three petrol and four diesel: There are seven engines to choose from. The 1.6 petrol engine producing 104bhp, 124bhp and 148bhp, the latter comes with a fuel efficiency awareness stop / start system. The diesel 1.6 spits either 94bhp or 113bhp can be and are equipped with start / stop, while a 2.0-liter oil burner had two 138bhp or 161bhp forms, and is the only engine of the Ford dual-clutch gearbox bolted Powershift transmission can be. From £16k Ford Focus 2011 Starts On Sale.
What kit is the new Ford Focus to get?

All models are equipped with a digital radio, Bluetooth and USB connectivity, voice control, front, side and curtain airbags, ESP and Isofix attachments standard. You also get Ford Easy Fuel, the driver prevents their gasoline filled with diesel and vice versa, and Torque Vectoring Control, the system that balances the torque sent to the engine between the front wheels, optimizing traction and stability.

Up on the Edge, the Zetec begins (expected to be the best seller) for £ 16,995 and gets 16in alloy wheels, a heated front windscreen and mirrors, a leather steering wheel, fog lamps and sports seats.

Titanium spec starts at £ 18,745 and comes with keyless start, dual-zone automatic climate control, Hill Start Assist (HSA), rain-sensing wipers, automatic headlights, auto-dimming rearview mirror, cruise control and speed limiter, an upgraded audio system and a tire-pressure recognition system. From £16k Ford Focus 2011 Starts On Sale.

The flagship Titanium X starts at £ 21,245 and added that part-leather upholstery, heated front seats, 17 inch alloy wheels, Active Park Assist (the car controls, accelerate slow you, and want to – people do not take pride in parallel parking today?), LED Bi-Xenon headlights, daytime running lights, SRA, an electric driver’s seat and electric folding mirrors.
Everything else should I know about the new Ford Focus?

Buyers can also additional safety kit such as lane keeping assistance, the driver, warn when they leave a lane without indication, and a blind spot warning system that does exactly what it says on the tin. Check the box for Sony DAB Navi and you’ll get a rear view camera. From £16k Ford Focus 2011 Starts On Sale.

The basic focus is £ 15,995 more expensive than its cheapest competitor models. But if similar engines and product information into account then Ford hatchback looks very tempting, a five-door VW Golf with a twist costs 1.2TSI 102bhp engine £ 600 to £ 16,595 more.

No related posts.

No, ya big Galah, it is powered. The Blue Golf-e-motion is a prototype for Nissan Leaf rival to buy it in a position of Volkswagen dealers in 2013.

Car drove the electric golf in the world’s largest e-Rally for a feature in the new Green Car, a free 32-page supplement in the new issue from September 2010 car magazine. Click here for a free digital preview.
The electric Mini has no rear seats (in contrast to almost none in the other hand, gasoline). Is similar to the Gulf useless? Apart from the battery area – a modest 90 miles – it is more practical than any other golf. The engine is at the front where the engine would be and the battery is hidden under the floor panel and trunk floor to see so and sit in, there’s really no difference. Today’s Carzpage Review: Electricity VW Golf Blue-e-motion.

The cabin looks the same, at a glance. The shifter is the standard DSG element, but a performance measure replaces the tachometer and fuel and temperature dials of watches and clocks show how much charge is left and what are the selection.
But of course it is very quiet

Well, not completely silent, since a rather high-pitched hum from the engine is at moderate speeds. VW engineers claim they are able to reduce this before it hits the market, but probably not by him to get rid of all. But that will not be a problem, because there will be one of the Volkswagen is working on synthetic sounds are masked.
How does a normal golf compare to drive?

Not too dissimilar. The electrical hardware weighs a little more than a diesel engine and box, but the suspension on this car is stock Bluemotion diesel, and the handling is not as sharp. But it’s nothing that some careful suspension tuning could not sort. As for the drivetrain, it’s great. The throttle response is crisp without over-eager, pushing the diesel-like torque uphill like a rewind to Bob and the refinement is incredible compared to conventional engines. Today’s Carzpage Review: Electricity VW Golf Blue-e-motion.

But the trick is the multi-level recovery of braking energy. Lift the throttle with the shift lever in “D” and you get no engine braking at all. Tug it back to “S” and you get a very strong effect is great for coming down steep hills where you find out that you do not need the brakes at all to use (a good job, as were the test cars massively over-sensitive – another software problem, we are assured). Rather than just come completely out of gas as a corner appears, you can simply return it with the same sensitivity that you go when you press them down.

As an option even though buyers can for DSG-style paddles behind the steering wheel to pay, so they choose between different levels of brake regeneration on different slopes at the touch of a finger tightening.
But a 90-mile range! Why on earth would I make a purchase from a diesel or any of the new small turbo gasoline golf?

Until the UK gets its electric car infrastructure in place (it happened as we speak), then the offer will be an issue. The reality is that for the distances most people day to day cover in order, but you are blocked effectively to your own town. Do you want to visit relatives or vacation at the other end of the country? Better by train. Today’s Carzpage Review: Electricity VW Golf Blue-e-motion.
But in this respect, the golf is not less useful than the Nissan Leaf and a whole lot less ugly. And apart from a cleaner conscience (which is clean, not clean), the E-motion control and smaller heating costs and an exemption from the London congestion charge.
Judgement

If the benefits of a zero-emissions car do not necessarily want to write about it, the Gulf certainly makes sense, especially as a second car. Apart from the high price and limited range, which are a major obstacle for many would-be customers, it is so practical and vice-free as any other golf remains. With an estimated £ 23k though, we have a GTi you and eat less beef to make our chuffing CO2.

