By Martin Ward on Wednesday, April 28, 2010

This week’s manufacturer news

 

VAUXHALL – Has announced that the first pre-production Ampera has rolled off the assembly line. The Ampera is an electric vehicle with an engine generator which is capable of travelling up to forty miles on electric power. The engine generator kicks in when the battery starts to run low, allowing the vehicle to have a range of up to three hundred miles. The first Ampera is due to arrive in UK showrooms in early 2012.

 

VOLKSWAGEN – The new Phaeton has been unveiled at the Beijing Motor Show. The newly revised design comprises of a reprofiled bonnet, new front and rear lights, new front grille, new front and rear bumpers and new front wings. It is...

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By Martin Ward on Wednesday, April 21, 2010

This week’s manufacturer news

 

CITROEN – Has revealed a concept car called Metropolis, which pays homage to Chinese development with a design that reflects its dynamism and ambition. It will be on show in the French pavilion at the Shanghai World Fair from 1st May to 31st October 2010.

 

 

 

SEAT – Has released photographs of the all new Alhambra. Measuring 22cm longer and 9cm wider than its predecessor, it expected to go on sale this summer. The new Alhambra will be available with the following choice of engines: TSI 150ps petrol, TDI 150ps diesel or TDI 170ps diesel.

 

 

VOLKSWAGEN...

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By Martin Ward on Wednesday, April 14, 2010

This week’s manufacturer news

 

AUDI – Has announced details of the up-and-coming 2011 TT range. Enhancements include subtle exterior styling changes, new interior and exterior colours and xenon headlights now come as standard on the S Line trim. A new 2.0 litre TFSI 211 engine replaces the previous 2.0 litre TFSI 200, offering an improvement of 14% in engine efficiency.



Further details will be announced at a later date.



An S Tronic version of the TT RS is to be made available later this year.

 

HYUNDAI – Has announced that sales for last month reached an all time high of 15,241 units; the best result in the UK so far for the Korean manufacturer. The best selling model was the i10 city car with a total of 6,195 units, followed by the i30 with 4,584 and the i20 with 3,570. Only one in three Hyundai cars sold on March registrations were to scrappage scheme customers.

 

SAAB...

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By Martin Ward on Wednesday, April 07, 2010

CITROEN – Has announced the introduction of the Airdream+ on the C3, C3 Picasso and C4. The Airdream+ derivative gains, on all three ranges, rear parking sensors and a connecting box which consists of Bluetooth and a USB socket. The C3 Picasso Airdream+ gains electric rear windows and electrically adjustable heated door mirrors. The C4 Airdream+ gains automatic digital air conditioning. Prices start at £14,590 on the road for the C3 Airdream+.

 

KIA – Has unveiled a new D sector saloon car at the New York Motor Show called the Optima. There will be a choice of two engines available in Western Europe: a 2.0 litre CVVL petrol and a 1.7 litre VGT turbo diesel, both available with a choice of 6 speed manual or auto transmissions. The Optima is expected in 2011, with pricing to be confirmed at a later date.

 

 

PEUGEOT – Has announced...

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By Martin Ward on Wednesday, March 31, 2010

This week’s manufacturer news

 

FIAT – Has announced that the 500,000th 500 model has been produced this week. It is currently on sale in 83 different countries around the world.

 

FORD – Has announced the introduction of the limited edition Focus RS500. The RS500 has an increased power output of 350ps, in comparison to the standard RS which is 305ps. Production numbers are limited to 500 vehicles, with 101 being allocated to the UK. The RS500 will make its debut at the 2010 Leipzig Motor Show.

 

 

 

LEXUS – Has announced that the LFA supercar is now available with a Nurburgring package. It has been introduced in celebration of the LFA’s entry into the Nurburgring 24 hour race and is aimed at track driving enthusiasts. Enhancements include an increased power output to from 552bhp to 562bhp and sports...

