Month: April 2009

Categories
Safety Issues

Peek-a-boo

SeeMe automated warning system

Swedish company Amparo has just started UK trials of a potentially life saving technology aimed at raising awareness of school children near public roads. The system, called SeeMe, uses a transponder attached to a school bag which will trigger solar-powered road side warning lights when a child with the SeeMe system in operation is near by.

The system is already in full use across Sweden and studies there show that when SeeMe is activated drivers will decrease their speed by up to 13km/h in a 70km/h speed zone. That doesn’t sound like much, but would bring a big saving in emergency stopping distances.

Current UK trials are taking place in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, where two school children were killed in 2008.

“Our experience is that the most dangerous situation is when the child is walking to or from the school or school bus, either on their way to the bus stop, crossing the road, or in connection with getting on or off the bus” says Leon Nilsson, COO of Amparo Solutions. “In each case the SeeMe® equipment can make a significant difference, in winter or summer, night or day.”

The SeeMe system appears to be a great use of simple technology that could make a significant impact on increasing road safety for all.

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Categories
News Volkswagen

Volkswagen Golf VI – World Car of the Year 2009

Golf VI wins WCOTY 2009

The Volkswagen Golf VI has been named World Car of the Year for 2009. The announcement was made overnight at the New York International Auto Show.

After making the final cut, the Golf had to beat the Ford Fiesta and the Toyota iQ to claim the 2009 World Car of the Year title.

“We are honored that our new sixth generation Golf was named World Car of the Year. The Golf is Volkswagen’s best selling nameplate with more than 26 million units sold in over 120 countries,” said Stefan Jacoby, President/CEO, Volkswagen Group of America.

Full details available below in press releases from Volkswagen and WCOTY.

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Categories
Audi BMW Carmageddon Mercedes-Benz MINI News Volkswagen

Sackings force Karmann to file for bankruptcy

Karmann badge

Carmageddon has claimed yet another scalp with news filtering through that body specialists Karmann filed for bankruptcy overnight.

Best known for their stunning Volkswagen Karmann Ghia coupé, built from 1955–1974, the German coach-builders currently supply components and body work for convertible models to the likes of Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, MINI and Volkswagen. Contracts with Audi and Mercedes-Benz have either expired, or are coming to an end, and will not be renewed.

While Karmann doesn’t have huge debt hanging over its head, it is suffering the flow on effect from a worldwide drop in automotive sales. Many of its customers are planning to bring work back in-house, leaving Karmann in the lurch.

The company has plans to undertake a massive restructure that would see around 50% of its workforce laid off. This would require redundancy payments for over 2,000 workers, and it is these payments that Karmann cannot afford. By taking the voluntary bankruptcy route it is hoped a buyer can be found and the payments to workers can be saved.

[Source: Bloomberg & theSwitchback]

Categories
Volkswagen

Lets do the time warp again

Golf VI GTI

The Volkswagen Golf VI has been criticised for being too small a jump from the previous generation V. For motoring enthusiasts, the relevance of this criticism will hold strongest in the hero GTI model. Seeing as I was busy when the recent launch took place on the French Riveria we’ll have to make do with reading the thoughts of those who were there.

Drivers Republic are right up there in terms of holding credibility in the motoring hack segment. You can be assured that they will tell it like it is. As an unashamed GTI fan, I’m hoping they give the car a big thumbs up.

The above photo shows the lads didn’t hold back in putting the car through it’s paces. And the blacktop in which the car was tested also left nothing to chance, with a series of switchbacks and flowing curves.

So, is the new GTI a step forward, or a jump to the left? Find out for yourself…

(Thanks to Chris for the tip.)

Categories
Mercedes-Benz News

Premature evacuation

Mercedes-Benz driver flees accident after crashing into brothel

An unknown Melbourne motorist is gaining unwanted notoriety after crashing into a brothel on Punt Road in Richmond.

The accident happened at 7:40am on Sunday and witnesses claim the driver lost control turning on to Punt Road from Brunton Avenue. In a case of premature evacuation the driver fled the scene, leaving the $270K Mercedes-Benz S500 behind. Police are understood to have a firm grip on the driver’s identity and are seeking witnesses to come forward.

For more money shots check out ninemsn.com

[Source: The Age] (Thanks to Jim for the tip.)

Categories
Volkswagen

No Scirocco love for the United States

Volkswagen Scirocco

News has been confirmed that Volkswagen US will not be importing the gorgeous Scirocco.

What affect, if any, this has on Volkswagen Australia’s plans and hopes to bring the coupé down under remains to be seen. Like the US, it is currently believed the Scirocco doesn’t make business sense for VW as it would most likely take sales away from Golf hero, the GTI.

