MG6 crashes out of top safety rating

THE Chinese-made MG6 small car has scored only four stars out of five in the latest round of crash safety ratings released this week.

A rival for the Holden Cruze and Toyota Corolla, the MG6 fell short against the Australasian New Car Assessment Program’s frontal-offset criteria, where its ability to protect the driver and front passenger from serious leg injuries was deemed only marginal.

In addition, the driver’s airbag failed to stop the dummy’s head from making contact with the rim of the steering wheel, chalked up to “insufficient pressure”. In the frontal-offset test, the car’s passenger compartment was deemed to have held its shape well, while head protection on the side pole test was also good.

The four-star rating will not make MG’s renewed plight in Australia any easier, with its Chinese distributor already positioning the car at the pricier end of the market.

“Consumers now expect new cars to have a five-star ANCAP safety rating, so the four-star rating for the MG6 may be a deal-breaker for some when it comes to making their purchasing decision,” said ANCAP chairman Lauchlan McIntosh.

The MG6 is priced between $22,990 and $27,990 before on-road costs – more than most small-segment rivals – and is currently sold through a dealer network consisting of one site in Sydney (though, as reported, an expansion is imminent). All versions come with six airbags as standard.

While the car is pitched as more of a mid-sized rival to the Volkswagen Jetta, it’s actually only slightly larger than a Cruze or Nissan Pulsar: both of which are admittedly among the longer small-car offerings out there.

The result may fall short of almost all the MG’s major (and better-known) rivals, but the figure matches the equal best effort for any Chinese car in Australia - Great Wall’s X Series SUV also gets four stars.

It’s the third vehicle tested this year to attain four stars, joining the Fiat Freemont (controversial, as that car gets five stars in Europe) and the 200 Series Toyota LandCruiser. MG’s fellow Chinese brand Foton scored three stars with its Tunland ute in February.

Meantime, several other new releases to the Australian market achieved the now almost-requisite five-star score. These new models include the Holden Trax compact SUV (launching this week), Peugeot 208 light-car and Citroen DS5 premium hatch.

The 208 result applies only the five-door four-cylinder versions – the same applies to Euro NCAP testing – but three-door, three-cylinder versions, and the new three-door GTi hot hatch both get an equal number of airbags (six) and the same active safety technology.

As always, vehicles are graded against five main criteria – their ability to protect from a frontal-offset collision, a side-impact crash the simulates two cars hitting at 90 degrees, a pole test in which the car is smashed sideways into a stationary object, how well they protect pedestrians hit from front-on and how well they prevent occupant whiplash.

“The number of safer, five-star rated cars available to consumers is increasing almost daily - a trend ANCAP obviously wants to see continue to ensure we can save as many lives and injuries as possible on our roads,” said Mr McIntosh.

Price cuts boost Rolls-Royce resurgence

PRICE cuts that lopped the equivalent of up to an Aston Martin V8 Vantage off the price of a Rolls-Royce have not upset existing customers, the British luxury marque says.

Despite the risk of a possible backlash from existing Phantom customers, Rolls-Royce Asia Pacific general manager Dan Balmer told GoAuto the response was overwhelmingly positive as most dealers were already selling cars at the new prices prior to the drop.

The British marque stripped $213,000 from the driveaway price of the short-wheelbase Phantom in November last year after introducing the facelifted Series II, priced from $855,000. The price of the range-topping Drophead convertible, meanwhile, fell by $280,000 to sell from $1,075,000.

“They (previous customers) had bought their Phantoms at transaction prices which mirrored the current list price,” he said.

“So it wasn't like they had bought a million-dollar car and suddenly it was $800,000 overnight. The whole price realignment was about realising where we were transacting at and bringing things closer to reality.”

Mr Balmer said the exchange rate had shifted so much since the current-generation Phantom launched in 2003 that Rolls-Royce had to adjust pricing to reflect what customers were paying at dealers.

“Parity has backed off slightly since then, so we plotted a price point which was right for us at the time and then again in 2012 with Series II launch.

“We then re-plotted that price point having acknowledged that the past few years of sales had never really reached that price point anyway,” he said.

