Kia Cee'd facelift spied at the 'Ring

The Cee'd has sown. Since it's introduction back in 2006, over 200,000 units have been sold, so it was about time for a facelift. Spies on the Nurburgring snapped these photos of the Kia Cee'd facelift. Primarily for the European market, the Cee'd was designed in Frankfurt, Germany and is manufactured in Slovakia.

These pictures show the Cee'd mule with a few new design features. The bonnet is now more sculpted, leading to the top radiator grille, while the grille itself is now revised to keep in check with the future Kia line-up. It is very likely the grille will resemble the tiger grille, first seen on the Soul crossover. The headlights also appear to be more rounded off. The lower section of the front bumper will include heavily redesigned fog-lamp housing and lower grille. At the rear, expected revised tail-lights, boot door and bumper.

Alongside the remodelled fascias, the alloy wheels will also change. Door mirrors have been revised and are now much larger with indicators built in.

Inside, judging by the leaked pictures, the new Cee'd will have an upgraded centre console with new air-conditioning and audio controls and their respective LCD screens, while other changes include the restyled instrument panel gauges, 3 spoke steering wheel and the redesigned lower part of the centre console.

While the hatchback will be the first model to receive the changes, next year will see the Pro_Cee'd and Cee'd SW adopting the same features. Look out for the freshened 2010 Kia Cee'd at the Frankfurt motorshow in September, before going on sale shortly after.

Toyota Auris hybrid due in Autumn

Toyota will launch a hybrid version of its Auris hatchback this Autumn and the car will be built in the UK at the Burnaston factory in Derbyshire. The Auris Hybrid Synergy Drive will share its petrol-electric drivetrain with the new Prius — so that means it has a 98bhp 1.8-litre Atkinson-cycle petrol engine and an 80bhp electric motor. It will cost less, partly because it is a smaller car and partly because it will be less well equipped. The Auris will give Toyota a more direct rival for the Honda Insight, although Toyota’s hybrid system is more sophisticated than its rival’s.

The lower weight and smaller size could make the Auris hybrid Toyota’s cleanest model when it is launched at this autumn’s Frankfurt show, undercutting the new Prius' 87g/km of CO2.
The hybrid Auris launch will follow the arrival of the new Prius this month and will in turn be followed by a RAV4 hybrid.

The three models are all built on the same platform; they are part of a strategy aimed at boosting Toyota’s annual hybrid sales to a 1m units. The firm’s wider aim is to base its image on offering models with strong environmental credentials.

Peugeot warns about scrappage schemes (EU)

PSA Peugeot-Citroen has warned governments that halting scrappage scheme could prove disastrous.

The group warned that it could lose €2bn (£1.7bn) this year and have to scale back production in the fourth quarter of this year, if Europe-wide scrappage schemes start to be curtailed.

France was the first of the 12 European countries to launch the scrappage scheme as part of a €6bn (£5.1bn) car industry bailout and will decide in January whether to continue. Many expect the government to reduce the €1,000 (£851) trade-in incentive in stages.

The German government, which has the most generous scheme, says it is 'weighing its options'. Peugeot issued the warning at the same time as announcing a convertible bond issue of up to €575m (£489m).

PSA Peugeot Citroen recorded a €343m (£292m) net loss in 2008, said the capital raised from the bond issue would go towards “general financing needs”, development projects and the extension of the maturity of its existing debt.

Peugeot received a €3bn (£2.6bn) long-term loan from the French government in March and a €400m (£340m) four-year loan from the European Investment Bank in April.

Hyundai hikes prices on 2010 MY i20 (UK)

Although the i20 supermini has been on sale just under 4 months now, Hyundai UK has already hiked prices by £250 across the range. The entry-level model now starts from £8,445 for the 3dr 1.2 litre petrol engined Classic model, up from £8,195 for the MY09 i20.

So what can justify the £250 increase? Well, the life-saving ESP is now standard across the range alongside a silver effect centre console, which was standard on the MY09 i20 Style. All trim-levels are also available in 3dr.

