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Autoblog Podcast #357

Episode #357 of the Autoblog podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth and Jeff Ross are joined by Jeff Glucker of Hooniverse.com. Topics include the SEMA Show, the Cadillac CTS being named the Motor Trend Car of the Year, Mitsubishi's near-term plans and the 2015 Subaru WRX. We start with what's in the garage and finish up with some of your questions, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. You can follow along after the jump with our Q&A. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #357:
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Mitsubishi readies trio of hybrid utility concepts for Tokyo

Mitsubishi has announced a trio of concept cars it will bring to the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show, set to kick off later this month. The three concepts all sport new, edgy styling that is quite a departure from the Mitsus we see here in the states.
First up, we have the Concept GC-PHEV, which we're guessing is the middle vehicle in the photograph up top, as it's supposed to be a larger SUV - think Outlander for this one. From a powertrain standpoint, it sounds quite impressive. A 3.0-liter, supercharged, MIVEC V6 syncs up with an electric motor and a plug-in battery pack, while an an eight-speed automatic transmission dispatches power to all four wheels.
Next, we have the Concept XR-PHEV. We're taking a step down from the GC here, as the XR is meant to compete in the compact-crossover market, which means this could pre-sage the next Outlander Sport. Like the GC, though, it takes advantage of a hybrid powertrain, with a turbocharged, 1.1-liter direct-injection engine providing the grunt. The front-driver also sports a lightweight motor and battery, although specific details about both are scarce. We're thinking the XR-PHEV is the smaller, red vehicle on the right of the image up top.

Japan could consolidate to three automakers by 2020

Sergio Marchionne might see his dream of big mergers in the auto industry become a reality, and an analyst thinks Japan is a likely place for consolidation to happen. Takaki Nakanishi from Jefferies Group LLC tells Bloomberg the country's car market could combine to just three or fewer major players by 2020, from seven today. "To have one or two carmakers in a country is not only natural, but also helpful to their competitiveness," Nakanishi told Bloomberg. "Japan has just too many and the resources have been too spread out. It's a natural trend to consolidate and reduce some of the wasted resources." Nakanishi's argument echoes Marchionne's reasons to push for a merger between FCA and General Motors. Automakers spend billions on research and development, but their competitors also invest money to create the same solutions. Consolidating could conceivably put that R&D money into new avenues. "In today's global marketplace, it is increasingly difficult for automakers to compete in lower volume segments like sports cars, hydrogen fuel cells, or electrified vehicles on their own," Ed Kim, vice president of Industry Analysis at AutoPacific, told Autoblog. Even without mergers, these are the areas where Japanese automakers already have partners for development. Kim cited examples like Toyota and Subaru's work on the BRZ and FR-S and its collaboration with BMW on a forthcoming sports car. Honda and GM have also reportedly deepened their cooperation on green car tech. After Toyota's recent buyout of previous partner Daihatsu, Nakanishi agrees with rumors that the automotive giant could next pursue Suzuki. He sees them like a courting couple. "For Suzuki, it's like they're just starting to exchange diaries and have yet to hold hands. When Toyota's starts to hold 5 percent of Suzuki's shares, this will be like finally touching fingertips," Nakanishi told Bloomberg. "I absolutely do believe that we are not finished seeing consolidation in Japan," Kim told Autoblog. Rising development costs to meet tougher emissions regulations make it hard for minor players in the market to remain competitive. "The smaller automakers like Suzuki, Mazda, and Mitsubishi are challenged to make it on their own in the global marketplace. Consolidation for them may be inevitable." Related Video: