The Auto PressOctober 2011 Issue 1

2 The Auto Press

OWN LORENZO’S BIKE!Viva Valencia, the upcoming charity motorcycle ride with actor Danny John-Jules and BBC MotoGP pre-senter Matt Roberts, will be auc-tioning off Jorge Lorenzo’s Yama-ha R1 at Motorcycle Live (NEC, Birmingham).

The bike, ridden by Lorenzo on a parade lap at the 2010 Isle of Man TT, features a one-off paint scheme and will be signed by the MotoGP world champion. This bike will be ridden by Matt Roberts on the ride from London to Valencia, Spain, on October 30, in support of Riders for Health where he will be joined by John-Jules and Yamaha dealer, Steve Keys, on two bright pink R1s.

Riders for Health makes sure that millions of people in rural commu-nities in Africa have the health care they need by managing and main-taining reliable vehicles for health

workers. With reliable motorcycles and ambulances health workers can reach even the most remote commu-nities with regular, lifesaving health care..

The Yamaha will be one of the star lots from the Riders for Health auc-tion, featuring many money-can’t-buy items at Motorcycle Live (www.motorcyclelive.co.uk) on Sunday November 20, with all proceeds go-ing to the charity.

Actor Danny John-Jules, largely known for his role as ‘The Cat’ in Red Dwarf, commented on the ex-citing auction item:

‘What started off as a plan between a few friends who love their bike rac-ing to simply ride to the final round of the 2011 MotoGP championship has spiraled into raising awareness and money for Riders for Health. Obviously, we want to raise as much money as possible for this brilliant cause, so auctioning the Lorenzo R1 at Motorcycle Live will definitely help us achieve this. The only prob-lem will be getting the bike back from Matt Roberts.’

Along with the chance to own a piece of two-wheel history, Bridgestone (www.bridgestone.co.uk) will supply a brand new set of tyres for the bike and Carole Nash (www.carolenash.com), has donated a voucher worth £500 for the new owner to use on insuring this exclusive machine.

For more information on Motorcy-cle Live, visit www.motorcyclelive.com

Viva Valencia team

Lorge Lorenzo’s Yamaha R1

3The Auto Press

MILITARY HEROES TO PILOT NEW BOWLER RACER ON DEMANDING DAKAR DRIVEProject Mobility, the British not-for-profit organisation which helps re-habilitate injured military per-sonnel through motorsport, has se-lected specialist all-terrain vehicle manufacturer Bowler to provide the cars to help it reach its ultimate aim: completing the 2014 Dakar Rally.

The organisation – which appeared in a recent feature on BBC Top Gear TV – is preparing to enter a team made up entirely of former service men and women, all of whom have suffered injury in combat, in the 2014 event. The team will develop its rally-raid skills with other vehicles

in national and regional events over the next three years, before tackling the 2014 Dakar in Bowler’s all-new, fourth generation model, code-named EXR.

The Project Mobility venture aims to engage, involve and inspire in-jured military personnel, and the wider disabled community, to par-ticipate in motorsport and off-road-ing activities; enhancing confidence, independence and providing a sense of achievement – from behind the wheel.

Director of motorsport at Bowler and company founder, Drew Bowler, commented, “Project Mobility is a fantastic organisation with inspiring core values; empowerment, adven-ture and performance – things which came across powerfully in their re-cent appearance on BBC Top Gear. Bowler shares these values and we’re delighted to be involved with their Dakar programme.

“For the 2014 Dakar event, the Pro-ject Mobility team will be using our upcoming model – currently under development – so their drivers will

be among the very first to get behind the wheel of this exciting newcomer. The Bowler EXR will deliver excep-tional off-road performance, and will be more capable than any vehi-cle they will have driven. Bowler’s motorsport pedigree has been one of the driving forces behind the de-velopment of this new model, so it’s great to be able to support Project Mobility and see a Bowler vehicle participating in yet another rally-raid competition.”

Stefan Povolotsky, Project Mobility’s Team Principle, added, “We’re very glad to have Bowler on board with us. The competition and technical experience they have is extremely valuable, and their new model will provide the best possible platform for our team.

“We have an extraordinary crew at Project Mobility, and each mem-ber has overcome various injuries sustained in combat. From flesh wounds and psychological trauma, to multiple-limb amputees, they have all been affected in some way, but the team has incredible determina-tion to achieve its goal of completing

the 2014 Dakar Rally, and we’re all excited that Bowler will be there with us.”

Bowler’s involvement with Project Mobility heralds a return to racing for the manufacturer, after taking a sabbatical from the 2011/12 seasons to develop its newest model, which will be offered in both rally-raid and – for the first time in the company’s history – road-going form. With ex-perience in rally-raid racing since the 1980s, Bowler has enjoyed consider-able success in a variety of compe-titions over the years, including the gruelling Dakar Rally, thanks to the reliability and performance of its vehicles.

Project Mobility mechanics have transformed various 4x4 vehicles into competition specification over the years, and the team has had to undertake driving and theory tests to achieve the requisite licences to al-low them to compete. The project’s first vehicle – nicknamed Freida – was a Land Rover Freelander, con-verted to Motorsport Association (MSA) competition standards. The team will continue to compete in

Military heroes to pilot new Bowler Racer...

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UK rallying events over the coming months and aims to progress to the European stage in 2012, before tak-ing on the Bowler EXR in time for the 2014 Dakar Rally.

For further information, visit www.projectmobility4x4.org or www.bowler-offroad.com.

CHRISTMAS GIFTS WITH STAR QUALITY AT MERCEDES-BENZ WORLDThrills and excitement are just around the corner this Christmas, thanks to the great range of driving experiences available at Mercedes-Benz World. There really is some-thing for everyone with a variety of high-octane experiences for both kids and adults. Whether it’s the first time behind the wheel for kids, or a dad’s dream-come-true to drive a su-percar on a track, a Mercedes-Benz driving experience is guaranteed to be the most thrilling present under the tree this Christmas!

Mercedes-Benz World is located at Brooklands, the spiritual home of British motor racing, where specially designed tracks, a state-of-the-art 360 degree skid pan and extensive challenging off-road terrain to put cars and drivers to the test! Send hearts racing with excitement in some of today’s most desirable Mer-cedes-Benz cars with the following range of driving experiences on offer:

The Ultimate Christmas Gift - SLS AMG Experience

As a masterpiece of engineering and stunning design, the SLS AMG with its iconic ‘gullwing’ doors and impressive performance is a driving fanatic’s dream car. Now at Mer-cedes-Benz World, that dream can come true as the SLS AMG is ex-clusively available to be put through its paces on the track. As the official Formula 1™ Safety Car seen all over the world at every Grand Prix, this is a very rare experience that is not available at any other destination in the country. Once behind the wheel of this precision machine, nothing else matters but the next corner. On Christmas morning, all other pre-sents will pale in comparison.

