Posted on March 12th, 2008 by Auto News
Just one week after the Government announced plans to introduce more car-sharing lanes, a scheme on the M1 has had to be scrapped for being too dangerous.
The Government plans to use car-sharing lanes as a key part of its strategy for easing congestion in the future.
However, a proposed outside lane between junctions seven and 10 of the M1 has been scrapped after a feasibility study said it ???could lead to an increase in accidents??™.
The study warned that there could be a danger of vehicles in the conventional outside lane undertaking others in the car-sharing lane, and from police stopping non-compliant vehicles and requiring them to cut across faster traffic.
The study also said that there are no reliable camera systems for checking the number of occupants in vehicles, as much-vaunted blood-detecting cameras that can count the number of people in a car are not installed yet.
A Department for Transport spokesman said the findings didn’t change the Government’s long-term policy, however.
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Posted on March 11th, 2008 by Auto News
 Volkswagen has revealed full details of its range-topping Touareg luxury 4×4 - the R50 - which boasts one of the most powerful diesel engines on the market.
At the heart of the Touareg R50 is Volkswagen’s 5.0-litre V10 TDI engine, uprated from 313 PS to produce 350 PS at 3,500 rpm.? Beyond the power output, the R50’s engine has also been given a boost to produce an extra 100 Nm of torque up to an enormous 850 Nm (627 lbs ft).
These figures translate into on road performance which would embarrass many hot hatches. The R50 accelerates from 0 to 62 mph in just 6.7 seconds, and can hit a top speed of 146 mph. Yet, despite its extra punch the Touareg R50 has the same fuel economy and CO2 output as the standard V10 TDI (22.4 mpg combined and 333 g/km). It benefits from standard 4XMOTION four-wheel drive channelled through a six-speed auto gearbox.?
The R50 is priced at ??61,885 (RRP OTR), representing a ??3,885 premium over the previous rang-topper, the Altitude V10 TDI.? Prices for the Touareg range start at ??29,880.
Only a limited number of Touareg R50s will be available for sale in the UK - priced at ??61,885 (RRP OTR). This represents a ??3,885 premium over the previous rang-topper, the Altitude V10 TDI.
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Posted on March 11th, 2008 by Auto News
 Pininfarina is to propose to its shareholders a 100-million-euro capital increase to reduce its growing debts.
This will mean that the Pininfarina family will lose its majority stake in the Italian car design company and coachbuilder. The family currently controls 55 percent of Pininfarina’s voting shares.
The Pininfarina family will underwrite part of the capital increase and also will rely on the support of new investors, such as French battery specialist Vincent Bollore.
Pininfarina’s troubles reflect difficult times for most Italian coachbuilders. Bertone’s financial woes have been well documented and its latest concept car was not on display at the recent Geneva Show.
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Posted on March 11th, 2008 by Auto News
 Proton Cars (UK) is launching a four door saloon version of its popular five door hatchback - to be known as the GEN-2 Persona.
The GEN-2 Persona is powered by a 1.6 litre Lotus engineered Campro engine which delivers a maximum output of 110bhp, 148Nm of torque and a top speed of 118mph. All manual transmission models have a five-speed gearbox with a four-speed automatic option also available and superb ride and handling comes courtesy of Proton’s sister company Lotus.
The tempest grey interior is complemented by perfectly flat-folding 60:40 rear seats. Climate control with pollen filter and front and rear electric windows come as standard. Entertainment is provided by an integrated Blaupunkt radio/CD player, with an MP3-capable CD player and four way speaker system.
An Anti-lock Braking System with Electronic Brake Distribution, driver and passenger airbags, side impact protection bars, power assisted steering and reverse distance sensors all come as standard.
The GEN-2 Persona will be available in UK Proton dealerships from the end of March 2008 with Proton offering ??1000 discount off the ??10,795 (MT) and ??11,595 (AT) on the road price.
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Posted on March 10th, 2008 by Auto News
London??™s bid to make the 2012 Olympic Games car-free is being undermined because dignitaries, officials and corporate sponsors are demanding 3000 chauffeur-driven vehicles.
