Unapologetic, uncompromising and built to win, Lotus has announced the development of the mighty Exige Race 380

• Race only version of sensational Exige Sport 380

• 375 hp and 410 Nm

• Weight cut to just 998 kg dry

• 0-60 mph in 3.2 secs

• Laps Hethel 1.5 seconds quicker than Exige Cup R

• Aerodynamic downforce boosted to 240 kg

Unapologetic, uncompromising and built to win, Lotus has announced the development of the mighty Exige Race 380 - the track-only sibling of what has been hailed as one of the marque’s most significant and sensational cars, the critically acclaimed Exige Sport 380.

Combining Lotus’ vehicle development skills with its motorsport pedigree, the class-leading competition car will set the pace when the first production cars reach owners in May 2017. 

As part of the current Exige’s development cycle, the Race 380 will become the race car of choice for teams as well as privateers for the 2017 / 2018 season.

Taking one of the world’s best supercars, the Exige Sport 380, the new model provides the ultimate in race-bred engineering and comes with a host of competition-focused components as standard.

Gearbox, suspension, aerodynamics and electrical systems are among the items that have been modified to reflect the car’s role but, despite the fact that the new Race model is not available in a road-legal specification, the majority of the original car’s configuration is retained, thanks to the Exige Sport 380’s highly advanced development.

Unveiled late last year, the Lotus Exige Sport 380 has proved to be one of Lotus’ most successful new models in recent years, with orders for the next four months’ production already allocated.

Jean-Marc Gales, CEO of Group Lotus plc, commented: “The Lotus Exige Sport 380 is a real giant slayer on the road, and one of the quickest A to B supercars around. It gave us the ideal platform from which to develop the new Exige Race 380 - a peerless competition car designed to beat the best. By setting its weight below 1000kg, its power to weight is unsurpassed in its class. When lapping Hethel, it’s a phenomenal 1.5 seconds faster than the previous Exige Cup R - a massive performance gain. It’s an unparalleled race car that follows the philosophy of Colin Chapman and we can’t wait for customers to experience its capabilities.”

The Lotus Exige Race 380 in more detail

In keeping with its name, the new Exige Race 380 includes a wide range of competition-orientated options as standard, covering everything from drivetrain to driver information system – all designed to increase the car’s capabilities. Developed to be eligible for the world-wide Lotus Cup series and a number of clubman championships, this race car is every inch a winner.

Retaining the race-proven 3.5-litre supercharged V6 engine, the Exige Race 380 boasts 375 hp at 6,700 rpm and 410 Nm (302 lbft) of torque at 5,000 rpm. However, in order to extract every ounce of performance, the car comes with an Xtrac 6-speed sequential transmission, oil cooler, and cassette-type plate limited slip differential, and is operated by carbon paddles located behind the steering wheel. Opting for the full exhaust system in titanium removes a further 10 kg from beyond the rear axle. Extremely quick off the line, the Exige Race 380 sprints from 0-60 in just 3.2 secs, and laps the Hethel track in an outstanding 1 minute 23.5 seconds - the fastest ever for an Exige.

Generating even more downforce from the car’s aerodynamics, the Race 380 produces a phenomenal 240 kg at 170 mph, thanks to some careful revisions. Vents are incorporated into the front bodywork and rear bumper to reduce pressure around the wheels and increase downforce; and a grille mounted at the rear aids air circulation through the engine bay. A new front splitter reduces pressure beneath the Exige, whilst the rear diffuser and larger and a straight-cut motorsport rear wing mounted to the bodywork helps modify airflow at the rear of the car.

Helping the Exige exploit its performance, the Race 380 employs Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres as standard (wider 215/45 ZR17 at the front; 265/35 ZR18 at the rear), renowned for their predictable handling and high grip, which are complemented by the car’s ultra-lightweight forged alloy wheels. The same attention to detail has been applied to the brakes, with AP Racing forged, four-piston callipers and grooved two-piece brake disc providing the stopping power.

The Exige has long set the benchmark for handling and, to ensure it remains perfectly poised and agile, the Race 380 uses a revised suspension configuration, incorporating 2-way adjustable Öhlins dampers and adjustable front and rear anti-roll bars. This, together with the Lotus Traction Control System, where the amount of wheel slip can be adjusted by the driver from the cockpit, allows owners to fine tune the vehicle’s handling characteristics.

The Exige Race 380 features a full, integrated roll cage, lightweight FIA Carbon driver seat (HANS compatible) and a six-point harness, as well as ultra-lightweight polycarbonate side windows, competition specification fire extinguisher, battery isolator and front and rear motorsport towing eyes. An ultra-lightweight carbon fibre motorsport specific louvered tailgate panel is fitted over the engine and carbon fibre air intake pods are fitted to either side of the car forward of the rear wheels. As with other race cars in the Lotus range, headlamps are replaced by matt black covers and airbags are not included in the specification.

Helping the driver stay on pace, the new Exige Race 380’s colour TFT instrument cluster offers numerous user customisable and programmable screen configurations. Incorporating a track data logger and GPS unit, owners have the opportunity to upgrade this logger with professional data analysis software.

