Ford of Europe CEO Stephen T. Odell announced a “groundbreaking” new vehicle set to debut at the Geneva Auto Show at the beginning of March, but gave no details as to the nature of the car.
Some have speculated that the car could be an larger version of the Fiesta, dubbed the B-Max, that would take on cars like the Honda Fit. Presumably, an alternative powertrain would be part of the package, since a small compact hatch isn’t exactly what we’d call “groundbreaking”
[Source: AutoExpress]
A fascinating interview with Jaguar‘s Adrian Hallmark, that appeared in Automobile Magazine, gave some key insights into Jaguar’s future, and the rapid changes in the auto industry that have taken place in the latter half of the 2000′s.
Hallmark, formerly of the VW Group (where he was posted at Bentley) and Saab, discusses not only Jaguar product plans for the future, but companies that he sees as successful at transitioning from the old market place, where the U.S. was the key market and niche products reigned supreme, to a new model where crossovers and sedans must co-exist and the needs of emerging markets like China have to be met to ensure corporate survival.
The meat and potatoes of Jag’s lineup will remain, but some enticing new additions are set to appear. Look for a new XJ Coupe, featuring a short wheel-base, no B-pillar and unique styling, something that Hallmark says is “much more dynamic and emotional than a Mercedes CL.”
Hallmark would like a small sports car, but claims it wouldn’t be produced in sufficient volumes, so a smaller, more accesible Jag is in the cars – but fear not, as it won’t be a return to the declasse X-Type. “Not many 35-year-olds can afford a long-wheelbase XJ,” he says. ”So we’ve got to bring in cars that are more affordable to younger buyers, but believe me we are not looking at the lowest-price BMW 3-series or Audi A4. We’ll have premium products at the very top of each segment we operate in.” Furthermore, Hallmark says that markets like China and India still like sedans more than crossovers, but that doesn’t mean the idea of a Jag SUV is dead. Far from it. Hallmark views Porsche as a model for success, and the way they were able to take advantage of VW’s Touraeg architecture (a concept he elaborates on in-depth) means that Jaguar will likely consult with Land Rover when the time comes.
[Source: Automobile Magazine]
Fiat is hoping to eliminate haggling from the buying experience of the new 500 small car, in what the company claims is a bid to eliminate a stressful process for younger buyers.
Speaking to Automotive News, Fiat USA head Laura Sove stated that “The pricing is the pricing.” “The younger generation doesn’t haggle. They don’t feel comfortable with it. They hate the experience.”
Fiat dealers have been briefed on the regulations, including a ban on advertising cars below MSRP. Soave also noted the expected popularity of the automatic gearbox version, claiming that younger customers “never learned how to drive a manual and they have no interest in driving a manual.”
[Source: Automotive News]
Volkswagen is planning to spread the platform love with its new Up city car, with Czech subsidiary Skoda being the first VW division to get the tiny car, with a SEAT-branded version to follow.
Packaged as a three-door five-seater, a 1.0L gasoline engine and a 1.2L diesel engine will be offered, with an all-electric version to follow. Starting at less than $10,000, the Up variants will go against the Toyota iQ and other cars deemed too small for North American tastes.
With Skoda and SEAT representing downmarket brands for VW in Europe, giving them the minicars is a no-brainer, and we expect them to be very popular, especially in light of how a Volkswagen Golf is something of a luxury good in high-tax countries.
[Source: Inside Line]
With hatchbacks playing a significant role in auto markets outside North America, the Chevrolet Cruze hatchback will bow at this year’s Geneva Auto Show, where Chevrolet will try and further its push into the European market with a well-targeted product like the 5-door Cruze.
While Chevrolet showed a concept version at the Paris Auto Show this past September, the production Cruze will retain the same styling and come with a 2.0L diesel 4-cylinder making 165 horsepower, with a 6-speed manual as standard equipment. The Cruze has been a strong seller across the world, despite only being offered as a sedan, and the hatchback version will undoubtedly add significant sales volume in other regions. No plans have been announced as far as bringing the car over to the United States, but with Ford and Hyundai’s moves towards compact 5-doors, it’s certainly feasible.
