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The Mulsanne build story concludes with a range of exhaustive real world tests and checks that underline Bentley’s total commitment to the quality of its new flagship. Whilst quality checks are fundamental to every stage of the Mulsanne’s build, it is at the penultimate sign-off stage ‘Checkpoint 7′ that the complete car is given the most rigorous examination possible. Every Mulsanne must pass through 503 individual checks conducted by Donna Morrey and her inspectors from the Quality team.

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Audi has stretched the bounds of luxury saloon comfort even further in the new long wheel base version of its flagship A8 saloon, which incorporates an additional 130mm of wheelbase and body length, the latter concentrated at the rear to provide even more exceptional passenger accommodation. Making its world public debut at the Beijing Motor Show (April 27-May 2), and due to open for UK order in late July priced from around £58,000, the new Audi A8 L will also be further refined by an extensively reworked version of the twelve cylinder W12 petrol engine offering further improved power and efficiency.

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The new Milano Taxi concept has made its debut at the Hanover Trade Show. The concept, finished in the traditional green and black of Milan taxis, is presented as a study into the viability of a mass-market, emission-free taxi powered by an electric motor. The motor, which is capable of generating a peak of 115 PS, is fed through a lithium-ion battery integrated into the underside of the vehicle with a storage capacity of 45 Kilowatt-hours.  This, combined with a kerb weight of 1,500 kg, allows the Milano Taxi concept to travel at speeds of up to 74 mph and up to 186 miles between charges.

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SEAT is today unveiling the first official images of its all-new Alhambra, the latest generation of the Spanish car maker’s perennially popular people carrier. As a genuine Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV), the new SEAT Alhambra offers far more than simply plenty of space for family, business and hobbies.  Its innovative versatility fits just as well to family requirements as it does to the demands of the high-mileage business driver. Just like every SEAT, sporting character and driving fun go hand-in-hand with practicality and innovation.  Thanks to its surprisingly dynamic handling, engaging powerplants and the latest hi-tech equipment, drivers can look forward to every mile behind the wheel of the new car.

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Emissions, and in some cases engine capacities, in the new Audi Q7 range for 2011 take a significant tumble as part of the wider Audi initiative to optimise efficiency across its 36-model line-up. Thanks to the last word in supercharging, turbocharging and transmission technologies, the latest Q7 models match or exceed their predecessors on power and torque, but benefit from fuel economy improvements of up to 19 per cent with attendant CO2 reductions. They are available to order now and will reach their first UK customers in June. The key changes include the introduction of two versions of the supercharged 3.0-litre TFSI engine to replace the naturally aspirated 3.6-litre FSI and 4.2-litre FSI petrol units, the replacement of the 3.0-litre TDI unit with a considerably lighter and more fuel efficient successor and the integration of the new eight-speed tiptronic transmission first seen in the A8.

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Crewe’s craftsmen and women have created a unique and luxurious interior for the Mulsanne, setting new standards for the Bentley marque. When Bentley’s craftsmen and women begin this summer to create the very first production examples of the new Mulsanne’s beautiful cabin, it will represent the culmination of an extraordinary four-year journey for the Crewe-based company. While Bentley is long renowned for its handcrafted interiors, it was decided at the earliest stages of concept planning that even higher standards of quality and luxury would be required for the new Mulsanne, the company’s new flagship Grand Tourer. Bentley’s Design team, led by Dirk van Braeckel, commissioned an exhaustive research study to identify the classic signature features that have defined Bentleys from the 1920s to the present day, as Dirk explains:

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The new Touran has been unveiled at the Leipzig Motor Show.  Featuring fresh styling, pioneering technology and a range of efficient new petrol and diesel engines, the new Touran is set to build on the strong reputation of the 1.13 million examples of the compact MPV sold across Europeto date. The new Touran features styling that takes inspiration from the design direction established by the Polo, Golf and new Touareg.  The new grille features strong horizontal lines that are replicated in the new front bumper while at the rear, revised tail-lights featuring intricate LED bulbs are fitted along with a new tailgate and bumper.  Completing the revisions are a set of new alloy wheels and chrome-edged rubbing strips running down the side of the vehicle.

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Audi designers and engineers have risen to the unenviable challenge of enhancing the celebrated TT for the 2011 Model Year, creating a new generation model that combines measured yet distinct styling refinements with efficiency boosting technology, including a newly adopted 2.0-litre TFSI engine, which improves fuel economy by up to 14 per cent. The upgraded 2.0-litre Turbo FSI petrol engine is the technological highlight in the latest range, employing Audi valvelift technology to effect improvements in power, torque and overall efficiency compared with the 200PS version it replaces. Delivering 211PS between 4,300rpm and 6,000rpm and a 350Nm torque peak between 1,600rpm and 4,200rpm, it enables the TT 2.0 TFSI with six-speed manual transmission to reach 62mph from rest in 6.1 seconds – 0.5 seconds more rapidly than its predecessor – and raises its top speed from 149mph to 152mph. Even more impressively, it boosts economy potential from 36.7mpg in the combined cycle test to 42.8mpg, and pares back CO2 output from 183g/km to 154g/km.

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Volkswagen AG and Volkswagen of America, Inc. are proud to announce that the Polo has been honoured as the 2010 World Car of the Year. With 59 of the top automotive journalists from around the globe judging, the Polo surpassed a total of 29 other nominees. Announced this morning at the New York International Auto Show in New York City’s Jacob Javits Center, the annual World Car of the Year awards recognize the year’s most outstanding vehicles based on merit, value, safety, environmental impact, significance, and emotional appeal.

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The Audi R8 has been named 2010 World Performance Car at the World Car of the Year Awards ceremony at the New York Auto Show. This is the second time that the R8 has won the World Performance Car award: the V8-powered R8 took this award in 2008. The World Car Awards jurors observed that: "In the opinion of many on the World Car Awards jury, Audi has at long last satisfied our hunger for a street car that lives up to the excitement of the original Le Mans series-dominating R8 LMP1 race car."

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