No related posts.

Essentially, the Si-Kit is only one trim level – there is no chassis tweaks, and the kit is compatible with all major engine and transmission options. And it’s the same car that Mark Walton recently used blat in France as he is HMS Albion at the time moved back from Santander with nothing but Honda vehicles.
It’s hard to believe that the current generation Honda Civic looks so normal on British roads now …

In fact, and also with the Civic Si trim the relatively wide view (17-inch graphite-colored alloys, color bumpers, fog lamps, a Type R style mesh grille, dark chrome door handles plus encoding and gas cap) harmless. Nevertheless, make the folds sharp, wedge shape, the rear door handles and split rear window hidden sure you’ll still stand out among a sea of thousands of secular Gulf and concentrated.

Inside the Civic cabin still feels quite edgy, with a driver tailored instrument panel design that cluster all the controls around the steering wheel and effectively cuts the passenger. What Honda has not changed is the OAP-pleasing functionality. The Civic’s tank is located under the floor behind the front seats are, and together with the torsion beam rear axle (a step backwards from the old car-independent rear suspension), this means a large trunk. You will be finished in 485 liters clobber – and the seats fold flat with absolute ease – 100 on the Focus. And there is plenty of room under the rear seats are.

You sit too high, but everything is clean grouped around the driver, and if you learn where they seek it becomes second nature the air-conditioning controls are within this range. Si spec brings half leather seats and a USB port to add power windows to the SE, automatic climate control, multifunction leather steering wheel and pedals made of aluminum wrapped, but the plastic can not with the golf, and you do not get the same feeling of weight and solidity of the doors, as seen in Germany’s finest.
How does the new Honda Civic Si drive?

The plus points first. The steering is sharp and the front-end is rather pointed, the shifter and pedals smoothly shame large share position as the Type R. It was really great fun to thrash around on our favorite local roads – it feels awake and light on his feet.

Unfortunately, the ride comfort is only average, feedback from the wheel is non-existent, and the 1.8-liter gasoline engine (which is silent at idle) is loud and rather higher up the rev range is not refined. And it is not as fast with. We would stick with the 2.2 diesel, or for the full-blooded-Type R if you really want to have power and fuel resources.
Judgement

There are a lot of really on the latest Honda Civic Si spec like, especially if you feed it to and find out it’s a decent ride. It is remarkably spacious, and hatch, and the eccentric shape masks a surprisingly spacious family. But with the VW Golf Mk6 as good as ever, and a new Ford Focus is just around the corner, the Honda Civic is starting to feel old and outdated in some areas and the Si-Kit does not do anything to change.

No related posts.

The Ibiza ST offers more luggage space than the normal Ibiza hatch without written the sporty lines of ex-Lamborghini designer Luc Donckerwolke.
Seat Ibiza ST: focus on eco-motors. CarzPage Review: Seat Ibiza 2010 ST 1.6 TDI SE.

We drove the Seat Ibiza ST in 1.6 TDI Sport spec, but from the start there is a choice of two petrol and two diesel engines with outputs of up to 74bhp 103bhp to be with the option of a five-speed manual or the dual-clutch gearbox seven car-speed DSG.

The most economical of the covenant is available of the 1.2 S, one of the most economical levels around a combined 80.7mpg.
How does the Ibiza ST go well? CarzPage Review: Seat Ibiza 2010 ST 1.6 TDI SE .

If you want excitement and a thrilling ride, can not do this for you. Back in the real world, it’s a pretty compelling combination small package. The Ibiza combination provides a comfortable, relaxed position for long distances: comfortable seats, light steering, fluid gear changes easy and of course a decent size boot for luggage – note the additional 138 liters.

Our top-spec 1.6 Diesel delivers enough power to overtake, but is not the fastest car on the road. Road noise is well suppressed and even on a long trip (we drove half way across France in it) It is a refined place to sit.
Styling

The Ibiza ST cabin is a bit of a mix of textures and colors, a few too many patterns as there, for our taste. At least the color contrast adds some lightness into the cabin, but the headliner does not remind me of the blue J-cloths I use at home, except in gray. CarzPage Review: Seat Ibiza 2010 ST 1.6 TDI SE .

If the 430-liter is not big enough, just flop back seat to raise the trunk to 1164 liters. Although the boat really fully loads on the roof?

A nice feature is the seat of the docking station for your TomTom, rather than spend thousands on an official-fit navigation, let you drop Seat handheld unit into the dock and off you go. Neat thought. CarzPage Review: Seat Ibiza 2010 ST 1.6 TDI SE.
Judgement

Currently, there is little choice if you want a small car discount. The Ibiza ST offers a new alternative, and is worth considering if you do not need the space of a VW Golf or Ford Focus items. It’s a bit more style to boot, and strayed from the boxiness that some larger vehicles ruined.

With prices starting around 12,000 pounds for the 1.2 TDI version of the Ibiza Eco-ST is a low-cost car. A shame, the United Kingdom largely avoids mini stands, do not expect to see too many around on our streets. CarzPage Review: Seat Ibiza 2010 ST 1.6 TDI SE.

No related posts.

Well, you could say, but then the property almost a volume seller. In fact, the property was never really a Golf at all: Check out the old, AOS grille, and the doors (which continued unchanged). You Aore from the Jetta. So this is a wagon version of the golf boot, really. VW Golf.

Confused? You should be. Especially when you consider that is the company that once brought us the Bora Estate …

Could they afford to let the Golf Variant in peace?

