Honda shows five seater New Small Concept

India’s automotive industry is the second fastest growing in the world and has exceptional prospects. Already the ninth largest in the world it is expected to become one of the largest in the world several decades from now. Already the auto makers are developing specifically for the future, with Honda Siel Cars India (HSCI) pulling the covers off what has been dubbed the “Honda New Small Concept”, a very small vehicle with seating for five people. The world premier was aptly staged at the Auto Expo 2010 in New Delhi, India's leading auto show, along with new small cars from Toyota, Volkswagen, Nissan and Ford.

Ff Nirvana means bliss ... and free from wants, the Delhi Motor Show is small car Nirvana in no less than six different Avatars. Almost every global major is showcasing a new small car avatar, that promises to free you of your desires of a large car. Small car concept from Honda and Suzuki , Etios from Toyota, Polo from Volkswagen, Micra from Nissan and Figo from Ford; each car has its own story to tell. ...

India is the worlds second fastest growing car market; but with a car ownership ratio of only 4 per 1000 people compared to nearly 500 per 1000 people in America , most of Europe and the developed world...people see India as a big oppurtunity. But with a billion plus population with is very much unique, this oppurtunity promises to spawn many unique ideas and products.

By 2050, India will have more cars than any other country, and Japan’s second largest auto maker is clearly planning to get its share of sales by competing with local makers planning to offer the world’s cheapest cars. HSCI also announced plans to begin sales of a car based on this concept in both India and Thailand in2011.

Honda will strive to provide a new small-sized vehicle that is beyond the expectations of customers in rapidly growing markets and offer it at an affordable price by leveraging Honda's global parts sourcing network. The visual presence of the Small Car Concept is interesting, even if the name isn't (did the marketing department go on holidays this week?).

It has been dubbed an "Efficient Energetic Exterior" and there's little doubt that it does have a presence beyond its size.-gizmag

Honda shows BRIO city car prototype

Honda finally showed the smaller-than-small city car it has been developing for Asian markets - the Honda BRIO - today at the 27th Thailand International Motor Expo in Bangkok. It will be the smallest, lightest and cheapest car in the Honda range when it goes on sale in India and Thailand next year - around THB 400,000 (US$13,300).

The sub-light Brio hatch shown today in Bangkok is a strong indication of what the car will look like when production begins in March 2011, but very little detail of the engine or specifications were shared – an extraordinary move given that it is only four months from production.

One likely reason for this is that Honda has not competed in this increasingly important segment previously and is a very late starter, entering a market pioneered by the Suzuki Swift, well behind established players such as Volkswagen’s Polo, Ford’s Figo, Kia's Picanto, Hyundai’s i10 and Nissan’s Micra. Toyota will also launch a competitor in the form of the Etios before Honda makes it to market.

One of the features of the Brio will be its ultra light weight – though no figures were specified, the announcement hinted that the car will be highly efficient due to its lightweight construction. In Thailand it is targeting 5liters/100km, indicating that it will most likely use a cut-down three-cylinder version of the Jazz 1200cc four-cylinder engine. Further indications that several engines are still being considered came when Honda announced there would be several major differences between the Indian and Thai versions of the vehicle.

For the Thai model that is scheduled to be introduced in March 2011, the fuel economy of more than 5liters/100km*2 will be targeted so that the vehicle will qualify as an eco-car by the Thai government, and a starting price of approximately 400,000 baht will be targeted as well. For the Indian model that is scheduled to be introduced within 2011, local customer needs for a small car will be reflected and local content will be increased to create a model that achieves a good balance between vehicle performance and price.

"Honda would like to expand the joy of mobility to more customers in Thailand, India and other Asian countries through the introduction of a new small vehicle with compact and highly efficient packaging by utilizing our own experiences cultivated by motorcycle business here in Asia," said Takanobu Ito, President and CEO of Honda Motor.-gizmag

Jaguar Hybrid Concept Features Four Motors, 780 Horsepower

While electric vehicles like the Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt tend to dominate the headlines, there's more to the plug-in scene than small passenger cars. Like super cars, for instance. At the Los Angeles Auto Show, Jaguar showed off its new C-X75 concept, which takes plug-in cars to a whole new level.

The C-X75 features four electric motors, each providing 195 horsepower, giving the sleek car a grand total of 780 electric horsepower. But, as a hybrid, the car also features two small micro-gas turbines, which can provide upwards of 180 additional horsepower. When in electric mode, the C-X75 has a range of nearly 70 miles. When the electric battery pack runs out of juice, that's when the gas turbines kick in.-gearlog.com

Lincoln garage joins growing Proton network

PROTON has announced another dealership to join their ever-expanding dealership network.

