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Cadillac BRX to be christened SRX
The future SRX replacement was expected to be called BRX, but company execs have decided to keep the current moniker.
Due to be unveiled next year, the future SRX replacement model will finally replace the planned BRX moniker to keep the current name. Cadillac managers estimate that the current moniker has some potential despite current model’s poor sales. It is unknown whether this future SUV will reach our shores. However, a European version sold under the Saab brand will be available from next year.
Respectively codenamed GMT166 and GMT168, the next SRX and the future Saab 9-4X will share a new platform called TE, short for Theta-Epsilon. The two models will be built at the Ramos Arizpe facility in the US. Cadillac plans to sell 75,000 units annually. The SRX will be powered by two petrol engines, a 210bhp 2.8-litre V6 unit and a 300bhp 3.6-litre V6 unit. A 2.0-litre diesel engine might also be available. There is no information regarding the 2.9-litre V6 diesel unit which would be essential on the European market.
June 3, 2008
Mercedes-Benz sells 300,000th new C-Class
The 300,000th C-Class has rolled off the production line since it has been launched on the market.
More than 300,000 people have acquired a new C-Class Mercedes. Internally known as 204 Series, the family saloon and estate are a major success for the German carmaker which suffered from the comparison with the inevitable rival BMW 3-Series. The company has delivered 290,000 saloons and 25,000 estates.
The most important market for the C-Class is Germany which accounts for 25 percent of total sales, followed by the U.S., UK, Italy, and South Africa. Despite a wide engine range including six four-cylinder and seven six-cylinder engine variants for the C-Class, as well as the C 63 AMG, about one-third of the saloon model’s customers worldwide have opted for the C 220 CDI, while 20 percent have purchased a C 200 Kompressor. The C 220 CDI is also the vehicle of choice for around half of the estate model’s customers. 75 percent of all C-Class station wagons sold around the world are diesel engine versions.
The C-Class is available with three trim levels, Classic, Elegance and Avantgarde. One out of every two C-Class customers in Germany chose the Avantgarde line and in other core markets the share of total sales sometimes is even higher according to the carmaker. This result proves that Mercedes succeeded in building a sportier brand image appealing to younger people despite selling mainly diesel-powered C-Class models.
With the estate released in last December, the sales will likely rise. However the awaited facelifted 3-Series will also be a tough competitor.
June 3, 2008
New British Sportscar to be unveiled on June 9th
A small British carmaker Breckland will unveil an all-new sports car, called Beira, at the London’s Canary Wharf motor show. The future model tries to reinvent what British small carmakers are doing for years, building a sports car based on high-volume models.
The Beira is a hand-built, two-seat roadster with unique styling cues, based on GM Kappa platform and powered by GM’s LS2, 6-litre V8 engine, tuned to produce just below 400bhp. Tipping the scales at some 1,400kg, the Beira’s impressive power-to-weight ratio ensures a sub-five second sprint to 62mph and a governed top speed of 155mph. Stopping power is provided by 325mm ventilated discs on all four corners, the fronts being grasped by six-pot callipers, with four-pot at the rear, both from UK specialists, HiSpec. Steering is via power-assisted rack and pinion, whilst the dramatically styled 18” cast alloy wheels are 8.5” front and 9.5” rears, shod with Bridgestone ultra-low profile tyres.
The Beira features a custom-built interior, including electric windows, air conditioning, twin airbags – in the steering wheel and in the passenger dash – combined with clear, concise instrumentation, and hand-stitched leather/Alcantara seats and trim. Breckland stresses that the Beira’s interior can be customised to specific buyer requirements in terms of materials and equipment – one significant benefit of the company’s inherent flexibility as a low-volume producer. The central instrument cluster incorporates a double DIN showcase of mobile entertainment from in-car specialists, Clarion. Its equipment includes a 7” TFT colour touch screen, DVD player, direct iPod and Bluetooth connectivity, and an in-built 30Gb hard disk drive (HDD) navigation system with full European mapping. Beira buyers can also opt for the rear reversing camera.
The Breckland Beira on-the-road price will be confirmed shortly but is expected to be in the region of £55,000 in the UK.
June 3, 2008
David Smith becomes CEO of JLR
Tata has promoted the current chief financial officer, David Smith, to the position of CEO of Jaguar and Land Rover.
David Smith was managing the new group since Geoff Polites passed away on April 20. Smith started its career by joining Ford in 1983. He worked in New and Emerging Markets and was based in Turkey before joining Land Rover in July 2000 as Director of Finance.
He played a large role in reviving reviving the Jaguar and Land Rover brands and is rumoured to had helped the American carmaker to sell the Aston Martin carmaker last year.
Its mission at Jaguar and Land Rover won’t be easy as the two carmakers will have to make the transition to more fuel efficient models. However he will be helped by the agreement signed by Ford and Tata. The two companies will cooperate on developing hybrid and powertrain technology, as well as shared, global platforms.
June 3, 2008
VW CEO threatens to resign
Martin Winterkorn is more and more upset by Porsche’s will to interfere with the VW’s operations and has threatened to resign.
Porsche’s will to interfere with the VW’s brands generate more and more frustration among companies’ executives, especially at Audi. The German weekly magazine Der Spiegel reports that premium carmaker’s managers are more and more concerned by Porsche involvement. In an attempt to increase its sales to 1.5 million vehicles by 2018, the carmaker has started expanding its lineup and some models are competing with Porsche models. Unhappy with the results, Porsche has started to interfere with the future lineup. The rumoured R4 has been canceled by Audi. It isn’t confirmed whether Audi took the decision alone, but the R4 was expected to compete with the Porsche Cayman.
