Saab's next-generation 9-5 is to feature an all-new 1.6-litre turbocharged engine, in line with the company's new policy on downsizing.

The new 9-5 will make its debut next year, perhaps at spring's Geneva Motor Show, though sales are not expected to start until after the Frankfurt Motor Show in the autumn.

As it shares its GM 'Epsilon 2' platform with the Opel/Vauxhall Insignia, it will be built alongside the Insignia in Russelsheim, Germany, though it will be clearly differentiated in its design both inside and out.

Despite the smaller entry-level engine - which will nonetheless have a competitive power output and performance capabilities, boosted by its turbocharger - the new 9-5 will actually be a little larger than the outgoing model.

Saab is aiming to put more distance between this and the next-generation 9-3, and to turn it into more of a rival for the likes of the Audi A6, Volkswagen Passat and similarly-sized large family vehicles.

Other engines to feature in the new 9-5 saloon and estate include units as in the Insignia: the 260bhp 2.8 V6 petrol (as also used in the Cadillac CTS) and the 2.0-litre CDTi diesel, plus Saab's own turbocharged 2.0-litre, ethanol-compatible Biopower engines.

Further down the line, GM's new 2.9-litre V6 diesel will be offered. Saab's XWD four-wheel-drive system will be offered, and expect a high-riding, SUV-style crossover variant of the estate to follow.

The 1.6 turbo engine will also be fitted in the next-generation Saab 9-3, due late 2010 or 2011. The new 9-3 is based on GM's Delta platform, shared with the next-gen Vauxhall Astra and Chevrolet Cruze. It will be smaller than the current model, with the saloons and estates thought to be around the size of the Volkswagen Jetta/Golf Estate. Smaller - Astra-sized - hatches, probably to be called 9-2, will follow.

Saab is to show a concept hinting at the new 9-3 at this autumn's Paris Motor Show. Though this was rumoured to be a convertible version of last year's 9-X Biohybrid concept, it seems that this isn't the case.

Saab insiders suggest that it's going to be more of an 'exploration into function and space', with an emphasis on utility and versatility. A Saab MPV? Probably not, but a further development of the shooting-brake body-style of the 9-X (a kind of three-door estate) shouldn't be ruled out.

via channel4 

1996 Lamborghini Zagato Raptor Chassis Number: P06 One-of-a-Kind! Zagato launched an exciting new sportscar on the occasion of the 1996 Geneva Show. A World Premier, the Raptor is a provocative styling proposal powered by Lamborghini's classic V-12. The car features a novel modular cockpit lay-out with a front-hinged, one-piece greenhouse section which includes the doors, windscreen and the company's famous double-bubble roofline. From a traditional two-seater coupe, the Raptor can be transformed into a two-seater Barchetta. Following on in Zagato's long tradition of memorable show cars, the Raptor is no mere dream car, but a thoroughly practical and feasible production proposition. The Zagato Styling Centre (SZ Design) has developed the Raptor in order to ensure it could be built as a limited series. From the innovative tubular and box-section chassis to the exciting interior styling, the Raptor is a concentration of advanced design and engineering. Fully certifiable for the road, this ultra-high performance, mid-engined sports coupe uses a powerful 5.7 liter V-12 driving all four wheels. Lamborghini carried out tests on the Raptor, after which it appeared at Pebble Beach Concours celebrating the Zagato marque.

via blackhawkcollection 

Rolls-Royce is preparing to show its new 'baby' model, codenamed RR4, at the 2009 Geneva motor show. CAR understands the smaller Rolls will be displayed in concept guise, similar to the 100EX and 101EX models that foreshadowed Rolls-Royce's Phantom Drophead and Coupe models.

A mathematician might assume, therefore, that the next concept will be badged 102EX, although the company could plump for a new name that reflects the new nature of a smaller Rolls.

Rolls-Royce RR4: the latest scoop photos

Our latest spy photos capture the RR4 out on test on the streets of Munich, where the car is being developed, revealing that there's not in fact much that's baby-like or small about the new, fourth Rolls-Royce model.

That imposingly long bonnet, upright stance and sturdy, privacy-protecting C-pillar are clear to see on these latest prototypes. Will the RR4 keep the Phantom's suicide – sorry, 'coach' – doors? It seems likely, judging from one of the test cars pictured here. But there's no telling what BMW's disguise is designed to do; it could be an elaborate decoy...

Why show the new Rolls-Royce RR4 at Geneva?

The company has a long history of showing landmark cars at the Swiss show. The salon has a reputation for being the glitziest and most prestigious of the European shows – and a fitting debut, therefore, for one of the most significant new Rolls-Royces for a generation.

BMW's stewardship of Rolls-Royce is going rather well, CAR reckons. The Goodwood factory outside Chichester in southern England hand-crafted 1000 cars in 2007, and the new RR4 is a well judged addition to the three-strong range.

