UK Insurer Parts the Most Unreliable and Costly Car

In an article on a BMW-faced Honda Accord we found for sale on Craigslist back in 2008, we wrote that in a perfect world, our ultimate car would be “designed by Italians, engineered by Germans, built by Japanese and marketed by Americans”.So, what’s the worst car one could imagine? Well, if we played around with the above statements, we’d say one designed by Japanese, engineered by Americans, built by Italians and marketed by Germans.
But UK insurance firm Warranty Direct had something a little bit different in mind. Instead of playing the origin card, the company decided to check out its database of 50,000 live policies on cars aged five years on average to part the UK’s most unreliable vehicle that would break down every other month and cost an average of £2,050 (equal to US$3,270 - €2,330) to fix each year.
By studying its Reliability Index tool that measures car reliability by considering average cost of repair, frequency of failure, age and mileage, the UK firm came up with an owner’s nightmare, which it calls the Monster Mk1.
The most unreliable car would be powered by an MG TF engine, ride on the suspension of a BMW M3, and have the electric workings of the Renault Megane, the air-conditioning system of a Seat Alhambra, the heating system of a Seat Toledo, the ignition of a Mercedes V-Class, the steering system of a Volvo C70, the gearbox of a Land Rover Freelander and the brakes of an Audi A8.
Commenting on the results, Warranty Direct managing director, Duncan McClure Fisher, said: “The Monster Mk1 represents the worst-performing vehicles in every sector, from suspension to electrics, on our roads today. The wide range of cars included in our special blend highlights how mostly reliable cars can be dragged down by one problem part.”
According to the British company, nearly 40 percent of BMW M3s require repairs to axle and suspension components alone each year, while the same percentage of Renault Meganes report an electrical fault on an basis.
Furthermore, one in five Land Rover Freelanders suffer transmission glitches each year and the same number of Audi A8s will need repairs to their brakes.
The company also found that almost a fourth of MG’s TF sports car owners will experience engine troubles, while more than one in eight SEAT Alhambra MPVs will need their air-con fixed during a typical year.

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BMW Creates New Performance Edition models

There are many ways to celebrate the sponsorship of an event like the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, but when it comes to automakers, the norm is the introduction of special edition models.

For BMW, the festivities over its sponsorship of the games begin with the UK launch of two new Performance Edition models based on the 1-Series hatchback and 3-Series sedan.

Starting with the 1-Series, the Performance Edition trim level is offered on the three- and five-door versions of the 116i, 116d and 118d. The package includes an M aerodynamic kit, dark chrome 18-inch M light alloy wheels, high-gloss Shadowline exterior trim, dark chrome exhaust tailpipe and dark line rear lights.

An M Sport Suspension, sport seats with Royal Blue stitching, M Sport multi-function leather steering wheel and gearshift leaver, floor mats with Royal Blue piping and London 2012 exterior badges round off the package.

BMW says the Performance Edition costs just £1,500 more than the equivalent 1-Series ES models offering buyers savings of £1,725. Prices start at £19,530 OTR for the three-door 116i Performance Edition.

Moving on to the 3-Series Saloon, the Performance Edition package is available on the 118i and 118d. Similar to the 1-Series models, it includes an M aerodynamic body kit, M sport multi-function leather steering wheel, sport seats, floor mats with blue piping, 18-inch light alloy wheel, chrome exhaust finisher and London 2012 exterior badges.

According to the Bavarian firm, the 3-Series Performance Edition models costs £500 more than the equivalent ES variants, with buyers saving £2,030 from the added equipment. Prices start at £23,195 OTR for the 318i Performance Edition Saloon.

Both the 1- and 3-Series Performance Editions are available in a choice of four colours - Alpine White, Titanium Silver, Bluewater and Black Sapphire.

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Chrysler Grand Voyager MPV New Design

Chrysler’s facelifted for the 2011 model year Town & Country has arrived in Britain as the revised Grand Voyager. Different name aside, the UK market model features the same styling revisions as its American counterpart, including a redesigned nose, LED tail lamps, new rear bumper and revised tailgate on the outside, and a restyled dashboard and steering wheel on the inside.

However, instead of the new 283HP 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, the Grand Voyager is offered exclusively with 2.8-litre CRD diesel engine producing 161bhp at 3800rpm and 265lb ft of torque.

The diesel unit gives the people carrier a 0-62mph (100km/h) time of 12.8 seconds and a top speed of 115mph (187km/h), while returning a combined fuel economy of 33.6mpg UK (28mpg US) with a CO2 figure of 222g/km.

