MINI Charity Auction

The MINI’s 50th Birthday was celebrated in style at Silverstone, with mod rock legend Paul Weller headlining the event. Continuing the partnership Paul Weller has collaborated with MINI to create a one off car which will be sold in a live global online auction with all proceeds going to charity.

The car will be auctioned for one month from 11 November to raise money for charities Nordoff Robins and War Child. The unique MINI Cooper is the ultimate British icon, it was designed by Paul Weller, built in Oxford and hand-painted by MINI craftsmen.

The original car is a 2009 MINI Copper, with 17’’ Crown Spoke Alloys, black leather upholstery, Bluetooth, front heated seats, and Chilli Pack. Paul Weller’s influence comes in the form of bold pink and brown stripes across the car’s entire body and is finished with a single silver line running up the bonnet and over the roof.

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Audi TTS climbs a mountain, on its own

So we thought the machines and robots seen in the Hollywood movie iRobot were at least a hundred years away, we thought wrong. Recently in America an Autonomous Audi TTS completed a 12.42 miles section of the world famous Pikes Peaks Hill Climb.

The Autonomous Audi TTS research car achieved its initial goal of completing the 12.42-mile course of the world-famous Pikes Peak International Hill Climb race in Colorado without stopping and without a driver behind the wheel.

The Autonomous Audi TTS is jointly developed by Audi, Stanford University, the Volkswagen Group Electronics Research Lab in Palo Alto, Calif and Oracle. It was designed and built to conquer the challenging mountain route, which serves as the venue for the one of the world’s most thrilling rally races.

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The Audi A1 gets supercharged and turbocharged

The Audi A1 has been taken up well by consumers, UK order books are full and no more orders will be taken till 2011 now. The A1 is taking advantage of BMW MINI’s aged looks and design, it is using the retro feel created by Citroen’s DS3 and adding a premium badge to it, the A1 is a true premium supermini.

At the Paris Motor Show Audi revealed plans for a faster yet economical A1, it will for the first time in Audi’s history have both a supercharger and a turbocharger powering the 1.4 TFSI engine. The TFSI model will do 0-62mph in 6.9 seconds and has a top speed of 141mph.

The two engine chargers work hand in hand, the supercharger intervenes at 1,500rpm to increase thrust and disengages at 2,400 rpm. At 3,500 rpm the turbo charger steps in to provide more power and thrust. Because the supercharger kicks in at low revs a larger turbo can be used which has helped deliver impressive fuel economy figures and low CO2 emissions.

A light and compact seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch transmission is fitted as standard to the Audi A1 TFSI and it directs power to the front wheels. Consisting of two transmission structures operated by two multi-plate clutches, it performs gear changes in just a few hundredths of a second and with no noticeable interruption in speed.

The standard A1 comes with some excellent kit as standard including, remote central locking, air conditioning, electric front windows and mirrors, Bluetooth mobile phone preparation, Driver's Information System and a six-speaker single CD audio system with auxiliary iPod connection linked to a 6.5-inch retractable display. In addition to this the 1.4 TFSI comes with S line exterior treatment, 17-inch alloy wheels and part leather-upholstered sports seats.

It was difficult to get much more information on the A1 TFSI but, Audi Preston said that UK pricing has yet to be finalised and will be confirmed nearer to the opening date for UK orders.

Vauxhall has a new Ambassador

Vauxhall as a brand has been busy trying to grow its brand’s reputation, visibility and green credential. A few months ago Vauxhall announced it will be once again providing BSM, the British School of Motoring with all their future new cars, taking the contract away from Fiat. The Vauxhall Meriva has been shortlisted for car of the year and Vauxhall’s electric vehicle line up is very impressive.

The new electric Vauxhall Ampera has helped capture a different kind of audience and help Vauxhall reach a different demographic; this is evident in the signing of their new ambassador, Katie Melua. She is one of the world’s top music artists; the collaboration coincides with her 50-city European tour which starts in 2011.

Vauxhall’s Marketing Director Peter Hope commented, “We are thrilled to be working with Katie. Vauxhall is all about being British, forward thinking and energetic, and we think Katie embodies these values perfectly. In addition, we are passionate about consistent environmental awareness and social responsibility; as a subject very close to Katie’s heart, it only makes the partnership more fitting.”

