Car enthusiasts in the UK can now enhance the appearance of their cars and enjoy improved performance and handling with Solomon Alsberg’s new Eco Super Light forged alloy wheels. Following a three-year period of testing and development, the premium wheel specialist has optimised its design and manufacturing techniques to produce a strong, stylish and highly durable wheel that weighs up to 35 percent less than its cast counterpart. The result is a considerable reduction to the vehicle’s unsprung weight, allowing the driver to experience sharper handling, improved steering feel and faster acceleration, while reducing fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions by over ten percent in stop-go driving conditions.

Available in an array of striking designs, Solomon Alsberg’s wheels are styled from blanks supplied by Alcoa, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of forged alloy wheels, whose customers include luxury and high performance car makers such as Aston Martin and Ferrari. The unique process used to forge the alloy blanks allows for class leading strength and reliability, while fashioning the wheels from standard blanks provides Solomon Alsberg with the opportunity to create a wide range of different styles. 

“We’re delighted to be launching such high technology wheels in the UK aftermarket,” explains Aleksandr Aksentyev, manager, Solomon Alsberg. “In designing a super light wheel we sought to boost vehicle performance while also recognising the need to reduce CO₂ emissions and help improve fuel economy. It’s very much a twenty-first century product design: efficient and environmentally conscious.”

Independent testing conducted by leading German specialist TUV on a German premium saloon revealed that when running on Solomon Alsberg Eco Super Light wheels, the minimum weight saving per wheel was 3.7 kg compared to the lightest cast equivalent. Two different sets of Solomon Alsberg 19 inch and 20 inch wheels were used for the test, followed by cast wheel equivalents of the same size. In addition to the fuel economy/ CO₂ benefit, the cars using Solomon Alsberg’s forged wheels showed acceleration improvements of up to 2.8 percent.

Solomon Alsberg supplies 19, 20, 21 and 22 inch wheels to fit Porsche, Lexus, BMW, Land Rover, Mercedes, Audi and Infiniti cars. Its Eco Super Light manufacturing processes combine Alcoa’s latest technological advances in wheel blank forming with sleek and striking designs. Rigorous testing at top Russian and German laboratories takes place at every stage to ensure that the wheels provide outstanding weight reduction without compromising strength and reliability.

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Europe’s new car market continues to be a place of marked contrasts, with certain brands and markets growing sales and others not, as revealed by the latest monthly analysis from the world’s leading provider of automotive intelligence, JATO Dynamics.

European sales have fallen again in June (down 6.5% vs. June 2009), dragging down the overall YtD figure to just 1.1% above the same period last year.

The continued weakness in German and Italian new car markets (down 32.3% and 19.1%, respectively) is the main contributory factor to lower sales volumes, which is also affected by the lack of strong Central and Eastern Europe economies. 

This is affecting some of the major brands – including Fiat, Ford and Volkswagen – that traditionally sell well to German and Italian buyers. 

In France and UK, by contrast, things look better: sales figures are in the black (up 2.3% and 10.8%, respectively), helping certain brands whose sales are based on these markets, to show more positive sales figures.

However, as David Di Girolamo, Head of JATO Consult cautions, this should not be taken at face value:  “It is certainly true that demand is weak today in Germany, but direct comparisons to June 2009 should bear in mind that Germany’s scrappage scheme was active in this period, driving high sales, whereas the UK scheme had only just begun and in June 2009 this market was still relatively depressed.” 

Brand Performance

One brand that has seen a net benefit over the past year is Renault.  In June 2009, Renault was fifth in the new car sales YtD; it is now second and just 196,694 behind Volkswagen, with its Clio and Mégane both up again in June.

Elsewhere, new models have offered the key growth opportunities.  Opel/Vauxhall Astra is performing strongly in many European markets, pushing the brand to third in overall sales, while the increased popularity of Volkswagen’s new Polo is lifting the German brand’s fortunes outside its scrappage-hit home market.

Both Ford and Volkswagen are showing declines in sales, in part affected by the German market downturn, which followed a 35.1% decline in May, with a 32.3% drop in June, vs. the same periods, 2009. 

Similarly, Fiat is suffering from the Italian market’s weakness.  While it retains the top three selling models in Italy for June, each recorded a drop in sales, vs. 2009.

Brand Performance

Model Performance

Opel/Vauxhall’s performance is down to two key models – Corsa and Astra – the latter of which was recently relaunched.  Both were particularly popular in the UK during June (sales up 22.2% and 85.9%, respectively) and have consequently taken second and fourth place overall in sales. 

The other big model recently relaunched was the Volkswagen Polo (overall June 2010 sales up 72.3%), whose freshness has afforded it a far greater popularity than its predecessor attracted in the same period in 2009.

Renault’s refreshed Clio and Mégane continue to show improving sales, while the Ford Focus and Fiat Panda have dropped out of Europe’s top ten selling models.

Top 10 models

National Trends

Germany’s severe post-scrappage decline has not yet affected its position as the biggest market in Western Europe, but it is second only to Greece (down 40%) in the weakening of new car demand.

Concludes David Di Girolamo: “The balance of new car sales has not shifted yet.  However, if current trends continue and any of the other major markets gain momentum, we may yet see Germany lose its title as the largest new car market in Europe.”

Sales by Market

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• GOLF AND FIESTA STORM AHEAD IN RACE FOR SALES RECOVERY

Top Gear presenter and notorious scourge of the caravan industry Jeremy Clarkson last night outed himself in front of millions of viewers across the world by saying something positive about a caravan – an Airstream travel trailer to be precise.

Hollywood movie star and Airstream owner Andy Garcia was enthusing about his 34 foot “silver bullet” trailer, in reply to which Jeremy openly admitted that Airstreams “look very good”.




However, just as Airstream enthusiasts the world over were jumping off their sofas in premature celebration, he wrongly added that owners of Airstream travel trailers must use a bucket for certain bodily functions.He didn’t say it exactly like that, but we don’t want to shock you, gentle professionals of the Fourth Estate.

We would just like to take this opportunity to point out that all European specification Airstreams don’t just look good but feature spacious bathrooms, extensively equipped with the finest porcelain bathroom fixtures.

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• MAKEOVER FOR BAMBI 2010

To some, a car is simply functional, to others a passion, but to 26-year old Oliver Ashley, four-wheel fever knows no bounds.

Since 2007 Oliver, a senior technical manager for a Mercedes-Benz dealership in Bristol, has been building a car from the ground up, forsaking a normal social life to fulfil his dream of creating a truly unique automotive masterpiece.

The K1 Attack roadster, on which Oliver’s car is based, is born of a small Slovakian producer, and has been on the hardcore enthusiast’s radar across the globe since the first cars appeared some years back. Progress to market has been slow, which prompted Oliver to take matters into his own hands.

It started with an approach to Swindon-based mobile entertainment specialists, Clarion, who Oliver suggested might like to showcase its award-winning audio, multimedia and satellite navigation equipment in his project.

Over three years later, after 4,000 hours of spare time toil, patience, immense skill, and an almost obsessive drive for perfection – not to mention £70,000 of his hard-earned cash and savings – Oliver’s unique K1 Attack sportscar is wowing crowds at shows across the country.

Starting with a basic chassis, some body panels and a variety of components, delivered in a box from the Slovakian factory in 2006, Oliver set to in his garage, creating and building his dream car in stages.

“I have actually assembled the car four times since starting the project”, said Oliver. “I had an original concept firmly in mind, and the design and specification evolved as I went along by building the car, checking the fit of every new component, dis-assembling, making modifications and so on, until I was happy with every element.”

Oliver’s parts list, created as the build progressed, included a whole host of one-off items specially produced for the car – which he designed and had made, all echoing his fanatical desire for individuality and quality. These include linear actuators and mechanisms for opening the driver & passenger doors by remote control, carbon fibre bodywork and interior detailing, colour-coded cabling, polished hoses and pipework, chromed suspension and a full bespoke leather/Alcantara cockpit, detailed with exquisite design and styling touches.

But as Oliver explains, attention to detail doesn’t come cheap: “For example, I chose Asanti wheels from the USA, at £2,000 each, because they are just the greatest. I spent many thousands of pounds more on the composite bodywork styling, hand-crafted seats and interior, suspension, lighting, designing and engineering a right-hand drive conversion, even chroming hundreds of nuts and bolts…the list is endless.”

Along with Clarion, which has supported Oliver from the outset with a dashboard delight of  of state-of-the-art audio and DVD, amplifiers, ‘speakers, hard drive navigation, and a rear reversing camera system, other major brands have assisted in the build, including MOMO, which dipped into its treasure chest of interior styling products to add Italian flair to Oliver’s creation, and Yokohama, whose  legendary high-performance tyres now grace the car.

With a 250bhp Honda Civic Type R 2.0 litre 4-cylinder engine and six-speed manual gearbox installed midships, ultra taut race-bred suspension and formidable Brembo braking, the car’s performance is more than a match for its stunning looks, which are capped with a sumptuous Lamborghini pearl white paint finish.

