Car Chute

Frost & Sullivan: The Changing Face of North American Diesel Powertrain

- Frost & Sullivan to Host Analyst Briefing on Powertrain Systems on Tuesday, 31 August, 2010 at 3:00 pm BST

PR Newswire — August 26, 2010

LONDON, August 26, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — Diesels have long suffered in ‘The Land of Opportunities,’ but if recent trends are anything to go by, things may well change in the near future. The recent economic crisis has forced the market to look for more fuel efficient options and diesel vehicles certainly fit the bill. However, the biggest challenge remains convincing the market that diesel is superior to hybrids which enjoy far better market acceptance in North America.

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To provide unique insights into the different challenges associated with diesel vehicles gaining market share and to discuss the strategies adopted by OEMs with regards to diesel vehicles, the Automotive & Transportation Group at Frost & Sullivan (http://www.transportation.frost.com) is pleased to announce that it will be hosting an online analyst briefing presentation on Tuesday, 31 August, 2010 at 3:00 pm BST.

This briefing will benefit vehicle manufacturers, powertrain engineering companies and suppliers.

Highlights of the briefing include analysis of the challenges faced by players in the diesel market in North America and of the measures they will adopt to counter these challenges and a discussion of the market potential of key diesel technologies and of the players most likely to benefit from it.

“Besides technologies such as Diesel Particulate Filters & Common Rail Diesel Injection, Variable Geometry Turbochargers will also have a very high market potential,” says Hariher Balasubramanian, Research Analyst at Frost & Sullivan’s Automotive & Transportation practice. “It is interesting to note that some of the European OEMs are betting very heavily on their diesel line up for the coming years, hoping to benefit from the expected surge in sales of diesel passenger vehicles.”

To participate in this briefing, please email Monika Kwiecinska at monika.kwiecinska@frost.com with: your full name, company name, title, telephone number, e-mail, address, city, state and country and a registration link will be e-mailed to you. You may also register to receive a recorded version of the briefing at anytime by submitting the aforementioned contact details.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, enables clients to accelerate growth and achieve best-in-class positions in growth, innovation and leadership. The company’s Growth Partnership Service provides the CEO and the CEO’s Growth Team with disciplined research and best-practice models to drive the generation, evaluation, and implementation of powerful growth strategies. Frost & Sullivan leverages over 45 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses and the investment community from 40 offices on six continents. To join our Growth Partnership, please visit http://www.frost.com.

Contact: Monika Kwiecinska Corporate Communications T: +48-(0)-22-390-4127 F: +48-(0)-22-390-4160 E: monika.kwiecinska@frost.com http://www.frost.com

Subject Codes: PC/t.100826073008675, PR/dest.Public, PT/lang.en, IN/AUT, IN/MAC, IN/TRN, SU/SVY, RE/United_Kingdom, RE/Ireland

Visteon and Avtopribor Announce Joint Venture in Russia to Supply Vehicle Cockpit Electronics

- New joint venture – OOO Visteon Avtopribor Electronics – is set to become one of the largest automotive electronics suppliers in Russia, with full manufacturing and engineering capability

PR Newswire — August 26, 2010

VLADIMIR, Russia, August 26, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — OOO Visteon Avtopribor Electronics, a new joint venture between Visteon Corporation, a leading global supplier of automotive systems, and Avtopribor, one of Russia’s largest automotive components suppliers, will supply a wide range of cockpit electronics products including audio, infotainment, driver information and controls electronics to the growing Russian automotive market.

Based in Vladimir, approximately 170 kilometers (105 miles) east of Moscow, Visteon Avtopribor Electronics is centrally located to support both domestic and global vehicle manufacturers in Russia. The new joint venture has full manufacturing and product development capabilities and will supply leading Russian vehicle manufacturers including AVTOVAZ, GAZ and Sollers, as well as Ford. The joint venture is also engaging with global vehicle manufacturers located in the country in support of its growth objectives.

