This is the new Audi A6. Despite a seemingly endless flow of new metal over the last 12 months, Audi has found time to give its 5-series, E-Class and XF rival a bit of a spit and polish, enhancing the saloon and estate line-up with new petrol and diesel engines, tweaked interior and exterior styling and enhanced safety equipment. The revised line-up arrives here in October, with the saloon priced at £24,800, and the Avant estate commanding a £1570 premium over the equivalent four-door model.

So what’s the big story with the Audi A6, then?

Headline news is the arrival of two new engines – a supercharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol and an ultra frugal 2.0-litre turbodiesel aimed at the corporate driver. The forced induction petrol TFSI (T in the Audi lexicon now somewhat confusingly signifying engines with either a supercharger or turbo blower, or both) majors on torque, developing 286bhp at a relaxed 5000rpm and 310lb ft between 2500-4850rpm.

That’s enough to push the A6 to 60mph in 5.9 seconds and onto the standard 155mph limited top speed, while returning 29.7mpg on the combined cycle, and posting a CO2 level of 219g/km. The cleaner and more frugal engine effectively replaces both the outgoing 3.2 FSI V6 and the 4.2 V8 petrol units.

18 August 2008

Park assist is already featured on other VW Group models like the VW Tiguan and Skoda Superb. It is available on the A3 Cabriolet as an optional extra costing £725, or £925 in combination with the £200 option of driver’s information system for standard models.

Other changes include the expansion of the A3 Cabriolet’s engine line-up, which gets a new entry level 1.6-litre 100bhp petrol engine.

Prices for the new A3 Cabriolet, which is on sale now, range between £19,995 for the entry level 1.6-litre petrol model to £27,060 for the 2.0 TFSI S line.

16th October 2008

New Avensis and world's smallest four seater for Paris Show
Toyota has released pictures of the all-new, British-built Avensis ahead of the Paris Motor Show. The car replaces the dull original and has chunky, if a little uninspired, styling. The new Avensis will go on sale in January next year and features engines that are both more powerful and emit less CO2.

The Avensis will be joined at the show by two other cars – the iQ and the Urban Cruiser - which were both showcased in design concept form at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year.

The iQ measures less than three metres long and is the world’s smallest premium four seater. The 1.4-litre D-4D diesel all-wheel drive Urban Cruiser has high levels of safety equipment and CO2 emissions level of 133g/km.

BMW’s dynamic drive technology has been kicking the proverbial this year. It’s amazing to think that such technology has made cars like the big, brutal 630i coupe emit just 219g/km of carbon, and regardless of cost, has even been fitted to the entire range including Mini.

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It's Geneva motor show time again. The most glamorous exhibition on the calendar has just started this morning. We're expecting a whole host of cars from production ready superminis right through to some of the most bizarre concepts you're ever likely to see.

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Despite what SEAT might be saying, this Bocanegra concept is a preview of the new Ibiza supermini. When that car arrives later this year, expect the Bocanegra’s angular face and sharp creases to remain largely intact although the lesser models...

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New research shows drivers of 4x4s are less likely to be involved in crashes, but when they are, injuries are more serious. The survey was conducted by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) on behalf of Transport for London (TFL).

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This is the A4 Avant, which Audi says has more luggage space than any of its rivals. With the seats down, the new A4 Avant has 1430 litres of luggage space, edging it ahead of similarly sized cars such as the BMW 3 Series (1385 litres) and Cadillac BLS estate (1273 litres).

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One year after the penalties for using a mobile phone while driving were increased, almost half of British motorists are still texting while at the wheel according to a new poll.

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Lewis Hamilton followed Ayrton Senna.

The Brazilian, was a hero to the new world champion when he was a child.
Hamilton chose to follow Senna in painting his helmet a distinctive bright yellow, and has modelled his aggressive, uncompromising approach to racing on him.
The 23-year-old detractors - and he has a fair few - might also say Hamilton shares Senna's arrogance, and belief that he is on a separate level from his competitors.
The thing is, it is beginning to look as if he is right.
"He's a cut above the rest, isn't he?" says Damon Hill, the last Briton to win the title, in 1996.
Privately, even some of Hamilton's fellow drivers are beginning to admit that he is "that 2-3% above everyone else".
The youngest world champion in history, a mantle he has taken from his former team-mate Fernando Alonso, the question now is how good Hamilton can become.

The mechanics at John Cooper Works have finally got their deviant spanner hands on the Mini Cooper and for the first time ever, the Mini Clubman. Both prurient versions are taking centre stage at Geneva, go on sale in July and benefit from much more than a simple dusting of JCW badges.

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Londoners to decide if western extension should be scrapped.

A public consultation on the future of the western extension of the congestion charge has started today. Mayor Boris Johnson has promised to gather opinions on the zone and could scrap it altogether if it is unpopular.

Johnson, said: 'Whenever I head to the west of our city I meet people with strong opinions on the Western Extension. But when my predecessor held a consultation on this important issue he completely ignored its results. Unlike him I have the utmost respect for the opinions of Londoners and I hope that thousands of them will take part in the consultation.'

The extension was put in place by former London mayor Ken Livingstone and takes in Chelsea and Kensington. The consultation will be conducted as a leaflet containing a questionnaire.

Londoners will be given a list of options and asked whether the extension is worthwhile. There will also be an additional survey conducted across London which will further measure reaction to the scheme.

The Home Office is expected to grant approval for the technology in January and it would open the floodgates for the cameras to be used nationwide. The cameras work in pairs and can monitor traffic for up to six miles. They calculate the average speed of vehicles and eliminate the possibility of slowing down to pass a camera.

The AA claims that the cameras could jeopardise safety by forcing drivers to tailgate each other as they adhere to the strict limit. Paul Watters, head of road safety policy, said that half of motorway traffic exceeds the 70mph limit, meaning every other driver will receive a fine.

A spokesman for the Association of British Drivers said average speed cameras could cause more accidents than they prevented: 'You will get a load of people staring at their speedometers instead of concentrating on what’s going on around them.’ Captain Gatso, of Motorists Against Detection, added: ‘This will not reduce deaths on the roads. It’s all about money.’

Ford Fiesta: Small is beautiful The 6th version of Ford's Fiesta needs to be good to banish memories of its agile but austere predecessor, while raking in revenue, it looks good, says, but is its beauty more than skin deep?

We like: Stylish update of an already fine handling hatchback, which thoroughly deserves its place as one of the UK's most popular cars.

We don't like: Massive fuel consumption penalty with automatic gearbox. Triangle profile steering wheel rims, slightly flimsy feel to some of the trim. 

Alternatives: Citroën C2, from £8,795. Honda Jazz, from £9,990. Nissan Micra, from £7,695. Mazda2, from £8,099. Peugeot 207, from £8,543. Renault Clio from £8,175. Toyota Yaris, from £8,985. Vauxhall Corsa, from £7,795. Volkswagen Polo, from £7,183. Weight from 966kg (1.25 three-door) to 1,166kg for fully-loaded 1.6 diesel.

Kia is injecting more design flair into its cars as it seeks to produce distinctive, fresher looking models.

Peter Schreyer, Kia chief design officer, says the company is going its own way by making more recognisable, sporty looking cars.

“The front look is key,” he told AM. “Our signature grille is on the Soul and the Magentis facelift. It’s sporty and aggressive looking and all our cars will have it. 

“It’s important to have a recognised design language.”
Other common design features that will spread across the model line up include the look of the C-pillar and the lights.

“People look at the price for Korean cars – I want them to look at the design and want to have one; then look at the price,” Schreyer said.

“Their initial interest in the car should come from the emotion.”

He is working on a number of new car designs, both for new segments and reviewing current models.

A C-sector concept car in Korea called Forte features the new-look face and has been confirmed for production. 

However, few of Kia’s new cars will have the obvious and immediate impact of the new Soul, due to go on UK sale in spring priced from £10,000-14,000.

Schreyer describes it as a “choker” in the range, a car that plays its own role. He claims the car is hard to categorise: it’s a city car, an urban runabout, a crossover.

“When I think about the Soul, I think about Jimi Hendrix’s Crosstown Traffic. It’s a crosstown car,” he said.

Schreyer foresees a time when Kia can drop trim derivatives; where cars can be so individually tailored to customers’ requirements that it negates the need for badges. The Soul is his first such car.

“We need to getaway from the typical GL, GLS, GLX – it’s a very traditional approach to marketing,” he said. “I look at cars in a different way.”

It will take several years to get to that position, but he is confident that it will happen. 

One hurdle that will need to be overcome is dealer stocking and order times; individuality could cause supply blockages as options will have to be fitted either at Kia’s Humberside import centre or in the dealership.

The digital cameras will be rolled out on hundreds of roads next year, making it impossible to evade detection when drivers rise above the speed limit because they will cover every entry and exit point and - unlike earlier versions - never run out of film.

It's clearly a divisive issue. Jeremy Clarkson, for one, has aired his views on such safety technology

I’m criticised by some Scottish chief constable one day for encouraging people to drive fast and then lambasted by Welsh assembly members for saying public transport is for poor people. Which it is. My crime is simple. I like cars

As I drove down the M20 into Kent last Monday, I noticed that most of the speed cameras had been burnt out by vandals. This is disgusting. It is ridiculous, criminal and stupid that the person who savaged these life-saving devices should target the M20... and then stop. Why did you not keep right on going? I can think of six cameras on my way home that would be immeasurably improved with a spot of petrol and a match

With 6,000 speed cameras nestling in every bush and parked van, they will not stop until they’ve got the accident rate down to zero. Which will be never

Lycra Nazis have already taken over a third of the roads with their green tarmac cycle lanes, now they want to take over the whole lot

A third of all those injured and killed on the roads are young men, aged in a startlingly narrow band from 17 and 19. Drowning in testosterone, and filled with a youthful sense of immortality, being 17 is dangerous. It always has been. The fact is, you simply can’t make a 17-year-old see sense

In London, drivers do 42m kilometres each year while lost, and that’s the same as driving from New York to Los Angeles 9,200 times. Needlessly

There are many rules for the elderly in the [Highway Code]. I have one too. And here it is. Get a bloody move on

It’s this obsession everyone has got with speed now that speed kills – it doesn’t. Suddenly becoming stationary, that’s what gets you

A general rule of thumb. If a car has less than 100 horsepower, it is never safe to pull into the outside lane if there is a car in sight... even if it’s three miles away. If a car has less than 60 horsepower, it is never safe to pull into the outside lane at all’

16th October 2008

Electric car start-up Tesla is restructuring its US operation and laying off around 100 staff, as the credit crunch continues to make life difficult for car companies big and small. It’s now on its fourth CEO in 12 months, as founder Elon Musk takes over from Ze’ev Drori.

In an announcement on the chief exec’s blog, Tesla Motors said it would be ‘cash-flow positive’ within six to nine months – but only by increasing production and cutting operating costs. That’s management speak for redundancies: up to 100 staff will be fired and the Rochester Hills engineering base near Detroit axed.

Tesla: the UK sales story

16th October 2008

It’s not all doom and gloom, however. Tesla has sold 12 electric Roadsters in the UK for delivery in May 2009 and is about to appoint its first dealership in London. It isn’t building an extensive dealer base and the company claims the car doesn’t need much servicing.

The new Tesla Model S saloon has also been delayed as a result of the financial crisis.

Musk said: ‘There will be a delay in start of production of the Model S of roughly six months to mid-2011. On the plus side, we will spend the extra time refining the vehicle design and powertrain technology, so the car will end up being slightly better.’

17th October 2008

Mazda is replacing its 3 family of hatchbacks and saloons and we'll see this US-market sedan at next month's Los Angeles motor show. It's a four-door for the notchback-obsessed Americans, but we'll see the five-door Euro-style Mazda 3 hatch a few weeks later at the 2008 Bologna motor show.

The new Mazda 3 is believed to be based on the engineering skeleton of a Ford Focus, so expect a front-wheel drive layout and a wide spread of diesel and petrol engines. However, Mazda is promising to repeat the Weight Watchers programme of the 2 supermini to pick out unnecessary heft – to the benefit of economy and performance.

Details remain scarce on the new 3. Only this clutch of artily styled photographs has been released so far, and no other specification has been announced.

They give a flavour of the latest Mazda design direction, although this isn't the sole work of styling chief Laurens van den Acker, as work on the 3 project had already started when he was appointed. We'll have to wait a while longer to see the fruits of his 'Nagare' inspiration – which will lead to cars designed with reference to natural waves, winds and flowing shapes.

The 3 is a crucial car for Mazda, making up a third of its entire sales. Since launch in 2003, the company has flogged 1.8 million in more than 100 markets. But it remains a bit-part player in the UK, where it sells just 13,000 a year.

UK sales will start in spring 2009, with no more than two bodystyles expected: the saloon pictured and the five-door hatchback.

New Audi S4 saloon
The S4 is either Audi's idea of a bad joke or a stroke of genius. If you follow the former line of thought, then you’re from the camp that thinks the economy has jumped off a cliff, gone into freefall and the last thing the world needs is another super-saloon.

But if you side with the latter then Audi’s timing couldn’t be more apt – the company has replaced its old 4.2-litre V8 with a new, smaller, supercharged V6. This car is potentially very in tune with these downsizing times.

And while the headline power figures might be down, they still surpass the equivalent competitors. The torque figure also bests both (and the old S4), while mpg figures are 26 percent better that before. The new S4 will even cost a few grand less than its predecessor.

The New Ford Mondeo is up against some stiff competition and must therefore excel in all areas.

Honda’s Accord rivals are the Vauxhall Vectra, VW Passat and Lexus IS, which all offer buyers much the same luxury and equipment.
Ford plans to fight its corner with the top-of-the-range five-door Titanium X Sport fitted with a 2.2 TDCi engine.

At first glance, the chunky styling and 18-inch Y-spoke alloys, along with tinted passenger side and rear windows, show it is aimed at people who want prestige.

Inside the Mondeo are Alcantara leather seats with red stitching against ‘Piano Black’ interior trim.

Two screens, one on the centre console and another in front of the driver by the speedo, show everything from temperature to which radio station is playing.

Basic driving controls are easy to find, although time needs to be spent working out the myriad of other useful functions such as sat-nav, heated front seats and Bluetooth connectivity, with the auxiliary socket located in the glovebox.

Although the gearing is quite short, making quick gear changes necessary at times, the car really shone on the motorway, where it effortlessly cruised at 70mph. 

There was plenty of torque available for overtaking.

A generous-sized boot and plenty of rear legroom will find favour with buyers, as will the parking sensors.

Ford claims that the Titanium X and Titanium X Sport will make up 20% of all 5,000 annual Mondeo sales.

Peugeot 3008 crossover the first pictures, just released by the manufacturer. It looks almost identical to the Prologue Hybrid 4 concept unveiled at the 2008 Paris motor show and, significantly, the production 3008 will be Peugeot’s first hybrid vehicle. It also features a head-up display and a Land Rover Terrain Response-rivalling Grip Control system.

Peugeot is promising (although only by 2011) a hybrid version of the 3008, with the normal engine up front driving the front wheels and a rear-mounted electric motor to power the rear wheels, making the 3008 hybrid a four-wheel drive vehicle. 

A reduction in CO2 emissions of about 35% is promised, yet there is no mechanical connection between the front engine and rear motor so passenger space shouldn’t be affected. Regular versions of the 3008 remain front-wheel drive, with no plans for a four-wheel drive version.

Peugeot has yet to confirm whether the 3008 hybrid will be petrol or diesel, though an oil-burner is more likely. The Paris Prologue concept car featured a 2.0-litre diesel with 163bhp and 221lb ft, mated to an electric motor with 37bhp and 148lb ft, and claimed to do 68.9mpg while only puffing out 109g/km CO2. But a sleek petrol hybrid saloon was also shown.

Fiat 500 Cabrio

Likely to be called Fiat 500C, has a simple roof mechanism to keep production costs low.
As on its Fiat Topolino ancestor, the sardine-tin style folding roof rolls back to sit on top of the parcel shelf.

This allows the boot space to remain unchanged, and the rigid sides mean that changes to the Fiat 500’s sheet metal are kept to a minimum, reducing development costs and helping to maintain torsional rigidity.

The new Fiat 500C will go on sale in late April this year and is expected to cost about £1500 more than its steel-roofed equivalent. This means that a basic 1.2-litre Fiat 500C Pop will cost around £10k.

Mitsubishi iMIEV

Mitsubishi’s electric version of the i city car, will begin trials this month in Europe.

The UK will get five cars initially, with the rest being divided between Holland, Norway and Spain.

Users will include government departments, utility companies and company car fleets.

The Mitsubishi iMIEV will go on sale this summer in Japan and Mitsubishi plans to sell the car in Europe in 2010. If the yen exchange rate remains strong, however, the car could end up being very expensive.

Mitsubishi's British importer will buy iMIEV along with the i and the Evo X direct from Japan, and the recent rise on the yen means at present these cars will now cost Mitsubishi considerably more than they did a year ago.

EVS supports St Christopher's Hospice
Dear All - thank you to everyone who voted last week. We are pleased to announce that St Christopher's Hospice was the clear winner and Paula and I are meeting with a representative from St Christopher's later this week to discuss fund raising events.If you missed the original email this is what St Christopher's does: - St Christopher's Hospice exists to promote and provide skilled and compassionate palliative care of the highest quality for patients in the South London & Kent area (in September 2008 they merged with the Bromley based Harris HospisCare). It provides care for 2,000    people a year and also support for friends & family during the illness and in bereavement.   We already have 4 fund raisers who originally nominated this hospice and if you would like to help with these events please let either Paula or me know. Details of fund raising events will be on the "Connections" notice boards soon..!

Clair Ongley

Head of Compliance

MTA Solicitors 

1 Elmfield Park

Bromley

Kent

BR1 1LU

Tel 020 8437 0733

Email clair.ongley@MTASolicitors.com

It’s not just cosmetic stuff either. The wheelbase is 100mm shorter to improve agility and the doors, bootlid and bonnet are fashioned from aluminium to peg the kerbweight at 1480kg, exactly what the old car weighed. Nissan reckoned this was needed to offset a 100kg increase resulting from meeting more stringent crash standards.

It’s the same in spirit, but the components are different. The platform is new – albeit one adapted from the old car’s – and also underpins the latest Infiniti saloons, coupes and convertibles.

The Nissan and Infinitis share the V6 engine too, which displaces 3.7 litres, up from 3.5 litres, hence the extra 20 in the name. It kicks out 331bhp, up from 309bhp and 269lb ft of torque, delivering said steeds to the limited slip-equipped rear axle via a six-speed manual gearbox or new seven-speed automatic. Other markets have had auto versions before, but this is the first time Brits have been offered a two-pedal version.

EVS working for Clarity Legal Support Services to provide a full vehicle procurement service from personal cars to fully funded company cars. Our aim is to cater for all eventualities within your business from New Purchase, through Straight Replacement, to funding on or off balance sheet, Sale and Lease Back, Reverse Buy Back and Asset Finance. Whatever your need or requirement, we supply genuine UK specification cars supplied by franchised UK dealers at market leading prices, delivered to any address on the UK mainland.
Clarity Support Services continues to provide Vehicle Solution Packages to Legal Service Providers and their Associates, offering the benefit of our existing footprint within the automotive industry, our co-operative buying power no hidden administration costs and a patient and knowledgeable sales team.

claritylegalservices.com

EVS Keeping you on the road when your driveability is curtailed.

We cover more than just disqualification, and DriverPlan benefits last a year.

You can apply for cover even if you have 9 points on your licence but please note, we don’t cover drink, drug or dangerous driving offences.

email or call the EVS team for details info@elmfieldvs.com 0845 602 3599

The new model will reach Europe in spring 2009 and will be available with a choice of four engines.

The engine line-up will include Mazda’s MZR-CD 2.2-litre turbo diesel engine, carried over from the new Mazda6, in addition to a petrol MZR-1.6-litre and 2.0-litre (now with the option of a five-speed Activematic transmission), and the MZ-CD 1.6-litre turbo diesel.

Prices and detailed specifications will be revealed closer to launch.

Demand for Nissan’s new GT-R is not dying down with prices increased by 3.8% on all orders from December 8.

Nissan said the price rise reflects an engine power increase of 3bhp to 483bhp in the 3.8-litre V6, Dunlop SP Sport 600 DSST tyres, new storm white exterior paint and Rays alloy wheels as standard.

For customers ordering now, the price of the GT-R has gone up by £1,995 across all three models, starting at £56,795 for the standard model, £58,095 for the Premium Edition and £59,395 for the Black Edition.

Deliveries of the GT-R will begin in April through the network of Nissan High Performance Centres.

To date, Nissan has taken 2,500 customer orders in Europe with 1,200 coming from the UK. Any new customer orders should expect delivery in mid 2010.

Chevrolet is giving away a bootful of Christmas decorations with every new Lacetti Station Wagon.

The deal includes a tree and is being offered by Chevrolet dealers until December 19.

The carmaker made the decision after its research revealed 27per cent of Brits were planning to spend less on making their home look festive in 2008 compared to previous years.

In fact eight per cent said they were not going to put up any decorations at all while 32 per cent said theye were going to buy a smaller tree.

Lancia’s return to UK showrooms has fallen victim to the economic crisis.

A review of the global credit crunch has led Fiat Group Auto executives to postpone the renaissance of their premium brand in right hand drive markets for an indefinite period.

In a brief statement, the group said the crisis had prompted the decision to delay the re-introduction beyond 2009. “We now need to monitor the situation carefully before giving a go-ahead to our plan for Lancia, but nothing else has happened apart from the timing.

“The plan for the brand to be sold from outlets in the Alfa network will still go ahead when conditions improve. For the moment, talks between Christopher Nicoll, our managing director, have been cancelled,” said a spokeswoman.

Total revision

Fiat had intended to use the latest Delta compact executive model to re-introduce the brand from sites selected from the 50-strong Alfa network in summer.

But in an interview, Fiat chief executive officer Sergio Marchionne described the crisis facing the industry as calling for a total revision of plans for the first part of next year.

“We’re just going to slam the brakes on, cut back to essentials. After that, we’re in the dark because I have no idea of future demand. We’re ready to weather this uncertainty, but it will not be easy.”

Marchionne said he had called a halt to the development of all models that had not already reached between 80 and 90 per cent completion.

“The replacement Alfa 147 is coming out, but we will not be investing in a new SUV for Alfa on our own. You need to produce at least 5.5 cars each year to make money. Fiat is not even halfway there and we’re not alone…by the time we get through this, we’ll end up with six mass producing automakers.

“We have to agree there is a new business model to run our shops. We should realise this business cannot continue as it did and is going to be completely different. Independence is no longer sustainable. I can no longer afford to spend half a billion euros on a platform…I can’t say I’m going to make a reasonable return on this investment because those days are gone.”
 

VW Scirocco Studie R unvieled at the Bologna Motor Show

Volkswagen today surprised Bologna show goers with another hint at what the forthcoming hot Scirocco coupe will look like. The Scirocco Studie R is a more roadgoing version of the Scirocco GT24 race car – and is a thinly veiled guide to the R20T that’s in development.

CAR Online revealed VW’s plans for a hot Scirocco earlier this month, and this white concept car further fleshes out Wolfsburg’s thinking. There’s high-gloss black trim, with accents in red and green in homage to the show’s host nation.

As accurately disclosed by CAR, the Studie R has a 266bhp 2.0-litre turbo engine which is destined to remain for production in 2010. It’s related to the Audi S3’s engine.

And the VW Scirocco Studie R’s styling?

Clues aplenty here, too. Expect the production R20T to follow some of the concept’s styling cues. There’s a front splitter, while the large rear wing and diffuser are claimed to be 100% in the interests of aerodynamics. Of course.

Spot the Studie R from its twin pipes and triple-spoke 19in alloy wheels. Nestling behind the polished rims lie a set of four-piston brake callipers and sport-tuned suspension.

Inside the hottest Scirocco yet are black and white Nappa leather Recaro seats and a smattering of carbonfibre trim.

BMW has revealed details for its new Z4

which will be the first roadster from the German manufacturer to feature a retractable hard-top roof.

The new model will go on sale in the UK in May and will feature BMW’s Efficient Dynamics. The Z4 Z model will come with M Suspension and drive dynamic control, the latter allows drivers to alter throttle, steering response, ride comfort and gear change times.

The new retractable hard-top roof can be lowered at the touch of a button in 20 seconds.

Customers will have a choice of three six-cylinder engines from launch, a top of the range 306bhp 3.0-litre petrol, Z4 sDrive23i and the Z4 sDrive30i.

All three engines surpass the latest EUV emissions standards.

For the first time on a Z4 customers can specify a through-loading system for additional storage capability in the boot. A hatch between the two seats permits space for 180-litres to 310-litres, or enough space for a second set of golf clubs.

Prices for the new Z4 will be announced in 2009

Do you have a handy mat for kneeling on in the garden? How about an all-in-one slipper for both your feet? Cantilevered ‘easy’ tongs for picking up leaves without bending down? Is the biggest thrill in your day the frisson of fear delivered by virtue of the Daily Mail’s latest doom-mongering?

No? Well then the chances are that you do not own the current Toyota Avensis either. It’s the sort of car owned by people who take food out of its packaging, and decant it into stackable Tupperware.

Uninspired, pedestrian and lacking in almost any ambition, the only notable feature of the old one was that it looked a bit odd, as though somebody had left it on the window sill in the hot sun, and the corners had melted.

But then faithful, dependable Toyota doesn’t really do exciting. It’s just not part of its plan, and it has a point - admittedly one that most CAR readers just won't get. There are a lot of Tupperware stackers out there, which is why it sells such a staggering amount of cars.

Mercedes-Benz C180 Kompressor BlueEfficiency – on sale January

Blue is definitely the new green. Volkswagen has Bluemotion, Peugeot has Blue Lion. Now Mercedes-Benz has weighed in with BlueEfficiency.

Mercedes’ environmental moniker gets its first airing on the C-Class in January before rolling out to the A- and B-Class. 

Cars deserving of the name meet strict criteria, including containing at least one energy management measure, optimised aero-dynamics and/or stop-start, lightweight construction and low roll resistant tyres. They must have significantly improved fuel economy.

The C180 Kompressor BlueEfficiency replaces the existing model with a price cut of £50 for the saloon and £35 for estate. Fuel consumption is cut by 11% to 44.8mpg; CO2 emissions drop by 18g/km to 149g/km, but power is not sacrificed. 

The engine still pumps out 156bhp and 230 Nm of torque and returns similar sprint times (9.5s) to its predecessor, despite a 199cc reduction in displacement.

The high revving needed to get the best out of the
1.6-litre engine impacts on those environmental gains. But it is refined and perky enough for most drivers.

Although it is intended to curry favour with the growing band of buyers tinged with green, Mercedes expects it to account for the same share of C-Class sales as the old car.

Fleets will be attracted by the change in tax bands – down from 21% to 17% – saving up to £30.90 a month. 

For private buyers, the C180 BlueEfficiency moves from road fund licence band E to C for a £50 saving.

The 2.2-litre diesel C-Class will become a BlueEfficiency model later in the year, delivering 204bhp/500Nm torque with 138g/km CO2.

VW Scoop special new Beetle 2010

VW had planned to split the Beetle range in two – with a petite back-to-basics version based on the Up/NSF and a bigger, Golf-based model to replace the current ageing Bug. However, the group's decision to make the Up front-engined has scuppered this plan. Which means we’ll see the new Beetle arriving in early 2010, following the traditional footsteps of today's model, and powered by a raft of petrol and diesel engines with the choice of manual and DSG 'boxes.

So it’s a case of same old, same old…?

Not quite. In a radical move, the California-styled hatch is expected to ditch the current car’s cuddly ‘girly’ looks for a far more athletic and aggressive stance. The risk is that such a bold move could backfire by simultaneously missing its new intended target and alienating (the exceptionally loyal) existing customer base.

Tell me more about the styling of the new Beetle

Insiders say the four-seater will draw heavily from the Ragster concept unveiled at the 2005 Detroit auto show, with a slammed roof, angular sheetmetal and sophisticated light treatment. The on-board packaging will be significantly improved, as will the driving dynamics – good news for anyone who has driven the current soggy and cramped Beetle.

What’s happened to the talk of a family of Beetle models?

It’s still talk at the moment. But there been a great deal of it in Wolfsburg’s corridors: talk of creating a raft of Beetle variants – a speedster, coupe, pick-up and microbus are in the mix – to establish the marque as a stand-alone brand, much like BMW and Mini.

The current financial conditions have stonewalled the plans, but that hasn't stopped VW from talking about a 2 2-seater coupé based on the Scirocco for cost saving (out in 2011 if approved) and a convertible (by 2012) to revive the Karmann Ghia badge and a Touran-based microbus/twin-cab pick-up – a spiritual successor to the original 1950 T1 Splittie (showroom potential by 2012).

But in the current climate, such ambitious range extensions are being pulled left, right and centre. We'd bet they don't all see the light of day...

Renault Megane coupé – on sale January 2009

Renault will turn back the clock when it rolls out a new affordable sporting coupé model in January – and it will be hoping the latest version will repeat the original’s success.

Ten years ago, the Megane coupé put a fresh slant on family motoring. Now Renault is hoping to broaden the appeal of its C-segment contender by returning to the formula and adding better performance, more comfort and greater versatility.

The new model – available in 10 versions across three trim levels – has striking looks to complement its more overtly sporting nature. But it still offers rear seat accommodation for three and has the biggest boot capacity in its class at more than 340 litres.

Renault has addressed quality problems by upping the manufacturing costs by f400 per vehicle. 

The improvements show in better fit and finish, higher-grade trim materials and neater detailing. Renault’s internal quality assessments rate the Megane above the Laguna. 

Riding on lowered suspension, our two-litre TCe 180 coupé provided a blend of ride comfort with more secure cornering. 

Apart from some exhaust boom around 4,000 revs, overall noise levels were low and relaxed open-road cruising in a high sixth ratio give the car GT credentials.

The entry-level model comes with alloy wheels and brake assist, fog lights, height and reach steering adjustment, height-adjust driver’s seat and keyless entry. 

In mid-range Dyn-amique form, the car has upgraded audio equipment, keyless entry, height- adjustable passenger seat, leather steering wheel, speed limiter and extra tinted rear side windows, while Privilege trim adds dual-zone climate control, power-fold door mirrors, a rear armrest and rear parking sensors. 

With its upmarket packaging and general air of refinement, the Megane is setting Renault on the way to becoming Europe’s third best quality auto manufacturer.

Honda Insight hybrid

Pictures of the UK-spec Honda Insight hybrid have appeared on the web ahead of the car’s launch at this weekend’s Detroit motor show.

The UK version of Honda’s new ‘affordable hybrid’ differs only slightly from the US model unveiled at the end of last year, with new clear indicator lenses and conventional round fog lights.

The Insight is part of a family of Hondas green line up that include the FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel car, Jazz hybrid and the forthcoming production version of the CR-Z concept.

