Sleuth: The Week of October 5

Hot off the press!

With a name like Orlando, it better be for sale here!: General Motors’ volume brand will use the Paris, France, auto show (which began Sept. 30) to preview a seven-seat tall wagon aimed at the European market. But the Sleuth hears the Chevrolet Orlando could arrive here in about 18 months. The Orlando will be based on the upcoming Cruze small sedan’s Delta II architecture, though it will be a larger and therefore more versatile vehicle. GM says the “O” would showcase the automaker’s latest-generation 2.0-liter turbo-diesel and will feature three rows of seats. The interior will be quite similar to what the Sleuth’s moles have seen in the Cruze with a waterfall center stack and switchgear out of GM’s current models. For a concept, the Orlando looks very production ready.

Ford rolls out next Harley series: The market for trucks might be soft, but Ford still has some excitement in the pipeline with its latest Super Duty pickup truck, the Harley-Davidson F-450. Ford and Harley have been building special edition F-Series pickups for almost a decade: 11 different models so far. This 12th iteration is the biggest and baddest one yet: a dual-rear-wheel, one-and-one-half-ton hauler with a curb weight of 8,700 pounds and the capability to tow 24,500 pounds, or about 24 Harley-Davidson motorcycles. You’ll also get blue “tribal” flames etched in the paint, a chromed grille and side vents, Harley-Davidson’s name embossed in the cargo box sides, unique wheels with Harley shields in the center caps and a fancy black leather interior with, you guessed it, even more Harley badging.

BMW Concept X1 copies X6: Bavaria’s largest automaker says it wants to move into different areas, even much smaller segments. BMW’s X1 concept car, to be shown at the Paris, France, auto show that began Sept. 30, will take several design cues from the BMW X6, especially from the B pillar on back. Despite the coupe-like inspired lines, the X1 should offer plenty of rear-seat head room and cargo space. The new wagon is expected to hit the market in 2010 with full time all-wheel drive. Its overall size is also said to be comparable to that of Toyota RAV4. It remains possible that the X1 will share some components with Mini’s upcoming sport utility vehicle. Mini is owned by BMW.

Acura to make TL more sporty: At a time when many sports cars are moving away from manual transmissions, the Sleuth hears that Honda’s uptown division will keep it old school. Reports are that the new TL sedan will be offered with a six-speed-manual-transmission option for the 2010 model year. It’s squarely aimed at performance drivers and will be offered in the base front-wheel-drive car as well as the sharper-handling and more-powerful SH-AWD model. While some manual transmissions manage to free up a few extra ponies under the hood, the manual-trans TLs will retain their 2009 ratings (280 horsepower for the base car and 305 for the SH-AWD). However, the manual-transmission cars will get an upgraded suspension with stiffer shocks and springs. The extra cog should also help out with slightly better fuel economy when compared to five-speed automatic.

Hyundai enters gas/electric hybrid segment: The Paris motor show that began Sept. 30 will be a turning point for one of South Korea’s major automakers. The Sleuth hears Hyundai will be there to unveil its Santa Fe Blue Hybrid sport-utility vehicle. Technically dubbed a concept, the hybrid sport ute is actually a lightly disguised pre-production model rather than a show car. The drivetrain pairs the automaker’s 2.4-liter four-cylinder with an electric motor routed through a six-speed automatic transmission. Hyundai says the Santa Fe Blue Hybrid’s drivetrain will serve as the basis for all its future hybrid models, which obviously means more is on the way.

Market indicators

Everything is on the table: Chrysler recently announced that its Viper brand was up for “strategic review” — aka “for sale” — and it doesn’t appear as though the Michigan automaker is wasting any time getting the snake to market. A new report finds that Chrysler will soon begin taking bids for its Viper line, with the possibility of a sale in as little as a few weeks. Similar to General Motors’ decision to sell its off-road Hummer brand, Chrysler’s sale of the Viper is intended to bring in some extra cash while allowing the automaker to focus on its core business. “We’ve had a lot of excitement,” Chrysler Vice Chairman Tom Lasorda was quoted as saying on Just-Auto’s Web site. Chrysler and GM are in need of a cash after losing a pile of money during the first eight months of 2008.

Family “supercars”: Rumors have been swirling that Lamborghini’s next supercar will be a four-door model. According to trade paper Automotive News, the upcoming Lambo will be a four-door sedan, much along the same line as the upcoming Porsche Panamera and Aston Martin Rapide. As with those cars, the new Lambo will have a heavy emphasis on performance while still being able to carry as many as five people. Unlike Lamborghini’s current offerings, the new sedan — rumored to be named Urus — is slated to use a front-engine layout although Lamborghini’s signature all-wheel-drive will be a part of the package. The car will also heavily lean on parent Audi for the underpinnings. While the Panamera will do with a steel platform, the Lamborghini sedan will ride on the upcoming Audi A8’s all-aluminum space frame (with body panels attached to it), allowing for a lower curb weight and improved performance and fuel-economy numbers.