China's Geely to Enter UK Market in 2012 with £10,000 Emgrand EC7

Only a week after Geely's Emgrand EC7 became the first Chinese vehicle to receive a respectable four out of five star safety rating under the Euro NCAP crash tests, and the owner of Volvo Cars announced that it is getting ready to enter the UK’s new car market with the first models to arrive at the end of 2012. .

New Vauxhall Insignia BiTurbo with 195HP Diesel Returns 57.6mpg UK

A new and more powerful four-cylinder diesel engine has landed under the hood of the Vauxhall Insignia (sold under the Opel nameplate in the rest of Europe and as the Buick Regal in North America). The 2.0-liter unit delivers an output of 195PS (198bhp) at 4,000 rpm and a healthy peak torque of 400Nm (295 lb-ft) between 1,750 and 2,500 rpm. .

485HP Nissan Juke-R Hits the Silverstone Circuit Earlier than Expected [Video]

We're not sure if this video of the Nissan Juke R being tested at the Silverstone race track in England was supposed to hit the airwaves (or so to speak) before the Japanese firm's upcoming 10th installment of its web series, but we're not the ones to complain.
At least for the video footage, that is, because someone ought to inform the auto buffs over at Spain's AutoHebdo Sport that when you show a video of a car like the Juke-R that's fitted with a 485HP-strong powerplant sourced from the GT-R, you shouldn't add any background music let alone, a techno beat…
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485HP Nissan Juke-R Hits the Silverstone Circuit Earlier than Expected [Video]

We're not sure if this video of the Nissan Juke R being tested at the Silverstone race track in England was supposed to hit the airwaves (or so to speak) before the Japanese firm's upcoming 10th installment of its web series, but we're not the ones to complain. At least for the video footage, that is, because someone ought to inform the auto buffs over at Spain's AutoHebdo Sport that when you show a video of a car like the Juke-R that's fitted with a 485HP-strong powerplant sourced from the GT-R, you shouldn't add any background music let alone, a techno beat…
Nevertheless, you can hop over the break to enjoy the first video of the Juke-R project car in action.

*Updated with a second video from Caradisiac
Story References: Youtube/Autohebdosport via Jalopnik

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Peugeot Study Reveals that Half of British Men Find it Easier to Maintain Their Car than their Girlfriend

A new research study from Peugeot, which polled over 2,000 people in the United Kingdom, reveals that a significant number of British drivers are often more concerned about their car than their other half.
According to the "RCZ Study" commissioned by the French carmaker, 50 percent of men in Britain confess that they find their partner more difficult to maintain than their vehicle and 1 in 10 guys admit to being more fascinated with their cars’ curves than their partners.
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Rare Classic Cars Including a DB5 Owned by George Harrison Going Under the Hammer

An Aston Martin DB5 or a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster is, no doubt, a sought-after classic that commands a high price. The bill, however, rockets skywards when a celebrity has owned the classic, as is the case with some of the 36 cars going under the hummer in the Coys True Greats auction that will be held in London on December 7.
“There are some extremely interesting cars on offer which could be the ultimate Christmas present,” said Managing Director of COYS, Chris Routledge. “The classic car market is one that is still buoyant and many people are looking at cars as an investment that is also fun.”
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Nissan UK Puts a Price Tag on the New GT-R Track Pack Model

The successor to the notorious Nissan Skyline GT-R, the GT-R R35, may be a global model offered in both left- and right-hand drive formats, but certain special editions and packages remain an exclusive option for RHD markets.
One such example is a new version of the recently updated 2012 GT-R (to be sold as a 2013MY in North America) for drivers who want increased performance on the racetrack called Track Pack, which will be offered only in Japan and the United Kingdom.
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George Harrison's 1965 Aston Martin DB5 Fetches More Than Half a Million Dollars at London Auction

Some people seem to have Midas touch - whatever they touch turns into gold. That is true about ex-Beatle star George Harrison, whose 1965 Aston Martin DB5 changed hands for an astonishing £350,000 or about US$546,000 / €410,000, after a fierce bidding war from fans around the world at the COYS True Greats Auction in London.
The winning bid came from an anonymous Beatle and Aston Martin fan from Houston in Texas who said: "George Harrison would be amazed about all the money his car is going to raise for Christian causes."
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EU Ruling Raises Car Insurance Cost for Young Women but Lowers it for “Boy Racers”

For many decades, women have been talking about sex discrimination. We for one, support equality for both genders. And so does the European Court of Justice, which just last March, ruled that it is illegal for insurance companies to set premiums according to gender.
The case was brought to court by a Belgian consumer group, which argued that it was illegal under EU law to make risk assessments based on gender.
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EU Ruling Raises Car Insurance Cost for Young Women but Lowers it for “Boy Racers”

EU Ruling Raises Car Insurance Cost for Young Women but Lowers it for “Boy Racers”Thêm chú thích

For many decades, women have been talking about sex discrimination. We for one, support equality for both genders. And so does the European Court of Justice, which just last March, ruled that it is illegal for insurance companies to set premiums according to gender. The case was brought to court by a Belgian consumer group, which argued that it was illegal under EU law to make risk assessments based on gender.
The judges agreed, citing that the Fundamental Charter of Human Rights included in the EU Lisbon Treaty “aims, in all its activities, to eliminate inequalities and promote equality between men and women”.
Up until now, young women drivers were widely perceived to be a low-risk accident group; therefore, they received lower insurance charges.
In contrast, male drivers under 25 years of age were, according to insurance companies, 10 times more likely to be involved in an accident – and their insurance costs were appropriately higher.
When the new rules come into effect on December 2012, the cost of car insurance for female drivers aged under 25 years old could rise by as much as 24%, while young male drivers will pay up to 9% less.
As expected, the news created quite a fuss. Adrian Webb, spokesperson for Sheila’s Wheels that specializes in female drivers’ insurance, said: “Twenty-five times more young men are convicted for dangerous driving in the UK each year than women of the same age.”
"An unintended consequence will be that boy racers will find themselves able to afford insurance for more powerful cars, which could in turn lead to more accidents at their hands," Webb added.
On the other hand, instantly labeling any young male as a “boy racer” and penalizing him with a much higher insurance than any female of the same age who is automatically considered a “safe driver” is, indeed, an unfair and gender-based conclusion. 
 
