Equipment

Even the standard version of the Panamera has all the luxuries you need. This includes cruise control, satellite navigation, parking sensors, leather seats and stylish 18 inch alloy wheels. Is there any need for more? At the higher end of the scale is more sophisticated mechanical component to enhance the car’s ability and cater for the extra power. The options list has all you imagine.

Engines

The engines within the Porsche Panamera are quite spectacular. A hybrid engine is also included, with there being an electric motor along with a 3.0 litre diesel engine combining to reduce fuel costs. Despite being economical the engine offers great power. The 3.6 litre V6 has a great amount of power which will be enough to satisfy most. If that doesn’t suit you then the 4.8 litre V8 petrol has a lot more.

The drive

The Porsche Panamera offers a thrilling and comforting drive, depending on the mode that you wish to select. The Comfort mode offers a more relaxing drive, the Sport mode makes for a more exciting drive and the Sport Plus brings out the character of the car. All modes make for a typical “Porsche like”, with all the agility and power you want, despite the car being distinctly larger compared to other models.

Safety

The Porsche Panamera has a ton of safety equipment which enhances the vehicle’s family credentials. This includes the likes of stability control and eight airbags as standard. The turbo version gets 10. As you can imagine the car is very desirable to thieves. For that reason all vehicles come with a tracking system.

All Porsche Panamera variants

• Hatchback 3.6 V6 5dr – £59,746
• Hatchback 3.0D V6 5dr – £62,134
• Hatchback 3.6 V6 PDK 5dr – £62,134
• Hatchback 3.6 V6 4 PDK 5dr – £65,412
• Hatchback 4.8 V8 S 5dr – £78,221
• Hatchback 4.8 V8 4S PDK 5dr – £84,129
• Hatchback 3.0 V6 S hybrid 5dr – £86,476
• Hatchback 4.8 V8 GTS PDK 5dr – £90,409
• Hatchback 4.8 V8 Turbo PDK 5dr – £103,807
• Hatchback 4.8 V8 Turbo S PDK 5dr – £122,623

Leaving her job as Audi UK Manager

Alison Jones has been named as the first person to enter this specific job. She is the current Chief of Audi UK but will take up her new role on June 1^st. Her main role will be to improve the standards of the company’s customer service. She must report straight to Volkswagen’s Group Managing Director Simon Thomas.

Other job responsibilities

Miss Jones will head all customer service issues of the Volkswagen Group here in the UK. That will mean coverage of all customer services bases. She will be in charge for the Headquarters for Volkswagen’s customer service centre in Leeds. That means that Miss Jones will be required to delve into issues such as customer insight, market research and customer insight. An extra job responsibility required of Miss Jones is that of undergoing a monthly review of alignment and engagement throughout the whole of Volkswagen.

Looking forward to the challenge

It all sounds very difficult and scary somewhat. However Miss Thomas has stated how she is looking forward to the challenges in her now role saying “I know Alison will relish the challenges involved in giving greater strategic impetus to our drive to deliver industry-leading customer service in all brands, at all levels and in all areas. Our future must be based on a business model that puts the customer at the centre of our planning priorities and builds our growth plans based on a strong foundation of new car purchase loyalty and service retention.”

Previous experience

She went on to explain how her past will help her settle in to her new role fairly quickly. “As a previous head of contact strategy, customer service and after sales in Volkswagen and head of operations in Audi, Alison has extensive experience and a deep understanding of our customers’ needs.”

The problem with overcapacity

Volkswagen seems to be coping better than other mass car producers around Europe but this has not prevented speculation of potential plant closures. Consumer confidence throughout is falling dramatically thanks to the Euro Zone debts. There is a major overcapacity problem as demand unfortunately does not meet the amount cars that are being produced.

Production from 1951 to 1979

With production occurring from August 1951 to January 1979, there were many cars developed. The car has now been restored, with the last ever of the 288,353 Volkswagen Beetle undergoing a great deal of work.

Damage in 2006

The car went through a great deal of damage back in 2006. This was due to an accident which also damaged 8 other historic vehicles that were destined to be displayed at the AutoPavillion.

A new body shell

As the car was write off, another body shell in near new condition from the same era was found and restored onto the car. Parts that were able to be recovered were sprayed metallic bronze which was the original colour.

Different chassis number

An official restoration process requires the vehicle to have the same chassis number. This time round that specific detail is different.

John Wagner

Johan Wagner, the Manager of the Volkswagen AutoPavillion said how the car was almost in it’s original state back in the 1970’s. His exact words were “All the mechanicals and most of the interior from the original car could still be used. The original car was loaded with luxury features not found on any of the models which preceded it.”

