UK industry set to emerge unscathed from Emissionsgate

THE now well-documented decision by Volkswagen to try and manipulate exhaust emissions tests in the United States has backfired on the company in more ways than one.

Its share price was sent tumbling and it was forced to make the kind of grovelling apologies which are beloved by everyone except the shareholders of the offender.

The old adage that cheats never prosper could now be about to come back and bite VW on the rump.

But will they be the only ones affected by this whole sorry affair?
Well, no they won’t.

The actions of one company have now muddied the waters for the whole industry and many buyers will be left asking themselves the same question – well if they did it, did anyone else.

The problem is it has sown the element of doubt in the buyer’s mind and they may never be certain any other manufacturer is telling the truth.

That is a sad state of affairs and one that the industry could well do without at the moment.

The fortunate thing for the UK car industry is that it appears untarnished by what has happened.

The recall announced by VW appears to be confined to its own brand vehicles, meaning the likes of Audi, Seat and Skoda are all unaffected as is crucially to the UK industry, Bentley.

Any whiff of scandal around the luxury market is unwelcome and when your stable also includes Lamborghini and Bugatti then you cannot afford to take any risks.

But then with the company the size of VW – the world’s second largest vehicle producer – is the apparent perpetrator, who knows if the rules even apply any more.

This is what UK trade body, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders had to say.

In a statement, it said: “The UK automotive industry understands the concerns consumers may have following the actions of one manufacturer in regard to emissions testing and the subsequent decision to recall a large number of its cars. This is, however, an issue affecting just one company and there is no evidence to suggest that any other company is involved, let alone that this is an industry-wide issue.
 
“Consumers should be reassured that cars sold in the UK must comply with strict European laws. All cars must complete a standard emissions test, which, unlike in the US, is independently witnessed by a government-appointed independent agency.
 
“On the separate on-going debate about real world testing, industry accepts that the current test method for cars is out of date and is seeking agreement from the European Commission for a new emissions test that embraces new testing technologies and which is more representative of on-road conditions.”

This should at least go some way towards restoring faith in the UK industry.

As for what happens in the US and Germany, that remains to be seen.

Astra set for new lease of life

IT is sad that Emissionsgate will do so much to overshadow a lot of the positive news surrounding the UK motor industry.

A week ago, UK manufacturers held sway at the Frankfurt Motor Show when the major concern facing most companies was whether they could overcome a possible downturn in the emerging economies.

Now with the industry seeming to have shot itself in the foot, that particular ladder looks a little steeper.

Nevertheless, there are still reasons to be positive – none more so than a special landmark in the history of a British icon, the Vauxhall Astra.

Along with the Ford Escort/Focus it has been a best seller for the best part of three decades.

Now, to celebrate the launch of the all-new seventh generation Astra, workers at the Ellesmere Port manufacturing plant – home of the Astra for over 36 years – choreographed 128 new models to create the image of the Union Jack flag.

Vauxhall’s seventh generation Astra is the eleventh major model-line to be built at Ellesmere Port and guarantees 2,000 jobs at the Cheshire plant over the next decade.  The plant secured a long-term contract in 2012 and a £140m investment which further demonstrates the brand’s continued commitment to manufacturing the iconic car in Britain.

The patriotic image, orchestrated in under 24-hours, pays tribute to over 36 years of manufacturing the Brit-built best-seller, which has seen over five million cars roll off the Ellesmere Port production line. Three million have been sold in the UK alone – with 50,000 in the past 12 months and two million exported to 25 European markets. It is estimated that at full production in 2016, the plant will build approximately 680 Astras per day with further growth in subsequent years.

The British success story extends beyond the Astra itself – as for over 50 years, Ellesmere Port has been the manufacturing home of every compact class Vauxhall in the UK. With nearly 25 per cent of parts sourced locally from UK suppliers, the plant is a significant contributor the local economy and the continued investment at the facility is set to boost UK manufacturing, utilities, construction, transportation and storage companies by at least £70m.

New Brit-built Vauxhall Astra – In Numbers:
•    One in four Britons has owned an Astra
•    c25% of a Vauxhall Astra is produced from British sourced materials
•    It takes approximately 24 hours to build an Astra, from sheet steel to the finished article – this is expected to reduce to just 22 hours as production grows
•    Three million Astras have been sold over the past 36 years – 50,000 in the past 12 months
•    Five million vehicles have been manufactured at Ellesmere Port, with two million exported to 25 European markets
•    £140m investment in the Ellesmere Port factory
•    The Ellesmere Port plant will build approximately 680 cars per day and 120,000 per year

Tim Tozer, Vauxhall’s chairman and managing director said: “The all-new Brit built Astra raises the bar in terms of quality, design and connectivity.  Lighter than ever before, with new powertrains and cutting-edge technology, the new Astra is set to shake up the C-segment when it arrives in showrooms.

