Vesti iz auto-industrije

[Geza]

De Tomaso majority probably to China after Rossignolo loses majority
http://www.autoedizione.com/2012/02/10/ ... -majority/

Recently the Rossignolo family admitted they’ve sold the majority in de Tomaso, presumably to some Chinese investors. An official press release stated “a group of automobile experts are the investors, and are absolutely convinced about the industrial plans set out.” They did not tell who came to the rescue, but it is believed a Chinese consortium is the financial investor and it could be a light at the end of the tunnel for the 1,000 Grugliasco workers. This should also confirm our release in December about the role China could have in de Tomaso’s affairs. Rossignolo’s situation became even more fragile when court issued an ultimatum that would end the 14th this month. They were unable to pay the Grugliasco factory rent. Rossignolo’s dream of bringing de Tomaso back to life has been on the verge of shattering for some time.

Some unknown Indian investors were also mentioned last year, but at the last moment they cancelled the deal. Gianmario Rossignolo, former CEO of Telecom Italia, Fiat/Lancia and SKF, forecasted three new models with the Deauville being their first saloon made out of an aluminium bodywork. Meanwhile unions and regional politicians are concerned about the fate of the almost 1,000 employees in Grugliasco. According to regional Fiom representative in Piedmont Federico Bellono, it was clear a new consortium coming up with a financial solution was inevitable.

Despite their industrial plans the only and big weakness of de Tomaso is the financial part, the necessary funds to start up a production have not been invested. Relaunching de Tomaso’s industrial plans are of vital importance regardless of who the owner is, Bellono added. Until new developments are published shortly, the future of the company and its workers remain uncertain.

[Geza]

2011 Was a Record Year for Ferrari

When there aren’t enough VW rolling off the line, you make a new plant or add a third shift. But that can’t be said when you’re talking about a Maranello marvel, because that can’t be rushed. But soon Ferrari will have to do something about production, because they are seeing demand skyrocket to unprecedented levels.

Last year, their revenue jumped 17.3% to €2.251 million, while deliveries increased by 9.5 percent to 7,195 Prancing Horses. Ferrari goes on to say that the personalisation catalogue made an extremely significant contribution with 100 per cent of all cars featuring bespoke options.

As Ferrari deals with luxury goods, it’s no surprise that they have a 14.1 percent ROS (Return on Sales). The bottom line showed a 3.2 percent increase in profit to €312.4 million.
We divided this by the numbers of cars they made and came up with roughly €43,000 profit per car. Although the actual road cars they sell aren’t the only source of profit, it’s interesting to think how much money luxury cars can each bring to an automaker.

“We can only be satisfied with these results,” declared Chairman Luca di Montezemolo. “They were achieved against an economic backdrop that remains challenging, particularly in Europe. They are the fruit of heavy investment and a culture of innovation that covers all areas of the business. Our international expansion continues and Ferrari today has a network covering 58 nations. We now have a complete range of models which will be joined in a few days time at the Geneva Show by a new 12-cylinder. A revolutionary new car that delivers extreme performance and unprecedented power output.”

[perfiko]

Znači li to da će u Ženevi predstaviti naslednika Enza?

[Geza]

Zamena za Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano će biti Ferrari 620 GT.

[perfiko]

Pa kako se onda u to uklapa:
"A revolutionary new car that delivers extreme performance and unprecedented power output."
Mislim šta bi to moglo biti revolucionarno, naročito ako ne obore neka od vremena na stazama, što će sa motorom napred teško ići?

[Geza]

Mislim da naslednik Enza neće skoro.
http://www.gtspirit.com/2012/02/04/ferr ... ri-620-gt/

[perfiko]

"In recent interviews, Ferrari CEO Amedeo Felisa has stated that an Enzo replacement will be presented by the end of 2012.
The replacement for the Ferrari Enzo will be constructed of carbon fiber and powered by a mid-mounted V12 engine. Ferrari is considering the use of hybrid technology on the next generation of their hyper car. According to Felisa, hybrid systems employed on Ferrari road cars “must focus on improving efficiency and not just be about performance”. The Enzo successor would be revealed by the end of 2012, although the car’s name is still to be decided."
izvor
Slobo, ovo stvarno radi!

