GM Europe - Social Media Newsroom

World’s Fastest Man To Drive Hot Insignia At Festival Of Speed

http://www.gmeurope.info (gmeurope) — 2009-07-02T14:47:22Z

World Land Speed Record holder, Andy Green, will be experiencing a different type of thrust this weekend when he drives the all-new, 325hp Vauxhall Insignia VXR up Goodwood’s hillclimb course at the Festival of Speed.

Andy, who achieved 763mph with the Thrust SSC in 1997, setting a record which has yet to be broken, will be driving the Insignia in two of the Festival’s Supercar demonstration runs at 9.00am on both Saturday and Sunday.

The VXR, Vauxhall’s most powerful Insignia model, will make its UK debut at the Festival, featuring a highly-modified Adaptive 4X4 chassis and turbocharged 2.8-litre V6 engine.

“The Festival of Speed is one of the highlights of my year,” said Andy. “So when I was offered the chance to drive Vauxhall’s new high-performance Insignia up the Hill, it was just the icing on the cake! Fast road cars are the essence of the Festival and I am really looking forward to giving the Insignia a good run up the Hill this weekend.”

In addition to driving the Insignia VXR, Andy will be busy promoting the Bloodhound SSC, the new Richard Noble-designed LSR challenger, boasting a 1050mph top speed. A full-sized Bloodhound show car – all 42 feet of it – will be on display at the Festival, which runs from July 3-5.

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Vauxhall Skate: Bringing you even more fun on wheels this summer

http://www.gmeurope.info (gmeurope) — 2009-07-01T10:03:34Z

29^th July 2009 – 8.00pm til late
Village Underground, Shoreditch, London, EC2

Roll up, Roll up – London’s ultimate roller disco is finally here. With Carl Barat, Remi Nicole, Alfie Allen & Smash and Grab’s very own DJ duo Queens of Noize providing the soundtrack of the evening and none other than ‘Shoreditch’s ringmaster’ Jonny Woo hosting a car-aoke - complete with dress-up props galore - time to get your skates on to bag yourself the hottest ticket in town.

Vauxhall Skate is a FREE invite-only event – visit http://tiny.cc/vauxhallskate for more information on how to join in.

Vauxhall Motors has teamed up with a hand-picked selection of the hottest musical, design and style talents of the moment to drive some serious excitement into London’s Shoreditch. Journeying through space and time, guests will be transported to a road that belongs to a late 20th Century vision of the future, 70’s disco meets Knight Rider on roller skates. Extra treats include specially commissioned Vauxhall Corsa roller boots and an in-car pit-stop hair salon with free styling from a huge name in celebrity hairdressing.

DJ’s providing Vauxhall Skate’s hugely road-worthy tracks:
· Sophie Ellis Bextor & Richard Jones
· Remi Nicole
· Alfie Allen
· Queens of Noize with the help of their special dj guest Florence (Florence and the Machine)
· Carl Barat

Combine all the above with a rotating mirror-ball car, hot dogs, cup cakes and four-wheeled art commission by none other than legendary illustrator Kate Moross, Vauxhall Skate is sure to provide the rock and the roll. Read more ...

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The Vauxhall Collective: The UK’s most talented and exciting creatives exhibit their commissions

http://www.gmeurope.info (gmeurope) — 2009-07-01T08:29:43Z

Idea Generation Gallery
22nd – 25^th July 2009
Private View 22^nd July
6.30 – 8.30pm

Vauxhall Collective members showcase Great British Road Trip commissions

Photographs of the Scottish landscape inspired by Daguerre’s dioramas , a film that visits the self-declared King of the British Eccentrics, an art exhibition inspired by Funhouses, a 1950s tea party followed by a 1980s wedding reception, a glamorous, metallic leather driving set and a collection of design objects based on lost British craft techniques; these are the results of the six commissions from the Vauxhall Collective, and arts initiative from Vauxhall Motors, based on the theme of the Great British Road Trip.

The Vauxhall Collective members who have created these commissions, and now show them together for the first time, are; the innovative product designer Simon Hasan for craft & design, the much-admired shoe designer Jonathan Kelsey for fashion, artist and independent film maker Ben Rivers for film, hotly anticipated artist Matthew Darbyshire for fine art, experimental photographer and artist Gayle Chong Kwan for photography and Gideon Reeling, purveyor of bespoke interactive experiences, enlisted for the theatre category. Read more ...

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Movano In The Front-Line With West Midlands Ambulance Service

http://www.gmeurope.info (gmeurope) — 2009-07-01T08:17:31Z

Good performance by the Vauxhall Movano in a front-line accident and emergency ambulance role, has led West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust to order a further 64 vehicles.

The new ambulances are currently in build and will enter into service alongside 60 Movanos already operated by the Trust since last year. Once deliveries are complete the model will make up to half of their fleet of 275 emergency ambulances.

They will operate out of all the Regional ambulance stations from which over 720,000 emergency calls are responded to each year. During their five years in service the ambulances will be worked hard with each covering at least 250,000 miles.

Following its enlargement in 2006 and again in 2007, West Midlands Ambulance Service now covers an area of 5,000 square miles encompassing five counties with a total population of 5.3 million people.

Graham Cann, Regional Head of Fleet at West Midlands Ambulance Service, said: “The Vauxhall Movano performs well for us in the front-line ambulance role. It has the right specification for the job, including ample power to get to incidents quickly and transfer patients to hospital. Our crews find it a driver-friendly vehicle, which is comfortable both for them and their patients.

“Movano has also proved to be a practical vehicle, with good parts availability and which our fitters find easy to work on. It represents good value for money, which is important with today’s pressures on budgets. I’ve also been impressed by the after-sales support we receive from the fleet sales team at Vauxhall, who always respond speedily to any issues we raise.”

The model on which the ambulances are based is the Movano 3500 long wheelbase maxi roof panel van built to an ambulance vehicle specification. The specification includes air suspension on the rear axle, fully adjustable driver and passenger seats, and an electric pack. It’s also delivered to the conversion company factory-painted in Ambulance Euro Yellow.

The WMAS vehicles have the powerful 2.5 CDTi 16 valve engine for good performance in the emergency role.

Yorkshire company UV Modular are currently converting the Movanos for their ambulance role to their Cura design, which meets the CEN 1789/2007 standard. They fit side windows, all the internal fittings and lights, and an electrically powered ramp. Blue flashing emergency lights are also fitted and the addition of Battenberg striping and WMAS Trust logos leaves only the installation of equipment and a radio to make the vehicles immediately ready to enter service.

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Opel Insignia ecoFLEX Sports Tourer: All This and Eco-credentials, Too

http://www.gmeurope.info (gmeurope) — 2009-06-30T08:05:00Z

· Environmentally friendly station wagon emits just 139 g CO₂/km
· Eco car flexes its muscles with 160 hp and up to 380 Nm torque

Green shoots continue to sprout on the Opel model line-up: Starting this fall, the especially environmentally friendly Insignia ecoFLEX will be available as a Sports Tourer. The elegant station wagon version of Europe’s 2009 Car of the Year sips in the combined cycle just 5.3 liters of diesel per 100 km and emits only 139 g CO₂/km. (ecoFLEX sedan: 5.2 l/100 km, 136 g CO₂/km). – while offering a load capacity of up to 1530 liters.

All Insignia ecoFLEX models combine economy with driving fun. The 2.0 CDTI engine with the Clean Tech System delivers 118 kW/160 hp and has maximum torque of 380 Nm. The Insignia ecoFLEX Sports Tourer accelerates to a top speed of 215 km/h – three km/h faster than the normal version – and sprints from zero to 100 km/h in 9.9 seconds.

The Opel Insignia ecoFLEX Sports Tourer can be ordered now, with prices starting at 28,690 euros (RRP incl. VAT) in Germany. It comes with a six-speed manual transmission, a longer final drive ratio, a range of aerodynamic optimizations and specially developed, 225/55 R 17” low-resistance Michelin tires. “The Insignia ecoFLEX is more than just a green car. It offers the same package of high driving performance, innovative technologies and comfort as the other Insignia models. And for this price, it has no serious competition – this is true for both the Sports Tourer and the sedans,” says Hans Demant, Managing Director, Adam Opel GmbH.

Just how parsimonious the new Opel Insignia ecoFLEX is, was highlighted at the sedans’ press launch in June. European journalists driving the Insignia ecoFLEX for two weeks in the region south of Frankfurt confirmed that the official factory figure of 5.2 liters of diesel per 100 km is very realistic. On the first part of the test circuit, consisting mainly of country roads from the Frankfurt Airport to Heidelberg, most of the cars needed less than five liters of diesel. Some of the journalists really concentrated on their gas pedal behavior; one reporter from Croatia hit a record of 3.6 liters per 100 kilometers.

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Chevrolet WTCC car to dress up for milestone race in Porto

http://www.gmeurope.info (gmeurope) — 2009-06-29T08:05:00Z

· Chevrolet driver Alain Menu's race car to sport 2009 "Young? Creative? Chevrolet!" 2009 winning design in World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) races in Porto, Portugal, on July 5
· Special livery created by 22-year-old Belgian student
· WTCC celebrates 100th race in Porto

Alain Menu's Chevrolet Cruze race car will clearly stand out from the crowd at the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) races in Porto, Portugal, this coming weekend, as it will sport a unique livery.

The new and original decoration is the 2009 winning design in the Visual Arts discipline of the pan-European "Young? Creative? Chevrolet!" competition conducted by Chevrolet in cooperation with
applied arts schools across Europe.

Launched in 2007, the "Young? Creative? Chevrolet!" art contest supports upcoming young talent, encouraging students to look at Chevrolet from their own creative perspective. In the competition's 2009 edition, some 530 projects were submitted by 120 schools in 19 European countries in the disciplines of Fashion, Photography, Visual Arts, Video, and Music.

The brief for the Visual Arts discipline was to design a unique livery for the Chevrolet Cruze WTCC car and on May 29, 2009, an international panel of judges selected the work of Britt Raes, a 22-year-old student of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts (KASK) in Ghent, Belgium, as the European winner in this discipline. "The graphic reflects the speed. It is an excellent combination of creativity and elegance and offers a very interesting design and interpretation of the logo," the jury said about the project.

In a addition to a monetary prize, Britt's reward for winning 1st place is an exclusive witness trip to the races in Porto, where she will be able to witness her design featured on Alain Menu's Chevrolet Cruze WTCC car in the races. Britt will also be taken on a tour of the race track in a Chevrolet Corvette by one of the three Chevrolet drivers on Saturday. Read more ...

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Better Key-Safe Than Sorry

http://www.gmeurope.info (gmeurope) — 2009-06-29T07:40:21Z

When it comes to personal possessions, half of all UK car owners (52%) are more concerned about locking away their laptops than keeping their car keys safe, helping to fuel £39.5 million worth of car thefts at home in 2008.

Today, new research from Vauxhall reveals that 99% of drivers give no thought to hiding their car keys from prying eyes, with nearly a fifth placing more importance on protecting their TVs (18%) and jewellery (15%).

Despite 10,043 cars being stolen from UK driveways last year following car key thefts from our homes, three-quarters of us give burglars a helping hand by failing to hide our keys away. Nationwide, 6% of burglaries include car theft, yet one in 10 (10%) drivers are guilty of leaving their car keys by the front door, with a third (33%) leaving them on show in the kitchen giving intruders an easy ride.

The research marks the launch of ‘Key Safe’ - a joint initiative between Vauxhall and Bedfordshire Police to highlight the consequences of leaving car keys on display in the home. Five events will run concurrently throughout Bedfordshire on 27th June 2009 from 10am - 4pm. Branded Key Safe bags will be distributed to members of the public to encourage them to keep their keys safe and out of view. At the same time, stickers for cars and homes will be given to locals to help deter potential thieves.

