Jodie Kidd, model and self-confessed speed freak, took on former Stig and champion racing driver Ben Collins in a short film that pitted the two petrol heads against each other for the title of most fuel efficient driver. The film, created for the New Thinker’s Index – an interactive digital experience which aims to challenge the way people think – shows the two drivers undergoing a race filled with tests set to challenge their natural approach to driving. The driver that tops the podium and takes pole position is the one that manages to curb their natural need for speed in order to use the least fuel throughout the race. Kidd talks about her experience “Whilst it is great to sit behind the wheel and go hell for leather, this challenge needed me to think in a whole new way about driving. The New Thinker’s Index Big Green Race taught me a lot about fuel efficiency and how to affect it with my driving style, which is definitely knowledge that will be useful day-to-day. I came out as a Natural Thinker on the test which makes sense as I do tend to go with my gut , whereas Ben came out as a Self Aware thinker – I think you can see that the test is pretty accurate by our different approaches to the race!” Collins agrees, ‘As a racing driver you can analyse and agree an approach to a race with your team before it starts because you have a good idea of the variables before you even get in the car. This challenge needed me to think differently as I didn’t know how Jodie would approach the race and there were decisions that had to be made on the spot along with on-going calculations of speed and distance vs. fuel efficiency – it was definitely a whole new way of thinking for me!” Jodie and Ben joins a host of high profile personalities from a variety of disciplines who have put their minds to the test to launch the New Thinker’s Index for Hyundai including land speed record holder Richard Noble OBE. Richard was challenged to think differently by working with a group of children to see if he could help them increase their speed to win the Belchford Soapbox Challenge race. The series of short films look at new ways of thinking and an online test enables you to compare the way your mind works to great thinkers of the past; famous sports stars, music legends and actors of the present. To see the films and take the test visit www.newthinking.uk.msn.com.

Any of the various types of car crash that can potentially be experienced by motorists has the ability to cause serious and even life-threatening damage to the occupants of the vehicles involved. This can be particularly true for the occupants of vehicles that are involved in a head on frontal collision. When people think of motor crashes, the kind that most people picture is that of head on collisions, although these are not really any more or less common than other types. Head on collisions do not have to be with other vehicles, as it is also possible to hit stationary objects such as trees or lampposts. However, these crashes can cause irreparable damage to both the occupants and to the vehicles themselves.

Of all types of crashes, head on collisions used to be particularly responsible for fatal injuries because of the effect the brute force of the impact has on the body. This is why safety features such as airbags have been introduced to cushion the force of this impact. There can be a number of causes of this type of crash, including a motorist driving the wrong way up a one-way street, someone driving with excessive speed, or the driver being distracted and failing to follow road signs correctly. In such circumstances as these, if you are the driver of another vehicle and are involved in a head on collision due to any of these circumstances, you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation against the driver responsible. In this situation you should contact a legal firm with the appropriate expertise, such as Road Traffic Accidents, as soon as you are able.

Despite the improvements in safety features, these types of crashes can still cause considerable damage to person and vehicle. It is possible to suffer head, spine, and back or soft tissue injuries as a result of a head on crash, as well as possible internal damage or broken bones. It is also likely that your vehicle will sustain significant frontal damage, as a result. If you have been involved in such an accident you can talk to a professional Irwin Mitchell Road Traffic Lawyer for advice and help with what to do next.

Ahead of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, a quiet beach in Wales echoes with the sound of the new BMW M5′s twin turbo engines as precision driver Wolfgang Weber enjoys drifting around Pendine Sands to help us support the BMW London 2012 Performance Team athletes.

Honda announces the new Civic at the IAA Frankfurt Motor Show. Developed specifically for the European market, the Civic will be offered exclusively as a five-door hatchback and will compete in the C-segment. It will reach European showrooms in early 2012.