“Visteon Avtopribor Electronics offers Visteon immediate access to the domestic Russian market through one of our established and highly respected partners,” said Steve Meszaros, Visteon product group president. “Expanding into the important Russian market supports our strategy of offering our global customers fully localized products in markets where they are growing.”

Combining Visteon’s global cockpit electronics technology platforms with Avtopribor’s strong position in the Russian market, the joint venture is set to become one of Russia’s largest automotive electronics suppliers.

“Establishment of the new joint venture will allow us to offer world-class products to Russian customers and gives Avtopribor an opportunity to focus on other competitive products,” said Alexey Melnikov, Avtopribor general director.

OAO “Zavod “Avtopribor” is one of the leading Russian suppliers of automotive components that develops, designs and manufactures wiper systems, instrument clusters, different types of transmitters and gauges and other components for Russian automakers and global vehicle manufacturers with localized production in Russia. The company is located in Vladimir, Russia, and employs approximately 2,500 people.

Visteon Corporation is a leading global automotive supplier that designs, engineers and manufactures innovative climate, interior, electronic and lighting products for vehicle manufacturers. With corporate offices in Van Buren Township, Mich. (U.S.); Shanghai, China; and Chelmsford, UK; the company has facilities in 25 countries and employs approximately 28,500 people.

Visteon news releases, photographs and product specification details are available at http://www.visteon.com

Contact(s):

Media:

Europe Jonna Christensen +44-1245-395038 Jchris18@visteon.com

North America Jim Fisher +1-734-710-5557 jfishe89@visteon.com

Investors:

Michael Lewis +1-734-710-5800 investor@visteon.com

Subject Codes: PC/t.100826030205130, PR/dest.Public, PT/lang.en, IN/AUT, SU/JVN, RE/Russia

Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems Are Gaining Momentum Worldwide Despite Challenges, Says Frost & Sullivan

- Frost & Sullivan to Host Analyst Briefing on Cooperative Systems on Thursday, 2 September, 2010 at 4:00pm BST

PR Newswire — August 25, 2010

LONDON, August 25, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — The U.S., Japan and several EU countries are working toward a national, multi-modal surface transportation system that will establish a connected transportation environment among vehicles, the infrastructure, and portable devices. Such a cooperative system is to serve the public good by leveraging technology in order to maximize driver safety and mobility while improving environmental performance and focusing more on deployment. However, a number of challenges, like complex business model issues and cooperation among different stakeholders must be addressed before the market can reach its full potential.

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To provide unique insights into the global market for V-V and V-X systems, the Automotive & Transportation Group at Frost & Sullivan (http://www.transportation.frost.com) is pleased to announce that it will be hosting an online analyst briefing presentation on Thursday, 2 September, 2010 at 4:00 pm BST.

This briefing will benefit vehicle manufacturers, silicon component manufacturers, ADAS suppliers, telecommunication companies, road authorities and operators, governmental agencies, service providers, as well as PND and vehicle navigation system suppliers.

Highlights of the briefing include an overview of the possible mandates expected on V-V systems in the United States, an overview of the risks and challenges associated with their deployment, and an in depth analysis of market trends in Europe and Asia.

“As countries worldwide brace themselves for ever increasing traffic density, cooperative systems promise to deliver close to accident-free, efficient and clean road systems,” notes Frost & Sullivan Automotive & Transportation Group Senior Research Analyst, Aswin Kumar P. “Cooperative systems are the next big wave in intelligent transport systems (ITS) which are gaining momentum in Europe as well as in United States and Japan.”

To participate in this briefing, please email Monika Kwiecinska at monika.kwiecinska@frost.com with: your full name, company name, title, telephone number, e-mail, address, city, state and country and a registration link will be e-mailed to you. You may also register to receive a recorded version of the briefing at anytime by submitting the aforementioned contact details.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, enables clients to accelerate growth and achieve best-in-class positions in growth, innovation and leadership. The company’s Growth Partnership Service provides the CEO and the CEO’s Growth Team with disciplined research and best-practice models to drive the generation, evaluation, and implementation of powerful growth strategies. Frost & Sullivan leverages over 45 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses and the investment community from 40 offices on six continents. To join our Growth Partnership, please visit http://www.frost.com.