For the 2011 model year, the Grand Voyager will be offered in three trim levels LX (£27,995), Touring (£29,995) and Limited (£35,995).

The entry LX model benefits from new leather wrapped steering wheel, steering wheel audio controls and cruise control as standard, while Touring models gain Uconnect Phone bluetooth connectivity with voice recognition, auto dimming rear view mirror, AM/FM/CD/DVD radio with a 6.5-inch touch screen, 30Gb hard disk drive and rear reversing camera.

Limited models also receive blind spot monitoring, crosspath detection and new Nappa leather upholstery.

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BMW 357Ci: E46 Coupe gets Pontiac GTO 5.7-liter

Two observations: one, there’s nothing cooler than a LS1-engined BMW that is externally indistinguishable from its bread-and-butter cousins and two, the Apple iPhone is probably the worst thing for filming a movie ever. A little less of number two and a little more number one, if you please.

This BMW E46 3-Series coupe, or as its UK owner has appropriately named it, the 357Ci, started its life as a 2001 325Ci with an M Sport Package.

In the hands of its current owner, it received the same 5.7-liter LS1 V8 engine as the rather forlorn looking Porsche 911 we wrote about last week, making this the second American-powered German automobile we’ve featured in as many days.

The engine was sourced from a fourth generation Pontiac GTO (aka the Holden Monaro) complete with a six-speed manual gearbox. The tune also included the installation of the rear suspension and LSD from an M3 as well as upgraded brakes on all four corners.

Funnily enough, this doesn’t appear to be the first E46-to-LS1 conversion that’s been attempted either, as a quick search on Google will prove. There are at least three completed cars and two that are still in the shop having the conversion done. Who knew?

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Honda Mugen CR-Z RR Concept

The almost production ready Honda Mugen CR-Z Concept wasn’t the only product from the Japanese automaker’s in-house tuning company to debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Along with the street-legal CR-Z Concept Mugen also brought along a competition version bearing the ‘RR’ moniker. The conceptual Mugen CR-Z RR sports a more dynamic aero package comprising of bespoke parts such as the wider front and rear bumpers with air-vents, side skirts, a rear diffuser and larger rear wing.

The prototype rides on lightweight 18-inch alloy rims shot in specially developed tires.

The Japanese company remains mum about the Mugen CR-Z RR Concept’s mechanical and electrical hardware, bit for the record, the road-legal Mugen CR-Z is fitted with a modified version of the standard model’s powertrain, which comprises of a 1.5-liter gasoline engine and an IMA electric motor, developing 200 ponies.

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New Ford Fiesta Sport Special Edition Only for Europe

Building on the success of the European market Fiesta Sport + (called the 1600S in the UK and Sport S in Germany) that was launched this past February, Ford has unleashed a new Sport Special Edition that includes further enhancements inside and out.

The latest sporty Fiesta is available with two engine options, the most potent of which is the 1.6-liter Duratec Ti-VCT petrol unit delivering 134-horses and 160Nm torque at 4,250rpm.

Combined with a close-ratio gearing and a redeveloped exhaust system, the Fiesta Sport Special Edition with the petrol engine completes the 0-100km/h (0-62mph) acceleration in 8.7 seconds and has a top speed of 195km/h (122mph).

The other option is a less powerful but more frugal 1.6-liter turbo diesel producing 95-horses that returns 107g of CO2 and a combined fuel economy of 4.1lt/100km (57.4mpg US or 68.9 mpg UK).

The Sport Special edition is available exclusively as a three door model with buyers having a choice of seven exterior colors including a flat black finish.

A styling kit complete with lowered side skirts and spoilers for the front bumper and rear hatch as well as silver-colored front grille surround, aerofoil, fog lamp bezels and polished twin exhausts come as standard.

The exterior upgrades also include Panther Black 17-inch alloy wheels on the petrol model and 16-inch on the diesel, while silver alloy wheels are also available as an option.

Inside, the sporty Fiesta features Ebony Black heated leather sports seats with silver stitching and an identically upholstered steering wheel with gloss black spokes.

Standard features include air conditioning with automatic temperature control as well as a leather handbrake and gear knob, alloy metal pedals, gloss black instrument bezels, bespoke floor mats and silver scuff plates.

The Fiesta Sport Special Edition is available in most markets across the continent, including the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands and Switzerland.

