Car Tech Live 199: Special from the Detroit auto show

-- -- -- key and this big guy is what the key. KB 787. After -- concept from Kia. And -- They're better known for taking concerts and actually make him in the production cars if you look at this console sold radio -- today. We both came out as concepts and hit the streets looking pretty much like they're. Concert versions -- and not totally homogenized lieutenant to servers exactly so this car. Is had a key is an idea of a minivan but truck like design very. Vertical grill yet been we have is very content like -- -- interior. Real Ford -- the unit's side profile absolutely and -- they didn't they're not really putting humans in the ground here right to slam -- flying again but then again you have is going door which will never make him -- -- -- production. Wooden floor lounge like -- sustainable bamboo to. Value of icons up like that which you may light up and and a desperate really. Moves out to you when you get in the car and -- did not lose about six inches now it separates away from the front panel car there charging -- you don't tailgate here. Because there is don't rely own seat in the back that wraps around. So this is gone and got that. That rolling -- -- -- -- Europe. This is like the rolling. Your own nightclub and -- things are -- -- and it's gonna this is gonna -- families like most minivans -- as the car for with the help ringleaders. Which are -- -- I've got a bunch of friends were -- plan an outing him out on the town constable Michael. This is this is research demographic access right but what's actually kind of realistic levels are they didn't specify there you -- which -- direct injection. Two liter engine for the to drive -- -- that's a small motor for vehicles got some pretty it's not asked to donate five horsepower will get the stars really have a small displacement is nice. Now this is obviously you don't wanna we're hoping that they might bring -- production relatively light you also that the city sonic is a story along as -- until December sonic I've -- -- the car from concept to production. Man that car. Originally 2007 we saw three small cars from city. And made it clear that little competition dad was the tracks the beach in the spark yeah and eventually. The -- was the one that they released in Europe. -- said in a release it here but I think they felt it was too funky looking. So they ended up with with the -- view sonic the college which is actually good replacement for the video. Okay so that replaces the available bottom looked very bottom of the line of cars are probably 15161000. So -- little yellow -- just to give a collector's item it. Let -- and Marines and a bad anymore good the big story of the sonic isn't actually illegal in the US space and adding jobs here -- -- -- -- factory and everything which is pretty cool yeah and there's a they're -- for small car to be built in the US. That's a super small size exactly like fiesta is -- -- Mexican. Enjoys far route to Mexico where they come from Asia -- live mail was diluted uses that I would vehicle that's right -- -- -- -- -- -- at the big partnership era it still some of the -- elements that. We're in the concept for the the sonic. -- this crazy looking instrument cluster that. These additives are by motorcycle design tools you'll module has one -- -- -- that one big pot dad's got a little screen next to the gauges that it's very -- yes it's about the steering column. They also have the that the rear door handles that seems like -- So there -- an iPod right right now and it's convenient. But this is a tiny tiny small car I can give me before people and maybe this should -- you look -- it it. Friends when you are. Compact car guru I am. I moved my -- tiny -- that fewer mister rice rocket exactly here we are with a better -- But what this is below poster below served bluster and a lot early to know that pronouncement -- and its load little expect we've got a little preview the -- before the -- started. What's interesting about this form factor is we're seeing right here's one Dora the driver effectively it's little 32 -- rather who put on the other side. There actually -- really do it right exactly. The idea being that which -- -- doors it's easier to into the backseat but then also they swing felt less seeking exclusive tool at your -- Bargains there's even states in May be needed to get into the car so I guess hand. Asia or England they put the two north on the site. Probably yeah they're gonna -- do troubled about flipping it right that the mean if there are already -- on the track. And 82 doors that swing on the traffic over there means you're less likely to play it there's the big boy than over there -- Ten RX eight style via a little bit -- -- -- on the ones that where the authority kind of -- suicide doors down. These things -- -- -- on a post exactly which is interesting each other or collapse as opposed to locking on each other like -- suicide -- -- inside this cabin looking -- what current. Genesis dial the other thing that it's -- -- motorcycle Linspire they get as big. To colleges put invited me cluster him and isn't that what's interesting is that we've -- a -- new blue links software that we saw did you CBS last. Right but then we've also got a couple of -- For -- infotainment system first being pandora radio integration. Through the app so you have like -- -- to sort through my phone right. Kind of partnered up with the -- -- policy that she either USB or Bluetooth depending on your phone -- and then the head unit will take over from the -- and allow you to -- -- -- -- and maybe now more. -- -- -- -- It's not pushing gonna -- like Tony and soon it's gonna locally installed all locally installed on your he's here and we've seen that -- -- before beyond that -- the display in the interface is still heads and look briefly. -- com. You mentioned blue -- and this is what they're on star it's -- -- they're on sides until -- system intended only you know you can do things like city ransom last -- Maybe turn by turn direction beamed into your car you can also. You know -- -- the -- of -- anything to do it is notably an activity you would expect from one -- seem like the blue links. But checklist of the need to do you travel Anna -- They're what powers the sky anything interesting well one point six liter direct injected into how the guidelines and that -- -- 138 horsepower. So you're looking at about Ford Fiesta hourly rates -- -- look at. Hyundai actually went out of the winds that are really hot car and out and instead it's the kind of -- you can drive at 910 and not lose your life. -- -- -- Not -- to slow progress on the -- sixty Fiat you can revenue 1110s of your. Ability -- -- still enjoys the agreement the idea being there in defending handling. Over outright