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Porsche launches Panamera Diesel with 745-mile range just for Europe

Filed under: Sedan, Europe, Porsche, UK, Diesel

Porsche Panamera Diesel

Porsche Panamera Diesel – Click above for high-res image gallery

A diesel sedan from… Porsche? What has the world come to? Following in the wake of the diesel Cayenne, Stuttgart’s finest is meeting demand in Europe – where an oil-burning offering is a must – with a diesel Panamera.

The four-door gets a Porsche-tuned version of Volkswagen’s 3.0-liter common-rail turbo-diesel (packing variable-vane turbochargers just like the 911 Turbo), here producing 247 horsepower but a far more prodigious 406 lb-ft of torque – similar to the Cayenne diesel’s output, but tuned for delivery over a wider band.

Mated to an eight-speed automatic with stop-start capability, that’s enough to drive this latest Panamera variant to 62 miles per hour in 6.8 seconds. Which isn’t bad for a diesel, but what Porsche is emphasizing is the car’s range of 745 miles from a full tank of fuel. That’s enough juice to drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco and back, blissfully whizzing by every gas station along the way.

This isn’t something Porsche drivers here in North America would be accustomed to, but that’s just as well, as the Panamera Diesel isn’t likely to land on these shores anytime soon. For a closer look, scope out the press release after the jump and click through our high-res image gallery below.

Gallery: Porsche Panamera Diesel

Continue reading Porsche launches Panamera Diesel with 745-mile range just for Europe

Porsche launches Panamera Diesel with 745-mile range just for Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 May 2011 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ferrari offers scheduled maintenance program for 7 years in Europe, other markets to follow

Filed under: Car Buying, Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Europe, Ferrari, Luxury

Ferrari has started offering a free, seven-year maintenance plan for customers in Europe. The plan covers all 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia, California Spyder or FF models bought at an authorized Prancing Horse dealership. For now, the program is only available across the pond, but will make it to these shores later in the year.

According to Ferrari, the plan is attached to each individual car, which means it’s transferable to different owners if the vehicle is sold within its first seven years. Coverage includes the cost of labor and original replacement parts, as well as oil and brake fluid.

When the program goes global, Ferrari says it will be the first maintenance plan of its kind to be offered around the world. With any luck, the new perk will help Ferrari gain back some consumer confidence after the the bad publicity surrounding the 458 Italia’s annoying propensity to burst into flames. Read the full Ferrari press release after the jump. Top tip, Don!

[Source: Ferrari]

Continue reading Ferrari offers scheduled maintenance program for 7 years in Europe, other markets to follow

Ferrari offers scheduled maintenance program for 7 years in Europe, other markets to follow originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 18:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevrolet Volt priced from €41,950 in Europe

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Chevrolet

2011 Chevrolet Volt

2011 Chevrolet Volt – Click above for high-res image gallery

Chevrolet says the Volt will cost €41,950, including Europe’s hefty value added tax, when it goes on sale in Germany later this year, and will carry a similar price tag when it launches on the rest of the continent. European Volts will come with standard leather seats, and Chevrolet’s eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty. The Volt’s Opel-badged Ampera twin will also hit the streets of Europe in the coming months, as well.

The warranty covers the car’s powertrain as well as its lithium-ion battery. Chevrolet says that it offers the most comprehensive battery warranty of any EV manufacturer. Between its electric motors and gasoline-fed generator, the Volt is good for a combined range of 375 miles, and recharges on a normal household outlet. Hit the jump for GM’s press release.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Volt: First Drive

2011 Chevrolet Volt

[Source: General Motors]

Continue reading Chevrolet Volt priced from €41,950 in Europe

Chevrolet Volt priced from €41,950 in Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Mar 2011 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2011: 2012 Opel Ampera set to electrify Europe

Filed under: Sedan, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, GM, Opel, Electric

2012 Opel Ampera

2012 Opel Ampera – Click above for high-res image gallery

Just as the first round of Chevrolet Volts are hitting the streets of the United States, Europe’s own version of the electrified sedan makes its debut at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. General Motors took the wraps off the 2012 Opel Ampera, a sedan that wears more aggressively styled body panels than its Chevy cousin. It’s pretty slick, and when you consider the technology that exists underneath that shapely sheetmetal, Europe should be pleasantly surprised.

Pricing, however, is a bit steep. GM has set the Ampera’s base price at €42,900, which includes Europe’s steep Value Added Tax, and that translates to roughly $60,000 based on current exchange rates. Still, Opel says that it already has about 1,000 orders placed for the sedan across the continent, and with Voltec engineering on tap, hopefully the Ampera will make as big of a splash in Europe as the Volt has here in America.

