Watch This Space: High Performance Holden Cruze SS said to be in the Works

In Australia, the SS badge has a special meaning to Holden owners. Its most frequently associated with the Commodore large car and to a lesser extent, the ultra-rare Torana SS of the 1970s. It’s all about big Aussie V8’s and rear-wheel-drive. It’s as Australian as Fosters beer and Four’N Twenty pies.

So now, there’s talk of a performance version of the Cruze small car in the works - and insidious rumors this front-wheel-drive econobox may carry the prestigious double ‘S’ moniker previously reserved only for V8 models. “Sacrilege!” you scream, and I’m more than willing to agree. Nevertheless, let’s push on and see what the Australian rumor mill has in store for us.

It’s possible a high performance version of the Cruze would use the same 132 kW, / 180HP and 230 Nm 1.6-liter turbo four from the European Vauxhall / Opel Astra as there drivetrains are readily interchangeable thanks to both using the GM’s Delta II architecture.

In the words of an unnamed Holden insider:

“We are investigating all possibilities. We would love to explore a performance version. It is obviously on our wish list. Every engine option available in the Astra is under review.”

A firmer and lower suspension setup and weightier electronic power steering are also on the cars, and are likely to be gradually phased into the rest of the Cruze range as time goes on. Holden’s insider continues:

“We just did not have the resources to develop (revised) suspension and steering for the SRi models. But watch this space.”

A HSV badged model, potentially using the upcoming Opel Astra OPC’s 2.0-liter twin-scroll turbo four is also a possibility, however unlikely.

Expect a late 2011 launch for the Cruze “SS” if it makes production. It’s all part of Holden’s plan to overtake the Toyota Corolla and Mazda3 as leaders of the Aussie small car market.

At the moment it’s in third place between the Corolla and the Hyundai i30. Deliveries of the Cruze Series II sedan begin in April, with the hatchback expected to follow in October.

By Tristan Hankins

Source: Go-auto

2011 HOLDEN CRUZE SERIES II

Opel Launches Meriva Color Edition Special in Germany

One year and some 120,000 European sales after the introduction of the second generation Meriva onto the market, Opel is enhancing the small MPV’s range with the presentation of a new special edition model.

As its name implies, the Meriva Color Edition is all about contrasting colors. The small MPV model is offered in a choice of five hues for the body - Casablanca White, Magma Red, Carbon Grey, Silver Star and Henna, all of which come with a contrasting high gloss black painted roof, dark tinted headlamps with curve and cornering light and 18-inch two-tone alloy wheels.

Standard features include includes air conditioning, CD radio, trip computer, leather steering wheel, electric front windows, power mirrors, cruise control, tinted rear windows and Opel’s Flex Rail-center console. Prices in Germany start from €19,570.

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Chevrolet to Sell Volt in Europe, Priced from €41,950 or €1,000 Less than the Opel Ampera

Chevrolet announced at the Geneva Motor Show that it will sell the Volt in Europe, with prices in Germany starting from €41,950 (US$58,560). It will be similarly priced in other European markets, where it will arrive in November 2011.

The Volt's sister car, the Opel Ampera, will also go on sale this year in Europe, at a slightly higher starting price. Unveiled in final production form at the Geneva Show, the Ampera will cost €42,900 ($59,885), but prices can vary in different countries depending on the standard equipment.

Chevrolet said the Volt would be fully equipped with all the usual safety and convenience features, plus leather seats. As in the US, European buyers will have an 8-year/160,000 km warranty (100,000 miles) on the powertrain and the lithium-ion battery.

"Our price in Europe is based on the U.S. Volt price adjusted for transportation cost, import duties, exchange rates and homologation," said Wayne Brannon, CEO of Chevrolet Europe.

The Volt and the Ampera are basically the same car, both being built at GM’s Detroit Hamtramck plant in Michigan, US. There are only minor differences between the two cars, mainly concerning the front and the rear styling. In battery-only mode, the EVs have a maximum range of 40-80 kilometers (25-49 miles) that can be extended to 600 km (373 miles) when the gasoline engine / generator kicks in to charge the battery.

The 111 kW (150 hp) electric motor delivers 370 Nm of torque (273 lb-ft), accelerating the car from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in around nine seconds while top speed is 161 km/h (100 mph). The battery can be fully recharged at any household 230-volt power outlet in three to four hours.

By Dan Mihalascu

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