Audi India sees Aditya Patel in Audi R8 LMS Ultra at 7th VLN endurance race in Nürburgring on 4th August 2012

Aditya Patel has successfully completed testing in the Audi R8 LMS Ultra which contributes towards his VLN endurance race preparation, the 6 hour ADAC Ruhr-Pokal-Rennen to be held on the 4th of August, 2012. Michael Perschke, Head, Audi India Said that he was confident that the skills of Aditya Patel and sheer performance statistics of the Audi R8 LMS ultra combined together would provide a favorable outcome in the race.

Aditya will be paired with the triple Le Mans winner Marco Werner for this race and this can be counted as another achievement for this young driver. The Audi R8 boasts of sheer power and grace. There have been a number of technical modifications and structural tuning which have been made to this model rendering 40 kg lighter than is previous model.

500 Nm of torque, wider front wheels, finer aerodynamics and better brake cooling make this one of the most competitive cars on the track. Aditya is also an instructor with the Audi sports car experience in India and will be present on the 24th, 25th and 26th of August 2012 at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida.

New Volkswagen Beetles for the UK car market: Priced from £22,295

Volkswagen adds two new engines to their iconic small car, Beetle. These will include a 2.0 liter TDI turbocharged diesel engine offering 138 hp and a 2.0 liter TSI turbocharged petrol engine generating 197 hp power. Both engines, mated to either a six speed manual or six speed dual clutch DSG gearbox.

While more attention is being paid to economy these days, customers can opt for the TDI which offers 57.6 mpg (24.49 kmpl) while customers looking for performance will prefer to petrol unit which offers 0 to 62 mph (0-100 kmph) in 7.5 seconds and 139 mph (222 kmph) top speed.

The Design trim Beetle is fitted with 17 inch alloy wheels while the Sport trim has 18 inch alloys. Special edition Turbo Black and Turbo Silver are seen with silver or black decals on side, door mirrors with 19 inch Tornado alloy wheels. Prices vary from £16,600 for the base 1.2 liter TSI to £24,505 for the high end model 2.0 liter TSI.

Volvo Cars Icons of Luxury at 2012 Lakme Fashion week: Designed Around You

Fashion and cars are one side of the same coin. Many a times it has been seen that carmakers seek out specific designers to attract customers. Keeping this aspect in mind, Volvo cars and Ritu Beri a fashion designer will be seen together at the Lakme Fashion Week. The designer's collection was put on display for the public in Volvo cars at an event which was attended by famous personalities.

This particular collection of Ritu Beri gives a new meaning to Volvos philosophy – 'Designed around you'. Ritu Beri is the only Indian designer who has been featured in the magazine Acoustyl. Her collection draws inspiration from Marilyn Monroe as it's her belief that every woman has a little bit of the iconic star in them. The collection has a western theme and has been designed keeping in mind soft palette and comfortable silhouettes.

According to R. Beri, sophisticated line of design, luxury and innovation are the key elements of a Volvo car that have been incorporated by her in the collection themed, 'Icons of luxury'.The collection will be showcased at the Lakme fashion week Winter/Festive 2012 on 3rd august 2012.

Lamborghini Batman wings clipped – Children's Hospital cancels visit due to Aurora killings

Batman's efforts to bring cheer into the lives of sick children at Children's Hospital in Chicago have been brought to a halt. Lenny Robinson who dresses himself in Batman garb, races a Lamborghini and recently bought a Batmobile. He was slated to visit sick children at Robert H Laurie Children's Hospital in Chicago. But, the hospital authorities have cancelled this visit in the light of recent mayhem caused due to the Aurora shootings. Batman had nothing to do with the shootings and Lenny is unhappy about these decisions taken, but there is nothing that he can do about it.

On 20th July, mass shootings took place at Century movie theater in Aurora, Colorado during the screening of The Dark Knight Rises. The deranged gunman, set off tear gas and shot randomly at audience killing 12 persons and injuring nearly 60 other innocents. The suspect James Eagan Holmes was finally arrested and is currently under psychiatric treatment.

The events that occurred though tragic have resulted in the Lamborghini borne Robinson to stall his plans of playing a super hero and bringing cheer to the lives of sick children. Robinson will continue in his endeavors as he is hopeful that other hospitals on his tour do not resort to the same cancellation process.

Robinson said, "This senseless act of violence has nothing to do with the Warner Bros' Batman franchise. At the heart of the movie is a central heroic figure that gives hope. The shootings in Colorado was a tragic event, but will not stop me from portraying Batman. I will continue to portray this iconic superhero, giving courage to sick children around the world that need it most."

