Car Throttle

When it comes to Saab,  SaabsUnited is the place to go for all the details. This latest scoop they've gotten is their best yet though. The new Saab 9-5 is a highly anticipated release for the brand. How could it be anything else?   The new 9-5 will replace an again, 15-year old flagship and it's the car that GM's CEO Fritz Henderson was reportedly afraid of bettering it's Opel platform mate the Insignia. Saab can't afford for the car to be anything but a hit. From these pictures, it looks like they're not going to let us down on that. WOW. What you're seeing is likely an official, leaked image of the new Saab 9-5. Doesn't look real? That's because it's probably a CGI image. Nearly all manufacturers use

With Canadian supplier Magna International striking a prelimary deal with General Motors to purchase the Opel brand, launches are still going forward as usual. One of Opel's most important cars if it ever is to be successful is the new Astra. In Europe, small-segment cars are much bigger then they ever have been historically in the United States and that puts an even higher imperative on producing a solid entry. The Astra has done very well in the past, but with stiff competition like the Golf, the new model has to deliver. That it does! What an impressive interior! The design and execution is a better than a lot of mid-size car interiors sold in the United States. I clearly see a lot of inspiration taken from the Insignia, which makes sense given that

More brand casualties could be in store if Fiat goes through with it's buying rampage.  Word is the company is attempting to purchase Opel, along with Chrysler, GM Latin America and Saab. Crazy! Talk about overreach.   I would say the prospect of Fiat purchasing Saab is higher this point than them purchasing Opel. Rumor is supplier Magna International is currently in the lead to purchase that brand. In all depends know what kind of strategic relationship GM and Fiat can strike. When all is said and done, the automotive landscape will look highly different than than before. Out ta GM's stable is Pontiac and brands leaving include Saab, Hummer, Saturn and at least a part of Opel. It would be unfortunate if Lancia got cut, I think there is a lot of

If you've been reading my posts, you know doubt know that i have a soft spot for: A) The Opel Insignia VXR, and B) Station Wagons. All of my hopes, prayers, and dreams (except one!) were fulfilled today with the official debut of the Insignia VXR/OPC Sports Tourer, which is marketing double-speak for "station wagon" - since apparently calling a spade a spade is just not done any more. The Sports Tourer is just like the regular OPC/VXR, only more useful and better looking.  Ok, I'm biased with the two-box shapes, but I think the proportions just make a lot more sense on the wagon.  It's up for debate, as the taillights are a bit strange looking, but in my eyes this is one seriously attractive

There are a lot of things you can say about GM.  They've been around for a long, long time and made a whole lot of cars. Like any big prominent brand, they've accumulated a set of sayings attached to their reputation.  One is "A GM car runs poorly longer than most cars run at all."  Everyone still driving an Oldsmobile Aurora can tell you that; I have a personal favorite, though.  "When GM does things wrong, they do them really wrong.  But when GM gets it right, GM gets it right big." There are a lot of examples of this.  For the first part of the statement, see: X-Body's like the Citation that blew up and fell apart at will.  The original Fiero.  Oldsmobile diesels.  Cadillac V-8-6-4. 

CarScoop is really on a roll these days.  Just yesterday they found uncovered spy shots of the upcoming Saab 9-5, and today they bring us completely undisguised shots of the Insignia OPC wagon. We've discussed the impressive technical side of the OPC/VXR here before, so there's little need to reiterate.  For those that missed it, power comes from a turbocharged 2.8L V6 with 325bhp, funnelled through the latest Haldex IV torque-vectoring AWD, and there are Brembos and Recaros and all the usual trappings of a luxury performance sedan. Did I say sedan?  I also meant wagon.  I personally think the OPC works better as a wagon; the proportions make a lot more sense and the shape overall is a lot prettier than the sedan.  I'm

So much for those teaser shots. Today, official pictures and details on the brand-new 2010 Astra were leaked onto the interwebs by automotive leakmasters CarScoop.  The Golf-sized GM competitor has been completely recast to bring it up to speed with other rivals, and features a range of brand-new engines to boot. The Astra, as mentioned previously, is based off the new Delta II architecture, shared with the Chevy Volt/Vauxhall Ampera/Chevy Cruze.  The styling seems highly reminiscent of the recently debuted Insignia, with a hint of Mazda3 thrown in for good measure.  I like it.  Power will come from a wide range of engines, of course.  Base motors will be a 1.4L naturally aspirated gasoline mill or a 1.3L turbodiesel.  Upgrades will come in the form

Whether they like it or not, GM is the position where it most likely has to sell the Saab brand for need of cash. I'm sure if they had their way, they'd let the brand just go bankrupt, especially considering yesterday's comments. The Saab buyer process is continuing, with a report claiming just 3 buyers (really 2) are left in the running to purchase the brand. Reports on how many bidders were interested of the brand have varied wildly. I've heard 20, I've heard a dozen, I've heard six. You never really do know for sure!  A German bank, Chinese automaker Geely and ever-present Fiat are the rumored final bidders. The Göteborgs Tidning, a Swedish newspaper, is the author of this latest report. I'm much more

Opel/Vauxhall's Golf/Focus competitor, the Astra, is due for a refresh. While the current Astra is a capable and competent if slightly dull car, it dates all the way back to 2004, which is practically ancient in compact car terms. The next-generation Astra promises to be more of a good thing, and is expected to officially debut at the 2009 Frankfurt show this fall.  For now, Opel is teasing us with a few not-too-revealing shots of the exterior to keep our interest in things. The new Astra will be based on the new Delta II architecture, which will underpin the Chevrolet Volt and it's continental twin, the Vauxhall Ampera - as well as the new Chevrolet Cruze, which is to replace the over-ripe Cobalt lineup. Power will come

Ambitious? You have no idea! Fiat, led by it's deft CEO Sergio Marchionne is pursuing many different partnerships and potential deals to increase Fiat's global standing. Is it just posturing to scare Chrysler's debtors to move towards a deal or is there something to it? The deal with Chrysler is far from done and the two are still engaged in talks over the alliance. While Fiat of course could survive by itself, the Chrysler deal gives them access to the critical U.S market. That is what Fiat really wants for the future. The Chrysler deal has and will continue to take the upmost importance over any deal with Opel. That's not to say Fiat couldn't be looking into both, although that would mark a dramatic expansion and