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CITROËN C4 – 2006 WORLD CAR DESIGN OF THE YEAR

Citroën’s popular C4 has been voted 2006 World Car Design of the Year, at the New York International Auto Show, in acknowledgement of the way it has helped to push the established boundaries of innovation and style.

From a shortlist of 27 vehicles, the judging panel of The World Car of the Year Awards in Manhattan gave the Citroën C4 top honours, ahead of the BMW 3-Series and the Honda Civic.

Key to its success was the innovation that Citroën has displayed in creating a design that enabled two distinct body styles, coupé and 5-door, to be built on the same platform. The model’s aerodynamics, which the Award’s organisers recognised as a traditional cornerstone of Citroën’s character, also played a role.

The C4’s interior also captured the imagination of the judging panel with the debut of Citroën’s innovative fixed hub steering wheel.

This major International Award complements a long list of accolades that the C4 has already received, including Best hatchback from both Top Gear and Diesel Car magazines as well as British Car of the Year from Auto Express readers. It has also won a brace of awards in the British Insurance Car Security Awards.

And this world-beating design is available today in the UK from just £9,695 for the C4 1.4i 16v VT Coupé, thanks to the Company’s current cashback offer, which also provides savings of up to £2,200.

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PRESS INFORMATION

FROM BINZ (UK) LTD.


Date: 10.04.06 embargo: immediate

Good Things Come In Small Packages

Binz UK has now added a three door, two-seater hearse to its line of Mercedes-Benz based hearse and limousine range. Though designed primarily to meet the requirements of funeral directors in Ireland, where it is more usual for the family to wish to bear, the vehicle has also found favour with some of the smaller UK firms. Despite its lack of bearer seats in the back the new hearse is no poor relation to Binz’s existing extended-wheelbase five door hearse.

Present is the same optically-clear curved glass that was such an innovation when introduced on the original Binz E-Class based models. This gives added prominence to floral tributes and casket, which rest on a burr walnut finish deck, softly lit by halogen lighting set into the solid roof above. The casket deck itself has rollers fitted, together with a full complement of brightwork, and includes a set of extra-width coffin stops.

The entire assembly will slide out from the rear of the hearse by up to one metre, to ease the task of shouldering the deceased, and when unloading flowers. Beneath this deck, Binz have managed to include a roomy stowage compartment accessible from both sides for trestles, lowering tapes, a collapsible trolley or even umbrellas.

"This new vehicle combines many design features and our reputation for customer service that have drawn users to our existing Mercedes-Benz based hearse and limousine models, in a more compact package. Though we expect demand to come mainly from Ireland, there are still a number of smaller UK funeral homes who have traditionally favoured a two seat hearse – and who may see in our new vehicle an opportunity to upgrade their fleet with a more contemporary design", says Binz UK sales director Kevin Smith.

Mechanically, the three door hearse is based upon the E-280, and is supplied to Elegance specification complete with air conditioning, Palma grey leather trim and tyre pressure monitoring. As with all Binz vehicles, peace of mind comes in the form of full Mercedes-Benz warranty and franchised dealer service support, backed by extensive off-the-shelf stocks of all unique-to-Binz components maintained at Binz UK’s own Reading headquarters.

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Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain
19 April 2006

Ireland’s Mondello Park next for Porsche Carrera Cup GB

After a fantastic start to the new Porsche Carrera Cup GB season at Brands Hatch, the challenging Mondello Park circuit in Ireland is the next stop for the teams and drivers over the weekend of 22/23 April.

A fabulous line up for the Carrera Cup GB will make a fantastic spectacle in Ireland for rounds three and four, with 19 of the stunning new 997-model 911GT3 Cup cars expected to compete in a pair of races at the Irish track.

The new ‘Type 997’ version of the 911 GT3 Cup racer has drawn universal praise from the drivers, with more power, a sequential gearbox and enhanced aerodynamics, and the Carrera Cup lap record at Mondello is set to tumble by as much as two seconds a lap if conditions are good.

Also new for 2006 is the Pro-Am category, aimed at giving non-professional racers their own points and prize money rewards to chase. The move has proved very popular indeed, and a host of quick racers will be contesting this category within the overall race results.

