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Pontiac Solstice coupé to be launched next year

According to Automotive News, GM will unveil a coupé version of the Solstice next year.
This comes as no surprise as Bob Lutz said in an interview that it would be “a very logical thing to do”. The surprise comes from the fact that nobody expected the car to be available so soon.
The design will not be different from the Solstice concept car unveiled in 2002 but the engine will be more powerful than the current unit available in the roadster. Unfortunately a V6 engine is unlikely to be used. According to insiders a V6 engine is too heavy and would upset the balance of the car.
August 4, 2007
Land Rover Freelander may produce a seven-seat variant

According to the British car magazine Auto Express, Land Rover will launch a seven-seat version of the Freelander.
Sold in the U.S. under the name LR2, the Freelander has met with great success since it was launched at the 2006 British Motor Show. It quickly became a point of reference in the compact SUV segment, ahead of German competitors. However, Land Rover bosses think the current model may not be enough to resist the assault of new competitors such as the Peugeot 4007 and the Citroën C-Crosser. Citroën UK sold its entire annual quota in less than three months. Renault will join soon the fight with the upcoming Koleos. Soon, the segment will be crowded and the relatively high price of the Freelander will have less appeal to the masses. The new model may be launched within 18 months.
Developing a seven-seat Freelander would seem to be quite a challenge. The boot capacity of the current model is small, especially since the spare tyre is stored in it. One solution may be to extend its length but it would then bear too much similarity to the Discovery. At 177.1 inch long, adding 8 inches to provide enough room for the third row of seats will make it only 5 inches shorter than the Discovery. Likewise, developing this new variant will require investment. Perhaps future buyers will not be ready to accept the potential cost involved.
August 4, 2007
Future Mazda 6 renderings

The website Worldcarfans has released its interpretation of the next Mazda 6 that will be unveiled at the next Frankfurt Motor Show.
As I mentioned in a previous post, the next Mazda 6 will grow in size and in status like the Alfa Romeo did with the 159 model. At the top of the range it will replace the current Duratec 30 V6 engine also found in the Mazda MPV with the more powerful Duratec 35.
Inside, the first spyshots confirm the direction taken by Mazda: it will continue to develop the Zoom Zoom philosophy. Let’s hope it will not become a caricature of itself.
Source: Worldcarfans
August 4, 2007
A new Lamborghini supercar?

If you are not satisfied by the power of the Murcielago LP 640 model, Lamborghini’s engineers are currently working on a new car that will produce more than 700bhp.
No information has been reported on whether the car will be a tuned Murcielago or a new car. A more powerful Murcielago may not be enough at a time when a car specialist like Mercedes is planning to sell a supercar in 2010. Despite its impressive characteristics and constant improvements, the Lamborghini will be nine years old. Thus a new car makes more sense on paper.
Financially, 2007 is a very good year for the Italian carmaker. For the first semester of 2007, it recorded the biggest growth in the Volkswagen group with 1,200 delivered cars. But will it continue at this pace? That is not so sure.
The decision will certainly be made at Audi’s headquarters, which owns Lamborghini. If the German carmaker sees an Audi supercar as a potential foe, there is a big chance that Lamborghini will have a new car. If not, the next Lamborghini supercar may just be a revamped Murcielargo after all.
August 4, 2007
Spyshots: Volkswagen Golf VI

Here are the first spyshots of the Golf VI due to be launched in May 2008. The next generation is set to lift a weight off Volkswagen’s shoulders by cutting production costs and improving reliability.
Do not expect a revolutionary design. The Golf VI will be a re-engineered version of the current model and will probably extend the current engine range. Power will go from 80bhp for the entry-level to 280bhp for the R36 flagship. The real changes will be geared towards the assembly line. According to insiders, the Golf V has a higher production cost than any of its rivals. Though this was not a weakness in the past thanks to the high price tag, justified by advanced technology compared to competitors, the market has not reacted favourably to the Golf V. Therefore, the German carmaker was obliged to review its price policy and settle for a thinner profit margin than originally planned.
When Wolfgang Bernhard joined the VW Group, one of his missions was to revamp the production system in order to cut costs on the Golf VI and, according to different sources the improvements will allow costs to be reduced by £1,300. This does not mean the car will look like a poorer Golf to customers. The next generation will still keep the multi-link rear axle and interior quality will be improved. But will it be enough to make the difference at at time when competitors are making big progress? The new Peugeot 308 interior, for example, is rather impressive.
As I mentioned earlier, do not expect a revolution regarding the design, but the arrival of the new VW brand boss Martin Winterkorn has led to a redesign of the front face. Expect to see a grill that takes inspiration from the Iroc concept car unveiled at the last Paris Motor Show.
August 4, 2007
Mitsubishi to unveil small crossover in Frankfurt

