After having his yellow car vandalised, Vauxhall has named the colour yellow after him "Maddox Yellow"

• Vauxhall Motors is intending to rename the shade of yellow Corsa ‘Maddox Yellow’ and joins 100 strong car convoy 

Vauxhall Motors is intending to re-name the shade of its yellow Corsas to ‘Maddox Yellow’ in a show of support for Peter Maddox, the 84-year-old pensioner who had his yellow Vauxhall Corsa vandalised earlier this year. 

The incident happened after he was blamed for ruining the view of the picturesque village of Bibury by parking the car outside his Cotswold cottage. 

Peter and his yellow Corsa hit the headlines earlier this year and he has gone on to win the heart of the nation. 

In his support, a convoy of 100 yellow cars from across the country will join forces in a show of solidarity to Peter and drive through Bibury on Saturday 1^st April, for the UK’s biggest ever, ‘Bright Yellow Car Convoy’. Vauxhall Motors will attend the event with ‘Maddox Yellow’ Corsas, as Bibury gets ready to turn yellow. 

The event, organised by members of the public on Facebook, will support Peter Maddox’s chosen charity, The Butterfly Garden - an educational, therapeutic and recreational scheme, based initially on gardening, for people of all ages dealing with a range of disabilities. 

Peter’s local Vauxhall dealership, The Baylis Group, helped Peter get back on the road right away by replacing his vandalised Corsa with a new 3-door, 1.4 Corsa. However, the colour was changed to ‘Satin Steel’, a grey tone to fit-in with his surroundings. In addition, Vauxhall Motors has given him a service package which will ensure the vehicle stays in ‘mint’ condition.

Denis Chick, Director of Communications at Vauxhall Motors comments: “When we heard Peter’s story we were inspired at the way it captured the heart of the public. We wanted to show our support for Peter, which is why we are intending to rename our yellow shade to ‘Maddox Yellow’. We will also be in the car convoy to show our support. It is for a great cause and no doubt a fun day for lovers of all yellow cars, including Vauxhalls.” 

Peter also commented, saying: “I was upset when I found that my Vauxhall Corsa car had been vandalised just because of the colour. I am touched by the support I have received since. It’s great to see both Vauxhall Motors and the public supporting me and The Butterfly Garden, a charity close to my heart.” 

Vauxhall Motors originally announced the, ‘Corsa Camo-net’, a new accessory when the story first hit the headlines in 2015. The accessory was to be designed specifically for use around National Trust premises and ‘chocolate box’ villages. Quick and easy to operate, the net folded up easily into a back-pack or the boot of a vehicle, so ideal for use in the countryside by ramblers and tourists alike.

Citroen thanks its ten million followers of Social Media for joining them online.

Citroën celebrates reaching 10 million global fans on Facebook by giving back to fans with a unique GIF. Fans are invited to find out which of them is the most important in Citroën’s eyes. After clicking the link, the surprise is that they are automatically directed to their own profile page; an original way to show that each fan is just as important as the other.

Citroën’s international Facebook page has gained a new GIF featuring a large heart aimed at each and every member of the brand’s Facebook fan base, which is now in excess of 10 million.

Citroën aims to thank its fans by offering them the opportunity to find out which of them is the most valued by the brand. The twist is that the link returns them directly to their own profile page proving that each fan is appreciated.

Citroën has topped the 10 million fan mark on Facebook, an achievement that once again reflects the close ties with its communities on social media including:

• The creation of a Facebook page dedicated to the New C3 with a day-to-day log of activities during the launch period.
• The first 100% mobile vehicle configurator on Facebook with the New C3.

These close ties are further strengthened by New C3 with the world’s first built-in dashcam, ConnectedCAM Citroën™. Citroën is encouraging its fans to use ConnectedCAM Citroën™ and to share their photos and videos on social media.

Today, Citroën has over 10 million global fans: a symbolic milestone underlining the brand’s strong momentum. Taiwan and Hong Kong recently joined the community, taking the number of Citroën Facebook pages worldwide to 79. The brand counts more than 13 million fans across all its social media channels worldwide.

LA SHOW - MINI USA showcases the world premiere of the new Countryman, Cooper, Cooper S and ALL4.

• Live access to the press conference on the MINI USA Facebook Page

MINI USA will proudly introduce the biggest, most adventurous MINI ever, the all new MINI Countryman, at a press conference today at 11:50 am PST at the Los Angeles International Auto Show. 

