UK auto news

Report: UK TV authority lets Jeremy Clarkson off hook for "should be shot" comment

British television watchdog Ofcom has ruled Jeremy Clarkson didn't violate any broadcasting rules when the Top Gear presenter suggested he would deal with striking public workers by taking the time to "execute them in front of their families." While Clarkson later went on to apologize for the remarks after labor unions began making noise about potential legal action, Ofcom said that the comments were meant as satire in their context. BBC has notoriously strict impartiality laws. The report went on to say that given Clarkson's history of controversial comments, viewers are aware of his likelihood to offend.

Ofcom also said the presenter's comments weren't a reflection of his actual beliefs. Clarkson has seemingly made a second career out of garnering the ire of various groups. The equal-opportunity offender has managed to rile Indians, Mexicans, women, Christians, the Welsh, cancer survivors and most of the Arab world at one time or another. That's quite the run.

Report: GM, Peugeot in "advanced alliance talks"

Automotive News is reporting that stories in two other papers, France's La Tribune and England's The Financial Times, assert that General Motors and PSA Peugeot Citroën are "in advanced talks about an alliance." Neither maker would comment on the stories, but it has been well documented that both are looking to turn around their European operations. Peugeot's parent announced 6,000 job cuts late last year and the immediate cessation of Le Mans racing this year. Opel lost hundreds of millions last year and took on a new CEO with a near-vertical climb ahead based on the prognosis for the European market.

If the talks are concluded in the way reports indicate, Opel/Vauxhall and Peugeot would cooperate on projects from developing engines and transmissions to complete models that each could sell. Peugeot already has partnerships with several other automakers, but none are as involved as this one could potentially be. It's understood that no shares in either company would change hands, but a partnership this intense would still require the approval of the Peugeot family.

We wonder if Opel/Vauxhall and Peugeot can do together what each can't seem to achieve alone. Sure, Opel could lower its development costs and with a joint model Peugeot could gain less expensive access to wider markets, but can the two different cultures create cars that would serve their respective brands? Suggestions are that talks are far enough along that an agreement, if achieved, could be announced at the Geneva Motor Show next month.

Official: Lyonheart K aims to rekindle British sporting tradition with E-Type homage

Now celebrating its 50th anniversary, few automobile shapes are as imitated as the legendary Jaguar E-Type. Of course, Jaguar itself has drawn inspiration from its most iconic sportscar with the contemporary XK and the more recent C-X16 concept. Eagle has reinterpreted the classic with modern accoutrements. And about a year ago a Swedish designer by the name of Bo Zolland rendered a sumptuously retro re-imagination of the form with the Growler E.

That design was slated to go into limited production by a firm called Visualtech, but now the design has resurfaced under a new moniker: Lyonheart. Based on a tweaked version of Zolland's renderings, designer Robert Palm has given the retro E a slightly more aggressive look, with more catlike headlamps and retro touches that are somehow even more pronounced.

The new Anglo-Swiss outfit intends to render the shape in carbon fiber, stainless steel, brushed aluminum, chrome, leather and wood veneer and put it into limited production in England for 495,000 euros a pop - equivalent to about $650K. Power is slated to come from a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 with 550 metric horsepower (542 by our standards) and 500 pound-feet of torque, which - coupled with a curb weight targeted under 3,500 lbs - aims to propel the Lyonheart K from 0-62 mph in under four seconds and on to an electronically limited top speed of 300 kph (186 mph).

Follow the jump for the press release and scope out the fresh renderings in the high-res image gallery above for a closer look.

Continue reading Lyonheart K aims to rekindle British sporting tradition with E-Type homage

Official: Renault announces facelifted F1-inspired Twingo R.S.

There are two additional performance versions of the Renault Twingo joining the base model introduced earlier this year: the Twingo R.S. and Twingo Gordini R.S. They are set apart from the donor hatch by a lower bumper element meant to mimic the nose of an F1 car (Mercedes-Benz once did something similar with its sporty cars). The rear bumper is also reshaped, getting a diffuser and "aerodynamic extensions," and the tailgate is topped by a spoiler.

Flared wheel arches set the tone along the flanks of the R.S., but the optional Design Package and 16-inch wheels add contrasting accents, and the Gordini R.S. swaps for 17-inch diamond-effect black rims. Yellow stitching, white and gloss-black inserts highlight the interior, and an optional telemetry system called R.S. Monitor can highlight your driving. Under the hood is the familiar 1.6-liter four-cylinder with 133 horsepower.

Both machines go on sale this month in France and will roll out 19 other countries in March, the U.S. not among them. The Twingo R.S. will require €16,900 ($22,187 U.S.) of your hard-earned cash in France, while the top-flite Gordini R.S. needs €18,100 ($23,762 U.S.). Follow the jump for the press release and more info.

Continue reading Renault announces facelifted F1-inspired Twingo R.S.

Rumormill: 2015 Ford Focus RS to get five doors, turbo four and active noise cancellation

Engines keep getting smaller, but that doesn't mean they're getting weaker. Case in point: Ford, which is developing a new 2.3-liter four with turbocharging and direct injection. It's rumored to go into the Mustang in a couple of years, but sources from across the pond (read: Hot Hatch country) expect it to power the next Focus RS.

The engine would crank out at least 320 horsepower, and replace the 2.5-liter inline-five that Ford borrowed from Volvo (from which it has since divested) for the previous Focus RS. If you're worried that a turbo four would lack the roar of the previous five, Ford is reportedly preparing to equip the new Focus RS with active noise cancellation and pipe in sound to replace it.

Ford is reportedly ruling out the all-wheel drive you'd expect from other hot hatches like the Subaru WRX or Volkswagen Golf R, due to high weight and cost, in favor of the RevoKnuckle torque-steer compensation system found in the previous Focus RS, and similar to the systems used in the Renaultsport Megane and Vauxhall Astra VXR.

