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Caterham to unveil cheaper, entry level track car based on the Seven
PetrolHead posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
Caterham will release a new, more affordable and entry level version of the iconic Seven that pays tribute to the philosophy that inspired its creation. The Caterham 7 is a super lightweight sports car produced by Caterham Cars in the U.K. It is based on the Lotus Seven, a lightweight sports car sold in kit and factory built form by Lotus from the late 1950s to the early 1970s. After Lotus ended production of the Seven, in 1972, Caterham bought the rights to the design, and today makes both kits and fully assembled cars. Now Caterham is all set to unveil a new car based on the iconic 7 but with an accessible price tag at under -
Ever wondered how vehicle wrapping or car art is done? The above video shows an ordinary MK7 Golf being turned into a shiny hatchback. The job is performed by London-based car art company, Creative FX. The Golf itself is supplied by UK dealer, Driftbridge Volkswagen. There are two practical advantages that I can think of regarding the transformation. Firstly, a highly reflective surface helps to reduce heat buildup in the cabin. Secondly, the owner does not have to send his car for polishing ever again! We can see that car art needs a lot of patience and attention to details. The Golf in the video needs to be 'de-badged' and 're-badged'; the door handles are removed and put back; extra care is required when going around curved surfaces like the side mirrors. If the video has got you interested in the work performed by Creative FX, here's the link to their website - http://www.fxuk.net/
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Ferrari 458 Italia wrecked thanks to mobile car cleaner
RchLuvSlly posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
Here in Singapore, we have plenty of automotive services such as valet parking and mobile car cleaning/detailing, among others. However, being convenient services as they may be, it seems that you really have to be very careful when using this kind of local services. Don't let yourself be caught off-guard because of the convenience. Well, you can't guarantee that your car will always be taken care of by someone experienced for example, when you feel like leaving the nuisance of finding a parking space to the valet guys or when you want your car to be cleaned/detailed. In fact, even if the guy at your service is experienced, there's still no guarantee that things won't go wrong. Recently, in Portsmouth, U.K., a customer's car was wrecked by a mobile car cleaner and, mind you, it was a Ferrari 458 Italia! Ironically, it wasn't the first time the customer used the cleaner's service. Well, the wet road on that day might be partially responsible for the crash. However, I wonder if the cleaner was trying to 'air dry' the car by going for a joyride around the corner and subsequently crashing it. Well, just so you know, it isn't a hard thing at all to lose traction of your car, especially if it's a supercar, coupled with the wet surface which is slippery. Perhaps the traction control of the red Ferrari was somehow switched off, too, at that time. Well, having had to suffer from such a super expensive incident, I'm not too sure if the customer will use the service of the mobile car cleaner in question ever again. And it seems that there are times when we need to use our own hands if we want something done right. -
Drayson Racing Technologies aims to break land speed record set in 1974
PetrolHead posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
Drayson Racing Technologies has announced to make an attempt for the FIA World Electric Land Speed Record on 25th June at RAF Elvington in Yorkshire, U.K. It's the latest challenge to be undertaken by the pioneering electric motorsport firm, which has been at the forefront of sustainable racing since 2007 and was first to sign up for the new FIA Formula E championship series. The attempt will be made in the sub-1000kg class to be piloted by entrepreneur, racing driver and former U.K. Science Minister Lord Drayson. He will drive a low-drag version of the Drayson B12 69EV electric Le-Mans Prototype flat-out along Elvington's 2.99km long runway. Lord Drayson will aim to better the current record of 281km/h set by Battery Box General Electric in the United States back in 1974. Lord Drayson, CEO and co-founder of Drayson Racing Technologies, commented, "It is not the outright speed that is impressive about this record attempt, but the engineering challenge of accelerating a 1,000kg electric vehicle to such a high speed and sustaining that speed, before stopping safely all within a relatively short distance then turning round and doing it again within an hour." With the electric land speed record it intends to showcase what is possible with an electric drivetrain and underscore Britain -
Race Driver: Grid is a video game by Codemasters - the same developers of the recent slew of F1 games and Dirt rally car racing series. The sequel, Grid 2, is an upcoming video game by the same developers to be released in a couple of days on PS3, Xbox 360 and Windows OS. Most video games like God of War, Halo and Call of Duty, among others, usually retail a limited, exclusive or collectors packaging. They often contain a few value add items like DLC, in game character skins, maps, weapons or in the case of Call of Duty - you get night vision goggles or remote controlled 'surveillance vehicle'. As part of the new game, the marketing team for Codemasters have unveiled a new Grid 2: Mono Edition and with it you get the game (obviously), a PlayStation 3 and an actual 273km/h capable BAC Mono car - in full Grid 2 livery and full driver race wear for the ultimate racing experience. By the way, did I mention it costs roughly 125,000 of the queens money (S$238,727) ?
