Showing posts with label CAR NEWS. Show all posts

Thursday, 11 October 2012

TOYOTA RECALLS 7.4m CARS

138,000 UK cars hit by faulty electric window switches. Toyota is recalling 7.4 millions cars worldwide, with 138,000 models affected in the UK, over a fault with electric window switches. Vehicles affected in the UK include the Yaris, RAV4, Auris and Corolla models built between September 2006 and December 2008.

The problem is down to electric window switches, which over time could begin to feel uneven or notchy. The manufacturer said that there had been no reports of accidents, injuries or deaths caused by the problem. Toyota has also warned that owners shouldn't attempt to solve the problem with standard shop-bought lubricants as this could cause the part to overheat or melt.

A statement from Toyota said: “Toyota places the highest priority on customer safety and the quality of our vehicles. We are constantly monitoring the performance of our vehicles through a variety of sources. “From time to time, we become aware of a situation where a certain component or aspect of the vehicle does not meet our strict standards.”

Toyota will be contacting owners in the next six weeks if their car is part of the recall. The work should take no more than one hour and will be free of charge. If owners are concerned then they can call customer relations 01737 367600 or check with their local dealer.

Other countries affected include 1.39 million in Japan, 1.4 million in China and 2.47 million cars in the US, while Canada, Australia and the Middle East are also subject to the recall. Other cars recalled worldwide include the Vios, Matrix, Camry, Highlander, Tundra, Sequoia, xB and xD.

Saturday, 6 October 2012

BMW CONCEPT ACTIVE TOURER

The front-wheel-drive BMW Concept Active Tourer has debuted at Paris. The BMW Concept Active Tourer (CAT) was the centrepiece of BMW’s Paris Motor Show stand. While it’s a concept in name, the CAT previews the first front-wheel-drive BMW production cars, which will arrive in late 2014.

The Concept Active Tourer is aimed straight at the Mercedes B-Class. it’s a five-seater and almost the same size as the Mercedes, at 4,353mm long, 1,834mm wide and 1,560mm tall.

Importantly, the CAT is designed so that, despite using the same platform and engines, it won’t steal sales from the all-new MINI, which debuts at the end of 2013.The new engine layout means there’s no need for a long bonnet, and it's also brought about some careful rethinking of the traditional BMW design language for the Concept Active Tourer.

To give the car a sporty stance, the BMW kidney grille is tilted forward, while the headlights are swept back and flow out to the flared wheelarches, which cover 20-inch wheels.The glasshouse has been moved forward, to give more interior space, but the traditional upswept windowline and kink are present. Tail-lights reminiscent of those on the 6 Series and a short overhang complete the look.

Inside, the dash is still angled towards the driver, but the area ahead of the front-seat passenger is curved up to the windscreen, allowing more light in.

The front seats are mounted high for good all-round visibility, while the rears split 40:20:40 for maximum practicality.Neat tech touches include a full-colour head-up display, black panel dials from the 7 Series and a central 10.25-inch multifunction display screen.

A novel concept idea is the ‘cool shade’ panoramic roof. This is made of two sheets of glass with a particle film suspended between them. It can be switched from opaque to clear at the touch of a button.

BMW is easing purists into the switch to front-wheel drive by showing the CAT with a plug-in hybrid powertrain as seen in the i8 supercar concept. The 134bhp 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine drives the front wheels, while the rears are boosted by a 67bhp electric motor.

The system switches automatically between petrol power, electric power alone – which gives a range of around 19 miles – or both in tandem, for 200Nm of torque and quick acceleration.

This allows the CAT to sprint from 0-62mph in less than eight seconds and hit a top speed of more than 120mph, while also returning a claimed average of 113mpg and emitting less than 60g/km of CO2.Economy is further boosted by the hybrid system getting information from the sat-nav, automatically switching to the most efficient drive source for the planned route.

The concept features three driving modes – Comfort, Sport and Eco Pro. In the latter mode, the sat-nav also includes preview assistant, which gives the driver tips such as “remove foot from accelerator” if a tight bend or speed limit is approaching.

The CAT will form the basis of BMW’s first front-wheel-drive car, which will be available with petrol, diesel and hybrid engines. A five-seat model will arrive first, followed by a seven-seater.

The car’s name is currently being decided, with 1 Series GT a possibility. However, as the CAT breaks from the BMW norm so much, an all-new naming structure is also being considered.