Introduction
The Civic team led by Mitsuru Kariya, the ‘Large Project Leader’ (LPL), were given the task to create and develop the new Civic. With the current Civic being known for its unique exterior styling and interior practicality within the C segment in Europe, Mitsuru Kariya and his team were keen to further understand the needs and desires of the European customers. The current Civic became the benchmark focus for their research to create a car that was even better.
“… when evaluating the requirements of our customers, we recognised that the European customer desires are demanding and unique in many aspects. We have focussed our development on fulfilling these expectations and through this process we have taken our development standards even further to a new level.” (Mitsuru Kariya, LPL)
With the current increase of fuel prices across Europe and the environmental targets set to achieve low emissions, it was concluded from the European customer survey that the current Civic customer not only considers modern styling and performance to be important but also advanced technologies to create a Civic that was even more cost efficient to run and eco-friendly.
The development period for the new Civic spanned over four years. Nearly all of components are new to the Civic or have been further developed with areas of focus on the suspension set-up to improve the ride and handling, the interior materials to improve the overall interior quality, the new design styling and aerodynamics for a refreshed image and improved efficiency, and the engines for improved performance and reduced CO2 emissions.
Overall the new Civic builds on the core strengths of its predecessor and takes them to an appreciably higher level. It also is one of the sector’s best in performance against low CO2 emissions – the diesel model produces just 110 g/km with 150 PS and 350 Nm of torque.

Background and Research
The current Civic originally launched in 2006 saw a change in the type of layout approach with the development of a unique platform based on a “centre tank” layout designed to offer practical benefits such as large cabin space meeting the needs of Europe’s “C” category customers. The Civic was designed and developed for the European market receiving positive feedback in areas such as design and versatility/practicality which have helped define the current Civic as having ‘road presence’ with its ‘futuristic looks;’ and having a ‘multi-purpose’ function with the large boot space and multiple seat arrangements offered by the ‘magic seats’.
As research commenced, the development team for the new Civic considered these key milestones achieved with the current Civic and opted to maintain and even look to enhance the current Civic model qualities. The team wanted to create a new emotional design with the ability to surprise and provide the unexpected in terms of roominess and other practical features whilst also improving the visibility and widening the field of vision to enhance the overall ownership experience.
The current Civic had already achieved superior interior space with an unbeatable boot capacity among its competitors. Focus now was on maintaining this class leading interior space whilst improving the overall packaging and space efficiency in the attempt to reduce overall dimensions. This would lead to a new exterior design, improved aerodynamic performance, reducing weight that play a role in raising the car’s overall performance envelope.
Focused research was conducted to determine the latest and most important requirements for the European market. European and Japanese designers and engineers worked together closely throughout the development process. Testing was carried out first in Japan and then repeatedly in Europe to ensure suitability for the world’s most demanding C-segment customers.
“the car had to be safe and easy to handle, affordable and so on … premium in terms of having a good balance of affordable performance.” (Mitsuru Kariya, LPL)
The Civic development team turned to drivers, dealers and the media to evaluate the existing Civic and define the essential ‘must keep’ features and qualities, as well as the priorities for the new model. Drivers appreciated the distinct styling and form of the car, with its futuristic looks and practicality. However their feedback suggested that the car’s rear design could be more sophisticated and that rear view could be improved. Inside the Civic the modern and user-friendly cockpit design was appreciated, as were the spacious cabin and versatile ‘magic seats’, but users demanded an improvement in the quality of the materials used. Drivers were impressed with the driving experience, but noted that suspension noise could be reduced and ride comfort increased.
Research revealed that the typical Civic driver is attracted to unique, fresh design with sporty performance and advanced technologies. The environment was defined as a high priority, with customers demanding high fuel economy and low emissions.

