April 2009

In 2008, Vauxhall and its Euro sister Opel introduced a pioneering headlight technology called Adaptive Forward Lighting (AFL), which provides a clear advantage in terms of active safety and comfort.

AFL, which combines swiveling Bi-Xenon headlights with a light that turns at a 90 degree angle for intersections and narrow corners, is being offered on the 2009 Car of the Year Vauxhall Insignia. Vauxhall and Opel are the first car manufacturers to make this new lighting technology available for a wide spectrum of customers by offering it in midsize cars.

The idea is to make driving in the dark and in bad weather conditions easier and above all safer. According to the latest figures from Germany’s Federal Statistics Bureau, more than 40 percent of all automobile accidents resulting in death occur at night, despite the fact that there is up to 80 percent less traffic on the road than during the day. This comes as no surprise. Scientific studies have shown that visual perception, with which we absorb 90 percent of all traffic relevant information, is reduced to as little as four percent when visibility is poor at night. The Adaptive Forward Lighting System provides an added measure of safety in autumn and winter especially, when fewer daylight hours, late sunrise, early dusk and frequent rain and fog, create poor visibility.

Compared to standard headlights, the new Adaptive Forward Lighting system offers the following additional functions:

Curve-light: The swiveling front headlights shine at an angle of up to +/- 15 degrees, depending on the steering angle and car speed. Curves are better illuminated by up to 90 percent. This not only contributes to increased safety and car control, but also enhances the dynamic driving characteristics of the car and ensures additional safety and comfort.

Turning-light: Junctions and narrow bends receive additional wide-angle lighting. The illumination is nearly 90 degrees to the direction of travel over a distance of approximately 30 meters from the car. The turning-light is designed to function only at speeds up to 50 km/h, so that it does not activate in situations like lane changes on the motorway.

Main-beam headlight: Bi-Xeon lights provide extremely powerful lighting on main-beam. With Vauxhall’s sophisticated Bi-Xenon system, dipped-headlights and main-beam can be projected on the road through one single Xenon bulb per headlight. A movable aperture in the beam path allows the switching of dipped-headlights to main-beam. The advantages are an especially intensive and bright beam of light, which has the same color as dipped-headlights.

Source: Opel | carmagazine.co.uk | Vauxhall.co.uk

Two years in the making, Honda finally reveals its highly anticipated fully hybrid technology car and introduces the Insight. After being unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show, the Honda Insight made big promises to revolutionise the hybrid car market.

The Honda Insight has positioned itself as a major contender to the popular and iconic Toyota Prius. “The Insight has the potential to put the Prius in a world of hurt,” says George Peterson, president of industry analysis firm AutoPacific. It conveniently comes at a time where the demand for more eco-friendly cars are becoming more common place.

The truth is, Honda has been creating eco-friendly hybrid cars for over a decade. The new 2009 Insight, is a remake of the original first generation Insight produced before the turn of the new millennium in 1999. and was the first gas-eclectic car to be sold in America .

Eco Driving: decreases throttle sensitivity, reduces air-conditioning demand and pulls a few other under-hood tricks to maximize fuel efficiency.

Performance: The truth is, the Honda Insight has nimble and agile handling thanks to its superlight electric steering. Fitted with an optimized version of the Jazz 1.3 lt engine, the Honda Insight produces a combined bhp of 102 – 14 of it coming from its electric engine.

The Insight is capable of producing 64.2 mpg, with coz emissions at a fantastically low 101g/km. Those who doubt that eco-friendly cars can’t produce fun and zippy optimum driving experience are wrong when it comes to the Honda Insight. Reaching top speeds of 113 mph and 0-60 mph in 12.2 seconds, the Honda Insight is a far cry from a fuddy-duddy vehicle as it can possibly be.

Optional extras include, Satellite Navigation System, Bluetooth and iPod integration.

According to Arnold Clark Europe’s Largest Independent Car Dealer “The new Insight will change people’s perception of hybrid cars. It is both spacious and affordable, with plenty of space for five passengers. With reduced tax and fewer trips to the petrol station, the Insight is perfect for companies who are looking to reduce their overall fleet running costs” – .

