UK

Advanced Parallel Park Assist system monitors the suitability of parking spaces and then ‘self-steers’ into them

August 8, 2008 -- The new Audi A3 Cabriolet is already adept at getting its driver out of a tight spot thanks to a powered roof which can shrug off sharp showers in as little as 11 seconds, but it can now also find its way into one with the help of a new Parallel Park Assist feature. This sophisticated urban stress reliever is available right across the A3 Cabriolet range, which is priced from £19,995 OTR for the new 1.6 petrol model to £27,060 OTR for the 2.0T FSI S line.

2009 Audi A3

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Munich, July 21, 2008 -- With two rounds being contested at the Brands Hatch Circuit, the FIA World Touring Car Championship this weekend moves into the second half of its current season. For the BMW national teams the event provides an opportunity to reduce their points’ gaps to the leaders of the Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ Championships respectively. That such an exercise is possible was recently proven by BMW Team UK’s Andy Priaulx (GB) in Estoril (PT). There the triple world champion was able to claw back nine points on leader Gabriele Tarquini to move up to fourth in the classification, having reduced his deficit to just 15 points.

BRITISH INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW, London, 22 July, 2008 – Ford's new range of super frugal ECOnetic models showcased at this year's British International Motor Show is leading the company's bid to cut UK CO2 emissions by over 80,000 tonnes. Independent industry analysis shows that if customers continue their move into lower CO2 and higher mpg Ford models, 83,818 tonnes of CO2 a year would be avoided – equivalent to annual emissions from around 13,000 homes.

2008 Ford Mondeo ECOnetic

Leading eco motoring website, cleangreencars.co.uk, calculated the environmental effect of all Ford buyers switching to the lowest CO2 model in the current range without downsizing.

Ford of Europe's Most Fuel Efficient Model Debuts in London

COLOGNE, 22 July 2008 – Bringing style and new levels of low-CO2 efficiency, Ford of Europe’s most frugal car ever – the new Fiesta ECOnetic – makes its world premiere today at the British International Motor Show in London.

2008 Ford Fiesta ECOnetic (UK)

Highlights:
* Official figures confirmed as combined 3.7l/ 100km (76.3mpg) and 98g/ km CO2
* 1.6-litre, 90 PS Duratorq TDCi with coated Diesel Particulate Filter
* Unique modifications, including improved aerodynamics package and low rolling resistance tyres

Alesha Dixon Reveals All-New Ford Fiesta Zetec S

BRITISH INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW, London, 22 July, 2008 -- : Today Alesha Dixon unveiled the all-new Ford Fiesta Zetec S at the British International Motor Show whilst performing her track ‘Fired Up’ live exclusively for the audience.

2009 Ford Fiesta Zetec S (UK)

Six-figure donation to youth charity after court victory

Stuttgart/London, 7/7/2008 -- Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, and its sales subsidiary Porsche Cars Great Britain, won their fight against the increase in the London congestion charge. The signature of a consent order by an administrative court in London has finally swept the plans of the former Mayor, Ken Livingstone, to introduce an unfair and disproportionate daily charge of £25 per driver in central London off the table. The agreement also included the award of legal costs. Porsche will donate these costs, expected to be a six-figure sum, to the British youth charity Skidz.

London, Great Britain, 07 July 2008 -- A total of 3,500 kilometres, the equivalent of over half a season's mileage, is the distance covered to date by the new A1GP World Cup of Motorsport Powered by Ferrari car. The latest series of tests for the car were in Spain with five days at the Guadix Circuit near Granada followed by three days at Jerez.

Opel Insignia: Four-door notchback and five-door hatchback

Rüsselsheim/London, 2008-07-03 -- Opel will showcase to the public for the first time at the British International Motor Show (July 23 – August 3) both the four-door notchback and five-door hatchback versions of its new flagship car, the Opel Insignia.

2009 Opel Insignia Hatchback

Highlights:
* Choice between equally elegant and dynamic notchback and hatchback
* Sleek, aerodynamic body has class-leading Cd value of 0.27
* The New Opel Insignia notchback and hatchback on sale before the end of the year

Action Van

BRENTWOOD, 2 July, 2008 - The new Ford Transit Connect SportVan will hit the streets this September priced at £15,325.

Highlights:
* New Transit Connect SportVan to be priced at £15,325
* Performance Blue with white "Le Mans" stripes
* Powered by 1.8-litre Duratorq TDCi 110 PS engine
* On sale in September – limited edition of 300

Transit Connect SportVan is based on the SWB 200 van and is fitted with the acclaimed 1.8-litre Duratorq TDCi engine, delivering 110 PS and 250 Nm of torque, the most potent of the three engines available to Transit Connect customers.

New bulkhead means more flexibility for loadspace; Now available on all models as a £200 accessory

BRENTWOOD, 2 July, 2008 – Transporting crew and equipment between sites is a cost effective task with the 2008 Ford Transit Connect Crew Van, and now more flexible thanks to a moveable bulkhead.

Direct feedback from businesses led Ford to develop the new, moveable bulkhead for Transit Connect Crew Van. The securing catches allow the bulkhead to be adjusted easily and quickly to maximize convenience and flexibility.

Ford's dedicated small commercial vehicle with excellent residual values still winning impressive industry awards

BRENTWOOD, 2 July 2008 - The Ford Transit Connect has enjoyed six years of success as Britain's only light van that is built from the start as a commercial vehicle rather than a car. More than 8,000 Connects have been sold so far in 2008.

