VW puts Tiguan through final tests

Volkswagen has released pictures of its new small 4x4, the Tiguan, undergoing final testing in Namibia, and the word is that it will be a serious 4x4, not just a leisure-based SUV.

VW is planning to sell two versions of the Tiguan. One, called 'Trend & Fun' will have a low-slung front end and is intended to be a strict on-roader. But the 'Sport & Style' version will have a reworked front end that will increase its slope approach angle from 18-degrees to 28-degrees, significantly enhancing its off-road capability.

The Tiguan will also have an electronic system similar to Land Rover's Terrain Assist, which at the push of a button will pre-set all the electronic chassis systems to work better in=off-road conditions. Hill descent and hill start controls will be standard.

VW will also offer Park Assist on the Tiguan, which uses parking sensors and electronically-controlled steering to automatically steer into a parking space while you just work the clutch and throttle.

Five engines will be available on the Tiguan. 150bhp, 170bhp and 200bhp petrols and 140bhp and 170bhp diesels. It will go on sale shortly after its official debut at the Frankfurt motor show in September.

Toyota forced to withdraw Prius ad

Toyota has been forced by the UK Advertising Standards Authority to withdraw a television advert for its Prius hybrid car because it made erroneous claims about the car's environmental performance.

According to the ASA, Toyota's claim that the car produced around 1-tonne less of CO2 per year than a conventional car was based on the figures relating to the US market and were not indicative of European driving conditions, or, for that matter, the diesel-powered European competition.

According to a report in this morning's Guardian newspaper, the ASA agreed the Prius emitted "significantly less" CO2 than some other cars with greater engine capacity, but added that "we did not consider their evidence demonstrated that it emitted one tonne less than equivalent vehicles with diesel engines or that it took into account the average annual distance driven by private cars in the UK".

Toyota has pulled the ad from UK airwaves, but it's not known if it will have to alter its Irish advertising yet.

Anniversary Rolls-Royce

One would have thought that Rolls-Royce would never have to stoop so low as to offer Special Editions of its models, but then, a Special Edition Rolls is a wee bit different to a Rip Curl Clio (no disrespect to Renault implied).

This then is the Rolls-Royce Phantom Silver, built to celebrate the 100th birthday of the original 1907 Silver Ghost, the car that established Rolls' reputation for quality and engineering prowess by driving non-stop between London and Glasgow. 27 times. in a row.

A journey that would be entirely easy in the modern Phantom, what with that whisper quiet 6.75-litre V12 doing to driving. To distinguish the Phantom Silver from lesser (if that's the right word) Phantoms, Rolls-Royce has added silver paint (obviously), a solid silver Spirit Of Ecstasy mascot, unique leather and straight-grained wood inside and a specially commissioned solid silver Conway Stewart fountain pen. Which would be handy for signing the €550,000+ cheque you'd need to land one of these remarkable cars on Irish soil.

Let us know how the saving goes...

First pics of new 308

Peugeot has released the first pictures of its crucial new 308 hatchback, the car that the PSA group hopes will move it back into contention with the Ford Focus, Opel Astra and VW Golf.

And despite middling reviews for the 308's predecessor, the 307, it still sold well, shifting more than 3-million units in its lifetime, and winning European Car Of The Year. But it was criticised for bland styling, so-so handling and poor quality.

Certainly, the new 308 couldn't be accused of being bland. It takes the basic proportions of the 307 and adds the detailing seen on the 207 to it. It's not beautiful, but it's certainly distinctive.

Inside, the news is better again, and it looks like Peugeot has been working hard to ward of criticism of its cabin quality in recent models. The surfaces all look soft-touch and expensive, and the centre console and HVAC controls all look much better integrated than on the 307.

Whatever it's like to drive, the 308 will be a landmark car for Peugeot. PSA bosses have already promised that this will be the last car they make that's heavier than its predecessor (by around 150kg model for model). All future cars will be lighter than before to the benefit of fuel consumption and emissions. Even so, Peugeot is claiming that the new 308 will be a very environmentally friendly car, which could mean that we'll get to see the production version of PSA's diesel stop-start system, which brings exceptional economy and Prius-beating emissions to the table.

The 308 will go on sale before the end of the year, with 1.4, 1.6 and 2.0-litre petrol engines, and 1.4 and 1.6 diesels.

Renault debuts new Laguna

This is the all-new Renault Laguna which will go on sale in all major European markets before the end of this year. Renault is claiming it represents a dramatic step forward in the saloon car market, bringing new levels of quality, refinement and environmental frendliness.

That last claim is certainly borne out by the performance of the 1.5dCi diesel model, for which Renault is quoting and emissions figure of just 136g/km of CO2. That's a remarkable level for a large, comfy executive express.

So far, just four engines have been announced. The 1.5 diesel and its 2.0-litre sister oil-burner, and two petrol engines, a 2.0 and a 2.0 Turbo. There's no word yet on whether capacity-sensitive Ireland will get a 1.6 or 1.8 petrol, but if the oft-discussed new CO2-based VRT import tax finally gets the go-ahead, then we'll all be driving the 1.5 anyway.

Just as significantly, Renault is claiming that the new Laguna represents a major leap in quality for the French car maker. Renault boss Carlos Ghosn spoke of matching Toyota levels of quality with this new car, and from what we've seen so far of the gorgeous, soft-touch interior, he may not have been too far from the truth.

One thing though; if this car is such an improvement, why does it look so much like the old one?

VW ditches Proton deal

Volkswagen has reportedly pulled out of a long-mulled deal to buy Malaysian car maker Proton. Proton, which is still state owned, has suffered in recent years because of the deregulation of the Malaysian car market, which has seen other makes muscle in on its former protected turf.