The Golf Mk5 was not just a bad car now, right? In fact, the majority of the changes to the Gulf were done Mk6 hatch to make it cheaper to build. VW builds fewer goods, so that the changes did not need to be aot as extensive, but the old car was hardly an eye-catcher and its interior was always a bit of a disappointment after the plush Mk4, AOS. VW Golf.

Sun is in the Mk6 Dash (but not his new doortrims), plus an extensive Mk6 nose and body color treatment. No, it is AOS, no eye-catcher, but at least the Golf Estate is now a bit of fine inside and out. It is the automotive equivalent of a bit of Posh with a horsey face and a fat ass.

How does it drive the new 2010 VW Golf Variant?

Very nice indeed, but if you crave excitement, get back to your GTI. The TSI Estate receives about his work with minimal effort and amazing ease. The light-pressure turbo 1.4 has just enough to get you on Oomph and intelligent as she, AOS bit more audible at low speeds, as it is in the hatch it, AOS still a pleasantly refined companion. VW Golf.

Clean economically, I managed 40mpg Bang-on for a week, book-laden cruise on the highway is full (very full load) with days spent in-between days from city to city nipping ended.

No related posts.

Monday, March 15, 2010
• All changes to two Brit sports car specialists Ginetta the northern company today confirmed it had purchased to the south-west base Farbio, manufacturer of the GTS (nee Farboud) (Ginetta)
• Nissan has today confirmed it would be fifth global design center in China Add. The styling studio Beijing will initially employ 20 designers (Nissan)
• Lotus Cosworth and will work with established KV Racing Technology IndyCar outfit work in the IndyCar series in 2010 in the United States. The Lotus-Cosworth Indy Car racing to use the classic green and yellow livery (Lotus)
• The UK road infrastructure needs a “radical reform,” warns the CBI business group today. It proposes staggered commuting times, increased car-sharing and more work from home, if the UK to remain competitive (BBC News)
• Chinese automaker BYD has booked a record contract fourth quarter profit of 1.46 billion yuan (214 million), according to AP (Automotive News)

Friday 12 March 2010
• Business Secretary Lord Mandelson has given a £ 270m bail GM Europe announced by the British government to secure future Vauxhall. “We have to Vauxhall car production as part of the British base grow and the negotiations with GM Europe’s next I’m sure he’ll do it,” Mr Mandelson said in a statement (Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Skills)
• Toyota has been forced to set out his hand over 2006, a memo to then-CEO Katsuaki Watanabe from the union of the workers concerns about costs and the use of temporary workers (The Telegraph)
• Volkswagen and BMW have both a decrease in profits for 2009. VW announced profits of £ 872m, 80% and BMW Group says profit of £ 191 million, up 36%. Both companies expect for 2010 (BBC)
• VW finance chief Hans Dieter Poetsch has plans to increase the company EUR 3.5 billion by issuing bonds and selling shares, how come the car manufacturers have the money to the purchase of Porsche (Automotive News full description)
• Chrysler and Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has 37-year-old named Laura Soave-to-head up and return Fiat to the U.S. after a 27-year absence. Your order comes with the Chrysler Group after a spell as marketing manager at Volkswagen (Bloomberg)
• Skoda is planning special coatings on the Roomster, Superb Yeti and production lines in the second quarter of 2010. Cuts were made by the bank in order to save money after a decline in the demand for scrapping scheme in Germany in January to the end. The Czech company sold a record 685,000 cars in 2009 (Automotive News Europe)
• EU passenger car production fell 17% in 2009, according to the Association of European Automobile Manufacturers released. She warned that production cuts would result in decrease in sales in 2010. UK production figures were strongest fall by one third (Reuters)

Thursday, March 11, 2010
• Toyota expects U.S. sales in March rose 30% to the rear of the increase in incentives introduced in order to convince buyers waivering to the beginning of the month. Sales dropped from 10% in February after Toyota Recall Problems (Automotive News)
• GM CEO Ed Whitacre said the company on track in the $ 8 billion loan from the U.S. and Canadian governments repayment before the June deadline. “We have restructured and the progress we have made, I believe, is unsustainable” (Reuters)
• GM is considering ditching the Daewoo name in the domestic market, South Korea, according to GM Daewoo President Mike Arcamone. “We are making some major changes in our strategy in our home market. Our domestic sales are not acceptable,” he told the FT (Financial Times)
• Hummer restart production for one month when General Motors recognizes a merchant order of around 800 vehicles. Production stopped initially in January, when finding a suitable buyer for the company. GM has said that it is still open to new offers (New York Daily News)

Wednesday 10 March 2010
• Geely has the £ 1.2 billion to buy Volvo has found, according to the Swedish business newspaper Dagens Industri. Chinese banks and regional authorities have the money to the company, but the final agreement between Ford Geely and must be signed yet (Reuters)
• Audi bosses are confident they can raise the 2009 profit of EUR 1.2 billion this year. Daimler a £ 2.3 billion loss in the same period, while BMW is expected to announce a small profit next week. Audi Chairman Rupert Stadler said: “With a return on sales before taxes of 6.5%, we stood out significantly in comparison with our competitors” (Financial Times)
• In the meantime, before the financial results, BMW has announced that it is a “definite growth experience is in almost all markets car, after a 14% increase in sales in February (Automotive News Europe)
• Saab is the placing of cars in North America after a six-month interruption in the supply after the sale to Spyker restart. The company also intends to tap 4-12% discount off the list price of its U.S. cars in order to stimulate demand. The new 9-5 SportCombi starts in the summer (Automotive News)
• Mazda is considering the installation of a Brake System Override remember about their new Toyota cars following problems. The braking system will give priority when both the brake and accelerator pedal is pressed (Automotive News)
• Mitsubishi plans, 100,000 EVs for Peugeot and Citroën on the basis of i-MiEV in the next five years to make. The exterior and interior styling for both models is expected to be amended by the i-MiEV, which goes on sale in the UK in 2011 (Automotive News)
• be CO2 emissions from new passenger cars sold in the UK scheme scrapped, one third lower than the cars that have replaced them, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Scrapping accounted for approximately one fifth of sales in February (SMMT)

