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Buick Velite is a not-so-Volt-like plug-in hybrid concept for China

Is the Buick Velite a Volt by any other name? That's a question worth asking after General Motors said that the Buick Velite concept vehicle will make its global debut at the Guangzhou Auto Show later this month. GM says the car "will provide a template for upcoming models being launched under the Buick Blue new energy vehicle strategy." Whether that means the Velite is a variant of the second-generation of the Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in is open to interpretation. Some automotive publications, including Autoweek, are saying that's the case, but GM China doesn't mention the Volt in its press release, only saying that the car is a "high-performance" plug-in hybrid vehicle. As we know, GM doesn't use the "PHEV" descriptor for the Volt, which makes us thing the Velite's powertrain is more like the Cadillac CT6 PHEV. Either way, the concept was developed by the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC), which is a joint venture between GM and Shanghai-based SAIC. As far as the name, GM has been shopping the Velite moniker around for a while now. The automaker first used Buick Velite for the convertible concept vehicle it showed off at the 2004 New York Auto Show. More recently, GM in 2014 filed to use the name for the US variant of its Opel Cascada four-seat convertible model, which debuted in 2013. As for the second-generation version of the Volt, that model appears to be gaining favor in the US. Domestic sales of the Volt through October have surged 64 percent from a year earlier to more than 18,500 units. The new version boosted its all-electric range by 40 percent to 53 miles while increasing its power output by 20 percent. Related Video: News Source: General Motors via Autoweek, Automotive News-sub.req. Green Buick Chevrolet Electric Hybrid PHEV buick velite

Chevrolet FNR is a sharp vision of the future in Shanghai

The Shanghai Motor Show is about more than just displaying the latest extended-wheelbase luxury sedans to the Chinese populace. Chevrolet is taking advantage of the event to debut its vision of the future of motoring with the FNR concept, and the capsule looks like it could be fresh from off the set of Blade Runner. The FNR imagines what a fully autonomous, electric vehicle might look like many years from now and is meant to appeal to young, Chinese consumers. The concept's design from the minds at GM's Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center does a pretty neat magic trick, too. Most times it's a mass of glass and curving lines that looks very sci-fi, but then the dragonfly doors open upwards to reveal some knife-edged angles in the styling, as well. As a cutting-edge concept, this capsule is also packed with futuristic tech. Power comes from magnetic hubless electric motors in each wheel, and it could charge wirelessly. Crystal lasers generate the headlights and taillights, and radar in the roof would allow scanning the surroundings for autonomous driving. The interior is similarly imaginative as the rest of the styling. Passengers are enveloped in blue light while sitting in mostly mesh chairs with huge bolsters. Keys have been done away with entirely in favor of iris recognition. Once on the road, the front seats even swivel around to more easily talk with rear passengers. Check it all out in the gallery above for a glimpse a Chevy's vision of what might be next. Related Video: Chevrolet-FNR and All-New Chevrolet Malibu Make Global Debut at Shanghai GM Gala Night 2015-04-19 SHANGHAI – Two Chevrolet models, the Chevrolet-FNR and all-new Malibu, made their global debut this evening at Shanghai GM Gala Night. They were joined by the Bolt EV concept and the 2015 Captiva, which made their China debut. The new models were introduced as Shanghai GM celebrates the 10th Anniversary of its Chevrolet brand in China. They will appear alongside 12 other models on the Chevrolet display at Auto Shanghai 2015, this year's leading auto show in China, which starts tomorrow. Chevrolet-FNR The Chevrolet-FNR is an autonomous electric concept vehicle that offers a glimpse at mobility of the future. It was developed in Shanghai by GM's Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC) joint venture. Engineering, design and electrification teams drew on their past experience developing electric concept vehicles.

Porsche, Jaguar continue dominance in 2015 JD Power APEAL study

The top of JD Power's 2015 APEAL Study has not changed much in the last year. Porsche remains No. 1 with Jaguar nipping at its heels, although both premium brands saw their overall score fall compared to 2014. For those that need a refresher, the APEAL Study looks at how "gratifying" a vehicle is to own and drive, rating cars and brands on a 1,000-point scale. The industry average for 2015 has increased from 794 to 798, while the total number of automakers that finished above the curve increased from 16 to 20. While Porsche and Jaguar finished at the top, their scores dropped eight and seven points, respectively, to 874 and 855. The top "non-premium" brand was Mini, which scored an impressive 825, up from 795. If the BMW-owned British marque is still a bit too premium for your tastes, last year's non-premium winner, Hyundai, did climb five points and is this year's runner up. At the opposite end of the scale, Smart sits at the very bottom of the rankings, with a score of 683 (it didn't appear on the 2014 rankings). Fiat also dropped, from fourth worst in 2014 to second worst in 2015, despite the 500 being named most appealing city car. Subaru made an impressive climb, from third worst to seventh, falling just 10 points shy of the industry average and two points south of the non-premium average. In the individual vehicle segments, eight brands earned multiple awards, with Ford, Chevrolet, and Porsche earning three apiece. Surprise segment victories included the new Ford Expedition, which beat out Chevy's popular Suburban. The Infiniti QX80 bested the likes of the Cadillac Escalade and Range Rover for best large luxury SUV, and the Dodge Challenger beat its muscle car rivals from Ford and Chevy. Most of the victories, though, were quite predictable. The Mazda6 and CX-5 took wins for the midsize sedan and compact SUV categories respectively, while the Volkswagen Golf captured the compact car win. The Ford F-150 won the large pickup category, while the Porsche Cayman was named most appealing compact premium sporty car. Check out the official release on the 2015 APEAL Study, available below, from JD Power. 2015 U.S. APEAL Study Results The latest safety-related technologies are among the drivers of customer satisfaction with new vehicles, according to the J.D. Power 2015 U.S.