Concept and development
Initial ideas for the new Civic explored the realm of the car having a ‘Lean Energetic’ design. ‘Lean’ was to emphasize the environmental-conscious world existing today, and ‘Energetic’ to express Honda’s vitality. This design direction translated into a ‘Clean-Dynamic’ design concept.
The design team often referred back to their sources of inspiration to help define ‘Clean- Dynamic’, a ‘blended body’ airplane in which fuselage and wings blend into a single body for superior aerodynamic performance, quietness and habitability. Other inspiration was swimwear and track outfits worn by the athletes which provide low resistance.
Initial sketches focused on elegantly flowing designs taken from the ‘blended body’ airplane (a concept model designed by engineers at the University of Cambridge) and low resistance swimwear with no obvious borderlines between surfaces with bumper and fender lines blending seamlessly into the body.
This concept was a clear break in a new direction, rather than relying on sheer strength and engine power to convey a sporty image, a ‘blended body’ with reduced resistance would demonstrate a smarter image for the new Civic.
The team returned to these sources over and over again during the design process, using them as a touchstone when they needed to reaffirm their direction.

Drive trains
The new Civic will be offered with three engine options: a 1.4 l petrol unit, a 1.8 l petrol unit and a 2.2 l diesel unit. All the engines are combined with a 6-speed manual gearbox, ECO Assist, advanced fueling control technology and Idle Stop. They are also equipped with Hill Start Assist. The 1.8 l engine can be paired with a specially designed 5-speed automatic transmission.
The chief goal in the engine and transmission development was to maintain the high performance driving experience whilst improving the overall efficiency of the engine resulting in lower running costs.

For Kia, What You Like influences us to move forward, challenging us to enter new frontiers of automotive technology and design. These innovations lead us to new lifestyles that are unique and fun. Alongside our core brand beliefs – ‘Challenger’, ‘Human-driven’ and ‘Spirited’, we aim to deliver a unique customer experience inspired by What You Like. We know that everyone looks for something different when they look for a car and Kia want to know What You Like with the help of our new global brand campaign; Kia, Inspired by What You Like.

We know that everyone looks for something different when they look for a car and Kia want to know What You Like with the help of our new global brand campaign; Kia, Inspired by What You Like.
Join our Facebook page to share with other Kia fans aspects that you like about Kia cars and exactly what you look for in a car and be rewarded with your very own wallpaper using our ‘What do you like?’ app. Enter our ‘Like Lab’ to explore the unlimited possibilities of Kia’s forward thinking via interactive social video letting you control and integrate what you ‘LIKE’ into the Kia story.

In addition, Kia are offering two fans the chance to win a trip for two to the 2012 Australian Open Men’s Singles Final on the 29th January 2012 by correctly selecting the seven things that you believe our Kia Brand Ambassador Rafael Nadal ‘likes’ in our global competition ‘Guess What Nadal Likes’. To be in with a chance of winning, visit our Kia Motors UK Facebook page and enter the competition via our ‘I like Kia’ Facebook tab. The winners for this competition will be announced on December 10th 2011.

This year, Volkswagen is celebrating 35 years of the iconic Golf GTI. To celebrate the much loved model’s anniversary, Volkswagen has not only launched a special edition anniversary model, but also turned it into a ‘time machine’ and sent it back in time to revisit the brand’s unique history.
The online campaign launches with a film which opens at an event for the Golf GTI Edition 35. The live audience is introduced to the new car by TV presenter and racing driver, Amanda Stretton, and the Golf GTI’s engineers, before witnessing it vanish before their eyes as it travels back in time. Viewers can then follow the journey of the Golf GTI ‘time machine’ through a series of videos on Facebook. The first shows the time travelling car appear at Volkswagen’s German headquarters at Wolfsburg in 1976, where the Golf GTI ‘time travel’ journey begins.
Fans of the Golf GTI can watch the viral film and follow the time travelling Edition 35 as it takes a trip through the decades and visits a range of historic moments, on the Volkswagen UK Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/VolkswagenUK

Filed under: Celebrities, Design/Style

Chris Bangle has been awarded the 2012 Lifetime Design Achievement Award by the Detroit Institute of Ophthalmology for his work in vehicle design. EyesOn Design calls on past award winners to vote for the yearly recipient, and this year’s jurors included names like Walter de’Silva, Sergio Pininfarina and Jack Telnack among others. The jurors chose Bangle for his distinguished career that includes time with Opel, Fiat and, most notoriously, BMW. The designer famously redesigned the BMW 3 Series and 7 Series and helped bring vehicles like the X5 and X6 to life.

