Park Lane Export news archive
Volkswagen up! five door revealed
Although official details and prices have yet to be released, the current indications are that five-door models will cost around £400 more than equivalent three-door cars. That should mean prices starting from around £9400.
See pictures of the new VW Up five-door
As with the three-door, three engine variants are expected to be available – two 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol units as well as a frugal BlueMotion Technology version of the lower-powered petrol – with three trim levels to choose from.
The five-door's key dimensions will be the same as the three-door, which means it will offer a 251-litre boot, plus 920mm of rear headroom and a maximum of 820mm of rear legroom.
UK sales are expected to begin in the fourth quarter of this year.
All-new Porsche Boxster revealed
This is an official image of the third-generation Porsche Boxster, ahead of its first public airing at the Geneva motor show in March.
Porsche says the Boxster will go on sale in the UK on April 28, flaunting a lightweight aluminium body and a roomier 911-style interior. It will have the choice of two upgraded versions of Porsche’s classic horizontally-opposed six-cylinder engine, both boasting direct injection, slight power gains and impressive reductions in fuel consumption.
The new Boxster – codenamed 981 – comes with a fully automatic cloth hood, no longer requiring manual assistance. It stows behind the cabin in a fully exposed position, with no need for a tonneau cover.
The Boxster features an Alcantara interior, 18in alloys, auto stop/start and Sports mode, remote control hood operation, audio CD with 7in colour touch-screen control, a universal audio interface offering MP3 connectivity and a three-year warranty.
The Boxster S adds 19in alloys, partial leather interior and Bi-Xenon headlights in addition to the power advantage of the larger 3.4-litre engine.
Reaction to E-Bugster launch
A positive reaction to VW's speedster-look E-Bugster will help make the case for putting it into production as the third variant of the new Beetle.
Officially, VW is remaining tight-lipped about the chance of putting the handsome design into production but the car's designers believe it has a strong chance of making production.
The E-Bugster's squat proportions come from a windscreen chopped-down by 65mm and the high point of the roof being pushed back to give a wedge-like profile to the roofline.
Also a nod to the world of the west coast tuner are the E-Bugster's multi-spoke alloy wheels, which ape Porsche's iconic 1960s design. They are made of conventional cast alloy and likely to feature on the new Beetle Convertible due for launch late this year. The originals were of unusual pressed alloy construction.
Audi A6 Allroad revealed
This is the Audi A6 Allroad. The high-riding variant of the Audi A6 sits 60mm higher than the standard car, and features styling changes including different front grille and bumper designs, skid plates, roof rails and protection around the exhaust.
See pics of the Audi A6 Allroad
It also comes with air suspension as standard, which will lower the body by 15mm at speed to improve the aerodynamics, or raise it by 35mm to improve ground clearance.
Four engine variants will be offered: a 306bhp 3.0-litre V6 petrol with 325lb ft of torque, and three 3.0-litre diesels producing 201bhp, 242bhp and 309bhp. The latter is linked to an eight-speed automatic gearbox, while the rest of the range is linked to a seven-speed unit.
New 911 is here now
As with today’s 911, the front-end structure, complete with its MacPherson strut suspension, has been designed to be shared with the Boxster. The rear end, with its reworked multi-link suspension, remains largely unique, and the steering uses an electro-mechanical set-up.
The new car is marginally longer and wider than the existing 911 but the basic silhouette remains largely unchanged, including the screen angles and length of the front and rear overhangs. The biggest change is the widened wings, which have been designed to accept wheels up to 20 inches in diameter.
Again, there are no major changes to the 911’s styling. Headlamps and tail-lights have been altered slightly and given new LED graphics, while the exterior mirror housings now sit outboard on the doors rather than in the blanked-off quarter panel at the base of the A-pillar.
Contact Park Lane Export to register your interest in the new Porsche 911
New Volkswagen CC
The revised Volkswagen CC is available to order now ahead of the car's UK launch date in April. Engine options include the 1.8-litre TSI, 2.0-litre TSI, and 2.0 TDI in either 138bhp or 168bhp power guises.
Standard features of the new car (formerly dubbed Passat CC) include a touchscreen sat-nav system, DAB digital radio, climate control and bi-xenon headlights. Brake energy recuperation and 17-inch alloys also feature across the model range.
GT trim adds heated Nappa leather seats, cruise control, parking sensors front and rear, 18-inch alloys and tinted windows. Additional options comprise adaptive cruise control, lane assist, a rear view camera and massaging seats.
Topping the model range is the 2.0-litre TDI six-speed DSG is capable of 51.4mpg and 144g/km CO2.
Lexus LF-FC sports car concept
The wraps have come off the stunning new Lexus LF-LC sports car concept.
The amazing machine is officially described as "a design exercise to explore the future of Lexus design" but it could preview an upcoming large coupe to take on the Mercedes SL and BMW 6 Series.
Produced by Lexus' design studio Calty, which is based in Newport Beach, California, the 2+2 LF-LC features a dramatic long bonnet with cues from the LF-A supercar mixed with an even more aggressive front end from the LF-Gh concept, which previewed the new GS.
Details are scarce at the moment but you can expect a hybrid engine to power the new coupe, with insiders suggesting it will mate a 3.5-litre V6 engine to an electric motor.
Special edition Shogun revealed
The Mitsubishi Shogun has spawned the Black special edition, which is based on the range-topping long wheelbase SG4 and offers a new styling kit. Mitsubishi hopes the Shogun Black will widen the appeal of the SUV with satin black trim pack, which includes 20-inch alloy wheels, spoiler, wing mirrors, grille and headlamp bezels and side steps.
Despite its name, the Shogun Black will be available in a range of metallic colours, as well as solid Frost White, pictured.
The announcement comes less than three months after the introduction of revisions for the 2012 model year, which marked the arrival of a Euro V-compliant engine and improvements to the cabin.
Alfa 4C cost and production
Alfa Romeo's all-new Alfa Romeo 4C sports car will be appearing in prototype form during the middle of next year before going on sale in 2013. He is also forecasting a 45,000 euro (£38,000) price tag for the mid-engined machine and targeting a 900kg kerb weight.
With Alfa’s 230bhp direct injection 1750 turbo four powering it, the 4C is expected to hit 62mph in 4.5sec.
Alfa are expected to build 18,000 4Cs over the lifetime of the car, although the factory that will make it has yet to be chosen.
All-new Mercedes SL revealed
Mercedes has revealed its all-new SL, and the initials – which stand for sporty and lightweight – have never been more appropriate. The roadster is up to 140kg lighter than its predecessor, while new six and eight-cylinder engines are faster and cleaner than ever before.
The car’s illustrious bloodline stretches back to the original SL from 1952 – a model still highly coveted in the classic car market. But this 2012 version has its eyes fixed on the future, with an all-aluminium body and a raft of groundbreaking technology.
Two engines, both with stop-start as standard, will be available from launch. The SL 500 features a new 429bhp 4.7-litre V8, while the SL 350 gets a 302bhp 3.5-litre V6. Smaller than the 5.5-litre engine it replaces, the new V8 is around 12 per cent more powerful, yet fuel returns have improved by 22 per cent to 29.8mpg. The V6 engine is almost 30 per cent more economical, at 41.5mpg.