Amidst all the attention, Oliver is frequently asked what he’ll do now the car is finished. “I’ve actually been offered a lot of money to sell it but I plan to enjoy it for a year or so, and after that? Well, building a speedboat from scratch could be fun,” he mused, suggesting this isn’t the last we’ll hear of the West Country wizard.

Vehicle Specification

Vehicle & Bodywork

• Steel tubular K1 Attack chassis coated in graphite metallic powder coat with full custom right-hand drive conversion.
• Composite body, finished in Lamborghini balloon white pearl, with graphite detailin
• Carbon fibre front and rear valences
• Bespoke carbon fibre bonnet pods
• Bespoke rear tailgate with boot and spoiler assembly
• Bespoke carbon fibre one-piece roof & windows  
• Bespoke two-piece roof with mohair panels for “get me home” roof 

Engine/ Transmission

• 246bhp Honda Civic type R Ep3 engine 2-litre with 6-speed manual Honda type R gearbox
• Hondata Kpro ECU, custom-mapped and tuned
• Custom side HKS inlet air intake
• Colour coded / polished hoses and pipe work
• Full Samco Urban Camo hose kit
• Two light weight Powervamp  racing batteries in custom framework at front of chassis
• Supercharger conversion to be fitted 2010

Braking

• Front: Brembo Gran Turismo vented & cross-drilled discs and calipers
• Rear: Brembo DC5 vented & cross-drilled discs and calipers with combined hand brake mechanism
• Tilton Brake bias valve

Wheels & Wheels

• Bespoke Asanti 144 wheels 19” x 8.5 front; 19” x 10 rear
• Yokohama Advan tyres Front:  235/40 ZR19  Rear:  285/35ZR19

Suspension

• Sporteing adjustable coil-overs with custom springs
• Front suspension arms coated in marine chrome 

Cooling & Exhaust

• Bespoke stainless exhaust system with twin centre exit exhaust, inc high flow catalytic converter
• Bespoke four-branch manifold
• Bespoke stainless coolant pipe work front to rear
• Alloy front mounted radiator, with custom alloy header tank

Interior

• Racing seats re-moulded in carbon fibre & trimmed in black leather, red stitching with red alcantara detailing
• Instrument panel glove box and door cards trimmed in Black leather with red stitching & red alcantara detailing to match seats
• Centre dash panned remoulded in carbon fibre then re-trimmed in leather & red alcantara
• Bespoke carbon fibre centre console with bespoke stainless gear surround
• Momo GTR2 Steering wheel re-trimmed with red alcantara grips to match interior
• Momo GTR2 gear knob with custom gator
• Momo GTR2 handbrake handle
• Momo GTR2 pedals
• Momo 4-point race harness in red

Audio & multimedia

• Dashboard chassis assembly lowered by 50mm to accommodate Clarion MAX678RVD double DIN multimedia head unit
• Two pairs of Clarion SRU1720 component speakers moulded into bespoke door cards and A-pillar housings re-trimmed in leather & alcantara
• Clarion NAX973HD hard drive navigation moulded into dashboard below glove box
• Two Clarion APA4360 active amplifiers built into floors below seats
• Clarion CC2011E reverse camera set into rear number plate surround
• Clarion BLT373 Bluetooth hands free phone kit
• Clarion iPod kit mounted into glove box
• Two Clarion PFW1051 subwoofers built into bespoke fibreglass enclosures behind each seat, re-trimmed in black leather & red alcantara
• Portable 1000 Gigabyte hard drive built into custom concealed enclosure behind seat

Ancillary

• Linear actuators installed for remote one-touch access to driver & passenger doors, boot & bonnet
• PIAA Hid headlight system, LED sidelights
• Renovatio LED rear lights
• Full Cat1 alarm / immobiliser system with mobile alert system

For more details on the Clarion range of products and a full list of dealers, call Clarion (GB) Ltd., on 01793 870400, or visit www.clarion.co.uk.

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• CUSTOMS CAPTIVATE AT BEAULIEU
• WORLD RECORD FOR FASTEST LAWNMOWER

Beaufort Restorations is celebrating 30 years of restoring, repairing and preparing an extraordinary diversity of fascinating historic road and competition cars for clients across the world.

A glimpse into Beaufort Restorations’ workshop taken at any time during the past three decades would reveal some very interesting ‘patients’. Managing Director Mike Williams and his specialist team have brought back to life everything from an 1898 Locomobile steam car to Grand Prix cars. The eclectic mix in the workshop has also included a 1920s NN Renault bread van which Mike surmises may well have been used by the Maquis (part of the French Resistance) during WWII as, when the paint was stripped off, a spray of machine gun bullet holes was revealed.

Legendary competition machines…

Vintage and Historic Grand Prix and sports-racing cars the team has restored and/or prepared grace racetracks across Europe, preserving these pieces of motor racing history for spectators to enjoy in action decades after they first raced.

They include such legendary machines as the ex-Graham Hill BRM P261, ‘Hanuman II’ – the ex-Prince Bira of Siam E.R.A. R12B, a Maserati 250F, three Connaught GP cars, C-type Jaguar XKC 008, the D-type XKD534 (known as the ‘New Zealand Barn-Find Car’), a 1970s Formula 5000 McLaren, and the one of the last British front-engined Grand Prix cars, the beautiful Aston Martin DBR4/250.

…magnificent road cars – and more!

Beaufort Restorations’ craftsmen have always turned their highly skilled hands to restoring and maintaining an equally diverse range of road cars. Here, again, the ‘patient’ list is fascinating, including virtually every type of pre-war Bentley, plus Aston Martin DB4, DB5 and DB6, pre and post-War Alvis, pre-War MGs, MkVIII, Mk2, XK 120 Lightweight and XK 150 Jaguars, SS100, Isotta Fraschini, Lancia Aurelia B20, the afore-mentioned 1898 Locomobile steam car, Railton Fairmile Coupé, 1920s Stanley Steamer, Messerschmitt Tiger and Borgward Isabella, plus a variety of pre and post-war motorcycles.

They have also undertaken the redesign and build of a Riley Big 4 to meet the client’s desire for a ‘more sporting machine’ that could be entered into competitive events and even returned a Tiger Moth biplane to the skies with a fresh colour scheme. Beaufort Restorations has been awarded the accolade of ‘Restoration of the Year’ at the International Historic Motorsport Show, and received a Bonhams award for restoration excellence.

Everything under one roof

Key to Beaufort Restorations’ success is the fact that it can provide everything needed for a total nut and bolt restoration of a historic vehicle at its workshops in the Kent countryside, and, if any component – however large or complex – is beyond restoration, the company’s craftsmen can make a replacement.

Engines can be rebuilt, reconditioned and blueprinted. Bodywork can be restored or new, one-off panels or complete bodies constructed from alloy or steel. Chassis can be renovated or new chassis fabricated, and ash frames created from scratch. Transmissions, brakes and electrics can all be restored or, again, new ones made. And the perfect finishing touches are delivered in the paintshop, with its temperature-controlled paint booth, by the coachtrimmers, who work with the finest leather, Wilton carpet, woolcloth, double-duck and mohair, and by the metal platers, who use chrome and nickel to restore bumpers, radiators etc. to their former glory.

“Our aim from the start was to create a ‘one-stop-shop’, where an owner could find, under one roof, all the specialist services and knowledge needed for the total restoration of their motor car. We didn’t want to be restricted to one area of specialism or to one marque.”

A labour of love

Over the years, Mike has seen the highs and lows of the effect the world’s economic climate has on the historic car world at first hand. The recession of the early ‘90s and the crash of the collectors’ car market was a hard blow to the company, but the car collector David Wenman became his fellow Director in the business and Beaufort Restorations went from strength to strength.

Mike has seen every type of owner, from the ‘Cheque Book Charlies’ of the late 80s who saw cars purely in financial terms to the true enthusiast. After 30 years working on the machines he loves, with a business that has enabled him to meet boyhood heroes such as Tony Rolt, Tony Brooks, Tony Rudd, Sir Stirling Moss and so many others, he takes perhaps the greatest satisfaction in seeing each enthusiast owner’s reaction when presented with the finished project – such as that of the owner of a low-chassis Invicta S-Type. The man had owned the car since the 1960s but it had not been drivable for many, many years. When the owner collected it, Mike remembers “The absolutely HUGE grin on his face… a mature man scrolling back through the years, the countryside flashing by as he changed up through the gears – man and machine reunited for new adventures!”

Challenging new projects always invited

“It would be fitting to mark our 30th anniversary with a new and challenging project,” said Mike Williams, “and we invite owners currently contemplating what may seem like an impossible restoration to contact us. We also invite both existing and potential clients to visit our new website, where they can view many of our projects.”

Beaufort Restorations can be contacted on +44 (0) 1795 830288 or through www.beaufortrestoration.com.

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• VAUXHALL HERITAGE CENTRE OPENS ITS DOORS ONCE AGAIN!