[Geza]

At present, the R&D team is busy putting the finishing touches on the new 599. The next top-of-the-line GT retains the current front-engine layout and the familiar transaxle gearbox. The main detail change concerns the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic we know from the rest of the range. Lower, lighter, and tied down by ground-effects aerodynamics, the two-seater will be powered by a V-12 that is expected to develop 700 hp. The same engine is slated for the Enzo replacement, which may be badged F70 and is set to bow this fall. The normally aspirated engine is said to displace 7.3 liters, and the maximum output of the high-revving unit will be a whopping 800 hp. On top of that, there is a KERS package that includes a 120-hp electric motor for a grand total of 920 hp -- or for zero-emissions travel.

Since the weight target of the carbon-fiber supercar was clearly inspired by the Millechili (1000 kilogram, or 2200 pound) concept, the F70 should come close to the track-only FXX, which weighed 2550 pounds. The F70 could potentially be quicker off the mark and faster overall than the 1001-hp Bugatti Veyron. On a sadder note, it may be the swan song for the V-12, which in all probability will eventually be superseded by a twin-turbo V-8.

http://www.automobilemag.com/features/n ... index.html

[dragvorl]

I meni se pre cini da ce biti naslednik 599. To sto ga Luca hvali kao da ce leteti bez krila to je druga stvar.

[Geza]

BMW F20 M135i and 135i (xDrive) Confirmed via Accessories Catalog

Rumors about an M135i version have been circulating for months. Now there's official confirmation from BMW - not in the form of a press release but via a newly launched F20 accessories price list.

As you can see in the screenshots below, there's mention of the 135i, the 135i xDrive, and the M135i. The context is interesting too: The M Sport bumpers aren't available as aftermarket parts for the 135i and the 135i xDrive, likely because both models come standard with them. The M135i is mentioned with the drilled and slotted M Performance rotors we've reported about before (and which BMW just announced HERE). This likely means that the M Sport brakes are standard on the M135i.

The M135i is expected to be powered by the N55 inline 6 engine with an output of 320hp.

While the F20 M135i (like any other F20) won't make it to the US, this is interesting as there are other M Performance petrol models likely to hit US shores, namely a F30 M335i and -- as BMW insider SCOTT said recently -- the X1 xDrive M35i.

We expect BMW to pull the wraps off of the M135i soon, so stay tuned. For a preview, see some of the recent M135i spy photos:

[profesorPROST]

U Bugarskoj počela proizvodnja kineskih automobila

Bugarski premijer Bojko Borisov otvorio je danas u gradu Loveč fabriku automobila kineske kompanije "Grejt vol motors". U fabrici "Liteks motors", koja će u početku montirati tri vrste vozila, biće zaposleno 2.000 radnika.
Fabrika trenutno zapošljava 120 radnika, a Kinezi će do završetka prve faze izgradnje uložiti ukupno 32,5 miliona evra.

Bugarski ministar ekonomije, energetike i turizma Trajko Trajkov rekao je na svečanosti da je Bugarska za izgradnju puta do fabrike uložila 1,2 miliona evra.

Fabrika u Loveču je prva u kojoj kineska kompanija proizvodi automobile na području EU, a osim na bugarskom i tržištu EU, vozila će biti prodavana u Srbiji, Makedoniji, BiH, Albaniji i Turskoj.

Na otvaranju su predstavljena tri modela vozila koja će fabrika u Bugarskoj proizvoditi, a reč je o putničkom automobilu, džipu i pikapu.

Kompanija će tokom naredne godine pustiti još tri nova modela, a od 2014. godišnje će proizvoditi 50.000 vozila. Bugarska fabrika već je prodala 200 vozila.