The cars have been requested for use by the International Olympic Committee, despite the fact that the anticipated eight million spectators will be told they can arrive by public transport only.
The vehicles will have access to a network of dedicated lanes, which will be closed to other traffic for up to two months. Up to 3000 sets of traffic lights will also be adjusted to ensure that the IOC??™s fleet has stress-free access to all of the Olympic venues.
Jenny Jones, a Green member of the London Assembly, said she was writing to each IOC member and national Olympic Committee asking them to sign a pledge to use public transport rather than cars.
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Posted on March 10th, 2008 by Auto News
 Two specially prepared AMG high-performance cars will be on duty for the first time when the Grand Prix season kicks off in Melbourne, Australia (March 14 to 16, 2008).
The Safety Car, based on the SL 63 AMG, and the Medical Car, derived from the C 63 AMG Estate, have the task of ensuring maximum safety at all 18 Formula 1 races.
The Safety Car is immediately on hand whenever the safety of a race is threatened by accidents, adverse weather conditions or other hazardous situations. After receiving his instructions from the race management, Bernd Mayl?¤nder, the driver of the Safety Car, must go to the head of the Formula 1 field and safely guide the world’s fastest racing drivers around the circuit. Fast lap times are a must for the Safety Car, because otherwise the sensitive Formula 1 engines would overheat - and their tyres and brakes would cool down excessively.
In the 2008 Formula 1 season, Mayl?¤nder, 36, will be behind the wheel of a new SL 63 AMG. This high-performance roadster, which was presented to the public at the Geneva Motor Show, has a 6.3-litre V8 engine with a power output of 525 bhp, providing acceleration from zero to 62 mph in 4.6 seconds.
The C 63 AMG Estate is powered by a 457 bhp version of the AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine which delivers 600 Nm of torque.
AMG has provided the Official F1 Safety Car for the past 12 years while the Official F1 Medical Car has carried the AMG insignia since 1996.
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Posted on March 6th, 2008 by Auto News
 UK buyers wanting a Nissan GT-R are being warned to expect a lengthy waiting list, even though order books haven’t officially opened yet.
Pricing for the car was revealed this week, with the base model costing ??52,900. The Premium edition with automatic headlamps and a Bose stereo costs from ??54,200 and the Black edition, with special black paintwork, grey alloy wheels and leather interior, from ??55,000.
That’s considerably less than the anticipated ??66,000, but considerably more than Japanese buyers are paying: the 7,770,000 Yen asking price equates to around ??35,000.
However, although deposits are not officially being taken until April, ahead of delivery in March 2009, a shortage of cars is expected because Nissan’s Yokohama plant. Can produce only 1000 cars per month.
‘From the moment we announced the price structure we had people queuing up to place orders,’ said a Nissan official. ‘Someone even came over to the stand at the Geneva motor show and tried to leave a cheque for the car there and then. We are anticipating huge demand.’
The GT-R can be ordered online or at one of 10 appointed dealers in the UK for the car. All service work will also be carried out by one of these selected dealers.
Nissan has cracked down on anyone trying to import the car from Japan for sale or private use in the UK, saying that it will unable to provide service assistance or parts for any cars brought into the country this way.
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Posted on March 6th, 2008 by Auto News
 Renault Design Director Patrick Le Quement has confirmed that the new Megane range will not include a traditional three-door hatchback. Instead the range will feature a coupe based on the concept coupe unveiled at Geneva.
“You have the design before your very eyes,” said Le Quement. He added that the car would be launched before the end of the year along with a more conventional five-door version. And while the new Megane is “a strong design statement”, Le Quement believes it will not polarise opinions in the same way as the current model.
Renault also plan to shorten the timespan of the model renewal programme. “The entire Megane range will be renewed by the end of 2009,” said Le Quement. This includes saloon, coupe-cabrio and estate bodystyles, plus “at least one more model”.
The coupe-hatch sector seems to be hotting up nicely then, as the Megane will pretty much go head to head with the new VW Scirocco as well as the more established Volvo C30.