Now in its third year, Victory Wheelers South-coast based bash, South Coast Internationals goes from strength to strength. Held in the grounds of theNational Motor Museum from 18^th – 20^th June, it started as a one day event in 2008 with 200 custom cars on display in the Beaulieu Arena. In 2009 it moved to a three day event with a large contingent of custom car enthusiasts spending the whole weekend at Beaulieu, their numbers swelling further on the Sunday’s  Hot Rod and Custom Car Drive-In-Day,

This year’s event proved equally successful with 150 custom cars arriving for the weekend, increasing to over 500 Hot Rods and Customs, Classic Americans, Chops and Bobbers sunning themselves in the picturesque Beaulieu grounds on Sunday.

Friday evening saw a steady stream of custom vehicles heading for Beaulieu and by nightfall, over 150 vehicles were parked and their owners happily camping in the Beaulieu parkland with entertainment provided during the evening by Ace Trio. On Saturday 130 vehicles took part in Cruise-Out through the picturesque New Forest to the waterfront at Christchurch for a lunch stop, returning to Beaulieu through more of the beautiful New Forest. In the evening it was time to stroll over to the Surf City Diner and party till late with live music from Dr Blue and ZZ Eliminator, with surf boards optional!

On Sunday, more hot rod and custom cars joined the event to provide a stunning display of vehicles on the Beaulieu Arena, bringing the final tally of vehicles to over 500, including many custom bikes. In addition, there were a number of trade stands selling custom related merchandise and accessories, a free Speedway, funfair ride and live music, again from Ace Trio. The day is becoming a ‘must-do’ event for Beaulieu’s visitors who, this year numbered 5,000.

Assisted by Burlesque performer, ‘Dolly Divine’, the Hon Ralph Montagu presented prizes, including Autoglym car cleaning products, to the 6 best cars in each decade from the 1920s to the 70s.  Best Club Car went to Dave Weaver in a 1957 Chevrolet, packing over 1,000hp under (and over) its bonnet and Best in Show, given by Custom Car Magazine, went to Gary Chester in a 1932 Ford Model B 5 window coupe. The People’s choice, both Beaulieu visitors and show entrants, was a 1941 mustard yellow Cadillac Lowrider, driven all the way from Belgium by Hugo Vervliet.

Custom Car magazine, Milkcow gave a trophy for the Best Tradition Rod, awarded to Brian Lucas in a 1932 Ford Roadster and American Car World awarded the American Choice to Shaun McGee in a 1953 Hudson Hornet.

A new award was presented this year in memory of last year’s Victory Wheelers Chairman, Alan Partridge, from Stubbington. Known to all as ‘Big Al’, he died at the end of last year, after a short illness. The award, given to the member of the club who best exemplifies his spirit, was presented to Martin Griffin by Big Al’s children, Alex, Tom and Violet and his father Patch.

Keith Ellis, this year’s Victory Wheelers Chairman, said:” It has been another brilliant weekend event, with even more vehicles and trade stands than last year and the variety and quality of vehicles consistently strong.”

The Hot Rod & Custom Drive-In-Day was supported by Custom Car Magazine.

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• WEST COUNTRY CAR WIZARD WORKS HIS MAGIC

The new Kia Sportage, which goes on sale in August, is Kia’s latest European-designed model to have been specifically developed for the UK’s roads and drivers.  Research & development experts from Kia Motors (UK) have been involved with the testing of the new Sportage, to be built at the Žilina plant in Slovakia, from the prototype stages in mainland Europe right up until final testing in the UK itself during the early part of 2010.

“Being involved right from the early stages of prototype testing on project ‘SL’ (the internal codename for the new Sportage), in both dynamic and static performance testing, has meant that we have been able to ensure UK market needs have been incorporated throughout the development process” explains Neil Kent, Product Specialist, from Kia Motors (UK). 

“Once we had completed testing for ride quality, steering and dynamics with our European colleagues, vehicles were then brought to the UK for final set-up, benchmarking and evaluation.  UK testing is invaluable as it allows us to ensure we have the right levels of comfort and performance for the very specific road conditions we have here”, he added.

Kia engineers at the Korean firm’s Technical Centre in Rüsselsheim, Germany are confident the new Sportage will meet the demands of European customers as well as the challenging variety of roads they drive on. 

Michael Lugert, Kia’s Steering & Suspension Development Manager explains: “When we benchmarked the leading competitors we found some offered comfort, others focused on agility.  With Sportage we believe we have balanced these two attributes well and created a Kia whose primary focus is on ride quality but maintains agility and good dynamics.” 

Lugert continues: “The entire suspension set-up – springs, dampers, stabiliser bars and bushes – has been developed on European roads.  We also worked with our tyre partners to select specific EU market compounds.  The steering also had to have a ‘European feel’ – very natural with a linear torque build-up – so the electric steering has been adjusted to achieve this.”

Following in the footsteps of Soul, Venga and Sorento, the new Sportage will be the fourth consecutive new Kia to be launched which has undergone development in the UK – Michael Cole, Managing Director for Kia Motors (UK) Limited, commented: “The United Kingdom is the largest market for Kia in Europe so great efforts are made to ensure that our new products not only look and feel ‘European’ but that they perform just as UK customers want them to.  Sportage has been in the UK for over fifteen years – I’m convinced that the new generation’s striking design and great on-road ability will find favour with both our loyal existing customers and people who are new to the Kia brand.”

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An investigation by E&T magazine has raised serious questions about the viability of investing in the production of EV batteries using lithium-ion or any other current technology – plus the millions required to build the supporting infrastructure – suggesting the Government would be better placed to encourage the development of high efficiency diesel models and hybrids.

With consumers indicating that they will resist switching to electric cars until their overall performance more closely matches conventional models, limits in battery technology are forcing manufacturers to restrict plans to cars with effectively the same range as electric vehicles made in 1910 – and no obvious solutions are on the horizon.

The article in the latest issue of E&T (issue 9, out 17 June, published by the Institution of Engineering and Technology) gives the example of a standard model Ford Focus or Volkswagen Golf being capable of travelling for over 600km – in mixed driving conditions – on one tank of fuel and easily maintaining 70mph.  However, for an electric car to offer a similar level of performance, E&T experts calculated that the batteries alone would weigh 1.5 tons, would be larger than a complete conventional car and would cost approximately £100,000.

While progress on costs is expected in the next ten years, a battery-powered car will remain significantly more expensive and heavier than a conventional car and their realistic range is likely to remain at around 100 miles – with possibly half that range in winter.

And with the majority of UK electricity likely to be from non-renewable sources for the next ten years an electric vehicle could actually contribute more CO2to the environment than a current high efficiency diesel model.

Put simply, battery technology has at least three fundamental problems that will remain difficult to overcome.

Firstly, while the performance of electronics has increased by some 10,000% in the past 35 years, the performance of battery technology has only increased six-fold in the past century. A similar increase would be required for batteries to give EVs the level of performance demanded by current car owners, but in around ten years.

Secondly, manufacturers already know that to have any hope of getting a reasonable life from lithium-ion batteries they should not be run from full to empty but should be kept at between 20%-80% of their charge – yet car manufacturers’ range calculations are based on running a complete cycle from full battery to empty.

Thirdly, charging remains a major stumbling block. Recharging an EV battery on a domestic supply is likely to take around 13 hours. As laptop and mobile-phone owners have come to understand, the useful lifetime of a lithium-ion battery is only a few years – rapid charging and discharging cycles damage the battery and cut its useful capacity. Further complications arise with much lower EV charging times quoted for up-rated power supplies, as no one knows what the impact of such ‘rapid’ charging will be on the batteries. It could take up to ten years before car manufacturers know the true picture in a real life environment – leading to serious questions over whether they will be able to offer a full warranty on what is likely to continue to be by far the most expensive part of the car.

Commenting on the stumbling blocks to developing electric cars, Peter Miller, director of electrical and electronic engineering at leading automotive consultants Ricardo, says: “You could drive and then find it takes a day to recharge with a domestic electric socket. To get a vehicle that behaves the same way as a petrol or diesel model is not viable for the foreseeable future.”

E&T magazine Editor in Chief Dickon Ross adds: “Some of the performance improvement claims being suggested are likely to stay pure fantasy for the foreseeable future. While we believe electric cars overall are a good idea, particularly for short-range commutes, there’s a need for more honesty on whether they can really be the solution to our transport and environmental needs in the mid- to long-term. Do people really have to invest in more than one car, and all the resources they demand, to take care of commuting and family holidays? We need to encourage alternative solutions.”

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• EU RESEARCH PROGRAMME SHOULD DECLARE SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY A PRIORITY
• Charging Electric Vehicles May Not Be That Easy

The Honour Motorsport-backed Project Runningblade has claimed a new landspeed record for the world’s fastest lawnmower at Pendine Sands in South Wales. Driver, Don Wales, steered the Kawasaki-powered Countax ride-on machine beyond the 87 mph barrier for the first time, surpassing the previous top speed of 80.792 mph reached by Bob Cleveland on a home-built lawnmower in 2006 at Bonneville Flats, USA,

In line with regulations, Don Wales, the eight-time landspeed record holder cut grass outside Pendine’s Museum of Speed, before beating the existing four-year old target on the military beach by nearly 6 mph on Saturday (86.069). The grandson of Sir Donald Campbell who made his debut in 1924 on the same sands, then went on to set the new outright world landspeed record for a lawnmower at 87.833 mph, after successfully completing two individually timed runs within a one-hour period along the shores of Carmathen Bay in Sunday’s session.

