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Luxury off-road range boosted by addition
of VW Touareg BlueMotion...

A BLUEMOTION VERSION OF THE VW TOUAREG is now available to order, offering improved fuel efficiency and emissions of 219g/km — well below the tax threshold of less than 225 g/km. Prices for the most efficient version of Volkswagen's luxury off-road vehicle start at Ł34,150 on the road for the entry-level model and rise to Ł37,545 for the SE.

The Touareg BlueMotion is fitted with a more efficient version of the standard car's 3.0-litre V6 TDI common rail diesel engine which develops 222bhp and 406lb ft of torque, and drives through a six-speed automatic tiptronic gearbox. As with all models in the Volkswagen range wearing the BlueMotion badge, a number of modifications have been made to improve efficiency. Changes include revised aerodynamics, an optimised engine including a more efficient alternator, low-rolling resistance tyres and a ride height lowered by 25mm to reduce drag.

The Touareg BlueMotion also features a regenerative braking system which is used to charge the battery while the vehicle is in motion, reducing the workload of the engine and cutting fuel consumption even further. All of these revisions help the Touareg BlueMotion to achieve 34mpg on the combined cycle (down from 30.4mpg); and CO2 emissions are cut to just 219g/km, down from 244g/km, making it one of the only non-hybrid vehicles in its class to drop below the 225g/km barrier.

The reduced emissions of the Touareg BlueMotion mean that it qualifies for band K road tax at Ł215 a year, saving Ł190 over the standard Touareg 3.0-litre V6 TDI 240PS. With the addition of improved fuel economy (making savings of Ł10.99 per tank), the Touareg BlueMotion can save the average driver around Ł400 a year.

Despite these modifications and significant gains in efficiency, the performance figures for the Touareg BlueMotion are only slightly affected with a 0 to 62mph time of 8.5 seconds and a top speed of 126mph.

Equipment levels on both trim levels — BlueMotion and BlueMotion SE — remain high, with cruise control, a leather multifunction steering wheel and newly-designed 17-inch 'Makalu' alloy wheels fitted as standard on BlueMotion models. BlueMotion SE offers increased levels of comfort and equipment with the addition of 2Zone electronic climate control, touchscreen satellite navigation, heated front seats, 'Cricket' leather upholstery, Walnut wood interior trim and 18-inch 'Valley' alloys.

As with all models in the Touareg range, the advanced 4XMOTION all-wheel-drive system linked to an Electronic Differential Lock (EDL), hill start and descent assist, Electronic Stabilisation Programme (ESP) and six airbags are all fitted as standard.

The Touareg BlueMotion is available to order at Volkswagen Retailers now with the first cars due to arrive in September. For more information visit volkswagen.co.uk.

An ‘Evening In The Garden Of The Soul’
with bestselling Author and Transformation
Coach Lynn Serafinn at Putnoe Library
(Bedford) on Thursday 25 June...

LYNN SERAFINN IS AN AWARD-WINNING Personal Transformation Coach and Amazon bestselling author of The Garden of the Soul: Lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self.

On Thursday 25 June, she presents 'An Evening in the Garden of the Soul' at Putnoe Library (Library Walk, Putnoe Street, Bedford, MK41 8HQ). Signed copies of the book are available at this free, up-close-and-personal event, which promises to be an invitation for everyone to unlock their inner hero, and find healing from trauma or emotional pain.

Now you can meet the author in a close, personal setting as she shares the four principles in her book that can open up new avenues to self-knowledge, help you rebalance yourself when you feel out of alignment in life, and appreciate how all the simple stories of your own life combine to create the unique person who is you.

There will be ample time to ask the author questions and light refreshments will be served. Signed copies will be available for purchase — or bring your own copy to be signed on the night.

Doors open at 7pm, with the programme starting promptly at 7.15. Admission is free but seating is limited, so you are strongly advised to obtain a ticket as soon as possible so you won't be disappointed.

You can pick up your ticket in person at the main desk at the Putnoe Library. Opening hours for the library are: Mondays and Wednesdays between 2 and 6pm | Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, between 9.30am and 6pm | Saturdays between 930am and 4pm.

Alternatively, you may reserve your ticket via telephone during library hours by calling 01234 276 462 or by emailing Librarian Coral Clarke at Coral.Clarke@bedford.gov.uk.

The Garden of the Soul: Lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self is a book about becoming whole.

