Author: yoann besnard

Nanjing Auto to get a 10% stake in SAIC for MG

It might be the most interesting and worrying partnership as SAIC and Nanjing Auto might sign an agreement next according to anonymous companies’ sources. Nanjing Auto would give its MG assets in exchange of a stake in SAIC less than 10%.
In the muddle that followed MG-Rover collapse, the two car makers got a share of the pie, but not what they expected. Nanjing Auto got MG while SAIC won various rights linked to Rover cars. Since then, they have been working hard in their corner to develop a range and a brand with similar vehicles. Unhappy with the situation, the Chinese government, shareholder of the two contenders ordered them to merge.
From the two manufacturers, Nanjing Auto would benefit the most from a partnership with SAIC. Indeed, it is smaller and has cash flow problems which slows down the development of the MG brand. Furthermore its joint venture with Fiat doesn’t perform well. But this doesn’t mean that SAIC has to refuse the merger. Analysts think that Nanjing Auto assets would be very valuable for SAIC as it suffers from competing fiercely with FAW Group and Dongfeng Motors on the commercial vehicles market. in the merger, SAIC would get the Nanjing Auto’s commercial vehicles business and 50% of the Fiat joint venture.
According to insiders, SAIC and Nanjing Auto will sign an agreement before the end of the month.
December 14, 2007
Mercedes C-Class Estate tuned by Lorinser

Lorinser launched a new tuning package for the C-Class Estate yesterday which will be similar to the C-Class’s saloon.
The body kit includes new front and rear bumpers, side skirts which visually connect the wheel arches, a honeycomb grille and side vents. The car is equipped with 19” wheels.
Under the hood, the entry level starts with the C200 Kompressor whose power jumps from 181bhp to 215bhp and torque from 184 lb ft to 217 lb ft with the help of a new ECU, a new belt and a new air filter. Thanks to a new camshaft, the C350’s power increases from 268bhp to 301bhp and the torque has been boosted to 280 lb ft from 258 lb ft. Along the petrol engines, the diesel units have also been tuned. The C200 CDI sees its power gaining 20bhp from 134bhp to 154bhp while the torque jumps from 199 lb ft to 266 lb ft. The C220 CDI’s power increases from 168bhp to 188bhp and the torque from 295 lb ft to 354 lb ft. As for the C320 CDI, the power jumps from 221bhp to 257bhp and the torque has been increased by 14% from 376 lb ft to 428 lb ft.
December 14, 2007
Official pictures of the Land Rover concept car

Land Rover has released the official pictures of the LRX concept car which will be showed at Detroit. It’s a styling exercise that previews the future baby Land.

If the concept car is close the production model, the small Land Rover model will still be as big as a Ford Focus. At 4350 mm long and 1550 mm high, it’s 150 mm shorter and 190 mm lower than the Freelander 2 on which the LRX is based. Thanks to the Freelander 2 platform, it should offer decent on-road abilities without guarantying good mud-manners. Indeed, while the Freelander 2 has a ground clearance of 210 mm, the LRX is 80 mm lower despite sitting on 20” wheels.

The exterior styling is easily distinguishable from the masses thanks to the front fascia that sports the corporate DNA. The LRX features two long doors which give access to an interior roomy enough to welcome four persons. Like all latest concept cars, it comes with a glass roof and one does expect to see a similar equipment on the production version.

Company sources say that the production model might arrive in 2009 if the executives give the green light in the coming weeks.
December 14, 2007
“I have no plan to retire”, says Bob Lutz

If GM cars were as efficient and devoted to their tasks as Bob Lutz is, GM would have no problem to sell them. the czar sent an email to Automotive News saying “Read my lips: I am not thinking retirement. The job is better than ever, and so is GM!!!!“
He explained that he told the AP that he would not retire before the Volt launches but didn’t imply that he would retire just after. In 2010, Bob Lutz will be 78 year old. If he has the same energy as Kirk Kerkorian, Bob will still make the headlines in 2020. Wow!
Lutz also said, “Unfortunately, this was misinterpreted as a statement that I would retire at the end of 2010. While this remains a possibility, it is not ‘a plan’! We’ll just take it a year at a time!“
December 14, 2007
Mitsubishi to recall 10,000 Outlander

