Auto News archives

Renault unveil eagerly awaited new Megane

Poised to lay down the gauntlet to its lower-medium rivals, including the next-generation VW Golf, one of this year’s most eagerly-awaited new models, New Megane, has arrived. Previewed for the first time in five-door form, in the lead-up to its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show in October, the successor to one of Europe’s best-selling cars ushers in a new era of styling, handling and quality. Retaining characterful styling, Renault Megane's is immediately eye-catching. Its dynamic, elegant styling has been

Orlando blooms in the spotlight!

An all-new show car will take centre stage at Paris alongside the new Cruze family saloon, as Chevrolet looks to further its incredible growth in Europe. The seven-seat Orlando show car is a clear indication of how the company plans to move into areas of the market where it can attract new customers. The compact Orlando combines the attributes of an SUV and an MPV, with a stylish yet bold appearance and a practical seven-seat interior. At the front, the car displays Chevrolet’s signature d

Something to dance about: Citroen’s special edition C3 Pluriel Charleston

Citroën has released first details of a special edition of its funky convertible supermini, the C3 Pluriel - The Charleston. The limited edition model will be unveiled at next month’s Paris Motor Show and is expected to go on sale in the UK in early 2009. The C3 Pluriel Charleston fashions a contemporary reinterpretation of a design theme that once decorated Citroën’s famous 2CV - a stylistic nod to one of the most iconic cars in history, whic

Lexus To Show Hybrid Concept At Australian International Motor Show

Lexus will headline its 2008 Australian International Motor Show line-up with the LF-Xh hybrid SUV concept. The hybrid concept will be one of two all-new Lexus vehicles to be displayed at the show. The all-wheel drive LF-Xh features a V6 petrol engine mated to a high-output electric motor hybrid system, reinforcing Lexus' commitment to a hybrid future. Designed by Lexus' Shuhei Miyashita, the concept aims to capture the essence of Lexus' uni

The new Volvo C30, S40 and V50 1.6D DRIVe - with CO2 emissions of 115 and 118 g/km

At Paris Motor Show in early October, Volvo Cars is presenting economical new diesel variants of the C30, S40 and V50 models with fuel consumption of just 4.4 litres/100 km (C30) or 4.5 litres/100 km (S40 and V50). The corresponding CO2 figures of 115 and 118 g/km mean that the C30 and V50 have best-in-class CO2 emissions in their segments. All three models - the C30, S40 and V50 - are equipped with a special set of efficiency-enhancing features

Mazda Develops Plastic Molding Technology Which Reduces Consumption of Plastic Resins by 30 Percent

As part of its efforts to reduce vehicle weight, Mazda Motor Corporation has developed a new plastic molding technology that enables a substantial reduction in the weight of plastic parts used in vehicles. This plastic molding manufacturing technique cuts the consumption of plastic resins that are used as raw material by approximately 20 to 30 percent, with associated reductions in vehicle weight. The most common manufacturing method for produ

Chevrolet Orlando show car signals entry into new segment for the brand

Paris Motor Show Preview: First images of the seven-seat multi-purpose family vehicle The Orlando show car, making its world premiere at the Paris Motor Show in October, is clear indication that Chevrolet considers to enter the seven-seat family multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) segment with a distinctive sport utility-like design, offering adaptable seating and impressive interior space. Based on the recently announced all-new Cruze compact sedan,

Ford Focus Outperforms Competition In Repair Cost Affordability

Ford Motor Company's hot-selling and fuel-efficient Ford Focus is significantly less expensive to repair than 19 other small cars, including the Toyota Prius, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reported last week. In a recent series of crash tests, IIHS determined that Ford Focus had the lowest repair costs among those tested.  Compared to the Toyota Prius and Volkswagen Rabbit, which sustained about $4,000 or more in damage in

Class-leading features from new Boxer Diesel Forester

The new Boxer Diesel Forester – itself only launched in April in petrol format – the boxer diesel catapults it to the top of the class for fuel economy and low emissions. It also offers drivers the longest range of any SUV at more than 1,000 km before refuelling. No other competitor can match the new Forester 2.0D X

Porsche Adds 2010 Cayenne S Transsyberia to An Already Powerful SUV Line-Up

New, Special Model Pays Tribute to the Three-Time Rally-Winning Original Winning Porsches come in many shapes, and nowhere is the competitive Porsche Motorsport DNA more evident than in the latest version of the thriving Cayenne range – the new race-inspired 2010 Porsche Cayenne S Transsyberia. The Cayenne S Transsyberia is based on the Cayennes that won one of the most grueling endurance races in the world. The rally marathon, which is held

Toyota Brings Hybrid Concept To Australia

Toyota will provide a vision for the future of hybrid cars when it unveils the Hybrid X concept car at this year's Australian International Motor Show. Hybrid X proposes a new design language for Toyota's hybrid models while also acting as a technology showcase for future hybrid cars. Created and developed by Toyota's European styling centre ED² in the south of France, Hybrid X is a four-door, four-seat concept that is spacious and comfortable. It is a step closer to Toyota's vision of the ultimate environme

The New Golf – International Driving Presentation

The Best Golf of All Times • Golf’s high customer value and comfort defy class distinctions • New Golf design points the way to Volkswagen’s future • TDI, TSI and DSG systems reduce fuel consumption by up to 28 percent • First Golf with Adaptive Chassis and Automatic Distance Control Wolfsburg, September 2008