Said to be "as spiritual as Deepak Chopra and as magical as Paulo Coelho", The Garden Of The Soul is a journey on the "path of least resistance to the Self" through the imagery of four flowers that represent four spiritual principles: 'Give' (the Rose), 'Receive' (the Iris), 'Become' (the Daffodil) and 'Be' (the Lily). Taking the reader on a daring and magical journey through the author's life and imagination — from stage fright and burnout in a classical music conservatory, to life inside an Indian temple, to a hidden life of domestic violence, to finding inner peace atop an old English footbridge — The Garden Of The Soul explores birth, death, love, art, spirituality and transformation in an eloquent, poetic and ultimately unforgettable way.

The book is an open invitation to readers to re-examine their own life stories, even the painful ones, and see the beauty, significance and meaning within them, so they can see that they are already the hero of their own story. Appreciative readers report that reading this book has helped them to heal from trauma or abuse, explore and embrace their own creativity, and to feel encouraged to be more courageous in expressing their authentic voice. The book attained Amazon bestseller status in both the UK and US in Mind-Body-Spirit, Spirituality and Self-Help categories.

Lynn Serafinn is an award-winning Personal Transformation Coach through her company Create-a-Life. She was also the recipient of the Microsoft Innovative Teacher of the Year Award in 2005. She is an avid public speaker, talk radio show host and Founder/Leader of the Global Wellness Circle, a thriving holistic community project that is rapidly spreading throughout central England. She is currently a regular guest on BBC Three Counties afternoon show with Lorna Milton, as a resident expert in Life Coaching.

Click here for map to venue.

Author enquiries — give-receive-become-be.com.

Coaching and training enquiries — create-a-life.co.uk.

Book details — authorsonline.co.uk.

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Make no mistake — Pretty
Woman boasts the nation’s
Favourite Film Scene Of All
Time...

A POLL RELEASED TODAY ON FILM CHANNEL TCM'S (Turner Classic Movies) website — tcmuk.tv — reveals that the 'Big Mistake' scene in Pretty Woman is the nation's favourite all-time movie moment.

The iconic scene shows Vivian — played by Julia Roberts — gloriously exacting revenge on a snooty sales assistant on Hollywood's Rodeo Drive. The 1990 film shot Julia Roberts to fame and A-list star status. Roberts went on to win a Golden Globe and received an Oscar nomination for her unforgettable role as Vivian.

Revealing a colourful insight into the country's favourite film scenes, the poll — conducted to launch TCM's 'Capture Your Classic' campaign — establishes that scenes featuring passion, suspense, eccentricity and escapism are what Brits seek in a memorable movie moment. Vivienne's decadent shopping spree provides the ultimate in film escapism during the current credit crunch!

The top five film scenes in order, as chosen in the nationwide survey commissioned by TCM, are:

Pretty Woman — "Big mistake, huge!" (starring Julia Roberts / Richard Gere)

When Harry Met Sally — "Ohh yes yes yes!" (starring Meg Ryan / Billy Crystal)

The Shining — "Here's Johnny" (starring Jack Nicholson)

The Terminator — "I'll be back" (starring Arnold Schwarzenegger)

Withnail & I — "Finest wines in humanity" (starring Richard E. Grant)

'Capture Your Classic' is a nationwide competition inviting film fans to submit video recreations to tcmuk.tv of famous film scenes, as voted in a nationwide survey.

On July 12th, 2009, film fan history will be made with TCM, alongside many hundreds of members of the public, re-creating an iconic film scene in a central London location.

Barnaby Dawe, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, said: "We were quite surprised to see that the Pretty Woman scene topped the TCM poll. However, we have all come across the snooty sales person and perhaps this is why the nation identifies with Vivian's revenge."

To find out how to be a part of Capture Your Classic, go to tcmuk.tv.

TCM is available on Sky 317 in the Style & Culture Pack, Virgin TV 419 and Top Up TV Anytime. TCM 2 is available on Sky 318, also in the Style & Culture Pack.

‘Cottage Clusters’ for Larger
Families/Groups of Friends...

FOR LARGER FAMILIES OR GROUPS OF FRIENDS wishing to holiday together, Coastal Cottages of Pembrokeshire not only has properties sleeping up to 12 but also a number of 'clusters'— several cottages located together.

The biggest of these is the Ivy Tower Village near Tenby, with 19 cottages accommodating up to 108 people and where the properties are set in 10 acres of meadows complete with indoor pool, gym, sauna, tennis court and children's play area.

There's still availability at several cottages (sleeping six) for the same weeks in June, July and August with prices from Ł694.

At Carew Farm Cottages near Bosherton there are five properties sleeping between three and nine.

For the week commencing 27 June, for instance, a family/group of up to 13 can be accommodated in two cottages — Lark View (sleeps four at Ł404; saving Ł101) and Horseshoe Cottage (sleeps nine at Ł760; saving Ł190).

Reservations: 01437 772760 or chec out coastalcottages online.

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