“It's about realising the reality of the market. You can't go on charging that money if no-one is buying them at that money.”

Last month, Volkswagen-owned rival Bentley ruled out reducing prices of its luxury range, with the company’s Asia Pacific head of marketing and communications Robin Peel saying the experience of owning a Bentley would be “cheapened” if buyers had to negotiate a discount.

Mr Balmer said he understood the statement from a brand perspective, but was confident in how Rolls-Royce managed the price reduction with its existing customers.

“What we managed to achieve with Phantom was good traction since the price drop and no negative feedback from current customers.

“They were all written to individually and we explained the whole story with them so they were fully onboard with that, and we followed-up with phone calls and it was a good response.

“There was no adverse reaction at all. I can’t comment on what other brands are doing, to be honest, but I think we are about right to be placed,” he said.

Mr Balmer said interest in the Phantom lifted following the announcement of the price reduction last year, with a boost in enquiries at local dealers.

“We saw more leading and more enquiry off the basis of that. It was very clear to make the statement we are not the million-dollar car that everyone thinks we are.

“Of course you can go that high with bespoke and options but we start at $800,000 for Phantom and that was a bit more realistic in terms of pricing for us.” Meanwhile, Mr Balmer said any further expansion to the Rolls-Royce line-up beyond the Ghost, new Wraith coupe and Phantom to include a sub-Ghost entry model was unlikely, but there was “potential for further developments”.

“Where we are now with the range, the Ghost is about as inexpensive as it gets for us and the Wraith being the similar level as well.

“That's about where it’s at, we don't want to go any lower than that.”

A replacement for the current-generation Phantom appears to be some years away, with Mr Bulmer confirming the updated Series II model launched last year will keep the model going for some time yet.

The iconic British car-maker plans to expand its dealer network in Australia beyond its existing locations in Sydney and Melbourne, with customer enquiries open in Perth ahead of an upcoming dealer launch, and Queensland likely to follow.

Mr Balmer said a four-location network was the right size for the brand in Australia for now, but that would be dependant on future sales volumes.

“The volume chasing that other brands do, we are not into opening a Rolls-Royce dealership on every street corner, we are trying to keep it limited to those four locations for now.

“I would never say never in the future but I think in terms of our volumes we see the business case as adequate in those different areas as well,” he said.

Rolls-Royce sold 3575 vehicles globally in 2012, with the booming Chinese market making up roughly a third of total sales. Despite the solid Chinese sales figures, the US was the brand’s largest market for the year.

Mr Balmer said the company was experiencing “strong resilience” in its home market, Britain, while European sales have taken a hit thanks to the economic downturn in the region.

Rolls-Royce has sold six vehicles in Australia in the first half of this year, a 33 per cent drop on the nine units it shifted in the same period last year.

The company does not provide a break-down of models sold, so it is unclear which of the four-model current line-up is the best seller.

2014 SRT Viper Increases Options

The 2014 SRT Viper will come with an updated entertainment and audio system, which adds another $2,000 to the base price. The 2014 Viper now has a base price of $99,395 not including the $2,600 gas guzzler tax or $1,995 destination charge.

Changes to the new Viper include HD radio, navigation, Uconnect services, and Harman Kardon audio as standard. The new entertainment features are controlled by the existing 8.4 inch touchscreen in the SRT Viper. Uconnect features allow voice control and integration of the systems. Voice commands can load up navigation destinations, control media playback, and even read and reply to text messages. The car also has a back-up camera which displays onto the screen.

The audio system developed by Harman Kardon, which was an optional extra for the 2013 model, now comes standard on the 2014 SRT Viper. The system features a 12 speaker layout, including two subwoofers. The standard system is rated at 900 watts, and buyers can opt in for an even higher package if they want. The highest spec Harman Kardon system in the Viper has a deafening 18 speaker layout, with four subwoofers. The optional 18 speaker system now costs $1,995, a thousand dollars less than before.

No changes have been made to the 8.4 liter, 640 horsepower V10. Performance of the 2014 Viper remains the same. The Viper GTS with two mode adjustable suspension remains at $121,895. Pricing has not yet been announced regarding the Viper TA (Time Attack), the lightened track oriented Viper, but the price will probably be somewhere in between the standard model and the GTS.

