Flybrian

GM @ Geneva SAAB 9-5 Rinspeed BioPower Concept Link to Original Article @ TrollhattenSAAB A principal topic at the Geneva Motor Show this year will be the auto industry leading by example in respecting the environment. Saab, in collaboration with Rinspeed, will be showing with the "9-5 BioPower Rinspeed" how vision and reality can harmonize. The model is equipped with a bioethanol engine and proves that it is possible in today's world to considerably reduce fossil CO2 emissions without giving up the pleasure of driving. Recent reports with regard to climate change are clear: mankind, by it's collective behavoiur, is a primary contributor to global warming. The reduction of CO2 emissions has become a central topic around the world - as it is at the Geneva Motor Show. The notion of care and respect for the environment is not one that is just for the future, nor has it been for a long time now. At previous motor shows, Saab has proven it's leadership in this field and shown with its BioPower concepts that ecological technology and driving pleasure could coincide perfectly. This year, Saab will cross a new threshold at the Geneva Motor Show. The visitors can come to stand 5030 and admire a perfectly successful union of vision and reality - the "Saab 9-5 BioPower Rinspeed". The altered Saab BioPower immediately attracts the glare of visitors thanks to the glare of its yellow gloss paint. This special lowered Saab model incorporates materials used by Rinspeed for its futuristic prototype "eXasis". (eXasis is the first transparent plastic car of high technology that is equipped, just like Saab BioPower, with an E85 engine). The Saab BioPower Rinspeed shows new applications in the shape of rhombuses out of fibreglass metallized to aluminium. One finds the reason for the rhombuses in the coating of the seats. The interior also shows the innovative aspect of the car with seats padded with a compound called Technogel. Yellow safety belts and a new fibreglass dashboard complete the metamorphosis of the Saab BioPower to perfection. The Saab BioPower by Rinspeed and the eXasis are both studies to celebrate the 30th birthday of the company. With the eXasis, Rinspeed presents a car able to develop 150hp with using an ethanol engine. The parallel Saab BioPower, sporting 180hp led the two company's traditionalists to cooperate. Saab also celebrates a birthday in 2007 - 60 years of turbocharged ideas. To this occasion, Saab will launch the special "Anniversary Edition" models. However, it is the move towards ecological vehicles that will be maintained henceforth. Saab will present the 9-3 BioPower in a world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show. It will be available in Switzerland starting from autumn 2007 and will compliment the Saab 9-5 BioPower. Saab wants to continue its idea to reduce the CO2 emissions on its cars right through the range. With the "Saab 9-5 BioPower100 Concept", Saab presents at the Motor-show a vehicle that can function with 100% bioethanol. Saab continues its philosophy thus to put mankind and the environment at the center of its activities.

No. That looks like the a Dongfeng Sixty-teen featuring cutting edge Artistry & Scientific Design. Is no copy!

Much to the haters' dismay, the majority of the Bonneville's dash materials - cowl, center armrest, console wrap, door panels, door armrests, glovebox - are soft-touch. Everyone loves to make jabs, but then you sit in a Bonneville, drive it, and realize just how ergonomic it is. The moonroof toggle mimics the operation of the roof, the heads-up display makes look-down driving a thing of the past, and the louver-less air vents are quieter than traditional vents and are a snap to position, unlike some cars today that require you move one dial for horizontal alignment and another for vertical. And as a passenger, you have up to six vents are your disposal. One hot Florida day and a desire to cool off every part of your body individually puts a lid on the snickering.

I respect Honda much more than I do Toyota for reasons that are just plain obvious.

To Deutschland, From Deleware GM adds Overtime for Opel GT Exports AutoWeek |Michael Specht | Link to Original Article @ DetNews General Motors will add overtime at its Wilmington, Del., plant to produce the Opel GT roadster, which it will export to Europe. The GT is scheduled to arrive in European dealerships in March. Officials say the 2007 allocation of 2,800 cars is sold out. The target for 2008 and beyond is 3,600 cars a year for all of Europe. The GT, powered by General Motors' new 264-hp, 16-valve, turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine, will be sold only in Europe. U.S. buyers have been able to buy the same car badged as a Saturn Sky Red Line since September. The GT, the Sky and the Pontiac Solstice all are based on GM's rear-wheel-drive Kappa platform and are built in the Wilmington plant. The plant's current annual capacity of 30,000 vehicles is taken up entirely by the Solstice and Sky, forcing planners to add overtime to produce GTs. The GT is priced at 30,675 euros, including the value-added tax, or about $39,900 at current exchange rates. The U.S.-market Sky Red Line starts at $29,025, including shipping

