Ford Focus RS to make Driving Debut at Rally GB with Marcus Grönholm Behind the Wheel

The much-anticipated production version of the new Ford Focus RS will make its driving premiere at the Wales Rally GB that runs December 4-7. Behind the wheel of Ford's fastest-ever European production car will be 'Flying Finn' Marcus Grönholm. , Even though he won't be in competition, the former double World Rally Champion and ex-Ford WRC driver will give spectators at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium a taste of the road-going Focus RS's capabilities. The new flagship Focus model which goes on sale early in Spring next year, is powered by a turbocharged Duratec 2.5-litre, five-cylinder engine producing 305HP and 440Nm peak torque.

Combined with a six-speed manual transmission, the front-wheel-drive Focus RS accelerates from standstill to 100km/h in 5.9 sec and achieves a maximum speed of 263 km/h or 164mph. Ford supports that that the combination of Quaife Automatic Torque Biasing limited-slip differential and a new RevoKnuckle front-suspension system allows a class-leading balance of traction, handling and performance to be derived from front- as opposed to all-wheel drive, with consequent power-to-weight advantages.

The Cardiff stage of Wales Rally GB, the last round of the FIA World Rally Championship, takes place on 6 December.

Essen Motorshow: Opel Insignia Sport Package by Irmscher

Opel's new top-of-the line Insignia model received the "Irmscher treatment" at the Essen Motor Show that runs from November 28 to December 7. The German tuner's sport package consists purely of styling modifications as Irmscher has yet to introduce any mechanical upgrades for the Insignia. The bodykit includes a lower spoiler for the front bumper, a honeycomb radiator grille which is available in silver or black finish, beefy side sills, a wraparound boot spoiler and a rear apron that makes room for four exhaust pipes.

As well as offering an array of alloy wheel designs that are available in various sizes, Irmscher has also created a special set of 20-inch alloy wheels that have been styled specifically for the Insignia and can be seen in the image gallery below. The German tuner has yet to announce pricing for the sport package.

Aston Martin May Lay Off up to a Third of its Workforce

The ongoing slaughtering of auto-related jobs continues today with a new announcement from Aston Martin that said it has begun talks with its Trade Union partners in order to cut back on its workforce as car sales continue to drop. The British marque said that although no decision has been made yet, it cannot rule out the possibility of up to 300 permanent and a similar number of temporary job losses. In the U.K. Aston Martin employs around 1,800 people, meaning that the firm could lay off a third of its workforce.

Aston Martin Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ulrich Bez said: "Like other premium car brands, Aston Martin has been forced to take action to respond to the unprecedented downturn in the global economy. These are regrettable but necessary measures in the extraordinary market conditions we all now face."

"Overall we remain confident that the Aston Martin brand is the strongest it has ever been – with dedicated design, engineering and manufacturing facilities and an award-winning product range, we remain well positioned for the upturn in the economy."

Skoda Octavia RS+ Study Premieres at Essen Motorshow

At the Essen Motor Show in Germany, Skoda presented a study version of its flagship Octavia model, the RS, which unlike the rest of the car's range, has yet to be revealed in facelift form - see details and images here. The Essen motorshow Octavia RS+ Study sports a black colored bodykit with a front lip spoiler and a rear diffuser that incorporates the twin tailpipes, black mirror caps and black alloy wheels. Inside, the Czech automaker accessorized the RS+ with contrasting red leather seats (Recaro bucket seats up front), door panels and steering wheel as well as with faux carbon fiber trim.

The Octavia RS+ Study does not feature any mechanical upgrades. In Europe, the Octavia RS is offered in both sedan and estate variants with two powertrain options, a 200HP 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine and a 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel unit that delivers 170 HP. The facelifted RS is expected to be introduced in early 2009.

Photo Copyright: UP

Elite Carbon Tunes the Maserati GranTurismo

U.S.-based Elite Carbon has released details on a new tuning package it has developed for the Maserati GranTurismo which will be available from around mid-2009. Promising to improve the vehicle's looks as well as its aerodynamics, Elite Carbon's bodykit includes a new front bumper with exposed carbon fiber lip and brake intake surrounds, a rear deck spoiler, side skirts with exposed carbon fiber lip and lower sections, and a rear diffuser.

