SEAT has won the fleet contract to supply new Leon cars to the Italian police force. The special cop-cars feature 22mm thick bullet proof glass while the AK-47 resistant armoured doors were extensively tested along with the shatter-proof windows. The two prototypes - which come fitted with special safety tyres and adapted suspension - had their car chasing capabilities tested to the max by being driven continuously for 30,000km, stopping only to refuel.
Hatchback
VIDEO: Honda reveals all-new Jazz
Honda has pulled the covers off its all-new Jazz supermini. The latest Jazz is proportionally bigger on the inside than the outgoing model and is powered solely by a 102 PS, 1.3 litre i-VTEC petrol engine which, when mated to the newly-developed CVT gearbox, returns CO2 emissions as low as 106 g/km. Available in three trim levels, prices start at £13,495 OTR when it goes on sale in September.
Celebrities, Hatchback, Quirky
VIDEO: Kelly Brook stars with Hyundai i20 in short comedy
Hyundai has produced a short comedy sketch promoting its new i20, starring Kelly Brook and comedian Tom Stourton. Showcasing the new i20 hatchback and Coupe, the film is the fifth installment of Hyundai's ‘Honest Series’ and features hapless car salesman, George who this time gets stuck awkwardly in the middle of a bickering couple, acting as counsellor, surrogate child and eventually... lover. Prices for the new i20 start at £10,995 OTR.
VIDEO: Fiat launches special edition Panda K-Way
Fiat has teamed up with pac-a-mac brand, K-Way for a new Special Series. The Panda K-Way launches with a choice of petrol or Bi-fuel, Methane engines while a 1.3-litre turbodiesel joins the range later. The special Panda features twenty colour combinations and titanium detailing while on the inside the interior is decorated with K-Way's distinctive colours on the personalised seat belts, key cover and the multilayer carpets. Launched in Italy, the special edition Panda K-Way hits European showrooms soon.
Concept, Concept car, SUV, Sports car, Hatchback, Luxury, Motor Show
VIDEO: Concepts of Geneva 2015 : Infiniti QX30, Aston Martin DBX, Nissan Sway, Bentley EXP 10
The Infiniti QX30 concept made its global world debut at the Geneva Motor Show. The premium compact crossover hints at its off-road capabilities with a high-riding stance and huge 21-inch wheels, while incorporating flowing styling cues from other Infiniti concepts. Aston Martin surprised everyone in Geneva with its DBX all-electric, all-wheel drive crossover concept. The DBX features a deliberate use of non-automotive standard materials on the inside, with Nubuck leather and spaceship style hi-tech equipment. Nissan revealed its Sway concept, designed to shake up the compact hatchback segment with its 'edgy' styling, characterised by bold contours and flared arches. The interior is easily accessible thanks to rear-hinged back doors and no central B-pillar. Bentley unveiled the EXP 10 Speed 6 concept – a high performance two seater powered by a new, advanced hybrid powertrain. With its short front overhang, long bonnet and low grille, the Speed 6’s design is said to be influenced by the aerodynamic shapes of aircraft fuselages and wings.
VIDEO: Vauxhall unveils 'upside-down' Corsa sculpture
British artist Alex Chinneck has teamed up with Vauxhall, unveiling his Corsa-based sculpture entitled ‘Pick yourself up and pull yourself together’. The installation suspends a new Corsa in the air, peeling back 15 metres of arching tarmac to turn the one tonne car upside-down and defy gravity as it appears to grip the curling road. The sculpture can be seen on London's Southbank until February 25.
VIDEO: Revamped Citroen C4 on sale
The Citroen C4 has been updated for 2015, adopting new trim levels: Touch, Feel and Flair. Featuring new light signatures front and rear, the 5-door hatch is available with two new PureTech petrol engines and four BlueHDi diesels. At launch, the PureTech 130 will be available in Flair trim, mated to either a 6-speed manual or a new 6-speed Automatic transmission, delivering up to a 25 per cent improvement in fuel consumption. Prices for the new Citroen C4 start at £19,445 OTR.
VIDEO: Audi RS 3 Sportback pricing confirmed
Audi has revealed its new RS 3 Sportback will start at £39,950 OTR when it goes on sale next month. The most powerful production five-cylinder engine in Audi RS history offers 367PS and 465Nm of torque, for a 0-62mph time of 4.3 seconds and a potential top speed of 174mph with the limiter removed. With a lower weight, faster-shifting seven-speed S tronic twin-clutch gearbox and faster-reacting quattro drive the new RS 3 Sportback is set to storm out of showrooms when first customer deliveries kick off in the summer.
