A 2009 Ford Focus RS with just 45 miles on the clock to go under auction at the upcoming CCA Event in Birmingham.

• A ‘brand new’ 2009 Ford Focus RS, with just 45 miles on the clock, will be auctioned at Classic Car Auctions’ (CCA) next sale.
• The car has been kept in storage since new.
• The car joins a host of other highly collectible Fast Fords for sale at the two-day auction.

A 2009 Ford Focus RS, with just 45 miles on the clock, is ready to be sold at Classic Car Auctions’ (CCA) two-day auction at the Practical Classics Classic Car and Restoration Show, taking place at the NEC, Birmingham.

The delivery mileage car is essentially brand new having been kept in storage for the last seven years. One family owned from new, the car has had just two registered keepers, a pair of husband and wife Ford fanatics.

The Performance Blue car has had one service, carried out in October 2016, and was MoT'd in 2015 and 2016 with the current MoT valid until October 2017. It is estimated at between £32,000 and £36,000 when it goes under the hammer next month.

“The MK2 Focus RS has all the makings of a future classic and indeed are proving popular at auction. Back in February our sister company Silverstone Auctions offered an Ultimate Green example with just 1,800 miles which sold for an amazing £41,063 including buyer’s premium,” comments Guy Lees-Milne, general manager and classic car specialist at CCA.

“With the launch of a new Focus RS to much fanfare and continued demand for all things Fast Ford we expect a similar amount of interest with this amazingly low mileage example,” added Guy.

At CCA’s biggest ever sale, there’s a huge selection of other Fast Fords on offer with everything from a Fiesta XR2 to Escort RS Turbos and Capris.

Highlights include a low mileage 1992 Ford Sierra Sapphire 4x4 Cosworth, estimated at between £20,000 and £25,000. The ex-Ford demonstrator example was restored by RS Classic Cars and Service last year, after being professionally stored from 2005 to 2016.

A 1983 Ford Escort 1600i in concours condition is estimated at between £18,000 and £22,000. Also restored by RS Classic Cars and Service in 2016, the car is totally standard and even includes the original radio. It comes with the original handbook and service book with nine stamps, plus full restoration invoices.

“Our biggest ever CCA auction is a perfect opportunity for Ford fans to purchase their dream classic and so I’d encourage potential buyers to come and visit us at the NEC”, concluded Guy.

The new special edition BMW i8 Protonic Red Edition puts a new angle on the BMW i model.

• Priced from £112,535 OTR.
• A limited production model offering more individuality to the already successful BMW i8.
• Top speed of 155mph, yet 59g/km and 113mpg.

First showcased as the Vision EfficentDynamics concept at the IAA Frankfurt Motor Show in 2009, the production ready BMW i8 has gone from strength to strength with over 5,400 units sold in 2015 alone. 

With its clever hybrid drivetrain, the i8 boasts an output of 362hp and can also cover close to 22 miles in electric only mode. It also takes BMW’s EfficientDynamics philosophy to a new high, posting emissions of just 59g/km and a combined consumption figure of 113mpg in the process.

Model	Price OTR	Power Hp	Torque Nm	0 – 62mph Seconds	Top Speed Mph	CO2 Emissions g/km
BMW i8 Protonic Red Edition	£112,535	362*	570*	4.4	155**	49

*Combined system output       ** Electronically-limited

Available for a limited period only, the new special edition BMW i8 Protonic Red Edition puts a new angle on the immediately recognisable BMW i model. The paintwork, created exclusively for this sports car comes in a Protonic Red finish with Frozen Grey metallic accents. 

The colour scheme is complemented by BMW W-spoke 470 light-alloy wheels painted in Orbit Grey metallic with hubs painted in Aluminium matt and mixed-size tyres (front: 215 R20, rear: 245/40).

On the interior, the special edition i8 comes with high-class red double-stitching and exclusive carbon fibre and ceramic trims. The exterior and interior design of the i8 are heavily influenced by its LifeDrive architecture and pioneering BMW eDrive system, however its reinterpretation of established design features ensures it’s still recognisable as a BMW.

The structure of overlapping and interlocking surfaces also contributes to the unmistakable appearance of the BMW i8 Protonic Red Edition. This layering principle allows aerodynamic forms to be wrapped up in a progressively styled package, while powerfully formed wheel arches draw attention to the wide track of the BMW i8. The dihedral doors open forwards and upwards, adding intrigue to the sports car design of the BMW i8.

The BMW i8 was purposefully-designed as a plug-in-hybrid sports car offering agile performance, near 50:50 weight distribution and outstanding efficiency. It starts with an exceptionally lightweight and aerodynamically optimised body – including a passenger cell made from CFRP. It includes an advanced BMW eDrive drive system technology, a compact, highly turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology and intelligent energy management to all come together to create an overall package that represents a new landmark in the EfficientDynamics development strategy.

