2007 Geneva Motor Show: Opel GTC Concept

What you’re looking at is a concept car for GM’s European nameplate, Opel. The GTC concept was created to show off the future design direction for Opel. Why should anyone in the U.S. care? Well, if you’ve been following this blog closely, you already know that many of Saturn’s new and future models are shared with Opel, including the new Saturn Vue and Astra.

The GTC concept is powered by a 300-hp turbo V-6 engine, features all-wheel drive and has a cool seating system with the rear seats sliding forward and integrating into the front seats to create a larger cargo area. The interior quality is also a noticeable step up from current models.

The GTC concept seems quite complete, meaning it might not take long for it to start pumping out of an assembly plant, but it might be a bit too upscale — and expensive — to be branded as a Saturn in the U.S. Whatever happens, there are two things we’re sure of: GM should build this right away, and it should make sure American shoppers get a chance to buy it, whether it has a Saturn badge or not.

Photo gallery below.

2007 Geneva Motor Show: 2008 Volvo XC70 Debuts

A month after we got our first glimpse of the all-new V70 wagon, Volvo delivers the first batch of information and images about the cross-country version of its family-hauler. It shares most of its design with the V70, and all of the same safety features are found here as well, including integrated child booster seats, extended side curtain airbags to protect smaller passengers, stronger side structure and new side-impact airbags that protect the hips as well as the torso.

Only one gasoline engine is offered, a 238-hp inline-six, along with a six-speed automatic with a manual shift mode. Of course, you can’t call a wagon a cross-country without standard all-wheel drive. There’s also standard hill descent control and stability control. We’re still waiting on word about when the 2008 XC70 and V70 will be available and how much they’ll cost, but for now check out the photo gallery below.

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2007 Mini Cooper John Cooper Works Tuning Kit

The new 2007 Mini Cooper just went on sale in the U.S. last month, but now there’s official word on the John Cooper Works Tuning Kit. The factory-installed kit hasn’t been priced as a U.S. option yet, but it will be available this spring and can be combined with a number of other Mini add-ons, like suspension upgrades, exterior enhancements and interior accessories, to create something that looks like the vehicle shown in the pictures above and below.

What do you get with this particular performance package? A new exhaust system, air filter and engine-management system that provide more efficiency and add up to 192 hp, versus the standard Cooper S’s 172 hp. Will that alone be worth a potential price bump of $2,000? We’re not sure, but Mini lovers certainly won’t complain. We do like the fact that Mini allows such performance customization completely under warranty.

Source: Mini and MotoringFile

2008 Jaguar XJ World Debut

Switzerland will be the place to be next week, when the 2007 Geneva Motor Show officially kicks off, but we’re still getting plenty of new car news leading up to the big event. Today, Jaguar unveiled the 2008 XJ. The company’s flagship sedan receives some new body work, most noticeably a more aggressive grille and a side vent borrowed from the XK coupe.

The seats are new and provide more rear legroom. Otherwise, things look very much the same. The car should drive the same, as the engine choices have not changed; there are two V-8s, a 300-hp version and a 400-hp supercharged one.

If you’re into Bluetooth phones, the new XJ can handle up to five with its in-car phone system. There’s also an optional GPS antitheft device to track down your wayward Jag. Expect to see the new XJ at dealers this August. Full photo gallery below.

Ford's Next U.S. Subcompact Based on Mazda2

The eagerly awaited redesigned Mazda2 subcompact will debut in Geneva next week, but Ford told its employees yesterday that it would build a version of the small car with a Blue Oval badge for the U.S. market. Ford owns a controlling stake in Mazda.

There’s still no word on whether or not the new Mazda2 will come stateside — the current version is sold in Europe and other parts of the world — but because speculation has the Ford version taking another two years to arrive, we’d lean toward the Mazda2 joining the U.S. lineup before then so the company doesn’t give up market share to Nissan, Toyota, Honda, Suzuki and Hyundai. All of those companies already offer new models in the rapidly expanding subcompact category.

[New Subcompact Coming to U.S., The Detroit News]

BMW's New 507-hp Wagon: M5 Touring Debuts

The Geneva Motor Show is fast approaching, and BMW just unveiled a lineup including the all-new M5 Touring, or station wagon to you and me. Both the regular 5 Series sedan and wagon have been slightly updated this year, but the M5 Touring is a first. It mirrors the M5 sedan — which costs a pretty $82,500 — in horsepower, with 507, with the same V-10 engine under the hood. But the M5 Touring also has station wagon utility and an available panoramic roof, so the kids can watch clouds whiz by as you hit 62 mph in 4.8 seconds.

