Paris Show 2010 Highlights: 2012 Honda Jazz Hybrid

Say hy to the Honda Jazz hybrid! The Japanese firm's petrol-electric supermini mase its public debut at the Paris Motor Show.

The hybrid Jazz boasts the same petrol electric IMA hybrid system as the Insight, mating an 87bhp 1.3-litre four-cylinder petrol unit to a CVT gearbox with an electric motor sandwiched in between. Like the Insight and Civic hybrid, the Jazz will be able to run on electric power alone for short distances.

As the Jazz is smaller and lighter than the Insight, it achieves a combined economy figure of 64.2mpg and emissions of 104g/km - a figure that's 21 per cent less than the Jazz 1.2 petrol.

To set the newcomer apart, the Jazz hybrid gets revised blue-tinted headlights, a new grille and tweaked bumper at the front, while the rear is treated to clear taillights lenses. The hybrid can also be specified in this striking shade of Lime Green metallic.

Inside, the cabin gets blue-lit dials and can be specified with leather upholstery, which is the first time Honda has offered the trim in Europe.

The hybrid Jazz goes on sale in Japan in October, where it’s badged as the Honda Fit, and will go on sale in the UK early in 2011. Prices will be announced closer to the time.

In Japan the Fit hybrid costs more than a conventionally-powered Fit supermini, but less than an Insight. Apply this logic to the UK Honda range, where the Insight starts at £16,325, while a top-spec Jazz costs £15,770, and the Jazz hybrid should be priced at around £16,000 when it arrives here, making it the cheapest hybrid on the market. For more details click here.
Thanks to: Auto Express

Paris Show 2010 Highlights: 2012 Ford Focus ST

Ford has unveiled its new Ford ST at the Paris motor show.

The next generation car will arrive in 2012 and the firm says that customer feedback on the outgoing version of the car - one of the more subtle hot hatchbacks on the market - has persuaded it to create more extreme styling for the new version.

The choice of the ST model designation for the show car is likely to prove significant. Ford is said to be keen to rationalise the branding its high-performance variants, which have also been called XR and SVT in other markets.

As expected, the new ST uses a retuned version of Ford’s four-cylinder, turbocharged Ecoboost engine, now producing 247bhp.

That figure puts the Focus on a par with Renaultsport’s Mégane 250 and lifts it above the 223bhp of the old model, which was powered by a Volvo-derived, turbocharged five-pot.

However, its figure is likely to be topped by Vauxhall’s next-gen Astra VXR, which should have north of 280bhp when it arrives at the end of 2011.

Ford has yet to issue any details on the car’s transmission, but the show car appears to have a six-speed manual gearbox. A version of its Powershift dual-clutch set-up is likely to be offered as an option.

The new car’s styling takes the latest five-door Focus’s looks to extremes, with deep air intakes, side skirts and a roof spoiler.

Ford’s head of design, Martin Smith, told Autocar, “The new Focus ST is more of an overt performance car than its predecessor in response to customer feedback.

We knew that the Focus ST customer wanted something less subtle than the standard design, with a more sporty feel.”

The front of the new car is dominated by a gaping single-piece grille, in contrast to the two-piece item that will feature on regular next-gen Focuses.

It’s entirely black, apart from a small ST badge. Ford draws comparisons between the ‘blade’ front spoilers, which emerge from the centre of the front bumper and extend around the sides, and the rear end, which features sharp creases above the bumpers.

The firm also claims that the central exhaust has strong ‘kinetic’ design cues.

The show car’s paint colour, called “Tangerine Scream”, is an evolution of the bright orange that was the signature finish on the previous ST. It’s likely to be offered as a cost option on the new model.

Thanks to: Autocar

Paris Show 2010 Highlights: 2011 Ferrari 599 SA APERTA

Meet the sensational Ferrari 599 SA APERTA! Just 80 examples of the super-desirable drop-top will be built and each car has already been sold.

Ferrari chose the number 80 to celebrate design house Pininfarina’s 80th anniversary. The SA in the name stands for Sergio and Andrea Pininfarina, whose company and work has been linked to Ferrari’s most successful road-going cars ever built.

APERTA is Italian for open, which is appropriate, given that the car is designed to be driven predominantly with the top down - a light soft top which Ferrari says is “designed to be resorted to only if the weather gets particularly bad” is included.

The SA APERTA features a low-slung windscreen and suspension that is lower than the standard 599 to give it an even more dramatic appearance. The A-pillars have been designed to retain the flying buttresses of the hard-top car, but also incorporate two roll bars which mimic the lines of the seats.

Under the bonnet the engine is the same 661bhp 6.0-litre V12 that powers the Ferrari 599 GTO, while the chassis has been redesigned to deliver a standard of stiffness comparable to that of a closed berlinetta with a negligible weight difference.

Prices have not been released, but a spokesman confirmed that the car will cost in excess of £340,000. However, just like the 599 GTO, APERTA buyers will be encouraged to personalize their cars at extra cost, ensuring that each of the 80 examples produced is unique. For more details click here.
Thanks to: Auto Express

Paris Show 2010 Highlights: 2011 Citroen C4 Picasso

It’s facelift time for Citroen’s C4 Picasso MPV family. Both the regular C4 Picasso and the larger Grand version have gone under the knife, receiving the firm’s new logo on the grille, alloys and steering wheel; new taillights and fashionable LED daytime running lights.

