Alex Nunez
Sedans/Saloons, Sports/GTs, Australia, HSV

Since last summer, rumors have swirled in Australia regarding a potential "flagship" HSV GTSR. The original scuttlebutt had GM's Aussie performance division dropping the Corvette Z06's LS7 V8 into one of its fully-tricked, Commodore-based sedans. That never panned out. In the interim, we've seen the introduction of the blown, 620-horsepower, 6.2-liter LS9 V8 in the Corvette ZR1, as well as its less-caffeinated brother, the 550-horsepower LSA, in the Cadillac CTS-V. As such, the time is nigh to commence Round 2 of the HSV GTSR rumormongering. Australia's Motor magazine (no website? come on, guys) steps up to the plate with its March 2008 issue cover shot, a Photoshop of an HSV sedan sporting the ZR1's hood window, with a claim that the LS9 is headed Down Under. Whether the rumor's even remotely valid is anyone's guess, and it's likely to go on for months. You see, something like the mythical GTSR would be a pretty major reveal, worthy of a big stage like the Sydney Motor Show. That doesn't take place until October, so there's plenty of time for this one to get whipped into a frenzy. Thanks to Autoblog (and Motor mag) reader Zayed B. for the photo!

UPDATE: I'm reminded in the comments that the Melbourne Motor Show is less than three weeks away, so perhaps we'll get more word on whether there's a Super HSV in the works sooner rather than later.

[Source: Motor]

Source: Rumormill: Flagship HSV GTSR to get LS9 V8?

Chris Shunk
Economy, Etc., Hatchbacks, Ford

For over three years, US car buyers have soldiered on with variations on the aged first-generation Ford Focus architecture while Europeans have moved on to enjoy the much better-looking and more refined gen-two model. Ford CEO Allan Mulally has officially confirmed that the upcoming 2010 Focus will be global, meaning that our interest in the Ford compact should grow considerably. The web scribes at FoMoCo News have popped up a possible sketch of the next Focus (source unknown, so take with a grain of salt), and the three-door rendering shares a lot of design elements with its smaller sibling, the Verve (shown at right). The taut, flowing headlamps and aggressive fender bulges are similar, as is the trapezoidal theme for the lower intake. The contour of the two vehicles is also a near perfect match, with the hatch and rear windows receiving very similar angles. The Focus sketch has more pronounced side panels with a flare that stretches from behind the front wheel well all the way to the hatch, giving the larger three-door a more athletic appearance.

We're still a year or two from seeing the next Focus in the flesh, and although the FoMoCo News sketch is far from official, it's probably as reasonable a forecast as any, since we know the Verve's design language is on the way. You can check out more sketches of this possible next-gen Focus by clicking the "Read" link below. Thanks for the tip, Mbuku!

[Source: FoMoCo News]

Source: Rendered Speculation: 2010 Ford Focus

Already making waves in its home market of India, Tata’s Nano is aiming for Europe’s micro-car market. Since the introduction of the $2,500 car, the bottom has fallen out of the Indian used car market, pundits have begun speculating on the Nano’s impact on global fuel prices, and everyone has been wondering when the little car will make it to Europe or the United States. Solutions to the first two issues are still up in the air, but word is out that Tata is hoping to bring a second-generation Nano to Europe by 2012.

The current car is almost certainly not capable of meeting the tough safety standards in Europe - where it would be sharing the roads with much larger and speedier cars than it does in India - and emissions questions also linger. The second-generation Nano would be designed to meet the requirements for sale in Europe - and likely, therefore, also the U.S. or other countries with similar standards.

Whether the Nano will be able to meet the safety and emissions standards while staying near its $2,500 price mark is another question altogether, however. Already very efficient at just 5L/100km (47mpg US/56.5mpg Imperial), the goal is to improve the second-generation Nano’s fuel consumption even further. As the horsepower wars subside and the green wars get spooled up, we may see the Nano as the leader of the new brigade of light, efficient, and incredibly inexpensive transportation. On the other hand, engineering costs and legislative requirements could end up adding bulk and expense to the Nano until it’s essentially indestinguishable from any of the dozens of small cars already on the European market.

Via: WCF

Source: Second-gen Nano to hit Europe by 2012