New Skoda Citigo Pops Up: Volkswagen's Up! Gives Birth to Czech Offspring

Only two days after this year's edition of the Frankfurt Motor Show closed its gates to the public, Skoda came out with official details on its own interpretation of the Volkswagen Up! city car that will wear the Citigo nameplate.

The Czech automaker's smallest vehicle will go on sale in its home market before the end of this year, with the UK and other European countries following at the beginning of summer 2012.

Unlike its Wolfsburg sibling that will launch in a three-door body style, the Citigo will be offered in both three-door and five-door versions.

Even though lately the Volkswagen Group has tried to cover up the common platform and mechanical hardware shared amongst its brands with unique body shells, that's not the case with the Citigo.

The main styling differences with the VW Up! are limited to the Skoda's front end including the bumper, headlamps and grille designs, the alloy wheels plus the tail lamp graphics (not the shape) and the bumper.

The two cars share more or less the same dimensions, with the Citigo measuring just 3,563mm long, 1,641mm wide and 1,478mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,420mm.

The Czech automaker says the Citigo can accommodate four-passengers in comfort. Boot space is a respectable (for the car's size) 251 liters, which can be extended to 951 liters by folding down the rear seats.

There are no photos of the interior yet, but we suspect that there won’t any be significant / noteworthy styling changes over the VW Up!. Like its German sibling, the Citigo will be offered with an available portable navigation system featuring a 5-inch screen, which will also provide hands-free calling with built-in Bluetooth and onboard infotainment.

The Skoda model will launch with two new, three-cylinder 1.0-litre petrol engines delivering 60HP (44kW) and 75HP (55kW) in both standard and Green Tec flavors.

The standard versions return 62.8mpg UK (52.3mpg US or 4.5lt/100km) and 105g CO2/km for the 60HP engine, and 60.1mpg UK (50.0mpg US or 4.7lt/100km) and 108g CO2/km with the 75PS unit.

The Green Tec derivatives are rated at 67.3mpg UK (56.0mpg US or 4.2lt/100km) and 65.7mpg UK (54.7mpg US or 4.3lt/100km) respectively with emissions of 97g and 99g CO2/km respectively.

“The Citigo is one of the pillars of our growth strategy. It paves the way for tremendous opportunities in a new segment,” said ŠKODA Board Chairman, Winfried Vahland.

“The Citigo is literally a ‘Simply Clever’ car. Despite its small size, it offers ample interior space; it is agile while frugal. Put simply: it’s an attractive choice offering many clever ideas. The car offers all of ŠKODA's values in a compact package and fits perfectly with our aims," he added.

 

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Study Shows that New Porsche 911 Garnered the Most Web Buzz from the Frankfurt Motor Show

Now that the 2011 International Auto Show in Frankfurt has passed into history, analysts are crunching the numbers to see which carmakers and models sparked the crowd's interest the most.

UK-based Kantar Media Precis released the results of a study that looks into the number of online stories from websites, Tweets, blogs and other social media starting from two weeks before the first press day of the Frankfurt Motor Show on Aug. 30, 2011, until the end of the second press day on Sept. 14, 2011.

The study reveals that the most talked about model on the internet was the new Porsche 911 sports coupe, while next up was the Mercedes-Benz B Class small MPV, followed by the BMW i3 Concept hatch, the Audi Urban Concept studies and the Ford Evos Concept.

According to the findings of the study, Audi and Ford were the most popular brands among bloggers and YouTube users, with the Audi A2 Concept taking first place followed by the Ford Evos Concept.

The statistics show that from August 30 to September, a total of 19,549 online news stories and 5,666 social media posts talked about the 2011 IAA in one way or another, with 59 percent of those discussions taking place before the first press day on September 13.

For what it's worth, the most viewed 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show story on Carscoop in the same time period was the Ford Evos Concept followed closely by the new Porsche 911 and the Jaguar C-X16.

