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UK-based Breckland Technology is no stranger to producing swiftly cars, as the low-volume producer of niche sports cars includes Mosler as one of its clients. For the earliest car branded provided its own name, however, the organization has introduced the Beira V8 soft-top roadster. The Beira is constructed on General Motors’ Kappa platform, the same one the emphasizes the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky roadsters, but uses a 6.0L LS V8 making 400bhp for go duties rather of an Ecotec four-cylinder. Weighing a bit more than 3,000 lbs., the moderate even though elegantly styled Beira are able to get to 62 mph in just now underneath thre moments according to Brecklands. It’s returning by a Tremec six-speed manual transmission, HiSpec braking hardware at all two corners and 18-inch or 19-inch wheels who are 9.5-inches wide in the rear and 8.5 up front.

Brecklands states the present it alone matured the Beira at which it needed to in condition to save development loss and time, but it did utterly revamp the Solstice suspension among blessing according to KW suspension, and as you can see, the interior is (thankfully) utterly unusual from what i read in the Solstice and Sky and can be made to order. The Beira serves to bidder out there £55,000, that ought to be a dear price level to pay for a Solstice or Sky, but the Beira V8 is just a good deal a good deal more as opposed to persons vehicles. The closest occurence you can get to one in the U.S. is somewhat similar to a Mallet Solstice V8, but we do not see why Breckland couldn’t export the Beira to the U.S. planning to the platform and engine its making use of currently equate U.S. safety and emissions standards.

Once upon a time, there was a subtle wagon called the V70R who’s meek outward appearance belied the snortiest turbo 5-cylinder Volvo has ever put in a production car. All-wheel-drive helped the power get to the ground instead of immolating the front tires, and the R sat atop the V70 trim-level range. Alas, the R is no more. While it was awesome and amusing, it was also outgunned by the competition, even with 300 hard-breathing horsepower. Still, there are those who desire the look and demeanor of the R, while finding no fault with the lesser powertrains that Volvo offers.

Those buyers can find what they’re looking for with the new V70 R-Design package on the third generation wagon. Since the demise of the R, the V70 has moved up to become the wagon version of the S80, and the R-Line package adds a little visual oomph and chassis verve to the big estate. Ride height has been reduced and thicker swaybars are added, along with higher durometer bushings in the suspension. Like we saw on the C30 R-Design, matte finish metal accents are added to exterior pieces like the mirror housings and grille surround. Sporty-looking exhaust outlets, a rear spoiler and 18-inch wheels round out the exterior changes. The interior gets blue-faced gauges, unique metal trim pieces, and Volvo’s already excellent seats get R-Design logos and sportier bolstering. The R-Design package adds £2,000 or so to the price of a UK V70, a decent price for a handling upgrade and a hunkered look. Volvo hasn’t decided whether to bring it to the United States yet. If it does come to the North American market, the V70 R-Design will be a 2009 model, and we’ll know by early summer if we have to look longingly across the pond for a clean-looking, sporty-driving wagon.

[Source: Volvo]

There are times in everyone’s life when you have an idea that sounds brilliant when explained in the audience of friends, but in practice is “exposed” as pure idiocy. The passenger of a BMW X5 gave a Cramlington, UK speed camera an uncensored view of his backside in an obvious attempt at humor, but in the end (no pun intended) the stunt could result in some hefty fines. Since local authorities weren’t amused by the Braveheart salute, the passenger could receive tickets for public indecency and for not wearing a seat belt. Well, that is if the driver is willing to rat on his or her offending comrade.

While we admit this is kind of funny at first blush, mostly because we never before noticed that a BMW grille looks a little like a human butt, mooning a speed camera is stupid for a couple reasons. First, it’s not cool to expose yourself in public. That’s the kind of thing that will get you on a sex offender list if you’re not careful. Second, speed cameras are really good at taking pictures of cars, giving authorities the plates of the vehicle as they pass through intersections. Third, and perhaps most important, why would the owner of a Bimmer want someone to press their bare ass up against their windshield? Lets just hope someone remembered to sanitize the soiled glass. Thanks for the tip, everyone!

Artega’s parent company, Paragon, is getting ready for its assault on the Porsche Cayman this summer, when it finally begins production of the Artega GT. The seductively small coupe will be built in an all-new factory in Westphalian, and Paragon expects two vehicles per day to roll off the assembly line, with a plan that would produce 20 cars per week within two years.

The automaker is in the process of setting up a dealer network in the UK, and along with a right-hand-drive model, it intends to offer a convertible version in the future.

The Artega GT, originally show in concept form at the Geneva Motor Show in 2007 and followed by the production version earlier this year, is powered by a VW-sourced, 3.6-liter V6, mounted amidships and sending 300 hp to a six-speed, twin-clutch gearbox. Penned by Henrik Fisker, the GT will tip the scales at around 2,400 pounds, thanks to an aluminum spaceframe and carbon fiber body panels. Unfortunately, there’s still no word on whether it’s coming to the U.S. We wouldn’t hold our breath.

[Source: Autocar]

Our friends across the pond finally get to enjoy the new LS3 that’s currently powering the Pontiac G8 GXP and Holden Commodore HSV, with the revised Vauxhall VXR8.