Steve Kimber, commercial vehicles director, Ford of Britain, said: "We know from recent research that our customers want a van that reflects their business and a professional image. This is exactly why they buy Transit Connect. Such exceptional levels of ruggedness and durability remain unparalleled in the small van sector. "

BRENTWOOD, Essex, 1 July, 2008 – Ford customers can pick their vehicles up from dealerships sooner following the launch of new parts delivery services. New systems developed by Ford’s customer service team ensure that virtually all urgent parts can be delivered to dealers either the same day, or by 08.00 the next morning. By minimising the delivery time for parts, the Ford dealer network can complete servicing and repair work quicker.

Ford’s central Daventry Parts Distribution Centre is now working to a 08.00 arrival deadline for urgent overnight parts. This means that dealers can order from over 120,000 part lines for delivery before the start of business, helping them to complete work on customers' vehicles promptly.

30th June 2008 -- The Aston Martin Racing DBR9 which triumphed at the Le Mans 24 Hour endurance race – for the second consecutive year – is set to appear before British fans at the Goodwood Festival of Speed over July 12-13.

Victorious Aston Martin Racing DBR9

In a repeat of the 2007 victory, the 009 car – this time resplendent in the iconic Gulf livery – took the GT1 class victory at Le Mans, driven by David Brabham, Antonio Garcia and Darren Turner after one of the closest GT1 battles in Le Mans history.

Garcia will now drive the winning DBR9 at the Goodwood Festival, up the famous hill route, in front of an anticipated record number of spectators.

Latest Turbo FSI engine joins Audi coupé range and reiterates that fun and frugality are far from mutually exclusive

Jun 25, 2008 -- A newly developed Turbo FSI petrol engine available from this week for the 2008 Audi A5 provides the sought after Coupé with yet another choice blend of pace and pence-per-mile efficiency. The new 211PS A5 2.0T FSI can be ordered in either front-wheel drive or quattro permanent four-wheel drive forms for £28,760 OTR or £30,285 OTR, and will reach its first UK customers in August.

2008 Audi A5

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New sporty 2008 Ford Fiesta Zetec S Red special edition

BRENTWOOD, Essex, 26 June, 2008 – The appeal of the exciting Ford Fiesta
line-up continues to expand with the debut of a new sporty, feature-packed special edition – the Zetec S Red. Just 400 new Fiesta Zetec S Red special editions, representing 10 per cent of all Zetec S models, will be available, priced at £13,000.

2008 Ford Fiesta Zetec S Red Limited Edition (UK)

Highlights:
* Black and white 'chequered flag roof' and Colorado red body paint
* Leather seats and privacy glass
* On sale now priced at £13,000 on-the-road

Upgraded limited run Audi A6 Saloon and Avant 2.0 TDI models increase visual impact and enhance comfort

Jun 25, 2008 -- Increased visual impact and enhanced comfort are the key ingredients in the new Audi A6 2.0 TDI Limited Edition, which joins the UK A6 range this week priced at £26,670 OTR in Saloon form or £28,240 OTR as an Avant.

2008 Audi A6 2.0 TDI Limited Edition

Highlights:
• A6 2.0 TDI Limited Edition now available to order in Saloon and Avant body styles priced at £26,670 OTR and £28,240 OTR
• Limited Edition specification based on SE trim but adds interior and exterior upgrades that equate to £1,600 worth of added customer value

BRENTWOOD, Essex, 25 June, 2008 – Environmental motoring website Whatgreencar? has awarded its first Green Car of the Year award to the 2008 Ford Focus ECOnetic. Whatgreencar.com's lifetime impact rating covering cars' use and manufacture scored the 1.6-litre ECOnetic Focus better than the site's benchmark hybrid.

2008 Ford Focus ECOnetic (UK)

The site's independent panel of judges, representing leading UK transport organisations including the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership and Energy Saving Trust, unanimously declared the frugal Ford as the greenest family-size car available.

Significant anniversaries for the Ford Model T and Ford Escort, as well as the record-breaking Ford Focus RS WRC, add to Ford motorsport highlights at this year's event

BRENTWOOD, ESSEX, 24 June, 2008 – Ford Motor Company, a major sponsor of the Goodwood Festival of Speed since its inception in 1993, will again be supporting this prestigious event to be held over the weekend of 11-13 July 2008.

Ford Focus RS WRC

The Festival of Speed is Europe's premier historic motor sporting event – a combination of hillclimb, rally stage, garden party, and motor show, all in the grounds of Goodwood House, the Earl of March's ancestral home in West Sussex.

BRENTWOOD, Essex, 18 June, 2008 -- Ford S-MAX has been named winner in the large MPV category at the British Insurance Car Security Awards for the second year running. The Awards rate vehicles according to their resistance to theft and break-ins and are backed by Thatcham, the Department for Transport, UK Insurers and supported by the Home Office.

2008 Ford S-MAX 2.2 TDCi

The S-MAX achieved the highest score with Galaxy a close second - scooping the key awards in the highly competitive large MPV category.

BRENTWOOD, Essex, 20 June, 2008 – Ford's Mondeo Estate has won another prestigious towcar award. It is the overall winner of the second annual Towcar awards, as judged by experts from What Car?, Practical Caravan and the Camping and Caravanning Club.

This triumph comes less than a year after the Ford Mondeo was awarded the Caravan Club Towcar of the Year title, the UK's longest running towing competition.

This latest award is the result of a rigorous towcar testing programme carried out on 53 cars. The vehicles were tested for their towing ability and a number of other qualities including driving performance when not towing, practicality, value for money and safety.