“The Vauxhall Astra has been one of Britain’s best-selling and most-loved cars produced for over three decades. The next generation Astra not only continues to drive this legacy and celebrate the strong British heritage of the brand, but is also a key investment for the home of the Astra – Ellesmere Port – and celebrating the workers who have built the vehicle to world class levels of quality and productivity, making it a household name.”

The all-new Astra is in Vauxhall showrooms from October, priced from £15,295 on the road.

New BMW X1 set to continue original model’s success

BMW’s compact Sports Activity Vehicle, the X1, was a huge success following its launch in 2009. More than 730,000 of the first generation vehicle were sold globally – 40,000 in the UK alone.

Now an all-new BMW X1 has been unveiled, which features dynamic BMW X styling, a sporting character blended with efficiency, and an array of innovative comfort, safety and infotainment features.
 
Featuring an all-new range of engines and gearboxes, plus the latest version of BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive system, the second generation of the BMW X1 is said to exemplify BMW’s EfficientDynamics philosophy. At market launch, one petrol engine and three diesel options are offered.

The vehicle’s proportions hint at its off-road capabilities, while the sculpted surfaces and genre-specific design features clearly mark the X1 out as a member of the BMW X model family.

The front is defined by the large, upright BMW kidney grille, three-section lower air intake and characteristic “four-eyed” look formed by the twin circular head lights and fog lamps. Standard specification for the new BMW X1 includes LED daytime driving lights and for xLine and M Sport models full-LED headlights for low and high beam. This is optional for Sport line models.
 
The new car has grown most notably in height compared to its predecessor (+53mm), which helps to create extra space in the interior. When viewed from the side, the window surfaces taper towards the rear creating a particularly dynamic impression. At the rear, the central section of the rear apron rises up significantly, mimicking the frontal styling.

Customers can choose from two non-metallic and 11 metallic exterior paint finishes for their new BMW X1, while the Estoril Blue metallic shade is also offered exclusively for the M Sport model.
 
On the inside, the new X1 strikes a balance between driver focus and practical elegance. The flat surfaces of the instrument panel and centre console controls are angled towards the driver, while the controls located in the lower section are surrounded by high-quality surfaces and are separated from the front passenger side by a newly designed bar. The instrument cluster, consisting of two circular instruments and framed by a small binnacle, also helps the driver to focus on the driving experience. Meanwhile, the iDrive operating system’s Control Display comes in the form of a 6.5-inch or, optionally, 8.8-inch freestanding monitor. Navigation is standard on the new X1, as it is on all BMWs from September onwards. The rear seat bench comes as standard with a three-section split/folding backrest and is available as an option with the ability to slide forwards and backwards by 13cm.
 
Standard specification in the UK for the new BMW X1 includes cloth seat surfaces in the colour combination Anthracite/Black, and interior trim strips in Oxide, Silver dark matt with accent strips in high-gloss Black. Dakota leather trim in Black or Canberra Beige can be ordered as an option, as can interior trim strips in fine- wood matt Oak Grain and Fineline Stream. Beyond that, three further model lines can be selected:
 
The xLine model features a BMW kidney grille with bars that are matt aluminium at the front, with matt silver accents for the air intakes, side skirts and underbody protection. The interior trim comprises Dakota leather with perforated and contrast stitching, available in Mocha, Oyster, Black or Canberra beige with black accents and interior trim strips in high-gloss Black with accent strips in Pearl Gloss Chrome. This pack also benefits from LED headlights and heated front seats.
 
The Sport Line model features black BMW kidney grille bars, air intakes with accents in high-gloss Black and underbody protection in Black Silver with an inlay painted – like the side skirts – in body colour. The interior of the Sport Line model features black sports seats with either red or grey accents, and interior trim strips in high-gloss Black or aluminium with accent strips in matt Coral Red.
 
M Sport models are fitted with a model-specific M aerodynamic package and 18-inch or optionally 19-inch M light-alloy wheels. This pack also benefits from LED headlights. The interior features heated front sports seats in anthracite-coloured cloth/Alcantara with blue accents, and Aluminium Hexagon interior trim strips with accent strips in matt Blue. An M leather steering wheel and a BMW Individual headliner in Anthracite are also specified.
 
Dakota leather trim with perforation in several colours is also available as an option exclusively for the Sport Line, xLine and M Sport models, and a selection of other interior trim strip variants can be specified. Added to which, all equipment lines include 18-inch light-alloy wheels in their own specific design, exclusive door sill plates and an LED lighting package with vicinity and door handle lights, ambient lighting with variable use of colours and LED optical fibres in the door panel trim.

Prices will start at £26,780 for the sDrive 18d, rising to £36.060 for the xDrive 25d.