CARSCOOP |  |
- First Drive: 2011 Holden Cruze Series II SRI-V
- SCOOP: New Opel Astra GTC OPC Flogged Around the ‘Ring
- VIDEO: Top Gear Teases Season 17 with New Trailer
- Toyota Sees North American Production Returning to 100% in September
- They Should Have Built It: 2000 Jaguar F-Type Concept
- Renault-Nissan Opens New Silicon Valley Research Center
- New Chevrolet Colorado Roughens Up with Double-Cab Rally Concept
- GM Unveils New Chevrolet Cobalt Sedan Concept at Buenos Aires
- New Renault Duster for South America Debuts at Buenos Aires Motor Show
- It Came From eBay Hell: Volkswagen Beetle Limousine...with a Soft Top!
- VIDEO: Chevrolet Camaro GT4 Rolls, and Rolls, and Rolls...
- AC Schnitzer Claims to have Built the Fastest MINI with its New Eagle Concept
- Study Says 2020 EPA Targets can be met with Gasoline Engines
- Hot Jaguar XKR-S Rendered as a Convertible
- Toyota Europe Officially Presents 2012 Yaris, Sales Start this Summer
- Saab UK Announces 2012 9-5 Sedan and SportWagon Amidst Production Halt
- Ford’s European Sales up 10.5 % in May
| First Drive: 2011 Holden Cruze Series II SRI-V Posted: 16 Jun 2011 05:23 PM PDT  Appearing soon after General Motors announced its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, the Cruze – which launched in Oz almost two years ago– aims to appeal to buyers that would normally not buy a Holden. Its key competitors in the Australian market are the Toyota Corolla, Mazda3 and the (European) Ford Focus.
Overview The SRI-V is the kingpin of the Cruze Series II range. Fitted with the new-to-Oz turbocharged 1.4 iTi donk producing 103kW and 200Nm (138HP and 147.5 lb-ft), an improved chassis and a Watts link performance suspension, the SRI models set out to be the sports-flavoured icing on the Cruze cake. The 17-inch five-spoke alloys, sports body kit and bootlid spoiler help establish the SRI and SRI-V as the Commodore SV6's little brother. It also has a unique grille design to further differentiate it from the "beiger" members of the Cruze family. With a recommended retail price of AU$27,990 (plus AU$2,000 for the 6spd auto), the Cruze SRI-V is positioned against the Toyota Corolla Ultima, Mazda3 Maxx Sport and Ford Focus Zetec. Even against this stiff competition, the Cruze is better equipped than all three and on par with the Corolla and Focus in terms of performance. Inside Scoop
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the Holden iQ-esque information display and radio controls. Though I'd like to think that I'm pretty tech-savvy, the only features I found to be obvious were the volume and station selection knobs. And although there's a full-size spare in the boot (albeit as a cost-option) it doesn't match the 17-inch alloys. Speaking of the boot, it's very deep but the aperture is very small. Good luck getting a decent sized suitcase in there without scraping the lip. On the plus side, the seats are wide and supportive, and the steering wheel is comfortable to grip. It's time to hit the streets and see how the Cruze performs.... On The Road On the highway, the Holden Cruze is in its element. It's a quiet, comfortable cruiser (or Cruze-r if you're in the mood for puns) and is happy to strum along at 2,000 rpm. In suburban areas, the 6spd automatic gearbox begins to struggling, almost randomly shifting up and down on hills. Another disappointment is the steering, which manages to be both too light and too doughy and makes cornering above 40 km/h a bit touch-and-go. On the plus side, there's not much turbo lag and it only becomes apparent when you jam your foot down - which you'll never need to do, as the 1.4 L turbo accelerates like a real champ. A big person like me has to sit down low in the Cruze, and the narrow side-windows and steeply raked windscreen can be a bit claustrophobic at times. Still, it gives the Cruze an air of sportiness on the outside and inside makes you feel somewhat secure. My only other qualm was the auto headlights, which have a tendency to come on when the sun goes behind a cloud. Not intolerable, but not good either. The Final Word In summary, the Holden Cruze SRI-V is a good all-rounder and worthy contender for the small car crown. Though not as roomy as its competition, it more than makes up for this with pep, creature comforts and its easy-going attitude on the open road. Tighter steering, a larger boot aperture and a less complicated radio / navigation setup would have made the Cruze all the more better; these are lessons its bigger brother (the Commodore) would be more than willing to teach. With the 1.4 L turbo, Holden has given the small sedan a much needed boost of power that should make it appealing to many buyers. Its well-equipped, comfortable and a pleasant drive. Not exactly sporting, but more than capable. By Tristan Hankins *All photos copyright Tristan Hankins / Carscoop
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| SCOOP: New Opel Astra GTC OPC Flogged Around the ‘Ring Posted: 16 Jun 2011 04:26 PM PDT  What you see here is a prototype version of the all-new Opel Astra GTC OPC, or as Vauxhall buyers in Britain will come to know it, the upcoming Astra GTC VXR, and it was spotted doing test rounds at the Nurburgring race track. Having already revealed the mainstream models of the new and rather sporty looking in a VW Scirocco kind of way GTC, the Astra's engineers turned their focus on the fastest and most powerful version of the series, which will look a lot like the original concept seen at last year's Paris Motor Show. The study featured a 2.0-liter twin-scroll turbo-charged four-cylinder engine with direct injection and Start/stop tech delivering an estimated 290-horsepower, but sources from Germany state that the production model may top that number nearing the magic 300HP mark. With that kind of power, the Astra GTC OPC could have the edge over the upcoming Ford Focus ST that gets a 2.0-liter Turbo with 250HP as well as the Golf and Scirocco R models that are both motivated by a 2.0-liter turbo delivering 270HP and 265HP respectively. We also hear that the OPC will channel those ponies to the front wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox and a new limited slip differential. PHOTO GALLERY     
