Motoring November 2015

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The Malta Independent on Sunday • 29 November 2015

The Malta Independent on Sunday • 29 November 2015

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‘New luxury’ takes shape – Hyundai Motor unveils rendering of new G90 • New large sedan G90 to top Genesis brand’s luxury model range • ‘Athletic Elegance’ brings graceful and profound elegance to the new model ovember 10, 2015 – Hyundai Motor has revealed the first rendering of its new range-topping G90 luxury sedan, which is named EQ900 in Korea. The elegantly designed, technology packed G90 hints at the recently-launched Genesis brand’s design identity and future direction.

Woong-Chul Yang, Head of Hyundai Motor R&D Center and Vice Chairman of Hyundai Motor, said, “Genesis’ new large luxury sedan G90 will deliver a concept of ‘New Luxury’ to our customers. The G90 sits at the pinnacle of the Genesis brand and demonstrates how we apply our human-centered values to give our customer true satisfaction in every aspect of the vehicle ownership experience.”

As the Genesis brand’s flagship model, G90 is a blueprint for change and innovation that will distinguish the Genesis brand.

Majoring on ‘human-centered’ technology combined with engaging driving dynamics, G90 boasts a raft of world-best safety features and technological innovations to set itself apart in

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the luxury market.

G90 also showcases the Genesis brand’s hallmark design style ‘Athletic Elegance’, interpreted by the newly-formed Prestige Design Division to bring graceful and profound elegance to G90’s significant proportions. Crowned by the Genesis emblem, the grand radiator grille combined with sophisticated headlamps communicates the car’s dynamic, future-orientated character. A

theme that flows along a bodylength character line to the long and agile rear lamp cluster completes the Athletic Elegance of G90.

Hyundai Motor created the Genesis brand for a new generation of discerning consumers. Capitalizing on its success in the fast-growing global car market, Hyundai Motor will launch six new Genesis models by 2020.

The launch of G90 is scheduled for early next month in Korea.

Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Company is committed to becoming a lifetime partner in automobiles and beyond. The company, which leads the Hyundai Motor Group, an innovative business structure capable of circulating resources from molten iron to finished cars, offers topquality best-sellers such as Elantra, Sonata and Genesis. Hyundai

Motor has eight manufacturing bases and seven design & technical centers worldwide and in 2014, sold 4.96 million vehicles globally. With almost 100,000 employees worldwide, Hyundai Motor continues to enhance its product line-up with localized models and strives to strengthen its leadership in clean technology, starting with the world’s first mass-produced hydrogenpowered vehicle, ix35 Fuel Cell.

Fiat 500 reaches 1,500,000 milestone • FIAT 500 reached a historic 1.5m production milestone this month, at the Tychy plant in Poland • Impressive tally is reached in little more than eight years • More than 240,000 units have been sold in the UK since its launch in late 2007

he FIAT 500 has today reached the 1.5 million unit milestone in Europe with the landmark car in question, a white 1.2 Pop, rolling off the production line in Tychy, Poland, destined for its new owner in France.

The FIAT 500 has reached this impressive tally just eight years and four months after its launch, collecting more than 40 international awards along the

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way including the prestigious European Car of The Year accolade in 2008. It is now on sale in more than 100 countries around the world, from Japan to Nor th America, with the UK accounting for more than 240,000 of the total number sold in Europe.

For 2015, FIAT refreshed the exterior and interior, retaining the unmistakable 500 look that has made it such a global success but making it even more

attractive and contemporary, adding advanced technologies, improved efficiency and even more customisation options than ever before. In total, no fewer than 1,900 changes have been made, most noticeable of which are the new front headlights with LED daytime running lights, the distinctive new rear light clusters and the new dashboard with its innovative UConnect infotainment system.

The Malta Independent on Sunday • 29 November 2015

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Volkswagen reaffirms investments in Chattanooga he Volkswagen Group has reaffirmed its planned investments at the Chattanooga location and in the production of an all-new SUV for the U.S. market. To that end, the company wants to invest US$600 million in the State of Tennessee alone and creating an additional 2,000 jobs in the USA. Production of the new midsize SUV in Chattanooga is scheduled to commence at the end of 2016.

"This clear commitment to the Chattanooga location confirms our engagement in North America and our confidence in the local team. More than ever, we must and will focus on the specific wishes of our U.S. customers so that we can offer them vehicles that are not only convincing, but also inspirational.

Step by step, that is how we want to win back trust in the Volkswagen brand", Michael Horn, President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, said. "The United States of America is still one of Volkswagen's most important markets", Horn continued.

Apart from investment in the production of the new vehicle which is based on the CrossBlue study, a National Research &

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Development and Planning Center is currently being built at the Chattanooga site. The center will be responsible for steering projects for the North American market. The objective is to create vehicles to meet consumers' changing wishes and expectations

even faster and more efficiently by getting closer to the customer.

