Opel Officially Reveals 2012 Astra GTC, Coming Next Year

This is General Motors’ brand new Opel Astra GTC revealed more than two months ahead of its world premiere at the 64th International Motor Show in Frankfurt, Germany, in mid-September. The newest member of Opel’s ever-growing Astra family will go on sale across Europe including the United Kingdom where it will be available as a Vauxhall later this year. Recent reports also suggest it may come to the States under the Buick brand.
GM’s European subsidiary is confident about its new Astra GTC with Vauxhall going as far as to claim that it will “lay down the gauntlet to VW’s Scirocco and Renault’s Megane Coupe with a heady mix of dynamic excellence, dramatic design features and competitive pricing".

The production version of last year’s Paris Motor Show concept GTC sports a far more athletic appearance than the rest of the Astra range thanks to the uniquely designed body that includes a more rakish roofline. According to Opel, the only elements the GTC shares with its five-door and estate siblings are the door handles and roof aerial as even the wheelbase and tracks are different.

Compared to the five-door Astra, the ride height of the GTC is lowered by 15 mm while the wheelbase grows by 10 mm, from 2,685 to 2,695 mm and both tracks are wider, at 1,584 mm (+ 40 mm) in front and 1,588 mm (+ 30 mm) in the rear.

Opel and its sister brand Vauxhall say the Astra GTC is a more driver’s car than the five-door model as the company’s engineers having made several changes to the chassis including the adoption of the HiPerStrut (High Performance Strut) setup used on the 325HP Insignia OPC / VXR instead of the standard McPherson suspension.

At the rear, the GTC continues to use a Watt’s link axle, while as an option, Opel offers the fully-adaptive FlexRide chassis control system with a choice of three settings - Standard, Tour or Sport.

Moving on to the available lineup at launch, the Astra GTC can be ordered now with a choice of four engines. However, Opel said more powertrains will be offered around its world premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Show adding that the sportiest versions including the future high-performance OPC model will follow in 2012.

For now, diesel options are limited to a 2.0-liter CDTI common-rail turbo unit delivering 165HP and 380 Nm of torque in overboost function. It is fitted with a diesel particulate filter and a six-speed manual transmission, plus a new Start/Stop system. With this engine, the GTC can reach 100 km/h (62mph) in 8.9 seconds en route to a top speed of 210 km/h (131 mph), while returning a combined fuel consumption of 4.9 lt/ 100 km (48 mpg US or 57.7 mpg UK) with corresponding CO2 emissions of 129 g/km.

The most powerful engine is a 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline unit with 180-horses linked to a six-speed manual gearbox offering the GTC a top speed of 220 km/h (137 mph). A 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine available with 120HP and 140HP completes the petrol lineup.

In Britain, buyers can place their order now for the Astra GTC with prices ranging from £18,495 for the 120HP Sport 1.4 Turbo to £22,430 for the 165PS SRi 2.0 CDTi. For more details on UK pricing, check out the list below.

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BMW Reveals 2012 1-Series M Sport Package

BMW is wasting no time in pushing the marketing envelope on its brand-new “My, what big eyes you have” 2012 1-Series as the Bavarian automaker has already released an online configurator on its German website only two days after the hatchback model’s debut.
Aside from allowing potential buyers and time-wasters alike to configure the 2012 1-Series hatchback, the dedicated webpage also serves us our first taste of the M Sport Package. The option group includes a new aero kit comprising of M parts such as the front and rear bumpers, a sports-oriented chassis set-up, and bespoke alloy wheel designs.
The interior also receives the M treatment with sport seats and door panels dressed in special upholsteries, aluminum trim on the dashboard and door-sills plus a sports steering wheel, handbrake and gear levers, and pedals.

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All-New 2012 BMW 1-Series: Official Specs And Details

With imagery of the brand new 1-Series hatchback making the internet rounds since Friday, it was only a matter of time before BMW came out with an official release and a full set of photos. The Bavarian firm’s entry-level model sports has grown in size and sports fresher –albeit, somewhat more controversial- looks, while also introducing a new generation of 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline engines with up to 170HP.
For its debut, BMW chose to show the five-door hatchback model, but the range will eventually grow to include a three-door hatchback followed by the coupe, cabriolet and if the grapevine holds true, a longer and more spacious Gran Turismo version in the likes of the 3-Series GT we recently showed you in these spy shots.
The second iteration of the 1-Series codenamed F20 is built on the same platform architecture as the upcoming F30 3-Serie. The five-door hatch is 85 mm (3.3-in.) longer than its predecessor, at 4,324 mm (170.2-in.), while the wheelbase has widened by 30 mm to 2,690 mm (105.9-in). Furthermore, its overall width has increased by 17 mm to 1,765 mm (69.5-in) due to an increase in track of 51 mm at the front and 72 mm at the rear, whereas its height remains unchanged at 1,421 mm (55.9-in.). BMW says the rear passengers have 21mm more legroom, and the luggage compartment has expanded by 30 liters to 360 liters (12.7 cubic feet).
Crafted under the watch of BMW’s Chief designer Adrian van Hooydonk, the styling of the new 1er is an evolution of the outgoing model with sharper and more prominent creases and a dramatic front-end design with abnormally large headlamps stretching all the way to the wheel arches.
It’s a similar story inside as the styling is more evolutionary than revolutionary. Aside from the larger center console with fresh switchgear and the new steering wheel design, BMW claims it boasts higher-grade materials and more attention to detail. As an option, the company offers its latest iDrive system that includes a retractable screen on top of the dashboard.
The big news lies under the hood as BMW finally introduced its long awaited, smaller displacement, turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine. The 1.6-liter unit with TwinPower Turbo and direct injection technology will be available at first in two states of tune delivering 136-horses and 220Nm (162.3 lb-ft) in the 116i and 170-horses and 250Nm (184.4 lb-ft) in the 118i.
For diesel fans, the junior rear-wheel drive BMW offers a redesigned 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder delivering 116HP in the 116d, 143HP in the 118d and 184HP in the 120d. BMW said it will also launch a 116d EfficientDynamics Edition, with a 116HP 1.6 litre diesel engine and additional fuel-saving technologies that will keep CO2 emissions over the EU testing cycle down to just 99 g/km.

