Topgear News

Japanese auto manufacturer Honda Motor Co (ticker: HDM) Thursday announced plans to boost car production at its Swindon, England, plant. The capacity expansion will result in the creation of 700 additional jobs, the company stated.

The production of the new Civic five door and three door models is being hiked from 190,000 in the current year to 250,000 by 2007 due to the growing demand for the car, the company said. Honda Motor will consequently boost the workforce at its Wiltshire plant to 4,900. A new Honda CV-R, which is to be unveiled at the Paris Auto Show, is also to be manufactured at the England plant.

Join the Q if you’d like to be the owner of the world’s most powerful diesel passenger car!

Audi’s storming new Q7 V12 will make its debut at next year’s Detroit Auto Show. The firm has shoe-horned a 6.0-litre twin-turbo V12 under the bonnet of the range-topping 4×4, boasting 493bhp and 1,000Nm of torque.

Performance promises to be equally impressive, with a 0-62mph time of 5.5 seconds and a top speed of 155mph. The new SUV gets the same high-powered brakes as used on Audi’s sporting S6 and S8 models.

(this article was taken from autoexpress.co.uk)

Everybody at Topgear wish a speedy recovery for Richard Hammond after his high speed crash yesterday evening.  Our thoughts are with him and his family.

Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond is improving but remains seriously ill in hospital after he crashed a jet-powered car during filming for the BBC show. The 36-year-old was thought to be driving at about 300mph on an airfield near York when he crashed on Wednesday.

The Health and Safety Executive and the BBC will investigate the incident.

The corporation, whose conduct is likely to be closely scrutinised, said in a statement: “We are looking into all the factors of this accident.”

The statement continued: “It would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage until we know the full situation.”

As Ford moves to implement its biggest job-cut and plant-closure program in its 103-year history, uncertainties about the turnaround plan risk complicating its execution, analysts said on Monday.

Analysts question whether Ford has cut deeply enough given its diminished outlook and the near certainty that it will be overtaken in the U.S. market by rival Toyota Motor Corp.

Ford may also fall short of its target of slashing 30,000 U.S. factory jobs through a buyout program negotiated last week with the United Auto Workers union, analysts said.

And, Ford still needs to identify two assembly plants for closure, suggesting unresolved internal questions about its product plans, analysts said.

This is the face of the Delta HPE, which will kick-start the brand’s arrival when it makes its debut at the Paris Motor Show later this month. The previous car to wear the HPE (High Performance Estate) name was the Seventies’ Beta.

Lancia’s production Delta will arrive towards the end of 2008 and is tasked with reviving the marque, which withdrew from the UK in 1994

Lancia’s production Delta will arrive towards the end of 2008 and is tasked with reviving the marque, which withdrew from the UK in 1994. It shares its underpinnings with next year’s Fiat Stilo replacement, the new Bravo, and the forthcoming Alfa Romeo 149 - also due here in 2007. Future Lancias will be built as right-hand drives, too, but the Delta will initially be the sole offering.

Scot Allan McNish and Italian co-driver Rinaldo Capello have wrapped up the American Le Mans Series crown. Sharing one of Audi’s R10 TDIs, the duo also became the first to win a major championship in a diesel-powered car.

“Audi made history when it won at Sebring and Le Mans; now, Dindo and I have secured the championship with a diesel. I am so proud,” said McNish, who also won the ALMS title in 2000.

(this bulletin was taken from autoexpress.co.uk)

Topgear Hayes has just had their first open day with great success.  To have a look at the report and see the pictures have a look at http://www.hayezsquad.co.uk/launch.html