Fans looking to get a first-hand look at the new MINI Countryman can tune-in live to the press conference on the MINI USA Facebook page. 

On stage for the World Premiere will be all three engine variants of the new Countryman, including the Cooper, Cooper S and the all new plug-in hybrid Cooper S E ALL4.

As the biggest and most adventurous MINI ever, the Countryman incorporates BMW Group engine technology and vehicle architecture. 

The ALL4 offers an all-turbocharged engine lineup with outstanding acceleration and the go-kart driving dynamics that MINI owners have come to know and love. At the same time, this new architecture delivers excellent ride quality and enables the most spacious MINI interior ever.

For the first time ever, the MINI product line includes a model powered by both a three-cylinder MINI TwinPower Turbo Technology gasoline engine and an electric hybrid synchronous motor.  With an option to plug in, the MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 has a 3-cylinder gasoline engine that works in tandem with a powerful electric motor to produce a combined peak output of 221 hp, with the e-rear axle enabling all-season ALL4 traction.

“The Los Angeles Auto Show is the perfect place for the new MINI Countryman’s World Premiere because the exhibition highlights all of the technological progress the auto indusry has made in the last year,“ said Thomas Felbemair, Vice President MINI of the Americas. “With the addition of the plug-in hybrid option MINI has achieved its largest, most versatile and technologically advanced product yet.”

#FromWhereIMINI

MINI fans and adventurers have followed the new MINI Countryman on its journey to the World Premiere in Los Angeles by following @MINIUSA on Instragram. The journey was captured by adventure drone photographer Dirk Dallas (@dirka). Check it out for yourself by using #FromWhereIMINI hashtag.

The new MINI Countryman will go on sale in March 2017 at MINI dealers across the U.S. with the MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 plug-in hybrid following in June 2017. Pricing for the U.S. market will be announced at a later date.

Also on display at the Los Angeles International Auto Show will be the new MINI John Cooper Works Clubman that made its World Premiere at the Paris Motor Show and the MINI Seven Special Edition.

Fans on Facebook and Twitter dictate the latest design colour scheme on the Lotus Evora 400 Limited Edition.

• Lotus fans select iconic blue & orange scheme for Evora 400
• Social media poll via Facebook and Twitter
• Highlights bespoke nature of Lotus Exclusive programme
• Latest limited edition sports car celebrating 50 years at Hethel

Car fans across the world have helped the Lotus Exclusive service by choosing one of the most famous racing colour schemes for a run of extremely limited Evora 400 Exclusive editions.

Challenging enthusiasts to pick their preference from a selection of carefully curated designs, penned by Lotus’ design team, the social media poll on Lotus’ Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages, saw modern interpretations of classic automotive colour combinations, as well as some established Lotus liveries.

The outright winner was revealed as the Blue & Orange edition, recalling the famous racing colour scheme first seen in the 1960s, with a complementary palette inside, setting black leather upholstery against orange contrast stitching.

The new Blue and Orange limited edition Evora 400 is the latest Lotus sports car to help mark 2016 as the 50^th anniversary since the founding of the Lotus Factory and Headquarters in Hethel, Norfolk.

With a special paint colour and orange and white decal stripes, the Exclusive design gave fans the opportunity to give the modern Evora 400 a thoroughly retro look. Black forged wheels and red brake calipers complete the car’s distinctive look.

Jean-Marc Gales, CEO of Group Lotus plc said, “Any one of the designs in the poll would have been a worthy winner. So now that the poll has finished and with thousands of votes cast, we have decided that the winner will make it into production. We only plan to build 10 of these Evora 400 sports cars in total so with their rarity, I expect them to quickly become very desirable.”

Developed by the team at Hethel, Lotus Exclusive inspires customers to further personalise the character of their Lotus cars. With the ability to tailor to their personal taste, it provides an alluring alternative to a standard specification sports car.

With such limited production numbers, the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Exclusive edition is expected to sell quickly. However, customers can create their own, unique Lotus through the Exclusive programme today.

The ultra-low volume edition perfectly demonstrates the appeal of Lotus Exclusive, which offers buyers a unique ownership proposition by combining traditional British craftsmanship with modern design. Tailoring one of Lotus’ high-performance sports cars to suit personal tastes, it offers a customised alternative to an off-the-shelf car, covering everything from colour coding through to race car preparation.