The C4 Picasso will also be available with a two-tone paint finish, with the roof painted in gloss black.

Citroen has added its e-HDi technology to the range, which includes stop start and a regenerative alternator. Available on the both C4 Picasso models fitted with the 100bhp diesel engine and EGS automated manual gearbox, the MPV now returns 58.9mpg and 125g/km for the regular car and 56.5mpg and 130g/km for the Grand model. Citroen claims this represents a 15 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions around town. For more details click here.
Thanks to: Auto Express

Paris Show 2010 Highlights: 2011 Citroen DS4

Citroen has unveiled its new DS4 at the Paris motor show.

The lofty but sporty-looking five-door is aimed at shaking up the bread-and-butter family hatch market.

The DS4 is the second model in Citroën’s new DS range, after the highly successful DS3, and is a platform variant of the new C4, also at Paris. Citroën is hoping it will sprinkle some DS3 magic on the bigger hatch.

Compared with the Focus-sized C4, the DS4 is 60mm shorter, 40mm taller and 20mm wider. This makes for a taller driving position with better visibility and a squatter footprint for more stable handling.

With this theme in mind, the DS4 features a panoramic windscreen that is said to give the driver an upward view of 45 degrees. “Combined with the slightly raised stance, this provides optimised visibility for the driver,” says Citroën.

Although a tall driving position is usually associated with functionality, the DS4 is clothed in an upmarket-looking skin, the work of chief stylist Marc Pinson.

Citroën describes the styling as “compact and muscular”, the sportiness coming from a pronounced styling bulge over each rear wheel arch, the short rear overhang and steeply raked rear hatch.

Despite this sharp styling, Citroën says the cabin will seat five. To enhance the sporty look, the rear door handles are hidden in the window surround, just as with the Alfa Romeo Giulietta.

The engine range is extensive, with five Euro 5 units — HDi 110 and HDi 160 diesels and VTi 120, THP 155 and THP 200 petrol units. The THP 200 will top the range, with 197bhp and 203lb ft from its turbo 1.6, as well as 149g/km of CO2.

A micro-hybrid based on the HDi 110 engine will feature stop-start and a smart alternator able to recover energy during braking.

All engines will be available with either manual or robotised manual ESG ’boxes. The micro-hybrid will feature revised gear ratios for the best fuel economy.

UK sales will kick off in autumn next year and prices are likely to be at a premium over the C4’s. But as with DS3 buyers, DS4 customers are also expected to add a high number of options.

Thanks to: Autocar

Paris Show 2010 Highlights: Citroen Lacoste Concept

It’s a Tonka toy for grown-ups! Citroen’s new off-road concept, designed with the help of fashion label Lacoste, has been stripped back to the essentials to hint at a future economical supermini-sized SUV.

The Lacoste Concept measures 3.45m, making it over 50cm shorter than MINI’s Countryman and Nissan’s Juke. Aiming to steer customers away from these two, any production car based on this concept would form part of a new breed of tiny off-roaders in the mould of the 4x4 Fiesta seen here.

The car’s pared-back ethos evokes Citroen’s Seventies Mini Moke rival – the Mehari. This is evident on the dash, which is cleared of all clutter to leave a two-spoke steering wheel and LED display strip. It would be practical, though – the steering wheel can be moved out of the way to improve access, the rear bench can slide into the boot to carry large items and there is storage in the two benches.

The exterior is an evolution of 2007’s C-Cactus concept and features a high waistline, bulging wheelarches and a wheel at each corner. An innovative soft-top inflates along the centre rail to keep passengers dry. Power comes from a three-cylinder petrol engine, likely to be Citroen’s next-generation 1.2-litre unit, with 100g/km of CO2 emissions. For more details click here.

Thanks to: Auto Express

Paris Show 2010 Highlights: 2011 Chevrolet Captiva

Meet the fourth and final Chevrolet that debuted at the Paris Motor Show. The facelifted Captiva joined the Cruze hatchback, Aveo supermini and Orlando MPV on the firm’s stand, and features a new look inside and out, plus fresh engines aimed at enhancing the car’s appeal.

The most obvious change is the Captiva’s striking new front end, which features a reshaped bonnet, much more prominent split grille and narrower prism-style headlights.

The interior has also received attention with new seat fabrics and trim materials to improve the perceived quality, while the Captiva also gets Chevrolet’s favoured ice blue instrument lighting. Buyers still get the choice of five or seven-seat layouts.

The car also boasts a new audio system, with an Aux input, USB port and Bluetooth connectivity. Touchscreen sat-nav with a rear-view parking camera is now available as an option, too.

Under the bonnet, there are three new engine choices – a 169bhp 2.4-litre petrol and two versions of a 2.2-litre common rail diesel featuring 161bhp or 181bhp. All are connected to a new manual or automatic six-speed transmission, and all models get retuned handling to offer a sportier drive.

The new Captiva is set to go on sale in the UK next spring. For more details click here.
Thanks to: Auto Express