Ford Fiesta with 800bhp

Rallycross-adapted Fiesta with 800bhp will compete at Pike's Peak hillclimb this July.

Already bored of your factory-standard Zetec S? Then this could be the Fiesta for you! As part of Ford US’s ongoing campaign to promote the small hatchback stateside, it’s announced that it will be entering a pair of Rallycross Fiestas in this year’s Pike’s Peak hillclimb.

But here’s the fun part… The car which is currently competing in the European Rallycross Championship makes do with 550bhp from its 2.0-litre turbocharged Duratec engine, whereas the hillclimb duo will be retuned to kick out closer to 800bhp! That means a 0-60mph time of around 2.8-seconds – identical to the Bugatti Veyron.

Ford says its aim is to complete the 12.4-mile course in less than 10-minutes, a feat that’s never been achieved. But the cars are in safe hands – rallying-legends Marcus Gronholm and Andreas Eriksson will be piloting the Fiestas around the 156-turn course.

To find out more about the Ford range please visit Lifestyle Ford

Source [Auto Express] Written by Jack Rix

Ford Capri Coming at Last

Legend is finally set to return, as we reveal secret plans for stunning Focus Coupé – and it’s gunning for Scirocco...

The Capri is back – as a hatch! These are the best pictures yet of the compact family car that looks set to be the must-have model of 2010 – it’s a new three- door version of the Ford Focus.

Just as Volkswagen has done with the stunning Scirocco, Ford is seeking to reinvent one of its most famous sports cars. And it’s this dramatic evolution of the next Focus that will do it.

Boasting a stylish but practical body, it will target the Scirocco and the Renault Mégane Coupé, providing a glamorous sister car to the standard five-door hatch – revealed in Issue 1,057. Appealing to young, style-conscious buyers, the new Coupé should be a big hit.

As you can see from our exclusive pictures, it takes some inspiration from the Iosis Max concept, revealed at March’s Geneva Motor Show.

That car debuted the new family ‘face’ of not only the new Focus, but the next-generation C-MAX, too. However, the three-door model evolves this with sleeker, sportier LED headlights and a deeper, more aggressive set of lower air intakes.

The key design cues, though, are the rakish windscreen, low roofline and high waistline, which meet to give a heavily chopped appearance at the back. It’s reminiscent of the Scirocco, but is arguably more daring and head-turning. A neat diffuser-style lower bumper, roof spoiler and gorgeous LED tail-lights complete the rear. Add in short overhangs and large alloy wheels, and the model looks every inch the chic compact sports car.

And because that roofline doesn’t slope down too steeply, the Coupé will be practical, too, with plenty of headroom for rear passengers and a decent sized boot. Options such as a panoramic glass roof, to further increase the feeling of light and space inside, are anticipated.

In the front, a similar cabin to the five-door is expected, with a new centre console offering an improved version of Ford’s Human Machine Interface system. The finish will have a premium feel, with options including a reversing camera.

To match its storming looks, the car will be fitted with a class-leading chassis. And this promises even more agility and grip than the five-door, without sacrificing ride comfort or refinement.

There’ll be even more reason to smile when buyers see the engine range. New turbocharged EcoBoost powerplants will be available, with most cars getting a 1.6-litre petrol, producing 148bhp or 178bhp.

A new 1.6 TDCi diesel will also debut, giving up to 128bhp, alongside a flagship 2.0-litre with 168bhp or 197bhp. All these units will combine pace with superb fuel economy and low CO2 emissions. And helping the Focus Coupé to be even more efficient will be the option of a Powershift twin-clutch gearbox. This will be offered in addition to a standard-fit manual transmission. Stop-start technology is also expected to be rolled out across the line-up.

Of course, there will be a high-performance range-topper, but it’s unlikely to be powered by the much-loved 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo engine from the Focus ST and RS. This is deemed too thirsty, and will be replaced by a 2.0-litre, 200bhp EcoBoost four-cylinder turbo.

The new Focus range debuts alongside the C-MAX MPV at a major motor show next year.

To find out more about the Ford range please visit Lifestyle Ford

Source [Auto Express] Written by Sam Hardy / Photos: Miroslav

Ford Starts Scrap Today

Ford will tomorrow start delivering cars under the scrappage scheme, after finally resolving issues.

