Vauxhall launches the second recall to fix the issues, hopefully once and for all this time.

Vauxhall has announced that owners of Vauxhall Zafira B models will be invited to bring their vehicles back to Vauxhall dealerships so that a preventative action can be carried out to protect the vehicles from the risk of fire.

In December last year we wrote to all 234,938 Vauxhall Zafira B owners to make them aware of an issue which could affect their vehicle.

Our investigations had found evidence of improper repair of the blower motor resistor and its thermal fuse, which is designed to protect the blower motor system.

These improper repairs, which may have been conducted without the owners’ knowledge, can lead to overheating of the system’s electrical components and the potential for a fire. Resistors should never be repaired, they should only be replaced.

Since then we have been conducting a recall programme designed to return vehicles to their original condition.

This has involved replacing the resistor in every vehicle we have inspected and the blower motor and the pollen filter in many thousands of vehicles.

All of this has been free of charge to the customer.

At the time of the recall we said we would consider additional actions we might take and we have been in constant contact with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

On May 9^th we presented a status update to DVSA and agreed the additional action we are announcing today.

While the current action achieves the objective of returning vehicles to their original condition, after extensive investigations we have decided to go further and improve the overall robustness of the system.

We will therefore be initiating a second recall to replace the current soldered fuse resistor with a wax fuse resistor so reducing the opportunity for manipulation. When the recalls are complete, all vehicles will have a new wax fuse resistor, a new blower motor and a new moulding at the base of the windscreen to address water ingress.

Again, this work will be conducted free of charge.

We will soon be writing to all customers to inform them of the second recall action and provide appropriate advice.

Subsequently we will write to customers on a staggered basis to invite them in for the second recall.  It is planned to commence sending these letters during the month of August.

Owners of vehicles which have not yet had the initial recall completed should still bring their vehicles to their dealership to have them returned to their original condition.

Jake Hill is getting a new sponsor to assist in his Rookie Year in the British Touring Car Championships.

Omologato watches proudly announces a new partnership with British Touring Car Championship racing driver Jake Hill for his rookie year in the series.

With a number of points already under his belt for the 2016 season, Jake currently lies 20^th in the standings of 32 drivers, and is fast making a name for himself as a fearless competitor with a number of closely fought battles for points successfully concluded in his RCIB Insurance Toyota Avensis.

Thruxton saw his best finish to date in the BTCC, qualifying 15^th overall and 8^th in the independent class over the hotly contested weekend of rounds 7, 8 and 9 of the championship.

Omologato founder Shami Kalra said: “As a motorsport fan I have followed Jake’s progress through the ranks since his time in the Ginetta Junior Championship.  

He is just 22 but with a lot of experience in a number of racing series’ from Ginetta to Porsche Supercup to BTCC.  Motorsport is all about time, and so it felt that a watch partner, especially a motorsport inspired brand like Omologato would be a great fit.  

Omologato is a young brand, with big ambitions and an exciting future with high octane fuel coursing through everything we do – rather like Jake and the BTCC.  We are delighted to be involved.”

As a brand ambassador for Omologato, Jake will proudly wear his new ‘722’ timepiece, which is a tribute to Sir Stirling Moss’ legendary victory in his number 722 Mercedes-Benz at the 1955 Mille Miglia – 61 years ago to this week.

Jake said: “I am proud to wear the Omologato 722 – and hope it will bring me some of the success Sir Stirling achieved all those years ago.  Omologato is a brand I instantly fell in love with having read about the watches in motorsport magazines.  I met with founder Shami at the Autosport International show and we agreed there that we would work together if I got a seat in the BTCC this year.”

To celebrate the new partnership with BRDC Rising Star Jake Hill, Omologato is offering an ultimate money-can’t-buy BTCC experience to a lucky pair of winners through the Omologato website.  To enter, simply register for the newsletter at www.omologatowatches.com to be in the running to win Team Hard VIP hospitality at the concluding round of this year’s BTCC at Brands Hatch in October.  The package includes exclusive garage tours, grid walks, full VIP hospitality hosted by motorsport commentator Simon Hill with complimentary breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea – AND the winner’s name will be displayed on Jake’s Toyota Avensis race car alongside team sponsors for the Brands Hatch finale.

MG opens it's next dealership in Surrey, and with more coming, one that will make all the fans happy, the future is bright.

MG Motor’s newest addition to its growing dealer network has a history that reflects that of its own. Belmont Garage, in Surrey, has been established since 1929 and comes with a loyal following.

