Vauxhall Blog
Chevrolet Volt to be powered by engine at high speeds? Seems unlikely.Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Europe, Chevrolet, GM, Opel, Vauxhall, UK, Rumormill, Electric 
Opel Ampera - Click above for high-res image gallery
Whoa. Color us shocked and awed if this rumor from The Telegraph is accurate. According to the UK paper, General Motors is set to make some drastic changes to the Chevrolet Volt's European Opel Ampera twin. Specifically, the report suggests that the extended-range-electric-vehicle's powertrain is being redesigned so that the gasoline-fueled engine can and will power the wheels under certain high-speed conditions.
If true - and we're filing this firmly in the rumormill folder for now - this change would completely alter the entire ethos of the Volt idea. GM has gone to great pains to ensure that its green halo vehicle can be called an electric vehicle with a range extender, not a hybrid.
Semantics perhaps, but the distinction has been made clear and driven home by The General. Further, we know that the machine is well into its final development phases, and any changes of this magnitude this late in the game would be darn near impossible to implement in time.
The reason cited by The Telegraph for the recalibration is that Europeans require more power during high speed use. We find that explanation highly suspect as well, unless GM of Europe actually believes the Ampera will spend more time than normal on Autobahns in the far-left lane... which we doubt. Consider too that Europeans are known to embrace vehicles with much smaller and less powerful engines than Americans and the report continues failing to add up.
In any case, the report cites Andreas Voight, an Opel project engineer, who is quoted as saying that we can expect an announcement on the matter this autumn. We'll see, and we'll be pestering GM for a comment in the meantime.
[Source: The Telegraph]Chevrolet Volt to be powered by engine at high speeds? Seems unlikely. originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsGM formally withdraws all Opel-related loan requests, vows to finance aloneFiled under: Europe, Government/Legal, GM, Earnings/Financials, Opel, Vauxhall, UK  General Motors has just announced that it will no longer pursue government aid for its Opel and Vauxhall brands. The reason? Neither company's financial situation has exactly changed since The General first began asking for loans from the EU a few months back, but GM simply says it can't wait for certain governments to get their ducks in a row. Evidently, the application process has been much more drawn out than the company originally anticipated.
We're guessing that by "certain governments," General Motors actually means Germany. The country just voted against handing out any money to either Opel or Vauxhall because General Motors seems to be doing well enough to support its children. Whether true or not, GM says it will continue to pursue other financing options to help support the two European brands.
GM originally asked European governments for a total of $2.2 billion at current conversion rates, and to date, only the UK and Spain have responded around $405 million in aid each. Hop the jump for the full press release.
[Source: General Motors]Continue reading GM formally withdraws all Opel-related loan requests, vows to finance alone GM formally withdraws all Opel-related loan requests, vows to finance alone originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Jun 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsReport: Chevy Volt to debut in China early next year as a BuickFiled under: Hybrid, Sedan, China, Government/Legal, Buick, Chevrolet, Opel, Vauxhall, Electric 
Opel Ampera - Click above for high-res image gallery
Due to an old-school system used in China that requires automakers to file patents or risk having vehicles copied by others, we've learned that the Chevrolet Volt may very well debut in the world's largest automotive market as a Buick model and not one bearing the Chevy or Opel badge. When General Motors filed its patent for China, it submitted the Voltec-powered Opel Ampera and not the Chevy Volt, indicating that the version coming to China will definitely not bear a Golden Bowtie. So why not an Opel then? Well, Opel has virtually no name recognition in China, leaving the obvious choice of branding the Voltec-powered vehicle as a Buick, GM's best performing brand over there.
Perhaps it only makes sense that the Ampera will be sold under the Buick name in China as various other Opel products have been rebranded as Buicks once they've reached the Chinese mainland. The Opel Astra transformed into the Buick Excelle and the Insignia switched over to the Buick Regal in China. So what will the Opel Ampera become once it reaches China early next year? Will it simply be the Buick Ampera, or something else altogether? Should we start a naming contest on this one?
For what it's worth, assuming that there will be a Chinese Buick Volt, it will become the fifth Voltec model, joining the 2011 Chevy Volt, Opel/Vauxhall Ampera and Holden Ampera, all of which will initially be produced at GM's Detroit-Hamtramck plant in Michigan. Now we're just waiting for the Voltec-powered Daewoo model for the Korean market so that GM can call it a done deal.
