Whether it's from the latest motor show or the back doors of a carmaker near you, CarPoint Confidential features the good oil other sources either won't publish, don't care about or don't know. Heard an automotive rumour or new model tip? Then let us know at editor@carpoint.com.au
>> An Italian turbodiesel for VE?
Holden is making no secret about examining a diesel option for Commodore. The one sticking point, Holden insiders say, is the availability of suitable modern turbodiesel from within GM's 'network'.
"We don't have anything firm on the plate," a Holden spokesperson told CarPoint Confidential. "GM has both small and large capacity diesels available but the missing part of the equation has been in the middle… We’re looking all around the world," he said.
Development is reported progressing apace on new GM V6 and V8 turbodiesels in the USA. Aimed at the next generation of US-market pickups and SUVs, the engines are all-alloy OHC designs with a projected displacement (per cylinder) of around 560cc.
Simple maths will tell you that yields a V8 of approx 4.5-litre and V6 of 3.4. Sounds about right, eh? Maybe, but not so fast… The issue is not only when the engines might become available, but whether they will have the refinement to suit a passenger car.
We'd still like to bet that the GM powertrain engineers are aiming for Euro V compliance and best-practice refinement, but can Holden afford to take the punt?
So where else can the company look? Initial rumours had the VE running around with a five-cylinder 2.4-litre Fiat-sourced powerplant. That seems no longer to be a likely production solution -- not enough oomph in real or marketing terms.
There is another state-of-the-art turbodiesel Italian engine that could fit the bill nicely, however…
Enter turbodiesel specialist VM Motori. Founded in 1947, the company specialises in design and production of diesel engines for both automotive and industrial use (it also has a respected marine division).
Over the years, VM Motori -- which is based just north of Modena (the home of Ferrari) -- has supplied powerplants to Chrysler, Ford, Alfa Romeo, Rover, Land Rover and, wait for it, General Motors.
VM Motori’s latest automotive engine is a 3.0-litre 24-valve DOHC 60-degree V6 -- an ideal size and configuration for the VE platform. Dubbed the RA 630 DOHC, the common-rail engine is Euro V compliant and is available in a range of outputs. Top of the tree is a variable geometry turbo-equipped beauty that pumps out 184kW at 4000rpm and a stonking 500Nm at 1800rpm. Now, we're talking!
To quote the company's website: "Matching refinement with power with ultra low emissions, the 3.0L 24 v has to be the ultimate in diesel engines. This engine is particularly flexible in its design and can be tailored to meet each individual customer's requirements, be it for a low rev, high torque workhorse for a commercial vehicle or a refined, high-speed engine for a luxury car."
Dimensionally there seems little issue with getting the RA 630 to fit. The only sticking point may be weight. At 240kg it's no lightweight -- by way of comparison Mercedes-Benz's 72-degree 3.0 V6 weighs in at 215kg. Holden's 195kW Alloytec V6 is around 175kg and the current L98 6.0-litre V8 fitted to the Commodore is just 4kg more (179kg).
Hmmm... On second thoughts, nothing a decent suspension retune can't fix...
>> Holden's frontman promoted to China
Holden's National Manager Media Relations, Jason Laird, had a tough act to follow when former Holden spin doctor and UK-expatriate John Morrison was an automotive institution whose PR approach was more Johnnie Walker Black Label than Vic Bitter.
Jason has just completed arguably one of the most challenging PR assignments in Holden's history, the VE Commodore launch, exceeded in scope only by the dreadful factory closures and loss of product that faced John Morrison in the mid-1980s. His reward is a new position just announced on Friday, effective from January 1, 2007: Associate Director -- Corporate Executive Communications for GM Asia Pacific based in China. Laird, who grew up in Horsham, rural Victoria, where he also trained as a journalist, will move his young family to Shanghai. He joins fellow Australian and Shanghai resident Kevin Wale who was appointed President and Managing Director of the GM China Group in April 2005.
Another Australian and Holden loyalist with a foothold in the world's fastest growing automotive region has to be a good thing for the Australian industry.
Jason has played no small part in supporting CarPoint's comprehensive Holden coverage and we wish him all the best.
