Holden Cruze turned into 180kW Walkinshaw Performance hot-hatch

The first true Holden Cruze hot-hatch has been unleashed in Australia, with homegrown tuning company Walkinshaw Performance unveiling a high-performance version of the locally made small car with a price tag just below $50,000.

Based on the $28,490 Holden Cruze SRi-V 1.4 iTi hatch, the $19,995 WP Cruze Hot Hatch package introduces a number of visual and performance upgrades for a total cost of $48,485 before on-road costs.

Power from the Cruze’s turbocharged 1.4-litre petrol engine has been boosted 75 per cent (up from 103kW to 180kW), while torque has also climbed 55 per cent (from 200Nm to 310Nm).

Walkinshaw Performance estimates the WP Cruze will launch from 0-100km/h in 6.6 seconds, making it roughly three seconds quicker than the standard Cruze SRi-V. Official speed tests are yet to be completed, but the company’s general manager, Tony Harris, told CarAdvice he believes it will become the first Cruze in the world to run the quarter-mile in under 15 seconds when it’s put through its paces later this month.

Walkinshaw Performance says the Australian-engineered performance upgrades are the result of hundreds of hours of testing, refinement and collaboration and have been delivered “without compromising the driveability of the vehicle”.

Included in the package is an upgraded turbocharger and exhaust manifold, a dual-outlet stainless steel exhaust system, an all-new front brake package with four-piston 343mm rotors, and an upgraded and recalibrated suspension package developed with Bilstein and Irmscher.

The WP Cruze Hot Hatch also scores 18-inch white Irmscher alloy wheels, a WP-branded interior by Blackmans, WP sill plates, a modified gearstick and a matt white exterior wrap by Exotic Graphics.

HPF owner Rob Vickery said the secret of the WP Cruze Hot Hatch’s performance was its linear power curve.

“Upgrading to a bigger turbo sounds like a simple way to get big horsepower. But in a front wheel drive, without the right engineering behind it, you could easily make it unmanageable and unfriendly,” Vickery said.

“We’re really proud of the end product and we know it is going to be popular with customers looking at something extra for their Holden Cruze that doesn’t compromise on driveability.”

Walkinshaw Performance is also offering less extreme upgrades for the Cruze hatch, starting at $1195 for an ECU recalibration.

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Honda to Develop Next Civic in the U.S., Not Japan

This is the current Civic. Its replacement will be designed in the U.S. 

Honda’s American research and development division will quarterback engineering and other work for the next-generation Civic, says the company’s U.S.-based head of R&D. Erik Berman, the president of Honda R&D Americas told an industry conference audience this week that the company’s North American division had grown enough to handle the next Civic in addition to the Acura NSX and other luxury products. Automotive News covered the conference and first broke the story.

The relatively weak value of the U.S. dollar makes it more cost effective for automakers to center both vehicle development and construction in North America. Engineers and planners based here tend to understand better the demands of the American market, too.

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Renault's South Korean Samsung Unit to Cut Jobs as it Tries to Tackle Falling Sales

It’s not only Europe that has Renault worried as the French automotive group is now having troubles in South Korea with its Samsung unit. 

Renault Samsung said on Friday that it would launch its first ever voluntary redundancy programme in order to deal with falling sales both in its home market and abroad. 

According to Reuters, while the automaker did not reveal how many jobs it wants to cut, a local media report made word of "hundreds" of positions. 

Renault Samsung said that 4,500 employees are eligible for the programme, while the company excluded about 1,000 design and research positions. 

"Conditions remain difficult, so we came up with revival measures including voluntary retirements to slash costs," a Renault Samsung spokeswoman told Reuters. 

From the beginning of the year through July, the South Korean automaker saw its overall sales drop 34 percent over the same period last year. 

Last month, Renault-Nissan Group CEO Carlos Ghosn revealed plans to invest US$160 million (€130 million) in Samsung to add 80,000 units of the next generation Nissan Rogue to its plant in Busan, Korea. These vehicles will be shipped to North America and select Asian countries.  

 

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2012 Volkswagen Tiguan SEL 4Motion First Test

A front-drive, entry-level 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan SE finished dead last in our recent compact crossover comparison. During the test, we dinged the Tiguan for its high price, rough ride quality, small cargo area, and "tall and tippy" feel under hard cornering. So we decided to give the V-dub crossover another shot by testing the top-of-the-line 2012 Tiguan SEL 4Motion. Would all-wheel drive and premium trim make us change our tune about VW's Golf-based crossover? In a word, no. But the crossover does have its strong points, one of them being its powertrain. The Tiguan SEL 4Motion is powered by Volkswagen's tried-and-true 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4 producing an ample 200 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque, with power routed through a six-speed automatic transmission. While we're more enamored with VW's six-speed DSG dual-clutch gearbox, the automatic shifts quickly and smartly, especially when Sport mode is engaged. But in the default drive setting it seems too eager to upshift and likes to drop the engine revs below 1000 rpm while coasting, leading to a minor (and annoying) delay in power delivery when you get back on the throttle. 

On the track, the slightly heavier 4Motion turned in roughly the same numbers as the front-drive Tiguan. The dash to 60 mph took 7.8 seconds and it ran through the quarter mile in 16.0 seconds at 87.2 mph, matching the Tiguan SE to 60 mph and besting it by 0.2 sec and 0.8 mph in the quarter. It out-braked front-drive Tiguan SE too, needing 121 feet to stop from 60 mph, versus 123 feet. The Tiguan SEL slightly out-handled the front-drive version, managing to pull an average 0.82 g on the skidpad (versus 0.80 g), and completed the figure eight in 27.5 seconds at an average of 0.61 g, as compared to 27.9 seconds at 0.62 g (avg). In the fuel efficiency arena, the Tiguan SEL returned 19.9 mpg combined in mostly city driving during our test, close to the city number of the Tiguan 4Motion's 21/27 mpg city/highway rating. Inside, the Tiguan SEL 4Motion predictably felt more upmarket than the SE model. The tester featured real leather seats, a navigation system, and the Dynaudio premium audio system. The power, tan leather seats provided a nice contrast to the dark black plastics on the dashboard, making the interior a more pleasant place than the dim and dark Tiguan SE. 

Up front, the SEL's seats are as hard and flat as the last tester we had in, and the Tiguan is also cursed with the worst driving position this side of a bus. The instrument panel and steering wheel are angled in such a way that no matter what position you're sitting in, the wheel feels like it's coming up out of the floor at you. At just over 6-feet tall, I figured maybe it was just me. Other editors agreed, however, with one even going so far as to say the angle of the wheel and instrument panel make it feel like you're falling forward. While the Tiguan is marketed as a premium alternative to its rivals, the driving experience and included content simply don't live up to those expectations, despite having arguably best powertrain in its segment. Whether it's an SE or SEL, two-wheel drive or four, the overpriced Tiguan ultimately underdelivers.

Front engine, 4WD, 5-pass, 4-door SUV 2.0L/200-hp/207-lb-ft turbo DOHC 16-valve I-4

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