Photos Sam Abuelsamid / Copyright (C)2009 Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: The Tycho]Report: Chevy Volt to debut in China early next year as a Buick originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Jun 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsVauxhall Calibra coupe successor mooted - could a Buick follow?Filed under: Coupe, Opel, Vauxhall, Rumormill  As CAR magazine tells it, Opel (and Vauxhall) Calibra might be in line for a successor based on the Opel Insignia, better known as the Buick Regal in North America. Said to be operating under the project name New Calibra for the moment, there is much to be acquired and decided before such a couple has any chance of becoming a reality, but Calibra fans should at least be heartened by the discussion.
One of the first decisions would be to figure out if the car is really a new Calibra or better thought of as an Insignia Coupe. The Insignia is more than 13 inches longer than the last Calibra (which ended production in 1997), and as a proper four-seater, a two-door Insignia would probably appeal to a very different crowd than the Calibra. The Insignia is already offered in sedan, liftback and wagon formats.
Then there's the matter of money: it's said that Opel/Vauxhall would need to sell 30,000 every year before making money on the cars. With fewer in-house avenues for platform sharing, General Motors' financial situation still requiring babysitting, and Opel probably about to be refused a loan from the German government, throwing another coupe into the mix might not be the go-to strategy. That said, leveraging the cost of such an endeavor while helping to augment Buick's increasingly youthful image with a Regal coupe might not be such a bad move, right?
[Source: CAR]Vauxhall Calibra coupe successor mooted - could a Buick follow? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 May 2010 11:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsVauxhall's Thoroughly Modern Motoring Manners aims to teach you how to driveFiled under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Vauxhall, UK 
The new Vauxhall Astra - or something or someone claiming to be the new Vauxhall Astra - has co-written a book on driving manners. The other co-writer is Debrett's, an English version of Miss Manners except that Debrett's has been dispensing etiquette advice for more than 200 years, long before Miss Manners' was even a zygote.
And that ancient lineage - at least, by American standards - could explain the quaint tone of Thoroughly Modern Motoring Manners, a 48-page work that would put a little more chivalry back on the roads. Advice includes "It's good manners to remove your hat in the car, just as you would when entering a building," and "A chivalrous man will ensure that his female passenger is comfortable before the journey begins. He should offer to take her coat, check that her seat is adjusted and be sure that the temperature is to her liking."
Well, then. Men of honor, you have your orders. To find out what you need to know regarding everything else mannered and motored, just £5.99 ($9.22 U.S.) placed with Debrett's or Amazon UK will get a volume shipped speedily to you. And you know all the Astra boys will be doing it, so don't be shy. More words of etiquette wisdom are available in the press release after the jump.
[Source: Vauxhall]Continue reading Vauxhall's Thoroughly Modern Motoring Manners aims to teach you how to drive Vauxhall's Thoroughly Modern Motoring Manners aims to teach you how to drive originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsWhite Out: Vauxhall VXR Arctic Edition revealedFiled under: Performance, Hatchback, Vauxhall, UK 
Vauxhall Astra VXR Arctic - Click above for high-res image gallery
Vauxhall wants to shed inventory of its old Astra bodystyle and it's using the go-to tactic of a limited special edition to do it. There will be just 500 VXR Arctic Editions will get your polar needles spinning, and the extras above and beyond the VXR trim includes a black roof, mirror housings, window tints and fascia pieces, heated leather Recaros and 19-inch alloys.
The 240-horsepower VXR Arctic starts at £23,595 ($36,019 U.S.), which is £720 ($1,099 U.S.) more than a basic VXR, but throws in another £1,245 ($1,900) in free goodies. If you still don't think you've spent enough, you can always add the panoramic roof for another £920 ($1,404). They're on sale now, and sure to be going... from 0-to-60 in 6.2 seconds...
[Source: Vauxhall via Parker's]White Out: Vauxhall VXR Arctic Edition revealed originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Apr 2010 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsSpy Shots: Opel Astra ST spotted braving the elementsFiled under: Spy Photos, Wagon, Opel, Vauxhall 
Opel/Vauxhall Astra SportsTourer spy shots - Click above for high-res image gallery
The Opel/Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer - otherwise known as a wagon or estate - is testing its cold weather chops with minimal camouflage.
Details on the little cargo carrier are slim, but snappers at CarPix tell us that the rear liftgate differs from that on the larger Insignia ST by being separated from the taillights. We are also told that the interior and engine options will be the same as on the five-door hatch, and a spicy GSi model is on the way to fill out the line. It's too bad no one from Buick will tell us in the States, "Yes, you can have it..." You can check it out from various angles in the gallery of high-res photos below.
