Tag Archives: Compact Cars

Saab working on new concept car that will hint at future compact car

According to Saab’s Director of Global Operations Knut Simonsson, the Swedish automaker is working on a new concept car that will hint at a future small model for the brand.
“It’s going to be very important and will indicate what the Saab message is going to be,” Simonsson said.
The concept will make its debut within the [...]

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GM’s other plug-in hybrid vehicles won’t have ‘Volt’ badging

In what we think is a good decision, General Motors said that its other plug-in hybrid offerings will not have Volt branding on them to identify with the compact plug-in hybrid that will launch later next year. By contrast, Toyota is planning to make a family of hybrid vehicles that will carry the Prius badging.
“Our [...]

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2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Street Edition coming to U.S. in 2010

Volkswagen of America announced today that the Jetta TDI Cup “Street” Edition will hit North American dealerships in January 2010. Like the TDI Cup race car, the “Street” Edition is equipped with the optional TDI Cup Edition Kit, which includes a new front bumper, side skirts and rear valance that are found on the TDI Cup race [...]

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According to a report by the Business Standard, Tata Motors may let other local car assemblers build its Nano and sell it as their own brand. Vice Chairman Ravi Kant said that Tata is considering allowing assemblers to set up a micro-assembly sites across the country to produce about 10,000 Nanos a year.
“We call it [...]

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BMW planning entry level M model based on next 1-Series

After driving the BMW 135i, we always wondered if BMW would do an M version of the 1-Series. According to sources that spoke with AutoCar, BMW is looking at a new M model that would fit below the M3 based on the next-generation 1-Series.
“We’re conscious that our existing customers are gravitating towards larger and more [...]

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BMW to produce carbon fiber on a large scale for MegaCity vehicles

According to a BMW spokesman, the automaker has teamed up with carbon fiber specialist SGL Group to produce lightweight parts for its MegaCity electric vehicle from its Project i department.  The spokesman told AutoCar that two plants will be built in Germany and North America to produce carbon fiber parts on a “large scale” for [...]

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Ford Fiesta sales top 500,000 units one-year after launch

FoMoCo announced today that sales of its new Ford Fiesta have topped 500,000 units one-year after its launch. The new Ford Fiesta is now being prepared for launch in the United States and key Asia Pacific markets for next year.
Ford said that after a strong launch in Europe, the Fiesta hit the South Africa, Australia, New [...]

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Porsche working on entry-level 4-banger model

Yesterday we heard about what Porsche has planned for the next four years. One thing AutoCar conveniently left out was that Porsche is getting ready to roll out a new entry-level sports car that will share components from the upcoming compact Audi R4 sports car.
Known internally as the ‘356′, the mid-engined sports car will not [...]

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Report: Toyota planning Prius Coupe, MPV

Honda is ready to unleash its sporty CR-Z hatchback hybrid in the U.S. in 2010. In fact, it’ll be so sporty that it will be the first hybrid offered with a 6-speed manual transmission.
According to a report by AutoCar, Toyota is planning a Prius coupe that will go head-to-head with Honda’s CR-Z (can’t say that [...]

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Mitsubishi confirms compact crossover, releases sketch

Speaking to the press at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show, Mitsubishi executive John Koenig said that the company is working on a small new crossover that would be called the Outlander Sport in the United States. Mitsubishi today confirmed the all-new compact crossover and said that sales in Japan will begin in February 2010.
The compact [...]

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