Contact: Monika Kwiecinska Corporate Communications T: +48(0)22-390-4127 F: +48(0)22-390-4160 E: monika.kwiecinska@frost.com http://www.frost.com

Subject Codes: PC/t.100825064711479, PR/dest.Public, PT/lang.en, IN/AUT, IN/TRN, SU/SVY, RE/United_Kingdom, RE/Ireland

A Fresh Start for the GEMBALLA Brand

- Andreas Schwarz is in Charge of the new GEMBALLA GmbH For around 30 years the brand GEMBALLA has been a global name in the performance improvement and modification of predominantly Porsche vehicles, and in the construction of own-brand vehicles based on Porsche body shells. GEMBALLA has made a name for itself as one of the most extreme Porsche tuners and has received worldwide attention with its modified Porsches such as the GEMBALLA Avalanche, which is based on the Porsche 911, or the GEMBALLA Mirage GT, based on the Porsche Carrera GT.

PR Newswire — August 24, 2010

LEONBERG, Germany, August 24, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — Since August 16, 2010, Andreas Schwarz (40) has been in charge of the emotional GEMBALLA brand. Schwarz reserved the rights of the old company that had already been broken up by liquidators and shut down, and founded a new company, GEMBALLA GmbH. The company headquarters are located at Mollenbachstrasse 17 in Leonberg.

“With a totally new company and an investment of millions, we are now looking towards a secure future”, says managing director (CEO) Andreas Schwarz. The educated Swabian is a sports car expert, who has many years’ experience in upgrading and marketing luxury high-class automobiles. Together with investor Steffen Korbach, the new creator of GEMBALLA cars has made cost-efficient plans.

“As well as the rights to the name, we’ve also purchased some assets and are starting off with 22 employees”, Schwarz continues. “We plan to continue the GEMBALLA design line following the old models. We’re already working on various concepts for the Porsche Panamera and the new Porsche Cayenne among others.”

The main goal: to expand and develop the GEMBALLA brand as a manufacturer. Without facing too much time pressure. Currently, Andreas Schwarz is making plans in motor tuning and the marketing of parts such as bodykits, rims, brakes and suspension systems.

“We’ve got enormous potential in this area that can be taken advantage of – the recognition of the GEMBALLA name with its near 30-year tradition really helps”, says Andreas Schwarz.

That is why we will see automobile creations from GEMBALLA in the future – with a breath of fresh air for the brand and reliable business under the GEMBALLA name. The showroom in Leonberg is now open for customers and all interested parties.

For more information, go to http://www.gemballa.com.

Press Enquiries: MEDIA LOTSE Agency Sigrid Schwarze Tel: +49-171-170-73-77 Email: gemballa@medialotse.com Web: http://bit.ly/ENGgemballa

Subject Codes: PC/t.100824113511358, PR/dest.Public, PT/lang.en, IN/AUT, IN/TRN, IN/TRT, SU/PER, RE/Germany

Europcar Discovers Travel Stress Giving Brits a Serious Case of PHT

PR Newswire — August 19, 2010

LONDON, August 19, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — Europcar has discovered in its latest survey that for over half a million Brits*, their last trip to the airport was ‘one of the most stressful experiences of their lives’.

According to the new survey** 24% of Brits admitted to suffering PHT (Pre-Holiday Tension) as their best-laid travel plans start to unravel. Nearly a million*** holidaymakers (2%) have actually missed their flight altogether due to one of the causes of PHT, which include delayed or cancelled buses or trains (suffered by 16% of Brits); booked taxis that are late or don’t turn up (14%); anxiety about leaving something behind (12%) and having to turn back mid-journey because they’ve forgotten something (5%).

The survey also found that it was Londoners who appeared to be the worst sufferers of Pre-Holiday Tension, with 31% reporting that their last airport trip was stressful.

