Dacia launch delayed (UK)

Dacia has delayed the launch of the Sandero hatchback, next month at the London motorshow because of high demand from left hand drive markets so the right hand drive production has been put back.

Around 100 Renault showrooms were poised to sign-up to sell the Romanian-built model, which will be badged ‘Dacia by Renault’ in the UK. The marketing plan was to price the Sandero from just £7500.

Dealers have been told that the Sandero’s market launch has been postponed by 12 months until late 2009. The company’s preview event for dealers has been cancelled and the UK media launch has also been axed.

The delay is bad news for Renault’s hard-pressed dealers. To add insult to injury, sales of the new Laguna have been slow in the UK as the brand registered a 13.5% decline in sales in the year to the end of May.

Renault bosses in the UK are frustrated by the delay as Dacia is intended to rival Chevrolet, Kia and Hyundai in the budget car market. Frustrations have been compounded by the fact a small Dacia SUV will be launched in other countries by the end of next year and will arrive in the UK in 2010.

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Mercedes confirms A-Class plan

Mercedes will ditch the "sandwich" floor because its claimed that it is too expensive to porduce and will allow the platform to be used for other vehicles.

The 2011 A-Class is set to rival small premium cars like the Audi A3, BMW 1 Series and Audi A2. Prices are expected to start from £16,500. The A-Class platform will also spawn a possible cabriolet, sedan, SUV and an MPV.

More can be found below.

Via AutoCar > Mercedes confirms A-Class plans, Whats next for the A-Class

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Audi A7 uncovered....well nearly

The Mercedes CLS fighter is hidden underneath this thick piece of cloth. The Audi A7 coupe was caught outside the firms factory and will launch in Europe by 2009, but is expected to be revealed at the Frankfurt motorshow sometime next year.

The Mercedes CLS isn't the only rival, BMW is apparently producing their own 4 door coupe, which we should see sometime in 2010.

The prototype is very similar to the sketch, with a sloping roofline that leads down to the bootlid and a slightly up-swept window line to give the car a coupe look and feel. The chassis of the car will be shared with the Audi A6 and the platform is shared with the next generation A6. Sources suggest that the vehicle could measure at 4.9 metres/4900mm.

Expect Audi's famous front daytime running LED lights and LED rear-lights. Audi hopes to sell 40,000 units once production is in full swing.

Powering the newcomer at launch will be a 2.8-litre direct-injection FSI V6, 3.0-litre supercharged V6 which will find its way under the S4's hood aswell and a 4.2 litre FSI V8 petrol engine. Only 2 diesel engines will be available; 2.7 litre TDI V6 and a 3.0 litre TDI V6. Diesel engines are expected to nab most sales. More powerful variants dubbed; S7 and RS7 will use a 5.2 litre V10 that will develop around 600bhp for the latter. Mated to the engines will be 3 transmissions; six-speed manual, seven-speed dual-clutch or automatic transmission and a seven-speed S-tronic which features in the S5.

Price tags will start from £35,000 rising to £50,000 but if you want the RS7, expect to pay in excess of £70,000.

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Porsche to launch diesel-powered Cayenne in March 2009

Sick and tired of your Porsche Cayenne that runs on petrol and consumes 12.9 litres of fuel per km, or returns 21.9 mpg, then wait untill March 2009 when the diesel arrives.

The German automaker will launch it's diesel version of the large SUV in March next year. Sources claim that the new model added to the range will command of price in the region of €55,000 and Porsche will look to shift around 15,000 units annually off showroom boosting yearly Cayenne sales numbers to over 50,000 units.

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Diesel powered Cayenne on the way

TomTom, where is iPhone?

The world’s most popular satellite navigation system could soon be hooking up with the quirkiest mobile phone. The Dutch company, TomTom has revealed it is working on software that will run on Apple’s second-generation iPhone 3G.

The TomTom navigation system would be in addition to the GPS mapping feature that is already standard on the iPhone. It allows users to pinpoint their location via satellites, mobile phone masts and even Wi-Fi hotspots. They can then get directions and plot their progress along the route.

The U.S accounts for 50% of global sales so the revised iPhone goes on sale in July, while the TomTom set up will appear at a later date.

Volkswagen to drop Rabbit in U.S market? (U.S)

Updated: 27/06/08

The Rabbit won't be axed from the U.S line-up. VW of America spokesman Steve Keyes, said "We are currently planning the new Golf VI and GTI introduction for the fall of next year. The estimated volumes are already included in our 2009 financials." Citing sources close to VW Chairman Martin Winterkorn, Der Spiegel reported that VW would not place the new Golf, which is due to make its world debut at the Paris motorshow in October, on sale in the U.S. due to concerns over currency-exchange rates and the depressed state of the North American economy. With the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the euro holding well above the $1.50 mark, VW's marketing strategists didn't see much chance of the new hatchback contributing to profitability, according to Der Spiegel.

Volkswagen is strongly considering dropping the Rabbit from the U.S line-up due to the weak U.S dollar. Volkswagen also said that the Scirooco won't go on sale in the U.S for the same reason.

The German firm wants to improve its profitability margins in its pursuit of market leader Toyota but the Rabbit (Golf in Europe), isn’t selling as well as the company would like.

The Tiguan and Touareg SUVs are massively popular, but the U.S market has proved disastrous for VW recently, with the North American wing of the company posting billion-dollar losses.

Volkswagen is likely to build a new factory in the U.S in 2011 and it’s possible that production of an American version of the next-generation Golf could start there. Until that point, it’s likely that sales will be halted in the US.

New Car: 2009 Vauxhall/Opel Insignia sedan

The Vauxhall/Opel Insignia will make its world debut at the London motorshow. The Insignia replaces the important Vectra in the European line-up. The Insignia is designed for Europe with the UK being the most important market.

In order to rival the Honda Accord, Ford Mondeo, Volkswagen Passat and Renault Laguna, the interior materials have been greatly improved over its predecessor to offer a more upmarket, executive feel to the overall vehicle.

In the pipeline is a hatchback which will be released after the sedan, followed by a station wagon and VXR variant in 2009. It is possible, in 2010 a coupe variant could also be on the drawing board, which could revive the name Calibra.

Via AutoBild > Opel Insignia along with the Opel Rekord

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Teaser: 2009 Vauxhall/Opel Insignia