Toyota Corolla 2008 News

As interest rates bite and with it consumer belt-tightening, some analysts predict a slowdown this year.But the first two months of the year showed strong gains over the same period last year.Light-car sales rose 2236, or 22.5 per cent, and the small-car segment rose 1645, or 8.6 per cent, over February last year, according to the latest VFACTs industry sales figures.The off-roader, or SUV market, grew by 3365 vehicles, or 22.6 per cent.These gains were partially countered by declines in the large-car segment, down 2488 or 19.9 per cent, and medium-car segment, down 383 or 5.1 per cent.Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries chief executive Andrew McKeller says the runout of key models has affected volumes in the large and medium segments.The arrival of the new FG Falcon in May and expanding Holden Commodore line-up with its Sportwagon will help turn around sales figures in coming months, he says.Toyota was the top-selling brand in February with 20,703 sales, or 23 per cent of the market, ahead of Holden with 12,386 sales, 13.8 per cent, and Ford with 9405 sales, 10.5 per cent.For the year so far, Toyota leads Holden by 15,916 sales and remains market leader with a 22.4 per cent market share.Holden has a 13.1 per cent overall market share and Ford is third at 9.9 per cent.Among the light and small-car stars were the Suzuki Swift, Hyundai Getz, Mazda3, Toyota Corolla and Yaris, Honda Civic and Mitsubishi Lancer.Holden was large-car leader, selling 4313 VE Commodores, followed by Ford with 2520 Falcons and Toyota with 1855 Aurions.The announcement of the end of Mitsubishi 380 production affected February sales, the company sold only 471 380 V6s.Melbourne-based industry analyst Tony Robinson, of SurePlan, believes new-car demand will soften late in the year.There is usually a six to nine-month lag between spiking interest rates and its impact on buyer patterns, he says.But he is confident the market will still go close to one million sales this year. What's sellingTop 10 makes1 Toyota 20,7032 Holden 12,2363 Ford 94054 Mazda 70225 Honda 48006 Mitsubishi 54237 Nissan 51008 Subaru 33719 Hyundai 401010 Volkswagen 2883 Top 10 models 1 Holden Commodore 43132 Toyota Corolla 41913 Toyota HiLux 33254 Mazda3 28255 Ford Falcon 25206 Toyota Yaris 22807 Toyota Aurion 18558 Toyota Camry 17239 Mitsubishi Lancer 168210 Honda Civic 1665 

The rookie Toyota Grand Prix driver emerged from the dust-covered rally car, uttering his first Australian colloquialism.“It's bloody warm in there,” he joked yesterday. “But it'll be good experience for Malaysia.”The young German clearly enjoyed his experience at the helm of Australian rally champion Neal Bates' Super 2000 Corolla, despite the boiling heat at Werribee four-wheel drive park.Glock believes race day, with an expected temperature of 35, will be hard on drivers.“It could play a role in the race,” he said. “But it is good practice for Malaysia, which will also be hot, but humid as well.”Glock, who replaced Ralf Schumacher in the Toyota Motorsport team at the end of last season, is clearly aiming for consistency this year and has modest expectations for his first start in Melbourne.“I just want to finish the race,” he said. “It'd be nice to be in the points straight from the first race though. But at the end it is completely new for me.”Glock won his chance with Toyota, the biggest-budget team in F1, after claiming victory in last year's GP2 feeder class. He has been in F1 before with the tail-ender Jordan team, but never as a full-time racer or against an established ace like his new team-mate Jarno Trulli.“I did three or four races in 2004 but that's quite a long time ago,” he said. “Expectations should be to take it easy, have a good weekend and try to get close to Jarno because at the moment he's really quick.”