SLS AMG 6.3 litre V8 engine producing 571hp¹ One hour £295¹ – Half day £1090²

The Gift of Performance - AMG Driving Experience

As any petrol-head knows, the AMG badge is the ultimate symbol of Mer-cedes-Benz high-performance, and with the AMG Driving Experience drivers can unleash the awe-inspiring power and master the precision han-dling on the tracks. This experience is guaranteed to light up a driving enthusiast’s Christmas, providing the chance to test their driving skills through combinations of challenging corners and straights on the circuits, as well as power-slide techniques on the skid pan, just like driving on black ice!

Mercedes-Benz AMG A range of V8 powered cars producing upwards of 457hp One hour £150 (Christ-mas Special Offer) Half day £3993

Explore a real life adventure - Off-Road Experience

Give the gift of an adventure this Christmas. Challenge the adven-turer in your family to drive on the wild side and experience what 4x4 off-roading is really like. This experi-ence, in a Mercedes-Benz’s 4MAT-IC vehicle, will test their nerves as they tackle water crossings, dramatic

climbs, side slopes and other hair-raising challenges.

Off-Road Experience Class leading 4x4 technology in either the M-Class or GL-Class One hour £100 (Christmas Special Offer)

Sit back and hold on! – Passenger Rides

No one knows Mercedes-Benz cars better than the highly trained pro-fessional drivers at Mercedes-Benz World, making this experience the ideal gift for anyone who wants to sit back and enjoy the thrill of the ride from the passenger seat. With the choice of a 4x4 off-road adventure, or a high-performance AMG spin on the track and skid pan, this present is sure to set hearts racing.

4x4 Off-Road or track passenger rides 15 minutes £30

It‘s not just adults who can drive – Kids’ driving and Off-Road Experience

Surprise the kids this Christmas, with the ultimate experience that’s guaranteed to blow every other pre-sent out of the water! Mercedes-Benz World offers a unique chance for younger members of the family to enjoy the thrill of driving a Mer-cedes-Benz, with no previous expe-rience necessary. There are two ex-citing opportunities for kids to get

behind the wheel for the first time. With the Kids’ Driving Experience they will learn basic car control and manoeuvres under the tuition of a professional driving instructor. But if the kids crave something a little more extreme, why not send them off the beaten track to take on 10-acres of axle twisting terrain and water cross-ing on a Kids’ Off-Road Experience.

Kids’ Driving Experience – A-Class Half hour £45 – One hour £804 Kids’ Off-Road Experience – M-Class Half hour £50 – One hour £904

Mercedes-Benz Driving Acad-emy – Teaching something new at Christmas

Winter Driving Course

Ensure your loved ones are safe on the roads this winter and give them valuable driving skills with the Win-ter Driving Course. Tailored for all skill-sets, from the most seasoned driver to those who will be taking to the roads for the first time this win-ter, the course is specifically designed to ensure that everyone is prepared for the dangers and demanding road conditions that the winter brings. The course gives practical advice with invaluable experience of driving on surfaces with very low grip. The specialist skid pan at Mercedes-Benz World replicates icy weather condi-tions, enabling drivers to tackle real-life skids and scenarios first hand,

Military heroes to pilot new Bowler Racer...

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but within a safe and controlled environment.

Prepare the ones you love to be safe on the roads in winter. One hour £99

Skills that will last a lifetime - Mer-cedes-Benz Driving Academy

Learning to drive is one of the first major milestones in anyone’s life and what better way to begin the journey than in a Mercedes-Benz. Give a gift that lasts a lifetime, with a course at the Mercedes-Benz Driving Acad-emy. The advanced learning pro-cess pioneered by Mercedes-Benz’s very own driving school equips new drivers with the knowledge and pro-ficiency that is needed to be safer on the roads with confidence and understanding.

Pre-Road Module – You don’t need to be 17 or have a provi-sional licence to start learning to drive on our dedicated facilities. Three individual half-hour les-sons at Mercedes-Benz World £99 Licence Module – Provides a revolutionary way to learn to drive with the assurance that students are learning through the latest advanced techniques. Three individual one hour lessons on the road £99

When the driving ends, the experi-ence doesn’t

Mercedes-Benz World offers so much more than just driving. Af-ter watching all the action from the dedicated viewing gallery, the whole family can enjoy delicious food from the Gullwing Restaurant and take a glimpse at some exquisite, legend-ary and famous Mercedes-Benz cars and attractions.

To find out more or to make a book-ing visit www.mercedes-benzworld.co.uk or call 0870 400 4000.

CHILDREN’S FANTASY CAR DESIGNS CAN WIN A PRIZE TRIP TO JAPANCars that can fly, limousines with built-in hot tubs and vehicles pow-ered by pure water: when it comes to letting the imagination run free you can rely on youngsters to come up with some wonderful concepts. That is what Toyota is hoping to encour-age once more with the launch of its sixth annual Dream Car Art Contest.

Young people around the world are invited to contribute paintings or drawings of their ultimate car, whether it’s one that’s kind to the environment, built for supersonic speed, or the last word in luxury. Winners of each national section of the competition will go forward to the World Contest and the chance to attend an awards ceremony in Japan in 2012.

Hopes are high for Britain’s junior designers to do well, following the example of Elisa Dawa and Amy Jackson who were among the 30 World Finalists in the 2011 contest.

Entries are being invited now, with a deadline for work to be submitted of 31 January 2012. Full details of how to take part, downloadable ap-plication packs and a gallery of some of last year’s entries can be found at www.toyota.co.uk/dreamcar.

Winning entries in each national contest will be announced in Febru-ary 2012 and they will go forward to the World Contest in May. As well as gold, silver and bronze prizes, there will also be judges’ commendations and a special award-winner selected from the top three by Toyota’s Presi-dent, Akio Toyoda.

MOTORISTS CHANGE DRIVING PATTERNS AS FUEL PRICES RISELeading vehicle auction company, British Car Auctions (BCA) has re-leased new data that suggests rising

fuel cost is the most significant fac-tor affecting the driving habits of UK motorists. The data supports recent consumer surveys from the AA, Tesco and other commentators suggesting that high fuel prices have led to motorists covering fewer miles and reducing their spending power in the high street.

BMRB researched the driving pat-terns of UK motorists on behalf of BCA for its Annual Used Car Mar-ket Report. The survey of 4,000 motorists found that fuel consump-tion was the top priority in their next car purchase, with 27% saying they would be looking for a vehicle with better fuel consumption next time round. 17% will also be looking for a vehicle with lower road tax.

The BCA research also asked driv-ers at what price point they would change their car or pattern of driv-ing. A quarter said that a fuel price of up to £1.40 per litre would force them to change their pattern of driv-ing, reinforcing the findings of the AA research. A further 10% said it would take a price rise of up to £1.50 per litre to change their pat-tern of driving.

It’s probably not surprising, there-fore, that when asked what policies they would change or introduce if they were in charge of the country’s transport and motoring strategy, the most popular option was to reduce fuel duty (39%). More than 1 in 5 (22%) said they would tackle the na-tional fuel price.

The BCA research also shows that overall, 5% fewer families (72%) have at least one car, compared to 2010, with the biggest drop be-ing seen in the number of two-car households.

