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 22 July 2017

USA SALES JUNE - HONDA/ACURA - The sales are slightly higher in June thanks to SUV's.

  • American Honda trucks set new all-time June record, up almost 2%
  • Acura Division gains 23.7% in June with both cars & trucks rising in double digits
  • Acura TLX nets 12.9% increase as 2018 A-Spec performance model drives traffic
  • Acura RDX sets new June mark with 48.3% jump; MDX nets 14% increase
  • Honda HR-V sets all-time best June, advancing over 35%
  • Accord rises 3.4% and Civic tops 30,000 units as passenger cars remain strong
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. today reported total June sales of 139,793 Honda and Acura vehicles, an increase of 0.8 percent over June 2016. Honda and Acura Division trucks also combined for a new June record, gaining 1.9 percent on sales of 70,067 units, while combined car sales totaled 69,726, down a very slight 0.3 percent. 
Honda Division was down 1.3 percent on sales of 125,755 units, with trucks down 1.6 percent on sales of 60,500 units due to inventory issues, and cars down just 1 percent on sales of 65,255. Acura Division sales gained 23.7 percent in June, on sales of 14,038 vehicles, with trucks jumping 30.9 percent on sales of 9,567, and cars rising 10.6 percent on sales of 4,471 units.
Honda
Honda Division maintained a robust sales pace in June, nearly matching a notably strong June of 2016. Civic and Accord remain at the top of car sales charts, with Accord rising 3.4 percent in June and Civic again posting a strong month of over 30,000 units, boosted by the high performance halo of Type R.  CR-V suffered slightly in June from low supply of higher trim availability, but HR-V set yet another record with its best June ever and Ridgeline gained in double digits, despite inventory issues with all-wheel drive models.


  • Continuing to assert its lead in the subcompact SUV segment, HR-V jumped 35.1 percent in June, with 8,872 units sold.
  • Accord pushed against the tide again in June, gaining 3.4 percent on sales of 29,791 vehicles, building momentum for the fall debut of the just-announced 2018 Accord.
  • With 30,909 Civics sold in June, the #1 selling car in the U.S. combined with #2 Accord to exceed 60,000 units for the month, the top 1-2 passenger car duo in the industry.
  • Civic Type R proved popular in its first month, with sales topping 550 units in 2 weeks.
  • Odyssey got off to a strong start, with sales of 11,146 units making it #1 in segment.
"Against a sea of competitors clinging to market share via heavy incentives and fleet sales, Honda's success is driven by retail customers attracted to a cadence of strong new products," said Jeff Conrad, senior vice president and general manager of the Honda Division. "Although the market is catching its breath, we're injecting new energy with models like the incredible new Civic Type R and we're not done yet in 2017, with a new Accord on the way."
Acura
Acura had a notably strong month of June driven by renewed focus on product that reflects the brand's Precision Crafted Performance direction. Notably, the recently revitalized TLX and new MDX Sport Hybrid earned considerable positive attention, helping boost the division 23.7 percent for the month.  TLX led Acura car sales with a 10.6 percent increase in June, while RDX led Acura trucks to a 30.9 percent gain.


  • The new TLX A-Spec is a sought-after model at Acura dealers, helping overall TLX sales gain 12.9 percent on sales of 3,175 units for the month.
  • RDX set a new all-time June record with a 48.3 percent leap on sales of 5,327 units.
  • MDX had a strong June, posting 4,210 sales for an increase of 14 percent.
  • ILX sales rose 6.9 percent on sales of 1,191 units, its best month of 2017.
  • Adding emphasis to Acura's performance path, one of Michael Shank Racing's NSX GT3 cars won at Watkins Glen on Sunday, its second consecutive victory in the IMSA series.
"In a challenging luxury automotive marketplace, reshaping our products around the performance direction of the Acura brand is clearly resonating with luxury car and truck buyers," said Jon Ikeda, vice president & general manager of the Acura division. "The A-Spec variant has put TLX back on the luxury performance sedan map, while the sporty virtues of MDX and RDX continue to speak for themselves in strong sales."

USA SALES JUNE - SUBARU - 67 months of growth does not look like ending anytime soon.

