From the outside, it may seem that Vauxhall is ignoring environmental concerns and going back to the old fashioned way of selling cars – by adding power and a badge like with its Insignia BiTurbo.

However, at a closer look, you will see this is not the case. The new Vauxhall Insignia BiTurbo uses the standard 2.0 CDTi diesel engine that currently sees service in the Insignia, Astra and Zafira Tourer range, with the addition of a second turbocharger increasing power from 158- to 192bhp, making it the most powerful diesel engine the Luton marque has ever produced.

The twin-sequential turbo set up has a small turbo which kicks in early to defeat lag by providing 258lb.ft of torque from just 1,500rpm.

In the mid-range both turbochargers work in tandem delivering peak torque of 295lb.ft between 1,750- and 2,500rpm with the larger unit standing alone from 3,000rpm.

The extra power of the single-turbo 2.0-litre engine sees the 0-60mph time reduce to 8.2 seconds, yet despite the performance upgrade the BiTurbo achieves a combined 57.6mpg and CO₂ emissions as low as 129g/km.

The Insignia BiTurbo comes in either a five-door hatch or Sports Tourer guise and will be available with either a front or four-wheel drive. The front-wheel  drive cars  gain Vauxhall’s FlexRide adaptive damping (normally £790) that can ‘learn’ how the car is being driven and adapt damper settings accordingly.

The Insignia BiTurbo is on sale now with prices starting from £27,120 for the SRi 2.0 CDTi hatchback model and rising to £33,320 for the Elite 2.0 CDTi Sports Tourer with automatic gearbox.

April the 18th is set to be an iconic day in the history of Germany’s most loveable car; The Volkswagen Beetle.

The 18th will see the new ‘21st Century’ Beetle being unveiled to people on three separate continents in a spectacular show beginning in Shanghai, China and continuing in Berlin, Germany and New York City.

The event itself is set to be magnificent with the Black Eyed Peas performing at the New York event, and Belgian outfit 2manydjs following suit at the Berlin event. All three events will be subject to heavy MTV involvement, who are co – hosts of the launch. The event itself will be being broadcast live across the world, excluding the UK (typically) and MTV channels will be showing highlights of the event making sure that the new Beetle’s launch will be of immense global scale.

Luca de Meo, Director of Marketing, Volkswagen Group and Volkswagen Brand Passenger Cars said “The Beetle is an icon of the automotive world, just like MTV is an icon of the music world. In the context of this marketing alliance, we are taking the new Volkswagen directly to customers and fans of the Volkswagen brand – and we are doing it globally.”

The car itself is said to be modelled on the original Beetle’s body work, taking the stylistic trademarks which made the Beetle such an iconic car and this is coupled with the latest technology and no doubt modern artistic interpretations which no doubt show that the ‘21st Century’ Beetle promises to be a memorable chapter in the car’s long history. Luca de Meo stated that “We are certain that the car’s one-of-a-kind styling combined with the latest technology will be very well received by customers.”

The ‘21st Century’ Beetle looks to offer drivers a huge amount of individuality, fun and ease of driving whilst the launch promises to be one of the grandest global launches of a car in recent years. Love or hate the Beetle, this won’t be one to miss.

London Motorexpo, Canary Wharf’s big event is expected to welcome over 400,00 visitors this year, making it the UK’s biggest automotive event this summer.

The event is set to feature a record number of manufacturers this year, including Bentley, BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mini, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Saab, Skoda, Tesla, Vauxhall and Volkswagen.

Over 200 vehicles will be on display for the week-long event on 6^th to 12^th June, giving visitors access to all the cars and assisting them with their next vehicle purchase decision.

Not only is Motorexpo Britain’s biggest free motoring event, it’s considered the most interactive, taking advantage of the urban environment in and around the Canary Wharf estate.

Visitors are encouraged to touch and explore the wide range of vehicles on display throughout the indoor and outdoor public spaces, and have the chance to get behind the wheel of many of the latest vehicles on the market.

At the 2011 London event, visitors will benefit from a new feature entitled ‘Drive The Future’ which will give a unique opportunity to experience the excitement, frugality and unprecedented sensations of the latest electric and low-carbon vehicles.

There will be the chance to be among the first to test drive the new Vauxhall Ampera, as well as other green cars like the Mitsubishi i-MiEV and Tesla Roadster among others.  

Paul Everitt, Chief Executive of the SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders), said: “Motorexpo is a significant event on the automotive calendar which is supported by a growing number of SMMT members.  

