european car
Chicago 2011: Volkswagen GLI Is The Jetta We’ve Been Waiting For
Amid all the disappointment surrounding the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta, and the step back it has taken in quality and driving dynamics, Volkswagen wants to show enthusiasts that it hasn’t forgotten them, and is augmenting both the GTI hatchback and the rest of the Jetta lineup with the GLI, a 4-door Jetta that retains features like a punchy…
Ford Will Introduce “Groundbreaking” Vehicle At Geneva Auto Show
Ford of Europe CEO Stephen T. Odell announced a “groundbreaking” new vehicle set to debut at the Geneva Auto Show at the beginning of March, but gave no details as to the nature of the car. Some have speculated that the car could be an larger version of the Fiesta, dubbed the B-Max, that would…
Jaguar Discusses Future Product Plans, XJ Coupe Set To Rival Mercedes-Benz CL
A fascinating interview with Jaguar‘s Adrian Hallmark, that appeared in Automobile Magazine, gave some key insights into Jaguar’s future, and the rapid changes in the auto industry that have taken place in the latter half of the 2000’s. Hallmark, formerly of the VW Group (where he was posted at Bentley) and Saab, discusses not only…
2012 Fiat 500 Buyers “Have No Interest” In Manual Transmission, Want “No-Haggle” Pricing
Fiat is hoping to eliminate haggling from the buying experience of the new 500 small car, in what the company claims is a bid to eliminate a stressful process for younger buyers. Speaking to Automotive News, Fiat USA head Laura Sove stated that “The pricing is the pricing.” “The younger generation doesn’t haggle. They don’t…
Skoda To Get Minicar Based On Volkswagen Up
Volkswagen is planning to spread the platform love with its new Up city car, with Czech subsidiary Skoda being the first VW division to get the tiny car, with a SEAT-branded version to follow. Packaged as a three-door five-seater, a 1.0L gasoline engine and a 1.2L diesel engine will be offered, with an all-electric version…
Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback To Debut In Geneva
With hatchbacks playing a significant role in auto markets outside North America, the Chevrolet Cruze hatchback will bow at this year’s Geneva Auto Show, where Chevrolet will try and further its push into the European market with a well-targeted product like the 5-door Cruze. While Chevrolet showed a concept version at the Paris Auto Show…
Alfa Romeo, Jeep To Build 280,000 SUVs Per Year In Italy
As part of the new joint venture between Fiat and Chrysler, the two companies will build 280,000 SUVs a year at the new Fiat facility near Turin, Italy. The SUVs will be produced for the Alfa Romeo and Jeep brands. The Alfa SUV, the first for the 101-year-old sports car maker, will compete with offering…
2012 Fiat 500 Misses The 40 MPG Mark
The Fiat 500 just missed the now coveted 40 mpg mark, returning 30 mpg in the city and 38 mpg highway with the 5-speed manual, while automatic versions will net 27 mpg in town and 34 mpg while cruising. While the numbers are nothing to frown about, expectations were higher considering the car’s 1.4L four-cylinder…
Mercedes-Benz To Launch Entry-Level Lineup, Including, SUV, Coupe, Shooting Brake
Mercedes-Benz will launch a new front-drive model for the United States market, aimed at capturing sales from a younger demographic, as the company seeks to stay competitive with rivals BMW and Audi. A coupe and SUV have been confirmed for an expected 2013 launch, while a third variant is under considering. Mercedes is evaluating both…
Volkswagen Golf MKVII To Bow In 2013
Although the current MKVI Volkswagen Golf has only been on the market since 2009, the car will have an extremely short product cycle, as Volkswagen confirmed that the next generation car will debut “end of 2012 or early 2013”. Although German media reports said that the car will hit showrooms in November of 2012, VW…
BMW Prepares For 4-Cylinder Onslaught
BMW has always been known for their trademark inline-6 engines, but the recent industry-wide trend of downsizing has led to BMW adopting turbocharged four-cylinder engines as an alternative to smaller, naturally aspirated I6 engines in the name of efficiency. First to get the turbo-4 treatment is the X1 small crossover, although Jim O’Donnell, head of…
BMW Driving School Teaches You Defensive Driving At Former Soviet Airbase
Some driving schools teach you the rules of the road. Others show you how to get the most out of your car while driving at the limit on a closed circuit. A rarefied few, like BMW‘s facility in the former East Germany, can show you how to get away with life and limb intact should you ever…