“It was built with most of the luxury features of the higher specification and limited edition 1600′s such as the Fun Bug, Lux Bug, Jeans Bug and Snug Bug.”

Special features of the car

Special features of the vehicle includes taper-tip exhaust pipes, black fender spats, a special gearlever knob, a cigarette lighter, Bilboa cloth upholstery, Rostyle rims and a centre tunnel console.

In total it has taken a total of two years for the car to be fully brought up to acceptable standards. It really is a fitting tribute to one of the country’s best ever vehicles.

The new Volkswagen Beetle

Many are looking forward to the new generation Volkswagen Beetle, set to hit the South African car market later on in the year. This time round Volkswagen has promised that the car will be more a masculine car, meaning it will not mainly purchased by females.

Engines

We start off with the exceptional performance that the Porsche is able to produce from it’s list of great engines.

If you decide to go for the “basic” 2.9 litre version you won’t regret it. The vehicle is able to push out a maximum of 252 BHP which brings about a wholly exceptional performance. You will reach 0 – 62 MPH in less than six seconds. Would you need any more power? If you do then the Porsche S can hit a maximum of 306 BHP from it’s 3.4 litre engine.

The drive

Driving the Porsche Boxter provides everyone with a great deal of fun and excitement. The car is extremely agile, taking corners at speed with ease and changing direction in an instant. The grip that the car possesses on the road is nothing short of exceptional. Active Suspension Management is installed so that vehicle’s handling is greatly improved but comfort is sacrificed.

Within the car’s class, the Boxter probably the best mix of performance and agility. Revving the engine is sure to bring out some great excitement.

Quality

Porsche as you would have expected provide a great deal of quality on all their vehicles and the Boxter is no different. Materials of the highest quality are used throughout, from the car’s mechanical structuring and components to the car’s exterior. No one usually complains of any mechanical problems with car containing a great level of reliability.

Practicality

Surprisingly the Porsche Boxter contains a great amount of practicality. In fact it is one of the most practical cars in it’s class. Two people can sit in comfort; no one will be too squashed. On the wings of the car there are two neat and sizeable storage spaces.

The driving position is excellent. You will be synced in with the speed and get a great view of the road ahead at the same time. The steering wheel can be adjusted for height and reach, allowing everyone to find their perfect position.

Porsche Boxter variants

• Open 2.9 2dr – £36,572
• Open 3.4 S 2dr – £43,800
• Open 3.4 S Black Edition 2dr – £47,426
• Open 3.4 Spyder 2dr – £47,843
• Open 3.4 Spyder PDK 2dr – £49,846

According to American reports, Porsche are planning a saloon type of vehicle that will rival the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the BMW 5 Series.  That will certainly add some interesting and much needed competition.

To be released in 2017

It will be a smaller version for the highly successful Panamera and will be called the Pajun. It has been confirmed that Porsche are hoping that vehicle hits the car market by the year 2017. It will come with a variety of engines, costing between €65,000 and €100,000.

Porsche Panamera Hybrid

The new Porsche Panamera hybrid diesel has edged closer to release in China. At present it comes with a choice of 6 different engines and 3 transmissions.

Porsche have expressed their desire to expand their model range from 4 all the way up to 7, with them hoping to increase their annual output to 200,000. Next year is to see the beginning of the Macan compact SUV model.

Brand new Porsche Boxter released

Porsche have released the brand new Boxter here in the UK with a starting price of £37,589. The Porsche Boxter S will cost £45,384.

Increase of 10 BHP

A flat six 2.7 litre engine sits in both variants. Although the engine has been downgraded from a 2.7 litre engine, it hits 10 BHP more with a maximum of 265 BHP.

Made lighter to enhance the performance

This time round the car’s performance has been greatly enhanced in a not so typical fashion. The car’s agility and stability has been improved thanks to a 35 kg weight loss. The wheelbase has been increased by 60mm. The wheels and the tyres have been made a lot larger in order to handle a greater amount of power.

Improved economy

Economy is all important, even to sports car makers like Porsche. That’s why fuel efficiency and emissions are said to have been improved by a brilliant 15 per cent. It will deliver an outstanding 36.7 MPG of fuel and emit just 180g/km of C02 emissions.

An refreshed look

The new Boxter now has smaller front and rear overhangs. The roofline has been lowered, distinguishing the new model from the outgoing variant.

119,000 ideas

The project was initially launched in China just under one year ago. Different residents of China were asked to get involved and design various concept vehicles and different technologies, hence the project title “People’s Car Project”. The original project deadline was meant to end this year, however that has been extended after a phenomenal amount of interest. All ideas were submitted online through a dedicated Volkswagen website. In total there were 119,000 submissions with 33 million hits.