The original i8 was also the first BMW production model to be powered by a three-cylinder petrol engine. This turbocharged unit is equipped with the latest-generation BMW TwinPower Turbo technology with high-precision injectors positioned between the valves, along with VALVETRONIC. This 1.5-litre engine in the BMW i8 develops 231hp and drives the rear wheels, while a maximum torque of 320Nm is available from 3,700rpm.

The car’s second power source is a 96 kW/131hp hybrid synchronous electric motor which sends its power to the front axle.  The motor develops 250Nm torque from a standstill.  As well as providing a power boost to assist the petrol engine during acceleration, the electric motor can also power the vehicle by itself with a range in everyday driving of up to 22 miles and a top speed of 75mph on electric power alone, drawing its energy from a lithium-ion battery.  The high-voltage battery has a liquid cooling system, offers a maximum usable capacity of five kilowatt hours and can be recharged from a conventional household power socket, at a BMW i Wallbox or at a public charging station.

The combustion engine and electric motor, battery pack, power electronics, chassis components, and structure and crash functions are arranged together in the aluminium Drive module, while the central element of the Life module is the 2+2-seater’s CFRP passenger cell.

The battery unit is positioned low down in a central position, helping to give the car a low centre of gravity and enhance safety accordingly. Indeed, the centre of gravity of the BMW i8 is less than 460mm from the ground, making it lower than any other current BMW Group model. And this, like the car’s almost exact 50:50 weight distribution, ensures excellent handling properties.

Dr. Ian Robertson, BMW AG Board Member for Sales and Marketing said: “The success of the BMW i8 speaks for itself, it is already the world’s most successful hybrid sports car and has comfortably exceeded our own expectations. I can think of no better illustration of the relevance of our young BMW i brand.”

The BMW i8 Protonic Red Edition will be produced at BMW Plant Leipzig from July onwards and will officially be on sale from September, 2016 priced at £112,535 OTR.

USA - Next generation Chevy Spark gets debut at Seoul and New York Auto Show.

Chevrolet’s redesigned global minicar to debut in Seoul and New York on April 2

The all-new 2016 Spark will debut on April 2 at the Seoul and New York auto shows, Chevrolet announced today.

A sleeker, more aerodynamic profile and a progressive take on Chevrolet’s signature design cues will give the redesigned Spark a more sophisticated aesthetic that reflects the changing tastes of the global minicar market.

“The new Spark’s design has evolved and grown up with the segment,” said Michael Simcoe, GM International vice president of Design. “The youthful whimsy of the original Spark is still in its genes, but it is conveyed in more traditional proportions that reinforce the customer’s refined expectations.”

Chevrolet has sold more than 1.1 million Sparks around the world since it went on sale as the Beat in India in late 2009. Today, the Spark is available in 71 markets worldwide, selling the most in South Korea, followed by the United States and Mexico.

Spark is attracting younger and first-time car buyers to Chevrolet with 26 percent being under the age of 35.

Sales of the Spark in the U.S. are up 32 percent in the first two months of 2015 versus the same period in 2014.

First Restored Corvette, the "Blue Devil" is the first finished car after sinkhole damaged eight cars.

TMW COMMENT - This is great news to see that the cars have been restored to their former glory, I am a little upset that the entire batch of damaged cars will not be repaired, as these cars should be kept in the condition before the hole appeared, this is our fourth post on the sink hole, please read the others here.

SINKHOLE DESTROYS MUSEUM 

FINAL CORVETTE RESCUED FROM HOLE 

CORVETTE MUSEUM RECEIVES HUGE DONATION

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Corvette ZR1 ‘Blue Devil’ debuts at SEMA Show on way back to museum

Chevrolet today unveiled the restored 2009 Corvette ZR1 that was damaged earlier this year when a sinkhole developed beneath the National Corvette Museum. It’s on display this week at the SEMA Show, before heading back to the museum in Bowling Green, Ky.

The ZR1, nicknamed the “Blue Devil,” is the first of the eight cars swallowed by the sinkhole to be restored. One of two show cars used to introduce the all-new Corvette ZR1 in January 2008, the car was on loan from Chevrolet to the National Corvette Museum when the sinkhole developed.

Museum personnel were alerted about motion detectors going off in the Skydome area of the facility on the morning of Wednesday, Feb. 12. They arrived to find a sinkhole measuring about 45 feet wide, 60 feet long and up to 30 feet deep – and it had swallowed eight Corvettes.

Three weeks later, the ZR1 was pulled out of the sinkhole. Despite falling nearly 30 feet, it started and drove out of the Skydome under its own power.

“After that unprecedented event, the ZR1 was the first car to be lifted out of the sinkhole,” said Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president, performance vehicles and motorsports. “It was great to recover it, bring it back to Chevrolet and begin the restoration of this significant Corvette.”