Tuesday 9 March 2010
• Toyota has rejected claims that remind dubious electronics 8m behind the car. Toyota held a press conference, she said yesterday at the Stanford University research, it was “no real world” evidence presented iffy electrics (BBC News)
• VW plans to increase its share of the passenger car market electric-0 to 3% in 2018. Exec CEO Martin Winterkorn said it planned “an unprecedented” drive into the EV market (Financial Times)
• Mazda’s new design boss Ikuo Maeda, held in the last April, has admitted to that he would like the RX-7 again to revive. “I’m a strong nostalgia for the RX-7 have again during my time, but the fact that we need the U.S. economy” (Automotive News)
• Daimler has its 5.3% stake in Tata Motors (Financial Times, sold)

Monday 8 March 2010
• Vincent Rambaud is the new Chief Executive Officer of Automobiles Peugeot from 2 April 2010, he is by Jean-Marc Gales report about CEO of PSA Peugeot Citroën. Rambaud is 51 and was previously head of the Latin American zone PSA (PSA)
• Gales said: “Vincent Rambaud’s international experience will be a strong factor in successfully managing the challenges of globalization by Peugeot, at a time when the mark on the strength of a new identity and a completely redesigned, expanded, resulting in a growth rediscover is dynamic “(PSA)
• Ferrari North America Marco Mattiacci new boss is confident that new models like the 458 Italia will spice up sales in the U.S. (Automotive News)
• Audi sales worldwide jumped 20% in February, the promotion of the Q1 performance. Worldwide sales and marketing boss Peter Schwarzbauer said China and Western Europe was the strongest performance areas (Automotive News Europe)
• has secured the new Jaguar XJ about 2,000 jobs in the West Midlands, says car industry to accelerate the body. Approximately 400 employees work on the Jaguar XJ, but accelerating, says each JLR five other city jobs supported in the supply chain (BBC News)
• New GM Chairman and CEO Ed Whitacre, AT & T is flying for free on corporate jets as part of its settlement with the telecom giant. Whitacre retired in 2007 with a $ 158 million package that lets him fly on AT & T’s corporate jet for up to 10 hours per month – private jets, bypassing the embarrassment of GM, which had planned, when the automakers asked for Washington one bail-out “(Detroit News)

Friday 5 March 2010
• More than 60 complaints from Toyota owners who claim their cars have been preserved even after inadvertently accelerated the repair of their Assemblies (Financial Times)
• Toyota President Akio Toyoda was wearing the uniform of an employee to 9000 employees in Japan address. He spoke of his appearance before the U.S. Congress and the wish to move forward to Toyota (BBC News)
• GM has some of its top managers as part of a shake-up rejected by up to 18 senior executives (Automotive News)
• car rental company Europcar has placed an order for 500 zero emission electric Renault (Renault)
• Ford plans to five full electric and hybrid cars built in Europe by 2013: the Ford Transit Connect Electric comes first confirmed in 2011, the Focus Electric in 2012, two new hybrids in 2013 and a full plug-in hybrid vehicles in 2013 (Ford)

Thursday 4th March 2010
• UK car sales back – February registrations rose by 26% with the same month last year. The trade body SMMT said 68,686 cars were sold last month, and Ford Fiesta and Focus were the best sellers (BBC News)
• Grandee GM Bob Lutz to retire becomes effective on 1 May. Lutz, head of product development worldwide, has already retired and then pulled a U-turn will help to pull GM out of bankruptcy. “It’s something the old one is about getting up at 4.30 clock in the morning,” he said at the Geneva show ON. “At some point you have to do something new” (Automotive News)
• Mitsubishi and PSA as a merger with a capital share, but in the end decided not to do. The chefs Philippe Varin and Osamu Masuko had been deep in the discussions it was decided, on Tuesday announced in Geneva they had a waiver of Capital Alliance (Detroit News)
• The Formula Renault team has announced a surprise collaboration with Lada (Renault)

Wednesday 3 March 2010
• Nissan calls nearly 540,000 pickups, minivans and sport utes, especially in the U.S. who may be faulty brake pedal pin and fix faulty fuel gage (BBC News)
• In the meantime, says Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn, he is still searching for a global technology partner. He was dismissed three years ago by GM and Chrysler in the past year (Automotive News)
• BMW will lease up to 700 e-1-series to customers throughout the world, in the second wave of Project i electric car trials. It has already exported 450 electric Minis (Automotive News)
• Renault confirmed that come Dacia brand in the United Kingdom in 2012 (Renault)

Tuesday 2nd March 2010
• GM will contribute € 1.9 billion in restructuring of Opel and Vauxhall – more than triple its previous pledge of 600 million €. Opel CEO Nick Reilly said the payment would be funded by equity and loans, while Opel made enough money to operate in 2010 (Automotive News) are
• Ford has reported a 43% jump in U.S. sales in February, shooting it from arch-rival General Motors. GM by 12%, stock analysts remember the mobilization of the Toyota sold to customers in Detroit giants (BBC News)
• Fiat presents its new Twin-Air – a two-cylinder engine is invoked, the world’s cleanest gasoline engines. Sales start in the 500 in September, and it claims to be 30% cleaner than the other four-cylinder engines (Automotive News)

No related posts.

