October 2014

Ford records best-ever commercial vehicle sales in the UK

(October 9, 2014) BRENTWOOD, Essex, UK — In its 49th year of UK commercial vehicle market leadership, Ford set a new sales record in September with 15,503 commercial vehicle registrations, sealing a market share of 28.3 per cent.

Figures released by the SMMT show a total of 13,959 vehicles sold under the Ford Transit nameplate — Transit, Transit Custom, Transit Connect and Transit Courier — last month. This would place the Ford Transit family second in UK total vehicle sales, behind only the UK’s perennial favorite, the Ford Fiesta.

Dealers pick up all-new GM midsize pickups as they roll out of Wentzville

(October 9, 2014) WENTZVILLE, Mo. — More than 125 Chevrolet and GMC dealer representatives came to the new home of the Colorado and Canyon midsize pickup trucks Wednesday to personally take delivery of their first orders. Dozens of trucks, dealers, and VIPs converged on General Motors’ Wentzville Assembly plant as part of dealer drive-away and truck launch celebrations.

Enhanced power and performance — The new Porsche 911 Carrera GTS

(October 8, 2014) ATLANTA — Porsche has revealed the second generation of 911 Carrera GTS models. The GTS models are available as coupe and cabriolet versions, with rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. These new models bridge the gap between the 911 Carrera S and race track tested 911 GT3.

Several technical features heighten dynamic performance and driving pleasure, including the 430 horsepower engine from the Carrera S Powerkit which incorporates the Sport Chrono package and Sport Exhaust. The standard PASM active damper system lowers the ride height by 10 mm compared to the 911 Carrera.

Fashion Inspires elegance of the all-new 2015 Lincoln MKC

(October 8, 2014) ATLANTA — Color and materials designers at The Lincoln Motor Company find inspiration nearly everywhere. Vibrant colors and sensual textures influence a car designer’s daily work. They turn to the world of fashion to guide those elements for Lincoln vehicles.

Jenny Kubinec, Lincoln color and materials designer, said fashion offered a trove of inspiring ideas as she worked on the 2015 Lincoln MKC, Lincoln’s first-ever small premium utility.

Kelly Brothers set off on Bathhurst road in rate Nissan Bluebird

(October 8, 2014) MELBOURNE, Australia — Nissan Altima V8 Supercar brothers Todd and Rick Kelly have selected a rare piece of Nissan road car history to venture up to Mount Panorama this weekend.

Following a road trip tradition that the pair has held true for over a decade, the former Bathurst champs will travel to the famous circuit in a unique Nissan Bluebird TRX — one of six cars built by Nissan Australia as promotional vehicles in 1982.

Honda UK introduces motorcycle fleet dealer network

(October 8, 2014) LONDON — Businesses looking to save time and money in fleet transportation costs can now easily incorporate motorcycles, thanks to a new service launched by a major manufacturer.

Honda UK has become the first manufacturer in the country to introduce a specialist motorcycle fleet dealer network. This is aimed at growing the corporate market and will provide support and advice to business customers.

Harley-Davidson and 'Sons of Anarchy' fans gear up for the final ride

(October 7, 2014) MILWAUKEE — Harley-Davidson and "Sons of Anarchy" ("SOA") fans are gearing-up for the show's finale and a legendary party hosted by stars of the show Kim Coates and Theo Rossi. Harley-Davidson is offering one fan an "SOA" viewing party at their hometown Harley-Davidson dealership hosted by Coates and Rossi, as well as a 2015 "SOA" customized motorcycle.

360 degree-view technology key to Volvo's 'no fatal accident' goal

(October 7, 2014) With the development of a new safety feature that locates collision-free escape routes, Volvo Cars has taken one of the final steps towards realizing its vision that by 2020 no one should be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo car.

In December, the four-year Non-Hit Car and Truck project will draw to a close, leaving as its crowning achievement the development of next-generation sensor fusion technologies that provide a seamless 360° view around a car.

Volvo reveals 450 horsepower 2.0-liter Drive-E powertrain concept

(October 8, 2014) GOTHENBURG, Sweden — A new Volvo engine experiment delivers a unique combination of performance and efficiency with the High Performance Drive-E Powertrain Concept — a 2-liter, 4-cylinder gas engine propeled by three turbochargers making 450 horsepower.

Chrysler Group to discontinue factory-backed road racing efforts

(October 7, 201) AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Chrysler Group has announced that it is discontinuing the factory-backed SRT (Street and Racing Technology) Motorsports racing program in IMSA (International Motor Sports Association) with the conclusion of the 2014 season. This decision affects participation in the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship with the Dodge Viper SRT GTS-R GTLM-class team.