“The diverse audience and new ‘Drive The Future’ ride and drive element for 2011 make it a great opportunity to demonstrate the significance of the sector to key business and political audiences, as well as showcase the full range of products now available in the UK, including some new ultra-low carbon cars and technologies.”

The 2011 London Motorexpo is free for anyone to attend and open daily from 10am to 6pm on Monday 6 to Saturday 11 June and 11am to 5pm on Sunday 12 June.  There is parking available for up to 2,900 cars within Canary Wharf’s four underground public car parks.

Graeme Carver, Motorexpo CEO, added: “This summer’s event is shaping up to be bigger and better than ever.  The roster is brimming with leading mainstream and prestige car manufacturers, and the unmatched promise of being able to get up close to the latest models is a major draw.  We look forward to welcoming a record- number of people.”

Due to make its debut at next week’s Geneva Motor Show, the new Vauxhall Zafira Tourer Concept has been designed with “lounge-on-wheels” luxury in mind.

The car’s interior is bathed in light as a result of a panoramic windscreen which flows into a sizable glass roof extending to the rear of the car. A second pane of advanced composite material is edge-lit by LEDs, whilst tiny metallic particles are embedded in the cabin’s upper sections to reflect the light and emit a warm glow that can be varied in different shades of yellow.

Sounds peachy.

Also, making a welcome return is an evolved form of Vauxhall’s Flex7 seating. It defaults at five-seat capacity, but affairs are but a button’s push away from becoming a four-seater with such space to rival a limousine’s interior. A folding mechanism allows for the centre section of the second row to fold down to reveal two armrests for occupants in the outer seats which are then able to slide back and towards each other. Footrests are included, too. A toast! You can almost smell the bucket of chilled champagne resting between them. Let’s just hope they don’t share it with the driver.

The up-front central console is dominated by a large touch-screen display which contains such means to support a tablet PC (an iPad). From here, heating and air-conditioning can be controlled, but the best bit is the flexible and pivot-mounted tablet PCs on the front seat backs which allow for passengers in the second row to comfortably surf the internet or control multi-media applications.

The only downside seems to be that with all this lounge comfort going on, motorists might feel more like chauffeurs than drivers of their own vehicles.

Says Mark Adams, Vauxhall’s Vice President of Design: “We have transferred the idea of a relaxing lounge to a vehicle and created an automobile oasis, a place to relax and enjoy. The Zafira Tourer Concept’s exterior design also makes a bold statement with its sleek, flowing lines and premium feel.”

Expect more coverage of the Geneva Motor Show right here, as and when. As and when.

The 2011 Vauxhall Corsa will certainly turn a few heads when it zooms onto the UK market next February.

Boasting a fresh new face, five new exterior colours and an upgraded chassis and powertrain, the new Vauxhall Corsa has been completely redesigned to bring it up-to-date with the new look Vauxhall line-up.

Friendly ‘Family Face’:

Featuring a re-styled front bumper, new headlamps and a signature chrome bar (carrying the new Vauxhall Griffin badge), the 2011 Vauxhall Corsa boasts the brand’s new ‘family face’ as seen on the new-look Insignia, Astra and Meriva models.

The new-look front bumper, featuring a wider, lower grille, gives the Corsa a smiling appearance, while the ‘Eagle-Eye’ headlamps (first seen on the Meriva), make the iconic supermini instantly recognisable.

New chrome-finished fog lamps and daytime running lights complete the fresh look at the front. The new Corsa also benefits from new 16’’ alloy wheels on both SE and SXi models, while the 192PS VXR model receives the option of a new 18’’ alloy wheel.

Striking New Colours:

Complementing the Corsa’s fresh look are five new exterior colours. The striking new colours (and we mean striking) includes Lime Green pearlescent (see pic) Guacamole and Chilli Orange metallic. Sunny Melon (a bright yellow) makes a welcome return to the Corsa range, while Pepperdust metallic has also been carried across from the new Meriva range.

Taking inspiration from the new exterior pallet, vibrant new colours also dominate the Corsa’s cabin, with seat trims such as Steel Blue and Tabasco Orange brightening the interior. A new range of different coloured door trims, centre consoles, air vent rings and door handles are also available on the 2011 model.

Upgraded Chassis & Powertrain:

After going wild on the exterior, Vauxhall’s engineers had a little tinkle with the 2011 Corsa’s steering and suspension. Softer springs have now been added to the front suspension, along with new larger anti-roll bar and fresh bushes, helping improve ride and control characteristics. New revised damper settings, enhanced steering geometry and an optional re-tuned ESP system are also available on the new 2011 model, ensuring a pleasurable drive as well as economical one.

