13-06-2012 14:00
+++ Mini's new 5-door hatchback forms part of a broader front-wheel drive platform strategy instigated by parent company BMW. Developed under the internal working name UKL (an acronym for the German words ‘unter klasse’, or ‘entry level’ in English), it aims to not only increase the number of front-wheel-drive models offered by Mini but also provide the basis for a ground-breaking new front-wheel-drive BMW that is planned to form part of an increased number of 1-series models to be sold in the UK by the middle of the decade. Likely to be called the 1-series GT, the new entry-level BMW is set to be previewed in concept form at the Paris motor show in September, ahead of a planned introduction in late 2014. As well as running the front-wheel drive underpinnings developed by Mini and BMW, the new Mercedes-Benz B-class-rivalling hatchback will use the firm’s new turbocharged 1.5-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine, which will also be used in the next generation of Minis. Relying on the same modular construction techniques evident in its diesel engines, the new petrol engine shares its 500cc individual cylinder capacity and other key elements with BMW’s classic 3.0-litre straight six petrol unit. +++ The new figures for the 2013 modelyear CHEVROLET Volt has been released. The highlights are an improved all-electric range and miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) rating: 38 miles and 98 MPGe; that's 3 miles of additional electric range and 5 more MPGe than last year. GM said in a statement today that "minor changes to the material composition of the battery cell chemistry" and a boost in overall battery capacity from 16 kWh to 16.5 are responsible for the increase. Allowing the car to use more of that capacity (10.8 kWh now; up from 10.3 before) also helps. Unsurprisingly, the bigger battery also gives the Volt a slightly longer recharge time. As previously reported, the 2013 Volt also gets a new 'EV Hold Mode' that forces the car to burn petrol and 'hold' the energy in the battery for later use. The extra mode is available on the Volt's European sister vehicle, the Opel Ampera, too. Early Volt buyers could sort of force their cars into this operation by engaging 'Mountain Mode'. Visually, the 2013 Volt will also lose the black roof and trunk backing, using the main body color for those parts (GM has yet to release new images showing this development) and gain an available lane-departure warning system. +++ EUROPE is drawing up plans to protect its auto industry as manufacturers battle barriers to export markets and face up to increasingly tough environmental challenges. The industry and regulators approved last week “a new action plan in favor of the automotive sector”, European Union Industry Commissioner Antonio Tajani said. The plan is anchored by an extra half a billion euros of EU investment in green technologies but carmakers said the program would stand or fall on free trade negotiations with Japan and other major competitors. Tajani said after the talks that the EU would ensure automakers could feel safe thanks to a “good trade policy, on a level playing field” with rivals around the globe. However, Sergio Marchionne, the Fiat boss who heads the European automotive industry association ACEA, said the agreement was only “day one of a long haul going forward”. With the EU about to enter free trade negotiations with Japan, the world’s third-largest economy, Marchionne said this part of the plan must not be “forgotten” in Brussels. “Trade relations should deliver reciprocal benefits”, he stressed. “However, the EU always appears ready to compromise on these conditions as experience has shown with South Korea and other examples”, he noted. After 5 years of decline, the industry feels threatened by rising South Korean exports; with brands like Kia showing regular and big sales increases, albeit from a low base, while traditional European models slide consistently. “Very clearly there are things that need to be checked”, Marchionne said of South Korea and this experience was a “very good warning sign for the Japan deal”, he said. Tajani acknowledged negotiations can be difficult, especially given lower costs elsewhere, the Italian using a football analogy to say European trade rules are like “11 v 11”, whereas in other countries, “it’s very difficult to play 9 men against 13”. Earlier Wednesday, a separate EU report on mounting protectionist tendencies, particularly in Russia, Brazil and India, said it expected Moscow to make it much more difficult for European companies to get their cars to Russian consumers. New car sales plummeted as the 2008 global financial crisis rocked the economy, forcing EU governments to step in with some 30 billion euros ($37.5 billion) through various “cash-for-clunker” schemes. While these and other incentives for buyers helped keep the industry afloat through the worst of the global downturn, Europe has not gone through the fundamental and painful restructuring which has allowed U.S. manufacturers to get back on their feet. The sector acknowledges “over-capacity” in Europe but Marchionne insisted there was no call for public funds for a necessary restructuring. Access to crucial raw materials is also getting more difficult and the transition to environmentally-friendly vehicles remains sluggish. An 84-page analysis drawn up for the talks seen by AFP highlighted the dangers posed by “overcapacity, growing dependence on third-country markets, growing cost of production, cost of regulation and technological challenge”. Alongside smarter regulation and efforts to open market access, Tajani said EU investment in “green” innovation between 2014 and 2020 would rise to 1.5 billion euros. With 2.5 billion vehicles expected to be on the roads by 2050, the belief is that electric, hydrogen-powered and other hybrid technologies will supercede the traditional internal combustion engine powered by fossil fuels. There would be no going back on ambitious EU climate-action goals in the interim, the participants agreed. The EU auto sector employs some 12 million people directly, contributes about 70 billion euros to the bloc’s external trade balance and accounts for about 28 billion euros in annual research and development investment, according to ACEA data. +++ The next-generation FORD Focus RS could pack as much as 330 horsepower courtesy of a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine. That's a substantial jump over the 247 hp found in the new Focus ST. Matthias Ton, the chief program engineer for global performance cars at Ford, admits the turbo 2.0-liter in the ST is too close to its power ceiling to glean any more grunt without a substantial revision of the turbo and fuel systems. If Ford decides to build another Focus RS, Ton continues, the hotter hatch will bow with a variant of the Ecoboost 2.3-liter. The