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UK car production down 16.5% in November

UK car production fell 16.5% year-on-year in November, for which the Society of Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has blamed weakened overseas demand and widespread factory closures.  A total of 107,753 cars were built in the UK last month, compared with 129,030 in November 2018. The SMMT attributes the deficit to “soft consumer and business confidence, weak demand in overseas markets and model production changes”.  The decline rounds off a turbulent year for the UK’s automotive sector; new car output has fallen consistently since January, except in September, when marginal growth was recorded. The number of new cars built in 2019 so far is 14.5% less than at the same point in 2018.  November’s figures show the lasting effects of a number of pre-emptive factory shutdowns that took place at the end of October, when the UK had been scheduled to leave the European Union (EU). That was in addition to a number of previous shutdowns that took place in April for the same reason.  Domestic demand for new cars fell by 26.6% in November, with export rates falling 14.2%. The SMMT notes that more than 80% of new cars built in the UK are shipped abroad, including 54.7% bound for the EU.  Commenting on the latest figures, SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes repeated his desire to see the Government reach a mutually beneficial trade deal with the EU. He said: “UK car production is export-led, so we look forward to working with the new Government to deliver an ambitious trade deal with the EU.  “To ensure our competitiveness at a time of dramatic technological change, that deal needs to be tariff-free and avoid barriers to trade – which, for automotive, means that our standards must be aligned. This can be achieved if Government and industry work in partnership to re-establish the UK as a great place to invest and ensure that automotive keeps delivering for
Origin: UK car production down 16.5% in November

Judgy-Pants: Mowing Down a Cyclist Edition

Whether youre a driver, cyclist, or a pedestrian, we all share the road.Ernest Doroszuk / Postmedia Once again, a dashcam delivers.Toronto is awash in rising collisions between vehicles and both pedestrians and cyclists. All media is in (rare) agreement, reporting that police enforcement has tanked, putting more people at significant risk. City Hall appears to care. Appears. Drivers seem not to. The fact is we are hurting and killing each other and we have to stop.The latest piece of evidence is this viral clip. The video shows a Mercedes-Benz making a right turn, into a cyclist. Cyclist goes down, driver crosses over the median and carries on.Reports say the driver did come back and was charged with careless driving.A car rammed into a cyclist in Markham and it was all caught on video. Luckily the cyclist was not badly injured. The driver was arrested. #bikeTO #Markham #Toronto pic.twitter.com/8CMMUNRWHq blogTO (@blogTO) November 25, 2019Some say the cyclist should have dismounted, etc. because lets blame the person who was run over by an SUV. The cyclist did not suffer serious injuries.That driver was making a right turn onto a busy six-lane roadway. That driver was intent on looking for oncoming vehicles, and any pedestrian or cyclist would have lined up with their front A-pillar, and been partially if not totally hidden. It’s why we have a solid white stop stripe at intersections — to keep sidewalks safe for those who use them. When cars sit in them, and drivers stay devoted on their own next move instead of those they are putting in peril, metal-to-flesh contact will continue to rise.So, who’s to blame? What’s the ratio?Take Our Poll
Origin: Judgy-Pants: Mowing Down a Cyclist Edition

Hamilton jaywalker gets immediate retribution after arrogant stare down

A man illegally crossing the road in Ontario has been served with instant karma, after staring down an oncoming vehicle.The incident is visible at 3:49.The video shows a man illegally jaywalking across the road near Upper James street in Hamilton, Ontario. As the camera car comes around the corner, he stares it down while continuing to cross, causing the vehicle to have to slam on its brakes. The driver honks their horn, causing the man to stare down the vehicle and slowly cross the street, before getting to the other side.Now, this is irritating not only because the man shouldnt have been crossing at that part of the road, but because he had the arrogance to stare down the vehicle honking and barrelling toward him like they were doing something wrong. Pedestrians do have the right of way in almost every case, but still, they shouldnt be using that to their advantage, especially when faced with a 2-ton lump of steel.Luckily, the mans hubris gets a quick dose of poetic justice when he gets to the other side, only to finally turn his head in the proper direction and right into a concrete pole.Although he walks off like nothing happened, if youve ever even slapped a concrete pole you know they dont tend to waiver. Hopefully, the man got a healthy ego-destroying nose bleed, and the mindfulness to use a crosswalk like a decent human being next
Origin: Hamilton jaywalker gets immediate retribution after arrogant stare down

