GM Gonna Bring Compact Opel Back To America

Think οf German autοmakers and you are likely tο conjure up names like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Vοlkswagen, Porsche and Audi. Thοse are the οnes we get on this side οf the Atlantic. In their home market, they are jοined, most nοtably, by Opel.

The reasοn we do nοt get that brand in the States is because it's General Motors' European divisiοn, and GM already has plenty οf brands operating in its οwn home market.

But that has not always been the case, and may nοt be fοr much longer, if the latest repοrts prοve accurate.

The German GM subsidiary marketed in the United States between 1958 alsο 1975. Since then, variοus Opel models have been sοld Stateside as Buicks, Saturns and even Cadillacs. But with Saturn lοng gone, and the Omega-based Catera replaced by the stand-alοne CTS, the οnly Opel product making it tο these shοres these days is the Buick Regal.

Recent repοrts suggested once again that GM cοuld be looking tο sell οff Opel, but a proposal repοrtedly being fielded within the GM hierarchy cοuld see Opel returning tο American shores. The idea wοuld be tο have GM fending off its impοrt rivals with an import οf its own, bringing a small hatchback tο the U.S. market wearing an Opel badge and a nameplate such as Juniοr οr Allegra.

Whether it wοuld be an all-new prοduct specifically targeted at American consumers or οne based on a current mοdel like the Corsa pictured abοve remains tο be seen, but sources indicate that, if the prοposal is taken up in Detrοit, we could be seeing Opels οn American rοads as early as 2013.

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GM Rumored to Debut New Plug-in Hybrid at 2012 Detroit Motor Show

At a recent event called “Charged 2011 – EV Symposium Silicon Valley”, General Motors’ western region group manager for environment and energy communications, Dave Barthmuss, told Brad Berman from Plugincars that the company may surprise us at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show with a new model, hinting at a plug-in hybrid crossover.
One of GM’s brands, Chevrolet, has already shown a similar concept with the Volt MPV5, so it is quite possible that the car we will see it the production version of the study.
The Volt MPV5 Concept uses a 152 PS (150 HP) electric motor that is charged by a 16 kWh lithium-ion battery, along with a 1.4-liter gasoline unit. The combustion engine’s purpose is to act purely as a generator, extending the hybrid’s range from a stingy 51.5 km (32 miles) on battery power alone to up to 482 km (300 miles).
GM claims that consumers cannot yet be satisfied with the range of a pure EV like the Nissan’s LEAF, hence the need for a range extender in the standard Volt. However, Barthmuss did not rule out the possibility of an EV in the near future, powered either by a modified version of the Volt’s powertrain without the range extender, or an entirely new system.
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2012 Buick Regal GS Officially Rated at 270HP

The official performance and fuel economy numbers on the 2012 Buick Regal GS are out. When GM revealed the Buick’s sports sedan in production trim at the Detroit Motor Show this past January, the company estimated that the Regal GS was good for 255HP and a 0-60mph time of less than 7 seconds.
Now GM announced that the Regal GS’ 2.0-liter direct-injected turbocharged four-cylinder engine has been SAE-certified to deliver 270 horsepower (201kW) and 295 lb.-ft. of torque (400Nm) fat 2,400 rpm or an estimated 0-60 mph performance of 6.7 seconds, or 0.9 seconds slower than the car’s European sibling, the Opel Insignia OPC that features a 325HP V6 and AWD.
Power in the North American model is channeled to the front-wheels only through a six-speed manual gearbox, with GM stating that the Regal GS gets an estimated fuel economy of 28 mpg (8.4 lt/100km) on the highway
“The Regal GS 2.0L turbo delivers the highest specific output of any production engine GM has ever offered, and at 135 hp per liter is the most power dense engine ever certified by SAE,” said Mike Anderson, Ecotec global chief engineer and program manager.
“We’ve been combining direct injection and variable valve timing with boosted engines since 2006, and there’s no question the Regal GS turbo has the responsiveness and acceleration of some V-6s, while delivering the fuel economy you’d expect of a four-cylinder,” Anderson added.
The new 2012 Regal GS will go on sale in the States this fall with prices to be announced closer to launch.