With plenty of Brits still to jet off on their summer break, 11% said that they expected their next trip to the airport, by train, bus or taxi, to be the worst part of their trip and 2.4m**** holidaymakers (6%) admit that they are ‘dreading it’; but the journey to the airport doesn’t always have to be a stressful start to a holiday.

According to Catriona Kempston of Europcar, “A significant number of people suffer a trying journey to the airport which is hardly the best start to a long awaited holiday. We want to make the driving experience as easy as possible for our customers and Airport Connect may also be a cheaper alternative to leaving a car at the airport car park or taking a train or taxi. With Airport Connect Plus ( http://www.europcar.co.uk/EBE/module/render/Airport-Connect) there is no need to worry about prangs en route to the airport. Being involved in or worrying about an accident on the way to the airport would definitely ruin your holiday.”

The Europcar Airport Connect ( http://www.europcar.co.uk/EBE/module/booking/FirstStepPromotion.do?promoId=1c12686b2b2c0d3c5e1a5c00260b7064) service offers an alternative to risking delayed or cancelled trains and taxis, as well as providing free hire car delivery (http://www.europcar.co.uk/EBE/module/render/weDeliver) to the doorstep at a time that suits them.

Notes to editors:

* 1.2% of population (49.121m) = 589,425

** Opinium Research surveyed 2,004 UK adults between 21st and 22nd July 2010. Results have been weighted to nationally representative criteria.

*** 1.9% of population = 933,299

**** 4.9% (which equates to the 6% who are planning a holiday) of population = 2,406,929

About Europcar ( http://www.europcar.co.uk/EBE/module/render/hire-car-fleet) :

Europcar is the European leader in passenger car and light utility vehicle rentals. The company serves business and leisure customers throughout Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Excluding franchise operations, in 2009 Europcar signed 9.5 million rental contracts, with 7,000 employees and a fleet exceeding 190,000 vehicles. In September 2008, Europcar and U.S. market leader Enterprise Holdings joined forces in a strategic commercial alliance to form the world’s largest car hire (http://www.europcar.co.uk/) network, with more than 1.2 million vehicles and 13,000 locations around the world. Europcar is owned by the French investment company Eurazeo.

Europcar is the European market leader and is also leading in its environmental approach to car rental. It opened its first “environmental agency” in Paris in 1999, and in 2008 it was the first company in Europe to have its “Environmental Charter” – which formalizes its commitments in favor of sustainable development – certified by Bureau Veritas.

For further media information please contact:

Tom Lawless PR Officer Second floor 15 Bermondsey Square London SE1 3UN +44(0)20-7234-9150 http://www.europcar.co.uk

Subject Codes: PC/t.100819074011780, PR/dest.Public, PT/lang.en, IN/AUT, IN/TRN, IN/TRT, SU/SVY, RE/United_Kingdom

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Its Most Successful Pebble Beach Auction to Date, Gooding & Company Sells More Than US$64.59 Million in Collector Cars for 106 Lots Sold

- In two days, Six New World Records Achieved and Three US$6 Million+ Collector Cars Sold

PR Newswire — August 18, 2010

PEBBLE BEACH, California, August 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — Gooding & Company, the official auction house of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, sold more than US$64.59 Million(1) in collector cars over this past weekend at its annual prestigious Pebble Beach Auctions, achieving its highest-ever recorded sales total in its Pebble Beach history. Extraordinary results for the high-end collector car market with only 106 lots sold, Gooding & Company’s price per car averaged an outstanding US$609,000, a market leading number that demonstrates the overall quality of the auction house’s automotive consignments. Three bright stars that sold for more than US$6 Million each – the 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider, 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza and 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta SEFAC Hot Rod – impressed an audience of enthusiasts and media by achieving new world sales records during the live auction and also ranking as Pebble Beach Auto Week’s top three cars sold at auction this year.