Yesterday, we reported that Ford had suspended deliveries of cars, due to ‘outstanding’ issues in a number of areas.

The UK’s largest car brand was seeking urgent clarification with Government over these details.

Now, it seems they’ve finally been cleared up, to the brand’s satisfaction.

Nigel Sharp, Ford Britain MD, said: ‘Ford is putting its full weight behind the UK vehicle scrappage scheme, which will not only boost sales, but will also bring positive employment and environmental benefits, too.

‘Ford’s substantial backing of subsidised vehicle scrapping helps to secure the 100,000 auto industry jobs in the UK dependant on our company, dealerships and suppliers.’

Which will be a relief to everyone concerned!

Now, it seems, £7995 Fiestas and £9995 Focus can finally be delivered…

To find out more about the latest Scrappage Offers available please visit Lifestyle Ford

Source [Car Dealer Magazine]

Lifestyle Ford in Crawley, Horsham, Redhill, Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge - Your preferred Ford Dealer for New Cars, Used Cars and Car Servicing in Kent, Sussex and Surrey

Scrap: MOT Not Needed!

Scrap scheme trade-ins do NOT need to have a current MOT, Car Dealer Magazine can today reveal…

… because cars with freshly-expired MoT certificates will still be accepted under the scheme, the Government has confirmed.

So long as the MOT hasn’t been expired for more than 14 days, motors without a current MOT will still earn the rebate from the Government.

This is a small but significant clarification from the Government – as it means that cars which are arguably unroadworthy can still be accepted under the scheme.

Owners who, last year, were told their old banger would not pass another MOT can now scrap it and receive the Government incentive, without the need to make it roadworthy first.

Car Dealer Magazine predicts that, once this dawns on car owners, the scheme’s impact really will rocket…

Watch this space!

To find out more about the Scrappage Scheme and the Latest available offers please visit Lifestyle Ford | Lifestyle Mazda | Lifestyle Renault

Source [Car Dealer Magazine] Written by Richard Aucock

Lifestyle Ford, Mazda and Renault in Crawley, Horsham, Redhill, Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge - Your preferred Ford, mazda and Renault Dealer for New Cars, Used Cars and Car Servicing in Kent, Sussex and Surrey

Renault Kangoo Be Bop

New electric MPV lights the way for Renault's clean, green future.

Prepare for a shock – no sooner has Renault’s funky Kangoo Be Bop gone on sale than an electric variant has been unveiled.

Three engines are already available with the Be Bop – one petrol and two diesel. However, this latest version of the trendy MPV demonstrates what Renault has in store for future production battery-powered vehicles.

Named the Be Bop ZE, the model is based on the ZE Concept revealed at the Paris Motor Show last October. Low-energy lights and seriously reworked aerodynamics help to keep the ZE’s energy consumption at a minimum, while linear displays on the outside of the doors show how much charge is left in the battery simply by activation of the remote central locking.

But you don’t have to get out of the car to check the level– there’s another gauge inside!

Power comes from a 44kW (60bhp) zero-emissions electric motor which revs to 12,000rpm and is claimed to be 90 per cent more efficient than a conventional internal combustion engine.

Its range is expected to be about 160km, and recharging is simply by plugging into the mains overnight.

However, Renault and other manufacturers are working together to develop a standard plug which will quick-charge in as few as 20 minutes.

In July, the Kangoo Be Bop ZE will embark on a Europe-wide tour, during which it will be available for test drives. But Renault has even bigger plans, as it intends to launch a full-scale assault on the electric vehicle market in 2011.

To find out more about the Renault range please visit Lifestyle Renault

Source [Auto Express]

Lifestyle Renault in Tunbridge Wells and Eastbourne - Your preferred Renault Dealer for New Cars, Used Cars and Car Servicing in Kent and Sussex

Twingo CC is ready to go

OFFICIAL: Renault confirm that new drop-top will arrive in 2010

It's official! Renault has confirmed that the Twingo CC will make its public debut later this year, before going on sale in 2010.

We bought you spy shots of the car – described as a spiritual successor to the Ford Puma. And more details were revealed to one of Auto Express’s sister titles at a recent event in Germany.