  • Record June - monthly sales increase 11.7 percent over June 2016
  • 67 consecutive months of yearly month-over-month growth
  • Best June ever for Crosstrek, Forester, Outback and Impreza
  • 40 consecutive months of more than 10,000 Outbacks sold
  • 47 consecutive months of more than 10,000 Foresters sold
Subaru of America, Inc. today reported 52,057 vehicle sales for June 2017, an 11.7 percent increase over June 2016, and the best June in the history of the company. The automaker also reported year-to-date sales of 304,810 vehicles, a 9.1 percent gain over the same period in 2016.


June marked the 40th consecutive month of 40,000+ vehicle sales for the company. Crosstrek, Forester, Outback and Impreza sales were notably strong as each model achieved its best June ever.


“We are very pleased to have set another half-year record and to have reached our 67th consecutive month of yearly month-over-month sales increases,” said Thomas J. Doll, president and chief operating officer, Subaru of America, Inc. “Despite a more competitive market, we’re proud of our retailer’s ability to increase sales volume and market share.”



“We are pleased to have exceeded 50K sales for the tenth time in the past twelve months and we are optimistic about our results for the remainder of the year,” said Jeff Walters, senior vice president of sales. “We will benefit as the all-new 2018 Crosstrek starts arriving at our retailers later this month.”




Carline
Jun-17
Jun-16
% Chg
Jun-17
Jun-16
% Chg

MTD
MTD
MTD
YTD
YTD
YTD
Forester
15,440
12,029
28.4%
87,957
80,255
9.6%
Impreza
7,858
4,994
57.4%
43,026
29,765
44.6%
WRX/STI
2,655
3,130
-15.2%
16,185
16,006
1.1%
Legacy
3,834
5,023
-23.7%
25,564
30,357
-15.8%
Outback
14,019
13,417
4.5%
86,253
77,386
11.5%
BRZ
429
347
23.6%
2,297
2,407
-4.6%
Crosstrek
7,822
7,658
2.1%
43,528
43,282
0.6%
TOTAL
52,057
46,598
11.7%
304,810
279,458
9.1%

USA SALES JUNE - AUDI - the german luxury brand hits 78 months of continuous growth.

  • Q5 sales rose 1.8 percent; Q7 sales jump 19 percent
  • Sales of all-new A5 Sportback were 1,147; Demand for A4 sedan increased 7.9 percent
  • Audi SUV sales increased 6.9 percent for the month
Audi of America reported a June sales increase of 5.3 percent to 19,416 vehicles, as the all-new Q5 and the all-new-to-the-U.S. A5 Sportback helped drive the demand.

June was the 78th consecutive month of record sales for Audi of America and the third-best sales month in the brand’s U.S. history. The previous June record was set last year with 18,445 deliveries. Through the first half of the year, Audi has sold 102,971 vehicles in the U.S., more than in any full year prior to 2010.
Deliveries of the new Q5 rose to 4,498 and have risen 17 percent for the year. Q7 sales rose 19 percent over last June to 3,114 and have risen 14 percent year-to-date. Q3 rose 1.3 percent to 1,741. 
Total Audi SUV sales were 9,353. Through the first half of the year, Audi SUV sales have risen 14 percent to 51,565.
Deliveries of the new A5 coupe, Sportback and Cabriolet, more than doubled to 2,374 vehicles. The A4 sedan posted sales of 3,022, a 7.9 percent increase for the month and 16 percent year-to-date, as Audi sedans continue to outperform a challenging sedan market overall. Audi car sales rose 3.8 percent to 10,063.
“The design, technology and quality of our new models are drawing customers to Audi showrooms and helping us do well in a tightening market,” said Cian O’Brien, chief operating officer, Audi of America. “The rollout of the Q5 and the arrival of the RS 3 and TT RS this summer, give us confidence that Audi will continue to win new fans.”

