72 entrants from 18 countries drove in 4 different Peugeot HDi diesel cars
1000km of normal roads from Paris to Geneva in all weathers
Peugeot 308 HDi returns just under 90 mpg in real world driving conditions.
Coinciding with the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, the Peugeot ECO CUP was designed to see if four different standard Peugeot HDi diesel models in the hands of everyday drivers could deliver fuel economy to match or beat the official government fuel economy figures.

The result? They were not so much matched as shattered. The best return was a fraction shy of 90mpg and, what is more, this wasn’t in a tiny city car, hybrid or specially adapted vehicle. It was in a standard production Peugeot 5-door 308 HDi 110 model, driven over 1000kms of French and Swiss roads in heavy wintery conditions. Even Peugeot’s new 7-seat 5008 MPV returned economy figures of nearly 85mpg.

Average fuel consumption achieved by the winning drivers:

Peugeot 308 HDi FAP 110 – 89.95 mpg
Peugeot 207 HDi 90 – 87.10 mpg
Peugeot 5008 HDi FAP 110 – 84.77 mpg
Peugeot 3008 HDi FAP 110 – 79.10 mpg
Jon Goodman, Managing Director of Peugeot UK, said: “This project has proven two things; that there are a lot of people out there interested in doing their bit for the planet by stretching fuel economy to the max; and that this can be achieved in standard Peugeot diesel cars, with our new 5008 7-seater MPV nearly cracking 85mpg and our 308 5-door family hatch pushing 90mpg. This is a great reminder that, in this dynamic and technology-obsessed industry, genuine environmentally friendly motoring is available for the masses right now.”

· Third Ibiza silhouette significantly extends range

· New engine options enhance existing, impressive, powerplants

Making its world debut at the 80th International Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland this week, the forthcoming Ibiza ST promises space and style in equal measure.

The Spanish brand’s latest addition to the already popular Ibiza family which currently comprises both sporty SC and practical 5dr bodystyles – the ST adds accomplished load-carrying to the Ibiza’s list of attractive family traits thanks to a capacious 430-litre load bay (rear seats up).

Making its debut in the metal alongside the stunning SEAT IBE electric concept car, the production-ready Ibiza ST prepares to fight for a slice of the UK’s supermini estate market and is geared to take on the likes of the Peugeot 207 SW and MINI Clubman in the process.

In the UK, the new arrival from Martorell will debut with no fewer than five modern engines and an extensive array of equipment and new technologies.

At launch later this year, British buyers will get a choice of three petrol and two TDI diesel units with the latest common-rail fuel injection. Four of the five engines operate with direct injection and turbocharging and outputs span from 75 PS to 105 PS. Highlights include the exceptionally efficient new 1.2 TDI common rail diesel and 1.2 TSI.

Transmission options comprise both five-speed manual and six-speed dual clutch DSG automatic/sequential manual ‘boxes, while every new Ibiza ST will be offered with a combination of ventilated front disc brakes and either disc or drum rear brakes.

The new Ibiza model’s range structure in the UK will mirror that of its familiar siblings, with versions available in S A/C, SE and Sport specs.

Generous levels of standard equipment across the range, allied to the new SEAT’s undeniably elegant lines, promise to help the Ibiza ST make an instant impression. Buyers in the UK can, therefore, look forward to the availability of all manner of creature comforts.

Highlights of the ST’s standard equipment roster in the UK include, depending on model: speed-sensitive electro-hydraulic power steering; electrically adjustable, heated and folding door mirrors; electric windows front and rear; front fog lights with cornering function and climate control.

Performance is fully in line with the Spanish brand’s sporty ethos so, despite being a practical load carrier, the Ibiza ST will not be left wanting on the road. Provisional performance figures suggest a 0 to 62 mph time of as little as 10.1 seconds – for the version equipped with SEAT’s new 1.2-litre TSI 105 PS powerplant – while that same version is also capable of a top speed of 118 mph.