As well as being designed to win, the Exige Race 380 looks exceptional and retains many of the hand-made carbon-fibre components from the Exige Sport 380 including the front inspection cover, hard top and diffuser surround.

The Exige Race 380 is available to order now, priced £99,500 excluding VAT.

Land Rover makes swift recall of nearly 40,000 Evoques in China after TV show exposed issues.

Jaguar Land Rover has started to recall Range Rover Evoque SUVs in China four days after a report on state-run television said the company didn't handle quality problems properly.

The recall will cover 36,451 imported cars made between June 3 and Dec. 24 last year, the automaker said in a statement posted on its official microblog. The automaker also extended the warranty period for gearboxes in the recalled vehicles to seven years or 240,000 kilometers (150,000 miles), it said.

JLR opened a plant outside Shanghai in October to start producing vehicles such as the Evoque in China. The company plans to capture 10 percent of the country's premium SUV market, it said at the time.

Jaguar Land Rover's recall marks the latest victory by China Central Television in its push to force automakers to react to consumer complaints over quality. Volkswagen Group's record recalls in China in 2013, involving defective gearboxes, took place less than a week after the state broadcaster featured buyers' complaints about the problems.

A separate report by the TV station on March 18 this year said Volkswagen ignored complaints of oil leaks from engines in models including the Magotan sedan and the Tiguan SUV. Volkswagen China is conducting an investigation into the issue and apologized to customers, it said in an emailed statement on Thursday.

China's automotive safety regulator didn't respond to a fax sent Thursday seeking comments on what actions it would ask Volkswagen to take.

REPORT HERE

CHINA - Volkswagen inaugurates new component facility in Northern China.

• Production of energy-efficient transmissions starts in Tianjin
• New gearbox generation in China
• DQ 380 satisfies demands for innovative and environmentally friendly technologies
• 107th Group plant meets highest quality and environmental standards

At its Tianjin components plant in North China, Volkswagen today started production of the latest generation of highly advanced dual-clutch gearboxes (DSG), celebrating a world premiere. Initially, the new Volkswagen plant will have an annual production capacity of 450,000 units, which will be increased to 1.2 million units by 2016. 

By 2019, 5,500 new jobs are to be created in the region. Volkswagen has invested about €265 million (RMB 2.2 billion) in the first stage of the plant. This investment will boost economic growth in Northern China.

Prof. Dr. Jochem Heizmann, Member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG responsible for China as well as President and CEO of Volkswagen Group China, said: "Our investment in the new components plant at Tianjin shows that we are pioneers in reducing fuel consumption with our technologies. Today we are celebrating the start of production of a new gearbox generation which stands for fuel efficiency, quality, vehicle dynamics and comfort".

The new Tianjin plant will produce the modern DQ380 gearbox. In combination with the third generation of the new EA888 engine, which is produced at the engine plants in Changchun and Shanghai, Volkswagen will achieve a consumption reduction of 0.5l/ 100 Km and therefore a CO₂ reduction of 12g/km compared with the previous generation.

As soon as production at Tianjin is running at full capacity, Volkswagen will be able to provide over one million vehicles on China's roads with gearboxes optimized for fuel efficiency in combination with the advanced engines and thus make a significant additional contribution to the reduction of CO₂ emissions_.With about 5,500 new jobs, Volkswagen Automatic Transmission Tianjin is currently the largest investment project in the region. 

The new transmission production company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group. The dual-clutch gearboxes produced especially for the Chinese market will be used in several Group models in China in the future. The new generation of DSG gearboxes will help Volkswagen become the most sustainable automaker in China by 2018.

Throughout the world, Volkswagen represents environmentally compatible mobility and production as well as sustainable growth. This includes advanced production processes and the consistent reduction of energy consumption and emissions. For example, an advanced water treatment facility that reduces process wastewater by up to 95 percent and also recycles the water has been installed at Tianjin. Furthermore, the heat from spent air is transferred to fresh intake air, halving energy consumption. In addition to the use of natural daylight through light domes, LED lighting in the factory hall also almost halves power consumption for lighting.

Next year, the first Volkswagen Component Academy outside Germany is to be established in Tianjin. The objective of this academy will be to develop dual vocational training for up to 4 vocations based on the German model. 

Vocational school students will receive initial and further training from experts in the relevant fields. In this context, Volkswagen aims to enter into cooperation arrangements with local vocational schools. New talents are to be systematically fostered, laying the foundation for an innovative, sustainable automotive industry in North-East China. 

In the medium term, the Academy will make it possible to meet demand for employees with specialist technical qualifications. "It is of great importance to us that our workers are intensively trained and made aware of environmental issues", underlines Heizmann. "Only the great expertise and excellent qualifications of our workers make the success of our products possible".

A test and analysis centre for all DSG transmissions produced in China is also to be established at Tianjin from 2016 onwards. This will represent a further step in know-how development by Volkswagen in China, with a view to ensuring the sustainable development of the Chinese automotive industry with uniform global quality standards.

