MINI EVOLVES:Mini has opted for evolution rather than revolution with the next generation car. It's hardly surprising given the continuing popularity of the current model, which would call into question the very reasoning behind a new version at this stage.
However BMW, which owns the Mini brand, is quick to point out that the new car, due for public unveiling next month at the Paris motor show, is comprised of entirely new parts apart from the floor structure.
The most important change is the new range of engines, developed in conjunction with Peugeot. The new Cooper and Cooper S both get 1.6-litre petrol engines that will also feature in upcoming versions of the new Peugeot 207. In the MINI range, the Cooper S gets a turbocharger rather than a supercharger, with power output at 175bhp while the Cooper will have 120bhp. The entry-level Mini One is powered by a 75bhp 1.4-litre unit. The Cooper models will be the first to arrive in showrooms at the end of the year, with the One and the diesel version following in the first half of 2007.
VW TURNS CORNER:
Volkswagen has announced that its VW brand first half operating profit before special items overtook that of its Audi brand, underscoring that the long-troubled core VW brand is slowly turning the corner.
The VW brand, which also includes Bugatti, Bentley and Skoda, posted an operating profit of €730 million in the first half, compared to €722 million at the Audi Brand Group, which also includes SEAT and Lamborghini.
SATNAV AIDS OVERTAKING:
BMW is to introduce a new driver aid to help drivers during overtaking. Developed in conjunction with satellite navigation firm Navteq, it uses road geometry data, knowledge about the vehicle's speed, and sensor generated speed information about the vehicle ahead.
The system then warns drivers when it is not safe to overtake. Navteq are quick to point out that it will not advise drivers when to overtake, as it is not able to include the oncoming traffic in its calculations.
US CONSUMERS HAPPY BUT BROWSING ABROAD:
US consumer satisfaction with their vehicle purchases has reached an all-time high, but ratings for domestic automakers mostly lagged those for foreign competitors, according to the latest nationwide survey.
The American Customer Satisfaction Index, a measure of consumer attitudes about businesses and the economy, said customer satisfaction with cars rose 1.3 per cent to 81 points out of a total of 100, driven by an improvement in quality.
Complaints are at a 10-year low and value-for-money ratings are at an all-time high, the study showed.
IRISHMAN IS WORLD'S TOP JAG TECHNICIAN:
Irishman Pat Faherty has won the 2006 Jaguar Global Challenge, an annual event to find the world's top Jaguar technician. Participants in the Global Challenge must complete five papers designed to test their product and technical knowledge.
Faherty is senior Jaguar technician with Bradley Jaguar in Galway, where he served his apprenticeship.