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Ceed Gets Driver Power

2009-04-15T10:15:00.003+01:00

You know times have changed when so called 'lesser brands' like Skoda and Kia beat more established and posher marques from VW and Mercedes-Benz for driverbility.

Of course we all know the Skoda is really a Volkswagen but the Kia Ceed story is one deserving of merit.

In the latest AutoExpress Driver Power survey the Ceed came 6th overall and number one in the C-Segment class beating the VW Golf which came in at a lowly 22nd.

The Driver Power survey measures the views of over 21,400 new car drivers across the UK. The cars they drive are scrutinised and scored on their performance in a number of key areas, including practicality, build quality, reliability, and running costs.

The Kia dealer network was also under scrutiny and, amongst others, was measured on helpfulness and attitude, standard of workmanship and value for money.

In these hard economic times drivers are looking at alternative vehicles which give more value for money and the likes of VW can't rest on their laurels and assume brand snobbery will win the day. The bottom line is the Kia Ceed has a dynamic design, high build quality and frugal engines, all backed by a seven-year 100,000 mile warranty and all for much less wonger.

Kia Find Plenty Of Soul Mates

2009-04-15T09:50:00.003+01:00

Despite a lack of heavyweight advertising the new Kia Soul is already proving popular with drivers across Europe.

Early figures show over 5000 units have been sold across Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France and here in the UK. This puts the Soul 13% above Kia's expected target of around 4425 units in the first quarter of 2009.

The lack of mainstream advertising has been down to slow production output and a high demand for other Kia products like the Ceed which is at the heart of Kia's global sales growth. However marketing of the Kia Soul gets underway in the USA and Australia this month and with the Soul’s monthly sales rate accelerating, with 1,334 cars delivered in January, the keys for a further 1,485 cars handed to customers in February and an additional 2,172 units being driven away from Kia dealer showrooms in March, Kia will be confident of supply and will throw more money at going to market.

Already a multi-award winner, the Kia Soul was the first Korean car ever to receive the prestigious recognition of a design award from the world renowned reddot product design competition. Here in the UK Fast Car magazine named Soul the ‘Best New Model for 2009’ and this week in the USA, Ward’s AutoWorld announced the winners of its annual ‘Interior of the Year’ awards. Soul was named ‘Grooviest Interior’ winning its class when looks, value, safety, comfort and convenience were assessed.

Aero Soul

2009-03-31T13:47:00.003+01:00

With April fools day just around the corner car makers are trying to lift the industry gloom by offering mockups of their latest inventions.

First up is the Kia Soul with its bolt on spoiler known as the Air Propulsion and Retardation Installation Line.

Designed to reduce fuel consumption and exhaust emissions this simple and low cost system relies on small sensors built into the front and rear bumpers which monitor external wind speed and deploy panels when the wind is sufficient to provide additional directional impetus according to the car’s behaviour.

The system is code marked A.P.R.I.L. for those Soul owners wishing to add it to their accessory list.

Dealers Finally Get Their Soul

2009-02-24T16:42:00.003Z

Kia started distributing the first batches of its all new Kia Soul urban crossover vehicle to its dealer network.

The official launch is April but Kia will want their dealers to start preparing the Soul for the showrooms, registering demonstration models and getting the cars in customers faces.

Kia have high hopes for the Soul. It certainly looks the part and won't go unnoticed when it passes you on the other side of the road. It's highly customisable and like the Fiat 500, will go on sale backed up with a plethora of different accessory packs offering something unique and catering for every taste.

The first Soul models will have the suspension set up for those bound for the US and Europe. To cope with UK road surfaces Kia drafted in Lotus to redesign the Soul's suspension which also required alterations to the front and rear bumpers. Mazda did a similar thing with the CX7 SUV which was originally designed for the US.

The Soul range starts from £10495 for the Soul 1 which is available in 1.6 petrol only and rises steadily up the top-of-the-range Soul Burner at £14995.

We expect the Kia Soul to do massive things for Kia this year and think the car will be a huge success. The internet has made the world a much smaller place and made it much easier for cars like the Soul, which are a little different from the norm, more accessible to the main stream motorist.

In fact we'd go as far as to say that it's more risky for a car maker to design and produce another Ford Fiesta these days, than it is to get creative and produce a car like the Kia Soul.