This isn’t the first time it might happen. A longtime rumour suggests that Porsche had obliged Audi to cancel a similar project fifteen years ago. Audi was developing the Quattro coupé which would have competed with the future Porsche Boxster. Under pressure from Porsche as rumoured, the German carmaker canceled the project.
Aware of the situation, the former Audi’s CEO has sent a warning to Porsche. How will Piech react? The former VW CEO and Porsche shareholder brought Winterkorn at the head of VW and also helped Porsche to acquire 31 per cent of VW.
June 3, 2008
BMW M1 Hommage concept to enter production
BMW ruled out the possibility to build the M1 Homage, but a new report has confirmed a future production version of the concept car.
In an interview with Car magazine, BMW board member, Herbert Diess, has revealed that the M1 Homage previews a supercar that the carmaker plans to launch in the near future. This news doesn’t come as a surprise. BMW has been working for a longtime on how to reach the £100,000 growing market segment.
The future supercar is said to be a rear-engined vehicle which will be focused on sports. Despite a visual link with the legendary M1, the future model won’t feature its moniker. Also unlike the M1, the future supercar will feature a wide range of engines with six, eight and ten cylinder units. The Audi R8 and the Lamborghini will likely be its fiercest competitors.
May 31, 2008
Porsche Panamera to start production in April
Porsche has been readying the Panamera for the last two years, but won’t release the super-saloon before next year. According to the latest information, the German carmaker will start production in April 2009.
The Dutch car magazine AutoTelegraaf has revealed that Porsche will start producing the Panamera in April of next year. The carmaker plans to sell 20,000 units annually. Like the Cayenne, Porsche will focus on releasing the most powerful version first to build a solid brand image for the all-new-model. At launch, the Panamera wil be available with a choice of two engines: a V8 unit naturally aspirated delivering 405bhp or turbocharged delivering 520bhp.
Later an entry-model will be launched. It will be powered by a 296bhp 3.6-litre V6 unit outsourced from VW and already seen in the Passat R36. However, the V6 will have a tough life to power a rumoured weight of 4,000 lbs. A hybrid version will be launched in 2011. Technical details remain scarce, but it will be the same V6 engine mated to an electric engine.
May 31, 2008
Tough road ahead for Tata’s Jaguar-Land Rover ride in Europe
The emission issue has the potential to become a major roadblock for Tata Motors and its two new British marques. The Indian carmaker plans to invest £700 million in new technologies.
After Ford’s exit, Jaguar and Land Rover are heading for tough times in Europe as the two companies can’t merge their average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of fleet with the smaller Ford models. Teh tow car companies will likely be heavily taxed when the stricter regulations will be applied in 2012. Tata Motors plans to invest £700 million to to develop and implement new environmental technologies and introduce new manufacturing materials.
While JLR could have offset higher CO2 emission of its fleet by balancing it by Ford’s fleet of light low-emission cars, the same is not possible under Tata Motors as it does not sell cars in Europe. Tata Motors also faces a proposed penalty, or the "excess emissions premium", that companies have to pay for going over the stipulated curve. A premium of 20 euros per gm/km has been proposed in the first year (2012), gradually rising to 35 euros in the second year (2013), 60 euros in the third year (2014) and 95 euros by 2015. Even the most fuel-efficient car sold by Jaguar, the X-Type, currently emits 149 g/km, which is well above the stipulated norms. In 2015, the X-Type would be taxed over around £1,500. The situation appears catastrophic for a Range Rover Sport. For example the Porsche Cayenne Turbo would be £8,000 over taxed in 2012.
May 31, 2008
Toyota-Subaru coupé more details
More details have emerged on the future Toyobaru coupé.
Toyota and Subaru are currently working hard on the future common model, a coupé for young buyers. The exercice is difficult as two opposite companies’ cultures are trying to collaborate. On one hand a team attached to build exciting such as the Impreza WRX and in the other hand a company used to build high volume dull cars. Toyota is expected to reserve its version to the Japanese market, while the Subaru will be sold abroad.
The two coupés will be powered by a common engine, a re-engineered boxer 2.0-litre unit. Naturally aspirated, it is reported to deliver a power output of 220bhp at 6,500 rpm. It will be hooked up to the same six-speed manual gearbox as the Impreza WRX STI. The future coupé will share its underpinnings with the current Impreza. However, the platform will be re-engineered to be a rear-wheel drive only.
Source: Holiday Auto Magazine
May 31, 2008
Future Seat Ibiza three-door unveiled?
After the disappointing five-door Ibiza, one did wonder how the expected three-door variant would look like. Thanks to a Seat employee, we have our answer.
The three-door Ibiza seems to be sportier and less disappointing than the five-door version. After the Bocanegra concept car at Geneva, expectation was high for the new Ibiza. Unfortunately, the production version looked rather dull and didn’t meet our expectations. The three-door version appears to offer more character than the five-door hatchback thanks to large and sharp shoulders at the rear end.
This three-door version will be used for the forthcoming Cupra version which will take its styling cues from the Bocanegra after the concept car was highly praised by the press and the public.
May 31, 2008