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Possibility for a Chevrolet Cruze Coupe in the family?

December 31, 2010 at 11:04 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Chevrolet

Chevrolet’s new global C-segment vehicle the Cruze has been launched as a sedan and we recently saw GM file a patent for an Australian-designed 5-door hatchback version of the Cruze, but what about a Chevrolet Cruze 2-door coupe?

2-door coupes are still an important bodytype for the North American market – special 2-door coupe models of the Honda Civic, the Accord, the Toyota Camry are exclusively developed for the US for this reason. It’s no surprise that according to GM North America president Mark Reuss, a 2-door Cruze is “a nice idea” and it might just show up.

Above is Theophilus Chin‘s rendition of how a Chevrolet Cruze Coupe could look like. Imagine a sporty Cruze Coupe SS with the more sophisticated Euro version of the torsion beam powered by the 217 horsepower 350Nm 2.0 litre turbo from the Opel Insignia in the for hot coupe with a 6-speed manual transmission or even a warm version powered by the Opel Astra’s 178 horsepower 230Nm 1.6 Turbo Ecotec.
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The Rallye to Monte-Carlo: Tips and Tricks on How to Play!

December 30, 2010 at 11:35 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Malaysian Makes, Proton

Having a tough time navigating the wilderness? Ready to go full throttle to win a trip to Monaco? Read our tips on how to get a podium finish in The Rallye to Monte-Carlo:

  1. Play every day: This sounds like a no-brainer, but think about it; the more ground you cover each day, the faster you’ll reach the finish line, right?
  2. Answer all Challenges: Challenges are crucial to your progress in the game. Beat a mini-game or answer a quiz correctly and you’ll get your much-needed Fuel to keep on Revving. Remember, each Fuel tank takes you further.
  3. Finish your Fuel: You get 5 Fuel tanks each day, so make sure you use up all of your Fuel to stay ahead. If you skip playing for a day, you’ll get 5 Fuel tanks for that day, but that means you still need to catch up…

We hope that these simple tips on how to play will help you stay ahead in the rally. After all, there’s an awesome prize at stakes – a trip for two to Monte Carlo, Monaco for the rally! Got some advice of your own? Share your tips in the comments!

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Audi planning to ramp things up in a big way in 2011

December 30, 2010 at 6:53 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Audi, Cars, International News

You might hear some companies saying things aren’t all that rosy, but it certainly won’t be Audi. If anything, old four rings seems to be having a hard time containing itself. Besides the market introduction next year of its new A6 sedan and its first full hybrid, the Q5 Hybrid, there’s also the impending arrival of the new Q3 midsize SUV to look forward to in 2011 for Audi fans.

Away from that, the company is looking at serious expansion – starting from next year to 2015, it will be carrying out the biggest investment program in its history, pumping in 11.6 bil Euros primarily into new products and technologies, as well as five billion Euros into upgrading its Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm plants.

About 80% of all investment – more than 9.5 bil Euros – will go to developing new products and to electric and hybrid drive systems development. Audi is looking at deploying its R8 e-tron electric sports car into the market in late 2012, so that’s undoubtedly one area where the money will go into.

This expansion will also involve the workforce – next year, Audi says it intends to add another 1,200 skilled employees; these will be experts who will bolster the company’s electromobility and lightweight construction fields, as well as help map out its growth strategy. Serious intent, by the looks of it.

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Facelifted Kia pro_cee’d with “Tiger nose” leaked!

December 30, 2010 at 4:03 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Kia, Koreans

This is the Kia pro_cee’d refreshed with the Korean brand’s new corporate face. Out goes the traditional old look and in comes the “tiger nose” to blend in with the rest of the range. This updated three-door cee’d will make its official debut at next year’s Geneva show, according to the folks at Kia World.


This is the current Kia pro_cee’d before the face graft

Under the design leadership of Peter Schreyer, Kia has ditched its old boring designs for modern shapes with bold faces, and the result is well accepted models like the Forte. The five-door cee’d hatchback has already undergone a facelift last year, and the difference between that and this are the round fog lamps of the pro_cee’d opposed to square items on the cee’d.