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Land Rover Updates Discovery 4 / LR4 for 2012MY, With New 8-Speed Auto Transmission

The Land Rover Discovery 4, also known as the LR4 in North America, is entering the 2012 model year with some minor refinements, the most important of which is the introduction of a new ZF 8HP70, 8-speed automatic transmission on the 3.0-liter SDV6 diesel engine which also benefits from a power boost.

First fitted to the Range Rover TDV8 for 2011, the 8-speed auto helps improve fuel consumption to 8.8lt/100km (26.7mpg US or 32.1mpg UK) in the combined cycle and bring down CO2 emissions from 244g/km to 230g/km.

Along with the new auto box, the updated Discovery 4 also comes equipped with the 'Drive Select' rotary gear shift and steering wheel-mounted paddle shift as standard.

The refined for the 2012MY 3.0-liter V6 turbo diesel now delivers 256-horses, up from 245HP, while peak torque stands at 600Nm (443 lb-ft).

In addition to the powertrain improvements, the 2012MY Discovery 4 gains two new alloy wheel designs, three new optional packages including the Vission Assist Pack with Xenon Adaptive Front Headlamps including Cornering Lamps, Automatic Headlamps with High Beam Assist and the Surround Camera System with Approach Lamps, Tow Assist / Hitch Assist, plus improved audio and navigation systems throughout the range.

"Improved performance, lower CO₂ emissions and enhanced design and equipment levels, consolidate the Discovery 4's position as the most capable and versatile all-purpose vehicle on and off the road today. The Discovery 4 is quite simply in a class of its own," said Colin Green, Land Rover UK Managing Director.

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Land Rover Begins Production of Range Rover Evoque Series

Series production of the long-anticipated Range Rover Evoque began on Monday, July 4, at Land Rover’s Halewood plant. The “baby Range” has already raked in 18,000 advance orders from customers in more than 170 countries worldwide, and is expected to contribute to the UK economy with a £ 2 billion annual export value, along with another £ 2 billion spent on UK suppliers.
"The Evoque is an incredibly exciting vehicle that joins a product range which across both of our brands is the strongest we have ever had – and it fits in perfectly" commented Dr Ralf Speth, Jaguar Land Rover Chief Executive Officer.
In order to build the Evoque, the company had to more than double Halewood’s workers, to over 3,000 employees, with 75% of its production destined for export.
The Evoque is just the first in a (quite ambitious) program of 40 new products that parent company, Jaguar Land Rover, plans to implement in the next five years. To achieve its goals, the automaker plans to invest £ 1.5 billion annually in developing new models, engines and technologies.

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Monster Toyota Celica Record the Fastest Hill Climb Time

Over the past weeks we’ve been bombarding you with news about exotic cars such as the Aston Martin Zagato V12 that would participate at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed. The event took place this past weekend and the spectators gathered to marvel at every car enthusiasts dream garage.
But they also came to watch more than 200 production, tuned and racing models including recent Formula 1 cars, race against the clock in the famous 1.6 mile hill-climb. However, much to everybody’s surprise, the winner was not an F1 car but a tuned, 800+ horsepower Toyota Celica that recorded a time of just 48.07 seconds.
It was driven and built by former British rally champion, Jonny Milner, who had also tried, but lost, in previous years. So he returned with an extra 100 ponies packed under the hood of the Celica and this time, he won.
Of course, this is not your run-of-the-mill Celica. Based on the 6th generation of Toyota’s coupe, it features a Corolla WRC four cylinder engine fitted with a Garret turbocharger, a Rotrex supercharger and a nitrous oxide injection system. It also sports Corolla WRC suspension and has been lightened to just 1,050 kg (2,315 lbs) while, thanks to a flat floor and a diffuser, generates a degree of ground effect.


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Citroen Celebrates 100,000 DS3 Sales with New Color Options

Citroen’s DS3 sales have surpassed the 100,000 mark, more than 10,000 of which have been sold in Britain alone. The French therefore have decided to celebrate the event in their own, flamboyant way, that is, by launching a new range of colors and roof designs.
Prominent among these is the, rather distinctive, Fuchsia Pink roof color with matching pink mirrors, wheel center caps, dashboard fascia and gearlever knob. This is just one choice in a wide range of personalization options with names such as “Flavio”, “Spirit” and “Flower”, which are available for the DS3 starting from July.
Henry Ford once famously quoted that people could get the Model T in “any color as long as it's black". While we're thankful that this does not apply anymore, we think this could be a little too much (a pink dashboard?). But who knows; maybe Paris Hilton, who already drives a pink Bentley, would love a matching city car.

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