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What brands have Saab owners defected to? Polk investigates

When a brand goes belly-up, it's natural for analysts to wonder where that brand's consumers will turn. General Motors has mothballed more car brands the last decade than most other automakers' have in their entire portfolios, so "Where did [insert brand here] buyers go?" has been a common question asked of The General. According to reports, it didn't do so well at retaining Oldsmobile owners (who supposedly went to Hyundai), or Hummer and Saturn buyers, but did get some return love from Pontiac owners.
A consultant with Polk has turned the loyalty lens on Saab. The Polk Disposal Loyalty Methodology tracks owners selling vehicles within six months of buying a new one. In 2010 and 2011, Polk found that when Saab died, owners went right up the middle of the mainstream to Honda. It was close, though, with just 0.2 percent separating Honda from number two Volkswagen. Audi comes in third.
After that it's back to the masses with Toyota, Chevrolet and Ford trumping import luxury brands. And if you combine all of the General Motors brands that Saab owners have migrated to, GM more than doubles Honda with a 15.2-percent share, so all the love is not lost.

Citro"en DS3 Cabrio ready to roll back its lid in Paris [w/videos]

Citroën is adding another member to its DS3 line, this one a Cabrio with a sliding fabric roof in either black, Infini blue or DS Monogramme (as shown). The two-position opening mechanism follows the path laid out by the Mini Cooper convertible and Fiat 500 Cabrio, the driver able to slide the roof back to the leading edge of the C-pillar or send it all the way down into a plinth-like pile atop the trunk hatch. And as with the Mini, the top can be opened at speeds up to 74 mph.
The rest of the very popular DS3 hatch has remained intact, but the addition of direct access to Helios has encouraged Citroën to say the DS3 Cabrio is "pleasure non-stop." If you'd like some of that for yourself, there's a trio of videos and the official press release below, along with a trove of high-res photos in the gallery. We'll see it live next month at the Paris Motor Show.

Larger SX4 to lead raft of new or revised Suzuki models

A few weeks ago, we showed you what is likely in store for the next-generation Suzuki SX4, but What Car? now has some insider info of what might be in store for other products in the aging Suzuki lineup... at least in the UK.
When the official design sketch of the Suzuki S-Cross concept was released, Suzuki said that the concept car would be a C-segment crossover, closer in size to the Grand Vitara, and going up against some higher-volume rivals like the Ford Kuga (Escape) and Nissan Qashqai (similar to our Rogue). The Suzuki Grand Vitara is also due for a redesign, and both models will likely be on showroom floors together, with the Grand Vitara acting as the more rugged alternative to the hatchback-like SX4 replacement. Not much is known about the new Grand Vitara, but a new satellite navigation system is expected to debut in the SUV and eventually spread into other Suzuki models.
Suzuki will start selling the new SX4 and Grand Vitara in the United States this fall, and these two new crossovers should be a welcome addition to the company's diminutive U.S. dealer network that has been starved of product since the early 2000s. Automotive News adds a little gloom to this topic by pointing out that, after the introduction of the new SX4 and Grand Vitara this fall, American Suzuki has no new products planned through the 2015 model year. Suzuki dealers in Europe are more fortunate, as a refreshed version of the Jimny (formerly known as the Samurai here in the States) and an all-new Alto will both be joining the lineup.

Rolls-Royce planning one or two new models based on the Ghost

Fourteen years after Volkswagen bought Bentley, its English brand has two distinct lines, Mulsanne and Continental - with numerous variants at the Continental's lower price point - an SUV on the way and perhaps a sports car and a Mulsanne convertible, too. In the 14 years since BMW bought Rolls-Royce, its English brand has the Phantom and Ghost - with three variants at the Phantom's much higher price point. Rolls-Royce doesn't chase sales, but the difference in the brand direction helps explain why Bentley has sold more cars in the first six months of this year than Rolls-Royce sold all of last year.
And even though Rolls-Royce isn't solely about the tally, it would still like to improve on the 3,538 cars it sold last year - a sales record that eclipsed a mark set in 1978. To do so its CEO is planning one or two more Ghost-based models beyond the as-yet-unnamed Ghost Coupe due next year, perhaps to be called the Corniche, according to a report in Autocar. A convertible version of the Ghost Coupe is the obvious guess for one of them, and it would get the double-R "closer to 4,000" sales, where the CEO would like to be.
Sales might not be the only part of it, though; the headline of the Autocar piece says the CEO wants the new models because they're "required to give Rolls-Royce a proper identity." If that is accurate, we have no idea what kind of identity Rolls-Royce could be missing that would be served by a wider range of cars in the Ghost range, which by their place in the brand's own lineup are admittedly not the most opulent carriages on the planet.

