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Friday, May 14, 2010
RPMGO.com (former Auto Unleashed) |
- New rumors appear about Porsche Panamera GT, the 928 successor
- BMW details front-wheel drive plans, wants A1 and A2 rivals
- Staged accident questionable claims increase, report says
- BMW might bring two new diesel versions to the US, one for 2011 5 Series
- Volkswagen hopes facelifted Passat to address sales drop
- Saab expects profit in 2011 if it sells over 80,000 units
- Seat goes for broke with ‘last chance’ survival plan
- Ford to continue selling Flex crossover even with new Explorer SUV
- Sebring name to live on at Chrysler at least until next generation
- China urges carmakers to merge in order to consolidate the market
| New rumors appear about Porsche Panamera GT, the 928 successor Posted: 14 May 2010 02:32 AM PDT  Porsche is quickly becoming one of the most diversified sportscar manufacturers out there. From the always popular 911 to the always best selling Cayenne or the new Panamera, customers have a lot of choices when it comes to buying a Stuttgart-made model. According to a new report, it seems that offer will increase, thanks to the platform of the Panamera. It seems that Porsche (or more like Volkswagen) executives are keen on reviving the 928 legacy, and present a front-engine GT car, presumably named the Panamera GT. It will use a shortened platform of the super sedan, and chop the two extra doors in order to get a coupe look. Many people have liked the Panamera design, but the lengthened rear end really ruined it, so the shorter GT might be able to fix that. No other details are known, but sooner or later this model might arrive. Let’s wait until the ink is dry on the merger contract between Porsche and Volkswagen and then see what’s in the plans. Source: L’Automobile Magazine via Autoblog Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| BMW details front-wheel drive plans, wants A1 and A2 rivals Posted: 14 May 2010 02:14 AM PDT  BMW knows that the next playing field for the three big luxury German carmakers will be the compact segment. As such, it has announced a month ago that front-wheel models are coming, whether purists like it or not. Now, the lads at Autocar have scored some new info about the FWD projects the Bavarian company has in mind. The details are pretty interesting, to say the least, and involve two new models. The first will be incorporated into the next generation 1 Series. Fans needn’t worry, as it will be distinguished from the traditional RWD models, through a modified design plus a much lower asking price. This specific model will attract people who weren’t interested before in BMW cars and will use the platform of the next Mini. Besides offering a FWD BMW experience, this model will boast increased space on the inside, thanks to a new transversely-mounted engine and gearbox that allow for a much shorter front end. The main target for this car will be the presumably revived Audi A2 or the next Mercedes-Benz A Class. The second FWD BMW will directly target the upcoming Audi A1 and also slot in below the 1 Series in terms of price. The car will feature a sportier design than the model we mentioned above, and might be available just in three-door form, to keep dimensions and weight as low as possible. BMW isn’t worried that these new models will affect Mini sales, as its research has pointed out that the brands cater to very different types of customers. Source: Autocar Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Staged accident questionable claims increase, report says Posted: 14 May 2010 01:45 AM PDT  Insurance fraud may not seem like a major crime, but this is one of the main reasons companies increase your yearly fees because they pay out to those who weren’t entitled to damages or have staged their accidents. According to a recent report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, the number of staged accident questionable claims has risen by almost 46% from 2007 to 2009. At the same time, the number of bodily injury or personal injury claims has decreased. According to the NICB, Miami leads as the state with the most staged accidents (3,006). New York follows with almost half (1,680) while California (1,619), Texas (792) and Illinois (443) complete the top five. In terms of cities you need to look out for if you don’t want to be involved in staged accidents, New York City leads with 1,304, followed by Tampa (562), Miami (511), Orlando (422) and Houston (376). The NICB also advises car owners to check out its video library with the most common staged accidents and its brochures detailing how you can avoid becoming a victim in the insurance scams of these people. Until then, be very careful when driving through Florida! Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| BMW might bring two new diesel versions to the US, one for 2011 5 Series Posted: 14 May 2010 12:54 AM PDT  European carmakers are quite reluctant to bring diesel engines in their models set to be sold in the USA, partly because Americans have some kind of hate towards the more frugal oil burners. BMW wants to change that, and is already offering two diesel options, one for the X5 in form of the xDrive35d version and one for the 3 Series, in the 335d. According to a new report, though, it seems the Bavarian company wants to further increase the count of diesel models and add two other units to the range. The first might be a diesel 2011 5 Series, more specifically a 535d version, using the same 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six as found on the other diesel versions. This option would drastically lower the fuel average of the new 5 Series and help BMW meet new fuel regulations. The second option isn’t so clear though. InsideLine speculates that besides the six-cylinder diesel powerplant Americans have gotten used to, a smaller, four-cylinder unit might be making its way over the Atlantic, either in a 3 Series (320d) or 1 Series (120d). The 2.0-liter inline-four currently produces 204 HP and 295 lb-ft of torque in European models with an average of around 35 to 40 mpg (EU), so that might be more than enough for some customers. What do you think? Should BMW bring more diesels to the US or is just a wasted effort? Share your thoughts below. Source: InsideLine Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Volkswagen hopes facelifted Passat to address sales drop Posted: 14 May 2010 12:35 AM PDT  It’s been a pretty busy half of the year for Volkswagen as the German carmaker released new generations for models like the 2011 Touareg or the 2011 Phaeton and new versions for existing cars like the Polo GTI. Still, the company largely ignored its mid-size upmarket sedan, the Passat, for quite some time. That will change at the upcoming Paris Motor Show, according to some sources, as the company will implement a major refresh for both the exterior and the interior of the Passat. While launched into a respectable success, back in 2005, sales have dropped ever since. As such, this much needed facelift will address