ECHO
motors-merseyside Friday, September 12, 2008
E U Q R A M OF Y T I L A U Q
New Mégane a serious rival for German makers
T
HE philosophy of pile ‘em high, sell ’em cheap has worked a treat for companies such as Renault and Citroën.
But a serious indication that this tradition could be ending comes with the unveiling of the latest Mégane model, which Renault says will beat its German rivals on all counts. The French manufacturers now believe that selling fewer
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edited by Mike Torpey vehicles at higher premiums because of their sheer quality is the way forward, which is why Citroën is promoting its latest models as being German cars made in France. Renault is adopting the same stance with its next generation Mégane, which it says will surpass the build quality standards of even the benchmark VW Golf.
Company boss Carlos Ghosn, who has dramatically transformed the fortunes of sister company Nissan, has decreed that the new Mégane must raise the bar in terms of compact car status. The first hatchback models go on sale in November. Within a couple of years the range will be expanded to encompass half a dozen different versions
including coupes and coupe cabriolets. The dCi 85 and dCi 105 engines will be joined by the dCi 90 and the particulate filter-equipped dCi 110. Each of these engines emits less than 120g/km of CO2, while the new dCi 130 has a CO2 figure of 135g/km. Mégane’s engine line-up will soon be extended to include the dCi 160 coupled with a manual gearbox and the dCi 150 mated to an automatic transmission. The petrol range will comprise the 1.6-litre 100bhp and 110bhp units plus the 2.0-litre 140bhp and TCe 180 with the former having a six-speed manual gearbox initially and a continuously
variable system added later. Renault's latest petrol engine, the TCe 130 will also be added next spring. This 1.4-litre engine has the power of a 1.8-litre unit and the torque of a 2.0 yet its CO2 emissions are less than those of a 1.6. It will come with a choice of five or six-speed manual or automatic transmissions. There will also be biofuelcompatible engines using bioethanol and biodiesel. Despite being bigger and roomier, the new Mégane is an average 8kg lighter than the current car, and will come with a range of hi-tech options including progressive warnings to alert the driver of prevailing speed limits.
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CHEVROLET is hoping to cash in on the new 58 registration plate with a September sale, slashing some new car prices by more than £2,000. The biggest saving is on the Kalos supermini, with the 1.4 SX five-door reduced from £9,370 to £6,995. The larger Lacetti 1.6 SX comes down by £9,295, while the Matiz city car is reduced from £6,995 to £5,995.
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VOLVO’S new flagship lorry will be making its UK debut at the Truckfest North-West show on at Haydock Park racecourse this weekend. The left-hand drive FH16-660 is a high specification 8x4 Heavy Hauler and is fully kitted out with factory-fitted Volvo accessories including light-bars, beacons and polished alloy wheels.
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THE Snake Pass in Derbyshire has been named as the country’s best driving road in a survey by British sports car manufacturer Caterham. The A57 from Sheffield to Glossop topped the poll to find the best – and worst – stretches of the 230,000 miles of tarmac that link the UK. Not surprisingly, the clockwise section of the M25 between Junction 5 and 21 was voted the worst by nearly a third of those questioned.
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A HI-TECH juke box on wheels is to be introduced by Audi as part of its latest in car entertainment improvements. A 40GB hard disk drive multi-media system has been launched by the German car maker which includes a 3D sat nav system, DVD playback, iPod and MP3 connectivity and the ability to store 4,000 songs from an SD card. The new Multi Media Interface with HDD navigation is now fitted as standard to A8 models.