AUDI US SNAPSHOT
--MTD--
--YTD--
Model Line
June '17
Actual
June '16
Actual
Yr/Yr %
change
June '17 YTD 
Actual
June '16 YTD
Actual
Yr/Yr %
change
A3
1,904
2,818
-32.4%
10,417
14,642
-28.8%
A3 e-tron
324
353
-8.2%
2,120
1,942
9.2%
A4
3,022
2,802
7.9%
17,269
14,919
15.8%
A5
2,374
802
196%
6,739
4,334
55.5%
A6
1,425
1,690
-15.7%
7,969
8,328
-4.3%
A7
224
487
-54%
2,290
3,056
-25.1%
A8
301
303
-0.7%
1,601
1,941
-17.5%
allroad
251
134
87.3%
1,383
837
65.2%
Q3
1,741
1,719
1.3%
9,086
8,468
7.3%
Q5
4,498
4,419
1.8%
25,747
21,986
17.1%
Q7
3,114
2,613
19.2%
16,732
14,741
13.5%
R8
75
72
4.2%
481
262
83.6%
TT
163
233
-30%
1,137
1,478
-23.1%
Total Audi Sales
19,416
18,445
5.3%
102,971
96,934
6.2%
Total CPO Sales
3,290
3,842
-14.4%
22,236
23,064
-3.6%

NOTES:
- A3 includes A3 Sedan, S3 Sedan and A3 Cabriolet, but does not include A3 Sportback e-tron.
- A4 includes A4 Sedan and S4 Sedan, but does not include A4 allroad.
- A5 includes A5 Coupe, S5 Coupe, RS 5 Coupe, A5 Cabriolet, S5 Cabriolet and RS 5 Cabriolet.
- A6 includes A6 Sedan and S6 Sedan.
- A7 includes A7 Sedan, S7 Sedan and RS 7 Sedan.
- A8 includes A8 Sedan, A8 L Sedan and S8 Sedan.
- Q5 includes Q5 and SQ5.
- R8 includes R8 Coupe and R8 Spyder.
- TT includes TT Coupe, TTS Coupe and TT Roadster.

The storming Jaguar SV Project 8 XE wins the showstopper award at this years Goodwood.

  • New Jaguar XE SV Project 8, designed, engineered and assembled by SVO, makes its world dynamic debut at Goodwood Festival of Speed
  • Supercar-performance four-door Project 8 sedan beats world-class opposition to win the second annual Michelin Supercar Paddock Showstopper Trophy
  • Showstopper award is presented following a four-day online public vote, with the overall winner selected by a panel of judges live at the Festival of Speed
  • 600PS 5.0-litre Supercharged V8 makes Project 8 the most powerful, agile and extreme performance Jaguar road car ever – capable of reaching 200mph and 0-60mph in 3.3sec*
  • Drivers for Project 8’s dynamic debut on the Goodwood hillclimb course included Panasonic Jaguar Racing Formula E team driver Mitch Evans
Making its global dynamic debut among the most powerful and extreme performance cars in the world at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the new Jaguar XE SV Project 8 claimed the hotly-contested Michelin Supercar Paddock Showstopper Trophy – just four days after the car was officially unveiled.
As the only four-door car in the Michelin Supercar Run, the Jaguar faced formidable competition in the 50-car paddock, but voters in an online poll hosted by Michelin UK singled-out Project 8 as one of the six most popular cars of the weekend, qualifying it for the overall Showstopper final on Sunday afternoon. 
This shortlist of six cars was judged live on stage by a panel of motoring experts, headed by Michelin Supercar Paddock presenter and former BTCC Champion, Tim Harvey. Joining him were British automotive journalist and broadcaster, Jon Quirk, American drift racer Vaughn Gittin Jr, Supercars of London channel star Paul Wallace, Seen Thru Glass channel star Sam Fane, and London-based custom car aficionado Jason Pelosi.
Chief Judge, Tim Harvey, said: “Jaguar’s Project 8 really took everyone by surprise at the Festival this weekend. Not only was it the car’s world debut – but the sheer extremes of the car, and the way it’s pushed the boundaries in every single way, made it an absolute stand out in the Michelin Supercar Paddock.
“This shone through in the online vote, and when it came to our judging panel, we were all pretty quickly won over by the Jaguar as a true star of the short-listed six. It really does it for me as a former touring car racer, and the car’s uncompromising looks and performance secured the rest. Congratulations Jaguar.”
John Edwards, Jaguar Land Rover Special Operations Managing Director, said:

“We are absolutely delighted to receive the Showstopper award for Jaguar XE SV Project 8 on its world dynamic debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, and to see the fantastic reaction it’s had from car enthusiasts.

