Cars GlobalMag October 2013

Europe
Monaco / Germany
FIRST MONTECARLO RASCASSE
DELIVERED IN GERMANY
Montecarlo Automobile, the first motor-car producer in
Monaco, has announced the delivery of the first ecological
supercar, the Montecarlo Automobile Rascasse.
The car was first presented a few months ago at the
North America
United States
CHEVROLET BEGINS 2014 CORVETTE SHIPPING
Chevrolet began shipping the all-new 2014 Corvette Stingray Coupe to dealers.
Bowling Green Assembly (Kentucky, USA) has produced approximately
1,000 Corvette Stingrays for customer deliveries. The Bowling Green
facility underwent a $131-million upgrade to support production of the Corvette
Stingray, including approximately $52 million for a new body shop to
manufacture the car’s all-new aluminum frame in-house for the first time.
Europe
United Kingdom
UK H 2 MOBILITY SETS UP NEW WEBSITE
The work of the UK H2Mobility project to secure the opportunities and benefits
of hydrogen fuelled transport is showcased in a new, dedicated website.
Designed as a credible and accessible source of information and news
about UK H2Mobility, the website HYPERLINK “http://www.ukh2mobility.
co.uk/” http://www.ukh2mobility.co.uk is the latest step in the consortium’s
work to identify how the UK can take best environmental and commercial
advantage of hydrogen as a low carbon fuel for road transport.
The UK H2Mobility project covers a wide spectrum of issues, from fuel production,
supply and distribution, to the development of a practical national
fuel infrastructure and the introduction of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs)
to the market. It has also explored public attitudes to hydrogen fuel, its potential
to reduce environmental impact and the level of investment that will
be required to make it a viable alternative to fossil fuels. With the benefit
of the data and insights gained, the consortium is now developing a coordinated
business plan in the second phase of the project.
International Autopromotec fair in Bologna. With its
removable roof, it was purchased by a German collector
who will now be able to unleash the potential of the
Rolls Royce-derived Silver Seraph V12 5500 cc, 500
bhp engine. What makes this car unusual is it petrol/
GPL bifuel engine that results in a reduction in CO2
emissions. This technical solution was developed in
collaboration with BRC, overseen by Mariano Costamagna,
a leading company in the realisation of alternative
fuel engines. The Rascasse will be produced in a limited
edition of 15 models in three years, costs €500,000
and can be extensively personalised. Montecarlo Automobile
will now proceed with the creation of other cars
based on client requests: a hybrid 4WD is already in the
development phase. As ever, the project was overseen
by engineer and driver Fulvio Maria Ballabio, a man with
a background in the best-known international series,
from Formula series and Prototype Endurance championships
to off-shore nautical races.
Asia / Europe
China / France
DS5 PRODUCTION
BEGINS IN SHENZHEN
The DS brand is consolidating its activity
in China with the market launch of its
flagship DS5 model, produced locally in
Shenzhen. PSA Peugeot Citroën and its
partner Changan are inaugurating a new
production plant in the megalopolis of
more than 12 million inhabitants. The site
will initially be dedicated to the production
of the DS5. Launched in 2012, the DS5
proposes a new take on the premium
segment. Designed to meet the expectations
of the worldwide market, the DS5 is
a bold and elegant car featuring a unique,
cockpit-inspired driver’s station for intense
on-road thrills. In addition to Sochaux,
France, the DS5 is now produced in China,
helping to speed the growth of the DS
brand on the world’s largest automobile
market and the second-largest market for
premium models. The brand’s growth will
also be fuelled by a network that will total
50 DS Stores covering 40 of China’s major
cities by the end of the year. DS Store
showrooms will host all of the models in
the DS line, namely the DS3, DS3 Cabrio,
DS4 and DS5.