http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/ This is the syndication feed from the whatdiesel website silverstone and the british racing drivers’ club (brdc) are pleased to announce that an agreement has been reached to secure the long term future of the fia formula 1 british grand prix. the 17 year deal will see the uk’s most prestigious motor sport event remain at the home of british motor racing in northamptonshire.<br><br>speaking on monday (07 december) fom president bernie ecclestone, said: "i am pleased that we have reached an agreement with silverstone for the retention http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1102 Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT ‘insure’ you watch our video with hot motoring babe natalie pinkham for expert advice on getting the best insurance for you and your wheels<br><br>we all know what it feels like to get your first car. whether it’s an old banger or a sexy racer, suddenly you have the freedom to drive around whenever and wherever you want – without relying on a lift from your parents, or having to stand around waiting for the bus.<br><br>but before you can turn a wheel on the tarmac you nee http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1101 Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT just one and a half years after the cee’d was launched it the uk, kia has unveiled a fresh new look for its mid-range challenger. it adopts a brand new corporate grille and changes to the headlights and front bumper, while on the inside, there’s an improved centre console and audio system featuring bluetooth mobile phone connectivity. the new cee’d will be shown at the frankfurt motor show in september before going on sale in the uk later this year. http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1098 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT coinciding with the 100th anniversary of audi, the german car maker has revealed photos of its brand new a5 sportback, having revealed teaser shots last month. the new breed of a5 combines the extended chassis from the a4 saloon, with a five-door hatchback design, and features 480 litres of boot space, nearly eclipsing the a4 avant. initially, the a5 sportback will be available with three trim levels – standard, se and s line, and a choice of two diesel engines – the 168bhp 2.0-litre tdi and 237 http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1097 Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT the first photos of peugeot’s eagerly awaited new sports coupé have been unveiled by the french car maker, and with a break in model name tradition, there’s not a zero in sight. simply dubbed the rcz, a concept version of the new car was first unveiled at the frankfurt motor show in 2007. due on sale next spring, the production car has stayed true to the concept, retaining the twin bubble-shaped glasshouse and bulbous rear design. the new rcz will be revealed to the public for the first time at http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1096 Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT the first pictures of bmw’s x1 suv have been revealed, ahead of its uk launch in october, and for the first time for a bmw off-roader, there’s a choice of rear-wheeldrive versions in addition to the usual all-wheel-drive. with diesel sales dominating the suv market, bmw has taken the decision to offer only diesel powerplants in the uk, with a choice of three 2.0-litre turbodiesel engines. first up is the 143bhp 18d in both rear and four-wheel-drive with a six-speed manual gearbox, 177bhp 20d wit http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1095 Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT fresh from unveiling its facelifted 207 range last month, peugeot has revealed its new tax-free challenger to the ford fiesta econetic and seat ibiza ecomotive – dubbed the 207 économique. adopting all of the upgrades that the rest of the 207 range has received, the newcomer features a brand new euro v emissions compliant version of the 1.6-litre hdi engine, developing 90bhp. revisions to the engine management software and taller gear ratios account for the bulk of the changes, while improvement http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1099 Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT sussex police have taken delivery of a brand new kia soul shaker, thanks to the generosity of local dealer tollhouse of washington, sussex. a team of police community support officers (pcso’s) will be using the soul over the next year to patrol the horsham area. it will be used for routine street briefings and general day-to-day duties. http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1100 Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT with over two million sales of the c3 so far, citroën’s brand new c3 has got a lot to live up to. on sale early next year, the new supermini shares its underpinnings with the upcoming ds3, including its upmarket interior. the silhouette will be familiar to existing c3 owners, though the new model, has been taken upmarket with a classier, sporty look. significant strides to improve quality and style have been focussed upon and the brand new zenith windscreen adds a touch of glamour to the range, http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1094 Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT simple steps to ensure you don’t get ripped off by cowboy mechanics <br><br>many motorists feel they may have suffered at the hands of rip-off garages – whether that means being overcharged for servicing, receiving a final bill wildly different to the estimate or being distrustful of the shake of the head and intake of breath that can occur when some mechanics peer under the bonnet. <br><br>in fact, according motor codes - the automotive indus http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1088 Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT renault-nissan has announced that the next engine in its strategy to share powerplants will be made at cléon, normandy. <br><br>the new 1.6 dci unit will join the 1.9, 2.0 and v6 dci units in being produced at the alliance factory in france. the new engine will develop 130bhp at launch and is designed to produce 30g/km less co2 emissions and improve fuel economy by 20 per cent, compared to the 1.9 dci engine that it replaces. it’s