Known as the Sports Tourer, it will be available to UK buyers in the second quarter of 2009 and will feature two new engines – a more powerful turbodiesel and a smaller capacity turbocharged petrol unit – in addition to the five powerplants available from launch in the saloon and hatchback models. An ecoFLEX Sports Tourer with competitively low emissions and fuel consumption will also be available in the near future.

Mark Adams, Vice-President of GM Europe Design, described the Sports Tourer’s design as athletic, powerful and elegant. “However,” says Mark, “this is a stand-alone model and not simply an estate version of the saloon. In fact, all the bodywork aft of the B-pillars is unique to the Sports Tourer. We’ve also ensured that its design combines the sculptural artistry and technical precision found in the saloon and hatch models.”

Designers gave the rear of the Sports Tourer a unique, yet cohesive appearance by pulling the wraparound tailgate deep in to its flanks and accentuating it with large, fully integrated tail lights.

Inside, as with the Insignia saloon and hatch, the Sports Tourer has ample room for five adults and one of the best loadspace volumes in its class. (Full dimension and capacity details of the loadspace will be revealed at the Paris Auto Show in October 2008.) Despite this, Vauxhall has retained the hatch and saloon’s wheelbase (2,737mm) and added around 80mm to its length.

The new petrol and diesel engines available in the Sports Tourer will complement the Insignia’s existing line up of three petrol and two diesel units, including the 130 and 160PS 2.0 CDTi which achieve 58.9mpg on the extra urban cycle, the 220PS 2.0i Turbo, and the 260PS 2.8i V6 range-topper, capable of powering the Insignia from 0-60mph in 6.7 seconds.

Like the Insignia hatch and saloon, the Sports Tourer will also be available with front- and all-wheel drive, as well as Vauxhall’s FlexRide system with its Adaptive Stability Technology.

The new estate model will also benefit from the high levels of technology showcased at Insignia’s launch, such as Vauxhall’s latest generation Adaptive Forward Lighting (AFL), with its nine light beam settings, and the Front Camera System, which can read and memorise road signs and alert drivers if they unintentionally veer off the road.

What is up with manufacturers producing strange vehicles that are normally completely outside their remit and brand? Lamborghini is at it this time. You could understand if they were targeting the older generation with their new four door concept that looks quite similar to the Reventon – but let’s face it, the car will still probably come with far too much power for the average person.

The design of the car has sharp lines, black air intakes and LED exterior lights – something that has been carried over from the current models and make it stand out from the crowd. The body shape however reminds me of some sort of strange bastard child of an RX-8 and – well I’m not sure what. I’m not a fan though unfortunately.

Apparently, in the official press release, Lamborghini have stressed that you can carry the kids around in it very comfortably and they won’t complain. However, you still get four wheel drive and a rumoured V-10 that will live in front of the cabin – presumably in front of the front wheels though as it will still be classed as ‘mid engined’.

The Estoque concept has 22 inch wheels, but is only four and a half feet high, so at least you won’t need to give the kids a hand to get in the thing. The instrumentation for the car is a bit more impressive than the exterior and has a lovely large LCD screen. This gives the driver the option of displays, types of gauge and of course access the all-important sat nav.

So, what’s the bottom line here? Well, a bunch of crazy, cash-rich, low-sense yuppies that can barely drive will eat these up in a second. Well, it beats the Joneses’ and their Range Rover right? Frankly, I’m shocked. Normally, Lamborghini produce wonderful looking machines. This time however they seem to have dropped the ball.

If you like your cars with the Mercedes brand but with an element of too-fast performance that comes with the Mclaren name being added to the title, then look no further than the 722. Perhaps though even cooler than this is the ‘S’ roadster version.

So, what’s so good about it? How about how amazingly aggressive this machine looks. This car doesn’t have beautiful curves; it has vampire fangs that sit at the front. It looks like a road-going dagger that’s set to rip the rear end off anything else on the road.

Performance? Well, you get a lovely AMG-built supercharged (better for fewer peaks in the range) 5.5 litre V8 engine with a crushing 617bhp and 605 foot pounds of torque. Of course this is a proper roadster though, which means that all the power goes to the rear wheels. Nonetheless, the automatic production version should still see off 62mph in 3.7 seconds. Fast doesn’t even cut it.

