Fiat confirms 500 at Chrysler dealers in about 18 months, other new models to be U.S. specific products

According to Richard Gadeselli, vice president of Fiat communications in Italy, the Fiat 500 will be sold in Chrysler dealerships in the United States in about a year and a half. The small, retro-minded front-wheel drive hatchback will reportedly be the only model in Fiat's current line that will make the jump to America without any major changes. It seems that the other six small or midsize vehicles that Chrysler plans to sell in the near future will be based on the chassis and running gear from the Italian automaker but will not share any sheetmetal with their Fiat siblings. As Gadeselli tells Automotive News:

"There is a misconception out there that Chrysler is going to build the Fiat Bravo, just stick a different badge on it. They will be Chrysler products. They will be specific to Chrysler. The vehicle architectures will be based on our stuff, and there will be some powertrains. The vehicles will be U.S. vehicles, designed for U.S. customers by a U.S. company."

Based on the above, we think it's safe to assume the Fiat 500 will easily beat the rest of the automakers products to America. In any case, we're looking forward to finally seeing the diminutive 500 do battle with the Mini Cooper and Smart Fortwo for the affections of small, sporty car aficionados on American roads about 18 months from now.

Hamann gives the Rolls-Royce Phantom a shot of adrenaline

With seemingly ever luxury automaker under the sun going after BMW's coveted balance between sport and luxury, it's a little ironic that BMW's own uber-luxury marque is the one to focus purely on cushioned comfort. But not everyone wants that out of their Rolls-Royce, or so Hamann is evidently betting. The German tuning firm has tweaked everything from Bimmer crossovers to Ferrari supercars and everything in between, but has now turned its attention to the Rolls-Royce Phantom range.
Few details are available at this point, but from what we can tell, Hamann has treated the Phantom saloon and Drophead Coupe to a set of 23" rims in case the standard 21" wheels weren't big enough, apparently ditching the self-righting emblem hubs in the process. A power boost is also said to be in the mix, bringing the 6.75-liter V12's output up from 460 horsepower to a more stately 535, and torque up from 720 newton-meters (531 lb-ft) to 835 Nm (615 lb-ft). With the electronic limiter removed, the Hamann-tuned Phantoms are said to be good for 300 km/h (187 mph), to be controlled from the plush interior via a specially-crafted sports steering wheel. Click on the thumbnails below to view in our gallery.

GM to announce tentative sale of Hummer tomorrow

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, General Motors plans to announce a tentative sale of the Hummer brand less than a day after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Although GM won't release the name of Hummer's (possible) future owner(s) on Tuesday, the WSJ's sources say that a deal could be struck by the end of the third quarter and the H2 and H3 will continue to be produced at GM's plants in Indiana and Louisiana.
It's been widely accepted that if GM couldn't offload Hummer this month, it would be killed during the bankruptcy proceedings, and the General has been entertaining bids from a interest parties, including a Chinese firm, for somewhere in the sub-$500 million range since late last year. When the announcement is made tomorrow, expect GM to be hyping the sale as part of its turnaround efforts and that the SUV purveyor's new parent will continue to work on expanding the Hummer line, including the production of future alternative-fuel models.
[Source: Wall Street Journal]

2010 Honda Accord Crosstour - Spied

Last November, we spied a tall, widened Honda Accord mule that used the front end of the U.S. Accord and the body of the European Accord Tourer wagon to cover an all-new, Toyota Venza–fighting crossover. Now, thanks to a snap-happy Tennessee tourist, we bring you the final product. Expected to be called Crosstour, it is seen here covered only by a front-end mask and some bits of tape that actually show more than they cover. (Note to Honda: Don’t take your top-secret development cars to the same places that attract camera-totin’ tourists.)

As seen on this prototype, the CUV’s front end will clearly be similar to that of the four-door Accord, although we can tell there has been some butching-up of the graphic elements beneath the thick tarps. A side swoosh similar to the Accord sedan’s passes through door handles borrowed from that model. Where the Crosstour really goes its own way, however, is aft of the B-pillar, where the window line rises to a point and the rear end slopes down to form a hatchback. The shape of the rear end appears to have necessitated the addition of a second, Insight-esque lower rear window to salvage some outward vision.