The company is currently on a two-week summer recess, and the engineers are continuing to put in the second line required to build RR4. Sources suggest that the eventual target – once the baby Rolls lands in showrooms in 2010 – is to build 2000 cars a year.

via carmagazine 

In its latest issue, Italian car magazine Quattroruote has an article on Alfa Romeo’s new mid-sized sedan that will replace the 159. According to Quattroruote’s sources, the 159’s successor will revive the famed Giulia nameplate as the Italian company is replacing its current system of numeric model names for more personal ones. Unfortunately, Alfa won’t be reviving the original Giulia’s rear-wheel-drive layout as the Italian sedan will be based on a modified version of the Lancia Delta / Fiat Bravo platform. Like the 159, the new Giulia will be offered in front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive versions. In terms of styling, Quattroruote’s artists suggest that like the Mito, the Giulia will feature a front end inspired from the 8c Competizione

via /carscoop

Al in 2009 moet de Astra de concurrentie aangaan in het C-segment. Tegenstanders zijn o.a. de Peugeot 308, de net vernieuwde Golf en de Fiat Bravo. In het voorjaar van 2009 zal Opel de nieuweling lanceren. Veel is er nog niet bekend over de technologie, maar we verwachten een uitgebreid motorenpalet met benzines van 74 tot 250 pk en dieselmotoren met vermogens tussen de 90 en 150 pk. Over hybride Astra’s is nog niets bekend, maar uiteindelijk zal Opel ook met meer milieuvriendelijkere Astra’s komen.

De nieuwe Astra zal de bodemplaat delen met de Saab 9-1 en het gamma zal zoals gebruikelijk diverse varianten beslaan: 5-deurs hatchback, de 3-deurs GTC, de stationwagon en cabriolet Twin Top. Voor idee van de styling kunnen we een blik op de nieuwe Insignia, want zeker de koplampen lijken al aardig op die van zijn grote broer. Alle technologische vernieuwingen zoals de intelligente verkeersborden leesfunctie zal naar verwachting ook in de Astra beschikbaar komen.

De foto’s van de Astra zijn in een hogere resolutie op autojunk terug te vinden.

via autoblog 

Thanks to our contacts in the automotive design community, we've become aware that Frank Stephenson, who until recently was Director of Design at Alfa Romeo, will be taking on a new role as Design Director at McLaren.

"McLaren is pleased to confirm that Frank Stephenson will shortly join as Design Director," a company spokesperson told CDN, but would not reveal additional details. Stephenson was not prepared to comment.

It is presumed that Stephenson, who has worked on such acclaimed designs as the reinterpretation of the legendary Mini in 2001, will be based at the company's facilities in Woking, Surrey, and be charged with building a design team for the sports car manufacturer. McLaren is aiming to create a competitor to Ferrari, Aston Martin and Porsche and become a serious player in the high-end sports car market.

Following his studies at Art Center College of Design, Stephenson spent 11 years at BMW before joining the Ferrari-Maserati Group as Concept Design Director in 2002. During his time at the Fiat-owned sports car division, Stephenson worked on the Maserati MC12 and Ferrari F430 and oversaw Pininfarina's work on the Maserati Quattroporte and Ferrari 612 Scaglietti.

Stephenson became head of Fiat, Lancia and Light Commercial Vehicle Styling Center in 2005 and led the team that produced the reinterpetation of Fiat's iconic minicar, the Nuova 500.

Appointed Design Director at Alfa Romeo in June 2007 - following Wolfgang Egger's departure for Audi - Stephenson was subsequently replaced by Christopher Reitz in March 2008. Details surrounding the Moroccan-born designer's departure from the Italian company still remain unclear.

via  cardesignnews

Yes, vehicle sales took a big dive again in July, compared with July 2007. And Chrysler president Jim Press is very happy. He says that Chrysler earned a gross profit (earnings before interest, depreciation and amortization, or EBIDA) of $1.1 billion in the first half of 2008, exceeding expectations set last year when the company "reorganized" (and cut production). Chrysler is private and doesn't need to divulge such information. But when it makes a gross profit, announcing it helps quiet analysts and pundits who have put a "deathwatch" on Detroit's number-three automaker.

With its leasing done with as of Friday, Chrysler announced its "Shop Until You Drive" program, which Press says allows you to buy a car for about the same monthly payment you needed to lease. In other words, price incentives: up to 28 percent off a Jeep Grand Cherokee, up to 25 percent off other SUVs, and up to 40-percent off the Dodge Ram, so Chrysler can make way for the new '09 model.

"In 38 years in the business," Press says of car/truck sales, "this is just about the biggest challenge I've seen."

Before I get to a brief look at the winners and losers, here are three numbers that have nothing in common, except that they're all-new models with nothing to compare from last year. And at least two of them are ill-timed to the current market: Ford sold 2204 Flexes in July; Pontiac sold 1472 G8s, and Dodge sold 2895 Challenger SRT8s.

And now to the more relevant numbers:

*GM sold 235,184 units, off 26.7 percent from July '07.

Sales gainers included Chevy Malibu (+79%), Aveo (+17%), Cobalt (+4%), Pontiac G5 (+17%), Vibe (+7%), G6 (+6%), Saturn Aura (+24%), Sky (14%, but offset by a nearly equal drop in Solstice sales), and the best Astra month ever (1,555), plus Buick Enclave (+28%, but far too little to offset Lucerne and LaCrosse drops) and Cadillac CTS (+38%).
    