According to the Dutch magazine Auto Vision, Mitsubishi will unveil a small crossover at the next Frankfurt Motor Show in September.
The car will be smaller than the Outlander and will be presented as a design study to gauge public reaction. If the reaction is positive, the crossover will be sold in Europe in 2009. This would not be the first time that Mitsubishi has sold a small SUV. In the past it sold the Pajero Pinin. Designed and built by Pininfarina, the SUV did not meet its expected sales figure.
In Japan, Mitsubishi also offers a small SUV, the Pajero Mini. Set to compete on the Kei car market, its length is limited to 3.395m and its engine has a limited capacity of 660cm3. Turbocharged, it produces 64bhp, just enough to go uphill.
For PSA, the small crossover may be an opportunity to expand its SUV range. The collaboration with Mitsubishi on the Peugeot 4007/Citroën C-Crosser/Mitsubishi Outlander models has been successful. Why not continue the partnership?
August 4, 2007
Mazda reports 62 percent drop in profit

Mazda has reported a 62 percent drop in profit in the second quarter of 2007, compared to the same period in 2006. The company reported a profit that has slipped to £10.3m/€15.3m/$20.8m, down from £27.4m/€40.7m/$55.6m. The drop in profits is due to foreign exchange rates and research investments.
The gloomy Japanese car market and an expected new Demio/2 model combine to bring about a 7 percent drop in Japan. The next quarter will be better thanks to the new Demio and the Japanese trend towards favouring smaller cars in recent years. Although the U.S. reported a 6 percent increase, the second part of the year may be more difficult due to the next Mazda 6, set to be launched at the next Frankfurt Motor Show but not sold before the end of the year.
Mazda expects to report a record profit and plans to sell 4 percent more cars globally for this fiscal year ending in March 2008.
August 3, 2007
Ford records profit for first time in 21 months

After months of bad news, Ford announced an end to 21 months of losses with a recorded profit of £370m/€549m/$750m for the second quarter of 2007. Even the troubled PAG division, which includes Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo, recorded a small profit of £69m/€102m/$140m.
While the announcement astonished the financial community, Ford CEO Allan Mulally avoided triumphalism. He declared that he did not expect the company to record further profit before the end of 2009. He expects simply to reduce the forecasted loss of £8.4bn/€12.4bn/$17bn.
It seems like the restructuring is showing signs of success, but the pill was bitter to swallow. Ford sold Aston Martin, closed 16 plants and axed 45,000 jobs to avoid bankruptcy.
August 3, 2007
Wolfgang Bernhard may be next Chrysler chairman
The charismatic Wolfgang Bernhard may be set to become the new Chrsyler chairman after Cerberus closes the deal to purchase the company from Daimler-Benz.
After an acrobatic lay-off from Volkswagen, for which the German carmaker is well known, he joined Cerberus as an adviser on the Chrysler deal. Insiders report that he is currently reviewing the planning of future products.
Is Wolfgang Bernhard the right candidate to turn around Chrysler? The former Volkswagen’s CEO is charming but his past experiences cast doubt over his abilities. At Chrysler, he was given credit for the turnaround that happened a few years ago but Chrysler’s recent situation seems to prove his achievement is far from successful.
At Volkswagen, he attempted to restructure the company but met with strong resistance not only from unions but also from Ferdinand Piech, chairman of VW. We will not see the results before next year, when Volkswagen will launch the Golf VI. Wolfgang Bernhard revamped the production system in order to cut costs by £1,300 per Golf VI.
August 3, 2007
VW finalises Proton buyout

Despite its struggle to survive, Proton and its owners, the Malaysian state, are handling difficult negotiations over a buyout, with Volkwagen the only bidder. According to some Malaysian newspapers, Proton, whose situation is becoming worse by the day, is now a bit more conciliatory towards Volkswagen.
The biggest stumbling block was the stake demanded by Volkswagen. The German carmaker asked for 51% while Proton refused to offer more than 49%. Finally, a new company will be set up with 51% owned by the German carmaker. This new company will hold the Proton assets. In exchange, Volkswagen will bring its technical knowledge in the form of platforms and engines for future models. It will also take charge of the Proton distribution network worldwide, while Proton will keep its network in Malaysia.
August 3, 2007