Mercedes-Benz M-Class 2008 News

With sales down 25 per cent this year on the back of the fallout from the new luxury car tax threshold and now the global and local economic situation, Mercedes is hoping the facelifted M-Class will reinvigorate interest in its off-roader.The five-model lineup remains unchanged, starting with the $81,000 ML 280 CDI and rising to the stellar $167,500 ML 63 AMG.Prices have shifted slightly, up $255 to $3022 depending on the model but equipment upgrades make up for the differences.Apart from more equipment, the big wagon gets a distinctive remake of its front end and revised rear. Larger exterior mirrors complete the exterior makeover.Inside there is a new four-spoke multi-function steering wheel with standard shift paddles, new trim, redesigned seats with four-way lumbar support as well as the option of new two-tone dashboards.There are also new wheels _ 18-inch alloys on the ML 280 CDI _ with the option of 17-inch wheels for off-roading, as well as 19 and 20-inch combinations.Mechanically the car remains unchanged with the same V6 petrol and diesel engines and V8s as previously.The latest generation of Mercedes-Benz telematics system has been improved with an integrated iPod connection with steering wheel controls and displays on the instrument panel and centre console.A premium 12-speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound package with an output of 610 watts is $1600.The range opens with the 140kW/440Nm 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel ML280 CDI, which gets an upgraded audio system with a colour monitor and Bluetooth.The 3.0-litre turbo-diesel develops 140kW at 4000 revs and 440Nm from 1400 revs and returns 9.6 litres/100km.The 3.5-litre V6 petrol ML350 and 3.0-litre V6 diesel ML320 CDI boast the latest voice activated COMAND APS system, which adds navigation, an SD card slot and 4GB hard-disc.The 3.5-litre V6 develops 200kW at 6000 revs and 350 Nm between 2400 and 5000 revs, returning 11.7 litres/100km.The ML 320CDI shares the same 3.0-litre V6 as the 280 but develops 165kW and 510Nm.Moving up to the 5.5-litre V8 ML500 and buyers get a wood and leather steering wheel, sunroof and 20-inch alloys.The ML500 delivers 13.4 litres/100km.The range-topping ML63 AMG carries over the 6.2-litre petrol V8, while returning 16.5 litres/100km.The ML63 develops 375kW at 6800 revs and 630Nm at 5200 revs.In keeping with its AMG heritage the big V8 gets a more muscular front end treatment and larger grille. 

Having largely eschewed mid-life refreshes of models, successful or not, Mercedes has opened the floodgates with a range of largely cosmetic external and internal tweaks for its ML, GL and R-Class models.The updates were revealed in concert with the launch of Benz's BlueTEC diesel engines in the US last week. Australia will get the refreshed cars _ but not the engines _ in September.“It's something of a new strategy that started with the substantial refresh of the SL range,” Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesman Peter Fadeyev explains.“Previously, it was more usual to allow the product to run a cycle without really changing the look. That meant owners of cars bought early in the cycle retained the look of a current car longer.“This time, the external changes bring the look of the cars into line with our new styling directions, but the interior changes were largely driven by customer feedback.”The M-Class features a new- generation telematics system, developed by Mercedes, which offers a range of integrated features including a hands-free telephone system based on Bluetooth technology (something Mercedes has been slow to adopt) and an auxiliary-in connection for mobile audio devices, such as iPods.Likely to be optional is a full media interface that will integrate all the functions of an iPod or other MP unit into the on-board electronics and control system, giving a full information display on the centre console and control via the steering wheel-mounted audio buttons.For the first time in an ML, the voice-operated Linguatronic control system will be offered as an option, along with a new style of rear passenger DVD screen.Unlike the previous system, where the screens were integrated into the rear of