Industry News News, Check out all the latest industry news for Industry News

Category for news of new models, new makes, and general news specifically linked to a particular model or manufacturer

New Golf Bluemotion – Take a Look

VW Golf Blue Motion

The green qualities of Volkswagens’ 2013 Golf BlueMotion are irrefutable. Up to 88.3 mpg and CO2 emissions of just 85 g/km, this new Golf is 15% more fuel efficient than previous generations. Last year’s Golf 1.6-litre TDI limboed under the congestion-charge thanks to 99 g/km.

Thanks to a 50-litre fuel tank and that 88.3 mpg, the new Golf has a range (in theory at least) just shy of 1,000 miles. Consider going from London to Edinburgh and back on a single tank! Putting things another way, consider driving 200 miles a week and only having to refuel once a month! That’s not the only saving, as the Golf BlueMotion is in Band A, road tax will set you back exactly, erm, nothing.

How is this possible? Well, the new Golf Bluemotion is superlight, 63kg less than predecessors when you tot up the running gear and body. There’s also low resistance tyres with higher air pressure and longer gear ratios. The increasingly standard stop/start technology is no less annoying though aerodynamic modifications should put a smile on your face. There’s around a tenth less drag on the front thanks, in part, to a lowered ride height, 1.5cm lower also produces a racier, firmer feel. Adding to the sense of refinement, there’s also a roof spoiler, lateral air guides to the rear, masked front grille, semi-closed air inlet screens, cooling system, underfloor panels, brake cooling channels and a C-pillar spoiler.

Back to the engines, the Golf BlueMotion range’s pride and joy is the 1.6-litre 110 PS common rail TDI from the new EA288 engine series. Four cylinder 16V, it offers maximum torque of 250 from a teeny 1,500 rpm right up to 3,000 rpm.

There’s plenty of other headache inducing technology to mention. The new Bluemotion offer reduced internal friction, a thermal management system with a shortened warm-up. There’s exhaust gas recirculation, a cylinder pressure sensor, two-stage oil pump, switchable electric water pump and water-cooled intercooler right in the intake manifold successfully reducing fuel consumption and emissions. VW has even added an oxidation catalytic converter, diesel particulate filter and a NOx storage catalytic converter. Is this the cleanest machine ever or what?

Now to the slightly grisly bit: the new Golf BlueMotion (standard Golf S trim) start at £20,335 (OTR) for three-door and £20,990 for five. Neither price will prevent UK VW retailers from taking orders of which first deliveries are expected no later than August.

2013 European Car of Year Shortlist Announced

Mercedes A-class

The eight-strong shortlist for the European Car of Year has been announced.

The European Car of the Year award was launched in 1964 by auto publications from around the continent. Organisers of the event in its current guise are Italy’s Auto, UK’s Autocar, Spain’s Autopista, Netherland’s Autovisie, France’s L’Automobile Magazine, Germany’s Stern and Sweden’s Vi Bilägare.

The first winner, in 1946, was the Rover 200. Subsequent winners include the Ford Escort Mk3 (1981), Vauxhall Astra (1985), Volkswagen Golf (1992) and Renault Mégane Scénic (1997), Toyota Prius(2005) and last year the Opel Ampera. ­

32 new cars entered the competition which allows only those sold in Europe in the twelve months before the announcement. The cars must also be for sale new at the time of the announcement and have achieved or expect to achieve sales exceeding 5,000.

The final eight are the Ford B-Max, Hyundai i30, Mercedes-Benz A-Class, Peugeot 208, Renault Clio, Subaru BRZ/Toyota GT86, VW Golf and Volvo V40.

The European Car of the Year’s 58-strong jury judges on 11 factors: design, comfort, safety, economy, handling, performance, functionality, environmental requirements, driver satisfaction, and price with special weight given to technical innovation and value for money.

Each member of the Jury has 25 points to apportion to at least five of the eight cars and a maximum of ten points allowed for any one vehicle.

The winner will be announced on in Geneva on March 4.

Are Friends Electric? GM v Volvo

Volvo V60 Plug-in HybridPandering to fear that the relationship between oil-producing countries in the Middle East and the United States is irreconcilable, General Motors have announced they will, by 2017, have almost half a million cars on the worlds roads that are powered in some way by electricity.

Speaking at the company’s ‘Electrification Experience’ General Motors have told an audience of employees that they believe the future of personal transportation will, to some extent, include an electric element, particularly for those looking to use their Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Opel or Vauxhall to commute to work. The world’s largest automotive manufacturer employ over 200,000 people in over 150 countries and sell almost 3,000,000 cars every year – that’s a lot of commuting.

A GM suit has confirmed that plug-in based solutions will play a growing role in the company’s growth, pointing to 2010’s Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle their statement of intent. GM claims it will sell 50,000 electrified vehicles in 2012. In 2013, the electric propulsion featured in the Volt will be placed inside the company’s new Cadillac ELR and sold in the United States and Korea. In 2014, the Chevrolet Impala will appear as a new semi-electric model.

However, peer behind GM’s headlines and truth is a little less electrifying.

While most hybrids use an electric motor powerful enough to power a vehicle independently, GM’s ‘eAssist’ simply helps a standard petrol engine without actually taking over duties itself. This lack of commitment has caused General Motors to experience some bad press. GM’s Buick Lacrosse and Buick Regal both drew criticism for their ‘mild hybrid’ set-up, while Fortune Magazine named the Chevy Malibu Echo, also housing e-Assist, as the most disliked vehicle of 2012.

Perhaps GM should take a leaf Volvo’s book (which is probably printed on recycled paper).

Volvo has increased plans for production of the first diesel hybrid. The V60 Plug-in Hybrid will emerge in the early part of next year and will increase from 1,000 to around 5,000 units from 2013 to 2014. Instead of lip service, Volvo have created vehicle that can that can travel over 30 miles on electric power only. The Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid is a product of a relationship between Volvo Swedish electricity company Vattenfall.

Which do you think is best? A big company doing a little or a little company doing a lot?

Pop Off The Tops! UK Convertible Market Analysis

With our recent bout of sunshine now fading, we decided to look into the recent Used Convertible Market. The graphic below shows our findings. We’ve had some mighty expensive cars over the past few years and a lot of the usual suspects. The main stars being the Mazda MX-5 and the Mercedes SLK proving popular all over the country.

In the past year there has been a massive surge in advertised Audi TT’s and A5′s, dealers seem to have got it right as car buyers are searching for these cars more and more. Audi also look to be taking note with new Audi RS5. In light of all this we name the Audi TT our VCARS Convertible Pick.

VCARS Used Convertible Market Analysis

Embed This Image On Your Site (copy code below):

New VW Beetle Cabriolet

2013 Volkswagen Beetle

Volkswagen have re-opened up their Beetle with a 2013 re-design of their cabriolet. The fabric roof piles up on the rear bulkhead but it’s flatter, neater and reduces the blindspot in the old Beetle soft-top used to suffer from. The roof itself will also open and close while on the move in around ten seconds.

There’s more storage internally, but the boot has been reduced from 310 litres to 225. But who buys a Beetle for practicality, right?

The new VW Beetle Cabriolet will be available in seven engines, from a 104bhp 1.2-litre petrol to a 197bhp 2.0-litre unit. Diesel engines are a 1.6- and 2.0-litre TDi family, with 104bhp and 138bhp respectively. A Bluemotion version of the 1.2-litre petrol version will be available soon

The car will be launched at The Los Angeles Motor Show on November 128th - on sale in the UK from Spring 2013.