A further 50,000 square meters is currently being added to existing space at the site to cater for the logistics of producing the new midsize SUV for North America. Production of the new

vehicle will be integrated in the existing factory structures.

Volkswagen has already invested more than US$ one billion in its Tennessee plant to date. Over 2,400 employees currently work at the plant; the 500,000th US Passat rolled off the assembly

line in the summer.

A further element in the Volkswagen brand's North America strategy is a three-row version of the new Tiguan, which is scheduled to start leaving the assembly line at the plant in Puebla/Mexico in 2017.

The Malta Independent on Sunday • 29 November 2015

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Opel Group CEO Dr Karl-Thomas Neumann congratulates brand ambassador Jürgen Klopp on his new challenge in Liverpool where his company car will also be an Insignia

Jürgen Klopp changes club but not his company car • Jürgen Klopp new manager of Liverpool FC • Coach stays true to being Opel brand ambassador ast month, Opel brand ambassador Jürgen Klopp was presented as the new manager of Liverpool FC. Liverpool, 18-time English Champions and 8-time European Cup Winners (5 UEFA Champions League, 3 UEFA Europa League), want to return to former heights with the former Borussia Dortmund coach. After seven seasons as coach with Mainz and Dortmund respectively, Liverpool will be his first post abroad.

“I am really looking forward to this new

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challenge as Liverpool is a very special club for me. I had planned a much longer break, but the events and happenings over the last two weeks forced me to take action. Then everything happened really fast and things are back to full power,” said Jürgen Klopp on his new position.

New club, new players, new league, new language and driving on the left – there is a lot to get used to in the new environment. Yet one thing will remain the same. The new coach will still be the Opel

international brand ambassador. Also there will be no big problems with adaptability at Liverpool, since Opel’s sister brand Vauxhall is the Official UK Car Partner of the club. Vauxhall also sponsors the four British national teams of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

“We are very happy that our brand ambassador has accepted such a challenging task. We are especially happy that he will still be driving his official company car, the Insignia,” said Opel Group CEO Dr Karl-Thomas Neumann on Jürgen Klopp’s move to England.

Looking back, one could think that Opel already knew about Jürgen Klopp’s plans

for some time. In past Opel TV commercials with Jürgen Klopp the cars were almost always black, matching his former club’s colours in Dortmund, but now the new Opel commercials show Jürgen Klopp upsetting the luxury class in a red all-new Astra. He will now target upsetting the leading teams from Manchester and London with the Liverpool “Reds”.

Opel is represented in Malta by Cars International, Mdina Road Qormi. For more information or test-drive on any Opel car, send an email to opelsales@cil.com.mt or call 2269 2122.

You c^an also visit opel.com.mt or the Facebook page Opel Malta.

New Generation i20 receives prestigious “Golden Steering Wheel 2015” Award • Readers from 20 countries choose i20for renowned automotive accolade • Small carconvinces with attractive design, spaciousness and high quality • First ever “Golden Steering Wheel“ award for a Hyundai car he New Generation i20 has been awarded the “Golden Steering Wheel 2015”. The compact car has won the readers’ choice award in its segment and secured one of the most acclaimed accolades in the automotive industry. The New Generation i20 succeeded against competitors including the Skoda Fabia and Opel Karl, achieving the first triumph for a Hyundai car at the Golden Steering Wheel awards.

Peter Schreyer, President and Chief Design Officer of Hyundai Motor Group, received the prize during the award ceremony held

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at the building of Axel Springer Publishing in Berlin, Germany. He commented: “We are really proud that readers are so impressed by one of the youngest members of our product family. It is further proof that we aremaking good progress in design, quality and craftsmanship.”

Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2015, the Golden Steering Wheel awards programme recognises the best new cars of the year. Organised by the German automotive magazine Auto Bild and the weekly newspaper Bild am Sonntag, the awards programme is conducted in cooperation with sister

publications in 20 countries.Across Europe 425,000readers participated in the voting.

New Generation i20 was chosen as the small car category winner based on readers’ votes. The winners in the other categories –compact car, mid-sized car, mid-

sized SUV, luxury car, sports car and family car–were selected through a combination of reader voting and evaluations by a jury which included designers, chief editors, racing drivers among others.

This latest accolade for the New

Generation i20follows other prestigious prizes, such as the renowned Red Dot Design Award and iF Design Award. It was also named “the best car in its class” earlier this year in a comprehensive Auto Bild assessment of small cars.

The Malta Independent on Sunday • 29 November 2015

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Toyota outlines ambitious plan to slash CO2 oyota Motor Corp. aims to sell 30,000 fuel cell vehicles and 7 million additional hybrids by 2020 as part of a sweeping new environmental plan to slash carbon dioxide emissions.