Other options, such as paint and stripe designs, remain as they were. The more expensive Viper GTS has more choices for options than the standard model, with a wider array of seats and wheels to pick from.

2015 Acura NSX Displayed At Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance

The 2015 Acura NSX Concept will be on display at the 2013 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance on August 18.

Acura is the official sponsor for the 2013 Pebble Beach Concours, and has been eager to show off progress on the soon-to-be revived NSX. The NSX Concept will be shown on the Concept Lawn.

This isn't the first time that the new NSX Concept has been shown. On August 4, just before the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio, Acura had a demonstration of their NSX prototype on track. The prototype had a distinct blue livery, which Acura says shows their intentions to race the new NSX. The concept shown at Pebble Beach will be similar to the one driven around Mid-Ohio.

The new NSX, set to go on sale in 2015, is Acura's latest achievement in sports car technology. It will have a mid mounted V6 and a unique triple electric motor hybrid setup. One electric motor will be used near the gasoline motor to power the rear wheels (through a new double clutch transmission), while the other two will run power to the front wheels, effectively creating an all-wheel drive hybrid. The NSX will have what Acura is calling Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD), using positive and negative torque vectoring on the front axle to provide more dynamic handling characteristics.

“The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance is more than one of the world's preeminent exhibitions of luxury automobiles, it is a celebration of style and refinement that is the perfect showcase for the NSX Concept,” said Michael Accavitti, senior vice president of Automobile Operations at American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “We are thrilled to align the Acura brand with this prstigious event that is the ultimate celebration of the automobile.”

Pebble Beach is one of the most prestigious events of the year, drawing international crowds to the Monterey coast.

Vauxhall Heritage Centre celebrates the brands 110 years history

Vauxhall will open its Heritage Centre to the public on Sunday 18th August as it celebrates its 110th birthday, giving everyone the chance to see its private collection of historic vehicles.

With cars from the current range alongside those dating back to 1903, Vauxhall Heritage Centre’s annual open day is always a great day out for the car enthusiast and, with entertainment, activities and refreshments throughout the day, great for the family as well.

Visitors will be able to view the company’s private collection of over 60 significant cars, including production models from every decade as well as a selection of unique concept cars. Notable cars among the collection include the 1903 5 HP, the second-oldest Vauxhall in existence, the recently restored Firenza Droop Snoot, Astra MK1 GTE and the legendary Lotus Carlton. There will also be the chance to see not one, but two of the legendary 30-98 models, Britain’s first 100mph car, which celebrates its centenary this year.

 

All cars are kept roadworthy and are fully-maintained in pristine condition by the Vauxhall Heritage Team.

The open day is held at the Heritage Centre situated in the grounds of Vauxhall’s head offices in Luton, located on Park Street and will run from 10:00am until 4:00pm. General admission is free and open to all, with free parking also provided.

Vauxhall to sponsor the Wales National Football Team

The Football Association of Wales has announced a four-year sponsorship extension with Vauxhall Motors that will see the British vehicle manufacturer maintain its position as Official Partner to the Wales National teams.

The sponsorship, which began in January 2011, will now run until July 2018, up to and including the FIFA World Cup Finals in Russia.

Within that period, Chris Coleman’s side will embark on their UEFA European Championships 2016 qualification campaign with the Wales women’s and youth teams also competing in tournaments and matches throughout the world with the support of Vauxhall.

 

As part of the new agreement Vauxhall will be making a significant investment into the media department at the FAW with an aim of giving fans greater behind-the-scenes access via unique video content.

Wales turn their attentions to Cardiff City Stadium for a friendly with The Republic of Ireland, before travelling to Macedonia on 6th September for a World Cup Qualifier.

2014 Audi A8 to be revealed on August 21st

The 2014 Audi A8 facelift will be unveiled officially at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Before that, fans will have the chance to see the car in advance, on August 21st. Audi released a teaser video that announces the date on which we all gone see the refreshed limusine.

Among future features, the new A8 is gone have MAtrix LED headlights.