Hover car

The Auto China 2012 displayed one of those concepts, a spectacular Hover Car. This is an environmentally vehicle which has two seats. The car floats above the ground using electromagnetic MagLev technology. This is perhaps the perfect solution for getting around the city. It’s fuel efficient, friendly towards the environment and most importantly extremely practical. Don’t expect like the cars that you see in Futurama. The car was designed to hover just above ground level.

Music car

Another idea showcased at the Auto China event was a wonderful Music Car. It is a very individual type of vehicle which blends into whatever music track that it is playing. That means the colour of the body will change as different music is played with the use of organic light diodes. This vehicle is designed to attract the younger generation.

Smart Key

The Smart key concept is also set to be shown off at the event. The 9 mm item is a futuristic tool which has a high resolution screen built within. This allows drivers to check on various elements within the vehicle such fuel consumption and climate conditions. The car’s security can be checked upon with the 3G network.

A new era

Luca de Meo, a marketing executive for Volkswagen said “The People’s Car Project in China marks the beginning of a new era in automobile design. We are no longer just building cars for, but also with customers and at the same time initiating a national dialogue which gives us a deep insight into the design preferences, needs and requirements of Chinese customers.”

It is unlikely that any of these concepts will be developed anytime soon but it is quite exciting to see such futuristic ideas. Perhaps we will see such cars in the future.

Foreign automakers taking charge

April sales equalled 530,000 in North America for American based automakers. That figure means that domestic manufacturers have a 44.8 per cent market share, down from 46.5 per cent in April 2011. European based car manufacturer’s sold 118,000 which equals 10 per cent of the market. That has resulted in an 8.6 per cent increase.

Volkswagen’s strides in North America

Volkswagen along with BMW and Mercedes-Benz ensured that North America’s market share has been heavily increased. The Passat and Jetta sedan vehicle have shown the most improvement. Volkswagen’s market share hit 3.2 per cent which is an increase from 2.5 per cent back in April 2011.

Volkswagen gain was General Motors’ and Ford’s loss. The two rival American automotive giants saw a heavy decrease in market share when compared to last year. Both companies’ shares fell by 2 per cent and one per cent respectively.

Toyota’s comeback

Toyota’s reputation has fallen from grace after a number of recalls. However following a year of disaster after the Tsunami and Thailand floods, Toyota have began making a huge comeback.

Their sales now grew by 11.6 per cent in the month of April. Market share now for the Japanese company has now hit 15 per cent. Subaru were the closest in terms of sales in April. The likes of Honda, Kia and Nissan have surprisingly fell behind. Many have put the company’s success down to the Toyota Camry. This particular model sold a tremendous 37,000. That’s a 21 per cent increase from 12 months ago. The famous Toyota Prius hybrid managed to double it’s sales figures from the previous year. The Camry is now the most popular passenger vehicle in North America. The Toyota Prius has been placed at number three with the Honda Accord being number two.

Did Ford and General Motors lose focus?

It appears that Ford and General Motors were too concerned on beating each other that they forget about the rest of the competition. This is clearly a good sign for Volkswagen who hopes to pip General Motors to the number one car producer spot by 2018.  Toyota are now on their way to becoming the United States number one car supplier. Will these patterns continue?

Looks

The front grille is wonderfully shaped helping to add the new dynamic look and feel. The headlights appear to be slightly wider which again add to the dynamic look. The shapely bonnet has not changed from the previous generation but blends in well with other elements.

Varioflex

The inside of the car has a wonderful flexibility about it, as the ‘Varioflex’ system may suggest. Amazingly this offers a grand total of 20 different seating positions, meaning there is a plan for any type of situation. The back seats are able to recline backwards, a feature you mainly only receive with the front seats. The two wing seats are able to slide back and forwards, again just like a driver and passenger seat. The boot is quite large and offers a great amount of room for storage. However if that isn’t enough, all seats are able to be removed to create a grand total of 1,780 litres. That’s quite a lot of space, after all the vehicle is called the Roomster!

Equipment

In terms of equipment, the Roomster could be compared to some vehicles that are above it’s class on the UK market. The car includes a great deal, with manual air conditioning, remote central locking and plenty more. The optional extras are endless, allowing owners to cater their vehicle however they want including the likes of Bluetooth connectivity ability (not available on S trim models).

The price of the car starts from £9,990 and is available to purchase now.