Jean-Marc Gales, CEO of Group Lotus plc, commented, “A Lotus is all about the purity of the driving experience and benchmark handling and owning a Lotus is a statement that you value design, innovation and the skills of our craftsmen and women who hand build all Lotus sports cars in Hethel.”

About the Evora 400

As one of the most significant models in the company’s history, the Lotus Evora 400 drives home the company’s commitment to developing pure, driver-focused sports cars.

Developed through Lotus’ Lightweight Laboratory, the car’s low mass of 1,395 kg drastically enhances its performance.  As a result, the Evora 400 accelerates from 0-60 mph in just 4.1 seconds (0-100 km/h in 4.2 seconds) and continues on to deliver a maximum speed of 186 mph (300 km/h).

Combining a lightweight revised aluminium chassis with a high-output engine, to deliver remarkable performance, its supercharged and charge-cooled, mid-mounted 3.5-litre V6 engine produces 400 hp and 410 Nm of torque. The car’s efficient composite body, flat-floor, rear diffuser, three-element rear wing all enhance aerodynamics, generating significant downforce of 32 kg at 150 mph (241 mk/h).

The Lotus Evora 400 enjoys a high specification as standard, including 370 mm composite two-piece brake discs from AP Racing, a Limited Slip Differential (LSD), automatic air-conditioning and infotainment system with satellite navigation. Options include automatic transmission and cruise control.

As an alternative to the 6-speed gearbox, with the torsen-type LSD as standard, a smooth-shifting 6-speed automatic gearbox is available. With electronically optimised up-shifts. Drivers can change gears manually via forged aluminium paddles mounted to the steering wheel, or rely on the gearbox’s fully automatic mode.

As befitting a hand-built car, the cabin of the Evora 400 uses the highest quality materials, including Alcantara and leather, while the driver-orientated layout provides ergonomically optimised controls. Very much a usable 2+2 coupe, passenger space is improved on the previous model, with greater legroom and wider rear seats, and the chassis revisions have increased the size of the door aperture, making it easy to enter and exit the Evora 400.

Lotus Exclusive is available on all Lotus cars, including the new Elise Cup 250 and Exige Sport 350, and includes a full range of performance options making it truly “made to measure”. Lotus Exclusive is available for all Lotus customers through the Lotus dealer network.

Porsche tours the UK in celebration of 10 million Facebook fans Worldwide.

TMW Thoughts

As you can see from the above picture, it seems Porsche may well be a little premature in their self congratulatory praise, Anyway, the 10,000,000 will come, and with it, probably more celebrations, either way, congratulations to Porsche on gaining the many millions that they already have achieved, and the many millions more that will come their way over the coming years.

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Porsche 918 Spyder leads UK road trip with Cayenne and Panamera S E-Hybrid

A dream drive for one Porsche enthusiast will become a reality this week when Ingo Georges Vandenberghe from Austria joins a special road trip around England and Wales in a Porsche 918 Spyder plug-in hybrid super sports car, and all because Porsche has reached the 10,000,000 facebook milestone.

Ingo (27) won this amazing prize in a competition hosted on the Porsche Facebook page to celebrate the landmark of reaching 10 million Facebook fans worldwide. Now, he will visit a series of top cultural and motoring landmarks from the unique vantage point of the cockpit of the epochal 918 Spyder.

At each stage on the car’s 1,000 km journey, Porsche owners and enthusiasts will be invited to sign the car as a memento of its historic trip. 

The 918 Spyder will be joined by a Cayenne S E-Hybrid and Panamera S E-Hybrid, underlining the pre-eminent position of Porsche as the only premium marque offering three plug-in hybrid cars.

The 918 Spyder – the fastest production car ever to lap Autocar magazine’s road test circuit – will drive from central London and tour through Oxford, Wales and the Cotswolds before finishing at the Porsche Experience Centre at Silverstone. 

The route has been chosen to demonstrate both the power and efficiency of Porsche E-Hybrid technology, the ultimate expression of Porsche Intelligent Performance.

To encourage people to share in this special moment, the car has been specially wrapped so it can be signed at stops during the journey.