Chevy SS prototype spotted wearing Pontiac G8 clothes

Do not adjust your computer screen, you are not seeing the rebirth of the Pontiac brand. General Motors has chosen to use a G8 to disguise a test mule for the latest prototype of the forthcoming Chevrolet SS. The G8 was closely related to the Holden Commodore and Vauxhall VXR, the platform upon which the new Chevrolet performance model will be based. It should come as little surprise, then, that GM has opted to use the cladding from the former G8.
Thought the front clip of this mule is pure Pontiac, note the vents immediately behind the front wheel. That is a distinctive design hallmark of the Vauxhall VXR. Also note that this vehicle is right-hand drive, as the Holden and its Chevy counterpart will be very closely related. That likely includes potential drivetrains. The spy photos of this mule also reveal very wide rear tires, and rear wheels that do not match the fronts.

2014 Smart ForTwo prototype shows itself

From the looks of these spy shots, Daimler is hard at work on the 2014 Smart ForTwo, giving us our first look next generation of this micro car. With the partnership between Renault and Daimler finally coming to fruition, the Smart will likely share a platform with the Renault Twingo, and it will come in gasoline, diesel and electric variants.
In terms of styling, the test mule doesn't reveal much, but expect the new ForTwo to utilize some of the design cues introduced on recent concept vehicles like the 2011 ForVision Concept and the 2012 For-Us Concept. One thing we can see with this prototype is that the car appears to have gotten a little bigger with boxier proportions closer to the Scion iQ. Thanks to a bolted-on scoop on the rear part of the car's roof, we can tell that the 2014 ForTwo will continue to have its engine mounted in the rear.
For a release date, the production version of the new ForTwo appears to be heading to the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, but we wouldn't be surprised to see another ForTwo-teasing Smart concept later this year.

Former CEO Bahar files $10.6M suit against Lotus

File this one under "not surprising in the least." Fired Lotus CEO Dany Bahar is reportedly suing his former employers for some $10.6 million, claiming that the automaker and its Malaysian owner, DRB, broke the law when they dismissed him. According to a report by Bloomberg Businessweek, DRB and Lotus will defend themselves in court rather than settling, including filing a countersuit against the former top executive.
Bahar, 40, was canned on June 7, about two weeks after Lotus suspended him pending an investigation into his conduct. The report cites a Kuala Lumpur stock exchange filing as its source of the information; the filing also indicates that DRB has decided against selling Lotus, despite continuing losses.

Spyker and Youngman sign deal, plan to build D8 SUV and Phoenix-based range

It appears Spyker is strengthen its ties and carmaking ability with Chinese carmaker Youngman. This comes in the wake of the brand's latest dealings with a $3 billion lawsuit against General Motors regarding the demise of Saab.
Youngman is reportedly investing €10,000,000 ($12.5M USD) for a 29.9-percent stake in the company. The shares are being sold for €0.05 (6.3 cents) each, representing a fully diluted share. Youngman has said it will not take on more than the 29.9-percent stake.
Additionally, Youngman will invest €25,000,000 ($31M) for the development of an all-new Spyker vehicle, called the D8 P2P, named for the Peking-to-Paris rally. The vehicle had been shown as a concept by Spyker previously, but things had been quiet since then. It appears Spyker will now build the uniquely styled D8 Concept shown above. The vehicle is to launch at the end of 2014 and carry a price of $250,000 per vehicle.

