USA - Chrysler group wins five POLK Automotive awards

• Chrysler Town & Country wins Polk Loyalty Award for record 13th consecutive year
• Jeep Grand Cherokee and Wrangler win their respective SUV categories, Grand Cherokee for fifth time
• Dodge Challenger wins third Polk Loyalty Award for Non-Luxury Sport Mid-size Car
• Fiat 500 wins Non-Luxury Traditional Subcompact Car

The Chrysler Group starts off the 2014 calendar year by winning five Polk Automotive Loyalty Awards, presented by IHS Automotive. The Chrysler Town & Country won its 13th consecutive Loyalty Award taking the Non-Luxury Mid-size Van category, extending its own record of consecutive wins. The Jeep Grand Cherokee won its fifth award in the Non-Luxury Mid-size SUV category and the Dodge Challenger took Non-Luxury Sport Mid-size Car honors for the third time. Jeep Wrangler nabbed the Non-Luxury Compact SUV award and the Fiat 500 won the Non-Luxury Traditional Subcompact Car category, both winning their first Polk Loyalty Awards.

”Chrysler Group’s emphasis on owner loyalty across their lineup is an indicator that the organization is truly working with consumers to bring them back” said Jeffrey Anderson, director of loyalty and source of sales solutions at Southfield, Mich.-based IHS Automotive, a division of research and analytics firm IHS. “To see five awards across multiple segments is impressive, and Town & Country’s run is unprecedented.”
                                                                                     
The Polk Loyalty Awards recognize manufacturers for superior owner loyalty performance, which is determined when a household that owns a new vehicle returns to market and purchases or leases another new vehicle of the same model or make. The 2013 awards are based on an analysis of more than 7.4 million new vehicle owners who bought new vehicles again during the 2013 model year.

“Winning five Polk Automotive Loyalty Awards is proof-positive of Chrysler Group’s drive to build the best vehicles on the market,” said Reid Bigland, Head of U.S. Sales, Chrysler Group LLC. “Customers will only come back if they trust their vehicles to deliver flawless quality and reliability, and these awards speak volumes about Chrysler Group’s extensive vehicle lineup.”

Chrysler Town & Country
The 2014 Chrysler Town & Country minivan is celebrating its 30th anniversary as one of the leading innovators in the segment it created back in late 1983. The world-class interior of the Chrysler Town & Country minivan is beautifully crafted with high-quality materials that are soft to the touch, and offers tech-savvy entertainment features and smart storage and seating options including Stow ‘n Go® seating with one-touch fold-down function, class-exclusive dual Blu-ray DVD entertainment system, navigation and SIRIUSXM satellite radio with Travel Link making the Chrysler Town & Country the ultimate family vehicle. A 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine produces a best-in-class 283 horsepower and is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with a fuel economizer mode delivering up to 25 miles per gallon highway.

Jeep Grand Cherokee
Jeep Grand Cherokee completely redefines the premium SUV, delivering an unprecedented combination of best-in-class fuel economy and driving range, available clean-diesel technology, legendary benchmark capability, world-class craftsmanship, and a host of advanced user-friendly technology and safety features. For 2014, Grand Cherokee offers a new EcoDiesel engine with best-in-class 30 mpg highway and an unmatched driving range of more than 730 miles.  A new eight-speed transmission drives all Grand Cherokee engines, including the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 – achieving up to 25 mpg and more than 600 miles driving range – and the 5.7-liter V-8, now achieving up to 22 mpg.

Jeep Wrangler
The iconic Jeep Wrangler – the most capable and recognized vehicle in the world – is equipped with a 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine delivering 285 horsepower and 260 lb.-ft. of torque and up to 21 miles per gallon. Jeep Wrangler delivers unmatched off-road capability with legendary four-wheel drive and is produced with more than seven decades of 4x4 engineering experience.  Wrangler continues to offer a body-on-frame design, front and rear five-link suspension system, live axles, electronic lockers, and is one of the few mid-size SUVs that offer a six-speed manual transmission – in addition to its five-speed automatic transmission.

Dodge Challenger
With record sales levels since the reintroduction of the Challenger in 2008, the Dodge brand’s performance icon continues to deliver exactly what muscle car enthusiasts want – a powerful and efficient engine lineup, iconic muscle-car design with numerous personalization packages. Dodge Challenger combines world-class ride, refinement and braking performance with more power and a track-tuned suspension to deliver a thrilling driving experience. With its award-winning 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine producing 305 horsepower and an impressive 25 mpg highway, the Dodge Challenger is the most powerful, refined and technologically advanced entry-level Challenger ever. And now with the return of “Scat Package” performance stage kits, plus the enthusiast-demanded Shaker performance hood with its HEMI® V-8 engine-mounted, fully floating scoop and exposed high-flow element for cold-air induction – the new 2014 Challenger R/T Shaker delivers up to 375 horsepower, performance and even more heritage-inspired style for the most hardcore Dodge enthusiasts.