Lasting Thoughts.. We suspect big things from the Honda Insight, it ticks so many boxes for us. It’s good for the environment, super stylish, great gadgets and most of all, it shaves almost 2 grand off the more pricey competitor Toyota Prius. With shed loads of room inside and a sleek exterior, the new Honda Insight is a great equilibrium between performance, style and environmentalism. Thumbs UP!

There aren’t many cars out there is this day and age which can successfully pull off the topless look. Luckily for MINI, they don’t fall into that category. The new MINI Cooper Convertible launched at the Detroit Auto Show, made a big splash in the automotive world on March 28th. The New MINI Cooper Convertible promises to promote greener, more fuel efficient driving, whilst still holding on to a fast and responsive driving experience of late.

So why has this new MINI Cooper Convertible caused quite a stir? Allow automotive gossip to give you the answers..

The Car:

The much anticipated MINI Cooper Convertible is a whole 10 kg lighter than its previous counterparts, which makes it more responsive and improves the driving experiences. Although it has undergone a massive weight loss, MINI is keen to highlight that the new convertible is much more stronger than ever before as it has greater crash protection.
In a change form previous MINI’s, the convertible will have adjustable rear headrests, for grater travelling comfort.

The Roof:

The trademark roof of the new MINI Convertible, can be fully retracted and closed in 15 seconds. Another little trick which the MINI Convertible has under its sleeve, is that the roof can be partially retracted to 40 cm. This allows the MINI to create a sunroof effect. Pretty nifty!!

A rather peculiar new feature on the new MINI Convertible is the ‘Openometer’. This new optional feature which can be added to the car, which measures how long the roof has been down whilst driving.

The Boot:

Great news if you like to put junk in your trunk, the new MINI Convertible design means there is more boot space to play with. With the top down, the boot has 123 litre capacity, and with the roof closed it increases to 170. Giving the MINI Convertible an extra 5 litres up from the older versions.

And if that’s not impressive then, with the rear seats folded down, boot capacity increases to a staggering 600 litres. Very deceiving for a hatchback of that size.

The Engine:

MINI promises that this convertible version will be much more fuel efficient that its predecessors. Powered by a 1.6lt engine, the MINI Convertible is available in both turbo and non-turbo variants.

Non-Turbo: Produces 118 bhp, its capable of reaching 0-62 in 9.8 seconds, and averages 49.7mpg with co2 emissions of 137g/km.
Turbo: Produces 173 bhp and reaches 0-62 in an impressive 7.4 seconds. The turbo version is capable of 44.1mpg with co2 emissions of 153g/km.

As Standard:

MINI has always been noted for it pricey optional extras, but times have changed and so too has MINI. So expect car dealers to allow the following to come as standard with the new MINI Convertible:

6 speed manual gearbox
Brake Energy-Regeneration and Gearshift Indicators
Air Conditioning
Cooled Glovebox
Bike Rack
Anti –lock brakes and Stability Control
Electronic Breakforce Distribution
Cornering Brake Control

Available from £15,995 at all MINI Dealers – Don’t Miss OUT!

Being a true pioneer in the car industry is a mixed bag.

When a car maker puts themselves out there with a new model or innovation, green or otherwise, anything less than perfection off the block and the hammer falls. Kudos received from any genuinely trailblazing ideas get tempered quickly by the harsh reality of consumer review mags and newspapers which invariably pick to pieces other details… (‘great mileage!’, ‘low emissions!’, ‘efficient design!’ – plain interior?? – 2 stars, of 5).

Sound familiar? It’s rare when an innovative car such as the 2009 Vauxhall Astra EcoFLEX gets the accolades it deserves for having its priorities in order.

That’s exactly what has happened with the new Astra. This month, London’s Telegraph newspaper review team put Vauxhall’s newest EcoFLEX offering under the microscope. They looked it over; kicked the tires, played with the dials, drove it on busy city streets and let it loose on the motorway – and it is quite apparent they liked what they saw.

