Volkswagen ‘horrified’ by own Golf car ad which appears to show racist white power gesture
Volkswagen apologises and says it is “horrified” as it withdraws an advert for a new Golf model. The ad, which shows a giant pair of white hands moving a black man away from a new VW Golf and flicking him into a cafe named “Petit Colon”, which translates to little colonist in French.
Twitter and Instagram users pointed out that as the German words “Der Neue Golf”, meaning the new Golf, fade into view; the letters can be briefly read as a racial slur. Other users felt the hand appeared to be making a white power gesture.
The German company said it could “understand the outrage and anger” as it pulled the 10 second video from its social media accounts, their statement said “Without question: the video is inappropriate and tasteless. We will clarify how something like this could happen, and there will be consequences.” VW board member for sales and marketing, Juergen Stackmann and head of diversity management, Elke Heitmueller both made apologies on Twitter and LinkedIn, saying “We posted a racist advertising video on Volkswagen’s Instagram channel. We understand the public outrage at this. Because we’re horrified, too. This video is an insult to all achievements of the civil rights movement. It is an insult to every decent person.” Head of the worker’s council at VW, Bernd Osterloh, said “I’m ashamed of this disgusting video, and I speak for the entire workforce when I say that.”
Initially, perhaps foolishly, VW only issued a half hearted apology, saying that the “origin of the people depicted” was “irrelevant” and that “As you can imagine, we are shocked and surprised that our Instagram story could be so misunderstood”. A full apology and admission of wrong doing soon followed after a new wave of criticisms on social media, with one user saying “No one here got the wrong impression” and “This is bad and racist communication.”
Social media users continue to criticise with one person posting “Oh great, so Germans are racist again”, whilst a Twitter user said “I’m always baffled by how big conglomerates such as Volkswagen can let racist ads go on air and then apologize after the fact as if they had no clue it was offensive,”
Volkswagen was founded under the Nazis and translates to “the people’s car”; VW said that due to its history it always seeks to “position itself against all forms of racism, xenophobia and discrimination”. “Many initiatives in the company and in our global workforce promote diversity, integration and unprejudiced cooperation,” they said. “That makes it all the more annoying that we made this mistake.”
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Land Rover has confirmed that it will be presenting the new Range Rover Evoque Convertible to the world in 2016; the new luxury cabriolet was announced in a rather unusual way – by the release of a short film showing the prototype being put through its paces, forty metres below the streets of London! An official Land Rover marketing website tells the tale of how the new convertible was “granted exclusive access to the 26-mile (42km) network of Crossrail tunnels for a development test with a difference”. The opening scene of the film shows an aerial view of the streets of London at night with street and building lights sparkling, then a smattering of famous London landmarks before the disguised Evoque convertible is shown being lowered on a platform down into the Crossrail tunnel system by crane. Director of Land Rover Programmes, Murray Dietsch, said “The tunnels are still under construction, so we had a unique opportunity to explore the vehicle’s all-terrain ability in unchartered territory.” The film, titled “Range Rover Evoque Convertible revealed testing at Europe’s largest construction project”, shows the Evoque with its roof down, deftly handling a series of obstacles in the 6.2 metre diameter tunnel network before being driven up a ramp into the interior of a truck, the truck tailgate is raised as the words “Range Rover Evoque Convertible” – “Capability, performance and comfort” – “tested to Land Rover’s rigorous standards” are displayed, followed by On Sale 2016. The Land Rover website has a series of films about the Evoque Convertible, covering design, capability, infotainment, driver aid technologies, safety and the Z-folding roof. The website quotes a maximum length of 437.0cm, width 208.5cm and height 160.9cm with a combined fuel economy of 49.6mpg, there will be two models of the Evoque Convertible available, the HSE Dynamic from £47,500 – described as a convertible for all seasons and the HSE Dynamic LUX from £51,700 – described as a technologically driven open-top for all seasons. Both models will have the choice of a TD4 diesel engine or a Si4 petrol engine. The new convertible is to be built at the Land Rover Halewood plant, alongside the five door and coupe Evoque models.