Thursday 25 February 2010
• The European Investment Bank has launched a £ 340 million loan to Jaguar and Land Rover. It is an eight-year loan for the development of micro-and full-hybrid drive to finance and new lightweight chassis technology (JLR)
• GM’s Hummer after the completion of the transaction to sell to the Chinese – as reported yesterday – fell through. GM refused to spread, why the Hummer sale failed, but said it was breaking up the company with immediate effect (BBC News)
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8533827.stm
• President Akio Toyoda, Toyota broke into tears during his hearing of the Congress, a tearful Toyoda conceded that Toyota has to rethink “anything new”, as it would be structured as call for global security recall of approximately 8 million vehicles (Automotive News )
www.autonews.com/article/20100224/OEM/302249930/1147

Wednesday 24 February 2010
• The European automobile industry does not expect a quick recovery this year, warns, Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche. In my capacity as President of the European trade body, ACEA, he warned that the economy in 2010 saw little improvement since 2009 was so awful (Automotive News Europe)
• Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery’s got too much to buy Hummer from GM in trouble, reports the BBC. Apparently, the Chinese government is treating the permission for the withholding tax. An announcement on 28 February because of (BBC News)
• UK car dealership group Pendragon reports stronger growth in uprmarket cars, including Mercedes and Maserati (Automotive News Europe)
• Toyota vows to respond faster to complaints from consumers, as bosses Congress (Automotive News) take
• Toyota President Okio Toyoda introductory remarks before his hearing conference to admit today that Toyota has expanded too fast (BBC News)
• GM is the driving force in advance and has invested 1.4 billion U.S. dollars in more than a dozen U.S. plants and created about 5,500 jobs since the bankruptcy in July 2009, reports local newspaper (Detroit News)

Tuesday, February 23, 2010
• Spyker was a brief press release at 3.39pm GMT today confirmed has completed the acquisition of Saab. Saab Automobile and Spyker cars are now sister companies under the roof of the Amsterdam-listed parent company Spyker Cars NV. Spyker CEO Victor Muller said: “We are delighted – Saab’s future is now secure. From now on we will be concentrating all our efforts on the revitalization Saab and transform them into a sustainable and profitable businesses with the confidence to be bold. We will strengthen the emotional experience between Saab drivers and their cars and we are on the historic strengths of Saab in the areas of independent thinking, concentrating aircraft heritage and environmental performance and racing. Through this acquisition we will add about € 15 per share in shares and 60 € of assets. With a well-financed business plan in place, we look forward to working with the management of Saab to the realization of this plan and bring exciting new products for our customers. Real Saab Saab Saab (Spyker)
• U.S. chief Jim Lentz, Toyota will start today’s Congress hearing on the questions of the politicians about the recall response, global chief Akio Toyoda is due tomorroow (BBC News)
• Toyota’s temporary suspension of production in France and the UK inventory, to remember how the crisis dents cut sales in key markets around the world (Automotive News)
• Cadillac wants in Europe after the dealer Kroymans relaunch plunged into bankruptcy in 2009 (Automotive News Europe)

Monday, February 22, 2010
• BMW today confirmed it is gearing up to build plant in Leipzig, electric vehicles. It also has a deal with carbon-fiber composite specialists Wackersdorf in preparation for the new megacity vehicle brand suggested by the first half of this decade under a sub-brand of BMW (BMW)
• Honda UK’s managing director David Hodgetts from 1 April ordered. He replaces Ken Keir, who has been promoted to Executive Vice President of Honda Motor Europe. Hodgetts has 20 years experience with Honda (Honda UK)
• General Motors has revealed that paid new CEO Ed Whitacre will be $ 1.7 million with a $ 7.3 million payment in shares at a later date. The project was approved by the U.S. Treasury and former chief exec Fritz Henderson will be paid $ 59,090 per month in an advisory capacity (BBC News)
• President Akio Toyoda, Toyota prepares for the grilling he is to Congress, reports TO. It shows that Toyoda is set to court for interrogation by fast-talking U.S. lawyers will receive, so it remained until the rough ride with U.S. politicians (Automotive News velocity)
• The French government undertook to prevent all petrol and diesel shortages for local strike of the total workforce, continuing over the possible closure of the refinery Dunkirk (BBC News strike)

Friday 19 February 2010
• Jaguar Land Rover has appointed Ralf Speth as CEO. German-born Speth, 54, is a former exec at Ford and BMW – and was Vice President of Land Rover from BMW in the possession of the brand (Automotive News)
• Renault has appointed 11 specialist Renaultsport UK retailers. Each is a special Renaultsport sales and after-sales expert, and the full hot hatch area for test rides (Renault)
• British petrol prices have failed to fall despite a decline in wholesale gasoline prices. The AA said the average price for a liter of unleaded remains at 112p, but the wholesale price has 2p in the last month (BBC News dropped)
• The president of Toyota, Akio Toyoda, has stood up to remind his critics and the U.S. Congress next week about the global mind that about 8 million vehicles are involved (BBC News)
• Daimler shares slumped after the company refused to pay a dividend during the first loss in nine years (Financial Times, pay)

