The cost of rubber has...
The cost of rubber has nearly doubled in the past 12 months, shredding many tyre makers" yearly profits. The rises are expected to bite consumers later this year, and are being blamed on a combination of factors, including a poor rubber harvest in Asia plus an increase in the cost of oil-derived chemicals used in the production process. Additional demand from emerging markets, such as China, is also making a substantial difference.
With storm clouds gathering...
With storm clouds gathering over the global car industry, petrolheads needed some exciting news to lift their spirits at the start of December.
Fortunately, two stalwarts of the industry delivered the goods. The first was Audi, which chose the Essen Motor Fair to unveil its V10-engined R8 LMS supercar. We reported in Issue 1,041 that the winged machine had been designed to take on the very best racers in the FIA GT3 Championship, and that wealthy customers were queuing up to get their hands on one of the 500bhp, Ò£206,000 newcomers.
Our story also reported that an official announcement about a roadgoing version was imminent. And, just seven days later in Issue 1,042, it happened!
Also attempting to lighten the gloom in December were Citroenò€™s bosses, who threw us the keys to one of its most striking concept cars ever.
Fresh from wowing the crowds at the Paris Motor Show, the GTbyCitroen left our tester with no doubt that the firmò€™s design team is firing on all cylinders.
The car was originally designed for the computer game Gran Turismo 5, and only became a reality when Citroen bosses thought it was too good to leave on the small screen.
Although bigwigs at the French firm told us that a production version didnò€™t figure in any of Citroenò€™s future plans, a number of the dramatic design elements could make their way on to forthcoming production cars.
British drop-top revealed (Issue 1,041)
Frozen Brits werenò€™t the only ones dreaming of summer in December ò€“ MINI was at it, too, with the unveiling of the second-generation Convertible. Its appearance was hardly a shock ò€“ our spies had been tracking it all year ò€“ but the British-built soft-top will have a few new tricks up its sleeve when it arrives in the spring. The optional Openometer measures how long youò€™ve had the roof down, while a new single roll hoop will provide a clearer rear view than before.
370Z hits the road (Issue 1,041)
2008 will be a year to remember for Nissan fans. The firm blew us away with the GT-R, but it also found time to redesign the 350Z. Badged 370Z, it gets a new look and fresh 3.7-litre V6 borrowed from luxury division Infiniti. Our first drive revealed that the new machine is even more impressive than its predecessor. Its performance, handling and refinement have all been improved significantly, so itò€™s little wonder it achieved a maximum five-star rating.