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BMW considers launching a fourth brand
BMW is considering a fourth brand intended to sell environmental-friendly models.
Last week, Petrol-Head reported that BMW was considering launching an electric vehicle expected to go on sale in the US. However, the integration of such an innovative car in the current range was also questioned. BMW chairman Norbert Reithofer has confirmed the project. Called ‘Project i’, its purpose is to evaluate all possible options to sell the new car. BMW Chairman said that the project has a great deal of latitude, even creating a new brand.
Still at an early stage, Reithofer didn’t confirm any technical options. ‘An electric motor is an option we are looking into. It does not only work at zero-emission level. The technology is now sophisticated enough to offer driving pleasure. This is one of the reasons why we are evaluating the option of launching a battery-powered car.’
The German group already has three brands, BMW, of course, Rolls Royce and Mini.
March 19, 2008
Livingstone tells Porsche to drop CC challenge
London Mayor Ken Livingstone has told Porsche to stop challenging the new Congestion Charge scheme.
Last week, the German carmaker announced it would make formal application for judicial review to challenge the new congestion charge scheme which unpleased the London mayor. Porsche had conducted a survey in last February showing that 74% of Londoners believed the congestion charge was unfair.
This week Livingstone unveiled a new survey that unsurprisingly showed that almost two-thirds of Londoners backed the scheme. "Luxury car manufacturers such as Porsche should take the hint and put their energy into reducing the carbon emissions of their cars instead of pursuing pointless legal action against this ground-breaking policy," he said.
Porsche confirmed it will press ahead with its legal challenge.
March 19, 2008
British drivers ignore green pressures
The car hypermarket chain Carcraft reveals that we appear to be ignoring attempts to force us into smaller and greener cars.
Figures released by used car hypermarket chain Carcraft, show that sales of cars with engines of 2000cc and above increased last year despite the introduction of higher vehicle duty and the increasing cost of petrol.
Car buyers opting for larger vehicles made up 11.5% of all sales in the first ten months of 2007, compared to 9.5% in 2006. This is the first time that larger cars have represented more than one in ten used cars sold in the UK. Older, male drivers are leading this trend. Over three-quarters (79%) of drivers buying cars over 3000cc were male and a quarter (26%) were men aged between 51 and 65 years old.
The research from Carcraft looked at a representative sample of 50,000 sales out of its total car sales nationwide, from the first ten months of 2006 and 2007.
March 19, 2008
Seat fits the 1.4 TSI engine on the Leon
Seat is adding a new engine to the Leon lineup, a 1.4-litre TSI petrol unit that delivers 123bhp.
The current Leon’s lineup suffers from an engine gap as the entry-level engine is a 101bhp 1.6-litre unit that is followed by the 197bhp 2.0-litre. In other words, Seat needed to fill the gap. Despite featuring a smaller displacement than the 1.6-litre, the new TSI unit delivers more power, 101bhp at 5,600rpm and more torque, 148lb ft at 1,750rpm thanks to the turbocharger.
Compared to the 1.6-litre figures, 0-62mph drops from 11.7 seconds to 9.8 seconds and top speed jumps from 114mph to 122mph. The carmaker claims the new Leon 1.4-litre TSI achieves a combined cycle figure of 44.1 mpg compared to 37.2 mpg to the 1.6’s.
Starting at £13,755 for the Reference Sport trim, the new engine offer is £1125 more expensive than the equivalent 1.-6 litre. The new engine is also available with the Stylance trim for £14,750.
March 19, 2008
Honda to invest £250 miilion in Kei cars production
Honda has announced it will invest £250 million into its subsidiary Yachiyo Industry to reorganize its production output of Kei car models.
The investment will help to modernize the current Yokkaichi plant and build a new facility. The combined annual production capacity of the two plants will be approximately 240,000 units, which is almost the same as the current capacity.
The two factories will separate the production based on product characteristics. The new plant will produce the front-engined models, Life and Zest, while the existing plant will focus on the midship-engined models, Acty and Vamos. The new facility will start building engines in the first half of 2009 and will switch to car production by 2010.
Honda wants to reorganize its Kei cars production system in order to reduce cost and offer competitively priced models on the Japanese car market which has been in recession for the last fifteen years.
March 18, 2008
FAW unveils the Bentung A501
The Chinese carmaker FAW has unveiled the A501 saloon under its luxury brand Bentung.
FAW had announced its intention to launch a luxury brand last year. The initial plan was to launch a saloon and a compact model. If the saloon has been launched, the new car won’t be a compact model but a saloon called A501.
The new saloon has been designed by ItalDesign Giugiaro and confirms the good impression given by the other model. Details remain scarce on the car specification although it is known that is available with a choice of two petrol engines, a in-house 1.6-litre unit and a Mazda 2.0-litre unit.
Source: Chinacartimes
March 18, 2008
Tesla starts building the Roadster
Tesla has started to build the first units of the Roadster model after months of delays.
