Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series on 2040-parts.com

Hyundai Suicide ‘Advert’ causes a rumpus

It’s not easy advertising your wares and finding the right balance between mainstream and innovative to capture attention, as Hyundai has found out to their cost with an ‘advert’ for the hydrogen powered ix35 FCEV which, rather distastefully, depicts a man trying to commit suicide by running a hose from the tailpipe to the cabin before realising he can’t achieve his aim as the FCEV’s only emissions are water. It’s a proper cock-up from Hyundai – usually so sure-footed with their PR – but, despite Hyundai US putting the blame at the door of Hyundai UK, there’s more to this suicide ‘advert’ than meets the eye. It seems the suicide video was put together by Innocean – a European Ad Agency owned by Hyundai’s Chairman Chung Mong-koo and his daughter, and responsible for much of Hyundai’s marketing output – and was a clumsy attempt to gauge reaction to the somewhat macabre take on the benefits of an FCEV.

USA, UK & Germany will be top markets for the new BMW i8. You don’t say?

The BMW i8 (Pictured) will sell best in US, UK & Germany In a case of stating the obvious in a bid to keep interest in the BMW i8 high ahead of its debut at Frankfurt next month, Hendrik Wenders – the i8 product manager – has declared the biggest market for the BMW i8 will be the USA. As America is already BMW’s biggest market place, that’s not entirely a shock, and nor is the news that the UK and Germany will be the biggest markets in Europe. After all, they’re the only major economies in Europe without huge falling markets for cars.

McLaren P1 – 0-124mph in under 7 seconds & just 375 P1s being built

The new McLaren P1 – to be unveiled at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show – will hit 124mph in under 7 seconds. Just 375 being built. McLaren say that the P1 – which we know has 903 bhp – will get to 62mph ‘under 3 seconds’, to 124mph in ‘under 7 seconds’ and to 186mph in ‘less than 17 seconds’.