Honda has yet to confirm the details of the new Insight hybrid, but power is likely to come from the 1.4-litre iVTEC engine of the new Honda Jazz coupled with the latest version of there hybrid system.

The Insight hybrid will go on sale in April 2010 and is expected to undercut the Toyota Prius, with prices starting at £15k.

The all-new Audi Sportback concept has just launched in front of the biggest crowd of the day at the Detroit motor show.

It's expected to make its arrival in production form in 2011, badged as the A7.

In contrast to the more austere American auto makers, Audi put on the usual lavish stage show as it celebrates its centenary year.

As the name suggests, the Audi Sportback/A7 concept features an elegant sportback bodystyle that Audi says will feature heavily in its future design strategy.

With the years of elaborate stage sets and money-burning stunts such as driving cars through plate glass windows consigned firmly to the history books, Chrysler’s 2009 Detroit Motor Show stand was a sober place to be.

While Ford and General Motors executives chose largely to ignore the financial crisis and government bail outs by pretending they hadn’t happened, Chrysler president Jim Press started his presentation by cracking jokes about it. He then outlined how the company – in an aggressive restructuring programme before the credit crisis – was responding. But the rhetoric about its improved product line couldn’t disguise a distinctly anorexic selection of new offerings.

The models the firm did unveil were all part of its ENVI electric vehicle programme. The biggest surprise was the 200C, a good looking little brother to the firm’s successful 300C. BMW 5-series size in its dimensions and with a hint of Vauxhall Insignia about its looks, the 200C featured the firm’s range-extended electric vehicle technology.

This uses a 194bhp petrol engine to boost the range and output of a 74bhp lithium-ion battery-powered electric unit. Chrysler claims it has a 40-mile all electric range, enough it says to satisfy the vast majority of US drivers’ daily commute. Powertrain aside, the 200C was a good old-fashioned flight of fancy concept car featuring touch screens to operate all in-vehicle functions and seats that look as comfortable as a bicycle saddle.

While the 200C EV is unlikely to see production reality before 2011, and when it does in a much toned down form, the firm plans to have a similarly powered Town & Country MPV – Grand Voyager in our language – on sale in 2010.

Elsewhere in the Chrysler stable, both Dodge and Jeep unveiled electric derivatives as the firm seeks to convince that it is responding to the need for more environmental friendly models.

However, anyone expecting daring new designs will be sadly disappointed. The Circuit EV is a barely altered Lotus Europa. Instead of the British car’s conventional mid-mounted petrol engine, the Circuit has a 268bhp lithium-ion battery powering the rear wheels. This is recharged by plugging into a regular domestic supply and when full will give a range of between 150 and 200 miles.

But externally, apart from the addition of the Dodge crosshair grille – essentially just a new front bumper arrangement – the car is a disappointingly unadulterated Europa which probably won’t win it many fans in the UK.

Jaguar sold 20,346 cars in the UK in 2008 - an increase of nearly nine per cent over 2007. Globally Jaguar did well too, selling 65,350 vehicles, up eight per cent on 2007's figures.

The Mazda 3 

A  very model to the Japanese manufacturer. Over one third of the cars it sells are 3s and it’s shifted over 2 million of them since introduction. Now the a new one, with a stiffer chassis, new tech and much sharper looks. Can it compete with the new Golf, and Megane, not to mention the ever-present Focus and the forthcoming 2009 Vauxhall Astra?

On sale in the UK:	Spring 2009

That is does. The slightly dowdy and dumpy look of the old car has been erased with a much sharper and smarter look. Elements like the triple-creased bonnet, bulging front wheelarches and character lines down the sides stand out, while there’s also Mazda’s new family face with that big five-point grille.

It looks good, though that big grille and black plastic bumper make it look like a pretty girl that’s smiling and bearing her braces.  Some vertical rather than horizontal fog lights might have also made the 3 look more dynamic, and the rear lights look a little aftermarket. Still, it’s a good-looking car, and different enough from the old one to stand out – much better than the switch from old to new Mazda 6.

You’ll find a dash inspired by the Mazda 6's, which means it’s clean and uncluttered, but can also come across as bare and barren. The Mazda 3s we drove were all pre-production cars, but the leather-wrapped wheel was lovely to hold and the general fit and finish was pretty good. Unfortunately for Mazda, its plastics just aren’t up to the standards of the latest Golf's.

The rest of the interior is also a mix. The seats are comfortable, with great side support, and the controls are easy and intuitive to use, with neat lighting touches that flash when you use the stereo or adjust the air-con. And you can spec cornering headlights, a blind-spot system and sat-nav if you wish.

But the sat-nav system can only be controlled by buttons on the steering wheel – Mazda engineers couldn’t answer whether there would be a separate controller for the passengers to use – and the dash that sweeps around the front passenger eats into their knee room nearest the transmission tunnel. The thick C-pillars also make it quite dark in the back, and while the seats fold flat, there’s still a high lip to lift loads over into the boot.

Audi 2% average price increase from February 23rd.

Increased financial pressure bought on by the Euro to Sterling exchange rate has caused the rise, said Audi, but the German carmaker added key models will receive equipment upgrades.

Prices of existing orders are protected.

Popular models will benefit from the equipment upgrades worth between £1,480 and £2,640 from today until April 31.

These include A3 TDIe Sport at no extra cost and the standard A4 with an Executive SE upgrade.

Prices for S4 Saloon and Avant, A5 Cabriolet, new Audi Q5, RS 6 and Audi Q7 models will remain unchanged.

The price of the latest version of the R8 sports car, the 5.2-litre FSI quattro, will also remain as recently announced.

MERC E-CLASS COUPE

The latest leaked picture from Mercedes is this – the new E-Class Coupe.

Last month it was the E-Class saloon appeared on the web before the official launch and now the two-door has apparently done the same. The shots which show a car with similar front styling to the saloon but with a body clearly inspired by the larger CL.

The car is expected to make its debut at March’s Geneva Show.

Peugeot’s lowest CO2 offering, the 107, has gone on sale in the UK with three trim levels, starting with the Urban Lite model at £7,595.

The new 107 has a 1.0-litre petrol engine, 106g/km CO2 and gives 62.7 mpg.

The Urban model has standard features over the Urban Lite that include body-coloured items, electric front windows, side airbags and remote central door locking, and the choice of either manual and 2-Tronic (an electronically controlled manual that operates as an automatic) transmission.

Special edition Verve includes air conditioning, 14" alloy wheels and a rev counter, and exclusive availability of the new Mandalin Orange paintwork.

As you can see from the picture, the new SLK will be much more muscular than the current car, with a sharper look previewed by the new E-Class. The bonnet is long and features faired-in lights and a large three-pointed star, while underneath is a Formula One-style splitter.

The baby Gullwing is still some way off. It’s likely that the new SLK range will go on sale in 2011, with this flagship version arriving in 2012. The SLK will continue to be rear-wheel drive, although changes to the line-up will include a slight increase in size, and the availability of a folding glass roof for the first time.

The Audi A5 and A4 have been made available with the company’s double-clutch gearbox, the seven-speed S-Tronic transmission.

The new gearbox, only available with the 2.0-litre TFSI petrol engine, speeds up gearshifts and cuts the cars’ acceleration times.

The Audi A5 reaches 62mph in 6.2sec, 0.3sec faster than the manual car, and emits 1g/km less of CO2.

In the Audi A4 saloon 62mph arrives in 6.5sec, 0.1sec faster than the manual, while fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are the same at 38.2mpg and 172g/km.

Both cars cost £1240 more than their manual equivalents.

Kia Motors has become a supporting partner of this year's Red Nose Day event.

To help raise money for good causes the company has introduced a limited edition Picanto "red" to mark the occasion.

For every model sold between now and Red Nose Day on Friday March 13, Kia will donate £100 to Comic Relief - enough to send two Zambian children to school for a whole year.

Kia is also encouraging customers to 'show us their nose' by asking them to buy a Car Nose from their local Sainsbury's or at www.rednoseday.com.

They are then encouraged to take a picture of their Kia wearing its red nose and upload the image to the company's website dedicated to the day - www.kia.co.uk/rednoseday.

If they also register their details on the site they can enter a prize draw to win a limited edition Picanto Red made especially to celebrate Red Nose Day.

In addition, Kia dealerships across the country will be organising various activities to raise funds for the event.

New MINI JCW Convertable

UK-built John Cooper Works Convertible takes centre stage  at the Geneva motorshow on the Mini stand in February. Priced at £23,470 and on sale March?April, featuring the same chassis and powertrain tweaks as the JCW tintop.

The breathed on 1.6-litre blown engine is 208bhp at 6000rpm and a chunky 206lb ft of torque at a low 1800rpm, enough to slingshot the car to 60mph in 6.9seconds with a top speed of 146mph, while returning 39.5mpg and 169g/km (JCW hatch 6.5seconds, 148mph, 40.9mpg, 165g/km).

The six-speed transmission is beefed up, as have the disc brakes and you get an entire range of electronics to prevent you torque steering into the scenery – you get Electronic Brake Force Distribution, Cornering Brake Control, Electronic Differential Lock Control, Dynamic Stability Control (with Hill Assist) and Dynamic Traction Control. There’s also a Sport button, unique to the JCW cars, that brings in the turbo boost lower down the rev range, reduces steering assistance and sharpens throttle response, and a bespoke steering wheel and instrumentation. And don’t forget that body kit and a whole stack of JCW badging…

The Yeti
(yes it is friday the 13th but it is really called Yeti)


The production version of the Skoda Yeti will be officially unveiled at the Geneva motor show.

Yeti will be available in four-wheel drive, as well as a more economical front-wheel-drive option that will line up against the Nissan Qashqai and Fiat Sedici.

The car, which made its public debut at the London motor show in July, will be built on a platform related to the VW Tiguan, with a similar range of engines.

Fiat 500 Cabriolet

The first official pictures of the new Fiat 500 Cabriolet
To be unveiled at the Geneva motor show in March.

The sardine tin style roof has been designed to maximise the Fiat 500 Cabriolet’s boot space, as well as referencing its Topolino ancestor. That means the new Fiat 500C has the same 185-litre load space as the hatchback, and also ensures that changes to the structure of the 500 body are kept to a minimum, reducing production costs.

The 500C will come with the same three engines that's found in the hatch, and will be offered with the new ‘Start&Stop’ system as standard.

Two new paint colours - Pearl Red and Warm Grey - have been introduced to compliment the ivory, red and black roof.

Prices are to start at around £10k, a £1500 over the cheapest regular hatchback, when the Fiat 500C goes on sale in May.

Chrysler 300C

This is the new Chrysler 300C, to be launched within 18 months.

Although the exterior is based on the current 300C, it does get completely new front and rear styling, showing hints of the recent 200C concept car.

Inside, the interior has been completely redesigned with a softer, more upmarket look. The option of wood, leather and chrome trimming will push the 300C towards more a conventional interpretation of luxury.

Chrysler engineers say they have made significant changes to the platform, which was originally based on the 1996 Mercedes E-class, including much enhanced safety. Blind spot monitoring systems will be an option.

Under the bonnet is the company’s all-new ‘Phoenix’ V6 engine, described by sources as ‘a generation ahead of any rival engine’, offering a combination of power, economy and exceptional refinement.

A ground-up new design, the Phoenix will come in 3.0, 3.3, 3.6 and 4.0-litre guises and most versions will get direct injection and variable valve timing. Other versions of the Phoenix unit will be able to run on just three cylinders to save fuel.

Eventually the Phoenix will be produced as a 4.7-litre V8, replacing the current HEMI engine.

New Audi TT RS

These are the first teaser pictures of the new TT RS. It'll be Audi's hottest ever TT, with over 300bhp from its 2.5-litre turbocharged engine. We'll see more of the car in full view at the Geneva motor show in less than two weeks time.

Seat Ibiza Black 

Seat has announced a new limited edition Ibiza with revised, sportier styling.

In addition to its Black Magic paintwork, the Seat Ibiza Black is marked out by new front and rear bumpers, side skirts and a roof spoiler.

Changes are purely cosmetic, which means the Seat Ibiza Black has the same performance figures as the 1.4 Sport 5dr model it’s based upon. The Ibiza Black hits 62mph in 12.2sec and will go onto a top speed of 108mph. CO2 emissions and fuel economy remain the same at 149g/km and 45.6mpg.

The Seat Ibiza Black also comes with 17-inch alloys, air conditioning, and sport seats as standard.

Only 150 Ibiza Blacks will be made, and will cost £12,345 each.

New BMW 5 series range

The new 5-series range is swelling to include a saloon, Touring estate and fastback GT 

A new eight-speed ZF transmission will appear on the new 5-series, offering an overdriven top cog to reduce exhaust emissions. It will also add stop-start functionality to six- and eight-cylinder models from 2010 (currently Efficient Dynamics is limited to manual four-cylinder models). Sportier versions are likely to adopt BMW’s new twin-clutch transmission pioneered on the latest M3.

The expected line-up in new 5 runs thus:

• 523i – 2.5-litre straight six
• 530i – 3.0-litre straight six
• 540i – 3.0-litre straight six twin-turbo
• 550i – 4.4-litre V8 twin-turbo
• M5 – 4.4-litre V8 twin-turbo

• 520d – 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
• 530d – 3.0-litre straight-six turbo
• 535d – 3.0-litre straight-six twin-turbo

Volkswagon Polo Mk5


VW tonight issued these first photos of the new Polo Mk5 on the eve of its Geneva motor show debut. And the latest Polo supermini is every inch the shrunken Golf hatchback we were expecting – it looks like a Golf the cat sat on.

One of the headlines is that they've cut the kerb weight by 8% over the outgoing Polo. Despite being 36mm longer and 32mm wider, they've managed to trim unnecessary heft through using lighter weight steels at strategic points. The new Polo Mk5 is based on the same VW Group small-car architecture you'll find under a Seat Ibiza.

That means a front-wheel drive chassis and the full gamut of engine and transmission options. When the new Polo Mk5 arrives in UK dealers in October 2009, the line-up will be as follows (all come with ESP and four airbags as standard):

Petrol engines:

Engine	PS	Transmission
1.2-litre	60	5-spd
1.2-litre	70	5-spd
1.4-litre	85	5-spd / 7-spd DSG
1.2-litre TSI	105	6-spd

Diesel engines:

VW tonight issued these first photos of the new Polo Mk5 on the eve of its Geneva motor show debut. And the latest Polo supermini is every inch the shrunken Golf hatchback we were expecting – it looks like a Golf the cat sat on.

One of the headlines is that they've cut the kerb weight by 8% over the outgoing Polo. Despite being 36mm longer and 32mm wider, they've managed to trim unnecessary heft through using lighter weight steels at strategic points. The new Polo Mk5 is based on the same VW Group small-car architecture you'll find under a Seat Ibiza.

That means a front-wheel drive chassis and the full gamut of engine and transmission options. When the new Polo Mk5 arrives in UK dealers in October 2009, the line-up will be as follows (all come with ESP and four airbags as standard):

Petrol engines:

Engine	PS	Transmission
1.2-litre	60	5-spd
1.2-litre	70	5-spd
1.4-litre	85	5-spd / 7-spd DSG
1.2-litre TSI	105	6-spd

Diesel engines:

Engine	PS	Transmission
1.6-litre TDI	75	5-spd
1.6-litre TDI	90	5-spd

But a lot of the attention at Geneva is on the new Bluemotion version. It uses a 90bhp 1.6 TDI with taller gearing and hits 74mpg and 96g/km of CO2. And it gets better. In 2010, the Polo Bluemotion II arrives with a saintly 85mpg and 87g/km – thanks to new stop-start systems, further aero tweaks and a 15mm suspension drop.

More space for limbs and luggage is promised Inside. That growth spurt, and especially the longer wheelbase, has freed up more room all round and VW promises an improvement in interior quality. We'll report more on this tomorrow when we pore all over the new cars at Geneva's Palexpo arena.

BMW Project-i

BMW’s much vaunted Project-i will adopt a radical new approach to mass transport for growing urban populations – but only for those that can afford it. These vehicles will be premium vehicles, they will not be Tata Nano rivals and will only build premium cars.

Initiated in 2007, Project-i is BMW’s bold new strategy to develop a raft of revolutionary two, three and four-wheeled vehicles to answer the mobility demands of specific mega-cities such as London, New York, Tokyo, Mexico City and Shangha.

They draw owner feedback from the 515 electric Mini E models currently in use in America and Germany to plan the Project-i cars to assist the learning process of what urban customers want and need.

They estimate by 2015 that we could expect to see any Project-i cars in BMW showrooms.

Audi A5 2.0 tdi Cabriolet

The 2.0-litre petrol and diesels that’ll take 80% of the (hoped for) 5500 sales, split 50:50. The 2.0-litre diesel is the first Audi to be fitted with the company’s new stop/start system and we’re intrigued to see whether the A5 can cope with being an oil-burning drop-top.

On sale in the UK:	September 2009
Engine:	1968cc 24v V6, 168bhp @ 4200rpm, 258lb ft @ 1750-2500rpm
Transmission:	Six-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Performance:	9.3sec 0-62mph, 138mph, 51.4mpg, 144g/km CO2 (provisional)
How heavy / made of?	1657kg/steel
How big (length/width/height in mm)?	4625/1854/1383

Land Rover LRX Crossover

Land Rover have confirmed it will build the baby LRX crossover – and badge it as a Range Rover.

Today's news came as the company announced receipt of a £27 million government grant, which will help pay for the development of the smaller, more efficient soft-roader.

The LRX is likely to be built at the Halewood factory in the north west of England

Jaguar Land Rover is investing around £400m in the project, which could secure thousands of jobs in the Midlands and north west. Halewood, which builds the X-type and Freelander, alone employs 2000 people.

The new baby Range Rover will be based around the LRX concept car but we hear the production car will be taller and also be offered as a five-door – which is exactly how the Range Stormer concept translated to the more traditional Range Rover Sport.

There are still a few hurdles to jump through before the LRX lands in your nearest showroom. The car must meet the company’s ‘product development gateways.'

Assuming this process, we will see the car and take orders in 2010. That points to a public launch in 2011, when you can expect CO2 emissions of less than 150g/km for a turbodiesel LRX,a potential hybrid version could see that tumble to 120g/km.

Business secretary Lord Mandelson said: 'The Government is fully committed to supporting the UK automotive industry as it moves to a lower carbon future. This project aims to design and build a greener car in the UK, safeguarding vital skills and technologies.'

VW Golf GTI-R

Volkswagen is readying an even harder, faster Golf GTI to launch in autumn 2009. Badged the VW Golf GTI-R, the hotter hatch will follow the classic performance recipe of more power and lighter weight to switch the Golf GTI (Mk6) from slick and sensible fast hatchback back into a proper pocket rocket again.

VW indicate that the R version will not use the old R32’s V6 engine, preferring a lighter four-cylinder turbocharged motor with some 266bhp. Sounds suspiciously to us like the Audi S3’s engine, also tipped for the forthcoming Scirocco R20T.

Volkswagen itsn’t just relying on the 60bhp boost from the forthcoming regular VW Golf GTI. We hear it will use four-wheel drive to tame the thrust, rather than the trick front diffs employed by the Focus RS and new Renaultsport Megane 250.

And to make up for the additional weight, the Golf GTI-R will apparently undergo a weight loss programme. We’re thinking less premium than the comfort-oriented R32 – so fewer goodies and maybe even some structural lightening. We’re not clear at this stage if special materials will be used.

We are hoping for a motor show debut at Frankfurt in September 2009, pointing to a showroom launch in winter 2009-2010.

NISSAN QAZANA

Nissan’s Qazana might seem like a wild concept, but Nissan Design Europe has said that it'll keep many of the concept car's features when it goes into production at the Sunderland plant in the summer of 2010.

Those wing-mounted daytime running lights for a start, they’ll be present, though the units will be regular lights rather than expensive LEDs. It [the production car] has these things.

Inside, the dashboard architecture you see on the concept car is what you'll see on the production car. Both the motorcycle tank-inspired transmission tunnel and protruding dashboard will feature.

Those 20-inch wheels will shrink for school-run duties, while the sides of the Qazana will also be slimmer, but the production car will retain the 370Z-style boomerang rear lights – and we'll see them on other future Nissans too. The boot hatch will be deeper and the suicide rear doors are (inevitably) swapped for regular rear-hinged items.

Inside the Qazana's show-off cabin, the four-seat layout will in fact seat five, but don't expect much room in the back. The focus we understand for this kind of car is in the front two seats.

Nevertheless, Nissan insiders reckon the public will be 'shocked' by how similar the production car will be to the Qazana concept. That's a big claim to make and we look forward to seeing how accurate that boast is!

Will the production car be called Qazana? The jury's still out. A Nissan spokeswoman confirmed that the internal naming committee has yet to make a decision, ahead of its planned debut at the 2010 Geneva motor show.

BMW Z4 sDrive 35i (2009)


The first generation Z4 is already off-sale, yet it still looks ahead of its time, and is still fun to drive. The second-generation model, has quite an act to follow. Reports say that it’s a very good car, but quite a departure from its predecessor.

The new Z 4 is 148mm longer, 9mm wider, but 9mm lower, and a full 240kg heavier. The proportions are similar – long snout and the doors’ side scallop – but the rear is less truncated than before, giving more boot space.

Roof up, it’s coupe quiet, and with it down you’re very well protected from the airflow, even at high speed.

Statistics

How much?	£37,060
On sale in the UK:	Now
Engine:	2979cc 24v twin-turbo straight-six, 302bhp @ 5800rpm, 295lb ft @ 1300rpm
Transmission:	Seven-speed dual-clutch, rear-wheel drive
Performance:	5.1sec 0-62mph, 155mph, 31.4mpg, 210g/km CO2
How heavy / made of?	1580kg/steel
How big (length/width/height in mm)?	4239/1790/1291

M25 Cameras go digital

Cameras between junctions 10 and 16 are going to catch many more motorists as the new digital cameras can’t run out of film.

The Highways Agency has confirmed rumours that speed cameras located along the most western stretch of the M25 are to go digital

The cameras currently in place are run off film, meaning that they can only take a limited number of pictures before the film runs out and the camera stops working. Converting them to digital allows as many photos as necessary to be stored.

The Highways Agency is also planning to alter road markings on the motorway to give a more accurate basis for speed readings, and will reduce the speed at which the cameras are triggered from 90mph to 79mph, when the variable speed limit on the road is 70mph.

Keep on the road when your driveability is curtailed.

EVS recomends:

www.driverplan.co.uk/

This is the best day to buy a New Car

Car buyers guide Parker's is telling its readers that today is the best day of 2009 to buy a new car.

The car buying advice website http://www.parkers.co.uk/ says price cuts, stock availability and bonus-chasing dealers make March 23 the ideal day to do a deal.

It points out that there are an unprecedented number of offers on new cars, and that used and new car prices will rise this summer as stocks re-balance in line with demand.

Kieren Puffett, editor of Parker’s, said: “The car market is unlikely to see another March like this – there are thousands of bargains out there. But there are signs this won’t last forever.

"The used market is picking up, stocks of cars will soon be run down and some manufacturers will raise their prices by the end of the year. We reckon there won’t be a better car buying day than March 23rd.”

AM-online.

New Citroen C4 Coupe 'by Loeb'

Citroen has released details and images of a new special edition C4 Coupe 'by Loeb'

The C4 Coupe 'by Loeb' has been given the WRC treatment, featuring new interior and exterior designing, new body colours and high specification. Each limited edition, paying tribute to WRC driver Sebastian Loeb, will also be tagged with a unique serial number plaque mounted in the cabin.

Available in either Sport Red or Black, the new C4 features Loeb’s signature on the doors, a unique ‘by Loeb’ sticker on the tailgate and door mirrors finished in either red, or black with aluminium-effect.

A spoiler and 17” alloy wheels coloured in either white or black depending on the body colour.

Inside there's steel décor around the central air vents and aluminium finishes on both the pedals and gear knob.

Leather, red stitching and black and red ‘3D X-ray’ mesh cloth adorn the interior, while floor mats with red surrounds are detailed with a ‘by Loeb’ design.

The C4 ‘by Loeb’ is kitted out with air conditioning, automatic rain-sensitive windscreen wipers, automatic headlights, electrochrome rear view mirror, MP3 compatible CD player and Citroën’s innovative fixed-centred controls steering wheel.

Safety kit includes six airbags, ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), cruise control with speed limiter as standard. ESP with traction control is available on more expensive models.

Prices start at £14,395 for the C4 Coupe 1.6 16V VTi 120hp ‘by Loeb’, while a 150hp edition of the same model costs £15,395. The 1.6HDi 16V 110hp ‘by Loeb’ costs £15,895.

MotorTorque

VW Golf GTD

The sporting version of the diesel Golf, using the 168bhp common-rail engine and capable of 53mpg.

0-62mph takes 8.1sec and the top speed is 138mph – the GTD gets the GTI’s suspension setup, with stiffer springs and firmer dampers than regular Golfs.

Available with Volkswagen’s Acitve Control Chassis, and it gets a similar body kit to the GTI's, with the same honeycomb grille.

The GTD has a 'sound generator' in the exhaust; this is a baffle that alters the exhaust note according to the revs.

The car will be available with either a six-speed manual gearbox or VW’s six-speed DSG twin-clutch transmission.

But it’s the car’s potential economy and low emissions that will help sell it. The 53.3mpg on the combined cycle gives it a theoretical range of 645 miles from its 55-litre tank, and CO2 emissions are a claimed 139g/km.

UK pricing has yet to be announced, but VW has said it will be pitched above the less powerful Golf GT TDI, which starts at £19,230 for the three-door. The GTD goes on sale in the UK in July.

New Nissan Qazana

More than 1,000 jobs are safe at Nissan's Sunderland plant after the company unveiled a new model.

The Qazana, a supermini sized SUV, was recently unveiled to workers at the site where it will be built from 2010, reports Sky News.

The decision secures 1,100 jobs at the plant and a further 2,000 in the supply chain.

It will come as a welcome relief to employees after the carmaker shed 1,200 people, 400 of which were on temporary contracts, from the plant in January.

Nissan is investing 57m to bring the Qazana to Sunderland

am-online

The new SEAT Exeo


is the credit-crunch company car.

About 80% of sales of the new mid-sized model launching on 2 April in the UK to take on the Renault Laguna, Peugeot 407, Ford Mondeo, Toyota Avensis, Citroen C5, Mazd6 and Vauxhall Insignia will be to firms who need to put their company car users into cheaper models which do not skimp on the features they have enjoyed up to now in executive models.

It is a significant part of the company’s plan to gradually ramp up sales over the next decade to 800,000 units annually, principally by selling more models, selling into more countries and more sectors.

In Europe the Exeo’s B-sector, (D-sector in the UK), accounts for 3M cars annually and in the UK it’s likely to add up to 1,500 sales a year and hopefully 1.4% of the sector. It will launch as a saloon with an estate, shown at Geneva motor show this March, coming to Britain in July.

SEAT’s newcomer is brimming with standard features including sophisticated sound and safety systems, advanced sporting suspension and the latest generation of petrol and diesel engines. Exeo has Bluetooth connectivity and availability of double-glazed side windows for additional refinement and security.

The fleet market is also being targeted for the first time by SEAT and Exeo will be available with low rental costs, offers good economy, healthy residuals and monthly leasing from under £260 for a three years and 30,000 miles agreement.

“It’s no secret that up to now SEAT sales have largely been to retail or private buyers but the Exeo is essentially a fleet car and the our dealers are going to have to go out to the fleets rather than let they buyers come to them. It’s going to be a whole new ball game for them.

“We have over a 100 dealers around the country and I want to see us having a fleet presence in all the major urban conurbations.”

Motor Torque

Citroën Secure

Citroën UK has launched a pilot scheme throughout its network allowing customers to return a new car if they lose their job.

Called Citroën Secure and included in all new finance agreements administered through the carmaker’s financial services arm, the offer has been running throughout March and could be extended to the end of April.

The offer is available on any new car in the Citroën range and the customer can return the vehicle if they lose their job at any point during the finance agreement. 

James Parfett, Citroën Financial Services’ sales director, said: “Dealers have reacted positively to this and we’ve seen a lot of
point of sale activity to promote it and the use of direct mail and local newspaper advertising.”

But has it led to an increase in sales? “That is the million dollar question,” he said. 

We know of customers who have said this has made a difference to their purchasing decision. 

“Citroën Secure is a tool to help close a deal, to help a customer overcome a common nagging doubt about their job security.”

Parfett said he could not forecast how many cars
could be returned, but the scheme is covered by an insurance policy.

Citroën Secure is being offered as complementary to two main finance offers: the 5.9% PCP Elect 3 and Citroën’s 0% finance offer.

It is also available on standard HP instalment credit retail contracts. 

The terms of the deal include the buyer having to be in full-time employment with the same employer for six months and the vehicle cannot be returned within 60 days of the start of the agreement.

“We believe the longer a customer has the car the less likely they are to bring it back, even if they lose their job,” said Parfett

am-online

London Motor Expo

Despite the British International Motor Show 2010 being cancelled recently, plans for this year’s London Motor expo are firing ahead, said its organisers.

The show held at Canary Wharf in June has manufacturers attending including Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo, Suzuki, Land Rover and BMW.

Space available at the exhibition has increased to cater for more exhibitors, said its organisers.

Mercedes will use the show as a platform for the UK debut of its new E-class while Volvo will display its safety and green technological advancements.

The motor show format is free for the public to visit. Motorexpo added it is also low cost for manufacturers to attend.

London Motor Expo 8th-14th June.

Mercedes SLS AMG gullwing

These are the first exterior design sketches of Mercedes’ SLS AMG, the 563bhp gullwing-door successor to the SLR that will be unveiled at the Frankfurt motor show in September 2009.

The official sketch reveals a bold grille with – you guessed it – the three-pointed star hogging centre stage, sweptback headlamps, deeply scalloped side gills and a low, pillarbox-style glasshouse. Not forgetting, of course, the gullwing doors that ape the 1950s original.

What should I know about the cabin of the Mercedes SLS AMG?

That it’s a mixture of unique fixtures and fittings, plus a couple of disappointing parts lifted from lesser Mercs. The special parts are quite impressive though – the driver sits behind a three-spoke steering wheel equipped with paddle shifts that control the new rear-mounted seven-speed twin-clutch gearbox.

And if the big rev counter that reads to 9000rpm isn’t enough to warn the driver when they’re homing in on the redline, there are seven shift lights alongside. Below this is a digital display with temperature readouts for the oil, water and transmission.

The new SLS has a seven-speed twin-clutch gearbox?

Yes, and it’s located at the rear in the transaxle position, while the 6.2-litre V8 is front-mid mounted to help the SLS achieve a 48:52 front-rear weight distribution. Drivers can choose between four modes for the gearbox: controlled efficiency, sport, sports-plus and manual mode, using a dial on the hefty transmission tunnel. The rotary electronic switch is part of the AMG Drive Unit, a similar system to that on the new E63 AMG.