Belmont Garage is the latest dealer to join the MG network. The well-known garage, with branches in Sutton and Epsom, has built up an extremely loyal database of customers over the years – one that Dealer Principal, Ian Williams, is extremely proud of.

Ian said: “We’ve been looking to add another franchise to our Epsom dealership for a while now and we decided that MG would be the best fit. We love that the brand reflects our dealership image. We’ve worked hard over the years to get to where we are and despite being a smaller sized dealer, we like to think we pack a punch!

“As a result of us being in the area since the 1920s, we have a very high presence and because we’ve been looking after customer’s cars for so long we have built up an excellent reputation – I’m very protective over that. I have no doubt that, through the combination of our own heritage and MG’s too, we will make a great team.”

Belmont Garage received several enquiries not long after announcing MG would be coming soon to the dealership and they have already sold a handful of MG3 and MG6s.

Ian added: “We know that the MG3 will be the biggest seller for us, but when the GS officially lands we think it’s fair to say that that will be the main attraction.”

Matthew Cheyne, Head of Sales and Marketing, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Belmont Garage onboard; particularly when they come with such status in the local community. They have joined us at an exciting time and I know they’re very much looking forward to having the GS on their forecourt in just over a month’s time. We can’t wait to work with them.”

The All-New 2016 MG GS Crossover undergoes a whole host of checks before it is made available to the consumer.

Do you know what a new car goes through just to make sure it’s right for every eventuality? Rigorous testing, worldwide travel, freezing temperatures and strong winds are just some of them. Next month, the new MG GS goes on sale in the UK. 

To mark such a momentous occasion, MG has been keen to share the stages of the SUV’s growth; from the design brief and early sketches through to what it’s gone through to ensure it performs at its best.

All new models are put through their paces, and the MG GS is no exception to this thorough testing. The GS has travelled over 750,000 miles as part of its testing and it has braved the 46°C heat of Australia’s Alice Springs and -30° chills of Arjeplog in Sweden. Testing in such extreme temperatures guarantee that wherever you take your GS for adventures, it will stand up to the challenge.

To make sure the GS is as streamlined and fuel efficient as possible, it was also put through more than 200 hours of wind tunnel testing to develop its highly-efficient aerodynamics.

Testing has also covered the ‘wet dog in car’ scenario. By placing wet cloths in the GS, tests were able to determine how quickly the car can demist when moisture is present inside. Carrying out tests like this allow engineers to fine tune systems to ensure the GS runs at its optimum performance.

Matthew Cheyne, Head of Sales and Marketing for MG, said: “When you look into what a new car endures prior to going on sale, it’s fascinating and demonstrates the effort that goes into ensuring the car is the best it can possibly be.

“With the imminent arrival of the GS, we’re excited to share facts and figures and nuggets of information people may have not been privy to before. By sharing these, we’re showing customers that when they step into the GS they know it can stand up to all challenges and adventures they put it through.”

H.R. Owen opens in newest Maserati dealership based in Stockport, South Manchester.

• H.R. Owen officially launches new Maserati Manchester South showroom with glamorous party for invited guests
• H.R. Owen Maserati Manchester South joins long-established South Kensington and St. Albans Maserati showrooms
• The site offers sales and servicing and will display the full model range in the showroom, including the highly anticipated Levante when it launches later this year
• H.R. Owen Maserati Manchester South becomes the 11^th H.R. Owen site outside of Central London and the 18^th in total

H.R. Owen has strengthened its Maserati representation with the official opening of a new showroom in the north of England, based in Stockport, an affluent and entrepreneurial area of Manchester. The new showroom joins the existing Maserati site in St Albans and the long-established flagship in South Kensington, London.

Located alongside the existing Lamborghini Manchester site, H.R. Owen Maserati Manchester South will become the newest Maserati dealership in England, offering the full model range, including the Levante SUV when it launches in the UK later this year.

H.R. Owen has almost two decades of history with the Maserati brand, and the new showroom is a great way to further cement this established partnership.

To celebrate the opening, H.R. Owen filled the showroom with Maserati models old and new, including the 2004 6-litre V12 MC12 homologation supercar. The £1.2 million venue was filled with invited guests from across the local area, with cocktails and canapés served and a DJ on hand to entertain throughout the night.

Peter Denton, Region Manager, Maserati North Europe, said “It’s wonderful to see the opening of the new H.R. Owen Maserati showroom. This new dealer site reinforces Maserati’s commitment to expanding our sales network by 50%, increasing representation in local markets for both sales and aftersales. This, coupled with additions to the current model range - such as the Levante - set to further increase appeal across a wider luxury customer base, supports plans to increase global production to 75,000 units by 2018 (in 2015 this figure was 32,500).