Mercedes Benz AMG A45 and 2014 S Class sedan caught testing at Colorado

Mercedes Benz 2013 A Class A45 AMG and the next generation S Class limousine were caught on test at Colorado, USA. A45 AMG will be a powerful vehicle offering 330 hp and 295 lb/ft torque mated to a 7 speed dual clutch transmission. It will be an all wheel drive and is expected to make its debut at the upcoming Paris Motor Show.

Mercedes Benz A Class may still be a few months away from launch but orders are already pouring in with the company confirming 40,000 orders so much so that the company has even roped in Finnish contract firm Valmet Automotive to assist in production activities. However, though the AMG vehicle was on test in Colorado, Mercedes Benz has already confirmed that the A Class hatchback will not be offered in US markets while conversely CLA 45 AMG compact sports sedan will be on offer in US.

Mercedes Benz 2014 S Class will be launched with a host of safety devices on board. Inflatable seat best for rear passengers called BeltBag will help to reduce injuries to rear seat passengers. Beltbag will be inflated upto three times through the use of a gas generator and will reduce load on passengers' thorax. Mercedes Benz S Class is expected to debut at Geneva Motor Show next spring.

Cyril Despres takes second stage win at Desafio Litoral Rally: Stage four of six stage-rally in Argentina, part of the Dakar Series

KTM Rally champion Cyril Despres reached the second stage win at Desafio Litoral Rally. This was his second win which extended his overall lead in the race that to almost six minutes. Cyril was keen to make up lost time due to time lost in the previous day's event which had to be cancelled due to bad weather conditions making it difficult for racers to continue.

The French racer was satisfied with his performance astride a KTM450 while the track was better, flatter and did not include any jungle trails as seen in the first two stages of the race. Cyril picked up pace in stage four with his average speed at 120 kmph. He felt in control of the race and bike performed upto expectations.

Taddy Blazusiak returned to the race after crashing in stage two. The EnduroCross world champion rejoined the race even though he still felt a bit of pain from his crash. There are only two days left of Desafil Litoral and more up to date information can be sought from redbull.com.

Eight Toyota facilities recognized by EPA for Improved Environmental Performance

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for Improved Environmental Performance has today recognised a total of eight Toyota manufacturing plants for achieving 10% reduction in energy intensity through Energy Star Challenge for Industry program. These eight facilities include -Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas (San Antonio); Bodine Aluminum (Jackson, Tenn., and St. Louis, Mo.); Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama (Huntsville); Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada (Cambridge and Woodstock, Ontario);Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana (Princeton) and Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia (Buffalo).

To gain entry to Energy Star Challenge for Industries companies must be Energy Stat partners. Energy intensity is calculated on the basis of efficiency improvements in process and equipment and only granted to individual industrial sites.

Toyota has been instrumental in this regard thanks to reduced energy use per vehicle. The company has been working on these lines over the past five years and their efforts have finally paid off even though the company endeavors to continue with these efforts and achieve even greater efficiency in the years to come.

Select Samsung Smart TV's can enjoy Angry Birds Gesture Controls

Angry Birds anywhere and everywhere attract a fair deal of attention. Needless to say this game is a stress buster, especially so if you are an individual that loves to give vent to anger and emotion, in a joyous way of course. South Korean TV maker Samsung had revealed its plans about bringing Angry Birds to its popular Smart TV platform, and as promised the company did integrate the popular game with this segment of TV's.

To enhance user experience Angry Birds on Samsung Smart TVs now supports voice interaction and gesture controls. Thanks to Samsung’s Smart Interaction tech and an in-built camera, gamers can navigate menus, browse the web and beat the defenses of lovable diabolic pigs using gesture controls.

Keep in mind only Samsung’s 2012 LED 7500 and higher, or Plasma 8000 and higher models are eligible for the tech feature. The game can be downloaded free at the Samsung apps store. For all those angry birds fans out there…Pigs Rule!

Facebook India to up its tempo- Operations to get a boost

t’s a known fact that Facebook is the most popular social networking site. In India Facebook has grown from 8 million users in the initial days to a staggering over 50 million users now. This social networking site has charmed Indians. Majority of youth from urban cities in India spend at least 30 minutes a day on Facebook.

An effective communication tool for many, this social networking site has got its big wheels rolling in this part of the world. Facebook is well aware that India has better things in store for the future. Keeping this scenario in mind the company has decided to scale up operations in India.

Facebook India Director, Online Operations Kirthiga Reddy said “We are scaling up operations in India, through our center in Hyderabad. But being an operations center, the growth will not be like services’ companies. She further added “The work in these centers is like relay race. Each team should handle the baton and we are able to deliver 24x7 support this way”.