BMW suing Saab Automobile Parts for $3.2M

Saab might be all but dead, but that's not stopping automakers that were once involved with the Swedish brand from attempting to reclaim losses. According to a Fox Business report, BMW has filed a 2.6 million Euro suit ($3.2 million USD) with a Swedish district court against Saab Automobile Parts for deliveries that went unpaid.
In 2012, Saab Automobile AB signed an agreement BMW that would see the German automaker deliver four-cylinder gas engines for its 9-3 range.
The suit also asserts that Saab ordered a large number of spare parts, and no payments were made to BMW. At the time, Saab was far from liquid, and filed for bankruptcy in December of last year.

Suzuki reopens India plant post-riot with police outnumbering workers

Suzuki's plant in Manesar, India builds cars for Australia, specifically its Alto small car. Or at least they were building cars before violent worker riots forced the factory to close. The plant has been idled for five weeks as a result of worker violence that led to the death of one manager and 95 injuries. The riot was spurred over a labor dispute - specifically, a gulf in salaries between temporary workers and their salaried counterparts who earn triple the contract workers' wages.
According to reports, on Tuesday, the factory re-opened with more than 1,200 police officers stationed around the plant. The staff of actual workers at the plant numbers just 75 currently, meaning the police force greatly outnumbers Suzuki employees.
The number of employees will eventually grow to 300, and the officers will run in shifts of 100 at a time, but the initial disparity of workers to police is meant as a show of force to the more than 500 permanent and 500 temporary workers who were found to be involved in a July 18 riot.

These cars are headed to the Great Crusher In The Sky

It happens every year. We bid adieu to some cars and trucks that will be missed, and say good riddance to others wondering how they stayed around so long. Whether they're being killed off for slow sales or due to a new product coming along to replace them, the list of vehicles being discontinued after 2012 is surprisingly long and diverse.
CNN Money has compiled a list of departing vehicles, to which we've added a few more of our own. In the slow sales column, cars like the Lexus HS 250h, Mercedes-Benz R-Class and the full Maybach lineup appear, while the Ford Escape Hybrid, Mazda CX-7 and Hyundai Veracruz are all having their gaps filled with more modern and more fuel-efficient alternatives. Obvious exceptions to the rule include models that still sell in decent numbers like the Jeep Liberty and the Chrysler Town & Country (which will eventually be replaced by a crossover-like vehicle).
Check out our gallery of discontinued cars above, then scroll down for more information.

Opel cutting work hours in two plants to avoid layoffs

Trying to make the best of a nasty situation for everyone involved, Opel has reportedly worked out an agreement with its Works Council and the IG Metall union to reduce working hours at two of its plants. From the end of September until the end of the year, there will be 20 days of short shifts and short working days for two Opel facilities: the Rüsselsheim factory that builds the Insignia and Astra and the Kaiserslautern component plant. About half of the 13,800 Rüsselsheim employees will be affected, including everyone but engineers, along with all 2,500 workers at Kaiserslautern.
The move helps keep people employed, and a German goverment program called Kurzarbeit - short work - will reimburse workers either 60 or 67 percent of their lost wages. Analysts commenting on the plan say, yet again, that it will not help the practically Europe-wide issue of overcapacity, which in the case of General Motors is said to equal the output of ten factories. Nor will it help Opel's slide: deliveries in the first half of this year are down 15 percent. The Adam subcompact and the promised restructuring can't come soon enough.

Special Edition Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse sells for $2.5 million

Speculative investors should have held off on purchasing Facebook stock. Instead, they would have been wiser pooling resources for the Special Edition Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse. The one-off supercar, with an asking price of $2.5 million, was shown at "The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering" at Pebble Beach over the weekend... and it was sold to an unnamed buyer before the ink on its seven-digit sticker had dried.
While a standard Vitesse will set someone back about $2.2 million, the Special Edition's $300,000 premium bought a host of cosmetic enhancements (the 1,200-horsepower quad-turbo W16 remains untouched) including a paint job specially prepared as a tribute to the 1928 Type 37A. The top half of the aluminum body is painted in Bianco while the lower half is New Light Blue. Inside the two-place cabin is custom-tailored Cognac leather with contrasting New Light Blue stitching, blue accents in the door handles and map pockets. Pictures don't do it justice.
Before you question a cosmetic upgrade costing more than the average new home, there are a few things to take into consideration. First, Bugatti has had no trouble selling more than 300 Veyrons to date, and as far as we can tell there has been zero depreciation on the secondary market for special one-off models. Second, there are less than 80 build slots left before production stops on what will eventually be considered one of the most extraordinary supercars of its era (and the Vitesse is a the top of the model range). Lastly, consider the interesting backstory about this particular white and blue vehicle.

