Audi Cars Uk

BMW 1 Series first drive

Launched seven years ago the first generation BMW 1 Series with five and three door hatchbacks, a convertible and coupe body styles didn’t meet with universal approval on several issues but the range still managed to accumulate over 2.2 million worldwide sales.

The UK has been the second largest global market for the 1 Series behind Germany. The most popular version here has been the five door hatchback versions taking 51 per cent of 1 Series total UK sales.  In a full year BMW expects the new five door Sports Hatch to achieve 20,000 UK sales out of a total of 35,000 1 Series range registrations. The 1 Series accounts for one third of all BMW models sold in the UK each year.

Sixty-four cent of 1 Series UK sales go to the corporate market of fleet and company car user chooser customers.  Diesel engine models account for 75 per cent of UK sales and 70 per cent has been conquest customers.

Making its world debut on 13 September at the Frankfurt Motor Show the new 17 model 1 Series Sports Hatch five door range goes on sale in the UK from 17 September. Other versions, three door Hatch first and a 99g/km diesel engine, will join the range from next year.

BMW say they have taken on board the criticisms of the previous models. The  second generation  has been designed to address most if not all of the negative issues such as ugly design, cramped rear interior, harsh ride, some poor areas of interior quality and expensive.

The new models are still not ‘cheap’ but the cheapness of the interior has been banished.  A modest price rise, £850 maximum for some models and a reduction for others, up to £290, see the new better equipped range start from £19,375 for the petrol 116i ES and rise to £24,720 for the 120d Urban or 120d Sport turbodiesel versions.

Specification levels are ES which is expected to appeal to 15 per cent of UK customers, SE 30 per cent, Sport 30 per cent and a new level - Urban 25 per cent.  While the Sport specification is well - ‘sporty’, the new Urban level is not a budget level as used by other manufacturers for their starter price model. It is equally top of the range as Sport but with a more stylish theme; chrome grille, white topped door mirrors, leather interior trim and high gloss paint for the centre console and other areas.  This is a similar ‘packaging’ approach to that successfully adopted for the MINI. 

There are of course loads of extra costs options and packs for the driver to tailor their 1 Series Sports Hatch to their choice.  Many of them unique for a compact car. These include High-beam Assistant, Adaptive Headlights, Park Assist, Reversing Assist Camera, Lane Departure Warning including Collision Warning, cruise control with brake function, speed-limit and no-passing information. In addition, occupants can benefit from internet connectivity, smartphone and music player integration, real-time traffic information, as well as web radio, Facebook and Twitter apps.

Audi R8 LMS wins the most important endurance race for GT cars ...

- DTM stars Ekström and Scheider in winning car

The Audi R8 LMS won the most important endurance race for GT cars ahead of BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Audi Sport Team WRT overcame the strongest competition during the 63rd running of the 24 hours of Spa (Belgium). The two DTM stars Mattias Ekström (Sweden) and Timo Scheider (Germany) and the Belgian endurance specialist Greg Franchi shared driving duties in the victorious mid-engine sportscar.

Experts agreed before the race started that the endurance classic, held since 1924,had never fielded so many potential winners as this year. A total of 62 cars representing 13 different manufacturers joined the grid, including no less than 57 cars of the worldwide booming GT3 category.

The opening stages of the endurance classic in particular fulfilled expectations. Spectators lining the 7.004 kilometre track and in front of television screens enjoyed tough battles for position, countless overtaking manoeuvres, retirements and small and big dramas which are typical for a 24-hour race. The Audi R8 LMS was the fastest car in the field from the very beginning. After just a few hours it was clear that the V10 powered R8 sports cars were the favourites for the victory.

The race of the victorious #33 R8 LMS fielded by Audi Sport Team WRT was particularly impressive. The car driven by Mattias Ekström, Greg Franchi and Timo Scheider ran like clockwork for 24 hours, while many other GT3 cars were no match for the stresses and strains of the hard fought endurance race. The brake discs and pads were changed twice as scheduled. Apart from this, the R8 LMS only entered pit lane to refuel, change tyres and to swap drivers. At the start of the tenth hourEkström/Franchi/Scheider took the lead which they duly held all the way to the checkered flag. At the finish the trio had a two-lap lead over the closest rival.

Audi led 22 of the 24 hours. Just after midnight three R8 LMS actually occupied the first three positions. However, while Audi Sport Team WRT also celebrated fourth overall for the #32 car, Audi Sport Team Phoenix was struck by bad luck.

Marc Basseng, Christopher Haase and Frank Stippler led convincingly for many hours in the #99 R8 LMS and had eked out an advantage of almost an entire lap. Just after 1 am. Haase lost first place due to a faulty air jack system. Only an hour later the youngster slid off the track on a damp patch at Turn 9 and had to retire the car.

The #98 sister car was hit by a slower car on the left rear wheel while fighting for the lead towards the end of the third hour. Shortly afterwards second gear was lost. Although they had to continue without second gear as a result and lost additional time due to a puncture, Marcel Fässler, Andrea Piccini and Mike Rockenfeller worked their way back up to third from 13th before a gearbox change was required just after midnight. The change cost 1 hour 36 minutes. The trio still managed to battle their way through the field from 36th to 14th thanks to consistently quick laps and in the process recorded the absolute fastest race lap (Mike Rockenfeller / 2m 20.286s).

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