Story sources: Kantar Media Precis via Autonews

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New Porsche CEO Says a Hybrid Version of New 911 is Under Consideration

The all-new 911 only just made its world premiere at this month's Frankfurt Motor Show, yet Porsche is already mulling the addition of a hybrid version of its iconic sportscar.

During an interview with MotorTrend, Porsche CEO Matthias Muller said that the company is currently looking into the possibility of presenting a 911 hybrid model: “It is under discussion if this technology will be available at the 911.”

Yet all facts point to a hybrid 911 – perhaps not yet, but definitely in the future. After all, there are hybrid versions of both the Cayenne and the Panamera, while the upcoming 918 Spyder supercar will make use of this technology.

And if 911 fans are worried that a hybrid or plug-in hybrid version of their beloved rear-engined car may dilute its character, they need fear not.

If anything, they have reasons to be content. That’s because Porsche has already introduced such a version in the previous series, the 997. In case you missed out it’s the GT3-R Hybrid racecarr that participated in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring endurance race.

How will that benefit the road-going 911? Well, consider the fact that the two electric motors generate 100HP each, adding a total of 200HP to the GT3R’s already potent 470HP produced by the classic six-cylinder boxer engine.

Furthermore, racing is still the ideal proving ground for technologies that will later enter production. If a hybrid 911 does come up in a couple of years, and we beleive it will, Porsche’s boss is adamant that it won’t change the car’s character.

 

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Honda CEO Confirms New NSX and “Hot” 2012 Civic Type R

[2003 Honda HSC Concept pictured above]

Last April, we told you about Honda CEO Takanobu Ito's plans for a successor to the much-missed NSX supercar. Ito had then hinted that the “new NSX” would be more environmentally friendly, possibly using a hybrid powertrain like the Japanese firm's new small coupe, the CR-Z.

On the sidelines of this year's Frankfurt Motor Show, Ito-San reaffirmed the company's commitment to build an NSX successor.

“I spent part of my early career at Honda developing the NSX, and specifically the aluminium body," Ito told reporters from UK's Autocar. "I really enjoyed the experience and learned much, so my wish is that Honda engineers have the experience of developing a sportscar like the NSX in the future. Within Honda, our engineers are already looking at developing such a car,” he added.

Ito was not willing to give away any information other than that the new model would be quite different compared to the old NSX.

“The original NSX was about high power but also about good driving experience. Today power-to-weight is what we have to focus on. The NSX was known for its aluminium body, so when we develop our new sportcar we don’t want to copy Ferrari for power, but to also chase efficiency as well," Ito said.

This is the second coming of the NSX successor: in 2003, Honda displayed the HSC concept pictured here at the Tokyo Motor Show, hinting at a production model. Indeed the company was scheduling a 2010 launch, but the plan was cancelled by then-Honda CEO Takeo Fukui in the middle of the economic crisis.

The high-tech supercar isn’t the only performance model that Honda is developing at the moment. The 2012 Civic's chief engineer, Mitsuru Kariya said that a hot version is also under development.

It seems like Honda’s management changed its mind because it initially denied planning such a version as it didn’t fit in its new, “green” image.

“The performance version is already under discussion”, said Kariya. “We know the Type R was a big success, and we are looking for a car developed in that direction. Whether it will be called Type R is not certain though.”

It’s OK, Mr. Kariya, as long as you stay true to the hardcore character of the original. After all, a rose by any other name would still smell as sweet.

Story sources: Autocar

 

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U.S. Fiat Dealers Disappointed by New Decision to Delay Alfa Romeo's Return

American fans of the Alfa Romeo brand are not the only ones to be upset by the Fiat-Chrysler alliance's most recent decision to delaythe scheduled return of the Italian automaker to the States. So are the company’s newly launched Fiat dealerships that were expecting the brand to launch in late 2012.

While Fiat and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne never put it in ink, the company had told its 130 Fiat dealers in the USA that they would likely get Alfa Romeo cars as part of their franchise.