The upgraded V8 has grown from 5,967 cc to 6,162 cc and is producing 425 hp at 6,000 rpm. Coupled with the revised automatic gearbox, 0-60 times drop to 4.9 seconds (from five), and the run from 80 to 100 mph is reduced from 4.3 seconds to four seconds flat. Fuel economy remains the same as the outgoing LS2 and automatic-equipped models now get a transmission cooler standard. The new VXR8 is currently on sale in the UK for £35,695, an extra £485 over the outgoing model.[Source: Vauxhall]

Volkswagen’s most powerful Passat ever, the R36, which we’ve been hearing about for over a year, is finally on sale in the U.K. in both sedan and wagon versions. Featuring a 4MOTION all-wheel-drive system to put the 300 horses and 258 lb. ft. of torque to the ground, VeeDub claims that the sedan can get to 100 kilometers per hour (62 mph) in 5.6 seconds. The wagon is a few hundredths slower in the sprint to sixty, but both boast a top speed limited to 155 mph.

Besides the powertrain updates, the R36 gets a unique body kit, Bi-Xenon headlights and a new grille. Chassis enhancements include 18-inch rims, new brake calipers and most importantly, a 20mm lowering of the ride height. A blindingly bright turned-aluminum dash applique matches the new allow pedals and sill plates, while new seats promise a snug fit. The £30,990 base-price is encroaching on Audi territory, though not one featuring 300 horsepower. Now that Volvo’s V70R is no longer available, the £32,150 estate model (that’s wagon to us yanks) offers lots of performance and utility in a much more refined manner than your typical SUV. No word on a Stateside offering as of yet, but we won’t give up the hope.

[Source: Volkswagen]

Contrary to the findings of the Japanese Metropolitan Police, a new study has just been released in Britain which suggests that older drivers are not dangerous on the roads. The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) data shows that older drivers actually become less of a risk than drivers under the age of thirty. Unfortunately, though, drivers over the age of seventy are more likely to be seriously injured when they do get into an accident. Neil Greig, director of the IAM Motoring Trust suggests that older drivers self-regulate themselves as they realize their abilities are weakening.

Still, the U.K. requires drivers over seventy to renew their licenses every three years, but it’s up to the driver to report any physical conditions that could impair their driving. The U.K. government is considering adding new testing requirements for drivers over the age of seventy-five.

In other news, ninety-one percent of teen drivers consider themselves safe, though only 34-percent would say the same for their friends. Feel free to scare yourself by reading an entire press release of teen-driving statistics after the break.

Survey reveals teen attitudes about friends’ driving habits as well as their own

Despite the fact that auto crashes are the top killer of U.S. teens, a recent survey by Erie Insurance and Lookin’ Out, the company’s teen driving awareness program, reveals that most teens consider themselves to be good drivers. But while most respondents (91 percent) believe they’re driving safely, their other answers told a different story.

The survey, conducted in spring 2008 among 2127 licensed drivers aged 16-19 at 16 Lookin’ Out participant schools, revealed a number of risky behaviors.

* Cell phone use among teens is high (76 percent regularly talk on a cell phone while driving).
* Text messaging while driving is common among teens (57 percent sometimes or often read or send text messages while driving).
* Most teens (93 percent) play loud music when they drive.
* Nearly half (48 percent) admit they’re easily distracted when friends are passengers.

“These survey results also reveal a real discrepancy between how students perceive their own driving behaviors and how they judge others’ habits behind the wheel,” said Mark Dombrowski, Public Relations supervisor at Erie Insurance.

While 91 percent consider themselves good drivers, only about a third (34 percent) say their friends are good drivers. And nearly all (97 percent) of the respondents reported seeing other teens taking risks (speeding, not wearing seatbelts, etc.) while driving.

According to the National Safety Council, young drivers aged 15 to 20 are involved in fatal traffic crashes at more than twice the rate as the rest of the population. The Erie Insurance-created Lookin’ Out program, which has 72 participating schools for the current school year, is unlike other teen driving programs because it’s rooted in positive peer influence.

“Each activity is created by teenagers for their peers,” added Dombrowski. “We believe that helping to make teenagers better drivers will make the roads safer for everyone.”

Lookin’ Out schools create and implement activities to address the risks covered in the survey, such as:

* Seat belt use
* Speeding or reckless behavior
* Limiting the number of passengers in the car
* Alcohol and drug use, and their effects on driving
* Eliminating distractions such as cell phones and loud music

“Teens need to be aware of the dangers and avoid taking unnecessary risks while driving,” said John Brinling, Erie Insurance president & CEO. “And it’s equally important that they avoid riding with others who are engaging in risky behaviors such as speeding, text-messaging or driving under the influence.”

[Sources: What Car, Erie Insurance]

If you’ve been repetitively clicking the Top Gear website and reading the Sunday Times while you wait for the new season of Top Gear, your hour of deliverance is nearly at hand. Jeremy Clarkson (Jezza), Richard Hammond (Hamster), and James May (Captain Slow) will be returning June 15 with brand new episodes that will deliver more of the same-old same-old: automotive praise and abuse with English wit, absurd car challenges, and general hilarity. Ready, set, Tivo… Thanks for the tip, MIke!

[Source: Final Gear]