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Spyshots: undisguised CTS-V

Cadillac has a strong ambition for the CTS model and the sporty CTS-V is the company’s serious attempt set to compete with the outrageous Audi RS6, BMW M5 and Mercedes E63 AMG.
Engineers have worked hard to upgrade the CTS to German standards and the CTS-V will get upgraded tyres and tires, and chassis tuning. The car will sit on 19” wheels. The exterior styling features minor changes including a specific grille.
Final specs of the car are still unknown although observers agree today that the CTS-V won’t be powered by the LS7 engine taken from the Corvette Z06 as originally thought. The speedy saloon will have a 6.2-litre V8 that pumps out 525bhp with the help of a supercharger. The larger lower intake might favour the latter as it would help feeding the intercooler.

Click here to see all the pictures
Source: Autoblog
December 12, 2007
Peugeot 207 SW Outdoor to be on sale

Peugeot has released the final specifications and prices for its new rang-topping 207 SW, the Outdoor version which plans to attract young buyers interested in outdoor activities.

The car’s underneath features minor changes. It doesn’t adopt a four-wheel drive transmission but the ground clearance has been raised by 16 mm at the front and 21 mm at the rear. Like the late MG-Rover with 25 Streetwise model, Peugeot added large grey wheel arch mouldings and new 16” ‘Outdoor’ alloy wheels with special 205/55R 16 tyres to ensure the car can appeal to young urban people.
On the inside the 207 Outdoor receives one touch front and rear electric windows, dark tinted rear side windows and tailgate glass, washable floor mats and black or brown interior trim, but the most interesting equipment is the glass panoramic roof.
The Peugeot 207 SW Outdoor is available with one petrol engine, a 120bhp 1.6-litre unit. There are also to oil burners, a 1.6-litre producing 90bhp and 110bhp . The Outdoor version starts at £13,650 for the Sport Outdoor 1.6 VTi 120, followed Sport Outdoor HDi 90 at £14,020 and topped by the Sport Outdoor HDi 110 at £14,740.
December 11, 2007
First official photo of the new Skoda Superb

Here is the first official picture of the new Skoda Superb and do not expect to see a Volkswagen Passat clone. Despite sharing its underpinnings with the German car, the new Superb has its own exterior and interior styling.
Unlike the outgoing model, the new-generation is a four-door hatchback and is intended to take on established saloon rivals such as the Ford Mondeo and the future Vauxhall Insignia. Its exterior styling features the company’s front fascia with a bold grille and sculpted headlights while the rear end will look like a Saab’s. The interior will be differentiated from the Passat thanks to new unique dials and climate controls.
The Superb will be available with a choice of four petrol engines, the 138bhp 1.4-litre TSI, the 158bhp 1.8-litre T-FSI, the 197bhp 2.0-litre T-FSI . There will also be the traditional TDI engine range. The topping engine will be the 300bhp 3.6-litre V6 unit already seen in the Passat R36.
Skoda will unveil the Superb at the next Geneva Motor Show.
December 11, 2007
GM has opened a design studio in India

India appears to get attention from all car makers recently. After Volkswagen which will build the Up! in India, General Motors has opened a new Design Center in Bangalore. The Indian Designer is the eleventh design studio based abroad for GM and is located at the GN technical Center-India, one of the four technical centers GM owns in the Asia-Pacific region.
The studio, which will initially have about 60 employees, comes at a time when GM is having some success after struggling for years to penetrate the Indian car market thanks to a modified range that take sinto account the local tastes. Until recently GM only offered saloons while Indian market favours compact cars. In 2007, GM has more than tripled its sales over the same period in 2006. In 2008, the American car maker will open its second factory. The current plant manufactures the Chevrolet Tavera, Optra, Aveo, Aveo U-VA, SRV and the Chevrolet Spark. Almost all models are also sold in Europe.
December 11, 2007
Kia has a second Chinese factory
Kia has inaugurated its second Chinese factory built in collaboration with its Chinese partner, Dongfeng Yueda Kia Motor. The new factory will add a capacity of 300,000 vehicles to the 130,000 units already built by the Yangcheng’s factory.
Although being inaugurated yesterday, the production has already started since October. Kia produces the Cerato in two variants, a saloon and a hatchback destined for the local market. With the new factory, Kia plans to increase its market share from 1.6% to 8% in the future. Unfortunately, Kia sales have been gloomy since the beginning of the year. While the car maker delivered 115,000 cars in 2006, only 90,000 vehicles have been delivered until now for the current year.
Source: Korea Herald
December 11, 2007
Spyshots: Mazda RX-8