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Big names are first to drive the Audi A1

The launch of the Audi A1 in the UK took place last Saturday, as planned Audi invited almost 450 guests to the launch at the Battersea Power Plant, London. The guests then drove away ‘en masse’ from London’s Battersea Power Station to mark the car’s inaugural appearance on UK roads.

To celebrate the launch of the new city-friendly premium supermini celebrities such as actors Dominic Cooper, Gemma Arterton, Naomie Harris, Toby Kebbell, Keeley Hawes, Nat Parker and Colin Salmon were invited.

The star-studded cruise got under way Saturday morning at 11:30, the first few miles of the drive took in some of the capital’s famous landmarks, including the MI6 building, Lambeth Palace, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and Marble Arch.

The Audi A1 is being dubbed the friendliest city car because it has very low CO2 emissions and the diesel model can deliver top fuel economy of 70.6 miles per gallon. All of the Audi A1 models will be road tax exempt for the first year, which is another reward for new owners conscious about CO2 levels and their own carbon footprint.

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Economy on a budget

Hybrid, electric and bi-fuel cars are hot topic at the moment, with manufacturers trying their hardest to outdo each other in producing the most fuel efficient vehicle. Initially we had the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic which are petrol – electric hybrids. We recently learnt about the Nissan Leaf, Toyota Auris and Honda CRZ, these are all very good cars, but what if you only had a budget of £1,500? Can you get decent MPG for that sort of budget?

Here are some MPG figures for new cars in the market that claim to be highly fuel efficient:
•    Toyota Prius – 72.4 Mpg
•    Honda Civic – 61.4 Mpg
•    Ford Focus Eco –  65.6 Mpg
•    Toyota Auris – 70.6 Mpg
•    Honda CRZ – 56.5 Mpg


All of the above models start from £16,000, so a fair bit off our £1,500 budget, below is a list of used cars with decent fuel efficiency:
•    Used Mondeo – 48.7 Mpg
•    Used Passat – 39.2 Mpg
•    Used Focus – 51.4 Mpg
•    Used Audi A4 – 4.9 Mpg
•    Used Peugeot 306 – 43.5 Mpg

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Mitsubishi i-MiEV has been named Electric Vehicle of the year, again.

Mitsubishi has not been as vocal about its electric vehicle concepts as its competitors such as Nissan and Toyota. The i-MiEV has won the GreenFleet award for the greenest car for the second year running. The prestigious award, sponsored by Elektromotive, was presented on 7th October at the Arsenal Emirates Stadium, London.

The Mitsubishi i-MiEV is a fully electric city car with zero emissions. It's an electric vehicle with conventional cabin space - it can comfortably seat 4 adults with room for luggage. It has a top speed of 81 mph, a range of 90 miles and can be trickle charged from flat to full in 6 hours at any UK three-pin socket - and it only costs 96p for a full charge. In addition, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV can be rapid-charged from flat to 80% in just 30 minutes.

The i-MiEV was highlighted for having the 'best performance' and 'best suitability for purpose in its class'. The judges were impressed with its four seat practicality, range and charge time. It also scored well for its simplicity, thanks to the use of conventional controls and the functional interior space layout.

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Skoda unveils Fabia Estate GreenLine II and Roomster GreenLine II

Skoda continues to make strides towards becoming a greener car manufacturer by introducing the Fabia Estate GreenLine II and Roomster GreenLine II. New technology embedded in these models help to further reduce fuel consumption and lower CO2 levels.

After unveiling the face lifted Fabia and Roomster Skoda has also released the Fabia Estate GreenLine II and Roomster GreenLine II, these are the first two models of Skoda’s GreenLine models. As well being face lifted the two new models include a new engine (1.2 TDI CR /75bhp DPF) with common rail high-pressure direct injection, stop-start technology, energy recuperation and gear recommendation on a Maxi DOT display.

