Author: yoann besnard

Spyshot: Lexus IS CC
Here is the picture of a Lexus IS coupé-convertible spotted in Germany during testing which is expected to be launched next year.
The IS CC is the brand’s latest attempt to take on the BMW 3-series in order to reinforce its lineup and slightly increase its sales. The company doesn’t look for a high-volume maker, but wants to show its commitment to go where the Germans are. At this stage, it is unknown whether Lexus will bring the car to our shores or not.
Secrecy surrounds the exact spec of the car at this stage although it is reported that the IS CC will be available with a wide range of engines similar to the saloon’s.
February 28, 2008
Picture of the Veyron Hermes
The covered car you see here is the Veyron Hermes due to be launched by Bugatti at Geneva next week.
The picture reveals that there are numerous subtle changes on the front fascia with two new vertical slats on each side of the grille. According to the report, the limited edition will come with an exclusive interior featuring the best leather upholstery from Hermes.
At this this the number of vehicles being produced for this special edition remains unknown although it is likely to be only a few cars that Bugatti CEO will try to flog them during a dinner organised by the company.
Source: caradvice.com.au
February 27, 2008
Official pictures of the Meriva Concept unveiled
Here are the first official pictures of the Meriva Concept that Opel will unveil at Geneva next week. The Concept car previews the next-generation successful Meriva model and comes with rear-hinged doors called Flexdoor.
Opel calls it the Meriva Concept, but it’s the Meriva, which arrives next year, minus the glitzy showcar bits. With the Meriva, Vauxhall/Opel will one step further into the wild with a design that will send the Lancia Musa and Renault Modus to the forgotten pages of the automotive history books. The Meriva Concept carries the future brand’s DNA that will appear with the next-generation Vectra/Insignia.
The interior styling confirms the concept car is close to production with a dashboard similar to the Zafira’s. The ‘flexdoor’ boots the aperture of the car and will likely offer more headroom to the rear pasengers. It will also be a major selling point for mothers as it is not easy to get the child off its seat in the current cars’ architecture.
February 27, 2008
Honda to boost sales in India
Honda has announced it plans to increase its sales to 90,000 units in 2008/09 at first and 160,000 by 2010 with the help of the new expanded production facility.
The Japanese carmaker has set the goal of selling 160,000 cars by 2010. In addition to the new expansion done in the Calcutta factory, the company pans to invest £375 million in a new plant built in Rajasthan state. The future facility will have a production capacity. Honda is very serious as Tatsuhiro Oyama, president of Honda’s Asian operations said speaking about the Indian market: “India’s the most exciting auto market in Asia and we are committed to growth in this market”.
Honda is the fourth largest carmaker in India and sells the City ZX(pictured), Civi, Accord and CR-V models there. For the current fiscal year, the company plans to sell 68,000 vehicles.
February 27, 2008
Loremo to work on an electric LS
Loremo is currently working on an electric version of its LS model unveiled last year at the Geneva Motor Show. The company is so busy that it won’t attend the show this year.
Expected to hit showrooms in 2010, the electric Loremo will be powered by a 55bhp electric engine and despite such a tiny power will be able to reach a top speed of 105mph thanks to low 0.19 Cx figure.
Loremo claims the car will offer a range between 93 and 124 miles per juicing. The Loremo is roomy enough for four people. The petrol version weighs 450kg, but expect it to gain weight due to the batteries. A first prototype will be ready in mid-2008.
This is good news for the company and confirms the project is still active. However, we still need to see the vehicle hitting the showrooms to be certain that the Loremo LS is a real alternative to our current heavy cars.
February 27, 2008
Lexus to unveil a Prius-based model next year
According to Motor Trend, Lexus will unveil a new hybrid model based on the next-generation Prius at the next Detroit Auto Show in January 2009.
