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Skoda rolls off the 2,000,000th Octavia
The Czech carmaker has rolled off the 2,000,000th Octavia since the model has been launched for the first time in 1996.
The milestone-marking vehicle is a silver Octavia Scout 2.0 TDI. The current generation has been launched in 2004. However the first-generation is still being built along with the current model. Altogether Skoda has produced 1,315,000 first-generation Octavias and 685,000 second-generation Octavias.
Last year the company delivered 72,529 first-generation Octavia vehicles and 237,422 current generation Octavias.
March 12, 2008
Dodge rolls off the 25,000th Viper
The troubled Chrysler has rolled off its 25,000th Dodge Viper at its Conner Avenue Assembly factory.
The milestone might look like a bit small when Petrol-Head reports usual production milestones above one million units, but the Viper is a special vehicle sold at a high price.
The car was created on the idea of Bob Lutz and Caroll Shelby. Shown as a concept car, the car went on sale to spearhead a revival of the American carmaker. Unfortunately, the milestone won’t cheer the factory’s employees as Chrysler has announced it will close the Conner Avenue factory.
The current Dodge Viper will be built until 2011.
March 12, 2008
BMW invests to boot capacity in the US
BMW has announced it will increase the production capacity of its American factory by investing £375 million by 2012.
The investment will boost the facility’s production capacity from 160,000 to 240,000. Located in Spartanburg, South Carolina, the factory will increase its area by 60%.
In addition to the 5,400 current employees, BMW will hire 500 new people within the next four years. The news doesn’t come as a surprise. Indeed BMW had already announced its intention to increase the production capacity to 200,000. Last month, the carmaker had announced it will eliminate 8,100 jobs, mainly in Germany and unions had to be prepared to bigger job cuts if the Euro becomes stronger.
The X5 and X6 are being built in Spartanburg. BMW will add the next-generation X3 to the factory’s assembly lines.
March 12, 2008
Volkswagen details 10 years plan
Stefan Jacoby, president of Volkswagen of America, has detailed the company’s plans to sell one million vehicles on the American market per year by 2018.
The German carmaker has set an ambitious plan to boost its sales to one million units per year in the US by 2018. In 2007, it sold 230,572 vehicles in 2007, representing a decrease of 1.9% from the 235,140 units sold in the prior year. The one million figure will be comprised of 800,000 Volkswagens and 200,000 Audis.
On the Volkswagen side, the company plans to downsize the Passat model that will also lose its nameplate. It will decrease its selling price from about £12,000$24,000 for the entry model today to £10,000/$20,000 similar to that of the Chevrolet Malibu and slightly more expensive than that of the Toyota Camry saloon. The carmaker realised that its strong brand image in Europe didn’t cross the ocean. Drivers are not ready to pay a premium for a Volkswagen model. In the same way, the next-generation Jetta will be less expensive with a targeted price of £7,500/$15,000.
Volkswagen will also boost its sales by expanding its lineup. To the ten models offered today, the company will add new models, a pickup and a compact model based on the Up! concept cars. The Phaeton will also return on the American market as a smaller a cheaper saloon than the unsuccessful current Phaeton. Some versions of the next-generation Polo might also be sold there.
Volkswagen also plans to increase its share of diesel cars. Indeed, a recent J.D. Power report said that diesel sales were expected to increase from 3% of vehicles to 7% in the US, Stefan Jacoby wants the company to lead the market.
The other major part of the plan is a possible factory built in the US. The carmaker hasn’t given the green light yet although the company has already entered into talks with a few states to determine the best location. A plant in the US would enable the company not to be penalized by the weak dollar.
March 11, 2008
Tata interested in Ferrari stake
In an interview with Italy’s L’Espresso weekly news magazine, Tata Chairman Ratjan Tata has revealed that he would like to buy a stake in Ferrari.
"I have two passions in my life, cars and aircraft. I have always dreamed of being able to be a fighter pilot. And I confirm the wish to participate in Ferrari’s shareholding," Tata told L’Espresso.
"Luca di Montezemolo (both Fiat and Ferrari chairman) has invited me to look around in Italy because his country offers a lot of opportunities in the design and luxury sectors," he said.
Tata has definitely a big appetite and the acquisition of Jaguar and Land Rover might be an opportunity to discuss with Fiat. The Italian group has shown its interest in Jaguar technology that could be used by Alfa Romeo. Rajan Tata might offer a stake in Jaguar to Fiat in exchange of a stake in Ferrari for Tata Motors.