The other controls in the Drive Unit include a Start button for the engine, another that allows manual control for the rear spoiler, and a third ESP. There’s also an ‘AMG’ button, thought to be similar in set-up to BMW’s M button that allows the driver to preset his favourite settings and select them all at once.

There are also four circular air vents, the rotary dial for the Comand multi-media system, and the whole cabin looks fairly solid. But we’re not too impressed by the five blank buttons below the entertainment system – not what you expect when the car is expected to cost €150,000 (£135k).

Anything else I should know?

The SLS is largely aluminium with aluminium double wishbone suspension, while Mercedes claims the SLS will hit 62mph in 3.8 seconds and have a top speed of 196mph.

We’ll see the coupe at the Frankfurt show in September, while a soft-top roadster is tipped to launch in 2012

AM-Online

New Ford C-Max 2010

Ford’s first engineering prototypes for the next-generation Focus family have hit the road. This is a mule for the new C-Max.

The C-Max will be the first of the new breed of Focus models; we should see it in 2010, ahead of the hatchback’s debut later next year. So the recent Focus facelift will have to keep the range soldiering on until the newcomer arrives in the next two years

So what’s new about the new Ford Focus family?

Not the platform. The underpinnings of the next-generation Focus family is a development of the current car’s and will use lessons learnt from the new Mazda 3, which adds extra reinforcement around the front and rear suspension and around the rear hatch opening.

The current Focus is still the dynamic class-leader (thanks in part to its trend-setting multi-link rear suspension) and Ford aims to keep that lead, while adding a dash more refinement (a strong point in the new 3) and quality.

Ford’s new EcoBoost engines

The downsized EcoBoost engine is all-new and was first seen in the Iosis Max concept car last month. The 1.6-litre turbo four produces 178bhp but equipped with stop/start technology it emits just 125g/km. These are credible production figures, we hear.

We’ll see it in the Mondeo soon, and then it’ll spread across Ford’s range. More
downsized and turbocharged EcoBoost engines will join the price list over time.

What about the style? I expect suicide doors and F1-style wings now!

Ford’s Iosis Max concepts gives us a strong hint to the look of the next
C-Max and Ford Focus… of sorts. The front end of the Geneva concept will be almost
identical to the production car’s, though don’t expect to see the ‘hand-clap’
doors and that big rear wing. Sorry to spoil your fun.
 
Delve inside the Iosis Max and the shape of the concept’s dash will see production – it heavily mirrors the curvaceous shape of the new Fiesta – but the translucent
plastics and fancy lights will be dropped. Ford’s internal target is to increase
the quality of the next Focus and C-Max, as it hopes to leap past the Golf
and Megane.
 
There’s also talk of the next Focus family receiving pop-up pedestrian friendly
bonnets to meet forthcoming safety regulations, softer bumper and bonnets, and even low-speed avoidance systems similar to Volvo’s City Safety set-up.

New cars are currently cheaper than used ones for the first time in the UK, according to a comprehensive guide to UK car prices.

Heavy discounting of new cars and rising prices of second-hand cars due to a shortage of supply have led to this bizarre situation.

Parker's says this is first time used cars have commanded a premium since it started collecting price data in 1972.

However, Parker's warns that this price reversal will not last long.

'Shifting stock'

The recession in the UK has led to a dramatic fall in demand for new cars, so carmakers are having to slash prices to entice customers to buy.

Indeed, figures out on Monday showed that car sales plunged more than 30% in March, compared with a year earlier.

At the same time, a shortage of good quality used cars has seen second-hand car prices rise significantly since the start of this year.

"Price cuts on new cars designed to shift stock, and big discounts from car supermarkets, mean that the price of selected new, pre-registered cars can be the same and, in some cases, even lower than one-year-old used cars with several thousand miles on the clock," Parker's said.

Price rises
For example, it has found a 2008 Vauxhall Corsa 1.0 litre with 5,160 miles on the clock for £6,494. A new, pre-registered 2009 version is available from one dealer for £5,995, a saving of £500.

But normality should return to car prices before long, Parker's added.

As stocks of new cars are reduced, deals will soon dry up, it said.
 And imminent price rises for new cars will also have an impact.

Government Warm to Scrappage


The Government is hinting it will introduce a vehicle scrappage scheme in the forthcoming Budget, according to the national media.

The BBC, Reuters and several newspapers say Chancellor Alistair Darling will announce on April 22 a scheme designed to remove ‘old bangers’ from our roads and boost the new car retail market.

Lord Mandelson, the Business Secretary, is reported to support giving owners of old cars about £2,000 towards the cost of new, greener models. The Treasury is understood to have suggested the car industry match a taxpayer payment of £1,000.

Since most new cars are manufactured abroad (85% in 2008) it is also looking at whether to slant the scheme towards costlier models more likely to be made in the UK, said The Times.

But Chancellor Alistair Darling has refused to give a scheme the all-clear and has asked Lord Mandelson’s department to produce evidence backing claims scrappage would benefit component manufacturers and others in the supply chain.

A government insider is quoted as saying of Darling: “He’s not negative. He just wants to be convinced it can deliver.” Gordon Brown will have the final decision after consultation with Darling and Lord Mandelson.

Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders chief executive Paul Everitt said: “I am expecting something. I’ve been slogging my guts out, so yes – I think we as an industry deserve something.”

AM-online

VW Scirocco R20T

This is the first picture of Volkwagen’s new Scirocco R20T. Caught testing at the Nurburgring, this hot coupe will debut at the infamous circuit’s 24 hour race next month with 261bhp.

Yes - 261bhp to be precise. As the R20T name signifies, this tuned Scirocco will run a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the same unit that will power the forthcoming Golf R20T and currently sits in the Audi S3.

But while the S3 and R20T Golf will be four-wheel drive, it's not yet known whether the Scirocco will be. The Scirocco uses the rear axle from the Passat, and there are no current four-wheel drive versions available. Yet with 258lb ft to cope with, we expect power to be sent to all four wheels.

This hotter Scirocco also features a deeper chin spoiler, chunkier side sills to match the curvaceous doors, and a fatter rear bumper, all inspired by the Scirocco Studie R concept. Unfortunately, that car's huge rear spoiler is absent on the production car though.

The Scirocco R20T will debut at the Nurburgring 24 hour race this May (where Volkswagen will once again compete with a Scirocco GT24 racer), before going on sale in the autumn shortly after the Frankfurt motor show. With Audi's three-door S3 costing £27,475, expect to pay at least £25k for the R20T Scirocco.

Car-Magazine

Nissan Qashqai new trim level

The new N-tec trim is priced from £17,645 and is available on both Qashqai and Qashqai+2 bodystyles and across all engines, transmissions and body colours. It features Nissan’s Connect system, which has a built in reversing camera, touch screen satellite navigation, Bluetooth connectivity, MP3 player USB port, 18-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic glass roof, rear privacy glass, satin silver roof rails and door handles, auto-dimming rear-view mirror and silver alloy pedals.

Although attractively priced, Nissan is currently making the Qashqai and Qashqai+2 even more affordable through an innovative peace-of-mind finance scheme. The dynamic duo's 36 months zero per cent APR offer, with a minimum 30 per cent deposit, benefits from 12 months free 'Just In Case' package.

Mr Darlings Budget

A decision on including the car scrappage scheme in the Budget on Wednesday has still not been finalised by the Treasury.

This could see motorists receive a payment of £2,000 to trade in cars that are a certain number of years old.

Officials are still studying the detail of how such a scheme might work, but it is expected that a plan of some description will feature somewhere in Wednesday's announcement.

This is the first picture of Jaguar’s new XJ saloon. Revealed to the world’s media at Jaguar’s press conference at the Shanghai motor show today, it gives us a glimpse of the new Jaguar saloon that will be fully revealed on July 9 2009. Jaguar also released a video of the XJ, which can be viewed at http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1610704559?bclid=1497977643&bctid=20215156001

Ford Fiesta zetec S Mountune

The emergence of Mountune as a kind of AMG-for-the-masses is one of the feel-good automotive tales of recent years.

Alistair Darling has confirmed in his Budget that there will be a scrappage scheme for new cars and vans introduced to the UK next month.

The scheme will see the Government offer a £1,000 incentive (up to a total of £300 million across the scheme) to be matched by participating vehicle manufacturers when scrapping a taxed, insured and MoT’d car or van up to 3.5 tonnes over 10 years old which they have owned for at least one year.

The registered keeper must have a UK address to take part in the scheme.

The dealers will do all the paperwork for motorists participating in the scheme and arrange for the old vehicle to be scrapped.

The dealer will check that the vehicle being traded in and the new one being bought qualify under the scheme. 

"If a dealer joins they’ll give you £2,000 off a new vehicle if you let them scrap your old one. "

The Government has begun issuing information to consumers on how to benefit from the forthcoming scrappage scheme.

Here is the latest information on the Directgov website:

The vehicle discount scheme – money off your new vehicle.

The vehicle discount or ‘scrappage’ scheme is a voluntary scheme for motor dealers.

Here is the latest information on the Directgov website:

The vehicle discount scheme – money off your new vehicle.

The vehicle discount or ‘scrappage’ scheme is a voluntary scheme for motor dealers.

If a dealer joins they’ll give you £2,000 off a new vehicle if you let them scrap your old one.

The scheme will run from mid May 2009 to March 2010, depending on whether its fixed budget runs out sooner.

How to take advantage of the vehicle discount scheme

Contact your local dealer to see if they have joined the vehicle discount scheme.

They will check that your vehicle and the new vehicle you want to buy both meet the rules of the scheme.

When the sale is agreed, the dealer will sort out the paperwork and arrange for your vehicle to be scrapped.

The discount is deducted from the price you pay for the new vehicle and will be shown on your invoice when you take delivery of your new vehicle.

The rules of the vehicle discount scheme

The vehicle you trade in and the new vehicle you want to buy must meet certain conditions for you to be able to get the discount.

Your vehicle

The vehicle you are trading in must:

• be a car or small van weighing up to 3,500 kilograms (kg)
• be first registered in the United Kingdom (UK) on or before 31 July 1999
• either be registered or have a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification) with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in your name
• have been registered to you continuously for 12 calendar months before the order date of the new vehicle
• have a UK address on the registration certificate (V5C)
• have a current MOT test certificate before date of order for the new vehicle

The new vehicle

The new vehicle you want to buy must be:

• a car or small van weighing up to 3,500 kg
• first registered in the UK on or after mid May 2009
• declared new at first registration in the UK with no former keepers

Scrappage a list of Manufacturers taking part:

Several manufacturers have confirmed that their dealers will be taking part in the Government scrappage scheme.

Here is a list of manufacturers that have confirmed that they will be taking part:

Ford

Audi

Kia

Volvo

Peugeot

Citroen 

Hyundai

Renault

Nissan

Volkswagen

Aston Martin One-77

It’s having a long drawn-out gestation, but Aston Martin’s One-77 supercar made its world show debut at this weekend’s Villa d’Este, where it scooped the top prize for concept cars and prototypes.

We’ll forgive you if you thought the One-77 had already been unveiled, but the car at Geneva was a technical cutaway rolling chassis – the first finished car is the one show in our photos above.

The One-77 won more than 30% of the votes among the eight cars entered in its category. Chief exec Ulrich Bez said: ‘We have achieved a new level of design and craftsmanship which has been clearly recognised by the public here in the homeland of design at Villa d’Este.’

Aston Martin One-77: the details

This is a supercar at the very top of Aston Martin’s family tree: think Ferrari Enzo or Bugatti Veyron, rather than more hoi-polloi supercars.

Your £1.2m cheque buys you a carbonfibre chassis clad in hand-rolled aluminium body panels and featuring race-spec suspension that owners can tune for their individual requirements. Total kerb weight is around 1500kg.

And the 7.3-litre V12 is a development of Aston’s existing 6.0-litre lump, expanded and tuned to produce ‘over 700bhp’ – enough to qualify the One-77 as a bona fide member of the 200mph club. The benchmark 60mph dash takes 3.5sec, official figures claim.

The ev'ie is the UK’s first four-seater all-electric production car, according to ECC, and its launch is timed to coincide with the government's announcement of an electric car subsidy.

London Mayor Boris Johnson has also announced plans to introduce 25,000 juice points – charging stations – for electric cars throughout the city.

Called the Citroën C1 ev’ie, the car has a range of 60-70 miles when fully charged and a top speed of around 60mph.

ECC says the C1 ev’ie can be fully charged in six-seven hours from a domestic 13-amp socket at a cost of around 90p.

Renault Electric cars cost the same as Diesels

Three electric vehicles (EVs) in development by Renault will cost the same as the equivalent diesels in Britain, the company has confirmed. Battery-powered electric Renaults are expected to cost from around £15,000 when they arrive in the next couple of years.

The announcement takes into account the UK Government’s £5000 EV incentive scheme announced earlier this month. Keith Hawes, Renault UK’s fleet director, explained that if, for example, a diesel car was priced £15,000, the EV would cost around £20,000. But the Government grant means the customer would only pay £15,000.

‘We will launch EV van and car versions of the Kangoo in 2011,’ he said. ‘However, the first Renault EV will be based on the Megane saloon, also due in 2011. There’s no decision on whether that will come to the UK because of the dominance of hatchbacks in the C-segment.’

A bespoke electric city car, not based on another vehicle, is due in 2012.

Toyota's new Verso MPV

Toyota new MPV goes on sale this week, promising more style, space, safety and advanced equipment features to the compact MPV segment.

The third-generation seven-seat Verso is larger than previous iterations, with more leg and headroom for rear seat passengers and substantially more load space, even with all three rows of seats in place.

The Easy Flat-7 system, is designed to make flat-folding of each rear seat a simple one-touch operation.

There are a number of petrol and diesel models, including the new 1.8-Valvematic petrol engine, available with a new six-speed manual gearbox or Multimode S CVT system. It adds power and economy to the previous 1.8 VVT-i unit it replaces, while reducing CO2 emissions by 19g/km to 165g/km on the manual version and returning 40.4mpg in combined cycle driving.

The 125bhp 2.0-litre D-4D engine has been revised with new piezo-electric injectors and higher injection pressure, helping achieve higher torque performance and lower emissions, while a 2.2-litre D-CAT 150 engine with Toyota’s four-way DPNR clean diesel catalyst system will join the range later this year with a new six-speed automatic transmission.

New Verso is available in a three-grade model range: T2, TR and T Spirit. T2 models come equipped with five airbags (including curtain airbags protecting all three rows of seats), air conditioning, four-speaker audio with steering wheel-mounted controls, Easy Flat-7 folding rear seats, electrically adjustable heated door mirrors, electric front windows and body coloured bumpers and doorhandles.

TR grade, which will account for around 73 per cent of sales, includes Bluetooth, an Aux-in socket for connecting personal music players, additional driver and front passenger side airbags, leather steering wheel and gear knob trim, electric rear windows, front foglights and 16-inch alloy wheels.

T Spirit models gain climate control, automatic windscreen wipers and headlights, Smart Entry and Start, cruise control and 17-inch alloys. The auto-dimming rear view mirror includes an integrated display which shows real-time images relayed from the car’s rear parking camera.

Key options include a panoramic sunroof, leather upholstery and two satellite navigation systems. TR models can be specified with a DVD-based system with Bluetooth, while T Spirit versions can be equipped with hard disk drive (HDD) system with a seven-inch colour touch-screen display.

The HDD also provides a music storage function, so owners can create their personal on-board juke box.

MotorTorque

The first rendered images of the new Audi A3, including the new saloon model that has been conceived to help sales in North America.

The Audi A3 will go on sale in early 2011 in saloon hatchback, sportback and cabriolet body styles.

The decision to add a saloon to the A3 line-up makes sense, because the four-door version of the A4 has grown in size over the years. Since its launch in 1994 it has put on 320mm in length, 90mm in width and 15mm in height - essentially taking it up a class.

The A3 saloon will be a similar size to the VW Jetta, at around 4550mm long. Unlike the relatively upright and conservatively detailed Jetta, though, the A3 is expected to have a contemporary, coupé-like profile with a heavily rounded roofline. Boot capacity should be in the region of 500 litres - 130 litres more than today’s A3 Sportback.

The second incarnation of Lexus’s SUV, only this time it’s hybrid only – at least in the UK (some European markets and the US get the V6 petrol model, too.) The body’s all new but underneath is a platform shared with the US-market Toyota Highlander and the drivetrain is an evolution of the RX400h’s.

So that means the same set-up, with the same CVT gearbox containing a motor and a second motor in the back axle. The clever bit, the power management unit, is new – it's smaller, lighter and more efficient – and the engine, still a V6, now runs on the Atkinson cycle, which does a better job of turning petrol into energy. It’s heavy though –over two tonnes and 70kg more than the 400h.

Lexus claims an admirable 148g/km of CO2, which makes it the least likely SUV to contribute to global meltdown, and 44.8mpg – impressive figures for a car in this class.

And because this is the Euro-spec RX, it gets retuned suspension and a retuned power management unit that will provide better off the line acceleration but still (Lexus claims) return comparable fuel consumption.

MINI special edition

Mini has created a new special edition model called the Graphite priced from £13,075.

The Graphite is available on the Mini One, Cooper and Cooper D and features dark silver metallic paint, which is normally reserved for Cooper S and John Cooper Works models.

Standard equipment on each of the models includes:

Mini One Graphite (£13,075)

• Dark silver metallic paint
• Black bonnet stripes
• White indicator lenses
• Piano black interior
• Graphite badge on B-pillars
• 15-inch rotator spoke alloy wheels

Mini Cooper Graphite (£14,590) and Mini Cooper D Graphite (£15,660)

• As Mini One Graphite, but with 16-inch bridge spoke alloy wheels
• Choice of black or white bonnet stripes

Seat Ibiza Estate for 2001

Seat has unveiled has confirmed an estate version of the Ibiza will arrive early next year, following the launch of a 25th anniversary edition of the hatchback at the Barcelona show.

Company president Eric Schmidt, on hand to unveil the Bocanegra and celebrate the 25th birthday of Seat's small hatchback, also revealed that the new small Seat, based on the VW Up!, will be aimed at a very young market.

“With the Ibiza ST we are going to extend the Ibiza range in the first half of 2010”, said Schmitt. He added, "We will also be entering a new segment beneath the Ibiza. Using the basis of the VW Group’s new small family car, which will be manufactured in Bratislava [the Up!], Seat is planning to launch a car aimed at a very young target." Autocar understands that the Seat version of the Up! will be marketed as a more funky offering than its stablemates from VW and Skoda.

The 25th anniversary Ibiza will not be sold here, but a UK spokesman for Seat has hinted that the company will mark the Ibiza’s 25th anniversary in some way, most probably with an alternative special-edition model.

The Seat Ibiza 25th Anniversary edition will be sold in Europe in three and five-door body styles, equipped with either a 84bhp 1.4-litre motor or a 104bhp 1.9-litre diesel engine.

Equipment includes climate control, privacy glass, 17-inch alloys, a USB port and Bluetooth.

Alfa Romeo today cleverly publicised the effective price cut of its rather tasty Mito by announcing a price rewind to 1989 levels. Yes, Brits can now buy a Mito supermini for less than £9000 – thanks to the Government’s scrappage scheme.

The Mito 1.4 16v Turismo now costs £8995 in the UK, once you take into account the scheme’s £1000 discounts from the Government and the manufacturer. Alfa Romeo points out that the last time you could buy one of its cars for less than £9000 was the five-door Alfa 33 in 1989. Which got me thinking.

Attractive as the Mito deal is, it just serves to highlight the price deflation that’s been at play in the motor industry for the past two decades.

Train to be an Astronault with Chrysler

Chrysler UK is offering visitors to Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge showrooms the opportunity to win a holiday to Florida and train as an astronaut as part of a test drive campaign which runs until the end of June.

The carmaker has teamed up with Paramount Pictures to mark the launch of ‘Star Trek – The Future Begins’ motion picture by entering anyone who test drives a vehicle into a prize draw to win the trip.

Chrysler UK, said: “We are delighted that the Chrysler brand is associated with the one of the biggest blockbuster movies of the year- both iconic brands that represent innovative, pioneering design and technology.”

More to come : AM

New VW Polo Sept 09 

The new Volkswagen Polo could be one of two things: A) a shrunken Golf, which despite hardly changing from Mk5 to Mk6, still leads the mid-sized hatchback class as middle England’s favourite runabout. Or B) nothing more than a reskinned Seat Ibiza, which although well built, is hardly dynamically inspiring.

The Polo sports similar rectangular front lamps, square rear lights and a boxy stance – the jagged looks of the Ibiza are absent. But the Ibiza’s cut in kerbweight is thankfully repeated, despite a longer (54mm) and wider (32mm) body than before. Head and legroom are okay but not outstanding, and the 280-litre boot isn’t huge.

All models should come with 14-inch alloys, ESP, four airbags, five head restraints, power steering, electric front windows, central locking and tinted glass. And in the top-rung Polo 1.2 TSI, VW promises all-round disc brakes and a 20% improvement in fuel economy.

Clamber inside and you’re welcomed by the same level of restrained elegance, subdued styling and intuitive ergonomics that you’ll find in a Golf or Passat. The plastics are soft to the touch, the seats supportive and perfectly shaped and there’s good all-round visibility. Plus the new sat-nav and air-con systems are easy to use and a joy to twiddle and twirl.

The only downsides are the handbrake and central armrest – which fight a constant battle to occupy the same space – and a very dated cruise control stalk. Overall, it’s not bad at all in the Polo’s cabin.

Carmagazine.

How much?	£13,000
On sale in the UK:	September 2009
Engine:	1197cc 16v turbo four cylinder, 104bhp @ 5000rpm, 129lb ft @1500-3500rpm
Transmission:	Six-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Performance:	9.6sec 0-62mph, 119mph, 51mpg, 129g/km
How heavy / made of?	1010kg/steel
How big (length/width/height in mm)?	3970/1901/1485

Chrysler positive in the UK


Chrysler dealers in the UK are feeling positive about the brand’s future following the announcement by Barack Obama earlier this month that the carmaker had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Drivers with cars that are more than 10 years old can now scrap them in return for a £2,000 discount on a new model, as the car scrappage scheme begins.

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said the £300m scheme would "provide a boost to the industry and kick-start sales".

But critics say it is not generous enough and does nothing to encourage the take-up of low emission cars.

Under the scheme, owners who scrap their old cars will receive a £1,000 subsidy from the government on a new one.

Manufacturers will provide at least a similar discount, and so far 38 have signed up.

Such tactics have already been tried in other countries. In Germany, for example, a scrappage scheme helped boost new car sales by 40% in March.

Lord Mandelson said that since the announcement of the scheme in the Budget there had been "a flood of enquiries from customers".

Meanwhile, motoring organisation the AA said it could pump as much as £2bn into the UK's car sector.

And it said that even if only 1% of motorists took it up, it would be over-subscribed.

The AA also carried out a poll of 15,000 members which found that the offer was most popular with pensioners, drivers aged 18 to 24 and those in semi-skilled and unskilled professions.

President of the AA Edmund King said: "In effect the £2,000 incentive can act as a deposit against loans for many less-well-off drivers."

He also said the scheme would "transform the chances of survival in a crash for thousands of car owners" whose current old cars offer substantially less protection than newer models.

BBC.co.uk

Skoda Octavia 1.4 TSI facelifted

This is the facelifted Skoda Octavia, which gets a turbocharged 122bhp 1.4-litre TSI engine for the first time. The car maker claims this petrol unit gives a level of performance and running costs equivalent to a larger diesel engine.

The Octavia has new bumpers and a far less brash grille.

The Octavia, as ever, uses a number of VW group parts and is based on the Mk5 Golf’s PQ35 platform, so despite being a new car there are a number of familiarities.

The standard equipment list is impressive for a car of this price and includes an eight-speaker, six CD stereo, dual-zone air conditioning, a leather steering wheel, and 16-inch alloys.

The Skoda Octavia 1.4 TSI is excellent value and in many ways it is hard to fault.

AMonline

VW Scirocco R (2009)

Volkswagen has issued the first official details of the new Scirocco R.

It seems likely that all future hot VWs will be badged simply R and ditch the numerals. Which neatly avoids highlighting that the industry is downsizing frantically, as well as simplifying the range of go-faster Volkswagens produced by Wolfsburg's Individual department responsible for all performance models, body kits and Bluemotion versions.

The first photo of the new Scirocco R reveals a pumped-up coupé, complete with typically subtle Germanic polish. The odd ride height drop here, some gently chiseled sills there. Eighteen inch rims are standard, 19s optional.

Under the bonnet lies a familiar recipe: the 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine from the outgoing Golf GTI, breathed on by a higher-pressure turbocharger to swell peak power to 261bhp and torque to 258lb ft. So this Scirocco will be fleet of foot:

• 0-62mph 6.5sec (6.4sec with DSG)
• Top speed 155mph (limited on both models)
• Kerbweight 1333kg (1353kg with DSG)
• Combined economy 34mpg (34.5mpg with DSG)
• CO2 194/g/km (192g/km with DSG)

Not available until December 2009, sadly – so there's a bit of a wait. But the R will make up one in 10 Scirocco sales in the UK and it is likely to cost around £25,000.

VW Polo GTi

The first glimpse of a hotter, faster polo. It uses the 1.4-litre petrol engine sporting a mild 85bhp – rather less than the flame-red exterior, 18-inch alloys and black rally stripes promise.

A production Polo GTI is pencilled in for sales in 2010

Essential Technology in vehicle controls
Switches, buttons and indicator stalks may all soon disappear in sweeping dashboard changes being engineered as part of moves to raise the standard of motoring safety.

By as early as 2012, all the features they manage could be coming under the direct command of drivers’ voices.

While automatic transmission, satellite navigation and a plethora of assistance systems have turned operating the family car into child’s play, evidence is mounting that the proliferation of instrument panel gadgetry is threatening safe travel by distracting drivers.

Intensive development work is under way to replace traditional switchgear with systems that call for less attention from the person behind the wheel – and progress toward the next-generation instrument panel has already reached an advanced stage at Seat.

“We belong to the generation that has seen the biggest change in technology and I can tell you that we are well on the way with this – I think we will be ready with it in three years’ time,” design director Luc Donckerwolke told AM.

Based in Martorell, near Barcelona, Donckerwolke’s design team is concentrating on using just two new systems to replace most instrument panel functions.

“What I’m thinking of is voice control and a small frame mounted by the driver’s side, designed to incorporate elements to guide the fingers. What we need is a single operating standard for all the various components and I believe this is not that far away from reality.

“You could have slots where your finger could slide and the function of the slots could be changed. For example, we could switch on the lights or operate the wipers just by sliding a finger across the slot. You could go further and it could operate the radio. There could be a voice input and the slider would reconfigure so that it dealt with the window function or other things.

“This is my vision and the key is to make it intuitive, otherwise you have lost all the potential benefits. I’d like to see this operating system applied to every car,” he said.

Donckerwolke is serious about the dangers of driver distraction. “The first element of safety is active, about concentrating on driving and helping avoid accidents in the first place, so the architecture of the dashboard is a big element. 

“On the latest Ibiza model, the dash is slanted forward to force the eyes toward the front of the car: I’m trying to avoid too many lines and concentrate elements so vision is not blocked by the black panel of the radio or the air conditioning control.

“What I really want is to get rid of all instrumentation and screens. People want big screens and I’m telling them to forget it because less is more – we need reduction.

I want an interface that is tactile. I want people to be able to operate systems without having to look down. The problem with touch screens is that you have to look at them – I love the iPhone, but try sending an SMS from one while driving and it creates problems. It’s just the same when you force people to look at a dashboard screen.

“I believe we have to landscape the inside of a car to be tactile and operate via voice recognition. We have been influenced by the aero industry, but people in planes don’t have to watch for green lights or look out for pedestrians, so we need to step back and think differently.”

Added Donckerwolke: “The interior of a Lamborghini has to be like a jet fighter and designed to keep you concentrated at 200mph. In that situation, an aftermarket radio is an absolute nonsense because it has buttons and things that are distracting.

“That philosophy should apply to all cars. If it’s good for a car that does 200mph, it will be much better for the ordinary car and the family motorist. It’s up to us to make sure that everybody is safe from the very first time they drive. It is our responsibility to make it attractive but extremely safe.”

Simpler operation needed

The rationale behind the need for a rethink on controls in cars wins enthusiastic support from Keith Ryder, assistant director of design at Peugeot in France. 

He told AM: “There’s no doubt that things need to change. A car is a potentially dangerous machine and we have to respond to the need to make it simpler to operate. 

“I’m all in favour of voice activation – this is a good move because it would cut out fiddling with controls and would create a much safer driving environment.

“I’m sure in future we will have sensors that make the car respond automatically to speed zones and this should also result in a big improvement in safety. But in ridding ourselves of certain controls, we need to be selective in what we keep and how we treat it. It’s important we avoid visual pollution because interiors are an important part of upgrading the
perception of the brand.”

Ryder added: “I believe the simpler a dashboard is, the better it works. We could do all kinds of things with a fascia that didn’t have buttons and switches. I can image all kinds of developments for interiors if that was the case, and if all the new control gear can be simplified and properly packaged, it will be a huge step forward.

Nissan Pixo starting price to be £5995

In June Nissan adds the Pixo to its range. The city car, essentially a slightly reworked India-built Suzuki Alto, will be priced from £5,995 for a basic spec Visia.

That undercuts the Alto, and means Pixo will be poised to capitalise on the further £2,000 scrappage allowance available. Nissan GB aims to sell 8,000 units in a full year.

No, the Evora really is new, the first all-new Lotus for nearly 15 years in fact. It’s built to take on the likes of the Porsche Cayman and 911 and slots into the Lotus range above the Elise and below the forthcoming Esprit.

A £47,500 price puts it squarely amidst the Porsches on price, and buyers have the option of adding a couple of tiny rear seats for a £2375 premium. The Evora is the world’s only mid-engined 2+2 and certainly much prettier than the last volume effort, Ferrari’s ungainly Mondial (although we’ve got a soft spot for its wedgy Bertone predecessor, the 308 GT4).

Like a 911’s rear chairs, they’re no use for normal-sized adults other than for a quick trip round the corner. But they’re perfect for kids. The Evora’s wheelbase is the same regardless of configuration – if you haven’t got kids and don’t need the seats you save money and get some extra luggage space.

How much?	£47,500
On sale in the UK:	Now
Engine:	3456cc 24v V6, 276bhp @ 6400rpm, 252lb ft @ 4700rpm
Transmission:	Six-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Performance:	5.1sec 0-62mph, 162mph, 33mpg, 205g/km CO2
How heavy / made of?	1382kg/steel
How big (length/width/height in mm)?	4342/1848/1223mm

If you’ve outgrown your Elise and want something with the same dynamic qualities but far more refinement, you’ll love the Evora. It’s everything we’d hoped a bigger, more sophisticated Lotus sports car might be. And this is just the start. More powerful versions, an auto and possibly a cabrio are on the way. Lotus hopes to shift 2000 cars each year and on this showing it should have no trouble.