There’s no word if the M5 Touring will come to the U.S. or how much it will cost, but we’re not overly optimistic. BMW only sold 72 of its 530xi wagons in January, compared to 527 530xi sedans. Mercedes-Benz does sell its 507-hp E63 wagon in the U.S., and perhaps the need to compete will lure this new M5 across the pond. Check out the photo gallery below and tell us if you want to see the M5 Touring running errands in suburbia.

New Mercedes C-Class Gets Diesel Treatment

The new Mercedes-Benz C-Class that was unveiled online last month will get a diesel powerplant that meets the highest European environmental standards, standards that don’t go into effect until 2015. The C220 Bluetec has a four-cylinder engine that produces just 170 hp but 294 pounds-feet of torque. The Bluetec system uses a series of filters and catalytic converters to clean the exhaust so the amount of pollution is slashed and mileage is rated at just under 43 mpg.

There’s no reason the C220 Bluetec couldn’t be sold in the U.S., but we’ve yet to see the latest clean diesel vehicles from Europe go on sale here. The introduction of a new diesel Volkswagen Jetta and cars from other manufacturers will show if buyers are interested in the improved mileage as gas prices continue to fluctuate, seemingly week to week. A couple of larger images are below.

Audi S5 Adds Power to All-New Model

Audi isn’t going to make us wait for the high-performance version of its all-new A5 coupe. The S5 packs a 354-hp V-8 and Quattro all-wheel drive and it hits 62 mph in 5.1 seconds.

That should be all we have to say about that. The S5 will go on sale in November with a six-speed manual transmission. An automatic will be available six months later. Having the choice between transmissions is a nice plus, since other Audi S models come with either one or the other, but not both. The enthusiast audience still prefers to shift for themselves, especially in a coupe, but there is a growing group of those who enjoy shift-paddle equipped automatics.

Audi A5 Coupe World Debut

Automotive journalists knew this all-new two-door coupe was coming from Audi, but it will probably come as a complete surprise to most car shoppers. The A5 — debuting at the Geneva Motor Show — is based on an all-new car platform that will serve as the basis for the next A4 sedan. The A5’s size is similar to the current A4, and it will compete with the BMW 3 Series coupe.

The design follows much of what we’ve seen from Audi lately, with its big-mouth-bass grille, but the curvy line down the side and two-door body style is unique to the A5. Audi decided against calling the new model an A4 coupe, which may confuse some shoppers.

Powering the A5 in Europe will be two gasoline engines, a 265-hp, 3.2-liter V-6 and a 170-hp, 1.8-liter four-cylinder turbo. The V-6 sees a 10-hp increase over the power plant in the current A4, while the four-cylinder is actually a smaller engine than what’s in the current base A4. Audi has confirmed that the U.S. will only get the larger V-6, first with a manual transmission, then later with an automatic. There are also two diesel power plants in Europe, but they’re not going to be brought to the U.S. The A5 we’ll get here goes on sale in November.

We’re not sure how well the A5 will be received in the states, but the A4 has held up well and this new platform should be a significant improvement. Either way, it gives us a glimpse of the future of Audi’s most popular model. We have a full photo gallery below.

Mazda's Latest Wild Concept: Hakaze

We’re looking forward to the Geneva Motor Show next month because a lot of the cars debuting there will come to the U.S. within the next year, like the all-new Audi A5 coupe. We’re not as excited about the usually wilder concept cars that European and other foreign auto shows get, like the Hakaze from Mazda.

The company uses the example of kite surfers to highlight the vehicle’s multi-functionality because, you know, everyone can identify with a kite surfer. Basically, any beachgoer or outdoorsman would enjoy the interior, which is designed to protect against sand, dirt and water. There are also LCD screens and an internet connection so you won’t be far from work, even when you’re out playing.

Yes, this is just another design flight of fancy, and we’ve seen plenty of that from Mazda this year.

Related:
New Mazda2 For the World, U.S. Next?
2007 Detroit Auto Show: Mazda Ryuga Concept
2006 L.A. Auto Show: Mazda Nagare Concept