the headrests, the wireless DVD will be a bolt-on to the back of the front seats, allowing it to be offered as a retro-fit or dealer option.New, sportier seats and a new four-spoke steering wheel with standard shift paddles complete the interior improvements.The exterior look is most evident in a more aggressive front end with redesigned bumper, recontoured headlamps and a larger, more dominant grille. The rear view also sports a new-look bumper with integrated reflector strips which emphasises the vehicle's width.There is also a new range of 17-, 18-, 19- and 20-inch rims.The hero of the range will again be the AMG 63 model, with a 6.2-litre V8, 6.3 badging and a maximum output of 375kW and 630Nm.On the road, there's precious little that isn't visual to set the revised M-Class apart from the previous version _ 300,000 of which have been sold since its release in 2005.The steering on the test fleet sampled in Vermont was noticeably lighter and more nervous than that on Australian MLs, but Mercedes engineers were quick to point out that this steering feel was specific to North America. Cars bound for Europe and Australia will retain a more connected feel.There is a marginal improvement in fuel economy _ around 0.4 of a litre per 100km _ but as the launch-drive cars were all fitted with BlueTEC diesel engines, comment on the petrol models bound for Australia was impossible.The interior improvements give the ML a more refined feel; the new seats are supportive and comfortable, particularly when fitted with the optional adjustable lumbar support.The telemetrics are highlighted by intuitive controls and a clear screen, with the adoption of Bluetooth hands-free technology for the phone a long-overdue step.If the changes to the ML are subtle, those to the GL and R-Class are even more so _ to the extent that only train-spotters are likely to pick them.All three models will be available here in September, and a “small” price increase is predicted.BlueTEC diesels could be bound for Australia within 12 months of the technology's availability in Europe later this year.Although Mercedes-Benz Australia is maintaining the line that there are no firm plans to bring the advanced engines here, the attraction of being the first company to market a Euro 6-compliant vehicle _ a step that would put Mercedes almost a decade ahead of proposed government regulation _ is almost irresistible.“It's something that is under strong consideration, and certainly something we would like to resolve as quickly as possible,” Fadeyev says.“Our philosophy is always to be first into the market and not wait until government regulation requires it.”Australian regulations require vehicles to meet Euro 4 emission levels, with a move to Euro 5 in 2015. The diesels Mercedes now offers in Australia will meet the Euro 5 regulations, but a jump to Euro 6-compliant technology would be a huge selling point in a market that is increasingly environment-aware.“As much as we would like to have BlueTEC now, there are a couple of issues we are still working through _ but I don't believe they will be insurmountable,” Fadeyev says.It is understood the two key sticking points are cost _ BlueTEC would add around two per cent to the price of the ML, GL and R-Class models it would immediately be available on _ and a requirement for a heat shield over the particulate filter to protect against accidental ignition of dry grass under the vehicle.Michael Angel, who is responsible for managing worldwide emissions regulations and market confirmation for Mercedes, says he's aware of the need for a heat shield but doesn't see it as a deal-breaker.“I don't think it's a major problem ... it's just a piece of material,” Angel says. “There is no great complexity or technology involved.”Paradoxically, the BlueTEC system is already available in Australia in three Mercedes-Benz trucks _ the Actros, Axor and Atego models. The system was launched to meet new government regulations for heavy-vehicle emissions.BlueTEC is best described as a modular system for treating exhaust gas _ in particular, for reducing the nitrogen-oxide levels from diesel engines. Nitrogen oxide is the only exhaust-gas component that remains higher in diesel engines than in petrol engines. 

