Chevrolet Orlando gets in a Harlequin Suit for the Sake of Art

We do not know if Belgian design label Quinze & Milan had the famous Volkswagen Polo Harlequin special in mind when it was reinterpreting Chevrolet's new 7-seater Orlando, but the result sure looks familiar.

However, unlike Volkswagen's special edition supermini, Quinze & Milan's one-off creation is not only characterized by the pallet of colors, but also for the fact that the modified parts inside and out are sprayed in the firm's signature foam coating called QM FOAM.

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Rumors: Jaguar-Land Rover to open new Engine Plant in UK

When Tata Motors acquired Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford in 2008, it had to buy powertrains for the models that were already in production by the British group's former owner.

Now, as part for their expansion plan, Tata Motors is considering the opening of a new engine plant, according to British newspaper Sunday Telegraph. If the report is indeed accurate (the company wasn’t available for comment) it will be built in Wholverhampton in central England and employ around 2,000 workers.

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Office of Fair Trading to Begin Fact Finding Probe into UK Insurers

The UK Office of Fair Trading has launched a preliminary investigation – known as a call for evidence – into the nation’s insurance companies after car insurance premiums rose 40% over the last twelve months.

The consumer watchdog is probing whether there is genuine competition between the major insurers – and if there is, why it isn’t offering adequate protection for consumers against massive rate rises.

In the past, the industry has been blaming fraud, the so-called “compensation culture” (which must share a room with the “nanny state” and the “me generation” at the Hoary Old Cliché Hotel) and the activities of accident management companies like RTR.

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Grand opening for new Fiat Group Automobiles dealership

A new concept in car dealerships from Fiat Group Automobiles UK officially opened its doors last night (8 September). Motor Village Croydon is one of the first dealerships of its kind in Europe, and brings together four iconic Fiat Group brands – Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Jeep and Chrysler – under one impressive roof.

A major, undisclosed investment has been made by Fiat to transform the large Canterbury Road, Croydon site into an airy, spacious showroom, separated conveniently into four main areas representing each brand.



The space was put to good use at a glittering opening night for customers and special guests, including Croydon Deputy Mayor David Fitze, actor Chris Ellison and his wife Anita, and Nigel Land, brand director, Jeep Chrysler UK.

Guests were welcomed by general manager Cristiano Calabrese before enjoying fine Italian cuisine, cocktail making exhibitions, pizza throwing, and games including radio controlled Fiat 500 model racing cars.

Motor Village Croydon joins Fiat Marylebone in central London, Fiat’s Battersea service centre and Fiat Direct in Hayes, to offer strong representation throughout London and Surrey.

“We started here with Fiat in January and Alfa Romeo came in May,” says Tony Dittli, director, Motor Village Croydon. “Chrysler and Jeep joined us in July, so it’s continually evolving. We are still developing and learning but I think we have a superb showroom site from which to offer quality service and become the reference point for these great brands.”

| Fiat

Nissan celebrates 25 years of manufacturing in the United Kingdom

Nissan Sunderland Plant is today marking the 25th anniversary of its official opening on September 8, 1986. Lady Thatcher, the then-Prime Minister travelled to the North East to perform the ceremony and to paint the second eye on a traditional Japanese ‘daruma’ doll to confirm the successful opening of the plant. This followed the painting of the first eye by Prince Charles and Princess Diana during a visit to Nissan’s Zama Plant in Japan.

In the 25 years since, Nissan Sunderland Plant has rewritten the record books for UK car production, with volumes increasing from 5,139 Bluebirds in that first year to 423,262 cars in 2010 – which was the first time ever that a UK car plant had made more than 400,000 vehicles in one year.



Nissan has now manufactured more than 6.2 million vehicles and 12 different models at Sunderland, including Bluebird, Primera, Micra, Almera, Note, Qashqai and Juke.

“I celebrate this milestone with the Nissan Sunderland Plant and commend the significant achievements of the plant and its employees over the past 25 years,” said Carlos Ghosn, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nissan Motor Co.

“As the UK’s largest car plant, biggest car exporter, and soon battery plant - with battery production for the Nissan LEAF planned for next year - Sunderland is a beacon of Nissan’s exemplary leadership in manufacture, management and technology, which define a global car company in the 21st century.”


Prime Minister David Cameron said: "I welcome Nissan's continued investment in the UK, and the important role Nissan is playing in helping to rebalance our economy.