Thursday 18 February 2010
• UK car production grew rapidly last month, new figures out today show. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said volume increased 65% compared to January 2009 – the biggest monthly rise since 1976 (BBC News)
• British car parts specialist Halfords car pulls into service after Nationwide Auto Centers bought for £ 73 million. Nationwide 224 outlets will be renamed Halfords Auto Centers (BBC News)
• Contrary to rumors that he might step has extended the supervisory board of Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche contract for another three years. It runs until 31 December 2013, at which point he turns 60 (Automotive News)
• It is not all smooth at Daimler, however. It’s a € 352m loss reported in the fourth quarter of 2009 (Wall Street Journal)
• Former Renault CEO Louis Schweitzer is exec Volvo Truck candidate as Chairman of the Board (Automotive News)
• President Akio Toyoda, Toyota insists it has nothing to hide, but he emphasized yesterday that he has no plans in the U.S. Congress about the recall scandal (Detroit News)

Wednesday 17 February 2010
• Toyota is thinking about a recall on the Corolla, the world’s best-selling car, about a potential glitch in his power steering (BBC News)
• Toyota is following the withdrawal of U.S. factory overtime, rotas due to declining sales in the Americas. Tundra pick-up production from 15 March, 12 April at the stop for San Antonio plant, while encouraging the installation of Camry and Avalon sedans and the Venza crossover (Autotmotive News)
• European car manufacturers have weaned from the drug for the promotion, warns the Lex column (Financial Times)
• GM is rolling out a costly program to spruce their American car dealers (Detroit News)

Tuesday, February 16, 2010
• Alfa Romeo’s return to the United States is likely for 2012, officials confirmed at Fiat. Chief exec Sergio Marionne is reported as saying: “I am much more confident now, Alfa Romeo product range that is acceptable globally and in particular to restore the United States and Canada. There is a substantial likelihood that the mark be reproduced, will be here within the next 24 months “(Automotive News)
• Ford to buy Volvo too should be closed in the coming weeks, probably agreed with a price tag to nearly 2 billion U.S. dollars (Financial Times)

Monday, February 15, 2010
• Tata Motors today announced its new chief executive Carl-Peter Forster, the former chairman of GM Europe exec until he quits after the deal fell through Magna last year (Tata Motors)
• The full sentence reads: “Tata Motors has Mr Carl-Peter Forster as Group Chief Executive Officer of the Company. He will have overall responsibility for operations of Tata Motors, globally, including Jaguar and Land Rover. Mr. Forster, 55, has over 24 years international experience in the automotive industry. He was most recently the head of General Motors Europe, where he oversees Opel / Vauxhall, Saab and Chevrolet’s European operations. Prior to joining General Motors in 2001, Mr. Forster, 13 years of experience with BMW, which had He held various positions including managing director of BMW South Africa and was also responsible on the Executive Board of BMW for the production. Mr. Ratan Tata, chairman of Tata Sons and Tata Motors, said: “Tata Motors expects that Mr. Forster induction greatly ease its ambition the way to a truly international company. ”
• Mini today confirmed pricing for Countryman is at £ 16,000 (Mini-Launch)
• Mercury is based a small C-segment car in the Ford Focus in 2011, the same year the focus countries Stateside (Automotive News)
• Fiat’s new compact vehicle architecture will create 1 million cars per year by 2014, says the company: 700,000 products from the Chrysler Group and Fiat Group 300,000 units – starting with the new Alfa Romeo Giulietta launched in Geneva next month, Engine show. It is available) in Compact and Compact Wide-Format (Automotive News Europe
• tax consultants, lawyers and consultants have charged former GM for more than 90 million U.S. dollars in fees, new figures show. The money will be substantially all of the taxpayer (Detroit News paid)
• BMW’s sales by 17% in January 2010 jumped into the group. It moved 82,120 units worldwide, compared with 70,419 the previous year (Automotive News Europe)
• Vosa displays data in the UK by the manufacturer issuing recall notices in the UK last year: Citroen recalls worst offenders (16), Volvo (12) and Peugeot (nine) (The Times)

Friday 12 February 2010
• Spyker shareholders today announced the acquisition of Saab. The meeting, which was closed to the public, Saab ratified the deal struck two weeks ago (Automotive News)

Thursday 11 February 2010
• Renault today announced a massive € 3 billion loss in 2009 – what the big fall in sales and € 1.6 billion of losses in partner companies (Financial Times)
• Renault said it was concentrating on generating positive cash flow in a highly competitive market, 2010 – despite a projected 10% dip in European car sales this year. Renault shares dipped 4% (Automotive News Europe)
• Nissan has invested 53 million pounds in Sunderland, on the new crossover Juke. For the launch yesterday, said she secured 1,000 jobs – with 2000 will be charged extra in the supply chain (BBC News)
• Fiat-Chrysler plant, 500,000 cars per year in Russia to build a new € 2.4 billion joint venture with Sollers, its local firm of builders Auto (Automotive News)

Wednesday 10 February 2010
• The mainstream media continue to dock to the Japanese manufacturer points out, the BBC reported today that Honda has recalled a further 437,700 cars – especially in the U.S. – to an existing airbag safety recall (BBC News)
• In the meantime, Toyota will start today, the extensive program of potentially dodgy accelerator in the United Kingdom to fix. It can resolve 6000 cars per day, so that the whole process takes a month (BBC News)
• PSA Peugeot Citroen has reported a surge of car scrapping in Europe – despite the filing of a € 1.16 billion (£ 1.02bn) loss in 2009 (BBC News)
• But PSA predicts an operating profit in the first half of 2010 thanks to a cost-cutting program and new products (Automotive News Europe)
• Renault is currently reviewing its joint venture in India with Mahindra & Mahindra. The two companies make the Logan sedan, but Renault is keen to shake their activities with reference to a local market for the next ten years (Automotive News Europe heights)