The bandages have come off Mercedes' face-lifted ML range and the redesign has delivered a more muscular look with more power and modest fuel-economy gains.However, Australian buyers will have to wait for the new range. A Mercedes Australia spokesman says it is unlikely to reach here until October or November.The current five-model lineup of two turbo-diesels and three petrol engines are likely to carry over, along with the car's 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system and seven-speed automatic gearbox.That means buyers can expect the ML350 V6, ML500 V8 and ML63 AMG petrol models and ML280 and ML320 CDI variants.Power ranges from 140kW to 285kW for the ML500. The AMG's 6.2-litre V8 will pump out 375kW. Fractional gains have been made in fuel economy, which has improved by 0.4-litres/100km.Australia is expected to continue with all five models when the car eventually goes on sale.The front and rear of the big Merc has been tweaked to freshen the car's looks. The front gains a redesigned bumper, recontoured headlights and a more dominant grille.The rear also gets a new bumper with integrated reflector strips and smoked-glass tail-lights.Inside there is a new, four-spoke, multifunction steering wheel with paddle shifters and increased specification.It now includes the pre-safe and neck-pro head restraints and an all-new, high-performance telematics system.Apart from the bread-and-butter models, the ML63 AMG gets a muscular makeover with more distinctive front and rear ends, a chrome underguard and larger AMG grille.The range-topping model also gets 20-inch alloy wheels.The M-Class has been a big success for Mercedes-Benz locally since the second generation was launched here in September 2005.Last year it sold 2459 of the four-wheel-drives, the company's second-best seller behind the new C-Class.Prices and final specifications are yet to be determined but the current range starts at $79,100 for the 280 CDI and tops out at $161,100 for the AMG. 

Germany had previously said the baby four-wheel-drive, which is a size down from the M-Class and pitched directly into battle against BMW's X3 and the upcoming Audi A7, would not be produced in right-hand-drive, ruling it out for local showrooms.But now the man who heads research and development at Daimler has raised hopes that it could, after all, make it here. Dr Thomas Weber, at the opening of the Detroit motor show, gave a hint there is a small chance the decision will be reversed in time for Australian customers to get the car, which the company is showing publicly for the first time.“So far, its not finally decided,” Weber says. “The focus is on the left-hand-drive market. I know there are some discussions in all the other markets. We will see.”The GLK was launched in Detroit in two versions — the urban-focused Townside and the more adventurous Freeside — with an economical and eco-friendly turbocharged 125kW Bluetec common-rail direct injection diesel four-cylinder with 4Matic all-wheel-drive system.GLK is Daimler's response to the global boom in compact softroaders and Mercedes-Benz knows the GLK must become an important contender in a segment which reaches as far down as the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V at the bottom end.“We are a huge player in the SUV segment,” Daimler chairman Dieter Zetsche says. “Now, with the GLK, we have a model for it.“It's an important part of our growth strategy. We see huge potential in Europe, in the US and also in other parts of the world.”However, the right-hand-drive markets would likely have to commit to considerable volume to get a decision in their favour.“Really important will be what is the volume behind it,” Weber says.“It costs a lot of money.“And so we need volume. It takes some action to make a left-hand-drive AWD vehicle right-hand-drive.”Still, he concedes the importance of having the GLK for all countries.Mercedes wants lift overall sales to fight BMW and Audi on all fronts.GLK might also be a launchpad for the upcoming hybrid models.“But, of course, we need all these technology packages also for markets with right-hand systems,” Weber says. “The next question is what will be possible later on with hybrids.The good news for Australia is that it would be relatively easy and fast to prepare a right-hand drive model.“No real technical issues. Again, it's a question of volume behind it and what are the costs,” Weber says.“But all the countries with right-hand-drive at the moment, they are building up a team to discuss this issue: how can we handle this for the future, what the question for the engineering is, how fast in the future can we come with right-hand-drive cars to the market?” 