A simple fender bender could cost you more than $7000 to repair.That's part of the findings of new research carried out by motoring organisation the RACV.Nine small cars were tested in the study using a new crash apparatus that has never been used in the southern hemisphere before.It is the first in a year-long program to test various cars for sale within Australia.The testing simulated a 10km/h impact, one of the most common forms of accidents. The RACV then priced repairs for the collision.The findings highlighted the huge variety in repair costs across the small-car segment. The Toyota Corolla was the star with an estimated repair cost of just over $1000, or 4.4 per cent of the car's recommended retail cost.That was offset by the high costs to repair the Honda Civic and Suzuki Swift. The Honda's repair bill was more than $7000 and the Suzuki's $5547, a whopping 34.7 per cent of the car's price.“The results show a vast difference in repair costs across the range of vehicles tested because a poorly designed bumper can slide under other bumpers on impact, causing more damage to both vehicles,” RACV Insurance general manager Susan Allen says.Aside from the repair costs, poor-performing cars can lead to further insurance increases.“We are urging consumers to consider repair costs as an important factor when buying a new car because this can have a significant impact on their insurance premium,” Allen says.The testing is done in conjunction with six countries around the world and is designed to highlight deficiencies to help carmakers improve their vehicles.RACV's chief vehicle engineer, Michael Case, praised Toyota's efforts with the Corolla for collisions with other cars and pedestrians.“The Toyota Corolla and the Honda Civic scored similar leg-protection results in the EURO NCAP pedestrian-safety program, yet the repair costs of these vehicles differ dramatically,” Case says.“This proves manufacturers can design vehicles that can perform well in pedestrian safety and vehicle protection.”The RACV's results come in the wake of similar testing done by NRMA Insurance.Each year the New South Wales company conducts two low-speed accident tests of more than 46 of the country's biggest sellers. The first simulates a 15km/h impact with a solid barrier and the second a rear crash at 30km/h.That data is used to calculate the repair costs for such accidents and, according to NRMA Insurance chief Rick Jackson, some of the results are shocking.“Though design enhancements may largely go unnoticed by vehicle owners, they can have a sizeable impact on the cost of insurance,” Jackson says. “Design improvements by carmakers are helping to reduce collision costs in some makes and models, but there is still a need for improvement."“A startling fact that has come out of this year's low-speed crash test is Australia's three biggest-selling family sedans — the Holden Commodore, Toyota Camry and Ford Falcon — have all increased in repair cost. The Falcon by a staggering 26 per cent.“However, proving that new-car technology doesn't have to become more expensive, the cost of repairing the Mazda6 has dropped 36 per cent since last year.”Such data is used by the insurance company to help set rate premiums, meaning choosing the right car could save you money.“Motorists should consider the cost of repairing a vehicle before they make their purchase because a bargain in the showroom may not be such a good deal when taking the cost of insurance and repairs into account,” Jackson says. Crash test resultsEstimated Repair cost repair cost as a % of rrp1 Toyota Corolla $1018 4.4%2 Ford Focus $2357 10.7%3 Holden Astra $2626 10.9%4 Mazda3 $2886 12.6%5 Toyota Yaris $4016 22.1%6 Hyundai Getz $3363 22.4%7 Mitsubishi Lancer $5467 23.5%8 Honda Civic $7385 31.4%9 Suzuki Swift $5547 34.7% 

We collectively bought more than 82,000 vehicles last month, close enough to a 7 per cent rise over January 2007.Looking at it another way, contracts on 213 vehicles were signed for each of the 25 selling days in the month. That's a record over last year, which in itself was a record over 2006.Toyota remains king of the sales heap and the big movers were the small, medium and SUV sectors. Sales of large cars continued to plummet, which must be a worry to Ford as it prepares to launch its new Falcon.Mitsubishi, which is pulling out of manufacturing here, finished a distant sixth in the sales race, with Honda and Mazda both outselling the former car giant. So, according the industry statistician facts, who were the winners?Toyota's Yaris dominated the cheap and cheerful light market, with the Mazda2 and Honda Jazz also popular with buyers.The hotly contested small car market continues to be a bloody battleground. Toyota's Corolla was streets ahead of its opposition but the real fight was for the crumbs, with the Mazda3, Ford Focus and Honda Civic all doing well.The mid-sized market, which has been quiet, is picking up pace as buyers downsize. Most went for the Toyota Camry ahead of the Mazda6, with Subaru's Liberty a distant third.The large car market was a disaster for the local players. The Commodore was the best seller but it, along with the Falcon, Mitsubishi 380, Honda Accord and Hyundai Grandeur, lost ground.The star performer was Toyota's Aurion, which outsold the Falcon.Of the rest of the new car fleet, Honda's Odyssey beat the cheaper Kia Carnival in the people mover market, while the big surprise was in the SUV sector where Honda's CR-V outsold the Subaru Forester, Toyota's RAV 4 and recently launched Nissan X-Trail.The sales stats throw up some interesting facts and figures.Private buyers are taking a big liking to diesel engines (sales are up 82 per cent but still a low volume), while vehicles running on LPG are out of favour (down 64 per cent). Hybrid models enjoyed 11 per cent growth.And just to show how global the industry has become, last month we bought vehicles made in 23 countries. While most cars still come from Japan, there were models from the Czech Republic, Indonesia, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Turkey. 

