Jalopnik: rumors

Chrysler 200C Approved For Production

Ray Wert — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 08:30:00 EDT

REPORT: The sleek Chrysler 200C seen in Detroit's reportedly been green-lit by Fiat. [OntarioStreetCar]

Lamborghini Planning A LP550-2 Superlegerra?

The Auto Insider — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Lamborghini's been extremely forthright in their mission to release a new car yearly and with the LP550-2 Balboni making headlines earlier this month, it begs the question — will we see an LP550-2 Superleggera?

The Saint A'gata bull pictured above is not the LP550-2 SL, rather a Gallardo Superleggera fitted with the newer LP560-4 front bumper. Seeing this made us wonder if we'll get a light weight track star based on the current car. We could see Lamborghini offering this as a regular production model to replace the LP550-2 Balboni when all 250 of the limited edition cars are sold out, but what would change between the two models? Would its appearance be as striking as the recently revealed Murcielago LP670-4 SV with its massive wing or would it be a more subdued track rat?

Time will tell whether this will in fact happen, but the significant investment involved in producing a RWD system for a run of 250 cars doesn't seem like the greatest financial decision. We can only hope. Image Credit: Oskar Bakke viaTeamSpeed

2012 Honda CR-V: Bigger, More Akira-Like

The Auto Insider — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:30:00 EDT

According to Japanese magazine Mag X, here is what we should expect from the 2012 Honda CR-V. Basically, slightly larger and a design that's a bit more Anime-like.

According to a Mag X article helpfully translated by the good folks at the Honda-happy Temple of VTEC, the 2012 CR-V will be based on the current platform and feature the same K24a 2.4-liter inline four as well as the 2.0-liter in FWD configurations only. The European model will receive the i-DTEC diesel engine, though there are no immediate plans to sell that configuration anywhere else. The U.S. will not receive a V6 option this time around. It's heavily rumored that Honda will completely revise its engine lineup for the 2012 CR-V's mid-cycle refresh, but what that means at this point is anybody's guess.

We're also told exterior design should be finalized by November of this year, with an announcement date of September of 2011, with a formal introduction taking place in October of 2011 at the Tokyo Motor Show.

If you were to believe the Mag X-provided illustration, then we'll likely see a more anime-styled CR-V for 2012 rather than the quirky model that's currently on the market. The design is scheduled to be finalized around November of this year with its public debut occuring at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show. [via TOV]

Future Buick Enclave Spied In CBS News Spot?

The Auto Insider — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 08:30:00 EDT

While watching a CBS News segment on the future of GM, we noticed something lurking in one of the design studio shots. Could this be the next-gen Buick Enclave or are our eyes deceiving us?

It's fairly obvious that this is a proposal for a large Buick CUV, but it's hard to tell exactly what model this'll eventually turn into given the conceptual nature and constant change within the automaker's design studios. Given that they've opted to build this in full size rather than as a scale model leads us to believe there might be something brewing here.

By the time 2012 hits the Enclave will have been on the market long enough for a mid-cycle refresh, but this don't look like no re-skin job, instead we're willing to bet that this is an all-new model based on a modified version of the current Lambda platform. With the Buick Enclave recently arriving in the Chinese market with some extensive modification, it's likely that this new model is being designed to appeal to a global audience with global safety and powertrain options in mind. It'll be some time before we know for sure, but it's always fun to speculate.

Buick Regal GNX? It Could Be A Possiblity...In China

The Auto Insider — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 15:30:00 EDT

The recently announced 2010 Opel Insignia and Vauxhall VXR could spawn another variant we would love to own: the Buick Regal GNX.

With the Buick Regal proving to be a huge sales success here in China, and the Regal 2.0 Turbo planned for a reveal at the Shanghai Auto Show next week, the chances of a high-performance version being developed (or badge swapped) is entirely within the realm of possibility.