The Shakespeare Street Garage of Lincoln has joined the maker’s network and becomes the Proton main dealer for the area.

Tony Richardson, a director at the Shakespeare Street Garage, commented:  ’We are delighted to have become Proton’s main dealer for Lincoln.

‘Thanks to their Lotus inspired design, Proton’s cars are very stylish, fun to drive and have fantastic handling – it’s also a brand that offers motorists great value for money, coupled with the reassurance of delivering reliability – especially with the three year warranty available.  Above all they have an exceptional build quality with high levels of standard equipment.’

A family owned business established in 1983, the Shakespeare Street Garage today employs 14 people, and provides new and used car sales, MOTs, servicing and body repairs. The garage is also the Perodua and MicroCar dealer for Lincoln.

Simon Park, general manager of sales & marketing for Proton Cars (UK) Ltd, said:  ’We are pleased to welcome the Shakespeare Street Garage to our expanding network and offer customers more choice in the area.  With a growing demand for more cost-effective motors, Proton makes for a sensible choice of car.’-cardealermagazine.co.uk

PGO Hermera BMW mystery car spy shots revealed

At first, not even our spy photographer knew exactly what this car was. It was initially thought to be a Wiesmann of some sort. But since it was snapped inside BMW grounds in Munich, rumours have changed. It’s taken some thorough research to finally figure out that this is a PGO Hermera.

So what’s a PGO Hermera then? Well, it’s a French company known for creating Porsche 356 remakes and that’s exactly what this is meant to be.

From the rear though it’s quite obvious this is not your classically stunning Porsche 356 convertible. No, it’s a Shooting Break, with the rear window being the hatch.

The reason it’s inside BMW grounds is that it uses an engine developed in conjunction with BMW’s PSA partnership. So rumour has it this Hermera could be powered by a version of the Mini engine, also seen in the Peugeot 207.

It looks kind of awkward at the back, with its high roof line and bulged out hips. From the front though you can see the Porsche 356′s softly rounded bonnet, friendly eyed headlights and the traditional chrome front bumper/fascia insert.

It’s unclear at this stage when and in what market this car will go on sale but we’ll keep you posted. Let us know what you think in the meantime. Is the Hermera a worthy modern retake of the Porsche 356?-caradvice.com.au

Govt to field-test Proton hybrid car first

The mass production of a Proton hybrid vehicle will be decided after it has been tested through government use in Putra jaya and Cyberjaya next year.

Proton managing director Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamad Tahir said the company needed to get positive feedback from the Government before marketing the car on a large scale.

He added that Proton would produce 50 to 200 units of the hybrid vehicle, and would start to deliver them in January.

“If we go straight to mass production, we fear we might find problems. So let the Government use the hybrid and we’ll get feedback.

“We hope we can make a decision to market them in a big way by the middle of next year,” he said yesterday at the family fiesta and Proton Innovation and Creation 2010 competition, which was attended by company chairman Datuk Seri Nadzmi Salleh at Shah Alam Stadium.

The price of the hybrid vehicle is expected to be 50% higher than that of an ordinary car, he said.

But people could be encouraged to buy the hybrid with indirect incentives from the Government.

It was the same in other countries, Syed Zainal said, where government incentives spurred people to buy a hybrid car. — Bernama

Mazda8 launched in China

Earlier today the Mazda8 officially launched in China and is set to make a big splash in the MPV segment. The MPV market has increased by over 60% in 2010 alone, the Mazda8 will be competing against the Buick GL8 in the higher end MPV segment, until now the GL8 has had a free run of the business use MPV market, but the 8 will change this. The Mazda5 will also launch in China in early 2011 and will be produced by Chang’an Mazda.

The Mazda8 pricing has yet to be announced, the Mazda8 will be powered by a 2.3L and will be using a 4 speed gearbox to power the front wheels.-chinacartimes.com

Proton in talks for charging stations

PROTON Holdings Bhd is currently in talks with the government as well as highway operator PLUS Ex pressway Bhd on the possibility of setting up electric charging stations in the country, to help drive its soon-to-be-launched hybrid vehicle.

"We know that in order for the project to take off on a big scale, we need to have the infrastructure in place, infrastructure like charging station for the electric car," said Proton lead engineer and head of electric vehicle project Ilham Shamsul Ibrahim in Cyberjaya yesterday.