Postmortem: Maybach meets its maker

Why Daimler's Ultra-Luxe Brand Couldn't Compete With Bentley And Rolls
Daimler took hubris to a new level believing that it could simply invent a new brand.
What was intended to make a big splash in the premium luxury car market has ended with a dull thud. Almost exactly a decade after it lifted the first of the big cars into New York by helicopter, Daimler AG has pulled the plug on its Maybach marque. And the odds are that few, if any, of the affluent motorists it was targeting will even notice the brand's departure.

High tarriffs curb resurgent U.S. hopes for Holden Ute

With the Holden Commodore sedan on its way back to the States as the Chevrolet SS, we were hoping that the El Camino-like, two-seat Ute wouldn't be far behind (after all, the halfbreed was supposed to be offered here as the Pontiac G8 Sport Truck before General Motors offed the brand altogether). Unfortunately, however, the Aussies have been informed that the Ute falls under our light commercial tariff rate of 35 percent - roughly three times the rate on passenger vehicle imports.
"We were hopeful at one stage, we thought we might be able to duck in under it, but it was ruled out," Holden executive director Richard Phillips tells the Herald Sun. "With the dollar where it is, exports can only be pursued that are niche... and profitable in this environment."
Bummer.

Suzuki recalling 101,000 Forenza, Reno models over faulty headlamps

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced a recall of over 100,000 Suzuki models. The NHTSA recall extends to certain 2004-2006 Suzuki Forenza models and 2005-2006 Reno vehicles, These were vehicles produced from September 2003 through March 2006.
According to the announcement, the recall pertains to potentially faulty headlight assemblies. A poor contact in the headlight terminals can result in the splice pack melting, resulting in partial or complete loss of headlamp functionality.

Bugatti Galibier to be "faster than anything on the market"

Before Wolfgang Dürheimer moves to Audi, he's still got a few jobs to finish as head of Bentley and Bugatti, one of them being to oversee the development of the 16C Galibier. It was back in 2009 that the two-tone concept had audiences agog, and rumors and leaks since then have had everyone wondering if the four-seat fastback will ever become reality. To hit 'rewind' on the rumormill, the Galibier was initially greenlit in early 2011 and tipped to go into production this year, a timeframe that was later revised to next year. The model was earmarked to have less than 1,000 horsepower and optional hybrid power, and at the same time, the design was meant to be finalized, but it was instead reportedly scrapped for not being outrageous enough. The Galibier then went back to the design bureau and the horsepower was subsequently announced as surpassing the four-digit mark.
Production is now planned for somewhere around 2015, and according to Dürheimer's chat with Car and Driver, the Galibier on the way will be original and blindingly fast. The executive would only commit to the "over 1,000 hp" line, but C/D believes the ouput will be around 1,400 non-hybridized ponies. Whatever the final number is, it is said to get the Galibier beyond 235 mph and, Durheimer said, be "faster than anything on the market" - and that includes wares from the aftermarket sector. Dürheimer also says the Galibier will have technologies that are automotive firsts.
What remains to be decided is the candy coating that will envelop all that sweetness, since "the final design still is in flux." We'd heard before that the hatchback's entire rear end is being redesigned, but it appears that if nothing else, the eight tailpipes will remain.

Lotus announces Exige V6 Cup racer

The Lotus Exige is once of the most focused race cars that you can purchase on the market today, but for those individuals who desire to track the mid-engined racer, Lotus has released its latest no-frills, all-go racecar: the Exige V6 Cup.
The Exige Cup features a supercharged 3.5-liter V6 making 346 horsepower, enabling the 2,380-pound race car to get from zero to 62 mph in just 3.8 seconds. Power is put to the road with the help of Lotus Dynamic Performance Management, which allows for Touring, Sport and Race settings for the engine.
The Exige V6 Cup also features revised aerodynamics in the front fascia and rear diffuser, and it rides on a fully adjustable suspension that reaches the road with special wheels wrapped in Pirelli P-Zero Trofeo tires.

