Purpose

I will try my best to provide detailed info on various cars and what is like to live with them, I have already produced a few for Jaguar-car-forums, I will do my best to be unbiased, but it will be hard for some cars. I will re-produce press releases and copy from other motoring news.

Saturday 3 May 2014

Marchionne faces tough task: fixing Fiat in Europe

Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne faces a tough task in turning around the automaker's operations in Europe, analysts say, after losing 2.15 billion euros in the region in the past three years.
Marchionne's revival plan for Fiat’s struggling European business, which includes the Fiat, Alfa and Lancia brands, will be part of his wider unveiling of a new strategy for all of Fiat Chrysler on May 6. The CEO aims to exploit the synergies of the fully combined auto group.
His plan is expected to include as much as 9 billion euros in investment on long-delayed model for Fiat and Alfa that are crucial to stemming European losses by 2016.  

For the turn around to succeed, Marchionne needs to stop Alfa's chronic losses and improve capacity utilization at Fiat's underused Italian factories, analysts say.
"His main challenge to cut losses in Europe is to improve plant capacity utilization, and establishing credibility in terms of timing and viability of the Alfa Romeo pipeline," said Stuart Pearson at Exane BNP Paribas.
Fiat plans to make its stalled Italian plants profitable by: building more Maserati and Alfa Romeo models for export and adding output of Jeeps in the country.
Company executives also have hinted that the automaker will trim Fiat brand’s model range to focus on the strong-selling 500 and Panda minicars.
Unlike rivals Ford, PSA/Peugeot-Citroen and Opel, Fiat wants to avoid closing factories in Europe.
Fiat’s giant Mirafiori factory in its hometown of Turin once churned out almost 600,000 cars each year. Now it’s Europe’s least-used plant, according to figures from research group Inovev. Like other mass-market European carmakers, Fiat offsets its shrinking car sales in recession-plagued Europe with revenue from the healthy U.S. and Asian markets.
'Managed decline'
But unlike other volume carmakers, Marchionne has decided to cut back on investing in its core Fiat brand in order to conserve cash, starving dealers of product and shrinking European market share to 6.2 percent in 2013 from 9.3 percent in 2009.
The so-called “managed decline” of the Fiat brand’s European footprint is the right thing to do, analysts say. Fiat Group is also paring back its storied Lancia brand, reducing it to an Italy-only offering with just one model: the Ypsilon.
“On paper, that’s the right strategy,” said an analyst who asked not to be named because his bank works for Fiat. “The question for us is execution.”
Marchionne’s record is mixed on that front. Fiat Chrysler stumbled badly when it re-badged Lancia models as Chryslers in Europe.
The re-badged Chrysler 300 sold only 2,229 cars as the Lancia Thema in Europe last year, compared to an annual target of 10,000 to 12,000 units. The Chrysler Town & Country in its Lancia Voyager incarnation managed just 3,436 sales in Europe last year, down from 5,025 in 2012 and well below a target of 15,000. And then there’s the Lancia Flavia: this re-badged Chrysler 200 managed just 462 sales in 2013, down from 534 in 2012, according to figures from JATO Dynamics.
On the other hand, Marchionne’s relaunch of the group’s luxury Maserati brand is showing good results so far. Maserati is getting 3,500 orders a month, Harald Wester, who runs the brand, said in an interview with Bloomberg at the Geneva auto show in March. That would amount to sales of 42,000 cars this year, tripling the 15,400 sold in 2013.
Maserati could add a sleek new sports car to its lineup, the Alfieri coupe, within two years, shortly after the brand launches the Levante SUV in 2015, Automotive News Europe reported in March. The Alfieri would be a rival to the Porsche 911 Turbo and the Jaguar F-Type. Maserati’s recent success is expected to be a blueprint for what Fiat plans for Alfa.
'Feeling the heat'
Dealers, unsurprisingly, disagree with analysts that the Fiat brand should shrink. Milan dealer Gruppo Fassina has been able to make up for lost revenue from the Fiat brand model drought by selling other brands like Skoda and Hyundai, said owner Toni Fassina. But he says he can’t keep doing that forever.
“I really hope Marchionne announces some new Fiat models – we’re feeling the heat from their competitors on all sides now in terms of both pricing and technology,” he said. “I started my career with Fiat in the 1980s, and want to keep going with them.”
Fewer Fiat models simply means lower volumes and lower sales, said Piero Mocarelli of Mocauto, another big Milan dealership. The aging Punto subcompact – which seems to be being quietly euthanized – is still important for sales, he said. 