The carmaker’s senior executives outlined the objectives on Wednesday as the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050, aiming to all but eliminate the carbon footprint of its fleet and factories.

Among the goals, Toyota targets a 90 percent cut in average carbon dioxide emissions from new vehicles by 2050, compared with 2010 levels. And more ambitiously, it aims to achieve zero carbon dioxide emissions at factories in that timeframe.

The vision reduces the traditional internal combustion engine to just the tiniest sliver of Toyota’s total deployment by 2050.

The goals signal a ramped-up push by Toyota to establish itself as a global clean car leader, and they dovetail with last year’s release of Toyota’s Mirai hydrogen fuel cell vehicle and next month’s launch of the nextgeneration Prius flagship hybrid.

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Toyota’s focus on hydrogen and hybrid technologies draws a clear battle line against other car manufacturers which staked much of their own green car strategy on clean diesels.

“Let us resolve at least one of

the problems of the 21st century,” Toyota Chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada, the chief engineer of the original Prius, said at an environmental forum. “We wanted to mobilize all of Toyota’s strengths.”

Energy shift The push calls for ramping up electrified drive-trains, winding down reliance on fossil fuels and turning to renewable energy sources, especially in the form of hydrogen.

Indeed, Toyota said it now aims

to sell 30,000 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles by 2020. That compares with Toyota’s production plan of just 2,000 such vehicles in 2016. To help, Toyota will start selling hydrogen fuel cell buses in early 2017.

The Malta Independent on Sunday • 29 November 2015 • r e v i e w •

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Mazda reveals all-new Mazda MX-5 Sport Recaro limited edition he Limited Edition allnew Mazda MX-5 Sport Recaro has joined Mazda’s awardwinning sports car line up. Based on the 2.0-litre 160ps Sport Nav, the Sport Recaro retains the finely balanced performance and handling of the standard car, but limited to just 600 cars, it benefits from added exclusivity and sporty styling enhancements inside and out.

The lightest MX-5 since the iconic original, the all-new Mazda MX-5 is shorter, lower and wider than the outgoing car, with the smallest overhangs and lowest centre of gravity yet. These dynamic proportions combined with Mazda’s KODO: Soul of Motion design philosophy ensure that the all-new Mazda MX-5’s styling reflects its focus on driving pleasure in an unmistakably contemporary and dynamic way.

Created with the discerning sports car fan in mind, the Sport Recaro builds on these sharp looks with a Brilliant Black Sports Aero kit that includes a rear spoiler, plus front, side and rear skirts.

Piano Black door mirrors and 17inch Diamond Cut alloy wheels with an engraved MX-5 logo complete the stand out exterior appearance.

Inside, the classy MX-5 cabin gains an Alcantara dashboard panel, alloy pedals and unique floor mats. Complementing the premium feel of the cabin, the standard Recaro seats feature Alcantara upholstery on the seat cushion and seat back, while red seat piping compliments the red stitching found on the dash, handbrake and gear lever.

Designed to deliver outstanding lumbar and lateral support, the heated Recaro seats are perfectly aligned with the Jinba Ittai concept of car and driver as one that defines the Mazda MX-5. Complementing the Mazda MX-5’s driver-focused cabin and communicative controls, the supportive Recaro seats match the fun-to-drive ethos that has made the Mazda MX-5 the best-selling two-seater sports car of all time.

Based on the generous specification of the 2.0-litre Sport Nav, the all-new Mazda MX-5 Sport Recaro features LED headlights, a leather steering wheel, climate control air-conditioning, DAB radio, Integrated Bluetooth®, integrated navigation system with 3years free European map updates, rain sensing wipers, rear parking sensors, smart keyless entry, a premium Bose®sound system and cruise control, plus Mazda’s MZD-Connect connectivity and infotainment system with 7-inch Colour touch-screen display and Multimedia Commander.

In line with the 2.0-litre Sport Nav, the Sport Recaro benefits from a dynamic set-up that includes Sports suspension featuring Bilstein dampers, a limited slip differential and strut tower bar.

Across the range, the all-new Mazda MX-5 was conceived and developed under the concept of “innovate in order to preserve”.

This engineering philosophy has allowed Mazda to maintain the agility, fun and engagement that

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has always defined the MX-5 while at the same time meeting ever-increasing safety and efficiency requirements, alongside improved refinement.

Continuing Mazda’s long tradition of special edition MX-5s, the all-new Mazda MX-5 Sport Recaro is the first Limited Edition version of the all-new fourth-generation MX-5 offered in the UK, and its exclusivity is marked out by an individually numbered badge located on the centre storage box lid. With its stand out styling, sporty cabin enhancements and Recaro seats, the allnew Mazda MX-5 Sport Recaro is available to order now.