The Mercedes-Benz ML 500 has undergone surgery to insert the 285kW V8 petrol engine under its more shapely hood. Benz claims the new powerplant is more refined and produces more power using less fuel. The 5.5-litre V8 engine has an extra 60kW of power and 60Nm of torque over the outgoing 5.0-litre engine. The seven-speed automatic transmission remains unchanged but the 0-100km/h time has dropped to 5.8 seconds and the governed top speed is 210km/h. Benz says the new drivetrain combination also returns better fuel-economy figures of 12.9 litres per 100km, down from 13.4 litres per 100km. The rest of the M-Class features remain unchanged, with a double-wishbone suspension using the Airmatic air system. The ML500 has the 4Matic all-wheel-drive system as standard; with traction and stability control or, for the more serious off-road driver, the car can be optioned up with the Off-Road Pro engineering package. This package adds two manually selectable differential locks; a low-range transfer case and a reinforced rear-axle differential. The M-Class range has anti-lock brakes, eight airbags, active head restraints and the brand's award-winning Pre-Safe occupant protection system. Mercedes-Benz says the M-Class is the first car in its class to offer this life-saving technology, which uses its ABS and stability control sensors to detect an imminent impact before it occurs. The car then prepares all of its passive safety features, primes the airbags and seat belts, and closes windows and the sunroof to maximise the level of occupant protection. More than 18,000 M-Class SUVs have been sold in Australia since 1998. So far this year, more than 1800 have been sold, making it one of the top-selling luxury SUVs behind the Lexus RX and the BMW X5. The only ML model above and beyond the $120,874 ML500 is the stove-hot $160,874 ML 63 AMG, which is anything but an off-roader. Packing AMG's first effort at a stand-alone engine, the ML 63 offers 375kW of power and 630Nm of torque, which equates to a five-second sprint to 100km/h and an electronically-limited top speed of 250km/h. The ML 63 gets the AMG high-performance brakes as well to haul it back to a standstill quicker than your average 2.3-tonne 4WD. It sits on 19-inch wheels with 45-profile tyres. There's no OffRoad Pro package option box to tick; you can't get the proper 4WD goodies on this hot rod. With a claimed average of 16.5 litres of fuel for every 100km travelled and a 95-litre tank, the range off the beaten track is not going to be great either. Does the new ML500 sound appealing? Does it need a bigger fuel tank to be practical?

Mercedes-Benz swamped the Frankfurt Motor Show with a range of eco-friendly cars, including seven hybrid cars, eight ultra-clean diesel Bluetec models and several new engines that meet Euro 5 emissions targets due in 2009.However, show goers were stunned by the striking F700 concept sedan, which uses an innovative DiesOtto and hybrid drive system that uses just 5.3 litres per 100km and delivers 127g/km CO2 emissions.The DiesOtto engine, housed in a sleek luxury body called the F700 research vehicle, is claimed to provide the best elements of both diesel and petrol engines. The engine is mated to a new hybrid starter/generator and seven-speed automatic transmission. It is a four-cylinder, 1.8-litre two-stage charging petrol engine that Mercedes says combines the frugal virtues of a diesel with the low emissions of a petrol engine.It can deliver 175kW with the electric motor producing an extra 15kW while torque is 400Nm.Mercedes executives say the car will accelerate to 100km/h in 7.5 seconds and has a top speed of 200km/h. Apart from the engine and powertrain, the F700 has a sophisticated suspension that uses two laser scanners to view the road ahead and adjust the suspension.The luxury Mercedes also uses a new “human machine interface” with a virtual operating assistant called the avatar which can assist the driver with specific functions, such as adjusting the airconditioning or dialling a phone number.Visually, the F700 is based on the S-Class sedan but has an extra 285mm built into the wheelbase. The rear doors are rear hinged to allow for easy access to the roomy cabin.The big Merc is one of the varied ways carmakers at the show are attempting to create greener machines. Car industry green expert Ted Grozier says the show illustrates how the industry is faring in its efforts to reduce its reliance on gas-guzzling larger vehicles.“The conventional wisdom is that the US will go hybrid and in Europe the diesel is being challenged,” says Grozier, of Green Order, a New York-based advisory group that counts General Motors, among others, as clients for its advice on how to make cars cleaner. “This may be a pivotal year for the industry in the battle for greener cars and the gloves have come off.”Indeed, BMW, Porsche, Volkswagen and DaimlerChrysler are among those showing cars with low-emission diesel engines and hybrids, featuring electricity to augment traditional fuel motors, as well as hydrogen fuel cell concepts that BMW is researching. It is all part of the effort to make high-mileage, cleaner cars that also meet drivers' expectations for performance.Nissan showed its Mixim concept car, an electric car powered by lithium ion batteries, with the driver's seat in the middle and steering controls inspired by video-game controllers.Unsurprisingly, it is geared toward younger drivers who spend a lot of time behind a computer keyboard. Ford showed off the current models under its ECOnetic label that produces a lower level of emissions.France's PSA Peugeot-Citroen has its 308 BioFlex compact at the show. The car uses biofuels, or fuel obtained from crops. GM goes a step further with a car powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. The show is also a chance for carmakers to explore new concepts and designs that may or may not take shape on the assembly line. Ford is eager to pique consumer interest in its new subcompact concept car, the Verve.If successful, it could be the basis of a new small car for global sales. It would come to Australia as the next generation Fiesta.Designed in Europe, the Verve concept has a rounded design and is demonstrably smaller than most cars on US roads.The president of the German Association of the Automotive Industry Matthias Wissmann says 1081 companies are at the Frankfurt Motor Show.In total, 88 new models are debuting at the biennial event which runs until September 23.