Bear in mind that you’ll need to be quick to get one of these real beasts because there are just 150 going to be made in the whole world. Naturally, the price hasn’t been mentioned. Why is that? Well, the simple answer comes down to the fact that if you have to ask, you can’t afford it…

It’s no secret that the 9-3 is a good looking convertible, even if other Saab models tend to slip into the GM zone of blandness that we, as car enthusiasts, want to avoid. However, this new concept looks set to shake everything up. Just look at those curves!

This car is packed with modern technology - not least the engine. Under the bonnet you’ll find a 1.4 turbocharged engine that is naturally running on E85 to churn out very little CO2. The roof is also interesting, being a soft top that is a two-piece. There’s also a rear glass panel that lowers when the roof is folded back and raises again to reduce turbulence.

What do you make of it? I’m really interested I have to say, the proportions of the thing make it look really cool. Saab’s website has a great little test on it too that’s quite fun to take so I’d recommend that.

Arash Farboud is the guy behind the Farboud cars – now known as the Farbio GTS.  Apparently, according to Wikipedia, he was unhappy with the result, however from everything I’ve seen and read the Farbio GTS is an extraordinary car.  However, the AF-10 is looking like it’s going to be something that little bit more.  A truly scary, amazingly powerful, proper British supercar.

Here’s some information about the company before we look at the car itself:
“Arash Cars was established in March 2006 and has been working on AF10 ever since. The styling drawings were made in March 2005 by Arash Farboud Designs and have since been converted into computer models and aerodynamic CFD mesh models. The chassis was designed over a 6 month period by Ashley Gaunt in association with Arash Cars to package the bodywork and chosen engine.

The company is located in Sawston on the outskirts of Cambridge. Most testing will be conducted at Millbrook Proving Grounds 20 miles away from the company. The facility in Sawston Cambridge is equipped with a styling studio, painting booth, carbon lamination room, parts despatch area, Carbon Curing Autoclave Oven and polished epoxy floored car assembly stations. A board room and administration offices are also located at the site.”

The AF-10 is set to be priced at £172,000 – let’s just get that out of the way first of all.  It isn’t something that you’re just going to pop down to the dealership and purchase on a whim.  It is, as they say in the industry, aspirationally priced.  That means unless you’re a model with a rich boyfriend or a hedge fund manager then you probably aren’t going to get in one.

So, what do you get for your (many) pounds?  How about a handmade carbon-fibre body, that is produced in (of all places) Cambridge.  The gearbox?  From Italy.  The engine?  Well, Mr Farboud must have something for America, as he’s gone for an ‘interesting’ choice of the seven litre V8.  The very same engine that powers the Corvette Z06 in fact.  This gives a whopping 530bhp of power on tap, as well as a Bugatti-chasing 0-60 dash of 3.4 seconds.

Those looks are what really grab me though.  The car is clearly inspired by racers that you see on the track at Le Mans and other similar events.  This makes it look futuristic and of course makes all the lines exceptionally clean and aerodynamically efficient.

Don’t, however, get the wrong idea.  This isn’t a car that can only be driven by amazingly talented drivers such as yours truly.  Oh no.  This is a superbly built vehicle with many parts chosen for reliability and comfort.  This means that you get air con, sat nav, an MP3 player, a touch screen console and a rear view console.

What is most impressive about this feat of British automotive design?  How about the fact that it only takes a few days instead of weeks to manufacture.  This means that you could well be seeing an Arash AF-10 on the road by mid 2009.  Mr Farboud, we salute you!

N.B. Can I please have a blast in one before the end of this year?

MGs are rolling out from Longbridge in Birmingham to dealers up and down the country.  It’s a historic moment, well historic in that the last time it happened was 2005.  This isn’t any old MG though; it’s the new MG TF LE500.  The uprated, more modern looking 2 seater sports car is set to go on sale from 20th September.

Shanghai Automotive (SAIC) is hoping to produce 700 of the model by the end of the year.  The LE500 comes at the not unreasonable cost of only £16,500 – putting it in the same price bracket as the Mazda MX-5 soft top (it comes with a price tag of £15,750).

The LE500 designation is only suitable for the first 500 cars, as they are going to be individually numbered.  Whether this will make them a collectors’ item remains to be seen, but having a little numbered plaque will certainly make your MGTF stand out from the crowd.  You’re buying into a little bit of history you see.  It’s certainly a fresh start after all the layoffs at the factory.

Moving on to the car, the stats for the LE500 include an mpg of 36, a rather high (at least these days) CO2 count of 185g/km, and a 9 second sprint to 60.  The top speed of the car weighs in at a tasty 125mph.  For your money you get the decent hard top, leather and air conditioning.  Power comes from the 1.8 16v 135bhp unit.  Whilst none of this might sound particularly inspiring, the car does look good and should offer a viable alternative to the MX-5 and other small two seaters.

The figures, in my opinion, don’t really do the car justice.  You see, I’ve driven an old TF and I can tell you that they are genuine good fun.  You are put you low down in the car, so you get chucked about as if you were in a go kart.  I’m sure the rear-wheel-drive mid-engine layout certainly helps a lot to give the right dynamics too.  It is simply a great way to spend a sunday afternoon, or even just a morning driving to work.

To find out more visit the official MG TF site.

If you haven’t seen the Renault Twingo, I’d thoroughly recommend getting yourself to the nearest Renault showroom.  The car is cute, but not overly so and has wonderful swooping lines at the front end.  In fact, the whole thing looks like it should be set up for a sporty ride, which is where this new version comes in.

Based very much on the standard model (if it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it), this version comes with a more racy bodykit, a tuned exhaust to give a more aggressive note and of course that all important engine – uprated to 133bhp.

The first thing that is noticeable is that with a price tag shy of £12,000 this is definite hot hatch territory at a number that shouldn’t ruin your wallet.  Amazingly, rather than going for a small engine and whacking in a turbocharger (at a risk of giving a more peaky profile), there sits a wonderful 1.6 litre engine that comes normally aspirated.  This means the car should be good for 60 in less than 9 seconds, and a top speed of 125mph.

This doesn’t actually put it in hot hatch territory; much more of a warm hatch with regard to straight line performance.  However, it’s the ride and handling that gives the most pleasure.  The chassis has been widened by 60mm to give it more of a controllable feel under hard cornering.

Briliantly, when you turn in hard, you’ll find there’s a ton of grip and very little roll.  You’ll find that it’s actually quite neutral too, unless you really hammer it.  It’ll then step out into understeer territory – not exactly unknown for front wheel drive vehicles that have ‘sporty’ aspirations.

In terms of how practical this car is – well it’s not massive now is it?  It’s only a four seater and you may find it’s a little sluggish with a full load.  However, at the price tag it’s set at, this is a genuinely fun car – something that you don’t find that often these days.  It’s a breath of fresh air and it will manage to pull a trick or two that you’ll be surprised at, whether on the road or track.

Would I recommend it?  Absolutely.  If I didn’t want more power.  Nonetheless, for the price, you can’t go wrong, and it is certainly a viable alternative to something like a Fiat 500.  Especially if you fancy the idea of a sportier ride and are happy to pay the extra £650 for the Cup chassis.

This is the new Trident Iceni.  The makers (British by the way) claim that this thing will go beyond 200mph, but even better it will get to an amazing 70 miles per gallon.  Do you believe it?  No, I’m not so sure that I do either actually.

Unlike almost every other supercar built, this one is running on diesel.  Whilst many will draw comparisons to the Audi R8 diesel (unsurprisingly), the Iceni uses a 6.6 litre V8 turbodiesel engine that produces 550bhp and an insane amount of torque – 950lbs per foot.  This should be enough to snap your neck, uproot trees or pull ocean liners to shore – whatever your weekend preference is.

Perhaps putting the figures in another way is more meaningful.  All that power allows the car to zoom to 60 in just 3.7 seconds, which is as quick as a Ferrari F40.  Even better, take it on a long, straight road and you can push it to the 200+ mile per hour top speed.  Cor blimey!

What though explains the huge mpg figure that I set out in the title?  I’m not too sure.  Apparently though, it’s down to something called “torque multiplication”.  Nope, I’ve never heard of it either.  Nonetheless, Trident claims that “[it’s] available now, requires no further research and development and can make an immediate difference to the amount of emissions diesel vehicles produce”.

I’ve no idea if this is true as you’d think that they would then sell it to every diesel manufacturer in the world, but there we are.  Amazingly though, it looks as though the claim is true.  A recent test at the Millbrook proving ground showed the car returning 69mpg.  Even better than this, at town speeds there’s talk of having a range of 2,000 miles on a single tank of diesel.

The body is also pretty impressive (aside from it looking pretty cool).  It is made from stainless steel and is guaranteed against corrosion for 100 years.  So, what’s not to like?  I’ve no idea really.  Apparently, the icing on the cake is the price.  It weighs in at a not wallet unfriendly (erm, if you hugely rich still) £75,000.  Well, it’s a good alternative to an Aston Martin right?

Liberty Electric Cars Ltd is investing £30 million in the re engineering of large luxury cars and 4 x 4’s into emission-free, high performance electric vehicles.  The company is designing and manufacturing a unique electric drive-train platform to power a wide range of large vehicles, which also have the flexibility to incorporate emerging technologies.

Annual vehicle production plans, which include the world’s first zero emission, electrically powered Range Rover, are in tens of thousands and, creating around 250 new technology and manufacturing jobs.  The Liberty Electric Range Rover drives cleanly and quietly around roads and cities, free of tax, congestion and parking charges, making less environmental impact than even the smallest, most fuel efficient petrol car, yet still offering the comfort and security of a luxury 4 x 4.

Electric vehicles have 80 per cent lower running costs than petrol cars.  Electrical power is also a more efficient source of power, and enhances a car’s dynamic performance because of its instantly available torque.  Liberty Electric Cars’ management team is lead by Barry Shrier, founder and CEO.  Barry Shrier is a technology entrepreneur. As managing director at Deutsche Bank, he developed the mobile payment system - Pay Box.  He is also a non executive director of Washington-based satellite technology company Leo Terra LLC.

Consumers and businesses are increasingly more concerned about global warming and climate change, and market demand for zero emission electric cars is developing rapidly.  As a result, a whole new technology base needs to emerge quickly, to keep pace with social and legislative change.

Liberty Electric Cars recognises that a significant challenge to turn innovative zero emission ideas into volume production rests with the industry’s first tier of component suppliers.  The purpose of the Liberty Zero Emission Vehicle Foundation is to raise awareness, and attract funds and investment into this sector from private and public sources.  It will accelerate the market introduction of zero emission vehicle technologies, over what can be achieved by global market forces alone.

Barry Shrier, CEO, Liberty Electric Cars, says: “There is a great wealth of UK automotive engineering ingenuity and innovation that can lead the world in the newly emerging zero emission vehicle space. However, a major and rapid ‘environmental technology’ shift across the entire industry is a significant challenge for suppliers looking to develop prototypes into volume production - made even more difficult in the current credit crunch climate. The Zero Emission Vehicle Foundation is the catalyst that will enable the leading technology innovators to get the support they need. ”

The Foundation’s board is chaired by Lord Anthony St John of Bletso, and will include other prominent figures from the automotive industry, the sciences, Government and the private sector.

It brings component suppliers and vehicle manufacturers together, to create the right connections, through its quarterly meetings. The Foundation is attracting funding from large corporations that have a vested interest in the earliest possible arrival of zero emission driving. It will also co ordinate with the Technology Strategy Board, which is set to launch the Low Carbon Vehicles Integrated Delivery Programme, backed by £70 million of Government investment.

The standard Insignia is looking to be quite a special car – however the Sports Tourer looks to be even better. Whether it’s hugely more practical or a true ‘lifestyle’ choice remains to be seen though, you probably need four wheel drive and Japanese-build durability for that!

Vauxhall said:
“Available in late Spring 2009, the Sports Tourer brings vast levels of loadspace and versatility without compromising the dynamic design and innovative technology seen on the hatch and saloon models.”

So, what’s good about it? Well, it has a longer wheelbase than the other models and thankfully due to sharing the majority of the same bodywork (after the ‘B’ pillars it is unique however), it’ll be released only a few months after the other two variants. Thankfully, it does operate more as a ‘stand alone’ model than an estate version of the car – which should appeal to potential buyers.

Two new engine variants will debut in the Insignia Sports Tourer, alongside the five units from the hatchback and saloon models. There will be an uprated turbodiesel that will offer more power than the standard Insignia’s 158bhp range-topping CDTi model, and a small-capacity turbocharged ‘Ecoflex’ petrol unit. This is in line with the standard idea that the Sports Tourer should be more powerful than standard.

So, what do I make of it? Well, I think that finally we might well be seeing Vauxhall produce motors that could actually compete with the might of Germany’s Audi and VW marques. In fact, it’s a rather attractive Sports Tourer – whether it’s as nice as the Renault Laguna Sports Tourer remains to be seen – though I am going for a test drive in one of these fairly soon.

I’m still hoping to be one of the first to drive the Vauxhall Insignia, so I’ll certainly keep you all informed on how that goes.