RIP Bodo Buschmann

RIP Bodo Buschmann; the man responsible for some of the craziest Mercedes’ (and others) on the planet - through his company BRABUS - died yesterday aged 62 following a short illness.

Opel Astra OPC / Vauxhall Astra VXR

Opel (plus Vauxhall) will be using the forth coming Geneva motorshow to showcase the Astra OPC EXTREME (Vauxhall Astra VXR EXTREME) which will become the basis for a future, low-volume production model.

Derived from the last year's Astra Cup race car that competed in the Nürburgring Endurance Championship, the EXTREME is a road-legal motorsport base model that will top the current Astra range, sitting above the current Astra VXR in terms of performance and cost.

The EXTREME design study boast a lightweight design, two competition 'bucket' seats, roll cage and race harnesses - the road model will be slightly less, well, extreme.

The current Astra OPC/VXR is now the best-selling OPC/VXR model and, very tellingly, the UK remains the largest market in Europe for Vauxhall and Opel's highest powered models.

Rolls-Royce Wraith

Rolls-Royce Wraith was honoured at the BBC TopGear Magazine 2013 Car of the Year Awards, winning the category ‘Rather Splendid Motor Car of the Year'. In delivering the award, TopGear Magazine had this to say about the fastest, most powerful Rolls-Royce in history: "It's massive and magnificent: a staggering, bewitching, gorgeous object to spend time with. In short, an experience."

"Since launch, I have been delighted to see Wraith win plaudits from some of the most respected writers in our industry. In taking the car from the UK to Vienna in just one day, TopGear embraced the car's intended use; crossing continents effortlessly at pace. This award today is an endorsement of Wraith's status as the ultimate gentlemen's gran turismo" said Richard Carter, Director of Communications, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

ŠKODA Octavia vRS wins in FHM Car Awards

The ŠKODA Octavia vRS has been named ‘Everyday Car of the Year' in the FHM 2013 Car Awards. The annual motoring accolades are bestowed by the influential men's lifestyle magazine and recognises some of today's most desirable and aspirational vehicles for their readers. The recently-unveiled third generation ŠKODA Octavia vRS hatch caught the eye of the judging panel with its very desirable combination of power and practicality. The impressive two litre fuel efficient engine and sporty design which is combined with the added element of versatility, makes the high performance model ideal for city driving or longer journeys. As well as class-leading interior space and state-of-the-art technology, the Octavia vRS is the fastest road-going saloon ever produced by ŠKODA. It is capable of reaching 62 mph in just 6.8 seconds from a standing start and a top speed of 154 mph.

Mercedes-Benz and TopGear Magazine awards

Mercedes-Benz scooped two important awards at the recent BBC TopGear Magazine Awards, crowning a successful year in the UK with Mercedes-Benz UK making history by selling over 100,000 cars within a year. Likewise, Mercedes-AMG continues to set new records with registrations up by 58 per cent for the year to date.

The fastest-accelerating Mercedes-Benz production car ever, the 631 hp SLS AMG Coupé Black Series, Series has been crowned ‘Lairy Car of the Year', the judges commenting: "It looks like it wants to bite your leg off, but actually it bear hugs you and covers your back like a best mate. It is lairy but not scary."

Drawing on the lessons learned on-track from the SLS AMG GT3 customer sport racing car, which has enjoyed tremendous success worldwide, the SLS AMG Coupé Black Series is the most extreme expression of the SLS AMG Coupé created to date and is capable of accelerating to 62 mph in just 3.6 seconds and has a top speed limited to 195 mph. Tobias, Moers Chairman of the Management Board of Mercedes-AMG GmbH, said: "Thanks for the award - that's pretty much what we were aiming for with the car. The SLS AMG Coupé Black Series promises pure, unadulterated Driving Performance and is the ultimate choice for extremely quick lap times and exciting driving experiences."

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class was crowned BBC TopGear Luxury Car of the Year. According to the BBC TopGear Magazine judges: "There is no other luxury car half as deserving of the tag. It is the pinnacle of technical achievement and technological advancement." Created with the aim of being the ‘best car in the world', the new S-Class takes comfort, refinement, safety and personalisation to new levels the TopGear award proves that Mercedes-Benz engineers have achieved their aims.