“With spectacular looks, supercar performance, and a soundtrack to match, Project 8 was always intended to turn heads on and off track.”
The second Collector’s Edition by SVO, following the successful F-TYPE Project 7 of 2014, Project 8 is a road-legal hand-built four-door sedan with an extraordinary combination of V8 power, dynamic agility and All-Wheel Drive traction.
Project 8 exclusively features the most highly tuned version of Jaguar Land Rover’s 5.0-litre Supercharged V8 petrol powertrain. The 600PS power unit, which has a Titanium Variable Active Exhaust, is complemented by Jaguar’s All-Wheel Drive (AWD) system and motorsport-derived aerodynamics and carbon fibre panels to deliver a 200mph top speed and 0-60mph in 3.3sec*, making Project 8 the fastest accelerating Jaguar yet. 
To ensure exclusivity, no more than 300 examples of Project 8 will be hand-built at SVO’s Technical Centre in Coventry, priced from £149,995 in the UK.
Building on the award-winning lightweight aluminium Jaguar XE compact sedan, Project 8 features a number of purposeful modifications that are fundamental to the performance of the most track-focused car SVO has ever produced, including height-adjustable suspension, the first application of Jaguar’s ultimate new Carbon Ceramic Braking system, and an industry-first use of F1-style silicon nitride ceramic wheel bearings on a road car.
The high-performance theme continues inside, with subtle applications of Gloss Carbon Fibre trim as well as Alcantara, on the rim of the Project 8 Sport Steering Wheel, instrument binnacle and door cards. The eight-speed Quickshift transmission can either be operated by aluminium paddle shifters behind the steering wheel or by a central Pistolshift lever.
Project 8 is available with four seats or an optional two-seat Track Pack. It’s also the first Jaguar to feature a dedicated Track Mode, which tailors driveline and stability control systems for circuit use, and sharpens both throttle and steering responses for ultimate precision and driver feedback.
Full details of Project 8 are now online at www.jaguar.com.
*Performance figures are manufacturer’s estimates and subject to final confirmation ahead of production

Fiat adds the next model to the Panda City car, this time an Urban crossover style car.

  • Two-wheel-drive Panda, with off-road looks joins the range
  • Available with the 69hp 1.2-litre petrol engine
  • Orders for the New City Cross are now open, priced from £12,995
The new Fiat Panda City Cross is the latest addition to the Panda family, with two-wheel-drive and urban crossover looks, all for a city car price. 
The new Panda City Cross is a true urban crossover designed for customers looking for a practical city car, with an off-road look, at an affordable price. Building on the style of the Panda Cross 4x4, the Panda City Cross comes with body-coloured front and rear bumper inserts and side mouldings and contrasting black door mirror caps, roof bars and door handles. Completing the off-road look it comes with the same 15-inch alloy wheels, that can be found on the Panda Cross.
Inside, the Panda City Cross features a grey dashboard fascia with matt black instrument panel inserts and new seats, characterised by black and grey fabric with black eco-leather side inserts. The new Panda City Cross is available in front-wheel drive combined with the 69hp 1.2-litre petrol engine.
The new Panda City Cross is available in two new body colours: the pastel Minimal Grey and Electronica Blue, the latter available exclusively on this car. An optional pack can also be specified to customise the car further: The City Cross Style pack adds ultrashine roofbars, side mouldings and skid plate as well as body coloured door mirrors and front red hooks, to bring it in line with the Panda Cross. Inside, the City Cross style pack includes an upgraded copper dashboard and panels and seat upholstery to match its four-wheel-drive sibling.
Ever since its debut, Panda has stood out for its three different personalities: as a functional city car, an ultra-compact 4WD off-roader and a stylish urban crossover with excellent off-road qualities. Its compact size, flexible interior, wide choice of engines and colour combinations, and simple line-up are now enhanced with this latest version.
 Model
 Power hp  
 Torque Nm 
 Economy mpg