Volkswagen recalls 790,000 cars to fix brake light switch Associated Press | Link to Original Article @ DetNews Volkswagen of America Inc. said Monday it would recall 790,000 vehicles because of problems with the brake light switch. The recall involves several vehicles: 1999-2006 model years of the Golf and GTI, 2001-2005 Jettas, 2001-2007 New Beetles and the 2004 R32. It expands upon a recall announced last year of some Jettas and New Beetles because of the same defect. Volkswagen told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that the brake light switches in the vehicles could malfunction if they were improperly installed. The automaker said the light could either remain on or not function, which would fail to provide other motorists with the proper braking signal and potentially lead to a crash. In some vehicles with automatic transmissions, a faulty brake light could work in tandem with the shift interlock to immobilize the vehicle and require towing, said VW spokesman Keith Price. Last year, VW recalled 362,000 Jetta and New Beetle sedans because of similar problems with the brake lights. That recall affected Jettas from the 1999-2002 model years and New Beetles from the 1998-2002 model years. Price said the latest recall is an extension of the previous one because the company "found that there was a broader pool of vehicles that had the defective part." He said owners of 2001-2002 Jettas and New Beetles who already had the repairs completed following last year's recall would not need to return for a second time. VW dealers will install the newly designed brake light switch free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in late April and owners may contact VW with questions at (800) 822-8987.

Again, this is an example of passion over calculating thought. The Crossfire was an absolute dud and if it isn't alredy dead, its going to be. Chrysler's enduring product lines are limited to the 300, the Ram, the vans, the Viper, and Jeep. Period. Looking at the state they're in now, I would argue that Buick and Pontiac are in far better shape than Chrysler and Dodge. First, they aren't overburdened with gobs of unsold inventory; GM has managed that surprisingly well. Second, the B-P-GMC reorganization is a success waiting to be filled with some good product. Compare that to Chrysler/Dodge's massive dealer network that - again - can't even sell what's sitting on the lots.So, people may call all these new Chryslers 'hot', but I prefer 'flash in the pan' Because proportionally, the 300 sells no better than the Concorde/LHS did and the Charger arguably sells worse given its late entry and heavy fleet sales. A Nissan (like all foreign suitors) would benefit from the rural dealer outlets and service centers. I suspect a dealer aquisition would result in large buyouts or phaseouts of metropolitan dealers. Well, they're talking about Peugeot/Citroen here and while Renault has clearly pumped out its share of fugugly motorcars, Peugeot/Citroen is shaping up rather well in terms of design and quality. Take a look at Peugeot's recent 607 or Citroen's C6. Both beautiful, unique cars that would look rather dashing stateside. Citroen has been a traditional technological leader, especially in suspension technology.I think that article is pretty spot-on. Chrysler is hardly the bargain of the century even with the legacy costs amortized immediately by DaimlerBenz. Look at it this way - assuming the entirety of Chrysler's tangible assets (plants, platforms, etc) does none of the other Big Three any good as a whole, nor any well-off foreign concern. The only firms it would help are ones that likely can't afford it anyway. Sad for Chrysler, but again - as a GM fan - whatever.

The DTS is the American S-Class. Remember that it occupies a very special place in the domestic luxury market, offering the large car dimensions for a midsize price. A lineup consisting of a well-executed BLS, wide-ranging CTS, American-tailored DTS, and high-tier luxury ULS would be ideal for the American market as well as the global market. The key differentiators between the DTS and ULS would be in price and content. Envision DTS as utimately being 'Mass-ULS' or 'Budget-ULS' and selling in respectable volumes in the domestic market. ULS would be similar to DTS in size, but be positioned further up the price range ($70-100k) and offer 8+ cylinder engines. and ultra-plush interiors. I would also love to see an 2+2 coupe under the ULS line as I think a well-executed and well-styled variant would do well as a twosome against the alien Bimmers, coma-inducing Lexus, and dime-a-dozen S-Class.

Again, who really uses the third row in an Escalade, GL, etc?

Totally shoot us the link when its time!

The police report from that person's arrest for the interested:

Well, in case anyone is interested, here's the report obtained from the Romulus, MI police department:

The Prius isn't 'cool'; its powertrain and image is 'cool.' The car itself is poorly-designed and - compared to other Toyotas - shoddily-constructed. You stick Prius running gear into a car with comperable size and it would sell regardless of design. Also, note that size does make a difference. How many 1st-gen Priuses do you see?

I know what you mean about the weather. It had to be like 74 outside today and not a cloud in the sky. Too bright! And every now and then, a temperate breeze would blow by. What's up with that? Should I stop now?

