GM to launch Chevrolet in Korea

Daewoo may be General Motors� only established brand in the Korean auto market, but it will soon add another: Chevrolet. GM revealed today at the Busan motor show that it will begin selling bowtie-badged vehicles in South Korea in 2011.

The Alpheon is being positioned in the Korea market as a luxury model at the top of the Daewoo range. It is fitted with a 3.0-liter V6 and a six-speed automatic transmission. GM Daewoo said the car will go on sale in the second half of the year.

GM Daewoo says the "Alpheon becomes a stand-alone luxury product brand in GM Daewoo's product portfolio." Much like its Korean couterpart, Hyundai, have made inroads into the luxury sedan segment with the Genesis model.






Press Release

GM Daewoo's All-New Luxury Sedan Debuts at 2010 Busan International Motor Show

Alpheon is GM Daewoo's entry into the upper-midsize segment

Busan, Korea - GM Daewoo Auto & Technology (GM Daewoo) unveiled its much-anticipated luxury sedan, the Alpheon, at the 2010 Busan International Motor Show today.

"With the introduction of the all-new Alpheon luxury sedan, we have added another attractive model to our product portfolio and our first entry in the fast-growing upper-midsize segment in Korea," said GM Daewoo President and CEO Mike Arcamone. "I am confident that the Alpheon will surpass the demands of the most sophisticated luxury sedan buyers in Korea."

Another highlight of the GM Daewoo stand is a seven-seat compact multi-purpose vehicle, the Orlando show car, which is making its first appearance at an international motor show in Asia.

In addition, GM Daewoo has on display the Lacetti Premiere and GentraX race cars, and a Matiz mini-car artistically wrapped in pink.

With "Advancing Style" as its theme for this year's Busan International Motor Show, GM Daewoo has 18 vehicles on display that showcase its automotive industry design expertise.

Alpheon - Stylish Luxury Sedan

The Alpheon is based on the same GM global architecture as the Buick LaCrosse, one of the three finalists for 2010 North American Car of the Year.

GM designers and engineers from Asia, Europe and North America targeted the luxury sedan as a global product that would meet the highest quality and performance standards in the most sophisticated markets.

At first glance, the Alpheon's sculpting design flows in all directions, giving the vehicle a tightly wrapped appearance and a fast, coupe-like profile. Its dynamic and elegant body styling is highlighted by sharp side lines, short overhangs and fenders wrapped precisely around large wheel housings, giving it the presence of an upscale large sedan (2,837-mm wheelbase and 4,995mm body length).

With a unique emblem on its front "waterfall" grille, the Alpheon becomes a stand-alone luxury product brand in GM Daewoo's product portfolio.

The innovative design philosophy continues in the Alpheon's interior. The flowing shape of its instrument panel design offers a distinct, confident and upscale impression. The refined look is an integrated center stack design that incorporates ice-blue light-emitting diode (LED) ambient lighting along with premium infotainment features. Adding to the use of soft-touch materials and low-gloss trim panels rather than traditional wood applications is indicative of exceptional and luxurious craftsmanship.

Powered by a 3.0-liter V-6 engine combined with a six-speed automatic transmission, the Alpheon will ensure responsive performance when it is launched in the second half of this year in Korea.

Audi Releases �The Tony Stark Innovation Challenge�

In celebration of the April 26 world premiere of Iron Man 2 in Los Angeles, Audi of America, Inc. announced that it is launching a social media competition called �The Tony Stark Innovation Challenge� in support of its prominent presence in the film.

This is actually a social media competition which asks for the competitors to submit an up to two-minute video that displays their ideas for better living through the use of technology. The winner of the Audi Tony Stark Innovation Challenge will receive a 15,000 USD prize to fund the idea.

Tony Stark is forgoing weapons manufacturing and adopting a new business philosophy. As part of his latest venture, Tony has joined forces with the Stark Expo and Audi to challenge you to submit ideas for "Better Living through Technology."

Tony Stark will be seen throughout Iron Man 2 in his Audi R8 Spyder, the new soft top convertible version of the R8 super car which was featured in the first Iron Man. In addition to the R8 Spyder, the A8 sedan will also be showcased in the film.