Keep Reading: 2010 Honda Accord Crosstour - Spied

Will Volvo's 2012 plug-in hybrid also be a diesel?

This photo, taken at the 2007 Frankfurt auto show, shows Volvo's ReCharge it concept, which is a flex-fuel plug-in hybrid that uses in-wheel motors and is based on the C30 coupe platform.

(Credit: CNET)

The maker of some of the world's safest vehicles will soon be the maker of one of the world's most fuel-efficient vehicles. Volvo announced today plans to produce a plug-in hybrid vehicle that will be available in 2012.

"Most car journeys are short trips, for instance to and from work. We will be able to offer a product that fulfills this transportation need. In order to cover longer distances as well, the car will also be equipped with one of Volvo's fuel-efficient diesel engines," Volvo President and CEO Stephen Odell said in a press statement.

The new development will be a joint venture between Volvo and Swedish energy company Vattenfall. Volvo plans to create a plug-in version of an existing model rather than create a new one, and its charging systems will be developed and supplied by Vattenfall.

Volvo has previously stated its plans for a fleet of 10 plug-in hybrids. The Swedish car company did not name which of its existing cars will be the first to go plug-in, but last year Volvo road-tested the ReCharge Plug-in Hybrid, which is based on the C30 coupe platform and uses a diesel engine to power the lithium ion batteries.

GM Releases List Of Doomed Plants, Confirms Plans For Small Car

Forging full-steam ahead with Operation Grab-Your-Ankles, General Motors released the details of its future plant closures today, including a complete list of all the affected facilities. Of the 47 GM plants currently in operation on U.S. soil, 14 of them will be shuttered by 2012 (13 by 2010), as well as 3 service and parts operation warehouses. Attempting to slather some icing on the shit sandwich, GM also announced that one of the plants scheduled for indefinite idle will be reopened sometime in the future to produce GM’s new small car.

In a statement,  GM Group Vice President of Global Manufacturing and Labor Relations Gary Cowger explained, ”Our manufacturing operations, which already are among the most productive in the industry, will emerge even leaner, stronger and more flexible, as part of the New GM. Flexible manufacturing enables us to quickly respond to consumer preferences and changing market conditions.” Which, for those of you less fluent in flowery corporate prose, roughly translates to: “We’re going to be jumping on the compact car bandwagon, which means all of our cars are still going to suck, they’ll just be smaller. Except for the Camaro, which we’ll probably let run for another 5 years or so before we find a way to screw it up and kill it off, again.”

Hit the jump for a complete list of all the affected facilities.

June 1, 2009 U.S. GM Manufacturing Optimization Plan Actions

Plant	Status / Timing (date listed or sooner depending on market demand)
Assembly
Orion, Mich.	Standby Capacity - September 2009
Pontiac, Mich.	Close - October 2009
Spring Hill, Tenn.	Standby Capacity - November 2009
Wilmington, Del.	Close - July 2009
Stamping
Grand Rapids, Mich.	Close - June 2009 (previously announced)
Indianapolis, Ind.	Close - December 2011
Mansfield, Ohio	Close - June 2010
Pontiac, Mich.	Standby Capacity - December 2010
Powertrain
Livonia Engine, Mich.	Close - June 2010
Flint North Components, Mich.	Close - December 2010
Willow Run Site, Mich.	Close - December 2010
Parma Components, Ohio	Close - December 2010
Fredericksburg Components, Virg.	Close - December 2010
Massena Castings, N.Y.	Closed - May 1, 2009 (previously announced)
Service & Parts Operations (SPO) Warehousing & Parts Distribution Centers
Boston, Mass.	Close – December 31, 2009
Jacksonville, Fla.	Close – December 31, 2009
Columbus, Ohio	Close – December 31, 2009

Source: GM
Image Cred: Getty Images

Volvo Vaporware: Plug-In Hybrids Coming (Maybe) by 2012 (Maybe).

