Author: yoann besnard

VW China will design and build a saloon for the US

According to Automotive news, VW will sell a saloon designed and built in China on the American market in coming years.
This is a big step for Volkswagen China. The company usually only designs and builds cars for the Chinese market. It would not be capable of breaking into the global market alone (did i get the wrong meaning here?). The parent company Volkswagen AG will lend a hand by leading the technical developments while Volkswagen China will be responsible for the car’s exterior and interior styling. Despite being sold on both the Chinese and American markets, the saloon will offer the same design as Volkswagen studies have shown American and Chinese consumers to have similar tastes. However, there will be some differences in the smaller details. The Chinese version will feature a more luxurious interior. It will replace the current Passat Lingyu. On the American market, the saloon will be sold as an entry-level model.
With this collaboration, Volkswagen hopes to mix the best of what its German offices can offer, highly valuable technical knowledge, with the advantage of its Chinese offices’, cheap manufacturing. By doing this, they hope to be able to succeed on the competitive global market.
July 23, 2007
Mercedes G55 on three wheels!

Imagine a 5,500lbs object powered by a 500 bhp V8 making a drift on a roundabout. Not the brightest of ideas, obviously, but still impressive. Enjoy the video!

July 23, 2007
Honda delays the next NSX by two years

Honda CEO Takeo Fukui has announced that Honda will postpone the launch of the next NSX from 2008 to 2010. This is bad news not only for Honda fans but for all car fanatics.
The delay is due to the Acura brand that Honda wants to launch in Japan. Originally planned for 2008, Honda decided recently to postpone its introduction until 2010. One possible reason for their decision is fellow Japanese carmaker Toyota’s lack of success with its Lexus brand on the Japanese market.
Launched in 2005, Toyota sold 60,000 Lexus cars in 2006. This was half of their sales target. The problem was – and still is – that the Lexus brand has little recognition in Japan, where Toyota is not considered as a luxury brand (carmaker?). In order to offer the best possible service, Toyota sent Lexus staff to a well-respected institute that teaches etiquette. There the staff learned skills such as how to adopt the same posture used by samurai 700 years ago and the best way to serve tea. Unfortunately, though some customers were impressed, others found it to be simply too much.
Launching a luxury brand in such a conservative market is a real challenge. The delay announced by Honda seems justified, even though Honda has a better luxury image than Toyota.
Autocar announced that the NSX would probably not be launched before the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show as Honda will want to launch the supercar in its home market first. In my opinon, the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show may be the show chosen to unveil the car. Honda may sell the car a few months later in 2010. The 2010 Detroit Motor Show could also be a good choice as the brand Acura enjoys a strong image on American soil. 2011 would be too late and, with today’s shorter economic cycles, would increase the risk of the NSX arriving during a recession.
July 23, 2007
1941 Indy 500 video in colour

Here is a masterpiece that only the internet allows us to find. A thirty minute video of the legendary Indy 500 made in 1941 and filmed in colour! Pure bliss.

July 23, 2007
More information on the Mercedes SLC
Mercedes is planning a big move into aluminium technology, using aluminium bodywork for the new SLC due to be launched in 2010.
Mercedes is still hesitating over which design to choose for the supercar, set to compete with the Audi R8. Two projects are competing with each other. The first, already mentioned by Auto, Motor und Sport one year ago, is a retro-design that takes inspiration from the legendary 1955 300 SL. The car may feature an updated verison of the famous gullwing doors. The second project is a refreshed design of the SLR supercar.
The supercar is expected to use the most powerful AMG engine, the V12, which produces more than 600 bhp. It is reported that AMG may push it up to 700bhp. The car will also feature a V8 engine for the entry-level version.
The supercar will be produced by HWA, a company created by AMG’s cofounder when he sold AMG to Mercedes. The price is expected to be set at in excess of £100,000.
Source: Autoweek
July 20, 2007
Spyshots: future Volkswagen Scirocco

