The new Volvo S90 & V90 will be unveiled in the UK this week at two exclusive Scandinavian pop-up shops

The new Volvo S90 and V90 will be unveiled to the UK public from this week at two exclusive Scandinavian pop-up shops in Reading and Glasgow shopping centres.

From Tuesday 5^th April to Sunday 17^th April, customers in The Oracle in Reading and Silverburn in Glasgow will get a chance to relax in a Scandinavian cafe and enjoy traditional Swedish Fika*, while experiencing first-hand the look and feel of Volvo’s two new premium cars that will be available in UK dealerships later this year.

Joining the S90 and V90 will be the all-new XC90 launched last year – crowned SUV of the Year at the UK Car of the Year Awards in 2016 and Auto Express’s 2015 Car of the Year.

S90

The S90 saloon has already won the accolade of Production Car Design of the Year 2015, voted for by a panel of professional car designers from around the world. Equipped with a host of new technologies, ranging from cutting-edge safety to cloud-based apps and services, the S90 is further proof of the Swedish brand’s continuing transformation. The S90 will also come with a clean and powerful T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid powertrain and one of the most luxuriously appointed interiors and connected infotainment systems in the large saloon segment. The S90 is on sale now priced at £32,555 for delivery in autumn 2016.

V90

The stylish and versatile V90 estate is the latest in Volvo’s top-of-the-line 90 series models, sitting alongside the award-winning XC90 SUV and S90 saloon. Building on Volvo’s heritage in the estate segment, the new V90 takes the premium estate a clear step forward in terms of aesthetics, materials and finish, while living up to the ultimately practical nature of any true estate. The V90 is on sale now priced at £34,555 for delivery in autumn 2016.

Both the S90 and V90 come equipped with the intuitive 9-inch touch screen centre console as debuted on the XC90, the same stylish Scandinavian design features as well as an upgraded Pilot Assist programme – a semi-autonomous drive technology that will steer, accelerate and brake the car at speeds of up to 80mph – all fitted as standard.

XC90

The all-new XC90 is a fusion of clean Scandinavian design and luxurious exterior and interior details married with outstanding levels of technology, safety, performance and economy. It features a relaxing and spacious seven-seat cabin trimmed in high-quality natural materials such as soft leather, Scandinavian wood and crystal glass. The XC90’s central portrait-style touch screen includes pinch, zoom and swipe functionality to control the heating, in-car entertainment, navigation, phone and car set-up. 

Volvo pop-up shops – locations and times

The Oracle, Reading – www.theoracle.com – the Volvo pop-up shop will be located on the lower mall, next to Superdry and opposite the Hollister store. Opening hours will be as follows:

Weekdays:  09:30 – 20:00

Saturday:    09:00 – 19:00

Sunday       11:00 – 17:00 

Silverburn, Glasgow – www.shopsilverburn.com – the Volvo pop-up shop will be located near to Superdry, Debenhams and Swarovski. Opening hours will be as follows:

Weekdays:   10:00 – 21:00

Saturday:     09:00 – 19:00

Sunday:       10:00 – 19:00 

For more information on the S90, V90 and XC90, please visit www.volvocars.co.uk  

* Fika is considered a social institution in Sweden; it means having a break, most often a coffee and sweet treats, with one’s colleagues, friends or family. It’s more than your usual coffee break – it’s a cultural institution.

Fancy winning a brand new Honda Civic Type R - For a year at least, well, you can, just drive a simulator.

Fastest lap time round the Ring wins a Civic Type R

Honda (UK) is offering fans the chance to win an all-new Civic Type R for a year by setting the fastest time around the notorious Nürburgring Nordschleife in a state of the art simulator.

Coming to a shopping centre or public event near you throughout the summer, Honda is throwing down the gauntlet to plucky challengers to take on the ‘Green Hell’ to celebrate both the arrival of the hotly-anticipated Type R in UK dealerships, and its record lap time around the famed circuit.

The target for budding race drivers is to get as close to the Honda record as possible; Honda test drivers achieved 7 minutes 50.63 seconds – the lap record set on the 12.9 mile track by a pre-production model of the new Civic Type R in May 2014. Once they’ve set their time anxious hopefuls will be able to keep an eye on the competition on a live leader board at www.kingofthehell.com or by using the Twitter hashtag #WinnerTakesR. The fastest lap at the end of the last event scoops the top prize.

The King of the Hell roadshow kicks off at the Westfield Shopping Centre in Shepherds Bush on Friday 17^thJuly for three days, before heading out to 17 other locations across the UK. Full details of venues and dates can be found at www.kingofthehell.com.

Leon Brannan, Head of Cars for Honda (UK) comments: “The buzz is really starting to reach fever pitch now as we head closer to the extreme new Type R arriving in our UK dealerships. Knowing the commitment and passion of our Type R fans I know they’ll be ready to take on this challenge, so we look forward to seeing what they’ve got!”

Billed as a ‘Race car for the road’, the new British-built Honda Civic Type R is the most extreme and high-performing model to ever wear the acclaimed ‘Red H’ badge. With a high-revving all-new two litre VTEC TURBO engine, advanced new suspension systems, stand-out function-led styling and a new +R track mode it is set to bring new standards to Europe’s high-performance front-wheel drive hatchback segment. Peak power output is 306BHP, with the engine red-lining at 7,000rpm, delivering a class-leading top speed of 167mph and 0-62mph in just 5.7 seconds.

In May 2014 a pre-production model of the Type R set an outstanding record lap time of 7 minutes 50.63 seconds around the legendary 12.9 mile circuit. The time was achieved during the final phase of pre-production testing, with the car in a standard state of engine tune with suspension, drivetrain, exhaust, brakes and the aerodynamic package identical to those of the production Civic Type R. 

The removal of equipment such as air conditioning, the front passenger seat and audio equipment offset the additional weight of a full roll cage (installed specifically for safety reasons and not to add rigidity).

Nicknamed ‘The Green Hell’ by F1 legend Sir Jackie Stewart, the Nordschleife is regarded as the most challenging and daunting circuit in the world, with 154 corners, large bumps, cambers and surface changes. The original track hosted the German Grand Prix between 1931 and 1976, after which it was modified in response to several driver boycotts over safety concerns.