that. What will we see in the 2011 Passat? First off, a new look, in line with the more aggressive design direction, as seen on the Golf, Polo, Touareg or Phaeton, with boxy headlights and revised front grille. Taillights won’t be neglected as LED technology might be used. For the inside, the 2011 VW Passat will borrow a lot of features from its Passat CC brother (or simply CC in the USA), in order to make it attractive a more upmarket crowd. A touchscreen satellite navigation system plus steering wheel-mounted buttons are also expected. The engines will largely stay the same, but the 3.6-liter V6 which appears in the R36 performance variant might be dropped due to low sales. Expect more details about the 2011 Volkswagen Passat refresh/facelift as the Paris Motor Show draws near. Source: Autocar Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Saab expects profit in 2011 if it sells over 80,000 units Posted: 14 May 2010 12:10 AM PDT  At the beginning of the year we were treated to a lengthy soap opera-like clash between General Motors and Dutch supercar manufacturer Spyker over Saab. Luckily, for Swedish fans, the European company won and acquired Saab from GM. Now, after assessing the situation of the Scandinavian carmaker and laying out the plan for the next few years, the company’s CEO, Jan Ake Jonsson, highlighted a few key things to the guys at Drive.com.au. It seems that if things go along well, a profit can be achieved as early as 2011. Of course, several conditions must be met, including a sales number of around 80-85,000 units. Anything over this amount would make the Scandinavians quite happy. Considering the new 9-5 (pictured above) hits dealerships in July, followed by a 9-4X and a completely redesigned 9-3 around 2011 and 2012, the company might hit profit according to its estimates. Factor in the publicity it got during the Spyker-GM discussions plus the dedicated supporters, and Saab might be well on its way to recovery under Spyker’s wing. Too bad GM didn’t really know what it had. Source: Drive.com.au Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Seat goes for broke with ‘last chance’ survival plan Posted: 13 May 2010 11:52 PM PDT  The Volkswagen Group definitely has a lot of brands under its corporate umbrella. Among them is Spanish carmaker Seat, which has been adding a dose of Latin design to the German engineering coming from VW. Sadly, that design hasn’t really boosted sales numbers, which are the most important things for its corporate overlords, and the carmaker ended year after year on a loss. As such, after a previous revival strategy failed, VW placed James Muir as CEO and tasked him with a new five-year strategy, as a ‘last chance’ for the company. Part of this new strategy, according to Muir, is to profit more from the Martorell plant the carmaker has near Barcelona, which can produce around 500,000 units per year. Currently, due to slow sales, the plant is operating at 60% capacity, way under the profitable mark of 90%. According to sources, the next non-Seat model set to be made in Martorell might be the future Audi Q3 compact crossover, set to arrive around 2011. Muir is still realistic though, as a bigger effort than building new cars or cutting costs is required to get Seat back on track. Hopefully, for fans of the brand, he will achieve his goal. Source: Autocar Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Ford to continue selling Flex crossover even with new Explorer SUV Posted: 13 May 2010 11:33 PM PDT  Ford took a pretty big gamble when it revealed the Flex crossover (or more like slightly higher riding wagon), confident that it will conquer the public. Sadly, this hasn’t happened, at least in terms of the sales the Blue Oval was expecting. As such, given the fact that the next generation Explorer is preparing for its market debut, many believed the Flex will be phased out, in favor of the full pledged SUV. That’s not quite so, according to the Detroit Free Press, which reports that even though sales numbers aren’t that good, the Flex is moving units with plenty of extra options added, so Ford is still making a bit of money from its crossover/wagon. Also, seeing as how the Explorer will use the same platform and most of the Flex’s systems, the manufacturing costs will stay low enough so that the Flex won’t be a complete waste of money. What do you think? Should the Blue Oval continue with the crossover/wagon or just place its money on the next Explorer? Share your thoughts below. Source: Detroit Free Press Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| Sebring name to live on at Chrysler at least until next generation Posted: 13 May 2010 11:08 PM PDT  Chrysler, under Fiat’s new ownership, is getting ready for some major changes. One of the most important ones is a major refresh for its mid-size sedan, the Sebring. As most of you know by now, the car isn’t exactly a best seller, largely due to lackluster engine choices and a terrible interior. That is why it was rumored to receive a new name, possibly the Nassau, with the upcoming refresh. According to new sources, though, that might not be the case, as the cost associated with coming up with a new brand was pegged by specialists at around $100 million, cash that neither Chrysler nor Fiat can spare that easily. As such, it seems that the Chrysler Sebring will keep on living at least until the next generation. Hopefully the changes the two companies made on the sedan will be able to make up for all the bad memories the public has concerning the car. Source: The Detroit Bureau Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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| China urges carmakers to merge in order to consolidate the market Posted: 13 May 2010 10:56 PM PDT  China is quickly becoming one of the largest car markets in the world, mostly due to the big number of potential customers. Seeing as how the market is so large, domestic carmakers have been popping up all over the country (what you see above are just a selection of car logos found in the Asian country). This has now led to over 130 different companies producing cars for the Chinese public. Now we don’t know about you, but even at over 1 billion potential customers, that’s still a lot. What’s worse is that, according to a recent study, most of these companies sell under 10,000 units each year, and just five big manufacturers achieve the 1 million mark. As such, China’s government, through the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, has announced a new set of rules, which will push carmakers into acquiring or merging with other companies. If a Chinese car company wants to create a new production plant, it must acquire another carmaker, in order to trim the ranks and make the market more competitive. Another goal of this new plan is to export around 20% of local car production to other countries, a fact that can be achieved around 2015, according to the government. Source: Autocar Post published on Rpmgo.com Related posts:
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