Sunday, November 30, 2008

Citroen confirms RHD Nemo Multispace and 7 seat Berlingo (UK)




Citroen is to bring a right-hand drive version of its Nemo Multispace mini-MPV to the UK next year. This tiny utilitarian vehicle is a passenger-carrying version of the Nemo van, and a sister model to the Fiat Fiorino Qubo , which also goes on sale here in Spring 2009. The Nemo and Fiorino (plus Peugeot's Bipper) are all built in the same factory in Tofas, Turkey, in a joint venture between Fiat and Peugeot-Citroen.

Both the van and the passenger models, with sliding rear doors on both sides and full-length windows, have been developed on the Fiat Panda's underpinnings, so they should be car-like to drive and reasonably refined. And for outdoorsy types, there'll even be a camper van version: Romahome of the Isle of Wight is to offer a single-bed conversion, similar in spirit to the popular C15 van-based model it built in the 1990s.

Engines for the Nemo Multispace will be taken from Fiat - 73bhp, 1.4 litre petrol and a 75bhp, 1.3 litre MultiJet diesel, with the diesel model able to achieve 63mpg combined and the petrol for over 40mpg combined.

Citroen promises that the Nemo Multispace will be competitively-priced - expect a starting price of under £10,000 - to draw distance between it and the larger C3 Picasso, which will also go on sale in February.

Citroen's third new people-carrier, also on sale in February, is a seven-seat version of the popular Berlingo Multispace. To accommodate the extra pair of rear seats - which slot into the boot - the 2nd row seats have been raised a little and moved further forwards. All five rear seats fold down on their bases, though not completely flat, and tumble forwards. They can also be removed altogether, to create a large load-bay.

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MINI axes jobs at Oxford plant (UK)


290 workers are to lose their jobs at the MINI plant in Oxford.

A statement from the company said that almost 300 agency workers would lose their jobs as a result of a decision to cut its Friday late shift from January.

MINI says the move is a temporary measure to balance production with the current downturn in demand for new cars. MINI announced earlier this month that it was to reduce production at its Oxford and Swindon plants and extend the Christmas break by 2 weeks.

Mugello_ Rossi in Rosso: MotoGP star drives Ferrari F2008


The Ferrari World Finals at Mugello finished a few weeks ago. But someone appeared to have forgotten to tell the tifosi, as a loyal garrison of the Scuderia's most loyal fans, thousand-strong, came back out last week to the track. After the Challenge series were decided, the 16M Scuderia Spider unveiled, the FXX program ran its laps and the fans celebrated the Formula One constructors' championship, what exactly were they hoping still to see? How about the prospect of seeing an Italian driver piloting an Italian F1 car around one of Italy's most famous tracks? And not just any driver, but Valentino Rossi, a world champion with credentials to rival Schumacher's.
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Event Alert: December Calendar of Automotive Events
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Event Alert: December Calendar of Automotive Events


We started our monthly calendar of events last month and learned almost immediately that we will never be able to make it as comprehensive as everyone would like, but that's where you come in. Take a look at the list we've put together for December after the jump, and if you see changes that need to be made or events you'd like to add, leave a comment with event info and a link. Once again we've used two of our favorite resources: the New York Times automotive calendar for national and international stuff, and for local stuff here in Southern California, our buddy Dave Lindsay's SoCalCarCulture pages. Dave's photos from these local events are fantastic.
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Essen Motor Show: Lorinser Styled Mercedes GLK Unveiled


Lorinser is an established Mercedes design tuner, so perhaps to look is all we really need.

But it does mean we are not getting many details about this new GLK by Lorinser except for these pics available here from opening day at the Essen Motor Show.


Tuners don't like to waste time and the window between releases of new models and tuner versions has all but disappeared.


Notable here is the mesh wire grill with the underside skid plate in a highlighting color. A matching underside skid plate at the back is braced by the quad exhaust. The side skirts are subtle but the entire effect of the added design cues is to soften the lines of this rather boxy model.


But does that mean these things are often rush jobs? Probably not, since many top tuners have technical staff as qualified as the ones that build the cars and also have a good relationship with manufacturers who love the press attention these presentations get.
via:World Car Fans



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Car News: Up Close & Personal with Irmscher's Opel Insignia


German turner Irmscher used the Essen motor show to debut their new range of styling enhancements for the recently launched Opel Insignia.


With over 40 years of experience specializing in Opel's it was natural that the company would be the first to offer a styling package for the new model.


Pricing hasn't been released but the new styling package will be available to order through Opel dealers.


Up front is a lower front spoiler and an Irmscher grille with a honeycomb insert which can be ordered in either black or silver. Rounding out the other changes to the car are new side sills, a rear spoiler, and a rear bumper outfitted with a diffuser. Irmscher Insignia's can be equipped with light alloy wheels which will be offered in a variety of different designs and sizes up to 20-inches.
Source:World Car Fans



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Saturday, November 29, 2008

2009 Audi R8 LMS Details


'We know just how important motorsport is for the success of the brand,' emphasises Michael Dick, who as Chairman of the Board for Technical Development is responsible for the AUDI AG motorsport programme. 'Therefore it goes without saying that Audi must also be present on the race track in economically hard times. It is all the more important for us to enter a motorsport category in which the cost-benefit calculation is positive.'
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Essen Motor Show: Brabham BMW M3 Unveiled


Brabham Racing from Germany is making its return to the upper ground, after going underground back in 1992. ‘Underground' means bankrupt for our purposes. At Essen, Brabham aims to show the world that it's still alive and well, kicking even, starting with this combative-looking M3 which is dubbed BT 92, '92 referencing that fateful year.
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Essen Debuts: PPI Razor GTR based on Audi R8


Specialist Audi tuners PPI Automotive Design have brought yet another R8 re-invention to the Essen Motor Show.

Here are the fresh pics from today's opening where you can get a good look at how the German tuner has turned this Audi into a mean-eyed cat called the PPI RAZOR GTR.
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Friday, November 28, 2008

Car News: Honda V8 coming... in 2015


"You've got to have the right tool for the job." "You can't bring a knife to a gun-fight." Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. We've heard it all before. Honda makes some excellent engines, there's no doubt about that, from small displacement four-pots that rev through the roof to gloriously smooth and reliable V6 units. Unfortunately, the fun stops there, as the Japanese automaker has steadfastly stuck to its guns, not building an eight-cylinder engine when it can do just as well with fewer pistons.
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Benz News: Mercedes will begin phasing out V12 engines


Mercedes-Benz, longtime stalwarts of the V12 engine, is considering lowering its preferred cylinder count by a third. While our first inclination is to assume that this change is being made to increase the fuel efficiency and lower the emissions of the overall Daimler line, the real reason that the bent-12 engine program is being dropped is simply because the block is too long. A V12 is, for all intents and purposes...
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Essen Motor Show: Techart GTstreet R Unveiled


For the Porsche 911 Turbo, TechArt made special arrangements. These arrangements add up to something like this: a 3.6-litre twin-turbo engine boosted from the standard 473hp (480PS/ 353kW) to 650hp (660PS/ 485kW). That's correct, 600 horses plus another 50 for full effect.
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