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Filed under: Spy Photos , Euro , GM , Saturn , Opel , Vauxhall Ja, Bjorn, tink dat's de new Astra? Shoor looks like it, Jan. Lutz will be asking you to kiss this thing when it comes out from under that checkerboard camo. The current Astra is good, and the new one promises to be better, with looks that aren't revolutionary, but nicely done nonetheless. We'll see this world car version of the Astra sometime around 2011 with a variety of drivetrains, including hybrid power. The C-Pillar remains obscured, leaving our curiosity about the hatch's ultimate form unfulfilled. From what we can see, though, the new Astra will be like the current Astra - competitively styled and priced. [Source: autoblog.nl ] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Economy , Euro , Green , Chevrolet , GM General Motors' European division has announced the development of three new engines that will provide the power consumers crave while returning higher fuel economy and lower emissions. Two turbocharged engines, ranging in output from 1.0- to 1.4-liters will between 120 hp and 129 lb.-ft. of torque, and 140 hp and 148 lb.-ft. of torque, while returning an eight-percent increase in fuel efficiency compared to their larger displacement counterparts. The duo of new engines will find their way into the new Astra and some European-market Chevys in 2010, although there's no word if either engine will make the trek across the Atlantic. Hit the jump to read up on both engines and a new, 1.6-liter CNG-powered mill that GM plans to market in Germany and Italy. Continue reading GM Europe launches two new fuel-sipping engines Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Euro , Chevrolet , GM , Opel Opel experienced an 8-percent sales dip in Europe in the first quarter, and designers at GM plan to give the storied German brand some of its mojo back by moving design and content upscale. GM says the move upmarket will result in a relatively inexpensive one- to three-percent price hike, but in return customers can expect sexier sheet metal, better packaging and more technology. The move makes sense as GM's value-conscious Chevy brand has steadily increased its presence across the Atlantic, giving the General the opportunity to push Opel up the automotive food chain. GM's plan is already underway, too, as the gorgeous Insignia is due to hit the showroom floor before the end of the year. The great part about GM's plan to give Opel luxury looks and more inventive interiors is that we'll continue to see better Saturn cars and CUVs here in the States. And that's saying a lot, considering Saturn already looks fresher than most brands...
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Filed under: Convertibles , Euro , GM , Vauxhall , UK They're not just for Cadillacs anymore. Heck, now they're not even for non-convertibles anymore. Across the pond, Vauxhall has found an answer to a question no one has asked; or at least a question no one should be asking. That question is, "how do we appeal to customers who want the look of a soft top on their hardtop convertible." Our answer: those customers are insane -- pay them no mind. Their answer: give the droptop a mock top...even though it's not technically "mock". This, in a nutshell, is the Vauxhall Tigra Sport Rogue, whose folding metal roof is covered in red fabric, combining the look of a soft top with the added weight and diminished cargo capacity that come with a retractable hardtop. Brilliant. The least they could have done was insert fake bows under the fabric to really drive home the theme. I mean, that treatment looked completely awesome on the four-door Buick Regal grandpa speciaI...
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Filed under: Euro , Hatchbacks , GM , Misc. Auto Shows , Opel Click above for a gallery of the Opel Corsa Limited Edition. In celebration of the 10-millionth Opel Corsa, Russelheim has unveiled the Corsa Limited Edition to the public at the Leipzig Motor Show. Carrying Ecotec power displacing 1.2- or 1.4-liters and pushing 80 and 90 horsepower, respectively, the Corsa Limited Edition sits on a sport-tuned suspension with 17-inch rims that conceal red brake calipers. Production will be capped at 1,000 units, all of which will be Casablanca White with contrast provided by black on the roof and wheels, along with dark-tinted rear glass. The exterior color scheme is mirrored inside, where the three-door carries standard air conditioning and an MP3-capable audio system with an auxiliary input. The design of the Limited Edition Corsa was a joint effort, specifically employing the input of 120 trainees to help the car appeal to youthful customers. It certainly appeals to us looks-wise. If you're...
