New Fiat 500 back in best seller list
14 May 2012
Official figures have revealed the iconic city car has forced its way back into the overall Top 10 new car registrations list for last month.
Some 2,600 Fiat 500s were sold in the UK last month, putting it in 10th place in the Best Sellers list. The result helped Fiat to a total of 3675 sales for the month, up almost 25 per cent on the figure of 2941 for the same period in 2011. Year to date sales of 16,734 are up 9.5 per cent on last year.
“It is wonderful to see the Fiat 500 in the Top 10 again, proving what a great success story this remarkable car has been,” says Elena Bernardelli, marketing director, Fiat Group Automobiles UK Ltd. “It has always caught the British public’s imagination, and our continuing improvements and new ideas, such as the 500C convertible, TwinAir technology, special style editions, and sub-100g/km CO2 levels for further environmental benefits, all go towards keeping the 500 among the best sellers.”
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Agreement reached on EV charging standard
10 May 2012
Eight top manufacturers — Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Daimler (Mercedes-Benz), Ford, General Motors (Opel/Vauxhall), Porsche and Volkswagen — have agreed to support one standardised single port fast-charging system for electric vehicles in Europe and the USA. The Combined Charging System was developed for use internationally and creates a uniform standard with identical electrical systems, charge controllers, package dimensions and safety mechanisms.
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Vauxhall’s new Vivaro ecoFLEX arrives in showrooms
03 May 2012
Vauxhall's new British-built Vivaro ecoFLEX Euro 5 panel vans, with CO2 emissions of 180g/km and a combined fuel economy of 40.9mpg, are in showrooms now.
Based on the short wheelbase standard roof models, but with some subtle specification changes, Vauxhall say the Vivaro ecoFLEX could save you over £800 in three years versus the 198g/km 37.6mpg standard version. The figures result from a range of green technology features including exhaust gas circulation cooling and optimised gear ratios. There's also improved thermal management, low rolling resistance tyres and an aerodynamic kit.
For those wanting to save even more, Vauxhall offers Vivaro ecoFLEX Euro 5s equipped with a fixed speed limiter that yields CO2 levels as low as 174g/km and with combined fuel economy of up to 42.7mpg. Also for the first time there is an ecoFLEX version of the popular Vivaro 9-seater Combi for those who need to carry more than two passengers.
"The New Vivaro ecoFLEX Euro 5 gives our customers improved fuel economy and lower CO2s," said Steve Bryant, Vauxhall's commercial vehicle brand manager. "Fuel economy and green credentials are top priorities for our customers looking to reduce running costs and the carbon footprint of their vehicles or fleets."
The best-selling Vivaro is top of its segment at retail with 3,531 registrations so far this year and you can place your order now through the OVL Group.
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Bosch tackles driver drowsiness
01 May 2012
Fatigue and microsleep at the wheel are often the cause of serious accidents, but the initial signs of fatigue can be detected before a critical situation arises. Bosch Driver Drowsiness Detection can do this by monitoring steering movements and advising drivers to take a break in time.
The required information is provided either by the car’s electric power steering system, or by the steering angle sensor, which is part of the car's ESP anti-skid system. The feature can therefore be installed cost-effectively and helps further increase road safety.
Bosch Driver Drowsiness Detection can be used in passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, and can also be integrated into various control units in vehicles. It was first introduced as a standard feature in 2010, in the new Volkswagen Passat. The latest model with the function is the new Passat Alltrack. The influence of fatigue on accidents has been demonstrated in a number of studies. In 2010, the American Automobile Association (AAA) published an analysis based on the accident data collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the United States.
The assess¬ment showed that overtired drivers were at the wheel in 17 percent of all fatal accidents in the US. Fading concentration and fatigue compromise the driver’s steering behavior and response time. Fine motor skills deteriorate, and steering behavior becomes less precise. The driver corrects small steering mistakes more often.
The new driver drowsiness detection function is based on an algorithm which begins recording the driver’s steering behavior the moment the trip begins. It then recognizes changes over the course of long trips, and thus also the driver's level of fatigue.
Typical signs of waning concentration are phases during which the driver is barely steering, combined with slight, yet quick and abrupt steering movements to keep the car on track. Based on the frequency of these movements and other parameters, among them the length of a trip, use of turn signals, and the time of day, the function calculates the driver's level of fatigue. If that level exceeds a certain value, an icon such as a coffee cup flashes on the instrument panel to warn drivers that they need a rest.
The Bosch Driver Drowsiness Detection function addresses an important aspect of the driver's condition, and can thus contribute to improving road safety.
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Motorists are ill-prepared for a puncture ......
01 May 2012
...... research suggests
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