The Fiat-Chrysler alliance appointed a total of 130 Fiat dealers across the States, most of which already had a Chrysler store. The company gave dealers the permission to incorporate temporary showrooms in their existing Chrysler facilities, but required them to build separate and permanent stores by the end of 2012.

"Right now I'm pretty disappointed because I have a pretty big investment in Fiat," Carl Galeana, owner of Fiat of Lakeside in suburban Detroit, told Automotive News. "I built my store predicated on the fact there would be more than Fiat." Galeana added that the company had not told them about the new delay.

Another CEO of a Chrysler dealership with a Fiat store, who asked not to be named, told the news site: "This delay is not positive for dealers who have invested and committed to the Fiat franchise."

However, there are dealers who are not bothered by the absence of Alfa Romeo in their showrooms as they focus on the Fiat 500, 500C and the upcoming Abarth variants.

"Most of my customers are just happy with what we have," said Louis Perez, a salesperson at Fiat of Portland in Maine. "Fiat is a stand-alone vehicle anyway, and it works out well. We'll have an Abarth coming."

Alfa Romeo's revised plan calls for the arrival of the BMW 3-Series challenging Giulia in 2014, instead of 2012, while the company canceled plans to build a mid-size SUV in 2014.

A smaller crossover that was originally scheduled to enter the market in 2012 is now due in 2013, the same year that will (allegedly) see the introductions of the 4C mid-engine coupe and the MiTo subcompact.

In 2014, Alfa Romeo will present the two-seater Spider (originally planned for 2013) and the Giulietta compact hatchback, while the company's plan also includes a large rear-wheel drive sedan that shares its platform hardware with the next Maserati Quattroporte.

Story sources: Autonews [sub.req.]

 

 

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Renault to Resurrect Alpine Brand with a New Sports Car

Renault is planning to develop an all-new sports car, and one of the options examined by its management is looking to its past and, more specifically, a brand that has ceased to exist for close to two decades.

Speaking to journalists at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Renault product manager Beatrice Foucher said that the next-generation Megane and Laguna, due to be launched in 2013/14, will be based on a common C/D platform. And this platform will surely include a sports car.

“We need conventional cars as well as innovative cars”, Foucher told Autocar magazine. “It’s very early, but we will have at least one coupe in the line-up off the new platform.”

The new model will ditch the Laguna Coupe name, which has not been a success, and adopt a new one. Foucher revealed that work on the new platform begun last year and that RenaultSport is involved in its development from the beginning.

Her next revelation, however, was the most interesting: “We’re working on an Alpine. It’s a possibility and we’re looking at what an Alpine would be in a RenaultSport line-up.”

Alpine was founded in1955 by Jean Redele, who used a humble Renault 4CV to build small coupes with a glassfiber body and very stiff chassis. Its first model was the A106, a small coupe based on a 4CV. In the 1960s, Alpine started a closer cooperation with Renault taking part in motorsport events with considerable success.

Its greatest achievement was in the 1973, when an A110 driven by Jean-Claude and Michelle Petit won the Rally Monte Carlo, the first ever FIA World Rally Championship event. Alpine also won that year’s title beating rivals such as Porsche, Ford and Lancia.

Alpine continued through the 1980s following the same recipe of placing Renault powertrains in its own chassis and bodywork, but competition was getting stronger and its sales were dwindling. Production of the last Alpine, the A610, ceased at the end of 1994 and Renault, which owns the name, has let it lay dormant since.

Now it is about to make a comeback. Given its record of accomplishment and the RenaultSport division's experience in creating sport versions, expectations are quite high.

 

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Poland's Arrinera Supercar Ready for Production with the help of Lee Noble

British car designer Lee Noble is back with a vengeance. If you are a Carsccop regular, you’ll remember the Arrinera.

And if you’re wondering who Lee Noble is, you’ll be interested to learn that he has been designing and manufacturing cars for three decades, almost all of them hardcore machines focused on pure driving pleasure. The first of them, the Ultima, was used as the test mule for none other than the McLaren F1.