Commenting on the research, Chief Inspector James Goldsmith of the Bedfordshire Police said “Despite a 10 percent reduction of burglaries across Bedfordshire during 2008, this survey confirms our own and national findings that many residents fail to take the basic steps of keeping their car keys out of sight and easy reach. A vehicle is often the second biggest expenditure for a household and having a vehicle stolen can cause major disruption, cost, inconvenience and emotional upset to the people concerned. We are pleased to be working in partnership with Vauxhall to promote Key Safe and raise awareness of how one simple action can assist in tackling this type of crime.”

Simon Ewart, spokesperson for Vauxhall said, “It’s easy to forget that a car key is a valuable possession that needs to be kept safe. Home car theft is a serious crime and we’re committed, together with the Bedfordshire Police, to help the public tackle this problem.”

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Cruze Seeks In Porto To Confirm Its Excellent Record On Street Circuits As WTCC Celebrates Milestone of 100th Race

http://www.gmeurope.info (gmeurope) — 2009-06-26T09:05:00Z

One of the Cruzes To Sport 2009 ‘Young? Creative? Chevrolet!’ 2009 Winning Livery

The Circuito da Boavista in Porto, which hosts the WTCC’s Race of Portugal every other year, will be an even more special rendez-vous in 2009, as the race 2 of the event holds the honor of being the 100th race of the WTCC. This first important milestone in the history of the world’s main touring car championship will be duly celebrated by the WTCC community and, obviously, also by Chevrolet, who can pride itself to have been present in the championship since its creation with the same team and the same drivers!

Chevrolet, which obtained in Porto its first triple victory in 2007, is determined to mark the occasion by further enriching the Cruze’s excellent record on urban tracks. This will also be the event selected to sport the special livery having won this year’s ‘Young? Creative? Chevrolet!’ pan-European contest. Like in 2008, the brief in the visual arts discipline of Chevrolet’s competition for art school students was the design of a unique livery for the Cruze, to be sported one-off by one of Chevrolet’s WTCC cars. This time, the winning project comes from Belgium and has been conceived by Britt Raes, from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts (KASK) in Ghent. Her work will grace the Cruze of Alain Menu. Read more ...

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AUTOBOTS with Bow Ties

http://www.gmeurope.info (gmeurope) — 2009-06-24T07:05:00Z

Chevrolet-based characters star in “Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen”

Five Chevrolet-based characters – including four all-new characters – are featured in the upcoming movie “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”, presented by Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures, set to open as of June 24 in European movie theaters.

The four new movie characters are:

· SIDESWIPE, a stylized Corvette vision concept vehicle
· SKIDS and MUDFLAP, – twin AUTOBOTS based on Chevrolet’s Beat and Trax mini-car concepts
· JOLT, an AUTOBOT based on Chevrolet’s upcoming Volt extended-range electric vehicle

BUMBLEBEE, the heroic AUTOBOT based on Chevrolet’s Camaro concept from the first “Transformers” movie, returns with a high-performance attitude.

“Chevrolet is thrilled to be part again of one of the most anticipated movies this year,” said Wayne Brannon, vice president, Chevrolet Europe. “Transformers gives us a great opportunity to connect with young people on their terms. The new characters represent the change going on in Chevorlet’s showrooms, from the exciting Chevrolet Spark, which was inspired by the Beat concept, to the Volt, our new generation of electric cars.” Read more ...

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UK Debut For New Vauxhall At Goodwood Festival Of Speed

http://www.gmeurope.info (gmeurope) — 2009-06-23T12:41:31Z

(…along with a couple of its long-lost relatives!)

Vauxhall will use this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed to unveil the all-new, 325 horsepower Insignia VXR for the first time in the UK, and provide visitors with the chance to see two stunning historic concepts that have not been exhibited in public for many years.

The high-performance version of this year’s European Car of the Year winner will be displayed in the popular Supercar Paddock throughout the event, which runs from July 3-5, ahead of its official media launch the following week.

In time-honoured FoS tradition, the Insignia VXR – which has just completed a final 10,000 kilometre shakedown at the Nürburgring - will demonstrate its exceptional Adaptive 4X4 chassis twice a day at 9.00am and 1.25pm on Goodwood’s notoriously tricky hillclimb course.

