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  • BMW to consider building an electric car for the US

    BMW to consider building an electric car for the US

    Z13_832x624 BMW is seriously considering building an electric intended to go on sale on the American market by 2012.

    No green light has been given yet and the carmaker is still thinking at the opportunity to build an electric car. The potential electric car might be outsourced as BMW might not have the production capacity in the US to build it. Building the electric car in Germany is a path the carmaker won’t likely take as the Euro goes stronger.

    BMW has also not decided yet whether to go on its own or to partner with another carmaker. Another stumbling block might also be the integration of such a peculiar model in the carmaker’s lineup.

    It would be nice to see a reinterpretation of the Z13 concept car unveiled in the ’90s.

  • Audi announces the prices for the A3 Cabriolet

    Audi announces the prices for the A3 Cabriolet

    120308aaud The German carmaker has announced the prices for the A3 Cabriolet which will go on sale this summer. The entry-level starts at  £20,750 for the 1.9TDI version.

    Basic versions, called Standard, comes with 16-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, powered windows and mirrors, and a radio with single CD drive.

    Costing an additional £1,850, the Sport level adds 17-inch alloy wheels, sports suspension and sports seats. For a £1,550 extra, the S Line features 18-inch 7 twin-spoke alloy wheels and S line body styling including exclusive front and rear bumper design. On the inside, it adds extras such as leather and Sprint cloth combination upholstery embossed with the S line insignia, an S line multifunction sports steering wheel with paddle shift controls when equipped with an automatic transmission, a perforated leather gear knob and matt brushed aluminium panels.

    On the Standard level, the hood is semi-automatically operated, the hood is attached to and released from the windscreen rail manually but retracts and raises at the touch of a button, while upper versions get a fully automatic roof.

    The Audi A3 Cabriolet is available with two petrol engines, a 158bhp 1.8-litre TFSI unit and a 197bhp 2.0-litre TFSI engine. Along with the petrol engines, there are two diesel units, a 103bhp 1.9-litre TDI and a 138bhp 2.0-litre TDI.

    Audi A3 Cabriolet pricing:

    ModelStandardSportS line
    1.8 TFSI£22,300£24,150£25,700
    2.0 TFSI£23,660£25,510£27,060
    1.9 TDI£20,750£22,600£24,150
    2.0 TDI£22,760£24,610£26,160
  • Honda annouces pricing for the new Accord

    Honda annouces pricing for the new Accord

    54863hon Honda has announced the pricing for the new Accord saloon that will try to take on established rivals such as the Audi A4 or BMW 3-serie.

    The new Accord will be available with three trim levels: ES, ES GT and EX. The entry-level ES starts at £19,250 and features 16-inch alloy wheels, climate control, cruise control, front and rear electric windows, and electric / heated folding mirrors.

    The ES GT adds 17-inch alloy wheels, half-leather seats, aero kit and sports suspension for £20,010. The EX grades start from £22,250 and come as standard with DVD sat nav, Bluetooth hands free telephone, full leather seats, electric/heated front seats, rear parking camera and a premium 6CD stereo.

    Due to go on sale on 1 June, the new Accord will off three engines, a 156hp 2.0-litre petrol engine, a 201hp 2.4-litre engine and the 150hp 2.2-litre i-DTEC.

    The Tourer version of Accord will go on sale in the UK on 1 September.

    Accord saloon pricing:

    2.0 i-VTEC ES Manual: 19,250

    2.0 i-VTEC ES Automatic: £20,550

    2.0 i-VTEC ES GT Manual:  £20,100

    2.0 i-VTEC ES GT Automatic: £21,400

    2.0 i-VTEC ES GT NAVI Manual: £21,200

    2.0 i-VTEC ES GT NAVI Automatic: £22,500

    2.0 i-VTEC EX Manual: £22,250

    2.0 i-VTEC EX Automatic: £23,550

    2.4 i-VTEC EX Manual: £23,250

    2.4 i-VTEC EX Automatic: £24,550

    2.4 i-VTEC EX Manual TECH PACK: £25,250

    2.4 i-VTEC EX Automatic TECH PACK: £26,550

    2.2 i-DTEC ES Manual: £21,050

    2.2 i-DTEC ES GT Manual: £21,900

    2.2 i-DTEC ES GT Manual NAVI: £23,000

    2.2 i-DTEC EX Manual: £24,050

    2.2 i-DTEC EX Manual TECH PACK: £26,050

    2.2 i-DTEC EX GT Manual: £24,900

    2.2 i-DTEC EX GT Manual: TECH PACK: £26,650

  • Women leave £2 billion worth of personal belongings in their cars

    Women leave £2 billion worth of personal belongings in their cars

    Es_000166 The insurance company Sheilas’ Wheels has conducted a research showing that 38 per cent of women leave at least four personal items in their car on a regular basis, with a further 18% admitting to leaving seven or more! On average, £129 worth of personal items are being left in the cars of female motorists on a daily basis!

