GM Insider Fuels Claims That Pontiac G8 May Return As Flagship Chevy Sedan

ADDING TO SPECULATION already sparked by GM’s new ‘creative’ products chief Bob Lutz, a source within General Motors told Automotive News that plans are afoot to bring the discontinued Pontiac G8 back to American showrooms - but as a high-priced, low-volume flagship sedan badged as a Chevrolet Caprice.

The insider also said that GM intends to proceed with importing the G8 from Australia to sell to American law enforcement agencies - a plan we first reported on back in April this year.

Should the Australian-built large sedan return to the USA, the benefits to Holden, and to its vehicle engineering and design arm, will be immense. The G8, despite the stalling US economy, performed well in the world’s largest and toughest car market.

Holden is remaining tight-lipped on any future export plans, but indications are strong that exports of the rebadged Commodore are about to resume.

However, while Bob Lutz and the unnamed inside source are bullish about the future of the Pontiac G8/Chevrolet Caprice, others within GM are a little more cautious. GM Spokesman Tom Wilkinson said that any talk of a Holden-sourced Caprice is “purely speculative”, and that new fleet emissions laws may restrict the usefulness of such a vehicle.

“As a leaner, faster-moving company, we will be looking at opportunities,” Mr Wilkinson said to Automotive News.

“But I think what [GM CEO] Fritz [Henderson] said at the press conference Friday is there are real issues with CAFE with rear-wheel drive.”

The Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards require all manufacturers with a presence in the USA to achieve an average fuel economy figure of 6.7 l/100km.

With the V8-powered G8/Caprice using 9.8 l/100km on a highway cycle and the V6 drinking 9.4 litres of fuel over the same distance, making the big sedan a volume-seller would put GM at the risk of having to pay penalties for breaching CAFE regulations.

VACC Study Finds One In Four Vehicles “Unsafe”

ACCORDING TO a survey undertaken by Victorian auto industry body, the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce (VACC), just under a quarter of cars on Victoria’s roads fail a basic safety test.

Based on data obtained from VACC-aligned automotive workshops, 24.81 percent of all cars tested this year have failed in one or more of five critical safety criteria.

VACC’s five-point safety test examines the condition of a car’s brakes, steering, lights, restraints and tyres. Given the critical role each component plays in vehicle safety, having just one faulty or failing component can make the vehicle unsafe.

Most failures were recorded due to unsafe tyres, with around 25 percent of cars tested showing inadequate tyre tread.

Lights were the next most frequent area of failure with 8.36 percent of tested cars having inadequate illumination. Brakes, steering and restraint failures were less common.

“These figures are concerning,” VACC Executive Director, David Purchase, said.

“VACC believes not enough focus is put on the importance of vehicle safety. We hear a lot about road safety, but not enough about vehicle safety.”

Mr Purchase urged motorists to pay more attention to the condition of their vehicles.

“With the winter weather set in and children back to school, now is the time to make sure the vehicle you are driving is safe,” Mr Purchase said.

“New or old, your vehicle must be safe. For people who believe they are saving money by not getting their car serviced, they should think again.

“A properly maintained vehicle can save money in the long run, as an efficient performing engine saves fuel and wear-and-tear.”

Jaguar May Bring Out Coupe Version Of New XJ: Report

JAGUAR’S DIRECTOR OF DESIGN Ian Callum has let slip that a design for a two-door version of the freshly-unveiled XJ sedan has already been penned, leading to speculation that a revival of the long-defunct XJC nameplate may be on the horizon.

Callum makes no mention of any solid production plans for a next-gen XJC, but the fact that the British automaker’s design department has already toyed with the idea shows that at least some within Jaguar’s staff are interested in the idea.

The last time Jaguar built an XJ coupe was 1978. Some may argue the XJS (which was built up until 1996) could be considered an XJ coupe - given its shared platform - however, with wildly different styling and proportions it was never exactly a close relation to the stately XJ sedan.

A modern interpretation of the XJC would likely retain the sedan’s styling and expansive glass roof, but possess sportier proportions and be designed to go head-to-head with the Mercedes-Benz CL.

It’s definitely highly speculative for now, but should the XJC be resuscitated for the next decade it’s bound to give the CL - and most other grand tourers - a run for its money.

2010 Lexus HS 250h Generating Strong Pre-orders In Japan

DESPITE STILL being some distance away from its showroom debut, the all-new Lexus HS 250h is generating a large order-book in its Japanese home market.

Around 1500 Japanese buyers have put themselves in the queue for the most frugal Lexus ever, and Lexus anticipates demand remaining high.