The above changes join the previously upgraded engine line-up, featuring Vauxhall’s Start/Stop technology (available on certain ecoFLEX models) and reduced CO2 emissions of just 94g/km on the Corsa 1.3 CDTi (95PS) ecoFLEX model.

The new 2011 Vauxhall Corsa range starts from £9995 OTR with the first UK deliveries expected in February next year.

Fancy yourself behind the wheel of a Vauxhall Corsa? Nationwide Vehicle Contracts has a fantastic leasing deal on the Vauxhall Corsa 3 Dr 1.2i Energy A/C, in stock and available to lease from just £114.95 + VAT a month. To find out more simply follow the links or call the Nationwide team on 0844 482 9595

Vauxhall have made the award-winning Vauxhall Insignia range greener than ever thanks to improved fuel consumption and reduced CO2 emissions.

The European Car of the Year winning Insignia now boasts combined CO2 emissions as low as 129 g/km thanks to changes to the engine management system.

Setting the standard is the new Insignia ecoFLEX model which has seen emissions drop from 136 g/km to 129 g/km. Improvements have also been made to the fuel consumption which now delivers an impressive 57.6mpg. The changes mean that the ecoFLEX model falls under the 130g/km threshold making customers exempt from VED payments for the first year.

Improvements to the Insignia Sports Tourer ecoFLEX model are also impressive with CO2 figures dropping to 134g/km and fuel consumption of 55.4mpg, up from 53.3mpg.

In conjunction with the changes to the ecoFLEX range, the standard Vauxhall Insignia Saloon and Tourer models also benefit from lower CO2 emissions and improved fuel consumption thanks to the recent engine changes. The 2.0 CDTi 160PS model boasts CO2 emissions of 144g/km (down from 154g/km), 6.5% lower fuel consumption for all drivers and 2% drop in BIK tax for company car users.

The Insignia’s 2.0 CDTi engine has also been revised to reduce noise and vibrations in both 130PS and 160PS units. Engineers have designed a stiffer fixing between the injection pump and engine, reducing the piston noise at all engine speeds.

Car leasing rates have been reduced across the whole Vauxhall Insignia range with prices starting from £199.95 + VAT. View the Vauxhall Insignia range to find out more.

Vauxhall has made their all-new Vauxhall Meriva even more appealing with the introduction of a new ecoFLEX model.

The new, highly efficient Vauxhall Meriva ecoFLEX boasts a 1.3CDTi 16v (95PS) ecoFLEX engine, offering low CO2 emissions of just 119g/km and excellent fuel consumption without compromising on performance.

Since Vauxhall re-launched the all-new Meriva, the model has been making headlines thanks to its unique rear-hinged FlexDoors®, innovative FlexRail® centre console storage system and versatile FlexSpace® seating.

A buzz of media excitement has also accompanied the launch, with Auto Express proclaiming ”Vauxhall should be congratulated for producing such a daring design” and Car magazine describing New Meriva as ”a genuine class topper.”

The new Vauxhall Meriva ecoFLEX is now available to order with prices starting from £12,995.

Vivaro SWB 2.0Cdti 115Ps 2.7T

Trafic Sl29Dci 115
Trafic Ll29Dci 115

The Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer will be the second model to join the new Astra range which stands as the best-selling range in Britain for the first half of 2010.

The new Astra Sports Tourer model will boast extensive storage space with a maximum load capacity of 1550 litres with an additional 25 litres of space in the cabin. It will feature the option of Intelligent Adaptive Forward Lighting (AFL), which has eight different bi-xenon settings and automatically adapts the headlights according to weather and road conditions.

Buyers will have the choice of six different engines. Though stressing that all figures quoted are provisional, Vauxhall have revealed that the petrol line-up will include the 100PS 1.4i ECOTEC-4 with variable valve timing and sequential fuel injection whilst a new ecoFLEX model will become available soon after launch and will feature the innovative Start/Stop technology.  This feature prevents the engine from running when the car is in a stationary position which helps to reduce emissions and fuel consumption. The Astra Sports Tourer will be one of the first Vauxhall models to incorporate this feature.

In an obvious boon to UK manufacturing, the Astra Sports Tourer will be assembled solely at Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port plant in Cheshire, while its new upper-body structure has been 100 per cent engineered at Vauxhall Engineering Centre in Bedfordshire.

The Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer will receive its debut at this year’s Paris Motor Show in September and is expected to make it to UK showrooms by the end of the year.