Don Wales not only enters the history books with nine such accolades to his name, but the latest attempt also marks the accomplishment of the dream of motoring author and Runningblade’s Team Principal, Stephen Vokins, who laid down the British challenge in 2009 following heart surgery. The project has equally raised significant funds for the Wessex Heartbeat charity which supports the Wessex Cardiac Centre at Southampton General Hospital where the TV presenter received the life-saving treatment.

Adrian Honour, Managing Director of Honour Motorsport, explains: “We would like to congratulate Don Wales and the team for such a remarkable achievement. It has been a real privilege to be part of such an exciting project, and the success which we have witnessed today is a true testament to all the hard work which has been put in by all involved during the past year.”

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• WEST COUNTRY CAR WIZARD WORKS HIS MAGIC
• DSA SLAMMED ON MOTORCYCLE TESTING

The EU 8th Research Framework Programme (FP8) covering the period 2014 to 2020 should declare sustainable mobility a key priority for research funding and further encourage collaborative research in the road transport and automotive sector. This will ensure to reaping maximum benefit from the work started within the 7th Programme and sustain progress towards sustainable mobility.

These recommendations were published today by the European Council for Automotive R&D (EUCAR) in the paper ‘FP8 — Priorities for Transport’’. The paper is EUCAR’s initial contribution to what will be a multi-stakeholder discussion between the Commission, Member States, European Parliament, industry and academia to define Europe’s R&D focus up to 2020. The EUCAR paper also relates directly to the Europe 2020 strategy, which calls for a European “Innovation Union”, the Commission’s Strategy for Clean and Efficient Vehicles and the upcoming White Paper on the Future of Transport.

The major European automotive manufacturers invest over €26bn per year in research and development, responding to the societal demand for sustainable transport, which includes a competitive industry, safe and affordable mobility of people and goods and a clean environment.

EUCAR Chairman Marc Duval-Destin, Vice President, Research and Advanced Engineering at PSA Peugeot-Citroën stated: “FP8 should enhance the EU’s support for collaborative R&D in the automotive sector, increasing the effectiveness of research through cooperation and leveraging our industry’s private investments”. The current 7th Framework Programme’s “Cooperation” programme is funding research projects which bring many industrial companies and research organisations together in pre-competitive common projects, creating a pool of expertise and broadening the potential for exploitation of the results.

The main conclusions of the paper read as follows: Structure the 8th Framework Programme to include coherent research themes, in which mobility and transport is included as one of the priority themes. Allocate a significant level of R&D funding to the mobility and transport priority theme, recognising road transport and automotive research asa primary topic within that theme. Ensure consistent cooperation between the EU and Member States to enhance the effectiveness of research activities in the European Research Area. Embed solutions for administrative burdens in research funding into the structure of the 8th Framework Programme. Continue to consult actively with industry to ensure its optimum contribution to the development and execution of the 8th Framework Programme.

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• ELECTRIC CARS UNLIKELY EVER TO OFFER A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE
• Charging Electric Vehicles May Not Be That Easy

The image on the left was grabbed from Google Maps after “sticking a random pin” into London.
As I’m not from London I’ll have to assume that it’s a fairly common representation of large areas on the city. It’s certainly a common sight in Birmingham, Manchester and many other cities.

We’ve recently been told of the government grants being given to various manufacturers and bodies to promote the use of electric vehicles in our cities, as this will make the most sense given the expected range of around 80-100 miles per charge.

Only yesterday Quinten Wilson gave an interview on television outlining how he was testing an electric car and finding it great for his commute into town and as a general runabout. He said it was perfect and only need to be plugged in for re-charged overnight to be ready the next day and at a cost of only 80p per day.

So lets get back to the photo above.

If the people who live and own cars in this street change over to electric vehicles, where do they plug them in?
Will they be allowed to drape cables out of bedroom windows or across the pavement to their cars?
What if they can’t park directly outside their home? Can they use a B&Q 50 metre extension cable? Will Fred across the road allow them to plug into his front room?
Are the electric companies going to retro-fit charging points outside everyones house?

Electric vehicles may be the commuters of the future but their adoption in the real world has the odd snag to overcome, especially in the city where they should be of most benefit.

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For the very first time, Euro NCAP can now release data on ESC (Electronic Stability Control) performance, thanks to the investigation and research work of Thatcham. The Berkshire based research centre evaluated over 40 new vehicles on the track, based on the internationally recognised GTR (Global Technical Regulation) procedure. The programme funded by Euro NCAP, tested those vehicle makes and models which were originally crash-tested by the European safety organisation in 2009.  Data received will assist the efforts of Euro NCAP, Thatcham and other safety experts in establishing an ESC performance rating in the future.

Thatcham has been publishing fitment ratings for ESC (Electronic Stability Control) since 2006 to raise awareness of this important safety technology and to encourage drivers to buy cars fitted with the system as standard. Since 2009, ESC fitment is also a key component of Euro NCAP’s overall car assessment in the area of Safety Assist. .

The aim of Thatcham’s dynamic ESC tests is to assess whether the ESC systems sold on cars will actually operate effectively. The tests involve the car being driven at 50mph and being subjected to a double lane change – a typical high speed avoidance manoeuvre under the control of a sophisticated steering robot. The Thatcham dynamic ESC performance data are now available on Euro NCAP’s website www.euroncap.com .

ESC prevents the driver losing control in a skid automatically controlling the vehicle by comparing the steering and braking actions carried out by the driver to what the vehicle is actually doing. If the ESC system senses that the vehicle is veering from the required course – a skid – it automatically brakes selected wheels to bring the car back into line.

UK based research has found that vehicles equipped with ESC are 25% less likely to be involved in a fatal accident than those without it and that if every vehicle on the road were fitted with ESC, this would equate to approximately 380 fewer fatal accidents each year.

Thatcham provide a full set of ESC ratings and information via their website www.thatcham.org/esc

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Alcoa Auto Wheels is providing advanced lightweight wheels for the V12 Vantage – billed by Aston Martin as its most exhilarating sports car.

“The forging technology behind these wheels enables significant weight savings directly benefiting handling performance, ride quality, acceleration and braking,” explains David Yates, marketing manager for Alcoa Europe. “Our forging process results in a superior metal structure that also improves strength and durability, allowing finer wheel detailing and lighter weight.”

The exclusive diamond-turned, ten-spoke design is one of the key visual features chosen by Aston Martin to differentiate the V12 Vantage. Wider than the V8 Vantage wheels, at 19”x9” front and 19”x11” rear, they accommodate wider tyres which enable higher cornering forces than any previous Aston Martin – up to 1.3g. Lowering the unsprung mass at each corner results in more responsive steering, braking and suspension behaviour while improving straight line acceleration and fuel efficiency.

Alcoa has been at the forefront of developing, producing and supplying forged aluminium wheels to the global automotive industry for over 60 years, with the V12 Vantage being one of their latest applications. Alcoa also supplies Aston Martin with other high technology aluminium components.

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Free campaign materials are now available for motorcycle dealers, tyre retailers, specialist repairers and motorcycle accessory shops enabling them to participate in April’s bike tyre safety month. The campaign is being organised by leading tyre safety action group, TyreSafe, and aims to raise awareness about the importance of correct tyre care and maintenance at this critical time in the motorcycling season.

“During April many riders will take their bikes out on their first ride of the year,” explains Stuart Jackson, chairman, TyreSafe. “After several months of being stood still, it is vitally important that these riders have their tyres’ condition, pressure and tread depth checked properly to ensure they remain safe on the road. We hope that many dealers across the UK will once again support the campaign by displaying promotional materials and offering free tyre safety checks and advice for riders”.

During the winter season, tyres fitted to bikes that have not been stored properly may suffer from damage such as cracking or rubber deterioration, making them potentially unsafe or illegal. Additionally, pressures may have dropped to dangerously low levels and if left uncorrected, will significantly increase the likelihood of suffering from a dangerous blowout at potentially high speeds. April showers and the resulting wet roads also mean that bikers should have adequate tread depth on their tyres to remove water from the road surface in order to maintain good levels of grip. By taking their bikes to a dealer participating in bike tyre safety month, riders can be confident that their tyres will be properly inspected and any necessary remedial work can be carried out.

Dealers wishing to participate in the campaign can download free campaign materials by visiting www.tyresafe.org or by calling Christine Joyce on 01787 226997.

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Delta Motorsport is the only all-British company and the only European contender in a competition to find the most environmentally friendly car on the planet. The Automotive

X-PRIZE competition has a $10m prize fund courtesy of American car insurance company, Progressive Insurance, and consequently the criteria for successful vehicles are tough. Electric cars, such as the E-4 Coupe entered by Delta Motorsport, must be capable of 200 miles between charges and there will be tests of braking distances and usability. Crucially, the winning vehicle should be ready to be mass produced.