The VW deal had been working away in the background for some months, and it was thought a couple of weeks ago that an announcement was imminent. But the Malaysian Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi issued a statement last week that read: "I have decided, since Volkswagen is not interested in the proposal that Proton wants in terms of equity, Proton needs to talk to other people."

VW was reckoned to be interested in Proton for its low-cost far-east manufacturing base as well as its access to burgeoning Asian markets. And that's without taking into account Proton's ownership of Lotus, whose expertise in vehicle dynamics and hybrid technology would have been very useful to VW.

Now the Germans and the Malaysians are looking elsewhere. VW may return to its South American bases in Mexico and Brazil, as it looks to produce a cheap, rear-engined car for low-cost markets (which could also be sold in Europe as a rival to the Mini and the Fiat 500). Proton is rumoured to already be having behind-the-scenes talks with Hyundai-Kia about a possible takeover.

Newly-independent Chrysler announces massive investment

The divorce from Mercedes may only just be over, but Chrysler isn't hanging around to argue over who gets to keep the Franklin Mint limited edition collectors' plates. Oh no.

The firm has just announced a massive investment in new engine and gearbox technologies, to the tune of $3-billion. A new factory will be built in Mexico to construct a new family of V6 engines that Chrysler says will push the limits of fuel-saving technology, as Detroit readies itself for a legislative onslaught on its gas-guzzling products.

Philately will get you nowhere

The Italian Post Office has honoured Lamborghini by putting the Sant Agata firm's famous charging bull logo on a stamp.

The 84c stamp was launched in a limited edition first day cover, that came with a signed history of Lamborghini and it will go into circulation as a regular stamp with a print run of around 3.5-million.

The good news is that you'd only have to buy 193,000 of them to have saved up for a new Gallardo.

M3 to get seven-speed DSG 'box

According to an internal BMW communications document, the new M3 will be available from the spring of next year with a VW-inspired dual-clutch paddle-shift gearbox that will provide near-seamless gearshifts.

Designed and built for BMW by legendary 'box builder Getrag, the new gearbox will be known as M-DCT and is being seen as a response to heavy criticism of the jerky, awkward sequential manual gearbox fitted to the M5 and M6. It's expected that the super-efficient new gearbox will make the M3, which goes on sale in September, significantly quicker and more fuel-efficient to boot.

There will also be a DCT version of the gearbox, designed for less extreme applications than M-Series cars, and will form part of BMW's Efficient Dynamics programme, that seeks major gains in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions without resorting to heavy, expensive hybrid technology.

MG returns to Birmingham

Two years on from the traumatic close-down of MG-Rover, TF roadsters are once again coming off the lines at the (in)famous Longbridge factory, once Europe's largest car plant.

Chinese owners Nanjing Automotive Company has restarted limited production of the sports car (originally designed in 1995) and also plans to use Longbridge as a base for its plans to commence sales of the China-built MG 7 saloon (formerly MG ZT, neé Rover 75).

Seat scoops itself

Seat has taken the rather unusual step of releasing an initial sketch of a car that is at least 18 months away from production.

The so-called Seat B-Segment car will be the Sapnish firm's first foray into the Mondeo-Passat-Avensis end of the market. No technical details of the car are available yet, other than that it will be built at Seat's main Martorel factory near Barcelona.

It's pretty safe to assume that it will use engines and running gear from the VW Golf and Passat, although it's too early to tell just how big a car it will be. Full size saloon on a Passat chassis? Or stretched Golf platform to straddle the Focus-Mondeo sized footprint, a la Skoda Octavia.

We'll know more closer to the as-yet unnamed model's launch date in 2009.

Mini beats Prius

BMW has announced details of a Mini Cooper that matches the Toyota Prius for emissions levels, but does without the need for a hefty battery stack or expensive hybrid engine.

The new Mini Cooper D will use the same stop-start and regenerative braking technology that BMW has recently debuted on the updated 1 Series diesel. By shutting off the engine when stationary in traffic and using scavenged energy from braking and coasting to run the car's electrical systems, BMW is claiming that the 110bhp diesel Cooper will return an exceptional 3.9-litres per 100km fuel economy (72.2mpg) and emit just 104g/km of CO2.

7-Up for VW's DSG

Volkswagen's now-famous DSG paddle-shift gearbox has just received a seventh gear, and it will be slotting into various Polo, Golf, Jetta and Passat models shortly, as well a numerous other Audi, Seat and Skoda products.

Like the first generation six-speed DSG, the new gearbox is as much about improving efficiency as it is about providing the driver with some F1-style gearshift thrills. The new 'box takes advantage of its extra cog by shortening the first six gears for better acceleration while a long, stretchy seventh takes care of improving economy on long runs.

Remarkably, the new DSG is actually 7kg lighter than the old six-speed version and VW isn't expected to raise the price, either.

Incidentaly, VW has also confirmed that its new 1.4 TSI 120bhp engine (which uses the same technology as the 140bhp and 170bhp versions but makes do with just a turbocharger and does without the more powerful versions' supercharger) will gradually replace the long-lived 1.6-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine. The TSI version is more powerful but also more economical and emits less CO2.

New face for Picanto

Kia's Picanto small car has just had its mid-life facelift, which brings a new grille, lights and bumper to the Picanto party. The new bumpers (front and rear) mean that it's now 40mm longer than before, but the wheelbase remains unchanged so there's no improvement on interior space.

In spite of which, the interior has had a major makeover, with a new fascia, new instruments and new steering wheel meant to ape the look of its bigger brother, the Ceed. It'll arrive on Irish shores by the autumn, with the same 1.0 and 1.1-litre petrol engines, and prices should remain pretty much the same.

VW Ireland boosts GOAL charity funds

Volkswagen main dealers from all parts of Ireland have donated some
€33,800 to the Irish charity GOAL. The money, made up from dealer
donations backed by matching funds from the Volkswagen organisation, will
go towards funding work being undertaken by the Third-World relief agency
amongst disadvantaged children in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa.