On top of the carbon fiber bodykit, the American firm's tuning package for the Italian coupe also includes an array of other modifications such as the 21-inch alloy wheels wrapped around in sport tires, a sport exhaust system, high performance headers and cats, a carbon fiber interior package and an upgraded braking system.

New Mitsubishi Lancer EVO X FQ-400: Limited Edition with 405HP

The Brits have developed a special fondness for tuning Mitsubishi EVOs the past few years with the most impressing version being the FQ-400 - and yes, FQ actually does stand for F***** Quick as it's an internal code which somehow passed into "production"... For those of you that missed the FQ400, you'll be happy to learn that Mitsubishi UK and its race team builder ADR Motorsport is bringing back the iconic nameplate on the latest iteration of the Lancer EVO.

In what promises to be the fastest (and most expensive) EVO yet, the Lancer EVO X FQ-400 will pack a souped-up version of the standard car's 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with a new ECU and exhaust system to produce around 405HP and 400lb-ft of torque. That should be good enough to propel the EVO from standstill to 60mph (96 km/h) in around 3,5 - 3,7 sec. Comparatively, the 354HP EVO X FQ360 sprints from 0 to 60 mph in 4,1 sec.

As with the FQ-360 version, Mitsubishi UK will offer the FQ-400 exclusively with a six-speed manual gearbox as the company is still reluctant to match the engine's 400 lb-ft of torque with the quick and efficient dual-clutch SST (Sports Shift Transmission).

Along with the engine upgrades, the FQ400 will also benefit from a new body kit with additional cooling intakes and vents, 18-inch alloy wheels and larger brakes with six-pot calipers at the front.

Mitsubishi has yet to (officially) release details, but according to Autocar magazine, the Japanese firm indicated that the car will cost somewhere north of £45,000 with only 100 units planned to be produced.

Via: Autocar

Ford Announces U.K pricing for New Kuga 2.0 FWD and 2.5 Turbo

Ford is expanding the range of its European market crossover, the Kuga, with the addition of a 2.0-litre TDCi 2WD (diesel) and a 2.5-liter Turbo gasoline engine. Retaining the existing Kuga's 136HP 2.0-litre diesel unit but with a CO2 output of just 159g/km, the new front-wheel-drive version delivers both enhanced fuel economy (46.1 UK mpg for the 2WD vs 44.1 UK mpg for the AWD) and cost benefits from the legislation changes in the U.K. in April next year.

Priced from £18,595.64, the Kuga 2WD will especially benefit business customers who will be eligible for a 20 percent write down allowance against Corporation Tax for a car with less than 160g/km CO2 (compared with 10 per cent over 160g/km). Private buyers will also profit from the model's improved fuel economy as it falls into the new sub-160g/km banding for Vehicle Excise Duty.

The new performance flagship model for the Kuga range, pairs AWD with the a detuned version of the Focus ST's 2.5-litre Turbo engine. With an output of 200HP and torque of 320Nm (between 1,600 and 4,000rpm) the five-cylinder petrol-engined Kuga powers from standstill to 62mph in 8.2sec and on to a top speed of 129mph when mated with the six-speed manual transmission. A five-speed automatic transmission is alternatively available with this engine. U.K. market prices for the Kuga 2.5T begin from £23,788.30.

FORD KUGA ZETEC

2.0l Duratorq (136PS) TDCi, 2WD - £18,595.64

2.0l Duratorq (136PS) TDCi, AWD - £20,460.64

FORD KUGA TITANIUM

2.0l Duratorq (136PS) TDCi, 2WD - £20,553.09

2.0l Duratorq (136PS) TDCi, AWD - £22,418.09

2.5 Duratec 6-spd manual (200PS) AWD - £23,788.30

2.5 Duratec 5-spd auto (200PS) AWD - £24,962.77