Aston Martin enters F1

Aston Martin is to enter F1 from 2012 as a fully-fledged manufacturer entrant, following to a deal agreed with Bernie Ecclestone, the F1 rights holder, last night.

The Gaydon-based sportscar manufacturer, which had an abortive foray into F1 in the late 1950s and early 1960s, will put its name to a new F1 team to be launched next year by Banbury-based preparations experts Prodrive.

The team will run in F1 from 2010 as Prodrive, before rebranding as Aston Martin in 2012. Before its foray into F1, it is anticipated Aston Martin’s Prodrive-run sportscar racing programmes will continue.

Scrappage 35,000 cars ordered


More than 35,000 new cars have been ordered through the UK's scrappage scheme since it was announced in April, government figures show.

It equates to one in five motorists who ordered new cars taking advantage of the £2,000 discount available for scrapping vehicles over 10 years old, reported BBC News.

Ministers believe those cars would not have been sold had it not been for the financial incentive.

Motor industry figures say it is too early to declare the scheme a success.

Paul Everitt, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, acknowledged that the scheme had enjoyed a "very encouraging" start.

Honda back to work

Honda has restarted production at its factory in Swindon.

Production at Honda’s UK plant was suspended for four months following a drop in demand for new cars due to the economic downturn. During the break, Honda has installed new equipment at the factory to increase efficiency.

Honda started what it called an “associate release programme” in which 1,300 members of staff at Swindon chose to leave. The remaining 3,400 employees are now back to work in Swindon.

The first photos of Peugeot’s new MPV. Do they remind you of the old Peugeot 505 Apparently they should, because Peugeot is reintroducing a new ‘5’ model, the 5008.

The people-carrier will appear at the September 2009 Frankfurt motor show and will go on sale in the UK in early 2010. The 5008 follows the usual format for a compact MPV – offering either five or seven seats, presenting a vast amount of storage space, and there’ll be lots of nooks and crannies to lose your belongings. It’s aimed at the likes of Citroen’s Grand Picasso, Vauxhall’s Zafira and Renault’s Scenic. Peugeot stresses it isn’t here to replace the 807.

The 5008 is pretty decent to look at. Peugeot has dramatically toned down the huge grille seen on its other models. So your children won’t cry when they see it – a good thing for a family wagon.

New VW Touran (2010)

The VW Touran is about to be facelifted to keep it soldiering on until an all-new replacement lands in 2013. Our spies caught this prototype testing in the Alps, revealing a little about the revised Touran.

It’s immediately apparent that the bulk of the improvements will be made to the Touran’s front end – shielded from view by black plastic cladding as engineers conduct towing tests in the mountains

We can’t see much under that disguise, but it’s safe to say that the new Golf Mk6 will heavily influence the front end.

There will be a spread of new engines, too, including the VW Group’s latest 1.2 TSI and the latest 1.6 diesels.

This facelifted model, due to land in showrooms in early 2010, will then have to last until the next-generation mid-sized MPV, currently scheduled for spring 2013

Car magazine.

Renault's new Two-Seater Roadster (2010)



Renault will next year muscle into Vauxhall Tigra/ Ford SportKa territory with this new Twingo-based two-seater convertible. Although based on Twingo componentry, the new cabriolet will be pitched separately as a standalone, affordable sports car.

Probably the Safest Car in the World
The Mercedes Experimental Safety Vehicle (ESF) 2009 is probably the safest car in the world. Based on the Mercedes S400 Hybrid, it has been built to showcase a raft of new active safety features that Merc hopes will one day filter into the entire range.

Mercedes has been building Experimental Safety Vehicles since 1974, though it began putting its cars through crash-test experiments as early as the 1950s. The W126 Mercedes S-class of the 70s for example, became the first car in the world designed to cope with asymmetrical frontal collisions, while also adopting height adjustable seatbelt anchorages.

In a bid to avoid making future Mercedes models bigger and heavier, the German car-maker is developing Inflatable Crash Protection to be used anywhere from seatbelts to side-impact protection. Inflatable side impact bars would reduce weight and bulk but increase safety only when a collision is imminent. The ESV also features special seat bolsters that can thrust occupants into the centre of the cabin by up to 50mm, should the vehicle predict a side impact is imminent. Sounds cool, providing the impact sensors aren't nervous.

An even more impressive use of air is the ESV's inflatable bag brake. Again when the car senses an imminent crash, an inflatable bag fitted beneath the floorpan fills and drops onto the road to create massive amounts of friction. The bag also raises the car's front end by up to 80mm to compensate for dive experienced under heavy braking.

Rinspeed Squba (2009)

Forget crossovers – the Rinspeed Squba redefines the definition of a multi-purpose vehicle. While other manufacturers bang on about the versatility of their cars, talking up the dual on- and off-road ability, or conversing at length about the carrying capacity for driver-focused vehicles, nothing is quite as flexible as the Squba – you can drive it on the road, on water and underwater.

It’s built by Rinspeed, the Swiss concept car maker that always turns up to the Geneva motor show with something a bit wacky. In 2008 it was the Squba that was on display, with company chief Frank Rinderknecht grinning proudly as journalists gawped at his real-life recreation of James Bond’s The Spy Who Loved Me Lotus.

Statistics

How much?	£800,000
On sale in the UK:	Never
Engine:	Electric motor with six Seabob lithium-ion batteries
Transmission:	Rear-wheel drive (on land); two bow jets and two propellers (under water)
Performance:	5.1sec 0-50mph, 75mph (on land); 1.8mph (under water), 0g/km CO2
How heavy / made of?	920kg/aluminium and glassfibre

BMW is the Best Car Manufacturer
according to consumer magazine Which?

The award was announced at the Which? Awards 2009, at the British Museum in London, with the award voted for by members of Which?.

Chief Executive of Which?, Peter Vicary-Smith, said: “BMW drivers seem to love their cars with 87 per cent in our survey describing themselves as very satisfied with the ownership experience.

"The company’s vehicles always excel in our road tests, while BMW’s innovative EfficientDynamics measures mean some of the best cars to drive have also become incredibly fuel efficient.”

Accepting the award, BMW Group UK’s Managing Director, Tim Abbott, said: “We are delighted to have won such a prestigious award, particularly as it is our customers who have rated us so highly. We take great pains to ensure that the quality of service we offer both directly and through our dealers matches the excellence of our cars.”

Saab purchased by Koenigsegg

American car giant General Motors has signed a memorandum of understanding for the purchase of Saab by an investment group led by Swedish supercar manufacturer Koenigsegg.

That's the deal. Supercar maker Koenigsegg Automotive, together with a consortium of private investors, has formed Koenigsegg Group, which has reached a ‘tentative agreement’ to buy Saab from GM. In a press release, GM claims the memorandum of understanding 'secures Saab's future' - the Swedish car maker filed for reorganization under Swedish law on February 20 2009.

GM is hoping the sale will be completed this autumn, after the deal has been rubber-stamped by the courts. Many of the details are still under wraps, but the sale will include a $600m (£365m) funding commitment from the European Investment Bank, which the Swedish government will guarantee, while GM and Koenigsegg Group are also expected to provide additional funding. However, it’s expected that General Motors won’t actually receive any money from Koenigsegg Group in exchange for Saab.

A 9-4X SUV, based on the Cadillac SRX, is due in 2010, but first on Saab's schedule is the new 9-5, which is in the final stages of development and is expected to be shown at the Frankfurt motor show in September. The car will be built in Saab's Swedish Trollhättan factory, and GM will also continue to provide the company with its platforms and engines in the near future.

Speaking about the agreement, managing director of Saab Jan Åke Jonsson said: 'The proposed agreement will enable us to maximize the brand’s potential through an exciting new product line-up with a distinctly Swedish character. Today’s announcement is great news for Saab’s current and future customers, dealers, suppliers and employees around the globe.'

It's also good news for GM, as the American company attempts to reorganise. 'This is yet another significant step in the reinvention of GM and its European operations,' said GM Europe president Carl-Peter Forster. 'Saab is a highly respected automotive brand with great potential. Closing this deal represents the best chance for Saab to emerge a stronger company. Koenigsegg Group's unique combination of innovation, entrepreneurial spirit and financial strength, combined with Koenigsegg's proven ability to create world-class Swedish performance cars in a highly efficient manner, made it the right choice for Saab as well as for General Motors

BMW X1 (2009)

These are the most revealing pictures yet of BMW’s new X1, showing it essentially undisguised. The first shot of the undisguised but blurry white X1 is an official BMW picture, released on the company's Facebook site, just as it did with a few teaser detail photos earlier this month. And the red X1 was caught by our snapper as the X1 entered BMW’s Nurburgring test centre after a workout on the infamous Nordschleife racetrack. All the shots show the mini-SUV has changed little since the BMW unveiled the Concept X1 at 2008's Paris motor show.

As the badge suggests it's a sub-X3 SUV. Like the 1-series, the X1 uses 3-series architecture, but the X1 desgination means it will actually end up shorter than a Three saloon, but taller than a Touring, plus it's lighter too. Both four-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive versions are expected to be available, while at launch the X1 will come with a 2.0-litre diesel (in either 175bhp or 201bhp guises) and a 268bhp 3.0-litre petrol.

car magazine online

New Audi A5 Sportback

This is the first picture of Audi’s new A5 Sportback, essentially an (oxymoronic) four-door version of its A5 Coupe. It’s the first time Audi has officially acknowledged the existence of the car, and along with the solitary photo, the company has also issued a design sketch and video to drum up interest ahead of the A5 Sportback’s launch later in 2009.

At launch this autumn you’ll be able to choose between two petrol (2.0T and 3.2 V6) and three diesel engines (2.0, 2.7 and 3.0 TDI). Both petrols come with Audi’s Quattro four-wheel drive system, as does the range-topping diesel, while an entry-level Sportback, expected to be the cheapest in the entire A5 range, will appear in mid-2010.

car magazine

It’s based on the same underpinnings as the Soul and Hyundai i20 – and this architecture will also be seen on the next Rio. Insiders talk of the new mini-MPV as a sort of baby Golf Plus. It’s telling that our spy photographers snapped it on a benchmark test with the Vauxhall Meriva.

The new Kia will have a more practical interior than the Soul, with sliding benches and other family friendly goodies likely.

Volkswagen Bluesport

Since its launch 20 years ago the Mazda MX-5 has effectively ruled a class of one, but, finally, two decades on, it may have a challenger. At the start of 2009 at the Detroit motor show, VW unveiled the Bluesport concept, a two-seat mid-engined roadster that’s scheduled to go on sale in early 2012 for around £20k.

What's more, the concept was much more the a show car with shoddy fibreglass panels and a meagre motor - it's so well sorted that the Bluesport drives more like an early prototype than a £1.5m one-off.


£20k? That's pretty cheap - has VW raided the corporate parts bin to create the Bluesport?

Yes, but there's nothing wrong with Golf bits and pieces. So the engines and transmissions will come from existing models, the chassis gives us a glimpse of the forthcoming MQB platform with the front axle from the next Polo, and the multi-link rear is from the Golf. The concept also uses Polo parts for the steering, and old Golf R32's brakes.

What's in this Bluesport name?

Think of it as a sporting version of VW's Bluemotion vehicles, so there's a 2.0-litre diesel engine with 178bhp, and an Eco mode that activates a stop-start system and brake energy recuperation. The result, according to VW, is a 5% reduction in fuel consumption on the urban cycle. The overall figures are equally impressive: the Bluesport achieves 65.7mpg and 113g/km.

But open-top sports car are meant for driving, so if you hit the Sport button the six-speed ‘box will swap cogs faster, up-shift later and down-shift earlier. Plus the steering speeds up (and is wonderfully direct) and the throttle becomes more responsive.

If all goes well we'll see a VW roadster in 2012, hopefully followed by Seat and Audi versions, and then even a baby Porsche. And we shouldn’t have to wait too long afterwards for a fixed-head sibling…

The Cleanest BMW 3 series ever

BMW has launched the most fuel efficient and cleanest 3 Series the marque has ever produced.

The new 316d ES Saloon is powered by a 1995cc four-cylinder diesel engine that averages 62.8mpg and emits 118g/km of CO2. That puts it in VED road tax band C, which costs £35 a year, and the 13 per cent benefit in kind band.

The engine is linked to a six-speed manual gearbox and has 114bhp and 192lb ft of torque from 1750rpm, delivering a 0-62mph time of 10.9sec.

The BMW 316d ES Saloon goes on sale from September, priced from £23,330.

The 500 has been an unprecedented success for Fiat. Last year the company’s revitalised UK dealer network shifted 15,148 500 models, and this year that number is expected to climb some 34% to 20,310. And this sales success will be bolstered by the arrival of the 500C convertible.

On sale from 2 July 2009, the dinky 500C echoes its 1957 predecessor with a simple folding fabric roof and winning character. Only 1500 are destined for the UK this year because of production constraints - from next year this should level out to annual sales of around 3000, around 15% of total 500 sales.

Chevrolet Volt

A right-hand-drive version of the Chevrolet Volt is set to go head-to-head with the Vauxhall Ampera when both go on sale in the UK in 2012.

It was previously though that the Chevrolet Volt would be rebadged as the Opel/Vauxhall Ampera in Europe, but the sale of Vauxhall/Opel has changed that.

The cars will also be visually different, the Vauxhall/Opel sporting a more-European appearance.

Both will cost around £25,000 in the UK, although different options are being considered such as leasing the cars or selling the cars and leasing the battery packs.

The first pre-production Volt has had its initial test on US roads.

The Ampera/Volt combines an electric motor and a petrol engine, but the front wheels are always powered electrically; the petrol engine only serves to power a generator to create electricity.

Using a battery only, the Ampera has a 40-mile range, which extends to 300 miles if you start burning petrol.

Scrappage the Results so far:

Customers orders for many manufacturers have increased. Here's a snap shot to give an indication up to 26th June

The orders for each manufacutrer have been steadily increasing over the weeks and the full effect will be seen in June's registration figures.

Alfa Romeo
Would not reveal figures. 

Audi
Would not reveal figures, but said sales had increased since the introduction of the scheme.

Bentley
Cars ordered: 0.

BMW and Mini
Cars ordered: 1,400; delivered: 263.

Chevrolet
Cars ordered: 1,000.

Chrysler, Jeep & Dodge
Would not reveal figures, but said its scrappage sales “were not in huge numbers”.

Citroën
Cars ordered: 3,000 (mostly C1, C3 Picasso, C4, Xsara Picasso, C4 Picasso, Berlingo Multispace and Nemo Multispace. Notable trade-ins: 1989 Bedford Bambi, 1999 Jeep Cherokee and 1986 Porsche 924.

Daihatsu
Cars ordered: 263 (mainly Sirion 1.0).

Fiat
Would not reveal figures.

Ford
Cars ordered: 7,023; delivered: 3,856. Notable trade-ins: 47% Fords, 10% Vauxhalls, 5% premium brands or 4x4s such as old BMWs or Audis.

Honda
Cars ordered: 2,000 (mostly Jazz); delivered: 650. Honda is confident all models will be delivered within the four month deadline.

Hyundai
Cars ordered: 9,649; delivered: 3,476.
Hyundai said “deliveries within four months is very achievable.”

Jaguar
Cars ordered: 23 (mostly X-Type).

Kia
Cars ordered: 7,000 (70% Picanto, also Rio, Cee’d and Soul plus Sportage and Sorento in small numbers); delivered: 3,500. Notable trade-ins: Jaguars, Porsches and Range Rovers, even a Bond Equipe and a Singer Vogue.

Lexus
Cars ordered: 16

Mazda
Cars ordered: 1,500; delivered: 599.

Mercedes-Benz
Has not revealed figures.

Mitsubishi
Cars ordered: 511; delivered: 427. Delivery within four months is not a problem as most stock is at Royal Portbury Docks with a three-day lead-time to the dealer.

Nissan
Cars ordered: 3,000; delivered: 300. Nissan has sold seven GT-Rs through scrappage trade-ins.

Peugeot
Cars ordered: 3,200 (mostly 107s); delivered: 1,800. Notable trade-ins: 28% are Peugeot.

Renault
Cars ordered: 2,600; delivered: 450.

Rolls-Royce
Has not revealed figures.

Seat
Cars ordered: 575; delivered: 199. Notable trade-ins: BMW 6 Series and Triumph Herald.
Delivery within four months is not an issue.

Skoda
Cars ordered: 2,560; delivered: 800.

SsangYong
Cars ordered: 4; delivered: 1.

Subaru
Would not reveal figures.

Suzuki
Cars ordered: 2,600; delivered: 900. Notable trade-ins: MGB, MG Midget, Jaguar XJ6, Ford Capri and Triumph TR7. Delivery within four months is not an issue.

Toyota
Cars ordered: 7,085; delivered: 2,467. Notable trade-ins: High volumes of Ford, Vauxhall and Rover, plus a few Range Rovers, large Jaguars, BMWs, Mercedes-Benzs, Porsches, often being traded for small city cars like Aygo and iQ. Toyota has been unable to increase Aygo supply and some variant lead times are longer than four months. However, iQ, Yaris and Auris production has been increased and most variants can be delivered in time.

Vauxhall
Cars ordered: 4,000.

Volvo
Cars ordered: 1,234 (mostly C30, including DRIVe variant); delivered: 190. Notable trade-ins: Morris Marina.

Volkswagen
Cars ordered: 4,500; delivered: 1,125

Nissan extends Scrappage offer...

Nissan has extended its £2,000 trade-in offer for an extra three months.

Customers buying a British built Nissan will now get a £2,000 minimum trade-in on 8-10 year old cars until September 30 this year.

The offer was originally available until June 30.

It runs as an extension of the government’s scrappage scheme for cars over 10 years old.

Nissan managing director Paul Willcox said: “Our £2,000 minimum trade-in provides what the Government’s scrappage scheme fell short of offering: a real incentive to buy a British built car and a guaranteed trade-in value for owners of eight, nine and ten year old cars.”

Orders taken as a result of the schemes total more than 5,000, while the Qashqai was the ninth best selling car in the UK in May.

By extending the trade-in offer, Nissan hopes to further increase market share while also giving a valuable boost to the British car industry.
 

Fiat to review Chrysler

Chrysler's weaker models could be weeded out under plans by chief executive of Fiat Sergio Marchionne.

Marchionne took over control of the struggling US carmaker in June after the Italian company took a 20 per cent stake in Chrysler in return for nursing it back to health with the help of Fiat's technology.

The plans could also include tweaking prices prior to new designs being launched in about two years' time, reports The Guardian.

On Friday Marchionne said he hoped to have "at least a roadmap from a product standpoint" in 14 days and on Wednesday said he wanted to decide what to do with Chrysler's Dodge and Fiat's Alfa Romeo brands by the end of this month.

Analysts believe new models for Chrysler will take at least two years to be ready for the market.

Industry commentators believe the Chrysler Sebring, Jeep Compass and Patriot could all be dropped in the short-term, as well as the Dodge Caliber which could either be dropped or re-engineered.

AMonline

Skoda Fabia vRS

Skoda plans to reintroduce the Fabia vRS hot hatch – and this was thought to be the prototype and appeared to be the warmed-over supermini out on test.

The go-faster Fabia is expected next year, possibly at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2010.

Close analysis of these spy photos reveals a new front spoiler lurking under the disguise; the aero aids are noticeably honed and the air intakes much bigger.

However Skoda's press office rang say this is not the next vRS, but merely a test mule which was testing shapes for a front bumper to measure aerodynamics.

But did confirm a vRS would be arriving next year.

Will the new Fabia vRS sport a turbodiesel like the last one? It’s not clear yet, but sticking a diesel in a hot hatch’s engine bay does limit its appeal to many enthusiasts.

We’d expect the new vRS to offer a petrol option this time – possibly the VW Group’s twin-charged 1.4-litre engine with around 170bhp.

The four-cylinder engine comes in either turbocharged or turbo and supercharged forms and would be perfect for providing thrills in a front-drive supermini package. 

In other VW Group cars, the 1.4-litre engine is available with the seven-speed DSG twin-clutch gearbox, which would be available on the Skoda.

Expect further visual tweaks on the production car.

The front bib and the size of the brake discs misled us to suggest this was the Fabia vRS on test, but the finished production cars will have a bodykit and natty alloy wheels.

am-online

Honda Accord Type S Tourer (2009)

The 2.2-litre diesel engine in Honda’s Accord looked a little undernourished on paper – until now. It’s been boosted by 30bhp to a much more competitive 178bhp, and torque is up from 258lb ft to 280lb ft – and spread from 2000-2750rpm. To capitalise on the extra grunt, Honda’s added a new model at the top of the Accord range, called the Type S. We tested it wrapped up in five-door Tourer bodywork.

Not cheap, at £28,195. Worth it?

Well, as it happens, Ford’s top Mondeo estate, the 2.2 TDCi Titanium X Sport, aside from needing a bootlid extension to carry the badge, costs £700 more than the Accord and leaves you without sat-nav. It’s more spacious (something we’ll come to later) but seems just a little, well, common in comparison with the Accord. And I speak as a bit of a Mondeo fan.

Read Honda’s blurb and you’ll find the company citing Audi’s A4 Avant as the competition, in which case the fully loaded (leather, heated electric seats, nav, keyless entry, auto lights and wipers, hands-free phone, parking sensors) Accord starts to look better value.

In reality, it’s somewhere between the two in image terms, and it will hold its value much better than the Ford.

Nice inside?

Again, it’s somewhere between Ford and Audi. The dash looks slick and is finished in subtle, soft-touch plastics, with a style that’s kind of mid-Pacific rather than archly Oriental or European. It’s well-made, with snicky, short-travel switchgear, tight and accurate panel fit and a general feeling of durability.

That said, the further down you stretch your fingertips, the cheaper the plastics get, and the leather trim’s a bit smooth and shiny too. The doors slam with a bong and it lacks that feeling of denseness that characterises the best Audis.

carmagazine online

Under the skin of the Renault Kangoo Be Bop ZE electric car, four rather more significant cars are lurking. Starting from 2011, Renault plans to introduce a range of at least four electric vehicles, all of which will share the drivetrain powering this concept car, which we tested on public roads near Paris. There will be a Kangoo van and a Megane saloon first, followed in 2012 by an electric Clio and a bespoke, electric-only two-seat city car, and possibly a passenger Kangoo too.

Renault says you’ll be able to buy one for the price of an equivalent top-end diesel – though you’ll need to lease the battery separately – and that it will make a profit on them.

So is the affordable, practical electric car finally about to arrive?

Judging by this concept, it’s certainly getting closer. The range from the 250kg lithium-ion battery pack is just 60 miles now, but Renault promises 100 miles by 2011. While it’s true that this covers the average daily needs of the vast majority of drivers, it’s also true that the vast majority of us occasionally need to drive much further in a day, so for now, these will remain second cars for most of us.

Charge time is eight hours with a standard domestic power supply, or 4 hours with a 32A supply, and Renault is developing fast-charge stations for office and public car parks which can give an 80% charge in 30 minutes, or 20 miles’ of juice in five minutes.

It’s also working on a fully-automated fast-swap battery system, in which you drive into something that looks like a car wash and have your depleted battery exchanged for a fresh one in three minutes. The batteries sit in the floor so load space isn’t affected.

What about cost? Bet these electric Renaults are pricey…

To make it affordable, you’ll buy or lease your electric Renault for the price of a top-end diesel. You’ll lease the batteries under a separate deal, likely to be upwards of £100 per month, though this includes the cost of replacement when the battery reaches the end of its life. But even when you include this in your running costs, Renault claims the low price of electricity and high price of petrol and diesel means you’ll make a worthwhile saving if you’re doing over 8000 miles per year.

The high-mileage drivers who would really benefit will be hamstrung by the cars’ limited range, and many of the low-mileage urban drivers Renault is targeting might not get to this break-even point, but for a significant number of drivers in between, electric cars ought to make both economic and environmental sense.

Saabs plan for success

Saab has spelled out its vision of being an independent car maker double the size of Jaguar. Saab is in the process of separating from GM, as part of the seismic restructuring underway at the car maker previously known as the world's biggest. The final details of Saab's future ownership should be announced in the next few weeks.

Saab plans to build around 130,000 cars a year as part of the Koenigsegg group. It has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Swedish company, which does everything from industrial design to supercars. Koenigsegg is way, way bigger than just the sports car division with well financed backers.

Initial production targets of around 130,000 cars a year are close to today's levels, but in the longer run the new owners hope to take Saab sales closer to the 180,000 capacity of the Trollhattan factory in Sweden – the single factory in the new Saab universe now that the new 9-5 will be home-grown rather than assembled in Germany alongside the Insignia whose underpinnings the new Saab shares.

'Above 100,000 units, we are very efficient,' from a senior Saab source. 'Our record year was 134,000 in 2006 – and we're not far off that now.'

Saab has suffered with an ageing product line-up in recent years. The 9-5 is now 12 years old and the 9-3 has passed its sixth birthday. But the range is about to be refreshed with the new 9-5 waiting in the wings, as well as a 9-4X and – in 2012 – the new 9-1 Golf range. All are signed off, bar the smaller Saab which requires further research under the new owners.

How can Saab survive as an independent?

Although a third the size of local rival Volvo (also being spun off by Ford), Saab is confident it can go it alone. Cooperation deals will see the current generation of cars share GM technology, but Saab is now able to broaden its horizons.

'We are either going to buy architectures in as with GM, or we will cooperate with new partners,' said our source. 'We've done this before with the 9000, when we worked with Fiat and GM, remember.'

The insider said that all future Saabs will remain front- or four-wheel drive, ruling out a deal with BMW whose entire saloon and estate range bar the Mini is rear-wheel drive. And Trollhattan is planning an electrification strategy, mating batteries to turbocharged engines and possibly including an E85 biofuel hybrid.

'We will break even by 2011,' claimed our source. 'Then the next 9-3 and others will be deployed – and we hope to move to beyond 150,000 units a year.'

European Market sees 15.7% inprovement

The European new car market is down by 10.3% at the mid-point of 2009, according to figures from JATO Dynamics.

Despite the drop, JATO said a 15.7% improvement on the January figure of 26% demonstrates a slow but progressive improvement each month.

Unsurprisingly, the Volkswagen Golf continues to dominate the sales charts with sales up 32.8% on the same month last year and Volkswagen remains the biggest selling brand in Europe.

David Di Girolamo, head of JATO Consult, said: “Mid-way through the year is a perfect point to take stock of the overall market and to look for established trends rather than short-term peaks and troughs in the market.

“With localised scrappage incentives now working consistently to improve sales, we can see steady and progressive improvements in new car registrations. It’s impossible to be conclusive, but with the continued roll out of incentive schemes and the possibility of some renewed consumer confidence, it would seem likely that by the end of the year the European car market could more or less recover to 2008 levels.”

Model performance

The Golf has dominated in five of the six months of 2009, with only the second placed Ford Fiesta having borrowed its crown for a single month.

The top four places have not changed in June with Peugeot 207 and Opel/Vauxhall Corsa holding their positions. The lower half of the chart has seen an amount of re-shuffling, with the Peugeot 308 a new entry in 10th position at the expense of the Volkswagen Polo which has now dropped out of the top ten performers as the old model is discontinued and the new Polo is introduced.

Lotus Engineering has turned its hand to city car design, and has produced this innovative electric vehicle concept, pitched at the urban driver of 2015. At just 2600mm in length and 1600mm wide, the Lotus supermini is even smaller than a Toyota iQ, but manages to match the Toyota’s 3+1 layout.

The crucial aspect of the design is the aluminium spaceframe in the floor, which houses the batteries and electrical gubbins, while also providing stiffness and crash resistance. The Lotus supermini has been designed specifically for short trips in urban environments, so weight has been saved by limiting the battery pack to 100 lithium ion cells with a total capacity of 10kWh and a charge time of 3.5 hours. 

The battery load is flexible, though, and an additional 100 cells can be added through the floor for increased range, or during the winter when battery performance drops off. Other innovations include solar panels on the roof to supplement battery power, magnesium-cast doors which slide open on special hinges, and the use of composite energy absorbers which turn to dust at impact for improved crumpling in a crash.

Total range is just over 30 miles and the 37kW motor allows a top speed of around 65mph. It should be reasonably perky up to 40mph. Those aren’t big numbers but this car has been designed for purpose, and most owners are expected to have a conventional car on the driveway too for longer, faster journeys.

Skoda VAT free offer

Skoda has extended its VAT free offer on all Octavia, Fabia and Roomster models.

The offer will apply to customers who place their order from (July 20) and whose vehicle is purchased from participating Škoda dealers, delivered and registered before December 31.

Buyers who choose the Skoda Superb will benefit from three years or 30,000 miles free servicing.

17,000 orders for Hyundai...

Hyundai has taken more than 17,000 orders since the beginning of the scrappage scheme, averaging almost 300 orders per day.

The most popular car under the scheme is the i10, taking one in 12 of all orders placed in the UK under scrappage.

The carmaker said extra supplies of the car have been secured from the factory and the company’s import centre in Tilbury, Essex is  to get cars to customers quickly.

Hyundai’s managing director Tony Whitehorn said: “It’s crucial that we get the cars out to buyers as soon as possible, and not only because the customers want their nice new car.

"The government funds are fast running out, and we want to make sure Hyundai buyers can secure their slice of the scrappage handout before the scheme ends.”

Saab 95 fist pics

Official pictures of the new 9-5 have been leaked ahead of its unveiling at September’s Frankfurt motor show.

The new Saab 9-5 is a crucial to the future of Saab under the ownership of Koenigsegg and replaces the 13-year-old first-gen 9-5.

Based on GM’s Epsilon II platform, the new 9-5 features sleek styling with long, sloping C-pillars and blacked-out A-pillars, to give it an aircraft-like wraparound screen, which is a nod to the company’s aviation past.

It features an airy, open cabin and a sleek, coupe-like profile, similar to the Vauxhall Insignia, while there are LED lights at the rear.

Inside, the elegant cabin features leather seats, a central navigation system and a thick-rimmed steering wheel taken from the Insignia.

As well as the 9-5 saloon - shown here in its final production form, and due next spring - Saab engineers are finishing off a 9-5 Sport Combi estate and the 9-4X SUV, which is aimed at the BMW X3 and Audi Q5. Both cars are due later in 2010.

The 9-5 will be offered with two different types of suspension - standard and premium - as well as the option of four-wheel drive. Engines will range from a turbocharged 2.8-litre V6 to a four-cylinder diesel that emits less than 140g/km of CO2.

Autocar

Buying Trends: Making a Premium choice

With all the talk about downsizing and the new frugality, it is worth looking to see if premium brands are losing share in the recession.

Although some individual manufacturers are clearly having a hard time, there is no evidence that people are turning away from premium brands as such (see graph).