“What this data suggests is that households have been making some hard decisions about what vehicles they need to stay mobile”, explained Tony Gannon, Communications Di-rector, BCA. “With a drop in two-car families, this means the remain-ing car will have to ‘work’ that much harder. We are likely to see house-holds keeping cars for longer and not changing them until mileages are much higher.”

The BCA report also suggests that families will be looking for smaller, more practical and economic vehicles as household budgets get squeezed. Petrol power remains preferable for most buyers when considering their next car.

“Our research shows that motor-ists have several measures in mind to curtail their frontline motoring costs”, continued Tony Gannon. “Top of the list is buying a car with better fuel consumption - at 27%. But demand for these types of vehi-cles could well outstrip supply, push-ing up prices as a consequence.”

GTO LONDON CREATES EXCLUSIVE ACCESSORIES TO MARK ‘BLUEBIRD’ SPEED CENTENARY Limited-edition, hand-crafted cufflinks mark 100 years of Campbell’s Bluebird Gents’ wallet to follow

In celebration of the 100 years since Sir Malcolm Campbell first named a car Bluebird – at Brooklands, in 1911 – GTO London is creating a range of strictly limited-edition gents’ accessories.

Just 100 pairs of hand-crafted cuf-flinks will be available, replicating the iconic wheel design of the 1920s Bluebird land speed record-setting car. Each will be formed from hall-marked sterling silver, finished with Iolite stones in the clasp and wheel centres.

GTO London founder, Victoria Lyon, said of the new range: “Blue-bird is an automotive icon and a triumph of design and engineer-ing. Marking the centenary of the name with beautifully-designed and precisely-engineered cufflinks was a natural thing to do. They are a perfect extension to our accessories range and add diversity to our core products.”

All GTO London Bluebird Cen-tenary pieces have been developed with the Campbell family and carry their official approval, as part of their wider centenary celebrations of the Bluebird legend.

Don Wales, grandson of Sir Malcolm Campbell said: “The Campbell family is encouraged to see genuine Bluebird metals being used is such a creative and beautiful way. These GTO London centenary items are a

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delight and we look forward to see-ing more as celebrations progress.”

GTO London will add to the Blue-bird Centenary range with a special-ly-created gents’ wallet.

GTO London’s range of gents’ ac-cessories are all hand-crafted and include cufflinks, tie pins, key fobs, money clips and wallets. Several designs of each are available, all in-spired by features and components of iconic and classic Ferraris.

GTO London’s strictly limited- edi-tion Bluebird Centenary cufflinks are available now, priced £450.00. The wider GTO London range is priced from £60.00. For more in-formation and to buy, call +44 (0) 118 940 4430, or visit www.gtolon-don.com.

NISSAN AND ADOBE INNOVATE TO CREATE A NEXT-GENERA-TION 3D EXPERIENCE AROUND THE NISSAN JUKE!Try it now and get a glimpse of the future at http://www.nissan-stage-juk3d.com/

Nissan Europe has launched Stage JUK3D, an online module that gives users an incredibly immersive

experience of discovering and driv-ing the Nissan JUKE, the sporty compact crossover.

This particular innovation called for a unique collaboration between Nissan Europe, Adobe and Digi-tas France, to present the perfect showcase for the amazingly smooth real time 3D rendering supported by Stage 3D technology in Adobe® Flash® Player 11.

Stage JUK3D is the most recent step in Nissan's ongoing commitment to using technology to provide online users with innovative and exciting ways to discover their products.

This marks the first experiential platform of its kind to be powered by Adobe Flash Player 11 and its revo-lutionary Stage 3D technology.

" Adobe Flash Player 11 with Stage 3D opens new horizons in terms of customization. We can now prolong the Nissan experience by allow-ing users to discover the vehicle in an immersive universe that engages the senses and emotions as never before."

Laurent de la Cotardière, VP Sales & Marketing, Nissan Europe

THE STAGE JUK3D EXPERI-ENCE HAS TWO PARTS:

Discovery and customize

Launching Stage JUK3D the user gets to discover the Nissan JUKE from any angle, inside and out. They can actually move around the vehi-cle, open the doors and get inside it to see every detail. They can person-alise it by choosing the exterior paint colour.

Drive

Once the user has customized their car, they can take the Nissan JUKE for a thrilling 3D spin around the edge of a city at night. Getting a real feel of Nissan JUKE's energy, the user gets to speed around a circuit as fast as they can, gathering energy balls and lighting up the city as they go. And then challenge their friends to match their lap times via social networks!

Adobe® Flash® Player 11 installa-tion is required to run Stage JUK3D and it can be downloaded at http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/

HAVE A GO TODAY!

MOTORPOINT OFFERS GREAT SAVINGS ON BRAND NEW ’61 PLATE CARS – JUST IN!Did you want a brand new ’61 plate car but your budget couldn’t quite stretch to it? Well, there’s good news for your wallets as the UK’s leading car supermarket, Motorpoint, has just announced some great savings on its fresh stock of brand new ’61 plate cars.

If you want to get your hands on one of the UK’s most popular cars, the Ford Focus, then Motorpoint has a great offer on its stock of 1.6 Zetec versions. Priced at just £10,999, these brand new ’61 plate Focus cars come in a choice of Blue, Grey, Black or Silver metallic paint worth

£298 and offer a customer saving of £5,266*.

Looking for a brand new practical five-seater MPV with the extra bag-gage room a busy family needs?Then the award winning five-star Euro NCAP rated Seat Alhambra could be for you! Motorpoint has just add-ed a choice of the 2.0 Tdi Cr Ecomo-tive versions, all coming with fitted extras – a choice of Blue, Grey, Black or Silver metallic paint and the ‘Life-style’ pack – , priced at £16,999, of-fering a customer saving of £8,026*.

Motorpoint also has another fam-ily favourite in stock, the Vauxhall Zafira, with versions of the 1.8l Ex-clusiv 5dr available in manual or automatic transmission priced from just £12,999 offering customer sav-ings of up to £6,979*. Also included is metallic paint in Black or Silver worth £298.

Once again, the car buyer’s Cham-pion, Motorpoint, passes on unri-valled service, choice and value to its customers as soon as its new vehicles come into stock!

VAUXHALL’S NEW POCKET ROCKET SET TO CORNER MARKETFirst Corsa VXR Nürbur-gring Edition hits UK shores Max power now up to 205PS*, torque to 280Nm Sophisticated LSD plus chassis and brake upgrades will raise class bar for hot hatches

Bluebird cufflinksNissan Juke

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Vauxhall’s new Corsa VXR Nürbur-gring Edition promises to be one of the quickest B-road cars in its class, as the first cars become available in UK showrooms this month.

At the heart of the Nürburgring is a re-worked version of the Corsa VXR’s existing 1.6-litre turbo-charged engine which now produc-es 205PS* at 5,750rpm (up from 192PS) and 250-280Nm of torque (up from 230-266Nm). A modi-fied engine management and turbo-charger system, sports exhaust with reduced back pressure - and the abil-ity to run on 98-octane fuel - have all contributed to the rise in power.