Press Release

Audi announces �The Tony Stark Innovation Challenge�

- Contest calls for ideas for �living better through technology�

- Winner receives $15,000 to help fund their idea and a tech-lovers�
adventure

- Social media program to support the Audi Iron Man 2 integration

HERNDON, Va., Apr 27, 2010 - In celebration of the April 26 world
premiere of Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment�s Iron Man 2 in Los
Angeles, Audi of America, Inc., announced that it is launching a social
media competition called �Stark Expo & Audi Present: The Tony Stark
Innovation Challenge� in support of its prominent presence in the film,
which releases on May 7. Beginning April 28, consumers can submit up to
two-minute videos that showcase their ideas for better living through the
use of technology, just as Tony Stark did with the Stark Expo. Participants
then must rally members of their Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and other social
media networks to rate, comment, and discuss their ideas. Full contest
information and rules are available at www.TonyStarkInnovationChallenge.com.

�Achieving progress through technology is the message behind Iron Man 2,
and this idea is fundamental to Audi,� said Scott Keogh, Chief Marketing
Officer, Audi of America. �The partnership in Iron Man 2 celebrates our
shared focus on innovation, and this contest allows anyone with a great idea
to not just express it, but potentially make a true difference within their
industry.�

�The Tony Stark Innovation Challenge� mirrors Tony Stark�s desire to take
Stark Industries in a new direction, using his vast intellect and resources
to eradicate problems through technology. Submissions will be judged by Audi
on their ability to:

� Make the world a better place by solving a problem or improving an
existing solution

� Articulate and demonstrate expertise of the �better living through
technology� philosophy

� Have a scalability and adaptability to potentially change the way we live

� Showcase innovation, adventures, and intelligence worthy of Audi and Tony
Stark

� Appeal to the general audience as viewer ratings will help determine top
entries

The winner will receive:

� $15,000 in funding to develop their concept

� Their experience documented and featured on www.audiusa.com

� A four-day trip for two to California including air transportation, hotel
and meals

� Transportation in the latest innovation from Audi, the 2011 A8

� Spa treatments, tailored cocktail attire, and grooming to perfect their
Stark style

� A tour of Audi Design Center in Santa Monica

� A VIP day with the ICON Aircraft team, joining them in flight and water
testing of the innovative ICON A5 aircraft (one of Tony Stark�s toys)

� A day at the Audi Sports Car Experience to drive Tony Stark�s favorite
car, the Audi R8 on a racetrack

Audi will also be lending its support to the film through activities
including a month-long late night TV and national cable campaign and an
online presence on Fandango.com and Movies.com. The brand is also unveilng
an all-new Audi Iron Man ad that will run in cinemas in the month leading up
to the film release. Additionally, Audi is sponsoring the re-launch of
Marvel.com that will include a digital comic book featuring the R8 Spyder.

Tony Stark will be seen throughout Iron Man 2 in his Audi R8 Spyder, the
new soft top convertible version of the R8 super car which was featured in
the first Iron Man. In addition to the R8 Spyder, the A8 sedan will also be
showcased in the film.

The video submission period starts April 28, 2010 and ends June 9, 2010.
The voting period starts April 28, 2010 and ends June 13, 2010. Approved
submissions will be posted to the site within 48 hours. Users can rate video
submissions once per day, for the length of the contest participation period
on a scale from one to five. Final ratings will be calculated toward the
final score of each entry and will help determine the grand prize winner.
Finalists will be selected shortly after the submissions end. Clearance,
notifications and interviews will take place between June 17, 2010 and June
25, 1010, and the winner will be announced the week of June 28, 2010. Prizes
will be redeemed in August 2010. Submissions are only accepted in English
and from residents of the 50 U.S. and D.C. who are 18 and over and who
possess a valid driver�s license.

Ford Fiesta S1600 Special Edition

Ford has announced a limited series sport variant of the Fiesta model - the Fiesta S1600 - for the U.K. market.

The Ford Fiesta S1600 is based on the Fiesta Zetec-S and comes with a range of extra equipment. The power of the Ford Fiesta S1600 comes from the 1.6-litre Duratec Ti-VCT petrol engine that develops 120PS which can be fitted with a Mountune engine upgrade package.

The Fiesta S1600 is based on the Zetec-S trim level and adds a range of sport equipment such as heated leather sports seats, motorsport-branded floor mats and scuff plates, and alloy pedals.