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Filed under: Geneva Motor Show , Euro , Hatchbacks , Chevrolet , GM Click image for photo gallery Chevy has completed the Aveo facelifts and will introduce the updated Euro-market 3-door at the Geneva Motor Show next month. You can sum it up like this: it's like the Aveo5 , minus the doors for second-row passengers. The rear windows pop open for ventilation and power is supplied by an 84-horse 1.2L or a step-up 1.4L that generates 101 hp. The interior styling carries over, of course, as do the exterior visuals that share the Aveo 5-door's gigantic grille, fake fender vents , and the like. If this were offered in the US, it might make a nice alternative to the Yaris Liftback -- also a 3-door. Keep one eye on the sky to watch for those flying pigs. [Source: GM] Gallery: 2008 Chevy Aveo 3-Door (Europe) Continue reading Geneva '08 Preview: Chevy Aveo 3-door Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Concept Cars , Minivans/MPVs , Geneva Motor Show , Euro , GM , Opel , Vauxhall GM's European divisions are preparing to unveil their latest show car at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show next month. The Meriva Concept is Opel and Vauxhall's study for what form the next Euro minivan could take. The Meriva Concept, as previewed by the concept sketch above, draws on the previous GTC Coupe and Flextreme concepts and applies the theme to a monocab form, a segment in which Opel and Vauxhall account for one fifth of continental sales between the Zafira, Meriva and Agila MPVs. Expect the Meriva Concept to preview the direction that GM's European tall wagons will take in the near future, which could end up finding its way into a Saturn model or two on our side of the Atlantic. Press release after the jump. [Source: Vauxhall] Continue reading Geneva '08 Preview: Opel/Vauxhall Meriva Concept Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Filed under: Coupes , Euro , Hatchbacks , GM , Saturn The Saturn Astra represents a quantum leap forward for GM in the small car market. For a mere $100 million, which is chicken feed for a new product, the General traded in the uninspiring Ion for the European juggernaut Opel Astra. Many thought GM was merely buying time (literally) until a truly global Astra appears in 2010, since we've been told for years that it was too expensive (see: Focus ) to retro-fit a Euro-car for the US Market. Maximum Bob has turned that paradigm upside down, as he explained that the spared development costs have netted GM savings of about $900 million. Of course, GM would probably never shell out $1 billion for a small car with a volume of 45,000 units per year, but since the General makes products all over the globe, it makes sense to sell the best cars and trucks wherever it can. If it helps keep your factories at full capacity while saving $900 million at the same time, than that's cool, too. Hey...
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Filed under: Euro , Saab , Misc. Auto Shows Could premium small cars be the next hot segment? Things appear to be heating up with the MINI being joined by the Volvo C30 and word of another Swede stepping into the fray. Saab will unveil its Delta platform-based 9-1 at the 2008 London Motor Show and it will be available for purchase in late 2009. Nondefinitive descriptors provided by Saab assure us that the 9-1 will be dramatically styled with an iconic shape. There had been some attention paid to a high-roof small CUV idea, but Saab asserts the 9-1 will be sporty in that Saab way, though it will have the functionality younger buyers are looking for. Rather than pile on to the CUV segment, Saab could cash in some retro love and still make a very Saaby and useful car that doesn't put on truck airs. The Saab 99 of the 1970s could provide some inspiration for the 9-1, resulting in a car that doesn't occupy a lot of space, but can swallow a refrigerator. Look to the 9-3X and 9X for hints...
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Filed under: Economy , Euro , Chevrolet , GM , Toyota , Volvo General Motor's European arm has decided that it won't jump feet-first into the micro-car segment with Smart, and more recently Toyota and Volkswagen. Speaking with Automotive News Europe, GM's Euro-veep Carl-Peter Forster said that, "These specialized urban vehicles have a limited market." True enough, but it's a market that stands to go through a growth spurt in the coming years, and GM's decision to opt out of providing a competitive product might be a short-sited move. That said, GM already sells the Chevy-branded, Korean-built Matiz abroad, which - to a certain extent - already fills that niche. But with the Toyota iQ expected to sell 80,000 units in Europe in 2009 and VW's up! coming the following year, the Opel Trixx concept (pictured) that originally debuted in Geneva in '04 might look like an appealing product if sales of the iQ and up! go through the roof. [Source: Automotive News...
