Bentley Bentayga Recalled Over Loose Fasteners

Bentley Bentayga Recalled Over Loose Fasteners
Top 10 Countries with the Safest Roads
No Really, THIS is the Fastest Lotus Exige Ever
BMW Planning Hotter M Models with CS Line
The Grand Tour is Off to a Hot Start, Trailer Released for Second Episode
Dieselgate’s Next Victim Could be Mercedes

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Bentley is recalling its new SUV model over an issue over loose fasteners.

Bentley will look at 88 Bentayga models, in which fasteners in the seat mechanism and instrument panel joints may not have been tightened properly. In an accident, this could lead to injuries as the seat or dashboard panels could come loose.

Bentley found the issue when reviewing data from the factory. Bentley dealers will inspect each one of the fasteners and tighten them as needed to correct the issue.

All of the affected vehicles are from the 2017 model year.

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Top 10 Countries with the Safest Roads

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Across the world, someone is killed on the roads once every 30 seconds.

And for every death, there are at least 20 injuries every 30 seconds. According to statistics from the World Health Organization, pedestrians and drivers are much more likely to die on roads in poorer countries. Approximately 752 pedestrians die on the road every day, and 786 motorcyclists die every day in accidents globally.

The statistics from the World Bank group, Transportation for Development, are alarming. Less developed countries have a higher number of road fatalities, which is largely due to poor infrastructure, worse vehicle safety standards, and inadequate driving laws. The cheapest vehicles sold in first-world countries are also much safer than those sold in developing countries, due to varying safety standards.

Here's a list of the top 10 safest countries to drive in based on the WHO Global Status Report on Road Safety 2015 interactive map:

10. Norway

Norway is 10th on the list with 3.8 deaths per 100,000 people. According to the WHO estimates, there were 192 total road deaths in Norway throughout 2015. The WHO deems Norway's helmet laws inadequate, as well.

9. Spain

Spain lands in the No. 9 spot with 3.7 deaths per 100,000 people. The WHO estimates report 1,730 total road deaths in Spain throughout 2015. The WHO deems Spain's drunk driving laws inadequate, according to the report.

8. Singapore/Israel

Singapore and Israel tie for No. 8 on the list. Singapore estimates indicated 3.6 road deaths per 100,000 people, according to the WHO. Israel also reported 3.6 road deaths per 100,000 people. The report indicates 197 estimated total road deaths throughout 2015. The WHO report also deemed Singapore's drunk driving, speed, and child seat laws inadequate.

7. Maldives/Denmark

Denmark and The Republic of Maldives tie for rank No. 7 on the list. The WHO reports just 3.5 road deaths per 100,000 people for both Denmark and Maldives, with Denmark reportedly experiencing 196 total road deaths throughout 2015.

6. Netherlands

Netherlands takes the No. 5 spot with 3.4 deaths per 100,000 people. In 2015, WHO estimates show Netherlands had 574 road deaths.

5. Switzerland

Switzerland is fourth on the list with 3.3 vehicle deaths per 100,000 people. Switzerland had an estimated 269 total road deaths in 2015.

4. San Marino

The microstate of San Marino, located in Italy, takes the number four spot with only 3.2 road deaths per 100,000 people, and with just one total road death reported in 2015.

3. United Kingdom/Kiribati

There are two countries tied for third on the list. The more notable one being the United Kingdom, with 2.9 vehicle deaths per 100,000 people. It had an estimated 1,827 deaths total throughout 2015. The second country tied for third is the tiny island nation of Kiribati, which is also tied at 2.9 road deaths per 100,000 people, with just 3 total road deaths occurring throughout 2015

2. Sweden

Sweden is the second safest driving country in the world with a ratio of 2.8 deaths per 100,000 people. It had an estimated 272 total road deaths throughout 2015. According to the WHO, this is due to strict drunk driving laws and high vehicle safety standards.

1. Micronesia

According to the WHO report, the Federated States of Micronesia has the safest roads on the planet, with 1.9 road deaths per 100,000 people, and only 2 total road deaths throughout 2015.

To illustrate how different countries have varying safety standards, the below video shows how an American safety-certified compact car stacks up in a crash against a car that adheres to Mexican standards.

No Really, THIS is the Fastest Lotus Exige Ever

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Lotus has unveiled yet another model not heading to the U.S.

The latest introduction is the Lotus Exige Sport 380, what the British automaker is calling a "supercar killer." It's also being touted as the most aggressive iteration yet for the Exige model, as well as being the fastest Exige ever with a zero-to-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds. Continuing its obsession with putting its cars on a diet, Lotus has the Exige Sport 380 tipping the scales at 2,350 pounds (1,066 kilograms) dry, giving it a power-to-weight ratio of 352 horsepower per ton, with its 3.5-liter supercharged V6 providing 375 hp and 302 pound-feet of torque.