Further down the line, the Bavarian automaker’s freshly launched 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with around 240-horses will most likely make it in the 128i replacing the current 130i that comes with a 3.0-liter straight six pushing out 258HP. BMW has not yet said if it will offer a straight-six engine on the new 1-Series.
A six-speed manual gearbox is standard on all models with BMW’s new 8-speed automatic transmission being offered as an option replacing the current six-speed auto.

Model versions:
BMW 118i: Four-cylinder in-line petrol engine with
BMW TwinPower Turbo technology package, consisting of twin-scroll turbocharger, High Precision Injection, VALVETRONIC and Double-VANOS variable valve control,

• Capacity: 1, 598 cc, output: 125 kW/170 hp at 4,800 rpm,
• Maximum torque: 250 Nm at 1,500 – 4,500 rpm,
• Acceleration 0 – 100 km/h (62mph): 7.4 seconds,
• Maximum speed: 225 km/h – 140mph
• Combined-cycle fuel consumption*: 5.8 – 5.9 litres/100 kilometres,
• CO2 emissions*: 134 – 137 g/km, emissions standard: EU5.

BMW 116i: Four-cylinder in-line petrol engine with
BMW TwinPower Turbo technology package, consisting of twin-scroll turbocharger, High Precision Injection, VALVETRONIC and Double-VANOS variable valve control,

• Capacity: 1,598 cc, output: 100 kW/136 hp at 4, 400 rpm,
• Maximum torque: 220 Nm at 1,350 – 4, 300 rpm,
• Acceleration 0 – 100 km/h (62mph): 8.5 seconds,
• Maximum speed: 210 km/h -130mph,
• Combined-cycle fuel consumption*: 5.5 – 5.7 litres/100 kilometres,
• CO2 emissions*: 129 – 132 g/km, emissions standard: EU5.

BMW 120d: Four-cylinder in-line diesel engine with
BMW TwinPower Turbo technology package, consisting of variable-geometry turbocharger, common-rail magnetic-valve direct injection
(max. injection pressure: 1,800 bar),

• Capacity: 1,955 cc, output: 135 kW/184 hp at 4, 000 rpm,
• Maximum torque: 380 Nm at 1,750 – 2, 750 rpm,
• Acceleration 0 – 100 km/h (62mph): 7.2 seconds,
• Maximum speed: 228 km/h – 142mph,
• Combined-cycle fuel consumption*: 4.5 – 4.6 litres/100 kilometres,
• CO2 emissions*: 119 – 122 g/km, emissions standard: EU5.

BMW 118d: Four-cylinder in-line diesel engine with
BMW TwinPower Turbo technology package, consisting of variable-geometry turbocharger, common-rail, magnetic-valve direct injection (max. injection pressure: 1,600 bar),

• Capacity: 1,955 cc, output: 105 kW/143 hp at 4,000 rpm,
• Max. torque: 320 Nm at 1,750 – 2, 500 rpm,
• Acceleration 0 – 100 km/h (62mph): 8.9 seconds,
• Maximum speed: 212 km/h – 132mph
• Combined-cycle fuel consumption*: 4.4 – 4.5 litres/100 kilometres,
• CO2 emissions*: 115 – 118 g/km, emissions standard: EU5.

BMW 116d: Four-cylinder in-line diesel engine with
BMW TwinPower Turbo technology package, consisting of variable-geometry turbocharger with common-rail, magnetic-valve direct injection (max. injection pressure: 1,600 bar),
Capacity: 1,955 cc, output: 85 kW/116 hp at 4,000 rpm,

• Maximum torque: 260 Nm at 1,750 – 2,500 rpm,
• Acceleration 0 – 100 km/h (62mph): 10.3 seconds,
• Maximum speed: 200 km/h – 124mph
• Combined-cycle fuel consumption*: 4.3 – 4.5 litres/100 kilometres,
• CO2 emissions*: 114 – 117 g/km, emissions standard: EU5.

* EU test figures, variations due to differences in the tyres fitted

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BMW Introduces M3 Carbon Fiber Limited Edition

Chinese customers love a good limited edition model and BMW tries its best to keep them happy. Not long ago, BMW had released the China market-only M3 Matte Edition and M3 Tiger Edition. During the BMW M Legendary Experience event held in China last week, the Bavarian automaker lifted the covers off yet another special M3, the Carbon Fiber Limited Edition of which only 111 examples will be built at a price of 1.23 million yuan (approximately US$189,800 at today’s exchange rates) a piece.
As the name suggests, the latest special M3 for China is dressed in carbon fiber inside and out, while keeping the standard model’s mechanical hardware intact. It is offered in a white pearl metallic finish and comes with contrasting black stripes that run the full length of the body and decals with the name of the car on the doors.
On the outside, we find carbon fiber on the roof, and the new BMW Performance aero parts that include the front lip splitters, trunk spoiler and hood inlets. A set of gloss-black 19-inch alloy wheels round off the exterior upgrades.
Moving on to the M3's interior, the dashboard and door panels get carbon fiber trim pieces while the black leather seats feature carbon fiber patterned material along with white stripes and piping.
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