Archive for February, 2008
Thursday, February 28th, 2008
The Morgan Aero 8 is the lightest V8 sports car in the world. 2008 sees the start of production of the new 4.8 litre V8 version. The latest BMW V8 engine takes Morgan performance to the next level.
The new engine adds 13% more power, raising output to 367Bhp, giving a power to weight ratio of over 315 Bhp/tonne, enough to propel the car from 0 – 60 mph in just 4.2 seconds and on to a top speed of 170 mph.
New for Morgan is an automatic gearbox option. ZF’s latest 6 HP26 six speed gives even better performance than a manual gearbox due to its special lock up clutch, low power loss design and instant change characteristic. The automatic is useable either as a full automatic for more relaxed driving or in sport manual mode when the bespoke gear lever will hold the engine revs up to the maximum in each gear, increase change speed and ‘blip’ the throttle to smooth down changes.
The efficiency of the new engine and gearbox combination deliver the extra power and performance with a reduction in CO2 emissions. Thanks to Morgan’s clever lightweight design and efficient engine/gearbox combination the European drive cycle emission level, at 260 g/km, proves supercar performance does not need to come at enormous cost to the environment.
New instrumentation, a repositioned fuel tank for better weight distribution and significantly increased luggage space and larger air intakes and exits on the wings distinguish the new model.
Over 600 Aero 8s have now left the Malvern factory. This year production combined with the AeroMax will add another 140 cars to the total. There is a flourishing Aero Eight Club offering Aero drivers the opportunity to take their cars onto European race tracks and to follow the fortunes of the three Aero 8’s competing in the International FIA GT3 Race series.
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Thursday, February 21st, 2008
New ICM poll: overwhelming majority of Londoners say new £25 congestion charge too high, and the Mayor’s own voters agree.
Three out of four Londoners oppose Mayor Ken Livingstone’s plan to increase the congestion charge to £25 for VED Band G vehicles, a new ICM opinion poll has found.
Even those who voted for Mr Livingstone at the last Mayoral election believe by a large majority that the planned increase is too high, the poll reveals.
These findings undermine Mr Livingstone’s claims that the public support his plans. The poll, conducted on behalf of Porsche who began legal action against the Mayor this week, showed that 74% of Londoners believe the £25 charge is unfair.
There is scarcely more support for his plans among those who backed the Mayor in 2004. The poll reveals 65 per cent of those who voted for him last time think the £25 charge is too high, compared to 34 per cent who believe it is about right or not high enough.
The poll also revealed widespread suspicion over the Mayor’s motives for the increase. A clear majority of Londoners (62%) said the main reason for the proposal was because “he is most interested in raising extra money from Londoners” rather than “cutting congestion and helping London’s environment.”
Other key findings from the poll:
- 81 per cent of Londoners believe the increase in the congestion charge will be bad for business in London.
- Over half of Londoners (51%) believe it is unfair that they should be made to pay an extra charge for driving to help the environment when other people in Britain do not have to pay a similar charge.
- 68 per cent of Londoners believe £8 is an unfair amount of money to pay to drive into the congestion zone.
Responding to the poll Andy Goss, Managing Director of Porsche GB, said, “Londoners agree that the Mayor’s plans to introduce a massive new charge for larger vehicles is totally unfair and is more about squeezing money out of motorists than trying to help the environment. The Mayor should take the chance to reconsider his plans before he leaves us with a system that risks damaging London and irritating massive numbers of people”.
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Thursday, February 21st, 2008
C-charge tax won’t reduce CO2 emissions.
Following its launch of a judicial challenge against Mayor Ken Livingstone’s emissions related congestion charge, Porsche today released an examination of the expected CO2 savings. Using Transport for London’s own figures, the savings expected in an entire year from the emissions charge will be equal to the emissions from Heathrow between 4 minutes and at most 4 hours.
Commenting on the figures, Andy Goss, Managing Director of Porsche Cars GB, said, “Under closer examination these figures show the negligible environmental benefits of this tax. The emissions saved are a fraction of the amount of the CO2 pumped out every day at Heathrow. Calling this tax an emissions charge is a misnomer. Not only is this new charge an unfair tax on motorists and families, it is a tax that will do nothing to reduce emissions or congestion in London.”
The release of this examination comes the day after Porsche announced that it is seeking to make an application for judicial review of the proposed extension in the congestion charge, which will see the cost of driving some cars in the capital rise from £8.00 a day, or just 80p if they are residents in the congestion zone, to £25.00 a day – an increase of over 3000 per cent. Porsche is seeking a reverse of this action based on the disproportionate nature of the charge.
Porsche also announced today that it has opened a website for the legal case where families and motorists across London who will be impacted by the new tax can get more information and add their name to a petition against the charge.
The website is available at www.porschejudicialreview.co.uk
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