2012 León essential to SEAT's future

Seat will use its next-generation Leon to launch its first hybrid and electric cars from 2012 as part of its new 5 year plan, even though there are still no plans for the firm to enter into new market segments.

The Spanish manufacturer is currently testing a plug-in hybrid version of the Leon, known as Twin Drive, and this is expected to be part of the next Leon range that’s planned to arrive in late 2012.

An all-electric version of the Leon is also likely after Volkswagen announced plans to build an all-electric version of the Golf (the car on which the Leon is based) from 2013. The Golf blue-e-motion drivetrain is likely to come from the IBE concept from Geneva, although there are no plans to put the IBE itself into production.

The standard Leon range itself will be the first Seat to adopt many of the new design features of the IBE concept. Both 3 & 5dr hatchback variants will be offered, while an estate version is also likely given Seat’s desire to boost capacity at its Martorell plant.

Seat, along with Skoda, has already confirmed it will launch its own variant of VW’s Up! city-car. This is also penned in for a 2012 launch; the car is still at the design stage of its development. As with VW’s Up, Seat’s version will almost certainly be offered with an all-electric drivetrain.

The 5 year plan to turn around the fortunes of VW’s Spanish subsidiary is soon to be revealed by new CEO James Muir, who joined Seat from Mazda last September. Using the spare capacity of Martorell is key to these plans; Muir wants the plant to work at more than 90% of its capacity, up from the 60% of today.

However, these plans won’t include the firm entering new market segments. Seat’s plans to launch its Tribu compact SUV are “on ice”, according to one insider, with the firm not keen on entering a new sector due to the recession.

There are still no plans for a Seat sports car either. Such a model would allow Seat to better project its image as VW’s sporty subsidiary, but the low demand for a Seat sports car and the lack of popularity for the segment in its Spanish home market has made such a model in the future unlikely.

Electric cars need steel bodies

The next generation of electric cars will need specifically designed steel bodies to exploit their green potential, according to the world’s biggest steel makers.

A new research project, the Future Steel Vehicle (FSV), is testing redesigned structural parts in an electric car’s bodywork, including the sills, front crash structure, roof and battery carrier, to cut weight and save energy.


Engineers are also weighing up a variety of steels to balance their strength in an EV body against the energy used in its manufacture. This will reduce the whole-life energy costs of an EV.

Previous steel industry projects have advanced the design of lightweight steel car bodies, doors and suspensions.

Mazda working on new rotary engine for RX-8 heir

Mazda is working on a new rotary engine for the RX-7 descendant that can run on either petrol or diesel, and offer improved fuel economy compared to the recently terminated RX-8 coupe.

The two-stroke 16X engine is designed to correct the shortcomings of Mazda’s most recent rotary engine, including its high oil consumption and lack of torque in the mid-range. Sources in Japan say the new unit has achieved considerable improvements in fuel efficiency.

But the final go-ahead has not yet been received from Mazda’s top executives. Mazda is still working out how to attain the best mixture of performance, economy and emissions. In its current situation, the 16X is expected to give the RX-7 about 300bhp and enable it to reach 60mph in less than 5 seconds.

Mazda’s R&D department has invited several external drivers and racers to test RX-7 mules, and the design team has required feedback at customer clinics.

Much of the push towards another rotary-engined sports car comes from Mazda USA. A recent autonomous survey revealed that demand for an affordable rotary-powered sports car is still as strong as it’s ever been in the U.S. It’s been suggested that were it not for American demand for the car, the project would have been abandoned.

2011 Volkswagen Jetta spied nearly undisguised

The 2011 Volkswagen Jetta has been spied partially undisguised – hinting that the Jetta will be unveiled soon. The pre-production cars were caught undergoing final shake-down tests in Detroit, Michigan.

The newcomer is baring strong similarity at the New Compact Coupe (NCC) Concept, which was exposed at this year’s Detroit motorshow. Up front, the car's front bumper, headlights and bonnet contours follow the NCC closely, while at the back, the tail-lights are virtually unchanged from the NCC.

Despite the resemblance, the Jetta will remain conservative – blame this on the oh-so popular Toyota Corolla.

Volkswagen is also rumored to be working on a sportier Jetta variant, dubbed ‘Jetta R’. Whether VW will use the sedan bodyshell or a coupe remains unclear. Like the Golf R, the Jetta will make do with a 2.0T, producing 256bhp and 349Nm (258 ft-lb) of torque. European Jetta’s will be powered by a range of petrol engines and a pair of 1.6 TDi and 2.0 TDi diesels – the latter will be available Stateside.

Volkswagen has also confirmed it will offer two different suspension setups on the Jetta. Lower-end models would stick with the tried-and-tested torsion beam rear suspension, while higher end versions would get a multi-link setup like the new Golf's.

The 2011 Jetta will show-up in VW dealerships towards the end of Summer. If the Jetta R is part of the mix, expect it to be on sale by mid-2011. European sales will begin in early 2011.

    2010 Volkswagen New Compact Coupe (NCC) Concept:

Second generation Chevy Volt could get rotary engine

Chevrolet hasn’t even begun selling the 2011 Volt yet, but already GM is thinking about more efficient ways of making the next-generation model. Sources spoke to GM's new vice president of global vehicle engineering, Karl Stracke, who shared some insights into the new GM thought process.

According to Stracke, the Volt's current propulsion system is too expensive and has to be cut down if the car is to compete effectively with the Toyota Prius. Its battery pack costs $10,000 and GM is keen to halve that figure for the next-generation.


One answer is to use a rotary engine. Rotaries are known for producing more power per cubic centimetre than their cylindrical equivalents. A downside is their tendency to use relatively more fuel, but Stracke reckons that one rotor could be enough for his car's purposes.

A second option is the use of a 2 cylinder petrol engine. This engine could produce between 20PS - 24PS.

A third option is a diesel engine, but GM is cautious of the higher costs involved in its manufacturing, despite the possible long-run savings for the customer.

"The future of the automobile has never been as interesting as it is right now," said Stracke. "Big question is, what new propulsion system will come next?"

Lotus set to kill-off Europa

Lotus will be killing off the Europa sports coupe. According to reports, Lotus dealers in Europe have stopped selling the car, which could mean production of the Europa will end by autumn.


The Europa was introduced in 2006 and came with a 2.0 litre turbocharged 4 cylinder engine with 200bhp and 270Nm (200 lb-ft) of torque. The SE, was introduced in 2008 and featured 220bhp with the same amount of torque.

Reports claim that the Europa was a temporary measure for Lotus, which was meant to fill a gap in the marketplace before the introduction of the Evora, while keeping the Elise production line busy. Whatever the case, the Europa never became popular with the customers.

Mercedes appoints new MD (UK)

Mercedes UK has appointed Gary Savage as its new managing director - hardly a year after he left Audi to head up Citroen's UK operations. Savage replaces Dermot Kelly, who will retire at the end of June 2010.

Wilfried Steffen, president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz UK, commented; “Gary Savage has consistently delivered significant business results in all his previous roles and firmly established his professional reputation within our sector."


He added: "Dermot Kelly has played a major part in driving forward the Mercedes-Benz passenger car strategy, making Mercedes-Benz and Smart the successful brands they are today. I would like to wish Dermot well and at the same time welcome Gary to the company."