Entry variants are slated to be fitted with the 100bhp 1.2-litre TCE unit used in the Twingo GT. Also, a flagship car would incorporate the Twingo RS’s 131bhp 1.6. But there is still some uncertainty over the exact engine range, due to Renault’s intention to cut the emissions of its entire vehicle line-up.

Further options being discussed include a 900cc three-cylinder petrol and an upmarket 140bhp 1.6-litre diesel.

It’s most likely that the first versions of the car will be built at Renaultsport’s factory in Dieppe, and that the planned small production runs will make the car an instant classic.

To find out more about the Renault range please visit Lifestyle Renault

Source [Auto Express]

Lifestyle Renault in Tunbridge Wells and Eastbourne - Your preferred Renault Dealer for New Cars, Used Cars and Car Servicing in Kent and Sussex

Stunning new Clio revealed

Auto Express show what’s in store for sensational new version of Renault hot hatch – and reveal how the standard model will look, too

Renaultsport fans are seeing double this week! Not only was Auto Express the first magazine to put the restyled Clio Renaultsport 200 through its paces, but these exclusive pictures show how the all-new version of the sizzling hatch will shape up.

And if you are wondering how we can be so confident about the styling of the fourth-generation Clio, take a peek at the leaked images published in our French sister magazine Auto Plus. These pictures depict one of Renault’s styling models, and reveal exactly how the standard Clio will compare to its Renaultsport derivative.

Due to burst on to the scene in late 2011, the Clio RS promises to be not only faster and lighter than the car it replaces but, dressed up in full Renaultsport gear, the best-looking hot hatch on the market.

Renault’s aim for this machine is clear: it wants the car to be immediately recognisable at first glance, maintaining the everyday appeal of the standard model, yet adding a sportier edge to the styling.

Taking pride of place on the stubby bonnet is an oversize Renault badge, with swept-back headlights and larger air intakes giving the nose a friendlier appearance.

In profile, however, the current car’s simple styling is swapped for an intricate series of flowing creases, giving an impression of movement even when the model is stationary. A similar ‘flame-surfacing’ design language has been applied successfully by BMW for years, and now Renault appears to be using the technique to its own advantage.

Renaultsport specification slots 18-inch rims under the swollen wheelarches, plus adds a bulging bodykit and trademark rear diffuser, while a boot-lip spoiler and wide-set twin exhausts finish off the racy styling. There are shades of the Mazda 2 in the car’s profile – something that might be less of a coincidence than you would think.

Chief designer Patrick Le Quément is set to leave Renault at the end of this year, to make way for ex-Mazda man Laurens van den Acker. He is intent on ushering in a new era of design – and this is the car that points the way.

Under the bonnet, Renault will stick with its trusty 2.0-litre naturally aspirated engine – ensuring the classic high-octane driving experience is maintained. However, aside from an incremental power hike past the magical 200bhp mark, the main focus will be on improving fuel economy and reducing CO2 emissions.

The engineers’ aim is to achieve something approaching 40mpg on the combined cycle and CO2 emissions below 180g/km.

The fourth-generation Clio will sit on an all-new lightweight platform that is set to be even stronger and more capable than at present. As with the current car, two chassis options – Sport or Cup – will be offered.

The former will cater for those who want to maintain a degree of comfort and a full complement of kit, while the latter is for drivers prepared to put up with a bone-shaking ride as a trade-off for the full-fat driving experience.

Everything happens faster these days… The second-generation Clio appeared eight years after the first, then it was seven years before the third-generation model came along, and this all-new car is due in 2011 – a mere six years after the current one went on sale.

Price tags are set to start from £16,000 for the more basic but firmer Cup, while the heavier Sport chassis will weigh in closer to £17,500 – maintaining the Clio’s reputation for being a true performance bargain.

To find out more about the Renault range please visit Lifestyle Renault

Source [Auto Express] Text: Jack Rix / Photos: www.beyond-form.com

Lifestyle Renault in Tunbridge Wells and Eastbourne - Your preferred Renault Dealer for New Cars, Used Cars and Car Servicing in Kent and Sussex

New model bargains from Renault

Renault is the latest brand to finally confirm its scrap scheme sales incentives – and they’re eye-openers.

Choice one for Car Dealer Magazine is a new Renault Clio Extreme 1.2 for £6495.