According to Januarys' new car sales (VFACTS) figures, the Toyota Corolla is once again Australia's best selling car with 3843 sales for the month of January.The Commodore came in second with 3210, while the Mazda3 stepped up to third position with 2915 sales.This was the second month in a row that Corolla topped the ladder, beating Holden's Commodore in December by 418 sales.While January proved to be a strong month for smaller cars and SUVs, the Federal Chambers of Automotive Industries chief executive Andrew McKellar says there is a diminishing demand for large vehicles.“While overall sales are buoyant, the results reinforce the significant competitive challenges facing local manufacturers,” he says.And as Mitsubishi yesterday announced it will be closing its Tonsley Park manufacturing plant in Adelaide, McKellar called for the Government's scheduled review of the automotive industry to be brought forward.“The review must play a critical role in ensuring future policy arrangements provide an ongoing basis for a sustainable and competitive automotive manufacturing industry in Australia,” he says.After more than one million sales last year, the car industry continued to grow with a 6.9 per cent increase over last January's sales. A total of 82,270 cars were sold during the month, passing last year's January record of 76,003. Toyota continues to lead the market, followed by Holden and then Ford.While large cars sales are down, motorists are still enjoying SUVs, the segment rising by 23.4 per cent from the same time last year.  

Holden Commodore is safe as Australia's favourite car, according to Toyota.Commodore has just extended its run as No.1 on local roads to 12 straight years and Toyota says there is no chance it will be able to end its showroom success.Toyota's Corolla finished 2007 as No.2 in the sales race and one of five Toyota models in the top 10, but a global shortage and saturation of the Australian market means it will not challenge for top spot this year.“It will not happen. No chance,” Toyota Australia executive director of sales and marketing Dave Buttner says.“We cannot get enough cars. And anyway, the gap is too big.”The Corolla trumped the Commodore several times last year, but the final result was a margin of 57,307 to 47,792 in favour of Holden's billion-dollar baby. It was a turnaround from the overall sales result, which Toyota won by 236,647 to second-placed GM Holden on 146,680.Its margin of almost 90,000 was strong, but Toyota trounced Ford, which finished 128,000 vehicles behind in third place.The result shows a 50 per cent increase in Toyota Australia's sales in the past five years and an 87 per cent improvement in the past 10 years.Toyota is already planning for another year at No.1, which would make it six in a row, though Buttner says the company has nothing major in the way of new models this year.“We anticipate Toyota expanding its 2007 result to at least 250,000 sales this year,” he says.“Every major product has been replaced or significantly upgraded in only three years — most of them in the past 18 months."“But this year will be quiet. In the Toyota range there are no significant new model launches.”Buttner, along with most other industry experts, is predicting a sales total of more than one million cars again this year, but only about 10,000 more than the record 1,049,982 set last year. 