March 10, 2008
Unofficial pictures of the Ford Focus RS
Pictures of the long-awaited Ford Focus RS have emerged on the Internet. None have been confirmed by a carmaker’s announcement at the Geneva Motor Show.
There is some doubt whether those pictures are official or not. However, they seem to be realistic enough to be taken seriously. With the RS, Ford will go wild and the future owners won’t have to be ashamed when compared to the Japanese clique, Mitsubishi Lancer and Subaru Impreza, a least at a glance. Indeed, the Focus RS will only come with a two-wheel drive transmission.
Without a four-wheel drive system, the 2.5-litres five cylinder petrol engine will have trouble to send its 280bhp and its 295lb ft to the front wheels. Ford engineers added an electronic differential to master the power, but history has proved this kind of technical solution never really worked.
The car is expected to be launched at the next British Motor Show.
March 10, 2008
Toyota suffers from rising Yen
During the Geneva Motor Show, Toyota President Katsuaki Watanabe said the stronger yen was making conditions tougher for the automaker, specially on the American market.
The continuing decline in the dollar is making the company’s life hard but the Toyota CEO vowed to respond. One of the solution would be to build production facilities in the markets. Opening a new factory in the US would likely help the carmaker to offer competitively priced models while keeping the carmaker’s margin high.
Watanabe also said that the stricter 2012 EU emission regulations were a challenge for the Toyota and said that there was a lag between technical innovation to cut emissions and the time when such technology is affordable. in other words, Toyota might not be ready by 2012 and is slightly upset by the new regulations. The company had expressed a similar opinion with the future CAFE regulations that will apply in the US by 2020.
Watanabe also said that Toyota was continuing work to develop a low-cost vehicle — not an ultra-low cost car such as the Nano of Tata but he had told company engineers he wanted to test-drive a concept car this year.
March 10, 2008
Bentley announces 120g/km CO2 by 2012
Bentley has surprised the industry by announcing that its future model will comply with the future 2012 EU regulation, 120g/km CO2 emission.
The statement is rather bold at at time when the company’s fleet average is around 400g of CO2 per km. Bentley sales and marketing director Stuart McCullough said that the carmaker planned to have its entire range capable of running on renewable fuels, to launch a new engine which will deliver a 40 per cent improvement in fuel economy and to design lighter cars.
While the intention is laudable, the 2012 mark is coming quickly. How will the carmaker be able to renew its entire range before 2012?
McCullough also announced that the company expects to go beyond 10,000 unitss per year. He said that “Wealth is growing and within a few years there will be 11 million high net-worth people globally with a combined purchasing power of $50-60 trillion.” The Crewe factory is currently running to capacity on its two shifts. By adding a third shift, Bentley would increase its production capacity to 15,000 vehicles per year.
March 10, 2008
Geneva: Toyota iQ
Toyota has launched its eagerly-awaited iQ model after the concept car seen at Frankfurt last year.
As its moniker suggests, the Toyota used all the brains available in Toyota City to develop a car with innovative solutions. First, there is this impressive performance of being roomy enough for four people despite a length inferior to 3 meters. The original Mini offered similar arrangements in 3 meters, but the iQ also marks five stars at the Euro NCAP crash test.
The iQ will be powered by two petrol engines and a diesel unit at first. In the future, the city car is expected to offer six engines. However, what’s interesting about the iQ is the rumour emerging at the motor show. It is said that the iQ will be also offered in a hybrid version. Where will Toyota put the batteries in the tiny car? It won’t be under the seats as there is the fuel tank there. It is also believed that the hybrid version would be powered by a 500cc petrol engine. Toyota didn’t confirm the rumour.
The iQ will go on sale from next January and Toyota expects to build 100,000 vehicles per year.
March 10, 2008
Geneva: Mercedes SL
Mercedes has unveiled the facelifted SL seven years after its launch on the market.
Despite being launched in summer 2001, the SL roadster still offered an appealing design which was still modern nowadays. However, the German carmaker estimated that the time for a revamp had come and the SL features a deep exterior facelift.
The most obvious changes occur on the front fascia with new headlights inspired from the successful CLS model, a new grille and a new bonnet. At the rear end, the roadster gets new taillights and new bootlid that comes with an integrated spoiler. The revamped SL is certainly more aggressive with those changes, but it also loses a bit of elegance.
March 10, 2008