Fiat 500
Reminiscent of the original 500 or "Cinquecento" born in 1957, the new Fiat 500 builds on the vehicle's global popularity. Since its initial launch on July 4, 2007, more than 1,000,000 Fiat 500 vehicles have been sold in more than 100 countries around the world. In addition to success on the sales front, the Fiat 500 has earned more than 80 international awards, including being named the 2008 European Car of the Year, 2009 World Car Design of the Year and Best New Engine of 2010 (Fiat MultiAir® Turbo). In the U.S., the 2012 Fiat 500 was named "Best Buy" in the subcompact category by Consumers Digest and was deemed a "Top Safety Pick" by the influential Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

Jaguar Design Director Ian Callum named Industry Innovator of the Year

• Jaguar Design Director Ian Callum named Industry Innovator of the Year at Motorcity Automotive Industry Night (MAIN) Event
• Jaguar products praised for distinct design language, use of advanced technology and outstanding vehicle dynamics

Jaguar Design Director Ian Callum has this week been named ‘Industry Innovator of the Year’ at the 2014 Motorcity Automotive Industry Night (MAIN) Event Awards.  Jaguar was recognised by the MAIN Event Executive Committee as the ultimate definition of automotive luxury and praised for its distinct design language, use of advanced technology and outstanding vehicle dynamics.  The ceremony took place at Orchestra Hall, Detroit, in front of an audience of over 700 automotive executives, designers and international media.

Presenting the trophy to Ian, Keith Nagara, Executive Committee Chairman said: “Jaguars are beautiful vehicles that all generations aspire to own.  They epitomise the ultimate in automotive luxury, desirability and craftsmanship.  Ian Callum has led the design revolution at Jaguar that has helped transform the brand, most recently demonstrated by the launch of the stunning F-TYPE Coupé.  This is a brand that is going from strength to strength.”

Ian Callum said: “It is an honour to receive this award.  It is with the benefit of having such a great team around me that we have been able to deliver the cars and designs that define Jaguar today.”

Ian Callum has been at the forefront of the transformation of Jaguar's design aesthetic since joining the brand in 1999. Born in Dumfries, Scotland, he studied Industrial Design at the Glasgow School of Art.  Upon graduating, Callum opted to specialise in vehicle design, enrolling at the Royal College of Art (RCA) on the Automobile Design course, and has since received five honorary doctorates from universities around the world. Callum is responsible for Jaguar design language created over the past decade, which includes the current Jaguar XK, XF, XJ and the recently launched F-TYPE sports car.

Staged in Detroit on the eve of the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS),the annual celebration of automotive excellence allocates four awards across design and industry.  Each year two industry executives whose achievements have made a substantial global impact, leading their institutions to set new standards of industry innovation, are recognised at the awards. Celebrating not only established excellence, the next generation of automotive talent is selected by the MAIN Executive Committee from current design students at Lawrence Technological University.

Volvo's latest concept wins two awards at the NAIAS in Las Vegas.

The Volvo Concept XC Coupé won two prestigious design awards this week, further raising the excitement around Volvo Car Group’s (Volvo Cars) new design language. The Concept XC Coupe was awarded the title “Best Concept Car” at the 2014 EyesON Design Awards at the 2014 Detroit Motor Show, while Volvo’s latest concept vehicle also won the award for “Best use of Color, Graphics and Materials”.

The 2014 North American International Auto Show in Detroit hosts the world premiere of Volvo Cars’ new Concept XC Coupé – the second of three concept cars that showcase the company’s future design direction. Like the highly acclaimed and award-winning Volvo Concept Coupé, the Concept XC Coupé demonstrates the design possibilities of Volvo Cars’ new Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) that will underpin most cars from Volvo Cars in the future, starting with the all-new Volvo XC90 that premieres later this year.

“I’m honored and very happy of course. This is very encouraging and it shows that Volvo’s new design direction is appreciated not only by the general public and the press, but also by the leading people in the car design business. And Volvo Cars has only just started its exciting new journey with a brand new design language,” says Thomas Ingenlath, senior vice president design at Volvo Cars.

The EyesOn Design Award ceremony is an annual event that takes place in conjunction with the Detroit Motor Show. The EyesOn Design Award jury contains of a prominent group of designers and from auto makers and academia.