Provisional economy figures suggest that the Ibiza ST will be as frugal as it is practical. When equipped with SEAT’s hi-tech EU5-compliant 1.6-litre TDI CR turbodiesel with latest generation common rail fuelling the forthcoming supermini estate will be good for more than 55 mpg around town, rising to 78.5 mpg on the extra urban cycle.

Welcoming the public debut of the Ibiza ST in Geneva, Head of SEAT UK Peter Wyhinny said: ‘The arrival of our new supermini estate marks another important milestone for the growing Ibiza family.

‘This sleek, practical yet sporty new car is certain to appeal to a wide variety of drivers and I know our dealers are eagerly anticipating its UK showroom debut later this year.’

UKpricing and full specification details will be revealed closer to the car’s showroom launch.

Largest luggage capacity in its class
Prices from £17,715
Contract hire from £279/month
TopGear magazine’s Luxury Car of the Year
The new Škoda Superb Estate will become the most luxurious and most practical car ever to wear the famous Škoda badge when it goes on sale on 26 February.

With prices starting at just £17,715, the Super Estate offers the same great value for money as every Škoda. However, it’s not just the great value that sets it apart from its rivals. Its style, practicality and luxurious comfort have also won it critical acclaim.

Even before it hits UK showrooms, the Superb Estate has already won it fair share of admirers including the TopGear magazine team, who declared it their ‘Luxury Car of the Year’. It’s easy to see why.

From its bold, chrome-framed grille and distinctive headlights to its subtly curved, coupe-like roofline, the Superb Estate’s design balances road presence with elegance. But style doesn’t come at the expense of substance: the Superb Estate boasts the biggest load capacity in its class.

The combination of the impressive boot capacity – 633 litres with the rear seats in place and a massive 1,865 litre with them folded – and the Superb’s legendary rear legroom makes the Estate one of the most practical cars on the market. And if the Superb Estate’s cavernous load bay still isn’t big enough, all models are fitted with roof rails as standard.

Trim levels and engine choices will mirror those of the Superb hatchback with S, SE and Elegance models available along with the same range of three petrol and three diesel engines. All engines, from 1.4 TSI to 3.6 V6 are equipped with direct fuel injection for optimum fuel efficiency, performance and low emissions. With a choice of manual or twin-clutch DSG gearboxes linked to either front- or four-wheel drive, there’s a Superb Estate to suit everyone’s needs.

The estate is expected to account for a third of all Superb sales in 2010 (a total of 3,400, split 2,300/1,100 hatch/estate). Fleet sales are expected to account for 75 per cent of total sales.

Contract hire starts from just £279 per month based on 36 months and 15,000 miles per year.

The EX30d from Europe’s newest luxury automotive brand offers hushed high performance in league with lower CO2 emissions and fuel consumption thanks to a bespoke V6 diesel engine that fulfils every requirement of Infiniti’s Inspired Performance creed.

The piezo-injection 3.0-litre V6 delivers 238 PS (235 bhp) with a class-best 550 Nm (406 lb ft) of torque. With standard 7-speed automatic transmission, the EX30d despatches 0-62 mph in just 7.9 seconds. But performance is defined more by the massive torque output, greater even than Infiniti’s storming 5.0-litre petrol V8. With the pulling power peaking at just 1750 rpm, the EX30d is as effortless as it is muscular.

The EX has always faced its compact crossover rivals with several natural advantages – dashing coupé looks, dynamic handling, luxury equipment – but now the EX30d can meet them head-on in the fuel consumption and CO2 numbers game. The key figures (yet to be finally homologated) are 33.6 mpg (combined) and 224 g/km.

Infiniti’s state of the art V9X V6 features a compacted graphite iron (CGI) block for light weight with outstanding refinement. The diesel’s cooling requirements dictated a change to airflow, hence the reprofiled front bumper with extra air intakes. Thankfully it is the only external change for a design hailed as the original coupé crossover as well as the best looking.

The EX30d will be the second model of the Infiniti range to get the new diesel V6 when UK sales begin in the summer, at prices to be announced. It is expected that, throughout Europe, eight out of every 10 EXs will be the new EX30d.

The EX30d will be available in three grades including a new Premium version with all of the class’s most wanted features included as standard.

