Meet the new Transportation Rockton, the newest member of the extended family of the Volkswagen Transporter full size. As the name suggests, Rockton and see a tougher version of the standard van with increased off-road capabilities. The combined variant is based on recently modernized and equipped with a Haldex-based all-wheel drive with a differential rear axle.
The affordable large car segment is starting to get just a little overcrowded, and in a time where customers all around the world are downsizing to smaller midsize models, performance, fuel-economy and overall value is now more important than ever.
South Korea’s entrants in this field have been winning plenty of accolades lately, especially newcomers like the Hyundai Genesis and the recently revealed Kia Cadenza, and now Hyundai looks set to continue this trend with a replacement for its aging Azera sedan, designed to meet the Germans on their own ground with a dramatic new look and packed with technology and features inside. While official information around the new Azera, which will be sold as the Grandeur in its home market, remains scarce, one of our South Korean readers, Jinhwan H. claims that word around local news sites is that the car will be offered locally with a choice of three engines. These include the Sonata's 2.4-liter GDI with 200hp and 184.4lb-ft torque, a 3.0-liter V6 GDI delivering 263hp and 225.7lb-ft torque plus a 3.0-liter LPI running on Liquefied Petroleum Gas with 230hp, 204.7lb-ft torque.
Spy Shot 2012 Hyundai Azera Sedan Concept
For the North American version there is talk about the 2012 Azera being offered with the 263HP 3.0-liter GDI V6 and a 3.3-liter GDI V6 producing 286HP and 254.6lb-ft torque, with power in both cases being transferred to the front wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission.
The 204HP model completes the 0-100 km/h (62mph) sprint in 7.7 seconds and reaches a top speed of 240 km/h (149 mph). Average consumption in the EU cycle comes to 7.4 liters per 100 km (31.79 US mpg) with 172 g CO2 per km (276.81 g/mile).