Tesla Model S demand sees company work towards production of 5000 electric cars by 2012 end: Europe and Asia deliveries in 2013

Tesla Motors has successfully started delivering their most important quality electric sedan to customers since end of June 2012. With deliveries effected even earlier than originally planned, the company is gearing up for a further 5000 such electric vehicles before this year is out while targeting 20000 electric sedans by the year 2013.

The Tesla Model S electric car is efficient, safe and stylish. It is a five door premium sedan that can compare on par with others in its class where space, handling, performance, speed and auto emissions are concerned. Due to its innovative design, Tesla Model S offers maximum space both in front driver area and passenger cabin. It is being offered in a choice of three battery options 40 kWh, 60 kWh and 85 kWh and has an electric range of 265 miles. The company has already received over 10 000 bookings and deliveries are expected to commence from early or mid 2013 to countries in Europe and Asia.

Tesla Model S is being priced at $49,900 though customers can also take advantage of certain rebates, sales tax exemptions and free parking among other benefits which come as special benefits with electric car choices. Tesla Motors is currently conducting test drive tours for its customers in select cities through July and August.The company has recieved over 10,000 bookings for the Model S, and deliveries to Europe and Asia will begin in early and mid-2013, respectively.

Volkswagen Polo R Cup 2012 saw Mexican driver Deigo Duez win in Round 1: Round 2 at KMS, Coimbatore between July 27-29, 2012

This was the first time in history that an international driver has won at J K Tyre Volkswagen Polo R Cup which took place at the Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore earlier this month. Deigo Duez of Mexico came first in the second race of round one clocking 19:17:543. Alisha Abdullah was in second spot while Prashanth Tharank Singh came in third six tenths of a second behind Abdullah. This weekend sees Round 2 get underway at the Kari Motor Speedway at Coimbatore between July 27th -29th.

Round 1 at the Kari Motor Speedway at Coimbatore saw Duez begin in third place on the grid and quickly overtake Ajay Kini and Alisha Abdullah, going on to maintain his lead throughout till the end of the race. Duez is in the lead with 45 points in two races of round one. Race one winner Avdumber Hede is in second place with 42 points while Mihir Dharkar is in third place with 40 points.

This year Polo has been introduced with a new petrol engine while taking a break for the diesel engines used during the last two seasons. This vehicle will assist young drivers to hone their skills to a more powerful vehicle which has a 1.4 liter direct injection, 4 cylinder engine with 180 hp at 6200 rpm and with max torque of 250 Nm at 2000 to 4500 rpm. Prior to the 2012 Volkswagen Polo R Cup commencement, a special fitness camp had been organized for Volkswagen Motorsport India at Jaypee Integrated Sports Complex in Greater Noida aimed at making young drivers more fit. The camp was held under the guidance of Mr. Abhimanyu Sable and his team of trainers.

Volkswagen Beetle Shark Observation Cage: Volkswagen of America sponsor for Discovery Channel 25th annual Shark Week (August 12-16)

Volkswagen will be presenting sponsors for 25th Annual Shark Week being held from August 12 to 16, 2012. VW along with Discovery Channel will be presenting this program which airs on the Discovery Channel Network for a multitude of viewers across the globe. This is the first time that Volkswagen will be co partners in such a venture but for Shark Week on Discovery Channel it is their 25th year running.

2012 Volkswagen Beetle will be at the forefront during this week long program. Volkswagen and Discovery Channel have been working along with marine biologist and shark expert Luke Tipple and his team and have put together a special observation cage known as the 'Volkswagen Beetle Shark Observation Cage'. The construction, design and submersion of this special cage will also be shown to viewers during Shark Week on TV.

This Beetle Shark Cage has been designed keeping the shark fin and VW Beetle in mind. The Beetle inspired cage bears a strong resemblance to the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle with 200 hp and turbocharged 2.0 liter 1.4 engine. Viewers interested in learning how the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle Shark Cage was created need to check out the three one minute videos that will be broadcasted during Shark Week.

Maruti Suzuki Manesar plant lockout enters second week – Swift, and Dzire stock deplete, as share prices dip

Maruti Suzuki Manesar plant lockout enters its second week and the company has to contend with depleting stocks of both their best selling models – Swift and Dzire, both of which are produced at Manesar Plant. 10000 cars of both these models are in transit and there are no more in stock as on date. This situation is likely to continue till such time as production is stalled at Manesar and though the company has not stopped taking in orders, dealers and customers will have to contend with a long waiting period.

