Author: yoann besnard

Chevrolet unveils a cheaper diesel-powered Captiva
Chevrolet has reshuffled the Captiva’s range by adding a new entry-level diesel, while keeping the same 148bhp engine.
Until now, the entry-level for a diesel-powered Captiva costed £20,395, or £3,400 more expensive than the entry-level petrol-powered version. Chevrolet finally offers the diesel engine with the LS trim level which decreased the price tag to £18,295. The equipment featured on the LS level still includes air conditioning, glass-flip tailgate, electrically-adjustable heated door mirrors, eight-way adjustable driver’s seat, a powerful six-speaker RDS radio/CD player with MP3 socket, steering-wheel mounted audio controls, front, side and curtain airbags, remote control two-stage deadlocking and charcoal-effect roof rails.
With the 148bhp, the Captiva 2.0 VCDi LS accelerates from 0-60mph in 10.8 seconds, with a top speed of 112mph.
At £18,295, the entry-level Captiva is £1,900 cheaper than Kia’s base model Sorento, over £2,000 less expensive than the cheapest diesel Nissan X-Trail, and more than £3,500 less pricey than the five-seat Hyundai Santa Fe 2.2 CRTD GSi.
May 16, 2008
Audi to lauch a 610bhp RS6?
An insider has revealed that Audi plans to launch a RS6 Plus which will offer 610bhp.
The current RS6 is currently the most powerful estate ever, but still Audi wants to move the challenge up by selling a more powerful version. The news comes as a surprise. Indeed, recently Audi executives said in an interview with Car that the RS6 would be the last powerful Audi model. However, the German marque sold a RS6 Plus in the past with the former model. The RS6 Plus got a 30 bhp boost from 450 to 480bhp. The limited edition featured 19in wheels to replace the 18in on the normal version. 999 units were built.
The RS6 would also get a 30bhp boost increasing the power output from 580 to 610bhp. However, future buyers will have to wait until 2011 before driving it as the Plus model will be a way for Audi to celebrate the end of the current generation according to the sources.
May 16, 2008
10 millionth Opel Astra built
The 10 millionth Opel Astra rolled off the assembly line in Bochum, Germany seventeen years after its launch.
The 10 millionth Astra is a Silver Lightning Station Wagon 1.7 CDTI. The front-wheel drive Astra is produced in eight plants on two continents. In Europe, the current models are built in Bochum, Germany; Antwerp, Belgium; Ellesmere Port, United Kingdom and Gliwice, Poland. As a truly global car, the Astra is also fully or partially assembled in Russia, the Ukraine, Brazil and Serbia. It also is the first compact class model since the Kadett B that is sold in the USA. The Saturn Astra is built in Antwerp.
The British buy the most Astras. Last year, 119,082 units were sold in the U.K. The second-largest market is Germany with 74,226 units, followed by Italy with 43,128 vehicles and Spain with 41,282 units. The most popular Astra in Western Europe is the 1.6 ECOTEC model Enjoy.
May 16, 2008
Porsche won’t build the Cayenne in the US
In a previous post Petrol-Head reported that the future US plant built by VW might also be used by Porsche. The German sports car maker ruled out the need to build a model in there.
A spokesman has revealed that Porsche has no plan to build the Cayenne in the US and also said that Porsche will be immune to the weak US dollar until 2013.
The rumour started when Stefan Jacoby said that the future plant would need to build at least 200,000 cars per year to be profitable. The Touareg will be on of the few models built in the future facility. He also added that in addition to the Volkswagen models, the group was looking at other brands. This is where Audi CEO, Rupert Stadler, said that extra capacity might be used to build the Q7 and maybe the Q5.
As the Porsche Cayenne shares its inner-structure with the Touareg and the Q7, the German newspaper Handelsblatt, said the Cayenne could share production at VW’s future U.S. plant. If one of these vehicles were to be built at the new U.S. plant, there’s very little reason why the others couldn’t. Well, Porsche isn’t a conventional carmaker. Porsche has reminded us that it is above the other brands.
May 16, 2008
More than one million Prius in the world
The million milestone was passed by the Toyota Prius at the end of April.
Initially launched as a niche vehicle, the Prius became a mainstream product for the Japanese giant. The Prius started its career in December 1997 in Japan. Reserved to the Japanese market at first, the Prius was exported in small quantities in Europe and the US in 2000. The second generation launched in 2003 brought the Prius to the media attention thanks to a smart campaign based on Hollywood stars.
