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Skoda increases its sales for the first 2007 semester

Skoda has increased its global sales by 13% for the first six months of 2007. The company sold a total of 311,000 cars worldwide.
The best seller is still the Octavia with 146,772 sales made in 92 countries. The recent launch in China met with great success, with more 6,000 requests registered by dealers in one month. 16,000 new Fabia were sold since its launch a few months ago. This, however, is a low figure if we take into account the Superb model’s sales, which reached 11,000 units despite its old age.
Western Europe remains the core market for the carmaker with over 173,000 sales, 12% more than last year. Central and Eastern Europe is the second biggest market for Skoda with a total sales figure of 115,960 cars for the first six months of 2007.
Considered an upper-brand in India, Skoda sold 5,913 cars, almost all of which were Octavia models.
July 12, 2007
Ford Fiesta may have a MPV variant

According to the British weekly car magazine Auto Express, Ford is currently working on a small MPV based on the B platform. The B platform already used by the new Mazda Demio will also be used for the next generation Fiesta.
Despite ambivalent sales from competitors on the small MPV segment, Ford thinks it could surf on the success met by the S-Max. Ford struggles to satisfy the demand for the latter.
Renault Modus’ failure should serve as a lesson for Ford: the MPV will have to be roomy enough to justify the higher price. As the next Fiesta will be probably 154” long, the B-Max will have to be longer. But Ford has to be careful. Too long, and the future B-Max could threaten the C-Max. Ford must also be careful not to design merely a reduced version of the S-Max. Though the S-Max may have enough sex appeal today, the situation will be different in two years.
Bearing all this in mind, the B-Max appears to be a difficult exercise for Ford. Perhaps it would be better not to build a small MPV after all.
July 12, 2007
Roewe 450 at the next Frankfurt motor show?

According to insiders, SAIC may unveil the Roewe W2/450 at the next Frankfurt motor show. What better way for the Chinese carmaker to prove how much importance they attach to the European market? The car was originally expected to be launched at the Shanghai motor show in 2008. (so is it frankfurt or shanghai? bit confused…)
Revealing the car at Frankfurt will surely be symbolic for the Chinese automotive industry. Until now, the Chinese cars displayed at other European motor shows have not met with a favourable reception from European customers. They instead been met with amusement. With the Roewe W2/450, the reaction could be fear and stress as the first information looks promising.
The compact saloon will be dubbed 450, since the upper model is called 750 and the lower model 250. It will be available with a choice of a 1.6-litre petrol, a 1.8-litre petrol or a turbocharged 1.8-litre petrol. According to insiders the power will range from 80 bhp to 120 bhp. Expect more power for the turbocharged 1.8-litre engine. A V6 version could also be a good choice on European markets in order to build a brand image. Of course, it means that Roewe can install the KV6 engine in the W2/450 model.
July 12, 2007
A baby Land in the pipeline
In a world where SUVs are not particularly welcome and where regulations are more and more constraining, Land Rover’s future is threatened despite the Britishness that protects it from having the bad image suffered by American gas guzzlers. Land Rover must change and its CEO, Geoff Polites, is well aware of the situation. It is widely known that the British carmaker is actively working on a hybrid version of the future Range Rover. Unfortunately this alone will not be enough and Solihull is considering a baby Land Rover, smaller than the Freelander II.
Indeed, despite being Land Rover’s smallest vehicle, the Freelander II still produces 194 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer in its least polluting version. This is almost twice the average level stipulated by the European automaker regulations, due to come into force in 2012.
As of now, Land Rover has still not made any formal decision regarding the baby Land. Geoff Polites told the Financial Times that such a car will be produced if people are ready to buy it. Considering the hype of the Range Rover Sport among wealthy people, asking them to replace it by a small SUV/crossover is likely to prove a real challenge.
July 12, 2007
Fiat 500 Abarth at the Tokyo motor show

Luca de Meo, Fiat Brand CEO, revealed last week at the international launch of the new Fiat 500 that the Italian carmaker will unveil an Abarth variant at the next Tokyo motor show. Unfortunately he did not give more details concerning the engine.
The Punto Abarth has a turbocharged 1.4 litre that produces 120 hp and 150 hp. It is likely that the 500 Abarth will inherit the same engine but the power is still unknown. Certain documents which were leaked during the press conference mentioned 135 hp. Insiders have also hinted at power as high as 200 hp.
July 11, 2007
Lexus LS600h starts at £81,000