power -- Hill in our power of the advantages to -- -- they see ours is exactly kind of -- weeks. -- -- car with a thing it's funny degree -- the idea that in the press conference they were actually taken potshots and a lot of will be reviewed here competitors they're saying that. This doesn't get about forty miles per gallon with a dual clutch transmission -- more than the COZ -- on the hybrid and hybrid which is slightly. We've been -- -- carbon beginning like everybody I -- -- the idea of the city. -- Speaking of this -- This doesn't bring distinctive look to me that they cut humble hack yeah it's really become line here is fooled me I thought -- -- one of those articulated Texas region have like. The rear deck -- the whole thing that would assist the whole -- -- get to keep that great an affinity identity expensive but a lot of cool design going on here 'cause the opposite of what you feel. The new concepts -- it looks like. -- the news conference today they've got and if I coupe and a standard -- They're both concepts we can look inside of them and on the abandoned. The profile leaves silhouette hasn't changed and -- -- -- until -- review unit looks real. Similar together in the front end of a lot more aggressive the rear -- has some new they had until it's gonna look a bit more angular. You know when you can see the details the sculpting inside the card and it looks a little bit wider maybe a little bit more -- -- -- -- It's. Gonna get and rude mean and even look like red -- normally you -- -- out and then fall back -- exactly this cold back and all that delivers security concepts. The completely yes true so this is it's an underwhelming look for the separate -- what's important is there -- -- they did tell us which is -- for one. They're aiming at forty -- forgot how -- experimenting indeed kind of and once it was just gonna go read up again. It's okay they're also saying that -- civic hybrid will be back. With the new lithium ion battery technologies I'm looking forward to seeing that and then also. Police do we are seeing that this city TX is probably didn't. The gas is compressed gas that we -- saying -- even as those rewards that few fleets in the alien wearing natural gas enterprise there was exclusive that it's not and it is gonna come back in the next generation and it's also gonna -- Wider distribution right now it's only four statements -- the snakes and when it comes out. And in the -- twelve model actually -- nationwide distributor who is behind this thing I have no clue -- apparently enough people are buying. -- -- -- -- -- that it will not die on us that it blows up isn't. -- we've heard for so long. About folks who do their own Prius plug in conversions right -- cars -- -- guys and all that and finally two is doing their -- this is the real plug in great so it's about time you have to have been crying for bulldoze it or your. How are we have a plug in front there. We'll put a hold back here -- this -- that's for -- and has a little Odessa that's out so cute. Three hour charge on this guy to get. Rescue thirteen months -- came out with -- much right. So I don't know where this all fits in the consumer's mind of the standard hybrid. The plug in hybrid. Electric cars are coming on the market started to get this feeling there's a lot of complications. It is electrified powered versions of Ford's got their focus battery -- coming out. Which will be used to be like the -- closer to a hundred miles of Bermuda and charge you what do you think the plug ins are gonna -- -- usually get a plug in. Hybrid reportedly go. Where -- -- I think it's that sort of people who have been modified and -- -- crying for a plugin and then you can get a hundred miles per gallon using this thing. I think their friends who didn't want to pay for the -- conversion. They have an option they way to get it was from the factory right -- -- of the lithium ion battery. Which is not the state standard with a Prius which uses nickel metal hybrid -- right right right. It's also got. It literally -- up about sixty miles per hour under electric power yet alone elegantly thirteen miles no matter how -- and it's gonna get out of it. So this is an area to -- to be made kinda -- -- -- where if you only have a short drive each day you may never use any gas really short -- to put that extra five miles. Yeah yeah we get a black that you -- to -- -- six and a half miles each way back and forth to work email I get that -- -- this thing. Forget the grocery stores productivity is its there's something about this it's a little bit disturbing to me building complicated but we also saw the seeds the the Prius -- rolled out. Right now the end of the two different Prius is of this this one of them is Timorese and the reason these ads up on Hamas defiant. Yes building your -- little longer more space is instantly fifty or 60% more cargo space so -- starting to move the Prius into my we've we've talked about on the podcast before. -- -- family -- cars. Not to disable the previous empowered her -- basically as it. Currently gets to the of -- -- drops it's a much bigger car and it goes down to something in the area of 38. Highway 42 city. Versus the current 51 city 49 highway -- averaging about forty with Allen and that he wouldn't write small print exactly about ten miles apart. It's a pretty good hair cut you're taking but I guess since August problem worse days I think they're talking about the pre is the is in the family wagon and running -- the friendly Prius I received a lot of arguing your grandmother's house -- -- for the kids -- versus the more you know. Childless households to progressive geeks and to the original Prius sedan that are expanding their market -- not exactly what to do that from from one from one fringe group to another. And then there's over there would take -- look at that that little prototype Prius C. Which with the CR secrecy in a way it looks like Theres the bright you know and Russert and his opening -- seen in my view toward it. TCH -- -- they rolled out a year ago. That's right that actually is a similar lines on the hood is exactly the thing you that it. The rear of a little bit they're -- -- about a little differently I do like is -- the idea of having a small quick. Previous. Unlike -- CRZ which -- -- small not quick. On that's -- -- like that hopefully they'll do that whole thing right here and -- -- it's smaller than the current -- I don't think you'll get better fuel economy. Me in this is gonna be a lot that are in the current residents of could be an averaging sixty miles per gallon -- be pretty cool that be nice except. Given those forty looks and maybe the good handling. Don't I'm gonna start doing your drive and -- they'd like it to happen. I'd say about maybe thirty miles -- -- month review of equipment and.