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Well, I won't argue that there are plenty of sports cars out there with retractable roofs. However, among all those convertibles, the MX-5 (Miata) from Japanese automaker Mazda may be one in particular that you should put your eyes on. Not only does it offer hair winding fun, but there's actually more to it than you might possibly imagine. Well, here's some proof. Recently, Mazda U.K., in collaboration with some Frisbee freaks and pro stunt drivers, just made this video which I would say is pretty cool. Watch the video and I believe you will think playing Frisbee on a car is something you should try too. At a glance, what these people did in the video may seem impossible. However, they managed to pull it off - and with a huge success in my opinion. Although the Mazda MX-5 isn't the type of car you can really count on when it comes to speed, it does offer you a fun steering, braking, gear shifting, and suspension. As a result, it makes something as fun as throwing the Frisbee disk from the car in front such that it lands in the car behind possible and it's unimaginably fun. To top it off, it can all be done while drifting, too! Hehe, I think you may even get addicted to it over times. However, don't swallow my words for it in an instance. Go check out the action and the fun yourself in the video.
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In May 1913, James Radley set off from Brown's Hotel in London's Mayfair for a famous motoring adventure - the 1913 Alpine Trial. A century later, the same Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost has returned - ready to depart for a re-enactment of the event. Forming the modern day Rolls-Royce Works Team, Radley's car will join a contemporary pioneer, a 2013 Alpine Trial Centenary Collection Rolls-Royce Ghost on a faithful re-enactment of the rally in June this year. But the Works Team will be accompanied by more than 40 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts - many over a century old to traverse over 1,800 miles of Alpine roads. The rally will start in Vienna on 14th June 2013, and will pass through Italy, Croatia and Slovenia before returning to Austria's capital for a special evening hosted by Margraf Pallavicini at his Palais, exactly 100 years to the day since the finale of the original Alpine Trial. Taking in some of Europe's finest and most challenging mountain roads, the rally will meet with a group from the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts' Club at Riva Del Garda, Italy, on Friday 21st June where 100 historic Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts will assemble for the largest gathering of its kind in history. The Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts' exceptional performance in the 1913 Alpine Trial saw it earn the moniker 'The Best Car in the World', cementing the marque's reputation for engineering excellence and impeachable reliability. To celebrate this extraordinary moment in Rolls-Royce and automotive history, the Bespoke department at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England designed and crafted a 21st century homage. Finished in an exterior hue that takes inspiration from the Radley car, the 2013 Alpine Trial Centenary Ghost features exquisitely crafted bespoke touches that elegantly tell the story of the 1913 Trial. The clock displays the stages of the rally and timings while inlays to rear picnic tables and the front fascia express the topography and distances of the Alpine route. A hand-painted coachline referencing the four Rolls-Royce motor cars that took part in the rally and headlining, colour-matched to the hood of Radley's car, completes a beautiful homage.