“They are missing a car between the B- and C-segments,” he said. “But we’re looking forward to a few good years in front of us with Alfa and Jeep,” Mocarelli said.
Marchionne plans for Alfa also will be revealed on May 6. It will be the CEO’s fourth attempt to breathe life into the beloved brand. Fiat plans to develop a new line of rear-wheel-drive sedans and SUVs to bolster Alfa and take on premium carmakers such as BMW. The models will start to hit the market in 2016. High-end versions of the cars will be equipped with engines developed by Ferrari, Automotive News Europe has reported.
Analysts say they expect Marchionne to reveal some of the new Alfa models at the May 6 presentation in Auburn Hills, Michigan, to convince skeptics of the viability of the plan. They are also looking for details on how Marchionne will pay for all the changes.
“I am more interested in understanding how he will fund this thing, because I am still not quite clear what is going on in that sense,” said UBS’s Philippe Houchois, echoing a common sentiment.
After completing in January the acquisition of Chrysler Group, Fiat’s net industrial debt should have reached or surpassed 10 billion euros from 6.65 billion euros at the end of last year, analysts estimate.
“The question mark is how viable is the strategy of using Italy as a premium car manufacturing base in the longer term,” said Pearson of Exane BNP-Paribas. “After all, BMW builds cars in the U.S. and China. So their competitors are building locally.”
 

Peugeot to significantly increase sales in China throughout 2014.

PSA/Peugeot-Citroen expects sales of its Peugeot brand in China to rise at more than twice the rate of the market this year, helped by models such as the 3008, 301 and 408. Because of the growth, PSA expects China to pass France as the Peugeot brand's largest single market in 2014.
Peugeot China Deputy General Manager Mathieu Vennin forecasts that Peugeot brand's local sales will increase 30 percent to 370,000 this year in a market that is predicted to rise about 13 percent. Last year 275,000 Peugeots were sold in China, 14,600 fewer than the 289,600 sold in France. 
Vennin said Peugeot vehicles such as the 3008 SUV enjoy a strong reputation in China. The 3008 is selling well because Chinese buyers are “hungry for any size or form of SUV,” Vennin said in an interview at the auto show here on April 20.
Peugeot aims to sell 70,000 units of the 3008 in China this year despite capacity constraints. It sold 16,500 units of the 3008 in the first quarter. The 3008 is Peugeot's No. 3-selling model in China.
At No. 2 is the 308 compact sedan. Peugeot sold 20,000 308s in the first quarter with the full-year volume expected to reach 80,000.
 

Peugeot expects the 301 to be its best-seller in China this year after the automaker started local production of the model in November. A key advantage the 301 has is its price. The 301, which was developed by PSA for emerging markets, starts at 80,000 yuan (about 9,250 euros) compared with a base price of 92,000 yuan for the larger and more refined 308.
Peugeot expects to sell 90,000 units of the 301 in China this year after first-quarter sales were 17,900.
Later this year Peugeot will begin China production of the 408, its new local flagship. The 408 is a long-wheelbase sedan version of the 308 compact hatchback sold in Europe. Peugeot does not plan to sell the 408 in Europe.
China hopes
PSA, together with joint venture partner Dongfeng Motor, plans to triple annual China sales to 1.5 million vehicles in 2020. Last year the partners sold 550,000 units – 270,000 Peugeots and 280,000 Citroens - and this year they aim to sell 650,000 vehicles. Last month, Dongfeng agreed to invest 800 million euros for a 14 percent stake in PSA to ease the French carmaker's financial troubles.
Luca Ciferri

Porsche to offer UK a greener Macan SUV

The UK is the only European market that will get a "greener" Porsche Macan SUV with a four-cylinder engine due to demand for the version from China.
Porsche unveiled the Macan with a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder gasoline engine at the Beijing auto show on April 20. The variant is expected to outsell V-6 versions in China because the smaller engine attracts a fuel consumption tax of 12 percent compared with 25 percent for the 3.0-liter V6. 