Joining the Insignia in the Supercar Paddock will be Vauxhall’s most powerful production car ever, the supercharged, rear-wheel-drive, 6.2-litre V8-engined VXR8 Bathurst S Edition. Rumour has it that the Bathurst has been commissioned to create a new ‘Smoke Gets in Your Eyes’ display in front of Goodwood House, although this has been strongly denied by officials…

In pride of place on the Cartier lawn, just across the way from the latest VXRs, will be two historic Vauxhall concepts that have not been seen outside its Luton-based Heritage Centre for nearly two decades.

Originally shown at the 1966 Geneva Salon, the XVR was largely the work of David Jones, Vauxhall’s charismatic head of design in the 1960s. Featuring gullwing doors, pop-up headlights and all-independent suspension, the XVR’s unique dash treatment was used to test reaction to ideas he had for the later Firenza.

Joining the VXR will be another wholly in-house Vauxhall concept, the radical SRV. First shown at the 1970 Earls Court Motor Show, the sleek, imposing shape belies its four-door practicality. But with an aerofoil, electric self-levelling suspension and a ‘manometer’ to measure air pressure on the car’s hull, the SRV illustrated Vauxhall’s forward thinking technology stance that endures to this day.

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All Three Cruzes, Innocent Victims Of First Corner Accident In Brno

http://www.gmeurope.info (gmeurope) — 2009-06-22T13:06:58Z

The Team Already Focusing On Next Round In The Streets Of Porto

The Chevrolet team lived its most frustrating Sunday of the 2009 season, as all their efforts were ruined in a multiple car accident in the very first corner of race 1, in which the three Cruze drivers were all innocent victims. The team did a great job in repairing the cars for race 2, but starting from the back of the grid, there was no hope to achieve any great results. Rob Huff and Nicola Larini finished 12^th and 13^th respectively, while Alain Menu was unfortunately put out of contention by a race incident on the 1^st lap. Read more ...

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The New Opel Astra: Sporty with a Touch of Elegance

http://www.gmeurope.info (gmeurope) — 2009-06-18T10:05:00Z

· Opel’s dynamic design language newly interpreted for the compact class car
· Driver-focused interior combines drama and warmth
· High quality components and materials match upscale execution

The new Opel Astra brings into the compact class its own interpretation of the brand’s award-winning design language of combining sculptural artistry with German precision first seen in the Insignia. Its strong sporty lines and elegant details add to a new handsome look.

The exterior of the new generation Astra, which debuts in September at the IAA in Frankfurt, boasts a strong cab-forward, fluid silhouette. Inside, high quality materials and a total re-think of the design add to the excitement of driving a compact car. Moreover, Opel has added innovative extras – higher quality materials, more storage, improved seats and safer bumpers – to give the Astra comfort, health and safety features not usually seen in the compact class.

“The design of the new Astra takes all the best Opel has to offer and delivers it to the compact class,” says Mark Adams, Vice President of Design for GM Europe. “We have built a five-door hatchback that is as beautiful as it is safe, comfortable and practical.”

Exterior design gives Opel philosophy a new twist

Designers have given Opel’s new philosophy an interpretation fitting for the compact class using the same wing and blade styling cues first introduced on the mid-sized Insignia. Sculpted into the side panels of the new generation Astra, the blade sweeps rear ward and upward, connecting with the side window line, giving the car balance and harmony. Eagle eye-shaped headlamps that encompass the prominent signature wing daytime running lights give the Astra face a low, sporty character.

A graceful flowing silhouette connects the muscular shoulder lines with an expressive rear to make it sporty yet elegant. On the front fascia, the next generation Astra re-interprets the new Opel face by using the small upper grille to frame the new Opel logo, while emphasizing the bigger, bolder lower opening so as to create a sportier look. Read more ...

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Opel Zafira – Summer Road Travel Made Easy

http://www.gmeurope.info (gmeurope) — 2009-06-18T07:43:14Z

· Packing up: Flex7 seating system guarantees maximum interior flexibility
· With the kids: Twin Audio System offers individual entertainment programs
· On the budget: Economical diesel and natural gas models help environment, too

Long distance air travel is out. This summer, 78 percent of Europeans are planning to spend their holiday in Europe, according to a study by Europ Assistance Group. The Opel Zafira makes vacations easy, with plenty of storage space, individual entertainment programs to keep the kids happy and economical engines that leave enough money in the budget to enjoy the trip.