NEW RANGE ROVER REVEALED

New Range Rover revealed

All-new Range Rover is bigger and lighter, and it has made its public debut at the Paris Motor Show, Land Rover has unveiled the new Range Rover - and it's the most significant model to wear the famous badge yet. Why? It's a whopping 420kg lighter than the car it replaces, despite measuring 27mm longer than the current car. And key to the weight loss is the extensive use of aluminium; almost the entire body is now made of the lightweight metal for the first time.

There's an all-new aluminium chassis underpinning it all, too, which means an overall weight of around 2,150kg. In fact, the bodyshell of the new Range Rover actually weighs less than that of the Evoque and the MINI Countryman. Range Rover's new design language, established by the Evoque, is very much in evidence. While some familiar cues remain like the vertical side vents and boxy profile the narrow, swept-back headlights, less upright grille and sportier windscreen angle are recognisable from the baby Range Rover. With a Cd of 0.34, this is the most aerodynamically efficient Range Rover ever. A contrasting roof colour is available for the first time, too.

Inside, the new Range Rover echoes the elegant and simple cabin of the Evoque. The mess of confusing buttons on the centre console of the outgoing car has been replaced with a few dials for the climate control, and very little else. All the controls for the sat-nav and stereo have now moved on to an eight-inch dual-view touchscreen on the dash, surrounded by touch-sensitive 'hot key' buttons.Material quality is improved, too. The dash is finished in high- quality leather, along with the door panels, the seats and even the headlining.

There's an all-new steering wheel half-finished with a choice of woods that match inserts placed throughout the cabin. One criticism of the old Range Rover was the limited legroom in the back, but an extra 120mm has been freed up for rear passengers, by stretching the wheelbase by 50mm.It's around 20mm lower than before, too, which with longer rear doors makes climbing into the back is easier. Buyers also have the option of an Executive Class pack, inspired by the £120,000 Range Rover Ultimate. This consists of two luxurious massage seats in the rear, split by a wooden centre console.

Accessing the boot is simpler, as a powered split-tailgate is fitted as as standard. The bottom half is now shorter so it¹s easier to lean across, plus it¹s strong enough to sit or stand on.There's very little wrong with the way the old Range Rover performs on the road, but Land Rover claims an improved air-suspension system and even greater refinement.The weight saving is certain to sharpen up the handling, and adaptive dampers and retuned suspension will also help here.

The Range Rover will be more economical and faster than before, while an entry-level 270bhp V6 diesel will be added to the line-up for the first time. Fuel economy betters the TDV8¹s 30.1mpg, at around 40mpg, and CO2 emissions will be cut to below 200g/km.A model powered by the new 3.0-litre supercharged V6 petrol engine could be available later, and a hybrid will eventually arrive, too.

The diesel and flagship supercharged petrol V8s from the outgoing line-up will be moved across unchanged, with the latter now capable of accelerating from 0-62mph in around five seconds.

Of course, the new Rangie will be just as capable off the road as on it thanks to central and rear-locking differentials, a deeper wading depth of one metre, and an updated Terrain Response system which can pick the best settings automatically. Customers will be able to order the car shortly, with prices starting from around £65,000. Deliveries start early next year.

Tuesday, 2 October 2012

New Audi A3 Sportback

Audi has unveiled the practical new A3 Sportback on the eve of the Paris Motor Show

Audi has unveiled the five-door A3 Sportback, just days after the three-door arrived in UK dealers. The new car is 58mm longer than its predecessor, making it 35mm longer than the current three-door. It also gets a 380-litre boot, which is in an increase of 10 liters over the old Sportback and 30 liters over the current three-door.

There are no surprises in terms of styling, with the changes limited to an extra pair of doors and a set of roof rails. It gets the same nose and gaping grille as the three-door, with Audi’s design language apparent throughout. Interior quality will be top-notch, too.

Spec and engine choice will follow the three-door, meaning there are two petrol and one diesel motor at launch. The mid-range 2.0-litre TDI diesel will be capable of 0-60mph in around 8.5 seconds while returning more than 60mpg average fuel economy. Buyers can choose between base-spec SE, mid-range Sport or flagship S line trims.

Specifying two extra doors on your new A3 will cost you £620, with prices starting at £19,825 for a 1.4 TFSI Sportback SE. A top-spec 1.8 TFSI Sportback S line will cost you £27,180 and all models should be in showrooms early next year.

AUDI S3 REVEALED

Pictures and details of the new 296bhp Audi S3, which has been unveiled at the Paris Motor Show

Audi has unveiled its new 296bhp Audi S3 hot-hatch at the 2012 Paris Motor Show.