[Source: CarPix]
Spy Shots: Opel Astra ST spotted braving the elements originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsSpotted in SoCal: Vauxhall VX220, a Lotus Elise in disguiseFiled under: Convertible, Performance, Vauxhall, UK 
Vauxhall VX220 in a La Jolla garage - Click above for high-res image gallery
If you spend any time hanging out in the same areas frequented by the affluent, you'll inevitably stumble across plenty of exotic motorized conveyances. Beverly Hills, Newport Beach and La Jolla, California are riddled with Bentleys, Porsches, Ferraris and Aston Martins. Since those vehicles are readily available for sale here, anyone with enough liquidity can wander in to a dealer and pick one up.
Every once in a while, though, you'll stumble across something genuinely unusual, that clearly took some effort to acquire. Such was the case the other day when we came across this diminutive silver speed demon in a La Jolla parking garage. Those familiar with the Lotus Elise and Tesla Roadster will recognize the lineage. However, this machine is far more sharply chiseled than its cousins.
This is the Vauxhall VX220, complete with the steering wheel on the right-hand side of the cockpit. During the first half of the 1990s last decade, Vauxhall and its continental counterpart, Opel, collaborated with Lotus to produce a rebodied and stretched version of the Elise powered by General Motors Ecotec four-cylinder engines. We have no idea how this car came to make its way to the Golden State, but if the owner (we're probably safe in assuming there is only one person in California with a VX220) reads this and cares to enlighten us, we're all ears.
Spotted in SoCal: Vauxhall VX220, a Lotus Elise in disguise originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 20 Feb 2010 13:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsOpel Vauxhall coming to Geneva with new conceptFiled under: Concept Cars, Budget, Hybrid, Minivan/Van, Geneva Motor Show, Opel, Vauxhall 
Opel/Vauxhall concept and cars for Geneva - Click above for high-res image gallery
Vauxhall will be trailering the new Meriva and the coming Ampera to next month's Geneva Motor Show, along with a concept that the company won't say a word about yet. A teaser image shows the car with an Opel logo, and it definitely isn't the Ampera unless they've dramatically reprofiled its front diffuser and dropped the mileage estimates.
Vauxhall reveals only that the secret car "embodies much of the company's future thinking in terms of design and engineering," and it's apparently being used to show that size and comfort can exist with environmental stewardship. We're going to guess some Volt/Ampera inner architecture, note the "Voltec" branding, under a larger sedan body. But we only have to wait three more weeks to find out.
You can read about the coming offerings in the press release after the jump, and check out high-res photos of the teaser and the new Meriva in the gallery below.
[Source: Vauxhall]Continue reading Opel Vauxhall coming to Geneva with new concept Opel Vauxhall coming to Geneva with new concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsOpel releases updated Corsa in EuropeFiled under: Budget, Europe, Hatchback, Opel, Vauxhall
Opel Corsa - Click above for high-res image gallery
Some new vehicle launches come as a surprise, while others are expected well in advance. After Fiat released the updated Punto Evo, it was only a matter of time until Opel did the same with its Corsa.
Why is that, you ask? Because the Corsa isn't just a competitor to the Punto: it shares the same platform. In fact the platform that underpins the Corsa can also be found in everything from the Alfa Romeo MiTo to the Peugeot Bipper, all courtesy of joint ventures among three major automakers across Europe. It was co-developed between General Motors and Fiat, and underpins some eight different vehicles sold as at Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Abarth, Citroën, Peugeot, Opel and Vauxhall dealerships. But even setting the others aside, the Corsa is Opel/Vauxhall's top seller, accounting for some 30 percent of its overall sales. A vital product, then.
For the latest Corsa, Opel has kept things simple. That is to say, simple on the outside. While the exterior remains virtually unchanged, a host of revisions have been carried out underneath the skin. For starters, the engine range - comprised of five gasoline fours from 1.0-liter up to a 1.6 turbo and three diesels - has been revised to deliver more power while consuming less fuel and emitting fewer carbon molecules. The suspension has also been recalibrated for increased ride comfort and the steering comprehensively re-tuned by the company's OPC performance division for greater precision. Full details can be found in the press release after the jump, with high-resolution images in the fresh gallery below.