The company plans to launch its hybrid vehicle sometime next year. Unlike most hybrid cars where engines are powered by either petrol or electricity, or both at the same time, the ones by Proton will be slightly different.

The car's engine will be electric-powered, but there will be a petrol-powered motor, which will be used to charge the battery. 

"This is what we call series hybrid, or in another term, range-extended electric vehicle (REEV)," Shamsul said. 

The electric car, on its own without another motor to charge the battery, can only run about 140km. But with the motor, its mileage can increase to over 500km, said Shamsul. 

Currently, the REEV system is being tried out on the Exora. 

There are about 10 of these REEV-version of Exora on the roads now for test runs and trials. Tests have been ongoing for about two months. 

"We are currently in prototype stage 1. Once stage 1 is completed, we will get feedback on all the prob lems we faced, and solve it, and then move on to stage 2 and so forth," said Shamsul. In total, there will be at least three stages of tests. 

According to Shamsul, the REEV will be very en vironment-friendly and will help ease the burden of rising fuel prices. 

A full charge of the REEV would cost less than RM8, based on the current power rate. With that full charge, the car can go about 140km (without the help of the fuel-powered engine). This means, for RM40, the car can travel more than 500km, the common mileage a car can achieve on a full tank. 

So far, Shamsul said there are still some issues with the system. However, he stressed that it is common as it is still in the first stage of testing. -btimes.com.my

Porsche’s new 911 (2011) shows off its pop-up rear spoiler

Another week and yet more spy shots of Porsche’s all-new 911. And this time Porsche’s next-gen 911 is showing off its new pop-up rear spoiler.

The bigger rear spoiler, which is now wider than ever before, and extends beyond the intakes atop the engine and out across the flanks – it’s there to make the 911 both more slippery and stable at speed.

Ignore that Turbo-aping disguise, too. And as we close in on the launch of the new 911, the rest of the disguise is slipping away, revealing the familiar silhouette but a Panamera-influenced snout.

What else can you tell me about the new 911?

Slung out the back will be a marginally downsized 3.4-litre flat six for the 345bhp Carrera, while a 394bhp 3.8-litre flat six will power the Carrera S. You’ll be able to mate either to a seven-speed dual-clutch PDK ‘box, or (yes, really) a seven-speed manual transmission. There’s some eco sops too, with stop/start, intelligent decoupling alternators, and for the first time (and rather worryingly) electric power steering.

Porsche boss Matthias Müller also recently confirmed to CAR at the LA Auto Show that the company was working on flat four engines based on the architecture of the current flat six. The new motors are earmarked for the next-generation of Boxster and Cayman, but although Müller ruled it out for the 911 in the near future, we hear it will be deployed in the rear-engined icon in around five years time.

The new Porsche 911, internally dubbed 991, will be unveiled at the next Frankfurt motor show in September 2011.-carmagazine.co.uk

BugE – the DIY three-wheel electric vehicle

Electric vehicles are beginning to spread onto the mass market, but one of the limiting factors in these early days is a high-cost compared to their gas-burning equivalents. Electric scooters and motorcycles are considerably cheaper, but not everyone is comfortable on two wheels, or likes being exposed to the elements. Here's an alternative type of EV that costs less than six thousand dollars, is stable on the road and will protect you from wind and rain. It’s called the BugE, and there’s just one catch to it – you have to put the thing together yourself.

The almost-fully-faired three-wheeler was invented by Mark Murphy, of Creswell, Oregon. In the past, he has worked as a designer on concept projects for companies such as GM, Chrysler and BMW. He has sold about 50 of his BugE kits to customers around the U.S. since 2007, and has now started exporting them to Japan and Europe. His design criteria was for “a simple, low cost personal mobility vehicle that could function in a four-season environment on city streets.” If that philosophy sounds at all familiar, it might be because Murphy thinks of his vehicle as “a Model T for the 21st century.”

The BugE is propelled by a 17 bhp DC series motor, which is powered by four M34 lead acid batteries that take around eight hours to recharge. It has a steel box chassis with a composite body, an acrylic Lucite canopy, and has an empty weight of about 350 lbs (159 kg). The vehicle’s top speed is 50 mph (80 kph), with an approximate range of 30 miles (48 km) at 30 mph (48 kph) – Murphy noted that this can be expanded considerably if users swap in lithium batteries.