The ZR1 remained on display at the museum until September, when it was returned to Chevrolet for restoration. The damage included:

• Cracked carbon-fiber ground effects and a broken passenger-side rocker panel
• Damaged passenger front fender, as well as cracks in both doors
• Cracked windshield, hood window glass and passenger headlamp assembly
• Bent rear control arms on the driver’s side
• Cracked oil lines to the supercharged LS9 engine’s dry-sump oiling system.

Six weeks after work began, the restored ZR1 was started for the first time at the General Motors Heritage Center.

Two other cars will be restored next year – the 1-millionth Corvette and a 1962 Corvette – while the other five will remain in their as-recovered state to preserve their historical significance. They will become part of a future display at the museum.

USA - RECALL - Volkswagen recalls certain 2009MY Routans for Ignition switch issues.

Volkswagen considers the safety and satisfaction of its consumers and passengers a top priority. As such, Volkswagen of America today notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that it will be issuing a voluntary safety recall affecting the ignition switch on certain 2009 model year Volkswagen Routan vehicles.

The recall affects approximately 18,500 model year 2009 Volkswagen Routan vehicles. An engine shutoff can occur if a vehicle is started and the key fob is released and springs back to the intended “on” position but over-travels and hangs up between the “on” and “ACC” detents. Harsh roadway conditions or driver interaction with the key fob can cause the key fob to move to either the “on” or “ACC” detent position. Movement to the “ACC” detent position will shut down engine power.

To fix the issue, Volkswagen will install a WIN Module Detent Ring on all affected vehicles.

No accidents or injuries related to this issue have been reported.  Volkswagen will notify all owners of affected vehicles and will instruct them to arrange for an appointment with an authorized Volkswagen dealer.

Camaro set to star in fourth Transformers installment, along with other Chevy models.

A look at the evolution of Bumblebee in the Transformers movie franchise

A Chevrolet Camaro that converts into the iconic Bumblebee returns to the big screen in Michael Bay’s “Transformers: Age of Extinction” in theaters June 27.

“In all the Transformers films, Chevrolet vehicles get to play the heroes,” said Tim Mahoney, chief marketing officer, Global Chevrolet. “These movies have helped us get our vehicles in front of a younger audience around the world.”

This is the Camaro’s fourth appearance in a Transformers film. The first three movies helped propel Camaro to sales leadership in its segment for the past four years.

“Being a part of the Transformers franchise is an incredible way to showcase the design work of which GM is capable,” said Ed Welburn, vice president of GM Global Design. “The global series gets our cutting-edge designs in front of more potential customers than we could through traditional methods.”

Transformers (2007)

In the first film of the series, Bumblebee goes through arguably his biggest change. The car starts off as a hand-me-down 1977 second-generation Camaro. The car is anything but flashy, with rust and primer spots, its famous yellow paint covered in patina.

Bumblebee eventually converts into a fifth-generation Camaro. However, this was in July 2007, two years before the Camaro would go on sale, so Chevrolet had to build a one-off running concept for the movie.

The vehicle used body panels made from the same molds that were used for the 2006 Camaro Concept, which was on the auto show circuit the year before. The body was fit to a chassis of a Holden Monaro to make it capable of performing in the film.

Its starring role in Transformers helped cement the fifth-generation Camaro as one of the coolest cars to come on the market in the following years.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) and Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)

With Revenge of the Fallen coming out only a few months after the latest Camaro went on sale, the movie depicted a modified production version of the Camaro. The yellow Camaro sported the signature black rally stripes on the hood and trunk deck lid, a mailslot hood, and a custom front bumper.

For Dark of the Moon, Bumblebee was upgraded to the SS model with a subtle update to its color, sporting a more amber hue than the previous model’s pure yellow. The vehicle sported darker wheels and a new paint scheme that included wider rally stripes and black side mirrors.

Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)

For the latest installment, Michael Bay asked the design team at GM to redesign Bumblebee to give him an updated look. With a specific focus on making him look more aggressive and muscular, the job was well suited to the North Hollywood Design Center.

The Center is just down the street from Paramount Pictures and as GM’s advanced design center, pens some of the most forward-looking designs to wear a bowtie badge.

The team designed a vehicle specifically for the movie with a new fascia and bulked up sides to create a leaner, meaner Bumblebee, with design cues that could put it years into the future.

But one Transformer can’t fight on his own, which is why the team was also tasked with designing an Allspark Green Tint Corvette Stingray to play Crosshairs and a Chevrolet Sonic rally car. Those vehicles will be joined by the Trax, which recently went on sale in China, and is set to go on sale in the U.S. early next year.

The movie makes extensive use of GM facilities as settings for the film. Scenes were filmed on Milford, Mich. Proving Ground, at the GM Design Center in Warren, Mich., including Welburn’s office and the Lansing, Mich., Delta Township Assembly Plant.

For example, at the Warren Technical Center, the production brought 200 people and 50 semi-trailers and filmed with minimal disruption to the work going on during the day.