destined to be installed http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1087 Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT korean car maker ssangyong has had a turbulent time of late, but has now been given the goahead to restructure itself by the south korean courts. <br><br>the court ruled that the manufacturer was worth more as a going concern than being broken up, and has ordered ssangyong to submit its restructuring plan by mid- september. paul williams, managing director of uk distributor koelliker uk ltd. said: “this is the news we were hoping for and it means that ssa http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1086 Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT with most manufacturers reporting new car sale volumes dramatically down compared to last year, there are high hopes that the newly introduced scrappage scheme will bring a ray of sunshine to a depressed market. <br><br>early reports are of brisk showroom traffic and healthy advance orders, with plenty of interest in small cars and those producing low levels of co2. most major manufacturers have signed up to the scheme which went live on 18th may 2009. a http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1084 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT back in july 2001, the cover proclaimed peugeot 307 - can exciting french newcomer really better the 306? while there were aspects where the new pug was very good, it was flawed in terms of performance and economy wasn’t as good as expected. <br><br>a group test of large estates revealed that the renault laguna sports tourer was the best bet, beating the ford mondeo and volkswagen passat. other tests included the alpina b10 biturbo, the nissan almera 2.2d http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1085 Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT volvo has delivered the 50,000th second generation volvo c70 to its german owner. <br>the sapphire black car came fitted with the 2.4-litre d5 engine, mated to the geartronic automatic gearbox. the volvo c70 is built by pininfarina sverige ab in uddevalla, sweden – a factory that is jointly owned by pininfarina spa and volvo. pininfarina owns 60 per cent, while volvo owns the remainder. http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1081 Sun, 07 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT the seat ibiza ecomotive has set a fuel-saving record of 97.4mpg over an amazing 970 miles. <br><br>the austrian driver, gerhard plattner, set out from seat’s head office near barcelona, driving through perpignan, avignon, lyon, mulhouse, freiburg, frankfurt and finally göttingen during the record breaking journey. both the bonnet and fuel cap were sealed by the ipmc (international police motor corporation) and it was originally planned to cover an 835-mi http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1082 Sun, 07 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT vauxhall has taken the wraps off the all-new astra, to be built at the company’s ellesmere port plant. due on sale towards the end of the year, and making its debut at the frankfurt motor show in september, the new car is the sixth generation astra and takes styling cues from its big brother, the insignia. <br><br>the latest astra is longer than its predecessor at 4.4 metres long and rides on new underpinnings. the wheelbase is around seven centimetres lo http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1080 Sat, 06 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT the future look of the 5 series has been revealed by bmw, with the launch of the new 5 series gran turismo. shown in concept form at the geneva motor show in march, the newcomer features a similar style dual boot treatment as the skoda superb. <br><br><br>sitting almost midway in size between the 5 and 7 series, the new car is available in either a fourseat executive specification, or in five-seat se trim. there’s the choice of opening the loadbay in a more regular saloon style http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1079 Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT despite the drama of modifications and rule breaking so far this year, and following victory at florida’s sebring 12 hour race and encouraging recent testing, audi still hopes to win at the famous le mans 24 hours race on 13th and 14th of june. the driver line-up for the race has been confirmed as: <br><br>timo bernhard (germany) <br>dindo capello (italy) <br>romain dumas (france) <br>tom kristensen (denmark) <br>lucas luhr (germany) <br>al http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1077 Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT first unveiled in concept form at the paris show last year, ssangyong has taken the wraps off its near production ready crossover, the c200, at the seoul motor expo. <br><br>due to be launched later this year, the c200 is similar in size and style to nissan’s popular qashqai. it features a brand new 2.0-litre turbodiesel unit that complies with the euro v co2 emissions standard, and will be offered with a choice of manual or automatic transmission. <br http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1076 Mon, 18 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT the european parliament has announced that electronic stability programme (esp) will become mandatory for all newly launched cars and commercial vehicles from 2011. <br><br>to be introduced as part of a package of improvements aimed at making roads safer, all new model introductions will be required to have esp fitted as standard from november 2011, with already launched model ranges being fitted with the technology by november 2014. http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1075 Sun, 17 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT volkswagen’s slovakian factory has been named as the production site for it's new family of small cars. <br><br>destined not only to wear the volkswagen badge, there will also be seat and skoda derivatives too. the new three-door and five-door cars will begin production in 2011. a design study for a volkswagen version of the new car was first shown back in 2007 at the frankfurt motor show as the up! concept. <br><br>the new entry-level models http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1074 Sat, 16 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT korean car maker, ssangyong, has announced the extension of its warranty terms to five years or 250,000 miles, whichever comes first. <br><br>and while some other manufacturers may be offering a similar offer on their cars for a limited period, this is a permanent fixture on all kyron, rexton and rodius models. in addition, until the end of june, retail customers will also receive five years free servicing, eligible for the first 50,000 miles, free of cha http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1073 Fri, 15 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT seat is on a roll after launching its ibiza supermini in the uk, followed by its exeo executive saloon and st wagon. <br><br>now the spanish maker has revealed a design sketch of its forthcoming ibiza st, to become the third member of the ibiza family. due on sale next year, the compact sports estate is being styled by seat design chief, luc donckerwolke, ex lamborghini designer. more information will be revealed closer to the launch, but seat has announc http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1072 Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT as widely expected, alistair darling, chancellor of the exchequer, announced the introduction of a scrappage scheme, to give a boost to the ailing motor industry. <br><br>the scheme will run until march 2010, or until the funds are used up, and will mean new car buyers can claim a £2,000 saving, if they trade in a car more than ten years old. this is made up by a £1,000 contribution by the government, with the car manufacturer matching with another £1,000 http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1071 Tue, 12 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT <em>if your motor looks bad, you look bad. so let tiff needell show you how to get your car looking squeaky clean with minimum effort</em> <br><br>“manners maketh the man”, the saying goes, but “motors maketh the man” could be a lot nearer the target. why? because your car says as much about you as a well-tailored suit or the latest gadget. and yet, as a kärcher survey reveals, 40% of us only wash our car every few months! if you don’t take an http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1078 Mon, 11 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT with sales of over 270,000 around the world since it’s launch in 2005, mercedes-benz has announced a refreshed s-class line-up, including a new blueefficiency version badged s 350 cdi. <br><br>a more dramatic front end, featuring a more prominent grille, the use of led’s and a re-profiled front bumper, combine with a modified tail end that integrates the exhaust pipes with the rear bumper and a new design of rear light cluster featuring 52 led’s. <br&g http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1070 Sun, 10 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT as revealed in issue 256, land rover has officially announced the intention to build a version of the lrx show-car. <br><br>thanks to a £27 million grant from the uk government, the new compact range rover will be built alongside the freelander 2 at the company’s halewood plant, in the north of england. <br><br>based heavily on the land- rover lrx concept vehicle, it will be the most eco-friendly vehicle the off-road company has ever built, wh http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1069 Sat, 09 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT ahead of its full unveiling in july, jaguar has released teaser photos of its brand new xj executive saloon. taken from high up above, it’s clear from the images that the xj is a radical departure from the shape that we’ve come to know. <br><br>a glass panoramic roof, together with relatively short front and rear overhangs mark out the brave new design. the doors appear to be pillarless, but on close inspection are coloured black to give a cleaner side pr http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1067 Fri, 08 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT skoda’s octavia received a scrub and brush up at the paris motor show last year, but left the vrs and four-wheeldrive scout externally unchanged. now skoda has revealed a similar new look for its sportiest models to bring them in line with rest of the octavia range. <br><br>the updated vrs gains a new front grille, together with striking headlights featuring the octavia logo. the front foglamps feature cornering functionality and led daytime running light http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1068 Fri, 08 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT back in 2002, the car of the year awards were a lower key affair. <br><br>the supermini award went to renault’s clio dci, while the compact category winner was the ford focus tdci. for family buyers, the best buy was the renault laguna dci, and for executive cars, top spot was awarded to the saab 9-5 3.0 tid. bmw’s 530d picked up a gong in the luxury class, and audi’s a3 1.9 tdi 130 was the best performance diesel. volvo’s v70 d5 was voted best estate, bm http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1066 Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT hot on the heels of the petrol-powered gti, volkswagen has unveiled its diesel counterpart, the brand new golf gtd. <br><br>unveiled at the leipzig motor show in germany, the newcomer features a new 2.0-litre common rail tdi engine up front, developing 168bhp, mated to either a six-speed manual or dsg automatic gearbox. with a zero to 62mph time of 8.1 seconds before powering onto a maximum speed of 136mph, performance figures are similar to the outgoing http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1065 Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT with jaguar planning to replace its flagship xj later this year, the last of the current generation saloons rolled off the production line at the castle bromwich factory. <br><br>the final model, an xj sovereign 2.7d in vapour grey with a barley interior, will be donated to the coventry transport museum. the next generation flagship will be unveiled in july, before going on sale later in the year. its replacement will be bolder, taking styling cues from t http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1064 Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT the smmt (society of motor