Don't hold your breath.

Volvo has issued a press release laying vague claim to an upcoming series of plug-in diesel hybrids (PHEV “DRIVe” in Volvo’s “Bork Bork” corporate marketing lingo) that will maybe, sort of, probably be coming in 2012 (give or take a decade). We hear lots of elaborate claims by automakers about their upcoming products, and we’re not doubting that Volvo CAN make these hybrid cars … we’ll just believe it when we see it.

Kidding aside, the technology sounds promising. Volvo wants to use high-efficiency diesel engines, possibly running on synthetic diesel fuel (or maybe unicorn milk) combined with plug-in hybrid technology. It doesn’t sound like they’re considering an extended-range electric vehicle like the Chevy Volt, but we strongly suggest that they look into it. Diesel series-hybrids are very efficient. In any event, check out the press release below for more info.

Full press release is as follows:

Press Release: VOLVO CARS TO BE MARKET LEADER IN PLUG-IN HYBRID TECHNOLOGY

Volvo Cars continues to focus heavily on advanced green technology and is now taking yet another major step forward in keeping with the company’s over-riding vision - DRIVe Towards Zero. A unique joint project together with Swedish energy supplier Vattenfall is prompting the production of battery-powered Volvos featuring plug-in hybrid technology as early as 2012.

“There is no doubt that the environmental issue is at the very top of Volvo Cars’ product development agenda right now,” says Stephen Odell, President and CEO of Volvo Cars. “Carbon dioxide emissions from our cars will be drastically reduced by the plan we are now implementing and our aggressive electrification strategy will put us in a leading position when it comes to environmentally optimised passenger transport.”

Plug-in electrical hybrids in production by 2012

There are many benefits to plug-in electrical hybrids: carbon dioxide emissions are far lower and with an electric motor offering higher power, the car’s performance is also far better. Being able to offer a truly attractive car that does not compromise on the other important properties that the customer wants is an absolute precondition for the market to shift towards more environmentally sustainable alternatives that really do make a difference.

“In fact, I would go so far as to say that the plug-in electrical hybrid we will launch in 2012 will be a true dream car. With the innovative solution we will offer, the car owner will be able to drive a thoroughly enjoyable car packed with Volvo’s renowned high safety and genuine driving pleasure”, says Stephen Odell.

Stephen Odell says that Volvo Cars’ industrial cooperation with Vattenfall opens up entirely new potential for developing future green technologies in a far more efficient way. Working in partnership is something that the company regards as essential in order to generate sustainable development.

“DRIVe Towards Zero is our vision and with Vattenfall’s expertise and partnership, we are making giant strides towards our targets. With our updated environmental map for the future, we are reinforcing our leading position in the environmental sphere within the premium segment,” concludes Stephen Odell.

The following section presents Volvo Cars’ environmental alternative and its map for the future.

DRIVe

At present, Volvo Cars has seven car models that can be specified in DRIVe configuration. The DRIVe badge is attached to those cars in the model range that have extremely low carbon dioxide emissions. Among their many features, these cars have been specially designed for low air resistance and their drivelines are optimised for low fuel consumption. The most fuel-efficient variants are the C30, S40 and V50 1.6D DRIVe, with fuel consumption of 3.9 litres/100 km (104 grams CO2/km).

FlexiFuel

Volvo Cars’ FlexiFuel models are powered by E85 (85 percent renewable bioethanol and 15 percent petrol). Bioethanol is an entirely renewable fuel and can be made from a variety of sources such as sugar-cane, wheat and wood by-products. Both Volvo’s smaller models (the C30, S40 and V50) and the larger cars (the V70 and S80) are available in FlexiFuel variants. There is a choice of three engine power outputs: the 1.8F producing 125 hp, the 2.0F which produces 145 hp and the turbocharged version, the 231 hp 2.5FT.

Bi-Fuel: V70 2.5FT in gas configuration

Biogas is one of the vehicle fuels with the lowest climate impact. On Volvo Cars’ home market, where there is a satisfactory infrastructure for gas supply, the best-selling V70 model will be available in a gas-powered version in 2009. An outside conversion specialist contracted by Volvo Cars will fit the gas tank. The car’s range on gas is about 300 km. To back this up there is the 2.5FT 231 hp FlexiFuel engine so the car’s total range on biofuel is more than 900 km.