Audi Matrix LED technology splits up the LED high-beam headlights into numerous individual, small diodes working in conjunction with lenses or reflectors connected in series. Managed by a responsive control unit, they are activated and deactivated or dimmed individually according to the situation. This means they always supply high-precision illumination and achieve the maximum possible light yield without needing a pivoting mechanism.

 In the new Audi A8, each headlight comprises 25 high-beam light-emitting diodes, arranged in groups of five per reflector. When the light switch is set to "automatic" and the high-beam headlights are on, the system is activated from 30 km/h (18.64 mph) on highways and from 60 km/h (37.28 mph) on city streets. The Audi Matrix LED headlights produce a quality of light with a special crystalline sheen. By day, too, they have a very attractive and distinctive look, which is reinforced by the new appearance of the daytime running lights.

Jaguar Land Rover report record sales in July

Jaguar Land Rover last month sold 31,611 vehicles – its best ever July, an increase of 21% versus the same period last year. During the first seven months of the year, Jaguar Land Rover sold 241,801 vehicles, up 15%.

July sales were strong for Jaguar Land Rover in Asia Pacific up 43%, the China Region up 36%, North America up 31%, the UK up 8%, and other overseas markets up 29%. Sales in Europe were flat. For the first seven months of the year sales were up in all major regions with Asia Pacific up 29%, the China Region up 18%, North America and the UK both up 15% Europe up 5% and other overseas markets up 20%.

In July, Jaguar sold 6,157 vehicles up 65% reflecting continued strong demand for all XF derivatives and the introduction of the F-TYPE. XJ also performed well in the month up 52% following a solid performance in both the US and China. Jaguar demonstrated growth in all of the major regions: the China Region up 221%, North America up 63%, Asia Pacific up 32%, the UK up 31%, Europe up 28%, and other overseas markets up 64%. 

Calendar year to date, Jaguar sold 43,793 vehicles up 33% with increases in each major region: 98% in the China Region, 28% in North America, 23% in the UK, 22% in Asia Pacific, 15% in Europe and 25% in other overseas markets.

Land Rover set a new July sales record retailing 25,454 vehicles, up 14%.  Solid performances were seen across the new and refreshed line up with a particularly strong month from Discovery 4 up 37%. Positive performances were recorded in: Asia Pacific up 46%, North American up 21%, the China Region up 20% and the UK up 3%. Sales in Europe were down by 5% due to Range Rover Sport run out.

Calendar year to date, Land Rover sold 198,008 vehicles up 11% with a strong performance from Freelander up 27% and all-new Range Rover retailing 25,863 units. Positive growth was seen in all major regions: Asia Pacific up 30%, the UK up 13%, North America up 11%, the China Region up 8%, Europe up 4% and other overseas markets up 20%.

2014 Mercedes-Benz GLA - First official sketches

At the begining of this year, Mercedes-Benz has unveiled at the Shanghai Motor Show the GLA Concept, a prototype that previews an upcoming rival for the Audi Q3 or the BMW X1. Today, the German car manufacturer has published a couple of sketches with the production version of the GLA. According to the same statement, the production version of the Mercedes-Benz GLA will be officially unveiled this fall at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show.

The sketches were published on the Facebook official page with this description below: "Something's coming. Stay tuned!" 

On the outside, the German crossover is heavily inspired by the A-Class. It only comes with new bulging fenders, tailgate mounted spoiler and two bar grille. Inside the cabin, everything is identical to the A-Class. Under the hood, the engine lineup will be, of course, the same with the one found on the A-Class hatchback. 

According to some rumors, the upcoming GLA crossover will also get a performance version. It will be dubbed GLA45 AMG and it will come with the turbocharged 2.0 liter four cylinder engine that can develop 360 horsepower.

Ferrari F430 burns in Florida

A couple of days before we showed you a Jaguar F-Type that caught fire in Belgium. Today, we are crossing the Ocean and we are landing in the sunny Florida where a Ferrari F440 melted in a Hooters parking lot. 

According to the witnesses, the car ignited at 3 PM and the car was sitting in the parking lot for approximately 15 minutes.

A  waitress from Hooters has observed a small fire coming from the back of the car and she went to the driver. "Owner didn't look too concerned, in fact he was almost laughing at the situation!" said Robert Hubson, an eyewitness. 