Abarth 500 In Showrooms Now

2009-02-18T13:25:00.002Z

Whilst its not exactly breaking news that the much anticipated Abarth 500 pocket rocket has hit the UK, it is that dealers have finally got some stock to sell.

Early orders of the 500 Abarth went into overdrive when it was first announced leaving dealers an allocation headache trying to fulfill orders. Soon after the official launch dealers were left frustrated that no actual stock had been allocated to them and again spent most of the time gathering names and addresses of potential customers.

Now that's all changed as Abarth have finally put the production pipeline into overdrive and dealers are finally seeing a good range of colour variants as well as demonstration vehicles out on the road.

Most popular of the all the Abarth 500 range is the Bossa Nova white pastel variant with optional 17-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels, Red Abarth side stripes and mirrors and chequered roof (pictured above).

However the most anticipated of all the models is the Abarth 500 Esseesse or SS for short.

Owners who want to take their 500 Abarth onto another level can purchase the £2500 "Esseesse" kit either at time of purchase or within 12 months or 20,0000 km of the cars 1st registration and can only be undertaken by Abarth's skilled network of technicians.

The process of adding more power starts with replacing the ECU or Electronic Control Unit which forces the engine to pump out 160bhp at 5750 rpm from the standard 135bhp. Of course with all this extra power you need to be able to stop so off come the standard brake discs on on go new specially drilled and ventilated 284mm x 22mm brake discs and and new pads.

Next comes the suspension with uprated springs on the front and rear and to give it an even racier look a nice set of 17-inch White or Titanium coloured alloys and 205/40 R17 tyres. Nice!!

Lastly but not least a tyre pressure monitoring system and unique key cover add to the final touches for the ultimate road going 500 Abarth.

After the kit has been fitted the supplying dealer sends on the high quality wooden crate as a memento. Nice!!

Facelift Mazda MX5's On Sale April

2009-02-12T15:46:00.005Z

Following changes to the all new Mazda 6, Mazda 2 and soon to be launched Mazda 3, it seemed only fair for the Mazda engineers to give its most famous son a make over.

Introducing the upgraded Mazda MX5.

Both the Soft Top and Roadster Coupe have been upgraded to form an 8 car strong line up which includes exterior, interior as well as performance and chassis improvements.

Exterior & Interior

The 2009 upgrade means that every MX-5 comes with alloy wheels, a leather steering wheel, gear knob and hand-brake, plus an MP3-compatible audio system with six speakers and a new auxiliary (AUX) input jack for MP3 and iPod connection.

All 2.0i models (from £17,345), delivering 160ps, feature DSC (dynamic stability control), TCS (traction control system), a Limited Slip Differential (except PowerShift models) and side airbags. Climate control air conditioning is a £550 option on these models.

The Roadster Coupe differs slightly from its soft top stablemate with a new mesh-type front grille which is surrounded by a chrome-look edge trim, the headlamps feature chrome bezels and the exterior door handles have a chrome finish. The front fog lamps have silver inner bezels and there is a clear lens for the high-mounted rear stop light. The cabin is also better insulated with interior noise reduced by a significant 2.7dB at 37 mph.

Performance & Chassis

For 2009, Mazda MX5 customers will now have a choice of four powertrains, all fine-tuned to use less fuel – the 126ps 1.8i or higher-revving 160ps 2.0i with five-speed gearbox, the 160ps 2.0i with a smoother-shifting six-speed manual gearbox and the new 160ps 2.0i ‘PowerShift’ six-speed sequential paddle-shift transmission with full-auto mode. The engine fine-tuning and aerodynamic drag reductions have resulted in significantly lower CO2 (from 167 g/km for the 1.8i, down from 174 g/km) and enhanced fuel consumption (from 40.4 mpg for the 1.8i, up from 38.7 mpg).

The new PowerShift transmission delivers an even more sporty drive for the Mazda MX5, with gear changes achieved by operating the paddles behind the steering wheel – just like an F1 racecar – so the driver does not have to take his, or her, hand off the wheel. PowerShift makes B-road cross-country driving in the MX5 even more thrilling and when road, traffic conditions or the driver’s mood demands, the full-auto mode gives the option of fully automatic operation for easy city driving and motorway cruising.