Gallery: 2012 Opel Ampera: Geneva 2011

Geneva 2011: 2012 Opel Ampera set to electrify Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 05:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Volkswagen Tiguan ordering now underway in Europe

Filed under: SUV, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Crossover, Volkswagen

2012 Volkswagen Tiguan – Click above for high-res image gallery

While it won’t make its official debut until March 1st at the Geneva Motor Show, European customers can begin ordering the 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan compact SUV right now. VW made this announcement and released a small set of official photos yesterday (a leaked screencap also made the rounds earlier in the week).

The base price for the freshened Tiguan, whose styling reflects the automaker’s new corporate design language, is set at €24,175 for the Trend & Fun trim, which features the 120-horsepower 1.4L four-cylinder TSI engine. Volkswagen says that it’s opening up ordering so far in advance because the old Tiguan is sold out due to its popularity. VW is also quick to point out that the new-look Tiguan’s base MSRP is unchanged from the previous version.

No other specs were released at this time, and we’re still in the dark as to the updated Tiguan’s U.S. launch timetable and pricing (we figure it’ll be on hand at the New York Auto Show in April). More info will likely become available as we get closer to Geneva. In the meantime, check out the high-res gallery of the 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan below. VW’s press release is posted after the jump. Thanks to Kyle for the heads-up.

Gallery: 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan

[Source: Volkswagen]

Continue reading 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan ordering now underway in Europe

2012 Volkswagen Tiguan ordering now underway in Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 05 Feb 2011 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Revised Honda Accord for Europe will debut in Geneva

Filed under: Sedan, Wagon, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Honda

2011 Honda Accord (Europe)

2011 Honda Accord for Europe – Click above for high-res image gallery

Honda has announced that it will use the world stage of the Geneva Motor Show to pull the covers off its latest Accord sedan and wagon for Europe. Just to be clear, this car is very different from the Accord offered in the United States. In fact, the European Accord is very similar to the Acura TSX that’s available Stateside. ‘Course, we do wish we could get the European Accord’s fascia on our TSX, but we digress…

So what’s new? Naturally, the exterior styling has been revised ever so slightly, mostly to the front fascia and headlights. Honda has also added what it calls Active Cornering Lights that illuminate when the steering wheel is turned more than 90 degrees and a High-Beam Support System that uses a CMOS camera embedded in the windscreen that senses when to turn the brights on and off.

There are also three new colors: Alabaster Silver, Graphite Lustre and Celestial Blue Pearl, while inside you’ll find a few detail updates to the finishes, including red interior lighting for the Type S models and blue interior lighting for all other trims.

Perhaps more important are subtle changes to the car’s 2.2-liter i-DTEC diesel engine (mostly the rather nebulous “reduced internal frictional losses”) that, coupled with a “host of underbody aerodynamic aids,” increase fuel economy and reduce carbon emissions, if even just a small amount.

As for the stuff you can’t see on the surface, Honda says it has quited the cabin and revised the dual-mode dampers for greater high-speed stability and “a significant improvement in ride quality, even on poor road surfaces.” If you like what you’ve read so far, you’re bound to love the entire press release, which can be found after the break.

Gallery: 2011 Honda Accord (Europe)

2011 Honda Accord (Europe)

[Source: Honda]

Continue reading Revised Honda Accord for Europe will debut in Geneva

Revised Honda Accord for Europe will debut in Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Jan 2011 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota-based Subaru Trezia hatchback headed to Europe

Filed under: Europe, Hatchback, Subaru, Toyota

Subaru Trezia hatchback

Subaru Trezia hatchback – Click above for high-res image gallery

When we think about Toyota-Subaru collaboration, the first thing that comes to mind is the highly anticipated rear-wheel-drive “Toyobaru” project. But while the FT-86 and its Subie sibling are first in our thoughts, it wasn’t number one to market.

Automotive News reports that Subaru is set to unveil the Trezia hatchback in March at the Geneva Auto Show. The roomy five-door, which closely mirrors the Honda Fit in most every measurement, will be a near spot-on match of the Toyota Verso it’s based on, but with an Impreza-style grille slapped on the front clip and some Subaru badging sprinkled throughought. Both the Toyota Verso (named Ractis for JDM consumption) and Subaru Trezia are being sold in Japan now, and both vehicles are destined for Euro showrooms this spring.