As strange as it may sound, Audi is Buick's biggest competitor here in the People's Republic of China and the A4 is the Regal's main foe. Audi also sells the high-performance S4 model here, which is also the Opel Insignia OPC and Vauxhall Insignia VXR's performance target. Why not slap a Buick waterfall grille and a GNX badge on this biatch and call it a day? We've seen stranger things happen.

Buick Planning Orlando-Based MPV For Shanghai

The Auto Insider — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:00:00 EDT

There's no hiding that the Chinese love them some Buicks, so what's better than shoving seven Chinese into a new Orlando-based Buick MPV Concept that's debuting at the Shanghai Auto Show next week.

Exact details are very scarce, but according to GM's official 2009 Shanghai Auto Show press release and an insider tip, we've learned that a new Buick 7-seater MPV concept will strut its people-carrying stuff onto the stage during one of the media days, either Monday or Tuesday of next week. We've been told that it'll be Chevy Orlando-based, but we'll believe it when we see it in the flesh. There's also talk that it may be based on the upcoming Opel Zafira MPV now that the Opel/Buick wündershowzen has begun. We'll know for sure next week, but considering that the recently on-sale-in-China Buick Enclave sells for around RMB 475,000 ($70,000 USD), they might need a less expensive people hauler to compete with market-rival Audi's new Q5 SUV.

Aside from the Buick MPV concept, GM will show 37 other models, including the Chinese-market Cadillac SRX, Buick Regal 2.0 Turbo, Chevy Volt and the Chevy Camaro of all things. The 2009 Shanghai Auto Show runs April 20 - 28.

GM Press Release:
GM China Family to Showcase 37 Vehicles at Auto Shanghai 2009

Shanghai – The General Motors China family will be displaying 37 production and concept vehicles at Auto Shanghai 2009, this year's leading auto show in China, which begins on April 20.

"Our display will highlight the design, technology and fuel economy leadership of GM and our joint ventures in China," said Kevin Wale, President and Managing Director of the GM China Group. "It will show local vehicle buyers the great selection of products available today and some of the exciting products they can expect tomorrow from the GM China family."

Shanghai GM will have on display its full range of Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac and Saab models as well as several new vehicles. Making its global debut will be a unique show car developed by the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC), GM's automotive engineering and design joint venture.

Another vehicle making its public debut in China will be a production version of the Chevrolet Volt, the world's first extended-range electric vehicle, which will be coming to China in two years.

Among the other new products on display will be GM's first vehicle with a turbocharged engine built in China, the Buick New Regal 2.0 Turbo intermediate sedan; GM's second hybrid that will be sold in China, the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid SUV; and the latest global product from General Motors, the Chevrolet Cruze compact sedan.

Making their regional debut are the next generations of the Buick LaCROSSE premium sedan and the Cadillac SRX mid-size luxury Crossover. Both products will go on sale later this year.

Two vehicles that will be sure to draw auto show visitors' attention are the Chevrolet Camaro sports coupe (and star of the new "Transformers" movie) and the Chevrolet Cruze World Touring Car Championship model.

SAIC-GM-Wuling will be displaying its popular lineup of Wuling brand minivans, including China's most popular vehicle in 2008, the Wuling Sunshine. It also will be showcasing the Chevrolet Spark, one of the world's most popular mini-cars and a mainstay of the SAIC-GM-Wuling lineup, and a pair of B-DOHC engines.

Making its first appearance at an auto show will be Shanghai OnStar Telematics Co. Ltd., GM's new telematics joint venture, which will begin rolling out its services in China later this year.

"General Motors has made a long-term commitment to China," said Wale. "Despite the challenges that GM and our industry now face, we believe our best years are ahead of us. One look at the GM China family's lineup on display at Auto Shanghai 2009 will convince even the most hardened skeptics."

Auto Shanghai 2009 runs from April 20-28 at the Shanghai New International Expo Center.

Could Ford Retool Truck Plants To Produce Euro Fords?