January 1, stamp duty on cars in Queensland will leap from 2 per cent of the price to 3 per cent for four-cylinder cars, 3.5 per cent for six cylinders and 4 per cent for eight or more cylinders.Only hybrid vehicles, with petrol-electric power plants, will stay at 2 per cent.The higher tax will range from $100 more for the buyer of a $10,000 second-hand four-cylinder car up to thousands of dollars for big-engine, top-dollar cars.The increase will add $220 to the price of a $22,000 four-cylinder car like a Toyota Corolla, $600 to a $40,000 six-cylinder car like a Holden Commodore, and $800 to a V8 Commodore.Mercedes-Benz dealers say an E280 Elegance sedan, currently costing $107,344 on the road, will be $108,864 from January 1.On a $200,000 V8-powered car, the duty will increase from the present $4000 to $8000.It will end Queensland's reign as the low-tax state for car buyers, which has attracted many buyers from interstate, especially Western Australia.Dealerships are starting 'beat the taxman' sales to encourage customers to buy cars sooner rather than later.Most upmarket brands have arranged extra stock to meet the last-minute buying rush.Brisbane executive Andre Faiva had planned to get a new car next year, but took delivery of his $50,000-plus BMW 320i sedan last week. Mr Faiva, a property recruitment consultant living in Brisbane, says he saved about $2500 due to the lower duty and other deals.“I'd heard about the duty change, but sort of forgot about it until I went in to have a look at cars,” he said.“Then I started to talk more seriously. It was well worth bringing things forward to save that sort of money.”The State Government announced the change in May, estimating it would bring in an extra $200 million.The RACQ, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries and the Motor Trades Association of Queensland have criticised the move.The FCAI, representing carmakers and importers, said; “This is a clear and patent grab for a bit of extra tax revenue by the Queensland Government.”Brisbane BMW dealer principal Martin Roller said; “The amount to be saved on stamp duty at the moment is definitely a buying motivation for a lot of people.“We've just had our strongest six-week period ever."“We're telling people that if they want to do something about getting a car, they probably want to do it now."“It's going to bring forward to December a lot of cars that otherwise would have been bought in January.” 

Mitsubishi, Ford and Holden all showed off production or concept cars that are designed to move fast and get the blood pumping.But the big news came from Toyota, which launched its new TRD performance brand in Australia at the show.The launch of TRD represents first time Toyota has marketed under the TRD banner anywhere in the world. It is timed to celebrate the car manufacturer’s 50th anniversary of involvement in motorsport globally.Several models sporting new TRD livery were unveiled at the show, including an Aurion and a HiLux concept car. There are several more models on the way.Also previewed at the Toyota stand was the new Corolla hatch and a new Corolla rally car, which is based on the new production model to be launched soon.Mitsubishi opened the show with a Lancer concept “Sportback”.But Ford and Holden went all-out in the performance stakes. Ford revealed a new Fiesta XR4 which will be on sale in July this year. It will feature a variant with a two-litre diesel engine – the first diesel car to grace Ford Australia’s line-up.Also on show was a 40th Anniversary GT from FPV.Holden tried to top that with the unveiling of a Chevrolet Camaro concept car which attracted great interest from the assembled press. It was the first time this car had been seen in Australia.The company said although there are no plans to launch the Camaro here, it was on the stand in Melbourne to gauge customer reaction. The implication was that if interest is strong enough it may launch here.

Alfa RomeoALFA was assured of plenty of attention in Paris for the production version of its 8C Competizione sportscar, based on a show concept from Frankfurt 2003 and named for a line of famous racers.The 8C is powered by a new 4.7-litre V8 under the bonnet which produces 333kW and 470Nm, driving through a six-speed robot-clutch gearbox at the rear axle.The sumptuously curved carbon-fibre body sits on a donated Maserati platform, with double wishbone suspension all-around and huge 20-inch alloy wheels.Alfa plans to build just 500 examples of this supercar, with sales beginning in 12 months and a price around 160,000 euros ($272,000).Australian sales have been ruled out: the sexy 8C will left-hand drive only. AudiAUDI iced the cake for its ongoing product party with the final version of its R8 mid-engined sportscar, three years after the concept was shown.The R8 pits Audi against the German and Italian supercar makers for the first time."With the launch of the R8... we now address the most demanding group of international customers," chairman Dr Martin Winterkorn said.Wide and squat, the all-aluminium R8 is powered by a 4.2-litre V8 which sits under a glass rear