The brain's logical left lobe would probably dictate a highly specced and relentlessly reliable Japanese model.The riotous right side might love something Latin.Call it a feeling from the gut, then, but some part of you simply must have a badge featuring either a blue-and-white roundel or a three-pointed star. Or even four rings.Never mind that they're almost always over-priced for the package on offer and about as suited to Australian roads as Beethoven to a Shannon Noll audience, but we seem unable to get enough of the wares offered by BMW, Mercedes-Benz and increasingly, Audi.Which is just as well, given that there will be releases from all three marques this month.June marks the opening salvo of a second-half-of-'07 product offensive on three fronts, using every type of armament at the makers' disposal; from diesel hatchbacks through high-end sports machines to ferociously powerful SUVs.In popular terms, the most significant of these is the new-generation Mercedes-Benz C-Class.The W204 series arrives next month with the four-cylinder Kompressors, V6 petrols and two diesel models.A six-cylinder purchase gets you a seven-speed auto transmission, but the fours make do with five speeds.Hard to say where the pricing will sit at this point, though a slight increase on the current model is possible.A more dynamic driving experience is promised, something to which Merc's Agility Control system is central.Indications from the world launch in Spain are that Mercedes' best-selling product has achieved that stated aim within a veneer of sexier, or slightly less conservative, styling.Of course, this launch took place on European roads, not our Australian tarmacs.The vastly improved new Smart fortwo coupe and cabrio arrive in November, to the delight of at least several hundred people.Between then and now, though, comes something altogether more potent.The ML 500 SUV and R 500 MPV cop a 285kW V8, up 60kW on the hardly deficient current version.These should be among us by early October, along with a 320 CDI model of the S-Class, marrying the marque's superb V6 diesel to its luxury limo.BMW fires two shots; one small-calibre, the other medium, from its locker this month.The One Series evokes mixed reactions but a coupe version is due next year and the five-door hatch receives a new four-cylinder diesel engine, minor inside and out facelifts and mechanical upgrades for greater efficiency.The updated Five Series gets new front and rear bumpers, restyled headlights and tail lights with LED.Better yet, it gets a quicker-shifting six-speed automatic tranny, controlled by the electronic gear selector from the X5 off-roader.The 530i Sedan and Touring gain 10kW of power and 15Nm of torque for totals of 200kW and 315Nm, and smarter 0-100km/h times throughout the range.New Seven Series Executive and Sport models arrive next month, but the lip-smacking becomes deafening in the fourth quarter with the new M3 coupe.Forsaking the straight six, this fourth-gen M3 packs an all-new, 309kW/400Nm V8 of four litres.Driven by the rear wheels (of course) through a six-speed-manual, it promises acceleration to 100km/h in only 4.8sec.The M3 is billed as the first production vehicle in its segment to feature a carbon fibre-reinforced roof; an innovation to save weight and lower the centre of gravity.Audi's counter-offensive begins next week with the local release of its S3 hot hatch and a ragtop version of the TT. Expected to outsell its hard-hat cousin, the open TT dispenses with the coupe's comedy back pews, increasing its boot space.Nor does it command an unreasonable premium over the coupe, with the front-drive 2.0 TFSI starting at $77,500, the V6 quattro at $92,900. But the roadster's sole transmission is the manual-matic S-tronic.No such pandering for the S3, which unites a creamy six-speed manual with quattro. And how all-wheel drive is needed.Hosting a rebuilt and “up-gunned” version of the VW Golf GTI's two-litre, direct-injection turbo four, the S3 can call upon a V6-daunting 188kW and 330Nm. At an estimated $65,000, it will come in cheaper than the top-whack, but decidedly