Receipt of increased orders and customers willing to wait indefinitely for deliveries only shows the loyalty of customers and this is something that is boosting company spirits in these trying times. As on date Swift has booking order for 55000 units while Dzire has about 65000 bookings with a majority of these being for diesel variants. Company officials have confirmed that production operations will not be shifted to MSIL Gurgaon plant.

Maruti Suzuki has also to contend with a slump in share prices. Shares fell more than 5% in early trading on Monday after the company declared that they did not have any information as to when production operations will commence at their Manesar plant.

Dodge Charger and Challenger ranked highest in Large Car and Mid-sized Sporty segment in 2012 APEAL Study

In the 2012 APEAL Study conducted by J D Power and Associates, two Dodge models Charger and Challenger have ranked highest in their categories. This is the second year in a row that these brands have made it to the top spot while Dodge has been ranked as the most improved of all industry brands according to the study.

It has been eight years in a row that J D Power and Associates are conducting this Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout - APEAL Survey. This global marketing information services firm founded in 1968 by James David Power III, conducts surveys of customer satisfaction, product quality and buyer behavior in the automobile sector. In their 2012 study it was found that the Dodge Brand had improved by 21 points while the Ram brand had improved by 19 points.

Dodge Charger in the Large Car category was ranked the highest while Dodge Challenger was highest in Midsize Sporty category and what is even more noteworthy is the fact that these two vehicles have been thus classified for the second year in a row. APEAL Study scrutinizes each new vehicle on the basis of owner's satisfaction with regard to design, content, layout and performance during the first 90 days of ownership.

Daimler AG invests in leading vehicle mobility solutions company carpooling.com

Daimler AG has entered into a partnership with carpooling.com, an online site which strongly believes in travelling cheap and green. Sharing a ride means people save a great deal of fuel and an even greater amount of money while in the bargain reduce auto emissions and learn to care and share. Pollution and traffic is drastically reduced while parking and road maintenance problems are solved.

Daimler AG will be investing in carpooling.com. Three founders of the company will be major shareholders along with venture capital firm Earlybird. carpooling.com is well established ridesharing network with over 4 million users across Europe. This facility is accessed through the internet, smartphone or through Facebook while the company provides ride sharing facilities both for short, medium and extended distances providing all users with in-depth details of their co passengers. Besides four wheelers, the company also offers bus, rail and airline tickets.

Daimler also has its own short term car rental service with car2go which has over 130,000 customers while they also have a share in MyTaxi which has only recently started operations. Moovel is also a similar facility initiated by Daimler in July 2012. Now partnering carpooling.com will enable both the partners to benefit from each other's experience in similar enterprises while offering customers enhanced, economical and efficient services.Thanks to carpooling.com, 860,000 tons of CO2 and 430 million liters of petrol have been saved and that is not counting money savings by users and friendships gained not to mention over 16 marriages which owe their allegiance to carpooling.com.

Zero emission BMW electric vehicles keep 2012 London Olympics green

BMW will be providing a total of 4000 cars to be used as fleet vehicles during the London Olympics. The company has lived upto the challenge posed by London Organizing Committee that fleet vehicles should emit an average of 120 g CO2/km. This target is obviously being met by all the 4000 strong BMW vehicles pressed into service which will be used by guests, dignitaries, officials and participants at the upcoming London Olympics being held from July 27th to August 12th, 2012.

Out of the lot of 4000 vehicles, 200 will be all electric which will include 160 BMW 1 Series ActiveE and 40 MINI E two seaters. Diesel and 5 Series hybrids, motorcycles and 400 bicycles will make up the rest of the vehicle supplied.

These vehicles will be used as transportation facilities, some will be pressed into service as pace cars during cycling and running events wile even more of these zero emission vehicles will be used at Weymouth Harbor for drawing racing boats out of the water. BMW low emission vehicles are also being used to tow horse ambulance trailers and provide mobile camera platforms throughout these events.

BMW 3 Series sedan launch price Rs 28.9 lakh - 37.9 lakh for India: Tech specs and features

As BMW 3 Series is launched today auto enthusiasts are eager to note its features regarding its exterior, interior and engine capabilities and of course, price tag. The new BMW 320d bears a price tag of Rs 28.9 lakh, BMW 320d Sport Line Rs 31.5 lakh, BMW 320d Luxury Line Rs. 31.5 lakh, BMW 320d Luxury Plus, Rs 36.9 lakh, and BMW 328 Sport Line Rs 37.9 lakh. Considering that this vehicle is slated to stand head and shoulders apart in competition it is only natural that its launch will garner a great deal of attention. Sachin Tendulkar unveiled the sixth generation BMW 3 series premium sedan.

