Automobili Pininfarina will offer a range of extremely luxurious and high-performance EV cars designed and built in a close partnership with Pininfarina SpA, the legendary Italian automotive styling house. With ongoing technical collaboration with the multi-race winning Mahindra Racing Formula E team, Michael Perschke and the ambitious new Automobili Pininfarina management team will deliver a … [Read more...]
Pikes Peak VW record, from above
A helicopter view of the new electric car record on Pikes Peak in America is now available on YouTube. Driver Romain Dumas shattered the five year old record set by Sebastien Loeb by 16 seconds and took 7m 57.148s in the 680ps VW sports car up the 12.42m course overlooking Colorado Springs. Just 250 days had passed between the announcement of the Pikes Peak project on 18 October 2017 and the … [Read more...]
Newslines 10 July
About 150 BMW Oxford suppliers in Britain have attended a crash course in customs clearance procedures. They have not had to worry over this as Britain was in the EU but if it leaves the car maker says they will need this information. There’s a split developing in Europe over retaliation to US trade tariffs. Germany says it wants to negotiate a deal with America because its car industry … [Read more...]
Welsh car sales rise against the tide
Wales bucked the trend as summer burned new car dealers with sales down 3.5% in June, according to figures from the SMMT. The news came on the day that JLR said it would have to reconsider planned UK investment if there is a “bad” Brexit deal, possibly close some British factories and make thousands redundant. Six months ago, JLR announced cuts at Halewood, said it wouldn’t renew contracts … [Read more...]
Newslines 19 June
Volvo Cars says from 2025 at least 25 per cent of plastics in every new model will be made from recycled material. It also urged auto industry suppliers to work more closely with car makers to develop next-generation components that are as sustainable as possible, especially with regards to containing more recycled plastics. The head of Volkswagen’s luxury arm Audi on Monday, the most senior … [Read more...]
Newslines 18 June
Extended 50mph speed limits begin on the M4 today. They will also apply on selected roads in South and North Wales in a bid to reduce exhaust pollution by smoothing out traffic flow and reducing speed. The Severn Tunnel will be closed for the next three weeks. It will add about 40 mins to rail times around Gloucester while essential work is undertaken to electrify services, but some … [Read more...]
Diesel-gate recall, executives questioned, sales slow
It has been a bad week for German car makers and it could get worse over coming months. German prosecutors this week widened an emissions cheating probe into Volkswagen’s luxury carmaker Audi and Chief Executive Rupert Stadler is among suspects accused of fraud and false advertising. In 2015,Volkswagen admitted falsifying U.S. diesel emissions tests. Munich public prosecutor’s office said it … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Volkswagen T-Roc Design 1.0TSI
The people’s car company is moving with the times in the shape of the Volkswagen T-Roc. This new to market SUV is their latest offering in a booming sector which is pushing out traditional saloons and hatchbacks in favour of more practical “tall” hatchbacks. VW has long experience in the MPV market and put that to good use developing the T-Roc and emphasises a model with a lot of … [Read more...]
Newslines 22 May
Volvo V60 prices will start from £31,810 when it reaches showrooms in July with first deliveries to buyers in autumn. There will be four trim levels with two diesels and a petrol, while R-Design and Cross Country versions follow. Volvo has become first in the UK to homologate its entire model range under the new Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP), giving extra peace of … [Read more...]
Newslines 11 May
The Rolls-Royce Cullinan has been unveiled and is likely to cost from £240,000. The unique three-box 2.6 tonnes SUV blends bespoke craftsmanship, engineering and design and will be powered by the 563bhp 6.75V12 engine with all-wheel-drive and all-wheel-steering when it goes on sale towards the end of this year offering up to 1930 litres adjustable loadspace and lifestyle boot-pods for an … [Read more...]