2004 champion Richard Westbrook (Ipswich), racing for Cleveland’s Red Line Racing, grabbed the early championship lead with a fine double win at Brands Hatch. However, the opening races proved that Co Donegal's Damien Faulkner (driving for Leicestershire squad Team Parker Racing with SAS) and Witney’s Tim Harvey (in a car prepared by Motorbase Performance of Tonbridge) are right on Westbrook's pace - and this trio dominated the overall podium at Brands. Faulkner sees Mondello as very much 'his' track, so he will be determined to win again on home ground; he's already won five of the seven Carrera Cup races run at Mondello Park in the past.

Westbrook will miss the Mondello races while competing in the Porsche Supercup race supporting the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola, Italy, so his place will be taken by former F3 winner Danny Watts from Buckingham. Having raced in Carrera Cup Asia last year and tested the new ‘Type 997’ car through the winter, Watts is a first-class substitute for Westbrook.

Aiming to rival the big three will be Nottingham driver Jason Templeman (Team Parker Racing), Newmarket’s Michael Caine (Motorbase Performance), Mark Cole of Newbury (racing for Team RPM of Worcester), Londoner Richard Williams (who had an amazing Carrera Cup debut at Brands Hatch for IN2RACING, from Stratford upon Avon) and Mark Sumpter (Paragon) who takes over the car raced by Andy Purdie at Brands, as Purdie concentrates on university exams.

The Pro-Am category provided impressive racing at Brands as Nigel Rice from Beverley, East Yorkshire, and Jason Young (Oakham, Leicestershire) took the early victories for Red Line Racing. However, a gaggle of other drivers are all aiming for their slice of the pro-am points and prize money, including Manchester’s Mike Richards (IN2RACING), Phil Quaife of Tunbridge Wells (Motorbase Performance) and David Ashburn (Trackspeed), from London. Mike Richards will be new to the Mondello Park circuit, but showed at Brands that he is rapidly coming to terms with the 170mph Porsche!

So, the stage is set for some great racing as the 2006 Carrera Cup GB moves to Ireland. Faulkner is the local hero, but Harvey, Templeman, Caine, Watts and Cole will be among those aiming to give him a tough time!

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NEW VOLVO XC90: MORE STYLE, REFINEMENT AND DESIRABILITY


Exterior refinements: more elegant with new grille, bumpers, rear lights, door mirrors (with side indicators), colour-coded side trim mouldings and door handles.


Upgraded interior: new materials and trim, including Sovereign Hide soft leather upholstery with perforated inlays and contrasting stitching, revised centre console with new display, audio with MP3/WMA format compatibility and i-Pod connection.


New engines: V8 (315PS) and six-cylinder 3.2-litre (238PS), (2.5T and T6 deleted).


World-class audio system: 650W Premium Sound audio system available with Dynaudio speakers and Dolby Pro Logic II Surround Sound.


Upgraded satellite navigation: new system using a hard disk (instead of DVD) for faster response and provides more information.


New Park Assist Camera: for greater convenience when reversing.


Active Bi-xenon headlights: that move 15 degrees either way to help give the driver a better view of the road ahead.


Prices and availability: Makes UK debut at British International Motor Show in July when it is also due to arrive in showrooms. Prices and specifications to be announced in early summer.

Three years after its launch, a new, enhanced 2007 model Volvo XC90 will make its UK debut at the British International Motor Show in July, when it is also expected to arrive in Volvo showrooms.

Thanks to its great design with flexible, seven-seat interior and car-like driving characteristics, Volvo revolutionised the SUV market when the XC90 went on sale in 2003. It was an instant success and has rapidly become Volvo's best-selling model globally. Now, to enhance the XC90’s appeal further Volvo is introducing a new XC90 with more refinement, desirability and performance.

"We have elevated the sensation of luxury car comforts and are deliberately moving the XC90 upmarket in the premium segment with the new Volvo XC90," says Frederik Arp, President and CEO of Volvo Car Corporation. "We have listened closely to our customers and refined the XC90 to boost our competitiveness. We already have a winning design, but have introduced more sophisticated lines and materials and a better driving experience – but without compromising safety," continues Arp.