panel, Ferrari-style.It drives all four wheels via a six-speed gated manual gearbox or six-speed sequential based on the Lamborghini Gallardo system.With 309kW of power and 430Nm of torque, claimed 0-100km/h time is 4.6 seconds and top speed 301km/h.Australian deliveries begin late in 2007, and a V10 version is expected in two years. CitroenA FRENCH muscle car sounds an unlikely concept, but the dramatic C-Metisse suggests that Citroen designers don't spend all their time dreaming of people-movers.This futuristically styled "coupe" has four doors, an extra-long bonnet, low sloping cabin and visor-like glass — making it appear like a getaway car from a Gallic version of Blade Runner.Thanks to the long wheelbase, interior space is generous for four and all the doors hinge flamboyantly upwards to open.A 150kW V6 diesel drives the front wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission while each rear wheel contains an electric motor for extra performance or traction in slippery conditions. ChryslerPLAGUED by overcapacity in its home market, Chrysler hopes it can build on the overseas success of its 300C large sedan with the Sebring, a large-ish mid-size sedan, which launches in Europe early next year and should be confirmed for Australia in the next few weeks."Sleek and sophisticated, the Chrysler Sebring's overall surfacing and details reflect the Chrysler brand's four attributes: expressive, refined, athletic and passionate," said design chief Trevor Creed.With design elements from the Crossfire sportscar — such as bonnet ridges and headlights — but a rather jutting front bumper and less than harmonious proportions, the Sebring will test overseas markets' enthusiasm for American aesthetics.Engine options include a 2.0-litre diesel and 2.7-litre V6. DodgeCHRYSLER'S budget Dodge badge has got off to a strong start in Europe and Australia with the Caliber small car, and its Avenger mid-size sedan — coyly labelled as a "concept" in Paris — will add a mid-size contender to the line-up.Pitched against Japanese models such as the Mazda 6 and Honda Accord, the Avenger strikes a more aggressive note with echoes of the US-market Dodge Charger in its strong haunches and in-your-face grille.The Avenger shares its underpinnings and engines with the Chrysler Sebring, but will undercut it on price when it arrives in Australia late next year.FerrariFOR most people driving any Ferrari is the stuff of fantasy, but for one American collector the regular product from Maranello isn't enough.Jim Glickenhaus commissioned Italian styling house Pininfarina to build a one-off Ferrari inspired by the legendary Le Mans racing cars of the '60s.The P4/5 began with an Enzo and retains the same 485kW 6.0-litre V12 engine and mechanical layout. But the bodywork is all new, with soft curves replacing the Enzo's angular lines and a bubble canopy that swoops rearwards into a louvred section over the engine.The interior uses the Enzo dash but the rest is made-to-measure, with mesh-on-leather seats and a tablet PC added to the instruments.Unveiled at the Pebble Beach concours in California in August, the P4/5 added yet another Ferrari to our list of to-die-for cars. FordFORD stopped importing the Mondeo mid-size sedan into Australia six years ago, and according to spokeswoman Sinead McAlary that isn't about to change soon.But take a good look at the Mondeo wagon Ford of Europe presented in Paris, because its design cues point the way to the next generation Falcon, due in 2008.Ford has dubbed this approach "kinetic design" and debuted it in the Iosis concept at Frankfurt last year."The new Mondeo takes the next major step along our journey towards a more expressive and emotional Ford range," said design director Martin Smith.The new family look features an inverted trapezoidal lower grille, swept-back headlamps, full surfaces and a strong shoulder line. HondaHONDA unveiled an all-new version of its popular compact SUV, the CR-V.The third-generation evolves a concept that has chalked up nearly 2.5 million total sales and is built at eight factories around the globe."CR-V is now a true world car — just like Civic and Accord," said Honda president and chief executive Takeo Fukui.A new 2.0-litre petrol engine now develops 110kW/190Nm and delivers better acceleration and fuel economy, while Europe also carries over a 2.2-litre diesel.The four-wheel drive system has been revised but retains its front-drive philosophy, calling upon the rear wheels only when required.The body is more rigid, centre of gravity lower and standard wheels are now 17-inch.Honda says it all adds up to improved dynamics for "the ultimate sedan-like driving feeling".This CR-V also introduces two features to the segment previously confined to premium models: active cruise control and collision mitigation braking.Australian sales begin in the first quarter next year. HyundaiHYUNDAI continues its tradition of phonetically challenging nameplates with a concept called Arnejs, pronounced Ar-nez, and intended as a tempter for the upcoming hatchback version of its Elantra small car.In sedan form, the car goes on sale this