Renault and Peugeot sales plummet

French car maker Renault might have held out in having discussions with GM, but you’d have to ask yourself why.

Sales at both Renault and Peugeot plummeted in the first half of 2006 despite trimming fleet deals.

Renault European sales fell to 951,000 cars sold for Jan-June – a whopping 7.6 per cent down on the year earlier.

When figures were posted, screams of anguish were heard in Renault’s mahogany row.

While not cheering, the mood was leass suicidal at Peugeot where sales dipped 2.2 per cent to 1.27 million.

Both car makers have revamped marketing strategies, which see low-margin vipers like rental firms and other fleet buyers cut out of the loop.

Good and bad idea. I hired a Peugeot 206 around Europe recently and it was exceptional. I would never have considered test driving a Peugeot, but having driven it I wouldn’t write it off my list pf potential future purchases.

Both companies are dead certain this strategy will pay off long term once this “market correction” is ridden out.

Renault reckons sales will stabilise by the end of thi year, and Peugeot expects growth from the new 207.

Renault’s global sales dropped 3.2 percent to 1.32 million. Europe accounts for 72 per cent of sales and the company claims an 11 per cent increase outside Europe.

Peugeot’s worldwide vehicle sales jumped 0.6 per cent to 1.76 million units from 1.75 million a year earlier, with Europe claiming 71 per cent of global sales.

Bentley to Dominate SUVs?

 

Bentley is expected to arrive on the SUV scene with a model said to be based on
Cayenne, Touareg and Q7 platform.

Sybarites dug up the first Bentley concept SUV shown in 1994.

The Dominator was based on Range Rover mechanicals and the fact it was only a concept, didn’t stop the Sultan of Brunei ordering a few.

 

The popularity and profit margin of SUVs has gotta make it just a little attractive to the rapper’s prestige car of choice.

More

Jag ditches aluminium for new S-Type

Ahhh aluminium, bad for human memory, good for making heavy cars lighter – generally.

Porsche and Audi love it for their high end vehicles, but Jag has ruled out trying to lighten the S-Type load with aluminium.

Last year Jag said it would keep the chassis steel but use alcoa for the body.

Not anymore. The next S-Type will be the Car of Steel, and even ditches the Lincoln LS platform for all new underpinnings.

Why? Well, Jag says the steel-job would save production time, letting them launch in 2008 instead of 2009.

In any case, it’ll save Jag somewhat from losing all sales momentum.

More

Renault board approves GM-Nissan talks

They’ve approved discussions, but they don’t like it.

Immediately after the French car maker’s board meeting, a blunt press release coldly stated:

“The Board of Directors approved the position proposed by Carlos Ghosn: Exploratory discussions with General Motors, concerning a potential alliance, could start if General Motors Corporation makes the proposal.”

The Frenchies were always expected to be tougher to deal with than Nissan, and Euro analysts can see no benefit in what increasingly looks like a hostile bid for Renault by GM.

The deal is expected to cost Renault around $US1.6 billion, hitting the company smack in the credit rating kisser.

More

Porsche sportscars drive 2006 sales

Porsche is about to post record sales for FY06 later this month

Last year, sales topped 88,379, driven largely by the Cayenne SUV.

This year German car maker expects to spill over 90,000, however it’s sports line are leading sales.

The restyled Boxster, new Cayman, and Type-997 911 are leading the charge as sales of the Cayenne dip 16.3 per cent.

The Housten Chronical reports 911 sales jumped 21 per cent and sales for the Boxster family (including Cayman) are up 87 per cent.

It’s likely that the Cayenne is feeling the pinch from the formidable competition of Range Rover, VW Touareg and Audi Q7.

More

Spyshots: Aston Martin V8 “Roadster”

Snoops at the Car Connection got a glimpse of the new addition to the Aston Martin V8 Vantage family.

The Vantage has been officially launched and hits the Euro market next month.

But Car Connection has seen a new convertible prototype hooning around Germany’s Nurburgring track.

The soft top will likely be released in Britain by the end of the year, and won’t change spec from Vantage.

Since we love spec’s here at Autopia, we’ll recap what the Vantage offers: 380hp V8 rear wheel drive 6-speed transmission.

The “Roadster” name is only a rumour at this stage, but you know the saying about where’s there’s smoke….

More

Recalls, recalls, getcha recalls

Honda has recalled 124,000 cars in Japan because of brake light problems. Meaning, they don’t light up when you apply the brakes.

The Japanese car maker has put it down to bad bulb installation, and it affects 84,554 Actv and 39,768 VAMOS Hobio minivans.

Affected cars were made between Feb 20, 2002 and June 6, 2006.

Does that seem like a helluva long time to be installing bulbs incorrectly? Just asking.

Honda isn’t alone in recall hell.

Fellow Japanese car maker Nissan has recalled 6490 commercial trucks because of defective fuel piping.

This means that a loose connection could lead to fuel leakage.

It looks as though the problem is restricted to the Japanese market for now, but Nissan would confirm soon whether any export models are affected.

More

Hummer’s rumble London

While the EU is setting global emission standards, they’re not so stuffy as to ban the beefiest beast on the planet from attending the London Auto Show.

The Hummer H2 and H3 join the rest of the GM lineup for the July show and will go on sale there soon after.

The H2 packs a 325bhp 6.0l petrol V8, while the more, er “conservative” H3 throbs with a modest 220bhp, 3.5l five cylinder engine.

Diesel versions are said to be available next year.

GM is yet to confirm if Harry has ordered one for his pending tour of duty.

The Whacky Hoff

It seems there is no limit too far for David Hasselhoff.

The Hoff just keeps riding a wave of self-deprecation that’s become the hallmark of his reinvention.

He’s cut a video to Ted Mulry’s classic “Jump in my car”, where he’s driving, you guessed, KITT.

It seems pitched directly at Aussies, featuring Australian girls and a few cornball backdrops of Uluru.

The video is supposed to be one of those oh-so-ironic send ups of The Hoff’s heart throb schtick.

Autopia isn’t even sure that it’s as funny as it thinks it is, but you can be the judge.

Full video at Jalopnik.

Unfortunately it’s a Google video, which is woeful on the stream compared to You Tube fare.

New Jag leaked

Oops. The Jaguar XKR was supposed to launch at the British Motor Show in July and was all top secret till then.

Till now.

Autoblog jagged some pics (see I did that) of the supercharged 4.2l V8 with 416hp.

It comes in both coupe and cabriolet, with the hardtop hitting 100kmph (62mph) in 5.2 seconds, and the softie coming in at 5.3 seconds (damn wind drag).

Terminal velocity is electronically kneecapped at 250kmph (155mph).

Pricing is expected to be around 100 euro ($A200k).

From autoblog:

The visual changes lend a new look to this precocious cat that appears remarkably show worthy. From the hood scallops to the mesh grille and air intakes to the aluminum-trimmed air outlet aft of the front wheels, the XKR’s got style aplenty.

More Pics here