GM to Double Global Production of Small Engines up to 1.4-liters

You knew it was coming, meaning the way fuel prices have spiked the past few years, it was only a matter of time before GM gave its attention to smaller displacement engines. According to the General’s latest announcement, it plans to double its global production of small four-cylinder engines (1.0L to 1.4L) by 2011, with more than half of the increase coming in North America. In particular, GM said that one-third of its North American engine volume will be 4-cylinders by 2011, and (fortunately) 21% of the 4-cylinder volume will be turbocharged representing a seven-fold increase over today’s volume of turbo engines. -Continued

“Power-dense four-cylinders such as the 1.4L Turbo are an integral part of GM’s portfolio of advanced propulsion technologies, including cam phasing, direct injection, Active Fuel Management, clean diesels, hybrids, flex-fuel vehicles, six-speed transmissions and electric propulsion,” said Tom Stephens, executive vice president, GM Global Powertrain and Global Quality.

The American automaker’s strategy is highlighted by an all-new, 1.4L Turbo engine that will power a range of models including the next generation Opel Astra and the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze sedan. Estimated power ratings for the 1.4L Turbo will be 140 HP with a torque rating of 148 lb.-ft. (200 Nm).

“Because of the turbocharger’s on-demand power and responsiveness, it’s like having two engines in the same vehicle – one for power and one for fuel economy,” said Stephens. “It’s truly the best of both worlds.”

GM’s next generation of small four-cylinder gasoline engines will include displacements of 1.0L, 1.2L and 1.4L with the latter developing an estimated 100HP output.

Opel Insignia Gets Two New Turbo Engines and ecoFLEX Variant

At next month’s Paris motorshow Opel will debut two new engines for the Insignia range that comprises a 4door sedan, a 5door fastback and the Sports Tourer which also makes its world premiere at the French capitol. The new powertrain options for Opel’s mid-size model are a 2.0-liter twin-turbocharged diesel with clean tech combustion system delivering an output of 190 HP and the downsized 1.6-liter gasoline turbo engine that generates 180 HP. The new additions complement the range of seven motors – all Euro 5-certified – that are already on offer for the Insignia. -Continued

In addition, Opel will unveil the new Insignia ecoFLEX that promises to offer lower CO2 emissions and reduced fuel consumption without compromising on performance. Although the German automaker hasn’t given out any further details, expect to see the same kind of modifications on the Insignia as with other ecoFLEX variants in Opel’s range, including improved aerodynamics, the addition of low rolling resistant tires, a longer axel ratio and reduced weight.

More 2010 Opel Astra Photos Hit the Web

The all new fourth generation Opel (and Vauxhall, Saturn, Holden - forgive us if we forgot to mention any other GM brand...) Astra will make its world debut as a five-door hatchback at next year’s Frankfurt Show but the German automaker has already begun teasing us initially with a pair of sketches and now, with a set of real life photos showing the 2010 Astra covered in a white veil.

Based on GM’s latest Delta platform, the new compact hatch will be insired from the recently launched Insignia as Opel wants to take the 2010 Astra more upmarket setting new standards in its class. “The Opel Insignia has newly interpreted the mid-size segment. Now, with its dynamic design and innovative technology – much of which has been the preserve of higher-class vehicles before now – the new Astra generation will continue the pioneering role of its large model brother,” said Alain Visser, Chief Marketing Officer at GM Europe “To put it in a nutshell, the next Astra will carry the spirit of the Insignia into the compact class.” -Continued

Opel says that the Astra’s all-new chassis will be mated with equally new engines designed following the right-sizing concept that combines high low-end torque with moderate fuel consumption. Technical gizmos such as the ‘Opel Eye’ camera system that recognizes traffic signs warning the driver and the adaptive headlamp system will come straight from the Insignia.

After the European launch of the 5-door Astra in late 2009 – early 2010, Opel will take the wraps off the sportier 3door GTC at the Geneva Show in March 2010 which will be followed shortly after by the sedan, station-wagon and coupe-cabriolet variants. Expect to see the Saturn badged and this time, U.S. built Astra replacing the current hatchback on this side of the Atlantic in mid 2010.

2010 Opel / Saturn Astra: First Official Sketches and Details

Opel’s British arm Vauxhall, has released the first teaser images of the all-new 2010 Astra ahead of its official launch at next year’s Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Although Vauxhal/Opel’s pictures of both the five-door (black) and the three-door GTC (white) Astras are kinda… sketchy, expect to see an evolutionary styling seasoned with design cues from the firm’s latest model, the Insignia. Inside, GM’s European subsidiary said that the next generation Astra will feature a ‘wrap-around interior with a wing-line sweep that links the instrument panel to the door’. -Continued

Mark Adams, GM Europe’s Vice President of Design said: "The present Astra already combines a high level of technical substance and emotional styling, but with the new car we are taking a big step forward in both respects, while emphasising its sporting credentials."