 (combined  cycle)  
 Emissions

 g/km CO  
 Price OTR   
 Panda City Cross  

 1.2- litre     69hp  
 69
 102 @3,000rpm 
 51.4
 129
 £12,995

Rolls ROyce and Goodwood go together like a hand in a glove, this year was no different.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars celebrated a successful Goodwood Festival of Speed over the weekend, with a significant presence throughout the event. The highlights:
Dawn Black Badge
The Festival of Speed served as the perfect staging point for the global unveiling of the Rolls‑Royce Dawn Black Badge. Unveiled in the spectacular setting of the Rolls-Royce display area on the Laundry Green, Dawn Black Badge, flanked by its siblings Wraith Black Badge and Ghost Black Badge, drew huge crowds throughout the weekend.
Dawn Black Badge stands as the most luxurious, social space from which to take in the night air. This most glamorous, uncompromising expression of open-top luxury is given a new and darker sensual dimension through its suite of Black Badge engineering and design treatments. 
The car shown was presented in a deeply intense shade of black, created by the most exhaustive painting and polishing process ever used for a solid paint colour. 

The result clothes Dawn’s lines in the deepest, darkest and most intense black to ever grace a production car surface. The roof, which opens in a ‘Silent Ballet’ to allow in the sounds of the night, is in black canvas, whilst the rear deck is finished in black leather.
Rolls-Royce ‘Sweptail’
Rolls-Royce’s history as the world’s pre-eminent coachbuilder is at the very core of its identity as the world’s most celebrated luxury brand. 
The coachbuilt Rolls-Royce ‘Sweptail’ graced the Festival of Speed in the ‘First Glance’ category, drawing huge crowds whether at rest in the paddock or wafting up the Hillclimb. Inspired by the beautiful coachbuilt Rolls-Royces of the 1920s and 1930s, the patron’s desire was for a coachbuilt two seater coupé featuring a large panoramic glass roof. Rolls-Royce ‘Sweptail’ is a truly magnificent motor car, exuding the romance of travel for its own sake, placing it in the pantheon of the world’s great intercontinental tourers.
Wraith Black Badge
The most powerful and dynamic Rolls-Royce in history, Wraith Black Badge effortlessly ascended the Hillclimb during the Supercar Shootout. Wraith Black Badge peaked at 126mph during the 1.16-mile course and recorded a speed of 102mph as the car crossed the finish line, proving that it is not necessary to sacrifice luxury for speed. Wraith Black Badge was driven by Endurance Racing legend Joerg Weidinger. 
The car was finished in Dark Indigo, with the interior in Seashell and Navy Blue contrast leather, and the fascia in Black Badge Technical Fibre.
Ghost Black Badge
The Course Car this year was a Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge, resplendent with LED race lights and Goodwood decals. The car was driven by a team from Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and seen on the course between each Hillclimb Run throughout the weekend, completing 85 runs and covering more than 200 miles in total. The car was finished in Andalusian White, with the interior in Black and Tan contrast leather and the fascia in Black Badge Technical Fibre.
Bradley Theodore
Celebrity artist Bradley Theodore created unique artwork throughout the event at the Rolls‑Royce Black Badge display area on the Laundry Green. Renowned for his instantly recognisable ‘Dia de los Muertos’ style, Theodore is dedicated to making his art accessible for all to see around the world, producing murals on the streets of Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Oslo and Paris. 
During the Festival of Speed he created artwork inspired by iconic Rolls-Royce images, including the Spirit of Ecstasy, Double R badge and radiator grille, and also the magnificent Rolls‑Royce ‘Sweptail’.
The Rolls-Royce Fleet
In addition to the cars on the Hillclimb, invited VIP guests were conveyed in luxury from the Home of Rolls-Royce on the south-eastern corner of the Goodwood Estate – in sight of Goodwood House – in a beautiful and rarely seen fleet of Bespoke Rolls-Royce motor cars.
Anyone wishing to filter relevant Rolls-Royce information from the event is encouraged to use the hashtag #BlackBadge