[Source: World Car Fans]
As part of the new joint venture between Fiat and Chrysler, the two companies will build 280,000 SUVs a year at the new Fiat facility near Turin, Italy. The SUVs will be produced for the Alfa Romeo and Jeep brands.
The Alfa SUV, the first for the 101-year-old sports car maker, will compete with offering from Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, while providing a replacement for the Jeep Compass and Patriot. Of the 280,000 cars built per year, a little more than half of the vehicles will be Jeeps, with approximately the same amount going to North America. Fiat execs see the Alfa SUV as critical to the brand’s re-introduction to North America in 2013. The same platform will also underpin a replacement for the Dodge Caliber compact car.
[Source: Automotive News]
The Fiat 500 just missed the now coveted 40 mpg mark, returning 30 mpg in the city and 38 mpg highway with the 5-speed manual, while automatic versions will net 27 mpg in town and 34 mpg while cruising. While the numbers are nothing to frown about, expectations were higher considering the car’s 1.4L four-cylinder engine and compact packaging.
The Hyundai Elantra, Chevrolet Cruze and Ford Focus will all offer 40 mpg capability with more practicality, but we doubt they’ll be as fun to drive. With that said, the $15,995 price point is fairly close to the three compacts, and we expect the lines to be drawn according to those who desire an all-purpose, efficient car versus something stylish and sporty.
Mercedes-Benz will launch a new front-drive model for the United States market, aimed at capturing sales from a younger demographic, as the company seeks to stay competitive with rivals BMW and Audi.
A coupe and SUV have been confirmed for an expected 2013 launch, while a third variant is under considering. Mercedes is evaluating both a convertible and a shooting brake – a body style similar to the recently unveiled Ferrari FF – as possible candidates. The coupe model has been described as a close styling relative to the Mercedes-Benz CLS, while the SUV will do battle with the BMW X1 and upcoming Audi Q3.
The A-Class and B-Class compact hatchbacks (seen above) will also be built on the same architecture, but so far there are no plans to sell either in the United States, though Canada will almost certainly continue to get the B-Class, which is currently sold in that market.
[Source: Automotive News]
Although the current MKVI Volkswagen Golf has only been on the market since 2009, the car will have an extremely short product cycle, as Volkswagen confirmed that the next generation car will debut “end of 2012 or early 2013″.
Although German media reports said that the car will hit showrooms in November of 2012, VW declined to divulge specifics. The new Golf will be built on the all-new cost saving MQB platform, but will follow the new Audi A3, the first vehicle to go on sale using the MQB chassis. The MQB platform will be shared across a substantial number of brands, and is expected to underpin 3 million vehicles per year.
[Source: Reuters]
BMW has always been known for their trademark inline-6 engines, but the recent industry-wide trend of downsizing has led to BMW adopting turbocharged four-cylinder engines as an alternative to smaller, naturally aspirated I6 engines in the name of efficiency.
First to get the turbo-4 treatment is the X1 small crossover, although Jim O’Donnell, head of BMW USA, said that more are on their way. Likely candidates for this engine are the 3-Series and Z4, whose rivals, like the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, SLK and Audi A4 and A5 already offer a turbo 4-cylinder as the base engine. The X3 could also be a candidate, as Audi’s Q5 shares the same 2.0T engine and doesn’t seem to fare any worse than its 6-cylinder siblings.
Expect an announcement at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November. With the X1 hitting 60 mph in about 6 seconds while returning a smidge under 30 mpg on the European highway cycle, we’re pretty optimistic that these new BMW four-bangers will be just fine.
[Source: MotorAuthority]
Some driving schools teach you the rules of the road. Others show you how to get the most out of your car while driving at the limit on a closed circuit. A rarefied few, like BMW‘s facility in the former East Germany, can show you how to get away with life and limb intact should you ever come under an armed assault.
With BMW’s lineup of factory armored cars, sold under the BMW Security lineup, are frequently sold to customers who live in locales where the rule of law isn’t always stringently enforced. The armor plating helps these types of BMW owners defend themselves against bullets or bombs, but the other half of the equation is driving training. The BMW facility, stationed at a former Soviet airbase, is a prime location to teach evasive driving maneuvers, and as the video below explains, it’s pretty badass.