The HS 250h’s less luxurious cousin - the 2010 Toyota Prius - has already notched up 180,000 orders in Japan and demand for the hybrid is so high Toyota has ramped up production to accommodate it.

While the order books for the HS 250h aren’t likely to get anywhere near as thick as the Prius’, the current popularity of hybrid vehicles means showroom success is virtually guaranteed.

Japan won’t be the only market where the hybrid-only model will be popular either, with Lexus expecting around 25,000 HS 250h orders for the first 12 months of US sales.

Deliveries of the 2010 Lexus HS 250h begin in the USA towards the end of the third quarter of this year. Japanese sales commenced earlier this week.

An Australian release has not been officially announced, however Lexus Australia has registered its interest in bringing the model to our shores.

2011 Mercedes-Benz SLK Spied Testing At The Nurburgring

DUE TO REPLACE the current and ageing SLK in 2011, the next generation Mercedes-Benz SLK has been spotted testing in heavy camouflage at Germany’s famed Nurburgring.

The slab-like camouflage adorning every panel gives us little idea of what to expect from the next SLK’s styling, but a longer bonnet and a cab-back seating position stand out as clear changes to the SLK’s design.

The side mirrors of this prototype appear to protrude further from the body and on more slender stalks than those of the outgoing model.

While the headlights and tail-lights are visible, it’s likely that these are test units put together specifically for the camouflaged body, and not indicative of what we’ll see on the production model.

Power for the 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLK is expected to come from the company’s 2.2-litre BlueEfficiency four-cylinder twin-turbo diesel, developing 152kW and 500Nm of torque.

Petrol engines are also expected, with talk of a 3.5 litre twin-turbo V6 on the cards for a AMG version of the new SLK, developing over 350kW.

2010 Audi A5 Sportback Revealed

AUDI HAS whipped the covers off its low-roofed competitor to the Mercedes-Benz CLS today, revealing the brand new A5 Sportback in its entirety for the first time.

The third model in the A5 line-up, the A5 Sportback is also the most practical. There’s four doors, a long rear hatch, more generous interior dimensions and a decently-sized boot.

Its roofline is 34mm lower than the A4 sedan’s, but the Sportback’s low-slung aesthetics won’t harm its carrying ability - 480 litres of cargo space is available with the rear seats up, rising to 980 litres with the seats down.

With frameless doors, a high beltline and wide track, the A5 Sportback cuts an impressive figure.

The addition of two extra doors and a hatch hasn’t disturbed the A5’s svelte styling, and it even appears to be a better-proportioned car.

An S-Line package will also be available, and the extra splashes of chrome and subtle changes to the front bumper make the Sportback every bit as attractive as its two-doored stablemates.

Three petrol and three turbodiesel engines will be available in Europe from launch. For the petrol motors, a turbocharged 2.0 TFSI will come in 132kW and 155kW guises, while a naturally-aspirated 3.2 FSI V6 with 195kW will be the flagship motor.

The diesel line-up begins with a 2.0 TDI four-cylinder, which produces 125kW and consumes just 5.2l/100km on the European combined cycle thanks to a fuel-saving start-stop system.

A 2.7 TDI and 3.0 TDI complete the diesel A5 Sportback range, and generate 140kW and 176kW respectively.

A 1.8 TFSI model will launch in 2010, and become the entry-level model for the A5 range.

The 2.0 TDI and 2.7 TDI are front-wheel-drive only, while the rest of the A5 Sportback range use Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive drivetrain.

The 3.2 FSI and 3.0 TDI also come with a rear sport differential, which enhances traction and improves grip under acceleration.

The 2.0 TFSI, 2.0 TDI and 2.7 TDI are available with a six-speed manual transmission, while a CVT gearbox will appear as an option on these models as well.

A quick-shifting seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch gearbox is fitted to the quattro models as standard, and also feature a pair of steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

The A5 Sportback will enter European showrooms in September, priced from €33,650 (AU$59,200).

The Sportback will be coming to Australian Audi dealerships in the first quarter of 2010 with the 3.2 FSI V6 likely being the first model available, however precise specifications and local pricing will be revealed closer to the car’s Australian launch.

2009 KIA Soul CRDi Manual Road Test Review

IT WASN’T SO LONG AGO that the Kia badge was synonymous with cheap economy cars, built for value above all else; robust enough but bereft of thrills.

Economy cars are still its focus these days, but when the Korean company brought its funky new Soul to Australia in April of this year, it announced that it now had a new bent. Indeed, all of Kia’s pre-launch posturing - “every Soul is different” - suggested that the Soul wasn’t just a cheap n’ cheerful mini-wagon, but was targeted to aspirational buyers.