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Filed under: Spy Photos , Sedans/Saloons , Geneva Motor Show , Euro , GM , Saturn , Vauxhall Here's what the Saturn Aura Red Line should be, courtesy of Vauxhall. The Vectra is being replaced by an Epsilon 2-based car called the Insignia. The Epsilon 2 will also serve as the basis for the second-generation Saturn Aura. That platform sharing will no doubt be good in workaday trim, but Vauxhall's turning up the wick for the Insignia VXR, and we're crossing our fingers that Saturn is hanging out in the gym with its cousin. The VXR will gain visual horsepower and there will be real output from the powertrain to back up the appearance. A twin-turbocharged 2.8-liter V6 laying down 300 horsepower through the all wheel drive system that debuted with the GTC concept car in Geneva. The suspension will be able to cope with the power by using a revised version of the Vectra VXR's adaptive dampers, and the AWD system carries at least one limited slip differential. A 0-60 time in the...
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Filed under: Etc. , Euro , GM , Saab , Opel For a car designer, being honored by ELLE magazine might not be something you rush to append to your Curriculum Vitae. On the other hand, good design is good design, and the difference between the design cognoscenti and lay people is largely an ability to verbalize the pleasing elements of a form. Most people unschooled in the history and theory of design merely say "it's nice, I like it," or the oft-uttered phrase around Autoblog HQ - "that's hot." GM Europe's Anthony Lo has been bestowed the honor of "Asian Designer of the Year" at the 2007 ELLE Magazine Style Awards. Lo has headed up GM Europe's Advanced Design division since 2004 after holding Advanced Design positions at Saab and Mercedes Benz. Lo's work on the Saab Aero X concept won him the award from ELLE. Lo has also presided over the designs of recent concepts such as the Opel Flextreme and GTC . So we guess if you love/hate the 9-5 's...
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Filed under: Minivans/MPVs , Euro , Crossovers/CUVs , Chevrolet , GM , Saturn While GM's new labor contract with the UAW has been out for some time , it took some snooping on the part of Automotive News to find out that one of the models set to be produced at the General's Hamtramck, Mich. plant will be a new seven-seat people mover. The imaginative codename for the new model is the MPV-7, which will find inspiration from the next generation Opel Zafira. According to AN 's sources, it will sport a more manly exterior, with a box shape to make room for a "unique interior." The minivan replacement will carry a Chevrolet emblem at first, with a Saturn-badged variant to follow. Pricing is expected to be in the upper-$20k to $30,000 realm and GM plans to sell 100,000 units annually, both in the U.S. and Europe. If Ford decides to bring over a version of its S-Max from the UK, this could be the beginning of a competitive segment here in the States. [Source: Automotive News...
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Filed under: Minivans/MPVs , Euro , Plants/Manufacturing , Chevrolet , GM , Opel With a weakening US dollar and more competitive union contracts, exporting vehicles to Europe from the US is looking more and more plausible with each passing day. General Motors may soon be utilizing its under-worked US plants to pull off just such a thing, and the Opel Zafira could well be the first model built in the States for Euro consumption. Automobilwoche in Europe is reporting that Opel worker's council head Klaus Franz called a US-built Zafira a "distinct possibility", and that Chevrolet is planning on building a similar model for the U.S. market in mid-2009. If GM can pull off building a vehicle in the States destined for Europe, it would strengthen its plant utilization in North America while also increasing European capacity. While there is only a slight chance this will happen, we think it would be a huge stride towards profitability in the General's largest market. [Source: Automotive News -...
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Filed under: Economy , SUVs , Euro , Crossovers/CUVs , Chevrolet , GM , Opel Click the image above for a host of live shots of the Chevy Trax concept. GM is keeping a close eye on the growing cute 'ute segment abroad, and according to a union leader from...
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