GM recalling 250,000 SUVs over door electronics

After a door-fire investigation that dates back to February, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has officially announced a recall today that affects around 250,000 General Motors SUVs for a faulty driver's door module. The recall applies to the Buick Rainier, Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Isuzu Ascender and Saab 9-7X from the 2006 and 2007 model years, as well as the 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer EXT and GMC Envoy XL for vehicles sold and/or registered in the Snow Belt.
Road salt use in these midwestern and northern states can lead to corrosion of the driver's door module on these GMT360 and GMT370 vehicles, which allows water to come in contact with the circuit board. If shorted out, the vehicle's power door locks and power windows will not work, and could possibly lead to overheating and, in some circumstances, a fire. No official word on how many total vehicles caught on fire, but back in June, 28 fires had been reported to the government agency. A fix for the problem is still being worked out, but all affected vehicle owners will be notified by GM.
Scroll down for the official NHTSA statement.

2012 Pebble Beach Concept Car Lawn offers a tutorial in cars to come

The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance is a showcase for some of the world's most exquisite vintage vehicles, but if newer metal is more your speed, the Concept Car Lawn is the place to be.
This year saw models from Bugatti, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, McLaren and Bentley as well as SRT, Hennessey, Infiniti and Lexus among others. The ultimate sampler platter of exotic and concept vehicles saw the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse mingle with the Lamborghini Urus Concept and the mighty Hennessey Venom GT, though we found ourselves particularly smitten with the BMW Zagato Roadster and the Aston Martin Vanquish.
Not that we could go wrong anywhere we looked. The 2013 Bentley Continental GT Speed seemed perfectly content parked on the manicured putting green, as did the McLaren MP4-12C Spider. Get cozy with the full gallery below to see the smattering of metal on the lawn.

Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse is the same Bug with new paint

We typically wince any time a manufacturer rolls out a special edition that's little more than a coat of paint, but we'll make an exception in this case. Bugatti parked the Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse on the lawn of the Quail Motorsports Gathering, resplendent in its Bianco and Light Blue livery. The paint scheme is a tribute to the 1928 Type 37A. That open-wheel racer took the checkered flag at a number of grand prix events and now finds itself in the loving care of none other than Jay Leno himself.
As with the rest of the Veyron Grand Sport models, the Vitesse can bolt to 62 mph from a dead stop in a physics-obliterating 2.6 seconds. The feat is possible thanks to a range of impressive mechanical systems, though the 1,200 horsepower forced-induction W16 at the heart of it certainly doesn't hurt. Check out the Vitesse in the gallery below and have a peek at the full press release as well.

Rolls-Royce debuts Phantom Coupe Aviator Collection at Pebble Beach

As if its cars aren't already exclusive enough on their own merit, Rolls-Royce is debuting an ultra-limited production version of the Phantom Coupe at Pebble Beach today. With only 35 cars expected to be built, the Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe Aviator Collection celebrates Charles Stewart Rolls - Rolls-Royce co-founder - who had a passion for flying and was only the second man in Britain to have a pilot's license before his death in 1910.
Unique elements of the Phantom Coupe Aviator Collection include the Aviator Grey exterior hue accented with a matte finish on the grille, hood and window frame. Setting the aeronautical theme of the car, the interior is fitted with exclusive features like the matte-black instrument gauges, an aviation-grade clock in the middle of the dash and a lower dash veneer that mimics the look of an old wooden airplane propeller. Even the transmission tunnel boasts an anodized aluminum cover with exposed torx-head bolts which attempts to match the fuselage of Rolls' award-winning (and Rolls-Royce-powered) Supermarine S6B aircraft.
No detail was overlooked in creating a truly unique atmosphere for the Aviator Collection so much so that it has a leather-lined glove box with the following quote from Rolls himself embossed into it:

