Saab: Big investment promised by new Chinese owners

TheAutoInsider: The company handling Saab's bankrupcy proceedings, Guy Lofalk, has announced the new owners of the troubled Swedish car maker,  China based Youngman and Pang Da, have promised investments totalling 610 million Euros through 2012.

The much needed cash injection will be used in the development of new Saab models, including the long awaited replacement for today's 9-3 pictured below for the first time.

The investment comes on top of the 50 million Euros Youngman and Pang Da have promised to once again get production at Saab's Trollhatten plant up and running. Saab has also secured 63 million Euros in loans from the European Investment Bank. 

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series: It's German for "move over . . . "

TheAutoInsider: Standard Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG coupe just not powerful enough for you? Then clasp your eyes on the upcoming Black Series version of the thundering two seater. Expected launch: late 2012.

Mini Roadster revealed

Mini Roadster (click to enlarge)

TheAutoInsider: Mini has pulled the wraps off its new Roadster, two years after it made its debut as a concept at the 2009 Frankfurt auto show.

The two seat open offers the same range of 1.6-litre four-cylinder gasoline engines as the recent introduced Coupe, with which it shares its styling.

They include a naturally aspirated 121bhp unit in the Cooper along with twin-scroll turbocharged versions kicking out 181bhp in the Cooper S and 208bhp in the range topping John Cooper Works models. 

Mini quotes 0-62mph and top speed figures of 9.2sec and 124mph, 7.0sec and 141mph and 6.5sec and 147mph respectively in manual form. 

European buyers will also get a 2.0-litre four-cylinder common rail diesel unit that endows the Cooper SD with 141bhp. It takes 8.1sec for the 0-62mph sprint, has a 131mph top speed and boasts an impressive 52.2mpg in manual form.

Alongside the standard six-speed manual 'box, the Mini Roadster also comes with an optional six-speed auto.





BMW turning its back on Germany

TheAutoInsider: BMW has indicated it is loosing interest in Germany as a prime production base. In an interview with Automotive News Europe, key BMW officials confirmed the company is planning to move more production outside its homeland. At present 56 per cent of BMW's total production hails from Germany - down from 70 per cent in 2002. With plans to further ramp up production in both China and North America, BMW could soon produce more cars outside Germany than it does at home - 31 Oct, 2001.