Hot Cars

Introducing The Spyker C8 Spyder

Powered by 400hp of growling V8 engine this super-lightweight all-aluminum two seat sports car roars to 60mph in less than five seconds and hurtles beyond 180mph, all the while surrounding the occupants in one of the most daring and exotic interiors available on any production car.

Leather from the finest supplier in the motor industry; dashboard instruments uniquely crafted by the master watch-maker Chronoswiss; exposed gear linkage and racing pedal box hewn from solid aluminum billet; the feeling of openness that comes from no windscreen header rail; cruising Fifth Avenue with the roof down.

This is motoring for true individuals.

To experience the Spyker C8 Spyder for yourself and to learn of the various funding and leasing opportunities available please visit www.spykerworld.com and locate your local dealer.

Land Rover Accident

2008 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet

Beginning September 8, sports car drivers who love extreme high performance and the whimsy of feeling the sun and the wind will be able to have the best of both worlds when Porsche unleashes its ultimate open-air 911 sports car – the new 2008 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet.

Continuing the company’s esteemed 20-year tradition of pairing a classic soft top with extreme Porsche 911 Turbo performance, this 2+2 seater can reach speeds of nearly 200 mph and accelerate from a stop to 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds. Starting at $136,500, the all-wheel-drive 911 Turbo Cabriolet is available with the same 3.6-liter, six-cylinder, twin-turbocharged boxer engine that delivers 480 horsepower in the 911 Turbo Coupe.

The 911 Turbo Cabriolet uses a light, three-layer soft top that can be opened and closed at speeds of up to about 30 mph in just 20 seconds. Once open, the car boasts top-down beauty and sophistication in its extensive details: including hand-stitched leather, a high-performance Bose Surround Sound System stereo with settings ideal for top down driving, a wind buffeting system, Bi-Xenon headlights, 19-inch forged wheels with two-tone appearance and Porsche Communication Management (PCM) – a sophisticated entertainment and navigation system that seamlessly combines audio, navigation and timing features.

Still, the 911 Turbo Cabriolet not only has the competence and capacity of a true super sports car; because of its new turbo technology, its 2+2 configuration and ample compartments it is the perfect daily driver for business and pleasure.

In addition to extensive passive safety features, including six airbags and full rollover protection, the 911 Turbo Cabriolet other active safety features include a race-bred braking system, an automatic rear spoiler for high-speed grip in the rear, as well as an array of directional and traction control systems that work in conjunction with the car’s secure all-wheel-drive system.

Ford And Bluetooth Assist Safer Mobile Phone Use

Ford is aligned with road safety efforts to eliminate the misuse of mobile phones while driving, by offering Bluetooth hands-free technology on most of its vehicles. The issue was raised recently in a speech by Dr Stephen Ladyman, UK Government Transport Minister.

Dr Ladyman’s speech to the 72nd RoSPA Road Safety Congress (1), said: “A great deal is being done to create a culture change in the way employers engage with driving for work issues.” The Health & Safety at Work Act places a legal duty on employers to take all reasonable practical measures to ensure the safety of staff and those they come into contact with while working. This applies to employees driving in the course of their employment. Ladyman continued: “If you’re using a hand-held mobile phone while at the wheel you react 30 per cent more slowly.”

Recent Research (2) has shown that 38 per cent of Managers would not feel responsible if a crash due to a work related call on a hand-held phone occurred. In 2005 DoT (3) figures show that 13 people were killed and more than 400 injured in crashes involving drivers using hand-held mobile phones.

Motorists now face standard penalties for breaking the law by using a hand-held mobile phone while driving: three points and a £60 fine. Home Office figures (4) for 2004 show that 74,000 fixed penalty notices were issued for illegal use of hand-held mobile phones. As well as having implications for individuals the changes will also affect businesses.

Ford’s hands-free mobile phone solutions are fully integrated with the car’s audio, navigation and entertainment systems. Phone, audio, climate control and navigation systems now all respond to voice command. Bluetooth technology completes the picture by providing wireless connectivity between mobile phones and the car.

Automatically-activated Bluetooth technology now covers most of the Ford range of vehicles, including the 2007 Car of the Year, the Ford S-MAX, and the 2007 International Van of the Year, the Ford Transit. Other Bluetooth-enabled Ford models with this safety-enhancing, hands-free feature are the Fiesta, Fusion, Focus, Focus C-MAX, Mondeo and Galaxy.

Kevin Griffin, Ford’s Fleet Operations Director, says: “Research has shown that Bluetooth is both an effective road-safety technology and one that helps to prevent our customers from breaking the law. Our voice activation also allows Ford drivers to give spoken instructions to perform a number of different functions in the car, and that means less distraction on today’s busy roads.”

