Category: 4×4

GM to consider selling Hummer
GM has officially announced it will re-evaluate the future of the Hummer brand. A sale isn’t excluded.
The Hummer brand is in a difficult situation as large SUVs sales are dropping due to rising gas prices. Even with lower gas prices in the future (if it happens), consumers will keep in mind the current gas prices in the US and won’t be ready to jeopardize their finance to get a large SUV.
"Our greatest concern is the unprecedented rise in oil prices," said GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner, speaking before the automaker’s annual meeting in Delaware and GM is "undertaking a strategic review of the Hummer brand to determine its fit within the GM portfolio. At this point, the company is considering all options, from a complete revamp of the product lineup to a partial or complete sale of the brand."
Nothing is certain and it is sure that small models aren’t really suited to large American bums, but when your brand is the symbol of a former gas orgy, let’s say that your life expectancy is shot, especially when the parent company is currently restructuring the business.
June 5, 2008
SUV in 2010 for Alfa
Alfa Romeo’s CEO has unveiled the future direction for the Italian marque in an interview with Auto Motor und Sport.
Nominated in last December, Luca Di Meo has the huge task to turn Alfa Romeo profitable. He said that Alfa Romeo won’t be cheap models any more. Alfa Romeo will improve the build quality and ask people to pay for it. The carmaker has also set the ambitious plan to cover all the market segments like the German clique does and to expand in new markets.
This year will be dedicated to the new Mi.To. Alfa Romeo expects to sell 75,000 units per year. However 60,000 units will be enough to make a profit on the Baby Alfa. In comparison MIni sells more than 200,00 units per year. In 2009, the carmaker will finally unveil the next-generation 147. The next model will be powered by a wide engine range with a topping-unit which will deliver a power output of 265bhp. Alfa Romeo plans to sell 85,00 units per year. The rumoured SUV will be launched in 2010 and Alfa Romeo wants to sell 40,00 units per year.
The company will expand in new or current markets. China, Japan and Australia will be a priority, but the main focus will be the relaunch in the US. Luca Di Meo has still the ambition to sell 300,000 vehicles in 2010. However, the carmaker will be profitable with 250,000 sales.
May 23, 2008
Land Rover to build the LRX
Tata has given the green light to Land Rover to produce the LRX concept car which is expected to hit the showrooms by 2011.
Without a doubt, the LRX has been one of the best concept car around since January and this is good news for the British brand. This doesn’t come as a surprise. Indeed, the carmaker had plans to launch a small SUVs in the future and recent news confirmed the carmaker was working on this all-new vehicle. However, Tata had to confirm it would support the company’s plan.
The LRX will be built at the Halewood factory which will double its production capacity to 210,000 vehicles by 2012 after investment from Tata. The small SUV concept car was powered by a 2.0-litre hybrid-diesel engine, but is unknown at this stage whether Land Rover will put the engine in production or not.
April 5, 2008
Will Lexus build a compact SUV?

Lexus is seriously considering launching a compact SUV set to compete with the BMW X3, Infiniti EX35 and the announced Mercedes GLK.
Despite being the first car maker to build a luxury SUV with the Lexus RX 300, the Japanese car maker never really believed there was a strong demand for compact luxury SUV. However the success encountered by the BMW X3 model on the American market obliged Lexus to reconsider its position.
In an interview with Automotive News, Jim Lentz, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. president, said that a compact SUV could appeal to customers “sick of the suburbs, but who don’t want to give up the utility of their SUV. A small luxury SUV might be the right product for that environment.”
In Japan, Toyota is selling an upmarket RAV4, called Vanguard, under the Toyota label. Powered by a 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine, the Vanguard is longer and wider than the RAV4 despite sharing its underpinnings.
February 6, 2008
Mercedes-Benz to show the GLK at Detroit

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the first pictures of the concept car it will display next week at Detroit. Called GLK Freeside Concept, the compact SUV is nothing else than the future GLK set to compete with the BMW X3, Land Rover Freelander and the future Audi Q5.