The car can be run on petrol, bioethanol, natural gas, biogas and hytane*.

* Methane gas with 10 percent hydrogen gas mixed in the fuel.

Start/Stop

The Volvo Cars model range also includes engines that switch themselves off when the car comes to a standstill. These so-called micro-hybrids cut fuel consumption by 4-5 percent. This system is even more effective in congested city traffic with frequent stops and starts. Start/Stop is being initially introduced on the C30, S40 and V50 DRIVe and will undergo constant development, and will over time be implemented in additional drivelines.

In 2011, Volvo Cars expects to introduce yet another highly advanced, entirely in-house developed system with even greater savings potential.

GTDi technology

In 2009, Volvo Cars will launch the development of an entirely new generation of high-efficiency petrol engines. These engines will be far more economical and will cut fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions by 20-30 percent.

GTDi technology makes it possible to reduce engine size while retaining current performance levels.

Plug-in electrical hybrids

Volvo Cars will put plug-in electrical hybrids on the market as early as 2012. With this technology, there is a battery pack that is used to drive an entirely emission-free electric motor. The battery is recharged via a regular wall socket and in addition, braking energy while on the move is stored and reused. This power system will be supplemented by one of Volvo’s high-efficiency diesel engines. This diesel engine is designed to run on renewable synthetic diesel and will meet forthcoming extremely stringent exhaust regulations.

The car’s range will be class-leading and what is more, tailpipe exhaust emissions will be virtually non-existent while the car is powered by electricity. If the battery pack is recharged with electricity produced from renewable sources, then carbon dioxide emissions from the lifecycle perspective will also be very low. In the NEDC standardised driving cycle, carbon dioxide emissions from Volvo’s plug-in electrical hybrid will be lower than 50 grams/km. The plug-in electrical hybrid will thus qualify into what is known as the super-credit tax incentive band. In several European countries, a variety of incentive programmes such as tax relief will be introduced over the next few years. Cars that emit less than 50 grams of CO2/km will probably be granted the most favourable status.

Battery-powered cars

For short distances in city traffic, dedicated battery-powered cars may well be the next step. Volvo Cars is therefore researching into this area. There are still many challenges that have to be solved with battery cars and the company is working hard to find alternative ways of reducing battery cost, increasing their performance and ensuring that Volvo’s high safety requirements are met at all times. At present, there are no battery-powered cars in Volvo’s product plans, but the possibility of introducing new green technology is under constant review.

[Source: Volvo via Jalopnik]

Guiness Record Driver aims to pilot Audi A3 across three continents in three days

There are road trips and there are road trips. This one is a fine example of the latter. With an endless roster of driving records under his belt, German auto journalist Gerhard Plattner is gearing up to drive on three continents in just three days, in the process setting yet another world record. His weapon of choice? An Audi A3 1.9 TDI, which the German automaker enthusiastically handed over just the other day.
This will hardly be the first time Plattner has set new records in a Four-Ringed car, as he already set the record for driving around the world in an Audi S2 way back in 1991, a record that still stands to this day. Known by some as "the most versatile driver in the world", Plattner has covered some 7 million kilometers (4.3 million miles) in his career, but this could be the most daunting challenge yet. Together with co-pilot Franz Doppler, Plattner will be driving on three continents - Asia, Africa and Europe - in three days.
Rather than taking the shortest route (from Egypt, along the Mediterranean coast through Israel and Syria and up into Turkey), the German duo will start in Morocco, cross the Gibraltar into Spain, across Spain, Italy, through the Alps, across the Balkans and on to Istanbul. The tour kicks off on June 8 and is scheduled to end on June 11, so stay tuned, and check out the images below and details in the press release after the jump in the meantime.

