RADICAL CHANGE AT AUDI: Audi is reportedly preparing to launch a radically different A2 successor by 2008, aimed at taking on BMW's highly successful Mini.
According to reports in Automotive News Europe, the next-generation steel-body A2 will arrive by 2008 and will be based on the front-wheel-drive Volkswagen Polo small car. The report quotes Audi chairman Martin Winterkorn as saying the A2 will closely resemble the Shooting Brake concept shown last autumn at the Tokyo auto show.
TESTS SINGLE OUT HIGH RISKS: Chevrolet's new Aveo (above) has been singled out by Euro NCAP for the unacceptably high risk of life-threatening injury to the driver's chest, in its latest crash test results. It claims the issue was highlighted during frontal crash tests. The car received two stars for occupant safety and three each for pedestrian and child protection. The ratings are given out of five stars. Although the Aveo scored enough points overall to qualify for three stars,