A choice of seven body colours will be available – including two new colours (Aluminium Silver Metallic and Metropolitan Grey Mica). Aluminium Silver Metallic contains aluminium particles that diffuse light and cause diverse kinds of reflections and shadow, depending on light conditions. Carried over colours are Copper Red Mica and Stormy Blue Mica and solid colours Brilliant Black and True Red.

Prices start from £16,345 to £21,695 (on-the-road). Zoom-Zoom

Hyundai Bucks The Trend

2009-02-11T16:34:00.004Z

Just like we predicted back in Decemember when Hyundai launched its all new Hyundai i20 in the UK, the Korean car giant has seen car sales grow a massive 33% in January where other manufacturers have been falling by the wayside.

The key to its success lies in its value for money image. Consumers these days are doing far more research seeking out products that offer real value in terms of quality and price.

Coupled with a slurry of new eco-friendly products like the i10 and i20, consumers are simply flocking to showrooms for a closer look where they've discovered Hyundai is no longer the poor mans alternative to Ford but a huge global brand with European designed cars, industry leading warranties and prices and specification that put the likes of Ford and Vauxhall to shame.

The Korean company registered 1,885 cars in Britain last month, a 5.66 percent increase over 2008’s figures. The increase wasn’t bulked out by massive ‘fire sale’ cut-price deals to big fleet buyers either, as 1,352 of those cars total went to private customers. This represents a 33.7 percent rise in sales to this sector compared to 2008 and gave Hyundai a 2.5 percent share of the retail market.

Managing Director of Hyundai UK, Tony Whitehorn said: "They are reading press reports and comparing specification, prices and warranties before making a commitment. Hyundai is coming out on top and it means we are attracting customers who have never considered the brand before. They really like what they find and it’s translating into genuine sales."

Unlike Ford and Vauxhall, Hyundai did not increase its prices in January either, making the company’s products look even more competitive.

Hyundai are set to launch a second wave of eco-friendly models later in the year. The i30 Blue, which uses an advanced technology called ISG (Idle Stop & Go) which turns the engine off when the vehicle is stationary, makes it's debut alongside the all new three-door Hyundai i20 and a concept SUV codenamed HED-6.

Hyundai Start Production On i30 Blue

2009-02-11T15:32:00.006Z

Hyundai has started production of its next generation eco friendly i30 hatchback at its European factory in Nosovice, Czech Republic.

Instead of something obvious like "green" Hyundai decided on a global strategy to name all low emission vehicles to be launched, starting with i30, under the sub-brand "blue".

Hyundai have made massive investment in R&D and are committed to lowering vehicle CO2 emissions and reducing costs for consumers. The first technology to come out of this investment is ISG (Idle Stop and Go) technology which Hyundai is bringing to one of its production cars for the first time.

The first glimpse of this new technology will be at the Geneva Motorshow on March 3rd where the i30 Blue will be showcased alongside the three door version of its all new Hyundai i20 supermini as well as a new SUV concept codenamed HED-6.

Ideal for city driving, the i30 blue will automatically switch the car’s engine off when stationary.

The ISG system uses an advanced starter motor connected to the ECU, which monitors the car’s status at all times. Remarkably, this technology applied to Hyundai’s 1.6-litre petrol engine reduces fuel consumption by 7% on the official combined cycle, while achieving a lower CO2 rating of 142g/km, compared to 152g/km on the regular i30 1.6.

Available in UK showrooms by the autumn, the i30 blue will come in both five-door hatchback and estate body styles and with a choice of 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre petrol engines. Other i30 engine derivatives will progressively be offered with ISG technology, followed by more models in the Hyundai range.

Boxer Diesel Impreza: Pure Genius

2009-02-10T16:03:00.009Z

In the last article we touched on how the luke warm reaction to the new Subaru Impreza changed as more powerful versions like the WRX & STi entered the market place.

Given the current ecomonic climate and more customers turning to vehicles with lower emissions, it seems the arrival of Subaru's all new Impreza Boxer diesel couldn't have come at a better time.

The Revolutionary Subaru Boxer Diesel

In 2008 the Boxer diesel engine made its debut when Subaru announced the all new Legacy and Outback models at the Geneva Motorshow.

Hailed by the motoring press as being one of the smoothest, most refined diesel engines with petrol-like throttle-response and torquey power delivery, the new Boxer diesel engine set class-leading fuel economy and emissions, recording almost 50 mpg on the Combined Cycle with 151 g/km CO2 for the Legacy Sports Tourer.