Early obits attempt to analyze, make sense of General Motors bankruptcy

At 6:00 AM EST this morning, it was official: General Motors filed for bankruptcy. The pundits, editorialists, arm-chair quarterbacks and newly-minted auto analysts began having their say late last night. Over the coming days, weeks and months, GM's Chapter 11 filing will provide endless editorial fodder for scribes of all stripes and creeds, and the last 12 hours is a good indication of what's to come.
The opening, news-tinged salvos began with the New York Times, including one piece espousing GM's "New Start" and another taking a rose-tinted look back on the General's 100-year history. Joe Sherlock from The View Through the Windshield took a similar tack, while P.J. O'Rourke chimed in at the Wall Street Journal with a poignant, if scattered, assessment of why the American automobile industry has failed and why "America's romantic foolishness with cars is finished." Documentary filmmaker and activist Michael Moore chimed in with his thoughts over on Daily Kos. Last but not least, The Truth About Cars' Robert Farago penned his 256th installment of the site's General Motors Death Watch, using O'Rourke's WSJ tome as a springboard to rehash the sins of GM's past and to excoriate the executives that sealed the automaker's fate.
However, what we haven't heard yet - what both enthusiasts and average consumers need to hear - is a clarion call that outlines GM's future. How will the automaker restructure? What will roll off the production lines post-bankruptcy? And how will the choices made over the coming months affect the car-buying public both in the U.S. and abroad?
Here's hoping President Obama's noontime press conference and the follow-up by GM's CEO Fritz Henderson offers some answers, and the editorial world responds with a clear, focused and fair assessment of what's to come.

Chrysler gets bankruptcy judge approval for asset sale to Fiat

Chrysler, which filed for bankruptcy on April 30, has won U.S. bankruptcy court approval for the sale of substantially all of its assets to Fiat SpA. The news comes just hours before GM is expected to begin its Chapter 11 filing.

“Indeed, because of the overriding concern of the U.S. and Canadian governments to protect the public interest, the terms of the Fiat Transaction present an opportunity that the marketplace alone could not offer, and that certainly exceeds the liquidation value,” Judge Arthur Gonzalez wrote in a 47-page opinion.

The Obama administration has promised $6 billion to the new Chrysler Group LLC that will make Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and eventually Fiat vehicles.

The new company will be owned 68 percent by the UAW, 12 percent by the U.S. and Canadian government and 20 percent by Fiat. Fiat is eventually expected to increase its share to over 50 percent.

Bob Nardelli has stepped down as company CEO and will hand over his responsibilities to C. Robert Kidder who will be Chairman of Chrysler Group LLC.

GM files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

The die is cast: General Motors has filed for bankruptcy. As expected, the automotive giant filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this morning in a New York court, listing $82 billion in assets and $172 billion in debts.
As we told you earlier, the century-old company will gain extensive assistance from the U.S. government, the former chipping in $30 billion in financing (GM has already received over $19 billion), that latter of which is expected to work extensively with the automaker as it goes through bankruptcy proceedings that will see the company's assets split into "Good GM" and "Bad GM," the latter of which will be liquidated.
According to the Detroit Free Press, the Obama administration has said that it will manage its holdings in GM (the government gets a 60% stake) in a "hands-off" non-interference fashion, with no White House employees serving on the board or being employed by the automaker. However, Capitol Hill will get the chance to influence company proceedings, as it will vote on core issues of governance that include "selecting the company's board of directors and major corporate transactions." While that may not equate to day-to-day management decisions, the government will certainly have the ability to influence company plans through appointments and such decision-making processes.
You can read more about the filing and the ramifications at the link below.
[Source: Detroit Free Press]

VIDEO: Just because it has AWD, that doesn't make it an off-roader

Just because a vehicle has a high riding stance and all-wheel drive, that doesn't qualify it as an off-roader. That's why when BMW introduced the X5 it was labeled as a "Sports Activity Vehicle" not an SUV. BMW designed the X5 knowing full well that the majority of largely suburban SUV buyers never even think about going off-road. Unfortunately, it appears that one driver, who evidently rented this X5 in Istanbul, never got that message. The purely on-road high performance tires \didn't clue him in that driving to the beach should not include driving past the beach and directly into the water.
Prompted by his female companion, the driver went a bit too far. The results were easily predicable and the video after the jump shows clearly why the X5 (and most of its ilk) belong on-road only.

