The updated MY20 Nissan GT-R is now available to order. First deliveries to customers are expected to occur in November.

The GT-R is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2019, and this R35 version features a number of enhancements to improve performance and handling whilst not compromising on style. It is priced from £83,995.

The GT-R’s beating heart comes in the form of a 570PS 3.8-litre V6 twin-turbocharged engine. For the MY20 model, it has new turbochargers, which increase the engine’s response at low revs. And as if they weren’t already ferocious enough, gear shifts are 0.15 seconds improved when in R-Mode.

The electronically controlled suspension has been tuned to provide better cornering stability and a smoother ride. The steering is more linear and precise than ever, requiring minimal corrections at speeds of up to 186mph.

A new brake booster increases the initial braking response by engaging with less pedal stroke, resulting in enhanced stopping power and feel.

The exhaust manifolds, inspired by racing technology, have optimised turbo flange attachment points. There is also a new titanium exhaust muffler, featuring burnished blue tips. Very GT-R!

Retired since the R34 GT-R, Bayside Blue makes a return to the R35 GT-R line-up. It’s a truly stunning colour, striking yet deep and sophisticated.

It’s not just the colour that’s sophisticated too, because to achieved this finish requires a four-coat double-heat treatment.

Stylish new 20 Spoke 20” alloy wheels have also been introduced.

In addition to the existing black, tan and red interior options on Prestige grade, there is now a new grey leather interior, replacing the outgoing ivory option.
For more information or to configure your own (go on, you know you want to!), visit www.nissan.co.uk/gt-r

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McLaren has revealed its first bespoke luggage collection, designed exclusively for the McLaren GT by McLaren Special Operations (MSO). The collection was developed together by McLaren Automotive’s design and engineering teams and Italian luggage specialist. The four-piece set maximises the GT’s capacious luggage space and includes made-to-measure storage solutions for golf clubs.

With a deep front boot and long rear luggage deck under the lift-up glass tailgate, the McLaren GT can actually be considered a spacious and practical car. That’s mightily impressive for a two-seater.

The McLaren GT Luggage Set has been designed and developed to conform to the brand highest’s standards of engineering, quality and exclusivity. The set consists of four pieces, the garment case, the weekend bag, the cabin bag and the full-size golf bag.

Each bag in the collection is hand-assembled by specialists in Italy, using the same luxury, soft and supple semi-aniline leather and stitch pattern that adorns the interior of the McLaren GT. Three colours are available: Pioneer Black, Luxe Black and Luxe Porcelain.

Stitching and piping colours have been selected to match the GT’s colour and specification options.

The McLaren GT is priced from £163,000 with first deliveries expected by the end of 2019. The GT bespoke luggage collection will be available from the Global Retailer Network from September onwards.

Prices are from: £1,700 for the garment case; £1,850 for the weekend bag; £2,800 for the cabin bag; and £5,000 for the full-size golf bag.

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Cupra has joined forces with FC Barcelona, as Official Automotive and Mobility Partner of the club. Seat’s special car division joins forces with its hometown football club as part of an alliance for the next five seasons.

This alliance is based on three strategic pillars. Firstly, both partners originated in Barcelona. Secondly, the two sides endeavour to promote youth talent and innovation. Finally, the two brands share the values of passion, ambition and global vocation.

Seat President and Chairman of the Board of Cupra Luca de Meo, and FC Barcelona President Josep Maria Bartomeu met at Camp Nou before Barça’s first home game in La Liga 2019-2020.

“This innovative alliance with one of the world’s greatest football clubs shows our strong commitment to the Cupra brand and the future of mobility in Barcelona.

“Furthermore, partnering with a universal institution such as FC Barcelona with a fanbase of over 340 million will support our globalisation strategy“, said de Meo.

In turn, FC Barcelona President Josep Maria Bartomeu stated: “We celebrate the incorporation of Cupra as FC Barcelona’s new Official Automotive and Mobility partner.

“We are setting out on a new road together, based on such shared values as demand, passion, ambition and teamwork.

“An innovative alliance that will enable us to offer unique experiences to our fans around the world and through which we shall also have the opportunity to collaborate with the development of new solutions to help improve urban mobility“.

Besides being its exclusive Official Automotive and Mobility Partner, Cupra will become one of FC Barcelona’s Global Official Partners.

This special alliance will include visibility on the ground around the stadium facilities as well as a Cupra VIP Box at the Camp Nou for all FC Barcelona home games. A temporary dedicated area is also expected to be installed outside the stadium for the Barça fans to discover the brand.