This is not the first time Land Rover has gone subterranean, the five door Evoque was driven through Edge Hill Tunnel in Liverpool when it was launched in 2011.
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The problems faced by German car maker Volkswagen seem to be never ending with fresh revelations emerging on an almost daily basis.
The latest chapter of the sorry tale involves the fuel efficiency and levels of CO2 in at least 800,000 vehicles, with analysts warning that the implications of fixing fuel consumption tests could be far reaching and have a much worse impact on the company than the initial diesel emissions rigging scandal.
A Volkswagen press statement reads “The Volkswagen Group is moving forward with the clarification of the diesel issue: during the course of internal investigations irregularities were found when determining type approval CO2 levels. Based on present knowledge around 800,000 vehicles from the Volkswagen Group could be affected. An initial estimate puts the economic risks at approximately two billion euros. The Board of Management of Volkswagen AG will immediately start a dialog with the responsible type approval agencies regarding the consequences of these findings. This should lead to a reliable assessment of the legal, and the subsequent economic consequences of this not yet fully explained issue.
Under the ongoing review of all processes and workflows in connection with diesel engines it was established that the CO2 levels and thus the fuel consumption figures for some models were set too low during the CO2 certification process. The majority of the vehicles concerned have diesel engines.” A key part of this statement is the last sentence, where Volkswagen states that the “majority” of the vehicles involved in this latest revelation have diesel engines; this can only mean that vehicles with petrol engines have also been affected. The same press statement also included words from the CEO of Volkswagen, Matthias Muller, who said “From the very start I have pushed hard for the relentless and comprehensive clarification of events. We will stop at nothing and nobody. This is a painful process, but it is our only alternative. For us, the only thing that counts is the truth. That is the basis for the fundamental realignment that Volkswagen needs”, he added “The Board of Management of Volkswagen AG deeply regrets this situation and wishes to underscore its determination to systematically continue along the present path of clarification and transparency.”
Many countries around the world, including Britain, use the levels of CO2 emissions as a basis for setting the rates for vehicle tax, false CO2 readings would have meant that any vehicles involved would be liable for lower tax rates. This could prove to be even more expensive for Volkswagen than the emissions rigging scandal if the company has to repay the lost revenue to governments.
Volkswagen shares are still dropping and reports say that the company has now lost around 40% of its pre scandal value.
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The new VW Phaeton is ready for production, but is deemed too pricey to build. It has been reported that Volkswagen are delaying the launch of the latest Phaeton Luxury saloon, despite development being completed, as they need to reduce the cost of production and materials.
Originally designed by Ferdinand Piech to compete with the Mercedes Benz S Class, the VW Phaeton was launched in 2002, the large German saloon was hand built in the same factory as the Bentley Continental GT, with both luxury vehicles using the same underpinnings. Ferdinand Piech is no longer a part of Volkswagen, having resigned in April 2015; this may be part of the reason why the decision has been taken to cut the costs of producing the Phaeton. The luxurious saloon was said to be capable of maintaining 186 miles per hour in temperatures of 50 degrees centigrade, at the same time allowing those on board to enjoy an interior temperature of 22 degrees centigrade.
Latest reports from Bloomberg have said that sales of the VW Phaeton have been in decline for years, sales of its main rival – the Mercedes Benz S Class, reached 100,000 last year, quite a staggering comparison to the rather paltry 4,000 sales of the Phaeton. Those sales figures for last year show a drop of 30 per cent, making it the lowest volume for a current VW production vehicle. Market researcher at IHS Automotive, Tim Urquhart, spoke to Bloomberg and said “There is always the element of the Phaeton being the answer to a question no one ever asked”, he voiced surprise that VW is sticking with the model, saying “and given the current drive to save costs at VW, it is even more lucky to survive”.
