UK SALES 2015 - Audi, despite the recent emissions scandal, posts record sales in the UK with a 5% increase.

Fifth record year in succession as Audi UK sales reach another unprecedented peak

• Record deliveries to customers up 5% on full year 2014
• 43 separate model lines offered in 2015 by the German Premium brand

UK Audi sales have reached a new record high of 166,709 cars for the full year 2015 on the back of consistent year-on-year increases since 2011. 

Up by five per cent (from 158,987) on 2014, this total exceeds the brand’s sales objective while also adhering to its long-term strategic goal of delivering profitable and sustainable growth.

The new record has been set despite punctuation of the year by the replacement of the top-selling A4 with an all-new model, and was not achieved at the expense of premium brand best practice. It secures premium sector leadership in the retail and true fleet channels for the Four Rings marque.

“Our plan was to achieve a sustainable new car sales benchmark which wasn’t overly dependent upon a single model line and didn’t overheat any particular sales channel,” commented Audi UK Director Andre Konsbruck.

“Our approach to growth is primarily based on quality of sales and on a well-balanced spread of demand across our 43-strong UK model line-up,” he added. 

“The benefits of this strategy include stronger residual values and consistent quarterly increases year-on-year bolstered by record sales of quattro-equipped and Audi Sport models. This is despite the fact that production of the existing RS 4 and RS 5 has ended and the TT range is currently without an RS flagship.”

Audi has increased its UK sales annually since 2011 when it recorded 113,797 customer deliveries. In 2012 this rose to 123,622 and in 2013 a further rise to 142,040 was achieved. Last year 158,987 Audi cars found UK owners. Over the past four years the Audi UK market share at full year has grown from 5.9 per cent in 2011 to the current 6.3 per cent for the full year 2015.

Audi sales scale new heights in the UK –

UK Audi sales have reached a new record high of 166,708 cars for the full year 2015 – a five per cent increase on 2014 and the fifth successive rise since 2011. This carefully managed total has been achieved without compromise on ‘true premium’ brand values.

USA RECALL - FERRARI - over 800 cars over Eight models, all for airbag issues, from Takata Corp, AGAIN.

Luxury supercar maker Ferrari is recalling 814 vehicles, costing from $200,000 to more than $1.4 million, to fix driver-side airbags that were installed at an improper angle.

The airbags were discovered when Ferrari was doing tests on a 458 Italia’s steering column, according to documents posted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website today. The airbag deployed in a rotated orientation, Ferrari said, which could cause injury.

The Italian manufacturer, owned by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, found that the leather skin covering the airbag module had been improperly glued and the air-bag cushions had been installed at the wrong angle. The recall covers eight different models made from December to April this year.

Although the airbags were produced by troubled Japanese supplier Takata Corp., the defect isn’t the same as in the Takata airbags that have exploded and sent shrapnel toward drivers and passengers. That recall affects more than 34 million inflators worldwide and has been linked to at least eight fatalities.

No fatalities or injuries were reported in the documents Ferrari filed with the U.S. regulator. As required by law, Ferrari will replace the driver-side air bags free of charge. The recall is expected to begin July 30.

The recall covers the 458 Italia, the 458 Spider, the 458 Speciale, the 458 Speciale A, the California T, the FF, the F12 Berlinetta and the LaFerrari. All the affected cars were manufactured between Dec. 19, 2014, and April 29, 2015.

Suggested list prices range from $202,000 for the California T to $1.42 million for the LeFerrari, according to Car and Driver website.

Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said July 10 that an initial public offering for a spun off Ferrari SpA was “days away.”

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Ferrari announces new limited edition 458 Speciale A.

499 cars to celebrate our most successful, award-winning 8-cylinder model

Ferrari is pleased to announce the Paris Motor Show world debut of the 458 Speciale A (A as in Aperta). The new limited edition special series is a celebration of the dazzling success of the various versions of the 458, a model that has collected an array of international motoring media awards and track victories, not least a double WEC title and category wins in classic endurance races, such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring.   

Dedicated to just 499 Ferrari collectors, the 458 Speciale A is the most powerful spider in Prancing Horse history, effortlessly marrying extreme performance with the sublime pleasure of drop-top driving. Its aluminium retractable hard top, which takes a mere 14 seconds to deploy or retract, helps reduce the weight difference with the Speciale coupé to just 50 kg. 