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Gooding & Company achieved six impressive world records over the weekend, listed as follows:

- A world record for a LWB California Spider at auction, the 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione at US$7,260,000 – A world record for an Alfa Romeo at auction, the 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza at US$6,710,000 – A world record for a SWB Berlinetta at auction, the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta SEFAC Hot Rod at US$6,105,000 – A world record for a 200SI at auction, the 1956 Maserati 200SI at US$2,640,000 – A world record for a 340 America Spider at auction, the 1951 Ferrari 340 America Spider at US$2,530,000 – A world record for an SS100 at auction, the 1937 Jaguar SS100 at US$1,045,000

To view a complete list of Gooding & Company’s 2010 Pebble Beach Auctions results with prices realized, please visit Goodingco.com.

About Gooding & Company

Gooding & Company provides unparalleled service for those in the collector car market, offering a wide range of services, including private and estate sales, appraisals and collection management. The celebrated auction house recently made world history with the sale of the world’s most valuable car, the magnificent 1936 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic. Gooding & Company sold a total of 278 collector cars at its three 2010 Auctions, totaling more than US$114 Million. The 2011 Scottsdale Auctions will take place on Friday and Saturday, January 21 & 22, Amelia Island Auction will take place on Friday, March 11 and Pebble Beach Auctions will take place on Saturday and Sunday, August 20 & 21.

(1) The prices are in US Dollars, include the buyer’s premium and are rounded to the nearest dollar. Gooding & Company is not responsible for typographical errors or omissions.

Subject Codes: PC/t.100818070108661, PR/dest.Public, PT/lang.en, IN/AUT, IN/FIN, IN/TRN, SU/SLS, RE/California, RE/Western_Europe, RE/Scandinavia

Magna Plan of Arrangement Approved

PR Newswire — August 17, 2010

AURORA, Canada, August 17, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — Magna International Inc. (TSX: MG.A, NYSE: MGA) today announced that the Ontario Superior Court has approved the previously announced plan of arrangement to eliminate Magna’s dual class share structure. The decision of the Ontario Superior Court followed a hearing held on August 12 and 13, 2010. The Superior Court found that the arrangement is fair and reasonable.

“Today’s decision by the Superior Court affirms our position that the claims of the dissident minority shareholders are without merit,” said Vincent J. Galifi, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Magna. “We believe that our shareholders, who by a large majority voted to support the proposed transaction, will be very pleased that the Court respected and upheld their vote.”

It is unknown whether certain dissident minority shareholders of Magna intend to appeal the decision. Ordinarily, an appeal must be filed with the Ontario Superior Court within 30 days of the court decision.

About Magna

We are the most diversified global automotive supplier. We design, develop and manufacture technologically advanced systems, assemblies, modules and components, and engineer and assemble complete vehicles, primarily for sale to original equipment manufacturers (“OEMs”) of cars and light trucks. Our capabilities include the design, engineering, testing and manufacture of automotive interior systems; seating systems; closure systems; body and chassis systems; vision systems; electronic systems; exterior systems; powertrain systems; roof systems; hybrid and electric vehicles/systems as well as complete vehicle engineering and assembly.

We have approximately 76,000 employees in 242 manufacturing operations and 76 product development, engineering and sales centres in 25 countries.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Automotive Design Studios Envision the 1,000 Pound Car

- Design Studios from the U.S., Germany and Japan Participate in the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge

PR Newswire — August 17, 2010

LOS ANGELES, August 17, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — With consumers seeking to minimize consumption of the earth’s resources, auto manufacturers and designers are challenged to meet these growing socio- and economic trends with style and finesse, all while adhering to government and safety regulations.

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This year’s Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge asks design studios to envision the 1,000 pound, 2+2 vehicle that is both comfortable and secure, while delivering satisfactory driving performance without sacrificing the emotional connection and beautiful styling consumers demand.

For the first time, participating design studios from not only the U.S., but also Germany and Japan, will compete against each other to showcase their talents. Design studios from General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz Germany (Smart), Mercedes-Benz Japan (Maybach), Mercedes-Benz U.S., Nissan, Toyota and Volvo will explore new ideas in automotive design as they contend for this top annual design honor.