The special BlueEFFICIENCY display, at Britain’s largest automotive brand experience centre brings together the latest cutting-edge technology aimed at reducing and ultimately eliminating CO2 emissions.

For the first time Mercedes-Benz-World has brought to life this most recent stage in hydrogen powered fuel cell development with the B-Class F-Cell – the latest evolution of this technology that will for the first time be used around the world with customer trials in 2010. A special cutaway version of the car forms a key part of the new exhibition allowing a unique insight into this zero emission vehicle, which has already entered limited-series production. The F-Cell’s electric motor uses energy generated by a state-of-the-art fuel cell converted from hydrogen. The only emissions are pure water vapour.

Visitors can also enter a futuristic 360 degree interactive area. Inside, they can select from a series of display options and learn about a variety of new developments: BlueEFFICIENCY measures to reduce emissions and improve fuel efficiency; how hybrid vehicles are changing the automotive scene; the remarkable DIESOTTO engine that offers the power of a petrol engine with the economy of a diesel; the drive to use renewable raw materials and increase recycling; why new lithium-ion batteries are making electrically powered vehicles a force to be reckoned with; and how Mercedes-Benz is turning to bionics to show how nature continues to shape cars of the future.

The new exhibition also includes one of the very latest Mercedes-Benz BlueTEC engines featuring the cleanest diesel technology in the world. This special cutaway version features the internal workings of AdBlue technology, a development which reduces emissions by injecting a special fluid into the exhaust system.

Complete facelift of Fabia, Fabia Estate and Roomster
New engines and technology for both models
Reduced emissions and improved performance
Will be debuted at Geneva Motor Show, 2010

Škoda Auto is unveiling the new-look Fabia and Roomster at this year’s Geneva Motorshow. Škoda’s compact cars have been given an exciting exterior redesign, plus a fresh range of engines, packed with new technology.

The new design accentuates the cars’ width, with a totally redesigned face that gives both cars a more dynamic look, increasing their road presence. Scout models have also been redesigned, with a new Fabia hatch version making its debut in Geneva.

The new look is most evident in the redesigned radiator grille and 3D-shaped headlamps, which have been considerably widened, highlighting the stronger horizontal line of the cars’ faces. This gives both Fabia and Roomster a more dynamic look, while losing none of the cars’ elegance and appeal. Both vehicles now look more confident, mature and expressive.

The Fabia, Fabia Estate and Roomster also receive a number of technological improvements including state-of-the-art engines. This new engine portfolio is at the very core of the changes, with the entire front structure being redesigned to accommodate them.

Škoda will offer four petrol engines and two diesel units in the UK, with power ranging from 60bhp to 105bhp in the Fabia and from 70bhp to 105bhp in the Roomster. All engines comply with the EU5 standard and deliver exceptionally low fuel consumption and CO2 emission levels.

But Škoda’s development efforts weren’t only aimed at improving efficiency – improved performance was also a key goal. Nowhere is this more apparent than when the new 1.2 TSI 105bhp petrol engine is combined with the optimised, two-clutch seven-speed DSG transmission. This delivers impressive power with excellent combined fuel consumption of just 53.3 mpg. The four-cylinder 1.2 TSI engine is available in two power levels – 85 bhp and 105bhp. Both of these will also be available with a five-speed manual transmission.

Both diesel units are fitted with high-pressure Common Rail injection, with a pressure of up to 1,600 bar combined with fast-responding piezoelectric injectors that are able to perform as many as five injections within one beat, resulting in improved engine refinement. Both diesel engines feature particulate filters as standard and CO2 emissions are under 110g/km.

The Fabia engine line-up consists of:

1.2 6V 60 bhp
1.2 12V 70 bhp
1.2 TSI 85 bhp
1.2 TSI 105bhp (manual and DSG)
1.6 TDI CR DPF 90 bhp
1.6 TDI CR DPF 105 bhp
The Roomster is available with the following engines:

1.2 12V 70 bhp
1.2 TSI 85 bhp
1.2 TSI 105bhp (manual and DSG)
1.6 TDI CR DPF 90 bhp
1.6 TDI CR DPF 105 bhp
The Škoda stand will be located in Hall 2, stand 2160. The press conference will take place on March 2nd 2010 at 12.45 at the Škoda Auto stand.