Lotus could build production versions of Renault Alpine, Infiniti Emerg-E

As with one of those blockbuster three-team NBA trades that actually improves the fortunes of every team involved, a report in Autocar indicates that Renault, Infiniti and Lotus are in talks that could benefit both manufacturers and enthusiasts. Renault is considering a production version of the devil-in-blue Alpine A110-50 concept but has said that it "probably needs more than the Renault-Nissan Alliance on its own." Enter Lotus, whose Evora platform could supply the running bits for the mid-engined Alpine revival.
That same Evora platform, in range-extended 414E concept form, is the basis for the Infiniti Emerg-E concept. Even though a decision hasn't been made on the Emerg-E's production, it is still being developed and the company has admitted that it "could be built in Britain." For its part, Lotus has said that it's ahead of schedule on the Evora 414E, with its 408 horsepower, 738 pound-feet of torque and 30-mile electric range. Development funds from both Renault and Infiniti could help make all three cars a closer possibility.

Maybach officially discontinues all models for 2013

The word "Maybach" has joined the long list of synonyms for the word "kaput." Mercedes-Benz released the price list for the 2013 models of its super-luxury sedans, with the price column simply stating "Discontinued" for each one of them.
The 2012 models, should there be any left for 11th-hour buyers, maintain the increased MSRPs that Daimler slapped on them late last year after it was known the brand would be terminated next year. But you might still be able to wrangle that $100,000 rebate if you ask nicely, or in Russian, or have Rick Ross ask for you.
It shouldn't be too long before we see the ultimate version of the next generation S-Class, the S600 Pullman, that will replace Maybach. Intriguingly, it's said the Pullman will be offered with every S-Class engine, even the four-cylinder diesel.

Suzuki previews new S-Cross compact CUV ahead of Paris debut

Despite having one heck of a lackluster presence here in the United States, Suzuki still manages to do well in other markets. That in mind, the automaker continually releases new products and concept cars at international auto shows that aren't destined for U.S. consumption, but this might not be one of those times.
The aging SX4 crossover is in need of replacement, and if Suzuki is still committed to selling passenger cars in the States, something fresh like this S-Cross concept could be just the ticket. Suzuki has, after all, confirmed that the S-Cross will eventually make its way into production.
We have no other details to divulge about the S-Cross, except that it's a small crossover concept and that it will make its public debut at the Paris Motor Show in September. Suzuki says that the S-Cross has a "Emotion x Quality x Aerodynamics" design theme that uses "distinctive dynamic lines that start on the front bumper, sweep across the doors, and continue to the rear of the body." No offense, Suzuki, but we've heard that before.

Completed Bugatti Type 64 Coupe to make debut at Quail Motorsports Gathering

If you're one of the Autoblog faithful you might remember our story on the Bugatti Type 64 Coupe chassis on display at the Mullin Automotive Museum, one of just three built by the French carmaker before the death of Jean Bugatti. At the time, we told you the museum had plans to finalize the construction of the car with custom coachwork - only one example received bodywork from the factory - and now that time has finally come to unveil the finished product. Today it was announced that a "virtually completed" car will make its debut later this month at the Quail Motorsports Gathering in Monterey.
"We've dedicated much of our efforts at the Museum to honor the Bugatti family and the marque, but never have we done something of this scale," said Peter Mullin, Chairman of the Mullin Automotive Museum. "I cannot imagine a greater token of respect to the Bugatti family than to help finish Jean Bugatti's beloved final masterpiece."
We'll have live photos of the completed Bugatti Type 64 Coupe as part of our extensive Monterey coverage next week. Want to see the car in person for yourself? The museum says it will have also have the car on display at their facility in Oxnard, CA later this year.

Opel Insignia OPC getting facelift. Will the Buick Regal GS see it, too?