month, replacing the third generation model.Designed by Hyundai's studio in Germany, the Arnejs is described as another "milestone" in the development of brand identity for the Korean maker, which will launch the production version in Europe in mid-2007 and in Australia later next year. KiaKIA's small car offering has been christened cee'd and debuted at Paris in three forms: as a production-ready sedan, pre-production wagon and concept called pro—cee'd, which was designed as a teaser to the eventual hatchback.The sedan goes on sale in Europe in December with other variants arriving towards the end of next year.As well as being the first Kia designed in Europe it will be the first one built there, at a new factory in Slovakia."The new cee'd really is a great car ... it is certain to revolutionise Kia's fortunes in this sector throughout Europe," said the senior vice-president of Kia Motors Europe, Jean-Charles Lievens. Mercedes-BenzTHE German stalwart revealed its anxiety about retaining number one status in luxury cars with some impressive, but selective, sales figures: the new S-Class luxury sedan has gone to the top of its segment.Overall brand numbers, which see Mercedes suffering next to a rampant BMW, didn't rate a mention and the display centred on a special edition of Stuttgart's slow-selling supercar, the SLR, and the exclusive large coupe based on the S-Class, the CL.Undeniably desirable, but neither can do much to salvage Mercedes numbers.The CL comes with two V8s, including a 386kW naturally aspirated 6.3-litre AMG tuned unit and a 5.5-litre twin-turbocharged V12.The SLR McLaren 722 commemorates the winning number of a 300 SLR Stirling Moss drove to victory in the 1955 Mille Miglia.Its supercharged 5.5-litre V8 develops 478kW and gets the supercar to 100km/h in 3.6 seconds. MiniMEET the new Mini, same as the old Mini. BMW can barely conceal its delight at how well marketing has worked for its Brit classic revival, with styling that has successfully remoulded the original into a winning premium package.It has now expanded the Oxford factory in England to pump out 240,000 a year of the second generation, revealed in Paris last week.The new Mini takes an evolutionary approach to the design that shows "how unique Mini really is".Mini customers definitely do not want change, said BMW board member Michael Ganal.But that hasn't stopped the company making the new Mini "even more fun to drive", with "even more state-of-the-art high-tech features" and improvements across the board to "performance, driving pleasure, design and premium quality as well as safety".New engines, six airbags and even more possibilities for customisation will also be part of the recipe when it arrives here next year.No, we couldn't tell the difference either. Plus ca change ... NissanSMALL crossovers are the new must-have for every car-maker and Nissan can claim to be one of the first with its Qashqai, which appeared in concept form at the 2004 Geneva Motor Show.Bigger than a small car but smaller than a small SUV, Nissan says this is the wagon for buyers who are not attracted to the "large, aggressive nature" of an off-roader.Nissan's design centre in London has come up with a vehicle that has a car-like top half and SUV-like bottom. The Qashqai will also be built in England, at Nissan's efficient Sunderland factory. Beginning next year in Europe, two diesel and two petrol four-cylinders will be offered along with both manual, CVT and automatic gearboxes. All-wheel drive will also be available with the larger 2.0-litre engines."We expect Qashqai will sell more than 100,000 units a year on average across Europe with 80 per cent of those customers buying a Nissan for the first time," said Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn."We're very interested," said spokeswoman for Nissan Australia Lenore Taylor."However, it hasn't been launched in Europe yet so it's still some way off." PeugeotFRANCE'S biggest car-maker set an ominous tone on the eve of its hometown event by declaring it would shed 10,000 jobs in Europe and cut capital spending by more than $800 million a year as it struggles to reverse falling profits."We are going through a difficult period for our sales in western Europe but we're responding in the only way that works — by bringing new models to market faster," said outgoing chief executive Jean-Martin Folz.The production centrepiece on the stand was the new 207 small car range, which will run in parallel with the outgoing 206.With a bigger, more gaping grille, the new car looks a little like it's wearing braces but it will hope to repeat the smash-hit success of the 206, Peugeot's best-seller.The 207 Epure convertible concept previewed what the next 207 CC will look like.Meanwhile, the 908 RC showed an altogether more daring face of Peugeot.This dramatic and unconventional concept has an unusual powerplant and the air of a limousine-racer.Its 5.5-litre V12 diesel develops 515kW and 1200Nm of torque, drives through a six-speed sequential manual gearbox and is transversely mid-mounted.The wraparound front windscreen stretches back over the cabin, where there