Seat's Freetrack off road Seat has revealed details of its first ever off-roader; the Altea Freetrack. It's a rugged version of the Altea XL with a 40mm taller ride height, hard-wearing plastic bumpers and four-wheel-drive. Power is provided by a 2.0 litre turbo petrol engine (197bhp) or a 2.0 litre turbodiesel (167bhp). The latter gives better fuel economy, managing 41.5mpg to the petrol engine's 30mpg.
As it's more lifestyle SUV than hardcore off-roader, the Freetrack's four-wheel-drive system only operates part-time, diverting power to the rear wheels when needed. This larger but still five-seat Altea comes stocked with standard equipment, including a DVD player with rear screens, climate control, cruise control, parking sensors, rain-sensing wipers and six airbags.
TT Clubsport could make production Audi has unveiled a clubsport version of the TT roadster, which could go on sale later this year. Although still clearly a TT, this model is stripped-out, lighter, wider and more powerful than the standard car, doing without a roof and featuring a speedster-style low wraparound windscreen. Known as the TT Clubsport, it uses a tuned version of the four-cylinder 2.0 litre TFSI engine producing 300bhp - that's 40 horses more than the standard TT. This is the first time we've seen the four cylinder engine - preferred to the TT's V6 by many testers - paired with the quattro all-wheel-drive system. There'll be a DSG gearbox controlled by a conventional manual lever - using the same aluminium stick and H-gate from the R8 supercar - plus leather seats with four-point race harnesses, a Bang and Olufsen MP3 player and a lighter, simplified dashboard. The brakes are carbon ceramic, the alloys 20 inch, and this design study's being displayed at a tuning show in Austria.
Saab Reveals facelifted 9-3 Saab's 9-3 saloon, convertible and sportwagon range has been lightly facelifted, the revised line-up going on sale this August. Most obvious is a bolder three-piece grille inspired by the nose of the Aero X concept car, along with a new bonnet, minor changes to the rear and redesigned door panels inside. The exterior lights have also been reworked. Mechanical improvements are also on the agenda, although Saab has yet to reveal details of these. As before, the 9-3 will be available with petrol, diesel and biofuel engines.
The 9-3 facelift is a prelude to a busy period of new model introductions for Saab that will see it launching a replacement for the 9-5 in saloon and estate forms next year, the launch of a cross-over two years from now - it's positioned between the BMW X3 and - and a rival to the Audi A3 beyond that.
Vauxhall to launch 'eco' models Vauxhall will be launching an array of more economical and environmentally friendly models this summer, and has also indicated how it plans to lower the CO2 output of its range to the 130g/km average that may be mandated by the EU in 2012. Among the models to be launched this summer will be a version of the 1.3 CDTi diesel Corsa that achieves 119g/km with a particulate filter - the just-announced 119g/km version currently achieves this figure without the filter - along with cleaner versions of the Astra and Tigra among other models. The company will be unveiling a replacement for the Vectra, with a new name, later this year.
In the longer term Vauxhall plans to roll out a whole range of fuel and CO2 saving technologies, ranging from gearshift indicators and low-rolling resistance tyres to downsized, turbocharged engines and a wider choice of biofuel-compatible models. New families of engines will feature fuel saving features like electric oil and water pumps, improved variable valve-timing, direct injection and reduced internal friction, as well as being downsized. General Motors, which owns Vauxhall, reckons that the 1.6 turbo engine it is developing to replace a normally-aspirated 2.0 litre will be up to 40 percent more economical, with similar reductions in CO2 output.
Diesel engines will also be downsized, although a reduction from 1.9 to 1.7 litres will yield only a seven to eight per cent improvement in fuel consumption and CO2 reduction, in part because the larger engine is already turbocharged.
Other fuel saving developments include taller gearing, low friction oils for engines and transmissions, improved aerodynamics, weight-reduction programmes and the more extensive fitment of electric power steering.