The New Golf Variant

Volkswagen is introducing a new Golf to the worldwide market: The “Variant” that is as spacious as it is variable. On June 1, dealers will be presenting the model in Germany; all other countries and continents will follow successively. The new Variant – like the classic Golf and the Golf Plus (including CrossGolf) – is already in its third single remake of the successful “Golf” album. Earlier editions of the station wagon were also sales hits: More than 1.2 million cars have found buyers since 1993, and 660,000 units have been registered in Germany alone. Now the third generation is arriving.

New Golf Variant targets market leadership in Germany

In demand. Despite progressive fragmentation of the station wagon segment, wagon models of the so-called Golf class are still enjoying high demand. About 650,000 specimens of this species are sold in Western Europe every year. Seven out of every 10 cars go to the five largest countries in Europe (Germany, Italy, Great Britain, France, Spain), almost 200,000 of them to Germany. Not to be underrated is the high proportion of commercial customers. Volkswagen estimates that nearly two thirds of all Golf Variants are registered as company and commercial cars. Of these, a majority are paired with the 1.9-liter TDI – an especially economical car for high-distance drivers – which couples its good performance (187 km/h top speed) with exceptionally low fuel consumption (5.2 liter/100 km on average).

Cargo area with up to 1,550 liter capacity

Spacious. Like its predecessor, the new Golf Variant, now 15.9 centimeters longer, is marked by an ideal ratio of interior and exterior dimensions. Its maximum cargo capacity grew from 1,470 to 1,550 liters, for example, and when used as a five-seater 560 liters of cargo (with spare wheel well) still fit into the cargo area.

Classy basic equipment features, enormous panorama sunroof

Extensive. Volkswagen is offering the new Golf Variant in the equipment lines Trendline, Comfortline and Sportline. Even the Trendline base equipment line comes with ESP, six airbags, 16-inch wheels, power windows front and rear, central locking with remote keyless entry, tilt-up cargo floor and asymmetrically split folding rear bench seat with armrests. Distinctive special equipment, and in the case of the Golf Variant Sportline even standard, is the newly designed, two-piece glass panorama sunroof (standard on the Sportline) with a length of 1.36 meters and width of 0.87 meters.

Highly efficient engines; power range from 75 kW to 125 kW

High-spirited and economical. The new Golf Variant is being launched with two diesel and three gasoline engines, including four direct injection engines. Serving as the entry level engine is a 1.6-liter four cylinder that outputs 75 kW / 102 PS. Positioned above it are the twincharged TSI engines with high-end technology. These high-torque power packages deliver 103 kW / 140 PS and 125 kW / 170 PS, respectively. Factory equipped with diesel particulate filters are the two strong TDIs of the Golf Variant at 77 kW / 105 PS and 103 kW / 140 PS. Innovative: The DSG dual clutch transmission. It is optional on all engines with the exception of the 1.6-liter gasoline engine.

Hyundai Reveals i30 Estate

Korean car giant Hyundai has revealed the next stage in its plans to fully establish itself as a European manufacturer, by issuing the first official pictures of its i30 Estate, the follow-on car from the soon to be launched all-new i30 5-door hatch.

The images come less than a week after work began on Hyundai’s new Czech-based European production facility. The new i30 family of C-segment cars will ultimately be produced at the plant.

UK Managing Director, Tony Whitehorn, said: “The C-Segment is the critical segment to be competitive in. It caters for all needs; families, singles, couples, and company car drivers, with a full mix of hatchback, sports, coupe, cabriolet, mini-mpv and even cross-over models. Hyundai realises that to compete, we must be in a position to offer a mix of such models to cater for a variety of customer needs.”

Like its 5-door hatchback sibling, the i30 Estate was styled at Hyundai’s European Design Centre in Russelsheim, Frankfurt, ensuring it is perfectly in tune with European tastes.

Thoughtful design touches include projection headlamps, a USB port for connecting portable music players, a smart folding key system for convenient access to the vehicle, a built-in roof rack for maximum cargo-carrying utility and repeater lamps built into the side view mirror housings.

Compared to the hatchback, the estate is longer by 230mm, taller by 50mm and has a longer wheelbase (up 90mm) significantly enhancing its load carrying capacity and practicality.

From launch, the Estate will be available with 1.6 litre 4-cylinder petrol and diesel engines.

Due to be shown for the first time at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the i30 Estate is expected to go on sale in the UK and wider Europe in early 2008. The 5-door hatch, meanwhile, will arrive in UK showrooms this summer.