[Source: Opel]Continue reading Opel releases updated Corsa in Europe Opel releases updated Corsa in Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 12 Feb 2010 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsVauxhall and Renault launch versatile new Movano/Master full-size van overseasFiled under: Minivan/Van, Work, Vauxhall, UK 
2010 Vauxhall Movano - Click above for high-res image gallery
Remember the old days before the minivan came along? Well, Brits sure do. Because while America may move around in trucks and pickups, over in the British Isles, the full-size van is the workhorse of choice for movers, plumbers, electricians, bank robbers and just about anyone who's got stuff to cart around and can't fit into a compact panel van like the Ford Transit Connect. Now Vauxhall has launched a new full-size van with which it hopes to claim a larger share of the market.
Called the Movano, the Vauxhall van was co-developed with sister company Opel and with French automaker Renault, which gets its own version on The Continent called the Master. Thanks to a wide choice of cabs, wheelbases, cargo lengths and roof heights, the big van can be ordered in no less than 29 bodystyles. Buyers can even choose between front- or rear-wheel drive and three different outputs (100, 125 or 150 horsepower) available from the 2.3-liter four-cylinder common-rail diesel. Now that's what we can versatility.
While the Movano/Master is currently restricted to overseas markets, we can't help but wonder - given the proliferation of the Mercedes-Benz/Dodge Sprinter since its launch on this side of the Atlantic - whether this van could make it in America. Currently neither of the parties (Opel/Vauxhall or Renault) are marketed in North America, but their sister companies do. Slap a Bowtie or the letters G-M-C on the grille - or a Nissan badge, for that matter - and Mercedes-Benz could end up sprinting the opposite direction.
Potential? Check out the details in the pair of press releases after the jump, have a look through the photos in the gallery below and share your thoughts in our comments section.
[Sources: Vauxhall, Renault]Continue reading Vauxhall and Renault launch versatile new Movano/Master full-size van overseas Vauxhall and Renault launch versatile new Movano/Master full-size van overseas originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsReport: General Motors working on diesel hybridsFiled under: Hybrid, GM, Opel, Vauxhall, Diesel 
If you want to maximize you fuel efficiency in the city, your best bet is probably a hybrid. On the flip side of the coin, if you do most of your driving on the open road, diesel engines tend to be much more economical than their gasoline-powered siblings. What if you could combine the two, though, and end up with the best of both worlds?
While it would hardly be the first automaker to embark down that path, Autocar is reporting that General Motors is working on a diesel hybrid powertrain that could see production in various Opel and Vauxhall models (such as the Astra and Insignia) sometime after 2012. Sounds good, right? Of course, there are problems to work out.
One thing that's holding all major automakers back from diesel hybrids are both development and production costs, which can be substantial since both diesels and hybrids already carry a premium over gasoline-burning engines. Maurizio Cisternino, GM of Europe's advanced technology chief engineer, has reportedly told the UK publication that the automaker is aiming for a premium of 1,000 euros (£880 or about $1,400 U.S. at current exchange rates) for the diesel hybrid over traditional hybrids, something that would be quite an achievement.
If the hybrid powertrain does come to fruition, expect it to be paired with GM's upcoming 1.6-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder, a special version of which is said to be prepared with computer controls that are compatible with The General's hybrid systems. It's also possible that a diesel engine will at some point be coupled to the automaker's Voltec powertrain as seen in the Chevrolet Volt and Opel Ampera.
[Source: Autocar]Report: General Motors working on diesel hybrids originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsREPORT: Opel/Vauxhall CEO plans five-year product offensiveFiled under: Europe, Opel, Vauxhall, UK 
Interim Opel CEO Nick Reilly has been overseeing the German firm for all of six weeks. And over that scant month and a half, he's conjured the way forward for Opel and Vauxhall and seems determined to leave nothing undone. Chatting with Auto Motor und Sport, Reilly intends to give Opel a little SUV on the Corsa platform, an Opel version of the Mini, a continuation of the Agila and an all-new electric car.
Opel would also be greater master of its own fate: Opel's tie with Suzuki will continue even with VW's recent move, but other Opels like the next Corsa would be developed in Germany. Such a vision, along with his already avowed hybrid push, would keep Opel exceedingly busy over the next five years. If his plans are achieved, it could put them in a very good spot come 2013. But there's a long way to go before all of that happens -- in the short-term GM first has to sort out the funds to keep the company running properly at all.