We've seen spy shots of the base Opel Insignia wearing facelifted front and rear ends, and now it appears that the more potent OPC version will be benefitting from a nip/tuck, as well.
The front bumper has been redesigned, incorporating new air intakes - toned-down versions of the model's signature fangs - as well as a new grille. Out back, there will be minimal changes to the overall fascia, most likely stuff like slightly redesigned taillamps, and inside, these spy shots show a larger navigation/infotainment screen sitting atop the center console.
This is all well and good for the Insignia, but we're wondering how these changes will impact North America's Buick Regal GS. No, it may not share the same powertrain punch as the Euro-spec OPC, but visually, the cars are nearly identical. When questioned about possible changes for the GS, a Buick spokesperson told us that the automaker "can't comment" on any changes at this point. Even so, we wouldn't be surprised if some small changes come our way in the next year or so.

Volvo denies boss Jacoby is taking a run at Opel CEO post

It seems that every news report that involves the name "Opel" is eventually followed by a report that says, "Uh, never mind." Executives fill positions, then they're gone, or they're supposed to fill positions but duck out before doing so, five-year product offensives turn into grabbing for life preservers, and turnaround plans are followed by... new turnaround plans. With the recent departure of Opel CEO Karl-Friedrich Stracke, Swedish newspaper Dagens Industri reported that Volvo CEO Stefan Jacoby topped the list of candidates to sit in Opel's very hot seat.
Volvo spokesman Stefan Elfstrom has piped up to say "Mr. Jacoby is fully occupied with running Volvo and has no plan for leaving his present job." Stranger things have happened, though, and who knows what the truth is, but we have to admit we'd be surprised if Jacoby jumped off the Volvo express - recently given an $11-billion boost by parent company Geely - to take his chances in the Opel maelstrom.
So Opel's search for a CEO continues. At least we have the Adam to look forward to.

Spyker files $3 billion lawsuit against General Motors over Saab's demise

"Smack." That's the sound of Spyker's process server dropping a big ol' pile of legal documents on the doorstep of The Renaissance Center, home of General Motors - or wherever GM's attorneys live during business hours. Contained therein is a Complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and demanding a jury trial, that seeks $3 billion in damages due to "the unlawful actions GM took to avoid competition with Saab Automobile in the Chinese market." Spyker accuses GM of "tortiously interfering" with Saab's business relationship with Chinese automaker Zhejiang Youngman Lotus Automobile (Youngman), actions that Spyker CEO Victor Muller (above) said "deliberately drove Saab Automobile into bankruptcy."
(From Wikipedia: "Tortious interference, also known as intentional interference with contractual relations, in the common law of torts, occurs when a person intentionally damages the plaintiff's contractual or other business relationships.")
The interference in question specifically refers to the very last potential deal, called the Framework Agreement, that Spyker worked out with Youngman. With lots of GM engineering embedded into the 9-4X and 9-5, The General had the right to approve any Saab partnership that would involve the transfer of GM intellectual property. Spyker had been rebuffed over every previous deal with a Chinese firm, including two bids by Youngman, due to GM concerns over its IP getting into Chinese hands and having to face Chinese-market competitors using its technology. The Complaint alleges that the Framework Agreement would have put a firewall around all GM IP - Youngman would only work on Saab's Phoenix platform, said to be just about free of GM tech, and would have no access to 9-3, 9-4X or 9-5 technology until after Saab ceased all ties to GM.

Ghost Coupe to be fastest Rolls-Royce ever

Autocar has snapped spy shots of a Rolls-Royce Ghost Coupe, and judging from proportions the car will be so long in front and raked in back that it would make Dick Tracy whistle. We'll get the true story on that at next year's Geneva Motor Show, which is when Autocar says it's due to be revealed, but what's less in question is this: with a 6.6-liter, 600-horsepower V12 and a tauter ride it will be the fastest Rolls-Royce ever.
Weight is estimated to drop by 200 kg compared to its sedan sibling, and its roofline to drop by up to nearly three inches. If the horsepower numbers are correct the shorter and lighter Ghost coupe, with a 69-hp bump over the sedan, will assuredly deliver the "considerably brisker" acceleration promised. Helping matters will be the lowered chassis, larger tires, "mildly sports-orientated" brakes and a suspension tuned to be more aggressive but delivering just as much waftability.
Although it's being called the Ghost Coupe for now, insiders have suggested to the magazine that that it will get its own, bespoke, name, with pricing above the standard sedan but below the extended-wheelbase sedan.