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| VIDEO: Top Gear Teases Season 17 with New Trailer Posted: 16 Jun 2011 03:23 PM PDT  In a couple of weeks, BBC will begin airing the 17th season of its highly popular Top Gear TV series. To get our engines running, the media channel released the first promotional trailer of the new series teasing the new automotive adventures of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May. The 30 second-long trailer kicks off with Clarkson driving the all-new McLaren MP4-12C on the wet and continues with Hammond in the passenger seat of a MINI WRC racer. Oh, and there's also a scene with an odd looking red truck...obliterating an Alfa Romeo 156 sedan and a Renault Megane saloon. For the rest, follow the break to watch the trailer VIDEO
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| Toyota Sees North American Production Returning to 100% in September Posted: 16 Jun 2011 02:43 PM PDT  Toyota on Thursday revised an earlier forecast predicting that North American production would return to 100 percent towards the end of the year with the company now stating that it expects normal output levels to be achieved in September. Following the problems that arose after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Toyota and its suppliers ramped up their efforts and as a result, eight of the company's 12 North American-built models returned to 100 percent production on June 6. "After September we will focus on making-up lost production as much as possible," said Steve St. Angelo, executive vice president of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing, North America. "Our team members and suppliers here and in Japan have worked tirelessly to get us back to 100 percent, overcoming many challenges. The effort in Japan has been incredible, especially in the midst of such tragedy and devastation," he added. PHOTO GALLERY  
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| They Should Have Built It: 2000 Jaguar F-Type Concept Posted: 16 Jun 2011 01:54 PM PDT  With the E-Type of 1961, Jaguar was back in a big way. Essentially a spiritual successor to the legendary XK120 of the 1940s and '50s, the E-Type had everything going for it: looks, performance and price. Since then, much has changed for the brand. The malaise of the 1970s, the reliability woes of the '80s and the reheated design language of the '90s all placed a burden on the Big Cat. Then, at the 2000 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), Jaguar unveiled the F-Type Concept to the world. And by God was it a stunner. The lines were simple yet provocative; the interior refreshingly Spartan and functional for a concept car. It was a design that was both modern yet unmistakably a Jaguar. For years, whenever rumours of an E-Type successor were bandied about, it was 2000's F-Type concept that was cited as the proof. Instead, the XK8 – not a bad car but already four years old at the time – was left to struggle on for another six years before being mercifully replaced with the XK in 2006. And as good as the XK is, there's still a lot of Jaguar fans out there left pining for the F-Type. It's just sad that nothing ever came of it. Check out our gallery below of this brilliant one-off concept. By Tristan Hankins PHOTO GALLERY                 
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| Renault-Nissan Opens New Silicon Valley Research Center Posted: 16 Jun 2011 01:33 PM PDT  The Renault-Nissan Alliance has announced the opening of a new research office at Mountain View, California. The new facility lies at the heart of Silicon Valley, directly across the Google campus and near some of the world's leading software and hardware companies. The location will allow the Renault-Nissan Alliance, which already employs more than 350,000 workers and accounts for 1 in 10 new cars sold globally in 2010, to benefit from the regional engineering talent in shaping the cars of the future. "The Alliance is at the vanguard of the auto industry's shift to sustainable transportation. Having a greater footprint in one of the world's headquarters for clean tech research will extend our lead further," said Carlos Ghosn, CEO of the Renault-Nissan Alliance, during his talk at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR) on the 14th of June. The Alliance has invested $5.4 billion in zero-emission cars and has already delivered more than 7,500 examples of the world's first pure electric, mass-marketed car, the Nissan LEAF. It is also planning to launch a new electric Infiniti premium sedan, the two-seat urban commuter Renault Twizy, and commercial vans, all of which can also be charged with renewable energy. PHOTO GALLERY                
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| New Chevrolet Colorado Roughens Up with Double-Cab Rally Concept Posted: 16 Jun 2011 12:47 PM PDT  The Buenos Aires Motorshow is proving to be an important event for GM as after the debut of the Chevrolet Cobalt Concept, the Detroit automaker released the first details on its second design study, the Colorado Rally Concept.