That tricky planning question of “What can we take with us, what do we have to leave at home?” doesn’t even come up with the Opel Zafira. The compact van with luggage capacity of up to 1820 liters can take on lots of holiday baggage or has enough room for up to seven occupants. Thanks to the Flex7 system the sixth and seventh seats can be retracted into the floor so that a flat loading area is created without hassle. Even when the holiday destination has been reached, the Zafira offers the flexibility to choose between a full house of passengers or maximum transport capacity, like bulky beach equipment.

To optimally secure and store all equipment, the FlexOrganizer – Opel’s luggage compartment manager – is available to safely fix dividers, storage boxes and nets. Bicycles can be transported on the rear bike rack or on the roof with the easy bicycle-lift system.

Relaxed travel thanks to individual entertainment systems

Diverse infotainment systems and equipment choices on the Zafira ensure that even the longest drives don’t have to be boring for the kids or become torture for parents. While the driver can plan the best route via the Opel CD 70 or DVD 90 Navigation System, the rest of the family can relax to surround sound from seven loudspeakers – be it from the radio or an MP3-compatible CD player.

For kids with competing musical interests, the Twin Audio System in the second row of seats has two headphone plug sockets, saving quarrelling and parental nerves. Reading lamps mounted even for the rear-most seats help any bookworms on board when it gets dark outside. And beverage holders in every row make sure that a refreshing drink is always close at hand.

The Zafira’s optional panorama roof creates a whole new sense of space. Not only does it offer an all-round view, the roof also comes with integrated storage compartments with space for travel accessories like small games or mini-computers. Its integrated power shade system blocks strong sun rays. It acts in tandem with the optional heat-absorbing glazing in the rear and air conditioner or electronic climate control to keep the interior temperature pleasant and comfortable.

Economical engines – safety and comfort for the whole family

Selecting the right engine with low fuel consumption ensures that even long trips don’t overburden the vacation budget – or the earth’s atmosphere. Particularly economical and environmentally compatible options include the Zafira 1.7 CDTI ecoFlex with 125 hp and average consumption of just 5.3 liters per 100 km. The Zafira 1.6 CNG Turbo ecoFlex with 150 hp costs even less with comparable consumption because natural gas prices are low.

For families who travel with a trailer, a removable trailer hitch can be mounted on the Zafira. The trailer stability program makes driving safe and comfortable by guarding against swinging motions. And vacationers to the Alps will appreciate the advantages of the hill start assist feature.

The steering-linked bi-xenon curve light AFL offers better visibility in the dark and in bad weather. Drivers can make the trip even more relaxing by engaging cruise control, a standard feature on the “Innovation 110 Years” model. A properly set cruise control function also can help prevent speeding violations and protect the vacation budget from unplanned and unpleasant expenditures.

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Booty ful day on Brick Lane

http://www.gmeurope.info (gmeurope) — 2009-06-17T12:26:13Z

Regular car booters Sir Peter Blake, Gavin Turk, Bob & Roberta Smith and Pam Hogg were joined by Pure Evil, Donald Urquhart and William Tempest, for the funkiest art car boot fair around.

Now in its 5th year and one of the most exciting and diverse days out on the summer calendar, the Vauxhall Art Car Boot Fair took place at the Old Truman Brewery, London on Sunday 14th June 2009. With old favourites and a selection of fresh young talent, 6,500 people descended to buy art bargains from the boots of cars.

Young curators Pearce & Ramsay selected the crème de la crème of the next generation of young British Artists, and squeezed their works into a mobile art exhibition in the form of a Vauxhall Astra.

Sir Peter Blake sold limited edition prints from his VXR8 Bathurst S to a queue that stretched all the way round the bootfair Artist ‘Swifty’ paid homage to his favourite car by selling a limited edition run of Vauxhall Viva prints out of the boot of a Vauxhall heritage vehicle; Nick Reynolds hit the credit crunch theme with recession piggy banks, and Pure Evil donned a five door Astra to sell his distinctive prints.