It wasn’t a secret that Toyota planned to launch the next Prius at next year’s Detroit Auto Show. However, the Lexus version comes as a surprise and raises questions about the opportunity of such a specific vehicle in the brand’s lineup. It is rumoured that the future Lexus would be available under a sports wagon form. The former IS estate comes to mind and might be used as an inspiration for Lexus. It wasn’t a roomy estate, but its unique design was praised by the specialists.
Still, how would a unique hybrid model fit in the Lexus lineup? Well, the brand certainly needs to reinforce its portfolio at a time when the German clique expands its lineup with compact models. However, a Prius-based model might be too unconventional and bit tame for buyers used to buying 1-series and A3 models for their sportiness.
February 27, 2008
Tata to announce Jaguar and Land Rover takeover next week
Tata will announce the takeover of the two British carmakers, Jaguar and Land Rover, next week during the Geneva Motor Show.
Ford and Tata came to an agreement after the positive talks Tata executives had with British unions. Last week Tata confirmed that it won’t sell Jaguar as soon as the takeover is done and promised not to have redundancy plans at first.
The announcement will end a tumultuous bidding between Ford and the three bidders, among them, Tata and Mahindra and Mahindra, It will also mark the end of long history and tumultuous history between Ford and Jaguar.
Future will say whether Tata has enough money in the bank to develop Land Rover and give Jaguar the status it deserves.
February 27, 2008
SsangYong to unveil hybrid diesel at Geneva
South Korean carmaker SsangYong will unveil a new diesel hybrid powertrain at the Geneva Motor Show which it claims delivers a 30 per cent improvement in fuel efficiency.
SsangYong is held at a stake of 51 per cent by the Chinese carmaker SAIC. The company’s engineers likely took inspiration from the hybrid Buick Lacrosse model developed in partnership with GM.
Details are pretty scarce today and more information will be available at the show next week.
February 27, 2008
GM to build 10,000 Volt per year
The closer we get to the production stage, the less confident is GM about the Volt plug-in hybrid model. The carmaker decided to lower its production from 60,000 in last August to 10,000 units per year.
In an interview with the Canadian newspaper Globe and Mail, GM product czar Bob Lutz revealed that Volt production will start at just 10,000 units in the first year. "Volt will be about 10,000 units the first year, just to make sure we’re prepared for any issues that might come up, and then ramp up production from there," Lutz told a group of journalists, noting that there were still significant development issues to overcome before the technology could be optimized for mass market use. "So we’re not going to see a wholesale move to electric vehicles right away."
Due to be unveiled in November 2010, the Chevrolet Volt will be the first plug-in hybrid in the world but its development is not without stumbling blocks. Indeed, engineers struggle with aerodynamics and battery technologies.
The Volt will be sold at first with outdated battery technologies as the limited timeframe doesn’t enable the carmaker to use lithium-ion batteries. Toyota also encounters the same problem as the Japanese carmaker delayed the launch of the next-generation Prius due to problems generated by lithium-ion batteries development.
February 27, 2008
Berton won’t attend Geneva
The troubled Italian coachbuilder, Bertone, won’t attend the Geneva Motor Show next week and the BAT-11 might never be seen under the spotlights.
The future looks rather blurred for the Bertone which is in the middle of a tragic family business. In last December, Lili Bertone, widow of the company’s founder Nuccio decided to sell the coachbuilder to Domenico Reviglio, founder of Gruppo Prototipo who now runs a company called Keiper. She agreed to sell both the Carrozzeria and Stile Bertone to him in early January, even though she did not control all the shares she had negotiated in the sale. Indeed, her two daughters own 40% of the company and both hold a top position in the firm.
Disagreeing with the sale, they went to court to contest the sale. The sale was stopped by a Turin court, and Domenico Reviglio walked away from Bertone. The bankruptcy court has now appointed three commissioners to determine whether Bertone will indeed have a future.
This is the first time, Bertone won’t attend the Geneva Motor Show in 50 years.
February 27, 2008