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.

Friday 9 January 2015

Volkswagen showcases ultimate Amarok pick up, limited, so be quick.

  • UK special-edition limited to 500 vehicles
  • Highest standard specifications ever offered on an Amarok
  • Prices start from just £29,555 (Ex VAT)
  • On sale now
Volkswagen’s Amarok has always appealed to customers who appreciate the finer things in life.  So, to celebrate the very best the brand has to offer, buyers can now order the most luxurious version to date - the Amarok Ultimate. 

Limited to only 500 vehicles, the Amarok Ultimate showcases Volkswagen’s purposeful design and features a host of premium features that make it a truly unique package.


The exterior design is distinguished by bi-xenon headlights, 19–inch Aragonit polished alloy wheels and double chrome strips on the radiator grille. Available for the first time on an Amarok are striking LED daytime running lights that frame the headlights and give the vehicle a unique light signature at night.

Standard equipment also includes electrically foldable, heated and adjustable door mirrors featuring enhanced chrome detailing. Darkened tail light lenses and a new LED number plate light complete the exclusive exterior design package.

Inside, the Amarok Ultimate treats is occupants to a first-class travelling experience thanks to standard-fit Alcantara-trimmed seats, leather multifunction steering wheel, alloy pedal covers (automatic only), heated driver and front passenger seats and satellite navigation.  A reversing parking camera is also part of the Ultimate’s standard specification list, along with rear privacy glass and Bluetooth.

The Amarok Ultimate’s sleek appearance is matched by the power that drives it. The model comes with Volkswagen’s top of the range 2.0-litre BiTDI 180PS engine, offering up to 420 Nm of torque and a maximum towing capacity of up to 3,200 kg. 

Customers can choose between the six-speed manual selectable 4MOTION® or with eight-speed auto-permanent 4MOTION®. 

The Amarok Ultimate is available in two colours,Reflex Silver or Deep Black – both feature ‘Ultimate’ decals on the side doors.

Amarok UltimateManualAutomatic
Engine2.0 BiTDI
(bi-turbo with intercooler)
2.0 BiTDI
(bi-turbo with intercooler)
Power (PS/rpm)180 PS at 4,000 rpm
Torque (Nm/rpm)400 at 1,500-2,000420 at 1,750
Number of gears68
Top speed (mph)111108
0-62mph (seconds)11.011.3
CO2 emissions (g/km)211224
Gross vehicle weight (kg)3170
Unladen weight (kg)2,1002,099
Payload (kg)1,0701,071
Axle load limit front/rear (kg)1,385/1,8601,415/1,860
Towing limit (braked, kg)3,000/7503,200/750
Gross train weight (kg)5,5505,950
Fuel economy (mpg):
Urban
Extra-urban
Combined

30.7
38.7
35.3

28.0
37.2
33.2

Retail prices start from £29,555 (excluding VAT) for the manual transmission and rise to £30,970 (excluding VAT) for the automatic transmission. The Amarok Ultimate is on sale now.

CHINA - Hyundai is so successful in China, it intends to build its fourth and fifth plant there.

  • Each Plant to have annual production capacity of 300,000 units
  • New plants will increase Beijing Hyundai Motor Co.’s capacity to 1.65 million units per year by 2018
Beijing Hyundai Motor Company (BHMC), a 50-50 joint venture between Hyundai Motor Company and Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co., today said it would begin building its fourth and fifth plants in China next year to respond to surging demands in the world’s largest automobile market.

BHMC will build its fourth plant in Cangzhou, Hebei province, and its fifth plant in Chongqing, with an annual production capacity of 300,000 units per plant. With the completion of the two plants by 2018, BHMC will have the capability to produce up to 1.65 million cars per year in China.


BHMC plans to open the fourth plant with an initial annual capacity of 200,000 units in the second half of 2016, and later add capacity to reach the expected 300,000 units per year. The plant in Hebei will be built on a 2.095 million square metre site with a floor space of 221,000 square metres, featuring vehicle production facilities such as stamping, welding, painting, assembly and module lines.

Construction of its fifth plant in Chongqing will begin in the third quarter of 2015 and once completed, it will also have an annual capacity of 300,000 units.  Built on a 2 million square metre site, the plant will have 274,000 square metres of floor space, featuring complete vehicle and engine production facilities. Small and mid-size models specifically designed for the Chinese market will be rolled out from the plant, starting from the first half of 2017.

Hyundai established BHMC in 2002, opening its first plant in China. It added a second factory in 2008, doubling its annual production capacity to 600,000 units. In 2012, with the addition of the third plant, the total annual production capacity reached more than 1 million units per year. The new plants are expected to further reinforce the company’s presence as a leading automaker in the Chinese market.