The new Astra will be based on GM’s latest Delta platform and according to Opel/Vauxhall, it will be offered with a new range of engines designed to maximize fuel economy. On the technology field, the Astra will benefit from a series of systems that were launched in the Insignia, including the Front Camera System, which combines traffic sign recognition with a lane departure system, and the next generation Adaptive Front Lighting (AFL) that provides nine unique light beams to improve visibility.

In Europe, the 5-door version of the Astra will go on sale by the end of 2009/early 2010. The sportier three-door GTC with its coupe-like roofline will be available by spring 2010 followed by the sedan, station-wagon and coupe-cabriolet models. As for the North American market, the Saturn will arrive in late 2010. Unlike the current Astra that is imported from Europe, the new model will be built locally to take advantage of lower U.S. production costs, thanks to the weaker dollar.

Astra TwinTop gets new VXR Sporty Bodykit

Opel’s British arm Vauxhall has launched a new VXR styling pack for the Astra TwinTop. The bodykit for the compact coupe-cabriolet model is priced at £1399 or about €1,720 or $2,500 and it includes a deep front spoiler skirt, side sills, rear spoiler and lower spoiler skirt. For those who would like to put their hands deeper in their pockets, Vauxhall also offers a wide range of complementary accessories, including sport exhausts, stainless steel pedals and alloy wheels.

Revised Opel Corsa ecoFLEX Consumes 4.1lt/100km or 57.4MPG

Following the introduction of the new Astra ecoFLEX range, GM’s European arm Opel presented a revised version of its eco-friendly Corsa ecoFLEX model. Thanks to improved engine control and lower vehicle weight, Opel says that fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of the MY 2009 Corsa 1.3 CDTI ecoFLEX have been reduced by a considerable 9 percent in comparison to the MY 2008. Its combined fuel consumption is now just 4.1 (57.4 MPG US) instead of 4.5 liters of diesel per 100 km, and at 109 g/km, it emits 10 grams less CO2 per km than before. -Continued

Like its Astra counterpart, the Corsa ecoFLEX’s 1.3-liter diesel engine has been recalibrated and adapted to a longer transmission gear ratio while to improve its aerodynamics, Opel’s engineers lowered the car by 20mm, changed the air intakes and fitted low resistance smaller tires (175/70 instead of 185/70) with lighter 14” steel wheels. Moreover, engineers managed to reduce the car’s overall weight by 45 kg or 100lbs.

The Corsa ecoFLEX is available in Europe with a 5-speed manual transmission as a 3-door model in the equipment variants Corsa and Edition. According to Opel, its performance figures are similar to its predecessor, with the engine developing an output of 75 HP and a maximum torque of 170 Nm. The Corsa ecoFLEX’s top speed is 168 km/h or 105 MPH.

New Opel Astra ecoFLEX: Lower Emissions and 4.5lt/100km or 52.3 MPG

GM’s European subsidiary Opel has launched a new eco-friendly version of the subcompact Astra model with lower CO2 emissions and reduced fuel consumption thanks to a series of modifications. The most economical Astra in range which is available as a 5-door, 3-door and station wagon, comes equipped with a tweaked 1.7-liter turbo diesel engine producing CO2 emissions of 119g/km and fuel consumption of just 4.5lt /100 km or 52.3mpg US / 62.8mpg UK on the combined cycle. -Continued

Matted to a 6-speed manual gearbox, the 1.7 CDTI common-rail diesel engine has a maximum output of 110 HP, torque of 260 Nm at 2,000 rpm (192-lbs/ft) and a top speed of 188 km/h or 117mph.

To achieve these fuel consumption and CO2 emission figures, Opel’s engineers selected a longer axle ratio, optimized the engine management system and reduced the engine idle speed. In addition, the Astra ecoFLEX’s curb weight has been reduced by 30kg or 66lbs, while aerodynamics have been improved by lowering the suspension, modifying the front air intakes and fitting a drag-reducing lower engine compartment panel. Engineers also reduced the power steering pump’s idle speed and fitted low rolling-resistance 15-inch tires (16-inch optional).

Opel Insignia Sports Tourer Heading for Paris Show

These are the first official shots of Opel’s new Insignia estate, which will premiere at the Paris Auto Salon on October 2nd. The third variant to join the Insignia range after the 4-door sedan and 5-door hatchback models will be called the Sports Tourer and it will be available in European markets in spring 2009 with a choice of seven different powerplants.

Compared to the sedan versions, all the bodywork after the B-pillars is unique and although less dynamic than its two other siblings, the Sports Tourer is one of the first Opel station wagon models that you may actually buy for its styling. While the Insignia station wagon has retained an identical wheelbase of 2.74 meters with the sedan models, Opel’s designers added around 80 mm to its length for an overall 4.91 meters. According to Opel, the luggage compartment offers a volume of 540 liters. -Continued

Opel isn’t releasing any details, but the German carmaker said that alongside the existing line up of three petrol and two diesel units that are already available from launch of the sedan models, the new Insignia Sports Tourer will debut two new engines, a downsized gasoline turbo engine and a new turbo diesel. Moreover, Opel is also working on an, an ecoFLEX variant with low fuel consumption and CO₂ emission levels that will be added to the range in the near future.