Despite a sexy and still modern styling, the RX-8 will celebrate next year its fifth anniversary and Mazda is currently working on its replacement due to go on sale from 2009. A development mule has been caught and from the shape we can guess a few hints for the next-generation RX-8.
The prototype appears to be wider than the current model. At this stage it is not known if the car will receive new powertrains or upgrade the current units. Secrecy surrounds the engine spec although some observers think the future RX-8 will the 16X Renesis rotary engine unveiled at the last Tokyo Motor Show. Internally dubbed 13B-MSP, the 16X Renesis saw its displacement growing from 1.3-litre two 1.6-litre and features a direct-injection system to boost power and reduce emissions, and oil consumption.
The current RX-8 has only been available as a 2+2 coupé although Mazda considered producing a two-seat version. It is rumoured that the next-generation will offer a convertible variant in 2011-2012.
Source: Autoblog
December 11, 2007
Seat has revealed its future plans to its car dealers

Seat will unveil the next-generation Ibiza at the next Geneva Motor Show next March. The small car is part of an attempt by Seat to spearhead a new sportier design due to appear on all future models. Representing roughly 40% of Seat’s total volume, the Ibiza is critical to company’s ambition to sell more cars annually.
The new Ibiza will share its inner structure, powertrains and suspension layout, with the Skoda Fabia in order to cut cost. It will be offered in both three and five-door hatchback. The three-door version will arrive later and will have a unique exterior styling similar to a coupé.
In 2009, Seat will launch the new Toledo which will try to consign the current model to oblivion as it is an object of fun to competitors and consumers. The replacement model will be offered in two variants: a saloon and an estate. The two cars will be sports-biased and will struggle fiercely for the pie of the saloon market, which has been sluggish for years.
That same year, Seat will launch its first SUV which will take styling cues from the Tribu concept car and will be engineered for on-road manners.
Source: Automotive News
December 11, 2007
First teaser of the Chevrolet Volt

Without a doubt, the Chevrolet was the star of the 2007 Detroit Motor Show as GM promised to bring the plug-in hybrid to production in 2010 at the earliest. The American car maker has released a teaser of the front fascia and changes have been made to ensure that the Volt will have a better aerodynamic drag.
Indeed, early wind tunnel tests of the concept car revealed a bad drag coefficient. It is even rumoured that Bob Lutz, so disappointed by the results, suggested to “put it in the wind tunnel backwards“ to get less wind resistance. Engineers worked hard to decrease the coefficient and the production Volt has 30 percent less drag than the concept car. About 60% of the power required to cruise at motorway speeds is taken up overcoming air drag so the Volt has all interest to have a low coefficient to remain efficient.
From the teaser, it is difficult to guess the overall shape, but GM appears to have kept the styling of the concept car but dropped the sharp lines in order to decrease the drag coefficient. GM engineers will focus on improving the aerodynamics.

The final car will likely appear at the end of 2010 and will feature a small engine which will recharge the batteries and won’t power the car unlike hybrid cars. Tesla is also considering this architecture for its future saloon. The Chevrolet is expected to cost around £15,000.
December 11, 2007
Jaguar has recorded 3,000 pre-orders for the XF in the UK

In an interview with Just-Auto, Ford’s Chief Technical Officer, Richard Parry-Jones has revealed that Jaguar has recorded 3,000 pre-orders for the new XF in the UK. Those pre-orders exceed the forecast.
Despite this good news, Jaguar remains on its guard and sales result will tell whether the British manufacturer succeeded or not. The XF will attract current S-Type owners but Richard Parry-Jones also thinks that the XF might “attract more design-aware people from the German brands.”
The UK is not the only country where the XF pre-orders exceed forecasts. In the US, the new XF is generating a strong demand. Customers who order their car now will have to wait until May even though the car goes on sale in March.
December 11, 2007
HX Concept previews the future H4

Hummer has released sketches of its concept car due to be unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show. Dubbed HX Concept, it is the result of contest between three newly hired designers. They have been given the task of providing a “vision for the future design of off-road vehicles.“

The first pictured sketch is the winner and likely previews the future H4 model also internally known as HX. The sketch keeps the core values of the Hummer brand and without a doubt would be recognised as Hummer model in the street. The two other sketches appear less convincing. The HX concept features a pair of detachable doors and removable roof panels, a bit like a Jeep Wrangler.

With the HX previewing the H4, the Land Rover LXR announcing the baby Rover and the future X4, the crossover coupé market promises to be crowded in the future.
December 11, 2007