manufacturers and traders) has announced that the british motor show planned for 2010 has been cancelled. <br><br>with the current economic climate challenging to say the least, it is thought that few motor manufacturers were ready to commit to the 2010 expo, based at excel in east london. the organisers are adamant that the show has just been postponed rather than axed completely, and will be back once the credit crunch has pas http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1063 Sun, 12 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT porsche, one of the few car makers that resisted diesel power for so long, has revealed that its 250,000th cayenne to be built, was a white diesel version. <br><br>produced at porsche’s leipzig plant since 2002, the cayenne has only recently adopted engines that drink from the black pump. over 45,000 cayenne’s were sold last year, with the milestone diesel model destined to be delivered to a customer in austria. http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1062 Sat, 11 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT not content with the new freelander 2 td4_e going on sale in may, land rover has unveiled three refreshed products for the 2010 model year. discovery 4, range rover sport and range rover.<br><br>celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the discovery gets a raft of changes to justify its new discovery 4 badging on the tailgate. a range rover style front end, and an allnew interior, adds to the new premium feel, moving away from the disco's utilitarian r http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1061 Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT ford fiesta wins what diesel car of the year 2009<br><br>volkswagen grabs three awards – best medium car, best coupé and green award<br><br>two british victories for jaguar xf and land rover freelander 2<br><br>citroën grabs two gongs with the c3 picasso and c5 tourer<br><br>land rover freelander 2 wins best in class for third year running<br><br>jaguar xf wins best executive car for the second year in succession <br&gt http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1060 Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT the eagle eyed will have noticed some interesting pieces of information revealed in chrysler group’s begging papers filed with the us government. while the documents revealed that replacements for the chrysler 300c and jeep grand cherokee will appear next year, chrysler also managed to reveal the names of two upcoming fiat group products. the replacement for the alfa romeo 147 will be named milano, a new five-door hatchback similar in size to the vauxhall astra, and the replacement for the alfa http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1059 Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT after a shaky start to the launch of diesel car, a decision was made to go bi-monthly and the april and may 1989 issue is the focus of our attention this month. <br><br>john kerswill was managing editor, with ivor carroll listed as a special contributor. the citroën ax 14 dtr came in for the diesel car road test treatment, along with a twin test between the citroën bx dtr turbo estate and peugeot’s 405 gtdt estate. citroën was victorious, although it was http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1058 Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT swedish car maker, saab, has applied to the swedish courts to enter a reorganisation process. <br><br>this allows an administrator to handle the complex arrangements, while saab reorganises itself to create an independent business, and gains protection from its creditors. the process is the swedish equivalent to entering the usa’s chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. currently owned by general motors, the us car maker has said that it wants to sell saab, aft http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1057 Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT car production in january 2009 fell by 58.7 per cent, compared to january 2008, reports the society of motor manufacturers and traders. commercial vehicle production was also hit, down 59.9 per cent. and those car manufacturers that did actually produce cars, made 83.5 per cent for export, a record january figure. http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1056 Sun, 22 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT following on from the success of the 2008 ‘drive it day’, vauxhall is opening its heritage centre to the general public for one day only, with family entertainment and an autojumble. best of all, in this cash strapped environment, it is totally free. <br><br>on show will be fifty classic vauxhall products, from a 1903 model, up to modern day classics like the lotus carlton and vauxhall monaro vxr. the 2009 ‘drive it day’ and heritage centre will be open between 10.30am to 4.00pm on s http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1055 Sat, 21 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT bertrand peugeot, grandson of the founder of the french car maker, robert peugeot, passed away on valentines day, february 14th, aged 85. he will be best remembered as acting as vice-chairman for over 25 years and for completing the merger between peugeot and citroën, creating psa peugeot-citroën automobiles. he is survived by two sons, christian who is director of communications and strategy, and robert who looks after the family’s holding company. http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1054 Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT a s citroën, celebrates its 90th birthday, the french car company has unveiled a new logo, fresh brand values, and announced a new line of premium products. <br><br>the famous double chevron logo becomes more stylish with a curvier new look, and will be seen first on the c3 picasso, on sale in the uk next month. the website has already adopted the new look, and the fresh design will be rolled out to citroën’s 8,000 worldwide dealerships over time. a new a http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1053 Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT every march the swiss city of geneva plays host to the motor show that traditionally kicks off spring for the car world, and serves as an annual barometer of the prevailing climate in the motor industry.