Autoblog

click above for high-res gallery of next-gen Chevy Cobalt spy shots

Workers at GM's Lordstown, OH plant just got another shot of good news from the General: the next-gen compact car from Chevrolet will be built there. The Chevy Cruze will replace the Cobalt, which recently had a third shift added to its production, and will make its initial debut at the Paris Motor Show in October. Europeans will get the first shot at the new car with sales beginning in April of 2009. The U.S. won't get the car until the following year, as the Lordstown plant begins phasing out the Cobalt and ramping up production of the Cruze in June of 2010. Both cars will be built simultaneously for a short time, according to UAW Local 1714 President Dave Green, who represents the workers at the Lordstown assembly plant.

A look at recent spy shots has our interest piqued over the new small sedan. Styling looks to be worlds better than the just decent Cobalt and the promised forty miles per gallon sounds like just what the doctor ordered in the face of ever-increasing gas prices. Thanks for the tip, Tony!


[Source: WKBN News]

Back when Japanese automakers like Mitsubishi and Subaru were still making awkward little econo-boxes, the Lancia Delta Integrale was the king of the hill on the rally circuit, kicking up dirt and taking championships in resplendent Martini livery. So when the Italian automaker revealed the new Delta, nostalgic rally fans began twitching with excitement.

Although Lancia has yet to reveal any plans to make a high-performance version of the new Delta, one such rally fan has drawn up his impression of what form such a gravel-chomping beast could look like. For our part, we're hoping Lancia will take note and give us a new Integrale, complete with jumbo-turbo power and all-wheel-drive... however unlikely that may seem while sister company Abarth runs the IRC circuit with their pumped-up Super2000 Puntos. Until that day comes, European customers will have to make do with the current front-drive 200hp 1.8-liter turbo to satisfy their longing for the good old days.

[Source: autoblog.it via CarScoop]

Could premium small cars be the next hot segment? Things appear to be heating up with the MINI being joined by the Volvo C30 and word of another Swede stepping into the fray. Saab will unveil its Delta platform-based 9-1 at the 2008 London Motor Show and it will be available for purchase in late 2009. Nondefinitive descriptors provided by Saab assure us that the 9-1 will be dramatically styled with an iconic shape. There had been some attention paid to a high-roof small CUV idea, but Saab asserts the 9-1 will be sporty in that Saab way, though it will have the functionality younger buyers are looking for.

Rather than pile on to the CUV segment, Saab could cash in some retro love and still make a very Saaby and useful car that doesn't put on truck airs. The Saab 99 of the 1970s could provide some inspiration for the 9-1, resulting in a car that doesn't occupy a lot of space, but can swallow a refrigerator. Look to the 9-3X and 9X for hints about what the car might actually look like.

[Source: Autocar]

UPDATE: We've learned that the UAW contract disputes aren't likely to affect the introduction of the 2008 Malibu, since it will be built on the Epsilon I platform, which is still on track. The negotiations, however, may affect the debut of the next-generation Malibu and Aura, both of which will move to the Epsilon II platform.
Eps

The turnaround at General Motors is in full swing thanks to a bevy of new models on the horizon. One of those promising products is the new Chevy Malibu, which we're looking forward to reviewing as soon as possible. It turns out we may have to wait longer than expected to get behind the wheel of the new Epsilon 2-based Malibu. Apparently contract negotiations with the local UAW at GM's Lordstown, Ohio and Fairfax, Kansas plants have hit a snag. The Lordstown plant builds many of GM's Delta-based models, including the Chevy Cobalt and Pontiac G5, and is earmarked to build the next generation of Delta-based models, as well. The Fairfax plant, meanwhile, builds the current Malibu and Pontiac G6, but is being renovated to handle the new Malibu and Saturn Aura.

GM had asked for some big concessions from the local unions at both plants that included 10-hour shifts with no overtime and the ability to hire some non-union workers to do janitorial work, unload trucks and even do assembly in some cases. The local unions were very close to closing the deal with GM until the national UAW stepped in and stopped the talks.

The unions are reportedly seeking a guarantee that the next generation Delta and Epsilon 2 models will be built at these plants, which has come under question since GM has halted development of new assembly-line tooling for these vehicles. GM, on the other hand, claims to have halted the development of new tooling in response to these talks breaking down. Clearly there's some tit-for-tat going on here, and both sides hope things can be ironed out after UAW international reps meet with GM next week in Detroit.