    The top five personal items most likely to be left in a car by a female motorist are: books (39 per cent), shoes (35 per cent), clothes (27 per cent), children’s toys (25 per cent) and toiletries (22 per cent). More than a quarter (27 per cent) of women regularly keep a change of clothes in their car and one fifth hoard make up in their vehicle.

    Shoes may come second on the list, but it’s not just one pair of shoes as over two thirds (67 per cent) of UK female motorists have up to four pairs of shoes in their car at any one time.

    More worrying is the ten per cent of female motorists who have had an accident or experienced a ‘near miss’ as a result of stray personal items rolling beneath their pedals.  The top five items that slip under car pedals while driving are: empty drink cans / water bottles, food packaging, lipstick, deodorant and hairbrush.

    Mothers are most at risk – with 11 per cent of parents stockpiling more than 10 personal items in the car, many to provide children with in-car entertainment.  According to the survey, almost half (48 per cent) of mums regularly keep children’s toys in their car.

  • Proton unveils the GEN-2 Persona in the UK

    Proton unveils the GEN-2 Persona in the UK

    54854pro The malaysian carmaker has unveiled a new model, the GEN-2 Persona which is the four-door version of the company’s five door hatchback.

    Like all company’s models, the new saloon fights on a competitive equipment-to-price ratio. Starting at £10,795, the GEN-2 Persona features climate control with pollen filter, front and rear electric windows, flat-folding 60:40 rear seats, and an integrated Blaupunkt radio/CD player, with an MP3-capable CD player and four way speaker system. On the safety side, the new model comes with and ABS, an EBD, driver and passenger airbags, side impact protection bars, power assisted steering and reverse distance sensors.

    54854apro The GEN-2 Persona is powered by a 1.6 litre Lotus engineered Campro engine which delivers a maximum output of 110bhp and a torque output of 109lb ft. The engine can be hooked up to a five-speed manual gearbox or a four-speed automatic gearbox (£1,000 more expensive). The GEN-2 Persona can reach a top speed of 118mph.

  • BMW and Fiat win ‘Car Design of the Year’ awards by Car Design News

    BMW and Fiat win ‘Car Design of the Year’ awards by Car Design News

    Bmw_cs_conceptmanu07_081024 BMW has won the car design of the year for its concept car Concept CS while without a surprise Fiat has won the prize for its 500 model.

    What’s interesting about the CarDesign News Prize is its readership comprised of international car designers. The prize is an award given by designers for designers.

    The award for the best concept show car announced in 2007 went to the BMW Concept CS, with over 51% of readers awarding the BMW a top three ranking. The Fiat 500 was the clear winner in the production category, with 50% of readers giving it a top three ranking. The result for the Fiat is more remarkable, given that the other top five contenders were all luxury models costing far more than the baby Fiat.

    Car Design of the Year 2007 – Concept

    1. BMW Concept CS, 4794 points
    2. Mazda Taiki. 4495 points
    3. Citroën C-Cactus. 4115 points

    Car Design of the Year 2007 – Production

    1. Fiat 500, 4643 points
    2. Maserati Gran Turismo. 4140 points
    3. Audi A5. 3965 points

  • Peugeot creates a sporty look for the 207 van

    Peugeot creates a sporty look for the 207 van

    Peugeot_207_van_1 Peugeot is never short of a good joke. The carmaker launched the 607 or offered us a reincarnation of Hannibal Lecter under the form of a 4007. This time, Peugeot has launched a range of ‘Sports’ accessories for the 207 Van.

    Peugeot_207_van_2 The range of accessories cover everything from an iPod docking kit to a full body kit, 17” alloy wheels, or an exterior stripe kit. All accessories can be fitted at any Peugeot dealer or by a competent owner.

    Peugeot_207_van_3 Sports Front Bumper Conversion kit: £430.13

    Fog Lamps: £92.57

    ‘SP’ Body Kit  (inc mesh radiator grille): £989.68

    ‘RC’ Stripe Kit: £180.79

    Four x 17” Alloy Wheels excluding tyres: £579.08

    Sports Gear Knob: £41.80

    Sports Handbrake Lever: £32.71

    Sports Exhaust Kit: £112.12

    iPod Docking Kit: £180.62

    Stainless Steel Sill Guards: £42.22

    Bluetooth Kit: £158.71

    Sports Interior Trim: £6.24 for air vent trims, £10.81centre fascia trim and £10.05 for centre console trims

  • Porsche to request for judicial review

    Porsche to request for judicial review

    Ken_livingstonetom_ocallaghan Porsche has announced it will make formal application for judicial review to challenge the new congestion charge scheme.

    Porsche will file a request for judicial review after TfL and Ken Livingstone (pictured) have rejected the carmaker’s request to change the new congestion charge due to apply next October.

    After Porsche files the request, The Mayor will then have 21 days to acknowledge the Porsche claim.

    Responding to the Mayor’s decision, Andy Goss, Managing Director of Porsche Cars GB, said: “The new £25 charge will have no meaningful impact on congestion and TfL’s own figures show the anticipated CO2 emissions savings in a year could be equivalent to less than four hours of emissions from Heathrow.  All it will do is unfairly hit large numbers of drivers in London and undermine London’s attractiveness as a place to do business.  We are therefore formally applying for judicial review to challenge the Mayor’s proposals and we are confident we have a strong case.”