As with the rest of the Insignia range, the Sports Tourer will be available with all-wheel drive or front-wheel drive, while buyers will also be able to opt for the new FlexRide mechatronic system which raises stability and provides real time, electronically controlled damping.

Buick Gets Opel Insignia... in China

These spy photos from the Chinese website Autohome seem to confirm earlier reports that GM’s joint venture with China’s Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) will indeed produce the all-new Opel Insignia locally under the Buick brand name. From what we can tell by looking at the scoop pictures, the only visible differences with the Opel Insignia concern the Buick grille and the new fog lights. The new Opel Insignia, that was introduced to the public for the first time at the London Motor Show in July, will go on sale in Europe this fall where it will be available in both sedan and fastback versions. -More pics after the jump

Via: Autohome

2009 Opel Astra Scooped: Insignia-Inspired Styling and New 1.4 Turbo

A prototype version of the forthcoming 2009 Opel Astra has been snapped at the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport in The Netherlands by a reader of our Dutch friends at Autojunk. Aimed directly towards the new VW Golf VI (see details here), the new Astra will make its world debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2009 with sales following shortly after. The Astra will also make it to the States as a Saturn and in Australia as a Holden.

The 2009 Astra is based on General Motor’s new global Delta platform, which also underpins the electric-hybrid Chevrolet Volt. Seen here in five-door trim, the Astra will be adorned with styling cues from the new Insignia both inside and outside. The range will also include a sleeker, more sporty three-door version, plus a station wagon, a sedan and a cabriolet with an electric-folding hardtop. -Continued

Powerplants will stretch from GM’s all-new 1.4-liter turbo to a 2.0-liter turbcharged engine developing at least 250HP in the top-spec OPC / VXR model. The 1.4-liter turbocharged engine will be offered in 2010 with outputs ranging from 120 hp to 140 hp and torque values of 175 to 200 Nm. It is estimated that this unit will deliver an approximate 8% improvement in fuel consumption compared to the naturally aspirated 1.6 and 1.8-liter engine that it will replace.

Via: Autoblog.nl , Source: Autojunk.nl

Opel to Launch Electric Model Derived Directly from the Volt in late 2011

GM Europe's President Carl Peter Forster has revealed details on what the company plans to do with the Chevrolet Volt in the European market. Assuming that all goes well during the development phase and the Volt is launched in the US in late 2010, GM's plan is to have the first electric-vehicles (EV) for sale in Europe about a year later, which is late in 2011. According to Forster, Opel and its UK arm Vauxhall will initially introduce a model derived directly from the Chevrolet Volt but more European-market specific EVs are planned for the future.

"The thinking goes that to have a significant impact on the environment, EREVs must be sold in high volumes, hence the reasoning for Chevrolet. The same logic is true for Europe, so the first EREV vehicle will be an Opel/Vauxhall, followed several months later by a Chevrolet,"said Carl Peter Forster. "The Opel/Vauxhall will be derived directly from the Chevrolet Volt to get into the market quickly, but I can assure you that more variations for Opel-specific designs of EREVs are already in the works but more on that at a much later time", he added. -Continued

Forster also stated in the company's official European blog that although the first EV variants will come from the States, GM will need to produce the cars in Europe as well.

"The first EREV variants will certainly come from the U.S., but the thinking goes that to get significant long-term volumes to impact our CO2 compliance strategy, we will need production capability in Europe," said Forster.

"Additionally, to deal with the huge cost implications of the new technology (the batteries initially are costing several of thousand Euros more than a typical engine/transmission setup), we need incentives for consumers to off-set the high costs and drive more volume. One thought that I floated in media discussions was that we get early adopter "super credits" under EU CO2 schedules for the initial volumes."

"By giving an Opel/Vauxhall EREV-powered vehicle (which will have an exceptionally low CO2 number) a high multiplier in CO2 fleet averaging, it would allow GM more flexibility in meeting the overall fleet average while pushing the vehicles into the fleet faster than otherwise would have happened. In other words, if one Volt was incentivized in the compliance plan to count as multiple vehicles at that low CO2 number, it would give GM incentive to offer a higher volume of Volts to the market than the affordability of the vehicle would normally warrant. This is a logical use of the regulations to get a desirable shift in consumer behaviour," added Forster.

Opel / Vauxhall Insignia Photos from London Show

One of the key debuts at this year’s British Motor Show in London was the all-new Opel - Vauxhall Insignia that was present in both sedan and hatchback forms. Seeing the new Insignia makes the outgoing Vectra look even more boring that we thought. If anything else, Opel’s design team hit the spot with the new mid-size model. Hopefully the company’s engineers will have performed the same magic to the car’s driving dynamics. –High res photos from the show after the jump