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NEW ENGINES: V8 AND 3.2 SIX-CYLINDER

Following a high level of customer and media interest when Volvo announced its new V8 engine was available for the XC90 in other countries (with LHD), Volvo is delighted to confirm that the V8 will now be one of the new, premium range of engines available in the new Volvo XC90 in the UK (with RHD) together with Volvo’s new 3.2-litre straight-six engine recently launched in the all-new Volvo S80 saloon.

"With the new state-of-the-art six and eight-cylinder engines, the new Volvo XC90 will appeal to a far broader segment of customers and meet the increased demand for more performance and refinement," says Hans Wikman, Vice President Vehicle Line Large Cars, at Volvo Car Corporation.

The new V8 and in-line 3.2-litre six-cylinder engines offer 315PS with 440Nm of torque and 238PS with 320Nm of torque, respectively. The engine line-up for the new XC90 is completed with Volvo’s popular, five-cylinder D5 (185PS) turbodiesel that will continue to be available. The previous six-cylinder T6 (272PS) and five-cylinder 2.5T (210PS) engines are discontinued.

V8: 315PS and 440Nm of torque

This is Volvo’s first V8 engine. It is extremely refined with compact dimensions to enable it to be fitted transversely in the XC90 – like all Volvos – to help maintain good front crumple zones and leave more space for the passenger compartment.

Its compact design was achieved by positioning the cylinders at 60 degrees with a counter-rotating balancer shaft, rather than the conventional 90 degrees. In addition, all the ancillaries, such as the alternator, are fitted directly onto the engine itself without any space-stealing brackets. The starter motor is fitted above the transmission to save space, similarly, the exhaust camshafts are driven by secondary chains running off the inlet camshafts. The result is a V8 engine that is just 754mm long and 635mm wide which weighs just 190kg thanks to the block and cylinder head being cast in aluminium.

It is also one of the cleanest V8 engines on the market and meets the American ULEV II (Ultra Low Emission Vehicle, stage II) standard, which has been possible with the help of:


Four catalytic converters. Two of these are of close coupled catalyst type and fitted to one exhaust manifold each. The other two are installed under the car floor.


Lean air/fuel mixture for lower emissions at cold start.


Higher idling speed at cold start (about 1,250rpm), and optimised ignition for faster warming of the engine and catalytic converters.

The result is extremely low emissions before the catalytic converters are activated – which takes place just 15-20 seconds after the engine is started.

"It is during these 15-20 seconds that the majority of the emissions of harmful substances take place," says Jögen Sbensson, Volvo’s chief programme engineer.

No less than 370Nm of the torque is at the driver’s disposal from 2,000 rpm, with the total of 440Nm available at 3,900 rpm. This provides acceleration from 0-62mph in about seven seconds.

The sound of a V8 engine is also important to customers and is something Volvo has paid special attention to during the development of the engine. The resulting off-beat V8 ‘burble’ speaks for itself.

3.2-litre: 238PS and 320Nm of torque

The new 3.2-litre unit, built at Bridgend in Wales, is a modern unit, mostly made of aluminium with an efficient design that is more compact than Volvo’s five-cylinder engines as its ancillary components (such as power steering pump and air conditioning compressor) are neatly positioned behind the engine in the space above the transmission.

It achieves high performance with good fuel economy thanks to its valve train with both Variable Cam Timing (VCT) and Cam Profile Switching (CPS) on the intake side. With CPS, the intake valves can be lifted to different heights depending on engine revs and load – a lower lift for economical driving and a higher one for more power, almost creating two engines in one.

Both the V8 and 3.2-litre engines are only available with Volvo’s six-speed Geartronic transmission as standard (optional for the D5) and the latest All-Wheel Drive (AWD) system with Instant Traction.

EXTERIOR ELEGANCE

The new, more elegant exterior for the new XC90 has been achieved with a number of enhancements. These are most noticeable at the rear where there are redesigned lights which now emphasise the curves of the XC90’s shoulders, plus a wide, chrome detailing above the number plate, full-width rear scuff-plate and new bumper with more body colouring.

At the front there’s a new grille with more chrome and larger Volvo iron mark badge, plus bumpers with a greater degree of colour-coding. The new XC90 is also distinguished by new 18in alloy wheels and colour-coded side mouldings and door handles.

In addition, larger door mirrors become co-ordinated with the car’s colour and now incorporate the side indicator. There is also the added choice of a new pearl finish paint available – Shadow Blue – and two new Inscription colours, Electric Silver and White Pearl. Brushed aluminium roof rails are also available on higher trim levels.

