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Create your own driving music with a Golf GTi and Underworld!

Create your own driving music with a Golf GTi and Underworld!

Volkswagen Golf GTI and Underworld have collaborated on a project that synchronises driving and music in real time.

Play the Road generates music via a phone app that’s connected to the GTI’s onboard computer, reading the driver’s location and movements to compose music live.Continue Reading..

New Head of Exterior Design at Bentley

New Head of Exterior Design at Bentley

Internationally acclaimed designer David Hilton has been appointed Head of Exterior Design for Bentley Motors Ltd. After 12 years running his own successful design firm, Hilton moves to Crewe in the UK reporting to Bentley’s Director of Design and Styling Dirk van Braeckel.

Hilton has over two decades experience within automotive design having worked with a wide variety of global companies. Award winning projects for a range of European and Japanese brands established his reputation and helped the companies attract new customers. Prior to this, Hilton worked at Ford for many years in both Detroit and Germany as well as a spell with Mazda in Japan. A former Chief Designer at Ford Racing, he also has experience within the Volkswagen Group having been a designer at VW Autolatina in Brazil.

Announcing Hilton’s appointment, Dirk van Braeckel commented:

“With such vast experience and creative design talent, David will be a huge asset to the team at Crewe. His proven creative excellence will undoubtedly help us build on our current highly successful model line-up and enhance the appeal of Bentley cars to our customers world-wide.”

“I am looking forward to working with him.”

Hilton commented:

“I am thrilled to be joining Bentley at this exciting time.  Bentley has a distinctive design language which reflects the history and heritage of the Brand but remains relevant to today’s high luxury customers. This is a tremendous privilege and opportunity and I hope I can draw on the passion that I know everyone associated with the marque shares and help shape the design of the next generation of Bentleys.”

Hilton replaces Raul Pires who left Bentley at the end of 2011 to join the VW-owned Italian design house Italdesign.

Škoda celebrates 14 million vehicles

Škoda celebrates 14 million vehicles

ŠKODA has produced its 14-millionth car. The celebratory vehicle rolled off the assembly line at the Czech plant at Kvasiny earlier this week. The ‘Laurin & Klement’ Superb special edition vehicle is designated for delivery to a German customer.

This special edition is another milestone for the sustained growth of the automobile manufacturer.

“This celebratory car is an impressive expression of our growth strategy,” says ŠKODA chairman of the board, Prof. Dr. h.c. Winfried Vahland.

“We are expanding at a high speed. Almost two thirds of the 14 million cars built by the company were produced and sold in the past 20 years, four million of which were produced in the past 5 years alone.”

ŠKODA plans to increase its worldwide sales to at least 1.5 million units per year by 2018. With a total of 879,200 units in 2011, the company sold more cars than ever in its history.

This current milestone illustrates the very dynamic development of the brand and, at the same time, points toward the great significance of its affiliation with the Volkswagen Group in the year 1991.

“We thank the entire ŠKODA team, which has made this development possible and which can rightly be proud of its achievement,” emphasises Vahland.

ŠKODA began the largest model expansion of its history last year, to accomplish this goal. With Citigo and the compact sedan Rapid, sold in India, the two new model lines already celebrated their sales premieres at the end of 2011. ŠKODA wants to introduce an average of one new model to the market every six months in the coming years.

The manufacturer is increasing capacity in Czech and international plants and at the same time, ŠKODA continues the consistent internationalisation of the brand, particularly focusing on the emerging markets of China, Russia and India.

At the end of 2012, the compact SUV Yeti will be produced in China in cooperation with Shanghai Volkswagen. Moreover, the brand will commence production of a new compact sedan in China at the beginning of 2013.

In Russia, a second production site following the one in Kaluga has been in operation since 2011. As well as this, capacities are growing in India – with the new compact sedan Rapid having been built in Pune since 2011.

Milestones of the car manufacture at ŠKODA AUTO:

  • January 30, 2012: 14 million automobiles since 1905
  • December 2011: 1.5 million vehicles of the Octavia II type
  •  October 12, 2011: 10-millionth automobile produced at the plant in Mladá Boleslav
  • September 2, 2011: 4-millionth MQ200 gearbox built at the plant in Mladá Boleslav
  • April 8, 2009: 12 million automobiles since 1905
  • July 13, 2006: 10 million automobiles since 1905 (5 million of which were manufactured since the entry of VW in 1991)
  • 1991: 5 million automobiles since 1905
Skoda reveal new pictures of VisionD concept

Skoda reveal new pictures of VisionD concept

The VisionD concept from Skoda has certainly given us a glimpse of what we might expect from future models since its unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

Its sharp lines give the VisonD a tough, sporty appearance that distances it from its VW cousins.

Lets hope that this concept makes it to the road as Skoda finally seem to have found their own identity in the VisonD.

 

 

 

2011 Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet

2011 Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet

The Volkswagon Golf has always been a favourite, but this model has been missing for a while.

As with almost every car when you remove the roof this Golf Cabriolet isn’t as practical or rigid as the hatchback. This is a proper four seater, plenty of engine options, both petrol and diesel and a roof you can lower on the move!