MINI by Rolls Royce: Posh Limited Edition Model Revealed Ahead of Shanghai Show

A couple of years back, we shared some scoop photos of a prototype MINI with styling elements from Rolls Royce models. A company spokesman had then confirmed that the car was real, but to the dismay of many fans, he said that it was a one-off for a special dealer event. If you happened to like the idea of a Rolls-Royce-flavored MINI we have some good news for you as the British company will premiere a special edition model at the upcoming Shanghai Auto Show next week.

The limited production model is called �Mini Inspired by Goodwood�, with the name paying tribute to Rolls Royce�s headquarters. Only 1,000 examples of the special Mini will be built at the British firm�s Oxford plant, with first deliveries to take place in the spring of 2012.

Offered exclusively as a three-door hatchback, the Rolls Royce-inspired Mini is based on the Cooper S model and comes with a 1.6-liter twin-scroll turbocharged engine pumping out 184HP and 240Nm (177 lb-ft) of peak torque for a 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint time of 7.0 seconds and combined fuel consumption of 5.8lt/100km (40.6 mpg US).

Developed under the guidance of the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars designer team, the Mini Inspired by Goodwood features bespoke styling cues and trim options. On the outside, the Rolls Royce treatment translates to an exclusive Diamond Black metallic hue or alternatively, an optional Reef Blue metallic, 17-inch light alloy wheels sporting a multi-spoke design, and of course, the necessary logos. The car�s front and rear apron are the same as those found on the MINI Cooper S, but are combined with the bonnet from the MINI Cooper D without the air scoop.

The cabin is where Rolls Royce design team spent most of their time dressing up the Mini�s interior with select materials and trim. The dashboard, including the surrounds of the central instrument and the air vents, the centre console, carpet surfaces, the Lounge leather seats, the roof lining as well as the door, side and body pillar cladding boast the exclusive Rolls-Royce co lour Cornsilk. The dashboard and doorhandle surfaces, which are manufactured in Goodwood, are trimmed in Walnut Burr veneers.

Other highlights include the black nappa leather dashboard top, Leather Cornsilk door linings, Piano Black surface finishes for the buttons, Cashmere roof linings, a Rolls Royce inspired typeface for the instruments and lambswool floor mats.

Standard equipment features include Xenon Adaptive Headlights, Park Distance Control, automatic air conditioning, an onboard computer and the audio system Radio MINI Visual Boost, which includes the Harman Kardon hi-fi speaker system.

Pricing details are to be released at a later date, but expect to pay a hefty premium over the standard Mini Cooper S.

New Audi Q3 SUV Officially Revealed: High-Res Gallery with 67 Photos

The wait is finally over. A mere week after the release of the teaser sketches, Audi has come out with official photos and details on its new Q3 compact SUV, which will receive its first public outing at the Shanghai Auto Show.

The Q3 is Audi�s third SUV model after the larger Q5 and Q7 and will compete against the BMW X1. Those familiar with the VW Group�s strategy won�t be surprised to find out that the Q3 is based on the platform architecture of the Volkswagen Tiguan. Audi�s interpretation of a compact SUV model measures 4.39 meters in length (14.4 ft), 1.83 meters in width (6.0 ft), and 1.60 meters (5.25 ft) in height with the roof rails, meaning its 240mm shorter, 50mm narrower and 53mm lower than the Q5.

The exterior styling is pure Audi with the design loosely inspired by the Ingolstadt firm�s Cross Coupe Quattro Concept from the 2007 Shanghai Auto Show. Compared to the Q5, Audi�s smaller SUV model introduces a sharper front design with wedge-shaped headlamps and a roofline that slopes gently towards the back for a more dynamic profile.

 

Ford sells its Volvo brand to Geely of China

Ford has finally decided to get rid of its Volvo brand. The American company got into an agreement to sell Volvo and related assets to Zhejiang Geely Holding Group of China for Rs 815 crore. The sale is officially expected to be closed by the third quarter of 2010. Much of this time will be consumed in getting permissions from governments in countries where the Swedish brand has presence.

Ford is completely selling off the Volvo brand, and will not keep any of the shares with it. Ford, that bought Volvo in 1999 hasn�t been able to make much of the deal, as the Swedish brand has not made any money since 2005.

As a part of the deal, Ford will keep supplying Volvo critical components. Ford will also reportedly provide support in terms of engineering, IT and other areas before the Chinese company could manage these things all by itself. The deal also includes the use of some of Ford�s intellectual property rights by Volvo and Geely.

Commending on the development, Alan Mulally, Ford�s president and CEO said �Volvo is a great brand with an excellent product line-up. This agreement provides a solid foundation for Volvo to continue to build its business under Geely�s ownership. At the same time, the sale of Volvo will allow us to further sharpen our focus on building the Ford brand around the world.�

 

Geely Chairman Li Shufu, on the occasion, said, Shufu said: "We are pleased to have reached this agreement with Ford, enabling us to safeguard and strengthen Volvo's renowned brand heritage. This transaction will ensure Volvo's continued leadership in the premium segment, where it enjoys a global reputation for safety and environmental-friendly technologies. As part of the proposed transaction, Zhejiang Geely Holdings will maintain the strong collaborative relationships that Volvo has built with employees, unions, suppliers, dealers and above all, customers. On completion, Volvo Cars will be a separate company with its own management team based in Gothenburg, Sweden, and a new board of directors."

Geely has raised the loan for this deal from banks in China, USA and Europe, and loans guaranteed by the governments of Sweden and Belgium. First impressions suggest that production of Volvos will continue in Sweden and Belgium to stay closer to the supplier chain and the main market.

GM India to launch Chinese cars?

General Motors (GM) is currently in an advanced stage of talks with its partners in China regarding a plan to launch their cars in India. In fact, GM had initiated talks with its China based partners Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp (SAIC) and Wuling around eight months earlier. The above mentioned companies have a three-way tie-up with GM in China called as SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile Co.


According to Karl Slym, President and Managing Director, GM India, now the company knows what can work in India and what cannot. He further added that they are currently at a point from where they will be able to make a decision very soon.

SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile Co currently sells passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, small trucks and the Chevrolet Spark small car. Karl Slym also said that they also would be very successful if GM can adapt them through their engineering centre into India.

China's Car Sales Increase by 77%

In China, over 13 lakh cars were sold in September and was an increase of over 77% over the same period month last year reports an automotive body of China. China is currently the worlds largest car market after surpassing car sales in the US during January this year.

GM Sells HUMMER To Chinese Auto Maker

General motors has come into an agreement with a small chinese heavy machinery maker to sell the brand Hummer. Last time another Chinese auto major grabbed Rover from UK. China being one of the fastest growing countries has now stepped up to take Hummer.

Hummer seen as one of the gas guzzling SUV's has been hit hard on sales since its high in 2006.