The exterior sports a body-styling kit including a new front bumper, large rear spoiler and diffuser, 17� white alloy wheels and a choice of white or blue body colour with motorsport stripes.

On the interior, the Fiesta will get heated, stitched leather sports seats with standard side-airbags, leather steering wheel, handbrake cover, and gearknob, plus Motorsport-branded floor mats and scuff plates.

The Fiesta S1600 will be limited to only 650 units and is now avaiable for order at Ford dealers in the U.K..
Prices start at �16,665 (�19,152).




Press Release

NEW FORD STAR WITH STRIPES - FASTER FIESTA CONTINUES PROUD HERITAGE

BRENTWOOD, Essex, 26 April, 2010 - The thoroughbred lineage of fast Fords has a new addition to the family, in the eye-catching new Fiesta S1600.

Based on the popular Fiesta Zetec-S - with a generous standard specification that includes alloy pedals and Quickclear windscreen - the sporty Fiesta S1600 interior adds heated, stitched leather sports seats with standard side-airbags, leather steering wheel, handbrake cover and gearknob, plus Motorsport-branded floor mats and scuff plates.

On the outside, the sporting pedigree is made clear, through a comprehensive

body-styling kit that includes a unique front bumper with flared lower valence panel, extended side skirts, large rear spoiler and rear diffuser, finished with 17-in, white alloy wheels (16-in on diesel models). The newcomer's special paint finish is available in Frozen White or Performance Blue, with contrasting motorsport stripes.

Performance comes from a choice of Fiesta's responsive 1.6-litre, 120PS Duratec

Ti-VCT petrol engine, or improved 1.6-litre Duratorq TDCi engine, now with 95PS. For performance enthusiasts, a further engine upgrade package will be offered via Ford's established performance tuning partner, Mountune.

Fiesta S1600 continues a 30-year sporting Fiesta bloodline that began with the Mk1 XR2 in 1981 and has included Supersport, XR2(i), Si, RS and ST models.

Gill Palmer, Ford of Britain's Fiesta Product Manager, said: "Since its introduction, Fiesta and sporting pedigree have never been far apart and the latest incarnation of that is S1600, bringing extra motorsport feel to the award-winning Fiesta style and driving quality."

Fast Ford fans are encouraged to act quickly, with only 650 of these special faster Fiestas being created. They are available now from Ford dealers, priced from �16,665 on-the-road.

VW invites users to help create the Infotainment systems of the future

Open Innovation Contest, "App My Ride", begins on 3rd May

Wolfsburg, 26 April 2010 - Volkswagen is inviting designers, programmers, developers and interested users to help develop applications for the Infotainment systems of the future as part of the Open Innovation Contest, "App My Ride". With this contest, Volkswagen has become the first car manufacturer to use the idea of open innovation for the further development of its products.

In the so-called "App My Ride" competition, users can jointly develop new Infotainment applications with Volkswagen. A jury of experts will select the winner whose creativity will be rewarded with special prizes. "Our aim is to invite the international developer community to take part in designing a future system," says Prof. Dr J�rgen Leohold, Head of the Volkswagen Group Research. So-called apps, also known as application programmes for certain devices which are available through an online shop, have helped to contribute to the smartphone boom. Applications designed by users (User Generated Content) are of central importance to the boom and are made available online by other users. Companies like Apple and Google successfully aid this nearly inexhaustible source of innovation.

"A quiet revolution is taking place right now," explains Dr Johann F�ller, CEO of the innovation agency partner to Volkswagen through the "App My Ride" competition, Hyve AG. "The customer-orientated culture of the internet places an enormous power in the hands of the users. Leading organisations are starting to harness this power to develop better solutions and increase their competitiveness." Exactly what the "App My Ride" contest is targeting.

Currently a prototype for Volkswagen's Infotainment system is being developed in which Flash applications designed by different creators can be accumulated. In order to research the potential of apps for the vehicle Infotainment system, Volkswagen is trying to produce the most varied collection of applications possible.

An "innovation community" open to all internet users will be created as of 3rd May 2010 for the competition under the following URL: app-my-ride.volkswagen.com. Here, participants in the competition can log in and either load programmed apps or send in their creative ideas for future ones. "The participants are supposed to imagine what the purpose of their ideal Infotainment system is and how it would work and now they have the opportunity to make it a reality. At the same time, you can analyse the existing apps on our platform and discuss their design, uses and purposes," explains Dr Peter Oel, Head of "Control Designs and Drivers" of Volkswagen Group Research.