Under this programme, the money provided by Volkswagen and its dealer
organisation - whose purchasing power on the ground in Ethiopia is
calculated at more than twenty times its face value - will help finance a
programme that supports up to 700 children in the 5/17 years age group in
any given year.

As part of an even larger budget, it will help provide basic needs such as
shelter, food, health care and primary education plus the provision of life
skills training, sports and recreation facilities aimed at reintegrating
street children back into their communities.

A second strand of the programme focuses on older boys and girls living on
the street through the development of their entrepreneurial skills or
vocational skills training and the provision of peer housing accommodation
and a small living allowance.

Pictured presenting the cheque to GOAL founder John O’Shea were (left to
right) Tom O’Connor, sales manger Volkswagen, with dealer representatives
Ron Hogan (Frank Hogan Limited, Limerick) and James McCormack (Western
Motors, Galway).

Nissan wins NCAP's highest-ever score

Nissan's compact SUV, the Qashqai, has scored the highest-ever marks for adult occupant protection in the Euro NCAP crash test programme.

The Qashqai scored maximum points for the side impact and offset pole tests, and a near-enough maximum score in the frontal impact test (above) giving it a total score of 37 points, five stars for adult occupant protection, four stars for child occupant protection and two stars for pedestrian protection.

Euro NCAP’s Secretary General Adrian Hobbs said ‘Congratulations Nissan! This is a particularly impressive result for this manufacturer since the Qashqai is a new vehicle in this category. Nissan’s last entry into the small family class was in 2001.’

The Kia Carens MPV, tested at the same time, scored a respectable four stars for adult occupant protection, three stars for child protection and one star for pedestrian protection.

California clamps down on car makers

Surprisingly, considering that 'The Governator' Schwarzenegger is still in charge, the state of California has applied to the US Congress for permission to create new state laws that will compel car companies to hit stringent new emissions and fuel economy laws before they are allowed to sell cars within the state.

If permission is granted (and would you say no to Ah-nuld?), then other US states such as New York and Virginia are expected to follow suit. The move comes as Congress is mulling over a plan to increase the federally-required CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) barrier from 25mpg across a manufacturer's range to 35mpg.

Needless to say, this has sent shudders of doom through Detroit boardrooms, with both General Motors and newly-independent Chrysler claiming that such moves will force them to pull out of selling cars in the states that apply them (and California is the biggest single state market for cars), and may bankrupt them entirely if the 35mpg CAFE regulation is introduced.

There could be a loophole though; Washington insiders are saying that the CAFE limit will be waived if t a sufficient number of a manufacturer's range is bio-fuel compatible.

As to what that means for European cars? Not a lot on a technical level, as almost every European maker already meets or beats such standards, but let's not forget that Opel, Jaguar, Saab, Land Rover and Volvo are American-owned, and that's leaving aside such obviously-American brands as Ford, Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Cadillac. California's moves, just as they did in the early Seventies, could have dramatic implications for all the cars we drive.

Yellows go green

New York's famous yellow taxis are going green, as mayor Michael Bloomberg wants to convert all the city's public hire cars to hybrid engines by 2012.

At the moment, only 375 out of 13,000 New York cabs run hybrid engines, but it's planned to increase that number by 20% every year until all cabs are converted.

The New York mayor's office reckons that this move will cut the city's CO2 emissions by 200,000 tons a year.

Seat's first 4x4

As previewed by the Freetrack concept car at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year, here is the production Seat Altea Freetrack, the Spanish company's first ever four-wheel-drive vehicle.

Based on the Altea XL MPV, it uses a Haldex-designed electro-mechanical four wheel drive system that sends all power to the front wheels in normal driving conditions, but diverts power aft if it detects the rear wheels losing grip.

Outside, plastic panels and aluminium bash-plates under the nose distinguish it from lesser Alteas, as does the extra 40mm of ground clearance. Engines will be at first limited to the 2.0 TFSI petrol turbo with 200bhp or the 2.0 TDI diesel with 170bhp, but if sales take off, you can safely expect to see other, more affordable, engines entering the range.

No word yet on Irish prices, specs or arrival dates.

MG to re-open Longbridge factory by end of the month

In a statement that reads a bit like a script page from Night Of The Living Dead, the resurrected, Chinese-owned MG has stated that it will restart production of the MG TF roadster in the mysterious cemetary... sorry, MG Rover's old factory in Longbridge tomorrow week, Tuesday May 29th.

Nanjing, the Chinese company that bought the MG half of MG Rover (Shanghai Auto got the Rover 75 saloon but not the Rover name. (confused? You should be.) has said that TF production is just days away and that 98 dealers across the UK have shown an interest in taking on the (re)revived sports car brand. No mention has been yet made of Ireland or Irish dealers, but you can bet that someone, somewhere wills how an interest.

Nanjing has already shown production of its MG 7 saloon (neé MG ZT, formerly Rover 75) which is being built in China, and which is also likely to make a return to Europe. Lotus Engineering has worked for Nanjing on getting the creaking, ancient K-Series petrol engines to meet Euro IV emissions standards, and it's likely that MG will approach Volkswagen for supplies of its 140bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine.

Meanwhile, Shanghai Auto has gotten its ex-Rover 75 into production and it's now known as the Roewe 750. Shanghai was prevented from using the Rover name because Ford bought the rights from BMW to prevent anyone trying to produce a potential Land Rover rival with the word Rover in the name. It's thought that Shanghai Auto will also try to enter the European market with the car, probably through Ssangyong dealers, which Shanghai has a stake in.

Got all that? Good. Now go have a lie down.

Car makers need more time on emissions standards

Europe's car makers are asking the EU for more time to meet stringent new emissions standards, due to come into force in 2012.

