model, apart from the ultra-powerful RS7, is the A7 Competitors (pictured above), a best-of-the-line diesel model with a twin-turbocharged V-6 TDI. Thanks to more aggressive timing, optimized turbocharger bearings, and a distinct exhaust downpipe, it makes 326 horsepower (up to 346 horsepower under overboost situations). The sprint to 62 mph now requires merely a claimed 5.1 seconds, and leading speed is governed somewhere north of 155 mph. (Audi is normally a bit more generous with its limiters than the competition, so raise your expectations.)

But Audi has yet a much better thought: Electric supercharging, which we have described in detail after Audi let us attempt out an RS5 TDI with a twin-turbocharged, 385-horsepower diesel equipped with such a device. In Copenhagen, Audi had a pre-facelift A6 prototype with an electric supercharger for us to try, as nicely. With its engine based on a 3.-liter V-6 TDI with a single turbocharger plus the e-superchargerr, it is rated at a wholesome 326 horsepower. The motor doesn’t match the twin-turbo RS5 TDI concept’s sheer upper-rev energy, but it performed just as beautifully at step-off and at low rpm. I can’t wait to see this technologies on the road.

---

---

A  Cool Lada—No, Seriously!

Quite much everyone missed out on the Moscow auto show, which is a pity. Lada unveiled the Vesta, a new compact sedan of unprecedented high quality (for the brand) and style. I like Ladas they are honest cars with character. And the Vesta sure has lots of character.

The Continental: Bugatti Veyron Successor Gets a Name, Topless Mercedes-AMG GTS Appears Unlikely