Seat, Cupra and FC Barcelona will jointly develop micro-mobility and electro-mobility solutions around the Camp Nou. The football stadium’s facilities will serve as a test laboratory for upcoming urban mobility projects.

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At www.trackdays.co.uk you can enjoy movie car driving experiences. There are a host of different vehicles available to drive, at locations across the country. But which are the most popular?

Sitting head and shoulders above the rest is the iconic Shelby Mustang GT500E. The “E” is for “Eleanor”, which was the car’s code name in the 2000 blockbuster Gone in 60 Seconds. In the movie, Eleanor is quite a handful for Nicholas Cage. The Shelby Mustang demands respect.

In second place is the unmistakable Ford Escort RS MK1 from Fast & Furious 6. In that film it was driven by the late Paul Walker, as he tried to evade a tank. You’ll be pleased to know that on the track day experience no tanks will be present… hopefully.

The final podium spot, and the only modern car making up the top three, is the Audi R8. Driven by Robert Downey Jr in Iron Man this is a thrill for the senses. On the track you’ll be able to explore the blistering speed of this Audi supercar.

The top ten most popular cars are as follows:

1. Shelby Mustang GT500 “Eleanor” – Gone in 60 Seconds
2. Ford Escort RS MK1 – Fast & Furious 6
3. Audi R8 – Iron Man
4. Shelby Cobra – Bad Boys
5. Nissan GT-R R35 – Furious 7
6. Aston Martin DB5 – Goldfinger
7. Dodge Challenger Hellcat – The Fate of the Furious
8. Ford MustangGT Stage 3 ROUSH – Transformers
9. Dodge Charger – The Dukes of Hazzard
10. Toyota Supra – The Fast and the Furious

Imran Malek, operations manager at TrackDays.co.uk, said:

“It’s great to see that the awesome Shelby Mustang GT500 Eleanor is crowned the celluloid champion and it appears that blockbusters like Gone in 60 Seconds and the incredible Fast and Furious films are inspiring people to experience these awesome motors for themselves.

“Indeed, while thousands of people head to the cinema this summer holiday to catch the latest blockbuster, thrill seekers are making tracks to their closest race circuit to drive a movie car for real!”

So, which can will you choose?

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Volvo Cars Special Vehicles has released an armoured version of the XC90. In addition to providing safe and comfortable travel, this XC90 offers high level of personal protection for the occupants.

“We are proud to be able to offer these armoured cars. With our armoured cars, we can provide vehicles with a high level of personal security for individuals who require heightened protection.” says Stephan Green, Marketing Director at Volvo Cars Special Vehicles.

There is a growing global market for armoured vehicles at present. As a result an increasing number are manufactured with various protection ratings. We recently told you about an armoured Skoda Superb.

Volvo Cars has received numerous requests over the past few years to develop an armoured XC90. A certified VPAM VR8 rating means the car has 360-degree ballistic resistance as well as explosive resistance. Work to give the XC90 this certification began two years ago.

The armoured car is built on the Inscription version of the Volvo XC90 T6 AWD. The size and nature of the model are a good fit for undergoing the armouring process.

From its manufacture in the Torslanda plant, Sweden, the car is sent to TRASCO Bremen GmbH in Germany, a company which has specialised for many years in building high-quality vehicles with high protection ratings.

“Production is classified, with stringent procedures and oversight in place in order to attain the stipulated ballistic requirements,” says Green.

The high-strength steel armour is 10mm thick, while the thickness of the glass can be up to 50mm. This armour adds approximately 1,400kg to the XC90. The total weight of the car, including five occupants, is an eye-watering 4,490kg.To cope with the increased weight, the car is fitted with uprated suspension and new brakes.

“Production is carried out with extreme diligence, which is imperative in order to fulfil the exceptionally high requirements placed on this class of security product. We strive to ensure that the car retains its properties despite the extensive armouring. The armour is fitted discreetly to make the car barely distinguishable from a standard XC90. Every customer also has their own unique requirements, which we satisfy by means of customised production,” says Green.

The Volvo XC90 Armoured is available to order now and the first customer deliveries will be made at the end of 2019.

Next year, Volvo Cars Special Vehicles will introduce a lighter version of the car. It will still offer protection for occupants, but is aimed at those for whom the heavy version detailed above may just be overkill.

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The new McLaren GT took to the famous Goodwood hill. The car’s global dynamic debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed was an opportunity for it to be seen, and admired, by thousands.