Matt Hardigree — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:40:00 EDT

We hear many car-related rumors on a daily basis, but there's one that came across our desk today that's quite the whopper. Website Autosavant is claiming their sources within Ford are saying that three of the four plants shuttered after Ford's dramatic reorganization will be retooled to produce popular European models like the Ford Kuga and C-Max. From the Autosavant piece:

Our sources at Ford say that Mr. Mulally has already made the decision to convert at least three truck/SUV production facilities in North America as soon as possible to produce Ford models currently sold in Europe, where Ford is renowned for its small cars. The timeline Mulally prefers, according to insiders, is "yesterday". He has made up his mind and is pushing forward.

Why we're taking this rumor with an Expedition-sized grain of salt below the jump.

1. It's expensive
Retooling is not cheap. We don't have an estimate for what it would cost to convert three Truck/SUV plants into full-time small car production, but it doesn't take a room of accountants to figure out that it would be an incredibly large investment involving establishing and expanding supplier relationships.

2. Ford is already moving in that direction
Ford is already working out its plans to build Fiestas in Mexico for North American consumption. We'd also point out the Ford Transit Connect is on its way over, as well.

3. Inferior American Ford Focus is selling fairly well
Though the American Ford Focus is inferior to the European Focus, it's still selling well, especially with SYNC-equipped models. Plus, the 2011 Ford Focus is going to be C1-based, as we already know.

4. It's not a horrible idea
Though we liked the 2009 Ford Flex, we're not overwhelmed with Ford's short-term battle plan. The company seems to be doing a slightly better job of prepping for the future, but prescience isn't exactly a quality we associate with the automaker.

With all that being said, it could happen. It isn't the craziest thing we've ever heard, but we're not holding our breath. [AutoSavant]

Transformers 2 To Include Chevy Beat, Saab Aero-X Concept?

Travis Hudson — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 14:00:00 EDT

Can you believe it? There's only a year left until the release of Transformers 2, and both Ray and I can hardly control our robogasms. Today brings news we may see the inclusion of the Chevy Beat and the Saab Aero-X concepts in the movie.

What's particularly interesting about the Beat and the Aero-X is that both will be the second and third high-profile concept vehicles to be used in the filming, the first being the Hummer HX. Rumor suggests the Aero-X will play the role of Wheeljack, and while there's no word on what role the Chevy Beat will be playing, we can safely assume it'll be a small one... *rimshot* [TFW2005; TFW2005]

2009 Cadillac CTS-V To Produce 567 HP?

Ben Wojdyla — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 09:20:00 EDT

Any way you cut it, GM is going for blood with the new and improved 2009 Cadillac CTS-V and word from engineers of an unofficial rating of at least 550 HP only furthers that point. It takes a lot to make the BMW M5 look like a chump, but a 50 HP advantage will do a thing like that. Of course, the engine hasn't gone through SAE certification yet, and based on GM's history of underselling the power output on its recent engines, Edmunds Inside Line is extrapolating a 567 HP figure out of the LS9 mill. We would never go so far as to speculate on numbers, but we will wring our hands in delighted anticipation.

Baby Ferrari F149 Dino California GT Or Whatever Caught In Action At Fiorano

Mark Arnold — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EDT

You've already heard about the upcoming baby Ferrari. A lot. Though we're not sure if it'll be called Dino, F149, California GT, or something else. What we do know is that we're told we can expect it to expose itself in about two weeks. And now, we may also know what it looks and sounds like in motion around Ferrari's Fiorano test track. Is that a V8 we hear screaming through the tailpipes?[YouTube via autoblog.nl]

Ferrari F149 Makes Photographic Debut... in Two Weeks?

Ben Wojdyla — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:45:00 EDT

The rumor mill has been churning at full froth lately over a possible new model from the shops of Maranello and Modena. One set of reports calls it a Ferrari Dino, another calls it the California GT and as of late, the third option is the Ferrari F149. Whatever it ends up being, Topspeed is reporting images of the new car will hit the web in just two weeks time. This means some outlets must have embargoed pictures — which means we'll probably be showing you shots later today after somebody jumps the gun and spills them all over upon seeing a story up saying the words "Ferrari F149." We all know how itchy those trigger fingers can become. But until then, we'll just have to be content to peek again at the spy photos of the Ferrari F149 / Dino / California Dreaming / Whatever and the knowledge that something is on it's way. We think.