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Peugeot has introduced a limited production RCZ Magnetic Edition for the U.K. market. Only 170 examples will be built. When I read the name "Magnetic Edition", I thought the RCZ will come equipped with some magnetic suspension. Apparently, I was wrong as the updates are cosmetic in nature. The RCZ Magnetic Edition will be offered in exclusive Pearlescent Pearl White or Metallic Nera Black. Other exterior revisions include matte black roof arches and black grille. The sexy coupe wears 19-inch Sortilege Wheels in Onyx Matte Black finish. Going on to the interior, this special RCZ pampers the occupants with leather sport seats. The steering gets wrapped in leather while the word "Magnetic" is engraved on the door panels. The driver can count on the Peugeot Connect Navigation System to get to his destination. Under the hood, two engines are available, namely the 1.6-litre THP with 156bhp or 200bhp and a 2.0-litre HDi diesel churning 163bhp.
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McLaren P1 The British automaker McLaren has already confirmed that it will soon start development for the successor to the P1 hypercar. However, don't get too excited now, as the company has also mentioned that we aren't likely to see what the successor looks like within the next decade (yes, that's ten years altogether). McLaren P1 The news came along with the news that McLaren's F1 staffs had started carrying out some necessary works in the UK-based automaker's joint effort with the Japanese automaker Honda, seemingly for the sake of the 2015 F1 racing season. It was Greg Levine, the Sales and Marketing Head at McLaren, who shared the news regarding the successor to the P1. McLaren MP4-12C "The only way a car like the P1 works is by being exclusive and having a short product cycle. After that, you have to step back from the market for a few years. These sort of launches can only happen every ten years or so," commented Levine. McLaren MP4-12C Until now, the automaker is about to produce its 375th P1 and - miraculously enough, I would say, considering the very high price tag of US$1.3 million (that is around S$1.6 million) - it has received customers for three quarters of the total units of the P1 to be produced. McLaren MP4-12C Spider Now, judging that Levine mentioned that it will take ten whole years for McLaren to introduce a new hypercar, I'm guessing some of you may be wondering if the company will have nothing to offer in the meantime. Well, in this regard, the British automaker is preparing an entry level model it's probably going to slot under the MP4-12C. The entry level model is dubbed the P13. Unfortunately, there has yet to be any image leaked on the styling cues of the model. Sources inside McLaren are also keeping their lips sealed tightly for the time being. However, it is known that the P13 will more likely lean on the styling cues of the P1 than those of the MP4-12C. According to sources at McLaren, the company's MP4-12C is 'too much about technology and less about beauty' and that the P13 isn't going to suffer from the same fate. Regarding the price of the P13, it seems wise to believe that it will range somewhere around US$200,000 (approximately S$251,000) or less. I think it's safe to assume that the price won't reach US$250,000 (approximately S$314,000), otherwise it may distract the sale of the MP4-12C.
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Bentley to expand presence in Eastern Europe by opening new dealership in Minsk
PetrolHead posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
U.K. luxury automaker - Bentley - will open a new showroom in the land locked country of Belarus to expand its presence in the fast-growing Eastern Europe region later this year. Belarus or officially known as - The Republic of Belarus - is bordered by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. The capital city is called Minsk, and apparently over forty percent of its land mass is forested, and its strongest economic sectors are service industries and manufacturing. I'm not sure how many affluent people are there but I guess the economy is pretty good. Sounds like a mini-Canada doesn't it? Anyway, Bentley's new dealership will be located in the heart of the capital - Bentley Minsk - will open in Summer 2013. Naturally the dealership will offer sales and aftersales services to customers of the luxury British marque. Bentley Minsk will present the full range of exclusive Bentley cars - from the powerful and elegant Continental GT and GT Convertible V8 and W12 models, to the refined Flying Spur and the Mulsanne luxury flagship. In keeping with the Bentley tradition, each model offers an unrivalled blend of effortless performance, peerless refinement, and hand-crafted contemporary luxury. More details pertaining to the showroom will be released soon. -
Nissan ventures into underground advertising - covers London tube with the Juke
PetrolHead posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
The 360-degree advertising wrap that took place for the past two weeks on the underground tube from Nissan's advertising team covered the walls, ceiling and floor of the walkway to the Bakerloo and Victoria lines inside Oxford Circus station. The campaign highlighted Nissan's Connect technology that allows drivers to plot a journey on any device and send it remotely to their car. Featuring the strap-line 'Turn every drive into a ride with Google Send-to-Car technology', the advert gave patrons of the tube the impression that they -
Nissan Micra celebrates its 30th Anniversary in the U.K.