Story References: Daily Mail

PHOTO GALLERY

New Suzuki Swift Sport with 136HP Priced from £13,500 in the UK

The performance flagship of the new Suzuki Swift model range will go on sale in the UK in January of 2012 with a starting price of £13,500, the Japanese automaker announced today.
The 2012 Swift Sport comes equipped with a new Euro 5 1.6-liter VVT petrol engine that delivers 136HP and a maximum torque of 160Nm (118 lb-ft) at 4,000 rpm, with a newly designed 6-speed manual transmission driving the front wheels.
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Suzuki Introduces New Kizashi Sedan to the UK, Plans to Sell 500 Cars in 2012

The Kizashi sedan hasn't exactly been a runaway success for the Japanese company, but Suzuki is still trying to expand its reach by entering new markets. Today, Suzuki added Britain to the list of countries that the Kizashi will be soon available.
The mid-size sedan will go on sale in the UK next month with a single petrol engine and pricing set from £21,995. The absence of a crucial diesel option limits Suzuki's hopes for any substantial sale numbers, with the company planning to bring only 500 cars to Britain in 2012.
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Volvo Launches new V60 D6 Plug-In Diesel-Electric Hybrid in Europe

Following the presentation of the new V60 D6 Plug-in Hybrid at the Geneva Motor Show this past March, Volvo has released more information as well as pricing in certain countries including Britain where it will be available for order from the beginning of 2012, with first deliveries expected in November.
In the UK, the European market-only V60 D6 Plug-in Hybrid will cost between £45,000 and £50,000, not including the “Plug-in Car Grant” government subsidy.
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Watch a 2012 BMW M5 Kick Up Some Sand at the Beach

As you can see in the video below, someone apparently forgot to inform the seagulls sunbathing under the sun at Pendine Sands beach on the shores of Carmarthen Bay on the south coast of Wales, that BMW's UK arm had some very special plans for the day…
More specifically, the Bavarian carmaker wanted to show its support to the London 2012 Performance Team athletes, of whom it is an official sponsor, in its own unique way – read placing precision driver Wolfgang Weber behind the wheel of the new twin-turbocharged M5 saloon and letting him have some drifting fun.
You can find the video right after the jump.
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Audi Introduces New Entry-Level Q7 with 204PS 3.0 TDI in Britain

The Audi Q7 has just become more attainable for buyers in the United Kingdom with the presentation of a new entry-level model powered by a 3.0-liter V6 turbo diesel engine that produces 204PS (201bhp) and 450Nm (31.6 lb-ft) of peak torque.
The 204PS 3.0 TDI model comes standard with Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system and an 8-speed tiptronic transmission and it complements the existing 3.0 TDI quattro 245PS version.
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Britain gets Limited Production Volkswagen Caravelle Edition 25

A new special edition version of Volkswagen's Caravelle passenger van has been introduced in the UK. The German company will produce only 225 examples of the Caravelle Edition 25 for Britain, all exclusively finished in Candy White, or an optional Reflex Silver metallic paint.
The Edition 25 comes with a host of extras and bespoke styling cues such as the revised front bumper with contrasting satin black styling accents in the lower sections, xenon headlights with LED running lights and black highlights along the length of the vehicle and on the roof, side sills and the tailgate.
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Nissan Adds Kuro and Shiro Special Editions to Micra's UK Range

Nissan has prepared a pair of special edition versions that attempt to make its Micra supermini somewhat more attractive to British buyers.
The new models are named Kuro and Shiro, which translate to black and white respectively in Japanese, and are based on the mid-grade Acenta specification adding a small number of features.
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Jeep Announces UK Pricing for Grand Cherokee SRT8 and New 3.0 CRD Overland Summit

Five months after the UK launch of the regular versions of the brand-new Grand Cherokee, Jeep has announced that it is bringing the flagship SRT8.
Billed as the best-performing Jeep ever, the £58,995 Grand Cherokee SRT8 is powered by the new 6.4-liter Hemi V8 that produces 465HP and 630 Nm (465 lb-ft) of torque. It accelerates from standstill to 0 to 60mph [96km/h] in 4.8 seconds, has a top speed of 160 mph [257 km/h], and brakes from 60-0 mph in 116 feet.
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Eterniti Preparing Production Version of Hemera SUV as well as Two More Models

To say that your new model is “like an SUV version of the M5” is quite a bold statement -especially if you are a brand-new manufacturer, with no previous record and you intend to compete at the high end of the market.
Nevertheless, that’s exactly what Alastair Mcqueen, chief engineer of London-based Eterniti Motors, which made its existence known at the 64th Frankfurt Motor Show, says about the brand’s first model, the Hemera.
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Renault Decimates UK Line-Up Due to Poor Sales, Cuts Laguna, Wind, Espace and More

Something is rotten in the state of Renault: its sales in the UK market. The fall of the pound against the Euro by 16 percent since the end of 2008, which minimized profitability of companies based in euro-denominated countries along with a staggering 29 percent drop in Renault's sales in the first 11 months of the year, forced the French carmaker to make some hard decisions.
Renault spokesperson Caroline De Gezelle announced today that, from February, the company will stop taking orders for no less than five of its models that are currently sold in Europe’s third largest car market.
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