The prices for the Lexus flagship have been announced. It will cost £81,400 for the entry model, the LS 600h. For this price, the buyer has the privilege of driving what is probably the most advanced luxury saloon in the world. If you are looking for more legroom for the rear seats you will have to pay £83,645 to access the longwheel base version dubbed LS 600h L. If you have a chauffeur, do not hesitate spending the few thousands pounds more, £88,000, to treat yourself to the Rear Seat Relaxation Package.
With the relaxation package, the left hand rear seat gains an extending ottoman leg and thigh rest, seat cushion airbag and variable massage function. An independent DVD system, centre console with extending wood-inlaid tray are also part of the package, together with a more advanced climate control system that uses body temperature sensors to determine optimum performance.
The LS 600h is powered by a hybrid V8 engine. It combines the 5 litre V8 with one electric motor to produce 430 bhp. If it can match 12-cylinder units and runs from 0-60 mph in 6.3sec, it offers the same consumption as a big diesel engine, promising an average 30.4 mpg.
July 11, 2007
Will 2007 be the best year ever for Audi?

Audi has announced that it produced 509,000 cars for the first 2007 semester. It is the best figure for a semester in the company’s history. However, the carmaker appears cautious in its forecasts despite a new A4 due to be launched at the end of the year and the fact that the million mark will be passed in 2008.
In comparison, BMW sold 730,285 cars during the same period. Audi’s sales increased on almost every market, even on the highly competitive European market.
Audi recently launched the Audi A5 and the Audi R8. The carmaker is not able to build enough R8 to satisfy demand because of the car’s fibre panels, which are difficult to make. A total of only twenty R8 are built in a day.
The German brand will display its new baby SUV known as Q5 at the next Frankfurt motor show. After the new A4 due to be released at the end of the year, it will launch the long-awaited A3 convertible in summer 2008.
July 11, 2007
Spyshots: redesigned X-Type

The X-Type is not dead and this redesign could prove it. In a difficult environment, Jaguar is struggling to revamp its models, a situation similar to that which MG-Rover found itself in a few years ago.
The changes will be subtle. On the outside, the revamped baby Jaguar will have new front and rear bumpers, a new grille, new side mouldings, fresh paint colours and new wheels. On the inside, expect an effort to modernise the anachronistic interior and some accessory updates.
Under the hood, the X-Type will get a new diesel: a 2.2 litre engine that will at long last be compatible with an automatic gearbox.
This minor change to the design is not, however, garanteed to save the X-Type’s unsuccessful career. Despite good qualities, the small Jaguar did not break the generation gap between the carmaker and young British people.
When the British youth dream of binge drinking and performance, the traditional values of the British empire sold by Jaguar are not welcome. Its interior, a mix of with leather and wood, can’t compete with the sporty engines and aluminium trims of German cars. Jaguar expected to double sales with the X-Type but sold just 32,500 worldwide last year, three times less than the original target.
July 11, 2007
Gordon Murray and his latest project

Having just set up his own company, Gordon Murray Design, the eponomous designer has already given some information regarding his latest project. It is well known that the engineer has been working on a new city car for the past decade. During the launch party for his new design company, the British magazine Car was able to gather more information about the long-awaited car.
Dubbed T25, the car will be a “a new class of vehicle“ according to Murray. Instead of using the engine and the platform as the starting point for the car’s design, the engineer started with an obsessive and constraining goal: the smallest carbon footprint possible.
The car will use less resources at every stage from its production to its scrapping. Thanks to lightweight materials, the car will be economical to run and to buy. Expect a price tag of about £5,000/€7,400/$10,000.
The car will not be sold under the Gordon Murray badge. The engineer will license the concept to any carmaker that wants to build the car. The latter will have the freedom to rebrand it and to install any engine under the bonnet. At a time where developing engines requires a large amount of money due to stronger regulations, Gordon Murray made the right choice. He and his team will be able to focus on what the South African engineer does best: light and efficient cars.
Source: Car
July 9, 2007
Erst XC 90

A tuner specialised in German cars is rather common but a tuner specialised in Volvo cars is a bit surprising. If the tuner is also Japanese, the surprise is complete. However, the Japanese tuner Erst has recently revealed its discrete body kit for the XC90.

It includes under-panel attachments on both bumpers, front fog light fins and chromed exhaust pipes. The car is also lower and has been given chromed alloy wheels. In a country where speed is very often limited at 30 mph on the road, do not expect any engine optimisations. The Erst XC90 has been designed to please our aesthetic tastes and it does the job very well.
July 9, 2007