Like Peugeot, Peugeot Sport is on the offensive. As it prepares for the future by building on its recent successes, not only does Peugeot Sport serve as a shop window for the Brand, both technologically and in terms of image, but it also mirrors the Marque’s new corporate identity, which puts Motion and Emotion at the heart of its strategy.

2009 was a highly successful year in motor sport terms: topping the bill was a one-two finish in the Le Mans 24 Hours, a clean sweep of the podium places for the 207 Super 2000 in the Rallye Monte-Carlo, as well as third consecutive Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ titles in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, thanks to the efforts of several Peugeot subsidiaries, and led by Peugeot UK’s Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle, who won the Drivers’ title in their first year of competing. All this is the result of the spirit of all the Peugeot competitors; a spirit which will continue in 2010 in the hunt for further success and excitement.

Riding high on the back of last year’s Le Mans one-two finish, Peugeot Sport is aiming to do it again in 2010. In the fourth and final year of the 908 HDi FAP’s career, Team Peugeot Total has pressed on with its development, getting down to work on the very next day after that historic win, striving to squeeze even more improvements out of the car.

Test sessions and races at a variety of venues have been programmed in order to be as well prepared as possible for the 78th running of the Le Mans 24 Hours, a race which always throws up unique challenges, uncertainties and changes of fortune, all part of its legendary status. But even the most meticulous preparations cannot hope to reproduce the specific features and surprises this race invariably delivers. Since its historic success on June 14, 2009, Peugeot will have racked up a total of eleven test sessions consisting of endurance runs, set-up work and two demanding warm-ups in the form of two actual races.

Eleven drivers have been chosen to fly the Peugeot flag in 2010, running with race numbers 1, 2 and 3, the numbers which were previously the property of the Marque’s much respected rival. The 2009 winners will carry the Number 1 plate: Marc GENE (ESP,) Alexander WURZ (AUT), plus a newcomer to the Peugeot Sport ranks, Anthony DAVIDSON (GBR). Marc and Alexander will be tackling their fourth Le Mans, the Austrian having won twice, in 1996 and 2009. Anthony has contested the French race twice (2002 and 2009) and tested the 908 in a session at Le Castellet at the end of 2008.

In the N°2 908 HDi FAP, three French drivers Nicolas MINASSIAN, Franck MONTAGNY and Stéphane SARRAZIN, form the trio that previously raced together for Oreca in 2002 and again in a memorable race last November at Le Mans, in the 207 Relais relay race which formed part of the season’s final Rencontres Peugeot Sport meeting. It’s worth noting that Stéphane has taken pole position for the last three years at Le Mans in the 908 HDi FAP.

The third crew is made up of local boy Sébastien BOURDAIS, who renews his partnership with his United States-based countryman Simon PAGENAUD and Portugal’s Pedro LAMY. Sébastien and Pedro had also been Le Mans team-mates back in 2007, at the wheel of the N°8 Peugeot.

Christian KLIEN will be the reserve driver for Team Peugeot Total, while Gregory GUILVERT, having impressed at a test in the 908 (his prize for winning the 2009 THP Spider Cup), takes on the role of test driver.

On the racing front, Peugeot’s first test comes in the shape of the full-on challenge of dealing with 12 hours of racing against the heat and difficult track at Sebring (Florida, USA), which provides the backdrop for the year’s first appearance of the two Peugeot 908 HDi FAPs, shared by

Davidson/Gene/Wurz (N°07) and Bourdais/Lamy/Minassian (N°08). The French squad will first tackle a test session the previous weekend and then resume testing two days after the endurance race. The second event is at Spa-Francorchamps in a round of the Le Mans Series and this will serve as a dress rehearsal for the whole Peugeot Sport team, with three cars entered. Eleven test sessions and two races should enable the team to prepare thoroughly for the 2010 Le Mans 24 Hours.