[Source: BMW]
Video after the jump
Volvo will reduce the number of models sold in the United States as part of their effort to bump up sales. While Volvo currently sells nine models in the United States, three of them are expected to be cut.
The first victim is expected to be the V50 wagon, a car well regarded by the automotive press but largely ignored by the buying public. Speaking to Automotive News, Volvo’s U.S. chief Doug Speck said that the S60 sedan and XC60 and XC90 crossovers will remain the focus of the brand. That leaves the C70 convertible, C30 small coupe, XC70 crossover, S40 compact sedan and S80 large sedan left as potential candidates for culling.
Volvo sells 50 percent fewer cars than it did at its peak in 2004. One dealer lamented the lack of green products as a major handicap, noting Volvo’s typical owner profile and their frequent association with environmental causes. “The very seriously lacking element in the United States is that we have exactly zero green products — no diesel, no hybrids, nothing,” said Kjell Bergh, a Minneapolis-area Volvo dealer.
[Source: Automotive News]
Unfortunately we have no photos of the Saab 9-5 SportCombi to show you, but considering how wild the 9-5 sedan looks, we’re very excited to see the wagon version debut at March’s Geneva Auto Show.
The last 9-5 wagon was never a runaway success, but within the niche of luxury wagons, it was a well regarded product. Many an enthusiast lusted after the 9-5 Aero wagon, but Saab is going to need more than a handful of quirky professionals to keep them in business this time around.
With a turbocharged V6 and all-wheel-drive, the SportCombi will have the “sport” part of the equation covered, but some interested features, like a sealed storage compartment under the floor (meant for wet items) sound interested, while the “adaptable multi-fold floor” and ”flexible U-rail load space configuration” will have to be seen in person before we can tell if its marketing spin or a feature that matters.
[Source: Carscoop]
The launch of the 2012 Fiat 500 may present some problems for parent company Chrysler, as only 20 percent of Fiat franchises will be ready to go in time for the vehicle’s launch in late February.
In addition, the initial batch of cars will only have manual transmissions, even though Fiat expects most 500s to be ordered with a 6-speed automatic gearbox. Those cars won’t arrive until March or April. Chrysler launched their first Fiat dealership this month in Los Angeles.
[Source: Autoweek]
Volkswagen fanboys can rejoice at the news of VW of America’s CEO Jonathan Browning’s announcement that he wants to see the Scirocco sports coupe make its way to the United States.
Speaking to USA Today, Browning remarked that “I’d love to … We were not able to make the case to bring it in this (product) cycle, but in the future, I’d love to see it here in the U.S.” Volkswagen is currently launching the Golf R, a high performance variant of the GTI, and a new Scirocco could potentially cannibalize sales of the Golf R.
In addition, VW’s mainstream products, like the New Beetle and Passat are being re-designed and resources are liklely being diverted to those product lines, which will drive more sales than the niche sports coupe.
[Source: USA Today]
Volkswagen‘s famous 1.4L twincharged engine, which uses both a supercharged and turbocharger to squeeze 170 horsepower from 1.4L, could be axed shortly due to its costliness and mechanical complexity.
While the engine has garnered substantial praise from both consumers and the motoring press, Volkswagen engineers say that current turbocharging technology can achieve the same power and fuel economy benefits without the complexity and expense of a twincharger setup.
[Source: Autocar]
A report from Britain’s Autocar magazine is claiming that BMW‘s Megacity electric car will exceed the Nissan Leaf’s sticker price of £23,350 (or about $37,000 USD) due to both the advanced technology used on the Megacity and BMW‘s premium positioning.
The Megacity will have a number of groundbreaking features; an aluminum chassis that will resist corrosion, a passenger compartment made of carbon fiber and an electric motor with a 1-speed gearbox. One benefit of the Megacity is that the significantly smaller number of parts will make production more efficient, but the savings will not be passed onto consumers. “BMW is a premium product and electric mobility will not be cheap,”said Autocar’s source.
