VW Beetle Hot Rods

VW has had a bit of problem selling the Beetle to male customers and despite launching a New Beetle specifically targeted at guys, was not particularly successful.

This may change the perception of the Beetle as a "cute" car:

On closer inspection, they are not the newer versions of the Beetle but rather modified versions of the popular model.

The Citroën C Elysée

Sebastian Loeb and Team Citroën unveiled the new C Elysée car and preview WTCC season at the Frankfurt Motor show 2013.

The Citroën C-Elysée WTCC is the very first vehicle to be designed in accordance with the new FIA regulations for the category, will be driven in the the World Touring Car Championship in 2014 by Sébastien Loeb.

The model is a C-segment saloon aimed principally at high-growth, international markets such as those in Latin America, the Mediterranean region, China and Russia.

According to Citroën, it is 30% ahead of its initial sales target, with 30,000 orders placed.

The car features 18-inch wheels, an integrated aerodynamic splitter, and widened front and rear wings.

The Citroën C-Elysée WTCC is powered by the same 1.6-litre direct injection turbocharged engine as the DS3 WRC. With a wider booster flange, power output is now close to 380bhp. The car comes with a front-wheel drive transmission, controlled by a six-speed sequential gearbox.

Win a classic car for a weekend

As part of the British Auto Legends campaign, they are running a competition where lucky winners will get the chance to win a classic car for a weekend with Royal Mail.

All you have to do is go to their Facebook page: www.ifyouhadtopickone.com and then choose your favourite classic car from the the Royal Mail collection to be in with a chance of winning.

Hurry the contest ends this coming Monday.

London Taxis back in production

Production of the iconic London Taxis - the new TX4 model, has resumed at the London Taxi Company factory at Hollyhead road in Coventry, six months after the firm was rescued by the Geely Group. Geely Group Chairman Li Shufu and Business Secretary Vince Cable were present to officially start production.

Pic from their Twitter page

The Chinese owners bought the company for £11.4 million in February this year. With a £150m five-year investment plan, and 65 new jobs in Coventry and new sales staff in London, the company is hoping for a brighter future. - The company has a total workforce of around 170 and aims to produce 10 cars a day.

The BMW i8

The BMW i8 plug-in hybrid is the perfect dream car for me - an eco friendly high-performance sports car. It features a passenger cell made from carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) and BMW eDrive technology that enables it to be driven on electric power alone.

Here are some pics from Frankfurt:

Jaguar Land Rover announces £1.5 billion investment

Dr. Ralf Speth, Chief Executive Officer of Jaguar Land Rover today announced the major investment approaching £1.5 billion at the Frankfurt Motor Show. This will also include the creation of 1,700 new jobs at their Advanced Manufacturing Facility in Solihull, UK. This brings the total number of UK manufacturing jobs announced by Jaguar Land Rover over the last three years to almost 11,000. The car maker owned by Tata plans to deliver an enhanced range of models for both the Jaguar and Land Rover brands in new segments and markets.

The first new model to utilise the new technically-advanced aluminium vehicle architecture will be an all-new mid-sized sports sedan from Jaguar which is expected to be launched in 201. This vehicle will feature the first engine to be built at Jaguar Land Rover’s new £500m Engine Manufacturing Centre. The plant will build the new family of high-output, fuel efficient petrol and diesel engines for Jaguar Land Rover.

The C-X17 concept

Updated: 10 Sept, 2013

Jaguar's first ever sports crossover concept vehicle - the C-X17, has been revealed at Frankfurt 2013.

The C-X17 is a design study to introduce Jaguar's all-new advanced aluminium architecture. Jaguar hopes that this modular, scalable architecture will allow them to grow its product portfolio, and target high-growth areas of the premium market, beginning with a new mid-sized C/D segment sedan in 2015.

The C-X17 concept combines the character and driving experience of a sports car with increased presence and flexibility.

JLR live at the Frankfurt Motor Show

Here is the live stream of JLR at the Frankfurt Motor Show below:
Looking forward to the C-X17 Concept, interviews with Jaguar executives and guests.

Seat Belts and the New Volvo coupe concept

An interesting titbit about the new Volvo coupe concept was on the Volvo Facebook page:

"Volvo invented the 3-point belt back in 1959. In our mission to make all car travel safer we gave the idea away, license free, to all manufacturers. It set the standard for safety and the inclusion of this special buckle in the Concept Coupe pays homage to our legacy."

The new Peugeot 308

Peugeot's new model, the Peugeot 308 will be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motorshow next week.