A few direct quotes from the telegraph.co.uk review:

“…the driving ergonomics are brilliant, with a low-slung, chunky gearlever providing short, neat changes between the six ratios and a small, responsive steering wheel. The chassis has been lowered and feels firmly planted through corners, with the nose swift to change direction.”

“…the engine is a sweet thing. I was expecting a lot of noise and diesel vibration to be transmitted into the cabin, on the assumption that much of the insulation would be taken out to save weight, but it positively purred at idle. On the go, a squeeze of the throttle releases a strong spurt of acceleration and it’s so much fun you don’t notice how quickly the power delivery dips as the revs continue to rise.”

“…the figures speak for themselves: carbon emissions of 119g/km put the car into tax band B (VED costs £35 a year) and it has an EU Urban fuel consumption rating of 50.4mpg. In return you get a maximum 108bhp and 191lb ft of torque, which doesn’t sound like much, but I was astounded at how much fun the Astra was to drive.”

“…it’s entertaining around town and, all the while, you’re getting about 50 miles to the gallon. This is clever engineering, so toes and fingers should be crossed that the future of Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port factory is secure. The company is producing some very good cars at the moment – the Insignia (Car of the Year), the terrific Corsa and the sweet-looking Agila, for instance – and the Astra EcoFLEX is another to add to the list.”

They even liked the interior.

“…interior came as a pleasant surprise”

With the interior passed, you know you’re on to a good thing.

It’s official – the 2009 Astra EcoFLEX is a winner. Check out the full review on the Telegraph.co.uk 2009 Astra EcoFLEX Review and Vauxhall.co.uk virtual showroom for the full line of Vauxhall’s EcoFLEX cars.

Source: Telegraph.co.uk Motoring page | Vauxhall.co.uk

What say YOU? Do you think we’re ready for the Car Scrappage scheme, just announced in the UK Budget from Alistair Darling?

Can this actually work?

Yes or No in the Poll below:

If, likely when, the UK Government announces a new car scrappage scheme in its budget on April 22nd, the potential environmental impact will be debated ad nauseum, or worse. So, before we get lost in the back and forth of it all, let’s go straight to the experts and find out the real score.

UK consumer advocate website cleangreencars.co.uk weighed in and the verdict is clear: a carefully targeted scrappage incentive for car owners could boost car sales while achieving a long-term reduction in CO2 emissions.

If a scrappage incentive (‘bangers for bucks’) scheme were available for new cars emitting under 130g/km of CO2 (the EU target for 2012), and, it were used to scrap cars which are at least 10 years old – cleangreencars calculations show that savings in CO2 output would more than balance the extra CO2 produced in the manufacture of the cars.

Who are we to argue that? What’s good for the environment is good for us all. Debate all you want, but you can’t possibly make an argument against that point. The cleangreencars numbers suggest that any short-term spike in CO2 output that would result from the scrappage of old cars and the manufacture of new cars is more than overridden by the additional low-emission cars. The national vehicle population would provide a net CO2 emissions reduction within six years time. Indications are that any government incentive scrappage plan would apply to cars and light vans that produce more than 150g/km CO2 and that are more than eight years old. If this is indeed the case, an even greater net benefit than stated above would occur, as a greater number of cars would be eligible for the offer.

It is expected that the scrappage scheme will allow consumers to take back approximately £2,000 from the value of their old car and put it towards a new or nearly-new, “greener” car. But will this incentive be enough to kickstart the entire sagging UK car industry? That’s a question for another blog. But far as the environment is concerned, the numbers show that the benefits of introducing a scrappage scheme in the UK is indisputable.

No debate required, actually. Your 2 cents are welcome below.

SOURCE: cleangreencars.co.uk | Vauxhall.co.uk

If you thought the domestic car industry was going to the heap, turns out you might be right.

You might remember the car scrappage scheme that existed some years ago in Ireland and other parts of Europe. It offered a money incentive to consumers who were prepared to trade in their old cars in an effort to remove cars ten years and older from our roads. It seems this scheme, or one similar, is set for a return. This week, tucked into the UK budget, introduction of a car scrappage scheme in the UK seems a certainty.