There aren’t any rear shots leaked so far. More pics after the jump.
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GM files patent for 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback

December 30, 2010 at 2:55 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Chevrolet, International News

You’ve seen this before, the Chevrolet Cruze hatchback that was shown at the Paris Motor Show, and here’s the trademark filings from GM with the European patent office. These images confirm that the production model retains the concept’s shape and most of its design.

The front end features the same lower bumper design as the Cruze sedan with round fog lamps, instead of the straight line of LED driving lamps on the concept. The rear bumper design shown here is also more cluttered than the concept’s. The showcar had very distinctive head and tail lamps; we’re not sure if these will survive production.

This global car will wear a Chevrolet bowtie in most markets except a few. GM’s Aussie outpost Holden designed this car, and it will be sold Down Under with a Holden badge. Click here to see our live images from Paris. The rest of the patent filing images are after the jump.
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Peugeot 308 CC set for Malaysian debut next week

December 30, 2010 at 2:39 am By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Local News, Peugeot

Looks like Peugeot boys Nasim will have the honour of being the first to kick off new car launches in 2011 – the 308 CC is set to make its local debut on January 6, the first of three Pug models that will make their way here next year (the RCZ should be one). Folks in KL will be able to get to grips with the two-door convertible the day after the launch at a Nasim roadshow, which runs from January 7-9, in Bangsar Shopping Centre.

The car, which is indicatively priced at RM200,000, is powered by a THP 156 Prince 1.6 litre twin scroll turbo engine with direct injection. As found on the recently launched 5008 MPV, the block offers 156 hp and 240 Nm of torque, and it’s mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with Triptronic and a sport mode.

Features and kit includes a two-piece electrically retractable roof which folds up/down within 20 seconds, dynamic directional xenon headlamps, LED rear lights, 18-inch alloy wheels and a twin rear diffuser design. Safety-wise, there are six airbags, as well as the world’s first side head airbags which are housed in the seat and deployed laterally from the head restraint.

Inside, the 308 CC features a premium leather interior designed in the tradition of prestige cabriolets, a retractable high resolution 7-inch LCD screen, a JBL Hi-Fi system, dual zone air-conditioning and premium leather electric front seats with memory functionality for the driver’s seat.

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Transcript of interview with Team Lotus’ Heikki Kovalainen

December 29, 2010 at 11:19 pm By Harvinder Sidhu Filed Under Formula 1, Motorsports, Videos

This is the final transcript of a series of interviews which we conducted during our tour of Team Lotus’ factory in Norfolk. This transcript centers around an interview with the team’s Finnish driver Heikki Kovalainen.

HARVINDER: We understand that you have been with McLaren before this, so how does it feel getting into such a new team from the front of the pack all the way to the back?

HEIKKI KOVALAINEN: When I joined the Team Lotus, it was a decision that was needed. I felt that my previous team, it wasn’t working a 100%, I was not able to perform at the level that I thought I should have done, so I felt I needed a fresh start. Lotus at that point looked interesting to me, it looked like a big challenge but I felt that it was the right place to go and that was the reason why I decided to join the team.

I met Tony and Mike and I felt that it was a serious effort and since working with them this year, I’m more convinced that it’s the right place for me to be and we have a good future ahead of us. A lot of work have to be done but we were able to achieve the goals that we set for this season. It hasn’t bothered me too much being at the back of the grid as long as it doesn’t happen for too long time. I want to move up the grid and I know we can do that. Ultimately we want to get back to the front. It’s not going to be easy, but if we believe in it enough we can do it.

Continue reading to check out the rest of the transcript.
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Transcript of interview with Team Lotus’ Jarno Trulli

December 29, 2010 at 11:03 pm By Harvinder Sidhu Filed Under Formula 1, Motorsports, Videos

As promised, here is the transcript of the interview we had with Team Lotus’ veteran driver, Jarno Trulli. You can even catch him admit that 2010 was his worst ever season in his Formula 1 career.

HARVINDER: You have been regarded as the unlucky one in Lotus Racing this year, with a lot of retirements mainly due to mechanical issues. What do you have to say about that?

JARNO TRULLI: I think I gained the medal of the most lucky driver of the season probably and only at the end of the season I went back to count how many failures I’ve ever had. And the numbers are quite impressive, I didn’t really count during the season as I was not really taking care of it but at the end of the season I counted like 15 failures out of 19 races, so it was impressive. It has been so far my worst season ever, all my life, all my career.

