UK to get Vauxhall Ampera a year after the rest of Europe
General Motors Europe boss Carl-Peter Forster this week finally took the wraps off the final design of the Opel Ampera - aka the Chevrolet Volt - range-extended electric vehicle.
GM Ampera GM's Ampera: Opel favoured over Vauxhall?
Everything looks much as we expected from the various teaser shots that have been circulating …
Maybe they don't expect good sales in the UK during the recession so, given how much financial trouble GM are in, they'd rather save the money needed to create RHD versions until they think sales will pick up? The Astra is a cheaper car so maybe they don't expect saled to be hit as hard?
I think everyone should buy and drive a Caterham Seven while money's tight. You can even save a couple of grand more by putting it together yourself. How hard can it be?
"looks like the UK won't get a right-hand drive Vauxhall Ampera until sometime in 2012."
I guess this is a sign that Vauxhall either don't expect the UK economy to pickup until late 2011 or they are holding off until a later date so that they can assess the market conditions.
I would, if their was an EV kit for it. It should be cheaper and simpler to build then a petrol version and would out perform any other EV sports car because of the go kart like power/weight ratio.
it looks like the UK won't get a right-hand drive Vauxhall Ampera until sometime in 2012.
If we can be bothered to bail em out of there own making...
To be fair if they cant be bothered to release a car that we might want here I quiet frankly can't be bothered to bail em out. PM's petition against bailing out Vauxhall signed.
"I guess this is a sign that Vauxhall either don't expect the UK economy to pickup until late 2011 or they are holding off until a later date so that they can assess the market conditions"
More likely that they've done something stupid with the design that means conversion to RHD will be incredibly difficult and expensive. I bet other countries that drive of the left will have to wait until 2012 as well.
There have been various ridiculous engineering solutions to driving on the left. The early VW Polo was a classic, there was no room to move the brake master cylinder to the right so they installed a long shaft from the brake pedal to the master cylinder, this operated in torsion so even when things were properly set up the pedal tended to be a but spongey. With a few thousand miles of wear in the linkages the brakes became alarmingly poor. There are other cars that never make it to the RHD markets because the designers have done something clever like put the powertrain right in the way of the steering column.
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UK to get Vauxhall Ampera a year after the rest of Europe
General Motors Europe boss Carl-Peter Forster this week finally took the wraps off the final design of the Opel Ampera - aka the Chevrolet Volt - range-extended electric vehicle. GM Ampera GM's Ampera: Opel favoured over Vauxhall? Everything looks much as we expected from the various teaser shots that have been circulating …
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Posted Thursday 5th March 2009 12:18 GMT
Anonymous Coward
LOL #
This is of course assuming that Vauxhall is still around in the UK at that time.
Posted Thursday 5th March 2009 12:18 GMT
Bit Fiddler
Recession? #
Maybe they don't expect good sales in the UK during the recession so, given how much financial trouble GM are in, they'd rather save the money needed to create RHD versions until they think sales will pick up? The Astra is a cheaper car so maybe they don't expect saled to be hit as hard?
I think everyone should buy and drive a Caterham Seven while money's tight. You can even save a couple of grand more by putting it together yourself. How hard can it be?
Posted Thursday 5th March 2009 12:18 GMT
Kobayashi Gimp
Wait until 2012 #
"looks like the UK won't get a right-hand drive Vauxhall Ampera until sometime in 2012."
I guess this is a sign that Vauxhall either don't expect the UK economy to pickup until late 2011 or they are holding off until a later date so that they can assess the market conditions.
Posted Thursday 5th March 2009 18:12 GMT
andy gibson
Opel Model #
Any more pictures of the totty draped on the car? Makes a refreshing chance from the tired old pic of the netbook (TM Psion) lady on the beach.
Posted Thursday 5th March 2009 18:12 GMT
N
@Caterham 7 #
Probably the most fun you can have with your clothes on!
:-)
Posted Thursday 5th March 2009 18:12 GMT
Anonymous Coward
@Bit Fiddler #
I would, if their was an EV kit for it. It should be cheaper and simpler to build then a petrol version and would out perform any other EV sports car because of the go kart like power/weight ratio.
Posted Thursday 5th March 2009 18:13 GMT
Anonymous Coward
2012? - Title is still required? #
it looks like the UK won't get a right-hand drive Vauxhall Ampera until sometime in 2012.
If we can be bothered to bail em out of there own making...
To be fair if they cant be bothered to release a car that we might want here I quiet frankly can't be bothered to bail em out. PM's petition against bailing out Vauxhall signed.
Posted Thursday 5th March 2009 18:13 GMT
SmokeyMcPotHead
By the time it arrives... #
...it won't look anything like this! It will be as dull as dishwater...
Posted Thursday 5th March 2009 18:13 GMT
Anonymouse
Why release it at all #
What happened to their hydrogen fuel cell car?
Posted Thursday 5th March 2009 18:13 GMT
Anonymous Coward
@Kobayashi Gimp #
"I guess this is a sign that Vauxhall either don't expect the UK economy to pickup until late 2011 or they are holding off until a later date so that they can assess the market conditions"
More likely that they've done something stupid with the design that means conversion to RHD will be incredibly difficult and expensive. I bet other countries that drive of the left will have to wait until 2012 as well.
There have been various ridiculous engineering solutions to driving on the left. The early VW Polo was a classic, there was no room to move the brake master cylinder to the right so they installed a long shaft from the brake pedal to the master cylinder, this operated in torsion so even when things were properly set up the pedal tended to be a but spongey. With a few thousand miles of wear in the linkages the brakes became alarmingly poor. There are other cars that never make it to the RHD markets because the designers have done something clever like put the powertrain right in the way of the steering column.
Posted Thursday 5th March 2009 18:13 GMT
DragonLord
I wonder what else is happening in the UK in 2012 #
Flame, cos that needs to be carried by someone.
Posted Thursday 5th March 2009 18:13 GMT
Robert Grant
On the plus side... #
It'll have had 1.5 years of testing before we get it...probably a good thing with new tech.
Posted Thursday 5th March 2009 18:13 GMT
Anonymous Coward
Re: Recession #
"I think everyone should buy and drive a Caterham Seven while money's tight."
no u
This topic is closed for new posts.