Well done Gordon, that’s only a year behind every other major country in Europe. Maybe he was waiting for Liechtenstein to get onboard as well, we’re not sure, but one thing we do know is that EU giants Germany, France, Italy and Spain are already in the midst of clearly successful government funded scrappage schemes. With calls for action for the UK’s struggling automotive sector have growing louder by the day, it finally looks as though some sort of plan is on the way here too.

As you might imagine, domestic major car manufacturers like Vauxhall are completely sold on the plan as well. Why? There is plenty of evidence that getting bangers off the road is just good business. In Germany, the coalition government is set to extend the €2,500 scrappage premium for consumers who trade in their 10-year-old cars for newer, more fuel-efficient models. The plan has attracted 570,000 new car buyers so far. The French equivalent, worth €1,000 for each car, has also boosted sales, prompting Renault to move its production of the Clio model back to France and create 400 jobs.

The proof is in the pudding. While sales have been falling dramatically in the UK – new car registrations in Germany rose 40% in March and in France increased by almost 10%.

On the back of the obvious success indicators, there has also been a public outpouring of support for the plan. From E-Petitions on the official website of the Prime Minister’s office http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/scrappagescheme/ to the UK blogosphere, majority opinion seems to be in support of anything that gets the industry jumpstarted. In an unprecedented move, the editors and publishers of Britain’s biggest car magazines and websites have recently joined forces to urge the Government to support demands to stimulate new car sales in the UK.

When the scheme gets the expected go ahead, the voucher would apply to cars and light vans which produce more than 150g/km CO2 and which are more than eight, perhaps nine, years old. When consumers trade in their older, less environmentally-friendly cars, they would save up to £2,000 on a new or nearly-new vehicle. For this reason, scrappage should appeal to ministers since it would help the Government achieve its target of a 20% reduction of CO2 emissions by 2020 and furthermore a market recovery would see an increase in tax from car sales. This makes the scheme virtually self-funding, thanks to the resultant increases in VAT takings.

Will the bangers for bucks scheme be the savior some make it out to be?

We’re about to find out.

SOURCE: The Times | Vauxhall.co.uk

Men think about sex every six seconds, so the legend goes.

But it could be more than that.

If you look at any car magazine or car manufacturer’s website these days, you’d be hard pressed to deny it. What is it with motoring journalists that they cannot be content with providing us with facts and figures about the cars they are trying to sell, but instead they have to resort to sexual innuendo to get their point across?

Stiff chassis you can easily throw around; good, strong grip; dynamic chassis; sleek, sexy body; nice curves, the list of double entendres is endless (perhaps just for those that have a dirty mind).

Is it just that providing information about car parts, engine capacity and fuel is so dull that motoring writers feel the need to spice things up a bit, or, is it rather because a man’s car is a status symbol and therefore needs to be sexy? Like the footballer who has a hot blonde on his arm, a man likes to feel that his car should be his ‘trophy bird’?

For as long as cars (and indeed other modes of transport) have existed, men have referred to their pride and joy in female terms and have used the pronoun ‘she’ when talking about their car’s performance- unlike their ‘other’ pride and joy, of course, which is always given a masculine name. And quite rightly so.

Many car manufacturers have clearly cottoned onto the idea that sex sells. Sensing a man’s tendency to ‘feminise’ his car, top car maker Vauxhall has wisely given its cars names that could be considered female, presumably in the hope that female names will get male consumers hot under the collar and eager to put their hands in their pocket… to get their wallet out and buy a car, I mean… (you, my friend, have a dirtier mind than me).

Vauxhall’s range of car names mostly end in the letter ‘a’ and for those of you who remember your schoolboy Latin, or indeed have studied romance languages, you will know that words ending in ‘a’ are usually feminine.

Agila, Vectra, Insignia, Corsa, Zafira, Meriva, Astra, Tigra…they all sound like female Goddesses who are about to give you… well, to coin a much-loved motoring journalistic expression… the ride of your life!

What are the other sexiest car names out there today?

SOURCE: Vauxhall.co.uk