Car and Van News

Peugeot hopes to boost the UK’s love-affair with its hot hatches with the arrival of the new 208 GTI in the next few weeks.

The UK is expected to account for 20 per cent of all sales of Peugeot’s latest pocket rocket – the most powerful GTI yet from the French manufacturer.

Peugeot is targeting a more upmarket and more international image, but needs to find a way of getting that message across to more buyers

UK managing director, Tim Zimmerman, believes the brand deserves more of the UK market than it currently holds.

Reports that Honda is making a return to F1 by way of supplying engines to McLaren has come as news to The Japanese car company’s executives at the Geneva Show.

News filtered out from The F1 rumour mill but company insiders say there is nothing happening as far as they have heard.

Renault has debuted its Captur at Geneva, and according to the brand’s UK boss the launch of the crossover model cannot come soon enough.

UK managing director, Ken Ramirez says the Captur will plug a huge gap in the Renault model range.

The Korean brand that the industry almost forgot is rebuilding in the UK under its new Indian owner.

According to SsangYong’s UK managing director Paul Williams, the brand will see a 50 per cent increase in sales this year to 1,500 vehicles.

As ever the monthly new car registration figures have produced very different reactions in car manufacturer boardrooms across the UK.

While some manufacturers, such as Kia and Skoda, are celebrating, for others, notably Renault, the figures have produced little cheer.

What is it: Load-lugging estate version of family car

Key features: Much bigger boot space, 1.7 diesel engine