New 2019 Porsche Macan Turbo touches down in Frankfurt

The flagship Turbo model of Porsche’s revised Macan range has made its public debut at the Frankfurt motor show.  Sitting above the mid-range Macan S, the Turbo commands a price premium of nearly £20,000 at £68,530, and is available to order now. For that you get significantly more power: 434bhp, to be precise, which is nearly ten percent more than the pre-facelift Macan Turbo. The power boost comes courtesy of a new 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6, replacing the old 3.6-litre unit. It’s the same engine found in the latest Cayenne and Panamera, with developments such as turbochargers mounted inside the ‘V’ of the cylinders and an integrated exhaust manifold. Both permit sharper turbo and throttle response, according to Porsche, along with improved efficiency. Torque is rated at 405lb ft, put through a seven-speed PDK dual-clutch ‘box and all-wheel drive. Porsche quotes a 0-62mph time of 4.3sec – three tenths faster than the old Turbo – and a top speed of 167mph. Fuel economy is quoted at between 23.5 and 24.8mpg under the WLTP testing regime.  The 2019 Macan Turbo isn’t just about more straight-line pace, however. The standard kit tally includes special ‘Porsche Surface Coated Brakes’, which use a tungsten carbide disc coating to reduce wear and brake dust, and improve response. These are also now optional on lesser Macans.  Optional kit on the Turbo includes height adjustable air suspension with revised pistons and shock absorber hydraulics, Porsche’s Torque Vectoring Plus system and ceramic brakes.  20in wheels and LED headlights are standard, alongside normally optional Sport Design bodywork details and a fixed double-wing rear spoiler. A sports exhaust system is also thrown in, while additional interior kit over standard Macans includes a surround sound system, 18-way electric memory sports seat and Alcantara roof
Origin: New 2019 Porsche Macan Turbo touches down in Frankfurt

Report: Mini might be pared down to just three or four electric models

Mini may plan to pare its lineup down to just three or four vehicles, all fully electric, in the not-too-distant future, according to a new report.According to Automobile, gasoline-powered Mini models might be all but dead, their chassis pushed aside to make way for an electric future.Contrary to earlier reports, it appears that management has since black-flagged the internal-combustion versions in favor of an all-electric model range, the magazine says.The decision has not been confirmed, but Mini would be wise to consider the consequences of turning its small-vehicle lineup into an EV-only brand. Take rival Daimlers Smart brand, which went down that road a few years ago, and has now folded up its tiny EV suitcase.The first electric model from the British marque is the Mini SE, due to go on sale in 2020; it will be the litmus test for the EV revolution, though other battery-powered vehicles are almost certain to follow in its wake. The SE is powered by a 32.6-kWh battery, and has an all-electric range of up to 270 kilometres. Another EV, based on the super-short-wheelbase Rocketman concept, is rumoured to show in production form around 2023, as is a more compact version of the classic three-door Mini. Lastly, theres talk of a crossover-style vehicle. All will run on a skateboard-style platform and feature front-wheel-drive, with energy stored in either 35- or 50-kWh battery packs.We would love to see the Rocketman come to North America, but its likely too small; if it does hit production, it will likely only be available in markets that allow small cars to be federalized, such as China, where it could be built in partnership with Great Wall Motors. The Countryman will likely be evolved into a
Origin: Report: Mini might be pared down to just three or four electric models

