Friday, March 04, 2005

Did You Know That....

The Chevrolet 490, launched in 1915, owes its name to its price?
It was pitched directly against the Ford T model and - like its
competitor - could be bought for just 490 US dollars. It was built
at various factories linked to the Chevrolet Motor Company through
a franchising system.

The first subcompact car manufactured in the U.S. was a
Chevrolet? It was the Vega, launched in 1971. It was followed by
the Chevette in 1976, the smallest Chevrolet ever at that time.
This model, a representative of General Motors' T-Car world car,
was initially sold with 1.4 and 1.6-litre engines.

The Powerglide transmission of 1950 was the first automatic
transmission to be offered in a vehicle below the full-size category?
Chevrolet built more than 300,000 of these transmission units in
the first year alone.

Louis Chevrolet left the company in 1914 because he had
an argument with his partner Billy Durant about the positioning
of the company? Chevrolet wanted to build exclusive vehicles, Durant
was in favour of popular cars. Who actually won the dispute is no
secret because the name Chevrolet has since become synonymous with
good-quality but inexpensive cars and trucks.

Chevrolet became part of the General Motors Group in 1918?

The value-brand strategy was featured as early as 1929 in
the advertising slogan "A Six for the Price of a Four"?
In the then new "Stovebolt Six", the customer really got
the smoothness and acceleration of a six-cylinder engine for the
price of a four-cylinder unit.

The first GM plant outside of North America was built in
Denmark in 1923? The then head of production of GM, William Knudsen,
(1879-1948), emigrated from Denmark to the US in 1899…

Chevrolet planned to change from water to copper cooled
engines (an air cooled engine using copper fins) in 1921? The revolution
failed due to durability problems, and only about 800 copper cooled
cars were built in total.

The failure of the copper cooled engine led to the first
dedicated proving ground for testing automobiles? To this day, GM’s
Milford Proving Ground opened in 1924 is the biggest of its kind
in the world.

The founder of both Chevrolet and General Motors, „Billy"
Durant (1861-1947) had to leave the company after financial quarries
three times in all. Durant, who at one time amassed a fortune of
$ 120 million died as a manager of a bowling alley.

And Today

• 1 car in 16 sold in the world is a Chevrolet
  
• A Chevrolet is built every 7 seconds
  
• Over 175 million Chevrolets have been sold to date
  
• Chevrolet will sell in 90 countries in 2005
  
• The Chevrolet Aveo (Kalos in the UK) is the best selling small
  car in North America

Get more info.

Thursday, Mar 3, 2005

Citroen C4 - Now Available With Automatic Transmission

Citroen is opening up the recently launched C4 range to a whole new set of UK customers with the addition of two five-speed automatic models - a 1.6i SX Auto and a 2.0i Exclusive Auto - both of which offer high levels of driver convenience and comfort at prices that start at just over £13,000*.

The new C4 offers a mould-breaking blend of eye-catching styling, innovative new technologies, class-leading aerodynamics and impressive levels of equipment, including ABS with EBD and EBA, cruise control, speed limiter, CD player and six airbags as standard across the entire range.

The two new 5-door models also represent great value for money, with the £1,100 cashback offer* further lowering the already competitive recommended retail prices of £14,195 for the 1.6i SX Auto and £17,495 for the 2.0i Exclusive Auto. Insurance ratings of 5E for the SX and 10E for the Exclusive, together with 20,000 mile service intervals, also help to keep ownership costs right down.

Powered by a 110hp 1.6 litre petrol engine, the C4 SX Auto returns 37.2 mpg fuel economy on the government combined cycle and offers a top speed of 118 mph. With 143hp and 148 lb.ft of torque, the 2.0 litre Exclusive Auto boasts a top speed of 128 mph, can sprint from 0 to 62 mph in just 10.1 seconds, yet still returns 34.9 mpg on the combined cycle.

Both models offer high levels of practicality and refinement with cruise control, speed limiter, the C4’s revolutionary fixed-centred controls steering wheel, air conditioning and an in-built air freshener all standard. Laminated side windows for improved security and reduced noise intrusion, dual function directional Xenon headlamps, rear parking sensors and a 5-cd autochanger add to the top-of-the-range feel of the Exclusive Auto.

Both C4 Automatic models come with six airbags and ABS with EBD and EBA, while ESP with traction control is standard on the 2.0i Exclusive Auto. In fact, in the latest Euro NCAP awards, the C4 was named one of the safest cars around - with five stars for occupant safety and a remarkable three out of four stars for pedestrian safety, it outscored the new Ford Focus.

"The Citroen C4 has already enjoyed a winning start to its life, with Top Gear naming it Best Hatch of 2005 and Auto Express readers voting it their Car of the Year. These two new automatic models will help build on this success and broaden C4’s appeal still further," said Alain Favey, Managing Director, Citroen UK Ltd.

Get more info.

Wednesday, Mar 2, 2005

Spy Shots: '07 Volvo S80

Volvo is preparing an all-new replacement for the company's top-of-the-line S80, for release sometime in 2006. The current S80 underwent a restyling in 2003. These photos show for the first time a prototype during cold-weather testing on a frozen lake in Scandinavia. The car is still disguised, yet the new styling is clearly visible. The next S80 is again a four-door sedan but with a much rounder and more V-shaped body than its predecessor. It is again front-wheel drive and is expected to get power from a variety of four- and six-cylinder engines, as before. According to rumors from Sweden, it could also be available with Volvo's new eight-cylinder engine.

Tuesday, Mar 1, 2005

Saab Future Debated

General Motors is close to deciding what to do with Saab, its perennially loss-making Swedish subsidiary.

Bob Lutz, GM Vice President and so-called "product czar" of GM has said in an interview, "We like the brand and we want to retain it [but] you cannot make a business case under 200,000 to 250,000 annual volume - that is almost impossible," Saab production is now around 120,000 cars per year.

It seems likely that Saab will no longer design unique models. Instead, it will have to take GM models and modify them to inject some Swedish character. The Saab factory, if it is to survive, may become a GM assembly plant making both Saabs and other GM brands. Already, a small Cadillac, called BLS, is planned to go into production at the Saab factory.

Monday, Feb 28, 2005

Kia Launches Diesel Sportage

Kia has announced prices for the diesel versions of its new Sportage off-roader.

Prices range from £15,695 for the XE manual to £18,195 for the XS Auto. Paul Williams, MD of Kia UK said, "Although we do not see the existing 4x4 competitors as our primary targets, the motorists who will choose to buy Sportage have told us it is the cost of these vehicles that keeps them out of SUV ownership."

Kia was the fastest growing car company in Britain last year and the competitively-priced Sportage diesel will help to maintain momentum this year.