While there has been a slight fall so far this year (which will probably accelerate as the scrappage incentive starts to take effect), the overall share for premium brands is still at its second-highest level ever, and is considerably higher than it was five years ago.

At the other end of the scale value brands are increasing share, which will come as no surprise.

So is this part of the trend, much talked about five or 10 years ago, in which mid-market brands get squeezed from both ends, as people either choose to save money or go for maximum prestige? Only up to a point.

The fact is mid-market brands still account for more than 70% of total sales and successful ones are still increasing market share.

Ford and VW are performing strongly while those which are suffering are doing so for manufacturer-specific reasons. Renault is losing sales to mainstream competitors – it is not losing sales to Audi.

As the German brands move into smaller segments, it is inevitable that the overall premium percentage rises. In fact the three German brands are the only ones that really count in volume terms – Audi, BMW (including Mini) and Mercedes-Benz account for 71.7% of all premium brand sales so far this year. That does not leave a huge number for Lexus, Saab, Volvo et al to fight over.

However, even German premium brands do not have a blank cheque: people want premium badges, providing the premium itself is not too high.

As Audi found with the A2, the car has to be seen to be worth the money – a lesson the company will no doubt have learned in time for the A1.

It is easy to exaggerate the difference between premium and mainstream – and not just because the sales figures of the Big Three Germans are now very mainstream indeed. A Mini is clearly a premium supermini and a Corsa 1.0 is clearly not. But what about a fully loaded Fiesta 1.6 in hot magenta?

Ford has long been the epitome of mainstream but a top spec Fiesta competes with premium competitors. The main difference is that premium manufacturers have a brand while mainstream manufacturers have products.

A brand is a big advantage, but the right product can overcome the lack of a manufacturer brand.

The Qashqai, for example, has clearly not suffered from being fitted with an image-free manufacturer badge. 

Market share 2004 v 2009

AM-online

Mitsubishi Colt 1.3 ClearTec

Mitsubishi’s range is not as suited to the scrappage scheme as some manufacturers, but it has still provided a boost, with 3,000 Colts sold so far this year.

Colt sales make up 94% of the 900 models sold through the scheme so far.

Of that allocation of Colts, 24% have been the ClearTec model.

It shows there is definitely an economical concern among customers coming into showrooms, rather than just the motivation of a low price.

Equivalent eco-models such as the Seat Ibiza Ecomotive or Ford Fiesta Econetic will set customers back a £2,100 or £3,700 premium respectively, so even with the recent £300 price rise the ClearTec is still a good starting point for budding eco-warriors who have been spurred on by the scrappage scheme.

However, the lower price does mean a sacrifice in quality.

No one would argue that a customer chooses a Mitsubishi for its superior quality so the harsh plastics aren’t jarring enough to put customers off.

Sales executives can push the eco angle on the ClearTec, which will allow customers to stretch mpg rates into the 50s and will cost them just £35 to tax each year.

Mitsubishi is currently running its Q3 finance deals on the Colt – they offer a flexible range of options to buyers depending on how much deposit they want to put down.

Customers can choose 0% HP finance over 12 months with a 50% deposit or go all the way up to 7.9% HP over a 60-month period with just a 10% deposit.

These offers run until September 1.

Dealers will get marketing help from national television advertising, which does not highlight the ClearTec particularly, but pushes the Colt three-door 1.1 CZ1 with £99 monthly payments.

New Nissan Leaf EV

This is the Nissan Leaf, Nissan’s brand new global, mass-market electric vehicle.

The Leaf will go on sale in the US and Japan next year, and in Europe by 2012. It has an electric motor with 108bhp and 208lb ft of torque, a 100-mile operating range, and will be priced to compete with well-equipped C-segment saloons, at around £20,000.

The Leaf is based on an entirely new platform designed to accommodate newly developed batteries as and when they come on stream. Positioned underneath its cabin floor is a battery pack containing 48 individual lithium ion battery modules. The pack weighs 270kg and can hold 24kWh of energy – enough to give the car a 100-mile range and also to send it to 62mph in just under 10 sec. Maximum speed is 90mph.

Nissan has been doing research into lithium ion battery technology since 1992, and says its competitive advantage lies in its ability to use manganese to make the positive electrodes of its cells, rather than cobalt or nickel. As a result, they can be made much more cheaply than rival batteries.

However, the battery pack for the Nissan Leaf will be leased by the end user; it will not be sold along with the car.

“We believe that’s the right strategy, because that way Nissan remains responsible for the longevity and recycling of the batteries, not the customer,” said a company spokesman. “Bundling the battery in with the car would also add at least £6000 to the price; the battery lease should cost less than £100 a month.”

Charging Nissan’s Leaf takes eight hours from a UK 240v supply, and 16 hours from a 110v socket. From a 400v three-phase charging station, an 80 per cent charge can be carried out in just 15 minutes.

However, the car will not be compatible with the Quickdrop battery swap centres that alliance partner Renault has mooted for its new breed of EVs.

“We don’t think Quickdrop centres are the right business model for Europe,” one Nissan executive told us.

The Nissan Leaf has a cantilevered flap in its bonnet grille behind which is the socket for its charging plug. Otherwise it’s a distinctive but fairly ordinary-looking hatchback with a roomy, leather-clad cabin.

Nissan design chief Shiro Nakamura said: "We wanted this car to be distinctive and recognisable as a Nissan, but not too ‘out there’. It should look like a normal, familiar prospect, even if it won’t drive like one."

As a conventional family five door, the Leaf will also be welcomed by British buyers who regretted Nissan’s decision to abandon the European C-segment when it killed the last Almera. And as a completely emissions-free and affordable family car – a rival to Honda’s new Insight, Toyota’s Prius and GM’s forthcoming Ampera and Volt - it promises to be even cheaper to run and wins even greater environmental kudos.

Autocar on-line

Scrappage US more $ invested

Huge demand has spent almost the total $1bn provided in the US scrappage scheme in its first month.

The US Government is now proposing to inject a further $2bn into the scheme.

It offers rebates of $3,500 or $4,500 to US motorists with old cars or trucks who trade them in for a new, more fuel efficient, vehicle.

Huge demand has spent almost the total $1bn provided in the US scrappage scheme in its first month.

The US Government is now proposing to inject a further $2bn into the scheme.

It offers rebates of $3,500 or $4,500 to US motorists with old cars or trucks who trade them in for a new, more fuel efficient, vehicle.

Mazda MX-5 Superlight Concept Car

This is the Mazda MX-5 Superlight show car – an MX-5 speedster with weight stripped out and windscreen relegated to the scrapheap. Think of it as the purest MX-5 yet.

Sadly, it's just a concept car at present, destined to be shown at the Frankfurt motor show in autumn 2009. Designed in Oberusel, Germany, it is Mazda’s present to itself for creating (over to you, Mazda PR  machine) 'the best-selling two-seat sports car in the world'. 

Of course, this isn’t any old milestone; the MX-5 has been around for 20 years exactly – worming its way into our hearts since its debut in 1989. To some it is single handedly responsible for reviving the small sports car market that many thought had died with the British motor industry.

Mazda MX-5 Superlight: the details

On first glance, you’ll notice the lack of windscreen and door handles in this MX-5 speedster. What you won’t notice is the lightweight technology that allegedly improves driving performance, handling, fuel economy and CO2 emissions.

No technical details have been released yet, meaning we at CAR can only guess it will be conventionally powered by either of the MX-5’s current line of 1.8 or 2.0-litre petrol engines.

'It's like the Smart Crossblade – it has no windscreen!' I hear you scream. Quite. A robust flies-in-the-teeth experience is guaranteed with the lack of glass and A-pillars.

The chances of the MX-5 Superlight being put into production are, we think, remote. But then you never can tell with companies like Mazda.

Audi Project Anniversario – grandson of Ür Quattro

Ever thought that Audis are a bit on the boring side these days? This one certainly isn't. Project Anniversario is a shot in the arm for Ingolstadt, a hardcore sports coupé carrying on where the ur Quattro and Quattro S1 Rallye left off.

Our artist's impression captures the essence of Project Anniversario – a lighter, stronger, faster Audi S5 Quattro planned for 2012. It was conceived as a back-patting anniversary present to mark Audi's centenary, but that date has now slipped back owing to the global financial slowdown. But the latest intelligence received by CAR suggests that Audi is still deadly seriously about putting the uber-S5 into production.

Project Anniversario: the lowdown

Remember the Quattro S1 Rallye? We certainly do. With a revised version of the original ur-Quattro’s 2.1-litre five-cylinder engine, it kicked out 302bhp over the normal car's 200. The new 2012 car (the neu Quattro?) takes inspiration directly from the S1 with revised body panels, shorter overhangs and a twin-turbo V6 massaged to a fulsome 425bhp.

Project Anniversario is light as well as strong. Audi's engineers are targeting a 1400kg kerbweight; insiders inform us that lighter hang-on body panels, new seats and a revised cabin trim will achieve the 240kg saving over the regular S5. Also in the mix are lighter drivetrain parts, a miniaturised air-con compressor and electrically operated auxiliaries.

Other techincal features under discussion include a ‘flybrid’ energy recovery system and a 400bhp version of the TT RS’s five-cylinder turbo.

Visually the new Quattro again takes its inspiration from the S1 with flared wings, bonnet scoops and an angular rear spoiler, depicted in our artist's impression. Rally-inspired alloys finish the purposeful look.

As we’ve all noticed, the world is in the grip of the greatest financial depression since the aftermath of WW1. The new model will have to present a solid business case as well as justifying its existence within a Volkswagen group focused on making ecological brand statements. Project Anniversario is signed off and ready to go, but is on hold while the number crunchers do their thing.

If a business case is made, expect to see the uber-Quattro revealed in late 2010 in time for the original Quattro’s 30th anniversary. We can hardly wait.


AM-online

New car sales up 2.4%

New car registrations rose by 2.4% in July to 157,149, the first month of growth since April 2008.

The latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders put the rise down to the positive impact of the scrappage scheme, but July is not known as being a high volume month.

By comparison, July figures were down by 13% to 153,420 units in 2008 and up by 4.9% to 176,277 units in 2007.

Registrations from private buyers and of small cars were up in July 2009 but the market is still down almost 550,000 units over the past 12 months.

The scrappage scheme accounted for 21% of July's registration total with 33,026 units registered. According to the SMMT, 84,361 vehicles have been registered under the scrappage scheme since May 18.

Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive, said: “The impact of the scrappage scheme is clear and we are encouraged by the positive impact it has had, increasing new car registrations for the first time since April 2008.

“Industry still faces a long road to recovery and we urge the Government to take action to sustain economic recovery through easing access to finance and credit and delivering the loan guarantees set out by the automotive assistance programme.”

Sue Robinson, director of the Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMIF), said: "The impact of the vehicle scrappage scheme is now being felt, with thousands of cars bought by consumers via the scheme now on the road.

"Car dealers are reporting that the scheme is continuing to provide a halo effect for overall car sales, and is helping increase footfall into showrooms by general buyers as well as scrappage buyers."

Robinson adds: "With fleets not in the market for new vehicles at present, it is private buyers taking advantage of the scrappage scheme that are leading the revival. However, for sales to return to consistently positive levels in the medium to long term, business and general consumer confidence must be encouraged as much as possible."

Mercedes E-Class Estate 2010

Take a look at these first official pictures of the Mercedes Fascination concept’s more sober cousin, the Mercedes E-class estate. It’s the latest variation to join the burgeoning Mercedes E-class family, leaving only the convertible and – possibly – the Fascination-emulating sport wagon to come.

At the front, you’d be hard-pushed to find a difference between the new E-class estate and the saloon. We see the same bold grill, geometric quad-headlights and angular day-time running LEDs.

The saloon’s dramatic creases along the body side are present, too. At the rear the estate doesn’t look as frumpy as one might imagine – the waistline curves down and the D-pillar follows, evoking some echoes of classic shooting brakes. The tailgate is plain and unsculptured compared to the rest of the car; Merc says this is to outline the load-lugger’s practicality.

Naturally. The E estate gets all the usual Mercedes gadgetry, complete with baffling names.  ‘Airmatic’ self-levelling suspension and ‘direct control’ adaptive damping help provide an E-class spec ride. ‘Attention assist’ drowsiness detection,  ‘Distronic’ proximity control and ‘Pre-safe’ braking - which starts braking if it predicts an accident is imminent and then tensions the front seatbelts once the car’s fate is sealed – help keep you safe.

The E-class estate also adds pelvic bags to the other seven airbags that are standard on the saloon. They’ll even fit side airbags in the back if you want to bring the ‘bag count up to 11. Very Spinal Tap.

Further silly names come courtesy of the ‘easy-pack’ tailgate which opens automatically, and the new ‘quick-fold’ rear seats, which fold flat in one easy movement. That generous rear overhang helps yield a cavernous load space of up to 1950 litres.

I suppose it’s draped in Blue Efficiency logos too?

Of course. In fact, only one model doesn’t wear the Blue Efficiency badge – that’ll be the 388bhp 5.5-litre V8 E500. Go figure. More sober variants are the two diesels: the E220 CDI and E250 CDI with 170bhp and 204bhp, respectively. Both cars will return 48.7 mpg and puff out just 150g/km of CO2.

Two 1.8-litre four-pot petrol units are offered, the 200 CGI and 250 CGI. The cheaper of the two has 183bhp, musters 36.7mpg and emits 179g/km of gas. The more expensive unit is more powerful and only slightly less frugal, giving 204bhp, 35.3mpg and 191g/km CO2. A 292bhp petrol V6 E350 CGI is also offered and efficiency figures are still respectable – it’ll get you 32.8 miles on one gallon of fuel, and puff out 208g/km of CO2 whilst doing so.

The new Mercedes E-class estate goes on sale in early 2010; expect prices to start at £33,000 for the basic petrol model.

Car Magazine on-line

Chevrolet's Volt Hybrid 230mpg

VW and Porsche merge

Volkswagen (VW) and Porsche have agreed the details under which both will merge by 2011.

VW will initially buy a 42% stake in Porsche before the end of this year for £2.8 billion.

The deal potentially puts an end to months of bad blood between the two companies and follows Porsche’s failed efforts to buy VW.

Over the past 12 months Porsche has built up major debts to get a 51% stake in VW, only to fall short of the required 75% when it could not raise more funds.

Porsche's failure to buy VW saw the firm's former chief executive Wendelin Wiedeking and financial director Holger Haerter resign "with immediate effect" last month.

VW has said Porsche will maintain its independence with its own “solid financial base”. The deal values Porsche at £10.7bn

Saab Safe

General Motors has finalised a deal to sell Saab to supercar maker Koenigsegg.

Both companies signed a memorandum of understanding back in June, but the deal had stalled over concerns with Koenigsegg's lack of financial backing. However, GM confirmed it has now signed a stock purchase agreement with Koenigsegg Group AB regarding the sale of 100% of the shares.

Sweden's Koenigsegg will now ask the Swedish government for a loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB).

A spokesperson for Koenigsegg has said the firm expects the handover to be completed by the end of the year. 

Koenigsegg Group, founded in 1994 by Swedish businessman Christian von Koenigsegg, has 45 employees and produces 18 high-end sports cars a year at more than a million euros each. 

Saab employs 3,400 people in Sweden alone and sold just over 93,000 cars worldwide in 2008.

Von Koenigsegg said in the statement that his company wanted "to transform Saab into a stand-alone, vibrant, entrepreneurial company and make it "sustainable by making it profitable". 

Performance figures for the front-wheel drive hot hatch look good: 62mph is dispatched in 6.1 seconds, the top speed is 155mph, and yet the Cupra R returns 34.9mpg. Thank the high-tech 2.0 turbo engine from the Volkswagen group, which in this incarnation makes 261hp. Helping get all that power through the front wheels is XDS, the same system you'll find on the Golf GTI that effectively mimics a limited slip differential through the use of electronic wizardry.

Stopping is taken care of by 345mm (front) and 286mm (rear) discs that nestle behind a set of white 19in alloys, and the interior features Alcantara bucket seats, a sprinkling of ‘Cupra’ and ‘R’ badges (which also make their way onto the exterior), a multi-functional leather steering wheel and funky white LED lighting on the instrument dials.

The Leon Cupra R will be unveiled at the Frankfurt motor show in September and is expected to cost around £21,000.

Seat Ibiza 1.4 Ecomotive

The Seat Ibiza Ecomotive is, as its name implies, Seat’s realisation of a low-emission supermini.

Reducing the emissions of a luxury car by, say, 20 per cent, is hard but can be done without affecting its driver’s quality of life.

Doing the same to a supermini is more difficult. Superminis are, by definition, small and light already, and priced so that a lot of technology is prohibitive.

The route Seat has taken with the Ibiza Ecomotive is one we’ll see more of. My bet is that that by 2015 stand-alone ‘eco’ variants won’t exist. All superminis will do, at least in part, what the Ecomotive does.

To attain its 98g/km level of carbon dioxide emissions, the Ibiza Ecomotive has a three-cylinder, 1.4 turbodiesel, very leggy gearing, narrow, low-resistance tyres and more aerodynamic efficiency than the standard Ibiza.

The upshot is impressive; at its launch the only supermini to match the Ibiza for 76.3mpg economy is the Ford Fiesta Econetic, which plays by largely the same rules.

The Ibiza is a reasonably competitive supermini, if less pleasing to drive than its most dynamic rivals.

Its three-pot diesel thrums away loudly, particularly so if it’s being asked to pull at the low revs where it returns its best economy. The ride is no better than reasonable, either, occasionally crashing around town, and it’s no great fun to steer.

Maybe these are sacrifices Seat accepted to win the numbers game. The Ibiza Ecomotive does that easily, undercutting most of its rivals. It’s carefully equipped, too: air conditioning is standard on the Ibiza (optional or not available on some rivals) but in return you have to manually adjust the Ibiza’s door mirrors. That’s a trade-off I could live with.

And the real-world economy? Holding 60mpg-plus is simple enough and, admittedly over the quiet roads on which I tried the car, I maintained over 70mpg without getting in anyone’s way.

This is the Citroen DS3 supermini, the first car in a DS range that will be launched at the Frankfurt motor show next month.

The French firm hopes that this rival for the Mini and Fiat 500 will give the Citroen brand an image boost.

The new car is based on the next C3, itself not due until next year, and the production car has stayed remarkably close to the concept that was the star of this year’s Geneva show.

The only obvious external differences are the tailpipes — a twin outlet replaces the concept’s large single exhaust — and a conventional aerial instead of the concept’s BMW-style fin. Even the wheels are the same.

The complex bodywork features a fully glazed rear, with conventional C-pillars replaced by the rear window. At 3.95m long and 1.71 m wide, it’s very similar in size to the ford Fiesta, although Citroen claims it has worked hard to reduce the weight of the car.

Buyers will be able to customise the exterior and interior of their cars. There are four colour schemes for the roof — black, white, blue and red — and graphics are also available. Door mirrors can be specified in body colour or chrome, and the coloured wheel centres are available in what Citroën describes as “an infinite variety of colours”.

Inside, the dashboard insert is available in six different finishes, with five different

gear lever trims to choose from. And the key features a small disc painted in the same colour as the car’s body.

Engine choices consist of two diesels and three petrol motors. The diesels are 1.6-litre HDi units with either 90bhp or 110bhp; the lower-powered unit emits just 99g/km of CO2. The four-pot petrol engines have outputs of 150bhp, 120bhp and 95bhp. All engines come with five or six-speed manual gearboxes.

Underneath the DS3 is the new C3 chassis, which uses MacPherson strut front suspension and a torsion beam rear. Citroen claims the suspension has been reworked to increase refinement, but it will be tuned to be sportier than the C3.

Citroen is making much of the DS3’s interior space. The car has a 285-litre boot, comparable to that of the Fiesta. But that’s more load space than in the Fiat 500 and Mini, and Citroën is also promising that the DS3 will offer “five real seats”.

The DS3 will be joined by two other DS models: the DS4 in 2011 and, a year later, the DS5, a big estate/MPV inspired by the C-Sportlounge concept from 2005. The cars could add as much as 40 per cent to the sales of the mainstream models on which they’re based.

The DS3 goes on sale next March, and it should be priced to undercut the Mini.

Autocar on-line

Scrappage won't be extended

Lord Mandelson has revealed that the government so far has no intention to extend the scrappage scheme.

Speaking on a BBC radio interview, he said it was unlikely to continue past its intended deadline, despite calls from various motoring organisations.

"At the moment we have no plans for extending or renewing it," the business secretary revealed.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders revealed earlier in the summer that the car buying market remains down 25.9 per cent or 322,524 units over the first half of the year.

NFDA chairman Paul Williams said: "We are bitterly disappointed at Lord Mandelson’s recent comments where he rejected the possibility of continuing the vehicle scrappage scheme without even the courtesy of a meeting with the industry to discuss the issue.

Volkswagen New Golf R

Pictures of the VW Golf R have leaked out ahead of its expected launch at the Frankfurt motor show tomorrow.

A hot version of the Golf to rival the Ford Focus RS, Mazda 3 MPS and Audi S3 has long been rumoured.

The reports claim it will be largely based on the Scriocco R and will feature VW’s 4Motion AWD system.

The VW Golf R is a successor for the R32 but it won’t use that car’s 3.2-litre V6 according to the reports. Instead, it will get a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, which produces 261bhp and around 258lb ft of torque.

Its 0-62mph time for the six-speed manual is expected to be 6.5secs, with the DSG-equipped model capable of getting to 62mph in 6.4secs.

Other features claimed to appear on the R include LED lights, new wheels, sills and badges, and twin rear exhausts. Inside it gets two-tone sports seats, aluminium pedals and R badging.

No prices have been confirmed by VW, but expect to pay around £25,000 when it goes on sale in the UK next year.

Autocar online

First new Saab 9-5 for 12 years

Saab dealers will get their hands on the new 9-5 model for the first time in 12 years when it arrives in showrooms next year.

A smoother and more rounded exterior styling was inspired by Saab’s Aero-X concept and the introduction of new product will reassure dealers and consumers alike that delays over the sale of the Swedish brand has not stalled its development.

The new 9-5 will feature an aircraft inspired heads-up display, adaptive cruise control, adaptive chassis, parking assistance and all-wheel drive system. Saab has confirmed there will be a choice of 2.0-litre turbo, 2.8V6 petrol and 2.0-litre turbo engines. A 1.6-litre 180bhp and 2.0-litre BioPower E85 engine will be introduced after launch. All engines will come with a six-speed transmission.

No word on what prices are expected to be yet but the outgoing model starts at £19,580.

Sale

Sports carmaker Koenigsegg has struck a preliminary deal with former bidder Beijing Automotive Industry Holdings (BAIC) to help financially back a deal to acquire Saab from General Motors.

BAIC will become a minority shareholder under the deal which is now expected to go through before the end of October.

Equipment

Standard equipment includes: a keyless start/stop button, electric park brake, six-way adjustable driver and passenger seats, dual zone climate control, leather steering wheel, information display, front seat squab storage pouches, steering wheel audio controls, adjustable front arm-rest, cruise control, ambient interior lighting and a nine-speaker audio system with a USB and 3.5mm AUX connection and a graphic information display.

The Aero trim adds an electric driver’s seat, heated front seats, extendable under-thigh support. The interior has a full colour information display and an ‘Aero’ embossed, flat bottomed sports steering wheel with a perforated leather grip.

AMonline

India is the fastest growing source of cars in the UK


The threat from the Chinese car industry is the subject of much punditry. Talk of Chinese companies growing fat on the vast home market and then invading western markets is rife, but the reality is more prosaic. 

Sales of Chinese cars in the UK are currently zero, but another Asian economy is doing very well in our market – India is easily the fastest growing source of cars in this country. 

A few years ago we were asked by a car manufacturer if UK buyers would react badly if they supplied this country from an Indian factory. 

Given that Vauxhall was then supplying Zafiras from Thailand and Mercedes was sourcing C- Classes from South Africa, we could not see the problem – the country of origin is associated in the public mind with the brand rather than the factory.

So it has proved: no-one objects that their Hyundai (i10 and i20), Nissan (Pixo) or Suzuki (Alto) comes from India. 

There is an interesting distinction between the Indian and Chinese industries. Tata notwithstanding, India is becoming known as a production centre for small cars that are primarily designed for rich countries, whereas China sees its future as an independent design centre for unique products

AMonline

Almost two-thirds of the 247,200 Saab cars registered in the UK belong to men, demonstrating a clear masculine bias. A further 13.19% are company car-owned and 17.82% are owned by women.

Saab vehicles account for 0.658% of the UK car parc and is ranked as the 25th most favoured brand by UK customers.
The 9-3 is the most likely Saab to be seen on the roads, accounting for 58.05% of the marque’s registered cars.

This is followed with Saab 9-5 with 20.95% and Saab 900 with 14.10%. All UK Saabs are classified as medium family cars (72.38%) or large family cars (26.98%). Yet only 28.03% have automatic transmission.

Birmingham leads the way as prime Saab territory with 5.2% of the vehicle parc: 12,791 cars have been registered there.
Other hotspots, in order of share, are Reading, Leicester, Glasgow, Bristol, Guildford, Chester, Edinburgh, Nottingham and Sheffield. Together, they contain 20.54% of all UK Saabs.

More than a third are younger than four years old, including 13.83% under two years; 27.4% are more than 10 years old.
Private plates are not regular fodder for Saab owners with just over a fifth (22.95%) choosing them to appear on vehicles.

The top two favoured colours are black (23.47%) and blue (22.88%) which together makes up 46.35% of all UK Saabs. Silver/aluminium (21.91%) and grey (13.41%) follow close behind. 

At the other end of the scale, there are 12 pink and one multi-coloured Saab. This analysis has been performed by GMAP Consulting using current market statistics from the anony-mised DLVA parc data.

AMonline

Lexus has designs on small premium cars.

The Lexus LF CH concept gives a good indication as to where the Japanese luxury brand is going says Toyota Europe sales and marketing executive vice president Didier Leroy.

It tells you two things," he said. "One is that we want to challenge BMW and Audi with the 1 series and A3, and two, that we are clear that hybrid technology will spread through all our product ranges."

But he added that a production version of the concept is not a done deal. "I would really like to think we could have this car for Europe but we need to evaluate the reaction we get from people at the Frankfurt Motor Show and from elsewhere."

Leroy is under no illusions about the job Lexus has to do in Europe. "Our sales have decreased 50% in the region and we need to address that. This area of the market is not where we have had a competitor in the past and it is an opportunity for us.

"That said, we don't feel we need to fight Audi or BMW but we can perhaps offer an alternative with a hybrid vehicle in this sector."

As other manufacturers announce electric vehicle plans, Toyota still plans to follow the hybrid route for the time being, Leroy added.

"It is 12 years since we launched the first Prius so we have a lot of experience in this field. At the moment hybrids are not restricted by range. We see other manufacturers introducing mild hybrids but we are focused for now on the full hybrid to serve most drivers' needs.

"Of course we have the technology for electric vehicles but first you need to have an infrastructure in place and their time will come. We are also testing fuel cell vehicles, again the technology is there but the key is getting cost down to put this into volume production. We cannot see that happening before 2020."

Toyota's stated aim is to be selling 1 million hybrids a year globally by the middle of the next decade, up from some 600,000 now. Leroy said: "In Europe we are currently selling just under 60,000 Toyota and Lexus hybrids. Next year we hope to see 70-80,000, and that is before the Auris hybrid is launched."

The Auris is due to go into production at the UK's Burnaston factory late next year and Leroy confirmed that technology will cascade into other Toyota and Lexus models.

"We have said we will have hybrid versions of all our vehicles by 2020, but beyond Auris there is, as yet, no decision on what the next vehicle will be."

amonline

Mercedes-Benz goes the Hybrid route...

All-electric cars with the range of modern day petrol or diesel-equipped engines are still 20 years away, says Mercedes-Benz research and development boss Thomas Weber.

Electric cars for city driving are just around the corner and technology exists to run a car for up to 120 miles without a top up. Getting to twice or three times that is still some way off, he said.

Weber, who is member for the board of Mercedes parent Daimler, responsible for R&D, said that while Mercedes develops EVs, it will continue to improve conventional petrol and diesel engines and sees hybrid technology as the next development towards zero emission vehicles.

Weber said: "Hybrids offer great potential in terms of their flexibility. Pure electric vehicles are still constrained by range and there many issues still to address in terms of weight and cost. Hybrid technology has now been well-established by the Japanese makers and at last week's Frankfurt Show we showed the full range of our own hybrid technologies.

"Before we see full electric cars or fuel cell vehicles we need to establish infrastructures. Topping up batteries is straightforward if we charge vehicles slowly overnight. But we need to look at charging stations and how we can top batteries up in much shorter timescales, and this requires investment to upgrade the grid. Similarly with hydrogen fuel cells we will need hydrogen filling stations."

Weber said that there are still many gains to be made in terms of fuel consumption and carbon dioxide reduction with existing engines and transmissions.

Mercedes is currently  developing smaller engines which could one day see turbocharged 4-cylinder engines in big, luxury S-Class models.

"Downsizing is not necessarily about smaller cars," he added. He also reveals that all Mercedes cars will have stop-start systems available. "The roll-out has already started."

Weber says Mercedes will also continue to focus on safety.

He said: "Our goal remains the accident-free vehicle. Every customer only has one life and we are looking continuously not only on crash performance, but on avoiding collisions in the first place."


amonline

Volvo looks to plug-in Hybrids by 2012 


Following plans to introduce a plug-in hybrid in 2012, Volvo is also evaluating the viability of an entirely electric-powered C30 known as a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV).

Sharing technology seen on trial Ford FOcus BEVs, the C30 BEV is powered solely by electricity, emits no carbon dioxide emissions, and has a range of up to 93 miles.

It features a limited top speed of 80mph and can reach 0-62mph in less than 11 seconds.

In 2009, a small number of prototype versions of the C30 BEV have been built and tested internally by Volvo.

The Volvo C30 BEV is powered with a Litium-Ion battery that is charged via a regular power socket found in most homes.

Recharging an entirely depleted battery via the 230V 16A household power supply system will take about eight hours.

The electric motor is housed under the bonnet,while trials will continue to discover the best place for the battery.

Volvo says ideally, it will be in the prop shaft tunnel or where the fuel tank normally is located, within the car's crumple zone.

Since the car runs solely on electricity, it requires a larger battery with higher capacity (24 kWh) compared to the plug-in hybrid (12 kWh).

Volvo says it has theoretically identified all the electric-related safety scenarios in the stages before, during and after a collision.

Volvo Cars' main focus over the mid-term future is plug-in hybrids, the solution that, at this moment in time, Volvo believes has the greatest potential due to long range, good environmental performance and at the same time limited dependence on expensive battery technology.

Get a new Volvo car for less than list price

Honda Jazz leads used car charge

Consumer demand in the used market for city cars and superminis has been described as "almost endless" by HPI, with the Honda Jazz leading the way.