All New Mazda CX-5, Interior and exterior upgrades make this an even better choice.

  • 2015 Mazda CX-5 upgraded model range, priced from £22,295 to £30,595 on-the-road (OTR), on sale in the UK in spring this year
  • 16-strong two-and all-wheel drive range featuring improved standard equipment throughout SE-L, SE-L Lux and Sport Nav model grades
  • New DAB radio, 7-inch colour touch screen, Multimedia Commander, MZD Connect infotainment and an Integrated Navigation system
  • Technologically enhanced Sport Nav option Safety Pack, including Adaptive LED headlamps (ALD), Lane-keep Assist System (LAS) and Driver Attention Alert (DAA), Advanced Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (BSMw/RCTA), and Rear Smart City Brake Support (RrSCBS)
The 2015 Mazda CX-5 upgraded model goes on sale in the UK in spring this year. Priced from £22,295 to £30,595 on-the-road (OTR), the 16-strong model range features significant interior trim and standard equipment specification upgrades, as well as exterior enhancements.

The 2015 Mazda CX-5 model range is available in three grades; SE-L, SE-L Lux and Sport Nav. The range comprises three 2.0 litre petrol two-wheel drive variants equipped with six-speed manual transmissions, and thirteen 2.2 litre diesel versions - six of which are available with all-wheel drive - fitted with a choice of six speed manual or automatic transmissions.


'No other vehicle in the Mazda range demonstrates the value of SKYACTIV technology more clearly than the Mazda CX-5' commented Mazda UK Sales Director, Peter Allibon. 'It has allowed the company to build a Compact SUV that delivers outstanding fuel economy and low CO2 emissions without compromising either performance or driving dynamics. And now, for 2015, significant enhancements and standard equipment upgrades make the Mazda CX-5 more price-competitive than ever before.'

The standard equipment specification of every model in the CX-5 line-up has been enhanced through the addition of manual front passenger seat height adjustment, an electronic parking brake, a coming/leaving home headlamp function, and the company's Multimedia Commander with separate volume dial for safe, intuitive interactivity and infotainment control.

A new 7-inch, full-colour, centre console touch-screen incorporates DAB radio, two ports for USB connectivity and MZD Connect. Paired with a smartphone, MZD Connect makes it easier to take advantage of functions such as internet connectivity and access to social networking services.

Top-of-the-range Sport Nav models benefit from new exterior features including 19-inch Gunmetal alloy wheels, LED headlamps including LED daytime running lights, and LED foglamps.

On board, an already comprehensive Sport Nav standard equipment specification is further bolstered by a new Integrated Navigation system which offers greater accuracy, improved search features and three years of free map updating.

SE-L Lux and Sport Nav grade options now include Stone Leather upholstery (in lieu of black), whilst the Sport Nav options list further benefits from Mazda Radar Cruise Control, and an evolution of the Safety Pack which incorporates several newly-developed technologies.
Adaptive LED headlamps (ALH) automatically adjust the array of high beam illumination to avoid dazzling the occupants of both oncoming and preceding vehicles, without the need to switch to low beam lighting.

The Lane-keep Assist System (LAS) with Driver Attention Alert (DAA) builds on the existing Lane Departure Warning system, providing steering wheel vibration and assisted steering if the driver strays from the middle of the chosen lane. Having first learned the owners driving style, DAA operates at speeds of over 40mph, alerting drivers to take a break if it detects a degradation in driving style indicating fatigue.

Advanced Blind-Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (BSMw/RCTA) combines two systems in one for greater safety. The system's larger detection area to the side and rear of the vehicle provides better coverage, whilst BSM employs the same system sensors to detect pedestrians, bicycles and other vehicles when reversing.

Rear Smart City Brake Support (RrSCBS) operates at speeds of between 2 and 5mph when reversing, automatically applying the brakes if the system detects an imminent rear impact.

Mitsubishi announces that all new cars come with a full five year warranty.

Mitsubishi Motors is delighted to introduce a comprehensive five-year warranty across all models including its versatile L200, giving customers extra confidence and peace of mind.

Mitsubishi Motors is a company renowned for producing reliable vehicles that inspire exceptional brand loyalty. From the 1st January 2015, all its cars and commercial vehicles will come as standard with a fully comprehensive five-year warranty package.


In addition, all Mitsubishi models come with a three-year, pan European roadside assistance package – MAP (Mitsubishi Assistance Package) so that Mitsubishi customers can keep their vehicles on the road, without the worry of vehicle downtime.