Rising star of the fashion world William Tempest adorned his Agila with boot fair bunting and created heat-sensitive mugs for £10 a go whilst Pam Hogg was radiant in her glitter ball Vauxhall Tigra covered with over 2,500 mirrored mosaics. Meanwhile, Rubbish magazine patrolled the area with Karl Lagerfeld inspired fashion police and doling out fashion advice from their designer handbag styled Vauxhall Corsa.

Curator, Karen Ashton commented,

“The line-up this year saw some amazing art works being produced giving the public the chance to boot a bargain for next to nothing – credit crunch chic indeed!”

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GM, Politecnico di Torino Establish New Automotive Research Institute

http://www.gmeurope.info (gmeurope) — 2009-06-16T10:05:00Z

· GM, Politecnico join global automotive research and education network
· New diesel hybrid research center planned in Torino

General Motors today, together with Politecnico di Torino, announced the formation of the GM-Politecnico Institute of Automotive Research and Education.

Formally announced today at the Inauguration of the GM Engineering Center in Torino, within Cittadella Politecnica, the Institute will be located in the new GM facility and take advantage of the combined resources of both organizations.

The aim of the Institute is to develop and deliver world-class automotive research and education, with a clear focus on alternative powertrains which have the potential to reinvent the automobile for the 21st century.

The Institute builds on a highly successful three-year partnership between GM and Politecnico, which includes GM sponsored Masters and PhD programs, supplementary GM powertrain technology lectures and seminars and more than 20 significant joint research projects.

Joining GM’s sister Institutes of Automotive Research and Education within Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China and the University of Michigan in the United States, the Italian Institute creates a truly global advanced R&D and education network.

Mike Arcamone, Vice President GM Powertrain Europe, joined Professor Francesco Profumo, Dean of Politecnico di Torino, to announce the Institute and one of its first initiatives today.

“The creation of our new Engineering Centre in Cittadella Politecnica makes GM the first car company to be physically located in the grounds of a university and it reflects the importance of our partnership with Politecnico,” Mr Arcamone said.

“Our successful collaboration in education, research and development demonstrate what can be achieved for both sides when academia and industry work together,” Mr Arcamone said.

“Nearly 60 per cent of GM’s engineering workforce in Torino are graduates of Politecnico, and through the new Institute we are strengthening our commitment to excellence and global leadership in advanced diesel engineering R&D.”

The Dean, Professor Francesco Profumo, underlines: “In such an international market, this sort of research plays a key role in helping the industry come out of this economic crisis.

“Therefore we are convinced that the academic and industrial world are complementary and they need to support each other more than ever. In the Cittadella Politecnica access to the research, technology exchange, shared services and facilities of external companies ensures they are familiar with the industry environment, creating a new generation of engineers. This is reflected in our relationship with GM with whom we share not only spaces but also strategies and projects,” he said.

“Today this partnership is strengthened thanks to the creation of the Institute of Automotive Research and Education, which links us even more closely with prestigious international universities with whom we already work, such as Shanghai Jiao Tong and the University of Michigan.”

The Institute will bring together existing GM-Politecnico research and education programs as well as establish new initiatives. One new initiative is the planned Diesel Hybridization Center of Excellence in Torino (DECET) which will focus on developing cost-effective hybrid technology for diesel passenger cars.

“Until now hybrid has been developed exclusively for gasoline engines. In Europe, where diesels account for 50 per cent of the market, diesel hybrid vehicles have the potential to become a key element of GM's electrification strategy,” Mr Arcamone said.

“Diesel and hybrid technologies together could deliver the 'best of both worlds' by combining start-stop features in heavy traffic conditions with the ability to recover energy during braking and to improve fuel efficiency in highway driving conditions,” he said.

The advanced engineering team of the DECET will focus on reducing NOx and CO2 emissions, developing more intelligent controls, optimizing performance and simplifying the combined diesel-hybrid system.

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