Mark Langfield, H.R. Owen’s Maserati brand director, is excited to take the brand to Manchester, commenting: “It was great to welcome guests to the new showroom and update them on Maserati and H.R. Owen’s plans for the next few years. The event was an engaging and entertaining way to introduce our presence in the local area.

“H.R. Owen has a long history with the famous Italian manufacturer and with major new models launching in 2016, and the continued success of the Ghibli, there has never been a better time to take the Maserati brand to a new location, extending our reach beyond London and the south of England.”

An unusual Volkswagen pick-up truck, which belonged to a member of the Porsche family is up for auction/

An unusual Volkswagen pick-up truck, which belonged to a member of the world famous Porsche family and designer of the iconic 911, will be auctioned by Silverstone Auctions at The Classic Race Aarhus motorsport festival in Denmark, on 28^th and 29^th May.

This 1989 Volkswagen T3 double cab pick-up truck was owned by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, also known as “Butzi”, the son of "Ferry", and grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, founder of Porsche and Volkswagen and creator of the VW Beetle.

After it was decided to change the Porsche legal structure and to keep the family out of its management, Ferdinand Alexander went on to found his own company, the Porsche Design Studio in 1972. 

Initially based in Stuttgart, the company was later moved to Zell am See, Austria, close to the Porsche family estate, Schüttgut. It was for use at this company that “Butzi” bought the T3 Doka pick-up. Purchased on 12th December 1989, the truck was used on the estate for various purposes in the daily running of the business.

The truck was purchased by the current vendor, a Porsche racing driver with long-standing links with the Porsche family, in 2014. After a bare metal restoration process of over 700 hours carried out at his Porsche racing garage, the truck presents today in superb condition. With a total of 141,000 kilometres recorded, and supporting paperwork clearly listing Ferdinand Alexander Porsche as the first owner, the truck will be offered at auction with an estimate of between €60,000 and €80,000.

Speaking ahead of the sale, Nick Whale, managing director of Silverstone Auctions, commented, “The Porsche family is automotive royalty and it’s an honour to have a vehicle in our auction with the distinction of being one of the few cars registered privately in the Porsche family name. This is a superb opportunity to add a quirky and historically significant vehicle to an ultimate Porsche collection.”

The youngest in the lineage of Porsche family engineers, Ferdinand Alexander, affectionately nicknamed "Butzi", meaning ‘baby’ in German, was chief designer of the styling department at Porsche. He played a fundamental roll in the design of the iconic Porsche 911, as well as the 904 and 914, establishing a design culture that continues to shape the manufacturers sports cars to this very day.

Nick Whale added, “This is a very special addition to our first international sale in Denmark, and though pick-up trucks do not come into our sales often, we feel this is a very special exception.”

Zhejiang Geely Holding Group takes out a Bond securing US$400m to assist in Zero Emission vehicle development.

Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (“ZGH” or the “Group”) priced the first-ever Green Bond on the offshore market from a Chinese automobile company, raising US$400m to support the development of zero-emission capable vehicles by its UK subsidiary, the London Taxi Company (“LTC”), manufacturer of the iconic London Black Cab.

The senior unsecured bonds, issued through ZGH’s wholly-owned subsidiary LTC GB Limited, carry a fixed interest rate of 2.75% per annum with a tenor of five years, which is the lowest coupon ever amongst the USD bonds issued by Greater China's auto companies. The final order book of over US$2.3bn represented an oversubscription ratio of close to 6 times.

ZGH will use the net proceeds from the Green Bond to finance or refinance the design, development and production of zero-emission capable vehicles by LTC. ZGH is investing GBP300m in LTC’s new research and production facility in Ansty in the West Midlands region of the UK to develop the next generation London taxi, the TX5. The new model was unveiled last October in London in the presence of the Chinese President Xi Jinping during his state visit to the UK. The TX5 is a zero-emission capable vehicle and will be launched in the UK at the end of 2017 and in international markets in 2018. The vehicle will hence be compliant with new environmental requirements being introduced in London.

LTC is also working on several zero-emission model concepts, including light commercial vehicles as part of ZGH’s plans to significantly raise production at LTC and position it as a leading manufacturer of green and environmentally friendly transportation.

“We are delighted with the response of investors to our Green Bond offering” said Yifan Li, CFO of ZGH. “The issuance of the Green Bond is in line with our corporate vision to produce the safest, most environmentally friendly and most energy-efficient vehicles. The commitment of ZGH and all of the Group’s brands to reduce emissions means we are well positioned to benefit from the shift towards ever greener vehicles.”