The European Union is proposing that all car makers will have to meet a tough average of 130g/km across their product ranges by that date, as Europe seeks to cut CO2 emissions from transport to attempt to put a brake on rising global temperatures.

But in a statement from Fiat boss and president of the cross-industry European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) Sergio Marchionne, the car companies need more time, or at least need the EU to make up its mind on the matter sooner.

"The motor industry must be granted sufficient lead time to meet any new requirements. The first feasible date for that to be accomplished is 2015.

"The announced legislative framework will most likely not be ready before 2009," he said. "By then, the cars of 2012 will have left the drawing tables."

The EU has so far, made no official response to Marchionne's statement, but the meeting he gave it at was attended by EU Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso, so Brussels is at least listening.

But is this a case of legislators being unreasonable or car companies being too lazy and inefficient? You tell us...

Stunning TT concept could make production

Unlike the nutter-Golf shown below, this stunning Audi TT Clubsport is likely to see a very limited production run, complete with chop top and aero screen.

Obviously based on the production TT, the Clubport does away with a roof and windscreen and instead adds massive bucket seats (from the RS4 saloon) and gets a tweaked version of the regular TT's 2.0-litre 200bhp TFSI engine, which now produces over 300bhp. Quattro four wheel drive is fitted too, as are ceramic brakes.

Officially, this is just a way that Audi is using to stir up interest in the forthcoming TT S, wich will get the Clubsport's 300bhp engine and ceramic brakes. But senior Audi people are saying that if public reaction to the Clubsport is strong enough then it is production feasible.

In other words, get your deposits in now.

Hottest Golf ever

No, not Padraig Harrington in Carton Manor on a sunny day, but this, a one-off super Golf that VW has built for annual GTI Festival in Austria. Just to show off a bit.

Now, the basic shape might be stock Golf, but trust us, what lies beneath is astonishing. As if the air intakes and bulging side skirts hadn't already given it away, this Golf is mid-engined. And not just any engine. It uses a twin-turbo version of the 6.0-litre W12 engine that's also found in the Phaeton saloon and various Bentleys. It's an astonishingly compact engine, made of two narrow-angle V6s bolted to a common crankshaft, and in this GTI W12 G50 design study, it pumps out a sensational 650bhp.

VW reckons that's good enough for 0-100kmh in just 3.7 seconds. In a Golf. What a shame there are no production plans...

Kids should face rear till they are 3, says Volvo

Children traveling in cars should sit in rear-facing child seats until they are three or four years of age. This is the advice from Volvo, which has been conducting some in-depth research into the dangers and safety aspects of kids in cars.

"Rearward facing child restraints are designed to support the neck and help spread the forces over a larger area in frontal impacts. Frontal impacts are the most frequent and usually the most severe impact situation" said Lotta Jakobsson, Child Safety Specialist at Volvo Cars.

"In a frontal impact a rearward facing child's whole body is supported, which minimises relative movements between the head and torso.

"For more than 35 years, Volvo Cars is doing extensive research based on real life accidents. These studies show beyond doubt that the safest way for small children to travel in cars is facing the rear."

But that runs contrary to the advice issued by the Road Safety Authority here in Ireland, which states that rear-facing seats are appropriate for children weighing up to around 13kg, which equates to around 15 months. Forward facing seats, according to the RSA, are appropriate for children once they hit around 9kg, depending on their height. No mention is made of a rear-facing seat for children older than 15 months, and a trawl of retail outlets failed to turn up one that would be suitable for a child of that size and age.

But the Volvo people are adamant. "Forward facing in a frontal impact, the body is restrained by the safety belt while the head moves forward and puts load on the neck. Depending on crash severity and size of the child, this load can be injurious.
- In one severe frontal impact in central Europe two girls were sitting forward facing in the rear seat. The five-year-old sustained a broken leg and spent two weeks in hospital. Her little sister, just ten months old, died from neck injuries. This is a clear example that it is much too early for a ten month old child to travel forward facing" says Lotta Jakobsson.

New 9-3 shown

Well, when we say new, we actually mean facelifted, because in spite of the rather dramatic new nose job, under the skin, the 9-3 remains very much as it was in 2002.

The new look is set to tide the car over until 2009, when an all-new 9-3, based on GM's new Epsilon platform will be launched.

This updated version will carry on with the existing 1.8 and 2.0-litre turbo petrol engines, and a new range-topping version will be introduced; a 300bhp version of the current 250bhp 2.8-litre V6 turbo, which will also feature four wheel drive, a first for Saab in Europe.

That also clears the way for a 'Crossover' 9-3 estate-based 4x4, likely to be called 9-3X, which should make its debut alongside the refreshed saloon, estate and cabrio at the Frankfurt motor show in September.

Would you like a car to go with that?

The gearknob in the photo above has just been sold for the rather surprising price of STG£41,000. That's rather a lot of money for something that would cost €5.99 down at Halfords, so you're probably suspecting at this point that this is no ordinary gearknob.

And if the little red button visible under the cap hasn't already given it away, this is the knob from one of the Aston Martin DB5s used in the filming of vintage Bond movies Goldfinger and Thunderball. Yup, that's the little button that fires the passenger ejector seat. Joking? We never joke about our work...

BMT 216A (for that was the registration number of the famous DB5) returned to Aston from Eon Productions after filming and, according to Aston, Work Order 39237 'REMOVING NON STANDARD EQUIPMENT AND REBUILDING AS STANDARD DB5' happened. The knob then sat in a cupboard at Aston for nigh on forty years before coming to light recently.

Chrylser goes for less than a third of what Mercedes paid in 1999

The numbers for the Cerberus buyout of Chrysler are out and they don't make for pretty reading.

The New York-based equity group has purchased Chrysler from Daimler-Benz for a total of $7.4-billion. Taking Daimler's continuing 20% stake, that values Chrysler (including Jeep and Dodge) at $9.25-billion. In 1999, Daimler-Benz forked out $36-billion for Chrysler. That's some depreciation curve.