Car manufactures fight for air con ban (EU)

Auto industry group, ACEA want the EU to delay the agreed 2011 ban on certain chemicals in air-conditioning systems. ACEA feels its members have not had enough time to develop new systems, which wouldn’t feature climate-damaging chemicals such as R134a.

The ruling was passed in 2006 and a legal loophole was closed in April which would have allowed ACEA members to avoid the ban until 2017. An ACEA letter to the European Commission said: “Car manufacturers need sufficient lead-time of at least 2 - 3 years past 1st January 2011 to adjust to the changed situation. “ACEA requests that the Commission work with the member states to find a pragmatic solution.”

Last year, ACEA successfully lobbied the EU into delaying an EU plan to cut carbon dioxide emissions from cars.

It is estimated that manufacturers would need to invest an extra £35 to £170 per car to meet the new requirements, an expense they would be unwilling to pass onto consumers in the current economic climate.

Buy a Maserati for €230

Maserati fans can now buy a personalised Quattroporte, Quattroporte S, and GranTurismo S for just €230 (£194). As ever, if the deal sounds too good to be true then it probably is - in this case, that's because the cars in question are 1/43 scale models. However, for your money you do get an extremely detailed hand-built model.

Buyers can choose from seven exterior and two interior colours, five different brake caliper colours, two different kinds of rims, and select a sunroof which is made of glass. You can also have a personalised numberplate written in one of four fonts.

The price includes shipping within 30 days of your order and the model can be returned free of charge if you aren't happy with it.

Configure your Maserati here

Renault Clio Campus production continues

The success of the scrappage scheme across Europe has led Renault to increase production of its Clio Campus budget supermini.

The Clio Campus is made at its Flins factory near Paris and production has now been extended to December 2009, a move which will result in an extra 4,000 cars being built. Renault had originally planned to shift Campus production to its Novo Mesto factory in Slovenia but demand for the facelifted second generation Clio has remained strong.

Renault was quick to state the move has been motivated by market conditions and not political motives, despite receiving a €3bn (£2.5billion) state loan in exchange for commitments to maintain manufacturing and employment in France.

Renault sold 4,429 Clio Campuses in May and it has sold 29,350 units in the first 5 months on 2009.

Lexus IS-C pricing announced (UK)

Lexus has confirmed pricing for the upcoming IS 250C, which goes on sale in the UK next month.

In the base SE-I trim, the Lexus IS 250C starts at £34,550. To have the SE-I fitted with the Lexus Navigation system costs an extra £2,200. Prices start at £43,250 for the flagship SE-L model equipped with the Lexus Multimedia Pack.

BMW set to introduce 7 Series AWD

BMW is planning to introduce all-wheel-drive powertrains on its 7 Series sedan with the first models featuring the new technology later this year. The four-wheel-drive 7 Series will make its debut at the Frankfurt motorshow in September and for many it is a long overdue development.

It will carry BMW's xDrive tag and will initially be available only in the 407bhp 750i version but may feature in more petrol variants. There are no plans for an all-wheel-drive diesel 7 Series however. The AWD 7 Series is also likely to feature electronic 'Hill-Descent' control and the cars will have increased ride-heights and special underbody protection. AWD will add around £2,000 on to the asking price over the rear-wheel-drive variants and it will increase fuel consumption by about 1-2mpg.

Porsche unable to pay debt

Porsche is so deeply in debt that it has requested a €1.75bn loan (£1.5bn) from the German state bank KfW, according to reports from Germany.

Porsche is weighed down by debts of €9bn (£7.6bn), an overhang from the sports car maker’s audacious attempt to takeover the whole VW Group. In recent days Porsche boss, Wendelin Wiedeking has written to union boss Bertold Huber and VW Group chairman Ferdinand Piech, warning them not to discuss Porsche’s debt problems in public. Wiedeking is said to be fearful that Porsche could be refused the loan. Porsche is also currently discussing selling a stake in itself to the Qatar Investment Authority to relive its debt problems. If that sale is a success, Porsche will then probably merge with the wider VW Group.