Whatever the beancounters say, I know one thing, a fan base exists in both countries that would ensure Sciroccos would sell. Maybe not in record numbers, but if Renault can bring in a limited release of 40 Clio Renault Sport F1 Team R27s, then could Volkswagen Australia consider doing likewise?

While the Scirocco was launched in between the Golf V and Golf VI models, the car stands on it own and has the benefit of not being affected by new model syndrome. A mild curse which affected the limited release of 200 MkIV Golf R32s, which were on sale just months before the launch of the Golf V.

Australian readers will have to hang their hats on hope at this stage. Volkswagen Australia have not categorically ruled out the Scirocco, but things don’t look too promising, it has to be said. The best chance seems  to the opportunity to bring in the Scirocco R20T (based on the Studie R), which could be revealed to the public at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

[Source: autoblog]

Categories
News

P1 International forced to file UB40?

P1 International

According to various news reports a potentially spiteful court case between the founders of P1 International, Damon Hill and Michael Breen, could force the company into bankruptcy.

Hill, the 1996 F1 World Champion, left P1 three years ago and is seeking money he believes is owed to him. In order to do that he launched a bid to have the company closed down. However, just last week, this bid was unsuccessful and Breen claims that P1, despite an uncertain future, is “still trading and our members are still collecting and driving their supercars as normal.”

The case is scheduled for a return to court next week.

[Source: Car via autoblog]

Categories
Chevrolet Fifth Gear Motorsports

Plato philosophical about great save

Fifth Gear’s Jason Plato is currently getting about in the BTCC in a reasonably priced car—a Chevrolet Lacetti. Something not so reasonable, though, was the tap up the backside given to him by BMW driver Jonathan Adam at Brands Hatch last weekend.

Watch the clip above to see the amazing car control shpwn by Plato as he keeps the car going in its intended direction, even if it was pointing in an entirely different one.

There’s also a brief post-race interview with Plato who found out that his bag of talent actually had a bit more in there than he first thought.

[Source: autoblog]

Categories
Lotus Targa Tasmania

Lotus Exige Cup 260 takes on Targa

Lotus Exige Cup 260

Dean Evans will be gladly flogging the bejeezus out of a Lotus Exige Cup 260 in the Targa Tasmania event later this month.

With 192kW at their disposal, and just 890kg of car to move around it’s pretty safe to say Evans and co-driver Simone Bachmann have the ingredients to be at the pointy end of the field. Indeed the Cup 260 is good for a 100km/h sprint time of just 4.1 seconds.

Helping the Colin Chapman mantra of “horsepower makes you fast in a straight line, lightness makes you fast everywhere” to live on, this will be the world wide tarmac rally debut of the Exige Cup 260.

More specs and detail after the jump in the Lotus presser, and a rather tasty YouTube clip that shows what Dean Evans can do in a Lotus (if you haven’t seen this clip, I suggest you take the time to watch it).

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Categories
Volkswagen

Golf GTI television commercial

This is a pretty cool ad for der neue Golf GTI, which has just gone on sale in Germany. Of course, our wowser advertising rules would never see an ad like this make it past the we-can’t-admit-that-it-is-possible-to-have-fun-behind-the-wheel do gooders. So, we’ll just have to make do with internet viewing instead. As it happens, we’d better do that while we can too, just in case Krudd gets his way.

The tagline at the end of the TVC reads, “only for advanced drivers”.

There’s also a behind the scenes look after the jump, which is great news if you sprechen Deutsch.

[Source: Carscoop via The Motor Report]

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Categories
GM News

Your chance to catch the Bandit

Burt Reynolds' Pontiac Trans Am

“For the good old American lifestyle: For the money, for the glory, and for the fun… mostly for the money.”

It’s a great line, from a great movie. At least, I thought it was great when I was kid. Of course, I’m talking about Smokey and the Bandit. Known as much for the Pontiac Trans Am as anything else, it has to be said.

Now, you can buy Burt Reynolds’ own  1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am ‘Bandit’ Sports Coupe. The car is fully restored, and includes special Bandit insignias on the headrests.

If you’re interested you need to get yourself to the Houston Classic Auction on 2 May. Full details after the jump.

[Source: Worldwide Auctioneers via autoblog]

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Categories
Formula 1 Mercedes-Benz

Jenson Button talks about the BGP 001

Jenson Button has just made it two race wins from two starts in 2009 at the Malaysian Grand Prix. The Brawn-Mercedes driver got off the line from pole position poorly and lost the lead to Nico Rosberg. However, he was able to regain the lead before the race was cancelled due to a monsoon-like storm.

This YouTube clip, from BrawnGP, shows Button full of optimism before jetting out to Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix. Now, two races into the season, it makes for interesting viewing to listen to what Button has to say. You get the feeling that the strong pre-season form shown by BrawnGP left the team full of confidence. Looking at the subsequent results, you can see why.

A full table of results from the Malaysian Grand Prix can be accessed at Formula1.com.