New Audi RS 6 Avant

The new Audi RS 6 Avant is powered by a 4.0-litre V8 turbo engine which takes it from 0 to 62mph in 3.9 seconds.

It will be available to order from early 2013.

Register for more information and updates on the Audi UK website

2013 Beetle Convertible

Here are some pics of the new 2013 Beetle Convertible just launched at the LA Auto Show at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

50's Heritage model 

60's Heritage model 

70's Heritage model 

Subaru XV named ‘SUV of the Year’

The Subaru XV has been named ‘SUV of the Year’ by 4x4 Magazine ahead of rivals from Audi, Kia, Mazda, Nissan and Volkswagen.

Judges were impressed by the compact crossover's fuel economy, enjoyable driving characteristics and ground clearance.

Subaru’s customer service package called Everything Taken Care of (ETCo), apparently helped tip the balance in the Subaru’s favour.

Commenting on the XV’s victory, Nigel Fryatt, Editor, 4x4 Magazine, said: “The SUV class in 4x4 Magazine’s 4x4 of the Year test is one of the most competitive. The Subaru XV was an interesting new arrival in that class, which did much to impress judges.

The Subaru XV range is available in 1.6 petrol manual or CVT, 2.0 petrol manual or CVT and 2.0D manual options.

Prices start from £21,295 OTR.

Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster

Following the successful launch of the coupe version of the Aventador in Summer last year,  Lamborghini is offering the Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster. The convertible version can immediately be recognized by the unique profile of its upper area, which extends along newly designed geometric lines from the removable roof to the engine hood.

This open-top luxury super sports car is powered by a 700-horsepower, 6.5 liter V-12 engine and mated to a ISR seven-speed transmission. The car goes from 0 to 62 mph in only 3 seconds. It is said to have a top speed of 217mph.

The Lamborghini Aventador LP-700-4 Roadster is listed at a cost of 300,000 euros (45,000 euros costlier than the closed version).

Looking for car wash supplies

As I was driving to work today I realised that the inside of my car is looking a bit scruffy. I have a stock of car and wheel cleaners but none for the inside of my car. Moreover, now that winter is finally here, I also need to stock up on car accessories including ice scrappers and like all parents with kids, a good carpet cleaner.

There are a range of car wash products out there and I usually buy the good quality brands because you do not want to skimp when it comes to your car care products. To save on money, I usually buy them in bulk or in larger packs. I do not want to be running down to the supermarket every few weeks. A good tip is to look for wholesale dealers on the net.

Anyway, quite recently I got to know about a wholesale car wash supplier on the net - Pronto Sales. The site carries an amazing range of car care products and car accessories ranging from paper air fresheners to even snacks and candies. I also noticed that they have a Winter Windshield Shade which is something I am definitely going to buy. Saves a lot of time and effort - I hate scrapping ice of the glass in winter.

They are now offering free shipping on orders over $100. So if you are looking for wholesale car wash accessories, check out the Pronto sales site.

Jeep Wrangler equipped with Haartz soft-top material

Early this year, Jeep launched the new 2013 models. All these models come with a new premium soft top which are made of Haartz’s Twillfast RPC. It is an acoustically enhanced three-ply composite made of acrylic twill weave outer fabric, a rubber inner layer and polyester lining fabric.

The soft tops are definitely cheaper than the retractable hardtop designs. However, the problems with soft tops is that they were not really good at noise insulation and are quite difficult to clean. Haartz’s soft top overcomes these by including a rubber inner layer which provides enhanced acoustics. Furthermore, the Twillfast RPC is easier to clean than previous materials used for the soft top Jeep models.

Happy Halloween

Pics taken from the Facebook pages of various auto brands. Can you identify them?

Tips for finding the right used car

"DON’T BUY A CAR ONLINE"  is the top tip on The Car People site. They equate the experience to buying a house and I guess, I would have to agree with that. Before buying a used car, I would definitely want to see the car and more importantly, take it for a test drive before I actually buy it.

Buying a used car can sometimes be a bit of a gamble if you are not very car savvy. I bought my current car from a used car dealer and the experience was not that great. The reputation of used car dealers (and quite unfairly I should add) has been ruined by some rotten eggs and people are quite wary. One of the things that most people hate about used car dealers are the over eager pushy salespeople. However, there are several great used car dealers out there with great customer service and no irritating salespeople.

If you live in Manchester, Wakefield,  Sheffield and surrounding areas in the UK, and are looking for  reputable used car dealers, do check out The Car People. They have been operating for over 10 years and many of their customers go back to them again and again.

They have put together a list of 10 very useful tips you need to consider before buying a used car, which you can download as a pdf document on their website.

Check out their really funny TV ad.

New Range Rover

The All-New Range Rover unveiled at the Paris Auto Show.

It's the first SUV to have an all-aluminium body structure. No information about emissions or prices have been released as yet.

Jaguar F-Type - more info

Some more info about the new Jaguar F-Type from their Facebook page.

The F-TYPE utilizes a new 8-speed "Quickshift" ZF automatic - supposed to facilitate fast and smooth gear changes. Why not just put a manual gear in?

Jaguar launches the F-Type

This is the new Jaguar F-Type, a Two-Seater convertible sports car which was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show, La Musee Rodin in Paris, France. It is the first time in nearly 50 years since Jaguar has come out with a 2 seater. Their last 2 seater was the Jaguar XK120 which was launched at the 1948 London Motor Show

Lana Del Rey with the F-TYPE

The car will go on sale in the summer of 2013.