[Source: Autocar | Image: Thomas Lohnes/Getty]REPORT: Opel/Vauxhall CEO plans five-year product offensive originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsREPORT: Vauxhall team creates mathematical formula for perfect parkingFiled under: Etc., Europe, Technology, Vauxhall, UK 
Parallel parking isn't difficult, but we have generally found ways to make it so. Between cars that almost kinda park for you to those with video game displays that turn parking into a Microsoft Flight Simulator landing attempt to the automated cars that park themselves (a frickin' robot! To park!), getting a car into a space couldn't be more complex.
It is a university scientist and engineers at Vauxhall, though, that have proposed the most difficult parking solution we've encountered so far: a not-exactly-short equation. To make it work you'll need to know your car's turning radius, wheelbase, the distance from the center of your car's front wheel to the car's front bumper, and the width of the parked car you're trying to fit behind or in front of.
Drop those numbers into their proper places, let the slide rule dance, use the result to take a few pulls at the wheel, and voila! All you need to do now is leave your insurance information on the cars you just plowed into. If anyone can get this to work, successfully, please let us know. But we though everybody knew the answer to parking is "42." It's the question that's the hard part... Cap tip to Eralp
[Source: Daily Telegraph | Image credit: AtomicNebula via CC2.0]REPORT: Vauxhall team creates mathematical formula for perfect parking originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsGM Executive VP Nick Reilly named interim CEO at Opel/VauxhallFiled under: Europe, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, GM, Opel, Vauxhall 
It's been one heck of a week for Opel. After months of negotiations between Magna and its partners on the one hand and General Motors on the other, the American parent company opted to hold on to its European subsidiary. In the wake of the decision, Opel's chief executive Carl-Peter Forster jumped ship, leaving the company's future hanging in the balance as he looked to move on to greener pastures.
The General, eager to capitalize on its decision, has wasted no time in getting its European assets back online, and has already announced the appointment of an interim CEO to steer the company until a suitable full-time replacement can be found. But contrary to reports that suggested Bob Lutz could get the job, GM has named Nick Reilly to the post.
As executive VP of General Motors and president of its international operations, Reilly is no stranger to Opel and its British counterpart Vauxhall. The English-born exec has held a number of posts for GM in Europe, and presently operates out of Shanghai. While taking the reins at Opel/Vauxhall, Reilly will continue to oversee the auto giant's vast global operations, but will rely on his legion of regional managers to take more direct control. Follow the jump for the full press release, including Reilly's bio.
[Source: GM | Photo by PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP/Getty]Continue reading GM Executive VP Nick Reilly named interim CEO at Opel/Vauxhall GM Executive VP Nick Reilly named interim CEO at Opel/Vauxhall originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsREPORT: Lutz to step in as interim Opel chairmanFiled under: GM, Opel, Vauxhall 
Just hours before General Motors announced that it wasn't going to sell Opel, GM Europe head Carl-Peter Forster said publicly that Opel would be better off under the control of Magna. Talk about bad timing. Now that GM is keeping Opel, Forster is out as the head of the General's European operations. A couple of familiar names will step in, at least on an interim basis.
Bloomberg reports that GM Vice Chairman and head of Marketing and Communications Bob Lutz is taking over as interim chairman of the Opel supervisory board until a permanent leader can be chosen. The bombastic Lutz has suddenly found himself with increasing responsibility after semi-retiring back in April. Fellow GM exec Nick Reilly will lead the Opel and Vauxhall units until a replacement can be found.
GM CEO Fritz Henderson said in a statement that the hunt is on for a new Opel CEO and that no other management moves were imminent. Henderson went on to say that Opel improved under Forster, which is a real compliment when you consider that Forster replaced Fritz as head of GM Europe back in 2004. Word on the street is that GM could pick a German executive for the Opel post, due mostly to the fact that Germany wasn't very happy about GM's decision to scuttle the sale to Magna. Magna's plan called for fewer layoffs within Germany and more in other European countries.
[Source: Bloomberg]REPORT: Lutz to step in as interim Opel chairman originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsBREAKING: GM board recommends coughing up 55% Opel stake to Magna, SberbankFiled under: Europe, Government/Legal, GM, Earnings/Financials, Opel, Vauxhall 
Finally, after what seems like an eternity of protracted negotiations, bickering and stalling tactics, General Motors has agreed to sell a majority stake in its European operations to Magna International and its Russian financial partner Sberbank. Under the terms of the deal, 55% of Opel and Vauxhall will be owned by Magna/Sberbank; The General will hold on to a 35% stake and employees of the two companies will hold the final 10 percent.