Two new companies have been formed from the break-up fo DaimlerChrysler; Chrylser LLC and Daimler AG, efectively returning to the status quo ante of 1999. The Cerberus investment includes taking on Chrysler's $18-billion healthcare and pensions costs, but it's sweetened a little by a $1.5-billion payout from Daimler that should clear most of Chrysler's current debts.

According to Daimler spokespersons, Chrysler and Mercedes will continue to collaborate on existing technology and purchasing agreements, but crucially, there was no mention of any future projects, meaning that Chrysler must fund its future model development programme itself.

New Opel Agila breaks cover

Opel has just shown the first photos of its all-new Agila city car, which will be shown at the Frankfurt motor show in September.

The old Agila, a car shared with the Suzuki Wagon R+, has been pretty well ignored in Europe thanks to its cheap-feeling cabin and geeky exterior. The new Agila, which shares its chassis with the next-generation Chevrolet Matiz, will seek to turn that opinion around, and join the ranks of cool small cars like the Fiat Panda and Toyota Aygo.

Engines will be a 65bhp 1.0-litre petrol and an 85bhp 1.2-litre petrol, with the possibility of a Fiat-sourced 1.3 MultiJet diesel making an appearance too. Opel will be revealing full prices and specs closer to the on-sale date of Spring 2008.

Chrysler deal done, says WSJ

According to the Wall Street Journal, capital investment group Cerberus has won the bidding to buy Chrysler from Daimler-Benz, although it looks as if the Germans will retain a percentage stake in the embattled American car firm, to ease the path for current and future platform and technology sharing.

Cerberus looks to have beaten out fellow asset management group Blackstone and Magna, a Canadian-owned components supplier.

The official announcement will have to wait until final wrangling has taken place over the final price, which will no doubt be affected by the suspected $18-billion employee healthcare package which Cerberus will have to take on.

Interestingly, Cerberus already owns General Motors' former finance arm, GMAC, and it's expected that GMAC will now be combined with Chrysler's own finance and leasing department. What does it all mean for future Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge models? No idea, but we'll let you know as soon as we hear anything.

Hyundai shows i30 estate

Also showing off a new compact estate is Hyundai, which has released the fist details of its new i30 estate, based on its forthcoming new Focus rival hatchback.

Like the hatchback, it has been designed at Hyundai's European design office in Frankfurt, and will make its official global debut at the Frankfurt motor show later this year.

It gets a longer wheelbase than the i30 hatch (by 90mm) and overall it stretches by 230mm. And being as the hatchback is hardly what you'd call short of space, this promises to be a seriously practical car.

We'll see the first i30 hatches arriving in Ireland by the end of the summer, and the estate shouldn't be far behind.

An extra round of Golf

This car wasn't supposed to exist. The Golf estate was never supposed to survive the introduction of the spacious, MPV-ish Golf Plus, but calls from customers all over Europe has persuaded VW to relent and so here it is in all its glory, the Golf estate.

It's 46mm wider and 159mmm longer than the old Golf estate and the boot capacity has gone up to an Audi A6-rivalling 505-litres with the rear seats in place. The rear seats fold utterly flat, creating a 1,550-litre loadspace.

Engines are as per the rest of the Golf range, minus the 2.0-litre TFSI GTI turbo engine, but you can expect it to get VW's new super-frugal 1.4 TSI 120bhp petrol shortly. The most popular versions here will likely be the 102bhp 1.6 petrol and the still-game 105bhp 1.9 TDI diesel.

No prices or arrival dates yet, but you can expect Golf estates to be between €750 and €1,000 more expensive than an equivalent hatchback model.

New Fabia launches in Ireland today

The all new Skoda Fabia has been launched in Ireland today, and the good news is that it picks up just where the old one left off.

The better news is that even though interior space, economy and performance have all improved, prices are still looking distinctly Skoda-shaped. The basic 60bhp 1.2-litre petrol Fabia will retail at €14,250, which is about a grand short of what Ford asks for the cheapest 5-door Fiesta.

Other engines are a 70bhp 1.2, an 85bhp 1.4 and a 105bhp 1.6. Diesel Fabias come in 1.4 70bhp, 1.4 80bhp and 1.9 105bhp flavours. Standard and optional features available across the range (depending on choice of model and trim level) include electronically controlled Climatronic air conditioning, six-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic function, tyre pressure monitor, cruise control, on-board trip computer, front fog lights with ‘corner’ function, radio with CD/MP3 and
iPOD socket, white top roof and a sports package that includes alloys and a leather bound steering wheel, gear shift and brake lever.


Safety features include ABS, front and side airbags with roof airbags on Sport and Elegance models, passenger airbag switch-off function, pedestrian impact protection and seat belt warning for driver and front passenger.

We had a big place in our hearts for the old Fabia, and from what we've seen of the new one, we don't expect that to change much. A full road test will be up on the main Drive site shortly.

Ireland among the worst for ESP takeup

According to an article in today's Irish Independent, Ireland ranks at the bottom of the 25 EU member states for takeup of life-saving Electronic Stability Program technology.

The system, first developed by Bosch in the eighties, uses the car's anti-lock braking system to help the driver control the car in the event of a slide. According to the FIA, the driving and motor sport organisation that administers the Euro NCAP crash tests, 35% of all single vehicle accidents could be avoided if ESP were fitted.

The technology is relatively cheap, with ESP costing from as little as €150 to fit to a car, but Irish VRT and VAT can push that price far, far higher, and Irish importers have thus far been reluctant to fit ESP as standard to many popular models. Indeed, this publication has seen instances where a model fitted with standard ESP in Europe has arrived in Ireland with ESP as an option to keep the base price down.

