Car Automotive and Design

Showing posts with label UK. Show all posts

China's Great Wall Motors to Launch in Britain with Steed Pickup Truck

More than two years after the IM Group revealed plans to begin importing the Great Wall Motor Company's lineup in select European countries, the UK-based automotive importer and distributor for Subaru, Isuzu and Daihatsu vehicles today announced that it will launch the brand in Britain.

According to the IM Group, Great Wall Motors will become the first Chinese automobile manufacturer to commence volume sales in the UK with the Steed pickup truck, which will go on sale at the end of April following its local debut at the Commercial Vehicle Show in Birmingham on April 24.

Bespoke Ferrari SP12, Reportedly Owned by Eric Clapton, Filmed as it was Leaving London Showroom

Here's an update on our previous story on the one-of-a-kind Ferrari SP12 that was spotted at HR Owen showroom in London on Wednesday night.

YouTube user Shmee150, not only took some video footage from the presentation last night, but he was also able to hand the camera to someone inside the dealership today and film the car up close as it was leaving to be delivered to its new owner, who is rumored to be none other than Eric Clapton.

While we still don't have any official information on the car, Shmee150's inside man at HR Owen gave some details about the vehicle in the video description. Among other things, the insider says that the coachbuilt Ferrari is based on the 458 Italia and retains its V8 engine despite rumors about a V12.

One-Off Ferrari SP12 Based on the 458 Italia and Allegedly Powered by a V12

For the past 24 hours, the web has been abuzz with a one-off Ferrari model that reportedly made its debut last night in an enclosed glass structure at H.R. Owen, a London based dealer of high-end cars.

We don't have anything official on the right-hand drive Ferrari model. However, we see that it wears a license plate that reads SP12 (possibly for Special Program and V12) and that it is based on the 458 Italia with the coachbuilt body resembling the classic 12-cylinder Ferrari 512i BB from the late 1970s, early 1980s.

Ayrton Senna's First F1 Racecar from 1984 Hits the Auction Block

We're no strangers to Ayrton Senna related items here on Carscoop but there's memorabilia and memorabilia, and this particular sale is one truly unique piece of motorsport history that you don’t often get the chance to see, let alone buy.

This is the Toleman TG184-2 Formula One car driven by Ayrton Senna in his debut F1 season in 1984 before moving to Lotus-Renault the following year, and it's up for grabs at The Spring Sale to be hosted by Silverstone Auctions in Britain on May 16.

It’s the same car with which Senna’s took second place driving in the rain-soaked 1984 Monaco GP, as well as 3rd in the British and 7th in the Canadian Grand Prix’s.

Brand New Isuzu D-MAX Pickup Truck Priced from £14,499 in the UK

The new generation of the Isuzu D-MAX pickup truck will cost from £14,499 to £21,499 when it goes on sale in the UK this June, following its local premiere at the 2012 Commercial Vehicle Show in Birmingham on April 24.

The 2012 D-MAX, which is closely related to the also new Chevrolet Colorado, will be available with four specification levels and, for the first time in the UK, with an extended cab body configuration that will join the single and double cab variants.

Renault Confirms Pricing for Refreshed 2012 Megane Range in Britain

Renault today announced that its subtly updated Megane 2012 compact model is available for order now in the UK ahead of its official launch on April 1. On-the-road prices start from £16,275 for the 3-door Hatch, £16,775 for the 5-door Coupé and £17,075 for the estate Sport Tourer.

For 2012, the Megane series gains some minor styling tweaks up front that include the addition of LED daytime running lights from the Dynamique TomTom trim level and above, and a revised bumper with a gloss black finish and chrome highlights, plus a new selection of alloy wheel designs.

Volkswagen Releases Pricing for UK Market Passat Alltrack

The new Volkswagen Passat Alltrack is now available for order in Britain with the first cars arriving in dealer lots on May 28. The high-riding, crossover version of the Passat Estate is offered in one trim level and a choice of two diesel engines, both of which are equipped with VW's 4MOTION four-wheel drive system as standard.

The base model is powered by a 2.0-liter TDI producing 138bhp (140PS) linked to a 6-speed manual gearbox and is priced at £28,475. It returns a combined fuel economy of 49.6mpg UK (41.3mpg US or 5.7lt/100km) with CO2 emissions of 150g/km.

Peugeot Confirms UK Pricing for 508 RXH Crossover and New 508 Hybrid4 Sedan

The Peugeot brand has announced pricing and specification details for two new additions to its 508 range in Britain, the 508 RXH crossover estate and the 508 Saloon HYbrid4, both of which make use of the company's diesel-electric hybrid powertrain.

The 508 RXH starts at £33,695 and the 508 Saloon HYbrid4 at £31,450. Both models are available to order now, with the 508 RXH to go on sale in May and the 508 Saloon HYbrid4 from July 2012.

The hybrid powertrain on both models consists of a 2.0-litre HDi 163 Diesel engine powering the front wheels and a 37bhp electric motor driving the rear wheels.

Volkswagen Up! for Sale in Britain, Starts from £7,995

After announcing preliminary prices for the Up! back in October of 2011, the most compact of Volkswagen models is now in UK showrooms. On the road prices for the three-door Up! start from £7,995 for the entry level model and rise to £11,180.

Buyers can choose from two 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine options producing 59bhp (60PS) and 74bhp (75PS) as well as a more fuel efficient 59bhp BlueMotion Technology version.

Seat UK Adds Some Zest to Leon FR+ with New Supercopa Edition

Another day, another new edition to Seat's Leon FR range. Following the presentation of the higher-specification FR+, the VW Group's Spanish subsidiary is introducing yet another trim level in the UK called the Supercopa, which offers a sportier look via a special edition styling kit.