The McLaren of Grand Tourers – McLaren’s modern interpretation of the classic GT – was revealed online earlier this year. Superlight, yet supremely comfortable, the GT is a blissful symphony of luxury and, when it comes to performance, lunacy.

Powered by a 620PS 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, supercar performance is inevitable. The GT accelerates from 0-62mph in a blistering 3.2 seconds and on to a top speed of 203mph. And yet…  it can still carry up to 570 litres of luggage – certainly enough for a grand tour for two people.

The interior showcases the luxury, touring aspect of the GT, with luxurious trim options including Nappa leather, softgrain leather or Alcantara®, and seats unique to the McLaren GT that are designed for long distance comfort.

The luggage bay can also be trimmed with SuperFabric®, developed to be resistant to stains, cuts, nicks and abrasions, as well as being breathable, easy to clean and quick to dry. The McLaren GT is, then, a usable supercar.

The infotainment system developed for the new GT is the company’s most sophisticated to date, featuring industry-standard HERE® navigation and real-time traffic information.

If you like to really get in to your music on your grand tour, it can also be linked to an optional 12-speaker Bowers & Wilkins premium audio system.

The McLaren GT is priced from £163,000 on the road. For more information and to configure your own, head over to the McLaren website.

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At last weekend’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Maserati Levante Trofeo took to the famous hill.

This would be the first dynamic debut of the car following the announcement of the introduction of the Levante V8 range to the UK market.

Over the four day motoring event the eagerly anticipated high performance Maserati Levante Trofeo thrilled the crowds on Goodwood’s famous 1.16 mile hillclimb in the ‘First Glance’ Class.

And it has the ability to thrill for sure. The Levante Trofeo is one of the fastest SUVs ever built. Its 3.8-litre Twin-Turbo V8 engine puts out a staggering 580PS, powering this sizeable SUV all the way to a top speed of 186 mph.

The Levante Trofeo features Maserati’s Integrated Vehicle Control System (IVC) along with a new ‘Corsa’ (Race) driving mode with Launch Control functionality for more responsive driving dynamics and improved performance.

This is so much more than a ‘fast SUV’, it offers a genuine Maserati driving experience.

The Levante V8 range also includes the Trofeo Launch Edition and the GTS. The exclusive Trofeo Launch Edition is limited to only 50 units for Europe, so you’ll need to be quick to get your hands on one.

The Trofeo Launch Edition is available in three unique exterior colours – Blu Emozione matte (as pictured), Giallo Modenese and Rosso Magma – whilst the interior is available in black with red, blue or yellow contrast stitching.

The blue or yellow stitching is exclusive to the Launch Edition, which also features the new matte carbon fibre weave interior trim.

The Maserati Levante GTS equally epitomises the Italian marque’s balance of performance grand tourer and luxury. It shares the same 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 as the Trofeo models but with a slightly lower output of 530PS.

Pricing starts at £104,900 for the Maserati Levante GTS, £124,900 for the Trofeo and £159,900 for the Trofeo Launch Edition and all three are now available to order in the UK.

For more information on the Maserati Levante Trofeo, visit the Maserati website. As always we will do our best to pester the Maserati press office and get hold of one. We can’t promise anything, but we can certainly try!

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The Skoda Kodiaq vRS has been converted to a pursuit car for UK police forces. Powered by a twin turbo charged 2.0-litre TDI the Kodiaq vRS can sprint from 0-62mph in just 7.0 seconds and has a top speed of 136mph. That should be ample power to pursue would-be criminals trying to escape.

It’s not all about power though. Thanks to the Kodiaq’s seven-seat layout the SUV offers excellent levels of space and payload capabilities.

The pursuit vehicle conversion includes powerful LED signal lights and a 100-amp three tone siren.

Police Officers travel with bulky, heavy kit and so a comfortable drive is essential. The vRS has them covered with electrically adjustable Alcantara-trimmed sports seats with memory function.

The SUV also features Dynamic Chassis Control and progressive steering as standard for a smooth drive. Whilst the fully-connected interior features the 10.25” digital Virtual Cockpit display and SmartLink+ for seamless smartphone integration.

Planning is underway to include control of the blue light and emergency services communications system via the integrated touch screen display on the dashboard.

Henry Williams, Skoda Head of Fleet, commented: “The high-performance credentials of the Kodiaq vRS make it a powerful addition to the pursuit vehicle line-up. It offers power, precision drive and good visibility to other drivers on the road.”

We will be testing the civilian Kodiaq vRS later this year, so keep an eye out for the review on this website. If you’re more interested in the blue-light special, and Skoda’s other emergency services vehicles, head over to www.skoda.co.uk/fleet/emergency-services.

