Hot Cars

Ferrari At Salon Privé 2007

Ferrari will take centre stage at Salon Privé’s Private and Luxury Super Car Show, opening Wednesday 11th July at The Hurlingham Club, London. In its second year, Salon Privé is a unique high-society event where VIP-guests can admire the most beautiful luxury and sports cars in the immaculate grounds of one of the UK’s most prestigious private members club, The Hurlingham Club.

For this special event, Ferrari will display a unique selection from its range of V8 and V12 models. The 4.3 litre, 490 hp Ferrari F430 represents the Prancing Horse’s class leading technological know how and sports car soul and will be displayed together with its ‘sister’ - born for the track - a F430 Challenge in Team Vertu Racing livery. This car is currently racing in the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli series as part of the Ferrari Challenge Dealer Team GB.

From the V12 family, the 599 GTB Fiorano continues Ferrari’s tradition of Gran Turismo Berlinetta models, which includes some of the most iconic cars of Ferrari’s history, like the 250 GT, the 275 GTB, the 365 GTB/4 Daytona, and the 575M Maranello. The 599 GTB Fiorano, the most powerful production car Ferrari has ever made, has 620 hp, a specific output of 103 hp/l, a maximum speed of over 205 mph and reaches 0-62 mph in just 3.7 seconds.

Top of the range is the 612 Scaglietti, Ferrari’s flagship Grand Tourer, featuring the finest Italian craftmanship and a range of Carrozzeria Scaglietti personalisation options which allow customers to truly tailor the car to suit their individual tastes. For Salon Privé, the 612 Scaglietti appears in a special Police livery; this car was driven over 1,500 miles by Police forces across the UK to lead the UK Leg of Ferrari’s 60th Anniversary Tour and to promote road safety messages including the danger and enforcement implications of using a mobile phone whilst driving.

The Ferrari 60th Anniversary Tour started in Abu Dhabi in January and finished in Maranello, Italy, at the end of June with an extraordinary parade for customers, drivers, VIPs and Ferrari Tifosi.

All Salon Privé guests will be welcome at the Ferrari display, which is situated in the Luxury and Super Car Gallery.

Suzuki Splash

Suzuki Motor Corporation, the world leader in the compact car segment, introduces Splash, an all-new compact model aimed at building on the success of the loveable Swift. Following Swift, Grand Vitara and SX4, Splash is the fourth all new Suzuki model within just three years, and it epitomises Suzuki’s ‘Way of Life!’ philosophy, underpinning its strategy of building cars that excite customers all over the world.

Splash for Europe will be built in Esztergom, Hungary, by Magyar Suzuki Corporation, a Suzuki subsidiary that already builds Swift, SX4 and Ignis. Suzuki will also be manufacturing the second generation Agila for Opel/Vauxhall at this plant. With identical engineering, the main visual differences between Splash and Agila include different styling at front (bonnet, wings, headlamps and bumper) and rear (tailgate, tail lights and bumper).

Suzuki is targeting annual sales of approximately 60,000 units throughout Europe. Opened in 1992, the Esztergom factory has produced over one million Suzukis to date.

Splash cannot be considered to be the successor of the Wagon R+, the enlarged version of the Wagon R which in 1993 was originally developed for the Japanese market, and later also introduced in Europe. “Based on completely different criteria, Splash’s design is mainly tailored to the requirements of European customers,” explains Toshihiro Suzuki, the project’s Chief Engineer. Splash comes with attractive styling, compact dimensions, responsive handling, very good build quality and a high degree of environmental compatibility.

While the focus of Phase One of Suzuki’s “World-Strategy” was on sportiness, Splash is the first model in Phase Two which will focus on young families as its main target group. Apart from fresh and sporty styling, young couples with and without children attach great importance to attributes such as spaciousness, flexibility and economy.

Rather than a purely functional box shape, the designers have endeavoured to provide Splash with styling that lives up to its name, epitomising youthfulness, freshness and zesty, energetic performance.

Splash will make its debut at the Frankfurt International Motor Show in September, with sales commencing in Spring, 2008. Customers will have the choice of three engines – two petrol and a diesel. The petrol units are 100% Suzuki designs, a 1.0-litre 3-cylinder unit producing 65 PS (48 kW) and a 1.2-litre 4-cylinder engine developing 86 PS (63 kW). Both are of advanced four-valve-per-cylinder design, offering a sophisticated combination of smoothness, low-end torque and fuel efficiency.

Audi R8

The new Audi R8 has made a flying start, with Audi customers being able to take possession of the company’s sporty top model since the start of June.

1.500 units of the 420 bhp mid-engined two-seater have already found their way to dealers and buyers. Craft-scale production of the R8 is now running at top speed in Neckarsulm: the maximum possible number of 20 vehicles is being produced per day.

It has been possible to order the R8 since September 2006 – and several thousand customers did so without even test-driving their dream sports car. In the German market, the entire production capacity for 2007 is sold out.

Additional wishes for top levels of individuality can now be fulfilled: the Audi exclusive programme from quattro GmbH offers a host of optional extras which give the Audi R8 an even more exclusive look and feel. For example, a range of leather packages in high-quality fine nappa leather or Alcantara/leather allied with carpet and headlining in fine materials with exclusive colours.