Volkswagen has not released any details of its new flagship model but it is widely expected to remain a large, four door luxury saloon – although perhaps not as luxurious as originally intended by Ferdinand Piech. Many in the industry have suggested that the VW Phaeton could end up as an Audi A8 in disguise, sharing almost all but the sheet metal, which is ironic as it has very often been viewed as an unnecessary competitor to the Audi A8. Production is not likely to be shifted to China to save costs so it will be interesting to see where savings will be made.
Of course all of this could be about to change following VW’s admission of rigging emission tests and the resignation of Martin Winterkorn, there are even some who are calling for the return of Ferdinand Piech.
Special Thanks Dein Nordrhein-Westfalen for providing the image
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Recent surveys have found that Britain, shamefully, is one of the worst countries in the world for road rage. Far from the image we were once famed for, of having great restraint and a “stiff upper lip”, it appears our behaviour often actually borders upon hooliganism when we get behind the wheel.
One of the surveys was conducted across a range of 20 countries and involved more than 3,000 motorists, the results were not something that most self respecting drivers in Britain would be proud of. Ever found yourself blocked in by another driver when you were out driving? If you live in Britain you stand the most chance of this happening to you, a staggering 73% of us have experienced this, compared to the much lower figure of 42% in France and only 15% and 13% for motorists in Norway and Turkey respectively. More than half (53%) of British drivers had suffered verbal aggression whilst at the wheel compared to 47% of those in Germany and 44% of drivers in France, the figure for Dutch motorists was 17% and Turkey 15%. An unacceptable 76% of British drivers had experienced aggressive gestures whilst they were behind the wheel, compared to 73% for French drivers – still rather high, much lower for Germany at 43%, Portugal 24% and finally, Turkey at 23%. Another survey which polled 1,035 readers of Max Power (a well known Auto magazine) in association with the RAC Foundation, found that almost nine out of ten drivers in the United Kingdom had been a victim of road rage at least once and that 20% said they had experienced road rage more than ten times! Those readers polled were typically aged somewhere between sixteen and thirty years old. These results are quite simply horrendous but what was even worse is that more than 70% of those polled admitted that they had been guilty of committing road rage themselves, with just a paltry 14% regretting their actions. Three in five of those who admitted committing road rage said they felt “fine” about it and that their unfortunate victims had “deserved” it. The Editor of Max Power, John Sootheran, said “This research proves that Britain’s roads are not a friendly place to be.” He added “While it’s shocking that so many young drivers are victims or instigators of road rage, I believe these results only reflect the stressful and hectic lifestyles we lead – particularly in urban environments.” Edmund King is the Executive Director of the RAC Foundation and he said “This survey is a revealing and alarming insight into some young drivers’ attitudes. Road rage seems to be linked to congestion and stress, as most incidents occur in the busier towns and cities.” Mr King added that “Drivers should not respond aggressively to irritation on the roads. It may be tough on the streets but that’s no excuse for raging against other drivers.”
Of course road rage is not experienced or committed by young drivers only, all age groups and all genders have either been victims of road rage or have been the instigator of it. Research is showing that our stressful lives and the high levels of congestion on our roads are part of the cause of this extremely poor driver behaviour.
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Ever fancied tearing around a motor circuit in a high performance BMW car? Well now you can as Goodwood, BMW and Michelin have entered into a partnership that will allow drivers of all ages and abilities to do just that, Goodwood have introduced their whole new motoring experience, Ultimate Driving At Goodwood.
