Despite a strike by Shell delivery drivers, motorists are being urged not to panic-buy petrol this weekend.
Unions representing the drivers today rejected a pay offer from the two haulage firms employing them and voted for a walk-out.
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A replica of the Citroen Xsara WRC, as driven by Colin McRae in the 2003 World Rally Championship, will be showcased alongside 10 other significant vehicles from the late rally champion’s career.
This will form part of a special tribute to the Scottish racing legend.
Citroen also will display its concept supercar, the C-Metisse, which features an aviation-inspired cockpit, gull-wing doors and fighter jet-style roof controls.
Debuted at the Paris Motor Show in 2006, it showed that a high-performance car also could be green.
It is capable of a top speed of 250km/h, sips fuel at 6.2 litres per 100km and emits 174g/km of CO2 thanks to its three drivetrains, economical 155kw V6 HDi diesel engine, plus two separate electric motors on the rear wheels to develop an additional 400Nm of torque and allow the car to run in Zero Emission Vehicle Mode.
The specially designed carbon fibre body reduces the car’s total weight to just 1400kg including the batteries, enabling the C-Metisse to hit 0-100km/h in 6.2sec.
A boost function activated under heavy acceleration engages the electric motors to combine with the combustion engine, enhancing the power and performance without increasing the fuel consumption.
The Goodwood Festival of Speed runs from July 11-13.
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The car – to be launched in 2009 – has a specially developed, turbocharged version of the Duratec 2.5-litre engine, based on Focus ST, but significantly revised to generate 155kW of power and more than 400 Nm of torque, with the aim of giving an excellent power-to-weight ratio.
Various chassis innovations, developed in conjunction with Ford’s Advanced Engineering Centre in Aachen are being tuned for the new car by the Cologne-based Ford Team RS.
According to Ford, their overriding objective is to achieve optimized driving dynamics and on road performance through an advanced technology front-wheel drive system, combined with a limited-slip differential.
“In early prototypes based on Focus ST vehicles, the new system is more than meeting our targets for exceptional levels of traction, handling and steering,” project leader and Ford Europe’s Vehicle Line Director for Performance Vehicles, Jost Capito, says.
“Now, we are going through the rigorous job of proving out our technical approach in extensive testing and tuning over a variety of roads including the most demanding track in the world, the `Green Hell’ that is the Nürburgring Nordschleife!”
Further technical details of the all-new Focus RS will be released closer to launch.
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The Wall Street Journal reports that Chrysler is bumping-up list prices on their new Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles by two percent, effective June 16th. I fail to see the point when dealers are slapping cash on the hood in ever higher piles amidst a crash in demand. Not to mention the fact that Chrysler has yet to announce their much-ballyhooed across-the-board-model cuts. The official justification for the price hike: “[Chrysler spokesman Stuart] Schorr said at the beginning of this model year Chrysler put in an average increase of $1,200 in content per vehicle without raising prices,” Automotive News [sub] reports. Just in case you were thinking Schorr was referring to significantly upgraded interiors, “the executives said increasing commodity prices, including steel, pushed the company to raise prices.” Yes, well, you have to wonder just how many more 2008 Chrysler products are going to come out of the factories between June 16th and the start of 2009 model year production. This all seems like a bizarre going-through-the-motions exercise, perhaps intended to convince a future buyer that Chrysler is what’s commonly referred to as a “going concern.” Tick tock.
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BMW will invest another $270 million to expand its U.S. operations, the German automaker said. “These investments show that we are convinced of the continued long-term growth of the U.S. market despite the difficult economic conditions currently,” BMW sales chief Ian Robertson said in a statement.
BMW sold 336,000 vehicles last year in the United States — the world’s single largest luxury car market — an increase of 7.1 percent and accounting for roughly 22 percent of total group sales.
In order to better cope with the growing volumes and the resulting need for more spare parts, BMW will invest by the end of this year $170 million in two new parts distribution centers in Pennsylvania and Illinois.
Once built the carmaker will have six such centers in the United States.
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Thanks to reader Aleks Witko, who sent in the enclosed shots of the SS-ified (but certainly not sissified) 2008 edition of Bumblebee. The Transformers crew was shooting scenes at Drexel University in Philly, and Aleks scored some nice overhead shots of the car down on the street below. (One nice thing about movie sets: the lighting’s going to be good.) Even better (for him), he reports, ” Lucky for me, I also got to meet Megan Fox.” Lucky, indeed.
Gallery: Bumblebee goes to Philly
[Source and Photos: Aleks Wytko]
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As everyone no doubt knows by now, Max Mosley, president of the FIA (which governs Formula 1 and other motorsport series), likes to do naughty things that involve military history, shackles, and ladies of ill repute. He even has the home video to prove it: Order yours now — free! — on any Web-connected PC. As a result, that paragon of wholesomeness and decency, the Formula 1 circus, now wants Mosley’s Nazi helmet on a platter. Never mind that a general assembly of FIA members in Paris last week voted overwhelmingly to support Mosley. No, say the righteous brothers: It’s time to ax Max.
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And so many of participants of the 10th annual Cruisin’ Gratiot gunned their engines and squealed their tires Saturday, peeling out to the delight of the thousands who packed Gratiot between Eight and 10 Mile in the first of the summer’s big cruises.
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STOP PRESS! We’ve updated our Audi A7 scoop with the world’s first photographs of the new four-door coupe. It might be wearing the mother of all disguises – more of a tent, really – but this is the first sight of Audi’s ‘coupoon’. Read on for the full update…
Audi continues its quest to fill every possible niche in the motoring universe with this new A7 that arrives in 2009. CAR Online’s artist’s impression is based on the official design sketch we smuggled out of Ingolstadt last year (red car pictured) and reveals the new four-door coupe that will be shown at the Frankfurt motor show 2009.
Should we believe the marketing claims of four-door coupes? Essentially, they are slinkier, less practical, lower-roofed saloons – hardly cut ‘n’ thrust two-door sports cars. Whatever you call them, they’re all the rage – with Merc enjoying success with its gangsta CLS, Jag continuing its low-slung theme with the XF and VW now muscling in at the budget end of the market with the Passat CC. BMW too is planning a four-door GT based around the Concept CS.
So tell me more about the Audi A7
We’ll see the A7 in autumn 2009 ahead of a showroom debut in 2010. It’s based on the next-gen A6 vehicle architecture, which means a new lightweight aluminium structure that uses steel reinforcements to cut weight. Our sources suggest it’ll be 4900mm long.
As you’d hope with something that long, the A7 is a four-seater – but you’ll buy one for its swoopy looks rather than roomy pews. Audi expects to flog around 40,000 copies a year once sales are in full swing.
Click ‘Next’ to read the lowdown on the Audi A7’s tech package
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NASCAR embarked on some damage control Friday, suspending two of the Nationwide Series officials named in the $225 million lawsuit filed by former official Mauricia Grant this week. Read more here.
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