Audi A5 Sportback Possibly in Works

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 21:16:37 EST

AutoBild is reporting (in German) that in calendar week 13 of 2009, Audi has a new model in the werks dubbed the A5 Sportback. Little is known about this possible new offering, but Autobild is going against the prevailing wisdom that the Sportback will be a wagon-like offering, saying it will compete in the emerging swoopy sedan category currently populated by the Mercedes CLS, pending Porsche Panamera and recently revealed Volkswagen Passat CC. While we're on the subject of the Passat CC, if this speculation is accurate, we're thinking this is V-Dub doing it's platform prostitution best with that new curvy roof line. We'll keep our ear to the ground for more details. [Autobild [translated] via Germancarblog]

Peugeot to Build 308 RC-Z?

Matt Hardigree — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 13:45:00 EST

One of our favorite concepts from the Frankfurt Auto Show was the Peugeot 308 RC-Z. Based on the same platform that underpins the 308 and Citroen C4, we're big fans of the muscular shape. The concept is powered by the 218 hp 1.6 liter ~~THC~~ turbo mill out of the 207, which doesn't come close to matching the looks. Just to continue this transatlantic game of telephone: the Finns at World Car Fans have it from the Frenchmen at Motor Legend that it could see production.

The reason they believe this will all happen is that the new head of Peugeot, Christian Sterrif, is a confident person and his decisions will reflect that confidence. Let's hope he's as sure of himself as the Europeans claim, for we'd love to see this take on the TT. [MotorLegend via World Car Fans]

Nissan Dumping All North American Motorsports Operations?

Matt Hardigree — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 13:45:00 EST

UPDATE:We have conformation of this rumor, read the whole post on Nissan Racing with quotes from Nissan Motors. We've heard from a little birdie that a new accountant at Nissan has determined that NISMO North America/Nissan Racing North America is too expensive and must end. That means no more Nissan-backed CORR, Grand-Am or Drifting teams. The announcement was apparently made internally a week ago so that teams can find new manufacturers. All before the Nissan GTR hits our shores. Awesome! The rumor is unconfirmed, but also un-denied, so take that for what it's worth.

What the? — is this Garmin's New Colorado 300 GPS Unit?

Travis Hudson — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 17:00:00 EST

Apparently, this is the new Colorado (no, not that Colorado). Well, the picture says so, but we don't always believe in overly grainy pictures, especially when cameraphones nowadays can outperform many actual cameras. The Colorado 300 appears to be Garmin's latest, greatest and oddly shaped GPS unit. According to the leakee, the large round button on top does all of the control work. Another source says that it will be available in three versions: topography, inland lakes and coastal with all likely including city navigation software.

The form factor is pretty unique and looks very suitable for hand-usage, but if you could flip the sucker on its side to be used in a vehicle we would be much happier with a hybrid device like this. The rumored release date is spring 2008 with a price tag well above the $500 range. See, gadget hounds can have fun with spy photos as well. [Garmin Colorado via Gizmodo]

Saab's 1-Series Mini-Fighter To Debut in London

Matt Hardigree — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 11:15:00 EST

The folks at Trollhättan are not content to let their counterparts at Audi, BMW, Volvo &mdash pretty much every European luxury counterpart &mdash dominate the upscale small car market. Thus we hear they'll be introducing a concept version of the 9-1 entry level vehicle at London that will be "sporty enough to fit the Saab character" with the "functionality to attract younger buyers." Whatever that means.

