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Arien unveils the Atom 500
Ariel has announced a new version of its Atom model, the Ariel Atom 500. On the menu: 500kg, 500bhp, 100bhp per tonne.
The radical new Atom will be powered by a 500bhp V8 whose provider remains unknown. The engine will be equipped with a supercharger and will feature an alloy construction and a dry slump.
On the outside, the Atom 500 will come with two rear intakes for intercoolers a will feature waith an exclusive colour scheme.
To give you an idea of the sensation provided by a smaller Atom, the 300, look at the video below.
February 29, 2008
First official leaked picture of the scirocco
Two official pictures of the Scirocco have leaked on the Internet less than one week ahead of is official launch at the Geneva Motor Show. As predicted the final model is close to the Iroc concept car unveiled at the 2006 Paris Motor Show.
With this new model, Volkswagen will try to make a return on the coupé segment it had abandoned with the end of the Corrado coupé. While the Corrado was positioned as a unique model in the company’s lineup at that time, the new Scirocco will be positioned a Golf coupé.
If the overall shape is similar to the concept car’s, the front fascia has lost its glitzy showcar bits. Unfortunately, the changes make the Scirocco to look a bit tame. By removing the metal surround from the grill, designers removed a bit of character. The production version lost the sculpted lines that gave the Iroc a muscular stance. In a word, the Iroc concept car settled down to become the Scirocco. Nothing wrong as all carmakers do the same, but for a coupé, one would have hoped much more character.
February 29, 2008
Baby Alfa to be called Mito
The future small Alfa Romeo or Progetto955 came under the spotlights as two information were revealed: the baby Alfa night be christened Mito and will be unveiled to the dealer ship on March 18th.
Last year, the Italian marque had launched a poll in partnership with car magazines to choose the future name of the Progetto955. Among the list, ‘Furiosa’ came first, but Alfa didn’t find the elected name suitable for all languages. It appears that the company has chosen a two syllabus word: Mito. This short name combines both the cities of MI-lano and TO-rino together. It will be easy to remember or to confuse with a certain MIni at least.
While the car will officially unveiled in July, Alfa Romeo will show the final model to the dealer sheep in less than three weeks. The car will go on sale from September in Italy and in Europe after the Paris Motor Show.
The Alfa Mito will be available with a wide range of engines, a 95bhp 1.4-litre petrol unit, a Multiair 105bhp 1.4-litre petrol engine hooked up to a six-speed manual gearbox and a 1.6-litre turbocharged unit with either 135bhp or 165bhp. The topping petrol engine will be a 1.8-litre turbocharged which will have a power output of 230bhp. Along the petrol engines, Alfa will offer only one diesel engine, the 120bhp 1.6-litre unit.
The car is expected to cost £11,500 for the entry level model which is similar to the £11,625 required by the Mini One.
Source: Italiaspeed and Autoweek
February 29, 2008
Daimler to increase spending in R&D
Daimler plans to boost spending in R&D though the end of the decade to expand its lineup: more niche vehicles on the horizon.
The German carmaker has announced that it plans to invest £10 billion in R&D until 2010. The company wants to expand its current lineup but also plans substantial investment for new families of engines with low fuel consumption and emissions, as well as for the increased application of alternative drive systems. Last year the carmaker spent £3.1 billion on R&D.
Daimler has to invest a huge amount in R&D in order to comply with the future 2012 European CO2 emissions regulation. Due to be lower than 120g/km, the German carmaker is one of the worst European carmaker on the market as a result of its race to power it initiated more than ten years ago.
February 29, 2008
Honda CEO optimistic about the American market
In an interview with Automotive News, Honda CEO Takeo Fukui made comments regarding the American market that conflicted with Carlos Ghosn’s. While Nissan CEO talks about a recession, Takeo Fukui doesn’t foresee any downturn for this year.
Honda CEO confirmed that some states encountered a recession like California or Florida which dropped, but East Coast and Midwest markets generated good sales results for the company. Overall, Honda’s sales have dropped by 2.3% while the market recorded a 4.2% decrease. The company has no plan to offer incentives at this moment
"It is true that in states like Florida and California, the numbers are going down," Fukui told Automotive News. " But if you look at the U.S. as a whole, I don’t think we’re seeing a recession. There are still good business opportunities. There is firm demand for automobiles."