And Irish buyers, it seems, are more interested in speccing up the sound system than fitting an electronic safety net that could save their lives. That could all be about to change, however. Ford recently announced that the new Mondeo will come with ESP as standard, as will, by the end of the year, the S-Max and Galaxy. The popular VW Passat already has ESP as standard and the technology is fitted to all Mercedes-Benz and BMW models as standard. It was Ford which pioneered the standard fitment of a drivers' airbag on the first generation Mondeo in 1993 and it would be unthinkable now to purchase a new car without one. Hopefully, the example of the new Mondeo and others will lead to an industry-wide standard fitment of ESP.

However, fitting ESP as standard would inevitably lead to the cost of new cars rising yet further, unless the next government heeds the calls of the AA and others to eliminate VAT and VRT on such life-saving technology.

300kmh McMerc Roadster unveiled

Mercedes has released first details of the much-anticipated roadster version of its awesome SLR McLaren supercar. Using the same 626bhp supercharged V8 engine as the coupe, the roadster features an electric part-aluminium roof that retracts seamlessly behind the seats to allow you to dry your hair at nearly 200mph.

As with the coupe, the body is entirely made of carbon-fibre and is produced alongside the Mercedes-engined F1 cars at McLaren's Paragon facility in Woking, England.

Christmas, by the way, is just seven months away, so get those letters to Santa off now...

Least surprising news of the decade

In news that will shock you to the core, Ferrari has been voted the Best Place To Work in Europe by the imaginatively named Great Place To Work Institute.

"Over a thousand companies throughout Europe participated in the survey which measures the degree of satisfaction of employees with their place of work and picks out the best working environments. This alone makes Ferrari’s achievement particularly impressive. In 2003, the then Ferrari Maserati Group was voted the Best Place to Work in Italy but this latest award is the ultimate acknowledgment of the company’s ongoing commitment to the personal growth of its staff" said the Institute in a statement that will surely become one of the most unlikely ever issued.

As the news that the hugely successful Formula One constructor and sexy sports car maker (based in Italy where the food is fabulous and the women look like Sophia Loren when Sophia Loren was young) is the best workplace on the Continent, further shocking news has arrived from scientists that bear droppings have been found in a nearby wood!

(We apologise for the excessive sarcasm in this last news item. Normal less-sarky service will be resumed as soon as the editor stops crying into his chipped tea mug.)

New Renault turbo for better economy

For some of us, the words Renault Turbo conjours images of Rene Arnoux and Jean-Pierre Jabouille trying to tame their tricky turbocharged beasts around the tracks of seventies F1, with blistering speed their friend and alarming reliability and handling their enemies.

But now, Renault wants us to think of turbos as eco-friendly things, rather than quali-lap weapons. To that end, the Clio is about to get a new turbocharged 1.2-litre engine that will eventually replace its conventional 1.4-litre petrol.

It produces 100bhp, and will propel a Clio form 0-100kmh in 11.1 seconds, while returning 5.7-litres per 100km economy and emitting 140g/km of CO2.

No word yet on Irish arrival or prices, but we'll keep you posted. What chance a Rene Arnoux limited edition then?

Porsche bids for VW, but does it want full ownership?

The latest, complicated twist in the Porsche-VW saga is now underway, as the german financial watchdog has okayed Porsche's bid for outright control of the House Of Golf. The Weissach sports car maker was obliged to make the bid once it had purchased 30% of VW.

However, the bid is fraught with difficulty, not least the fact that the EU may frown upon it, and the fact that the German State Of Lower Saxony still owns a 21% stake. But being as the EU also frowns on state aid for independent companies, maybe they'll consider the Porsche bid to be the lesser of two evils.

Whatever, it's not even certain that Porsche wants outright control of VW. The buying up of VW stock has been seen, variously, as an attempt by Porsche to access better prices from suppliers by using VW's buying power, a prudent investment of Porsche's new-gotten wealth by chairman Wendelien Weideking or a despotic takeover of his old firm by Porsche nephew/chairman Ferdinand Piech.

It now seems more odd than any of those things though. More and more, the Porsche takeover seems like an attempt to ensure that a majority of VW stock can't be purchased by any other than a German company.

Mondeo to undercut Passat, Avensis

Ford Ireland has announced that the new Mondeo's starting price will be €24,995; €1,015 cheaper than the cheapest VW Passat and €45 cheaper than the basic Avensis 1.6.

The crucial new mid-size Ford will be in Irish dealerships at the end of this month, and Ford has committed to fit Electronic Stability Control as standard across the entire Mondeo range. The Passat also has ESP as standard, but on the basic Avensis, it's an optional extra.

The cheapest Mondeo will have a 110bhp 1.6-litre petrol and also features seven airbags as standard, as well as air conditioning, heated windscreen and an iPod socket. Other engines will include 1.8 and 2.0-litre diesels, 2.0-litre petrol and a range-topping 2.5-litre 220bhp five-cylinder petrol turbo. Later in the year, there'll also be a new 2.3-litre petrol and early in 2008, the Mondeo FFV will be available, with a 125bhp 1.8-litre engine capable of running on E85 bio-ethanol.

But Ford isn't stopping there. The Mondeo will eventually be equipped with an all-new 1.6-litre petrol turbo engine, which will eventually replace the conventional 2.0 and 2.3-litre petrol engines. It should produce between 120bhp and 160bhp, offer 2.0-litre performance but with economy and emissions equivalent to a small diesel.

Kia recalls Sedona

If you bought a Kia Sorento 4x4 since last November, better get down your Kia dealership fast; your airbag isn't working properly.

Kia has just issued a recall on all 856 Sorentos registered since November 2006, as the wiring for the aribag circuit has been found to be incorrect. Kia isn't saying exactly what the problem is, just that "The wiring to the Airbag Control Unit has been transposed on right hand drive vehicles built between May 4 2006 and March 28 2007. (The vehicles affected in Ireland are New Model Sorento registered from November 2006.)"