To harness the Nürburgring’s new-found power potential, Vauxhall has fitted it with a mechanical, multi-plate limited-slip differential, ensur-ing that its 205PS doesn’t go up in a cloud of tyre smoke, and provid-

ing the car with optimum traction at all times. Understeer is reduced

dramtically, to the extent that the more throttle the driver applies through a bend, the more the vehicle grips!

But perhaps the icing on the Nür-burgring’s cake is its chassis, which received its final sign-off at the Nür-burgring’s notorious Nordschleife, or North Loop. Vauxhall commis-sioned Bilstein to develop bespoke spring and damper units for the new model, allowing drivers an even higher degree of control and involve-ment. A visual clue of this work is a ride height which is reduced by 20mm at the front and 15mm at the rear.

The effect of the upgrades is breath-taking, the Nürburgring offering a degree of chassis balance and com-posure – as well as sheer grip – al-most unheard of in its class.

Complementing the chassis mods are newly developed Brembo brakes,

which are 30 per cent lighter than before, and have high-performance brake linings covering a 10 per cent larger area. In addition, the Corsa VXR’s ABS, Traction Control and Electronic Stability Control systems have all been recalibrated to take into account the Nürburging’s new set-up.

With performance of 0-60mph in just 6.5 seconds and a top speed of 143mph, the Corsa Nürburgring will deliver all the driving thrills you’d expect from a car wearing the legendary track’s name. But just in case anyone was in doubt, the new model gets a raft of visual identi-fiers: a stainless steel dual exhaust, newly designed forged aluminium wheels in high-gloss grey, and ‘Nür-burgring’ logos on the B-Pillars and front spoiler lip. There are also two new colours available – apple green ‘Grasshopper’ and red ‘Henna’.

Inside, black and red ‘Nürburgring’ lettering adorns the sill plates and front Recaro seat backs, with be-spoke white stitching on all seats, as well as the handbrake and gearshift console.

The Corsa VXR Nürburgring Edi-tion is on sale now, priced at £22,295.

BRITISH MOTOR HERITAGE CELEBRATES COMPLETION OF ITS 100TH E-TYPE REPLACEMENT BONNETAs the 50th anniversary of the in-comparable Jaguar E-Type draws to a close, British Motor Heritage (BMH) has been celebrating an E-Type milestone of its own – the pro-duction of its 100th replacement bonnet.

Best known for the manufacture of replacement bodyshells and individ-ual panels for the MGB, MGR V8, MG Midget, Austin Healey Sprite, Triumph TR6 and original Minis etc, BMH these days also produces bonnets for the Series 1, 2 and 3 Jag-uar E-Types.

Supplied exclusively to Unipart Jag-uar Classic and distributed by Jag-uar Classic Parts, the bonnets are

manufactured using the original Jag-uar tooling and the 100th one (that for a Series 1 model) was completed on September 11 by Stephen Fry, Martin Pollard, Alan Stacey and Dave Jeffs, who between can boast over 40 years’ service to BMH. The E-Type bonnet is just one of a range of body panels now made by BMH for Unipart Jaguar Classic.

Said BMH’s Managing Director John Yea, “Enthusiasts restoring or repairing treasured classics are in-creasingly particular about the fit and finish of any replacement panels, and never more so than with the bonnet of the E-type, which forms such a large percentage of the car. Not only are our pressings identical to the originals, but they benefit from the quality of hand finishing for which all our products are renowned.”

Further information on BMH’s replacement parts for the Jaguar E-Type; Mini; MG B, F, TF and Midget; Triumph TR6, TR7, TR8, Spitfire, GT6 and Stag; Austin-Hea-ley Sprite; Morris Minor etc can be found at www.bmh-ltd.com.

EU OFFICIALS TO DRIVE FUEL-CELL HYUNDAI ix35Parliament members & policymak-ers will test ix35 until March 2012 Operating more than 30 FCEVs in 2012; commercialisation targeted by 2015

The Hyundai ix35 fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) has been selected by the European Commission-backed Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Un-dertaking (FCH JU) to be used as a demonstration vehicle to test and promote hydrogen fuel cell technol-ogy in a real-world environment.

As part of the announcement made today at the FCH JU-organised “Joint Technology Initiatives: Inno-vation in Action” exhibition in Brus-sels, the ix35 FCEV will be made available for Members of European Parliament, Commissioners, EU of-ficials and other policymakers to test drive until March 2012.

The decision moves Hyundai a step closer to the commercialisation of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles by 2015. Debuted at the Geneva Mo-tor Show in 2010, the ix35 features important innovations over previ-ous-generation Hyundai FCEVs,

First Corsa VXR Nürburgring Edition hits UK shores

First Corsa VXR Nürburgring Edition hits UK shores

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including a 55 percent improvement in driving range and an 80 percent reduction in manufacturing costs.

Hyundai has become a world leader in the development of hydrogen fuel cell technology since the introduc-tion of the Santa Fe FCEV in 2000, operating a dedicated fuel cell re-search division at its Eco Technology Research Institute in Korea.

Earlier this year, Hyundai signed a memorandum of understanding with the municipality of Copenha-gen to establish the necessary infra-structure for the supply and use of FCEVs in Denmark.

Maria da Graça Carvalho MEP, Member of the Industry Commit-tee and host of the exhibition Joint Technology Initiatives, said: “Fuel cell vehicles, such as the ix35 FCEV, have great potential to help fight car-bon dioxide emissions, reduce our dependence on hydrocarbons and contribute to economic growth. I am sure my fellow members of the European Parliament will embrace the opportunity to test the viability of hydrogen technology.”

Chang Kyun Han, President of Hyundai Motor Europe, added: ‘We are delighted that the Hyundai ix35 FCEV has been chosen by the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertak-ing as its European demonstration vehicle. We fully support efforts by the FCH JU to promote the benefits of hydrogen and fuel cell technology to leading policymakers and opin-ion-formers. The announcement to-day complements the work we have already undertaken with other gov-ernment bodies around Europe, and

by 2012 we hope to operate more than 30 Hyundai ix35 FCEVs across the continent.”

The ix35 FCEV is based on the award-winning compact SUV, ix35. The ix35 was designed and engi-neered in Europe for European motorists.

What’s the real MPG for your car?With fuel prices continuing to rise, motorists are doing everything possi-ble to get the best out of every litre of fuel purchased, with fuel efficiency understandably being one of the key factors influencing the purchase of a new car. But just how reliable are the official EC fuel economy figures?

Leading independent consumer motoring website www.honestjohn.co.uk has received numerous com-plaints from readers frustrated that they can't find out the real MPG for their car. It's the most common com-plaint Honest John has received from motorists for the past two years. But as Honest John explains, the much misunderstood reason why most drivers cannot match the ‘manufac-turer' figures is that these are actually lab tests designed to simulate driving conditions.

"Because all the parameters are fixed and because car taxation is based on CO2 emissions, manufacturers opti-mise their engines for the prescribed lab tests" said Honest John. "CO2 and fuel economy are inextricably linked and EC law compels manu-facturers to publicise only the figures from the tests. So it's not manufac-turers misleading the public. It's the EC, with a test regime that is not suf-ficiently realistic.