“More than ever, automotive designers are able to experiment with hi-tech materials and alloys and this year’s Design Challenge has provided them with the opportunity to use their creative talents to look into the future, exploring the hottest technologies to fulfill the needs of the consumer and the environment,” said Chuck Pelly, director of Design Los Angeles and partner in The Design Academy, Inc.

The winning design will be announced Nov. 18 during the Design Los Angeles conference at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Judging criteria will be based upon not only meeting the weight constraint (1,500 pounds maximum with occupants), but also for the artistic beauty, comfort, uniqueness of design, roadworthiness, sustainability, performance and user-friendliness of the vehicle.

Entries will be judged by Tom Matano, director of Industrial Design at San Francisco’s Academy of Art University; Imre Molnar, dean of Detroit’s College for Creative Studies; Stewart Reed, chairman, Transportation Design, Pasadena’s Art Center College of Design and Clive Hawkins, president, Aria Product Development.

The Design Challenge is sponsored by Faurecia (http://www.faurecia.com), one of the world’s leading automotive suppliers specializing in seats, interiors, front ends and exhaust systems, as well as Yokohama Tire (http://www.yokohamatire.com), which works closely with auto manufacturers in the U.S., Europe and Japan to develop tires for the latest concept vehicles.

About the Design Challenge

The Design Challenge is part of the Design Los Angeles automobile designers’ conference that is held every year during the Los Angeles Auto Show Press Days, November 17-18, 2010. Each year, for the past seven years, a new Design Challenge theme is chosen and the major automotive design studios showcase their talents, competing against each other to flex their creativity and further explore new ideas in automotive design. The Design Los Angeles conference also gives designers access to design industry leaders and provides the opportunity to address common industry issues.

The competition has received rave reviews from journalists and extensive media exposure throughout Asia, Europe and the Americas. More information, including images, is available at http://www.LAAutoShow.com/DesignChallenge.html.

Subject Codes: PC/t.100817090119992, PR/dest.Public, PT/lang.en, IN/AUT, IN/TRN, SU/TDS, RE/California, RE/Western_Europe

Nissan Sharpens its Racing Edge at Barbican Turbo 2010

- Approved NISMO Street-Tuned Accessory Parts for Iconic 370z Sports car Feature on the NISMO Stand at Barbican Turbo 2010

PR Newswire — August 17, 2010

ABU DHABI, UAE, August 17, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — The Nissan ‘Z’ sports car needs little introduction. Nissan’s iconic sporty coupe lives in the sweet spot of performance, style and value, a position that Nissan invented with the original Z back in 1970.

The Nissan Z has also become synonymous with the tuning market the world over thanks to a readily available supply of aftermarket parts and the car’s high profile on a number of video driving games offered across a range of popular gaming platforms.

In partnership with this year’s ‘Barbican Turbo’ show at ADNEC, Abu Dhabi, 7/8/9th October, Nissan Middle East will feature its own factory approved ‘NISMO’ tuning parts for the latest 370Z sports car.

Established in 1984, NISMO – or Nissan Motorsports International – is the company’s wholly-owned racing division dedicated to the design and development of Nissan race and rally cars for entry into many domestic and international race series around the world. NISMO is the performance brand of Nissan known throughout the world in providing extreme performance Nissan parts and vehicles to customers with products derived from state-of-the-art technology and know-how cultivated through motorsports activity. Now, these NISMO accessories are made available for 370Z customers under the convenience of Nissan’s regular warranty.

The Nissan 370Z Coupe can be equipped with a selection of NISMO parts which have been carefully developed to offer the same durability, quality, fit and finish to comply with Nissan’s quality standards. The parts can be ordered and professionally fitted by Nissan dealers.

The selection of NISMO body parts not only make the 370Z Coupe look more aggressive, they have also been wind tunnel tested to improve aerodynamic flow over the car’s body and increase down force to enhance handling at high speed.

The complete NISMO ‘Aero kit’ for the 370Z Coupe includes a front chin spoiler, side sill protector, rear deck lid spoiler and rear bumper under protector.