PetrolHead posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
Believe it or not, the Nissan Micra (sold as the March here) has been sold in the U.K. for the past 30 years and Nissan aims to celebrate with new offers. Call me evil or unprofessional, but as soon as I read the news I could not help but head to YouTube to find the above clip. If you are a Micra owner - in that colour hue especially - I meant no disrespect. The subcompact was first launched in Britain in 1983, and after four generations, it has remained dependable and affordable. This fantastic achievement highlights Micra's longstanding popularity. Nissan believes life begins at 30 (isn't it 40?) and to help the Micra stay healthy, the Japanese automaker has announced a range of new '30' themed offers for Micra owners. To begin with, all Micra drivers with over three years of ownership can now benefit from a Ministry of Transport test (MOT) -
Car thieves shoot themselves with stolen cars, on Facebook!
RchLuvSlly posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
You know what they say, "Do whatever you want, just don't get caught!" Unfortunately (or thankfully, perhaps), these teenage car thieves in the United Kingdom don't seem quite knowledgeable about such a saying. Instead, these thieves just seemed so proud of their 'stealing' ability that they even shot pictures of themselves with the cars they had successfully stolen. What amazes me more is that they even posted the pictures on Facebook, a world renowned social media, and on their phones! This led the local police to catch them red-handed, or should I say, 'bread-handed' (you'll see why). It's a real 'shame' to the world of Grand Theft Auto. Speaking of Grand Theft Auto, it reminds me of the action adventure packed car theft game, the latest trailer of which will be shown on 30th April 2013. Alright, let's get back to topic. To be honest with you, these teenagers, aged from 18-23 years old, were quite an expert indeed. Comprising eight members, they managed to successfully steal nine high performance sports cars that were, and still are, very expensive. Porsches, Range Rovers, BMWs, and a Mercedes Coupe worth -
Two equally iconic Italians to hit the auction block at Silverstone
PetrolHead posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
Switzerland motorsport specialists Carrosserie Saurer are no strangers to customised vehicles and have created exceptional examples of automotive styling and engineering. One such example is this 1975 Maserati Merak by Saurer that will be on auction on the 17th May at the Silverstone Auctions hosted International Trophy Sale. Life for this trident badged Italian began like any other Merak, though greater things were destined for this particular model in 1984 at the hands of Swiss-based Saurer. The redesigned bodywork was formed to create what Paul Saurer considered to be his ideal 'Hot Merak' and no doubt the end result exceeded expectations. The bespoke 1975 Maserati has all its original running gear retained and is estimated to be offered at between -
[extract] Despite slated for a 2015 release date, the NSX supercar
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[extract] Although Honda and Toyota may not employ direct injection and turbocharging technologies as widely as their German counterparts, they can at least claim that their engines are more reliable. According to a report released by UK-based Warranty Direct, a provider of direct consumer car warranties, Honda
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Pizza's here usually gets delivered with Class 2b motorcycles though I have heard a well to-do individual uses his Mercedes. Order a hot pizza from Domino's in the town of Swindon, U.K. and you will be greeted by a delivery man in a Renault Twizy. Besides the standard Domino
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A new automotive blog managed to get their hands on the Reventon Spyder
PetrolHead posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
There is a new automotive video blog production of sorts called The BHP Project and they have kicked off with a really good video but an astonishing car, one of the rarest in the world. The Lamborghini Reventon Roadster. Yes not the ordinary Reventon but the ultra-rare Roadster variant. For a new start up it is impressive they got to drive one of the current rarest car in the world and while their video production is not Top Gear quality it is good enough for us to ogle at the raging bull masterpiece. -