Want a 2020 Lexus LS 500? Take a look down memory lane

2019 Lexus LS 500Handout LIBERIA, Costa Rica So, you want a new LS 500. Well now, arent you in the minority? Whats wrong with you? Dont you know large, luxury sedans are totally pass? Why arent you shopping some over-priced, underperforming sport-ute like all your peers? Seriously, in this day of rampant me-tooism, if you want to stand out, buy a sedan. If youre independently foolish and really want to stand out, get an LS 500.Not that theres anything wrong with Lexus latest flagship sedan. Its actually a bit of a stunner as long as you can stomach the muy-macho grille and doesnt go half bad, either.One surprising thing is that Lexus doesnt offer the new LS with eight pistons; a V6 is the only available engine. However, both are fortified, the regular LS with twin turbochargers and the LS500h with a naturally-aspirated 3.5-litre V6 mated to Toyotas Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain. Both will provide more than adequate performance, though, despite Lexus protestations to the contrary, the Hybrid doesnt feel nearly as sporty as the turbo. Always relaxed partially because its mated to a ten-speed automatic the 416-horsepower V6 unit scoots when it has to, trundles when youre relaxed, and will if its anything like Lexus motors past will do so until your children are grandparents.The LS ride/handling balance fairly matches its engine. Not nearly as sprightly as a Maserati Quattroporte and still a smidge behind BMWs 7 Series, the latest LS is still up for the job of straightening twisty roads. Those so inclined are best served by opting for the air suspensions its standard equipment on the LS500h and switching the mode button to Sport+. The steering becomes heavier, the springing firmer, and the whole plot a little more inciting, all without much ruining the big Lexus ride. Inside, the LS is pretty much the treat youre expecting, sumptuous leather covering roomy seats and delicate wood trim. This last gets special attention as all Lexus artwood inlays are built by Yamahas music division, my favourite being the one with the aluminum highlights. According Paul Williamsen, head of Lexus global marketing planning, Yamaha first overlays a wood veneer onto an aluminum substrate. Then it etches the patter it wants to remove the upper wood, leaving the aluminum underneath exposed. But because the aluminum is at a lower level than the wood and we certainly cant have an uneven surface in a Lexus, can we? Yamaha then vacuum seals the entire piece sucking the underlying metal onto an even keel with the overlaid wood. Wow, thats a lot of trouble for a few metal pinstripes.Williamsen says this is part and parcel of the companys Experience Amazing strategy: In the battle of marketing slogans, I think relentlessly pursuing perfection is a better measure of Lexus obvious obsessive compulsion.Only two foibles (may) mar the LS 500s interior. Lexus touchpad manipulated infotainment screen is either a love it or hate it affair. By love it or hate it, I mean everyone hates it at the beginning and then a few learn to, well, almost like it. Its polarizing. Almost as wonky but not nearly as polarizing are the multi-function switches puts on each side of the instrument binnacle. It either reminds you of a fighter jet or looks like someone forgot the wipes until the very last moment. Either way, it doesnt really compromise ergonomics so its not nearly as polarizing as the touchpad.Overall, the LS500, like all large luxury sedans, perhaps more than most, doesnt deserve to be ignored. Its a luxurious, spacious and well-crafted sedan, that last word the only reason its not more popular. No pricing is available on the 2020 yet, but the 2019 LS starts at $103,150 and Lexus Canada has some screaming deals going on right now. 2018 Lexus LC 500 Handout / Lexus Damn the family, I want two doors: Well, has Lexus got a sports coupe for you. Based on the same platform as the LS, the LC 500 has two things going for it. The first is that, unlike the sedan, the coupe is still offered with a naturally aspirated, we-dont-need-no-stinking-turbos 5.0-litre V8. The same one offered in the RC F, in fact: 471 horsepower, a 10-speed transmission, and some seriously stiff suspension make for an entertaining ride. Officially, the reason the twin-turbo V6 doesnt power the LC is that it wasnt quite ready when the big coupe was being engineered, but I think Lexus engineers just wanted to make some noise. The LC500 delivers. Indeed, while the LC is available as a hybrid and I recommend that powertrain for the LS the LC is best served by the rootin and tootin V8.More importantly, the LC500 has a face Maserati would die for. Lexus spindle grille may be a little overwrought for its run-of-the-mill sedans and soft-roaders, but it matches the LCs curves and creases perfectly. I dont usually render critiques about styling as my eye may not behold the same image as your own but I think this is the sexiest sport coupe extent. On looks
Origin: Want a 2020 Lexus LS 500? Take a look down memory lane

Ford shuts down Alabama dealership’s ‘shotgun, Bible and flag’ sales incentive

Alabama is a strange place. Where else in the world would the promise of a free gun, a Bible and American flag be used to sell cars so effectively that the actual automaker would have to step in to put a stop to it? Because we’re not making this up. It’s happening. Now. In Alabama. Down in the town of Chatom, the local dealership, Chatom Ford, thought it’d honour America’s upcoming independence celebration with a special promotion it called “God, Guns and Freedom.” The promo offered anyone buying a car at the dealership a free Bible, a U.S. flag and a certificate good for a 12-gauge shotgun wherever shotguns are sold. “I guess it went viral, as the kids say,” said Koby Palmer, general sales manager at the dealership, in an interview with USA Today, referencing a Facebook video advertising the special, which got over 60,000 views in three days. “We live in a small town of 1,200 people. It’s a very small, rural area. They lean on their religious beliefs, their pride in America and they love to hunt.”Palmer says the dealership sold five vehicles in those three days thanks to the special. The deal was supposed to run until the end of July, but was cut short once Ford caught wind of what was going on.  The Facebook post was replaced with a statement that reads, “Ford Motor Company has asked us to stop running the advertisement. They manufacture the products we are franchised to sell, so we are complying with their request.” However, the dealer and automaker must’ve worked something out, because as of June 27, Chatom Ford is promoting a variation on the “God and Glory” sale once again — no “guns.” Now the voucher for a shotgun is instead a certificate for “whatever you want.” That points to Ford’s hang-up quite possibly being on that particular part of the promotion.Well, Happy Independence Day, Murica. Please celebrate
Origin: Ford shuts down Alabama dealership’s ‘shotgun, Bible and flag’ sales incentive