lesser, A3.If the S3 is a genuine Q-car (there being little to visually distinguish it from Audi's milder hatches), there's no denying the latest Q7.Due in November and priced from $124,000, the already imposing SUV packs a turbine-like 4.2 TDI, a turbo diesel dreadnought that generates 240kW at 3750rpm and a warping 760Nm between 1800 and 2500rpm.As Wagnerian as it is, its thunder may be stolen as early as October. Not so much by the A5 and S5 (touring coupes with Walter da Silva style and nice engine notes) but the R8 sports car.Though it will be priced in the region of $270,000, you won't be able to buy one for ages, even if you have the readies.Audi has been taking orders for the instantly desirable, mid-engined V8 quattro two-seater since it was unveiled at last year's Sydney Motor Show.That car evokes a profound response from a region lower even than the gut.

As Australia's new car juggernaut rolls on towards the magic million sales mark, the number of available models continues to swell. Already recognised as one of the most diverse and competitive car markets in the world, Australian importers continue to add to the mix.With half the year nearly gone, buyers have taken almost 500,000 new vehicles into their garages with some of the traditional biggest selling months still to come.At least three new marques will arrive in Australian showrooms in the second half of  the year; Hummer, Mahindra and Skoda,  testament to the vibrancy of what is, in world terms, a minor market.However, it is the expanding model range within existing brands that will drive the Aussie market over the million mark for the first time.Over the next six months more than 50 new or revised models will arrive in Australian new car showrooms. Here's a look at what's coming soon:ASTON MARTINDip your lid in style in September with the V8 Roadster, a gorgeous extension of the Vantage. AUDI Audi starts its end-of-year program in September with the R8, the biggest, baddest Audi in the garage The Supercar looks with enough performance to keep most on their toes. Also on the cards for October is the A5, Audi's first coupe since the TT. An all-new platform which comes as a front-wheel-drive and quattro. In November the V8 4.2 TDi may answer some questions for the Q7, including on fuel economy. BMW You'll have to wait until October for the new M3, but the latest offering from the M garage has something special. It's the first V8 for an M3. CHRYSLER A Sebring convertible, topless cousin of the sedan launched in early 2007, arrives in December. DODGE The Nitro SUV joins the Caliber for Dodge next month and the US marque backs that up with its Avenger sedan in August. FIAT The baby Ritmo, sold as the Bravo in Europe, will be Fiat's second passenger offering in Australia when it lands in October. Expect petrol and diesel. FORD The rush to oil-burners continues with the Focus getting the honour of being Ford's first passenger diesel next month before the Focus CC, the drop-top concept that set hearts aflutter at Frankfurt two years ago lands in October. The other big news for Ford is the return in November of the Mondeo for a third tilt at Australia. HOLDEN The key second-half model from the General is the VE Ute, bringing all the developments in the VE sedan to the working man's Holden. HONDA The Civic Type-R is razor-sharp styling built around a high-revving fun package. Next month. HUMMER The iconic offroader from the land of the large truck opens its Aussie account in October, a couple of months later than anticipated as a result of production delays for the H3. Surprisingly agile with real offroad ability. HYUNDAI An important second-half for the Korean marque. It starts with the popular Santa Fe SUV finally getting the 3.3-litre V6 from the Sonata to give it some extra punch. In October, the new Elantra hatch joins the sedan in the Aussie line-up after a wait of almost 12 months. JAGUAR An October styling refresh for the marque's luxury sedan, the XJ, is all from the Big Cat this year before a big 2008. JEEP The second of Jeep's non-Rubicon Trail-rated soft-roaders arrives in