The Argentine study is a double-cab racing version of that concept fitted with a bevy of off-road accessories and components such as the front and rear bumper hooks and tow winches, an adjustable suspension that allows the driver to increase the ride height by 5 inches and special acrylic windows. The Colorado Rally Concept is powered by a 2.8-liter turbo diesel engine coupled to an all-wheel drive system and rides on massive 18-inch machined aluminum wheels shod in 305/60 R18 tires. The production version of the all-new Colorado in both single- and double-cab formats is slated to debut later this year. PHOTO GALLERY      
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| GM Unveils New Chevrolet Cobalt Sedan Concept at Buenos Aires Posted: 16 Jun 2011 12:22 PM PDT  Here in the good 'ol US of A, General Motors replaced the Chevrolet Cobalt compact car with the new Cruze sedan. In South America, however, it's another story as the Detroit brand has given birth to a new Chevy Cobalt that is being revealed in pre-production form at this week's Buenos Aires Motor Show (June 17 to 26) in Argentina.
GM said that the Cobalt will be sold globally offering buyers a choice of four cylinder engines ranging in displacement from 1.3 to 1.8 liters, with automatic and manual transmissions, running on ethanol (flex fuel), gasoline or diesel. The specific concept model is equipped with an aero kit comprising of front and rear aprons, side skirts and a discreet boot lid spoiler, plus 17-inch alloy wheels in 255/45 R17 rubber and twin exhaust outlets. The interior has also been upgraded with plush two-tone leather seats, chrome trim, twin sunroof and even an infotainment system with LCD screens integrated into the front headrests. PHOTO GALLERY             
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| New Renault Duster for South America Debuts at Buenos Aires Motor Show Posted: 16 Jun 2011 11:49 AM PDT  The Renault-Nissan Alliance's low-cost Dacia Duster SUV has lost its Romanian badges to cater to the needs of the South American market where it will be sold under the Renault brand. Redesigned for the local market, the Renault Duster SUV makes its regional debut at this week's Buenos Aires Motor Show. It will first launch in Argentina and Brazil during the last quarter of the year, with more countries to follow after. Production will take place at Renault's Curitiba plant in Brazil. The logo change also brought some minor modifications to the Duster including a new front grille, different wheels painted in dark gray and a latest-generation four-wheel-drive system. In addition, Renault upgraded the interior with a restyled dashboard. Commenting on the presentation of the Renault Dacia, Steve Norman, Senior Vice President, Global Marketing, Renault, said: "Renault Duster is really adapted to Latin American markets. It surprises with its dimensions, larger than those of the competition, and its excellent abilities. This special version, with exclusively designed interiors, new colour schemes and a new grille, will make 4x4s affordable for more and more customers in Brazil and Argentina. For Renault, in America, we can really say that there will be a before and an after Duster." Alongside the Duster, Renault is also introducing a phase 2 versions of the Dacia-based Sandero and Sandero Stepway, together with the pure electric Fluence sedan. PHOTO GALLERY         
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| It Came From eBay Hell: Volkswagen Beetle Limousine...with a Soft Top! Posted: 16 Jun 2011 10:58 AM PDT  Stretched Volkswagen Beetles are as commonplace on eBay as Pontiac Fiero-based fake Ferraris and Porsche 356 Speedster replicas. So what makes this example so special? Well for one it's a convertible, and a real one at that, with a canvas roof that's sure to sag and then collapse from the weight of the water on it when it rains.
