Car and Van News

Upmarket small cars are at the forefront of a revival in the fortunes of troubled Peugeot, with the UK leading the way in Europe.

The luxurious 208 XY, sporty 208 GTi and soon-to-arrive 2008 crossover are all in high demand.

Mazda has not abandoned its unique rotary engine, despite the car industry’s drive towards alternative fuels and powertrains.

Often criticised in the past for its poor fuel economy, the rotary engine remains very much in the minds of the Japanese company’s engineers.

The UK’s new car market continued to climb in May, but the private sector is providing the biggest news.

Private demand jumped by 20.9 per cent, for the first time outperforming volumes seen before the recession in 2007.

Nissan’s Micra has undergone its mid-life revamp, but to a degree that its makers claim is rather more than a mid-life revamp.

New exterior metal, a complete interior restyle and new tech form the core of the changes, which will be on cars available from September.

Isuzu has added 500kg to the towing capacity of its latest D-Max pickup.

All 4×4 models of the D-Max on sale from July will be able to tow a maximum braked load of 3.5 tonnes.

Volkswagen is adding a range of accessories to the standard specification of its Crafter van range, which the brand says are worth more than £700.

The upgrades include both cabin and load-area enhancements.

In the premium executive car segment it is deemed as madness not to offer a diesel-powered version – these engines account for the biggest share of the market.

Lexus, however, thinks differently – ask why there is no diesel for the new IS model and the brand will spin the question around and ask why some rivals don’t have a hybrid option.