It’s certainly an intriguing vehicle. It’s got a style that’s unlike anything on this country’s roads, a list of accessories that’s clearly inspired by MINI’s legendary options catalogue and an interior that’s as functional as it is stylish.

We just had to try one on for size.

Styling

Our tester was an option-free Soul2 diesel manual, presented in an attractive off-white that Kia calls “Vanilla Shake”.

It’s a colour that flatters the blocky Soul, and it contrasts nicely with the car’s blacked-out glasshouse, headlights and tail lights. Those lamp clusters are without doubt distinctive: and there’s no mistaking the two-tiered front housings and the vertically-stacked rear lenses for those of any other car.

It’s an extraordinarily handsome shape - Kia’s done a brilliant job with the Soul’s sheetmetal.

The Soul’s two-box body is simple and fuss-free, but the chunky scalloping around the windows, wheelarches and rear hatch give the car a sense of ruggedness. And the pronounced character line that extends from the front fenders to the rear doors adds a nice sporty air.

In fact, there’s nary an unflattering angle to the Soul. It’s also a shape that should appeal to both genders, and in the week that we had the car it turned more heads than any other vehicle we’ve tested recently.

The black plastic faux nudgebar at the front also lends a rough-and-tumble flavour to the Soul and gives the impression of a bulldog’s underbite.

Suffice to say, the Soul boasts the visual presence of a much bigger 4WD wagon - except without the pricetag. Want a car that tells the world you’re both stylish and slightly adventurous? The Soul might be your bag.

Sixteen-inch alloy wheels are standard on the Soul2, as are a pair of roof rails and foglights, however Kia also provides a number of body options for buyers to ‘customise’ their own Soul.

There’s a set of add-on bumper lips, a rear spoiler that sits atop the hatch, headlight-defining “eyeliner”, 18-inch black rims, extra chrome accents and three different body decal designs. There’s 30 accessories all up and three option packs. The accessories range from the practical to the just plain extroverted, and Kia hopes that the uptake of the Soul’s optional extras will be big.

Us though? We thought it looked mighty fine in plain ‘ol stock form.

Interior

On the inside, the Soul’s cabin doesn’t quite match its exterior for visual drama, but the design is certainly unique.

The dash design is simple and uncluttered, but it also sports what appears to be the world’s largest cupholder above the centre stack. Kia has elected to colour the insides of the glovebox and centre cubby hole red, giving the two storage spaces the somewhat disconcerting appearance of being massive, gaping wounds when open. Strange.

But there the visual flair ends, for the rest of the interior is fairly conventional. It also feels a little low-rent too, with hard, easily-marked plastics used throughout the cabin.

The switchgear does feel solid though, particularly the controls for the heating and ventilation system. The radio buttons are large and easy to use, the steering wheel-mounted audio controls are convenient and there’s loads of storage spaces dotted around the cabin.

Thanks to its high-riding stance, there’s minimal centre tunnel intrusion into the rear floor. That means three people can comfortably sit on the rear bench without having to jostle for legroom and, with a centre three-point seatbelt, safety isn’t compromised either.

The seating position for the driver is fairly high, giving an impression that you’re driving a vehicle much larger than the Soul’s (relatively) compact dimensions.

You sit quite upright in the captain’s chair, and forward visibility is good. Buyers downsizing from full-size 4WDs should still feel at home in the Soul’s tall cabin.

The front seat cushions are a touch on the firm side, but still reasonably comfortable. The rear bench, on the other hand, is flat and unsupportive by comparison.

Entry and egress, on the other hand, is a cinch for both the front and back seats. The height of the seat cushions is perfect for those who prefer to simply slide onto (rather that drop into) a car seat, and the elderly and individuals with poor joints may find this to be of great assistance.

At 340 litres with the rear seatbacks up, luggage space isn’t especially huge. Drop them down and that figure rises to 800 litres, however the seatbacks don’t fold flush with the boot floor, thus making it difficult to accommodate long and flat items.

An underfloor organizer for smaller items is available as an option, as is a cargo net – two features that help keep your cargo in place while driving

Equipment and Features

In terms of mod-cons, the Soul isn’t quite at the pointy end of the high-tech spear. There is no cruise control or automatic climate control, no power seats and no rain-sensing wipers.

Still, that’s entirely forgivable considering the Soul’s keen pricing, but the lack of gizmos does seem at odds with the car’s futuristic styling.