Tuesday 9 February 2010
• Opel / Vauxhall, today said 8300 jobs over the next five years as part of a bid will be lowered their profitability by 2012. It calls for € 3.3 billion for the company during the restructuring (Automotive News Europe run)
• Toyota made public reputation, has a beating in the last 10 days, according to new research from pollsters YouGov (fire index of YouGov)
• New CO2 emissions in the UK fell by 5.9% in 2009 – the biggest ever fall (SMMT)
• Toyota today confirmed it was the memory of a further 436,000 cars this time, including the new hybrids-gen Prius, Lexus Hybrid Sai HS250h. A total of 8500 cars in Britain have been affected in the recall which) fix a brake problem on rough roads (BBC News
• Nissan has reported a return to profitability in the last three months of 2009 – there was a 45 billion yen profit (£ 320m) October-December 2009 (BBC News)
• Hyundai Chairman Chung Mong-koo was ordered to pay nearly $ 60 million damages to his employer for losses from his business decisions. The news agency AFP reported in a civil court, following conviction Mong-koo for embezzlement and embezzlement (Automotive News)
• Spyker has secured the financing to close the purchase of Saab by GM, they said today. A $ 25 million convertible bond agreement with Heerema Holding has come up with the goods. However, Spyker has not yet secured funds for a subsequent $ 24m payment due 15 July (Automotive News Europe)
• Daimler shares jumped yesterday on news that Wolfgang Bernhard had rejoined the Board is responsible for production, purchasing, and the Commercial Vehicles Division. He is touted as a possible successor to CEO Dieter Zetsche (Automotive News Europe)

Monday 8 February 2010
• The European Commission today, the Swedish government support for the European Investment Bank loan of 400 million €. Spyker’s new owner said it needs about $ 1 billion to develop three or four new models – and a large tranche, which ratified the new EIB loans (Automotive News Europe come)
• The EC said the EIB loan was approved, as were the European countries to ensure financing for the companies concerned. “The State guarantees the implementation of business plan Saab afford without causing any undue distortion of competition,” said Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes (European Commission)
• Toyota plant, the new Prius, due to a possible fault with the brakes (BBC News Recall)

Friday 5 February 2010
• President Akio Toyoda, Toyota has a recall of more than 8 million cars worldwide apologized after a sticky throttle fear. He said he was “deeply sorry” and called for the recall scandal, “a moment of crisis” (BBC News)
• The recall scandal is evidence of mismanagement at Toyota makes the FT. The car maker’s breakneck growth possible, deficiencies are both in their preparation and their communication with customers, “says a report – noting that Toyota increased sales by 50% over the past ten years to return it to No. 1 (Financial Times)
• Honda has raised its profit forecast after cost reductions, the profitability soaring to the highest 18 months sent. The sale is made on the way to 3.6 million vehicles in the next fiscal year, and execs pointing out that an operating profit of around 1.1 billion U.S. dollars per quarter (Automotive News)
• Businesses in the United Kingdom Secretary Peter Mandelson said the European governments for aid for GM Europe to examine whether they were presented with a business plan (Automotive News Europe)
• Suzuki tripled its operating profit last quarter, the company said today. Rising sales in India helped the company because he was a 17.99 billion yen (U.S. $ 201m) operating profit posted October-December (Automotive News Europe)

Thursday 4th February 2010
• The passenger car registrations in the UK rose for the seventh consecutive month, figures show today. The Society of Motor Manufacturers said 145,479 cars were sold in January, by 30% over the same month in 2009 (SMMT)
• The new vehicles forecast for the UK new car sales in 2010 amounted to 1.82 million cars by 9% (SMMT)
• A total of 316,210 cars were scrapped under the United Kingdom legislation, new figures out today show sold. Leading brands are Ford and Hyundai, both of which sold 36,000 cars with a government-sponsored £ 2000 discount (SMMT)
• Toyota says it is almost a week before they can begin to repair the 180,000 cars in Britain through the global recall affected throttle. Toyota encourages million cars around the world – announced later this week, a return to profit in the last quarter of 2009. It has 153 billion yen (£ 1.06bn) after a loss in the same amount in the same period in 2008 (BBC News)
• Regardless of which Toyota has admitted a problem in the brake software on the new Prius, which can cause a collision between the ABS and brake energy recovery (BBC News)
• Toyota officials are making various statements in public and in private about the unintended acceleration glitch, warns the U.S. chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Henry Waxman (Automotive News accused)
• Citroën, remember that in the Toyota, because the city car was dragged joint venture is recalling only 36 C1s in Britain, said a spokesman of the CAR (Citroën)
• Fiat employees at plants in Italy yesterday went into a four-hour strike to protest plans to close a factory in Sicily (Automotive News Europe Protest)
• Tesla has announced the production of the right-hand drive roadster, which were previously only LHD copies for sale (Tesla Motors)

Wednesday 3 February 2010
• BMW and PSA Peugeot Citroen have agreed to continue their existing collaboration engine. BMW chief Norbert Reithofer and PSA Chairman Philippe Varin, signed the “New Deal” in Paris, working together the two companies to see the next-generation four-cylinder gasoline engine to develop. BMW and PSA have also agreed to look into other areas of cooperation (BMW)
• The Electric Car Corporation ev’ie Citroën C1 is set to get a new lithium-ion battery. Dundee-based Axeon, Europe’s largest independent lithium-ion battery systems supplier, will supply a battery with a higher energy density, after a 12-month study (Axeon)