Skoda’s Quarter 1 sales up

The Skoda Roomster has played a big part in helping Skoda achieve profits in the first Quarter of 2012. Worldwide sales equalled 242,700 units which is 11.8 per cent more than the same period the previous year. Here in the UK new registrations of Skoda are increased by 24 per cent. Approximately 14,000 vehicles were sold in the first quarter of the year.

Can Skoda keep their success up throughout the year? It is clear that they are a major factor behind the recent success of Volkswagen and will play a fundamental role in helping the group achieve their 2018 target.

Performance

The best engines from the petrol side to look out for are the turbocharged 1.2 litre, 1.4 litre and 1.8 litre. The 1.6 litre version is a non-turbo and is probably best to avoid.

The diesel engine variants include a 1.6 litre and two variants of a 2.0 litre engine.

Shifting down a gear will allow accelerating to high speeds with ease. The performance on all engines is pretty good. The vRS models come with a 2.0 litre turbocharged 197 BHP petrol variants and a 2.0 diesel 168 BHP variant too comes with an optional DSG semi-automatic gearbox.

The drive

Driving the Octavia Estate is quite a pleasurable experience for the driver and passengers. The car has great handling and a lot of grip at the same time. The suspension within the car is firm and brings about a lot of comfort for passengers.

Running costs

The Greenline II model offers a spectacular 67 MPG which is great value for money with low C02 emissions. All other models are quite valuable too in terms their economical values.

The car is not as expensive as rivals and also holds it’s value very well.

Practicality

Four large adults are able to in the car with a great amount of leg and headroom. At the rear there is 580 litres of boot space which is enough room for anyone. Putting the seats down will amount to a total of 1,620 litres of space.

Some Skoda Octavia Estate variants

• Estate 1.4 16v 80 S 5dr – £14,320
• Estate 1.2 TSI S 5dr – £15,070
• Estate 1.4 TSI S 5dr – £15,605
• Estate 1.8 TSI 152 SE Plus 5dr – £18,220
• Estate 1.6 TDI CR SE 5dr – £18,450
• Estate 1.6 TDI CR Greenline II 5dr – £19,205
• Estate 1.8 TSI 160 Elegance 5dr – £19,240
• Estate 1.6 TDI CR SE Plus 5dr – £19,470
• Estate 2.0 TFSI vRS 5dr – £21,370
• Estate 2.0 TDI CR 140 4×4 5dr – £21,535
• Estate 2.0 TDI CR 170 vRS 5dr – £22,195
• Estate 1.8 TSI 160 Laurin & Klement 5dr – £22,210
• Estate 2.0 TDI CR 140 Scout 4×4 5dr – £22,720
• Estate 2.0 TDI CR 140 Laurin& Klement 5dr – £23,760

Engines

Whilst reading this particular section, you may think that the Cayenne is a sports car. The car comes with a range of five engines. The “basic” engine is a 3.6 litre V6 capable of producing 295 BHP. The Porsche S upgrades to a 4.8 litre V8 capable of reaching 395 BHP. If that isn’t fast enough for you, the 4.8 litre V8 Turbo achieves a staggering 493 BHP.

For those who want more economy rather than power, the diesel option comes with a 3.0 litre V6 engine capable of achieving 242 BHP. The Hybrid S comes with a 3.0 litre petrol engine combined with an electric motor. You don’t usually hear of hybrid vehicles hitting 375 BHP.

Safety and Security

Porsche have installed a ton of exceptional safety equipment for all that power to be contained. Stability control is installed as standard as many had expected. This helps avoid a potential accident, keeping the car’s balance during awkward moments. Front, side and curtain airbags are included to keep everyone as safe as possible. Models at the highest end of the scale will contain vehicle tracking systems.

Quality

The Porsche Cayenne is built to last, containing an exceptional amount of quality from the build of the car’s components to the interior. There are some beautiful touches inside the cabin with a wonderfully attractive design. Quality doesn’t really get any better than this.

Equipment

All Porsche Cayenne’s have a great deal of equipment with the optional extra list containing anything you could wish for. As standard the car comes with leather seats, much needed front and rear parking sensors, electrically adjustable front seats and cruise control.

Practicality

You don’t usually hear this word being used to describe a Porsche but the Cayenne is not your typical Porsche. There is space for five people to sit within. The seats split 60/40 and the boot has a good amount of space.

Porsche Cayenne variants

• 4×4 3.6 V6 5dr – £42,990
• 4×4 3.0 V6 Diesel 5dr – £46,338
• 4×4 4.8 V8 S 5dr – £56,301
• 4×4 3.0 V6 S Hybrid 5dr – £60,506
• 4×4 4.8 V8 Turbo 5dr – £86,896