Honda suffers less from the SUV segment’s recession as the carmaker never offered V8-powered SUV like Toyota and Nissan did. Its smaller and economical models are appealing to people with rising gas prices.
February 29, 2008
Seat unveils a body kit for the Leon Cupra
The Spanish carmaker has unveiled a body kit called K¹ to make the Cupra wilder than ever!
The Cupra is critical to the Leon’s success in the UK and get all the attention from SEAT with this body kit. Boasting a bespoke K¹ boot badge, the kit includes a revamped front and rear bumpers, new side skirts, a more pronounced spoiler and a unique oval exhaust. The car is available in four colours: Inferi Black, Emocion Red, Luna Grey and Candy White. The kit costs £1,000 but for the new registration plate that starts on Saturday, Seat has decreased the Cupra’s price tag from £19,695 to £19,495. So, the aggressive body kit costs just £800.
In addition to the new price, there are two new options: 18” Orion alloy wheels in black or white for £205 and Bi-xenon headlights that follows the turn of the steering wheel for £870.
February 28, 2008
Logan to conquer the US?
Mahindra & Mahindra has to double its efforts to catch up with Tata that will announce next week the acquisition of Jaguar and Land Rover. The Indian carmaker is considering building a plant in the US.
M&M has lost one battle, but is already readying for another, in the US this time where it wants to build a factory. Located near Chicago, the future facility would produce the company’s models such as the Scorpio, the Bolero and the Ingenio, but also the Logan according to the rumours. The carmaker is currently looking for partners and entered into talks with a few American companies.
For Renault, the new factory would enable him to enter the American market by the back door. Only Mahindra&Mahindra’s brand image would suffer if the Logan fails. On the other hand, the Logan’s success enable the French carmaker to come back in the US as long as it doesn’t plan to sell a reincarnation of the LeCar.
February 28, 2008
BMW to eliminate 8,100 jobs
BMW has announced it will cut 8100 jobs, 7.5% of its workforce, as part of the part of a plan announced last year to increase its profitability.
The temporary workers will be the first to leave the company as 5,000 of them will lose their contract at the end of this year. Also 3,100 permanent jobs will be eliminated whose 2,500 in Germany only as the country suffers from high labour costs. Only 600 jobs will be eliminated overseas. Furthermore, if Euro goes beyond €1.50, the carmaker would cut more jobs in Germany.
In May last year, the carmaker had announced its intention to build the next-generation X3 in the US due to the weak dollar effect on profit margins. The company plans to increase the production capacity of the american factory, located in Spartanburg, to 200,000 vehicles.
BMW wants to increase its profitability to 10% by 2012. In addition to job cuts, the company asked its suppliers to decrease their prices, The move surprised them as BMW is well known to never focus on prices but on quality.
February 28, 2008
We remember our first car better than first kiss
Most people remember their first car more readily than their first kiss, according to a new survey.
The British International Motor Show has commissioned a survey about our love for cars: “which one do we remember the most? Our first car or our first kiss?”
Ladies, it’s sad to tell you that more than 40% of those surveyed were so attached to their first car that they could recall its number plate in full, the survey by the British International Motor Show found.
Six in ten regarded their first car as female, a quarter gave it a name and 12% felt more attractive to the opposite sex once they had qualified to drive.
Kirsty Perkinson, one of the show organisers, said: “People develop powerful bonds with their cars, especially their first. First cars represent an explosion of independence and a gateway to untold adventures, which is why they are so special.”
The most common first car was a Ford Fiesta, followed by a Ford Escort, Mini and Nissan Micra, most of which were between six and ten years old.
February 28, 2008
Fiat to increase 500 production to 190,000 per year
The Fiat 500 was the hottest car in the press last year and won a bunch of awards. The small Fiat is the hottest car in term of sales this year.
The demand is so strong that Fiat UK sold its first quota in less than a month and there is no sign of a slowing demand. Aware of the problem, Fait has boosted its production output to 190,000 vehicles per year. Initially, the company planned to build 120,000 cars per year but increased the figure to 140,000 due to the initial strong demand, especially in Italy and in France.
The production will jump from 500 vehicles to 750 vehicles per day in its Polish factory locate in Tychy. However the situation might become a baffling problem for the carmaker. By increasing its production so quickly, it might also increase the possibility of quality problems. Such a situation would damage the brand image at a time when Fiat just recovers from its worst years ever. The carmaker might also encounter some problems to produce the expected variants like the convertible or the estate version.
February 28, 2008