Ultimate Driving At Goodwood includes a variety of driving experiences, both on and off road, using a range of BMW cars for driving fun, thrills and education. On road experiences will use the iconic Goodwood motor circuit, off road experiences will be taken on the 32 mile course through the ancient woodland routes of the magnificent Goodwood Estate, the glorious estate is vast, covering around 12,000 acres of the Sussex Downs. Lord March, who took over the management of the Goodwood Estate Company from his father in 1994, founded the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 1993 and reopened the Goodwood Motor Circuit five years later in 1998. Lord March said of Ultimate Driving At Goodwood “This combination of Goodwood and BMW, in partnership with Michelin, creates a fusion of skills and expertise that will provide a truly exceptional new experience. With expert tuition at the Motor Circuit to help improve driving skills in some fabulous cars, and a challenging off-road course encompassing areas of the Estate few have seen before, this will be a more hands-on activity than anything done before”.
For those aged under 17 years the Academy experience is the perfect introduction to the skills required for driving, a one hour session of tuition in a Mini Cooper from an approved driving instructor at the Goodwood Motor Circuit is a wonderful and safe way to learn the basics.
For drivers who are aged over 17 years the following experiences are also available.
Adventure experience is an exciting and challenging off road session around the Goodwood Estate. An experienced instructor will teach you what you need to know about driving off road in a BMW X3 or X5 4×4 vehicle. Adventure experience sessions are available as 90 minute, half day or full day options.
M-Series Performance Driving is described as the “ultimate performance experience” and is available as a two hour session or a four hour session. The chief instructor will give drivers a briefing before they learn the “art of high performance driving” around the Goodwood Motor Circuit in M235i, M3, M4, M5, M6 and Alpina D3 Bi-Turbo cars. The two hour option allows you to drive three cars from the performance fleet and the four hour option allows you to drive six of the cars.
The Ultimate experience allows you to tailor your full day experience, picking your favourite parts of the Academy, Adventure and Performance experiences.
There are other experiences available:
Mastering Powerslides is a one hour session in an M-Series BMW aimed at challenging your handling skills
Winter Driving Techniques is a 30 minute session with a qualified instructor in “treacherously slippery conditions”
Understanding Handling is a 90 minute session using front, rear and four wheel drive BMW cars in which qualified instructors will teach you car control techniques
BMW Group UK Managing Director, Graeme Grieve, said “Through this unique partnership between BMW Group and Goodwood, visitors will have an unforgettable day in this wonderful setting. From the natural beauty of this exceptional Estate to the thrills of the historic Motor Circuit, they will experience the best in our world-class line-up of performance cars – both Mini and BMW, as well as the ultimate luxury car from Rolls-Royce.”
Ultimate Driving At Goodwood experiences are available to both individuals and groups.
https://grrc.goodwood.com/section/driving-at-goodwood/
Special Thank Phil Guest for providing the image of Goodwood house in 2014.
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A new survey has been carried out, polling around 2,000 British drivers, to discover what us Brits think is the best car in the world. The survey was commissioned by TV’s Discovery Channel and was conducted to celebrate the 100th car to be featured and the new series of their TV show Wheeler Dealers.
It seems that we Brits are pretty fair minded as not all of the cars voted into the top ten places are British vehicles, although they are all European. So which car do you think was voted the best of all the rest? Here are the top ten, according to the Discovery Channel survey.
10th – Aston Martin Vanquish
9th – Rolls Royce Phantom
8th – Aston Martin V8 Vantage
7th – Aston Martin DB9
6th – Rolls Royce Silver Ghost
5th – Aston Martin DB5
4th – Volkswagen Beetle
3rd – Porsche 911
2nd – Mini
1st – Jaguar E-Type
The fabulous E-Type Jag received 32% of all votes in the survey, it also came top in two further surveys carried out on behalf of the Discovery Channel; it was voted the greatest ever classic car and the Roadster version was voted greatest ever convertible car. The iconic E-Type was introduced to the world in Geneva on 15th March 1961 and it was an instant success, it has never lost that appeal and many people still consider it to be the most beautifully designed car ever, Enzo Ferrari actually described it as “the most beautiful car in the world”. The Mini came second with 20% of all votes and the Porsche 911 third with 18% of all votes.