The sports car is available with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission, but it's not heading to North America, like many of the recent Lotus models that the company claims to be lighter and faster.

There are plenty of aerodynamic upgrades as well, like a revised front access panel that modifies the air flow exiting the car's horizontally mounted radiators. Helping reduce pressure under the vehicle is a carbon front spoiler and rubber lip spoiler combined with the carbon barge boards. Downforce sees a 60-percent increase over the Exige Sport 350 thanks to twin pairs of front canard wings, a carbon rear wing and air blades behind the rear wheels.

"We've saved something special for our last new car of 2016. We have built upon the foundations of the excellent Exige Sport 350 and developed a perfectly proportioned, intuitive and attainable supercar for real roads," said Lotus CEO Jean-Marc Gales. "The cut in weight is nothing short of drastic and, combined with the hike in power and its enhanced agility, we've created something exceptional – far greater than the sum of its parts. The Exige Sport 380 is so good, that it is no longer the best in class, it's now in a class of its own."

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BMW Planning Hotter M Models with CS Line

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BMW has filed a number of new trademarks which point toward an entire lineup of new performance vehicles.

The German brand filed to protect M1 CS through M8 CS with the World Intellectual Property Organization, suggesting that an entire range of new 'CS' models are coming.

Spy photographers recently caught BMW testing two versions of its upcoming M4 model together, one of which appeared to be more hardcore, sporting a lip spoiler, more air intakes, unique wheels and a larger rear spoiler. There's a good chance that was the M4 CS model, which is likely to be a range of even hotter M cars in the same vein as the Mercedes-AMG S lineup.

Under the hood, the engines will likely be the same as the standard M models, though expect a small power bump. Some weight loss could also be part of the equation thanks to increased use of carbon fiber and other lightweight materials.

A hotter version of the M2 was also recently reported, though at the time the name was believed to be either M2 CSL or M2 GTS. Now it seems like it will actually be the new M2 CS model.

Finally, the new trademark filing lends credence to the theory that there will be a new BMW M8, which has yet to be confirmed by BMW. An upcoming 8-Series model, essentially a 7-Series coupe, has already been spied testing, but now we know that BMW might want to build an M8 CS.

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The Grand Tour is Off to a Hot Start, Trailer Released for Second Episode

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Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May have lived up to expectations.

Amazon has announced The Grand Tour has become the biggest show premiere ever on Amazon Prime Video, dethroning the previous No. 1 show, The Man in The High Castle. Although Amazon won't disclose just how many viewers The Grand Tour had, it did say "millions of Prime members" streamed the first episode in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Austria, and Japan over the opening weekend. In addition, on the day the show debuted, total new Prime membership signups exceeded all previous days, with the exception of Amazon's Prime Day.

The show has been well received by viewers, earning high ratings on websites like IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes. A new episode of The Grand Tour will air weekly over the next 11 weeks in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Austria, and Japan. The show will premiere worldwide for Amazon customers in over 200 countries and territories in December.

"The guys are back, doing what they do best – the chemistry between Jeremy, Richard and James is what makes The Grand Tour so entertaining," said Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon. "Their creativity, along with the amazing production quality and 4K HDR streaming, has Prime members responding in a big way. Kudos and congrats to the whole team."

Check out the trailer for the second episode here:

Dieselgate’s Next Victim Could be Mercedes

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Mercedes-Benz might be the next German automaker to stop offering diesel engines in the U.S.

Like BMW earlier this year, Mercedes is experiencing a delay in diesel certifications in the U.S. as a result of more rigorous testing procedures by the EPA following Volkswagen's diesel emissions scandal. Although the automaker is currently working to get certification on a limited number of diesel models, it may not endure the process again in the future. According to Matthias Luehrs, vice president of sales and product management for Mercedes-Benz Cars, the German automaker is conducting market research on U.S. diesel demand to help guide its direction.

"We have to look at that and see whether it makes sense to offer diesels in the future," he said during an interview at the 2016 L.A. Auto Show. "We have not come to a conclusion but we obviously always tend to develop cars and offer vehicles according to customers' demands."

He added that dropping diesel offerings in the U.S. altogether "is a theoretical option," adding that demand for diesels in North America has been low "and is still lowering" for cars and crossovers. As for the certifications, it is currently waiting for, the company is confident that in most of the cases it will be approved. Its current priority is receiving EPA certification for the GLS350d, which uses a V6 diesel engine. Mercedes is also seeking certification for at least four diesel models in the U.S., including the GLS, GLC, GLE and C-Class sedan.

[Source: Automotive News]

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Car Reviews

Wednesday 23 November 2016