Luckily, nobody was hurt and the state fire marshal will start an investigation to see what happened out there.

Lamborghini Gallardo successor will not debut until 2015

Lamborghini Gallardo was one of the most successful cars build in Sant'Agata Bolognese. This year, the Italian officials have decided to retire its supercar and, since then, everybody is waiting a replacement. According to a latest report, the Gallardo successor will not debut until 2015. 

The information was given by Cristiano Inverni, Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo Asia Series coordinator in an interview for our colleagues from Motoring. 

"Since, in 2015, we're looking to launch the replacement of the Gallardo, then of course this will have also a racing version and that will be a new car. So from 2015 onwards we will continue racing under the Lamborghini brand but with a new car", said Inverni for Motoring.

A few months ago, a report was suggesting that the Gallardo successor will be called Cabrera. When Inverni was asked to confirm this news he was told that he doesn’t really know. 

According to a latest report, the Gallardo successor will come with a carbon fiber and aluminum spaceframe. Under the hood there will be a naturally aspirated 5.2 liter V10 unit with 600 horsepower and 541 Nm peek of torque.

Hyundai is working on a BMW 3 Series rival

The South Korean car manufacturer Hyundai has started to make some beautiful and efficient cars. According to a recent report, the Asian car maker is working on a rear wheel drive sedan to compete against the BMW 3-Series or Mercedes-Benz C-Class. 

Our colleagues from Automotive News said that the new model has the RK name code and could be launched in 2016. The upcoming Hyundai model will be heavily inspired by the HCD-14 Concept and it will be larger than the actual BME 3 Series. 

According to the same report, under the hood, the new Hyundai rear wheel sedan could have a turbocharged 2.0 liter or a V6 3.3 liter unit. The four cylinder engine is developing 274 horsepower and 373 Nm peek of torque and is used on the Genesis Coupe, while the 3.3 liter V6 unit can develop 293 HP and 345 Nm peek of torque when it’s installed on the Azera.

2015 Mercedes-Benz CLS facelift spied hiding new front fascia

Launching late next year

The 2015 Mercedes-Benz CLS facelift has been grabbed on camera once again ahead of a scheduled late 2014 reveal.

The current generation of the CLS went on sale at the beginning of 2011 so Mercedes-Benz is working on a facelift which will reach dealerships in early 2015. Don't expect a lot of changes in terms of design as all styling tweaks will be reserved to the front fascia where the four-door coupe will get a new bumper, grille and headlights.

More importantly, it will most likely be the first U.S. Mercedes-Benz model to feature a 9G-TRONIC nine-speed automatic transmission which will be available "in at least one engine combination", according to a company insider.

Chances are the CLS Shooting Brake facelift will be launched together with the regular version towards the end of next year as 2015MY.

Kia teases new compact crossover concept for IAA

Will be unveiled on September 10

Kia has announced plans to reveal a B-segment concept next month at 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show.
Described as a "dramatic concept", the car will serve as a preview for a possible upcoming competitor in the B-segment. In other words, we are dealing with a compact crossover judging by the slightly increased ride height.
No further details have been released, but from these two teaser photos we notice the Nissan Juke rival will wear Kia's corporate grille together with those "ice-cube" LED daytime running lights and fog lights we've seen on the cee'd GT / pro_cee'd GT. There's also a sculpted hood, bulging wheel arches, wraparound headlights and what appears to be a carbon fiber front lip spoiler.
The futuristic interior cabin adopts a minimalistic approach with only a few switches and knobs, along with a flat-bottomed steering wheel featuring paddle shifters. Judging by the green border of the front grille, the concept probably has a hybrid or electric powertrain.
Further info will be available on September 10 when the car will be unveiled at IAA.

Source: Kia

Mercedes-Benz G65 AMG modified by TopCar and Hamann

The guys from TopCar have prepared a special package for the mighty Mercedes-Benz G65 AMG. You know that last year, the Russian tuner has released an outrageous kit for the ML 63 AMG but this new package is really, really special. 