Add to that the 350Nm of torque in the 1800 - 2400 rev range and 150 PS of power, this Boxer engine is no slouch, which is just as well given the Legacy and Outback are not your typical lightweight town cars. In the Impreza this engine is going to be a hoot.

The unique layout of the Boxer diesel engine means a smooth and quiet power delivery. In a Boxer engine the cylinders are positioned 180 degrees apart on both sides of the crankshaft and move in the opposite direction to inline or V-type engines, this dramatically counteracts vibrations and noise.

In tests the Impreza diesel acheived 1,000 kilometers on one tank of fuel, 48.7 mpg with 152 g/km making it one of the most environmentally-friendly cars in its class. Mated to a six-speed manual transmission, the new Impreza Boxer diesel clearly offers outstanding fuel efficiency.

An essential element of the Subaru DNA is handling and grip. This is acheived through Symmetrical AWD which positions the transmission, transfer to propeller shaft and rear differential in a straight line behind the engine. This simple design provides supreme grip and balance on all four sides of the car and when its combined with the equally balanced Horizontally-Opposed Boxer diesel engine, the Impreza offers stability and assured handling.

The new Impreza diesel should be in showrooms before the spring and offered in R, RC and RX variants. No prices have been announced as of yet but expect the Impreza diesel to start around £15,000.

Subaru Impreza Diesel Coming Soon

2009-02-04T17:18:00.003Z

Subaru dealers have received the first launch brochures of the much anticipated Boxer Diesel version of the all new Subaru Impreza.

Available in three trim levels, the new oil burner sets history by becoming the first Impreza ever to be powered by a diesel engine.

The reaction to the new Impreza split opinions wide open when it first arrived on the scene. Out went the wide arches, big alloys and aggressive looks and in came what can only be described as a bland looking 5-door hatchback with skinny wheels and an ugly front grille.

However, that all seemed to change when the WRX and STi models arrived and journalists got behind the wheel. That's when the Impreza started to grow on you. Suddenly the pitch forks and torches where put away and the excuses that all Impreza's never really looked stunning anyway, came to the fore.

Of course things didn't help when it's Nemesis arrived from Mitsubishi in the form of the new Lancer with it's aggressive 'Sharks' nose, 'Jet Fighter' style spoilers and even more super car slaying power trains. The Impreza suddenly looked doomed to history until they went head to head on Top Gear and the Impreza's well thought out chassis and world beating 4WD and handling characteristics managed to tame the Lancer in a head-to-head around the test track.

Since then the sales have started to flow and things are looking rosy again.

With the world's ecomony slowing down to a trickle, consumers are now starting to think long and hard about their next car purchase. Car tax bandings and lower emissions are high on the agenda and all of a sudden we're becoming a little less fussy about what we drive as long as it contributes the minimum to Gordon Browns coffers.

Enter the Boxer Diesel and all of a sudden Subaru's Impreza strategy doesn't look that bad after all. Maybe they knew something we didn't because Lancer sales aren't that good at the moment and their oil burners are looking a little pricy right now.

In the next article we'll take a look under the hood at the new Impreza's 'Boxer' diesel engine.

Hyundai i20 Motability

2009-01-20T17:10:00.003Z

Customers looking to purchase the all new Hyundai i20 using their Motability allowance should be in for a pleasant suprise when Hyundai publish their updated campaign prices shortly.

The high guaranteed future values predicted from used car market and motor industry analysts CAP, will mean that the advance deposits, needed to bridge the shortfall between the higher rate allowance and the 3yr future values, should be low.

Motability have been applying a lot of pressure on car manufacturers to reduce the C02 emmissions on cars. The European Union made a commitment, as part of the Kyoto Protocol on climate change, to reduce CO2 emissions to an average of 130 g/km by 2012. In line with banding introduced by the government and adopted by car manufacturers, cars with a carbon dioxide emission level of less than 120 g/km are considered low emission models, and currently there are around 150 available through the Motability Scheme.

With its high predicted values and new low emission engines, especially the diesels, the Hyundai i20 prices should be attractive to potential and existing buyers on the Motability Scheme.

To join the Motability Car Scheme, you must be receiving either:

Higher Rate Mobility Component (HRMC) of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) - currently £46.75 per week - or,
War Pensioners' Mobility Supplement (WPMS) - currently £52.25 per week.