last generation RS hit showrooms with 305 horsepower from a turbo 2.5 five-cylinder, though the special-edition RS500 shown above poured 350 horsepower to the front wheels. If Ford does build the more aggressive RS, it will likely touch down with a new mechanical limited slip differential to help keep the car pointed straight and handle regular track abuse. +++ GENERAL MOTORS said Tuesday that its China sales for May hit a record 231,183 vehicles, despite a looming slowdown in the world’s second largest economy. GM’s sales in the country surged 21.3% in May from the same month last year and rose 1.7% from April, it said in a statement. For the first 5 months of this year, GM sold around 1.2 million vehicles in China (also a record); up 11.5% year on year. China has the world’s largest car market but sales began to slow last year after the government rolled back purchasing incentives and some cities imposed limits on car numbers to ease traffic congestion and cut pollution. China’s nationwide vehicle sales rose just 2.5% to 18.51 million units in 2011, compared with an annual increase of more than 32% in 2010. China’s economy has also started to slow with growth of 8.1% in the first quarter of 2012, its slowest pace in nearly 3 years, affecting industries like property and construction. State media has said policymakers are considering reviving favorable policies for the auto sector by offering subsidies to buyers of smaller vehicles in rural areas to help boost consumption and spur the economy. Foreign car makers in China have benefited from better brand recognition and perceptions of better quality among domestic consumers. GM sold more than 2.5 million vehicles in China last year. +++ P.T. Honda Prospect Motor (HPM), HONDA ’s automobile manufacturing and sales joint venture in Indonesia, on Monday held a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of the construction of its new automobile production plant in Karawang Industrial Park in a suburb of Jakarta. The ceremony was attended by high ranking official from the Ministry of Industry of Indonesia, as well as Takanobu Ito, Honda Motor Co president & CEO. With annual production capacity of 120,000 units, the new auto plant is scheduled to begin production in 2014 in order to continue meeting demands in the rapidly growing automobile market in Indonesia. In addition to the Brio, which was developed especially for Asian markets, HPM is planning to produce a new MPV (Multi-Purpose Vehicle) model at the new plant. Designed based on Brio, the new model will enhance the Honda lineup of MPV models which account for the majority of passenger vehicle sales in Indonesia. The new plant, an investment of approximately 3.1 trillion Indonesian rupiah (approximately 27 billion yen), will employ approximately 2,000 associates at the start of production. Combined with the current capacity of 60,000 units, HPM’s annual production capacity will total 180,000 units. Moreover, HPM will strengthen the local product development function, establish a highly efficient production system, and increase local content to approximately 80% from the current level of approximately 50%. Through these efforts, HPM will provide high-quality products to its customers with speed and affordability. HPM is planning to begin sales of the Brio before the end of 2012 by importing the model from Thailand. HPM will then begin local production of an Indonesian version of the model at the existing plant before the end of 2013, with the Brio production to be transferred to the new plant when it becomes operational in 2014. +++ Earlier this month there was news of the MCLAREN MP4-12C upgrades that will be offered to every current 12C owner at zero cost. Now McLaren has officially released all of the details which add further details for the 2013 model year. As a refresher, the free upgrades include: 1) M838T engine power increased to 625 hp, 2) Revised calibration for 7-Speed SSG transmission for increased responsiveness, 3) Programmable Intake Sound Generator, 4) Headlights linked to rain sensor when in automatic mode, 5) Easy-Exit electric seat function incorporating Seat Return (if specified), 6) New Meridian audio equaliser settings (if specified). In addition to the complimentary upgrades, McLaren is also offering new options to personalize the 12C for the 2013 model year. They include: Volcano Yellow paint finish, new 5-spoke lightweight-forged wheels available in multiple finishes, higher quality textured leather, 3new levels of interior trim Full Semi-Aniline Leather, Semi-Aniline Leather with Color Perforated Inserts, Full Semi-Aniline Leather, One Touch Seat Return, Vehicle Lift - front and rear by 40mm and 25mm and a redesigned ‘Speed Marque' McLaren badge. +++ The brand formerly known as SAAB is still intent on teaching The Little Engine That Could a few ticks about persistence. We say "formerly known" because it turns out that National Electric Vehicle Swedent (NEVS), the Sino-Japanese investment consortium that just bought the majority of Saab's assets, minus Saab Automobile Parts AB, may not actually own the rights to the Saab brand name. NEVS will need to negotiate with Scania and the Swedish aerospace and defense group, Saab AB, for the right to name its forthcoming electric car the Saab 9-3. NEVS is hiring 200 engineers now to work on its electric car program, and reports are that it will hire more as it gets closer to the 2014 launch. It will be based on the current (read: ancient) 9-3, and we hope NEVS is succeeds in getting the naming rights, because the NEVS 9-3 just doesn't have the same ring. NEVS will likely target China as the model's main market. However, it's rumors of their second negotiating ploy that we're really rooting for: to work with Mahinda, the Indian company once in the running for Saab's assets, develop a petrol-powered 9-3 on the next-generation Phoenix platform, based on Jason Castriota's design. NEVS is also said to be planning new models "based on Japanese technology", yet with just under $1 billion U.S. committed to the electric program, NEVS wants to have other products to generate revenue. A conventionally powered gasoline-engined car could be the answer. The only connection between Saab AB and Mahindra appears to be that India is one of Saab's largest markets and Mahindra is Indian. Separately, Mahindra could develop the car and provide small, "low carbon output" engines. It's tenuous, which characterizes just about everything that happens with Saab these days, but perhaps NEVS sees it as enough of a lure for everyone involved to make it worth the attempt. The amount of speculation here makes the chances of a Phoenix-based 9-3 too thin to even call slim, but we won't bet against it, if only because one was quite far along in development under the company's previous owners. And besides, we'd really like to see it happen. +++
