Opel and Chevrolet too close for Comfort?

Sibling rivalry: every family faces it, at one point or another. And what are automotive groups such as General Motors if not one, big (and bailout-happy) family? Platform and parts sharing is the name of the game in order to reduce costs and maximize profit margins. But what happens when two brands, like Opel and Chevrolet start to overlap each other?

Having introduced five new cars in the past 18 months and on the verge of launching a major TV, print and digital campaign this summer to celebrate its centennial anniversary, Chevrolet is trying to become more premium.
However, as it becomes more attractive, while also retaining its value for money position, it starts to tiptoe on Opel's shoes. And that, according to Opel’s CEO Nick Reilly, is a problem they need to work out.
Reilly suggests that, even though research shows only 1.5% of Opel buyers would consider a Chevy, Opel still needs to move more upmarket in order to differentiate itself
“Undoubtedly Chevrolet will move up the pecking order with the quality of new products that have been launched and which are planned for launch,” Reilly told British magazine Autocar. “Therefore it’s logical that we’d like to see the Opel/Vauxhall product range and company image move up accordingly to keep them separated.”
Wayne Brannon, President of Chevrolet Europe, thinks that what sets his brand apart is its American identity: "If you ask 100 Europeans what they know about Chevrolet, research shows that 85 of them think of 'Chevy' as a brand with American roots and values. No other volume brand in this marketplace can say that".
Reilly agrees stating, “Chevrolet is an American brand with its own reputation and a goal of always being priced below the mainstream. In contrast, Opel and Vauxhall are very European brands. Cars such as the Meriva and Ampera show that we can lead in areas of technology in a way that Chevrolet won’t”.
Right. Like Chevrolet would ever have the technology to develop and build something called the Volt, start selling it in the US and then let Opel rebadge it as the Ampera for Europe…

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Evatran Presents Wireless Charging Station for Electric Vehicles!!!

Plug-in hybrids seem to be all the rage these days, from Chevrolet’s Volt to Nissan’s Leaf and the soon to be launched in the U.S. market, Toyota Prius Plug-In. And there are many more vehicles capable of running on electric power to follow.

However, their owners must not forget to charge them, usually overnight, or they’ll wake up next morning and discover they’ve run out of electric juice. In addition, they need to know their way around with the charging cords –not an easy task as any computer geek knows very well.
Evatran says it has the perfect solution for this problem: it’s called Plugless Power and it is a wireless charging system for EVs that is very simple to use (according to the company, that is). Evatron claims it can easily be installed in your garage and requires no serious modifications to the car itself other than a 10-pound adapter bolted to the undercarriage.
Here’s how the Evatran wireless system works:

Plugless Power recognizes your EV as it approaches and provides parking guidance.

Once the car is over the parking pad, the system communicates with your EV based on the SAE J1772 protocol used in corded systems, and automatically starts charging.

The indicator panel communicates charging status.

When your car is fully charged, the system turns off. And if you need to leave before charging is complete, simply back up and charging stops.

You can still use your normal plug-in system when you are away from home.

Evatran is cooperating with automakers to make the Plugless Power system available as a dealer option on new EVs or as a retrofit to existing vehicles. Demo systems are already available to them for testing performance and functionality.
For new cars, the price of the system can be incorporated in the vehicle’s price or lease scheme. Moreover, Evatran promises that within 24 hours of ordering, you will be contacted to arrange an appointment for the installation.

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Video: New 2013 Chevrolet Malibu

We won't be seeing the new 2013 Chevrolet Malibu in U.S. showrooms until after next year's Super Bowl XLVI, but GM is already handing out early prototypes to journalists for a first encounter with the mid-size sedan.

This time, it's Motor Trend magazine editor Todd Lassa who was handed the keys to Chevrolet's newcomer. However, being that the example he drove and which you can see in the video after the hump, isn't a final production model but a showcar, there wasn't much to say about the Malibu's handling or other characteristics.
In North America, the 2013 Malibu will launch with GM's eAssist powertrain which combines a 2.4-liter Ecotec direct-injection four-cylinder gasoline engine linked to a six-speed auto, to a lithium-ion battery and an electric motor-generator that enable regenerative braking electric assist and start-stop functionality.
GM says the gasoline engine produces 180HP but it receives up to 15 more horsepower during heavier acceleration from the eAssist system.
In the summer of 2012, Chevrolet will add a new and more powerful 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine to the range. GM said it has not ruled out a V6 unit for the future.

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New Chevrolet Cruze Hatchback

Chevrolet found the perfect opportunity at the Donington race of the WTCC (World Touring Car Championship) to launch the hatchback version of the Cruze in Britain. While Yvan Muller was winning both rounds of the race in the Cruze WTCC, further advancing his lead on the championship, journalists were able to use the country roads around Donington to get their first taste of Chevy’s new hatchback.

Chevrolet's Craig Cheetham said: "The timing and location was perfect for us to launch the new Cruze hatchback. With our WTCC team in attendance providing hospitality for press, we were able to make use of the great facilities at Donington before allowing press the opportunity to test the new car on the local roads.”
The Chevrolet Cruze hatchback is offered with a diesel and two petrol engines. The petrol units are a 1.6 with 124HP and a 1.8 with 141HP, while the diesel is a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder which, with 163HP, is the most powerful model in the lineup. In early 2012, a 1.7-liter diesel will be added to the range. All engines are available with either a manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic transmission.
The new Cruze hatchback is available in three trim levels named LS, LT and LTZ. Even the entry-level Cruze features six airbags, Electronic Stability Control, Traction Control and ABS with EBD, with prices starting at £13,995.