Mitsubishi Launch New Sportback TV AD

2009-01-16T12:59:00.003Z

A new TV ad promoting the all new Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback has been release by Mitsubishi.

The new advert entitled "Bird's and the bee's", features a conversation between a young boy and his Dad as they take a drive in the stylish new Lancer. The boy simply asks “Where did I come from?”, which instantly sends his father into that place of fear and trepidation… how to explain the ‘birds and the bees’ to your child for the first time.

The rest of the advert focuses on the father’s description to his son from outside the car, but as they journey home progresses, each explanation inside the car is mirrored by events outside.

Due to the nature of the content Mitsubishi are recommending the TV Advert only be shown after 9 o'clock.

Hyundai Launch New i20 TV Ad

2009-01-15T13:18:00.003Z

To support the all new Hyundai i20 supermini, which went on sale today around car showrooms in the UK, Hyundai have created a new TV ad which will air on all major TV channels this week.

The i20 TV Ad enhances the True Quality Matters brand message with the key product messages of style, space and freedom.

This high profile campaign will first air in all ITV1 regions in the first ad break of The Bill at 8:15pm on Thursday 15th January and initially run until 11th February. Then, from 19th February we will pulse the TV ad one week on and one week off until 8th April.

The plan will extend the i20 TV campaign to 12 weeks, meaning Hyundai will be on TV with i20 through the whole of their Phase 1 quarter campaign.

Kia Soul Concept Arrives in Detroit

2009-01-12T16:31:00.003Z

The Kia Soul brought a sunny beach feel to the 2009 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS).

The Kia Soul’ster open-air concept, is a variation on the highly anticipated Kia Soul. The Soul'ster concept has ‘young at heart buyers’ budgets in mind. It’s to be an efficient front-drive car based on the Kia Soul production model, which made its debut at the 2008 Mondial de l’Automobile in Paris in October.

Like the Kia Soul it’s another example of Kia’s increased and long-term focus on design, with a unique face, the Soul’ster has a tough refined charter. This two-door concept, with roadster roots, in an exciting yellow finish, projects a hip industrial look. The windshield has been shortened for a sportier appearance and hunkered down appearance. The two piece roof will enable passengers to expose the front and back seating areas independently. The roll bar, serves a dual purpose and includes a place for the slider tracks, while providing protection not found in traditional convertibles.

The Kia Soul makes its debut in the UK in Spring of this year.

Hyundai i30 Diesel Goes Greener

2009-01-08T14:17:00.003Z

Hyundai have announced the introduction of a revised diesel engine for the Hyundai i30 with reduced CO2 emissions.

The already highly efficient 1.6 CRDi engine will now benefit from CO2 emissions of just 119g/km (manual transmission only), breaking the 120g/km threshold to deliver a compelling customer benefit.

Key features include:

Improved fuel economy (+2.7mpg on the combined cycle).
No reduction to power or torque.
Annual VED reduced from £120 to just £35.
Company car drivers will pay tax at 13%, reduced from 18% on the current 1.6 CRDi (including 3% diesel supplement.

This new engine is presently available only on the 1.6 CRDi Premium Manual. Availability on Comfort and Style derivatives will be announced separately once existing diesel stock has been depleted and future production has been secured.

Revised technical specifications will be made available immediately on the Hyundai website in January 2009.

Hyundai i20 Looking Good Value

2008-12-24T09:19:00.003Z

The future is looking good for buyers of the new Hyundai i20, well especially where GFV's or Guaranteed Future Value's are concerned.

After close collaboration with the independent industry guides and whole life cost providers, Hyundai have announced the new i20 will enter the market with some of the most competitive figures possible.

After 3 years / 30,000 miles, the i20 Classic 1.2 5 door is expected to achieve 47% of its original value, whilst the i20 Comfort 1.4 CRDi 3 door reaches an extremely strong 49%.

Every mainstream version in the i20 range achieves a minimum of 43%, which is further confirmation that customers will benefit from the perfect package – as the WhatCar? website review summarises this week, "The Hyundai i20 is cheap to buy, costs peanuts to run and comes stacked with luxury kit. Safety is top drawer, and it rides well, too."

