The latest in Mini’s adventure September 27, 2011 IF you’re not a Mini fan look away now. The relentless march of the Mini brand has taken a further step towards automotive world domination with the introduction of its fifth model in the mini lineup, the Mini Coupé. According to the marketing guys at Mini, a two-seater Mini is just what the world needs. [...]
BHP Billiton pays chief $11m September 21, 2011 Mining giant BHP Billiton paid chief executive Marius Kloppers close to $11m (£7.04m) during 2011, a year that saw the firm post a record profit of $31bn. His base salary, along with those of other directors, was raised four per cent to $2.1m, with the rest of his eye-watering payout made up of benefits and [...]
Audi A4’s new rival: Peugeot 508 September 20, 2011 I DON’T know of anyone that owns a Peugeot 407. I don’t even know of anyone that ever considered owning one, even second hand. This is possibly because it is French and big French cars don’t sell so well in the UK. Or maybe it’s because it wasn’t much of a looker. French, for sure. [...]
Australian PM sets out her controversial carbon tax bill September 13, 2011 AUSTRALIAN Prime Minister Julia Gillard introduced her government’s controversial carbon tax plans to parliament yesterday, despite heated opposition from the country’s conservatives. The deeply divisive levy, due to be voted on next month, will force around 500 of Australia’s most polluting companies to pay A$23 (£15) for each tonne of carbon they emit from July [...]
The roadster that’s streets ahead September 13, 2011 ZOOM-Zoom says the man from Mazda, brrm-brrm says my daughter from the passenger seat (airbag switched off, of course). The marketing man from Mazda will be delighted. Job done. That Mazda’s MX-5 is great fun to drive is well documented. It’s fair to say that for the money there really isn’t another roadster that gets [...]
CAR TALK September 13, 2011 AUDI’S NEW A2: FIRST IMAGES These are the first official images of Audi’s new A2 model. This concept is a lightweight, plug-in electric four-seater with a 9.3-second, 0-62mph time and a top speed of 93mph. Audi claims a 124-mile range on a four hour charge. Most interesting, though, are the LED lights running down the [...]
Glencore reveals record fatalities September 7, 2011 Commodities group Glencore released its first sustainability report yesterday, showing it paid $780,000 in major environmental fines last year and had 18 fatalities. This compares with three deaths for Rio, five at BHP Billiton and 26 at India-focused Vedanta Resources during its 2010-2011 financial year to the end of March. The 106-page report said the [...]
More efficiency, less sexiness September 6, 2011 THERE was a time when the only diesel Porsche you could buy was a tractor. But after Ferdinand Porsche’s tractor designs of the 1950s came the rather more striking and long-lasting 911 and Porsche became a sports car company. But now the best selling Porsche product is the Cayenne SUV, a vehicle that was widely [...]
Glencore moves to buy S.Africa’s Optimum Coal September 1, 2011 Commodity trading giant Glencore has confirmed it aims to take a controlling stake in South African coal miner Optimum Coal Holdings with its local partner, prominent local politician-turned tycoon Cyril Ramaphosa. The deal would be worth around $1bn (£613m) at OCH’s current share price. This would be Glencore’s most significant purchase since its record share [...]
CITY MOVES | WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS August 25, 2011 Berenberg Bank The private bank has strengthened its new London private banking operation, launched in January, by appointing Max White as a director to focus on clients in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and the North West. White (pictured) joins from Morgan Stanley, where he spent eight years in the private wealth management [...]