GM to sell Opel Down Under in 2012 (AU)

From 2012, Opel will be selling its cars in Australia. This will be the brands next step in its export offensive.

While the full model line-up will be announced near to its production date, we expect the Corsa, Astra, and Insignia to be offered.

CEO, Nick Reilly said in Detroit: “This launch is an important part of our international expansion strategy. With its growing demand for German design and technology, the Australian car market is an excellent opportunity for Opel. Australian drivers have a strong affinity with Opel vehicles.”

Alongside Australia, Israel and Chile are on the official launch list too. The Middle East, Argentina and a growth in South Africa and China are on the cards.

LupiniPower's Chevrolet SportUte is a wild one; Packs 535HP from Supercharged V8

The Holden Commodore Ute may not have been given the chance for a career in the States as the G8 ST sport truck after the demise of Pontiac, but GM's modern-day El-Camino from Down-Under continues to be offered in markets outside Australia including South Africa were it is sold as the Chevy Ute SS.
LupiniPower, a local tuner from South Africa, has taken upon itself to introduce a hotted-up version sporting a 6.0-liter supercharged V8 with 535-hp and a massive 590 lb-ft (799 Nm) of torque. That's an increase of 173-hp and 200 lb-ft over the stock Ute with the naturally aspirated V8 engine.
Thanks to the added power, LupiniPower's SportUte completes the 0 to 60 mph (96km/h) sprint in 4.4 seconds instead of 6.0 seconds, while 0-100 mph (160km/h) goes by in 9.9 seconds, close to 4 seconds faster than the standard Ute.
Furthermore, the SuperUte reaches 125mph (201 km/h) in 15.5 seconds or over five seconds quicker than stock, boasts a quarter-mile time of 12.7 seconds at 113mph (182 km/h) and runs the standing kilometre in 22.8 seconds at 150mph (241 km/h), while top speed is up 25mph to 175 mph (282 km/h).
The South African tuner also improved the Chevrolet SportUte's stopping power with bigger race-specification front disc brakes and callipers, as well as the suspension setup. Optionally, buyers can add a full Bilstein suspension and a sporty limited-slip differential.
Finally, the supercharged Ute rides on new 20-inch alloy wheels wrapped around Bridgestone Potenza RE050 ultra-high performance tires.
The LupiniPower Chevrolet SuperUte can be had as complete new vehicle in South Africa for R639,900, equal to around US$94,000 / €67,400 / GBP58200 at today's rates.

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New Opel Ampera to Sell for €42,900 or US$59,100 in Europe

General Motors announced today that the European version of its extended-range Chevrolet Volt electric car, the Ampera, will go on sale in the fourth quarter of 2011 as an Opel in mainland Europe and as a Vauxhall in the UK, with prices -including tax- starting from €42,900.
At the current exchange rates, that comes to around US$59,100, which is significantly higher than the base price of the Volt in the USA that sells for US$41,000 (€29,800) not including a $7,500 federal tax credit.
Opel noted that in Germany, with 19 percent VAT, the Ampera net price is €36,050, adding that, because trim levels may be different in each market, prices in each country may also differ.
"The Ampera defines a new class of e-mobility. No other electric vehicle provides the freedom of individual transportation as the Opel Ampera," said Alain Visser, Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Aftersales at Opel. "We have compromised on nothing. The Ampera is a beautiful car that is as fun to drive as it is packed with premium content."
Even though the exterior and interior design have been slightly modified over the Volt, everything else remains the same with the North American model, meaning that the Ampera can be driven in pure electric mode for 40-80km before the petrol engine kicks in to produce electricity and / or motivate (we still haven't figured that out...) the front driving wheels.
When the 16-kWh, lithium-ion battery runs low, it can be recharged in about three hours at 230v by plugging the vehicle's on-board charge system into a standard outlet. Together, the battery and gasoline-fueled engine/generator can extend the total driving range to over 500 kilometers on a full tank.
Those interested to reserve the Ampera can head over to General Motors' dedicated site at "opel-ampera.com".

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GM Recalls 2010-2011 Cadillac DTS and Buick Lucerne Over Possible Fire Risk

If you happen to be one of the 13,780 owners of a 2010-2011 Cadillac DTS or Buick Lucerne sedan with a V8 engine, you'll soon receive a recall letter from General Motors. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA], the aforementioned sedan models have alternator cables that can wear through a power steering line causing a fluid leak. The power steering leak could result in a loss of power steering as well as fall onto hot engine parts and cause an engine compartment fire.
Up until now, there have been two reports of fires in late August related to this problem.
To fix this issue, GM said dealers will secure and if necessary, reroute the lines to prevent contact. As expected, the service will be performed free of charge. The Detroit automaker will begin mailing letters to owners of the affected models on November 19.

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