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Ford Marketing Boss Tells GM to Stick it in Upcoming Book

We’re not used to automotive execs using foul language or trashing the competition when speaking out in the open and/or in public, so we were somewhat surprised with some of the comments allegedly made by Ford Motor Company Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Jim Farley.
According to Jalopnik, the Ford executive who joined the Detroit automaker in 2007 after nearly two decades at Toyota and Lexus, was quoted in a book as saying that he is “going to beat Chevrolet on the head with a bat” and that he hates GM.
And oh, Farely reportedly dropped the “F’ bomb on the General as well….
The quotes you’re about to read are said to have come from early copies of the book "Once Upon A Car” from New York Times reporter, Bill Vlasic. The book is scheduled for release to the public in October this year.

"What Jim Farley really wanted to do was kick the daylights out of General Motors. "I'm going to beat Chevrolet on the head with bat," he said with a slightly wicked smile. "And I'm going to enjoy it." There was a saying going around Ford: GM was like the kid who was born on third base and yells out, "Hey Ma, I hit a triple!" Farley and his fellow Ford executives and workers were ready to rumble."
...This was like the glory days again — Ford versus GM, let the better car company win. "We're going to beat on them, and it's going to be fun," said Farley. "F—- GM. I hate them and their company and what they stand for. And I hate the way they're succeeding."

Jalopnik came in touch with both GM and Ford to comment on the matter. Here’s what the PR people told them:
GM Spokesman Jay Cooney: "We would not have expected such crass words coming from Ford."
Ford Spokesman John Stoll: “We have not yet seen the book and are unable to comment on the specific quotes. This is a passionate, competitive industry, and we respect all of our competitors.”
So, if Farley did indeed speak these harsh words on Ford’s rival, what do you say?

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GM Confirms Chevrolet Cruze Diesel for the USA

We’d heard rumors that a diesel-powered version of the Chevrolet Cruze was being readied for the U.S., but now it’s official as General Motors announced today that the diesel variant will be added to the compact model’s North American lineup in calendar year 2013.
However, that’s about all we get from GM as the Detroit company stated that it will release further details on the car at a later date.
Currently, the most fuel efficient model in the Cruze range is the Eco model featuring a standard six-speed manual gearbox with an EPA-rated 42 mpg (equal to 5.6lt/100km) on the highway.
Chevrolet already offers the Cruze with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine in other regions including Europe and Australia.
The latest version of the 2.0-liter oil burner delivers 161HP (120kW / 163PS) at 3,800rpm and 360 Nm (265.5 lb-ft) of peak torque at 1,750 rpm.
It’s fuel economy on the combined European cycle (which can’t be directly compared to U.S. combined figures) is rated at 5.6 lt/100km [42mpg US] when equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox and at 6.7lt/100km [35.1mpg US] with the optional six-speed automatic.

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Chevrolet and OnStar to Monitor Volt Drivers’ Charging Habits

General Motors and OnStar announced a new program that will be applied to the Chevrolet Voltand which will use the car’s built-in telematics system to send data from the vehicle to the power grid.
This will enable the carmaker to track the charging habits of the vehicle’s drivers so as to better manage the car’s energy supply.
“In contrast to other OEMs who are only talking about smart grid technology, we’re moving beyond research and development projects to a program in the real world,” said Nick Pudar, OnStar vice president of planning and business development.
“Through this pilot we will see real-time results on how intelligent energy management can maximize EV charging efficiency and minimize the electric bill for EV drivers.”
The program will begin in third quarter of 2011 and initially will not be available to customers. Instead, it will include hundreds of Volts leased by General Electric to assess their drivers’ charging behavior.
This gives data in real-world situations providing GM and OnStar with valuable information for the optimization of the ATOMS (Advanced Operations Management System) utility that monitors the program.
Once available to the public, the program will be optional for Volt customers. Those who choose the service will be offered discounts or other incentives to encourage them to charge their hybrids when overall electricity demand is at its lowest levels.

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Chinese Buyers Prefer European over Local Brands

Car buyers’ preferences in China are shifting towards European models and away from domestic and even Japanese vehicles, according to a new study published today by JD Power Asia Pacific. This is the third year that the study takes place.

The latest edition included 65 brands and 161 separate models in nine segments and is based on responses from 4,979 potential buyers of new-vehicles located in 53 cities.

JD Power said it examined pre-purchase perceptions amongst Chinese consumers who intend to buy a new car in the next 12 months. The results show that the percentage of potential new car buyers considering a model by a European carmaker has increased substantially, from 25% in 2009 to 32% in 2001.

The reasons cited are positive perceptions of safety and engine and transmission technology, as well as strong recommendations from friends and family for European cars.

On the other hand, consideration for models by Japanese carmakers has followed the opposite direction, dropping from 32% in 2009 to 27% this year. New car buyers said that they don’t have the same confidence in quality, reliability and dealer service, nor do they receive positive feedback from family and friends.

Domestic carmakers are also facing a decrease in car buyers’ preferences, from 26% in 2009 to 20% in 2011. Poor quality, negative reviews and a lack of recommendation from family and friends are cited as the main reasons.

The study also showed that brand awareness and perception differs according to location and plays a major role in considering a new model.

“Brand awareness does depend on location; for example, in the South region, Japanese brands have particularly high brand influence due to their long tenure there,” said Dr. Mei Songlin, general manager of research at J.D. Power Asia Pacific, Shanghai.

Models with the highest levels of consideration in each segment:

• Compact segment: BYD F0 and Chery QQ3
• Premium compact segment: Chevrolet Sail
• Entry midsize segment: Volkswagen Polo
• Midsize segment: Chevrolet Cruze
• Lower premium midsize segment: BYD F6
• Upper premium midsize segment: Honda Accord
• Luxury segment: Audi A4L
• SUV segment: Volkswagen Tiguan
• MPV segment: Buick GL8

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