To develop an app, the participants must have the following:

- An idea for an app to be installed in a vehicle

- Graphic design of the user interface

- Programming in Adobe Flash / Flex

The purpose, design and logical construction of the app should be geared towards the possible requirements of drivers and other occupants.

The participant's creativity will be rewarded at the end of the competition. The most innovative application will be chosen by the "App My Ride" community and a jury consisting of Volkswagen managers and external experts. Besides cash and non-cash prizes worth up to �14,000, a special prize for students will also be awarded. This involves a placement within Volkswagen Group Research in Tokyo, Shanghai, California or Wolfsburg. Moreover, the winner of the competition can also expect an exclusive trip to take part in an international vehicle presentation which covers the costs of the flight and hotel.

BMW 328 Kamm Coup�

The BMW Classic has been creating some buzz around automotive circles. Recently the BMW sub-brand instituted a Motorsport division and then they rolled down around Munich in some old-school, classy chariots.

Recreating the BMW 328 Kamm Coup�, named after the German engineer Wunibald Kamm, became a project of BMW Classic over the years. In fits and starts, various recreation programs were begun and abandoned until the Munich-based automaker found the right partners to do the work in time to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Mille Miglia win.

The project intitiall started in the 1990s, but there was a serious lack of information regarding the car. Only after receiving aid from a private collector who had detailed photographs of the car (including "a good number of shots detailing the car's tubular frame construction") could they proceed.

The bulk of the work was done by Ren� Gro�e, who had previously restored the BMW 328 Touring Coup� and Mille Miglia Roadster for the BMW Museum. Using modern materials, such as plastic, carbon fiber and alumimum, Gro�e came as close to recreating the famous racer as possible given that none of the original design drawings were still in existence.�

Aside from recreating the body of the car, BMW Classic also had to deal with challenges to reproduce the drive train, radiator, and the rear axle. Looks like they have done a great job looking at the pics.





Press Release

Back to the future - the BMW 328 Kamm Coup�

Today the BMW racing cars which made history in the 1940 Mille Miglia continue to enthral and delight wherever they go. For many years, however, the fleet of silver BMW racers has been one car short. The BMW 328 Kamm Coup�, named after the German aerodynamics pioneer Wunibald Kamm, disappeared without trace back in 1953. But now - 70years after BMW's famous Mille Miglia victory - BMW Classic has recreated this legendary racing car, once again illuminating an important milestone in both motor sport history and the development of vehicle aerodynamics. "We are very proud to be able to bring this car back into the public spotlight," said Karl Baumer, Director of BMW Group Classic. "We've come up against some major technical challenges, had many discussions and racked up countless hours of research, but when you see the car for the first time you can sense the passion and expertise invested in the project by everyone involved - all those years ago and today."

BMW was quick to appreciate the unique status of its Mille Miglia cars following the victory in 1940, and they were soon moved out of Munich into a rural hideaway to save them from potential destruction during the Second World War. The evacuation was successful, with all five surviving the hostilities essentially unscathed. However, in the upheaval of the immediate post-war period BMW lost track of the cars. With Allied soldiers scouring Germany for rare racing cars, it was hardly surprising that the three Mille Miglia Roadsters resurfaced in Russia, England and America. The winning Touring Coup� from 1940 was initially seized by the Americans before being whisked away by a senior BMW employee. However, it also found its way across the Atlantic when the employee decided to emigrate.

Only the Kamm Coup� remained in Germany, former BMW Director of Racing Ernst Loof having acquired the car for his personal use. By this time he had become a manufacturer in his own right, supplying speedy Veritas racing sports cars to customers in a resurgent post-war Germany.

However, he also laboured consistently under financial woes and a few years later he was forced to part company with the Kamm Coup�. Sadly, this automotive gem was not blessed with a long life under its new owner, succumbing to the scrap heap after an accident in the early 1950s.