Electric car, Hatchback, Quirky
VIDEO: Nissan LEAF gets glow-in-the-dark paint
Nissan has applied special glow-in-the-dark paint to an all-electric LEAF. The spray-applied coating – which absorbs UV energy during the day so that it glows for up 10 hours when the sun goes down – was invented by Hamish Scott, creator of the STARPATH glow-in-the-dark pathway. Using a secret formula made up of entirely organic materials, Nissan says the LEAF's unique paint-job would last for 25 years if made commercially available.
VIDEO: New Vauxhall Viva to debut in Geneva
The brand new Vauxhall Viva will make its debut at next month’s Geneva Motor Show. Seen here badged as the Opel Karl – as it will be sold in mainland Europe – Vauxhall's new entry-level, five-door hatchback will be powered by a specially-developed 75PS 1.0-litre ECOTEC engine. Available with a choice of 14- to 16-inch wheels and an IntelliLink connectivity system enabling smartphone integration, the new Vauxhall Viva is set to hit showrooms later in the Spring.
City car, Hatchback, Motor Sports
VIDEO: Return to rallying for Toyota with Yaris WRC
Toyota is to return to the FIA World Rally Championship in 2017 - 18 years after its last competitive outing. A Yaris WRC, in racing livery, has been unveiled, signalling a comeback for the team which claimed four drivers’ and three manufacturers’ titles in the 1990s. The new car is powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine producing more than 300bhp and features a chassis developed using advanced simulation, testing and production techniques.
Celebrities, Hatchback, Events, Quirky
VIDEO: Dynamo stunt launches new Fiat 500X
Magician Dynamo launched the new Fiat 500X last night with his 'The Power of X' show at the Copper Box Arena in London's Olympic Park. Three years in the making, the illusion saw Dynamo generate a 3 dimensional blueprint of the car and then 'miraculously' transform it – in the blink of an eye – into the real thing, in front of a live audience of over 1,000 invited guests. Order books have now opened for the new Fiat 500X which arrives in showrooms this April, with prices starting at £14,595 on the road.
VIDEO: BMW i3 to make US debut during Super Bowl
The BMW i3 will make its US debut during Super Bowl 49 in a 60-second TV commercial. The ad - entitled 'Newfangled Idea' - will air during the first quarter of the season-defining match on February 1 and features renowned US TV anchors Katie Couric and Bryant Gumbel spoofing their own TV blunder from 1994 when they failed to grasp the Internet. This time the duo struggle with the ‘newfangled idea’ of the all-electric i3 – which is already on sale in the UK, priced from £25,680 including the £5,000 Government grant.
Celebrities, Quirky, Hatchback
VIDEO: VV Brown personalises her own Vauxhall ADAM
Musician VV Brown has teamed up with Vauxhall to personalise her very own ADAM -- which will make a cameo appearance in her latest video. The matte black hatchback, which features a geometric print across the roof and bonnet, was inspired by VV's new album: She explains: "There was a million different ways that I could customise the car and create an identity and I think that's what's exciting about this project". The one-off ADAM also has a touch-screen infotainment system so VV can sing along to her new tune!
VIDEO: Order books open for Volkswagen electric e-Golf
Order books have opened for Volkswagen's all-electric e-Golf. VW says the battery-powered hatch drives and handles as well as the petrol version -- yet costs less than 4 and a half pence per mile to run. The electric motor delivers 115 PS for a 0-62 time of 10.4 seconds and a range of 80-120 miles. The e-Golf features aerodynamic alloy wheels and full LED headlights for the first time on a Volkswagen. UK prices start at £25,845 OTR - including the £5,000 Government grant.
VIDEO: MINI Clubman Concept breaks cover
MINI has unveiled the Clubman Concept at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show. Longer and wider than the current model, it features four regular doors and five fully-fledged seats. Aerodynamic wheel arches and a double roof spoiler accentuate a sporty look, while the characteristic split rear doors now feature integrated lights. On the inside, the leather-covered instrument panel appears to 'hover', while the display in the centre console adapts according to the content selected, or the situation on the road ahead.
VIDEO: Peugeot 308 wins COTY 2014
The Peugeot 308 has been crowned 2014 'Car of the Year', on the eve of the Geneva Motor Show. A panel of journalists representing 22 European countries, began with a choice of 30 new models, which they whittled down to seven finalists in December. The Peugeot 308 finally came out on top, scoring 307 points which put it well clear of two all-electric runners-up -- the BMW i3, which came in second with 223 points, and the Tesla Model S which finished third with a tally of 216.
VIDEO: All-new MINI unveiled
The covers have finally come off the all-new MINI. Although very similar in appearance, the new hatch is longer, wider and taller than its predecessor. Inside, it features new equipment including a head-up display and a steering column-mounted instrument cluster. There are three engine options: two petrol units in the Cooper and Cooper S and a frugal diesel in the Cooper D which returns more than 80mpg. The new MINI will be made in Britain and launched in the UK next Spring, with prices starting from £15,300 on the road.