Automotive News Europe - September 2011 - 34

AUTOMOTIVE NEWS EUROPE

NEW CARS

FORD
EVOS OFFERS HINT AT FORD’S NEW STYLING
FORD will hint at a new global design language with the Evos concept, an eye-catching coupe with four gullwing doors. The coupe combines three important elements of the automaker’s product strategy: unrivalled design, intelligent use of technology and outstanding fuel efficiency, Ford said. The concept has a plug-in hybrid powertrain with a lithium ion battery pack. Ford said the concept won’t go into production, but many of the design cues and technologies it highlights will. On its biggest-ever stand at Frankfurt that also includes an outdoor test track, Ford will also display the production B-Max minivan and Focus ST.

HONDA
CIVIC GETS A CLEANER DIESEL, BETTER RIDE
HONDA engineers have enhanced the ride quality of the new Civic, while retaining the sporty handling of the current model. Honda hopes the improvement will boost flagging sales of the company’s second best-selling model in Europe after the Jazz. European sales of the Civic fell 27 percent to 26,387 in the first half, according to JATO Dynamics. The ninth-generation Civic will reach European showrooms in early 2012. The car keeps much of the styling of the outgoing model. Honda’s Japanese development team worked with European colleagues and external experts to enhance the five-door hatchback’s handling to cope with Europe’s varied road conditions that include fast highways, along with poorly surfaced country roads. The Civic will be offered with an improved 150-hp, 2.2-liter diesel engine with CO2 emissions of 110g/km, 29g/km lower than the engine in the current car.

HYUNDAI
i30 IS KEY CHALLENGER IN COMPACT SEGMENT
HYUNDAI hopes a bolder design will help its new-generation i30 hatchback compete better against rivals in Europe’s compact segment such as the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus. The new i30 has Hyundai’s signature front face, a hexagonal shaped front grille, along with jewel-like front headlamps, designed to give the car “a sense of refinement and luxury,” said Thomas Buerkle, Hyundai Europe’s chief designer. Giving the i30 a refined look is in keeping with Hyundai’s aim to go upscale into what it calls a “modern premium” position. The i30 will be important in helping Hyundai to reach its goal of boosting its European sales to 500,000 by 2013, up 10 percent from 2010.

JAGUAR
C-X16 CONCEPT HINTS AT SMALL JAGUAR
The C-X16 study shows that JAGUAR is seriously considering a small sports car. The concept is “a precursor to future Jaguar sports cars that will aim to set new class benchmarks in design, vehicle dynamics and technology,” the company said. Design chief Ian Callum, who headed the C-X16 project, said: “Great Jaguar cars have always been beautiful, innovative and have looked firmly to the future. The finished C-X16 concept has the potential to do these things.” Jaguar has only three nameplates – the XK coupe and convertible, XF mid-sized sedan and XJ full-sized sedan. Company executives have said the brand needs a small sports car and a sedan to make it more competitive against rivals such as BMW and Porsche.

ANE EXECUTIVE EDITION

SEPTEMBER 2011

Automotive News Europe - September 2011

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