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Ford has found a clever way of reusing millions of plastic bottles. Each EcoSport SUV that the company produces is fitted with carpets made using 470 single-use plastic drink bottles.

Since Ford launched the EcoSport globally in 2012, it has provided a new lease of life for more than 650 million 500ml bottles, weighing an estimated 8,262 tonnes.

Even more impressively, if laid end to end, the bottles would stretch more than twice around the world.

Since first using recycled plastic in the Mondeo more than 20 years ago, Ford now recycles 1.2 billion bottles globally per year.

“Consumers have a hugely increased awareness of the harm that simply discarding plastic can do – but we have long been on a mission to increase the proportion of recycled and renewable materials that are used in every new car we make,” said Tony Weatherhead, materials engineer, Ford Motor Company.

Turning plastic into car carpets first involves shredding both the bottles and their caps into tiny flakes.

These are then heated to 260°C and melted down before being formed into fibres the width of a single human hair.

Those fibres are spun into a yarn by twisting multiple fibres together – and it is this material that is woven into carpets. In Europe as a whole, only 30 per cent of plastic waste is recycled.

Both the Ford EcoSport and Ford EcoBoost engines are built at Ford’s assembly plant in Craiova, Romania.

For more information on the Ecosport, and to configure your own, head over to the Ford website.

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The new Mercedes-AMG GT R Roadster is now available to order, with prices starting from £178,675.

The GT R Roadster uses a hand-built bi-turbo 4.0-litre V8 engine, which has an output of 585PS and 700Nm of torque.

It can complete a 0 -62mph dash in just 3.6 seconds and has an electronically limited top speed of 197 mph.

Economy is 16.9–22.6 mpg on the combined WLTP cycle. CO2 emissions are an NEDC-equivalent 284g/km.

The GT R Roadster features a triple-layered light-weight fabric soft top with a structure consisting of aluminium, magnesium and steel which is fitted with an acoustic mat to reduce noise.

The soft top can be opened and closed within 11 seconds and can be operated at speeds of up to 31 mph. It is available in a choice of three colours: black, red or beige.

The GT R Roadster is priced from £178,678 on the road. For £5,995, customers can add the AMG high-performance ceramic composite braking system.

To make the most of that 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8, the GT R Roadster gets an AMG performance exhaust and AMG Drive Unit including traction control.

Further performance gadgetry includes active aerodynamics which allows more precise handling and better road adhesion. There’s even a manually adjustable aerofoil.

Lighting wise there’s High Performance headlights with Adaptive Highbeam Assist and an AMG Interior Night package.

Inside the AMG GT R Roadster is a blend of luxury and performance, with AMG performance seats in Style Exclusive nappa leather upholstery, climatised seats with memory package, air scarf with neck level heating and AMG matt carbon fibre trim.

To find out more, or configure your own, head to https://www.mercedes-benz.co.uk/passengercars/mercedes-benz-cars/models/amg-gt/amg-gt-roadster/explore.html

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Bentley Motors has been recognised as the number one automotive employer for school leavers in the UK for the second year running.

The awards – presented by careers guidance company AllAboutSchoolLeavers and voted for solely by Apprentices – highlighted Bentley’s focus on future talent, learning and development.

Bentley was recognised for its innovative approach to Apprenticeship programmes, balancing theoretical learning with practical working.

Commenting on the achievement, Dr. Astrid Fontaine, Member of the Board for People, Digitalisation & IT, said:

“To once again be named the Top Automotive Employer for School Leavers in the UK is an achievement we are very proud of and underlines our continued commitment to future talent.

“This commitment spans decades with programmes running for more than 40 years each offering a solid foundation for people to build the relevant skills and knowledge that will enable them to grow through their careers.”

Bentley’s apprenticeship programme offers an invaluable way of gaining recognised qualifications while undertaking key training at Bentley, for three or four years, dependent on which area the Apprentice is working in.

A new cohort of 49 Apprentices will start in the autumn of 2019 joining the 200 people already on trainee programmes at Bentley Motors.

Talking about his experiences, Jamie Brown, a fourth-year Engineering Advanced Apprentice at Bentley Motors, said:

“The Bentley apprenticeship program has been a great opportunity for me as I have been able to pursue my academic studies, improve on my practical skills provided by experienced colleagues while earning a salary.

“Having access to the program resources has motivated me to pursue further training which has been a very rewarding journey.

“I have built good working relationships from placements and friends from team building exercises along the way.”

To find out more head over to the Bentley careers website.

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