One of the presenters of the TV show Wheeler Dealers, Mike Brewer, said “This research underlines the incredible heritage of British car manufacturing, where originality, style and performance have been the hallmarks of many of our greatest cars. As the classic car market continues to boom, we’re seeing many popular productions being snapped up as future classics.” Another survey was for the top 10 previously embarrassing cars that drivers would now feel proud to own, the winner of this survey was the Ford Capri, followed by the Morris Minor in second place, the Triumph Stag in third place, the Ford Escort XR3i in fourth place and all models of Skoda in fifth place. Co presenter of Wheeler Dealers, Ed China, said ‘It’s good to see the Capri and the XR3i now joining the pantheon of classic popular production cars. As we unveil our 100th car in the series, we’ll be aiming to return another hidden gem to its former glory.’
Special Thanks Robert S. Donovan For Providing The Image
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Volkswagen’s e-Golf is so much more than just another all electric car; it looks the same as its internal combustion engine counterpart and has an equal amount of passenger space too, but it is much cheaper to run.
VW boast that the e-Golf is their first production model to feature full LED headlights, this makes perfect sense as LED headlights use less electricity than xenon headlights and are still brighter. Other external design features include 16 inch alloy wheels, a blue strip that runs the width of the grille and into the headlights, blue edged VW roundel and LED daytime running lights in the front bumper which are C shaped. Design elements for the interior include beautifully placed touches of blue, on the gear lever, door cards and upholstery stitching; there is also the option of blue ambient lighting. As the e-Golf is based on a standard Golf it means there is room for the whole family, although because some space was allocated to the battery pack the boot size differs from the standard Golf by about 40 litres, still plenty of room for the shopping or that holiday luggage. The rear seats split 60/40, folding down until they are nearly flat, very handy if you need to carry larger items. Climate control, cruise control, sat nav, Bluetooth, sat nav, digital radio, 8 inch colour touch screen, multifunction steering wheel, automatic lights, automatic wipers and front and rear parking sensors complete the well equipped interior and a three year subscription to Car Net is also included as standard, this allows iOS or Android smartphone users to control many functions remotely via an app, such as heating, cooling, charging, etc.
The front wheel drive e-Golf is powered by an AC electric motor – 85 KW/115 PS, and 270 Nm – generating 113bhp, the 264 cell lithium-ion battery weight is 318 kg. The e-Golf can accelerate from 0 to 62 in 10.4 seconds and its top speed is 87 mph. VW say that it has a range of 118 miles but that is a maximum figure and, as with all completely electric vehicles, is entirely dependent upon driving style, ambient conditions and battery charge levels, most test results we have seen reported are coming in at around 90 – 100 miles for average driving style. The battery pack is supplied with an eight year/100,000 mile warranty and VW state that they developed it with the “intention of it having 80 per cent of its original capacity after 10 years’ use”. Charging can be achieved via a standard UK three pin socket which takes 13 hours, alternatively using a 3.6kW wall box will take 8 hours or using the rapid charging inlet gives an 80 per cent charge in 35 minutes.
The Volkswagen e-Golf is not cheap at £25,845, and that is after deducting a £5000 government grant, but it is a great car and one that may well prove popular among those who are not keen on the many odd looking electric cars that are on the market.
Special Thanks MotorBlog for providing the image.