August to join the Compass for duty around town. KIA The Carens compact people mover has never really taken off here. The new generation is a little bigger and more stylish. It will be powered by a four-cylinder petrol or diesel engine with five- or seven-seat capacity. On sale in October. LAND ROVERThe baby Freelander gets a complete makeover for this generational change. New engines and a new family look all go on show in July. MAHINDRAIndia's workhorse ute, the Pik-Up, starts to roll out to Australia in July. MAZDA A new generation and a new look for the little Mazda2. Sharper styling is the key to this one's October debut. At the same time Mazda will add a diesel option to its top-selling Mazda3 range. MERCEDES-BENZThe key model for Mercedes this year is the meat-and-potatoes C-Class. Bigger, brighter and ready to meet the masses it is available from July. Also on Mercedes' new-model list is an upgraded ML500 and R-Class in September, both getting the 285kW V8 engine. October is a big month for the three-pointed star with the crackingCL65 AMG (a bi-turbo V12 with 450kW and 1000Nm) and the more sociable S320 CDi, which marries diesel with uber-luxury. MITSUBISHI You have to love a fighter. Australia's “other” family car, the 380, wins a minor refresh with some interior updates from next month. In August the automatic turbo diesel, traditionally the model's top seller, completes the Triton range while in October the point guard for the red-hot Evo X (due late in the year), the new Lancer, promises look-at-me-styling and more punch than the current model. NISSANThe baby Micra finally gets the green light for Australia with an October date with sales. In November the X-Trail, a core model for Nissan and the compact SUV that set the benchmark for those who actually can go off-road, gets a full generational change. The Dualis arrives in December. A softer option to the X-Trail, it sits on a similar platform but is more plush. PEUGEOT It's all about size for the French manufacturer. In July the 207CC, the previous generation of which set the standard for accessorising small cars, is back and promising to reclaim the crown. Its far more focused and athletic sibling, the GTi arrives in August with its turbocharged 1.6-litre engine. The station wagon derivative of the base 207 goes on sale in October. PORSCHEThe 911 turbo cabriolet proves Porsche's belief that if you can go fast in a sedan you should be able to go just as fast in a cabriolet. In September you can prove it for yourself. RENAULT August sees the Megane diesel join the Renault fleet, while the Clio Sport returns in November in an all-new guise. SAAB The new 9-3 will highlight Saab's first all-wheel-drive system in a completely renewed model range. All models arrive in November. SKODA Launches into Australia with a two-pronged attack in October. The Octavia medium-sized hatch and the quaintly named Roomster compact MPV will carry the flag initially. SMARTIn September the next next-generation smart ForTwo arrives, a little bigger and a little smarter. SUBARU The new Impreza is one of the most polarising styling departures of the year. In basic and WRX fettle the hatch arrives in September. A cult car heads mainstream and the jury is out. SUZUKIIf it ain't broke ... A freshen-up for the car that put punch back in Suzuki's local range, the brilliant Swift is in showrooms in October with the sedan version of the SX4 “tall hatch” joining the stable in September. TOYOTA The first product from Toyota's new “hot shop”, the Aurion TRD, arrives in August with a 3.5-litre supercharged V6 with sports manners and a load of plastic kit. Also in August is the generational change for Kluger with the SUV getting a substantial facelift and the 3.5-litre V6 from the Aurion. November brings the Landcruiser 200 Series and a TRD version of the HiLux. VOLVO The highlight for the Swedes in the second half of the year is the all-new generation of the XC70 due in November. About the same time the C30 will get the in-line five-cylinder diesel. VW A hot version of the Passat, the R36, is heading Down Under in November. 

