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Jeep Renegade Concept

Chrysler will unveil a trio of concept cars at the next Detroit Motor Show. The Jeep Renegade Concept will be one of them and remind us the 2005 Hurricane concept car, but with better manner. Forget the two 5.7 litre HEMI engines featured in the Hurricane. The Renegade is powered by small diesel engine, which uses the Bluetec emissions technology. The catalytic converter is injected with urea to reduce nitrogen oxide levels by up to 90 per cent. Chrysler claims a 110 miles per gallon.

At 153 inches long, 62.9 inches wide and 56.3 inches high is longer, but narrower and lower than the Hurricane. The appealing design has almost no front and rear overhang. The doors appear to be minimalist while there is no roof.
We hope that this styling exercise previews a future production model. At least, it seems more realistic than the Hurricane.
November 21, 2007
Spyshots: Ford F-150

For its 60th birthday, the Ford’s cash cow will likely be renewed at the next Detroit Motor Show and spy photographers shot a prototype almost completely undisguised.
Surprisingly, the next generation features a lightly revised exterior. The goal is to adopt the Ford’s new design and reinforce the ties with the Edge and Flex models. The fascia gets the new three bar grille, new headlights, new taillights and new rear-view mirrors.
There is no information regarding the engines, although it is understood that the next F-150 will likely be powered by the new 6.2 litre Boss engine. This big V8 will replace the current V8 Modular engine. It is rumoured to develop around 425 bhp.
Source: TheCarConnection
November 21, 2007
Four door Ford Verve Concept unveiled

Ford has unveiled a Verve saloon concept car at the Guangzhou Motor Show in China. The production version is destined for Asian markets and will be introduced there next year. However, Ford might consider importing it in Europe if there is demand for a small saloon.

The four-door Verve is very similar to the three-door hatchback unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show and features the Verve’s aggressive egg-crate grille, the radically raked windscreen, the coupe-like roofline and the fascia design. Like the future Fiesta, it is based on the Mazda 2 platform. Curiously, the Japanese subsidiary also unveiled a Mazda 2 saloon on Monday.

The Verve saloon concept car is the second of the three Fiesta concepts unveiled or to be unveiled. Ford will show a SUV variant at the next Detroit Motor Show. The SUV will be a larger five-door model destined for the American market. As Ford China COO said “Our future small car [Fiesta] is being developed as a global car. It will be designed in Europe, engineered in Germany and manufactured globally.” It was not mentioned if Ford plans to also import the SUV in Europe. The Fiesta’s main rival in the UK, the Peugeot 207, features estate, coupé/cabrio and soon a SUV in its range.
November 21, 2007
Spyshots: Hyundai i50

At the last New York Motor Show, the Korean manufacturer had unveiled Hyundai Genesis concept car to gauge public reaction to the idea of a Hyundai premium model. Almost everybody acclaimed the styling exercise that previewed the future Genesis saloon. Unfortunately, imagine a threesome between the Lexus LS460, the BMW 5-Series and a Toyota Crown, and you will get the car you see here. The production version is a disappointment.

Forget the slender lines of the concept car, the Genesis saloon uses styling clues from the LS 460 for the fascia. The rear end is similar to the Crown’s and the general shape takes inspiration from the BMW 5-Series.

Due to be unveiled at the next Detroit Motor Show, the Genesis will be based on the BH platform shared with the new Hyundai coupé. Secrecy continues to surround the exact spec of the future saloon, although it is known it will feature the new Theta V8 engine. According to various sources, it will produce more than 300 bhp.
The Genesis represents Hyundai’s serious attempt on the competitive American executive saloons. At around $30,000, it will be less expensive than the ubiquitous Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Lexus and Mercedes.
November 21, 2007
Mitsubishi Colt Ralliart R ‘08

Do not expect to see this hot Mitsubishi as it is destined for the Japanese market. Launched in 2006, this sporty version gets an upgrade for 2008. Its 1.5 litre turbocharged engine has been tweaked to raise the output from 154 bhp to 163 bhp.

The new 2008 Colt also features a lightly revised interior with a new gearbox knob, new 16” wheels and a new seat trim.
November 21, 2007
Alfa Romeo might call the baby Alfa ‘Furiosa’