Although contributing to the genesis of the F1 is a nice thing to have on your CV, Lee Noble didn’t stop there: in 1999 he established Noble Automotive that produced a series of supercars the latest of which, the carbon fiber-chassis M600, is a Ferrari F430 rival powered by a twin-turbocharged V8 pushing out 650HP.

After leaving the company bearing his name he founded Fenix Automotive and is now a member of the board, as well as a shareholder for Arrinera Automotive S.A., a Polish-British joint venture that intends to rival established supercar manufacturers.

The first sample certainly looks convincing. It sports a dramatic body designed by Pavlo Burkatskyy that is full of creases and sharp angles and looks a bit like the offspring of a Lambo Aventador and a spacecraft. The cab-forward look and the upwards-opening doors reinforce the Lambo impression.

However, it is the rear end with the LED tail lamps, large diffuser and centrally mounted exhausts that draws most attention.

The Lee Noble-designed chassis is made of variable-section high-strength steel and, as the company claims, it is extremely light while at the same time offering exceptional deformation resistance. As an option, the car’s body, interior and floor can be made out of carbon/Kevlar composite materials.

The Arrinera is powered by a mid-mounted 6.2-liter V8 engine with an output of 650HP and 820 Nm (604.8 lb-ft). The Polish firm says it accelerates from standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.2 seconds and covers the quarter mile (0-400 m) in 11.0 seconds. It also reaches a top speed of 340 km/h (211.5 mph) and a lateral acceleration of 1.3 g in curves.

The sports car also features an all-around multilink suspension and 19-inch alloy wheels with 255/35 front and 335/30 rear tires. Breaking is taken care of 380 mm front and 350 mm rear discs, with 6- and 4-piston calipers respectively.

On board, the Arrinera's cabin is covered in leather and composite materials and boasts a comprehensive suite of standard features. It also gets four-point harnesses and roll bars positioned behind the seats for additional safety. A night vision camera that detects objects exceeding ambient temperature, like pedestrians or animals and displays a clear image in the center console screen is optional.

The completion of the prototype means that testing and preparation for the production version, that will be made in Poland, can begin, a process that is expected to take at least 12 months. Pricing for the Arrinera is expected to start at around ₤100,000 ($158,500).

Arrinera Automotive added that it soon plans to begin work on a second model. The Polish company said it will be a ₤70,000 ($111,000) roadster in either single or two-seat configurations, without any luggage space, weighing in at under 500kg and powered by an unspecified engine delivering from 200HP to 300HP.

 

 

Arrinera Specifications [Press Release]


• Extraordinarily almost-perfect traction throughout the speed range,
• Brake deceleration of 1,1-1,3 g (10,79-12,75 m/s²),
• Power/weight ratio of 1,1-2,9 kg/1HP,
• Acceleration 0 - 200 km/h below 10 seconds,
• Acceleration 0 - 300 km/h below 30 seconds,
• Acceleration to 100 km/h below 4 seconds,
• Braking from 300 to 0 km/h below 7 seconds,
• The 0-300-0 km/h test below 40 seconds,
• Cornering g-force over 1.3 g ,
• 1/4 mile time below 12 seconds,
• Centrally positioned engine

Dimensions and projected technical specifications

Length (mm): 4450
Width (mm): 2056
Height (mm): 1190
Wheel track front (mm): 1594
Wheel track rear (mm): 1744
Wheelbase (mm): 2695
Engine capacity (l): 6.2
Engine: V8
Power (HP): 650
Maximum torque (Nm): 820
Gearbox: Graziano
Weight (kg): 1300
Weight/power (kg/1 HP): 2.0
0-100 km/h: 3.2
0-200 km/h: 8.9
0-200-0 km (s): 14.3
200-0 km/h (m): 133
1/4 mile time (s): 11.0
Max. speed (km/h) : 340
G force in curves (g): 1.3

 

 

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