On the Eve of BMW Design Night that took place in Munich, the German firm has confirmed that the Grancoupe will indeed make it to production. The Grancoupe is expected to be sold as the 6-series Grancoupe when it goes on sale in two years time. As a result, the upcoming 6-series will borrow styling touches from the Grancoupe. Most of the design details from the concept like the frameless windows, B-pillar and the styling will be retained for the production model. When launched, it will be marketed as a four door coupe directly aimed at the Audi A7 and Mercedes Benz CLS.

You need to wait till mid-2012 for the official unveiling of the production GranCoupe and wait till end-2012 to drive one. It will be produced at the same line in Dingolfing that produces the 6-series. It is expected to come with a choice of two petrol and two diesel engines in addition to an active-hybrid model.

Hit the jump to watch three videos and high-resolution images.

[BMW Blog]

The Nissan Micra, launched in India recently has met with immense success in its home market, Japan. Nissan managed to register over 10,000 bookings within two weeks of the vehicle’s launch. Nissan only expected 4,000 orders every month but as it turns out, the orders are two and a half times as many. Interestingly, silver seems to be the most preferred colour as are black interiors.

The Japanese spec Micra comes with the same HR 12DE 3-cylinder engine as the Indian model and features Start-Stop technology, with ABS, EBD, SRS airbags and SRS side airbags, load limiter with pretensioners for the seatbelts, linked front wipers, dawn sensors and multi-reflector halogen headlights with manual control. As a result of the CVT and Stop-Start, the new Micra achieves a segment leading 26km/l in Japan.

Spectacular new Nissan Micra website now live Jul 2010

Nissan Micra launched in India; Starts at Rs 3.98 lakh Ex-India Jul 2010

Wheelosphere gets up and close with Nissan’s Exposure marketing in Chennai May 2010

Surprisingly, without any form of intimation, Suzuki have revealed the facelifted Alto with the 1.0L K-Series engine at the 18th Indonesia International Motor Show (IIMS 2010) that was thrown open to visitors on the 24th of this month. While we Indians still make do with spy pictures, the lucky people in Indonesia get to see the real deal till the 1st of August. The theme at IIMS 2010 is “Eco-Technology Motoring”, where car manufacturers are fighting it out to prove that their car is the greenest. The Indonesian Alto comes with a 5-speed gearbox with CVT as an option.

Also on display at the show are the R3 MPV, Kizashi and a Swift GT3 car with a 1.5-liter petrol engine.

Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 – details, specifications and images Jul 2010

[IAB]

Maruti Suzuki have announced that they will fix 6,000 Altos produced in April this year for oil leakage problems. India’s largest car maker has asked its entire dealer network (800 centres and about 2,740 service workshops) to identify, check and repair the affected Altos. In other words, this could be a recall with the company asking its customers to get their vehicles checked but the company spokesperson feels otherwise. Maruti produced as many as 64,500 Altos between April and June and the exact number of cars facing the problem are under investigation.

The problems in Altos are said to have cropped up when the F8D 3-cylinder engines were upgraded to meet BS-4 emission norms. The decision comes after dealers in Delhi and NCR have started receiving complaints on oil leakages during May and June. A Delhi based dealer has recalled nearly 30 vehicles to have them checked.

An Auto Expert said

“The engine comes with some design changes incorporated in its core structure, which could have led to this problem. It can affect the pressure in the engine and also impact car’s performance,”

Suzuki recalls 10000 Automatic versions of Altos in Europe May 2010

Suzuki Alto/A-Star Recall Dec 2009

[ET]

Yet to launch the Cruze in its home market, Chevrolet has still managed to sell 270,000 of them within a year and a half of its launch. The Cruze is sold in over 60 countries in addition to local variants by Daewoo and Holden in their local markets. In 2010 alone, the Cruze has sold 140,000 units. Sales of the Cruze in India are brisk too. The Cruze is the current segment leader selling close to 800 units every month. The real challenge for Chevrolet right now is to retain sales in face of growing competition, especially the recently launched Corolla Diesel. Will they do it? Waiting for few months will gives us the answer.

Hit the jump for official press release.

PRESS RELEASE

Chevrolet Cruze Sales Pass 270,000 as U.S. Introduction Nears

China, Russia Among 60 Countries to Embrace New Compact

DETROIT – Even before the first models reach U.S. dealers, the Chevrolet Cruze is among the fastest-growing nameplates in the world with sales rising an average of 18 percent per month.

Internationally, customers have purchased 140,000 Cruze in the first six months of 2010 and a total of 270,000 since Cruze launched in the spring of 2009 in Europe, followed by other major markets, such as China in summer of 2009.
Cruze is currently available in more than 60 countries, with China, Russia, Mexico, India and Spain as the top five sales markets. Including Holden and Daewoo versions sold in Australia and South Korea, total sales exceed 340,000 vehicles across five continents.

Cruze will begin arriving at U.S. dealerships in September. With U.S. models produced in Lordstown, Ohio, Cruze will be the only compact car built in the U.S. for the 2011 model year. Production at the Lordstown complex will begin with three shifts, assembling Cruze models around the clock to meet expected customer demand.

“Customers around the world have already made Cruze an international success, setting the stage for it here in the U.S.,” said Margaret Brooks, director of marketing for Chevrolet small cars. “For U.S. customers, Cruze will be priced to compete with compact cars while offering more interior room, more miles per gallon in the Eco model, and more standard safety features.”

In the U.S., Cruze models will start at $16,995 for the LS model, equipped with the most standard safety features in its segment, including 10 air bags, StabiliTrak electronic stability control with rollover sensing, traction control and anti-lock brakes.

The Cruze Eco model starts at $18,895, featuring a standard 1.4L Ecotec turbo and six-speed manual transmission. With ultra low-rolling resistance tires, and an enhanced aerodynamic-performance package, Cruze Eco is expected to deliver 40 miles per gallon on the highway.

The top of the line Cruze LTZ model starts at $22,695 and features a standard six-way power driver seat, leather seating surfaces, cruise control, Bluetooth phone connectivity, USB port with audio interface, ultrasonic rear-parking assist, and 18-inch alloy wheels.

About Chevrolet

Chevrolet is a global automotive brand, with annual sales of about 3.5 million vehicles in more than 130 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. In the U.S., the Chevrolet portfolio includes: iconic performance cars, such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long lasting pickups and SUVs, such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers, such as Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers “gas-friendly” solutions, such as the upcoming 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco model that is expected to deliver up to an estimated 40 mpg highway, and 2011 Chevrolet Volt that will offer up to 40 miles of electric driving and an additional 300 miles of extended range with the onboard generator (based on GM testing). Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security, and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response, and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models, fuel solutions, and OnStar availability can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

[Autoblog Green]