Motoring News

Autocar round-up: 15/07/009
The best news, first drives, videos and blogs from today.

Fastest ever Bentley caught on film
The fastest and most powerful car Bentley has been seen on the move for the first time – as this new video from the boys from Crewe shows. <

Uncomfortable airconditioning
Reader is advised by Honest John to find an airconditioning specialist to diagnose the problem.

Speed cushions an absolute disaster
Honest John advises reader to buy new rather than from a scrapyard parts for his car's suspension.

No need for physical proof of posting documents to DVLA
Reader presents a cogent explanation on the legal arguments about sending and receiving post using the Royal Mail's service in Britain.

Kimberley retires as Lotus CEO
Mike Kimberley, chief executive of Lotus, is retiring due to an ongoing health problem.

Government sets emission goals
The government has announced plans to cut CO2 emissions by 34 per cent by 2020, a move which has been backed by car makers.

Scrappage scheme is not ideal for all
Honest John advises readers to check the open market valuation of their cars before going down the scrappage route.

Nissan Navarra King Cab a good deal
Honest John agrees that the Nissan Navara King Cab the reader has been offered is at a good price.

Brake fluid situation
Two years between car services is far too long for Honest John.

Motorway maintenance lacking in UK
Reader complains to Honest John about lack of motorway maintenance in Britain.

Scrappage scheme not a joke
Honest John maintains support for the Government's scrappage scheme.

Audi A5 Sportback revealed
This is Audi’s niche-busting answer to the BMW 5-series GT: the five-door, four-seat A5 Sportback.

Moss magic merits eponymous race
Sir Stirling's 80th birthday to be celebrated in style at Portugal's newest racing circuit.

Mosley backs Todt for presidency
Max Mosley has confirmed he will not stand for relection as FIA president in October.

Vaux pop
Corsa gets a horrible new paintjob and a pair of themed skates. Oh dear

Jaguar Land Rover to shed 300 jobs
Jaguar and Land Rover are to cut 300 jobs at their plant in Halewood, Merseyside in connection with plans to cease production of Jaguar's X-Type model by yearend

Axed Wagoner gets £5m pension
Former General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner will retire in August with a package worth $8.

Kia Soul police car
A Kia dealership has donated a distinctive new Soul to Sussex Police.

ACEA hails scrappage success
The success of scrappage schemes has boosted new car sales in Europe, according to industry body ACEA.

Golf coarse
German tuner ABT gives Golf GTI a much-needed boost

Jaguar X-Type axed
Jaguar X-Type production will finish at the end of the year.

MAN group to buy €560m stake in Sinotruk
The German truckmaker said it would pay €560m for a 25 per cent stake in Sinotruk, China's largest manufacturer of heavy trucks

'Miss Englands' on the pull in London
A bunch of beauty contest finalists showed their drive to succeed by dragging a pink Mini convertible into London to raise money for charity. <

Drivers 'lack road policy interest'
Motorists in the UK are feeling less engaged with major policy decisions and are losing interest in important motoring issues as a result of the recession and a lack of government, according to a report published today by the RAC.

German MotoGP: Pedrosa is on a charge
The BBC's MotoGP presenter praises Dani Pedrosa's tenacity and predicts further fireworks.

Range Rover 2010 model year review
Behind the slightly fussy glitzing of Land Rover's flagship lurks a fabulous car.

Aston Martin DBR2 recreated
Aston Martin’s DBR2 1957 race car has been recreated by an American restoration company.

Goodwood Festival of Speed: classic car judging
It's a tough job picking a winner from the mouthwatering cars selected for the Cartier Style et Luxe concours d'elegance.

424bhp Audi S4 launched
Tuning company MTM has launched a 424bhp version of the Audi S4.

Fire up the 335bhp Quattro – its back!
Audi has reignited its iconic Quattro model with a supercar slaying 335bhp road rocket - this is the Autobahn-storming Audi TT RS.

Mitsubishi Evo X FQ330 SST car review
The Evo X FQ330 SST combines blends bleeding-edge performance with day-to-day user-friendliness with the greatest success. <

Jaguar XJ's public debut
Jaguar will give its new flagship XJ saloon its first official public appearance at the 2009 Gulf Luxury Fair in London later this month.

Porsche debt hits €10 billion
Sports car maker's debt has ballooned from €9 billion, but the company aims to flush fresh funds into its coffers through deals being agreed with Qatar

Vauxhall workers hit Parliament
A convoy of Vauxhall cars and vans has arrived at Parliament as part of a protest aimed at highlighting the plight of the for sale car maker.

How to sell your car part 3: writing the advert
In the third part of our guide to selling your car, we reveal the steps to penning a perfect advert. read more

Toyota considers making hybrid car in UK
Toyota is considering producing a hybrid version of its Auris hatchback model in the UK that would be its first petrol-electric car to be made in Europe. If it...

Fuelled by a dream of free energy
In 1990, under the glaring sunshine of the Australian outback, a mechanical engineering undergraduate at the University of Michigan made a decision that was to set the...

Sprawling GM ad campaign feels the pinch
The dazzling advertisements that surround Times Square in New York have become the latest victims of General Motors' financial woes. A bankruptcy court judge has...

Magna plays high-stakes game with the industry
The bid by Magna International of Canada for control of General Motors' Opel arm, endorsed by the Kremlin, has been described by some analysts in geopolitical, "great...

India's Reva plugs in to the green market
A Bangalore-based company is planning to build the world's largest factory for low-cost, purely electric cars in a bid to introduce green energy to the subcontinent's...

India's Reva plugs in to the green market
A Bangalore-based company is planning to build the world's largest factory for low-cost, purely electric cars in a bid to introduce green energy to the subcontinent's...

Updated: Alfa Milano details
The new Alfa Romeo Milano will be unveiled at next year's Geneva motor show, and will use the same C-Evo platform as the upcoming 157 replacement, the Giulia.

Peugeot's diesel hybrid first
Peugeot is set to launch the world’s first diesel hybrid, a 3008-based four-wheel-drive car, which it claims will offer 200bhp and 369lb ft and be capable of emitting just 99g/km of CO2.

Full details: Alfa Romeo Giulia
The Alfa Romeo 159 will be replaced with an all-new model called the Giulia within the next two years.

Hyundai won't pay EU fines
Hyundai plans to cut its average CO2 emissions to under 130g/km by 2012 to meet EU laws that will fine car makers who fail to lower CO2 output.

Russian PM 'to save Magna deal'
Russian president Dmitry Medvedev is ready to step in and save Magna and Sberbank’s takeover of Opel/Vauxhall from GM.

Porsche nears Qatar deal
Porsche is closing in on a deal with Qatar which would reduce the struggling sportscar maker’s ten billion euro (£8.

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