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By Martin Ward on Wednesday, March 24, 2010

This week’s manufacturer news

 

MITSUBISHI – Has announced pricing for the all-electric i-MiEV. It is priced at £38,699, less the government’s allowance of £5,000, making it £33,699 including VAT. First deliveries in the UK are expected in January 2011.

 

 

 

 

SEAT – Has announced a limited edition Ibiza model: the Ibiza SC ‘Goodstuff.’ The Goodstuff is based on the 1.4 85ps SE three door but has additional equipment including 16” alloy wheels, climate control, TomTom satellite navigation with cradle and dock, iPod Nano 8GB, Nokia hands free Bluetooth connection and external Goodstuff badging. The Goodstuff celebrates the partnership between Seat and pop star Shakira, and the title comes from Shakira’s forthcoming European tour which Seat are sponsoring. The Goodstuff is priced at £11,995 on the road.  ...

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By Martin Ward on Wednesday, March 17, 2010

This week’s manufacturer news

 

FIAT – Has announced the introduction of the 500C Pink special edition. The 500 Pink hatchback was launched in January this year, with 500 units available to the UK. Just 300 units will be offered to the UK for the 500C Pink. Based on the 500 1.2 Pop, standard features include: special pink paint, 16” alloy wheels, leather steering wheel/gear knob and Blue&Me infotainment. The 500C Pink starts at £13,500 on the road.

 

First driving impressions – Mercedes-Benz E Class cabriolet, international press event, Majorca

 

You would have thought that Majorca in early March would be the perfect place to hold the launch and first...

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By Martin Ward on Wednesday, March 10, 2010

This week’s manufacturer news

 

FORD – Has announced that it intends to introduce five new vehicles with either hybrid or full-electric drive to Europe by 2013 as part of its global electric vehicles plan. A Transit Connect electric will be the first vehicle to be introduced, launching in 2011, followed by a Focus electric in 2012. Two hybrid-electric models and a plug-in hybrid-electric model will follow in 2013.

 

LUXGEN – Established in 2008, Luxgen are the first automobile brand from Taiwan. Having successfully completed its international debut at the 2009 Dubai Motor Show, the brand is set to introduce vehicles that are programmed to ‘think ahead’ for the consumer, using IT technology to create a new generation of intelligent vehicles. The cars will feature a state-of-the-art on-board computer called ‘think+’, which for the first time ever, combines HTC’s Smart Technology with Windows CE Automotive Interface to pre-empt road conditions and potential hazards. Luxgen intend to target...

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By Martin Ward on Thursday, March 04, 2010

Geneva Motor Show report

 

The Geneva Motor Show, which is always held at the beginning of March every year, is quickly becoming the show to introduce new models to the public and this year there seems to have been more world premieres than ever before. Geneva though is still a bit ‘old-school’ when it comes to glamour and putting on a show for the audience. There was hardly a stand where the girls were not present, all dressed up and mostly looking stunning, but this is a car show, not a fashion show. However, the halls are fairly small so the venue is easy and quick to get around in; you are never more than ten minutes walk away from any exhibitor’s display, unlike some shows where you can walk and walk and walk all day.

 

Here are some of the highlights of the show, featuring all the new models that made their debut appearance:

 

ALFA...

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By Martin Ward on Wednesday, February 24, 2010

This week’s manufacturer news

 

AUDI – Has released details on the RS5 coupe. It opens for ordering in spring, with first deliveries due in October. The RS5 coupe is powered by a 4.2 litre V8 turbo petrol engine that produces 450ps, goes from 0-62mph in 4.6 seconds and has a limited top speed of 155mph. Fuel consumption is 26.2mpg on the combined cycle. Prices are expected to start at around £58,000.

  

 

CITROEN – Has announced that a limited edition DS3 Racing model is scheduled to be introduced. The DS3 Racing is powered by a 1.6 litre THP petrol engine that produces 200hp. It will be finished in a special workshop by Citroen Racing.



 

 

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