Even sportier handling can assured by ordering the NISMO ‘S-tune’ sports suspension system which includes a specially developed spring and shock absorber package and new front and rear anti-roll bars. When fitted, the NISMO ‘S-tune’ kit reduces the overall height of the 370Z Coupe by 10mm with dynamic improvements, resulting in a more neutral and balanced handling vehicle.

For a sportier exhaust note, increased horsepower and a great look, the NISMO sports tuned exhaust system features larger diameter exhaust pipes for higher exhaust gas flow while still complying with international standards on noise levels.

Finally, the full NISMO look can be completed with special forged aluminium alloy 5 spoke 19-inch ‘Rays’ brand wheels which by being significantly lighter than the standard wheel offer improved braking response due to their reduced mass.

“We are excited to be partnering with this year’s Barbican Turbo event as we believe it’s the right platform to showcase our official NISMO accessory parts for the iconic new 370Z sports car” commented Yuta Yamazaki, Manager in the Nissan Middle East marketing department. “We hope to talk to many Nissan Z fans during the show and get their feedback on this initial range of parts we are offering for the first time in the region” he concluded.

As part of the pre-publicity build up for the event, Barbican Turbo will stage a travelling road show in Dubai featuring a selection of sporty Nissan models which will stop at the JBR Walk area in Dubai Marina on 23/24/25th September and 30th September/1st/2nd October. The three day event itself commences at ADNEC from 7th through 9th October.

Completing the Nissan flavour at Barbican Turbo, fans of the sport of drifting can also check out demonstrations by ‘Team Orange’ from Japan who compete in the D1 Grand Prix series using versions of the legendary Nissan GT-R supercar.

Tickets are now on sale for the event through http://www.timeouttickets.com and with limited spaces available, UBM is inviting potential sponsors and exhibitors to take part in Barbican Turbo 2010; for more information contact Matt Tarrant on +971-(0)-2-06-4471 or matt.tarrant@ubm.com. Also, follow Barbican Turbo on Twitter @Barbican Turbo and join the Barbican Turbo Facebook group.

Notes to the editor

For more information please see http://www.barbicanturbo.com or the Nissan Media Channel on http://www.nissan-me.com

About Barbican Turbo:

Barbican TURBO the Middle East’s premier custom car and bike show and includes custom cars, modified cars, car tuning and motorsports. Barbican Turbo is organised by UBM Middle East, and is one of the four founding partners of the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Company.

Barbican TURBO: the Ultimate Auto Fest will cover a range of areas, providing both trade visitors and consumers everything they need to modify either their or their clients’ vehicles, including;

- Tuning and Performance (air intakes, exhausts, turbochargers; all aftermarket engine parts) – Restyling and Accessories (body kits, carbon fibre bonnets and spoilers, graphics, aftermarket front and rear lights, tints, paints, suspension, dress-up parts for exterior, interior and the engine-bay) – Car Care and Accessories (shampoos and polishes, oils and lubes etc) – Mobile Electronics and Technology (I.C.E – In Car Entertainment, stereos, TV screens, DVD players, radar detectors, alarms etc) – Aftermarket Wheels and Tyres (chrome wheels, racing wheels, SUV wheels, and all types of tyres) – Tools and Maintenance (all the equipment related to the servicing, modifying and maintenance of vehicles) – Business Services (such as specialist car and bike insurance companies and brokers)

About Nissan Middle East:

Nissan is a leading automotive brand in the Middle East. It boasts one of the most popular and successful vehicle line-ups in the region. Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. became the first Japanese car manufacturer to establish a regional Middle East HQ in June 1994. Nissan operations cover over 20 countries across the region making it one of the largest representations in the Middle East amongst Japanese automotive brands. Nissan reported its best ever Middle East regional sales results for the financial year 2008 with the company and its distributors achieving over 200,000 sales.