Naturally, the European automakers will continue to offer the recently redesigned Astra and Insignia, and future technologies - such as the extended-range electric powertrain that will be used in the upcoming Ampera - will be shared between the U.S. and European companies.
According to Automotive News, there are still strings attached to the deal and the German government doesn't expect anything to be completely finalized until after the next set of elections scheduled to take place in Germany on September 27, so the saga is likely to continue. Click past the break for the official statement from GM.
[Sources: General Motors; Automotive News - sub. req'd]
Continue reading BREAKING: GM board recommends coughing up 55% Opel stake to Magna, Sberbank BREAKING: GM board recommends coughing up 55% Opel stake to Magna, Sberbank originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsOpel fate still up in the air as Russian involvement reportedly complicates Magna offerFiled under: Government/Legal, GM, Earnings/Financials, Opel, Vauxhall
Over on General Motors' Europe "Driving Conversations" blog, VP John Smith has posted an update on the company's negotiations to sell a majority stake in Opel and Vauxhall. Although no final decision has been made yet, it's looking increasingly likely that the previous tentative agreement with Magna International may be usurped by a bid from RHJ International. This, despite the fact that the German government has been favoring the Magna bid because of the suppliers commitment to preserving jobs at German factories.
However, most of the money for the Magna bid is coming from the Russian government and Russian bank Sberbank. The involvement of multiple parties from different countries is making things difficult because of concerns with transferring intellectual property. GM's move to a global development process over the past decade means that Opel shares in much of the technology for hybrids, fuel cells and electric vehicles that the automaker has developed. For obvious competitive reasons, GM wants to retain control of much of that institutional knowledge, and the Belgian holding company seems to be much more amenable to that idea. Smith promises more updates in the coming weeks.
[Source: General Motors]Opel fate still up in the air as Russian involvement reportedly complicates Magna offer originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 07 Aug 2009 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsVIDEO: Top Gear flogs the Vauxhall VXR8 Bathurst and HSV MalooFiled under: Sedan, Performance, Truck, Videos, GM, Holden, Vauxhall, Australia, UK, Specialty 
Let's just say that Richard Hammond rightfully digs the blown, delightfully obscene Vauxhall VXR8 Bathurst (above, bottom), which costs a not-insignificant £45,000 in Blighty. For that not-insignificant sum, he says, "you get almost limitless vulgarity." Trust us, he's paying it a compliment, based on the s**t-eating grin he wears throughout his stint behind the wheel. Then he drives the HSV Maloo R8 (above, top) - Holden's factory-tuned super-ute, which really is one of the coolest cars we'll never get here. As you'll see, it doesn't haul hay bales particularly well, but it can suck the windshield out of a new Audi S4. Finally, the Stig uses his right foot like a cattle prod with both cars in some split-screen action. It's all good.
After watching this clip, you'll probably want to send some thoughtfully-worded feedback to GM's "Tell Fritz" web thingamajig. You all know Fritz. He's that guy who spiked the return of the Holdens to the U.S. because he doesn't believe in rebadging. Yeah, we're beating a dead horse. We don't care. Watch the video and you won't either. Thanks to Bradley Wint for the heads-up.
[Source: YouTube]Continue reading VIDEO: Top Gear flogs the Vauxhall VXR8 Bathurst and HSV Maloo VIDEO: Top Gear flogs the Vauxhall VXR8 Bathurst and HSV Maloo originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 02 Aug 2009 23:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsVIDEO: Vauxhall trying to bring back roller skating? Groovy.Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Vauxhall, Lifestyle, UK, Event Alert 
Vauxhall is rolling out the retro cool by holding an invitation-only roller skating event in North London on July 29. As part of the festivities, the General Motors division has reportedly commissioned bespoke sets of Vauxhall Corsa roller boots (seriously), and the event will even feature a "pit-stop themed hair salone with free styling from a 'huge name' in celebrity hairdressing." The secret party doesn't look to have a name, but it's got the kind of vibe that doesn't need one: "'70s disco meets Knight Rider on roller skates." If only the Knight Rider show had thought of that, perhaps it would still be on the air.
You can check out the details at www.tiny.cc/vauxhallskate, and you can get into the groove with video of a young lady doing her thing wearing Vauxhall Corsa skates after the jump. Hat tip to Clarence.
[Source: Event magazine]Continue reading VIDEO: Vauxhall trying to bring back roller skating? Groovy. VIDEO: Vauxhall trying to bring back roller skating? Groovy. originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
|
Vauxhall blog
Cheap Rims |
