Bentley Motors gears up for growth in 2011 |  |
- Bentley Motors gears up for growth in 2011
- Audi to Offer $285,000 Special Edition ‘Halo’ models to boost exclusivity
- Video: AWE Tuning Mk6 GTI daily driver breaks records
- ALMS: Porsche heads to Long Beach looking for a three-peat
- VRC: 270hp Caddy Racer back for 2011
| Bentley Motors gears up for growth in 2011 Posted: 12 Apr 2011 02:24 PM PDT Bentley has today received confirmation of a conditional allocation of £1.68 million financial support from the Department for Business’ Regional Growth Fund. The funding will help to maintain and further enhance skill levels amongst Bentley’s 3,500 strong Cheshire-based workforce as the company gears up to meet increased demand. This is vital as the company sees major growth ahead following the introduction of new models such as the next generation Continental GT and the recently launched Mulsanne. Sales grew by 11% last year and Bentley expects significant double digit growth in 2011 and beyond as customers take delivery of new models. In developing markets such as China sales grew by over 60% last year and in Russia sales are now back to pre-recession levels. Traditional markets are also performing well. In the United States, Bentley’s largest market, sales increased by over 20% in the last quarter of 2010. Christine Gaskell, Member of the Board for Personnel commented: “This is fantastic news for Bentley. We have worked hard to make our case to the Department for Business and today’s announcement demonstrates that they understand the importance of supporting one of the most highly skilled automotive workforces in the UK. “Bentley exports over 80% of our products and as global economies continue to recover we are starting to see our investment in new models such as the new Continental GT and the Mulsanne begin to pay off. We are now recruiting across the board, not only in areas such as production and quality, but also in sales and marketing to ensure we are able to maximize the opportunities for growth. “The funding will enable us to further invest in all of the skills that we need to deliver the new generation of Bentleys and ensure that we have the capacity to meet this increasing demand for our products.” Related posts:
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| Audi to Offer $285,000 Special Edition ‘Halo’ models to boost exclusivity Posted: 12 Apr 2011 02:19 PM PDT Audi AG (NSU) will roll out two limited edition models in coming months as part of an effort to increase the brand’s exclusivity and better compete with Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW) at the high end of the luxury market. The Volkswagen AG (VOW) unit will introduce a Q7 sport-utility vehicle next month in Russia with a two-tone exterior costing 200,000 euros ($285,000), sales chief Peter Schwarzenbauer said. Audi will begin selling the R8 V10 Pure Sport in the United Arab Emirates for 500,000 dirhams ($136,000) in June. “There’s nothing better than tailoring cars to specific markets,” Schwarzenbauer said in an interview. “We see huge potential for business with limited special editions.” To churn out more market-exclusive models and made-to-order vehicles, which typically have better profit margins, Audi is revamping its high-performance Quattro unit. The division, named after Audi’s pioneering four-wheel drive technology, is also responsible for Audi’s merchandising efforts to sell products with the carmaker’s name and logo. Audi aims to double the share of customized vehicles to 20 percent of global sales by 2015, when it vows to dethrone BMW as the largest luxury-car maker, Schwarzenbauer said. The VW unit is also considering special editions for the U.K. and U.S. “These halo cars enable a brand to feature new designs and engineering and show the best of its talents,” said Kevin Tynan, an automotive analyst at Bloomberg Industries. “The motivation is to draw traffic to the showrooms.” Chinese Model The offerings for Russia and the U.A.E. follow Audi’s successful sale last year of 450 of the Black-and-White edition TT sports car, priced at 54,000 euros, to Chinese customers. “The cars were still traveling on a vessel to China when we sold the last one,” Schwarzenbauer said in a telephone interview April 1. “It was a test case convincing us that limited editions can be extremely successful.” BMW has been pushing out country-specific editions for many years “as a strategic tool” to spur sales in specific markets, spokesman Stefan Behr said. Examples in 2010 include the 7- Series Expo Shanghai edition and the M3 Tiger Edition for China, as well as the 7-Series 40th Anniversary model developed for Oman, Behr said. Mercedes-Benz, Daimler