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.
This Conti comes late after a full week in Tokyo at Honda’s proving grounds and the international motor show—which was well worth attending. “Green mobility” was certainly a theme of the show, but not the dominant one. All of the Japanese carmakers are keen on showing they survived the earthquake/tsunami crisis, and that they’re a force to be reckoned with. There was a lot of new product, there were fantastic concept cars, and—best of all—the show was dominated by the rebirth of the sporty, fun-to-drive Japanese car.
On the modest end, there was the Daihatsu D-X concept, which will likely replace the Copen—a truly tiny roadster which I tested last year and which enjoys a cult-like following. The D-X is powered by a two-cylinder, turbocharged gasoline engine. Only slightly bigger is the Honda EV-STER, an angular, futuristic roadster which recalls the early-1990s Honda Beat. While the concept car is powered by a politically correct electric motor, Honda executives bluntly hint that the production version will have a powerful gasoline engine.
Nissan announced an expansion of the Nismo sub-brand around the globe; in the future, every model line will be crowned by a Nismo version. Over at Toyota, there was a rather absurd, angry-looking Prius with a big exhaust tip. Hey, you can’t always go electric, right? Plus, let’s not forget the Subaru BRZ/Toyota (GT) 86 sister models—eagerly awaited and with potential to change both Toyota’s and Subaru’s brand images for better.
I’ve also had a chance to sample some of Honda’s latest and future technology. The sad news: We’ll soon say sayonara to the company’s high-revving naturally aspirated engines. But the new turbos should make up for it. I am confident that Honda’s new chairman, Ito-san, will put the brand back on track. It’s stuff for a separate, exciting story.
Next to all of these sporty and aggressive concepts and production models, an odd-looking, green minicar stuck out. Meet the Suzuki Regina, styled by Yasukazu Yuuki. “Many eco-cars have an aggressive wedge shape. I wanted to change that,” he says. His inspiration? The brand’s own Fronte 800, a sporty and compact mid-1960s sedan. I must admit I was also reminded of the Citroën Ami 6 and Ami 8, not to mention the unforgotten Mercedes-Benz “Bionic Car.” It certainly wasn’t my personal favorite, but the Regina is a cute and courageous counterpoint to the futuristic armada at this Tokyo show, and therefore should be applauded, too.
China Goes Upscale
China is getting serious. Local carmaker Chery and investor Israel Corporation have created a joint venture to produce a lineup of modern passenger cars under the brand name of Qoros. The first model will be a compact four-door sedan, built in Changshu, China, and sold in Western Europe and China from 2013 onwards. What makes Qoros different? The models are developed with help from Austrian engineering house Magna Steyr, which has been involved in a large number of premium projects: The company currently manufactures the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen and the Mini Countryman, the Peugeot RCZ, the Aston Martin Rapide, and the aluminum body of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. Responsible for vehicle engineering is former BMW executive Klaus Schmidt; in Munich, he was in charge of vehicle performance and chassis. Peter Matkin was chief engineer at Jaguar-Land Rover, and Volkswagen veteran Volker Steinwascher serves as VP under chairman Guo Qian.
Head of design, notably, is Gert Hildebrand, the 58-year-old designer who has led Mini design since 2001, following a distinguished career at Volkswagen, SEAT, and Mitsubishi. His portfolio includes the early crossover Golf II Country, the celebrated VW Golf IV and Jetta IV/Bora, a new face for the SEAT brand, and a large number of Mini models and derivatives, including the upcoming third-generation Mini.
At Qoros, Hildebrand has the opportunity to develop a brand face and a model lineup from scratch. The sedan will be followed in short sequence by a sportier hatchback, an SUV, and an electric vehicle. It will be interesting to see Qoros appear in China as an upmarket brand with Western genes. Israel Corporation, which owns half of Qoros, also holds 30 percent of electric grid operator Better Place, which aims to build up an infrastructure of battery-changing stations. The upcoming Qoros EV can be expected to conform to Better Place’s specifications for interchangeable battery packs.
New Models from Europe
Peugeot is launching the 208, a minicar that succeeds the 207 and is called by the carmaker a “re-generation” instead of an “evolution.” The French have succeeded in returning to the basic concept of the legendary 205. The 208 is shorter by seven centimeters, lighter by up to 381 lbs (243 lbs on average over the lineup), but sports a larger interior. More interesting facts: For the first time, three-cylinder gasoline engines are offered. The two- and four-door models look very different from each other, and inside, Peugeot has combined a small steering wheel with instrumentation placed high on the dashboard—a cost-effective interpretation of a “head-up” display. It will be a few months before I get behind the wheel of the 208, but it looks promising. And I am hoping there will be a reinterpretation of the 205 GTI (not to mention the 205 Turbo 16, the mid-engine base car for mid-1980s Group B rally racing).
Opel is launching an Insignia—the Buick Regal’s twin brother—with a twin-turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel. It produces 192 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. Meanwhile, Opel’s V-6 diesel project is on infinite hold. I don’t think the Insignia needs it.
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