Obviously, this wasn't enough to keep trucks and big SUVs from growing cobwebs on dealer lots. The Hummer division dropped 61.7 percent to 1877 units. That's for all three models. And even CUVs Saturn Outlook (-29.2%) and GMC Acadia (-5.2%) were off, as was Chevy Impala (-37%). Like other automakers, GM says it's running short on some small models like HHR (-10.8%) and could have sold more Aveos and Cobalts if it had stock.

Ford Motor Company sold 156,406, off 13 percent, and Volvo, counted separately, sold 5,124 cars and trucks in the U.S., off 46.3 percent. Every Volvo model except C70 posted double-digit decreases. Ford plans to increase Focus production to 280,000 in '09, up from 245,000 and will double four-cylinder engine production as part of its recently announced restructure. Four-bangers made up 72 percent of Fusion sales last month and stands at 58 percent year-to-date. Nearly half of Ford's unsold inventory consists of F-150s.

Focus average transaction price is up $750 for the new model. But Ford's crossover sales may have peaked, with Edge off 6.5 percent and Escape off 16.2 percent (there is a new model). Still not as bad as Expedition sales, which plummeted 57.5 percent. Mercury sold 572 Mountaineers last month, down 61.1 percent from July '07. Gainers included Fusion (+13.5%), Focus (+15.6%) and Mustang (+0.3%). But the Mustang, like the Ford Crown Vic and Mercury Grand Marquis were up largely due to planned sales to rental agencies (the Crown Vic/Grand Marquis are fleet-only). All Lincoln models dropped, except for the new MKS.

*Chrysler LLC sold 98,109, off 29 percent.

Chrysler Town & Country (+24%), Dodge Avenger (+2%) and Jeep Patriot (+4%) were offset by Dodge Caravan (-12%, but 3,449 Journeys more than made up for that), Chrysler Sebring (-31%) and Jeep Compass (-46%). Other losers included Chrysler 300 (-31%), PT Cruiser (-54%), Aspen (-45%), Dodge Caliber (-9%), Dakota (-24%), Ram (-27%), Charger (-15%), Jeep Wrangler (-31%), Liberty (-42%) and Commander (-54%). The hybrid SUVs could not come quickly enough. Dodge Durango was off 84 percent.

*Toyota sold 197,424, off 11.9-percent.

Camry and Corolla were up, but short supply continues to affect Prius, which was down eight percent. Tundra was off 42 percent.

*Honda sold 138,744, off 9.2 percent, based on selling days. (GM, like its Detroit brethren, has stopped using this practice for counting sales.)

Cars were up 6.7-percent, trucks were down 27.8-percent. Fit hit a record 12,266 units, up 78.5 percent. Civic Hybrid was up 27.4 percent and Accord was up 2.8 percent. Acura was down 17.7 percent, with TSX the only bright spot.

*Nissan sold 95,319, up 0.1 percent. It's gaining on Chrysler, which ought to make Cerberus happy.

via /blogs.motortrend. 

A few weeks ago we announced pricing on all three Yaris models (3-Door Liftback, 5-Door Liftback, and Sedan), also letting you know it was getting some new exterior colors. The ‘09 Yaris Sedan will gain the colors Zephyr Blue Metallic and Blue Streak Metallic. Yaris liftbacks will add Yellow Jolt and Carmine Red Metallic to their color palette. We grabbed some shots of the new liftback colors, so click through for the gallery.

via blog.toyota 

And here it is [maybe]: Chevrolet's plug-in electric - gas hybrid Volt. Weʼve admired (more or less) the widely-touted concept and glimpsed the camouflaged 1/3 model. Iʼve photchopped my personal guess for the finished model, based on Bob Lutz' contention that the production version will still be recognizable as the Volt. The small cabin silhouette is clearly not making it into production (as we've seen on the scale model). However, the doors' transparent upper sides are a Volt-specific design element; I think they could make it out of concept stage to act as a visual trade-mark. They're not all that useful, but they give the Volt a suitably high-tech appearance. Some mechanical components like the door-locking mechanism or the window crane could be seen through that glass; eye candy for kids and first-time car-thieves. I kept the glass-roof, but I doubt it will be standard equipment. Some high-tech lights (but not as fancy as those seen on the concept) should differentiate the Volt from the rest of the Chevys. The result isn't beautiful, but then, neither is the Toyota Prius.

via thetruthaboutcars 

The MINI Rickshaw, named ‘The other Rickshaw’ has certainly grabbed headlines around China, and to a certain extent the international media. The body of the Clubman is from Germany (although we thought they were to be made in Austria?) and the conversion to rickshaw was carried out in Hong Kong, and then the rickMINI was taken to Beijing to ‘bring good luck’ to the Beijing Olympics.

In addition to the MINI Rickshaw, an old British Bus is going around Guangzhou peddling MINI Wares and letting the Chinese public know about the MINI

via chinacartimes