All that power comes from a new 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which easily eclipses the 276bhp on offer from the Vauxhall Astra VXR. It’ll out-perform almost every other hot-hatch on the market, too, thanks to a 0-62mph time of 5.1 seconds. Go for the six-speed manual rather than the DSG, and that increases to 5.4 seconds.

Kerbweight has been cut by 60kg compared to its predecessor, and that’s despite it being larger than the car it replaces. The drop in weight combined with the standard fitting of the Audi Drive Select system, which includes adaptive dampers should make for impressive handling. As you'd expect, Audi's quattro four-wheel drive system is standard, too.

Another benefit of the reduced weight, is the improved fuel consumption which is now up to a fraction over 40mpg whether you go for the manual or automatic gearbox.

The S3’s makeover is typically subtle, with LED daytime running lights as standard, a specific ‘S’ grille finished in an aluminium-look paint and some large air-intakes mounted either side of the front bumper. At the rear there are four oval exhausts mounted in a grey diffuser and a large roof spoiler. The usual grey wing mirrors and ‘S’ badges complete the look.

Meanwhile, inside there’s an additional boost pressure dial in the instrument binnacle, there’s a flat-bottomed steering wheel and new sports seats finished in a choice of materials, from part leather and cloth to Alcantara and Nappa leather.

Audi has said that the S3 will arrive in dealerships early next year, and while there are no details as to UK pricing, the newcomer will start from 38,900 EUR in Germany. This suggests a price-tag of just over £30,000 in the UK.

Monday, 1 October 2012

Ford Fiesta at Paris 2012

The facelifted Ford Fiesta has made its Paris Motor Show debut.The revisions include a new face, with gaping grille, sculpted bumper and redesigned headlights. Inside the changes are subtle, but the car now benefits from Ford’s new infotainment system, which gives the owner greater control over the car’s safety features.

The updated Fiesta will go on sale early next year, with prices for the entry-level 1.25-litre petrol starting at around £10,000. What’s more, you'll be able to buy it with Ford’s revolutionary new 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine giving peppy performance and super-frugal running costs.

Completing the range will be Ford’s flagship Fiesta ST – which packs 178bhp from its 1.6-litre turbocharged engine, making it a firm rival for the upcoming Peugeot 208 GTi.

VOLKSWAGEN UP! GT AND ELECTRIC UP! CONFIRMED

The range-topping GT and electric Up! models will arrive in 2013

A range-topping Volkswagen Up! GT has been approved by VW’s board, and is expected to be launched next year. The car will be powered by a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo engine which develops 109bhp.

The news was confirmed by Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, VW’s board member for product development, at the Paris Motor Show. Hackenberg has been closely involved in the Up! GT’s development, as we tested his own prototype earlier this year.

Hackenberg also added that a compressed natural gas (CNG) powered Up! will go on sale in mainland Europe later this year.

There’s currently no refuelling infrastructure for CNG in the UK, but with tighter emissions rules like London’s Congestion Charge Exemption being lowered to 80g/km, the Up! CNG’s 79g/km CO2 figure makes it more attractive and is something VW is currently evaluating.

An electric Up! will also be launched in the first half of 2013, and will become VW’s first production electric car. This will be followed in 2014 by an all-electric Golf.

VW will expand Up! sales globally after the arrival of the higher-powered GT, but the car will not be sold in North American markets.

Further ahead, a more spacious version of the Up! is a possibility, although the Bulli concept - which drew on VW’s classic Camper - is on ice, thanks to negative feedback given at VW’s customer clinics.

VW PLOTS MORE SUVs

A Nissan Juke-rivalling small SUV is among a raft of new Volkswagen models on the way

Speaking to Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, Volkswagen’s board member for product development, at the Paris Motor Show, Auto Express has learned that a Nissan Juke-rivalling SUV is just one of a number of new VWs on the horizon.

On the subject of the small SUV, Hackenberg said “I think it’s a very interesting segment, although our offering will be different in different countries. I think the A0 or A- size (which is the size of the Nissan Juke in Volkswagen speak) is very important, so I would imagine [we’ll see the car] not next year but 2014. We have started work.”

The VW small SUV is likely to arrive slightly before the Audi Q2, previewed by the Crosslane Coupe Concept at Paris. Both the Q2 and VW model will use the new modular MQB platform, along with the next Polo, and be offered with front and four-wheel drive. They will also use VW’s new engine range, which will include a three-cylinder diesel.

Hackenberg also confirmed that VW is working on a larger version of the Tiguan. Designed and likely to be built in North America, the car will feature three rows of seats.