"With the design, development and manufacture of their new generation Qashqai all taking place in the UK, Nissan has restated its confidence in the skills of its British workforce and in the UK's manufacturing sector."

To mark this milestone, a ceremony will be held at the plant in which a time capsule will be buried on the site – recreating the ceremony held when construction of the plant began. The new time capsule updates the artefacts placed inside the original, including a model Qashqai, a telephone directory, newspapers from today, a Sunderland AFC shirt and items donated by regional partners such as the North East Chamber of Commerce, the CBI, Sunderland Council and Gateshead College.

Of the 430 people who were employed at the plant on September 8, 1986, 133 remain employed at Sunderland Plant, and today’s ceremony will be performed by two of those original members of staff: Nissan’s Senior Vice President for Manufacturing in Europe, Trevor Mann, and Nissan’s Vice President for Manufacturing in the UK, Kevin Fitzpatrick.


This 25th anniversary year has been a special one for Nissan in the UK. As well as celebrating a record year for production, staff produced their six millionth car in January, shortly before the first shipment of the 100% electric Nissan LEAF arrived in the UK in February. In June Nissan’s Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn visited the UK to announce that the next generation of the Nissan Qashqai would be designed, engineered and manufactured in the UK, just as the Qashqai became the fastest UK-made car to reach one million units.

Staff are now gearing up for production starting at the company’s new lithium-ion battery plant in the New Year, ahead of Nissan LEAF production beginning at Sunderland in 2013. Production of the new Qashqai will take Nissan’s total investment in its UK manufacturing base to £3.3 billion.









| Nissan

Fiat 500bygucci strips off: Fiat 500C

As a result of the interest attracted by Fiat’s 500byGucci model – 3000 pre-orders logged on the www.500bygucci.com website and requests from all over the world – Fiat and Gucci are now introducing a cabriolet version – the Fiat 500CbyGucci.

Customised by Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini in collaboration with Centro Stile Fiat, the car will be distributed worldwide, and from this month will be available to order both online at fiat.co.uk and in selected Fiat UK dealers. Prices start at £17,800 OTR.



All the exclusivity of the Fiat 500byGucci is enhanced by the innovative electrically operated full length soft top in this new version. It will be available in two sophisticated body colours: white with glitter and brushed chrome-plated elements, and black with glitter and shiny chrome-plated accents. For both, the soft top is black with the characteristic green-red-green Gucci web pattern printed lengthwise.

The exterior of the Fiat 500CbyGucci is embellished by 16” alloy wheels characterised by the unmistakable retro design of the spokes. The hub caps have a double G logo in matching body colour, and Gucci signatures in italics are displayed on the tailgate and door pillars.


The passenger compartment of the Fiat 500CbyGucci also brims with eye-catching features: stylish stitching, exclusive materials, satin and polished chrome-plated elements, a velvet-effect finish on the radio panel, and two-tone Frau leather seats with Guccissima print. The Gucci web theme also appears on the seats, gearbox, key cover, mats, and, with an innovative finish, on the seat belts.

Fiat 500CbyGucci will of course come complete with comprehensive standard equipment: automatic climate control system, seven airbags (front, side, window and knee), Blue&Me system integrated with rear parking sensors, car radio with CD-MP3 player and leather steering wheel with radio controls.

The selected Fiat dealerships that will be displaying the Fiat 500byGucci range will receive copies of an exclusive lifestyle brochure created as a fashion catalogue and designed to bring out the unique, one-of-a-kind nature of this extraordinary interpretation of the glamorous world of the Fiat 500.

| Fiat

Ford centenary tour stops at new car showroom on the beach

Professional sand sculptors created a line up of Ford cars – spanning the last 100 years – on a Cornwall beach for the company's Centenary Tour. The sand-modelled 'showroom' of cars spanning the Ford Model T to the Ford Focus, at Polzeath, was the creation of sculptors Andy Moss and Jamie Wardley.

Jamie Wardley said: “One of the first sand cars I ever created was the Thunderbird FAB1 so to be asked to replicate some of the most famous cars ever made in this country was a real thrill.



“The Polzeath Beach sand is absolutely amazing to work with in terms of texture and although we aimed to have each car completed in around 40 minutes, the classic Ford Model T took quite a bit longer due to the detail involved.”

Families visiting the beach were delighted to find a line-up of stunning sand sculptures depicting iconic Ford vehicles.