But while Bangle may have been a polarizing force among BMW faithful, he also had a hand in crafting the Mini line as well as the Rolls-Royce Ghost and Phantom. Bangle’s designs are largely credited with helping BMW overtake Mercedes-Benz as the world’s leading luxury automaker. He currently operates a design studio in Turin, Italy, though EyesOn Design will present Bangle the Lifetime Achievement Award at a black tie event in June at the Eleanor and Edsel Ford House.

Continue reading Former BMW lightning rod Chris Bangle to receive Lifetime Design Achievement Award

Former BMW lightning rod Chris Bangle to receive Lifetime Design Achievement Award originally appeared on WorldCarsNews on Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Safety, Chevrolet, GM

The Camaro usually compels us to forget about most things other than horsepower, quarter-mile times and smoky burnouts. As such, “safe” would have to be somewhere near the bottom of attributes that come to mind when we think about the venerable pony car with a Chevrolet badge on its decklid.

But here it is in black and white (and yellow): The Chevy Camaro coupe is the first vehicle to earn a perfect score in National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s safety testing since the federal testing procedures were revised for 2011, according to Examiner.com. While other vehicles have earned an overall NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating, the Camaro was the first to score a perfect five-star rating in all six test categories. Those include frontal barrier crash test ratings for the driver and passenger, side crash ratings for the driver and passenger, a rollover rating and the vehicle’s overall rating.

While the report indicates that NHTSA has not yet tested its entire slate of 2012 model year vehicles, of the 46 that have completed the process, only 14 have received a 5-Star Safety Rating. Even if the Camaro’s safety score is an outlier among the other accolades it has received over the years – you know, the NHRA, Trans-Am and SCCA hardware and such – kudos to Chevy.

2012 Chevrolet Camaro becomes first car to ace all NHTSA safety tests originally appeared on WorldCarsNews on Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show, Budget, Etc., Videos, Hatchback, Ford

Now that the dust has begun to settle after the SEMA explosion, we’re discovering a handful of awesome videos that shed a little more light on some of our favorite cars from the show. That includes the ID Agency Ford Focus worked up with professional fixed-gear bike rider Michael Chacon. The hatch wears some seriously sexy BASF paint, and with a body kit drawn up by design guru Jon Sibal and a Wraptivo carbon fiber roof, the Focus has some serious attitude. An AEM cold-air intake and a Magnaflow exhaust help bump up the power, while a Brembo big brake kit is responsible for bringing the machine down from speed.

Inside sits a set of some of the most beautiful seats we’ve ever laid eyes on. The Sportster thrones were worked up by Recaro and feature two-tone leather and plenty of custom stitching. Do want.

The video after the jump spends plenty of time speaking with Chacon about his inspirations and what it’s like to see SEMA from the outside. The clip is set to some pretty snappy tunes, including M83′s “Midnight City.” Hit the jump to check it out for yourself.

Continue reading ID Agency and Michael Chacon show off Ford Focus build

ID Agency and Michael Chacon show off Ford Focus build originally appeared on WorldCarsNews on Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Etc., Videos, UK

Imagining Top Gear without Jessica would be like watching Ernie without Bert, Conan without Andy or Abbott without Costello. The Allman Brothers Band song has become so synonymous with the BBC car program that most probably don’t even realize who wrote it in the first place. But there was evidently a time when the show’s producers considered replacing its iconic theme song.

The potential replacement was considered when the show moved to its new studio and spruced up the order of things. As you can see (and hear) from the video after the jump, the electronic intro track just didn’t have the same feel to it, but fortunately, Jeremy Clarkson vetoed the idea. Scary, we know, but apparently true.

Continue reading Behold! The Top Gear intro that Jeremy Clarkson nixed

Behold! The Top Gear intro that Jeremy Clarkson nixed originally appeared on WorldCarsNews on Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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