The model is Porsche's first four-cylinder car in almost 20 years.
Markets such as Germany and France miss out on the version because left-hand-drive production of the model is earmarked for China, Porsche said.
"Demand will be strong in China, whereas in right-hand-drive Asian markets such as Japan, there is not such an issue of availability for the engine," a Porsche spokesman told Automotive News Europe. He said the Leipzig, Germany, factory where the Macan is built is working “flat out” to meet Chinese demand.
The downsized Macan has a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine also offered in the VW Golf GTI. It makes 237hp and has CO2 emissions of 168 grams per km, compared with 204g/km for the V6 and costs 40,276 pounds (48,980 euros) in the UK, compared with 43,300 pounds for the lowest priced gasoline V6. 

Porsche said the 2.0-liter Macan is expected to sell in “very small numbers” in the UK.
The last time Porsche sold a four-cylinder car in Europe was in 1995, when production of the front-engined 968 sports car ended. European media has reported the automaker is working on a horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine to match the layout of the six-cylinder engines in its 911, Boxster and Cayman sports cars, but the company hasn’t confirmed that. Porsche’s new Le Mans race car is powered by a four-cylinder engine arranged in a V-shape, with assistance from battery power.
Earlier this year, Porsche CEO Matthias Muller said demand for the Macan could push the brand’s annual sales past 200,000 by 2015, three years earlier than targeted. Speaking at the start of production of the model in February, he said the company was prepared to expand annual capacity of Macan line at the Leipzig factory past 50,000 if demand warranted it.
Nick Gibbs

Jaguar Land Rover to share knowledge of Aluminium production with competitors.

It's the exact opposite of hush-hush corporate security: Jaguar Land Rover wants to share everything it knows about assembling aluminum-bodied cars.
And that has made Jaguar Land Rover's Solihull assembly plant in England a popular destination for manufacturing executives from Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Ford and others.
Why is the company so happy to share its patented procedures? Because it hopes that doing so will save the company money in the long run.

Jaguar Land Rover would like the industry to adopt standards for raw materials and tools to assemble aluminum vehicles. These standards would cut production costs, and the changes won't happen unless the big players get involved.
Mark White, Jaguar Land Rover's chief technical specialist for aluminum, says automakers producing vehicles with aluminum -- Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and soon Ford -- each use a slightly different manufacturing system that includes various grades of aluminum and different rivets, glue, robots and measuring systems.
For example, Jaguar Land Rover will buy 353 million rivets this year to assemble all of its aluminum-bodied vehicles. When production of Ford's aluminum F-150 begins in the fall, Ford will be buying about 2 billion rivets per year, assuming each F-150 has roughly the same number of rivets as an aluminum-bodied Range Rover.
To push the idea of standards, White does a lot of entertaining.
"Mercedes-Benz was here [four] months ago, and we are going to see their S class on a return visit," said White. "They were very impressed with what they saw. And they took a lot of things we do away. Audi was here twice so far, and we are doing some work with them. I am going to see the A8 and I have an open invitation to see the Q7."
Ford's aluminum manufacturing executives visited too, White said.
"The only way we think we can drive the cost down in aluminum production technology is to get into mass production," White says. "If you patent everything, then everyone else is either going to find another way of doing it or they are just not going to do it at all."
Ford declined to comment about sharing with competitors the aluminum manufacturing technology it has developed for the redesigned 2015 F-150 with an aluminum body. But Ford does agree in principle with Jaguar Land Rover. 

"Ford believes that certain industry standards can provide great benefits in terms of cost, quality, efficiency and innovation," said Ford spokeswoman Kristina Adamski. But, she added, "Each process specification would need to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis with respect to the customer and product benefits."
Industry analyst Emmanuel Rosner, of CLSA Americas, estimates that the aluminum F-150 will cost Ford at least $750 more per unit than the steel 2014 model. Based on that number, with production of around 650,000 F-150s per year, the added material cost to use aluminum would be more than $488 million.
Richard Truett

USA - GM wants customers to agree to suspend suits within 10 days

General Motors Co. told a bankruptcy judge that car owners should agree “voluntarily” within 10 days to suspend 59 lawsuits over ignition-switch defects pending his decision on whether all their demands are allowable.
The lawsuits were already stopped last month by federal judges in Texas and California while GM sought a ruling from U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Gerber in Manhattan on whether the claims were permitted under the terms of the carmaker’s 2009 reorganization. The car owners are seeking as much as $10 billion for the lost value of their vehicles. 