There was certainly no denying the historical value of this very special car and, after BMW founded BMW Mobile Tradition in the mid-1990s to oversee an extended reappraisal of the company's history, plans were put together to build a reproduction. But the resurrection project proved to be a tricky undertaking. All design drawings for the car seemed to have disappeared into thin air and there was hardly a rich supply of historical photos around either. It was only with the hands-on assistance of a private collector in Munich that the project team were able to gather together a much larger selection of photos showing the car from a wide variety of angles. Indeed, these even included a good number of shots detailing the car's tubular frame construction.

Now it was time to tackle the exacting task of piecing together a likeness of the complete car from the available information. Computer specialists in the design department embraced the challenge. They started by scanning in the most detailed photos to use as a basis for a 3D geometry program. Then the few reliable constants, such as the wheel rim diameters, wheel offset, headlight size, door handles, wing nuts, indicators and BMW logos, were added until they appeared in the same position in every projection. Every image provided a fresh series of reference points for wheel arches, windows and other parts linked to the fixed constants. Gradually, the well of information deepened until the experts were able to produce a virtual solid model, in which every detail looked right in every view of the car. This was used to generate a program for a five-axis milling machine, which would cut an original-size model from a massive block of highly compacted foam.

A restorer was then commissioned to stretch an original BMW chassis by 20 cm and build a steel space frame according to the templates provided by the photos. However, not long afterwards the project was put on ice. As part of the concept design process for the new BMW Museum an idea was floated of rebuilding the intricate Elektron space frame of the Kamm Coup� as a showpiece for the "Lightweight design" area of the museum. An exact copy of the original space frame was duly produced with the help of a specialist based near Munich. Aluminium was chosen as the material in place of the original Elektron, and the frame's weight duly came very close to that of the original. Although this display frame was never intended to be used in an actual car, the Kamm Coup� idea remained on the table. In the end, it was a project initiated by the Meisterschule f�r Karosserie- und Fahrzeugbau Leipzig-Leisnig-Erlbach (master craftsmen''s college for body and vehicle construction serving Leipzig, Leisnig and Erlbach) in partnership with the BMW plant in Leipzig that got the ball rolling.

The original plan was to cover the existing steel space frame with aluminium body panels to replicate the external appearance of the car at least. The Meisterschule produced moulds of the foam model in which the panels of the outer skin could be shaped. The finished body has since been on display at the Leipzig plant.

With the 70th anniversary of the Mille Miglia victory fast approaching, BMW Classic was determined to bring its plan to recreate the Kamm Coup� to fruition. However, highly skilled specialists were required to turn the collection of individual parts into a car that could actually be driven. With his excellent BMW 328 Touring Coup� and Mille Miglia Roadster restorations for the new BMW Museum still fresh in the mind, it was clear that Ren� Gro�e - based in Wusterwitz in the state of Brandenburg - would be the right man for the job.

Gro�e used the foam model as the basis for a glass fibre-reinforced plastic mould. This was then shaped (with the help of additional wooden elements) into a strong casing which was split down the middle into two parts. The 25 mm-diameter tubes for the space frame - made from an aluminium alloy that allowed work-hardening - were then fitted into these two half-shells. Extreme precision was the order of the day here, as no corrections could subsequently be made to the outer skin. All this endeavour was aimed at ensuring that the frame would get close to the 30 kg weight of the original. For the outer skin, the team used pure aluminium body panels from a second set supplied by the Meisterschule. The newly made panels for the inside - for the inner front wings, bulkhead, double floor section of the body, dashboard and fuel tank, for example - then had to be integrated into the mould.

The body experts in Ren� Gro�e's team called on all their skill and experience to fit the body to the space frame. An interesting detail of the construction were the 40-mm-wide aluminium strips which were welded to the frame at the outer edges of the metal skin. The outer skin was then edged inwards around these strips to a width of a few millimetres to achieve the visually intricate edges on the bonnet, windows, doors and wheel arches. This detail, like the design of the bonnet hinge and door hinges, had been patented by BMW. And that meant there were sketches available which enabled the team to render the new parts as close as possible to their original templates.

Other challenges included the technical tweaks which set the Kamm Coup� apart from its series-produced siblings, such as the set-back radiator, engine and transmission, modified rear axle and a host of other alterations requiring meticulous detailing.

The BMW 328 Kamm Coup� was finally handed over to BMW Classic in a brief ceremony in March 2010. That left only a short amount of time to prepare the newly created racing car for its big day at the 2010 Mille Miglia - 70 years after its last, memorable appearance in the race.