"This means that, until now, it has been very difficult to find a fuel economy figure that can be realis-tically relied upon. But motorists don't need to be frustrated any more, as we have launched the Honest John Real Life Fuel Economy Register."

For the past four months, honest-john.co.uk has been building up a picture of the fuel economy that the UK's drivers are achieving to cre-ate the Honest John Real Life Fuel Economy Register www.honestjohn.co.uk/realmpg. This now has a da-tabase of more than 12,000 real life mpg submissions covering 1644 cars from 2006 to 2011.

For any motorist who wants to find out the average fuel consumption for their make and model of vehicle, they simply look up the car, engine and transmission at www.honest-john.co.uk/realmpg.

They can then find their car again in the box at the bottom of the section and key in their average fuel econo-my in the box next to it. That adjusts the average recorded mpg for the car to reflect an overall average of what everyone is getting at any time of the year.

"We are urging motorists to use the Real MPG Register to help them find out the real fuel consumption they can expect from their vehicle" concluded Honest John. "And we are encouraging drivers to regularly update the Register with their own economy figures so that it provides everyone with the information they need."

GET ON RETURNS TO MOTORCYCLE LIVE Motorcycle Live is back at The NEC, Birmingham from 19-27 No-vember 2011 and the industry’s Get On campaign will once again be of-fering free two-wheel taster sessions to novice and born-again bikers. For visitors with no experience at all – or even those who have spent some time away and want to get back into biking – the Get On arena should be the first port of call.

Occupying a secure area in hall 4 for the duration of the nine-day event, Get On will be offering riders over the age of 16 the chance to take part in a 20-minute taster session. Visitors can choose from a range of scooters and motorcycles provided by supporting manufacturers – and there will also be the option of elec-tric scooters for eco-friendly future riders.

All safety equipment will be provided and a fully qualified instructor will give a one-on-one briefing ahead of each session. Participants will then be introduced to the basics of biking as they ride a short and simple course to get a feel for life on two wheels. The Get On arena is always a popu-lar attraction at Motorcycle Live and while walk-up appointments will be available, it is also possible to pre-book via www.geton.co.uk. Simply enter the postcode for the The NEC

(B40 1NT) in the ‘Book a free ride’ section and select Motorcycle Live as a training location.

Having completed a taster session, participants can then find out every-thing they need to know about bik-ing at the UK’s biggest interactive motorcycle show. Everything from where to do a CBT and how to get a full licence, to buying that first bike and getting kitted out and insured… Motorcycle Live offers it all. It is the best place to experience not only the practical elements of motorcycling, but also discover the freedom, fun and flexibility that life on two wheels brings.

Children as young as five can also en-joy a free taster session with My First Honda Licence, which is designed to introduce aspiring young riders to motorcycling in a safe, controlled environment. They will be guided around a specially constructed street scene before receiving their very own printed mock-up licence – and as with every live feature at Motorcycle Live, it’s all completely free!

The ticket price for Motorcycle Live 2011 is completely all-inclusive, meaning visitors can enjoy every-thing the show has to offer at no extra cost. Tickets are £16 in advance* for adults, £10 for seniors, £6 for chil-dren aged 6-16 and kids under five accompanied by a paying adult go free. Visit www.motorcyclelive.co.uk or call 0844 5812345. Visit www.facebook.com/motorcyclelive or fol-low @motorcyclelive on Twitter

For more information about the Get On campaign visit www.geton.co.uk – a one-stop shop of biking informa-tion. Get On is brought to you by the leading motorcycle manufacturers, dealers and other companies in the market, through the Motorcycle In-dustry Association (MCIA).

*Closing date for advanced tickets 5.00pm on 18th November 2011.

NISSAN ANNOUNCES THE JUKE-R THE ULTIMATE COMPACT CROSSOVERJUKE-R SET TO INJECT NEW EXCITEMENT INTO THE CROSSOVER MARKET

BMH’s 100th E-Type replacement bonnet with its creators

Hyundai ix35 FCEV

9The Auto Press

Juke and GT-R brought together to create the ultimate compact crossover One-off concept to test the public's reaction to a seriously sporty Juke Underlines the com-pact crossover's fun factor Fully road legal with GT-R drive train Developed for Nissan by RML with input from Nissan Techni-cal Centre for Europe (NTC-E) Car currently in development; expected to complete first tests in November

Question: What do you get when you cross a Nissan Juke with a Nissan GT-R?

Answer: The fastest, most exciting and daring compact crossover in the world.

Not content with re-shaping the new car market by pioneering the crossover - a success reflected in the soaring sales of its Qashqai and Juke models - Nissan is now creating the Juke-R, the first ever super crossover.

Currently under development the bold design of the Juke is clear to see. However, with the addition of flared wheel arches, revised front and rear bumpers plus a unique split rear wing, this is no standard crossover - it's a Juke that thinks it's a GT-R - and with good reason. How-ever, the car is not for production and is a one-off, road legal concept car, developed by Nissan and built by leading motorsports outfit RML

with input from Nissan Technology Centre for Europe (NTC-E).

Under the bonnet is a 3.8-litre twin-turbo V6 engine adopted directly from Nissan's flagship supercar. Un-der the boot floor hides the GT-R's six-speed transaxle, with the front and rear ends joined by a modified GT-R 4WD driveline and prop shaft, while chunky 20-inch RAYS forged alloy rims fill each wheel arch.

The interior merges crossover and supercar with finesse, as the Juke's dashboard has been transformed to accommodate the gauges, dials and 7-inch customisable LCD display from the GT-R. The Juke's iconic centre console, inspired by the fuel tank of a motorcycle, remains while the rest of the interior has the look of a machine bred for the track. Twin race-seats with five-point harnesses sit inside a visible roll cage that gives FIA safety standards as well as en-hanced rigidity to provide the ulti-mate performance.

"Nissan Juke is one of the most ex-citing cars on the market today. Its bold crossover design has captured the imagination of car buyers all over Europe; after just a year on sale we are celebrating sales of more than 100,000 units," said Paul Willcox, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing for Nissan in Europe.

"Juke lends itself perfectly to a sports derivative and Juke-R explores that territory. Equally at home on road and track, Juke-R showcases two of the most exciting cars in our range and highlights the technical innova-tion that drives Nissan. This car will more than live up to the dynamic driving experience we engineer into all our cars.”

For full details on Juke-R and to fol-low the car's development, please

visit: https://www.facebook.com/NissanJukeOfficial

http://www.youtube.com/user/NissanJuke

SPARK IGNITES THE SAVINGS Spark 1.0 from £6,995 or 0% finance on 1.2 LS+ Cruze 1.6 LT saving of £1,400 at just £13,495 Orlando 1.8 LT is just £15,495 Great Motability offers too! Offers available until 30 November

If you’re in the market for a new car this season then look no further than Chevrolet. Whether you’re after a city car with a lot of personality, a hatchback with an abundance of style or an SUV with premium space then Chevrolet has the car for you.