Peugeot Sport is also working on life after Le Mans and, at the moment, there are two further races on the calendar for the 908 HDi FAP: the Le Mans Series round at Silverstone, in September, then – assuming it is confirmed by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest – the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup race in Shanghai. For Peugeot Sport, the second half of the year is also the time to look to the future, specifically the immediate future and the new 2011 regulations, which signal the start of a new era for endurance racing. Some of the new rules have already been announced, which means work can now begin on a new car.

The new diesel is a key element to Infiniti’s continued growth in Europe. Launched barely a year ago, the Infiniti range has won high praise from customers and the motoring press alike. Now with five established model lines – G37 saloon, coupé and convertible, plus the EX and FX ranges – more than 2000 Infinitis have been sold across 15 markets despite the marque’s launch coinciding with the worst global recession for decades.

A sixth model, the Infiniti M Line, will be launched during 2010 and it, too, will be available with the choice of petrol and the new 3.0d unit.

“The sales success enjoyed by Infiniti in Europe against a backdrop of financial uncertainty proves the cars’ appeal to a discerning audience. We have established Infiniti as the luxury performance brand thanks in part to the remarkable multi-award winning VQ petrol engine that powers most of the models in the range,” said Jim Wright, Vice President, Infiniti Europe.

“We were aware from the outset, however, that for Infiniti to offer a complete range a powerful diesel engine was a must, especially in the European premium SUV market where diesel represents the bulk of sector sales.

“Although we did investigate the possibility of adapting an existing large capacity diesel for Infiniti, we quickly established that nothing on the market met our exacting requirements. We needed an engine that delivered not just stunning performance but exemplary refinement too. For that reason, with the Alliance we decided to develop our own engine, a performance diesel worthy of the Infiniti badge,” said Wright.

The performance figures speak for themselves. Developing 175 kW (238 PS) and a remarkable 550 Nm of torque, with standard seven-speed automatic transmission the new engine sends the EX30d to 100 km/h from rest in 7.9 secs and the FX30d in 8.3 secs. However with all that torque, it is in their overtaking performance that the Infiniti’s advantage will be most felt. (All figures subject to final homologation.)

The V6 diesel in detail
Designated V9X, Infiniti’s new V6 diesel has been developed in Europe by Infiniti engineers working with other engineers from Renault and Nissan. It is made at a state-of-the-art facility in Cleon in France, some 100 kms west of Paris. From the very start of development, the new unit was created to answer Infiniti’s demands for a powerful but exceptionally refined diesel engine, quiet enough in use to match the high standards set by the petrol engine.

The unit will also be used in cars from Renault and Nissan, allowing both those brands to broaden the appeal of specific model ranges at the same time as boosting production volumes of the engine. Unusually, V9X will power front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive models.

With Infiniti’s specific requirement for a compact unit delivering high levels of power and torque with competitive emissions, strong economy and unrivalled refinement leading the development, work on the direct injection 2993cc V6 began in 2005.

Although a V8 diesel engine was investigated, the V6 format was identified early on as the ideal layout for the unit, providing the optimum balance between overall performance, refinement and volume potential across the three Alliance brands. Target performance was 238 PS (175 kW), 500 Nm of torque and early compliance with forthcoming Euro 5 emission legislation.

At the same time, the engine bay architecture of the EX and FX models – designed initially as petrol models only – called for a compact engine which, if it were to be used in both transverse and longitudinal positions, would need to have a comparatively narrow vee angle as close to 60 degrees as possible.

Engineers decided that the ideal vee angle for the unit would be an unusual 65 degrees. This offered an excellent compromise between crankshaft balancing, crankshaft and cylinder block reliability and engine packaging with the 65 degree angle wide enough to allow the single turbocharger to be neatly mounted within the vee.

But perhaps the key element to the success of the new V6 is the material chosen for the engine block. While some rivals tend towards aluminium-alloy cylinder blocks to reduce the weight of their diesel engines, development engineers felt that to achieve the desired levels of refinement an aluminium block would need extra material added to increase its stiffness and reduce noise levels. It might also need extra complexity added in the form of balancer shafts to boost refinement, but all these additions negate the weight advantages of an alloy block.

