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British International Motor Show news round-up
Tuesday, 22 Jul 2008 16:53
The prime minister attended the British International Motor Show today, primarily to discuss environmental issues and view eco-friendly cars
As the British International Motor Show kicked off today, prime minister Gordon Brown had the chance to look at cars built in Britain, alongside the SMMT chief executive, Paul Everitt.
Mr Brown met manufacturers and viewed the Greener Driving pavilion to see first hand how car and van makers are tackling the problem of climate change.
After receiving a tour of the show, the prime minister met with Ruth Kelly MP, John Hutton MP and a group of vehicle manufacturers to discuss environmental issues.
Citroen
On display at the Citroen stand is a special version of the C-Crosser SUV, dubbed the C-Surf and designed to make waves at the beach.
The C-Surf boasts surfing murals across its body and a Citroen-themed surf board on the roof. Inside, there are several extras, including a dashboard compass and custom leather trim.
Music is supplied by a built-in bespoke system and there is even a Nintendo Wii console attached. In addition, the cabin lighting produces more than two million colour combinations that change in tune with the music.
Designer Darren Horton, who normally works on custom cars, spent four weeks creating the concept. Horton said he worked to a simple surfing theme and said the most challenging part of the project was the paint job, particularly the bonnet, which is covered in drops of water airbrushed on by hand.
"That was quite demanding," he said.
Land Rover
The Defender SVX special edition has been specifically created to celebrate the company's 60th anniversary, while the latest model line-up is headed up by new and upgraded versions of the Range Rover.
The white LRX concept car introduces the possibility of diesel hybrid power. Land Rover has revealed it has recently started real-world testing of some diesel hybrid engineering prototypes.
The technology behind the story is explored as part of the 'Our Planet' zone within the Land Rover stand.
Dagenham leads green battle
Ford of Britain chairman Roelant de Waard paid tribute to the contribution to fighting climate change made by the manufacturer’s Dagenham engine plant.
"Our 1.4 and 1.6 TDci diesel engines are made at Dagenham, just a couple of miles from these halls", said Mr de Waard.
"Sales of the 1.6 TDCi unit are up 40 per cent this year as customers realise the CO2 benefits. If all our customers bought cars with such engines we would save 80,000 tonnes of CO2 a year, that’s equivalent to the power consumption of a small town."
Among the new Fiesta models unveiled was the Econetic, proudly claiming the title of Britain’s greenest family car, emitting just 98 g/km of CO2. This, incidentally, qualifies the car for zero road tax.
They will also benefit from fuel economy stretching past 75 mpg. The car will be on sale at the end of the year, starting at £11,800.
Vauxhall
The Insignia, which will be replacing the Vectra, became the first global launch of this year’s British International Motor Show when it was revealed to journalists at 09:00 BST.
Carl-Peter Forster, president of General Motors Europe, said the car represented an important part of Vauxhall’s future "...in a country of car enthusiasts and automobile connoisseurs."
"This is the car to reshape the mid-sized segment and grow it even more," he added. "Our team has done a remarkable job to produce a car with a sporty, almost coupe-like look and spirit, but with a spacious, premium five-seat interior."
The Insignia includes a great deal of new technology, especially with regards to safety. Innovations include a camera system that can memorise road signs and display them on the dashboard. The car will arrive in UK showrooms in December, with prices starting from £15,935.
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