<br><br>this year’s show opened amidst economic storm clouds that overshadowed the usual effervescent hype of new model unveilings. as a result, the mood was decidedly sombre in the land of snow-capped mountains and cheese fondues. or as one senior industr http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1052 Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT despite the prices of all new cars coming down from 1st december due to the reduction in vat by the government, citroën, ford and vauxhall have all increased their prices with effect from february. the price rises have been blamed on the declining value of sterling compared to the euro. http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1051 Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT with announcements each day that another of the car makers’ uk factories are scaling back production, it isn’t surprising to learn that car production in december at uk plants decreased by 47.5 per cent, compared to december 2007. just 53,823 cars were produced. with honda commencing a four month break, these saddening figures are set to continue. http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1050 Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT vauxhall’s european arm, opel, has revealed the name of its brand new electric car. named the ampera, it is thought that the new car will employ the technology from the chevrolet volt. due to be unveiled at the geneva motor expo, the drivetrain is dubbed voltec, and will feature lithium-ion batteries that can be charged via a 230v outlet. a range of 60km is expected solely on battery power, while additional power can be generated via a conventional engine if further distances need to be travelle http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1049 Thu, 26 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT skoda’s superb has been named car of the year 2009 in the czech republic. it beat 42 competitors, winning first place in the middle and upper middle class. 70,047 people participated in the voting, as it was decided by the general public, together with a panel of 23 judges. http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1048 Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT rumours had been circulating prior to the announcement that fiat and chrysler were discussing a deal, creating a global alliance between the two makers. <br><br>under the terms of the arrangement, fiat will get a 35 per cent equity stake in the us manufacturer, whilst chrysler will gain access to fiat’s vast experience in producing small-cars and efficient engines, including diesel technology. both chrysler and fiat are keen to point out that this agreeme http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1047 Tue, 24 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT first shown as the prologue in concept form at the paris motor show last autumn, the new 3008 is peugeot’s answer to nissan’s qashqai and other crossover vehicles.<br><br>due on sale at the end of the year, the 3008 is based on the same front-drive platform as the citroën c4 and peugeot 308, and features a choice of three hdi turbodiesel engines. first up is the familiar 1.6 hdi unit with 110bhp. this is mated to either a six-speed manual or sixspeed robo http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1046 Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT no-one will be surprised to learn that jaguar’s brand new 3.0-litre v6 diesel will find its way into other jaguar and land rover products, with the discovery 3 and range rover sport being the first candidates this summer. next spring, though, will result in a rival for bmw’s mighty 635d, when the jaguar xk 3.0 diesel is unveiled. production is due to start around may time next year, meaning that the diesel xk may well be unveiled at the geneva motor expo next march. the new engine will of course http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1045 Sun, 22 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT it seems only yesterday, but today's diesel market is worlds apart. new model debutees were the fiat marea, chrysler voyager, toyota picnic and the honda civic using the rover l-series turbodiesel unit. with the new ford ka fresh on sale, but just in petrol form, we pitched it against the fiat punto td. the ka won hands down in every department except space and value. there was also the first test of the peugeot 406 estate, equipped with the 2.1 turbodiesel engine, and the volkswagen passat tdi http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1044 Sat, 21 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT since revealing the striking lrx concept at the detroit motor show last year, land rover has remained tight lipped about its future production plans for the small off-roader. <br><br>however, it’s taken a supplier to break the silence, with haldex announcing plans to supply land rover with all-wheel-drive systems for a future land rover model, due in 2011. <br><br>with the lrx set to share common parts with the freelander 2, which has utilised http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1043 Fri, 20 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT a whole host of new intelligent safety enhancements and more efficient diesel engines are on the agenda for mercedes-benz’s brand new e-class. <br><br>unveiled for the first time at the detroit show in january, and taking inspiration from the fascination concept, the new saloon features prominent blueefficiency branding, standard on all diesel models, emphasising that fuel economy and emissions have been improved – in fact by up to 23 per cent, on some ve http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1042 Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT what a difference twelve months can make. a year ago, dodge unveiled the new ram to much fanfare, herding cattle through the cold detroit streets. and the big three, with traditions of putting on lavish press conferences, previewed new products with much less extravagance. this is hardly surprising, considering they had gone cap in hand to the us government only weeks before.