The 458 Speciale A sports the most powerful naturally-aspirated road-going V8 engine ever built by Ferrari. It punches out a massive 605 cv (135 cv/l specific power output) and 540 Nm of torque at 6000 rpm yet only generates 275 g/km of CO₂ emissions. The three international Best Performance Engine awards the V8 has won are acknowledged on a special plaque in the cockpit. 

The new car sprints from 0-100 km/h in just 3.0 seconds and has a Fiorano lap time of 1’23”5. These superb results are thanks in great part to its front and rear active aerodynamics, the rigidity of a chassis that incorporates 10 aluminium alloys, and Side Slip Angle Control (SSC) which guarantees unparalleled sporty driving in all conditions, underscored by the seductively exhilarating signature Ferrari soundtrack.

As is the case with all Prancing Horse cars, the 458 Speciale A’s sculpted forms are absolutely performance-oriented. In fact, a series of innovative and original bodywork solutions has made the 458 Speciale A the most aerodynamically efficient Ferrari spider ever.  

The 458 Speciale A is being premiered in a unique triple-layer yellow livery with a Blu Nart and Bianco Avus central stripe as well as five-spoke forged wheels in Grigio Corsa. The cockpit has a distinctive racing-inspired look: lightweight yet exclusive materials have been adopted throughout and, of course, crafted with Ferrari’s signature artisanal sophistication. This is particularly true of the finish of the dash, the moulded door panels and central tunnel in an exclusive blue carbon-fibre (also used for the treadplates) as well as the newly-designed seats in Alcantara© with contrasting stitching and 3D technical fabric.  

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION SUMMARY

Engine
Type	V8 – 90°
Total displacement	4497 cc
Max. power output	605 cv at 9000 rpm
Maximum torque	540 Nm at 6000 rpm
Weight
Dry weight	1340 kg
Weight-power ratio	2.21 kg/cv
Performance
0 - 100 km/h	3.0”
0 - 200 km/h	9.5”
Fiorano lap time	1’23”5
Emissions (ECE + EUDC combined cycle)
CO2 emissions**	275 gr/km

**with HELE system

USA - Mercedes-Benz has best month yet for 2013

Best month yet for 2013

In the 10th consecutive month of its 2013 sales streak, Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) today reported total October sales of 32,620 units for the Mercedes-Benz, Sprinter and smart model lines, a 22.4% increase from the 26,642 vehicles sold in the same period last year.  Retail volumes for the Mercedes-Benz brand alone broke October records at 30,069, up 25.4%, while year-to-date sales rose 13.7% to a landmark  245,125 units.  Adding year-to-date volumes of 16,978 for Sprinter Vans and 7,450 vehicles at smart, MBUSA’s year-to-date totals reached 269,553 units, making this the best October in the company’s history.

“It’s been an extraordinary year for the brand, embodied in two cars— the CLA and the S-Class —as stunning as they are technologically fit,” said Steve Cannon, president and CEO of MBUSA.  “More importantly, October sales show they’re resonating with customers.  The recently-launched CLA is already one of the top volume models and our flagship S-Class, just rolling into dealerships, is up 75%.  With sustained momentum and compelling product across the model range, we’re looking toward a record finish in the final stretch of 2013.”

Mercedes-Benz October sales were led by the C-, E- and CLA-Class model lines.  The sporty C-Class came in first at 6,548 units, followed close behind by the E-Class with sales of 6,456—an increase of 22.6% from October 2012.  Sales of MBUSA’s newest star, the sporty CLA-Class four-door coupe, rounded out the top three at 4,895.

The Sprinter model line posted month-to-date gains of 22.3% at 2,038 units, driven by the popularity of its redesigned 2014 lineup on sale since September.  Month-to-date sales at smart totaled 513 units.

Sales of Mercedes-Benz’s BlueTEC diesel models were 1,536 for the month, up 60% versus October 2012 (960) and up 10.1% for the year at 13,368.  The company’s high-performance AMG models finished the month with sales of 729, an increase of 49.4% from last October.

Separately, Mercedes-Benz Certified Pre-Owned (MBCPO) recorded sales of 7,612 vehicles in October, an increase of 13.1% when compared to October 2012 (sales of 6,732 vehicles).  On a year-to-date basis, MBCPO sold 80,502 vehicles, an increase of 21.4% over the 66,318 vehicles sold during the comparable period last year.