[Source: Automotive News]

Typically we get production announcements from manufacturers one model at a time, if not one brand at a time, but the Fiat Group has released their full production schedule for the Lancia, Alfa Romeo and Fiat brands for the next few years.

We'll get right into the good stuff with the most exciting of the three (and the only one destined for a re-emergence in the North American market): Alfa Romeo. The long awaited 149 has been pushed back again to mid-2009, before which the 147 it replaces will get the Fiat Group's new 1.4-liter turbo next summer. While waiting for the 149, the Alfa Junior, a sports hatch slotting below it, will hit the roads in mid-2008. A special version of the Alfa Romeo GT called the "Veloce" will arrive next January, and a sportier Ti version of the gorgeous 159 will hit showrooms next February/March.

The Fiat Bravo, shots of which have been floating around the net, will arrive long before the Alfa 149 with which it shares its platform, arriving late next summer. Fiat's revival of the 500 is due for January '08. A new model called the Linea is due next fall, and the Grande Punto will get the 1.4-liter turbo early next summer.

Lastly, Lancia's new Delta, previewed by the HPE concept in Paris, is scheduled to hit the road early in 2008, a facelifted Musa in fall 2007, and a Sport version of the Ypsillon city-car next spring.

Unfortunately, Fiat didn't give us a production schedule for Ferrari and Maserati, so we'll have to wait for the news piece by piece.

[Source: Carscoop]

Our Latin friends over at Autoblog Spanish report that the Lancia Delta HPE concept car was one of the biggest disappointments of this year's Paris show. From the initial photos we received, we were looking forward to an exciting revival of the Lancia and Delta names, but unfortunately it was one of those "good from far, but far from good" situations as the concept car disappointed in the flesh.

One of the many brands owned by the Fiat group, Lancia has become something of a quirky marque. Its styling direction is controversial at best, and its current marketing strategy is peculiar. Many of Fiat's other brands have been experiencing a rebirth of late. Alfa Romeo is re-emerging with desirable Italian beauties worthy of the badge. The Grande Punto has put Fiat sales back on the map. Ferrari continues to sell as many cars as they can make at whatever price they ask. Even Maserati is on its way back to the top. Lancia, it seems is the last brand in the group deserving of a complete shake-up, top to bottom. But if the Delta HPE show car is to serve as an indication of Lancia's future, it may be a while.

With such competition cars as the Delta Integrale and the Stratos, Lancia was once a dominant force in rally racing – currently one of the most popular forms of motorsport, especially in terms of bridging from the track to the street. Mitsubishi and Subaru have been cashing in big on their rally images. Audi earned its stripes with its then-revolutionary Quattro all-wheel-drive cars. Even Suzuki has begun staking their claim. Lancia, in our humble opinion, ought to re-strategize and go back to its rally-winning roots and show the Japanese pretenders who's the real boss of the dirt road.

Follow the jump for more images of the Delta HPE concept from the show floor and Lancia's full Paris press release.

Lancia has orchestrated the return of the Delta name in the form of the new Lancia Delta HPE concept car, which is being unveiled at the Venice Film Festival. Inspiration for the car is said to be drawn from the Lancia Beta HPE, but this is a lot better looking than that car ever was.

The new Delta evolves Lancia's current styling trends into a look that is both modern and attractive (a combination that proved to be elusive in products like the Thesis sedan). While we do like the look overall, we would be remiss if we didn't point out that the side glass and taillights are extremely Murano-like. In fairness, that taillamp style is also found on the Thesis and the swanky little Ypsilon, so Lancia is being consistent.

While the automaker didn't release any interior photos, they do state that the car incorporates sliding and tilting second-row seating, Bose audio, dual-zone climate control, and Fiat's new Blue&Me system, which incorporates Bluetooth and a USB port to allow the driver to play his or her own digital music from a variety of mobile devices. The cabin itself should be a very pleasant place to be, as Lancia does interiors very well. They tend to err on the side of luxury, which benefits driver and passengers alike.

Lancia only states that the car is set up to accomodate a number of different gasoline and diesel engines, which can be mated to either a six-speed manual or an automatic transmission. Sounds to us like this concept's destined for showrooms in the not-so-distant future. If that's the case, we hope Lancia takes this thing racing, too. We're particularly interested in seeing it in full rally garb -- Martini Racing livery to be precise. After all, it's a Lancia Delta. These's a little history there.

(Rear view, press release after the jump)

[Source: Lancia]