Rumors: Audi Quattro Coupe May be Given the Green Light by September

The Audi Quattro Concept wowed the crowds at the 2010 Paris motor show. The favorable reaction of both the public and the press to the one-off concept that was created to celebrate the original Quattro’s 30th anniversary has sparked many rumors that Audi is seriously considering making a production version. According to a report from Inside Line, the future of the 21st-century Quattro will be decided soon –more specifically in September, on the eve of the Frankfurt motor show premiere.
Quattro GmbH boss Stephan Reil, speaking during the launch of the Audi Q3 SUV, confirmed that the final decision has been delayed. However, he is "optimistic" about its chances, and added that the production version, if given the green light, would be a small-volume (500-1,000 units per year) supercar with lightweight materials prominent in its construction.
The Quattro’s engine could very well come from the RS5 which, with 450 hp and a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) time of 4.6 seconds, is no slouch. But, as Reil said, “we need more power than the RS5, and it would have to be mounted longitudinally”.
The head of Quattro GmbH commented that the exotic car’s development would take at least 2-3 years, and be similar to that of Audi’s current supercar, the R8.

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Bentley Defies Crisis with a 20% Increase in Global Sales

Crisis? What crisis? For you and me, perhaps, but not for Bentley buyers. The VW-owned British luxury carmaker announced today a 20% increase in global sales for the first half of 2011 with 2,978 cars delivered to customers, the best start for the company since 2008.

The luxury marque attributes this surge in sales to the high demand for the new Continental GT as well as the increasing popularity in (least we forget, communist…) China, where Bentley sales have risen by 57% compared to the same period last year, to 680 cars. Thus, it has become the manufacturer’s second best market, behind only the US (George Orwell's "Animal Farm", anyone?).

Not to be outdone by China, the capitalist West has contributed its fair, albeit smaller, share to Bentley’s rise. In Europe, sales have increased by 25% (494 cars) and in the USA by 23% (907 cars). Only in Japan, due to the recent catastrophic natural disasters, and the Middle East, where political unrest rules, have sales declined.

So, well done Bentley - and well done to all the fat cats out there, be they…capitalists or…communists, who are rapidly increasing in numbers each day.

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Chevrolet Announces UK Prices for the Camaro, Starts from £34,995 (US$56,040)

The Camaro is the centerpiece of Chevrolet’s display at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, which begun today. And the company thought it was the perfect opportunity to announce the pricing of its UK-bound muscle car that will be available in early 2012.

The Camaro with the V8 engine starts from £34,995 (US$56,040) in coupe trim and from £39,995 (US$64,060) for the convertible, both with a manual transmission. If you want an automatic gearbox, you’ll have to add another £1,500 (US$2,400). In the U.S., the V8 model starts from US$31,070, which is equal to £19,400.

Available only in left-hand drive, the Camaro is powered by a 6.2-litre V8 which is rated in Europe at 432-horses, while Chevrolet claims that the suspension has been specifically tuned for European roads.

The UK-specification Camaro boasts a comprehensive standard equipment list that includes Brembo brakes, 20-inch alloy wheels, rear parking sensors, full leather upholstery, a Boston Acoustics 9-speaker audio system and Bluetooth connectivity.

And then there’s, of course, the options list with things like a choice of premium bodywork colors, bonnet stripes, interior trim, a sunroof and polished alloy wheels.

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Fiat to Display 21.7-liter Mefistofele and 500 by Gucci at Goodwood Festival

Fiat’s major attraction in this year’s Goodwood Speed of Festival, which begins tomorrow, will be the famous Mefistofele. The record-breaking classic, which is based on a 1908 Fiat SB4 Corsa, returns after a decade to Goodwood and will be displayed in the “Cathedral Paddock” area.

Mefistofele was a project by Sir Eldridge who wanted to make a record-breaking car. After purchasing an SB4 Corsa, Eldridge went on to lengthen the chassis using parts from a London bus (!) and add a modified 21.7-liter six-cylinder Fiat A12 aircraft engine with 4 carburetors that produced 320 HP at 1,800 rpm.

On July 12, 1924, the car, which got its name from the bangs and smoke it emitted, broke the world speed record at a speed at 234.980 km/h. Fiat’s owner, Gianni Agnielli, bought the car in 1964. After a lengthy restoration process, it is now in perfect working order and is a part of Fiat’s historical collection.

On another note, Fiat will also display at Goodwood the 500 by Gucci, a version of its city car customized both in the bodywork and the interior by Gucci creative director, Frida Giannini, along with Fiat’s own Style Centre.

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Nissan Celebrates Production of 1 Million Qashqai Crossovers, will Give Away the Landmark Vehicle

Four years, six months and 23 days after the first Qashqai small crossover rolled off the Sunderland Plant’s production line in the UK on December 5, 2006, Nissan has passed the 1 million milestone.

The Japanese automaker said the Qashqai is “easily the highest-volume car produced in the UK” adding that no other car in Britain has reached the one million mark in such a short period.

“The Nissan Qashqai has been a phenomenal success since its start of production just four and a half years ago,” said Kevin Fitzpatrick, Nissan Vice President for Manufacturing in the UK.

The company plans to put the landmark vehicle, a silver 2.0-litre diesel TEKNA Qashqai, on display at The O₂ Arena in London and then have one lucky person win the special car. Nissan said it will soon announce further details on the competition.

Currently, around 1,200 examples of the Qashqai are built every day at the plant, or about one every minute that the production line is open, with more than 80 percent of the vehicles destined for export to 97 markets across the world.

The Qashqai is the fourth best-selling model in the C-segment, which includes cars like the VW Golf, Renault Megane and Ford Focus, across Europe in the 2010 Fiscal Year. Its top five markets were the UK, Italy, Germany, Spain and France.

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Opel Increases Market Share in Europe, GM Still not Happy

Opel has increased its share in Europe this year, with sales rising 6% up to May, giving the brand a market share of 7.4%, compared to 7% in 2010. So mother company GM must be satisfied, right?

Well, not entirely, according to Automotive News. And that’s because Opel’s cars are technologically advanced and due to high German working rates, are quite expensive to manufacture. However, they cannot be sold in prices similar to direct competitors such as Volkswagen because they lack their rivals’ image.

For example, in Germany an Astra brings back 15% less than a comparably equipped Golf –quite a margin, since the two cars compete in the same class and the profit for Opel is, understandably, much smaller.

The same goes for other models in its range even though they offer features such as corner headlights, usually found only on more expensive and premium cars. The problem is, as Thomas Stallkamp of Florida-based consulting firm Collaborative Management LLC puts it, that “they can’t price their cars like Audi or BMW” because the company lacks their cachet.

Still, Opel plans to raise prices of the brand-new Zafira –but it will keep selling the older model to attract buyers looking for a cheaper MPV.

The high cost of manufacture makes Opel, which is now recovering fast from its past woes (it lost $14.5 billion since 1999) and is on track to break even, or even make a profit, this year, difficult to be sold by GM. A possibility that GM execs say that is not on the table right now. Not only because the brand is profitable, but also because its models provide most of the engineering for GM’s small and midsize models of its other brands, such as Chevrolet’s Cruze and Malibu.

Maybe the solution to Opel’s “problem” lies in a partnership with another company, like the Chinese SAIC, which would boost efficiency according to Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas. Alternatively, Opel may have to accept the fact that arch-rival VW has cemented its status in their homeland and seek to increase its share in other countries like Italy, Spain and Eastern Europe.

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