Izvor: Blic
http://www.blic.rs/Vesti/Ekonomija/3082 ... automobila

[Geza]

BMW interested in Saab
WCF

Born from the ultimate driving machine?

BMW and Saab signed an engine purchasing agreement in late 2010, but now there's word the German automaker could be interested in buying out the Swedish company.

Saabs United is reporting multiple sources have confirmed the Munich-based automaker wants to buy Saab and continue to build new models.

Regardless if the rumors pan out, there are reportedly six or seven serious bidders that are interested in buying part or all of Saab. Parties reportedly include Youngman, Mahindra & Mahindra and Turkish private-equity firm Brightwell Holdings.

Interestingly, the administrators overseeing the bankruptcy have revealed that Saab might not be sold to the highest bidder. Instead, the company could go to the bidder whose proposal has the best benefits for creditors, employees and the region.

[Geza]

Peugeot in alliance talks with General Motors

(Reuters) - PSA Peugeot Citroen (PEUP.PA), Europe's No. 2 car maker, is in advanced alliance talks with U.S. peer General Motors (GM.N), French online newspaper LaTribune.fr reported on Tuesday, citing an unnamed source.

The discussions, which began several months ago and have yet to reach any agreement, go beyond specific production partnerships of the kind PSA already has with automakers including Ford (F.N), Toyota (7203.T) and BMW (BMWG.DE), the newspaper reported.

GM spokesman Jim Cain and PSA spokeswoman Caroline Mille both declined to comment on the report.

Any deal would have to be approved by the Peugeot family, which holds 30.9 percent of the French automaker's share capital and 48.3 percent of voting rights, the report said. If an agreement is reached, it could be announced at the Geneva motor show in early March, it added.

PSA and GM's European Opel division both face heavy restructuring to reverse losses that have been compounded by the region's slumping auto market, industrial overcapacity and cut-throat competition on prices.

PSA on February 15 announced a fresh round of cost cuts and put its profitable Gefco logistics business up for sale as it struggles to finance the overseas expansion it badly needs to reduce dependence on its stagnating home markets.

Chief Executive Philippe Varin said the same day that the French automaker may open its planned India factory to a new partner, after freezing the project in January to save cash.

PSA is also looking for a new partner to replace Fiat (FIA.MI) when the Italian car maker withdraws from their northern French commercial van joint venture in 2017, Varin said on January 27.

Among its existing production deals, PSA currently manufactures diesel engines with Ford, gasoline engines with BMW and small cars with Toyota, as well as sharing some vehicles with Mitsubishi Motors (7211.T). Talks on a deeper alliance with Mitsubishi foundered in 2010.

[methane.master]

Heh samo napred. Ko god se sa GM hvatao u kolo, lepo je prošao.

[Geza]

Ford se navukao na mali motor.

Ford 1.0 ‘to get 177bhp’

Ford’s extraordinary new 1.0-litre turbocharged engine could soon be available in high-performance Fords, with a power output as high as 177bhp.

The tiny three-cylinder engine is likely to feature twin sequential turbocharging to boost its output from an already impressive 123bhp to as much as 177bhp – an unprecedented figure for such a small engine.

“It’s a stretch, but possible,” said Gunnar Herrmann, the vehicle line director for the Focus, in which the three-cylinder 1.0-litre engine will shortly make its debut.

Ford is believed to have a functioning prototype of a high-output version of this engine already. It is thought to be using an electric supercharger in the role of the small turbocharger, which hands over power to another turbocharger from the 1.6-litre Ecoboost engine.

The 1.0-litre unit is tipped for use in a performance version of the Focus positioned some distance below the forthcoming 247bhp Focus ST.

Herrmann also confirmed that, by 2015, the 1.0-litre Ecoboost will have entirely replaced Fordís normally aspirated 1.6-litre, four-cylinder motors in most regions of the world.

In the UK, the 1.0-litre Ecoboost will supplant the non-turbo 1.6-litre this year.

“We know there might be some resistance from customers asked to go from a 1.6 to a 1.0,” said Herrmann, “but only until they drive it.”