Latest Insurance Groups

In addition to the strong GFV's, the i20 has also this week been given a strong and very competitive set of insurance ratings.

Over a third of the range will be placed in the insurance group 3E category which is one of the lowest in its class. This includes both the 1.2 Classic and Comfort petrol models as well as the Comfort 1.4 CRDi diesel.

The remaining range will be listed as group 4E.

These groupings are extremely competitive and are evidence of the high level of quality and standard safety equipment in the i20, and the impact this will have on buyers' ownership costs.

First Hyundai i20's Arrive At Dealerships

2008-12-11T15:35:00.003Z

The first batch of Hyundai i20 hatchback's started arriving at UK dealerships today in time for its official launch on the 15th January 2009.

Hyundai see the i20 as a replacement for its outgoing Getz, which despite its odd name, has sold more than 500,000 units since its launch in 2002.

Now the nomenclature has been changed to the more familiar 'i' family of names, Hyundai expect the i20 to achieve even greater heights and become its best ever selling car in Europe.

To do this, Hyundai needs to think smart because the b-segment is one of the toughest markets in which to succeed with supermodels like the Grande Punto, new Mazda 2 and Fiesta strutting the catwalk and taking centre stage.

One advantage Hyundai does have in its favour is the changing market. Nobody can argue in these increasingly hard times that value for money is the main focus on consumers minds and it's here that the Korean giant has this one in the bag. When you think 'value-for-money' you think Hyundai and only they can blow it by getting too confident and pricing themselves out of the market.

At £8,195 for the i20 1.2 Classic 3dr (due in April), Hyundai have certainly done their homework. Only the Mazda 2, mentioned above, has the edge in price here but lacks the specification and the warranty of the i20 and has the perceived image of being more expensive.

Of course one can always argue the Mazda 2, World Car Of The Year, will be superior in quality but that remains to be seen with Hyundai claiming price and budget wasn't the motivation behind this car. Instead the aim is to target the very same customers who'd consider the Mazda and who are also unfamiliar with the Hyundai badge, namely younger couples with families.

With the Autocar 'Automotive Manufactuer Of The Year' award and the economic downturn forcing consumers to downsize from larger cars, the momentum and opportunity is in the Korean car giants favour. The big question is: will the end of 2009 see the Hyundai-Kia group jump from the world's 5th largest car maker to the 4th?

I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Fiat 500 Gets The DIESEL Touch

2008-12-09T13:08:00.002Z

At the same time as celebrating the recent VAT cut, which brought the price point of the Fiat 500 below the £8,000 mark once again, the busy people at Fiat also sneaked a limited edition version its award winning and hugely successful supermini.

Enter the Fiat 500 byDIESEL - a car that's not only unique in its design but could also change the way car manufacturers and consumers do business in the future. Well that is if you believe everything you read.

Offered exclusively online the 500byDiesel represents Fiat’s first venture into selling vehicles via the web and follows the success of the Abarth 500 on-line deposit offer, which allowed customers to pre-order 200 of the performance supermini six months in advance of UK availability.

This is all good and well but where does this leave the dealer?

It's no big secret that the likes of Jam Jar and Virgin's feeble efforts to tempt buyers into bypassing the dealer network went down like a lead balloon. The reason for that was simple: the cars were coming from the dealer network in the first place offering no real price advantages and the return on investment is less than 2% meaning they couldn't make any money out if it.

People prefer to see and feel what there buying especially as it's such a huge purchase. Then there's the part exchange to consider to help ease the burden. Couple that with documentation to complete where legislation requires the consumer to be on premises and it's a no brainer to see that buying a car requires the human touch and some major investment in infrastructure.

Of course let's not get carried away and remember that Fiat are only offering the consumer an opportunity to leave a deposit on a 500 byDIESEL in order to secure the vehicle before it arrives in the UK. The consumer will still have to select a dealer of their choice in order to pick up the car. They'll then want to drive it before handing over the cash by which time the part exchange will come into the equation and the whole human process will start over again.

So take it with a pinch of salt when Elena Bernardelli, marketing director of Fiat UK says: "This new route to market is an exciting and futuristic development for Fiat."

Hmmm...good to see some things never change.

Abarth Accessories

2008-12-05T16:37:00.005Z

New Abarth dealers SG Petch York have added some genuine Abarth accessories to their online shopping store.