For starters, the new BMW 3 Series will be offered in a choice of two engines. The diesel 320d engine is being offered along with petrol 328i. 320d is fitted with a 1995cc motor offering 181 bhp power with capabilities to sprint from 0 to 100 kmph in 7.8 seconds while the petrol 328i engine is capable of 241 bhp. This engine is light weight and compact 2 liter inline and four cylinder with abilities to speed from 0 to 100 kmph in 6.4 seconds with abilities to reach a top speed of 250 kmph. Suspension of the new BMW 3 Series has been raised specially for Indian markets and is fitted with run flat tyres.

What sets this car apart from all the others in its category is the fact that it is low in weight, low in fuel economy and is fitted with 'Eco Pro', which helps in adjusting powertrain and even air conditioned to offer maximum economy along with maximum performance which equates to 20% improvement in average fuel consumption when tested under real world conditions and is proved to be even more effective than A4 and Mercedes Benz C Class.

Styling both interior and exterior play a major role where this new vehicle is concerned. Internally space is a big improvement specially at the rear. There is also a wide screen display housing the iDrive infotainment computer and Drive Performance Control and other such high tech features. Externally there is a new grille, angular headlamps and since the vehicle is made of lighter material it is 40kgs lighter than its predecessor.

Where's your Mini: T3 Delhi Duty Free at IGI begins BMW MINI Cooper promo

Where's your MINI? is a campaign being launched at IGI Airport in New Delhi. This campaign is in keeping with current international duty free trends and is on offer to all international travelers. This promotion gives all travelers a chance to win a brand new BMW MINI Cooper and all they have to do to qualify is to simply shop at the Delhi Duty Free store.

The more travelers shop - greater will be their chance to win BMW MINI Cooper. Shoppers who spend $50 or more during the period July to September 2012 will be offered lucky draw coupons. One coupon is offered for ever$50 spent so more spent means more coupons and a greater chance of winning. VISA debit card users will be given 2 coupons for every $50 spent as a special bonus.

Customers making purchases at Delhi Duty Free will be given a form which they will have to fill out and place in a box kept there for this purpose. At the end of the drive, there will be only one lucky winner who will be selected through a lucky draw. It must be remembered that BMW MINI Cooper is one of the company's luxury brands. The vehicle is a four door hatchback which is not only a visual delight to customers but offers an equally high performance drive as well.

Volkswagen China Yizheng new vehicle plant sets environmental standards: Volkswagen Polo production commences

Top officials and members of the board of Volkswagen Group were present at the opening ceremony of a new production plant in Yisheng, Eastern China. Recognizing the need of a growing market, Volkswagen has set up a new plant from where production of Volkswagen Polo will be undertaken. This new plant with an annual capacity of 300,000 vehicles has been under construction for the past two years and is finally complete and ready for production activities to commence. What is even more noteworthy is the fact that this plant is slated to be one of the most environmentally compatible plants of Volkswagen due to usage of advanced technologies, up to date production processes and sophisticated means of assembly.

This is the second VW plant in China which is located at a distance of 300 kms from North West Shanghai. The plant will offer employment to 3700 employees in the region and will include a press, body, paint shop and assembly unit. Besides production activities, technical testing centre and training academy for offering training and guidance to new employees will also be present at the site which covers an area of 1.3 million sq.mtrs.

Volkswagen China delivered 1.30 million vehicles in the first half of 2012. In the period January to June 2012 deliveries by VW Group along with two joint ventures Shanghai Volkswagen and FAW Volkswagen increased by 1`7.5%. It is the company's endeavor to increase production capacity to 4 million units in the coming five years.

Warhol and Hockney created masterpieces with multihued BMWs

Artistic trio, Andy Warhol, David Hockney and Roy Lichtenstein have made BMW cars their canvas and turned cars into art cars. These vivid and vibrant vehicles will on display at inner city car park in London where visitors will get to experience car exteriors of a different kind. Each of these masterpieces is unique in a way that sets them apart in color, design and artistry.

BMW will be taking this collection of art cars to NCP in Shoreditch East London to be put on display. A major attraction at the show will be a BMW M1 model painted by Andy Warhol in 1977 in a matter of 23 minutes. This vehicle went on to participate in 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1979 where it finished second in its class and sixth overall. These cars when on auction fetch over £40 million.

To date a total of 17 BMW Art Cars have been created. Each of these is based either on racing or regular production vehicles. The most recent of the lot is an Art Car created by Jeff Koons in 2010 with an M3 GT2. This vehicle also competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans but unfortunately did not finish the race.