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Posted on March 6th, 2008 by Auto News
 Tata will soon gain ownership of Jaguar, and although the deal isn??™t complete yet, Tata is already making plans to extend the Jag line-up with the addition of a lightweight sportscar in the same vein as the 2000 F-Type Concept. Tata Group Chairman, Ratan Tata, announced at the Geneva show that plans to take this model into production are currently being discussed, but speculation is rife that Tata will need a considerable loan to put these plans into action.
This would tie in with the rumours that circulated not too long ago about the Coventry marque wanting to develop a spiritual successor to the iconic E-Type for 2011. If this is so, the new sports car is set to take on the likes of the Aston Martin V8 Vantage and Porsche 911. Jaguar company chairman, Geoff Polites, has confirmed that Jaguar is currently exploring a number of options for future models, including a two-seater sports car.
There are also plans for Jag XJ sedan to receive a facelift, as well as the production of the XF coupe. Plans for a four-door XK and a crossover are also on the cards. It seems then, that Jaguar and Tata have similar ideas in mind as to the future of the brand.
Current Jaguar parent company, Ford, put both Jaguar and Land Rover on the auction block in mid-2007. It seems that Tata had the winning bid, and an official announcement of the switchover is expected soon after the Geneva show has wrapped up.
This deal, however, is not coming cheap. According to various reports, Tata is seeking $3-billion in loans from investment banks Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase to acquire the Jaguar and Land Rover brands. When Tata gets its hands on the money and the deal is signed and sealed, it will be exciting to see what the Indian manufacturer will be able to do with the otherwise failing brands. Given the attention it has reveievd, Jaguar??™s latest XF saloon could well be the company??™s most successful vehicle in a couple of years.
The Jaguar XF will be available in South Africa as of April 2008 in four variants ??“ 2,7-litre V6 twin-turbocharged diesel, a 3,0-litre V6 petrol, a 4,2 naturally aspirated V8 petrol, and a 4,2-litre supercharged V8 petrol. The power outputs for the 3,0-litre V6 petrol and the 2,7-litre V6 diesel units stand at 175 kW and 152 kW respectively. The V6 petrol has a maximum torque of 293 N.m, while the diesel has 435 N.m. In its normally aspirated form, the 4,2-litre V8 produces 219 kW of power and 411 N.m torque, while the top-of-the-range SV8 has an output of 306 kW and torque of a whopping 560 N.m. The entry-level model will set you back about R509 000.
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Posted on March 4th, 2008 by Auto News
 Daimler AG is making history by being the first automaker to make use of lithium-ion technology in cars. The new battery will find its first home in the series-production S400 BlueHYBRID beginning next year.
Despite their perceived position as technology leaders, hybrid car development has not undergone any radical changes since the inception of Toyota??™s first-generation Prius and what developments have emerged have largely remained ensconced in the engine bays of numerous concepts. Daimler hopes to change that with its new S400 BlueHYBRID ??“ a luxury saloon powered by lithium-ion batteries that could well be the first production-viable vehicle of its type when it emerges in 2009.
Owing to the temperature-sensitive nature of lithium-ion batteries, the unit powering the S400 has been integrated into the car??™s climate control system, which will ensure that the battery operates at the most favourable temperature of between 15 and 35 degrees Celsius.
According to Daimler AG, the most important differences between this newly-developed lithium-ion battery and the conventional nickel-metal battery are the compact dimensions and improved performance. Daimler AG claims a power/weigh ratio for the entire battery of roughly 1 900 watts per litre. These batteries are ideal for hybrid vehicles in the effort to help reduce CO2 emissions and fuel consumption and their durability means fewer expensive battery changes throughout the vehicle??™s operating life.
The powerplant in the S400 BlueHYBRID develops a respectable 220 kW and 375 N.m of torque. It has a claimed zero to 100 km/h sprint time of 7,3 seconds, and can reach a top speed of 250 km/h ??“ electronically limited, of course.
The S400 BlueHYBRID consumes just 7,9-litres of fuel per 100 km in the NEDC, while the combination of BlueTec diesel technology with a hybrid similar hybrid system found in the S300 BlueTec HYBRID, offers more in terms of power and performance.
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