“The BugE is an entry level street legal EV suitable for errands, school or work commutes within the community,” Murphy told Gizmag. “It needs no special infrastructure since it plugs into 110V outlets using the existing electrical grid... it offers basic stability, performance, wind and rain protection and capacity for local use at a price comparable to a Vespa motorcycle. Four BugE's can fit in one parking space.”

Buyers can choose between three kit options, depending on how much they would like to tweak their vehicle with custom parts. For US$3,850, they’ll get the parts necessary for a rolling chassis. An additional $325 will get them the lighting and controls, while the power train will cost an extra $1,412. It adds up to a total of US$5,587, plus shipping.

“By selling kits we can reduce the cost of the vehicle, allow for hobbyist experimentation and modification, and create a local build and sell opportunity without requiring a factory and the high start up costs,” said Murphy.

“The BugE has huge potential and we are only scratching the surface.”-gizmag

SEAT Altea MPV (2010 – ) first drive

SEAT has added a new common-rail version of the 140bhp, 2.0 TDI diesel to the engine line-up for Altea and Altea XL SE models.

Available with a choice of five-speed manual or seven-speed DSG transmissions, this new engine replaces the previous 140bhp Pumpe Duse (PD)  version.

Emissions and economy up

If might have the same output as the outgoing engine, but this is where the similarities end. Emissions for the manual version drop from 147g/km to 125g/km of CO2 (124g/km for the DSG) and average fuel economy is up from 50.4 to 58.9mpg.

Smoother and quieter at idle

We drove manual and seven-speed DSG versions of this new engine in both the Altea and Altea XL versions at the launch in Barcelona. Those expecting a massive change over the outgoing PD engine will be disappointed. The only differences we noticed was that this engine felt noticeably smoother through the gears and quieter at idle.

It’s no sports car, but considering the fact that the Altea isn’t the newest MPV on the block we found both versions with the two transmissions were an engaging drive on the Spanish test route.-autotrader.co.uk

Prices start at £18,330 for the Altea 2.0 TDI SE.

Key facts:Model tested: SEAT Altea 2.0 TDI, Altea XL SE
On the road price: 
£18,330, £19,030
Date tested: November 2010
Road tester: Martyn Collins

Its not a Merc – Its BAW’s latest MPV

For those that are thinking “the new B-Class looks different”, well think again as this is the new MPV from BAIC, who also happen to be major partners to Mercedes.

From what we have learned so far, the first BAIC C30 MPV will be powered by 1.3L and 1.5L engines from Mitsubishi. The 1.3L engine will have 73Kw of power and 126Nm of torque, where as the 1.5L is slightly more powerful with 83Kw on tap and 141Nm of torque at 4000rpm.

An end of year launch is being touted by the automotive press, which means it is almost certain to be on show at the Guangzhou Auto Show. In addition to this model, BAIC are also planning for a compact saloon variant.-chinacartimes.com

Malaysia's Proton aims to mass produce hybrid electric cars by 2012

The battery charge level is indicated on an energy monitor screen of Malaysian national carmaker Proton's Exora Range Extended Electric Vehicle in Cyberjaya, outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Thursday, Nov. 25, 2010. Proton will roll out its first fleet of hybrid electric vehicles in January for a pilot test before mass production targeted for 2012, officials said Thursday. (AP Photo/Lai Seng Sin)

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Malaysia's national car maker Proton will roll out its first fleet of hybrid electric vehicles in January for a pilot run before mass production begins in 2012, officials said Thursday.

Proton began testing prototypes two months ago in Britain and will conduct further tests in Malaysia before launching a fleet of 30 to 50 vehicles in mid-January for use by the government, said Nordiana Nordin, the company's head of government liaison and infrastructure.

"We have a target of 2012 for mass production but it's subjected to the fleet test program," she told The Associated Press.

State-owned Proton is diversifying its business to boost its fading fortunes. It returned to the black in the financial year ended March, but its domestic market share has dwindled to under 30 per cent from more than two-thirds just over five years ago due to greater competition.

Proton's hybrid car is being developed with its British technology partner Fraser-Nash Research Ltd., its British unit Lotus, and South Korea's LG, officials said.

Ilham Shamsul Ibrahim, head of Proton's electric vehicle project, showed a prototype of the hybrid at a seminar on green technology outside Kuala Lumpur.

It has a 400 cc gasoline engine that powers a generator and recharges the electric battery when it is depleted. But unlike current hybrid cars such as Toyota's Prius that switch between gasoline engines and electric motors, Proton's model cannot run on its gasoline engine due to its small capacity, he told entrepreneurs at the seminar.

