Each week, our German correspondent slices and dices the latest rumblings, news, and quick-hit driving impressions from the other side of the pond. His byline may say Jens Meiners, but we simply call him . . . the Continental.
It might sound strange to an American audience, but GM's diesel competence is stronger than ever, as proven by two Opel Astras breaking 18 speed records last week. Over 3000 miles, the entirely stock vehicles—with the exception of safety harnesses, roll cages and racing seats—reached an average speed of 125 mph. One tire change was conducted on each car as a precaution and no oil was consumed by either car. So what does this mean for the U.S.?
The Astra sedan is sold on the U.S. market (slightly altered, of course) as the Buick Verano, while the 2.0-liter diesel engine used by the Opel record cars is available in detuned form in the Chevrolet Cruze 2.0TD. So this record-breaking know-how exists—in pieces, at least—on some U.S. product. Hopefully, the diesel will make inroads on the U.S. market again, but it's interesting to see GM spearheading the return of the oil-burner there some 35 years after the infamous Oldsmobile diesel engine burned a noisy, smelly, and lasting impression into the minds of American consumers.
GM is also leading the way for the mass-market application of high-tech front lighting solutions, at least in Europe. Opel is testing LED matrix lighting for its future series production cars. This technology is currently available only on luxury cars, notably Audi's A8 sedan. Volkswagen's SEAT subsidiary offers LED headlights on the compact Leon hatchback, it is a relatively simple, low-cost example of the tech. There is a tradition to Opel's advanced headlight systems: The third-generation Vectra, launched in 2002, was offered with high-tech bi-xenon headlights long before most other cars in its class.
One for the Money, Two Three Cylinders for the Show
As I've reported before, three-cylinder engines are coming to market with a vengeance. Ford has a 1.0-liter, three-cylinder turbo; VW offers a 1.0-liter naturally aspirated three; and BMW will soon offer a 1.5-liter three-banger in the next Mini Cooper, which will subsequently be put into BMW's upcoming front-wheel-drive models. Now Opel is following suit with a 1.0-liter turbo that produces a remarkable 113 horsepower and 122 lb-ft of torque. It will be offered in Opel's tiny, retro-styled Adam, where it will hook up to a six-speed manual gearbox. Opel says the engine provides the power level of a naturally aspirated 1.6-liter four, while serving up 30 percent more torque and 20 percent better mileage.
The all-aluminum engine is fitted with a balance shaft to quell vibration, and Opel says that "it boasts a four-cylinder-like soundtrack." That promise does not resonate—no pun intended—well with me; I think that most three-cylinder engines actually sound better and sportier than the average four-cylinder, which is often dull and somewhat buzzy. I'll wait and see what the car actually sounds like, but I certainly like the fact that another three is coming to market. Plus, in the small and light Adam, the engine could prove to be a lot of fun.
Scirocco's Running Late
Volkswagen is taking its time bringing the Scirocco's replacement to market. The German magazine Auto Bild reports that the Scirocco will receive only a mild facelift next spring, expected to include styling tweaks and emissions-optimized engines. But the all-new, MQB-based Scirocco won't be coming until 2017 and 2018. At least it will be a global vehicle, and I hear the (currently not-for-U.S.) compact shooting brake will in fact be sold in the U.S. once again. The current Scirocco is great fun to drive, but the experience is let down somewhat by its outdated styling that does not fit with VW's current corporate look. The same goes for the car's blocky dashboard, which is taken directly from the slow-selling Eos.
Italian and American Icons
I find it hard to believe that Fiat-Chrysler is spreading its Mopar brand to Europe (and beyond). Mopar is now the umbrella entity for the aftersales and parts businesses of several group brands, including Fiat, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, and Abarth. I am almost surprised that Ferrari and Maserati aren't included in this ahistorical move, given the manner in which Fiat-Chrysler has lumped together those other previously unconnected brands. Here's one way to dilute Italian elegance and American muscle in a single blow.
North American Fiat dealers are desperately waiting for new Alfa Romeo product beyond the low-volume 4C sports car, which will be sold through Maserati dealers anyway. Still, (lacking a VW takeover) Europe isn't especially blessed with new Alfa product, either. The once-proud lineup now consists only of the MiTo minicar and the compact Giulietta, the Dodge Dart's platform donor. Both models are slightly tweaked for the new model year; the MiTo, specifically, is now available with a throbbing 0.9-liter two-cylinder. This engine is woefully short on refinement and difficult to drive efficiently, and doesn't add much freshness to the five-year-old Mito. The promised ultra-powerful GTA version, sadly, never materialized.
- Comparison Test: 2014 Chevrolet Cruze 2.0TD vs. 2013 Volkswagen Jetta TDI
- Instrumented Test: 2013 Buick Verano Turbo Manual
- Instrumented Test: 2013 Volkswagen Scirocco R
The Giulietta, well into its third year of production, receives only a slight face lift. The refresh also includes tweaks to the infotainment system and one of the available diesel engines. For the different trim levels, Alfa Romeo loves to play with traditional nameplates like Veloce, Quadrifoglio Verde, and Lusso. It might be cynical, but hey, it's better than Mopar.
Meanwhile, the somewhat chubby but beautifully styled Alfa 159 is still offered in several European markets and can even be decked-out in Alfa Romeo's online configurator. You could almost be fooled into thinking that the 159′s production hadn't stopped two years ago . . . The brand really needs new metal.
from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com
Put the internet to work for you.
No comments:
Post a Comment