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“The XKR ‘Goodwood Special’ has been developed as a one-off to explore the harder side of the XKR’s character and allow our engineering team to explore some performance boundaries. The Festival of Speed gives us the opportunity to have fun in a high performance car without all the practical and legal requirements of driving on the road getting in the way!” Read the rest of this entry »

It was confirmed today that the BMW X1 is planned to debut in the United States in calendar year 2011. The X1 has been conceived with the flexibility to offer traditional rear-wheel drive and xDrive all-wheel drive configurations, as well as a wide variety of gasoline and diesel powertrain choices. In light of rapidly evolving US market demands, fuel prices, and regulatory standards, elements of the X1’s US launch plan, including engine and drivetrain configurations, will be forthcoming closer to the time of launch. Read the rest of this entry »

Swiss automotive tuner SPORTEC, famed for its ultra high performance SPR1 range of 997 based supercars, is proud to announce the latest addition to its range, the T80. Conceived, designed and constructed in Switzerland by SPORTEC’s technical team, the new version of the SPR1 offers unrivalled supercar performance and exclusivity.

The T80 builds upon the performance of the SPR1 range by increasing the power of its bi-turbo, 3.6-litre, 24-valve, flat six T80M engine to a staggering 858 bhp, which, when combined with the benefits of permanent four wheel drive, creates a benchmark blend of poise and performance. Read the rest of this entry »

The newest additions made to the Ibiza range include cars bearing initials that have made a big name for themselves in the history of the Spanish brand, such as FR and CUPRA, and now the Bocanegra is the most recent arrival, which coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Ibiza’s market launch.

The new FR, CUPRA and Bocanegra are at the apex of the SEAT Ibiza range. Their relevance to the Spanish brand stems from their exterior and interior styling, powerful engine line-up and equipment level, which also puts them in an enviable position in their segment.

Without a doubt, these are three vehicles that have been created to thrill and satisfy, to provide the sportiest driving experience with a unique style and personality – an accurate reflection of the brand values that underline the innovative design, sporty nature and liveliness found on all of its models.

Another novelty found on the Ibiza range is the 90 hp 1.6 TDI CR engine with common rail technology, which is replacing the 90 hp 1.9 TDI unit. This signals the gradual start of including the common rail system to the Ibiza range, which gives the engine better performance and significantly reduces all levels of noise, consumption and emissions.

Both the FR and CUPRA versions and the new 90 hp 1.6 TDI CR are already available across the dealership network, whereas the Bocanegra will be going on sale in September. Read the rest of this entry »

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles produced the one millionth vehicle of the T5 series today at the Hanover plant. The vehicle is a Transporter Van 1.9-litre TDI 62 kW in Tornado Red.

‘The T5 is and remains the number one in its segment for new registrations in Europe and Germany,’ commented Stephan Schaller, CEO of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles during the celebrations at the Hanover plant. ‘One million T5s – that means one million customers towards whom we have a particular responsibility. This number is, furthermore, the product of all employees at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles: in Production, but also in Development and Procurement, in Quality Assurance, in Sales and everywhere in the brand and in our dealerships,’ said Schaller. Read the rest of this entry »