New BMW 3 Series cars

BMW is launching the new 3 Series Coupé and Convertible Sport Plus Editions on 1st September. The cars come with the distinctive M Sport body styling such as 19" M Sport alloy wheels and an M3 rear spoiler (on the Coupé only).

A range of additional equipment comes as standard.

Toyota Advanced Technology Vehicle Display

­Little Tokyo Design Week: Future City announces the Toyota Advanced Technology Vehicle Display. The event will be held this coming July 14-17 in Little Tokyo (Los Angeles, California).

They plan to exhibit the Prius Plug-in, the RAV4 EV battery-electric vehicle and the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Hybrid.

The range of the Prius Plug-in is approximately 13 miles (at speeds up to 60 mph). The compact Lithium-ion battery can be fully recharged quite fast - in 3 hours on 110 volts and 1.7
hours on 220 volts. The best part is that when the EV power is depleted, the Plug-in performs like a
conventional Prius.

Toyota plans to launch the car for sale in the first half of 2012 in the US.

The RAV4 EV is a joint project with aims to develop an electric version of the RAV4 with the intent to bring a RAV4 EV to market in 2012.

Toyota's hydrogen fuel cell hybrid vehicle fleet has logged several million miles since hitting the road in 2002, with significant technological improvements along the way. Toyota's current FCHV-adv
nationwide demonstration program is placing more than 100 vehicles with demonstration partners by 2013, providing one of the largest fleets of active fuel cell vehicles in the country.

The primary goal of the demonstration program is to spur infrastructure development prior to fuel cell vehicle market introduction in 2015.

For more information, visit the ­Little Tokyo Design Week site.

Buying a motorhome

Now that the holiday season is here I can see a lot of caravans and motorhomes on the roads. As compared to caravans, motorhomes are costlier to buy and to maintain. However, they are ideal for people who hate the idea of towing a caravan. If you thinking of getting yourself a motorhome, check out C4 Caravans. When I last checked, they had 195 Motorhomes for sale.

You can search for motorhomes based on condition (new or used), price range, manufacturer and other options. The cheapest was for a Mercedes Spencer Classic (4 berth) for just £1,600.

Having a motor home would mean double taxes and insurance (including my car) but is something I am definitely interested in.

Breakdown Cover for Expensive Cars

All cars are not created equal – and when you’ve got a Lamborghini or an Aston Martin glittering in your garage, you’ll want to give it the best treatment you can. No doubt you’ll invest in regular servicing and give it a good wash and brush-up whenever it needs it, but there is an avenue that tends to be overlooked - breakdown cover.

The Best for the Best

Expensive and prestige cars are designed and manufactured with that extra attention to detail. High-end specifications and immaculate production standards are what set your car apart from the rest of the crowd. When it comes to the cost, you’re paying for something that delivers outstanding performance, as well as the satisfaction of knowing it turns heads as fast as it turns corners.

Because of the cost, these prestige cars are relatively rare on the roads and this sets them apart from the general traffic in both physical and financial terms. By paying for a high-end car, you’re going to find that your insurance premiums are higher, reflecting the increased risk that they represent to insurance companies. However, given that your pride and joy is also going to be subject to wear and tear and the unscrupulous designs of others, you’ll need to give yourself the best protection you can.

Breakdown without a Breakdown

Your general insurance is going to reflect the cost of your car as much as your driving history. However, there are some things that are completely beyond your control such as mechanical failure or the effects of the elements on certain components. Breakdown cover gives you the security of knowing that, if your car does break down, you’re not going to be stuck on the side of the road or have to pull out all the stops in hunting out a specialist garage.

Because your car is a specialist product, it will require specialist breakdown cover which, in turn, is going to cost more than the average policy. However, with the insurance market becoming ever more competitive, the Internet can help to yield surprisingly cost-effective rates. It’s also worth remembering that, just as your car stands out from the crowd, so too will the levels of service you can expect from your breakdown cover. By shopping around for breakdown cover that deals with top-of-the-range cars, you can also find policies that offer top-of-the-range provisions for premium customers. This might include accommodation in the event of a breakdown or much faster response times. Look at the perks and incentives offered by each company to find which suits you and your motor the best.

If the idea of trawling the Internet for policy details is too much to think about, bear in mind that online comparison sites are a quick and convenient way of finding out just what’s available. These sites are independent data-collators, which present all the information you need in an easy-to-read format, allowing you to quickly find out which is the best policy for you.

A luxury car is a major investment. Taking a little time to hunt down the best breakdown cover can prevent that investment from turning into a money pit.

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Jaguar to partner with Williams F1 to create hybrid supercar

Jaguar announced last week that they were going to develop the Jaguar C-X75 in association with Williams F1 who will provide their engineering expertise in areas including aerodynamics, carbon composite manufacture and hybrid technologies. The production of this hybrid supercar will be limited with only 250 built.

This is the first time the two companies are collaborating to produce one of the world’s highest performance and environmentally sustainable supercars. The production of Jaguar C-X75 is expected to create more than one hundred highly-skilled jobs in the UK.

The new car will have an internal combustion engine along with electric motors and emitting less than 99g/km CO2 emissions.

The car will reach 0-60mph in less than 3 seconds and 0-100mph in less than 6 seconds with a top speed in excess of 200mph. The car will have a lightweight, all carbon-fibre chassis and prices are expected to start from £700,000.

Volvo concept - The Tiandi / Universe

Volvo recently unveiled their global concept car called the Tiandi or Universe at the Shanghai motor show. The curvy and more flashy look indicate the direction the Volvo is going to take under Geely, Volvo's new Chinese owners.

Even though the Volvo Cars chief Stefan Jacoby says that the Geely was not involved or influenced the car's design or development, they are clearly targeting the Chinese with this new concept.

The car features a unique grille shape and low-set headlights. Will post more details and pics as I get them.

New VW Beetle

The new VW Beetle was unveiled at the Shanghai motor show recently. The new generation Beetle is longer (4,278 mm in length ), wider (1,808 mm in width) and lower (12mm less at 1,486) giving it a more masculine and sporty appearance. The Beetle is not really seen as a guy's car and I guess they are looking to change that.

The roof extends back further, the windscreen is shifted back and the boot capacity has also increased at 310 litres, up from 209 litres in the 1998 model.

The Beetle has four seats, with a split-fold rear seat for added versatility.

It will be available in 3 trim levels, namely, Beetle, Design and Sport with a wide range of innovative options, ranging from Keyless Access through satellite navigation systems and a panoramic sunroof to bi-xenon headlights and LED daytime running lights.

In the Beetle will be available in a choice of four engines: three petrol – a 1.2-litre TSI 105 PS, a 1.4-litre TSI 160 PS and a 2.0-litre TSI 200 PS; and one diesel – a 1.6-litre 105 PS with BlueMotion Technology. The latter is fitted with Stop/Start and battery regeneration systems which gives it a combined fuel consumption of 65.7 mpg and carbon dioxide emissions of 112 g/km.

Safety features include standard ESP and six airbags but also a laser-welded and galvanised body structure.

The car is expected to be available to order in the UK in the summer and arriving in showrooms early in 2012.

Tags: Volkswagen 21st Century Beetle Revealed