Delta Motorsport, based on the Silverstone Circuit Technology Park in Northamptonshire, has considerable experience in high technology engineering, motorsport and clean technology projects. It was founded in 2005 by Simon Dowson and Nick Carpenter – each of whom brought extensive automotive and motorsport design and engineering knowledge to the business.

Dowson says: “We became involved with the design of environmentally friendly vehicles because they share many of the engineering challenges associated with motorsport – maximum efficiency, light weight, good aerodynamics and so on. We worked with Oxford University on a lightweight, highly efficient electric motor and have completed several road haulage aerodynamic programmes to improve fuel efficiency.”

With the E-4 Coupe, Delta Motorsport has applied innovative thinking to the design and manufacture of a zero emission four-seater road car. Unlike most other electric vehicles, the performance of the E-4 Coupe matches that of conventional cars. It accelerates from zero to 60mph in under five seconds (comparable to a Porsche 911 Turbo) and has a maximum speed well in excess of 100mph.

The first example will be completed in April and has been made possible by support from the East Midlands Development Agency with a grant for research and development of £235,000. When Delta Motorsport was invited to a reception at 10 Downing Street as one of 100 companies embracing the low carbon economy, Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, said: “Our transition to a low carbon economy will be a key driver of our future economic prosperity. Delta Motorsport is at the forefront of this transformation. Their innovation and expertise demonstrates why the UK is one of best places in the world for low carbon business.”

As an indication of how tough the X-Prize competition is, none of the new generation of energy-efficient cars from major car manufacturers – such as the Ford Escape, Renault ZE or Nissan Leaf – will meet the criteria. This may explain why none of the original 41 teams and businesses entered are multi-nationals.

Nick Carpenter says: “Although there are some advantages in being part of a big company, there are many substantial disadvantages and large businesses just don’t have the flexibility to get on and complete a project in a short timescale.”

Indeed, Delta Motorsport will take the E-4 Coupe from CAD screen to production in just 3 months. The design judging rounds of the X-prize competition have taken place and the Delta Motorsport E-4 Coupe is one of the 28 entries which will take part in the safety inspections and dynamic evaluations at Michigan International Speedway at the end of April.

Further X-prize events will follow through the summer with entries being eliminated at each stage. The winners will be announced in September on the lawn of The White House, Washington D.C

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The weekend of 23 – 25 April 2010 will see the fabulous grounds of the Grand Hotel Villa d’Este and Villa Erba in Cernobbio once again offering an exquisite stage for the most alluring classics of the past and the boldest concept cars of the present.

The first Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este was held here on the banks of Lake Como in 1929, and today no other event of its kind can match its heritage and tradition.

The Concorso begins on Saturday with a programme for invited guests.

On Sunday, all car fans will then have the chance to admire these automotive masterpieces at close quarters in the adjacent parkland of Villa Erba.

The cars presented on Saturday will be complemented by special exhibitions featuring a host of other prestigious classic models.

Admission to Villa Erba in Cernobbio is 14 euros (concessions 8 euros).

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“Oh dear, what a shame, never mind boys!”

Report fromNorth Wales News:

An investigation has been launched after a police speed camera van caught fire on a narrow lane in Gwynedd.

Fire crews were alerted to the blaze in Llanllechid near Bethesda just after 12.30pm on Monday.

Neighbours said the GanBwyll/Go Safe, formerly Arrive Alive, vehicle had been spotted several times in the area in recent weeks.

One local, who asked not to be identified, said: “It’s not the first time I’ve seen it here and I can’t think why it is here so often. I’ve noticed the camera window is sometimes open too.

“That’s the funny thing. This road is so narrow you can’t think about speeding. I’ve not heard about anyone being booked for speeding here either.”

Another local added: “I noticed smoke coming from around the van but thought it was just exhaust smoke from a car that had just gone past. The next thing I noticed was the sound of the fire engine.”

Firefighters from Bangor attended after the alarm was raised and quickly extinguished the blaze.

But the van was badly damaged in the incident and could not be driven.

Another neighbour said: “The firemen were very quick in putting the fire out but there were just a few smiles on their faces afterwards.

“I think quite a few people around here had a bit of a giggle as well.”

An investigation by North Wales Fire Service officers found the blaze was caused by an electrical fault in the engine compartment

The vehicle was made safe and was later towed away by a tow truck.

A North Wales Police spokesman said: “We are looking into the reasons why the van was parked where it was.”

The Arrive Alive vans were re-branded as GanBwyll/GoSafe last year.

Camera vans are normally manned by one or more police officers and are parked at the roadside with their equipment monitoring the speed of vehicles.

Anyone filmed driving above the speed limit is issued with a fixed penalty of £60 and three points are placed on the driver’s licence.

Former chief constable Richard Brunstrom spearheaded the controversial scheme which in 2005 alone saw the issuing of 75,264 speeding tickets to drivers in North Wales, bringing in an estimated £4.5m in fines.

Drivers were caught by the 13 fixed speed cameras and nine mobile units which together cover about 250 miles of the region’s roads.

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Click HERE to go to the gallery!

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Potholes on Britain’s roads could be much easier to spot in future, thanks to a design idea created by students in Italy.

The initiative was uncovered by road maintenance campaign website, Potholes.co.uk, as it continues its efforts to improve the state of the UK’s roads.

Domenico Diego and Cristina Corradini have designed the “Street Safe Initiative,” which comprises a brightly-coloured layer of asphalt a few inches beneath the surface of the road, which becomes visible when the road surface breaks up, making potholes easier to see and avoid.

The unique design will be trialled later this year in Rho, a small town close to Milan, to determine if the project is viable and cost effective, after which Diego plans to market the product across Europe.

Milan Polytechnic student Diego said: “We have compared the road surface to the human skin – when we are wounded, we start to bleed. So our idea is to put a layer of yellow asphalt beneath the tarmac, which appears and creates a high chromatic contrast that is visible from a distance.

“This way, the potholes are signalled as they appear and road users have enough time to react safely.”

Duncan McClure Fisher, Managing Director of Potholes.co.uk, said: “This is an innovative way to make potholes more visible to road users and to help reduce the damage caused to vehicles. We’re all for pothole solutions that protect the motorist from potential car damage or personal injury, but the solution is not entirely practical and it doesn’t tackle the real issue of preventing potholes in the first place.”

The trial in Italy will help Diego evaluate the cost implications of his design and its production across Europe.

Mike Conway, Managing Director of highway maintenance and construction firm, FM Conway, said: “It’s a novel idea but it’s not the right solution for the UK right now. To make layers of tarmac stick together we use a bituminous coating that acts as a glue and you’d have to go right back to the manufacturing stage and work out how to make it bright yellow.

“We should be looking at how to reduce costs by doing the job right in the first place, rather than creating expensive solutions that only have an effect once the pothole is already there.”

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Yamaha is proud to announce an all-new model for 2010: the XT1200Z Super Ténéré. This project began with a clean sheet and a clear vision – to create the most advanced adventure travel machine, a motorcycle tailor-made for transcontinental expeditions, offering comfort, reliability, exhilaration and effortless progress over every conceivable terrain.

From the beginning, the Super Ténéré design team had the following targets in mind:
An all-new, shaft-driven large displacement engine with the torque to deliver emphatic drive throughout the rev range and a dynamic character suited to a wide range of conditions;
Light and agile handling, with perfect balance at low speeds and quick, precise steering on twisty mountain roads;
High levels of comfort, weather protection and practicality to accommodate long-haul travel with passengers and luggage; and
Intelligent use of rider assist technology to improve safety, versatility and rider confidence in all situations – but without taking full control away from experienced riders.

This kind of bike also had to be incredibly versatile, finding the right balance of priorities to work across four main types of riding:

Off-road adventure: getting off the beaten track to enjoy the rewards and challenges of unpaved roads, forest trails, river crossings, sand dunes and grassy plains.
Long-range touring: loading up the motorcycle with luggage and a passenger, and taking off for a few weeks to clear the mind and refresh the soul.
Corner Carving: hitting a twisty mountain pass and carving tight lines through the corners, revelling in the exhilaration of performance motorcycling; and urban commuting: dispensing with traffic on a wet Monday morning, king of a crowded road.
From the strength of this concept, the Super Ténéré began to emerge. Yamaha’s designers and engineers drew on their decades of unparalleled success in the brutal and unforgiving Paris-Dakar rally to develop a machine that could bring a much-needed dose of rugged Yamaha reliability to the big-bore adventure touring segment.

The Super Ténéré is a go-anywhere adventure machine, built tough to go beyond the beaten track with spoked wheels, generous ground clearance and hardy engine protection. The entire design is tuned to keep the bike’s mass low and central for perfect balance and light, agile handling at speed. It packs the technology to go beyond the normal braking point with intelligent Unified Brake System with ABS stopping power.