USA - Range Rover wins POLK Automotive Loyalty award for 9th time.

Land Rover North America is proud to announce today that the 2013 Range Rover has once again been awarded the Polk Automotive Loyalty Award in the Luxury Full Size SUV category.

This is the ninth overall Polk Automotive Loyalty Award for the Range Rover, and the sixth consecutive win in their segment, which includes having won its category in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

“It's a fantastic achievement and testament to the Land Rover brand for the fourth generation Range Rover to be honored once again with the Polk Automotive Loyalty Award,” said Kim McCullough, Brand Vice President, Land Rover, North America. “To win an award based upon the satisfaction of our customers is exceptionally rewarding, they are our greatest ambassadors.”

The Polk Automotive Loyalty Awards presented by IHS Automotive recognize OEMs that demonstrate a manufacturer's ability to retain owners over repeat buying cycles, and are the only fact-based awards in the industry based on owner loyalty. Loyalty is determined when a household that owns a new vehicle, returns to market and purchases or leases another new vehicle of the same model or make. The 2013 awards are based on an analysis of more than 7.4 million households that purchased new vehicles during the 2013 model year.

“Jaguar Land Rover’s success in our annual awards is proof that they’re executing well-focused initiatives with their owner loyalty programs,” said Jeffrey Anderson, Director of Loyalty and Source of Sales Solutions at Southfield, Mich.-based IHS Automotive, a division of research and analytics firm IHS.  “It’s great to see such an emphasis on this important initiative toward customer retention.”

The lighter and stronger 2013 Range Rover takes luxury and capability to a new level, with greater refinement and enhanced performance and handling on all terrains. As the fourth generation of the Range Rover line, this model was developed from the ground up, capturing the innovative spirit and iconic design of the original model which changed the world of motoring when it was launched over 40 years ago. The new Range Rover was launched in October of 2012 to acclaim, receiving over 20 awards and accolades globally to date. It is the world's first aluminum unibody SUV, weighing around 700lbs lighter than the outgoing model.

Subaru Forester names Mid Range SUV of the year by 4x4 magazine

• Subaru Forester wins prestigious award from 4x4 Magazine
• Judges praise on-road driving characteristics and off-road ability
• Subaru UK’s best-selling model, the Subaru Forester, has this week been named ‘Mid Range SUV of the Year’ by 4x4 Magazine.

Subjecting the new Forester to a wide range of tests both on- and off-road, 4x4 Magazine awarded the Forester with class honours in one of the hardest-fought categories in its annual ‘4x4 of the Year’ issue.

Commenting on the Forester’s victory, Nigel Fryatt, Editor of 4x4 Magazine, said: “Subaru's latest Forester impressed us both on and off road. This version is fresh, good-looking and a great drive. It has 'good for its class' approach and departure angles and with the automatically controlled X-Mode system, the Forester maintains its competent off-road ability and bad weather credentials. That it is also great to drive on the road is the bonus that grabbed the class victory.”

The all-new Forester went on sale in the UK in May and builds on the model’s established reputation as a tough, likeable and highly capable SUV. At the same time, the new Forester offers improved performance, safety and efficiency and a more spacious and better appointed cabin.

Sales of the Forester are up 75% year on year against 2012. The petrol turbo XT has been in particularly high demand among the Subaru faithful - bucking the trend for strong diesel SUV sales – with its 240ps 2.0-litre turbocharged direct-injection petrol engine and clever X-Mode hill descent system. The new model is also available with Subaru’s latest 2.0-litre petrol and diesel Boxer engines, with all versions featuring Subaru’s trademark symmetrical All-wheel drive as standard.

Paul Tunnicliffe, Managing Director of Subaru UK, commented:  “We are delighted with this recognition. The Forester has always been popular with owners who need a car that is highly accomplished off-road but also entertaining on it, and the decision by 4x4 Magazine’s expert judges is testament to the car’s varied abilities. Customers should also take comfort from our enviable reputation for reliability and durability, five-year, 100,000-mile warranty and rock-solid safety credentials.”

To find out more about the Subaru Forester, visit www.subaru.co.uk, or read the full 4x4 Magazine report.

Land Rover celebrates second year as "Carmaker of the year" from Motor Trader.

LAND ROVER’S policy of sustained investment and the development of new product has secured it a major award for the second year in a row.

The Solihull-based firm, which has introduced the all-new flagship Range Rover and the new Sport version within the past year, has been named Motor Trader’s Carmaker of the Year, repeating its 2012 success.