The car can travel as far as 621 miles (1,000 kilometres) on one full petrol tank and a fully charged battery, depending on road conditions and speed, Ilham said. It will have a top speed of 87 miles (140 kilometres) an hour and can be recharged from a regular home socket, he said.

The government plans to build 10 charging stations, mostly around its administrative capital Putrajaya, as part of the pilot test for the car.

Ilham acknowledged that the green car industry in Malaysia faced considerable challenges, including lack of infrastructure and issues with batteries — long charging times, high cost and short life span.

On the other hand, the hybrid car — if it takes off — will see Malaysia cut its dependence on fossil fuel, help relieve the government's burden of hefty fuel subsidies and reduce polluting emissions, he said.

He said Proton is in talks with several suppliers in the U.S. and South Korea about manufacturing the batteries locally to cut cost. He couldn't elaborate on the estimated price and production details.-canadianbusiness.com

PROTON POSTS RM186 MILLION PROFIT BEFORE TAX IN FIRST HALF OF FY2010/2011

PROTON Holdings Berhad registered a profit before tax of RM186 million in the first half of its 2010/11 financial year benefitting from the improved market sentiments and conditions which had accounted for a 13% increase in its vehicle sales. The growing demand for Proton vehicles were significantly contributed by three core models; the Saga, Persona and Exora. Cumulative Group profit before taxation rose to RM186 million compared to the profit of RM165 million posted in the corresponding period last year as a result of higher domestic sales and improved profit margins. The higher vehicle sales were also attributed to a growth of 14% in the total industry volume (TIV) in the first nine months of 2010 according to the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA). The national car company sold a total of 40,205 vehicles in Q2 2010/11 compared to 42,520 units in the corresponding period last year. Group profit before taxation at RM81 million for the individual quarter however, was lower than the RM105 million recorded in the immediate preceding quarter. This was attributable to a oneoff provision for stock obsolescence, and branding and restructuring costs incurred by Group Lotus for the business turnaround exercise. This involved the launching of a new brand identity for Group Lotus and culminated with the worldwide unveiling of five brand new Lotus models at the Paris Motor Show in September. Moving forward, the MAA expects that the upward trend for vehicle sales is unlikely to be as strong for the rest of the calendar year 2010 due to seasonal slowdown in purchasing towards the calendar year end. "PROTON remains confident that sales will continue to grow, on the strength of the public's positive response towards the recently launched Inspira. This is envisaged to further improve the Group's profitability and our market share in the domestic market," said PROTON Holdings Berhad Chairman Dato' Sri Mohd. Nadzmi Mohd. Salleh. "We are also encouraged by the overwhelming response received for the Inspira. As of yesterday, PROTON had already received a total of 3,400 bookings for the Inspira since it was first opened for booking on 14th of October," said Dato' Sri Mohd. Nadzmi. He also added that PROTON's performance going forward will also be backed by the introduction of refreshers and variants. He further explained that the Group will also focus on expanding into selected key markets, intensifying on branding and marketing initiatives, and continuing to invest in development activities and the acquisition of new technology. Meanwhile, PROTON's Group Managing Director Dato' Haji Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir said the Company intends to take an early advantage of and capitalize on the Government's initiative to make Malaysia a regional hub for hybrid, electric and environmentallyfriendly vehicles. One of the key announcements in Budget 2011 was in granting full exemption on the import and excise duties for hybrid cars below 2,000cc which includes electric cars, hybrid motorcycles and electric motorcycles until December 31, 2011. "These exemptions would serve as an attractive incentive for local companies such as PROTON to manufacture such vehicles in Malaysia. This will not only extend significant savings to car owners in terms of lower fuel costs but assists PROTON in the forefront of promoting Malaysia as a regional hub for the development and manufacturing of green technology vehicles," said Dato' Haji Syed Zainal Abidin. PROTON is already in the final phase of testing and validating a Proton Exora Extended Range Electric Vehicle which is targeted for commercial production as early as 2011. The Proton Exora Extended Range Electric Vehicle had also earlier this month won the ‘Best Range Extender Electric Vehicle' category in the inaugural Brighton to London Future Car Challenge organized by the prestigious Royal Automobile Club in the United Kingdom. The challenge is a motoring contest for Electric, Hybrid, and Low-Emission Internal Combustion Engine passenger cars. Winners were based on cars with the lowest energy consumption on the 91.2 km drive from Brighton to London. Going against a more prominent name in the global green automotive industry, the Exora Extended Range Electric Vehicle emerged as the winner in its category after consuming only 2.2 litres of petrol during the entire Challenge. The win had benchmarked PROTON against the best in the industry. Participation in the event was also an opportunity for PROTON to demonstrate its technological capabilities and commitment in developing highly efficient fuel vehicles that are also environmentally friendly. FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS Q2 (AS AT 30 SEPTEMBER, 2010)    2010/2011 (30/09/2010) RM'000 2010/2011 (30/09/2009) RM'000 Profit before taxation (cumulative period) 185,914 165,031 Profit before taxation (individual period) 81,265 100,652 Revenue (Q2) (Cumulative period) 4,530,396 3,956,108 Revenue (Q2) (invidual period) 2,240,509 2,104,090 Cash, bank balances & deposits (unaudited) 1,315,035 1,500,926