>> Honda's Accord Euro diesel postponed
In an exclusive CarPoint interview, Honda Australia has confirmed that the Accord Euro diesel as previewed to certain local journalists in UK spec throughout 2006 is being placed on hold. All-new second generation Honda diesel technology with record low levels of NOx emissions, a traditional diesel weakness, is due to break cover during 2007. There is a special 2.2-litre turbo four cylinder version for European markets and a new V6 version for the US market. Honda Australia has decided to wait for the new engine and look at its options as soon as it becomes available in a model suitable for the Australian market.
>> Ford Focus diesel closer to Australian launch
Ford is close to finalising the business case for a Ford Focus diesel for the Australian market. The main challenge was that the model is not available from South Africa where Australia's mainstream Focus range is sourced. The huge success of the German-sourced Focus XR5 Turbo prompted Ford Australia to examine whether it could repeat the success story by importing the Focus diesel direct from Germany. Although costs are higher, the outlook is promising according to our Ford sources. It's likely that a diesel Focus launch will be held over for the current model's first upgrade due in the first half of 2007 when a new five speed automatic transmission is also due to be announced.
>> What's in a name
Finding new names for local muscle cars is not getting any easier. Any enthusiast over the age of 40 was immediately reminded of the stillborn Force 7V coupe-liftback version of the Leyland P76 when FPV announced its new Force 6 and Force 8 models. FPV's F6 Tornado name was the brand of a little known British sports car of 1958-64 but at least it was Ford-powered. The F6 Typhoon shares its name with an Armstrong Siddeley coupe.
HSV lifted Senator from Opel's top-shelf model and ClubSport came from Porsche. The R8 badge is shared with a small Renault from the early 1960s. HSV's Grange was famously linked to Penfold's sublime Grange Hermitage red wine as dealers remember only too well after bottles of the precious elixir were left to cook inside the first cars in holding yards.
CarPoint has just been informed that the 307 badge and graphics on the back of the latest HSV E Series models raised eyebrows enough at the local Peugeot barracks to warrant a report to HQ in France. There was no reaction which is just as well when 307 is also an icon Holden number. It was the size in cubic inches of the first Chevrolet V8 engine offered as an option in a Holden in 1968.
>> New range of puns from VW
Our favourite website Sniff Petrol suggests Volkswagen should consider renaming models in its range to exploit its obvious talent for (lame) puns.
"With the introduction of a new Golf Match model Volkswagen isn't just attempting to add more value to its medium sized hatchback range; it's also attempting to regain some lost ground in the field of puns.
"VW used to have it all when it came to puns," notes car-based pun expert Dr Granary Spamp. "As well as the Golf Match there was of course the legendary Golf Caddy pick-up. Ha! What a pun. But then they threw it all away, leaving the field wide open for Nissan to move in with the Micra Wave and Micra Dot..."
Sources in Germany say VW is so keen to be seen as the industry leader in car punnery that it is already planning to follow the Golf Match with a series of other high value, weak humour models.
"The Match has already replaced SE models in the UK market," said one Wolfsburg insider. "Soon the Golf S will be replaced by the Golf Tee, the Golf Sport will become the Golf Cart and the Golf GT will become the Golf Trousers. All being well, we will complete our pun dominance when the Golf GTI is superceded by the new Pro-Am Celebrity Golf with Jimmy Tarbuck. So many puns, ja?"
Further evidence of VW's pun craziness can be seen in the name of the company's new coupe concept car, the scIROCco. Actually, that's not a pun, it's just bollocks."
>> Car ads under scruitiny
Seems automakers have no freedom of spruik when it comes to advertising on television. A few months ago Nissan's Tiida ads starring Kim Cattrall and her preference for all things 'big' were banned in New Zealand (more here), now America's Federal Communications Commission is on Dodge's case for its fluffy foul-mouthed 'Binky' character who claims the new Caliber "scares the $*#k out of me". (watch here)
The FCC is none-too-impressed with Volkswagen's graphic crash-centric advertisements (watch here) either, where the first reaction -- other than the deployment of the Jetta's airbag -- is an expletive from one of the occupants. Not to worry, says both Dodge and VW, as several Calibers and Jettas have been sold since their release and advertisement.
>> Agents of influence
Someone is interested in buying Jaguar! According to Autoweek, Mercedes-Benz's development chief Hans Multhaupt confirms the company recently bought a Jaguar XK to investigate the model's rigidity, its 'proper' hood and the car's general integrity.