HPI says the desirability for both sectors has been enhanced by people downsizing and the scrappage scheme.

“There is an almost endless demand for clean, low mileage models in the used market,” said Martin Keighley, HPI’s valuations expert.

“The traditional volume players such as Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Corsa and the VW Polo have strong competition from the low volume players offering styles to suit everyone, from sporty to basic frugal models.

"Add this to their generally lower than average production of carbon emissions, and these cars offer guilt-free, greener motoring and good value.”

“The new Ford Fiesta has a seemingly endless queue of buyers, but don’t be fooled by its popularity, as its high list price doesn't make it, in terms of depreciation, the best buy,” said Keighley.

“The Honda Jazz is sensibly priced with a great reputation and good residuals, which is why it’s top of our league table."

Other worthwhile contenders include the Hyundai i20, "a bargain, but hard to get hold of".

One of the cheaper cars in this style is the Chevrolet Aveo, and coupled with its "reasonable" residual values, tops HPI's depreciation ranks.

The average three year/60,000 miles forecast for all cars is 31.2% and the supermini sector average is 31.7%, so all of the top ten are above average on both counts.

amonline

Electric MINI trial planned for UK

MINI is giving 20 drivers the chance to be the first to live with the all-new electric MINI model in Britain.

Mini is looking for 20 people to lease the electric Mini E in 2010 for six months. The lease will cost £330 a month.

This price includes insurance and maintenance and has been dropped from £550 as the model has been backed by the Technology Strategy Board that promotes technology innovation in the UK and has therefore won extra backing.

Anyone that is successful in getting to trial the Mini E will also be expected to pay for the electricity used in the car. The manufacturer claims that a full re-charge of the battery at current off-peak costs will be just £1.50 while peak time charging will cost £4.00 for a full charge, much less than the equivilent cost of petrol or diesel.

The scheme set-up by the manufacturer will see the first 20 applicants have the car for six months with another 20 to follow in mid-2010.

There are some conditions to the leasing with applicants having to live in the South East of England, with a full list of qualifying postcodes available on the Mini E website.

amonline

The rules on the trade-in vehicle are also being amended to include cars registered before February 28, 2000, and vans registered before February 28, 2002.

The scrappage scheme will still expire on February 28, 2010, or sooner if the Government's money, now a total of £400m, is spent out before then.

Don’t be fooled by the concept tag that Honda is officially using; the neat CR-Z in these images is 95 per cent production ready and has altered little from the futuristic vision wheeled out at 2007’s Tokyo show.

autocar.co.uk

One hour, One gallon challenge

In this weeks Autocar magazine, six fuel sippers took part in our one hour, one gallon challenge.

We took a Toyota Prius, Honda Insight, Ford Fiesta, BMW 116d, Vauxhall Corsa and a Smart CDI to Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground to see which car would travel the furthest on one gallon of fuel in one hour.

Unlike other mpg tests which reward slow driving, the winner of this one would be whichever car traveled the most miles in an hour on a gallon of fuel, regardless of whether or not it ran out before the end of the challenge.

The full results are in this week's Autocar magazine which is on sale now.

autocaronline

Nissan reveals new compact

Nissan has revealed the first concept sketch of its new global car which could be a replacement for the Micra.

Details on the new model are scarce but it will first be launched in Thailand in March 2010 and will be available in more than 150 countries.
 

Fiat Punto Evo1.4 multiair turbo 2009

The Grande Punto has done well for Fiat, only the new 500 outstripping it for UK sales during the last 12 months. Its replacement is the Punto Evo, a facelifted Grande Punto with new interior and exterior design treatments. Although, 'replacement' isn't strictly true because (unusually for the UK market) the Grande Punto will live on in basic form as an entry level option.

For the Punto Evo there's a wide range of petrol and diesel engines, six of which meet the new Euro 5 emissions standards and five are fitted with a standard start-stop system and hill-hold function. Read on for CAR's first drive of the new Fiat Punto Evo.

So what's different about the looks of the new Fiat Punto Evo?

Externally, the Punto Evo has a neater line with two radiator grilles and a new rear bumper with redesigned tail lights. Overall length has increased slightly though the width has stayed the same. I

nside, there's a new embossed surface to the top of the dash, and larger dials for speedo and rev counter with new typography for all the numbers making them easier to read. Door trims have been revised with larger fabric areas and seats have been freshened-up both visually and ergonomically. Distinctly Italian, the design work is nevertheless a step down from the full-on approach taken with new Alfas and will probably appeal to a much wider audience.

Does the new engine lineup make much difference?

Yes, quite a lot. Of the 10-strong engine range, there are three Euro 5 petrol engines rated at 77bhp, 105bhp and 135bhp. The two top petrols are fitted with the MultiAir variable valve control system that increases both power and economy at the same time. There are also two Multijet II diesels at 75bhp and 95bhp with the latest version of Fiat's common rail fuel injection reducing consumption and CO2 by a further 2% compared to the original system.

Carmagazineonline

The Hottest Rocket in Town

Renault Sport Twingo 133 cup 2009.

Renaultsport does a rather fine line in hot hatches. The outgoing R26R is amazing, the Clio 200 is brilliant, and we’re all fans of the tiny Twingo 133. And now there’s a new Renaultsport Twingo 133, the Cup.

You can already buy a regular little Renaultsport Twingo 133 for £12,495, but there’s also a Cup chassis option. For £650 it adds 10% stiffer springs and dampers, reduces the ride height by 4mm, and adds 17-inch wheels and tyres in lieu of the regular 16s.

It’s the same set-up Renaultsport has with the Clio, whereby you can spec a regular 200, and then opt for a Cup chassis to sharpen things up. But on the Clio 200 there’s also the option of a lightened (and cheaper) Clio Cup. And now the Twingo is following suit.

The new Twingo Cup keeps the Cup chassis settings, but in comes a regular rear bench in place of the sliding back seats, while out goes the air-con, auto lights and tinted rear windows.

The reduction in equipment cuts 10 kilos from the Twingo’s kerbweight, and you’ll shed a few pounds yourself on a hot summer’s day when there’s no air-con to cool you down.

But the benefit of going without air-con is that you’ll save yourself a few quid. The new Twingo Cup costs £11,795, which means it’s £700 cheaper than a basic Renaultsport Twingo, and £1300 less than a Cup-equipped car, even though it retains the latter’s chassis.

Shell out another £150 and you can have the white paint, plus gloss black door mirrors, spoiler and bumper trims of our test car, while another £175 nets you the mean-looking black wheels.

New car registrations rose by 11.4% in a busy September plate change month to 367,929 units, marking the third successive rise in figures.

The official numbers from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that official figures were 30,000 units higher than the 2.5% rise that was originally forecast in comparison to the weak 2008 performance.

Despite the rise, September 2009’s 11.4% increase was still 51,361 units down in comparison to the same month in 2007 before the recession hit.

Scrappage scheme

The scrappage scheme accounted for 21% of the September new car registrations with 77,316 units sold. The total scrappage scheme sales tally is now at 178,278 units.

Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive, said: “New car registrations rose for the third month in a row in September.

New Volvo S60 (2010)

Volvo will launch its new S60 in spring 2010 an artist's impression reveals the new Volvo S60 and show how it's stayed remarkably faithful to 2008's S60 concept car, fish eyes and all.

It's quite a departure for Volvo, whose big saloons have been a bit too close in concept for our liking over the past decade.

The Swedes have been desperate to put more space between the S60 and S80, which have overlapped uncomfortably in showroom appeal. The new S60 has been nudged slap bang into BMW 3-series, Audi A4 and Mercedes C-class territory. With the recent revisions and new engines, we now believe the S80 competes in the 5-series, A6 and E-class segment. At last there's clear water between the two.'

Volvo types who have seen the new S60 claim it has more of a coupé feel than a saloon. Our artist's impressions, which are said to be highly accurate, depict a more raked hatchy style rear end like an A5 Sportback, rather than the outgoing S60's three-box design. Naturally, the glass roof and handclap doors of the concept are dumped for a conventional construction.

The S60 will be the first Volvo to show off the new Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake. It's a development of City Safe, which brakes the car to a standstill if you're about to run into the back of the car in front; the new version will do a full emergency stop at speeds of up to 25mph.

UK sales are slated for September 2010, so there's still a little wait yet. Expect to see the first official pictures later this year, ahead of a Geneva motor show debut.

Lotus has sights on Ferrari!

The new boss of Lotus has promised to restore the iconic British sports car brand to its former glory.

Dany Bahar, who moved from Ferrari to take over as CEO, believes Lotus has massive potential and will focus on lightweight sports cars and motorsport to reinvigorate the brand.

"Lotus was mentioned in the same sentence as Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati in the 1970s-1990s," Bahar told reporters in Malaysia.

He claims to be working on a business plan that will take Lotus back to the top alongside Ferrari within five years.

Bahar succeeds Michael Kimberley, who stepped down in the summer due to health reasons.

AM Online

New Mazda CX-7 Crossover

The refreshed Mazda CX-7 crossover goes on sale next month at £25,785.

The thirsty 256bhp petrol engine from the Mazda 3 MPS has been ditched and the only unit on offer now is the 171bhp turbocharged 2.2-litre diesel.

Visual tweaks include a restyled front with a larger grille with chrome detailing. Chrome strips now also run along the bottom of the doors.

A larger rear spoiler is bolted on to the rear and the CX-7 wears new 19-inch alloy wheels.

The CX-7 gets a raft of standard equipment including leather seats, climate control air-conditioning, cruise control, electric windows, electric driver’s and front passenger’s heated seats, and a Bose sound system.

The car goes on sale on 1 November.

Audi's new A1 range (2010)

Audi top brass last night outlined plans for the 2010 launch of the new Audi A1 family, including a whole range of A1 hatchbacks and potentially A1 estates, convertibles and small 4x4s.

The Audi A1 will be positioned slap bang against BMW’s burgeoning Mini family when UK sales begin in autumn 2010, priced from around £11,000.

The new A1 three-door hatch will be unveiled first at the 2010 Geneva motor show, with continental sales kicking off next summer. Right hand drive markets follow a few months later in September 2010.

Peugeot Bipper Tepee


The new Peugeot Bipper Tepee is on sale now, with prices starting at £9,995.

The five-seat MPV, derived from the small Bipper van, is available in two trims, S and Outdoor, with standard kit including ABS, CD player with MP3 compatibility and heated door mirrors.

Load capacity is 356 litres or 884 litres with 60/40 rear seats folded down, while the rear bench seat is completely removable. Access to the rear is via sliding doors, for improved accessibility.

The Bipper Tepee is powered by 1.4-litre engines in HDi diesel and petrol guises. The 70bhp diesel engine is mated to five-speed manual or an electronic five-speed manual box.

The petrol unit returns 42.8mpg and emits 155g/km through a five-speed manual.

The Peugeot Bipper Tepee range is available in a range of eight exterior body colours.

The range starts at £9,995, with a £1,000 premium for the diesel model.

Subaru is to show off its Boxer hybrid technology in a new Tourer concept at the Tokyo Motor Show on October 21.

Britain celebrates world titles for Button and Brawn

 

Jenson Button - World Champion

Fifth place at the Brazilian Grand Prix was enough to cement the world title for Jenson Button yesterday, 21 years after he first took to the race track in a kart.

 

An understandably emotional Button said the race was 'the best of my life', as key rivals Sebastian Vettel finished fourth from 15th on the grid and Rubens Barrichello's chances were ended by a puncture.

"This was the best race I've driven in my life," Button told Autosport after the race. "I know because of the emotion that's involved in it, but also because I knew what I had to do - I did it, and that is why I am sat up here as world champion. I am going to enjoy this moment very much. The people around me have been so supportive. I might have come across like I don't care about this in the past, but that was just me keeping a face. It shows a weakness if you show it is hurting or stressful, but I can say it now, it was very a tough few months and I needed the people around me, especially the team to fight for this. Today I didn't win the race but I did best I could with the car and it felt like a win to me. I am the world champion - I am not going to stop saying it!"

Well done Jenson, we always knew you had it in you!

 

Ross Brawn celebrates for the team

The new Brawn GP team set up by Ross Brawn after Honda sold out is also celebrating, having clinched its first Constructor's Title in its first year of competition.

Pistonheads

Range Rover Sport Supercharged!!

503bhp V8 powered Rangie gives Riggers the giggles

 

If you are in the mood for a bit of a giggle, and you happen to have a brand-new Range Rover Sport Supercharged to hand, here is a surefire way to amuse yourself. Fire it up, take it to the nearest traffic light-festooned dual carriageway and wait for a superbike - any sort will do - to appear beside you.

 

While you wait for the lights to turn green, pop the Rangie into neutral and give the new 5.0-litre supercharged V8 a blip, while attempting to stare out the chap (or indeed chappess) on the bike. It will make what follows all the more hilarious.

When the green light does appear, squeeze the accelerator pedal as hard as possible, and hold on tight. Because you are about to launch 2590kg of SUV forward at an alarmingly rapid rate.

 

What allows you to do this is the new 5.0-litre supercharged V8, which delivers exactly the same 503bhp as it does when it’s fitted into the Sport’s sleek cousin, the Jaguar XFR. In numeric terms, the Rangie Sport will lunge to 62mph in 5.9secs and, although the superbike will be well ahead of you by then, the rider will have had a nasty shock. After all, the old 4.2 Range Rover Sport - which had only 385bhp to call upon - took 7.2secs to reach 60mph according to Autocar’s road test.

 

Aside from the storming new engine, the latest Range Rover Sport has received a gentle restyle. Among the most notable changes are new front and rear light clusters, a smart new grille and new-style alloys. Inside the old, rather Tonka Toy-esque interior has also been given a makeover. Gone are the over-chunky plastics, replaced by a smoother, more sophisticated leather-and-wood look. The overall effect is to soften the edges of what has always been a rather brash, overblown design. The Range Rover Sport has finally grown up.

 

It wouldn’t be anywhere near as appealing without that stunning new engine, however. In combination with the smooth, intuitive six-speed ZF gearbox (complete with steering wheel-mounted shifts), the big V8 makes either cruising or lunging about the countryside a real pleasure.

 

The handling is less spectacular. Despite the best efforts of Land Rover’s chassis engineers, there’s only so much you can do with a 2.5-ton SUV. There’s plenty of grip, but body roll, pitch and yaw are ever-present companions if you tackle a twisty road or a roundabout with any gusto.

The steering is also particularly weird. Much as in the Sport’s baby brother, the Freelander, the steering is hyper-reactive just off the straight-ahead. The result is a razor-sharp turn-in, but a curiously vague feel to the helm once the car is settled in to a corner. It also means a slightly nervy attitude in fast motorway cruising.

 

So, the new Range Rover Sport has grown up a little. But in supercharged form it is most definitely game for a laugh. It’s smooth, refined and hilariously quick. You’ll have to have deep pockets to find it funny, though: we averaged 14.4mpg over a weekend and 600 miles or so, and you’d have to fork out £61,995 to get hold of one. That’s XFR territory and, to be honest, we’d rather buy an XFR, and beat the superbike away from the lights, rather than just give it a nasty fright.

(Pistonheads)

Drivers acquitted of motoring charges will pay costs under new government scheme

Peugeot BB1 electric car

Peugeots has stated that a decision will be made within the next four months on the fate of the Peugeot BB1 concept car. It is hoped that the Peugeot BB1 will go into production.

The 4 seater Peugeot BB1 has a lithium-ion battery powered driveline with two 20bhp in wheel electric motors, which give a combined output of around 20bhp, more than enough power for something weighing in at only 600kg. Its lithium-ion batteries deliver a 130km range, with a top speed of 80mph and can be fully recharged in just six hours. The Peugeot BB1 can cram in four passengers which is clever seating as it is smaller than the Toyota IQ. Instead of a steering wheel it has handlebars; the seating is bicycle style saddles. With its carbon-fibre bodywork, the Peugeot BB1 will not be cheap, but Jean-Marc Gales says it should sell for less than 12,000 Euros (£11,140). It might also mean the vehicle could be homologated under the quadricycle rules, which will mean cheaper tax and insurance.

The all-new Ford Focus will arrive in showrooms in early 2011 with the aim of finally dethroning the Volkswagen Golf as western Europe’s best-selling car, according to company sources.

The new Focus won’t just be 
a key player in Europe, either; it’s set to become a global car, to be sold in North America. The US version will be unveiled at the Detroit show in January, before the European car.

The new Focus will go on sale after the launch of the recently unveiled C-Max five and seven-seat MPVs, the first models based on what Ford sources call “an all-new, global platform”.

The production version of the C-Max, to be built in Spain, is set to be launched at next September’s Paris show. The seven-seat version is heading for the US along with the Focus.

Design sources say Ford is going to make the new Focus much sportier and more coupé-like than the current model.

“The hatchback Focus will be relatively lower and sportier than the C-Max you saw at the Frankfurt show,” said our insider. “The important point is that there will be much more differentiation in terms of the relative stance and the H-point between the hatches and C-Max than on the current models.”

The H-point is designer shorthand for the position of the driver’s hip point, which in practice means that the upcoming three and five-door Focus hatchbacks will have lower seating positions and markedly low-roofed styling.

The Focus’s chassis is also likely to be more sportily tuned than that of the C-Max, which is aimed at families and older drivers who appreciate the higher seating position.

The Focus will also get its own interior design theme, with the dash angled towards the driver to deliver more of a cockpit-like feel.

The new Focus will be powered by a new range of ‘Ecoboost’ downsized turbocharged petrol engines.

“The plan is for all our petrol cars to have smaller-capacity, direct-injection turbocharged engines,” said one source. “We especially have to meet the average CO2 target figure that has been set in the European Union, but downsized turbocharged engines are already proving popular in North America as well.”

One casualty of the move to greater fuel efficiency will be the five-cylinder Volvo-derived engine that powers today’s Focus ST. The next generation of the model is likely to be powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-pot, which can develop as much as 276bhp.

Aside from its range of diesel engines, Ford is working on a new range of super-frugal three-cylinder turbo petrol units, with capacities “much smaller than 1.6 litres”.

These engines are likely to be sized around 1.0 and 1.2 litres and are expected to become more popular when tough EU emissions rules make diesel engines increasingly expensive. A number of makers (including Renault and Nissan) are working on similar powerplants because the upcoming EU5 and EU6 emissions regs will force expensive de-pollution kit to be fitted to diesels.

This move will make small diesels too expensive to be fitted to superminis and many cheaper Focuses. Ford hopes that the three-pot petrol motors will offer the performance and fuel economy of a typical small diesel.

Autocaronline

Worlds cheapest car in fire scare

Fires in three models of the Tata Nano, launched last year as the world's cheapest new car, has prompted its Indian manufacturer to plan precautionary checks.

Tata Motors said it may check the 7,500-odd Nanos that have been delivered, after a faulty combination switch reportedly resulted in fires in at least three cases in India.

However it said it was not considering a recall of the car for the time being. Unlike in the US and European car markets, recall of cars is not mandatory in India, even in cases of technical faults.

Tata Motors has not begun exporting the Nano yet.

Car buyers stung by green tax

Green taxes imposed on the UK in the future could include a £3,300 levy on new cars.

Recommendations from the Green Fiscal Commission could mean a drastic reshaping of the tax system to reign in greenhouse gas emissions.

A 100-page report from the GFC is due to be presented today by Lord Turner, head of the committee on climate change.

Saabs new 95 estate

This is our new artist’s impression of the new Saab 9-5 estate, one of the first new products to be launched by Saab as a new independent car maker. It’s scheduled for launch in autumn 2010, by which time they hope to have sorted out the complicated separation from GM.

It’s one of four new Saabs coming in 18 months: the 9-5 saloon and estate, the new 9-4X crossover and the next 9-3.

MAZDA 3

The combination of a new model, new engines and a boosted scrappage offering from Mazda make the new Mazda3 attractive to motorists looking for an alternative to the mainstream lower medium car such as the Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra and Volkswagen Golf.

The 1.6 (109PS) diesel is a new addition to the range. It emits 119g/km, down from 128g/km, road tax is £35 per year and it falls into insurance group 5E.

Combined mpg is 62.8. Mazda is contributing an extra £1,000 under the scrappage scheme bringing customer savings to £3,000. It is also offering a range of finance offers.

AM Online

Renault Twizy Z.E. Concept

This is the real eye-catcher of the Renault electric range, a four-wheeled tandem two-seater barely wider than a scooter and intended to tame Europe’s most traffic-stuffed capitals.

The idea is that you’ll be able to keep moving - and find a parking spot - in (on?) your tiny Twizy, even when more conventional traffic has long since become gridlocked.

What's it like?

Think of the old BMW C1 scooter, lengthen it a bit, widen it by 20cm so there’s room for four small wheels (all independently sprung), then kit it with a 20bhp electric motor (under the passenger’s backside), fed by a lithium ion battery (under your own). Make it look much more handsome and modern; then you’ve just about got it.

There are lots of great details. There are honeycomb matrix displays front and rear that allow you to display the “mood” of the car. The very basic instrumentaion is like nothing you’ve seen before: imagine a yellow plastic flower straight ahead of you, whose petals gradually close as your power runs out.

It’s not fast, the Twizy. Renault has deliberately built it with the performance of a normal 125cc scooter, which means decent acceleration off the mark, but a top speed just under 50mph.

Yet when you’re at the wheel, it feels amazingly comfortable and natural. All the low-set mechanical gubbins give it a very low centre of gravity, so it feels very stable. And the steering is direct and very high-geared. Others may have used handlebars, but this set-up feels very good.

Another virtue is the weather protection. Although Twizy is windowless, you're protected surprisingly well from the elements, especially when you’re on the move.

Whether Twizy makes it or not depends rather a lot on the development of infrastructure. As it stands, it’s just a bit too big to “filter” through traffic like a regular scooter, and charging points are extremely thin on the ground. But with support, it could be the answer.

Should I buy one?

If you live in a capital like Paris or London in 2012, you travel a lot in heavy traffic, and you’re open-minded enough to consider it, you certainly should.

Pricing has yet to be confirmed, but someone at Renault mumbled 20,000 euros, which would have been £14,000 a year ago, but is closer to £18k now.

It’ll be a classic choice for early adopters who don’t mind paying a solid price for an unconventional car.

Auto car magazine.

Volkswagen’s Golf R and Scirroco R will be priced from £26,945 and £28,930 respectively when they go on sale in the UK in February.

The range topping Scrirroco is actually cheaper than the Golf R and both models feature a 2.0-litre TSI four-cylinder engine and a six speed manual gearbox as standard.

The Scirocco R develops 263bhp and 258 lbs ft of torque while the Golf R is more powerful and produces 268bhp and 258 lbs ft of torque.

A six-speed DSG gearbox is available as an option on both models from £1,300.

For the first time on an ‘R’ model, the Scirocco R channels power though the front wheels and is fitted with the XDS electronic cross-axle traction control system.

The Golf R, available in both three- and five-door bodystyles and uses a pre-charged hydraulic version of Volkswagen’s 4MOTION four wheel drive system.

The range-topping Scirocco accelerates from a standstill to 62 mph in six seconds, falling to 5.8 seconds when equipped with the DSG gearbox, while achieving a combined figure of 34.9 mpg (35.3 for DSG) and 189 g/km of CO2 (187 for DSG).

The Golf R is the fastest accelerating Volkswagen ever produced, with a 0 to 62mph sprint of 5.7 seconds. As with the Scirocco, the DSG gearbox shaves a further two tenths of a second from this time.

The Golf R returns 33.2 mpg on the combined cycle (DSG 33.6 mpg) and CO2 emissions of 199 g/km (195g DSG). Both the Scirocco R and Golf R models have a top speed of 155 mph.

AM-Online

Mercedes R-Class

Mercedes first venture into the MPV market wasn't a great success. The original R-Class sold 75% fewer units than the 50,000 it expected but now these spy shots show the German firm are going to try again.

This prototype R-Class mule was spotted with a disguised front end that is expected to receive a B-Class style re-design. At the rear there will be only a few minor updates including new tail lights, exhaust pipes and an updated bumper.

A range of existing engines with power outputs from 190hp to 306hp will all make a return to the R-Class along with the addition of a BlueEFFICIENCYeco engine. The most likely candidate is the 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel engine from the C250 CDI which produces 201bhp but emits just 138g/km of CO2.

Not even the unsuccessful sales of the first R-Class were enough to dissuade Mercedes from trying again; they seem committed to making this MPV a success and obviously see it as playing a part in the future of the brand. What part that is remains to be seen, but all will be revealed when the updated car is officially revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

Read more: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/spyshots/242689/mercedes_rclass.html#ixzz0VymM4LNC

Auto Express

Fiat/Chrysler's five-year plan

The Fiat-controlled Chrysler Group says it will propel itself back into profit with a massive product blitz over the next five years.

The plans were revealed over a marathon six-hour press conference in Detroit, where Chrysler bosses detailed how the company intends to relaunch and rebrand Jeep, Dodge and Chrysler, boosting global sales from this year’s low of 1.3m to 2.8m in 2014.

Chrysler says that by 2014 half of its models will be based on Fiat Group platforms and many of its engines will use Fiat Multiair variable valve technology, including Chrysler’s new Pentastar V6 powerplant.

Fiat will become the leader in small petrol and diesel engines and Chrysler the leader for large engine, hybrids and electric cars.

In four years’ time, the combined Chrysler/Fiat Group should be producing a combined total of over five million vehicles per year, a number regarded by boss Sergio Marchionne as the minimum volume required for a single car maker to prosper.

Chrysler says it has already completely re-thought its quality processes in reaction to what it admitted were unacceptable standards over the last few years. The company is also reorganising its manufacturing systems and overhauling its factories.

By 2014, Chrysler Group is predicting that its US market share will have risen to 11 per cent from the six per cent low it suffered in 2009. The company says it will make an operating profit next year and break even in 2011. The money it borrowed from the US state as a result of its bankruptcy will be paid back by 2014, according to financial projections.

Dodge plans

The Dodge brand has been given a new logo and will be repositioned as being "more youthful and more refined", with a "more visceral driving experience" and much-improved quality.

The new models will be available in one of five ‘lifestyle packages’ including ‘uptown luxury’ and ‘cool extrovert’.

2010: Completely revamped versions of the Avenger and Journey crossover with much improved interiors, handling and refinement. The brand will also get a new Charger and big new Crossover.

2011: A new version of the Nitro is "under consideration".

2012: Dodge gets a new Golf-size saloon based on Fiat platform. A new Viper based on Fiat group tech is under consideration.

2013: A Fiat-based Avenger replacement and Punto-based hatchback.

2014: An all-new big MPV.

Jeep plans

Having peaked at 609,000, Jeeps global sales crashed to just 497,000 in 2008. The company’s aim is to boost that over 800,000 by 2014. Chrysler says Jeep was hit by a doubling of competitors in the SUV segment as well as the arrival of ‘crossovers’.

In the future, most Jeep models will be more tuned to on-road use and will come in two-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive versions, although a new platform architecture will allow the company to build cars that can be optimized for road and ‘Trail Rated’ off-road.

The Wrangler will remain the core ‘no compromise’ off-road model. A concept at the Detroit show next January will point the way for the brand’s future styling.

2010: The all-new Grand Cherokee arrives. Major overhauls for the Patriot, Compass, Wrangler (including a new interior) and a facelift for the Liberty.

2011: Another Wrangler revamp for Jeep’s 70th anniversary. Production of the Commander will be "internationally relocated"; China or India are possible new sites.

2013: New Fiat-based Punto-size Jeep and new Patriot, Liberty and Compass based on a Fiat platform.

Chrysler plans

Chrysler is now overseen seen by Frenchman Olivier Francois, who also runs Lancia. The rumours about the effective merging of the two makers around a very similar brand image turned out to be on the mark.

Francois suggested that the Chrysler 300C and Lancia Thesis are very similar propositions and says that in future both brands will get models that reflect "timeless elegance" and recapture "style and cachet". Chrysler will be "unique, upscale and consistent".

The image overhaul will run from the new logo and brochures to the brand appearing at "fashion shows rather than auto shows". The overall approach is strongly reminiscent of Rover’s (unsuccessful) 1999 relaunch with the 75 saloon.

However, it was not explained to what extent Chrysler and Lancia would share the same models and dealerships in Europe, although one of the presentation slides suggested that only the Voyager and 300C would be sold in Europe under the Chrysler badge. Lancia will most likely get a version of the new mid-size saloon and crossover.

2010: New 300C saloon and "down to the bare bones of the architecture" revamps of the Sebring saloon and Voyager MPV which promise massively improved perceived quality. The PT Cruiser will also die.

2012: New Fiat-based compact saloon.

2013: New Fiat-based Punto-size car. New Fiat-based Sebring and mid-size Crossover.

2014: New Voyager.

Fiat in North America

Fiat’s reputation in North America is still very poor, mainly due to the reliability problems with otherwise popular cars such as the 124 Spider. The Fiat brand pulled out in 1983.

However, the company will dip its toe back in the water next year. The Fiats will be sold in ‘metro area’ dealers.

2010: US version of the Fiat 500.

2011: Fiat 500 cabrio.

2012: Abarth 500.

Chrysler and Fiat did not reveal any plans to relaunch Alfa Romeo in the US market, even though Fiat has pondered the move.

Chrysler’s RAM pick-up and truck brand is also set for an aggressive relaunch, with the aim of boosting sales from 285,000 to 415,000 by 2014. The RAM brand will also get to small commercial Fiat-based vans.

Hilton Holloway
Autocar

Ford dealers offering a service for £99 with a year’s roadside assistance.

The £99 Ford Value Service offer is aimed at owners of Ford car models that are three years old or more.

They can take advantage of the deal at any of the 400-plus participating Ford dealerships and Rapid Fit centres nationwide.

In addition to a service that includes an oil change, a new oil filter and a new air filter, vehicles will also have a free visual health check covering more than 25 maintenance and safety assessments.

The visual health check provides customers with an easy-to-understand summary that gives a red, amber or green status for vital components and systems. Red means that attention is required now and amber that it will be needed soon.

Among the items examined are brakes, clutch, seat belts, tyres, steering, suspension links, driveshafts, wheel bearings, transmission, wheel nuts and several major engine components, including the cooling system.

Included is roadside assistance throughout Britain and Europe for 12 months (or until the car reaches its next scheduled service interval, whichever comes sooner).

“This is a superb offer for cost-conscious drivers looking for value for money – those who might be tempted to let their service schedule lapse for a month or two to ease cash flow, or to take their car to an independent repairer,” said Paul Muers, marketing manager of Ford customer service division.

AMonline

BMW X6 ActiveHybrid

This is the BMW ActiveHybrid X6, and before we go any further let’s get the disappointment out of the way. Like the ActiveHybrid 7-series we drove last week, it won’t be coming to the UK because Brits like diesels too much. In the US, however, oil-burners are hard to shift, which explains why the new hybrid BMWs exist.

