Autoblog

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Opel Insignia.

After a few leaks and an assortment of GM-sponsored "spy shots," the Opel Insignia is here. Take note. Aimed to compete in Europe with the Ford Mondeo, Honda Accord, Mazda6 and Citroen C5, the Insignia is set to replace the aging Vectra and could come Stateside sporting a Saturn badge.

The sleeker, sexier Insignia takes a few cues from the GTC concept that helped to inspire the new sedan, with a taut fascia, muscular stance and deeply drawn side blades that extend from the front fenders to run parallel with the side sills. The old V-bar has been nixed in favor of a wider grille, complimented by a pair of intake ducts and the new Vauxhall logo. "Smart" headlights feature daytime running lamps standard and there will be an option for LED lighting on higher-spec models. The rear is sufficiently swoopy, with a tapered tail and smooth haunches, while the rear badge plays double duty as adornment and trunk release button.

The Insignia is 21 cm longer and five cm wider than the Vectra it replaces, and legroom shouldn't be an issue since the Insignia gets an additional 35 mm tacked onto its wheelbase. Three models will be available, including the standard saloon (above), a hatchback and a wagon.

Power is provided by a choice of three diesels or four gasoline-powered engines, with the former producing anywhere between 110 hp to 160 hp, and the latter putting out 115 hp from the standard four-cylinder or 260 hp from the range-topping V6. Power is channeled to either the front or all four wheels through a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic. A VXR model is likely to be revealed sometime next year.

The Opel Insignia will be available for a meet and greet at the London Motor Show this July and will hit showrooms in the UK this October.

Make the jump for Opel's press release.

Ding, ding... Round Three!

When the city of London decided in November 2006 to tax gas-guzzling, emission-spewing vehicles (aka sports cars), we knew someone would put up a fight. It didn't take long before Porsche, the enthusiast-oriented German automaker, stepped into the ring. Round One started last month, after London's Mayor Ken Livingstone decreed that a $50 daily tax shall be levied against all environmentally unfriendly vehicles that drive through his city beginning this October. After Porsche formally requested the mayor reconsider his plan or else it would call for a judicial review of the proposal, the Mayor kicked off Round 2 by accusing Porsche of imposing unnecessary pollution on Londoners and then compared the brand's sports cars to garbage littered on the street.

After consulting with its ringside trainer, Porsche has chosen to involve a legal referee in this match and make a formal application for judicial review to challenge the matter. Once the papers are filed, Mayor Livingstone's corner will have 21 days to acknowledge the claim. Don't expect the Mayor's office to throw in the towel -- most expect this bout to go the distance.

[Source: Porsche]

It's the mayor of London in one corner and Porsche, the maker of thoroughbred sports cars, in the other.

In the green trunks, Mayor Ken Livingstone has decreed that a $50 daily tax shall be levied against all gas-guzzling, emission-spewing vehicles that drive through his city beginning in October. His logic says that it will fight global warming, and the money raised will help implement a Paris-style bicycle plan for the city. Re-election is around the corner, so this initiative is imperative to his tenure.

In the black trunks, Andy Goss, the Managing Director of Porsche Cars GB, rejects the tax as unjust. The automaker claims it is a disproportionate fee that will have a very limited effect on CO2 emissions. Its plan is to write Livingstone a letter requesting that he reconsider the proposal, and if nothing happens after 14 days, take the matter to the courts, which could throw out Livingstone's tax altogether.

And the winner is... neither side. Both are unable to deliver a knock out punch, so the winner will likely be chosen by decision.

[Source: Automotive News Europe]

The Fiat 500 is selling like hotcakes everywhere it's hit the market, but Fiat isn't about to sit back and let the product speak for itself. "Committed to making the country smile for the night", Fiat's British subsidiary is planning to debut the retro-mini in a capsule on the London Eye, the 443-foot Ferris wheel formerly known as the Millennium Wheel on the banks of the River Thames.

The 500, which has been winning award after award, will take flight on the wheel at precisely 500 hours into the New Year, on Monday, January 21, 2008 at 8 pm. The high-flying British premiere is one of several recent firsts for the 500 worldwide, having recently appeared in police guise in Amsterdam and been prepared for the track in Australia.

Follow the jump for the press release and an additional photo.

[Source: Fiat UK]

During an interview with BusinessCar, Hyundai UK's head Tony Whitehorn finally confirmed what's been rumored for going on a year: the automaker's new RWD coupe will replace the Tiburon. The coupe will take about 50- to 60-percent of the styling cues originally debuted on the Veloster concept and is set to make its world debut at the London Motor Show in July of 2008.