Although no official brochures have been published to date, Abarth have released a small online catalogue showing some merchandise including hats, t-shirts, sweatshirts, model cars, tie pins and keyrings.

SG Petch York have aquired the latest prices and part numbers for most of these accessories so you can purchase them securely online.

Paul Miller, parts manager for SG Petch Abarth said: "The Abarth franchise has been a huge success in the relatively short time since its relaunch in the UK. Naturally we get a lot of enquiries for Abarth accessories as well as the cars and so were delighted to be able to launch just a small range of accessories with more to follow".

For more information you can go direct and click and buy the Abarth merchandise or call Paul or one of his team on freephone 0800 072 0762.

Hyundai Announce i20 Prices & Specification

2008-12-04T19:04:00.004Z

Hyundai today released prices, specification and launch information on its all new Hyundai i20 supermini.

The new i20 hatchback, which will replace the outgoing Getz, will launch Hyundai into a new market where quality, style and comfort takes precedence over budget and price. However Hyundai's main objective will be to retain its current Getz owners as well as attracting new customers not familiar with the brand such as younger families.

Hyundai are hoping the new i20, which was designed in Europe and built in Chennai, India, will account for 30% of all Hyundai sales in 2009. In come a new range of petrol and diesel engines with the 5 door being launched on 15th January and the 3 door following in April.

Product strategy for the i20 will be to offer high levels of standard equipment from entry model versus class norm such as rear electric windows as standard on mid-range models and half leather interiors and climate control on the top of the range versions. There'll also be fewer additional extra's other than the usual metallic paint and with ESP the only factory fit option.

Three trim levels will be introduced; Classic, Comfort and Style following the same convention as its smaller brother the i10. The i20 will also use the new 'Kappa' 1.2 engine shared with the i10, although oddly enough, won't be able to match the i10's 118 g/km emission output which would place it in band B and £35 per year road tax.

However, there will be an all new 1.4 CRDi engine which will find itself in the Comfort and Style versions with the latter producing a very green 116 g/km of C02.

Full engine lineup will consist of a 1.2 petrol, 1.4 petrol (as used in the Getz) and the new 1.4 CRDi.

Air conditioning will be standard on the Classic and Comfort models along with 6 airbags, USB/AUX connectivity for MP3 players like the iPod, CD player, electric windows, central locking and tinted glass all be standard across the range. Alloy wheels, heated mirrors, colour coded handles and audio controls on the steering wheel will come in on the Comfort.

The range topping Style will get leather seat trim, leather steering wheel and gear knob, climate control, bigger alloys and front fog lamps.

6 exterior colours will be offered at launch including one solid and five metallic paint finishes. Finally i20 prices will start from £8,645 for the 1.2 Classic 5dr upto £11,845 for the range topping 1.4 CRDi Style.

The i20 1.2 Classic 3dr which arrives in April will be priced from £8,195 upto £9,995 for the 1.4 CRDi Comfort 3dr.

All Hyundai i20 will come with Hyundai's 5 year unlimited mileage warranty.

Kia In The Black And The Red

2008-12-04T14:33:00.004Z

Kia launched two new special edition hatchbacks designed to kick start an early agressive sales campaign in 2009.

The Kia Picanto Red slots in between the 2 and 3 trims and offers a sporty rear spoiler, new designed 14" alloy wheels and front fog lamps as well as lower emissions to keep it in the ever popular £35 per year tax bracket.

Available in a unique Scarlet Red for no additional cost, the Picanto Red comes in both manual and automatic version starting from £7645 and £8430 respectively.

To match the exteior you'll get a nice coordinated red cloth trim, alloy pedals, an iPod compatible CD player with the usual AUX/USB connectivity, air conditioning and a host of other goodies thrown in for good measure.

For those who like something a little larger than a supermini there's a new Kia Rio 'Black' Special Edition.

Priced from a very tempting £8,745 OTR for the 1.4 litre petrol manual and £9,720 OTR for the 1.5 CRDi manual, the Rio Black is a unique factory built model with 16" alloy wheels and a rear spoiler to give it that mean sporty look.

All–Round Electric Windows, Front Fog Lights, Air Conditioning, 6 Airbags and a Midnight Black Mica Paint complements a very generous specification.

Finally the 1.4 petrol and 1.5 CRDi engines come with a 5-speed manual transmission with the diesel offering a low CO2 and band B £35 VED road tax.