Tyler Docherty and his seven year-old brother Alfie – from Long Eaton in Nottinghamshire – were among a number of children to take advantage of a free master class in sculpting from the artists, representing Bradford-based sculptors ‘Sand In Your Eye’.

“I like all the cars they have done but I really love the Ford Capri – it’s so cool,” said eight year-old Tyler.

The Ford Centenary Tour is a touring exhibition charting the company's unique history in the UK. It is making contact with Ford customers, employees and enthusiasts ranging from Inverness in the Scottish Highlands to Plymouth and Cornwall on the south coast.

| Ford

Eterniti Releases Teaser Photo of “The World’s First Super SUV”

A couple of weeks ago, we told you about the launch of an independent, boutique British luxury carmaker named Eterniti Motors at the Frankfurt Motor Show and revealed a sketch of the firm's first model, a luxury SUV called the Hemera.

Now, Eterniti has released the first picture of what it claims will be “the world’s first super SUV”. The London-based company says that Hemera will satisfy even the most demanding of customers, offering a limousine-like cabin for rear passengers with twin reclining seats, iPads and a drink chiller [sic…].

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VW's Anniversary Golf GTI Edition 35 with 235HP Arrives in the UK

For those looking for a bit more muscle in their GTI, Volkswagen has launched the special anniversary edition of its hot hatch in Britain. Created to celebrate the Golf GTI's 35th birthday and first shown at the at the Worthersee Festival in Austria this past June, the Golf GTI Edition comes with a tuned 2.0 TFSI delivering 235HP.

The 25HP increase over the standard model allows the Golf Edition 35 to complete the 0-62mph (100km/h) sprint in 6.6 seconds and reach a top speed of 153mph (246km/h).

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Nissan Replaces 150HP 2.0L Diesel with New 130HP 1.6L Diesel in Qashqai

A new and more fuel-efficient but also less powerful 1.6-liter turbo diesel engine is taking the place of the 2.0-liter diesel in the European lineup of the Qashqai and its longer, seven-seat sibling, the Qashqai+2.

The new 1.6-liter diesel delivers 130-horsepower and 320Nm (236 lb-ft) of torque from 2,000rpm to only 1,750rpm, compared to 150HP and 320Nm at 2,000 rpm of the outgoing 2.0 dCi engine.

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New MINI Celebrates 2 Million Units, British PM Joins the Party

One Mini is born every minute - or one minute and eight seconds to be exact. That’s not a joke, but a fact. And that’s how 10 years after production of the new model began in 2001, the two millionth MINI, a White Silver Convertible with a denim roof, rolled off the Oxford Plant production line with British Prime Minister David Cameron sitting behind the wheel. Read more »

New Report Seeks to Answer the Question, “Why do Accidents Happen?”

If there are two questions that everyone from police to policy makers have asked over the last one hundred or so years of motoring, it’s these: “How do accidents happen?” and “How can we stop them from happening?”

With regards to the first, the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) in the UK has analysed some 700,000 fatal road accidents that occurred over a four year period between 2005 and 2009.

Their so-called Licensed to Skill report aims to identify the leading causes of automotive accidents in the UK, the results of which may surprise you. License to Skill project manager Neil Greig explains:

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Prime Minister Cameron: MINI is a great success story

Today, ten years after the start of MINI production in Oxford, British Prime Minister David Cameron drove the two-millionth MINI out of the plant. The car is a MINI Convertible with special paintwork and extras.



Frank-Peter Arndt, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Production, said in Oxford: “Production of the two millionth MINI comes on the back of strong demand worldwide. Our recent announcement of an additional £500 million investment in our UK MINI production facilities demonstrates the important role that Oxford plays in our global production network. The most essential factors in the success of MINI are the skills, passion and dedication of our associates.”





On the occasion of the British Prime Minister’s visit to Plant Oxford, Arndt outlined the company’s plans for its UK operations. The majority of the investment will be used for new production facilities for the next-generation MINI, and will play an important part in securing the long-term future of Plant Oxford and safeguarding jobs at the pressings plant in Swindon and the company’s engine plant in Hams Hall near Birmingham. This takes the BMW Group’s investment across all its UK operations to more than 1.5 billion pounds since 2000.



Cameron declared: “It’s a real privilege to drive this true British icon off the production line today. The 2 millionth MINI to be made here in Oxford is a fantastic symbol of the UK’s strength in the global automotive industry and a great British manufacturing success story. MINI is not just a symbol of our industrial past, but also the great industrial future we want to build.”