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Range Rover Evoque 5-door

Land Rover have just released information on the 5 Door Range Rover Evoque

Features on the new Evoque:

• Addition of exciting 5-Door bodystyle to Range Rover Evoque line-up
• Combines concept car design with extra versatility and family appeal
• Bold exterior captures coupé design, with the same compact footprint but a slightly higher roofline
• Class-leading sustainability with sub 135g/km* CO2 emissions and fuel efficiency
• Four-wheel-drive and front-wheel-drive versions available
• Premium cabin, with the enhanced space and practicality of the 5-Door format
• Versatility and luggage space of a compact station wagon
• Dynamic and agile handling across all terrains, aided by Adaptive Dynamics featuring MagneRide™
• Class-leading all-surface capability with Land Rover Terrain Response™
• Innovative Range Rover technologies, including dual-view display for 8-inch touch-screen and     Surround Camera System
• Sold in 160 countries worldwide, with deliveries from summer 2011
• Indicative pricing starting from £30,000 / 35,000E

These pictures look amazing

BMW becomes standard issue for UK Police Forces

The National Policing Improvement Agency has approved BMW as a key supplier for all 52 Police forces in the UK. This is great news for the forces as it means BMW's class-leading products will become standard issue to the UK's Policemen and women as part of the four-year deal.

As well as high profile roles some of the vehicles will be used as unmarked patrol cars and do less visible policing roles. Expect to see cars such as the BMW 330d Saloon and Touring, 530d Saloon and Touring, all variants of X1, X3 xDrive20d, X5 xDrive30d and xDrive40d, and the R1200 RF-P Police bike take a high profile role in the fight against crime.

Although full technical details cannot be specified for security reasons the 330d Saloon Interceptor has been billed as a High Performance Pursuit Vehicle, the modified BMW is capable of a rapid response role while also fulfilling the environmental and running cost demands all forces have to adhere to too.

Managing Director of BMW UK, Tim Abbott said: "This is excellent news for BMW and shows the breadth of appeal of the products we sell. We have a very strong commitment to the 'Authorities market' throughout the world and have a very close relationship with the UK's Police forces. Orders for BMW Police vehicles started as long ago as the mid 1970's in the UK. This latest news reaffirms our commitment to 21st Century policing."

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The Honda Civic gets a minor make over

I’ve always been a big fan of the Honda Civic, its reliability, style and flexibility always impressed me. When Honda released the 2001 Civic I was pretty disappointed, it was ugly and I found it very difficult to like. The only model I did like was the Type R but, it had to be in black, the normal Civics’ just looked too tall.

I was much more impressed with the 2006 model; the hatchbacks looked so futuristic with the headlight design and triangular exhaust. This was definitely my kind of Civic, the Hybrid saloon also looks nice, and the fact that it was a normal looking Hybrid impressed me more.

The current model Civic has been around for nearly five years now so is due a facelift before the all new Civic is unveiled for 2012. The changes aren’t massive, subtle cosmetic changes have been made to the styling including the Type R style front grill now being standard throughout the range.

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An updated Ford Mondeo

The new Ford Mondeo has been with us since 2007, Ford decided after 3 years of service it is due a facelift. And why not? The Mondeo has helped rejuvenate Ford’s image. Along with the Focus the Mondeo has helped Ford induce Kinetic Energy design to its line up.


The new facelift Mondeo is available from October, its more than a face
lift its more like a mid life refresh, Ford have added updated interior, a restyled exterior and new efficient petrol and diesel engines. Some of the new parts have been derived from old Mondeo parts which were proven to be reliable.

On the outside the Mondeo has got a new grille, new bumpers, LED running lights and restyled rear lights with a new look boot lid. The interior has a new centre console and updated materials, while there are the options of an improved premium stereo and updated sat-nav system.

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Mazda’s free accident aftercare service takes the headache away

It has been just over a year since Mazda launched its free of charge accident aftercare service, Call Mazda First. The unique service takes the stress out of an accident or theft through a hassle-free accident aftercare service.

Mazda drivers simply call one telephone number and their claim will be managed by experienced Mazda professional who will liaise with insurers, arrange a courtesy car and minimise the headache associated with insurance claims.

The added benefit is that all accidents, regardless of fault, are directed through a Mazda Approved Accident Repair Centre, ensuring that all repairs use genuine parts and are to Mazda standards, preserving original build integrity and warranty eligibility.