[Source: Autocar]
The number 9 signifies both longevity and excellence in China, and with Ferrari selling its 999th car in the Asian nation, what better time to celebrate?
Johnson Zhang took delivery of the milestone vehicle, a brand new 458 Italia, at a ceremony overseen by Ferrari CEO Amadeo Felisa. “For Ferrari, China represents the present and the future. It is a great country where we continue to invest. I’m convinced that in a couple of years, we’ll reach sales of 500 cars per year, a number equal to established European markets,” he told Auto Express.
Ferrari has been increasingly focused on China, with product debuts at the Shanghai Auto Show, and an art car collaboration with Chinese artist Lu Hao.
[Source: AutoExpress]
As part of Ford‘s “One World” plan, a single platform will be used across all markets worldwide. While we reap the benefits with the all-new Focus and C-Max, there can be trade-offs when different markets require different attributes in a vehicle. With the Ford Vertrek Concept, unveiled today at the Detroit Auto Show, the Blue Oval is hoping to synchronize the very American Escape SUV, and the equally European Kuga compact crossover.
Styling-wise, the Vertrek takes after the Kuga, as it abandons the Escapes boxy sheet metal for a fluid look that utilizes Ford’s new design language. Cargo room is comparable to the Escape, suggesting a bigger footprint than the Kuga, while a 1.6L Ecoboost 4-cylinder and a Ford TDCi diesel will be offered (with the latter likely for Europe only).
A start-stop system as well as a mild regenerative braking system will also be offered, with Ford touting as much as 10 percent less C02 emissions, and an equivalent bump in fuel economy thanks to the new technologies. While the Vertek is officially billed as a concept, expect to see the production version to look nearly identical to what was seen at Detroit.
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Volkswagen‘s New Midsize Sedan will debut at the 2011 North American International Auto Show in Detroit this month, as part of VW’ quest to increase sales in American to 800,000 units by 2018.
The NMS, like its smaller sibling, was designed with the North American market in mind, and will compete head-to-head with the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. This has caused concern for loyal Volkswagen fans, but the company cites the move to a larger, more American-like vehicle as necessary if Volkswagen is to increase volume in the United States.
Volkswagen will also build the car at its new facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Pricing is expected to start at around $20,000, and both gasoline and diesel powertrains will be offered.
[Source: Automotive News]
AutoGuide’s 2011 Detroit Auto Show coverage starts January 10th. Until then, see our complete Detroit Auto Show preview here.
Everyone’s favorite sports car is set to get a bit smaller in it’s next generation, as reports claim that the base engine in the 2012 Porsche 911 will move from its current 3.6L to a more compact 3.4L displacement.
With the Boxster Spyder putting out 320 horsepower from a 3.4L motor, a bump to an output of around 340 horses is not unreasonable, while the Carrera S models get a 3.8L mill putting out just under 400 horsepower. Weight will be reduced by 45 pounds, while the wheelbase is set to grow by about half an inch. The 911 will bow at the Frankfurt auto show in September.
[Source: World Car Fans]
Ken Block’s Gymkhana videos are a lot of sound and fury but ultimately signify nothing. A combination of great editing, a specially prepared car and an unrivaled hype machine has propelled Block to the top of the Youtube heap. But his newest video, barely 2 minutes in length, is genuinely awesome.
Piloting a 1978 Ford Escort through an upstate New York rally course, the video is unfortunately brief but manages to dose you with just enough vintage rally goodness to keep you satiated. Check it out below, after the jump.
[Source: Jalopnik]
Renault is already one of the auto industry’s leaders in electric vehicles, investing enormous sums in the Better Place battery swap technology and introducing one of the first mass-market electric cars with their Nissan division, in the form of the Leaf hatchback.
Although Renault is set to introduce the all-electric Z0e in 2012, the small hatchback will only have a range of 100 miles. Renault is hoping to increase that to 150 miles by 2015 thanks to new chemical compounds in the cars battery pack. Britain’s Autocar magazine suggests that by 2025, range could be up to as much as 300 miles. While Europeans generally have shorter driving distances, a 300 mile EV would go a long way to soothe the fears of North Americas, and make the idea of a battery powered car a lot more palatable.
