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Court order BANS publication of VW’s Luxury car security codes

Bentley is just one of VW’s marques whose security has been compromised There have been plenty of stories around in recent years of car makers’ security systems being easily hacked by spotty boys with a laptop, and now a scientist at Birmingham University has cracked VW’s Megamos Crypto system that protects cars like Bentley and Porsche. Flavia Garcia has cracked the code that transmits between VW’s luxury cars – like Bentleys and Porsches – and the key fob, which potentially fatally compromises VW’s security. Garcia had planned to publish his paper on the fatal flaws in the Megamos Crypto system at the Usenix Security Symposium in Washington next month, but a judge has put the kybosh on that.

70% of premium brand cars stolen are taken with the car’s own keys

High-end SUVs – like the new Range Rover (pictured) are a prime target for car key thieves There was once a time when all it took to steal a car was a wire coathanger and the ability to hotwire the ignition. But as car makers have got better at securing the second most expensive asset most of us will ever own, car thieves have had to look for a different approach, and that approach is increasingly to relieve owners of the keys to their pride and joy. Cobra – the vehicle tracking firm – are reporting that a massive 70 per cent of all premium brand cars stolen in 2014 – with an average value of £40k, up £6k on 2012 – are being parted from their owners using that owners keys.

2013 Range Rover Hybrid confirmed

Jaguar Land Rover Director Hybrids and Electrification, Peter Richings, has confirmed the Range Rover hybrid will launch in 2013. From the new, entry-level 3.0 litre diesel Vogue to the 5.0 litre V8 Supercharged Range Rover Autobiography,  all the new Range Rovers offer more performance, more off-road ability (or certainly easier off-road running thanks to the new automatic Terrain Response) together with lower emissions and improved economy. But although the new 3.0 litre TDV6 Range Rover will offer 196g/km emissions and manage 37.7 mpg there is going to be a new Range Rover Hybrid that cuts emissions to just 169g/km.