News in Brief

24th January 2008

Sportier Ibiza sharpens its act
Spanish maker SEAT is raving about a new addition to its Ibiza range. The 1.4-litre 99bhp Sport (below) has a five-speed manual gearbox, and a 0-62mph sprint time of 11.2 seconds, while the top speed is 118mph.

The fresh supermini features specially stiffened and lowered sports suspension, designed to sharpen handling and give it
a more composed ride.

Kit includes 16-inch alloys with ultra low-profile 205/45 tyres, plus a body-coloured rear spoiler, grippy sports seats and a leather-clad three-spoke steering wheel. The new model costs £9,395, and is available to order now.

Eastern charger makes its debut
Chinese battery specialist BYD unveiled a new electric motor at the Detroit Motor Show last week.

The F6 DM, a large executive saloon, has a range of 60 miles in electric mode and can travel a further 190 miles while using the petrol engine as a generator to charge the battery pack.

The firm also showcased its F8 coupé-cabriolet and the F3R hatchback, both of which are already on sale in China. The car maker is hoping to drum up interest in Europe, and plans to exhibit at Geneva in March.

BMW all at sea after ship crash
Here’s some news that’s sure to leave a few BMW buyers with a sinking feeling! A shipping accident ended in disaster when a carrier suddenly tipped 370 new cars from the German maker that were stored
in the hold into the sea.

The factory-fresh motors included a range of 1-Series,
3-Series and M3 launch models, which were being transported from Europe out to the States.

The ship was docking at the port of Jersey City when it broke its moorings. More than 70 of the vehicles were written off. Those suffering minor damage are expected to be repaired and used as demonstrator vehicles at the firm’s dealer network.