When the as-of-yet unnamed coupe goes on sale, expect power to be provided by the automaker's 260 HP 3.8-liter V6, with the possibility of a two-liter turbocharged mill finding its way underhood. Whitehorn goes on to eschew rumors of a V8 powerplant, as well as hybrid and diesel options. Doh!

[Source: BusinessCar via Motor Authority]

Stealing jewelry in suits and Bentleys? Sounds like something out of blockbuster fiction like The Thomas Crown Affair, but life appears to have imitated art imitating life in London, where thieves pulled an armed heist Hollywood style.

The BBC reports indicate that two men, posing as wealthy tourists, arrived at the west London jewelry store dressed to the proverbial nines, as if potential customers, before pulling out firearms and taking millions in pricey bling and escaping in a waiting Bentley Continental Flying Spur.

Scotland Yard are undoubtedly investigating the robbery, but no details have been released beyond the initial report. If you're thinking thieves with Bentleys wouldn't need to steal, the Bentley was reportedly rented. That can't be a common occurrence, even in London. (Are you listening, inspectors?)

[Source: Motor Authority]

An F1 team owned by a rapper? You've got to be kidding, right? Well, he might be, but Sean "Puffy" Combs is reportedly considering buying a team. If car manufacturers, retired drivers, clothing labels and even beverage companies can own F1 teams, why can't a recording artist? In the fast-changing world of Formula One, if you've got the green, you can have the team. And nobody's more about the Benjamins than Puffy.

The notoriously impulsive hip-hop icon made the announcement that he intended to buy an F1 team at a party in London celebrating the launch of his new cologne, where he was seen spending most of the night talking with Lewis Hamilton. We'd be seriously surprised if Diddy actually went through with it, but at the very least this looks like the premise for a movie only slightly better than Soul Plane.

Feel free to post your jokes and speculation in the comments section below...just keep it tasteful, biotch!

[Source: London Times via Jalopnik]

It is well known that the inimitable Jeremy Clarkson has a way with words. Especially when they're uncomplimentary. In fact, as a measure of how much his wit can hurt, when Clarkson actually does give a compliment, a carmaker might simply be happier about not getting roasted than about getting a good review.

The London Times has posted a dozen delicious lines from various Clarkson reviews for those who need a gleeful laugh to round out their Saturday. You don't even need to be told who wrote them, because who couldn't identify the scribe in question from the scent of just this one line: "If you were to buy a 6-series, I recommend you select reverse when leaving friends' houses so they don't see its backside." (BMW 645 Ci, #11).

One of the great things about Clarkson is that he doesn't spare any carmaker his thoughts on everything. The Ferrari 599 (#12) and Maserati Quattroporte (#1) take their lumps alongside Kia (#3) and Perodua (#5). One of our favorites: "I'm choosing the words for my conclusion with even more care than usual. So here goes. The 1-series is crap." (#2) As always with Clarkson, it's well worth more than just one read.

Thanks for the tip, Tom!

[Source: London Times]

In London, the black cab has instant recognition, cult appeal, a 25-foot turning circle, Euro IV emissions clearance, and drivers behind the wheel who don't earn their licenses until they've memorized the contents of a book simply called The Knowledge. Now, thanks to an unnamed buyer, the black cab also has a pink paint job.

LTI Vehicles produces London's trademark people mover, the current model being the TX4. LTI will make the cabs in any color, and this particular buyer decided to test that proposition, requesting a one-off version in candyfloss pink. The 4-man paint shop team mixed to order, and Mike McKenzie, one of the painters, called it "the most outlandish" cab they've done so far. The interior remains a muted black, so if you ever get a ride in it, only those on the outside will see how pretty you look in pink. The buyer paid a surcharge for the special color -- but the question is: would you?

[Source: LTI]

Shell Oil, those guys who are getting richer while we all get poorer at the gas pumps, are aiming to break the record for the most expensive advertisement, and the Super Bowl doesn't even factor into it. The fossil-fuels giant is a long-time sponsor of Scuderia Ferrari, and pours millions into the F1 team each year so that enthusiasts and consumers will associate its fuels – Shell V-Power high-performance gasoline, specifically – with Ferrari's racing success. But just to drive the point home even further, Shell is spending close to ₤2 million to produce a television commercial.

Wondering how you could possibly spend that kind of cash on a TV ad? No big name endorsements; that's already taken care of. No elaborate sets or costly special effects; you don't need that when you've got a 700-horsepower F1 car at your disposal. The commercial is anticipated to feature an F1 race car speeding around the corners and down the streets of New York, London and Sydney. And we'll bet it's not going to be at five in the morning, either. Closing down big city streets in the middle of the day costs big, and Shell is spending big.

[Source: GrandPrix.com]