  • Stirling Moss named greatest F1 driver of all time

    Stirling Moss named greatest F1 driver of all time

    Stirling1 Stirling Moss has been named the greatest F1 driver of all time by Autocar Formula One guru Alan Henry.

    The journalist has published a new book in which he gives his own top 100 list of F1 driver. The top four positions – Moss, Clark, Senna and Prost have a total of 133 wins between them during their racing careers.

    Alan Henry also writes: “One must also consider F1’s man of the moment, Lewis Hamilton. If we revamp this volume in a few years’ time, Lewis should be able to make the top 10.”

    Surprisingly, Michael Schumacher didn’t make the top 10. The journalist comments that Schumacher’s contract conditions, making his team mate do as he was told, left him out of the top 10.

    The Top 100 F1 Drivers of all time

    1. Stirling Moss
    2. Jim Clark
    3. Ayrton Senna
    4. Alain Prost
    5. Alberto Ascari
    6. Juan-Manuel Fangio
    7. Bernd Rosemeyer
    8. Jackie Stewart
    9. Tazio Nuvolari
    10. Mika Häkkinen
    11. Michael Schumacher
    12. Gilles Villeneuve
    13. Chris Amon
    14. Tony Brooks
    15. Carlos Reutemann
    16. Achille Varzi
    17. Emerson Fittipaldi
    18. Jack Brabham
    19. Mario Andretti
    20. Niki Lauda
    21. Jochen Rindt
    22. Nelson Piquet
    23. Guy Moll
    24. John Surtees
    25. Ronnie Peterson
    26. Hermann Lang
    27. Dan Gurney
    28. Keke Rosberg
    29. Kimi Räikkönen
    30. Lewis Hamilton
    31. Nigel Mansell
    32. Fernando Alonso
    33. Rudolf Caracciola
    34. Didier Pironi
    35. Jacky Ickx
    36. Alan Jones
    37. James Hunt
    38. Phil Hill
    39. Damon Hill
    40. Mike Hawthorn
    41. Giuseppe Farina
    42. Jody Scheckter
    43. Jean-Pierre Wimille
    44. Graham Hill
    45. François Cevert
    46. Gerhard Berger
    47  Pedro Rodriguez
    48. Jean Behra
    49. Jacques Villeneuve
    50. Ricardo Rodriguez
    51. Clay Regazzoni
    52. Denny Hulme
    53. Jean Alesi
    54. Juan Pablo Montoya
    55. Carlos Pace
    56. Louis Chiron
    57. Peter Revson
    58. Jo Siffert
    59. David Coulthard
    60. Felipe Massa
    61. Froilán Gonzalez
    62. Stefan Bellof
    63. Elio de Angelis
    64. Lorenzo Bandini
    65. Riccardo Patrese
    66. Patrick Tambay
    67. Jenson Button
    68. Rubens Barrichello
    69. Martin Brundle
    70. Derek Warwick
    71. Dick Seaman
    72. Patrick Depailler
    73. Peter Collins
    74. Bruce McLaren
    75. Michele Alboreto
    76. Eddie Irvine
    77. Richie Ginther
    78. Jean-Pierre Beltoise
    79. Johnny Servoz-Gavin
    80. Thierry Boutsen
    81. Rene Arnoux
    82. Tony Brise
    83. Tom Pryce
    84. Innes Ireland
    85. Jarno Trulli
    86. John Watson
    87. Luigi Musso
    88. Raymond Sommer
    89. Mike Hailwood
    90. Roy Salvadori
    91. Ralf Schumacher
    92. Wolfgang von Trips
    93. Stuart Lewis-Evans
    94. Jacques Laffite
    95. Eugenio Castellotti
    96. Trevor Taylor
    97. Piers Courage
    98. Stefan Johansson
    99. Jochen Mass
    100. Brian Redman

  • Renault to fit ESP on Twingo

    Renault to fit ESP on Twingo

    14161_hd_ren2007twingo Renault will feature the ESP on the he New Twingo as an option from next month. The safety device will cost around £230.

    ESP is the latest addition to a range of active safety devices fitted as standard on Twingo such as ABS and emergency brake assist. However the option won’t be available with the entry-level engine, the 60bhp 1.2-litre petrol unit.

    The aim of ESP (Electronic Stability Program) is to maintain a car on the trajectory intended by the driver in spite of a loss of grip of one or more wheels.  Tyres can lose grip as a result of an emergency manoeuvre, excessive cornering speed, a  slippery surface, snow or even a poorly maintained road surface. This makes it hard, if not impossible, to keep control of the car. By sensing the warning signs of these phenomena, ESP helps the driver to manage the situation.
    Seven sensors record data which allows the ESP processor to brake one or more wheels, while also regulating engine torque, to ensure the car stays on the intended cornering line. The system works in close conjunction with the ABS.