Conventional cast iron, however, would place too much weight over the front wheels and lower the levels of driving pleasure offered by all Infiniti vehicles. In its place, the engineers chose Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI), a material that offers all the benefits of cast iron and more – it has higher levels of stiffness and noise absorption – but without the weight penalty. And while CGI is heavier than a pure aluminium block there is no need to add stiffening ribs or extra sound deadening material so the weight gain is comparatively modest.

CGI was patented in 1949 and its first commercial application was for the brakes of Europe’s high-speed trains. It is 75 per cent stronger and up to 75 per cent stiffer than grey iron, the most common form of cast iron found in engine cylinder blocks. It also performs better than aluminium at higher temperatures when it is up to five times more fatigue resistant. Best of all, the weight of a typical engine block can be more than 20 per cent lower than an equivalent cast iron block.

To manage the high loads on the engine structure commensurate with the impressive power and torque outputs, the overall stiffness of the engine structure was optimised at the design stage by incorporating a number of specific features. These included a large and stiff coupling face between the converter housing and the engine; the CGI cylinder block with semi-deep skirts; direct bolting of ancillaries on the crankcase; an integrated engine bracket in the upper timing covers; a structural oil pan; a stiff torque converter housing and an axial driveline bearing on the gearbox side.

At the same time, to reduce vibrations inherent in a diesel engine and avoid unwanted resonances in the rev range, intensive structural optimisation during the preliminary design stage used finite element calculation to identify both the source of vibrations and to establish the ideal structural form of the block.

The result is a compact, architecturally stiff and refined unit that by itself delivers two of Infiniti’s design goals: high levels of refinement and no loss of chassis balance. In tests, Alliance engineers have determined that the V9X engine has the lowest 250 Hz and 500 Hz vibrations of all the benchmarked engines.

The new Polo BlueMotion adopts an all-new highly advanced 1.2-litre TDI three-cylinder common rail diesel engine developing 75 PS, and 133 lbs ft (180 Nm) of torque available from just 2,000 rpm. This new engine, combined with longer gearing through the five-speed manual gearbox, regenerative braking and an automatic Start/Stop system, help the new Polo BlueMotion emit just 91 g/km of CO2 while returning an impressive 80.7 mpg on the combined cycle. This grants the new Polo BlueMotion a theoretical range of over 800 miles on one tank of diesel.

These technological enhancements are accompanied by several cosmetic changes designed to maximise efficiency. Comprising bespoke bumpers, side skirts and an extended roof spoiler along with 15-inch ‘Greenland’ alloy wheels fitted with low rolling resistance tyres, they contribute towards making the new Polo BlueMotion among the most efficient vehicles currently available in the UK.

The Polo BlueMotion accelerates from a standstill to 62 mph in 13.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 107 mph.

Comfort levels remain high with manual air conditioning, cruise control and leather steering wheel fitted as standard. As with all models in the Polo range, a number of safety features are also fitted, including four airbags, ABS and ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Programme).

The Polo BlueMotion is available to order at Volkswagen Retailers now with the first cars expected in May. For more information visit www.volkswagen.co.uk.

Volkswagen Driver – March 2010 Issue

Road test: Tiguan R Line 2.0 TSI provides style and speed!

News: New Golf awards, VW sales worldwide, VW Motorcaravan awards, New SEAT Ibiza ST & FR TDI, Passat CC rear seat, Colbornes Skoda, Caddy Life

New Model: Eco Coupe (NCC) at the Detroit Show

Motorsport: Dakar Rally report VW 1-2-3!

Event report: VW action at Autosport International 2010

Performance modifications: Superchips Bluefin for Passat CC 2.0 TDI

Motorcaravans: Bilbo’s Celex T5

Model profile: Mk 2 Polo Coupe GT

Project GTI: TT engine transplant / K04 conversion

Technology: New 1.6 / 2.0 TDI Exhaust Gas Recirculation system