<br><br>while some car makers had decided to watch the dollars, and not take the http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1041 Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT john kerswill was in the big chair back in march 1997, celebrating the launch of the new jeep grand cherokee and bmw’s 525tds touring and served up a test between the renault megane classic and volkswagen polo saloon. the polo was the preferred choice. load-luggers were also reviewed, with citroën’s xantia estate pitched up against the toyota carina e estate. it was a close run thing, but citroën walked away victorious. suzuki’s first diesel off-roader, the vitara 2.0td was also give the diesel http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1040 Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT seat’s new entry into the competitive executive car market, the exeo, has been given a serious leg-up, as it's based on the previous generation audi a4, albeit with a redesigned front and rear end grafted on. the spanish maker hasn’t been coy in revealing its german roots, and sees this as a bonus when attempting to sell the exeo to prospective buyers. <br><br>unveiled at the paris motor show last september, the new saloon goes on sale in the uk in april. available with a choice of f http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1039 Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT audi’s aiming to bring a summer flavour to the wintry and dark evenings with the unveiling of the brand new a5 cabriolet. designed to replace the softtop a4, the new car arrives in uk showrooms in the spring. the german maker has chosen to stick with a fabric roof in preference to the far heavier metal folding arrangement that other makers are adopting. the lightweight soft-top retracts into the boot in just 15 seconds, while raising the roof takes 17 seconds. both operations can be carried out http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1038 Tue, 03 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT hyundai is only the third company in the world to develop its own six-speed automatic gearbox. designed to bring down emissions and improve fuel consumption, the new transmission will be fitted to sixtreen different hyundai models, including the facelifted santa fe, due at the end of this year. http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1037 Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT porsche has been on a spending spree, buying up more shares in volkswagen group. now holding a stake of 50.76 per cent, it also acquires indirect control over the truck maker, scania. under swedish law, porsche is now obliged to make an offer for scania, as a result of passing the 50 per cent threshold. porsche states that it has no strategic interest in scania and isn’t interested in acquiring scania shares. http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1036 Sun, 01 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT worries over the strength of the japanese yen, has delayed the introduction of the boxer diesel engine to the impreza range. with exchange rates as they are, subaru would be forced to price the impreza diesel at a level that would be out of kilter with its competitors, so subaru has chosen to delay the launch until market conditions are more favourable. http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1035 Sat, 31 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT following the launch of the tt 2.0 tdi last year, audi has announced the availability of the coupé and roadster in s line trim. priced from £27,655, the new models feature a redesigned s line grille, sports suspension, revised bumpers front and rear, together with 18-inch alloy wheels. inside, there’s s line branding for the leather and alcantara sports seats and for the multi-function steering wheel. the new tt s line is available to order now. http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1034 Fri, 30 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT with the deadline for euro 5 emissions regulations looming for newly certified model ranges, volvo is the latest car maker to announce a new fully compliant engine. while it may share the 2400cc capacity and d5 moniker with previous powerplants, volvo say its engineers started with a clean sheet of paper, citing that the previous d5 had reached the end of its development potential. the new wholly aluminium engine features sequential twin turbocharges of differing sizes, together with ceramic glo http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1033 Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT it’s shaping up to be another fantastic year for jaguar’s spectacular xf, with the unveiling of two new high powered turbodiesel engines. already crowned what diesel’s car of the year 2008, the xf gains a brand new performance diesel engine, with 271bhp and 443lb ft of available torque. this allows the new threelitre xf diesel s to complete the 0-60mph dash in just 5.9 seconds, before powering onto an electronically limited top speed of 155mph. the newcomer is easily spotted thanks to its sporty http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1032 Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT vauxhall’s new insignia has emerged victorious in the european car of the year awards 2009, narrowly beating ford’s fiesta by one point. in third place came volkswagen’s new golf. competition was stiff, with 37 cars being put forward for car of the year, with just seven reaching the final shortlist. the european car of the year awards are voted for by a jury of 59 motoring writers, from 23 european countries. <br><br>it’s the third time that vauxhall has won the award – in 1985 with http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1031 Sun, 25 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT although nissan’s cube hasn’t been officially available in the uk before, a slow trickle of cars have been available from importers since the current funky model was launched back in 2002. <br><br>that is all about to change, with the announcement that the third generation nissan cube will be sold here officially. the new car builds on its predecessors cute and chunky looks, and offers individuality in a sometimes mundane market place. <br><br>due on sale next year, the 2 http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1030 Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT psa peugeot citroën and bosch are teaming up to co-develop diesel hybrid technology for use in the car maker’s fourwheel- drive platforms. <br><br>the new technology was first shown in the peugeot prologue and citroën hypnos concept cars at the paris motor show in october, and is due on sale in a production car in 2011. http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1029 Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT news reports suggest that ford may be seeking to sell volvo, despite stating earlier this year that it wasn’t for sale. ford paid $6.4 billion for volvo back in 1999 and is apparently looking for around $6 million for the swedish maker.