Named after Seat's global one-make race series, the Supercopa's styling additions include new front and rear bumpers, side skirts, a more pronounced tailgate spoiler, bespoke BBS 18-inch alloy wheels and unique chrome-tipped, twin exhausts.

Nissan Juke-R Versus Nissan GT-R on the Race Track: Which One do You Think Will Win?

The great thing about the Nissan Juke-R is that it is not one of those 'touch it and it will break' kind of concepts we usually see from automakers but a fully working prototype that has already covered plenty of miles on the track in the hands of a number of different people.

This time it's the crew over at British car magazine Autoexpress that had the chance to drive the 485-horsepower Juke-R.

However, instead of putting it through its paces alone on the south circuit at Bedford Autodrome they also brought along the car that inspired its creation, the 2012 Nissan GT-R (2013MY for North America) that is rated at 545-horses.

Land Rover to Hire 1,000 New Workers to Increase Production at its UK Factory

Good news for the local economy at Jaguar-Land Rover's (JLR) Halewood Operations manufacturing plant, which is located near Liverpool in the UK, as the Tata Motors owned automaker is creating 1,000 new jobs to support the increase of production for the Range Rover Evoque and Land Rover Freelander 2 models.

With this latest move, JLR has tripled the number of employees at Halewood, from around 1,500 just three years ago to close to 4,500 workers today.

Facelifted Seat Ibiza Arrives in the UK with Reduced Prices

Following its debut at the Geneva Motor Show, the VW Group's Seat brand has announced that the subtly refreshed Ibiza range will be available for order in Britain this month with first deliveries planned for late April.

While the updates are mild, the good news for buyers is that Seat has actually reduced pricing for the majority of Ibiza derivatives.

Citroën DS5 Testers Meet the Original DS

Citroën may have re-energized its DS moniker through a brand-new lineup of cars, but few will disagree with us when we say that its fresh batch of DS products need a long way to go before they achieve the status and the respect that the original "Déesse" (goddess) commands today.

But marketing is marketing and Citroën hopes that by showing off the original DS alongside its newer creations like DS5 can have a positive effect on buyers.

Journalists Drive a Toyota Avensis Diesel for 904.9 Miles on a Single Tank

Supercars like the brand-new 740HP Ferrari F12berlinetta may be what most of us dream about, but when we…touch back on Earth, we have to face the harsh realities of life.

With the current fuel prices making stopping at a gas station almost as…cheerful as a visit to the dentist, it helps if your everyday means of transportation nips rather than guzzles fuel.

UK Banzai Magazine editor Joe Clifford and journalist Andrew Biddle took a Toyota Avensis Tourer powered by a 2.0-liter D4-D diesel engine linked to a six-speed manual transmission and traveled from one end of Britain to the other.

BMW Launches UK-Only M3 Coupe and Convertible Limited Edition 500

A 420HP M3 is, in itself, a special model even in standard specification. Nevertheless, BMW has decided to launch a new Limited Edition version of both the coupe and convertible variants of the M3 that will be produced in 500 units, all of which are destined for the UK market.

The M3 Limited Edition 500 does not feature any mechanical changes: it is still powered by the normally aspirated 420HP V8 which transfers power to the rear axle via a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. So, no change in performance or handling (as in the hardcore GTS for example) compared to the stock model then.

Land Rover Builds 1 Millionth Discovery, Prepares an Epic Road Trip to China to Celebrate

Some 23 years and one model change after Land Rover introduced the original Discovery back in 1989, the British automaker rolled out the 1,000,000th example of its capable SUV at the Jaguar-Land Rover's Solihull assembly plant in the UK.

The Discovery, which first came to market as a third model sitting between the more luxurious Range Rover and the rough'n'tough Defender, set records sales of almost 45,000 units last year across 170 worldwide markets.

Toyota Announces EU Economy and Emission Figures for Prius Plug-in Hybrid

The official European CO2 emissions and fuel economy numbers for the new Prius Plug-in Hybrid are in.

According to Toyota, with the use of the battery, the plug-in hybrid model will be able to travel 134.5 miles on one imperial gallon of petrol (equal to 112mpg US or 2.1lt/100km) and emit just 49g/km of CO2 on the combined driving cycle.

Once the battery is depleted and the car switches into HV mode, it delivers a fuel economy of 76.4mpg UK (63.6mpg US or 3.7lt/100km) and CO2 emissions of 85g/km.

Subaru Refines 2012 Legacy Tourer in the UK, gets More Fuel Efficient Boxer Diesel

Subaru has launched an updated version of its load lugging Legacy Tourer in the United Kingdom. The 2012 model has received a number of technical enhancements highlighted by the presentation of a revised diesel engine and select equipment upgrades.

The most important change for 2012 is of course the fitment of a tweaked 2.0-liter flat-four turbo diesel engine, which is Euro 5-compliant and features a more efficient turbocharger, and new exhaust-camshaft timing and lighter connecting rods. It also gets a new oxidation catalytic converters and Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF).

Mazda3 Facelift on Sale in the UK with Prices Starting from £13,495

Mazda has released UK pricing for its updated compact hatchback that's available for orders now. The 2012 Mazda3 starts from £13,495 for the 1.6 TS model, however, the price includes a special £2,300 saving that ends on March 31. The regular OTR price will then be £14,795.

The revised five-door Mazda3 has improved aerodynamics (Cd 0.29) and is distinguished on the outside by the tweaked front fascia, new rear bumper and twist-spoke alloy wheels.

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