AG (DAI)’s luxury brand, uses special editions of regular models to emphasize a car’s performance traits, spokeswoman Verena Mueller said in an e-mailed statement. Special series include an Edition One of the SLK hard-top roadster in Glacier Grey, according to Mueller. Two-Tone Q7 “Special editions get customers to notice a brand they haven’t considered before,” said Stefan Bratzel, director of the Center of Automotive Management at the University of Applied Sciences in Bergisch-Gladbach, Germany. “They’re an effective technique to penetrate new markets.” Audi will limit the Q7 V12 for Russia to 555 cars, which will have a two-tone Phantom Black and Black Velvet exterior, Schwarzenbauer said. It’s the first time the SUV is being offered with a two-color exterior. The cost is also double the normal price of the vehicle in the Russian market. The Ingolstadt, Germany-based automaker will only make 40 of the R8 V10 Pure Sport car. A limited edition of the R8, which the Quattro unit builds in Neckarsulm, Germany, for the U.K. is also under discussion, spokeswoman Esther Bahne said. The division just began selling the R8 GT special edition and the RS3 Sportback model. ‘Rough Diamond’ “The Quattro division is like a rough diamond,” Schwarzenbauer said. “We’re just at the beginning of reaping its vast potential.” Audi plans to spend 11.6 billion euros on new plants, products and technologies through 2015, with about half the amount earmarked for its two main German factories. Audi is enhancing the high end of its 37-model lineup as well, introducing a revamped A6 sedan this month, after the new A7 Sportback and an updated A8 sedan last year. The German carmaker aims to increase 2011 sales worldwide by more than 10 percent to over 1.2 million cars and SUVs. Audi is mulling a limited edition model for the U.S. either in 2012 or 2013 as customers in the world’s largest luxury car market become more inclined to pre-order vehicles instead of buying them directly off the lot, Schwarzenbauer said. Customers in the U.S., where the VW unit has a goal of doubling deliveries to 200,000 cars and SUVs by 2018, can choose colors, fabrics and customized interiors under its “exclusive” program. The share of built-to-order vehicles of Audi’s U.S. sales rose to an all-time high of 25 percent last month from 5.4 percent in 2009, he said. Audi is targeting a level of about 20 percent for sales of vehicles customized through the Quattro division over the medium term. “The car buying process in the U.S. is evidently changing,” Schwarzenbauer said. “People are now requesting more individualized options.” Related posts:
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| Video: AWE Tuning Mk6 GTI daily driver breaks records Posted: 12 Apr 2011 02:15 PM PDT The AWE Tuning in-house Mk6 GTI broke new ground again at Cecil County Dragway with an 11.87 second ¼ mile. This time is the fastest quarter mile time (at the time of this video posting) to date for a TSI K04 powered vehicle, outright. A separate run produced a 120mph trap speed, which also makes this car the fastest top speed in the quarter mile, on record, in it’s class. The AWE Tuning Mk6 GTI, which has been a commuter for select members of the AWE Tuning staff (and has even donned a car seat at times), ran with off the shelf G.I.A.C. software, and no prototype parts or engine modifications. Related posts:
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| ALMS: Porsche heads to Long Beach looking for a three-peat Posted: 12 Apr 2011 08:09 AM PDT
The race on the street circuit in Long Beach marks another highlight on the American Le Mans Series calendar. Porsche works drivers Joerg Bergmeister (Germany) and Patrick Long (USA) tackle the prestigious Californian city race on 16 April with the Porsche 911 GT3 RSR fielded by Flying Lizard Motorsports. Last year, the pair won the GT class for the second time straight. Wolf Henzler (Germany) competes for the Falken Tire squad as the third Porsche factory driver. The Porsche drivers Last year’s victors, Joerg Bergmeister and Patrick Long, are back to contest the GT class in Flying Lizard Motorsports’ Porsche 911 GT3 RSR. Their factory pilot colleague Wolf Henzler shares driving duties in the Falken Tire 911 GT3 RSR with Bryan Sellers (USA). Darren Law and Seth Neiman join forces in the second 911 GT3 RSR fielded by Flying Lizard Motorsports. The Paul Miller Racing team also run a 911 GT3 RSR with Bryce Miller (USA) as one of their drivers. In the GTC class, double Supercup champion Jeroen Bleekemolen (Netherlands) teams up with Tim Pappas (USA) to compete for Black Swan Racing at the wheel of a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.
