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Spyshots: future Volkswagen Scirocco

Here are the first spyshots of the future Scirocco hatchback, due to be launched in 2009. Based on the concept car unveiled at the latest Paris Motor Show in September 2006, the production car preserves the general design. The aggressive face of the concept car will be kept and will be a further step towards Volkswagen’s new identity, initiated by the head of Volkswagen design Walter Da Silva.
According to insiders, Martin Winterkorn asked that the back end be redesigned when he took position as Volkswagen Group CEO last January. The concept car back end will have a less tortured style.
The hatchback coupé is based on the EOS convertible. As yet, no information have been given regarding a possible open top Scirocco. The plan is for the car to be sold in Europe, and it may not make it to the American market.
Click here to see all pictures
Source Photo: KGP Photography
July 20, 2007
Kia sports coupé concept car at Frankfurt Motor Show

After the positive reception of the Kia Cee’d by journalists, Kia is continuing to ‘Europeanise’ its range. At the next Frankfurt Motor Show, the Korean carmaker will unveil the car that is considered its “Audi TT” interpretation.
According to insiders, the car may be powered by a turbocharged 4 cylinder engine producing 222bhp/225hp. The coupé was designed by Peter Shreyer, head of Kia’s European design centre and former designer of none other than the Audi TT.
The car will be built in Europe. This concept car may be an indication of the direction Hyundai is taking. Perhaps Hyundai cars will be built for the U.S. market while Kia cars will be designed for the European market.
July 20, 2007
The Vanquish bids farewell and Newport Pagnell closes

Aston Martin announced yesterday afternoon that it produced the last Vanquish model yesterday at 11.45 AM. The car is a Vanquish S Ultimate Edition of which the serial number is 502 593. A total of 2,578 cars have been built since spring 2001. At an average price of £150,000, this is an incredible feat.
It is the end of an era for Aston Martin, and not just because of the end of the Vanquish. The Vanquish S Ultimate Edition is also the last car to be built by the legendary Newport Pagnell factory, which closed its doors yesterday evening. Over the almost fifty years since it was set up in 1958, the plant has hand-built more than 13,000 cars.
Production for Aston Martin will now be centralised in the Gaydon factory.
July 20, 2007
Earthquake damages Japanese carmakers’ production system

The Japanese automotive industry is famous for its just-in-time production system, so effective that carmakers all over the world have emulated it. Unfortunately, despite Japan’s efforts to plan for every eventuality, preparing for an earthquake is almost impossible.
As you may know, there was a severe earthquake last Monday in Niigata prefecture, 155 miles north west of Tokyo. Riken, a large automotive parts supplier with its main factory based in Niigata, has been obliged to stop production due to damages caused by the earthquake. Riken produces 70% of universal joints and 40% of piston rings in Japan. The Nissan subsidiary JATCO has also been forced to stop producing its gearboxes.
The effects of this disruption to the supply chain are significant. Nissan will stop producing cars in its twelve Japan-based factories until next Monday. Toyota’s production of cars has been suspended until Sunday. Honda will decrease its production for the duration of next week. Suzuki will have to decrease its production by 10,000 units for five days.
What a mess for such a proud and highly-organised industry. We can be sure that Japanese carmakers are already working on a solution in preparation for the next earthquake.
July 20, 2007
Ford stops producing the inline-6 engine

It is well known that Ford is in serious trouble and that cutting costs may be the only method of survival for the American carmaker. There are big decisions to be made, such as whether or not to sell Jaguar and even Volvo. Lesser decisions are also being taken, such as the announcement that Ford will stop producing the inline-6 cylinders engine found on the Australian Ford cars.
The current cars, the Falcon, the Flacon Ute and the successful Territory will replace their inline-6 with the new V6 Duratec engine, built in the U.S.
For the factory based in Geelong, it means that the future of its 600 employees is uncertain. Ford has, however, pledged to give all plant employees other job opportunities within the Ford group.
July 20, 2007
New logo for Volkswagen?