In the meantime, however, Porsche also runs the risk of VW stock prices collapsing, which could, in turn, force Porsche to make high-value cash payouts to investors. Despite having to finance its debts and the effects of the global financial meltdown, Porsche says that it will return pre-tax profits. However, analysts say that much of gain was from Porsche’s stock market speculation on VW share price. Many in the city have described Porsche as a ‘hedge fund with a automotive subsidiary’.

Over the last 9 months Porsche’s automotive sales have dropped 28% to 53,635 units, with the Boxster and Cayman particularly affected by the global turndown. However, turnover was down by only 15% to €4.6bn (£3.91m) underlining that sales of higher-end Porsches have not been the hardest hit.

Porsche claims that its profit margins just missed being ‘in double figures’. Over the last decade, Porsche has returned profit margins variously between 13 and 20%, which were by far the highest in the global auto industry.

Toyota increases Prius III production (JP)

In order to cope with temporary Japanese demand, the Toyota Prius III will have its production increased at the two Japanese plants where it’s built.

Weekend shifts and overtime are likely to be offered to workers at its Tsutsumi and Fujimatsu factories as the Japanese firm aims to boost production above the current daily output of 2,300 units, but Toyota denied reports that it was planning to produce the Prius at Toyota and GM’s shared U.S Nimmu factory, where the discontinued Pontiac Vibe is produced.

A Toyota spokesman said: “We are planning to produce the Prius III at the Mississippi plant once the U.S market recovers and we are not considering production at Nummi.”

The Prius III became Japan's best-selling car when it went on sale last month, with sales of almost 11,000 units.

Skoda Fabia Scout pricing announced (UK)

Skoda has launched the Fabia Scout in the UK, with a price tag of £12,815 with a choice of one petrol and two diesel engines. The Scout is marketed as an urban cruiser and key styling features include protective body mouldings, 16" alloy wheels, silver roof rails and distinctive upholstery.

Prices start at £12,815 for the 1.4 16V petrol with 85bhp. The available diesel engines are the 1.9 TDI 105bhp and the 1.4 TDI 80bhp. The 1.4 TDI delivers 61.4mpg combined whilst emitting 120g/km of CO2.

The front-wheel-drive Fabia Scout is based on a Fabia 2 and comes with equipment like cruise control, ESP, sunset glass, x4 electric windows, 8 speakers, leather steering wheel with small leather pack, alloy pedals and front armrest. Options include a variable boot floor (£120) and 17" alloy wheels (£300). A hatchback variant will go on sale next year.

No car recovery before 2011 (EU)

Renault, Nissan and Infiniti CEO, Carlos Ghosn has said he doesn’t expect a recovery for the European car market before 2011, unless the scrappage scheme is extended. The global economic turndown has badly dented European car sales and has led to several nations introducing the scrappage scheme.

Ghosn said: “I don't see it (a recovery) in Europe before 2011. I see 2010 at the same level of 2009, with ups and downs. “If scrapping incentives were to continue for a while, it would be a different story. Stopping the incentives would have a recessionary impact.”

Ghosn also said that he expected the U.S car market to recover sooner, possibly by the end of 2009.

2010 Skoda Fabia vRS details revealed

A senior Skoda executive has revealed the next Fabia vRS will only be available with a DSG gearbox and that a conventional manual will not be an option.

The eagerly awaited Fabia vRS follow-up will also be powered by a petrol engine and should boast 'upwards of 170bhp' said the insider. This means it should be substantially quicker than the old model and sprint to 60mph in less than 8 seconds and with a top speed of 140mph.

The decision to fit the DSG and not offer a conventional manual has been taken on performance and emissions grounds. The new Fabia vRS has also been confirmed to go on sale in June 2010 with prices expected to start at around £16,000.

First ever Bugatti Veyron for sale

The first ever production model of the Bugatti Veyron has been put up for sale. The Veyron is being sold at a dealership in Beverly Hills, California for $2.4m (£1.5m) and it reportedly has just 400 miles on the tachometer.

However, the owner is clearly looking to make money, as a new Veyron, of which only 300 will be produced, costs around £850,000. The low mileage should mean the Veyron, with its #001 production number, is in mint condition. The car has 987bhp and travels from 0-62mph in 2.46 seconds. Power comes for its 8.0-litre W16 engine, which can produce 922lb ft of torque.