Bentley takes on Mercedes in a unique head to head competition
PetrolHead posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
You live in the US and have over $200,000 to spend. You are shopping for a luxury limosouine sedan and have narrowed down to two choices - A Bentley and a Mercedes AMG. But which is better? If you, like me are wondering why isn't a Rolls-Royce featured in this head to head video, well apparently Rolls didn't want to compete, or they were worried apparently. Another worthy contestant will be Maybach but they have folded - so to speak. So it was really interesting to see an uber luxury saloon and a well really expensive saloon competiting. Spoiler alert - the results are not surprising at all. Whats your take guys? If you had all the money in the world which luxury saloon would you guys buy? -
[extract] SAIC-owned MG returned to the UK market in 2011 with the MG6 compact sedan. In saloon and five-door body styles, sales of the MG6 in the UK was found wanting with only 15 units sold in October 2011. This should not come as a surprise as the MG6 is based on SAIC
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[extract] Storied tuner and engine builder, Cosworth, is known for its involvement in performance motors and also in the Formula One. Cosworth is best known for its long affiliation with Ford but they have also worked with other automakers such as Subaru. Cosworth was a major player in the Formula One for many years but somehow their involvement in Formula One ended in 2006 when they lost the contract to supply their engines to Formula One racing cars. And now, it seems that the company
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After the launch of the Mazda6 sedan, the automotive world is now turning its attention to the fore-coming 2014 Mazda3. Apparently, a set of leaked images has been sent to UK magazine, Autoexpress, in an unmarked envelope. When Autoexpress approached Mazda UK to clarify on the images, a spokesperson from the company commented that these are merely conceptual representations of what the next 3 could look like, and are not the actual production model. I have a feeling that these photos were intentionally sent to the publication. The leaked images showed that the new Mazda3 is heavily influenced by the brand's latest Kodo design language worn by the CX-5 crossover and the new Mazda6 sedan. From certain angle, the boot of the hatchback looked rather bulky and SUV-like. The profile of the sedan is smooth flowing and bears a resemblance to Lexus IS250. The convex belt line lends an elegant look to the profile. The controversial smiley face of the current Mazda3 has been replaced by Mazda's new corporate grille. The 2012 Mazda 3 is the first Mazda model to benefit from the brand
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Bentley aims at Rolls Royce drophead coupe with Mulsanne droptop concept
PetrolHead posted a blog entry in MyAutoBlog
[extract] Ever since its debut at Pebble Beach back in 2009, Bentley -
After successfully selected for the new official taxi or cab for the city of New York, Nissan has decided to unveil the Nissan NV200 as a London Black Cab. -the current London Black Cab, the TX4 Nissan must have decided that since it had won the process of being the official taxi for New York, the company believes that the Nissan NV200 has the potential of being the next London black cab. I hope not. I truly hope not. Those that aren
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Maserati announced their partnership with British company 'Benfield', the North East's largest Motor Group, to create the first dedicated showroom for the Trident brand in the UK. Maserati will be the 13th brand sold in the UK by Benfield. The dealership will be operated from Benfield's existing premises on Warwick street, Newcastle and will be open from 10 July 2012. The Warwick Street showroom has the capacity to display all the three cars under the Maserati vehicle range, namely the GranTurismo, GranCabrio and Quattroporte. Additionally, the facility will allow the business to showcase pre-owned Maserati, all of which will be prepared to the highest standards in the adjoining aftersales facility. Giulio Pastore, Managing Director of Maserati Europe said,