The new Volkswagen plant is located in the Tianjin Economic Technological Development Area (TEDA) in North-East China. Tianjin is the 107^th plant of Volkswagen Group – and the Group's 18^th production location in China. This means that the Volkswagen Group is one of the most successful companies in the Chinese automotive industry. In China, Volkswagen produces models of its group brands Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Audi and ŠKODA for the Chinese market together with its joint-venture partners SAIC and FAW. 

Vehicle production includes the use of engines and vehicle components from local plants. With its new location at Tianjin, the Volkswagen Group is represented at a total of eight vehicle and ten component production locations in China. In order to expand vehicle production, Shanghai Volkswagen has already announced a further new facility in Changsha. FAW-Volkswagen will also be constructing two new vehicle plants at Qingdao and Tianjin. 

In the first three quarters of 2014, Volkswagen Group China, together with its Chinese joint ventures Shanghai Volkswagen and FAW-Volkswagen, delivered more than 2.7 million vehicles, representing an increase of 15.2 percent compared with the previous year.

Changes to E-Class geaboxes mean better economy and more power.

From September there will a number of changes for the E-Class range, including the introduction of the new 9G-Tronic gearbox, new standard equipment, more power and lower emissions. 

Mercedes-Benz developed the 9G-Tronic gearbox in-house and will be twinned with the E 350 BlueTEC engine in the Saloon, Estate, Coupé and Cabriolet. The pairing brings a significant reduction of up to 17 g/km of CO₂ emissions which now start form 149 g/km for the Coupé, 154 g/km for the Saloon and Cabriolet and 159 g/km for the E 350 BlueTEC Estate.  Power has also been increased to now total 258 hp (+ 6hp).

At the same time the E 220 BlueTEC will see an increase in power to 177 hp (+ 7hp), with a reduction in CO₂emissions of up to 16 g/km whilst still being paired with the 7G-Tronic transmission.  The E 220 BlueTEC SE Saloon now boasts the lowest CO₂ emissions of the range at 116 g/km.  Capacity of the E 400 AMG Sport will be known moving forward as the E 400 AMG Line and capacity of the V6 will increase for both the Coupe and Cabriolet to 3,498 cc, again with lower emissions of up to 17 g/km.

Collision Prevention Assist Plus will be fitted as standard to every E-Class Saloon, Estate, Coupe and Cabriolet to reduce the impact of rear-end collisions.  The system provides visual and acoustic warnings when a head-on collision is imminent.  The adaptive brake boosting effect and activation of Pre-Safe® take place when the driver applies the brake, and if the driver fails to respond autonomous braking will be activated at speeds up to 62 mph to reduce the severity of a collision with slower or stopping vehicles.

The system can also brake in response to stationary vehicles at speeds up to 30 mph and prevent rear-end collisions at speeds of up to 24 mph.

A Premium and Premium Plus Package will also be available offering customer added value of up to 27 per cent over purchasing each item separately.  The Premium Package for the Saloon includes a Panoramic Glass Sunroof, Memory Package, Rear Split Folding Seats, and a Reversing Camera for £2,695 while the Premium Package adds Keyless-GO Comfort Pack and a Harman Kardon® sound system for £3,895.  Costs for the Estate variant are £2,395 and £3,495 for the Premium and Premium Plus Packages respectively, as they already have the split folding seats and powered tailgate as standard.

LATEST NEWS - Volkswagen issues recall on 1.68 million vehicles worldwide.

Volkswagen recalls Tiguan for fuse exchange

• Some of the vehicle lights could fail on the Tiguan

• Gearbox oil change with vehicles with DQ200 gearboxes

Within the framework of the continuous monitoring of vehicles in the field, Quality Assurance at Volkswagen AG has found that, in isolated cases, a fuse may trip in the Tiguan, thus resulting in failure of one of the two vehicle light circuits. This in turn causes individual light functions to fail. However, the vehicle's electric circuitry ensures that some lights remain on all around the vehicle. The driver is immediately informed of this on the instrument cluster. Replacing the fuse with one with a tougher surface coating only takes a few minutes. Approximately 800,000 vehicles, which includes 147.000 vehicles in the German market, built between the beginning of 2008 and the middle of 2011, are affected by this global campaign. The relevant vehicle owners will be informed by Volkswagen accordingly.

Within the framework of further quality monitoring in China and Southeast Asia, it has been discovered that, with vehicles with a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox (DQ200), electric malfunctions could occur in the gearbox power supply if synthetic gearbox oil is used. This applies in particular if the vehicle is subject to a hot and humid climate, coupled with a high proportion of stop & go driving.

Studies have established that using of mineral oil will rectify this problem. To continue to ensure customer satisfaction amongst DSG, Volkswagen has decided to launch global voluntary campaign and to request all customers with a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox (DQ200) filled with synthetic oil to visit a workshop for an oil exchange. The vehicle owners will be informed by Volkswagen accordingly.