Anticipating Sales Uptick

With General Motors Corp.'s Cash crunch taking on global proportions, its Adam Opel GmbH European subsidiary is seeking financial assistance from the German government.

Still, Opel demonstrated at the recent Geneva Motor Show its ability to introduce new products with hopeful anticipation of a rebounding market for new vehicles and customers eager to buy.

This year's star of the Opel stand was the production-intent version of the Ampera plug-in extended-range electric vehicle. This European-styled EV shares its architecture with the Chevrolet Volt.

The 4-passenger Ampera is expected in late 2011. A right-hand-drive version will be sold in the U.K. starting in 2012.

The Volt and Ampera are propelled by electric motors with a range of 37 miles (60 km) on a lithium-ion battery pack.

Also on the Opel stand was the station-wagon version of the Insignia. The Sports Tourer wagon is now on sale in Europe.

Like GM, Fiat Automobiles SpA is in an economic bind. But the Italian auto maker has two trump cards: It is Europe's leading producer of high-mileage vehicles and makes one of the continent's most popular small cars, the 500.

At the Geneva show, Fiat displayed the 500C soft-topped version. But it is not a true convertible, as the canvas top (available in ivory, red or black) folds back while leaving the side arches in position.

By preserving the roof structure, Fiat expects the car to maintain its 5-star European New Car Assessment Program safety rating.

Meanwhile, Chrysler LLC, which proposes a partnership with Fiat that would give the Italian auto maker a 35% stake in Detroit's No.3 auto maker, showed its electric-range concept cars in Geneva, including the Chrysler 200C EV.

Lou Rhodes, Chrysler vice president-Advance Vehicle Engineering, says the EVs will “achieve zero tailpipe emissions and a 150- to 200-mile (241- to 322-km) driving range.” Most European electric-vehicle developments are projecting a battery range of 93 miles (150 km).

Ford Motor Co. introduced the Iosis Max concept car at an offsite event. The vehicle represents the third concept in its Iosis range, following earlier debuts in 2005 and 2006. The first one demonstrated what Ford calls kinetic design, and the 2006 Iosis X cross/utility vehicle paved the way for the Ford Kuga.

The Iosis Max could be the design forerunner of the next C-Max. The concept is powered by a 1.6L EcoBoost gasoline engine that will be introduced in Ford vehicles next year.

Ford also displayed its Transit Connect electric-powered van, new-to-Europe Ranger pickup and the production version of the Focus RS, a hot turbocharged hatch.

Dazzling Geneva show-goers was the iChange EV concept from Swiss coachbuilder Rinspeed AG. The vehicle expands from a 1-seat sports car to a 3-seater.

Rinspeed envisions the iChange as a 150-kW (201-hp) car with a top speed of 137 mph (220 km/h), unusual for an EV with a regular 6-speed gearbox.
— With reporting by William Diem

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