Car sales rise, city-car sales rise by 253% (UK)

With car sales rising 2.4% in July, August car sales rose 6% compared with the same month last year. The increase is the second consecutive monthly rise, after more than a year of decline in vehicle sales. Industry figures revealed that 67,006 new cars were registered during August.

The scrappage scheme is widely accepted to have prompted the boost in sales since its introduction in May. However, the scheme is expected to run out of cash by the end of the year. Most buyers have been waiting out for the '59' plate change, which changes this month. September generally yields 5 times as many sales as August. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders' (SMMT) chief executive Paul Everitt said: 'The scrappage incentive scheme is having a positive impact, but with consumer and business confidence still fragile, there remain significant risks ahead.

However, the figures from the SMMT also revealed that total sales for the year so far are still 21.5% lower than for the same period last year.

'It is essential that these early signs of recovery are sustained into 2010.'

The top 10 best-selling cars for August were as follows:

1) Ford Focus - 4,366

2) Ford Fiesta - 2,968

3) Hyundai i10 - 2,431

4) Vauxhall Corsa - 2,031

5) Volkswagen Golf - 1,832

6) Peugeot 207 - 1,558

7) BMW 3 Series - 1,482

8) Vauxhall Astra - 1,355

9) Vauxhall Insignia - 1,334

10) Toyota Yaris - 1,331

The worst performers in August were:

1) Saab -91.48%

2) Bentley -75.51%

3) Lotus -58.82%

4) Porsche -43.7%

5) Jeep -36.96%

Germany has ended its scrappage scheme, but is expected to offer tax incentives instead. France will extend it's scrappage scheme until 2011, to avoid plunging car sales. The UK Government has no intention of expanding, despite the fragile state of the car industry. However, pressure from automotive magazines, car manufactures and consumers could see it expanded.

Audi A3 2.0 TDi pricing announced (U.S)

Diesel engined cars remain tough to sell in the North American market but German brands like Volkswagen, have sold clean-diesel cars sucuessfully. Volkswagen's luxury counterpart, Audi now wants to sell clean-diesels. It's introducing the new A3 TDI for the U.S market, for which the Ingolstadt-based automaker released pricing details.

Starting price for the A3 TDI with the S-tronic transmission and front-wheel drive is $29,950, excluding a delivery charge of $825.

Like the European model, the 2.0 litre TDI provides 140bhp and 236 lb-ft of torque (320 Nm). Combined fuel economy is 42 mpg U.S.

So why is it so hard for European carmakers to sell diesels in the U.S? This is to meet the stringent emissions standards that are set in each U.S state for diesel powered passenger cars. Those regulations are far more restrictive than they are for transport trucks. That coupled with the lack of availability of highly-refined (low-sulphur) diesel fuel also made selling diesels in all 50 states a challenge.

Lexus revises line-up (UK)

               

Lexus UK has canned the petrol-engined GS and
LS sedans, cutting the range down to hybrid models only.

The GS and LS ranges now consist of one model each – the GS450h and L600h – and Lexus will only sell the new RX as a hybrid  (it is available with the petrol V6 in the U.S).

A Lexus source described the decision as “a logical move for the company”. The IS range will remain as it is, with petrol and diesel engines available.

New Car: 2010 Fiat Punto Evo

This is the Fiat Punto Evo, the revised version of the Grande Punto that will be displayed at this month’s Frankfurt motorshow and go on sale in the UK Spring 2010.

As well as a mild restyling, the Fiat Punto Evo gets an updated engine range that includes the innovative 1.4-litre petrol Multiair unit. The Multiair system works by allowing direct control of air and combustion in engines, cylinder by cylinder and stroke by stroke, without the use of a conventional throttle. It saves energy wasted in traditional systems, cutting fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by around 10% over a comparable standard engine, and increasing power by up to 10% and torque by up to 15%. It can also reduce particulate emissions by up to 40% and NOx emissions by up to 60%. Fiat plans to fit the technology to all its engines in coming years.

Other engines in the range include a new 1.3-litre Multijet diesel, which features a new common-rail injector that reduces consumption by around 2% and NOx emissions by 30%, plus methane and LPG units that boost the car’s eco credentials but which won’t be on sale in the UK. This emits 115g/km of CO2. Fiat is also fitting stop-start as standard on all its Euro5-compliant petrol and diesel engines.

Fiat says the interior has been completely reworked, while the exterior has been tweaked by the addition of new bumpers and light clusters. The car is slightly longer than before, at 406cm from 403cm. All other dimensions are the same.

The Punto Evo has seven airbags as standard, including a driver’s knee-bag. Options include a hill holder function to make hillstarts easier, and adaptive cornering fog lights that switch on according to the angle of steering and a new sat-nav system is also available. Called Blue&Me-TomTom, it allows the driver to manage telephone, sat-nav and information systems via a single colour touch screen.

Jaguar XF outsells Audi A6 (UK)

Jaguar’s XF saloon is continuing to steal sales from rivals, despite the weak new car market.

Figures obtained show that the XF is outselling all of its saloon rivals in the UK and the margin is growing. It took 60% of the UK’s executive saloon market in July; earlier this year it was closer to 50%.

“We’ve been working on residuals and keen pricing and equipment levels and that’s continuing to work for us,” says Jaguar. The company reckons it operates in about 30% of the executive market, because it doesn’t offer an estate or four-cylinder diesel model. To the end of July, the XF is third overall favourite executive car despite being available only as a 4 door.

It produced 5,653 registrations, ahead of the Audi A6 with 5,000 (includes estate variants). The BMW 5-Series with 7,900 sales lead the way. The Mercedes E-Class sold 5,700, putting it in second place.

Launch of Mini Crossman delayed

BMW has confirmed it will not be showing a production version of its Mini Crossover until 2010 at the earliest. At the Frankfurt motorshow this month, it will be showing two new concepts; the Mini Coupe concept and the Mini Roadster concept.

The baby crossover, rumoured to be called the Crossman, was first seen as a concept car at the Paris motorshow last year. It will be the fourth production model in Mini’s line-up.

A BMW Mini spokesman told media in the U.S: “The Crossover launch has been pushed back as we wish to first explore differentiation within future Mini smaller models and get feedback.”

The production launch is likely to take place at the Geneva motorshow in Spring 2010.

Hyundai i20 production shifts from India (EU)

Hyundai plans to shift more than a third of its i20 production to Europe from India by the middle of 2010, according to the firm’s Indian managing director.

H.S. Lheem said production of around 70,000 cars would move to Europe in order to get tax benefits. Hyundai currently has the capacity to make around 200,000 units per year in India.

Lheem refused to confirm which plant in Europe the i20 would be built, although it is likely to be at the firm’s Turkish plant. As India is a right-hand drive market, the move won’t affect any cars destined for the UK, so production will carry on as normal.

He said Hyundai’s sales in India were expected to increase to 580,000 in 2009, up from 490,000 sold last year.