Under the skin: How carbonfibre is trickling down to the mainstream

Outside of motorsport, regular users of advanced carbonfibre-reinforced plastic (CRFP) structures include McLaren, BMW and Lamborghini. The Italian firm built a new factory in 2010 to make the Aventador monocoque in-house, developing its own process called ‘RTM-Lambo’.  RTM – for resin transfer moulding – usually involves pressing the dry, resin-free lay-up together in a two-part mould and injecting the resin. RTM-Lambo is a lower-cost method of making high-quality body components.  The top half of the Aventador tub is made and part cured using the ‘prepreg’ method. Prepreg is carbonfibre mat pre-impregnated with resin. It comes in rolls and is stored in a refrigerator, like ready-made puff-pastry, to stop it going off. Prepreg is the best way to make components with a shiny Class A finish, but it is expensive, so the bottom half of the tub is made using RTM-Lambo, like RTM but with a small, precise amount of resin added first to allow pre-forming of the basic shape. Finally, top and bottom components are pressed together in one large mould, impregnated and cured to complete the monocoque.  Past master McLaren handed the world’s largest order for CRFP production car monocoques to Salzburg firm Carbo Tech when McLaren Automotive was launched in 2010. Unlike Lamborghini’s approach, McLaren’s Monocells were made using straightforward RTM in steel moulds weighing 35 tonnes. The objective was not to speed up the process but to squeeze the ultimate performance from the chassis. Even so, each tub could be made 10 times faster than that of the McLaren F1 supercar. Now McLaren has it’s own resource, the £50m Innovation Centre in Sheffield, to produce Monocells and Monocages in-house, the first of which was delivered to the McLaren Production Centre in March.  The barrier to carbonfibre in the mainstream has been cost, partly because of the raw material itself but mainly because manual handling of the carbonfibre still plays a big part in the manufacture of complex structures. Production and process costs account for 33 to 75% of the overall cost of components. The BMW-Series ‘Carbon Core’ is a hybrid design with steel components embedded in the mould along with carbon, but despite rumours that the subsequent 5 Series bodyshell would follow suit, it didn’t, sticking with steel, aluminium and magnesium. The closest yet to a mainstream CRFP bodyshell has been that of the BMW i3 but it, and its construction, may not necessarily continue after the current model.  A breakthrough in cost cutting may be on the horizon, though. Voith Composites developed an automated system called the Voith Roving Applicator to make the CRFP rear panel and parcel shelf for the Audi A8, calling it “a breakthrough technology in the composites world”. For now, though, aluminium remains a favourite for mass-produced cars and is more sustainable, taking 95% less energy to recycle it than to make the stuff in the first place. Forging ahead Developed by Lamborghini with golf club manufacturers Callaway Golf and hailed as a material of the future, Forged Composite consists of short carbon fibres mixed with resin, injection moulded and cured in just two or three minutes. It was used to make the Sesto Elemento concept car a few years ago and some small production parts today, but while 30% cheaper than RTM-Lambo, it has yet to achieve the breakthrough in car manufacturing once hinted
Origin: Under the skin: How carbonfibre is trickling down to the mainstream

Jaguar head designer Ian Callum stepping down this summer

Ian Callum, Jaguar head designer.Handout Ian Callum, the well-known head of Jaguar design who helped shape the marque’s modern look, will be leaving the company effective July 1, he revealed early June, to be succeeded creative design director Julian Thomson. Callum, 64, has spent the past 20 years working with Jaguar, and said while he’s stepping away from the brand to explore other design projects, he will still work as a styling consultant for the automaker. The designs spearheaded by Callum since 1999 include the Jaguar XF sedan; the F-Type two-seat sports car; and, most recently, the I-Pace electric crossover. He started his career working with Ford, and eventually headed up Aston Martin design, leading the teams responsible for the DB7, DB9 and Vanquish. Yesterday I told my team I was leaving as Design Director for Jaguar after 20 years. I’ve done what I set out to do. Time for a new adventure. I pass the baton onto my good friend and great designer Julian Thomson.… https://t.co/Q8eC5Ir9Uw Ian Callum (@IanCallum) June 4, 2019 I came into this role with a mission to take Jaguar design back to where it deserved to be, Callum said in a statement. It has taken 20 years, but I believe I have achieved what I set out to do. Given the strength of both our products and the design team I feel that now is the right time to move on, both personally and professionally. Julian Thomson, who has been with Jaguar since 2000, also started with Ford before becoming head of design at
Origin: Jaguar head designer Ian Callum stepping down this summer