Volvo To Cut Lineup In Hopes Of Boosting Sales, V50 Slated To Die
Volvo will reduce the number of models sold in the United States as part of their effort to bump up sales. While Volvo currently sells nine models in the United States, three of them are expected to be cut. The first victim is expected to be the V50 wagon, a car well regarded by the…
Saab 9-5 SportCombi To Debut At Geneva, Herald Return Of A Big Saab Wagon
Unfortunately we have no photos of the Saab 9-5 SportCombi to show you, but considering how wild the 9-5 sedan looks, we’re very excited to see the wagon version debut at March’s Geneva Auto Show. The last 9-5 wagon was never a runaway success, but within the niche of luxury wagons, it was a well…
Fiat 500 Launch Looking Rocky As Lacks Of Dealers, Manual Transmissions Cause Problems
The launch of the 2012 Fiat 500 may present some problems for parent company Chrysler, as only 20 percent of Fiat franchises will be ready to go in time for the vehicle’s launch in late February. In addition, the initial batch of cars will only have manual transmissions, even though Fiat expects most 500s to…
Volkswagen CEO Wants Scirocco For USA
Volkswagen fanboys can rejoice at the news of VW of America’s CEO Jonathan Browning’s announcement that he wants to see the Scirocco sports coupe make its way to the United States. Speaking to USA Today, Browning remarked that “I’d love to … We were not able to make the case to bring it in this…
Volkswagen 1.4 TFSI Twincharged Engine Could Be Killed
Volkswagen‘s famous 1.4L twincharged engine, which uses both a supercharged and turbocharger to squeeze 170 horsepower from 1.4L, could be axed shortly due to its costliness and mechanical complexity. While the engine has garnered substantial praise from both consumers and the motoring press, Volkswagen engineers say that current turbocharging technology can achieve the same power…
BMW Megacity To Cost A Fortune Due To Advanced Technology
A report from Britain’s Autocar magazine is claiming that BMW‘s Megacity electric car will exceed the Nissan Leaf’s sticker price of £23,350 (or about $37,000 USD) due to both the advanced technology used on the Megacity and BMW‘s premium positioning. The Megacity will have a number of groundbreaking features; an aluminum chassis that will resist…
Ferrari Marks 999th Car Sold In China
The number 9 signifies both longevity and excellence in China, and with Ferrari selling its 999th car in the Asian nation, what better time to celebrate? Johnson Zhang took delivery of the milestone vehicle, a brand new 458 Italia, at a ceremony overseen by Ferrari CEO Amadeo Felisa. “For Ferrari, China represents the present and…
Detroit 2011: Ford Vertrek Previews New Escape, Kuga [Video]
As part of Ford‘s “One World” plan, a single platform will be used across all markets worldwide. While we reap the benefits with the all-new Focus and C-Max, there can be trade-offs when different markets require different attributes in a vehicle. With the Ford Vertrek Concept, unveiled today at the Detroit Auto Show, the Blue…
Volkswagen Passat Replacement To Debut At 2011 North American International Auto Show
Volkswagen‘s New Midsize Sedan will debut at the 2011 North American International Auto Show in Detroit this month, as part of VW’ quest to increase sales in American to 800,000 units by 2018. The NMS, like its smaller sibling, was designed with the North American market in mind, and will compete head-to-head with the Honda…
2012 Porsche 911 To Downsize
Everyone’s favorite sports car is set to get a bit smaller in it’s next generation, as reports claim that the base engine in the 2012 Porsche 911 will move from its current 3.6L to a more compact 3.4L displacement. With the Boxster Spyder putting out 320 horsepower from a 3.4L motor, a bump to an…
Ken Block’s Ford Escort MKII Video Is Full Of Rally Goodness
Ken Block’s Gymkhana videos are a lot of sound and fury but ultimately signify nothing. A combination of great editing, a specially prepared car and an unrivaled hype machine has propelled Block to the top of the Youtube heap. But his newest video, barely 2 minutes in length, is genuinely awesome. Piloting a 1978 Ford…
Renault To Launch EV With 150 Mile Range By 2015
Renault is already one of the auto industry’s leaders in electric vehicles, investing enormous sums in the Better Place battery swap technology and introducing one of the first mass-market electric cars with their Nissan division, in the form of the Leaf hatchback. Although Renault is set to introduce the all-electric Z0e in 2012, the small…
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