This all-new 1199cc inline 2-clyinder engine delivers big power and effortless torque in a slim, compact, well balanced package. It lets each rider choose the perfect balance of safety, speed and fun with a three-mode traction control system that can easily be turned off when it’s time for some rear wheel steering on a loose surface. And it’s been relentlessly tested to ensure that it’s in for the long haul, whatever conditions and challenges it has to face.

The new Super Ténéré is the perfect partner when you need a motorcycle that can handle the extremes – the intelligent adventure travel bike.

1199cc inline 2-cylinder engine with 270-degree crank

The engine defines the riding experience of any motorcycle – and a machine with such broad, transcontinental capability as the Super Ténéré requires a flexible and powerful motor that can handle every test you’ll put it through.

The heart of the Super Ténéré is a liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, DOHC, inline 2-cylinder, 4-valve, fuel injected, twin spark engine. Displacing 1199cc, it delivers a grunty 110PS (at 7,250rpm) for quick acceleration, and a broad spread of torque for effortless cruising and overtaking. Its bore of 98mm and stroke of 79.5 mm were chosen to for the optimal combination of quick revving, low rotating mass and a compact engine design.

The engine features a 270-degree crankshaft, with firing intervals at the 270- and 450-degree points. The 90 degree offset between the two cranks effectively neutralises the effect of inertial torque of the two forged pistons – in engineering terms, this keeps the total output torque of the engine virtually equal to the combustion torque. In rider’s terms, it means that the connection between the throttle and the rear wheel feels linear and direct. The end result: extra precision and increased confidence.

2-axis balancers keep vibration to a minimum, the front one driving the oil and water pumps. The engine also features a dry sump, with the oil tank inside the crankcase, which keeps the engine vertically compact and allows it to be mounted lower in the frame. This keeps the centre of mass and the axis of crankshaft rotation low for sharp steering and easy handling, while preserving a minimum ground clearance of 205 mm.
The exhaust is a 2-into-1, 2-step expansion system ending in a short, vertically elliptical muffler. A honeycomb-type catalyser is positioned where the two header pipes meet, to clean up carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon and nitrous oxide emissions. Two O2 sensors monitor the amount of unburned oxygen in the exhaust for each cylinder, providing a highly accurate feedback system that lets the ECU ensure clean, efficient and optimised.

YCC-T with Traction Control

As with several of Yamaha’s other recent high-performance motorcycles, the Super Ténéré uses the Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle (YCC-T) system. Throttle openings are measured electronically, around every 1/1000th of a second – and the YCC-T system makes a series of high-speed calculations to determine the optimal throttle valve opening and control the volume of intake air. Throttle and fuel injection response is crisp and clean, and the system ensures excellent efficiency and environmental performance as well.

Because the Super Ténéré is designed to be ridden hard over highly variable terrain. Based on technology developed on Yamaha’s YZF-M1 MotoGP race bike, the traction control module measures front and rear wheel speed, uses this data to determine when the rear wheel loses traction – and then modulates the ignition timing, the fuel injection and the YCC-T system to optimise rear grip.

The traction control system is switchable between three modes – “TCS1″ mode is standard and will intervene whenever the rear wheel starts to spin. “TCS2″ mode has a reduced effect to allow the back end to slide a little during more spirited off-road riding – and traction control can be completely disabled by selecting “OFF.”

In addition to the traction control features, the Super Ténéré features switchable Yamaha D-MODE engine mapping – from S (Sport) mode, which delivers instant throttle response for high-performance riding, to a more relaxed T (Touring) mode that delivers smooth, easy power. It’s one of many ways the Super Ténéré adapts to accommodate different riding styles and conditions.

Intelligent Unified Brake System with ABS

The Super Ténéré comes with an advanced electronic Unified Brake System with ABS as standard fitment – one of the most advanced braking systems Yamaha has ever built.

The primary goal of any ABS system is to reduce and even eliminate loss of traction – and as such they make use of rotation speed sensors in the front and rear wheels. But the Super Ténéré’s ABS system is smarter – constantly monitoring machine speed, rates of deceleration and slippage in addition to the wheel speeds to determine where one or both wheels might be about to lock up and slide.

When the ABS computer detects a wheel locking tendency, it sends signals to an infinitely variable hydraulic pressure unit that modulates braking pressure smoothly to avoid wheel lock-up. In this way, it often takes action before a slide even begins, to deliver smooth, controlled, confident stopping power.

The Unified Brake System unit is designed to intelligently proportion the braking between the front and rear calipers when only the front lever is used. This reflects the fact that in many off-road situations, riders will be standing on the footpegs, with little access to the rear brake lever.

The braking computer considers the running speed, front brake lever pressure and how much weight the motorcycle is carrying before deciding how much braking force is sent to the rear wheel through the hydraulic unit.

And yet the Unified Brake System doesn’t interfere with the precise rear brake control you need when riding with pillions or performing slow U-turns – if the rear brake is applied before the front brake, the Unified Brake System function is cancelled for that braking instance, giving the rider full control.

Chassis

The new Super Ténéré handles exceptionally sharply – and that’s no accident. Every effort has been made to keep the wheelbase short for agility, the weight low and central to keep the bike feeling light and flickable whatever the conditions.

But it’s also built tough, with a frame made from high-tensile steel pipe. Steel was chosen over aluminium because it holds up better under the demands that off-road adventure riding can place on a large bike.

Front suspension is handled by a pair of upside-down telescopic forks running 43mm inner tubes. Telescopic forks were chosen because they deliver excellent front end feel under braking and in corners. The forks are adjustable for preload, rebound and compression damping.

The rear suspension features a monoshock adjustable for rebound damping and preload. The preload adjuster and rebound damping are adjustable by hand with no tools required, making it easy to set the bike up to take passengers or heavy luggage loads. The rear monoshock suspends a low pressure-cast aluminium swingarm – which is elongated for improved suspension action.

The swingarm’s extra length doesn’t compromise the bike’s sharp-handling wheelbase, because the engine is compact for its size and the radiator has been side-mounted on the left of the engine to save space at the front. Electrical components and the battery fill out the right side of the bike, and cooling airflow is distributed over both sides by the aerodynamic front cowling. Heat disperses out to the side without affecting rider comfort.

The Super Ténéré is shaft driven to reduce maintenance effort even across a wide range of riding conditions – so there’s no more cleaning, oiling or adjusting a chain. A hypoid shaft gear has been chosen – this reduces the size and weight of the ring gear, helping to reduce unsprung weight at the back end while maintaining excellent stability. It all adds up to superior handling, on and off road.

Off-road Credentials

To carry the Ténéré’s Paris-Dakar legacy forward, the Super Ténéré needs to be able to handle a broad range of off-road conditions, despite its impeccable on-road manners.

First and foremost, the Super Ténéré runs a pair of tough, spoked tubeless aluminium rims with a 110/80/19 front tyre and a 150/70/17 rear tyre. The narrower front wheel features two Double T-type rails on its rim to support the ‘L’ shaped ends of the spokes, with a tightening nipple structure at the hub end. The double rail system allows the spokes to be angled for maximal off-road shock resistance and the rigidity required for agile on-road handling. The wider rear rim only needs a single spoke rail.

The handlebar positioning has been optimised to allow riders to be comfortable either sitting or standing for off-road work – and hand guards are standard fitment. The footrests are fitted with hollow rubber tube inserts – so that when you’re seated, these inserts provide a comfortable, cushioned contact for the feet. But when you stand up and put your full bodyweight on the pegs, these inserts flatten down – so your boots can grip the full surface of the footrest for added control in off-road situations.

The Super Ténéré is also fitted with integrated side engine protectors and a standard engine guard – and the rear subframe is reinforced to cope with the potential stresses of off-road fall impacts while carrying large side panniers.

Touring Considerations

As capable as the Super Ténéré is off-road, it also shines as a go-anywhere long range tourer. Its large, 23-litre tank delivers serious touring range, while a height-adjustable seat (845-870 mm) and adjustable screen let you set your riding position and wind protection for maximum comfort. A 12-volt socket in the front cowling lets you charge or power electronic devices such as GPS systems and mobile phones.
The headlights are powerful twin projector beams – and rather than using a separate filament for high and low beam, each projector features a solenoid-operated shade piece that moves up and down to switch between high and main beam lighting.

First Edition Super Ténéré – reservations begin in March 2010

The Super Ténéré will make its European debut in 2010 as a single year, special edition adventure model, complete with a thrilling adventure package, including:

Left and right side aluminium side cases (incl. mounting gear);
Headlight protector (disclaimer: headlight protector not for public road use);
Aluminium engine skid plate, and;
A unique first edition sticker.

These extras will be fitted as standard to all first edition 2010 Super Ténéré models, but will be optional from 2011 onwards. To make sure that you are one of the first to ride this bike, an online reservation system will be available early March where buyers can pre-register to reserve the first available units.

Accessories

In addition to the aluminium side cases, skid plate and headlight protector included in the first edition adventure package, Yamaha also offers a wide range of functional accessories and apparel to extend and enhance the Super Ténéré’s capabilities.