We're not sure what form it will come in, but speculation seems to point to a two-door coupe with a hatch/tailgate. The drawing above was supposedly of the 2008/2010 9-3, but we think it's probably a fair indicator of what the 9-1 might look like. At this point, it's anyone's guess. [Autocar]

Mitsubishi Owner's Day

Mike Bumbeck — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 13:30:00 EDT

The third annual gathering of Mitsubishis and the people that drive them will take place tomorrow, July 14th at MMUSA HQ in Cypress, California. Rumor has it that a genuine Group A Starion will be among the machines rolled out from the museum to celebrate triple-diamond racing heritage. As much as we would have liked to put our Starion back together for the show, we'll have to settle for bringing the camera instead. [Mitsubishi Owner's Day via Mitsubishi]

Over The Back Fence: El Camino SS In 2011 - Speculation Or Factulation?

Ray Wert — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 18:46:27 EDT

Here's the first paragraph of a great piece from PickupTruck.com today that we think speaks for itself:

"High fuel prices reducing demand for big pickups, rising fuel economy targets, and last week's Supreme Court Ruling - that the U.S. federal government must use its authority to mandate the reduction of carbon dioxide from automotive exhaust - may be the sticks that prompt General Motors to reward El Camino enthusiasts with a juicy carrot by 2011."

If that — and the clipped illustration to the right — isn't enough to tease you to read the rest over at the site all about the haulers, we've no idea what will. – Ray Wert

Future Truck: 2011 Chevrolet El Camino SS [PickupTruck.com]

Related:
Over the Back Fence: More on the New El Camino [internal]

SHO Me The Twin Force, Baby! Rumors Of Performance Taurus Tease The Interwebs

Ray Wert — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 13:00:00 EDT

FoMoCo forums are all atwitter with people claiming to have the inside skinny on the possibility of a Super High Performance version of the Ford's newly renamed Taurus. So what have we heard thrown over the back fence from Dearborn? Well, we're getting tios that a high-performance model of the Taurus is undergoing testing in Dearborn. We've also heard, and I dunno how much stock I'll put in this one, but it is from one of our reliable sources, that

"mills with both TwinForce and Yamaha are being tested...the only thing I'm worried about is that it may not reach production...more of a feasibility test, but we shall see."

But on top of our own sources, Blue II over on BlueOvalForums, a member who's called almost all of FoMoCo's most recent bold moves is now claiming:

"Not sure if this is Mulally news but Taurus will get the Twin Force engine. Not sure if it will be called SHO though."

The Twin Force, as everyone remembers, is the new 3.5-liter V6 twin-turbo direct injection engine debuting in the Lincoln MKR concept. The Twin Force delivers 415 horsepower and 400 foot-pounds of torque - comparable to and better than some V8's. We don't know how much, if any, of this is true, but as a reminder of what could be, we've reprinted the 2009 SHO Concept pictures from BringBackTheSHO below. – Ray Wert

Is This The 2009 Ford Mustang?

Ray Wert — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 17:07:30 EST

With the muscle car wars already beginning to heat up this summer, speculators have been doing there level best at speculating on what direction FoMoCo will be boldly moving towards for the 2009 model year of it's hard-charging pony car. Some claim it'll look similar to the Giugiaro Mustang from this year's LA show, with others claiming it'll get a shooting brake re-make. All the rumors do seem to suggest at the very least it'll receive a bit of a front face lift to tighten the skin over the sagging Sid Ramnarace and J Mays "retro-futurism" exterior in an attempt make it look more like the PYT it wants to be when compared with the new-to-the-block Camaro and Challenger. In addition to the collagen implant in front, there are mumblings of a retractable hardtop in the offing. Under the hood, there's rumors the GT version will be tweaked with output going up to...

...the 350-horsepower range — and maybe more. Well, at least more in the fervent hopes and dreams of Mustang-lovers everywhere. Though no spy shots have yet been snapped of this horse in the wild, Autobytel has an illustration, courtesy of Priddy & Co., of the direction they think it's going to take. – Ray Wert

2009 Ford Mustang Spied [Autobytel via ESPN]