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The prestigious Gooding and Company Pebble Beach Auction is to be held in August at Pebble Beach, California and it will feature a large selection of jaw droppingly beautiful and extremely rare cars, including some staggeringly highly priced Ferrari street and race cars
Featured among other highly desirable cars are some particularly exceptional specimens, President and Founder Dave Gooding said “We have recognized the demand for special Ferraris with exceptional originality. It is our privilege to be entrusted with some of Maranello’s best examples. Each of these special automobiles that we have consigned, from the California Spider all the way through to the Daytona Competizione, are respected by Ferrari enthusiasts for their desirability, exceptional provenance and phenomenal histories.” We have listed some details of just a few of the more sought after examples of Ferrari below for your delectation
First is the exquisite 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider, Scaglietti fitted covered headlights to 37 of the 56 (yes just 56!) ever built and this is one of them. This model is chassis number 2903 GT, which is one of only a limited number of SWB California Spiders that were factory fitted with an optional hardtop, making it even rarer! This beautiful car has led a fairy tale life; it was once owned by the famous actress Barbara Hershey and has also been part of important collections of rare and exclusive cars. It is estimated to reach $13 – $15 million, approx £7.6 – £8.8 million
Next we have the 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta, another stunning example with less than 35,000 miles on the clock! Finished in Silver Grey over black, this model comes with documented history and provenance. You will need to make a request to Gooding & Company if you wish to learn the estimated price for this one
The 1969 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Competizione started out as a European specification road car, according to factory records, but that all changed in April 1971 when it was sent to Autofficina Sport Auto in Modena and turned into a racing car. This successful race car with its original 1971 North American Racing Team Le Mans livery has an auction estimate of $5.5 – $7 million, approx £3.2 – £4.1 million
Next in line is the 1959 Ferrari 250 GT Series I Cabriolet. One of only four built with open headlamp treatment and one of only two featuring tall vertical tail lights, this Ferrari is chassis 1475 GT and it is the last example ever built. Finished in Amaranto Bull Lea with Crema Connolly leather, it has just over 42,000 miles on the clock and its estimated price is $4.5 – $6 million, approx £2.6 – £3.5 million
There are more amazing Ferrari’s going under the hammer at this exclusive auction but you will need very, very deep pockets if you are to bid on any of them. The auction is to be held at 6pm on Saturday 16th August and 6pm on Sunday 17th August with preview days beginning on Wednesday 13th August, there is a fee for admission
For more information visit http://www.goodingco.com/auction/pebble-beach-2014/
Special Thanks Thomas Bersy For the Picture
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Mercedes Benz has introduced the new AMG version of its S Class Coupe, the S65 AMG, the most powerful version of that model. The twin turbo, 6.0 litre, V12 engine can deliver 630bhp and develop 738lb ft of torque, all of which helps this fabulously beautiful car to achieve 0 – 62mph in 4.1 seconds with the top speed is limited to 155mph. The official Mercedes Benz AMG website describes this car as setting new standards “as the most powerful vehicle in its segment of the market” with Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-AMG GmbH, Tobias Moers said “Soon after the successful launch of the S 63 AMG, we are unveiling the new S 65 AMG. Supreme exclusivity and incomparable dynamism proved the guarantee of a high fascination potential. With the third generation of the S 65 AMG, we offer our loyal and discerning V12 customers a unique high-performance automobile.”
This big beast certainly packs a punch but even with all this power, hurling this rather large car around bends is not going to be a problem as it features a curve tilting function – suspension that adjust its height on all four wheels and actually leans into corners, Mercedes say this is to make cornering more comfortable and secure for those travelling in the vehicle. “Magic Body Control” will also be incorporated, with “Road Surface Scan” cleverly scanning the road in front and adjusting the suspension to compensate for any bumps or pot holes, resulting in a much smoother ride, the Mercedes Benz AMG website refers to this as the world’s first suspension with eyes “. Quad exhaust pipes, a menacingly beefy body kit enhanced by chrome and aluminium trim and “V12 Biturbo” badges and 20 inch alloys all combine to make this car a really stunning eye catcher, guaranteed to waken the green envy monster in most of us! The interior is simply sublime and absolutely bristles with the latest technology, such as the head up display and the touchpad whilst comfort is supplied by AMG sports seats which are specially designed for long distance travelling, with both heating and cooling functions. Luxurious refinement is provided by the AMG, diamond patterned leather, which is featured throughout the interior, along with wood and brushed aluminium to give a sophisticated, up to date finish whilst still achieving a classic, traditional feel
Prices for the new Mercedes Benz S65 AMG start at £179,985.00 (S65 AMG L)
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