All the remedial work will be carried out free of charge.

Toyota to take on Smart

Rumour has it that Toyota is planning a small, cheap city car to rival the Smart ForTwo, and it could be on the road within the next 18 months.

This is in spite of the fact that Smart owners DaimlerChrysler had to work very hard indeed to keep the business case for Smart alive last year. The French-based micro-car builder had to dump its slow-selling ForFour and Roadster models, and abandon plans for a ForMore small SUV. The two-seat ForTwo city car is the last Smart standing.

But Toyota, like DaimlerChrysler, realises that the demand for small, CO2-efficient urban runarounds is likely to grow. According to insiders, the new city car would be based around the architecture of the Endo concept (above) and feature 3+1 seating; in other words, decent space for three adults (two up front, one in the back) with occasional space for a fourth. All seats would be adjustable to allow owners to juggle the available space for passengers or luggage, unlike the Smart which seats strictly two.

It's likely that the new car would share major components with the Yaris and Aygo, to keep the base price down to around the €10,000, although that could fall if the expected sub-100g/km CO2 rating earned it a discount on VRT when Irish car taxation rules change. Like Smart, there will probably be much scope for modifying and personalising the car.

If the Toyota board gives it the go-ahead, production and sales could start as early as 2009.

Yeti spotted

Having teased us with a near production-ready concept at the Geneva Motor Show a couple of years ago, Skoda has finally confirmed that it will put the super-cute little Yeti 4x4 into production.

Surprisingly though, it won't be based on the same platform as VW's upcoming compact 4x4, the Tiguan. Skoda bosses have decided that they don't want the two cars to compete head-on, and that they want to give the Yeti a lower cost base. So it will instead use components from the Fabia hatchback, and probably bits of the old Octavia platform, jas as does the brilliant Roomster mini MPV. This will make the Yeti cheaper to build, and it will also be smaller and lighter than most 4x4s, which should allow Skoda to pitch it as an environmentally responsible SUV. Expect to see it in Skoda dealers by mid-2009.

Skoda has also confirmed that the Superb saloon will be replaced. Many had suggested that slow sales would scupper plans for a second-generation of the affordable luxury saloon, but it seems that enough people like it for Skoda to do a new one. We're being promised that the new Superb will have much more distinctive looks and an aeven higher-quality interior. It'll arrive on these shores at the end of 2008.

Hyundai builds first European factory

Korean giant Hyundai has begin construction on its first European factory in Nosovice, in the Czech Republic. The €1.1-billion plant will come online in 2009 and will initially build the all-new i30 hatchback as well as a still-to-be-unveiled new midi MPV.

Hyundai wants a big slice of the European market, and the Koreans have learned fast that to do that, you have to design and build your car in Europe, to European standards. “With Hyundai’s accumulated manufacturing experience in Korea, China, the USA, Turkey and India, we have created a truly state-of-the-art manufacturing facility that will set the standard for efficiency and productivity. When combined with the high capabilities of the Czech worker and the Czech reputation for excellent craftsmanship, HMMC has the potential to make the highest quality cars in all of Europe,” said Hyundai Motor Co. Chairman and CEO Chung Mong-Koo.

This new factory is just 85km away from sister company Kia's plant in Slovakia, which opened last year to build the Ceed hatchback.

Ford loses millions but is happy it's not losing billions

In the first financial quarter of 2007, Ford posted a $282-million loss, but company bosses were actually quite happy with that figure, as the loss posted for the same period in 2006 was a staggering $1.4-billion.

Gross revenue for the quarter was up $3-billion on last year, which just goes to show you how parlous are Ford's finances at the moment, when a $3-billion improvement somehow translates into $282-million down the back of the sofa...

But Ford chiefs are being bullish about the news, and there were some kernels of hope in with the bad stuff. Globally, Ford's car business (leaving aside its credit and finance side) made an operating profit of $116-million, and on this side of the Atlantic, Ford of Europe made a healthy-ish $209-million, an improvement of $154-million on this time last year. And that's with the crucial new Mondeo still to hit dealerships.

Even the troublesome Premier Automotive Group, which is made up of Land Rover, Jaguar, Volvo and, for the purposes of this quarter, Aston Martin (pre-David Richards buyout) made a profit of $402-million, in spite of continuing problems with Jaguar.

Ford CEO Alan Mulally (above) said "We are making progress on executing the four priorities of our plan — restructuring the company, accelerating product development, funding our plan and working effectively as one team. I am pleased that the basics of our business are improving, but we still have a lot of work to do."

Now VW makes super-frugal petrols

Volkswagen has been busy of late making noise with its super-frugal, super-clean, ultra-low emissions BlueMotion diesel powertrain, but it hasn't been neglecting petrol power either.

We've sampled the first generation of VW's TSI technology which mates a supercharger and a turbocharger in one unit to generate 2.0-litre power and 1.6-litre economy from a 1.4-litre engine, and now the next-generation of such powerplants is being made ready.

The new 1.4 TSI has 120bhp, and makes do with just a turbo, doing away with the superchager. When fitted with the all-new seven-speed DSG gearbox, VW claims it will average better than 48mpg and return ultra-low emissions. Expect to see it first in the all-new Polo, due in 2009.

PSA axes jobs

PSA Peugeot Citroen has announced that it is planning to cut 4,800 jobs this year, mostly at its French production sites and offices. This comes hard on the heels of 2,300 losses in England when the old 206 production line in Coventry was shut down.

PSA is suffering, having once been top of the heap in the European market. Net income plunged last year to €176-million, down from a whopping €1.03-billion in 2005.