is generous seating for four.The engine will be used in next year's Le Mans series cars, but the 908 RC itself looks unlikely for production. RenaultTHE second French car-maker is feeling the heat of having the energetic Carlos Ghosn in charge.In Paris, he restated a determination to launch 26 new or revised vehicles by 2009, reduce problems by 40 per cent and increase sales to 800,000 a year.The highlights of a large stand included the Nepta concept car, which "expresses our determination to have a high-end line" Ghosn said, and the Koleos SUV concept, which will enter production in the first half of 2008 for sale in Europe.Built on a new 4WD platform, the Koleos joins the growing ranks of compact crossovers and was developed with the help of partner brand Nissan.The concept is powered by a 130kW 2.0-litre petrol engine driving through a six-speed manual and has styling that echoes the new Clio small car.The Nepta features dramatic gull wing doors which open to reveal both the futuristic cabin and the 3.5-litre V6 engine. SuzukiSUZUKI is on a roll with the success of its Swift small car, Grand Vitara off-roader and a compact SUV, the SX4, on the way.Project Splash, its Paris exhibit, suggests a loss of focus though with a concept designed to "deliver satisfaction to all customers regardless of lifestyle, age and gender in driving situations ranging from relatively short shopping trips to cross-country excursions".Based on the Swift platform, Splash aims for a light and airy interior using a glass roof and relatively tall body within its short dimensions.The concept is powered by a new 1.2-litre four-cylinder driving the front wheels via a four-speed automatic.ToyotaTOYOTA described its show centrepiece as the "Auris Space Concept" but fooled no-one about its intentions for a design destined to be a variant of the next Corolla.Apparently the Auris name — pronounced "A-oris" according to Toyota Europe's executive vice-president Thierry Dombreval — will become the official moniker for the car, although confusingly he assured the large crowd the "Corolla" badge will live on.The tall-body Auris was designed from the inside out, Toyota says, with the goal of "maximising interior space while promising an engaging drive".Few other details were available about the car, although Toyota Australia spokesman Mike Breen yesterday revealed it would go on sale here in hatch and sedan forms in March or April next year and would definitely retain the Corolla badge.With Toyota poised to outstrip General Motors as the world's biggest car-maker, it claimed to be running ahead of target in Europe and on track to break the million-sales mark in a single year. VolkswagenVOLKSWAGEN'S Iroc sportscar concept is a modern interpretation of a successful nameplate from the 1970s.The Scirocco was a compact and affordable four-seat coupe that sold more than half-a-million during its first generation.The Iroc aims to revive the idea while charting some fresh design territory for the German giant.In striking viper green, the Iroc has a distinctive grille and crisp lines powered by an innovative powertrain, already employed in European models of the Golf, which combines a turbocharger and supercharger with a small-capacity four-cylinder engine.In the concept it develops 155kW and claims to eliminate the turbo "lag" of most forced-induction engines.The local VW unit, which is currently on the brink of making it into the top 10 sales chart by displacing Kia, is optimistic about bringing the Skoda brand back to Australia.In Paris, spokesman Matthew Weisner said a proposal was before the German board with a decision due within weeks.If it gets the thumbs up, Skoda will go on sale next year with two models likely at first: the Octavia small car and Roomster compact multi-purpose vehicle, both sold through VW dealers.Although Skoda models will be priced under the equivalent VW, sales are expected to be modest at first with little residual brand awareness, Weisner said. VolvoVOLVO was ready to reveal its smallest car, the C30 three-door hatchback, following a string of concepts which left observers in little doubt about what it was doing. The C30 may be small, but it has a huge responsibility — especially with parent Ford in all sorts of strife."We are aiming for the 600,000 per year mark by 2009," said the president and chief executive of Volvo, Fredrik Arp."To reach that target we will challenge the opposition in segments that are new for us — we will make new customer groups buy into the Volvo brand and we will expand sales rapidly in fast-growing markets like China and Russia."The car arrives in Australia next year and despite Volvo's territorial goals, Europe is expected to account for the vast majority — 75 per cent — of buyers.Engines will comprise four and five-cylinder petrols and diesels, and Volvo expects the car to appeal to everyone from young couples to families with children to old empty-nesters.Safety was still important of course, but designer Steve Mattin was keener to tell the audience that 24 body-bumper colour combinations were possible and the car has a cracking stereo.