The Chevrolet Spark is renowned for its handling and manoeuvrability and with a Spark 1.0 now available at just £6,995 – a saving of £380 won’t put you in tight spot financial-ly either. The Spark 1.2 LS+ with its 14” Alloy wheels, trip computer, steering wheel audio controls and electric adjustable and heated door mirrors will also allow customers to cut corners with 0% finance avail-able over 5 years.

Customers in the market for a styl-ish hatchback can save an incredible £1,400 on the price of a new Cruze 1.6 LT, and yet still take advantage of the impressive features list in-cluding 16-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, parking distance sensors, steering wheel audio controls and a leather steering wheel and gear knob to name a few! That’s a lot of car for only £259 per month on Personal Contract Hire after deposit.

A great all round family car, the Chevrolet Orlando compact MPV is the perfect combination of pas-sion and practicality. For a limited time only the Orlando 1.8 LT is just £15,495 a saving of a whopping £2,015 or available from only £292 per month on Personal Contract Hire after deposit. The mid range LT model boasts follow-me-home headlights, rear parking distance sensors, a USB port, 16-inch alloy wheels, and steering wheel audio controls as just some of the accesso-ries available as standard.

If you’re looking for a bit more space, then the Captiva SUV is the model to chose. The Captiva 2.2 VCDi LS

is now on offer at just £19,995 a sav-ing of £2,000.

Finally for customers looking for their next Motability vehicle, Chev-rolet can offer the Spark 1.2 LT at just £49.99 weekly rental with no advance payment, the Cruze 1.6 LT Auto Hatchback with no advance payment or the Orlando 1.8 LS with an advance payment of just £399.

All these great offers are accompa-nied by Chevrolet’s fantastic 5 year warranty deal, which adds peace of mind to every purchase. Every vehi-cle is eligible for a 3 year or 60,000 mile comprehensive warranty, a 4th and 5th year extended warranty pro-viding cover until the car is 5 years old or has travelled 100,000 miles, a 6 year anti-perforation corrosion warranty and 1 years Roadside As-sistance provided by the AA.

A 3-Year/30,000 mile Fixed Price Servicing package can also be taken out for just £299 on Spark, Cruze and Orlando models and £399 for Captiva.

PORSCHE CARRERA CUP GB CHAMPIONSHIP TO BE DECIDED AT SILVERSTONE SEASON FINALE AFTER BRANDS HATCH THRILLER After a thrilling weekend at Brands Hatch, the top three Por-sche Carrera Cup GB drivers – Michael Meadows, Stephen Jel-ley, James Sutton – go into the last round of the Championship with an equal chance of clinching the title Just twelve points covers the top three drivers after seventeen races, underlining just how close the rac-ing has been between the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race cars this season George Brewster and Keith Web-ster also take their Pro-Am2 title battle to the final race weekend at Silverstone on October 15/16 Pro-Am1 title clinched at Brands by jubilant Jonas Gelzinis

10 The Auto Press

Nick Tandy and Stephen Jelley shared victories in round 16 and 17 of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB at Brands Hatch over the weekend (1/2 October) as the action on the track was as hot as the record-breaking weather.

The packed grid of twenty-four 450 hp Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race cars were an impressive sight as they raced in the Kent sunshine, their distinctive flat-six engines echoing through the trees around the famous 2.3-mile Grand Prix circuit.

With Michael Meadows and James Sutton also achieving good results, the stage is set for a tense season fi-nale between Meadows, Jelley and Sutton at Silverstone on October 16. However, the Pro-Am1 title is now secure in the hands of Jonas Gelzinis who clinched the category with a win in the opening race of the weekend. In Pro-Am2, title contenders George Brewster and Keith Webster both scored well and will now settle their title battle at Silverstone.

Round 16

Tandy (Bedford) – who also races a 911 in the Porsche Carrera Cup Deutschland and Porsche Super-cup - got the start he wanted from pole position to head the field into Paddock Hill Bend and immediately set about building his lead as Sut-ton (London) followed in second from Jelley (Leicester) and Gelzinis (Lithuania).

At Surtees Bend further round the first lap, Porsche Carrera Cup GB Scholar Ben Hetherington (Hulme Walfield) was unfortunate to suffer a broken radiator after a tangle in the pack and consequently left cool-ant on the track. Next time around, the leaders were able to avoid the slippery section of track, but Rory Butcher (Kirkcaldy) slid wide and lost time and further back Pro-Am2 poleman Richard Denny (London) spun and dropped to the back of the pack. Up front, Tandy established his leading margin at up to two seconds as Sutton concentrated on fending off Jelley.

Gelzinis then ran wide at Surtees and lost a lot of ground slithering across the grass - he managed to re-join just ahead of his Pro-Am1 rivals Ahmad Al Harthy (Oman), Butcher and Derek Pierce (West Kilbride).

“Over the first few laps I pushed to build a gap ahead of the pack,” said Tandy, who was never more than two and a half seconds clear of Sutton. “Then I eased off to protect the tyres and stay off the kerbs. We were all pushing hard.”

Sutton knew that chasing Tandy to the flag was a good result for his title ambitions, and he was able to fend off third-placed Jelley. “Nick is do-ing an extraordinarily good job; I thought I might be able to give him a race in the second half,” he said. “James put up with the pressure very well,” added Jelley after taking the fi-nal podium place.

Euan Hankey (Taunton) had run right behind Jelley for many laps before sliding off into the gravel at the Druids hairpin, and so Meadows (Banbury) moved through to fourth with Kieran Vernon (West Chilting-ton) and the recovering Gelzinis close behind. Richard Plant (Shef-field) dropped out of this battle pre-maturely with a puncture, as Al Har-thy and Butcher battled for second in Pro-Am1. Pierce was another to go out with a puncture.

The action was just as busy in Pro-Am2 as Brewster (Aberdeen) went ahead in the early stages. However, Steve Parish (London) and Webster (Hook) chased hard and battled at just about every corner. Just as the three cars got very close together, Parish spun at Surtees and which delayed Webster and allowed Brew-ster to rebuild his leading margin. Webster never stopped chasing on his way to second while Yucel Ozbek (Turkey) took third, despite a spin at Paddock Hill Bend.

“That’s job done,” said Brewster. “I got a decent start and managed to avoid the dramas. Thankfully we got it to the end.” Webster, meanwhile, lost his chance of challenging Brew-ster when Parish spun out of the race.

“I had to back off big time when Ste-ve spun,” he said.

Round 17

From the start of the weekend’s sec-ond race, Tandy went clear, but a rear puncture ended his race after six laps. Thus it was Jelley who moved ahead to take a very important vic-tory as Meadows and Hankey

completed the overall podium. When Gelzinis also went out with a punc-ture, Al Harthy took the Pro-Am1 victory and the ‘Driver of the Week-end’ award. Denny drove a fine race to win Pro-Am2, while Celtic Speed clinched four podium finishes to earn the ‘Team of the Weekend’ award.

Tandy had everything under con-trol at the head of the race until he plunged through Paddock Hill Bend for the seventh time. “As soon as I hit the compression at the bot-tom of the hill - just as I’ve done all weekend - the tyre went down,” said Tandy. “We think it might be a cut from a stone; it’s a disappointing end to a superb weekend.”

