Edmunds Inside Line has released the latest spy shots of the 2009 Chevrolet Camaro undergoing testing in Australia. The long-awaited salute to the muscle car era (when gas averaged $.33 a gallon) is being developed by Holden, the Australian division of GM. Though the production specs haven't been released, Edmunds Inside Line reports that the popular Camaro concept "used a 400-horsepower all-aluminum 6.0-liter V8 mated to a six-speed manual transmission, plus an independent rear suspension." Edmunds Inside Line also notes, "The spy shots are getting better as the new Chevy nears its official debut." They may be talking about the spy shots of the Camaro's interior released earlier this month by Autoblog -- which finds "production interior that's remarkably close to the highly stylized retro interior of the concept," with "big analog gauges" and a "retro-looking wheel." One big change is the center stack, which Autoblog reports "has been modified to accept a modern stereo and some useable HVAC controls, though it sits atop a cluster of four gauges giving the car's vitals."
To see the spy shots for yourself, go to Edmunds Inside Line or Autoblog. If you can't wait for the Camaro's arrival to get your hands on a modern muscle car, check out the U.S. News Review of the Dodge Charger, or other throwback cars like the Chrysler 300, Volkswagen New Beetle, Mini Cooper or Chrysler PT Cruiser.
While General Motors looks back with the Camaro, Lincoln's looking across both oceans and setting its sights on luxury import brands Lexus, Audi and BMW, reports Motor Authority. "If America's luxury brands want to be around in years to come they need to expand sales overseas and become more relevant in a global context," says Motor Authority, while noting that Cadillac, Lincoln's main competitor stateside, has "already launched several models in the Middle-East and Europe and next year the brand will be launched as far away as Australia." Still, in an interview with the German enthusiast magazine Auto Motor und Sport, Ford CEO Alan Mulally acknowledged that Lincoln isn't positioned to compete with the likes of BMW in Western Europe, but the brand sees huge potential in emerging Eastern European and Asian markets.
For U.S. buyers looking for a luxury car, Auto News reports "Volkswagen Group of America may relaunch the VW Phaeton here," because "CEO Stefan Jacoby blurted out the news at the Automotive News World Congress in Detroit last week." The Phaeton, which Motor Authority calls "a major flop for Volkswagen," due to its mundane styling, poor dynamics and a much heavier chassis than its Audi A8 cousin," sold just under 3,000 units in its three years on the U.S. market, reports Auto News. They add the Phaeton's major issue "was that consumers who were accustomed to VW Beetles and Rabbits couldn't adjust their brand image to include a luxury sedan. If you're going to pay big bucks for a luxury sedan with a V-8 -- or even a V-12 -- you may want more prestigious jewelry on the hood than the familiar VW logo." Though Auto News reports "Jacoby said he still thinks the VW brand is strong enough to include models in both the volume segment and at the luxury end," specific plans for VW luxury cars aren't public at this time.
Luxury car buyers can also looks forward to the retouched 2009 Mercedes Benz SL Roadster, reports Auto Spectator, who is showcasing Mercedes' just-released photos of the "facelifted 2009-model SL roadster, the iconic sports car that's a direct descendant of the legendary 300SL "Gullwing" of the 1950s." Auto Spectator reports that the roadster will make its "public debut in March at the International Motor Show in Geneva."
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