Under the bonnet, which is differentiated from standard versions of the X6 by a bulge necessitated by a power electronics package, sits a modified version of the X6 xDrive50i’s twin-turbocharged, 4.4-litre V8 petrol engine delivering 402bhp and 442lb ft of torque.

It is supported by a pair of electric motors mounted within the gearbox housing; the first has 91bhp and 192lb ft, while the second introduces a further 86bhp and 206lb ft.

What’s it like?

Given the complexity of the technology the car uses, driving the ActiveHybrid X6 is relatively straightforward. Climb up into the broad driver’s seat, slot the key into the ignition, press the dashboard-mounted starter button and… well, nothing happens. Well, nothing except the faint whirr of electricity powering up various systems, including the air-con compressor.

With sufficient charge held by the battery, the petrol engine remains idled. Draw the gear selector back, release the brake and with a gentle nudge of the throttle the X6 gracefully glides away, with only the rumble of the broad tyres providing any interruption to the otherwise eerie silence that you’ll get up to 37mph or a maximum distance of 1.6 miles.

It isn’t until the electrical charge of the battery is reduced, or you floor it with your right foot, that the petrol engine and the second of the electric motors are introduced into proceedings to boost performance.

Between the traffic lights along Miami’s ocean-front roads, where we tested the car, the ActiveHybrid X6 glided along in a hushed and unflappable manner, switching in and out of electric drive with impeccable efficiency.

At greater speed out along on Interstate 95, the introduction of the petrol engine on a continuous basis provided effortless in-gear performance at remarkably low revs, together with highly impressive levels of mechanical refinement.

BMW puts overall fuel consumption at 28.5mpg, but even on light throttle loads we had difficulty getting anywhere near it. The real-world figure, it seems, is somewhere closer to 22mpg, which sounds okay until you consider that the X6 xDrive35d sold 
in the UK is capable of 34mpg.

The hybrid architecture adds roughly 250kg to the kerb weight, taking it to a considerable 2450kg. However, the gain is all but offset by the extra reserves brought on by the electric drive, resulting in a 
power-to-weight ratio of 198bhp per tonne.

Although the claimed 0-62mph time of 5.6sec is fractionally slower than that of the X6 xDrive50i (5.4sec), subjectively the performance-enhancing qualities of the ActiveHybrid X6’s complex drive system are obvious in other ways.

The way this car can be made to haul away from the lights is nothing short of sensational. In-gear responses are also incredibly sharp, thanks to the ability of electric motors to deliver vast amounts of torque as soon as they are introduced.

Should I buy one?

The great thing about BMW’s hybrid technology is that it doesn’t significantly alter the character of the car in which it has been placed. The addition of electric drive only serves to enhance these qualities even further while providing the basis for improved fuel consumption and lower emissions. The problem is you can’t buy one in the UK, even if you wanted to.

Autocar

Vauxhall Astra vs rivals

The new Vauxhall Astra is a crucial car for the firm. We take arch-rivals from VW and Ford to meet one of the first cars off the UK assembly line.

There are high stakes involved with the launch of the new Vauxhall Astra.

It’s the sixth generation of the top-selling family car to be built at the Ellesmere Port facility in Cheshire, and its success will be pivotal to the British plant’s future. We couldn’t wait to deliver our verdict on the most important new Vauxhall of 2009, so we grabbed the keys to its biggest rivals to greet one of the first cars off the production line.

Waiting at the factory gates were the Volkswagen Golf and the Astra’s arch nemisis, the Ford Focus. The VW is fresh from victory at our annual New Car Awards, while the Focus has been a regular at the top of the sales charts since it arrived at the end of 2004. It still sets the dynamic benchmark in this ultra-competitive sector.

Headline news for the Astra is the introduction of a new 1.4-litre turbo engine, but the Golf has the award- winning 1.4-litre TSI unit in its arsenal already. The normally aspirated 1.6-litre Ford risks being outgunned in this company… so let battle commence..

Auto Express

New Renault Gordini (2010)

Renault is reviving its 1950s sports brand Gordini for its compact sports cars.

The Twingo Gordini will be unveiled on November 25 at L’Atelier Renault on the Champs Elysées in Paris as part of the ‘Christmas in Blue’ exhibition. It will go on sale in the UK in the middle of 2010 and the Clio Gordini will follow a few months later.

There models will not replace the Renaultsport models already within Renault's range but will offer customers interior and exterior style options which herald back to Gordini's sporting heritage.

Alfa Romeo Mito and the Twitter campaign

A Twitter campaign has been started by Alfa Romeo to increase young motorists' interest in its MiTo.

The social media campaign comprises a competition, asking users who spot one of 1,300 stencils of the MiTo car around major cities to take a picture and post it on Twitter with the hashtag #MiToStencil.

It wants to create word of mouth around its campaign for the MiTo.

The carmaker has also launched a Twitter profile for the campaign, at twitter.com/mitostencil, which it is using to post information about urban culture, technology and fashion that appeals to its young, urban target audience.

The Twitter competition is supported by an email campaign to Alfa Romeo customers and through a viral video of the making of the MiTo stencils.

Drivers told to beware Friday 13th

This Friday the 13th could be particularly unlucky on the roads, according to new accident analysis from the AA and the Work Wise UK organisation.

They said that with Friday being the worst day for road accidents, and November a consistently bad month for road casualties, a combination of the two is likely to make it a bad day.

But the AA also said that Fridays could be developing a new twist, courtesy of changing working practices that include more people choosing to work from home.

It said drivers were most at risk on Friday afternoons and evenings. But the morning rush hours and 5-6pm period were becoming safer, with the afternoons and evenings becoming more dangerous.

watford observer

Toyota extends Aygo Platinum choices

The top-of-the-range Toyota Aygo Platinum city car is available to buy now, with orders placed before the end of December 09 beating the VAT rise scheduled for 1 January.

The highly-specced Toyota Aygo Platinum builds on the specification of the Aygo+ model, adding 14-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels, Crystal Silver metallic paint, six-speaker audio system, Alcantara and leather upholstery and leather gear knob trim.

Three and five-door versions are available, powered by Toyota’s 1.0-litre VVT-I petrol engine with Toyota Optimal Drive through a five-speed manual as standard or optional Multimode system.

The Aygo Xtra Protected pack is available as an option for Aygo Platinum, priced £380, adding rear parking sensors and additional side and rear protection mouldings. Vehicle Stability Control can also be specified as an option, at £340.

The Toyota Aygo Platinum three-door with manual box costs £8,995 and prices rise to £10,315 for the five-door with Multimode and aircon.

Peugeot markets i0n electric car

Peugeot's new electronic city car based on Mitsubishi's i-Miev, the i0n, will go on sale in the UK at the end of 2010.

Vauxhall Corsa Freshens up.

Vauxhall has launched this revised version of the Corsa in it attempts to close the gap to the class-leading Ford Fiesta.

The Corsa has been one of the UK’s biggest-selling cars under the government-backed scrappage incentive scheme and Vauxhall is keen to ensure sales of its flagship supermini remain strong when the grants end.

The revised model, due on sale in April, has been given a range of chassis tweaks to improve its dynamics, while the range also gets an average mpg boost of 13.2 per cent. Furthermore, five of the six engines offer sub-125g/km CO2 emissions when mated to a manual ‘box. The only exception is the VXR model.

Vauxhall hasn’t changed the exterior or interior styling of the Corsa, which is three and a half years into its lifespan, as a facelift is expected to follow at a later stage. This has yet to be confirmed by Vauxhall, however.

“It’s not a facelift, but we’re trying to keep the car fresh,” said a Vauxhall source. “It’s an important car to us and generally the UK’s second biggest-selling car. We’ve responded to the undoubtedly strong competition by improving efficiency and dynamics; this new model is a real improvement to drive.”

Vauxhall’s engineers have added softer springs to the front suspension, which are mated to an anti-roll bar with new bushes. This, Vauxhall claims, has improved the ride quality, while changes to the steering geometry should improve the handling. The damper settings have also been revised at all four corners and the ESP system has been retuned.

The new 94bhp 1.3-litre Ecoflex model has claimed combined fuel economy of 76.3mpg, rising to 88.3mpg on the extra-urban cycle. The entry-level 1.0-litre petrol units gets a 5bhp power boost to 64bhp over the outgoing car's, while the new model's CO2 emissions drop to 117g/km, meaning it now qualifies for £35 road tax.

Trim levels have been brought in line with those seen in the new Astra and Insignia ranges. Life becomes S, Club becomes Exclusiv and Design becomes SE, while SXi and SRi remain unchanged. The SE gets what Vauxhall claims is a unique feature in this class as standard: a heated leather steering wheel and heated front seats.

SRi models also benefit from extra kit, with 17-inch alloys, a VXR styling kit, air-con and revised suspension settings all standard.

Prices for the revised Corsa will start from £10,285, undercutting the entry-level Fiesta by £610.

autocar.com

Fiesta S2000 rally car (2010)

Ford isn’t planning an ST or RS Fiesta, but this is the next best thing – the Ford Fiesta S2000 rally car. Built by M-Sport - the same team behind the WRC Focus - it’s Ford first global rally car.

The Fiesta is eligible to enter national rally championships, as well as the IRC and S2000 World Cup in 2010, and will also form the basis of Ford’s WRC effort in 2011. It will debut as a course car at next week’s Rally of Scotland, the final round of this year’s IRC.

Under the vented bonnet is a 2.0-litre (hence S2000) four-cylinder engine that produces 280bhp at a screaming 8000rpm, along with 192lb ft at 6500rpm. That power is sent through a six-speed sequential gearbox and AP clutch to all four wheels.

And to keep the wheels in contact with the ground and stop huge jumps shattering the car there’s three-way adjustable dampers with remote reservoirs. A steel roll cage also adds strength, but despite the hefty protection the Fiesta rally car tips the scales at the mandated 1200kg.

There’s also a hydraulic handbrake to help in hairpins, plus different gravel and asphalt set-ups. On the rough stuff the Fiesta has Brembo-supplied 300mm discs and four-piston monobloc callipers all round, plus 15-inch aluminium wheels, but on tarmac the front brakes are upped to 355mm and the wheels go up to 18-inch magnesium items.

Prices have yet to be announced but M-Sport plans to build 50 cars in the next 12 months.

caronline

Mazda's continued popularity in Scotland is proven for the fifth consecutive year, with Mazda3 scooping the 'Best Family Car' category at The Association of Scottish Motoring Writers (ASMW) Scottish Car of the Year Awards 2009, held in St Andrews on Friday. The all-new Mazda3 impressed judges with its quality, style and driving experience.

The panel of judges said: "Among the weird and wonderful new arrivals in the family car category the all-new Mazda3 stood out ahead of its rivals and pushed the boundaries in each criterion."

Now in its 12th year, the Scottish Car of the Year is judged by members of the AMSW, comparing in the region of 60 different models launched between September 2008 and September 2009 across eight categories.

Bill Caven, President of the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers commented: "It was a new version of an old favourite, the all-new Mazda3, which our panel rated ahead of the rest. It quickly emerged that this was a car which builds on its predecessor's proven quality while adding more style and more driving pleasure. Its massively powerful new diesel engine has greater performance with maximum economy. It is no wonder that the all-new Mazda3 ticks all the right boxes when it comes to families making an informed choice regarding their car purchase.

The all-new Mazda3 range priced from £13,500 on-the-road inspired a positive reaction from the judges and tipped it ahead of its rivals including the Volkswagen Golf and Skoda Yeti in the family car category.

Mazda UK managing director Jeremy Thomson added: "We are truly delighted that the all-new Mazda3 has been named Scottish Car of the Year's 'Best Family Car'. This award is further confirmation why the Mazda3 is one of the most popular Mazda models; it continues to attract family buyers thanks to its high levels of comfort both visually and technically, significant reductions in CO2 and fuel consumption. In many ways the all-new Mazda3 is a 'baby Mazda6' bringing the elegant excitement of that model's distinctive lines to the small family car sector."

All-new Mazda3 is offered with a choice of four petrol and three diesel powertrains, all fine-tuned to use less fuel. The 20-strong model line-up (16 hatchback and four saloon cars) is available in a choice of nine body colours and five equipment levels; S, TS, TS2, Sport and Sports Luxury. Each highly specified and includes Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) and an Emergency Stop Signalling (ESS) System as standard on all models.

Improved aerodynamics and retuned powertrains, plus the reduced weight (down by 15 kilos on some models), result in significant reductions in CO2 and fuel consumption. On the official combined cycle, petrol models achieve up to 44.8mpg, while diesel models record up to 62.8mpg.



carpages.co.uk

Kia has unveiled a new GDI engine


Kia has developed a new direct-injection petrol engine for the new generation of Kia models.

The Gasoline Direct Injection engine is based on Kia's new Theta II family of units that will power the next generation of Kia vehicles and is aimed at reducing emissions while raising power output and improving fuel economy.

The first unit is a 2.4-litre four cylinder unit with a compression ratio of 11.3:1 that delivers 199bhp at 6300rpm and 184lb-ft of torque at 4250rpm.

Kia says the new engine overcomes a traditional problem with direct-injection engines of shorter valve-opening times as engine speed increases.

The GDI unit avoids this problem by positioning the fuel injector directly inside the combustion chamber at pressures of up to 150 bar, allowing for more precise amounts and intervals in two phases.

This split-injection technique reduces loading on the catalytic converter and helps lower emissions, according to Kia, which is particularly beneficial during cold starts .

Kia also says that GDI delivers seven per cent more torque at low revolutions and 12 per cent more torque at the high-end, meaning a GDI engine will return around ten per cent better fuel economy than a conventional multi-point fuel injected engine.

Dual Continuously Variable Valve Timing (DCVVT) also improves engine breathing on the intake and exhaust sides for better fuel economy and lower emissions, says the Korean manufacturer.

Kia has poured £88m over nearly four years into the new 2.4 Theta II GDI engine, which will appear in Kia products in the UK from 2011.

Drive the RS here's the info! Buy the RS give us a call...

Fast. The RS uses the same 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo engine as the regular Focus ST – making it the first ever Escort or Focus RS to use anything other than a four-pot – but it’s reworked with a larger turbo and intercooler, new pistons, cams and a revised ECU.  What’s most impressive is the tractability of the new RS's engine, despite the larger – and what could prove to be a slower spooling and laggier – turbo. The RS pulls robustly from 1200rpm in sixth, and actually starts to feel rapid from 2000rpm. Not scary fast, but you’re very aware that the RS is very quick even at these modest rpms.

It’s a linear, progressive unit too, that’s starkly in contrast to the nothing-boost-nothing characteristics of a Mitsubishi Evo X. The hot Focus's power simply flows from almost idle speed to the 7000rpm redline – the same limit as the more modest ST, though the RS does allow an extra 200rpm for very brief periods of time.

Aurally, the new Focus RS also provides a very different experience to the ST. The cheaper ST has a very pronounced, Ur Quattro-esque warble from its Volvo-sourced five-pot. And while that’s still audible in the RS (particularly from 3000-4000rpm), the soundtrack this time is dominated by the louder exhaust and a surprisingly loud dump valve tisssssh. Not to everyone’s taste, but Capito’s logic with the RS is robust. ‘This is not a better ST,’ he says with a smile. ‘This is the RS. It’s a completely different car. Customers who like the ST may not like the RS, and vice versa.’

The words you’re grasping for, presumably, are: 'Does it torque steer like a bastard?’ It doesn’t seem to, no, despite all that power and the same kind of Quaife torque-biasing diff that was fitted to the notoriously twitchy Mk1 Focus RS. Obviously there’s only so much we can glean from the passenger seat, but we took the RS and Capito to poorly surfaced, steeply cambered B-roads of our choosing and also watched him wind up the boost with a set amount of lock dialled in on a roundabout.

‘The RevoKnuckle [Ford’s suspension system that allows the front wheel to turn independently of the front strut] doesn’t eliminate it entirely,’ explains Capito, ‘but it’s a massive reduction. The RS torque steers less than the ST.’ If you’ve ever driven an ST, you’ll know that it doesn’t torque steer that much at all.

Indeed, the new Focus RS (2009) seemed very consistent in its responses, Capito’s level of steering correction remaining far lower than it would in the Mk1 RS. There was a lot of wheelspin, however, and the new RS would frequently grip in second only to light its tyres higher up the rev range as the full force of all that torque came in. But the hottest Focus stuck to its course.

Also impressive was the high threshold of intervention dialled into the RS's ESP system. It means the driver modulates the throttle rather than having the electronic chips stodgily cut power, while the stability programme still watches over you should a big lift off the gas get the back end swinging.

And that’s not so unlikely. A stiffer rear anti-roll bar means an interactive rear end should be on offer, but during our time in the car the impression was one of confidence-inspiring high-speed stability – something emphasised by the high degree of lateral support offered by the reclining Recaro seats.

Subaru Impreza WRX Limited Edition

Subaru has launched a limited edition Impreza WRX STI for the US market.

The Subaru Impreza WRX STI Special Edition will be limited to just 125 units and it will make its debut at the Los Angeles motor show next week.

The main change over the standard WRX STi occurs under the skin, where the car gets an upgraded performance suspension system from the Japanese Spec C model. This adds a thicker rear stabiliser bar, stiffer rear sub-frame bushings and upgraded springs.

The front springs are now 16 per cent stiffer than the standard car, while the rear springs are 29 per cent stiffer.

All 125 models will be in Aspen White and feature charcoal 18-inch 14-spoke alloy wheels with performance Dunlop SP600 tyres, both from the Spec C. Brembo Performance Brakes also feature, as do limited-slip differentials at the front and rear.

The 301bhp, 290lb ft turbocharged boxer engine is the same as the base car's. It is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox.

Prices will be revealed at the LA show. No one from Subaru was immediately available for comment on whether this car or a similar model would be coming to the UK.

SEAT Ibiza Ecomotive vs Ford Firsta ECOnetic

SEAT’s Ibiza Ecomotive meets Ford’s Fiesta ECOnetic in battle for green honours

In the golden age of motoring, stopping to fill up with petrol was a pleasure. Your local garage would be manned by a cheery attendant, who would greet you with a wave and do the honours.

Stopping was all part of the journey, rather than an irritating delay.

It simply doesn’t compare to the modern experience, where filling up is a grimy and expensive chore. Self-service pumps, queues and costly debit card transactions are now the order of the day – so it’s no surprise motoring has lost its romantic appeal.

Help is at hand in the form of the latest generation of eco models. And the green superminis we put to the test here claim to return impressive economy, as well as reduce forecourt visits at a stroke. Both the SEAT Ibiza Ecomotive and Ford Fiesta ECOnetic should be able to deliver 76mpg, and emit only 98g/km of CO2.

The Ford has proven to be the smash hit of 2009. It has dominated the best sellers’ chart, and was the first car this year to top more than 100,000 sales. Can the fuel-sipping Spaniard beat it in the eco stakes?

Auto express

A compelling case to buy before Christmas

VAT is expected to return to the usual rate of 17.5% next year, yet new research has found that many consumers are unaware of this.

The results from Auto Trader’s research which surveyed 1,530 UK adults on November 6, highlights a lack of consumer awareness over the impact the rise could have, especially on large purchases.

Of those intending to buy expensive items such as televisions, holidays or cars, the majority (55%) did not plan to bring these forward before VAT increases.

One in 10 people are also unaware the scrappage scheme, which offers £2,000 towards the cost of a new vehicle when trading in a vehicle over 10 years old, comes to an end in February.

With one in 20 people intending to buy a car at some point in the next three months, delaying that decision could mean UK drivers miss two opportunities to save money.

• 30% say they will be forced to take a closer look at spending habits
• 55% believe the increase is an attempt to make money from taxpayers

The research also exposed a lack of trust in the Government’s intentions, finding that 55% of people believe the increase is an attempt to make money from taxpayers. In addition, one in 10 people expect the Government to raise VAT to 20% instead of returning to 17.5%.

Those questioned also felt the increase would backfire in the long term, with a quarter of people believing it will become harder for Britain to come out of the recession.

Matt Thompson, marketing director at Auto Trader, said: "The impending rise in VAT and the end of the car scrappage scheme make a compelling case for bringing your car purchases forward to before Christmas.

"Our research shows the public is still lacking much of the critical information on both proposals and we are highlighting these issues so that consumers can act now."

amonline

Toyota Prius Wins Green Award 2010

The Toyota Prius hybrid has been named Car of the Year 2010 by WhatGreenCar. To be up for consideration for the award, cars had to be on sale in the US and have a WhatGreenCar rating of less than 45 (lower numbers being better in this system).

At 30, the Prius had the best rating of the eligible cars, but this was not the only reason for its success. According to WhatGreenCar Managing Editor Ben Lane, "we particularly like the way the car seamlessly integrates green features as part of its design. This encourages a smooth stress-free driving style, improves fuel economy and drives down emissions."

Highly Commended awards went to the Honda Insight and the Ford Fusion hybrid (not on sale in the UK) which had ratings of 34 and 40 respectively.

Winter motoring advice...

Winter driving tips will help get you and your car safely through the coming months.

Tyres

The legal minimum of 1.6mm of tread is less than twice the thickness of a CD but during the winter a minimum of 3mm (around 3 CDs) is essential because the deeper tread will be more effective at clearing water.

Batteries

Modern batteries have many advantages, but if allowed to discharge, they will take a long time to recharge fully – they suffer at this time of year particularly in cars that do short journeys on cold mornings. You'll either need to make a regular long journey with minimal use of the car's electrical items or arrange to trickle–charge the battery.

Engine

Modern engines don't need tucking–up with a blanket on cold nights but it can help if it's an old car. Make sure you hang something from the steering wheel to remind you, though – a call to the fire brigade isn't the ideal start to the day!

Depress the clutch when starting a cold engine – this disconnects the engine from the gearbox so there's less drag.

Screenwash

Keep it topped up and use a proper additive at the right concentration – don't use washing up liquid though as it will foam horribly and doesn't have the same low freezing point. Many garages sell sachets or small bottles of screenwash for pennies.

Bodywork

Wash the car frequently to get rid of the salt and dirt that builds up over the winter. Check for stone chips too as rust forms very quickly in the cold, damp weather.

Replace any missing wheel trims promptly to minimise corrosion to the wheel bolts, which can seize, making removal of the wheel even more difficult.

Fuel

Keep your car fairly full in the cold months, as you never know when you might get caught up in an accident or foul weather. At least you'll be able to run the engine and keep warm but you must make sure the exhaust's clear of snow otherwise fumes can get into the car.

Windows

To keep the windscreen from misting up, soak a cloth in pure washing up liquid then let it dry. Now wipe this cloth on the inside of the windows and it will stop them misting up – go on, try it in the bathroom, it works!

If your windows have misted up, use the air–con as well as the heater – it's not just for summer and helps to dry the air.

Don't use water to defrost the windows – hot water can crack the screen and will just re–freeze as it cools, either on the screen or on the ground where you're standing, which could have painful consequences! Thinking about frosty mornings, a squirt of WD40 in the locks will stop them freezing.

Before you go

Many drivers view their car as their coat and therefore, don't think to carry enough outer clothing. Take a warm coat, gloves and hat in case the weather or the car catches you out. If you do get stuck, you'll be very pleased if you packed chocolate, water and a hot drink too.

Always carry a fully–charged mobile and take some old bits of carpet and a shovel to clear snow, in case you get stuck.

On the road

On colder days be particularly careful on tree–lined roads – the trees prevent the sun's warmth from reaching the road, which may still be icy when all around has thawed.

In fog, drive with the window down and the radio off – often you can hear problems like cars ahead going over bumps at low speed before you see them.

On snow and ice just do everything very slowly because it can go wrong very quickly.

Safe and happy motoring!

EVS Team...

VW 116mpg four-seater at the LA motorshow

This is the VW Up! Lite concept, a 116mpg four-seater, unveiled at today’s Los Angeles motor show and likely to make production within the next three years.

The VW Up! Lite, which took 18 months to develop, does away with the previous Up! cars’ rear engine/rear drive platform and upright boxy styling for a more conventional front engine/front drive layout and a new, sleeker body.

Ulrich Hackenburg, VW's head of R&D cautioned that the Up! Lite production car was probably too expensive and outlandish to make production in the show stand form.

“The car features expensive materials like aluminium and carbonfibre, expensive batteries and an expensive diesel engine too, so it would be triply difficult to bring to market at a good price," said Hackenburg.

“Our experience with the VW Lupo 3L showed us that customers aren’t prepared to pay very high premiums for economy cars of this size, so any production version of the car would have to be designed to be cheaper to manufacture."

The production version of the Up! Lite would be likely to look more like the standard Up. The bespoke design of the concept car is intended to test public reaction to a sportier version of the Up, but won’t influence the look of the first Up production cars.

On that theme, Hackenburg said the Up! Lite was part of a wider pool of Up! cars planned by the firm.

"We want to create an Up! family because we are fairly certain that the segment will grow and we need more variations and derivatives," he said. "We also need a combination of powertrain strategies.

"At Frankfurt there was an EV version of the Up and that will come to market in 2013 and the first prototypes are already on the road. A plug in range extender will be here by 2015. We built it to see if customers demand an eco-car to look different. In my opinion the visualisation of a car like this needs to be unique. There’s a danger of conformity and it’s important to look different."

Klaus Bishof, VW's head of design said the car had been designed to look "futuristic".

"Our mission to make it look futuristic," he said. "It looks like it’s carved out of a block of aluminium. Every line has a reason - it all shows the technical ability of the concept."

The Lite’s styling uses elements of current VW design, with a front end that draws inspiration from the Polo and Golf. At the rear the car’s unusual narrow hatch and flared wheelarches are taken from the L1 concept car. At 3840mm long (almost as long as a Polo) and 1400mm high, it’s lower and longer than an Up! helping to give the car a cD of just 0.23.

All the windows are completely flush with the car’s body to improve aerodynamics, and the car has an active front air intake that opens when the engine bay needs extra cooling. Door mirrors have been replaced by a pair of smaller and lighter cameras.

The body is built from steel and aluminium, with the body’s upper section built entirely from aluminium and carbonfibre is used for the roof and some structural components. That means the car has a kerbweight of just 695kg.

Under the bonnet is an 800cc two-cylinder diesel engine with 50bhp and 88lb ft, based on the 1.6-litre diesel used in the Golf Bluemotion. But to achieve the 96mpg headline figure the driver would have to activate the car’s Eco mode, which cuts power to just 36bhp. The engine can also shut down when coasting.

It’s backed up by an electric motor sandwiched between the engine and the seven-speed DSG transmission. The motor can power the car by itself for 1.25 miles, or assist the engine under acceleration, making the car a full hybrid. VW claims a range of over 500 miles from the 20-litre tank.

Only minor changes would be needed to put the car into the production and it is essentially production ready. The basic looks will remain unchanged, with the major changes needed being for passenger knee clearance and added safety protection.

Gregor Dietz, VW's concept cars boss, told Autocar that the Up! Lite said the car was a realistic target for production.

"It's realistic we can build it," he said. "It wont be cheap though because of the propulsion system. But it could be a high level member of the up family."

Dietz said the firm would also consider doing diesel and all-electric versions of the car.

Hackenburg said the Up! Lite showed VW's commitments in wanting to become the world's most environmentally friendly car maker.

"We want to be the world’s most environmentally friendly car maker," he said. "The Up! Lite takes the L1 concept and makes it a more customer focused concept. No other four seater is so sustainable."

Don't delay essential repairs...

Consumers are deferring routine vehicle repair, servicing and maintenance jobs thanks to the effects of the recession.

A survey on valuation website www.glass.co.uk found that 46 per cent have deferred some of their car-related expenditure over the past year, including 15 per cent that have postponed routine professional car service.

A further 8 per cent have taken the potentially dangerous decision to delay the purchase of replacement tyres, while 15 per cent had rescheduled the rectification of bodywork repairs.

24 per cent of the respondents in the Glass’s survey said they had put off the purchase of car accessories, such as alloy wheels and off-the-shelf satellite navigation systems.

“While it is inevitable that some consumers will respond to deteriorating economic conditions by cutting back on aspects of their motoring expenditure, it is concerning that scheduled services and tyre purchases are being deferred,” says Andy Carroll, Managing Director at Glass’s.

“These are crucial for safety, and also have an impact on resale values. Prospective buyers are always more likely to buy a car which has a full service history over one that does not.

"Moreover, by delaying these important checks and thus missing manufacturer-stated service intervals, motorists are putting warranty cover at risk.”

motortorque

All Peugeot car orders placed in December will avoid the VAT increase in January 2010.

Ordered cars must be registered between January 1st and March 29th to qualify for the offer.

The carmaker said the move will save customers the equivalent of 2.5% on a new car.

AM Online

Both British-built Qashqai and Qashqai+2 models will get a new front end, while new technology such as LED lights and new exterior colours will be available when the new models go on sale from £15,395.

Over 500,000 orders have been placed for the compact crossover, which has been good news for Nissan's Sunderland plant where the models are manufactured.

A new bonnet, front bumper, wings, grille and headlamps distinguish the 2010 Qashqai models, while rear headlamps have been slightly altered and will include 12 LEDs.

Two new exterior colours - Magnetic Red and Mineral Grey - while two new five-spoke alloy wheel designs will be introduced.

ESP is now fitted to the range as standard, while Acenta grade and above gains a Speed Limiter and Tekna gains a Bose speaker system.

Inside a redesigned drive computer is positioned between the two dials to show instantaneous and average fuel consumption, mileage, time, cruise control and speed limiter settings and others.

New multi-layer insulation material and the addition of an ‘acoustic’ windscreen are designed to reduce noise, while suspension has been tweaked to improve ride comfort and responsiveness.

New to the range is a low-CO2 Pure Drive variant, emitting a lowly 129g/km of CO2 thanks to a weight reduction programme and the adoption of aerodynamic wheel covers, low rolling resistance tyres and high final gearing. The Qashqai Visia Pure Drive is priced at £16,795.

The entry-level model costs £15,395, while a diesel-powered Qashqai is available from £16,795.

"When Qashqai was launched in Europe in 2007, we were optimistic customers would recognise that it offered an alternative to the traditional hatchback or compact SUV," said Simon Thomas, Nissan European Senior VP for Sales and Marketing.

"However, we had to increase production to meet demand and two-and-a-half years later, demand hasn’t relented. Qashqai has been key at reinforcing Nissan’s position as an innovator in the European market.

"The updates to Qashqai make it even more attractive and will continue to bring new customers to Nissan for the first time.”

Mid-week Mustang

Ford Mustang Shelby GT500

Test date 7th Dec Price as tested TBA

A revised 2010 version of the range-topping retro Mustang.

Externally the GT500 gets a few minor tweaks to the classic Mustang shape, most notably an even larger bonnet bulge, larger wheels and twin racing stripes.

The theme continues inside (there are stripes on the seats and the gearlever), and elsewhere the cabin has been improved with better materials and a streamlined design.

Mechanically the GT500 uses the same 5.4-litre supercharged V8 as before, but with power increased to 540bhp and torque to 510lb ft. That matches the specification of the limited-edition GT500KR (King of the Road).

