Blog

Volvo to release pictures of the XC60 on the 20th

After Mercedes which unveiled the GLK at Detroit, Volvo will show its BMW X3 contender, the new XC60, at The Geneva Motor Show. Fortuantely, the Swedish car maker will release the first pictures ahead of the show.
The design of the XC60 will be close to the concept car’s shown last year at Detroit. The small SUV will reinforce the company’s lineup by sitting below the XC70 crossover and XC90 SUV. Volvo has big expectations with the XC60 as the model will arrive on the market at the same time as the Audi Q5 and the Mercedes GLK.
The XC60 will be the first Volvo to be designed by Steve Mattin, the new British design director.
February 11, 2008
Daimler sales grow by 16 percent in January

The German group has recorded a successful start for the month of this year as its sales jumped by 16%.
Daimler sold 90,400 vehicles compared to 77,700 over the same period last year. Mercedes-Benz recorded a 12.1% increase from 73,500 to 82,300 units while Smart sales rose by 91.2% from 4,200 to 9,100 units over the same period.
In the lineup, the C-Class skyrocketed, of course, as last year, customers expected the arrival of the current generation. Mercedes sold 26,800 cars compared to 13,400 units in January 2007.
It is in Germany that Daimler record the strongest growth with a 18.8% jump to 15,500 vehicles thanks to an active market. Overall, the sales recorded a 18.4% increase in Western Europe. The U.S. remains the largest market with 18,300 units and a 7.1% increase.
February 11, 2008
Reva to expand its lineup

Reva has announced its plan to expand its line up by launching a new model every year from 2009.
The Indian company has set the ambitious plan to conquer the electric world by expanding it lineup. Reva only sells one model, the G-Wiz. The company has recently opened a new factory which has a production capacity of 33,000 vehicles per year. The increased capacity will also enable the car maker to sell the car on more markets. After the UK, continental Europe will likely the next target for Reva.
Reva’s deputy chairman and chief technology officer, Chetan Kumaar Maini also said that the future vehicles will come with “ a battery that can traverse wider distance.”
February 11, 2008
Maruti Alto to pass one-million mark

The Maruti Alto will pass the one-million mark this week. The car has been on sale in India since 2000.
“The model is just about 2,500 units short of crossing the one-million mark, which we expect to achieve in the middle of the week,” a company official told. The Alto model has set many records since its introduction such as being the first one to reach the 100,000 mark in 150 days. The model had recorded its best monthly sales of 22,784 units in November 2007, the official said, adding it continued to average 20,000 units a month. The top-end variant LXi, outsells the other two, Standard and Lx by huge margins.
Along its success in India, the Maruti also meets a string demand abroad. Maruti has expeorted 152,300 units in the world. Surprisingly, the Netherlands are its largest foreign market.
February 11, 2008
Official picture of the Acura TSX

Acura has unveiled the next-generation TSX salon which will make its debut at the New York Auto Show. The Acura TSX is the American version of our European Honda Accord which whose next generation will be unveiled in Geneva.
The car’s styling is more an evolution than an all-new design. According to the press release, the saloon will feature”numerous advancements in performance, styling, technology and safety.” The statement is rather obscure; however it is already known that the TSX will be the first Acura to be powered by a diesel engine.
February 11, 2008
Saab expects stagnation in 2008

The Swedish car maker Saab doesn’t expect any sales growth for this year according to an interview given by its CEO to Auto,Motor und Sport.
Last year the car maker sold 125,000 cars compared to 133,000 over the same period in 2006. “We expect roughly the same scale for 2008,” Jan-Ake Jonsson told the German magazine. “It is our target to sell 150,000 to 200,000 units per year. But in order to reach such annual sales we need the new models,” he said.
Saab had said earlier it could reach break-even with annual sales of 180,000 units. Unfortunately the milestone won’t be reached until 2010.
February 11, 2008
Next-generation Beetle confirmed

In an interview with Automotive News, Martin Winterkorn has confirmed that the German car maker is currently working on the next-generation Beetle which will go on sale from 2010.
The next Beetle will share its inner structure with the future Golf VI and will be slightly longer and wider than the current model. The technical side will be performed in Germany while design will be realized in California in order to catch the latest trends.
The three door and the convertible variants will be re-conducted. It is also rumoured that the next -generation Beetle will be available as SUV model. Will it be the return of the Kübelwagen?
February 11, 2008
GM to build a Nano competitor

GM will enter the cheapest car competition by launching a Tata Nano’s competitor which will be built in China by Wuling.
Bob Lutz has given its formula to build the Nano’s competitor: “We move a legacy architecture and parts that have been around for a long time,”. “Then we create a vehicle that’s very inexpensive, and it could not be sold in the developed world because it wouldn’t meet regulations.”
The car would be built by the Chinese car maker Wuling which is partly-owned by GM. However no launch date has been given so far.
February 11, 2008
Chrysler to outsource its seats to India
An Indian newspaper reported that the American car maker has signed a £52 million/$101 million contract with an Indian seat maker to build seats for the Jeep Wrangler model.
This move is the beginning of the new strategy initiated by Chrysler in order to cut costs. The car maker plans to increase the volume of parts being built in Southeast Asia.
We buy $40 billion worth of supplies each year. We would like to procure as much as possible from South-East Asia,” the official said in the report.
Chrysler hasn’t said if it plans to extend the experience to other models in the future
Source: Reuters
February 11, 2008
Fisker to build a Karma convertible

At a J.D. Power event, Fisker founder Henrik Fisker has revealed the photo of a Karma convertible. The photo was marked with the label “top secret”.
Henry Fisker has set the ambitious plan to develop a full line-up to become a small car maker still able to compete with the German clique on the plug-in hybrid segment. After the saloon unveiled at Detroit, Fisker will likely unveil the secret convertible. The company will go abroad next year by opening showrooms in Europe.
Fisker outsource the technology side to a another company, Quantum Technologies which will build the powertrain. The engine is a small petrol engine turning a generator to top up the car’s lithium-ion battery pack, which in turn power an electric motor driving the wheel.
The Fisker Karma can run the 0-60mph in just 6 seconds and can reach a top speed of 125mph. The saloon will offer a 50 miles range.
Will Fisker succeed where GM and Tesla struggle?
February 11, 2008