The choice of Bourton-on-the-Water as a stopping point was inspired by the Facebook competition. Fans were asked to identify the country and location of a landscape photograph, and the closest guess won this amazing ‘once in a lifetime’ experience.

More information is available via www.porsche.com/10m, a combination of specific Porsche brands features and user-generate content curated from hashtag #10MRoadtrip. Fans are requested to use this hashtag when sharing their experiences of meeting the 918 Spyder on its journey.

Featuring a bespoke 608 hp 4,593cc V8 petrol engine supported by a 115 kW electric motor driving the rear axle, and a 95 kW electric motor powering the front wheels, the 918 Spyder produces a total output of 887 hp. This power offers the potential for acceleration from 0 to 60 mph in 2.5 secs and a top speed of 214 mph. 

Such blistering performance is combined with the potential to accelerate to 93 mph in pure electric drive mode, and fuel economy of up to 94 mpg with emissions as low as 70 g/km CO₂. Built in a limited series of 918 examples priced from €781,155, every example of the carbon fibre two-seater 918 Spyder has been sold.

The Route:

We welcome people to come and join us and sign the car.

Use #10MRoadtrip to find out the timings for when the car will arrive at the key stops.

April 27

Start:	Mondrian Hotel, Central London tour of landmarks – London Eye, Westminster, Buckingham Palace, Harrods
Stop 1:	Windsor Castle
Stop 2:	Porsche Cars GB
Stop 3:	Oxford

April 28

Stop 4: Bristol – Clifton Suspension Bridge and Banksy Art, Severn Bridge

Stop 5: Cardiff Millennium Centre – city twinned with Stuttgart

April 29

tour of the Brecon Beacons, Monmouth, Ross-on-Wye

Stop 6: Porsche Centre Tewkesbury

Stop 7: Bourton-on-the-Water

the 918 Spyder will also visit Porsche Club GB HQ in Moreton-in-the-Marsh

Stop 8: Stratford-upon-Avon

April 30

Stop 9: Warwick Castle

Stop 10: Porsche Experience Centre Silverstone, arriving noon

Stop 11: Canary Wharf, London

Ingo will be accompanied on the drive by Gordon Robertson, Chief Driving Consultant at the Porsche Experience Centre Silverstone. 

On their arrival at the famous circuit in Northamptonshire, Ingo will experience the extent of the power and performance of the 918 Spyder when Gordon demonstrates its breadth of ability around the Porsche Experience Centre tracks.

Qoros branches out into the world of wild concepts, with Q: QorosQloud Qubed

• Qoros enters LA Design Challenge with Q: QorosQloud Qubed
• Concept predicts advanced vehicle/driver connectivity in the year 2029
• Fans can vote on LA Auto Show’s Facebook page until 20th November

Qoros, the new international car brand headquartered in China, has entered the LA Auto Show Design Challenge with its innovative ‘Q: QorosQloud Qubed’ concept.

The 2014 competition brief challenges international automotive design teams to explore how technology will transform vehicles to connect with human senses in the year 2029. The winner of the competition’s People’s Choice Award will be determined by the submission receiving the most votes on the LA Auto Show’s Facebook page.

The ‘Q: QorosQloud Qubed’ submission from Qoros – designed by Jamie Barrett, Aditya Mahajan and Alex O’Brien amongst others – conceives an intelligent, multi-dimensional personal management assistant. Q will learn from the driver over a period of time through the five senses, with the dynamics of the vehicle/driver relationship modelled in much the same way as a human relationship, developing and growing over time.

Q is designed to learn the user’s tastes, favourite restaurants, music preferences, regular destinations, friends, family and general interests. This knowledge is built up throughout the ownership period, with Q learning more every day. Q is designed to maximise safety by identifying when the user is distracted or driving irresponsibly, quickly switching to an autonomous driving mode.

Tim Pilsbury, Design Director at Qoros Design Shanghai, said, “We are extremely proud of our entry for this year’s LA Auto Show Design Challenge. We pioneered the innovative QorosQloud connected services technology in our current real-world model line-up, so it was exciting to look ahead 15 years to conceive further developments of the platform. 

The Q: QorosQloud Qubed concept forecasts a futuristic smart human-machine interface, linking the car to the driver’s senses to create the ultimate connected driving and ownership experience.”

Members of the public can vote once every day until 20th November for their favourite LA Auto Show Design Challenge entry at the show’s Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/LosAngelesAutoShow