“We are committed to producing zero-emission capable vehicles,” said Peter Johansen, CEO of LTC. “I believe the issuance of the Green Bond will further enhance our competitive edge in new energy technologies. Our next generation of zero-emission vehicles, the TX5, will be sold across the world, creating an environmentally friendly transportation system.” 

Bank of China provided a Standby Letter of Credit for the Green Bond. Joint Global Coordinators included Bank of China, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Barclays and Société Générale.

ZGH engaged Deloitte to provide independent limited assurance in relation to the Green Bond Management Statement.

HONEST JOHN AWARDS - The most luxurious car for this year goes to Audi and teh A7 Sportback.

Elegant five-door Audi coupé wins Most Popular Luxury Car award for the third year in a row

• Audi A7 Sportback range available to order now, priced from £46,865 OTR
• SE Executive, S line and Black Edition specification available
• Three V6 TDI outputs – 218PS, 272PS and 320PS – and a 3.0 TFSI with 333PS all come fitted with quattro all-wheel-drive as standard
• All-new RS 7 performance, one of the fastest Audis currently on sale, is now available to order with 605PS and up to 750Nm of torque

The Audi A7 Sportback has once again won the favour of Honest John website users, taking the Most Popular Luxury Car crown for the third consecutive year at the annual Honest John Awards presentation, held in London last night.

Judged on the amount of page impressions earned in its respective category, the A7 Sportback has been a consistent favourite on the hugely popular independent motoring review and advice portal, owing in no small part to its ‘styling, comfort and beautifully-finished cabin’.

Commenting on the win, Dan Harrison, Editor, HonestJohn.co.uk said: “When it comes to luxury cars on HonestJohn.co.uk, nothing can match the Audi A7 Sportback for popularity. Powered by the best engines in the Audi range, the A7 Sportback also offers effortless pace and reasonable running costs – something our users appreciate.”

A recent technology update, bringing the option of the Audi smartphone interface and the addition of inductive charging for Qi-compatible handsets via the Audi phone box, has made the Audi A7 Sportback an even more attractive proposition.

As part of the update the distinctive lines of the five-door coupé’s body have also benefited from three new colour options - Matador Red, Gotland Green and Java Brown – and a new 17-inch, five-spoke alloy wheel design has been added for SE Executive models to round out the enhancements.

As standard, the A7 Sportback offers a wealth of sophisticated equipment including all-weather LED headlights, SD-card based MMI navigation, an electrically powered tailgate, four-zone air conditioning and Milano leather-upholstered seats with driver and passenger electric adjustment and heating.

HONEST JOHN AWARDS - Cactus is your winner in the Most Popular Small Family Car Segment.

Citroën C4 Cactus has once again won the accolade of ‘Most Popular Small Family Car’ in the Honest John Awards 2016. The award winners are recognised based on the car reviews that generated the most user interest on the HonestJohn.co.uk website over the past year. Scooping the honour for the second consecutive year, Citroën C4 Cactus demonstrates its continued dominance and popularity in this hotly contested category.

The ultra-stylish Citroën C4 Cactus has been named the ‘Most Popular Small Family Car’ for the second consecutive year in the Honest John Awards 2016.

Now in their sixth year, the Honest John Awards recognise and reward the cars and vans whose reviews created the most interest amongst their website users over the past twelve months.

Dan Harrison, editor of honestjohn.co.uk commented; “For the second year in a row, the Citroën C4 Cactus has come out on top in the Most Popular Small Family Car award - that's no mean feat given this category accounts for a huge number of page views on the site. The unique and distinctive C4 Cactus has once again proved a real hit with our audience who love the fact it is such good value for money. The C4 Cactus shows Citroën at its best, designing cars that are quirky yet have mass appeal.”

Bek Hassan, Citroën UK’s Managing Director, said; ‘It’s an excellent achievement to win the ‘Most Popular Small Family Car’ category for the second year running. Achieving the best-in-class accolade in such a competitive category really demonstrates how the C4 Cactus’ ideal blend of personality and practicality is perfect for families.’

Citroën C4 Cactus boasts a bold personality with striking features such as the innovative Airbump ^® panels that protect the car from small everyday dents and scrapes.

The presentation of the Honest John award comes only days after the highly-acclaimed C4 Cactus scooped another top honour in DieselCar Magazine’s ‘Top 50’. These accolades add to the impressive list of UK industry awards received since the car’s launch in September 2014.