A round-up of today's other stories in brief...
Daihatsu abandons European market after currency and diesel surge hit sales
JAPANESE SMALL CAR maker Daihatsu is pulling out of European markets from January 2013. It has blamed a sharp depreciation of the euro against the Japanese yen for the decision, along with a growing preference by European buyers for diesel engines.
A spokesman for the firm’s Irish distributor, OHM Group, said Daihatsu – which is owned by Toyota – has decided the investment to maintain European sales is no longer worthwhile. In Ireland its sales have slumped from 933 new cars in 2000 to just 26 new car sales last year for the brand.
The firm was particularly hit by the introduction of the emissions-based tax system in July 2008. Its new car sales fell from 712 in 2007 to just 62 by the end of 2009.
The brand was first imported into Ireland in 1985, in a joint venture between Toyota Ireland and Inchcape. In 1991, Inchcape took full control and the OHM Group took over in 1995. It won public and critical acclaim in the late 1980s for its Charade range.
Citroën's grand departure with DS5
Citroën is preparing to unveil its latest DS model, the DS5, at the Shanghai motor show at the end of this year and the car is due to take a very different approach to the earlier DS range.
While maintaining the brand’s reputation as one of the car industrys design leaders, and instead of giving a revamped look to an established model, the DS5 is going to be much closer to a crossover vehicle than to the current C5.
Measuring in at 4.6 metres, the car (pictured) will offer a very spacious interior, while the engine range will include a diesel hybrid offering, according to company insiders.