Functional accessories:
High screen
Fog lamp kit (can be mounted under the headlights or on the optional engine guard)
Engine guard
Grip heater kit
Wind deflectors
Super Ténéré tankpad
Low seat (35 mm lower compared to the standard positions)
Super Téneré tankbag
Aluminium 30 litre top case matching the aluminium side cases
Ténéré inner bags for the sides cases and top case
Stylish LED Flashers, available in black, chrome and carbon

Apparel:
Specially developed Ténéré helmet from our BYE collection*
Enduro Jackets, pant and hard protection gloves from our Off-Road Enduro collection
Yamaha MX Boots, goggles and safety gear from our Off-Road MX collection

More details on these accessories and apparel can be found at:
www.yamaha-motor-acc.com

* BYE helmets are sold exclusively through the Yamaha dealer network in most European countries.

The Super Ténéré can take you further, faster, safer and with the security of Yamaha’s renowned, Dakar rally-bred reliability. Whatever route you’re planning, whatever path you take on a whim, the Super Ténéré delivers a combination of rugged toughness, perfectly balanced handling, effortless power and practical, intelligent technology that can take you further.

Yamaha XT1200Z Super Ténéré
Specifications

ENGINE
Type: Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, DOHC, inline 2-cylinder, 4-valve, fuel injected, twin spark engine
Displacement: 1199cc
Bore x stroke: 98 x 79.5 mm
Compression ratio: 11.0:1
Firing intervals: 270- and 450-degree points
Max. Power: 80.9kW (110PS) @7,250rpm
Max. Torque: 114.1 Nm (11.6kgf･m) @6,000 rpm
Lubrication system: Dry sump
Fuel supply system: Fuel Injection
Clutch type: Wet, multiple-disc diaphragm spring
Ignition system: Twin spark
Starter system: Electric
Transmission system: Constant mesh, 6-speed
Final transmission: Shaft
Throttle system: Yamaha Chip-Controlled Throttle (YCC-T)
Yamaha D-MODE: 2 modes, Sport (S) and Touring (T)
Traction control: 3 modes, TCS1, TCS2 and OFF
Exhaust System: 2-into-1

CHASSIS
Frame: Steel tube backbone
Front suspension: Upside-down telescopic fork, 43 mm inner tube, adjustable preload, compression and rebound damping
Front wheel travel: 190 mm
Rear suspension: Monoshock, adjustable preload and rebound damping
Rear wheel travel: 190 mm
Front brake: Hydraulic Twin 310 mm wave discs, ABS/Unified Brake System
Rear brake: Hydraulic Single 282 mm wave disc
Front tyre: 110/80/19
Rear tyre: 150/70/17

DIMENSIONS
Overall length: 2,250 mm
Overall width: 980 mm
Overall height: 1,410 mm
Seat height: Adjustable 845-870 mm
Wheelbase: 1,540 mm
Min. ground clearance: 205 mm
Wet weight: 261 kg (includes full oil and fuel tank):
Fuel capacity: 23 litres
Oil capacity: 4.2 litres

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PRESS RELEASE: I am pleased to be able to announce some exciting news about the UK’s leading magazine for diesel and alternative fuels. Effective from the April 2010 edition, What Diesel will be reborn as Diesel Car magazine, reviving a much respected title from the past. The Diesel Car name first appeared on the newsstand back in April 1988, exactly 22 years ago, before being changed in 2007. Diesel Car is being reintroduced to clearly define the business that we are in – a magazine that is deadly serious about diesel cars.

As well as the return of the familiar name, there will be a fresh new look to the magazine, with more news, tests and features on everything that is important in the diesel world. We will be welcoming new writers to the fold – names that you’ll be familiar with from their work with other titles, and will be relaunching our website at www.dieselcaronline.co.uk on 10th March 2010.

As a magazine that is clearly focussed on the economy side of motoring, we will of course continue to provide extensive coverage of the alternative fuel, hybrid and electric vehicle marketplace, thanks to our new Eco Car section, which steps in to replace What Hybrid in the new look magazine. The Eco Car title better reflects the way the car market is progressing towards more eco-friendly and environmentally responsible vehicles.

The first issue of Diesel Car will be on the newsstands on Wednesday 17th March 2010. It is an extremely exciting time for Diesel Car and on behalf of everybody involved in the production of the magazine, I would like to thank everyone for their past support, and look forward to introducing the next development in the long-term success of Diesel Car.

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Once again BRAKE is calling for more restrictions on drivers, speeding and anything else it can latch on to. The case of the elderly driver who killed an 18 month old child is terrible, but BRAKE want to use any accident as a means to enhance their PR whether it has a valid message or not.

Following this latest press release are we also going to see the banning of Portugese LGV drivers after the next accident? Everyone under 21 castigated because one of their number caused a fatality?

Everyone wants safer roads. BRAKE it seems just want to create scare mongering on any section of the motoring public that owns a car or motorcycle.
When will they ask for the guy with the red flag to return?

Brake is calling for controls on older drivers following the death of an 18 month old boy, killed when an 89 year old driver mounted the pavement. It is thought that the driver lost control of the car when he became ill at the wheel.

Brake is also calling for a Government consultation to consider a maximum driving age and regular re-test as well as the above measures.

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A hard-hitting THINK! campaign reminding drivers of the potentially fatal consequences of not wearing a seat belt was launched today by Road Safety Minister Paul Clark.

The £1.3 million campaign shows that if you have a crash without wearing a seat belt you actually experience three crashes, even at everyday speeds like 30mph. First, your car crashes and stops. Second – because there’s nothing to stop you moving – your body carries on and hits the inside of the car. Third, you stop but your internal organs keep moving, hitting the inside of your body and can rupture under the force of the impact.

Paul Clark said:

“If you are involved in an accident while not wearing a seat belt then your body experiences a series of three collisions damaging vital internal organs.  This campaign reminds drivers that – no matter how short their journey or how slowly they are driving – they are risking their life if they set off without putting their seat belt on.

“I hope this campaign will help everyone realise that they need to belt up every time they get in a car.”

You are twice as likely to die in a crash if you are not wearing a seat belt and about one life could be saved in Britain each day if everyone always wore a belt.

The THINK! campaign – which includes television, radio, cinema, and outdoor advertising – is based on detailed research into people’s seat belt wearing habits which showed that people are less likely to wear seat beats on low speed, short journeys on familiar roads, even though they are still risking their lives in these cases.

The advert is so realistic and graphic it can only be shown after 9pm. An edited version will be used for earlier showings – describing but not showing the damage to internal organs.

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Warsaw got its first taste of a world famous Icon last night when the London taxi was launched by Dufort London Taxis at it’s after sales premises in Warsaw.

Delighted with the turn out and reaction from guests, Jacek Kurowski, Managing Director of Dufort said: “I have been working for a long time to bring this fantastic vehicle to Poland and people love it just as much as I do.

“I am now able to help taxi companies in Poland offer a real alternative to the cheap cramped saloon taxis or the expensive limousines.”

In order to to bring the iconic taxi to Poland, Jacek worked with The London Taxi Company, the international sales brand for LTI who manufacture the world famous vehicle.

Matthew Cheyne, International Market development Director for The London Taxi Company said: “It was a great evening, enjoyed by all. Everyone I have spoken to are very excited about being able to use a proper London taxi opposed to a saloon car.

“Wawa, the company buying the London Taxi will offer it as a professional premium service for people who want comfort, privacy and a quality service.”

The London Taxi Service will be offered as an alternative to the local taxi but with the service features people expect to experience which include, professional drivers, safety, and security and of course a taxi that holds five people comfortably.

Some of the attendees comments were:

“Cool”, “Warsaw will love this vehicle”, “I can’t wait to use one they are fantastic.”

The next batch of London Taxis is due to arrive next month and will be on the road soon after.

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Gooding & Company, the internationally-recognized auction house, collectively garnered $33.9 Million in sales, with a total of 114 out of 125 lots sold, during its two-day Scottsdale auction held on Friday, January 22 and Saturday, January 23. This year’s top-seller was the 1956 Jaguar D-Type Sports Racer that sold for $3.74 Million, a star for its noteworthy provenance and stunning restoration. The sale of the D-Type marks the third consecutive year that Gooding & Company has sold the top-selling car of Scottsdale Auction Week.

“This year was our most successful Scottsdale auction to date with a total of 91% sold,” said David Gooding, president and founder of Gooding & Company. “We were thrilled to bring such an outstanding collection of automobiles to Arizona and to have so many cars break the $1 Million range.”

Gooding & Company broke two world records with the sale of the 1959 Costin Lister Jaguar Sports Racer for $1.1 Million on Friday and the sale of the 1932 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Series V Gran Sport for $1.54 Million on Saturday. This success follows in the wake of a strong $50+ Million sale in August at the 2009 Pebble Beach Auction. Once again, Gooding & Company attracted automotive collectors and enthusiasts from around the world for its third consecutive year at the Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall.

Gooding & Company made a significant donation to the International Response Fund of the American Red Cross this week to benefit the relief efforts in Haiti and also hosted a successful donation center on site during its Friday Auction.