A tailor-made offer for the R8 is a five-piece luggage set in high-grade leather, which is colour-coordinated with the interior of the Audi R8 ordered.

2008 VW Tiguan First Official Pictures

First photos of the upcoming Volkswagen Tiguan are finally revealed. Scheduled to be officially presented to the public this autumn at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt, the Tiguan will try to offer both the compactness of a hatchback and some off-road capabilities of mid-size SUVs.

The compact crossover will be equipped with a choice of highly fuel-efficient turbocharged direct injection engines, including 140 and 170 hp Euro V oil-burners and 150, 170 and 200 hp gasoline motors.

The VW Tiguan, which is sharing its platform with the Golf/Rabbit hatchback, will have to compete against such mid-size crossovers as new Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V and Nissan X-trail.

Ferrari 612 Scaglietti Sessanta Anniversary Edition

In order to properly mark Ferrari’s sixtieth birthday, the Italian car maker has created and presented to the public its new Ferrari 612 Scaglietti Sessanta sports car. The exclusive model of the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti, which will be limited to only sixty units, is equipped with a standard F1 gearbox and a gorgeous electro-chromic panoramic roof panel with three degrees of opaqueness.

The Ferrari 612 Scaglietti Sessanta is available in two two-color stylings: Grigio scuro (Colori Classici ‘50-’60) (Nero with grigio scuro side line), and Rubino Micalizzato (Nero Daytona with Rubino Micalizzato side line) with some additional color accents on the vehicle’s underbody, front headlights and rear bumper details.

Additional elements of exclusivity also include new 19″ wheels, new radiator grille as well as chromium-plated rear grids with black chromed special exhaust pipes and, of course, “612 Sessanta” logo on the front wings. That’s outside.

Inside, the Sessanta features tons of luxurious stuff from the top brands most of us never heard about, and also such driver’s amenities as restyled instrument cluster, steering wheel with three-position Manettino and engine start button, TV tuner, cruise control, BOSE media system and a rear parking camera.

New BMW X5 3.0sd

World’s most powerful production six-cylinder diesel engine comes to the X5. M Sport specification available across the range BMW’s class-leading Sports Activity Vehicle is now available with the world’s most powerful production six-cylinder diesel powerplant. The award-winning twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre diesel engine has been brought to the BMW X5 range to cater for a growing demand for performance SAVs.

The BMW X5 3.0sd provides the driver with 286hp and a flat torque curve with a peak of 580Nm from a lowly 1,750rpm to ensure rapid performance. The X5 3.0sd is capable of accelerating from zero to 62mph in 7.0 seconds before going on to a top speed of 146mph.

The drivetrain in the BMW X5 3.0sd is unique in its segment as it utilises two differently sized turbochargers operating in sequential stages depending on driver inputs. The key to the engine’s smooth power delivery is that, despite the mechanics of two turbochargers providing variable power, they deliver a consistent 2.85bar pressure to the intercooler at all times.

One smaller turbocharger provides near instantaneous power at low engine speeds, while a larger turbocharger provides the mid to top end power. The boost of both turbochargers is regulated by an ECU and three control valves. This arrangement ensures optimum performance delivery from just above idle speed through to the red line and makes for impressive performance figures and an absence of turbo lag.

Power in the X5 3.0sd is transmitted to the road via a standard six-speed automatic gearbox and BMW’s renowned xDrive four-wheel drive system. Complementing xDrive technology is the use of Dynamic Stability Control+ including Dynamic Traction Control.

DSC+ is the most advanced stability control system currently available on a production car and comes with four additional features above and beyond the original DSC system. DSC+ adds Hill-start assistant, Brake pre-tensioning, Brake fade compensation and Brake drying. Dynamic Traction Control, when engaged, allows for a degree of wheel slip to permit forward motion on slippery surfaces such as ice and snow. It also allows the keener driver to revel in the handling characteristics of the X5 without the DSC+ interrupting the flow unless the situation becomes critical.

Diesel power accounts for more than 90 per cent of X5 sales in the UK and the new X5 3.0sd is being introduced to satisfy the wishes of some existing X5 owners who asked for an even greater level of performance. To cope with this the X5 3.0sd features uprated brakes compared to a standard 3.0d and comes fitted with thicker and larger diameter disc brakes for greater retardation. For a subtle and discreet visual differentiation between the two diesel X5 models the 3.0sd also has a chrome kidney grille with titanium vertical slats.

The BMW X5 3.0sd is on sale now and costs £42,630 OTR for SE versions and £47,675 OTR for the M Sport.

The announcement of the X5 3.0sd coincides with the news that the M Sport trim level is now available on the rest of the BMW X5 range. Launched initially on the 4.8-litre car only, M Sport allows customers to further personalise their vehicle.

Standard M Sport equipment includes 19-inch light alloy M V-spoke wheels, M Aerodynamic bodystyling, M leather steering wheel, Sports suspension, Sports seats, Nevada leather upholstery, Anthracite headlining and Brushed Aluminium interior trim.

The BMW X5 3.0si M Sport costs £44,690 OTR while the X5 3.0d M Sport costs £45,265 OTR. The BMW X5 4.8i M Sport tops the range and costs £53,440 OTR.