The special-anniversary MINI is the prize in a global Facebook campaign “2 Million MINI – 2 Million Faces” which will compile the faces of two million MINI fans on a special Facebook “wall”. The winner will be chosen at random when the contest ends on 30 September.



Jürgen Hedrig, head of Plant Oxford said: “This marks a tremendous milestone for Plant Oxford and its employees. Oxford has been the heart of MINI production for ten years. Our employees are proud to be part of this brand’s success.” The premium small car is delivered to customers in more than 90 countries across the globe.



Producing 216,302 vehicles in 2010 and exporting to more than 90 countries across the globe, MINI was the third-largest vehicle manufacturer in the UK, accounting for 17 per cent of national automotive production. Plant Oxford currently builds four MINI models: the MINI, MINI Convertible, MINI Clubman and the new MINI Coupé. A fifth model, the MINI Roadster, will be added at the end of the year.



The success of the MINI brand can be seen in the positive developments at the Plant Oxford since 2001. Back then, a single shift of around 2,400 employees produced about 300 cars a day. Today, a team of more than 3,700 works two shifts, five days a week, and builds up to 900 cars a day. Over the past ten years, the maximum capacity of the plant has increased from 100,000 units per year to more than 200,000 units. Over the medium term, the plant will reach an annual capacity of 260,000 units.



BMW Group’s contribution to the UK economy

The UK is the BMW Group’s fourth-largest single market worldwide for sales, behind only Germany, the US and China, with sales in 2010 across the BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands totalling 154,750 vehicles.



Rolls-Royce models have been built in the UK for 107 years. The company has continually invested in the Goodwood facility in West Sussex since the company was re-launched in 2003, and will continue to do so in response to the growth of the brand.



The BMW Hams Hall engine plant set a new annual production record in 2010 of 385,051 engines, representing 16 per cent of total UK engine production.



A report published by Oxford Economics underscores the significance of the BMW Group to the UK economy. The company and its dealer network employ around 18,000 people directly, while its supplier and service network supports over 46,000 jobs in total in the UK.



80 per cent of MINIs and 90 per cent of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars produced in the UK are exported. In total, 2.4 billion pounds worth of cars and engines are exported each year, making the BMW Group a major UK exporter, responsible for around one per cent of all goods exported by UK companies.



| BMW

Bentley Motors to Auction Unique Collector's Items Including a Table Made from the Mulsanne's V8

An array of one-off items created by artisans from the tooling, woodshop and styling teams at Bentley Motors are heading to the auction block to raise money for The Prince’s Trust, which is a youth charity that provides practical and financial support to 14 to 30-year-olds.

The graduates from Bentley Motors have handcrafted a variety of collector's items ranging from display objects such as a chess-set with pieces tooled from aluminium set on a veneered board, to an impressive table created from a polished V8 engine from the Mulsanne and a cutlery-set engraved with the Bentley emblem commissioned by Robert Welch.

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Fiat Professional launches new Fiat Doblo Work Up

The appeal of Fiat Professional’s award-winning Doblò Cargo van range has just been broadened with a version never before introduced by a large volume manufacturer.



Called the Doblò Work Up, it’s a ‘dropside’ vehicle with compact external dimensions allowing easy use in urban areas. The external dimensions are not, however, a limit to its performance. The load box is 2.30 m long and 1.82 m wide, with 4 m2 of loading area which can accommodate a payload of up to 1,000kg. Additionally, the multi-link suspension permits a rear axle load up to 1,450kg.







The load box is made of high-resistance steel with a floor created from anti-slip multilayer wood and sides in aluminium alloy. Under the floor is a compartment for stowing long tools, safely protected from the elements.



In addition, on each side of the vehicle there is a small, practical step that allows the user to get into the load area. This structure has a ladder rack/door poles, load restraining hooks, and a sturdy protective grille on the rear window of the cab.



All these features make the Doblò Work Up ideal for agriculture, construction, maintenance or city parks services sectors. It is ideal for the transport of frames and glass and can take, for example, three Euro pallets or 33 boxes of fruit.



The new Doblò Work Up is powered by a choice of two Euro 5 turbodiesel engines: 1.3 MultiJet 90 bhp and 1.6 MultiJet 105 bhp. Both engines are characterised by excellent performance, low noise, low operating costs (fuel consumption and maintenance), reliability and environmental friendliness. Both feature the fuel-saving Start&Stop system and diesel particulate filter.





