FOR MORE AUTO SHOW VIDEOS & NEWS VISIT: www.kbb.com 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Looking as if designers stretched and then blurred the rough edges of the previous model, the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is larger all the way around with increased length, wheelbase, passenger room and cargo space. Inside, Jeep has added more soft-touch premium-feel materials, and the wood trim and plastics are better integrated than in the previous model, with improved fit and finish. For more new car reviews, interviews and automotive news visit www.kbb.com today.
FOR MORE AUTO SHOW VIDEOS & NEWS VISIT: www.kbb.com Kelley Blue Book coverage of the BMW i3 and i8 Concepts shown at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show. In this video BMW’s Rich Steinberg chats with KBB’s Jack Nerad about the German brands range of upcoming electric and advanced hybrid vehicles.
A change in leadership is nigh in the exclusive segment that brings together ultra-dynamic business saloons with track-oriented drive and chassis technology. The new BMW M5 is poised to build on the tradition of its predecessors and once again redefine the performance experience available in a four-door car. Displaying the conceptual harmony, state-of-the-art technology and astonishingly dynamic handling for which BMW M cars have become renowned, the fifth-generation BMW M5 stirs the passion of keen drivers for top performance and blends it, in inimitable style, with the universal qualities of a top-class premium saloon. The most powerful engine ever fitted in a series-produced model from BMW M GmbH, the innovative Active M Differential - which optimises power transfer to the rear wheels - and model-specific chassis technology developed on the back of extensive racing expertise all secure the BMW M5 a dominant position in the high-performance saloon market. The new BMW M5 is a high-performance sports car whose exceptional dynamic potential is geared squarely to the demands of track use yet which also sets a new benchmark in everyday driving with its supreme touring comfort and innovative equipment features. It also sets the pace in its class in terms of efficiency. The car’s history of success in a segment founded more than 25 years ago by the original BMW M5 is set to continue in thrillingly contemporary style. Under the bonnet of the new BMW M5 lies a newly developed …
FOR MORE AUTO SHOW VIDEOS & NEWS VISIT: www.kbb.com The American auto industry would be very different without the pervasive influence of Robert A. Lutz, the former Marine fighter pilot known to the automotive press as Bob. The General Motors Vice Chairman will retire May 1, capping a 47-year career in the global auto industry that included senior leadership positions at four of the worlds leading automakers. Lutz rejoined GM in 2001, as the head of product development after holding top product positions at Ford, BMW and Chrysler. Kelley Blue Books Executive Editorial Director Jack R. Nerad caught up with Lutz at the GM executives last major market auto show, where he touted GMs newfound vision and predicted a strong future for the recently bankrupt automotive giant.
FOR MORE AUTO SHOW VIDEOS & NEWS VISIT: www.kbb.com The heavy-duty truck war is heating up. Dodge recently introduced an all-new Ram Heavy Duty and Ford’s new Super Duty is just on the horizon. Chevrolet used the wintry backdrop of the 2010 Chicago Auto Show to introduce its entrant into the ultra-capable pickup truck category, the new Silverado HD. In this video KBB’s Jack Nerad interviews Carl Hillenbrand, the Product Manager for Chevrolet Silverado, to learn the ins and outs of Chevy’s new heavy-duty truck. For more new car reviews, interviews and automotive news visit www.kbb.com today.
FOR MORE AUTO SHOW VIDEOS & NEWS VISIT: www.kbb.com Officially unveiled at the LA Auto Show, the 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid is the final piece in an impressive transformation saga that began last spring with the introduction of its new-gen conventional 2011 Optima siblings at the New York Auto Show. Kia’s first-ever hybrid offering in the US embellishes all of the impressive visual and functional elements that constitute the new Optima formula with an eco-oriented variation the automaker expects will deliver a class-leading 40 mpg EPA highway number along with a Kia-style value story.
FOR MORE AUTO SHOW VIDEOS & NEWS VISIT: www.kbb.com A promising contender for top honors in next-season’s great mileage-maxing derby, the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco combines a host of cost-effective fuel-saving features with some tasteful styling touches that are both functional and visually pleasing. While formal EPA numbers won’t be released until closer to its quarter-four on-sale date, Chevy says the most miserly version of its new front-drive compact is expected to net 40 mpg on the highway when fitted with the standard six-speed manual transmission.For buyers who want to add a bit more flash to their new 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, the Bowtie Boys created an optional dress-up combo group called the RS Appearance Package. Available on either the Cruze LT or top-line LTZ trim levels, it puts an even more pronounced but decidedly tasteful edge on the car’s already handsome lines.
FOR MORE AUTO SHOW VIDEOS & NEWS VISIT: www.kbb.com Latest entry to the ever-expanding premium mid-size hybrid market, the 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid made its initial appearance in New York prior to arriving at dealers this fall. The 2011 Lincoln MKZ uses Ford Gen II hybrid technology that matches a 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder gasoline engine with an electric motor that collectively turn out 191 horsepower. More important, Lincoln expects the 2011 MXZ Hybrid to deliver at least 41 mpg on the EPA city cycle, a stat that would give it a 6-mpg edge on the Lexus HS 250h, the vehicle viewed as its primary rival. Lincoln also pointed out that the front-drive MXZ Hybrid can travel at speeds up to 47 mph on pure electric power, nearly double the pace the Lexus can manage.
FOR MORE AUTO SHOW VIDEOS & NEWS VISIT: www.kbb.com In this video Kelley Blue Book’s Jack Nerad speaks with head of design for Jaguar Ian Callum. Ian walks Jack around the refreshed Jaguar XK, which also happens to be the super racy RS version of the car.
FOR MORE AUTO SHOW VIDEOS & NEWS VISIT: www.kbb.com With plenty of room, style, performance and practicality the Mercedes-Benz E-350 looks to be one cool wagon. On the practical side of things the E-350 offers nearly 70 cubic feet of cargo space and old-school rear-facing 3rd row seat. Spicing up the dynamic side of the equation are a standard 268-horsepower V6, seven-speed automatic transmission and standard 4MATIC all-wheel drive system. Add it all up and the Mercedes-Benz E-350 has a lot to offer car buyers who need the practicality of an SUV but prefer the ride and handling of a sedan.