Mitsubishi Motors in the UK experienced a very successful 2014 with vehicle sales growing substantially by 74.4 per cent up, against a UK market up 9.4 per cent. Today’s announcement will undoubtedly increase dealer showroom traffic and boost sales further next year.  
Lance Bradley, Managing Director of Mitsubishi Motors in the UK, said: 

“The move to a 5-year warranty is a reflection of Mitsubishi’s confidence in the unrivalled quality and reliability of our product. It is especially significant when you consider the hard working nature of some of our vehicles such as Shogun, and leading edge ultra-low emission technologies in the Outlander plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.”

The Power to captivate, that will be the new Infiniti Q60 Concept.

  • Infiniti reveals two-door concept for a future sports coupe
  • Design draws cues from latest Infiniti models and Formula One
  • Handmade leather finishes, Alcantara®, and carbon fibre feature in the bespoke interior
Ahead of the 2015 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, Infiniti raises the curtain on its vision of a premium sports coupe.

The striking Q60 Concept is poised to entice coupe fans with its sharp contours and hand-crafted interior, while at the same time suggesting performance and power to match. Result: a no-compromise fusion of looks and speed.

The Q60 Concept sits low and wide in a road-hugging stance hinting at exceptional dynamics and driving pleasure.


While the Q60 Concept is fresh and original, it evokes a sense of déjà vu at times with whiffs and traces of the Q80 Inspiration (shown this past October at the Paris Motor Show) evident in its finest details.

The audaciously low roofline and quilted leather seats remind one of the elegant full-size Q80 Inspiration, while the aerodynamic gills behind the front wheel arches are inherited from the Q50 Eau Rouge sports saloon concept.

“The Q80 Inspiration was an indication of Infiniti’s future design language,” said Alfonso Albaisa, Infiniti Executive Design Director. “The Q60 Concept is the next step in the journey.
“The sweeping lines of the Q80 Inspiration gave the Q60 Concept its coupe silhouette and looks while the Formula One-inspired touches from the Q50 Eau Rouge endowed the coupe with its sports personality.”

The visual excitement in the edgy lines of the concept is set off by the custom 21-inch wheels which take up the entire wheel arch. Inspired by jet turbine blades, the black spokes in a combination of mattes and chromes stretch to the edge of the wheel, further emphasising how “planted” the coupe is.

The high-quality ambience inside speaks of Infiniti’s meticulous attention to detail, clearly evident from the impeccable hand-stitched leather to the precise treatment of the carbon fibre accents.

Infiniti designers use a variety of leathers on the seats to provide just the perfect balance of comfort and support as befits a premium sports coupe. They also make the Q60 Concept a genuine “2+2” coupe by giving rear passengers more legroom through the use of genuine sport seats.

As a foreshadowing of the next generation of Infiniti’s premium sports coupe, the Q60 Concept makes use of taut lines and sports car cues to convey exceptional stance and presence.
See the Q60 Concept in the metal when Infiniti holds its 2015 NAIAS press conference at 8:10am on Tuesday, January 13th.

UK RECALL #35 - YAMAHA - Indicators may fail to work correctly.

Vehicle Details
Reference :RM/2014/044
Manufacturer Ref :MRM14001TW 
Make:YAMAHA
Model :NXC125 Cygnus
Launch Date :19/12/2014
Numbers Involved :4037
Build Start Date :
Build End Date :
Recall Details
Concern :INDICATORS MAY NOT FUNCTION
Description :The indicator relay may not be correctly located. Movement may cause a wire to break and render the indicator inoperative.
Remedial Action :Fit new indicator relay wiring kit.
Vehicle Id :SE411101412 to SE411425771
Other Vehicles Affected (Click the vehicle to perform an extended search)


UK RECALL #34 - PEUGEOT - The handbrake may not apply fully.

Vehicle Details
Reference :R/2014/186
Manufacturer Ref :ZVZ 
Make:PEUGEOT
Model :2008
Launch Date :19/12/2014
Numbers Involved :17831
Build Start Date :29/01/2013
Build End Date :29/08/2013 
Recall Details
Concern :HANDBRAKE MAY NOT APPLY FULLY
Description :On affected vehciles the handbrake adjustment may not have been correctly set during manufacture. This may cause the handbrake to be ineffective unless applied to it's full extent.
Remedial Action :On affected vehicles check handbrake setting and adjust if necessary.
Vehicle Id :VF3******DY002834 to VF3******EY105098
Other Vehicles Affected (Click the vehicle to perform an extended search)