Since the new Focus has yet to appear in any form other than four-door sedan, five-door wagon or five-door hatch, Top Gear expects the new Focus RS to pack five doors where the previous model had three.

Video: Watch as motorcycle racers leap over The Mountain at Cadwell Park

Motorsport is full of amazing spectacles, and many of them are directly caused by the various peculiarities of specific race tracks. To wit, Laguna Seca is known for The Corkscrew, Le Mans will always be linked to the Mulsanne Straight, The Nürburgring has The Carousel, and the ability to take Spa's Eau Rouge and Raidillon corners flat-out is what separates the men from the boys.

And then there's The Mountain at Cadwell Park. Though not nearly as well known outside the U.K. as many other race track features, The Mountain may be one of the most exciting places to point a video camera in all of motorsport. It's a small hill that comes up directly after a tight left-to-right S-turn, and it routinely launches the bravest riders high into the sky as they try to get the best drive from the corner possible... and it spits many of them sprawling back out the other side on their bums.

If you're not familiar with The Mountain, we suggest you watch the video after the break. Aim high, boys and girls.

Continue reading Watch as motorcycle racers leap over The Mountain at Cadwell Park

Official: Range Rover celebrates 10th anniversary with special editions

Ten years wouldn't seem like much of an anniversary for an automaker, or even a sub-brand. But we're not talking about a make here, we're talking about one model. That's right: the current Range Rover has been on the market for a decade. Which is a rather long life-cycle for any automobile, but Jaguar Land Rover isn't the least bit embarrassed. In fact it's celebrating the anniversary with a series of special edition models.

Picking up where the Vogue model leaves off, the Westminster Edition features a cabin decked out in leather trim, thick carpeting and piano lacquer veneers, with illuminated treadplates, polished pedals, a 19-speaker Harman/Kardon sound system with Dual View display and heated and cooled front seats. JLR's 4.4-liter turbodiesel V8 pulls all four 20-inch, 10-spoke wheels through an eight-speed automatic.

Meanwhile the Autobiography edition is available with the same engine, or with the supercharged 5.0-liter V8 with six-speed automatic. The Range Rover Design Pack distinguishes the exterior, while the Range Rover Seat Style Pack makes the cabin an even more opulent place to bee with the reclining rear seats and moveable front passenger seat you'd expect to find in a limousine.

Full details can be found in the press release after the jump, including pricing in Land Rover's native market, but so far no word on US availability.

Continue reading Range Rover celebrates 10th anniversary with special editions

Official: Bentley hires David Hilton as new Head of Exterior Design

Bentley has named designer David Hilton as the company's head of exterior design. Hilton ran his own successful design firm for 12 years before accepting the position with the ultra-luxury automaker. He will now report to Dirk van Braeckel, director of design and styling. Hilton is stepping into the shoes of Raul Pires, who left the company at the end of last year to join forces with Italdesign, the Volkswagen-owned design studio.

Hilton has over two decades of automotive design experience under his belt, having worked with companies from Ford to Volkswagen. The last-generation Ford Focus RS is among his notable accomplishments.

He'll have his work cut out for him moving forward. Bentley is slated to unleash a rash of new products in the coming months, including an all-new SUV and a replacement for the company's aging Continental line. Click past the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading Bentley hires David Hilton as new Head of Exterior Design

Official: Aston Martin debuts production V12 Zagato

Aston Martin has pulled back the sheets on the first images of its production V12 Zagato. The road car is headed for an official debut at this year's Geneva Motor Show in March.

Following in the tradition of the automaker's ultra exclusive One-77, the V12 Zagato will take more than 2,000 man-hours to manufacture thanks to hand-hewn body panels, including the hood, roof and doors. Not surprisingly, Aston Martin has committed to building just 150 examples. The V12 Zagato will also make extensive use of carbon fiber, with the front and rear fenders, trunk lid and door sills all constructed from the composite.

Aston Martin created four new colors especially for the V12 Zagato, and paint alone takes 100 hours to complete. Indoors, it takes a full seven hides to cover the cabin in hand-stitched, quilted leather.

The V12 Zagato effectively rides on the same underpinnings as the V12 Vantage, which means buyers can look forward to a 6.0-liter V12 engine with 510 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque, while a six-speed manual transmission puts the power to the ground. Hit the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading Aston Martin debuts production V12 Zagato

Triumph Bonneville Speed Twin Concept is what two-wheel dreams are made of

We don't envy the designers who pen bikes for the likes of Triumph or Harley-Davidson. Machines like the Bonneville and Sportster are inherently popular for their nostalgic looks, and die-hard fans are the first to cry foul when the bikes wander too far from the original recipe. As the Triumph Bonneville Speed Twin Concept elegantly illustrates, that's a crying shame. As the brainchild of English designers Roy Norton and Tom Kasher, the Speed Twin is a modern take on the classic Bonneville. The two started with a Bonnie as a base platform and proceeded to update the machine's aesthetics accordingly.

The conceit began with the simple notion of what the Bonneville could have evolved into were it not so saddled with the nostalgia millstone. The two contacted Triumph while working for a design studio shortly after college, and Triumph Product Manager Simon Warburton gave the concept the go-ahead. The result is what you see here.

The concept uses a heavily modified Bonneville frame in conjunction with muscular-looking girder forks. Barbour cloth covers both the seats and the grips. With an 865cc engine, Thruxton brakes and unique gauges and levers, the Speed Twin is distilled awesome. Warburton is apparently pleased with the final result as well, and says some of the elements may make their way to future Triumph models. Head over to BikeExif for the full story.