The latest reports indicate that a stylish Opel Cabrio model will also resurface for the sixth-generation Astra. The new Cabrio would replace the current Astra TwinTop but will be a sportier model. The new Astra Cabrio will have just two seats and go up against premium roadsters expected from VW and Mini, according to AutoExpress. The cabrio will also sport a folding metal hard-top, in addition to a full bodykit, xenon headlights, and chrome exhaust tips.

Its interior will come from the standard Hatchback but include supportive bucket seats and leather trim. Powertrain choices will reportedly include a 270hp (201kW) 2.0L turbocharged gasline unit, as well as a new 150hp (112kW) 1.4L turbo and a 170hp (127kW) 2.0L CDTI for diesel fans. No word yet on when we may see this model on the roads.

Continue reading...

Bad news for people who were looking to find comfort on the 2010 Lotus Evora. Though many expected it to be a car built for 4, it looks like it will only be built for two.

Lotus plans to keep the Evora hype going by adding new features to the car each year – including a paddle-shift gearbox and a high-performance supercharged variant – culminating in a roadster model in 2012. However, to make room for the convertible top, Lotus engineers had to do away with the Evora’s rear seat.

“It’s not going to be easy to fit the roof in,” Steve Crijns, the Evora’s exterior designer, told Autocar. “It will have to go in front of the engine, where the rear seats are now. The rest of the car has been designed with the cabrio in mind; the doors, for instance, are styled so that they can accommodate the system without any changes.”

Crijns also revealed the Evora will do with a soft top rather than a retractable hardtop. The decision to use a more conventional soft top will not only save on engineering time but will also keep the car’s weight down.

(Source) Left Lane News

Continue reading...