GM's Global Goals: Automaker's international car lines get closer By Paul Horrell Link to Original Article @ Motor Trend Jim Queen, GM's VP of global product development, has told Motor Trend more about how GM's international car lines will continue to get closer. Opel AntaraHe said GM's new Australian RWD platform will be used not just on the Pontiac G8 and Chevy Camaro, but as the basis for the next generation of Cadillacs. In fact in GM's portfolio, the only large RWD car (not truck) not built on this platform will be the next Corvette and XLR. Queen says the C7 Vette will stick will a naturally aspirated V8 and RWD (not AWD). But power will climb by another significant increment, up to around 700 horsepower. 'We're working hard to get that power onto the pavement,' Queen said, mentioning that weight and weight distribution are the keys. The twinning of Opel and Saturn continues. The new Korean-built Opel Antara has just gone on sale in Europe, and will become the 2008 Saturn Vue, from the same source, as announced just before the Chicago Show. Saturn will also get further bodystyles of the Europe-built compact, the Astra. Three-door and five-door hatchbacks were unveiled at the Chicago autoshow, but sedan and a coupe-cabrio called TwinTop will make the transition to Saturns.

You could save money by just buying a Riviera, 'cause...that's all Jay Leno made this thing - a Chevy-powered Riviera with a Toronado bodyshell.

Those commercials are starting to piss me off. They pushed my dad over the edge four days ago

This...is intriguing...

By interior passenger volume. Remember how the Hyundai Sonata was 'more spacious than a BMW 760i'? It is. So is a '98 LeSabre. Big deal.

One more day, gentleman. Get those entires in!

'Positive response' prompts GM to extend incentive campaign Company adds Saturn Vue hybrid-electric vehicle to the discount program that runs through Feb. 28. John D. Stoll | Dow Jones Newswires | Link to Original Article @ DetNews DETROIT -- General Motors Corp. has extended until the end of February an incentive campaign as it works to recover from disappointing retail sales in January. It is now including the Saturn Vue hybrid-electric vehicle in the discount program that was originally to end Tuesday. The automaker will continue offering zero percent loans spanning as long as 60 months on vehicles and $500 cash back on certain vehicles. The deals were initially offered under GM's annual Presidents Day sale. They have been extended to Feb. 28 because GM has seen "a real positive response to the offers," GM spokesman John McDonald said in an interview. McDonald said the company is now discounting its relatively new hybrid, known as the "Green Line" version, for "simplicity's sake." He said some dealers had only hybrid versions of the Saturn Vue in stock, but were unable to give discounts on that vehicle. GM sells relatively few hybrid vehicles in the United States but has plans to ramp up volume this year with new product offerings. McDonald said GM's closely watched February incentive spending levels are about even with the same period in 2006. McDonald said the company is "getting the right balance" when it comes to discounting vehicles without losing too much margin in the process. GM has said its 14-month drive to cut incentive spending has been successful. The initiative is designed to boost profit margins and increase the resale values of the company's vehicles. In a conference call Wednesday with analysts and media, Earl Hesterberg, Group 1 Automotive Inc. chief executive, said GM's January sales were lackluster but that February discounts should inspire demand. Group 1 is among the larger auto dealership groups in the United States. GM will also offer a "March Madness" campaign that coincides with the national college basketball tournament that starts next month. GM's retail sales, excluding deliveries to fleet customers, fell 8 percent in January. Top executives have characterized the performance as disappointing and pointed to the company's restraint on January incentives as a reason for the unexpected decline.

And his freedom... Super Corvette spy photog arrested!

Shipping company employee carted off to jail for Corvette SS pics Posted Feb 22nd 2007 6:02PM by John Neff Link to Original Article @ AutoBlog SPY SHOTS! 23 Corvette Blue Devil powertrain mule pics! We've just learned that EMO TRANS, the shipping company that was hired by General Motors to transport a Corvette SS mule to Germany for testing on the Nurburgring, has fired the employee who took pictures of the vehicle and posted them on the internet. In addition, the unnamed employee has been taken to jail, though we don't know what charges have been filed against him. This clearly illustrates how seriously GM is taking the development of the Corvette SS, as well as how utterly embarrased and apologetic EMO TRANS must be for the actions of its employee. It's all fun and games on our side of the fence because we got to see some real, informative shots of this very special Vette, but it reminds us that there's a lot of money on the line. We're sure that GM didn't appreciate pics of this powerplant were available for every other automaker to peruse. Lesson learned, though harder for some than others.

The Durango is 8/13!