The Continental: Opel’s New Hot Hatch Could Become a Buick, a Name that Stinks, and Rebadged Commercial Vans

Each week, our German correspondent slices and dices the latest rumblings, news, and quick-hit driving impressions from the other side of the pond. His byline may say Jens Meiners, but we simply call him . . . the Continental.

Opel’s future is far from secure, but the German GM division is stepping on the accelerator regardless. The sporty, low Astra GTC—which could well be offered in the U.S. as a Buick model—will be crowned by an OPC version that produces 276 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. Power comes from a 2.0-liter four and is transmitted only to the front wheels; top speed is a governed 155 mph. OPC stands for “Opel Performance Center”—and in true OPC fashion, the stylistic improvements forfeit any subtlety of the basic design in favor of a “boy racer” look.

If the Astra GTC becomes a success, it will be a much-needed boost for Opel’s standing within General Motors. The mid-size Insignia, rebadged as the Buick Regal, is selling well in China, but lumbers significantly below expectations in the U.S. At least it succeeds in bringing a new and younger set of customers to the somewhat geriatric brand.

Mitsubishi is launching the PX-MiEV II concept car at the Tokyo motor show in a few weeks. I feel bad for Mitsubishi’s European staff. “MiEV” stands for “Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle,” but in the German language it is pronounced like “Mief,” which means “bad smell.” Is Mitsubishi referring to the emissions produced by those power stations that provide all of the energy needed by our “green” vehicles? After the i-MiEV naming disaster, there will be more hand-wringing at Mitsubishi Motors Europe.

BMW initiated the idea of the “art cars” in the 1970s, and it has served as a source of inspiration for carmakers across the board. Artist Freddy Reitz, who specializes in pop art, has created a Smart wrapped in the pattern of a well-weathered U.S. flag. Daimler is planning to make a small series of these cars, which will hit the road in early 2012. Details are not yet disclosed; Reitz’s original model is powered by a 70-hp gasoline engine.

Another special edition: Land Rover is adding the Defender “Experience Bolivia.” Limited to 140 units, it is painted metallic silver and equipped with extraordinary options such as ABS and air conditioning. Furthermore, it has an electric winch and a ladder to the roof. Power comes from a tractor-like 2.2-liter four-cylinder diesel making 120 hp. We’re glad the original Land Rover is alive and kicking, and we hope the company comes up with a worthy replacement once the Defender goes out of production in three years or so.

Land Rover is also improving the Discovery and the Range Rover Sport, which share a common platform, with a more powerful V-6 turbo-diesel that makes 252 hp. No technological changes for the classic Range Rover, which carries on into its last year of production, still on the architecture of the first-generation BMW X5. An all-new, fourth generation will be launched next fall. Will it remain the world’s dominant luxury SUV? That’s not clear anymore—Bentley is aiming for the empty niche above the Range Rover.

The commercial vehicle world is different from the auto realm; brand image plays only a very minor role, and rebadging competitors’ vehicles is standard procedure. Take the Volkswagen Crafter, for example: It’s not much more than a slightly modified Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. But at least Wolfsburg is trying to best the Sprinter with an all-wheel-drive Crafter, converted by Austrian aftermarket company Achleitner and sold through VW. The conversion costs a whopping €19,950, which is over $27,000 at current exchange rates.

Opel, on the other hand, shows very little ambition with its Combo light commercial vehicle. The previous generation was based on Opel’s own Corsa, but with its own distinct styling, while the new European-market Combo is nothing but a rebadged Fiat Doblò. The Combo is just as ugly as the Doblò, too. It’s interesting to see GM team up with Fiat-Chrysler on another project, years after the cooperation between GM and Fiat went down in flames.

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Camaro to Go Bye-Bye, But EV1 Just Might Stick Around; Could It Lead to Alt-Power Chevys? [Chevrolet Centennial, 2000s Edition]

Chevrolet is marking its 100th anniversary this week. To celebrate, we’re republishing two posts per day from our blog archives, each one plucked from a different decade of the marque’s long existence.

Time and time again, we’ve pitted the Camaro against the Mustang, and the Mustang has walked away lacking. Yet 2002 will be the end of GM’s F-body twins. No more Camaro. No more Firebird. No more Trans-Am. No more wacky specials like Grand National–powered T-top TAs or 427-inch aluminum-block Camaros. Done. Finito. Poof. Fin. Fare-thee-well, Eskimo Charlie. You get it. The platform itself dates back to 1982. The interior design is questionable. The ergonomics can kindly be described as iffy. But the LS1 is such a fantastically great lump that you don’t care that its roots are in the 1955 Chevrolet; indeed, much of the time, you don’t care about the essential badness of your surroundings. It’s a neat trick that never gets old. Except that now, apparently, it has.

So what have we got to look forward to? GM’s EV1 program hasn’t been a roaring success, but it seems as though they’ll stick with it. We don’t foresee an edict taking the small group of cars they’ve leased away from their owners—although we would rather like to watch those vegetable-chewing ninnies squirm and yelp if the big, bad General comes for their toys.

We’ve also heard that the next Corvette, which we should see in three years or so, will feature a smaller 5.4-liter version of Chevrolet’s Gen III small block. It may also be mid-engined. Whatever the case, with things heating up in the Middle East, we’ll see GM get serious about alternative energy sources and smaller powerplants within the next three years. Which also means, as GM’s volume brand, Chevy’s about to buckle down on real automotive efforts, rather than coasting on its truck and SUV profits. We can only hope that in 2005, we’ll see 300-hp V-6–powered Camaro and Firebird siblings and perhaps a Trans Am with the rumored 5.4 from the Vette. After all, if America’s without the Screaming Chicken for long, the terrorists have clearly won.

Tags: Chevrolet, Chevrolet Camaro, Chevrolet Centennial |

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