The eBay seller is also keen to point out that this is a, "ONE OF A KIND," car, but then stating in very next sentence that it's, "ONE OF ONLY 3 IN THE WORLD". So, um, not one of a kind then. It was also, "BUILT PROFESSIONALLY", which the pedant in me would like to point out is different from being, "PROFESSIONALLY BUILT". And with a Buy It Now price of just US$39,999, you're only paying like ten times the price you'd expect to pay for an ordinary Beetle of the same Vintage. Then again, nobody said that uniqueness comes cheap... By Tristan Hankins PHOTO GALLERY    
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| VIDEO: Chevrolet Camaro GT4 Rolls, and Rolls, and Rolls... Posted: 16 Jun 2011 10:25 AM PDT  Dutch Supercar Challenge champion in the GT class 2010, Alex van 't Hoff, was involved in an unfortunate but rather spectacular to look at accident while racing his Chevrolet Camaro GT4 at the Circuit Park Zandvoort in The Netherlands. We're not sure how he lost control of the beefed up Camaro GT4 but in the video that follows after the break you can see what the result was. Despite the severity of the crash, Alex van 't Hoff came out of the car by himself, and from what we can tell, without suffering any injuries. _______________________________________________________________________ VIDEO
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| AC Schnitzer Claims to have Built the Fastest MINI with its New Eagle Concept Posted: 16 Jun 2011 09:25 AM PDT  Is an impressive run around the Hockenheim Circuit enough to crown a car the fastest of its kind? Well, according to BMW Group tuning specialist AC Schnitzer, the answer to the above question is yes. The German company raced its John Cooper Works MINI-based Eagle Concept car at the Hockenheim Circuit recording a lap time of 1:13,341 minutes. AC Schnitzer says the Eagle beat several thoroughbred sports cars such as the Ferrari California (1:13,5 minutes) and the Porsche 911 Turbo (1:14,6 minutes), and was left behind only by specially tuned or hardcore models like the KTM X-Bow and the BMW M3 Kompressor. The Eagle features a specially modified version of the standard JCW MINI's 1.6-liter turbocharged engine delivering 260-horses, while the vehicle's weight has been reduced by 80kg or 176 pounds. Other upgrades include –but not limited to- a height-adjustable racing suspension and 18-inch alloy wheels shod in sport tires. AC Schnitzer clarified that Eagle is a pure concept vehicle which was developed as a technology platform, with its value set at €62,000 (~US$88,610).
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| Study Says 2020 EPA Targets can be met with Gasoline Engines Posted: 16 Jun 2011 08:31 AM PDT  Even though hybrids and EVs are all the rage these days, a study by the Boston Consulting Group found that most automakers will be able to meet 2020 EPA emissions targets using gasoline engines that will be 40% more fuel efficient than the current powerplants. Advances in technology concerning engine downsizing, turbocharging, direct fuel injection, more efficient cooling, electric power steering and variable valve timing will help achieve this, according to the 23-page study. The good news is that the cost of implementing these technologies will most likely be half of what it was three years ago. The bad news, at least for consumers, is that they will still add around $2,000 on average to the cost of new cars. In addition, as the report points out, this would put less pressure on manufacturers and OEMs to pursue too hard the development of EVs in order to meet the 2020 EPA targets. Nevertheless, the Obama administration is reportedly considering a 3-6% per year reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 2017 to 2025, effectively resulting in a 47 to 62 mpg requirement. The report also states that by 2020 China and Europe, and not the US, will be the biggest markets for EVs, which will have reached a market share of 7 and 8% respectively, largely due to stronger government support. Source: Autonews [Sub. Req.]
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| Hot Jaguar XKR-S Rendered as a Convertible Posted: 16 Jun 2011 07:58 AM PDT  Swayed by recent media reports from Britain, Carscoop reader L il-k Amaru returned to his virtual drawing board and photoshoped a convertible version of the hardcore Jaguar XKR-S, which was unwrapped in coupe format at the 2011 Geneva Salon this past March. If the rumors about the XKR-S Convertible turn out to be true, expect the open top model to feature the same styling and performance modifications as the coupe. This means aggressive styling upgrades such as the vented front and rear bumpers, side skirts and big rear spoiler, as well as a boosted 5.0-liter supercharged V8 engine with 550-horses and 680Nm (501 lb-ft) of peak torque along with a revised and lowered sports suspension plus a beefier braking system. Kudos to Lil-k Amaru for the rendering!
