Author: yoann besnard

Ford to develop a new RWD platform
Ford is starting to work on a new rear-wheel drive platform due to be featured on the next-generation Mustang and several saloons.
Company’s executives have given the green light to the new platform which will underspin several models such as the next-generation Mustang and the Australian Ford Falcon. The future platform will be for Ford what the Zeta platform is for GM, a global platform designed to cut costs.
Initially being developed in Australia the program has been transferred to the US due to the weak dollar.
March 26, 2008
Lexus under-performs in Japan
Toyota’s luxury brand, Lexus, is under-performing in its domestic market as a result of poor brand image and high prices.
The Japanese giant launched Lexus in its domestic market three years ago in an attempt to take on European premium carmakers such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW which were meeting a relative big success there.
The company opened 160 all-new showrooms and even sent its staff to best etiquette school in Japan, but demand remains weak. What’s interesting about Lexus in Japan is the wrong approach taken by the company.
The company’s executives might be blamed but the problem encountered by Lexus is more than complex. Sold as a premium brand in the US, the company promotes its Japanese technology to compete with the German clique. Bringing this strategy to Japan is out of the question as Toyota already offers models with similar technologies. Lexus can’t also promote an exotic image when belonging to Toyota as European carmakers can do it in Japan. So, the company decided to promote the Japanese core values which is not what Japanese European car buyers are looking for.
Another reason for failure was the limited lineup of three vehicles: the GS and IS saloons, and the SC convertible. Not only they were sold previously under the Toyota label, but they were also 20% more expensive under the Lexus badge.
One approach Lexus never considered was its American success. Japanese people admires American culture in a way that can be seen as ridiculous sometimes. By selling its American success, Lexus might have appeared as exotic as German competitors without directly fighting with them. However, the poor image of American cars in Japan might have threatened the brand’s future.
Source: Business Week
March 26, 2008
Peugeot might launch a small SUV
Peugeot Citroen is rumoured to be working on a small SUV based on a Mitsubishi model.
Peugeot Citroen might launch its own version of the small SUV Mitsubishi is currently working on. The small Japanese Mitsubishi will be derived from cX concept car seen at the latest Frankfurt Motor Show in September last year.
The new model would reinforce the brands’ lineup by fitting below the Peugeot 4007 and Citroen C-Crosser. The Mitsubishi cX was powered by an all-new 1.8-litre diesel engine hooked up to the in-house dual clutch transmission called SST.
March 22, 2008
Virago’s mission impossible
A small British carmaker plans to unveil the Virago coupé at the Top Marque motor show at the end of next month.
Vigaro Cars, will launch a new coupé which will be powered by a 3.0-litre V6 Ford Durated engine. the power output will be between 230 and 280bhp enabling the coupé to run from 0 to 62mph in less than 5 seconds. The Virago is expected to be sold at around £50,000.
However the Virago Coupé is far from production stage as the carmaker has set the mission to find investors and buyers during the motor show. The company needs about £4 million to build the coupé.
March 22, 2008
Bentley Boys S3 design study
An automotive engineer has unveiled the S3 design study that marque’s purist will likely compare to a crime of lese-majesty.
Arturo Alonso and his team have designed the Bentely Boys S3 and have set the ambitious plan to build three unique cars if the design study receives enough interest. Each car would be sold at £75,000 at a slow rate of one every eight months. The team would target prospects located in Dubai and Moscow.
The S3 Design Study is based on the eponym Bentley from the 60’s, but has been upgraded to feature a 300bhp V8 4.4-litre petrol engine sourced from BMW associated with a five speed automatic gearbox. The car comes with dual air conditioning system, leather upholstery and 20in wheels.
March 22, 2008
GM forms joint venture in Uzbekistan
GM has set up a joint venture to build Chevrolet cars and sport utility vehicles in Uzbekistan.
GM has set up the joint venture with the state company UzAvtoSanoat which already builds 170,000 Chevrolet models per year built from kits that come from South Korea. The new entity will produce Chevrolet models such as Captiva and Epica at a pace of 250,000 vehicles per year. Gm will hold a stake of 25% + 1 share with an option to increase its share in the future. GM will help the Uzbek company to increase its quality build and its manufacturing equipment.
UzAvtoSanoat initially produced former Daewoo models such as Tico and Matiz. Indeed the carmaker had set up a venture with Daewoo before its collapse. Wen the Korean carmaker went into trouble, the Uzbek carmaker continued building the cars.
March 22, 2008
Chrysler to reduce its SUV lineup
In an interview given to Bloomberg, Jim Press revealed that the carmaker needs fewer SUVs.
Chrysler president said that the company needs half of its 11 current SUV models. Three quarters of its American sales are generated by its SUV models and the carmaker wants to consolidate its brands to cut costs.
"We’re going to stop overlapping, we’re going to bring everything under one roof. By doing that we will have more products in the markets we are not covering,” Press said. "Our finances will have better quality.”
Chrysler has plans to reduce total models by almost a third, to about 19 from 28. The carmaker has already axed the Pacifica and PT Cruiser Convertible models.
March 22, 2008
Video: Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4
Lamborghini unveiled the Gallardo LP560-4 at Geneva and this promotional video reveals a few more details about the revamped supercar.
The LP560-4 is powered by the new 5.2-litre V10 engine which delivers a power output of 560bhp. The power increase combined with the weight reduction allows the new Gallardo to achieve a power-to-weight ratio of only 2.5 kg per bhp.

March 22, 2008
Audi Q5’s pictures
Here is at last a clear picture of the long-awaited Audi Q5 rumoured to be unveiled at the next Beijing Motor Show.
The Q5 will reinforce the company’s lineup by sitting below the Q7 and Allroad models. Geneva Motor SHow had been initially thought to be the show where Audi would unveil its latest model, but China appears to be the natural location after the carmaker unveiled the Cross Coupe Quattro at Shanghai last year.
The SUV will be based on the company’s Modular Longitudinal Platform (MLP) used by the A4 and the A5. MLP allows Audi to place the longitudinally-installed engine and transmission further back behind the axle and helps stretch the wheelbase without lengthening the car’s exterior dimensions. The Q5 will be roomy enough for five people. Audi has no plan for a seven-seater version.
The SUV will share its engine range with the Audi A4 featuring four cylinder and V6 petrol engines, and TDI engines. The Q5 will likely be the first model to be equipped with the in-house seven speed dual clutch gearbox, called DSG Audi S-Tronic able to handle 405lb ft of torque.
The Q5 is expected to be used by Porsche for the rumoured Roxster.
March 22, 2008
Hummer H3 to get 3.6-litre V6 and an oil-burner
Hummer will add a 3.6-litre V6 petrol unit and a diesel engine in the upcoming years to gain some green credentials.
At a time when gas prices and and global warming awareness are rising, launching a V8-powered SUV wasn’t the best message to send to the public in terms of brand image. The carmaker has decided to tackle its green credential problem by adding in the coming years two more efficient engines, the 3.6-litre V6 seen on the Cadillac CTS and a diesel engine.
The 3.6-litre V6 powered H3 will be launched next year as a 2010 model year. Codenamed LLT, the 3.6-litre engine features a direct injection system that is claimed to have 15% greater power, 8% greater torque, and 3% better fuel economy than it’s port-injected counterpart.
The details about the diesel engine remains scarce as the unit hasn’t even been confirmed by Hymmer itself. The diesel engine won’t likely arrive before 2012. It is rumoured that the company could feature a 4.5-litre unit although the company is currently working a 2.9-litre unit due to appear on the CTS.
Source: Autoblog and Pickuptruck
March 22, 2008