Jelley took over the lead and ran smoothly to the finish, but there was nearly disaster as he had a rear tyre go flat as the car stood in parc ferme after the race. “It got a bit racy in the first couple of laps, but someone was on my side today,” he smiled, hav-ing battled hard to take second place from Meadows at Surtees on the third lap.

Meadows had to spend the whole race defending second from Han-key and there was only a third of a second between them at the flag. “I didn’t seem to have the pace at the start and that was when Jelley made the move,” said Meadows. Hankey was pleased to be back on the podi-um as they stretched away from the battle between Sam Tordoff (Leeds) and Sutton. It was a strong run from Tordoff to fend off title contender Sutton as Vernon chased them home to round out the top six.

Gelzinis ran fifth overall in the early laps but was another to fall foul of a rear puncture and pulled off to re-tire, leaving Al Harthy to head the class under pressure from Butcher. Over the first half of the race Butch-er attacked Al Harthy, but little by little Al Harthy edged clear for an impressive victory. “It was so im-portant to get this win; it’s exactly what I needed,” he said. Alex Martin (Somerset) was heading for third in Pro-Am1 after a fighting drive, but another puncture put him out on the penultimate lap and so George Rich-ardson (Alderley Edge) wrapped up the Pro-Am1 podium.

Denny was mighty in Pro-Am2 and won from the front as Ozbek fended off Brewster for second. “I had a good start and just drove as many qualify-ing laps as I could, and tried not to make any mistakes,” he said. “The team has worked so hard for this.” Ozbek had to race hard to hold off Brewster for second, while Webster

got ahead of Parish for fourth after a long battle.

The scene is now set for a thrilling finale to the 2011 Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship at Silver-stone on October 15/16.

THE NEW 2012 KIA SOUL Kia’s urban crossover re-vised for the 2012 model year Increased performance with lower fuel consump-tion and improved emissions Six-speed transmis-sions standard on all versions New 1.6-litre petrol en-gine with direct-injection Significant upgrades in in-terior quality and specification Two trim grades plus two new ‘Soul Originals’ Priced from £12,495 On sale from 3rd October

Kia’s innovative and hugely suc-cessful urban crossover, the Soul, has been refreshed from top to bot-tom for the 2012 model year. New or revised 1.6-litre engines and the introduction of a six-speed gearbox on all models improve performance while lowering fuel consumption, emissions and running costs. The distinctive and highly original exte-rior styling is now even sharper while continuing to emphasise Kia’s obses-sion with quality. This is reflected in the cabin, where changes to the fas-cia, console and trim raise standards even higher. And all versions have more equipment.

The revised model is now on sale of-fering a choice of two regular trim grades, badged Soul 1 and Soul 2, and two ‘Soul Originals’, the Hunter and Quantum. ‘Soul Originals’ is a rolling programme of special ver-sions with unique styling and trim, changed at regular intervals.

Lifestyle-driven, but practical with it Soul is an urban crossover – small enough to be ideally suited to the Chevrolet Cruze

Sam Tordoff leads Jonas Gelzinis...

11The Auto Press

world's urban jungles, but totally different to conventional, workday small cars. By combining the charm and desirability of the MINI and Fiat 500 with a hint of SUV rugged-ness, Soul opened up an entirely new market sub-segment when it first ap-peared in 2008.

Like conventional superminis, Soul is a five-door, five-seat front-wheel-drive hatchback. But within those parameters, it defies convention thanks to its fun-to-drive character, expressive interior and a seating ar-rangement which offers the flexibil-ity of a medium-sized MPV or SUV within the footprint of a supermini.

Soul's style is 'tough not rough'. It has a high bonnet with rounded forms, bulging wheel arches and a wide track. The wheel arches are joined by a body side crease, while the roofline appears to slope gently down to the tailgate. The beltline, which rises from the front wheel arch to create a gentle wedge shape, is continued under and around the third side window. There are deco-rative air vents in the front wings, these incorporate sleek side repeat-ers on the entry-level version.

For 2012, Soul’s rugged charm has been given an even sportier twist with changes to the grilles, lights, front bodywork and wheels. A new bumper with a wider, lower air in-take changes the proportions of the car and gives it a wider stance, and the grilles are now set off with cu-bic effect inserts which give it a more premium look. The new front grille is reflected at the rear, where a large tusk-shaped section in the bumper helps to visually stretch the width of the car.

The vertical rear light clusters have been revised and incorporate brake lights that wrap around the side of the car, while daytime running lights – bulb-type in Soul 1 and 2 and LED in the two ‘Soul Originals’ – add a touch of style to the black bezel headlamp units and make the car easier to see. The rear light pattern on models with LED rear lamps is identical to that on the 2006 Detroit Show Soul concept to which the pro-duction model so faithfully adheres.

Soul 1 now has body-coloured door handles and mirrors and a top-tinted windscreen, while Soul 2 gains mus-cular surrounds around its front fog-lights, 16-inch alloy wheels and fold-ing electric door mirrors containing stylish indicator repeaters. All ver-sions are 15mm longer than before to accommodate the new power-trains under the bonnet, yet remain

extremely compact at 4.12 metres long.

The practical and spacious interior features a totally redesigned centre fascia, centre console and gearshifter which improve both usability and the feeling of quality. The uphol-stery in Soul 1 continues to be styl-ish all-black cloth, while Soul 2 has a new design of luminous ‘Soul Shine’ cloth. Soul Hunter is trimmed in either black or beige, depending on the exterior colour specified, with matching tartan colour trim that adds a charming and fun flavour to the interior. Soul Quantum is trimmed in luxurious black leather.

More performance with lower running costs Soul was the first Kia to use an all-new platform that has since been adopted in modified form for Kia’s other B-segment models, the Venga and new Rio. It is powered by two 1.6-litre engines – a new direct-in-jection (GDi) petrol unit developing 138bhp – up 14bhp on the previous 1.6-litre – and a modified 126bhp turbodiesel (CRDi). A six-speed manual gearbox replaces the five-speed unit previously used, while the CRDi engine is optionally available with a six-speed automatic in place of the former four-speed transmission.

The new powertrains bring signifi-cant gains in performance, economy and running costs. The diesel man-ual is now 0.6 seconds quicker from rest to 60mph (10.3 seconds), while more than 3mpg more fuel-efficient (57.6mpg). This is sufficient to bring its CO2 emissions down by 8g/km to 129g/km, which means owners are exempt from Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) in the car’s first year.

The new petrol engine and six-speed gearbox combination, meanwhile, ensures the Soul delivers sparkling performance with impressively spar-ing use of fuel. It can accelerate from standstill to 60mph in 10 seconds, while its official combined-cycle economy is 44.1mpg. With CO2 emissions of 149g/km, it sits in band F for VED, which saves owners £35 a year compared with the previous model. Both engines deliver the out-standing torque vital to modern UK motoring, with excellent power for motorway use.