While Ford’s Special Vehicle Team (SVT) has also honed the suspension settings, this hasn’t extended to replacing the Mustang’s archaic live axle rear suspension.

What’s it like?

Rudimentary but entertaining. On the occasions when it’s possible to transmit the power to the rear wheels the GT500 is massively fast – perhaps not 540bhp fast, but certainly quick enough.

It also sounds sensational. Whereas a VXR8 Bathurst is all supercharger whine, the GT500 is more about the V8 warble. And when you back off the throttle it pops gently on the overrun. The trouble is, even with the assistance of a two-stage ESP system, the GT500 will break traction incredibly easily - although, to an extent, that adds to the sense of occasion.

For such a muscle car, the transmission is surprisingly easy to live with. The clutch action is light and the gearshift precise and mechanical without being cumbersome. Broadly speaking, this is the same unit used in the Corvette, except that the action is significantly more satisfying in this application. One contributing factor is the wonderfully tactile classic white billiard ball gearknob.

In other respects the cabin is a small but significant step forward. By the standards of most European cars, fit and finish is still poor, but with a decent touch-screen sat-nav and stereo and some consistency in the design, the Mustang is now just about acceptable. Ford has also added ‘mood lighting’ - which would be fine, except that the ‘mood’ Ford plumped for is best described as ‘provincial nightclub’.

In handling terms the GT500 has always been entertaining but basic, and this latest version isn’t going to change that summary. It is improved - there is now more steering feel and better body control - but by the standards of modern sports cars the GT500 lacks sophistication. Likewise, the ride is slightly smoother, but that rear axle still struggles with our bumpy roads.

None of this stops the GT500 from being enjoyable to drive. If you’ve got enough space to play with, it is frankly hysterical, but you do need to be of a certain mindset.

Should I buy one?

That depends on what you are looking for. Technically the Porsche Cayman and BMW M3 are much more accomplished cars, and there are many others we’d recommend before the Mustang.

However, if it's soul you’re after, the GT500 is difficult to fault. In the US it sells for $46,325, and after import costs to the UK (Ford is not selling it officially) you’re looking at around the same figure in sterling. At that price, you'd better be sure it’s soul you want.


autocar.co.uk

It will be powered by a 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine, which will produce around 60bhp. The Europa will get a five-speed manual ‘box (the Indian version is four-speed) to allow for longer gearing, improved fuel economy and reduced CO2 emissions.

It features an all-steel body, with an overall length of 3300mm. This makes it around eight inches longer than the original Mini, but far shorter than any contemporary European supermini. The show car rides on 14-inch alloys.

Under the skin, all-independent rear suspension features, while Europa models will get ABS, traction control, electric power steering and twin airbags.

Boot access has yet to be decided – Indian Nanos are strictly four-door, but a full-size hatchback is till possible.

There’s one certainty about the Nano: it will change the way car prices are viewed when it hits British showrooms – for substantially less than a Hyundai i10 and around half the price of a Smart.

autocar.co.uk

Renault Megane Coupe vs VW Scirocco

Dedicated followers of fashion aren’t satisfied with sharp hatchbacks or sleek saloons. For today’s trendsetters, only a curvy coupé will do. And the good news is that there has never been more choice.

Car manufacturers will label pretty much anything a coupé these days. From four-door saloons to three-door hatchbacks – if it looks good, the chances are it will get the racy badge.

The Volkswagen Scirocco can trace its roots all the way back to the Seventies, so it is steeped in two-door tradition – although the latest model focuses more on the now than the nostalgic. It’s a world away from the boxy car that introduced the Scirocco name.

Tested here in 2.0-litre diesel form, the latest Golf-based hatch adds low running costs and emissions to its long list of talents.

But Volkswagen isn’t the only manufacturer to attach the desirable coupé tag to what is effectively a three-door hatchback.

Renault is trying the same trick with its Mégane Coupé. And while it is more closely related to the five-door Mégane than the Scirocco is to the Golf, the distinctive design ensures it cuts a dash.

The French company also has a reputation for producing great diesel engines, so this model is the perfect opponent for our VW. On paper, its 130bhp 1.9-litre unit is 8bhp down on the German model’s, although a lower price tag and long list of standard equipment count in the Renault’s favour.

So, has the Mégane got what it takes to sideline the Scirocco? We find out as the two go head-to-head in the battle for coupé honours.

Auto Express

The iconic design is pure retro cool with a twist. Everything, even the key fob, is designed to be beautiful. There are an infinite number of ways to create your very own unique Fiat 500. Wheels, colours inside and out, more stickers than you can shake a stick at, materials, upholstery, accessories, every last detail down to the key cover.

Be as quirky or as under-stated as you want to be, because everything about the Fiat 500 is yours to customise.

Technology as Entertainment

Discover a universe of voice-controlled entertainment and communications. Blue&Me helps you make and receive calls, and play music without taking your eyes off the road. You can even flick through your MP3 player by just saying “next”, and have your text messages read out loud as you drive (even if they’re in txt speak). Shame your other half isn’t as obedient! Clever stuff.

Technology as Ecology

With the Fiat 500, making a big impact on the road doesn’t mean making one on the environment. The 1.2 Start&Stop edition, which features automatic engine shut-off when the car is at standstill, boasts 58.9mpg fuel economy combined and just 113g/km - and even better figures if you opt for the ultra-responsive Dualogic automatic gearbox.

You can also eco:Drive like a maniac. Just plug any USB stick into the Blue&Me Multi-media port in the Fiat 500. It will collect data about the way you drive, which is then analysed on your PC or Mac. This dinky little device will tell you if you’re revving too much and look at your other habits, before giving you some tips on how to change your drive style, save fuel and cut emmissions.

More go for your flow

Frugal doesn’t have to mean boring, so each of the Fiat 500’s three engines is designed to provide maximum fun with shoestring economy. Choose between a zingy 69bhp 1.2-litre petrol or a punchy 1.3-litre Multijet diesel for outstanding fuel economy and low emissions. Or for something racier, go for the 100bhp 1.4-litre petrol - still frugal but plenty quick.

Volkswagen is to buy a 20% stake in Suzuki Motor for 222.5 billion yen (£1.5bn).

Suzuki will invest up to half of that amount received from Volkswagen into shares in the German carmaker.

In a joint statement the two companies said that they had "reached a common understanding to establish a close long-term strategic partnership".

The driver for the deal for VW was, analysts said, its desire to exploit Suzuki's expertise in making small, fuel efficient cars.

The deal is expected to be completed in early 2010.

"Two of the world's leading carmakers are joining forces and preparing to meet the growing challenges that lie ahead," said VW chief executive Martin Winterkorn.

"Together we can maximise our opportunities for growth."

AM Online

Drivers face a lower drink drive limit!

A review of road safety announced they could reduce the drink-drive limit to the equivalent of one pint of beer and introduce a new drug-drive limit.

Ministers believe that lower drink-drive limits, which have the support of road safety groups, could reduce the number of fatal road accidents. The Government is also considering adopting a graduated drink-drive scale so that drivers who are convicted of exceeding a lower alcohol limit may not receive an automatic driving ban.

A drug-drive law may also be proposed, making it illegal to drive under the influence of prescribed drugs or in excess of a specified drug-drive limit. The current law limits offences to drivers whose performance is impaired by the use of illegal drugs.

“To reduce drink and drug-driving accidents, there may be a case for further strengthening the law,” said Lord Adonis, the Transport Secretary.

Announcing the policy review, he said: “I have appointed Sir Peter North to provide me with independent advice on lowering the drink-drive limit and tackling drug-driving through a new offence.”

A previous review by Sir Peter led to the introduction of speed cameras and parking attendants employed by local authorities. He will report to Lord Adonis by the end of March.

Safety campaigners welcomed the announcement, but said that the review should have been commissioned long ago. There will be no new law now before a general election. A Conservative Government would oppose a lower drink-drive limit and graduated drink-drive penalty scale.

Theresa Villiers, the Shadow Transport Secretary, said: “We have yet to be convinced of the case for an across-the-board reduction in the drink-driving limit and would certainly strongly oppose any moves which would see the penalties for drinkdriving reduced or a move away from the mandatory ban.” The current limit is 80mg of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood — roughly two pints of normal strength beer for most men. Exceeding the limit incurs an automatic 12-month driving ban.

Some countries have already adopted a graduated penalty scale of penalties. In France, a driver with between 50mg and 80mg of alcohol loses 6 of the 12 points on their licence and receives a ¤135 (£123) fine. Above 80mg of alcohol, licences can be removed and a jail term imposed. French road safety campaigners want the limit cut to 20mg by 2010, as recommended by the European Commission.

Last month Ireland backtracked on plans to reduce its drink-drive limit, fearing a backlash from the powerful drinks lobby. British motoring bodies believe a lower limit would reduce fatalities compared with the 430 people killed by drink-driving last year.

Any law on drug-driving would be far more contentious. Police would like any driver who tests positive for drugs to be penalised. But detection itself is problematic. Cannabis can remain in the bloodstream for up to a month after use and equipment used to test for drugs is also causing concern. Police in Australia and South Africa already use road-side tests for drug-driving, but the Home Office says the equipment is ineffective.

The Government might also be seen to condone drugs if limits were set. “If you say ‘x’-grammes of cannabis won’t impair your driving but ‘y’-grammes will, you are kind of decriminalising cannabis,” said Robert Gifford, of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety. “The problem has been: are we trying to tackle a road safety problem or a wider society-and-drugs problem?”

Sir Peter’s findings will then be put out to consultation for 12 weeks. The announcement came as the Government unveiled a £1.2 million Christmas campaign against drink-driving.

MINI Beachcomber (Moke ?)

This is the Mini Beachcomber Concept, and this flight-of-fancy Moke-inspired show car gives us our first glimpse of how Mini's production-spec 4x4 crossover will look at launch in 2010. The funky beach-biased concept car will appear at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show in January, and then we'll see the real car at the Geneva motor show in March 2010 ahead of an autumn UK launch.

This four-seater, four-wheel-drive machine has been designed without doors or a conventional roof, so that its occupants are not cut off from the outside world. Not a bad idea, if you live in southern France... The real car will of course have four doors, a hatchback boot (discount the barn door Clubman disguise on the prototypes), and a normal roof – but today's concept is dropping heavy hints about real design elements such as the headlights and butch stance of the production Mini Crossover.

Inside the Beachcomber concept is a Center Speedo console for navigation and audio systems, while sited on either side of the steering wheel is a compass and an artificial horizon, so you know exactly where you are when you off road.

Carried over from the 2008 Mini Crossover Concept is a Center Rail to which armrests, music players, storage boxes and other auxiliaries can be attached – a clever character detail that dominates the interior. Expect something similar in production.

Aston Cygnet officially revealed!

The Cygnet has landed! Before now all we had to go on was one image of a clay styling model, but these are th first full images, revealing Aston's IQ-based baby in all its glory.

It's the model that has confounded car fans the world over - but here is proof that the British firm is going ahead with its most ambitious project yet.

Using the Toyota IQ as a starting point, Aston plan to ship the Japanese cars over to the UK before adding the radical styling changes, inside and out, that you can see here. At the front that classic Aston grille, but minituarised has been grafted on, alongside V12 Vantage-style bonnet vents and the famous Aston Martin badge.

The trademark side gills, gorgeous 16-spoke 16-inch alloys and boomerang style lights finish off the exterior enhancements. But it's inside the cabin where Aston has really rung the changes.

An almost limitless range of bespoke materials will be available to trim the cabin, along with every gadget you'd expect to find in a modern luxury car. An iPod dock in the centre of the dash, built-in sat-nav and leather on almost every surface can clearly be seen in the photo.

Engine options will be limited to the larger 99bhp 1.3-litre engine from the IQ, meaning performance won't be on a par with other cars in Aston's range but that's mising the point - the idea behind this car is to reduce average CO2 emissions across the line-up.

Work on the concept is ongoing and will continue into 2010 when it will become a production reality, initially available only to Aston Martin customers in the UK and Europe, for a price of around £20,000.

Possible hope for Saab this Christmas

Spyker has extended the deadline for its offer to buy Saab, raising hopes that talks with GM are progressing, according to reports.

However, the Swedish government has warned that there is only a "very, very slim" hope of saving Saab.

Spyker had previously given GM until 10pm Monday 21st UK time to consider its latest proposal, but sources have now said that the deadline has been extended indefinitely as negotiations continue.

Unions and Swedish government officials held emergency talks today in Saab's manufacturing hub of Trollhatten to discuss the likely closure of Saab.

Model updates for 2010 (A-F)




Alfa Romeo Guilietta

On sale June

Price £14,800

Built on an all-new platform and a little bigger in all dimensions, just a five-door will be offered; the Mito will be Alfa’s three-door hatch.

Aston Martin Rapide

On sale March

Price £150,000

Aston’s £150k, 470bhp Rapide will offer an exotic take on the Porsche Panamera four-door coupe theme.

Aston Martin One-77

On sale Spring

Price £1.2m

One of the world’s most exotic sports cars, the £1.2m carbonfibre One-77, reaches its first owners next spring – and at least 50 of the planned production run of 77 are sold.

Aston Martin Cygnet

On sale September

Price £25,000

Aston’s tweaked Toyota iQ city car arrives in September and gets a considerably different exterior, which is characterised by Aston design cues, and a revamped interior.

Ariel Atom V8

On sale March

Price £120,000

The 500bhp V8-powered Atom 500 should finally go into production next March.

Audi R8 Spyder

On sale May

Price £110,000

The open-top R8 will carry a £10k premium over the hard-top version, which makes it the most expensive car that Audi has ever sold.

Audi A1

On sale October

Price £14,000

Probably the most important new model for Audi in 2010 is the A1 supermini. Based on the Polo and aimed squarely at the Mini, the A1 is likely to be seen first at the Geneva show in March and then launched in the UK in October.

Audi A8

On sale March

Price £50,000

The alloy spaceframe platform is claimed to be all new and the styling sportier but evolutionary.

Audi TT - facelift

A facelift is due for the coupe and the roadster in the autumn; the two-seater could even receive a stop-start system

Bentley Mulsanne

On sale May

Price £200,000

The successor to the stately Arnage is a much more modern car and owes nothing to the older saloon. Under the bonnet is a 6.75-litre V8 but, despite having the same capacity, it’s not really related to the 6.75 engine that Bentley has been using since 1959.

BMW X5 - facelift

Big SUV is due a facelift in May, with cosmetic changes to the front and rear, and new engines.

BMW 5-series

On sale April

Price £27,555 to £49,440

The saloon starts the action and is followed in September by the Touring. Developed alongside the new 5-series GT, the platform is all-new and features all-steel construction in place of the hybrid steel/alloy engineering of today’s car.

BMW X1

On sale Now

Price £24,205

BMW's baby crossover works best in a more basic guise - but it's a compelling drive.

BMW X3

On sale October

Price £35,000

Billed as an all-new model, it is based on the next-generation 3-series platform and grows in size to fill the gap between the X5 and new X1. Some sources suggest it may be as big as a Range Rover Sport.

BMW 3-series Coupe/CC

On sale March

Price from £26,500

When the 3-series range was tweaked earlier this year, the Coupe and Convertible missed out.

Cadillac

There’s no word from GM about the UK availability of the Cadillac SRX SUV, CTS Coupé and CTS estate, which were meant to be coming in 2010.

Caterham seven cSR

On sale Summer

Price £33k-£42k

The 2.3-litre Ford unit that Cosworth tweaks and builds for the Caterham CSR goes out of production next year, so Caterham will have to find a new powerplant. That’s expected to be a tweaked version of the 2.0-litre Duratec, with power ranging from 200 to 250bhp, depending on version.

Citroen C3

On sale January

Price from £15,200

Citroën is planning a C3 capable of emitting just 99g/km of CO2 from its new diesel engine

Citroen DS3

On sale March

Price from £12,500

Citroën will take on the Mini in March with the stylish new DS3 hatch. Priced from around £12,500 to £18k to cover the Mini from One to Cooper S, the DS3 will feature three petrol engines and two diesels, co-developed by PSA with BMW.

Citroen C-ZERO

On sale Winter

Price £20,000

Citroën’s take on Mitsubishi’s electric iMiEV is the same car with the double chevron on the nose. A full charge takes six hours and range is 80 miles, top speed is 80mph and 62mph takes 15 seconds.

Chevrolet Spark

On sale March

Price £6-£9,000

With a choice of 70bhp 1.0 and 84bhp 1.2 petrol engines, the Spark will be marketed as a youthful small car replete with bright exterior paint options.

Chevrolet Orlando

On sale December

Price £13-£21,000

Chevy’s version of the next-generation Zafira is tipped for a Geneva show debut. Featuring blocky styling like the concept’s, the Orlando is expected to score with a highly competitive price/equipment mix.

Chevrolet Captiva - facelift

A mild facelift for the SUV, centred on upgraded Euro 5 engines in Dec; prices from £16,000

Dodge Caliber

On sale Winter

Price £13,500

While Chrysler rebuilds its business, next year’s model plan is up in the air. At some point in 2010, however, a 2.2 diesel Caliber is likely to arrive in the UK.

Fiat Topolino

On sale Late 2010

Price £6000

Only a rumour at present, but a new city car could be coming in late 2010, previewed by a concept at the Geneva show.

Fiat Punto Evo

On sale January

Price £11-£14,000

Styling changes spruce up the exterior and a higher-quality fascia, modelled on the Bravo’s, lifts the interior. New engines include a brace of 1.4 Multiair units with 95bhp and 133bhp. There’s also a new 93bhp 1.3 Multijet diesel.

Fiat 500

Improved 1.3 Multijet diesel, with an extra 20bhp, makes an appearance in the 500 in February; it’s also due to get a new two-cylinder engine

Ferrari 458 Italia

On sale May

Price £160,000 (est)

The replacement for the F430 is not only more thrilling but also much more well rounded; it’s now a bona fide supercar

source Autocar.co.uk

New Saab 95 may live on as a Buick

GM is considering selling the latest Saab 9-5 as a Buick in America, according to reports in Sweden.

The Saab 9-5 is ready for launch, but it faces an uncertain future as GM will decide if it will either sell Saab or close it down within the next few days.

Any buyer of the company is likely to keep the 9-5 within its portfolio, but, according to Swedish newspaper Dagens Industri, if GM closes Saab it will rebadge the 9-5 as a Buick model.

The latter option would give it an opportunity to recoup some of its development costs for the car.

Dagens Industri is also reporting that GM has told Saab's suppliers that it expects it to take five years for the company to be fully wound down, if that is the course of action it takes.

However, GM's talks with prospective buyers - including Spyker - are said to be ongoing.

Autocar.co.uk

Best Wishes for 2010 from the EVS team

an interesting article for your information...

Everyone knows about Sweden’s rules about driving with sidelights on, courtesy of the thousands of Volvos and Saabs on the UK’s roads. Hungary and Canada have similar laws to the Swedes, as do most of the Baltic nations. In Italy headlights are required from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise outside urban areas.

In the US, many states, including Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Virginia, operate a law whereby headlights must be switched on if you’re using your windscreen wipers or you risk a fine. There’s surely no argument here, is there? Headlights help you get seen.

It’s time we considered adopting laws similar to the Italians (who’d have thought that!?), not least because a by-product will be that drivers will start their thinking process the moment they start their vehicles. For once, I'm in agreement with the Eurocrats.

You see, the European Commission has quietly set in motion directive 2008/89/EC,which decrees that all new cars must have daytime running lights by 2011. It's like a rewind back to the 1980s when all Volvos had lights permanently stuck on.

Not switching your lights on is indicative of a motorist driving on autopilot. And they’re the most dangerous drivers on our roads.

Honda's new small concept (2010 for India)

Honda today whisked the covers off this New Small Concept car – a supermini designed to cash in on the booming Indian car market.

Unveiled at the 2010 New Delhi motor show, the New Small Concept is the fruits of its joint venture with Honda Siel Cars India (HCSI).

And this isn’t some pie-in-the-sky concept, says Honda. It will begin selling a production version closely based on this show car in 2011 – and it could even come to western Europe.

To make this a proper five-seater, HCSI has stretched the platform to make this an unusually wide supermini. It’s not yet clear which engineering matrix will underpin the new Honda for India.

The productionised New Small Concept will be sold in India and Thailand from next year. No price has been announced yet – but the company claims it will be ‘an affordable price by leveraging Honda’s global parts sourcing network.’

Honda sources suggest it could make the leap from east to west; it’ll be engineered to be a global car, with the ability to drop out easily any technology deemed too expensive for some emerging markets, yet retain all mod-cons for more established countries with higher price points.

Toyota Etios (2010)

Toyota unveiled the Etios hatchback and saloon concepts today at the 2010 New Delhi auto show. It’s Toyota’s New Compact Car for the growing Indian car market.

The Etios is aimed at family users, and is consequently a notch above the Tata Nano – in size and anticipated prices.

Although concepts, the Etios pair are understood to be close to the production versions planned for late 2010. The saloon is powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine, the hatch a new 1.2; both engines will continue for the showroom versions.

They’re building a new, second factory in India expressly for the Etios – Indian sales are tipped for 70,000 a year, with exports to follow.

Don’t expect the Etios in Europe any time soon, however. It’s a more rugged model for emerging markets, including Russia and South America.

F1 boss bids for Saab

Bernie Ecclestone, the boss of Formula 1, has made a bid for Saab in cooperation with a Luxembourg-based private investment company.

The bid comes as a last ditch effort to try and save Saab from being wound down by current owner General Motors.

Negotiations to try and sell Saab have been going on since January 2009 and acting GM chief executive Ed Whitacre has already said it was looking unlikely that bidders had enough financial backing to complete a deal.

Dutch sportscar maker Spyker, which has been the main bidder for Saab in recent weeks, is also believed to have revised yet another offer to buy the Swedish brand.

A Swedish consortium is also believed to have put a third offer together.

GM gave a deadline of January 7 for final bids and Saab board members will meet today to make a decision as to what will happen with the company.

A mans car...

Subaru is very much a man’s brand with women owning less than a fifth of all models registered.

Men own 68.3% while women have bought 18.99%. Only 5.31% are company cars.

Subaru represents 0.303% of UK registered vehicles, making it the 30th most popular brand.

Estates are the most popular models in the UK at 41.10% while four-door saloons make up 32.38% of the total registration.

Manual transmission is the first choice when it comes to Subarus with only 17.15% being automatics.

The Impreza is the most popular model, making up more than half of the total UK Subaru market at 51.07%. Following are the Legacy (20.92%) and the Forester (19.12%).

Most Subaru buyers opt for larger engine sizes. Just 7.36% have an engine size below 1,949cc. The majority (73.29%) are between 1,950 and 2,449cc with the remaining 19.34% being above 2,450cc.

The most likely places to spot a Subaru are Sheffield, Aberdeen, Birmingham, Guildford and Gloucester.

When it comes to colour, blue appears to be favourite with Subaru owners at 26.57% followed by silver/aluminium on 22.64%. Together they make up 49.21% of all UK Subarus.

Subarus that are two or more colours make up 11.05%, which probably reflects the brand’s popularity with aftermarket tuners.

Less than 10% of all Subarus are under two years old, with 24.41% being younger than four years.

There are many older Subarus still on the road with more than a quarter (26.36%) being old enough to qualify for the scrappage scheme.

Subaru owners like their private plates, making up 28.06% of all Subarus on the road.

Honda CR-Z coupe hybrid

Honda has unveiled its CR-Z sports coupe hybrid at the Detroit Show, prior to the European version of the CR-Z making its debut at Geneva in March and going on sale in the UK from Summer 2010.

The wedge-shaped coupe ostensibly slots in alongside models like the Volvo C30 and VW Scirocco, but is driven by Honda's parallel hybrid system paired with a six-speed manual gearbox

The CR-Z is paired to a new 123bhp 1.5-litre 4-cylinder engine developing 128lb-ft that benefits from an extra 56lb-ft of torque provided by the 14bhp electric motor.

Honda says the peak torque figure is identical to that of the 1.8-litre Civic but offers CO2 emissions of just 117g/km - 35g/km fewer than the Civic.

The platform shares some components with the Insight, but the wheelbase, track width and set-up are all bespoke for the new coupe hybrid.

A 3-Mode Drive System allows the driver to choose between three driving modes, which alter the responses of the throttle, steering, idle stop timing, climate control and the level of assistance provided by the IMA system.

Other styling features include daytime running lights with eight LEDs on the European-specification CR-Z.

The UK-spec CR-Z is a true coupe, with a 2+2 layout, while rear seats fold flat. The production CR-Z is shorter than the Insight by 295mm, while its wheelbase is 115mm shorter than the Insight’s for increased handling ability and weight reduction.

Forged aluminium MacPherson struts have been used to reduce weight and increase strength, while the suspension features new springs and damper settings and the tolerances are individual to the compact coupe.

Inside the dashboard of the new coupe has a two-level construction, with a dark upper portion appearing to float above a light grey lower dash section.

"The CR-Z is a great-looking, sporty car – that’s also a hybrid," said Tom Gardner, Head of Marketing, Honda (UK).

"Kart-like handling and direct steering will make it great fun to drive, but the hybrid system means exhaust emissions are kept low. With the torque boost of the electric motor, it’s ideally suited to ‘point-to-point’ driving in British towns and cities."

The European version of the CR-Z goes on sale in the UK in summer 2010, and will debut at the Geneva Auto Show 2010 in March.

Toyota launches "Swappage"

Toyota has launched a Swappage scheme which offers customers up to £2,000 savings on some of its Yaris, Auris and Avensis models.

As the scrappage scheme draws to a close in February, Toyota will run Swappage for orders up until March 31 and registered up to July 31.

It is open to owners of vehicles between seven and 10 years old, registered between 1 March 2000 (W-plate) and 28 February 2003 (52-plate).

As the name Swappage implies, the vehicles traded in will not necessarily be scrapped.

Sales director Richard Balshaw said: “The famous quality, reliability and keen cost-of-ownership of our models have made them a hugely popular choice for motorists taking advantage of Scrappage.

“With Swappage we are committed to giving even more people the chance to acquire a new Toyota at a genuine bargain price.”

Trade-in vehicles have to be DVLA registered, insured and have a current MoT certificate, and the buyer must have been the registered keeper of the trade-in vehicle for the last 12 consecutive months.

Toyota is also offer savings on its British-built Avensis, with a further discount of £500 available on T2 models and £750 on the TR and T4 versions.

Range Rover LRX (2011)

We'll finally see the finished Range Rover LRX for real this year – the production LRX is likely to be shown later in 2010. But for now we'll have to make do with ever-more-frequent spyshots of the LRX testing in mule guise.

That means the car you see here winter testing in the snows of Scandinavia is far from the finished product. It's based on a chopped-about Land Rover Freelander bodyshell, as the engineers continue to test the hardware underneath.

The LRX will feature four-wheel drive – this is a Land Rover, after all – but it is possible that this is one product from Solihull that could be available as a front-driver too in a bid to trim weight, consumption and emissions.

Is the LRX really going to be a Range Rover?

Yes. Originally, this car was shown in 2008 as a Land Rover concept car, but marketing chiefs quickly realised that its premium appeal would justify it carrying the smarter Range Rover badge. All in keeping with this car's on-road, luxury bias – albeit wrapped up in a smaller, more bijou and ecologically acceptable package.

We'll hopefully find out for sure this summer. No date has yet been fixed, but Range Rover's 40th anniversary falls in summer 2010 and we'd wager that Land Rover types will want to celebrate in style – looking back at what has been and then showing what is to come.

Drivers more confident - The Facts...

Drivers are more confident about car buying during 2010 than a year ago, but are planning to spend less, according to the latest Car Purchase Index (CPI) published by AA Financial Services.

A fifth (20%) of 13,489 respondents in the AA/Populus study of AA members say they expect to change their car over the coming year, compared with 18% a year ago.

Just over a fifth (21%) say their next car will be brand new regardless of when they buy it, up 3% over the past year.

Mark Huggins, director of AA Financial Services, said: “This suggests that metal is moving off forecourts and the slow recovery should gather momentum.

“I have no doubt the extension of the car scrappage scheme to the end of February 2010 is helping – but if this isn’t extended again new car sales could slow down again.

“In fact, the CPI found that over a quarter of those with a car aged 10 years or more could take advantage of the scheme: 22% saying they are thinking about it and 4% definitely planning to. A further 4% said they have already bought a new car through the scheme.”

Buyers spending less

However, despite more people saying they are going to buy a car, they expect to spend less on their new one.

Although the most popular price-band in the CPI is still £5,000-£10,000, with 32% saying they will spend this much, this is a fall of 3% compared to last year. More people are planning to spend under £5,000 (23% compared with 19% last year).

Young drivers seem to be most financially stretched with four times as many this year (12%) saying they will spend less than £1,000 on a car compared to last year (3%). At the opposite end of the age scale, a quarter (24%) of those aged 65 and over will spend between £10,000 and £15,000 on a car compared with 18% overall. But even this represents an 11% fall compared with a year ago, when 35% said they would spend this much.

Savings spent on cars

The most popular way of paying for a car is still to use savings, with two-fifths (41%) saying they’ll do so compared with almost half last year (49%). Fewer people also say they will take out a loan, 16% compared with 20% a year ago. But more than twice as many people say they can use ready cash to buy a car (14%) as last year 7%). This is particularly marked among those aged 65 and over: 20% against 8% last year.

“This suggests that many people are able to use funds such as redundancy payments or pension lump sums to help them buy a new car,” Huggins said.

‘Green’ slips down the agenda

Concern about the environment appears to be having a decreasing influence on car choice with only 15% overall saying they would choose a car because it offers green credentials.

“This is 2% less than a year ago,” said Huggins. “Then, women seemed to drive the green agenda with a fifth (21%) being prepared to express their environmental concern through their car choice. Now that figure is just 14%.

“The greatest motivation for replacing a car is that the existing one is too old,” Huggins points out. “Nearly half (46%) gave this reason – more than twice as many as a year ago (22%). Then, buying a car that’s cheaper to run was the principal reason for a change at 45%, compared with a third (32%) now, suggesting many people have been hanging on to their motors until they have greater financial certainty.

“It could be that we will see the used car market being flooded with older cars over the coming year.”

Diesel vs. petrol

Diesels, generally more economical than petrol-engined cars, are gradually becoming more popular with 43% saying that’s the type of car they will be opting for, compared to 37% last year.

“But what’s interesting is that women are less likely to choose diesel,” said Huggins. “In fact, 49% prefer petrol, just 3% less than last year. Hybrids (3%) and electric (less than 1%) are barely making a mark in peoples’ preferences.

amonline

By contrast, the Honda Jazz loses only £1,379 in a year, topping the list of slowest depreciating cars of 2009 and edging out the hugely popular Fiat 500 by a mere £80. The figures are calculated by comparing the estimated market value of a 10,000-mile car in good c