Oh well never mind. Today will all be unveiled at the 2010 Paris Motor Show where Hyundai will give us more information on its new b-segment people carrier, the ix20, as well as a new saloon car called the Optima, a facelift i10 with tiny 1.0 engine and 99 g/km emissions and a rather funky looking concept called the POP.

Hyundai ix20 concept
Essentially it’s a Kia Venga but with a new ‘Fluidic Design’ dreamed up by Hyundai’s new team of design engineers at their European R&D centre in Russelsheim, Germany. The new design apparently reduces weight and allows the air to flow more efficiently over the streamlined curves, reducing drag and improving overall performance.

However, it’s under the bonnet where it all matters these days as car makers scramble to reduce emissions, reducing the taxation in our wallets and tempting us into their showrooms. Road fund licencing bands has become of upper most importance to the majority of car buyers and factors heavily in their buying decisions.

Hyundai & Kia have been busy in this department, bringing us ISG Stop & Go technologies, new efficient designs and a flurry of concepts showing new ways of building safer cars out of thin air.

Today Hyundai will show us how their investment has paid off and reveal not only a new competitor in the b-segment class, but also one that can carry 5 people and their luggage comfortably without destroying the ozone layer. Enter the Blue Drive ix20.

It’s going to be powered by the same engine that Kia will also unveil today in their Venga. A new 1.4 diesel engine from their new U2 family range of engines, which produces 75 bhp and only 114 g/km of CO2. This will mean a band C rating and £30 a year road tax which is pretty impressive for a car of this size.

ISG Stop & Go will be a given as this also helps reduce emissions, as well as low-rolling resistance, high pressure tyres. What we don’t know is the performance figures as early reviews are suggesting the Venga, with it’s current 89 bhp diesel engine, is left a little wanting on the acceleration stakes.

Still the way things are going with car design we’ll all be driving around in bubbles and floating along nicely at 30mph. But we’ll be content because we also know were saving the planet.

Entitled ‘You Have To Be Confident To Offer A Long Warranty. You Have To Be Hyundai To Make It Unlimited Mileage’ the message is loud and clear that whilst the others offer long warranties, they are all capped by mileage limitations.

Whilst on average most car owners keep a car for 3 years and cover approx 10,000 miles annually, most warranties, restricted by mileage give enough cover. However research by Hyundai has shown that it’s the unlimited mileage message in their warranty that its customers value the most.

The campaign starts today and will be covered by the mass media in both print and online.

The estimates are based on annual mileage of 10,000 per year and over the traditional 3 year ownership cycle. Again these are only predicted values but shows that demand for the Juke is predicted to be high, with the bulk of the sales taken up by the private sector as opposed to relying on fleet.

Currently over 1,250 Juke pre-orders have been taken in the UK alone, with an estimated 10,000 across all European countries and of course 12,500 in Japan. The US gets the Juke later in the year but is expected to do well.

Available to order from 1st August, the new Kia Sportage First Edition offers a teaser of what's to come when the full line up appears in showrooms in October 2010.

Priced from £20,777 for the manual, 6-speed automatic optional at £1,300, the First Edition features Kia's intelligent All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) system and a 2.0 CRDi Euro 5 diesel engine developing 134 bhp at 4,000 rpm with a reassuring 320 Nm of torque from just 1,800 rpm. With a gross weight of 2140 kg and towing weight of 2000 kg this SUV should appeal to caravan enthusiasts.

Mated to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission, the model accelerates quicker and has a higher top-speed of 112mph (compared to 110mph). The manual gearbox achieves combined fuel economy of 47.1mpg – 7.3mpg better than the old model – with CO2 emissions of just 156g/km; a huge reduction of 31g/km. Even the new automatic outscores the previous manual model, with fuel consumption of 40.4mpg (versus 39.8mpg) and CO2 emissions of 183g/km (formerly 187mpg). It is also quicker and faster than the previous manual Sportage.

Coupled to the AWD, a number of new electronic features have been added to the Sportage, increasing safety for on-road driving and the car’s capability for those owners who wish to go off-road or live in areas where bad weather and poor driving conditions are facts of life.

Standard Electronic Stability Control (ESC) counteracts any tendency for the car to understeer or oversteer in hard cornering or adverse conditions. It is linked to three additional systems similar to those on new Sorento – Downhill Brake Control (DBC), Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) and a Roll-over Sensor.

Equipment Levels

The ‘First Edition’ model is a highly equipped model, featuring the latest in innovative technology coupled with all the necessary specification to provide a luxurious and comfortable driving experience.

Featuring stunning, rimless 18” Alloy wheels, Privacy glass, silver Roof rails and chrome exterior highlights such as the front grille and exterior door handles, the First Edition is an eye-catching model on the road. Added to this are LED Daytime running lights, Body coloured, electric folding door mirrors with integrated LED indicators, Front fog lights and a Rear Spoiler with an integrated LED brake light.

Headlight technology is enhanced further with new Cornering Light technology, which increases the illumination of curbs and corners when driving round bends.

An advanced reversing camera system with auto-dimming rearview mirror – like that featured on Soul and Sorento models – completes the ‘First Edition’ specification. Coupled to standard reversing sensors for an audible warning, the camera system transmits a visual image to an LCD colour display integrated into the rearview mirror.

The new Sportage First Edition follows in the footsteps of all other Kia's with 7 year/100,000 mile manufacturer warranty.

Juke Hit squads have also been visiting regions around the country spreading the gospel on what is anticipated to be Nissan most important car launch to date, Nissan LEAF excluded of course.

However, early indications that the Juke will storm the car sales charts are mixed. Some dealers are reporting luke warm interest whereas others have simply been inundated with customers, some of which have pre-ordered on the spot.

Still it's early days and once Nissan's TV campaigns kick into full flow, remember the Qashqai ads, things will start to change gear. Customers are simply going to love this car.

Big In Japan

It comes as no surprise to learn the Japanese have taken to the Juke. According to some reports, Nissan have taken over 10,000 Juke orders in the first month, that's 7000 + more than was anticipated, with the bulk of the buyers being over 50. This would also tie in with an announcement to UK dealers that the car would be delayed for a month.

First up is the Hyundai i10 supermini with reduced fuel consumption and enhancements to Classic specification. The changes deliver up to a 4% improvement over the previous position, with the 1.1 Edition now achieving CO2 emissions of just 114g/km, and 58.9mpg on the combined cycle. 

In addition to the greater efficiency, i10 Classic variants will also benefit from a number of specification upgrades and new features. From March production 2010, all i10 Classic variants will include the following enhancements at no extra cost, delivering even greater customer value on what is already an exceptionally well specified entry level car:

• Intermittent Front Wiper
• Cloth Seat Trim (with same pattern as Comfort and Style)
• Front Passenger Under Seat Storage Tray
• Driver and Passenger Sun Visor Vanity Mirrors
• Driver's Seatbelt Reminder
• Seat Back Pockets

The changes should be in place by 1st April after current stock has been exhausted.

Hyundai have already identified that there will be initially a strong demand for the Premium derivatives, particularly with the media pack. The initial stock of ix35 demonstrators will be the only vehicles subject to allocation and all derivatives will be available to order on or around the launch date.

Hyundai see the new ix35 appealing to those who bought its Tucson SUV, but with its style, efficiency and ingenuity, it broadens Hyundai's appeal to a new set of car buyers. Modern families, people with busy and active lives who are style-conscious, but above all, family-focused will be the primary target.

The iX35 follows Hyundai's aggressive pricing strategy, being positioned firmly in the volume ?جø¬°15,000 – ?جø¬°20,000 market. This means it competes not only with traditional competitors such as the Ford Kuga and VW Tiguan, but also against 5-seat MPVs such as the Citroen C4 Picasso and traditional C-segment hatches such as the Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra. The price will embarrass many established competitors, with the entry level iX35 Style costing almost ?جø¬°1,400 less than Ford's entry level Focus and over £5,000 less than the Kuga.

The iX35 enters the market with an unmatched level of equipment. Two trim levels are available – Style and Premium – which offer the most comprehensive list of standard items in the segment and better the offering of any C segment or MPV competitor. For example, the Style specification includes reversing sensors, Bluetooth connectivity, heated front and rear seats, ESP and leather steering wheel and gear knob all as standard. While due to changing customer priorities we believe the 2 wheel drive models will take the majority of sales, of course ix35 is also available with 4 wheel drive, giving it even more cross-segment appeal.

Further, Hyundai's engine know-how brings to market two engines which combine power with surprising efficiency. The 2.0 petrol (161BHP and 177g/km of CO2) and new 2.0 CRDi diesel (134BHP and 147g/km of CO2) beats crossover competitors with ease; the diesel emits 20g/km less than Nissan Qashqai's 2.0 diesel, but offers the same fuel consumption as the Focus 2.0 TDCi.

Later in 2010, a 6 speed automatic transmission will be available for the 2.0CRDi 134BHP engine and two all new engines – a 1.6 GDi petrol and 1.7 CRDi diesel – will further strengthen the line-up.

Officially going on sale 4th January, the new Santa Fe offers subtly enhanced exterior styling and improved safety features, as well as more powerful diesel engines with lower emissions.

Revisions to the design of the Santa Fe are concentrated on the finer details, and its strong silhouette is instantly recognisable, combining visual toughness with discreet style.

At the front, the black two bar grille is replaced by chrome-edged three bar version that brings more distinction and flows into the strong creases running down the bonnet. Revised headlight clusters sit above a new, more sculpted bumper which also houses new fog lights in a black surround. The rear gains a new bumper that curves neatly into more distinctive light clusters, while trapezoidal exhaust pipes and new alloy wheel designs improve the car’s stance and presence on the road.

On the inside carbon black trim replaces the previous wood finishes to highlight the Santa Fe’s modern feel, and the standard single CD/RDS radio now comes with an AUX/USB connection with full iPod control for increased functionality.

The range has been simplified, with the two-model range now comprising of entry-level Style and higher spec Premium. Style models are packed with standard equipment: 17-inch alloy wheels, reversing sensors, ESP and air conditioning are among the standard features, while moving up to Premium adds 18-inch wheels, dual climate control, heated leather seats with electric adjustment for the driver and automated lights and wipers amongst others. A new ioniser system helps to eliminate bad odours in the cabin by preventing the build up of unwanted bacteria, increasing comfort levels for passengers, and there’s also redesigned cloth trim on Style models too.

The Santa Fe retains its outstanding MPV-rivalling practicality, with the even more versatile seven-seat option available for a modest £750 on both Style and Premium models. In either version it offers a huge 969 litres of load space in a five-seat configuration – double that of some its rivals – rising to a van-like 2,247with all the seats folded. This is an increase of 34 litres over the previous model. Seven-seat versions are also fitted with a self-levelling rear suspension set up and rear privacy glass as standard, while five-seat versions get a substantial under-floor storage area that is ideal for keeping wet or dirty items away from the main boot area.

At the heart of the rejuvenated Santa Fe is a new 2.2-litre direct injection ‘R’ diesel engine that demonstrates major improvements over the already-impressive outgoing version. This Euro V compliant, all-aluminium 2199cc powerplant offers up a class-leading 194bhp  – more than the six-cylinder units offered in some rival vehicles – backed by a mighty 311lb.ft of torque (322lb.ft when specified with an automatic gearbox) which amounts to improvements of 26% and 27% respectively on the previous engine.

A third-generation common rail system delivers fuel at 1800 bar for a highly efficient burn, and an electronically-controlled variable geometry turbocharger ensures sharp responses and a broad spread of performance: peak torque arrives at just 1,800rpm. The fitment of a balancer shaft ensures high levels of refinement are maintained and a diesel particulate filter is standard on all models.

These huge strides in power and efficiency give the Santa Fe an advantage over a wide range of competitors. With the six-speed manual transmission fitted, the Santa Fe can sprint to 62mph from rest in 9.8 seconds, giving it hot-hatch like acceleration. Although ultimate performance is not usually top of family 4×4 buyers’ priorities it is nice to know that it is the fastest seven-seat SUV you can buy for under £35,000.

The new 2010 Hyundai Santa fe range starts at £21,495 for the 2.2 CRDI Style 5 seater and upto £25,495 for the 2.2 CRDi Premium Automatic with 7 seats.

Peugeot are seeing new car sales 29% above compared to November 2008. Sales to private buyers were up 89% as a result of scrappage and winter deals across Peugeot’s range of new cars.

Overall sales growth for the Peugeot 207 is up 43% on the previous year. This is in part aided by it's new range of low emissions engines found in the 207 Economique which produces just 99g/km CO2 and £0.00 vehicle excise duty.

Peugeot 3008 sales exceed UK sales’ objectives

One month after its commercial launch in November 2009, the Peugeot 3008 has already exceeded the stated UK sales objective by over 125%. A total of 887 vehicles have already been sold.

The Peugeot 3008 is now on sale in the majority of European markets where to date 50,000 vehicles have been sold, 15% above the European volume objectives set by the Marque.

To further support 3008 sales in the UK until 31st December, the 3008 Active is now available with a 5.9% APR Passport deal with 0% deposit over 25, 31 or 37 months.

Related: Peugeot 207 Accessories

The 'Strike' Special Edition is available on Ceed 5-door and Pro Ceed 1.4 petrol engines only, based on the entry model ‘1’ with the addition of new 16” dark grey alloy wheels and Bluetooth functionality with iPod connectivity. Other key items of spec include remote central locking, body coloured door handles and air conditioning.

Priced from £10,995 for the 5-door and £10,695 for the Pro Ceed OTR, with a colour selection of Arctic White (solid), Infra Red (metallic) and a new unique Byte Blue (metallic) that has not been previously available. The Metallic/Mica premium is £404 inc. VAT. These prices incorporate the higher 17.5% VAT rate expected to be implemented from January 1st 2010.

Ceed 'Strike' models can be ordered from 7/12/09 but will not be available in UK showrooms until 1/1/2010.  Insurance ratings will be confirmed before the model goes on sale.