Wales newest car plant for Aston Martin will be officially opened on friday 6 December. This week it hosted the European exclusive unveiling of the DBX SUV which goes into production at St Athan and Economy Minister Ken Skates said, “Seeing the company deliver its first vehicle out of Wales is a very proud moment for Aston Martin and for Wales. In 2016 Aston Martin announced it had selected St … [Read more...]
Newcomers: Cars
Aston Martin DBX unveiled in Welsh assembly plant
The first Aston Martin DBX five-seat SUV will roll off new production lines in South Wales in Spring 2020, writes Robin Roberts. Breaking new ground for the 106-year-old luxury British marque, the DBX was unveiled simultaneously in the Beijing, China motor show and in the £250M St Athan, Vale of Glamorgan assembly plant today. The DBX marks a significant step for Aston … [Read more...]
AM DBX luxury to cost from £158,000
The Aston Martin DBX being built in Wales will cost £158,000 when order books open next week. It's globally unveiled in Beijing, China on 20 November and built in a multi-million pound new factory completed earlier this year at St Athan. The decision to use a bespoke chassis allowed Aston Martin’s design team – led by Executive Vice President & Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Skoda Superb Estate, 2.0 TDI 190hp auto 4×4
The Skoda Superb large Estate and its five door Hatchback stablemate models have over the years not only pulled in huge global sales but have received numerous awards and accolades, writes David Miles. These have been not just for its D-segment class-leading interior passenger and load space, but for its value for money appeal and the wide range of engine and specification options including DSG … [Read more...]
Newslines 25 October
The first electric Mazda MX-30 will go on sale in Britain in about 15 months. The five-door model will have a range between recharges of about 125 miles. A pure battery-powered Lexus will be unveiled next year, the company revealed at this week’s Tokyo Motor Show. It is part of a new product offensive which will also include petrol electric hybrids and Toyota, Nissan and Honda said at the show … [Read more...]
Newslines 21 October
Bentley has confirmed production of the third generation Flying Spur is underway with first deliveries early 2020. Handcrafting of the first customer orders is taking place at Bentley’s Crewe factory following completion of over one million miles testing sometimes up to 207mph. A new nationwide study of parents in Wales, by Travelodge, has explored the extent to which the great Welsh family road … [Read more...]
Volvo begin drive to significantly reduce carbon impact
Volvo Cars today launched one of the most ambitious plans in the automotive industry, to reduce its lifecycle carbon footprint-per-car by 40 per cent between 2018 and 2025. This is the first, tangible step towards Volvo Cars’ ambition of becoming a climate-neutral company by 2040. The plan represents concrete actions in line with the global Paris climate agreement of 2015, which seeks to limit … [Read more...]
Vital deal on Brexit must be achieved, car dealers told.
It is vital that the government agrees a Brexit deal with the EU, retailers have been told. If it cannot, then prices will rise as a result of the import tariffs that will be paid on vehicles and parts. It is in everyone’s interests that a future trade deal between the UK and EU removes these tariffs, said RMI Chairman Peter Johnson, speaking at this year’s 106th Retail Motor Industry … [Read more...]
Newslines 14 October
The next Nissan Juke will be assembled in its Sunderland plant after a £100M investment. The confirmation came just days after Nissan ended night shifts at the plant which opened in 35 years ago but the future of the Qashqai being built there is uncertain as the car makers wants to study and react to Britain’s Brexit deal. Automotive charity BEN has found that mental health is still one of the … [Read more...]
Sunday drive: Toyota Camry Excel 4-Door 2.5 Hybrid
Increasing demand for hybrid vehicles has prompted Toyota to return the Camry mid-sized four-door saloon back into its UK line-up after an absence of 15 years. This is the all new eighth generation Camry, it went on sale first in 1982 but the seventh generation versions were not sold in the UK. Although Toyota class the new Camry as a mid-sized saloon at 4,885mm in length and with very … [Read more...]