According to a Mazda dealer in Grays Essex work generated by Call Mazda First has more than doubled since its launch with each job worth an average £540 in labour revenue alone. It also helps sell parts, on average each repair job requires £600 worth of parts, and customers like that fact that all genuine Mazda parts are being used on their car.

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Petrol in a diesel, an expensive disaster

Historically petrol engined cars were the choice of drivers; modern technology, fuel prices and cleaner diesels have swayed the pendulum. A lot more new cars are rolling off the production line as diesels; the VW group were one of the pioneers of the modern day diesel with their TDi engines.

The TDi engines found in Audis, VWs, SEATs and Skodas revolutionised how diesels were perceived, the TDi engine was less noisy, less smoky and more powerful than normal diesels. The VW group has continued to grow its TDi engine, now with the BlueMotion range and clean diesel range. From the VW Polo to the Audi Q7, the TDi engine is a popular choice amongst drivers.

This increase in diesel engines has led to an increase of mishaps at the filling station; many drivers are new to diesel and are use to filling up with the green labelled unleaded fuel. Many have ended up filing their diesel tanks with unleaded, this is a costly mistake and means the vehicle will need to undergo major repair to make it road worthy again.

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Land Rover on the up

Since TATA Motors took over Land Rover in 2007 we have been waiting to see an improvement in sales, service, models and unit numbers. The new Land Rover Evoque has demonstrated Land Rover’s new vision and figures released in July suggest we are beginning to witness the increase in number of units being sold.

Land Rover sales in the UK for the month of July 2010 were 2,789 units, a significant 54% up against the same period last year. Sales for the year are also up in the Company's home market by 58% year to date, with a total of 26,955 vehicles sold.

At the Auto Express Car of the Year Awards 2010 the Land Rover Freelander 2 was crowned 'Best Compact SUV'.  It was the largest volume seller for Land Rover in July with 914 units sold which is a 58% increase on last year.

The trendy Range Rover Sport was July’s strongest performer with sales up by 109% having sold 672 units. This might explain the increase for enquiries about Land Rover accident repair in Basildon, as more big cars are driven around Essex the chance of a collision between them is increasing!

Another winner at the Auto Express Car of the Year Awards 2010 was the Land Rover Discovery 4 which won 'Best Large SUV’ – it showed continued improvement with sales totalling 600, 89% better than the same period last year.

Sales are expected to grow in 2011 as the new Land Rover Evoque will go on sale in summer, it will be the smallest and most fuel efficient SUV launched by Land Rover.

Moving on from the World Cup

Most of us just want to forget the summer’s football horror show, woeful performances by our national team, humiliated by one of our biggest rivals and high profile players not showing their true talent. It was a nightmare.

For some though the FIFA 2010 was excellent, not just for Spain and other underdog countries that outperformed but also the likes of Kia who really benefited from the international exposure. Kia have been punching above their weight for a few years now, they had bigger brands raising their eye brows when they launched the 7 year warranty but they all seem to be following the trend now.

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Jaguar Service Specialist Essex

Owning a Jaguar puts a smile on anyone’s face, whether it is a classic E Type or a new XF, Jaguars have a tendency to make someone feel special. But, we all know owning any prestige car comes with its drawbacks, service costs and general maintenance can be expensive and these prestige cars come with so much technology that a simple problem can become complicated.

In order to help its Jaguar owners a Jaguar service specialist in Essex has introduced Jaguar Service Plans. Essex Auto Group intends to help Jaguar owners spread the cost of servicing and provide a fixed cost service.

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Automotive marketing goes a step further

As we all know there is a slump in the automotive sector at the moment, manufacturers are not selling as many cars have they have grown use to. Consumers are still very wary of committing to new finance or to give up their hard earned savings.

This situation has given the marketing departments of major car manufacturers something to think about, they need to be more creative to capture the audience. Online marketing has also taken off, with many brands dedicating a good percentage of their marketing budget to online.

We have seen the likes of BMW and Audi use online social media marketing to create interactive campaigns to engage with their consumers. Ford has used the launch of the new Ford KA to try out social media marketing too.

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