Motor Trader’s judging panel said it had been impressed by the strength of the Land Rover brand, its increasingly attractive product range and the investment that has been made to secure a healthy, long-term future for the business. It also took into account Land Rover’s position in the National Franchised Dealers Association’s Dealer Attitude Survey as the British motor trade’s most valued brand in terms of profitability and overall attractiveness.

Jeremy Hicks, Managing Director Jaguar Land Rover UK, said: “This award is of special significance for Land Rover as it recognises the strength and depth of our strategy to secure lasting success for the business.

“Developing great vehicles is an important part of that, but it’s essential, too, that we make our brand one that the motor trade values and trusts. That’s of particular importance in the challenging marketplace we are working in. We have a great network of dealers in the UK and this award serves also as recognition of the faith they have in Land Rover and the great service they are delivering to our customers.”

Curtis Hutchinson, Motor Trader editor, said: “Land Rover is the brand and franchise that dealers want. It has come a long way in recent years and, in terms of profitability, it has to be Land Rover.

“It has delivered a succession of stylish new models, which are lighter and more environmentally friendly, while retaining the 4x4 qualities for which it is renowned. It broke new ground with the launch of the new Evoque, which has been an instant hit in the marketplace and a huge sales success. For Land Rover, it was exactly the right car at the right time.”

The Carmaker of the Year Award is given to the manufacturer which, in the opinion of a panel of judges, has excelled in producing new models, successfully marketing them and building close relationships with its dealer network.

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Alfa Romeo and MTV gives away 6 special edition Giulietta cars

• Alfa Romeo and MTV present special edition Alfa Giulietta FF6 to Fast & Furious 6 competition winner Lisa Clyma from Hampshire
• Lisa correctly identified the movie scene which featured the Alfa Giulietta
• The prize car is one of only six Alfa Giulietta FF6 models produced
• The Alfa Giulietta FF6 is finished in Competizione Red and features a 1.4 TB 170hp MultiAir engine, sports suspension and 18 inch alloy wheels

Alfa Romeo and MTV are celebrating the release of Fast & Furious 6 on DVD and Blu-ray by giving away one of six special-edition Alfa Giulietta models.

The competition asked movie fans to name the scene which features the Alfa Giulietta in a high-octane race in the film. Lisa Clyma, from Hampshire, answered the question correctly by identifying that the Alfa Giulietta is seen racing on a runway and is now the proud owner of the exclusive special edition. Paul Doick, Sales Manager at TH White Alfa Romeo, presented Lisa with the keys to her brand new Alfa Giulietta FF6 on Tuesday 29th October.

The Alfa Giulietta FF6 is powered by Alfa’s award-winning 1.4 TB 170hp MultiAir engine and boasts an array of exclusive features and equipment. Each of the six models bears a Fast and Furious 6 plaque, as well as a dashboard panel signed by the movie’s star-studded cast, including Vin Diesel & Paul Walker.

Each FF6 model is finished in Alfa Romeo’s exclusive Competizione Red with dark titanium 18-inch alloy wheels and red Brembo brake calipers. Side skirts, a rear spoiler and sports suspension complete the Fast and Furious look and feel. Inside there is full leather upholstery and sports seats as well as aluminium sports pedals and signature Alfa D.N.A. driving mode selector, allowing drivers to turn up the heat for a more dynamic driving experience.

The Alfa Giulietta was the only unmodified car to feature in the latest Fast & Furious film and the commemorative FF6 Special Edition is now on sale priced at just £25,675.

Alternatively, the Alfa Giulietta is also available from just £199 per month with 0% APR representative* on PCP, while the Alfa MiTo supermini is available with 0% APR representative & a 45% deposit^ across the range.

Scottish COTY - Ford succeeds with a double win

Ford is celebrating a double victory at the Scottish Car of the Year awards, where Fiesta ST took Best Hot Hatch title and Ford’s MyKey technology was judged Innovation of the Year.

Alisdair Suttie, Association of Scottish Motoring Writers president, praised the Ford Fiesta ST which triumphed in the awards’ most hotly contested category.

“Buyers of affordable ‘pocket rockets’ are spoiled for choice these days, with power and fuel economy light years better than ever before,” said Alisdair.  “Our winner is not the most powerful of the shortlisted cars but its ease of driving and superb chassis won over the judges.”

Powered by a 180PS, 1.6-litre EcoBoost petrol engine, the Ford Fiesta ST is capable of 0-62mph in 6.9 seconds and has a top speed of 139mph.

Available from only £16,995, it offers performance-tuned steering, suspension and brakes, Recaro sports seats as well as Ford MyKey as standard.