Some have asked Gerber for a quick decision on whether they can keep suing on grounds that he won’t consider when he assesses the scope of his court orders in the bankruptcy, which shielded GM from some legal actions.
Customers who don’t agree to the halt that GM is seeking should be required to file papers in court by May 25 explaining why the judge shouldn’t force them to, the carmaker said in a Wednesday bankruptcy court filing.

The automaker asked Gerber to put the stay proposal at the top of the agenda for a conference Friday on how the case should proceed.
Some GM customers also want permission to immediately seek enough information from the company to ground the 2.59 million cars it has recalled over the faulty ignition switches, which have been linked to 13 deaths.

USA - GM recalls 2013 Cadillac SRX on lagging acceleration issue

General Motors Co. is recalling about 56,400 model year 2013 Cadillac SRX crossover vehicles because of possible delays in acceleration linked to a computer program that controls the transmission, U.S. regulators said today. 
"In certain driving situations, there may be a three to four second lag in acceleration due to the transmission control module programming," said a report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 
NHTSA said the condition can increase the chances of a crash, but GM said it was not aware of any crashes related to this issue.
GM said that 50,591 of the recalled SRX crossovers are in the United States, 3,306 in Canada, 367 in Mexico and 2,123 in other markets. 

The affected vehicles have 3.6-liter engines. Consumers are asked to bring their cars to GM dealerships to have the transmission control modules reprogrammed.
The affected Cadillac SRX crossovers were produced from May 29, 2012 to June 26, 2013

Friday 2 May 2014

Lotus announces new CEO to take it into a stronger future.

PROTON Holdings Berhad (“PROTON”) today announced the appointment of Jean-Marc Gales as the new Chief Executive Officer of Group Lotus plc, effective 1 May 2014. Lotus is a wholly owned subsidiary of PROTON and a member of the DRB-HICOM Group.
Gales, a Luxembourgian, holds a MSc in Management from London's Imperial College, and a MSc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Karlsruhe in Germany.

A known industry player, Gales has held several significant positions with numerous global automotive manufacturers. Prior to his new appointment at Lotus, Gales was Chief Executive Officer of the European Association of Automotive Suppliers (“CLEPA”) since 2012, where he played a key role in turning around the association through various strategic initiatives, including streamlining the working processes and increasing corporate members from 82 to 112. Gales also established a lobbying strategy with the European Parliament and European Commission, and helped define the Industry Research & Innovation Strategy and Roadmap for 2025.
Before joining CLEPA, Gales was the President of Automobiles Citroen and Automobiles Peugeot between 2009 and 2012, where he restructured the entire sales value chain and implemented a new brand strategy for the DS Line and introduced the Citroen DS in major markets around the world. During his tenure there, the Company delivered record retail sales in 2009 and 2010.
Gales' other previous appointments include several senior positions in Daimler AG, General Motors and Volkswagen AG.

Aslam Farikullah, current Chief Operating Officer of Group Lotus plc, remains as Member of the Board of Lotus Cars Limited and will continue to contribute to the growth of the business in the future.
PROTON Chief Executive Officer, Dato’ Abdul Harith Abdullah is pleased to welcome Gales to the Group. "This is an exciting time for Lotus, and Jean-Marc's appointment could not have come at a more appropriate time, especially taking into account our plans for Lotus. We believe that with his strong technical and managerial expertise and leadership, Jean-Marc will be able to drive the Lotus transformation plan and further enhance Lotus' business and capabilities.”
Jean-Marc Gales is married and has one daughter.

Rolls Royce to celebrate 110 years on 4th May - At Goodwood and Manchester.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars will celebrate a seminal moment in British automotive history on Sunday 4 May. Charles Rolls and Henry Royce met for the first time on this date exactly 110 years ago and agreed to form the company that would become synonymous with the very best. Celebrations will take place at the Goodwood Motor Circuit in West Sussex and at The Midland Hotel, Manchester.  