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Holden Engineers Fine-Tuning 2013 Chevy Malibu for Markets

The all-new 2013 Chevrolet Malibu has made its way to Australia landing in the hands of Holden’s engineering team, which was recruited by General Motors to assist in the calibration of the mid-size sedan for both the local and global markets outside of North America.
The Australian team is working on the Malibu at Holden’s Lang Lang Proving Ground in the State of Victoria while also evaluating the car on public roads. GM said Holden will continue development of Malibu until the end of 2012.
The 2013 Malibu is Chevrolet’s first truly global mid-size model as it will be offered in nearly 100 countries on six continents. In Australia, it will be badged as a Holden and it is due to launch at the end of 2012. Chevy’s new mid-size saloon will first go on sale in South Korea this fall, followed by China before the end of 2011 and the U.S. early next year.
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Vauxhall Insignia gains New 1.4-Liter Turbo Petrol

It’s model-year changeover over time for the Vauxhall Insignia with the British company announcing the addition of a low emissions ecoFLEX diesel model and a new-to-the-range 1.4 Turbo petrol engine.
Beginning with the petrol model, the 1.4-liter turbocharged unit, which is also offered in the Astra, delivers 140-horsepower and 200Nm of peak torque, while returning 51.4mpg UK (5.5 lt/100km) in the hatchback and saloon models and emitting 129g/km of CO2. In the UK, the Insignia 1.4 Turbo is priced from £18,680 for the ES Hatchback up to £27,110 for the SRi Nav Vx Line Red Sports Tourer.
For the new model year, GM’s Vauxhall unit updated the Euro 5 compliant 2.0 CDTi diesel engines in the Insignia ecoFLEX model. The four-cylinder unit is available with 130PS or 160PS power outputs, and for the first time, is offered with Start/Stop technology. The underbody aerodynamic measures and low rolling resistance tires help to improve fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
When equipped with the 130-horsepower version, the Insignia ecoFLEX achieves a top speed of 129mph (209 km/h), with 0-60mph (96 km/h) taking 10.4 seconds. The 160HP model records a 137mph (220 km/h) top speed and a 0-60mph sprint time of 8.9 seconds. Compared to the outgoing ecoFLEX diesel, CO2 emission have dropped by 10 percent, from 129g/CO2 to 115g/CO2.
Prices for the Insignia ecoFLEX diesel models start from £20,345 for the ES 2.0 CDTi 130PS Start/Stop Hatchback and go up to £29,385 for the top-of-the-range SRi Nav Vx Line Red Sports Tourer 160HP.

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GM Recall Chevrolet Cruze Models for 2011

After the initial 2,100 inspections triggered by a detached steering wheel, General Motors announced a new recall involving 154,112 units of the 2011 model year Cruze - pretty much all models built for North America since production started in summer 2010.
The reason for this action is related to a steering issue as well, with GM saying it wants to check that the steering shaft was properly installed. The company didn't say whether or not the two recalls are related, but added it will use the latest one action to check on another issue that might affect some 120,000 models with automatic transmission. In this case, GM wants to verify whether the transmission shift linkage was properly installed.
GM stressed in a statement that “very few” of the recalled models should have both problems and that it has already made quality process changes to make sure neither error occurs again. According to a GM spokesman, the steering shaft issue was discovered when a customer lost steering control in a parking lot, without being involved in any type of accident. As for the automatic transmission problem, the carmaker says it was discovered when customers brought in their cars under warranty.
The company added that no accidents or injuries related to the Cruze recall have been reported. Built in Lordstown, Ohio for the U.S. and Canadian markets, the compact sedan was GM's second best selling vehicle in April.

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