Gooding & Company’s top ten sales results from both Friday and Saturday include:

— 1956 Jaguar D-Type Sports Racer at $3.47 Million (Friday, Lot 16)
— 1959 Ferrari 250 GT Series 1 Cabriolet at $2.145 Million (Saturday, Lot 118)
— 1934 Duesenberg Model J Disappearing-Top Convertible Coupe at $1.815 Million (Friday, Lot 9)
— 1936 Hispano-Suiza Type 68 J12 Cabriolet at $1.54 Million (Saturday, Lot 127)
— 1932 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Series V Gran Sport at $1.54 Million (Saturday, Lot 141)
— 1959 Costin Lister Jaguar Sports Racer at $1.1 Million (Friday, Lot 23)
— 1965 Shelby 427 S/C Cobra at $1.028 Million (Saturday, Lot 132)
— 1930 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Berline at $825,000 (Saturday, Lot 109)
— 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB at $737,000 (Saturday, Lot 160)
— 1927 Bentley 6 1/2-Litre Sport Coupe at $726,000 (Friday, Lot 39)

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Elektromotive’s status as the world’s leading provider of electric vehicle (EV) recharging stations is underlined by the firm’s high profile at the European Motor Show in Brussels (14-24 January). 

The company’s sleek and compact Elektrobay recharging stations – identical to those found at roadsides across London – are featured on five separate stands, showcased alongside some major new electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, including the Opel Ampera, Mitsubishi i-MiEV, and the Citroën C-ZERO, which makes its global debut at the Brussels show.

As well as taking pride of place on manufacturer stands, the Elektrobay will be on display in an area dedicated to innovative ‘green’ motoring technologies.

“The Elektrobay is the world’s most widely-used electric vehicle recharging station, so it is no surprise that vehicle manufacturers are selecting the unit to feature alongside their new electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids,” comments Managing Director of Elektromotive, Calvey Taylor-Haw.  “Thanks to its clean lines and compact dimensions, the Elektrobay is the perfect partner for the Show stars making their debut at Brussels.”

The European Motor Show is located at the Brussels Expo in Heysel, and is expected to welcome over 600,000 visitors.

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The Peugeot 3008, a new kind of car competing in a new category, sensationally walked off with the Car of the Year title at the 33rd annual motoring ‘Oscars’ – the What Car? Awards – last night.

The 3008 is a crossover which blends the looks and high driving position of a 4×4 with elements of a family hatchback and an MPV.

It also claimed victory in the new Crossover class introduced by What Car? this year, while the Peugeot 5008 was named best MPV at the glittering event, held at London’s Grosvenor House hotel on Park Lane.

What Car? editor Steve Fowler said: ‘Crossover cars will be big news in the next few years with people who want the look and feel of a 4×4, but without the financial and environmental costs.

‘The 3008 fills that brief perfectly – it’s got the looks people want, the space they need, it’s great to drive, and it’s well priced and cheap to run.’

Peugeot UK managing director Jon Goodman said: ‘This is a fantastic result for all the Peugeot UK team and its dealer network, coming as it does in the year that the Peugeot brand celebrates its 200th anniversary. Both the 3008 and the 5008 will broaden the appeal of the Peugeot brand to customers old and new, and the ultimate endorsement of  three What Car? awards will help both new cars to even greater success.’

Eleven brand new or heavily revised cars unseated 2009 award winners this year.

British honour was upheld by the refreshed Jaguar XF and Land Rover Discovery, which won the Executive and 4×4 categories respectively.

Audi joined Peugeot in picking up three titles, for best Coupé (TT), best Performance Car (R8 V10) and the Security Award.

There were double wins for Volkswagen (Polo and Golf in the Supermini and Small Family Car classes); Mazda, which collected the Family Car and Estate Car prizes with different versions of the Mazda 6; BMW, triumphant in the Open-top class with the Z4 and the Compact Executive category with the 3 Series; and Mercedes-Benz, who won the Safety Award to go with the Luxury Car prize for the updated S-Class.

Finally, Renault dominated the Hot Hatch award with three contenders, and the thrilling Renault Mégane Renaultsport Cup taking the category win.

The Audi A1 won the Reader Award for the most exciting new car of 2010 after an online poll on the What Car? website, whatcar.com.

2010 Roll of Honour

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Blue Monday has been established as the worst day of the year and this year it falls on the 18th January.

So, with Christmas over and your initial New Year resolutions starting to fade why not make a new resolution something that you will find easy to stick to and get on to two wheels or doing something with your motorcycle that you have never done before.

You can over come the most depressing day of the year by planning your motorcycle adventures for 2010.

Training – Firstly, for people who don’t ride, or have lapsed or maybe only ever completed a CBT, now’s the time to reap the economic and social benefits of a powered two-wheeler.

The Motor Cycle Industry is making it easier than ever before to help interested people take their first steps into the world of motorcycling by offering a free experience, with a local trainer, that will get the riding and ready to go further in one hour at no expense.

A dedicated website has been set up to help you search for a local trainer, so go online and take those first steps at www.geton.co.uk

Kit – Motorcycles and the all important kit have come along way in the last 25 years. Recently, some guinea pigs were subjected to climatic challenges at the Motor Industry Research Association’s £5 million climatic chamber to compare the kit from the 80’s to the most up to date products on offer. High tech fabrics and new designs resulted in warm and safe riders who were happy to ride in both cold and wet conditions with no detrimental effects to the experience.

Experience – More and more people are enjoying off-road adventures and over land travel experiences on bikes. There is a growing number of companies that provide tours to anywhere and everywhere from Canada to Africa.

MCI’s Spokesperson Steve Kenward CEO said ‘ Don’t be brought down by ‘Blue Monday’, you can do something positive to challenge it.

‘Motorcycles and scooters are the best way to beat the ongoing credit crunch and turn the daily commute into a joy.  Two wheels will let you move through traffic, with ease. Not only that, in London they are exempt from congestion charge and can also use bus lanes.

‘If you are looking for a fun and economical way to commute then start this new year differently and put on your leathers and join the 1.5million other converts. ‘

For more information on passing your test and other useful information go to www.mcia.co.uk

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We all know that we should stay at home unless it’s absolutely critical to travel in these dangerous winter conditions, but if you have to travel here are a couple of iPnone apps that can keep you informed.

The first is “Travel News” which is an app released by Directgov and powered by Transport Direct information. This gives you the option to search by area, transport type and delay type, so will also help out with rail and bus problems.

The second app is “Traffic Info” which simply lists all the major road problems in the UK. Just slide through the list by road number and tap for more detailed information or hit the “Map” button and be shown a Google Map of the UK with pins denoting the main problem areas.

Both are free so try them out. They may just give you the edge.

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Autocar readers have overwhelmingly voted for the British-built Range Rover as their Car of the Decade, in a poll run on autocar.co.uk during the past month.

The poll received 7500 votes with the Range Rover taking 18 per cent, nearly a fifth of the votes.

The British-built Range Rover was launched in 2001 to widespread acclaim. In the Autocar poll it beat off stiff competition from the MkII Lotus Elise, also built in the UK, which took second place with 12.5 per cent of the vote, and the Bugatti Veyron and Nissan GT-R, which each polled 8.8 per cent of the total to finish joint third.

Commenting on the Range Rover’s victory, Autocar’s Editor Chas Hallett said: ‘The Range Rover is a fine choice for Car of the Decade. Most polls like this have results skewed towards the latter end of their timescale, but not this one. That the Range Rover was launched nine years ago yet remains a benchmark speaks volumes for the brilliance of its design – and for the taste of the people who voted for it.

‘Both Land Rover and Lotus deserve a pat on the back for producing such iconic vehicles that still appeal through the passage of time.  It’s a great achievement.’
 
Autocar’s Associate Editor, Hilton Holloway, championed the Range Rover, saying: ‘The Range Rover defined a new type of luxury at launch, technically sophisticated, beautifully detailed, modern and yet retrospective. It has an overwhelming presence, but in way that the majority could and can still admire.’
 
The second-placed car, the MkII Lotus Elise, was also in production for the vast majority of the past decade: the British roadster has defined the classic sportscar and Lotus’s success during that time.
 
In equal third-place, the Bugatti Veyron and Nissan GT-R, meanwhile, approached performance on a very different tack.
 
The million-Euro, 252mph Bugatti Veyron became easily the fastest production car in the world when it was launched in 2005.
 
Nissan’s 2009 GT-R is a recent introduction but offers staggering performance at a (relatively) affordable price of under £60,000.
 
Other notable placings in the survey went to the Lotus Elise-based Vauxhall VX220 Ford Focus, Audi R8, Rolls-Royce Phantom, Tata Nano and MkII Toyota Prius.

Autocar’s resident car experts nominated and championed 17 great cars launched within the past ten years for readers to choose from – or voters could suggest their own star car.
 
1      Range Rover
2      Lotus Elise Mk2
3=    Bugatti Veyron and Nissan GT-R
5      Vauxhall VX220
6      Toyota Prius Mk2
7      Tata Nano
8      Mini Cooper
9      Ford Focus
10    Jaguar XF

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