The Honourable Charles Stewart Rolls was raised in aristocratic privilege, and was an enthusiastic and accomplished motorist – a pioneer in a time when many people thought that motoring was just a fad that would soon pass. He was a shrewd businessman and talented engineer – a true visionary at a time of massive technical advancement. Rolls raced bicycles, motorcycles and motor cars and was an early advocate of aviation, firstly with balloons and then aeroplanes. He funded his sporting activity by running a London-based car sales and service depot, C.S. Rolls and Co. The cars he sold were virtually all imported and Rolls was frustrated by, and often voiced criticism at, the lack of British initiative in this field.
Sir Henry Royce originated from more humble beginnings. One of five children, he helped support his family selling newspapers for W.H. Smith, and then became a telegraph boy for the Post Office, delivering telegrams around London. His luck changed when an aunt offered to pay for an apprenticeship at the Great Northern Railway Works at Peterborough, the cradle of many great British engineers. His apprenticeship, combined with self-taught knowledge, resulted in a job with the Electric Light and Power Company in London and he subsequently set up his own successful engineering business in Manchester. In the early 1900’s Royce was also frustrated by the standard of construction and workmanship of motor vehicles of the day and set out to design and build his own car, the 10hp ‘Royce’. The car made its first journey from his factory in Manchester to his home in Knutsford, some 15 miles away, on 1 April 1904 without issue.  

Following a suggestion from Claude Johnson, partner at C.S. Rolls and Co., and Henry Edmunds, Director of Royce Ltd, Rolls travelled to Manchester on 4 May 1904 to meet Henry Royce at the Midland Hotel. The meeting went well considering their totally dissimilar backgrounds and a drive in the 10hp car showed Royce that Rolls was well and truly impressed. So much so that Rolls agreed to sell all the cars that Royce could build and came away from the meeting saying, “I have met the greatest engineer in the World.” It was also agreed that the cars would be known as Rolls-Royce motor cars.
The famous radiator shape was devised and shortly afterwards the badge of entwined first letters from each man’s surname. Royce realised that in Rolls he had found a man who not only understood motor cars but also had the skills of a consummate salesman. On the train journey to Manchester for the meeting, Rolls told Edmunds that he wanted to produce a car connected with his name that would become as much of a household word as Broadwood was among pianofortes, or Chubb among safes. It was a prophetic conversation and little did the two men know that 110 years later Rolls-Royce would still be a household name across the world and be a symbol synonymous with the very best.

“The company created by Charles Rolls and Henry Royce had a simple philosophy - the pursuit of excellence - and one that the whole team at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars strives for every day,” said Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. “I have no doubt that the company’s forefathers would be proud to see the exceptional cars made at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, still bearing the linked RR letters.”
The 110 Year celebrations will take place at two key locations on Sunday 4 May 2014:
Goodwood. Three very special contemporary Rolls-Royce motor cars – Wraith, Phantom Coupé and Ghost – will be displayed at the ‘Supercar Sunday’ Breakfast Club meeting at the Goodwood Motor Circuit, a short distance from the company’s Head Office and Manufacturing Plant.
Manchester.  A 2014 Rolls-Royce Phantom will join several early heritage Rolls-Royces on display outside the Midland Hotel. The event will be hosted by the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club.
Members of the public are welcomed and encouraged to join the celebrations.

MG rated third best brand in annual Driver Power survey, yeah right, better than Lexus, Mercedes and more...... mmmmm....

  • British motorists have voted MG third best manufacturer in UK
  • Awards voted for by 50,000 car owners  and readers of Auto Express; the UK’s biggest selling weekly automotive magazine
  • MG6 also wins Auto Express 2014 Driver Power award for Best Handling
  • SMMT figures show MG is fastest growing brand in UK in 2014
  • MG6 range from just £15,455 to £21,195 and PCP from only £199 a month
  • MG3 range from £8,399 to just £9,999 or PCP offers from just £99 a month or zero deposit
MG adds another podium position to its 90th year celebrations after being voted the third best manufacturer in the UK in the highly influential 2014 Auto Express Driver Power Survey.  

This tops off a superb return to Driver Power for MG, which also saw the MG6 take sixth place in the model rundown as well as being crowned best-handling car. British brands took second and third place with MG finishing just behind Jaguar, with scores of 89.34 per cent and 88.98 per cent respectively. 