According to Auto, Motor und Sport, Volkswagen is currently working on a new logo. Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn apparently thinks it is time to refresh the company’s logo to reflect the new direction that the German carmaker is taking.
According to insiders, the new logo will be bigger, the letters will be separated from the circle and Volkswagen will use 3D technology to design it.
July 20, 2007
2 million Honda Fit/Jazz

Launched in June 2001, the Honda Fit/Jazz has been built at more than 2 million units. It is a big success compared to its predecessor, the Logo.
Initially sold in Japan, it took first place on the sales chart, with approximately 962,000 Fits finding buyers there. The car was then sold in Europe in the summer of 2002. The Japanese carmaker was obliged to change the name of the car from Fit to Jazz for the benefit of European market, due to the Swedish and Norwegian meaning for the original name. In these countries, ‘Fit’ is a slang word referring to the female genitalia. It seems that Europeans are not prone to holding grudges, however, and a total of 467,000 were sold on the European market.
The Fit/Jazz has also convinced 77,000 American buyers of its merits since its introduction onto American soil in April 2006. In China the figure is 173,000 since 2003. Honda sold 230,000 cars in the rest of Asia and 151,000 units in South America.
Honda will unveil the successor of the Fit/Jazz at either the next Frankfurt Motor Show in September or the Tokyo Motor Show in October. The new model will be 2” longer and 1” larger than the current Fit/Jazz. It will feature two all-new i-VTEC engines, 1.3 litre and 1.5 litre to replace the current range. On the design side, Honda wants the next generation to be similar to the current model.
July 19, 2007
Spyker delays the C12 Zagato

In an interview, Spyker’s chairman said that the company will delay production of the C12 Zagato in order to give priority to other models.
Unveiled at the last Geneva Motor Show in March, the C12 Zagato is set to be built at a level of only 24 units. The car is the result of a meeting between Andrea Zagato and Victor Muller, Spyker’s founder and former CEO. The latter was a fan of Zagato models and bought a Lancia Flavia Zagato at the age of eighteen. Naturally, he asked Zagato to design its own interpretation of the Spyker C12.
The C12 is powered by the 6.0 liter, 12 cylinder, 500 bph W12 engine from VW. The engine is coupled with a six-speed manual or automatic gear box with F1-style shifting. This enables the car to reach 193mph/310km/h and to run the 0-62mph in 3.6 seconds. Despite an all aluminium body, the car weighs 3265lbs/1480kg due to an incredibly luxury interior that includes Chronoswiss instruments and a Zagato-designed full leather interior with brushed aluminium instrument panel. On the outside, the sports car has a F1-inspired design, notably the nose and the air fenders. Of course, it features the legendary Double Bubble from Zagato.
All units have already been sold for £334,000/€495,000/$684,000 each.
July 19, 2007
Gran Turismo 5 Trailer

Here is the first trailer of the new opus from the acclaimed Gran Turismo series. In the fifth generation, expect more detailed graphics of course, but also some new models like the Ferrari F430, the Nissan GT-R concept car and the Audi R8.
July 19, 2007
Chrysler will not build the Imperial

According to the Detroit Free Press, Chrysler will not produce the Imperial concept car that was presented at the 2006 North American International Auto Show. In January of last year, it was rumoured that the American carmaker would produce the luxury saloon, but the increasing cost of fuel and the expected introduction of more constraining fuel economy standards has led Chrysler to abandon the idea. The company’s Brampton, Ontario plant will be updated to build the next generation 300 instead.
Chrysler planned to build the Imperial on the LX platform used by the current 300 sedan. It was thought that the saloon would be given at least the 5.7 litre ‘HEMI’ V-8 that produces 340/350bhp. A diesel version was even considered. Chrysler was expected to couple the engines to a six speed automatic gearbox derived from the 300’s five speed automatic gearbox.
July 19, 2007