Tuesday 2nd February 2010
• Spyker has his plans for Saab, which is now a new “all are Saab” 9-3 established in 2012 to life. Read the full story here (Saab)
• EuroNCAP has the VW Golf with the status “safest car of the year 2009″ ranking of all 33 models after it crashed in the past year (Volkswagen)
• Toyota massive recall of fault could fix the accelerator, the company’s cost £ 1.25 billion in lost output and sales (BBC)
• Ford will unveil an Edge SUV in Chicago Auto Show next week with a turbo four-cylinder EcoBoost engine, but the extensive visual mid-life facelift has been economically feasible due to the global consolidation of the Ford Series (Detroit News)
• Toyota has denied that it ignored warnings and acted slowly on reports of unintended acceleration in its vehicles (Detroit News)

Monday 1 February 2010
• Lotus Vehicle director Roger Becker today announced his resignation. Becker, 64, joined Lotus in 1966 worked alongside Colin Chapman and contributed to the development of each model from (Group Lotus)
• Tata Motors’ total sales last month hit 65,478 vehicles – an increase of 77% compared to January 2009. The 4001 Nanos and Jaguar Land Rover sales also includes a new user account (Tata)
• Spyker Cars has called an extraordinary general meeting on 12 February in order to ratify the acquisition of Saab (Spyker Cars)
• PSA Peugeot Citroen calls some of the models 107 and C1 makes it in Europe, with Toyota, the fears of the accelerator can jam. Peugeot has said it will reall “calls less than 100,000″ cars – the top of the 1.8 million cars Toyota in Europe (BBC News)
• Notes are in vogue, Honda also encourages 646,000 vehicles globally to a switch problem that a fire (BBC News can cause fixed)
• New Saab owner Spyker does not promise its dealer network immediately cut and is working on a long-term financing agreement with GMAC, the primary lender (Automotive News)
• Tesla papers reveal that they will stop the construction of the Elise-based Roadster in 2011 – because a new Elise / Exige line in Norfolk (by Motor Trend)
• Porsche Automobil Holding SE, the holding company, has 31-year-old appointed His Excellency Sheikh Jassim Bin Abdulaziz Bin Jassim Al-Thani to the Supervisory Board. Qatar Holding LLC will hold 10% of the common shares of Porsche (Porsche)

No related posts.

Volkswagen, which has been building fuel-sipping ideas (remember the freewheeling Ecomatic golf?), Long before Toyota began to sprout Preen court has just launched a new range of Bluemotion, from 114g/km to 90g/km Polo BlueMotion Passat BlueMotion.

We focus here on the big sale 99g/km VW Golf BlueMotion 2009, Europe’s first central sub-100g/km Luke (99g/km the new Ford Focus Econetic follows the beginning of 2010). It is just as well we are writing about golf, because the above-oriented, slow and loud Polo BlueMotion is about as attractive as a diet of tofu and lentils. (The Passat BlueMotion is much more a celebration, but that’s another story.)

How is the VW Golf BlueMotion other than a regular golf?

Start with the standard 105bhp 1.6 TDI Golf that uses a diesel engine to the sweetest. Power and torque remain unchanged when Bluemotioning. Add stop-start (so that the engine shuts off when the car is stationary) and) regenerative braking (kinetic energy to increase coverage of the battery. Improving the aerodynamics so that the air cleaner splits (Note-Tronic ® lowering, revised grille, new front bumper and a small rear spoiler).

It’s not too late. The tires have less rolling resistance. The five-speed manual gearbox has longer ratios in third, fourth and above, so that to facilitate low-revving gear.

The changes you add a little more than 10mpg (on the official combined cycle) and about 1500 pounds. The fuel is about two years, the cost (if not $ 10,000 miles per year), and because the Golf BlueMotion squeezes under the crucial 100g/km barrier, there’s zero road tax if you live in the UK. So it makes sense financially and environmentally.

But what is the new VW Golf BlueMotion Mk6 how to drive, compared to other diesel hatches?

Very impressive. The latest VW Golf 1.6 TDI Bluemotion common rail diesel is a sweety. Intervene early in the 5000rpm redline, it sounds restrained. It also has enough torque to cope with the higher translations are to min surfing with 185lb ft from 1500 to 2500 rpm.

There is no fireball – no Eco / Blue / etc Efficient green goddess – but the performance is perfectly adequate. The switching behavior up ‘propensity low-rev economy and the low-end jelly using the turbo-diesel.

What’s more, the latest VW Golf Bluemotion has a great ride, handles well, steers strong and is probably the most pleasant of all the medium-lift gates, where to spend the time.

So you would a VW Golf 1.6 TDI BlueMotion about buying a Prius or other equally large economical diesel?

Yes, it’s going better than the Prius – not least because it is) the best part of 200 kg lighter (blame the Prius, the two big motors and battery. And I had a golf before buying any other cars of equal size. Only the (more expensive) Focus comes close.

All in all, the current Golf Mk6 is back just before the climax of the middle class sedan, the highlight of the 30-odd years of refinement since the first Gulf practically invented the industry towards the mid-70s. It is now an adult, well honed machine.

The BlueMotion eco-ups ante, while sacrificing nothing in the daily performance of a normal, non-true blue 1.6 TDI Golf.

No related posts.