The Scottish Car of the Year judges were impressed by Ford’s MyKey, an industry-first technology which allows parents to programme a key for younger drivers that limits their top speed, reduces maximum radio volume, disables the radio until seat belts are fastened and prevents deactivation of driver assistance and safety technologies.

“Picking a winner for this year’s innovation category was harder than ever as car makers offer ever more intelligent solutions to life’s ups and downs,” said Alisdair. “However, our judges were bowled over by the simplicity, ease and inventiveness of this thoroughly deserved award winner.”

Danny Bell, Ford Britain’s district manager for Scotland, said:  “It is always a great pleasure to accept awards here in Scotland, especially when they champion automotive innovation and vehicle appeal as strongly as the 2013 Scottish Car of the Year awards do.  The Ford Britain team joins me in thanking the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers for this recognition.”

Scottish COTY - Best Diesel - SEAT Leon 2.0 TDi

• Coveted Scottish Car of the Year (SCOTY) Diesel Car award for the most powerful diesel SEAT Leon ever produced
• SCOTY judges praise the car’s outstanding performance and economy  
• SEAT Leon SC FR 2.0 TDI 184 PS on sale now, priced at £22,075
• Fourth award for the SEAT Leon during 2013
• SEAT announces availability of DSG gearbox for 184 PS 2.0 TDI engine
• SEAT is swapping chorizo and Rioja for haggis and whisky to celebrate taking the Diesel Car prize at the annual Scottish Car of the Year Awards (SCOTY).

The Leon SC FR 2.0 TDI 184 PS won the coveted award during a glitzy bash at Glasgow’s Thistle Hotel, beating off stiff competition from cars as distinguished as the Audi SQ5, Range Rover TDV6, and BMW 320d Touring.

Presenting the award at the evening ceremony, Association of Scottish Motoring Writers (ASMW) President Alisdair Suttie said that the car’s “smart styling sets it apart from all the alternatives and it’s an engaging car to drive – but costs less to run than some superminis.”

It does indeed. With a combined fuel consumption rating of 67.3 mpg and CO2 emissions of just109 g/km, the Leon SC FR 2.0 TDI 184 PS is the definition of fast and frugal. It gets to 62 mph from zero in just 7.4 seconds and tops out at 142 mph, and with 380 Nm, it’s got more torque than two Caterham Roadsport 175s.

“Everyone who drove the SEAT was impressed by its sheer completeness. Not only does it have the looks, performance and driving dynamics to shame many hot hatches, but the low emissions and exceptional economy figures will strike a chord with Scottish buyers who are canny with their cash," says Stephen Park, ASMW Secretary.

The Leon SC FR 2.0 TDI 184 PS certainly doesn’t have hot hatch running costs, and at £22,255, doesn’t have a hot hatch price tag either. And nor does it scrimp on kit, coming as standard with an FR-specific body kit, 17-inch alloy wheels, LED tail lights, drive-altering SEAT Drive Profile, sports-shaped front seats, SEAT Easy Entry system for comfortable back-end access, dual-zone climate control, dark tinted rear windows and sports suspension.

The car is also eligible for SEAT’s remarkable free Technology Pack offer, which has been extended until at least the end of 2013 for retail customers. It makes the £1,075 pack free-of-charge, meaning buyers can add full-LED headlights, satellite navigation and DAB digital radio to their Leon for the same price as a walk in the Highlands.

Announcing the SEAT Leon FR TDI 184 PS DSG

The SCOTY Diesel Car award presents the perfect opportunity to announce the arrival of a DSG automatic version of the Leon FR 2.0 TDI 184 PS, which begins production at the end of this year, for first deliveries in January 2014.

The quick-shifting DSG retains the manual car’s 7.5-second sprint to 62 mph, while the top speed dips very slightly to 140 mph. Fuel economy is startling, with a 62.8 mpg combined consumption rating and CO2 emissions of just 119 g/km. The price premium over an equivalent manual is £1,250.

SEAT sales and awards success

The SCOTY Best Diesel Car award is the first for the SEAT Leon SC specifically, but the fourth for the Leon model, with the five-door having won awards from What Car? and Auto Express – including the overall Car of the Year prize from the latter.

SEAT UK recently celebrated its best ever month for sales, with the 8,498 new car registrations made in September 2013 the most that the company has enjoyed in a 23-year history; SEAT was established in the UK in September 1985. In fact, the September sales tally capped off SEAT’s best quarter ever, which follows its best half-year ever, between January and June 2013. All told, SEAT is on course for a record-breaking year.