What the Soul does get, though, is a stereo system that should please most casual music fans.

The six-speaker AM/FM CD tuner features both a USB and auxillary input for MP3 players, as well as iPod compatibility when used with an optional Apple-specific cable.

Sound reproduction is good, however bass notes lack punch. The Soul3 gets an upgraded audio system with a 315-watt amplifier, a centre-channel speaker and a boot-mounted subwoofer, however the Soul2 made do with the basic stereo.

Foglights are standard on the Soul2, as is electronic stability control and traction control (two things the base model Soul misses out on). A comprehensive suite of six airbags is also standard, and includes two front and two side airbags for the front seats along with two full-length curtain airbags.

Active headrests and pretensioning seatbelts are fitted to the front seats, while ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution and braking assist is standard equipment.

Mechanical Package

The Soul is fairly simple in its mechanical layout. Our tester came fitted with a 94kW 1.6 litre turbodiesel four which was mated to a five-speed manual gearbox, and both units gave good – if unexciting – performance.

Thanks to a variable-geometry turbocharger and common-rail diesel injection, the oil-burner proved to be a reasonably thrifty unit when driven sedately.

With 260Nm of torque available from a low 1900rpm, the CRDi’s motor is a grunty one and pulls the Soul along with ease.

However, getting on the gas doesn’t necessarily equal an increase in pace. The turbo runs out of puff fairly early in the piece, and there’s no point hanging onto a gear beyond 4000rpm. As a result, overtaking requires some planning – and patience.

The transmission is hooked up to the front wheels only, and although the Soul’s mini-SUV flavour might hint otherwise, an all-wheel-drive layout is not on offer.

The gear ratios are unique to the diesel, and reasonably well spaced to take advantage of the 1.6 litre engine’s torque. But while Kia says new double and triple-cone synchronizers smooth out gearchanges, we still found the shifter to be a touch notchy and more than a little reluctant to slot into the gate at times.

Disc brakes are fitted to all four wheels, with ventilated discs up front and solid discs at the rear. Braking performance was more than adequate, and the ABS system works well on wet tarmac.

With a kerb weight of 1254kg, the Kia is certainly a lot lighter than its chunky proportions suggest, and fuel economy is quoted as being 5.2l/100km on the combined cycle. The best we could record was 8.2l/100km, but that’s still a decent figure considering it was mostly driven through hilly terrain.

The Drive

So the engine runs out of breath a bit early and the gearbox doesn’t like being rushed, but how does the Soul handle urban tarmac?

Pretty well, as it turns out. It rides comfortably, absorbs bumps with aplomb and is easy to manoeuvre at low speeds. The electro-mechanical power steering dulls any feedback through the wheel, but the average Soul buyer probably won’t miss it anyway.

There is an abundance of roll through long corners and the Soul isn’t the sharpest handler around, though. Large potholes can unsettle the chassis and the front wheels can break traction in the wet with just an over-enthusiastic flex of the ankle, however the stability and traction control systems sort both problems out in short measure.

While forward visibility is good, keeping tabs on what’s hanging around the Soul’s hindquarters is a difficult exercise. The fat C-pillars don’t help rearward visibility, and the small-ish rear window can also make parking difficult. A set of reverse parking sensors would most assuredly help the Soul’s cause.

The Verdict

The Kia Soul2 blends an attractive body with a level of equipment that’s sure to keep the majority of its 20 to 30-something target demographic happy, but is the whole package more a case of form over function?

A little. The Soul’s distinctive shape does diminish the driver’s ability to look over their shoulder and keep an eye on their surroundings, but at the same time the interior packaging is both intelligent and spacious.

Five adults can fit in the Soul comfortably and there’s more than enough room in the back for a week’s groceries. Plus, finding a place to store your various knick-knacks won’t be a challenge given the amount of storage pockets the Kia provides.

It looks good, it turns heads (a remarkable feat for a Kia, it must be said) and with a retail price of $26,690 for the Soul2 CRDi manual (including a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty) it’s a pretty decent deal.

It’s let down by its dynamic performance and a lack of any meaningful grunt, but for new car buyers looking for a cheap, funky and practical vehicle, the Soul certainly fits the bill.

At the wheel, you feel pretty good about the world. And that’s a good thing in any car.

Likes

• Styling
• Spacious interior
• Plethora of storage options
• Good fuel economy
• Relaxed motor
• Commanding driving position

Dislikes

• Not enough power for overtaking
• Ride won’t challenge anything European or Japanese
• Rearward visibility is poor
• Interior materials feel cheap and are easily scratched