Where manufacturers have previously pursued one environmental solution, most are now embracing multiple strategies to the high-profile problem.GM chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner best summed up the industry's new multi-pronged environmental strategy as energy diversity.He referred to alternate energy sources such as electricity, ethanol, biofuels, compressed natural gas, hydrogen and combinations of these working happily together in the same vehicle.Wagoner says GM will also continue to seek improved efficiency from internal combustion petrol and diesel engines and expand its commitment to electric power.GM will introduce a test fleet of 100 hydrogen-powered Chevrolet Equinox fuel cell vehicles in the US this year and 10 in Europe, he says.Other car companies working on alternate powertrain solutions, such as Kia, also pledged to introduce test fleets, particularly for government evaluation.The first of GM's new energy strategies to be introduced in Australia could be the extension of the Saab Biopower range from the 9-5 to the 9-3 model range, including vehicles running on 100 per cent biofuel.GM has also developed a new cleaner turbo diesel V6 engine which could power the new Holden VE Commodore.Wagoner confirmed that the 184kW 2.9-litre Italian-made engine would be compatible with the VE chassis, but he could not confirm its application in the Australian market. A GM Holden spokesman says the company will consider the engine.Mercedes-Benz has started its push to clean up diesel emissions with a detox system called BlueTec. It is claimed to reduce nitrous-oxides (NOX) from the exhaust by up to 90 per cent compared with previous diesels.The German firm has introduced BlueTec in its upper-luxury E320 sedan in the US market and will follow that up with three more models next year. The E320 and the follow-up R320 people mover, ML320 SUV and GL320 4WD will be released in Europe in 2008 and are expected here later in 2008 or early 2009.Volkswagen showed a Passat and a Polo with the technology, the latter capable of a low 102g of CO2 and greatly reduced NOX.Japanese makers are aggressively pushing hybrids. They are led in this by Lexus, which announced it is making more hybrids combining electric motors with petrol engine models than conventional petrol-fuelled vehicles.Geneva launched the Lexus LS600h luxury saloon that it claims has the power of a V12 with the economy of a V6. It has a V8 petrol engine combined with an electric motor to deliver 327kW. Yet Lexus claims the lavishly-equipped saloon will get an average fuel consumption of only 9.5-l/100km while having a CO2 emission level of less than 220g.Toyota showed a hybrid concept sedan, the Hybrid X, that is more a styling exercise than a mechanical marvel. Then there is the Toyota FT-HS hybrid sports car that combines a 3.5-litre petrol V6 with an electric motor; a car that doesn't ignore performance or style.But while Europe is going diesel and Japan is leaning towards hybrids, there is some blurring of technologies.Honda announced a NOX-depleting system similar to BlueTec and says it will be fitted to its diesel-powered cars. It plans to launch its new diesels within three years, first in the US and later in Europe and Australia.At the same time, Honda says it will make its fuel-cell electric car available to selected buyers by next year, making it likely to be the world's first car maker to make a production fuel cell passenger car.The new Honda, which uses hydrogen gas and air to produce electricity to power electric motors, is based on its long-standing FCX concept vehicle.To keep its feet in all camps, Honda plans to introduce a small-car hybrid that is currently in concept form.The Small Hybrid Sport shows that even hybrids can be fun and sexy.Subaru unveiled its 2-litre turbo-diesel engine that will go into European models later this year but won't come to Australia until at least late 2008. It is Subaru's first diesel and has been devised to improve sales in diesel-crazy Europe.Meanwhile, BMW and DaimlerChrysler have announced they will join forces to create a new hybrid system for the premium car segment.Both companies plan on introducing the new technology into rear-wheel-drive models within the next three years.A BMW spokesman says the technologies will be tailored to fit the specific character of the different vehicles.And, two battery city cars were among the show oddities, including the Zebra which was painted like animal fur.