Automotive Trends

We have to admit we were expecting a more extreme conversion to the off-road adventure-themed Beetle that was the star of this year’s Volkswagen press conference, but it turns out the Dune concept is just a sandy hill away from dealer showrooms. Or at least it looks that way. The Beetle uses the production 2.0-liter turbo four for power and packs an all wheel drive system but it’s been raised 2 inches for more ground clearance over the, well, presumably sand dunes, and the wheel/tire package is a bit more aggressive. Other than that we’re looking at a Beetle with a kyack rack and some extra lights. Would it sell? We doubt it, but the soft-roading crossover phase is reaching new heights everyday, so maybe VW already has this penciled into showrooms sometime in the next year.

The personal luxury coupe is a bit of an endangered species these days so we were excited to see Lexus offer one in the form of the RC 350. The nicely sized two-door features an intricately detailed version of Lexus’ giant front grille but here it works with the overall design that is also highlighted by beautiful wheels, stunning greenhouse and tidy rear end. The interior remains our biggest concern where, like all Lexus models of late, a design theme inspired by the late ’80s seems to be in place.  The RC 350 uses the corporate 3.5-liter V6 tuned to 314 hp to move it’s rear-wheel drive chassis through the corners but we’re even more excited for another NAIAS debut we’ve heard about where this car receives the full-monty F package and the delicious V8 that goes with it. Now that is the kind of personal luxury coupe we all want to see more of.

For 2015 the SUV side of Chevrolet’s lineup benefits from the same improvements that propelled the Silverado pickup to North American Truck of the Year honors. That includes the revised engine family now featuring direct-injection as well as the chassis improvements that yield an improved ride and quieter cabin. The interior is vastly improved with better materials and a car-like center stack design that puts everything within easy reach.