Here are the first spyshots of the future Scirocco hatchback, due to be launched in 2009. Based on the concept car unveiled at the latest Paris Motor Show in September 2006, the production car preserves the general design. The aggressive face of the concept car will be kept and will be a further step towards Volkswagen’s new identity, initiated by the head of Volkswagen design Walter Da Silva.
According to insiders, Martin Winterkorn asked that the back end be redesigned when he took position as Volkswagen Group CEO last January. The concept car back end will have a less tortured style.
The hatchback coupé is based on the EOS convertible. As yet, no information have been given regarding a possible open top Scirocco. The plan is for the car to be sold in Europe, and it may not make it to the American market.
Click here to see all pictures
Source Photo: KGP Photography
July 20, 2007
Kia sports coupé concept car at Frankfurt Motor Show

After the positive reception of the Kia Cee’d by journalists, Kia is continuing to ‘Europeanise’ its range. At the next Frankfurt Motor Show, the Korean carmaker will unveil the car that is considered its “Audi TT” interpretation.
According to insiders, the car may be powered by a turbocharged 4 cylinder engine producing 222bhp/225hp. The coupé was designed by Peter Shreyer, head of Kia’s European design centre and former designer of none other than the Audi TT.
The car will be built in Europe. This concept car may be an indication of the direction Hyundai is taking. Perhaps Hyundai cars will be built for the U.S. market while Kia cars will be designed for the European market.
July 20, 2007
The Vanquish bids farewell and Newport Pagnell closes

Aston Martin announced yesterday afternoon that it produced the last Vanquish model yesterday at 11.45 AM. The car is a Vanquish S Ultimate Edition of which the serial number is 502 593. A total of 2,578 cars have been built since spring 2001. At an average price of £150,000, this is an incredible feat.
It is the end of an era for Aston Martin, and not just because of the end of the Vanquish. The Vanquish S Ultimate Edition is also the last car to be built by the legendary Newport Pagnell factory, which closed its doors yesterday evening. Over the almost fifty years since it was set up in 1958, the plant has hand-built more than 13,000 cars.
Production for Aston Martin will now be centralised in the Gaydon factory.
July 20, 2007
Earthquake damages Japanese carmakers’ production system

The Japanese automotive industry is famous for its just-in-time production system, so effective that carmakers all over the world have emulated it. Unfortunately, despite Japan’s efforts to plan for every eventuality, preparing for an earthquake is almost impossible.
As you may know, there was a severe earthquake last Monday in Niigata prefecture, 155 miles north west of Tokyo. Riken, a large automotive parts supplier with its main factory based in Niigata, has been obliged to stop production due to damages caused by the earthquake. Riken produces 70% of universal joints and 40% of piston rings in Japan. The Nissan subsidiary JATCO has also been forced to stop producing its gearboxes.
The effects of this disruption to the supply chain are significant. Nissan will stop producing cars in its twelve Japan-based factories until next Monday. Toyota’s production of cars has been suspended until Sunday. Honda will decrease its production for the duration of next week. Suzuki will have to decrease its production by 10,000 units for five days.
What a mess for such a proud and highly-organised industry. We can be sure that Japanese carmakers are already working on a solution in preparation for the next earthquake.
July 20, 2007
Ford stops producing the inline-6 engine

It is well known that Ford is in serious trouble and that cutting costs may be the only method of survival for the American carmaker. There are big decisions to be made, such as whether or not to sell Jaguar and even Volvo. Lesser decisions are also being taken, such as the announcement that Ford will stop producing the inline-6 cylinders engine found on the Australian Ford cars.
The current cars, the Falcon, the Flacon Ute and the successful Territory will replace their inline-6 with the new V6 Duratec engine, built in the U.S.
For the factory based in Geelong, it means that the future of its 600 employees is uncertain. Ford has, however, pledged to give all plant employees other job opportunities within the Ford group.
July 20, 2007