In conjunction with a few leading European car magazines, Alfa Romeo launched a naming contest for its future supermini six weeks ago. The emotive marque allowed users of national websites to choose their favourite name among a shortlist of 12 names. In the end, Furiosa came out on top. It does not mean that the next baby Alfa will get this name. Indeed, according to Autocar, one of the company’s sources said that “it [Furiosa] doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, does it?”
Alfa Romeo is poised to shake up the supermini market and the tiny Alfa might become its biggest-selling model. Internally known as 955, the three-door supermini is based on the Grande Punto platform. A wide range of engines will be on offer, starting with a 105 bhp 1.4 litre Multiair four with variable valve timing, followed by a selection of 1.4 and 1.8 turbos with 135, 180 and 230 bhp. The ‘Furiosa’ will also come with diesel engines, including the 1.2-liter JTDm with 120 or 150 bhp. The Alfa upmarket supermini will be unveiled at the next Geneva Motor Show.
The final list in order of popularity:
1. Furiosa
2. Ventura
3. Sparvo
4. Mod
5. Eno
6. Nevo
7. Fira
8. Agea
9. Solea
10. Velvetta
11. Milo
12. Everso
November 21, 2007
VW will invest £20 billion between 2008 and 2010

Volkswagen Group has announced that it will invest £20 billion between 2008 and 2010 in manufacturing and new models. With the goal to overtake Toyota in 2018, the German manufacturer has to modernize its factories in order to cut cost and produce more with less.
Germany will receive half of the total amount as VW plans to expand on the US market and in China. India might also be on the plan. The £20 billion will also be used to add 20 new vehicles to the Volkswagen range by 2010.
It seems that every carmaker has set plans to dominate the world. Toyota, BMW, Mercedes and Volkswagen all have a struggling national market and growth is abroad. The American market and the Chinese is where the fiercest battle will be and all of them plan to gain market share. The problem is the market can not be extended indefinitely. There will be winners and heavy losers.
November 20, 2007
NIssan plans to sell 1,500 GT-Rs per year in the US

With a highly competitive price tag of $69,850 for the entry model, Nissan has limited ambitions for the GT-R on the American Market, Indeed, the Japanese carmaker plans to sell 1,500 cars every year.
This conservative sales forecast might become more than a problem for Nissan. On the Japanese market, the manufacturer expected to sell around 200 cars for November. In less than two weeks, it recorded 2,282 sales. At this rate, it would be able to sell 25,000 cars per year, only on the Japanese market. If we consider with a very rough calculation that the US has twice the population of Japan, Nissan might sell 50,000 cars per year. Add the European sales and it might reach 55,000 sales per year. It would be more than a triumph for Nissan. But let’s come back on earth. Nissan has only the capacity to build 12,000 GT-Rs per year at this moment. Speculations are opened and some dealers plan to markup the GT-R as high as $15,000 per vehicle. It will still be far less expensive than the Porsche 911 Turbo, which costs $122,800.
How will the GT-R perform in Europe? The car has an estimated price tag of £60,000. If it is less expensive than the 911 Turbo, it is still very expensive. Despite having no Nissan badge, except on the deck lid, the GT-R will remain a Nissan for European customers who are more attracted by the brand than the cars themselves.
Source: Autoblog
November 20, 2007
Venturi Fetish and Eclectic to be on sale in April 2008

Do you remember the Venturi concept cars unveiled at the 2006 Paris Motor Show? One of them, dubbed Fetish, was a electric powered roadster and the other known as Eclectic was a wind and solar powered four-seater vehicle.
According to Autoweek.nl, the Monaco-based carmaker has recorded six orders for the Fetish and will start production next year. It will be officially on sale in April 2008 and Venturi plans to build 50 cars per year. Compared to Tesla which collaborated with Lotus for its roadster, Venturi designed the car itself and used carbon-fiber to cut weight. The electric engine produces a power of 250 bhp and a torque of 162 ft-lb. With its 2156 lbs, the Fetish has a top speed of 100 mph and can run the 0-60 mph in less than five seconds.
The odd Eclectic model is powered by a small 22 bhp engine and is charged by solar cells. Thanks to its Spartan interior, the four-seater vehicle weighs 770 lbs. Unlike the Fetish, which will cost £200,000, the Eclectic has a price tag of £20,000.
November 20, 2007
Mazda Demio/2 Sedan unveiled

Mazda will unveil the four-door Mazda Demio/2 at the 2007 Guangzhou Motor Show this week. Designed especially for the Chinese market, the small saloon will be built the Changan Ford Mazda joint-venture. Designing a sedan form a small car is always a difficult exercise., but Mazda designers succeeded in drawing that looks like a small four-door Mazda 3 from the back. The saloon keeps the appealing style of the hatchback.

The engine line up will be likely similar to the Hatchback’s with a 75 bhp 1.3 litre petrol engine and two 1.5 litre units, which deliver 84 bhp and 103 bhp. On the Chinese market, the four-door MAzda 2 will join the current lineup that includes the Mazda 3 and Mazda 6.

Do not expect to see the car on our roads. The is no real demand for tiny sedans in Europe and Mazda will probably focus on selling the Mazda 2 and the new Mazda 6.
November 20, 2007