Mind you, things might already be looking up a little, as sales for the group were up 6.5% in the first quarter of 2007, with strong sales for the 207 hatch. And there are potential big-sellers such as the C-Crosser and 4007 4x4s, the new Citroen C5 and thje 307-replacing 308 to come later this year.

More significantly, PSA senior management have admitted that their cars have become too heavy and fat, and that the 308 will be the last car that will weigh more than its predecessor. With lighter, more agile models on the horizon that might see a return to the greatness of models past (205, 306, AX) the future might be brighter for PSA than it looks now for 4,800 workers.

Driving: What we think (according to Hibernian Insurance)

Hibernian Insurance has released the results of its first ever motoring report. The research, which was conducted amongst a representative sample of Irish drivers, was carried out to present the views of Irish motorists on a wide range of topics and to assess the trends, issues and attitudes prevalent amongst Irish motorists in the 21t Century Ireland.

According to the report the image of the “young boy racer” certainly seems to be embedded in the Irish motorists’ psyche as almost one-third of respondents believe that young people should be kept off the road completely until they are 21. Young inexperienced or overconfident drivers are seen by 15% of respondents as a major cause of collisions.

With the national driving test pass rate currently at only 55%, it seems clear that the standard of driving has room for improvement. More than 85% of respondents believe that provisional license holders should have to take a specified number of formal driving lessons before being allowed on the public road.

The Driving Standards Agency in the UK shows that the current average number of lessons a provisional license holder will require is 45 hours of tuition, with an additional 22 hours private practice to pass. The average number of driving lessons is Ireland is nine. A quarter of motorists holding provisional licenses in Ireland have yet to get any formal instruction, perhaps indicating that many learner drivers are holding off on driving lessons and the cost until they are called for their driving test.

Supplementary to bad driving standards, there is near-unanimity that speed, drugs and alcohol are the three big killers on Irish roads. Surprisingly drugs were cited by almost two thirds of respondents. It is arguable that if this survey was conducted five years ago drugs might not have featured as prominently as one of the major causes of collisions. In a study by the Medical Bureau of Road Safety and the UCD Departments of Forensic Medicine and Public Health Medicine and Epidemiology, 67.9% of apprehended and tested drivers, though found to have essentially zero levels of alcohol were positive for one or more defined drugs.

Another new worrying trend is the usage of mobile phones while driving – and not just for calling. Almost one in three say that they will read a text message when the car is stopped in traffic or at traffic lights. One in 12 say that they read text messages immediately — even when the car is in motion. And although small, a shocking four per cent of drivers regularly write text messages while they are driving in their cars.

Half of Irish motorists say they have suffered at the hands of aggressive behaviour from other drivers within the past year — but one quarter admits to having behaved aggressively themselves over the same period.

Touareg business updated

VW has just updated the commercial version of its big 4x4, the Touareg. The new Touareg Business gets a redesigned front end with tear drop headlights and full chrome grille. It's available with a 2.5-litre, 174bhp TDI 6-speed manual at €43,070 (ex works) and in automatic form at €45,105 plus a 3.0-litre, 225bhp TDI
automatic version at €49,190.

Engines are matched to a permanent four-wheel drive system which includes a
low range setting and electronic differential lock. The gross vehicle
weight is 2850kg allowing a payload of 600kg. Towing capacity is 3500kg
using a braked trailer.

Stop teasing us, Mitsubishi...

And here is yet another 'sneak-peek' of the new Lancer Evo X, shown by Mitsubishi ahead of the car's unveiling at the Frankfurt motor show in September. Officially, this is still a concept car but come on, Mitsubishi, stop messing around and just get the damn thing on the road and let us drive it!

Cleaner diesel from natural gas

They may look like regular Toyota Hiluxes, but these vehicles pictured above could herald a revolution in modern fuel. They're all running on GTL diesel,a fuel developed in South Africa by local specialists Sasol Fuels in partnership with global fuel giant Chevron Texaco.

GTL stands for Gas To Liquid, which means that the fuel is created by refining diesel from natural gas. So what? So global natural gas reserves are vastly greater than global oil reserves, and GTL is more refined than diesel, means diesel engines can run with less noise and vibration and emit less NOx and CO2. So it's good all-round.

But not just yet. the GTL process is hugely expensive, which means that for now, GTL will be used only as a blending agent in regular diesel for high-end products like Shell's V-Power diesel. But the cars in the photo are part of a convoy of GTL-fuelled vehicles that made the trek from South Africa to Qatar, where Chevron Texaco has just established a huge GTL refinery. On the way, they reckon they emitted 200kg less CO2 than a conventional diesel-powered car would have. The future beckons?

Toyota Now Officially World's No. 1

It has finally happened. After more than 70 years as the world's number one car firm, General Motors has been usurped by its great Japanese rival, Toyota.

According to the first quarter results, Toyota shifted 2.34-million vehicles globally, compared to GM's 2.26-million. Of course, the narrow margin of that sales gap does nothing to illustrate the wildly disparate financial results of the two firms.

Toyota's profit for just the last quarter of 2006 was a whopping $4.78-billion. In that same period, GM only managed a small operating profit as it seeks to turn around horrendous losses in 2005 and 2006, although the American giant's fortunes are looking a good deal brighter now than they were recently.

So what does this mean? Well, nothing much for the moment. Toyota has been the heir apparent to the No.1 spot for some time now, and the fact of it will make little difference in real terms. Toyota is already spectacularly profitable and becoming the globe's biggest car company won't really make a big difference one way or the other.

In the short term, it will make little difference to GM, other than mildly dented pride. The restructuring programme, overseen by CEO Rick Wagoner, is proceeding just fine and GM should return to an overall profit some time in the next 18 months, if all goes smoothly. What will be interesting is what GM will do then. Will it try to keep pace with the Japanese behemoth? Or will a smaller-volume-higher-profit plan be the way Wagoner will go? Our money's on option two...