The Rio Black is available now with the Picanto Red following in January.

Hyundai i30 Specification Changes

2008-12-01T13:28:00.005Z

Hyundai announced specification changes to its Hyundai i30 hatchback on the back of the commencement of production at their first European automotive plant, the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Czech (HMMC) in Nosovice, the Czech Republic.

Very soon, this facility will be taking over the supply of the highly acclaimed Hyundai i20 to the European market.

Key changes to the new i30 variants are the introduction of headlamps with black bezel, a re-location of the USB & Aux unit from the console storage box to the lower centre fascia, deletion of the centre fascia upper tray and new Material Codes starting with 'IR'.
Hyundai will be gradually introducing the HMMC (Czech) i30 variants to the network depending on the stock levels of the equivalent HMC (Korea) i30 variants.

Lower Emissions For Picanto

2008-07-02T14:02:00.002+01:00

In an act of environmentalism, Kia have found a way to reduce the emissions on it's recently facelifted Kia Picanto supermini...rip one of the back seats out!!

Although the move isn't as drastic as it first sounds, the weight saving exercise is enough to push the emissions down to just 118g/km CO2 bringing it into VED tax band B, which costs the customer just £35 per year.

Currently Kia offer a 4-seat version on the basic Picanto 1.0 and 5-seats on the Picanto 2 & 3 variants.

Special Edition Picanto

The first production model to adopt this comes in the way of the new Picanto Chill. A special edition which includes air conditioning, remote central locking, iPod compatibility and a snazzy array of colours including a special blue paint.

This version also becomes exempt from the London Congestion Charge in the planned changes to the system due for introduction in October 2008. The automatic remains in tax band C with CO2 of 143g/km, costing £120 per year.

Hyundai Reduce Amica Prices

2008-03-06T09:09:00.002Z

With the impending launch of the all new Hyundai i10 drawing ever nearer, Hyundai dealers have been getting concerned that surplus stock of the outgoing Amica will be difficult to sell when the i10 hits the showrooms on April 2nd with a price point of £6,495.

To remedy this Hyundai have announced price reductions on the top-of-the-range CDX manual and automatics from £6,617 to £5,995 and £7,467 to £6,495 respectively. The basic Amica GSI and Atlantic prices remain the same at £5,995 due to low stock levels.

The Amica was re-introduced in the UK in 2006 as a stop gap whilst the Korean car maker revised it's small car strategy. Based on the Santro Xing which was exported from India and based on the original Atoz and Amica has done suprisingly well in the UK offering cheap and cheerful transport for under £5,000.

Now that's all about to change as Hyundai introduce a new family of models based around the 'i' brand over the coming months and years.

The new price reductions for the Amica CDX manual and automatic take effect as of today.

Hyundai Coupe TSII Limited Edition

2008-03-04T17:00:00.003Z

Hyundai announced its first special edition coupe of 2008 and at the same time dropped the V6 from its model line up.

The Hyundai Coupe 2.0 TSIII limited edition adds over £3000 worth of additional equipment over and above the 2.0 SIII on which it is based.

The Hyundai Coupe TSIII will be launched to customers in March with sales to continue through to 2009, by which time a new fresher model and design approach should be introduced to UK shores.

After an initial launch stock of 40 vehicles, further batches of 40 vehicles made available through the course of the year to maintain the exclusivity.

Key Features and Enhancements over the Coupe SIII 2.0

17” Alloy Wheels with Anthracite Finish

Wild Sports Spoiler with Integral Brake Light

Eibach Lowering Sport Springs

Quad Exhaust Pipes

Deluxe Sill Guards with TSIII Logo

Black Interior with Sports Leather Package including: rally style, TSIII embroidered, quilted sports seats & contrasting quilted door trims

The 2.0 TSII will be available in 4 colours including 1 solid, 2 metallic and 1 mica exterior paint finishes and priced from £19,595 on the road.

Hyundai drop V6 Coupe from line up
Hyundai decided after a review of market conditions to drop its V6 high performance Coupe from its 2008 model line up. The decision comes on the back of poor sales presumably heightened by the Governments announcement to hike up road fund tax on all big engined vehicles. Coupled with new emission charges hitting the city of London the future doesn't look bright for high performance Coupe's above 2.0-litre.