Comments leading up to the race Hartmut Kristen, Porsche Head of Motorsport: “Long Beach particularly suits Patrick Long. He has proven this many times in the past. As we saw at the season-opener in Sebring, the competition in the GT class is even stronger this season. We’ve taken a very close look at the data from the race and have drawn our conclusions. Even IMSA, as the governing body of the American Le Mans Series, has realised that a regulations had led to an imbalance between vehicles. So I think spectators will witness an extremely exciting race in Long Beach.” Joerg Bergmeister: “A street circuit like Long Beach has its very own set of rules. You have no time for a breather, you’re constantly steering, shifting gears, braking. There are no long straights to relax. You’re driving non-stop at the limit. In principle, Long Beach has always suited out car in the past. We enjoyed a certain grip advantage in the corners. But we’ll just have to wait and see what this year brings.” Patrick Long: “One of the secrets to success in Long Beach is grabbing a decent position on the grid. It’s extremely hard to overtake on this narrow circuit. In fact, there is just one place where it works, but even then you need luck. It’s also very important not to lose too much time during the regular pit stops. In the pits, such races are won… and lost. All in all, Long Beach is a highly fascinating event.” Wolf Henzler: “I really enjoy street races. Last year in Long Beach we were leading but lost the race in the pits. Basically, you have to drive with extreme precision. There is no room for the slightest error and there are no run-off areas. If you don’t watch out you’ll end up in the wall. I like city circuits for practical reasons: The hotels are right next to the track and when you want to go out for dinner there are real restaurants and not just fast food places.” Related posts:
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| VRC: 270hp Caddy Racer back for 2011 Posted: 12 Apr 2011 07:06 AM PDT
The latest addition to the 2011 Volkswagen Racing Cup grid has been unveiled today at the Commercial Vehicle Show at Birmingham’s NEC. The new Caddy Racer will join the highly competitive FUCHS Lubricants-backed championship with Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles director Simon Elliott once again behind the wheel. Since its introduction to the championship in 2004, the Caddy Racer has proved to be a true crowd-pleaser, gaining its own group of loyal followers while in the hands of both Elliott and his predecessor, Peter Wyhinny. This latest model will surely be one of the most recognizable vehicles on the grid when they line up at Oulton Park on 25 April, finished in white and the distinctive orange hue of the RAC, which is continuing its sponsorship for the 2011 season. Beneath the stylish new exterior of the new Caddy, which was launched at the end of 2010, a number of key upgrades have been made to improve performance, handling and the dynamics of the new Caddy Racer over its predecessor. The most significant change over the previous model is the installation of a 2.0-litre petrol engine which develops 270 PS, channelled through the front wheels via a six-speed Volkswagen Racing quick shift gearbox. In addition to this, the rear axle has been uprated to the multi-link system found in the road-going Golf. Simon Elliott explained: “The new Caddy has started life strongly since its launch and has already started winning awards, so the Caddy Racer will hopefully add to the trophy cabinet. We learned a lot through the developments made with the original Caddy Racer, and initial tests with the new van have been extremely promising. This really is a clear demonstration of Brilliant Made Better – I just can’t wait to get back out on track.” The Volkswagen Racing Cup starts on Easter Monday at Oulton Park, and will visit some of the most famous circuits around the UK, including Snetterton, Brands Hatch, and Donington Park, plus it incorporates a trip to Zandvoort in the Netherlands, before the season finale at Silverstone in October. Related posts:
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