[Source: YouTube]

2010 MINI Crossover caught again

The first crossover vehicle ever developed by the MINI brand has made another appearance. Developed under the internal name “Project Colorado”, the Crossover will be the first MINI developed outside the U.K and built by Magna Steyer, an Austrian company.

MINI Crossover will be available in two versions: the regular front-wheel-drive and a higher-end all-wheel drive model using the xDrive train from BMW.

It can hold up to four passengers and it will be longer than any existing MINI, 13 ft long (4 meters). The crossover also runs on higher wheelbase which should help bolster its off-road credentials.

Even though no official information were released regarding the engine, it is fair to assume that some of the engines found in the Cooper and Clubman models will make their way into the new Crossover, starting with the four-cylinder 1.6 liter gasoline engine (120horsepower) and the latest 1.6 liter turbocharged engine built by BMW.

The MINI Crossover, which is larger than the Clubman, will be first production MINI to measure more than 4 meters in length. Expect its exterior dimensions to be similar to the concept measuring around 4,050mm (159.5-in.) in length, 1,830mm (72.0-in.) in width and 1,598mm (62.9-in.) in height

The MINI Crossover or Crossman as some media likes to call it, is expected to arrive in the showrooms during the second half of 2010, but it will make its debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show this fall.

[Source: Carscoop ]

BMW X1 going off-road

Media publications around the world were invited last week to test drive the not-yet released BMW X1. Gathered in the Mallorca region in Spain, auto journalists spent a day behind the wheel of the smallest Sports Activity Vehicle in the BMW line-up.

We showed you yesterday Edmunds’ report on the car and overall, it was quite positive. We have to admit that the X1 is starting to grow on us and we finally see where the car will fit. An X3 sits in our garage currently, but looking at X1 photos, we definitely see ourselves “falling” for it. We love the overall size, interior space seems to be as spacious as the X3, but with a far better design.

Sure, the next X3 is just around the corner and it is rumored to have been taken up a notch on the design scale, but at the same time, it carry a higher price tag.

The BMW X1 will be available in four wheel drive, but in the future, a rear wheel drive option will be offered. With the initial launch in the European market only, the four-wheel drive will be the only option offered. The 2.0 liter 177 horsepower xDrive23d prototype in these images also features an M Sport Package which will be offered to enhance the front fascia.

Buy a new Mitsubishi Triton, get a free goat with purchase

New Zealand Mitsubishi wants you to buy a Triton ute, and to lure you into doing it they're using goats -- because really, who can resist a goat? Said Mitsu's New Zealand sales and marketing manager, Peter Wilkins, "three years of drought has severely depleted sheep and beef populations, so what better time to float the goat?''
But wait, there's more! If you don't end up taking the goat -- said to go well with the Triton because goats are "hardy, versatile units which will integrate directly into existing farm operations'' -- a goat-free package is available. That will get you a 5-year extended warranty, five vehicle fitness inspections, five thousand km of road user charges paid, five years of roadside assistance, and $500 worth of Triton accessories.
New Zealand Mitsubishi, working hard to... get your goat. (Sorry, had to...)
[Source: Courier Mail]

All Formula 1 teams reportedly sign on for 2010

At least for now, disaster seems to have been averted as all ten teams currently taking part in the 2009 Formula 1 championship have signed conditional agreements to take part in the series in 2010. These reportedly hinge on the Formula One Teams Association's ability to reach a mutually-agreeable compromise to the contentious budget cap negotiations currently taking place between the FIA and the teams themselves.
At various points over the last few weeks, powerhouse teams such as Ferrari, Renault, Red Bull, Toyota and Toro Rosso had all threatened to withdraw from the 2010 F1 season due to the FIA's insistence on a $60 million voluntary budget cap, which the competitors say would have resulted in a two-tiered rulebook. Prior to this announcement, Williams had been the only current F1 team to commit to racing next season.
In addition to the ten teams taking part in this year's festivities, Campos Racing from Spain and USF1 from the United States have both signed on for 2010 with Prodrive/Aston Martin and Lola from Britain also waiting in the wings. Now, if we could just keep overly attractive girls from messing with the driver's heads, we'd be all set. Thanks for the tip, Pat!
[Source: The Globe and Mail | Photo: Mark Thompson/Getty Images]