Soul has a long wheelbase and wide track, with inherent benefits for sta-ble handling and a comfortable ride. The suspension of right-hand-drive models was fine-tuned in the UK ahead of the car’s initial launch. Soul was the first of several Kias to have followed this path, recognising

the particular characteristics of UK roads. It has Kia’s motor-driven electronic power-assisted steering, which contributes three per cent to fuel savings compared with a con-ventional engine-driven hydrau-lic rack-and-pinion system. Power assistance is provided only when needed, reducing power draw on the engine.

Soul comes as standard with elec-tronic stability control (ESC) and anti-lock brakes (ABS) with elec-tronic brake force distribution (EBD). ESC intervenes to prevent skids by braking one or more wheels, reducing engine power or both if sensors detect the car may be in dan-ger of going out of control. EBD, meanwhile, automatically ensures that stopping power is directed to the four wheels in such a way as to ensure the car is brought to a halt in the shortest possible distance.

For 2012 these safety measures have been supplemented by Vehicle Sta-bility Management (VSM) and Hill-start Assist Control (HAC). VSM uses the ESC sensors to detect when one side of the car is traversing a more slippery surface than the other, such as when there is ice, stranding water or wet leaves at the edge of the road. It then intervenes to stabilise the car. HAC holds the car on its brakes when setting off on inclines until the driver touches the accelera-tor pedal. In this way it is impossible for the car to roll backwards.

All the advantages of an SUV with none of the disadvantages The first thing Soul drivers will no-tice, particularly those downsizing from an SUV or MPV, is the familiar command-post driving position. The cockpit is compact and sporty, with a thick-rimmed four-spoke steering wheel and a three-dial instrument cluster beneath a tightly-curved cowling. Yet Soul is anything but a self-indulgent car. The unusually high roofline, which has its highest point just above the windscreen, and generous wheelbase, may lend Soul a bit of SUV attitude, but they also give the interior cavernous space.

In keeping with Soul's rebellious, individual and urban character, Kia has ensured that every model has a six-speaker audio system capable of being linked to digital music play-ers or other portable music devices. From Soul 2 upwards, an iPod ca-ble is standard, and all models now have steering wheel-mounted audio controls. Further up the range, the hi-fi grows to eight speakers, includ-ing a boot-mounted subwoofer and

a dashboard centre speaker, and is powered by an external amplifier.

The standard specification is gener-ous, with air conditioning, all-round electric windows, remote central locking and six airbags fitted to eve-ry model. The 2012 Soul 1 gains Bluetooth with voice control, and sun visors with illuminated mirrors in addition to remote audio con-trols, electric mirrors, body-coloured door handles and a top-tinted wind-screen. Soul 2 has new 16-inch al-loys, unique upholstery and folding mirrors. To top it off, all versions have Kia’s pioneering seven-year, 100,000 miles warranty.

Hunter and Quantum – the latest ‘Soul Originals’ In the spirit of a fashion collection, the Originals are frequently updated with new colour schemes and speci-fications and have proved popular since the first trio appeared in 2009. Hunter and Quantum are the latest to arrive and each brings a unique style and high level of specification.

In addition to the well-specified ‘2’ trim level, both of the new Originals gain metallic paint, distinctive LED daytime running lights, an uprated eight-speaker stereo system with ex-ternal amplifier and boot-mounted subwoofer, heated door mirrors and privacy glass to the rear windows and tailgate. Cruise control is stand-ard on automatic versions and will feature on manual versions from the end of the year.

The Hunter adds to this with 18” alloy wheels, an electrically oper-ated sunroof and a colour reversing camera which conveniently displays inside the rear view mirror when reverse gear is engaged. Hunter is available in Olive Green metallic, with a beige and tartan interior, or Moonlight Blue metallic with black and black tartan upholstery.

The Quantum is only available in Titanium Silver metallic and comes with 18” black five-spoke alloy wheels, piano black bumper inserts and chrome exterior door handles.

Kia Soul (2012 model year facelift)

12 The Auto Press

On the inside is a black leather up-holstery, heated front seats, climate control and reverse parking sensors.

Kia Soul – Pricing Version Price – On the Road 1.6 GDi 1 £12,495 1.6 GDi 2 £13,595 1.6 CRDi 2 £14,695 1.6 CRDi 2 auto £15,795 1.6 GDi Hunter £15,095 1.6 CRDi Hunter £16,195 1.6 CRDi Hunter auto £17,295 1.6 GDi Quantum £15,595 1.6 CRDi Quantum £16,695 1.6 CRDi Quantum auto £17,795

LIFE’S A BEACH… WITH NEW VOLKSWAGEN CALIFORNIA CAMPER The Beach Boys dreamt of a bit of California as they lamented ‘All the leaves are brown and the sky is grey’ in their 1982 hit. But Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is ensuring endless summer fun with the an-nouncement of the new California Beach model. A new entry-level camper, it offers added value and more versatility with seating for up to seven people, with prices starting at £34,970 RRP on the road (includ-ing VAT) from £379 a month with a Volkswagen Solutions Personal Con-tract Plan.

The California Beach blends the ap-peal of the California with the practi-cality and versatility of the Caravelle people carrier. Inside, seating for up to seven people is available with a two-, or three-, seat rear bench, and further optional individual chairs. The front seats swivel to face the rear and a portable table, neatly stored in the sliding side door, can create a sociable lounge area. In addition, two folding chairs are stored in the tailgate.

A large amount of luggage space is offered behind the rail-mounted seats and the Beach also offers sleep-ing accommodation for four. The bench-seat easily folds to convert to a two-berth bed across the width of the vehicle, while a manual pop-up roof gives access to a further double bed. Integrated pull-down blinds for the side and rear windows, plus pop-up covers for the front window, ensure privacy when required.

The California Beach is powered by a choice of 2.0-litre TDI engines. Making its debut on the Beach is a highly-efficient 114 PS BlueMo-tion Technology model offering op-timised fuel efficiency and lowering emissions. With a five-speed manual transmission with longer gearing, cruise control, Stop/Start system, brake regeneration and low rolling resistance tyres, it offers a combined fuel economy figure of 40.4 mpg and a CO2 output of 184 g/km.

The second engine is the more power-ful 140 PS unit, mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. With a premium of £1,165 over the BlueMotion Tech-nology model, the 2.0-litre TDI 140 PS returns 36.7 mpg on the com-bined cycle with CO2 emissions of 203 g/km.

As standard, the well-equipped new-comer to the popular California camper range is fitted with stylish 16-inch ‘Miyato’ alloy wheels, Cli-matic air conditioning and a CD/ra-dio with eight speakers. The choice of Sunny Yellow exterior paint and ‘Takato’ upholstery are exclusive to Beach models. Customers can also choose from a raft of options, in-cluding larger alloy wheels, a 32-li-tre cool/warm box (powered by sec-ond leisure battery), programmable parking heater, an awning, privacy glass, double glazing and Bluetooth mobile phone provision, plus satel-lite navigation with Western Europe mapping pre-loaded to an internal memory and xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights.

The California Beach is available to order now. For more information about the California camper range, or to find your local Volkswagen Van Centre, call 0800 717131 or visit www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk. For the latest updates, follow Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles on Twitter @Volkswagen_CV.

Kia Soul (2012 model year facelift)

The California Beach