Of the 1,028,000 Prius sales worldwide, 591,600 were sold in North America and 315,000 in Japan and 100,700 in Europe Toyota said.
Toyota also claims that Prius vehicles worldwide have contributed to a significant reduction in CO2 emissions by producing approximately 4.5 million tons less CO2 when compared with petrol-powered vehicles in the same class and of similar size and driving performance. This is a bold claim from Toyota as the carmaker doesn’t explain how it calculated the amount of CO2 and the engines taken into account in the comparion test.
May 16, 2008
Spyshots: Audi TT Clubsport
Here is the first spyshot of the forthcoming TT Clubsport which is expected to be a limited edition which might powered by a 300bhp petrol engine.
Audi surprised everybody when it unveiled the TT Clubsport Quattro Concept at Essen’s Wörthersee tuner show in May of last year. However nobody expected the carmaker to build a production version of the concept, but the carmaker still needs to build its brand image to fight with Audi and Mercedes. So, it took the opportunity to produce a limited edition of the concept car. To reach the production stage, Audi has removed the glitches but the chopped windshield remains. Other changes include larger side mirrors, an additional brake light out back and the use of actual door handles.
Secrecy surrounds the final specs although the concept car was powered by a 2.0-litre TFSI unit boosted to 300bhp. The DSG gearbox will also likely be part of the bundle.
However Audi still needs to confirm that it will a production version of the TT Clubsport Quattro Concept.
Click here to see the pictures
May 16, 2008
GM to unveil Camaro at Indianapolis in September
It was announced that the Camaro will be officially unveiled in September at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The announcement was made by the Central Indiana Camaro Club to which GM has given the green light to reveal the production date and place. The unveiled Camaro won’t be there just for media attention as many different models/engine combinations will be on display.
This is a smart move from GM to release the Camaro at Indy 2008 where it will be easier to target the core customers than during a motor show. The carmaker is sure to get all the media coverage instead of sharing it with competition.
The muscle car will be powered by V6 and V8 petrol engines.A four cylinder petrol unit is even rumoured. The engine under consideration would be the turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol unit of the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky. Its delivered power, 260bhp, is close to the V6 that will be featured on the Camaro, the 3.6-litre V6 of the Cadillac CTS. The V8 engine will be the Z28 which might produce more than 500bhp.
May 16, 2008
Fisker responds to Tesla lawsuit
Fisker has responded to Tesla that sued the coachbuilder for stealing design and trade secrets by asking a California court to arbitrate over the matter.
The newly born carmaker Tesla accused Henry Fisker and Bernhard Koehler to steal industrial secrets Bentley agreeing to take a £438,000 consulting job to complete the company roadster’s design. Furthermore, Tesla accused Fisker to build the future Karma on stolen technology.
The court hearing will be held in mid-June.
May 16, 2008
Toyota delays a future US factory
The slowing American economy obliges Toyota to delay the launch a new US plant expected to produce the Highlander model.
Located in Tupelo, Mississippi, the new facility was destined for the Highlander’s production, but the downturn in sales for SUVs pushed Toyota to reconsider its plans. However Toyota executives are optimistic about the future and expect the factory to be launched when the growth is back, in 2010 according to the Japanese carmaker.
However, Toyota has already decreased the future production capacity by 30,000 from 150,000 to 120,000 units. The facility will employ around 2,000 workers.
This isn’t the first time Toyota has to revise its plans or decreases production of its SUVs. The company had cut the production of its Tundra and Sequoia models.
May 15, 2008
Mazda to unveil the 1 in Paris
Mazda is rumoured to unveil a small Mazda 1 at the next Paris Motor Show in September.
The Japanese starts expanding its lineup to increase its sales worldwide after years of recovery. The Mazda 1 will be the first new addition to the range which is expected to be launched in 2010. If technical details remain unknown, the Mazda 1 is reported to be the first model to feature the new corporate’s DNA that appeared on the Nagare concept car.
Like the Ford Ka, the Mazda 1 might be based on the Fiat Panda platform unless the Japanese carmaker decides to go on its own. After all, it has a long expertise of building Kei car in its domestic market.
The Mazda 1 will spearhead a launch of new vehicles with stronger identity in order to improve brand image. In addition to the Mazda 1, Mazda will also unveil a small crossover at the Moscow Motor Show. The next-generation MX-5 will be the first model available in the current lineup to feature the new styling DNA.
May 15, 2008