In Japan, the Trezia is powered by a choice of 1.3-liter and 1.5-liter inline-four cylinder gasoline engines mated to a CVT, but in Europe the 1.5 will be replaced with a 1.4-liter diesel. In Japan, the Trezia can be had with all-wheel-drive provided car buyers check off the box for the more powerful engine, which will likely be the turbodiesel in Europe.

With its roomy interior and diminutive footprint, the Trezia will likely do well overseas. But will we ever see Subaru’s Fit-fighter in North America? With gas prices once again on the rise, it might not be a bad idea.

Gallery: Subaru Trezia

[Source: Automotive News sub. req.]

Toyota-based Subaru Trezia hatchback headed to Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 23 Jan 2011 18:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Infiniti EX30d Black Premium edition introduced in Europe

Filed under: Europe, Crossover, Infiniti, Luxury

Infiniti EX30d Black Premium

Infiniti EX30d Black Premium – Click above for high-res image gallery

Buying a luxury automobile these days is as much about the “customer experience” as it is about the actual vehicle. Infiniti has shown its aptitude in delivering that experience as well as its rivals have – arguably better – particularly in Europe, where Nissan’s luxury division is a relative newcomer.

Its latest offering comes in the form of the EX Black Premium. Based on the diesel-powered EX30d GT Premium trim, the Black edition features (you guessed it) black paint (metalic Malbec, in Infiniti parlance) with graphite leather interior plus 19-inch alloys, a sunroof, aluminum roof rails and a Bose sound system.

That covers the vehicle. As for the experience, Infiniti has thrown in a night for two – fine dining included – at any of the hundreds of luxury hotels associated with the Relais & Château group, as well as membership in its exclusive Club 5C. Only 500 examples of the Infiniti EX30d Black Premium edition will be offered across Europe, at about a $5,000 premium over the standard top-spec model. Full details are in the press release after the jump.

Gallery: Infiniti EX30d Black Premium

[Source: Infiniti]

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Infiniti EX30d Black Premium edition introduced in Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 23 Jan 2011 16:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: BMW X1 U.S. debut delayed due to high demand in Europe

Filed under: Europe, Crossover, BMW, Luxury

2011 BMW X1

2011 BMW X1 – Click above for high-res image gallery

American buyers may have to wait a little bit longer before sinking their teeth into the upcoming BMW X1. According to Automotive News, the CUV has been more popular in Europe than the German automaker originally anticipated, and as such, BMW is experiencing a bit of a supply crunch. As a result, North American buyers won’t be seeing the X1 at the end of this year as originally expected. Instead, it’s beginning to look like the vehicle won’t show up here until early 2012 at the soonest. Automotive News reports that the X1 went on sale in Europe in November of 2009.

Since then, the high-riding hatch has sold out in every market it’s touched. BMW says that it fully expects the X1 to be a low-volume model here in the land of the free, with sales lodged somewhere in the same realm as what the current 1 Series Coupe and Convertible. Even so, the company says that it’s shooting for around 8,000 units per year. With the larger, more popular X3 just now hitting dealerships, the X1 will likely serve to fill a slot for buyers looking for a compact luxury crossover.

Gallery: 2011 BMW X1

[Source: Automotive News – sub. req.]

Report: BMW X1 U.S. debut delayed due to high demand in Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Dodge Journey to be rebadged a Fiat in Europe

Filed under: Crossover, Dodge, Fiat

2011 Dodge Journey

2011 Dodge Journey – Click above for high-res image gallery

The Dodge Journey has been given a much-needed makeover for 2011, with a new V6 and a significantly improved interior. That’s good news for Dodge dealers here in the States, but according to Autoweek it isn’t such a great deal for Dodge dealerships overseas.

That’s because the Journey will no longer be sold with the Ram badge, as Sergio Marchionne and company have reportedly decided it would fare better as a Fiat-branded crossover. The CUV will reportedly be given the Freemont moniker, and it will be the first Chrysler-based vehicle to be given a Fiat engine – a diesel in this case. The 2.0-liter oilburner is capable of 170 horsepower – 30 more than the VW-sourced diesel currently employed in the Journey overseas.

The move to sell the Journey as a Fiat may also make sense given Fiat’s massive 5,000 store retail network. If Fiat dealers can surpass the meager sales of the Journey, it could help Chrysler increase output at the Toluca, Mexico plant where the CUV is built along side the Fiat 500. AW claims the Freemont will be unveiled in Geneva, with sales beginning in June 2011.

Gallery: 2011 Dodge Journey: Quick Spin

2011 Dodge Journey

[Source: Auto Week]

Report: Dodge Journey to be rebadged a Fiat in Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 27 Dec 2010 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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