INTERIOR LUXURY

"The changes we have made to the new Volvo XC90 can be regarded as precision tuning designed to increase the car’s appeal still further," says Hans Wikman. "Volvo wants to give the discerning XC90 customers a more luxurious, premium experience," he continued.

To achieve a higher quality feel, Volvo has introduced new materials and upholsteries, including Sovereign Hide soft leather with contrasting seam stitching and panels in perforated leather.

The centre console has been upgraded with a new display and aluminium-effect trim with a new choice of Sapele Wood also introduced, while for extra convenience when overtaking, a quick push of the indicator stalk automatically flashes the indicator three times.

Added convenience is also offered for the new XC90 by the new RTI (Road and Traffic information) satellite navigation system which now works from a hard-disk based system (instead of DVD) which more quickly calculates routes, is easier to use and provides additional information.

The standard High Performance audio system will now play CDs with music in MP3 and WMA formats and is equipped with an aux input to connect extra equipment, such as i-Pods and other MP3 players. The optional Premium Sound audio system is now one of the most advanced available and includes a digital class D amplifier from Alpine with ICE Power technology from Bang & Olufsen Powerhouse, plus Dolby Pro Logic II surround sound and loudspeakers from Dynaudio – producers of some of the world’s finest speakers.

New, ‘Active Bi-xenon’ headlights improve the driver’s view of the road ahead on dark twisty roads by moving by 15 degrees in either direction to follow the curves of the road. A microprocessor measures and analyses a number of parameters and optimises the light pattern to suit, and the system is automatically disabled when it is not needed during daylight hours.

Volvo will introduce the option of a Park Assist Camera to aid parking and give an improved view of the area behind when reversing as well as showing ‘help lines’ of the car’s planned path or track – which could also be especially useful for any customers reversing to hitch up a trailer. The wide-angled camera is designed to avoid excessive distortion and previews a large area via the car’s RTI navigation screen on the dashboard.

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JAGUAR XJ TRAVELS MORE THAN 1,000 MILES ON ONE TANK OF FUEL

A Jaguar XJ saloon has travelled the length of the UK on just one tank of fuel – and then went on to top 1,000 miles in total.

The luxury XJ TDVi completed the trip from John O'Groat’s to Land’s End – a distance of 840 miles – with average fuel consumption of 53.5mpg*. Having reached Land’s End, the driver headed back to Jaguar's Midlands HQ without refuelling and reached a total of 1000.2 miles before the tank ran dry.

The outstanding achievement is testament to the XJ's inherent technological strengths, which include advanced aluminium body construction and a state-of-the-art, twin-turbocharged V6 diesel engine.

The XJ TDVi was standard and was even complete with satellite-navigation, CD auto-changer, Premium Sound and rear DVD screens.

The XJ TDVi Diesel boasts an average fuel consumption figure of 35mpg (8.1l/100km) combined cycle, 26.0mpg (10.8l/100km) Urban and 43.7mpg (6.5l/100km) Extra Urban and produces just 214g/km CO2, which is outstanding for a car offering the space, comfort and performance of the award-winning XJ. This also equals 29% in the Benefit In Kind tax category which means the XJ 2.7 TDVi has the lowest company car tax bill of any car in the luxury sector.

The XJ 2.7 TDVi has an insurance group of 15E, giving it a best-in-class rating ahead of the 18E rated Mercedes S 320 CDi and a two group improvement over the BMW and Audi equivalent models.

Geoff Cousins, UK MD, said: "We were always optimistic that the XJ Diesel could do this, but the figures we achieved were beyond our best expectations and show that the XJ 2.7 TDVi is a truly economical luxury car. Following the recent questions about the UK Government offering its ministers the choice of a Jaguar XJ Diesel, this proves how the XJ really is one of the most environmentally friendly cars in its class."

The XJ 2.7 TDVi costs from £43,995 on-the-road – petrol engines are also available.

Notes to editors:

*Readings from the Jaguar on-board computer.

After setting off from John O’Groat’s with the XJ’s 18.7 gallon (85-litre) tank full, the team of five rotated driving duties between them every 60-90mins and the XJ was always carrying a passenger for safety.