Mitsubishi has announced that it will recall 10,000 Outlander SUV to fix a faulty bracket that affixes the muffler cutter to the exhaust muffler.
The faulty device concerns vehicles built September 2006 and July this year and will it will be replaced by a stronger one. No accidents have been reported because of this faulty component.
MMC said it has received 12 complaints from drivers.
December 14, 2007
Future Chevrolet Camaro barely disguised

The production version has been recently caught during testing in Australia, but this time it is a barely disguised of the future muscle car built by GM.
As expected, the production model will be close to the concept car with a similar overall shape but loses its sharp lines. The air intakes disappeared and the wheel arches are smaller. In a way, it seems that the production Camaro will be softer and oddly less muscle car in its styling.
As said in a previous post, the Camaro will share its platform with Holden VE Commodore also sold in the US as the Pontiac G8 model. The engine range will offer V6 and V8 petrol engines.
Source: Camaro5
December 14, 2007
New Nissan V6 Named One of Ward’s 10-Best Engines

For the 14th time, the Nissan VQ engine family has been chosen to be part of the list of the 10 Best Engines by Ward’s Automotive Group.
This year, Ward’s people picked up the new VQ37VHR engine which appeared in the Infiniti G37 Coupe. An evolution of the VQ35 petrol unit, it comes with the VVEL system which combines hydraulic-controlled variable valve timing and electronically controlled variable valve lift on the intake side to help improve performance and response.
The engine also features increased cylinder block height (from the previous 3.5-litre design), ladder frame construction for greater rigidity, asymmetric piston skirts, an electronically controlled “drive-by-wire” throttle system and a symmetric twin air intake system. All those technologies produces a nice 328bhp and a torque of 270 lb ft.
The prize winner will be unveiled on January 16, 2007 during the Detroit Motor Show.
December 14, 2007
Wald’s CL Class: All Blacks will love it!

The Japanese tuner has unveiled a body kit for the exclusive Mercedes CL-Class and black appeared to be its muse.

Sporting an all-black exterior,the Wald’s CL features a range of aerodynamic and visual appendixes such as a front and rear apron, new side skirts, new spoilers and a few ungraceful air intakes.
December 14, 2007
Opel considers building the Astra in the US

Due to go on sale from next January, the new Saturn Astra, a re-badged Opel compact car, has been well acclaimed by the American press and Opel is seriously considering producing the model in the US.
The German car maker plans to sell 40,000 vehicles there next year, half of the outgoing model Ion, but if there was a stronger demand for compact cars on the US market, Opel would be ready to move the production from Antwerp to the US. Indeed, the weak dollar will likely reduce the profit margin per car and building there would reduce the currency fluctuations.
The Opel CEO Hans Demant said that Opel would need to sell at least 250,000 cars there to justify building a new production facility. The future Insignia might help, but it would cannibalise the recently launched Aura model derived from the current Vectra. So, Opel needs to think of another model. What do you think of the Corsa?
December 14, 2007
Volkswagen to unveil a roadster at Detroit?

This might be the biggest and most unexpected surprise at Detroit: according to rumours, Volkswagen might unveil a roadster concept car that previews a future production model whose release date remains unknown.
Dubbed Rayra, the concept car would be Volkwagen’s serious attempt to move its brand image upmarket on the American market, but it might also be a mistake. Indeed, it is said that the concept car share shares its platform with the Audi R8 and features a similar layout with a mid-engine and all-wheel drive. The car would be powered by the same 4.2-litre V8 which produces 414bhp at 7,800 rpm. The concept car would comes with an innovative anti-theft vehicle alarm system and a speed warning device.
Volkswagen doesn’t need another car derived from an Audi to build its brand image and increase its sales. The market doesn’t need another V8-powered roadster with a price starting at £75,000. At a time when regulations are stricter, Volkswagen needs to learn that power doesn’t mean fun. There is a Japanese car maker who understood it, it’s Mazda. Its Mazda MX-5 sells more and more every new-generation but no European car makes had the guts to launch a model that could compete with the small roadster. Bring the 2003 Concept R (pictured) or the 2005 EcoRacer concept car to production but don’t put roll off an umpteeth supercar.
Beyond this rumour, if Volkswagen brings the Rarya at the Detroit Motor Show, will Audi unveil the R8 roadster? Or is the Rayra the rumoured R8 roadster?
December 14, 2007