Ford Names Geely as its "Preferred Bidder" for Volvo
Ford has announced that it is in negotiations with China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co. Ltd. to sell Volvo. If the deal does go though, Ford has no plans on retaining any ownership of Volvo.
Lewis Booth, Ford Motor Company executive vice president and chief financial officer stated "Ford believes Geely has the potential to be a responsible future owner of Volvo and to take the business forward while preserving its core values and the independence of the Swedish brand. But there is much work that needs to be completed in the more substantive discussions that are agreed to take place. We have no specific timeline to conclude the discussions."
Stephen Odell, Volvo CEO also stated that "Volvo's management team welcomes today's announcement as a positive step forward. At Volvo, we are continuing to keep our attention firmly fixed on engineering and building great Volvo cars, to reduce our cost base and to return the business to sustainable profitability at the earliest possible opportunity."
Fiat to Kill Most of Chrysler's Current Models
Chrysler is expected to unveil its 5-year plan next week on November 4th, but the Wall Street Journal has revealed many of the details we can expect to hear next week.
The plan is calling for the end of many of the Chrysler models that are currently in US showrooms. Many of the models will be replaced by vehicles from Fiat and Alfa Romeo.
Expect more details next week, but for now here's a list of what models we can expect to see either die or survive...
BMW is Not Planning a High-Performance 5-Series GT M
BMW recently released M versions of its X5 and X6 SUVs, but according to the latest reports BMW is not planning an M version of the 5-Series GT.
A source told AutoCar that the most powerful 5-Series GT will be the twin-turbo V8 550i.
BMW is also not planning an M version of the new Z4.
Motor Trend 2010 SUV of the Year Contenders Announced
Motor Trend has announced the list of SUV contenders for its "SUV of the Year" award.
Of course this award is great to whomever wins, due to all of the bragging rights that come along with it. It's usually heavily used in every ad campaign. Last year the Subaru Forester took home the award.
Which SUV do you think should win this year's award?
Next VW Beetle to Get Bigger Back Seat and Become VW's Halo Car
The current VW Beetle was all the rage when it debuted in 1998. VW also managed to sell 83,434 New Beetles in 1999, but since then sales have continued to decline to only 26,477 units last year. Over 10 years since it was released, the Beetle now barely registers on the radar and has been overshadowed by other retro vehicles like the Mini. Well VW is finally working on a successor that will arrive in 2012 and according to Stefan Jacoby, president and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, the next model will have better packaging and a larger back seat.
According to Jacoby the major complaint about the Beetle, besides its age is that it has a cramped back seat. The new Beetle will indeed have a bigger back seat, but Jacoby was quick to state that that doesn't necessarily mean that it will be bigger.
Jacoby also stated that he sees the next Beetle as more of a halo car for the brand.Spy Shots: Volvo Tests the 2011 S60 in Copenhagen
Volvo has released a few official photos of a 2011 S60 prototype being tested with Volvo's new Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake and Pedestrian Detection system in the streets of Copenhagen.
The new technology has been tested for the past ten years and will make it's first appearance on the new S60.
"Our aim is that this new technology should help the driver avoid collisions with pedestrians at speeds below 25 km/h. If the car is travelling faster, the aim is to reduce the impact speed as much as possible. In most cases, we can reduce the collision force by about 75 percent. Considering the large number of pedestrian fatalities that occur, if we manage to lower the fatality risk by 20 percent this new function will make a big difference. In specific situations the fatality reduction can be up to 85 percent," says Thomas Broberg.
VW Officials Confirm 2010 Golf GTI-R for the US
During an event in Wolfsburg yesterday, VW officials confirmed that the recently unveiled Golf R will indeed be sold in the US as the GTI-R. The GTI-R will replace the R32.
When the GTI-R reaches the US it will be powered by a 265-hp 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder mated to either a manual transmission or Volkswagen's DSG. VW's 4Motion all-wheel-drive system will send the power to all four wheels. When equipped with the DSG the GTI-R reaches 0-62 mph in 5.5 seconds and the top speed is limited to 155 mph.
Expect the GTI-R to hit US dealerships sometime next year.
BMW to Release "0 Series" Based on MINI Platform
BMW has said in the past that the automaker has no plans to ever offer a front-wheel-drive, but it looks like that will soon change. It's being reported that BMW is currently working on a new line dubbed the 0 Series that will share its platform with the next generation MINI.
If the rumors are true, the 0 Series will hit showrooms by 2013 in three-door, five-door, and roadster versions.
VW "NMS" to Replace Passat and Phaeton Returns to the US
Volkswagen of America president Stefan Jacoby recently confirmed that the upcoming sedan codenamed "NMS" will replace the Passat in the US. The new sedan is to be built at Volkswagen's new facility in Tennessee.
Jacoby admitted that the current Passat is too small for American car buyers. The new sedan will be introduced in about two years and arrive as a 2012 or 2013 model.
In addition to the news about the Passat, Jacoby also stated that pulling the Phaeton from the US market after the 2006 model year was a mistake. "You need to be patient to enter a new segment." The new Phaeton is expected to arrive by the end of next year in Europe. Jacoby did not state when it will be sold in the US again.
Porsche Exec States Creating a Budget Porsche is Top Priority
Wolfgang Duerheimer, head of development at Porsche recently told Germany's Automobilwoche that creating a model that is significantly cheaper than the current Boxster is top priority for the automaker. What does this mean? It looks like Porsche is going to get a version of the Volkswagen Bluesport concept.
Volkswagen unveiled the Bluesport Concept earlier this year. The two-seater mid-engine roadster is powered by a 2.0L diesel. If a Porsche version is for sure in the works, expect it to share most of its mechanicals with the VW version.
Audi e-Tron Electric Car Gets the Green Light
Audi of America President Johan de Nysschen has confirmed that an electric vehicle based on the e-Tron concept that debuted in Frankfurt will be on the market in two to three years.
"I expect we will see running examples in the next 24 months," he says.
The e-Tron concept is powered by four individual electric motors, one on each axle. Audi says that the concept is capable of traveling 154 miles thanks to its lithium-ion battery. The e-Tron concept features styling that is similar to the R8, but is shorter with different front and rear fascias.Bugatti Galibier Gets the Green Light and a $1.4 Million Price Tag
Bugatti unveiled the 16C Galibier Concept in Frankfurt last month and reportedly it has been given the green light for production according to Auto Express.
The four-door concept features a 8.0-liter quad-turbo W16 engine borrowed from the Veyron, which will be detuned to 800 horsepower and mated to a conventional eight speed transmission. It's estimated that the Galibier would reach a top speed of 220 mph.
If these reports are true expect to see the Galibier's release in 2013 with a price tag of £900,000 price tag, which is about $1.4 million.
