Daily Archives: May 3, 2012

China – 33 million car designers apply to VW

May 03, 2012   Ian

OK, that is stretching it a bit. However there have been 33 million visitors to a Chinese website inviting people to submit idea for future VW models. Of the 119,000 ideas submitted to the “People’s Car Project” (PCP), three have been taken forward and the results are on display at Auto China 2012. These concepts are the Hover Car, the Music Car and the Smart Key. With the Hover Car, an environmentally-friendly two-seater city car which hovers just above the ground, VW is showing a zero-emissions vehicle that could travel along electromagnetic road networks. Hmmm, we remember promises of magnetic levitation transport coming soon – but those promises were made in the 1970s.
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VW Launches Golf GTI cabrio

May 03, 2012   Ian

VW has launched the flagship GTI version of the Golf Cabrio range. It makes us all nostalgic about that first generation Golf cabrio Injection – always painted white with a white roof and ready-fitted with a Wham! cassette (apologies to those under 30 who know neither Wham! nor cassettes).
VW is also feeling nostalgic about the car, saying it has, “all the classic design cues”: the grille has a honeycomb structure with red edging and GTI badge, there is a deep air dam and, of course, tartan upholstery, with leather as an option for those not in thrall to 1981. The GTI theme is topped off with red stitching for the steering wheel, gear lever and handbrake.
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Toyota to boost UK production for Auris replacement

May 03, 2012   Ian

Hot on the heels of Honda’s good news yesterday comes news from Toyota that UK production should rise by one-third. Speaking to industry website, www.just-auto.com, Tony Walker, Deputy Managing Director, Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK, said that the company is now recovering from the economic crisis of 2008 that led to a drop of over 50% to Toyota’s UK car output.

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Mazda RX-8 to continue a bit longer

May 03, 2012   Ian

The Mazda RX-8 is to continue in production for a little longer. Mazda says it will make an additional 1,000 units of the limited edition Spirit R. The modifications for the new version are minimal: special badges, red brake callipers and firmer suspension are the extent of the changes. Apparently demand in Japan led to the change of heart – the RX-8 is one of the very few cars to come out of Japan that can be justifiably called “iconic”.

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