Steve Fowler, Editor-in-Chief of Auto Express, said: “While some brands have exceeded expectations and scored highly for particular categories, MG has scored well across the board. It took second place in the handling section and third place for both ride quality and seat comfort. It’s great to see British brands doing well.”
Guy Jones, Sales and Marketing Director of MG Motor UK said “MG has made a significant investment in British design, engineering and assembly and we are delighted to see that this has resulted in UK customers loving our new range of cars. The goal of the British team based in Birmingham is to continue to deliver the MG brand values and create affordable British cars with character making them great value and fun to drive, buy and own.  With these awards and SMMT figures showing that MG is the fastest growing brand in the UK this year, we are clearly succeeding”
He continued: The launch of our new supermini MG3 has increased brand awareness and enabled us to significantly expand our UK dealer network attracting thousands of new customers into the brand. The appeal of the MG6 has also been significantly increased with the addition of the superb new high-tech, performance diesel with only 129g CO2 resulting in zero road tax in the first year. Both cars have extremely low insurance groups from just 4E for MG3 and 13E for MG6 meaning you can have a car that is fun to drive at a low cost to insure, which is especially important for younger drivers”. 

This year MG celebrates its 90th anniversary with the business in better shape than it has ever been.  In the UK, MG is not only winning awards for its cars but it is also winning on the track, with the MG6 GT jointly leading the fiercely competitive British Touring Car Championship.  Globally MG is expanding in over 40 markets with major investment in new models from parent company SAIC. To celebrate this milestone year, MG is inviting both new and old fans of the brand to see past present and future MGs at the MG 90 event on 21st and 22nd June at the world famous Silverstone race circuit.
Driver Power is the annual reader survey of Britain’s top-selling weekly car magazine, Auto Express. Now in its 13th year, the survey questions motorists on all aspects of the ownership experience, including reliability, running costs and comfort. The results will be published in the 30 April issue of Auto Express, while autoexpress.co.uk will be providing analysis of the data.
Top 30 Manufacturers for 2014
  1. Skoda
  2. Jaguar
  3. MG
  4. Lexus
  5. Dacia
  6. Porsche
  7. Kia
  8. Mazda
  9. Mercedes
  10. BMW
  11. Volvo
  12. Audi
  13. Honda
  14. Peugeot
  15. Renault
  16. Subaru
  17. Toyota
  18. Hyundai
  19. Volkswagen
  20. Land Rover
  21. Alfa Romeo
  22. Nissan
  23. Mitsubishi
  24. Seat
  25. Ford
  26. Citroen
  27. Fiat
  28. Jeep
  29. Vauxhall
  30. Mini
About MG Motor
Since the first MG went on sale 90 years ago in 1924, the iconic British brand has become world famous for making stylish cars that are fun to drive and own, at remarkably affordable prices. The latest offering, the MG3 is no exception; the new, small modern MG brings style and fun to a new generation - giving a fresh twist on the innovation, sporty performance and statement style that first made the MG badge famous.
Modern MGs are designed, engineered and undergo final assembly at MG’s historic home in Longbridge, Birmingham. 
Today, MG is owned by the SAIC Motor Corporation. SAIC Motor is currently rated 103rd in the Fortune 500 and, in 2013, achieved record global sales of over 5.1 million units, an increase of 13.71% on 2012 sales. SAIC Motor is the first Chinese automotive manufacturer to exceed five million units in a year, and 230,000 units of this extraordinary figure can be attributed to sales of the MG and Roewe marques worldwide.

Timewarp unregistered MG Midget, up for auction.

Anglia Car Auctions has discovered another ‘timewarp’ classic with low mileage – an unregistered 1980 MG Midget with just 162 miles on the clock.
The vendor brought the car brand new after hearing of the imminent demise of MG but never registered the vehicle as he intended to give the car to one of his young children on passing their driving test. 

ACA owner Lyn George explains: “After 11 months, the car was despatched to Holland Brothers in Sleaford, in a horsebox of all things, for its first annual service. The car had, at this point, covered just 143 delivery miles.
“Whilst at the main dealer, they discovered that the speedo would not read above 10mph. It was duly replaced and the speedometer now reads 19 miles giving a total mileage of 162.” 
The car, in vermillion red, remains unregistered but is complete with the original bill of sale, owner’s handbooks, and service manuals. It is estimated to warrant a sale price of between £7,000 to £9,000.
The MG Midget will be just one of the vehicles on offer in Anglia Car Auctions’ Classic Sale on Saturday 14thJune, with viewing on the afternoon of Friday 13th June.

Nissan announces pricing and Specs fro new Juke, still not pretty through.