Ignore the dual tone paint scheme, the specific wheels and the integrated exhaust pipes, and you will get the GLK production version. With the GLK, the company is not a pioneer in the compact SUV segment. Thus designer’s task was to ensure that the GLK wouldn’t be mistaken for any competitors and to remind consumers that Mercedes was a pioneer in off-road vehicles. There was no better way than taking design cues from the iconic G-Class. Combined with latest company’s design DNA, the GLK features a overall shape made of taut lines and expansive surfaces.

The interior of the concept car is also very close to the production version. The dashboard features an unsuccessful attempt to mix the traditional panel instruments seen in the ’80s company’s models with the latest technologies. At 4520 mm long, the GLK will sit below the M-Class and will likely be roomy enough for five passengers.

Despite an attempt to revive the G-Class’ filiation, the GLK will likely be road-biased although Mercedes-Benz says it will “perform exceptionally in all conditions”. The GLK features the in-house 4Matic transmissions which has a 45:55 percent basic distribution. Under the hood, as reported in a previous post, the GLK will offer a complete engine range. The GLK Freeside Concept is powered by a turbocharged 2.2-litre diesel unit which comes with the Bluetec technology. It has an output of 168bhp and its NOx emissions are cut by 80%. It is hooked up to a seven-speed automatic gearbox.

The GLK will go on sale in Europe at the end of 2008 and will cross the ocean in 2009. Unfortunately, we won’t see the GLK in the UK as Mercedes doesn’t plan to build a right hand drive GLK.
January 7, 2008
More powerful Range Rover Sport on the horizon
A new Range Rover Sport version has been spotted by spy photographers during testing. According to Car magazine, the engineers were testing a new topping engine 5.0-litre V8 petrol engine.
Secrecy surrounds the exact spec of the engine but the new bigger engine will likely has an output of 450bhp as the current supercharged 4.2-litre V8 delivers 400bhp. It might also be more powerful. Indeed, the ML 63 AMG has an output of 503 bhp while BMW is rumoured to develop a sportier X5 whose current power culminates at 350bhp.
With such a new top of the range engine, Land Rover is trying to meet a demand and follow the German’s power frenzy. Unfortunately, it also becomes harder to comply with the stricter emission regulations. The LRX will likely not be enough of Land Rover continues unveiling bigger engines for its top models.
December 24, 2007
Next-generation XC90 cancelled?

It is not recommended to be a gas guzzler at this moment. The XC90 might become a new victim of global warming as it is rumoured that Volvo cancelled the next-generation.
According to the Swedish magazine Auto Motor & Sport, Volvo has decided to axe the next-generation due to costs generated by new emission regulations and new environmentally-concerned customers. The XC90 is not a huge gas guzzler but its petrol engines are from being economical and Volvo would be obliged to develop new environmentally-friendly units in order to satisfy demand. Unfortunately, Volvo and its parent company Ford can’t afford such an engine. Another way would be to focus on losing weight but higher prices for lightweight components compromise the profitability. Added to the fact that marketing forecasts expect the SUV segment to be gloomy in the future, the XC90 is condemned to disappear as it doesn’t have much to offer to counter-attack.
For Volvo, this is bad news. Indeed, the XC90 is a best seller in the US, the largest market for the Swedish carmaker.
December 18, 2007
Undisguised GLK caught on the Sex and the City set

Here is the first undisguised picture of the Mercedes GLK spotted during on the filming of the next “Sex and the City” movie. Its official launch date remains unsure as Mercedes might unveil it at Detroit or a the next Geneva Motor Show.

Based on the recently launched C-Class model, the GLK will feature sharp lines. Some observers will say that the overall shape took inspiration from Jeep models, but truth is that the new squared design will also be featured on the next E-Class model which will debut next year.
The small SUV will be available with a choice of 2.1-litre diesel, 3.0-litre V6 petrol and diesel, 3.5 litre V6 petrol and the 6.2-litre AMG V8. Unfortunately, it will never reach our shores as Mercedes doesn’t plan to develop a right-hand drive version due to high conversion costs.
Source: Leftlane News
December 18, 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
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