Tesla President Ze’ev Drori has announced the company has finally started to build the Roadster model and will roll off the first vehicles soon. The first cars are featured with a temporary gearbox as the company engineers didn’t succeed in building a reliable two-speed transmission essential for the car’s performance. The first units will be equipped with a one-speed unit that will guarantee greater liability instead of speed. Indeed, the first production cars called “P1’ run the 0-62mph in 5.7 seconds while the Roadster was expected to achieve the performance in 4 seconds.
The first models will be eligible to a free upgrade when the company engineers achieves resolving the problems encountered by the two-speed transmission.
March 18, 2008
Hyundai to launch a luxury brand in China
Hyundai has announced it will launch a luxury in 2010. The news doesn’t come as a surprise until you learn that the new brand will be launched exclusively in China.
"In 2010, we will officially launch our luxury brand name and logo along the lines of Toyota’s Lexus, Nissan’s Infiniti and Honda’s Acura. All of our luxury models will have the new badge," Young-Key Koo, chief representative of Hyundai Motor China for sales and marketing, told Gasgoo.com.
This is not the first time the Korean carmaker is considering launching a new luxury brand as it was rumoured that Hyundai seriously thought about doing it in the US for the new Genesis saloon. However, the carmaker had decided to sell under its name as launching a new brand in the US was too expensive.
Launching a new brand in China is an ambitious plan and a smart move as the current automobile market is still at an early stage where carmakers build their brand image. The news doesn’t mean Hyundai will focus on cheap models. Indeed, Koo said that Hyundai will pursue its goal to move upmarket in China by revealing more luxurious new models in the future. The cheap models will likely be sold under the Kia badge in China.
March 18, 2008
Daimler considers ending Maybach
Daimler is seriously considering ending the Maybach adventure as the luxury brand doesn’t meet success. The company executives will decide within two years.
After several alternatives, such as building a hyper luxury G-Class or the Exelero coupé, Maybach has still no plan to replace the current models, the 57 and 62, both derived from the former S-Class. The company was reported to work on a new saloon, less expensive, featuring a innovative design inspired from the Mercedes CLS Class but this project seems to be put on hold. Daimler CEO Dr. Dieter Zetsche has admitted that there are no future Maybach models in the works.
Maybach has sold 146 vehicles last year far from the forecasted numbers and far from Rolls Royce which delivered 1,100 models last year. Since 2001, 40 per cent of Maybach dealers have been closed.
March 18, 2008
New York Auto Show unveilings
The New York Auto Show looks rather far for us in the UK but the motor show gets more and more attention from carmakers which like the idea to have another American show with a national coverage, but still focused on American market while Detroit became the show of German carmakers in the past years.
The motor show will feature eight world debuts and three concept cars: Acura TSX, eagerly-awaited Dodge Challenger, Hyundai Genesis coupé, facelifted Mercedes ML-Class, new Nissan Maxima, Pontiac G8 GXP, Pontiac Solstice coupé, the 2010 Pontiac G8 Sport Truck for the new vehicles and Kia coupé, Scion Hako coupé and Suzuki Kizashi 3 for the concept cars.
Acura
The new TSX saloon will debut in New York as a longer and wider vehicle then the current generation. The new TSX will be powered by the same engine that powers the new Accord in Europe, the 201bhp 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine hooked up to either a six speed manual gearbox or a five speed automatic gearbox.
Dodge
Without a doubt, the new Challenger will be praised by professionals and the public. Dodge will likely unveil the entry-level engine, a 3.6-litre V6 petrol unit.
Hyundai
The Korean carmaker will pursue its goal to move upmarket after the new Genesis saloon and the facelifted Sonata by unveiling the long-awaited Genesis coupé which will be powered by a 3.8-litre V6 petrol engine delivering over 300bhp.
Kia
Kia is expected to show a concept car that previews its future coupé whose launch date remains unkwown.
Mercedes Benz
The German carmaker will show its facelifted ML-Class and will also launch three new Bluetec diesel models, the R320, the GL 320 and the ML320 all powered by a 3.0-litre V-6 turbodiesel engine that also injects urea into the exhaust stream to clean emissions.
Nissan
Nissan will unveil the new Maxima. The company will try to differentiate the Maxima from the Altima saloon as the former suffers from the latter’s competitive pricing.
Pontiac
The American carmaker wants to lead the show and will unveil three new vehicles. Pontiac will show the G8 Sport Truck derived from the Holden Ute. Due to reincarnate the legendary El Camino, the new model will feature a 361bhp 6.0-litre V8 engine and will shuttle to 60mph in just 5.4 seconds. The carmaker will also unveil the G8 GXP which is expected to offer over 400bhp. Along with the two G8s, Pontiac will also take the wraps off the Solstice coupé.
Scion
The Toyota’s brand destined for young buyers will unveil a concept car called Hako which will be a sporty interpretation of a box shape.
Suzuki
After the Kizashi 1 and 2, Suzuki will show a third iteration of the Kizashi family simply called Kizashi 3. The concept car will be a saloon that previews a future model the carmaker plans to launch in the future although to launch date has been revealed.
March 18, 2008