Two plants saved from closing under new GM/UAW agreement

According to the Detroit Free Press, the 14 plants that General Motors is expected to announce for closure on Monday was going to be 16 plants until the UAW got its way on Capitol Hill. The union charged GM with closing factories, but instead of a commensurate reduction in production, GM was moving some of the manufacturing elsewhere, specifically China and Mexico.
GM said it will produce 1.83 million cars in the U.S. 2014 as opposed to 2 million today, and it would get one-third of its production that year from overseas. That one-third would notably be small cars, so much in play lately for every reason. The UAW suggested it would be amenable to "innovative labor agreement provisions" in order to make small car production work for GM domestically.
In that case it isn't Mexico or China that will suffer, but Canada. Our northern neighbor is expected to lose 23% of its GM export production (has anyone told CAW head Ken Lewenza yet?) while Asian importation climbs 98%.
For now, an assembly plant and a stamping plant have been spared from the initial list of U.S. closures. Another four plants have been designated "stand-by locations" that will come on line in case of a steep rebound in auto sales.
[Source: Detroit Free Press]

2010 Honda CR-V spotted?

A forum user named "Puttz" at the Temple of VTEC took a picture of a manufacturer-plated CR-V in Dublin, Ohio near Honda's Marysville plant. In addition to a set of wheels that Puttz said were reminiscent of those on an RDX sketch, the grille is bigger and wearing a lot more chrome work. On the left is the spy shot, on the right is the 2009 CR-V. As another forum user noted, the 2-piece center section is somewhat of a return to the previous generation CR-V.
Beyond that, the bumper gets reshaped with a different profile leading into the lower front fascia, and the fog light housings look to be more integrated. If this is the 2010 CR-V, it appears Honda is only making minor changes to its popular cute-ute. Hat tip to Edison
[Source: Temple of VTEC]

Kia Soul aces Euro NCAP crash tests

There is no rating yet for the Kia Soul in the U.S., but in Europe the car did the business: the Soul scored five stars on the NCAP frontal offset, side impact and pole crash tests, doing no worse than "marginal" in just two areas. In the frontal offset test the windshield doesn't crack and there is only minor cosmetic damage aft of the front door's front shut line. It's a big result for a little car, and if it has the reliability to match it should do very, very well. Thanks for the tip, GenGT!

German government approves majority sale of Opel to Magna, Russians

With General Motors expected to file for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in New York on Monday morning, negotiators in Germany scrambled to finalize a deal to save Opel from insolvency. Following a six-hour meeting in the German Chancellor's office in Berlin on Friday evening, a deal was finally announced by finance minister Peer Steinbrueck. Although an overall deal to transfer control of Opel from General Motors was reached, details are still being worked out and a final contract won't be signed for several more weeks.
Under the deal announced early Saturday morning, GM will retain a 35-percent stake in Opel, which would allow the automaker to continue sharing technology with the German brand. Russia's government-controlled Sberbank is providing most of the financing for the deal and also gets a 35-percent share. Canadian auto parts maker and contract assembler Magna International will own 20 percent and the remaining 10 percent will go to Opel employees.
The German government will also provide a $2.1 billion bridge loan to Opel to help it keep operating during the transition phase. A key to the deal was German government demands that Opel assets be protected from GM creditors during a US bankruptcy proceeding. Opel will apparently be placed into some sort of trust in order to keep it whole and preserve its value for the new majority owners. President Barack Obama agreed to the deal with German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a late-night phone call.
It's not known at this point how GM's UK operations at Vauxhalll figure in to all of this and whether any of it will be preserved, consolidated into Opel, or sold off separately.
[Source: Reuters]