And it’s really down to bad luck because honestly, Heikki hasn’t had so many trouble, he was able to finish races, complete races in perfect form. But on my side it seems I have to get all the bad luck. I don’t mind because in a way I knew that 2010 will be a difficult season and I always took it as a transition season.

What really matters for me is 2011 especially because also Tony Fernandes has put together a very good package, like engine and gearbox that will make us looking very good for next year. I want to forget 2010 and move on to 2011 because it’s a season where we can really start fighting.

Continue reading to check out the rest of the transcript.
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Transcript of interview with Team Lotus’ Mike Gascoyne

December 29, 2010 at 8:06 pm By Harvinder Sidhu Filed Under Formula 1, Motorsports, Videos

Just about a week ago we released a full feature video that centers around interviews with key Team Lotus personnel including the drivers and Mike Gascoyne. We understand that the video was a little too long, hence we have come up with transcripts for all three interviews. This is the transcript of our interview with the team’s Chief Technical Officer, Mike Gascoyne. Transcripts of Jarno Trulli’s and Heikki Kovalainen’s interviews will be up shortly.

HARVINDER: What do you have to say about Lotus Racing’s first rookie year in Formula 1?

MIKE GASCOYNE: I think the first message is sort of job well done. Getting the entry so late coming into Formula 1, with only five months to set up a Formula 1 team from nothing, I think, is pretty unprecedented in modern Formula 1. And I think for all the new teams in Formula 1, you were never going to come in with such short notice and start racing and beating the established teams, it was impossible, so I think 2010 was about two things.

One, it was about being the best of the new teams because that is your direct comparison.
Same engine, same gearbox, you know, they’re you, you’re going to beat. I think we were very clear, we said that we were the best of the new teams, even from race one, even though we had so little time and we did that. We would finish tenth in the championship, be the most reliable, the best presented of the new teams and I think we ticked all the boxes. We were a little disappointed with reliability, the gearbox and hydraulics but that was something that was beyond our control, but apart from that, I think we ticked every box. But I think the most important thing about 2010 was not on track, it was off track.

It was about building the team up here because it was always difficult to race established teams in year one, but you’re only a new team for one year. You know, next year we’re an established Formula 1 team. We’ve got to go race those teams and score more points. So the other important thing about 2010 is building this team up and I think if you look at the announcements we made in terms of engines, partnering Renault, gearbox partner with Red Bull Technologies, the wind tunnel that we’re going to be developing on site, the people coming on board like Mark Smith as a technical director, I think they’re the important things for next year and beyond.

2010 was okay but it was a big step to come from nowhere to be the best of the new teams. To come from a new team to race with established teams, that’s an even bigger step and that’s what we got to do next year.

Continue reading to check out the rest of the transcript.
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Auto Guangzhou: The ladies wish you a Happy New Year!

December 29, 2010 at 4:37 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, China, International News

We hope you’ve enjoyed our exclusive Auto Guangzhou 2010 coverage so far, which included reports and galleries of world debuts such as the new Nissan Sunny, MG3 supermini, Hyundai Verna, Li Nian Everus S1 as well as curious creations such as the BMW 520Li, FAW’s “Cross Avanza” and Youngman’s garish rendition of a sporty Proton Persona, among others vehicles.

The huge and modern (their metro makes our urban rail transport feel last century) city of Guangzhou is also replica central for items like branded watches and handbags, and we also showed you some “replicas” of luxury items Porsche Cayenne and Audi Q5, made by Hawtai and GAC respectively.

In the midst of all these knock offs, don’t forget that China is where every luxury brand is raking in record sales; this is an increasingly sophisticated and discerning market flush with cash, and you’ll struggle to find the Hawtai and GAC Q5 in a sea of the real stuff in major cities. This is now the world’s largest auto market, and even a “small” Chinese show like Guangzhou is relevant to the world.

If you haven’t enjoyed the above, you will now. If you did, you should perhaps send us a New Year’s hamper because you’re gonna love what’s after the jump. We’ve gathered the lovely ladies of Auto Guangzhou 2010 into one big gallery, so go ahead and enjoy! Happy New Year from Canton!
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