Chevrolet to Double Its European Range by 2012

Chevrolet’s European arm is planning to double its model range and expand into new segments in the “Old-World” by 2012 in order to cover a 65% of the market. Speaking with UK’s Autocar Magazine, Chevrolet Europe’s Chief Executive Wayne Brannon said that the whole portfolio will be renewed by 2012 and that the company is particularly interested in creating an Opel Zafira-sized MPV along with a small SUV that would sit right under the larger Captiva SUV.

Other models that will be added to Chevrolet's european range will be the coupe and cabriolet versions of the Camaro -more as “halo” vehicles to improve the company’s so-and-so image and to draw customers to dealerships, along with the plug-in hybrid Volt.

Hyundai Developing $3,500 Minicar for India

Following the example of Tata Motors and the Renault-Nissan Alliance, Hyundai has revealed plans to develop a super low-priced mini car in India by 2011 or 2012. The announcement was made to Indian reporters by Hyundai India’s managing director, H.S. Lheem, on the sidelines of a traffic event on Friday. Lheem also noted that the small car would not be limited to India as there is high demand for such vehicles in many other countries around the world.

Mercedes-Benz Sells 300,000th New C-Class Model in a Year

In the year since Mercedes-Benz launched the new C-Class into the market on March 31, 2007, more than 300,000 customers have purchased either a sedan or station wagon variant of the new model. “The sedan got off to an excellent start, and since its premiere at dealerships at the end of last year, the new C-Class station wagon has also been enjoying high popularity,” said Dr. Klaus Maier, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing Mercedes-Benz.

As expected, the C-Class’ largest market is Germany which accounts for 25 percent of total sales, followed by the U.S., UK, Italy, and South Africa. A total of 290,000 C-Class sedans from the 204 Series have been sold worldwide since market launch in the spring of 2007, and 25,000 customers have taken delivery of a new C-Class station wagon since that model variant was introduced in December. -Continued

In terms of powertrains, about one-third of the sedan model’s customers worldwide have opted for the C 220 CDI (diesel), while 20 percent have purchased a C 200 Kompressor (petrol). The C 220 CDI is also the vehicle of choice for around half of the station wagon model’s customers. 75 percent of all C-Class station wagons sold around the world are diesel engine versions.

2010 Ford Mustang Will Look More Compact

It’s all about perception. While the revised Mustang that will go on sale in early 2009 as a 2010 model retains the same overall length and width with the current version, thanks to a few design tricks it will look more compact and therefore, more politically correct in times when terms like “MPG” and “eco-friendly” triumph over everything else.

Talking about the 2010 Ford Mustang in the latest issue of Automotive News, Ford Motor's North American design director Peter Horbury said: “By cleverness in design, we’ve been able to make it look like the wheels are further out, further forward and further rearward. The center is the longest part of the next Mustang and the widest part of the car is in the middle. From there on, you can tuck it in and bring the apparent size down.” Hopefully, the Horbury-penned Stang will look nothing like our attempt to morph the current version into the 2010 model…

100 Cars Sink in Daytona Beach

What a spectacle; around 100 vehicles sank in Daytona Beach in Florida this Sunday no thanks to the abnormally soft sand. “I have not seen it this bad in my lifetime," Beach patrol Capt. Tim Cunningham said. "Right now, the sand is like powder. It is just months and months of no rain.” As a result, Daytona Beach authorities have closed many parts of the beach to all vehicles.

Via: Tampabays

2010 BMW X1 SUV to be Built in Germany

Unlike the X5 and X6 SUV/Crossovers which are built in BMW’s North American plant in Spartanburg, South Calorina the forthcoming X1 compact SUV that will be based on the 1-Series platform will be assembled at the Bavarian automaker’s Leipzig plant in Germany. The reason is that due to the crisscross currency situation of the past years, BMW wants to move production of specific models to countries where they sell the most, and the X1’s prime market will be Europe.

For the same reason, BMW has already announced that the next generation X3 will not be produced by Magna Steyr in Austria like the current model but in Spartanburg alongside the larger X5 and X5 SUV/Crossovers.

2010 Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon Picture/Info Leak?

We already knew that Cadillac was planning a sporty station-wagon version of the new CTS; we just didn’t know how it would look like. This screen picture that was forwarded to our friends over at Jalopnik allegedly comes from a Harris Opinion Survey about the upcoming CTS Sport Wagon. While we can’t be 100% sure, it does look like it’s the real thing.

Judging from the scans, the CTS Sport Wagon that will compete against the BMW 3-Series Touring and the Audi A4 Avant, looks the part, especially in concern of the rear-end design with the cool back-hugging tail-lamps. Pictures aside, the poll also reveals significant details on the CTS Sport Wagon including the price range ($37,500 to $42,500), the initial engine line-up (260Hp 3.0-liter V6 & 304Hp 3.6-liter V6) and that an all-wheel drive version will be offered. -Continued

Via: Jalopnik