Vauxhall Corsa Gets New Look

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Some manufacturers use a green-sounding name to denote a single low-CO2 car in a particular range, but with the Vauxhall Corsa ecoFLEX you get a choice, and it leads to a rather peculiar situation. The one being reviewed here uses a 74bhp version of the 1.3-litre CDTi turbo diesel engine, and since the alternative is the same unit in 94bhp form you might imagine that this is the more economical of the two.

In real-world motoring, it's safe to assume that this is true. However, there's a strange anomaly here. In the official EU it's the 94bhp car which produces the better result, namely 78.5mpg versus the less powerful car's 70.6mpg. This isn't particularly significant, except that the same test rates the 94bhp car at 94g/km of CO2 emissions versus 105g/km for the 74bhp car, and the upshot is that the faster ecoFLEX is exempt from annual Vehicle Excise Duty payments while the slower one isn't.

Admittedly, the difference in taxation is just £20 per year, and you would have to rabidly opposed to paying money into the Exchequer to consider that a problem. The 74bhp car is almost certain to emit less CO2 during its lifetime, regardless of what the official figures say, and if expense is a consideration you might want to bear in mind that it's around £500 cheaper to buy in the first place, a statistic which completely obliterates the tax situation.

You can spend considerably less still by opting for other ecoFLEX models such as the one-litre petrol model or the 74bhp 1.3 diesel without the start/stop system fitted to the object of this test. They don't cost much to tax either, but with CO2 ratings of 117g/km and 112g/km respectively they won't seem nearly as impressive to the environmental lobby.

So this is the truly "green" Corsa ecoFLEX, and it's certainly worth thinking about as long as you don't need to get anywhere in a hurry. 0-60mph times don't reveal much about a car's performance, but the fact that this one takes 13.6 seconds to perform the feat is enough to tell you - as a brief test drive will confirm - that it's no hot hatch. Taking it a long motorway run would be rather a chore, but for urban and gentle country motoring it's as quick as it needs to be.

It's also adequately, but not excessively, well-designed inside. Vauxhall is starting to style the interiors of some of its larger cars (such as the Astra and Insignia) with some panache, but the Corsa still tends towards the functional, and in this respect it's closer, among its obvious mainstream rivals, to the Renault Clio than to the Ford Fiesta or Volkswagen Polo. With the exception of the controls for the headlights, foglights and instrument panel lighting - which are mounted very awkwardly, low down on the dash to the right of the steering wheel - it's generally good enough for the job.

My other problem with the Corsa, in three-door form, is the downward sweep of the rear side windows, which has bedevilled the car for a decade and is really due for a change. On the other hand, there's a surprising amount of fun to be had even in this notably slow version because, unlike previous Corsas, it both rides and handles rather impressively, despite occasional hints that it was set up for smooth German roads rather than dodgy British ones.

Practicality is limited only by the tailgate, which tapers inwards towards the bottom in a manner which suggests that, here as elsewhere in Vauxhall's line-up, styling was considered a higher priority than anything else. Luggage space varies between 285 with the rear seats in place, which is as near identical to the opposition as makes no difference, to 1050 litres with the seats folded, which is slightly better than the Clio and significantly better than the Fiesta and Polo. If you really want a lot of space in this class, the car to go for is the Skoda Fabia, but that's available only in five-door form.

One more thing: all Corsas are getting a facelift as from February 2011, so they won't look quite like the one pictured here, but there are no mechanical changes (and the rear side windows are the same shape).-carkeys.co.uk