On the outside, the Russians have installed a Hamann Spyridon body kit. It has a carbon fiber hood, some new LED lights in the lower section of the spoiler, new rear fenders, a triple exhaust and a redesigned rear spoiler. 

Inside the cabin, the guys from TopCar have done a great job. They have wrapped the upholstery and some other stuff in crocodile leather and Alcantara while perforated beige leather finishes the special combination.

Ferrari F12 SPIA Middle East Edition by DMC Germany

The German tuner DMC has launched a special package for the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta. Dubbed SPIA Middle East Edition, the Italian supercar comes with some big exterior changes and with some performance upgrades. 

Outside the car there is a lot of carbon fiber. We see a new hood, roof scoop, wider skirts, spoiler wing and rear air diffuser, all made from carbon fiber. There is also a black painted strip that covers the center of the car from front to the back. In the end, the German tuner has installed a 21 inch on the front and 22 inch on the back alloys wrapped in Pirelli Sport tires. 

Under the hood, the DMC Germany has modified the ECU and has installed a new exhaust system. Thanks to these modifications, the power output released by the V12 6.2 liter engine has raised to 766 horsepower. In these conditions, the top speed has increased from 211 mph to 220 mph.

A Jaguar F-Type has turned to ashes in Belgium

This week a Jaguar F-Type caught fire and burned completely in Herentals, Belgium. According to the British car manufacturer, only eight units were handed to Belgium people. 

According to the owner, he was on the E313 when he noticed a "defect in the vehicle" He pulled over and when he got out to see what is happening the car ignited and burned almost completely before the fire brigade showed up. The good news is that nobody got hurt. 

"Something like this has never happened. We are puzzled", said Isabelle Michiels, Jaguar representative. More than that, she assured that a Jaguar expert will come from Great Britain to investigate what went wrong.

2014 DR CityCross has been launched

The Italian car maker DR Motor has unveiled the 2014 CityCross model. According to the officials, this car was specially designed for the urban jungle (just like the Nissan Quasqai TV spot motto) and its design comes with some plastic body cladding, roof rails and 15 or 16 inch wheels.

The new 2014 DR CityCross measures 3.860mm long, 1.620mm wide and 1.580mm tall. The Italian manufacturer didn't publish any interior photos but according to them it will come with air conditioning system, electric powered windows and a CD/MP3/USB audio system.

The luggage compartment has 370 liters but it can be extended to 1.200 liters by simply folding the rear seats down. Under the hood there is a 1.3 liter bi-fuel unit (petrol/LPH or petrol/methane) that can deliver 83 horsepower and 114 Nm peek of torque. The sprint from not to 100 km/h is done in 12.5 seconds, while the top speed is clocked at 156 km/h. 

The new 2014 DR CityCross will go on sale very shortly and in Italy it will have a price tag of 9.980 Euros.

Toyota is considering a GT86 small brother

Tatsuya Tada, the Toyota 86 chief engineer, has recently spoken with our colleagues form CarAdvice. According to the Japanese official, Toyota is considering a new rear-wheel drive model. He will be smaller than the GT86 and will be a sport model. 

But, Tada is upset because the board didn't give the green light neither to the entry level or the Supra successor. 

The upcoming entry-level model will ride on a new all rear wheel drive and it will also be co-developed with another manufacturer (like he did with the GT86).

 "The company has learnt a lot from [the] 86 project and Toyota has much experience in terms of technology and development in the way we develop vehicles efficiently and cost effectively", said Tatsuya Tada in the interview for CarAdvice.

Audi Quattro Concept will be developed on the A6 platform

A new report about the upcoming Audi Quattro concept has surfaced the web. As you know, the new German prototype will be revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show and it will be previewing the upcoming design language. 

According to German car magazine AutoBild, the concept will measure 4.6 meters long and it will be based on a tweaked version of the Audi A6 platform. 

Thanks to the extensive use of carbon fiber and aluminum, the concept will weight approximately 1.200 kilograms, which is a value much lower than the A6 sedan.

 Under the hood it will probably be a V8 4.0 liter twin-turbo engine that will deliver 600 horsepower and 800 Nm peek of torque. In these conditions the car will be able to sprint from stand still to 100 km/h in approximately 3 seconds.