  • New Juke priced from £13,420
  • Four trim grades: Visia, Acenta, Acenta Premium and Tekna
  • Unrivalled personalisation with Nissan Design Studio
  • New engine line-up
  • Introducing new technology including Nissan Safety Shield
  • Improved luggage capacity by 40% with enhanced versatility
  • In showrooms June 2014
Nissan has announced pricing and specifications for the new Juke – the fresh-faced and fantastically funky model that will help the brand reinvent the compact crossover.
Retaining the intrinsic individuality and effortless flair that made its predecessor an instant design icon and propelled it past 500,000 global sales, the refreshed model will reinforce the brand’s dominance of the crossover market, alongside the all-new Qashqai and soon-to-be-launched X-Trail.

Arriving in dealerships in June, new Juke will introduce a wealth of exciting and innovative new technology and styling features, a new engine line-up and almost limitless personalisation options that allow buyers to build on the spec’ of the now familiar Visia, Acenta, Acenta Premium and Tekna grades.
But despite the updated styling, raft of new equipment and myriad other enhancements including a 40% increase in luggage capacity on 2WD version , Nissan has kept pricing competitive, giving themodel an additional advantage. Prices now start at just £13,420 for the entry level 1.6 94PS in Visia guise.
This low introductory price point makes the new Juke Visia as affordable as it is desirable and belies an extensive list of standard spec’. Sitting proudly on striking 16” alloys, Juke Visia includes air conditioning, a CD system with an AUX-IN connection for MP3 players, front and rear electric windows, an ingenious tyre pressure monitoring system and daytime running lights.

Those opting for Acenta trim, which starts at £15,320, get added kerb appeal with 17” Sport alloys, and extras including Bluetooth and USB connectivity, climate control, steering wheel-mounted audio controls and rear privacy glass.
Meanwhile, the Acenta Premium, priced from £16,470, adds the next generation NissanConnect system – incorporating satellite navigation, smartphone connectivity and access to online apps – a colour reversing camera, enhanced interior styling with ‘Premium’ seat fabric and a black headliner. Buyers also receive a Nissan Design Studio Personalised Interior package, allowing them to dial the style up further with a choice of colourful trims and finishes, free of charge.

Additionally, buyers choosing an Acenta Premium with the DIG-T 190PS powertrain, which is priced from £18,020, will find their model upgraded further, with imposing 18” alloys, Nissan’s intelligent i-Key system, push-button ignition and electric folding and heated door mirrors.
Topping the range is the Juke Tekna, available from £17,670. It offers all the luxury one would expect from a top-of-the-line model, with heated ‘Premium’ leather seats and the added convenience of an array of features such as automatic headlights and rain-sensing wipers. Crucially, the Tekna also introduces the state-of-the-art Nissan safety Shield to the Juke line-up. Representing a leap forward in accident avoidance, the Safety Shield assists drivers by providing lane departure and blind spot warnings and advanced moving object detection.

Equipment summary
Visia:

16” alloy wheels
CD system with AUX-IN
Air conditioning
Front and rear electric windows
Driver’s seat height adjustment
ABS, EBD and Brake Assist
ESP
Six airbags
Daytime running lights
Gear shift indicator
Tyre pressure monitoring system
‘Casual’ seat fabric
Grey centre console
Acenta (additional equipment over Visia):
17” Sport alloys
Bluetooth and USB connectivity
Climate control
NissanDynamic Control System
Front fog lights
Cruise control
Speed limiter
Leather steering wheel with audio controls
Rear privacy glass
Body coloured door handles and mirrors
Acenta Premium (additional equipment over Acenta):

NissanConnect Navigation
Colour reversing camera
Armrest
Six speakers
‘Premium’ seat fabric
Black headliner
NissanDesign Studio Personalised Interior package

Additionally, DIG-T 190PS models in Acenta Preimum trim, feature:

18” alloy wheels
intelligent i-Key
Engine start button
Electric folding and heated door mirrors

Acenta Premium optional extras:

Open-air sunroof £750
NissanSafety Shield £400
NissanDesign Studio Personalised Exterior Package £170
NissanDesign Studio Personalised Exterior+ Package £520
Tekna (additional equipment over Acenta Premium):
17” ‘Urban’ alloys
NissanSafety Shield
‘Premium’ leather seats
Heated front seats
Intelligent i-Key
Engine start button
Automatic lights
Rain-sensing wipers
Electric folding mirrors
Tekna optional extras:
Open-air sunroof £750
Xenon headlights £500
NissanDesign Studio Personalised Exterior Package £170
NissanDesign Studio Personalised Exterior+ Package £520
New Juke price range  
EngineGradeBodyTransmissionOptionsOTR* (£)
1.6 petrolVisia5 door2WD Man 13,420
dCi 110Visia5 door2WD Man + Stop/Start System 15,320
      
DIG-T 115Acenta5 door2WD Man + Stop/Start System 15,320
1.6 petrolAcenta5 door2WD CVT 16,320
dCi 110Acenta5 door2WD Man + Stop/Start System 16,715
      
DIG-T 115Acenta Premium5 door2WD Man + Stop/Start System 16,470
DIG-T 115Acenta Premium5 door2WD Man + Stop/Start SystemOpen-air roof17,220
DIG-T 115Acenta Premium5 door2WD Man + Stop/Start SystemSafety Shield16,870
DIG-T 115Acenta Premium5 door2WD Man + Stop/Start SystemOpen-air roof & Safety shield17,620
      
1.6 petrolAcenta Premium5 door2WD CVT 17,470
1.6 petrolAcenta Premium5 door2WD CVTOpen-air roof18,220
1.6 petrolAcenta Premium5 door2WD CVTSafety Shield17,870
1.6 petrolAcenta Premium5 door2WD CVTOpen-air roof & Safety shield18,620
      
dCi 110Acenta Premium5 door2WD Man + Stop/Start System 17,865
dCi 110Acenta Premium5 door2WD Man + Stop/Start SystemOpen-air roof18,615
dCi 110Acenta Premium5 door2WD Man + Stop/Start SystemSafety Shield18,265
dCi 110Acenta Premium5 door2WD Man + Stop/Start SystemOpen-air roof & Safety shield19,015
      
DIG-T 190Acenta Premium5 door2WD Man + Stop/Start System 18,020
DIG-T 190Acenta Premium5 door2WD Man + Stop/Start SystemOpen-air roof18,770
DIG-T 190Acenta Premium5 door2WD Man + Stop/Start SystemSafety Shield18,420
DIG-T 190Acenta Premium5 door2WD Man + Stop/Start SystemOpen-air roof & Safety shield19,170
      
DIG-T 190Acenta Premium5 door4WD X-tronic 20,220
DIG-T 190Acenta Premium5 door4WD X-tronicOpen-air roof20,970
DIG-T 190Acenta Premium5 door4WD X-tronicSafety Shield20,620
DIG-T 190Acenta Premium5 door4WD X-tronicOpen-air roof & Safety shield21,370
      
DIG-T 115Tekna5 door2WD Man + Stop/Start System 17,670
DIG-T 115Tekna5 door2WD Man + Stop/Start SystemOpen-air roof18,420
DIG-T 115Tekna5 door2WD Man + Stop/Start SystemXenons18,170
DIG-T 115Tekna5 door2WD Man + Stop/Start SystemOpen-air roof & Xenons18,920
      
1.6 petrolTekna5 door2WD CVT 18,670
1.6 petrolTekna5 door2WD CVTOpen-air roof19,420
1.6 petrolTekna5 door2WD CVTXenons19,170
1.6 petrolTekna5 door2WD CVTOpen-air roof & Xenons19,920
      
dCi 110Tekna5 door2WD Man + Stop/Start System 19,065
dCi 110Tekna5 door2WD Man + Stop/Start SystemOpen-air roof19,815
dCi 110Tekna5 door2WD Man + Stop/Start SystemXenons19,565
dCi 110Tekna5 door2WD Man + Stop/Start SystemOpen-air roof & Xenons20,315
      
DIG-T 190Tekna5 door2WD Man 19,220
DIG-T 190Tekna5 door2WD ManOpen-air roof19,970
DIG-T 190Tekna5 door2WD ManXenons19,720
DIG-T 190Tekna5 door2WD ManOpen-air roof & Xenons20,470
      
DIG-T 190Tekna5 door4WD CVT 21,420
DIG-T 190Tekna5 door4WD CVTOpen-air roof22,170
DIG-T 190Tekna5 door4WD CVTXenons21,920
DIG-T 190Tekna5 door4WD CVTOpen-air roof & Xenons22,670