That’s a saving of £3500 on list price… and £500 better than Renault previously announced!

What’s more, it’s the latest, just-facelifted Clio, which has barely hit UK roads. With Renault throwing in £119 deposit/£119 a month finance, it really is a superb deal.

There’s also a £3255 total scrap scheme incentive on the Megane 1.6 Extreme 5dr, taking it down to £9995.

There’s even a £2500 saving on the new Grand Scenic 1.6 Extreme, giving the brand-new model a £12,495 list price. Not bad for a just-released MPV!

No wonder, says Renault, showroom traffic is up by two-thirds. Even visits to the company’s website are up by half compared to this time last year.

Renault UK MD, Roland Bouchara, said: ‘Renault is fully committed to the scrappage scheme, and naturally delighted by the interest our products have received since the scheme’s announcement.

‘We’ve already had several thousand people register on our website for scrappage offer information, so we’re delighted now to be able to put a new Renault within the reach of many.’

Wrapping it all up is a catchy tagline for the scheme: ‘Do this…get this’. It’s hitting nationwide advert channels right now.

To find out more about the Renault range please visit Lifestyle Renault

Source [Car Dealer Magazine]

Lifestyle Renault in Tunbridge Wells and Eastbourne - Your preferred Renault Dealer for New Cars, Used Cars and Car Servicing in Kent and Sussex

Ford’s ‘biggest fall’ in CO2

Ford cars sold so far in 2009 have recorded the biggest fall in CO2 emissions, report latest statistics.

Eco website Clean Green Cars has looked at sales of all makes up to April 2009, and discovered that Ford car sales show the biggest drop in CO2 output.

That’s 10,000 fewer tonnes of CO2 a year. And all thanks to an overall CO2 improvement of nearly 10g/km.

For fleet-savvy car dealers, that’s a cut of two BIK tax bands.

Yet more good news for Ford car dealers – who, last week, discovered their share of the new car market had also rocketed 4 percent over 2008.

It’s thanks to increasing popularity for Ford’s hit new small cars, the Fiesta and Ka, say the analysts. They alone have increased their market share by 2 percent.

Indeed, until the SEAT Ibiza Ecomotive arrived, the Fiesta Econetic was actually the UK’s greenest, lowest-emission five-seat hatch.

Nigel Sharp, Ford Britain MD, said: ‘Clean Green Cars’ analysis, based on the actual cars being bought, shows what is being achieved rather than what could be done by cars which may not be available, desirable or affordable.’

We can’t imagine which rivals he could be referring to…. still, more evidence that Ford really is a car maker on the march.

To find out more about the Ford range please visit Lifestyle Ford

Source [Car Dealer Magazine]

Lifestyle Ford in Crawley, Horsham, Redhill, Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge - Your preferred Ford Dealer for New Cars, Used Cars and Car Servicing in Kent, Sussex and Surrey

Ford Vans Go Green

Ford has timed it to perfection – the maker has just announced its first ever Econetic green Transit.

The eco new commercial vehicle promises over 39mpg when it is launched in the autumn – and, as the vans range comes in at below 3.5 tonnes, it’s also eligible for the Government’s new car scrap sales incentive.

A name already well proven in Fiesta and Focus passenger cars, the new Econetic Transit is based on the front-drive Transit 280 SWD panel van.

It uses a 2.2-litre TDCi 115PS engine, to produce ‘best in class’ low CO2 emissions of 189g/km.

Steve Kimber, commercial vehicles director, Ford of Britain, said: ‘We appreciate that our commercial vehicle customers have a clear interest in saving fuel and lowering their cost of ownership.

‘At the same time, environmental friendliness is also growing in importance for them, and with the new Transit Econetic, they can achieve both.’

Low-resistance tyres, low-drag wheeltrims, a gearchange indicator light and new engine management software all help make the difference.

But the most stand-out aspect is that it comes with a standard 70mph limiter!

This helps keep speeds down, saving further fuel… but may prove controversial with CV drivers.

Ford has yet to announce prices for the green new Transit, which is also joined by a green version of the smaller Transit Connect.

But, thanks to the Government incentive scheme, it’s potentially a good-value go-green offer Ford dealers can take to businesses.

To find out more about the Ford Van range please visit Lifestyle Commercials

Source [Car Dealer Magazine]