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| Toyota Europe Officially Presents 2012 Yaris, Sales Start this Summer Posted: 16 Jun 2011 07:18 AM PDT  We first brought you news on the European version of third generation Yaris hatchback on Wednesday, but today, Toyota followed up with initial details on its VW Polo and Ford Fiesta rival. Toyota's newcomer in the European supermini segment will manufactured at the Japanese firm's Valenciennes factory in France with sales to start before the end of this summer. At launch, the 2012 Yaris will be offered with three different engines, two of which run on gasoline, the 1.0-litre VVT-i and 1.33-litre dual VVT-I, and the other, a 1.4-litre D-4D, on diesel. A hybrid version based on the 2011 Geneva Motor Show concept car has been confirmed for next year with more details to be released at a later date. The Japanese automaker said the new Yaris will offer affordable multimedia connectivity with the introduction of Toyota Touch & Go featuring a rather large 6.1-inch display with touch screen technology. According to the company, it will be standard equipment on 95 per cent of sales. Commenting on the introduction of the new Yaris, Didier Leroy, President and CEO Toyota Motor Europe, said: "[The] New Yaris represents Toyota's strongest offer yet in the important supermini segment. With its new levels of ingenuity, efficiency and quality, we are confident it can build upon Yaris's previous success and help Toyota rejuvenate its presence in Europe and move towards one million annual sales in the region in the medium term." PHOTO GALLERY             
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| Saab UK Announces 2012 9-5 Sedan and SportWagon Amidst Production Halt Posted: 16 Jun 2011 06:49 AM PDT  If there was ever an award for bad timing, Saab's UK division would probably be a front-runner this month. You see, there is something fundamentally wrong with announcing pricing and details on a new product when its production has been suspended (even if, as Saab claims, proves to be temporary, in which case, why not wait?). In any case and with Saab's future depending on deals that still need to be approved from Swedish, European and Chinese officials, the company gave out UK pricing information on the 2012 model year 9-5 range, which benefits from the introduction of the SportWagon and a series of enhancements, including additional features and further reduced CO2 emissions for all engines. The main attraction of the 9-5's 2012 lineup is the presentation of the estate model with the SportWagon moniker. Boasting a more practical body style with an adaptable load capacity of up to 1,600 litres, or 527 litres with the rear seats up, the 9-5 SportWagon is available with several engine choices. These include a 2.0-liter turbo diesel in 160HP and 190HP outputs, a 1.6-liter Turbo petrol with 180HP, a 2.0-liter petrol with 220HP in both FWD and AWD flavors, and a top-end 2.8-liter Turbo with 300HP and standard AWD. On-the-road prices for the station wagon model range from £26,995 to £39,195. Saab says it has fine-tuned all 9-5 engines, which as a result, deliver an average CO2 reduction and fuel consumption improvement of 4.7 percent. Changes have been made to the chassis as well with suspension upgrades on all models while Saab's all-wheel-drive system now includes an electronic, limited-slip differential (eLSD) as standard on Aero XWD models. Finally, the Swedish automaker has added new interior trim finishes on both Vector SE and Aero variants, while satellite navigation and digital radio (DAB) becomes standard on all models. Saab UK said it will begin accepting orders now with customer deliveries to commence in Autumn 2011.
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| Ford’s European Sales up 10.5 % in May Posted: 16 Jun 2011 05:52 AM PDT  Ford's auto sales across its 51 European markets (including Russia, Turkey and certain countries from North Africa) in May rose 13 percent to 143,800 units, up by 16,600 units from a year earlier. May sales in the firm's traditional 19 European markets rose by 10.5 percentage points to 116,500, up by 11,100. Year to date, the company's sales across its total 51 markets across Europe in the first five months of 2011 were up 0.6 percent to 684,000 vehicles compared to the same period in 2010, while in its traditional 19 European markets, Ford saw its sales drop 4.6 percent to 570,400 units. Ford said the lower sales in the 19 European markets were due to the scrappage schemes that were still in place in the early part of 2010 as well as the company's decision to selectively reduce participation in low margin business
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