There were a handful of hybrids, and a few fuel cell techno treats, but all the real action was just what you would expect in the style-conscious French capital: fast and flashy.Diesel was very big, and there is a lot more to come for Australia, but the headliners at the show were cars that proved there is life in the automobile for many years yet.Audi finally had its R8 supercar ready for the road and then announced it would be coming out to Sydney for the Australian International Motor Show this month.The Mini was bigger, Volkswagen previewed its born-again Scirocco coupe, and Australia tipped in with the outrageous Chevrolet WTCC Ultra, which points directly to the next Holden Viva hatch.Toyota had a thinly disguised and underwhelming new Corolla that looked like a fluffed-up Yaris, Renault finally got into four-wheel drives with its Koleos and previewed the next baby Twingo. Suzuki showed the car it will make in India.Ferrari pulled crowds with the Pininfarina P4/5 custom supercar, as did Alfa Romeo with its 8c Competizione, which will quickly become a hero car for Italy."Europe is still into premium cars," says Michael Simcoe, the Australian design guru who is now based in Detroit with General Motors."All the brands are looking to move up because that's where you get your profit. People are all about being noticed here, so the fuel price doesn't matter."Simcoe had a solid take on Paris, the last serious overseas international show of 2006."This show is growing. GM's presence here is much better than ever before, with a real effort to understand Europe. And it, like all shows around the world, is seeing a lot more non-European stuff. It says a lot about the way the international market is developing."So, too, is the growing emphasis on diesel hero cars, which are driving the economy end of the business in Europe and will soon be making much more of an impact at the top end.But the Audi R8 and the Alfa 8c, which both looked great and are seen as threats to Ferrari and Porsche, were up in lights with old-fashioned petrol power. The Alfa boasts 313kW and a 0-100km/h time that should be in the sub-five second range. The Audi R8 is much more than just another concept car.It, like the Alfa, is a genuine road runner.It is a full-on two-seater with a 309kW, 4.2-litre engine that also punches out 430Nm of torque. The performance numbers are simple and brutal: top speed of 301km/h and a 0-100km/h sprint in 4.6 seconds.There is no news yet on price or delivery dates for Australia, but the R8 should be coming and will stick out in a crowd with its radical body — and the latest use of Audi's confronting frontal treatment.The other production heroes included, surprisingly, the chunky Dodge Nitro and Jeep Commando, which drew plenty of interest to the Americans, the vital new Volvo C30 compact and even the sporty Honda Civic Type R, still only a maybe for Australia.Nissan had the X-Trail based Qashqai that is likely Down Under, but there was no sign of the all-new Smart fortwo, even though Paris is packed with the funky little city runabouts.And then there were the concepts.Ford previewed the adventurous new Mondeo, which should be top of the shopping list for Ford Australia thanks to some of the best design work yet from the blue oval brand. What it does do is point to design elements in the new Falcon, due in 2008.Ford Australia's Sinead McAlary says: "Kinetic design is, if you like, the new global DNA of Ford and elements of it will be evident in the Falcon. That is not to say you are going to see a grille like that on a Falcon but there will be recognisable design language."Citroen was outrageous with its C-Metisse, while Renault tested the water for a rear-drive flagship with its Nepta, while pushing towards showrooms with the Koleos and Twingo, and Peugeot went racy with its 980RC.The Volkswagen Iroc is the template for the return of the Scirocco coupe, and looked brilliant with Kermit-green bodywork. Australians will also see production versions of the Hyundai Arnejs concept, which will be the next Accent, and Kia Cee'd twins — hatch and wagon — before long.Paris also featured lots of Chinese cars. Most looked like early South Korean work, or straight rip-offs of existing models, but demonstrated that the world's fastest growing car brands are looking for international expansion. At least one local importer — Ateco, run by Neville Crichton — took a very close look.