<br><br>around 4,600 jobs have been cut by the swedish car maker in 2008, with 2,367 blue collar workers being made redundant, along with 354 white collar workers. 680 jobs abroad have been cut and 1,215 consultants have not had their contracts renewed http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1028 Mon, 19 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT part of its alliance to jointly manufacturer and design new products, renault and nissan has taken the wraps off its brand new 3.0-litre v6 dci engine. with a displacement of 2993cc, the new unit develops 235bhp and 332lb ft of torque. initially fitted to the new laguna coupé, the powerplant will be available in the laguna hatch and sport tourer early in 2009, as well as the nissan pathfinder and navara off-roaders. <br><br>nissan’s upmarket brand, infiniti, will also utilise the new http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1027 Sat, 17 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT five years on from its original launch, expectations are high surrounding the arrival of the new five-door mazda3.<br><br>with an impressive tally of almost two million sales to date, its latest incarnation promises the responsive driving characteristics, sharp design and performance that have made the outgoing model a strong seller. powered by the same 1.6 diesel engine as the current mazda3, there’s also a new sporty option, courtesy of mazda’s new 2.2- http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1026 Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT volvo is out to make its mark. gone are the conservative looks of old and in come curvy and svelte lines for the swede’s new s60 concept car.<br><br>scheduled to debut at the detroit motor show in january, the concept gives a strong signal as to the future design direction for the large saloon, and in a very unlike volvo fashion, a sporty drive is promised. according to volvo’s design director steve mattin, the car’s shapely coupé styling was inspired by http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1025 Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT after decades of defiantly producing petrol only models, porsche is breaking new ground with the release of a diesel version of its cayenne. topping the list of its key selling features is a fuel economy figure that approaches nearly double that of previous porsches.<br><br>powered by a 240bhp 3.0- litre v6 turbo diesel engine, and mated to the tiptronic-s gearbox, the new car is capable of 30.4mpg on the combined cycle. the cayenne diesel has been developed in response to worldwide http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1024 Mon, 12 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT eight short years ago, ivor carroll was in the hot seat, celebrating diesel sales of 14.1 per cent of the uk car market, up from 13.7 per cent in 1999.<br><br>how things have changed, with diesel sales currently commanding almost 50 per cent of total sales. back then, the best selling diesel model was the peugeot 406. in the february 2001 issue, diesel car brought you the first test of the new volkswagen passat tdi 130, along with the economy version of the vauxhall astra, dubbed eco http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1023 Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT car makers have been quick to pass on the government’s announcement of a 2.5 per cent cut in vat.<br><br>amid a backdrop of “the big three” (gm, ford and chrysler) on the brink of bankruptcy in the us, british car dealers are hoping the tax breaks will ease pressure on the car market. the vat cuts will result in savings of several hundred pounds per vehicle, but senior figures within the motor trade have called for more action to kick-start the industry. concerns continue to grow as http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1022 Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT citroën has taken the wraps off a mildly restyled version if its c1 citycar. the revised c1 benefits from a stronger front bumper design in addition to interior upgrades to entice would-be buyers. <br><br>it’s just three years since the c1 was launched alongside its peugeot 107 and toyota aygo sister cars, and citroën has shifted more than 300,000 examples. <br><br>as with its predecessors, much is expected of this compact city car in terms of handling capability and road http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1003 Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT euroncap, the car safety watchdog has long been campaigning for manufacturers to make esp (electronic stability programme) standard equipment on new vehicles, and has taken the bold step of announcing that from 2009, car makers will only be able to achieve a maximum five star rating, if the tested car is fitted with esp. <br><br>the first results under the new scheme will be announced in february 2009. http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1004 Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT the two cars raced by jason plato and darren turner in this year’s btcc are for sale, but not their engines, thus ending speculation that a customer team could elect to continue with the diesel programme into 2009 as an independent entry. a statement from scott dennis, seat sport uk race manager said: “following reports suggesting that the leon tdi will be available for customer teams to race in the 2009 hiq msa british touring car championship, seat sport uk wishes to clarify that the team’s tw http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1005 Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT despite its direct replacement arriving a couple of years ago in the form of the c4 picasso, the cheaper xsara picasso will continue in the french makers line-up until at least 