In terms of security, the new Doblò Work Up is unrivalled. To ensure optimum dynamic performance, comfort and active safety, the vehicle has been equipped with innovative mechanical solutions, among them multi-link rear suspension, stability control, and ABS anti-lock brakes with EBD electronic brakeforce distribution. Available as an option is ESP with Hill-holder, which assists the driver during hill starts.



Front airbags complete the safety specification, while high-tech equipment such as a handsfree Blue&Me system and the Blue&Me TomTom navigator are available.





“The new Doblò Work Up is the latest evolution of a model designed to be top of its class in terms of performance and functional characteristics, its capability and ease of loading,” says Francesco Russiello, Marketing Product Manager, Fiat Professional. “Its low running costs, low fuel consumption with reduced operating costs, and equipment levels all combine with safety and comfort, to make this a commercial vehicle well worth consideration.”



The new Doblò Work Up costs £16,065 (basic) for the 1.3 MultiJet 16v Euro 5 and £17,065 (basic) for the 1.6 MultiJet 16v Euro 5.





ENGINE RANGE:

1.3 90 MultiJet Euro 5

The best selling engine in the new Doblò range, with a consumption of 55.4mpg (combined) and emissions of 133 g/km CO2.



1.6 105 MultiJet Euro 5

The perfect choice for customers looking for power, torque and responsiveness, with a consumption of 49.6mpg (combined) and emissions of 150 g/km CO2.





SPECIFICATIONS:



Body: DROPSIDE



Wheelbase: Long Wheelbase



Vehicle dimensions:



- length: 4965 mm

- Width: 1872 mm



Rear deck dimensions:



- length: 2.3 m

- internal width: 1.82 m

- external width: 1.86 m

- Threshold: 0.9 m

- Aluminium alloy side height: 350 mm

- load surface: 4 m2

- Payload: up to 1.000 Kg



Max. axle loads:



- front: 1.120 Kg

- rear: 1.450 Kg



Specification:



- Glazed metal bulkhead

- Rear storage compartment with key

- Stylish lateral protection bumpers









| Fiat

Privé London Dining Club Receives a Splash of Bentley Style

Mosimann’s, an exclusive dining club located in the heart of Belgravia in central London, has opened the doors to a new privé room inspired by, and dedicated to, luxury British carmaker Bentley.

The dining room for the rich but not necessarily famous, blends traditional British styling with unique Bentley accents. It is the work of Caulder Moore, which also designed the Bentley Living Room at the company’s headquarters in Crewe, in 2010, and can seat 14 people with standing room for 28.

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Study: Car Parts Most Likely to Fail During the Summer

UK insurer specialist Warranty Direct revealed data showing which car parts fail more often in the summer months between June and August. According to the study, Britain's summer climate contributes to the quicker deterioration of axle and suspension parts, that account for more than 25% of the insurance company claims. Read more »

Meet the New Chrysler Delta…but it's not for U.S., it's for the U.K.

Do you remember the Chrysler-badged Delta hatchback that made a surprise appearance at the Detroit motor show in 2010?

Well, the Chrysler Group has presented the final production version but it is not for U.S. consumption. Instead, the Delta will be offered in the United Kingdom where all Lancia products will be marketed under the Chrysler brand.

The only changes made to the original Lancia model, which was recently updated with a new front grille, concern the Chrysler badges inside and out.

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New Pure-Electric iRACER to Star in California Sports EV Racing Series

Visitors at next month's EcoVelocity low-carbon motor festival at London’s Battersea Power Station will be treated to the first public appearance of the iRACER, which is the creation of the team behind the EVCUP racing series.

The iRACER is a track focused, pure electric vehicle designed and engineered from the ground up as a thoroughbred racecar and it will compete in the ‘Sports EV’ classification of the EVCUP series that gets underway in California.

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Mercedes-Benz Teams up with LEGO to Create the Largest TECHNIC Model

When it comes to building LEGO, size does matter and with an impressive length of 38.6 cm (15.2-inches) from bumper to bumper and more than 2,000 pieces, the 1:12-scale Mercedes-Benz Unimog will surely be one heck of a challenge to build.

The LEGO Unimog 4000 was created to celebrate the Mercedes-Benz truck's 60th anniversary this year and it is available to buy from Argos and LEGO stores with pricing in the UK set at £154.99 (about €177 or US$255).

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