For media enquiries please contact:

Barbican Turbo Abdul Karim Samaan Grayling Momentum +971-4-390-1630 abdulkarim@graylingmomentum.com

Nissan Middle East FZE Hakam Kherallah Senior Manager Corporate Communications Department Nissan Middle East FZE Tel: +971-4-881-7500 Fax: +971-4-881-9747 Mobile: +971-50-240-2526 E-mail: Hakam@nissan-me.ae

Vivian Hawat Ketchum Raad Middle East Tel: +971-4-425-8800 ext. 8976 Mobile: +971-50-567-6132 E-mail: vivian.hawat@ketchum-raad.com

Subject Codes: PC/t.100817025611011, PR/dest.Public, PT/lang.en, IN/AUT, IN/MLM, IN/TRN, IN/TRT, SU/PDT, SU/TDS, RE/Middle_East

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LONDON, August 12, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — M&S Money has revealed a new survey that reveals thousands of drivers are risking invalidating car insurance claims by failing to make vehicle security a priority.

The poll* found that more than half (56%) of UK motorists have been victims of car crime – 12% of car owners have experienced maliciously damaged paintwork, 8% have had a windscreen smashed and 8% of motorists have been victims of theft of personal belongings from their car.

While 60% of car owners have an alarm installed in their vehicle, many risk invalidating car insurance claims by failing to activate the alarm when the vehicle is unattended.

The survey found that 40% of Brits do not always use their car’s security system. A further 12% of motorists never use their security facilities, while nearly half of people (43%) admitted to having left their cars unlocked.

The M&S Car Insurance policy states that when a vehicle is unattended drivers must ensure the car is locked, windows are closed, any security system activated and any keyless entry systems removed.

In July the 2010 British Car Crime Survey** announced that car crime had dropped by 17% in comparison to last year.

Andrew Ferguson, M&S Head of General Insurance, said: “It is good to hear that car crime is falling, however it is always important to make sure vehicles are locked and secure. During the summer months, many drivers unwind windows and leave roofs open – it’s important to make sure the vehicle is secure when unattended, especially as failure to do so could invalidate any insurance claim.

“If the worst should happen and a car is broken into, M&S Car Insurance can help cover the cost of damage and loss of personal belongings. We insure up to GBP200 for theft of personal belongings and up to GBP500 if these are items are bought from M&S.”

Notes to editors:

*Figures from OnePoll. Total sample size was 3000 UK adults aged 17 and over. Of those 77% owned a car. Fieldwork was undertaken on 18th -22nd June 2010. The survey was carried out online.

**2010 British Car Crime Survey http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs07/bcs25.pdf

M&S Money (the trading name of Marks & Spencer Financial Services) was founded in 1985 as the financial services division of Marks and Spencer Group plc, making 2010 the company’s 25th anniversary.

The company is a top-ten credit card provider (http:/money.marksandspencer.com/cards/credit-card/overview/credit-card/overview/) and the second-largest travel money retailer in the UK. M&S Money also offers a range of insurance cover, including family pet insurance, (http://money.marksandspencer.com/insurance/pet-insurance/overview/) home insurance (http://money.marksandspencer.com/insurance/home-insurance/overview/) and fully comp car insurance, (http://money.marksandspencer.com/insurance/car-insurance/overview/) as well as loans, savings and investment products.

In November 2004, Marks & Spencer sold M&S Money to HSBC. HSBC Holdings plc, the parent company of the HSBC Group, is headquartered in London. The Group serves customers worldwide from around 8,000 offices in 88 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa. With assets of US$2,364 billion at 31 December 2009, HSBC is one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations. HSBC is marketed worldwide as ‘the world’s local bank’.

M&S Money has an executive committee comprising an equal number of representatives from HSBC and Marks & Spencer.

For further information please call the M&S Money press office:

Simon Coughlin Media Relations Manager M&S Money 8 Canada Square Canary Wharf London E14 5HQ +44(0)20-7992-1574 money.marksandspencer.com

Subject Codes: PC/t.100812123108874, PR/dest.Public, PT/lang.en, IN/AUT, IN/FIN, IN/INS, IN/TRN, SU/SVY, RE/United_Kingdom