2011, according to industry reports. the popular mpv first went on sale back in 1999, and will continue in citroën’s line-up as a budget alternative to the more modern, and expensive c4 picasso. http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1006 Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT at the recent launch of the ka citycar, ford announced that there will be an econetic version in due course, although the specification has yet to be finalised. while the ka is equipped with fiat-sourced 1.2-litre petrol and 1.3-litre diesel engines, ford isn’t ruling out using one of its own engines for its eco-friendliest ka. tony dixon, ford ka’s project and business manager said “we could use a fiat engine, but there’s nothing stopping us from using one of our own engines”. <br><br& http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1007 Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT in the final rounds of the 2008 delphi british truck racing championship at brands hatch, stuart oliver raced to victory in both class a races to confirm his championship title which he had secured at the previous rounds, in pembrey. victory in this year’s championship has given oliver a record eighth title. <br><br>at brands hatch, there was a dramatic start to race one as david jenkins spun exiting druids’ on the opening lap, forcing chris levett and richard collett to take evasive http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1008 Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT having made its debut at the 2007 frankfurt motor show, ways are being explored as to whether to put citroën’s striking c-cactus concept car into full production. the french firm’s futuristically designed motor attracted plenty of admiring glances when first unveiled which has encouraged the company to conduct further tests and studies. <br><br>as its name suggests, the concept’s moniker comes from the hardy desert plant. its rounded body lines may be far from prickly, yet its frugal http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1009 Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT amid a highly competitive diesel market, land rover is releasing its most fuel efficient model to date. the new freelander 2 td4_e featuring the company’s new terrain technologies which produce lower emissions and better fuel economy. <br><br>this is no casual development either – there has been a massive investment of £700 million into improving its range. so its little wonder there’s a lot riding on the prospects of the td4_e. among its features is an advanced new start/stop system http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1010 Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT back in january 1993, the headline test was of the new peugeot 405 1.9 turbodiesel.<br><br>the large pug had been facelifted, which saw the larger 1.9-litre engine being turbocharged to replace the previous 1.8-litre unit. the verdict was of a much improved car, one that put all the things that were wrong with the original 405 right. coincidentally, the peugeot 405 was also the best selling diesel back then. there was also the first test of the maestro clubman turbodiesel, which our http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1011 Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT mitsubishi motors together with its motorsport arm, the repsol mitsubishi ralliart team, has confirmed a four car lancer line-up in a bid to claim a historic first diesel power win in next year’s dakar race. <br><br>the new turbo-diesel ‘racing lancer’ will be driven by current mitsubishi drivers stephane peterhansel, hiroshi masuoka, luc alphand and joan ‘nani’ roma. the company is seeking its 13th success in total, and eighth win in succession, having won the dakar rally every year http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1012 Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT skoda continues its foray into the low-emissions diesel market with the aptly named superb greenline, following on from the similarly named fabia greenline unveiled earlier in the year. <br><br>it’s billed as skoda’s most economical superb yet, managing 55.4mpg on the combined cycle from its 1.9-litre tdi turbo diesel engine. the emissions figures are a particularly strong feature – a reduction from 151g/km to 136g/km over the standard superb 1.9 tdi, which results in a £40 a year ca http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1013 Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT the current move by manufacturers to combine more diesel engines with coupés and stylish convertibles, has been recently followed by volvo with its adding a 2.0-litre diesel into the c30 coupé as reviewed a few issues ago. now, volvo has announced that it will be extending this engine to its range of derv powered c70’s with the launch of the four-cylinder c70 2.0d. already seen in the s40 and v50, the 136bhp version will compliment the existing c70 d5 and offer customers a far greater choice in http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1001 Mon, 24 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT peugeot is launching a new line, all with an ‘8’ at the end of the model names. the first of these, the 308, will be available from september. designed in-house by peugeot, it promises class-leading aerodynamics to help achieve low emissions and low fuel consumption. built at peugeot’s sochaux and mulhouse plants, the 308 will be available in three- and five-door hatchback variants initially; it is expected that ‘sw’ estate, and ‘cc’ coupé convertible models will join them during 2008. as is the http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1002 Mon, 24 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT ssangyong has announced the intention to launch twenty new models, on five different platforms, over the next six years. the korean car maker merged with saic (shanghai automotive industry corporation), the chinese car maker, four years ago and this is the first fruit of their co-operation. the c200 concept car, unveiled at the recent paris motor show, was designed by giugiaro’s italdesign in italy and is a radical departure from ssangyong’s current suv based line-up in the uk. the c200 is power http://www.whatdiesel.co.uk/news/viewnews.aspx?newsid=1000 Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT