The news from Ford came...
The news from Ford came as the bio-ethanol Focus was launched in the UK. It"s priced í‚á£14,095, although sales are expected to be "modest" because there are only five places in the country where you can fill up - and they"re all in Somerset, near to the biofuel project the blue oval is involved with. Locally grown wheat will be used to power the 40 Flexi-fuel cars being run by companies based in the area. "This is only the start," said a Ford spokesman. "In Sweden, for example, 80 per cent of Focuses sold are bioethanol, so we know people accept it. It"s about getting the infrastructure in place."
Originally scheduled...
Originally scheduled to debut in France next autumn, the Twingo II has been delayed for a year as Renault tries to make the project profitable in the face of competition from the Citroen C1/Peugeot 107/Toyota Aygo joint venture.
To minimise costs and keep the price of the newcomer as low as possible, Renault is thought to be considering production in Slovenia. However, although the Twingo"s on-sale date is still hazy, its styling won"t be - it will be one of the sharpest looking cars in its class, and build upon the popularity of its predecessor.
"As with the MINI, the Twingo has become an iconic car," said a Renault spokesman. "The new model will be a more modern interpretation of the current version, and will offer great value for money, as well as being the cheapest car in our range."
Although the new Twingo is very much a budget car, it will be well equipped, and is likely to come with an MP3 player-compatible stereo system - vital in attracting young buyers who want all the latest hi-tech equipment. Engines won"t be confirmed until nearer the car"s launch, but power is expected to come from the firm"s current 1.2-litre and 1.4 petrol units and 1.5 dCi diesel. Prices should start at around í‚á£7,500.